Jonathan Majors is still mounting a comeback and, as part of, the actor has been filming a new action movie that’s been set up at The Daily Wire. The shoot for the film (for which a title has yet to be announced) has reportedly been plagued with behind-the-scenes issues, though. On that note, Majors and a co-star recently fell through a window on set while filming a scene. Initial reports suggested that Majors was doing fine after the incident, but the actor himself is now addressing the situation.

This past week, footage of Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne accidentally falling through the window went viral. At the time, Majors and Kilcoyne stumbled backwards and out of frame and ultimately hit the glass and fell out of the window. The clip also sees crew members checking on the two actors, who appear to affirm that they’re fine. A source recently spoke with TMZ about the situation and attributed it to “simple inertia.” Despite the accident, it’s said that the specific scene was rehearsed months in advance.

Reps for Kilcoyne reiterated that their client was fine and “did not feel unsafe on set” and that he was having a “positive experience.” It was also reported, however, that Kilcoyne needed stitches on his hand due to injuries he sustained. Majors – who was reportedly supposed to be swapped out for a stunt double before the window segment – shared comments of his own with TMZ. The Creed III alum’s sentiments appeared to be upbeat:

Majors was first reported to be starring in this film back in February, with production said to be taking place in South Carolina. Plot details and additional casting information were kept under wraps at the time and, as of this writing, a lot of the specifics are still unknown. While Majors seems to be enjoying himself following the window accident, there are reportedly still other issues that have unfolded on the set as of late.

Crew members are allegedly unhappy with a lack of meetings with writer/director Kyle Rankin or his department heads in regard to proper firearm usage and stunt execution. A debate over shooting in a building where black mold was discovered also became an issue. The involvement of SFX supervisor Chris Bailey was also reportedly an issue due to him being sentenced to probation for “illegally possessing explosive materials” on a movie set. Due to these issues, members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees called for a strike near the end of March. Dallas Sonnier, who’s co-producing the film under his Bonfire Legend banner, has since said a collective bargaining agreement with the IATSE will not be attempted by the producers.

On the whole, this marks the first movie the leading man has filmed in more than three years and comes after the slew of legal issues Majors contended with after his 2023 arrest and subsequent conviction on assault and harassment charges. With roles reportedly drying up for him, Majors was reportedly seeking to earn income by other means, including public appearances with autograph signings and photo sessions. At the same time, the former Marvel star has also expressed interest in reprising his role as Kang the Conqueror.

As far as the public knows, production on Jonathan Majors’ new movie is still filming as scheduled, though it remains to be seen if it’ll be released amid the 2026 movie schedule. Meanwhile, it’s also alleged that in the aftermath of the window accident, the crew has come closer together.

When we talk about the difficulty of filmmaking, we usually mean budgets, schedules or creative compromises as was surely the case with Sinners. But, sometimes, the challenge is much more primal, like dealing with heat and bugs. The very real sense that nature is actively trying to push you off the call sheet was very much the case for Ryan Coogler’s Oscar-dominating historical horror hit, which was filmed deep in the swamps of Louisiana. We have have an idea of just how many mosquitos the team had to contend with, and it makes my skin crawl.

The behind-the-scenes reality of the show came into sharper focus this week, thanks to a recent interview Sinners producer Sev Ohanian gave to LAist. During the conversation, Ohanian spoke candidly about what it actually took to get the film made. While discussing the production with host Julia Paskin, he didn’t sugarcoat the experience. In fact, he framed it as a stress test rather than a standard shoot, and it apparently included copious amounts of bugs:

6,042 mosquitoes might be hyperbolic, but the image it paints is unmistakable. This wasn’t a mildly uncomfortable outdoor shoot, but full-on swamp warfare. The kind of production where bug spray becomes part of the costume department, and standing still for too long is no longer an option.

And it wasn’t just insects. According to Ohanian, the production was constantly negotiating with the environment itself. Louisiana’s swamps are beautiful, atmospheric, and completely indifferent to the needs of a film crew. The unpredictability that is nature was all part of the daily equation, including one particularly memorable visitor. The filmmaker continued:

“Dealing with the elements” sounds manageable until you picture it happening over and over again, day after day, while trying to maintain continuity, protect expensive equipment, and keep cast and crew focused.

What makes these stories particularly striking is how invisible that struggle is on screen. Sinners looks controlled and beautifully crafted, with none of the chaos suggested by its production conditions. That contrast helps explain why the film went on to earn a record-breaking 16 Academy Award nominations. There’s no trace of a swamp-bound, mosquito-infested shoot baked into the final product, a testament not just to Ryan Coogler’s direction, but to the endurance and discipline of everyone involved.

Coogler's vampire epic didn’t rack up awards recognition on prestige alone. It earned it through logistical challenges, environmental obstacles, and a production team that pushed through circumstances most shoots never face. So, yes, the mental image of a film set swarming with mosquitoes and the occasional alligator making an appearance is enough to make anyone cringe. But it also earns a certain amount of respect.

Sinners is currently streamable with an HBO Max subscription. And, with the 98th Academy Awards set to air on March 15 on ABC, now is the perfect time to catch up on the best new horror movies in recent years before Oscar night.

Anyone who has contributed to Wicked’s box office success knows the whole experience was absolutely magical. Audiences are completely immersed in the land of Oz and feel like they are attendees at the magical Shiz University. The world feels so real, that it’s easy to forget it all takes place on a carefully constructed film set. Director Jon M. Chu recently pulled back the curtain to give fans a glimpse into one of Wicked’s remarkable film sets: the dorm room. I have to say I’m completely blown away.

In a recent Instagram post shared by Chu, the filmmaker gave kudos to the hundreds of artisans and production designers that made the world of Oz a reality. He emphasized how much work went into the process and how man-made everything was, despite it looking so natural and lived in. Chu drove home that point by sharing the photo of the dorm set, which is heavily constructed and incredibly small compared to how it appears on screen. You can see his post below:

This looks absolutely insane, and it’s hard to comprehend that this is the same cozy bedroom fans saw on the big screen. It also looks so small, with the ceiling of the set grazing the tops of the crew members’ heads. I can’t even imagine how Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were able to execute musical numbers to some of Wicked’s most emotionally impactful songs in such a tight space.

Jon M. Chu also noted that the production had to be logical and practical in the way the sets were constructed because he and the rest of the cast and crew were essentially shooting two films at the same time. The first Wicked movie notably had a number of rooms, set pieces, and characters that all had to feel cohesive. 2025's For Good, which has several 2026 Golden Globe nominations, also has some impressive sets. A lot of thought went into it, and Chu emphasized the amount of hard work his crew did in the caption, saying:

Clearly everything came together. Even though the dorm room was clearly a tiny isolated set that was essentially floating, it still felt so connected to the rest of the set pieces. Even though it was very superficial, this construction also gave the filmmakers a lot of control with the lighting and how the whole thing would be shot. These controlled environments were essential to making Oz seem real, as they allowed the creatives to be detail-oriented and craft a visual language.

I’m endlessly impressed with what the team has accomplished and that the actors were able to still be able to be in touch with their emotions even with so many moving parts around them.

You check out these sets being put to use by checking out Wicked: For Good, which is currently still playing in some theaters nationwide. Fans can also revisit the first Wicked film now with a Prime Video subscription. Additionally, watch the 2026 Golden Globes tonight, January 11 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS to see if For Good earns any awards.

Hugh Jackman has earned a reputation for not only being one of the most hardworking actors in show business but for also being one of the kindest. With that, Jackman’s sheer generosity manifests itself in various ways whenever he’s working on a set. The A-lister’s kindness is particularly evident through one of his long-held traditions – “Scratchy Fridays.” At first glance, fans may think this event is related to the X-Men character Jackman’s long played and, while it happened on the Deadpool & Wolverine set, too, there’s more to this.

Actors tend to pick up some interesting habits whenever they’re working on sets – some of which can be good and some not-so-positive for those around said star. However, I definitely wouldn’t mind being on set with Hugh Jackman during a Scratchy Friday. That’s because, on those days, Jackman buys scratch-off lottery tickets for the entire cast and crew. On the surface, such a habit may seem a bit random but, to me, it's incredibly sweet.

Naturally, fans may wonder just how and why the Greatest Showman star decided to start this tradition. Well, it seems it began at some point during the early 2000s. Jackman discussed his special Fridays while speaking at a press conference (which is on YouTube) in 2015 for the movie Pan. The Australian actor explained at the time that his sweet ticket distribution was born from his way of trying to acclimate to American-run movie sets:

At the time, Hugh Jackman went on to say that he learned that since he started the tradition, one person won $1,500. Jackman joked that that fact lent credibility to the notion that “if you’re looking to get rich, don’t buy a lotto scratchy ticket.” Still, Jackman’s gesture prevails and, in 2024, he posted to Instagram about taking part in Scratchy Friday while filming Deadpool & Wolverine (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). While he said he couldn’t remember why he started it, he still had a sweet take:

The Miss Congeniality auditionee deserves credit for sticking to his lovely tradition for so long, and I would imagine that such an occasion could boost morale on set. Considering how much Jackman has had on his plate over the last year or so, I’d imagine there have been plenty of beneficiaries of his Friday treat. Jackman is headlining Song Sung Blue, which is set to be released amid the 2025 movie schedule. He’s also shot The Sheep Detectives and The Death of Robin Hood, for which he sports a wild mustache.

Right now, there’s still no official word as to when or how Jackman might return to the role of Wolverine, though rumors suggest the character will not only be back but stick around for a while. If or when Jackman returns to a Marvel set, though, I’d expect him to treat all of his colleagues to plenty of scratch-offs.

Anyone who’d like to see Hugh Jackman’s latest film will need to buy a (movie) ticket to see Song Song Blue, which opens in theaters on December 25. Also, Jackman’s various X-Men movies can be streamed on Disney+.

Installments in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy are among the best superhero movies of all time and are still watched today. Through those 2000s films, a new generation was introduced to awkward teen Peter Parker, who had to navigating life after a spider bite turned him into a full-fledged hero. I'ver personally rewatched the initial 2002 installment in the Tobey Maguire-led franchise (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). However, even I was surprised when an eagle-eyed fan made note of a wild error in the film.

One of the best battle sequences in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man is the final battle between the titular hero and the Green Goblin. The web-slinger’s villainous foe delivers violent blows towards him, and it's hard watching Peter on the verge of being broken down. Plus, much of that scene plays without a musical score, as the focus remains on the raw intensity of the moment. Interestingly, an ever-astute X user named @InternetH0F noticed one particular BTS goof involving a Green Goblin stunt:

Well, now we know the trick behind Green Goblin being able to nail that impressive flip! A trampoline was underneath the stunt actor, and it allowed him to accomplish that stunt. Whenever I watch the movie moving forward, it's going to be hard for me not to envision this, that's for sure.

Per the post's caption, this Spider-Man clip came from the unseen open matte version of the movie, which gets cropped to a widescreen format for its theatrical release. Because open matte versions reveal more of the frame than originally intended, it’s not unusual to catch things that weren’t meant to be visible—like a trampoline.

When you find clips of this scene on YouTube, the trampoline is non-existent. It’s hard to know if the movie mistake is in the DVD cut, but it’s apparently seen in the TV edit, at the very least.

It's hard not to chuckle when spotting major movie mistakes, and there are plenty of notable ones. A perfect example would being the sight of a car in a wide shot from the first Lord of the Rings movie. Of course, it's also hard to forget the infamous Starbucks cup that appeared in Game of Thrones. Still, at least a Spider-Man crew member quickly took the trampoline out of the shot instead of leaving it there.

While Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy used CGI and green screens, you have to commend the comic book adaptation for its brilliant use of practical effects. For example, the scene in which Peter catches Mary Jane’s falling lunch tray with all of the food landing perfectly on it took Tobey Maguire 156 takes. As time-consuming as that shot must have been for everyone on set, the payoff was well worth it.

Just when I thought I'd seen every bit of detail within Spider-Man, it turned out there was at least one tidbit I was unaware of. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment is a reminder that underneath all of that movie magic, there are still practical elements at work, which may or may not show up in a frame.

Time is a cruel mistress, want proof? Look no further than Ryan Reynolds' social media. Reynolds recently celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the first entry in his popular R-rated Marvel movie franchise with an awesome video. Now, though, the man who portrays the Merc with a Mouth on the big screen is marking the first anniversary of the release of Deadpool & Wolverine (which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription). And Reynolds marked the occasion in a truly sweet way.

Ryan Reynolds took to his Instagram stories to share an incredible BTS image of the wonderful actors and actresses who made up the many cameos in Deadpool 3. The picture, which you can see below, includes Hugh Jackman, Channing Tatum, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, Dafne Keen (who are all in full costume) and of course, the film's director, Shawn Levy. Check it out:

It's wild to think it's already been a year since Wade Wilson and Logan hit theaters and broke the box office, especially after all the time it took for a third Deadpool movie to be produced by Marvel Studios. When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and all its properties, it finally paved the way for Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool to join the fun. However, it still took years before fans got to see Deady-Pool and Wolvie on screen together and, when it finally happened, it became a major success.

Deadpool 3 also provides a great send-off to all the 21st Century Fox-developed Marvel characters who never got a chance to take their last bows, or got their chance at all, like Channing Tatum’s Gambit. The Step Up star had been hired by Fox nearly a decade before his cameo in the superhero threequel but never even got a chance to make it into production, despite all the buzz surrounding him over the years.

Let’s talk about how amazing it is that a series, kicked off in such a weird way, has gone on to have such a wonderful legacy. It all started with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman doing their thing in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was panned by most and ranked amongst the worst of the X-Men movies. Then there was the leaked test footage of Deadpool, the origin of which remains unknown, not even to Kevin Feige. Now, ten years later, all three Deadpool movies have been hits with critics and audiences alike. The latest one is the top earner of the bunch, raking in over $1.3 billion worldwide amid its theatrical run in 2024.

Prior to its release, Deadpool & Wolverine was one of the most hottly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies destined for theaters. Now, a year out from its release, it remains one of the better Marvel Cinematic Universe entries amid the Multiverse Saga. Also, based on Ryan Reynolds' behind-the-scenes pic, it seems the fun wasn’t just on the screen, but was on set as well.

All three Deadpool movies are now streaming on Disney+, and the newest MCU flick, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is now playing and is one of the biggest titles on the 2025 movie schedule.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the 2024 TV schedule had to have been Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout. This adaptation of the beloved video game series garnered critical acclaim and reportedly raked in solid viewership numbers as well. So it wasn’t really all that surprising when the streamer greenlit the post-apocalyptic drama for a second season. With that, one of the biggest questions fans have been left to ponder is when production might start. Well, cast member Walton Goggins is now back in the makeup chair, and it looks intense.

Walton Goggins has long been a fan-favorite actor, and he received considerable praise and an Emmy nomination for his performance as Cooper Howard/The Ghoul. The star seemed to confirm that production on Fallout Season 2 was getting started by posting a behind-the-scenes photo to Instagram. The lone pic seems to show the actor’s face being fitted for the prosthetics necessary for him to portray his gun-slinging character. Check out the pic for yourself:

Believe me when I say that I’m deliriously excited for the eventual return of Fallout, and it’s wonderful to see that filming seems to have commenced or that, at the very least, pre-production is in motion. Chances are it could still be some time before those new episodes actually see the light of day. But, nevertheless, fans should be excited. Of course, there’s another element of this post that needs to be discussed as well.

The impeccable makeup work that’s done for the show is also more than worth talking about, as the artisans who develop it are so talented. As tedious as it likely is to create those prosthetics, it’s surely intense for the actors themselves to have them applied and subsequently have to act in them. Walton Goggins has been open about his own makeup experiences, as he previously revealed that his Ghoul transformation took a lot of time. In addition to that, Goggins explained to CinemaBlend just how the makeup impacted his signature Southern drawl. He’s a trained (and paid) actor, but I still appreciate his efforts and those of the makeup artists.

Fallout was renewed shortly after the show’s premiere this past April. At the time, lead actress Ella Purnell and co-stars Aaron Moten and Kyle MacLachlan expressed great enthusiasm over the news. In October, Purnell discussed Season 2’s status with CinemaBlend, at which point she admitted that she wasn’t sure when filming would start. The actress also said that while she hadn’t received a script or heard about any filming details, she was excited to jump back into her role as ex-Vault 33 resident Lucy MacLean.

After the conclusion of Fallout Season 1, the main characters were left in some interesting positions. Lucy and the Ghoul teamed up to find the heads of Vault-Tec, while Maximus (Aaron Moten) was knighted by the Brotherhood of Steel after he was believed to have been responsible for the death of commander Lee Moldaver. And, in a particularly exciting turn of events, Lucy’s sinister father, Hank, made his way to what was left of New Vegas.

I’m excited to see what lies ahead on this excellent show, but I’m also fully aware that I’m going to need to be patient as well. Nevertheless, Walton Goggins’ makeup post will serve as a solid reminder that progress is being made when it comes to the new episodes. And, of course, it’s also a true testament to the fact that Goggins does “this shit for the love of the game.”

For now, you can stream the first season of Fallout using a Prime Video subscription.

Sydney Sweeney has been busy amid the 2024 movie schedule, and the A-lister’s various productions have seemingly garnered significant interest from the general public. That certainly applies to Sweeney’s boxing biopic, which centers on Christy Martin. Filming kicked off a few weeks ago and, since then, the Madame Web star and her colleagues had been keeping behind-the-scenes details under wraps. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Sweeney unveiled the first official look at the movie, and I can’t stop looking at her arms.

The 27-year-old Washington state native posted to Instagram to share a couple of photos, which reveal how she’ll appear as Christy Martin in the upcoming movie. Via her caption, Sydney Sweeney explained that she decided to drop the pics because paparazzi have been capturing snapshots of her from the set as of late. So, if anything, this seems to be her way of taking control of the situation. You can check out her post down below, which shows off how the actress really got in shape for her role:

Holy arms! The Anyone but You star previously talked about wanting to “transform” her body for the role. However, based on the photos above, it looks like she really went above and beyond. That second pic, in particular, shows off how big her arms have become, likely due to pumping iron. I always appreciate when an actor is able to (safely) commit to a role from a physical standpoint, and the White Lotus star certainly has my praise for her dedication. She shared more insight into the work and production via her caption:

For those who are unfamiliar with Christy Martin, she’s a West Virginia-born boxer, and she rose to prominence during the ‘90s. Martin found much success during her 23-year career, even managing to earn the WBC female super welterweight title in 2009. By 2012, she retired and was later elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. Martin has since weighed in on Sydney Sweeney portraying her in the biopic and issued her approval and admiration.

This sports movie represents yet another feather in the cap of the “talented, magnetic and beautiful” Sydney Sweeney. It goes without saying that the past year has been big for the starlet. Aside from this latest venture, she’s looking towards the release of Eden, a Ron Howard-directed movie that pairs her with Ana de Armas. At the same time, Sweeney is working on a Barbarella remake and, now, I’m wondering if she might try to maintain her current physique for that movie.

Sydney Sweeney has unfortunately dealt with comments about her body for sometime now, with many of those remarks being inappropriate. In this case, as someone who’s simply a fan of sports movies and biopics and general, I’m just happy to see her commitment to fitness. Seriously, it’s going to be hard for me to stop thinking about those ripped arms, and I look forward to seeing how she puts them to use in the movie.

With spooky season in effect you can check out Sydney Sweeney’s latest film – horror movie Immaculate – now by streaming it with a Hulu subscription.

The Big Bang Theory featured some interesting costume choices throughout its over 250-episode TV run. Mostly, that's because many storylines involved comic book and sci-fi references, among other pop culture mentions. Even though the thought of dressing up in a variety of fun costumes sounds fun, that actually created a somewhat horrifying situation for at least one of the beloved CBS sitcom's stars. In the situation in question, Melissa Rauch “totally exposed” herself accidentally, and the story is cringey.

During a PaleyFest panel, the cast and creatives of The Big Bang Theory spoke about their experiences working on the show, sharing interesting BTS tidbits in the process. It was at the event that Melissa Rauch and on-screen husband Simon Helberg were asked about wearing Smurf makeup. The two dressed up as the beloved blue creatures as part of a Halloween-centric installment -- Season 5’s “The Holographic Excitation” -- and really looked the part. Rauch explained that the makeup removal process took “hours” and ran into the night. But the situation became awkward when two male workers were getting the paint off and Rauch started to fall asleep:

To say that I'm feeling so much second-hand embarrassment for Melissa Rauch right now would be an understatement. If I were in her shoes, I'm honestly not sure I'd be able to show my face on set again. But, at least, she's now able to laugh about the situation, and I'd like to think she was more cautious on such matters moving from that point on. All in all, that was a wild and unusual situation, to say the least. Yet, by the sounds of it, she now has a funny (if not toe-curling) story that she can tell for years to come.

All in all, the Bronze alum and her co-stars really had to commit when it came to costumes on their long-running show. Some may remember when most of the Big Bang cast impersonated superheroes during a New Year's-centric episode. There's even one installment in which the uptight Sheldon Cooper had to dress in a sexy maid outfit to appease his one of his chums. When it comes to the Batman and Harley Quinn actor's Smurfette experience, I'd also like to know just how long it took to get the makeup on and how long she had to shoot with it on. Regardless of that though, I'd still say she's a trooper for having undergone that process.

Melissa Rauch’s current role on NBC's Night Court, which is returning for Season 3, requires her to be covered up quite a bit most of the time. That's, of course, because she plays a judge on that show. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if she's had some wardrobe faux pas while working on that sitcom as well. While I hope Rauch never has to experience anything as awkward as her Smurfette situation, I'd still be curious to learn if she's experienced anything as cringey since.

The Big Bang Theory is available to stream in its entirety with a Max subscription, so you can check out the Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz actress' Smurf look now. Also, take a look at the 2024 TV schedule for information on more recent shows.

Glen Powell’s career is taking off, and he’s bringing his family along with him. The Powell clan have supported the Hit Man actor by showing up (and trolling him) at his premieres, and have traveled with him to international filming locations. Powell has also adorably found a way to include his parents in all his creative projects. They have made cameos in all of his films since Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over and his latest film, Twisters, is no exception. A new behind-the-scenes video shows Powell’s folks getting ready for their big screen close up, and I can’t get enough.

In a recent promo for Twisters, Glen Powell’s parents (Glen Sr. and Cyndy) seem absolutely delighted to be a small part of the disaster epic. The actor asks them all sorts of questions about their acting prep, and they all have such great energy. Not only that, but they even get to sit in a makeup chair and receive the full movie star treatment. Both Mr. and Mrs. Powell look fabulous in their rodeo getups, and the Set It Up star is visibly excited to have them a part of the experience. You can see the video from Instagram below:

In the film, you can see Powell’s folks behind him and Daisy Edgar-Jones in the big rodeo scene. It’s a key moment of the film, when the two main characters finally establish some common ground. The Powells even ended up in the Twisters trailer, when the storm starts brewing overhead. They fit right into the Oklahoma tornado-chasing world, and I must say their acting is on point. You can see them in the following image:

Watching Glen Powell movies to see if you can spot his parents is starting to become a bit of a fun tradition. Both cameo during Anyone but You's airplane scene, and you can see his dad dancing at the bar while Miles Teller plays the piano in Top Gun: Maverick. This Twisters cameo moment is the most fitting yet, as Powell and his family are from Austin, Texas. This is not too far out from Tornado Alley, where they shot the film. This is probably why they all look so cool and comfortable sporting the attire so closely associated with the American south.

The Devotion has a number of big movies coming down the pike, including the A24 film Huntington, and Edgar Wright’s Running Man adaptation. So should be plenty of other opportunities for his parents to appear on the big screen. I can’t wait to see how the A-lister able to sneak them into these films and other future projects. His family has posted photos from South Africa, where Powell is filming Huntington, so it’s safe to say fans can expect to see them in some sort of cameo role. At this point, I think they're basically a package deal.

You can see Glen Powell (and his parents) in Twisters, which is currently playing in theaters nationwide and is now available to rent or own on digital platforms. You can also check him out in his other buzzy summer movie, Hit Man, which is currently streaming for anyone with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other films heading to cinemas and streaming this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.

If you were a kid growing up in the '90s—especially in the Midwest like I was—thunderstorms were more than just a reason to seek cover. They were the cue to scramble to the tornado shelter, fearing you'd end up dodging a flying cow or bouncing tire. This particular dread owes much to the 1996 classic Twister. Now, as the movie's sequel, Twisters, (one of the biggest 2024 new movie releases) lights up the big screen, there's been a cool development. Some original footage resurfaced, and it features the late Bill Paxton on the set of this iconic ‘90s film. In it, Paxton charmingly predicts, “This movie’s gonna do for tornadoes what Jaws did for sharks.” And wasn't he spot on?

Entertainment Tonight recently shared the behind-the-scenes video capturing Bill Paxton in action on the Twister set. The clip is a nostalgic throwback to 1990s Hollywood filmmaking, featuring realistic wreckage and damaged stairs for Paxton to navigate. As he maneuvers through the intentionally unstable set, he nearly stumbles several times but recovers each time with the grace of a seasoned actor. The video highlights Paxton’s charismatic and playful nature, showcasing what made him such a beloved figure. But what’s particularly interesting is that, in the video posted to Instagram the Titanic actor makes that very president prediction. See it for yourself:

The Aliens actor's assertion about the impact of his and Helen Hunt's movie rings true nearly three decades later. Just as Jaws made beachgoers wary of the water, the 1996 tornado epic forever changed how we view tornadoes. It turned a natural disaster into a thrilling cinematic experience that captivated audiences worldwide. The film's innovative use of special effects brought the terrifying power of tornadoes to life, setting a new standard for disaster movies.

It's intriguing to note that while Jaws, as the Smithsonian Magazine reports, led to an increase in shark deaths, according to an article from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Twister had a different impact. Despite the film's scientific inaccuracies and dramatic tornado effects, it inspired many individuals to pursue real-life careers in severe storm research.

The first Twister film followed in Jaws' footsteps, becoming a massive hit at the summer box office. Now, with the release of Twisters, the sequel is also making a significant impact at the box office. A heartwarming aspect of the sequel's release was the tribute paid to the late Bill Paxton by the film's co-lead Glenn Powell. On the day of the movie's release, Powell shared a photo of himself and Paxton wearing cowboy hats and a touching message honoring the late actor. Paxton passed away at the age of 61 in 2017 due to a damaged aortic heart valve. Still, he left behind a lasting legacy through his iconic film roles, including his memorable performance in Jan de Bont's beloved disaster movie, which Paxton clearly believed in based on this resurfaced footage.

You can enjoy Bill Paxton’s performance in Twister, as it's now available for streaming with a Max subscription. And don't miss the newest tornado adventure film, Twisters, which is in theaters now.

In September 2001, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks changed the face of television with the 10-part HBO limited series, Band of Brothers. The emotionally charged and action-packed historical drama about the 506th Infantry Regiment, a.k.a., “Easy Company” during the final year of World War II was a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, and is still considered one of the best shows with under 40 episodes nearly a quarter-century later.

If you’ve ever wanted to go back in time and see how the landmark HBO series, which is still impactful decades later, came to be, stick around. We have uncovered some great details about its conception, production, and so much more. Here are 10 Band of Brothers behind-the-scenes facts to look back on…

When Prepping Band Of Brothers, Series Writer Erik Jendresen Supplemented His Research By Visiting Dick Winters

Erik Jendresen, who served as the main writer and showrunner on Band of Brothers, spent months preparing for the show that eventually earned him, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries. While he did spend a tremendous amount of time reading, dissecting, and adapting Stephen E. Ambrose’s 1992 non-fiction book, Band of Brothers, he later explained on the show’s official podcast that he felt he needed to meet with Major Richard D. Winters to get those nitty, gritty details:

Jendresen would go on to state that not only was the meeting a success, but it also started what would become a very personal and strong friendship between the two men, one that would carry on until Winters’ passing in January 2011.

Band Of Brothers Reportedly Had A $125 Million Budget, Which Was Roughly $12 Million Per Episode

Several of the most expensive shows of all time have called HBO home over the years, and that includes Band of Brothers, which is easy to pick up on, considering the show’s movie-level production quality, scope, and scale. Ahead of the show’s September 2001 debut, the New York Times reported that the budget for the 10-part limited series was said to be around $125 million, or roughly $12 million per episode. 

A big gamble for HBO at the time, even with the likes of Spielberg and Hanks – only a few years removed from their all-time great war movie, Saving Private Ryan – being major players behind the scenes, the risk quickly paid off for the network. Strong ratings, critical acclaim, multiple awards, and quite possibly the birth of prestige television were all the result of this massive budget. 

The Band Of Brothers Cast Went Through Actual Boot Camp And It Was No Easy Feat

The Band of Brothers cast, which included the likes of Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, and Donnie Wahlberg, looked, felt, and acted like a close-knit group of soldiers throughout the 10-part limited series, and that could have something to do with the fact that they were put through the wringer at boot camp before shooting began. In a profile on the show’s prep published by the Telegraph, actors, who didn’t think they could make it through the 10-day camp, explained that some guys cried themselves to sleep the first night.

Tough conditions, 18-hour days, five-mile runs, and barracks that smelled like feet certainly didn’t help them feel comfortable, but it did get them in the physical and mental state needed to accurately portray real-life veterans once cameras started rolling.

Band Of Brothers’ Production Was About Five Times Bigger Than That Of Saving Private Ryan

Band of Brothers followed Easy Company all the way from their arrival on D-Day to the conclusion of the war around a year later, which meant the production had to be massive to properly match the scope and scale of the story. In the Making Band of Brothers documentary that accompanied the home release, it was revealed that the show was primarily shot on a 1,100-acre backlot in England that included a 12-acre village set that was constructed and then modified multiple times to be 11 different European cities.

Speaking with the documentary crew, Hanks said that the production was about five times bigger than Saving Private Ryan, simply because there were so many cities and locations throughout Europe that had to be replicated. 

How They Came Up With The Idea To Introduce Each Episode With A Real Easy Company Member Interview

Each episode starts with a real member of Easy Company talking about their experiences in the war, but this wasn’t the original plan. In a 2023 interview with the Television Academy, Erik Jendresen explained that they were toying around with different ideas to add context to each chapter, but couldn’t really settle on anything. However, that changed when they checked out interviews being conducted by documentarian Mark Cowen:

This structure ultimately worked in the show’s favor and added a great sense of reality and gravity to everything that followed in each installment.

Feedback From The Real Dick Winters Had A Major Impact On The ‘Day Of Days’ Episode

One thing that we have to remember about Band of Brothers is that it was based on the stories and experiences of real soldiers. During an appearance on the Band of Brothers podcast, Hanks recalled a conversation he had with Major Winters during post-production where he learned that the decorated paratrooper wasn’t happy about Easy Company being portrayed as ill-prepared or inexperienced during the “Day of Days” episode, recalling that Winters said:

Hanks explained that hearing “Guys, you’re getting this wrong” from the man himself gave them a heading and a reminder that they could embellish the story or edit it in a way that would sacrifice reality for the sake of more engaging television. The two-time Oscar winner said that conversation not only helped him in that situation but also as a producer moving forward.

The Art Department Spent Weeks Turning An Airplane Hanger Into The ‘Battle Of Bastogne’

The sixth episode in the series, “Bastogne” features some of the most intense fighting in the entire series with its depiction of the consequential Battle of the Bulge. It takes place in a sprawling snow-covered forest deep in the European continent, but, in reality, the entire fight was filmed in an airplane hanger in England.

In the Making Band of Brothers documentary, the art department provided a detailed run-through of how they turned a massive building into one of the most well-known battles in World War II, revealing that they spent weeks spraying fake snow on trees constructed out of fiberglass, hemp, and other materials to replicate all the tress torn apart by artillery and gunfire.

Actors Suspended In The Air, Wind Machines, And A Massive Blue Screen Made The Normandy Jump Sequence Possible In ‘Day Of Days’

Easy Company’s drop into Normandy in the “Day of Days” episode is one of the most disorienting and chaotic moments in the entire series, and it’s all thanks to the hard work behind the scenes. In the making of documentary, the episode’s director, Richard Loncraine, revealed that a decision was made during production to follow Damian Lewis’ Dick Winters from the time he jumped from the plane until he landed on the ground as one continuous shot, which required a lot of effort.

With Lewis connected to a rig and hanging high above the floor of the soundstage, a camera moved up and down around him while wind machines were blowing air from various directions so it looked like he was falling. The planes, other paratroopers, explosions, and other details were all then added in post-production.

James Madio Has Said The ‘Why We Fight’ Set Was ‘Truly Difficult’ To Be On

The penultimate episode of Band of Brothers, “Why We Fight,” is one of the most harrowing chapters in the 10-part saga, mostly because it shows Easy Company witnessing the impact of the Holocaust first-hand. Stumbling into a concentration camp, the soldiers are greeted by emaciated prisoners, dead bodies, and a hellish landscape beyond comprehension. And, it wasn’t just the characters who were impacted, as James Madio, who portrayed Sgt. Frank Perconte, told the National WWII Museum in 2020:

Much like revisiting the trauma in The Zone of Interest years later, the sights and sounds of this painful episode put a lot of things into perspective about the war, why the soldiers fought, and what we’ve learned in the decades since the last concentration camp was liberated.

Tom Hanks Thought Band Of Brothers Would Be Put On Hold ‘Indefinitely’ After Its Debut Because Of The September 11th Attacks

Band of Brothers premiered on September 9, 2001, just two days before the 9/11 terrorist attacks changed the world in an instant. Looking back on the show’s 20th anniversary, as well as the 20-year mark for September 11th back in 2021, Tom Hanks told Deadline that he and his fellow producers thought the show “would be put on hold indefinitely” because it seemed like WWIII had just started. 

The series went on break for two weeks as the nation healed from the physical and emotional wounds caused by the devastation, but would ultimately return and finish its run, becoming one of the most iconic shows of all time in the process.

Band of Brothers is currently streaming for anyone with a Max subscription if you want to go back and watch the landmark series after checking out all these behind-the-scenes facts.

Crafting a massive blockbuster is no small feat, as the filmmakers go to pain-staking lengths to pull off wild stunts and action sequences. Unfortunately, we don’t always get to see the hard work that’s done on those fronts. But, thanks to stars like Will Smith, we occasionally get peeks behind the curtain, so to speak. The fan-favorite star has been sharing behind-the-scenes clips from the upcoming Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and he just dropped another one. The snippet depicts a gun fight being filmed and, after seeing it, I don’t think I’ll ever look at such a massive big-screen sequence the same way again. 

Will Smith shared this latest piece of footage on his Instagram account, and it shows the star – while in character as Mike Lowrey – acting in a scene. Once you watch the clip, what will probably stand out to you is the fact that the A-lister is wearing a harness of sorts that has a camera attached to it. Not only that, but the same piece of equipment also holds his prop gun and is able to rotate as Smith moves the weapon. Honestly, you just have to see all of this clip for yourself, which also includes a camera feed that shows what the directors are seeing on the monitors:

I’ve seen more than a few great action sequences in my time and, at times, I’ve certainly wondered how they were pulled off from a filmmaking standpoint. This particular video is incredibly enlightening and conveys the complexities of such a scene production-wise. Some may also be excited by the Oscar winner’s caption, which seems to suggest that viewers don’t know what they’re getting into with this one. I was already excited to see what this fourth installment has in store but, now, I’m just downright pumped. 

As mentioned, this isn’t the only BTS tidbit that Will Smith has shared. He also recently shared another post that highlights the technical aspects of filming. For example, the clip below gives the sense of how a drone was utilized for one specific action sequence: 

Based on the Bad Boys: Ride or Die trailer, it’s been clear that directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are going all out for this latest chapter in the blockbuster franchise. It sees Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) going on the run after being implicated in a false conspiracy involving their late boss, Captain Conrad (Joe Pantoliano). With that, the humorous duo must evade the authorities, and they ultimately receive help from Mike’s illegitimate son, Armando (Jacob Scipio). 

Spectacle is definitely a key element of this film saga but, as Will Smith has also mentioned, it’s “important” that the movie have an emotional base. For years, at the core of these stories has been the brother-like relationship between Mike and Marcus. And, now that the two find themselves with their backs against the wall, that bond will be more important than ever.

Of course, don’t fret, because there’s still going to be plenty of action, and that one gun fight sequence alone looks insane. I’m certainly ready to see Will Smith, Martin Lawrence and their cohorts back in action. And you can also bet that when I finally see the finished fight, I’ll be thinking about the awesome camera work that made it possible.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die opens in theaters on June 7 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. You can also prepare for the flick by streaming the first three films using a Hulu subscription.

Zac Efron truly put in the work for The Iron Claw. In order to play his character, Kevin Von Erich, the actor had to look like a professional wrestler. This means Efron had to get into incredible shape to play the role, and the physique he built up was unreal. However, with all of the shirtless wrestling scenes and the scenes where he was just hanging out at home with his brothers played by Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickenson, and Stanley Simons, the actor had to be in his underwear a lot. This was pretty awkward between takes and not something he had previously considered. 

The Hairspray alum opened up about what it was like working on such a physically demanding movie like The Iron Claw. He explained that he was able to transform his body and bulked up big time for the role, which led to some discomfort in general. The massive undertaking of the transformation was to be expected, but the actor soon experienced the uncomfortable nature of standing around in his underwear between takes. He explained:

One can definitely see how this could be awkward or embarrassing for a person. Doing something for a scene is one thing, but some don’t realize that actors have to stay in their “costumes” while directors set up for the next shot or scene. This can be particularly strange when your costume is just a pair of tighty-whities and there's a massive crew behind the camera working. As Zac Efron explained, this was a challenge for him and something he had to mentally overcome. He continued while speaking to Metro:

Shooting The Iron Claw in general was a large mental undertaking for Zac Efron, who has previously discussed his body image struggles. He explained that said troubles are what led to him pushing himself too far while filming Baywatch. With that in mind, his latest flick required a lot of him in that department and was a big learning experience for him. He also had to take into account the significance of playing real-life athlete Kevin Von Erich, who had a positive reaction to the film. One would hope that Efron ultimately found the experience to be rewarding overall.

No matter how much vulnerability the movie required from its stars, it was all essential in order to tell the tragic story that was depicted. Not only did these underwear scenes communicate what it's like being exposed physically while in the wrestling ring but also realistically what it looks like to live in a house full of hyper-masculine wrestling brothers. It may have felt strange, but unanticipated challenges are often a big part of movie making. Ultimately, Zac Efron faced a lot of mental and physical challenges in order to give off a heartbreaking and critically-acclaimed performance as Kevin Von Erich. And he should be very proud of himself for braving the awkwardness on his path to doing so.

You can check out his physically demanding role in The Iron Claw, which is currently playing in theaters nationwide. Be sure to consult our feature on upcoming A24 films, which are part of the 2024 movie schedule.

The Night Agent proved to be one of Netflix’s biggest releases of 2023. Developed by The Shield’s Shawn Ryan and based on Matthew Quirk's novel of the same name, the drama series drew in plenty of viewers. So it wasn’t all that surprising when the streamer renewed the milestone-hitting series for a second season. Over the past several months, updates have been scarce (with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes likely being the reason for that). However, it’s now been confirmed that the highly anticipated second season is now in production. That’s exciting news but, at the moment, I’m more fixated on a video of lead actor Gabriel Basso looking over New York City. 

Netflix subscribers were likely excited when the company announced that production on the next chapter of The Night Agent had officially begun. While a press release was sent out, Gabriel Basso – who plays lead protagonist Peter Sutherland – also shared the news to Instagram. In a post, the leading man not only dropped a BTS pic of himself (which was also released by the streamer), but he also included a video of himself riding a helicopter. One can see him riding in the aircraft and gazing at New York from above. Check it out: 

I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t take my eyes off the clip. It’s simple but, at the same time, kind of amazing. Maybe it’s the view of the city from the helicopter that has me so transfixed. I’m honestly not sure what to attribute any of it to, but what I can say is that it’s a sweet way to mark the start of production. It should also be noted that the “city that never sleeps” is going to become very important to the show. 

Upon announcing the start of filming on the new episodes, Netflix also revealed that Season 2 will primarily take place in NYC. Additional photography is also expected to take place in both Thailand and Washington D.C. Plot details are still being kept under wraps at this point, and there’s no telling whether the second season will premiere as part of the 2024 TV schedule. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m eager for more details.

So far, The Night Agent’s stars and creator have discussed Season 2 but haven’t shared any major tidbits of information. Season 1’s lone returning stars – Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan – shared some ideas for the new episodes. Buchanan, who plays computer whiz Rose Larkin, wants her character to fly under the radar and even get some therapy after being caught up in the government conspiracy that the first season centered around. Basso, for his part, also teased that Peter will experience some true inner turmoil. Meanwhile, creator Shawn Ryan and his team have been working on the story for a while, and the EP said that they’re up to the challenge of topping the work they’ve already done.

There are also a few new faces joining the fray this time around. In addition to the two leads, Season 2 will also feature series newcomers Arienne Mandi, Louis Herthum, Berto Colon, Brittany Snow, Amanda Warren and Teddy Sears. Their roles have not been revealed as of this writing.

Hopefully, the new season will be able to expand the show’s lore in new and exciting ways. Considering just how devoted the fans seem to be, the expectations for these new installments are surely high. I’m confident that Gabriel Basso and his collaborators will pull it off smoothly, though. Also, as they move through production, I wouldn’t mind seeing some more cool BTS videos from Basso.

You can stream the ten-episode first season of The Night Agent now, and let’s hope Season 2 ends up on Netflix’s 2024 TV and movie schedule.

Keanu Reeves’ good guy reputation has seemingly preceded him in every way. Whether he's spending his birthday with co-stars or having adorable fans encounters that go viral on TikTok fans, the man just seems to ooze kindness. However, major celebrities like Reeves don’t always have the best rapport with the press, especially the paparazzi. On that note, a former TMZ producer opened up about what the Matrix star is really like when the cameras aren’t rolling.

The Hollywood A-lister was brought up during a conversation with ex-TMZ field producer Joe Andaloro on the Hollywood Raw podcast. Andaloro recalled being with the media outlet for a decade (while simultaneously producing other work) “a unique position” while producing other work. He said that his aim was to engage with Hollywood respectfully. What's most interesting, though, is that Andaloro revealed that stars occasionally set up spots for press, though that doesn't necessarily mean they would want to talk to paparazzi. The veteran producer had the following to say on the matter:

These comments suggest that the relationship between some paparazzi and major Hollywood celebrities is a bit more nuanced than some might've assumed. On that note, the former field producer then delved into the co-dependent relationship between the press and film stars. He spilled that many celebrities or people in their inner circles would call up the news outlet to let them know of the star’s location.

He also mentioned that the cool factor played a part in Hollywood’s alleged hatred for the paparazzi. The former reporter equated the film industry to “high school” and a “popularity contest,” as all celebs must appear as “cool” to the public. In the age of “sensationalism” and social media, the former TMZ employee noticed a dramatic change in that relationship in the last decade. He then went on to discuss some of his most notable interactions with stars, which is when he mentioned how cool the Speed alum is:

The ex-TMZ producer mentioned that Keanu Reeves allegedly didn’t like the camera being in his face, though it sounds like he'd still keep it classy whenever faced with photogs. With that, the John Wick star apparently surprised Joe Andaloro near the end of his tenure with TMZ in a kind way. The former TV producer said:

To be clear, the A-lister didn't set anything up like other celebs, as it would appear that he simply decided to speak to the producer at what happened to be near the end of his stint at TMZ. This is an incredibly kind gesture on the Bill & Ted icon's part, and it really speaks volumes to his generosity. This is also amazing when you consider the fact that the Hollywood A-lister didn't . Kudos to him for being such a class act in this case.

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate Keanu Reeves and, just recently, it was confirmed that he would receive a very sweet honor. He'll be the first recipient of the Lance Reddick Legacy Award, which was organized by the Saturn Awards. One would imagine that's a bittersweet achievement for the star, considering he got to know Reddick closely while working on the John Wick movies. Here's hoping that Reeves remains as rock solid a person that he seems to be off camera as he is as an actor while on camera.

Moviegoers will get the chance to see Keanu Reeves as John Wick again when the Ana de Armas-led spinoff, Ballerina, hits theaters on June 7 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. He already has another project in the works, as he joined Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut Good Fortune, for which a release date has yet to be announced.

Anthony Anderson has put in great performances and, in the process, he's repeatedly proven that he's a versatile actor. He's a performer who can do laugh-out-loud comedies or hard-hitting dramas. He hopped aboard the action thriller G20 earlier this year after replacing Jamie Foxx on the Fox game show We Are Family. The actor has really committed to his new action star status and, in doing so, he ultimately sustained an on-set injury. Following some time away from the set, Anderson jumped back into filming after hurting himself, and of course, he made some on-brand jokes about his injuries.

What Happened to Anthony Anderson On The Set?

The public was altered to Anthony Anderson's situation when he took to his Instagram account to let fans know how he was injured while filming a stunt for the action thriller. The 53-year-old actor shared a photo of himself lying on a hospital stretcher and gave the details on the matter while also getting off a quip or two in the process. He captioned the post, saying:

The star seemingly wanted to take on his new action role with gusto but, unfortunately, the two stunt actors and the chair won the battle this time. The veteran actor humorously couldn’t hold back his hostility toward the chair. If you want to see his injury and post in its entirety, check it out below:

The black-ish alum seemed to be in good spirits despite suffering the on-set injury. While his situation didn't seem too bad, the accident was serious enough for medics to get on the set and whisk him away to the emergency room. It's good that the situation wasn't as bad as some other on-set movie accidents have been, and good on the Hustle and Flow actor for checking in to let his followers know everything was fine.

What Did Anthony Anderson Say Upon Returning To The Set?

Anthony Anderson didn’t waste much time cracking jokes after getting cleared by the hospital to return to the G20 set. The Primetime Emmy Awards host was ready to get back to work when he posted on his Instagram. Unsurprisingly, he dropped some funny snapshots, as he rounded up the supposed culprits involved in his injury Look at the Hollywood actor’s hilarious return to set in the post below:

So he hopped right back into doing stunt work after his on-set incident, it would appear. Fortunately, this time, there wasn’t too much heavy lifting on his or the chairs’ part. However, it seemed those chairs in the post were only accessories to the incident, as the Barbershop actor pointed out the actual culprit in a follow-up Instagram post. He said about the orange and black print chair:

Well, at least, the game show host got a chance to confront his "attacker." (I think the set piece had it out for Anthony Anderson from day one.) One would think that this will serve as a learning experience for the jovial star as he furthers his work in the action genre. And here's hoping that the rest of production goes smoothly for him and everyone else in involved in the film.

Speaking of which, G20 also stars Oscar winner Viola Davis as well as Anthony Anderson's black-ish co-star, Marsai Martin. A release date hasn’t been announced yet but, in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on the 2024 movie schedule, which includes upcoming action movies. 

The end of Blue Bloods is coming, and emotions are definitely high. It was previously announced that the long-running family procedural was going to be ending after the upcoming 14th season, which is being split into two parts. Production started up shortly after the SAG-AFTRA strike finally came to an end. Since then, Donnie Wahlberg has been keeping fans occupied with behind-the-scenes content, including a snippet of one of the final Reagan family dinners. Needless to say, I am all in my feels about BB ending.

Reagan family dinners have been integral to Blue Bloods for 13 seasons, to the point where fans expect to see them every week. The character's don't actually eat during the meal scenes, as has been revealed. Still, these prove to be compelling moments on the show that can help further develop the characters. Donnie Wahlberg gave fans a first look at one of the dinner scenes from Season 14 via his Instagram, and I can't help but think that I'm looking at a real family here:

Seeing everyone together again and around the dinner table is emotional for this fan Within a few months, they'll no longer be gathering around that table, which is honestly a tough pill to swallow. It seems, however, that the cast is still keeping this ship going as per usual, though I wouldn't be surprised if the reality of the show's conclusion is starting to sink in for them as well. While it’s hard to predict how the procedural will wrap up, I think it would be fitting if the final scene featured the Reagans sitting around a table, having dinner and talking.

As Blue Bloods continues to proceed with production following the holidays, Donnie Wahlberg has shared even more teases. On Instagram, he shared a sweet clip from a different dinner scene, with the Reagans all lined up and already looking quite emotional. In a caption for the clip were the words “Love my fam.” You can take a look at Wahlberg and his "fam" in the post down below, and try not to get emotional while you're gazing at it:

On a much lighter note, actor also shared a fun post featuring his on-screen partner and potential love interest, Marisa Ramirez. While the New Kids co-founder mentioned in the caption that Danny Reagan and Maria Baez were on the case, it seems the duo were instead wondering what was for lunch -- as noted in the in-video caption. Fans are likely going to be able to look forward to some more intense cases for the two and, hopefully, we'll see the show address their blossoming romance. Take a look at the humorous behind-the-scenes tidbit below:

As of now, not too many details about the final season have been released, other than the fact that there will be 18 episodes in total. The first 10 will air this spring and the last eight during the fall. The synopsis for the premiere episode was recently released, and it revealed that a familiar face from Danny’s past is popping up. Said character is his old partner, Darryl Reid, played by Malik Yoba, who will return when Danny and Baez investigate a homicide connected to Darryl. I'd imagine that more characters will return but, all in all, the focus should remain on the Reagans. I look forward to seeing their final explains, including those last few, tender family dinners.

The Season 14 premiere of Blue Bloods premieres on Friday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Right now, you can stream past episodes of the show using a Paramount+ subscription.

Ahsoka proved to be an entertaining addition to the Star Wars canon, as it featured a number of compelling moments and even some surprises. A moment that fits into both of those boxes was a flashback that featured a glimpse of the main character’s past. During that sequence, she isn’t played by lead actress Rosario Dawson but by rising star Ariana Greenblatt. The tense scene also includes a lightsaber duel between Greenblatt’s young Jedi and her master, Anakin Skywalker, who’s played by the returning Hayden Christensen. The young actress has been geeking out about her role and just dropped a cool BTS video of her and Christensen prepping for their fight. 

The lightsaber battles featured throughout the franchise’s shows and movies are impressive, and they’re the result of a considerable amount of training. Fight choreographers have to make their important contributions and, of course, the actors must do their work as well. Hayden Christensen and Ariana Greenblatt certainly weren’t messing around when it came to their own preparation. At least, that’s the feeling one gets when seeing the clip the actress posted to X (formerly known as Twitter). You can see it for yourself: 

This particular duel occurs during the fifth episode of Ahsoka, “Part Five: Shadow Warrior,” which sees the titular protagonist wandering the World Between Worlds. While there, she runs into an un-aged Anakin, who takes her on a journey through her past. Ahsoka is shocked when she relives the Battle of Ryloth and later the Siege of Mandalore (which were both flashbacks from The Clone Wars). Following the latter, the two characters get into a discussion about legacy, which initiates the tussle glimpsed above.

I don’t know about all of you, but this fan thought the actors truly crushed the choreography, and it’s not hard to see why based on how they seemingly trained. Their movements had to effectively convey the struggle between the two characters in the moment, and that shone through. And of course, their dialogue-driven moments were also impactful. Kudos to them for pulling it all off in tremendous fashion.

One of the most delightful elements of this era in Star Wars history has been the return of Hayden Christensen. The actor has been fully embraced by the franchise and has seemed incredibly enthusiastic about being back in the fold. Before this live-action show, he also appeared as both Anakin and Darth Vader on 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ahead of his work on that, Christensen even prepared for the show by watching all of The Clone Wars, which fans likely appreciated. The joy he seems to have for the franchise that made him a star is palpable – even in through moment he says “blam” while fake kicking his co-star amid their prep. 

Speaking of Ariana Greenblatt, she’s certainly been on the come up recently, and 2023 alone has been a major year for her. Aside from appearing in the sci-fi show, she starred in the critically acclaimed Barbie and co-lead 65 alongside Adam Driver. Greenblatt is certainly going places and, whether or not she appears as a young Tano again, I’m glad she appears to have relished her time playing the role.

A second season of the Rosario Dawson-headed series has yet to be confirmed for Disney+ subscribers, and many are anxiously awaiting an update on that front. I’m also curious as to whether Season 2 might happen, especially considering that ending and those conversation-starting statues. In the meantime though, I’ll just revel in all of the neat behind-the-scenes tidbits like Ariana Greenblatt’s video.

All eight episodes of Ahsoka can be streamed now, and be sure to stay in the know when it comes to upcoming Star Wars shows and movies. You can also plot out your future small screen-related engagements by reading over the 2024 TV schedule.

Between its extended development time, ending a beloved trilogy, and being James Gunn’s farewell to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a movie that has long been destined to have a complex legacy – and films of that nature tend to have a number of fun behind-the-scenes facts. This notion holds true for the acclaimed 2023 blockbuster, as revealed by the recent home video release.

The director’s commentary on the new Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Blu-ray is two-and-a-half hours of Gunn talking about his work on the film and telling stories, and it’s a wonderful and informative listen that only amps one’s appreciation for the movie. He reveals a number of fascinating things about the production, and I’ve highlighted 11 of the best in this feature.

That’s Really Chris Pratt Drooling Before Star-Lord Passes Out In The Opening Sequence

This is a big Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster featuring state of the art visual and special effects… but sometimes it’s best just to do some stuff for real, and one example arrives early in the movie. For the moment in the opening sequence where Rocket runs into an incredibly drunk Peter Quill, Gunn asked if Chris Pratt could unleash a stream of drool, and the actor was evidently happy to comply. That’s not egg yolk or some other product of the prop department; that’s pure Pratt saliva.

The On-Set Version Of The Bowie Had Multiple Levels And Different Rooms So That It Would Feel Like A Real Spaceship

James Gunn is elated to share on the director’s commentary that his movie had some of the most expansive sets of any Marvel Studios production, and arguably the most impressive of all was The Bowie – the new teal and purple ship that the Guardians fly in as they race to save Rocket’s life. According to the writer/director, the set for the inside of the vehicle was massive, featuring three different levels and specific rooms. The idea was to make it feel like a real ship for the actors, and it certainly comes across as one on screen.

Maria Baklova Did All Of The Performance Capture As Cosmo The Spacedog And “Spent As Much Time On Set As Anybody”

While Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel notably don’t do the performance capture work as Rocket and Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, a number of Vol. 3 stars did take on both sides of their CG characters. On this list is Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer Maria Baklova, who plays Cosmo The Spacedog. Gunn says on the director’s commentary that Baklova was fully committed to the production; in addition to doing her best impression of a canine while wearing gray pajamas on set, she was apparently also a regular behind the monitors watching the making of Cosmo-less scenes.

In Addition To Bradley Cooper And Sean Gunn, One Other Performer Voices Rocket Raccoon In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

After two movies of providing the performance capture duties for Rocket (leaving the voice over work to Bradley Cooper), Sean Gunn finally gets to voice young Rocket for a couple of scenes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3… but what you may not know is that there is actually a third performer who contributes to the part. When the baby raccoon is thrown in his cage and says his first word (“Hurts”), that’s the voice of Noah Raskin – the young daughter of Fred Raskin, one of the blockbuster’s editors.

The Role Of The High Evolutionary Almost Went To A “Big Name Actor”… But Then James Gunn Met Chukwudi Iwuji

Gunn has exclusively nice things to say about every member of his cast in Vol. 3 in the movie’s director’s commentary, but some of the greatest praise he offers is for Chukwudi Iwuji – whose talents clearly blow him away. 

According to Gunn, the original plan for the role of the High Evolutionary was to bring in a “big name actor” (a la Kurt Russell playing Ego in Vol. 2), but Gunn’s experience working with Iwuji on the Max series Peacemaker derailed that decision. The filmmaker pitched Kevin Feige on the actor, and he ended up being the only person to screen test for the part. Gunn adds that he got to break the great news to Iwuji on the day they shot the viral Peacemaker opening credits sequence.

Martinex Is Redesigned In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Because James Gunn Didn’t Like How The Character Turned Out In Vol. 2

If you line up the appearances of Martinex in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 side-by-side (as I have above), you’ll notice that there are some major changes. This isn’t because the alien character is undergoing some kind of metamorphosis that ties back to his story from the comics; it’s because James Gunn wasn’t happy about how he looked in Vol. 2 and decided that he wanted to fix it in the sequel. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the redesign is the fact that you can actually identify the actor playing the role (Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum).

Adam Warlock Was Originally Going To Have A Cat, But That Idea Was Changed After Captain Marvel

In the director’s commentary, James Gunn digs into not only his history with Adam Warlock in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also the origins of his fuzzy companion, Blurp. As explained by the filmmaker, he originally planned to introduce Adam as part of the adventure in Vol. 2, but the movie ended up being too busy for his inclusion. 

As part of that original introduction, the character was going to come across and end up protecting a cat – but that idea had to be changed a bit in the making of Vol. 3 because another MCU movie had already featured a prominent feline character: the cat-like Flerken named Goose in Captain Marvel. Blurp, described by Gunn as a “furry F'saki,” was born.

James Gunn Created His Own Special Humanimals Language For The Movie

When it comes to languages in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Gunn has certainly not half-assed things. Remember, this is the guy who created special scripts for Vin Diesel explaining the meaning of every “I am Groot.” In the making of Vol. 3, one of his big projects was developing the way that the humanimals on Counter-Earth communicate, and he went the extra mile with it. He only had to create a vocabulary of about 150 words, but Gunn says that the language has its own grammatical structures (for example, any word said twice sequentially is meant to express emphasis).

Groot’s "Everyone Deserves A Second Chance” Line Is James Gunn’s Way Of Referencing The Controversy In The Making Of The Film

If you followed the development of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, then you know that the movie dealt with some serious issues. In July 2018, James Gunn was fired by the Walt Disney Company due to some inappropriate jokes he made on Twitter prior to his tenure with Marvel, but support from the cast and fans saw Gunn get his job back in March 2019. Despite these delays, the blockbuster is almost exactly what the filmmaker always envisioned that it would be – though he remarks on the commentary track that Groot’s line to Adam Warlock about everybody deserving a second chance is his way of referencing the controversy.

Peter’s Face Puffing Up While Dying In Space Is A Practical Effect

Gunn is incredibly proud of what was accomplished digitally in the making of Vol. 3, with the blockbuster featuring stunning CGI – but not to be overlooked is the magic that is accomplished practically. Case in point: when Star-Lord’s face puffs up as he is dying in the cold vacuum of space, the effect is accomplished with a special mask made with the capacity to inflate and distort features. It looks incredible in the film, and certainly makes you think that Peter is doomed (of course, he’s saved at the last minute by Adam).

Will Poulter Didn’t Know Adam Was Supposed To Hug The Guardians, And It Led To One Of The Movie’s Sweetest Moments

James Gunn’s writing does a wonderful job of blending funny, sweet, and awkward tones, but one of the best examples of this actually originates from some in-the-moment acting by Will Poulter on set. 

When the cast was doing the Guardians group hug following the defeat of the High Evolutionary, Poulter was standing away from the team, and Gunn had to call to him via microphone to join the embrace. Adam’s trepidation is funny because it’s clear the character doesn’t know whether or not he should be in on the emotional celebration, but it’s heart-rending when you consider that he’s yet another outer space weirdo who is in need of a family that really loves him.

If you’re now excited to revisit all of the excitement in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the good news is that it is very easy to find and watch. Anyone with a Disney+ subscription can watch it instantly, but other digital distribution options include Prime Video, on Vudu, and Google Play. Physical media fans can also get the blockbuster on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD.

Spoilers for Fast X are ahead. If you haven’t seen the 2023 movie schedule entry, you can buy it online now.  

While there are a ton of sick car stunts and set pieces throughout Fast X, one of the most epic fights of the film happens when Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty and Charlize Theron’s Cipher brawl while trying to escape from the black site prison. Considering the two women have been in the Fast and Furious franchise for a while, seeing them go head-to-head was legendary. Now, a new video has shown how the fight came together, making it an even cooler action sequence from the latest Fast film. 

Louis Leterrier, the director, Oliver Schneider, the supervising stunt coordinator, Rodriguez and Theron all spoke about the making of this sequence in a new BTS video shared by Collider. It shows the scene and the crew talking about how they made it, and as Samantha Vincent, a producer of Fast X put it, this fight was a “battle royale.” Check it out:

Seeing one of Fast and Furious’ iconic villains go up against Letty, who is an OG and a total badass, was a highlight of the movie. However, learning that this was done practically, made it even better. Louis Leterrier broke down the fight a bit further in the above video, saying:

Michelle Rodriguez gave some insight into Letty’s feelings in that moment, noting she was “pretty angry” about it all, which is understandable. Considering Cipher was responsible for the death of Little B's biological mom, and she caused a lot of other damage to the family in The Fate of the Furious, it does make sense that this fight happened. There was a lot of pent-up anger, and Letty finally got her chance at payback. 

So, to show that anger, and to give these two women an epic fight scene, they worked to create a practical battle. Oliver Schneider, the second unit director and supervising stunt coordinator, noted this as he said:

On top of all this, the two actresses shot their fight in Fast X without a director. Rodriguez explained that they “nailed it,” and she complimented Theron’s performance, saying she was a “monster.” She also noted that after Justin Lin left they continued shooting, saying they “kept that train running.” Then, Leterrier took over, and she noted that he “saved our ass.” 

Along with the sick battle between Letty and Cipher, they also broke down Charlize Theron’s fight toward the beginning of the film. The Oscar winner said she was “thoroughly excited about it.” She also noted that since her villain had to take on guards she had trained to escape, it made the entire scene an “amazing challenge.” 

Overall, seeing these women get such epic action sequences was incredible, and hopefully, there is more of it in the movies to come. After Fast X’s ending, we know Gal Gadot’s Gisele will be making a return, and she’ll be paired with the two women since she saved them. So, I think it’s safe to say there are more phenomenal fight scenes like the one between Letty and Cipher in the near future. 

As both the 2023 WGA writer’s strike and the SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike are currently on in Hollywood, members of those respective unions are now picketing in favor of a return to negotiations. That in turn has triggered a ton of projects shutting down, as film and TV efforts can’t continue without the forces vital to such creations. A-lister Jason Momoa’s next potential blockbuster is the latest to see such delays, as his Minecraft movie is now on pause, putting New Zealand locals out of work as a result. 

Per a report by the NZ Herald, “up to 700 cast and crew” members who were lined up for the Warner Bros. picture are unable to go into production. This news also suggests that the original plan was to start shooting Minecraft at some point in August, which aligns with Deadline’s report that the video game adaptation is aiming for an April 4, 2025 release date. But since the previously mentioned strike actions are in effect, the entire production was forced to be put on hold before it even started. One has to wonder what kind of impact this stall will have on the New Zealand economy in the short term.

Jason Momoa joined Minecraft in May 2022, just as the project was getting underway with its current director, Jared Hess. The news was probably met with equal amounts of hope and despair, as the Warner Bros. adaptation has been developing since 2014. Previously, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenny was tapped for directing duties. However, McEIhenny exited the project in 2018, which opened the door for the current Hess/Momoa collaboration.

The upcoming movie isn't the only high-profile movie that's had to put on the brakes as writers and actors across Hollywood picket in pursuit of better wages and more. It was also recently revealed that Wicked’s production was halted with 10 days left. That news came by way of an unfortunate update from co-writer Stephen Schwartz. Part One of Warner Bros.' highly anticipated adaptation is set to debut towards the end of the 2024 release schedule, while Part Two landed a date in November 2025. However, this recent filming obstacle could create problems that could shake up the scheduling in the long run.

Keeping in mind just how long the Minecraft movie has hung in through various bouts of development hell at WB, one still has to wonder if it might survive this latest round of setbacks. It’s a concern that’s only amplified by the fact that Jason Momoa has two more sequels to Fast X to worry about; one of which is also aiming for a 2025 release. With his time and schedule filling up, Momoa might theoretically have to quit, depending on how the post-strike reshuffle pans out.

At the moment, all anyone knows is that many productions like Minecraft are currently grounded. Once successful negotiations between the AMPTP, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA have resumed at some point in the future, we'll hopefully get updates of films and shows starting up again. Until then, the currently out-of-work New Zealand crew (and all of us) can only hope that all sides return to the negotiating table and agree to a deal that benefits everyone.

Following Disney’s first few attempts to adapt one of its own theme park attractions into a feature-length film — Tower of Terror, Mission to Mars, and The Country Bear — nobody expected that the fourth time would be the charm. There was also some fear regarding its chances at the box office, including among some of the cast members, considering how even the best pirate movies did not have a great success rate at the time. However, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ended up raking in a lot of booty, spawning a franchise that may not be finished yet, and even prompting renovations to the ride that inspired it with specific references.

It is hard to believe that it has been 20 years since we first saw famed pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) joining forces with young blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) to take on the cursed Capt. Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). In honor of this milestone, we have dug deep to find some of the hidden treasures lurking beneath this beloved, adventurous blockbuster — some of which may have you jolly as a Roger, and others that will cause you to shiver your timbers. See for yourself by scoping out these behind-the-scenes facts from the first (and, arguably, the best of the) Pirates of the Caribbean movies — starting with a glimpse at how different the film may have been if a certain filmmaking legend was made captain of the crew.

Steven Spielberg Was Interested In Directing

I think most movie lovers would agree that, when it comes to directors, one of the most reliable names in action, adventure, and high-wire thrills must be Steven Spielberg — the helmer of classic blockbusters like Jaws, the Indiana Jones movies, and Jurassic Park, most notably. Given his reputation at the time, the Academy Award winner might have been a good choice to direct Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and, apparently, he could have if things turned out differently.

According to ScreenRant, the movie was first pitched in the early 1990s and caught the attention of Spielberg, whose take on the material did not quite match Disney’s intentions. He also had some unique potential actors in mind to play Capt. Jack — namely Bill Murray, Steve Martin, or the Peter Pan from his own pirate adventure, Hook: the late Robin Williams. With much respect and admiration for Spielberg and those brilliant comedic actors, I think it was for the best that the movie stayed shelved for a while.

The Director Wanted To Make The Movie Feel The Way The Original Ride Made Him Feel As A Kid 

Directorial duties for the first Pirates would ultimately go to Gore Verbinski, who was previously best known for one of the best horror movie remakes of its time, 2002’s The Ring, and would also later reteam with Depp for a few projects outside the franchise — namely 2011’s Oscar-winning Rango and the Razzie-winning The Lone Ranger from 2013. What seemed to make the filmmaker a good fit for this kind of film was his affinity for the source material. 

According to the DVD commentary for Black Pearl (via Film School Rejects), what Verbinski loved about Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction as a child was how it managed to frighten him, but also make him laugh. He decided to honor that tone by making his adaptation scary and funny. As a swashbuckling adventure story with walking skeletons and a drunken lead character, I would say he nailed it in that regard.

Robert De Niro Was Reportedly Approached To Play Capt. Jack Sparrow

Of course, I think most would also agree that a good deal of credit for Black Pearl’s humor should go to Johnny Depp’s Academy Award-nominated performance as Capt. Jack Sparrow. Nowadays, it is impossible to imagine anyone else embodying what is considered one of Depp’s greatest characters, but he was not actually the first choice.

According to an article by U.K.-based news outlet, Express, none other than the legendary Robert De Niro was reportedly offered to play Capt. Jack, and even beat Jim Carrey for the role, but ultimately passed on it, fearing the film would suffer the same fate many other pirate movies had. The article goes on to say that, when his suspicions over the box office returns were proved wrong, the regretful Academy Award winner took a role in another swashbuckling fantasy adventure: the 2007 adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust… which actually turned out to be a flop.   

Johnny Depp Based Jack Sparrow On Keith Richards And Pepe Le Pew

Depp’s unique inspiration for how he would portray Capt. Jack — an unlikely (almost reluctant) hero who finds himself, literally, stumbling into some badass action moments in a drunken stupor — is almost as famous as the character himself. In an interview promoting the somewhat successful fifth installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the actor recalled to ET Canada who his muses were.

He believed that because pirates were the “rock stars” of their time, he should try to emulate the personality of the one he believed was the all-time greatest rock star, Keith Richards, and fuse that with the rambunctiousness of one of pop culture’s most famous “lotharios,” Pepe Le Pew. While there is very little chance of Depp sharing the screen with the skunky, canceled Looney Tunes character any time soon, The Rolling Stones’ guitarist would join the franchise as Jack’s father.

Barbossa’s Personality Naturally Came Out Once Geoffrey Rush Put On His Hat

Jack Sparrow’s rival and his forced successor as captain of the Black Pearl, Hector Barbossa, also boasts a memorably boisterous personality that kept him a welcome staple of the franchise (until the end of Dead Men Tell No Tales, that is). Apparently, for Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush, getting into character did not require much thought.

While taking turns asking fan-generated questions for MovieFone’s Unscripted with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End co-stars Bill Nighy and Chow Yun-Fat, Rush initially joked that his inspiration for Barbossa was also Keith Richards and Pepe Le Pew. In reality, however, all it took was putting on the “brain of the character”: his hat, with a feather that suggested his “self-diluting flourishes of romantic grandeur” and a large, black brim that invoked the unbridled ego Barbossa wears on his sleeve.

Jack Sparrow’s Hat Had To Be Made Of Rubber 

While Capt. Jack’s hat was not quite as important to Depp’s initial development of his character, it is just as (if not more) iconic than Barbossa’s hat. However, there is an interesting fact about the prop that makes it particularly special.

On the docuseries Prop Culture (which is no longer available on Disney+, unfortunately), Black Pearl’s costume designer, Penny Rose, showed host and co-creator Dan Lanigan the hat that Depp wore in the movie, which she mentioned was made of rubber. Reason being: the original design kept getting thrown overboard and, after losing 10 copies, she decided to craft one out of a material that would stay afloat.

Keira Knightley’s Cleavage Was Painted On Her Body To Play Elizabeth Swann

Jack’s rubber hat is not even the craziest story relating to costuming or makeup from the set of Black Pearl. That honor very easily goes to what Keira Knightley had to go through in order for the then-17-year-old to be visually up to par with how Disney envisioned her role as Elizabeth Swann.

The two-time Academy Award nominee told Refinery29 that her bust appears larger in the film than it does in reality because her cleavage was “literally painted on,” which she chalked up to being just another day in Hollywood at the time. Still, for her, I imagine it must have been quite a thing to go through for the sake of a film she did not have much faith in to begin with.

Keira Knightley Believed That The Movie Would Bomb

Robert De Niro was not the only one who had low faith in the commercial potential for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. However, some people who felt the same way still wound up appearing in the movie, such as Knightley.

The British actor was pretty convinced that this very expensive film was destined to flop — a fact that we learned not from her own mouth, but by the testimony of her previous collaborator, Richard Curtis, during an interview with ABC News. According to the filmmaker, Knightley was starring as Juliet in Love Actually when he asked about her next project, to which she replied, “I don’t think it’s going to work. It’s a pirate film and they always fail.”

Gore Verbinski Convinced Jack Davenport To Star By Positing The Movie Could Be The Best Pirates Film In Decades

Another Black Pearl cast member who did not have the highest hopes for the film was Jack Davenport. Then best known for the hit British sitcom, Coupling, he would find new fame among American audiences by appearing in the film as Commodore James Norrington, but it took a little convincing. 

In an interview with ScreenSlam, Davenport was asked if he was ever a fan of pirate movies as a child before admitting he was not and, furthermore, did not believe there had been many “decent contemporary pirate films” in a while. However, he then mentions how Verbinski convinced him that, after “50 years” of disappointing big screen, swashbuckling adventures, this could be the one that would break the curse.

Zoe Saldaña Had A Negative Experience On Set

As we now know, Black Pearl would beat the odds by making more than $654 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo) and seemed to be a great success for everyone involved. Well, as it turns out, making the film actually proved to be dissatisfying for one then-up-and-coming cast member, Zoe Saldaña, who recalled the experience to The Hollywood Reporter in the following excerpt:

That explains why we never saw more of her character, Black Pearl crew member Anamaria, in further installments. Luckily, Saldaña would become more adept to the Hollywood experience, earn leading roles in multiple franchises (Avatar, Star Trek, and the MCU as Guardians of the Galaxy’s Gamora), and is now one of the top 10 highest-grossing actors of all time.

Hopefully, you found great reward in these behind the facts about The Curse of the Black Pearl. Now, all we can do is wonder if more treasures in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise are just over the horizon. 

The Goonies centered around a group of young friends seeking to find buried treasure. Of course, generations of fans saw the group’s fun misadventures as endearing. However, those fun lively moments might’ve been too much for the movie’s director Richard Donner. After he wrapped filming on the coming-of-age comedy, Donner took a trip to Hawaii. Unfortunately, he didn't get all the rest and relaxation he was hoping for as a rare video showed what happened when the cast surprised the celebrated director during his vacation.

The Superman director wanted a break after such a grueling movie shoot. He finally found solace in the Aloha State after working with the cast and crew for a year. Unbeknownst to Donner, producer Steven Spielberg chose to prank him during some much-needed relaxation. A home video surfaced online after Hollywood writer Todd Spence posted a clip of Richard Donner's rest being interrupted on his Twitter account. Watch what happened when The Goonies cast surprised their director at his Hawaiian vacation home.

The clip was filled with nostalgia as Donner sat in his backyard taking in the ocean waves surrounded by the young cast. You get to see a young Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan, etc. yelling and carrying on as a surprised Donner takes in the chaotic scene. While the director was taken aback by his surprise visitors, he also seemed exacerbated by seeing everyone in the same place at the same time. It was personified by the Lethal Weapon director yelling at the rowdy bunch to calm down.

Seeing the young stars was amazing, but having the entire cast pop up from various corners made the clip even more monumental. Looking back now the lost home video was a time capsule for many Goonies fans. With many of the adults from the film (including Richard Donner) now gone, it was a way to see and remember them once again. Seeing some of the cast reenacting moments from the cult classic was a nice touch. It also was heartwarming to see Richard Donner turn a corner and embrace the cast after Spielberg pulled off a masterful prank.

The Goonies proved to be another classic film in Richard Donner’s lengthy filmography. The movie helped to solidify the careers of up-and-coming stars like Brolin, Feldman, and Martha Plimpton. The coming-of-age film garnered critical and commercial success, and it gained cult classic status as one of the best movies from the 1980s, especially among Gen X and Millennials. Since it premiered in 1985, the surviving cast reunited for charity, stoking fans' hopes for a sequel in the future, but for now, this video is enough to make me feel all the nostalgia.

If you want to relive the outrageous moments and memorable scenes, subscribe to streaming platforms, like Hulu and Amazon Prime Video, to watch The Goonies. Following the nostalgia trip, hop over to our 2023 movie schedule to see what potential cult classics will arrive this year.

I will never forget the shock and fear that I felt when I stumbled upon a tweet that said The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal had been hospitalized for a back injury. Luckily, that shock and fear was soon replaced by relief and laughter when I continued reading the tweet to find it said the actor’s injury was caused from carrying the Star Wars franchise all on his own.

Now, we could go back and forth on the implications of this joke, but I think most fans agree the title role of creator Jon Favreau’s hit, Disney+ original TV show — whose real name is Din Djarin — is one of the coolest characters to come out of a galaxy far, far away, much credit due to Pascal’s ability to bring a lot of emotion to his performance without showing his face. However, did you know that he is not the only one under that helmet most of the time? We reveal the secret behind that and other behind-the-scenes facts about The Mandalorian, below.

Oscar Isaac Encouraged Pascal To Accept The Role

It appears that we can thank a fellow Star Wars actor for influencing Pedro Pascal’s decision to join the universe as the lead of The Mandalorian. The actor told Elle that his longtime friend and Triple Frontier co-star, Oscar Isaac (who plays Resistance pilot Poe Dameron in the sequel trilogy), was pivotal in “making me feel certain about what I was joining.”

Jon Favreau Told Pascal To Watch Clint Eastwood And Akira Kurosawa Movies To Prepare

It is clear from the first episode of The Mandalorian that the show, while still very much rooted in the genres of sci-fi and fantasy in terms of aesthetic, is heavily inspired by westerns in terms of tone. Thus its not too surprising to learn that — according to USA Today — Jon Favreau suggested his star look at some Clint Eastwood movies (especially Sergio Leone’s “The Man with No Name” trilogy) and some of the classic samurai flicks by Akira Kurosawa that would inspire many westerns, too. 

Mando’s Rifle With A Forked Bayonet Is A Star Wars Holiday Special Reference

It is pretty much common knowledge that The Star Wars Holiday Special — which aired on CBS on November 12, 1978 — is one of the most reviled “installments” of the franchise among fans. Yet, as Favreau mentioned during an interview with Good Morning America, his show pays homage to the special, which was also the first appearance of Boba Fett (as an animated character), by giving Din Djarin a rifle with a forked bayonet that resembles the iconic bounty’s hunter’s weapon from the infamous television event.

Pedro Pascal Shares The Din Djarin Role With Two Other Actors

As Pascal points out in the “Cast” episode of the behind-the-scenes docuseries Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian (available with a Disney+ subscription), he is “third fiddle to two incredible guys” who share the title role with him, mostly for stunts and other physically demanding tasks. Handling Din’s gunslinger skills is Brendan Wayne — who is actually the grandson of Western movie icon John Wayne — and dishing out his jiu-jitsu mastery for action sequences — as he discussed with Scott Adkins on the fellow actor and martial artist’s YouTube channel — is Lateef Crowder. Despite all the heavy lifting they do and how much Pascal bases the physicality of his performance on their movements, Wayne and Crowder were not credited as series regulars until Season 3.

Pedro Pascal Was Absent For An Entire Season 1 Episode’s Filming

While we cannot say exactly how much (or how little) time Pascal physically spent on set for The Mandalorian Season 3 (having also played the lead of HBO’s The Last of Us around the same time), we do know that Wayne and Crowder had full ownership of the Din Djarin role for an entire episode of the first season. According to a story by Vulture, Pascal could not participate in the filming of Episode 4, “Sanctuary” — which was directed by Bryce Dallas Howard — because he was starring in a Broadway production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear at the time.

Pedro Pascal Was Sent To The Hospital Covered In Fake Blood

Ironically, on one day when Pascal was physically on set, he ended up being the one taking a painful hit, but not in a way you might expect. As the actor recalled on Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, he was walking out of a makeup trailer to prepare for the moment when he removes his helmet in the Season 1 finale and did not notice in front of him a piece of plywood that he walked right into, injuring his nose. When he arrived at the emergency room, where he had to get stitches, the employees assumed his situation was even worse than it was, because of the faux blood all over his face and coming out of his ears.

Mando’s Helmet Blocks Pedro Pascal’s Vision As Badly As You May Think

The actor could have saved himself the hospital visit for his cracked nose had he been wearing Din’s helmet, but that might not have prevented him from walking into that plywood. The actor had a very candid response to Empire’s question about what it is like to wear his armor for the sci-fi series, stating that he “can’t see shit” out of the helmet’s impractically thin opening.

Pascal Finds Parents’ Requests That He Speak In Din’s Voice To Children Inappropriate

Because a good deal of Pascal’s performance as Din comes from a recording studio, the actor puts a lot into making the character’s voice very distinct, and successfully so. However, he finds it kind of awkward when parents ask the actor to speak to his young Mandalorian fans in the voice. He explained why on The Graham Norton Show with the following quote:

I think I would come to regret making such a request to Pascal if I was in that situation, too.

Pascal Got Really Emotional Saying Goodbye To Grogu In The Season 2 Finale

One of the most heartbreaking moments from the show so far was in the Season 2 finale, when he removes his helmet to bid his adoptive son, Grogu, a tearful farewell. Apparently, as Pascal revealed to Hot Ones host Sean Evans, those tears were real. The puppet that stands in for the character that, for a while, was known as Baby Yoda is so emotive and realistic that the actor found himself becoming genuinely misty eyed when acting in front of it for the emotional scene.

There is plenty that we still do not know about Din Djarin and there is sure to be more to learn about Pedro Pascal’s character from behind scenes, if The Mandalorian Season 4 happens. We will be sure to deliver the scoop when the time comes. This is the way.

In the world of television production, rumors of drama and delays are a dime a dozen– take Yellowstone, for a recent example. However, when it comes to the highly acclaimed Apple TV+ series Severance, rumors have been swirling that the show has hit some significant roadblocks. According to recent reports, allegedly, the tension between co-showrunners Dan Erickson and Mark Friedman has gotten so bad that they have stopped speaking to one another. Supposedly Season 2 of the series also requires extensive script rewrites and each episode’s high cost, estimated to be around $20 million, has resulted in delays. However, comedy actor and the show’s Executive Producer Ben Stiller is setting the record straight and addressing the alleged drama head-on. 

A fan-made Severance Twitter account shared a screen grab that started with the Daily Beast updating their initial reporting on the matter because someone close to production disputed the claims of on-set turmoil. In fact, Stiller took it upon himself to push back too, responding to said Tweet, and his response should put fans' minds at ease. The Zoolander star commented: 

Stiller’s comments should be a relief for fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming season’s release. While there have been no official announcements regarding a delay in Season 2's release, rumors have persisted that production has been dealing with a ton of backstage drama. According to Puck News’ Matthew Belloni, via Game Rant, Erickson -- a first-time series creator who wrote the original pilot -- and Friedman -- a more experienced writer-producer -- “ended up hating each other on the first season.” The report claimed, despite Stiller’s attempts to find a replacement for Friedman, who intended to quit after Season 1, both showrunners ultimately returned to the series. 

These rumors have been fueled by reports of several key crew members departing the production and alleged tensions on the set. If the rumors are true, it would be ironic, seeing as the show touches on the idea of a toxic work environment. However, Stiller’s Tweet seems to indicate that any drama on set has been, at the very least, overblown, and the next season is still on track.

In the series, Adam Scott leads the Severance cast as Mark, as he and his team work for a company that has surgically partitioned the employees' brains to separate their work and personal lives. However, when a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it starts a journey to uncover the truth about their jobs. The critically acclaimed sci-fi workplace thriller delivered a thrilling and dramatic first season (I’m still thinking about Severance's ending!), earning it a place among the best new shows of 2022. The series left viewers on the edge of their seats with its wild cliffhangers, leaving them anticipating the release of Season 2. Despite the revelations about Lumon and the characters, there are still many unanswered questions (here are 6 we hope they answer) about the inner workings of the company and the characters themselves. 

For now, fans will have to wait a little longer to see how all those cliffhangers play out. But with Stiller’s reassurance that the show is still on track, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic. As always, we’ll keep you updated on any developments regarding the series, so stay tuned for more news as it becomes available. 

While you wait for season 2 to hit your television screen, be sure to check out some of the other best shows on Apple TV+ with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

Creed III knocked out the competition at the box office, and now the boxing crowd-pleaser is finally available to rent or buy with an Amazon Prime subscription. To celebrate the movie making its way to the platform, the sports flick’s star and director, Michael B. Jordan, shared a bunch of behind-the-scenes photos to celebrate the occasion. However, there seems to be one notable absence, that of key actor Jonathan Majors. The A-lister plays the main antagonist opposite Jordan in the third tale in Adonis’ saga, but he is nowhere to be seen. This may laving fans to wonder if his absence has anything to do with the Ant-Man & Wasp: Quantumania actor’s recent legal troubles. 

Michael B. Jordan took to Instagram to share a wonderfully shot compilation of images that, fittingly, work as a bit of a sports montage for Adonis. The actor's latest batch of BTS images shows him in and out of character as Adonis Creed, training and fighting in the ring. The photos also give fans a glimpse of the Fruitvale Station star’s time behind the camera, directing for the first time. Jordan captioned his social media post with a simple question to fans, “What’s your favorite scene?” The actor’s post can be seen below: 

As great as the pics are, it's hard not to take notice of Jonathan Majors' absence. In the third Creed film, Majors plays Damian "Dame" Anderson, a childhood friend--turned-antagonist to Adonis. The Lovecraft Country alum features heavily in the movie, so it is a bit awkward not to see any sign of him in these behind-the-scenes images. This could be an intentional choice on MBJ's part, due to the fact Majors was recently charged with assault and harassment after being arrested in New York City. 

According to reports, the rising actor was charged with several offenses, including strangulation, assault, and harassment. The incident allegedly occurred during a heated argument with his girlfriend in a taxi as they returned home from a Brooklyn bar. The unidentified woman claimed that she saw Jonathan Majors texting another woman, which led to a confrontation. The situation purportedly escalated, and the woman alleged that Majors grabbed her hand, slapped her, and put his hands around her neck.

The actor has since been released from police custody, and his representative quickly issued a statement denying the accusations and expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved in his favor. The Marvel star's lawyer even detailed evidence that allegedly refutes the assault accusations. However, the incident has raised concerns about the actor’s future in the entertainment industry, particularly in light of recent events involving high-profile domestic violence cases. The US Army, which had used the actor in its new recruitment commercials, has spoken out about its decision to pull ads featuring the star until an investigation is complete. 

Michael B. Jordan has not spoken publicly about his co-star's arrest, at the time of this writing. Despite the controversy surrounding his castmate, fans still seem to be excited for Jordan’s directorial debut. In addition to being a box office triumph, Creed III has been critical success, as folks are really digging its blend of sports drama and heartfelt emotion. Whether or not Jonathan Majors will be a part of any further movies in the franchise remains to be seen. Still, fans can rest assured that Jordan and crew will continue to deliver the same level of quality that has made this series such a beloved addition to the ever-growing Rocky Balboa saga.

As you await further developments regarding Jonathan Majors, check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to plan your next trip to the cinema.

The John Wick franchise has been known for its breathtaking action sequences since it charged into theaters with its first chapter in 2014. With the first three installments, the Wick films have already been cemented as one of cinema’s best action movie series. From the subway fight in Chapter 2, the motorcycle chase of Parabellum, to the first film’s Red Circle shootout, the series knows how to deliver the action. However, director Chad Stahelski teased the fourth movie would raise the bar even higher, and it seems to have done just that. Now, the team behind the film is calling for the Oscars to add a new category for stunts and did so with a must-see behind-the-scenes video. 

The clip, which was shared on the film’s official Twitter account, features footage from the set of John Wick: Chapter 4 during the filming of a particularly nasty escalator stunt. The post was accompanied by a simple message, “It’s time to add a stunts category to the Oscars.” The video gives viewers a raw behind-the-scenes view of a performer taking a severe tumble down escalator stairs and having to play dead while the cast moves through the setup to finish the scene. You may need to check your pulse if watching this clip doesn’t hurt your neck via osmosis. You can see the it for yourself below:

It’s clear from the video that the stunt team deserves far more recognition for their hard work than they currently get. Every one of the hits the stunt performer took on the way down the escalator made me clench my jaw. So can we please give that stunt actors an Oscar category already?

It makes sense for the John Wick helmer to be at the forefront of the discussion regarding the importance of stunt work. Chad Stahelski has a stunt background and knows the real-life dangers of putting one's body on the line for a movie. He recently spoke with Deadline and did not mince words when it came to the prospect of the Academy adding a new category to the list of departments it already honors. He told the publication:

The stunt performer-turned-director is the first to admit some kinks need to be worked out concerning deciding how to recognize stunt sequences and their performers. However, he says he is ready to get together with Academy members and figure it out:

The dedication to the craft and hard work the filmmakers and their stunt department put into John Wick: Chapter 4 is paying off. Reviews for the fourth Wick outing have been some of the most positive of the series–see why CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg gave the movie 4.5 out of 5 stars in his review. Based on 274 top critic reviews logged on the movie's Rotten Tomatoes page, the film currently sits at an impressive 94% at this time. For comparison, the first movie is ranked at 86%, and both Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 - Parabellum comes in at 89%. Not many film franchises can boast they’re getting better with each new movie (with maybe only the Mission: Impossible franchise being one to fit the bill). So the creatives behind the Keanu Reeves-led action series certainly deserve some credit.

Of course, adding a new category to the Oscars is no easy task, and it remains to be seen whether the Academy will take notice. But if this new behind-the-scenes video is any indication, the Wick team is more than up to the challenge. And who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll see a stunt performer accepting a gold statue on the big stage. Until then, like the action movies, fans will have to keep getting bigger and louder until the powers that be finally take notice. 

John Wick: Chapter 4 is currently in theaters. so make sure to check your local listings for showtimes if you want to check it out. You may also be interested in look over our schedule of 2023 new movie releases, to plan your next trip to the cinema. 

Those who watch the drama-filled Blue Bloods know that the show can get pretty intense at times. So it’s refreshing whenever fans are able to see some of the more lighthearted moments that take place behind the scenes. Viral bloopers tend to pop up once in a while (by way of TV series and movies), and they can be quite delightful. That was the case with a BTS clip from a recent episode of the CBS procedural, which  had Donnie Wahlberg reminding that week’s guest star, Sumaya Bouhbal, what network they’re on.

The March 3 episode of Blue Bloods, “Collision Course,” saw Sumaya Bouhbal appear as Trina. In a social post shared before the episode premiered, Donnie Wahlberg shared a fun behind-the-scenes clip on Instagram featuring himself and on-screen partner Marissa Ramirez walking up to Bouhbal, who (while in character) dropped an f-bomb. And that's what led Wahlberg to hilariously break and respond:

When you're on an emotionally-charged show like this one, it's easy to get caught up as an actor, I'd imagine. This is a genuinely funny moment, and you can't help but chuckle over the everyone's reactions to the f-bomb. Honestly, for any other entertainment platform, such a reaction would probably be more than fitting. But again, such language doesn't make the cut on networks like CBS. Bouhbal is now taking her mess-up in stride, as she also posted the blooper and provided an A+ reason for it:

The message received a number of responses from fans, and her scene partner even chimed in. Donnie Wahlberg, being the sweet person that he is, praised his colleague's talent and humility while commenting on the post. Check out what he had to say, exactly:

I can't see anything wrong with keeping the atmosphere light on the set of a procedural, especially since those work days can be long. It’s refreshing to see that even though they're almost 300 episodes in, the main cast and crew still have plenty of fun with one another as well as any guest stars that happen to be present. Of course, there's currently a question as to whether those good times will continue.

As of right now, CBS hasn’t renewed Blue Bloods for a 14th season, though it's still possible that the show could get some good news in the coming months. To me, it also wouldn't be out of the question for the series to get the SEAL Team treatment and shift to Paramount+ for another season. That way, the producers can get into more NSFW storylines, there probably still wouldn't be many f-bombs thrown around (if any at all.) 

While fans shouldn't expect any inappropriate language on Blue Bloods in the near future, they can look forward to a Magnum P.I. reunion for Tom Selleck when Larry Manetti guest stars in an upcoming episode. All the while, you might also want to keep your eye out for any bloopers, as they might contain even more swear words that contribute to humorous on-set situations.

Blue Bloods airs Fridays at 10 p.m. EST on CBS, with episodes streaming the next day for those with a Paramount+ subscription! Plus, check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule to stay in the know on premiering or returning shows.

Arguably one of the grossest scenes in a movie from 2022 was the vomiting scene in the Academy Award-nominated Triangle of Sadness. The film from Ruben Östlund, while literally gross, has become a beloved satire, and at the center of it is this puking scene that happens on a yacht during a storm. Now that this eat the rich satire has received multiple Oscar nominations, the director and production designer are breaking down one of the film’s most memorable, and nauseating, scenes, and explaining just how hard it was to film. 

A major focal point of Triangle of Sadness is this barf-tastic scene on the open seas. It’s a drawn-out dinner sequence where all the rich guests go to a fancy dinner during a massive storm. The boat is shaking like crazy, and it’s clear that they really shouldn’t be eating during this storm, for multiple reasons. While the scene is disgusting, it's also a massive reason why the film ended up being on various best of 2022 lists, because it shows off the technical mastery of the film. When it came to putting the scene together, Östlund talked about the logistical challenges, and the real seasickness that happened on set, explaining in a BTS video from Deadline:

You know they went to great lengths when the crew had to take seasick pills, and they weren’t even on a real boat. They were on a set that was rigged up so it could move around like a boat. Östlund discussed how they created the movement of this tipsy scene, and how that impacted the movie, saying:

Josefin Åsberg, the production designer, explained that they did this so they could control the movement of the boat, and be very precise with how the ocean treated the boat during the movie. She also went into detail about how they designed the puke in the movie, noting that it was different from character to character. 

It’s so fascinating to hear about all the strategy and organization that went into creating one of the most chaotic scenes I’ve ever seen. Hearing Östlund describes how he created this iconic moment in one of the best under-the-radar movies of last year further proves how good Triangle of Sadness is. It’s visceral and chaotic, however, it achieves that energy through precision and technical innovation. 

Triangle of Sadness is now up for three Oscars, and while on the surface it’s a bit shocking a visceral satire like this would get nominated, once you think about it a bit, its technical mastery and magnificent writing make it clear why it is among 2022’s most prestigious films. 

If you haven’t seen Triangle of Sadness and this legendary -- or infamous depending on how you look at it -- scene you can rent the movie on Amazon. Also, as the Academy Awards get closer, be sure to check out how to stream all the Oscar-nominated movies, and if you are looking to see another film like Östlund’s brutal satire, be sure to check out the 2023 movie schedule. 

Brad Pitt and George Clooney have been starring in movies together for the past two decades ever since the first Ocean’s Eleven flick. The two are now set to reunite for a thriller called Wolves, which is directed by Spider-Man filmmaker Jon Watts. As you'd imagine, when the cameras are off, the bromance between the two stars is stronger than ever. And if that weren't enough, Clooney hass reportedly even dished out relationship advice for his best friend.

It's a sweet feeling when you learn that the two actors -- who usually play chums in their movies -- actually have a great professional (and personal) relationship in real life. It's no wonder the chemistry between the two of them is always on point! A source for Daily Mail shared that Brad Pitt and George Clooney are currently in New York City shooting their new movie and, based on the report, it sounds like the stars are truly living it up in the Big Apple:

With New York City being the city that never sleeps, I can only imagine what “mischief” could be a-brewin’. Jon Watts' Wolves is about two lone-wolf fixers who are assigned the same job, and even that brief description should be enough to get folks intrigued. Though it’s been almost 15 years since the actors' last collaboration, Burn After Reading, industry insiders are apparently more than confident that the Apple TV+ movie will become a success. A source even predicts that the film could end up landing the leading men some awards consideration. It's still early days, of course, but we surely know that both are talented.

You better believe that Brad Pitt and George Clooney are absolutely not lone wolves in their personal lives, though. For nearly nine years, Clooney has been married to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, with whom he shares beautiful twins. Pitt also appears to have been pretty busy with his love life, as rumors link him with Vampire Diaries alum Paul Wesley’s ex, Ines de Ramon. A source who allegedly knows the Mr. and Mrs. Smith actor reported that Clooney absolutely supports these two together and was even generous enough to share some of his relationship wisdom:

Brad Pitt and Ines De Ramon are reportedly getting along well during their divorces, and things could be heating up between them. So with that, what relationship advice did George Clooney give his best friend? It’s been speculated that the Up in the Air actor inspired Pitt to send an astonishing bouquet of flowers to Ramon’s workplace in Los Angeles on Valentine’s Day. De Ramon, a jewelry designer, was said to have been very touched by Pitt’s gift and felt like a proud lady in love as she left her office carrying the flowers. While these are all rumors at this point, it wouldn't be surprising at all if Clooney is indeed advising Pitt in matters of romance and, quite frankly, the thought of it is very sweet.

As George Clooney and Brad Pitt age and slow down together, it’s comforting to hear that their friendship is still intact. Here's hoping they remain close in the years to come. And be sure check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases so you'll know when Wolves will be streamable with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

Channing Tatum once again hit theaters baring it all this weekend -- just in time for Valentine's Day -- in his latest film, Magic Mike’s Last Dance. At this point, everyone is pretty used to seeing him scantily clad, but it certainly isn’t getting old. Both he and his fans enthusiastically celebrated the film in of his recent social media posts. Tatum marked the threequel with a wet and shirtless dance floor post (because of course),  and I can’t say I really blame fans for praising Tatum’s smooth moves.

Magic Mike’s Last Dance seemingly marks an end of an era for Channing Tatum, as he has starred (and stripped) in the entire film franchise. With his 2023 new movie release having a sense of finality to it, it only makes sense that Tatum would want to commemorate its release with a spicy little promo post that shows the fun side of filming the latest (and possibly final) movie in the franchise. Tatum and his seemingly perfect abs can be seen in his newest Instagram post. For fans who have seen the wet and wild trailer for Tatum's film but not yet the film itself, the apparent behind-the-scenes compilation video attached to the post sheds some light on how the wet scenes were filmed and how silly Tatum got in between takes. Check it out for yourself:

We already know that the leading man and director Steven Soderbergh know how to do “sexy” well, and they are so successful just in the clips the actor shared that fans seem to be ignoring the fact that wet pants are one of the most uncomfortable pieces of attire in the world. The miraculously seems comfortable enough to spin, dance, and jokingly swim in such a drenched state, but the attractiveness in which he does it certainly steals the spotlight.

Devotees are showing how much they appreciate the apparent behind-the-scenes sneak peek Channing Tatum shared by giving their love and excitement in the comments section. A number of verified accounts are leading the pack of over six thousand users who have commented on the post, and they’re getting a little spicy talking about the “wetness.” Others are discussing how excited they are to see the film, wit one fan relaying that their 80-year-old grandma specifically requested to see the film in theaters. 

The rest of this article contains minor spoilers for Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Read on at your own risk if you haven’t yet seen the newly released film.

Actual critic reviews of Magic Mike’s Last Dance are mixed, which can be common for  trilogy cappers that seem to deviate from previous installments. The movie is a shift from what fans have come to expect from the franchise, as the titular character actually doesn’t do much stripping until the very end and rather than for show, he does so as a profession of love - which honestly brings home the idea of his last dance. 

Considering the more emotional and definitive nature of Channing Tatum’s closing dance, it makes his post a little more touching, especially with his caption of “We did our part.” Tatum certainly worked his butt off on the film series, and to think that his part is done is a little sad. So enjoy every minute of Magic Mike’s Last Dance, which is now available to see in theaters and will likely join the previous two films in being available for HBO Max subscription holders when it eventually heads to streaming.

The world of That ‘70s Show was taken into a whole different era with the new Netflix original TV revival, That ‘90s Show, which was renewed for a second season not long after it premiered in January 2023. One of the most fun things about the Gen-X centered spin-off is the appearances by members of the original series’ cast, like series regulars Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith as Kitty and Red Forman, respectively, and Topher Grace and Laura Prepon as Eric and Donna, whose daughter, Leia, (Callie Haverda), is the show’s central character.

Originally airing on Fox, That ‘70s Show was one of the funniest and most unique sitcoms of its time, with humor that everyone could easily latch onto. However, it only gets more interesting the more you learn about what the cast and crew went through on set when the cameras were not rolling. See for yourself by checking out these groovy behind-the-scenes facts!

Mila Kunis Lied About Her Age In Her Audition

It is quite rare for a teenage character on a TV series to be played by an actual teen, but that just happened to be the case with Mila Kunis when she was first cast as Jackie Burkhart on That ‘70s Show. However, the producers of the show had no idea.

The Ukrainian-born actor made it “very clear” on a career retrospective video for Variety that, despite leaving the producers under the impression that she was 18 at the time of her audition, she was really just 14. In fact, Michael Kelso actor and Kunis’ future husband, Ashton Kutcher, later revealed on The Howard Stern Show that the first kiss their characters shared on the show was Kunis’ first kiss in real life.

That ‘70s Show Went Through Multiple Working Titles

When Kunis and co. began filming the series that would make them A-listers, it did not even have an official name, according to an article from The Hollywood Reporter on the topic of choosing TV show titles. Executive producer Tom Werner shared how, after considering several names that referenced hit songs from the show’s set era — including Teenage Wasteland, The Kids Are Alright, and Feelin’ Alright — That ’70s Show was finally chosen:

The simplicity and matter-of-fact nature of the title could not be more perfect, as far as I am concerned. However, you cannot help but wonder, if other TV execs had the same mentality, Cheers could have been called That Show with the Bar or Seinfeld might have been That Comedian’s Show, to name a few.

Debra Jo Rupp Did Not Realize The Show’s 1970s Setting When She First Signed On

You know, if not for its title, the fashion choices, and many of its pop culture references, it is not too hard to imagine the eponymous time setting of That ‘70s Show going right over some viewers’ heads. In fact, even one of the series’ stars had no idea that show was actually set in the 1970s when she was cast.

Debra Jo Rupp reveals in a video for Entertainment Weekly — in which she and Kurtwood Smith look back on some of their favorite moments from the original series — that it was not until they began filming the pilot and she noticed the old fashioned appliances on the set that the retro time setting finally occurred to her. When Smith tries to argue that the title should have tipped her off, she reminds him that it was still not called That ‘70s Show yet.

The Role Of Red Forman Was Offered To Chuck Norris

Something that some younger viewers of That ‘70s Show may have not have known about Kurtwood Smith is that, before Red Forman, his most iconic role was Clarence Boddicker — the main antagonist of ‘80s sci-fi movie classic, RoboCop. Oddly enough, one of the producers' first choices to play the cantankerous sitcom dad was another legendary action movie star.

According to ScreenRant, martial artist-turned-actor Chuck Norris was given the opportunity to play Eric Forman’s father, but his commitment to his hit crime drama, Walker, Texas Ranger, forced him to turn it down. I think Smith was the perfect choice after all, but it is fun to imagine someone with Norris’ reputation exclaim Red’s profane catchphrase — “I’m gonna put my foot in your ass.”

The Producers Discovered Topher Grace At A High School Play

That ‘70s Show was actually the first major gig for many of the younger members of the cast, such as Topher Grace, who had never acted professionally before. The future BlacKkKlansman star was on PeopleTV's Couch Surfing when he revealed how a chance encounter earned him the opportunity:

He goes on to mention how he had to be informed what a headshot was and ended up bringing a photo of him taken at Six Flags. Still, he clearly made an impression on them because he ended up playing Eric Forman for seven seasons!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Claims He And Topher Grace’s Kissing Scene Could Have Been Longer

An actor you might have forgotten was on That ‘70s Show for just one episode is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose character, Buddy, is revealed to be gay when he unexpectedly plants one on his lab partner, Eric. The future A-lister shared some interesting insight into that historic moment on a Reddit AMA thread:

According to ScreenRant, this historic moment was originally meant to be one of several appearances by JGL as Buddy, until the idea was scrapped. Luckily, the two-time Emmy winner bounced back pretty quickly.

Wilmer Valderrama Bought Eric’s Vista Cruiser When The Show Ended

Another actor who has done very well since That ’70 Show’s curtain call is NCIS star Wilmer Valderrama. However, he still has a pretty epic way of remembering his days playing Fez that he took home with him from the set.

On an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, the comedian and talk show host was surprised to learn that the Venezuelan actor’s 1969 Vista Cruiser is the same one that belonged to Eric Forman on the show. Valderrama explained that, upon learning the show was entering its eighth and final season, he bought it from the set for $500 and has tried to keep in the same condition as it was on the show ever since.

A Pilot For A UK Remake Was Made In 1999

While it is the first to successfully do so, That ‘90s Show is not the first series subsequently inspired by That ‘70s Show. Even before the sitcom had concluded its first season, it already had been remade into a British show called Days Like These.

According to an article by The AV Club that also includes a link to the pilot, the remake was cancelled after just six episodes. Ironically, it is usually the American remakes of classic UK shows that don't quite make the cut.

A Spin-Off Set In The ‘80s Was Attempted

You know what? That ‘90s Show is actually not the first spin-off of That ‘70s Show. While the sitcom was still relatively early into its run, Fox debuted a series set in the following decade that was aptly called That ‘80s Show.

According to a retrospective by Collider, the widely forgotten show’s only overt connection to its predecessor is that Corey Howard — played by future It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star and co-creator Glenn Howerton — is Eric Forman’s first cousin. However, we never got to see them meet because this show was cancelled after 13 episodes in 2002.

Topher Grace Has Found Rewatching That ‘70s Show “Hard”

By appealing to fans wishing they could still use their Netflix subscription to watch That ‘70s Show, That ‘90s Show proved to be the first successful spin-off to the original. While the show would see Topher Grace reprising his role, the Eric Forman actor has said that reliving those days has not come easy for him in the past.

Before his cameo on the sequel series was confirmed, Grace appeared on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show to promote his ABC sitcom, Home Economics, and mentioned that he is not one to check out reruns of the comedy that made him famous. He adds that it simply makes him feel too nostalgic, as if he was watching his high school yearbook coming to life day after day.

Mila Kunis “Called BS” On Jackie And Kelso’s That ‘90s Show Depiction

Another one of the most exciting cameos on That ‘90s Show was Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis as a married Kelso and Jackie, whose son, Jay (Mace Coronel), is part of Leia’s new friend group. However, one person who was not the biggest fan of this update in the characters’ lives is Kunis herself.

The actor reminded Access Hollywood that the original series ended with Jackie forming a relationship with Fez and claims it would have made more sense to see them together on the new series. Instead, Fez (who provides an explanation for the break-up) ends up dating Red and Kitty’s neighbor, Sherri (Andrea Anders), which does lead to some funny moments, nonetheless. Not to mention, I think seeing Kunis and Kutcher together in real life is probably to blame for this otherwise canonically nonsensical development.

I am actually hoping to see more characters from the original series eventually make an appearance on That ‘90s Show in Season 2, such as Luke Wilson as Kelso’s brother, Casey, or maybe even Josh Meyers as the otherwise widely unliked, Randy Peterson. Then again, the best way to revisit these characters will always be by rewatching That ‘70s Show — which you can do now with a Peacock Premium subscription.

It is no mystery why the 2022 follow-up to Knives Out has won the hearts of most critics, become an enduring hit on Netflix’s trending page, and received a 2023 Academy Award nomination for its screenplay. However, Glass Onion (which is how I will refer to it because writer and director Rian Johnson prefers it without the subtitle, A Knives Out Mystery), is not without its mysteries beyond the twisted murder case at the center of its story.

Related: Trending On Netflix: The Top 10 Lists For Movies And TV

Well, we decided to pull a Benoit Blanc and get to the bottom of some of the best kept secrets surrounding one of the best movies of 2022 (in our opinion) and one of the best movies released on Netflix in 2022 (or best movies on Netflix ever, for that matter). Regardless of how much you agree with those statements, you may not be able to deny that there are fascinating behind-the-scenes facts to reveal about Glass Onion and we have compiled our most interesting favorites below.

A Beatles Song Inspired The Title, Glass Onion

As a fan of The Beatles, I was just as surprised as Rian Johnson to learn how few people made the connection between Glass Onion and the Fab Four’s eponymous track off of 1968’s The White Album when the film’s title was officially announced in 2022. In fact, the filmmaker has an interesting story that he revealed to Deadline as to how the song that plays during the end credits inspired the name:

Knives Out is also synonymous with a Radiohead song, but Johnson insisted to the Los Angeles Times that the connection ends at the name and that he -- a massive fan of the band -- had the phrase in his head at the time he was writing. It makes me wonder what tune the franchise’s upcoming third installment could be named after if the filmmaker goes in that direction again.

Netflix Spent Millions For The Streaming Rights To Glass Onion

With all of the cancelled series it has picked up (i.e., Manifest) and nostalgic favorites it has revived (such as That ‘90s Show, a continuation of That ‘70s Show), Netflix is becoming the Number One place to — not necessarily start, but — continue a franchise. One of the most famous and expensive examples of this is when it acquired distribution rights to Glass Onion.

In 2021, according to The Hollywood Reporter, a “discreet” auction that competitors like Amazon and Apple participated in was closed out when Netflix became the home to the Knives Out sequel (and the series’ upcoming third installment) for $469 million. That is the kind of money that suspects of Benoit Blanc’s cases often kill for.

Daniel Craig Had To Relearn Benoit Blanc’s Accent 

Speaking of Benoit Blanc, the gentleman sleuth is known for speaking in a unique “Foghorn Leghorn Southern drawl” as Chris Evans’ Ransom Drysdale describes in Knives Out. However, recapturing that distinct accent for Glass Onion proved to be a challenge for Daniel Craig.

The British former James Bond actor revealed to Empire that he had forgotten how to speak like the astute private eye since he first originated him in 2019. So, in the hope of avoiding doing a “pastiche,” he worked with an accent coach for months to make sure he sounded as authentic as possible.

Kaley Cuoco Auditioned For Kate Hudson’s Role

While a part of us wishes we could have seen more of the Knives Out cast reprise their roles alongside Craig in the sequel, that would have meant we wouldn't have gotten Glass Onion’s wonderful ensemble, which also includes Janelle Monae, Edward Norton, and Dave Bautista. Someone who really wanted to be in the sequel, as she recalls in the excerpt from a Glamour interview below, was Kaley Cuoco:

I would certainly agree that Kate Hudson — who also got to reunite with Kathryn Hahn nearly two decades after How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days — did a wonderful job as Birdie Jay. Yet, I can also imagine an alternate reality in which the former Big Bang Theory cast member kills it as the self-absorbed fashion designer.

Some Cast Members Had A Say In Their Characters’ Costume Design

Speaking of fashion, the wardrobe choices for the characters in Glass Onion are so exquisite and on-point, that it is surprising that costume designer Jenny Eagan did not get an Oscar nomination as well. Then again, if her designs had been recognized, she technically would have had to share the nomination with the actors.

An official behind-the-scenes featurette about Glass Onion’s costume design released on YouTube reveals that the clothing choices were a collaborative effort between Eagan and some of the cast members. For instance, Daniel Craig based his look off Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief and Leslie Odom Jr. wanted Lionel’s wardrobe to subvert that of your typical movie scientist.

Stephen Sondheim Helped Get Angela Lansbury In Glass Onion

Another eye-popping element of Glass Onion is all the epic cameos — such as Hugh Grant as Blanc’s husband, Philip, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (a frequent collaborator of Johnson’s) as the voice of “The Hourly Dong,” and, of course, all of the detective’s famous friends. Those appearing as themselves in that group over a Zoom call include Johnson’s Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Stephen Sondheim, and Angela Lansbury.

The late theatre icon apparently had a hand in convincing the three-time Oscar-nominated Murder, She Wrote actor — who also passed away in 2022 — to show up in Glass Onion. Johnson recalled to the The New York Times mentioning to Sondheim that he wanted to get Lansbury, to which he said, “Oh, Angie — I’m friends with her. Tell her I’m doing it. She’ll do it.” That was that.

The Captain Of Miles’ Yacht Was Played By The Real Yacht’s Captain 

Also starring in Glass Onion as himself, apparently, is the captain who runs Miles Bron’s yacht and cheekily refers to the billionaire’s dock as a “Pisceshite.” This man is not a professional actor, but the actual captain of the yacht used in the movie, as Leslie Odom Jr. mentions during a cast reunion video also shared to the Still Watching Netflix channel on YouTube.

In fact, Johnson points out in that same video that the captain — who goes unnamed in the video and unmentioned in the film’s credits, too — “begrudgingly” took on the role, wanting no part of it despite being very familiar with was being asked of him. It is actually not unusual for non-actors to appear as themselves — such as most of the cast of Nomadland — and we are honored to include him on that list, regardless of his reluctance.

Exterior Footage Of Miles’ Estate Was Shot At A Real Greek Villa

Another member of the Glass Onion crew whom I was surprised did not receive any recognition from the Academy this year was production designer Rick Heinrichs, especially for the extremely luxurious appearance of Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) beautiful Greek private Island. That was, however, until I learned that the estate was not a product of Heinrichs’ mind, but already existed before production.

In a featurette found on the Still Watching Netflix channel on YouTube about Glass Onion’s production design, Johnson talks about how the first half of principal photography was done at a real estate in Greece called “Villa 20.” A quick look at the villa’s official website will show that Miles Bron’s pool, eclectic garden, and general exterior design are all part of the retreat. The titular glass structure that sits atop the estate was added digitally, however.

A Scrapped Post-Credits Scene Almost Changed The Mona Lisa’s Fate

What makes the conclusion of Glass Onion so explosively entertaining — SPOILER ALERT — is the way Helen Brand (Janelle Monae) really hits Miles where it hurts by also fulfilling his dream of ensuring he will be remembered in the same breath as the Mona Lisa… by burning the real painting (which Bron had rented) to a crisp. This shocking sight could have been a little less devastating had Johnson stuck with his original plan.

In an interview for Empire’s Spoiler Special podcast (via ComicBook.com), Johnson shared that the movie almost had a post-credits scene revealing that iconic art piece was actually still being held safely at the Louvre and that Bron had unwittingly been given a fake. However, the filmmaker says that, instead of “[pulling] a punch,” he prefers the idea that the Benoit Blanc Universe’s version of the Mona Lisa actually is no more.

As a fun, bonus behind-the-scenes fact, in a feature-length behind-the-scenes video on the Still Watching Netflix channel, Outer Banks cast member Madelyn Cline recalls hearing Johnson giggle behind the camera, which Craig would point out means that they had a good take. If only he could hear his fans giggle at Glass Onion, he would know just how much they thought he did another good job with this one.

There are many great anthology TV shows -- from The Twilight Zone to Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities -- but the one that I have found myself most impressed, unsettled, and even liberated by is Black Mirror. While I do believe it is one of the best sci-fi TV shows on Netflix, its brilliant commentary on the potential dangers that could result from technology's rapid advancement is so believably grounded and disturbingly prophetic that I am not so sure what is an accurate way to categorize it.

It truly is a wonder to imagine how series creator Charlie Brooker has managed to come up with the ideas behind some of the best Black Mirror episodes so far and some of the behind-the-scenes facts below may offer the inside scoop you are looking for. As we anticipate the long-awaited sixth season of this groundbreaking series, let's take a look at some of its most fascinating secrets.

Daniel Kaluuya Actually Cut His Foot While Destroying His Cell In “Fifteen Million Merits”

Daniel Kaluuya became a household name after giving his Academy Award nominated performance in 2017's Get Out. However, what first earned him Jordan Peele's attention -- as the filmmaker revealed on The Tonight Show -- was the British actor's stunning portrayal of Bing, a man trapped in a world ruled by consumerism, in "Fifteen Million Merits."

To really understand the British actor's level of commitment in the essential Season 1 episode, Charlie Brooker revealed in Inside Black Mirror -- an oral history compiled by him, producer Annabel Jones, and writer Jason Arnopp -- that Kaluuya badly injured his foot while filming a scene when he angrily smashes the glass walls surrounding his enclosed room. That would actually turn out to be the take they used in the final cut.

Domhnall Gleeson’s Beard Had To Be Digitally Removed For The Final Scene Of “Be Right Back”

One of the most common criticisms of 2017's Justice League was the digital removal of Henry Cavill's mustache and how glaringly obvious it was. Well, all you have to do is look at the Black Mirror Season 2 episode "Be Right Back" for evidence that it is possible to make that effect look convincing.

Brooker recalls in Inside Black Mirror that one of the most expensive effects from this story of a woman (Hayley Atwell) who orders an android copy of her late boyfriend (Domhnall Gleeson) was making the Irish actor appear beardless when shooting the conclusion. Gleeson was contractually obligated to keep his beard for another project but, because it wold not make sense for his artificial character to grow facial hair, CGI was used.

“White Bear’s” Shocking Twist Was Inspired By A Tour Of The Fenced-In, Former Military Base Where It Was Filmed

While Black Mirror has never been the type of show that relies on twist endings, it has some that even rival The Twilight Zone in creativity, complexity, and startling shock. Perhaps the prime example of this also occurs in Season 2 when -- SPOILER ALERT -- the conclusion of "White Bear" reveals that our amnesiac protagonist (Lenora Chrichlow) is a child murderer and the dystopian nightmare she has awoken into is an elaborate façade crafted for her own torturous humiliation.

When speaking to Variety, Brooker recalls that this episode was initially intended as a "straightforward apocalypse story" and originally ended with a public crucifixion, until the day he saw the former military base where it was set to be shot. A fence surrounding the perimeter of the base inspired him to restructure the story as the thought-provoking commentary on obsessive hate culture it is now.

Channel 4’s Preference To Fund A Different Anthology Series Over Black Mirror Season 3 Prompted The Move To Netflix

One of the best Black Mirror seasons (in my opinion), and the one I often recommend newcomers to the show start with, is the Emmy-winning third season, which also marked its revival as a Netflix exclusive after first premiering on Channel 4. Causing the shift in distribution was the U.K. network's admission that they did not have the funding to continue the show, while also mentioning that they had a similar series in mind instead. Producer Annabel Jones was candid about her feelings on the matter in the following quote pulled from Inside Black Mirror:

The replacement sci-fi anthology series in question was Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams, which would later find its own streaming home in the form of Amazon Prime. After the first two seasons of Black Mirror starting gaining popularity on Netflix, the streaming platform won the bidding war to pick the series up and, to Jones and Brooker’s surprise, gave them complete creative freedom. It would also lead to the opportunity for the interactive, feature-length spin-off, Bandersnatch, which I think we can all be thankful for.

Bryce Dallas Howard Had A Traumatic Experience With Black Mirror Prior To Her Casting In “Nosedive”

One of my personal favorite episodes from Black Mirror Season 3 (or any season, really) is "Nosedive," which imagines a society in which people are judged by a system similar to how you rate a ride share driver, a food deliverer, etc. Leading the episode with brilliantly manic desperation is Bryce Dallas Howard, who did not really get a great first impression of the show.

While promoting the series, the actor and filmmaker showed Conan O’Brien a series of videos she sent her husband, who recommended she watch “Fifteen Million Merits,” of her tearful, upsetting reaction to the episode while away on a shoot and, in one video, actually says, “I’ve just taken a real nosedive.” Who would have known that would be the title of the episode she gained 30 pounds to appear in?

Charlie Brooker Chose To End “San Junipero” With “Heaven Is A Place On Earth” When It Randomly Came On During A Run 

Another thing Black Mirror is exceptional at is choosing the right needle drops, such as in the fan-favorite, "San Junipero." No song could have been a better choice to end the story of a couple (Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis) living on forever in a VR simulation than "Heaven is a Place on Earth."

So, how did the idea to include Belinda Carlisle's synth-drenched 1987 romance ballad come to be? Well, it was fate, apparently. In an interview with Still Watching Netflix, Brooker said he was going for a run when the song came on, it reminded him of "San Junipero," and the rest is history.

Jerome Flynn Frequently Hyperventilated While Shooting “Shut Up And Dance”

One of the most intense and unsettling episodes of Black Mirror Season 3 is "Shut Up and Dance," which follows a young man (Alex Lawther) forced to perform a series of tasks after he falls prey hackers. Apparently the tension was high on set, too, based on what Lawther's co-star, 1923 cast member Jerome Flynn, recalled in Inside Black Mirror:

Considering the British actor was also in the Game of Thrones cast at one time, you would think playing an internet hacking victim trying to conceal evidence of his infidelity would be a cake walk for him. I suppose that's a testament to just how frighteningly real Black Mirror's subject matter is.

Kirsten Dunst Makes An Quick, Uncredited Cameo in “USS Callister”

Black Mirror has boasted an amazing rotation of talented actors since the very beginning. However, one you may not have known about is Academy Award nominee Kirsten Dunst, who made a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance on Season 4's "USS Callister."

The Spider-Man star's now-husband, Jesse Plemons, plays the antagonistic lead of the episode about a game programmer who imprisons digital copies of his co-workers in a simulation resembling a Star Trek-esque show. Director Toby Haynes told The Hollywood Reporter that Dunst was visiting Plemons on set, asked to be involved somehow, and was given her wordless, uncredited, walk-on role.

Andrea Riseborough’s “Crocodile” Role Was Originally Written For A Man

While Andrea Riseborough's resume is full of dark characters -- such as the title role of Mandy or an assassin with very manipulative methods in Possessor -- the peak might be in "Crocodile," in which she goes on a traumatic downward spiral after a damning secret catches up with her. While revisiting her career on People TV’s Couch Surfing, the Amsterdam cast member revealed that -- not only was she originally offered the part of Kiran Sonia Sawar’s insurance investigator character -- but the Season 4 episode's protagonist was intended to be male. 

Riseborough had this to say about why she is happy for the gender-swap: 

“Metalhead” Was Made In Black And White To Look And Feel Like “Metal” 

While "Crocodile" is easily the most traumatic episode of Black Mirror Season 4 (or of the show entirety, perhaps), one of its more fun and thrilling entries is the post-apocalyptic chase epic, "Metalhead." The choice of filming in grayscale also makes it an especially unique visual treat, and director David Slade told us during a CinemaBlend interview that he had specific intentions behind that:

As a fan of "Metalhead's" ability to make otherwise serene, outdoor locations appear grim and foreboding, I could not agree more.

Letitia Wright Read Lines For Her “Black Museum” Audition Tape With Daniel Kaluuya On The Black Panther Set

Black Mirror is famous for employing, not just one, but two Black Panther cast members to lead an episode -- the second being Letitia Wright in the Season 4 ender, "Black Museum." As it turns out, she had a little help landing the part from a veteran of the show, whom she also had the honor to call her co-star on the hit Marvel movie.

Wright explains in Inside Black Mirror that she was a few weeks from completing Black Panther when she filmed an audition that also featured W'Kabi actor Daniel Kaluuya -- whom Wright refers to as "the O.G. of Black Mirror" -- running lines with her. Annabel Jones said she found herself distracted by the familiar voice on the tape, but it didn't stop her from being "mesmerized" by Wright.

It sounds like Black Mirror Season 6 also has a cool cast line-up, including Aaron Paul, for what will actually be his second time on the show after a vocal cameo in "USS Callister." Whoever is chosen to act, direct, or breathe air on the set of the next batch of episodes is not of any concern to me because, above all, I am just happy to see my all-time favorite series return.

The 2022 TV schedule features a number of new series that either have or are making their debuts during this television season. CBS, in particular, has welcomed several new shows to its stable of content. Among the new programming additions is East New York, a police procedural that’s already proving to be a hit for the Eye Network. Unfortunately, the show – which premiered just a few weeks ago, is facing a major behind-the-scenes shakeup. More specifically, this change sees the terminations of two executive producers. 

East New York EPs Christine and Mark Holder were removed from the show by Warner Bros. Television. Though Deadline says that the studio has not officially commented on the matter, the trade’s sources allege that the exits come on the heels of an investigation into claims made against Christine. The news outlet alleges that she made inappropriate advances towards a crew member during her stint with the series. Sources also allege that Christine has been dealing with mental health issues, which may or may not have factored into her purported behavior. It’s also said that this detail did not come into play during the company's investigation. 

This is definitely a blow for the law enforcement drama, and Deadline did not specify whether Warner Bros. Television will assign new producers to the production to fill the Holders’ slots. This development comes after the production received some great news from CBS just last week. The network confirmed that the show, along with fellow freshman series Fire Country and So Help Me Todd, will receive additional episodes for a full-season order. 

The series – which was co-created by Law & Order alum William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn – centers on the careers and personal lives of detectives and officers who operate in the NYPD’s Brooklyn-based 74th precinct. The procedural starts with the precinct preparing to enter a new era under the leadership of a newly-promoted police commander. The character, Regina Haywood, hopes to protect the community while also working to ensure that her teammates are visible figures within it. East New York has a strong cast that’s led by The Leftovers’ Amanda Warren, who plays Haywood, and features veterans like Richard Kind, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Jimmy Smits.

East New York has received mostly positive reviews thus far and is effectively filling a void left by another police drama that didn’t make it onto CBS’ fall TV 2022 schedule. I’m, of course, talking about Magnum P.I., which was cancelled this past spring after a four-season run on the network. (The Jay Hernandez-led show was eventually saved last minute by NBC.)

One would imagine that business will continue as per usual behind the scenes when it comes to William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn’s show. Meanwhile, ex-EP Christine Holder is reportedly seeking treatment.

East New York airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and episodes can also be streamed using a Paramount+ subscription.

Some are still not convinced we have really seen the end, but we have certainly reached a pivotal moment for the Halloween movies with Halloween Ends. Not only does the 2022 horror flick close out director David Gordon Green’s sequel trilogy, but it is the “lucky” 13th installment of one of the most beloved scary movie franchises ever. 

That being said, there is no better time to look back on the previous adventures of Michael Myers (and one adventure without him) with a lucky number of 13 spooky behind-the-scenes facts about them. Let's start with one of the most legendary bits of trivia regarding John Carpenter’s original classic.

Michael Myers’ Mask Is A Modified Captain Kirk Mask 

A key element of Michael Myers' legacy as one greatest horror movie villains is his mask — a brilliantly simple design bearing a white, expressionless face. If that face ever looked familiar to 1978 audiences, it's probably because it was originally modeled after William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk. Editor and production designer Tommy Lee Wallace recalled on Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us how he found the rubber Star Trek character mask at a costume shop, widened the eye holes, spay painted it white, died the blonde hair brown, and a legend was born.

In Close-ups, Young Michael Myers’ Hand Is Really Producer Debra Hill’s Hand 

There are other ways that the original Halloween proves looks can be deceiving. On an audio commentary track released on the 35th-anniversary edition Blu-ray release, reigning Scream Queen and Laurie Strode actor Jamie Lee Curtis and John Carpenter revealed a fun secret about the film’s shocking opening sequence. You can barely tell from some key shots being out of focus, but whenever you see the hand of young Michael Myers holding a knife, you are really looking at the hand of Carpenter’s producing partner and co-writer, the late Debra Hill.

Leaves Were Painted To Create A Fall Mood During The Film’s Summer Production 

Curtis and Carpenter revealed another intriguing fact about visual trickery from the set of Halloween on their commentary track. While the film takes place in late October in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, it was shot in the summer in Pasadena, California. As Curtis says, to create the illusion that the story occurred on the titular holiday, the crew took real, green leaves, painted them brown, and spread them out on the ground with a fan running in place of a genuine fall breeze.

Freddy Krueger Actor Robert Englund Worked On The Halloween Set 

You want to hear yet another fun fact about those fake leaves? Years before he gave one of his greatest performances as fellow slasher Freddy Kreuger, Robert Englund was hired for one day on the Halloween set to spread the leaves you see on screen. The horror movie icon spilled this eye-opener to Access while promoting his 2018 appearance in an episode of The Goldbergs that paid tribute to his seminal role in Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street cast.

The Twist That Laurie Is Michael’s Sister Came From John Carpenter’s Drunken Mind

If you have ever felt that Laurie being revealed as Michael Myers’ sister was kind of random and unnecessary, you are not alone. In fact, John Carpenter himself was never fond of the idea either, despite being the one who came up with it. So, how did the twist that would influence much of the franchise moving forward come to be? The filmmaker explained it to The Daily Beast with the following quote:

Laurie’s previously unknown family history and, hence, Michael’s deadly motivation officially became canon (at least until David Gordon Green’s trilogy did away with it) in 1981's Halloween II. While the sequel is regarded today by most as a classic ‘80s slasher movie, it was not without its critics at the time… including from one of its producers.

Halloween II’s Michael Myers Actor Was Criticized By Debra Hill For His Walk

After filmmaker Nick Castle originated the role of Michael Myers (and reprised it for some scenes of the most recent movies), he was replaced in Halloween II with Dick Warlock, who was not quite a favorite for Debra Hill. 

In an interview for BackToTheMovies in 2013, the stunt coordinator recalled that, years later on a behind-the-scenes featurette, the producer and co-writer vocally expressed her dissatisfaction over the way he walked on camera, which she claimed was not quite a match for Castle’s portrayal. Warlock was upset to hear about this because she never told him how she really felt on set, but he notes that he still enjoyed working with her and wishes she could have been around to defend herself.

Joe Dante Was Originally Hired To Direct Halloween III: Season Of The Witch

Dick Warlock also appeared in 1982's Halloween III: Season of the Witch, which introduces whole new story about witchcraft and some popular rubber masks — an idea that proved controversial at the time. 

The commercial flop, which has since found a cult following, was Tommy Lee Wallace's directorial debut, but it was almost helmed by a now legend of the horror genre: Joe Dante. The director of The Howling and the Gremlins movies explained on the Halloweenies podcast that he had to drop out of the project due to scheduling conflicts with another anthology-style thriller: Twilight Zone: The Movie.

Halloween 4’s Makeup Artist Had His Job Saved By A Fangoria Writer 

Michael Myers returned in 1988’s Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, in which he was actually played by two actors: Tom Morga and George Wilbur. The explanation for why relates to an on-set conflict with an unnamed producer that almost cost someone else their job on the production: makeup technician Ken Horn, who recalled the following story on a Blu-ray featurette:

The unnamed reporter successfully got Horn re-hired, but the concerns over the size of the mask did, unfortunately, result in Morga’s removal from the cast, leaving Wilbur to fill in. While he would go uncredited for his work as the viillain, he can still say he is the only actor to ever play three iconic slashers: Michael, Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (which, to be fair, is really a fake Jason named Roy), and Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.

Jamie Lee Curtis Had To Fight For “Michael’s” Death Scene In Halloween H20

The franchise’s continuity was reset (for the first time) with the seventh installment, 1998’s Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, which was actually the brainchild of Jamie Lee Curtis. As ScreenRant reports, she wanted to end the film (and the series) with Laurie  killing Michael Myers. 

However, after multiple scripts that contradicted her wishes came in, she learned there was a contract that prevented Michael from dying, which almost sent Curtis packing until the idea of an implied death that would be revealed as a fake in the following movie was brought up. Curtis agreed to this idea on the condition that she would also be killed off at the beginning of 2002’s Halloween: Resurrection, which shows up on most Halloween movie rankings at the bottom.

Danielle Harris’ Agreement To Nudity Convinced Rob Zombie To Cast Her In His Halloween Remake

However, some might rather put Resurrection above the 2007 remake and its 2009 sequel, which are probably the most controversial Rob Zombie movies. Although, some haters may agree that a saving grace is the casting of Danielle Harris (who played Laurie's daughter, Jamie Lloyd, in the fourth and fifth films) as Annie Brackett — a role the actor apparently had to fight for because the musician-turned-filmmaker wanted no franchise veterans in the cast. According to an interview with BuzzFeed, it was Harris’ agreement to a nude scene that actually earned her the role and, subsequently, opened up more opportunities for her as a Scream Queen.

A Follow-Up To Halloween: Resurrection Was Planned Before Rob Zombie Took Over

Before Rob Zombie's remakes, there was an idea to go forward after Resurrection with another sequel that would have been the brainchild of writer Jake Wade Wall. He explained to Bloody-Disgusting that his script, called Halloween: The Missing Years, was an attempt to tie Halloween III to the rest of the franchise and explain Michael Myers’ whereabouts during its events. 

Considering how a shot of the original Halloween trailer in the 1982 spin-off confirms Michael is fictional in that universe and how his whereabouts after Halloween II are explained at the beginning of the fourth film, I am not sure how Wall would have been able to make sense of this concept.

Jake Gyllenhaal Helped Get 2018’s Halloween Made

Regardless of how polarizing the recent installments turned out to be, most fans can at least agree David Gordon Green’s “requel” trilogy was a step in the right direction, following some decidedly lackluster sequels and controversial remakes. 

One of the unsung heroes of the revamped Halloween franchise is actually the last person you might expect: Jake Gyllenhaal. In 2017, the Academy Award nominee personally called Jamie Lee Curtis — who, then, had no intention of playing Laurie again — telling her that his Stronger director, Green, wanted to get ahold of her to talk about another Halloween movie and the rest is history.

Paul Rudd Was Asked To Reprise Tommy Doyle In Halloween Kills

The new trilogy is commended for bringing back other franchise veterans, including The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards as Lindsey. According to ScreenRant, we could have seen another veteran reprise his role, had Paul Rudd agreed to play Tommy Doyle in Halloween Kills. 

One of the MCU actor’s first credits was 1995’s Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, as the little boy Laurie babysat in the original and whom he was reportedly unable to appear as in the 2021 sequel. He did, however, reach out to give his blessing to Anthony Michael Hall when he ended up filling the position.

There are plenty of other horror movie behind-the-scenes facts where these came from. In fact, there could also more Halloween movies on the horizon, given the killer box office results of Halloween Ends. At least we will have some more trivia to add to this list by then.

In early 2022, Marvel movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were receiving a ton of buzz about how they were expanding the MCU. But, around that same time, a science-fiction/fantasy/martial arts/drama/comedy/art film by the name of Everything Everywhere All at Once came around and proved that you didn’t need a nine-figure budget and equally large marketing campaigns to take the world, er, multiverse, by storm.

Before it was becoming an early Best Picture hopeful at the Oscars, set new A24 box office records, and received 5 out of 5 reviews from CinemaBlend, it had to start somewhere. Here are 10 behind-the-scenes facts from the making of Everything Everywhere All at Once.

The Daniels Originally Wanted To Cast Jackie Chan For The Everything Everywhere All At Once Lead Role

There’s no denying the fact that Michelle Yeoh absolutely steals the show in Everything Everywhere All At Once with her portrayal of heroine Evelyn Wang, and there’s a good chance she’ll win or at least be nominated for an Oscar. However, directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (known collectively as the Daniels) originally had plans to cast a different legend of Hong Kong cinema — Jackie Chan.

In a May 2022 Guardian article about the movie and its success, the Daniels talked about how they originally were going to have the story focus on the husband character, but when Chan was not available, they decided it would work better to focus on the wife instead. Later in the article, Yeoh recalled a text from Chan, a longtime friend, about the movie and its success, to which she replied, “Your loss, my bro.”

The Look Of Evelyn And Waymond’s Apartment Was Inspired By Daniel Kwan’s Grandparents’ House

One of the first scenes in Everything Everywhere All at Once takes place in Evelyn and Waymond’s cramped apartment above their laundromat. If the space, with it’s packed shelves, crowded table, and decorations looks like it’s something out of a Chinese-American’s apartment, it’s because Daniel Kwan modeled it after his grandparents, aunts, and uncles’ houses growing up.

In the director commentary track that accompanies the film’s home release, Kwan pointed out that the Chinese phonebook, the glowing butterfly display, and other decorations were very much from his childhood. He even took photos of his grandparents’ apartment to the art department to use when dressing the set.

Daniel Radcliffe Had To Turn Down A Role In Everything Everywhere All At Once

Daniel Radcliffe, who previously worked with the Daniels on the the 2016 absurdist comedy, Swiss Army Man, was offered work with the directors again on Everything Everywhere All at Once, but things didn’t work out, as he told Empire Magazine in April 2022:

Radcliffe didn’t disclose what kind of role he was offered, but it probably would have been amazing, considering he was a farting corpse the last time they worked together.

Ke Huy Quan Actually Performed A Lot Of The Fanny Pack Fight Sequence

Early on in Everything Everywhere All at Once, just when the action begins to pick up, Ke Huy Quan, appearing as an alternate version of Evelyn’s husband Waymond, is involved in one of the most badass fight scenes in the movie: the fanny pack sequence. When speaking with People regarding a number of topics likes his best movies and returning to show business, Quan revealed that he spent a lot of time working on the moves in his house, much to the chagrin of his wife.

In the director commentary on the film’s home release, the Daniels admitted that the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom actor did a lot of his own stunts in the scene, and that only a couple of the shots in the fight required a stunt double. 

Evelyn Being Pulled Back In The Office Chair Was Shot Practically

The shot of Evelyn being pulled back from Deidre’s desk to the janitor’s closet to meet with Wang Alpha is one of the more visually impressive of the early scenes of the movie, and one of the craziest things about it is the fact that it was shot practically. In the director commentary, the Daniels explained no visual effects were used until Evelyn crossed into the closet, and that it was all done by messing with the shutter angles and frame rates. Oh, and they used a leaf blower to make Michelle Yeoh’s hair fly around.

Evelyn’s Pinky Uppercut Was An Homage To The ‘Home Run’ Sound Effect In Super Smash Bros.

Everything Everywhere All at Once features one impressive fight sequence after another, with one of the most unique being the pinky fight. Basically, after channeling into one of her other realities, Evelyn learns of a universe where she has an incredibly strong pinky, which she uses to uppercut one of the guards at the IRS building. Making this even better is the sound effect that fans of the popular Super Smash Bros. video games will recognize, as the Daniels told Newsweek:

The home run bat sound effect is up there with the Metal Gear Solid alert warning when it comes to recognizable noises, and added a nice touch to the detail-rich movie. 

Jamie Lee Curtis Was Inspired By Her Daddy And Them Character For The Look Of Deidre

No member of the Everything Everywhere All at Once cast looked like they were having as much fun with their roles as Jamie Lee Curtis with her portrayal of Deidre. Before she was giving Marvel a hard time about the multiverse, and generally singing the praises of the movie, she helped craft the look of the character in the early stages. In an Instagram post, Curtis revealed that the look of her character was inspired by one of her former roles, that of Elaine in the 2001 dark comedy, Daddy and Them.

According to the Halloween star, she told the Daniels of her inspiration before working with the costume, hair, and make-up departments to bring the Deidre to life.

Michelle Yeoh Made A Major Change To The Rock Scene

The sequence where Evelyn and Joy enter a universe in which they are turned into rocks provided a much-needed change of pace in the latter half of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and the deafening silence of the scene really drove home the multiversal struggle between mother and daughter. However, the scene originally looked, er, sounded much different.

In the director commentary, the Daniels revealed that the screenplay originally called for Joy and Evelyn to speak throughout the sequence until Michelle Yeoh suggested a major change. According to the filmmakers, Yeoh thought it would work better if it was just subtitled, describing it as a zen garden feeling.

Jamie Lee Curtis Was Bruised Up After The Hot Dog Finger Scene

Everything Everywhere All at Once featured some truly remarkable universes that were both extremely weird and incredibly beautiful, like the the one in which Yeoh and Curtis’ characters have hot dog fingers. The scene, which Yeoh described as “the most beautiful love story in that universe” when speaking with Variety, actually ended with an injury of sorts after she and Curtis decided to go for it:

In a movie that featured characters being thrown through walls, onto the ground, and whipped around in office chairs, it’s quite ironic that an emotional scene involving hot dog fingers led to on-set injuries.

How The Lyrics To ‘Absolutely’ Made Their Way Into The Script

If a key scene involving Waymond and Evelyn in the early parts of Everything Everywhere All at Once sounds like the dialogue was taken directly from Nine Days’ 2000 rock track, “Absolutely (Story of a Girl),” there’s a simple explanation for that: they were, just not intentionally. In an interview with Mashable following the film’s release, Daniel Kwan revealed how it came to be:

Daniel Scheinert added by saying the lines were in the script for years, and they considered cutting it until the filmmakers reached out to Nine Days' lead singer, John Hampson. The musician was so keen on the idea he ended up recording three different versions of the song that were used throughout the movie.

These are just some of the behind-the-scenes facts from the making of Everything Everywhere All at Once, as there is a limitless amount of tidbits of information and easter eggs waiting to be explored in one of the most inventive 2022 movies to come out so far.

A lot of hard work went into making a movie about one man struggling to take it easy. How else could you explain why Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is remembered today as one of best high school movies ever made — let alone one of the greatest movies from the 1980s in general?

Did you know, for instance, that two members of the Breakfast Club cast were apparently considered to play the title character and his best friend, Cameron Frye? Also, some of the most famous scenes from the 1986 comedy classic did not even come from legendary director John Hughes’ original script. If you care to learn the secrets behind those intriguing details and more, don’t just leave your cheese out in the wind, but take a look at these behind-the-scenes facts — starting with one about the lead of the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off cast, Matthew Broderick.

Matthew Broderick’s Knee Injury Prevented Him From Dancing During The Parade Scene

The story of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows the charismatic titular troublemaker skipping school in favor of spending the day with his best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), and his girlfriend, Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara), in Chicago attending a Cubs game, observing an art museum, and even crashing the Von Steuben Day Parade. Speaking of that infectious scene, Ferris’ lip-synched serenade and the dance sequence that accompanies it did not quite go as planned.

In a making-of featurette included on the film’s “Bueller… Bueller…” Edition DVD release from 2005, Matthew Broderick reveals that he injured his knee while shooting Ferris’ climactic run home, which was already hard enough for him to do having undergone surgery years earlier. By the time they started shooting the parade sequence, Broderick’s knee was not in good enough shape for him to perform his own dance, which was choreographed by the future director of several successful musicals, Kenny Ortega.

EMI Records Was Unhappy With The Film’s Edited Version Of “Twist And Shout” 

On the bright side, Ferris Bueller never really needed to dance to steal the show at Chicago’s Von Steuben Day Parade, because he already did that well enough with his exceptional lip-synching of Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen,” and “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles. The way the Fab Four’s 1963 version of the oft-reworked hit single was used in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off proved to be a thorn in the side of the record label that originally released it: EMI.

The film’s music supervisor, Tarquin Gotch, recalled to Yahoo Movies in 2016 how it took $100,000 to get EMI execs' permission to use The Beatles' track for the parade scene, but they would later express their disapproval of how it was edited into the scene by adding a brass section. However, as Gotch adds, it would not make sense not to include horns in the background to help achieve its authentic, “live” feel.

Three Fake Ferraris Were Built For Scenes Featuring Cameron’s Father’s Car

Another group of people whom Ferris Bueller’s Day Off pissed off were car enthusiasts, as Alan Ruck told Jimmy Kimmel in 2021 when talking about the iconic scene in which Cameron accidentally destroys his father’s 1961 Ferrari GT 250 California. However, not only did the actor assure Kimmel’s audience that the car was “crap” — faulty ignition once caused the crew to do multiple takes of the same scene — it was not even a real Ferrari anyway.

In the aforementioned DVD bonus features, Ruck talks about how renting the real car would have cost the studio an “astronomical” amount in insurance, even to just have it sit idle on the set. So, instead, three kit cars were built to resemble the Ferrari’s beautiful, classic design by placing a red-panted, fiberglass body over a Mustang Chassis. One car was made for the cast to use, another to perform stunts with (such as during the parking garage attendants’ joy ride), and one more to be “killed” by Cameron in the end.

An Unrevealed Plot Detail Explains Why Cameron Wears A Detroit Red Wings Jersey 

One thing about Cameron Frye that often leaves some Ferris Bueller fans confused is the fact that this Chicago native wears a Detroit Red Wings hockey jersey throughout the film. Well, Alan Ruck would later reveal in an interview with MEL (via CinemaBlend) the following explanation for that costume choice:

It is in-depth character development such as this that made the late John Hughes one of the sharpest filmmakers of his time. I actually could have gone without ever discovering this interesting Easter Egg, but knowing that it exists without ever being in the final picture is satisfying.

Alan Ruck’s “Dad Voice” Was Based On He And Matthew Broderick’s Biloxi Blues Director 

There is also an interesting story behind the voice that Cameron Frye very convincingly dons when making a phone call to Principal Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) as Sloane Peterson’s father. It turns out that the history of that unique vocal inflection dates back to when he and Ferris Bueller himself, Matthew Broderick, first met when they portrayed each other’s friends in a Broadway production of the Neil Simon-penned play, Biloxi Blues.

When interviewed for “Where Are They Now?” profile piece for Oprah.com, Alan Ruck revealed that the “Sloane’s Dad” voice was inspired by Broderick’s impersonation of their Biloxi Blues director, Gene Saks. Ruck did not reveal he was going to use the voice because he wanted to see his buddy’s reaction. Little did he know that it would actually make the final cut of the film.

Anthony Michael Hall And Emilio Estevez Were Offered To Play Ferris And Cameron

That unforgettably hilarious voice is just one of the many reasons why I am eternally grateful that Alan Ruck got the part of Cameron Frye. Not to mention, it is hard to imagine anyone else playing Ferris Bueller better than Matthew Broderick. However, things could have been much different had because of the other John Hughes movie veterans originally offered the roles.

While playing a game of “Celebrity True or False” with Rich Eisen, Alan Ruck revealed that Emilio Estevez turned down the chance to play Cameron and reunite with his The Breakfast Club director, in favor of starring in the cult sci-fi classic, Repo Man. He also adds that the original choice for Ferris was Anthony Michael Hall, but, knowing it would have been his fifth movie with Hughes after National Lampoon’s Vacation, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, and the aforementioned Breakfast Club, he opted to try something new.

Rooney And Grace’s Frantic Shuffling Through His Office Was Almost Entirely Off Script

Shifting gears back to that funny prank call scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, what really sells it, in my opinion, is the Grade A reactions from Jeffrey Jones as Rooney and Edie McClurg as his “pinhead” assistant Grace. After becoming convinced it really is Sloane’s father on the other end, after Ferris calls the office himself, the pair engage in a manic dance around the school office trying to figure out where to find Mia Sara’s character.

Believe it or not, this hilarious scene was invented impromptu with no direct suggestions from the script. As Jones and McClurg revealed in the Ferris Bueller DVD’s making-of doc, John Hughes had told the actors that he wanted to create some chaotic action on camera, so they came up with this frantic shuffle and nearly everything else you see on screen (including Grace’s brief Rooney impersonation) off the top of their heads and in one take.

Edie McClurg Improvised Her Most Famous Line In Her Audition 

I imagine that John Hughes had a good feeling that he could trust Edie McClurg with putting out some good improv based on her audition for the role of Grace alone. It was then when the actor came up with her most oft-quoted line in the movie herself.

She reveals this during another DVD special feature profiling the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off cast, in which she recalls how the line, “They think he’s a righteous dude,” was not in Hughes’ original script. When reading for the part in a faux Chicago accent she also crafted, she said that the line would sound funny that way and uttered it on the spot. Much to her surprise, the quote would be immortalized in the final picture.

Ben Stein’s Hilariously Dull Economics Lesson Was Completely Unscripted 

Iconic moments from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that were bred from improvisation do not stop there. Who could forget Ben Stein’s breakout performance as a foghorn-voiced economics teacher who repeats a name until he hears a response when calling role, and gives an insufferably boring lesson on the Great Depression in one brilliant aside? Anyone? Anyone?

According to the aforementioned DVD doc about the cast, Stein’s character was initially never meant to be seen until he got such a good laugh out of the crew that John Hughes told him he would put him on camera and wanted him to improv an entire monologue on the spot based on a topic he knew well. After filming the entire sequence in one take, the entire crew applauded, making the actor happier than he had ever been in his life.

Ferris Bueller Originally Had Two Younger Siblings That Were Cut During Filming 

In addition to the many unscripted moments that made it into Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, there was one detail from the original script that did end up on the cutting room floor. We are all familiar with the fact that Ferris has an older sister named Jeanie Bueller, played by future Dirty Dancing cast member Jennifer Grey, but an alternate cut exists in which they had two younger siblings, too.

Cindy Picket — who played Ferris and Jeanie’s mother, Katie Bueller — mentioned this scrapped plot point when Josh Gad got the film’s cast back together over Zoom for his Covid-era YouTube series, Reunited Apart. She even points out that there is evidence of the younger brother and sisters’ one-time existence in the film. If you look close enough during one scene in the kitchen, you can see what appears to be drawings sketched by a Kindergartener displayed on the refrigerator.

I think it might have been the right call to cut the Buellers’ younger children out of the story, considering how well the rivalry between Ferris and Jeanie works on its own. On the other hand, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is about preserving one’s freedom to do what you want and be who you want to be while you are still young, so perhaps seeing the story from an even fresher set of eyes could have been interesting. I suppose we will never know for sure, but life already movies pretty fast, so that’s a lost chance I don’t think I will miss.

ABC’s The Wonder Years reboot amassed relatively solid buzz during its first season on the air and managed to earn itself a second-season renewal from the network as a result. However, the show will be moving forward without one key figure, series director and EP Fred Savage, who was fired after a misconduct investigation a few months ago. Since then, more alleged details on Savage’s dismissal have come to light, including Savage’s purported misbehavior with younger crew members. Amid the situation, both he and the studio behind the dramedy have made statements on the matter.

What 20th Television Has Said In Regard To Fred Savage’s Dismissal

News of Fred Savage’s firing was reported back in May, during which it was said that the star was facing three separate allegations. It was also said that the star, who played the lead on the OG Wonder Years show, was cooperating with the proceedings. 20th Television, which produces the series, didn’t provide any specifics on the alleged incidents at the time, though the entertainment entity’s statement (shared with THR and other news outlets) suggested that the findings were enough to have Savage removed from the production: 

The additional alleged details on the behind-the-scenes situation were reported earlier this week. And with that, the Kevin Arnold actor did provide a statement in response to the accusations.

How Fred Savage Responded To The Multiple Accusations He’s Facing

THR released a lengthy report that details allegations from multiple individuals. Per the trade, a group of six women came together on set, with the goal of taking action against Fred Savage. The women, who did not identify themselves, accused Savage of being cordial and friendly around the show’s stars and network execs but being less accommodating when it came to “below-the-line employees who don’t have power.” Accusations of verbal abuse were part of these allegations.

The women also made note of an alleged relationship that the former director had formed with a younger female crewmember on set, adding that the woman’s personality was negatively affected by her interactions with the TV vet. Another woman also claimed that Fred Savage followed her into a restroom and physically subdued her before "forcefully" putting his mouth on hers.  In conjunction with the story, Savage released a statement in which he addressed the claims and stated that he’s currently working on himself:

Fred Savage’s involvement in the Wonder Years reboot was reported in the summer of 2020. The actor was reportedly instrumental in getting the show off the ground alongside series creator Saladin K. Patterson and EP Lee Daniels. The star was even on hand to welcome the series lead, Elisha “EJ” Williams, to the show. Savage would ultimately direct seven episodes during the first season, including the pilot.

This new iteration of The Wonder Years takes place in the late ‘60s and focuses on the Williams’, a Black family living in Montgomery, Alabama. The central character is 12-year-old Dean, who like Kevin Arnold before him, is experiencing the ups and downs that come with adolescence. The show notably stars Dulé Hill, who plays family patriarch Bill. Hill has been vocal about how OG fans have warmed up to the show after initially being skeptical. There’s not much connective tissue between the shows narrative-wise, though it did feature a major Winnie Cooper connection. 

The coming-of-age period piece is set to return to ABC for its second season in 2023 as a midseason addition. What lies ahead for Fred Savage, meanwhile, is tough to say, but it seems clear that he will no longer be involved with the show. 

The first season of The Wonder Years is available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

In 2007, Paul Thomas Anderson released There Will Be Blood, which is arguably his best movie to date. With a focus on tycoon Daniel Plainview, a performance that earned Daniel Day-Lewis his second of three Academy Awards, the movie chronicled the American oil boom of the 20th Century while also giving audiences some of the most memorable scenes and breathtaking cinematic experiences.

Before There Will Be Blood became one of the most decorated films of the early 21st Century and left audiences yelling “I drink your milkshake,” Anderson spent years getting the project off the ground and nearly as much time getting everything right with the timeless classic. Below, we will break down some of the most fascinating behind-the-scenes from the making of one of the best movies of the 2000s.

Paul Thomas Anderson First Noticed Upton Sinclair’s Oil! Because The Book’s Cover Made Him ‘Homesick’ For California

There Will Be Blood is an adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s 1926 muckraking novel, Oil!, which chronicled the fictional Ross family (who were based on various titans of industry of the era) as they become successful yet greedy figures in the California oil boom. When speaking to the New York Times Magazine ahead of the film’s release, Paul Thomas Anderson revealed he was first drawn to the novel at a London bookstore because it had a painting of California on the cover, saying he was “homesick.” After reading it, Anderson began the arduous process of adapting the first 150 pages into the eventual award-winning film.

While Writing There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson Repeatedly Watched The Treasure Of Sierra Madre For Inspiration

Even though There Will Be Blood was released in 2007, the film very much feels like a Western epic that would have come out in the early-to-mid 20th Century, and there’s a reason for that. Shortly after the film’s release, Paul Thomas Anderson told the Guardian newspaper that he watched John Huston’s 1948 Academy Award winner, The Treasure of Sierra Madre, multiple times when penning his script. The director revealed he was attempting to achieve economy in storytelling similar to what Huston achieved, unlike some of Anderson’s earlier works, like Magnolia, which were far more complicated.

Despite Having Never Met The Actor, Paul Thomas Anderson Wrote The Daniel Plainview Role For Daniel Day-Lewis

Paul Thomas Anderson always had Daniel Day-Lewis in mind for the role of Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, even when he was first writing the script years before the movie came out. Even though Anderson had never met Day-Lewis prior to this, the director did find a way to approach him, as he told AV Club in early 2008 when asked if he just sent the script as a shot in the dark:

Anderson went on to say he would have found a way to approach Day-Lewis about the movie without that knowledge, but the revelation was encouraging.

Daniel Day-Lewis Read Letters From Oilmen And Looked At Old Photographs To Prepare For There Will Be Blood

To prepare for the role of an oil man in There Will Be Blood, Daniel Day-Lewis read various letters written by men working and living in the oilfields from the early 20th Century. When speaking with LA Weekly in late 2007, Day-Lewis revealed the letters were “full of sentimentality, full of love and loss,” and helped him get a better understanding of someone in that position.

Day-Lewis, who was known as an intense method actor before his 2017 retirement, also laughed at the rumor spreading at the time that he had constructed an oil derrick at his Irish estate to get into character.

The Actor Originally Hired To Play Eli Sunday Was Fired Weeks Into Production

Eli Sunday has become one of Paul Dano’s most iconic characters, but the role was originally held by a completely different actor, and Dano was only supposed to appear in the small role of Eli’s brother, Paul Sunday. Up until a few weeks into production of There Will Be Blood, a former actor by the name of Kel O’Neill played the charismatic preacher who became Daniel Plainveiw’s foil. But as O’Neil revealed to Vulture years after the fact, he was brought into a meeting with Paul Thomas Anderson and producer JoAnne Sellar after a portion of his scenes were filmed and let go.

O’Neill stressed in the interview that his dismissal from the picture wasn’t due to a bad working relationship with Daniel Day-Lewis but instead because of his own shortcomings and a failure on his side.

Paul Dano Had Only A Few Days To Prepare For The Role Of Eli Sunday Before He Started Filming

After Kel O’Neill was let go from the project, the role of Eli Sunday went to Paul Dano. But since the movie was already in production and several of the scenes involving the character were already filmed, Dano didn’t have long to prepare himself for the undertaking. When speaking with IndieWire in 2013, Dano revealed he had no more than four days to get ready for when he was set to start filming his scenes. The actor explained that he just threw himself into the role and gave everything he had to give the best possible performance as the corrupt fire-and-brimstone preacher.

The Camera Crew Used The Lens From A 1910 Camera To Shoot Several Scenes

Not only did Paul Thomas Anderson prepare for There Will Be Blood by watching old movies, he even used nearly 100-year-old equipment to capture a certain look throughout his magnum opus. This included using the lens from a 1910 Pathé camera the director had bought for a few key scenes during the production of Magnolia nearly a decade earlier. When speaking with the American Society of Cinematographers, lens maker Dan Sasaki recalled taking the 43mm lens from the century-old camera and making a few modifications so that director of photography Robert Elswit could capture several shots with it throughout the movie. Sasaki explained that one of the scenes to use the lens was the one featuring Daniel and an infant H.W. Plainview on a train, saying that the lens created a cool effect with the colors and lighting.

There Will Be Blood And No Country For Old Men Were Filmed In Marfa, Texas, At The Same Time

The 80th Academy Awards were highlighted by There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men, two movies that received eight nominations apiece, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor. But the relationship of two of the best movies of 2007 goes back further than the February 2008 ceremony. In fact, both movies shot in the same small West Texas town, at the same time, for a little more than a year year.

Shortly before Oscars ceremony, NPR visited that town, Marfa, Texas, and chatted with local residents who ended up being in the productions after everything was said and done. One thing of note in the interview, though never confirmed, was talk of the movies being in such close proximity to each other that production on No Country For Old Men had to stop one day because the shot was ruined by oil wells from There Will Be Blood in the background.

The Iconic Oil Derrick Explosion Scene Was Pulled Off Mostly With Practical Effects

Director of Photography Robert Elswit won one of There Will Be Blood’s two Oscars for his work behind the camera, and that win can be attributed to the way he shot the film’s iconic oil derrick explosion scene. When speaking with the American Society of Cinematographers in January 2008, Elswit revealed that he and the production crew capture the scene using mostly practical effects and that only a small portion of the scene included any digital effects, which were handled by Industrial Light and Magic. 

The sequence, which Elswit described as “a nightmare,” was supposed to take two days with the derrick being extinguished after the first night of shooting. However, the top part of the derrick couldn’t be extinguished properly and they had to make do with what they had. The next day, Elswit and his team captured matching shots, which created another issue with lighting.

Daniel Plainview’s Mansion Was Built By A Famous Oil Tycoon And Was The Scene Of An Actual Murder

Although the majority of There Will Be Blood takes place in oilfields and expansive landscapes in the American West, the final few scenes take place in Daniel Plainview’s massive Los Angeles estate. This wasn’t a set built on a soundstage somewhere in Hollywood, but instead the Greystone Mansion, a massive home oil tycoon Edward Doheny gifted to his son in 1928. 

After the film’s release in December 2007, the Los Angeles Times published a profile on the famous mansion and how Paul Thomas Anderson and his crew fell in love with it. One aspect of the mansion’s history that is very similar to the movie that was filmed there is the fact that it was the scene of an actual murder, when the original owner was killed by his personal secretary not long after moving in. And yes, the subterranean bowling alley where Plainview kills Eli Sunday with a bowling pin was originally part of the home.

After going through all of these behind-the-scenes facts, it’s not hard to see why someone would want to go back and watch There Will Be Blood again. And if you have a Paramount+ subscription, you can do that right now, as the movie is currently one of the best titles on the streaming platform’s robust library.

Stream There Will Be Blood on Paramount+.

Christina Ricci has played a wide variety of roles throughout her career. She played death-obsessed Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family movies, brought the enthusiastic Trixie to life in Speed Racer, and took a whack at Lizzie Borden in The Lizzie Borden Chronicles. Another notable role of hers is her turn in the 2006 film Black Snake Moan, which required a significant amount of nudity on her part. While that can be daunting for some, Ricci actually stayed naked on set and has explained why she did that -- and how it empowered her.

While plenty of actors have performed nude scenes over the years, they've mostly had varied approaches to them. Christina Ricci recently took part in Variety's Actors on Actors, during which she spoke to Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney about on-screen nudity While on the topic, Ricci recalled how cast and crew members were uneasy with her walking around nude while on the set of Black Snake Moan. So she found her own solution to make herself more comfortable with their level of discomfort:

Being nude in front of a bunch of strangers seems like a mortifying notion, but not all actresses have a problem once they undress. For instance, when Jennifer Lawrence filmed a nude scene in Red Sparrow, she felt so at ease that everyone around started to feel uncomfortable. Hearing a situation like that, one would think that crew members need more preparation going into those scenes than the on-screen talent does.

Other stars have also found unconventional ways to handle such scenes. For example, Dakota Johnson got through her nude scenes in the Fifty Shades of Grey films by drinking whiskey and sucking on mints. After Nicole Kidman was filming her nude scenes in Eyes Wide Shut, she would communicate with director Stanley Kubrick about whether or not she was satisfied with the what was shot, helping to determine what was ultimately added to the film. So this goes to show that filming nude scenes is a team effort, one that requires everyone to ideally have the same level of comfort.

Christina Ricci went on to tell Sydney Sweeney what she perceived to be the only way for her to be comfortable being nude on the Black Snake Moan set. She explained:

As for what Christina Ricci is up to now, you can see her return back to one of her classic franchises via Netflix’s Wednesday, an Addams Family spinoff. But don’t expect her to play the titular role again, as that part will be played by Scream’s Jenna Ortega, who portrays a Latina version of the character. Still, it's great that the show answered fans’ wishes by casting Ricci in the upcoming show. We don't currently know who she'll play, but she shared that she had a great time reuniting with Tim Burton and went on to praise Ortega's work. Also, don't expect her to strip for this role, either. 

Christina Ricci finished the chat with Sydney Sweeney by saying that she doesn’t feel bad about not being asked anymore to do nude scenes, considering that she doesn’t really enjoy them. Plus, I think most of us would agree that the actress has plenty of other amazing talents that she can offer any production.

At risk of sounding like a victim of recency bias, I am actually being honest when I say that, out of all the live-action Batman movies (and even including the animated ones), The Batman is my all-time favorite so far, (although not everyone agrees with my take on it being one of the best Batman movies). Nevertheless, Matt Reeves’ take on the DC superhero is not just an achievement in finally bringing his detective persona to the big screen, but an achievement in aesthetics with its stunning noir-inspired production design and cinematography, performances by Robert Pattinson and the rest of the star-studded The Batman cast, and wall-to-wall thrills on both a visual and emotional level.

If you are a Batfan like me who is still in awe of the talent on display in one of the best superhero movies in recent memory and want to know more about how they pulled it all off, read on. The following are a few behind-the-scenes facts about the The Batman that we found by channeling our own inner detectives, starting with a glimpse at the movie that almost was.

Matt Reeves Turned Down The Offer To Direct A Ben Affleck-Led Batman Movie

As many DC fans will recall, The Batman was initially proposed as a DCEU-canon solo film starring Ben Affleck. The Academy Award-winning actor and filmmaker was also slated to write and direct the highly-anticipated flick until he decided to step away from the director’s chair. 

Warner Bros. then sought War for the Planet of the Apes helmer Matt Reeves, who revealed to Esquire that the script they showed him, while entertaining, did not match what he wished for his own take on the Dark Knight. However, once Affleck decided to hang up the cowl altogether, it opened up an opportunity for Reeves to bring his vision to life and he started working on a whole new script with some surprising methods of motivation.

Listening To Nirvana Had A Major Impact On Matt Reeves’ The Batman Script 

Fans were stunned by how well the 1991 Nirvana track “Something in the Way” fit in the trailer for The Batman and in the finished film itself (twice). Little did they realize just how important their late frontman, Kurt Cobain, and the grunge gods' rally was to Matt Reeves’ process when developing his interpretation of Bruce Wayne. The filmmaker explained it to Empire Magazine with the following quote:

The character whom Robert Pattinson went on to play in The Batman was certainly not what a lot of fans were expecting, but there were also many who loved to see an “emo Bruce Wayne” that they could relate to.

Robert Pattinson Wore Val Kilmer’s Batman Forever Suit For His Screen Test

While the suit is not what makes a person Batman, a crucial element of being one of the best to play Batman is how you look in the suit. Thus, Robert Pattinson auditioned for the role in full costume. However, it was not the grungy, bulletproof get-up he wears in The Batman. 

For his screen test, Pattinson donned the same cape and cowl that was famously worn by Val Kilmer in director Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever from 1995. Apparently, according to Esquire, using the outfit for screen tests is tradition, as Cillian Murphy tried on the same suit when he was considered to play the Dark Knight in Batman Begins before he was cast as Jonathan “Scarecrow” Crane.

Zoë Kravitz Had Auditioned For An Earlier Batman Movie

Speaking of Batman movie auditions, Zoë Kravitz’s history playing Selina Kyle actually predates The Batman as she provided the voice of Catwoman for a brief appearance in The LEGO Batman Movie in 2017. However, her connection to the Batman movies goes back even further than that. 

She once auditioned for a small, unspecified role in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, but was told by an unknown person from the studio that they were not going “urban” for that part. When she first told this story to Nylon in 2015, it was widely assumed that Kravitz was told she was “too urban” to play the iteration of Catwoman that would later go to Anne Hathaway, until she clarified that that was not the case in 2022.

The Batman’s Stunt Coordinator Used To Teach Zoë Kravitz Self-Defense

Reprising Catwoman in a live-action setting was not the only moment of déjà vu that Zoë Kravitz experienced on the set of the The Batman. In a featurette included on the film’s Blu-ray release called Becoming Catwoman, supervising stunt coordinator Robert Alonzo recalls how he knew the actor from years earlier when he taught her martial arts. 

The training that Kravitz’s went trough to kick ass as Selina Kyle was, essentially, a continuation of her lessons with Alonzo. The actor also mentions in the mini-doc how some of the fight choreography was conducted with social distancing through pre-recorded videos in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic - an event that had a profound impact on the production and, especially, on its leading man.

The Batman Faced A Setback When Robert Pattinson Tested Positive For Covid-19 

Like many other productions at the time, The Batman was forced to shut down in March 2020 - just two months after filming began - in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. It would resume production about five months later, only to hit pause again just days later after Deadline reported that someone on the set had tested positive for the virus.

According to Vanity Fair, the person who caught Covid-19 just happened to be most important person involved with The Batman: the Batman himself, Robert Pattinson. That would not be the last time that the shoot was faced with a pandemic-related setback, as The Sun reported in February 2021 that Pattinson’s stunt double had tested positive, forcing him and his team to temporarily isolate themselves from the set.

Four Batmobiles Were Built For The Penguin Chase Scene

Why don’t we change the subject to something fun? Such as, that epic car chase between Colin Farrell’s Penguin and Batman in movie prop on wheels, the Batmobile - the design of which was first revealed in a tweet by Matt Reeves in March 2020. As we learned from another doc on The Batman Blu-ray about the making of the film’s suped-up muscle car, you are actually seeing more than one Batmobile in motion in the enthralling sequence. 

The construction department built four complete Batmobiles in total for a different purpose each, which designer Joseph Huira describes in the featurette. There was a “ram car” made to “destroy stuff,” a more lightweight vehicle for jumping stunts, another that could be controlled by a stunt driver from a roof-mounted roll cage, and the “hero car,” which was the only one equipped with an electric motor to move around more quietly than the three other gas-powered vehicles.

Real Penguin Features Inspired Colin Farrell’s Makeup Transformation 

I, like every other human being on the planet, was obviously astonished by how completely unrecognizable Colin Farrell is as Oswald “The Penguin” Cobblepot in The Batman. However, what really threw me about the actor’s transformation into the iconic DC villain was how much more closely he resembles the flightless bird of his namesake than any live-action iteration since Danny DeVito in 1992's Batman Returns.

According to makeup designer Mike Marino on the Blu-ray featurette, A Transformation: The Penguin, the Gotham City gangster’s truly “penguin-like” appearance was intentional. He based Oz’s eyebrows on the look of a crested penguin and if you look closely at the tip of his scarred nose from the right angle, it bears a subtle resemblance to a beak.

Paul Dano Kept His Research For Playing Riddler Away From Home 

To play The Riddler, the main antagonist of The Batman, Paul Dano underwent his own transformation, but of a more psychological nature. The Emmy nominee discussed with Seth Myers how he prepared to play one of scariest and most sadistic iterations of the DC villain yet after the Late Night host brought up comparisons to the Zodiac Killer:

Myers then joked about the awkward moment that might take place after Dano’s kids would find the books. Of course, even keeping his research away from where he sleeps could not prevent him from having trouble sleeping after playing the Riddler, telling Entertainment Weekly that the character was “a little hard to come down from.”

Carmine Falcone’s Glasses Were John Turturro’s Idea

Even John Turturro claims to have undergone something of his own transformative experience to play the most notorious crime lord in Gotham City: Carmine Falcone. In fact, the Emmy winner came up with one of the role’s most distinct and original characteristics from The Batman himself.

In an interview with The Nerds of Color, Turturro says that he thought that Falcone, who is as reclusive as Batman, should also have his own “mask” that he hides behind. So, he found some dark glasses that he envisioned the gangster might wear, pitched the idea to Matt Reeves - who was amused by the concept - and it made it into the movie. 

New York Mayor And Former Cop Eric Adams Inspired Jeffrey Wright’s Jim Gordon Performance

Another actor whose performance in The Batman came from a unique and interesting place was Jeffrey Wright as the first Black James Gordon in a live-action adaptation. While promoting the DC movie on Late Night, Seth Myers asked the Emmy winner about his friendship with current New York City mayor Eric Adams, whom the actor says he had known personally since he was captain of the actor’s local police precinct.

Wright eventually reveals that he looked to Adams’ career as a police officer for inspiration and “justification” for playing Batman’s main ally with a badge and the most trusted cop in Gotham City. In fact, Adams was one of a few people he cited as “touchstones” for his approach to the character, such as Keechant Sewell - New York’s current police commissioner and one of thee Black individuals to hold the position.

While it is always important to honor the source material, it is also refreshing to see actors and behind-the-scenes crew look to real-world topics and figures for inspiration when making a comic book movie, elevating the story to new levels of authenticity and believability. That effort is clear in The Batman - a film that effectively brings the DC character’s world to life.

Con Air was released on June 6, 1997, and quickly became not only one of the most ridiculous (and ridiculously fun) action movies of all time, but also one of the essential Nicolas Cage films and a bizarre Disney movie. But while the movie, with its story about a group of convicted killers who take over a prison transport plane and remarkable cast, is absolutely nuts, some of the stories of how it all came together are just as insane.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Con Air, I have scoured countless articles, interviews, and other resources to find some of the best behind-the-scenes facts from the production of the action-packed, star-studded, and sometimes head-scratching spectacle that will leave you asking, "How do I live without reading these stories?"

Con Air Was Inspired By A Los Angeles Times Article About Prisoner Transport Planes

Admittedly, Con Air has a premise that sounds like it was the direct result of a group of Hollywood bigwigs trying to come up with the most preposterous idea for an action movie, but the concept of a plane flying some of America’s most notorious criminals has ties to reality. 

During a 1997 appearance on Charlie Rose, Jerry Bruckheimer, the film’s producer and the person responsible for everything from Top Gun to Armageddon, revealed that former Touchstone Pictures Vice President Donald De Line read an article in the Los Angeles Times about the real Con Air and how the program transported roughly 150,000 prisoners every year, including Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. Bruckheimer also noted that the U.S. Marshals, who run the program, wanted nothing to do with the movie.

Jason Isaacs Auditioned To Play Cyrus

Jason Isaacs is known for playing villains in movies like The Patriot and the Harry Potter franchise, but the prolific actor almost had another bad guy role to his name: Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom, the part that was famously played by John Malkovich. But that’s not even the craziest part of the story. When speaking with Collider in 2021, Isaacs’ history with Con Air was brought up, and the actor revealed a terrifying experience during the audition process:

Isaacs ended up not getting the part, but he wasn’t sure it was because of that incident or the fact Malkovich was born for that role.

Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg Was Told Not To Make ‘Die Hard On A Plane’

In the years since Hans Gruber fell off Nakatomi Plaza there have been countless Die Hard copycat movies, which is something the powers that be at Disney wanted to avoid with Con Air. When speaking with the Kid in the Front Row Film Blog in 2010, screenwriter Scott Rosenberg explained that he was handed a copy of the Los Angeles Times article mentioned earlier and told come up with a story that wasn’t “Die Hard on a plane.” Eventually, Rosenberg came up with the idea of Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) and his mission to get home and meet his daughter for the first time, and just went from there.

Jerry Bruckheimer Gave Nicolas Cage A Copy Of The Con Air Script While Filming The Rock

Jerry Bruckheimer and the other producers of Con Air wanted to cast Nicolas Cage as Con Air’s hero, Cameron Poe, from early on, and his dream became a reality because they were working on another movie together, The Rock, during the pre-production stages. During his 1997 interview with Charlie Rose, Bruckheimer revealed that during filming of the 1996 Michael Bay movie, he walked over to Cage’s trailer and handed him the Con Air script. Two days later, Cage called him and said the script was great and that he wanted to make the movie. 

Nicolas Cage Prepared For His Con Air Role By Going To Folsom Prison

In order to better prepare for the role of Cameron Poe, a man who spent eight years in prison, Nicolas Cage had to do a decent amount of research, which included going to Folsom Prison. During a 1997 interview with Bobbie Wygant, Cage described the process as being “intense” because when sitting down with several convicts he had to try and not freak out about the crimes they had committed and how they ended up in one of the most notorious prisons in the country. He eventually learned to ask certain questions about the inmates’ lives, both before they went to prison and their day-to-day lives behind bars. 

But, Cage wasn’t the only one with questions, as several inmates asked the Academy Award winner for advice on getting their foot in the door in Hollywood.

Director Simon West Used Old Police Cars And Planes To Give Con Air A Timeless Quality

Unlike other movies released in the mid-90s, Con Air has aged really well over the past 25 years, at least in terms of visuals, and a lot of that has to do with deliberate decisions director Simon West made during production. During a 2021 interview with Reel Talker, West explained that he tried to make Con Air “timeless and classic” so that it was hard to pin down the era in which the film takes place, down to the design of the plane and police cars:

Even when it came to the movie’s visuals, West and the production team used very little CGI, insisting on using practical effects and miniatures for the explosive action sequences.

Con Air Started Out As A Small ‘Character Piece’ Before Becoming A Summer Blockbuster

In the 25 years since its release, Con Air is remembered for its over-the-top action sequences and that final stretch of the movie where the plane crashes on the Las Vegas Strip (more on that later). The movie originally started, however, as something much more intimate and was a “small character piece,” according to director Simon West. When speaking with Den of Geek in 2013, West revealed that although Scott Rosenberg’s original script was much smaller, he was able to find different ways to make it into a “big summer action movie,” with explosions, gun battles, and all those other unforgettable moments sprinkled throughout.

Many In Las Vegas Thought A Real Plane Was Crashing During Con Air’s Production

The shot of the Jail Bird plane in Con Air smoking as it fell from the sky above the Las Vegas Strip is one of the most iconic of the movie and looked like an aircraft making an emergency landing. The spectacle was so realistic, multiple people in the Las Vegas area called authorities to report a smoking plane. In September 1996, a spokesperson for the McCarran International Airport told the Las Vegas Sun that they received “lots of calls” about a plane that looked like it was in distress. Concerned citizens were freaking out about it, but the FAA and the control tower at the airport were well aware of the shoot and had no concerns.

An Actual Full-Sized Plane Crashed Into The Sands Casino

When the plane finally comes down in Con Air, it crashes into the Sands Casino before coming to a stop (and setting off a slot machine). Surprisingly enough, this was not filmed on a soundstage or backlot but at the actual casino, as Jerry Bruckheimer revealed in a 1997 interview with Bobbie Wygant:

This is similar to what happened during the production of Army of the Dead, which made use of an abandoned casino before the structure was demolished.

John Cusack Came Up With The Idea Of Vince Larkin Wearing Sandals

Con Air is full of some pretty unique characters with all kind quirky personality traits, not not just the convicts who take over the plane. One of the most memorable characters is U.S. Marshal Vince Larkin, which just so happens to be one John Cusack’s best performances. What makes this portrayal even better is how Cusack helped shape Larkin, specifically with his wardrobe, as he revealed in a GQ video breaking down his best characters:

Cusack also came up with the idea of quoting Dostoevsky in the beginning of the movie when he talks about judging a civilization by looking at its prisoners.

Hopefully all of this makes you even more excited to celebrate Con Air on its 25th anniversary. And, while it’s not yet on Disney+, the 1997 action thriller is currently streaming on a couple of different streaming services.

Despite not working on any projects together in the past several years, director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell are known as an iconic duo for collaborating on some of the best horror movies in recent memory. One such title that would solidify their place in cinematic history is Insidious, which is celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2022.

This indelibly frightening and unique take on the haunted house movie subgenre stars Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as a husband and wife whose family suddenly becomes plagued by otherworldly disturbances after their oldest son (Ty Simpkins) mysteriously falls into what seems to be a coma. This is such a relentlessly creepy and well-crafted thriller that I believe would still manage to scare just about anyone even after learning the secrets behind how it was made. Let’s put that to the test by taking a look at the following behind-the-scenes facts that may contain a few spoilers.

His Reputation From Saw Inspired James Wan To Make A Scary Movie Without Gore 

For some moviegoers in 2011, it may have been hard to believe that a PG-13 supernatural thriller like Insidious was made by the same writer/director duo behind Saw. Well, for James Wan, that was kind of the point. When speaking with Making Of, the Australian filmmaker explained in the following quote how his graphic, feature-length breakthrough is partially responsible for the creation of Insidious:

Most fans would agree that Wan certainly achieved this goal with Insidious, as well as with the first of the Conjuring movies, in 2013. He also mentions in this interview how the explosion of the “torture porn” trend after Saw’s 2004 release is ironic since, save the grisly ending, there is not that much gore to be seen in that particular installment of the Saw franchise. It is similar to the reputation that 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre accrued, despite being almost entirely bloodless, which is a comparison to be proud of in my book.

The Concept Of Astral Projection Sparked The Idea For Insidious

The urge to make a horror movie that was refreshing and original (and not just to their own filmography) was also shared by James Wan’s partner-in-crime, Leigh Whannell - who would go on to have his own successful directing career with films like the third of the Insidious movies, and Blumhouse’s ingenious The Invisible Man remake in 2020. The fellow Australian writer and filmmaker was asked by Den of Geek if the idea for Insidious came out of wanting to make something like Poltergeist, but for the modern age. 

Whannell acknowledges that comparisons to the 1982 horror classic from producer Steven Spielberg and director Tobe Hooper - in which a couple call upon the help of a medium to rescue their child from malevolent spirits - are valid. However, the true inception of the project was an interest in astral projection - a concept that had gone relatively unexplored in the genre. He and Wan wanted to tell a story about someone who failed to return from an out-of-body experience - in this case, Ty Simpkins’ character, Dalton.

The Initial Filming Production Cost Less Than A Million Dollars

Something that Insidious is often commended for is being one of the most profitable films of 2011, making more than $99.5 million dollars worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. To make those returns sound even more impressive: the movie’s overall budget equates to a very small fraction of that number - about $1.5 million, to be exact. 

However, the principal photography alone for Insidious only cost about $700,000. James Wan revealed, in a 2011 interview with he and Leigh Whannell for Collider, that this was about the same amount that Saw cost to shoot initially before funding from Lionsgate brought it to $1 million. This just goes to show that even the smallest investments can result in large rewards, especially in the horror genre.

Rose Byrne Was Creeped Out By The House Insidious Was Filmed In

One aspect of Insidious’ modest budget is the minimal use of sets. The movie takes place almost entirely in two houses - one of which made a profound impression on star Rose Byrne. In an interview with The Cinema Source (via GaaaysInSpaaace), the Australian actress had this to say about her onscreen home:

Rose Byrne, who had previously starred in other creepy thrillers like 28 Weeks Later and Knowing from 2008, gives a stellar performance as frightened wife and mother Renai Lambert. If the “strange vibe” of the house in Insidious helped inform her performance at all, I would go so far as to call that a happy accident.

James Wan Looked To Real-Life Father Patrick Wilson For Inspiration When Directing Family-Oriented Scenes

Another actor whose own experiences helped inform his performance in Insidious is Patrick Wilson, who plays Renai’s husband and Dalton’s father, Josh Lambert, and will actually make his directorial debut with Insidious 5. Not only is he a husband and father of two in real life, but he had previously played Ty Simpkins’ father in the Oscar-nominated 2006 drama, Little Children. This expertise was not only valuable to him on the set of the film, but also to James Wan.

In a featurette included on the Insidious Blu-ray titled “On the Set with Insidious,” the director admits that, having had no wife or children at the time, he relied a lot on Wilson’s own familial expertise when it came to directing the horror film, of which family is a very important theme, and even took his advice about how to communicate with the younger actors. Leigh Whanell also adds in the same doc that the actor was very helpful when filming scenes with the infant who played his daughter, especially to help comfort her during more intense scenes.

Insidious Composer Joseph Bishara Also Plays The Main Villain

One of the least recognizable names in the Insidious cast is Joseph Bishara, but that is only because his face is covered in red and black makeup the whole time. Bishara actually made his acting debut as the Lipstick-Face Demon (who bears a resemblance to Darth Maul) before appearing as other frightening, otherworldly creatures in Annabelle and The Conjuring 2, to name a few. 

Of course, he also had a very important job on all of these scary movies and more from behind the camera. Bishara composed the spine-tingling score for Insidious as well, which Patrick Wilson (while appearing on People Magazine’s web series Couch Surfing) likened to what it would be like if Star Wars composer John Williams had played Darth Vader.

James Wan Had Ty Simpkins Sit In On Joseph Bishara’s Makeup Sessions To Make Him Comfortable With Filming Scarier Scenes

For only being his first acting gig, Joseph Bishara certainly made one unsettling and unforgettable villain in Insidious. Just ask Ty Simpkins, who - understandably - had trouble being near the actor on set. 

James Wan was determined to help the young actor overcome his fear. As he explained on another Blu-ray featurette called “Entities,” the director would take him into the makeup trailer so he could watch the artists artists apply makeup to Bishara in person. This way, he would know that underneath his demonic captor was just another human being.

One Insidious Ghost Was Inspired By A True Story

Another creature profiled on the Insidious Blu-ray’s “Entities” doc was one referred to as the Long Haired Fiend - a brutish spirit with jet-black hair and a leather duster and one of the first entities in the film to frighten Rose Byrne’s character (and the audience). Surprisingly, this character (played by The Righteous Gemstones and Saw III star J. LaRose) has some, allegedly, factual significance as James Wan explains here:

Technically, this means that we could include Insidious on our list of great horror movies based on true stories.

Some Of The Further Sequence Was Filmed In The Basement Of An Abandoned Building

In reality, the most grounded element of Insidious is the concept of astral projection, which many have claimed to experience in their own lives. However, the design of the Further - a place between the living and the dead from where Josh must rescue Dalton - is more likely just a product of James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s imagination.

Translating the creepy, atmospheric realm to the screen was a relatively simply process as it turns out, especially in moments when you see Patrick Wilson surrounded by complete darkness. The actor told renowned horror magazine Fangoria that, when filming that particular portion of the sequence, he was really in the basement of an abandoned building that was darkened as much as possible by putting “black felt and garbage bags up over the windows.” 

I do not know about you, but out of all of James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s collaboration - and, perhaps, even of the individual artists’ separate projects - Insidious tops the list. More than a decade later it is still one of the memorable and invigorating movie theater experiences of my life, and it never fails to thrill me upon repeat viewings. I will willfully go back into the Further again and again.

It has been more than 15 years since Ben Stiller and Shawn Levy introduced audiences to the exhibits that magically come to life at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History in the hilarious and star-studded Night at the Museum. The highly successful film would go on to become a popular film franchise that has an uncertain future.

But, before we get too carried away about the subsequent movies, which are some of the best movies on Disney+ as well as great options for your next family movie night, let’s take a trip down memory lane and see how it all started with these 10 fun behind-the-scenes facts that explain how Levy and company captured lightning in a bottle in 2006.

Shawn Levy Passed On Night At The Museum Several Times Before Finally Accepting The Gig

The Night at the Museum franchise has been one of Shawn Levy’s most successful ventures over the years, but the filmmaker behind Free Guy, The Adam Project, and the upcoming third Deadpool movie initially passed on the opportunity to direct the big-budget 2006 family comedy not once, not twice, but five times before finally agreeing to sit in the director’s chair. In a 2014 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Levy revealed that he didn’t pass on the movie because he didn’t like the material, but instead because he was scared of the production’s scale. Levy eventually talked himself into doing it and went on to make a movie that grossed $574.5 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.

Ben Stiller Sat In With Most Of The Actors During The Audition Process

Although Night at the Museum features outstanding performances by the likes of the late Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, and eventual Oscar winner Rami Malek, at the core of the film is Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley, the night security guard who befriends the brought-to-life museum exhibits. In his commentary track on the film’s home release, Shawn Levy revealed that because the movie relied so heavily on interactions with his character, Stiller participated in most of the auditions for the actors who would eventually be cast in the movie.

Levy explained that this was done to see who had a realistic dynamic and great chemistry with Stiller on set as well as to see if they could pick up on his distinct rhythm and general vibe.

Dick Van Dyke And Mickey Rooney Auditioned For Their Roles

It would be only natural to assume that Dick Van Dyke and the late Mickey Rooney would have been able to walk onto the set of Night at the Museum without even having to try out, but like every other member of the cast, they had to go through the audition process. During the September 2020 Stars In The House Night at the Museum reunion streaming event, Shawn Levy explained that while some actors he’s run into over the years claim to be “offer only,” the two legends of the entertainment world went through the process, even if keeping Rooney in line was difficult to do.

The Night At The Museum Crew Re-Created The American Museum of Natural History On A Vancouver Soundstage

Night at the Museum takes place at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, but only a small portion of the movie (mostly exterior shots to establish the location) was actually filmed in the Big Apple. The vast majority of production took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, where the set designers constructed a massive recreation of the museum on a soundstage that gave them plenty of space to film the extravagant set pieces without worrying about destroying priceless artifacts. During an episode of Comedy Central’s Reel Comedy (which came included with the home video release), Shawn Levy explained that not only was it the biggest set he had worked on, it was the biggest he had ever seen in his career up to that point.

Owen Wilson And Steve Coogan Became Friends Filming Night At The Museum And Even Spent Thanksgiving Together

The on-screen pairing of Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan as a miniature cowboy named Jedediah and a Roman general named Octavius, respectively, was one of the highlights of Night at the Museum, and the great chemistry didn’t stop once the men playing enemies-turned-friends left the set. 

During the September 2020 Stars In The House Night at the Museum reunion streaming event, the two co-stars talked about how much fun they had together on set and would go out and explore Vancouver when they were shooting. In fact, Coogan revealed that Wilson invited him to come spend the following Thanksgiving with his family in Texas.

The Inclusion Of The Opening Title Sequence Was A Last-Minute Decision

The Night at the Museum opening title sequence helps welcome the audience into the world in which they are about to spend the next two hours with epic displays of the exhibits in their respective areas of the museum, but this wasn’t always how the movie was supposed to open. During his director commentary track, Shawn Levy revealed that the sequence wasn’t added until well into the editing process and was something that came to him in the middle of the night: 

After having that thought, Levy spoke with his editor, said they were starting the movie all wrong, and then came up with sequence that opened the final cut of the film.

Mission Impossible Inspired The Ben Stiller Running Scene

There’s a scene in Night at the Museum where Ben Stiller’s character races through the corridors of the building in an attempt to save one of the cavemen who has made his way outside. In his director commentary, Shawn Levy admitted that he and Stiller were both massive fans of Tom Cruise’s running scenes in the first three Mission: Impossible movies, and saw this as a way to pay homage to his work. And, though it’s only a few seconds of running opposed to extended sequences, Levy was proud of his little “family comedy” version of it.

Shawn Levy Was On A Ladder And Chased Ben Stiller During The ‘Rexy’ Scene

The scene in Night at the Museum where Rexy the T-Rex chases Larry Daley through the American Museum of Natural History on his first night on the job is one of the most exciting of the early parts of the film, but Ben Stiller allegedly had trouble getting into the mode on the day it was filmed. During the Stars In The House Night at the Museum reunion streaming event, Shawn Levy broke down the ridiculous way he helped the star get into the zone:

During the conversation, Stiller explained that this wasn’t an exception on set, as Levy was constantly going above and beyond to give the whole shoot that same kind of energy.

Despite Improvising Their Lines, Ben Stiller And Owen Wilson Were Only On Set Together For One Day

The interactions between Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley and Owen Wilson’s Jedediah in Night of the Museum are some of the best parts of the movie, and they’re even better when you realize that much of the dialogue was completely improvised. Couldn’t get better than that, right? Well, in the director commentary, Shawn Levy revealed that not only were the scenes improvised but they had to come up with an elaborate system to have those conversations work out, because the Zoolander co-stars were only on set together for one day.

In order to complete these scenes, Stiller would act out the scenes holding a toothpick with 20 different versions of a line. Levy would then record those lines and then feed them back to Wilson when he arrived on set several months later. Levy referred to this process as “retroactively improvisational” because they weren’t in the same room or same country.

A Tennis Ball Was Used As A Stand-In For Dexter During The Slap Scene

One of the funniest moments in Night at the Museum comes when Dexter, the stuffed capuchin monkey, and Larry Daley exchange a series of slaps after the monkey steals the night guard’s key ring. But, don’t worry, no monkeys were harmed in this scene, as Shawn Levy revealed in his commentary track. In order to pull this off, Ben Stiller repeatedly slapped a tennis ball that was then replaced with a digital version of Dexter. However, Stiller was actually on the receiving end of some monkey slaps from Crystal, the capuchin trained for the movie.

Well, this certainly makes me want to go back and watch Night at the Museum again. And, who knows, maybe I’ll give the whole franchise another watch and come back with some more behind-the-scenes facts. In the meantime, check out some of the other great Ben Stiller movies.

It’s easy to focus on the glitz and glamor of the rich and famous, but there are also aspects of Hollywood that are less-than-desirable. At this point, many notable actresses and actors (like Brendon Fraser) have shared stories of inappropriate acts they've experienced during their careers. Oscar-winning actress Renee Zellweger has now recalled being pressured by a producer to drink wine before filming a nude scene.

Renee Zellweger is a proven powerhouse of an actress, and she's been in some pretty iconic films going back to her breakthrough performance in Tom Cruise’s Jerry Maguire. Yet the early years of an actresses’ career can sadly include uncomfortable prompts and, in her feature interview for Harper’s Bazaar, Zellweger got candid about being asked to consume alcohol ahead of an intimate scene. Here it is in her own words:

Although I’m far from a seasoned actor, I can only imagine how uncomfortable nude scenes are to film in general. (Jamie Lee Curtis can attest to how embarrassing they can be). I would understand someone handing a man or woman a drink in order to get their nerves under control if they ask for one, but to offer a drink in order to insure an actress will go through with doing a scene and not change her mind is honestly gross.

Renee Zellweger doesn’t reveal how old she was or when in her career the unwanted offer of wine occurred, but it does seem that it happened pretty early on in her career. But even if it wasn’t, Zellweger’s decision to make a phone call was pretty ballsy. You have to appreciate the fact that she's willing to do what she can to keep herself out of uncomfortable situations.

Many around Hollywood today agree that such on-set interactions are not to be tolerated, and the MeToo Movement and other entities are making efforts to improve things. While there's definitely still plenty of work to be done, things are changing for the better. Some productions like Outlander have enlisted intimacy coordinators to ensure that people are comfortable during certain scenes.

Some actors and actresses are perfectly comfortable going nude for a film (one Dune star asked for plenty of them and for a good reason). Of course, consent is super important in cases like this, though, and the offer of wine appears to have been used to take that away to some degree in this case. The situation aside, though, Renee Zellweger is thriving and back in the acting game -- and still not putting up with any nonsense. You can see Zellweger in her new NBC series, The Thing About Pam, which you can stream with a Peacock Premium subscription.

If there's one thing Shemar Moore is known for, it's giving fans the gift of behind-the-scenes content from the set of S.W.A.T. Now, ahead of the newest episode of the CBS procedural, the actor showed us what an “average day” on set is like and, while it may be normal for him the crew, it's sure to be viewed far from ordinary by loyal viewers of the show. In fact, it's pretty cool!

The Criminal Minds alum recently shared a video on Instagram that takes fans through the typical production process of making an episode of S.W.A.T. The clip seems to include just about everything, from the crew getting ready to film to 20-Squad ultimately rolling up to a plane and making entry. Needless to say, if this is an average day on set, I’d never want to leave:

It's honestly pretty incredible to see how everything comes together behind the scenes to create what we see on our TV screens. On a side note though, this video makes me wonder what 20-Squad is going to be up to in the remaining episodes of Season 5. It'll be interesting to see how the plane is involved but, regardless of how dangerous things get, I have know doubt that the squad will be able to handle it.

More immediately, though, the Shemar Moore-led series recently filmed its 100th episode. The cast posted photos on Instagram to celebrate the big milestone, with one image showing them posing in front of Black Betty with a small cake resembling the vehicle. The episode, set to air on April 10, will see Hondo trying to clear his name after he’s framed for murdering two officers, per TVLine. The CBS drama is known for going big with episodes, so the 100th will definitely be one to look forward to.

While the show has had struggles after moving to Sunday nights at the beginning of the new year, S.W.A.T. has still been delivering above average action sequences and storylines. With any luck, it'll see a spike when it comes to its ratings. All of the action that seems to be arriving in upcoming episodes could entice fans to stick with or return to the series as well. As of right now, the veteran series has yet to be renewed for a sixth season, though CBS seems to be taking its time when it comes to making announcements regarding all of its dramas. Fingers crossed that a renewal comes so that we can eventually get more from the show and additional cool videos from Shemar Moore.

In the meantime, be sure to watch all of 20-Squad’s big rescues and action sequences on new episodes of S.W.A.T. which air on Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on CBS. Past episodes can also be streamed with a Hulu subscription. In addition, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 winter and spring TV schedule to see what else to look forward to this year!

Within the history of blockbuster filmmaking, numerous directors have staged some memorable explosions, but few have done as many as Michael Bay. The man behind box office titans like Transformers, Armageddon and Bad Boys really knows how to thrill movie lovers. To some, the explosions featured in his films, and those of other directors, may not seem all that intricate. However, Bay recently opened up about how there’s actually a “special sauce” when it comes to crafting those massive moments. 

Michael Bay has been at this for some time now, so it’s no surprise that he has knowledge to dish out. One would think that he’d have loads of technical jargon to share when discussing his approach. However, during a recent interview, he managed to keep things relatively simple. As a matter of fact, he likened the process of making an explosion to a creating a culinary delight:

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles producer definitely shared some elegant thoughts with Empire. I honestly appreciate how he used such savory terminology to describe such a bombastic process. His thoughts are intriguing, especially when it comes to the idea of making the explosions look realistic. In his time, he’s staged them for films that are more grounded in reality and others that are steeped in fantasy or science fiction. Though his features have been criticized for their story mechanics, it’s hard to throw shade at his skills as a cinematic showman. 

In this entertainment landscape, it’s hard for moviegoers to miss large blasts and other massive moments. Trailers like The King’s Man’s give viewers their fair share of them. Spider-Man director Jon Watts is among those who even shares such big moments through behind-the-scenes videos. A number of these sequences are pretty impressive, though Michael Bay recently took issue with one past stunt in particular. 

Spectre, the fourth film in Daniel Craig’s 007 run, holds the record for the largest explosion in the history of cinema. But the Pain & Gain director called “bullshit” on that. He believes his 2001 war epic, Pearl Harbor, is the rightful owner of the record. While making his case, he sighted the sheer number of real plans the production utilized, even going as far as to say that he and his crew had “had 350 events going off” simultaneously.

Though Michael Bay doesn’t have the title at the moment, maybe he can earn it with his latest film, Ambulance. The intense-looking, Jake Gyllenhaal-led flick may contain some massive moments that could push it to the top of the movie explosion hill. We’ll just have to wait and see how Bay utilizes his “special sauce” for the production.

Ambulance opens exclusively in theaters on April 8th and is one of this year’s biggest new movie releases.

Warning: Spoilers for Jackass Forever are in play. If you don’t want to have anything ruined for you, feel free to head to another piece of coverage related to the film, courtesy of CinemaBlend.

It’s not enough for the cast of Jackass to cook up insanely stomach-churning theatrical stunts. Truthfully, that threshold was crossed back when 2002’s original feature brought the TV franchise to the movies. From that point on, an expectation was set for a certain amount of pranks that would justify a theatrical scale. Jackass Forever opens with a stunt of that sort of caliber, and like any good braintrust, there was a huge behind-the-scenes debate that could only be settled one way: through audience test screenings. 

The Scene That Sparked A Jackass Forever Debate

One last spoiler warning is needed, as we’re about to dig into a pretty big story that Steve-O shared about the opening sequence. During his episode on CinemaBlend's own ReelBlend podcast, the man who is one of the original Jackass members spilled the beans on what was masterfully debated during the film’s editing phase. The foundation of this disagreement, and its ultimate resolution, were revealed as follows: 

In a sequence that acts as a send-up of monster movies from the classic eras of the Godzilla franchise, a giant green monster is rampaging down the streets of what’s supposed to be New York City. Naturally, it looks goofy, not only to fit in with the sort of movies they’re parodying, but also because this is Jackass Forever, not Avengers: Endgame. However, the big reveal is what’s truly going on, and the lengths that the team went to in order to capture it. 

As it turns out, the monstrous force at work is none other than Chris Pontius’s penis. That’s not to sell this gag short, as Steve-O mentioned in this interview that top-notch puppeteers, $3 million, and “fucking cranes throwing cars that were on fire and exploding” helped make up the entire scenario. As he’s been enthusiastically talking up the finished product of this latest Jackass odyssey, the comedian/stunt performer believes this opening number outdoes the past history of the series. 

The Team Tremaine vs. Team Jonze Debate, And Why The Final Decision Worked

Sparing no expense and indulging in not a single shred of personal reservation, Jackass Forever’s opening showers its participants in bodily fluids and explosions and even crushes a model’s head like a grape. The limits for this no holds barred insanity was, instead, when the break the illusion of what we were seeing. With the factions of Team Tremaine and Team Jonze set, here’s where director Jeff Tremaine, as well as Steve-O, stood:

Whether this meant that Jackass Forever would show Chris Pontius and his jolly green member at the end, or if at all, is left to interpretation. What isn’t vague is that rather than showing Pontius standing in the middle of the miniature city, being instructed as to how he should rampage, was something that some would have liked to at least save for later. Those crucial test screenings would lead to writer Spike Jonze winning out, with no sour grapes in the process. 

In hindsight, the choice was well defended, as well as the process that landed the film’s monstrous dick joke. The screenings in particular led to the eventual consensus that would help hand last weekend its box office ruler. In the end, it was cooperation that saved the day, summed up perfectly in Steve-O’s own words: 

When you get a group like the Jackass crew to agree on doing things a certain way, you can see there’s no stopping it. Over two decades of fun, games, and hospital visits have shown that the machinery still works, and the decision-making process is sound. It’d have to be, especially looking back at Steve-O’s reservations to even take part in a fourth movie. Much like the choices made when the cameras were rolling, that was a fork in the road well taken. 

Jackass Forever is exclusively showing in theaters, just in time to bring moviegoers back together for some fond memories. That’s just part of the road ahead for 2022 movie releases, and there’s plenty more where this came from. We just can’t guarantee you’ll see something as ridiculous as a green-painted penis monster -- but never say never!