Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched High Potential’s latest episode on ABC or via Hulu subscription or Disney+ subscription.

As we near the end of High Potential’s Season 2 run on the 2026 TV schedule, it seems clear we aren’t going to get any concrete answers about Roman’s disappearance, but at least the stakes are rising as Morgan and Soto get that much closer to finding new information. The ABC drama recently introduced a most delightful guest star with Jennifer Jason Leigh’s as high-profile fixer Willa, and the casting game somehow got even better in "Turn, Up the Heat" with the arrival of The Penguin and Gen Z vet Clancy Brown.

Despite only popping up for a couple of scenes set in the same location, Clancy Brown’s councilman immediately locked in as a power player, and one whose influence may have guided some of this season’s events from behind the scenes. Because he just happens to be the dear old dad of Steve Howey’s Nick Wagner.

Did Wagner's Father Intentionally Get Him The Captain's Job Over Soto?

For a while now, one of the biggest mid-tier questions regarding High Potential has been "Why did Wagner even take this job?" He doesn't seem to have the innate passion for justice that others at the LAPD have, and often comes across as if he's just going through the motions when he's not oozing suspicious vibes.

He did explain away part of his awkward nature, describing himself as something of an outlier in a family full of power-hungry cops and authority figures. But it wasn't until we met Mr. head honcho Wagner himself that all of the pieces seemed to lock into place.

When Nick first showed up at the hoity-toity club - and after my initial cheers over seeing Brown in the role - I was curious why anyone outside of the LAPD would be interested in gaining Morgan's employment. Of course, learning about his connection with Willa in the final sequence added all the context necessary to grasp that these folks are trying to tamp down any questioning (official or otherwise) into Roman's whereabouts, even if it means taking one of the precinct's most brilliant minds off of the street.

That whole sequence then made me reflect on the entire season thus far, because if Big Papa Wagner just reached out to Nick on Willa's behalf without any issues, is it so wild to think the whole reason Steve Howey's character landed the Captain job over the highly qualified Soto is due to his father's influence? I now don't think it's that wild at all.

If the movers and shakers at Willa's level are made aware when questions are being asked through the grapevine about certain topics (in this case, Roman), it would be logical, if not entirely moral, for such people to take vested interest in who is asking those questions, and who's responsible for supervising that person. (In this case, Morgan.) Regardless of who might have had the accolades and/or talents and been deemed worthy of the gig. (In this case, Soto.)

Not much to read between these lines, amirite?

To be sure, Clancy Brown's scenes didn't fully lean into that idea, and I can't recall any moments when Wagner made it fully sound like he'd been thrust into the position against his wishes for semi-nefarious means. But I guess that's not the kind of thing he'd be open about anyway.

How Much Of A Threat Will Councilman Wagner Be Going Forward?

For all that he seems like he'd love to cut ties with Willa and never have to talk again, she makes it clear that the elder Wagner is tied up in this mess just as much as she is. It's not clear if his involvement stems all the way back to the time of Roman's disappearance, or if he's involved with the prisoner that was helping Soto out, but whatever the case, his hands are clearly dirty.

Of course, it's hard to ascertain just how dirty, given the resounding lack of information we know for sure about Roman's current situation. If the local pol's intentions to run for higher office go well, he could possibly take a legal approach to squashing Morgan's efforts to learn more. But that process would presumably take months to play out, and this crew would likely need to dam up Morgan's inquiries sooner than that.

For now, it doesn't seem like either he or Willa can do much to directly quell L.A.'s finest from barking up the Roman tree, but I wouldn't be surprised if Cpt. Nick starts getting requests from his dear old dad to do something about Morgan. Here's hoping the doting son grows a pair and tells his dad to shove off.

High Potential airs Tuesday nights on ABC at 9:00 p.m. ET, but only two episodes are left to go until the season is through. How will we possibly survive until Season 3 arrives later this year?

This year has been a pretty good one for family friendly movies, with options like The Minecraft Movie, KPop Demon Hunters and the SpongeBob spinoff Plankton (streaming with a Netflix subscription), to name a few. But before we flip over to the 2026 movie calendar, there’s one more animated option — and it’s one that might appeal to viewers of all ages — The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Critics have seen the latest movie based on the popular Nicktoon, and they say we’re in for some “nautical nonsense.”

The previous SpongeBob SquarePants movies have been a lot of fun, and in his latest adventure, the titular sea sponge goes on an adventure through The Underworld with ghost pirate The Flying Dutchman in order to prove he’s a “big guy.” Hold on to your lucky bricks, because Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert rates the movie a perfect 4 out of 4 stars, calling it “sublimely silly” and writing:

Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue is equally delighted with the movie, giving it 4 out of 5 bubbles. More than just a cash grab, Search for SquarePants feels like a warm hug and even sneaks a meaningful message into the adventure. Leishman writes:

Soren Andersen of the Seattle Times rates it 3 out of 4 stars, writing that audiences of all ages will appreciate its nonstop action and giggle at the below-the-belt rudeness. In Anderson’s words:

For Luke Darling of The Only Critic, the movie earns a B for its “absolutely stunning” animation and an ability to keep both kids and adults engaged. Its one hiccup, Darling says, is “a relentless amount of butt jokes.” It’s not the sophomoric nature of the jokes, but the fact that the same gags are repeated multiple times throughout the film. The critic continues:

Alison Foreman of IndieWire gives it a C, writing that The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants looks and feels like imitation seafood, but director Derek Drymon produces a colorful, witty wasteland, proving the pineapple dweller is still enjoyable. Foreman says:

It sounds like younger moviegoers and older fans who grew up with SpongeBob should find a lot to like in The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants — depending on your mileage for butt jokes, apparently. This latest theatrical spinoff is out on big screens as of Friday, December 19, if you want to check it out.

Voice acting is its own special skill that not all actors can pull off. Sometimes great live-action stars make the crossover, and some of them are listed here. Other times, actors who are primarily voice actors appear in live action roles, and you might not know what they look like, even when you know their voice (or, more often, voices). Those actors are also represented on this list of popular voice actors who you probably have seen before, even if you didn't know it.

Yeardley Smith

Yeardley Smith is, of course, best known as the voice of Lisa Simpson, who, for me, is the most underrated character in The Simpsons. Like many of her castmates on the legendary cartoon, she started from the beginning of The Tracey Ullman Show. You may also know her as the pregnant cashier who crashes the party at the beginning of City Slickers, among other roles in live-action movies and TV shows.

Christine Cavanaugh

The late Christine Cavanaugh was the original voice for Chuckie in Rugrats and Dexter in Dexter's Laboratory. Though she retired very young due to health reasons, you might also know her as injured football player Steve Remo's wife Jerry Maguire.

John DiMaggio

One of the most prolific voice actors on this list, John DiMaggio, is well known for his work as Bender in Futurama, and a whole ton of movies like Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, Despicable Me 4, and many more. You may also have seen him as Fenwick in the AMC show Interview With A Vampire, or Dan on Mythic Quest, which you can watch with an AppleTV+ subscription.

Diedrich Bader

Diedrich Bader has made quite a career for himself as a voice-over actor, with dozens of credits. His best-known work is probably in the DC Universe, where he has been Batman/Bruce Wayne in many animated shows across the universe. He's also done work as Lex Luther, The Green Lantern, and other DC characters. On the live-action side, he's probably most famous for his role on The Drew Carey Show, but he also has memorable roles in the movies Office Space, as Peter's neighbor, and The Beverly Hillbilllies, as Jethro, among others.

Nancy Cartwright

Certainly, Nancy Cartwright is most famous as the voice of Bart Simpson, but that's hardly her only role in The Simpsons. She's also been the voice of Chuckie in Rugrats since 2002, and has done numerous other voice roles on TV and in movies. As for live action, she played a role in the "It's A Good Life" segment of 1983's Twilight Zone: The Movie, and appeared in tons of sitcoms and other shows over the years, like Cheers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the ill-fated spin-off Baywatch Nights. Okay, that last one isn't technically a comedy.

Breckin Meyer

On the live-action side of things, Breckin Meyer will probably always be first remembered for the role of the stoner Travis Birkenstock in Clueless. It's a truly iconic role in a legendary movie at this point. He's also been very busy over the years doing voice-over work, most notably in Robot Chicken episodes, where he is a multi-Emmy-nominated actor.

David Herman

David Herman has been a voice-over actor on some of the most beloved cartoons in recent years like Bob's Burgers, King of the Hill, and Futurama. Many years ago, he became part of movie history as Michael Bolton in Office Space.

Phil LaMarr

Phil LaMarr has been a cast member in a ton of legendary cartoons. In addition to multiple roles in the DC world, including The Green Lantern, he also played big recurring roles in The Family Guy (as Ollie Williams), The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (Bolbi Stroganofsky), Futurama (Hermes Conrad), and many others. He was also a member of the cast of MadTV, and maybe most famously, he played the ill-fated Marvin in Pulp Fiction.

Alanna Ubach

Alanna Ubach has found a lot of balance between her voice acting on shows like The Spectacular Spider-Man, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, and Pound Puppies, plus movies like Rango and Coco. She's also done plenty of live-action work in shows like Beakman's World, Eli Stone, and Euphoria, where she plays Suze.

Hank Azaria

This is an actor who really needs no introduction. Hank Azaria has been in dozens of live-action roles, of course, but it still probably best known for the dozens of voices he does on The Simpsons.

Cedric Yarbrough

Cedric Yarbrough's breakout role came as Deputy Jones on Reno 911!, but you may also know his voice as Tom DuBois and Colonel H. Stinkmeaner in The Boondocks and Chocolate Giddy-up in Black Dynamite. Like others on this list, he's also done work in the DC world, as Firestorm and other characters.

Harry Shearer

Harry Shearer is a Hollywood vet whose career dates back to the 1960s. He's best known for his live-action roles in This Is Spinal Tap (and its 2025 sequel), and some of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries, like The Mighty Wind. As a voice actor, he is certainly most famous as multiple characters on The Simpsons, including Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, and many others.

Richard Steven Horvitz

Richard Steven Horvitz's voice is most recognizable to Mighty Morphin Power Ranger fans. He's provided the voice for Alpha 5 for years over multiple properties. As for movie roles you may know, he played Alan Eakian, the dorky, nerdy character in the Mark Harmon-led classic '80s comedy Summer School.

Stephen Root

One of my favorite character actors of all time is Stephen Root. He's been in some of my favorite movies and TV shows like Newsradio, O Brother Where Art Thou, and, of course, Office Space. He's also done a bunch of voice work in projects like Finding Dory, Finding Nemo, and various roles in the DC animated universe.

Trey Parker

Trey Parker is the co-creator and star of South Park, of course. Do I really need to say more about his voice work (he does lots of voices on the show)? He's worked a fair amount in his own live-action stuff as well, most famously BASEketball.

Matt Stone

Like his partner, Trey Parker, Matt Stone is most famous for the show he co-created, South Park. Like Parker, he writes and does many voices in the show, and like Parker, he's also starred in the live-action BASEketball and other movies.

Dan Castellaneta

The voice of Homer Simpson, provided by Dan Castellaneta, is one of the most recognizable voices in television history. Castellaneta even invented the word "D'oh," which is now in the Oxford English Dictionary. He's also appeared in a lot of sitcoms, as part of the live-action cast of The Tracy Ullman Show, and tons of one-offs in Married... With Children, Friends, Arrested Development, The Office, and others. He's also been in a bunch of movies like The Client, The War Of The Roses, Say Anything..., and Space Jam, for starters.

Alex Bornstein

You certainly know her from her voice as Lois on The Family Guy, but you also know her face as Susie on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Alex Borstein started her career doing voices in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers before becoming a part of the original cast of MadTV. Like a few others on this list, she's split time pretty equally between live-action and voice work.

John Ratzenberger

Hey Normie, did you know that John Ratzenberger is known as Pixar's good luck charm? The actor, who is most famous for playing Cliff on Cheers, has appeared in almost every Pixar film going back to Toy Story. As such, he's actually one of the most successful actors ever when you add up the box office totals of his movies.

Ed Asner

Ed Asner was pretty famous before he really leaned into doing voice work, but for a generation of people, he'll always be best known as the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Up and for his voice work on shows and movies like The Boondocks, All-Star Superman, Christmas Is Here Again, and in live-action work like playing Santa in Elf, in addition to his most famous TV role, Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Julie Kavner

There are plenty of members of the Simpsons cast on this list, including Julie Kavner, who has been the voice of Marge and her sister Patty, and Selma since the beginning. She's also had a long career on screen, including the Nora Ephron-directed This is My Life in 1992 and Awakenings, alongside Robin Williams in 1990. She's also in 2025's Ella McCay, directed by Simpson's co-creator James L. Brooks.

Bill Farmer

Bill Farmer is an actor who has spent most of his career behind the microphone doing voice work. He's been the voice of popular Disney characters like Goofy and Pluto for decades now. He's also done voices for The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Robot Chicken, and others. You might, if you're a fan of the still politically relevant RoboCop like I am, know him for his small role as a reporter in the Paul Verhoeven-directed '80s action flick.

David Faustino

Though he started acting as a child, David Faustino's big break came when he was cast as Bud Bundy in Married... with Children. These days, he has become one of the most in-demand voice actors, working on the Winx Club franchise, 2023's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and shows like The Legend of Korra, Robot Chicken, and DreamWorks Dragons.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane has created an incredible career after breaking out as the creator, writer, and main voice actor on Family Guy, as well as its spin-offs and related shows like The Cleveland Show and American Dad. He also wrote and directed Ted, providing the voice of the bear, of course. On the live-action side, his best-known role came in The Orville as Captain Ed Mercer.

Clancy Brown

For the last three decades, Clancy Brown has been the main voice of Lex Luthor in various DC animated shows and movies. He's also dabbled in Marvel shows and done plenty of Disney projects as well. He's also a very in-demand character actor, appearing in shows like HBO's The Penguin, Showtime's Dexter: New Blood, Netflix's Daredevil, and so much more.

Mila Kunis

To be fair, Mila Kunis is more well-known for her live-action work than her voice list, as is the case with a few of the people on this list. She is, of course, the voice of Meg on The Family Guy. Her other work on TV and the big screen is well known, like That '70s Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Friends with Benefits, and Bad Moms. She's also done voice work on Robot Chicken.

Gary Anthony Williams

Comedian Gary Anthony Williams is beloved for his role as Uncle Ruckus in The Boondocks and for his role as Mr. Dos on Special Agent Oso. He's also a regular contributor on Whose Line Is It Anyway? and in movies like Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Block Party.

Mark Hamill

For most people, Mark Hamill will always be Luke Skywalker first, last, and only. But fans of the actor know that his career has been far more varied. Fans of the DC animated movies may love him for being the voice of The Joker in many shows and movies as much as they love him for his role in the Star Wars movies.

Seth Green

One of my all-time favorite movies is Can't Hardly Wait, and Seth Green's character Kenny Fisher is a big reason why. He's probably most famous for playing Scott in the Austin Powers movies, but he's also a well-respected voice actor, as the co-creator of Robot Chicken, and for roles like Howard the Duck in the Marvel movies.

E. G. Daily

Without a doubt, E. G. Daily is best known as the voice of Tommy Pickles in Rugrats. Daily has dozens of voice credits beyond that, in shows like The Powerpuff Girls, Julius Jr., Curious George, and more. She started in Hollywood doing more live-action work in roles like the singer in Better Off Dead, one of the best dark comedies of the '80s.

Laraine Newman

As one of the original "not ready for primetime players" on Saturday Night Live, Laraine Newman will always be a big part of television history. Later in her career, she has done a ton of work for Pixar in movies like Finding Nemo, WALL-E, and Inside Out.

Carlos Alazraqui

Did you know the voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua was one of the cast members of Reno 911? Yup, Carlos Alazraqui, who played Garcia on the Comedy Central show, was behind the voice who said "Yo quiero Taco Bell" back in the '90s. He's got dozens of other voice credits, but you can't deny how great that bit of trivia is.

As a kid, my parents’ movie library was an important resource for my cinematic education. And you could bet that we had a copy of The Shawshank Redemption on VHS, just waiting for me to eventually one of the best ‘90s movies to ever exist. Upon rewatching Frank Darabont’s iconic Stephen King adaptation, I certainly had some thoughts, and they further proved why this movie has endured.

I’m Kind Of Surprised Andy Dufresne Was Even Convicted

I know if Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) doesn’t get convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, there’s no Shawshank Redemption. But between our protagonist’s profession, and the infidelities being visited upon him, do you seriously mean to tell me a 1950s jury wouldn’t side with these implied actions?

I Can’t Think Of Anyone Else Playing Andy Or Red

Here’s a piece of Shawshank Redemption trivia you may not have known: Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford were among the potential pairs considered to play Andy and Red. I’m all for considering “what if…” scenarios when it comes to classic films, but I honestly can’t think of anyone else matching the chemistry of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman’s friendship on screen.

The Shawshank Redemption’s Casting Game Has Always Been Strong

Every time I watch this movie, I swear I notice new actors that I either forgot or hadn’t noticed were part of the cast. This time around I “discovered” that Robocop and E.R. vet Paul McCrane was one of the guards, and was reminded that 24’s Jude Ciccolella was also a screw at Shawshank. Meanwhile, every go-round reminds me how I'll always recognize Jeffrey DeMunn after his short but powerful turn as the lawyer who sends Andy up the river.

Stephen King Knows How To Write Grounded Adult Fairy Tales

While Red (Morgan Freeman) delivers the line “Prison is no fairy tale world” in The Shawshank Redemption, I still consider it an example of realism meeting such morally tinged fables for adults. The fact that Stephen King would not only go on to write The Green Mile as a sort of “Shawshank meets magical thinking” heartbreaker, with Frank Darabont returning for its 1999 adaptation, only proves my point.

Bob Gunton’s Introduction Is So Subtly Chilling

Throughout the entirety of this prison drama, we see Bob Gunton's Warden Samuel Norton barely raise his voice, except for when he discovers Andy’s escape. Revisiting his chilling introduction through Andy Dufrense’s arrival at Shawshank, I was reminded that vocal hysterics are no match for wielding a bible, and knowing how to hurt someone with just a nod.

Jake Is One Of The Many Clever Ways The Passage Of Time Is Shown At Shawshank

Most movies show time passing with either obvious dialogue or handy title cards. There are moments in The Shawshank Redemption where dialogue helps contextualize when we are in the story, but it’s never clunky. Also, with the added device of Jake the crow growing from a baby to a full-grown buddy, we’re shown progress without needing to put a calendar right under our noses.

Clancy Brown Plays The Line Between Menace And Authority To A Tee

When your kids are old enough, show them The Shawshank Redemption, then a random episode of Spongebob Squarepants. It’ll blow their minds by connecting Mr. Brown’s roles of Byron Hadley and Mr. Krabs, and it’s only another example of versatile performers filling Frank Darabont’s cast. While he’s not always turned up to 11, the shifts between unchecked menace and simple authority are so seamless.

I Wish I Could Tell You Andy Dufresne's First Encounter With The Sisters Wasn’t Tragic

One of the emotional moments that never fails to maintain its tragedy is when Bogs (Mark Rolston) and the rest of The Sisters gang up on Andy in the prison laundry. We don’t see the brutality, relying on Morgan Freeman’s narration to confirm that the worst had indeed happened. Each time that scene comes on, expect your heart to sink.

The Roofing Crew Scene May Be The Best Scene In The Shawshank Redemption

If there is one scene that ties all of The Shawshank Redemption’s perfection into a subtle package, it’s when Andy and his fellow prisoners enjoy that cold bohemian beer after tarring a roof. It’s idyllic, visually stunning, and gives the audience the same temporary moment of unbridled joy as Andy Dufresne. Other moments may be more pronounced, but the joy truly sneaks up on you every time, even if it’s a consequence of Brooks Hadley threatening to cause Andy “accidental” harm.

Thomas Newman Really Poured His Heart Into The Shawshank Redemption Score

Andy's escape into the rain. Red's arrival on the beach in Zihuatanejo. Brooks' sad end. All of those moments are cinematic history in The Shawshank Redemption, and their perfection is aided by composer Thomas Newman's emotionally charged musical score. Good luck trying to drive if "Brooks Was Here" comes up on shuffle.

The Shawshank Redemption Helped Me See Beyond Stephen King’s Horror Writing

Growing up, I was introduced to Stephen King as “The Master of Horror.” That image only grew through my eventual initiation through watching miniseries like 1990’s IT. But when I saw that The Shawshank Redemption was written by the same man who masterminded such frights, it was a watershed moment that helped me look past the stereotype and love the man’s work even more.

If Anyone Should Have Remade The Stand, It Should Have Been Frank Darabont

Mick Garris’ 1994 miniseries adaptation of The Stand, in my mind, has never been topped. I’ve slowly slogged through the 2020 Paramount+ remake, and with all due respect to the talent involved, it pales in comparison. But now that I’ve rewatched The Shawshank Redemption, I can’t help but wish that Frank Darabont’s Randall Flagg easter egg led to an alternate universe where he got to do his thing with the epic clash between the disciples of The Walkin’ Dude and Mother Abigail.

Brooks’ “Easy Peasy” Line Holds Up, Even If It’s Of Questionable Taste

“Easy peasy, Japanese-y.” I know it’s not a terribly offensive line, but hearing the sweet Brooks Hadlen (James Whitmore) utter that line always gave me pause. Upon this most recent viewing, however, I realized that this line is another clever way of showing character. Thanks to the institutionalization of Brooks, we get a window into what the world was like when he was a free man; back when that sort of phrase was probably more prevalent.

Andy’s Story Doesn’t Forget To Include Moments Of Levity

I’ll never look at a copy of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo without thinking of William Sadler, Tim Robbins, and Morgan Freeman debating where to file it in the prison library. Humor and warmth go hand in hand with tragedy and tears in The Shawshank Redemption, allowing for organic breaks from the harsh realities of incarceration. Frank Darabont’s sensibilities as the writer/director of this film are sharp as the rock hammer Andy uses to get his freedom, knowing when to lean into either extreme.

No Letter Writing Campaign Could Ever Beat Andy Dufrense’s Quest For Books

A former friend of mine and I used to love referencing the moment when Andy Dufrense petitioned his local government officials for better resources in Shawshank’s prison library. As someone who loves a good story where a dedicated fanbase gets something done through letter-writing, I have to say that Dufrense’s triumph is probably the greatest example of this time-tested form of protest winning the day.

How In The Name Of Castle Rock Did The Shawshank Redemption Bomb At The Box Office?

The weekend of September 23, 1994, had some pretty decent movies in the box office top 10…and somehow The Shawshank Redemption wasn’t one of them. That’s right, the only reason we’re still talking about this picture is thanks to video rentals and constant airings on TNT in the years that followed. How did people let this happen?!

Shawshank Is A Masterclass In Patient Storytelling

In a little under two and a half hours, you really feel like you’ve gotten to know Andy Dufresne and some of his pals at Shawshank State Prison. It consistently amazes me that I can still feel this way about a movie I’ve watched frequently over its three decades of existence. There’s never a moment where it feels like you could either skip or fast forward to the next, putting the pacing in that sweet spot where you don’t want it to end, but can’t think of anything to add.

William Sadler Really Is One Of The Best Actors We Have

I originally thought that The Shawshank Redemption proved that William Sadler was one of the best character actors on the scene. Upon further thought, I'd say he's one of the best performers out there, period. The dude's range has seen him hang with the Crypt Keeper, tangle with John McClane, and try to reap the souls of Bill and Ted. Watching him as Heywood always puts a smile on my face, because how can you begrudge a man just listening to his Hank Williams records?

Brooks’ Epilogue Still Crushes My Heart Every Single Time

You don't even have to show a person the entirety of this film to bring them to tears. While having the background on Brooks' character does make his eventual fate all the more tragic, you could merely show them his final scenes on the outside of Shawshank. No matter how many times I see James Whitmore play the end to his arc, I always hope that Jake found Brooks somehow, somewhere far away from that pain.

This Movie Pivots Perfectly Between Emotional Ups And Downs

In the span of a handful of minutes, The Shawshank Redemption goes from Brooks’ tragic suicide to Andy’s triumphant book delivery, which then turns to our humble bank manager’s solitary confinement. Just those moments piled on top of each other are an emotional roller coaster, but they all land perfectly, without losing a step to any potential tonal whiplash.

Frank Darabont Truly Understands Stephen King’s Work

Adapting The Green Mile into a Tom Hanks-starring tear-jerker was the next step in Frank Darabont’s King canon journey, but giving The Mist its soul-crushing ending was probably the greatest sign that Darabont truly understands Stephen King’s work. Especially because according to his own account, Frank Darabont was inspired by King’s original text to get to that traumatizing finale.

You Could Frame That Shot Of Andy Escaping The Tunnels

The moment that Andy Dufrense escapes those tunnels of…waste in The Shawshank Redemption, he bathes in the rain of liberation in a moment you could practically frame and hang on your wall. Considering it went on to become the original poster art for the 1994 release campaign, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought so.

How Is This Picture Only 142 Minutes?

There is no way that The Shawshank Redemption is only a couple minutes short of two and a half hours. It never feels anything shorter than perfect, which is honestly thanks to the pacing of the storytelling and every factor being top-shelf. Honestly, this is probably why The Green Mile would eventually be allowed to slightly exceed the 3-hour mark when it was released.

The Shawshank Redemption Counts As A Heist Movie

I never really thought of Andy Dufresne’s antics as a secret heist movie, but that’s exactly what I came away thinking this time out. Years before Danny Ocean and his ten friends would knock off Las Vegas, Andy used accounting, knowledge of the banking system, and some geological know-how to make his great escape. Is it too late to give Andy a role in the Ocean’s Eleven prequel?

Tommy Williams’ Fate Is Even Crueler Than That Of Brooks Hadlen

If anyone got a worse deal than Brooks Hadlen, it had to be Tommy Williams (Gil Bellows). Sent to prison for burglary, he wasn’t nearly as hardened as some of the criminals who walked the halls of Shawshank State Prison. Yet thanks to his ability to exonerate Andy Dufresne, the young man who could have had a bright future was taken out with another one of Warden Norton’s patented nods.

Roger Deakins’ Cinematography Helped Make This A Timeless Classic

Everyone knows that cinematographer Roger Deakins is a GOAT when it comes to his craft. The Shawshank Redemption is a key piece of proof as to how he’s maintained such a reputation, as his eye helps this picture evade any sort of signs of aging. It looks timeless, and feels just as preserved through never being approached as a “‘90s movie.”

Without Question, Shawshank Is A ‘Remote Drop’ Movie

Thanks to Christopher Nolan’s love for Talladega Nights, the world now knows to call something you can never turn away from on TV a “remote drop” movie. The Shawshank Redemption is absolutely such a gem, as no matter what point in the story you’re at, no matter how many times you’ve seen it before, you’re in for the duration once it’s caught your eye.

Frank Darabont Might Actually Get Me To Watch Stranger Things Season 5

I haven’t cared about Stranger Things since completing Season 2, but have kept up with the series as a responsible journalist. I’ll do the same when its final season debuts, but knowing that Frank Darabont came out of retirement to direct a Season 5 episode has given me a smidgen of incentive to finish the journey.

I Can’t Believe The Shawshank Redemption Almost Didn’t Show Us Andy And Red’s Reunion

It took notes from a test screening, and the reluctance of Morgan Freeman, to give The Shawshank Redemption an ending where we actually saw Red and Andy reunite on the shores of Zihuatanejo. I refuse to accept a world where that true moment of redemption doesn’t exist.

The Shawshank Redemption Is Still A Perfect Movie

A little over a decade ago, I wrote about perfect Shawshank moments in a bid to show that I felt it was a perfect movie. I stand by my feelings to this day, and I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.

How Did Forrest Gump Win Best Picture In 1995?

The 67th Academy Awards in 1995 saw Tom Hanks’ bittersweet nostalgia trip Forrest Gump winning Best Picture. The rest of the field was occupied by Pulp Fiction, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Quiz Show, and The Shawshank Redemption. Is anyone else ready to send someone to Shawshank for letting this happen?

This Is One Of The Most Rewatchable Films In History

If The Shawshank Redemption was a storybook, I imagine I’d have several copies that are worn to varying degrees. It’s something you can always return to and enjoy freshly while reflecting on those peaks and valleys of emotion that pop up along the way. Which reminds me...I'm long overdue to pick up the 4K disc, even if the cover art isn't the gorgeous Drew Struzan poster that adorned the Blu-ray set.

This story will get into spoilers for The Penguin, so stop reading now if you have not caught up on the show.

Here’s one word that I think you can use to describe The Penguin through the seven episodes of the first season: Unpredictable. Few probably thought that they’d emotionally side with Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti) until they watched the downfall of the crime boss’s daughter in The Penguin Episode 4. Then there was Sofia’s decision to murder the majority of her family members, as well as crime boss Johnny Viti (Michael Kelly), whom she shot point blank in the back of the skull. Even though we are primed to expect surprises, few of us could have predicted that Salvatore Maroni (Clancy Brown) would drop dead of a heart attack mid fight against Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), preventing the mafioso from bringing the full weight of justice down on the Penguin.

I was a little disappointed. For a moment, it looked like Oz would figure out how to prevail against Sal, even though Sal was in a rage. And rightfully so, because Oz had burned Sal’s wife and kid to death. And he was about to bring the hammer on Oz. Following the release of The Penguin Episode 7, which concluded with Sal’s death, I got the opportunity to speak with Clancy Brown about his work on the show, and his character’s untimely demise. And when I asked him who he thought would have won the fight had Sal not had a heart attack, he thought about it and replied to CinemaBlend:

To say the least. One reason why I can say that I was disappointed in the outcome of Sal Maroni is that Oz always figures out a way to get out of tight situations. But in this fight, fate stepped in and took Sal off the board for Oz, an unusual turn in this otherwise brutal show. When I asked Clancy Brown if he was dissatisfied with the way the show took Maroni out, he dutifully replied:

Motivates him to do what? We will find out soon enough, as The Penguin glides in for its conclusion on Sunday night. This is easily one of the best shows available on HBO at the moment, so make sure that your Max subscription is fully up to date, and prepare for the conclusion of this incredible DC story as it comes your way soon.

Few films have offered a captivating and inspiring meditation on the power and importance of hope quite as effectively as 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption. Writer and director Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novella, “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” chronicles the friendship between two incarcerated men and how their bond serves as a much-needed silver lining while serving at the titular penitentiary.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards and currently sitting at #1 on IMDb’s Top 250 Movies (as voted by users), the drama is widely considered to be one of the best movies of the 1990s (if not the best) and some of the most essential reasons why are the powerful performances by its talented ensemble. Let’s take a look back at the Shawshank Redemption cast, who they played in the classic Stephen King movie, and what they have been up to since they were released.

Tim Robbins (Andy Dufresne)

Leading the Shawshank Redemption cast as Andy Dufresne, a banker convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, is Tim Robbins. Two years later, he received his first Oscar nomination for directing Dead Man Walking and later won for 2003’s Mystic River.

Other notable credits since Shawshank include Arlington Road, the funny spoof movie Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me (as the President), and the classic music movie High Fidelity with friend John Cusack. Robbins more recently returned to the world of Stephen King with a role in Season 2 of the horror anthology TV show, Castle Rock, and revisited themes of isolation as part of the Silo cast for Apple TV+.

Morgan Freeman (Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding)

Playing contraband smuggler and Andy’s friend, “Red,” earned Morgan Freeman his third of five Academy Award nominations. The rest were for 1987’s Street Smart, Best Picture Oscar winner Driving Miss Daisy, 2004’s Million Dollar Baby (which he won), and Invictus in 2010.

Some of his many other acclaimed post-Shawshank performances include playing two iconic Black detectives (Somerset in Se7en and Alex Cross in two films), portraying God in Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty, Lucius Fox in three live-action Batman movies, and narrating the likes of March of the Penguins and Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds (which also starred Robbins) in 2005. Freeman recently starred in director Zach Braff’s A Good Person and is set to star in the upcoming Now You See Me 3, reprising Thaddeus Bradley.

Bob Gunton (Samuel Norton)

The corrupt, sadistic warden of Shawshank is played by Bob Gunton, who starred in an adaptation of King’s Delores Clairborne the following year. Some of his most notable cinematic credits since include 2000’s The Perfect Storm, The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey, and Argo in 2012.

You may recognize him from the small screen for his recurring role on Desperate Housewives, playing Ethan Kanin on 24, and the first season of Daredevil. Gunton more recently filled in for the late Harold Ramis as Egon in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, starred in a new horror movie in 2024 called The Inheritance, and has a couple of other spooky titles in the works called Purgatory Station and Ghostkiller.

William Sadler (Heywood)

Starting with his role in Shawshank as fellow longtime inmate Heywood, William Sadler (whose ad-libbing had major effects on the role) has starred in multiple Stephen King adaptations, most of which were helmed by Frank Darabont. He would portray Klaus Detterick in the 1999 adaptation of The Green Mile, later starred in Darabont’s devastating take on The Mist as Jim in 2007, and plays Constable Parkins Gillespie in the new Salem’s Lot movie, which will be available with a Max subscription on October 3, 2024.

He would also earn Scream King status for flicks like Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight and his starring role on Roswell, became part of the MCU as President Ellis in the 2013 Marvel movie Iron Man 3, and also appeared in several made-for-TV Jesse Stone adaptations opposite Tom Selleck. Sadler more recently reprised the Grim Reaper in 2020’s Bill & Ted Face the Music, played Michael Flynn in Showtime’s The Comey Rule that same year, and was in a Max original miniseries called Full Circle in 2023.

Clancy Brown (Byron Hadley)

One of Warden Norton’s most brutal guards is Byron Hadley, played by Clancy Brown, who has played his fair share of villains outside of Shawshank. He was The Kurgan in 1986’s Highlander, voiced Lex Luthor in several animated DC adaptations, was Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok (one of two MCU roles he played), and joined the Dexter: New Blood cast as the main antagonist, Kurt Cadwell.

Modern audiences probably know the actor best, however, as the voice of Mr. Krabs on SongeBob Squarepants. Some of Brown’s most notable recent credits include the Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman, the fourth John Wick movie as The Harbinger, and the fact-based dramedy Dumb Money. He is portraying another comic book villain, Salvatore Maroni, in the upcoming DC TV show, The Penguin.

Gil Bellows (Tommy Williams)

Young, doomed Shawshank prisoner Tommy Williams was one of the first major movie roles for Gil Bellows. He would go on to star in films like 2005’s The Weather Man, the fact-based Parkland in 2013, and the 2019 horror anthology movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

The Canadian actor would become even better known for his small screen work, such as playing Billy Thomas on Ally McBeal, his recurring role on Patriot as Lawrence Lacroix, and earning an Emmy for producing the HBO movie, Temple Grandin, in 2010. Bellows most recently earned stints on hit series Alert: Missing Persons Unit and Chucky.

Mark Rolston (Bogs Diamond)

Another one of Shawshank’s most notorious villainous faces is Bogs Diamond, which is one of the best known roles of Mark Rolston, which is really saying something. He had previously played Private Drake in Aliens and Hans in Lethal Weapon 2, for instance, and went on to work in hit films like Rush Hour, Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, and a few installments of the Saw movies.

Some of Rolston’s other most notable credits include cop shows like FX’s The Shield, several voice acting gigs in shows like Young Justice and video games like PlayStation’s Spider-Man franchise, and an episode of the recent Star Wars TV show, Ahsoka, in 2023. Rolston is set to voice James Gordon in the upcoming video game, Batman: Arkham Shadow.

James Whitmore (Brooks Hatlen)

One of Shawshank’s longest-serving inmates, librarian Brooks Hatlen, was played by James Whitmore. The veteran actor had previously earned two Academy Award nominations for this performances in 1949’s Battleground and as Harry S. Truman in 1975’s Give ’em Hell, Harry!

After appearing in the 1997 horror flick, The Relic, he would work with Darabont again when he starred in 2001’s The Majestic but most of his acting work since was appearances on TV shows like The Practice and the short-lived Mister Sterling. He gave his final performance in a 2007 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before he passed away in 2009 at the age of 87.

The Shawshank Redemption is rightfully considered a movie that will effectively inspire you to stay out of jail. However, it also makes prison life look somewhat tolerable if you have people like Andy, Red, or Heywood by your side. Be sure to also check out what other movies like The Shawshank Redemption are available to stream now.

Following The Batman‘s release March 2022, not only is there a sequel lined up for late 2026, what we now know as the Batman Epic Crima Saga has expanded to the small screen. The first of these $ tie-in TV shows is centered on The Penguin$ , who’s been the Caped Crusader adversary in the comics for more than 80 years. Although Robin Lord Taylor had played Oswald Cobblepot as an integral character in Fox’s Gotham, this show, which airs to HBO viewers and those with a Max subscription$, puts Colin Farrell’s version of the character front and center after his time as a side antagonist.

$ Among the things we know about The Penguin$ is it $ takes place mere days after the end of The Batman$ and follows Cobblepot’s rise to power in Gotham City’s criminal underworld now that his boss, Carmine Falcone, is dead. Needless to say that such a journey is fraught with perils and people looking to take him off the proverbial board, and that was evident in $ the first trailer for the Max series and the previews that followed. Keeping that in mind, let’s go over all the actors who’ve been announced or reported to be in the miniseries’ cast.

Colin Farrell

If you went into The Batman knowing nothing about it ahead of time, you likely wouldn’t have recognized Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb (that’s right, he doesn’t have the last name Cobblepot in this universe), with this being the character’s first cinematic depiction since Danny DeVito played him in Batman Returns.

While there was initially speculation that The Penguin could be a prequel to The Batman, and thus allow for a younger actor to play the character, Farrell will indeed be returning to the makeup and fatsuit (including a “Penguin pecker”) to explore Oz trying to seize as much power for himself following Carmine Falcone being shot by The Riddler. It’s unclear if Oz, who hates his Penguin nickname, will cross paths with Batman again in the series, although DC Studios co-head James Gunn has debunked the claim that Robert Pattinson could only appear as Bruce Wayne, assuming he shows up at all.

Cristin Milioti

If you’ve read Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory, then you’re familiar with Sofia Falcone, Carmine Falcone’s daughter, who returns to Gotham City to help her father figure out the identity of the Holiday killer targeting members of the crime family. The Penguin will also see Cristin Milioti’s Sofia returning home after years spent locked away in Arkham following her reign of terror as the serial killer The Hangman (just like in Dark Victory), but with Carmine dead, she’ll instead battle Oswald Cobblepot for control of the criminal underworld. Milioti’s notable roles include Tracy McConnell in How I Met Your Mother, Sarah Wilder in Palm Springs and Hazel Green in Made for Love.

Michael Zegen

Sofia Falcone isn’t the only one of Carmine Falcone’s children appearing in The Penguin. Michael Zegen – of Boardwalk Empire and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame – has been cast as her younger brother Alberto. In The Long Halloween, Alberto took credit for the Holiday killings, although it’s later clarified that there were at least two of those serial killers, and that Alberto may have been lying about his role in those events. It’s unclear if Zegen’s version will also wreak havoc on Gotham as Holiday or if he’ll simply be by his sister’s side while she wars with Oz.

Clancy Brown

Although Sal Maroni never appeared in The Batman, it was mentioned that he was arrested in the GCPD’s largest drug bust, though it was later revealed that he was set up by Carmine Falcone and corrupt individuals in Gotham’s government and police force. Maroni is still behind bars in The Penguin, but evidently he’ll be an important player in the miniseries nonetheless. Clancy Brown has been cast as Maroni$, and this is a man who goes way back with DC as the voice of Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Universe and having played General Wade Eiling on The Flash, among many other credits.

Michael Kelly

House of Cards fans will instantly recognize Michael Kelly for playing Doug Stamper, while others may know the actor more from projects like Unbreakable, Now You See Me, Person of Interest and Jack Ryan. Now he’s jumping into The Penguin, where, Kelly told The Wrap, he's playing Johnny Vitti, the underboss of the Falcone crime family. In The Long Halloween, Vitti was Carmine Falcone's nephew, but it's unclear if the two have a familial connection in The Batman universe. This is Kelly’s second time performing in a DC project, having previously played Steve Lombard in Man of Steel.

Rhenzy Feliz

The Penguin trailers have made it quite clear how Rhenzy Feliz fits into the picture. The actor, known from Marvel’s Runaways and Encanto, is playing a young man named Victor Aguilar who starts working for Oswald Cobblepot as his driver, though the gangster won’t hesitate to gut him “like a goddamn fish” if he gets out of line even once.

Shohreh Aghdashloo

From House of Sand and Fog and Renfield, to 24 and The Expanse, Shohreh Aghdashloo has been around the acting block, and now the time has come for her to lend her talents to DC. Aghdashloo is playing Nadia Maroni, who is presumably Sal Maroni’s wife and has taken over his criminal operations while he’s in jail.

Dierdre O’Connell

Dierdre O’Connell is no stranger to the world of crime TV shows, whether we’re talking about her various different roles on Law & Order (most notably Dr. Valerie Knight in Season 20) or popping up in three episodes of Daredevil Season 3. You may also know O’Connell from her recurring roles on The Affair, The Path and Outer Range, and for The Penguin, she’s playing Francis Cobb, Oz’s mentally unstable mother.

James Madio

Along with various film credits to his name, James Mario is arguably best known for his roles as Bobby Lazzarini in USA High and Frank Percent in Band of Brothers, while more recently he played Carmine in The Offer, the miniseries about the making of The Godfather that can be watched with a Paramount+ subscription. Now we’re seeing him in The Penguin playing Milos Grapa, an enforcer for the Falcone crime family who used to be Carmine’s bodyguard.

Scott Cohen

Gilmore Girls fans know Scott Cohen for playing Lorelai Gilmore's love interest Max Medina, but as far as his more recent work goes, you might have seen him in Billions, The Americans or The Fix, among many other projects. He’s playing Sofia and Alberto’s relative Luca Falcone in The Penguin.

Theo Rossi

Hernan “Shades” Alvarez, Theo Rossi’s character from Luke Cage, has something in common with Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot: they both sought to make bigger names for themselves in the criminal underworld after their bosses were killed. But if you didn’t catch Rossi in that Marvel series, maybe you’re more familiar with him as Juan Carlos “Juice” Ortiz in Sons of Anarchy. Either way, catch him in The Penguin playing a doctor named Julian Rush.

Carmen Ejogo

We get a brief glimpse of Carmen Ejogo’s character In The Penguin enjoying a drink with Oz, and it was later revealed that she’s playing Eve Karlo. The actress’ other genre credits include Alien: Covenant and the first two Fantastic Beasts movies. Fun fact, one of the Clayfaces from the comics is Basil Karlo, so I wonder if Eve is of any relation to him in The Batman universe.

Mark Strong

Mark Strong already has major DC experience under his belt from playing Sinestro in Green Lantern and Dr. Sivana in the Shazam! movies. Now he's getting to contribute to Batman lore through The Penguin, by taking over as Carmine Falcone, who was previously played by John Turturro in The Batman. With Carmine having been gunned down by The Riddler in that movie, Strong’s Carmine will appear in flashbacks during the miniseries. This is the second Max series Strong has lined up, as he's also playing Emperor Javicco Corrino in Dune: Prophecy.

François Chau

You might not know François Chau by name, but with the number of credits he’s accrued, it’s a good bet you’ve seen him in at least one thing, if not several. Filmwise, he played Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and also popped up in Beverly Hills Ninja, Lethal Weapon 4 and Birds of Prey, while in TV, he’s appeared in Lost, K.C. Undercover, The Expanse, Last Man Standing, and, most recently, Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, to name just a few shows. For now, his role in The Penguin remains a mystery.

David H. Holmes

Next we have David H. Holmes, who’s arguably best known for starring as Simon Miller in Hulu’s short-lived High Fidelity series. If you didn’t watch that, then maybe you caught his guest spots in shows like The Americans, Mr. Robot or Mindhunter. If not, then The Penguin will be as good as place as any to be introduced to him as a performer.

Jared Abrahamson

Finally, we have Jared Abrahamson, whom some of you might know from movies like Hello Destroyer and American Animals, while others might recognize from TV shows like Travelers and The Changeling. Either way, Deadline reports that he's been tapped for a "key recurring role" on The Penguin.

The Penguin premieres September 19 on Max. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news on the series, and don’t forget that The Batman: Part II is slated on the upcoming DC movies schedule for October 2, 2026.

A year ago, the Batman film franchise was rebooted yet again with The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, and directed and co-written by Matt Reeves. In addition to The Batman 2 being slated for a 2025 release, Reeves is fleshing out this corner of the DC multiverse with an HBO Max series centered on Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. Penguin. The latest casting update from The Penguin is that the show has cast its Salvatore Maroni, leading us to wonder if this means Two-Face is also coming to The Batman universe soon.

Clancy Brown, who’s well-known for playing Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption and will appear in John Wick: Chapter 4 later this month as The Harbinger, has been tapped to recur as mob boss Sal Maroni in The Penguin, per Variety. This will be Brown’s second time playing a live-action DC role, having previously appeared in The Flash Season 1 as General Wade Eiling. Brown also voiced Lex Luthor in many animated DC productions, and Marvel fans will recognize him as the voice of Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok and Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., among many other film and TV credits.

Although The Penguin will introduce Clancy Brown’s Sal Maroni to the world, he’s hardly an unfamiliar name in this continuity. Maroni was mentioned multiple times in The Batman as having been arrested in the Gotham City Police Department’s largest drug bust, though it was later revealed that John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone and the corrupt officials within Gotham’s government set him up to take the fall. Maroni has previously been played in live-action by Eric Roberts in The Dark Knight and David Zayas in Gotham. In the comics, Maroni is best known for being the criminal who threw acid on half of Harvey Dent’s face, resulting in his transformation into Two-Face.

Between Clancy Brown playing Sal Maroni in The Penguin and district attorney Gil Coulson being blown up by The Riddler in The Batman, the pieces are in place for The Batman universe to introduce its own Harvey Dent. Gotham needs a new DA, and assuming that Brown’s Maroni makes it out of The Penguin alive, perhaps we could see him scar Dent in The Batman 2 or a later project, thus paving the way for another cinematic Batman vs. Two-Face clash. For now, since it’s been confirmed that The Penguin takes place one week after the events of The Batman, I’m curious whether Maroni will only be seen behind bars on the show, or if he’ll somehow be freed from custody and engage Oswald Cobblepot in a turf war.

The Penguin will also star Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, the late Carmine’s daughter, and Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Deirdre O'Connell have been cast in undisclosed roles. It’ll be a while until we learn when the show premieres to HBO Max subscribers, but we’ll pass along that bit of news and other updates as part of our upcoming DC TV shows coverage.

John Wick has been through a lot over his three film appearances so far, from losing his wife to a terminal illness and being hunted down by assassins all over the world, to having his finger chopped off and falling off the rooftop of The Continental in the John Wick: Chapter 3 ending. Yet John is still kicking after all this, mean we can look forward to him returning in John Wick: Chapter 4. Had things gone according to the original plan, Chapter 4, the longest John Wick movie yet, would have been released in May 2021, but after being pushed back a year, it’s now on track to be among the 2023 movie releases.

John Wick: Chapter 4 will see the title protagonist waging war on The High Table (as shown in the first trailer), which will include him traveling the globe and facing off against a powerful new enemy who has powerful alliances that will lead to old friends becoming foes. Additionally, we have been learning how the action movie’s cast will look. Let’s go over the actors who have been announced for Chapter 4 so far, starting with the man who brings the Baba Yaga to life on the big screen, Keanu Reeves. 

Keanu Reeves

When we last left off with Keanu Reeves’ John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, he’d been seemingly betrayed by his old friend Winston, but luckily, he wasn’t left for dead. The Tick Tock Man retrieved John and delivered him to Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, who’d also suffered at the hands of the High Table and questioned if John was “pissed off” at the council of crime lords too. While it’s unclear how much time will pass between the events of Parabellum and Chapter 4, it’s reasonable to assume that John Wick will indeed seek vengeance for everything that the High Table has done to him. However, there’s also an opportunity that comes his way that could lead to him getting out of this conflict alive.

Rina Sawayama

If the name Rina Sawayama rings a bell, you’re likely familiar with her musical career, as she’s the singer behind singles like “STFU!,” “XS,” “Bad Friend” and “Lucid.” But Sawayama also has some acting experience under her belt, having played Layla Valentine in the short-lived, Idris Elba-led Netflix series Turn Up Charlie. Now she’s making her film debut in John Wick: Chapter 4 as someone named Akira, although it hasn’t been revealed yet whether her character will aid John or try to eliminate him. 

Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen has showcased his martial arts skills in a lot of movies, from Hong Kong offerings like the Ip Man film series to American blockbusters like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Disney’s live-action Mulan remake. So with so much fighting experience under his belt, he’s a perfect fit for the John Wick franchise, where people are being punched and kicked left and right. Yen’s John Wick: Chapter 4 character is named Caine, he’ll reportedly be an old friend of John’s who “shares his same history and many of the same enemies.” While you’d think that means John can count on Caine to help him out, the latest Chapter 4 trailer showed John and Caine fighting each other, so something will lead to a divide coming between them.

Shamier Anderson

Over in the TV world Shamier Anderson is best known for playing Xavier Dolls in the first three seasons of the Syfy series Wynonna Earp, and he’s also appeared in shows like The Next Step, Shots Fired and Goliath. Anderson’s film credits include Destroyer, City of Lies and Stowaway, and now he gets to take part in the craziness that is John Wick: Chapter 4. Anderson is appearing in Chapter 4 as Tracker, with Chad Stahelski telling Collider that he’s a “self-motived character” (at least initially) who’s operating in the “gray area” between “the Wick world, and the real world.”

Bill Skarsgård

Along with his time scaring audiences and the citizen of Derry, Maine as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the IT movies, Bill Skarsgård has also participated in the action-heavy movies Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2. Now he’s joined the cast of John Wick: Chapter 4 as someone named The Marquis de Gramont. In the second Chapter 4 trailer, The Marquis is presented as someone whom if John can defeat in single combat, The High Table will let him go free. In the aforementioned Collider article, Chad Stahelski said that The Marquis isn’t really “the antagonist, but he's the one in charge of cleaning up all the messes from the first three movies.”

Laurence Fishburne

Now we come to another familiar face who’s returning to the John Wick franchise! Having already played the Morpheus to Keanu Reeves’ Neo in the first three Matrix movies, Laurence Fishburne has since re-teamed with Reeves by playing The Bowery King, who helped John Wick out in Chapter 2 and was punished for this in Chapter 3 - Parabellum. At the end of Chapter 3, the badly injured John was delivered to Bowery King in his new underground hideout, and like John, he was angry at what the High Table had done to them. So now the stage is set for John and Bowery King to exact vengeance on this council of crime lords, and Fishburne has claimed that Chapter 4 is “the best one” of the franchise.

Scott Adkins

Scott Adkins knows his way around action, from fighting Hugh Jackman’s James Howlett/Logan as Weapon XI in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, to working for Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Jean Vilain in The Expendables 2. So bringing Adkins into John Wick: Chapter 4 makes all the sense in the world, and if he’s playing a villain, Keanu Reeves’ John will need to keep his guard up against the martial arts skills Adkins’ character, who's named Killa, will surely break out. It remains to be seen if Adkins share any screen time with Donnie Yen, who he co-starred alongside in Ip Man 4: The Finale.

Lance Reddick

Fans of the John Wick franchise can take comfort knowing we’ll reunite with Winston’s righthand man in Chapter 4. Bosch’s Lance Reddick will be back as Charon, the concierge of The Continental’s New York branch who spent the first two movies in the hotel’s lobby, but finally got to jump into the action in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Now we wait to see if he’ll gun down bad guys again in Chapter 4 or if he’ll be back to chiefly focusing on his concierge duties.

Marko Zaror

If Marko Zaror looks familiar to you, then you’ve likely seen him in movies like Machete Kills and Alita: Battle Angel, or maybe you caught his recurring role as Zolo in From Dusk till Dawn: The Series. Regardless, John Wick: Chapter 4 looks like it’ll be Zaror’s biggest platform to shine yet, as he’s cast as one of John’s “main pursuers.” In other words, it’ll be this guy’s job to make Keanu Reeves’ character’s life hell… you know, even more than it already is.

Ian McShane

Like Charon, Ian McShane’s Winston has been part of the John Wick franchise since the beginning, as he has the integral role of running the New York branch of the Continental hotel. While Winston provided invaluable assistance to Keanu Reeves’ John in the first three movies, the characters didn’t part on good terms at the end of Chapter 3 - Parabellum. After coming to a truce with The High Table and having the Continental re-consecrated, Winston repeatedly shot John until he fell off the roof to show his fealty to the High Table. Most fans logically assume there was more to Winston doing that than meets the eye, and judging by the Chapter 4 trailers, it looks like he’s back to once again helping John directly. Following Chapter 4, McShane will reprise Winston for a “pivotal” role in Ballerina, and Keanu Reeves will also reportedly be involved in the Ana de Armas-led spinoff.

Clancy Brown

Whether you know him from live-action roles like The Kurgan in Highlander or Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption, or have heard him voice animated characters like Mr. Krabs in Spongebob Squarepants or Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Universe, most, if not all of you reading this are familiar with Clancy Brown in some way. Well, soon he’ll be lending his talents to the John Wick universe as a character known only as Harbinger. As explained by Chad Stahelski, Harbinger is "everything that word stands for," essentially serving as The High Table’s “referee.”

Hiroyuki Sanada

As far as his American work goes, Hiroyuki Sanada is recognizable from the likes of The Wolverine, Avengers: Endgame, Army of the Dead, Bullet Train and Westworld, among other projects. During development of John Wick: Chapter 3, it was reported that Sanada was being eyed to play the villain, and while that obviously didn’t happen, he went on to be looped into the Chapter 4 proceedings. So now Sanada and Reeves get to reunite following their time together on 47 Ronin, and Sanada teased that his character, Shimazu, and John Wick also have history with one another.

Natalia Tena

Fans of the Harry Potter movies will know Natalia Tena as Nymphadora Tonks, but if the Wizarding World isn’t your thing, maybe you recognize her from Game of Thrones as Osha, or for leading other shows like Wisdom of the Crowd and Origin. Regardless, it’s been confirmed that we’ll see Tena in John Wick: Chapter 4, and while her character not been identified yet, evidently her time with John Wick will involve him burning his arm for some reason.

Written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, John Wick: Chapter 4 is slated for March 24, 2023. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on its progress, including other actors, both new and familiar, who are added to the lineup. 

The Boys universe is preparing to expand on Amazon Prime, following the raunchy animated series The Boys: Diabolical. College-set spinoff, Gen V, already has an exciting cast, and now there will reportedly be a Marvel and DC star joining the ranks. 

One Take News reported that Clancy Brown has been tapped for an undisclosed role in the upcoming streaming spinoff. It’s not known how many episodes Brown will appear in, but reportedly according to sources, he will be in at least one episode. 

If Clancy Brown’s previous roles are any indication, his role on Gen V will definitely be one to look out for. The prolific actor was part of the Green Lantern cast and has played more than one character in the MCU. He portrayed Ray Schoonover on Daredevil and The Punisher, as well as the voice of Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok. So, he definitely has quite a bit of experience in superhero franchises, and that’s only just a fraction of his work as an actor.

It's hard to predict just what kind of role Brown will play on Gen V since he could play a professor at the college or a mentor of some kind to the young supes. Though perhaps he could continue playing villains. But hopefully, more information on his role is announced soon, but with Gen V not premiering until sometime in 2023, it may be a while.

Gen V has been in the works for a while now and follows the lives of young superheroes in college dealing with everything that hormonal young adults struggle with, on top of having powers. With The Boys being as raunchy as ever, Gen V will follow in its footsteps, and likely include some very hardcore scenes, but it’s not The Boys without it, so that’s not really a surprise.

As for the rest of the Gen V cast, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Jaz Sinclair is one of the leads, along with Patrick Schwarzenegger, whose dad had a funny reaction after he got cast. Gen V will also feature Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Sean Patrick Thomas, Maddie Phillips, Marco Pigossi, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, and Shelley Conn. So if reports are true, Clancy Brown is definitely joining a talented group of people for what can presumably be a pretty great series.

Meanwhile, Season 4 of The Boys is getting pretty big as well. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is joining the show for the upcoming season, bringing yet another Supernatural reunion to the Amazon series, and he had a pretty Negan-appropriate reaction. It will be interesting to see what the season will consist of and how it could tie into Gen V since the spinoff will be part of The Boys universe. 

Don’t forget to sign up for an Amazon Prime subscription, so you watch Gen V when it comes out. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to see what else to look forward to.

It is not unusual for an actor to play more than one comic book character role. Sometimes this means they first star in a DC movie before switching sides to the Marvel movies (and vice versa) or appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe years after playing an entirely different character from Marvel Comics in a film that predates the shared universe’s creation. 

However, what if I told you that there are also many cases of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU? While the Marvel movies’ timeline is usually pretty tight, there are a surprising amount of times when the same actor played more than one character in the same interconnected franchise and the following are some notable examples of such Marvel movie characters.

Tara Strong - Miss Minutes (Loki), Mainframe (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

Famed voice actor Tara Strong has played multiple iconic comic book characters, including two in the MCU alone. She made her franchise debut on the Disney+ series Loki as the Time Variance Authority’s animated, AI mascot, Miss Minutes, and later cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Mainframe – a member of the OG GOTG from the comics who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2.  

David Dastmalchian - Kurt Goreshter (Ant-Man), Veb (Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania)

Another actor known for many, many comic book character roles is David Dastmalchian, who gave a memorable appearance in the first two Ant-Man movies as Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Russian-born, computer hacker friend, Kurt Goreshter. While Kurt did not appear in the third installment from 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Dastmalchian still got to be a part of the adventure as the voice of Veb – a creature who helps Scott and Cassie (Kathryn Newton) understand the Quantum Realm’s inhabitants by feeding them his ooze.

Seth Green - Stark Expo Fan (Iron Man 2), Howard The Duck (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

The post-credit sequence from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed that, in the MCU, there exists Howard the Duck, who was voiced by Seth Green for a brief, but memorable, cameo as the fowl private eye who would make subsequent appearances. Four years earlier, Green made an even more brief appearance in Iron Man 2 as a fan of Tony Stark seen at his expo.

Michelle Yeoh – Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2), Ying Nan (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Before earning an Oscar for her performance in one of the best Multiverse movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh entered the Marvel Multiverse with her cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord – one of the original members from the team’s comic book iteration. Four years later, the actor seemed to create a rift in the timeline when she appeared in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast as the title hero’s aunt, Ying Nan. 

Linda Cardellini – Laura Barton (Various), Lylla (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was introduced to Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) wife, Laura, whom Linda Cardellini would reprise in Avengers: Endgame and the Disney+ TV show, Hawkeye. In 2023, the Freaks and Geeks cast alum would reunite with Scooby-Doo scribe James Gunn to voice Rocket Raccoon’s friend, Lylla, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Nathan Fillion – Monstrous Inmate (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Karja (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3), Headpool (Deadpool & Wolverine)

Another actor known for his frequent collaborations with James Gunn (Slither, The Suicide Squad) is Nathan Fillion, who voiced an alien prisoner threatening Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy before receiving a bigger role in Vol. 3 as the Orgosphere’s cocky head of security, Karja. The former Firefly cast member became an MCU triple-dipper with his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine voicing Headpool, which also marks his second time playing a disembodied head after his role on one of Fillion's best TV shows, Santa Clarita Diet.

Sean Gunn – Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin (Various)

The Guardians of the Galaxy’s furry weapons expert, Rocket Raccoon, is a role shared between Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper providing his Boston-accented voice and director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, performing the mo-cap on set. Gunn has also appeared “alongside himself” on several occasions, as recently as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as former Ravager, Kraglin.

Laura Haddock – Autograph Seeker (Captain America: The First Avenger), Meredith Quill (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)

Speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy stars, most fans are likely to recognize British actor Laura Haddock as Peter Quill’s mother, Meredith, in the cold open flashbacks from the first movie and its sequel. However, the Downton Abbey: A New Era cast member’s MCU tenure actually dates back to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, in which she plays a 1940s-era woman affectionately approaching Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for an autograph. The characters’ resemblance led to a fan theory suggesting Cap is Star-Lord’s real grandfather, which James Gunn later debunked.

Kenneth Choi – Jim Morita (Captain America: The First Avenger), Principal Morita (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger stars, Private Jim Morita — Steve Rogers’ Japanese-American teammate on the Howling Commandos — was played by Kenneth Choi. The actor (also part of the DC Extended Universe as a Yakuza boss in Suicide Squad) would later appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Morita’s grandson, who also happens to be Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) high school principal.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange, Dormammu (Doctor Strange)

An interesting example of a Marvel actor appearing as two different characters in the same movie occurs in Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch debuted as one-time Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange in director Scott Derrickson’s visually stunning 2016 fantasy, in which he also provided the voice of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. Talk about being your own worst enemy.

Clancy Brown – Ray Schoonover (Daredevil, The Punisher), Surtur (Thor: Ragnarok)

Another actor who gave a memorable Marvel movie performance as a giant CGI villain is Clancy Brown, who was the voice of the Fire Demon, Surtur, in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. That same year, the SpongeBob SquarePants star (also famous for voicing Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor in many animated DC titles) would reprise his Daredevil role as Major Schoovover on the short-lived spin-off, The Punisher.

Patton Oswalt – The Koenig Brothers (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Pip The Troll (Eternals)

Comedian Patton Oswalt has lent his distinct voice to several comic book characters, including a troll named Pip in the mid-credits scene from Eternals in 2021. Before then, he would appear on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as four different characters: identical quintuplets Sam, Eric, Billy, and Thurston Koenig, making him the current record holder for the most MCU-canon characters portrayed by one person.

Enver Gjokaj - Young Cop (The Avengers), Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

One example of an actor who debuted in the MCU with something small before re-emerging with something much bigger is Enver Gjokaj. He played an unnamed police officer in 2012’s The Avengers before starring on Agent Carter and the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as World War II soldier-turned-strategic operative, Daniel Sousa.

Gemma Chan – Minn-Erva (Captain Marvel), Sersi (Eternals)

Outside of those who played two characters in the same movie, English actor Gemma Chan has one of the smallest windows of time between her first MCU character and her second. In 2019, she donned blue makeup to play Kree Imperial warrior Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and, in literally the same year, was announced as part of the Eternals cast in the role of Sersi.

Alfre Woodard – Miriam Sharpe (Captain America: Civil War), Black Mariah (Luke Cage)

Someone who can top Gemma Chan’s record in time between her characters’ official appearances is Alfre Woodard. The Academy Award nominee appeared in one memorable scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as Miriam Sharpe — a woman grieving the unseen death of her son during the final act of Avengers: Age of Ultron. That same year, just months later, she debuted on Luke Cage as Mariah “Black Mariah” Dillard, whose cousin is Harlem crime boss Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.

Mahershala Ali – Cottonmouth (Luke Cage), Blade (Eternals)

Speaking of Cottonmouth, the crime boss on Luke Cage would turn out to be only the beginning of Mahershala Ali’s legacy in the MCU. While the two-time Academy Award winner’s new take on vampire-hunter Blade has yet to be seen, he debuted the character in a vocal cameo from Eternals’ post-credit scene. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

It is hard to imagine a Marvel character better suited for Chris Hemsworth to play than the God of Thunder, but, believe it or not, the title hero of Thor: Ragnarok is not his only role from the funny 2017 blockbuster. Only eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Australian actor also played one of the three heads of Hajo — a gladiator from Sakaar who tried to help save Asgard from Hela (Cate Blanchett).

Taika Waititi – Korg, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

Actually, Hemsworth is not the only well-known star of Thor: Ragnarok to share the role of Hajo. The film’s own director, Taika Waititi, also appeared as one of the gladiator’s three heads, in addition to providing the voice of fan-favorite, rock-skinned alien, Korg, and in the same frame, too!

I am not sure if there is or could ever be a weirder example of the MCU’s double-dipping phenomenon than those last two. However, I would love to see a challenger step up to the plate someday. Of course, considering the franchise is now in a stage known as “The Multiverse Saga,” it seems like it is a distinct possibility. 

It has been more than a decade since the 2011 release of Green Lantern, the movie based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name that was, at one point, supposed to kick off the massive cinematic universe. And even though the movie was a critical and commercial failure that forced DC and Warner Bros. to change their plans (and cancel any future installments), the actors who appeared in the movie have gone on to have a great deal of success both in front of the camera and behind it.

I recently watched the movie with my nephews for the first time since its release, and I couldn’t help but be blown away by the number of great actors in the Green Lantern cast. One thing led to another and now I’m here, sharing with you what everyone, including Ryan Reynolds, has been up to as of late. Well, besides dogging on the movie at every opportunity.

Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordan)

Ryan Reynolds led the Green Lantern cast as hot-shot test pilot Hal Jordan, who became the newest member of the Green Lantern Corps after being chosen by Abin Sur in the intergalactic peacekeeper’s final moments.

Though no stranger to fame by the time he joined the cast of the ill-fate superhero movie, Reynolds’ star power has only grown in the 11 years since its release, and it doesn’t look like that is going to slow down anytime soon. In the past few years, Reynolds has starred in Detective Pikachu, Free Guy, Red Notice, and action-packed and emotionally-heavy The Adam Project. And with Reynolds’ Deadpool joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future, it looks like he’ll keep on playing superheroes for quite some time.

Blake Lively (Carol Ferris)

Blake Lively appeared in the Green Lantern cast as Carol Ferris, the vice president of Ferris Aircraft who had a complicated history with Hal Jordan.

Besides killing it on social media with her former Green Lantern co-star and husband Ryan Reynolds and getting caught up in his ongoing "feud" with Hugh Jackman, Lively has spent the past decade doing much of what she did in the first part of her career: appearing in a variety of movies that showcase her versatile acting talents. In the past few years she’s appeared in movies like The Shallows, Café Society, All I See Is You, A Simple Favor, and most recently, the 2020 action thriller, The Rhythm Section.

Peter Sarsgaard (Hector Hammond)

Peter Sarsgaard showed up in Green Lantern as Hector Hammond, the intelligent yet easily corruptible scientist who turned into one of the movie’s main antagonists after being exposed to Parallax’s fear energy, which caused his brain to grow exponentially and give him deadly powers.

The Golden Globe-nominated actor (Shattered Glass) continues to be one of the more prolific film and TV actors in the years since Green Lantern’s release, appearing in recent small-screen and streaming series like The Looming Tower, Interrogation, and Dopesick. And that’s on top of his recent film work, which includes The Lost Daughter, The Survivor, and Matt Reeves’ recently released, The Batman, which saw him play corrupt Gotham District Attorney Gil Colson.

Mark Strong (Thaal Sinestro)

Mark Strong appeared throughout Green Lantern as Thaal Sinestro, Hal Jordan’s reluctant mentor within the Green Lantern Corps who was weary to trust the new recruit before making a dreadful decision of his own.

A few years after appearing in Green Lantern, Strong took on a more likable role in Kingsman: The Secret Service, portraying Merlin, a role he would reprise three years later in 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle. More recently, Strong has appeared in Shazam!, 1917, and Cruella. He is set to appear in Adam Sandler’s upcoming sequel, Murder Mystery 2, on Netflix at some point down the line. Strong has also worked on other Netflix projects, including Home Game and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

Angela Bassett (Amanda Waller)

Although not one of the best Angela Bassett movies, the Golden Globe winner (What's Love Got to Do with It) was outstanding in her portrayal of government agent Amanda Waller in Green Lantern, five years before Viola Davis portrayed the ambitious and cutthroat character.

Over the course of the past few years, Bassett has joined the list of other actors who have appeared in both DC Comics and Marvel movies with her turn as Ramonda in Black Panther, a role she will reprise in the sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is scheduled for a November 11, 2022 release. Her other recent film work includes Soul, Gunpowder Milkshake, and the 2021 Tina Turner documentary Tina. Bassett is also currently one of the stars of the successful Fox first-responder drama, 9-1-1.

Tim Robbins (Robert Hammond)

Tim Robbins showed up in Green Lantern as United States Senator Robert Hammond, the father of Hector Hammond and part of the reason for his transformation.

In the years since the release of Green Lantern, the Academy Award-winning actor (Mystic River) has gone on to appear in a number of film projects, including A Perfect Day, Marjorie Prime, VHYes, and Dark Waters. During that same stretch of time, Robbins had major roles on shows like The Brink, Here and Now, and Castle Rock (his second appearance in a Stephen King adaptation, the first being The Shawshank Redemption). Robbins is next set to appear on the upcoming Amazing Prime Video series, The Power.

Temuera Morrison (Abin Sur)

Temuera Morrison, who has one of the most recognizable voices and faces in science-fiction and comic book adaptations, took on the role of Abin Sur, the Green Lantern who crash-landed on Earth and gave his powerful ring to Hal Jordan before dying in Green Lantern.

Morrison, who first played Jango Fett in 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones before providing the voice for his character’s clone Boba Fett in the special editions of the original Star Wars trilogy, returned to play the young bounty hunter on the Disney+ original series The Mandalorian in the show’s second season. After that, Morrison led a show of his own with the spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett. Outside of the galaxy far, far away, Morrison has portrayed Jason Momoa’s on-screen dad, Thomas Curry, in Aquaman and will reprise the role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Flash, both of which are scheduled for release in 2023.

Geoffrey Rush (Tomar-Re)

Academy Award winner (Shine) Geoffrey Rush popped up in Green Lantern as Tomar-Re, the bird-like member of the Green Lantern Corps who provided Hal Jordan with guidance throughout his early days of being an intergalactic hero.

A veteran of film, TV, and the theater, Rush has spent the past few years appearing in movies like Final Portrait, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Storm Boy, shows like Genius, and stage productions of King Lear. The two-time Golden Globe winner (Shine, The King’s Speech) is next set to appear in the Groucho Marx biopic Raised Eyebrows, which will see the actor take on the role of the famous entertainer, according to Variety.

Michael Clarke Duncan (Kilowog)

Michael Clarke Duncan appeared in Green Lantern as Kilowog, the massive drill sergeant for the Green Lantern Corps who whipped Hal Jordan into shape when the human first joined the group’s ranks.

Sadly, the Academy Award-nominated actor (The Green Mile) passed away at the age of 54 on September 3, 2012, just a little more than a year after Green Lantern opened in theaters. Duncan’s final film credits include In the Hive, A Resurrection, From the Rough, and The Challenger, all of which were released following his death. His posthumous TV credits include Ultimate Spider-Man and Fish Hooks.

Taika Waititi (Thomas Kalmaku)

Before he was making superhero movies of his own like the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waiti showed up in Green Lantern as Thomas Kalmaku, a Ferris Aircraft engineer. 

In the past few years, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker has written, directed, and starred in movies like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, while also appearing in The Suicide Squad, Free Guy (also with Ryan Reynolds), and several others. Waititi’s upcoming projects, outside of his return to the MCU, include Lightyear and Next Goal Wins, the latter of which he wrote and directed.

Clancy Brown (Parallax)

Providing the voice for the villainous Parallax in Green Lantern was none other than Clancy Brown, whose list of credits (both live-action and voice work) could go toe-to-toe with just about anyone out there.

In the past few years, Brown has appeared in movies like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Promising Young Woman, shows like Billions, The Crown, The Mandalorian, and Dexter: New Blood, and voice roles in programs like Invincible, What If…?, and The Patrick Star Show, voicing Mr. Krabs once again.

Jay O. Sanders (Carl Ferris)

Jay O. Sanders appeared in Green Lantern as Carl Ferris, the founder of Ferris Aircraft.

Recently, Sanders has made appearances in movies like Search for the Super Battery, The Assistant, and the A24 film, When You Finish Saving the World. The longtime actor has also shown up on shows like Blindspot, Sneaky Pete, The Sinner, and Manhunt: Deadly Games in just the past few years.

As you can see, the Green Lantern cast has mostly remained quite busy in the past several years since the movie released, so while it may not have set the box office on fire, it certainly didn't hurt any careers.

With each piece of the continually-expanding mythology that’s been laid in place, the saga of John Wick and his battle against The High Table only grows in its intensity. The mysterious body that rules the criminal underworld in this universe is slowly, but surely being revealed to the audience, with John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum raising those stakes to their highest. From what actor Clancy Brown has said about his role in the upcoming sequel John Wick: Chapter 4, the key to expanding Keanu Reeves’ franchise this time around lies in that very mysterious subject, as well as his role in the overall film.

How John Wick: Chapter 4 Will Expand The Franchise, According To Clancy Brown

As he spoke with Collider in support of his role on Showtime’s Dexter: New Blood, Mr. Brown was happy to speak as much as he could about his under-wraps character. His still-unnamed figure is a little less mysterious thanks to those remarks, but for now, let’s read through what Clancy Brown said about how this installment will expand the John Wick mythology:  

That’s a pretty huge revelation, which arrives on the heels of the potential title for the film being revealed as John Wick: Chapter 4 - Hagakure. While the rules and dealings of the High Table have been central to how this series operates, learning more of the intricacies surrounding it is an intriguing proposition. As Keanu Reeves’ John Wick and his ever-degrading relationship with the High Table is the driver for the overall arc, it sounds like the rules and rulers of this strict hierarchy could be challenged even further. Better still, this plotline seems to tie into who this Shawshank Redemption veteran is playing in the grand scheme of things.

Who Could Clancy Brown Be Playing In John Wick: Chapter 4?

Again, we still really don’t know much about Clancy Brown’s John Wick: Chapter 4 role, and there’s no name for us to attach to the face at this point. On the bright side, reading how “the kind of intricacies of [the High Table] is revealed” in this story, and through his guy as he puts it, Brown’s side in the conflict looks clearly laid out. Presumably, Mr. Brown will be playing a new figure in the High Table power structure; someone akin to Asia Kate Dillon’s role as The Adjudicator in John Wick: Chapter 3.

Cool code name potential aside, this shadowy character is apparently interacting with Bill Skarsgård’s similarly mysterious role quite a bit. Pushing the boat of speculation out a bit further, assumptions can be made that the IT star is one of Keanu Reeves’ new pursuers this time out, with Clancy Brown being his official handler. That’s just a seemingly educated guess on our part, as Skarsgård’s comments about the role being “fun” could mean anything in the John Wick universe. For all we know, these two heavy hitters from the Stephen King cinematic canon could be two members of the Table, butting heads on how to handle Mr. Wick's continued habit of surviving in excommunication. 

The High Table’s realm of mystique is only part of the excitement that will expand Keanu Reeves’ world of mayhem. Let’s not forget The Continental and Ballerina spinoffs are still in play, which is good news in a world that’s seen John Wick: Chapter 4 delayed even further. You’ll have to wait quite a bit to see Clancy Brown and the rest of this new adventure’s cast of characters, as the third sequel has been delayed to a release date of March 24, 2023. 

If you're curious about what will be opening in its former late May slot for this summer, head over to the 2022 release schedule to see what’s on the board. 

Of all the new people on the Dexter: New Blood cast, I think the one I am most pleasantly surprised to see is Clancy Brown as truck stop owner Kurt Caldwell. While watching the limited series continuation of one of the best shows on Showtime, you might be wondering where you may have seen the actor’s face before or even where you might have heard his voice for that matter. Well, we shall begin our list of recommendations for Clancy Brown movies and TV shows to watch on streaming with, perhaps, the most iconic answer to the latter question.

SpongeBob Squarepants (Paramount+, Amazon Prime)

The adventures of a young, slightly naive, square, yellow sponge (fellow legendary voice actor Tom Kenny) and his friends in the undersea city of Bikini Bottom.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Out of his many roles as one of the most prolific voice actors of his time, one of Clancy Brown’s more famous and lasting characters is Eugene Krabs on Nickelodeon’s long-running animated series SpongeBob Squarepants - the extremely cheap owner and proprietor of The Krusty Krab burger joint and employer of the title character.

Stream SpongeBob Squarepants on Paramount+.
Stream SpongeBob Squarepants on Amazon Prime.

Buy SpongeBob Squarepants on Amazon.

Superman: The Animated Series (HBO Max)

The adventures of an extremely powerful extraterrestrial (voiced by Tim Daly) raised on Earth by human parents, who juggles his life as a journalist with using his abilities to protect the city of Metropolis.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Another one of Clancy Brown’s best known roles as a voice actor is supervillain Lex Luthor, whom he has played in many DC animated movies and TV shows - the first being the Emmy-winning Superman: The Animated Series from 1996 to 2000.

Stream Superman: The Animated Series on HBO Max.
Buy Superman: The Animated Series on Amazon.

Thor: Ragnarok (Disney+)

The God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) must enlist the help of his old “friend from work” (Mark Ruffalo), his scheming brother (Tom Hiddleston), and a fellow Asgardian (Tessa Thompson) to escape from a barbaric planet and save Asgard from his estranged sister (Cate Blanchett).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Clancy Brown is also a member of the MCU since lending his voice to Thor: Ragnarok as Surtur - a powerful Fire Demon the actor reprised on Disney+ What If…? whom I would also love to see reappear in any upcoming Marvel movies in the future.

Stream Thor: Ragnarok on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Thor: Ragnarok on Amazon.

Highlander (Amazon Prime, Tubi, Peacock)

A Scottish man with the gift of eternal life (Christopher Lambert), trained to wield the sword by his mentor (Sean Connery) centuries earlier, must face off against a brutal, fellow immortal (Clancy Brown) in modern day New York City.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Let’s take a step back in time to one of Clancy Brown’s earliest blockbuster fantasy epics, the first and (arguably) best of the Highlander movies - the thrilling, time-spanning 1986 cult classic in which the actor plays the main antagonist known as The Kurgan.

Stream Highlander on Amazon Prime.
Stream Highlander on Tubi.
Stream Highlander on Peacock.

Rent/Buy Highlander on Amazon.

Flubber (Disney+)

An eccentric inventor (Robin Williams) accidentally creates a revolutionary, rubbery substance that can bounce higher and faster than anything on earth and also appears to have a mind of its own.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Another time that Clancy Brown played a bad guy (but to more comedic effect) was in the Disney comedy Flubber - a fun, inventive 1997 remake of 1961’s The Absent Minded Professor in which the actor plays a henchman to a corrupt businessman who wants to steal the titular, living formula for himself.

Stream Flubber on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Flubber on Amazon.

The Shawshank Redemption (HBO Max)

A banker (Academy Award winner Tim Robbins), convicted of murdering his wife, befriends a veteran inmate (Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman) and becomes a hero of sorts to other prisoners and an enemy to the establishment while serving his time at a dismal Maine penitentiary.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Perhaps the most famous live-action bad guy Clancy Brown has ever played is the sadistic prison guard Captain Hadley in 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption, writer and director Frank Darabont’s inspirational adaptation of Stephen King’s riveting novella.

Stream The Shawshank Redemption on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy The Shawshank Redemption on Amazon.

Promising Young Woman (HBO Max)

A coffee shop waitress approaching her 30s (Carey Mulligan) seeks to avenge a tragic event that left her traumatized years earlier.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: In yet another widely acclaimed Oscar darling, Clancy Brown plays Stanley, the father of our heroine, in Promising Young Woman - writer and director Emerald Fennell’s stunning and thought-provoking revenge story that earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2021.

Stream Promising Young Woman on HBO Max.
Buy Promising Young Woman on Amazon.

The Express (Amazon Rental)

A gifted, Black football player (Rob Brown) endures prejudice and becomes a figure of social change after joining the Syracuse University team as the Civil Rights Movement begins to emerge.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: In yet another inspirational period piece, Clancy Brown plays Syracuse University football team assistant coach Roy Simmons in 2008’s The Express, which recounts the story of Ernie Davis’ rellationship with head coach Ben Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) before he became the first Black athlete to be awarded the Heisman Trophy.

Rent/Buy The Express on Amazon.

Carnivàle (HBO Max)

A drifter taking refuge with a traveling sideshow (Sin City cast member Michael Stahl-David) and a sternly devout minister (Clancy Brown) learn they are blessed (or cursed) with unusual abilities that make them important pawns in a battle against good and evil during the Great Depression.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: While he is certainly well-meaning in his approach, there is an ominousness to Clancy Brown’s character - a preacher named Justin Crowe - on creator Daniel Knauf’s Carnivàle, which made a lasting impression on viewers during its two-season run on HBO.

Stream Carnivàle on HBO Max.
Buy Carnivàle on Amazon.

Starship Troopers (Starz)

In order to officially become citizens of a fascist, futuristic United States, a group of high school students enlist in the military, which forces them into conflict with a race of giant, extra-terrestrial insects. 

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: In another tale of otherworldly conflict (but of a much different breed), Clancy Brown channels his best R. Lee Ermey to play drill sergeant Zim in Starship Troopers - director Paul Verhoeven’s action-packed, satire that was greatly misunderstood when it was first released in 1997.

Stream Starship Troopers on Starz.
Rent/Buy Starship Troopers on Amazon.

John Dies At The End (Tubi)

An aimless college dropout (Chase Williamson) and his more childish slacker friend (Rob Mayes in the title role) unfortunately become humanity’s last hope when they come across a drug that promises the user an inter-dimensional experience, but with grotesquely transformative or fatal results for most.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: In another tale of otherworldly conflict of a similar (but much more bizarre) breed, Clancy Brown dons an Italian accent to play former priest turned world-famous paranormal investigator Dr. Albert Marconi in John Dies at the End - writer and director Don Coscarelli’s surreal, endlessly fascinating adaptation of David Wong’s (real name Jason Pargin) novel that is still grossly underrated since in came out in 2012.

Stream John Dies At The End on Tubi.
Rent/Buy John Dies At The End on Amazon.

The Mortuary Collection (Shudder)

A young woman (Caitlin Custer, neé Fisher) visits a funeral home, at which the eccentric owner (Clancy Brown) recounts the strange and grisly tales behind some of his most infamous clients.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Clancy Brown: Clancy Brown actually has a following as one of the more underrated horror movie actors of his time and one of his more recent and best contributions to the genre is playing the lead of The Mortuary Collection - writer and director Ryan Spindell’s inventive anthology horror movie released exclusively to Shudder in 2020.

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Following his stint on Showtime’s Dexter: New Blood, Clancy Brown will next appear alongside Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4, which is currently set for a theatrical release in May 2022 (see the full 2022 movie release date schedule). The latest (and potentially final) installment of the hit action movie franchise is an exciting new title to add to the actor’s illustrious and impressively versatile resume. However, even now, whenever I see Brown appear in something new, I still cannot help but instinctively refer to him as “Mr. Krabs.”

In 1978, nearly four decades after he was introduced in Action Comics #23, Lex Luthor was brought to life by Gene Hackman in Superman: The Movie, and to this day it remains one of the most popular portrayals of the character. Fast-forward 18 years, The Shawshank Redemption star Clancy Brown was first heard as Lex Luthor in Superman: The Animated Series. However, Brown didn’t draw any inspiration from Hackman’s Luthor performance when crafting his take on the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis, as he’s not the biggest fan of those original Superman movies.

Clancy Brown revealed this to me when I interviewed him on behalf of Superman: The Animated Series’ Blu-ray release from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. When I inquired about if he turned to Hackman’s Lex Luthor during his preparation to voice the supervillain for the Kids’ WB follow-up to Batman: The Animated Series, he responded:

The actor Clancy Brown is referring to is Stanley Jones, with his version of Lex Luthor appearing in more Super Friends episodes than any other comic book villain. Super Friends aired from 1973 to 1986, so there was a period when Luthor could simultaneously be enjoyed in live-action and animation. In Brown’s case, it was Super Friends’ version of the character (who led the Legion of Doom) who had the more substantial impact on him, particularly because he was always bald, whereas Hackman’s Luthor frequently wore a wig. Following his time on Superman: The Movie, Hackman reprised Luthor in 1980’s Superman II and 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, and with 2006’s Superman Returns acting as an homage sequel to the first two Superman movies, Kevin Spacey took over the role.

As far as Clancy Brown goes, he voiced Lex Luthor in 20 episodes of Superman: The Animated Series, as well as recurred on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. Brown has also voiced non-DCAU versions of the character in projects like The Batman (the animated series), Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Lego DC Super-Villains. The actor’s recent credits include Promising Young Woman, Invincible and the soon-to-arrive Dexter: New Blood, and he’s currently shooting John Wick: Chapter 4.

Superman: The Animated Series is now available on Blu-ray, and the show can also be streamed on HBO Max. Those of you looking for live-action Superman content can expect Superman & Lois Season 2 to premiere on The CW sometime in early 2022, and Michael B. Jordan is developing a Val-Zod-focused series for HBO Max.

In the early 2000s, there were two main ways you could catch Lex Luthor on screen. Following his time on Superman: The Animated Series, Clancy Brown reprised his version of  Luthor on Justice League, while in live-action, Michael Rosenbaum played a younger version of the character in Smallville. Rosenbaum also participated in Justice League as the voice of The Flash, but despite the series sharing two Lex Luthor actors, they didn’t share notes about their respective performances of Superman’s arch-nemesis.

To commemorate Superman: The Animated Series’ Blu-ray release, I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Clancy Brown about his time working on that show and his return for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. With Justice League and Smallville having both premiered in 2001, I asked Brown whether he and Michael Rosenbaum ever talked any Lex Luthor shop together, and this was his response:

So because Clancy Brown and Michael Rosenbaum’s respective versions of Lex Luthor were so different from one another, the former didn’t feel the need to compare his Luthor to the latter’s from Smallville. He has a point; while Brown’s Luthor was in full-blown supervillain mode in the DCAU, Rosenbaum’s Luthor started off as a friend to Tom Welling’s Clark Kent in Smallville’s early years, though he would embark down the villainous path in later seasons. Regardless, Brown liked what Rosenbaum did with the Luthor role, and Rosenbaum expressed admiration for Brown’s Luthor when the two spoke last year on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum.

As for “The Great Brain Robbery,” the Justice League Unlimited episode that saw Lex Luthor and Flash been body-swapped, Clancy Brown added later in our conversation that it’s one of his favorite Luthor-related storylines in the DCAU. He specifically highlighted the moment when Luthor-in-Flash’s-body takes off the Scarlet Speedster’s mask in front of a mirror to learn his secret identity, only to say, “I have no idea who this is.” Brown’s last outing as Luthor was in the 2018 video game Lego DC Super-Villains, while Rosenbaum reprised his Luthor in Smallville’s series finale back in 2011. He had been approached to also take part in the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event, but turned it down.

For those of you interested in re-visiting Superman: The Animated Series, or perhaps even want to watch it for the first time, the Blu-ray collection comes out tomorrow, October 26. You can also stream the series on HBO Max.

It’s been a while since we last spent time with Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, but soon the assassin known to the criminal underworld as the Baba Yaga will be back on the big screen. John Wick: Chapter 4 is in the midst of principal photography, and the casting reveals aren’t done just yet. It’s been announced that The Shawshank Redemption actor Clancy Brown will be taking part in the action franchise’s next installment.

It wasn’t that long ago that Clancy Brown and Keanu Reeves both worked on The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, with the former reprising the role of Mr. Krabs and the latter as a tumbleweed spirit name Sage. Now they’ll be sharing screen time for the definitely-not-kid-friendly John Wick: Chapter 4. Here’s what director Chad Stahelski had to say about Brown coming aboard the movie in a statement to Deadline:

Clancy Brown also slyly confirmed his involvement in John Wick: Chapter 4 with the below tweet, which includes the same picture the John Wick social media accounts used back in June to announce the start of shooting.

No details have been provided yet on who Clancy Brown is playing in John Wick: Chapter 4, but anyone who’s familiar with him from playing Byron Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption, The Kurgan in Highlander, Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Universe, Surtur in Thor: Ragnarok or any number of other roles know the man plays a great villain. So it’s easy enough to imagine Brown bring cast as one of the baddies John Wick will cross with when the events of Chapter 4 roll around. On the other hand, maybe Chad Stahelski recruited Brown to play against type and will appear one of John’s allies who aid him during his battle with the High Table.

Either way, this is another top-notch casting for John Wick: Chapter 4, with Clancy Brown joining a lineup of new faces that includes Rina Sawayama, Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins and Mark Zaror. We’ll also reunite with Ian McShane’s Winston and Lance Reddick’s Charon, both of whom have been part of the John Wick film series since the beginning, as well as Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, who joined the fray in John Wick: Chapter 2. Along with Chapter 4, Brown will also appear as Kurt Caldwell in Dexter: New Blood, which premieres on Showtime November 7.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is on track to premiere in theaters on May 27, 2022, and feel free to keep track of other movies coming out next year with our 2022 release schedule. Along with John Wick: Chapter 5 being in development, this universe will expand with with the Ballerina spinoff and Starz’s The Continental limited series, the latter of which will follow Winston in the 1970s. Keep your eyes on CinemaBlend for more updates on all these projects.

Spongebob Squarepants has been around for more than twenty years, with the lighthearted sponge and his band of sea friends bringing smiles and joy onto the faces of kids and adults alike. There have been many specials, a couple of spinoffs planned, and even a broadway musical dedicated to the sponge. But one thing that seems to have happened a good amount lately is movies, including the latest one. 

However, there is more to the cast of The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. While we are sure to hear some familiar faces, there will be plenty of guest cameos and spots that fans will love to see, from Keanu Reeves to Awkwafina. With so many characters, it might be hard to keep up, so this is who you should know about in the upcoming Spongebob Squarepants movie.

Tom Kenny - Spongebob Squarepants and Gary the Snail

Everyone knows the man, the myth, the legend, Tom Kenny. He will be returning to the character of Spongebob Squarepants in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Tom Kenny, who has played Spongebob from the beginning of the series, has also had some prominent voice-acting work, with main roles in Adventure Time, playing the Ice King, and the Narrator/The Mayor in The Powerpuff Girls.

Bill Fagerbakke - Patrick Star

Patrick is the best friend we all want and has been Spongebob’s best friend from the moment the series began – even if he is a bit of a goofball sometimes. Bill Fagerbakke, who has played Patrick since the beginning of the series, will be reprising his role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Bill Fagerbakke has also lent his voice to many TV shows, such as The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Dragon Tales, Kim Possible, and several others in guest roles and additional voices.

Rodger Bumpass - Squidward Tentacles

I feel like we’ve all become a Squidward at some point in our lives, but Rodger Bumpass has been Squidward for a good part of his own. Squidward Tentacles is the longtime neighbor of Spongebob who always seems to somehow get pulled into the yellow sponge’s hijinks – even though he doesn’t want to be. Rodger Bumpass will be reprising his role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Rodger Bumpass himself has been busy in the voice world, with voice parts in big-time films such as Spirited Away and Monsters University, plus more.

Clancy Brown - Mr. Krabs

Now for another long-timer, Mr. Krabs is the greedy crab who owns the Krusty Krab, who is always looking to make a quick buck. Clancy Brown, who has voiced Mr. Krabs since the beginning, will be reprising his role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Clancy Brown has had some prominent roles both in voiceovers and live-action, with parts in Thor: Ragnarok, The Shawshank Redemption, portraying Lex Luthor in the DC Animated Universe, and even stepping into the video game world voicing Hank Anderson in Detroit: Become Human.

Mr. Lawrence – Plankton

There always needs to be an antagonist in every show, and Plankton most certainly fits that bill. Plankton is the foil to Mr. Krabs. Owner of the Chum Bucket, he will do whatever it takes to somehow snatch away that Krabby Patty formula. Mr. Lawrence, who has voiced Plankton since the show’s first season, will be reprising his role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Mr. Lawrence has had several voice roles, including multiple in Camp Lazlo, the voice of Filburt in Rocko’s Modern Life, and also a couple of other characters on Spongebob Squarepants, like Potty the Parrot, Larry the Lobster, and several others.

Jill Talley – Karen

Ah, Karen, the sassy wife that any married couple can relate to. Karen is the computer that Plankton is married to, and while their marriage can sometimes be rocky due to Plankton’s consistent need to grab the formula, she will always be there to support him. Jill Talley, another voice actor who has voiced the role since the first season, will be reprising her role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Jill Talley has also had several voice roles, including a role in Adventure Time as Maja and several parts in Camp Lazlo.

Fun fact: Karen was actually named after the wife of the creator of Spongebob Squarepants, Stephen Hillenburg. Also fun fact, Jill Talley is actually the real-life wife of Tom Kenny! Talk about being a part of the family business.

Carolyn Lawrence - Sandy Cheeks

The squirrel from Texas with a brain about the size of her home, Sandy Cheeks is the smartest critter under the sea. With her mind, there’s no problem she can’t solve. Carolyn Lawrence, who has voiced Sandy since her debut, will be reprising the role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Besides Spongebob Squarepants, she’s had multiple voice roles outside of the show, including playing the main role of Cindy Vortex on The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, and a guest role on The Fairly OddParents.

Mary Jo Catlett - Mrs. Puff

Let’s be honest – all of our parents were Mrs. Puff when we first started to drive, absolutely terrified, but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s a great character. Mrs. Puff, the best pufferfish around and Spongebob’s boating instructor, will be appearing in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, along with her long-time voice actress, Mary Jo Catlett. Besides Spongebob Squarepants, Mary Jo Catlett was once very active in the theater scene, starring in musicals and plays like Hello, Dolly! and Diff’rent Strokes. Stephen Hillenburg himself actually sought out Catlett once he saw her perform on stage specifically for the role of Mrs. Puff, so there’s more to this pufferfish than you know.

Matt Berry - King Poseidon

While we’ve seen some versions of King Poseidon before, we’ve never seen one quite like this. King Poseidon is the ruler of the sea, and half merman to boot. In The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, he will be portrayed by Matt Berry. Berry was actually in another Spongebob Squarepants movie, Sponge Out of Water, but as a different character, Bubbles the Dolphin. Matt Berry has also had roles in The IT Crowd, Disenchantment, What We Do In The Shadows, and more.

Awkwafina - Otto

As one of the many new characters in this film, Otto is a welcome addition to the Spongebob Squarepants family in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Otto is actually Spongebob’s personal boat driver – because, you know, Spongebob can’t drive, even more than twenty years later. If only Mrs. Puff could see how far tech has come. Otto is played by Awkwafina, who is most known for her roles as Ocean’s 8 and Crazy Rich Asians. She will also have a starring role as Sisu in the upcoming Disney movie, Raya and the Last Dragon.

Keanu Reeves – Sage

You know him, you love him, and now, he’s appearing in Spongebob – as a tumbleweed.

Yes, you read that right. The great Keanu Reeves is appearing as Sage in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, a sage piece from a sagebrush who is there to provide aid to Spongebob and his crew on their journey to try and find his pet snail, Gary. While this is most certainly one of the stranger roles Keanu Reeves has done, that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have plenty of other movies as well. Reeves, who has been in hits like The Matrix, John Wick, and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure will only add onto his list of films with this new installment to the Spongebob Squarepants series – albeit a little weird.

Snoop Dogg - The Gambler

The famous rapper and music producer Snoop Dogg will be lending his acting skills in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run by portraying The Gambler, a performer who is putting on a show at a Bikini Bottom club. While Snoop Dogg is definitely known more for some of his music and hits, he has had multiple film and TV roles, such as Pitch Perfect 2 and Dolemite Is My Name. He also has this great cooking show with Martha Stewart, titled Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, so if you want to learn to cook some fire recipes, head on over to the coolest pairing in television cooking history (in my opinion).

Danny Trejo - El Diablo

Moving on with the list of cameos in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Danny Trejo is next up to bat. Danny Trejo is going to be portraying El Diablo, the leader of the Flesh-eating Cowboy Pirate Zombies. While the title of that does seem a bit dark for a children’s movie, I’m sure that somehow it will be made fun and lighthearted for the kids seeing this film. Danny Trejo is more known for his multiple roles in the film and TV industry, including Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and several more – seriously, the man has been all over Hollywood. You will have seen him at some point or the other, which shows how awesome of an actor he truly is.

Tiffany Haddish - Master Of Ceremonies

Make way for a queen of comedy, because Tiffany Haddish is picking up a role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Tiffany Haddish portrays the Master of Ceremonies, otherwise known as Tiffany Haddock, a fish who has a knack for talent. Tiffany Haddish is well-known for her roles in the movies Girl’s Trip and Night School but has had a couple of voice roles as well in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe.

Reggie Watts - Chancellor

While a brief role in The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, the Chancellor, a character who is sure to bring on trouble for everyone’s favorite sea creatures when. The talented comedian and musician most certainly has plenty of work under his belt, but is more well-known for his part in the IFC series Comedy Bang! Bang! and also leads the house band for The Late Late Show with James Corden. But seeing him break out onto the big screen, even if the role is a bit smaller, is always great to see.

With all these stars and alumnus of the show coming back, The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run will surely be full of fun for the whole family to enjoy. Be sure to check it out on Paramount+ when it premieres.

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

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

Carey Mulligan (Cassie Thomas)

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

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

Bo Burnham (Dr. Ryan Cooper)

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

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

Alison Brie (Madison McPhee)

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

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

Jennifer Coolidge (Susan Thomas)

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

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

Clancy Brown (Stanley Thomas)

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

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

Chris Lowell (Al Monroe)

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

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

Max Greenfield (Joe Macklemore III)

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

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

Laverne Cox (Gail)

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

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

Connie Britton (Dean Elizabeth Walker)

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

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

Sam Richardson (Paul)

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

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

Adam Brody (Jerry)

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

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Neil)

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

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

Alfred Molina (Jordan Green)

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

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

Molly Shannon (Mrs. Fisher)

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

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

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

Dexter is headed back to television, and it's the hope of Michael C. Hall (and likely many of the killer drama's former viewers) that the limited TV return will rectify the panned finale that originally capped things off. With that goal in mind, the project is already off to a great start, as news broke that esteemed actor Clancy Brown will join the revival in a way that places him on the opposite end of the spectrum from Dexter Morgan.

A veteran of the MCU through both film and TV, Clancy Brown has joined Dexter to play the character of Kurt Caldwell, a man described as the "unofficial mayor" of the town of Iron Lake. TVLine reports the character can be described as a "true man of the people" who gained his reputation as a big-rig driver – a trait that runs in his family – and as the owner of a local truck stop. Friends of Kurt couldn't have a more loyal and willing ally, but anyone that crosses him or hurts someone he loves would be smart to get the hell out of Dodge. Or Iron Lake, in this case.

Based on the little bit of information that's been revealed, it's hard to say just where Clancy Brown's character falls in relation to Dexter's past villains. It's unclear whether he'll get Dexter's attention because he's an actual criminal/murderer causing harm to others, or if he's a more of a prominent figure who starts to become a little too interested in Dexter's life in seclusion. We've seen Michael C. Hall's bloodthirsty anti-hero have to take action against both of those types of character, so we'll have to wait and see how things play out there.

One thing we do know is that Clancy Brown has had many notable roles as a villain in his career, and he'll definitely be a formidable opponent for Dexter Morgan. Brown is known for portraying Kurgan in the movie Highlander, as well as The Shawshank Redemption's Captain Hadley. He's no stranger to playing the villain roles with subtly, while also being capable of becoming a malicious demon in HBO's Carnivale. He's also quite well known for voicing one of the greatest villains of all time, Lex Luthor, in a number of animated projects. Regardless of how his character Kurt Caldwell is written, I have the utmost confidence that Brown is the right choice for Dexter's limited series.

Clancy Brown's casting feels like another positive indicator that this new Dexter story will rectify the low note the series went out on with its finale. For those who blocked the memory out, Dexter Morgan ended up faking his death in Miami, and the series closed with the reveal that he was rocking a lumberjack beard and living in a remote part of Oregon. That might have sounded like a good plan on paper – within the narrative, not the finale in general – but perhaps Dexter didn't account for the nosiness of those living in a small town whenever strangers randomly shack up in their community. To his credit, Dexter may have been able to keep locals off any scent of his past for quite a few years, as the limited TV series is said to pick up in the present.

The Dexter limited TV series is in development. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on its progress and the latest news in television and movies.

With his Walking Dead universe is currently going strong with three different shows, even with the flagship series destined to end in 2022, Robert Kirkman will soonishly branch out with another high-profile TV series based on his excellent comic book series Invincible. Not only did the adult-animation project reunite Kirkman with former Walking Dead star Steven Yeun as the teen superhero Mark Grayson, but the cast features a host of other TWD vets, as well as Mark Hamill, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh and more. And now we can celebrate The Flash's Ezra Miller joining future Blade lead Mahershala Ali and six other actors for Invincible's first season.

Invincible, which Robert Kirkman crafted with Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, follows Steven Yeun's Mark as he comes to terms with his superhero legacy as the son of Earth's most powerful superhero, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). Of course, as Mark hones his powers and learns more about superhero life, he faces many complications that threaten his familial relationships. Without getting into too many details, let's take a look at all the new actors that have been added to Invincible's cast, which also includes Seth Rogen, Mae Whitman, Walton Goggins, Jason Mantzoukas, Zazie Beetz, Gillian Jacobs, Kevin Michael Richardson, Andrew Rannells, and more.

Mahershala Ali (Titan)

Having already played the villainous Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes for Netflix' and Marvel's Luke Cage, Mahershala Ali is gearing up to become more heroic for the MCU's Blade reboot. (Not to mention he'd also voiced The Prowler for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.) For Invincible, Ali will be portraying the pompous and over-confident mostly-villain Titan, whose claim to fame is the power to encase himself in rock. Don't expect him to be a big bad, though.

Clancy Brown (Damien Darkblood)

Clancy Brown has been winning over genre audiences since first popping up in Buckaroo Banzai and Highlander, and he's been in a slew of superhero TV shows over the years. He appeared in The Flash and both Daredevil and The Punisher for live-action, and has voiced Lex Luthor, Mr. Freeze, Bane, Rhino, Mister Sinister, General Zartok, Red Hulk, and many more characters in a wide variety of animated TV shows and direct-to-video features. For Invincible, Brown will voice the demon detective Damien Darkblood, who comes up from Hell every so often to investigate superhero-related matters.

Nicole Byer (Vanessa & Fiona)

Comedian Nicole Byer is perhaps best known as the host of Netflix's hilarious cooking competition Nailed It, but she's also a podcast queen and has appeared in a ton of different shows and movies in recent years. From Bad Hair to Brooklyn Nine-Nine to A Black Lady Sketch Show to The Unicorn, Byer covers the comedy gamut, and she'll presumably be just as hilarious when she shows up in Invincible as the characters Vanessa and Fiona.

Jeffrey Donovan (Machine Head)

Jeffrey Donovan has headed up various TV series in the past 15 years, from Burn Notice to Fargo to Shut Eye, and has also boosted his filmography with movies such as both Sicario flicks, Lucy in the Sky, and the upcoming Guy Ritchie actioner Wrath of Man. On the comic book front, Donovan voiced Steve Trevor for 2019's animated DC movie Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, but he'll be flipping to the villainous side for Invincible, in which he'll play Machine Head, the super-strong and logic-minded crime boss who rocks a robotic head.

Jonathan Groff (Rick Sheridan)

Only time will tell if Jonathan Groff ends up returning to Netflix for Mindhunter Season 3, but the Hamilton and Glee vet will be lending his celebrated voice to Invincible as a character that sadly probably won't have any singing scenes. (Yes, Groff also voiced Kristoff in all things Frozen.) He'll be voicing Rick Sheridan, a schoolmate of Mark's who was turned into a cyborg. Interestingly, Rick is one of two gay characters within Invincible, so it's a good sign that the producers found a proper actor to fit the bill.

Jon Hamm (Steve)

Jon Hamm is seemingly one of the only actors left in Hollywood that has yet to take on some kind of a major superhero comic book role, although I guess one could count him being the narrator for the Marvel series Legion. On top of being seen in Top Gun: Maverick and Steven Soderbergh's HBO Max crime drama No Sudden Move, Hamm will be playing "Steve" in Invincible. No further details were given, but it's possible this Steve is Steven Erickson, a villain within the Global Defense Angecy, though that's not confirmed.

Djimon Hounsou (Martian Emperor)

When it comes to comic book projects, Djimon Hounsou is definitely no slouch. He's portrayed Korath the Pursuer in Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, and the upcoming Disney+ animated series What If...?, and also appeared in the DC films Aquaman and Shazam! When he pops up in Invincible, Hounsou will be voicing the role of Martian Emperor, though it's not quite clear just yet if that is the Martian Man of the comic book, who was a member of the Guardians of the Globe, which would be a fun soundalike connection to his MCU role.

Ezra Miller (D.A. Sinclair)

Fans have been waiting ages to see Ezra Miller capitalize on his DC role as Barry Allen for The Flash, especially after he popped up in the Arrowverse's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" crossover. He'll be seen soon enough for the Justice League Snyder Cut release on HBO Max, and he'll play a different kind of protagonist for Invincible, where he'll voice the hermitic Upstate University scientist D.A. Sinclair, who created a group of robotic zombies called the Reainimen. And yes, maybe he had something to do with Rick Sinclair's roboticized transition.

The eight-episode first season of Invincible will debut on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, head to our Fall 2020 TV premiere schedule and our Winter and Spring 2021 TV rundown to see what new and returning shows are on the way in the near future.

Guillermo del Toro's Trollhunters returned to Netflix with a brand new batch of episodes on December 15, and it raised the stakes for JIm and Co. as they were forced to face off against bigger and badder villains than ever before. Although little has been confirmed so far about what will happen in Season 3, Season 2 ended on a pretty killer cliffhanger. Legendary voice actor Clancy Brown was on board Trollhunters as the evil troll Gunmar who finally emerged from the Darklands, and he spoke with CinemaBlend about a big way the show could go in a Star Wars-esque direction in the third season:

Over the past 40+ years, the Star Wars saga has grown to include movies, TV shows, books, comics, and video games. Given that the saga is set in a galaxy far, far away and features all kinds of aliens, it has definitely delved into some weirdness. In fact, the Expanded Universe that was part of the Star Wars canon prior to Disney wiping the slate was practically overflowing with weirdness and epic villains. If Trollhunters was able to elevate Gunmar's level of evil to be on par with the Star Wars emperor or other bad guys of the Star Wars universe, Gunmar could perhaps become even scarier in Season 3 than he was in Season 2. All things considered, Clancy Brown's idea for taking Gunmar to a whole different level sounds pretty great for the future of the series.

Interestingly, the third season of Trollhunters will also be the final season, which will make Trollhunters feel like something of a trilogy. The first two Star Wars film trilogies featured the big bad in a more prominent and overtly evil way in the third installment; perhaps Season 3 of Trollhunters really could be Gunmar's time to shine as a truly bad guy a la the Emperor.

Clancy Brown is certainly qualified to say what Star Wars-esque elements could work on other TV projects. Brown was the voice of the brutal and tragic Savage Oppress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as well as the much friendlier Ryder Azadi in Star Wars Rebels (which is currently airing its fourth and final season). He also revealed that he's been a fan of Star Wars from the very beginning of the franchise. Brown went on in our chat to explain how The Clone Wars and Rebels getting darker as time passed could be good way to go for Trollhunters, saying this:

While Trollhunters is coming to an end after Season 3, the story of Arcadia won't be over. Two other shows will be set in the same universe as part of a trilogy of series called The Tales of Arcadia. Clancy Brown said that he'd be on board to lend his voice to the other two shows, whether as Gunmar or another funnier character. We'll have to wait and see what's in store.

You can catch the first two seasons of Trollhunters streaming on Netflix. Executive producer Marc Guggenheim told us of a way Trollhunters already connects to Star Wars as well as how Mark Hamill's involvement in the series changed over time. You can find your upcoming streaming options on our 2018 Netflix premiere guide, and more TV debuts can be found on our 2018 midseason premiere schedule.

When Peter Jackson brought The Lord of the Rings to life on screen, he didn’t just create a blockbuster film franchise. He also added some legitimacy to fantasy movies and opened the door to a world of potential for the genre. For that reason, Lord of the Rings will likely always be the point of comparison for any future fantasy epics. So, how does Warcraft compare to Peter Jackson’s trilogy? Pretty damn well according to one of the films orcs, Clancy Brown.

In Warcraft, Clancy Brown will play the role of Blackhand the war chief of the horde. When describing who his character was to IGN he, of course, used Lord of the Rings as his touchstone. However, he made sure to point out the way that his character was far superior to any of those orcs. Said the actor,

The orc gauntlet has been thrown. We might consider arguing, but as a general rule, when The Kurgan says something, we find it’s easier to simply agree. We can pretty easily agree that the orcs from Warcraft appear to be smarter, if only because they seem to be a bit more rational. In the trailers we can see that while some orcs may be something close to bloodthirsty monsters, as they were in Lord of the Rings, others are looking for peaceful solutions to their problems because that’s better for the group as a whole. That qualifies as smarter in our book.

Beyond that, however, things get a bit more subjective. Better looking? If he means more handsome, then yeah, that’s probably true. But, if he means better designed as characters that’s probably going to be a matter of opinion. Warcraft orcs are not the hideous beasts that we saw in the Tolkien films, but then again, they’re not supposed to be. The look of each has been crafted in large part due to their function. As far as being tougher goes, we’ll have to see the finished film in order to properly judge that.

The ace in the hole that Warcraft may have that makes their orcs better, is Clancy Brown himself. The former Highlander star brings a certain level of menace to every role he plays, and we don’t expect that a CGI orc is going to prevent him from doing that here as well. Of course, all this begs the question, how was Clancy Brown never cast in any of Peter Jackson's Tolkien movies? This seems like a travesty we only now discovered.

Hollywood has a huge year coming in 2016, with titles like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: Civil War, a new Star Wars movie, and much more hitting theaters – but before all those big blockbusters hit, we will have Duncan Jones’ Warcraft. After years of development, the epic video game adaptation has been scheduled for release on March 11, 2016 – which surely has gamers around the world glowing with glee. And while there’s still a great deal of time to wait before the film hits theaters, this weekend we learned a ton of new details about the movie that should get fans very excited.

The annual Blizzcon was held down in Anaheim, California these past few days, and during a presentation about the upcoming Warcraft movie (via SlashFilm), it was revealed who the fantastic actors in the movie’s cast will be playing. We’ve broken it all down for you below, so read on!

Dominic Cooper is King Llane Wrynn

Dominic Cooper is a pretty classy, awesome dude playing the young Howard Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Warcraft will be bumping him up to royalty. Playing the leader of the city of Stormwind, Cooper will be playing the brave King Llane Wrynn – who also wears some pretty kick ass armor and carries a big sword.

Travis Fimmel as Anduin Lothar

As one of the stars of Vikings, Travis Fimmel is definitely no stranger to wielding huge weapons and getting muddy and bloody on a battlefield – which should allow him to fit into Warcraft quite easily. As Anduin Lothar, he is the central protagonist on the Alliance side and a brave warrior who has made incredible sacrifices for the good of the people of Azeroth.

Ben Foster is Medivh "The Guardian"

While Ben Foster is best known for his independent and character work, he does have a history of blockbuster roles – the most notable being X-Men: The Last Stand - and he will be returning to that world in Duncan Jones’ Warcraft. As Medivh, a.k.a. The Last Guardian, he is a part of an ancient line that has long been fighting off the forces of the Burning Legion, and possesses great power as a wizard/sorcerer.

Robert Kazinsky is Orgrim

To introduce us to the Orc side of things we have Robert Kazinsky as Orgrim, a warrior who is destined to wield a great weapon known as the Doomhammer, Kazinsky is perhaps best known for his TV work, last year starring in a handful of episodes of True Blood, but those of you who are fans of Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim will remember him as Chuck Hansen, one of the two Australian Jaeger pilots.

Toby Kebbell is Durotan

Toby Kebbell displayed incredible skill working with performance capture this past summer playing the villainous Koba in Matt Reeves’ Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and he is once again wearing grey pajamas and ping pong balls in Duncan Jones’ Warcraft. But he’s not just playing any old Orc in the movie – he’s playing Durotan, the Chieftain and leader of the Frostwolf Clan. Orgrim serves by his side as his right-hand man.

Paula Patton is Garona

The beautiful Paula Patton will also be going the performance-capture route in Warcraft playing Garona, a half Orc warrior who is emotionally pulled between two different opposing sides, and must determine where her loyalties lie. The actress has her fair share of ass kicking experience having starred alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol - and one can imagine those skills came in rather useful for this new film.

Clancy Brown is Blackhand "The Destroyer "

A character nicknamed The Destroyer is going to need to look and sound like he has zero issue ever ripping his opponents apart, and Duncan Jones has made a great choice bringing Clancy Brown into the fold. Blackhand is one of the greatest warriors on the orc side, and we can probably expect that he will be one of the most intimidating characters in Warcraft. Brown not only brings a good deal of height to the part – standing a few inches over six feet – but also a booming, deep voice that should make both enemies and movie-goers pee themselves a little.

Ruth Negga is Lady Taria

Like Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga is another actor making their way from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the world of Warcraft - but while Howard Stark and Raina from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have never been on screen together, the two stars will be married in the new movie. In Duncan Jones’ blockbuster, Negga will be playing Lady Taria, the Queen of Stormwind and King Llane Wrynn’s most trusted ally.

Daniel Wu is Gul’dan

Characters like Durotan and Ogrim certainly sit in positions of power within orc society, but none are above Gul’dan, the supreme leader of the orcs. He was the first orcish warlock, and has become consumed with a dark magic that even he cannot fully control. Bringing the character to life will be Daniel Wu, whose recent credits include the sci-fi indie Europa Report and RZA’s The Man with the Iron Fists.

Ben Schnetzer is Khadgar

Of the Warcraft cast members mentioned here, Ben Schnetzer has perhaps the shortest resume – but he is coming off of a performance in the critically-beloved historical drama Pride. In Duncan Jones’ movie, he will play the young Khadgar, a magic-wielding mage who has been described as being on a "daring quest for truth.

With his debut feature Moon< director Duncan Jones really only had Sam Rockwell to worry about as far as actors went. He moved onto about four or five major players for 2011’s Source Code, and will undoubtedly be dealing with a lot more for his next film, Warcraft, the potentially epic adaptation of the insanely popular game franchise. The film’s cast has grown by two today, as Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu (The Man With the Iron Fists) and veteran supporting actor Clancy Brown (The Green Mile) have both signed onto the Universal and Legendary Pictures production.

The two actors join the previously announced Ben Foster (Kill Your Darlings), Travis Fimmel (Vikings), Robert Kazinsky (True Blood), Toby Kebbell (Wrath of the Titans) and Paula Patton (2 Guns). While there is unquestionably a high level of talent present within this group, it’s not exactly your typical tentpole cast and doesn’t seem to have quite the star power that draw in neutral audiences who aren’t interested in the source material.

It doesn’t help that we don’t really know what this movie is even going to be about. We know that there are going to be a lot of magic and spells, plus a healthy dose of Orcs to keep things ugly and interesting. Otherwise, all we have to go on are rumors that involve a hero and his mentor trying to save a city from a rash of crimes. There are also a King and his lady and others involved, but speculation about how all of these characters might fit together isn’t worth very much at this point.

Wu, a popular leading man in China for many years, recently starred in Stephen Fung’s dual action adventures Tai Chi Hero and Tai Chi Zero. He recently made himself familiar with sci-fi audiences in Sebastián Cordero’s indie docu-thriller Europa Report. I think it’s safe to say his career will see a lot more English roles if Warcraft manages to reach expectations.

Brown, who has made quite a lucrative career for himself doing voicework for animated series, most recently starred in Don Coscarelli’s bizzaro adaptation of the David Wong novel John Dies at the End, the guitarist Slash-produced horror Nothing Left to Fear, and the southern drama Homefront. He’s completely out of this world in the highly blasphemous horror comedy Hellbenders, as you can see in the clip below.

According to THR, Warcraft is set to go into production in Vancouver starting in January, with a release date set for March 11, 2016. Do you guys think there are enough stars in this movie to make it a box office success?

Horror-fan turned movie producer Slash (of Guns 'N Roses fame) has begun casting his first feature film, the horror-thriller Nothing to Fear. Inspired by the town of Stull, Kansas, which is said to be the home of a gateway to hell, the movie centers on a family whose hopes of a simpler suburban life are derailed when they cross the path of a charismatic but disturbed man of the cloth. While Oscar-nominee Thomas Haden Church was in talks to play the part of this perturbed preacher last fall, THR reports consummate character actor Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption) has just signed on to portray this reprobate reverend, who will face off against Ethan Peck's (In Time) "townsperson with a past." Anne Heche (Rampart), James Tupper (Playing the Field) and Willa Holland (Legion) have also joined the cast, presumably as the sure-to-be-tortured family.

While I had hoped Church would stay onboard--simply because he should be in more movies--I have to admit Brown seems an inspired choice for the role of this malevolent man of God. He's shown a stunning screen presence in his past works, and a chilling ability to play merciless authority figures. Slash's producing partner Rob Eric has said as much, admitting the love that he, Slash and their Slasher Films' co-founder Michael Williams share for Highlander, which he calls "one of the movies we remember as kids that make us do what we do now," urged them to approach the multi-talented performer whose most prolific gig of late has been as the voice of Mr. Krabs on the off-the-wall Nickelodeon cartoon Spongebob SquarePants.

Easily encapsulating why Brown is a great fit for the role, Eric gushed:

When asked how he feels relative unknown Peck will stack up against his onscreen adversary, Eric was confident their chemistry will prove explosive, saying, “It’s a very hard thing to go up against an actor who is so strong and embodies his role as Clancy does but Ethan is that man. Ethan will have really intense scenes with him.”

Nothing to Fear is currently in pre-production, no shooting schedule has yet been announced.

We've been waiting years for Eric Powell's The Goon to finally get made into a feature film. Back in the summer of 2008, David Fincher optioned the rights to Powell's series to turn it into an animated film and at Comic Con 2010 we even got to see some test footage that they made featuring the voices of Paul Giamatti and Clancy Brown (as Franky and The Goon, respectively). Since then we've heard updates here and there, like in January of last year when Fincher said, "Animation that isn’t singing furry animals is hard." Now the latest news arrived and unfortunately it's not positive.

Giamatti is currently down in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival promoting his new film John Dies At The End, and IFC had the chance to speak with him and get the latest on what's happening with The Goon. Sadly, it sounds like nobody has stepped up to finance the project. "I have no idea what the hell happened,” Giamatti said. "I asked and no one knows. I guess they just ran out of money." The movie was to be produced by Fincher with Powell writing the script and the animation being done by Blur Studios. In the on-going comic, Goon and Franky inhabit a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies (aka slackjaws), robotos (aka Brunos), Ogres (aka Bog Lurks) and cannibals.

This obviously doesn't spell good things for the project, but the best we can hope for is that Giamatti just doesn't have all of the info. The Goon has yet to get financing, but it's entirely possible that the dream is being kept alive and the folks behind it are still trying to find a money source. At this point we just have to pray that somebody out there is still trying to get the movie made.

This past summer Paul Giamatti and Clancy Brown lent their voices to test footage of an adaptation of Eric Powell’s comic book series The Goon. Though the clip was fantastic (nothing like playing a couple of games with a tied up zombie in a bar), the project still hasn't found a studio to finance it. While we may have to wait awhile to see that project come to fruition, that's not stopping Brown and Giamatti from working together.

AICN has learned that Don Coscarelli, director of Bubba Ho-Tep and the Phantasm series, has begun production on an adaptation of John Dies At The End, based on the book by Cracked.com’s David Wong, and has already cast Giamatti and Brown in the film. The book is about two twenty-year-olds who gain ESP after using a drug called Soy Sauce. Giamatti plays a reporter that the lead character is recounting his story to while Brown plays an expert in the world of the supernatural. Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes play the two lead roles.

Though I haven't had the chance to read the book myself, I've heard nothing but great things about it and with Coscarelli, Giamatti and Brown involved, it should be a pretty awesome movie experience as well. AICN also provided the first still from the film, which you can scope out below. It's a pretty badass helmet.

Given how things turned out for his character in There Will Be Blood, you'd think Paul Dano would be steering clear of the Old West for the time being. But it seems a residual fear of Daniel Plainview and bowling pins can be overcome by an offer to fight aliens alongside Daniel Craig. Deadline Hollywood reports that Dano has joined the cast of Cowboys & Aliens, to play another one of those titular men on horses who must battle an alien invasion in the western desert.

Keith Carradine has also signed on to play the town's sheriff, and Clancy Brown, who miraculously survived the new Nightmare on Elm Street reboot, will play another cowboy dodging laser beams. Jon Favreau starts directing the film this summer, and despite the small disappointments of Iron Man 2, you'd be crazy not to be looking forward to this guaranteed blockbuster of the future.