SPOILER ALERT! This contains big spoilers for both Send Help and Hallmark’s Lost in Paradise.

Rachel McAdams has made a name for herself over the past couple of decades for projects like The Notebook and Spotlight, while Lacey Chabert has become the queen of Hallmark. However, these actresses may always be known best for starring in Mean Girls — one of the best movies of the 2000s. A strange thing happened recently, when they both released 2026 movies within weeks of each other, and we need to talk about how McAdams’ Send Help has the same plot as Chabert’s latest Hallmark offering, Lost in Paradise.

Send Help won the weekend box office when it premiered, as critics hailed Sam Raimi’s return to the horror genre (CinemaBlend’s review gave it 4 out of 5 stars). It’s been called a throwback to the Evil Dead era and the perfect companion movie to Rachel McAdams’ Red Eye, so how in the world could this gory, unhinged, homicidal survival horror have anything in common with one of Hallmark’s predictably quaint romances? I’m glad you asked.

Let’s Start With The Plots Of Send Help And Lost In Paradise

It’s wild that the actresses who played two of the Plastics in Mean Girls — Rachel McAdams’ iconic villain Regina George and Lacey Chabert’s Gretchen Wieners — would be starring in such wildly different movies that from their synopses sound like they could be the same film. In fact, when I started writing a different article about Send Help, I immediately got déjà vu from something I’d seen on the Hallmark movie schedule.

Just like Lost in Paradise, Send Help was described as two people getting stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash, with tension building as they work together to survive. After seeing both of the movies, I can confirm that of course the movies are wildly different in tone. One has way more blood, vomit and eye-gouging, while the other inexplicably throws in a shark and possible pirates. And that tension building between the two sets of castaways? Very different kinds. However …

Send Help Had Way More Similarities To Lacey Chabert’s Hallmark Movie Than I Was Ready For

I was surprised to find that there were some pretty notable similarities between the two movies. For instance:

• Both movies saw their characters traveling overseas for work when a storm caused their plane to go down. While Send Help’s Laura Liddle and Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) had a pretty hostile employee-employer relationship, Lost in Paradise’s main couple, Sophia and Max (Ian Harding), were strangers.
• In both movies, the guys insist their best first move is to make a “HELP” sign out of branches on the beach, though only in Send Help does Bradley misspell his “HEPL.” Also, Bradley and Max both neglect to protect themselves from the sun and get burned, while Laura and Sophia do not (the Plastics would never).
• Both Laura and Max are Survivor super fans, with Rachel McAdams’ character having auditioned for the show and prepared extensively to survive in the conditions she finds herself in. However, despite claiming to have seen every episode, Lost in Paradise's male lead doesn’t contribute nearly as much to his and Sophia’s predicament.
• Laura and Sophia also both weave super-fetch hats out of plant fronds, and they each also fashion weapons that they use for spearfishing.

• Both Lost in Paradise and Send Help have a scene in which the man cooks a romantic dinner for his fellow island-dweller, with Laura and Sophia each trying to fancy up their look by sporting a tropical flower behind their ear. This works out better for Lacey Chabert’s character, as Max is a celebrated chef. Bradley, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to poison Laura and try to escape on his makeshift raft. Oh, that’s another similarity — both flicks include makeshift rafts that don’t work as well as intended.
• Sophia and Laura also end up letting their guard down, opening up to Max and Bradley, respectively, about why their previous relationships failed.
• Both women also have pets whose fates I questioned at one point or another in the movie. For Laura, it was a bird, who we see her reunited with at the end, while Sophia’s dog Gianni goes missing for longer than I was comfortable with during Lost in Paradise.
• This is a pretty big spoiler, so I’ll keep it semi-vague (and feel free to skip ahead), but in both movies the stranded couple ended up being a lot closer to civilization than they realized.
• Finally, both movies have a flash-forward sequence at the end that shows our leading ladies living their best lives after going through quite a transformation during their time as castaways.

Send Help Felt Like It Could Easily Have Slipped Into Rom-Com Territory

While Send Help was definitively a violent horror film that saw Bradley being personally victimized by Laura, there were several scenes where I thought they might just bond over their shared experience enough for romance to bloom. Critics validated my response in their reviews, with Eric Eisenberg writing for CinemaBlend that “the premise could easily veer into romantic comedy/drama territory.”

Mashable noted that “some scenes hint at an enemies-to-lovers arc, where, forced to survive together, Linda and Bradley find the good in each other, despite their differences,” while IGN’s critic wrote that, “From moment to moment, it’s never clear whether these two are going to kill or kiss each other.”

Hallmark Movies Sometimes Feel Like They Could Easily Veer Into Horror

The reverse is also true, and while I never really felt like Lacey Chabert’s character was in danger with Max, this wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found parallels between horror plots and Hallmark movies. In fact, Hallmark’s 2022 flick Love in the Villa started out surprisingly similar to that year’s horror hit Barbarian.

It’s one of those things you can’t overthink if you like Hallmark movies, because it can be really distracting to realize how easily some of those sweet romances could take a dark turn. During one recent Hallmark binge, my teenager was actually shouting horror movie-style at the woman on TV to, “Share your location!” as she was swept away by a sexy stranger for an adventure in an unfamiliar foreign land. It’s the Hallmark version of, “Don’t go in there!”

I am quite amused at the fact that Mean Girls queens Rachel McAdams and Lacey Chabert both have movies out now about being stranded with a guy on a deserted island, regardless of how different they actually are — especially because they’re more alike than you might think at first. Send Help is in theaters now, while Lost in Paradise can be streamed on Hallmark+.

The 2026 movie schedule has been blessed with a new film from horror master Sam Raimi, and it’s called Send Help. A survival flick, Raimi’s latest feature centers on two co-workers who try to survive after being stranded on a deserted island. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien play those two characters, and Raimi really put them through the ringer. To that point, McAdams and O’Brien had to be covered in (fake) vomit for the film, but that’s not even the wildest thing CinemaBlend was told about that particular portion of production.

We’re not going to get into the specifics of how and why McAdams and O’Brien’s Send Help characters end up covered in vomit, as that’s something people need to witness in a theater for themselves. Something that should be known is that Raimi adeptly staged everything, and it all goes off without a hitch on screen. While the content is enough to make a person lose their own lunch, what really makes me want to barf is producer Zainab Azizi comparing the fake vomit to candy. As Azizi told CB after being asked about the vomiting:

Does anyone have a bag I can borrow? Seriously – and this is coming from someone who loves candy – I don’t think I’d be able to stomach fake vomit no matter what it tastes like. Now, I’m getting mental pictures of the two stars consuming it on set. My queasy feelings aside, though, Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien are champs for the way in which they pushed through the shoot. Raimi had nothing but praise for his two lead actors while recalling the various “challenges” they overcame amid filming:

Considering how grandiose Sam Raimi’s movies can be, it’s not too wild to hear that the stars of his latest film really had to commit. Vomit wasn’t all they were covered in either, as they were also doused with fake blood. Raimi also told us that while he delights in covering people in blood, though he also admitted he himself is squeamish by nature.

There are plenty of scenes in the critically acclaimed Send Help that are sure to make viewers squeal as well. In CinemaBlend’s own review of the film, Eric Eisenberg lauded the film’s giggle-inducing nastiness. While some have tried to compare the movie to Misery, rest assured that this is something totally different and unique. The only similarity is that fans will likely have the same kind of gasps, which will surely be induced by the aforementioned (candy-like) fake vomit and blood viewers will see on screen.

Send Help is now playing in theaters nationwide, so be sure to head to your local listings to see what it’s playing near you. Also, be sure to read up on upcoming horror movies.

Rachel McAdams has covered a lot of genres in her multi-decade career, but not since 2005’s Red Eye have we seen her go full thriller — and it’s possible she’s never tackled anything quite as dark as Send Help, which hits the 2026 movie calendar on January 30. Speaking of waiting decades for something, this upcoming horror movie features Sam Raimi’s first true foray into the genre since 2009, and it’s surprising to see just how funny critics find the gross-out horror.

First reactions to this “nasty little fucker” were generally positive, particularly for the director and his leads, Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. In CinemaBlend’s review of Send Help, Eric Eisenberg praises the actors for bringing the needed charisma to their stranded characters, admitting that the “tense ride” also inspires “plenty of sinister giggles.” Overall, though, our critic is just relieved to have Sam Raimi back in the horror genre. He rates the movie 4 out of 5 stars and says:

Anyone familiar with Sam Raimi’s horror knows he likes to add a side of humor to lots and lots of blood (and other assorted liquids), but even so, Kristy Puchko of Mashable says you're not ready for Rachel McAdams' “darkly, darkly funny” performance. Puchko describes her showing in a theater full of critics “yelping in shock and deranged delight,” writing:

Tom Jorgensen of IGN gives the movie an “Amazing” 9 out of 10, saying that Rachel McAdams’ range shows through, as she handles the humor and heaviness that are crucial to Linda Liddle’s story. This critic also writes of the giddiness induced by Sam Raimi, saying:

Alison Foreman of IndieWire gives it an A-, writing that not only is Send Help the most “purely enjoyable” Sam Raimi film in years, it’s Rachel McAdams’ “best comedy since Mean Girls.” This blend of humor and horror makes the critic imagine “how much fun Raimi would’ve had handing her a chainsaw in the ’80s.” Foreman continues:

Frank Scheck of THR says he can imagine screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift “cackling” as they predicted audiences’ gasps throughout the “darkly comic horror.” Also, the critic says it’s delightful seeing Rachel McAdams “let her freak flag fly.” Scheck continues:

Sam Raimi has a penchant for balancing out his horror with some laughs, and clearly from how many times critics talking about “giggles” and “cackling” and Rachel McAdams’ comically unhinged performance, Send Help is no different. The movie so far has compiled a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, so if you want to see how funny this flick is, hit that theater starting Friday, January 30.

Ever since the original Evil Dead, Sam Raimi has been known as a director who puts his cast through a lot. His horror films are not for the squeamish, as they often contain cartoonish levels of blood and gore. His newest film Send Help, starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, is no exception. Although one of the movie’s more brutal scenes apparently wasn’t so bad. Actually, it was delicious.

Send Help sees Rachel McAdams as the overworked and under-appreciated employee of a jerk boss played by Dylan O’Brien. The pair find themselves washed up on an island after a plane crash. Needless to say, things don’t go so well for either of them. The movie does contain the request Raimi floods of fake blood covering the characters, but Rachel McAdams tells Discussing Film that one scene of her near demise was quite tasty. She explained…

I mean, if one is going to be nearly drowned, then I can think of worse ways to have it happen than in brownie mix. At least it smells good while somebody is forcing your face into liquid muck and trying to kill you.

Dylan O’Brien goes on to add that “all the things were quite tasty,” and while it’s not entirely clear what “things" he’s referring to, one infers that he’s referring to all the things that looked gross on screen were actually tasty. I don’t know what the fake blood tasted like, but I’ll hand it to the cast for making it all look as disgusting as it appears. It’s all the more impressive if it actually tasted good.

Sam Raimi is at his best when he’s balancing horror and camp. Starting with the Evil Dead trilogy, and moving to other films like the underseen Drag Me To Hell, there’s always been an element of humor balanced with the terror. Send Help is just the latest example of this, and it’s always fun when Raimi plays to his strengths.

Having seen Send Help and being just one of the critics who loved it, in full agreement with CinemaBlend's own review, the near drowning is honestly one of the lighter moments in a movie that has a tendency to go completely off the rails with its violence. Still, it does make that particular moment feel quite different when I realize that Rachel McAdams had her face shoved into brownie mix. When I do that at home, my wife says I ruined dessert.

Since his rather quick rise to fame as the teen star of MTV’s Teen Wolf and the Maze Runner movie adaptations, Dylan O’Brien’s career has been anything but predictable. Rather than leaning directly into that popularity to land any and every job thrown his way, the actor has been far more careful and considered with his project choices, leading to his co-starring role in Sam Raimi’s first non-IP film in 17 years, the gnarly, critic-pleasing thriller Send Help.

The upcoming horror movie is said to be a throwback to Raimi’s Evil Dead era, with Dylan O’Brien and co-star Rachel McAdams portraying a boss and employee who are involved in a plane crash and have to find a way to survive on a tropical island. If the character Brendon is anything like O’Brien himself, he wouldn’t be able to request any social media help via Instagram followers, because he doesn’t have any, and that’s apparently been an awkward sticking point regarding past acting opps. As he put it to THR:

O'Brien's comments came. during the tail end of an intense promotional campaign for another critically acclaimed recent film of his, James Sweeney's twisted black comedy Twinless, and he was the first to bring up the fact that he's taken gruff from Hollywood higher-ups over not indulging in Instagram. And while it's one thing for him to get mentally judged for staying off socials, it's another for execs to make decisions for casting and other opportunities based on an actor's IG presence.

The Saturday Night vet continued, saying that it's the kind of thing that can come back to haunt him mentally, because he understands that it's a sticking point that has cost him roles and other possible gigs, even if he doesn't agree with it. In his words:

Sam Raimi doesn't seem like the kind of director who would opt not to work with someone based on their social media standings, which sounds like a plus for Send Help (read our review), given the positive reactions that O'Brien has earned so far for playing what sounds like a highly unlikeable character.

Instagram played a potentially affecting role in the early days of Twinless' release via Sundance's online streaming service, as clips from the actor's steamiest scenes were leaked early. It's not entirely clear how much those leaks played into the comedy's below-the-radar release, but O'Brien thinks there's a likely connection to be made.

Over on our own Instagram page, fans shared lots of comments in support of O'Brien for avoiding all the noise on social media, pointing to other non-IG celebs such as Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Paul Mescal and Maya Hawke.

• That’s actually really sad and fucked up to hear how he definitely feels. He’s been turned down for so many rolls just because he doesn’t have an Instagram. Which I understand how not having an Instagram can be troublesome when doing press tour and stuff. But it can’t be that bad to the point where you don’t even consider the actor anymore. - @alexmarn4
• It seems like studios are relying more on the actors bringing their Instagram following to the theatres. Free marketing for them - @vaultv3
• I have more respect for actors who don’t have a social media presence. - @dirwise
• Why should he have one if he doesn’t want one? This is bananas. Leave him alone. - @lady_jenny_w
• This explains ALOT. Explains why people with high social media following like Sidney Sweeney kept getting every role. It’s not about talent, it’s your followers they want so you can promote the films. I personally think social media ruined acting. Back in the days there was mystery about an actor. If you wanted to get to know them you can pick up a magazine. Now it’s different. Some actors do great on social media and can be somewhat private but idk 🤷🏽‍♀️ I think it ruins art. - @__mynameizno__
• The only thing I know about Dylan O’brien is that he’s an actor and a good one, i kinda like knowing less tbh - @zoranpro_films

To be sure, that post also sparked quite a few comments from readers suggesting that O'Brien get an assistant to handle his social media presence the way other celebs do, while pointing to certain actors who only ever seem to post when they have new projects to advertise. But it's not like anyone has the power to tell the Teen Wolf vet what to do except himself.

So if you ever do come across Dylan O'Brien on Instagram, take comfort in knowing he was almost definitely the one who made the choice to join. And don't forget to watch him showing off his less charismatic side when Send Help joins the lineup of 2026 movie releases on January 30.

One of the things that I respect most about Sam Raimi as a director is the impressive genre variety that can be found in his filmography. He got his start by making one of the most legendary horror titles of all time in 1981’s The Evil Dead, but he has refused to be pigeonholed, and be it a thriller, a western, a baseball drama or superhero blockbuster, “a Raimi movie” cannot be specifically defined (beyond elements of his signature style, of course).

That being said… there is also what could perhaps be described as a more selfish side of me that doesn’t particularly care about him exploring the range of his creative expression and wishes that he just dedicated his entire career to making scary movies. Simply put, he is really goddamn good at it, and he makes them all too rarely. Send Help, his first big screen contribution to the genre since 2009’s Drag Me To Hell, only reinforces this fact, as it properly delivers as a dark, gross delight.

While Rachel McAdams isn’t specifically recalled as one of the more memorable presences in Raimi’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, she is brilliant in a film that takes the basic premise of Lina Wertmüller’s Swept Away, but strips out all of the romance and substitutes it with some Misery vibes. It’s a mean little movie with impish sensibilities that offers dark fantasy in an analysis of gender and class dynamics, and it offers a tense ride with its main characters while inspiring plenty of sinister giggles.

McAdams plays the appropriately named Linda Liddle – a smart, resourceful lonely woman with a nerdy energy that puts off her colleagues at work. Despite her lack of popularity, she has all of her hopes pinned on a big promotion that she hopes will help improve her life, but all of that goes to hell when her boss dies and leaves the company in the hands of his entitled and sexist son Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who proceeds to give the open job to a golfing buddy.

As a consolation prize, Bradley invites her to come along to an important business meeting in Bangkok, and while he plans to fire her at the end of the trip, he never gets the chance because their plane crashes midflight. The two of them end up being the only survivors and stranded on island, he with a badly injured leg, and it’s a circumstance that flips their relationship: while he is desperate and skill-less, Linda is a devoted Survivor fan who knows exactly what to do to survive and he is thusly at her mercy.

Send Help is a different kind of revenge movie built on a great dynamic between its two main characters.

As seen in the aforementioned Swept Away or, to a lesser extent, Ivan Reitman’s Six Days, Seven Nights, the premise could easily veer into romantic comedy/drama territory, with the feuding characters able to see past their mutual distaste and develop feelings for one another, but that kind of fantasy has no real place in the vision of Sam Raimi and screenwriters Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. While it’s a symphony of many different notes, it’s a revenge movie at heart that offers some delicious catharsis that hits strongly as we exist here in the early weeks of 2026.

There is some key needle-threading going down, as it’s not totally satisfied with just being black and white story: there are layers to Bradley that are uncovered that reveal him as a bit more than just an arrogant nepo baby; and Linda is hardly a saint, and the movie makes no efforts to excuse her worst behavior. At the same time, however, it never loses track of who its protagonist and antagonist are, and minus a narrative lull in the second act, it’s consistently satisfying to see our heroine outplay her foe as he refuses to properly grow as a person.

Rachel McAdams is a true joy to watch while Dylan O'Brien effectively makes you hate his guts.

A great deal of credit is owed to both Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien, as a great weight is put on the pair as the only characters for the vast majority of the runtime, but they both offer the ideal charisma that Linda and Bradley require as characters.

Initially, there is a bit of suspension of disbelief required as you are meant to believe that a woman who looks like Rachel McAdams would be the biggest loser at her job (even with the layer of “bird mom” energy that is applied via production stylists) – but it’s nonetheless super fun to see her transform into the best version of herself while she is stranded, and the actor’s pep is perfect as the character fully embraces the wholly new lifestyle that has been thrust upon her.

O’Brien has what might be considered the more thankless job, as one of the key aspects of his turn is being so detestable as to inspire the sadistic side of the audiences’ imaginations, but to his credit, he does it impressively well without ever being cartoonish. The Maze Runner star properly imbues the character with the all-too-familiar energy of a man who believes that the world owes him everything despite contributing nothing, and he nails the blend of anger, fear and panic that evolves from him losing all of his unearned power.

Send Help features the exact silly nastiness that is a staple of Sam Raimi horror movies.

Linda and Bradley go through quite a lot together, and those who know about Sam Raimi’s proclivities as a director know that he likes to be the guy who is personally spraying his actors with blood and all manners of goop in the more intense sequences of his movies. Watching, Send Help, one can tell that he had an absolute ball during production, as the film offers wonderful nastiness aplenty – captured with the unique flare in cinematography and editing that never lets you forget who is at the helm of this picture.

The tone is first set in this department with the spectacular plane crash sequence (an appetizer of cinematic schadenfreude to whet the palate for what’s to come), and it serves course after course of icky at every opportunity with amazing special effects, from Linda hunting a wild boar to a final confrontation that I will only lightly tease in this spoiler-free space.

While recognizing that Sam Raimi is not nearly as prolific now as he was back in the 1990s, it’s a lightly upsetting thing that we had to wait nearly two decades for his newest proper contribution to the horror cinema canon – but now that we have Send Help, we can at least say that it was totally worth the wait. Forty-five years after the premiere of The Evil Dead, the man still has a genius knack for making audiences squirm, and it only further cements his important place in genre filmmaking history.

The number of upcoming horror movies isn’t necessarily the most impressive just yet, but 2026’s movie schedule boasts something that no yearly lineup has in more than a decade: a bona fide Sam Raimi horror movie. The no-frills, high-thrills flick Send Help, which critics have thoughts about, already looked like a return to genre form for the Evil Dead franchise director, and producer Zainab Azizi seemed to back that assumption up quite convincingly.

Azizi spoke with SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend about Raimi’s cinematic follow-up to 2022’s Doctor Strange sequel, which stars Rachel McAdams as Linda, a hard-working company loyalist whose career future is suddenly put in jeopardy when her late boss’ son, played by Dylan O’Brien, takes over the business. The apple fell far from the tree with O’Brien’s Bradley, whose charm can’t overshadow that “he’s entitled, and a bit of a jerk,” per the producer. The “bits of horror” come after a plane crash strands the pair on a tropical island.

To be sure, Zainab Azizi isn’t overselling Send Help as a supernatural gorefest led by Bruce Campbell, but everything he says about the movie could easily also apply to at at least 1981’s The Evil Dead, and possibly also Darkman and A Simple Plan, just to round the bases. As Azizi put it to SFX:

Characters in psychological thrillers don’t usually show up completely covered in blood the way Rachel McAdams looks in the trailer, but we all know how much Raimi has loved to cover Bruce Campbell in blood even through the Ash vs. Evil Dead series. If McAdams is his new go-to in that respect, we all win. Oh yeah, O'Brien too.

Not to put too little attention on the comedy element, which I’m also looking forward to. The way the producer put it, the movie was crafted in the editing room as much as on the set. According to Zainab Azizi:

Nearly everything Sam Raimi makes has a vein of dark humor running through it, and he’s truly a master at blending genres in such a way, even if not all of his efforts are appreciated right when they come out. (Dammit, I already blew my Darkman reference earlier.) His last full-on horror movie was 2009’s Drag Me to Hell, which has aged as well as anything else in his career, and that has plenty of jarring laughs throughout.

Raimi and Campbell crafted one of the greatest horror-comedy characters of all time with Ash Williams, and those films are full of great characters. It’s a topic that Azizi also addressed, saying:

After seeing her Survivor audition video, I’m definitely ready to see Linda Liddle become a survivor heroine, regardless of whether her boss survives the journey. Just look at her go below!

I’m pumped to see Rachel McAdams back in thriller-mode almost as much as I am to see Raimi making another horror-thriller. So you can bet I’ll be in theaters watching when Send Help comes out on January 30, 2026.

Last year was a fantastic year for scary movies, with several from the genre making CinemaBlend’s Best of 2025 list. That’s probably a big reason why there’s some skepticism around 2026’s horror lineup. Many are hoping that Sam Raimi can turn our expectations around with Send Help — his first horror movie since 2009’s Drag Me to Hell. Early screenings are underway for the flick, and moviegoers are sharing their first reactions.

Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien star as colleagues who get stranded on an island after a plane crash and must fight for their survival as tensions between them rise. (I’m not kidding, this is the exact same plot of a Lacey Chabert movie on this month’s Hallmark schedule, but I imagine it’s bloodier with an entirely different form of tension.) Chris Killian of ComicBook.com gives a promising initial reaction on X, writing:

Griffin Schiller of FilmSpeak also says Sam Raimi is trying to test the strength of the audience’s stomachs and thinks this movie will be a hit with fans of Drag Me to Hell. I’m loving this Survivor comparison, too, as Schiller writes:

It wouldn’t be Sam Raimi without some humor, either, and The Koalition’s critic said they laughed all the way through the movie’s 113-minute runtime. They posted:

Rachel McAdams has proven her talents in several different genres, and many people — including Megan McLachlan of The Contending — are excited to see her in another thriller after 2005’s Red Eye. McAdams proves she’s still got it with a “fierce, feral” performance, the critic says, posting:

EpicFilmGuys also gives the Mean Girls actress her flowers, saying this is one of Rachel McAdams’ best performances to date. They continue:

Several others who caught an early screening of the upcoming horror movie are trying to find the right combination of films to accurately describe it, which has spawned questions about Send Help for some. Critic Josh Weiss has an eclectic mix, posting:

It doesn’t get much more complimentary than this, from Ricardo of Hollywood Handle:

Christopher Gallardo says the famed director succeeds in building tension between the leads and amongst the audience, adding in some jumpscares for good measure. The critic writes:

I jumped so hard during a Sam Raimi movie once that my popcorn flew in the air like a cartoon, so I have to admit I’m excited to see what he’s got in store for us with his latest project. We don’t have too long to wait, with Send Help hitting the 2026 movie schedule on Friday, January 30.

Rachel McAdams has landed a lot of iconic roles in her 20+ year career. From starring in some of the best romantic movies of all time like The Notebook and About Time to bringing the iconic Regina George to life in Mean Girls, she’s been an inspiration to moviegoers of all different kinds of genres. However, it’s been a while since we’ve seen her really take a gig in a bonafide thriller, but that’s going to change soon when Send Help hits the 2026 movie schedule.

A short while ago, we learned Rachel McAdams would be teaming up with Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien for a new movie from the mind of Sam Raimi. The two are playing co-workers in the film, so the 13-year age gap isn’t particularly mismatched, and more importantly, it’s going to bring McAdams back into the fold in a thriller capacity after the two become stranded on a desert island.

We’ve already seen a trailer for Send Help, and it’s been beautiful to see her back in the genre.

You may remember, but back in 2005, McAdams starred opposite Cillian Murphy in Red Eye, a fun thriller directed by Wes Craven and featuring a plotline in which McAdams’ character single-handedly takes on a terrorist organization hellbent on taking down the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. The movie is a little kooky, but it’s grounded in the performances Murphy and McAdams brought to the table. (Even if Cillian Murphy disagrees.)

I remember when it came out, I thought at the time it would be the start of an action career for her. That wasn't the case.

Instead, she went on to become known for a slew of romantic films like Midnight in Paris, The Time Traveler’s Wife and The Vow. She did throw a little action in there as Irene Adler in the Sherlock films, but I’m happy to call that more action/adventure than “thriller.” Given the Raimi-ness of it all, this one also looks to have horror components, so there is likely some arguing we can do over genre; however, let’s just call this one a horror-thriller and call it a day.

Check out the trailer below for a better idea of what to expect.

Send Help officially hits theaters on January 26, and I hope like Red Eye it lives on for years in the fanbases memory. Just like last time, she should have a great sparring partner in Dylan O'Brien, and the deserted island setting seems promising to boot.

With a little luck, I hope Send Help expands the roles McAdams is given in the future, too. I look forward to her in more rom-coms, but let’s not forget this is also the woman who once stabbed Cillian Murphy in the neck with a ballpoint pen. Get it, girl.

When Sam Raimi announces he’s made a new horror movie, that’s an event. Through some of his best movies, starting with the ’80s cult classic The Evil Dead, which kickstarted an iconic horror franchise, he basically invented his own subgenre. He gave us demonic goats in Drag Me to Hell and long ago turned camera movement into a character in its own right. Now, after a 16-year break (and no, Doctor Strange 2 doesn’t count), he’s finally back behind the horror wheel with Send Help. I’m almost ready to throw on my bloodiest party hat...almost. One pretty major detail is keeping me from going full celebration mode, however.

What I’m Excited About

The premise is chef’s kiss. The film follows Rachel McAdams (yes, The Notebook icon) and Dylan O’Brien as coworkers—she’s his underling—stranded on a remote island after a corporate retreat goes sideways. Once they crash, office politics turn full Lord of the Flies, and McAdams seizes control. The trailer, which can be seen lower down, teases the Spider-Man director’s signature style while giving Cast Away meets Misery vibes. If the blood-slick pratfalls and chaotic tone are any clue, we’re headed for something gloriously unhinged. And honestly, that’s precisely the Raimi I want.

The cast alone is reason to get excited. I’ve always been a fan of Rachel McAdams, and lately, it feels like she hasn’t had as much to sink her teeth into as she should. (Especially in the MCU, where Multiverse of Madness completely sidelined her.) So it’s great to see her not only back in a central role, but back in horror. It’s been twenty years since Red Eye (which really holds up), and she looks locked back into that smart, scrappy survival mode.

As for Dylan O’Brien—I’m admittedly not super familiar with the full scope of his work, but he looks delightfully insufferable here. I’m curious to see if Raimi plays the dynamic like a seesaw: getting us to flip loyalties between the timid underling and the awful boss as the story unravels.

But then there’s this tiny horror-friendly gremlin whispering in my ear—and yeah, it’s got me a little worried.

Why I’m More Nervous About Send Help Than I'd Like

The iffiest thing about this project, sight unseen, is the writers. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift are the duo behind Freddy vs. Jason, the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot, and (sigh) the 2017 Baywatch reboot. These guys love a big swing, but their work tends to get… noisy, to put it mildly

Their scripts often chase too many tones at once, without, in my opinion, entirely sticking the landing. Freddy vs. Jason is fun but messy all around, and Friday ‘09 has its moments, but it's more sizzle than steak. And Baywatch? It thought it was 21 Jump Street, but it sank far below sea level.

Which is why Send Help definitely needs as much focus and precision as possible everywhere outside of the script. Balancing cruelty and comedy is something Raimi can almost do in his sleep, but not as successfully if the script’s all over the place.

But I’m Still (Cautiously) All In

I definitely have my hesitations about Send Help, but I’m not writing it off. Far from it. Because if there’s one director who can whip tonal chaos into something coherent and wildly entertaining, it’s Sam Raimi. The guy has made some of the best horror movies of all time, leaning into comedy. His editing brain can rework a scene’s entire vibe with a single jolt-cut or an evil POV cam. If the script stumbles, he can literally spin the camera until it makes sense.

The filmmaker knows how to calibrate actors. McAdams looks like she’s having the time of her life here, playing frantic, capable, and maybe a little unhinged. O’Brien’s no slouch either. And a Single-location horror forces discipline. A stranded island is a narrative pressure cooker, with no room for filler. That’s Raimi’s playground, and I, for one, cannot wait until it lands on the 2026 movie schedule.

Check Out The Send Help Trailer

As seen above, the first trailer for Send Help dropped this week, and it looks like both McAdams and O'Brien spent quite a bit of the shoot covered in fake blood. Good times.

Send Help crashes into theaters on January 30th, 2026.

Sabrina Carpenter’s new album Man’s Best Friend has been all the rage from the moment the controversial cover art was released. As fans have been looking closer at the lyrics, they have been talking about how the singer might have referenced one rumored fling with actor Dylan O’Brien. In fact, the chatter went so viral that the topic even got to O’Brien on a talk show.

Fans Have Been Theorizing Sabrina Carpenter Referenced Dylan O’Brien In A Song

In one of songs off Man’s Best Friend called “Go Go Juice,” fans caught that Sabrina Carpenter seemed to find a clever way to reference a number of her famous exes. Check out the lyric in question:

So here’s the thing: Sabrina’s most famous exes are Shawn Mendes (who rhymes with John) and Barry Keoghan, whom she split with in late 2024 (and, who rhymes with Larry). Fans have also clocked that “Gosh” could also rhyme with Josh, as in Joshua Bassett. As for “the one that rhymes with ‘villain’”, fans think it’s about Dylan O’Brien because the pair were once seen together. (You can check out the picture in question on Twitter, and it also should be noted that it’s not a very clear image).

Rhyming "villain" and "Dylan" definitely seem to be safe bet, but it's certainly possible it was about another "Dylan" in her life. Either way, that hasn't stopped O'Brien from being the prime suspect on the internet.

How Dylan O’Brien Responded When Andy Cohen Asked Him

When Dylan O’Brien was a guest on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen (via Popbase) a couple of weeks ago, he was asked about the theory the song is about him during a segment on the show where the Bravo host asks audience questions. O’Brien answered the question at first by claiming he “wasn’t aware” before he was caught up. He responded with these words:

Dylan O’Brien expertly avoided getting too direct with the question by talking about how his place has bad service, and FaceTime audio is usually your best bet if you want to reach him. It’s a pretty funny exchange between O’Brien and Cohen, and fans are living for it in the comments saying he “answered this perfectly” and “played it off ridiculously well,” along with a few fans calling out Cohen for being “so messy.”

O’Brien was promoting his excellent performance in Twinless at the time. We have to wonder if Sabrina Carpenter will talk about any of her famous exes when she hosts Saturday Night Live, which is on the 2025 TV schedule for October 18. No matter, "Go Go Juice" is a fun, playful jam, and we'll be keeping it on repeat.

Call me a movie journalist or whatevs, but this year I’ve been giving myself the goal to try and watch at least one 2025 movie releases each week. And, in this time between the summer and fall, I have to admit, there’s not as much to pick from. I had an afternoon to myself, though, and after a bit of thought I decided to check out Dylan O’Brien’s new movie, Twinless. It has rave reviews, and I was not disappointed. Watching the movie made me think more deeply about its leading man.

Dylan O’Brien Is Amazing In His Latest Movie, Twinless

Twinless is one of those movies that’s best to go into as blind as possible, but I’ll give you the basics. Dylan O’Brien plays a man named Roman who has just lost his identical twin brother, Rocky, due to a car accident, and is trying to navigate his grief. Somehow, he finds a support group especially for people in his exact situation where he meets Dennis. Played by James Sweeney, who also wrote and directed the movie, Dennis and Roman suddenly become inseparable. They do everything from buy groceries together to go on road trips to see hockey games. But, Dennis is hiding a rather shocking secret from Roman.

I won’t tell you what that is, but I know I’m going to be thinking about O’Brien’s powerful performance as Roman for a long time. There’s one scene in particular where he gets drunk with Dennis and they do an exercise where Dennis pretends to be Rocky, and he gets out all the things he wishes he could say to his late brother if he were still alive. As we watch the movie, you see, we learn that while the twins were inseparable when they were younger, as Rocky came to accept his gay identity, the brothers grew apart, and Roman’s slow acceptance of Rocky drove a big gaping wedge in their relationship.

And, It Has Me Thinking About His Broader Career (So Far)

This is one of those sweet indie gems of the year that I’m definitely going to be recommending for years to come, because it’s as funny as it is dark and genuine. I came out of the movies really happy with how I spent my afternoon, and I think part of that has to do with the trust I’ve come to have in O’Brien’s career.

I first saw him in his first role in Teen Wolf, which is honestly just an OK show now that I look back, but the reason I think I kept tuning in for so long was because of how good O’Brien was in his role. Sure, that translated into the Maze Runner movies, but in recent years whenever I’ve taken a chance on an O’Brien project I’ve had a similar feeling, despite his movies often not being the belle of the ball.

I’m thinking of Love And Monsters, Not Okay, the vastly under-talked about LGBTQ+ movie Ponyboi, his impression of Dan Aykroyd in the Saturday Night cast or the time travel twists in Caddo Lake. Then, there’s the fact that Taylor Swift directed him in the All Too Well music video, and he helped bring so much more depth to the song.

Can more people just give him his flowers already? I think it’s time O’Brien starts getting talked about alongside his peers as the incredible talent he is. For one, I’d love to see Twinless in the Oscar conversation, and to see him get even more roles that reflect the incredible actor he has been and continues to become. Anyway, go see Twinless in theaters!

From his role in Perks of Being A Wallflower and Percy Jackson, Logan Lerman has been what we call an “internet boyfriend” for over a decade now, and he continues to claim that title with a new performance in upcoming 2025 movies like Oh, Hi!. But I certainly didn’t expect the actor’s recent reaction to the phenomenon and him dropping the names of other stars for whom he constantly gets mistaken. I guess he's sitting down and staying humble.

Logan Lerman Reacts To His 'Internet Boyfriend' Status

Logan Lerman’s latest movie is a twisted dark comedy called Oh, Hi! where he was handcuffed to a bed for hours upon hours for its clever plotline. While speaking to Bustle about his public persona over the years deeming him a “Tumblr king” in the past, he had this to say:

It sounds like Lerman isn’t necessarily Googling himself and his “internet boyfriend” status on the daily (which sounds really healthy), but he is definitely aware of some of it. All in all, it sounds like the actor is honored to earn the title, because it means he can keep doing what he loves, which is making movies and TV shows. And hey, being an internet boyfriend is definitely a good thing for a performer's career, and the likes of actors like Tom Hardy, Keanu Reeves, Pedro Pascal, Ryan Gosling, Andrew Garfield have him in good company.

He Admits What Actors He's Getting Mistaken For 'All The Time'

During the same interview, Lerman was asked if there’s a group chat for himself and other internet boyfriends who also have brown hair and are around his age, as he mentioned while on The Tonight Show. Lerman said it was a late night joke, but did have this to say about a couple of his colleagues:

Isn’t that funny how that happens? While I wouldn’t necessarily say Lerman and O’Brien are the spitting image of the other, I do get why they are often mixed up. Both of them started playing beloved teens, with O’Brien on the Teen Wolf TV show, and have some comparable front-facing personalities.

I can absolutely see Lerman and Minette (who was in the 13 Reasons Why cast) getting mixed up, because they both have dark hair and ocean blue eyes. Lerman also shared that he and those actors will often run into each other for the same roles, but they are close in a personal capacity too. He continued:

How sweet is that? Comments like that only add to his “internet boyfriend” status, don’t they?

Nearly a decade has passed since Dylan O'Brien last played MTV's Teen Wolf fan-favorite Stiles Stilinski, but the buzz around the 2023 movie (available with a Paramount+ subscription) follow-up to the TV show proved that plenty of people remained invested in the character. While O'Brien didn't appear in Teen Wolf: The Movie, he did recently reveal the Teen Wolf tradition that he has carried on to every project since that sci-fi drama launched his career back in 2011.

Stiles was O'Brien's first major credit, years before leading the Maze Runner franchise (and sustaining a life-changing injury on set) and starring in Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" short film, and he hasn't forgotten his roots. Despite his reasons for not to join the Teen Wolf movie, he opened up to EW about the element of Stiles that he quite literally has brought on every job of his career since. He said:

Well, it's a good thing that Dylan O'Brien hasn't drastically changed sizes since Teen Wolf premiered back in 2011, because I imagine it could be in delicate condition after all these years and his many film and TV credits! He actually didn't wear the blue Beatles shirt for much of the MTV show's pilot, and the sequence running through the woods was pretty dark, but the actor evidently makes sure to carry on the tradition of wearing it to all sets since then. Luckily, he didn't lose it for good in the wind.

Since the show is now available streaming to anybody with a Hulu subscription, new generations can discover the highs and lows of the Teen Wolf journey. When I revisited the first-ever episode to get a look at the shirt, it was almost shocking to see how young all the cast members looked. O'Brien went on to reflect on the series still being discovered by teens so many years later:

Not only did Teen Wolf get that full first season, but it ran for a total of six before wrapping on the milestone 100th episode in 2017. While co-stars Tyler Posey and Crystal Reed already had several credits by the time the show premiered in 2011, such as Maid in Manhattan opposite Jennifer Lopez for Posey and the CSI franchise for Reed, O'Brien was new to the industry. Starting off a career with a hit show is certainly something to be proud of.

In recent years, Dylan O'Brien has spent more time on the big screen than on television shows, including Ponyboi and Saturday Night in 2024 and Twinless in 2025, the last of which is scheduled for a September release in the 2025 movie release schedule. If you do want to relive the heyday of Stiles Stilinski, however, Hulu offers every episode. Another Teen Wolf vet recently showed interest in a second movie, but it remains to be seen if there's a future for the franchise, and whether O'Brien will ever revisit it in ways beyond his t-shirt tradition.

The idea of having roommates has never been more fun thanks to FOX’s comedy series, New Girl. Even though it’s been over and done with for years, it remains one of the most rewatchable TV shows ever. Aside from hitting play on the hilarious sitcom for all the great bits in the loft, it’s also a blast for all the major actors who guest-starred over the years. While there are way too many for this list to hold, we’ve compiled some of the biggest names that appeared on the show.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis guest starred as the mother of Zooey Deschanel’s Jess Day in the Season 2 episode, “Parents.” Curtis was a great pick to match the quirky spirit of the sitcom’s leading character, and she returned to the series five more times after her initial debut on the series in Season 2.

Taylor Swift

When one thinks of Taylor Swift, sure, “actor” isn’t the first title that comes to mind, but over the years the phenomenon of a singer/songwriter has racked up numerous acting credits in projects like The Lorax, Cats and Amsterdam along. Oh, and what about all those epic Taylor Swift music videos? Anyways, Swift made an appearance in the Season 2 finale of New Girl when Cece is getting married to Shivrang. At the altar, the groom calls off the wedding to say that he wants to marry Swift’s character of Elaine instead.

Prince

One of the most memorable moments in New Girl has to be when the cast is invited to go to a party at Prince’s house… and they actually meet Prince. The Season 3 episode came about thanks to the iconic artist expressing interest in appearing in the show as a fan of the comedy. There’s nothing like that scene when Nick and Jess have a freakout when he appears.

Tiffany Haddish

Girls Trip actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish had a small role in the Season 3 episode “Exes” as a date of Damen Wayans Jr’s Coach. She is part of the plotline of Schmidt deciding to get his own apartment and encouraging Winston and Coach to use the place whenever they like for their hookups. In the scene, all three of them have used it at once and it freaks out Haddish’s character of Leslie.

Rob Reiner

All In The Family’s Rob Reiner returned to the sitcom fold as Jess Day’s dad, Bob, in multiple episodes of New Girl. The beloved actor (and director of classics like The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, This Is Spinal Tap and Stand By Me) was in eleven total episodes of the series, appearing in almost every season of the show.

Lisa Bonet

The Cosby Show’s Lisa Bonet guest starred in the Season 4 episode “Teachers” as an education guru named Brenda Brown. Jess and Coach meet the character while attending together. She calls Coach out for his attitude during the presentation that causes him to stop being Jess’s “buffer” while she tries to ignore her feelings for a British teacher she’s crushing on at her school.

Kaitlin Olson

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson (who is back for Season 17 of the comedy) guest starred in New Girl for two episodes in Season 4. She plays Bob Day’s much younger fiancée, who happened to be the high school rival of Jess and Cece back in the day.

Josh Gad

The Book of Mormon and Frozen’s beloved snowman voice actor Josh Gad guest starred in three separate episodes of New Girl (in Season 2, 3 and 4) as a delivery man named Bearclaw who falls head over heels with Jess. He first appears in the episode “Katie” as a blind date gone wrong before also being in “Birthday” and “Walk of Shame.”

Dermot Mulroney

My Best Friend’s Wedding actor Dermot Mulroney is “Fancyman” in New Girl. The actor appeared as a guest star in eight episodes of the show throughout its run after becoming a favorite in Season 1. In the two part episode “Fancyman,” he is introduced as the wealthy father of one of Jess’s students who she strikes up a romance with.

Olivia Rodrigo

Yes, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series actress turned massive pop star Olivia Rodrigo was on New Girl, but it was before reaching mega-stardom. In the Season 6 episode “Young Adult,” Rodrigo plays one of the students in Jess’s school who becomes a huge fan of Nick Miller’s novel The Pepperwood Chronicles. In an effort for her students (including Rodrigo’s character of Terrinea) to like her better, Jess sets up a meeting between a few of the students and Nick.

Megan Fox

In Season 5 of New Girl, Zooey Deschanel was pregnant in real life and since that was not in the cards yet for Jess Day, the decision was made to have her character leave for a while on Jury Duty while Deschanel went on maternity leave. The creators decided to bring in Megan Fox’s Reagan to take Jess’s place and she ended up being part of 15 episodes of the series. Fox is of course also known for being in the Transformers movies, Jennifer’s Body and the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.

Alan Ritchson

Before Alan Ritchson starred in one of the best Amazon Prime shows, Reacher, the actor had a memorable guest spot on New Girl in the episode “Micro”. In the Season 4 episode, Ritchson used his comedic chops as a guy Jess is seeing who she struggles with getting past the fact that Ritchson’s Matt has a micro penis.

Henry Winkler

Happy Days and Barry actor Henry Winkler appeared in New Girl (alongside the incredible Julie Hagerty and Taran Killam) in the Season 5 episode “What About Fred.” In the episode, Jess is dating a guy named Fred (Killam), who she finds very boring, but falls for spending time with his charismatic parents Winkler and Hagerty’s Flip and Nancy.

Parker Posey

Parker Posey, aka the “Queen of the Indies,” especially during the best movies of the 1990s, had a great guest appearance in New Girl during the Season 2 episode “Re-Launch.” Schmidt is having a re-branding party for himself and Posey plays a dishevelled shot girl who was not as advertised.

John Cho

Star Trek’s John Cho appeared on New Girl for the Season 5 episode “Jury Duty.” Jess tries to get out of getting on a case for a chance to be acting principal. She asks her friends to help, but fails miserably in front of Cho’s character, who ends up being the man questioning her for the case after they initially have a flirty meet-cute.

Adam Brody

The OC and Nobody Wants This’s Adam Brody was one of Jess’s ex-boyfriend’s, Berkley, in the Season 3 episode, “Exes.” In the episode, Jess tries to prove to Nick that exes can still be friends by introducing him to Berkley, but she’s proved wrong when she finds out his true intentions.

Quinta Brunson

Before Quinta Brunson was the Emmy-winning creator and star of the hit ABC comedy, Abbott Elementary, she had a brief role in New Girl, in the Season 7 episode “Mario.” When Nick is trying to propose to Jess, she unexpectedly adopts a dog, throwing off his plans. Brunson plays a restaurant host that Nick speaks to on the phone as the plans shift.

Stephen Amell

Arrow star Stephen Amell, who played the Green Arrow for eight seasons on The CW, was on New Girl for a couple of episodes in Season 1. He played Cece’s jerk boyfriend Kyle in “The 23rd” and “Valentine’s Day.” Cece ends things with Kyle in the latter episode after realizing she has feelings for Schmidt.

Jessica Biel

7th Heaven and The Sinner actress Jessica Biel stopped by New Girl for the Season 4 premiere “The Last Wedding.” When the gang goes to yet another wedding, Biel plays a single woman who ends up competing with Jess to earn the affection of its best man (played by Reid Scott).

Justin Long

Justin Long had a memorable guest star arc on the first season of New Girl. He plays Paul Genzlinger, a music teacher co-worker of Jess’s whom she starts dating in time for the show’s first Thanksgiving episode. Paul is often thought of as a male version of Jess. After the couple date for about a month and breakup, Long made a re-appearance in Season 4’s “Walk Of Shame.”

Linda Cardellini

New Girl fans got to meet Jess’s sister, Abby Day, in Season 3 through Linda Cardellini’s three-episode arc. The Dead To Me actress plays Jess’s troublemaker older sibling, who is just about completely opposite to the sitcom’s leading actress. Jess is constantly embarrassed by Abby’s behavior when she comes to stay in the loft after Jess saves her from prison.

Alexandra Daddario

Baywatch and The White Lotus’ Alexandra Daddario played one of the neighbors to the New Girl gang in two episodes of the series. Daddario’s Michelle is deemed as one of the “hot” new neighbors that Schmidt, Winston, Coach scramble to impress after their first meeting left something to be desired. Daddario appears in Season 3’s “Mars Landing” and Season 4’s “Goldmine.”

Andy Samberg

For quite a few years, New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine were both big comedies airing on FOX at the same time. So in Season 6, the networks decided to crossover the comedies with a special New York episode for New Girl. While the friends are in the Big Apple, Jess gets some help from Andy Samberg’s Jake Peralta and the other cast. (The cast of New Girl was also on an episode of B99 called “The Night Shift” that aired the same week in 2016).

Peter Gallagher

The OC’s Peter Gallagher was in multiple episodes of New Girl as Schmidt’s father, Gavin. The vineyard owner first appears in the Season 5 episode “D-Day” when Jess is assisting Schmidt with wedding preparations. Gallagher, who has also been in famous movies like American Beauty and While You Were Sleeping, was a great fit to play Schmidt’s absentee dad.

Randall Park

Before Randall Park became the star of Fresh Off The Boat, Always Be My Maybe and WandaVision, he was briefly in a Season 1 episode of New Girl as an employee at a phone company (with frosted tips), who makes fun of Nick for his crazy low credit score.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne is a famous TV actress for her roles in Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll and Poker Face. Prior to those roles, she had a small role in New Girl’s third episode ever, “Wedding.” She played Gretchen Nelson, an acquaintance of Schmidt, who he ends up sleeping with at every wedding they both attend even though he claims he cannot stand her.

Dylan O'Brien

Teen Wolf star Dylan O’Brien plays the guy Jess Day lost her virginity to on the night of her prom back when she was in high school. In the episode “Virgins” from Season 2, Jess runs into him many years after their first meeting, but what could have been a sexual fantasy turns into an embarrassing moment for the two of them.

Brenda Song

The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody actress Brenda Song was in a few episodes in Season 2 (and one in Season 3) as Daisy, a love interest for Winston. It’s a short-lived romance for Winston, but Song is a guest star in what we consider to be No. 1 of the best New Girl episodes, “Cooler.”

Joey King

Before Joey King was the star of Netflix’s The Kissing Booth movies or the numerous 2024 movies she’s been in like A Family Affair, Uglies and Despicable Me 4, she was a popular child actor who was in Ramona & Beezus with Selena Gomez or the Taylor Swift music video “Mean.” She was also in a Season 1 episode of New Girl called “Bully” as one of Jess’s students.

Carla Gugino

Carla Gugino, known for the Spy Kids movies and being in multiple Mike Flanagan horror projects was in three 2012 episodes of New Girl as Schmidt’s new boss, Emma. In the first episode Gugino stars in “Menzies,” Schmidt gets into a sexual contract with her that doesn’t go as planned.

Nick Kroll

The very funny Nick Kroll is known for starring in The League, along with creating the Kroll Show and Netflix’s Big Mouth. In Season 2’s “Chicago,” where the gang goes to Nick’s hometown for his father’s funeral, Kroll plays one of Nick Miller’s brothers, alongside Bill Burr! You can tell Kroll and Burr had tons of fun with the Chicago accent bringing some levity to a rather emotional New Girl episode.

Fred Armisen

Saturday Night Live favorite (who was behind some of SNL's funniest recurring characters) and Portlandia lead Fred Armisen had a brief role in New Girl for the season five episode “No Girl.” While Jess is at jury duty, the gang rent out her room to random people, and Armisen plays a guy named Brandon. His short time there made a huge impression because of how funny he is with the guys. Remember when he read Schmidt his romance writing or dressed up like Jess at one point?

Dylan O’Brien is returning to the big screen via one of this weekend’s new 2024 movies, Saturday Night. In it, he portrays Dan Aykroyd amid the drama surrounding the first SNL taping. While promoting the movie, the actor recently reflected on a dangerous moment on the set of a film that was completely “life-changing.” Back in 2016, when he was making the last Maze Runner movie, he was rushed to the hospital after facing multiple head injuries while filming a car chase scene. O'Brien specifically discussed the lessons he learned from all of that.

Now that it’s been nearly a decade since the incident, Dylan O’Brien spoke about how the on-set situation has changed the way he works on productions today. Based on his sentiments, it sounds like he's a lot more conscientious in the way that he handles himself:

While shooting his third and final Maze Runner movie in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dylan O’Brien was reportedly struck by a vehicle in a car stunt gone wrong. That ultimately led to the actor suffering multiple head injuries including a concussion, facial fracture and brain trauma. As a result of the situation, the production was forced to halt filming while the leading man spent six months in physical recovery.

The Teen Wolf alum previously said the injury took him to a “dark place” that even had him contemplating quitting acting altogether. Ultimately, he's returned to many sets since then, sharing in 2020 that he finds himself “vetting every piece much more” even though he still loves stunts. O’Brien also said this during his recent interview with Men’s Health:

Dylan O’Brien has learned a lot about how to look after himself on sets but, as he shared as well, he allegedly had noted “concerns” about how the production was approaching the stunts and they were ignored. The actor also shared that he makes it a priority to have his own back and feel comfortable with “asking questions” and “raising concerns.” It helped him realize that filmmaking is a collaborative process while also recognizing that movies can just involve “big dangerous shit sometimes, too.”

There haven't been more Maze Runner movies since Dylan O’Brien filmed The Death Cure, but a reboot is in the works since May at 20th Century Studios, per The Hollywood Reporter. We don’t expect to see O’Brien back in those films after completing his arc in his trilogy, but the actor has definitely kept busy in the years following his accident. And, after what he went through years ago, I'm glad to be able to say he's still around and thriving professionally.

Anyone who's eager to see the Love and Monsters star tear it up as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night . You can catch it in theaters on October 11.

October rolls on, and with it, we get closer to Halloween. That means even more spooky content is coming to all the best streaming services. But don’t worry, if horror isn’t your bag, there’s still a lot more coming this week that will make your various streaming subscriptions worthwhile.

Video game fans with a Netflix subscription will want to be sure to check out what’s new on Netflix, while fans of The Simpsons will be getting something extra special for Halloween if they have a Disney+ subscription. Here’s a look at some of the interesting-looking new content streaming this week.

New TV

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft - October 10 (Netflix)

Lara Croft has become one of the most popular video game protagonists ever, which explains why the character is being adapted for the screen by two different streaming platforms. While a live-action Tomb Raider series is currently in development at Prime Video, this week Netflix debuts an animated series with the iconic heroine voiced by the amazing Hayley Atwell.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, A New Short from The Simpsons - October 11 (Disney+)

The Simpsons and Halloween go hand in hand, and fans will get a bit of extra fun this year. While the newest entry in the Treehouse of Horror series won’t arrive until November, a new animated short for those with a Disney+ subscription, The Most Wonderful Time of Year, will see Sideshow Bob teaming up with Disney Villains. It sounds like a hilarious match which should make for some Halloween fun.

Disclaimer* - October 11 (Apple TV+)

Cate Blanchett may have flopped at the box office recently with the ill-fated Borderlands movie, but she’ll be back to doing what she does best with Disclaimer*. Blanchett plays a well-respected journalist who receives a copy of a new book that reveals a secret in her life she kept hidden for years. The series is written and directed by Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuarón.

New Movies

Caddo Lake - October 10 (Max)

The Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien stars in Caddo Lake a new supernatural thriller that follows a family’s search for a missing eight-year-old girl. The disappearance triggers a family’s past trauma. Based on the look of the trailer, and the fact that the film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, it appears there may be some supernatural forces at work here.

Mr. Crocket - October 11 (Hulu)

There’s something inherently creepy about a lot of children’s television. Maybe why Mr. Crocket looks so wrong. Originally a short film released by Hulu, now your Hulu subscription will give you access to a feature-length version of the story about a children’s TV host who comes out of a haunted VHS tape to steal children.

This week will also bring a new episode of Agatha All Along as well as big finale episodes on Apple TV+ for the newest season of Slow Horses as well Bad Monkey starring Vince Vaughn.

As Dylan O’Brien is getting ready for the world to see his take on Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night, which will be released on the 2024 movie schedule in a few weeks, it’s been revealed that the actor once had “hopes” of joining another iconic (yet totally different) ensemble, the Frozen II cast. However, as he hilariously shared, he realized pretty quickly that he did not have what it takes to play a citizen of Arendelle.

O’Brien did not say who he auditioned for, but my instinct tells me he must have auditioned for a later cut character. That's because, in the 2019 movie, only the original cast sang songs in the soundtrack. Here’s what he had to say about what happened during an appearance on Late Night:

Hey, to even be called into Walt Disney Animation to be considered is a rather big honor, isn’t it?

However, O’Brien went into the audition without feeling strongly about his singing skills, and it backfired on him, as you can imagine. With that in mind, he continued his story with a lightness about the whole thing:

It sounds like it was a rather awkward moment for Dylan O’Brien, but perhaps it was all worth it since it makes such a good story, as he also shared:

As I mentioned, O’Brien told the story while on a segment of Late Night With Seth Meyers promoting his new movie, Saturday Night, You can watch the clip below:

While there’s definitely some vulnerable embarrassment about that story, Dylan O’Brien also said that he only remembers it “fondly.” It sounds like one of those instances of an actor trying something out of their comfort zone and it just not being the right fit for them. Props to him for trying!

Hey, perhaps he has another chance on Frozen 3 or 4 if he’d like to go through the pain again? Walt Disney Animation is currently developing another sequel for the Disney princess franchise that has proved to be one of the House of Mouse’s biggest titles ever. Jennifer Lee is set to write and direct the third movie. And no, we don’t know the Frozen 3 release date yet, but we’ll definitely keep you posted with all updates we hear about the movie.

However, when it comes to Dylan O'Brien, rather than holding out hope that he might become a Disney character, you can see him in Saturday Night when it hits theaters on October 11. While the actor has shared that he “did not do a lot of prep” to portray Dan Aykroyd in it, critics have been loving the comedy and his performance in it, showing that he's a man of many talents. However, it sounds like singing isn't one of them.

Saturday Night Live’s history is long, storied and well-documented, plus many of the comedians who worked on the show – including members of the original 1975 cast – are still working. However, when it came time for Dylan O’Brien to prep his take on Dan Aykroyd for the film about SNL's origins, he did basically nothing. But, that’s actually exactly what director Jason Reitman wanted the cast of Saturday Night to do.

As the highly anticipated film Saturday Night prepares to drop on the 2024 movie schedule around the same time the 50th season of SNL premieres on NBC, the cast and creatives behind the film are chatting about what it was like embodying comedy icons. However, when O’Brien was asked by Variety about how he prepared to play one of SNL’s legendary cast members, he said:

In the same interview, other cast members talked about going against Reitman’s wishes. Rachel Sennott talked to Rosie Shuster, Ella Hunt spoke with one of Gilda Radner’s close friends and collaborators, and Lamorne Morris met Garrett Morris. Meanwhile, while Gabriel LaBelle only met Lorne Michaels very briefly, he did read a ton of books and interviews. Cory Michael Smith – whose Chevy Chase impression is on point – also said he “compulsively” watched the comedian he played to prepare.

However, when it came to O’Brien he didn’t do a lot in the lead up to this shoot. I’m sure it’s possible that he maybe watched some sketches or some of Aykroyd’s classic ‘80s movies. However, on the whole, he simply came in ready to perform, and that’s what Saturday Night’s director wanted, as Jason Reitman explained:

Admittedly, out of all the big SNL stars they could have brought in for this film, Dan Aykroyd seemed like the one who would be at the top of that list. He worked with Jason’s dad Ivan Reitman on Ghostbusters, and then he collaborated with Jason on the reboot of that franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. In an interview with ET at the premiere of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Blues Brothers star also said he speaks with Jason frequently, so that connection is very strong.

However, when it came to chatting about Saturday Night they didn’t talk much about it, as Aykroyd said:

When it came to the Teen Wolf actor's casting, Aykroyd said he was just glad “the young actor got work.”

So, while he didn’t have much say in the film, it does sound like Dan Aykroyd is excited about it, and he understands why Jason Reitman wanted to keep his movie in its own bubble.

And I understand it too. Saturday Night is about the 90 minutes that led up to the premiere of SNL’s first episode. That time isn’t something that was documented on film, and the people who were on the show then are different and a lot older now. So, it was important to Reitman that his cast focused on the task at hand and their own takes on these legends. Clearly, the worked too, because Saturday Night's cast is being praised for their performances left and right.

To see Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night, you can catch the film in theaters starting October 11.

We’re fast approaching Saturday Night Live’s Season 50 premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, and I can’t think of a more appropriate time to take a look back at how it all started. In the upcoming biographical dramedy Saturday Night, Jason Reitman aims to recall the events (both raunchy and chaotic, it seems from the trailer) of the 90 minutes leading up to SNL’s first episode in 1975. The film premiered at Telluride Film Festival on August 31 ahead of its October 11 debut on the 2024 movie calendar, and critics have a lot to say about the actors portraying some of SNL’s most famous stars.

Jason Reitman has assembled an ensemble of his own to portray the OG Saturday Night Live cast and crew members, including Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase and so many more. Pete Hammond of Deadline credits that ensemble of more than 80 speaking roles with helping to create a film that isn't just a comedy, it’s a suspense thriller. In the critic’s words:

Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist gives the movie a B+, calling the writers’ choice to focus on just 90 minutes “ingenious.” The most impressive part may be that even though 50 years of history tells us how everything turned out, Jason Reitman et. al. create such significant tension over whether or not SNL will make it to air. None of it would be possible, though, Ellwood says, without the “stellar” casting. The critic writes:

Ryan McQuade of AwardsWatch also grades Saturday Night a B+, praising Jason Reitman’s smart direction and Gabriel LaBelle’s performance of Lorne Michaels, as LaBelle's shoulders hold the weight of the entire movie. McQuade notes the similarities between the film and an episode of Saturday Night Live, writing:

David Fear of Rolling Stone calls the film “part sloppy and overly reverent tribute, part hilarious 1970s gross-out romp,” writing:

Stephen Farber of THR, however, says that while Saturday Night is fresh with a strong concept, it ultimately disappoints in frustrating fashion. Farber writes:

The cast and direction is getting a lot of positive feedback coming out of Telluride, and it’s starting out with an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes (though only from 11 critics, so that will change). The film is set to hit theaters 49 years to the day of SNL’s first episode, so mark your calendars for October 11 if this sounds like one 90-minute chaos adventure you can’t miss.

Every year, the Sundance Film Festival premieres a diverse array of movies from independent spaces in the hopes of them crossing over as mainstream hits. Past Sundance movies include (500) Days of Summer, Memento, Whiplash and Reservoir Dogs. Among the new films that premiered at the Utah festival this week is Ponyboi, which not only boasts an impressive dramatic performance from Dylan O’Brien, but makes for a historic moment of representation in LGBTQ+ cinema. 

On behalf of CinemaBlend, I was among select press that had the chance to see Ponyboi first. Here’s what you need to know and can expect from the movie that I hope we see make its way on the 2024 movie schedule following its Sundance premiere. 

Dylan O’Brien Delivers Incredible Performance In Drug Thriller That Reminds Me Of Uncut Gems

In a lot of ways, Ponyboi gives the energy of the Safdies’ Uncut Gems or even Good Time, because it’s an intense crime thriller that doesn’t let up once it gets going and involves honest character studies regarding its core players. At the center of Ponyboi is its titular character, played by newcomer River Gallo, who plays a queer sex worker living in New Jersey that works with Dylan O’Brien’s Vinny, who is her very shady pimp and a drug dealer. Vinny is a far cry from the actor's Teen Wolf days or really any of O'Brien's other best movie and TV roles thus far. 

He convincingly embodies the tattooed-up smug villain of Ponyboi, with the character cheating his way through the movie as he is simultaneously getting ready to become a father for the first time with the pregnant character played by Victoria Pedretti of You and The Haunting of Hill House fame. He delivers an incredible performance, but it’s secondary to River Gallo’s even more memorable leading role. 

About River Gallo And The Important Moving Queer Message At The Center Of Ponyboi

While the name River Gallo may be new to many (including to myself at first), the actor, model and writer of Ponyboi has been trying to bring to life this film for the past decade. Gallo is an openly intersex actor who injects their experiences as an intersex person in the narrative of Ponyboi with the dreaminess, grit and emotional arc of Ponyboi. As Ponyboi gets caught in the crosshairs of this Uncut Gems-like thriller, Gallo is also making history as being the first openly intersex lead to tell a story about their complicated experience of trying to fit into a greatly binary world. 

Interwoven with all the stress of the movie directed by Esteban Arango is a moving story that includes flashbacks to Ponyboi’s childhood and a welcome supporting role played by White Lotus’ Murray Bartlett (who notably gave us that unforgettable queer storyline in The Last Of Us alongside Nick Offerman). As Ponyboi goes on a dark adventure through New Jersey’s underground drug scene, Gallo gets to tell a really beautiful story of acceptance that will not only affect LGBTQ+ people who may directly relate, but all who may struggle with defining themselves in our complex world filled with grey areas to ponder. 

Ponyboi is one of quite a few queer films on display this year at the Sundance Film Festival we hope to be talking about throughout the year. Additionally, Kristen Stewart’s LGBTQ+ romance Love Lies Bleeding premiered this week to a lot of thoughts from its first viewers. Keep following CinemaBlend for more reactions from the 2024 film festival. 

Whether it's doing stunts or just freak accidents, even the biggest Hollywood stars aren't immune to getting injured on set. While we mostly think of stars chilling in their posh trailers while their stunt people take the biggest risks, sometimes it's the celebrities themselves who get the worst of things. Here is our list of big stars who have been injured while filming, and what happened after. 

Daniel Craig 

You can't just pick one of the James Bond movies that Daniel Craig was injured during the filming of, because the truth is, he's been injured a lot. In No Time To Die, it was his ankle, which required surgery and he was off-set for a couple of weeks recovering. In Casino Royale, he knocked out two teeth filming a fight scene. In Quantum of Solace, he injured his shoulder, and in Spectre, it was his knee. It's easy to see why Craig has retired from the role, filming James Bond movies can be dangerous. 

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise famously does many of his most intense and dangerous stunts himself. It's become his brand, but it doesn't mean he doesn't get hurt. In fact, while filming Mission: Impossible – Fallout, it was one of his more innocent stunts, jumping from building to building, that caused an injury when Cruise broke his leg landing the jump. Filming halted for a few months while Cruise recovered, but the footage was included in the movie. 

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford has a long history of getting injured on movie sets. Maybe the most high-profile time was when a door fell on his leg while shooting Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He broke his leg and director JJ Abrams injured his back helping pull the door off the Han Solo actor. 

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone is one of the premiere action stars of the last 50 years, and as such, he's been injured a few times on set doing stunts. The worst, according to Stallone, came while filming the boxing match with Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Rocky IV. Lundgren hit him so hard in the chest at one point that it caused his heart to swell and he ended up in intensive care for eight days. 

Isla Fisher 

One of the best scenes in Now You See Me is when Isla Fisher's character performs the underwater escape trick. It wasn't so great for the actress though, as she nearly drowned during the filming. Luckily a stuntman was there to flip the safety switch and save her. 

Leonardo DiCaprio

One of the most intense scenes in Django Unchained is Leonardo DiCaprio's speech after dinner. He bangs his hand on the table and slices his hand on a glass. DiCaprio, ever the pro, kept going without missing a beat. It's so good, director Quentin Tarantino left that take in the final cut. 

Kristin Chenoweth

TV stars aren't safe either. Kristin Chenoweth was almost killed on the set of The Good Wife when part of the lighting rig fell on her. According to the actress, she had a "skull fracture and a rib issue and a hip issue" as a result. 

Bruce Willis

Like a lot of action stars, Bruce Willis has had his fair share of injuries in stunts gone wrong. In Live Free or Die Hard, the Hollywood legend suffered a serious cut above his eye that required stitches, after Maggie Q's stunt doubled kick him with high heels on. 

Mariska Hargitay

Sometimes, the extent of the injury isn't immediately understood, as was the case with Mariska Hargitay after a fall on the set of Law & Order: SVU. Hargitay performed a stunt that required her to land on some pads, but, in her words, something went wrong. She shook off the injury at first, but a few months later, she felt a sharp stabbing pain and ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung. She recovered after surgery, though a second surgery was needed later. 

Charlize Theron

Æon Flux is not one of Charlize Theron's best movies, and it did almost leave her paralyzed. The actor fell on her neck performing a stunt and had she not been lucky and fallen just a centimeter differently, according to her, it could have been very bad. 

Malcolm McDowell

One of the more terrifying scenes in A Clockwork Orange is when Malcolm McDowell's character is "rehabilitated" by being forced to watch violent videos while his eyes are held open. For McDowell, it was even worse, as the setup caused his corneas to be scratched and he was blinded temporarily as a result. 

Brad Pitt

In the weirdest of coincidences, there is Brad Pitt in Troy. In the film, Pitt plays the Greek hero Achilles. Achilles is famous for one thing, his armor not covering that one tendon in a person's heel... Well, it just so happens that while filming Troy, Pitt tore his Achilles Tendon. 

Uma Thurman

During the filming of the Kill Bill movies, Uma Thurman crashed a car she was driving into a palm tree in Mexico and suffered injuries to her knees and a concussion. Years later she exposed what she claimed was a cover-up by the film's producers in an Instagram post. 

Orson Welles

The great Orson Welles really gave everything he had to make Citizen Kane. That includes chipping a bone in his ankle that forced him to use a wheelchair on set for two weeks while he directed. The injury occurred when he fell down some stairs while filming, and the scene made it into the final cut. 

Linda Blair

During the iconic scene in The Exorcist when Linda Blair's character, Regan, thrashes around as the bed levitates, the scream queen injured her back due to a mechanical default. The injury caused scoliosis, which still causes her problems today, though she's found ways to make it less painful. 

Jim Caviezel

The list of injuries that Jim Caviezel suffered while filming The Passion of the Christ has become the stuff of internet legend. Some injuries are hard to verify, but others aren't, the most notable of which is that as Caviezel prepared for the Sermon on the Mount scene, he was actually struck by lightning. That's got to be some sign, right?

George Clooney

The head injuries George Clooney sustained while filming the torture scene in Syriana were so debilitating that the actor says he even contemplated suicide. Eventually, doctors were able to alleviate the headaches after surgery, but in the meantime, Clooney called it "the most unbearable pain I've ever been through."

Orlando Bloom

There were a few injuries on the set of the Lord of the Rings movies, and one notable one was Orlando Bloom. Bloom broke some ribs when he fell from a horse while filming LOTR: The Two Towers. His fellow cast members gave Bloom a little...uh... ribbing in a behind-the-scenes video as well. 

Martin Sheen

There may be no more infamous Hollywood production than Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. No one had it worse than the film's star, Martin Sheen. As told in the documentary about the filming, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, Sheen not only suffered a near-fatal heart attack during production, but he also suffered a nasty cut on his hand. In the famous opening scene, Sheen punched a mirror and sliced his hand open and it bled badly. If you've seen the movie, you know what it looked like, because Sheen continued the scene and all the blood is very real.  

Michelle Yeoh

As an actor known for doing her own stunts, it's no surprise that Michelle Yeoh has been injured a few times on set. The most notable came when Yeoh tore her ACL during the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She was flown from China to Baltimore where surgery was performed to fix the injury at Johns Hopkins. 

Tom Hanks

Sometimes the most innocent-sounding injuries can be the worst. Such is the case for Tom Hanks, who cut his leg filming Cast Away. While a cut doesn't seem all that serious, it caused sepsis and landed Hanks in the hospital, who almost died as a result of the blood poisoning. 

Buddy Ebsen

The Beverly Hillbillies star Buddy Ebsen could claim one of the weirder injuries on this list. Ebsen was the original actor cast to play the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz and as part of the role, he was painted silver. The aluminum powder in the paint caused a reaction that landed Ebsen in the hospital due to breathing problems and he was recast by actor Jack Haley in the role. 

Winona Ryder

Accidents happen, even on movie sets of comedies, not action movies. Such was the case for Winona Ryder while filming Mr. Deeds with Adam Sandler. While filming the scene on the bike in Central Park, Ryder took a tumble off it and broke her arm in three different places. Ouch. 

Matt LeBlanc

Injuries even happen on sitcoms. Even the biggest ones. While filming a scene for Friends, Matt LeBlanc fell into a chair and dislocated his shoulder. Production was delayed briefly, but the evidence is still on the screen, as LeBlanc was seen wearing a sling for a couple of episodes as his shoulder healed. 

Michael J. Fox

One of the scariest injuries didn't happen during a proper stunt. In Back To The Future III, Michael J. Fox almost died in the scene where his character, Marty McFly, is hanged. A mishap meant that he was actually getting choked and at first no one noticed. He passed out before he was lowered to the ground. 

Ed Harris

Ed Harris was almost killed while filming The Abyss. In one of the many underwater scenes in the movie, Harris ran out of oxygen and no one else on set realized he'd signaled that he did. He passed out from a lack of oxygen, but luckily someone finally noticed and they got him some air. 

Vincent D'Onofrio

Marine boot camp is intense, even for actors just playing Marines. Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket, injured his knee so badly during filming one of the training scenes that he ended up needing surgery to fix it. 

Melanie Griffith

One of the most notoriously dangerous movies ever shot is Roar by director Noel Marshall. In the 1970s, Marshall was married to Tippi Hedren, which also made him Melanie Griffith's stepfather. The movie filmed Hedren and Griffith (who was a kid at the time) living with lions. Real lions. According to legend, at least 70 people were injured by the big cats, including Griffith, who was "mauled near the eye" and needed plastic surgery to fix it. 

Jackie Chan

One actor you won't be surprised to see on this list is Jackie Chan. The martial artist and stuntman has pulled off some of the most insane stunts in film history, so it's no surprised he's been injured along the way. One notable time was while shooting Police Story. In one scene, Chan slides down a metal pole, which he did so quickly he suffered third degree burns on his hands. The shot was used in the movie. 

Al Pacino

Injuries can occur when actors don't quite make the best decisions. Take, for example the great Al Pacino. While filming a scene in Scarface, Pacino grabbed the business end of a gun that had just been fired and severely burned his hands. According to Brian De Palma, the actor was off for the next two weeks. 

Matthew Fox

Every now and then, one actor will injure another one, as is the case with Terry O'Quinn and Matthew Fox on the set of Lost. In a fight scene, O'Quinn stabbed Fox with a knife, which O'Quinn thought, incorrectly, was a prop knife, but it was very real. Thankfully, Fox was wearing a protective Kevlar vest that saved him from actually being stabbed. 

Dylan O'Brien

Dylan O'Brien was almost killed while shooting The Maze Runner: The Death Cure. While shooting a scene, the star of the movie was struck by a car. According to Vulture, O'Brien had a "concussion, facial fracture, and brain trauma among his injuries." Production on the movie was halted as he recovered, which, according to O'Brien, was one of the worst periods in his life. 

Dominic Purcell

Even without stunts and other action, injuries happen. Prison Break star Dominic Purcell broke his nose and had other facial injuries while filming for the show in Morocco. It was a freak accident as a lighting truss fell from the set and hit him. It could've been very scary, as those kinds of accidents have killed people, but luckily for Purcell, his injuries healed quickly and production on the show wasn't impacted.

Most of the time, when actors are injured on set, the injuries are minor, thankfully. Of course, that isn't always the case, and though deaths on movie sets are rare, they happen, so anytime someone is injured seriously, production is usually halted. Just looking through this list, you can see just how close some of these big names came to serious injury, and in a way, they're lucky (and we're lucky) that they are still around.   

SPOILERS are ahead for Teen Wolf: The Movie now streaming with a Paramount+ subscription. 

Before Dylan O’Brien was the lead of The Maze Runner trilogy and the star of Taylor Swift’s critically acclaimed short film for “All Too Well,” the actor memorably got his start on MTV’s Teen Wolf and continually stole the show just about every episode. O’Brien’s character, Stiles Stilinski, was always a big favorite on the MTV series, so when Teen Wolf: The Movie was announced, fans hoped to see the return of his character. Unfortunately, after seeing the movie, I can confirm that Dylan O’Brien is not in the latest Teen Wolf project. Let’s talk about why. 

Teen Wolf: The Movie features the return of Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Holland Roden Shelley Hennig, Colton Haynes, Ian Bohen and Dylan Sprayberry, among other original Teen Wolf cast members, but nope, no Dylan O’Brien. Instead, the movie focuses on reviving Allison Argent from the dead and recapturing the romance between Scott and Allison. Here’s what we know. 

What Dylan O’Brien Has Said About Not Returning For Teen Wolf: The Movie

Dylan O’Brien has previously spoken of not reprising his role as the lovable teen Stiles, breaking his silence in March 2022 following reports he was not among the cast. Here’s what he told Variety: 

O’Brien made the “difficult decision” to say no to reuniting with his Teen Wolf cast, sharing that he decided that he was happy with the way the show ended and was content with leaving it alone. In the same month, while doing press for his movie The Outfit, the actor also told The Hollywood Reporter this: 

While O’Brien was initially going to do it to perhaps please the fans and his Teen Wolf family, it sounds like he was simply ready to move on. The actor spent seven years of his career playing Stiles Stilinski, and there’s nothing wrong with deciding not to go to your high school reunion of sorts. 

How Teen Wolf: The Movie Addresses Dylan O’Brien’s Absence 

Just as the show’s creator Jeff Davis previously teased, Teen Wolf: The Movie does address Stiles in a couple of ways. Early in the movie, Stilinski’s father and Derek Hale are conversing at a crime scene when they speak about calling the FBI or the sheriff’s son, nudging that perhaps Stiles is working for the FBI himself these days. 

When it comes to the fate of a beloved coupling on Teen Wolf, Stiles and Lydia, Holland Roden’s character shares in another scene that the pair recently broke up due to recurring visions she was having about the two of them getting into a car accident and Stiles dying. Lydia made the difficult choice to leave him in order to save him from his impending death. 

Elsewhere, Stiles’ iconic Jeep is also part of the movie, as Dylan O’Brien previously shared he lent the vehicle to the production for the easter egg. In Teen Wolf: The Movie, the car is passed down to Derek's son, who is now a teen wolf himself.  

What Does The Teen Wolf Cast Think About The Whole Thing? 

While speaking to Yahoo! about Dylan O’Brien’s absence from Teen Wolf: The Movie, a couple of the cast members shared that there’s no hard feelings from their side regarding his decision. Here’s what Tyler Posey said: 

Holland Roden also reacted to the update regarding Lydia and Stiles the movie gives fans. In her words: 

Dylan O’Brien’s absence is surely felt in Teen Wolf: The Movie, but at least a good amount of the cast returned for it. Meanhwile, O’Brien has a stack of movies coming up, including a drama called Ponyboi, a horror movie called Caddo and a comedy called Maximum Truth. 

With Taylor Swift’s tenth album, Midnights, out in the world now, the singer has not only brought fans more clever, relatable and catchy songs, but a continued relationship with being the writer and director of her own music videos. Her most recent viral visual, Bejeweled, is the tenth project she’s been behind the camera for and what I believe to be the beginning of a burgeoning movie director’s discography. That’s right, I’m counting on a future Taylor Swift movie director era because girlie can’t stop and won’t stop outdoing herself. 

While songwriting will clearly always be Taylor Swift’s number one passion, and she’s had to have put in her 10,000 hours there, as the pop star has evolved as an artist over 15 years, having spent all that time as a fan of hers, it also seems to me like she’s beginning an affair with expressing herself through the medium of filmmaking. Here’s why I’m betting on Taylor Swift moving into more work in Hollywood (aside from her few movie performances here and there thus far): 

She’s Already A Talented Director 

First off, Taylor Swift has already made it known she has ambitions to direct movies, and if she says she’s going to do something, she’s going to do it. Aside from providing visuals to her music through music videos, it feels like All Too Well: The Short Film is the project where Swift made her first attempt at moviemaking. The short was met with massive acclaim, and while at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Swift said this when asked if she’d be interested in making a feature film (via Variety): 

In All Too Well, Taylor Swift recruited The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien and Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink to play a couple in a short romantic drama about a coming-of-age love story turned sour, with a highlight kitchen fight scene between the actors sending chills down many spines. Swift adapted the lyrics of her song “All Too Well” into a greater concept of lost love that spans 13 years and ends in the once-young woman catching a glimpse of her ex as she becomes a bestselling author and he wears the scarf she once abandoned. With All Too Well and the singer’s more traditional music videos, including the recent Anti-Hero music video, she’s established herself as a gifted director already, it’s only a matter of time before she does her own feature. 

Taylor Swift Has Been Telling More Stories Outside Herself 

Most of Taylor Swift’s career has revolved around her telling her own stories through song to a massive fanbase, but has often resulted in a ton of public drama and discourse, usually regarding who she’s dating or is no longer in a relationship with. However, in 2020, Swift took the spotlight off her own life to tell folklore and evermore, two quarantine albums that are greatly about fictional characters Swift made up and wrote songs about rather than drawing on her actual life. 

Within folklore, as we learned in her Disney+ concert film, Swift created a “teenage love triangle” and wrote songs from all their perspectives, with lengthy backstories for all of them among other characters she created for those albums. Seeing Taylor Swift’s career progress over the years, folklore and evermore is my personal favorite projects the artist has ever done, and I can absolutely see why she found inspiration outside herself for those works. Following those albums, I think Taylor Swift will want to return to creating ideas from scratch rather than doing every one of her projects with her own life at the center. This could also happen through her own movies, perhaps even adapting some of her own characters in her music. 

Her Growing Network Of Hollywood Friends 

Also, can we talk about how many friends Taylor Swift has who are in the Hollywood community? For Midnights alone, The Batman’s Zoë Kravitz wrote “Lavender Haze” with the singer, and Dylan O’Brien ended up doing the drums on “Snow on the Beach” purely for hanging out in the studio with her that day. Then, Laura Dern and the Haim sisters turn up in Bejeweled. Add that with other talents she hangs out with, like Selena Gomez, Emma Stone, Cara Delevingne and couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds (whose kids' names were inspirations for folklore), and you already have an impressive pick for a cast. 

Taylor Swift has a real knack for bringing big names together for her visions and that would prove to be a superpower as a movie director too. It feels as though she’d have her pick of talent if she decided to put something together. Plus, I figure if so much of your circle is in Hollywood, not only at some point will an idea strike within the industry, but she’ll have such a large support system of people with experience in moviemaking that she’d likely turn up with something great. 

All The Best Filmmakers Are As Intentional As Taylor Swift Is

Let me tell you something else about Ms. Swift, girl thinks of everything. Her latest Bejeweled music video was ridden with cameos and easter eggs, as with many of her videos. She’s basically Marvel Cinematic Universe status when it comes to hinting at things (maybe even better) and that’s something that would only fondly carry over as a filmmaker. My favorite types of movies are those with intention – the kind of movie that knows what it is and goes for it all the way. That’s the type of artist Taylor Swift has proven to be over the years, and I think this part of her creativity would carry over well into being a filmmaker. 

All this being said, I don’t necessarily see the singer having her filmmaker era tomorrow. Taylor Swift’s upcoming music is plenty for now, from rolling out more from her Midnights era, delivering on all her re-release albums and finally touring after being away from the stage for big shows for the past three years. Maybe this is five, 15 or 30 years from now, but regardless, I’m counting on Taylor Swift’s movie director era. I'm absolutely convinced it's happening! 

It’s no secret that comic book movies are everywhere, and becoming a superhero is a dream gig for many. But there’s also a certain amount of pressure that comes with these types of major blockbuster roles. The DC Extended Universe is currently going through a ton of wild changes, and there are a number of rumors about what might come next. And Maze Runner actor Dylan O'Brien has responded to rumors about him playing Nightwing or other superhero characters.

In DC comics, Nightwing is the adult form of Dick Grayson aka Batman’s first Robin. Fans have been patiently waiting for him to enter the proper DCEU, with a number of names being thrown around for who could play the beloved vigilante. Dylan O’Brien has been one of the most popular choices, and he spoke to The Playlist about this discourse, responding with:

Well, there you have it. It looks like while Dylan O’Brien wouldn’t be opposed to the idea of playing a comic book character, it’s not necessarily at the top of his priority list. Instead, he’s selecting the work he does based on the material and collaborators attached. So perhaps if the right filmmaker is behind the camera, we could see O’Brien as a member of the Bat-family. Fingers crossed.

Dylan O’Brien’s comments about those pesky Nightwing rumors come as he was promoting his role in the new dark comedy movie Not Okay, which is currently streaming on Hulu. With so much fan art of the 31 year-old actor as Dick Grayson already circulating around the internet, it makes sense that he might have an opinion on the matter. And it sounds like O’Brien is more focused on finding smaller profile roles that he can really sink his teeth into to create a character. But never say never regarding him joining a superhero franchise. 

Those following Dylan O’Brien’s career will know that he’s definitely been taking more intimate roles lately, following his tenure in the Maze Runner franchise. Aside from Not Okay, he notably starred in Taylor Swift’s All Too Well: The Short Film opposite Stranger Things standout Sadie Sink. He also recently appeared in the psychological thriller The Outfit and an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. These projects all offered him a chance to create something new, rather than inheriting a beloved comic book character like Nightwing.

Since the DCEU was created, fans have been waiting for a Batman protégée to finally enter the shared universe. While this was going to happen with the Batgirl movie, it has since been scrapped by the studio. A reference to a dead Robin was included in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but that story was never fully fleshed out in the shared universe. A Nightwing movie was previously in development with filmmaker Chris McKay attached, but there’s been no updates on that project for a long time. 

The next installment in the DCEU is Black Adam on October 21st. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Taylor Swift had quite the night at MTV's Video Music Awards on Sunday night, and the internet is completely living for it. The pop star was not only wearing the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen, but she was having a blast enjoying the show, Dylan O’Brien in tow. The two stars were celebrating the Taylor Swift directed short film/music video, All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version), which O’Brien starred in. This was for good reason, as the song was the big winner of the night. 

Like myself, people can’t seem to get over her dress. I mean, come on. She looks incredible. Many fans think the dress could be an indicator that she is getting ready to re-record her Reputation album. The dress looks like the jewels she wore in her “Look What You Made Me Do” music video and Swift has a track record for dropping Easter Eggs for her fans to figure out what her next project could be. Without getting into speculation, for right now I just can’t stop looking at how gorgeous the dress is. 

Dylan O’Brian seemed to be having just as much fun as Swift. The iconic duo were killing it dancing to BLACKPINK’s performance of their hit song “Pink Venom.” Looks like these two have remained close after the iconic "All Too Well" music video. I’m so happy to see the Not Okay star supporting Taylor on such a big night for her. 

BLACKPINK wasn’t the only artist that got Taylor moving on Sunday. The “Cardigan” singer was letting loose during Lizzo’s performance of “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).” I am begging for these two iconic pop princesses to collab for a single on Swift’s new album. Imagine these two killing it together on a stadium tour. Just take my money now. 

Swift was not about to be stopped. When Nicki Minaj started performing her 2010 hit “Super Bass,” the pop star couldn't help but dance rap along. I’m starting a petition for Swift to bring back her rap alter-ego, “T-Swizzle," immediately. 

The support for Nicki did not end there. When Minaj won the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, Swift encouraged fellow audience members to stand up for the Hip-Hop legend. Love to see women supporting women. She got support from Beyoncé when Kanye West infamously interrupted her acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs (sparking a years-long Ye/Swift feud). I’m glad the singer is paying it forward and showing support for another icon. 

The night was hardly over for the “Shake It Off” singer, as she won the biggest award of the night, Video of the Year, for "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)." In her acceptance speech (which she finished), she announced her 10th studio album (12th if you count her re-records), will be released October 21st. She later announced on Instagram that the album will be titled Midnights. She is so iconic for this, I can’t deal.

I have already started decoding her album announcement post to figure out what may be in store for us Swifties. In the meantime, there will be (thankfully) an abundance of Taylor Swift content within the next couple of months. The star will also be appearing in David O’Russell’s Amsterdam, which comes out later this year. For more information about this, and other films coming out this year, check out our 2022 movie schedule. 

Fans of MTV’s Teen Wolf are getting ready to reunite with the Wolf Pack in the highly-anticipated upcoming Teen Wolf movie. While a majority of the cast will return, one notable absence is Dylan O’Brien, known as the adorkable Stiles Stilinski. Fans have been hopeful that they would see him once again, but O’Brien broke his silence on not returning to for the revival on Paramount+, and he is once again sticking to his sentiments as rumors persist.

After news broke of a Teen Wolf movie, people were expecting Dylan O’Brien to return after Stiles’ Jeep was shown in the teaser video. Alas, it was soon confirmed that he was not among the members of the past who are returning for the project. There have been rumors of a cameo ever since Tyler Posey promised
at San Diego Comic-Con that fans will see "every character that you’d ever want to see again," but the Not Okay star squashed the chatter in a new interview with Entertainment Tonight:

It’s definitely disappointing that Dylan O'Brien's Stiles will not be reuniting with his friends in the upcoming movie, but it’s better to know now than to watch the movie expecting to see him. Teen Wolf would not be the same without Stiles, and although Tyler Posey has gotten fans pumped about the Paramount+ revival, there will definitely be some emptiness to it without Stiles.

Dylan O’Brien previously revealed that got to keep Stiles’ Jeep from the series, and it sounds like he lent that same vehicle to the Paramount+ project, so at least he’s part of the movie in that way. In a recent interview, creator Jeff Davis addressed Stiles’ absence from the movie and how it will be discussed in the revival. Rest assured, while he won’t be seen, Stiles will still be mentioned from time to time. 

Even though Dylan O’Brien won’t be in the Teen Wolf movie, is it still a possibility Stiles could come back in a future project? It’s unknown if this film will lead into something more for the original series, but Jeff Davis is now developing a spin-off titled Wolf Pack. It was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 that Sarah Michelle Gellar will star in the series, but other cast has yet to be announced. Perhaps Stiles can return in that way? But for now, fans will just have to settle with seeing his Jeep in the movie. 

Meanwhile, the Teen Wolf actor is staying plenty busy as of late. His new movie with Zoey Deutch, Not Okay, recently dropped on Hulu . There’s also been talk of him portraying Nightwing thanks to some fan art, but Dylan O’Brien has since shut down those Batgirl rumors. Hopefully, the next rumor of him being in a project turns out to be true, because I’m not sure I can handle any more rejection.

The new Teen Wolf movie doesn’t have a set premiere date as of yet, but it will be coming soon to Paramount+ (so prepare to sign up for a subscription) In the meantime, check out some shows just like Teen Wolf if you love the supernatural drama.

While it's been a long wait, MTV's Wolf Pack is almost back, as the group will return in the highly-anticipated Teen Wolf movie on Paramount+. The film will star the majority of the OG characters, even bringing some back from the dead. However, series alum Dylan O’Brien won't be returning and, now, creator Jeff Davis is opening up about the absence of his character, Stiles.

Dylan O’Brien's lovable (or adorkable) Stiles Stilinski was one half of fan-favorite couple “Stydia” throughout the show’s run and became one of the series' breakout characters. So many were hopeful that O'Brien would reprise the role. Stiles’ famous jeep was included in the initial teaser, but O’Brien later confirmed that he wouldn't be returning for the revival movie. Jeff Davis addressed this while speaking with EW at San Diego Comic-Con, and it sounds like Stiles' presence will still be felt in some ways:

While it’s definitely disappointing that the star won’t actually appear in the movie, it’s good to know that his character will still be honored in some way. It's understandable given that he was such a big part of the original series. I'm hopeful that we'll learn that he's living a happy life with Lydia, and I'm sure that any updates  Holland Roden in the movie, we’ll surely get some news on Lydia and Stiles’ relationship.

Dylan O’Brien's decision not to return as Stiles does make sense, as the actor has been plenty busy as of late. O’Brien starred in Taylor Swift’s short film for her song “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version),”  which also featured Stranger Things' Sadie Sink. He'll next be seen alongside Zoey Deutch in the movie Not Okay, a satirical comedy that hits theaters on July 29. 

News of the Teen Wolf revival broke in 2021, on the four-year anniversary of the series finale. Shortly after, series lead Tyler Posey shared his excitement about returning to the role that made him a star. Posey played the role of Scott McCall on the MTV drama for six seasons, before it ended its run at 100 episodes in 2017. The series is still relatively popular to this day, though. 

Many members of the Teen Wolf cast have been busy since the show ended but, thankfully, many are returning for the film. Joining Tyler Posey Posey and Holland Roden for the movie are Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed, Colton Haynes, Shelley Hennig, Linden Ashby, and Melissa Ponzio, and more.

Despite the fact that there will be so many returning faces, I'm eager to know how the revival will address Stiles’ absence and to see what it means for the core characters. And who knows, maybe he'll return for a future production. Perhaps he can cameo in the upcoming Wolf Pack series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar?

Before the Teen Wolf movie streams exclusively for Paramount+ subscribers, do yourself a favor and prep by streaming all six seasons on the platform now.

Warner Bros. has been on a roll with their DC projects as of late, which are set both inside and outside of the main DCEU. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies is Andy Muschietti’s The Flash, which stars Ezra Miller in the title role. Although the 29 year-old actor has been involved in a number of recent controversies, leading fans to wonder if the studio will end up taking on the role of the Scarlet Speedster. And some Flash fan art has imagined Dylan O’Brien replacing Miller as Barry Allen.

Over the past few months, Ezra Miller has made a number of headlines over their behavior in Hawaii. The Fantastic Beasts star was arrested a few times during this time, leading to questions about their possible future in the DCEU and role in The Flash. While Warner Bros. originally denied reports about distancing itself from Miller, more wild stories continue to arrive online. A number of names have been floated around as possible replacements for the role, and epic fan art on Instagram imagines Dylan O’Brien as the DC hero. Check it out below,

Rumors aside, you can’t deny that Dylan O’Brien would look pretty awesome as The Flash. And considering the action experience he’s got with projects like The Maze Runner and Teen Wolf, the 30 year-old actor seems like a great choice. But we’ll just have to see if Warner Bros. actually removes Ezra Miller in the role. After all, they’ve been involved in the DCEU since having a brief cameo in Batman v Superman. 

The above image comes to us from the Instagram of a digital artist who goes by Clements.Ink. They’ve got over 12k followers on teh social media platform, thanks to epic fan art featuring iconography from both DC and Marvel superhero properties. And as Ezra Miller continues to make waves, there will likely be more fan art about their possible replacement in the near future.

As previously mentioned, Ezra Miller was recently arrested a few times in Hawaii, being charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the process. A couple also filed a restraining order against the actor, which was reportedly dropped. There’s also been footage of Miller’s arrest arriving online as well as clips of them having conflicts with employees at various bars.

Most recently Ezra Miller has once again made headlines for his relationship to a teenager named Tokata Iron Eyes. Iron Eyes’ parents have alleged that Miller is grooming the young activist and encouraging her to drop out of school. And while they’ve tried to serve Miller with legal papers, the actor’s whereabouts are not currently known.

While folks at Warner Bros. originally denied that there were emergency meetings about Ezra Miller’s role in the studio’s franchise, the wild reports just keep coming. So perhaps the studio will change its tune? Although it would be difficult to remove Miller from The Flash since the upcoming blockbuster has already been filmed. As for their role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, it’s currently unclear if the final two movies will even be produced. 

The next installment in the DCEU is Black Adam on October 21st. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

When it was announced that MTV’s hit supernatural drama Teen Wolf would be getting revived for a new follow-up feature set to stream on Paramount+, fans were excited to see the Wolf Pack once again after a five-year absence. However, when news broke about who all would be returning, a lot of those same fans were plenty disappointed to find out Dylan O’Brien was among the few former stars not coming back. Now the Maze Runner actor is speaking out about his decision. 

Dylan O’Brien portrayed one of Teen Wolf’s most beloved and comedic characters in Stiles Stilinski. While Stiles’ iconic jeep was used in the short teaser for the upcoming movie, which gave fans an idea that O’Brien would reprise his role, Stiles is most definitely not returning to Beacon Hills. The actor opened up exclusively to Variety about how much the show means to him, and what ultimately made him make the “difficult decision.”

It’s clear that Teen Wolf still means a lot to Dylan O’Brien, even five years after the series ended at MTV. While it was not an easy decision to decline to appear in the movie, O’Brien seems to have put a lot of thought into his choice and weighed out the options for what could work best. So it will be interesting to see how the movie addresses Stiles’ absence, if at all.

Even though the The Outfit star won’t be in the Teen Wolf movie, he still sent his sentiments to his former costars. Dylan O’Brien will be looking forward to the film and has made sure to point out that he will be watching it as soon as it drops on Paramount+:

For O’Brien to still be so grateful for his cast as to send them his well wishes for the movie, it proves that he supports the film being made. It’s also not wildly surprising that he decided to not do the movie, as he is keeping pretty busy lately. On top of new movie The Outfit, he has also been rumored to take up the Nightwing mantle in Batgirl, with fans even creating impressive fan art to imagine him in the role. However, he recently revealed that he hasn’t heard anything about it, but you never know with comic book movie secrecy.

Aside from O’Brien not returning, Arden Cho will also not be reprising her role of Kira Yukimura due to not getting an equal pay among her former co-stars. Tyler Hoechlin, who portrayed Derek Hale, is not yet set to return but as of now, there’s no confirmation on whether fans can expect to see Derek again. Much of the original cast will return including Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Crystal Reed, Colton Haynes and Shelley Hennig.

The aforementioned Tyler Posey has been hyping up fans (as well as himself) for the upcoming movie. In October 2021, the actor revealed that he was excited for audiences to see their favorite characters age and out of high school, what they’ve been up to since we last saw them.

Hopefully we still get some sense of a follow-up for Stiles when the Teen Wolf movie premieres, but it definitely won’t be the same without Dylan O’Brien. If you want to get your Stiles fix, all six seasons of the MTV series is streaming on Hulu and Paramount+. Also be sure to check out some of O’Brien’s best projects.

Warner Bros. has been moving forward with a number of upcoming DC movies, both within and outside of the main timeline of the extended universe. There’s also some streaming movies currently in the works, including Leslie Grace’s Batgirl. But is Dylan O’Brien playing Nightwing in the DC flick? Here’s what he says.

The Batgirl movie marks the first DCEU movie produced specifically for HBO Max, and anticipation for the project has been steadily building since it was announced. Fans can’t wait to see J.K. Simmons as James Gordon and Michael Keaton as Batman, but there are also some rumors that another protegee of the Dark Knight is going to appear: Nightwing, played by Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien. He was recently asked about these reports, saying:

Well, there you have it. It sounds like we shouldn’t expect to see Dylan O’Brien pop up throughout the course of Batgirl’s mysterious runtime on HBO Max. Leslie Grace’s title character will likely be the only Bat-family member featured in the upcoming blockbuster, but perhaps this could change if a sequel is ordered. Because who doesn’t want to see Nightwing and Batgirl together on the screen?

Dylan O’Brien’s honest comments about Batgirl come from a recent appearance on the Post Cred podcast. Eventually the conversation turned to the rumors about him possibly playing another beloved Batman sidekick: Dick Grayson aka Nightwing. He’s heard the theories that have been swirling around the internet, but hasn’t heard anything from the studio about actually joining the DC Extended Universe in this way. Fingers crossed this might change sometime in the future.

It’s almost hard to believe that the Batgirl movie will mark the first time that a Batman protegee has been able to appear in the DCEU. While we were shown the costume of a Robin who died prior to the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Boy Wonder never actually showed up in live-action. We’ll just have to see if/when this fallen Robin is addressed throughout Batgirl. Although Michael Keaton being Batman instead of Ben Affleck definitely complicated things a bit.

Previously, it seemed like Nightwing would be getting his own movie within the DC Extended Universe. The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay has been attached to a movie for Dick Grayson for years, but it’s been stuck in development hell. This is partly why the rumors about Batgirl seemed to resonate with fans; they’ve been waiting for the fan favorite hero to join the shared universe. Although there’s still no telling when this might occur. 

Regardless of Nightwing’s inclusion (or lack thereof), the Batgirl movie seemingly has a lot going for it. The blockbuster is currently filming, and will mark the first time J.K. Simmons has played James Gordon since Justice League. The movie will also feature Brendan Fraser as the villainous Firefly, which is great timing considering the current Fraser-ssance that’s happening. Add in Michael Keaton as Batman, and smart money says the project is going to get some serious streaming numbers.

Batgirl doesn’t currently have a release date, but is expected to arrive on HBO Max sometime in 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

As the comic book genre continues to dominate the entertainment industry, Warner Bros. is moving forward with a number of exciting DC projects. This includes movies being produced exclusively for HBO Max like Batgirl. And some epic fan art has imagined Dylan O’Brien as Nightwing.

The Batgirl movie is currently in production, directed by Bad Boys for Life filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The streaming movie will mark the first time a Batman protégée will be shown in the DCEU, and the fans are eager to see more members of the family join. Now we can imagine what Nightwing might look like played by Maze Runner actor Dylan O’Brien. Check it out below,

I mean, how cool is that? This version of Nightwing looks like he’d fit right into the DCEU, specifically the Gotham City that’ll serve as Batgirl’s setting. Let’s break down what we’re being shown in this epic piece of fan art.

The above image comes to us from the Instagram of digital artist Hibban Mohammed. They’ve got a clear interest in comic book movies, and have amassed a whopping 59k followers as a result of their work. And from the looks of this Nightwing fan art, it’s easy to see why such a following has been amassed.

Of course, there’s been no indication that any other members of the Bat-family are going to be present in the Batgirl movie. It makes far more sense to focus on Leslie Grace’s title character, as well as the other characters who are joining the DCEU for the first time like Firefly. Luckily there is some connective tissue to the rest of the universe, specifically thanks to the inclusion of J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.

With Batgirl finally bringing a Batman sidekick to life in the DCEU, I wouldn't be surprised if more iconic characters are eventually brought into the DCEU. Dick Grayson aka Nightwing seems like an awesome choice, especially if we’re shown his time as Robin as well. We’ll just have to wait and see if Batgirl ends up hinting at other Bat-family members when it arrives sometime this year.

While the DCEU took years to finally feature a Batman protégée, one was previously referenced. Ben Affleck’s Batcave in Batman v Superman showed the armor of a fallen Robin, with Joker’s message “Joke's on you, Batman.” The specifics of that death were never addressed onscreen, but perhaps this will change sometime in the future. Although Batgirl will feature another Bruce Wayne: Michael Keaton’s.

Batgirl is expected to arrive on HBO Max sometime in 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Taylor Swift is currently going down memory lane as she steadily re-records and releases each of her first six albums following her master recordings being sold off by Scooter Braun. The Grammy-winning singer started with her second album Fearless early this year and next in line fans will revisit her fourth album, Red, which was originally released in 2012. In anticipation for its re-release this Friday, Swift has announced she’ll also be sharing a short film starring the likes of Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien. 

Taylor’s Version of Red will be a 30 song album featuring re-records of big hits like “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “22” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” but many Swifties are especially excited for “All Too Well.” The song is arguably Swift’s most heartbreaking song of all time and many of her fans’ favorite of hers. It’s already been announced that there will be a ten-minute version of “All Too Well” to close out the record, but now we’ve learned a short film will come out as well. 

Swift surprised fans when she posted a short teaser of an “All Too Well” short film that has been written and directed by herself and will feature the acting talents of Dylan O’Brien along with Stranger Things’ star Sadie Sink. The Instagram post features a winding road decorated with autumn trees and a vintage car going down the road. It’s the perfect reference to the lyric “autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place / And I can picture it after all these days.” 

It’s an interesting project for Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien to take on in between wrapping the action franchise and rocking bleach blonde hair for a new movie called Not Okay. Sadie Sink memorably joined Season 2 of Stranger Things to play Max Mayfield and also recently starred in Netflix’s recent Fear Street movies. 

“All Too Well” is a beautiful song that has Taylor Swift reminiscing on a relationship after it has ended and all she has left of it is her memories to keep her warm. It is rumored to be about a relationship she had with actor Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s possible Dylan O’Brien will play the love interest to Taylor Swift in the short film, but we’ve also come to expect the unexpected from the artist. There could be a completely different angle here. 

What’s interesting is Sadie Sink is currently 19 and Dylan O’Brien is 30 years old, which is quite similar to the ages of Swift and Gyllenhaal at the time they were dating. Swift was 20 and Gyllenhaal was 29. Perhaps it will feature Taylor Swift looking back on a fictionalized version of the relationship like theirs almost a decade later? We’ll find out on Friday, November 12 when the “All Too Well” short film comes out! 

For a time in the TV world, a certain type of show took over, creating huge fan bases that exploded due to the amazing characters, fun stories, and many other factors, and those were fantasy shows, with monsters, magic, and so many other exciting stories. One of those shows that became huge just happened to be Teen Wolf.

This popular MTV teen drama helped plenty of actors make big names for themselves, such as Tyler Posey and Dylan O’Brien. But, since the show’s end in 2017, what exactly have these actors been up to? Here’s where you can see what the Teen Wolf cast has done, and what they plan to do next - and if they might pop up in any 2021 movies.

Tyler Posey (Scott McCall)

As the lead, Scott McCall, in Teen Wolf, everyone knew who Tyler Posey’s character was, and after his time as the teenage werewolf, Posey went on to star in a few films and TV shows. In terms of film, he had a role in the horror movie, Truth or Dare, the romantic comedy, The Last Summer, and the zombie film, Alone in 2020.

With television, Posey has taken his talents to guest star in several shows, such as Elena of Avalor, Hell’s Kitchen, Jane the Virgin, and more. He also has a recurring role in the comedy series, Now Apocalypse, and a main role in the anthology slasher series, Scream: Resurrection. Currently, he is voicing Tony Toretto in the animated series, Fast & Furious Spy Racers.

He is going to be in two upcoming films, titled Brut Force and Oshie, so keep an eye out for the former star of Teen Wolf in theaters soon enough.

Crystal Reed (Allison Argent)

While she was only on the series for three seasons, Allison Argent made an impact as a memorable character on Teen Wolf, as played by Crystal Reed. Since her appearance in the show, Reed has mainly kept her talents to TV. While she’s done a few films, such as Too Late and Ghostland, Reed has appeared in several TV series.

Crystal Reed had a guest role on Drop Dead Diva, but she also had a main role in Season 4 of the popular superhero series, Gotham, and a lead role in another superhero series, called Swamp Thing. Coming up, she’s going to appear in two films, called Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game and Dead Giveaway.

Dylan O’Brien (Stiles Stilinski)

I think everyone who watched Teen Wolf loved Stiles, and he was played by the loveable and talented Dylan O’Brien. Since his breakout role as Stiles on the show, O’Brien has been very active in both TV and movies.

In terms of film, O’Brien took on the lead role in the dystopian series, The Maze Runner, appearing in all of the films. He also had a role in the action thriller, American Assassin, the action film, Bumblebee, voicing the titular character, and had the leading role in the monster film, Love and Monsters. He also guest starred on the Apple TV+ series, Amazing Stories for an episode.

In the next couple of years, Dylan O’Brien is going to appear in at least two new films, the comedy Not Okay, and the crime drama, The Outfit. With how many movies he’s done since Teen Wolf ending, I can’t wait to see where he goes next with his awesome acting skills.

Tyler Hoechlin (Derek Hale)

On the show for four seasons, Tyler Hoechlin portrayed Derek Hale, a werewolf who had a bit of an attitude at first but grew on all of us. Hoechlin has appeared in a few of films since his role on the show, including Fifty Shades Freed, Then Came You, and the 2020 comedy Palm Springs, among others.

Hoechlin has also had some major success in television. After his role on Teen Wolf, he became a big part of the Arrowverse on the CW, playing Clark Kent - A.K.A. Superman. This would be a role he would play on several of the shows, including Batwoman, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and others. He now has his own show where he plays the lead, called Superman & Lois.

You might also recognize his voice, as he voiced Sephiroth in the Final Fantasy 7 remake that became super popular - so there’s truly no stopping this talented actor.

Holland Roden (Lydia Martin)

Another popular character on Teen Wolf was Lydia Martin, a popular and super smart girl with her own supernatural powers. Holland Roden portrayed her throughout the series, and has had a successful career post-Teen Wolf.

In terms of film, she had had a role in the horror movies No Escape and Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (which aren’t related to each other). She also had a role in Netflix crime drama, Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman in 2021.

For TV, Roden had a main role in horror anthology series, Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block, and currently has a recurring role on the FX Sons of Anarchy spinoff, Mayans M.C.. Coming up, she’s going to be in the film, The Re-Education of Molly Singer, so keep an eye out for her soon.

Colton Haynes (Jackson Whittemore)

Though only in the series for two seasons, Jackson was one of those characters that you really hated at first, but slowly started to realize that he just had a lot of issues he had work on. Colton Haynes played Jackson, and has mainly kept his talents on TV.

He did appear in the Dwayne Johnson-led film San Andreas, and in the comedy-drama, Bigger, but had a main role in the show Arrow, as well as a recurring role in the popular Ryan Murphy anthology series, American Horror Story, in the season subtitled, Cult. He also had a guest role in two episodes of Scream Queens.

Shelley Hennig (Malia Tate)

Malia Tate played Shelley Hennig in Teen Wolf, and since her role in the series (from Season 3-6), she’s had quite the career in both TV and film. Tate appeared in movies such as the comedy When We First Met, and the Netflix film, The After Party.

Tate has also appeared in several TV series, with a main role in Liberty Crossing, and guest parts on Dollface, Mythic Quest, an others. Coming up, she’s going to appear in two films, Gatlopp and Bibi, and two television shows, Crazy For You and The Woman in the House, so she has quite the line-up coming over the next couple of years.

Arden Cho (Kira Yukimura)

Okay, let’s be honest, we all loved Kira’s amazing swordsmanship skills, and I, for one, miss them. Arden Cho portrayed the young woman in Teen Wolf, and has been active since her time on the show.

Cho has mainly stuck to television roles, appearing in several series. This includes, but is not limited to, main role in Tween Fest and Season 2 of Miss 2059, recurring roles on Freakish and in the medical drama Chicago Med.

Soon, she is going to have a main part in a television series called Partner Track, as well as a television movie called The Selection, and two new films, called Joon and Flexx.

Dylan Sprayberry (Liam Dunbar)

Liam is another character I believe we all grew to like, and he was played by Dylan Sprayberry in Teen Wolf. Since his appearance in the show, Sprayberry was in the film The Row, as well as Lost Girls: Angie’s Story.

He’s also had a main role in the Hulu original horror series, Light as a Feather, where he played Henry Richmond. Coming up, he will be appearing in two films, one called Malibu Horror Story and the other called Sick, so it seems we can look forward to seeing more of Dylan Sprayberry soon.

Linden Ashby (Sheriff Noah Stilinski)

For every fan-favorite character, there’s always a parent figure that we can root for, as well, and that was Sheriff Noah Stilinski in Teen Wolf. Linden Ashby played Noah in the series, mainly sticking to television roles post his popular role in the show.

Ashby had a recurring role on Lifeline, and a recurring roles on Trinkets as Whit Foster. He also appeared in the television films A Daughter’s Revenge, and Escaping My Stalker. Most recently, he had a guest appearance in NCIS: New Orleans, alongside the NCIS: New Orleans cast. His next project is going to be a film called Trust, so be sure to check out if he’s going to pop up in theaters sometime soon.

Melissa Ponzio (Melissa McCall)

Scott’s mother in Teen Wolf, Melissa, was honestly a life-saver - literally. I can’t recall how many times she saved the pack because that’s just how badass she was. That kind of badass could only be played by Melissa Ponzio, who has had much success after her role in Teen Wolf.

With movies, she was in Max and Me and the Netflix original film, Thunder Force, starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer. With TV, she’s had a recurring role (since 2014) playing Donna Robbins-Boden in Chicago Fire, and has appeared in two television films, Cheerleader Nightmare and Killer Reputation. She also appeared in First Wives Club, and had a guest role in both Everything’s Fine and Bridgewater.

JR Bourne (Chris Argent)

Last but not least, we take a look at JR Bourne, who played Chris Argent in Teen Wolf, Allison’s father - the expert werewolf hunter.

Bourne has done a lot of short films since Teen Wolf ended, but has also appeared in several TV shows. He had a main role on Somewhere Between, and a recurring role in Falling Water, but one of his biggest roles was playing Russell Lighbourne VII (later Malachi) in one of the best CW shows, The 100. He also currently has a recurring role on Mayans M.C. on FX, and appeared in On the Verge.

With a cast this big and talented, it’s not a surprise that they’ve been working so hard and appearing in so many movies and television shows. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

This week, Dylan O’Brien turns 30. The actor recently surpassed a decade since finding his big break on Teen Wolf, which first hit TV screens during the summer of 2011, and he’s since began and ended work on the successful Maze Runner movies. So the question becomes, what’s next for him? As every great artist does at the dawn of a new era, O’Brien has gone for a dramatic new look, and it’s for an upcoming movie he’ll star in.

The actor recently surprised fans when his style transformation was posted on TikTok to the tune of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” and it’s absolutely epic. Check it out for yourself:

Whoa. The Maze Runner actor is seen in hair and makeup, going from his classic brunette roots to a bleach blonde short haircut and an arm covered with tattoos. He kept his dark beard and is donning a bright orange shirt and gold chain. I have a feeling this role is going to be completely different than anything we’ve seen the actor do, and it’s super exciting.

The movie he's sporting the blonde for is called Not Okay , which is currently in production and will hit Hulu sometime after production in New York City has wrapped. Not Okay stars Set It Up’s Zoey Deutch as a misguided woman who is desperate for friends and fame. She decides to fake a trip to Paris to update her social media presence but, when a “terrifying incident” takes place in the real world, her imaginary trip spins out of control. Check out a BTS still down below:

Not Okay is being characterized as a satire, perhaps targeting social media use with the story. The movie was written and is being directed by Quinn Shephard, who is also an actress and previously made a 2017 film called Blame. No word yet about how Dylan O’Brien will fit into the story, but here’s another picture of him on set, along with news that his latest character’s name is “Colin”:

Since wrapping the third Maze Runner movie in 2017 following a terrible stunt accident, the actor has starred in the apocalyptic rom-com Love and Monsters, the trippy drama Flashback, and he had a small role in Paramount+’s Infinite with Mark Wahlberg. Before heading to the set of Not Okay, he stars in another movie with Zoey Deutch called The Outfit, which tells the story of an English tailor caught in the middle of a gangster situation. O'Brien also filmed a comedy called Maximum Truth.

All and all, we’re super hyped to see the character behind Dylan O’Brien’s bleach blonde-haired character in Not Okay. While we wait for the movie to continue production, check out what movies are coming out soon with CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie release schedule.

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This article contains spoilers from Flashback and its ending. Read no further if you haven't seen the Dylan O'Brien movie yet! 

Christopher MacBride’s film Flashback stars Dylan O’Brien as Fred Fitzell, a young man who goes back into his past looking for answers about a missing girl. It leads to a trippy tale about the illusion of time, the burden of growing up, and the choices we make, consciously or unconsciously, that define us. The Flashback ending left viewers with plenty to ponder.

The Flashback ending, and the movie in general, allows the audience to interpret it in many ways. Viewers could see the film as a story of a teen who has a bad drug trip, or as a movie about grief and mourning and the ways we try to avoid it. Flashback is all those things and more but its heart lies in the power of choice. Let’s explore the Flashback ending and why choice is such a vital part of this film’s story.

What Happened At The End of Flashback

Fred has two big events coming up. As a teen, his final exam is happening, and as an adult, he has a big presentation. During both, he makes a scene then freaks out. It all clicks and he rewinds time to before both events happened. He then goes even further back to the party where Cindy (Maika Monroe) disappeared. This time, he chooses to go with her and we see him flashback to moments where he originally chose not to follow her.

We then see different versions of Cindy and Fred’s reality. In many, they are happily together exploring the world. In the current one, they’re junkies living in the party, bum house from the party where Cindy disappeared. One of the occupants of this building tells Fred that they’re almost out of Merc, so he dumpster dives--either to find stuff to sell or more Merc.

He returns to Cindy and gives her the necklace that he found in the dumpster. It has a symbol that he saw on her back in one of his realities. He then accidentally drops and breaks it. This prompts a memory of breaking his mom’s figurines as a child.

Fred visits the hospital to see his dying mother (Liisa Repo-Martell). As she tries to talk to him, he realizes that she’s the mouth that he’s been drawing. He once associated it with a monster, but he remembers how she only yelled at him as a baby to stop him from getting hurt.

She then calls his name and shows that she recognizes him. The two have a heartfelt moment, and once again Fred returns to his memory of the party with Cindy. This time, he tells her that he has to stop chasing her. She says she knows, and now all the moments where he followed her, he takes a different path.

This leads to him meeting his girlfriend Karen (Hannah Gross), expecting a child, getting a job, and excelling at his presentation. The final scene is Fred in the hospital with his mother. She passes away and we see images flash back and forth between when she holds him as a child to him crawling in her arms one last time.

How Does Time Work In Flashback?

At the beginning of Flashback, time functioned in a regular linear a to b, b to c way, but as Flashback progresses, time begins to diverge. Moments in Fred’s life exist in a simultaneous way. He is both his 17-year-old teen self and his 30-year old self. The drug Merc, short for Mercury, is credited with opening up Fred’s mind to not perceive time as this straightforward thing.

Viewers especially start to see the breakdown of time when Fred picks Cindy. We see many years of them together but they all feel and look like they’re happening in the same moment and time. Fred also often jumps back and forth from his childhood to his teen years to his adult self. When we get to the Flashback ending, time seems to return to its linear form.

In an interview with Starburst Magazine, Flashback director Christopher MacBride explained that time is one of the first things people learn at a very young age. They learn that x and y lead to z. This is why Fred continues to see his mom’s mouth whenever he’s about to stray away from his path. It also happens whenever authority is telling him what to do. At first, Fred sees this as something holding him back from exploring time and his life in a new way, but realizes that she’s not this monster but someone trying to protect him.

Did Fred Make The Right Choice In Flashback?

In Flashback, Fred experiences multiple choices. He first experiences the life that kind of feels forced upon him--with Karen, his job, and his dying mom. He then gets to experience a life with Cindy where he becomes an artist, sees the world, and allows Merc to destroy the concept of linear time. Ultimately, however, he chooses to go back to life with Karen, his job, and his dying mom, but he seems a lot more content with his life this time around.

He also moves forward in it, instead of being trapped between the past and present. In an interview with Buzz Mag, MacBride said that Flashback is mainly about choices.

In the first timeline, Fred lets nostalgia lead him back to the past because he’s not quite happy with his life. He has a great girlfriend, a good job, and a nice apartment but he starts to wonder if he made the wrong choices. It seems in that timeline he feels like life happened to him, and he’s just living the path that life chose for him, not the one he wants.

When he picks Cindy, he’s living a life more of his choosing, but he stays in the moment. He’s not moving forward. He then decides to go back to his other life but move forward and live it. Fred is portrayed happier because now he made the choice to live this life. He knows he could have had another life but picked this one. I believe the Flashback ending shows that it’s not about whether Fred made the right or wrong choice, it’s about the fact that he made a choice.

He’s not letting life happen to him or standing still. He’s choosing this life and moving it forward.

The Importance Of Growing Up In Flashback

Much of Flashback is about growing up. Fred starts to want to find out about his high school days because he’s at a point in his life where he needs to make some major choices: future with his girlfriend, grieve his mother, excel at this new job, etc. However, Fred is having problems making choices. He can’t even do something simple like picking the tile color for his bathroom. He’s stuck between growing older and holding on to his youth.

He’s at a point in his life where he must decide what happens next, and become a fully formed adult, but instead, he goes back in time. When he sees his mother, I believe he realizes that with Cindy, he will never grow up and he wants that. That’s why he makes the choice to grow up and move on.

Unfortunately, a part of getting older is losing people in your life. In many ways, I believe his choice to diverge off his given path and find Cindy was to avoid losing his mother and having to deal with the part of growing up that involves grieving and loss. Choosing to let Cindy go also meant choosing to grow-up and choosing to let his mother go.

Flashback is one of the most interesting 2021 movies so far. It’s definitely going to have mixed reactions from audiences, but I believe it's worth watching and taking the trip. Flashback is currently available to rent or buy on demand on your favorite VOD platforms or on DVD/Blu-Ray. Rent/buy Flashback on Amazon here.

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When it comes to some of the hit teen shows of the 2010s, I can think of several. From the legacy that was Vampire Diaries to the post-apocalyptic drama The 100, creating several young stars that have gone on to do some amazing projects. However, one celebrity from these shows that always stood out to me was Dylan O'Brien, who was part of the main cast of Teen Wolf.

Ever since his appearance on the hit show, this young actor has gone on to do many amazing projects, either exploring his abilities as a dramatic actor or even stemming into comedy and voiceover roles. From the YA-post apocalypse world of The Maze Runner to wild comedies such as The Internship, these are some of Dylan O’Brien’s best films so far, and where you can stream or rent them online.

Teen Wolf (2011-2017) (Hulu)

Arguably, this is what made Dylan O’Brien famous in the first place. In the popular MTV series, Teen Wolf follows the story of Scott McCall, a high school student who ends up becoming a werewolf when he is bitten the night before his first day of sophomore year. After that, his life changes forever.

O’Brien’s character, Stiles Stilinski, became a fan favorite quickly for his great one-liners and his genuine heart of gold for his best friend, Scott. The role shot Dylan O’Brien up to stardom quickly with how well he performed as the character. Teen Wolf ran for six seasons and became one of the most popular MTV shows in recent years. If the supernatural is your thing, along with some great young actors rocking their roles, then Teen Wolf is the series for you to enjoy.

Stream Teen Wolf on Hulu.

Rent Teen Wolf on Amazon.

The Maze Runner Series (2014-2018) (Amazon Rental)

Years ago, it seemed the world was saturated with young adult apocalypse dramas, most likely due to the popularity of The Hunger Games. DylanO’Brien’s entry into that genre was through The Maze Runner, the film series based on novels of the same name. In this popular series, the story follows a teenager, who randomly wakes up in the middle of a gigantic maze with no idea how he got there and no memory of his past. Together, with a community of boys within the maze, they continuously try to find their way out.

The first film became so popular that it spawned two sequels and really showed off that Dylan O’Brien can rock it in an amazing movie saga. The trilogy has always become one of my favorites within the genre of a post-apocalyptic world, and O’Brien’s amazing chemistry and charm keeps it on my list every time I view it. 

Rent The Maze Runner series on Amazon.

Deepwater Horizon (2016) (Amazon Rental)

We’ve seen Dylan O’Brien so far in a supernatural role, as well as a post-apocalypse role – what if he was in a disaster film? That’s what O’Brien did when he took on a role in the movie Deepwater Horizon. Based on true events, this movie captures the story of the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and the people that were working there during the time.

The movie itself is a great way of showing off Dylan O’Brien’s incredible acting skills as a dramatic actor. While we do get to learn an interesting story about a real-life event, we also get amazing performances from not only O’Brien but from his fantastic set of co-stars as well, such as Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, and so many others.

Rent Deepwater Horizon on Amazon.

The Internship (2013) (AMC+)

In one of his earlier film roles (pre-The Maze Runner), Dylan O'Brien decided to tackle comedy among his seemingly never-ending list of genres he can do. In The Internship, starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn tells the story of two recently laid-off salesmen who decide to compete with much younger and much higher-skilled applicants for a spot at the legendary tech company, Google.

Let me say that this film is hysterical. The chemistry between Vaughn and Wilson is second-to-none and works so well, but even the addition of all the younger applicants is amazing too, including O’Brien’s character, Stuart Twombly. Each of the cast members bounces well off of each other and creates some truly awesome laughs that you’ll find yourself chuckling about a couple of hours later. For comedy as an O’Brien fan, The Internship is the way to go.

Stream The Internship on AMC+ through Amazon.

Rent The Internship on Amazon.

American Assassin (2017) (Netflix)

Moving back over to the action thrillers that Dylan O’Brien seems to thrive on, we take a look at American Assassin. In this film based on the Vince Flynn novel of the same name, O'Brien stars as Mitch Rapp, a young CIA black ops recruit who teams up with a Cold War veteran, played by Michael Keaton, to try and stop the detonation of a nuclear weapon.

Already, that sounds like a great pairing - one of the most recognizable names in acting in my opinion, alongside a fresh face that’s up and coming, like Dylan O'Brien. If I’m being honest, it’s everything you would expect in an action film, with plenty of fights, gunshots, and stunts all around. It’s not one of the absolute best films on Netflix, but it’s still worth checking out. While I’m more of a fan of our next pick on the list, American Assassin will fill the craving for any action fan out there, especially if you’re interested in Dylan O’Brien’s work.

Stream American Assassin on Netflix.

Rent American Assassin on Amazon.

Love And Monsters (2020) (EPIX Now)

2020 was the year that felt like no movies were ever going to come out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, towards the end of the year, we got this gem of a film, starring Dylan O'Brien. In Love and Monsters, we live in a world where monsters populate above the ground, and Joel is one of the many that lives underground. When he gets in touch with his high school girlfriend, he decides to brave the monsters out there to try and get to her, despite all the risks.

While the film was going to release on Paramount+, the studio decided to release it in theaters as well as video-on-demand in October 2020. Not only is the CGI fantastic with all the monsters, but it's genuinely a lot of fun. Dylan O'Brien brings that star quality you would expect of him as the leading man, alongside that brilliant charisma that seems to just roll off of him. Plus, you get to see him take down some amazing monsters – who wouldn’t want to witness that? And if you've seen the movie, check out our breakdown of the Love and Monsters ending.

Stream Love and Monsters on EPIX Now.

Rent Love and Monsters on Amazon.

Amazing Stories (2020) (Apple TV+)

Moving back into the TV realm, we take a look at a limited series that Dylan O’Brien had the opportunity to guest star in, Amazing Stories. In this Apple TV+ original, which was executive produced by Academy-Award winner Steven Spielberg, we get a reimagining of the original anthology series based on the same name – also created by Steven Spielberg. The premise gives viewers an inside look into wonderful stories through the eyes of Hollywood’s best writers, directors, and filmmakers.

There are so many reasons to watch this short miniseries. While Dylan O'Brien stars in the very first episode, there are several stories that come after that feature some incredible talent as well, like Victoria Pedretti from The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. Not only that but there are several genres that are explored, from science-fiction to fantasy to drama, there’s something for everyone. And John Williams composed the theme music. How can you not be interested in a line-up like that?

Stream Amazing Stories on Apple TV+.

Bumblebee (2018) (Amazon Rental)

Coming up last on our list, but certainly not least, we take a look at one of the most recent additions to the Transformers saga, and that is the story of Bumblebee. In this film, we get the origin story of one of the Transformer's most famous characters, Bumblebee, and the unlikely friendship that he forms with Charlie Watson, a young teenage girl.

The film was praised as being one of the best Transformers films in the series, from the wonderful 1980s setting to the chemistry between Hailee Steinfeld’s character and Bumblebee in general played by O'Brien. Dylan O'Brien hadn’t done much voice-acting prior to this role, so it’s exciting to see him step into something so different from his normal realm of work and doing it excellently. I for one hope there will be a Bumblebee 2 just so I can see this wonderful duo work together once more.

Rent Bumblebee on Amazon.

Writing about all of this makes me want to look at all the new 2021 movies that are coming out just to see if Dylan O’Brian will be in any of them. Either way, for fans of the actor, I hope you found a new movie or show to obsess over – and hopefully, we’ll be seeing more from him very soon.

With the new streaming service Paramount+ finding its footing among other big studios carving their own space for at-home viewing, it has made a brand new movie initially meant for theaters to subscribers this summer. That movie is Antione Fuqua’s Infinite, a sci-fi action film starring Mark Wahlberg that explores reincarnation. The movie based on the novel The Reincarnationist Papers takes audiences on a ride as Wahlberg’s character learns that there’s an important past life of his that the world depends on him remembering. Let’s get into the Infinite ending.

Major spoilers ahead about the ending of Infinite**!**

In the nearly two-hour thriller, a lot goes down. And when there’s a lot to talk about, it helps to do a bit of a debrief. Now in Infinite, we learned right off the bat that the story will revolve around people known as “infinites” who have perfect memories of all their past lives. The “infinites” are split up into two sides, one who wants to use their memories to protect the growth of humanity and another who believe it to be a curse and want to end all life on Earth. Let’s break down what happened at the end:

What Happened At The End Of Infinite

First off, Mark Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley is someone who has forgotten the past incarnations of his lives, but is somewhat haunted by unknown memories. He’s been diagnosed as a schizophrenic and is just trying to get by when he is approached by Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Bathurst. Bathurst represents the side of the infinites who wants to destroy civilization and he needs Evan to remember his past in order for him to do so.

Evan ends up being taken in by the good “infinites” who catch up with him on what’s going on in the world of infinites. He teams up with them to attempt to remember his last life (played by Dylan O’Brien) as Bathurst continues with his plan. In broad terms, Evan ends up embracing his role as an infinite and defeating Bathurst’s plans before drowning in the ocean and being reincarnated as the Asian boy that the movie follows at the end of the film.

The Villainous Plan Of Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Bathurst

Bathurst is the main villain of Infinite and represents the nihilists of these eternal people who are tired of being reincarnated and remembering each of their lives. After being a good infinite for tons of lifetimes, for the last 300 years Bathurst has been looking for a way out from civilization and to find a way to stop reincarnating. In one scene, Chiwetel Ejiofor’s character shares how his “infinite” power has grown so much over the years that when he is reincarnated, all his memories come back while he is in the womb and he is a fully conscious man of many lives stuck in a tight space for months upon end. In other words, this can become really messed up.

So Bathurst has found a technology that has the power to destroy all life on Earth and he plans to do so. It attacks life by attacking DNA itself at the source. In the third act of the film, we see the device he plans to use as the circular device likened to a bomb that Evan fights him for via a sword fight on the aircraft just ahead of him launching it from the skies. Evan is able to kill Bathurst and stop his lives’ work, but he’ll reincarnate at some point and likely continue the cycle.

The Key Past Life Of Mark Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley

The reason why Mark Wahlberg’s Evan is so important to the story is because he is the ancient old partner of Bathurst known as Treadway. Treadway and Bathurst used to be best friends, but over time they were the founders of this “infinite” split over time. With his life as Evan, he has lost his memories of all his past lives, with his immediate one before (O’Brien) containing an important secret that he took to the grave. So in order to jog his memory, the infinites have him undergo a specialized shock therapy along with major physical training.

When Evan remembers, he reveals that the thing that Bathurst is looking for, called “the egg” was hidden inside his previous body. Bathurst is able to get to the egg before Evan and the other infinites, but thankfully Evan ends up being able to embrace himself as Treadway and defeat Bathurst before he can unleash the evil plan on humanity.

Explaining The Reincarnation Message In Infinite

By the end of Infinite, Treadway has a new life, but it’s made clear to us that this time he very much remembers his past lives and is rebooted into the infinite he was before. During the final moments of the film, Mark Wahlberg’s character speaks about the act of reincarnating with a broader message to be said about humanity itself about “passing the sword” through each generation and continuing the legacies we begin. Infinite’s central message is “hope” as he blatantly says at the end, as the movie seeks to share this idea of each of our actions connecting to the world and what comes next.

Infinite seems to lean heavily in eastern Asian religions who believe in reincarnation, or the belief that our consciousness, mind and soul moves from one life form to the next after death. A common belief that goes hand in hand with that is the doctrine of “karma” which is a law of cause and effect that is about how the actions of one life will affect the next. In Hinduism, there is a way out of reincarnation when someone reaches “moksha” translating to “release” which is when one’s eternal core and their absolute reality are one.

The Paramount+ movie does not explore “moksha,” but perhaps if there was a second installment of the Infinite movie, Treadway and Bathurst finding a way to reconnect with their original friendship could be a good way to end the constant cycle and perhaps end their continuous reincarnation without you know… destroying humanity.

You can watch Infinite streaming now. And for more new movies coming out, check out our 2021 New Movie Release Schedule.

In just a few days it will mark 10 years since Dylan O’Brien got his big break on MTV’s Teen Wolf, which premiered on June 5, 2011. The show would go on to become a major vehicle for the actor, who was 20 years old at the time, leading into his starring role in the sci-fi trilogy The Maze Runner. Now that the actor has wrapped two major pillars of his career, the question that might come to him is, "what now?"

Dylan O’Brien recently starred in the fun and acclaimed action film Love and Monsters, and he now fronts the upcoming thriller Flashback. While speaking about signing on to his latest movie, O’Brien shared what drew him to the film:

Flashback centers on a man named Fred Fitzell (O’Brien) who becomes obsessed with finding his high school girlfriend whom he used to take an experimental and mind-bending drug called Mercury. As the 29-year-old actor told NME, he’d been dealing with a transitional time of his own when the script made its way into his hands, and his “mind was blown” by Christopher MacBride’s movie.

While shooting the last movie in the Maze Runner franchise back in 2016, the actor was run over by a car on set and sustained a number of injuries, including severe trauma to his brain, and he had to have facial reconstructive surgery after the accident apparently broke most of the right side of his face. Dylan O’Brien has spoken before about how the accident affected him, sharing that it made him realize how important it was to him to “nurture” relationships he’d not placed emphasis on prior.

When asked about this transitional phase or the all-to-popular quarter life crisis many can likely relate to, Dylan O’Brien expanded on what was going on. In his words:

It can’t be easy to balance the major success of Teen Wolf plus Maze Runner, along with being a twenty-something living in the world. Making Flashback certainly sounds like it was the right project for the actor at the time, as it aligned with some personal aspects of his life ahead of his 30th birthday this summer.

Flashback is coming to digital this Friday, June 4 and check out what other exciting movies are coming out this year with CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie release schedule.

We all have those moments in our pasts that we look back on and wonder what on earth we were thinking. That concept is taken to a whole new level in the upcoming thriller Flashback. The film follows Fred (Dylan O’Brien) as he begins having horrific visions of a girl who vanished in high school. The moment that started it all is revealed in a new clip from the movie.

Flashback is set 15 years after Dylan O’Brien’s Fred and his high school buddies take a mystery drug called Mercury. Fred works in an office and is seemingly successful until these visions of a girl from his past begin to haunt him and impact his work performance. Take a look at the moment he was first introduced to the drug below:

The clip introduces us to four characters: Fred (Dylan O’Brien), Andre (Keir Gilchrist), Sebastian (Emory Cohen), and Cindy (Maika Monroe). The latter three are familiar with the drug Mercury which the teens have shortened to Merc and are introducing it to Fred for the first time. At first glance, it seems like a classic peer pressure situation, but Fred's friends allow and even encourage him to make his own decision without anything influencing him.

I get The Matrix vibes from this clip from Flashback, with someone being handed a pill, given very little information about it, and yet being intrigued enough to swallow it anyway. Curiosity seems to be the main catalyst for Fred since the other kids aren’t egging him on, making fun of him, or giving the impression that they will care if he doesn’t take it. When he asks what it will do to him, the response is a few sly smiles, which is pretty ominous.

It’s clear from the trailer that following the swallowing of this tiny pill, Dylan O’Brien’s character goes on an insane trip, but ultimately ends up okay. We know that he graduates high school, assumingly college, and enters the workforce. Does he continue taking Mercury during that time, is it limited to his high school days, or just a one-time thing? What is the catalyst of his visions?

Dylan O’Brien has some serious depth to his acting abilities (it’s a shame we didn’t get more Maze Runner movies). I can’t wait to see what he does with this character, especially playing him as both a teen and adult. Even in the 2-minute clip above, he conveys an assortment of emotions, capturing the skepticism, intrigue, excitement, and trepidation of trying something new.

I don’t know about you, but the film’s trailer and this scene combined have me all in on this mystery. Where is the missing girl? Is she alive? Did the drugs kill her? Why is only one of the guys having visions? I have so many questions! Obviously, Flashback will utilize flashbacks to unravel bits of the story to the audience as our protagonist uncovers them himself.

Flashback arrives in select theaters and everywhere you rent movies on June 4. Check out our best psychological thrillers to plan your next movie night in this genre.

Back in 2016, Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien was rushed to the hospital from the British Columbia set after being run over by a stunt car. The actor suffered severe injuries from the accident, including facial fractures, a concussion and brain trauma. After months of recovery and a hiatus for The Death Cure's production schedule, O’Brien returned to set and filmed the conclusion to the series. And then, he went back and signed up for another stunt-heavy movie with Love and Monsters.

It’d certainly be understandable if Dylan O’Brien decided to take an extended break from action movies or big productions following his tragic incident. However, O’Brien got right back into it with the monster-apocalypse movie, which began production back in 2019. The 29-year-old actor reflected on what it's been like to get back into stunts:

As Dylan O’Brien told ET Canada, he’s not letting one bad experience stop him from continuing something he loves to do as an actor. The incident has definitely made him more careful and aware of what can happen if he doesn’t pay attention, but he thinks it’s turned into a positive thing, considering how much it taught him about himself. It’s great to hear O’Brien is still excited about stunts after all this time.

Dylan O’Brien has opened up about how the severe accident has impacted him over the years. Once he suffered the injury, he recalled how important relationships were to him and how they had been on the backburner due to his career. O’Brien has likened the experience to rewiring and restructuring the way he sees his life and what he deems important.

He has previously shared the “degree of anxiety” he has felt in regard to completing stunts since recovering from the accident. Now, five years later, Dylan O’Brien still loves doing stunts and is not letting his fear take away from the opportunities placed in front of him.

Love and Monsters, his latest movie, had him interacting with some imaginative creatures while traveling on foot to his high school sweetheart, all during an apocalypse. The movie came out back in October, but it's now getting a second life to reach people since it recently dropped on Netflix in select markets.

Dylan O’Brien will also be starring alongside Mark Wahlberg in the science-fiction action film, Infinite, set to hit theaters on September 24, 2021. Check out what other movies are coming out this year with our 2021 release schedule here on CinemaBlend.

As far as YA book-to-movie adaptations go, Maze Runner is a success story. The movies starring Dylan O’Brien received adaptations for its core trilogy and managed to make some solid money along the way without greatly alienating its fans along the way. Crazy, right? It has a different narrative in Hollywood than other YA adaptations we’ve examined, such as the Divergent series, which came just short of its conclusion in 2016. Or the Percy Jackson movies, which was cancelled just two movies into production and is now set to be remade into a Disney+ TV show. But the Maze Runner movies did end with more books on the shelves from James Dashner. Why?

The best-selling dystopian science fiction novels that began in 2009 follow a group of teenagers left in a mysterious place called the “Glade” surrounded by massive walls and a deadly maze as the only possible exit. Let’s talk about what went down with Maze Runner and why we have yet to hear about more films from James Dashner’s world:

How Many Maze Runner Movies Have We Seen

The Maze Runner movies starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter, Ki Hong Li and Thomas Brodie-Sangster began in 2014 with its initial film and formed into a trilogy for each book, including 2015’s The Scorch Trials and 2018’s The Death Cure. All three films were directed by Wes Ball and written by T.S. Nowlin. The Fox films managed to pretty much stay on schedule and deliver to fans on a consistent basis with the exception of the third film, which came out three years following the second. This was caused by a 2016 accident O’Brien suffered on set when the actor was hit by a stunt car while shooting an action set piece for The Death Cure.

The accident “broke most of the right side” of Dylan O’Brien’s face according to the actor and understandably led to a delay for the movie. After he recovered from his injuries, O’Brien was determined to finish the core series and they did! Overall, the franchise made nearly $1 billion at the worldwide box office all together, with the first film making the most at $348 million against a production budget of $34 million. The Scorch Trials made a tad less in spite of its higher $61 million budget with $312 million in box earnings and The Death Cure lost some momentum with its $288 million gross following a similar budget to the second film.

Were There Plans More Maze Runner Movies?

Although The Maze Runner trilogy did begin and end on screen, there are two more books in the Maze Runner book series that have yet to be adapted: 2012’s The Kill Order and 2016’s The Fever Code. These books are prequels to the main series that start 13 years before the events of the original books. The prequel story expands the dystopian world of The Maze Runner because it offers more firsthand insight as to the ‘why’ and ‘how’ the young people become stuck in the Glade, including an origin story for Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas. However, the creatives behind the Maze Runner movies wanted to end things there with the 2018 finale. In screenwriter T.S. Nowlin’s words:

It’s a valiant and admirable thing to say about a franchise as loved as the Maze Runner movies, but hey, Star Wars turned from three to nine. It’s possible that these prequels could re-enter conversation once said exhale does happen, but it would require a lot of new cast to tell the story of before Maze Runner like The Hobbit movies did for Lord of the Rings almost a decade after its trilogy.

Why We Haven't Seen More Maze Runner Movies

Despite the Maze Runner filmmakers taking a hard line on ending the series following The Death Cure, there are also a number of factors that likely went into the door for the Maze Runner series being closed after the 2018 conclusion. First off, even though Maze Runner kept the same filmmakers and cast, it did not maintain its quality and many significant changes were made from the source material as the franchise raged on. With each sequel, the franchise did seem to lose some of its audience instead of expanding into something bigger, and that could be a problem from a business standpoint.

Also, the Maze Runner franchise is produced by Fox, which went through some significant changes following the release of The Death Cure in 2018. The company was acquired by Disney in a major deal, which may have absorbed or tabled plans to expand the franchise further if that was on the docket for Fox, it may not be a priority for Disney. However, it does mean that Disney could potentially turn around and do a Maze Runner Disney+ series or reboot the movie franchise down the line like Percy Jackson is currently getting.

Are There Any Plans For Future Maze Runner Movies?

For the time being, that’s it for the Maze Runner movies. But there are two books waiting to be adapted if Hollywood decided to give the franchise another look. Back in 2015, the franchise’s author James Dashner told Screen Rant about his thoughts on his newer books being adapted for the big or small screen. In his words:

The Kill Order and Fever Code are much darker additions to the Maze Runner franchise, considering it is about the solar flares that hit Earth and ravage mankind with disease. The population becomes insane from the apocalyptic narrative. In Fever Code, the Glade begins to form and a younger Thomas is explored before his memory is wiped for the events of The Maze Runner.

Considering the actual world is currently facing a global pandemic, this may not be the best idea to adapt right out the gate. However, if the prequels were adapted, it could even set up a remake of the franchise (perhaps as a television show?) down the line if Hollywood decided to make more Maze Runner movies. What do you think? Do you want to see more from James Dashner’s series or are you content with the trilogy by itself? Vote in the poll below!

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Over the course of an actor’s career, they give a lot of interviews about themselves, which are often recorded here for the internet, retold a few times over the years and sometimes misconstrued. This summer, it’ll officially be a decade since Maze Runner actor Dylan O’Brien first broke out in Hollywood as Teen Wolf’s Stiles Stilinski, so why not take part in a bit of fact checking about him on Google search?

While promoting his apocalyptic rom-com Love & Monsters, which just hit Netflix in international markets, Dylan O’Brien took to the internet to get a few things straight about how his life is being presented online. One wrong “fact” he found right off the bat is the assumption he does not have a middle name. He cleared that right up with the following:

While the internet isn’t always to be trusted, especially without a solid fact check from a reputable source to back certain information up, a lot of what the internet had to say about Dylan O’Brien was mostly true. While speaking to Netflix, the actor admitted that he totally travels everywhere with the same pillow, and that yes, he was a drummer in a band:

It's pretty cool he was in a band! Think ska meets the kind of song you hear during the introduction of a summer coming-of-age movie with Slow Kids At Play. Dylan O’Brien was also called out for his old YouTube channel, which he admitted is totally him. In the fact check, he broke down his account name too:

Hey, I think we all started with an email or account name of the Moviekidd826 variety. The actor posted his first video on YouTube back in 2006, and still totally has 15 videos ready and available to witness, including this gem:

The video has now racked up over 10 million views since Dylan O’Brien became a fan-favorite on the MTV werewolf series and the face of the Maze Runner YA movie adaptations. Oh, the power of the internet. The actor also cleared up a tidbit about turning to the hit sitcom Friends when he moved to California on his own and was lacking in the friendship department with these words:

Sure, these are quite random facts about Dylan O’Brien, but they’re definitely fun to hear about the actor, and from the actor’s own mouth. Check out the full Netflix video below:

Dylan O'Brien is gearing up next to release Flashback this June and Antoine Fuqua’s Infinite alongside Mark Wahlberg this September. Check out all the upcoming 2021 movies coming our way this year here on CinemaBlend.

So, here’s the thing. I’m not sure we fully appreciated the star-power of New Girl while the FOX series was on the air from 2011 to 2018. Sure, we’ll never forget Zooey Deschanel’s Jess going full-on quirky girl or Jake Johnson’s Nick Miller being the lovable doof he was, Max Greenfield’s Schmidt with his lotus pear conditioner or Lamorne Morris’ Winston and his misadventures with Ferguson. But, what also makes a sitcom as good as it was the New Girl guest stars who often managed to be super memorable and added a ton of laughs to the series. I’m talking about Taylor Swift, Prince, Dylan O’Brien and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Following my recent rewatch of the series and a few years removed from its series finale, I figured its time to rank the best guest appearances during New Girl’s seven season run. But first, I want to get a notable honorable mention out of the way:

New Girl's Guest Of Honor: Megan Fox

Megan Fox had a 15-episode guest arc while Zooey Deschanel’s Jess was on jury duty and the actress took maternity leave on the show. Although it didn’t seem fair to rank her with the others because she had significantly more screen time, I wanted to highlight Fox’s part in the series. Writing your star out of their series for a while is supposed to be a disaster, but it wasn’t thanks to the Transformers star. Fox’s Reagan brought a completely different flavor to the series, as a closed-off and suave temporary roommate to the New Girl cast. In the process, the actress showed off her comedic chops in a new way and provided a really interesting arc to the series. New Girl took a big swing and it paid off here. Anyway, on to the ranking!

11. Dylan O’Brien - Virgins - Season 2

Remember the time when the loft recalled how they lost their virginities? In the Season 2 episode, each of the roommates told their own stories of their first times and as it turns out Jess’ story involved The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien. The actor struts into the show with style after an ill-fated prom night for Jess. He only strums a song for her on the guitar, but as the story goes, years later they meet each other at a bar and the results are absolute chaos. 

Dylan O’Brien’s guest spot is incredible because we expect him to be the rom-com heartthrob of Jess’ past, but nope… we were played in the best way.

10. Taran Killam - What About Fred - Season 5

One of the funniest aspects of New Girl continues to be its dating stories, and one Season 5 treat gave us Taran Killam’s Fred. In the episode, Jess is going out with the SNL alum’s character, who plays a hilariously boring oddball that feels like someone we’ve all met somewhere. What happens is she ends up sticking around with him because she loves hanging out with his parents more than him (played by Julie Hagerty and Henry Winkler). Killam is having fun playing around with his boring boyfriend bit and it really shows. Not to mention that amazing break dance moment with Winston.

9. Linda Cardellini - Sister - Season 3

Megan Fox wasn’t the only “anti-Jess” to shake up the FOX show throughout New Girl. In Season 3, Linda Cardellini’s character of Jess’ rebel sister was introduced into the show. You really can’t help but laugh and cringe at the wacky storyline Cardellini's character goes through as she uses her and her roommates, most memorably by dating Schmidt just so she can have a place to stay. It’s just about the worst match ever when Abby Day gets with Greenfield’s character, but it’s fun to watch play out.

8. Jessica Biel - The Last Wedding - Season 4

We really don’t get to see Jessica Biel in enough comedy roles these days, but in Season 4 of New Girl, she did a hilarious guest spot as the other woman in the way of Jess going home with the best eligible bachelor of the wedding she and the loft is attending. Throughout the episode, Jess and Biel’s character Kat end up following a man around (played by Ben Feldman) to crazed levels. Biel has solid chemistry with Zooey Deschanel in the episode and her character swept us off our feet in the matter of 20 minutes.

7. Adam Brody - Exes - Season 3

The OC and Shazam! actor Adam Brody also joined New Girl as a guest star to play another one of Jess’ former lovers in a Season 3 episode that tackles the question of whether one can be friends with exes. In the episode, Jess attempts to convince Nick that he can remain friends with his ex Caroline (played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis), but in the process she learns that she has been leading on Adam Brody’s Berkley for years. Adam Brody plays an adorable new dad who seems harmless, but then really mixes things up in a sharply funny way.

6. Fred Armisen - No Girl - Season 5

Another gem that came out of the time New Girl was without Zooey Deschanel is when SNL funny man Fred Armisen played one of their strange live-in roommates early on. Armisen played a reserved and mysterious housemate that kind of just hangs around the house with nothing to say until the very end when he does a 180 and shows up dressed as Jess Day, and even acts like her. It’s an odd anomaly since he hadn’t met Jess during his stay, but that’s kind of why it’s so hilarious and a great guest appearance.

5. Taylor Swift - Elaine’s Big Day - Season 2

A truly great celebrity guest appearance is a surprise one, and that’s what happens in the Season 2 finale of New Girl with Taylor Swift. The pop singer’s role in the series might actually have the shortest screen time on this list, but it’s undeniably memorable, and for that it finds a place in the top five! During the memorable finale that has Cece getting her arranged marriage to Shivrang amidst protest and pranks from Schmidt and Winston, along with some developments in Jess and Nick’s relationship. As the wedding episode reaches its finale, Taylor Swift pops out to pronounce her love for Shivrang. It’s a weird and funny twist for the episode and the perfect insert of someone as iconic as the singer.

4. Jamie Lee Curtis And Rob Reiner - Parents - Season 2

A genius bit of casting in New Girl was the decision to make Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner Jess’ parents in the series. The pair made a few recurring appearances to the Fox series after their introduction in Season 2, but every single time they were an absolute delight. They play a divorced couple who are convincingly Jess’ mom and dad and it’s so much fun to see the pair play off each other and the cast. They truly struck gold with these two and New Girl is better for their additions to the series.

3. Josh Gad - Katie - Season 2

New Girl also gave us Josh Gad more unhinged than ever with his role as Bearclaw in Season 2. In the episode “Katie”, the actor uses his unique brand of humor to play a man she meets at a bar on the same episode she meets David Walton’s Sam Sweeney (her famed doctor boyfriend). In the episode, she blows off Bearclaw to go out with Sam, and things get super awkward. Gad returns in two more episodes to deliver his best moment, a woodland animal musical. Bearclaw makes excellent use of the Frozen actor and has some of the most laugh-out-loud moments in the show.

2. Justin Long - Bad In Bed - Season 1

As we soon approach the end and top of the New Girl guest star ranking, we’ve come to the last of Jess’s ex boyfriends. I guess that makes my favorite guest boyfriend in the series Justin Long’s Paul Genzlinger, who is basically the male version of Jessica Day. The couple meet in the first season of New Girl at school and then briefly date. Long has a few episodes on the show, but every time his dynamic with the cast is absolutely perfect. He plays a bit of a golden retriever boyfriend and plays off the awkwardness of Jess in a really fun way. A moment of silence for that cringe-y sex scene where Jess tries to mix it up in bed with roleplaying… nope, can’t do it, still hilarious as ever.

1. Prince - Prince - Season 3

Was it ever going to be anyone else but the late Prince? The Season 3 guest spot might be the most iconic moment in the series ever, and there are so many reasons why. The singer was apparently a big fan of the sitcom, and therefore allowed the cast to grace his presence for an episode about the loft gang getting into an exclusive party hosted by Prince. The episode comes at a pivotal moment in the series where things are heating up between Jess and Nick, and Zooey Deschanel’s character is gearing up to say those three special words to him. The Prince episode is majestic, fun and showcases everything that’s wonderful about New Girl.

All seven seasons of New Girl is currently available to stream on Netflix. Which notable guest star on the series was your favorite? Vote in the poll below. That's my queue to backwards moonwalk out of here!

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Warner Bros., in 2023, will bring us back to a world of pure imagination with Wonka, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel exploring the origins of its reclusive chocolate-maker and how he built his vast fortune with his extravagant factory. Directed by Paul King (Paddington 1 and 2) and written by Simon Rich (An American Pickle), the studio is on the lookout for who can play the titular part, made iconic by the late, great Gene Wilder. Any young actor who adopts this role has mighty big shoes to fill, as Johnny Depp will attest, but there are several actors who could shine here.

Currently, Tom Holland and Timothee Chalamet are reportedly being sought. While both are fine picks, there are some other performers who strike my fancy more. Admittedly, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is my favorite film, so I have a lot invested here. With that said, here are some strong contenders for this proposed prequel.

Donald Glover

When this prequel was initially announced, there were three big-name actors reportedly considered: Ryan Gosling, Ezra Miller, and Donald Glover. In my view, all of them were promising prospects, but the one choice that seemed the most exciting was the latter. The Community actor-comedian is one of the most dynamic talents working today, particularly as he continues to thrive as a musician, and a producer-writer-director on Atlanta, to boot. He's capable of being buoyant, but introspective and reserved. His acting depths only continue to grow, and Wonka would prove the vastness of his well-versed talents.

While he keeps a lower profile nowadays, Donald Glover's star power is undeniable, and he can capture Willy Wonka's spunky heart, while also channeling his child-like giddiness and mysterious aura. He'd be my ideal choice.

Adam Driver

While Adam Driver is known for his brooding, turmoil-driven performances in Girls, Marriage Story, The Report, and the new Star Wars trilogy, the high-rising Oscar-nominated actor is capable of delivering a wealth of distinctive, engaging characters — if he's given the chance to cut loose and have fun. Whether it's his scene-stealing supporting turn in What If?, his soulful leading role in Paterson, his kooky character work in Logan Lucky, or even his surprisingly wacky performances on SNL, Driver has proven himself to be a dependably, well, driven performer with a variety of characters in him. If he had the chance to shine inside the lead role of Wonka, we could get a better look at how silly he can be.

Certainly, there's more to Willy Wonka than his dry sense of humor or his sporadic sensibilities. Adam Driver has demonstrated a great flair for playing oddballs who constantly surprise and delight. Certainly, Wonka could be a marvelous showcase for his comedic skills.

Ryan Gosling

Of all the actors originally proposed to play Willy Wonka, Ryan Gosling interests me the least, if only because I prefer his smaller, more intimate performances compared to his studio fare. But, there's something to be admired in how Gosling could bring in the gentle sensitivity of Gene Wilder's original performance, in a way that isn't forced or overbearing. Gosling's facial features can capture a demurred inquisitiveness and casual wonder that would play well into Wonka's wondrous spirit. Ultimately, as one of the oldest actors here, he might not be the right fit anymore. But he could easily capture Wonka's dry wit and unsuspecting heart.

Ezra Miller

Certainly the most intriguing option of the three actors initially listed, Ezra Miller could definitely channel the eccentric wit and rambunctious spirit of Wonka's public persona. Their talent for playing characters both outlandish and introspective would also be vital in capturing the inner life of this hard-to-read factory-owning personality. Miller can play both broad and calculating, which would create the dynamism of this off-beat title character, though their commitments to other WB properties like the DCEU, where they play The Flash, and the Fantastic Beasts franchise may prevent them from committing. Not to mention difficulties in their personal life.

Daniel Radcliffe

As Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe has major clout at Warner Bros. While there are reportedly concentrated efforts to return to the wizarding world of Hogwarts (and possibly reboot the series), it's hard for audiences to see anyone other than Radcliffe in the role. He literally grew up before our eyes with that performance, and nearly all of his recent efforts (many of which are quite good) are deliberate attempts to shake off this image. Perhaps the best way to move past Harry Potter is to let Radcliffe play another iconic character altogether with Wonka.

While Daniel Radcliffe's talents weren't always natural, he has progressed into a very fine young actor, particularly with outstanding performances in Imperium, Miracle Workers (also written by Simon Rich), and, most especially, his transformative turn in Swiss Army Man. Radcliffe has developed a knack for cheeky performances with a wily sense of humor, while also showcasing dependable dramatic chops. This role could suit him well, and allow him to progress beyond his past performances.

Logan Lerman

Logan Lerman is due for his big break. First coming to fame with Percy Jackson, those movies never reached the Harry Potter-level heights they sought. He won a lot of hearts with his sensitive performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but since then, he hasn't had a chance to branch out as far as he should. He did good work in Fury, Noah, Indignation, and, most recently, Shirley, but it'd be nice to see him capture that radiant spark in his earlier work. While he might not be considered for Wonka, his underdog spirit makes him a good fit.

The heartful sincerity he brings to his best performances is a great asset, and his understated talent for dry humor and reflective charm makes him an endearing pick. Aided by his boyish features and good-natured grin, Wonka would be a good way for Logan Lerman to finally make it big.

Dylan O’Brien

Following Teen Wolf, Dylan O'Brien has tried discovering his next step. His lead performances in the underseen The First Time and 2020's Love and Monsters were praised, while he did solid work in wobbly projects like The Maze Runner trilogy, American Assassin, and The Internship. Clearly, the actor has a pleasant, appealing screen presence that shines on screens big and small, but O'Brien hasn't progressed into superstardom. It's clearly within reach, though, and Wonka could showcase his star power.

With his affable charm, flexible talents, and capable screen presence, as well as his unsuspecting ability to surprise, Dylan O'Brien has what it takes to make a good Willy Wonka. His boyish grin and happy-go-lucky on-screen personality would work wonders if it's done right. Also, O'Brien always brings a great deal of heart and sincerity to his performances, which could make the title character's vibrant inner life shine.

Alden Ehrenreich

Admittedly, the last time Alden Ehrenreich starred in a high-profile prequel, it didn't work out — financially, at least. Yes, for many moviegoers, Ehrenreich is best known for Disney's troubled and underperforming Solo: A Star Wars Story, though the movie's faults don't belong to the young talent. The actor had the tough task of honoring Harrison Ford's beloved space-based scoundrel while also finding his own rhythm with the character. Alas, while the balance wasn't perfect, Ehrenreich brought lots of warmth and charisma, and his other performances outside of this notable leading role vividly demonstrate the wealth of his acting prowess.

Notably, Alden Ehrenreich is a standout in Beautiful Creatures, Blue Jasmine, and even the underwhelming Rules Don't Apply, but it's his Oscar-worthy supporting role in the Coen brothers' underrated Hail Caesar! that solidified his up-and-coming talents. Alas, Hollywood hasn't served him well, but this prequel could be the iconic role he needs to excel.

Janelle Monae

When Wonka was first proposed, one name that was thrown around wildly was Janelle Monae. And I admire that choice immensely. Monae's dynamic charisma and strong acting talents make her a performer with a continuously-impressive career. While she focuses primarily on music, Monae's scene-stealing supporting turns in Hidden Figures and Moonlight were promising starts to a thriving acting career.

Alas, while Antebellum didn't showcase her talents, Wonka would be an incredible opportunity for the exceptional musician/rising actress to shine in this star-worthy leading role. She's capable of playing up Wonka's heart, humor, and extravagance, and having a performer as incredible as Janelle Monae involved would really justify this movie's seemingly-needless existence. Will it happen? I dunno, but she should absolutely be considered.

Dev Patel

Over the years, Dev Patel has showcased a flair for playing passionate, good-hearted men going against the odds to make a name for themselves. Whether it's Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, or 2020's The Personal History of David Copperfield, the British actor excels in leading roles that let him play underdogs who discover their passion, dreams, or enthusiasm for life. Certainly, if this prequel studied Willy Wonka's rags-to-riches adversities in the midst of greatness, Patel has proven his capability in that type of role. Additionally, Patel could really sell Wonka's warmth, too.

Notably, Dev Patel's work in David Copperfield is some of his finest yet, nailing the whimsical and lyrical comedic-dramatic tone. While the movie itself isn't without faults, Patel's vibrant, bewitching performance hits with gusto. If he brought that same winning spirit, he could play Wonka's tenacity well.

Who's your pick? Tell us below!

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For the moment, the only time we’re going to see Michael Keaton return to the role of Bruce Wayne seems to be in The Flash film that’s currently in development. But that hasn’t stopped the internet from searching for every crumb of information that could confirm Keaton’s recurring involvement in the DC Comics multiverse, as we’ve seen with the most recent round of rumors. Now we have something else to fuel those fires, as a fan poster has cast American Assassin stars Michael Keaton and Dylan O’Brien in a hypothetical Batman Beyond film.

You could practically guess the artist behind this Batman fan poster, as internet legend BossLogic has done it again. A simple, but effective look at what this incarnation of Batman Beyond could look like, Dylan O’Brien and Michael Keaton’s faces appear on either side of one simple word teasing this concept. Showcasing his work on Instagram yet again, the following post from BossLogic is about to provide a lot of hope for those who want to see the fan-favorite animated series come to life.

This isn’t the first time that BossLogic has allowed this idea to feel the wind under its wings on the internet, as previously he crafted a poster to pitch the idea of Michael Keaton becoming Bruce Wayne’s older self. But now, with Love and Monsters star Dylan O’Brien in the role of Terry McGinnis, the young man who would find himself embodying a new generation of caped crusading under Master Wayne’s tutelage, the potential is even more exciting. Should this casting actually come to pass, it’d be a fantastic fit considering the shared history between these would-be co-stars.

Besides Dylan O’Brien being a good fit for the role of Terry McGinnis, he’s also had experience playing a lead alongside Michael Keaton. In the potential franchise starter American Assassin, O’Brien played literary counterterrorist agent Mitch Rapp, who just happened to be taught everything he knew by his mentor, Stan Hurley. With Hurley being played by Keaton, there’s already an entire movie waiting for audiences to partake in, if they want to see what a Batman Beyond film with these two actors could feel like.

Will the cinematic world of Batman ever go beyond what the world expects? That’s a subject that’s more than likely still being discussed in the halls over at Warner Bros. However, if there were oddsmakers looking for the next big showdown folks are ready to put money on, the potential existence of a Batman Beyond film would surely have a healthy amount of takers. Here’s hoping we’ll get a definitive answer on the matter before The Flash’s November 2022 release, as this subject is undoubtedly going to burn a hole in the internet long before then.

Love and Monsters stars Dylan O’Brien and tells the story of Joel Dawson. Joel spent the last seven years living in a monsterpocalypse, trying to survive and adjusting to his new bunker life. Joel was a teen when all of this happened, and at only 24, he’s still dealing with a little arrested development. Joel decides to embark on a great adventure to find high school girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick). The Love and Monsters ending set up the movie to continue on long beyond Joel’s quest to get to Aimee.

Love and Monsters effortlessly sets up and establishes this monsterpocalypse world, and then takes viewers through a journey in it. The world is full of terrors, but also some extremely fascinating creatures, and even robots. This world of wonders makes you want to visit this universe as often as possible. For this post, I will explore the Love and Monsters ending and how it and other elements open the door for more of Joel and the other survivors’ stories.

Spoiler warning: as I’ll be discussing the Love and Monsters ending, expect spoilers.

What Happened At The End of Love And Monsters

Joel finally reaches Aimee, and things aren’t fairytale-esque as he pictured. Aimee has lived a lot of life in these last seven years, and she even loved and lost someone. The imperfect meeting between Joel and Aimee becomes even more complicated with the shady Captain (Dan Ewing) and his crew around claiming to want to help Aimee and her bunker. Joel manages to speak to his colony with his radio, and he realizes that he misses them and needs to make it back to them.

Before he leaves, he also discovers that the Captain and his crew are food stealers. They plan to sacrifice Aimee’s colony (including Joel) to a giant crab, so that they can take off with all their supplies.

We get a major monster battle between the crab and Joel and Aimee, while they’re also trying to stop the Captain and his crew. Just when Joel gets the upper hand and can kill the crab, he looks in its eyes and realizes that he’s not his enemy. He sets him free and crab exacts his revenge on the Captain and his crew by eating them.

Joel says goodbye to Aimee with a kiss and gives her his book on the monsters. He then sets out on another 7-day journey with Boy to return to his bunker. We hear a recording from Joel that gets transmitted to multiple bunkers. It tells them what he knows about fighting the monsters and that the safest place seems to be the mountains because it has fewer monsters.

We see multiple groups, including Aimee and Joel’s group heading to the mountains. We also see Minnow (Ariana Greenblatt) and Clyde (Michael Rooker) already there waiting for more survivors, specifically Joel’s arrival.

Will There Be A Love And Monsters Sequel?

Will Love and Monsters 2 happen? The short answer is that we don’t know. Paramount hasn’t commissioned a Love and Monsters sequel yet, but I strongly believe that this movie is just the beginning of the Love and Monsters franchise, especially with the movie doing well with its PVOD sales.

The story, characters, and premise leave a lot of room for potential sequels, prequels, or spin-off stories. Love and Monsters cast members, including Michael Rooker, who stated while talking to Comic Book Movie that he would love to film in Australia again for a return to this world, have spoken about doing another movie.

Comic Book Movie also interviewed Love and Monsters director Michael Matthews about potential sequels and he offered this insight.

Though Matthews may have not set the film up with sequels in mind, there is so much material for an expansion of this world.

What Could A Love And Monsters Sequel Be About?

Love and Monsters has laid the groundwork for so many more stories. Let’s look at some of the directions the sequels could take.

The Continuation Of Joel’s Story

Dylan O’Brien has such a dedicated fan-base from his time on Teen Wolf and as the star of The Maze Runner franchise, so of course Paramount would want to keep O’Brien’s name attached to the project, and O’Brien also gave a fun and charming performance as Joel. Therefore, the most logical next step would be more stories about Joel. I think he is an interesting enough character to carry more movies, especially since we watched him evolve in Love and Monsters. What does Joel 2.0 look like as he navigates his colony?

The Monsters

Unlike many other films about monsters, the creatures in Love and Monsters are from our world. They’re just giant mutated versions of insects, amphibians, and other bug-like creatures. This is a concept that I would want to learn more about, because we saw with the crab and the slug that they aren’t all trying to destroy and eat humans. The movie could even take a note from The Transformers franchise and explore what happens when these monsters have to work against each other. What happens if some of the monsters actually help humans?

The Other Survivors

Joel is a great character, but so is Minnow, Clyde, and Aimee. Joel’s colony also seemed like an interesting group of people. I would love to see the story from another survivor’s perspective. What are their challenges and struggles?

What Could A Love And Monsters Prequel Or Spin-Off Be About?

A straight path forward isn’t the only way to tell more of the Love and Monsters story. There is also a lot of material for the movie to explore prequel or spin-off films. Let’s look at a few ways that could work as well.

Aimee’s Story

Aimee clearly went through a lot in these last seven years. A prequel could take us back to seven years ago and show viewers some of her obstacles and how she grew from an innocent girl to a capable and tough woman. In an interview with Comic Book Movie, Jessica Henwick discussed where she would like to see Aimee’s story go next.

Aimee as a monster hunter could work as a spin-off movie. We could see how she fights monsters now that she’s out of the bunker with her colony.

The Monsters' Origins

Joel explained at the very beginning what happened with the meteor and then chemicals falling back to the earth causing mutations. I would like to see more of how this all happened. The meteor panic, the plan to stop it with rockets, and then these little creatures becoming huge and taking over the earth, killing 95% of the population. It would probably be less optimistic than Love and Monsters, but it would still be an interesting film.

A Story Of Boy’s Journey

Boy was the second main character of Love and Monsters, and we learn that Boy lost his girl sometime during this Monsterpocalypse. I think a prequel explaining Boy’s journey would be very captivating. I want to know things he had to do to survive all these years, and the people he met along his journey, and what happened to his original owner.

Love and Monster is a rare monster movie in that it’s less about the darkness and horror of this post-apocalyptic world and more about the main character’s coming-of-age story. It takes an optimistic approach to life in that it argues that even in a world full of dangers and monsters, there is still hope and love. Love and Monsters is currently available to rent or purchase on-demand at your favorite VOD service. Rent or purchase it here.

When you think of actor/ adventure seeker Michael Rooker, you may think of toughness and hilarity. As seen in films such as Tombstone, Days of Thunder, and more recently, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy duology, you can crack a smile or wither in your seat when that man’s on screen. But would you believe a backpack was all it took to make the man fall on the set of his latest film, Love and Monsters? Probably not, right? I mean you’d have to have a pretty heavy pack, and some extenuating circumstances to fall back on to topple The Rooker. Well, that’s exactly what happened on set, and he subsequent fall is a testament to the intensity Michael Rooker brings to life in general.

I was able to speak with both Rooker and Dylan O’Brien on behalf CinemaBlend in the run up to this weekend’s limited theatrical/VOD debut of Paramount’s Love and Monsters. And in speaking with O’Brien about his memories of working with Michael Rooker, there were obviously a lot of kind words and tales of how the energy between both men, as well as their co-star Ariana Greenblatt, made their week of shooting together an absolute blast. But in that particular conversation, Dylan O’Brien clued me into the story of the backpack incident:

Playing “the Obi-Wan” of Love and Monsters, as he likes to put it, Michael Rooker’s character, Clyde, acts as a mentor to Dylan O’Brien’s hopeless romantic/hero in training, Joel. A lot of journeying takes place once Joel is rescued by Clyde, and his young companion Minnow (Ariana Greenblatt,) and over time Joel is taught in the ways of dealing with the various creatures that make up the post-monsterpocalyptic landscape. So naturally, this is a character that knows how to pack for the end of the world, and that’s where this particular backpack’s weight comes into play.

Which leads to Michael Rooker’s side of the events that took place on the Love and Monsters set. Totally corroborating the fact that he did, indeed, have a bit of a fall, the road to such a fall is all the more interesting with the added context that Rooker lent to the moment. As it turns out, an 80-lb backpack was only the beginning of his worries, as some added gear was also included in the final lineup, and the demands of the scene provided the final, hysterical straw. As the actor noted:

So not only was there an 80-pound backpack involved in Love and Monsters’ big Michael Rooker moment on set, but there was also a sword, and a hatchet, as well as a belt’s worth of tools that Clyde has at the ready. Yet Rooker persevered. Both Rooker and his character were officially ready for anything that this apocalyptic romantic-comedy could throw their way, except for the one thing that ended up tripping the man up unexpectedly: the forces of gravity.

While you won’t exactly get to see the moment where Michael Rooker literally fell down on the job, you can see the adventure and the wisdom that Rooker helps Dylan O’Brien survive through in Love and Monsters. If you’re interested in going back to the movies, the film is currently in limited theatrical release, so check your local listings for showtimes if you’re so inclined. However, if you’re looking to stay home, then you can also check the movie out as it’s currently available on VOD. Either way, the monsterpocalypse awaits for those who seek it, and there’s much more on the way to theaters throughout the rest of the year when you check out the 2020 release schedule.

During the filming of the third and final installment to the Maze Runner trilogy, the series’ star, Dylan O’Brien, faced serious injuries that stalled production for almost a year. The actor was hit by a stunt car while shooting an action set piece and rushed to the hospital for a concussion, a facial fracture and brain trauma. According to the actor, he “broke most of the right side” of his face.

It’s been over four years since his accident, and Dylan O’Brien is now up and at 'em with a new action film about an apocalyptic world -- Love and Monsters. But that’s not to say the actor doesn’t look at filming action sequences in a different way these days. In his words:

Dylan O’Brien thankfully recovered from the rough accident, but he’s found himself checking his safety gear more aptly and having some anxiety about shooting risky scenes these days. And who can blame him? The 29-year-old dealt with a serious accident that he’s lucky to have come back from. While speaking on Variety’s The Big Ticket with Marc Malkin, O’Brien also spoke about how it affected him in other aspects:

Before the accident, O’Brien had been on a non-stop franchise train, shooting all the Maze Runner movies between 2013 and the setback. That doesn't even include the actor’s work on Teen Wolf for six seasons and other films like The First Time, The Internship and Deepwater Horizon. Suffering the injuries allowed him to take a hard look at his life and friendships more than ever before.

The actor also told Deadline, that aside from the accident, he was going through “shit for a long time” due to the different changes happening in both his personal and work lives. After he recovered from his injuries, the actor was able to finish the delayed Maze Runner film and complete the franchise he had started with his castmates like Kaya Scodelario and Will Poulter.

Dylan O’Brien’s Love and Monsters is about a young man living in the monster-pocalypse, who decides to make a dangerous journey to reunite with his girlfriend after spending seven years in an underground bunker. Love and Monsters is available to rent or buy now, and check out what else is coming out soon with CinemaBlend’s 2020 release schedule.

This month marked the tenth anniversary of Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's The Social Network and, yes, we’re still swooning over the viral recreation Dylan O’Brien and Sarah Ramos did earlier this year. The pair blew the internet’s collective mind with an at-home tribute to a memorable scene between Andrew Garfield, Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake.

The Maze Runner and Teen Wolf star embodied Garfield’s role of Eduardo Saverin, one of the co-founders of Facebook, right down to the tear at the edge of his eye. Now, O’Brien has opened up about the 87-second video with these words:

If you have yet to see Dylan O’Brien take on The Social Network, or just need a refresher, take a look at the “quaranscene” side by side with the actual 2010 moment:

Oscar worthy, am I right? Dylan O’Brien went all out to play Eduardo Saverin, and it really shows through the clip. O’Brien told The Hollywood Reporter that he and Sarah Ramos became very invested in doing right by the scene. He filmed 13 takes of his part, and Sarah Ramos decided to choose the take where he got the most invested in the scene. O’Brien explained further:

The response was over two million views that even reached Andrew Garfield himself. The actor does not use social media, but he texted his Tick, Tick… Boom collaborator, Lin-Manuel Miranda ,to publicly reach out to Dylan O’Brien about the performance. Check out what happened:

This might be one of the most iconic movie “moments” of 2020. It’s interesting to hear how the scene came together between the friends and we’re not surprised they worked so hard on it, considering how perfect it turned out. It’s definitely an achievement that Dylan O’Brien could film such an emotional sequence in his home without anyone to share the scene with but a camera.

David Fincher is famous for going with something like 60 takes with his actors, so 13 is just about right for recreating the short sequence. No word if the other cast and filmmakers involved saw the video. However, Dylan O’Brien’s new movie Love and Monsters, which is about romance in the face of the monster apocalypse, has dropped on PVOD on the same day as Aaron Sorkin’s new film, Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7. Both are available to stream now.