After years of sequel speculation following 2019's Jumanji: The Next Level, I wasn’t sure we’d ever see another movie in the franchise. It didn’t feel real until Jumanji 4 got a real title (which is Open World) and the actors actually started filming. As a result, series co-lead Karen Gillan reunited with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart and the usual shenanigans ensued. However, this time, the actress’s return to set felt a little different now that she’s a mother to a young daughter, who had a major effect on her co-stars.

After having her baby, Gillan took a year off to focus on being a mother, but the actor came roaring back into acting with multiple projects. She even took little Clementine to meet her A-list co-stars. Funny enough, when Gillan brought her baby to the Jumanji set, Johnson, Black and Hart were huge suckers for the little one. The actress dished to Rayo:

Is it too much to hope that there’s some BTS footage of this adorableness? Hearing these stories makes me excited for the movie to come out, and it makes the prospect of its release feel more real after waiting for so long. The next film was teased with an interesting cliffhanger at the end of The Next Level, and fans will finally have answers when Open World comes out later this year as part of the 2026 movie schedule.

The Jumanji cast has been teasing fans since filming started, and this continued until a cute car selfie indicated the end of filming. However, Johnson said goodbye to his smoldering character with a fitting Robin Williams tribute. Even before that, Johnson revealed he was honoring Williams by wearing one of the dice used by his character, Alan Parrish, in the original 1995 film.

Meanwhile, Gillan found other ways to make the most of her return to acting aside from taking her daughter to set. The actor has been an absolute maniac on set, in the best way, with impromptu dance parties. These have become some of the most iconic BTS moments. It’s nice to see the Scottish star enjoying time back at work after recently opening up about how hard it can be to find a balance between acting and motherhood. She explained the difficulty she had:

Based on how Gillan describes it, I imagine her co-stars consider themselves lucky to have had a little visitor on set. I can only imagine how her presence brought out each of their dad sides. Perhaps dealing with her male scene partners gave her the experience she needed before having a small child? After all, Johnson has playfully described Gillan’s time on set as dealing with "three idiots."

As for wrapping Jumanji 4, Karen Gillan said that was an emotional experience. She described the original film as one of her "top three films" and, as someone who grew up with the movie, I completely get it. I'm excited to see what adventure the next film has in store for her character. And, hopefully, at some point, Gillan will release some videos of her co-stars hanging out with her baby.

Check out Jumanji: Open World when it hits theaters on December 25, 2026 and closes out the franchise.

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart always seem to be trolling each other, and you know what, I never get sick of it. Most recently, while promoting Jumanji: Open World, The Rock made fun of the comedian’s storytelling abilities. It felt like it came out of nowhere, which makes it funnier. However, what makes this whole situation even better, right after the Smashing Machine star did this, he showed some mad respect for his other Jumanji co-star, Jack Black.

Now, with the third Jumanji starring these guys and Karen Gillan set to premiere on Christmas on the 2026 movie schedule, they’ve been spending lots of time together. This included them taking a trip to CinemaCon, and The Rock posted a video on Instagram from there of him walking down the hall with Hart and Black. Take a look:

In the video, Hart and Black are telling a story about the comedian pitching the School of Rock actor something. I’m not sure what project they’re talking about exactly, but whatever it was, Jack Black wanted to read the script first.

Anyway, the point of the video in relation to this story is that Dwayne Johnson was listening to these two tell this tale. Then, in the caption, he decided to judge their storytelling abilities, writing this about his pal Kevin Hart:

Then to make matters even better, Johnson used the final part of his post to both joke about Hart and compliment Black, as he wrote:

Love the mad respect for Jack Black! I also find it funny that it also helps hammer home The Rock's roast on Hart.

This kind of tolling has been going on for years between the two actors; however, as they’ve been working together on this new Jumanji movie, the tomfoolery has been upped.

During production, The Rock posted a video of Hart throwing a tantrum in the backseat of a car they were filming in, writing that he was getting “whiny about his carseat.” Meanwhile, Hart posted a video of himself secretly filming Johnson before he noticed what was going on. The back-and-forth has always been consistent, and clearly, it’s stayed the same through filming this new project.

I have a feeling it will be that way through the press tour, too, and I think this video single-handedly proves that. Jumanji 4 wrapped production in March, so now the wait is on for its Christmas Day premiere. However, while we wait, I’m sure the cast will have more fun posts to share that both troll and compliment each other.

Clearly, they have a good time together (despite how often Johnson and Hart complain about each other), and I am looking forward to the stories they have to share about the making of this movie. However, if you want The Rock to listen to them…maybe have Jack Black tell them instead of Kevin Hart.

You know, art is subjective, and to one person a painting of an actor looks like Zendaya and to another it looks like Jason Momoa. I know that sounds random, but that is a real thing that happened when Anya Taylor-Joy presented a painting to Jack Black. She said it was the Supergirl actor, while the School of Rock star thought it was a “topless Zendaya.” Now, Jason Momoa himself has been confronted with this painting.

Before we get to Momoa’s reaction, let me give you a brief history lesson. While Anya Taylor-Joy and Jack Black were promoting The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’s release on the 2026 movie schedule, they were asked to paint one of their past co-stars. Black chose his Jumanji co-star Dwayne Johnson, while The Queen's Gambit star picked her Dune: Part Three co-star Jason Momoa. However, the Bowser actor thought it was her other Dune co-star, Zendaya (even though the person in the painting isn’t wearing a shirt).

Then, a few weeks later, Jason Momoa was presented with this painting during an interview with ET. Here’s how he reacted:

As you can see in the video, Momoa was asked who the painting was of, and he did correctly guess himself, though not with much confidence. First, he said “Aquaman,” and then, because it seemed “Hawaiian” and there was a surfboard, he followed that up with Chief of War (which you can stream with an Apple TV subscription). Ultimately, he didn’t really land on an answer, saying:

When he was told it was him, he immediately said it was hard to tell because the painting didn’t have facial hair, which is valid. However, I would like to note that in the Dune: Part Three trailer, you can see that Momoa does not have a big beard like he normally does, and that’s the movie he worked on with Taylor-Joy. So, I see a potential reason why she didn’t include it.

My favorite moment in the video, easily, comes right after that when Momoa learned that Anya Taylor-Joy painted this. He smiled so big, and then when he was told that Black thought it was Zendaya, he replied with:

Honestly, I don’t think he could have had a better response. He was so kind and clearly got a real kick out of it. Plus, I’d imagine it was really fun for him to hear that his Dune: Part Three colleague and his Minecraft co-star had this wild interaction that was centered around him.

Now, I hope Momoa gets the chance to show off his artistic skills and paint either Anya Taylor-Joy or Jack Black. All three of them have multiple releases this year, with Momoa specifically having parts in the upcoming DC movie, Supergirl, Street Fighter and Dune: Part Three, so the chance for him to paint them (or maybe even Zendaya for real) is out there.

Jack Black recently hosted SNL on the 2026 TV Schedule, joining the coveted 5-Timers Club. The School of Rock actor’s SNL gig was pretty on brand with his odd-ball humor, featuring Black in a number of different wild characters such as a cowboy, a spartan, and a karate instructor. Fellow 5-timer Melissa McCarthy also made a cameo in an Airbnb sketch, completely stealing the show. It was prime time Jack Black TV, so of course the internet had all the memes about Elle Fanning’s celebrity crush, and she had the best response.

It’s public knowledge now that Fanning has a huge crush on Black, ever since she admitted the Jumanji actor is her hall pass while hooked up to Vanity Fair’s lie detector test. So of course, EW asked how the Sentimental Value actress was recovering after seeing her “perfect man” host the iconic sketch comedy show, and Fanning revealed the internet was wondering the same thing:

I’m sure Fanning’s Jack Black group chat (yes that’s real, and her sister is in it too) was blowing up that Saturday night. I think it’s hilarious that the actress' affection and admiration for Jack Black is common knowledge, and I have to say, People really pulled through with the meme in question. I think I sent it to at least 3 people when it came across my feed:

For those wondering, Jack Black is very aware of The Great actress’ love for him. According to Fanning, her boyfriend yelled across the room at the Golden Globes to let the Minecraft Movie star know he was Fanning’s hall pass. After that awkward moment, Black reacted to the lie detector test, where she called him “sex on legs,” by saying Fanning must have “goblin dysmorphia.”

I do wish Entertainment Weekly had asked the Margo’s Got Money Troubles actress her thoughts on Martin Herlihy’s “Simon’s Life” sketch, which turned into a random ad for men’s lingerie, featuring Black scantily clad in a pink lace ensemble. Like everyone else, my first thought was “Oh Elle Fanning is gonna die when she sees this.”

Like Jack Black himself, I don’t really understand Fanning’s intense attraction towards the Kung Fu Panda alum, but I can respect her polite boldness. She even apologized to Black’s wife for her forwardness, however I don’t think she plans to reign it in. It’s honestly a little obsessive, but at least the Sunrise On The Reaping actress is aware of it:

Whether Black likes it or not, him and Fanning are now linked within pop culture. Thankfully, the Goosebumps actor is a good sport when it comes to Fanning’s persisted outwards affection towards him. While he seemingly is a little embarrassed and overwhelmed by the attention, I think he knows it’s all in good spirits. The two Hollywood stars have met, and have even taken a selfie together, although it was before she fan-girled a little too close to the sun.

However, I foresee a future where they reunite, and I bet it will be the most adorable thing. Both actors are hot in Hollywood right now, with Black’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie currently in theaters, and Fanning’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription, so I’d love to see them interact in a professional context. Someone make this happen!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is making waves as part of the 2026 movie schedule and for a myriad of reasons. For one, Jack Black returns to voice Mario’s archnemesis, Bowser, and he doesn't miss a beat. However, in real life, Black humorously appears to have his own archnemesis in the form of Ryan Gosling, a.k.a “The Goz”. If you’re curious about what Black's beef with Gosling pertains to, you should know that Barbie is apparently a factor.

When The Super Mario Bros. Movie came out in 2023, Jack Black not only contributed his distinctive vocal stylings to Bowser's speaking voice but also sang and co-wrote the ever-catchy tune “Peaches.” During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Black, in his own unique way, expressed his disappointment over “Peaches” getting snubbed by the Oscars:

First off, I love the term “nominash.” That aside, I’ve gotta say I was in the same boat as the School of Rock actor when I discovered “Peaches” was snubbed. It truly is a “banger” of a song due to Black’s impressive vocal range, the icing on the cake is that such a love song comes from a being like Bowser, who truly believes he belongs with Princess Peach. Also, the sentimental ballad made a wild amount of money on Spotify — almost $76,000 from 15 million streams as reported in April 2023. Honestly, it's quite surprising that the song didn't get recognized by the Academy.

It also would've been great if “Peaches” was not only nominated at the 96th Academy Awards but also performed at the show as well. During his recent interview, Black noted that while “Peaches” didn’t get a “nominash,” another viral movie tune sure did, which jokingly started some beef with the previously mentioned Canadian actor:

Shots fired! But, seriously, it can't be denied that “I’m Just Ken” contributes to a standout musical moment in Greta Gerwig's Barbie. Also a humorous and sentimental love ballad, the Ryan Gosling-sung number does have three remixes and a hilarious SNL parody from Pete Davidson. Not to mention, Gosling’s viral Oscars performance of the Best Song nominee was a true highlight of the star-studded event.

Let's be real here, of course. Jack Black mostly seems to be kidding here and surely doesn't have any real animosity towards Ryan Gosling. Still, I love how he's committing to the bit, and he really did that by revealing to Jimmy Fallon that he wrote a revenge song. Here are some lyrics:

If or when Black or "The Goz" ever return to SNL, I want a sketch of them going head-to-head with a “Peaches” vs. “I’m Just Ken” standoff. I could easily see a segment like that going viral.

For now, though, let's all just agree that both "Peaches" and "I'm Just Ken" are extremely catchy tunes that deserve their flowers. Jack Black and Ryan Gosling are both part of two very special music moments within the cultural zeitgeist, and they should be proud of themselves. However, if they want to humorously have a music duel, all I'll say is, "Let them fight."

Be sure to hear Jack Black reprise Bowser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is playing in theaters now.

Fashion isn’t usually the most popular topic of conversation after Saturday Night Live episodes, but sometimes when you see an absolutely amazing jacket, you just have to stop what you’re doing and talk about it. At least that’s how I feel after seeing Tina Fey’s fit last night. The former SNL cast member and head writer made a surprise appearance on the long-running sketch comedy show last night, and she had on the best coat I’ve ever seen, which just so happened to be made out of Paddington Bear’s dead body.

You know how celebrities always wear those distinct jackets during SNL’s Five-Timers Club sketches? They’re made of velvet and kind of look like a play on a smoking jacket or a robe. Well, Jonah Hill, Candice Bergen and Melissa McCarthy, who also appeared in the sketch, had on the classic version of those.

Fey, however, had on a far bloodier version. Her jacket had fur on it and the number one instead of five. Host Jack Black, who was being honored, asked her why hers looked different, and she said it was what she got for guest hosting the new SNL UK once. She said it looked like that because it’s made out of Paddington Bear and turned around to reveal this…

I’m not a fur coat guy. I’ve never owned a mink and don’t think it’s likely I will at any point in my life, but if someone offered me this beauty, I’d have to empty out my wallet. It’s one of the most visually-striking things I’ve ever seen, and it also lets everyone know you murdered a beloved children’s character in the name of fashion.

In all seriousness though, this was a great way for Fey to plug SNL UK. She hosted the premiere episode a few weeks ago, and during it, she appeared in a sketch about a Live Paddington Bear Experience. In it, children and influencers thought they were going to meet Paddington Bear, but it turned out to be a real bear who killed several of them. This jacket is a great nod to that sketch and also a good reminder that if you haven’t checked out SNL UK, you’re missing out. It’s got a distinctly British sense of humor, but that’s most definitely to its benefit.

The Live Paddington Bear Experience isn’t available online (though you can watch on Peacock and Sky), but the full Five-Timers Club sketch is. You can watch the big jacket reveal in context below…

SNL will return with a new episode hosted by Colman Domingo next week. The show hasn’t announced the celebrity guest hosts that will follow him for the rest of the season, but it’s unlikely we’ll get another Five-Timers Club sketch. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that whenever that does happen, Fey finds a way to bring back this jacket. It’s too good to give back to the prop department and leave in a closet forever.

Melissa McCarthy is no stranger to appearing on Saturday Night Live, both as an announced host and in a cameo capacity. She’s made more than a dozen appearances over the last fifteen years and is clearly someone those working on the show trust to get laughs. As such, it wasn’t exactly a surprise when she was one of the famous faces to show up last night in the Five-Timers Club sketch to support Jack Black, but it was a surprise when she also popped out from behind a curtain in a second sketch later in the night.

The second sketch was probably the most outrageous thing the show ran during the episode. It featured Jack Black as a creepy AirBNB host who wanted to stay and hang out with the guests. Midway through, McCarthy was introduced as the wife of his deceased sister and occasional lover. To everyone’s horror, the two proceeded to rub up against each other and put lotion on the guests. You can watch the madness below…

McCarthy and Black don’t exactly have identical senses of humor, but they’re both willing to jump in the deep end and completely sell out for a joke. They share that ability to double down and double down and double down on physical jokes, and they each have a good sense of how long to linger with something if it’s really hitting. You can really see that in this sketch when McCarthy keeps going back to the raspberries she’s blowing on his back.

That willingness to do anything, as well as their popular and prolonged careers, are ultimately why both McCarthy and Black have entered the Five-Timers Club. The show clearly likes working with hosts who aren’t self-conscious and are willing to try things. Both McCarthy and Black have an ability to be low key funny in a more sharply-written and relatable way and high key funny in a more over-the-top and flamboyant kind of way. This is obviously a case of the latter, though there are plenty of SNL examples of the former too.

As for the Five-Timers Club sketch, it should surprise no one that it turned into a musical performance at the end. Before it got there though, we also got cameos from Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Candice Bergen and musical guest Jack White, who also made an appearance in the country song sketch later in the night. The crowd seemed to love it, and it was nice to see Black officially induced, given he’s also made cameos and appeared as a musical guest during his storied career.

You can catch a new episode on April 11th when the show returns with its next guest host Colman Domingo, who will be doing the monologue for the first time inside Studio 8H. I can’t wait.

Since Anya Taylor-Joy and Jack Black play the famed Nintendo characters of Princess Peach and Bowser in the latest 2026 movie release, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it’s only fair that they’d get to play some games of their own while promoting it. But, when the co-stars were asked to paint pictures of their co-stars, things hilariously went askew for Taylor-Joy (and it involves Zendaya).

While in Tokyo, Japan, to promote the Super Mario sequel that critics and audiences can’t seem to agree on, Taylor-Joy and Black were asked to paint one of their co-stars. Check out what happened when they guessed who the other had illustrated:

This is so, so funny! As shown in the video, Jack Black revealed the painting of his co-star first, which was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who he has worked with on the Jumanji movies. It makes perfect sense he would pick him, considering he just wrapped on the fourth Jumanji with the actor just weeks ago. Taylor-Joy was stumped on who it was because she seemed to forget who was in the movie, but I totally see the School of Rock actor's vision here. The raised eyebrow definitely gives it away, too!

It’s when Anya Taylor-Joy showcased her painting that things went a little sideways. Black was given the hint that it was one of her Dune: Part 3 co-stars. So, when he saw her canvas, he suspected right away it was Zendaya. But, the Princess Peach actress got embarrassed by the guess, asking Black, “Why would she be shirtless?”

But it didn’t stop there. Black then went to Timothée Chalamet, which was wrong as well. Ultimately, Taylor-Joy pointed out that the subject was “clearly in Hawai’i,” given the surfboard and ocean in the background, leading them to the real answer: Jason Momoa! What a goofy moment between these two.

In defense of Jack Black, I totally see why he thought Zendaya. Taylor-Joy gave her painting’s face more female-looking features, which only makes it more hilarious that, for a moment, he thought she’d painted a topless Zendaya. Black sweetly agreed later on that the piece of art was actually “kind of a Momoa!” And, he would know, given he worked with the guy on A Minecraft Movie.

Anya Taylor-Joy had a hidden role in Dune: Part 2, where it was revealed she’d be playing Paul’s sister, Alia. Coming in Part 3, she’ll have a larger role, and yes, Jason Momoa will be back, even though Duncan Idaho died in the first part. This time, he’ll be a humanoid named Hayt, called a “ghola” in the Dune universe, created in Duncan’s image.

Dune: Part 3 comes out on December 18, and you can see The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters right now.

Hosting Saturday Night Live is famously a high-stress gig. A celebrity is thrown into a crazy machine where they become a part of a sketch comedy troupe for a week. The SNL host helps see every sketch from front to back, while also being the centerpiece for the whole show. It’s an honor to be asked to be a part of the production, but also a big undertaking. Now, as Jack Black gets ready to host the NBC mainstay for the fifth time this weekend, he opened up about the stressful experience.

Black sat down with his The Super Mario Galaxy Movie co-star, Anya Taylor-Joy, to talk about the SNL experience with Entertainment Weekly. While Jack Black may have a lot of experience with the endeavor, as the upcoming Season 51 host is becoming an official member of the Five-Timers Club, he admitted he still gets nervous. He explained that the scariest part of the week is when the host is standing behind that iconic door, preparing to walk out at the top of the show, and the stress levels couldn’t be higher. He said:

Taylor-Joy echoed Black’s statement about the show, admitting that she also was a big ball of nerves when she was a Season 46 SNL host. The Queen’s Gambit star hosted back in 2021, and it was actually a big debut for her because she ended up hosting the season finale of the show.

While she has yet to host for the second time, Taylor-Joy said she felt like it might be easier the second time around, because she has a better understanding of the flow of the show. I’d personally love to see her host again, as I feel like she was getting her feet wet the first time, and it's an opportunity to see her comedy chops.

While Black may still get nervous waiting behind that door to go out on stage, it clearly does not throw him off. Not only does the comedy actor famously have boundless energy and confidence, but he also managed to take a nap between shows. He told his co-star that a woman named Donna, who famously helps the host with quick changes between sketches, brought Black a pillow to rest his head between dress rehearsal and air. To have that level of zen is pretty impressive and shows that Black probably isn’t intimidated by much.

If there’s anyone you’d trust to thrive under that kind of pressure, it’s Jack Black. Listening to him talk about the nerves right before walking on stage is enough to get me stressed out just thinking about it, but this is what makes SNL so exciting in the first place. Black being able to balance that kind of pre-show jitters with a pre-show power nap is a testament to his prowess as a performer and proves he is a next-level entertainer. I personally can’t wait to see what he brings to the Studio 8H stage for his fifth time hosting.

You can see Jack Black join the Five-Timers Club tonight on Saturday Night Live, which airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC tonight. If you miss it, make sure to stream it with a Peacock subscription, along with the other exciting SNL episodes from Season 51.

Jack Black is the latest of upcoming SNL hosts joining the sketch show, but this time is going to be real special. His appearance this weekend is actually going to mark the actor’s fifth time on Saturday Night Live, which has become a bit of a tradition to celebrate since Tom Hanks started the Five-Timers Club bit in 1990. And there’s a bit of irony to the whole thing after a recent Ryan Gosling SNL moment.

When Gosling was doing promo for Saturday Night Live last month, a hilarious thing happened where the actor thought he was joining the Five-Timers Club and cast member Mikey Day helped him realize he wasn’t quite there yet. Next time, buddy! So, to have Jack Black host a couple shows after him, and actually receive the honor? Too good. Anyways, here’s Black’s own promo:

Oh, he’s ready! While SNL promos have started to predictably become a video with the next host and one of the cast members quipping together, this is a fun change of pace. Jack Black did a “get ready with me” video where he decides to wear not one, but two kitty-themed shirts, flaming shorts he lovingly calls “florts”, rainbow tye-dye socks, some clogs, and a bucket hat and beanie worn together. The pinnacle of fashion... obviously. The mini sketch ends with Black running into cast member Sarah Sherman with the exact same and oddly specific fit on.

When Jack Black hosts on Saturday, we definitely expect there to be some decorum over the accomplishment. Black will be the 27th inductee in the Five-Timers Club among hosts. There are 17 more on the musical guest side of things, if we're counting those, too. The last host to earn the honor was Martin Short back in 2024, with other recent inductees being Kristen Wiig, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, John Mulaney, and Paul Rudd over the past five years.

As the promo points out, Jack Black’s musical guest will be Jack White, whom he called his “brother from another color” in the video. Genius. He seems like one of those hosts that all the cast would love to play with, and Seth Meyers has said he has the rare honor of having a “beloved” cut sketch on the show, so you know this one's going to be good.

Jack Black’s first time hosting on SNL was back on January 19, 2002 before returning less than two years later in October 4, 2003. He also came on the show as host on December 17, 2005 before having a nearly twenty-year hiatus. His last appearance was April 5 of last year. It'll be great to see him join the likes of Steve Martin, Danny DeVito, and Melissa McCarthy. Here's hoping there will be some cameos from the Five-Timers Club, too.

Black’s return to SNL comes as his reprisal of Bowser in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has hit theaters. The new animated movie is expected to become the biggest box office debut of 2026, per Variety – eclipsing Ryan Gosling once again, since Project Hail Mary currently holds that title. Sorry to Ryan Gosling (he'll be fine), and congrats to Jack Black for the big weekend ahead!

There was once a time when video game adaptations almost felt cursed in Hollywood, but that really changed over the past few years. Jack Black would know, seeing as he was there for the massive box office success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie as well as The Minecraft Movie, and he's already putting out feelers for his next appearance in an upcoming video game adaptation.

ScreenRant talked to the cast of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie about video games and what other franchises they'd like to appear in. Black had an answer ready immediately, noting he'd love to be a part of Sega's Yakuza franchise:

If this were the '90s when the console war between Sega and Nintendo was the biggest battle in the gaming industry, Jack Black might've gotten admonished for his response. Sega has long since left the console scene, but continues to publish games like Yakuza, which is a game I'm surprised Black knows about enough to know he'd fit right in.

While Yakuza games at their base are about the Japanese crime underworld, they're also known for having really deep gameplay with side stories that are absolutely bonkers. Just as an example, I remember a plotline where I had to work security detail for a Michael Jackson impersonator, and then hours later was competing for a chance to win the Japanese version of American Idol.

The result is a game that is as equally violent as it is bizarre, which admittedly, could be hard to translate to a medium outside of video games. There was an adaptation of Yakuza: Like A Dragon available with a Prime subscription, but the series received mixed to negative reviews. As a fan who was psyched about the adaptation, I couldn't help but feel a little let down.

It would be funny to see Jack Black in a Yakuza movie, though. The games are primarily centered around a Japanese protagonist and supporting characters, so I imagine Black would, at best, be a supporting character if not a quick cameo in a faithful adaptation.

The good news is that there is a world where Black could appear in Yakuza as himself. In fact, I would almost prefer a story in which Jack Black the actor is in Japan, and somehow roped into Kazuma Kiryu's adventure as he does everything from protecting innocent orphans to participating in a slot car rally. This franchise just needs the right script to connect with a mainstream audience, and I'm convinced someone will crack the code immediately.

Jack Black must feel the same, and given he's already struck gold twice by joining The Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie universe, I'm hoping he's onto something here. I'm psyched to see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on April 1st, and eager to see what it means for Nintendo's relationship with movies going forward.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is about to power up the 2026 movie schedule, and its cast of voice actors are in full promo mode. During a recent stop at Nintendo’s Museum for a special event, the group showed up ready to sell the film, but they also ended up doing something a little unexpected. The guys leaned into method dressing. And yes, “Let’s-a-go,” because I’m absolutely here for it.

Universal Pictures even shared a video on its official Instagram from the visit, which you can check out below, featuring the full cast having a blast with the setup. Everyone looks great, and I do have to give a quick nod to Anya Taylor-Joy and her subtle Princess Peach-coded pink top. But the real headline here is that the guys are finally getting in on the method-dressing fun, and honestly, it works way better than it has any right to.

Getting to see some of Hollywood’s guys step into the method dressing space, even in a more relaxed, playful way, feels like a nice change of pace. At the Nintendo Museum stop, Jack Black, who voices Bowser, showed up in a loud flame-print shirt that is about as on-brand as it gets for a fire-breathing villain.

Charlie Day kept things equally on-theme with a perfectly Luigi-coded green-and-striped shirt. Then there’s Chris Pratt, who went a bit more subtle, layering a jacket over a shirt covered in classic Mario characters.

Now, who had the best fit of this crew? Keegan-Michael Key. He was rocking mushroom socks for Toad. No notes. Perfect execution. Plus, we’ve got Donald Glover stepping in as Yoshi, keeping it simple with a cool, clean green look that still gets the point across. It’s low-key, but it works.

Now, let’s be honest, method dressing has mostly been the domain of actresses lately. Think Zendaya channeling Prince for The Drama, or Margot Robbie fully committing to Barbiecore a few years ago and more recently pivoting into Wuthering Heights mode. Even Halle Bailey leaned into Ariel-inspired looks during The Little Mermaid run. It’s become part of the fun, a way to blur the line between actor and character without it feeling like full-on cosplay.

If we’re expanding the Method Dressing Hall of Fame, Lindsay Lohan deserved a spot too. When she was promoting Freakier Friday, she didn’t just dress on theme but leaned fully into nostalgia. From Barbiecore moments to subtle nods to The Parent Trap, she clearly had fun with it, but that lavender dress paired with a guitar-shaped purse at the UK premiere was the standout. It was a direct callback to the original Freaky Friday, hitting that sweet spot where the reference felt obvious but still stylish rather than costume-y.

For years, method dressing has been dominated by women turning press tours into full-on fashion moments. But if this Super Mario Galaxy Movie stop is anything to go by, the guys might finally be catching up, or at least starting to.

The timing couldn’t be better, either. 2026 is a stacked year for gaming moviegoers with upcoming video game adaptations, and this sequel is right at the center of that lineup. Nintendo’s favorite plumber is heading back to the big screen when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters on April 1.

Kirsten Dunst is one of our best actors working today who’s been in a ton of really great movies, but they often don’t often scream “box office smash” – since her Spider-Man days, anyway. So the fact that she’s now the star of one of Hollywood’s upcoming video game movies, A Minecraft Movie 2, is a great surprise, especially when you consider the funny backstory behind it.

As the sequel for A Minecraft Movie reportedly gets ready to start rolling cameras next month, we’ve just learned that Dunst will be joining Jason Momoa and Jack Black for the sequel, per Variety. Warner Bros. says details about the actor’s role and what the plot line for the followup will “remain deep in the mine” for now, but what a welcome twist for Dunst!

Ironically enough, Kirsten Dunst actually pitched herself to be in A Minecraft Movie 2 back in August 2025 since her kids loved the first movie, and, as Town & Country claimed, “she’d like to make a pile of cash.” Perhaps her plea got the production’s attention? Here’s what she said at the time:

Dunst has a seven-year-old son named Ennis and four-year-old son named James, who she shares with her partner and fellow actor Jesse Plemons. This seems like the ultimate move for the actress to do one for them and perhaps win some cool mom points with her young boys. And, let’s not forget how funny Kirsten Dunst can be! She’s been in hilarious comedies like Drop Dead Gorgeous, Bring It On and Anchorman 2.

The 43-year-old movie star also deserves a set to joke around on after doing quite a few rough dramas in recent years like 2024’s Civil War and 2021’s The Power of the Dog. As she pointed out in the interview where she name-dropped Minecraft, it’s been a while since she’s been in a movie that was a big commercial success, though Civil War did become one of A24’s highest-grossing movies in 2024.

When it comes to A Minecraft Movie 2, you can pretty much bet on it being a huge box office hit considering how the last one did. A Minecraft Movie made $961.2 billion worldwide, making it the No. 5 highest-grossing movie of 2025 globally and it was actually the No. 1 movie of last year at the domestic box office. The sequel is being made by the same team behind the first movie, and according to Jason Momoa, the script had him “laughing out loud”.

If you’re mispronouncing her name now, you might want to learn it, because Kirsten Dunst is sure to be in with the kids when A Minecraft Movie 2 hits theaters on July 23, 2027! While we wait for it, you can revisit the first movie right now with an HBO Max subscription.

The fourth Jumanji movie has wrapped, and the cast has been getting emotional about it. After making three films together, Karen Gillan specifically shared a candid post about playing Ruby Roundhouse and working with the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Jack Black. However, along with her loving words, The Rock left a comment that was equal parts sincere and hilarious as he shared his thoughts on his co-star dealing with “three idiots” while making this project on the 2026 movie schedule.

Karen Gillan Got Emotional About Wrapping Jumanji And Manifesting Her Role In It

Karen Gillan’s enthusiasm for Jumanji has always been clear. It’s also been very obvious that she’s had a blast working on this new film. Just take a look at the hilarious posts of her mouthing “I’m Too Sexy” and being an absolute manic on set, and you’ll see what I mean. Her latest post, however, dives into just how much this franchise means to her, as she wrote on Instagram:

She also wrote about how she totally manifested Ruby Roundhouse. She proved it too, by posting a screenshot of an Interview Magazine article from 2014 where she said, "I like Jumanji, too, just to throw that in there." That happened three years before Welcome to the Jungle was released, which is remarkable, as the actress explained:

Clearly, the manifestation worked, and it brought her “the job of a lifetime.” As the post went on, she gushed about writer/director Jake Kasdan. She also, of course, called out her co-stars too, writing:

While Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan all love a hilarious comment, they also have a lot of care for each other. So, this wrap post ended up being quite emotional for the Guardians of the Galaxy actress, as she wrote:

Adding to the emotions here, The Rock also commented on this post. However, in true form of this cast, his post was both heartfelt and hilarious as he referred to himself and his two other male co-stars as the “three idiots” Gillan had to deal with.

Dwayne Johnson Left A Heartfelt And Hilarious Comment About Her ‘Dealing’ With ‘3 Idiots’ (AKA Her Co-Stars)

After the Doctor Who actress uploaded her long goodbye post, Dwayne Johnson was quick to comment. They’ve been working together for nearly a decade on these movies, and he made it clear how much he cares for her and their co-stars by writing:

Well, it couldn’t all be serious…which makes it even better. As Jumanji 4 has been in production, the cast has kept up the shenanigans. The Rock found out he was being filmed by Kevin Hart. Kevin Hart threw a tantrum about leg room in the back of a car that the cast was in. The list goes on. So, the Moana actor adding that little rib at himself, Black and Hart to his comment about Gillan feels very fitting.

All around, this post and comment felt like a great way to wrap up production on Jumanji 4. Now, I can’t wait to see what silly and loving moments these guys will give us once the press tour starts up and we get even closer to the movie's December 11 release.

One of the things that has made the two recent Jumanji movies so great is the chemistry of the main cast. The team of Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan is clearly having a lot of fun together making these movies. That’s been born out during the filming of the latest entry in the series, although I’m not sure anybody has as much fun as Karen Gillan.

The actress, who portrays video game character Ruby Roundhouse in Jumanji, has posted several clips from the set as she’s been hanging out behind the scenes and pretending to work. The final hilarious clip is from her final day on set. The new Jumanji recently wrapped filming, but not before Gillan rocked out on Instagram one last time.

This isn’t even the first time Karen Gillan decided to have an impromptu dance party on the set of Jumanji. A few days ago, she was getting down in her trailer during a time that she fully admitted she was supposed to be working on her lines. At other times, Gillan has been goofing off with The Rock’s stunt double, a guy who probably has only slightly less downtime than Tom Cruise’s stunt double.

The Rock himself has been having fun on set as well. The new Jumanji was filmed at Universal Studios, and The Rock occasionally stopped the Universal Studios Tour Trams to say hi to the people visiting the theme park that is attached to the studio. Celebrity sightings on the Universal Tour aren’t particularly uncommon, but they’re also rarely as big as Dwayne Johnson.

If the fun that the cast is having making Jumanji translates to the fun that audiences will have watching it, then we’re all going to be in pretty good shape. The last two films have been completely enjoyable takes on the premise. While we don’t really know what the new movie will be about. The ending of Jumanji: The Next Level teased a return to the original Jumanji premise, which sees the game world invade the real world, rather than the real world characters becoming part of the game. Of course, really anything is possible here.

Now that filming has wrapped, post-production can begin ahead of the film’s release in December. Somewhere in between, we’ll get the first trailer that will likely give us the movie’s official title, which will allow people to stop confusing things by being unable to decide whether this movie counts as Jumanji 3 or Jumanji 4.

Whatever we call it, we know this will be the last Jumanji movie, at least in this current iteration of the franchise. That also means there won't be another opportunity for Karen Gillan to be this silly, at least on this film series.

We’re one massive step closer to seeing Jumanji 4 in theaters, seeing as it has officially wrapped production. The project on the 2026 movie schedule that will reunite Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and more began filming in November. Now, after five months, they’ve completed their work on set. So, to celebrate, Black posted a cute car selfie with his co-stars.

Over the last few months, the Jumanji cast has been very active on Instagram while they've been in production. They’ve posted tons of BTS content, and it’s included everything from Kevin Hart filming The Rock in secret to Karen Gillan celebrating her birthday on set. Now, we have this sweet cast photo from Jack Black to add to this list of wonderful BTS moments. Take a look:

First of all, I can’t help but wonder if this is from the same day of filming where Kevin Hart freaked out about the amount of leg room he had in the back seat of the car they were all in. If it is, that makes this even better.

The other thing that makes this even better is all the sweet comments the cast left about what it was like to work on this movie together. We’ll kick off the sentimental messages with Black’s own Instagram caption, as the Oberon actor wrote:

Now, depending on whether you count the original Jumanji starring Robin Williams with these newer movies (which I do), this is actually Jumanji 4. However, this is notably the third time Black and his co-stars have suited up to play their video game characters in the rebooted franchise.

Anyway, either way you count it, wrapping on their latest flick together had to have been emotional. And it was very clear that they all enjoyed their time together very much. To prove that point, Dwayne Johnson, who plays Bravestone, commented:

All around, the set seemed to be pure joy. Back when Danny DeVito wrapped, The Rock paid tribute with a post that was both sentimental and hilarious. Now, a lot of the actors are making it clear that they had a grand ol’ time working together, as Karen Gillan commented:

Reiterating the point the Ruby Roundhouse actress made, Alex Wolff also posted the car selfie on Instagram to highlight how much fun he had while making this movie. Using his caption to explain just how much this experience has meant to him, the Spencer actor wrote:

So, with all that being said, the countdown to the newest Jumanji movie is really on.

They’ve wrapped production, and now the work in post will begin. Then, on December 11, we’ll be able to go to the theaters to see these folks' latest adventure on the big screen.

There’s quite a few upcoming video game movies to look forward to this year, like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Mortal Kombat II and Street Fighter. But after what happened with A Minecraft Movie last year, the genre has a big act to follow. I mean, it had teenagers and families getting turnt, throwing popcorn, and yelling “chicken jockey” at screenings. Jack Black has just shared his thoughts on the phenomenon of which he was a central part.

A Minecraft Movie was the highest grossing movie in the domestic market of 2025, and earned a total of $958.3 million worldwide thanks to all the buzz drummed up around its theatrical experience. Here’s what Black said on the subject:

As Black told USA Today, he was all in on the response to A Minecraft Movie! The actor shared that the audience reactions to the film reminds him a lot of 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which came out in theaters at first when he was six years old, but is one of those movies that earned such a big cult following that he probably didn’t see it until rowdy screenings became a regular thing at local theaters from 1979 and on.

A Minecraft Movie generally had critics and fans disagreeing on its quality, which makes it sort of perfect for cult status. That is, if it wasn’t such a mainstream win as is. I love this comparison, and it's totally on point to the kind of energy A Minecraft Movie gave people at cineplexes.

Funny enough, regular screenings itself led to memorable experiences for moviegoers. Our own writer Rich Knight reported a standing ovation at his screening, for example. Warner Bros. did catch up on the movie’s reception and decided to re-release the movie a month later to encourage a rowdy audience.

In addition to Jack Black getting to be part of an unforgettable theatrical experience for a new generation, his 34-second song “Lava Chicken” in the movie became the shortest hit to reach the Billboard charts. There was even some talk about it getting an Oscar nomination, but that milestone didn’t ultimately happen.

Following the success of A Minecraft Movie, obviously a sequel is in the works over at Warner Bros. Just recently, Jason Momoa updated fans that he’s read the script and he was "laughing out loud," along with saying the movie would likely go into production in April of this year ahead of the movie having a release date on July 23, 2027. We can’t wait to see Black’s Steve back in that blue shirt, surely walking taller in the role following its runaway success.

Since A Minecraft Movie became the No. 5 highest-grossing movie worldwide in 2025, it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. decided to greenlight a sequel among the growing number of upcoming video game adaptations before the year had wrapped up. According to Jason Momoa, the script is already getting together without a hitch, and he’s such a fan of Minecraft 2 so much that he had a rare experience reading what’s on the page.

When Momoa was asked about the sequel this week, he lit up at the mention of it. Here’s what he said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon:

The script for the not-yet-titled Minecraft 2 is being written by Jared Hess and Chris Galletta, who both worked on the first movie. Hess is also returning as director, per Deadline.

Just ahead of A Minecraft Movie’s release in April 2025, critics started raving about how it “delivers genuine laughs” and how “stupidly hilarious” it is. It was also a notably fun experience for families in theaters for being a good mix of heartfelt, imaginative and goofy. Oh, and then there's the fact that audiences started throwing popcorn at the mention of "chicken jockey!" during showings.

Low and behold, the comedy adventure became a big hit with audiences, soaring to a box office haul of $958.3 million. On the domestic front, it was the highest-grossing movie of the year over Lilo & Stitch, Superman, Jurassic World: Rebirth and Zootopia 2 (which round out the top five). One study cited that Gen Alpha’s love for moviegoing is one reason it was a hit.

Along with Momoa getting to use his comedic chops for the movie, it’s full of funny people like Jack Black, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Coolidge. During the same interview, Momoa also said this about what it’s like to film a comedy after doing primarily action movies and TV. In his words:

Momoa also said he thought there was “no way” the movie would become such a success, but here is is already getting ready for the sequel. He suggested that the A Minecraft Movie followup could go into production in April ahead of its release date set that has been set for July 23, 2027 which means it will come out the same month as the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow and A Quiet Place Part III.

Outside of Minecraft 2, Jason Momoa is the star of The Wrecking Crew with Dave Bautista, out on Amazon Prime Video on January 28. He's also debuting new DC character Lobo in Supergirl this summer and playing Blanka in the upcoming Street Fighter movie.

One does not need to pay any special attention to pop culture, or even things like the 2026 movies and new TV premieres to develop something that many people do: a celebrity crush. Of course, celebs are people, too, so many of them have their own celebrity crushes, and such is the case with Elle Fanning, who revealed a while back that The Holiday star Jack Black is actually her “hall pass” of choice. Now, the Predator: Badlands star has responded after seeing how Black funnily reacted to her kind words.

What Elle Fanning Said After Watching Jack Black Respond To Her Calling Him Her “Hall Pass”

Occasionally, famous people will reveal their crushes on other famous people, and fans have been loving that Sentimental Value star Elle Fanning has been unabashed in her love for Minecraft lead Jack Black lately. While the actor was clearly “flattered” by her comments, he did add that he was also “embarrassed” by them, even going so far as to hilariously coin the term “goblin dysmorphia” to describe her affection.

Well, when speaking with Access Hollywood recently, Fanning was given the opportunity to respond to her crush’s words. Take a look:

Though it might seem extreme for the frequent adventure-movie star (who’s currently working on Jumanji 4) to go so far as taking out a restraining order against the lovely Ms. Fanning, I can kinda understand her fears that her comments about Black might have gone too far. After all, she did call him “the hottest man I’ve ever seen in my life” and “sex on legs.”

Meanwhile, her boyfriend actually yelled out to Black at some point during the 2024 Golden Globes, and revealed that the School of Rock star holds hall pass status for her. I can’t help but wonder if that was before or after Fanning found herself standing by Black for the evening’s festivities and joyfully asked for a selfie, which was caught by cameras and made the rounds after her comments about him went viral.

A “hall pass,” of course, is someone whom a person with a crush is allowed to, uh…get horizontal with, despite already having a steady romantic partner, as approved by said partner, which is clearly the situation here. This idea came about because, for those of us who crush on celebs from time to time, we are generally incredibly unlikely to meet the object of our affection, much less have the opportunity to do adult things with them.

As we see, this isn’t the case when it comes to Fanning and Black, so maybe her gleefully adding “Sorry to your wife!” as an addendum to her admiration was a good call. At any rate, he really is “the best,” and at least we’ve all known that for a very long time.

Jack Black has built a career on saying yes to the weird, the loud and the unexpectedly heartfelt. That’s part of why it’s so surprising to learn there’s a major animated role he wishes he hadn’t passed on. When the School of Rock star talks about it now, there’s no defensiveness, just the kind of hindsight that comes with watching something you almost did become a classic without you.

The revelation came during a recent interview Black did with Paul Rudd while the two were promoting their 2025 movie release, a comedy remake of Anaconda. In a clip shared by Capital Official, the conversation took a turn toward career regrets, and the Super Mario Bros. voice star didn’t hesitate when asked if there was a role that got away from him. He revealed:

If you’re already picturing Jack Black’s manic energy layered onto Syndrome, you’re not alone. It’s one of those castings that makes immediate sense, especially since it feels like it was tailor-made for his voice and sense of humor. That's probably why Black’s explanation for turning it down feels even more painful in retrospect.

According to the Minecraft lead, his hesitation had nothing to do with animation itself. It came down to his initial read on the character, adding:

That director, of course, was Brad Bird, who would go on to deliver not just one of Pixar’s most beloved films, but one of the most acclaimed animated movies ever made. Syndrome turned out to be anything but one-dimensional, evolving into a sharp, funny and emotionally resonant antagonist who helped define the movie’s lasting appeal.

The Tenacious D frontman admitted that watching the finished film was a humbling experience. He continued:

It’s easy to see how Jack Black reached that conclusion. Syndrome’s mix of wounded fanboy energy, theatrical menace and comic timing feels like it exists right in the beloved star’s wheelhouse. While Jason Lee ultimately voiced the character to iconic effect, there’s an alternate universe in which the Jumanji actor's take is just as memorable.

Still, the regret doesn’t sound like it haunts Black so much as it taught him something. The Nacho Libre performer has since leaned hard into animated roles, from Kung Fu Panda to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Clearly, he is not ready to see another classic slip through his fingers.

Pixar’s The Incredibles, notably sans Jack Black, is currently streaming with a Disney+ subscription. As for Jack Black, you can catch him on the big screen in Anaconda, now playing in theaters, or hear him reprise one of his most beloved animated roles as Bowser in the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie.

After Jack Black was his usual 11 while filming A Minecraft Movie, he and Paul Rudd brought out their comedy energy for the Anaconda reboot. In each and every movie that Black stars in, his dedication to his craft never fails to make us laugh. If you can believe it, the comedic actor had a very different job before landing his big break, which he hilariously described as “my soul is being sucked.”

Plenty of celebrities had weird jobs before becoming famous. Hugh Jackman was a clown, Brad Pitt was a chicken restaurant mascot, and Ashton Kutcher was a cereal factory sweeper. As for Jack Black, he got real with Paul Rudd on Rotten Tomatoes Trailers about what job held him over before his acting career launched, and I’m surprised it didn’t work out for him:

Paul Rudd’s spit reaction to his co-star’s first job still cracks me up! Yes, many of us have been there with the “soul-sucking” jobs before we hit the mark with our careers. But sometimes the best life stories have not-so-glamorous beginnings.

I’m honestly shocked that Jack Black had issues making sales. After all, acting is about convincing an audience that you are the character you’re portraying. With sales, you have to give just as convincing a performance to sell your product. But as sales is more structured, I can understand why it wasn’t the right job for Black.

After telemarketing didn't work out, Jack Black certainly wasn't going to settle for another job he wasn't happy with. Here was the plan he came up with going forward that he stuck with:

That sounds like a born performer. While parents may recommend a backup career as a safety net against a competitive industry, the Shallow Hal star clearly couldn’t see himself doing anything other than acting or music. I give aspiring artists a lot of credit for their dedication to their dreams, no matter how tough they are.

Fortunately for Jack Black, his dedication to his dreams of being an actor paid off. He landed his first acting job, appearing in the TV commercial for the video game Pitfall!. The Tenacious D member’s career went further with a small cameo in the Tim Robbins movie Bob Roberts.

After many small roles, Paul Rudd actually got the credit for launching Jack Black’s career. After his own audition didn't work out for High Fidelity, the Ant-Man actor recommended Stephen Frears to cast Black in his rom-com. The aspiring actor’s film debut ended up being one of his best movies, along with School of Rock, Nacho Libre, Kung Fu Panda, and more. Good things really do come to those who wait.

Telemarketing may not have been the best fit for Jack Black. No worries, as he went on to become the highly prolific actor/musician we know today. Make sure to see Black wow audiences once again with the 2025 movie release of Anaconda in theaters now.

I am generally a total sucker for a meta narrative. When executed properly, I enjoy the inherent cleverness of the approach, with the work itself being used to comment on the work, and it can be a wonderful way for artists to explore and examine the creative process. From books about writing books to movies about making movies, I’m easily delighted by both the insight that can be brought to light and the parody that pokes fun at the various roadblocks involved.

That in mind, director Tom Gormican’s Anaconda should be a perfect fit for my sensibilities. The world truly doesn’t need a new sequel to the 1997 horror flick starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson and Jon Voigt, but if it’s going to happen, why not make the movie about how silly it is to make a new Anaconda movie? Having the film headlined by a pair of comedic heavyweights in Paul Rudd and Jack Black theoretically should have led to the spinning of gold. The sad truth, however, is that it’s a work that never manages to come close to living up to its potential, as it’s instead a muddled mess that is neither a successful commentary nor able to properly juggle the comedy and snake-driven horror to make it entertaining.

The movie aims to be a kind of IP-driven blend of Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder and Frank Oz’s Bowfinger, but it comes up empty in regards to having anything real to say about moviemaking and both the fun and drama are undercut by an inability to create any kind of substantial stakes.

Written by Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, who previously brought us the “Nic Cage playing Nic Cage” comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Anaconda’s protagonists are Griff (Paul Rudd) and Doug (Jack Black): two childhood friends who have become grown despondent in their middle-aged lives, with the former struggling to find work as an actor living in Los Angeles, and the latter finding his creative desires unsatisfied by his work as a wedding videographer in Buffalo, New York. The two men are professionally stuck, but they discover a path toward becoming unstuck when Griff delivers the news that he has managed to acquire the rights to Anaconda – a favorite film of theirs from growing up – and they decide to make a sequel.

With their friends Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn) coming along for the ride as Griff’s co-star and the cinematographer respectively, the pals fly down to the Amazon to make their movie on a shoestring budget. Things go swimmingly initially, but issues begin to stack – first when there is a violent incident that leaves the production without a snake to film, then when they become accidentally embroiled in a local illegal gold mine operation, and then when they find themselves terrorized by a monster serpent hunting them in the jungle.

Anaconda simply tries to do too much, and it doesn’t do anything particularly well.

I am a cinephile who is will always give a film its entire runtime to try and deliver something entertaining or thought provoking, but Anaconda offers wafts of trouble from its very first scene – which is set in the Amazon and introduces Ana (Daniela Melchoir), a woman in some sort of vague trouble who is is pursued by men with guns, and then said men get attacked by the titular reptile. As the tablesetter for a comedy, it doesn’t feature any jokes or laughs; it’s so cryptic as to be more confusing than intriguing; and all of the action with the snake is so fast, dark and clearly CGI that it fails to be at all scary. It’s unclear from the jump what the movie is trying to do… and that never really goes away.

There is a high concept plot buried in Anaconda about two old friends trying to reconnect and resurrect their dreams by making a movie together, but the film gets so lost in stacking up problems for the characters that nothing is able to build up to something comedically or dramatically satisfying. It has the overall cadence of a movie that was constructed on the fly, and it’s therefore way more frustrating than humorous when there is a bit where Doug explains how no modern Hollywood production starts shooting with a completed script.

The PG-13 rating hampers Anaconda in multiple ways

While the scattershot construction is the movie’s greatest flaw, one also leaves it with the feeling that it at least would have had greater potential if it had been equipped with a R-rating instead of PG-13 (which this decision was made because of the 1997 original’s rating or the kid-friendly appeal of Jack Black is unclear, but it’s a negative either way). Horror comedy works best when it gets to play in extremes, but everything here is made to feel beyond tame. It’s rather stunning that there is not a single ounce of excitement, either fear or funny-based, conjured in any of the film’s snake action – though that is also in large part because the visual effects are, to be blunt, awful.

One senses a lot of fun was had making Anaconda, but that fun doesn’t translate to the screen.

Watching the movie, it can be said that it looks like the stars had a blast making it, as you can occasionally catch Paul Rudd and Jack Black with an on-the-verge-of-breaking smirk in response to what was clearly an improvised line from their scene partner… and a weird, small piece of you feels jealous as they have more fun in the experience than the audience. Anaconda is built on a strong premise but it does absolutely nothing with it, never committing to any of its (sometimes fun) ideas and instead opting to zag off in new directions. It’s a strange thing to be disappointed by a work that never really garnered much in the way of big expectations, but that’s what it does nonetheless.

If the sight of Jack Black running around the jungle in the Anaconda trailers inspires you to have feelings of deja vu, it’s totally understandable: he’s been spending a lot of time in the wild as of late. Earlier this year, fans saw him doing some big time adventuring in A Minecraft Movie, and we are not that long removed from his work on both Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level (and the next movie is coming soon!). That’s a lot of time spent out in nature – but according to the star, nothing to date has compared to creature creepiness that he experienced in the making of Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder.

While Anaconda might feature Black working alongside a real snake, he recently told USA Today that nothing that happened in the making of the new action movie was akin to what he witnessed in the making of the beloved 2008 meta war movie. The actor was asked about running into “wild critters” while shooting in exotic locales like Australia and New Zealand, and he explained that the “worst” he encountered was actually in the United States:

Being an individual who freely admits to being terrified by basically anything with more than four appendages, I can’t say that I actually needed a warning from Jack Black to stay away from centipedes. That being said, because I’ve always been principally freaked out by the thought of all of those legs walking along my skin (shudder), I didn’t actually know how rough the arthropod’s bite could be.

Doing some quick research via WebMD, one discovers that centipedes are not deadly to humans, but they do have venomous pincers that they will use against humans if provoked. Different species of centipedes cause different reactions, but the effects of “bites” can be exacerbated by allergic reactions. Pain is certainly among the most common side effects, so Jack Black’s story checks out in that regard.

In Anaconda, the actor doesn’t have any scenes with insects, but he does have experiences with the titular giant snake, which not only bites but famously wraps around its prey and crushes it. If you’re into that sort of thing – in addition to the paired comedic stylings of Jack Black and Paul Rudd – you’re in luck, as the new comedy blockbuster is now playing in theaters everywhere.

We’re living in a world of reboots and legacy sequels — which isn’t likely to change with 2026’s movie releases — but at least with Jack Black and Paul Rudd’s latest adventure, we can expect a remake that’s wildly different from the original. Anaconda centers around buddies who set out to film an amateur version of the 1997 cult classic, only to happen upon their own serpentine killer. Critics have seen the movie, and they mostly agree it’s not as much fun as it thinks it is.

Along with Paul Rudd and Jack Black, the upcoming action movie stars Steve Zahn and Thandiwe Newton, and adding to the meta-ness of it all, Ice Cube makes his return. Moviegoers’ first reactions praised it for its comedy and surprising amount of heart, but Matt Donato of IGN is definitely not a fan, giving the movie a “Bad” 4 out of 10 for making a mockery out of the beloved, perfectly cheesy 1997 original. For such an outside-the-box concept, Anaconda reads generic, with potty humor, overplayed needledrops and Tropic Thunder-esque pyrotechnics. Donato says:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap says the big-budget remake feels like it’s punching down at the actual Anaconda sequels and those who enjoy them. If you’re going to make a movie about how ridiculous the 1997 movie is, Bibbiani says, you have to actually be better than it and its sequels. Instead we get potty humor and side plots that go nowhere and aren’t fun. The critic concludes:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire rates the meta-sequel a C, calling it a “soggy first draft” that is so “shoddily made” that it completely undermines the fun that it’s meant to celebrate. Ehrlich does, however, enjoy that there are two jokes made at Jon Voight’s expense. The critic writes:

It’s not all bad, though. Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence says it’s OK for a movie to just be funny without digging too deep. The critic gives the movie a B, admitting that it’s far less scary than the original, purposely trading horror for laughs. Miller writes:

As a fan of 1997’s Anaconda, I’m pretty disappointed to read that critics aren’t enjoying this reboot. With 76 critics weighing in on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing, only 50 percent have given the movie a positive score. However, there’s no denying Jack Black and Paul Rudd’s comedic potential, so if this is a title you’ve been looking forward to, don’t let the critics stop you!

Anaconda is in theaters now.

Jonathan Bailey was officially named 2025’s sexiest man alive amidst his Jurassic World and Wicked fame. However, recently, Elle Fanning made a great case for why Jack Black is her ultimate Hollywood crush, and it’s been getting a lot of attention. Now, a video of Fanning asking for a selfie from Black over a year ago is going around, and fans are living for it.

If you’re not caught up on the lore, Elle Fanning and her sister Dakota Fanning appeared on Vanity Fair’s lie detector test series back in September. There, Elle fangirled while hooked up to the machine about how much she loves Black. Now, check out her sweet moment with the Anaconda actor at the 2024 Golden Globes:

This video definitely has a whole new context to it, knowing what Elle Fanning thinks about the actor. Here’s what she’s said about the Hollywood star:

Obviously, since this video has been running around, the internet has been talking about how happy they are that Fanning had this moment with Black because they know how much of a fan she is. She’s certainly not the only one who thinks he's swoon-worthy, either, with fans often pointing out how charming he is in The Holiday with Kate Winslet. Check out some comments from Instagram:

• “Find someone who looks at you like Elle looks at Jack! 😍😍😍” - @simon.bacon.90
• “just know that her boyfriend was SWEATING😭” - @magghanns
• “This made my day 😍❤️🙌” - @jannettefriedrich
• “I’m so excited for her 🤩🤩” - @gioh.rodriguez
• “This lore will always be my favorite” - @taymichspoe

Funny enough, Jack Black has been promoting Anaconda with Paul Rudd this week, and they were shown the video of Elle Fanning’s reaction to the School of Rock star. Black was having trouble processing the compliment and said Fanning has “that goblin dysmorphia". Rudd, who was sitting next to him as they watched the video, said, “I get it… as does the world” in Fanning’s defense.

I love it when Hollywood actors have moments like this, where the internet brings them together in a very random way, and now I’m wondering if there will be another excuse for these two to be in the same room again. Elle Fanning has been receiving praise for two movies among the 2025 movie releases, thanks to Predator: Badlands and Sentimental Value, and will certainly be making appearances on the award show circuit. How great would it be if they were paired together to announce an award or something like that? Black had one of the biggest movies of the year, with Minecraft after all.

You can support Elle Fanning’s big crush in the new comedy Anaconda, which opens on Christmas Day.

There’s just something special about 1997’s Anaconda starring Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube, so I was definitely intrigued when it was announced that a new version was coming, especially since the remake is going in a wildly different direction. Paul Rudd and Jack Black star in the new Anaconda movie (and would it even be Anaconda without the Friday star?). Screenings have started for the upcoming action movie ahead of its Christmas Day release, and first reactions indicate we’re in some laughs --- and a surprising amount of heart.

Naturally, Jack Black and Paul Rudd are giving the Anaconda remake a comedic spin, starring as Doug and Griff, who set out for the Amazon to shoot an amateur remake of the 1997 cult classic (how meta!), only for it to turn into a fight for their own survival. Critic Simon Thompson calls it the “popcorn movie of the holiday season,” posting:

Hunter Bolding of The Hashtag Show writes that the kills are good and the snake itself is “pretty fearsome.” More from Bolding:

Cris Parker also comments on the shocking amount of genuine emotion evoked through this buddy comedy, which doesn’t take away from the laughs, because this critic says he was “wheezing”:

Mollie Damon says its 100-minute runtime goes down easy and is reminiscent of those feel-good stoner comedies of years past. Damon writes:

Taylor Gonzales says he also got throwback vibes from the Jack Black-Paul Rudd bromance, and with so many comedies going straight to streaming, Gonzales notes how good it is to see this one hit theaters, writing:

Andre Saint-Albin posts that this is the perfect holiday stress reliever with “big laughs & a bigger snake!” I love to read that the trailer apparently doesn’t spoil some “awesome surprises.” Saint-Albin continues:

Klepcx says this is how you reboot an IP, with Anaconda balancing its “unhinged” humor with a surprising softness:

Peter Gray of the AU Review is surprised as how much he liked this film, putting it in the same wheelhouse as a classic Ben Stiller satire:

It’s great to see so many positive early reactions to the Anaconda remake, because it’s risky to mess with perfection! If you’re excited to see how Paul Rudd and Jack Black play this new action/adventure horror, be sure to check out the reboot when it hits the big screen on Thursday, December 25.

When it comes to sketch comedy, there is (of course) one show that reigns supreme, and that is Saturday Night Live. The series has had an impressive list of hosts and musical acts in Season 51, as usual, but it’s always fun for fans with a Peacock subscription to go back and re-watch favorite episodes. Viewers could do that if they enjoy the comedy stylings of 2025 movies star Jack Black, who’s now hosted four times, but Seth Meyers has noted that they won’t be able to watch a sketch of his that the cast still loves, because it was cut.

What Happened With Jack Black’s ‘Beloved’ SNL Sketch That Got Cut?

Every season of SNL has had its share of viral moments and unbelievably popular sketches, with Season 51’s political sketches topping views, and everything from Ego Nwodim accidentally leading the audience to curse on live TV to numerous A+ sketches from major cast members over the years continuing to get props.

However, we also know that not everything the cast and hosts work on makes it to the live show, for various reasons. Well, during a recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the host was speaking with Anaconda star Jack Black about a sketch from his hosting stint in 2005 that is still considered top tier by the cast, but never made it to air. As Meyers said:

Alright. I gotta say, I’m already intrigued, aren’t you? Without even knowing how the whole thing would have played out, just the idea of a “Boys Night Out” sketch with Black sounds like it would have been pitch perfect. The Jumanji 4 actor said:

Let me tell you, once you hear the actor’s rendition of the start of this tune (which is at 5:10 in the full clip), you will absolutely want to hear more:

See! It’s amazing, right? So, why, exactly, did this potentially awesome live sketch not make it onto the show. Black explained:

The dress rehearsals are essentially run like a live show, meaning that they also feature a live audience to see whether or not what they have planned actually works in the moment for fans. Unfortunately, the audience that time around was not in the mood for “Boys Night Out,” so it was pulled from the show. I have to say, though, considering just the snippet that we were able to hear of what had been planned, it seems like we really missed out on what could have been a great and incredibly memorable sketch.

Jack Black has built an entire career on chaotic confidence, but even he wasn’t prepared for the way Predator: Badlands star Elle Fanning has openly described her attraction to him. Over the past year, the Super 8 veteran has made no secret of her longtime crush on the actor and comedian, calling him everything from “sex on legs” to “the hottest man I’ve ever seen.” While promoting his 2025 movie release Anaconda the School of Rock star finally addressed it in a video that quickly started making the rounds online. And his reaction was exactly what you’d expect, as the funny man coined the phrase: “goblin dysmorphia.”

The video was shared by an Elle Fanning fan account on X, which posted a clip of Black responding to her comments while sitting alongside his co-star, Paul Rudd, from the upcoming Anaconda remake. In response to the A Complete Unknown actress's display of affection, the Jumanji franchise alum replied:

Black goes on to thank Fanning for the compliment, admitting he has to close his eyes to process it all. 2021 People's Sexiest Man Alive Paul Rudd, for his part, jumps in to reassure him that Fanning’s admiration isn’t exactly coming out of nowhere. With a grin, Rudd adds:

The exchange continues a surprisingly wholesome running joke. The Maleficent: Mistress of Evil actress previously revealed that her boyfriend, Gus Wenner, jokingly told Black, “You’re her hall pass,” when they ran into each other at the Golden Globes. The Tenacious D frontman even clarified in the video that there was “no beef” and that everyone is very much cool. But how are fans reacting to the adorable exchange?

Fans Respond To Jack Black's Response

As soon as the clip hit X, fans had plenty to say about the Mario Bros. voice star’s reaction, Fanning’s honesty, and the unexpected charm of the whole moment. Some of the best reactions included:

• 🇵🇸 @scarletvvitch_: “Personality, charisma, character all play a part in someone’s attractiveness/appeal imo, you could be ‘gorgeous’ but have a terrible personality which in turn makes you ugly, or be not ‘conventionally attractive’ but have such a sexy personality that makes you attractive.”
• @QUEENP0P: “Jack black reminds there’s still good in Hollywood.”
• @hannahnadcoh: “Not the golblin dysmorphia 😭”
• @QuietAtTheStart: “Does he not realize how many people are extremely attracted to him?? Like, for real, how does he not know? Lol you’d think by now he would be feeling himself.”
• @MMingy50045: “I mean, Jack Black is a cool fucking guy, man. I’ll give him that.”
• @Breadrunner1: “Did no one realise the sex on legs comment was also said by jack black in Shallow Hal?”
• @TaimuurKhan: “His whole comment is so ironic considering he was in Shallow Hal. 🙏”

What makes the moment stick isn’t just the joke, but how sincere it all feels. The Great actress isn’t being ironic, and Jack Black isn’t pretending to understand something he clearly doesn’t. The result is a rare celebrity interaction that feels playful without being manufactured or creepy.

With Anaconda set to hit theaters on Dec. 25 and Elle Fanning coming off a busy year of standout performances, it’s the kind of low-stakes, high-charm exchange fans don’t see often enough. And if nothing else, “goblin dysmorphia,” which just so happens to have been my nickname in high school, is almost certainly here to stay.

There are oh so many reasons to love High Fidelity – from the comedic romantic misery of John Cusack's Rob Gordon to what is one of the all-time great soundtracks – but one of its most important legacies is that it turned Jack Black into a star. While Black worked steadily during the 1990s, his scene-stealing turn as obnoxious music nerd Barry Judd in the 2000 movie turned heads in the industry and helped him become one of the biggest names in big screen comedy. What you may not know, however, is that one person who apparently played a key part in him getting the role was none other than Paul Rudd.

Black and Rudd will be featured as a true buddy pair for the first time on the big screen next month when Anaconda arrives in theaters, but their connection goes back more than a quarter of a century. In an interview with the actors in Empire, Rudd says that he auditioned to play Dick in High Fidelity, and while he didn't end up getting the gig (it went to Todd Louiso instead), he made a point of putting in a good word for his future co-star when he was talking with the film's director. The Ant-Man star explained,

It's a shame that we didn't get to see Paul Rudd and Jack Black paired up on the big screen in the years before both would become part of the Frat Pack and share credits like Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, but it's an awesome story regardless. Black is also very much aware of the impact that his friend may have had on his life via his recommendation, as he proclaimed in the interview,

In the 25 years since High Fidelity, Paul Rudd and Jack Black have put some shared credits on their resumes, but Anaconda will be the first time that their comedic energies are properly paired. In the new 2025 movie, they play a pair of best friends from childhood who decide to complete their life-long goal of remaking the 1997 thriller Anaconda starring Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube. Things hit a major speedbump when their trained snake is accidentally killed on set, and they have to set off into the Amazon rainforest looking for a replacement.

Also starring Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, and Daniela Melchior, Anaconda will be arriving in theaters on Christmas Day – and should you feel in the mood to watch/rewatch High Fidelity now, the film available for digital purchase/rental from all major online outlets and is on Blu-ray and DVD.

The horror genre has been thriving for years, leading to some of the best horror movies retuning with new sequels and reboots. That's going to happen yet again with the upcoming horror movie Anaconda, which will feature comedic its and stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd. Those two stars recently gushed about working together, and it sounds like a new Hollywood bromance is forming.

Some fans remember the 1997 Anaconda fondly, and are seemingly eager for the new one to jump start a bonafide franchise. They won't have long to wait. It will return to theaters with new meta reboot this coming December. The Anaconda trailer showed that it's leaning on meta commentary, and giving its stars the chance to show off their comedic chops. In a conversation with People, Black gassed up the Ant-Man star, saying:

How adorable is that? While Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have a notable bromance, and Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are another known Hollywood pair, it sounds like there might be another duo rising in the ranks. Because not only does Black love Rudd's comedic sensibilities, but also seems to adore him as a person. Is this movie out yet?

While nowadays Paul Rudd is known for his tenure playing Ant-Man in the MCU (streaming with a Disney+ subscription), he started off as primarily a comedic actor. He'll be able to use those skills and his experience with action in Anacodona, he also seemingly made a great friend.

Not one to be left out, Rudd also gushed about the School of Rock star, saying:

Indeed, these two actors did share a few credits prior to working on Anaconda together. They both appear in Anchorman, although Black's role is a cameo. Black and Rudd also appeared in Walk Hard together, playing Beatles icons Paul McCartney and John Lennon respectively. But their new horror/comedy allowed them to spend months time together bringing the project together.

It should be fascinating to se how audiences respond to the new Anaconda movie. The horror franchise historically weren't comedies, so this is a major departure. What's more, the fact that the movies are being referenced in this meta sequel also shows how fresh the vibes should be. Plus, I really hope we get a cameo from Jennifer Lopez herself. Is that too much to ask?

The original Anaconda is streaming on Netflix, and the new movie will arrive in theaters December 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to see if this kick starts a new series of movies, allowing Jack Black and Paul Rudd to film together even more.

You probably missed it, but last month, Sony made the next Jumanji movie official when it landed on the 2026 movie release calendar. Now we’ve received a big update from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson after we were in the dark for awhile. The movie star just shared what’s going on with production, and signaled it will be the end of an era.

Over on Instagram, Johnson shared some video and photos of the cast getting back together in Los Angeles for a table read for the new Jumanji movie. Here’s what he wrote:

The end? We had no idea that the new Jumanji franchise would be concluding after three movies, but per his recent words, I guess it will soon be time to close the game again.

At the table read, The Rock was chiefly joined by Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan at the center of a long table to read the script for the untitled Jumanji movie that's officially in the works. As previously announced, it'll come to theaters on December 11, 2026. He also said this:

The first two modern Jumanji movies have certainly been consistently hilarious blockbusters, and it sounds like this third installment will be no different. You can check out the original post below:

The last Jumanji movie, The Next Level, came out back in 2019, making this sequel a long time coming. Its ending had the world of Jumanji once again colliding with the real world (like the Robin Williams-led movie), which led to theories about what should happen next. With that in mind, it definitely makes sense that the franchise might go back to the beginning before arriving to the end, but this post is kind of a random bomb dropped by Dwayne Johnson about what's going on with the Jumanji franchise.

In the post, Johnson also explained the significance of the dice necklace with a number three on it. The actor said it's a "little Easter egg" that his character of Dr. Smolder Bravestone wears in the upcoming movie. It's apparently the dice from the original 1995 movie as a way to pay "homage, love and respect to the great Robin Williams."

With Jumanji's production now getting started, we can definitely look forward to seeing it over the holiday season a little over a year from now. The movie that will once again be helmed by Jake Kasdan arrives one week before Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three come out on the same day. We can't wait to reenter the game with this latest of upcoming The Rock movies on the way.

I wasn’t sure how to feel a few years ago when it was confirmed that another Anaconda movie was in the works. While I was delighted when it was revealed that Jack Black and Paul Rudd would lead the reboot, I was also a bit confused. I’ve since been waiting to see a trailer and, now, it’s finally arrived. Needless to say, both Rudd and Black seem to be at the top of their comedic game based on this footage. To be honest, though, I’m actually really eager to see more of one of their castmates.

The First Trailer For Anaconda Teases Big Laughs And Over-The-Top Kills

Anaconda, which is directed and co-written by Tom Gormican, centers on two friends – Doug (Jack) and Ronald (Rudd) – who are longtime fans of the original 1997 flick. Upon hitting midlife, the two finally decide to pursue their dream of making their own killer snake movie. As the trailer above reveals, the two pals don’t have the budget they desire, but they travel to the rainforest with some friends to shoot the film anyway. The production is precarious enough on its own, but it gets deadly when a massive snake enters the picture.

What this trailer teases is an incredibly meta movie that will seemingly pay homage to the snake-centered horror franchise while also carving out its own comedically bloody path. I really appreciate the slapstick elements that appear to be at play, and such material definitely lends itself to the humorously absurd plot Gormican’s film has.

As for the cast, the movie’s two leads won’t be alone, as there are some solid supporting players in the mix. There is one particular star, though, that I really have to take a moment to single out.

Let’s Talk About One Of The Supporting Actors In Anaconda

As great as Paul Rudd and Jack Black appear to be in the trailer, there’s a supporting actor that deserves attention. I’m talking about the great Steve Zahn, who’s long been putting in solid work across various genres within film and TV. That Thing You Do!, Happy, Texas, Dallas Buyers Club and War for the Planet of the Apes are just a few of best credits. I’d argue that Zahn has a tendency to steal the movies and TV shows he’s in and, based on this Anaconda trailer, I wouldn’t be surprised if he also runs away with the horror comedy.

In this killer snake romp, Zahn plays Kenny, a friend of Doug and Ronald’s who helps them make their movie. Kenny appears sporadically in the trailer, but they definitely provide a solid sense of his personality. Kenny seems to be a bit awkward (as many of Zahn’s characters are) and a bit overoptimistic, with the latter evidenced by his reaction to that meager budget. Zahn’s characters can also be quite squirrely, so I’m not surprised at all that Kenny would come up with the idea to use Doug as bait after believing him to be dead.

I have to mention, of course, that the movie also features tried-and-true stars like Thandiwe Newton, Selton Mello, Ione Skye and Daniela Melchior. All in all, what Tom Gormican and Sony have seemingly put together is a satirical horror film that gives off slight 21 Jump Street vibes. I’m eager to see Jack Black and Paul Rudd in action, but I’m also hopeful that Steve Zahn’s comedic chops are fully utilized as well.

Anaconda opens in theaters on December 25 amid the 2025 movie schedule. While waiting for the upcoming horror movie’s release, grab a Netflix subscription and stream the 1997 film of the same name.

Warning: SPOILERS for A Minecraft Movie are ahead!

This past weekend, I fired up A Minecraft Movie with my HBO Max subscription after missing its rowdy theatrical run. To be fair, I am not this movie’s target audience, both because of my age and barely knowing anything about the video game franchise. But after hearing about how bonkers A Minecraft Movie is and getting tastes of this from the trailers, I finally had to judge it for myself. Imagine my surprise to learn that the most unhinged stuff in this 2025 movie release doesn’t revolve around Jack Black and Jason Momoa, but rather Jennifer Coolidge’s subplot.

Let me be clear, Black’s Steve (singer of the record-breaking “Lava Chicken”) and Momoa’s Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison are not lacking in wild moments in A Minecraft Movie, and they’re unquestionably its main draw. But as I was watching this video game movie that’s made nearly $1 billion worldwide, I remained astounded at what was happening with Jennifer Coolidge’s Marlene, the vice principal at the school Sebastian Hansen’s Henry attends. This starts even before she gets exposed to anything Minecraft-y, from her awkwardly talking about her recently-ended marriage to Henry, to her uncomfortable flirting with Garrett.

And then Marlene met Nitwit, one of the Overworld villagers who accidentally wandered into our world when the portal created by the combined Orb of Dominance and Earth Crystal was left open. Marlene accidentally hits Nitwit with her Jeep Grand Cherokee and is unfazed by his giant head, rectangular nose and inability to say coherent words. Instead, she takes him to dinner and it doesn’t take long for sparks to fly between them.

Between Marlene finding Nitwit to have more personality than her ex Clemente, and Nitwit suggestively raising his unibrow every so often, I was entertainingly shocked at this budding romance. The night ends with Marlene inviting Nitwit back to her place for dessert (God, I hope it’s actual dessert), and I laughed way too much when the waiter asked if they were finished, and the vice principal responded:

And then the cherry on top of this wacky sundae comes as A Minecraft Movie’s credits are rolling. Nitwit is seen hanging out in Marlene’s office at the school, looking WASP-y as hell and shockingly speaking with the voice of What We Do in the Shadows’ Matt Berry when Clemente confronts him, and Marlene can also speak Villager now. With their love cemented, Nitwit proposed to Marlene, and she instantly accepted. Oh, and before all this happened, she was about to feed him a baguette. I’m just… so unsettled by it all.

I realize A Minecraft Movie is chiefly aimed at the video game’s fans, particularly the younger ones who’ve played it for thousands of hours. So the humor was always going to be unhinged to some degree, especially with Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess directing. But at least with Jack Black and Jason Momoa’s shenanigans, I had somewhat of an idea of what to expect, given the footage I’d seen in the trailers. I had absolutely no idea how Jennifer Coolidge fit into A Minecraft Movie ahead of viewing it, so I was completely taken aback by her bizarre romance with one of Overworld’s unusual-looking denizens. I won’t go so far as to say those two haunt my dreams, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that started happening.

Another Minecraft Movie is in development, and I’m sure I’ll end up watching it at home just like I did this one. But rather than wondering about what’s next for Steve and Garrett, I instead find myself trying to envision what a marriage between Marlene and Nitwit would look like, and how their child… nope, stopping right there.

“Danger Zone.” “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing.” “Hold My Hand.” Movie tunes like those have burned up the charts for decades, leaving behind memories of when we first heard them. Apparently the 2025 movie schedule now has its own timeless soundtrack entry to add to those annals, and of course it’s from A Minecraft Movie. But the most interesting part about this new musical footnote is that it’s actually broken an impressive record.

Thanks to “Steve’s Lava Chicken” hitting the Billboard Hot 100 charts, we now have the shortest hit to ever achieve such a feat. The Jack Black song is a brisk 34 seconds long in director Jared Hess’ pre-summer blockbuster, which marks the briefest interlude on the chart since 1958 saw it introduced.

If you want to know what we’re talking about here, you have more than enough time to catch up with that official Minecraft clip dropped by Jack Black. But be warned: the video shown below includes dialogue that bumps it up to a beefy 51 seconds:

Frankly, the only thing that’s surprising about A Minecraft Movie’s latest milestone is the length of the jingle that made it happen. And even then, it’s established in the world of this film that it’s really more of an impromptu commercial jingle than anything resembling a show-stopping number.

Still, Jack Black seems to have a way with those tasty licks that makes movie music marvelous; even if stories of rowdy crowds bringing actual chickens may make the lyrics hard to hear. Let’s not forget that we’re a little over two years since The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s “Peaches” became a Spotify hit that banked its own pocket of cultural cache.

While I don’t think people are starting the Oscar campaign for “Steve’s Lava Chicken” to be nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar in 2026, there’s still a pattern that’s established the Tenacious D vet as a cinematic hit maker. Which is good, because with The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2 releasing in April 2026, there's a potential that the next chapter of Mr. Black's movie music history is already being dreamed up at this very moment.

Going into this weekend there’s a chance that A Minecraft Movie could see its single climbing even higher up those Billboard standings. As the promise of “Block Party Edition” screenings is encouraging audiences to interact with the film, including some sing-alongs, don’t be surprised if you hear or see more references to “sizzle-ine” that creates an actually tasty looking movie food.

So if you can't get over "Steve's Lava Chicken," and you're ready to return to the Overworld of A Minecraft Movie, you should probably prepare for the Block Party experience - hitting theaters this Friday. Just be sure to warm up beforehand, and don't forget to time your breaths.

There are only a few Saturday Night Live episodes left in the show’s milestone 50th season, which means there are only a few more stars on the docket to serve as host. Quinta Brunson is up at bat next, on May 3, while Scarlett Johansson is set to close out the season on May 17. Smack dab in between the two actresses, though, is actor Walton Goggins, who’ll host the show on May 10. As a fan of Goggins, I’m incredibly excited to see what he does, and it would seem that stars like Josh Lucas and Jack Black share my enthusiasm.

It was announced at the end of this past week that Walton Goggins would host Saturday Night Live, with Arcade Fire serving as musical guest. The past several months have seen some excellent SNL hosts take the stage in Studio 8H, but the notion of a comedic talent like Goggins taking the reins truly excites me. When the news was announced, the fan-favorite actor took to his Instagram account to share it. Dax Shepard, Josh Lucas, Jack Black and more stars then took to the comments to hype up Goggins:

• Man. I can not wait to see you do this! - Josh Lucas
• NO WAY!!!!!!!! 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌❤️❤️❤️ - Dax Shepard
• Coming in hot!!! - Jack Black
• !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY SHIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙌🔥❤️ - Edi Patterson
• THIS IS THE BEST👏 - Tony Cavalero
• 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 - Natasha Rothwell

You can’t help but smile upon the sight of stars hyping up a fellow performer. Of course, the actors noted above were far from the only users to weigh in enthusiastically, as non-celebrity fans also shared their excitement. These comments are also a true testament to the fact that the Alabama native has more than struck a chord with his various performances. I totally understand the hype, as the Justified cast alum has and continues to put in excellent work.

Although Walton Goggins has been working in Hollywood for some time now, the past several years have truly seen him emerge as a highly-sought-after performer. Fallout, Invincible, George & Tammy and The Righteous Gemstones are just a few of the TV shows on which he’s had starring roles. Most recently, Goggins received praise for his role as Rick Hatchett on The White Lotus (which is available to stream with a Max subscription). Some might say that his “heartthrob status” grew as a result of the HBO anthology series.

It’s interesting to consider what Walton Goggins might do on Saturday Night Live. Right now, I’m tempted to assume that the cast will make use of his Southern heritage and signature drawl while coming up with sketch ideas. There may even be a White Lotus parody during that episode though, after the “White Potus” debacle involving Aimee Lou Wood (who took offense to the sketch lampooning her signature teeth), the show may opt not to craft another parody. A bigger surprise would be if Wood appeared alongside former co-star Goggins on SNL amid rumors that they’re feuding.

We’ll still have to wait a few weeks to see what exactly happens during that particular episode. I’m confident that it’ll be well worth the wait, and that I – along with Dax Shepard, Jack Black and more – will be satisfied with it. For right now, though, let’s keep up the speculation regarding what kind of fun sketches we might see during the show.

Walton Goggins’ episode of Saturday Night Live airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC as part of the 2025 TV schedule. Know that episodes of the long-running sketch comedy series can also be streamed with a Peacock subscription.

A Minecraft Movie has dominated the box office, as audiences seem to be eating up the recently released video game adaptation. More than a few scenes from the film are causing pandemonium amongst viewers. There’s a lot of chicken-related madness in the flick as well, with one stand-out moment involving Jack Black’s Steve belting out a song about lava chicken. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Black and more have now shared that tune on social media, and fans responded by opening up about their viewing experiences.

“Steve’s Lava Chicken” is just one of many songs present on A Minecraft Movie’s official soundtrack. Written by Jack Black and director Jared Hess, it sees Steve laying out his discovery that the chickens native to the cubic world depicted in the film taste good when sizzled with molten rock. Black, along with Water Tower Music, Warner Bros. Pictures and other accounts took to Instagram to jointly share the scene in which the tune appears. Check it out:

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the School of Rock alum would perform a few tracks for his 2025 movie release. After all, he does make up one part of the rock comedy duo Tenacious D, which is currently on hiatus. He also delivered the catchy (and very lucrative) “Peaches” for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. I’m not sure if “Steve’s Lava Chicken” will become as much of an earworm as Bowser’s Oscar-snubbed song. However, it’s possible that it could catch on.

While the forces behind A Minecraft Movie drop that music, fans are opening up about their experiences with the film. Many of them are expressing positive feelings not only about the flick itself but about specific moments from their screenings. You can check out several of the reactions down below:

• My entire theater started clapping harmoniously during this scene - felix_larios_official
• Jack Black I fucking loved this movie please make a sequel - thebigbusinessman
• I watch it in this day its so good I very like it🔥👏 - wiktorrumin7
• Ear worm…. Been singing it since I left the movies yesterday… la la lava, ch ch chicken 🐔 - missy_moo.xx
• Thank you for helping bring the celebration of a game of my childhood <3 had so much fun seeing it with friends - katnap.s

To say that a number of the screenings have been less-than-conventional would be an understatement. Video footage shared to social media has shown teens getting hyped over specific scenes and even getting thrown out of some showings. Not only that but, during one particular showing, a patron brought a live chicken. That should tell you everything you need to know about the wildness of these public events.

It’s due to the craziness above that a representative of Fareham’s Reel Cinema in the UK issued a warning to those who might try to take part in TikTok’s “Chicken Jockey” trend while seeing the movie. Don’t get me wrong when I say there’s nothing wrong with showing enthusiasm while you’re taking in a movie at the cinema. However, rabid fans seeing Minecraft may want to simmer down just a tad.

Still, it’s lovely that so many people seem to be connecting with the movie. A sequel has yet to be formally confirmed, though I wouldn’t be surprised if an official announcement drops soon. That could theoretically mean that fans can look forward to even more tunes similar to “Steve’s Lava Chicken.” For now, though, fans can take in the music of A Minecraft Movie by purchasing the soundtrack or seeing the film in theaters.

Let the record show that I think it’s wild that Jack Black hadn’t hosted Saturday Night Live in 20 years before taking the stage last week to host an episode of Season 50. However, there’s another wild fact about the last episode of the sketch comedy series to air on the 2025 TV schedule that we also need to discuss as well. And that is the fact that Jack Black actually hosted the first episode of SNL that Kenan Thompson was ever in.

So, there are levels to this fact that make it pretty mind-blowing to me. The first is simply that Jack Black hosted the very first episode of Saturday Night Live that Kenan Thompson was ever in. While speaking with EW about the host, the SNL mainstay opened up about this, and he spoke about how excited he was for the actor’s return to Studio 8H, saying:

On October 4, 2003, Jack Black hosted Saturday Night Live for a second time, and John Mayer was the musical guest. They kicked off Season 29, and that episode also served as Kenan Thompson’s debut on the show. Alongside him, Fred Armisen was also a featured player, and they were part of an all-star line-up that included Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Seth Meyers and many, many more. Talk about a great SNL cast!

After that, the A Minecraft Movie star returned to host on December 17, 2005. However, he didn’t come back to helm the show for a fourth time until 20 years later.

In that time, Kenan Thompson has become the longest-running Saturday Night Live cast member. He became this record holder back in 2022 during Season 47 when he hit 20 seasons on the show. Now, three years later, he’s at 23 seasons and 439 episodes (as of Jack Black’s 2025 episode).

Arguably, this makes the fact that the actor hosted the comedian’s first episode even wilder for two reasons. One is I love that Black was there for the star’s very first episode and could come back and host during such a historic season where Thompson is the most seasoned cast member on the show.

The other is that I can’t believe it took SNL this long to bring the School of Rock actor back. Kenan Thompson thought that too, as he said:

Hopefully, it doesn’t take SNL two decades to bring Jack Black back. However, if that is the case, Kenan Thompson has said the next milestone he could hit is “the forever cast member,” so no matter how long it takes to bring the host back, this comedian might still be there.

Jokes aside, it sounds like Saturday Night Live’s iconic cast member was thrilled to have the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star on the show. Based on the following comment, it seems like he’d love to have him back, too, as he said:

Now, Jack Black has hosted SNL four times – in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2025.

With that in mind, and considering how beloved he is, it’d be silly not to bring him back and induct him into the Five Timers Club. If that happens, I hope Kenan Thompson gets to be there, considering the long and storied history these two have.

It’s official: A Minecraft Movie is a bonafide hit. By some estimates, it almost doubled its weekend box office prediction and was the top movie by a mile. It was always going to be one of the biggest movies on the 2025 movie schedule, but it seems even industry insiders have been surprised by just how big the Jack Black and Jason Momoa-led video game movie is. I, on the other hand, had no doubt, and all it took was one short conversation with my nine-year-old nephew.

My Nephew Has Been Thinking About This Movie For Months

I’m always amazed at how much marketing breaks through to kids. I mean, I get it, these advertisers know exactly what they are doing. Still, in the age of streaming without commercials and YouTube, it’s a feat trying to get through to kids like my niece and nephew.

My nephew was already talking about how excited he was about A Minecraft Movie months ago, long before the movie was really even on my radar, even though I write about movies every day. I got the sense it was pretty much the top topic on the playground with his friends. I didn’t quite understand how much he played until that conversation. He’s moved on from Mario-based games and is fully immersed in Minecraft. It also doesn’t matter what kind of reviews A Minecraft Movie gets, he’s not reading those.

Minecraft Make No Sense To Me

I am a casual gamer in that I, like everyone else in my generation, grew up playing Sega and Super NES, and I’ll still occasionally sit down and play some GTA 5 or Mario Kart if the mood strikes me. I’m not a hardcore gamer in the slightest, but I definitely understand the widespread popularity of Minecraft. It is the most popular game in the world, of course.

That said, I haven’t played the game for more than a couple of minutes here and there, and I don’t really understand it. Listening to my nephew explain his game is like listening to Rick Moranis’ character Louis Tully in Ghostbusters. My nephew takes about his castle and his floating meadow of cows, and his sister not allowing armor, and all I hear is, “During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor!”

I Knew A Minecraft Movie Would Be Huge

It stunned me to see just how surprised the Hollywood trades were by A Minecraft Movie crushing box office receipts. Every kid my niece and nephew’s age can’t wait to see the flick. Every Jack Black fan is excited too, including my sister’s kids, who it turns out also love the Jumanji actor. There’s a perfect storm of loud teenagers and pre-teens begging their parents to see the movie (possibly even in 4DX) NOW across the world, and parents are happy to relent.

It doesn’t matter if the movie is good, bad or otherwise. The kids don’t care, they just want a “real life” version of their make-believe world played out on the big screen with a big clown (in a good way), like Jack Black leading the charge. We're still a ways off from getting our Legend of Zelda movie, but I’m thrilled he’s getting his Minecraft one.

The new season of Love On The Spectrum U.S. just dropped this week among 2025 Netflix releases, and the viral series is still one of the best dating shows on right now especially because it's the total antithesis to other reality dating series on TV. While one of the show’s star went on The Kelly Clarkson Show to promote Season 3, he had the “best day” thanks to Jack Black.

If you watch Love On The Spectrum, you know how sweet, respectful and full of sunshine Tanner Smith is. The 25-year-old from South Carolina is on the series for his second season this time around and still in search of his other half along with a cast of young singles in the Autism community looking for love. Little did he know, while paying Kelly Clarkson a visit on her talk show, he would get to fanboy over Jack Black. Check out the sweet moment:

Isn’t that the most wholesome moment ever? I absolutely loved how excited Tanner was to meet the beloved actor, and how tickled Jack Black got amidst meeting the Love On The Spectrum star in person. The surprise was done so well, and I was near tears when Black ran through the doors onto the stage and Tanner instantly went in for a big hug. I was also living for how Tanner had so many nice things to say to Black and how the Minecraft actor was giving him all his trademark high energy back.

Tanner claimed he was Jack Black’s “biggest fan,” before pointing out his family in the audience who are also hugely into all of Jack Black’s great movies. The actor also extended the invitation to have Tanner teach him some weightlifting tips before Tanner said he’d get his phone number and they can “work out together.” I particularly loved when Black said the following to Tanner while sitting on the couch with him:

It’s literally impossible not to smile at these two together. Oh, and when Tanner thanked Kelly Clarkson directly after? Priceless.

And then Jack Black pointed out how they are both on press tours and “busy guys” promoting each of their projects. The sweet fan moment happened following Tanner getting a personal Jack Black message from The Kelly Clarkson Show while he was filming A Minecraft Movie about a year ago. You can check out the video on YouTube where Black told him he was “great” on the Netflix show loves “his mission of spreading joy around the world” and hoped to meet him in person soon.

He certainly kept his promise! You can stream Love On The Spectrum now with a Netflix subscription, and see Jack Black in A Minecraft Movie in theaters this Friday.

Jack Black has already starred in one of the best video game movies with 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and now he’s hoping to have similar success with a different franchise. A Minecraft Movie is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar on April 4, much to the delight of many who love the popular block building game. Critics have seen the film and are now sharing their opinions on the upcoming family friendly movie.

Alongside Jack Black, A Minecraft Movie’s cast includes Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers and Danielle Brooks, who star as four misfits who get pulled through a portal into the bizarrely cubic Overworld. To get back home, they must master the game with the help of expert crafter Steve (Black). First reactions called the movie “stupid,” but is that a good thing or a bad thing? Grab your Minecraft popcorn bucket, and let’s see what the critics have to say. Jesse Hassenger of IGN rates it an “Okay” 6 out of 10, writing:

Mark Kennedy of the AP gives the movie 2.5 stars out of 4, saying Jason Momoa shines in the comedic role and that the world is “like Lego only on shrooms.” Fans will likely appreciate how faithful the film is to the game but newcomers to the franchise may get a little lost. Kennedy writes:

Owen Gleiberman of Variety says Jack Black is at an 11 throughout the movie and Jason Momoa’s performance is a delightful surprise. Overall the critic says it’s “just a flaky, spirited, low-hijinks quest comedy,” and that’s no insult. Gleiberman says:

Jacob Oller of AV Club gives the a C-, saying that the upcoming video game movie shows flashes of personality that are ultimately buried by obligations to its blockbuster structure. Oller says it’s a “failed recipe with plenty of seasoning,” and writes:

David Ehrlich of IndieWire agrees A Minecraft Movie is “deeply unimaginative,” which is especially ironic given the game’s potential for endless creativity. It’s at its best when it leans into the Jared Hess-ness of it all, which is mostly before the characters get sucked into the Overworld that drives the paint-by-numbers plot. Ehrlich gives it a C, writing:

It seems like critics are overall disappointed that A Minecraft Movie doesn’t take advantage of the creative freedom the game allows its players, though Jason Momoa and Jack Blek are getting some positive feedback. Black admitted the backlash against the trailer made him nervous about how fans would receive the movie, and ahead of its release, it holds a 53% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

If you want to check out the newest video game movie, you don’t have to wait long, because A Minecraft Movie arrives in theaters on Friday, April 4.

Where were you when the first trailer for A Minecraft Movie dropped online? As we find ourselves just a couple of days from the latest of video game adaptations hitting theaters, Jack Black has reflected on the negative reaction the movie was greeted with when its first look was revealed.

The first teaser for A Minecraft Movie hit the internet back in September to tons of unhappy fans saying things like “please send this back to the crafting table” and “funny prank Warner Bros., you can release the real teaser now” on YouTube. Here’s what Black had to say about the backlash:

When the A Minecraft Movie star spoke to Total Film, he shared that he was totally vibing with the first teaser when he saw it pre-release. So he was actually rather shocked when fans didn’t agree with him. I like that he’s being honest about how he felt about it and how he’s been questioning himself since then. As he mentioned, we’ll just have to wait and see what people think once it hits theaters!

The movie’s director, Jared Hess, who also helmed modern classics like Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite, said that he thought the backlash had to do with viewers experiencing the Minecraft movie “out of context” and didn’t reflect the “amazing” reactions they received from die-hard Minecraft fans at test screenings.

Social reactions for A Minecraft Movie came out the other day, and while a lot of people are calling it “stupid,” there’s also been some praise being thrown out. One viewer shouted it out for “genuine laughs,” while another called it the “perfect film for families to watch over the holiday.” While the adults in the comment sections may not like it, one of our writers, Rich Knight, wrote about how his kids loved the trailer when it came out. So hey, if it's reaching the audience it intends to, the negative feedback may not matter.

Plus, a box office report from Deadline has reported that ahead of the weekend, A Minecraft Movie is looking at a $140 million worldwide opening, which would make it one of the big cinematic successes of 2025 thus far. The movie starring Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Coolidge hits theaters this weekend. You can check out our exclusive A Minecraft Movie interviews here on CinemaBlend.

When you look at recent movies based on video games — things like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Five Nights at Freddy’s — there’s been quite a bit of box office success from the fans who play them. Gamers everywhere are likely hoping the next big genre hit is coming soon on the 2025 movie calendar in A Minecraft Movie. The upcoming kids movie has screened, and as first reactions hit social media, I can’t help but notice that one word keeps popping up to describe the movie: Stupid.

Now, I don’t think when it comes to this movie that “stupid” is necessarily a bad thing — just take a look at the bonkers Minecraft trailer. Also considering A Minecraft Movie comes from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), “stupid” sounds about right. John Dotson of The Cosmic Circus seems to think so, as he was genuinely amused by the movie that hits theaters April 4. Dotson writes:

Christopher Mills agrees, in as much as the critic calls the film “stupidly hilarious.” Jack Black leads the Minecraft cast list, and Mills says his co-stars really help to build up this world (with the exception of a couple who the critic feels were underutilized). The X (Twitter) reaction reads:

Zach Pope comments that with Jared Hess at the helm, was there really any question what kind of movie this would turn out to be? This is one fans are likely going to love and then love to revisit. Pope says:

Big Screen Berkan also thinks fans — particularly of the younger variety — will have a blast with this one, writing:

TomMCJL of Hollywood Handle notes that there are plenty of references for fans to discover, including a short but sweet tribute to the late YouTuber Technoblade, who was known for his Minecraft videos and passed away from cancer in 2022. Tom also praises the movie’s performances and writes:

Chris Gallardo also notes the references and says the upcoming video game movie has Jumanji vibes. In Gallardo’s words:

Nick Spake loves this director for this movie and says it works best when Jared Hess doesn’t try to replicate other mainstream films in the genre. A couple of cast members stick out to Spake, as he says:

MikeMoodGaming can’t wait for the movie’s official release to theaters and says fans are in for a good time:

Luckily for this fan and so many others, they won’t have to wait long. A Minecraft Movie hits the big screen on Friday, April 4, so be sure to reserve your seat, grab an adorable Minecraft popcorn bucket and have a stupidly good time.

I’m sure there are a lot of things fans of Minecraft want to see in the game’s movie. For me, Jack Black’s performance as Steve is at the top of my list. As you probably know, the actor is always operating at an 11; that is no different for this entry on the 2025 movie schedule, and I'm hyped about it. Now, he’s opened up about giving this performance all his energy, and the director told us why that was great…until it was time to edit.

Jack Black And Jason Momoa Talked About Operating At An 11 While Filming Minecraft

During CinemaBlend’s interviews with the Minecraft cast, our own Jeff McCobb spoke to Jack Black and Jason Momoa about working “at 100 in this movie.” He asked what got those guys to that level and if it involved director Jared Hess. In response, Black told us:

Considering Jack Black’s best movies feature him giving 110% and letting his high energy shine on screen, I can see why an “11” is his comfort zone. Based on the Minecraft trailers, too, he 100% is working on that level. Honestly, maybe he’s even at a 12.

Momoa then chimed in, revealing the note their director would give them. It sounds like he was encouraging the high energy, as the actor explained:

After the two joked about putting “some mustard on it,” Momoa opened up about how much room there was to play on set. Like the game itself, it sounds like this movie was made for creation and play, as the Aquaman actor explained:

Then, the guys went back and forth about how much effort Black would put into his actions in the film, even the ones as simple as moving down a step. And honestly, I’m here for it. Director Jared Hess was, too; however, when he got into the editing room, it was a slightly different story.

Jared Hess Said Jack Black’s Energy Was Great Until It Was Time To Edit

The wild energy was encouraged on set, as the actors explained. However, when it came time to edit, Jared Hess had to ease up a bit. While speaking with CinemaBlend, he told us that he had to bring Black specifically from an 11 down to a nine:

He is amazing. After jumping from Super Mario Bros. to Minecraft, I was stoked to see Black bring his chaotic and brilliant energy to another video game adaptation. It sounds like he did just that here.

Hess noted that the actor did so with care, too, because while he was giving an 11 on set, he was also giving an 11 while playing the game Minecraft:

I love how “hardcore” Jack Black was with this role, and it seems like him, Jason Moma and Jared Hess had a blast making the movie (even though it had to be calmed down in the edit). However, I’m sure an average person’s 11 is more like a Jack Black 9, so you should still expect a ton of fun energy from the actor in Minecraft.

To see all this fun energy on screen, you can catch Minecraft in theaters on April 4.

1997's Anaconda gave viewers one of the more horrifying movie animals that we still love with its larger-than-life snake. And as it goes, this Amazonian adventure is one of many feature revivals debuting across the 2025 movie schedule. According to one of its human stars, Paul Rudd, ‘it’s not a remake,' and the unconventional metatwist at the heart of it sounds like a potential homerun for Rudd, co-star Jack Black, and director Tom Gormican.

While at SXSW promoting Death of a Unicorn's premiere, Rudd shared with Collider that the new take on the Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez-led film isn’t what you’d expect, sharing that this iteration of Anaconda is in the same unbridled spirit as Gormican's previous film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Beyond that slice of hype, the MCU actor teased how it's more of a comedic homage as opposed to a direct continuation or reimagining, saying:

It sounds like quite the present waiting for us on Christmas Day. (Its release day, and not a random comment.) If it’s anything like how the two funnymen presented the Anaconda cast list, I know exactly where I’ll be in the back half of the holiday season. Meta, post-modern approaches to movies and TV shows aren’t for everyone, but for fans like me, who loved seeing NIc Cage reference and play into his legacy and extensive filmography, I’m thrilled to see another Gormican title like it. We’ll have to see if he and his cast can land this big fish – I mean snake.

All in all though, it feels like the flick will deliever the goods even beyond its two stars. But it also doesn’t hurt that Paul Rudd has two other movies on the way – the aforementioned Death of a Unicorn and A24's cringe comedy A24's cringe comedy Friendship (which co-stars Tim Robinson), while Jack Black is heading up A Minecraft Movie. All three projects, and their genres, seem like suitable environments to have been in before jumping in to a midlife-crisis role where the character is invested in reliving the magic of fighting off a shockingly massive anaconda (per the public summary).

Who knows how this will actually stand in comparison to the Luis Llosa film, and how it'll work independently as a meta comedy, but it’s bound to be a bonkers ride. With what’s been released about the coming not-revival, Black, Rudd, Gormican and co. seem to have the serpent under control and on its way to us in a timely manner.

Of all the upcoming video game adaptations that are either heading to theaters in 2025 and beyond, only one boasts a star who recently joined James Gunn’s DCU as the extraterrestrial bounty hunter Lobo. We’re of course talking about Jason Momoa, who’s making his way through the block-filled, semi-animated comedy A Minecraft Movie before straddling Lobo’s demonic motorcycle in Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. But what will he look like?

Despite James Gunn saying fans would have to wait to see some kind of full visual on Momoa’s Lobo, CinemaBlend came very close to getting a look during a Minecraft-flavored interview with our own Jeff McCobb. However, the actor’s attempt to deliver the goods from the upcoming DCU superhero movie was cut short in a hilariously devastating move by his publicist. Check out the video from that moment below, which led to Jack Black asking about making his own comic book cameo.

On the topic of the DC baddie, we asked Jason Momoa about his Lobo look, as far as how much white makeup would be showing compared to the character’s armor. Replying that he’s pretty much covered from head to toe, the Game of Thrones vet got up to retrieve his phone, with the aim of showing us visual evidence of his live-action take.

Alas, before he could successfully pull the image up for others in the room to put their peepers on, Jason Momoa's publicist put the kibosh on any such reveals, and advised him not to open the photo. It's like being told you can open a Christmas present early, only to discover none of the presents under the tree are actually yours.

Thankfully, Jack Black was on hand to provide some side-commentary as Momoa started to track his phone down, and the Tenacious D co-founder was clearly having a ball just prouncing his co-star's character name, though with softer vowel sounds that made it rhyme more with "Lao Bao" than "Low Bo."

And because he's Jack Black, he went ahead and used that particular moment to inquire about landing his own mini-role in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow alongside other cast members such as Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, David Krumholtz and Emily Beecham.

Something tells me Jack Black inevitably missed out on landing a role in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, but I wouldn't rule out him showing up elsewhere in the DCU, as part of the Tenacious D...ynamic Duo. Or maybe in School of Sgt. Rock. Or in Ju-super-manji. I could go on and on.

Hopefully it'll all be worth the wait whenever Supergirl's standalone film hits theaters on June 26, 2026, even if Jack Black doesn't actually pop up anywhere.

If there’s one thing we can generally rely on with any Jack Black project, there will be an excellent silly song or some funky guitar riff. And, it’s no different for the 2025 movie schedule reboot, Anaconda. The musical comedian-actor teased the Christmas Day release via a song, featuring Paul Rudd on the bongos (with Selton Mello on guitar) announcing the cast list.

Back in 2020, the Anaconda reboot announcement was shared. Between the initial news of revisiting the 1997 classic, and the School of Rock actor sharing the official cast list while singing, there’s plenty of buzz. The fun ballad revealed that alongside Black and Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn, Selton Mello, and Daniela Melchior are other performers with substantial roles.

The reboot’s lyrics then broke into classic Tenacious D goofiness, addressing exactly what the frontman and company had to do with the large snake. Take a watch for yourself:

It seems that between the star power officially locked into the new Anaconda, their supposed agenda for the oversized serpent and this trio’s illustration, the cast is up for the job. The three-piece band, with a feature Newton in the corner, is a great and easy way to announce the coming feature. And while it’s one of the greatest scary animal movies (that don't involve dinosaurs or sharks), I’m intrigued to see more. The footage is relatively standard for Jack Black and Paul Rudd banter and play, but it’s going to be interesting to see this dynamic play out in this upcoming blockbuster.

I’m not surprised that these two were tapped for the reboot, you need a couple of standout stars to rise to the occasion with a snake this big. I’m not sure how they’ll compare to the iconic job of Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube, but here’s to hoping! By no means do I think it’ll turn into another one of those films that didn't need rebooting, with how good all the upcoming horror flicks look. All in all, I’m excited to see this cast come together to take down the bombastic boa.

It’ll be fun to see all this cast on the big screen this winter and see how the Tom Gormican movie plays out compared to the OG. I will say, that I’m a little shocked but more so impressed with the amount of larger projects Black and Rudd have between them coming out this year, not including Anaconda. The Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor has Death of a Unicorn and Power Ballad while the Dear Santa star has A Minecraft Movie. And that doesn’t even get into Tenacious D's tour troubles from this past summer or the Ant-Man 4 Limbo rumors, both are booked and busy, to say the least.

With the rebooted Anaconda Ditty officially making the major cast list public, I’m looking forward to what’s to come. And, if Jack Black, Paul Rudd and Selton Mello want to revive their bongo-guitar group for a few bonus tracks on the movie soundtrack, fans like me will welcome it.

Across the nearly two decades The Holiday has warmed rom-com lovers' hearts, it has become one of the best Christmas movies to watch around this time of year. In recent years, there have been whispers of a sequel being in the works along. With that, fans of the film have been calling for a reunion between Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz in a follow-up film. Now, with the buzz at an absolute frenzy, Winslet is sharing thoughts on the prospect of another film.

Kate Winslet Weighs In On The Holiday 2

The Oscar winner famously played an English woman named Iris in The Holiday. In the film, the character has been emotionally strung along by her ex-boyfriend and co-worker, Jasper. Amidst news that Jasper is engaged, she decides to travel to Los Angeles for the Christmas holiday via a home swap website. Cameron Diaz’s Amanda, who is dealing with her own breakup, spends the holidays in her dreamlike cottage (which we recently learned never existed).

Both women have their own unexpected love stories, and the results are absolutely charming. When asked about the potential for a sequel, the Titanic icon had this to say to Deadline:

While Kate Winslet claimed that she’s never been approached for a sequel to the 2006 movie, she sounded interested in reprising her role as Iris. She seems to be under the impression that there's room for another story to be told. However, it's still unclear as to whether it'll actually come to fruition.

Is The Holiday 2 Happening?

While there was a rumor circulating in 2022 regarding The Holiday receiving a sequel, writer/director Nancy Meyers quickly debunked it. At the time, she said, “sorry but its not true.” However, last week, Meyers and Jude Law reunited when the actor earned a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. While they were together, they recorded this:

What a tease! Said clip lit a serious fire under the fans as well, who responded with some great comments. While it seems like the pair were using the video to play around with the constant questions regarding a second Holiday movie, perhaps they really did talk about what could be next during their lunch? When Jude Law was also recently asked by ComicBook.com about a follow-up to the Christmas classic, he said this:

It really does sound like much of the cast would be open to returning should an idea strike for Nancy Meyers. Previously, Jack Black also called Kate Winslet his favorite co-star he’s worked with. Oh, and after Cameron Diaz hung up acting for nearly a decade, the actress has been back at it lately with the upcoming movie Back In Action and Shrek 5. So, while nothing has been announced at this point, there may be reason for fans to maintain their hype over a theoretical sequel.

I'll be hoping for a Christmas miracle when it comes to this dream reunion. For now, you can watch The Holiday with an Amazon Prime subscription now before it leaves the streaming service in 2025.

Moana 2 is already a massive box office hit, which is great news for a lot of people. It’s certainly big for the stars like Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, but it’s probably also great news for Jack Black, who, according to his Jumanji co-star is a big fan of the first movie.

Speaking with MTV, Dwayne Johnson was asked which of his co-stars was the biggest “Moana-be,” referring to the young girls seen at the end of Moana 2 who were basically the Moana fan club (and voiced by Johnson’s own daughters). It seems that Jack Black saw Moana while the pair were filming Jumanji and Black simply raved after he saw it over opening weekend. Johnson explained…

Johnson was happy to hear Jack Black sing the praises of Moana. He was especially a fan of Maui’s song in the movie “You’re Welcome.” However, when it comes to the song, Black thought that his praise belonged elsewhere, and this wasn't about the songwriting talents of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Apparently Black assumed Johnson didn’t do his own singing in the movie, which The Rock did not appreciate. Johnson continued…

It’s not entirely crazy for Jack Black to think that somebody else might have sung “You’re Welcome.” Dwayne Johnson isn’t exactly known as a singer, though The Rock can carry a tune.

There have been numerous cases in Disney's history where a different voice actor did the singing compared to the regular dialogue. Jasmine in Aladdin has different voice actors for speaking and singing. Demi Moore didn’t do her own singing in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Even in the original Moana, Boba Fett himself Temuera Morrison is the voice of the title character’s father, but Hamilton's Christopher Jackson provided the singing.

It seems that Johnson was ultimately able to convince Black that yes, the singing voice of Maui was him. As compared to Johnson’s own daughter who spent years not believing that her dad was Maui.

2006’s The Holiday is one of the best Christmas movies as well as one of the best romm-coms, so naturally I find time to watch the movie starring Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. But Law just spoiled one dream that always springs out of my yearly rewatches of the modern classic in four words when he was recently asked about the adorable cottage Winslet’s character owns in the movie.

When Jude Law guested on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show in promotion for the Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premiere on Disney+ next week, he was asked about the famed English cottage where Cameron Diaz’s Amanda stays before falling in love with Jude Law’s character, Graham, the brother of its owner (Kate Winslet’s Iris). Here’s the swift sentence that dashed my dreams of ever seeing it in person, and perhaps staying there, too:

Excuse me? Much like myself, the hosts of the BBC Radio show (via Instagram) were nearly traumatized by the revelation. So many famous homes from movies often belong to real people, and if they are famous enough become destinations for movie fans. Jude Law explained how the cottage doesn’t exist with these words:

Writer/director Nancy Meyers, who also famously made The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated, had a specific vision for the cottage in The Holiday. And when she couldn’t find the house she wanted for the movie via location scouting, she decided to have it built for the movie. As the movie business goes, the whole house wasn’t likely built and only used for exterior shots. As Law shared, whenever the characters would move into the cottage, they would not be in the cottage at all, but on a set in Los Angeles, California. Hollywood sure is wild sometimes.

When Jude Law previously spoke about The Holiday to Vanity Fair, Law shared that because they filmed the exteriors in London and then the interiors in Los Angeles a few months later, fans can look closely and perhaps notice Graham is rather tan in all his indoor scenes. While this revelation certainly spoils some of the fantasy of the movie, it’s not going to stop me from rewatching every year, and Graham being one of those fictional men who set my standards high.

A couple years ago there was talk of a sequel, before Nancy Meyers said it was not true. Jack Black shared his own hope to get back with the cast last year, but considering this revelation, I guess they’d have to build the cottage all over again if they did make a second movie. You can watch The Holiday now with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Thanksgiving is here and well that means lots of people will be gathering around the dinner table this week one expects many will also be gathering around the television. The best streaming services seem to know this as many of them have rolled out fantastic movies and TV for everybody to enjoy.

With the first of December here we're seeing the regular shifting of content that comes with the end of one month and the beginning of another. There's lots of new stuff coming soon to Disney Plus and an absolute deluge of content upcoming on Netflix here's a look at some of the highlights this week that you won't want to miss.

New TV

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024 - November 28 (Peacock)

There are few Thanksgiving traditions quite like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As has been the case in previous years the parade will be carried live and is available with a Peacock subscription alongside its broadcast on NBC. This year includes new floats dedicated to Dora the Explorer, Disney Cruise Line, and even Netflix's hit series Wednesday. Performances will include Wicked's Cynthia Erivo as well as the original Broadway Wicked star Idina Menzel.

New Movies

Dear Santa - November 25 (Paramount+)

When a young boy tries to mail his Christmas list to Santa but unfortunately can't spell very well, he gets another magical creature instead who is not exactly holly or jolly. If you have a Paramount+ subscription you can see Jack Black star in Dear Santa as literal Satan. The devil grants the child three wishes in exchange for his immortal soul, leading to, one assumes, shenanigans.

Our Little Secret - November 27 (Netflix)

Lindsay Lohan has become the queen of the Christmas rom-com on Netflix. A Netflix subscription already gives you her previous entries Falling For Christmas and Irish Wish. Now this holiday season she's back with another one called Our Little Secret. Lohan plays a woman visiting her boyfriend's family at Christmas only to discover that her ex-boyfriend, and almost fiance, is also a guest.

Sweethearts - November 28 (Max)

It's Thanksgiving and that means it's time to sit down with family have a wonderful dinner and then gather around the television and watch a filthy sex comedy. Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga Star in Sweethearts as two college freshmen who make a pact to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break so that they can see other people. Maybe wait grandma goes home to watch this one.

Beatles ‘63 - November 30 (Disney+)

3 years ago Peter Jackson premiered The Beatles: Get Back on Disney Plus, a documentary looking at the end of the Fab Four. This year, a Disney Plus subscription will bring us Beatles '63 a documentary about the beginning of the iconic band. Beatles '63 is produced by Martin Scorsese and will detail the pop band's breakthrough into global stardom.

December gets into full swing starting next week so we can expect even more fun holiday content meeting up to Christmas.