I grew up loving The Bad News Bears. The original one, the one that was part of the amazing slate of movies that came out in 1976. I’ve never cared much for the remake from 2005, though it does have some charm. I probably watched the original 25 times as a kid. However, it’s been decades since I’ve sat down and watched the whole movie. Since I’ve made it a point to watch at least 25 movies released 50 years ago this year, it was the perfect opportunity for me to rewatch The Bad News Bears in its entirety and re-evaluate my opinion on it.

I’ll admit, I was worried about how I would feel about it, as times (and I) have changed a lot since the 1970s, obviously. Would the movie be so cringeworthy and politically incorrect that it would be unredeemable? I feared it could be. That's partly because of that one famous line, said by Tanner (Chris Barnes), which I’m not going to write here, but you can guess which one if you know the movie (it basically offends everyone, including booger-eating morons).

So how did it turn out? Well, my memories of The Bad News Bears are stronger than I remember. No, it’s not as bad as I feared it would be, not even close. In fact, it holds up a lot better than some other movies I’ve watched during this project, like Murder by Death.

Yes, There Are Some Problematic Moments

Before I get too deep into this, I’ll say that yes, some moments really haven’t aged well, including Tanner’s famous line and the fact that the kids are 11-year-olds in a lot of very adult situations. However, those moments and those lines are really just surface-level. Taken out of context, they are shocking to some, but within the context, they aren’t bad at all. Take Tanner’s line about booger-eating morons (which is repeated a few times): Tanner isn’t the hero. He’s a clown and treated as such. He even gets called out on his insults immediately by another kid on the team.

The same goes for Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau). He does some really dumb stuff, from getting so drunk he passes out on the mound, to giving the kids beer after they lose the championship, to just generally being a boor. Matthau’s performance is a classic, and again, he’s the clown. Yes, even in those “different times” in the 1970s, the audience was laughing at his behavior, and it is presented as being shocking, not normal.

Gen X likes to post videos on social media about how “real” things were in our childhood, like drinking beer was normal for 11-year-olds. While it probably was less stigmatizing than it is today, it wasn’t a social norm by any means. That makes the jokes about it work today in the same way they worked 50 years ago.

The Worst Behavior In The Movie Is Punished Harshly

By far the most shocking moment of this comedy is when Roy Turner, the coach of the Yankees, played by Vic Morrow, slaps his son, Joey (Brandon Cruz). I remember this scene well from my childhood. It was upsetting then, and it’s disturbing now. Corporal punishment (the “nice” way to say “beating your kid”) was far more socially acceptable in 1976 than it is today, but Turner doesn’t get away with it. The people in the crowd are horrified by his action, and his wife bluntly calls him a “son of a b----.” Turner is a different kind of clown, and the moment is hardly played for laughs.

Just like Tanner after his infamous line, Turner’s behavior is met the same way it would be today, with scorn and horror. Much of Buttermaker’s poor behavior is treated the same way. The players on the team are constantly calling him out for being a drunk and a jerk. The kids revolt (like Joey does against his father) for any adult who doesn’t behave appropriately. The one exception is Kelly Leak (Jackie Earl Haley). He acts like an idiot for the first half of the movie, but he is only called out when he gets selfish with the team.

The Language Is Something You Definitely Don’t See In Kids Movies Anymore

The one thing that is definitely much different today than it was 50 years ago is the language in what is really a kids' movie. It was meant to be a kids' movie, and like me, it was beloved by kids the same age as the players on the Bears. The language is strong, to say the least, but that is, of course, part of the charm of the movie. As South Park has proven over the years, there is something really funny about little kids using bad language. It’s just as funny and purposely offensive today as it was meant to be in 1976.

You don’t see this kind of kids' movie anymore. South Park is meant for adults, and the 2005 remake starring Billy Bob Thornton was as well. The original wasn’t; it was marketed to, and meant for, kids like me to watch. I watched it with my parents' full blessing. Though in their defense, they might not have known just how strong the language would be, but it was meant to be that way. Still, you’re not going to see a movie on the 2026 movie schedule marketed as family-friendly that is anything like The Bad News Bears.

The Story Holds Up

Ultimately, what makes The Bad News Bears timeless and truly one of the best baseball movies of all time is that the story is universal. A ragtag group of kids, led by a down-and-out, washed-up drunk of a ballplayer pull it all together and truly becomes a team (even if they lose in the end). That part of the movie is indisputable. It’s a wonderful story told in a great way.

The performances from the kids are universally great. That includes Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal (who became the youngest to ever win one at the 1974 Academy Awards at age ten for Paper Moon) and future Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley. And then, of course, there's the amazing performances from Matthau and Morrow.

The Bad News Bears proves that not every ‘70s and ‘80s comedy was so offensive that it could not be made today, as people like to say. Sure, there are plenty of examples of movies that should never be remade, but while no one would make The Bad News Bears exactly how it was presented in 1976, as the 2005 movie shows, you can remake it with the same tone. It wasn’t offensive in 1976, and it’s frankly not offensive now.

Filling the shoes of an iconic comic book character is an opportunity of great honor, but also of great responsibility. This is especially the case when the role has already been played by another actor, and to great acclaim. That is why Titus Welliver took his chance to voice Rorschach in the animated Watchmen: Chapter I very seriously.

Rorschach (née Walter Kovacs) was previously portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley in Zack Snyder’s live-action adaptation of writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons’ highly influential graphic novel from 1985. His performance is considered one of the top reasons why the 2009 Watchmen movie is worth revisiting, and Welliver seems to agree. The actor — also known for some great movies directed by Ben Affleck, such as The Town and Argo — shared with me his thoughts about succeeding the role from the Academy Award nominee for this new DC movie, saying:

Welliver reflected here on his previous experience playing a well-known literary character. that being Michael Connelly’s Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch in the hit Amazon original TV show, Bosch, and later in the sequel series, Bosch: Legacy. However, the difference between that detective and Rorschach is that Welliver was the first actor to ever portray Bosch in an adaptation, which he notes is a challenge in itself. Luckily, he recognized that playing in the same sandbox as Haley was not to be taken lightly either.

Welliver has also played other DC characters before — namely Gotham City mobster Carmine Falcone in a two-part installment of DC’s animated Tomorrowverse movie franchise, 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween, and a live-action version of Lex Luthor on Titans that received praise from showrunner Greg Walker. However, the self-described comic book fan had a personal connection with Rorschach that made the Watchmen: Chapter I gig an extra-special occasion for him. He explained to me why he felt so strongly about the character in the following quote:

Welliver’s approach to playing the inkblot-masked antihero is endearing to me, as someone who believes he is the most important character of the story. It is he — who refuses to retire even years after vigilantism is outlawed — and his investigation into the death of Edward “The Comedian” Blake (Rick D. Wasserman) that sets the epic saga in motion.

Any fans who have already purchased the film, which is now available on digital, ahead of its Blu-ray and 4K release on August 27th know that the 83-minute film ends with Rorschach being put into a very complicated position. Keep an eye on our guide to all upcoming superhero movies schedule to find out when you can see the tale conclude when Watchmen: Chapter II is released later in 2024.

There are only a handful of stories about what goes on in the White House and in the country from the point of view of the U.S. President’s spouse. The premiere season of creator Aaron Cooley’s new series offers three that are ripped straight from the history books and performed by some of the most renowned actresses of their generation. Take a look at who is playing whom in Showtime’s The First Lady cast, starting with one of the most powerful and beloved women in Hollywood as one of the most powerful and beloved women in the world.

Viola Davis (Michelle Obama)

The 44th First Lady, Michelle Obama, is the most recent real-life person Viola Davis has portrayed after playing James Brown’s mother, Susie, in Get On Up and the title role of Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom - both music biopics also starring late Marvel star Chadwick Boseman. Speaking of superhero movies, the actress has also appeared in three DCEU installments so far (both Suicide Squad movies and Peacemaker) as Amanda Waller - a character who bears a few similarities to Annalise Keating, her Emmy-winning role from How to Get Away with Murder. Davis also has an Oscar for giving, arguably, her all-time best performance in 2016’s Fences after previously being nominated for Doubt in 2009, The Help in 2012, and later receiving a nod for the aforementioned Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Betty Ford)

Before playing Betty Ford, who served as First Lady from 1974 to 1977, the last real person Michelle Pfieffer played was Bernie Madoff’s wife, Ruth, in the HBO movie, The Wizard of Lies - which earned her her sole Emmy nomination. The actress (also known for the 1999 thriller What Lies Beneath, the 1996 rom-com One Fine Day, 2007’s Hairspray, and more) also starred in 1993's politically inspired drama, Love Field, which earned her her third Oscar nomination after 1989’s Dangerous Liaisons and The Fabulous Baker Boys from 1990. Like Viola Davis, Pfeiffer is a DC movies veteran, haven given one of the greatest Catwoman portrayals ever in 1992’s Batman Returns, and would also join the MCU as Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018.

Gillian Anderson (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Before playing Eleanor Roosevelt - the United States’ longest serving First Lady (1933-1945) - Gillian Anderson played royalty (Catherine the Great’s mother, Joanna, with Hulu’s The Great cast for Season 2) and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on Season 4 of Netflix’s The Crown - for which she received her second Emmy. The Chicago native won her first Emmy for her most iconic role, FBI agent Dana Scully, on one of greatest sci-fi shows ever, The X-Files. Anderson has also starred on NBC’s Hannibal as the title character’s psychiatrist, the personification of all media on Starz’s American Gods, and a sex therapist and mother in the Sex Education cast for Netflix.

O-T Fagbenle (Barack Obama)

As Michelle Obama’s husband and the 44th U.S. President, Barack Obama, we have O-T Fagbenle, who - like his on-screen wife on The First Lady - is also known for superhero movies, having appeared in the Black Widow cast in 2021. The British-born actor of Nigerian descent is even better known as Luke Bankole from Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale cast, for his recurring role on HBO’s short-lived queer dramedy, Looking, and appearing alongside the WeCrashed cast for Apple TV+ more recently. Fagbenle also works behind the scenes, most notably on his satirical comedy series Maxxx, which he created, produces, composes, occasionally directs, and stars on in the title role.

Aaron Eckhart (Gerald Ford)

As Betty Ford’s husband and the 38th U.S. President, Gerald Ford, we have Aaron Eckhart, who last played a (fictional) U.S. president in Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen (but not the third installment, Angel Has Fallen). The Thank You For Smoking star - like his on-screen wife on The First Lady - also has a history of comic book movies, having played Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight and a modern interpretation of Mary Shelley’s “The Creature” in I, Frankenstein. More of Eckhart’s more notable credits include 1999’s Oscar-winning Erin Brockovich, the 2003 sci-fi adventure The Core, the dreary family drama Rabbit Hole from 2010, and the 2016 biopic, Sully, opposite Tom Hanks.

Kiefer Sutherland (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

As Eleanor Roosevelt’s husband and the 32nd (and longest-sitting) U.S. President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, we have Kiefer Sutherland, who last played a (fictional) U.S. president on Designated Survivor after years of defending the country by more aggressive means as Jack Bauer on 24. After debuting alongside his father, Donald Sutherland, in 1983’s Max Dugan Returns, he went on to become one of the biggest stars of the decade (and the next) with roles in Stand By Me, the star-studded Western Young Guns and its sequel, and his multiple collaborations with Joel Schumacher (such as The Lost Boys, Flatliners, and A Time to Kill). His additional, notable 21st Century credits include Alexandre Aja’s Mirrors, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia, and a few video game series - namely Call of Duty and Metal Gear Solid.

Jayme Lawson (Young Michelle Obama)

Playing Michelle Obama’s younger self (when her last name was Robinson) is Jayme Lawson, who was last seen holding a political position in The Batman cast as Gotham City mayoral candidate Bella Reál in 2022. She made her feature film debut two years earlier in Farewell Amor and will next share the screen with her The First Lady co-star, Viola Davis, in the historical epic, The Woman King, in 2022. Also, later this year, she will play another historical figure - civil rights activist Myrlie Evers, widow of Medgar Evers - in an upcoming biopic about Emmett Till.

Regina Taylor (Marian Shields Robinson)

Playing Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Shields Robinson, is Regina Taylor, who made her feature film debut opposite Morgan Freeman in 1989’s Lean on Me and went on to be cast on the Emmy-winning series I’ll Fly Away from 1991 to 1993. This led to a career in more classic films - such as director Spike Lee’s Clockers from 1995, 1996’s Courage Under Fire (opposite Denzel Washington), and 1998’s The Negotiator (opposite Samuel L. Jackson). These days, Taylor is best known for making notable guest appearances on TV shows like NBC’s The Blacklist, The Good Fight on Paramount+, and two episodes of Lovecraft Country on HBO.

Dakota Fanning (Susan Elizabeth Ford)

Playing Gerald and Betty Ford’s daughter, Susan, is Dakota Fanning, who debuted in an ER episode before becoming one of her generation’s most renowned child stars with movies like 2004’s Man on Fire, War of the Worlds the following year, or Coraline as the title role. Playing Cherie Curie in The Runaways (opposite fellow Twilight movies cast member Kristen Stewart) led to more adult roles like Squeaky Fromme in the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast or Sara Howard on TNT’s period crime drama, The Alienist. Fanning’s upcoming film, The Nightingale, will be her third collaboration with her sister, Elle, after I Am Sam and the Syfy miniseries, Taken, and their first time not playing the same character at different ages.

Judy Greer (Nancy Howe)

Playing Betty Ford’s friend and secretary Nancy Howe is Judy Greer, who recently portrayed a highly exaggerated version of the very first First Lady, Martha Washington, in Netflix’s America: The Motion Picture voice cast and actually has another fact-based political drama in the works called The White House Plumbers. The actress has well over 100 other acting credits, but is best known as Cheryl Tunt in the Archer cast and for multiple blockbuster franchises - namely the MCU as Ant-Man’s ex-wife, Jurassic World as Bryce Dallas Howard’s sister, or the new Halloween movies as Laurie Strode’s daughter. You may likely recognize her from countless other films, like 13 Going on 30, and TV shows, like Arrested Development, just to name a few.

Ellen Burstyn (Sara Delano Roosevelt)

Playing Eleanor Roosevelt’s mother-in-law, Sara Delano Roosevelt, is Ellen Burstyn, who previously played a U.S. president’s mother twice (Barbara Bush in W. and Elizabeth Hale in Netflix’s House of Cards cast), as well as mother of a former First Lady on USA’s 2012 miniseries, Political Animals, for which she won her second Emmy. The screen legend is even better known for her Oscar-nominated roles in movies like The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist (one of the best horror movies), and Requiem for a Dream, and her Oscar-winning performance as the title character of Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Burstyn also played an older Jessica Chastain in Interstellar, Blake Lively’s daughter in The Age of Adaline, and recently reprised her Emmy-winning role as Bernadette Stabler on Law & Order: Organized Crime.

Lily Rabe (Lorena “Hick” Hickok)

Playing Lorena Hicock - a journalist and close friend (or, allegedly, more than a friend) of Eleanor Roosevelt is Lily Rabe, whose last major role in a fact-based political drama was Liz Cheney in Vice from 2018. Ten years after making her screen debut in the 2001 rom-com, Never Again, opposite her mother, Jill Clayburgh, the actress made her first appearance on the show she is best known for: American Horror Story. Some of Rabe’s other notable acting credits include HBO’s six-part drama The Undoing, a couple of episodes of The Underground Railroad on Amazon Prime, and the streaming platform’s acclaimed period drama, The Tender Bar, from director George Clooney.

Jackie Earle Haley (Louis McHenry Howe)

Playing Franklin D. Roosevelt’s advisor Louis McHenry Howe (with no relation to Nancy Howe) is Jackie Earle Haley, who last played a real-life political official (Confederacy VP Alexander Stephens) in 2012’s Lincoln. Like some other The First Lady cast members, he was once a popular child star (best known for the classic sports movie The Bad News Bears), has an Oscar nomination (for 2006’s Little Children), and has starred in a number of comic book adaptations (2009’s Watchmen, the short-lived Human Target series, AMC’s Preacher, Amazon Prime’s The Tick, and Alita: Battle Angel). 

Kate Mulgrew (Susan Sher)

Playing Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff, Susan Sher, is Kate Mulgrew, who is a bit of a legend on the small screen. She is best known as the first woman to play a Star Trek captain (Kathryn Janeway, whom she debuted as on Star Trek: Voyager and most recently reprised on Star Trek: Prodigy) and for her Emmy nominated role in the Orange is the New Black cast as iron-mitted prison cook Galina “Red” Reznikov. She is also no stranger to comic book adaptations (she voiced Red Claw on Batman: The Animated Series) and still dabbles in sci-fi, such as Showtime’s upcoming series remake of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

See how well Showtime’s The First Lady cast portrays these historical and modern political figures when the series premieres on Sunday, April 17, 2022, at 9 p.m. ET.

Following close to two decades of anticipation, producer James Cameron finally delivered with 2019's Alita: Battle Angel. Based on the early 1990s cyberpunk manga series by Yukito Kishiro, Alita was a long-brewing passion project for the Titanic/Avatar filmmaker, and he realized his vision through director Robert Rodriguez. 

Starring Rosa Salazar in the lead role, along with Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali, Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, and Ed Skrein in the supporting cast, this sci-fi blockbuster was a huge movie, and it found a loyal fanbase since its release last year. Whether or not a sequel is imminent is unclear, particularly since it's not certain how much of a profit the film made. But whether or not the Alita sequel comes to be, there will likely be many movie lovers who'll want to know what this cast has in the works. Therefore, here's what the cast of Alita: Battle Angel is doing now.

Rosa Salazar (Alita)

As the title character herself, Rosa Salazar got her own starring vehicle as Alita in Alita: Battle Angel. While this breakthrough part is currently her most famous and well-recognized role, Salazar is also known for her performances in The Maze Runner sequels, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, CHIPS, NBC's Parenthood, Bird Box, Man Seeking Woman, and American Horror Story Season 1. The Canadian actress also earned acclaim for her performance in the indie romantic dramedy, Night Owls. 

Following Alita's release, Salazar was seen in the lead role of Amazon Prime's Undone. She was also in an episode of CBS All Access' Star Trek: Short Treks and heard in episodes of Dirty Diana and Big Mouth. Salazar also starred in the indie drama, No Future, which recently debuted in the film festival circuits. Next, she'll be seen in Pink Skies Ahead and Netflix's upcoming series, Brand New Cherry Flavor.

Christoph Waltz (Dr. Dyson Ido)

In the role of Dr. Dyson Ido, the cyborg-scientist who becomes Alita's father figure, Christoph Waltz provides an emotional parental performance in Alita: Battle Angel. Best known for his Oscar-winning performances in Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, respectively, the Austrian actor has seen his profile rise significantly over the course of these past ten years. Some of his most noteworthy performances appear in The Zero Theorem, Big Eyes, Spectre, Downsizing, Water For Elephants, Carnage, and Muppets Most Wanted. 

Following his performance in this sci-fi blockbuster, Waltz has been seen in the Quibi series, Most Dangerous Game. He's also been on the festival circuits with Rifkin's Festival and Georgetown, the latter of which Waltz also directed. Next, Waltz will reprise his role as Blofeld in No Time To Die. He also stars in The French Dispatch, and he'll lend his voice to Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio.

Keean Johnson (Hugo)

As Hugo, a scrap dealer and Alita's love interest, Keean Johnson played one of the key roles in Alita: Battle Angel. This role is one of his first major film performances, as he's more commonly associated with his TV work. He starred in Spooksville, Nashville, The Fosters, and Guidance. Following his role in Alita, Johnson is most commonly known for his role in HBO's Euphoria. He was also recently seen in Midway, We Summon the Darkness, and Low Tide. Earlier this year, Johnson starred in Cut Throat City and Emperor. Next, the actor will be seen in The Ultimate Playlist of Noise.

Mahershala Ali (Vector)

Playing the part of Vector, an influential entrepreneur at The Factory with some criminal intents, Mahershala Ali provided one of his most prominent roles following his Oscar-winning performance in Moonlight. Shortly after Alita's release, Ali won his second Oscar for his role in Green Book. He is also known for his work in House of Cards, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 and 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Hidden Figures, Crossing Jordan, The 4400, Luke Cage, and more. 

Most recently, Ali starred at the forefront of HBO's True Detective Season 3 and he appeared in the second season of Hulu's Ramy. Next, Ali is expected to lend his voice to the new series, Invincible, and he's currently slated to play Blade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether that's a show or a movie is still left either unclear or undetermined.

Jennifer Connelly (Dr. Chiren)

As Dr. Chiren, Dr. Ido's estranged wife and a cyborg-engineer who works with Vector, Jennifer Connelly played a prominent role in Alita: Battle Angel. The actress is best known for her Oscar-winning performance in A Beautiful Mind, as well as her lead roles in Requiem for a Dream, Labyrinth, Career Opportunities, House of Sand and Fog, and Phenomena. Connelly is also known for her work in Hulk, The Rocketeer, Dark City, Blood Diamond, Noah, and He's Just Not That Into You, among other films. 

Following her time in Alita, Connelly joined the main cast of TNT's Snowpiercer, based on the Bong Joon-ho movie of the same name, and the show was already picked up for another season. The newest episodes are expected to come out sometime in later in 2020. Next, Connelly will be seen in Top Gun: Maverick, which is currently slated for July 2nd, 2021.

Lana Condor (Koyomi)

Playing the part of Koyomi, a friend to Hugo and Tanji, Lana Condor received one of her most high-profile early roles in Alita: Battle Angel. While the talented young actress is also known for YouTube channel and her work in X-Men: Apocalypse, she rose to fame through her lead role in Netflix's To All The Boys I Loved Before, and its sequel, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, from earlier this year. She's also recognized for her supporting turn in Patriots Day. 

Following her role in Alita: Battle Angel, Condor became the star of Syfy's Deadly Class and lent her voice to the English dub of Rilakkuma and Kaoru and the final season of BoJack Horseman. She also starred in the coming-of-age rom-com, Summer Night. Next, Condor will star in the third, presumably final sequel, To All The Boys: Always And Forever, Lara Jean.

Ed Skrein (Zapan)

In the role of Zapan, a sword-wielding bounty hunter cyborg with a vendetta against Alita, Ed Skrein provided a menacing antagonistic role in Alita: Battle Angel. Prior to his work in Robert Rodriguez's blockbuster, Skrein was best known for his role in Games of Thrones, as well as his villainous turn in Deadpool. He was also at the forefront of The Transporter: Refueled. Outside of acting, Skrein is also a musician; he released a studio album, The Eat Up, in 2007. Around the time Alita: Battle Angel came to theaters, Skrein also received praise for his work in If Beale Street Could Talk. 

Following Alita's release, Skrein has since starred in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Midway, and Born a King, the latter of which went to film festivals last year. He'll next appear in Naked Singularity, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, and Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Jackie Earle Haley (Grewishka)

As Grewishka, an imposing criminal cyborg who works as Nova's personal assassin and enforcer, Jackie Earle Haley provided an intriguing supporting turn in Alita: Battle Angel. A former child actor best known for his role in The Bad News Bears films, Haley's acting career was revived when he starred in Little Children, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. He'd go on to provide memorable performances in Watchmen, Shutter Island, and 2010's A Nightmare on Elm Street, and he starred in Dark Shadows, Lincoln, 2014's RoboCop, The Dark Tower, London Has Fallen, and more. 

He also made his feature directorial debut with 2015's Criminal Activities. Haley appeared in several episodes of Human Target, Preacher, The Tick, and Narcos: Mexico. Most recently, Haley starred in No Future and Death of a Telemarketer, both of which hit the film festival circuits earlier this year.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Tanji)

In the role of Tanji, Hugo's scrap-dealing friend and criminal accomplice, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. played a notable supporting character in Alita: Battle Angel. In the past few years, Lendeborg Jr. has amassed an impressive filmography which includes Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Brigsby Bear, Love Simon, and Bumblebee. He also starred in episodes of Wu-Tang: An American Saga and Day by Day. Most recently, he was seen in John Leguizamo's Critical Thinking earlier this month. Next, Lendeborg Jr. will star in Bliss and Night Teeth.

Eiza Gonzalez (Nyssiana)

Playing the part of Nyssiana, a wanted cyborg assassin, Eiza Gonzalez gave life to one of the most memorable characters in Alita: Battle Angel. The film/TV actress first gained popularity through her role in the musical telenovela Lola, érase una vez. She also starred in the lead role of Nickelodeon's Sueña Conmigo. From there, Gonzalez starred in From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, which is where she first started collaborating with director Robert Rodriguez. She was then seen in Jem and the Holograms, Baby Driver, and Welcome to Marwen. 

Following her role in Alita, Gonzalez has most notably appeared in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Bloodshot, and Cut Throat City. Gonzalez is also in I Care A Lot, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. Next, Gonzalez is slated to star in Godzilla vs. Kong and Love Spreads.

Edward Norton (Nova)

In the role of Nova, Edward Norton made a quick blink-and-you-might-miss-it cameo in Alita: Battle Angel. It's apparent that he was there to tease his looming role in the proposed sequel, though it's still not clear when that'll happen or if it'll come together now that 20th Century Fox is owned and operated by Disney. Nevertheless, should this rumored sequel come together in the near future, Norton will likely play a key role in the proceedings. He's a well-respected actor with several prestigious credits and accolades to his name, notably through his outstanding performances in Primal Fear, Fight Club, American History X, 25th Hour, The Illusionist, Moonrise Kingdom, Birdman, and more. 

He's also known for his work in The Incredible Hulk, The Bourne Legacy, Red Dragon, Rounders, and more. Most recently, he directed, starred in, and adapted Motherless Brooklyn. He'll next be seen in The French Dispatch.

Who is your favorite Alita: Battle Angel character and/orcast member? Are you hopeful for the sequel? Be sure to let us know in the comment section!

Zack Snyder's Watchmen has its fans and detractors, but if you ever talk to Jackie Earle Haley, the man who played Rorschach / Walter Kovacs himself, he'd tell you the movie was pretty awesome. If he had it his way, the creative team would have made more films in the series and in fact it nearly happened. Unfortunately, there was one problem when it came to any further entries in the Alan Moore / Dave Gibbons created comic: there was still a contentious rights issue between Warner Bros/ and another Hollywood studio. Haley explained this to me recently, noting,

Some quick background on the dispute: Paramount originally had the rights to Watchmen, but had put them into turnaround, meaning another studio could purchase the option and make a film out of the property, while the money the selling party spent on producing the project would still be a nice tax write-off. Eventually, Paramount and Warner Bros. negotiated a deal where Paramount would get to distribute the film internationally, while Warner Bros. handled the domestic situation. But it sounds like there may have been more turmoil between the partners than previously revealed, as Jackie Earle Haley also told me the following, at an Amazon junket promoting his work on The Tick:

This would have been on top of another battle that Warner Bros. had with 20th Century Fox, who filed a lawsuit to block Watchmen's release in the months preceding the film's March 2009 release date. That lawsuit stated that Fox felt it had a claim to the film's rights, no matter how many times the project was put into turnaround, regardless of how many studios bought and shifted the project around town. Thankfully, Fox didn't win its claim to prevent the finished film from debuting, but the settlement that the studio won from Warner Bros. did entitle the studio to revenue from all future spin-offs and sequels. With Watchmen achieving only a modest amount of money over its budget at the box office, it becomes easier to see why Warner Bros. didn't jump at the chance to mount a huge production in the world of Moore and Gibbon's revolutionary comic.

DC and Warner Bross certainly weren't shy about comic spin-offs and prequels, as Before Watchmen was eventually launched, and the characters are starting to integrate into the DC Rebirth universe books. The potential whisperings about a future HBO series definitely speak to an era in which Warner Bros. is confident that it could have a hit on their hands, legal and professional problems be damned. It's just such a shame that we probably won't see Jackie Earle Haley playing his pitch perfect performance of Rorshach once again. Though, perhaps if the right people asked, he'd say yes. In my opinion, the right people need to start asking.

For now, you'll be able to see Jackie Earle Haley in The Dark Tower, which hits theaters this weekend, as well as in Amazon's The Tick, which hits the streaming service's line-up on August 25th.

Modern horror remakes typically run the gamut from passable to downright awful. Sadly, A Nightmare on Elm Street represents the latter. The 2010 horror remake explored some truly fascinating concepts, but it ultimately fell incredibly short of expectations. According to one of the film's stars, much of that had to do with incessant studio interference. Thomas Dekker explained:

During a recent interview with Screen Geek, Thomas Dekker opened up regarding why A Nightmare on Elm Street fell so flat. Although he widely praised the work done by director Samuel Bayer, and the rest of the film's prestigious cast, he lamented the fact that Platinum Dunes didn't want to really delve into the dark, disturbing elements that the story clearly called for. While the filmmakers and actors wanted to really tackle serious ideas like sex abuse and trauma, Platinum Dunes ultimately scaled everything back and rehashed many of the traditional Elm Street slasher tropes that had been played out by 2010. They relied on typical Freddy Krueger scares, rather than going deeper into the mythology of the franchise. It was a genuine waste of Jackie Earle Haley.

That being said, we don't necessarily blame Platinum Dunes for reigning in the content of A Nightmare on Elm Street. It's ultimately a studio's job to manage risk, and a horror film that takes a cold hard look at child sex abuse is undeniably a hard sell on audiences. Our only hope is that studios will learn from the failure of Nightmare and be more willing to embrace that sort of dark, gritty content for a future installment -- something Robert Englund is already reportedly working on. If anyone can get this series back on track, it's the original Freddy.

CinemaBlend will keep you up to date regarding the future of the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise as more details become available to us. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the next installment is far better than the last one.

One of the hottest tickets in Hollywood right now is Nikolej Arcel's adaptation of Stephen King's legendary fantasy series The Dark Tower. With production recently getting underway, the cast list is still being revealed to us, with one of the villains being the latest revelation. London Has Fallen's Jackie Earle Haley has been cast as the menacing Richard Sayre, a humanoid leader of the vampires in the world of gunslinger Roland Deschain.

Deadline reported the casting coup that landed Haley as a figure that plays prominently in the last three books of The Dark Tower's saga. Richard Sayre is a "can-toi," or "low man" who has a distinctive look about him. Namely, he has an ever static pool of blood on his forehead. Sayre works for the Sombra Corporation, which in turn reports to the big bad of The Dark Tower universe, the Crimson King. No matter how you slice it, Sayre is one bad dude.

The most interesting part about this casting announcement, besides the revelation that Jackie Earle Haley will be playing the part of Richard Sayre, is the fact that Sayre is even involved in the film at all. Were this a straight adaptation of The Dark Tower from book one, Sayre wouldn't even have a place in this story, as he doesn't show up until book five, Wolves of the Calla. While it was mentioned previously that the film adaptation would start in the middle of all of the action, we didn't think they'd bring someone from that late in the series into the fold just yet.

In fact, bringing Sayer into The Dark Tower so quickly has us thinking that maybe the series of Stephen King adaptations is being reigned into three condensed installments, with the first one foregoing / alluding to all of the set-up in the first couple of books. If this assumption is correct, then this means that the TV tie-in that was supposed to help tell the story of the seven book arc is probably kaput at this point. We wouldn't be surprised if this was the case, considering how expensive of a prospect running a Dark Tower film and a concurrent TV series would be. But the question is still the same one we walked in with: how the hell is The Dark Tower going to exist in a trimmed form, while also honoring the original story?

Although, if we need to be introduced to the vampiric evil that is Richard Sayre this early in The Dark Tower saga, then at least a top tier talent like Jackie Earle Haley can step up to the plate with his special brand of captivating menace and knock this role out of the park. With the fantasy epic also claiming Idris Elba, Abbey Lee, and Matthew McConaughey as part of its cast roster, The Dark Tower has an impressive pedigree to live up to. We'll find out soon enough when the film is released on February 17, 2017.

We all have our pick for the world’s worst movie, and it’s something no one should be afraid to admit. When it comes to Jackie Earle Haley’s filmography though, even the veteran actor can admit that one of his own films deserves that dubious distinction. If you’re one of the many people who hate The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, then you can add Haley himself to your ranks.

During an AMA conducted on Reddit earlier today, Haley waxed nostalgic on many of the experiences he’s had in his varied film career. And somewhere, in-between awesome stories on how intense an experience Watchmen was to film, and how his own directorial debut, Criminal Activities, was a joy to make, he found time to set the record straight that even he didn’t respond well to the third and final installment in the little league themed franchise’s run. Simply put, this is Jackie Earle Haley’s feelings on The Bad News Bears Go To Japan:

This response was prompted after a Redditor asked the actor if there were any plans to remake the 1978 Tony Curtis vehicle, which only saw five actors returning from the first film’s cast, including Haley in his role as Kelly Leak. What’s interesting is despite the existence of a 2005 remake with Billy Bob Thornton, which by all accounts was a disaster in the eyes of most critics and accountants exposed to its wake, The Bad News Bears Go To Japan is the film that Jackie Earle Haley has deemed the worst in the world. Then again, like most audiences during the film’s theatrical release, he probably didn’t even see it - and we wouldn’t blame him if this was the case.

The rest of the AMA was as eventful and interesting as you’d expect, with Haley saying that out of all of the scenes in the entirety of filming Watchmen, one of the hardest was the scene towards the end where he’s daring Billy Crudup’s Doctor Manhattan to vaporize him. If you really want to get a handle on just how much of a range Jackie Earle Haley has had throughout his career, consider this: he went from starting out as a member of a rag-tag band of little league underdogs to portraying one of the most complex, and emotionally fragile costumed heroes in the history of the medium. A portrayal that you can catch a glimpse of in the clip below.

As for the future of Haley’s career, he admits that Criminal Activities has given him the directorial experience he’s always wanted, and he’s eager for more. Though don’t think that he’s done with the world of comics, as he’s hinted that he’d love to take part in Marvel and DC Comics projects somewhere down the line. Maybe, if Zack Snyder and HBO ask nicely, he’d be on board for directing a couple episodes of the rumored Watchmen series that might be in the works. Rorschach directing an hour long installment about Rorschach… if that’s not fitting, we don’t know what is.

You can watch Jackie Earle Haley’s directorial debut, Criminal Activities, in select theaters or through VOD this Friday.

Thanks to his role as Rorschach in Zack Snyder's Watchmen, Jackie Earle Haley already has some big time comic book movie cred on his resume, but if new rumors are to be taken seriously, he may soon find himself in the growing DC Cinematic Universe playing the role of The Thinker in David Ayer's Suicide Squad.

This story originates from a Latino-Review reporter, who claims that he's heard sources toss around Jackie Earle Haley's name in connection with the aforementioned role. It's worth noting that the post doesn't seem to have a ton of confidence in the rumor and suggests that it should be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, given the actor's great talent and his history with Zack Snyder, it's not too hard to believe that David Ayer and the folks at Warner Bros. and DC Comics might have him under consideration.

Multiple characters have gone by the name "The Thinker" or "Thinker" in DC Comics, but he original version was born Clifford DeVoe, and is best known for making use of a specially designed helmet that would actually give him limited telekinetic and mind control abilities. It's unclear exactly how the character would fit into the Suicide Squad movie, but in the comics he has been featured as a member of the team - which consists of supervillains willing to participate in dangerous black ops missions in order to reduce their individual sentences. You can get a look at him side-by-side with Haley in the image below:

Should Jackie Earle Haley wind up boarding the film, he will be in really good company, as the film has a rather impressive ensemble lined up. Right at the top there's Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and Jared Leto as The Joker, but the rest of cast includes Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Haley's RoboCop co-star Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, and Cara Delevingne as Enchantress. It has also been rumored that Jesse Eisenberg will be reprising his Lex Luthor role from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in the movie, and reports have also said that Jay Hernandez is attached to the project as well.

With a release date scheduled for August 5, 2016, production on Suicide Squad is expected to start up in the next couple weeks, which hopefully means that it won't be long until Warner Bros. and DC announce the full official cast for the comic book movie. We'll be patiently waiting.

If there’s one thing a Tim Burton film always has, besides inexplicable eccentricities, it’s a powerful cast. His big break came when he directed Paul Reubens in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, based on one of the most popular kids shows at the time, and he’s been working with huge names like Johnny Depp, Michael Keaton, Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin ever since.

He’s continuing that trend in a major way with his next feature film Dark Shadows, an adaptation of the 1960s supernatural soap opera. Aside from Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, chameleon Michael Sheen, and Jackie Earle Haley who have already signed on to the film, this week Burton added probably the biggest under-16 star, Chloe Grace Moretz, to the impressive cast that just keeps growing and growing.

Moretz just wrapped up Hugo Cabret with legend Martin Scorsese and is in production on Hick with Alec Baldwin and Blake Lively. Not that we haven’t already been seeing a lot of Moretz, she even appeared on NBC’s 30 Rock a few weeks ago, but it’s safe to say she won’t be going anywhere for a while and that’s alright with me.

Dark Shadows goes into production later this month (moved from its original January start date) and without a doubt is a perfect fit for Burton and Johnny Depp, who has been trying to usher this project to the big screen for quite some time. Described as being “vividly melodramatic”, Shadows should be a perfect fit for the cast as well as Burton whose films always have an over-the-top flare to them. Even the original score has been called “overly adventurous” which plays perfectly into the style of Danny Elfman who will undoubtedly score Burton’s film once again. Expect big, big fun from Dark Shadows upon its release next year.

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Almost six months ago, we brought you word Kristen Bell had signed on to a crazy stage mother story, but things have been in hurry up and wait mode ever since. Not anymore. Three more have just signed on to Dance Of The Mirlitons, and with their presence, the picture has gone from meh to a possible must see.

According to Indie Wire, Bailee Madison, the little girl from Brothers will play Bell’s daughter, a pudgy ballerina hopeful that’s constantly upstaged by a vicious rival. Kick-Ass’ Chloe Moretz will play the rival. Both are pretty solid choices, but I’ve saved the best news for last. Jackie Earle Haley will play the girls’ instructor, a sadistic Russian hellbent on whipping the girls into shape. Awesome. It's like Swan Lake with children.

Once funding falls into place, Dance Of The Mirlitons will begin shooting next year. Evan Greenberg will direct, and plenty of us will be eagerly awaiting its release.

We’ve just gotten our hands on a new poster for A Nightmare on Elm Street… and it’s alive. Freddy wants you dead and he’s breaking the bounds of two dimensions to reach out of his poster and make it happen. Check out Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger in the Nightmare on Elm Street motion poster below:

Yesterday, for the first time in a couple months, we got a look at four new stills from the upcoming remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street. While the shots were pretty cool, we lamented the fact that will have yet to have a really great look at Jackie Earle Haley-version of Freddy Krueger. Turns out that we may be seeing him soon enough.

MySpace has debuted the newest poster for the film and announced that the second trailer will debut this Thursday, February 25th. In addition to giving us at least half of Freddy's new face (more than can be said about the teaser poster), the newest artwork also delivers the film's tagline, borrowing a bit from Alice Cooper in the process.

Check out the poster below or in full resolution over at Bloody Disgusting.

Amidst the relative avalanche of news surrounding the recently deceased Spider-Man 4, there's another superhero franchise being born that you should keep firmly on your radar. Green Lantern has finally emerged from its location struggles and started making some pretty serious moves in the casting department, which for a time was limited to just Ryan Reynolds in the leading role.

Last week, Blake Lively was announced as Reynolds' leading lady Carol Ferris, and just yesterday we found out that the great Peter Sarsgaard would show off his psychic abilities as Dr. Hector Hammond, villain extraordinaire. Today, strong rumors are brewing over at HitFix that Jackie Earle Haley will be appearing in the film as Sinestro, despite that very same rumor being debunked late last year.

Nothing has been officially announced, but apparently the relationship between Haley and the studio is a strong one, so DC would like to extend their friendship into this project. Early trailers for A Nightmare on Elm Street are certainly proving Haley's worth as a villain, so fans of the Green Lantern should be excited he'll soon be attached to this franchise. His turn as Rorschach in Watchmen was impressive and as the recovering pedophile Ronnie McGorvy in Little Children he was astounding in his first role in 13 years.

The only concern is that unless handled properly, the film could fall victim to Spider-Man syndrome by overstuffing itself with villains. But from the sound of things, Sinestro won't be a huge part of this first installment of the series, setting him up for larger roles in later films. Good on paper; now as long as they'll execute on that, we'll be in for a treat.

The comic world and the interwebs have been ablur with rumors of the new Freddy Kruger, Jackie Earle Haley playing Green Lantern's arch nemesis Senestro. Collider caught up with him on the red carpet at Spike TV's Scream Awards (Yes, I forgot all about them too) and knew even less about the rumors of his involvement in Green Lantern than us.

Armed with a handheld camera Collider bombed him with a few questions. One of which was about his role as the yellow slinging bad guy. Unfortunately, it looks like there's not much substance to the rumors. Jackie was even surprised to hear about it. He says, "I don’t know anything about it yet. If something comes up I’ll let you know." It's back to square one in figuring out where the movie is headed.

Check out Collider's full interview with Haley below:

I hope Jackie Earle Haley likes playing bad guys because it’s starting to look like Rorschach, of all people, is as close as he’s ever going to get to being on the side of right. He’s already the new Freddy Krueger and in the past year he’s been rumored for just about every project in need of a villain you can think of. Now go ahead and add Green Lantern to that list.

AICN is pedaling a new rumor in which they claim Jackie Earle Haley is in the running to play Sinestro in the film. They’re not saying he has it, merely that he’s at the top of Green Lantern director Martin Campbell’s list of actors he’d like to play the character. That doesn’t mean they’ll offer the part to him it doesn’t even mean Haley wants it. It just means that somewhere out there Martin Campbell is sitting in a room and saying to himself, “hey I like that Haley guy.” So far the only person cast in the movie is their lead. Ryan Reynolds is playing Hal Jordan as The Green Lantern.

So who is this Sinestro character? He is of course, Green Lantern’s equal and opposite because, that seems to be the only idea any of these comic books have. He has all the same powers as Lantern, except his are yellow. Also he’s an alien and in the comics was at one time Hal Jordan’s mentor. Man, Mr. Glass really had this comic book villain/superhero dynamic down pat, didn’t he? Come on comic books, surprise me once in awhile. Somebody dump this repetitive formula.