Superhero projects have been dominating the entertainment world for years now, and studios aren't slowing down anytime soon. While DC's co-CEO James Gunn has crafted a new shared universe, Matt Reeves' The Batman franchise is set outside of it (and is streaming with a HBO Max subscription). The sequel is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies, and filming has begun. Jeffrey Wright will be back as James Gordon, and pulled a very in-character move when posting to social media. Although the photo itself is pretty wild.

What we know about The Batman: Part II has been limited, but production has begun and it's expected to hit theaters in 2027. Director Matt Reeves has shared photos from the set, and Jeffrey Wright followed suit over on his Instagram. But the image is just of his mouth, showing off Gordon's signature mustache. Check it out below:

Honestly, I didn't need to get THAT close to the Westworld actor. But it's thrilling that Jeffrey Wright is on the set of The Batman's long-awaited sequel, complete with James Gordon's mustache. And I can't wait to see what the character is up to in Matt Reeves' sequel, and how his partnership with Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight progresses as they try to protect Gotham City.

I wasn't the only one who had a big reaction to this close up of Jeffrey Wright's mouth. The image is already going viral online, with folks sounding off in the comments. Some responses read:

• Pretty sure that thing could summon a superhero.
• Hope we get to see "Lieutenant Gordon" be promoted to "Commissioner Gordon" this time around 🤞🏻😁
• “American Fiction II: Mustache Boogaloo”
• Is it trim ‘stache o’clock?!
• Lieutenant 🫡

Despite how long the wait has been between The Batman and its sequel, these comments make it sound like folks are still invested in Matt Reeves' burgeoning franchise. I have to assume that anticipation was buoyed by the TV spinoff The Penguin, which was nominated for a whopping 24 Emmy Awards, winning nine.

There are countless questions about what's going down in The Batman: Part II, with fans curious about the movie's villain, as well as the roles being played by Scarlett Johansson and Sebastian Stan. Fans are also hoping to see the return of Barry Keoghan's Joker, who made a brief appearance in the first film.

All will be revealed when The Batman: Part II hits theaters on October 1st, 2027. Since it's not part of the 2026 movie release list, moviegoers are going to have to be patient while waiting for more information.

While film and TV adaptation of video games have had a checkered past historically, there have been some major improvements in the genre lately. Aside from the best video game movies, The Last Of Us (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription, has been an Emmy-nominated success. Season 2 saw the debut of Jeffrey Wright as Isaac, the same character he voiced in the game. And the acclaimed actor recently revealed the surprising way he got involved in the franchise.

What we know about The Last Of Us Season 3 is limited, but it's expected to adapt the second half of the sequel game. Wright will one again return as Isaac, a character he's played on and off for years now. While speaking with Collider about that gig, he revealed it was actually his son (and some colleagues) that got him involved. In his words:

Sometimes things happen for a reason. While Wright might not have originally voiced a role in The Last Of Us games, his son's enthusiasm for the first one is what convinced him to join the fun for Part II. Now years later, he's able to play that same role in live-action, to terrifying results.

Isaac debuted on the small screen in The Last Of Us Season 2, which made a number of changes from the game. But some of the scenes also played out identical to the source material. And I can't wait to see what sort of villainy Wright gets involved in when the show returns for its third season on the air.

Wright ultimately isn't the only actor from the Last Of Us games who had made their way to the HBO show of the same name. That includes Merle Dandridge, who reprised her role as Marlene in the show. OG Joel actor Troy Baker got a role in Season 1, while original Ellie Ashley Johnson got to play her signature character's mother in live-action.

Later in the same interview, Wright shared more about his son's reaction, which ultimately got him involved in the apocalyptic video game. In his words:

Talk about a rave review. Clearly Wright's son Elijah was way ahead of the game (literally), and was an early fan of The Last Of Us. His enthusiasm worked out for the franchise, which has now gotten the acting talents of wright in both video games and live-action.

Isaac has become one of Jeffrey Wright's must-see roles, and fans are gearing up for his return in Season 3. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for its premiere, especially since filming started over the summer. So it would make sense if we get the third season sometime in 2026.

Jeffrey Wright, an actor with an impressively diverse career, helped anchor Matt Reeves’ The Batman as Gotham’s morally grounded lieutenant, Jim Gordon, opposite Robert Pattinson’s brooding Dark Knight. His take on Gordon was gritty and sharp, which was a perfect fit for Reeves’ noir-inspired Gotham. Now, as the upcoming The Batman Part II heads into development, Wright says he’s excited to return, but he also opened up about the backlash he faced when his casting was first announced.

Speaking with Collider, The Last of Us season 2 alum didn’t hold back when discussing the racial criticism, calling it out as both ignorant and absurd. According to the actor:

The Basquiat actor went on to explain that the idea of freezing Gotham in the same mold it had in 1939, when Batman comics were first published, makes no sense in today’s world. He continued:

Jeffrey Wright's defense of his role comes with a strong reminder that Gotham has always been a reflection of New York City — a place that has changed and diversified massively since Batman’s earliest days. As he put it, making a modern Gotham without reflecting that reality would feel less authentic, not more.

The Emmy-winning actor also pointed out that his Gordon didn’t lose the character’s core values; what changed was the world around him. Reeves’s Gotham leaned heavily on a 1970s noir aesthetic, which paired perfectly with the nuanced performance from the HBO veteran actor. If anything, his version of Gordon reinforced the idea that the Caped Crusader works best when surrounded by allies who bring new perspectives to Gotham’s fight against corruption.

The American Fiction star feels a deep connection to Gotham’s mythology, too. Growing up a fan of the best Batman films himself, he emphasized that these stories belong to everyone, and the fact that audiences around the world can see themselves reflected in Gotham’s heroes and villains is part of what keeps the franchise alive, going on nearly 90 years now.

The Batman Part II isn’t on the 2025 movie schedule, but the upcoming superhero movie is locked in for October 10, 2027. Wright will once again don Gordon’s trench coat, and he’s even teased interest in seeing James Gordon Jr., his character’s troubled son, make the leap to Reeves’ big-screen saga. That would be an exciting choice, as Gordon Jr. is a deep-cut villain who has yet to receive attention in live-action.

For now, Jeffrey Wright’s comments make his stance pretty clear: he believes Gotham, like the world it reflects, has no place for racism.

Sometimes, the best way to understand somebody is to see them in their true element. When they’re doing what they do best, and they are fully embedded in their own world, you can see them shine and grasp what they are truly about. It can be enlightening in a special way no matter how long you’ve known that person – and it’s this kind of experience that Jeffrey Wright had in the making of the drama Highest 2 Lowest with Spike Lee.

With the exception of a voiceover role for an episode of the Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, Wright never had the chance to work with Lee prior to the production of new 2025 movie, but as I learned during the virtual press day for Highest 2 Lowest earlier this month, they didn’t go to the collaboration as total strangers. Discussing what it was like to get to know the writer/director in the making of the feature, the Academy Award-nominated actor told me that he lives in Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn (where Lee grew up and where his film production company is headquartered), and he has known the filmmaker personally, but his understanding of the man changed as they worked together. Said Wright,

Highest 2 Lowest is in many ways a great total reflection of Spike Lee’s style as a filmmaker – the work featuring high stakes drama, a terrific soundtrack, and a reflection of New York’s unique energy. A reimagining of the 1963 Akira Kurosawa film High And Low, the movie is a thriller that finds a music mogul (Denzel Washington) stuck in a moral quandary: after initially believing that his son has been kidnapped, he learns that the teenager who has been taken is actually the son of his driver and closest confidant (Jeffrey Wright). With the future of his company potentially at stake and the well-being and lifestyle of his family at risk, a hard decision is demanded of him as he has to decide whether or not to pay the ransom.

Playing a desperate father who is wholly reliant on his friend and employer to save the life of his son, Jeffrey Wright delivers a tremendous performance, and it’s clear that he and Spike Lee worked tremendously well together. And while the latter has garnered an amazing reputation in the film industry since the mid-1980s, the former walked away from the experience making Highest 2 Lowest even more impressed with the man than he had been. Wright continued,

Co-starring ASAP Rocky, Ilfenesh Hadera, Dean Winters, Wendell Pierce and Ice Spice, Highest 2 Lowest is now in theaters, and if you have an AppleTV+ subscription, you’ll be able to stream it when it lands on the service in less than two weeks on September 5.

HBO doesn't have a monopoly on prestige television, but they are the king of it. The network loves to work with the same people who have proved they have what it takes to make great shows. That includes many of the same great actors who appear on more than one show. Some of these actors have appeared in three or four (or more) shows over the years, but for this list, we're sticking with at least two, usually the ones they are best known for. Actors like Wendell Pierce, Cynthia Nixon, and many more.

Wendell Pierce - The Wire And Treme

Wendell Pierce first broke out as the best-dressed detective in the Baltimore Homicide Unit on The Wire. Pierce's character, Bunk Moreland, appears in every episode of the show. A couple of years after The Wire ended in 2008, the show's creator returned to HBO with Treme, and it was a natural fit to include Pierce, who is a New Orleans native, in the cast.

Carrie Coon - The Gilded Age And The White Lotus

2025 was a huge year for Carrie Coon on HBO. Not only did she return for Season 3 of The Gilded Age as the determined high society lady, Bertha Russell, but she also killed it on the third season of the anthology series The White Lotus. She stole the show with her monologue in the final episode of that show, while continuing to dominate New York society in the 1880s in The Gilded Age.

Steve Buscemi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Steve Buscemi's first appearance on HBO came when he joined the cast of The Sopranos as Tony Blundetto, Tony Soprano's cousin, in Season 5 of the legendary peak TV-era show. He wasn't on the show long, but a couple of years later, he played a much bigger role on Boardwalk Empire. He played the fictional mob boss Nucky Thompson in the period piece created by Sopranos writer Terrance Winter.

Evan Rachel Wood - True Blood And Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood started her career as a talented child actor and made her first appearance on HBO as a recurring character in True Blood. She made an even bigger splash on the network as one of the main characters in Westworld. Wood also appeared in the miniseries Mildred Pierce on HBO.

Alexander Skarsgård - True Blood And Big Little Lies

Alexander Skarsgård is a true HBO regular. His first show for the network, the limited series Generation Kill, aired in 2008 and he returned to the network that same year as a series regular in the vampire hit True Blood. While still starring on that show, he made a one-off appearance in the series finale of Eastbound and Down. He was a main cast member on Big Little Lies, playing a very dark character (and earning an Emmy in the process), before he took on a notable guest-starring role in Succession, earning two more Emmy nominations.

Sydney Sweeney - Euphoria And The White Lotus

Sydney Sweeney burst onto the scene alongside her castmates in the teen drama Euphoria on HBO in 2019 and in 2022, she also appeared in Season 1 of The White Lotus. She earned not one, but two Emmy nominations that year, one for each show.

Edie Falco - Oz And The Sopranos

The HBO show Oz was an early entry in the "peak TV era" from the network, running for six seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The cast of Oz was stacked and included Edie Falco as Officer Diane Whittlesey. That isn't the show she is most famous for on the network, of course. As Falco's time was coming to a close, she landed the role of a lifetime as Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, and her amazing performances earned her three Emmy awards.

Aidan Gillen - Game Of Thrones And The Wire

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish in Game of Thrones is one of the great TV villains of all time, and the character was played brilliantly by Aidan Gillen. It wasn't Gillen's first major role on HBO, as that came a few years earlier when he played the ambitious politician Tommy Carcetti on the final three seasons of The Wire.

Cynthia Nixon - And Just Like That And The Gilded Age

itsCynthia Nixon has been a staple on HBO for decades now, starring as Miranda Hobbes in And Just Like That... and it's predecessor. She's also one of the stars of the incredible period drama The Gilded Age as the spinster-turned-wealthy widow Ada Forte, née Brook.

Michiel Huisman - Game Of Thrones And Treme

Treme, which ran for four seasons on HBO, had a whole host of actors who were HBO regulars. Michiel Huisman, who played the musician only known as "Sonny" on the New Orleans-based show, was also starring in a little show called Game of Thrones at the same time on the network, playing Daario Naharis.

Michelle Monaghan - True Detective And The White Lotus

It must be incredibly rewarding for any actor to have the opportunity to star in two anthology shows on HBO. Michelle Monaghan knows exactly how it feels. She first starred in Season 1 of True Detective and, more recently, was part of the stellar cast of Season 3 of The White Lotus.

Michael K. Williams - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

The late Michael K. Williams left behind an incredible legacy at HBO. He was, of course, one of the most incredible TV characters of all time as Omar Little on The Wire, and he followed that up with a great turn as a gangster in 1920s New Jersey in Boardwalk Empire. Those weren't his only appearances on the network. He popped up in a one-off scene on The Sopranos in 2001, then later in the miniseries The Night Of. His final television credit before his tragic death was on the HBO show Lovecraft Country.

Alexandra Daddario - The White Lotus And True Detective

Before earning an Emmy nomination for her great turn as newlywed Rachel Patton in Season 1 of The White Lotus, Alexandra Daddario had a recurring role on another HBO anthology series, True Detective, during its first season. She even had a cameo early in her career in The Sopranos.

Murray Bartlett - The White Lotus And The Last Of Us

It's easy to see why The White Lotus was such a monster hit when it aired its first season, with Murray Bartlett stealing the show as the hotel manager who gets caught in a serious downward spiral as the show goes on. He's hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Later, he was cast in "Long, Long Time," one of the most beloved episodes of The Last of Us, as Frank, the deceased lover of Bill, played by Nick Offerman. While it was only one episode, it was so good that we had to include it here. Bartlett was also a regular cast member on the HBO show Looking.

Danny McBride - Eastbound And Down And The Righteous Gemstones

What is there to be said about Danny McBride's various sitcoms on HBO? After making his name in supporting roles in movies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, he arrived on HBO in the now-legendary Eastbound and Down. His next hit for the network was Vice Principals alongside Walton Goggins, and then as Jesse Gemstone on The Righteous Gemstones.

Clarke Peters - The Wire And Treme

It's hard to believe that The Wire is one of those shows that never won an Emmy. That goes double for the excellent cast, including the great Clarke Peters, who played Lester Freamon in all five seasons of the show. Like some of his co-stars on the show, he also appeared in Treme on HBO.

Jeanne Tripplehorn - The Gilded Age And Big Love

Jeanne Tripplehorn is a veteran actor whose career stretches back to 1992's Basic Instinct. She was a big part of Big Love on HBO as Bill's only legal wife in the show about polygamy in Utah. Tripplehorn also starred in a recurring role on The Gilded Age as a disgraced high society outcast who happens to be one of the kindest characters on the show. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in Grey Gardens on HBO.

Jeffrey Wright - Westworld And Boardwalk Empire

Jeffrey Wright is one of the best actors of his generation, and he's had an opportunity to show off just how great he is in multiple HBO shows. First, he won an Emmy for his role in the miniseries Angels in America. Later, he had a recurring role on Boardwalk Empire, before his fantastic turn on Westworld, for which he was nominated for three more Emmys, but sadly didn't win one. In 2025, he reprised his voice role in The Last of Us video game in the HBO adaptation.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler - The Sopranos And Entourage

Jamie-Lynn Sigler occupies an interesting spot here. Of course, she's best known for her role as Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos. Her next role on HBO came in a role that was a fictionalized version of herself dating Turtle in Entourage.

Walton Goggins - Vice Principals And The White Lotus

Walton Goggins has been one of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood for many years, and in 2025, he really upped his profile with his fantastic performance in Season 3 of The White Lotus. It was his third major show on HBO after Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones.

Lena Headey - Game Of Thrones And The White House Plumbers

She played one of the greatest villains of all time on Game of Thrones, and Lena Headey returned to HBO in 2023 in the underrated miniseries The White House Plumbers, where she played Dorothy Hunt, wife of one of the Watergate burglars, E. Howard Hunt.

Pedro Pascal - Game Of Thrones And The Last Of Us

Like a lot of actors, Pedro Pascal put in a ton of work early in his career with one-off roles in every show you can imagine. Then, in 2014, he was cast as Oberyn Martell on Game of Thrones, and his career blew up. More recently, he's been breaking hearts on The Last of Us on HBO.

Indira Varma - Game Of Thrones And Rome

The Game of Thrones cast was absolutely stacked, including the great Indira Varma, who played Ellaria Sand in 13 episodes of the show. That wasn't her first time in an HBO show, however. In 2005, she starred as Niobe in two seasons of Rome, the incredibly underrated (and expensive to produce) historical drama created by John Milius.

Jim True-Frost - The Wire And Treme

Jim True-Frost's character in The Wire has one of the most interesting character arcs on a show full of great arcs. His performance as Roland Pryzbylewski was, like so many others on the show, nothing short of excellent. Like others on The Wire, True-Frost also starred in Treme. He even had a cameo in Boardwalk Empire as legendary lawman Eliot Ness.

Kim Dickens - Deadwood And Treme

Kim Dickens has a stellar television resume, and two jewels on that CV are both HBO shows. First, she was one of the main characters, Joanie, in Deadwood. Later, she starred on Treme.

John Hawkes - Deadwood And Eastbound And Down

The original cast of Deadwood was a bunch of heavyweights, including John Hawkes, who played Sol throughout the run of the show. A few years later, the versatile actor returned to HBO in a completely different kind of role as the brother of Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down. Most recently, he put in a fantastic performance in Season 4 of the anthology series True Detective.

Rose Leslie - Game Of Thrones And The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife is one of the more under-the-radar shows in HBO history. Rose Leslie led the cast of the show that was canceled after one season, despite a passionate fanbase. Of course, Leslie first became a star on HBO as Ygritte on Game of Thrones.

Bobby Cannavale - Boardwalk Empire And Vinyl

Bobby Cannavale really made his name on HBO as the volatile gangster Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire, though his first gig on the network was in a small role on Six Feet Under. After Boardwalk Empire, he teamed up with the creators of Vinyl, starring in the lone season of the short-lived show.

Edi Patterson - The Righteous Gemstones And Vice Principals

The Righteous Gemstones and Vice Principals are two shows that were perfect for Edi Patterson. She's wonderful at playing quirky characters, fitting in great with the cast of both of those shows.

Domenick Lombardozzi - The Wire And Boardwalk Empire

Herc in The Wire is an obnoxious character that is hard to love, but Domenick Lombardozzi's performance charms everyone who watches the show. He repeated the feat later on Boardwalk Empire.

Regina King - Watchmen And The Leftovers

If anyone on this list needs no introduction, it's the great Regina King. She is a force of nature in everything she does, including two excellent HBO shows, The Leftovers and the one-and-done Season of Watchmen.

Michael Imperioli - The Sopranos And The White Lotus

Some people might remember Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas, but most will first know him as Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's frustrating nephew in The Sopranos. He returned to HBO in Season 2 of The White Lotus and once again reminded fans of the network how great he can be.

Out of all the book to screen adaptations, The Hunger Games stands out as a bonafide sensation. We've recently returned to Panem with more Hunger Games movies, starting with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Following the release of of the Haymitch prequel novel Sunrise on the Reaping, a movie version is currently in development. The cast is coming together, with Kelvin Harrison Jr. being brought in as a young Beetee. But since that's a role played by Jeffrey Wright in the original movies, he's got some pretty big shoes to fill.

What we know about the Sunrise on the Reaping movie is limited, but the cast is coming together to bring younger version of various characters to life. Jesse Plemons is playing a young Plutarch, which is pretty killer casting. Variety revealed that Harrison is taking on the mantle of Beteee. The pressure is on to deliver after Wright, although the Elvis actor has proven himself as a strong and versatile talent of the screen.

Aside from looking like the late actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Plemons' casting as Plutarch was thrilling because he's had such a wildly successful body of work. Harrison's resume is shorter, which is why folks might be paying extra attention to how he takes on the mantle of Beetee from Wright.

Those of us who read Sunrise on the Reaping know that Beetee's story is a tragic one, even all those years before getting involved with Katniss' revolution. So Kelvin Harrison Jr. is going to have to bring a ton of heart and maternal energy to the role. Luckily, the 30 year-old actor has taken on a number of emotionally powerful roles already.

One major one I have to highlight is his outstanding performance in Trey Edward Shults' Waves. The 2019 drama film is one of the most moving pieces of film I've seen in recent memory, and Harrison's heartbreaking work is a big reason for that impact. He also notably appeared in acclaimed projects like Elvis, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (streaming with a Netflix subscription) and The High Note.

Obviously taking on the mantle of a role brought to life by the great Jeffrey Wright is going to add some pressure to Kelvin Harrison Jr's gig on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. After all, his predecessor is a wildly successful screen and stage actor, who has been awarded an Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe Award throughout the years.

It should be interesting to see what other actors end up playing younger version of beloved Hunger Games characters in this developing blockbuster. Because in addition to Plutarch and Beetee, the prequel book featured Effie Trinket, Mags, and (of course) President Snow.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is currently expected to arrive in theaters on November 20th, 2026, so don't expect it to be part of the 2025 movie release list. Hopefully more casting comes soon.

Considering The Last of Us excelled at bringing the first video game's story to live-action so faithfully, I never expected the source material's second volume to be adapted in full for Season 2. Part II takes a long time to get through, as the story goes farther and deeper than Joel and Ellie's solo story ever could. So it's not so surprising to hear that a huge plot point won't be explored during the 2025 TV schedule, but I am surprised to hear the reason.

Craig Mazin And Neil Druckmann Reveal Major Plotline That Won't Be Fully Explored In Season 2

The third episode of The Last of Us Season 2 introduced a roaming group of Seraphites, with a doomed father and daughter offering up faction-based exposition, while I'd talked in my Episode 4 live blog about the always excellent Jeffrey Wright reprising his game role of WLF leader Isaac. It's a character who doesn't pop up often in the game, and I'm definitely not the only viewer excited to see his story expand.

But as co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed in the latest installment of HBO's The Last of Us Podcast, fans may not get to see the full scope of Isaac's WLF leadership, as the series is for now holding back on digging into the WLF's complicated and exceedingly violent war with the Seraphites. Mazin said:

Even knowing there are only three episodes left to go in Season 2, I'm still taken aback by Mazin's assertion there. Given the flashback to Isaac's official exit from FEDRA, bookended with him torturing that Scar with Williams Sonoma pans in the present, I definitely expected that game-based storyline to become more of a focus as Ellie and Dina are on the road far from the comforts of Jackson.

However, it appears we'll be waiting until the third cycle hits HBO to get those answers, with Neil Druckmann sharing:

Thankfully, the premium cabler's execs made the call and ordered up Season 3 ahead of the second season's hectic premiere, which plays into the overall idea that the creative team broke up The Last of Us Part II's story to play out across two different seasons, with the future beyond that still up in the air. But apparently that plan didn't come with the confidence that HBO would play along.

The Bonkers Reason The Co-Creators Held Back From Exploring The War In Season 2

I think anyone aware of The Last of Us' existence would agree that Season 1 was a hit, and that anticipation for Season 2 was immediately lofty, especially with the massive tragedy that went down in Episode 2. So when the co-creators revealed that they wouldn't be attempting to shoehorn the second game's entire storyline into a single season of TV, I assumed that meant they were bullish about earning follow-up seasons.

Apparently that was overly optimistic of me, as Craig Mazin suggests the reason they held off of digigng into the Wolves conflict with the Scars is because nobody was sure if the show would continue. As he put it:

I'm flabbergasted. In part because I don't even fully believe that anyone working on The Last of Us after Season 1 thought that the second season might be the final one. Especially if Mazin and Druckmann were up front with HBO's bosses about how they wanted to split the plot up. I guess if the network execs were being very prissy about the show's chances, while showing off an abundance of newer projects that wouldn't be killing off 75% of the characters introduced, then I could understand.

On the flip side, maybe Neil Druckmann was overly cautious about fan reactions to Joel's demise at the hands of Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, given the catastrophic blowback the game faced for that particular sequence. But it's already clear that the live-action drama didn't deal with anything so harsh, so that hypothetical caution was all for naught.

I suppose holding off on exploring the WLF's issues with the Scars will drive anticipation for Season 3, but I'm wondering how the show will continue depicting Isaac's leadership and the Seraphites as an antagonist group without going deeper into those stories. So I guess I'll find out one day, but for now, I'm too busy waiting on the next episode to arrive.

The Last of Us airs new episodes on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO or for those with Max subscriptions.

Spoiler warning for anyone who isn't watching The Last of Us' latest episode on HBO or streaming with a Max subscription.

I havent' said it before, and there's only the most minimal chance I'll one day say it again, but Sunday nights are weirdly perfect for post-apocalyptic TV storytelling. (Oh hey there, The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 premiere, airing at the same time as The Last of Us' "Day One.") There's just something natural about seeing a destroyed world ahead of the dregs of Monday morning. Doubly so if it involves mourning characters one just met yet love wholeheartedly.

On that super-fun note: welcome everyone to my latest Last of Us live blog, where I'll obviously be reacting to all of the events taking place during Episode 4, including Jeffrey Wright's long-awaited arrival as the intimidating Isaac. Enjoy, and thanks for joining along!

• The Last Of Us Season 2 Premiere Watchalong
• The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 3 Watchalong

Welcome Note

I can't wait to see what Isaac has in store for his followers and his enemies in this episode. That's all I'll say for now, though, as not to ruin anything with my own hopes.

Isaac Is Here, A.K.A. FEDRA Soldiers Suck Just As Much In Live-Action

The Last of Us is great at bringing in characters whose deaths you hate to see coming, but hot damn, this lineup of FEDRA clowns deserves an instant shutdown, save for JEFFREY WRIGHT, MOTHERFUCKERS. Ahem, sorry. Love this dude.

The award-winning actor brought life to Isaac in the video game, and brings even more gravitas to the live-action role. Especially when he's making pompous asshats eat their words.

Something I wouldn't have seen coming in a million years: Josh Peck's totally unassuming Last of Us cameo.

Maybe Drake Bell will be a Scar or part of WLF.

Bye Bye FEDRA Dingleberries

Well it took all of no time for Isaac to show domination. Not only did he blow up a vehicle full of testosterone-stuffed FEDRA junkies, but he also aligned with "the fight," as it were.

So maybe he's a hero or something, since he did save that one very green soldier from dying with his compadres.

• "Now make your choice." - Isaac Like a Muhfucka

Not that I expect either of these guys to maintain their sanity over the next eleven years.

Dina And Ellie: Seattle Day One

It really rocks seeing the video game timeline so directly referred to, especially with Weston's Pharmacy in the background. And also especially when yeast infection jokes are involved. Wait, I didn't mean to say "especially" in that one.

Happy, Proud Rainbow Town

It's depressing to think about Ellie and Dina not knowing that rainbows were a symbol for LGBTQ+ equality, and would no doubt question those letters in relation to the WLF.

Ellie Talking About Astronauts

Gotta love Ellie following her tank hatch maneuvering with some talk about astronauts. Non-gamers aren't going to expect where Ellie's love of the Space Race comes into play, but it's a sequence I cannot wait to see in live-action.

In the meantime, we can just enjoy stellar quips like this:

• "Yeah, these guys were just assholes killed by other assholes." - Ellie

Ellie is as full of truths as that tank was full of burned-up assholes.

The Music Store - Ellie's Take On "Take On Me"

One of the most picture-perfect scenes early on in The Last of Us Part II comes when Ellie and Dina find the music store, and I'm oh so happy to say that Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced turned every emotion three-dimensional during the sequence.

I wasn't sure if Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann would stick with A-ha's '80s staple "Take On Me" for TV. All the more so given Ashley Johnson's soul-enriching delivery in the game:

All the props in the world to Ramsey for bringing the same vulnerability and non-performative performance as her digital counterpart. Very nice. Very moving. Very Ellie.

• "All those lessons from Joel." - Ellie
• "He tought you well." - Dina
• "He did." - Ellie

And then cue all the sobbing as she leaves that perfectly maintained guitar in that gorgeous setting, presumably never to be played again.

The Strange Benefits Of The Apocalypse

Isaac's interrogation goes everywhere that a prestige TV show, but I didn't necessarily expect to see Jeffrey Wright delivering a monologue about Williams Sonoma and the conduction strengths and weaknesses of copper pans vs. cast iron.

But I did expect to see him using those pans to inflict all kinds of pain on the nude and bloodied Seraphite. And yet he didn't, really, only burning the back of the Scar's hand before eventually shooting him through the head.

Isaac couldn't handle hearing his victim's logical arugment that for all the WLF soldiers that joined the Seraphites, the opposite never happened.

Ellie And Dina Find The Horrors At The TV Station

Watching The Last of Us characters being forced to enter buildings and areas through upper-story windows never gets old. If only Ellie had more trouble pushing one of those doors open.

No time to think about that, though, because there are all those hanging bodies to be horrified by. As well as the "Feel Her Love" message on the wall written in blood. Very gross.

Isabela Merced delivers what I predict will be an episode-best line with:

• "What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?" - Dina

Yeahhhhh. Adding onto the list of "video game moments I love to see in live-action," hearing the WLF soldier barking out at his troops to "fan the fuck out" and find the threats is so good. As well as hearing them call out that areas are clear. Doesn't need to be anything complicated to match right up with the source material.

Ellie Stabs A Dude In The Neck

One of the video game's most-used moves involves quietly walking up behind a threat and sticking a bladed shiv into their necks, causing ample blood spatter.

Seeing Ellie do it to one of the WLF soldiers here was another great nod to a game-specific action. Do such deadly wonders never cease?

The Dreaded Subway Tunnel Massacre

Despite being in a relatively large section of an abandoned subway, this particular Last of Us scene feels incredibly claustrophobic thanks to the flares and need for silence. And then, you know, because of all the horrifying monsters that come pouring in with a shocking amount of speed and agility.

I wish we could have seen more of the WLF soldiers being torn apart, but I guess I'll have to settle for my butthole tensing up while watching Ellie use presumably her final bullets on the runners bursting through the windows.

I also do not have the upper body strength to have pulled myself up the way that Ellie did, so I can't truly put myself in her shoes after that point, because my own would have been toast.

Major Change: How Dina Discovers Ellie's Immunity + The Theater

The video game also uses Ellie seemingly sacrificing herself to save Dina as the catalyst, but instead of giving audiences a scene filled with infection spores and a broken gas mask, viewers watched Ellie shoving her arm into one of the monsters' mouths so deflect it from biting Dina.

As far as changes go during an episode that mirrored the game so expertly, I give this one my bite-shaped stamp of approval.

Going right back around to game similarities, seeing the introduction of the theater play out in such a dramatic way rocks. It's a major location in the game, so I expect the same for the series. Hopefully they clean it up a bit.

Horrors Worse Than Cordyceps

Ellie waking up to no doubt filthy water dripping on her face is kind of scarier than bloaters. But only for that one second when you have no idea what it is.

Dina Pregancy News Naturally Leads To Sex And Morning Cuddling

After learning that Ellie isn't actually destined to become a carnivorous monster, Dina's emotional dam fully burst, and her first move was to drop the admission that she's pregnant. BLAMMO.

Obviously, two life-changing developments coming together in such short order meant that the characters involved had to do the same, if you catch the drift I just sloppily lobbed out there.

I don't even feel right talking sleazily about that scene at all, given the snuggles and candid conversation that takes place the following morning. From talking about Ellie's bite(s) and scar to Dina's frankness about Jesse and her pregnancy, I fully believe that these two characters exist and are in love.

Also, Isabela Merced came through and possibly topped her earlier quote highlight after Ellie questioned her urinating on a pregnancy test.

• "That's how it works. I don't just randomly piss on stuff." - Dina

Ellie learns things in the most interesting ways sometimes.

Ellie And Dina Are Now Truly Ride Or Die

What a change a day can make for two characters, amirite?

One day prior, neither Ellie nor Dina were aware that the latter was pregnant, and Dina was clueless about Ellie's freedom from worry about becoming infected. Sharing either of those truths with another person requires a vast amount of trust, and while there's no doubt in my mind that they would have ended up romantically together down the line anyway, that first day in Seattle was the gunpowder, the fuse, and the igniting flame.

As such, the context for their mission hits on a completely different level by the time the episode's final scene arrives. Dina now understands why Ellie is so eager to impulsively go after Abby, knowing that being bit won't equal instant doom. And they're both going forward on this mission with the awareness that Dina's pregnancy and overall survival will be at risk. That's heavy shit.

Sure, I'm excited to see how the hunt for live-action Nora goes down, and seeing that part of the storyline move forward. But during the week between episodes, I would much rather live inside the exponentially loving bubble shared by Ellie and Dina. It's just better in there.

"Day One" Rating: 4 Out Of 5 Positive Pregnancy Tests

The worst thing about watching each episode of The Last of Us is knowing the finale is getting that much closer. But when episodes are so packed with big moments like this first half-plus of Season 2 has been, no regrets. It was almost weird to not have any Jackson-set sequences in focus, though it was a natural move to skip those.

"Day One" definitively made Ellie and Dina as formidable a duo as Joel and Ellie were, albeit with completely different dynamics involved. I thought this live blog might be overrun with talking about Wright's arrival as Isaac, and while that was as effective as I'd hoped, my heart is choosing love over callousness this week. And if I can't get the face of that lumpy bruise shaped like Joel's face out of my head, I may never go back.

[INSERT BRILLIANT SEGUE]

Thanks everyone for reading along either while watching live or while catching up after the fact. Until next week, formulate your grossest predictions about what Ben Ahlers' character has been up to since becoming Isaac's lapdog.

Filming the best blockbuster franchise films is challenging under the best circumstances, but shooting The Batman during the height of the pandemic? That was something else entirely. The cast and crew of Matt Reeves’ acclaimed film had to navigate strict protocols, multiple shutdowns, and, in some cases, complete isolation. And, if you ask Jeffrey Wright—the man who plays Jim Gordon—what that experience was like, he’ll tell you it was nothing short of surreal–even comparing it to living in the Hotel from one of the best horror movies of all time, The Shining.

Jeffrey Wright recently spoke with Men’s Health and reflected on what it was like filming the Robert Pattinson-led Batman flick in 2020. What he described sounded like a physically and mentally exhausting process that left him feeling trapped in a scary flick. Wright explained:

It’s one thing to prepare for an intense scene—it’s another to do so after spending nearly two weeks in complete isolation. The interrogation scene, one of the more crucial moments in The Batman, required the French Dispatch star to be sharp, methodical and completely dialed in. But, after that much time locked away, his mind wasn’t where it needed to be.

Even outside of the set, the filming process was eerie. With the world in lockdown, Jeffrey Wright stayed in a massive, near-empty hotel, adding to the surreal atmosphere. Based on his description, it's understandable why he compared the place to one of Stephen King’s most famous creations, The Overlook Hotel:

Fair enough. 2020 was hard for everyone, so I can completely resonate with his sentiment. But, considering the circumstances, Wright’s performance in one of the best live-action Batman movies feels even more impressive in hindsight. His version of Jim Gordon is calm, collected. and unwavering in his pursuit of justice. That's basically the complete opposite of someone who just spent 10 days losing his mind in quarantine.

The American Fiction star’s comments add even more insight into how uniquely difficult this superhero movie production was. Robert Pattinson famously shut down filming after testing positive for COVID, and the film itself faced multiple delays due to pandemic-related setbacks. But, despite all of that, the result was an atmospheric, detective-driven take on Gotham’s Caped Crusader that delivered a gripping mystery and a standout cast.

And, with the upcoming The Batman – Part II set to arrive in the latter half of 2027 as part of the schedule of upcoming DC movies, fans can look forward to seeing more of Jeffrey Wright’s Gordon in action. Hopefully, the filming process won’t feel like being trapped in a Stephen King nightmare this time.

For now, you can stream The Batman with a Max subscription or revisit all the Batman movies in order while waiting for the next big-screen flick set in Gotham.

The 97th Academy Awards are just a month away on the 2025 TV schedule, and while I always enjoy watching the award show, it also always feels like there’s a clear gap between the movies and performances being nominated and my favorite movies of the previous year. And when Jeffrey Wright spoke to his Oscar campaign experience during last year’s award season, it definitely highlights problems I have with the whole pageantry of it all.

Jeffrey Wright Did Not Hold Back When Talking About His Oscar Campaign Experience

Wright was not among the 2024 Oscar winners during last March’s ceremony, but he had the honor of earning his first Academy Award nomination for his work as the leading man in 2023’s American Fiction movie. Following Cillian Murphy winning in the Best Actor category over him, Jeffrey Wright had these words to say about taking part in Oscar season:

During an interview with Men’s Health, Jeffrey Wright actually called being on the awards circuit a “grind,” and while I’ve never heard anyone called it this before and never thought I would, I’m not surprised it is considering all that seems to go into it. When I hear experts talk about Oscar season, it really feels like everything a nominee or hopeful nominee does is analyzed and goes into consideration when voters make their choices.

Wright's Comments Highlight A Major Issue I Have With The Oscars

I really appreciate Jeffrey Wright’s honesty about campaigning for Best Actor, because it really does seem like a popularity contest and one that feels a lot like politics. I wish the nominees and winners of the Oscars completely were based on what is the best movie in numerous categories every year, but considering what we’ve seen win over the years, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Now, in the case of American Fiction, for example, which is now streaming for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, campaigning must have been rewarding for Wright because he had the chance to shed light on a small movie he made, and meet peers of his who were also being recognized and doing the same thing.

If it wasn’t a 2024 Best Picture nominee and campaigned to be (and American Fiction certainly deserved to be in the race) a lot less people would have seen it and even related to Wright’s American Fiction character. Plus, now Wright will also be known as an “Oscar nominee,” and there’s a lot of prestige that goes with it. At the same time, it feels like the Oscars are more about whoever does the best at campaigning rather than the “best” thing being nominated and winning.

I’m a huge fan of horse operas, and I’ve watched many of the best westerns of all time.

However, one thing that has always kind of bugged me about the genre is that a number of classic westerns either A: Don’t feature any Black characters whatsoever, or B: feature Black characters, but in a minute role, or in a demeaning fashion (I’m looking at you, 1931 Cimarron).

That’s why when I see Black characters featured prominently in westerns, I get super excited. So, here are just a few such examples. Yah!

Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) - Unforgiven

The story of a disfigured sex worker, and the bounty her friends put on the men who did it to her, Unforgiven is often seen as a meditative western, starring none other than Clint Eastwood. It’s one of my all-time favorites, and I often go back and forth on whether I think The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Unforgiven is the better western.

Eastwood, who also directed the Oscar-winning film, is the star of the picture, and he plays William Munny, a former outlaw who has a failing farm and needs the money. He enlists the help of his friend, Ned Logan, played by Morgan Freeman, as well as a rather green cowboy who goes by the name of “the Schofield Kid”.

Well, unlike Munny, who still has the heart of a killer, Ned doesn’t, and he’s conflicted about coming back into the field. In one pivotal moment, he shows he can no longer kill a man, as he truly did leave that life behind. And, I just love how three dimensional his character is. Ned is a man who wants to help – both the sex workers, as well as his old riding buddy – but he really struggles because he feels like he can’t anymore.

Unfortunately, Logan comes up against the villainous Little Bill (who is definitely a cop who doesn’t follow the rules), and his story is a tragic one. But, it’s also memorable in a genre that doesn’t always have memorable performances for Black actors.

Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler) - The Harder They Fall

In this predominantly Black western directed by Jeymes Samuel, a cowboy named Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) seeks vengeance against a terrifying outlaw named Rufus Buck (Idris Elba). As a plus, basically all of the principle characters are based off of real people, so this story doubles as historical fiction.

With a cast as stacked as this one, I literally could have picked any of the characters, but I’m choosing Cuffee, played by Danielle Deadwyler, since she’s the most fascinating to me.

Based on the real Cathay Williams, who was the first (and ostensibly only) woman to serve in the U.S. Army during the American Frontier Wars (she posed as a man), Cuffee is interesting because she is probably the best shooter out of the bunch of sharpshooters. Hers is a tale of being both underestimated, but also feared, for her proficiency with a firearm.

My favorite moment is when she squares up against Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield), since it has all the hallmarks of a battle for the quickest hand. Honestly, I wish there were more excellent roles for Black women in westerns. We don’t get nearly enough of them. Speaking of which…

Moses “Mo” Washington (Letitia Wright) - Surrounded

In a post-Civil War America, Mo Washington (Letitia Wright) is a free woman looking for gold. But, due to unforeseen circumstances, Washington has to stay with an outlaw (Jamie Bell) as others go out for help after her stagecoach was attacked.

Wright, who I first learned about through Black Panther, is an indomitable force in this movie. You know she’s tough since she plays a former Buffalo Soldier, but her toughness is put to the test when dealing with Jamie Bell’s character, who offers a pretty ostentatious performance.

But, Mo plays it cool. As a Black woman, there are many who don’t take her seriously. That is until she whips out her pistols and makes them take her seriously.

Much like Cuffee in the last entry, Mo understands that she’s underestimated, which is why it’s all the more satisfying when she puts ignorant men in their place.

Buck (Sidney Poitier) - Buck And The Preacher

In this exciting western, which was also Poitier’s directorial debut, he plays a former soldier named Buck who helps get other Black people across the country through indigenous territory. Buck has struck a sort of agreement with the indigenous people, which comes in handy later when white bounty hunters try to get Buck to stop his work. It all culminates in an exciting conclusion.

Buck and the Preacher is a really fun film, and I regret that I didn’t mention it in my list of Sidney Poitier’s best movies after he passed. Also starring Harry Belafonte as the “Preacher” (I put it in quotes since he’s not really a preacher), and Ruby Dee as Buck’s wife, the film is action-packed and humorous in all the best ways.

One thing I love about Buck is that he sticks to his guns and doesn’t run from his duties to help other African Americans. I also like that he always seems two steps ahead, and that he has formed a sort of kinship with the indigenous people, as they both find a common adversary who they can rally against.

There may be more recognizable Sidney Poitier movies, but when it comes to westerns featuring Black characters, Buck and the Preacher is certainly one of the best.

Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright) - Ride With The Devil

Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil is a western like no other.

Telling the story of the warring factions between the Jayhawks and the Bushwackers back in Civil War times, Ride With the Devil tells a complicated tale of white men killing each other.

So why, pray tell, is it on this list, then? Well, because of Jeffrey Wright's character, Daniel Holt, a former slave who is fighting on the Confederate side since his freedom was bought by his Southern friend.

This is definitely one of Jeffrey Wright's best roles because he plays such a complex character. And this is because he's not conflicted about which side he's chosen. He'd rather fight beside his friend than fight for his potential future, which is a unique perspective, to be sure.

Django Freeman (Jamie Foxx) - Django Unchained

In this revisionist western from Quentin Tarantino, a former slave (Jamie Foxx) is enlisted by a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) to hunt down some suspects, only to eventually become a bounty hunter himself; unchained, as it were.

I like to watch Django Unchained during Black History Month, because it's just so satisfying to watch as a Black man.

Django goes from being shackled to shooting a plantation owner dead in his own mansion. What's not to love?

Django is a particularly fascinating character, though, since he flourishes so wonderfully. My favorite part is when he's decked out in that fancy blue outfit, and he kills a racist jerk with gusto. I mean, seriously. How cool can you possibly get?

Major Marquis Warren, "The Bounty Hunter" (Samuel L. Jackson) - The Hateful Eight

In yet another western by Tarantino (which was supposedly a sequel to Django Unchained before Tarantino scrapped the idea), a collective of people with different motives are stuck in a cabin together during a snowy winter day. Violence ensues.

Some might say that Tarantino did Jackson dirty in Django by making him an Uncle Tom-esque character, but if so, he did right by him in The Hateful Eight, where Jackson is arguably the coolest character in the movie.

Playing a bounty hunter this time around, Jackson manages to get one up on pretty much everybody he encounters. This makes an argument for Major Marquis Warren being one of the greatest characters in Jackson's lengthy career.

Not everybody adores The Hateful Eight when considering Tarantino's filmography, it's actually my second favorite movie of his (right after Pulp Fiction, of course), and Jackson's character is definitely the reason why.

For more news on any future westerns, be sure to swing by here often!

The Batman: Part II won’t start filming until the 2025 movie schedule has hit the spring, but we’re so hyped for Robert Pattison’s return as Matt Reeves’ Dark Knight that we’ve already run through the villains we want to see in the next Batman movie, beyond the potential return of Paul Dano’s Riddler. (While taking into account Pattinson’s own villainous prediction for the sequel, of course.) Now, co-star Jeffrey Wright weighed in with his own choice, and it’s a disturbingly intriguing pick.

Wright became the latest actor to take over the rather iconic comic-sourced role of GCPD mainstay James Gordon, and the Westworld vet’s suggestion for the villain he’d like to see show up in The Batman: Part II or a later project hits very close to home. Speaking with The Movie Dweeb about his new show opposite Michael Fassbender, The Agency, Wright almost surprisingly didn't immediately dodge the villain question, and instead answered with:

Wowzers, y'all! Jeffrey Wright's character hasn't even reached the Commissioner level just yet, and the actor is already calling for Gordon's son James Jr. to enter this universe. I don't necessarily think it'll happen anytime soon, especially without more backstory being devoted to Gordon's family life. But the fact that he's interested enough to bring the the offspring up is something to ponder.

Comic book fans may already be aware of James Gordon Jr.'s villainous turns on the page. He was first introduced through Frank Miller and Dave Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One arc, was later kidnapped by Gordon's irate former partner, though he was recovered safely. As time went on, however, the kid's disturbing behavior revealed itself through animal sacrifices, and he was at one point suspected after one of his sister's friends went missing.

Later in life, James Jr. became a psychotic killer suffering from dissociative identities. He often puts his sister in harm's way, and in one part of the mythos joins up with Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad.

It's altogether unclear how Matt Reeves' Batman franchise would add all these important extra members onto James Gordon's on-screen family. But considering Jeffrey Wright is the first Black actor to take on the role in live-action, I'm expecially interested to see who the producers would cast as Barbara and James Jr.

When asked about his own casting preference, Wright makes it sound like he actually does have an idea in mind, lending a small amount of credibility to this bonkers answer. As he put it when asked who he'd want to play James Jr.:

With just that answer, I went from thinking "There's no way James Gordon Jr. is going to be a villain in any upcoming Batman movies" to thinking "How long am I going to have to suffer through waiting to find out who Jeffrey Wright wants to play his on-screen son?" I'm still skeptical about it all happening, mind you, but I've perhaps grown too accustomed to Hollywood stars balking when asked about hopes for sequels that to hear the opposite is too shocking to properly react to.

Here's hoping we get some kind of official hint of what's to come in The Batman: Part II long before the October 2, 2026 release date arrives.

The Penguin was a special show and one of the best to grace the 2024 TV schedule. Not only did it tell a compelling story, it also expanded upon the world established in Matt Reeves' The Batman. It's honestly amazing that I loved the series despite how much it made me hate Oswald Cobb again, but I did have one gripe. I would've loved to have seen Jeffrey Wright appear as Jim Gordon and, while I was initially shocked to find out why he wasn't in the show, I now think his exclusion may have been for the best.

Wright, who will presumably return to play his character in the upcoming The Batman Part II, was completely absent from The Penguin. This baffled me, especially considering the character's position as a rising lieutenant in the Gotham City Police Department as well as his status as active status on the force. Wright recently spoke with Inverse about why he wasn't involved, and I was scratching my head.

Why Jeffrey Wright Wasn't In The Penguin

While the GCPD didn't have a huge presence within The Penguin, there were a few scenes in which Jeffrey Wright's character could've easily appeared. The series could've scripted in a scene in which Jim Gordon investigated Sofia or Oz's dealings within the show. However, the Oscar-nominated Wright explained that he never heard anything about him possibly appearing on he show:

It's wild to think that the team behind The Penguin didn't contact Jeffrey Wright about an appearance. As one of the many actors who've jumped between movie and TV roles, he seemed destined to appear in the series. In some ways, it may seem like a missed opportunity but, on the other hand, I suppose I'm at peace with it now.

Why Jeffrey Wright's Exclusion From The Penguin May Have Been For The Best

When you have a career as diverse as Jeffrey Wright's, you tend to receive a lot of offers for work. Even if he weren't a part of the Batman franchise, he'd have no shortage of roles on the way, both in live-action and animation. This might be why he didn't express an eagerness to be involved in a potential second season of Penguin:

It's possible that Jeffrey Wright was busy amid production on The Penguin, and showrunner Lauren LeFranc and co. were aware and opted not to reach out. Or maybe there were simply no plans to include Gordon, and the team didn't want to risk shoe-horning him in?

What should also be said is that an actor of Mr. Wright's caliber deserves an ample amount of screen time, and his presence may have been limited on this show. As mentioned the GCPD didn't factor into the show in a major way as it is. Given that, it's probably best that he didn't appear, as he may have only popped in for a moment in what could've been a glorified cameo.

That aside, there's currently reason to be optimistic that The Penguin Season 2 will happen and, if it does, I would love to see Wright's Gordon appear. Hell, there are a lot of characters I'd like to see show up in a series adjacent to The Batman. But, with the Colin Farrell-led show having set such a high bar, I'm genuinely curious if any subsequent shows will ever measure up. Nevertheless, should a second season happen, I'm game for Gordon to be back in the mix and hopefully, in a substantial role.

The Penguin is now available to stream with a Max subscription. Also, be on the lookout for news on upcoming DC TV shows.

I'm a teacher, and I love my job, but do you want to know my true love? Writing. Namely, writing fiction. I have an awesome agent, and she’s doing her best to get my stories out into the world. But, as a Black author, that isn’t always easy. 

Things seem to be getting a little bit better for authors of color, but I definitely felt like I connected with Jeffrey Wright’s character in the Oscar-nominated film, American Fiction, in a number of ways (it wasn't that long ago that people were writing about how white the book industry is). That said, I also found that I didn’t connect with him in certain regards. Here’s why.  

Why I Relate: It Really Does Feel Like The Book Industry Is Constantly Chasing Trends 

Though the novel, Erasure, that this movie is based off of came out in 2001, it’s extremely relevant. Or maybe, the book industry has just always been chasing trends. 

Nevertheless, Erasure feels particularly prescient since it kind of foretold the growing pains that the industry would go through when publishers were seemingly seeking out novels from BIPOC authors. This was following several events of police brutality, which made frequent headlines. 

In fact, I remember prior to finding my current agent (who I adore), some of the agents who I queried wondered if I could change some details in one story so that the police could be antagonistic toward my main character. Now, while I’m well aware that there are some cops who don’t exactly follow the rules when it comes to their jobs, this book was definitely not about that. 

There have been excellent books written about that topic by Black authors, such as The Hate U Give (which was later a well-reviewed movie) by Angie Thomas, and Dear Martin by Nic Stone, but my novel was not that kind of book. It was a superhero story, for crying out loud, and it didn’t even involve the police. That said, two separate agents wanted the inciting incident to be my protagonist being assaulted by a cop, which I didn’t want to do, and I told them as such. 

And, we see something similar in American Fiction. Jeffrey Wright’s character, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, writes heady, cerebral books. But, they’re not necessarily “Black” books, i.e. they don’t fall into stereotypical Black trappings. In his mind, he was writing “Black” books because he was a Black author (he’s not wrong). 

However, when another Black author writes a novel titled We Lives in Da Ghetto that he deemed to be pandering to White audience’s perceptions about Black people, he decided to, as a lark, write his own book titled My Pafology, that indulged in all of the Black stereotypes. And, as I’m sure you already know, it was a massive success. 

Much like Ellison, I’d be both sickened by this success, but also delighted to finally have the recognition I’ve always felt I deserved. So, I get why he begrudgingly accepted his success, even though he was super cynical about it. 

Why I Don't Relate: That Said, I Don't Chase Trends Like Jeffrey Wright's Character  

Now, I won’t spoil the movie in case you haven’t seen it yet, but a part of the reason why Ellison took the money that came with selling My Pafology is because somebody in his family needed medical attention. If Ellison wasn’t in dire need, he might not have gone through with the process. 

However, once he did go through with it, he didn’t exactly turn down the money (or secret fame) that came along with it. In fact, he even doubled down, tempting the publishers to drop him by coming up with a much more controversial, four letter word title for his book that he knew wouldn’t be put on store shelves…until it was. 

In this way, Ellison had chased a trend, whether he was willing to admit it to himself, or not, and that’s just something that I will not do, probably much to my detriment. Because when I wrote my superhero story, I didn’t write it because superheroes were in at the time. I wrote it because I love superheroes. 

My latest book is about video games. I didn’t write it because video games are in. I wrote it because I love video game and the best video game movies. 

Those two books are out there now, waiting patiently for an editor to take a liking to them, so in the meantime, I’m writing a book about kaiju. And, it’s not because Godzilla is in, but because (Say it with me!) I love kaiju and movies like Godzilla Minus One! Whether any of these books gets picked up really isn’t up to me, but I’ll never chase a trend, or even write toward one. I don’t even think I know how.  

Why I Relate: It Does Seem Like Minorities Are Often Expected To Write Issues Books 

One thing that kind of bugs me is that it does seem like minorities are often expected to write issues books. What I mean by that is, it seems like books written by minorities (or at least many of the ones that get published) seem to have some kind of racial underpinning. 

Now, this isn’t so much true in books outside of America, as it seems like many diverse authors around the world have the freedom to write whatever kinds of books they want without implementing race into them. But, I’ve noticed that many of the books that I read by people of color seem to have race as a thematic undercurrent in their work. 

This might just be the story that the author wanted to tell, much like the important movies of Jordan Peele. And, that’s cool. I love Jordan Peele. 

But, as somebody who reads books from pretty much every race, I don’t often see white writers writing about the white experience. Not that I would particularly want to read that kind of story, but it seems like white authors don’t need to say anything about race, while I find that race frequently pops up in books by people of color. 

Why I Don't Relate: I Don't Live In An Ivory Tower 

I like Ellison’s character for the most part, but I also kind of dislike him. It’s not entirely his fault. It’s the way he was raised. But, he definitely looks down upon other people, even within his own family. 

In a lot of ways, when Ellison sneered at a Black female author for writing We Lives in Da Ghetto, he admitted he didn’t even read it when he went on to write his own “Black” story. This just screams of ignorance. All he really had to go on was a brief reading the author did in person, and he believed it could inform and shape his entire opinion about her work, which is just ridiculous. 

So, in that way, I never look down upon other authors, or even the readers of books I don’t particularly enjoy. People like what they like, and I’m never condescending to those people. Especially not my audience. God bless every one of my readers. 

Why I Relate: I Do Find Myself Incredibly Lonely Sometimes, Especially As A Black Author 

Lastly, Ellison is an incredibly lonely character, as he doesn’t really feel like he relates to anyone, even his lovely girlfriend, who is just trying to get more involved in his life. 

And, I relate to this. I don’t think it’s a controversial statement to say that every novelist is at least a little bit lonely. How can we not be when we spend so much time alone, talking to ourselves through the voices we’ve created. 

I think it’s especially lonely as a Black author, though, as we’re often wrestling with all of these ideas perpetuated by the media swirling around in our heads. For example, when agents (who were white, by the way) requested that maybe I should make cops villainous in my story, I second-guessed myself and thought, “Should I?” I mean, I get stories about social justice, and I understand their importance, but is that really my place to talk about? Especially since I primarily write for children? 

I don’t know, but it ultimately leaves me feeling isolated and alone, and so I get that aspect of Ellison’s character. It speaks to me.

Have you watched American Fiction yet? If you haven’t, and you’re a Black author, you definitely should. You likely won’t be disappointed.  

One of the reasons many of us love following celebrities so much is because they go places and have experiences that many of us simply never will. That includes going to awards shows and getting all gussied up in some of the fanciest, most expensive clothes and accessories around. With the bulk of this year’s award season now over, let’s take a look at 32 great pairs of shoes that stars sported recently as they walked the red carpet.

Annette Bening 

Looks for any award show can vary wildly, but we do typically see ladies in high heels of some sort. Actress Annette Benning did step out in heels, but she chose some of a chunky platform sandal variety that likely added some literal stability to her chic, flowy outfit.

Ryan Gosling

Sure, men’s fashion doesn’t usually lend itself to wild shoewear choices on the red carpet, but that’s OK. Barbie cast member/Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling went with a great pair of shiny black shoes to accent his black (and slightly sparkly) tux and red socks, and they work perfectly.

Danielle Brooks

You’re going to see that black, overall, was a popular shoe color choice for 2024’s award shows, and The Color Purple Oscar nominee Danielle Brooks made a good pick to go with her very glamorous Dolce Gabbana gown. The sandals feature a shapely high heel and pearl accents that kick the look up a couple of notches.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only did Cynthia Erivo and her co-star Ariana Grande decide to represent their Wicked characters via their fashion choices for the Academy Awards, but Erivo took her green Elphaba theme to the hilt with her platform shoes with striated shades of emerald.

Billie Eilish

One cannot deny the importance of comfort when talking shoes, and award winning singer/songwriter Billie Eilish definitely deserves props for choosing a round-toe mary jane style that even allowed her to wear full-on shocks to the Oscars.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh has had no shortage of amazing fashion moments, and it appears that they won’t let up anytime soon. The star looked wonderful at the Oscars, and walked tall in a super chunky, mirrored platform sandal to complete her look.

Colman Domingo

As the star of the lauded civil rights drama, Rustin, Colman Domingo made numerous appearances on red carpets recently, but his decision to head to the Academy Awards in custom Louis Vuitton cowboy boots (in black with gold accents) has absolutely put him near the top of everyone’s fashionable celeb list.

Emily Blunt

Never mind the Oscar dress with the floating shoulders, most would likely say that Emily Blunt’s silver heels with a little half-bow across her toes managed to actually steal the show from her gorgeously constructed cream and silver gown.

Mahershala Ali

Again, men don’t always think to step up their shoe game for red carpets, but Mahershala Ali certainly did. His graphic black and white loafers with a slight heel absolutely helped him stand out in a sea of men with black footwear.

Ava DuVernay

Director Ava DuVernay looked lovely in her powder blue ensemble, and her silver shoes with a little bit of a platform went nicely with the buckled straps of her off-the-shoulder dress.

Carly Pearce

People came out in their finest for the CMT Awards, and country singer Carly Pearce was no different. The black and silver gem-studded stunners she wore on her feet obviously made a fabulous statement. Look at that crazy high stiletto heel!

Celine Song

Just because you’re in black flats, it doesn’t have to mean that your choice of shoe has to be boring. Wearing a flowy, lower-calf length skirt to walk the Oscar red carpet, filmmaker Celine Song was able to show off her chunky footwear and look like the very picture of effortless cool.

Wendy Thembelihle Juel

The South African/Danish model may have put on a fitted, shimmering pink dress for her time at the Academy Awards, but she also chose black as the perfect color for her shoes. Her sandals gave the gown an extra oomph with a pretty crystal (or diamond) bow across each set of toes that helped to make them the real focal point of her glamorous look.

Erika Alexander

To celebrate the Oscar nods received by American Fiction, star Erika Alexander stepped out in a truly original dress. And, her shoes were different as well, seeing as how it’s relatively rare to see ladies on the red carpet in white heels.

Alex Borstein

Black can be very basic, but not, apparently, if you’re The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Alex Borstein. The talent stepped out to the Critics Choice Awards in delicately laced black pumps that appear to be see-through, which also had a scalloped edge to compliment her sheer dress.

Ke Huy Quan

Ke Huy Quan is clearly enjoying his revitalized time in the spotlight, and the Oscar winner knows how to get all dressed up for the red carpet. Here, he wears a classic pair of glossy black, tie-up dress shoes, and they pair perfectly with his deep red and black tuxedo.

Simu Liu

The People’s Choice Awards saw Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie star Simu Liu hit the carpet in a fantastic oxblood-colored suit. And, not only did his shoes match, but he switched things up from typical men’s shoes and donned suede footwear for the occasion. Love it!

Andrew Scott

It can be so, so nice to buck convention and head to a fancy event in an ensemble that evokes a high/low effect, which is exactly what All of Us Strangers and Ripley star Andrew Scott did when he attended the Golden Globe Awards in January 2024. Instead of going for a full, all-white tuxedo, he went with the jacket, wide-leg pants and a thin t-shirt, which were beautifully accompanied by full-coverage shoes in the same creamy shade with an ultra-low black heel.

Oprah Winfrey

If you paid any attention to the many events that media mogul extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey went to in order to celebrate and promote the release of the musical The Color Purple, well, you’ll know that the many shades of that very hue were her choice for all of them. This included her time at the Golden Globes, where she capped her lovely, custom Louis Vuitton dress (which appears to be a shimmery, optical illusion-like crushed velvet) with grape-colored Manolo Blahnik shoes. So sophisticated, right?

Rachel Brosnahan

Talk about working a look! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star (who’s soon to be our new Lois Lane in Superman: Legacy) went all red for the Golden Globes and was a total stunner. She stepped out in a custom Sergio Hudson off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a slinky line of buttons from top to toe that opened about halfway down. Brosnahan is also in satiny, custom-made Christian Louboutin sandals with a thin ankle strap that perfectly sets off her whole outfit.

Selena Gomez

Only Murders in the Building superstar Selena Gomez has been on top since her teens, so she knows how to work a red carpet! Her Globes look featured one of the more intriguing gowns of the night; a glossy, deep red stunner with black accents and a full, hi-low hem that gave everyone a perfect look at her cool shoes in a lipstick shade of red that appeared to feature some holographic effects. Selena can do no wrong!

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (who really should be given her own Fast & Furious movie) hasn’t portrayed a queen more than once for nothing. She went to the Globes in a lavender ensemble that featured a bodice that gathered at her side and a sweeping skirt, topped with a two-tone cape (Yes, honey!) and extremely chunky, platform sandals in a shade of silver that perfectly matched her hair. Does glam get any better?

Jessica Williams

Speaking of royalty, Shrinking and Road House star Jessica Williams looked like an absolute princess as a nominee when she attended the Primetime Emmy Awards in January 2024. Williams wore a very ladylike custom-made off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown that was mostly black, with a hi-low hem that exposed fluffy layers of white tulle underneath. Her shoes are black and closed-toe but with netting near the top and three rather large crystal flowers, which only add to the regal look.

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey stepped out to the Emmys in a very clean, professional style that’s far different from what we usually see when it comes to suits at awards shows. The star, who’s currently working on The Last of Us Season 2 for HBO) is wearing four different colors (the forest green suit, a deep purple button-down shirt, a red turtleneck and deep burgundy shoes), but somehow it all works together to make a clean look. Speaking of the shoes, thick black soles and the silver medallion on each help to both make a statement and ground the whole outfit.

Joan Collins

Timeless style is called “timeless” for very good reasons, and that’s because anyone at any age can look good wearing it in any year! Dynasty legend Joan Collins presented at the Emmy Awards, and put on her finest pleated Jenny Packham gown in a silvery sky blue dotted with crystals. To complete her outfit, the longtime star chose a closed-toe shoe in a similar color with a little embellishment right on the top just made to peek out from under her long, caped dress.

Jeffrey Wright

It looks as though colors like red, maroon, and oxblood were kinda popular recently, doesn’t it? American Fiction lead Jeffrey Wright showed up for February 2024’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (where he was nominated for his role and as part of the cast as a whole) in a perfectly tailored tuxedo of the latter color that looked quite sharp. Even better? His sturdy shoes in a similar shade added just enough interest with different colors on the bottom.

Keith David

Shades of aubergine pretty much always help people stand out at events, and that’s even more true when you’re dressed in it head to toe and look as happy as Keith David did at the SAG awards. Also attending for American Fiction’s cast nomination, the star was, indeed, donning the color for his lovely suit with a nice sheen, tie and shirt in slightly different but still within the color family hue and, his shoes. David went with a simple shoe, but in a suede fabric that helps then stand out just a teensy bit.

Tyler James Williams

Again, head-to-toe in one color can work wonders for netting the wearer a truly memorable look, and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams definitely got the memo. He showed up and showed out for his SAG Awards appearance in a natty baby blue suit with a matching, sheer t-shirt underneath, and complimented the ‘fit with some extremely classy white shoes.

Lauren Daigle

Contemporary Christian music singer Lauren Daigle was able to celebrate her Grammy Award nominations at the ceremony in a standout of frilly navy blue and black tulle gown punctuated with multicolored accents by Shahar Avnet. But, the true winner of this ensemble might just be her shoes: white and blue polka-dotted John Fluevog sandals with a platform and a very cool sculpted heel.

CeeLo Green

Remember, wearing colors in one family from head to toe is gold…especially if you actually decide to wear different shades of actual gold! Former The Voice coach CeeLo Green headed to the Grammys with his lady friend looking like a statuette (as did she; her hair and lips are even gold), and if there was ever a time to do such a thing it’s at a major award show. Green capped off his very comfortable-looking outfit with simply styled gold shoes, because if you’re wearing all gold how many embellishments do you really need, anyway?

Fantasia Barrino

American Idol alum Fantasia Barrino was all set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards, but first, she had to hit the red carpet. And, it would be fair to say that her style for the night was also a hit, as she stepped out in a nude gown with black accents and paired the whole thing with black platform sandals that had alluring crisscrossing straps for days. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir

The star of Bob Marley: One Love, Kingsley Ben-Adir, also took a turn on the Grammy red carpet, and while his Gucci jacket and shirt in a nearly lime green color with black slacks are nearly casual in flair, anything but can be said about his footwear. The man gave some seriously good shoe in black loafers covered in silver studs, and these just might be the best shoes on the list!

As you can see, this awards season saw a lot of fabulous and daring shoe styles on the red carpet, and we are all the better for it!

There have been several actors who have had the honor of playing Commissioner James Gordon over the years. Gary Oldman brought a clever stoicism to the role for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and J.K. Simmons injected a certain kind of folksiness to the police commissioner in 2017’s Justice League. Now, Jeffrey Wright has taken on the task, and is the first Black actor to do so. Wright brought his own level of intensity to Matt Reeves’ gritty 2022 film The Batman, and is expected to return to the role in the upcoming sequel. The Oscar nominee recently opened up about what he wants to explore about Gordon, and what he hopes for the character ahead of The Batman Part II. 

In a recent interview for Discussing Film, Wright talked about his latest film, American Fiction, and what he is hoping to learn about James Gordon in the highly anticipated sequel to The Batman. There has been much teased about the future comic book film, like the full introduction of Barry Keoghan’s Joker and a new story surrounding Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader. However, Wright wants to dive deeper into Gordon’s psyche, and how his own sense of justice and persona parallels Bruce Wayne’s. He said:

Clearly Wright has given his character a lot of thought. While The Batman centers around the iconic vigilante, these comments offer poignant insight to the often-overlooked supporting role. Commissioner Gordon ends up siding with Batman because of a shared goal, but by doing so, he puts on his own mask. He acts as a symbol of moral righteousness, but enlists a violent vigilante to do his bidding. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition, and as a fan, I hope this is something unpacked in The Batman Part II, if not subsequent films in the series.

While Wright has a vision for what he hopes to explore with his character in the next Matt Reeves-directed Batman movie, he still doesn't know about what’s to come. The Westworld alum admitted to not yet seeing a script, and therefore is as in the dark as fans when it comes to the future of the franchise. He told the publication: 

We still don’t know much about The Batman Part II, but these statements by Wright indicate there is a script in the works, though he has yet to see it. Even without a clear vision for what the next film may look like, it also seems like he has been putting a lot of thought into his character while the movie is in development. Commissioner Gordon is a beloved character by many, so this level of consideration is definitely appreciated by fans. We have yet to fully dive into the psyche of the complex law enforcement character in previous on-screen iterations, so hopefully The Batman Part II is the one that gives Gordon the screen time he deserves. 

The Batman Part II isn’t expected to hit theaters until October 3, 2025, but in the meantime fans, can revisit Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon in The Batman, which is currently streaming with a Max subscription. It's also possible Wright could make a cameo appearance in The Penguin series for the streamer, which is set to premiere later this year. For more information on other related projects heading to the big and small screen in the near future, make sure to consult our premiere schedule for upcoming Batman movies and TV shows. 

The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, with various studios working on their own cinematic universes. But DC has also been producing some content set outside of the main universe, including The Batman. That franchise will expand with a Penguin series for those with a Max subscription, as well as a theatrical sequel, which is one of the most hotly anticipated upcoming DC movies. And actor Jeffrey Wright recently offered an honest update about The Batman: Part II.

What we know about The Batman: Part II is limited, and fans are eager to learn any information about what's coming next. Since there's a new DCU being formed, the upcoming sequel is especially exciting as it offers a chance to continue the story that began in the original blockbuster. Wright was recently asked Variety about where the sequel stands, saying:

There you have it. It sounds like not even the cast of The Batman has gotten the script or real information about what's coming in Part II. So the fans will likely have to be patient and wait for the development process to continue before we get any information about what to expect in the highly anticipated sequel. 

It sounds like The Batman 2 is still being written, and followers of the burgeoning franchise will instead have to look forward to The Penguin series to help satiate their hunger for a sequel. Hopefully some information will come to both the cast and the fans soon. 

This delay is presumably due to the writing process for The Batman: Part II, which will continue the story that began with the 2021 original. Matt Reeves spent a long time developing that flick before finally starting production with the likes of Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, and (of course) Jeffrey Wright. Fans are also eager to see Barry Keoghan's Joker, following his brief appearance in the last film. 

Narratively, it seems like The Batman: Part II could go just about anywhere. The franchise focuses on a Bruce Wayne who is still very early into his crime fighting career, and only interacted with a few of his iconic villains. Paul Dano's Riddler could seemingly come back, in addition to Penguin and The Joker. 

The Batman: Part II is currently expected to arrive in theaters on October 3rd, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

There are only two actors who I would categorize as chameleons, and they are Gary Oldman, and Jeffrey Wright. And by a chameleon, I mean an actor who is SO good, that I can watch an entire movie with them in it and not even realize that they're in the film until I read the end credits, to which I sometimes exclaim, “That was HIM?” 

 Jeffrey Wright seems to be everywhere right now, from being the voice of The Watcher in Marvel’s What If?... series, to FINALLY getting nominated for an Academy Award, but the man has built an entire career on “That was HIM?” So, here are just 12 must-see roles from the highly diverse actor.     

Jean-Michel Basquiat (Basquiat) 

Speaking of Gary Oldman, you get both him AND Jeffrey Wright in the movie, Basquiat, which is based on the life of the artist of the same name. 

While Basquiat may not be Jeffrey Wright’s first film, it’s definitely his breakout role. I’m not entirely sure if Jean-Michel Basquiat was actually like the person that Wright portrays in this movie (he seems kind of shy and quiet here, and I don’t get that impression of him from his often frantic artwork), Wright’s performance is gripping enough that you’re carried along all the same.  

Daniel Holt (Ride With The Devil) 

Ang Lee has made one of the best westerns of all time in Brokeback Mountain, but one western of his that often gets overlooked is Ride With the Devil, which is about the historical battle between the Bushwackers and the Jayhawks during the Civil War.  

For some context, the Bushwackers were on the Confederate side, and the Jayhawks were pro-North. In the film, Jeffrey Wright plays a former slave who had his freedom bought by his friend, who is a Bushwacker. So, yes, as a Black man, Wright’s character is, in a way, “riding with the devil.” But, it’s a unique performance, in a film that’s just rife with unique performances.   

Felix Leiter (Casino Royale/Quantum Of Solace) 

I’ll be honest. I am NOT a James Bond fan. But, do you know what? I am a Jeffrey Wright fan, and he totally rocked it as the famous James Bond ally, Felix Leiter.  

Leiter has, in the past, been played mostly by white actors (Bernie Casey played him in Never Say Never Again, though), but Wright just makes him out to be so cool at the card table as the “brother from Langley,” even though, as he claims, he’s “bleeding chips.” He’s not in Casino Royale (or Quantum of Solace, for that matter) for all that long, but when he’s there, you remember him.  

Colin Powell (W.) 

As a big Oliver Stone fan, I must admit, I don’t love the movie, W. For the most part, I feel like many of the actors were playing caricatures of the people who were in the White House at the time, rather than actually being them.

However, remember how I mentioned how I sometimes have no idea that Jeffrey Wright is in a movie until the end credits? Well, that was certainly the case with W., where I had no idea that he was the one portraying Colin Powell. Honestly, since I mostly only know Powell from interviews and pictures, I’m not really sure if this is the best representation of the former Secretary of State. But, I’ll tell you this: If Wright is playing him, it’s probably as close as possible.  

Beetee (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire/Mockingjay Parts 1 And 2) 

It was a while ago, but The Hunger Games movies were massive! And, while all four films featured an all-star cast, Jeffrey Wright as the District 3 tribute, Beetee, always stuck out for me.    

It might be because he’s always finishing the other District 3 tribute, Wiress’ sentences, or the fact that he’s so smart, and yet, has to be taught by Katniss how to make a fire. It’s a role that, on the surface, seems like it could be played by anyone, but then you realize that’s only because Wright’s acting is so effortless. Especially when he’s playing one of his many supporting roles.  

Various Characters (Angels In America) 

To call Angels in America just a story about AIDS would be reductive, as in truth, the HBO miniseries, which won tons of awards (including some for Jeffrey Wright), is essentially a story about people. People dealing with AIDS, of course, but people nonetheless. 

Wright played multiple characters in the miniseries, but the one he won awards for was as the nurse, Norman “Belize” Arriaga, where he is all-things-in-one, including a support system, a shoulder to cry on, and an angel in his own right. It’s a potent performance, and one of many where, though he’s not the main character, he certainly feels like it. 

Valentin Narcisse (Boardwalk Empire) 

Based on New York mobster Casper Holstein, Jeffrey Wright's Valentin Narcisse didn’t appear on the popular HBO drama until Season 4, but he made his presence felt immediately once he did. 

It’s probably because he’s just such a scumbag. Playing a Black nationalist, Narcisse is highly calculated in his moves, and you never once feel bad for him, because he makes such terrible decisions and hurts some of the only characters you actually like on the series. There is a sense of justice on the show, bleak as it may be, and what ultimately happens to Wright’s character is evidence of that. 

Bernard Lowe (Westworld) 

Westworld is an interesting case scenario, as Wright is primarily the main character of this HBO dystopian sci-fi show that lasted for four seasons. The series was a headtrip, and I’d be lying if I told you that I understood all of it. But, I always enjoyed Jeffrey Wright’s performance as the troubled Bernard Lowe.   

In a series that’s all about androids, there’s a lot to say about humanity here, and Bernard is the kind of character who you’re always wondering about and questioning. While the show was a bit hard to follow at times, Wright was a pleasure to try to unravel.  

Isaac Dixon (The Last Of Us Part II) 

We know a few things about Season 2 of The Last of Us, but what we don’t know is if Jeffrey Wright will play Isaac Dixon (or even if Isaac will show up in the next season), as the actor voiced him in the second video game.  

The cool thing about Isaac is that he’s a bad guy, but the forces of evil in The Last of Us are so great that you sometimes forget (especially since he’s an antagonist TO an antagonist – if, that is, you even SEE Abby as an antagonist). It’s an understated role, to be sure, but Wright has built his entire career on understated roles.   

Jim Gordon (The Batman) 

I mentioned Gary Oldman earlier, and it appears that these two actors’ careers keep seeming to intertwine for me, as like Oldman, who played Jim Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies, Jeffrey Wright also plays Gordon, but this time, in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.  

This Jim is much younger, so he’s just forming his partnership with the Caped Crusader. It’s a fascinating look at a character who always seems to have his head on his shoulders, as he is just learning the ropes, much like Batman himself. It’s a great performance.  

Adam Clayton Powell Jr. (Rustin) 

As I mentioned in my article on movies to watch for MLK Day, Jeffrey Wright played MLK in Boycott. But, in a strange turn of events, he also appears in Rustin, as a not-so-nice Congressman, Adam Clayton Powell Jr.  

Since Rustin is our protagonist, Powell Jr. acts as an antagonist of sorts since he doesn’t want Rustin on the team, because he is adamantly against homosexuality. It’s fascinating to watch Wright play both sides of the line, as he’s just so damn good.   

Dr. Thelonious "Monk" Ellison (American Fiction) 

Lastly, Wright’s most recent performance (and the one that finally got him that Best Actor nomination) is one for the ages. Based on the novel, Erasure, he plays a frustrated author who decides to write an outlandish novel that uses all of the Black stereotypical tropes imaginable, as a lark, and it ends up being a success.

Like many of his performances, it’s not overblown, and it revels in its nuances, but what else would you expect from one of Hollywood’s very few chameleons?

Jeffrey Wright is one of the best there is. For more news on the highly diverse actor, be sure to swing around here often!

One of the most original and exciting superhero movies in recent years has to be Matt Reeves’ The Batman. The 2022 movie, which stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, created a rich world surrounding the vigilante and his home of Gotham City. Fans have known since August 2022 that Reeves and Pattinson are returning for The Batman - Part II, of which some details are known. But where is the production ahead of its 2025 release date? Well, Jeffrey Wright just shared what he knows about the sequel, and it’s not the update I was hoping for. 

The actor, who memorably played GCPD officer James Gordon in The Batman, attended the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday after being nominated for Best Actor for his work in American Fiction. When he was asked about the latest on Part II, he said: 

While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Jeffrey Wright revealed that he’s yet to see a script for the sequel, which probably means that Matt Reeves and co-writer Mattson Tomlin are still hammering down the story and dialogue. If you're like me, then you'll probably find that to be a bit of a bummer, given that means filming hasn't started and there's no indication as to when it may begin. Wright also had this to say: 

Jeffrey Wright may not know what’s next for Gordon, but the actor sounds very excited to step back into the world of Gotham alongside Robert Pattinson. Right now, we don’t know much about casting aside from Pattinson’s return, though I'm curious if Barry Keoghan will step back in the makeup chair for his Joker after his small appearance in The Batman. 

While it was previously reported about a year ago that The Batman - Part II might begin filming in November 2023 that was before the 2023 WGA writers strike shook up Hollywood in a big way. Due to that work stoppage, writers were at a standstill from May 1 to late September. So it's more than likely that that had a huge impact on the development of the sequel.

That being said, the film is all set to be released on October 3, 2025, as part of the list of upcoming DC movies. This update makes a little uneasy, as I don't want to see this become one of those major superhero movies that comes against a hard deadline and doesn't have enough time to percolate. Let's hope that filming gets started sooner rather than later and that the finished flick lives up to its predecessor.

At least while we wait for The Batman - Part II (alongside Jeffrey Wright), we can look forward to the Colin Farrell-led spinoff series The Penguin first. That's expected to start streaming in 2024.  

It's not hard to see how an actor might find a special challenge in playing Marvel's The Watcher a.k.a. Uatu. After all, the character is an otherworldly being who, with a mandate to stay neutral, is able to peer through the multiverse and witness the miracles of infinity. That's a lot for an actor to wrap their mind around, but Jeffrey Wright did a phenomenal job with the role in season one of the Disney+ original series What If...?, and following that experience, he has brought what he describes as new dimensions to Uatu for What If...? Season 2.

Wright has been having an excellent 2023, earning acclaim for his work in movies like American Fiction, Rustin and Asteroid City, and last week, I had the pleasure of chatting with him about his latest contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Reflecting on everything that The Watcher went through in Season 1, I asked the actor how he perceives change in the character compared to who he was when we were first introduced to him in "What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?" and he explained how he sees the evolution in Uatu and how it changed his approach:

For those who don't recall, the "Rubicon" to which Jeffrey Wright is referring is Uatu's battle  in What If...? Season 1 with the villain who has been dubbed Infinity Ultron. In the eighth episode of the premiere run ("What If... Ultron Won?"), the sentient A.I. designed by Tony Stark becomes so powerful that it is actually able to perceive the presence of The Watcher and defeats him in battle. Managing to escape, the multiversal entity then made the decision in the show's finale to break his oath of non-interference and recruit heroes to destroy Infinity Ultron. This was accomplished, and as such, The Watcher can no longer be seen as just an observer, but also a defender of existence.

Thus far in What If...? Season 2, we've seen Uatu back in spectator mode, watching the events that transpire in "What If... Nebula Joined the Nova Corps?" "What If... Peter Quill Attacked Earth's Mightiest Heroes?" and "What If... Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?" but there are surprises on the way, and they are coming very soon. The run is premiering daily for Disney+ subscribers (the new episodes streaming starting this past Friday), and six more episodes are set to roll out between now and the start of 2024. Keep checking out the streaming service regularly for new adventures, and as always, you can learn everything you need to know about the MCU's developing slate of projects with our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides.

Rustin is an upcoming Netflix movie about civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and his impact on the success of the 1963 March on Washington. It’s partly a biopic and partly a drama about the struggle for equal rights in the 1960s. There are many great civil rights and social justice movies, but this one resonated with me when I saw an early screening at the Chicago International Film Festival. 

I am not arguing that this is the best movie ever on the Civil Rights Movement, but it’s one that captures the period well, is full of captivating performances and tells a compelling story about a historical moment that changed the world. It made men into legends. However, Bayard Rustin’s legacy remained lost in this story, and Rustin allows him to reclaim it. 

It Feels Like It Rights A Wrong 

I cannot deny my own ignorance when it comes to the Civil Rights Movement. I only know what was taught to me about it in school, through my parents’ own personal experience with it (which isn’t much because they were young at that time) and what movies and television series taught me about it. I wish I could say I read a million books about the Civil Rights Movement, but I have not. I know major figures from it, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and other well-known activists, but I know very little about the other amazing men and women who helped the fight for equality. Therefore, I had never heard of Bayard Rustin before watching Rustin.

The film offers some answers to why Rustin isn’t as well-known as other figures in the Civil Rights Movement. The film wants to showcase him and spotlight him so his name is no longer forgotten when people talk about this movement. The film won’t allow any more erasing due to certain prejudices because of his sexuality. It took many decades, but it feels like this movie finally gives Rustin the praise he deserved, and still does, as such an important figure in helping fight for equal rights. 

Rustin Highlights Some Civil Rights Figures That May Have Been Forgotten 

An interesting technique that Rustin uses is highlighting the names and jobs of many of the people involved in organizing the 1963 March on Washington and important civil rights figures. Some of the figures are already quite prominent, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, but others may no longer be common names. 

Drawing attention to all these figures allows Rustin director George C. Wolfe to not only give Rustin a spotlight, but also many major people who helped the movement in various ways. There are a lot of great Black history movies, but it still feels like so many important Black figures are often overlooked and not highlighted, by Hollywood and the general history books. 

Movies like Rustin encourage more conversations about the collective that led to equal rights. It inspires people to learn about other Black historical figures who made a difference, and ones who continue to make a difference in bettering the lives of others. The film made me want to broaden my knowledge of the other important Civil Rights Movement activists.  

The Entire Cast Gives Captivating Performances 

Colman Domingo is phenomenal in Rustin. Domingo, in my opinion, has always been one of those very underrated actors who gives consistent compelling performances. However, he’s often playing a supporting character. Rustin gives him an opportunity to lead a movie, and he does it so well. The supporting cast of Rustin is also very good. 

Aml Ameen gives a standout supporting performance as Martin Luther King Jr. It is so good that it should be part of the required viewing for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There have been a lot of great King Jr. performances, and he just adds to that trend, as he embodies King in Rustin. Jeffrey Wright, CCH Pounder, Glynn Turman, Johnny Ramey and Michael Potts are also among the many sensational performances in Rustin. I am not sure if the film will get nominated for Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars, but it should receive at least one or two acting nominations. 

Domingo's performance as Rustin should earn him an Academy Award nomination. If it doesn’t, it will become another major snub. 

It Adds A New Light To A Major Event Of The Civil Rights Movement 

The 1963 March on Washington centers the film. Everything is leading up to this event. If you know anything about Black history and the Civil Rights Movement, you know the basics of this event. Rustin goes further and dramatizes it in a way that shows all the tension and obstacles that could have derailed it. It makes Rustin’s part in making this event a success so much more impressive and momentous. 

The film also acts as a reminder that there were a lot of important parts that helped make this event such an important piece of the movement. Most of Rustin leads up to the event. Once it finally happens, there are flashes of it. It’s enough to sort of capture the vibe and tone. You briefly feel like you’re transported to this historical moment. 

It Doubles As A Biopic And A Thrilling Drama 

Rustin is not only a movie about a Black man during a time when the color of your skin could get you killed, but a gay man at a time when who you loved could also end your life. Rustin is a great movie with LGBTQ+ representation because it addresses how his sexuality also leads to prejudice against him, even by some in the Black community who should have supported him. It shows his struggles and triumphs with sympathy and joy. Unlike other great biopics, Rustin doesn’t really give an overview of his entire life. 

It starts at this pivotal moment in it. Yes, you see some early memories, but you really have to infer and interpret things based on his demeanor, philosophy and some stories about his past. The storytelling choices in Rustin allow you to learn about this important historical figure and enjoy a dramatic movie. The movie manages to balance Rustin's story with a compelling story of overcoming personal and global obstacles. Despite Rustin’s many challenges, he radiates light. His charm and charisma make him likable and powerful. 

It Shows What Can Be Accomplished When People Work Together

Rustin is about Rustin but it’s also about how these individuals came together to create something so life-changing that it became one of the most defining moments in history. One of the movie’s messages is the power of a collective. The 1963 March on Washington couldn’t have been as successful without Rustin, but also all the individuals who played their part in it. 

I am someone who strongly believes in the power of 'we' over the power of 'me,' so I appreciate when movies emphasize and promote this ideology. Greatness is rarely achieved alone. 

Rustin premieres in theaters on November 3 and then hits Netflix on November 17. It’s one of the upcoming 2023 movies that you can’t miss. 

Over the past decade-and-a-half, Jeffrey Wright has cemented his legacy as one of the great character actors of our time thanks to outstanding performances in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and as Felix Leiter in the Daniel Craig 007 films, to name just a couple of his standout roles. By the end of the 2023 movie schedule, he’ll add another potentially great movie to that list with the upcoming American Fiction.

If this is the first you’re hearing of American Fiction, stick around, because we have a considerable amount of information about its release date, cast, story, and how The Good Place and Watchmen writer Cord Jefferson plans to make this a satirical movie that avoids becoming farcical. Let’s break down what could very well be a film we discuss a great deal in future Oscars conversations. 

What Is The American Fiction Release Date?

American Fiction is set for a limited release on December 15, 2023, with a larger rollout the following week, on December 22, 2023. The movie was originally slated for a November release, but it was moved back a month to take advantage of the holiday season, according to Variety.

The American Fiction Cast Includes Jeffrey Wright, Issa Rae, And Sterling K. Brown

American Fiction features a large ensemble cast of tremendous and decorated actors who all bring a lot to the table. Jeffrey Wright leads as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a struggling author who, in a fit of rage, writes a satirical novel that soon takes the world by storm. Issa Rae plays Sinatra Golden, a successful author whose own depiction of the Black community inspires Monk to write a crass novel filled with stereotypes. And Sterling K. Brown comes into the picture as Monk’s brother, Clifford “Cliff” Ellison, who looks like he couldn’t be any more unlike his sibling.

Other members of the American Fiction cast include Tracee Ellis Ross, Syler Wright, Leslie Uggams, Erika Alexander, John Ortiz, and Adam Brody, Collider has reported.  

The American Fiction Trailer Shows Off The Most Lucrative Joke Ever Told

In October 2023, MGM gave us the first proper look into the world of Thelonious “Monk” Ellison with the release of the American Fiction trailer. This two-and-a-half-minute video not only introduces Jeffrey Wright’s character, and just about everyone in his immediate and not-so-immediate orbit, it also teases the tone and satirical humor of its comedic story. The trailer highlights the most lucrative joke ever told. See for yourself:

If the preview is any indication, we may be looking at the greatest performance of Wright’s career, which is saying something considering he’s appeared in some of the best Wes Anderson movies, played Jean-Michel Basquiat, and been a go-to ally for characters like James Bond and Batman over the years. But to see Wright’s Monk in all his glory, we’ll have to wait for American Fiction to hit theaters.

American Fiction Centers On A Writer Who Pens A Satirical Novel Under A Pseudonym And Deals With The Fallout Of Its Success

American Fiction centers on Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright), an author and English professor whose career hasn’t gone anywhere because (according to The Hollywood Reporter) his work isn’t considered “Black enough” by critics and audiences. However, that all changes when Monk writes a satirical novel using a pseudonym that takes off and becomes an immediate success. 

What follows is a man coming to terms with fame, his own identity, and how his worldviews are challenged by this new and radically different novel. And, by the looks of it, American Fiction will contain elements of all kinds of genres ranging from comedy to drama to biting social commentary and explorations of the self. 

Though American Fiction is satirical, director Cord Jefferson also wanted to ground it enough in reality to avoid turning it into something that could be viewed as a farce. When speaking with Deadline around the time of the film’s world premiere at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, the writer-turned-director discussed his process of adapting the Erasure novel into American Fiction, saying:

Jefferson, who previously worked on shows like Master of None, Station Eleven, and the hit HBO drama series Succession, explained later in the interview that he was drawn both to the satirical elements of Percival Everett’s 2001 novel, on which the film is based, as well as the family elements present throughout the story. In fact, many of the conversations brought up in the novel were ones he was already having in his own life when it came to being a Black creative.

American Fiction Is An Adaptation Of Percival Everett’s Novel, Erasure

There are quite a few upcoming book-to-screen adaptations set for release in the near future, and you can add American Fiction to that list of movies that also stand a chance to be up for at least a couple of Academy Awards and other accolades. Cord Jeffereson’s satirical film is based on Percival Everett’s novel, Erasure, a dark comedy about an author who writes a satirical story in a fit of frustration after his more serious work isn’t deemed adequately black.

The novel, which was republished by Graywolf Press in 2011, saw the Monk character go from having his more serious manuscript rejected by more than a dozen publishers to having his satirical novel become the next big thing. At the time of its original publication, a New York Times review of Erasure said the novel contained “equal measures of sympathy and satire” in its approach to the topic of “being black enough.”

What Is The Critical Response To American Fiction?

We’re still several months out from the 96th Academy Awards, but Jeffrey Wright is one of the early Oscar contenders. Following its premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, American Fiction was presented with the People’s Choice Award, beating out other decorated films like Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers and Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. 

When the 2024 Golden Globes nominations were announced in December 2023, it was revealed that American Fiction received nods in two categories: Best Picture, Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. Those nominations, combined with praise surrounding the film since its debut, make a strong case for it doing well this awards season.    

What Is American Fiction Rated?

If you’re looking for a movie to watch with the family over the holidays or around the start of the new year, American Fiction might not be the most kid-friendly option for you. According to FilmRatings.com, Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut is rated R for language, drug use, sexual references, and brief violence. It doesn’t sound like the movie is extreme by any means, but do keep the rating in mind.

How Long Is American Fiction?

American Fiction isn’t the shortest movie of the year, but it’s also not going to require you to spend three-and-a-half hours in your seat like Killers of the Flower Moon. According to AMC Theatres, the new satirical comedy has a runtime of one hour, 57 minutes.

Well, now that we know everything there is to know about American Fiction, all there is left to do is make a plan to see it when it hits a theater near you. If you’re interested to see what’s coming out a little later on, check out our 2024 movie schedule for all the latest.

Every fall, three film festivals run back-to-back that help to shape the annual race for Academy Awards glory. The Venice Film Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival program their collective slates with movies that hope to contend for year-end accolades, so experts head to these film meccas hoping to see the stories, performances, and craftwork that will contend for the top Oscars, handed out in March 2024. 

In collaboration with AMC Theatres, which aims to make modern movie masterpieces available to cinema fans through their AMC Artisan Films program, CinemaBlend traveled to Toronto for several days of movie screenings at TIFF 2023. And we left with a better sense of some contenders in multiple Oscar categories that we believe will be part of the conversation as the awards season heats up. Some of the names are very familiar, and tend to see themselves in the Oscar race time after time. Others, however, are complete surprises that still turned our heads, and deserve recognition. Here are nine Oscar contenders that emerged from the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. 

Jamie Foxx, The Burial

Jamie Foxx is no stranger to the Academy Awards, having won Best Actor for playing Ray Charles, and earning a nomination acting opposite Tom Cruise in Collateral. Foxx has made headlines as of late for his health scares, but his performance as a slick, fast-talking attorney in the legal courtroom thriller The Burial puts the conversation back on his charismatic screen presence. It’s a story based on true events, where a lawyer helps an underdog funeral home owner (Tommy Lee Jones) protect his business against a conglomerate. The Academy loves those types of stories, and Foxx is just that good.

Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario

For a while now, Nicolas Cage has enjoyed a run where he basically plays “Nic Cage” on screen. Even when he’s Dracula in Renfield or an alternate Superman in The Flash, he’s still recognizable as the quirky character actor. But in Dream Scenario, Cage loses himself completely to play a schlubby college professor who begins showing up in everyone’s dreams… and starts getting used to the attention that comes with this phenomenon. With a push by A24, Cage easily could get into the Best Actor race (though it’s a competitive year, as our next selection will prove). 

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Alexander Payne once mined Paul Giamatti’s particular brand of fussiness for Oscar glory in the 2004 comedy Sideways. Their latest collaboration would strike similar chords in awards voters, as Giamatti relishes the particular role of a private school teacher ordered to chaperone the prep students who have no place to go over Christmas break. Payne’s attention to period detail is impeccable, and this absolutely will earn a Best Picture nomination (see below). But Giamatti is a huge part of the reason why The Holdovers works so well, and I predict he’ll be in the Best Actor conversation.  

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

It’s a strong year for male performances so far, which means someone is going to have to be left out. Don‘t bet against Jeffrey Wright, the beloved character actor who receives his own version of a Sideways-style midlife crisis comedy in American Fiction. He plays esteemed author “Monk” Ellison, who returns home to Boston to care for his impaired mother and wrestles with family, a potential new love, and a fresh direction for his writing career. Wright is spectacular – no real surprise – and deserves Oscar consideration… particularly after American Fiction won the coveted Audience Award at TIFF.  

Jessica Chastain, Memory

Often, you won’t even know that a movie is coming until it makes a splash on the festival circuit. And you would think that a movie that pairs Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard would be on our radar. But it wasn’t until Chastain attended the Venice Film Festival on behalf of Memory that we started paying attention to the story of former friends who reconnect at a high school reunion, mainly because reviews went nuts for Chastain. Can she ride that wave to an Oscar nomination? It would be her fourth, and would arrive on the heels of her winning for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. 

Ava DuVernay, Origin 

Never count Ava DuVernay out of awards consideration, especially when she’s exploring history, racial strife, and social controversies. The director surprised the industry when she sent her newest film, Origin, to both Venice and Toronto. But once the reviews started rolling in, it became clear that DuVernay’s unique adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste would become a major player in the upcoming Oscars race. The film decimated our own Corey Chichizola, who called it the best movie he saw at TIFF 2023. And in addition to the awards buzz for leading lady Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), the chances of Origin earning a Best Picture nomination are also high.

The Holdovers

When you finally see Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, you will know that it’s the ideal picture the Academy loves. That’s not a slight. Traditionally, there’s a formula, and when movie’s follow it well, they earn Oscars love. Payne is a pedigreed director, working off a dependable screenplay from David Hemingson. He has a terrific ensemble led by the great Paul Giamatti. The movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It’s a solid double smacked right between the shortstop and the second baseman. Enjoy it for what it is.  

Anatomy Of A Fall

Every once in a while, an international film makes its way into the Best Picture race. Roma, Amour, and Life is Beautiful are part of the ranks. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture! So the door has been kicked open, and it’s possible that Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall walks through this year. The German true-crime thriller rides along on a stellar lead performance by Sandra Huller, playing a successful author who becomes the lead suspect in her husband’s death. There are twists, and there are turns. And they all might lead to a Best Picture nomination when the nominees are announced early next year. 

Look for these, and other upcoming 2023 movies, as they make their way to an AMC Theatres near you – and possibly also onto their curated list of AMC Artisan films – in the coming weeks and months. 

Warning: spoilers for Asteroid City are in play. If you haven’t seen this movie just yet, you’ve been warned. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t go to sleep.” It’s the line that pops up out of nowhere and stuns audiences in Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City, which is about to open in wide release this weekend. The 2023 new movie release is one of his most experimental, thanks in part to this philosophical broadside that plows into a movie already navigating two realms of reality. So I had to ask the cast about this baffling statement from the film, who in turn have provided some interesting interpretations of their own. 

While speaking with Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright, Brody immediately picked up on the question at hand. Though he deferred the question to his interview partner, which allowed Wright to rope in some knowledge from a previous Wes Anderson movie. Sharing his thoughts with CinemaBlend, the actor's interpretation of this mystery is quite intriguing: 

Indeed, the ending to Asteroid City seems to be playing in the same sort of themes that The French Dispatch’s various finales all took part in. In Wright’s summation of the more recent movie’s conclusion, it would appear that Wes Anderson has played with some massively relevant social themes in his more recent films.

One could even expand that opinion to cover The Grand Budapest Hotel, and its charmingly whimsical caper set against a nation sinking under a growing tide of fascism. Just like with his previous filmography, the trailer for Asteroid City hides this greater playground of thought in the usual candy colored settings and stylistic choices the independent auteur has always used to get his message across. 

Looking at Asteroid City in the context of modern day issues was the common thread that ran through the rest of the rooms I interviewed as well. When speaking with Hope Davis and Steven Park, their read on “You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” tied into another key piece of dialogue delivered by Adrien Brody’s Schubert Green. Piecing together the themes of the picture a little more in their own way, here’s Davis and Park’s reactions: 

Steven Park: Well it’s a little bit of a zen koan, that’s my interpretation, where you can’t quite understand it intellectually. But the idea of waking up to the present moment, waking up to wonder. I think that’s kind of what Wes is pointing to, that there is something that’s beyond what we can understand. And like what Adrien Brody’s character is saying to Jason’s character about, ’Just keep on telling the story You’re doing great. You don’t need to understand it. Just keep moving forward.’’

Hope Davis: Me too, that’s my favorite line in the movie. … I feel every day that I’m battling this wave of information and digital content. To me it’s about saying we have to put it down, and go to sleep. It’s very literal in a way, we have to find a way to get back to a more natural rhythm of actually detaching from the world. Letting your brain shut down, so you could actually be with the person that you’re facing the next day; rather than everyone kind of existing in this half kind of awake, half there/half not there. I think this is something that Wes must have a strong opinion about, because you never see him distracted. I’ve never seen him hold a phone, I don’t know if he has a phone. But I think it’s like, we’ve gotta reconnect. 

Park: I think we tend to, especially because we’re all connected to social media and whatever, we tend to walk around in this trance state. And it’s kind of a call to, ‘Hey, wake up. There’s something happening in front of you right here, right now.’

Already some have picked up on the possibility that Wes Anderson took the events of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other current events of dismay, and expressed his own thoughts on those themes in Asteroid City. Hope Davis’ thoughts especially opened the door to a moral that encourages us to stop doom-scrolling and go back to dreaming. 

It was all brought home in the final room for the day, as Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend were my final stop on this tour of talk. Returning to that question one last time, their sentiments aligned perfectly with their cast mates, while also adding a deeper context. What Hawke and Friend provided to CinemaBlend is as follows: 

Maya Hawke: I think it means if you don’t take the time to rest, and to let go, you’ll never really have awareness of what’s happening in the world around you. Anyone can have a different interpretation, but awakeness in terms of like spiritual awakeness and presence in your own life; being present. And you can’t really be present if you don’t let yourself rest.

Rupert Friend: I would go a little bit more into the sort of meditation side of things. I think it’s about shedding the ego in the sense of ‘I,’ and remembering that everything is connected. And if you want to enter that dream, it is a true dream, then you drop this notion of ‘us and them.’ 

No matter which film of his you’re discussing, the unifying element throughout Wes Anderson’s movies is that they’re all set in a world slightly removed from ours. Whether it’s through varying layers of reality, or even in the context of aspect ratios and varying time periods, we the audience aren’t in the same world as the characters of a film like Asteroid City. 

The question of whether that makes Anderson’s message easier or more difficult to access is up to interpretation. This is probably part of why the cast took part in that Wes Anderson TikTok trend, as a good way to sell a movie of such a complex tone. 

“You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep” is one of the lines people will be dissecting for some time to come after experiencing it firsthand. If you’re ready to take this wild ride of aliens, quarantines, martini vending machines, and theater for yourself, Asteroid City is currently in theaters. Just remember, you can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep. But if you fall asleep at the wrong time, you could miss one of the most Wes Anderson shots in the film.

It’s still going to be some time before the James Bond movies find a new face to present to the public. The scrum of actors looking to test for this role of a lifetime is beginning to comment to the press just what their 00-hopes and dreams would look like. Asteroid City’s Rupert Friend is one of the latest potential candidates to do so, and in a recent chat, he shared with me what his ideal portrayal of 007 would feel like. 

Meanwhile, his co-star and Bond veteran Jeffrey Wright has told us why he’s excited for Friend to potentially land the role, and both of these men have me even more excited for the future. 

How Rupert Friend Describes His Ideal James Bond

To be fair, this wasn’t a random question out of the blue on my end. As much as I’m a James Bond fan, I don’t go asking any actor what they think their ideal tone as 007 would be. Thanks to as a recent interview with Variety, it was revealed that Friend feels he’s ready to be considered for the role years after turning down an audition opportunity for Casino Royale.

With that knowledge, I went into the press day for Asteroid City hoping to ask the man himself what his Commander Bond would feel like. As such, here’s what Rupert Friend told CinemaBlend about his ideal image of Ian Fleming’s legendary creation:

"Between the danger and the twinkle" is one of the best descriptions I think anyone’s ever given to Sean Connery’s James Bond movies. While he was definitely a brawler who could kill in cold blood, the man could also turn the charm on like nobody’s business. After watching Rupert Friend playing the roles of both cowboy Montana and actor Asquith Eden, a much less severe example of shifting tones is a good test for his ability to dance between those two ends of the Bond spectrum.

Friend has also shown himself ready for the action part of the equation through movies like Hitman: Agent 47 and series like Disney+'s Obi Wan Kenobi. Of course, it helps to also have someone familiar with the world of Bond to be in your corner. Lucky for Rupert, Jeffrey Wright is just that sort of person.

Why 007 Vet Jeffrey Wright Is Behind Rupert Friend’s Potential Casting

It would have been a crime not to ask Jeffrey Wright his opinion about a potential run for Rupert Friend’s 007. Serving as the Felix Leiter during the era of Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies, the Westworld star was a crucial part to the development of this most recent run of adventures.

So during that same Asteroid City press day, I asked Jeffery what he thought of Rupert’s potential as the next James Bond. With his rich experience in the franchise at the ready, along with his charming presence, Jeffrey Wright shared these thoughts with CinemaBlend about a hypothetically Friend-ly 007: 

For those of you who might be holding out hope that Wright could return as Felix Leiter for another age of 007, don’t get your hopes up. Jeffrey’s feelings about exiting after No Time To Die still hold true, as the actor joked about “the Ghost of Felix” when asked about such a prospect, followed by a reassuring “we had a good run.” 

While I’ll admit I pitched those hopes into the room because of enjoying Jeffrey Wright’s “brother from Langley” so much during his time throughout the series, I can’t disagree that the run is over, and it was indeed a good one. It also frees him up for movies like Asteroid City, in which his character, General Gibson, gets one of the best moments of deadpan comedy. 

You can see Rupert Friend, Jeffrey Wright and the rest of the Asteroid City cast partaking in the dryly humorous antics of Wes Anderson real soon, depending on where you are in the country. This weekend marks the picture’s New York and Los Angeles debuts, while a wider release is set for June 23rd. For all other titles on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases, you don’t have to look much further for where that information resides. 

Fans of HBO’s Westworld were delivered a shock late last week, when the award-winning dystopian sci-fi drama was canceled ahead of its fifth season. Despite its twisty plots and exciting commentary on humanity vs. artificial intelligence, Westworld was apparently the victim of an aggressive cost-cutting mandate enacted by the network. The series’ big budget, combined with declining ratings over the past two seasons, proved to be its downfall, but it turns out the A+ cast members are still going to get paid.

Deadline reports that Westworld’s actors had “pay-or-play deals” for Season 5, ensuring that the cast — which includes Aaron Paul, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris, James Marsden, Tessa Thompson and Jeffrey Wright — will still be paid, despite the cancellation. The site reports that contracts may have been renegotiated ahead of Season 4, and that networks making such guarantees to its actors is not unusual, particularly for ensemble casts that might be difficult to reassemble otherwise.

HBO is expected to pay out between $10 million and $15 million to the actors, which is still considerably more financially feasible than paying for another season, as THR reports that Season 4 cost “at least $160 million” to make what turned out to be its final eight episodes.

Despite ratings for Westworld dropping for 2020’s Season 3, and falling further two years later when it returned from pandemic-related delays, co-creator Jonathan Nolan said he’d always planned for a fifth and final season. It’s terribly frustrating for fans, including myself, to know there was a plan that would bring the often-confusing storylines to a conclusion, and now we will likely never get to see that play out.

Over its four seasons, the series accumulated 54 Primetime Emmy nominations, taking home nine trophies. There’s no question the HBO drama has made its mark on the TV world, with another good benchmark of that being the fact that it was brilliantly parodied in The Simpsons’ annual Halloween “Treehouse of Horror” episode this year.

As the actors will still collect a check from HBO, we can keep up with them through their other projects. Evan Rachel Wood can currently be seen with a spot-on portrayal of Madonna on The Roku Channel’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. And following Teddy’s surprising return to Westworld Season 4, you can take a look at any of James Marsden’s best movies and TV shows.

There may not be any more stories from the Divine on their way, but the first four seasons of Westworld are still available to stream for fans with an HBO Max subscription. You can also check out some of HBO Max’s best original series, and see what’s coming to cable and streaming for the rest of the year with our 2022 TV schedule. 

Dynamic duos are hard to come by, and actor Jeffrey Wright would know a thing or two about that very fact. Just as the actor is coming off of his run as Felix Leiter in the Daniel Craig era of James Bond movies, he finds himself aiding Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader of Gotham in The Batman. While the timing seems so perfect it had to be planned, that's not exactly why Wright took his exit along with Craig.

As he promoted his new role of Jim Gordon in this weekend’s box office frontrunner, Wright recounted how the end of an era marked the closing of a chapter in his acting history. Playing the role of James Bond’s CIA counterpart since Casino Royale’s introduction to the Craig era, the symmetry was so undeniable that Jeffrey Wright noted it as follows, in his interview with THR:

“Appropriate” is one way of putting it, as No Time To Die saw both Felix Leiter and James Bond dying in the name of saving the world. Both operatives would sacrifice their lives to take down Rami Malek’s villainous Safin in the 25th Bond movie, with Felix being betrayed by his supposed ally Logan Ash (Billy Magnussen). Meanwhile, Commander Bond’s bittersweet end would come thanks to the story’s explosive ending, which took out Ian Fleming’s superspy in the name of protecting those he loved.

On the surface, it makes a lot of sense for Jeffrey Wright and Daniel Craig to leave after No Time To Die, as the era of continuity that was cemented in Quantum of Solace would seem to dictate that. However, that hasn’t always been the case in the past, as one actor did manage to play Felix Leiter to two different Bonds. That distinction goes to the late David Hedison, who partnered with Roger Moore in Live and Let Die and Timothy Dalton in License To Kill.

In his three movie run as Felix, Jeffrey Wright made history as the first actor to consistently show up as the character for one 007, and for the most films. While other cast members like Naomie Harris are both holding out hope to return, but also suggesting killer successors for their posts, it sounds like Wright has made his exit final. Leaving behind his own killer reinvention of a classic Bond fixture, it’s going to be just as hard finding the next Felix Leiter as it will be hunting down the next 007.

Just as you’d expect, there’s no new information on when we’ll find out who that next James Bond will be. Though if you go by the latest James Bond betting odds at the time of this writing, some clear favorites have made themselves known. If you want to see more of Jeffrey Wright, you can catch him opposite Robert Pattinson in The Batman, which is in theaters now.

Warning: This video contains very mild spoilers. If you want to go see The Batman completely blind, bookmark this page and come back after you've seen the movie.

The stars of The Batman including Robert Pattinson (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Zoë Kravitz (Catwoman/Selina Kyle), Colin Farrell (The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot), Paul Dano (The Riddler/Edward Nashton), Jeffrey Wright (James Gordon) and John Turturro (Carmine Falcone) discuss their new DC movie in this interview with CinemaBlend Managing Editor Sean O'Connell.

Video Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro
• 00:12 - Are Bats Cute or Scary? Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz Weigh In
• 00:55 - Robert Pattinson On The ‘Strangely Difficult’ Scene That Took ‘About A Million Takes’
• 01:26 - Colin Farrell On The Unexpected Benefits Of Wearing So Much Prosthetics As The Penguin
• 02:45 - Paul Dano On The Process Of Creating The Riddler’s Iconic Props
• 03:40 - Robert Pattinson On The Line Between Playing Bruce Wayne and Batman
• 05:03 - Jeffrey Wright On What It Was Like Having Batman Punch Gordon
• 05:52 - John Turturro’s DC-Employed Son Approves Of His Carmine Falcone Performance
• 06:38 - Zoë Kravitz Talks Selina Kyle’s Shifting Performance And The Film That Inspired Her Dynamic With Batman
• 07:43 - Paul Dano On The Iconic Prison Confrontation Between The Riddler And Batman
• 09:17 - Colin Farrell On Joel Schumacher’s Batman Legacy
• 10:33 - Jeffrey Wright Dodges Questions About HBO Max’s Gotham PD Series
• 11:21 - Colin Farrell Is Excited To Potentially Play The Penguin Again On HBO Max

You can see The Batman in theaters on March 4.

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Supporting Actor race. 

Locked In

Kodi Smit-McPhee has surprisingly emerged as a potential winner in the category for his role in The Power of the Dog, with over 20 critics awards and a Golden Globe win now to his name. McPhee’s skilled, understated performance doesn’t fit the typical mold of an Oscar winner, but strong praise for the film as a whole will carry him far. 

The other near-lock in this category is Troy Kotsur for his heartwarming performance in CODA. Earlier in the year, many speculated that the actor would be too much of an unknown to snag a nomination. Now, him and McPhee are the only actors with Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and SAG nominations. He’s likely to be the second deaf actor ever nominated for an Academy Award, 35 years after his co-star Marlee Matlin got her lead actress nomination, and win, for Children of a Lesser God.

Likely Bets

What to do about the Belfast boys? Jamie Dornan and Ciaran Hinds were both widely expected to share the category in a similar fashion to Kaluuya and Stanfield in last year’s Judas and the Black Messiah, DeNiro and Pacino in The Irishman, and Rockwell and Harrelson in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. However, SAG threw an unexpected curveball by nominating neither performer. The debacle recalls that of 2015’s Spotlight, where both Keaton and Ruffalo missed SAG, despite both securing Critics Choice nominations. Only Ruffalo went onto an Oscar nomination. This town may not be big enough for the two, and if one performer is to triumph over the other, it’ll likely be Hinds, who has more traction from critics awards. Dornan may still be overcoming his Fifty Shades reputation whereas Hinds is a long under-appreciated veteran character actor.

Then there’s Jared Leto for House of Gucci who, despite receiving mixed reactions from critics, has remained in the conversation due to the sheer volume of his performance. It’s capital A acting at its… most. SAG and Critics Choice voters had no problem with that.

Bradley Cooper’s extremely limited screen-time in Licorice Pizza seemed for a while like it would prevent the Academy favorite from securing another nomination. The Screen Actors Guild disagreed, giving him a crucial nomination that has thrown him back into the conversation. It also helps that he is riding the wave of a Best Picture contender.

Dark Horses

Ben Affleck now has a SAG and Golden Globe nomination for his performance in The Tender Bar, though his role is really the only buzz coming out of that film. I feel his path recalls that of Bill Murray in On the Rocks, or Jared Leto in The Little Things last year. He has some key nominations, but I am doubtful that he’ll make it to the finish line. His absence from the BAFTA longlist confirms that suspicion for me. 

J.K. Simmons could benefit from Kidman’s strength in the Best Actress race for his role as William Frawley in Being the Ricardos, but he only has a Critics Choice nomination to his name so far. Mike Faist earned a BAFTA nomination but has missed pretty much everything else, despite being a major standout in West Side Story. The film is such a heavyweight, however, that we can’t count him out entirely. I could also see a world where Jesse Plemons rides The Power of the Dog’s momentum to a supporting actor nomination alongside McPhee.

Unfortunately, Robin de Jesús’s role in Tick, tick… Boom! doesn’t have much traction despite the film’s strength in Best Picture. Jeffrey Wright in The French Dispatch, Colman Domingo in Zola, and Jason Isaacs in Mass have picked up their share of critics nominations but there’s not much to indicate that they’ll show up at the Oscars. 

Currently, I’m predicting McPhee, Kotsur, Hinds, Leto, and Cooper for the nomination. Check back here at CinemaBlend for more category breakdowns.

When The Batman comes out later this year, Jeffrey Wright will become the latest in a line of actors to play the iconic role of commissioner Gordon. Of course, by virtue of being a person of color, Wright has brought something new to the role before anybody has even seen the performance. Some people have a problem with this change to the character, but Jeffrey Wright isn’t here for that. He’s seemingly irked about people being critical of his casting, though he’s still got a good sense of humor.

Somebody on Twitter, the word ”fan” probably isn’t appropriate here, came out and asked Jeffrey Wright if the role of Commissioner Gordon was right for him, by virtue of the character traditionally being portrayed as a white guy. Wright responded publicly, with no words, just a short video clip of Peter Sellers destroying a piano. I think the message is clear. 

I think we can understand why Jeffrey Wright may want to go smash a piano after a comment like that. It’s surprising that the comment is so blunt, as most criticism of casting Jeffrey Wright in The Batman hasn't actually brought his race into it. But this unfortunately the sort of thing is something that often circulates around the internet when a person of color is cast in a role that was historically white. This despite the fact that in cases like this the race of the character is irrelevant to the performance.

Jeffrey Wright is probably tired of hearing this. Actors in his position hear it all too often and it has to get frustrating. There’s more focus on this than any other project Jeffrey Wright has coming up, which just as to be annoying for any working actor. At least his use of a Peter Sellers video indicates he’s trying to keep a sense of humor about it all. 

While it’s certainly true that the DC Comics character of Jim Gordon is traditionally white, that has more to do with the character being introduced in 1939 than it does anything of substance to the character. People of color were generally not allowed to be police commissioners  in the late 1930s. There’s no reason Gordon needs to be white, and Jeffrey Wright knows this. And with DC Movies not limiting themselves to one universe, this isn’t even the only Jim Gordon we have, making the criticism even more strange.

In the end,  Jeffrey Wright is a fantastic choice to play Commissioner Gordon for the simple reason that he’s a great actor. The Batman has a remarkable cast and Wright is only part of it. He’ll no doubt do the job well and that’s what matters. And perhaps, by being a Black actor, he’ll bring something new to the role that we never knew it needed. Of all the challenges that The Batman will have to face, including separating itself from the pack of Batman movies, its choice of police commissioner is top notch. 

While trailers for The Batman have been released, and thus we do know a bit about what the upcoming movie is all about, there’s clearly still a lot that we’re not seeing yet. While the movie certainly has all the major elements that we expect from a Batman movie, it seems that Matt Reeves has put together a very intricate script. It’s so intricate in fact that he was perhaps a bit over protective of even the slightest changes to according to Jeffrey Wright, Something Reeves feels a bit bad about now.

Speaking to Movie Maker, Jeffrey Wright related a story about reviewing the script  with Matt Reeves, where Wright made a comment about changing a punctuation and Reeves apparently balked at it. According to Wright, who plays the first Black Commissioner Gordon in the new movie, Reeves felt that even simple punctuation was necessary in the script, everything there had a purpose. Wright explained...

It certainly must be a tightly woven script if the removal of a comma might cause the entire thing to unravel. When confronted with the story from Jeffrey Wright, while writer/director Matt Reeves’ doesn’t seem to remember the specific incident, he doesn’t discount that it happened at all, though he does feel that perhaps he overreacted a bit, saying… 

It’s certainly not uncommon for writers to be protective of their work. They’re proud of what they’ve done and we’ve all heard stories of writers being frustrated when actors come in and change the writer’s work. Frequently the writers don’t appreciate it.

It seems this may have been the cause of Matt Reeves’ reluctance to change anything in his script. He saw each comma as having a purpose, and removing one meant that something else in the script no longer worked. At the same time, Reeves follows this up by saying that he’s not an actor, and he ultimately believes it is the job of actors like Jeffrey Wright to come in and interpret the words their way. Though Reeves does explain the comma situation, saying…

Matt Reeves has written some great scripts, so the idea that this is his most intricate is exciting. Though this is likely also going to end up being his longest script. Co-star Colin Farrell has sung the praises of the script as well. We'll find out just what that means when The Batman arrives in theaters in March. At least we hope it will. 

Before he was cast as The Joker in The Dark Knight, the late Oscar winner Heath Ledger actually screen-tested for the title role of Batman Begins when it was still in development - which is a bit odd to imagine, I will admit. However, an actor playing both the Caped Crusader and the Clown Prince of Crime is not so far fetched, and has happened before, believe it or not. 

In fact, there are quite a few Batman actors who have also filled the shoes of other Gotham City residents in additional (or even the same) DC movies, TV shows, and other forms of media. Just as Batman would, let’s further investigate this surprisingly common phenomenon one actor at a time, starting with the beloved “Bright Knight.” 

Adam West (Batman on Batman, The Gray Ghost on Batman: The Animated Series, And More)

The campy and cartoonish 1960s Batman TV show bares very little resemblance to how the character was originally visualized for DC Comics, but the late Adam West’s rich and lively performance continues to be idolized to this day and would earn him several cameos in subsequent DC TV shows. For instance, he voiced Gotham City’s mayor on the mid-2000s animated series The Batman, and Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas, on the 2008-2011 animated hit Batman: The Brave and the Bold. 

However, my favorite is his memorably meta guest spot on Batman: The Animated Series as an out-of-work actor whose TV persona “The Gray Ghost” served as a huge inspiration to young Bruce (Kevin Conroy).

Kevin Conroy (Batman In Various Titles, John Grayson On The Batman, Thomas Wayne In Batman Vs. Robin)

Speaking of, after voicing the Dark Knight in countless DC animated movies, TV shows, and video games since 1992 (when he was cast in Batman: The Animated Series), Kevin Conroy has become just as iconic as Adam West, and also has a couple of exciting cameos as other Gothamites to prove it. In addition to also appearing on The Batman as Dick Grayson’s late father, he also filled the role of Bruce Wayne’s late father in the 2015 movie Batman vs. Robin, which was inspired by Scott Snyder’s “The Court of Owls” story line.

Ben McKenzie (Batman In Batman: Year One, James Gordon on Gotham)

Despite spending most of his life without a father, Bruce Wayne was at least blessed with a number of people who acted as father figures in life, such as his crimefighting ally James Gordon. Years after leaving The O.C. cast, Ben McKenzie would lead the Gotham cast as a younger version of the future Gotham City police commissioner from 2014 to 2019. Coincidentally, the actor previously voiced a younger version of the Dark Knight in 2011’s Batman: Year One - an animated adaptation of an acclaimed reinvention of Batman’s origin story by Frank Miller.

Jeffrey Wright (Batman On Batman: The Audio Adventures, James Gordon In The Batman)

Ben McKenzie is actually not the only actor play to both Jim Gordon and Batman, either. In 2019, Emmy winner Jeffrey Wright joined the cast of Matt Reeves’ DC reboot, The Batman, as the legendary Gotham cop, followed by news that he would also reprise the character in an upcoming HBO Max exclusive spin-off series. In 2021, the streaming platform debuted an original, comedic podcast called Batman: The Audio Adventures featuring the voice of Wright in the title role.

Troy Baker (Batman And Joker In Various Titles)

Troy Baker is the kind of voice actor who is so prolific, especially in superhero movies and other related media, that I could do an entire article on all of the Gothamites he has played in Batman movies, shows, and video games, including heroes like Dick Grayson and Tim Drake, or villains like Two-Face and the Mad Hatter. 

So, for this section, I decided to focus just on his two most famous roles: Batman (usually in video games like Batman: The Telltale Series or ones of the LEGO variety) and The Joker (also in various games, TV shows, and plenty of movies, as recently as Batman: The Long Halloween). He even tackled both characters at once in the crossover film Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 2019.

Jensen Ackles (Batman in Batman: The Long Halloween, The Red Hood In Batman: Under the Red Hood)

In both halves of 2021’s Batman: The Long Halloween adaptation, the Batman to Troy Baker’s Joker is voiced by Jensen Ackles, who is otherwise best known for playing Dean Winchester in the Supernatural cast for 15 seasons. However, I personally remember him best from 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood (widely considered to be one of the best animated Batman movies of all time) in which he played the latest generation of title villain who carries a shocking secret related to Bruce Wayne's past.

Diedrich Bader (Batman, Solomon Grundy, And More On Batman: The Brave And The Bold) 

In addition to a some other notable DC characters, fellow prolific voice actor Diedrich Bader has played the Dark Knight on a few different DC TV shows - namely HBO’s Harley Quinn series more recently, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold as a less-brooding, Adam West-style Batman. During the series’ run, the former The Drew Carey Show cast member also voices a few other Gotham City staples, including anti-heroic zombie Solomon Grundy, Matches Malone (actually a persona Bruce Wayne crafts to infiltrate the criminal underworld), and a grown-up version of Wayne’s son, Damian, in a futuristic episode.

Will Arnett (Batman In The LEGO Batman Movie, Slade In Teen Titans GO! To The Movies)

Of the lighter and funnier iterations of the Dark Knight, my favorite as of late would have to be Will Arnett’s spot-on performance as LEGO Batman, whom he has played in three movies (and even a couple of video games) so far - including his own solo spin-off, The LEGO Batman Movie, in 2017. The former Arrested Development and Bojack Horseman star has also voiced a lighter and funnier iteration of the Batman villain Deathstroke, who is referred to as the more kid-friendly “Slade” (his real first name) for his appearance in Teen Titans GO! To The Movies in 2018. 

Will Friedle (Batman On Batman Beyond, Nightwing In Various Titles, And More)

Some know him as Eric Matthews from the Boy Meets World cast, but others recognize Will Friedle from Batman Beyond as an aging Bruce Wayne’s young successor, Terry McGinnis. 

The role would see the beginning of a remarkable voice acting career spanning countless iconic characters from the DC Universe (and elsewhere), including villain Gearhead on a 2005 The Batman episode, a Japanese-anime style Tim "Red Robin" Drake in 2018’s Batman: Ninja, and the animated anthology movie Batman: Gotham Knight as various characters. I would not be surprised if he holds a record for the number of times playing Nightwing, such as on the Batman Unlimited series and in a few straight-to-video LEGO movies.

If you look at the cast lists for all of the Batman movies in order (and TV shows, too), it is pretty astounding to see how many actors are given dual roles. For instance, before Mark Hamill even debuted as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series, he played Ferris Boyle - a slimy businessman indirectly responsible for creating Mister Freeze in the seminal “Heart of Ice” episode, and later played Tony Zucco on The Batman. 

The different shades of all the different characters, as distinguished by their performers, is one of the most fascinating things about the DC Multiverse, if you ask me.

Wow, are these next few months a great time to be a cinephile! There’s something special about finding a distinct filmmaker you really love and catching their next movie. Wes Anderson is the kind of writer/director who has stayed consistent over the years with his style, yet found new ways to tell stories and use his aesthetics in different settings. His latest movie is The French Dispatch, and it stars a host of talented actors he’s worked with before like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Tilda Swinton, along with some new faces to his movies, including Timothée Chalamet and Jeffrey Wright. Let’s see what film fans thought of the whimsical release. 

First of all, critics are loving The French Dispatch overall. It’s not a total surprise, seeing as how Wes Anderson movies have remained critically-acclaimed since the release of his first film in 1996, Bottle Rocket. From the reviews, it looks like the movie isn’t necessarily unexpected if you’re aware of the filmmaker’s style, but it also manages to stay endearing and fresh. Audiences also seemed to really dig The French Dispatch, considering what people are posting online about the release. Here’s what fans are saying about the artsy movie from The Grand Budapest Hotel director. 

It’s Another Winner For Timothée Chalamet Amidst Dune

The biggest movie in the world right now is Dune, which stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in a sci-fi epic. Funny enough, The French Dispatch first hit theaters on the same day as Dune in select theaters, before going wide to more audiences last weekend. It’s very rare for the same actor to double-head a movie theater’s offerings, but here we are! Audiences are of course taking notice of Chalamet’s big weekend. 

The actor is just 25 and becoming a worldwide star after previously finding roles in movies like Call Me By Your Name and Little Women. Apparently, he’s becoming a household name these days and people are taking notice as they see The French Dispatch: 

Timothée Chalamet is among a massive cast in The French Dispatch, also including Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand and Henry Winkler. Even so, it sounds like the young actor is a real highlight of the movie. 

It’s also a rare possibility for audiences to go see Dune and The French Dispatch in the same day or week. Let the Chala-week continue at the movies, because both films seem like real winners. 

The Visuals Are Blowing Audiences Away 

Wes Anderson is well known for his distinct visual style, notably often centering his subjects in his images and making use of specific color palettes in his movies. It turns out Anderson did not shy away from the kind of visually gorgeous films people remember him for in The French Dispatch, considering how much people are gushing over it, right down to the posters. 

The French Dispatch is a “love letter to journalists” and set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional French city. Another fan remarked on the visual style of the movie after checking it out, likening the filmmaker to a ‘cartoonist’ who works in live-action. 

Anderson is a rare filmmaker in that you can always tell you’re watching one of his movies, but at the same time, each one of them has a slightly different aesthetic. The French Dispatch makes use of more pastel colors like sky blue, blush pink and bright orange. Even someone who didn’t necessarily like the movie had to take a moment to share their love for the cinematography, as well: 

And there we have it, another Wes Anderson movie that is a feast for the eyes. 

Fans Really Got Into The French Of It All

What’s pretty adorable about the social posts for The French Dispatch is how many people looked to make a day or event out of going to see the movie. There are tons of pictures of people in front of the movie poster and taking other people along to go see it. The movie is also influencing people to buy into the movie’s very French fashion.  

Wes Anderson is clearly an influencer of his day and you know a movie is good when people are basing their own looks on a film after seeing it. The French Dispatch employed a ton of awesome fashion looks throughout, and it seems like fans are grabbing onto that. 

And, there’s just something about the French language and culture that is just so much fun to emulate and be a part of. The French Dispatch seems to be so immersive to some audiences that they are joking about learning French, too. 

Alright, we talked about the performances, the visuals and how it’s affecting audiences, but what about their thoughts on the movie overall? It looks like it’s winning over a ton of people by that measure, as well. 

The French Dispatch Is Another Beloved Wes Anderson Feature

The messages about the movie itself are just delightful. So many people are loving The French Dispatch, and it shows. It may not be a huge blockbuster, but it’s touching a lot of people. One fan shared his love for the script and performances, especially singling out Jeffrey Wright for his performance. 

Another devout fan of Wes Anderson called The French Dispatch one of Wes Anderson’s best movies to date. He also called it quite emotional and even referenced a quote in it that stuck with him. 

We’ll end on one last Twitter user, who absolutely “loved” the movie for so many reasons. These comments make me want to jump out of my seat and buy a ticket right now. It’s great to hear The French Dispatch is another success for Wes Anderson.

The French Dispatch is playing in theaters now. Check out CinemaBlend’s 2021 new movie release schedule to see what else is next for fans to react to. 

Warner Bros. has been producing a ton of DC content as of late, set both within and outside of the main DCEU timeline. The next blockbuster coming to theaters is Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which will star Robert Pattinson in the title role. A full trailer was recently revealed, and now Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige has shared his honest thoughts about the new footage.

Comic book fans were thrilled when finally treated to the full trailer to The Batman, featuring new glimpses at the killer cast. This includes the great Jeffrey Wright-- who is playing Jim Gordon in the upcoming blockbuster. Kevin Feige was recently asked what he thought about the trailer for the DC project, saying:

I mean, he’s not wrong. Jeffrey Wright has been a very busy man, appearing in a number of massive projects. His roles as Gordon in The Batman and The Watcher in Disney+’s What If…? series are truly only the tip of the iceberg. And there’s no telling where the 55 year-old actor’s career might go next.

Kevin Feige’s comments to THR show how there’s seemingly no bad blood between Marvel Studios and DC. Feige seems excited about seeing Robert Pattinson in The Batman just like the rest of us, appearing alongside some killer talent. Hopefully a new franchise is born, and Jeffrey Wright gets a long tenure playing the beloved GCPD officer.

As Kevin Feige mentions, we’re basically all just living in Jeffrey Wright’s world at this point. He’s got roles in a number of massive franchises, recently appearing as Felix Leiter opposite Daniel Craig in No Time to Die. Wright also stars in the HBO series Westworld, in addition to his ongoing role as the MCU’s Watcher and The Batman’s James Gordon. 

The first footage for The Batman debuted in the summer of 2020, and basically broke the internet. But footage was limited, as filming took a long time due to the pandemic. Luckily the full trailer helped to show off the killer cast, and the very specific vision that Matt Reeves has for Gotham City. Check it out below.

The Batman will feature Robert Pattinson’s title character while he’s still relatively new in his crime fighting career. It should be interesting to see how his working relationship with James Gordon is used throughout the movie’s runtime; Jeffrey Wright has been open about how much he loved working with Pattinson. 

Joining Jeffrey Wright and Robert Pattinson are more A-list actors that make up the cast of The Batman. They’ll be joined by Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, Zoë Kravitz, and John Turturro.

The Batman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 4th, 2022l In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Warner Bros. has been producing all types of Batman content for decades, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Because while Ben Affleck will return as the DCEU’s version of Bruce Wayne for The Flash movie, Robert Pattinson will debut his own take on the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Jeffrey Wright will co-star as GCPD’s Jim Gordon, and recently teased the “badass” version of the title character that Pattinson is bringing to life.

Information about The Batman is limited, but the brief footage shows Matt Reeves’ pulled back take on Gotham City and its mythology. Jeffrey Wright contributes to the outstanding supporting cast, and fans can’t wait to see more of his Jim Gordon. He recently spoke to what Robert Pattinson brings to Gotham’s Protector, saying:

Honestly, take my money. Batman is one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time, so the pressure is on for Robert Pattinson to deliver. But from the sound of it, he’s bringing a unique energy and badass spirit to Bruce Wayne.

Jeffrey Wright’s comments to ET Online seem to hint that he had a great working relationship with Robert Pattinson on The Batman. Considering how long it took to actually complete principal photography, it’s a good thing they got along. After all, filming in the midst of the pandemic provided its own set of challenges.

The contents of The Batman are being guarded by the cast and crew, so there isn’t a ton of information about what’s actually going to happen during Matt Reeves’ DC debut. Robert Pattinson’s title character will reportedly be early into his crime fighting career when three iconic villains will rise in Gotham: Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Riddler (Paul Dano), and Penguin (Colin Farell). Reeves is also working on a prequel series for HBO Max, which should further flesh out this new take on Batman's mythology.

As previously mentioned, The Batman certainly had a rocky road to theaters. The blockbuster had only recently begun filming when sets around the world were shut down for the pandemic. Eventually production continued, but there were more setbacks like Robert Pattinson’s positive COVID test. Luckily filming concluded after a year, and now fans are not-so-patiently waiting for a full trailer.

The Batman will hit theaters on March 4th, 2021. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

The Batman’s Jeffrey Wright has been giving insight into director Matt Reeves’s take on Batman, explaining how the version of Gotham City in the film is different from others and revealing how hard it was filming with intense safety protocols. Wright will be playing Jim Gordon, the iconic police commissioner and ally to Batman, and Wright will be the first Black actor to portray him. Jeffrey Wright has reflected on making history as a Black Jim Gordon.

Jeffrey Wright spoke to Haute Living about No Time To Die, about his reoccurring role as Felix Leiter, the CIA Agent who has helped James Bond numerous times, and his upcoming role as Jim Gordon in The Batman. Wright reflects on the significance of playing Jim Gordon and his thoughts on why it’s really a no-brainer, saying:

Jeffrey Wright explains that Batman and the characters in his world are able to evolve. Wright goes on to describe the character of  Jim Gordon and why none of the qualities of the character require him to be white. Wright is adamant about being accurate in the portrayal of an American Metropolis like Gotham City, and that characters being diverse makes sense in relation to the real world. He goes on to talk about what he sees as a problem in how stories haven’t evolved to keep up with the times, saying:

Jeffrey Wright makes a great point about how society has evolved, and so should its storytelling to represent that change in meaningful ways. The 1939 New York that Gotham City was modeled after looks very different than today’s version and functions very differently. Society has changed, and Wright seemingly feels like movies have lagged behind. He is clearly enthusiastic about playing Jim Gordon in what he believes to be an accurate representation of what Gotham City actually looks like. Wright is outspoken and very passionate, and clearly has a lot of profound thoughts on the world and his industry.

The Batman is getting another spin-off series on HBO Max, which is a good sign for Matt Reeves and star Robert Pattinson. The spinoffs, including a Penguin series, will explore the world of Gotham and seem like they will be unique from one another and interesting in their own right. Matt Reeves has been teasing Robert Pattinson’s Batman’s new look, and hopefully, we don’t have to wait much longer to see it in all its glory. 

Robert Pattinson has teased some exciting scenes with Zoe Kravitz, who is playing Catwoman, and we cant wait to see what all the fuss is about.  The Batman is one of the most anticipated superhero movies of 2022, and we cant wait to see Gotham City and Jeffrey Wrights Jim Gordon.

Matt Reeves' The Batman is set to introduce another Caped Crusader to the big screen in Robert Pattinson and, from what we've seen, the movie shaping up to be a fresh take on the mythos. The cast looks fantastic on paper and includes massive A-listers like Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner James Gordon. Wright has been vocal about the film and its creative direction, having discussed making the production during the pandemic and teased Pattinson's wild performance as The Dark Knight. Now, the fan-favorite actor is opening up about how Reeves' vision for Gotham City differs from what we've seen in the past.

Like many of us, Jeffrey Wright is a fan of superheroes, and he understands that fans have come to expect certain things, especially when playing in a sandbox as well know as the Batman franchise. Gotham City is arguably the most iconic city in comic books, and capturing the fictional location on screen can be a challenge. However it seems The Batman's Matt Reeves put a lot of thought into his take on Bruce Wayne’s hometown. Wright explained the vibe of the films Gotham City to IndieWire, saying:

Jeffrey Wright describes Matt Reeves Gotham City as "unlike Gothams we’d seen before." Based on the actor's musings, the aesthetic seems to be very street-level concrete jungle, and Wright is adamant about the setting being almost tangible. Judging from the teaser trailer, it definitely has a gritty vibe that distinguishes itself from past iterations of the crime-ridden city. Check out the teaser trailer down below:

The Batman will also feature Paul Dano as The Riddler, who appears to be the film’s main villain, along with Collin Farrell, who is almost unrecognizable in the trailer, as The Penguin. The more grounded feel of the movie should make it feel more like a classic Batman story. And with the Riddler being involved, there will probably be a significant mystery and sense of tension that requires the world’s greatest detective side of Batman.

Robert Pattinson’s version of Batman will be very different from the character’s previous on-screen versions. Pattinson will be playing a younger Bruce Wayne, which we haven’t really seen in a film, and that opens up a lot of exciting possibilities for the film. We know what a seasoned Caped Crusader looks like, but a raw one will be pretty unpredictable.

And The Batman will also introduce Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, and it'll be interesting to see the dynamic between Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne in this new take on the DC Comics property. Fans seem to be excited for this new direction for the character, and it'll be interesting to see what Matt Reeves ends up delivering. The film currently sits as one of the most anticipated flicks of 2022 and, hopefully, it arrives without any further delays.

The Batman is set to hit theaters on March 4, 2022.

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The entertainment industry faced a series of unprecedented challenges as a result of the ongoing pandemic. A number of blockbusters were in the midst of filming when sets closed, including Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Jeffrey Wright will debut as James Gordon in the highly anticipated blockbuster, and recently recalled the intense safety protocols for filming mid-pandemic.

The Batman had a long shoot, largely due to a number of shutdowns over COVID-19 concerns. Filming for Robert Pattinson’s upcoming blockbuster had just begun when lockdowns around the world started being instituted. Jeffrey Wright recently spoke to what it was like when so much was unknown on the set of The Batman, saying:

It’s been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and changed our day-to-day life. But while the public is prepared now, there were countless questions at the start. And for actors like Jeffrey Wright, that includes worrying about where he might be locked down.

Jeffrey Wright’s comments about his unique time working on The Batman are from a conversation he had with IndieWire about his upcoming debut as Gotham City’s own James Gordon. While fans can’t wait to see Wright take on Batman iconography, the process of filming came with a unique set of challenges.

Following The Batman, Matt Reeves will bring a prequel series to HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Later in that same interview, Jeffrey Wright went on to explain what it was like once The Batman resumed filming. While there were some reports that Robert Pattinson himself contracted COVID in the midst of filming, Wright maintains that the set was an extremely safe place. As the Westworld actor put it,

It might have taken a ton of COVID tests and a few different filming locations, but The Batman managed to wrap principal photography in March of 2021. This gives Matt Reeves and company a full year to edit the project and do whatever reshoots and visual effects it’ll take to bring Gotham City to life. As a reminder, check out the first teaser below,

Matt Reeves clearly has a unique vision for The Batman, including an ultra realistic version of Gotham City. Robert Pattinson’s version of the title character will be new to crime fighting, and will face the rise of three villains: Penguin (Colin Farrell), Riddler (Paul Dano), and Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz). Smart money says it’ll also feature the inception of Batman’s partnership with James Gordon.

We’ll just have to wait and see if The Batman gets future sequels, allowing Jeffrey Wright to have a long run as Gordon. It’ll be fun to see what Wright brings to the table, and how it stands apart from previous versions like Gary Oldman. Good thing there’s such a capable actor attached.

The Batman is set to arrive in theaters on March 4th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience

In the new Disney+ series What If, the vast majority of protagonists and antagonists featured are ones previously introduced in Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there is one very significant new presence: The Watcher, an omnipotent being voiced by Jeffrey Wright who guides audiences through a multiverse full of possibilities as a Rod Serling-esque narrator. As of now, he is the only character who solely exists in animated form in the MCU, making him a bit special; but could we one day see him rendered in live-action? And if so, would Wright be the actor to take on the part?

The answer to the former question is still up in the air, as Marvel is keeping future plans close to the vest, but I got an interesting response from Jeffrey Wright when I asked him the latter during the What If virtual press day this past weekend. While there are a number of actors in Hollywood who would do crazy things to appear in an MCU blockbuster, the actor told me that he isn’t presently willing to commit to the idea of something like playing The Watcher in live-action, saying,

That’s certainly a mindful perspective, and a respectable one. It’s healthy to live in the moment, and should the idea of playing The Watcher in a live-action movie or TV show come up someday, he can evaluate what he wants to do then. For now he has a wonderful presence on What If, with the series making fantastic use of his unique voice.

Of course, if Jeffery Wright were ever to play The Watcher in a live-action film or show, it would be a part requiring a lot of changes to his look – either practically or digitally. In order to be faithful both to the comics and the character’s appearance on What If, a production would either have to use a lot of prosthetics, or just go the performance capture route. To give you some reference, here are what the Watchers look like as a species, as featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:

Like all of the other radical alternate universe elements of What If, we’ll just have to wait and see if someday they get brought into live-action – but the first step for now, of course, is the show’s premiere. Following in the wake of WandaVision, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, and Loki, the latest Marvel Studios series will air its first episode on Disney+ starting at midnight PST/3am EST next Wednesday, August 11.

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Countless movie projects were shut down last year as a result of closed sets and theaters. That includes Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which will star Robert Pattinson in the title role. The cast also features Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, and the Westworld actor recently described the difficulty of filming during lockdown.

Anticipation for The Batman has been building since the all-star cast and limited footage were revealed to the general public. Filming eventually began in the midst of the pandemic, with new safety and health protocols being adopted. Matt Reeves got his movie in the can, but not without difficulty. Jeffrey Wright recently explained his experience filming the new movie, saying;

Sometimes art imitates life. And in the case of The Batman, it seems the lockdown really helped Jeffrey Wright feel like he was living in Gotham City during production. Because with cases surging in the U.K. several times while filming, Wright and company experienced even more isolation as various lockdowns were initiated.

Jeffrey Wright’s comments to THR show what it’s really like working on a comic book movie like The Batman. While moviegoers will see the epic finished product, actually filming is another experience entirely. This is especially true in the days of COVID, where there’s increased uncertainty

Following The Batman, Matt Reeves is expected to work on a prequel series for HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Those paying close attention to The Batman’s production might not be surprised by Jeffrey Wright’s experience. The set was definitely in fear of the pandemic, especially after Robert Pattinson himself reportedly contracted the virus during principal photography. Luckily the Twilight icon was able to recover safely, and continue bringing Bruce Wayne to life in this new adaptation.

Anticipation for The Batman has been steadily building, largely due to the limited footage which was released last summer. In it we saw a stripped down take on Gotham City, and a less experienced Caped Crusader. The movie will presumably see the rise of three iconic villains in the form of Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman.

The Batman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 4th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience

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It’s no secret that the comic book genre has been dominating TV and film for the past decade. One of the most highly anticipated projects coming down the line is Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which is set outside of the main DCEU timeline. Jeffrey Wright will co-star as James Gordon, and he recently teased an absolutely wild performance from Robert Pattinson.

Robert Pattinson has some big shoes to fill for The Batman, taking on the mantle from previous Bruce Wayne actors like Ben Affleck. The limited footage from Matt Reeves’ movie have shown the director’s unique vision, and moviegoers are eager to see all that Pattinson has to offer as Bruce Wayne. Now Jeffrey Wright has teased what he’ll bring to the table, saying:

Can The Batman arrive already? Because it sounds like Robert Pattinson is returning to blockbuster franchises in a big way with the upcoming DC flick. And Pattinson is seemingly flexing his acting muscles by really creating a divide between both sides of his character.

Jeffrey Wright’s comments to Comic Book will no doubt help to buoy excitement over The Batman. While details about the plot and footage are both limited, this type of praise over Robert Pattinson’s performance definitely speaks volumes. Hopefully we’ll be treated to a full trailer sooner rather than later.

Following The Batman, Matt Reeves is expected to bring a prequel series to HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Matt Reeves truly assembled an all-star cast for The Batman, and it should be thrilling to see acclaimed performers like Robert Pattinson and Jeffrey Wright bring Gotham City to life. It sounds like that duo will have a particularly fascinating dynamic, and all while Pattinson pivots between three different personas.

Exactly how these three personas will factor into The Batman remains a mystery, but it seems that Robert Pattinson understands how important it is to have a duality in his performance. Bruce Wayne lives a double life, and as such Pattinson crafted an entirely different character for both Bruce and The Dark Knight.

As previously mentioned, the moviegoing public is anxiously awaiting a full trailer for The Batman, which should hopefully offer a clearer look at characters like Catwoman, Riddler, and Alfred-- played by Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, and Andy Serkis respectively. Then there’s Colin Farrell, who is unrecognizable as The Penguin.

The Batman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 4th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

It looks like HBO's mystery-driven drama Westworld is finally starting up for its anticipated fourth season, and we've already got a quick confirmation update. While the Season 3 finale left some questions about some certain characters, one major star is confirming the fate of his twist-heavy character, giving fans something to look forward to in Season 4.

Jeffrey Wright, who has portrayed the host Bernard Lowe in the HBO series, recently posted a picture on Instagram indicating that production is either already started on Season 4, or is starting soon. Check it out!

While the picture is somewhat simple, only including the “Bernard” name plate, Wright’s caption of “Good morning…old friend” is seemingly proof that the entirety of Season 4 won't take place during the time when Bernard zipped away into the Sublime in the Season 3 finale. Not to mention the comment is a direct reference to how Anthony Hopkins' Robert Ford talked to him. Plenty of fans in the comments were more than excited to find out that Jeffrey Wright would be returning, and that Bernard is apparently back online. Hopefully he'll be a little more centered in Season 4, too.

Season 4 of Westworld is a long time coming, seeing as the third season's finale hit HBO a little over a year ago. However, with the way the previous seasons have been laid out, it’s not uncommon for the seasons to premiere upwards of two years apart. And beyond the return of Bernard and other familiar faces, Season 4 will also introduce some new characters. It was recently revealed that Prodigal Son’s Aurora Perrineau will recur in the upcoming season as a key character, and she'll reportedly appear in at least five episodes. That casting likely came as a blow to fans who'd been campaigning for Tom Payne's Prodigal Son to get picked up elsewhere after Fox cancelled it.

When HBO renewed the sci-fi series for a fourth season, not much was known about what it would look like following the real-world exploration in Season 3, especially with COVID-19 having rewired how the industry handled TV and film projects in 2020 and 2021. And while most would assume that Season 4 would be premiering sometime in mid-2022, the late production start could very well mean it'll debut even later. But now that production is getting underway, more information surrounding the release date will likely surface in the coming months.

Even though Jeffrey Wright’s return is confirmed, considering how Season 3 ended, most still don’t know if or how Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores, Thandie Newton’s Maeve and Aaron Paul’s Caleb will be returning. While Wood has said she does want to return - and it's extremely unlikely she won't, since this is all her story - we still haven't seen any confirmation that she or anyone else is back, beyond Wright. Whatever the case, even if they do return, there’s no telling how long it will take before HBO lets fans know about it.

Just how will Bernard’s story continue following the events of the Season 3 finale? Hopefully we'll get to find out sooner rather than later. While fans wait on Season 4 and more information on Westworld’s upcoming season, the first three seasons are streaming on HBO Max, and there are lots of 2021 Summer TV shows to get obsessed with in the meantime.

At long last, Anthony Mandler’s legal drama Monster is finally here more than three years after it made its world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. But now that you can watch the story of a high school honor student falsely accused of murder in a robbery gone wrong on Netflix, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the Monster cast before. And while names like Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, and John David Washington are easy ones to figure out, some, like the film’s star, Kelvin Harrison Jr. might have you stumped.

Below is a quick breakdown of the major players on the Monster cast, who they play, and where you’ve seen them in the past. With both established and rising stars in the acting world, as well as some of the best hip-hop artists of yesterday and today, taking up residence on the cast, there’s a lot to unpack here…

Kelvin Harrison Jr. - Steve Harmon

Kelvin Harrison Jr. portrays Steve Harmon, a 17-year-old honor student at a private New York City high school who dreams of one day becoming a filmmaker, a dream that this is cut short when he goes on trial for a robbery and murder he did not commit. Prior to Monster (which initially premiered in 2018), Harrison appeared in 12 Years a Slave, Ender’s Game, and The Birth of a Nation before becoming relatively well known with It Comes at Night. In the past couple of years, Harrison has shown up in Waves, The High Note, and most recently The Trial of the Chicago 7, playing the late Fred Hampton.

Jennifer Hudson - Mrs. Harmon

Taking on the role of the Mrs. Harmon, Steve’s successful and devoted mother, is Academy Award, Golden Globe, and two-time Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson. The talented singer-turned-actress has appeared in a number of well-regarded movies since making her big screen debut with 2006’s Dreamgirls. In the 15 years since her award-winning performance as Effie White, Hudson has gone on to show up in movies like The Secret Life of Bees, Chi-Raq, and Sing, to name just a few. Hudson is also set to portray the late, great Aretha Franklin in the upcoming biopic Respect.

Jeffrey Wright - Mr. Harmon

Portraying the character Mr. Harmon, Steve’s supportive father, is Emmy Award winner Jeffrey Wright. One of the most established stars featured in the Monster cast, Wright has appeared in everything from limited series like Angels in America (which netted him the aforementioned Emmy), shows like Westworld, and countless movie titles including Cadillac Records, W., and various James Bond films as Felix Leiter, with another, No Time to Die, on the way. And then there’s the whole business of Wright taking on the role of Jim Gordon in The Batman.

John David Washington - Richard ‘Bobo’ Evans

Taking on the role of Richard “Bobo” Evans, one of the men accused of the robbery and murder who then testifies against Steve Harmon for a lighter sentence, is John David Washington. At the time of Monster’s initial premiere, Washington had yet to make a name for himself with memorable performances in BlacKkKlansman, Tenet, and Malcolm and Marie, though the few credits to his name at the time included some heavy-hitters like Monsters and Men, Love Beats Rhymes, and the HBO series Ballers. As a child, the future leading man, had small roles in several films featuring his father, Denzel Washington.

Rakim ‘A$AP Rocky’ Mayers - William King

Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky is featured heavily throughout Monster as William King, a fixture of the Harlem streets who is also charged with robbery and murder alongside Steve Harmon. Despite his explosive performance leading you to think otherwise, this is only A$AP Rocky’s second acting role in a movie (he previously appeared as himself in a few others), with the other being the 2015 coming-of-age story Dope. The Grammy-nominated rapper remains one of the leading voices in today’s hip hop scene with a slew of hit singles, albums, and mixtapes released in the past decade.

Jennifer Ehle - Katherine O’Brien

Stepping in as Steve Harmon’s cold yet pragmatic defense attorney Katherine O’Brien is Jennifer Ehle. With credits going back to her theatre work back in 1991, Ehle has remained a major player in film, television, and the stage with memorable roles in everything from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries to the pandemic thriller Contagion in 2011. If neither of those titles ring any bells then you’ll surely remember Ehle from the Fifty Shades franchise, in which she plays Carla Wilks.

Tim Blake Nelson - Leroy Sawicki

Tim Blake Nelson plays Leroy Sawicki, Steve Harmon’s high school film teacher who inspires him to document the world around him. Over the years, the actor/writer/director has appeared in everything from Coen brothers movies like O Brother, Where Art Thou? and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs to entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with The Incredible Hulk, as well as the the HBO series Watchmen. Nelson has also written and directed his fair share of movies over the years including Leaves of Grass, Anesthesia, and Kansas.

Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones - Raymond ‘Sunset’ Green

Legendary rapper and producer Nasir “Nas” Jones takes on the role of Raymond “Sunset” Green, a fellow inmate who helps Steve Harmon navigate life behind bars and is more like a spiritual leader in the sense that he works with the young high school student to help him learn how to put his mind at ease and not let the system get him down. Largely known for his rap career, which kicked off with 1994’s Illmatic, Nas has made several film appearances including Hype Williams’ 1998 hidden gem Belly where he shared the screen with the late DMX.

Paul Ben-Victor - Anthony Petrocelli

Leading the prosecution against Steve Harmon in Monster is Paul Ben-Victor’s Anthony Pretrocelli, who is hellbent on proving that the high school student and aspiring filmmaker isn’t as innocent as he claims. Probably best known for his portrayal of Greek crime boss Spiros “Vondas” Vondopoulos on The Wire, Ben-Victor’s career in film and television goes back more than 30 years. Over on the film side of things, Ben-Victor has shown up in staples of the early ‘90s like Tombstone and True Romance as well as more recent movies like The Irishmen and The Banker. He’s also had roles on shows like Entourage, NYPD Blue, and Monk to name a few.

Jharrel Jerome - Osvaldo

Jharrel Jerome is seen in Monster as Osvaldo, a Harlem teenager who despite being an accomplice in the robbery gone wrong, hopes to get a full acquittal based on his age and testimony. Prior to the filming of Monster a few years back, Jerome came on the scene with a memorable performance in Moonlight, in which he appeared as the teenage version of Kevin, Ciron’s (Ashton Sanders) longtime friend and romantic interest. Since then, Jerome has gone on to win an Emmy and multiple other awards for his portrayal of Korey Wise in When They See Us and recently appeared in Concrete Cowboy.

Jonny Coyne - Detective Karyl

Detective Karyl is one of NYPD detectives investigating the bodega robbery gone awry in Monster and the investigator who is determined that Steve Harmon is involved in the murder. Over the years, Coyne has appeared in a number of movies including Nightcrawler, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and even Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life. The English actor, however, is more known for his various television roles over the years which include everything from The Blacklist to Preacher and Turn: Washington’s Spies to Mom, with dozens upon dozens of smaller roles and one-off appearances mixed in.

Lovie Simone - Renee Pickford

Relative newcomer Lovie Simone appears as Renee Pickford, Steve Harmon’s love interest in Monster. The new Netflix movie was Simone’s first film production at the time but has gone on to show up in Share, Selah and the Spades, and the 2020 supernatural horror film The Craft: Legacy, portraying Tabby. Simone got her first big break in the acting world with a recurring-turned-main role on Greenleaf from 2016 to 2020. She has since shown up in Orange is the New Black, Blue Bloods, and Social Distance.

Mikey Madison - Alexandra Floyd

Mikey Madison shows up in Monster as Alexandra Floyd. Prior to landing a role in the Netflix crime drama, Madison made a name for herself on the FX comedy series Better Things. She has had a few more film appearances in the years since filming Monster with the most notable being as “Sadie” one of the members of the Manson Family who decide to target Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) instead of Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In case you’re wondering, yes, she was the cult member who was incinerated in Dalton’s pool. She will next appear in the 2022’s Scream though her role has yet to be revealed.

This is just the main cast from Monster and there are tones of other great actors who appear in the gripping legal drama throughout its duration. If you’ve finished the movie and now want to see what else is coming to theaters this year (especially those featuring Jennifer Hudson and Jeffrey Wright), check out CinemaBlend’s list of 2021 movie premiere dates.

Superhero fans have been clamoring for Matt Reeves’ The Batman for a while now, and the hype for this new take on the Dark Knight has only increased with time. Unfortunately, like many other films, the production faced a number of COVID-related obstacles in 2020. But the film is now closer to that light at the end of the tunnel, as filming has officially wrapped. And to mark the occasion Matt Reeves and Commissioner Gordon actor Jeffrey Wright took to social media to mark the occasion with some cool posts.

Before The Batman kicked off production, Matt Reeves spent plenty of time teasing fans with awesome updates. The director understandably went offline while the movie was filming but, with filming complete, he celebrated by sharing a photo of a cool production clapboard. Check out his Twitter post down below:

I’ve laid my eyes on a few clapboards in my time, but that may be one of the sweetest I’ve seen. Matt Reeves likely has more than a few sweet souvenirs from the production, but that clapboard is likely a particularly special one since it signifies the end of a lengthy film shoot.

Of course, the end of filming is also gratifying for the stars involved, and this definitely seems to be the case for Jeffrey Wright. The actor also took to social media to share a sweet piece of Commissioner Gordon fan art. His post also came with an ominous tease that could confirm his future with the franchise. Take a look for yourself:

The art Jeffrey Wright shared is perfect and really captures his Commissioner Gordon look. Aside from that, it definitely seems like the actor has plans to reprise the role at some point in the future. Could he be returning for the GCPD-centric spinoff series on HBO Max? Only time will tell.

Those who’ve been keeping track of The Batman’s production cycle know that there have been plenty of ups and downs. The movie originally began shooting in London in January 2020 before production shut down in March due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The film resumed production by September but was halted again after Robert Pattinson tested positive for COVID-19. However, things would ramp back up a few weeks later. And in February 2021, it was reported that Pattinson’s stunt double had tested positive, though the setback didn’t cause too much of a delay. All in all, The Batman was truly a labor of love.

One can’t help but remember that had COVID not happened, The Batman would be arriving in only a matter of months. But even though that’s no longer the case, we can at least take comfort in knowing the film is in the can and that Reeves and his crew can take a bit of a breather for a moment.

The Batman is currently slated to hit theaters on March 4, 2022.

We over here at CinemaBlend often like to play around with hypothetical situation where we imagine various Marvel and DC characters any given actor or actress would be perfect to play. Well, with someone like Jeffrey Wright, that’s a game we don’t have to play because the Golden Globe-winning actor will appear in both universes in the very near future (The MCU’s What If…? and DC’s The Batman in case you were wondering).

But it isn’t all Marvel cartoons and live-action Gotham adventures for Jeffrey Wright as the veteran actor is set to reprise his role of Felix Leiter in the upcoming No Time to Die, try his at hand at Wes Anderson’s brand of comedy in The French Dispatch, and even show up in a Batman audio adventure, plus more in the next year or so. There’s a lot to break down here, including his return to the HBO sci-fi series Westworld, so let’s go ahead and get into it…

What If…? - Mid 2021 (Post-Production)

There has been talk of What If…?, the animated anthology series offering alternate versions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest moments, coming to Disney+ for two years now, and no matter how much we hear about (the possible moments being featured, the cast, ideas for future seasons), no one seems to be able to get enough of this exciting project. With a mix of major characters like Captain America, Black Panther, and Iron Man and minor players like Peggy Carter, The Collector, and Crossbones, it sounds like What If…? will be just as epic as the first 23 movies in the MCU.

Guiding us on this journey will be Uata, aka The Watcher, a member of an extraterrestrial race that observes the universe while only occasionally interfering in major events. When casting the role, who will be a part of each of the first season’s 10 episodes, showrunner AC Bradley told DiscussingFilm.com that Wright was the best choice because his voice is powerful yet warm and inviting. The show’s producers were also looking for someone who could portray the character in a way that wouldn’t come off like they were lecturing the viewer but instead watching it alongside them.

What If…? is currently set to debut on Disney+ at some point in the middle of 2021, though an exact release date yet to be announced by Marvel.

No Time To Die - October 8, 2021 (Post-Production)

Jeffrey Wright has played CIA operative and the closest thing James Bond has to a friend, Felix Leiter, going back to 2006’s Casino Royale but hasn’t appeared in the franchise since 2008’s Quantum of Solace. That is going to change when No Time to Die (eventually) comes out in theaters. Leiter, who has been portrayed by more than a half-dozen actors going back to 1962’s Dr. No, will once again be pulling 007 back into action, as Wright revealed in a 2019 interview with the New York Times, though exactly what he means by that remains to be seen.

No Time to Die is on the list of movies that released into the wild by now as the 25th James Bond film was originally set to be released in November 2019 before jumping around between February and April 2020. The movie became one of the first major releases to move its release date at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting its premiere to November 2020 (after all the marketing material for the April release were printed). No Time to Die was delayed again to April 2, 2021 before getting pushed once more to its current date of October 8, 2021.

The French Dispatch - TBD (Completed)

No Time to Die isn’t the only movie starring Jeffrey Wright whose release was pulled just as the movie was set to hit theaters and even had a wild trailer. Wes Anderson’s star-studded comedy The French Dispatch, which has been called a “love letter to journalists,” consists of three different storylines with different sets of characters and even casts that are that are threaded together by the fictional The French Dispatch magazine in Liberty, Kansas. In the film, Jeffrey Wright takes on the role of Roebuck Wright, a southern food writer loosely based on author James Baldwin and journalist A.J. Liebling.

Originally set to make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2020 with a wide release following a few months later on July 24, The French Dispatch was pulled from the schedule after the famous French film festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wes Anderson’s latest film was then given an October 2020 release, but that was later called off and it looks like it will hit theaters sometime after premiering at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, per the Playlist.

The Batman - March 4, 2022 (Filming)

The character of James Gordon (whether as a detective or commissioner) has been portrayed by a few of Hollywood’s most notable stars in the past with everyone from the late Pat Hingle to Gary Oldman playing different versions of Batman’s biggest ally with the Gotham Police Department. That role will now be taken on by Jeffrey Wright in Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman, where he will help Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight deal with the scum of Gotham and a dark and twisted version of The Riddler, played here as a serial killer by Paul Dano.

Set within Bruce Wayne’s second full year as the caped crusader, The Batman is a project that has been in the works for nearly a decade now with Ben Affleck at one point set to write, direct, produce, and star in the Gotham City tale. The project was eventually ironed out over the years with Matt Reeves coming in to take over the script that sounds like nothing we’ve seen from the property.

The Batman finally entered production in January 2020 but didn’t make it too far before the set was shut down due to COVID-19. Filming eventually resumed but was entered a start-and-stop pattern due a number of different factors and the film’s debut was eventually pushed out of its first two release dates, ultimately ending with the March 4, 2022 date.

Ark: The Animated Series - 2022 (Pre-Production)

Ark: Survival Evolved, the 2017 action-adventure survival game where players are faced with multiple apex predators (both human and dinosaurs), will follow suit with pretty much every other major video game release of the past decade and get its very own television adaptation at some point in the not so distant future. Ark: The Animated Series was first announced at The Game Awards in December 2020, when a trailer as well as the show’s impressive voice cast were revealed to those watching Geoff Keighley’s annual celebration of all things video games.

Ark: The Animated Series will follow modern Australian paleontologist Helena Walker (Madeleine Madden) after she awakes on the ARK, where she is forced to survive and find allies or face death at the hands of warlords. In addition to Madden, the animated series will also feature characters voiced by Elliott Page, Alan Tudyk, Gerard Butler, Karl Urban, Russell Crowe, David Tennant, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Jeffrey Wright, and too many other famous actors to name. At the time of its reveal, Deadline announced that Ark: The Animated Series is scheduled to premiere at some point in 2022.

Westworld Season 4 - TBD (Pre-Production)

Jeffrey Wright has been a mainstay of the HBO sci-fi fantasy series Westworld since the show’s inception nearly five years ago, whether it be with the role of Bernard Love, the park’s head of programming and creator of its artificial intelligence who is actually an android himself or the park’s creator, Arnold Weber. And especially after the much-talked-about Season 3 finale in 2020, Wright will be around as he character continues to grow as the show moves into its fourth season.

Westworld Season 4 was officially given the greenlight in April 2020, but when the HBO hit series will return to our television screens remains a mystery at this time. The show’s return isn’t the only thing that is unknown about Westworld as HBO has yet to reveal exactly when the cameras will start rolling again on the adaptation of Michael Crichton’s 1973 western thriller of the same name. With all of the delays being experienced by other shows and films on account of the ongoing public health crisis, don’t expect to see Westworld Season 4 until 2022 at the earliest.

Batman: The Audio Adventures (Podcast) - TBD (Pre-Production)

Jeffrey Wright’s last upcoming project has him returning to Gotham City, but instead of playing Batman’s most famous ally, he will be taking on the role of the Caped Crusader himself. Batman: The Audio Adventures, an upcoming podcast will see the No Time to Die actor take on a more comical version of Batman and his ultra-top-secret identity, Bruce Wayne.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Batman: The Audio Adventures is a comedic take on the property written and directed by longtime Saturday Night Live scribe Dennis McNicholas and will premiere on HBO Max at some point in 2021. The story is being kept under the wraps at this point in time, but expect a lot of laughs considering the voice cast that includes Jason Sudeikis, Brooke Shields, Rosario Dawson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Moynihan, Kenan Thompson, and several others.

Well, it certainly looks like we’ll be seeing (and hearing) a lot from Jeffrey Wright in the next year or so. With so many of these projects early on in production (and even those that have been completed or are nearing completion), it should be noted that a lot can change between now and their release. That being said, check out CinemaBlend’s updated 2021 Movie Release Schedule for all the latest changes.

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The superhero genre continues to be the most popular in the film industry, with various studios crafting shared universes as a result. Warner Bros. has been putting out a ton of DC content as of late, and there are a number of highly anticipated projects still coming down the line. This includes Matt Reeves' long-awaited movie The Batman, which is still in production now. Reeves assembled a killer cast, including Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon. Although now the Westworld actor has landed another gig playing Bruce Wayne, but not how you'd think.

Jeffrey Wright has had a long and celebrated career in film, and he's going to be making his superhero blockbuster debut in The Batman. His role as Jim Gordon is only one of many A-listers attached to the project, and fans are eager to get a full trailer. But ahead of this, Wright was recently announced to be playing the Dark Knight himself in an official podcast from HBO Max.

This thrilling Batman update comes to us from THR, with the outlet breaking the news about the podcast project. Titled Batman: The Audio Adventures, the upcoming podcast will be a comedic take on Gotham's Protector. Penned by Saturday Night Live writer Dennis McNicholas, this new medium for Batman will be arriving on HBO Max sometime in 2021.

While the story of Batman: The Audio Adventures remains a mystery for the time being, the cast is being assembled. Joining Jeffrey Wright as Bruce Wayne are familiar names like Seth Meyers, Jason Sudeikis, Rosario Dawson, Brooke Shields, and John Leguizamo among others. We'll just have to wait and see which characters the cast takes on.

As previously mentioned Batman: The Audio Adventures will head to HBO Max, as will Matt Reeves' The Batman spinoff series. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Between his roles in Batman: The Audio Adventures and The Batman, it's clear that Jeffrey Wright is diving into Gotham City head first. These two projects also look vastly different. While the former will be comedic, the latter looks like a gritty, pulled back take on the Dark Knight. As a reminder, you can check out the teaser for The Batman below.

For Jeffrey Wright's live-action adventures in Gotham, he'll once again be working with a ton of familiar faces. Robert Pattinson is playing the title character, allowing Wright to play a supporting role as his trusted ally Gordon. They'll be teaming up against a trio of villains Penguin (Colin Farrell), Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz) and Riddler (Paul Dano). The cast is also rounded out by Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Turturro.

Batman: The Audio Adventures is only the latest project to arrive featuring the iconography of DC's most popular hero. Bat-fans can also check out more Bat-programming in TV projects like Titans and Harley Quinn, as well as the highly anticipated Snyder Cut and developing Flashpoint movie.

The Batman is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 4th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Matt Reeves' The Batman has been one of our most anticipated 2021 films for quite a while now, but our excitement was ratcheted up more than a few notches last week thanks to the release of the movie's debut trailer during DC Fandome. The footage offers us more than a few things to be entirely amped for, from the mystery at the heart of the plot to Robert Pattinson's performance – and most definitely on that list is the new iteration of the Batmobile, which it turns out was something that very much stuck out to star Jeffrey Wright when he first read the script.

The actor, who plays the newest big screen version of Gotham detective James Gordon, was recently a guest on SirusXM's The Jess Cagle Show, and while discussing the upcoming blockbuster he heaped particular praise upon the movie's vision for Batman's favorite mode of transportation. Said Wright,

Continuing, Jeffrey Wright added that the reason why the Batmobile in The Batman stuck out to him is because it essentially encapsulates the larger aesthetic that Matt Reeves is creating with the film. Highlighting the realism in the writer/director's in-production feature, Wright explained,

The Batmobile itself is only featured briefly in The Batman trailer, but does make a wonderful impression. As captured in the still above, we get to see it rev up spewing a blue flame out the back, and zip and crash around the streets of Gotham. It inspires a wonderful and perfectly appropriate reaction from Colin Farrell's Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. The Penguin: "Whoa. this guy's crazy!"

Following a delay in filming due to the ongoing pandemic, The Batman is now back in production, and we, like Jeffrey Wright, are really stoked to see what surprises are still in store. In addition to Wright and the aforementioned Robert Pattinson and Colin Farrell, the film also stars Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Turturro. It won't be in theaters until October 1, 2021, but you can be sure that we'll continue to update you about its development here on CinemaBlend between now and then.

Ever since we saw the first footage of The Batman, fans have been eager to learn more about what Matt Reeves has in store for DC fans. Now that the first teaser trailer has dropped, the excitement for the upcoming movie has only grown -- especially since it had fans looking twice at some of the finer details, like the reveal of Penguin. Now, we’re learning that thanks to his radical transformation, even one of Colin Farrell’s castmates was confused when they first encountered him on set.

One of the coolest things about The Batman trailer is that it’s given fans a ton to dissect. After it dropped, we were obviously pretty preoccupied with the more exciting aspects, like getting to see Robert Pattinson’s Batman in action. But eagle eyed fans quickly began to pick up on some other details -- including what appeared to be our first glimpse at a nearly unrecognizable Colin Farrell as The Penguin.

It turns out fans weren’t the only ones who had a hard time identifying the usually very recognizable actor. Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner Gordon in the upcoming film, recently told SiriusXM during an interview that he also did a double take when he came across Colin Farrell on The Batman set:

In the brief glimpse we get of Colin Farrell in the trailer, he is heavily done up with prosthetics to make him appear much heavier than he is in reality, so it’s easy to see why Jeffrey Wright was momentarily confused. The makeup artist in question is Mike Marino, an SFX specialist, who’s definitely done some impressive work in the past. He did prosthetics work for last year’s The Irishman and Joker, and he’s also worked on series like I Know This Much is True and True Detective.

Despite the eye-catching prosthetic work for The Penguin, it remains to be seen how prominently the villain will feature in The Batman. It definitely appears that he’ll prove to be a formidable foe for the Caped Crusader. The teaser trailer also establishes Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman as a major player in the movie -- though we also got an intriguing glimpse of Paul Dano’s Riddler.

We will get to see more of how Colin Farrell embodies The Penguin’s unique persona when The Batman hits theaters. It’s currently still on schedule to arrive on October 1, 2021.

What did you think of Colin Farrell’s appearance in The Batman trailer? Did you recognize him at first? Let us know in the comments!

Superhero movies are the most popular genre among Hollywood blockbusters today. We've seen so many superhero movies over the last few decades that it becomes difficult to keep track of them all. Not only that, but within the comic book genre, we've seen more movies with Batman in them than pretty much any other popular character. With these things being true it would be easy to write off Matt Reeves' upcoming The Batman as just another Batman movie among just more comic book movies, but Jeffrey Wright says this one is special.

What's clear from the recently released trailer, is that this Batman will be a somewhat grounded version of the caped crusader. Even that isn't an entirely unique approach, but Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner Gordon in the new film, recently told SiriusXM that this Batman film will be one whose story will resonate outside of Gotham City, and shine a light on the American cities on which Gotham is based. According to Wright...

One thing that The Batman trailer did show that made the movie look unlike the Batman films that came before, was the focus on Batman as a detective. The character was born in Detective Comics, after all, but few films have bothered to show this side of the character at all, and only a couple have included any sort of mystery to be solved.

The Batman is clearly all about the mystery, though the trailer does stop for a minute to beat the crap out of somebody just so you won't think that won't be part of the movie as well. And while Batman's hunt for clues will have him searching all over Gotham City, Jeffrey Wright says that ultimately, the story could just as easily be taking place in New York City, and so viewers will be able to relate to the story in a different way and the movie will be able to explore things about the real world within its fictional one.

Certainly, we'll have to wait and see more about Matt Reeves new film before we really know how The Batman is going to set itself apart from all the previous Batman movies. Especially after learning that some of the previous Batman actors aren't quite done with the role yet themselves. We'lll get a chance to see that When The Batman arrives next fall. The movie is scheduled to go back into production in September.

At one time, The Batman was intended to be a continuation for Ben Affleck’s version of The Caped Crusader, but now it’s instead giving audiences yet another new interpretation of the DC Comics hero. Robert Pattinson is donning the cape and cowl this time around, and one of his co-stars is Jeffrey Wright, who’s playing GCPD ally James Gordon and is promising that the movie will be the biggest evolution for the Caped Crusader’s mythology yet.

Here’s what Jeffrey Wright had to say when he was recently asked about his time working on The Batman:

To say that this is the biggest Batman mythos shift since the character debuted in Detective Comics #27 is a bold claim, even more so given how many times the superhero has already appeared in live-action. As far as tone goes, Matt Reeves revealed years back that The Batman will be a noir-driven story that highlights Bruce Wayne’s detective skills, which have rarely been featured in past movies, so that’s certainly one way for the movie to stand out.

Jeffrey Wright provided this unique insight on The Batman while appearing on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show (via THR), adding:

No specific plot details for The Batman have been revealed to the public, although it will take place early into the eponymous protagonist’s crimefighting career. It’s also been strongly indicated that the story is inspired by The Long Halloween, which saw Batman tracking down a serial killer and running into many of his iconic adversaries along the way. Jeffrey Wright also mentioned how The Batman’s Batmobile is a good example of what he was laying out in the above quotes, with the vehicle being a “badass muscle car,” yet still “grounded” in Gotham City and Americana.

The Batman kicked off principal photography at the beginning of the year, but due to the current health crisis, production shut down in mid-March and the movie’s release was delayed. It remains to be seen when cameras will begin rolling on the project again, although it could happen sooner rather than later.

In addition to Robert Pattinson and Jeffrey Wright, The Batman’s cast includes Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Paul Dano as Riddler, Colin Farrell as Penguin, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, John Turturro as Carmine Falcone, Peter Sarsgaard as Gil Colson and Jayme Lawson as Bella Reál, along with Gil Perez-Abraham, Charlie Carver and Max Carver cast in undisclosed roles. Along with directing the feature, Matt Reeves also co-wrote the script with Mattson Tomlin.

The Batman is now casting its shadow in theaters on October 1, 2021, and we here at CinemaBlend will keep you updated on how the movie is coming along. You can learn what other DC movies are on the way with our handy guide.