The Knives Out franchise have consistently brought whodunnits back to theaters (and streaming for those with a Netflix subscription). Along with stellar ensemble casts, they've also each contained subtle voice cameos by frequent Rian Johnson collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt. His new movie Wake Up Dead Man is no exception, and he told CinemaBlend where to spot the latest cameo.

What we know about Wake Up Dead Man has been limited, as the franchise tries to guard its secrets. But the latest mystery is now officially in theaters ahead of its release on Netflix in December. As you can see above, Johnson spoke to CinemaBlend ahead of its release, and revealed the sly way he snuck Gordon-Levitt into the threequel. In his words:

Mind blown. This is another blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, especially since the 500 Days of Summer actor isn't physically seen on screen. Instead his voice can be heard as an announcer when Thomas Haden Church's Samson Holt is shown watching a baseball game in his garage. It's certainly not the focus of the scene, which is why it's so easy to miss on the first watch.

While Johnson said Wake Up Dead Man was the hardest Knives Out movie to write, he seemingly didn't have that same struggle with finding a way to include Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Good thing, as now it's something that fans of the franchise look forward to.

For those who don't remember, JGL has had a voice cameo in all three of the Knives Out movies. In the 2019 original movie he can be heard voicing a TV detective in a show Marta's sister is watching. For Glass Onion things got even sillier, with Levitt voicing the dong that goes off every hour for Edward Norton's Miles Bron.

Only time will tell if the Inception actor gets to actually grace the screen in a Knives Out movie. All three installments have featured incredible ensemble casts, and Gordon-Levitt is a versatile talent who could play a variety of roles. It's actually surprising it hasn't happened yet, but these cameos are thoroughly delightful for cinephiles.

Obviously the Knives Out franchise first and foremost stars Daniel Craig, who plays the charming detective Benoit Blanc throughout the trilogy. And while the franchise is very much set up to be an anthology piece, there have been a few other recurring actors. Noah Segan has chewed the scenery in small but hilarious roles in all three titles, and Jeremy Renner's likeness was used ahead of him playing an actual role in Wake Up Dead Man.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. It will become available to stream after its premiere on Netflix December 12th. We'll just have to wait to see what Rian Johnson has up his sleeve for the next installment, and how Joseph Gordon-Levitt ends up being incorporated.

Considering how many child stars have walked away from Hollywood, it is always so inspiring to see an actor who started early and continues to act to this day. Of course, some of them would walk away from the spotlight or experience a bit of a career hiccup before making an impressive return, either with more acting roles or in a new medium altogether. See for yourself by taking a look at these former child actors who went on to impress us as adults.

Mayim Bialik

After hitting it big as the title character of the hit '90s sitcom Blossom, Mayim Bialik lived a normal life that included earning a neuroscience degree and starting a family. She made her major industry return by joining the Big Bang Theory cast as neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, which led her to lead another sitcom called Call Me Kat and host Jeopardy! for a short time.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

After getting his start in movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It and playing an alien posing as a human teen on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt never really went away from Hollywood. However, he did experience a moment of relative obscurity before roles in the likes of (500) Days of Summer, a few great Christopher Nolan movies, and his many collaborations with Rian Johnson put him on the A-List.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett made a grand impression in her youth with a recurring stint on Full House and as the title role of the acclaimed Black horror movie, 1997's Eve’s Bayou. Her career would take an astonishing turn toward A-list success in 2020 after her Emmy-nominated turn in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which was followed by her role as Black Canary in DC’s Birds of Prey, her great performance in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, and more.

Jason Bateman

Following his debut appearance on Little House on the Prairie, his roles on sitcoms like Valerie (later called The Hogan Family after some major casting shake-ups), and his lead part in Teen Wolf Too made Jason Bateman an '80s heartthrob. Years later, playing Michael Bluth in the Arrested Development cast made him a comedy icon before his Emmy-nominated turn as Marty Byrde in Netflix's Ozark cast further proved his remarkable versatility.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer – who proved she was an acting powerhouse at 9 years old with her debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business before scoring her first lead role in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee – never needed a comeback moment because her notoriety never really stopped. However, it is clear that the multi-talented Emmy winner was never more popular before her scene-stealing performance in Jordan Peele’s 2022 alien invasion movie, Nope.

Josh Brolin

After making his acting debut at 17 in 1985's The Goonies cast, Josh Brolin rarely had another role quite as successful until, at 39, he was cast in 2007's instant classic Western movie, No Country for Old Men, as Llewellyn Moss. The son of James Brolin went on to receive an Oscar nomination for 2008's Milk, was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first big bad, Thanos, and has given commanding performances in various other acclaimed films.

Drew Barrymore

Many forget that, years after 1982's E.T. the Extra-terrestrial made her a sensation at just 7 years old, Drew Barrymore had a few career shake-ups due to personal drama including addiction. Yet, her astonishing performance in the opening scene of 1996’s Scream brought her back to the A-List and earned her roles in blockbusters like Charlie's Angels and TV shows like Santa Clarita Diet before she found later success as a daytime talk show host.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing the prodigious title role of Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, at least for a while. His popularity would skyrocket, however, when he played Barney Stinson in the How I Met Your Mother cast, which opened up many avenues for the now multi-Emmy-winning performer, from working with David Fincher on Gone Girl to hosting award shows and taking the stage on Broadway.

Gaby Hoffman

Gaby Hoffman had an amazing run as a child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s with roles in movies like Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. After stepping away to focus on her education, she resurfaced as a sought-after talent with her Emmy-nominated starring role in the Amazon Prime original TV show, Transparent.

Ke Huy Quan

Following his iconic roles in classic '80s movies Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as Short Round, and The Goonies, as Data, Ke Huy Quan’s role offers began to disappear. That would change decades later when he won an Academy Award for his uplifting performance in A24's acclaimed multiverse movie, 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Anna Chlumsky

For years, Anna Chlumsky was best known for her heartbreaking performance as 11-year-old Vada in 1991's My Girl. Years later, she significantly increased her star power with her multi-Emmy-nominated role in the hit HBO series, Veep, as Amy Brookheimer.

Macaulay Culkin

One of the most essential examples of a “former child star” is Macaulay Culkin, who had Hollywood in the palm of his young hands after leading the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. He still acts from time to time, having shown up in the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or on HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, is in a power couple with Brenda Song, and finally received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci would continue to find notable acting roles beyond her star-making turn as Wednesday Addams in 1991's The Addams Family and 1993's Addams Family Values. However, starring in Showtime’s Yellowjackets cast did wonders for her modern notoriety before she revisited her breakout role with a fun part in Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale owes his fame to starring in Steven Spielberg's 1987 period drama Empire of the Sun and the cult-favorite 1992 musical Newsies but his menacing turn in 2000's American Psycho earned him wide respect as an adult. However, leading Christopher Nolan's live-action Batman movies as Bruce Wayne made him one of the top actors of his generation, leading to his Oscar win for 2011’s The Fighter.

Danica McKellar

Danica McKellar embodied the ultimate girl next door when she was cast in the original Wonder Years as Winnie Cooper from 1988 to 1993. Much later in her career, she would acquire a much different fanbase when she became one of the most prolific stars on the Hallmark Channel with roles in movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Cole Sprouse

Cole Sprouse had already acted alongside his sibling, his identical twin brother Dylan, numerous times (such as in Big Daddy) before Disney Channel’s The Suite Life franchise made them teen idols. However, you could argue that Cole was never more popular after he joined the Riverdale cast as Jughead Jones.

Hilary Duff

There were few teen Disney Channel stars who became quite as iconic and as quickly as Hilary Duff after she starred in the title role of Lizzie McGuire. She would find later success in the scene-stealing supporting role of Kelsey Peters on TV Land’s Younger and as the lead protagonist of Hulu's short-lived but well-liked How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father.

Josh Peck

Josh Peck first rose to fame on Nickelodeon by scoring major roles in kid-friendly comedies like The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. He would later prove his worth as a versatile actor with more mature roles, such as on Fox's Grandfathered or in Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer.

Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser first made a name for himself by appearing in ‘90s teen movies like Alaska and Masterminds. However, he would find later and greater success after starring in AMC's Mad Men cast as Pete Campbell.

Kurt Russell

Following his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, Kurt Russell continued to have success as the star of light and funny Disney movies like The Strongest Man in the World. In 1981, he reinvented himself as an action movie icon after playing Snake Plissken in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, which led to plenty more awesome movie roles, such as R.J. MacReady in The Thing and Coach Herb Brooks in Miracle.

Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin was previously best known as Macaulay Culkin’s younger brother, who also showed up in the Home Alone movies and played Matty Banks in the Father of the Bride movies. However, he would become one of the more prolific Culkin siblings following his Emmy-winning turn in the Succession cast as Roman Roy and other widely acclaimed performances.

Johnny Galecki

For years, Johnny Galecki was best known for playing the third Rusty Griswold in 1989's National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and David Healy on Roseanne. He would later reprise the latter role on The Conners years after experiencing a career resurgence by playing Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' The Big Bang Theory.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster made an impressive feature film debut as Liam Neeson’s onscreen stepson in the 2003 rom-com, Love Actually. The British actor would later surprise audiences with his role as Jojen Reed in the Game of Thrones cast, leading to parts in the Maze Runner movies and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams became a bonafide sitcom star by playing a young Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris, which led to more interesting roles, such as Lionel in the acclaimed 2014 indie comedy, Dear White People. However, his recurring role on the Walking Dead cast and multi-Emmy-nominated turn as Gregory Eddie on the Abbott Elementary cast earned him wide respect as an adult actor.

Alisan Porter

Alisan Porter only appeared in a handful of movies, including Ron Howard's Parenthood and John Hughes' Curly Sue in the title role, before she walked away from acting when she was still very young. She would later reinvent herself as a talented musician when she competed in and won the tenth season of NBC's hit singing competition show, The Voice.

Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson broke into the business when she joined the Growing Pains cast as the Severs' youngest child, Chrissy. She is best known these days as a prolific voice actor who has breathed life into iconic roles such as Gretchen on Recess and Ellie in the hit post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, which was adapted into an HBO series that she cameoed on.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy became one of the most promising young talents to break through on Nickelodeon, having been cast on iCarly as the charmingly bullish Sam Puckett. However, she became better known and even better respected years later for her acclaimed, revealing 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which focuses on her life as a reluctant child actor.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne began her career early in life – notably appearing on Pee-wee's Playhouse – and seemingly hit her peak in her late teens and early 20s with the American Pie movies and But I'm a Cheerleader before substance abuse caused her career to slow down. Years later, Emmy-nominated turns on TV shows like Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll (which she co-created), and Poker Face and a few acclaimed movie roles reignited her wonderfully versatile career.

Mara Wilson

Following her star-making roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, Mara Wilson walked away from the spotlight soon after starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. She would later take up minor, infrequent parts after becoming better known for writing about her experiences as a top child actor.

Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment would never go on to play a role quite as iconic as young medium Cole Sear in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense (which earned him an Oscar nomination) at 11 years old. However, his work as an adult – such as recurring roles on hit series like Silicon Valley and The Boys and memorable parts in movies like Kevin Smith’s Tusk – has been nothing short of exciting.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen made a charming debut as Cindy Lou Who in 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and, in her teens, made an impression on the Gossip Girl cast as Jenny Humphrey. She would later reinvent herself as the frontwoman of a successful rock group called The Pretty Reckless.

Lukas Haas

Following an acclaimed run as one of the most revered child actors of the 1980s for his roles in Witness and Lady in White, Lukas Haas went on to take progressively smaller roles as he grew up. However, much of the projects he has taken in his adulthood – including movies like Inception and Babylon and TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds – have been met with great receptions.

Your favorite movie and TV star had to start somewhere and, sometimes, that somewhere is appearing in commercials. There have also been some cases in which an actor has already made it to the top but decided to lend their star power to a TV ad. You can find both kinds in the following collection of TV commercials featuring some huge celebrities.

Ben Affleck (Burger King)

An early blip in Ben Affleck's acting career was a commercial for the popular fast food chain, Burger King. The future live-action Batman actor and Academy Award-winning filmmaker plays a teen who accidentally invents Door Dash when his car phone intercepts a car from a girl who wants to order a whopper.

Cameron Diaz (Coca-Cola)

When Cameron Diaz was still a model primarily, one of her first experiences with acting – before making her feature debut in The Mask – was in a TV ad. The future Shrek movie star shines in an early '90s Coca-Cola commercial that feels a lot more like a perfume ad from the era in its alluring direction.

Paul Rudd (Super Nintendo)

All of Paul Rudd's versatile talents – from making us laugh in movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin to thrilling us as Ant-Man in the Marvel movies – can be traced back to a Super Nintendo commercial he did in the early '90s. He plays a very enthusiastic video gamer who attracts a crowd when he, somehow, hooks up his console to a drive-in theater projector for the ultimate experience of playing The Legend of Zelda and other favorites.

Jennifer Lawrence (My Super Sweet 16)

Jennifer Lawrence got to be the original My Super Sweet 16 girl without appearing on the actual reality TV series that documented wealthy young women's extravagant birthday celebrations. MTV ran dramatized promos for the then-new show starring the future Academy Award winner and Hunger Games movie star as the birthday girl who encounters a few mishaps during her festivities.

Brad Pitt (Pringles)

Years before he starred in Super Bowl Heineken ad helmed by his Fight Club director, David Fincher, the then-up-and-coming Brad Pitt got a taste of commercial acting by starring in a 1988 Pringles spot. He plays one of three surfer dudes who become stranded on the side of a California road when a trio of lovely women approach them for an impromptu Pringles party.

Amy Adams (Commercial Federal Bank)

Mainstream audiences first became aware of Amy Adams' impeccable singing talent in 2007's Enchanted but customers at Commercial Federal Bank were really the first to discover her. In 1997, the multi-Oscar nominee starred as an Olvia Newton-John lookalike in a parody of 1978's Grease for the bank.

Steve Carell (Brown's Chicken)

Steve Carell's channeled his inner Michael Scott long before leading NBC's The Office cast when he was just starting out acting in commercials. In the early 1990s, he played a Brown's Chicken employee whose clumsy mistake while setting up a marquee advertising "cholesterol-free cooking" accidentally convinces customers the food will cost them nothing.

Drew Barrymore (Pillsbury)

It must have been clear to anyone who spotted Drew Barrymore in her early Pillsbury commercial that she was destined to capture our hearts in E.T. the Extra-terrestrial just a few years later. The 1979 ad stars the then-four-year-old as a little girl whose mother cheers her up on a rainy day by making chocolate chip cookies.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Bubble Yum)

Before breaking out with his supporting role in Growing Pains and really hitting big leading the Titanic cast, the up-and-coming Leonardo DiCaprio did a few commercials. One sees the future Oscar winner demonstrate his natural charisma while demonstrating the powerful flavor of Bubble Yum bubble gum.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Alinamin V)

You may never be able to look at Arnold Schwarzenegger the same way again after witnessing the series of gobsmackingly bizarre ads the Terminator star filmed in Japan long after his big break. As the spokesperson for an energy drink called Alinamin V, the future California governor puts on a maniacally large smile and is sometimes seen riding the beverage's bottle into space or popping out of it like a genie.

Mila Kunis (Telephone Tammy)

Had Mila Kunis' Jackie Burkhart been a child of the '90s, Telephone Tammy – a doll who responds to your call with an included play phone – sounds like the kind of toy she would have grown up with. Not to mention the fact that the future That '70s Show cast member appeared in a commercial for Mattel when she was just starting out.

Morgan Freeman (Polaroid)

Future Academy Award winner and voice-over extraordinaire Morgan Freeman starred in a number of TV commercials early on in his career. One such ad was a 1970s spot for Polaroid, not as the man holding the camera that instantly prints out photos but the man telling the amateur photographer to cool it with the reshoots.

Britney Spears (Maull's)

Die-hard fans of pop superstar Britney Spears know that she started out as a child actor who worked with Ryan Gosling on The Mickey Mouse Club, among other rising stars. One of her earlier roles was a young girl who was apparently very excited to eat a home-cooked hamburger in a commercial for Maull's Barbecue Sauce, a local St. Louis brand.

Mark Hamill (Kodak)

Before playing Luke in the Star Wars movies made him familiar with technology from a galaxy far, far away, Mark Hamill represented what must have felt like a futuristic innovation at the time. He starred in a 1975 commercial for a Kodak camera that takes high-resolution photos from far away, allowing him to snap a shot of his girlfriend (and her mother) on a balcony while he stays on the ground.

Anne Hathaway (Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate)

Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway first showed her talent for performing in romantic dramas like One Day and The Idea of You in a 1996 commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. She plays a young woman who believes she and her boyfriend will still have time to spend before his family moves away until they learn the real estate agency has already sold the house.

J.K. Simmons (Farmers Insurance)

From his memorable roles in HBO's Oz and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was pretty well known by the time he was cast as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers for a long-running Farmers Insurance ad campaign. When he won his Oscar for Whiplash, host Neil Patrick Harris sang an impromptu parody of the company's commercial jingle.

Harrison Ford (Kirin)

Playing Han Solo in Star Wars and the title hero of the Indiana Jones movies made Harrison Ford an international star and one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He would also increase his notoriety in Japan by starring in a series of commercials for a regional brand of lager called Kirin.

Keanu Reeves (Corn Flakes)

Before playing a master of kung fu in The Matrix, a master of gun-fu in the John Wick movies, and a master of excellency in the Bill & Ted movies, Keanu Reeves played a master of sneaking a bowl of cereal for himself. The role of a waiter who enjoys some of the breakfast food he has been hired to serve comes from an '80s-era ad for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

Betty White (Snickers)

Snickers had a funny ad campaign starring well-known actors as metaphorical representations of the out-of-character behavior of hungry people. One of the earliest, and funniest, stars the legendary Betty White as a dude who needs a bite of the protein-loaded candy bar when his performance in a casual football game is off.

Bruce Willis (Seagram's Coolers)

When he was best known for Moonlighting and before starring in one of the all-time greatest action movies, Die Hard, Bruce Willis had another claim to fame: Seagram's Golden. He served as the adult beverage's spokesperson in a series of ads, some of which utilized his musical talents.

Jeff Goldblum (Apartments.com)

It's a little strange how a performer as widely recognized and beloved as Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum would be hired to star in an ongoing ad campaign as an original character and not just as himself. Nevertheless, the star of Jurassic Park and The Fly is dazzling and dazzling in the Apartments.com commercials as Brad Bellflower.

Sharon Stone (Finesse)

In the 1990s, films like Basic Instinct and her Academy Award-nominated role in director Martin Scorsese's Casino made Sharon Stone one of the most esteemed, and desirable, actors of her time. In the 1980s, her looks helped sell Finesse shampoo as one of the most desirable brands in the hair care market.

Jack Black (Pitfall)

It appears that Jack Black's charismatic, high-energy sense of humor was something he possessed from a young age. Exhibit A: his appearance in a 1982 commercial for Atari's Pitfall, as a wide-eyed child in a safari hat enthusiastically recalling his experience in the jungle-set video game, years before he played a jungle-set video game character in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Burger King)

No one would have believed, in 1983, that an adorable six-year-old girl who became a recurring spokesperson for Burger King would grow up to become one of the fiercest horror Scream Queens in the genre's history. Yet, that would become Sarah Michelle Gellar's destiny after leading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast as the titular defender against evil.

Tobey Maguire (Tropicana Twister)

In 1991, when he was still a teen, Tobey Maguire did an ad for a blended juice drink from Tropicana called Tropicana Twister. The future Spider-Man actor only briefly appears as a kid who breaks the fourth wall, suggesting that broccoli be added to the next unique flavor combination.

Courteney Cox (Tampax)

Before starring in the Friends cast as Monica Gellar, Courteney Cox was best known in the 1980s for dancing with Bruce Springsteen in the "Dancing in the Dark" video. However, did you catch the future Scream movies star's appearance in a Tampax ad as a gym patron?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pop-Tarts)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most acclaimed former child stars who still act, with film and TV credits that back to the late '80s and early '90s like Angels in the Outfield and, of course, 3rd Rock from the Sun. If you go back even earlier than those classics, you can see the future Looper and Inception star in a 1991 ad for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts as a child who child urging his father to have breakfast before he leaves for work and offers him the toaster pastry.

Bryan Cranston (Preparation H)

Four-time Emmy winner and one-time Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston has worn many faces throughout his career, from a hapless suburban dad in the Malcolm in the Middle cast to a ruthless drug lord as the lead of the Breaking Bad cast. Years before then, he wore the face of a spokesperson for Preparation H in a commercial from the early 1980s.

Willem Dafoe (Mercedes Benz)

With roles like one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, Green Goblin, and others, Willem Dafoe has proven time and time again that he plays an exceptional bad guy. Thus, he was the perfect choice to star in a Super Bowl ad for Mercedes Benz as the Devil, who almost convinces a young man to trade his soul for the car until he learns how affordable it is.

Geena Davis (WMET)

With an eclectic career that includes her Academy Award-winning role in The Accidental Tourist, the horror-comedy movie favorite Beetlejuice, and plenty more, it is clear Geena Davis can be anything. So, we imagine early '80s TV viewers who lived in the region where WMET broadcasted had no trouble accepting her as the voice of the local rock radio station when she starred in its enchanting commercial.

Jeremy Renner (Duracell)

Before he was defending the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Avengers, Jeremy Renner made a living as a commercial actor. One of his greatest hits was a 90s-era Duracell ad in which he plays a tourist in Mexico whose stereo battery harnesses the power of a herd bulls.

John Travolta (U.S. Army)

Years before he played Santa in a Capital One ad and sent up his role in Grease for T-Mobile, John Travolta starred in an Army recruitment promo in 1973. Just four years later, his Academy Award-nominated lead role in Saturday Night Fever made him one of the biggest stars on the planet.

Legacyquels are big business, and it doesn’t matter how many years have passed, movie lovers have long and loyal memories when it comes to certain franchises. On the heels of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprising their roles for another Bad Boys movie, Eddie Murphy is following suit with one of his most iconic characters — Axel Foley. The new action comedy Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F can be streamed with a Netflix subscription starting Wednesday, July 3, and critics have had the chance to screen the flick ahead of time. Let’s see what they’ve got to say.

It’s been 40 years since Eddie Murphy’s Axel first made the trip from Detroit to Beverly Hills, and it’s been a full 30 years since we last saw him in the misfire that was Beverly Hills Cop III. This time around the stakes are raised again, when Axel’s estranged daughter— criminal defense attorney Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige) — finds herself in danger, thus drawing the lieutenant away from Michigan again. In the CinemaBlend review of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eric Eisenberg says the movie is way better than you’d expect, even with plenty of cliches. He rates it 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing: 

The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager agrees Beverly Hills Cop 4 is funnier than it has any right to be, with Eddie Murphy recapturing some of the wisecracking magic that drew audiences in to begin with. Schager says: 

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY gives it 3 out of 4 stars, calling the sequel “confident,” while it maintains old-school vibes. This movie reminds us why Beverly Hills Cop is one of Eddie Murphy’s best movies. Truitt writes:  

Luke Reilly of IGN a “Great” 8 out of 10, saying Axel F feels like an authentic continuation of the original, rather than an arbitrary remake, and Eddie Murphy appears entirely at ease as Axel Foley. Reilly continues: 

David Rooney of THR, however, isn’t as impressed as other critics, writing that Eddie Murphy is as charming as ever, but his material is just not sharp enough to generate big laughs. He concludes: 

It sounds like critics are mostly happy with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and fans of the previous installments — particularly the 1984 original — will undoubtedly enjoy seeing the return of old favorites like Paul Reiser, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton, in addition to seeing what Taylour Paige, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon bring to the franchise. Beverly Hills Cop 4 will be available to stream Wednesday, July 3, on Netflix — one of the best streaming services. 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt may have just finished working with Eddie Murphy on Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., but we already have our sights set on what’s next, and I’m personally hoping that it’s Knives Out 3. The third film in Rian Johnson’s Benoit Blanc series feature the return of Daniel Craig as the Cajun sleuth, and if history repeats itself, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will make a cameo appearance as he did in both 2019’s Knives Out and 2022’s Glass Onion. But what are the chances that Gordon-Levitt could appear in a starring capacity instead of just a small part? I had to find out. 

While at the press junket for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F., I asked Joseph Gordon-Levitt if he’ll have a role beyond a simple cameo in Knives Out 3, officially titled Wake Up Deadman: A Knives Out Mystery, and he told me,

We had to expect that he would dodge such a question, but we were curious how he would dodge it. It seems that he and Rian Johnson are still good friends that have a great deal of respect for one another, and more importantly, Gordon-Levitt didn’t say “no.” So at least there’s that. Thus, my hope is still alive, and I am satisfied with “I don’t know” for now.

This response came after I opened up to Joseph Gordon-Levitt about my love for Rian Johnson’s first film Brick, a neo-noir indie flick that stars Gordon-Levitt as Brendan, a moody outsider who finds himself tied up in the drama of a high school drug ring. Not only is the film one of the best Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies, but it’s also in the best of modern film noir, and it was a career-launcher for Rian Johnson. 

The movie's critical success led to the filmmaker creating The Brothers Bloom, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and eventually the Knives Out series (and let's not forget the Peacock mystery show Poker Face). At the time Brick got made, Gordon-Levitt was doing a lot of indie films, and one could argue that it was a project that helped pave the way for his mainstream success in recent years. No wonder he went on to say that Brick is “really important to me” during our interview, which you can see in the video at the top of this article.

But it’s not just Brick and Knives Out that features Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as the actor has made an appearance in every single Rian Johnson project – ranging from cameos to top billing. You’ll remember his famously Bruce Willis-y makeup for Looper, you may have heard his voice in The Last Jedi, he voiced the "Hourly Dong" in Glass Onion, and he even took on a front-and-center villainous role in the penultimate episode of Poker Face Season 1. It’s safe to assume that Joseph Gordon-Levitt will be in Wake Up Deadman in some capacity, as there’s no way they’ll break their streak now. We’ll just have to wait and see how large said role will be. 

Given the large, ensemble casts of the first two Knives Out films, there’s been a lot of speculation surrounding who will be appearing in Wake Up Deadman. Based on what we know so far, the cast is looking to be pretty epic. Jeremy Renner is on board after being referenced in Glass Onion (thus, he’ll potentially be playing himself), and he’ll be joined by the likes of Josh Brolin, Cailee Spaeny, Glenn Close and many more. Given that Tom Hardy’s name is still being thrown around as potential casting, it seems they’re nowhere near done filling up the call sheet, and we’ll keep you updated if there’s any more information on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s potential return to the Rian Johnson-verse.  

While Wake Up Deadman is still in pre-production, you can see Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. on Netflix July 3. Based on what we know about the film, it’s easy to assume we’re in store for a delightful romp. Keep it here at CinemaBlend for news on everything else coming our way on the 2024 movie release schedule. 

At 43 years old, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s acting career is still going stronger than ever. But before we saw Gordon-Levitt’s talent shine in his best movies like 500 Days of Summer, Inception, 50/50, and others, he was a teen actor part of the cast of 10 Things I Hate About You. Funnily enough, the American actor’s friend thought he was way younger in that movie than he actually was, and I kinda get it.

In one of the best rom-coms of all time, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays sophomore student Cameron who falls for a popular girl, Bianca, who can’t date unless her older sister Kat does. This causes Cameron to fix up bad boy Patrick with Kat. If you were to look back at baby-faced Gordon-Levitt in 10 Things I Hate About You, how old would you think he was? The Primetime Emmy winner answers that question on CBS News with a hilarious story of being believed to be younger than he actually was:

I honestly can see where the friend was coming from. I wouldn’t say that Joseph Gordon-Levitt looked 10 or 11, but I would have guessed about 14 or 15 years old. But, they say the younger you look in the business can help you expand your roles. After all, Cobra Kai’s Ralph Macchio looked ageless starring in The Karate Kid playing a 14-year-old Daniel when he was actually 21 years old in real life! And hey, I’d rather take looking too young over looking too old any day.

With 10 Things I Hate About You just turning 25, it’s hard to believe where the time has gone. Other than Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a lot of prolific stars came from that movie like Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Gabrielle Union. You can tell that Gordon-Levitt had a good experience making the teen flick as back in 2021, he posted a throwback photo of himself and the “wonderful people” he worked with.

Although, the 3rd Rock From the Sun actor didn’t always feel like he belonged in 10 Things I Hate About You. Joseph Gordon-Levitt actually tried to get out of filming the modern-day Shakespeare adaptation multiple times in order to be in serious films. But, his agent and other people kept convincing him this role would be good for him.

Luckily, The Walk actor stuck with the movie and said twenty years later he didn’t regret it due to the experience of having a good time with the cast. Plus, Gordon-Levitt got his wish to come true about wanting to be in more arthouse films for the Sundance Film Festival as he later starred in indie films like Brick, Manic, and Hesher.

It’s safe to confirm now that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was not 10 or 11 years old when he starred in 10 Things I Hate About You like his wife’s friend thought. On the other hand, I can understand the confusion as Gordon-Levitt really did look so young in that comedy. You can watch the 17-year-old Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the ‘90s teen rom-com on your Hulu subscription and your Disney+ subscription.

The long-awaited Beverly Hills Cop 4 is finally set to be released this summer, meaning that Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley will once again be on the scene. And the star won't be alone, of course., as he'll be joined by a mix of franchise newcomers and OGs, with one of the former being Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The actor has referred to his time working with Murphy as a treat and, based on the explosive Axel F trailer, their two characters will have an interesting relationship. Gordon-Levitt got close enough to the comedy icon off camera that he got to see a somewhat nerdier side of him while filming the sequel, and I wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall.

Many would likely relish the former 3rd Rock from the Sun star's position, given he's part of the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast. The highly anticipated flick will see Joseph Gordon-Levitt play straight-laced BH detective Bobby Abbott opposite Eddie Murphy’s vivacious Foley. Gordon-Levitt recently opened up to Empire about what it was like working with the Oscar nominee on the action movie. Amid the chat, he also revealed a topic of discussion that allowed him and his co-star to bond:

It's nice to know that Eddie Murphy is an audiophile like so many people. Music is definitely an element that connects folks, and it's cool that the two co-stars were able to bond over it. I would’ve loved to have heard their conversations about those soul and rock classics. I specifically want to know what stuck out to them in each song. What did they think of the instrumentals? Did they dive deeper into each artist’s discography? Hopefully, the two A-listers will discuss their music conversations when they start promoting the movie.

While the actors themselves seem to have a few things in common, that doesn't sound as true for their characters. The Looper star delved into Abbott and Foley’s differing personalities, teasing what their dynamic will be like. He explained:

By all accounts, they're going to be a true odd couple, and the fact that Bobby is the ex-boyfriend of Axel's daughter should add another interesting wrinkle in their relationship. Abbott is just one of the law enforcement vets who's teaming up with Axel this time around, as Judge Reinhold and John Ashton are reprising their roles as Billy Rosewood and John Taggart, respectively. Those reunions will be fun to see, but I'm also eager to see Eddie Murphy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's on-screen chemistry. Here's hoping it's as delightful as their music conversations apparently were.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F will premiere for Netflix subscribers on July 3, and that membership currently gets you access to the first movie in the franchise. You can also stream that 1984 flick alongside its first two sequels using a Paramount+ subscription.

As if The Conners cast wasn’t already A+ enough with comedy heavyweights like John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf among the core ensemble, the ABC sitcom also knows how to deliver oodles of noteworthy guest stars of all kinds. We’ve seen Emmy winners such as Nick Offerman in Season 6, Grammy-earners like The Eagles’ Joe Walsh in Season 4, and full-on EGOT winners like Whoopi Goldberg in Season 5. (And can’t forget Super Bowl winner Aaron Rodgers’ cameoing on the Jeopardy! stage.)

But because The Conners was created atop the legacy of the primetime classic Roseanne, it’s one of the few shows that can pull off former character returns 30+ years after their original appearances. I could wax on about all the familiar faces that have returned over the years, from Johnny Galecki’s David to Meagen Fay as former neighbor Kathy Bowman, with former regular Natalie West’s Crystal Anderson most recently appearing.

Now let's look at some of the Roseanne characters who haven’t yet made modern-day returns, but would be absolutely fabulous to see again in this universe in one way or another.

Leon Carp (Martin Mull)

Comedy TV king Martin Mull was a regular presence throughout most of Roseanne’s run as one of the titular character’s thorniest besties, where part of that run had Leon married to Fred Willard’s Scott. He was such a memorable asset of the series, with or without Willard, that it’s almost baffling that Leon hasn’t yet shown up attempting to build a new diner across the street from the Lunchbox, or whatever the case would be. Mull appeared in a couple of Season 1 episodes of ABC’s Not Dead Yet in 2023, so I’m still holding out hope for Leon’s return.

Fred (Michael O'Keefe)

Caddyshack great Michael O'Keefe enjoyed a memorable stint on Roseanne as Fred, who may be better known as "the boyfriend of Jackie's who didn't abuse her, but did get her pregnant during their one-night stand, leading to a failed marriage." I'm not so hopeful about seeing Fred show up as the exact same character, however, since the revival-verse retconned his and Jacki's son Andy. But to me, that would make his return even more interesting.

Vonda Green (Charlayne Woodard)

Secret Invasion and Mayfair Witches vet Charlayne Woodard was one of the earliest cast members who helped populate Lanford around Roseanne, Dan and the Conner clan. As Roseanne's co-worker buddy Vonda, she was always good for a laugh-line, and it's always been a disappointment that Woodward bowed out of the show after Season 2. With Roseanne having died to kick The Conners off, it might not make a whole lot of narrative sense to bring Vonda back, but why would sense need to enter into it?

Booker Brooks (George Clooney)

I think many longtime Roseanne fans would agree that former co-star George Clooney would be the crown jewel of all returning cast members, even if his sometimes weasely Booker Brooks isn't necessarly the best character to have back. (Come at me, Booker!) But I'm all about having him return with a softer side, perhaps having gone into a medical career as an ER doctor. Clooney is a white whale behind the scenes as well, though The Conners did reference him in Season 3 for a fun story.

George (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

I can't really act as if Joseph Gordon-Levitt's recurring youngin George was a core part of what made Roseanne great or anything, but he was already a talented enough actor at that age to pop even if all he did was stammer a few lines out with performative nervousness. It would have made more sense to bring George back before Michael Fishman exited the show, since he was D.J.'s friend, but I can't think of a bad reason to get Gordon-Levitt on The Conners.

Ziggy (Jay O. Sanders)

Crime Story and True Detective vet Jay O. Sanders was pretty much destined to gain a bigger Roseanne presence after his initial two episodes as Dan's bike shop coworker Ziggy. He was reportedly asked to take on a recurring role that fell through, but regardless of whether that's true or not, seeing Sanders and John Goodman together again would be a treat.

Bonnie Watkins (Bonnie Bramlett)

Like Vonda, Bonnie was one of Roseanne's most memorable co-workers, as they spent many hours together at Rodbell's Department Store during Seasons 3 and 4. One of the plusses with Bonnie was that her husband was played by music icon David Crosby, and they were known to make some purdy melodies on occasion. Even without the late Crosby by her side, Bonnie's return to Lanford, presumably via motorcycle, could make for some great moments where characters fondly look back and share embarrassing stories that couldn't have been shown on TV at the time.

Dwight (William Sadler)

To be clear, I think William Sadler's Dwight showed enough of his turd personality in his two episodes of Roseanne that made it seem like he showed up a lot more often. However, Sadler is an excellent actor who's welcome to appear in anything I'm watching at the time, and I think it would be interesting to see how Dan and others handled Dwight's misogyny and shit-starting rudeness in the modern era.

Heather (Heather Matarazzo)

Season 9 cast member and indie movie kween Heather Matarazzo is another case of a great actor whose presence would be a plus for viewers, but would defy all manner of logic within this retcon-friendly canon. She portrayed D.J.'s girlfriend whose hornball energy turned Michael Fishman's character into a nervous wreck. Without D.J. around, Heather's return is questionable at best, but maybe we could find out she also dated Ben at some point, and then tries to get with him again. Whatever's most awkward for Darlene to deal with, probably.

Arnie (Tom Arnold)

Tom Arnold's presence on Roseanne, which was helped along him being married to the creator and star for a while, is possibly as polarizing as it gets for regular characters on the two sitcoms, since Arnie was a bit of an annoying sleazeball most of the time. Even when he was being authentically sweet to Nancy or whoever else, Arnold has a way of playing characters who seem impervious to the fact that all they're spewing is bullshit. And given Arnie was such a big part of the show during the first half of its run, only to disappear after Season 5, I'd like to see how many other women's lives he's screwed up over the years, if nothing else.

There are no doubt plenty of other Roseanne vets I'd love to see again that didn't make this list, as well as some that we've already seen return to The Conners. More Matthew Broderick and Candice Bergen, please.

The Conners airs Wednesday nights on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET. Head to our 2024 TV schedule to see what else is hitting the small screen soon.

Movies surrounding romance have always been popular, although audiences can end up taking the side of certain characters once things go wrong. Case in point: 500 Days of Summer, which I think is one of the best romantic comedies of all time. The 2009 movie follows the relationship of Tom and Summer, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel respectively. Although there's been much debate about the movie's ending over the years. Here's the story behind 500 Days of Summer's ending, and why Zooey Deschanel's title character isn't actually the villain.

The story of 500 Days of Summer (which is available with a Hulu subscription) is told in a non-linear fashion, with the story jumping to various points of Tom's relationship with her. He's head over heels immediately, although Deschanel's romantic lead makes it clear that she's not looking for a relationship. But the two eventually spent time together, before things go awry. 

At first audiences might be on Tom's side, as the film is told through his perspective. But 500 Days of Summer is meant to be re-watched, as the movie's third act offers context over why Summer was unable to really be happy with him. Still, there are some naysayers out there who have claimed that Summer is the villain of the movie... even though she makes her intentions crystal clear from the beginning. 

In the end it was Tom's own fault for trying to make Summer be with him, despite the fact that she said she didn't want to be in a committed relationship. Zooey Deschanel has defended her character for years, and explained to The Guardian why those Summer haters ultimately got the message of the film wrong. In her words:

Perspective is a big theme to 500 Days of Summer, particularly in the movie's latter half. Tom felt like Summer was opening up to him because she was in love, and he assumed they'd be together for the long haul. But really it's his own obsession and hope that are clouding his judgement. Perhaps there is no clearer example of this than the movie's reality vs. expectations sequence, which reveals how much JGL's character was in his own head. You can re-watch that scene below:

While it's natural for romantic-comedy audiences to want to see the couple end up together in the end that's often not how the real world works. That's why 500 Day of Summer is so controversial, but also why I love re-watching it so much. Perspective isn't always reality, and one's feelings aren't facts.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has defended summer himself a number of times, also maintaining that Summer isn't the villain in the end. In an interview with Playboy (via HuffPost), he got honest about Tom's delusions in the film, offering:

Talk about a mic drop moment. While JGL might appreciate the support from moviegoers, he thinks that those who take his side about 500 Days of Summer might be missing the point. Tom doesn't listen to Summer, and much of their whirlwind relationship is in his head. And that's no way to enter into a partnership. 

Of course, newcomers to 500 Days of Summer might take Tom's side, so this debate will likely continue for years to come. But I love the ending of the movie, and re-play it anytime I'm in a relationship crisis. After all, expectations and reality don't always match up.

500 Days of Summer is streaming now on Hulu. Check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie trip.

Have you ever caught a rerun of an older TV show and during the opening credits sequence, you spotted someone who made you say, “Hey, I know that person!”? This is actually a more common occurrence than you may realize, as there many A-list celebrities whose first IMDb credit (or one of the first) was a supporting role on a series long before they earned the honor of being a leading presence on the big (or small) screen. The following are some of our favorite examples of famous actors who appeared a bit further down the the line on the call sheet on a TV show when they were starting out.

Chris Pratt (Everwood)

Before Guardians of the Galaxy made him a leading man, Chris Pratt really began to gain traction from starring in the Parks and Recreation cast as Andy Dwyer. However, even earlier than that, he starred on a WB family drama called Everwood as high school joke Bright Abbott alongside fellow future MCU star Emily VanCamp, who played his sister, Amy.

Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show)

Before her Academy Award-nominated performance in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, her star-making role as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Oscar-winning turn in Silver Lining’s Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence was a sitcom star — specifically a cable network sitcom star. On The Bill Engvall Show, which lasted three seasons on TBS, she starred opposite the eponymous stand-up comedian as his on-screen alter ego’s teenage daughter, Lauren Pearson,

Austin Butler (Zoey 101)

The musical talents that earned Austin Butler the title role of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis can be traced back to his part on Ruby & the Rockits, which lasted 10 episodes on ABC Family (now Freeform) in 2009. However, the Oscar nominee’s first major TV role was on the final season of Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101 as James Garrett — a character missing from Paramount+’s feature-length follow-up, Zoey 102.

Margot Robbie (Pan Am)

While her earliest role was actually the long-running soap opera, Neighbours — much like many other Aussie A-listers — we thought we would highlight American audiences’ first true introduction to Margot Robbie on Pan Am. An interesting fact about Robbie is that the future Oscar nominee and DC movies star was actually roommates with co-star Christina Ricci while playing 1960s-era flight attendant Laura Cameron on the short-lived ABC drama from 2011 to 2012.

Seth Rogen (Freaks And Geeks)

While still part of the main ensemble, Seth Rogen’s role as the initially arrogant Ken Miller pretty much got the short end of the stick amongst the Freaks and Geeks cast, for the most part. Ironically, Rogen, arguably, went on to become the painfully short-lived coming-of-age dramedy’s biggest star, which is really saying something, given his co-stars include Jason Segel, Linda Cardellini, and John Francis Daley.

Brie Larson (Raising Dad)

A notable moment in Academy Award winner Brie Larson’s evolution from child star to modern A-list actor was her role as the late Bob Saget’s youngest on-screen daughter on Raising Dad — a sitcom that ran for one season on The WB (now The CW) in the early 2000s. Following her success as the MCU’s Captain Marvel, Larson returned to TV in 2023 — reprising her Scott Pilgrim vs. the World role for Netflix’s animated series reboot, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and leading the Lessons in Chemistry cast for Apple TV+.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Growing Pains)

While doing press for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt recalled how they both appeared on the hit ABC sitcom Growing Pains much earlier in their career. Of course, Pitt had a one-episode guest appearance while the Oscar-winning The Revenant star and Titanic cast member had a prominent role as Luke Brewer — a homeless teen taken in by the Seavers in Season 7. 

Ana De Armas (The Boarding School)

One of the films that earned Academy Award nominee Ana de Armas a spot on the A-list was Rian Johnson’s hit whodunit, Knives Out, from 2019. More than a decade earlier, the Cuban-born actor landed a role on a coming-of-age mystery TV show called El Internado (or The Boarding School), which originally aired in Spain from 2007 to 2010.

Michael B. Jordan (The Wire)

After getting his start as a Toys ‘R Us kid, the fascinating Michael B. Jordan made his official acting debut on an episode of The Sopranos, but later landed a more prominent role on another acclaimed, gritty HBO series in 2002. He appeared amongst The Wire cast as Wallace — an orphan whose tragic story had a profound impact on the Emmy-nominated series beyond his 13-episode stint.

Anne Hathaway (Get Real)

Anne Hathaway fans should know that before she broke into the mainstream by leading Disney’s The Princess Diaries cast, the Academy Award winner made her acting debut on a 1999 Fox TV show called Get Real as a high school senior who shocks her family with the decision to refuse college. Coincidentally, the short-lived dramedy was also the debut of Hathaway’s Rio co-star, Jesse Eisenberg, and was an early gig for NCIS' Eric Christian Olsen as well.

Denzel Washington (St. Elsewhere)

With two Oscars to his name, it’s hard to imagine a TV screen big enough to contain the talent of one Denzel Washington, yet it was a TV show that helped launched the young actor’s career in the early 1980s. Following his official debut in the 1977 TV movie Wilma, the future Training Day lead played Dr. Philip Chandler on NBC’s hit medical drama, St. Elsewhere.

Michelle Williams (Dawson's Creek)

For years, Michelle Williams was known best from the Dawson’s Creek cast as Jen Lindley. Now — after receiving multiple Academy Award nominations for acclaimed dramas like Manchester by the Sea and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans — that role on the hit teen drama is, typically, among the last things mentioned in regards to her career.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock From The Sun)

As a child actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in some good movies and made a few notable TV guest appearances before landing his first successful series regular gig with 3rd Rock from the Sun. He played the eldest member of a group of extra-terrestrial visitors, and the character resembles a teenager in human form on the Emmy-winning sci-fi sitcom.

George Clooney (The Facts Of Life)

As a TV star, George Clooney is best known from his main role on the popular ‘90s show, ER, on which he played Doug Ross. Much earlier, however, the future two-time Oscar winner had a memorable recurring role on Diff’rent Strokes' (very different) spin-off, The Facts of Life, as George Burnett — a carpenter who would become close to the girls living under Mrs. Garrett’s roof.

Woody Harrelson (Cheers)

With multiple Academy Award nominations to his name, Woody Harrelson is known today as one of Hollywood’s most versatile movie stars, but his first big break came when he joined the Cheers cast in the mid-1980s. In fact, he won his first Emmy Award for playing the naive, but lovable, Woody Byrd, whom Sam (Ted Danson) hires on as a new barkeep following he death of Coach (Nicholas Colasanto).

Jason Bateman (Little House On The Prairie)

At least before he led Netflix’s Ozark cast, Jason Bateman has always best known on the small screen as a sitcom star, with his roles as David Hogan on Valerie (later changed to The Hogan Family) and Michael Bluth on Arrested Development being the famous examples. However, his very first gig was playing James Cooper Ingalls for 21 episodes of Little House on the Prairie during the early 1980s.

Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace)

An early Don Cheadle role you may have forgotten about was featured on a TV show spin-off you may not have heard of, either. The future Academy Award nominee and MCU actor starred alongside most of the Golden Girls cast on The Golden Palace as Roland Wilson — the young manager of the titular hotel where the short-lived sitcom took place. 

Jason Momoa (Baywatch)

Even long before he landed the role of Aquaman in the DC movies, Jason Momoa was no stranger to saving lives in the water. The Hawaiian-born actor made his debut in his home state when he joined the Baywatch cast as a character also named Jason from 1999 to 2001.

Marisa Tomei (A Different World)

We know her from her Academy Award-winning role in My Cousin Vinny as Mona Lisa Vito (who she'd love to revisit) or as Peter Parker’s (reinvented) Aunt May in the MCU, to name a few examples. Yet before many people knew who Marisa Tomei was, she was on the first season of The Cosby Show spin-off, A Different World, as Hillman student Maggie Lauten.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (The Get Down)

One interesting fact about Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: before he was an Emmy-winning DC TV show star (for playing Cal Abar on HBO’s Watchmen) and a scene-stealing DC movie villain (Black Manta in Aquaman), he worked as a San Francisco city planner until he was laid off in 2010. The role that first helped him make a name for himself as an actor was night club owner Clarene “Cadillac” Caldwell in Netflix’s musical period drama series, The Get Down, from co-creator Baz Luhrmann.

Alexandra Daddario (All My Children)

Speaking to Women’s Health in 2022, Alexandra Daddario recalls that she was fired from the long-running daytime soap opera, All My Children, which she actually found to be a liberating, educational experience. It led to seek improvement in her acting skills and pave the way for her to breakthrough in the Percy Jackson movies, give an Emmy-nominated performance as part of the HBO’s The White Lotus cast, and star in many other notable works.

Adam Driver (Girls)

Without Lena Dunham, there might not be a Kylo Ren — or at least, the memorable version of the Sith Lord we got in the hands Adam Driver. The former Marine’s scene-stealing role on HBO’s Girls as Adam Sackler is what got Hollywood to take notice of his talent, leading to his casting in the Star Wars movies and his Oscar-nominated performances in BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story.

Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls proved to be a launch pad for many A-listers — few of which would blow up quite like Melissa McCarthy, who played Sookie St. James on the hit dramedy.  She later won an Emmy for her leading role on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly and received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role as a member of the Bridesmaids cast. And that film skyrocketed her to the A-list as a trusted name in comedy and more.

Drake (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

One of the most memorable and important characters from Degrassi: The Next Generation is Jimmy Brooks, who served as an inspirational representation for wheelchair users on the long-running Canadian coming-of-age drama. The role was played by an actor named Aubrey Graham, who still acts on occasion — an Anchorman 2 cameo, for instance — but primarily performs as a rapper under the moniker Drake.

Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men)

At just eight years old, Kiernan Shipka proved to be a stand-out alongside AMC’s Mad Men cast with her performance as Sally Draper. She later went on to lead her own TV show (Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and headline movies like Amazon Prime’s horror-comedy, Totally Killer and The Silence.

Ryan Reynolds (Fifteen)

Despite his many earnest roles over the years, it may be hard to picture Ryan Reynolds as anything other than the smarmy goof he plays in the likes of the Deadpool movies and National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, for instance. Perhaps watching him make his debut in the Canadian coming-of-age drama Fifteen will help audiences see another side of him.

Tommy Lee Jones (One Life To Live)

It is amazing to think about how many acclaimed and even legendary actors started out on soap operas, such as Tommy Lee Jones. One of the earliest roles for the Academy Award-winning star of The Fugitive and the Men in Black movies was the ill-fated Mark Toland on One Life to Live from 1971 to 1975.

John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Before his Academy Award-nominated role in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever — and its fantastic movie soundtrack — made him one of the biggest stars of all time, John Travolta was better known by another name: Vinnie Barbarino. That was the future Pulp Fiction cast member’s character on Welcome Back, Kotter — a hit sitcom that never made it to 100 episodes. He practically stole the show from star and co-creator Gabe Kaplan with his famous catchphrase, “Up your nose with a rubber hose!”

Jennifer Love Hewitt (Kids Incorporated)

Her role as Sarah Reeves on the original Party of Five may have made Jennifer Love Hewitt a teen idol, but it was not her first major TV gig. The Ghost Whisperer star was 10 when she demonstrated her multiple talents on Disney Channel’s Kids Incorporated, which focuses on the lives of a group of young artists who perform live music at a club for children.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Fortysomething)

It was his eponymous role on the modern crime drama Sherlock that made Benedict Cumberbatch a nigh-unpronounceable household name, but his first starring role on a TV series was Fortysomething. The MCU’s Doctor Strange actor played the on-screen son of none other than House’s Hugh Laurie on the English dramedy that lasted six episodes.

Jared Leto (My So-Called Life)

In one of the best ‘90s shows that ended too soon, My So-Called Life, Jared Leto portrayed what would become his first iconic role: high school heartthrob Jordan Catalano. The much celebrated coming-of-age drama also marked one for the first times the future Academy Award winner acted alongside his sibling and Thirty Seconds to Mars bandmate, Shannon.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Passions)

Movie star Mary Elizabeth Winstead has more than a few very notable small-screen roles — such as a leading stint in Fargo Season 3 and Hera Syndulla alongside the Ahsoka cast for Disney+. The Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast member’s earliest major TV gig, however, was on the supernatural soap opera Passions.

For any TV actors out there hoping one day to make it onto the big screen, let these stories serve as proof that your dreams may not be far away from becoming a reality.

The phrase “former child star” is most often associated with someone who was famous when they were much younger, but is not quite as well-known — or, perhaps, does not even act anymore — as a grown-up. Yet, for every starlet who has risen and fallen, there are just as many who have beaten the odds and have gone onto bigger and better things as adults, like these beloved celebrities.

Macaulay Culkin

The first person you might think of when you think of “former child stars” could be Macaulay Culkin, who was on top of the world when he led the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. While his notoriety would slow in subsequent years, it is always a treat to see him show up in ensembles like the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic cast.

Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas was one of the most acclaimed young actors of his time with leading roles in 1985’s Witness, opposite Harrison Ford, and the underrated ghost story, Lady in White, from 1988. He has since made a living taking smaller roles in otherwise big movies like Inception and Babylon, plus he's shown up on TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds.

Jurnee Smollett

With an Emmy nomination for HBO’s Lovecraft Country, a scene-stealing role in DC’s Birds of Prey, and a stellar turn in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, Jurnee Smollett has established herself as one of the strongest talents of her time. However, that was already clear with her recurring role in Full House and her astonishing performance in 1997’s acclaimed Black horror movie, Eve’s Bayou, when she was still a child.

Jason Bateman

From his debut role on Little House on the Prairie to his years on the sitcom Valerie (which would become The Hogan Family), Jason Bateman showed great versatility as a performer in his younger years. He has upheld that reputation ever since, as seen by his Emmy-nominated work leading the Arrested Development cast and, later, the Ozark cast. His ability to shift from starring in funny movies like Horrible Bosses to dramas like Air is remarkable.

Dakota Fanning

Racking up more than 20 credits before she turned 10, Dakota Fanning was everywhere in the early 2000s — catching the attention of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg for War of the Worlds and holding her own against actors like Robert DeNiro in Hide and Seek. Save her age, nothing much has changed for the actor, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast and reunited with her Man on Fire co-star, Denzel Washington, in 2023’s The Equalizer 3.

Ryan Gosling

A 13-year-old Ryan Gosling entered show business as a Mouseketeer, paving the way for him to star in back-to-back scary anthology TV shows for kids (Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps), lead Young Hercules, and more. Leading 2004’s The Notebook cast paved the way for him to be an action hero in Drive and Blade Runner 2049. On top of all that, he also earned Oscar nominations for Half Nelson and La La Land, and made us laugh as part of the The Nice Guys ensemble and the Barbie cast as Ken.

Brie Larson

After some faux ads on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show marked her debut at 9, Brie Larson went on to star in a family sitcom with the late Bob Saget (Raising Dad), was in a YA novel adaptation (Hoot), and she even had a singing career in her teens. Now, she is a comic book movie star (for appearing in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and playing the MCU’s Captain Marvel), and she has an Oscar for Room from 2015.

Kenan Thompson

On All That — Nickelodeon’s answer to Saturday Night Live — one of the young cast’s most prominent breakouts was Kenan Thompson, who went on to co-lead his own kid-friendly sitcom with Kel Mitchell, aptly named Kenan & Kel. The Emmy winner went on to break the record for longest-running SNL actor and lead his own adult sitcom, Kenan.

David Krumholtz

After making his debut playing a child actor in 1993’s Life with Mikey, David Krumholtz became a prominent child actor with roles in Addams Family Values as Wednesday’s love interest and Tim Allen’s head elf, Bernard, in The Santa Clause. The crime procedural, Numb3rs, earned him greater recognition, leading to a career that includes lending his voice to Sausage Party, appearing in the Oppenheimer cast, and reprising Bernard on Disney+’s series, The Santa Clauses.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing a kid genius on Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, which he acknowledged when he later played himself in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Of course, the five-time Emmy winner is better known today as Barney Stinson from the How I Met Your Mother cast, Count Olaf on Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and so much more.

Josh Brolin

At 17, first-time actor Josh Brolin immediately made his mark on pop culture as part of the Goonies cast in the role of Brand Walsh. However, he really got heads turning at 39 when he starred in one of the best movies of the 2000s, No Country for Old Men. The son of Hollywood veteran James Brolin has an Oscar nomination for Milk and multiple comic book movie roles under his belt (Jonah Hex, MCU’s Thanos, and Cable in Deadpool 2), among other great achievements. 

Haley Joel Osment

After debuting in Forrest Gump and starring on The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Haley Joel Osment’s Oscar-nominated performance in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, 1999’s The Sixth Sense, made him a sensation. He went on to earn leading parts in Pay It Forward and Steven Spielberg’s A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. More recently, Osment has been known to pop up in the most unexpected places — Kevin Smith’s Tusk, a guest role on The Boys, Netflix's animated fantasy series Dogs in Space, to name a few — but always with grand results.

Ethan Hawke

After debuting in Joe Dante’s Explorers at 15, Ethan Hawke only grew in prominence in his later teens and throughout his 20s by starring in Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, etc. He went on to earn Academy Award nominations for Training Day and Boyhood. He completed Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy with 2013’s Before Midnight, became a Scream King with great horror movies like Sinister, and he's done a fair amount of work behind the scenes, too.

Abigail Breslin

Just four years after M. Night Shyamalan gave 6-year-old Abigail Breslin her big break with Signs, her role in the Little Miss Sunshine cast made her one of the youngest Oscar nominees of all time. As she matured, so would her roles — such as a teenage murder suspect in Stillwater or a vigilante in the Accused cast for Fox.

Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik stole the show from the Big Bang Theory cast as Amy Farrah Fowler and later led Fox’s Call Me Kat in the title role. However, the Jeopardy! host’s status as sitcom royalty dates back to the ‘90s as the star of Blossom.

Brenda Song

Perhaps Brenda Song’s most iconic character is London Tipton from the Suite Life franchise — which is just one of the roles that made her a prominent Disney Channel star. Beyond the children’s cable giant, she was in one of the best David Fincher movies, The Social Network, led Netflix’s Secret Obsession, and had a main role in Hulu’s Dollface.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Despite being removed for disruptive behavior when making his show business debut on Romper Room at 3 years old (as he revealed to David Letterman), Leonardo DiCaprio went on to lead a winning child actor’s career that included a season on Growing Pains and an Academy Award nomination for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Things would only get better as he grew up, earning even more Oscar nominations — and one win for The Revenant — and becoming as important to Martin Scorsese’s filmography as his This Boy’s Life co-star, Robert DeNiro, whom he reunited with in 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams started out appearing on Sesame Street before landing the title role of Chris Rock’s autobiographical sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Following an acclaimed indie comedy (Dear White People) and a recurring role on the Walking Dead cast, the actor became sitcom royalty again when he joined the Abbott Elementary cast, which earned him multiple Emmy nods.

Kurt Russell

Former Disney star Kurt Russell made his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, and he went on to play him in a made-for-TV biopic and Forrest Gump. Several great movie roles later, Russell is one of the top action heroes of all time, and now he's working with his family by joining the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast alongside his son, Wyatt, who is playing his younger self.

Jodie Foster

After getting her start on TV at a very young age (the first gig being The Doris Day Show), Jodie Foster got a head start on the more mature roles she would become known for when she appeared in Taxi Driver at 14. The two-time Academy Award winner (for The Accused and Best Picture Oscar winner The Silence of the Lambs) would continue to work from both in front of and behind the camera.

Johnny Galecki

In 1989, 14-year-old Johnny Galecki appeared as Rusty in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation cast, and he also starred in another holiday classic, Prancer. I would not be surprised if many did not realize that Leonard from The Big Bang Theory was the same actor, but they were likely more hip to that fact by the time he reprised his role from Roseanne, David Healy, on The Conners.

Miranda Cosgrove

Even with Jack Black in the lead, Miranda Cosgrove stole the show in 2003’s School of Rock, and she went on to do the same thing as the evil Megan in the Nickelodeon sitcom, Drake & Josh. One of her most notable credits as an adult was a Paramount+ exclusive revival of iCarly — another Nickelodeon show she led as a teen.

Keke Palmer

Her bombastic debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business made it clear that then-9-year-old Keke Palmer was a powerhouse talent. The Emmy winner would continue to demonstrate her skill as the lead of Akeelah and the Bee and much later in life as part of Jordan Peele’s Nope cast.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar

While Zach Morris from the Saved by the Bell cast is still the role he is best known for — he even reprised it in a Peacock exclusive revival — Mark-Paul Gosselaar managed to prove his versatility in later years. He had a successful stint as a detective on NYPD Blue, played a rebellious lawyer on Franklin & Bash, and an abusive captor in NBC’s Found.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Before starring on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt made multiple TV appearances and starred in classic movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It. These days, he is best known for his many collaborations with Rian Johnson, his Golden Globe-nominated turns in (500) Days of Summer and 50/50, and running the creative collaboration platform HitRecord.

Sean Astin

Before playing the title role of Rudy and starring in the Lord of the Rings movies as Sam, Sean Astin was best known as Mikey in The Goonies. In addition to his accomplished voice acting career, one of his most celebrated roles as of late is Bob Newby from the Season 2 cast of Stranger Things — a show very much inspired by The Goonies.

Kirsten Dunst

After making her film debut in star-studded The Bonfire of the Vanities, Kirsten Dunst really made an impression at 12 playing a 70-year-old bloodsucker in Interview with the Vampire. Starring in the Spider-Man movies as Mary Jane Watson swung her right into the A-list and, in 2022, she received an Academy Award nomination for The Power of the Dog.

Kieran Culkin

With his roles in the Home Alone movies and in Steve Martin movies (both parts of Father of the Bride), it seemed like Kieran Culkin was on his way to the same level of stardom as his brother, Macaulay. However, it was not until later in life when he was thrice Emmy-nominated for starring in HBO’s Succession cast that he became the star he was destined to be.

Selena Gomez

Before leading Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place made Selena Gomez a star, she got her start on Barney in the early 2000s. She now has two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her performance on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building cast and a Daytime Emmy nod for her Max original cooking show, Selena + Chef.

Elle Fanning

Before breaking out in the Super 8 cast, Elle Fanning’s claim to fame for a while was starring as a younger version of sister, Dakota, in I Am Sam and Taken. Now, she has an Emmy nomination for leading Hulu’s The Great, which is just one of the many Victorian-era roles she has played in more recent years.

Christina Ricci

For years, Christina Ricci’s performance in Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family movies was the definitive iteration of young Wednesday Addams. The Yellowjackets cast member got to revisit those days with her supporting role on Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega in the lead this time.

Danica McKellar

Some of the most memorably endearing moments from the original Wonder Years involved Danica McKellar’s Winnie Cooper and her puppy love relationship with Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold. Romance is a big part of the actor’s career these days, primarily appearing in popular Hallmark movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Knowing the kind of career they would one day lead, I am sure these celebrities wear their “former child star” identities as a badge of honor.

Among the many frequent actor/director pairings in Hollywood, one of my personal favorites is Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson. Due to there being a few exceptions (such as the filmmaker’s Breaking Bad episodes, most notably), the two-time Emmy-winning star of 3rd Rock from the Sun and the Inception cast has been involved with almost every major project by the creator of the Knives Out movies (the third of which is in development) in some capacity since his feature film debut, Brick. Speaking of the 2005 drama, what better way to begin this breakdown of every JGL role featured in Rian Johnson’s movies and TV shows so far?

Brendan Frye (Brick)

The conventions of the film noir style are so distinctly defined that you could set a story in any time period and at any place and it might still feel like a genuine contribution to the genre. The best and most evident example of this may be Brick, which stars Gordon-Levitt as teenage Brendan Frye, whose investigation of his girlfriend’s mysterious death leads to his discovery and infiltration of a dangerous mob of adolescent criminals. Don’t let Frye’s age mislead you, as his first-rate detective skills, indomitable will, and colorful manner of speaking earn him a spot alongside heroes like Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade in Johnson’s astonishing debut and one of the most unique high school movies ever made.

Bar Patron (The Brothers Bloom)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt took a step away from the spotlight for Johnson’s second feature-length effort, The Brothers Bloom, which stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as a pair of brotherly con artists whose dynamic is threatened by their lovely new target (Rachel Weisz). JGL does not even receive credit for his role in the 2008 dramedy as a man in a hat seen wandering aimlessly in the background and in a seconds-long close-up shot during a scene set at a crowded bar. However, this would end up being the first example of an ongoing challenge to spot the actor in a Johnson-helmed project in which he does not play the lead.

Joe (Looper)

For Johnson’s third film — 2012’s Looper — Gordon-Levitt would be reinstated to the leading man position, but you would be forgiven if you did not realize it was him at first. To play Joe, a hitman who specializes in taking out people sent back to his time by a futuristic mob, the actor wore make-up prosthetics to better resemble the man playing his older self: Bruce Willis, in one of his own best movies. JGL’s dedication to mimicking the appearance and mannerisms of his legendary co-star is just one of the many ways this highly inventive sci-fi thriller is one of the best time travel movies in recent memory.

Slowen Lo (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

It is time for another edition of “Find Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the Rian Johnson Movie!” Not only is the actor’s cameo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Johnson’s sole contribution to the blockbuster sci-fi franchise (so far) — hard to spot with one’s eyes, but also with one’s ears as he speaks in a deep Southern twang to voice Slowen Lo, which is only his first role in the Star Wars universe, having later joined the Star Wars: Visions cast in 2021. Viewers of the 2017 film — of which JGL is a big fan — may recall seeing the red, long-faced alien from the Canto Bight sequence, during which his warning that Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) have parked on a beach illegally is bluntly ignored.

Detective Hardrock (Knives Out)

JGL’s cameo in 2019’s Knives Out is only slightly easier to spot than Slowen Lo… if you can easily recognize the sound of his real voice, that is. The unseen whodunit within the whodunit that Marta Cabrera’s (Ana de Armas) sister, Alice (Shyrley Rodriguez), watches in an early scene follows an investigator named Detective Hardrock, who is accusing a suspect of a hilariously over-the-top murder that happened to be caught on “nanny cam footage.” It is none other than Gordon-Levitt providing the voice of the detective — a minor character that I would be interested to see return in more than just a vocal appearance for the mystery franchise’s upcoming third installment, even though that would mean breaking tradition.

Hourly Dong (Glass Onion)

When the sequel to Knives Out was first announced (long before it was given the title Glass Onion), one of the things we had hoped to see was a bigger role for Joseph Gordon-Levitt following his aforementioned cameo in the first film. Well, I guess you could say that we, technically, got our wish when you consider the fact that he is credited this time and that his voice can be heard far more often throughout the hit, Oscar-nominated Netflix original movie from 2022. The human-voiced “dong” that can be hear on Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) Greek island estate at the top of every hour is portrayed by JGL — a fact that makes the running gag all the more hilariously satisfying.

Trey Mendez (Poker Face)

The most recent time that Johnson directed Gordon-Levitt in a starring role was in one of the best episodes of Poker Face — a fun throwback to murder mystery shows like Columbo that the filmmaker created himself. In the penultimate chapter of the acclaimed Peacock original series’ first season, called “Escape from Shit Mountain,” human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), finds herself, once again, stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and, this time, with a guy (Gordon-Levitt) who should have just stayed home when his house arrest ankle bracelet malfunctioned. His A-list status aside, JGL is a standout of the Poker Face cast for his partially relatable portrayal of isolation in the opening montage and the way he taps into Trey Mendez’s more sinister side as dark secrets about him come to light.

Lest we forget, there is another actor known for his frequent collaborations with Rian Johnson (including in one of his Breaking Bad episodes) named Noah Segan. He played a foil for JGL’s roles in both Brick and Looper and can even say he has speaking parts in the movies where the other only cameos — most notably the two roles Segan has portrayed in the Benoit Blanc universe so far (Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and Derol in Glass Onion). It is always a pleasure looking forward to how Johnson will put these two into his projects next.

Beverly Hills Cop 4 is a project that has been in the works for so long that it’s totally reasonable if swaths of fans gave up on the idea of it actually coming together. After 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III, there was continued hope that the next sequel could get made, but the project got stuck in development hell for years with new filmmakers becoming attached and then departing when they couldn’t produce a script up to star Eddie Murphy’s standards. Being a fan has required a lot of patience… but now the movie is actually happening.

Directed by newcomer Mark Molloy and based on a script by Josh Appelbaum, Will Beall, and André Nemec, Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F has made it through production and is set to be released on Netflix on July 3, 2024. So who can we expect from the original movies to return and who are the newcomers joining the franchise? We’ve put together this of actors in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast for those looking forward to the upcoming 2024 movie, and we’ll start with the man playing the series’ eponymous hero.

Eddie Murphy (Axel Foley)

In 2021, Eddie Murphy brought back some of his most beloved characters in Coming 2 America, and he’s following it up by returning to the world of Beverly Hills Cop as Axel Foley this upcoming Netflix movie. This fourth installment will be the SNL legend’s latest in a string of streaming exclusives, including Netflix’s You People and Amazon’s Candy Cane Lane. A THR exclusive from May 2023 says Murphy was in talks to star in a Pink Panther reboot, Deadline reports he will star alongside Pete Davidson in Tim Story’s The Pickup for Amazon MGM Studios, and, according Variety, a fifth Shrek movie may be in the works, too.

Judge Reinhold (Billy Rosewood)

When we first met Judge Reinhold’s Billy Rosewood in the original Beverly Hills Cop, he was a fresh police officer still learning the ropes and Axel Foley ended up taking him under his wing. After that, Reinhold became the only actor other than Murphy to appear in all of the sequels and he will be keeping that streak going with the return of Billy in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. It’s been a minute since we last saw the Fast Times At Ridgemont High star in a movie, as his most recent credits were back in 2017 – including Lifetime’s holiday rom-com Four Christmases and a Wedding – so it will be exciting to see him playing one of his most beloved roles again.

Bronson Pinchot (Serge)

Despite his Beverly Hills Cop II absence, Serge actor Bronson Pinchot is considered a staple of the action franchise, starting with his standout role in the original (then as a museum employee) and return in Beverly Hills Cop III as a gun store owner – a profession we are unsure he will have in the 2020s. Pinchot was confirmed to appear in Axel F while the movie was in production in September 2022, though we don’t know what to expect from his role. In recent years, the actor – who took up household restoration for a while – as been primarily working on television, with a recurring role on Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina and appearances in episodes of Black Monday, NCIS: Hawai’i, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and Max’s Our Flag Means Death.

Paul Reiser (Jeffrey Friedman)

Paul Reiser has been experiencing a nice career comeback in recent years, starting with his part as Dr. Sam Owens in the Stranger Things cast followed by The Kominsky Method, The Boys, and Hulu's Reboot cast, as well as the the 2019 revival of Mad About You. Now, he’s bringing back yet another memorable part in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F by reprising Jeffrey Friedman for the first time since the 1987 sequel. What has the character been up to in the last three-and-a-half decades? We have no idea, but we expect him to continue being a loyal ally to Murphy’s titular cop.

John Ashton (John Taggart)

John Ashton’s John Taggart was introduced as a semi-antagonist in the original Beverly Hills Cop, being a smart, talented detective who doesn’t have much patience for Foley’s antics. He ultimately learns to appreciate the protagonist for his drive and skills, and while he wasn’t part of the action in Beverly Hills Cop III, he’ll be back for the fun in Axel F, as confirmed in the fall of 2022. Ashton’s most recent credits include 2020’s Death In Texas with Bruce Dern, Stephen Lang, and Lara Flynn Boyle and the 2023 drama, Lonesome Soldier.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Detective Abbott)

The cast of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F isn’t solely comprised of stars from the original trilogy, and includes a handful of other fresh faces, such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who said it was a “treat” playing Foley’s new partner, Detective Abbott. In the last few years, Gordon-Levitt has primarily been working on the small screen, having starred in Apple TV+’s Mr. Corman (which he also created) and Showtime’s Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast. Notably, however, the new Beverly Hills Cop will be his third Netflix original movie – following 2020’s Project Power and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Taylour Paige (Jane)

In August 2022, the first two actors announced to star in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F cast opposite Eddie Murphy were JGL and Taylour Paige, who is playing Axel’s daughter, Jane. Since her breakout role as the titular character in 2021’s Zola, Paige has been busy on both the big and small screen, starring in Lena Dunham's Sharp Stick and Katie Aselton's Mack & Rita, as well as six episodes of the TV series, The Baxters. One of her other major upcoming releases, Magazine Dreams, has been removed from the schedule, but she will also appear in a new installment of another beloved '80s franchise: the upcoming superhero movie, The Toxic Avenger.

Kevin Bacon (Captain Cade Grant)

Despite the fact that they have both been in Hollywood for multiple decades, Kevin Bacon and Eddie Murphy have never had the opportunity to work together before, but that all changes with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Bacon joined the cast of the Netflix-produced sequel in September 2022, and was later confirmed to be playing Captain Cade Grant, following his turn as a cop in the Showtime series City on a Hill from 2019 to 2022. The actor also recently played himself in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, starred in another Netflix original called Leave the World Behind, and also stars in the upcoming remake of The Toxic Avenger with Paige.

Be sure to have your Netflix subscription up and running for when Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F arrives.

Seeing Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley again has been a long road for Beverly Hills Cop fans. Moviegoers are close to seeing Foley return to Beverly Hills once again after a few false starts and delays. This time around, Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets to join in on the fun. But this wasn’t another role for Gordon-Levitt as he was a fan of the original BHC films. Of course, working with a Hollywood staple like Murphy could’ve gone two ways – either good or bad. Luckily his time on the set has been the former the Inception star called working with the Oscar-nominated actor “a treat.”

Gordon-Levitt opened up to Collider about filming the Beverly Hills Cop sequel while promoting his Apple TV+ animated series Wolfboy and the Everything Factory. The former child star’s role in the sequel is currently unknown as the film is in production. Acting alongside Murphy wasn’t a full-circle moment for him. The 500 Days of Summer star revealed his affinity for the comedy legend started with his older brother, who was a huge fan. Eventually, his brother’s love for Murphy rubbed off on him. Once he was on set with the Axel Foley actor, the actor-producer found Murphy to be better than he imagined.     

They say never meant your idols, but Gordon-Levitt’s interactions with Murphy proved the statement can be wrong sometimes. He went from watching the original Beverly Hill Cop to starring in a BHC sequel with the SNL alum. So, this role is a full-circle moment for the TV and film actor. As a bonus, he gets to pick Murphy’s brain daily about his history while filming the Beverly Hills Cop 3 sequel. It makes you wonder what their conversations are like on set.

You would think a star of Murphy’s caliber is reserved and closed-off. But the Coming 2 America star didn’t mind sharing his time with his co-stars as they film the anticipated sequel. Gordon-Levitt seemed more than ready to hear what the Oscar-nominated actor had to say. So, joining Beverly Hills Cop 4 was a dream turned reality for the 500 Days of Summer star.

Eddie Murphy isn’t the only BHC alum Joseph Gordon-Levitt will interact with on the sequel. Original cast members, including Judge Reinhold and Bronson Pinchot, are returning to the franchise after last being seen in Beverly Hills Cop 2.  The Looper star isn’t the only newcomer to the cop franchise as Kevin Bacon joined in on the fun for Axel Foley’s new visit to the California city. Get more information on the much-delayed sequel before Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley arrives on Netflix at an unknown release date. Don’t forget new movies are still set to arrive at movie theaters and streaming platforms in 2022.

Between Obsession and Backrooms, we’re having a heck of a great summer for horror already, and there's definitely more to come. From new installments for beloved franchises Insidious, Resident Evil and The Exorcist to original flicks from Robert Eggers, Eli Roth and Mike P. Nelson, there are tons of reasons the 2026 movie schedule (and beyond) will be keeping us up at night.

I’ve rounded up a mostly comprehensive list of all the slashers, serial killer thrillers, psychological chillers, creature features, sci-fi freakshows, and whatever else today’s horror filmmakers are throwing at us. Will any of the releases listed below eventually make our list of the best horror movies ever? Let’s take a look at all the worthy contenders on the way.

Pinocchio Unstrung - July 24, 2026

Cast & Director: Jude-Evan Lloyd, Robert Englund, Richard Brake, Cameron Bell, Jessica Balmer, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney. Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Pinocchio Unstrung About? A horror-centric retelling of the classic Carlo Collodi tale, in which the titular magical doll is introduced to a world where evil runs amok, and he aims to put a stop to all of it.

Why We’re Excited: It’s the latest entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe lineup, and Robert Englund voices the gnarly looking Jiminy Cricket. Need there be any other reasons?

Watch While Waiting: Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey and the rest of the Twisted Childhood Universe movies

Her Private Hell - July 24, 2026

Cast & Director: Sophie Thatcher, Charles Melton, Havana Rose Liu, Diego Calva, Shioli Kutsuna, Aoi Yamada, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Nicolas Winding Refn (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Her Private Hell About? Her Private Hell takes us on a journey with Elle as she looks for her father after a mysterious mist that engulfs her city. Along the way, she meets an American GI who's on a mission to rescue his daughter from Hell.

Why We’re Excited: Ever since Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn famously made Drive, we really sat up and paid attention. His films are usually weird (complimentary) and full of style, so we’re ready to follow him to Hell.

Watch While Waiting: The Neon Demon, Companion

Haunted Heist - July 24, 2026

Cast & Director: Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish, Karlous Miller, King Bach, Brett Gelman, Tony Baker. Lil Rel Howery (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Haunted Heist About? A thieving ex-con invites three lifelong friends on a seemingly innocent trip that ends up being an attempt to steal a valuable dagger from a cult of racist ghouls.

Why We’re Excited: Lil Rel Howery is rarely involved with anything that isn’t fun and silly in the best ways, and we’re hoping his long-delayed directorial debut isn’t an exception. Plus, anytime a horror movie can boast a majority-Black cast, it’s a celebration.

Watch While Waiting: The Blackening, Get Out

The Devil’s Mouth - July 29, 2026

Cast & Director: Kathryn Newton, Lana Condor, Gavin Casalegno, Nico Hiraga, Tommi Rose, Tayme Thapthimthong. Jeff Wadlow (Director)

How to see it: Prime Video

What’s The Devil’s Mouth About? A group of college kids vacationing in Thailand are taken to a remote cave system where a bloodthirsty shark is waiting to strike.

Why We’re Excited: I’m sold just by Kathryn Newton and Lana Condor being in a shark movie, but the gorgeous setting doesn’t exactly hurt, and even if Jeff Wadlow’s filmography is questionable, the script from Aja Gabel and Myung Joh Wesner was a previous Black List entry.

Watch While Waiting: Dangerous Animals, The Shallows

Soulm8te - August 1

Cast & Director: Lily Sullivan, David Rysdahl, Claudia Doumit, Oliver Cooper, Steve Chusak, Emma Ramos. Kate Dolan (Director)

How to see it: Digital and VOD

What’s Soulm8te About? An R-rated spinoff of M3GAN and its sequel, Soulm8te follows a man who deals with the death of his beloved wife by purchasing an android that becomes a little too attached.

Why We’re Excited: The simplistic logline of “M3GAN, but sexy?” is probably enough. The fact that Universal bypassed theaters to bring this thriller straight to streaming could be seen as worrisome, but I’d rather watch this at home anyway.

Watch While Waiting: M3GAN, Child’s Play, The Boy

The Last House - August 7, 2026

Cast & Director: Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, Riley Chung, Emma Ho, Noah Alexander Sosnowski, Sam Lerner. Louis Leterrier (Director)

How to see it: Netflix

What’s The Last House About? A family gets unexplainably trapped inside their home after it becomes sealed shut, and they have to work together to survive amidst whatever is happening outside and the lack of food and other supplies inside.

Why We’re Excited: It sounds like a solid twist on outdoorsy survival stories, where the comforts of one’s own home can become a nightmare. Plus, put Greta Lee and Wagner Moura leading any project, and it’s gonna be a banger.

Watch While Waiting: Hush, Funny Games

Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma - August 7, 2026

Cast & Director: Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Fix, Arthur Conti, Eva Victor, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman Jasmin Savoy Brown, Quintessa Swindell, Kevin McDonald, Jack Haven, Jane Schoenbrun (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma About? This one follows a queer filmmaker (Einbinder), who is hired to remake a classic slasher franchise akin to Friday the 13th. When she becomes obsessed with casting the final girl of the original movie (Anderson), “a whole new kind of slasher emerges,” per Deadline.

Why We’re Excited: I Saw The TV Glow proved Jane Schoenbrun is one of the most original and inventive horror filmmakers working right now, so of course we’re interested in their latest.

Watch While Waiting: I Saw The TV Glow, We're All Going to the World's Fair

Ice Cream Man - August 7, 2026

Cast & Director: Ari Millen, Charlie Zeltzer, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Sarah Abbott, Benjamin Byron Davis, Karen Cliche, Eli Roth (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Ice Cream Man About? A mysterious ice cream truck driven by an even more mysterious man sends a suburban town into bloody hysteria with frozen desserts that turn children into violent monsters.

Why We’re Excited: This looks like another ridiculous romp from Eli Roth in the vein of Thanksgiving, and Ari Millen looks like a total creepster in his titular job uniform.

Read While Waiting: The ever-brilliant Ice Cream Man comic series from W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo. It’s not related, but is downright chilling all the same.

Insidious: Out Of The Further - August 21, 2026

Cast & Director: Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Lin Shaye, Sam Spruell, Laura Gordon, Jacob Chase (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Insidious 6 About? Rather than the sixth Insidious movie being a continuation, this will be a spinoff. Per Deadline, Insidious: Out Of The Further follows a young mother raising her daughter in the same house she grew up in when she learns she can travel into The Further.

Why We’re Excited: Following 2018’s lackluster sequel subtitled The Last Key, franchise star Patrick Wilson got behind the camera for 2023’s somewhat better The Red Door. Despite the franchise’s dwindling creative results, Insidious taking a new direction here could be interesting.

Watch While Waiting: The first two Insidious movies, Come Play

The Whisper Man - August 28, 2026

Cast & Director: Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, Hamish Linklater, Owen Teague, Will Brill. James Ashcroft (Director)

How to see it: Netflix

What’s The Whisper Man About? A widowed crime writer regains contact with his retired detective father after his 8-year-old son goes missing, and evidence points to a decades-old case involving a serial killer.

Why We’re Excited: The stacked cast would be enough regardless of who was behind the camera, but director James Ashcroft is as much a draw as anyone, as he helmed a pair of excellent and unnerving films with 2021’s Coming Home in the Dark and 2024’s The Rule of Jenny Pen.

Watch While Waiting: Not to repeat myself so soon, but Coming Home in the Dark and The Rule of Jenny Pen.

Buddy - September 4, 2026

Cast & Director: Keegan-Michael Key, Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, Michael Shannon, Patton Oswalt, Clint Howard, Casper Kelly (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Buddy About? Have you ever been spooked while watching 90s children’s TV? Well, prepare to be… because Buddy is about a group of kids who live in one and are kept there by its tyrannical host, Buddy, who also happens to be a giant bright orange unicorn.

Why We’re Excited: As if the premise doesn’t speak for itself already, we’re ready to see a cast of comedy-forward actors front this horror flick that’s already gotten rave reviews for being “fun”, “weird” and “unhinged”, per Rotten Tomatoes reviews.

Watch While Waiting: Mandy, The Banana Splits Movie

Onslaught - September 4, 2026

Cast & Director: Adria Arjona, Alex Pereira, Dan Stevens, Eric Wareheim, Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, Maurice Green. Adam Wingard (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Onslaught About? A mother and military vet fights to keep her daughter safe from genetically modified super-soldiers being tested on in secret facility nearby.

Why We’re Excited: Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett have a stellar track record for kinetic action-horror, and it’s great to see the director returning to his gory roots after two Godzilla x Kong movies.

Watch While Waiting: You’re Next, The Guest

Don’t Move - September 11, 2026

Cast & Director: Lyndsy Fonseca, Russ Vitale, Tom Cavanagh, Rob Riggle, Hunter King, Joseph Lee Anderson. Maclain Nelson (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Don’t Move About? Based on the novel of the same name, the story follows a widow whose church group gets stranded on a camping trip, and becomes prey for a giant prehistoric arachnid.

Why We’re Excited: A giant spider movie in 2026? Hell yeah! Don’t Move is also a fully self-aware tale, as Impractical Jokers comedian James S. Murray both wrote the novel and co-wrote the screenplay.

Watch While Waiting: Arachnophobia, Sting

Resident Evil - September 18, 2026

Cast & Director: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cregger (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Untitled Resident Evil Movie About? The video game adaptation has a medical courier named Bryan (Abrams) finding himself in a survival situation when a zombie outbreak occurs around him. Per the writer/director (via Deadline), it will be “unlike any of the previous films” and a “wild ride.” He’s a big fan of the video games, but at his CinemaCon presentation, Cregger said he’s “not trying to be completely obedient to the lore of the games,” per Bloody Disgusting.

Why We’re Excited: Zach Cregger earned the respect of horror fans with Barbarian, and blew it out of the water with the Oscar-winning horror film of last year, Weapons. Seems like as good of a time as any for him to take on a franchise, and Resident Evil could use a good movie about it.

Watch While Waiting: Weapons, the Resident Evil movies

Victorian Psycho - September 25, 2026

Cast & Director: Maika Monroe, Thomasin McKenzie, Jason Isaacs, Amy De Bhrún, Jacobi Jupe

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Victorian Psycho About? Based on the novel of the same name by Virginia Feito, this one’s about a governess named Winifred Notty hired to live with the Pounds family. Since this is in a horror movie list, you can probably guess that it’s no Mary Poppins story.

Why We’re Excited: Maika Monroe has become a mainstay in the horror genre, and her opposite Jason Isaacs is going to be a creepy good time.

Watch While Waiting: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, The Babysitter, Nanny

Other Mommy - October 9, 2026

Cast & Director: Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, Rob Savage (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Other Mommy About? Based on the novel by Bird Box author Josh Malerman, this upcoming horror flick, which was previously titled Incidents Around The House, is about an eight-year-old girl named Bela who becomes haunted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy.”

Why We’re Excited: Other Mommy is produced by the horror geniuses of our time, James Wan and Jason Blum, and the plotline sounds particularly terrifying.

Watch While Waiting: The Sixth Sense, Dust Bunny

Clayface - October 23, 2026

Cast & Director: Tom Rhys Harries, Max Minghella, Naomi Ackie, James Watkins (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Clayface About? James Gunn’s DC universe recently had a very successful start with Superman, and in 2026 the upcoming Clayface movie hopes to continue the streak with a tale Gunn has described as a “pure fucking horror” film, and just in time for Halloween! Between that and the movie’s script being written by Mike Flanagan, who is very famous in the horror space, it’s going to be a lot of horror fans' most anticipated comic book movie. You can check out the first, very haunting footage.

Why We’re Excited: The pages of DC Comics have had some great storylines that can lend themselves to great horror movies, but we just haven’t seen DC or Marvel fully commit to it yet. That’s what makes Clayface most exciting!

Watch While Waiting: The Thing, Brightburn

Godzilla Minus Zero - November 6, 2026

Cast & Director: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Min Tanaka, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sakura Ando, Miou Tanaka, Sae Nagatani. Takashi Yamazaki (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Godzilla Minus Zero About? A sequel to the 2023 smash hit Godzilla Minus One, the new film is set two years later, and centers on another larger-than-life catastrophe for the Shikishima family and military to deal with.

Why We’re Excited: The first film took home the Oscar for its visual effects, and that’s a huge part of why this sequel has been so eagerly anticipated. Takashi Yamazaki’s Godzilla is truly the king of the monsters.

Watch While Waiting: Godzilla Minus One, Yamazaki’s “Foodlassla” commercial

Return Of The Living Dead - November 13, 2026

Cast & Director: Devon Sawa, Casimere “Cash” Jollette, Kynlee Heiman, Alexander Ward, Steve Wolsh (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Return Of The Living Dead About? Set in a small Pennsylvania town during Christmas time a year and a half after the events of the original movie. It’s described as a “brand-new adventure” that’s not a reboot or remake, per Bloody Disgusting.

Why We’re Excited: This is the first time we’ll see a movie from this franchise in twenty years. After the long break, we’re so interested in what the iconic horror franchise will be like in 2026.

Watch While Waiting: The five Return of the Living Dead movies

Werwulf - December 25, 2026

Cast & Director: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Dafoe, Ralph Ineson, Robert Eggers (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Werwulf About? After tackling vampires for Nosferatu, Robert Eggers is taking on werewolves next with a movie called Werwulf, which he co-wrote with his The Northman collaborator Sjón. It’s set in 13th-century England and is about a mysterious creature that starts to lurk in its countryside, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Why We’re Excited: We loved Nosferatu, and just about everything Robert Eggers has done so far, so who’s to say his streak of creepy good movies won’t continue here?

Watch While Waiting: Nosferatu, The Lighthouse, The Witch

Pendulum - January 1, 2027

Cast & Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor, Jacki Weaver, Norman Reedus, Darren Aronofsky (Producer), Mark Heyman (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Pendulum About? It’s about a couple who decide to visit a remote retreat together in New Mexico after sharing a traumatic event. While Patrick (Gordon-Levitt) is skeptical of the practices and starts questioning its leader’s motivations, he watches as his partner falls for them completely.

Why We’re Excited: Mary Heyman famously wrote the script for Black Swan, so we’re definitely curious about his directorial debut.

Watch While Waiting: Black Swan, The Boogeyman

The Third Parent - January 20, 2026

Cast & Director: Rob Lowe, Roselyn Sanchez, Crispin Glover, David Michaels (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s The Third Parent About: Taking place during the Fourth of July holiday, when an unexpected and disturbing visitor named Tommy Taffy arrives at an all-American family’s celebration and insists on being part of the festivities.

Why We’re Excited: Rob Lowe fronting a horror movie is something we’ve just got to see. Oh, and Back To The Future fans – Crispin Glover is playing Tommy Taffy!

Watch While Waiting: Us, Jaws, The Purge

The Exorcist: Martyrs - March 12, 2027

Cast & Director: Scarlett Johansson, Diane Lane, Jacobi Jupe, Chiwetel Ejifor, Laurence Fishburne, Sasha Calle, John Leguizamo, Rahul Kohli, Hamish Linklater, Carl Lumbly, John Gallagher Jr, Carla Gugino, Samanta Sloyan, Kate Siegel, Mike Flanagan (Writer/Director), Jason Blum (Producer)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s The Exorcist: Martyrs About? Mike Flanagan, who has been a notable name in modern horror in recent years with a number of TV shows and movies, is putting together a huge retelling of The Exorcist with a ton of big names. We don’t have details about his version, but the original novel is about the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and the two priests who try to exorcise it out of her.

Why We’re Excited: This cast is actually insane, and Mike Flanagan has a great track record of adapting horror titles in pretty incredible ways.

Watch While Waiting: The Exorcist (1973), Doctor Sleep, The Haunting Of Hill House

Wolf Creek: Legacy - March 19. 2027

Cast & Director: John Jarratt, Stacy Clausen, Laura Gordon, Meg Fraser. Sean Lahiff (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Wolf Creek: Legacy About? The return of Mick Taylor sees a vacationing American family unwittingly crossing onto the serial killer’s property, and after the parents sacrifice themselves to give their kids a better shot at survival, it’s up to the younger generation to escape the outback.

Why We’re Excited: Wolf Creek may not be the horror franchise that immediately comes to mind when the topic comes up, but John Jarratt’s Taylor can go toe to disembodied toe with most cinematic killers by way of sheer brutality.

Watch While Waiting: The first two Wolf Creek movies and the TV show, obviously

The Revenge Of La Llorona - April 9, 2027

Cast & Director: Monica Raymund, Jay Hernandez, Raymond Cruz, Edy Ganem, Santiago Menghini (Director), James Wan (Producer), Gary Dauberman (Producer)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s The Revenge Of La Llorona About? Remember 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona? Well, James Wan is producing a sequel about the vengeful ghost from Hispanic American folklore for the Conjuring Universe.

Why We’re Excited: The first La Llorona may not have impressed critics, but that doesn’t mean the subject isn’t worth revisiting. There’s a lot of depth and chilling horrors to be explored behind the folklore story of a woman who drowned her own children after discovering her husband was unfaithful to her.

Watch While Waiting: The Curse of La Llorona, The Devil’s Backbone

Paranormal Activity 8 - May 21, 2027

Cast & Director: Ian Tuason (Writer/Director), Jason Blum (Producer), James Wan (Producer)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Paranormal Activity 8 About? Details about this Paranormal Activity haven't been revealed yet, but the long-running franchise is usually a supernatural found-footage horror movie.

Why We’re Excited: After Ian Tuason’s breakout with undertone, which critics have called “effectively spooky” and “designed to give you a panic attack,” it feels like the right filmmaker is behind the new Paranormal Activity.

Watch While Waiting: undertone, the other Paranormal Activity movies

A Quiet Place Part III - July 30, 2027

Cast & Director: John Krasinski (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s A Quiet Place Part III About? It’s too early to know many details about A Quiet Place Part III, but it’s expected to complete the trilogy about the Abbott family as they navigate a terrifying apocalypse together. In March, it was revealed that Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe will officially return, along with Sinners’ Jack O’Connell, Jason Clarke and Katy O’Brian joining the franchise, per Variety.

Why We’re Excited: Each of the Quiet Place movies have been really solid horror movies so far, that have us on the edge of our seat – especially for the use and lack of sound, and we look forward to what Krasinski is cooking up for the alleged finale.

Watch While Waiting: The other A Quiet Place movies

The Conjuring: First Communion - September 10, 2027

Cast & Director: Rodrigue Huart (Director), Ian Goldberg & Richard Naing (Writers)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s The Conjuring: First Communion About? This is a The Conjuring prequel about the early years of Ed and Lorraine Warren.

Why We’re Excited: While we’re going to miss Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s take on the paranormal investigators, it’ll be interesting to see a new era of their lives.

Watch While Waiting: the other Conjuring movies

Gremlins 3 - November 19, 2027

Cast & Director: Chris Columbus (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Gremlins 3 About? The plot details for Gremlins 3 haven't yet been revealed. The original movie is about a young man who receives a pet (called a Mogwai) who he names Gizmo, who comes with three rules: keep him away from bright light, do not let it come into contact with water, and never let it eat after midnight. When one of the rules is broken, Gizmo starts multiplying into destructive little guys, and Billy must try to stop them from destroying his town.

Why We’re Excited: Another Gremlins movie has long been talked about, and we can’t wait to see it finally come to pass. Plus, Steven Spielberg as a producer is always a good sign.

Watch While Waiting: The other Gremlins movies

Untitled Longlegs Spinoff - January 14, 2028

Cast & Director: Nicolas Cage, Osgood Perkins (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s The Longlegs Spinoff About? We don’t know much about this one yet, but per The Hollywood Reporter, this is not a sequel but rather something “set in the Longlegs universe”.

Why We’re Excited: Cage gave a very memorable performance as Satanic serial killer, Longlegs, and it definitely feels like the creepy character could be explored further.

Watch While Waiting: Longlegs

Evil Dead Wrath - April 7, 2028

Cast & Director: Charlotte Hope, Jessica McNamee, Zach Gilford, Josh Helman, Ella Newton, Sam Raimi (Producer), Francis Galluppi (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Evil Dead Wrath About? This is a prequel to the original Evil Dead movie that takes place in 1972 – predating anything we’ve seen from the franchise thus far. Its protagonist will be a French woman who’s stuck in an abusive marriage in America, per Deadline.

Why We’re Excited: Evil Dead is an interesting moment right now, and we’re curious about how this prequel will take things in different directions.

Watch While Waiting: The other Evil Dead movies, The Last Stop in Yuma County

Final Destination 7 - May 12, 2028

Cast & Director: Lori Evans Taylor (Writer), Michael Blanchart (Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Final Destination 7 About? No plot details yet on this one, but it follows the franchise’s revival in 2025 with Final Destination: Bloodlines.

Why We’re Excited: There’s a nice mix of old blood and new blood in this sequel to keep the Final Destination sequel fresh.

Watch While Waiting: The other Final Destination movies, Bed Rest

Gladys - September 8, 2028

Cast & Director: Amy Madigan, Zach Cregger (Writer/Director)

How to see it: In Theaters

What’s Gladys About? When Zach Cregger was initially making Weapons, he had a chapter for Gladys that he cut. Since the movie became a big hit, Cregger decided he’ll explore her character through her own spinoff movie. Warner Bros recently nailed down the release date for 2028, per Variety.

Why We’re Excited: Weapons was one of the best horror movies we’ve seen recently, and even led Amy Madigan to win an Oscar for the role. Since there wasn’t much about Glady’s origin story, and who she is, we’re so interested in what we’ll learn about her.

Watch While Waiting: Weapons, Barbarian

Upcoming Horror Movies Without A Release Date Set

Despite all the upcoming horrors that already have release dates, there are still plenty of impending projects that haven't yet locked one down. Here's a rundown of the high-profile frightfests that will hopefully get slotted onto the calendar soon.

• In Development
  • Alien: Romulus 2
  • American Psycho Remake
  • Blair Witch Reboot
  • Crawl 2
  • Happy Death Day 3
  • Hollow
  • I Am Legend 2
  • Lights Out 2
  • Ma 2
  • The Mist
  • Possession Remake
  • Scream 8
  • A24’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre Reboot
  • Terrifier 4
  • Thanksgiving 2
  • They Follow
  • World War Z Sequel
• Filming
  • Flesh of the Gods
• Post-Production
  • Anything But Ghosts
  • Brides
  • In A Violent Nature 2
  • Orphans
  • Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 3
• Awaiting Release Date
  • Drag
  • Lice
  • The Young People

So many horror movies to be excited for in 2026 and beyond! We’ll keep you in the loop on news and updates on these coming titles as the months go by.

Fans of whodunnits and murder-mysteries are eagerly awaiting the return of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc in the upcoming Netflix-and-theatrical feature Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. But let’s not forget director Rian Johnson is also helping introduce audiences to another quirky investigator in the form of Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, the central character and connective hook for the new streaming series Poker Face, which will be available with a Peacock subscription before the year’s end. Thankfully, we finally have our first look at the new show in the form of a star-studded teaser trailer. 

Check out the first footage from Poker Face below, and try to count all the famous faces that pop up during its 52-second runtime: 

To quickly lay things out, Poker Face’s debut season consists of ten episodes that adhere to a mystery-of-the-week format, all centering on Lyonne’s Charlie, whose claim to low-key fame is that she’s unbelievably canny at knowing when others are lying. The show follows Charlie and her iconic ‘69 Plymouth Barracuda as she embarks on a road trip full of oddball crimes, murders clues, and a seemingly endless supply of guest stars to populate the weekly quandires and conundrums. 

The teaser kicks off with the Oscar-winning Adrien Brody, and just keeps on delivering from there. Check out a relatively comprehensive rundown of all the show’s stars below:

• Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Chloë Sevigny, Sascha Polanco, Ron Perlman, Lil Rel Howery, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tim Meadows, Simon Helberg, S. Epatha Merkerson, Nick Nolte, Stephanie Hsu, David Castañeda, Audrey Corsa, Danielle Macdonald, Judith Light, Tim Blake Nelson, Niall Cunningham, Nicholas Cirillo, Jameela Jamil, Ellen Barkin, Luis Guzmán, Brandon Michael Hall, Megan Suri, Clea DuVall, Jasmine Aiyana Garvin, Rowan Blanchard, Rhea Perlman, and Charles Melton

As you no doubt noticed, less than half of the stars noted in that mega-list actually popped up in the teaser, and most of the ones who did were only seen for a brief second. But it’s still excellent to know we’re getting a reunion between Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the star of Brick and Looper who has appeared in each of the director’s projects in some capacity. (Expect to see him in Glass Onion as well.) So audiences still have so much more to see from this show and its talented ensemble. 

Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne shared a fun statement with fans alongside the teaser’s release, giving everyone a slightly more clear idea of what to expect from Poker Face. In their words:

Rian Johnson is noted as the creator of Poker Face, which he executive produced along with Lyonne, and also directed. Lilla and Nora Zuckerman, former writers on shows such as Suits and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., are the showrunners. 

Poker Face will attempt to pull the wool over viewers’ eyes when it debuts on the streaming service starting Thursday, January 26, with the first four episodes going live all at once ahead of weekly releases for the remaining six episodes. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows will be anteing up soon as we wait for the critic-pleasing Knives Out sequel to arrive.

As far as ratings go, at least those handed out by the Motion Picture Association, there is nothing more extreme these days than NC-17. That means no one under the age of 18 can be admitted to a movie with this rating for a multitude of reasons.

Some directors, producers, and studios will re-cut their films to get an R-rating, but there are plenty of NC-17 movies that have been left unedited and sent out into the wild as is, which has resulted in limited releases of some of the most notorious movies of all time. Find out why these films were branded this way, as well as how you can watch them if you are curious, in the following list.

Henry & June (1990) - Fred Ward, Uma Thurman

What better way to start than with the very first movie to earn the NC-17 rating – according to SlashFilm – Henry & June. Director Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s memoir focuses on a love triangle between novelist Henry Miller (Fred Ward), his wife, June (Uma Thurman), and the French-American author (portrayed by Thurman’s future fellow Pulp Fiction cast member, Maria de Medeiros) in 1930s Paris. Despite its controversially explicit sexual content, the drama was a mild critical and commercial success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.

Buy Henry & June on Blu-ray on Amazon.  

Killer Joe (2012) - Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple

Directed by the late William Friedkin and written by 2019’s Little Women cast member Tracy Letts (also based on his stage play), Killer Joe stars Emile Hirsch as an indebted young man who hatches a plan to have his mother (played by Gina Gershon) killed to collect insurance money. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his most underrated performances as the titular hitman he hires, whose fee is so high that he agrees to let his teenage sister (Juno Temple) be treated as collateral.

According to Deadline, the shamelessly twisted crime thriller was released with an NC-17 rating after Friedkin and distributor LD Entertainment opted not to change its ending. While an R-rated version of the film was later made available for home viewing, those interested in seeing it in its original form could also seek out the unrated director’s cut of Killer Joe instead.

Rent or buy Killer Joe on Amazon.
Buy Killer Joe on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Mysterious Skin (2004) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

One of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best movies from earlier in his career is Mysterious Skin, in which he plays a gay teen making a living as a sex worker who recalls a disturbing encounter from his childhood through narration. Meanwhile, another teen, played by Brady Corbet, struggles to figure out the truth behind a blackout he suffered when he was younger, leading the two men to cross paths unexpectedly.

Writer and director Gregg Araki is notorious for including pervasive sexual content in his films, but the NC-17 rating for Mysterious Skin – also starring Elisabeth Shue and Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Michelle Trachtenberg – was largely determined by its graphic depiction of pedophilia. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the challenging subject matter sparked controversy when the Australian Family Association feared child predators could use the film as a grooming tool or for their own gratification.
 
Rent or buy Mysterious Skin on Amazon.
Buy Mysterious Skin on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his many racy collaborations with writer and director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas stars in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as Ricky, who is released from a mental hospital with the intent of finding love. So, he tracks down a former adult film star, played by Victoria Abril, whom he once shared an intimate encounter with and takes her prisoner in hopes he can convince her to be his wife.

According to Gwyne Edwards’ 2001 book Almodóvar: Labyrinths of Passion, the controversial subject matter of Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! was instrumental in the creation of the NC-17 rating itself. Thus, the MPA branded it as such in 1990 for a “scene of strong adult sensuality with nudity,” according to FilmRatings.com.

Stream Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Max.
Rent or buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Amazon.
Buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Blu-ray Amazon.

Blonde (2022) - Ana de Armas

Based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is director Andrew Dominik’s in-depth and fictionalized look at the tragically short life of Norma Jeane Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas disappears into the role of one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, portraying a side of the actress and model that was long kept hidden from the public.

Dominik once said that he anticipated his nearly three-hour biopic would be rated NC-17 before the MPA made it official in June 2022, citing “some sexual content” as the reasoning. The film’s more hardcore scenes would inspire some strong reactions from both critics and audiences since it was made available to stream in 2022.

Stream Blonde on Netflix.

Crash (1996) - James Spader, Holly Hunter

Not to be confused with director Paul Haggis’ Best Picture Oscar winner from 2005, Crash is one of the more bizarre and inventive movies directed by David Cronenberg (which is really saying something). Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, it stars James Spader as a TV producer who becomes seduced into an unusual and dangerous obsession with car wrecks and the intense, sexually stimulating effect they seem to have on him and others, including his mistress (played by Holly Hunter).

Just from learning the plot, it seems pretty clear why a movie like Crash would have been given the NC-17 rating and why it inspired controversy so pervasive that it was chronicled in a 2001 book called The Crash Controversy: Censorship Campaigns and Film Reception. Nonetheless, it was still relatively well-received by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and earned Cronenberg a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, despite vehement opposition from the jury’s then-president, Francis Ford Coppola.

Buy Crash on DVD on Amazon.

Descent (2007) - Rosario Dawson

Not to be confused with the Scottish 2005 horror movie THE Descent, this film sees Rosario Dawson giving her most provocative and extreme performance since she broke out in another controversial classic, Kids. This time, she plays a woman who undergoes a dramatic and violent change of character after she is assaulted by a man she meets at a fraternity party.

This brutal and upsetting revenge drama was actually released with two alternative cuts: one rated NC-17 and an R-rated edit that omits seven minutes of footage. Still, both versions contain brutal rape, language, some sexual content and drug use.

Buy Descent on DVD on Amazon.

Showgirls (1995) - Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan

Perhaps the most infamous movie on this list, Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 erotic cult classic, Showgirls, stars a post-Save by the Bell Elizabeth Berkley as a young drifter named Nomi Malone. As she hitchhikes to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a famous dancer on the Strip, she has some ups and downs on her journey, but finally makes her dreams come true, at a price…

According to the MPA, Showgirls was given its NC-17 rating due to the amount of nudity and erotic sexuality throughout the movie, as well as graphic language and sexual violence. If you’ve seen the movie (and not the VH1 version with digitized bras), you’re well aware of the film’s graphic nature.

Stream Showgirls on Tubi.
Stream Showgirls on Pluto TV.
Buy Showgirls on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Shame (2011) - Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Released in 2011, Steve McQueen’s psychological drama, Shame, stars Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan – a successful and dashing executive who is secretly a traumatized sex addict who will do anything and everything to get his kicks in New York City. Just when he thinks life can’t get any worse, his equally damaged sister (Carey Mulligan) storms into his life, causing more complications.

Upon release, Shame was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA for explicit sexual content as well as some truly troubling scenes. I’ve walked out of several movies before, but this was the first I exited simply because what was happening on the screen was way too real and unnerving to finish.

Rent or buy Shame on Amazon.
Buy Shame on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013) - Léa Seydoux 

Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 French drama, Blue is the Warmest Color, stars Adèle Exarchopoulos as a high school student who experiences a sexual awakening after meeting an art school student and aspiring painter named Emma, played by James Bond movies actor, Léa Seydoux. Over the years, the two form a contentious and highly-emotional relationship that opens their eyes to a whole new world around them.

Though tamer than some of the other titles on this list, Blue is the Warmest Color was given an NC-17 rating because of the explicit sexual content the MPA felt was unsuitable for younger audiences. However, at least one theater allowed teens to watch the movie upon release.

Rent or buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Amazon.
Buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Blu-ray Amazon.

Bad Lieutenant (1992) - Harvey Keitel

Abel Ferrara’s 1992 crime thriller Bad Lieutenant follows Harvey Keitel as a broken NYPD detective whose stress over his job, life, and gambling habits get the best of him. From one interaction to the next, the unnamed lieutenant falls deeper down the rabbit hole of depravity, committing some irredeemable crimes of his own along the way.

If there has ever been a movie deserving of an NC-17 rating it would have to be Bad Lieutenant. With an abundance of sexual violence, intense sexual situations, endless drug use, and extreme language throughout, it’s no wonder the MPA came down hard on the movie, which later inspired a sequel only in name, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Werner Herzog.

Stream Bad Lieutenant on Tubi.
Rent or buy Bad Lieutenant on Amazon.
Buy Bad Lieutenant on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Orgazmo (1997) - Trey Parker, Matt Stone

Co-writer and director Trey Parker plays a normal Mormon missionary trying to find enough money to support and marry his longtime girlfriend. But when he stumbles upon a porn set, the once strait-laced and deeply devoted young man becomes the biggest thing going in the adult entertainment industry in Orgazmo.

It should come as no surprise that a movie written by the creators of South Park, and one centered on the porn industry, would receive an NC-17 rating from the MPA in 1998. It should come as even less of a surprise that the rating was handed down due to the sexual content and dialogue featured throughout.

Rent or buy Orgazmo on Amazon.
Buy Orgazmo on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bent (1997) - Clive Owen, Ian McKellen

After being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, Max – a proud gay man played by Clive Owen – is sent on a perilous journey to the Dachau concentration camp where he is subjected to indescribable horrors while still being able to find love.

Possibly one of the most harrowing movies about the Holocaust, Sean Mathias’ 1997 drama Bent is absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing with its graphic displays of violence. Upon its release, the movie received an NC-17 rating from the MPA due to its graphic sexual nature.

Stream Bent on Peacock.
Stream Bent on Tubi.
Stream Bent on Plex.
Rent or buy Bent on Amazon.
Buy Bent on Blu-ray Amazon.

Matador (1986) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his most disturbing roles, Antonio Banderas plays Angel, a young student who confesses to an attempted rape and a series of murders he may or may not have committed, in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1986 dark comedy, Matador.

Just like some of the other movies featuring the director and actor, Matador pushed the limits with its dark, twisted, and oddly humorous story. Still, the MPA would later give the film an NC-17 rating in 2005 (nearly 20 years after initial release) due to “aberrant sexuality” and violence.

Rent or buy Matador on Amazon.
Buy Matador on DVD on Amazon.

The Dreamers (2003) - Eva Green, Michael Pitt

In the midst of the 1968 Student Riots in Paris, an American student named Matthew (played by Michael Pitt) finds himself getting caught up in the lives of formerly conjoined twins – Louis Garrel as Théo and Eva Green as Isabelle – whose relationship is far from normal. When asked to spend a month with the siblings, Matthew falls deeper into their wild and free-flowing lifestyle.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s 2003 erotic drama, The Dreamers, pushes several boundaries and deviates from societal norms to tell a story about young love in the midst of a chaotic time. With the extreme sexual content and nudity, it’s no surprise the MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating upon release.

Buy The Dreamers on DVD on Amazon.

A Dirty Shame (2004) - Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville

A John Waters movie receiving an NC-17 rating? You don’t say! The filthy filmmaker’s 2004 comedy, A Dirty Shame, follows Tracey Ullman as Sylvia Stickles– a puritanical resident of the Hatford Road area of Baltimore who experiences a sexual awakening after being hit by a car. 

Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, and Chris Isaak also star in A Dirty Shame, which (no shocker here) was given the NC-17 rating by the MPA due to its pervasive sexual content. And if you’ve seen the movie, you are all too aware of just how pervasive and graphic it is.

Rent or buy A Dirty Shame on Amazon.
Buy A Dirty Shame on DVD on Amazon.

Pink Flamingos (1972) - Divine

When Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marble (David Lochary) attempt to steal Babs Johnson’s (Divine) title of “the filthiest person alive,” the down and dirty criminal and her family make it their mission in life to prevent the newcomers from accomplishing their mission by any means necessary.

With scenes featuring incest, people eating dog poop, flashers, and an infamously notorious scene involving a chicken, it shouldn’t shock anyone that John Waters’ classic exploitation comedy film, Pink Flamingos, was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA upon re-release in 1997, 25 years after it first shocked audiences around the world. Maybe that’s why Roger Ebert hated the movie.

Buy Pink Flamingos on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Evil Dead (1981) - Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell stars in the film that kickstarted the Evil Dead franchise as Ash Williams who – along with his girlfriend and a small group of friends – set off for a night away in an isolated cabin. However, the night quickly takes a turn for the worst after they discover the Necronomicon – a powerful book that awakens possessive, malevolent spirits.

Sam Raimi’s classic horror film, The Evil Dead, was initially released with an X rating back in 1981 on account of its substantial graphic violence and gore. It was later given an NC-17 by the MPA when the movie was re-released back in 1994.

Rent or buy The Evil Dead on Amazon.
Buy The Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Elles (2011) - Juliette Binoche

The title of Elles refers to the French magazine, Elle, for which Juliette Binoche’s character is researching an article about an underground sex worker ring orchestrated by female college students in Paris. However, the closer she gets to the facts behind the story, the more she begins to question her own personal interests. Graphic sexual content that goes as far as urinary fetishes initially earned this drama from Polish filmmaker Malgoska Szumowska an NC-17 rating.

Buy Elles on Blu-ray on Amazon.

BONUS: Happiness (1998) - Philip Seymour Hoffman 

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays one of several interconnected people all searching desperately for the most coveted emotion there is: happiness. Of course, their chosen ways of acquiring it are exactly the kind of reasons this Golden Globe nominee was initially given an NC-17 rating. 

Also starring the likes of Trick ‘r Treat’s Dylan Baker, Twin Peaks cast member Lara Flynn Boyle, and SNL’s Jon Lovitz, Happiness is one of the darkest comedies of its time. However, that does not mean so much when you learn it comes from writer and director Todd Solondz.

Buy Happiness on DVD on Amazon.

Elles and Happiness are some of a few notable examples of films that surrendered their NC-17 ratings upon release and are now deemed “unrated,” such as the aforementioned Kids. However, they are just as challenging and provocative as any of the films listed above, which is why we’ll still count them as NC-17 in our book.

Certain filmmakers are known for frequently collaborating with the same actors, such as Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and Martin Scorsese. Director Rian Johnson is also in that category, as he's known for his close working relationship with actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. And Johnson recently confirmed JGL's cameo in the highly anticipated Knives Out sequel, titled Glass Onion.

Rian Johnson's whodunnit Knives Out was a huge success when it arrived in theaters back in 2019. A sequel was quickly ordered, with Daniel Craig returning to the role of Detective Benoit Blanc. That project Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, with Johnson doing a Q&A with the audience afterward. That's where the Star Wars: The Last Jedi director revealed that the hourly chime heard on the island of Edward Norton's character Miles Bron was actually recorded by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As Johnson put it,

I mean, how fun is that? While the general public will have to wait until Glass Onion debuts on Netflix in December, they'll be able to listen out for a special appearance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Just don't expect the Looper star to actually appear in the flesh; Rian Johnson got a little more creative when bringing him into the burgeoning franchise. 

While the contents of Glass: A Knives Out Mystery are still currently a mystery to those not lucky enough to see the next Rian Johnson whodunit at TIFF, this one fun detail is sure to help further buoy the public's excitement for the upcoming project. Although with various screenings of the project already happening at the festival, one might want to try and avoid any real spoilers.

Edward Norton is one of the many newcomers joining the Knives Out franchise with Glass Onion. The trailers show his character Miles Baron is a tech billionaire, who has wild resources at his disposal. Case in point: his private island with an hourly bell courtesy of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's voice turned into a musical note. And said bell is reportedly a funny recurring gag in Rian Johnson's latest filmmaking effort. As a reminder you can check out the movie's first trailer below.

Hardcore fans of either Rian Johnson or Joseph Gordon-Levitt will know that the director usually finds a way to sneak the 500 Days of Summer actor into each of his movies. This includes major roles in Looper and Brick, as well as cameos in projects like The Last Jedi and The Brothers Bloom. And now that tradition has continued on with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Unfortunately for moviegoing audiences, there's still a bit of a wait before Knives Out's sequel is release. Glass Onion is currently expected to arrive on Netflix December 23rd. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

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Disney’s been on a roll with its live-action remakes of classic stories front since 2014’s Maleficent (or, if you want to go back a little further, 2010’s Alice in Wonderland), so it’s hardly surprising that Pinocchio, the Mouse House’s second animated feature film, is getting such treatment. The live-action Pinocchio movie has been in the works since 2015, and ever since Robert Zemeckis officially signed on to direct in early 2020, the project’s been making steady progress and moving forward.

Now, the long-awaited project is finally here and is currently available to stream for anyone with an active Disney+ subscription. If you have watched the live-action CGI hybrid re-imagining of the Disney animated classic or are planning on watching it over the weekend, there’s a good chance you’re wondering where you’ve seen and heard some of the Pinocchio cast before. Well, worry no more, for we are about to break down the full cast, starting with Tom Hanks…

Tom Hanks (Geppetto) 

Between voicing Woody across four Toy Story movies and playing Walt Disney himself in Saving Mr. Banks, not to mention starring in the Touchstone Pictures-produced movies Splash and Turner & Hooch, Tom Hanks should unquestionably be counted in the upper echelon of Disney actors. Hanks’ latest contribution to the studio is playing Geppetto, the kind woodcarver who fashions Pinocchio and raises him as his son when he’s brought to life. 

In addition to appearing in various Disney productions throughout his career, the two-time Academy Award winner has also given commanding and unforgettable performances in Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and some of the best romantic comedies of all time. His more recent credits include Toy Story 4, Finch, and Elvis, which joined the list of other 2022 movies streaming just one week prior to the Pinocchio debut. 

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Pinocchio) 

As one would expect, Pinocchio will be a mix of live-action and CGI, with Pinocchio obviously being depicted with the latter (until he’s turned into a real boy, of course). So, who will voice the beloved puppet? That honor goes to Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who many of you might recognize from playing Miles in Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor. 

That said, Pinocchio won’t be Ainsworth’s first Disney outing, as he can currently be seen as William in the Disney+ original movie, Flora & Ulysses. Ainsworth also joined Netflix’s The Sandman cast for one episode of the popular fantasy series. 

Keegan-Michael Key

One of the main villains in the original Pinocchio was Honest John, a con artist fox who convinces the eponymous protagonist to join Stromboli’s puppet show and later embark to Pleasure Island. That doesn’t change for the live-action Pinocchio adaptation, as Keegan-Michael Key provides the voice of Honest John. 

This is Key’s fifth time contributing to the Disney canon, having previously played Hugo Gernsback in Tomorrowland, Ducky in Toy Story 4,Kamari in the Lion King remake, and multiple characters in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Outside of Disney, the Key and Peele co-creator has appeared in family-friendly movies like the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, and several others. 

Luke Evans (The Coachman) 

Honest John wasn’t screwing with Pinocchio on a whim… at least, not when it came to persuading him to go to Pleasure Island. Forthat, he was hired by The Coachman, who rounded up naughty boys to take to that sinister location, then convinced them to misbehave so they’d turn into donkeys and he could sell them. This time around, Luke Evans steps in to bring The Coachman to life.

Disney fans will recognize Evans as Gaston in the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake (he’ll reprise the role for a spinoff series), while others may know him more from his time in the Fast & Furious franchise or The Hobbit film series. 

Cynthia Erivo (Blue Fairy) 

Pinocchio coming to life wasn’t a miracle of nature; we have the Blue Fairy to thank for making the puppet be able to walk and talk. The Blue Fairy also appointed Pinocchio his conscience and informed him that he’d be able to become a real boy if he proved he was brave, truthful, and unselfish. Cynthia Erivo plays the live-action version of the Blue Fairy, with Pinocchio marking her first time working on a Disney project. 

Despite not having worked with the House of Mouse in the past, Erivo has built quite a name for herself in the past few years, with memorable performances in movies like Bad Times at the El Royale and Harriet (which earned her multiple award nominations) and a list of shows that includes The Outsider and Genius: Aretha.  

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jiminy Cricket) 

Having been given a much bigger role in Disney’s Pinocchio compared to the character in the original story, it’s only natural that the live-action remake brought back Jiminy Cricket for the latest retelling of the classic. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose more recent credits include Project Power and The Trial of the Chicago 7, provides the voice of Jiminy in the 2022 Disney movie.

One of the more successful child actors who transitioned to adult roles, Gordon-Levitt has found success in everything from Angels in the Outfield to Inception, and 3rd Rock from the Sun to Super Pumped over the years. 

Lorraine Bracco (Sofia The Seagull) 

Lorraine Bracco, whose notable credits include Goodfellas, The Sopranos, and Rizzoli & Isles, takes on the role of Sofia the Seagull, a new character introduced for the Disney+ exclusive Pinocchio. Recently, Bracco has landed roles on shows like BoJack Horseman, Blue Bloods, and several others, as well as movie appearances in the likes of The Birthday Cake and A Ring for Christmas.

Like several other Disney and Pixar films from the past couple of years, Pinocchio is available exclusively on Disney+. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more stories about Pinocchio, and don’t forget to look through our 2022 release schedule to discover what movies will come out later this year.

The story of Pinocchio is over a hundred years old, spinning the well-known tale of a little wooden boy who wants to become real. The animated Disney movie from 1940 captured generations of fans with its magical adventure and morality lesson (Jiminy Cricket wasn’t so bad himself), and director Robert Zemeckis is hoping to recapture some of that magic in the latest Disney live-action remake. Starring Tom Hanks as the woodcarver Geppetto, Pinocchio is now available for Disney+ subscribers to stream, and Hanks is surrounded by an impressive cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt voicing Jiminy Cricket and Cynthia Erivo as The Blue Fairy. 

Let’s see what the critics are saying about Hanks’ latest collaboration with Robert Zemeckis, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Pinocchio. Dirk Libbey rates the movie 3 stars out of 5, noting that like Disney’s other live-action remakes, this one doesn’t stray too far from the original story, but there is enough that’s different — including the addition of five original songs — that people should give it a shot. He says: 

Fay Watson of Games Radar also gives the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying that Tom Hanks is wonderful, the animation is great, and the familiar characters inspire nostalgia. However, the pacing of the story is an issue, and these reviews seem to be hinting at a change to the traditional ending. From the critic: 

Lupe R. Haas of Cinemovie says this remake doesn’t offer much in terms of novelty, save for a more diverse cast and better animation (which would be expected more than 80 years after the first Disney movie). However, the critic ponders, with the movie targeting a new generation, maybe it doesn’t matter that the story hasn’t changed. This review says: 

Tara Bennett of IGN rates the film a “Mediocre” 5 out of 10, calling Disney’s newest effort “wooden.” Tom Hanks gives a good performance, but this critic says even he can’t carry this one on his own: 

Christian Zilko of IndieWire grades Pinocchio a C, saying that while this movie is mostly harmless entertainment, there’s no reason to have remade it, and trying to update it for a new generation kind of goes against the message it’s trying to relay. The critic says: 

As with Disney’s other live-action remakes, this one seems to inspire mixed reviews, except maybe where Tom Hanks and the updated animation are concerned. If this sounds like a movie you want to revisit, Pinocchio is available for streaming now on Disney+. You can also see what else Tom Hanks has in the works, and start planning your next trip to the theater with our 2022 Movie Release Schedule. 

The original animated Pinocchio was only the second animated feature to come from the Walt Disney Studio, making it by far the oldest movie yet to get a live-action remake. Similar to others before it – like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast – Pinocchio largely follows the formula set forth by the original, but it adds enough that’s new and different to make for an entertaining watch for those who are already fans.

Even if you’ve never seen the original Disney's Pinocchio, you likely know the story. A lonely woodcarver (Tom Hanks) creates the wooden boy and wishes for him to be real. The Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo) hears the wish and grants it. Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) is given life, though to become a real boy, he must prove himself to be brave, honest, and selfless. To aid in that goal, he’s teamed with conscience advocate Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

With a main character that is entirely CGI, Pinocchio's digital effects were always going to be important, and for the most part, the film succeeds. The fact that most of you main characters who are CGI– from Pinocchio himself to a couple of anthropomorphic animals – don’t need to look “real” in the strict sense, certainly helps. Jiminy Cricket himself was clearly the toughest character to create, and he still works overall. 

As far as the plot beats go, the live-action remake doesn’t stray too far away from the animated original. All the major characters and elements are there, and things progress from start to finish as you expect they will. That’s not to say there aren’t some changes to that plot in the broader strokes.

The live-action Pinocchio is more of a musical than its predecessor. 

While we tend to think of most of Disney’s animated films as musicals, most of the early films are not. They are simply films with music. The live-action Pinocchio still isn’t quite a musical, but it’s closer to it, as the team of Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard have created five original songs to go along with classics like “I’ve Got No Strings” and “When You Wish Upon a Star.” 

The new pieces probably aren’t going to become overnight classics, but they’re good songs that don’t feel out of place alongside songs that are over 80-years-old, and they give us an excuse to hear Tom Hanks sing. 

The biggest change is that Pinocchio is actually a much more sympathetic protagonist this time around than he was in 1940. In the animated film, the living puppet gets into trouble because he specifically chooses to reject what his conscience tells him. Here Pinocchio does try a bit harder to listen, but circumstances are set against him in a way that results in the same ultimate fate.

Tom Hanks is great, as usual, but Pinocchio could use more of him.

The change is significant as it largely impacts the themes in the story. While Pinocchio still learns the value of honesty and bravery, that doesn’t feel like it’s supposed to be the point here, and what the point is feels like it gets lost. 

Without going into spoiler territory, the finale of this new Pinocchio seems to present the ending of characters arcs that never got properly started, and that’s a shame because the ideas inside them, primarily as they pertain to the relationship between the wooden boy and his father, could have been special if they’d been given more time. One wonders if there are scenes on the cutting room floor.

Tom Hanks is fantastic as Geppetto; he’s endearing and always watchable, and it would have been nice to be able to watch more of him. Pinocchio sets up more of a history for the character than the animated film does, giving us an idea of who this man is and why we’ve found him in this place, but then it does nothing with this information.

Disney+’s Pinocchio has some surprisingly dark moments that may make the movie a little much for the youngest viewers. 

Another standout performance comes from the nearly unrecognizable Luke Evans as The Coachman. The role is significantly expanded from the animated film, and includes one of the previously mentioned original songs. Evans’ Coachman is quite a disturbing character, he brings a palpable evil that’s an excellent counterpoint to all of Geppetto’s goodness.

Pleasure Island, meanwhile, is arguably the darkest place that a Disney live-action remake has ever gone. Where the animated movie embraced the freedom of Pleasure Island, this version of Pinocchio finds himself there by chance, and he doesn’t really want to be. His unease is palpable, and ultimately justified. There are both figurative and literal monsters in the dark trying to get him. 

In the end, the live-action Pinocchio is neither the best nor the worst of this particular corner of Disney's universe. It's mostly fine. As a piece of technical filmmaking it brings the Disney story of Pinocchio to life impressively, but it could have given the story new life, and there it comes up short. 

500 Days of Summer gave audiences a different take on the rom-com genre. Instead of your usual meet-cute story that ends with eternal love, the movie actually ends with the two lead characters moving in different directions. Zooey Deschanel’s Summer Finn has received hate from fans because she rejected her romantic fling, Tom, and got married to someone else later on. With this, Deschanel continues to defend her 500 Days of Summer character over a decade later.

When you watch the full 500 Days of Summer trailer, you know right away that this is not a love story but a realistic depiction of two people’s relationship fading away. In an interview with The Guardian, Zooey Deschanel explained that she believes viewers have misinterpreted her character as a villain. On that note, she'd like people to take a deeper look at the film's doomed romance:

Zooey Deschanel makes a good point about her character. Summer told Tom from the get-go that she preferred their relationship to be casual, and Tom acted as if he agreed. However, that proved to be easier said than done the more Tom began to fall for Summer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played the man, has said before that everyone needs to stop blaming Deschanel's Summer for rejecting his character. After all, Gordon-Levitt’s hot take on his character is that Tom ignored his partner's suggestion about keeping the relationship fun instead of getting serious. In his estimation, he should've backed out as soon as he realized they wanted different things. But then there'd be no good story, would there?

The New Girl star has been adamant about her own viewpoint. When 500 Days hit Hulu, she sent a message to the fans, reiterating that Summer is not the villain. Yes, it does sting that the character didn't end up with Tom. But still there were commitment warning signs that he could've looked out for.

Of course, the 42-year-old actress/singer has done other things since starring in the beloved rom-come, like voicing Bridget in Trolls World Tour. She's also expected to appear in the musical biopic Dreamin’ Wild, in which she’ll play the wife of musician Donnie Emerson. A role like this is bound to steer her away from the “pixie manic dream girl” archetype that she’s played on more than a few occasions. You can also see her in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon. Zooey Deschanel does still get nostalgic for 500 Days, though, as she even recreated a Summer scene with her boyfriend, Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott.

But if you still want to see for yourself why there's no reason to villainize Summer, I recommend streaming 500 Days of Summer using your Paramount Plus subscription and seeing Tom and Summer's relationship for what it is instead of what you might want it to be.

Bruce Willis has been receiving an outpouring of love and support since announcing his retirement from acting due to his aphasia diagnosis. Filmmakers, former co-stars, and Hollywood friends have been recounting their time with the Die Hard icon. The latest Hollywood actor to add their name to the list was his Looper co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Sharing the screen with Willis was a huge moment in his career, but what happened during the film shoot left a bigger impact on him. The 500 Days of Summer actor recalled a compliment the retired Hollywood icon gave him that he’s never forgotten.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn’t just The Sixth Sense actor’s scene partner, but played the younger version of Bruce Willis' character in Looper. He mentioned to Vanity Fair that the role was one of his favorites due to becoming a mirror of Willis. But there was a particular scene between the two actors that stuck with Gordon-Levitt. He spilled what the acting veteran said about him after the duo had a yelling match during the scene.

Getting the seal of approval from Bruce Willis himself would make anyone’s day. Given Gordon-Levitt’s acting prowess, it should be no surprise to hear the Glass actor give such a compliment. Physically resembling your co-star is one thing but taking on their mannerisms and speech pattern is the mark of a true thespian. Channeling every inch of his co-star paid off as the film was another hit for both actors.

The Hollywood renaissance man’s story was just the latest recount from the Hollywood icon’s illustrious career. Willis’ ex-wife Demi Moore voiced her appreciation for good wishes from fans and friends, eliciting more support from other Hollywood staples like M. Night Shyamalan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Their tributes were followed up by reactions from the likes of Sylvester Stallone and John Travolta. Hopefully, the actor knows just how much he is loved as he ends his decades-long career.

Of course, fans’ farewell to the actor will be much longer as there are several upcoming projects set to premiere. In the meantime, they can look back at some of Bruce Willis’ best movies, including Looper, to pass the time. Look over our 2022 movie schedule to stay up on which films are coming out this year.

The world of pubic transportation has never been the same since the invention of ridesharing companies and one of the more - if not the most - recognizable of the bunch is Uber. However, even the most frequent users of the reliable service may not be aware of the ups and downs that it faced after becoming one of the most the valuable startups in the world, but the new miniseries Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber can fill you in.

Based on the book of the same name by Mike Isaac and co-developed by Brian Koppelman and David Levine, the Showtime original miniseries has employed an impressive rotation of A-list actors and A-plus talent to portray the people who were involved with the true story that inspired it. We have accepted your request to learn who plays who on the Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast, starting with the lead.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Travis Kalanick)

Playing Uber’s co-founder and ex-CEO, Travis Kalanick, is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who previously played real people in Oliver Stone’s Snowden, Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk, Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, and the fact-based dramedy 50/50. The 40-year-old also has been acting for decades, having started at a very young age before breaking out in movies like Disney’s Angels in the Outfield and TV shows like the sci-fi sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as a teen.

The Emmy winner’s rebirth as a leading man (and longtime working relationship with Looper director Rian Johnson) began with the 2005 Neo-noir thriller Brick, leading to an impressively diverse filmography including romantic comedies like (500) Days of Summer, sci-fi blockbusters like Inception, and comic book movies like The Dark Knight Rises. Gordon-Levitt has also tried his hand at writing, directing, and producing - most recently the Apple TV+ series Mr. Corman, which he also stars on.

Kyle Chandler (Bill Gurley) 

As Uber investor Bill Gurley, we have Kyle Chandler - who is always a delight on screen whether in a lead role (such as his Emmy-winning performance as Eric Taylor on the Friday Night Lights cast) or a supporting role (such as FBI agent Patrick Denham in The Wolf of Wall Street). After leading the supernatural mystery series Early Edition in the late 1990s, he eventually landed parts in blockbusters like Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake and acclaimed dramas like Ben Affleck’s Argo in 2012.

This streak of box office gold and Oscar gold only continued with appearances in Best Picture nominees like Carol and Manchester By the Sea or crowd-pleasers like the hilarious Game Night and action-packed Godzilla vs. Kong in 2020. Chandler’s last notable small screen ventures before Super Pumped were Netflix’s dark family drama Bloodline and Hulu’s lighter war satire Catch-22.

Uma Thurman (Arianna Huffington)

Better known as co-founder of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington also once served as a board member for Uber and is portrayed in Super Pumped by Uma Thurman. The former model’s transition into acting was met with modest success early on with acclaimed films like Dangerous Liaisons and 1991’s Robin Hood, but she really exploded in Hollywood for her Oscar-nominated performance on the Pulp Fiction cast in 1994.

After playing Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin and starring alongside one-time husband, Ethan Hawke, in Gattaca, Thurman reunited with Quentin Tarantino to lead the two-part revenge thriller Kill Bill. She has since made decidedly smaller, but nonetheless impressive, appearances in films and TV shows like 2010’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as Medusa and the Apple TV+ series Suspicion, most recently.

Kerry Bishé (Austin Geidt)

Uber intern-turned-executive Austin Geidt is played by Kerry Bishé, who made her acting debut as “College Girl” in the drama The Lucky Ones in 2007 before appearing in the first Sex and the City movie as “Twenty-Something Girl Dreaming” the following year. In 2009, she joined the Scrubs cast and took over as narrator for the medical comedy’s final season. 

The New Zealander has since risen to prominence on the big screen in movies like Kevin Smith’s 2011 horror satire Red State, Argo (alongside Super Pumped co-star Kyle Chandler), and the funny romantic crime thriller Happily with Joel McHale in 2021. Some of Bishé’s most notable small screen work includes a recurring role on Netflix’s Narcos, a starring role on Halt and Catch Fire (another fact-based series about the tech industry), and Showtime’s Penny Dreadful spin-off subtitled City of Angels in 2020.

Babak Tafti (Emil Michael)

As Uber’s former Senior Vice President of Business and Chief Business Officer Emil Michael, we have Babak Tafti, whose first role in a major motion picture was as an Iraqi prisoner in the political drama In the Valley of Elah in 2007 before scoring a larger role in a different kind of war movie: Terminator Salvation in 2009. He more recently appeared in the bizarre drama Swallow with Haley Bennett and the inventive LGBTQ+ drama Tu me Marques in 2019.

Super Pumped marks the actor’s first starring role on a TV series after making smaller appearances on countless acclaimed hits like Blue Bloods, Orange is the New Black, Ramy, and even CBS’ Murphy Brown revival in 2018. Taft has also had recurring spots alongside HBO’s Succession cast, and on The CW’s Vampire Diaries spin-off Legacies.

Elisabeth Shue (Bonnie Kalanick)

Travis Kalanick’s mother, Bonnie, is played by Elisabeth Shue, who previously worked with JGL in the 2004 drama Mysterious Skin. However, audiences will more likely recognize her as an ‘80s icon for playing the lead of 1987’s Adventures in Babysitting, Tom Cruise’s girlfriend in Cocktail, or from the second and third Back to the Future movies as Marty McFly’s sweetheart, Jennifer. 

The Academy Award-nominated actress (for 1994’s Leaving Las Vegas) has also made several notable big screen appearances in the 21st Century - such as in House at the End of the Street as Jennifer Lawrence’s mother, Greyhound as Tom Hanks’ love interest, Battle of the Sexes as Priscilla Riggs, and the 2008 comedy Hamlet 2 as herself. In 2012, she joined the CSI cast, later starred on Amazon Prime’s The Boys as Madelyn Stillwell, and reprised her character from The Karate Kid, Ali Mills, on Netflix’s Cobra Kai in 2021.

Jon Bass (Garrett Camp)

As Uber co-founder Garret Camp, we have Jon Bass, who, like JGL, also played a real-life lawyer once in 2016’s Loving and also played a fictionalized version of an unspecified real person in Molly’s Game that same year. His big break, however, was replacing Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham on The Book of Mormon cast on Broadway.

Bass would later land small roles on shows like HBO’s Girls and The Newsroom in 2014 and a starring role on Comedy Central’s limited series Big Time in Hollywood, FL the next year before making a memorable splash on 2017’s Baywatch cast opposite The Rock and Zac Efron. He has also been a starring cast member of TBS’ seasonal anthology comedy Miracle Workers, along with Steve Buscemi and Daniel Radcliffe, since the beginning. 

Bridget Gao Hollitt (Gabi)

Playing a violinist named Gabi, who captures the heart of JGL’s Travis Kalanick, is Bridget Gao Hollitt. Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber is actually the second acting credit ever for the model and musician. She previously appeared in a 2016 episode of Home and Away - a popular soap opera on which dozens of Aussie actors, such as Samara Weaving, also landed their big break.

Mousa Hussein Kraish (Fawzi Kamel) 

Fawzi Kamel, an Uber driver who made headlines after his recorded confrontation with Travis Kalanick went viral, is played by Mousa Hussein Kraish, who previously worked with Kyle Chandler in 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still and, like Babak Tafti, had a guest spot on Blue Bloods. He made his feature-film debut in Man Push Cart in 2005 - the same year he appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Munich before starring in hit comedies Superbad and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.

After landing a small part in Fast & Furious, the Brooklyn-raised actor appeared on shows like Chuck and Homeland, played a soldier in Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator, and later starred as a cook on AMC’s short-lived culinary drama Feed the Beast. After doing a few episodes of Amazon Prime’s Transparent, Kraish played the Jinn on Starz’s series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

Quentin Tarantino (Narrator) 

Uma Thurman is not the only the only Quentin Tarantino movie alum joining the Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast as the legendary, groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind classics like Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is serving as the series’ narrator. This is actually not the first time he has done such a role, having provided a voice over that would prepare audiences for a very gross plot twist in 2015’s The Hateful Eight. 

He also made a physical cameo in his previous western, Django Unchained, in 2012 after previously casting himself in major roles in Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Grindhouse. Tarantino also starred in a few movies by his buddy, Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Til Dawn and Desperado), played a blind demon in Adam Sandler’s Little Nicky, had a recurring role on Alias, and has portrayed himself a few times, such as in The Muppets’s Wizard of Oz.  

Also be sure to look out for Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast member Hank Azaria - known for a multitude of great work from his recurring role on Friends to multiple characters on The Simpsons (Apu no longer one of them) - as current Apple CEO Tim Cook. With a cast this talented, the story behind the ridesharing company sounds more interesting than ever.

Disneyland is one of the most iconic places in the world. It introduced the concept of the theme park to most people and is still one of the most popular vacation destinations that exists. And now, the happiest place on Earth is going to get its own movie, and that means that somebody, specifically somebody who isn’t Tom Hanks, will be cast to play Walt Disney.

The new movie has been set for Disney+ and will be directed by David Gordon Green. To clarify, this isn't simply a movie about the creation of Disneyland itself, but the story of Walt and Roy Disney, the brothers who started the Disney Bros. Studio, which eventually became The Walt Disney Company. 

Walt Disney was most memorably played on screen previously by Tom Hanks in the 2013 movie Saving Mr. Banks. However, it’s been nearly a decade since that movie came out, and the events that led to the opening of Disneyland took place a decade prior to the making of Mary Poppins. Hanks is really too old for the role, and so we need somebody else to step in. Here are some ideas. 

Edward Norton

Edward Norton is currently 52 years old, which makes him right about the same age that Walt Disney was in the years immediately preceding the opening of Disneyland. He probably looked more like Walt Disney when he was younger, but he still has a similar general look. Playing Walt Disney would certainly be a different sort of role than the darker characters Norton frequently plays, but Walt wasn’t entirely without those moments. Norton could probably bring something powerful to the performance as long as Disney was willing to let Walt be portrayed that way. 

Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling is just about to turn 41 years old, which puts him a bit younger than Walt Disney would have been during the prime years that Disneyland was being conceived and designed. But the movie in question doesn’t even have a script yet, so we’re still a few years away from going in front of cameras. As such, depending on just how early in the process of Disneyland's creation this movie wants to start, the age may be much closer to accurate by the time it's actually being filmed. Ryan Gosling is a known fan of Disneyland, so you know he’d give this one his all.

David Thewlis

If we’re going for an actor who can just look like Walt Disney without having to work too hard, then we have to consider somebody like David Thewlis. Thewlis is the oldest person on this list, and slightly older than Walt Disney during the key period, but he could easily be made to look like Walt. He’s a remarkable actor who could be the "larger than life" Walt Disney that we often think about. The rest can be dealt with in makeup.

Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell can play just about any role, so why couldn’t he be Walt Disney? Like Edward Norton, Rockwell plays a lot of darker characters, but Walt Disney wasn’t really the Uncle Walt that he portrayed on television. A more “no nonsense” version of Walt, which is more accurate to who he really was, at least some of the time, wouldn’t be out of place here. That's not to say it will happen, as this movie is being made by Disney after all, so there might be an effort to focus on Disney's softer side.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt still looks even younger than his 40 years of age would indicate, but that’s something that has certainly served him well throughout his career. While Walt Disney was in his late 40s and early 50s during the run up to Disneyland, the park’s existence at all shows that the man was still quite young at heart, and Gordon-Levitt could really bring that out. They’ll probably need the makeup department so he doesn’t look too young through the whole thing, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Dominic Cooper

Howard Stark was basically the Walt Disney of the MCU. That’s my argument and I’m sticking to it. So perhaps the man who played the young Howard Stark in Marvel’s movies could also play Walt Disney. All Dominic Cooper would need to do is turn the volume down, but not off, on the attitude, and I think you have it. 

Matthew Macfadyen

In Succession, Matthew Macfayden plays a terrible person, just like everybody else on that show. But when speaking in interviews, the actor comes across much more down to Earth and relatable than many of the characters he plays. Being able to be somebody larger than life, while also just being a normal man who happened to have remarkable dreams, is the essence of Walt Disney. Also, the true story of Disneyland isn’t without its own business world intrigue, so Macfayden's had experience there. 

Colin Hanks

Ok, so we’ll cheat a bit here. Tom Hanks truly was great as Walt, and while it was ultimately the performance that made the screen version of Walt so great, it wasn’t hard to transform Tom Hanks into Walt Disney physically. Colin Hanks certainly looks a lot like his dad, so that physical transformation should be nearly as easy. There is also something somewhat fitting about seeing son follow father into such an iconic role.

Walt Disney was a remarkable man. He wasn’t perfect, but he certainly was impressive. Disneyland is quite possibly his crowning achievement, since his dream of Epcot never happened. It is, without question, a topic worthy of its own movie. But playing Walt Disney himself will be a tall order for whoever takes on the role.

Walt won’t be the only tough role, as we know that Walt’s brother and business partner Roy will also be key to the story, but Roy will likely be easier to cast simply because most people don’t know him. Roy largely stayed out of the spotlight. Hopefully, by the end of this new movie, the general public will learn just how important he was too. 

David Gordon Green has said there’s not even a script yet for this movie, so we’re certainly a couple of years away, at the least, from this film going before cameras. In that time it’s possible, even likely, that other strong candidates to play Walt could emerge.  But until then, we could do worse than the men listed here.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is at an interesting mid-point in his career. The film/TV actor-turned-director has impressed in several outstanding movies over the years, including 50/50, Mysterious Skin, and Looper, while also showing his early confidence as an up-and-coming filmmaker with 2012's energetic debut, Don Jon. But the former child actor is grown up now, and he has kept a lower profile of late. Now, Gordon-Levitt is headed back to the small screen, with the help of Apple TV+.

Specifically, Jordan Gordon-Levitt created, wrote, directed, produced, and stars in Mr. Corman, an upcoming dramedy series centered around a musician-turned-unsatisfied teacher who wants to figure out the next stage of his life. Hmmm... perhaps there's a meta-narrative to follow here? No matter. As the streaming series nears closer to its August premiere date, we know a few key details, which we'll share with you right now.

Here's what we know about Apple TV +'s Mr. Corman, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Mr. Corman’s First Two Episodes Premiere On August 6th, Exclusively On Apple TV+

We're less than a month away from meeting Mr. Corman. The Apple TV+ series, made in partnership with A24, will premiere its first two episodes on August 6th, exclusively on the burgeoning streaming series. From there, we should expect one episode weekly on Fridays. It should be noted that Mr. Corman will have 10 episodes in total. Fittingly enough, each episode of this 30-something-centric show is, you guessed it, 30 minutes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is The Creator, Writer, Director, Executive Producer, And Lead Star Behind This New Apple TV+’s Series

Certainly, Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn't the type to sit on his laurels. The eager-to-please multi-hyphenate wrote, produced, directed, and starred in 2012's Don Jon, a flawed-but-charming debut that promised an explosive new phase in the star's blooming career. Alas, the actor hasn't jumped behind the camera since, though not for a lack of trying.

Now, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is jumping back into the director's chair with Apple TV+'s new dramedy series, Mr. Corman. Not one to take it easy on himself, JGL will serve as the creator, writer, director, executive producer, and lead actor of this upcoming show. That's a lot of hats! It's hard to believe that a decade has passed since Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut, but here's hoping that this show lives up to that first feature's promise.

Mr. Corman’s Cast Also Includes Arturo Castro, Debra Winger, Juno Temple, And Jamie Chung

Along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt leading the brigade, Mr. Corman will also star Arturo Castro (Broad City), Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment), Juno Temple (Ted Lasso), and Jamie Chung (Lovecraft Country). Additionally, Bobby Hill, i.e. Logic, Alexander Jo, Hector Hernandez, and Shannon Woodward round out the ensemble. More specifically, Castro is signed on to play Victor, Josh Corman's high school friend-turned-roommate, Juno Temple is attached as Megan, Mr. Corman's ex-fiancé, and Debra Winger provides a supporting turn as Ruth Corman, Josh's mother. The rest of the roles are unconfirmed.

The Apple TV+’s Series Follows The Days And Nights Of A Failed Musician-Turned-Public High School Teacher In San Fernando Valley

As the show's title dutifully suggests, Mr. Corman follows none other than Josh Corman (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), an artist at heart who has failed to make a stable living off his passion. Teaching fifth graders in a public school in the San Fernando Valley to pay the bills, Corman becomes frustrated and dissatisfied with his unremarkable life and his inability to find contentment, either as a person or musician. As the narrative follows this jaded personality, Corman becomes increasingly burdened with anxiety, loneliness, and the sinking feeling that he, well, sucks as a human (in his words). From there, the freshman series follows the title character's unsettled days and nights, particularly as his ex-fiancé Megan (Juno Temple) moves out and Josh's high school friend Victor (Arturo Castro) moves in — much to the lead character's debilitating dissatisfaction.

Mr. Corman Is Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Return To Live-Action TV After 3rd Rock From The Sun

In 1996, when the actor was a fresh-faced teenager looking to take the world by storm, Joseph Gordon-Levitt co-starred in NBC's 3rd Rock from the Sun, in the role of Tommy Solomon, which paved the way for his career ascension. In the years to follow, Gordon-Levitt hasn't stepped away from the small screen entirely, particularly as he provided guest star appearances in Numb3rs, The Mindy Project, The Muppets, and Comedy Bang! Bang! He also lent his voice to Amazon Prime's Comrade Detective. That said, Gordon-Levitt has focused on film, bouncing between blockbusters and indies. But now, he's back on the small screen, in what the returning TV actor hopes is a return-to-form.

This ‘Relatable' Series Attempts To Speak To The ‘Contemporary Generation Of 30-Somethings’

In a series with the intent of being "darkly funny, oddly beautiful, and deeply heartfelt," Apple TV+'s Mr. Corman hopes to be a "relatable dramedy" that speaks "for our contemporary generation of 30-somethings," as the show's press release notes.

Specifically, the upcoming streaming series intends to grapple with the general sense of discomfort felt by this wayward age demographic, particularly in how it's filled with people who are "rich with good intentions, poor with student loans, and yearning to become real grown-ups sometime before they die." It's a mix of arrested development and general malaise, and it's about settling into the second chapter of your life while making peace with your first. Admittedly, that description sounds broad, but hopefully, Joseph Gordon-Levitt can say something personal with his hung-up titular character.

Mr. Corman’s Production Moved To New Zealand To Feel More Comfortable

Like many productions from this past wretched year, Apple TV+'s Mr. Corman faced several delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, following three weeks of filming in Los Angeles, this Joseph Gordon-Levitt series had to shut everything down for months on end. It was only until the fall that production could resume. But when cameras were rolling again, there was one major change. In an interview with The Talk, the actor-director revealed that production moved to New Zealand, in order to make everyone feel safer. Following this October update, filming resumed until February of this year, when it was revealed that Mr. Corman was in its final weeks of production.

The First Trailer Centers Around A Teacher On The Verge Of An Early-Life Crisis

Recently, we got our first glimpse at Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial follow-up, Mr. Corman, as well as our first impression of the show's style and tone. Specifically, this character-driven new series, which is centered around a disgruntled musician who finds himself emotionally and spiritually unsatisfied with his current life predicament, shows us a woebegone man on the verge of an early-life crisis. Following a recent break-up and a general disinterest in the state of his life, this trailer shows our title character in psychological turmoil, particularly with some whimsical shots that promise at least a few dream-like sequences. For better or worse, it looks like a Sundance film circa 2009 for the streaming era. Whether that's enticing or alarming is a matter of personal taste.

You can watch the trailer for yourself below:

You can follow the rest of the 2021 Summer TV schedule right here at CinemaBlend.

When I think of Christopher Nolan, there are several films that stand out which make me think of what an amazing director and filmmaker he is. We have classics like The Dark Knight trilogy, the space-thriller Interstellar, and so many others. But, the one film that stands out to me the most is the 2010 classic, Inception.

If you don’t remember the movie, Inception follows the story of a professional thief who steals information by infiltrating the subconscious of all of his targets, and is offered a chance at having his criminal history erased after utilizing that same technology to plant an idea in someone's mind. I know, just reading that, it already feels like your brain is in a blender – but the movie itself was fantastic, and the Inception cast has been up to plenty since then. From Leonardo DiCaprio to Michael Caine, this what the Inception cast has been up to since the film’s iconic release.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Dom Cobb)

Out of everyone on this list, you most likely know the most about Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s been in some amazing movies since the very beginning of his career, and that hasn’t stopped since his appearance as Dom Cobb in Inception. DiCaprio has appeared in several award-winning films, such as Django Unchained, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and the latest Quentin Tarantino film, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood.

Leonardo DiCaprio has also been very active in environmental awareness, even producing Ice on Fire, a film about global warming. DiCaprio has a new political satire disaster film, titled Don’t Look Up, which is the story of two low-level astronomers who are trying to warn mankind about an asteroid that will destroy Earth. He’s going to be starring alongside other big stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, and several others, so it’s sure to be just as intriguing as some of his most recent ventures.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Arthur)

Moving onto one of the other main stars of Inception, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has had plenty of work since the film’s release. He’s starred in Looper, the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises, and done some voice over work in The Wind Rises by Studio Ghibli and the mystery thriller, Knives Out. In 2020, Joseph Gordon-Levitt also had a part in the popular Netflix film, Trial of the Chicago 7.

Moving on in his career, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is going to be stepping into the Disney world with more voice work, as he is going to be portraying Jiminy Cricket in the upcoming live-action remake of the classic Disney film, Pinocchio. This film, which will also have Tom Hanks as one of his co-stars, doesn’t have a set release date yet, but will debut on Disney+, so be prepared to hear some of Gordon-Levitt’s awesome acting skills on this take on the fantasy tale.

Elliot Page (Ariadne)

Elliot Page has had plenty of changes in his work-life – including some awesome film and TV roles. He’s had a pretty important role in the Fox version of X-Men as Kitty Pryde, starred in the Flatliners remake and the 2019 Tales of the City series, and since 2018, has had a main role in the popular Netflix show The Umbrella Academy.

In the next couple of years, he’ll have voice roles in two animated films, titled Naya Legend of the Golden Dolphin and Robodog, as well as continuing his role on The Umbrella Academy in its upcoming third season.

Tom Hardy (Eames)

Another big star who has had a super successful career post-Inception, Tom Hardy has been all over the map of genres in film. Like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy also had a role in The Dark Knight Rises, portraying Bane, the main villain. For another action film, Tom Hardy had a starring role in Mad Max: Fury Road, which was nominated for several Academy Awards, as well as a role in the Christopher Nolan film, Dunkirk.

One of Hardy’s most recent ventures has been taking on the leading role in the Venom franchise, which has the sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, coming out in 2021. Along with several other films that he has coming up, the next couple of years are going to be filled with interesting films for the popular actor.

Ken Watanabe (Mr. Saito)

Moving onto a character that may not have been as featured, but was still just as important, Ken Watanabe portrayed Mr. Saito expertly and has been plenty busy since the film’s release. Recently, Watanabe has had a voice role in the Wes Anderson film, Isle of Dogs, as well as some live-action roles in Godzilla and several of the Transformers movies. He also had a part in the Pokemon live-action film, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, where everyone’s favorite video game critters came to life.

Coming up in the next couple of years, Ken Watanabe is going to have a voice role in an upcoming film titled Kensuke’s Kingdom, as the role of Kensuke himself. He will also have a main role in a TV series titled Tokyo Vice, a crime drama that is based on the book of the same name.

Dileep Rao (Yusef)

Dileep Rao, while his role was small in Inception, has kept moderately busy since the film’s release. Besides Inception, he’s had a couple of film roles, one being in the iconic horror film, Drag Me to Hell. However, one of his main ventures since working on Inception has been taking on the role of Dr. Max Patel in the hit James Cameron film, Avatar.

While Rao has had a few guest appearances on TV shows and worked on other films, his main project – or rather projects – that he has coming up are the Avatar sequels, in which he will be portraying the same character. So, when those weird blue aliens finally decide to show up to theaters after more than a decade of being away, be sure to keep an eye out for him.

Cillian Murphy (Robert Michael Fischer)

For someone whose role wasn’t super big in Inception, Cillian Murphy has grown immensely in his acting career. Murphy has had plenty of film work in the intervening years, and in several other genres. If you’re trying to check out a war film, look to Dunkirk, where he shared the screen with Tom Hardy once again. If you’re into horror movies, Murphy will be appearing in A Quiet Place: Part II when it premiers in May of 2021.

Cillian Murphy will also have a role in the upcoming film Kensuke’s Kingdom alongside Ken Watanabe, so try to listen in closely to see if you can recognize his voice among that cast. However, arguably the biggest parts that Cillian Murphy has had since his role in Inception was his main role on the TV hit Peaky Blinders, a British period crime drama, for which he was the star. Truly, he is someone who has definitely spread his wings in terms of different genres.

Tom Berenger (Peter Browning)

Ever since Inception, most of the cast has kept relatively busy and picked up many films, but in the case of Tom Berenger, he’s kept his career on the down-low and relaxed a bit. That’s not to say he hasn’t still been busy, however – he has simply stuck to smaller films since his time on the mind-bending blockbuster.

Tom Berenger had a main role in the direct-to-video franchise Sniper, as well as multiple other direct-to-video films as well. He’s also had some guest appearances on multiple TV shows, such as Hawaii Five-O and Training Day, the TV series which was based on the award-winning movie.

Marion Cotillard (Mal Cobb)

While her role was really small in this film, even though Dom was very much connected to Mal emotionally, Marion Cotillard, who was more known for her French roles, broke out into mainstream movie success after her English-language role in Inception. Like others on this list, Cotillard had a role in The Dark Knight Rises, as well as parts in several other big-time hits such as the Academy-Award nominated Midnight in Paris, Contagion, and Anchorman 2.

In terms of what she has coming up, Cotillard is going to have a feature role in an upcoming film titled Annette, a musical which will tell the story of a stand-up comedian (played by Adam Driver) and his world-famous soprano wife, whom Cotillard will portray, and how their daughter, named Annette, will change their lives forever. It’s most certainly an interesting premise, and I’m excited to see what she could bring to this new film, for whenever it is released in the future.

Michael Caine (Professor Stephen Miles)

If you wanted to look up a picture of a living movie legend, I’m pretty positive a photo of Michael Caine would be one of the first images you see. Not only did this man have an amazing career prior to his role in Inception as Professor Stephen Miles, but he’s also had several other big roles after the film’s release as well. For the fourth time mentioned on this list, Caine had a role in the action film, The Dark Knight Rises (I’m beginning to see a trend with Christopher Nolan here), a part in Interstellar, and the 2020 release Tenet.

In terms of other films besides the work of Christopher Nolan, Michael Caine has made appearances in action films such as Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Kingsman: The Secret Service. And, Michael Caine has a few films planned to come out within the next couple of years, as well.

Twist, which will be a modern adaption of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, Best Sellers, a story about an old author trying to save a publishing company, and Medieval, a fantasy film about a mercenary group that does dirty work for nobles. He is surely going to be a very busy man, and I can’t contain my excitement for some of the awesome projects he has lined up.

Which new film are you looking forward to the most? Let’s just all hope that none of the endings of these new movies are as crazy as the Inception ending – I think we would all have a headache after viewing the Christopher Nolan classic again.

You can watch Inception on Amazon here.

Ever feel like the ‘90s were just ten years ago? That’s a delusion I like to live in, but it seems like anytime there is a bombshell of a throwback I get jerked out of that false reality. This time, it’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt snapping me back to 2021 with his 10 Things I Hate About You tribute photo he recently posted to celebrate the anniversary of the iconic film. Levitt’s photo shows a child version of himself with a young Heather Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Larisa Oleynik in all their ‘90s glory.

If it were the photo alone, I’d be elated. However, in Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s caption he mentions how it’s been over 20 years since 10 Things I Hate About You was released. Yes, the math makes sense, but that just doesn’t sit right with me. Check out Gordon-Levitt’s heart-warming, yet soul-crushing, anniversary post below:

While the photo of the four actors screams ‘90s with the jump poses and platform flip flops, there is something timeless about the film and how the actors look in it. I was only 5 when 10 Things I Hate About You came out but I know I watched the film in High School and it felt like the film was brand new - and I know I’m not alone in that experience. It seems like everyone my age also watched the film when they were in High School and it remains one of their favorite films to this day.

I don’t know anything about kids in High School currently, but the comments on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s post seem to imply the same experience is happening to kids now. Other people who grew up loving the film are saying their High School aged kids have seen the movie and love it, one commenter saying their 16-year-old daughter loves it.

In fact, people of all different generations (okay, maybe there are no baby boomers present) are commenting saying 10 Things I Hate About You is one of their favorite films ever and have some kind of fond coming-of-age experience with it.

It’s rare to come across a film that can hold such a special place for so many different people at so many different times. 10 Things I Hate About You seems to be a film that defies all time, and becomes brand new for each generation. It’s almost like Joseph Gordon-Levitt has glitched the time loop by pointing out how old the film really is, even though he has clearly aged out of the kid he is in the film.

Even though so much has changed since the release of 10 Things I Hate About You and the actors have moved on in so many ways (RIP Heath Ledger), it’s refreshing that the film can hold a place in time for them and act as a kind of right of passage for new generations. Joseph Gordon-Levitt may have posted a great throwback, but this film is still very much relevant.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of those actors who has managed to remain in the spotlight as his career has progressed from that of a child actor in movies like Angels in the Outfield, to his teenager years in shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun, and into adulthood with everything from Inception to his most recent offering, the Netflix original Project Power. And over the span of the past 30-plus years, JGL's relevancy and range as a skilled actor has only grown.

With the October 2020 release of Aaron Sorkin's Netflix drama The Trial of the Chicago 7 approaching, now is the perfect time to look back on some of the best movies from the former teen heartthrob that are streaming right now. These are on top of classics like Brick and Looper, among the great titles worth revisiting or watching for the first time.

Project Power

The Netflix original movie Project Power is set in a version of New Orleans that has become the new home of a dangerously powerful street drug called "Power" that grants users temporary superpowers. The movie follows former Delta Force major Art (Jamie Foxx), New Orleans police officer Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and street-smart dealer Robin (Dominique Fishback) as they try to take down the powerful corporation manufacturing the dangerous substance.

If you like seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt run around in a New Orleans Saints jersey, become bulletproof and get shot in the face in one of the most technically impressive visual effects shots of the year, then Project Power is right up your alley.

Stream Project Power on Netflix here.

10 Things I Hate About You

The 1999 romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You has become much more than just another adaptation of a William Shakespeare play and is now viewed as one of the classics of the late 1990s. Set in Seattle, the movie follows new student Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he tries to win over Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik), but with one catch.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was already a star when 10 Things I Hate About You came out in the middle of his run on 3rd Rock from the Sun, but his take on a hapless Cameron trying his damnedest to find true love was a sign of things to come for him in the world of romantic comedies, even if he did everything he could to try and get out of the role.

Stream 10 Things I Hate About You on Disney+ here.

Inception

Christopher Nolan's 2010 dream heist spectacle Inception is still one of the most heavily debated summer blockbusters in recent memory thanks to its divisive ending, but there's something great about watching Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the rest of the cast diving into multiple layers of dreams not to extract information, but to implant an idea in the mind of the dreamer.

You could argue that Arthur is only there for expositional purposes, and you might be right, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt has never looked as cool as he does in Inception. It never gets old watching Arthur fight and float his way through the zero-gravity hotel corridor of the second-level dream as he tries to get the rest of the team in the right place at the right time to sync up the "jumps." It's even more impressive when you take into consideration all the training he put into just that one scene.

Stream Inception on Amazon here.

50/50

The 2011 comedy 50/50 follows Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) after he learns that he has malignant tumors running along his spine, and throughout his cancer treatment. With a supporting cast that includes Seth Rogen as Adam's best friend and caretaker Kyle, Anna Kendrick as his therapist and love interest Katie, and several other heavy hitters, the movie explores the pain and humor that comes with such a shocking diagnosis.

If you were to put a gun to my head, I would say that this is my favorite Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie. His character, Adam, perfectly walks the line between hopelessness and optimism, and still finds joy in a life that so many would see as nothing more than borrowed time. He's stripped down spiritually and emotionally, which exposes his true self to the audience, making Adam a character that is easy to like and that is impossible to not cheer on as he fights cancer in one of the best movies of 2011.

Stream 50/50 on Showtime here.

The Wind Rises

Joseph Gordon-Levitt provides his voice for the English dub of Hayao Miyzazki's 2013 historical drama The Wind Rises, which follows the story of the Jiro Horikoshi, the chief designer of many of the Japanese warplanes used in World War II, including the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Throughout the movie, Jiro finds himself in a moral dilemma brought on his love of the beauty of airplanes, but wants nothing to do with the destructive nature of their use.

This isn't the only time Joseph Gordon-Levitt has lent his voice to an animated feature, but it is the only time he's done so in one of Hayao Miyazaki's beautifully crafted features from Studio Ghibli. And even though you can't see his face, it's hard not to hear the emotion coming from JGL's tortured performance in this 2013 gem.

Stream The Wind Rises on Showtime here.

500 Days Of Summer

The 2009 comedy 500 Days of Summer follows Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a hopeless romantic who spends his days writing greeting cards as he falls head over heels for Summer (Zooey Deschanel), and the two embark upon a lovely 500-day relationship. When things suddenly go south and Summer leaves Tom in the dust, he is left with a messy life to piece back together.

Around this time is when Joseph Gordon-Levitt started firing on all cylinders and it really shows here in his desperate portrayal of a man with a broken heart. I go back to it time and time again, but the scene that shows Tom's expectations versus reality during the iconic party scene is one of the most inventive and remarkable few minutes in any romantic comedy.

Stream 500 Days of Summer on Starz here.

Hesher

The 2010 dark comedy Hesher centers around a young boy named T.J. (Devin Brouchu) as he grieves his recently deceased mother along with his depressed father Paul (Rainn Wilson) and elderly grandmother Madeline (Piper Laurie). All of their lives are thrown into chaos when Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a squatter with questionable tattoos and a unique outlook on life, takes up residence in their home. The family, along with a grocery store clerk named Nicole (Natalie Portman), are forever changed by the impact of the unique loner.

Unlike most of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's previous roles, he takes on a character that is from the other side of the tracks, so to speak, and offers a unique look on life that surely is unique when compared to the rest of the characters featured in the movie. If you are looking for something a little different from the actor, then Hesher is the probably the way to go.

Stream Hesher on Amazon here.

Premium Rush

The high-adrenaline thrill ride Premium Rush follows New York City bicycle messenger Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he navigates the crowded streets of the Big Apple, trying to get his job done without ending up underneath a car. The tenacious rider's life, however, is about to be changed forever when agrees to make a questionable delivery at the end of a long shift.

The fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt flew into the back of a taxi and demanded that the footage be kept in the final movie should tell you that this movie doesn't hold back. And while it's not as fun as the other movie in which JGL and Michael Shannon share the screen (I'm looking at you, The Night Before), David Koepp's 2012 action thriller is one hell of a time.

Stream Premium Rush on Starz here.

Don Jon

Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote, directed and starred in Don Jon, a 2013 romantic comedy about Jon Martello, a young American bachelor who cares about a few things in life: his looks, his girls and his porn addiction. Throughout the movie, Jon finds himself in a tumultuous relationship with Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson) that consists of more ups and downs than anyone can track, but ultimately leads some pretty great self-discovery on Jon's part.

While it's not the best Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie, Don Jon does show that he's more than just an actor and can competently take on the triple-threat of acting, writing and directing. And with the great performance from Scarlett Johansson that largely went unnoticed, there's a lot to take in here.

Stream Don Jon on Starz here.

7500

The 2020 thriller 7500 follows Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Tobias Ellis, a co-pilot who finds himself as the last line of defense in the hijacking of a commercial jet and must act to avoid disaster and deaths of everyone on board.

One of the most remarkable things about Joseph Gordon-Levitt's role in 7500 is that he is alone for large sections of the movie and still gives one of the better performances in recent memory. Watching him as the conflicted co-pilot trying to rationalize decisions throughout the hijacking is a reminder of his talent. It's especially impressive when you realize that this was his first movie in several years after taking time off following Snowden.

Stream 7500 on Amazon here.

Stop-Loss

There have been a lot of great war movies in recent years, but few carry the same weight of the 2008 drama Stop-Loss, which centers around a group of former soldiers struggling to cope with life after serving several tours of duty in Iraq. Ryan Phillippe leads the pack as Brandon King, a U.S. soldier who is forced to go AWOL after the military forces him to continue fighting through the "stop-loss" policy. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum round out the cast of distressed soldiers who never really left the war.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn't the star of Stop-Loss, but his turn as Tommy Burgess is one that shouldn't go unrecognized for its brutally honest and unsettling depiction of someone struggling with PTSD. It's not easy to watch, but it's more than worth it.

Stream Stop-Loss on Amazon here.

This is just barely scratching the surface of all the great Joseph Gordon-Levitt performances out there, of which there are many. Is there one that you think is missing from this list? Make sure to sound off in the comments below and let the world know.

The Boys kicked off Season 2 in a different way from its first season, unveiling only its first three explosive episodes on Amazon Prime Video, rather than once again dropping all eight episodes at once. Thus, fans have had a bit more time to go back and rewatch the installments to look for cool details and weird references that showrunner Eric Kripke and his creative team are good about adding into the mix. As it turns out, one of those Boys eps gave a shout out to Billy Butcher's homeland with a fun Doctor Who reference.

From Stormfront's riotous introduction to Stan Edgar's confrontation with Homelander to The Deep's gill singalong, The Boys gave fans a lot of big moments to dwell on in those first three episodes. Arguably the biggest sequence was quite literally Bill smashing the team's boat into a big ol' whale. But before that gloriously bloody moment went down, viewers may or may not have noticed the T-shirt Tomer that Capon's Frenchie is wearing is actually referencing Doctor Who's thirteenth Doctor, as played by Jodie Whittaker. Check out the eagle-eyed fan's past below:

As strange as that sentence may sound with all those words thrown together in that order, it's still an absolutely correct assessment. Frenchie was definitely rocking a feline-friendly Doctor Who shirt during the gang's boat trip, and one has to wonder if that's a very vague bit of foreshadowing that The Boys is going to introduce time travel at some point in the future. I don't recall there being any supes with that power in Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic series, so probably not, but Eric Kripke has been quite liberal with adapting the source material, so it could feasibly happen. (For instance, both the Blindspot and Gecko characters seen in the first three episodes were created specifically for the TV show.)

Anyone wondering where to pick up such a shirt can probably find some luck at Titan Merchandise, where they sell merch that sends up all 13 Doctor Who leads as regenerative cats. This seems like a great time to pun the current star's name as Jodie Whitta-purr, and I definitely feel better about myself for having done it. (We might as well also mention Peter Cat-paldi, Christo-fur Eccleston, Paw-l McGann, Tom-cat Baker, and Patrick Troughtongue.) It's too bad the shirt likely got ruined by all those whale guts, though.

Considering viewers barely ever see anyone from the Boys just hanging out and relaxing – they usually keep the TV tied to the news cycle – it's amusing to think about Frenchie having enough free time to settle in for a Doctor Who marathon. It's doubtful that he'd invite Karl Urban's Butcher to watch with him, but I bet Hughie is into that particular sci-fi staple. Maybe Jack Quaid will don shirt with David Tennant's Tenth Doctor as a dog, since those shirts also exist.

The first three episodes of The Boys Season 2 are available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes releasing once a week until all eight are out there. In the meantime, be sure and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for exclusive coverage, and check out our Fall TV 2020 premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will be popping up in the near future.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s career has had the actor dabbling in nearly every genre there is, between his work with Christopher Nolan, Rian Johnson and Seth Rogen and so forth. But the fact of the matter is when you're a romantic lead, that’s oftentimes what you become known best for among the masses. JGL’s performance in 500 Days of Summer is perhaps the most iconic of his roles, but he got his start in rom-coms in 1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You. Surprisingly, the actor really did not want to be in the ‘90s classic when it was brought to him as a teen.

When discussing his achievements as an actor across thirty years, Joseph Gordon-Levitt admitted why the role of Cameron in the 1999 take of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew did not appeal to him. In his words:

Even when Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a young kid auditioning for anything he could get before nabbing early roles in Angels in the Outfield and 3rd Rock from the Sun, he said he didn't love the idea of starring in commercials and really took acting seriously, so the Disney-produced romantic comedy didn’t exactly fit the bill. Here’s why he auditioned anyway:

Even after giving the movie a chance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was then put off by being given the role of Cameron, the new kid in school who has a huge crush on Larisa Oleynik’s Bianca the moment he steps on campus. When David Krumholtz’s Michael tells him he doesn’t have a chance since the Stratford sisters don’t date unless they both do, he hires Heath Ledger’s Patrick to ask out Julia Stiles’ stubborn Kat.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was no older than 18 when he starred in 10 Things I Hate About You, and he continued to Vanity Fair with the following:

In the end, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is exceedingly happy he took his peers’ advice and did the rom-com. Not long after, he was able to still market himself as the type of actor he had set out to be. Within the same year, he made Mysterious Skin and Brick, two highly-acclaimed films that shook off how “embarrassed” he was of 10 Things I Hate About You. As the actor approaches 40 next year, he said he’s just as proud of the 1999 role as his other work. You can check out the actor talk about his career here:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s latest movie is Netflix’s Project Power, which is on the streaming service now. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more movie news.

When it comes to Netflix’s Project Power, there’s no shortage of amazing feats that are show on camera. While pieces of the film has fewer VFX shots than you’d think, there’s some bits that physically couldn’t be done. Like, say, generating a man that’s actively camouflaged and running through the streets of New Orleans. But strangely enough, that scene led to something very real, and very painful for actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as for the second time in his career, his own bike riding resulted in a hell of an accident.

During the chase scene where Levitt’s Detective Frank Shaver is chasing a bank robber who just happens to be using Project Power’s central narcotic/plot device. Part of this chase see another biker being knocked off their rental bike by this perp, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt picking the bike up and using it for his part of the pursuit. It’s this sequence in particular that the following remarks to THR pertain to:

It's painful just reading the particulars surrounding that situation described by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as Project Power’s production saw him engaging in some very human, very vulnerable activity. But with his trademark wit and self-reflective nature both firmly in place, Levitt acknowledges that while he shouldn’t have been pushing the rental bike as hard as he did, the resulting accident is something he would have loved to see. Knowing that he walked away from that accident without any horrific damage, we’d be inclined to feel the same.

Of course, you’re probably wondering when that first freak bike accident happened. And if you’ve been struggling to remember the name of that movie you more than likely assumed the accident had taken place during, it’s director David Koepp’s thriller Premium Rush. In a scenario that saw him “going through the rear window of a taxi cab,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt laid out a story way back when he was promoting that thriller, talking about a diplomat who apparently didn’t get the memo, and used their immunity to drive through that particular blocked set.

You more superstitious readers are probably worried if Joseph Gordon-Levitt will get into a third bike accident or not. To that effect, we’d really like to urge stunt coordinators, prop masters, and writers/directors to be careful when writing a big bike scene for Mr. Levitt. As even with the utmost caution, life finds a way to spice things up. As for the footage that did make the film, you can see those results in Project Power, which is currently available on Netflix for streaming.

Coming on board a major franchise for its last chapter has to be a little bit daunting. When Joseph Gordon-Levitt signed on to co-star as John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises, he had the added burden of knowing that his character would play a pivotal role in helping to wrap up the epic series. So it’s understandable that he had some pretty strong feelings when he first read Christopher Nolan’s script and learned exactly how important his character would be.

It’s been a while since The Dark Knight Rises so, if you can’t remember the epic conclusion to the blockbuster franchise, the most important takeaway was that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character, John Blake, ends the film by taking up the mantle for Batman. After the rookie police officer -- who figured out Batman’s real identity earlier in the film, retires from the Gotham City police force, we see him following a trail left for him by a presumed (but not actually) dead Bruce Wayne.

In The Dark Knight Rises’ final moments, we see him at the entrance to the batcave. That final image, combined with a last-minute revelation that his full name actually includes “Robin,” is enough for us to assume he’s about to do whatever it takes to keep Gotham City safe.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has already gone on record stating that he believes The Dark Knight Rises’ ending is pretty much perfect. He recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he vividly remembers the first time he read the final pages of the script:

The actor, of course, had previously starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Christopher Nolan’s 2010 Inception. So it seems pretty clear that he would have been pleased to join up with the director again regardless of the circumstances:

The Dark Knight Rises wound up being a huge box office success, and many fans found it to be a fitting ending for both the Caped Crusader and the franchise at large. So Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s initial excitement over the script wasn’t all for nothing.

What did you think about The Dark Knight Rises’ ending? Let us know in the comments!

Netflix’s Project Power finally landed on the streaming service, giving movie audiences the chance to check out Jamie Foxx, Dominique Fishback and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as street-tough characters matching wits – and physicalities – with criminals who are hopped up on a unique drug. In Project Power, the drug in question gives the user a super power, but only for 5 minutes. Gordon-Levitt plays a New Orleans cop trying to slow these pill-popping criminals down, and as a result, he has to fight some crazy, crazy people.

We had a chance to talk Project Power with the cast, and I asked Joseph Gordon-Levitt what it looked like on set to physically try and take down an “invisible” man, or a guy who could stretch and bend like Mister Fantastic from The Fantastic Four. The actor gives a great answer, while also pointing out that the movie doesn’t lean too hard on visual effects. Watch Gordon-Levitt’s explanation here:

It helps that Project Power, whenever possible, pulls off its super-charged individuals with old-school practical effects. Co-directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) easily could have saturated each scene with VFX… and they do need to rely on some effects to work make a man who bursts into flames, and a woman who can exude icy temperatures.

But in Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s fight scenes, in particular, the movie relies on pure stunt work and camera sorcery to make the powers seems a grounded and credible as possible. Except when Gordon-Levitt has to get shot in the face. That’s definitely not a practical effect.

We are thankful that Netflix has been producing these action thrillers during a time when our movie theaters have been closed. The Summer Blockbuster season that’s usually filled with sequels and superhero efforts has been reduced to ash. But the streaming giant has provided ample action thrills with movies such as Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction, and The Old Guard with Charlize Theron.

If you liked those films, you need to give Project Power a try. It feels like the kind of late-summer genre exercise that’s carried by its excellent concept, and a pair of star-wattage turns from Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Also, Project Power continues to shine a light on the talented Dominique Fishback, who’s about to explode on the scene. If you haven’t yet, watch the trailer for the upcoming Judas and the Black Messiah, which co-stars Fishback. That looks like it has the potential to be an Oscar contender.

Project Power is available to stream on Netflix right now. In the meantime, movies seem to be trying to come back to theaters. Keep an eye on our Movie Release Calendar to see what new titles are attempting wide releases. Also, bookmark our Stay In & Stream section to keep up with the latest streaming news.

Has anyone else been missing Joseph-Gordon Levitt lately? Before his eventful 2020 with his first starring roles in four years, Amazon’s 7500 and the new Netflix action offering Project Power, the actor has been pretty much out of the spotlight. It’s been for a really sweet reason though. The 39-year-old actor has been taking time off to raise his two sons with his wife, Tasha McCauley.

When stopping by for a virtual chat on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s eyes lit up at the mention of his young family. He gave a cute shoutout to fellow father Fallon, who recently appeared on Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard’s Apple TV+ documentary called Dads. JGL recalled the moment he watched the late night host speaking about fatherhood with these words:

Now that’s adorable. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has two sons who are five and three years old, respectively, and Fallon has young daughters who are around five and six. JGL is still figuring out what it means to be a dad, and the Apple TV+ doc that Jimmy Fallon appeared in really got him in the feels. We don’t hear celebrity fathers gush about their roles as fathers, so the pair getting a little emotional together about their kids just makes us love them more. You can check out the full Jimmy Fallon interview below:

Alongside the dad talk, the 500 Days of Summer star also discussed his almost 20-year online collaborative creative platform called HitRecord that serves as a space for writers, designers, filmmakers and such to work together to make art. JGL’s latest movie is Project Power, also starring Jamie Foxx, Dominique Fishback and Rodrigo Santoro, and it's a unique take on the superhero genre. In a future New Orleans, there is a pill that allows its users to gain a mysterious power for five minutes.

The new Netflix film has been met with mixed-to-positive reviews by critics, debuting at 66% on Rotten Tomatoes today alongside its fresh release. CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave the film three out of five stars in his review, calling it “cool premise,” but knocking it for having a “tremendous missed opportunity.”

Besides Project Power, you can check out Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his new airplane thriller flick 7500 on Amazon Prime, and look out for Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 with Eddie Redmayne, Yayha Abdul-Mateen II and Sasha Baron Cohen. It's expected to hit Netflix this October. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more movie news.

In a summer where Marvel Studios and DC Comics haven’t been able to bring the world superpowered thrills, Netflix is about to do its best to compete with its latest original: director Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s Project Power. Starring Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback, this R-rated caper is about a future New Orleans where the streets are about to be flooded with a drug that, for five minutes, gives the user a unique superpower. And on the heels of the interviews that have come out of the press day for the film, the embargo is up on critical reviews, and we’ve got some of the reactions for you to read below.

We’ll start with CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell, who rated Project Power at a three out of five stars, with the following comments:

Meanwhile, David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter was also pretty positive in his evaluation of Project Power. While it wasn’t a huge, resounding rave, he did have this to say about the movie:

So far, an even handed positivity seems to be the prevailing theme when it comes to the impression that Project Power has left on its audience. However, those of you who are putting a lot stock in this film being the perfect replacement for those Black Widow or Wonder Woman 1984 cravings you’ve been having all summer might want to dial back expectations. At least, that seems to be what IGN’s Robert Daniels would have you think, as he issued the following advisory for would be viewers:

Also on the more negative side of the spectrum is IndieWire’s Kate Erbland, as she saw the greatest advantage Project Power has going for it is also its greatest weakness. And it can be boiled down one word – promise:

Finally, if there was any note to close out this Project Power roundup with, it’d have to be that of EW’s Leah Greenblatt’s B+ review of the film:

And there you have it, a pretty evenly excited at best, if not dismissive at worst, consensus seems to be shaping around Project Power. You the viewer will be able to decide for yourself right now, as the film has debuted on Netflix as of 12 AM PST/3 AM EST today.

Superhero movies are a dime a dozen in 2020. Fifteen years ago, it would be groundbreaking that a junior varsity X-Men squad like The New Mutants was getting its own comic-book movie. Now, we have so many spandex-clad adaptations, the New Mutants will be lucky to land in a theater, and not shuttled to a streaming service.

One way around the superhero glut is to find a story involving super powers that doesn’t dwell on superheroes. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman’s Project Power doesn’t have any capes or cowls. There are no monologues by masked villains. It takes comic-book clichés and applies them to a gritty, sweaty cop thriller, giving its story a stylish coat of paint that results in a sleek, silly night at the movies.

Project Power has a cool and impressively original idea.

In the not so distant future, there’s a drug peddled on the streets that gives the user five uninterrupted minutes of a super power. You might burst into flames, a la The Human Torch. You could end up invincible, able to sustain a bullet shot to your face, like Superman. Tragically, some people take the pill and immediately die. There’s an element of danger, as with any illegal substance.

This story ropes in three main characters directly tied to the Power drug. Art (Jamie Foxx) is a former soldier who’s currently tracking his kidnapped daughter, and has to work his way up the drug supply chain in order to locate her. His path crosses with Robin (Dominique Fishback), a small-time dealer who suddenly finds herself in way over her head.

Across town, New Orleans street cop Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) can’t stand facing off against short-term super-powered crooks, and is thinking of taking the Power pill himself to level the playing field. Their destinies are about to collide as they all find themselves on the radar of Biggie (Rodrigo Santoro), a massive distributor who has a risky deal in play.

It’s a cool premise. Giving characters a specific power for five minutes is thrilling, and making the main characters powerless gives Project Power a realistic angle. We side with Foxx, Fishback and Gordon-Levitt because they seem like underdogs in a potentially fantastic world.

However, Project Power doesn’t fully explore it’s coolest idea.

The grounded approach slows Project Power down. A lot. And while I’m willing to chalk this up to budget constraints, we don’t get to see as many examples of the super-charged criminals as I would have hoped going in to Project Power.

It’s not like people in this New Orleans environment need to pull off something extraordinary to trigger their individual powers. They don’t have to be struck by lightning, or bitten by a radioactive insect. They just have to pop a pill… and a pill that seems to be readily available. When Project Power shows an energized super being, it’s pretty spectacular. But those occurrences are fleeting, giving us chatty, character-developing scenes that are necessary, but not really fun.

There’s also a tremendous missed opportunity to see the full extent of the Power drug exploited. I’m not saying that I wanted to see a WWE-style Royal Rumble consisting of numerous drug-enhanced beings fight each other… well, maybe I am saying that. There’s one thrilling fight sequence in the middle of Project Power that takes advantage of the movie’s premise, but that’s where the movie peaks.

Still, Project Power is sleek and stylish enough to make it watchable.

And these days, that’s almost enough? Theaters are closed. Netflix has been filling the entertainment void with high-octane action thrillers that deliver bursts of adrenaline but stumble when scrutinized beyond their surface scripting. Think Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction, or Charlize Theron’s recent The Old Guard. Project Power falls in line with those films. They have interesting ideas, and benefit from the unquestionable star power of their A-list leads.

This happens in Project Power. Foxx, Gordon-Levitt and the relative newcomer Fishback command the screen as the movie skips along at its brisk pace. They make sure you don’t stop too long to think about the story’s beats.

It’s worth noting, Project Power co-directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman aren’t exactly known for action. Their credits include the dating documentary Catfish, and the Paranormal Activity franchise. But they make a solid transition to the action genre with the sequences they attempt in Project Power. It makes me wish they tried more of them in this movie.

After watching the trailer for Netflix’s superhero adventure Project Power, the concept of a pill giving you an unknown superpower looked pretty damned sweet. Now, with a new clip released from this streaming summer blockbuster, we know two new pieces of information, the first being that it looks like the specific power given to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character Frank is bulletproof strength. However, the second fact, as you’ll see in the actual footage below, is that with great power comes an awesome beatdown if you’re on the wrong end of said powers. Take a look for yourself:

This clip released by Netflix isn’t shown in the context of what this moment from Project Power truly represents. But from the looks of things, Levitt’s Frank hasn’t exactly let his partners on the police force know about his usage of the pills the film centers its narrative around.

Chasing an invisible Power user through a school and into an alleyway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes a point blank round to the face and, for a moment, it looks like he's done for. But just as quickly, that bullet crumples against his skin and, after a quick power nap, Frank is up and beating this slightly invisible person to a pulp.

Alongside Jamie Foxx’s ex-soldier Art and Dominique Fishback’s pusher-turned-hero Robin, Project Power sees Joseph Gordon-Levitt completing the trinity of heroes we’ll be watching at work in the latest movie from Catfish directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. So one can only hope that in the coming weeks counting down to the mid-August release date of the film, we’ll get to see some clips from Foxx and Fishback’s end of things. Such looks seem extremely promising, after seeing this brief look at the R-rated hero tale headed our way.

It’s a small piece of the action but, after watching that clip a couple times, the audience probably wants more. And you can’t blame them, as that fight between powered individuals is enough of a pump up to make a person want to watch the trailer to Project Power again as well.

Should you be in that sort of mood, we’ve got you covered, as we’re going to provide that trailer for easy access below. And if you haven’t seen the trailer but dig what you’ve seen in the clip, then you definitely owe it to yourself to get on board:

In a summer where Marvel and DC projects have been sadly (but wisely) absent from the playing field, it’s nice to know that Netflix had Project Power waiting and ready for some comic style antics. You’ll be able to see these feats of strength and heroism in the very near future, as this movie will smash into the Netflix streaming library on August 14th.

By the time the typical summer movie season gets to the month of July, there’s already been a couple of superpowered cinematic offerings kicking around in theaters. But with the major chains being shut down and current events as they are, we haven’t gotten as much hero action as we're used to. Well, it looks like Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are the heroes today, as Netflix’s Project Power has them teaming up to play around with some super powered chemistry; with a very big catch. Take a look at the trailer below:

Directed by Catfish documentary team Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, Project Power focuses on a drug named, aptly enough, “Power.” With the ability to give anyone who takes it superpowers, such as invisibility or the generation of fire and/or ice, it’s a perky pill that only gives the user five minutes of marvelous abilities. And the biggest twist is -- you never know what your power will be until you try the drug for yourself.

That’s apparently enough of a risk though, as a kingpin (Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro) is looking to go into business trafficking this stuff hardcore. It’s up to Jamie Foxx’s ex-soldier and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s cop to bust this operation up and, with the help of a young Power dealer (Dominique Fishback), they’re going to take their fight to their enemies.

Not only is Netflix getting into the superhero game with Project Power, but they’re doing so with a pretty big distinction from most of the competition. As Deadpool, Logan, and most recently, Birds of Prey have paved the way for R-rated superhero movies to rule the roost, Project Power is in fact labeled with that very mature rating. So the glimpses of superpowered sex workers, gunplay, and fisticuffs are probably a hint to some material you won’t want your kids to be watching on your screen any time soon.

For the adults in the audience, Project Power represents even more potential to see their favorite comics and brand new IP in the realm of such thrills, brought to life in a hard-R flavor. Which is pretty helpful for Jamie Foxx, as this project could also help keep the fact that he’s the next Spawn in the public consciousness.

Most importantly, Project Power just looks like a really fun time. The rhythm between Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Dominique Fishback looks like it carries a lot of water in this world of superdrugs and violence. And right about now, folks are in love with big thrills coming to their favorite streaming services, as seen with the huge debuts of Palm Springs and Greyhound this past weekend.

So if you’re ready to pop a pill for justice, you can check out Project Power when it fills your prescription for action on Netflix, starting August 14th.

With many of us spending more time at home these days, we’ve had more time to revisit our favorite movies of the past and re-examine our perspective on the characters we grew to love. And thus the “The Movie Villain/The Actual Villain” meme was born. It started with an examination of High School Musical’s Sharpay vs. Troy and Gabriella. Now, one regarding beloved rom-com 500 Days of Summer has made its way to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and he has made his thoughts clear here:

The star of the 2009 indie took to Twitter to play devil’s advocate against his own character of Tom Hansen. He agrees Tom is the actual villain of 500 Days of Summer, despite Zooey Deschanel’s Summer Finn being the “heartbreaker” in the context of the film. Maybe this is still a hot take, but he’s completely right. If you haven’t revisited Marc Webb’s first film, it plays much differently once you venture outside the perspective of Tom’s narrations and examine their relationship with a closer eye.

This isn’t the first time Joseph Gordon-Levitt has looked back at his famed role to criticize his protagonist’s actions. Last year on Larry King, the actor had this to say about why Summer and Tom’s relationship ends with breaking dishes (…err or begins I should say):

In 500 Days of Summer, Tom kind of coasts through his relationship with Summer, believing she was the woman of his dreams because she checked these boxes he had in his head about his perfect, imaginary girlfriend. During the movie, there are a number of signs there for the character to look out for, such as Summer stating her disinterest in being more than friends with him multiple times – he chose not to see it because he didn’t want to. When they broke things off, it was “her fault” due to his own bias about what he wanted to happen.

JGL has expanded on how the sympathies of audiences who view 500 Days of Summer can often skew toward Tom’s favor by default because the movie is only being told from his perspective. If the same movie was made from Summer’s POV, we may think much differently about the big Smiths’ fan.

It’s this layered debate about 500 Days of Summer that makes the movie one of the all-time great entries in the romantic comedy genre. What do you think? Who is the actual “villain” of 500 Days of Summer? Vote in the poll below.

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It’s no secret Christopher Nolan is morally opposed to green screens, CGI and 3D technology. He shoots solely on film and won’t settle for anything less than a summer big-screen release for his next film, Tenet. And according to his frequent collaborator Anne Hathaway, who worked with him for The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, the filmmaker revealed an incredible amount of training Joseph Gordon-Levitt had to do for Inception ahead of her taking on Catwoman. The actress recalled the director telling her:

Whoa, back up.... three months of training for a single scene? We cannot be sure what sequence Anne Hathaway is referring to from Inception or whether she’d exaggerated the numbers in her head years later, but it’s a known fact that Joseph Gordon-Levitt trained hard for that movie. His most rigorous scene was the gravity-defying hotel hallway scene, which saw the crew constructing a 100-foot rotating corridor and the actor having to nail the choreography and timing.

The hallway scene reportedly took three weeks to shoot even though the footage itself makes for less than a minute of the movie. The technical team behind Inception used a lot of insane practical approaches to the film, including taking inspiration from 2001: A Space Odyssey’s scope when crafting that jaw-dropping scene as the crew of dreamers tumble in the van holding them. Take a look:

Anne Hathaway spoke about the mind-blowing behind-the-scenes details of Christopher Nolan movies while speaking with her Les Miserables co-star Hugh Jackman for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, with Jackman having also worked with Nolan for The Prestige. Hathaway revealed the director does not allow phones on set or chairs, because of the belief that if people are sitting they are not working. She said his methods are effective because he always finishes a film “under schedule” and “under budget.”

Hugh Jackman jumped in and explained how his experience with Christopher Nolan included him being asked to share a trailer with his co-star Christian Bale and a promise from the filmmaker that he'd scarcely use his trailer because he’d be put to work all day, but get to go home by 7 p.m. every night. As the Wolverine actor remembered, the director was true to his word. Based on these few stories about working with Nolan, it’s no wonder his movies stand out and apart from other big-budget releases these days.

Christopher Nolan’s next film, Tenet, is currently scheduled to hit theaters on August 12, coinciding with movie theater plans to reopen this summer. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates on what films are coming next. You can start with our 2020 movie releases calendar.

Earlier this month, Amazon Prime unveiled 7500, a taunt, gripping, suspenseful one-location thriller which features an investing lead performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Following his titular turn in Oliver Stone's underwhelming 2016 biopic, Snowden, 7500 marks the surprise and welcomed return of this bright young actor to moviemaking. 

Though he had some voice-only cameos in Knives Out and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has largely been absent from the screen in recent years, which is a shame because the talented former Angels in the Outfield child star has remained a consistently dependable movie star throughout the years. From studios comedies to indie dramas to thrilling action blockbusters, Levitt has worked in various movie modes and proven himself time-and-time again. With that, let's take a look back at some of the best Joseph Gordon-Levitt movies thus far.

10. Don Jon (2013)

Having amassed 25+ years of acting experience at this point, Joseph Gordon-Levitt took a step behind the camera with his feature screenwriting and directing debut, 2013's Don Jon. The results were energetic, punchy, and undeniably passionate, not to mention stylish and unexpectedly sentimental at times too. 

Don Jon centers around Jon Martello (Gordon-Levitt), a young bartender in New Jersey with an overactive libido who might've found his match when he forms a relationship with Barbara (Scarlett Johansson). While not without its broad characters and conventional storytelling beats, Don Jon proved to be an admirable directorial debut and an unexpectedly charming romantic comedy/character study that's elevated by the sizzling chemistry shared between the actor-filmmaker and Johansson. While it might not go on to be one of Gordon-Levitt's best movies later in his career, Don Jon proves to be a promising directorial debut. Hopefully, he'll helm another movie in the future.

9. Lincoln (2012)

While Joseph Gordon-Levitt isn't the standout star of Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning Lincoln, the actor plays a key part in an incredibly impressive ensemble that includes Daniel Day-Lewis in the title presidential role, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Adam Driver, Dane DeHaan, David Oyelowo, David Strathairn, James Spader, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Walton Goggins, and so many more. 

As Robert Lincoln, the only son of Abraham and Mary Todd to reach adulthood, Levitt plays a key personal role in this tale of the president's legacy, one that often explores the man in addition to the legend we see him today. Through this dramatized portrayal of his eldest son, we are given an intimate, emotional glimpse into this U.S. president's home life.

8. Brick (2005)

In Rian Johnson's feature directorial debut, Joseph Gordon-Levitt found the steely gazed role that formed many of his future roles in Brick, a pulpy neo-noir film located on/around a high school campus instead of the other, more adult locations seen throughout the genre prior. He plays Brendan Frye, a high school loner who adopts the role of a young detective and works his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring while investigating the disappearance of of his ex-girlfriend. 

While Brick often plays the genre elements straight, there are little moments of sly levity throughout. But for the most part, Brick is a true-blue noir, respecting its elders while also giving a new spin on the familiar beats and characters we expect in this genre. The results are fresh even when familiar, announcing the strong debut of its early filmmaker, and showcasing new range for Gordon-Levitt.

7. Looper (2012)

In his second major collaboration with writer/director Rian Johnson (though he made a cameo in Johnson's sophomore feature The Brothers Bloom), Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, a contract killer known as a "looper" who is hired by syndicates from the future to terminate people they have sent back in time. The final job is to kill oneself, thus ending the loop. But that proves difficult when Joe's older self (Bruce Willis) is the killer's next target. 

Time travel movies often prove to be challenging in terms of keeping narrative consistency and not getting bogged down by the logistics. It's a credit to Johnson's film, therefore, that it never gets too heady while also never sacrificing the smarts in the process, providing a fresh, entertaining new take on the familiar time-looping genre. While Gordon-Levitt must wear distracting facial prosthetics to look like Willis, Levitt's commanding performance never gets repetitive.

6. The Night Before (2015)

Admittedly, this movie didn't win people over as much as it delighted me, but for my money, The Night Before is one of the best R-rated studio comedies in years, and a delightfully warm, hilarious seasonal comedy that deserves more consideration during the yuletide season. Reuniting with 50/50 co-star/producer Seth Rogen and director Jonathan Levine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Ethan Miller, who spends every Christmas Eve with his two childhood friends, Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie), after his parents died. But as the years pass, it gets harder to uphold this tradition. 

Before they call it quits, these buddies go out in a blaze of glory with the Holy Trinity of parties. The results are the typical stoner antics you'd expect, but the inspired jokes, warm chemistry of our leads, and the movie's winning emotional journey makes this one a gift that keeps on giving.

5. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Though the decision to include Robin was widely contested (apologies for spoiling an eight-year-old sequel to one of the biggest blockbusters ever!), it's hard to fault Joseph Gordon-Levitt's commendable portrait of John Blake, a Gotham orphan-turned-detective who shares a bond and kinship with Bruce Wayne. 

With an origin story that similarly mirrors our lead character, minus the wealth he acquired, Gordon-Levitt brings a grounded sincerity to his role, one that communicates street smarts and a life without glamor or luxury yet carries about the suffering citizens of Gotham. While he's set to be a major torch bearer in the finale, his hard-luck origins and dedication to the everyday citizens of the always-tormented Gotham makes him humble and likable. The earnest boyish charm mixed with his talents for playing hard-nosed sleuths made him a perfect fit for Christopher Nolan's portrayal of this memorable Batman companion.

4. Mysterious Skin (2004)

In writer/director Gregg Araki's 2004 film, Mysterious Skin, based on the novel of the same name by Scott Heim, Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Neil McCormick, who along with Brian Lackey (Brady Corbet), was sexually abused as a pre-adolescent, permanently affecting their lives, particularly as they enter young adulthood. Neil, in particular, becomes a reckless and sexually adventurous sex worker, thus forming a bold and challenging role for young Joseph Gordon-Levitt. 

One year before Brick, this acclaimed indie was one of two movies that would announce Levitt's change from child star into a serious adult actor. And this raw and harrowing lead performance remains one of the finest performances we've gotten from the young actor yet.

3. 50/50 (2011)

Tragedy is always at the root of comedy, but mining it is never easy. From a marketing perspective, it was hard to know what to make of 50/50, a dark dramedy centered around a young man named Adam (Gordon-Levitt) who is diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his spine that leaves his chances of survival at 50 percent. That's very heavy stuff, but screenwriter Will Reiser (based on his real-life experiences) and director Jonathan Levine find the lighthearted pathos amid the sadness, while never undermining the severity of this literal life-or-death situation. 

The results are a surprisingly winning mix of humor and honesty, painting a realistic, meaningful but never dour portrait of friendship, introspection, and finding the humor in such deep tragedy. It also features one of Gordon-Levitt's finest performances. He balances these tonal shifts with intellect, sympathy, and authenticity. 50/50 is a total success.

2. Inception (2010)

In an ensemble that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, and many other talented actors, it might've been easy for Joseph Gordon-Levitt to get lost in the shuffle. But his well-suited, practical minded Arthur definitely gets his moments to shine in writer/director Christopher Nolan's mind-bending action-thriller. Particularly in an elaborate fight sequence which finds Gordon-Levitt literally bouncing off the walls, the actor once again proves himself to be a dependable action and dramatic star, capable of bending to the various genres at play in any given project. 

His fortitude as an actor can sometimes be overlooked, particularly in his collaborations with Nolan. That's a shame, as his smooth, calculated performances do a great deal to bring quiet gravitas and gentle captivation to these massive blockbusters.

1. (500) Days Of Summer (2009)

While its reception has become slightly more critical, notably in its depiction of our lovelorn lead, there's a great deal worth admiring in Marc Webb's bubbly-yet-thoughtful romantic comedy, (500) Days Of Summer. Part of its success undeniably comes from Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance as Tom Hansen, an overbearing romantic who pictures his cute romance to Summer (Zooey Deschanel) to be the movie-worthy relationship he's always wanted. 

Alas, as the title suggests, that doesn't necessarily pan out. Though contested as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl-type rom-com, (500) Days of Summer proves to be a clever, inventive, and subversive critique/commentary on this familiar '00s trope, with Gordon-Levitt's emotionally complex performance providing nuance to its flashy, stylish presentation. While it's not reflective as it could and should be towards its flawed protagonist, it's a remarkably winning and inspired romantic comedy that follows both its mind and its heart.

We should also mention that there are certainly some honorable mentions. For instance, Robert Zemeckis' The Walk just barely missed the cut. There's also Hesher, The Lookout, Premium Rush, and Stop-Loss. Additionally, I'm sure several people would include 10 Things I Hate About You on their own top ten lists, which is admittedly a blindspot for me (it's on my watchlist!). There's also the aforementioned Angels in the Outfield, which is one of the first movie many folks saw with the future movie star. What's your favorite Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie? Please let us know in the comment section.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt spent years making the transition from child actor to indie star to studio lead, but you probably noticed that he has been absent from the big screen for the last few years. In 2016 he played the titular role in Oliver Stone’s Snowden, but the release of that film came a year after the birth of his first son, and about nine months before the birth of his second. Wanting to dedicate time to raising his kids, he put his professional life mostly on hold… save for a cameo in friend Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Given the star’s time off, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s role in writer/director Patrick Vollrath’s new thriller 7500 can be called a comeback film – and it’s an interesting one to say the least. In fact, it was because of the uniqueness of the project that the actor specifically chose it, as I learned this past week during a video chat interview with Gordon-Levitt and Vollrath together:

When a professional actor is making their return after a hiatus, you’d think that the logical move would be for them to pick a big and flash project – one that would ensure that audiences all around the world would know that they are back. That, however, wasn’t the move for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Instead, the Looper star opted to use the moment as an opportunity to challenge himself, and find a feature that would serve as a metaphorical deep end for a high dive. He found that in 7500.

In the movie, Gordon-Levitt stars as Tobias Ellis, an American pilot working for a German airline who we meet as he prepares for a run-of-the-mill international flight. Unfortunately, things go horribly wrong when terrorists attempt to take over the plane. When his co-pilot is severely injured, he finds himself alone in the locked cockpit trying to figure out what to do next, and meanwhile the hijackers are bashing at the door and threatening flight attendants and passengers.

With the exception of the opening sequence, which follows security footage in an airplane terminal prior to the flight, the entire movie is set in the cockpit of a plane, and given the stressfulness of the scenario it’s not hard to see just on the surface where the challenge existed for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. However, it goes far deeper than that.

As I discussed with the actor and Patrick Vollrath, 7500 wasn’t shot like a typical movie, tackling a series of shots and scenes each day. Instead, Vollrath’s methodology had his cinematographer keeping the camera rolling for up to an hour for a single take, and the editing process involved chopping up and together chunks of 40-60 minute material. What’s more, while the script was very specific in its technical approach, working to be as accurate to real-world procedure as possible, much of the rest was kept open for improvisation from the actors. It led to a very different kind of schedule for the production, and required alternative communication methods, as Gordon-Levitt and Vollrath discuss in the video above.

The end result is some edge-of-your-seat stuff – and you can see it for yourself right now. Getting a jump on the weekend, 7500, co-starring Carlo Kitzlinger, Omid Memar, Murathan Muslu, Aurélie Thépaut, and Aylin Tezel in addition to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is now available to rent and/or purchase on Amazon Prime Video. Check it out, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interview with the star and director.

Warning: SPOILERS for Knives Out ahead!

Before Knives Out even hit theaters, writer-director Rian Johnson was entertaining the idea of a sequel. The director seemingly had such a great time making the whodunnit and working with Daniel Craig that he envisioned bringing the actor's private investigator character, Benoit Blanc, back for an all-new mystery. After Knives Out released to critical acclaim and a phenomenal box office performance, development began on a sequel. Now it’s official: Knives Out 2 is happening.

But rather than bring back the Thrombey family and continue that story, Rian Johnson is taking a page out of Agatha Christie’s book, and Knives Out 2 will feature an all new mystery, setting and cast, save for Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the Hercule Poirot of this burgeoning mystery franchise. At the Oscars, Johnson said, “all bets are off” when it comes to casting for the sequel, and that he wants everybody, gesturing to the luminaries walking the red carpet.

With that in mind, it’s worth trying to fancast some possible suspects who Benoit Blanc will have his eye on in Knives Out 2. The first film featured an all-star ensemble of talented actors, established veterans and up-and-comers, and I expect the sequel to do the same. Since we don’t know what the story or mystery will be, I’m casting in a similar way as the first film, with actors of all ages, knowing that what Rian Johnson has planned may call for something entirely different.

Here are 12 possible suspects for Daniel Craig’s next case.

Emma Watson

Any of the Little Women stars would be a fine addition for Knives Out 2, but I’d like to see Emma Watson as a suspect in Rian Johnson’s next mystery. The Harry Potter actress seems to be very choosy with her movie roles following her decade-long stint as Hermione Granger, and as such, there are still various kinds of movies and characters we have yet to see her tackle.

Emma Watson doesn’t usually play the kind of character who would be a murder suspect, and that would make her casting fun, even if her character were ultimately innocent. I can see her playing a rich socialite brat who is an immediate suspect, or a character who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time and isn’t guilty, but isn’t entirely innocent either.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been in every Rian Johnson movie since the director’s debut with 2005’s Brick, but we haven’t seen him onscreen in a Johnson movie since Looper. In Knives Out, he provided a voiceover cameo at the beginning of the movie as Detective Hardrock. But as far as I’m concerned, that doesn’t count, so Gordon-Levitt can play a brand new character who takes part in Knives Out 2. It’s time for a proper reunion between this actor-director duo.

We’ve seen JGL play all kinds of different characters, and given that range, I could see him as an outwardly upstanding guy, the kind you’d never suspect or a total sleaze-bag, like Chris Evans’ character Ransom in the first film. Either way, hopefully we get to see him onscreen this time around.

Cynthia Erivo

If the Knives Out sequel is looking to add talent, it would get an outsized amount of it by casting Cynthia Erivo. The actress, who will be an EGOT sooner rather than later, is absurdly talented and has shown it in films such as Widows, Bad Times at the El Royale and Harriet, playing very different characters. Right now, she can be seen playing a quirky private investigator of her own in HBO’s immensely creepy The Outsider.

Given her role in The Outsider, Cynthia Erivo may not want to do another mystery, but Knives Out is tonally completely different, so maybe she would feel it’s enough of a contrast to come aboard the sequel. Although I could see her as part of the investigation, it might be more interesting to see her as a suspect. Really, this is just a pick based on the rising star's immense talent. It doesn't even matter who she plays.

Colin Farrell

When it comes to being a supporting player in an ensemble, you won’t find many better than Colin Farrell. The actor, who just starred in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, excels at playing wild and entertaining characters surrounded by a stellar cast. Knives Out 2 provides just such an opportunity for Colin Farrell to prove how underrated he is once again.

The actor is currently working on The Batman, where he plays The Penguin and there will be no question about his guilt or innocence. In Knives Out 2, I could see him doing what he does so well, playing a quirky character where he gets to chew a massive amount of scenery. Or he could go deadly serious, which he's also quite capable of doing. Either way, watching Daniel Craig chase Colin Farrell is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Thomasin McKenzie

The first Knives Out featured young actor Jaeden Martell, and it would be great if the sequel gave another young up-and-comer some time to shine. Someone who is really making a name for herself is actress Thomasin McKenzie. She has been acting for close to a decade now, but she really broke out recently with 2018’s Leave No Trace and last year’s Jojo Rabbit. She was heartbreaking as a young Jewish girl in hiding in Taika Waititi’s film.

That role had some humor, but a spot in the Knives Out 2 cast should allow for something different from Thomasin McKenzie than what we saw in the two aforementioned films. I wouldn’t expect her to be an alt-right troll like Jaeden Martell was in the first movie, but a part as the troublesome or precocious daughter of one of the more likely suspects sounds about right.

Tom Hanks

Hey, why not go big, right? One of the most delightful performances in Knives Out was that of Chris Evans. Coming off his long stint as quintessential Boy Scout Steve Rogers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Evans played the sweater-wearing scumbag Ransom Thrombey in Rian Johnson’s whodunit. And spoiler alert, he dunnit. Knives Out 2 could feature a similar bit of casting where an actor plays against type to entertaining effect.

Tom Hanks is the Hollywood everyman, the ultimate good guy. I mean, he just got done playing Mister Rogers for goodness’ sake! So he would be a great addition to Knives Out 2 as the polar opposite of that. Let’s see him play a total dick here. He doesn’t have to be the villain, just a despicable character.

Kelly Marie Tran

While he was doing press for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson could not stop singing the praises of actress Kelly Marie Tran and how much he loved the character of Rose Tico in the film. Rose’s outing in a galaxy far, far away may not have been as memorable as Johnson's enthusiasm indicated, but that is in no way reflective of Kelly Marie Tran’s acting chops.

The actress deserves another film without the baggage of Star Wars, and given the great experience they had working together on The Last Jedi, one imagines Johnson would love to have her in Knives Out 2. She would be a great addition, perhaps as a character like Ana de Armas’ Marta, caught up in something she never intended and looking mighty guilty.

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal will play the villainous Maxwell Lord in this summer’s Wonder Woman 1984, and it would be fun to see him as another nefarious character in Rian Johnson’s next whodunnit. When he played the Red Viper on Game of Thrones, every scene he was in, no matter his scene partner, crackled with intensity and magnetism. Pedro Pascal excelled in that ensemble environment and could do so again in Knives Out 2.

Pedro Pascal has ‘mysterious character’ down pat, and he’d surely be an immediate suspect for whatever crime Benoit Blanc has to investigate in the Knives Out sequel. Watching The Mandalorian actor in a chess match with Daniel Craig would be an absolute blast.

Sigourney Weaver

Despite her character’s death in the first movie, Sigourney Weaver looks like she will be spending a lot of her time in Pandora for the Avatar sequels in the coming years. But presuming that she can secret away for a vacation from that lush alien paradise, she would make a great addition to Knives Out 2.

The three-time Oscar nominee’s credits and talents are well known, so there’s no need to rehash them here. But simply put, who wouldn’t want to see Sigourney Weaver as a murder suspect, confidently throwing barbs at her would-be accusers? I can see the actress filling a similar role as Jamie Lee Curtis did in Knives Out, depending on the story, of course.

Pierce Brosnan

I’ve seen this idea bandied about, so I can’t take credit for it, but Pierce Brosnan would be a really fun addition to Knives Out 2. The selling point, beyond simply adding talent in the form of the Irish actor, would be the opportunity of having two James Bond actors onscreen together. Timothy Dalton would also work in this capacity, but I think Brosnan is better known for the role given that he passed the 007 mantle to Daniel Craig.

Seeing these two onscreen together would be a delight, with Daniel Craig chewing scenery and Pierce Brosnan matching him, or going in the opposite direction and playing things incredibly serious. And given the playfulness of the first film, a Bond reference isn’t out of the question. I can definitely see Brosnan as a wealthy and powerful character who has a hand in the investigation and a vested interest in its outcome.

Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren is an acclaimed, Oscar-winning actress with plenty of roles in prestigious films to her name. But far from stuffy, she’s also an actress that clearly likes to have a lot of fun, as evidenced by her presence in the Fast & Furious franchise. And I have to think she would have a lot of fun opposite an ensemble of talented actors in Knives Out 2.

Helen Mirren could play a matriarch in a role similar to Christopher Plummer’s patriarch Harlan Thrombey. I could also see her being the person who hires Benoit Blanc to solve a mystery for her; one where her own role may be more than she lets on. Watching her spar with Daniel Craig and the other talented actors sure to fill out this cast would be a real treat.

John David Washington

This summer, John David Washington will take on his biggest role yet in Chrisopher Nolan’s hugely expensive blockbuster Tenet. But for now, most audiences probably know him for his role in BlacKkKlansman. That Spike Lee film mixed the serious with the hilarious to wonderful effect, and John David Washington excelled with his deadpan delivery. I think the talents he showed in that film would make him a great addition to Knives Out 2.

Rian Johnson’s Knives Out was a whodunit with humor and mystery in equal abundance and as we’ve seen, John David Washington can deliver in a movie with that kind of tone. I can see the actor playing the good guy, i.e. someone trying to help the investigation, but I would also love to see what he could do playing against type as a less likable character.

Frankly, these are just some ideas, and since we don’t know what the mystery of Knives Out 2 will be, there is a very good chance that this particular list of names wouldn’t fit together. Will the sequel be another family story or more like Murder on the Orient Express with a bunch of strangers on a train? Either way, the hope is that like the first film, Knives Out 2 brings together a great ensemble of actors from multiple generations and with different levels of fame, from young up-and-comers to established award-winners.

It sounds like Rian Johnson has grand ambitions for the cast of his sequel and there aren’t really any names that wouldn’t be exciting. Lily James? Yup. Joaquin Phoenix? Totally. Lena Headey? Yes please. Jeff Goldblum and Nicolas Cage? Absolutely. We can probably expect Rian Johnson’s collaborator Noah Segan to return, possibly as a different character, but other than that, the possibilities are endless.

Knives Out 2 does not have a release date yet, but things seem to be moving forward on it fast, so we’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see what movies are coming this year, and let us know who you want to see in Knives Out 2 in the comments below.

There are plenty of exciting movies still on the way as 2019 comes to a close, but if you’re looking for the most star power for your moviegoing dollar, look no further than Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. The director of not-at-all controversial Star Wars: The Last Jedi has assembled an all-star cast of actors for his whodunit and now you can add one more name to the list. In an exclusive interview with CinemaBlend, Rian Johnson revealed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a hidden cameo in Knives Out. Take a look:

There you have it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s name may not show up on the poster, but the actor is technically in Knives Out. The actor has a cameo in Rian Johnson’s film. Interestingly though, as the director told our own Jeff McCobb, you won’t actually see Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Knives Out, but if you’re listening closely, you will hear him. The actor’s cameo is aural, not visual.

Like his cameo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, where he voiced a Canto Bight alien named Slowen Lo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a voice cameo in Knives Out. According to Rian Johnson, if you pay close attention, JGL’s voice can be heard towards the beginning of the film. I haven’t seen Knives Out yet so it’s unclear whether the actor is providing some sort of narration or background voiceover, but he’s definitely in there.

It should come as little surprise that Rian Johnson found a way to get Joseph Gordon-Levitt into the film. The director and actor are frequent collaborators, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt appearing in some fashion in every one of Rian Johnson’s films (actor Noah Segan is also in every Rian Johnson film, including Knives Out).

Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred in Rian Johnson’s debut feature, the high school noir Brick all the way back in 2005 and he led the director’s breakout pre-Star Wars science fiction film Looper in 2012. Even the Rian Johnson films that Joseph Gordon-Levitt didn’t star in, he still made his way into. In The Brothers Bloom he shows up in cameo form and in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and now apparently Knives Out, he provides voice cameos.

Although Joseph Gordon-Levitt doesn’t physically appear in Knives Out, that’s not because Rian Johnson didn’t want him to. The director told Jeff that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s schedule simply wouldn’t allow him to appear in the film, so a voice cameo is all they could manage to keep their collaborative streak going.

Rian Johnson is eager to get back on set with Joseph Gordon-Levitt again soon though and the director clearly loves working with him. So maybe they will collaborate on something in the near future, like perhaps another mystery featuring Daniel Craig’s Detective Benoit Blanc or Rian Johnson’s will he or won’t he Star Wars trilogy.

We’ll have to wait and see, but for now, small voice cameo or not, you can add Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s name to the impressive cast of Knives Out, which also includes Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield and Christopher Plummer just to name a few.

Knives Out opens in theaters on November 27. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the movies on the way the rest of this year.

There are few film genres as tried and true as the good old fashioned romantic comedy. While there have been endless sappy and quirky rom-coms, certain movies transcend the genre by being self-aware and having challenging plot points. One of the most recent classics is 500 Days of Summer, starring Zooey Deschanel as the title character, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as aspiring architect Tom Hansen. 500 Days of Summer is stylish and unique, but its ending has drawn some ire from cinephiles over the years. Since the movie is primarily told from Tom's perspective, there have been quite a few audience members who have takem umbrage with Summer's ability to marry someone other than Tom. After seeing a hater on Twitter, Joseph Gordon-Levitt defended both the movie and Deschanel's character, saying:

Well, there you go. 500 Days of Summer focuses on two equally flawed characters, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not going to let Tom Hansen get off the hook. That seems to be the resolve at the film's end, but clearly it didn't register with everyone.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's tweet shows how much the actor has truly thought about his character's intentions in 500 Days of Summer, and how the movie ultimately concludes. The layers of Summer and Tom's relationship are peeled back, and it soon becomes clear they're just trying their best. But being human, their best isn't necessarily correct or healthy.

When Tom first meets Summer at the elevator at work, he instantly falls in love. Because he's a romantic with a penchant for The Smiths, he thinks Zooey Deschanel's character must be his one true love. Conversely, Summer tells him over and over again that she's not looking to be in a committed relationship with him, but that they're simply enjoying each other's companionship. But Tom is steadfast in his affections, and ultimately ends up hurt when Summer follows through and even gets married to another man.

Luckily, both of the characters ultimately look inward and take responsibility for their missteps. Just like so many other relationships, theirs fell apart because of the various circumstances and personalities involved. And if both Tom and Joseph Gordon-Levitt himself can make peace with Summer's decision, then so should moviegoers. Especially since 500 Days of Summer hit theaters way back in 2009.

You can watch Tom and Summer have some closure below.

Now don't you wish everyone got to have such a constructive dialogue at the end of their relationships? Alas, that's just not most people's reality. Neither is the spontaneous musical number that Tom had after he and Summer had sex for the first time.

You can purchase your own copy of 500 Days of Summer now. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have shared a screen together in films like The Night Before, 50/50, and The Interview, so one would imagine the two's relationship can survive the hilariously crude and brutal rap battle they had on TBS' Drop The Mic. Both celebrities cut each other pretty deep in a war of words that will likely go down as one of the best battles in the show's history. Take a look!

This Drop The Mic battle should've been over when Joseph Gordon-Levitt told Seth Rogen to stop eating James Franco's ass, but it somehow only got better. Rogen fired right back with his own rhymes and ended the first series between the two with a particularly cutting line about having more leading roles in films than his opponent. The point was well made, and while Rogen definitely got more hype from the crowd with his particularly brutal line, that line about James Franco almost had to be what ultimately won Gordon-Levitt the battle.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's rhymes certainly helped him secure the win, but the fashion choices between the two men had to play a factor as well. Gordon-Levitt wore a pretty sweet Wu-Tang Clan themed wool sweater, while Rogen wore a button down dress shirt and jeans. Sure, Gordon-Levitt's outfit would only get him slightly less roasted at an actual rap battle. Still, the only reason Rogen's line about passing for the actor's dad was so effective is because he was dressed like a dad while he was delivering the line!

Regardless of who won, both Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt should feel pride for their Drop The Mic performance as the two flowed better than most celebrities who have appeared on the show to date. It's rare that one celebrity on the series switches up their rapping style mid-battle, and both celebrities doing it is almost unheard of. There definitely needs to be a round two battle for these guys, provided they're still on speaking terms following their public war of words. Gordon-Levitt made mention of the battle on his Twitter page, but surprisingly enough, the ever-tweeting Rogen did not. Did he take the loss personally, or did he just forget the battle was on that night? While the world may never know, they can probably guess which theory is closer to the truth.

Drop The Mic airs on TBS Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET. The series is just one of many new shows on television at the moment, and more and more are making their premiere each and every day. Keep up with the latest additions and see what shows are coming in the near future by visiting our summer premiere guide. For more on Seth Rogen and his relationship with James Franco, read about the time the Franco stole one of Pineapple Express' best lines from Rogen.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been in theaters for over a month now and at the current rate, I imagine we will be analyzing and arguing about this film until Episode IX and beyond. The latest chapter in the Star Wars saga has proven to have been divisive among fans, and that's OK. Art isn't science, it's subjective and different opinions have merit. One person who saw the film and felt the need to express his opinion is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The actor penned a lengthy essay defending the film against its critics and praising it for its daring and complexity in the age of safe and simplistic blockbusters, saying:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is hardly an impartial observer. The actor starred in two of Rian Johnson's previous films, Brick and Looper and he cameoed in The Brothers Bloom and considers the director a friend. Joseph Gordon-Levitt actually makes a voice cameo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, playing Slowen-Lo, the alien who rats out Finn and Rose to the Canto Bight authorities. He acknowledges this as a potential source of bias in his essay on Medium, but feels he needed to speak out about the movie anyway.

The actor's feels that the movie succeeds because of how it challenges viewers with nuance and forces them to look at their heroes as less-than-perfect paragons. Joseph Gordon-Levitt appreciates how willing The Last Jedi was to kill its heroes, literally and metaphorically, a choice that creates a layered story on which to build on. This stands in stark contrast to a safer approach that would eschew complexity in favor of four-quadrant appeal. So a big part of his praise is specific to what the film does as a big-budget blockbuster.

Though lengthy, Joseph Gordon Levitt's essay mostly addresses the film's treatment of Luke Skywalker. He doesn't touch on what I would argue has people the most upset, the film's complete disregard for and failure to deliver on the mythology building done in The Force Awakens. This is a trilogy and the parts are supposed to fit together, so there is a valid argument that not doing so was a disservice to the audience.

Unfortunately, the complexity of the film, which is embodied in its treatment of Luke Skywalker, is the very thing that many people don't like about it. Much of the discussion I have seen about The Last Jedi is a less about whether or not it is a good movie and more about whether or not it is a good Star Wars movie. The very thing that Joseph Gordon-Levitt cites in The Last Jedi may be exactly why it doesn't feel like Star Wars to some fans. Complexity and daring are great and something we should hope for in our blockbusters, but there is a question of: Can that daring go too far?

While Star Wars: The Last Jedi is still in theaters, we will hopefully have a look at Solo: A Star Wars Story soon and maybe we can move on from this myriad Star Wars arguments.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens included several cameos from actors who wanted to become part of the new Star Wars universe. The Last Jedi is looking to follow suit, and director Rian Johnson just added a new name to the list. During a promotional tour in Japan, Johnson apparently revealed that long time collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt will appear in the film as the voice of an as yet undisclosed character.

Among all the rumored and confirmed cameos that Star Wars: The Last Jedi has said to have, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a new name to the list, but he's honestly not all that surprising either. Gordon-Levitt has worked with Rian Johnson before on Looper, and Brick, two of Johnson's previous directorial efforts. The two clearly have a strong relationship. It's not known whether the actor went looking for the cameo or had it offered to him, but either way, seeing the connection makes sense.

While Rian Johnson confirmed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt would be in the film, and confirmed it would be a voice only role, that's where the information, according to Premiere Report (via StarWarsNewsNet), stopped. The fact that it's apparently a voice only role would seem to rule out a Stormtrooper cameo similar to the one that Daniel Craig had in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but just about any sort of alien creature would be on the table. If we're going to put money on it, listen for Gordon-Levitt's voice during the scene that takes place in the casino city of Canto Bight. That sequence will likely be full of numerous different aliens with brief dialogue, it would make sense to include a cameo or two in there.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cameo comes on the heels of a few others that were recently confirmed for Star Wars: Episode VIII. English Princes Harry and William were confirmed, along with actor Tom Hardy, by John Boyega, who apparently simply got tired of being asked about the rumors and decided to let the cat out of the bag. Most of the cameos in Star Wars: The Force Awakens were successfully hidden until the film's release. All except for the one by Daniel Craig, though he vigorously denied he was doing it at the time. Now, the idea is apparently to let these details out, perhaps as a way of distracting us so we don't ask about more important things.

Still, we're guessing that there may, in fact, be even more cameos that they're not telling us about. There are so many people who grew up in love with Star Wars who are now celebrities that the line to add to their face or voice to the franchise probably goes on for miles. We'll find out for sure when Star Wars: The Last Jedi finally arrives December 15.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains very minor spoilers about Stephen King's novel, IT. If you haven't read or are unfamiliar with the the book, and don't wish to know any details before seeing the upcoming film, please bookmark this page and return after your screening!

When director Andy Muschietti's IT arrives in theaters on September 8th, audiences will have the opportunity to watch not only a great horror movie, but what is also really only half of Stephen King's epic original novel. While the new film entirely focuses on the protagonists' battle against the titular entity when they are children, it leaves the book's adult-centric storyline waiting for a sequel to be made. Exactly when we can expect this project to get off the ground remains a mystery, but there is a specific group of individuals who have already been doing a great deal of thinking about the follow-up: the young stars of the upcoming blockbuster.

This weekend I participated in the domestic press day for IT in Los Angeles, and during the event had the opportunity to sit down with Finn Wolfhard (Richie), Chosen Jacobs (Mike), Wyatt Oleff (Stanley), Jaeden Lieberher (Bill), Jeremy Ray Taylor (Ben), Sophia Lillis (Beverly) and Jack Dylan Grazer (Eddie). At the end of our discussion, I specifically asked if they had been thinking about the actors who should play the adult versions of their characters in IT: Chapter 2, and there was zero hesitation in their responses. So who would we see in this fantasy version of the sequel (which would probably double the budget)? Read on to find out!

Christian Bale as Bill

When we catch up with Bill in the second half of Stephen King's IT, he has managed to become a successful horror writer -- crafting fictional tales of terror while putting memories of his time with The Losers Club battling Pennywise behind him. When the group comes back together, however, Bill once again takes his position as unofficial leader, and that's certainly a job that could be well handled by Batman himself, Christian Bale.

Given that he is already 43 years old, Christian Bale would definitely be on the older side of the age spectrum within the IT: Chapter 2 cast proposed here -- but A) it's not really enough time to matter in Hollywood terms, and B) we're talking about an actor who is famous for his physical transformations. Bale would certainly do a great job with the evolution Bill undergoes through the story, and he won't even have to change his natural appearance that much to look like a grown-up Jaeden Lieberher.

Chadwick Boseman as Mike

While it's the disappearance/death of the young Georgie that really kick-starts the plot in the first half of Stephen King's IT, it's Mike who is ultimately responsible for bringing The Losers Club back together to battle Pennywise as adults. Unlike the other six in the group, Mike is the only one who stays in Derry, Maine -- which also puts him in the unfortunate position of alerting his friends that the evil entity they thought was destroyed is still alive and kicking 27 years later.

For his pick, Chosen Jacobs confidently suggested Chadwick Boseman for the part -- the actor set to turn 41 later this year. Boseman is certainly no stranger to high-profile roles both in the non-fiction (42, Get On Up, Marshall) and fiction (Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther) realms, and IT: Chapter 2 could set him up with a meaty role.

Jessica Chastain as Beverly

Sophia Lillis' choice for adult Beverly in IT: Chapter 2 is a smart one -- and not only because Jessica Chastain is an amazing actor, the right age for the role, and sports the proper hair color. Back in 2013, Chastain actually worked with Andy Muschietti on his feature directorial debut, Mama, and it would make plenty of sense that the filmmaker and star would reunite for the IT sequel. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the part should be a stand-out in the blockbuster, and needs a proper talent to bring it to life.

As seen adapted in IT, Beverly has a hard life even before her first encounters with Pennywise -- largely due to her family's poverty and her abusive father. It's a childhood she has a hard time fully escaping as an adult, as while she becomes a successful fashion designer, she is also trapped in a marriage to an cruel and violent husband. Getting Mike's invite back to Derry winds up giving her the strength to start fighting back again and change her life.

Bill Hader as Richie

Of all the casting suggestions made here, this is admittedly my favorite. For the role of adult Richie, Finn Wolfhard suggested that Bill Hader be given a shot, and it's really a perfect fit. Not only is there a similarity in the looks department, as seen in the side-by-side above, but Hader's natural personality just makes him a perfect fit for the character.

As a kid, Richie stands out as a jokey loudmouth who doesn't know when to shut the hell up, but it's a gift that actually winds up suiting him well professionally. His gift for gab gets him a cushy job as a Los Angeles radio personality, where he has the freedom to be his natural comedic self. If you don't see how Bill Hader is an obvious choice here, I don't know what to tell you.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Stanley

In case you couldn't tell, we've been doing our best to keep this feature as spoiler-free as possible - both for the first half of IT and the second... but what happens to Stanley makes that a bit more of a challenge. So without getting into too much detail, we will say that the role requires portrayal of real sensitivity and emotion, which Joseph Gordon-Levitt could certainly pull off - as Wyatt Oleff suggests.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is rather picky about the projects he takes on, only appearing in one or two films per year, but hopefully he would see IT: Chapter 2 as an exciting opportunity (particularly if the production can assemble the dream ensemble that the young cast has imagined). He hasn't actually been in a horror movie since 1998's Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, so it could be a nice return to the genre for him.

Chris Pratt as Ben

Ben is mocked and tortured by bullies as a kid because of his weight, which is basically his entry ticket to The Losers Club. As an adult, however, he manages to turn his life around in that area. Not only does he become physically fit, but also finds success as an architect living in Nebraska. Unfortunately, he's still filled with plenty of demons for Pennywise to feast on when he arrives back in Derry.

Chris Pratt is essentially king among A-list actors right now, leading him to appear pretty much everywhere nowadays -- but there is an interesting extra layer that comes with Jeremy Ray Taylor's choice for adult Ben. After all, Pratt famously went from being the pudgy funny guy on Parks and Recreation to being the buff action hero lead of Guardians of the Galaxy -- so he can understand that side of the character. It also doesn't hurt that the guy is really pretty great in everything he does, which would only benefit IT: Chapter 2.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Eddie

At 36, Jake Gyllenhaal joins Joseph Gordon-Levitt on the younger end of the spectrum of this suggested cast, but the fact that the movie is probably still a few years away and that Gyllenhaal is a genius chameleon performer make Jack Dylan Grazer's idea of him playing Eddie a fantastic idea. He is arguably a bit to handsome for the part, but we have zero doubts that he could sell key emotional journey the character undergoes as an adult.

Obsessed with disease and germs courtesy of his hypochondriac mother, Eddie doesn't grow up entirely normal, and while he does manage to start a successful limousine company living in Chicago, he also marries a woman who is exactly like his overbearing mom. Even after maturing greatly as a kid during his adventures with The Losers Club, he will still have a long way to go when he returns to Derry in IT: Chapter 2, and it would be amazing to see an actor of Jake Gyllenhaal's caliber take on the challenge.

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