Judy Greer may have faced down Michael Myers in the Blumhouse Halloween reboot trilogy, but even she wasn’t prepared for the gut punch of her latest project, the upcoming The Long Walk. The new book-to-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name is set to soon hit the 2025 movie schedule, and if Greer’s first reaction is anything to go by, audiences should brace themselves for one of the year’s most haunting horror movie experiences.

In an interview with Screen Rant, the 13 Going on 30 actress admitted she was completely shaken after watching Francis Lawrence’s finished film for the first time. She told the outlet:

The irony of literally needing to take a walk after the upcoming Stephen King adaptation isn’t lost on the Hollywood A-lister, but the anecdote also underlines just how disturbing the movie turned out to be. Which has my horror fan heart pounding with excitement.

The film adapts King’s 1979 dystopian novel for the first time, originally published under his Richard Bachman pseudonym. Set in a near-future America, it follows 100 teenage boys forced to compete in a brutal endurance contest to keep walking at a minimum pace or be executed. It’s a concept that strips horror down to its most primal and psychological elements, and Greer explained to the outlet that the movie’s power comes from that stark simplicity. She continued:

This kind of dark humor and honesty has long endeared the What Women Want veteran actress to audiences. She’s not the kind of actor to glamorize horror or pretend she’s unshakable. Remember when she called Marvel out for not putting her in Ant-Man 3? I do, and it was hilarious.

It’s worth noting that The Long Walk isn’t your typical horror flick. More existential than slash-and-burn, it’s a grim meditation on survival and conformity. The source material is notoriously heavy, and many fans have wondered how it could ever be translated to the big screen. Based on Greer’s theater experience, it would seem to suggest that the filmmakers didn’t water it down, and that the end result is as emotionally punishing as it is terrifying.

Judy Greer’s comments echo my colleague Eric Eisenberg’s thoughts on the flick. He called it the “bleakest Stephen King Adaptation since The Mist” but also “an unforgettable experience” in his 4.5 out of 5-star review of The Long Walk. Which, if you remember the traumatic ending of Frank Darabont's The Mist, that is really saying something.

Horror fans can catch Judy Greer in The Long Walk when it arrives in theaters on September 12. Also, be sure to check out our schedule of new horror movies to plan your future scary flick-going experience.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps fans on their toes with a steady stream of new content, hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen various characters come and go during that time, including some fan favorites. Ant-Man vet Judy Greer talked being left out of Quantumania and reveals one thing she wanted for her character.

Legendary character actress Judy Greer played Scott Lang's ex Maggie in the first two Ant-Man movies. She was noticeably missing from the threequel, although some fans are still hoping to see her return in upcoming Marvel movies. While speaking with The Direct, the Jawbreaker icon spoke about her tenure in the MCU, including voicing a role in Guardians 3. She said:

Honestly, same. While Judy Greer never got into the main action as Maggie, I loved seeing her in in the first two Ant-Man movies. And I definitely missed her in Paul Rudd's threequel, especially since their daughter Cassie became a superhero in her own right. As such, I'm going to go ahead and blame the lack of Judy Greer for Quantumania's disappointing at the box office performance.

Since the characters in Ant-Man 3 spent most of their time in the Quantum Realm, plenty of others got left on the cutting room floor. That includes Maggie, Bobby Cannavale's Paxton, and Scott's buddies from X-Con Security. Later in that same interview, Greer spoke about one thing she constantly asked for while appearing in the franchise, sharing:

Understandable. Because part of a superhero franchise is one thing, but getting to actually have superpowers is something else entirely. Maggie suddenly becoming an enhanced human would definitely be a shock, especially since she hasn't been involved in Ant-Man's action. But since their daughter Cassie got to get her own suit and join the fight in Quantumania, it's not a ridiculous concept.

It's currently unclear if a fourth Ant-Man movie is coming, and if/when Judy Greer returns to the MCU. Fans are assuming that Paul Rudd will be back as Scott Lang in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Secret Wars, but nothing is confirmed just yet.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Modern Family is one of the best sitcoms of all time and it’s partly because of the cast. The characters are quite relatable, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the roles. Julie Bowen’s Claire Dunphy, for example, is certainly a TV mom that parented with an iron fist, having to wrangle not only her three kids but her often goofy husband, but it all came with love. Bowen had the role down perfectly, but apparently, another comedic actress could have nabbed the role.

There are often stories of actors who were in the running to play a role in a film or TV show that wound up being huge, and you always think of the “What if?” In Modern Family’s case, 13 Going on 30 star Judy Greer almost auditioned for the role of Claire Dunphy. She told Modern Family’s own Jesse Tyler Ferguson on his podcast Dinner’s On Me about auditioning for the ABC sitcom after being asked what her connection was to the series, and I can’t stop thinking about how different it would have been:

Considering Modern Family wound up running for 11 seasons, that’s a long time to play a mother for a role. Even Julie Bowen is receiving Mom roles after Modern Family. It’s not an easy role to do, whether real or fake, and it’s something that Greer didn’t want to do after much debate:

Even though Judy Greer is sure she wouldn’t have gotten the role had she auditioned anyway, it’s still something to think about. Another reason why Modern Family went as long as it did is because of the cast’s chemistry and their believability as an actual and relatable family. Greer being on Modern Family would have been interesting to see, whether as Claire or as a different character, but it sounds like she’s not too regretful about not auditioning. And there would only be one reason why she would have auditioned:

At the very least, it all worked out in the end. Greer wasn’t limited to just one role or project, and Bowen was definitely the perfect person to play Claire and she got a new family out of it as well. Even today, the Modern Family cast remain close. Coincidentally, both Bowen and Jesse Tyler Ferguson spent Thanksgiving in the ER because of their kids, and they shared some sweet support for one another.

Modern Family is always going to be a beloved show with a beloved cast, and it’s very likely that even with one different actor, the show would have been completely different. There’s no way to know what it would have been like with Greer, but fans can watch the show with a Hulu subscription or a Peacock subscription and see just how great it is with Bowen.

It’s been two decades since one of the best rom-coms of all time, 13 Going on 30, graced the big screens, and it still holds up today. Thankfully, that has also meant two decades of friendship for the cast, specifically Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer and Mark Ruffalo. If you were wondering if they are all still close, the Family Switch actress’ recently shared a sweet message to social media that shows her and Greer wishing Ruffalo the happiest of birthdays and my heart is so full with love for this cast.

Fans' favorite frenemies were recently featured together on Garner’s Instagram stories, as they celebrated the Avengers actor turning 57. In the video, Garner and Greer wish their leading man a very sweet happy birthday and followed that up with numerous air kisses and “We love you” declarations right before the video ends. What warms my heart is the fact that it was more than just a post or a throwback photo, it was a sincere, heartfelt message (and I can’t handle this right now, I’m already so emotional from the end of Arcane). Check out the post:

I love that even 20 years later, this cast is still close. Greer and Garner are actually much better friends than their characters, with the Yes Day actress also never failing to wish her on-screen frenemy a happy birthday as well. But it was great to see them together for Mark Ruffalo’s birthday, and I'm hopeful that it gave him all the feels. It certainly made me smile, and it wasn’t even for me.

As for the Foxcatcher star and the Deadpool & Wolverine actress, they also remain close to this day and even reunited for a project a couple years back. Their performance as Adam’s parents in Ryan Reynolds' The Adam Project was just another fine showcase of their great on-screen dynamics as actors.

Their chemistry is just so natural, and anyone who has seen 13 Going on 30 surely knows it's a big reason why the film was so successful. Yes, it took Big’s concept and made it relatable for a new generation. And sure, the “Thriller” scene is iconic, what with the dress and flash mob and all. But Ariana Grande didn’t include the iconic 2000s rom-com in her “Thank You, Next” video because of “Thriller.” It made the cut, because it became a new blueprint for friends to lovers rom-coms, all thanks to the story of Matty and Jenna. All I can say is, thank goodness Mark Ruffalo didn't quit the movie over the Michael Jackson classic.

Not to mention, the film's concept and message still hold up today. What I wouldn’t give to have a glimpse into my future to help me realize what’s important in the long run. That, and the fact that as a kid, all you want is to just be an adult already. As an adult, many would give anything for the simpler days as a kid. I wouldn't be surprised if some teenagers who watched this movie in 2004 are now having that realization, including the now-over-30 young Jenna actress.

Hopefully, we see this trio team up again for a sequel, because I need to know what Jenna and Matty are doing now. Perhaps they even have a 13-year-old of their own… Until then, I'll just appreciate Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer's birthday tribute to Mark Ruffalo. And, of course, you can relive all the swoon-worthy “Rom-Com Ruffalo” moments and Jenna Rink silliness by streaming 13 Going on 30 with a Prime subscription.

Halloween has passed, which means we’re now entering the holiday portion of our 2024 movie calendar. Television as well is full of upcoming Christmas movies to choose from, and thankfully it looks like there are at least a few options for the kids as well. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever arrives in theaters on November 8, and critics have had the opportunity to screen the film, which was adapted from the book of the same name by Barbara Robinson. While not without its flaws, reviews indicate that the film is an enjoyable take on the true meaning of Christmas.

Judy Greer and Pete Holmes star in the movie, which centers around a church’s Christmas pageant and the town’s six notoriously trouble-making kids who volunteer to participate in it. It sounds like there are lessons to be learned one and all, and Nell Minow of RogerEbert.com rates it 3.5 out of 4 stars, confirming that to be the case. The critic says the adaptation glows with a message of hope and kindness, writing:

Mary Kassel of ScreenRant, meanwhile, isn’t so convinced, saying the choice to have an entire town of supposedly Christian people hate six children they know to be impoverished goes against the movie’s overall message. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever fails to dig deep, making for an ultimately forgettable holiday film, but one with enough feel-good appeal that it will find an audience anyway. Kassel rates the movie 4 out of 10 and says:

Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth agrees the upcoming family friendly flick isn’t without its flaws — Lauren Graham’s narration a la A Christmas Story becomes unnecessary, darker elements are avoided, etc., but the story overall is “unexpectedly beautiful.” Kojder continues:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap thinks the movie has plenty of depth, with Dallas Jenkins not content to merely rehash a story about a church play and some naughty kids. This comedy asks serious questions about Christianity and also comes up with quite good answers. Bibbiani writes:

Pete Hammond of Deadline is reminded of A Christmas Story and says The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has what it takes to become a perennial itself. It’s the rare faith-based movie that, in Hammond’s words, “doesn’t try to hit you on the head with a sermon.” Instead it grabs your heart and makes you smile. The critic continues:

Ahead of its November 8 release to theaters, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever holds an impressive 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. Only time will tell, however, if The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will become one of the best Christmas movies ever.

Prior to last year, Mark Hamill had what could be referred to as minimal experience in the realm of Stephen King movies. In 1992, he had an uncredited role in director Mick Garris' Sleepwalkers (based on an original screenplay by King), and that was the full extent of his connection to the author. In 2023, that connection expanded when Hamill signed on to star in writer/director Mike Flanagan's upcoming adaptation of The Life Of Chuck, and now he seems to be on a King streak, as it has been announced that he is set to star in the new film The Long Walk.

Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes) and written by JT Mollner (the upcoming horror movie Strange Darling), The Long Walk began production earlier this week in Manitoba, Canada, and in addition to adding Mark Hamill to the cast, the film has also added Judy Greer. We don't officially know who the actors will be playing, but given that there aren't many adult characters in the book, it doesn't feel difficult to speculate that Greer is playing Mrs. Garraty (the mother of protagonist Ray Garraty) and Hamill will portray The Major – the principal antagonist who oversees the titular dystopian competition.

Based on the book of the same name, which was originally published by Stephen King under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, the story follows a collection of teenage boys who have agreed to participate in The Long Walk: a deadly endurance competition that sees the last competitor left standing win a dream prize. Once the "game" starts, the teens must maintain a constant walking pace along a highway and there are no breaks; warnings are issued for slowing down or stopping, and collecting three warnings (or trying to escape) results in execution.

Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were the first two actors to sign on to star in The Long Walk, but the cast has filled out significantly since their involvement was announced in June. In addition to Mark Hamill and Judy Greer, the film is also set to feature Jojo Rabbit’s Roman Griffin Davis, Spontaneous’ Charlie Plummer, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, and Joshua Odjick (as reported in this week's edition of The King Beat).

In addition to his upcoming Stephen King movies, Mark Hamill has recently been doing a number of voice roles – including reprising his role as The Joker in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part Three and playing a character named Thorn in the upcoming animated film The Wild Robot (which will be in theaters on September 27).

For Judy Greer, this will be her second Stephen King adaptation, as she previously played gym teacher Ms. Desjardin in the 2013 remake of Carrie. In addition to The Long Walk, the actress' upcoming slate includes the family friendly holiday comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (set for release on November 8).

Previous attempted adaptations of The Long Walk spent years in development hell (George A. Romero first tried to make it into a movie back in the late 1980s), but now the project is set up at Lionsgate and is becoming a reality. The movie doesn't yet have a release date, but stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates about the Stephen King project.

When it comes to learning about behind-the-scenes relationships on film sets, nothing makes me happier than learning a movie began a lifelong friendship for co-stars. One of my favorite examples of this is Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer who met on the set of 13 Going On 30 and have now been friends for two decades. To celebrate this lovely friendship, and Greer’s birthday, Garner took to Instagram to show us all why these two are truly bestie goals. 

Both on and off screen, Garner and Greer are BFF goals (although more so in real life than on screen). While Jenna and TomTom go from friends to frenemies in the movie the actresses have been besties for 20 years. So, to celebrate that fact and the Archer star's birthday, the Alias actress posted a sweet message on Instagram: 

Isn’t that just the sweetest thing ever? The comments on Garner’s post were filled with enthusiasm for the friends, Greer's birthday and their classic rom-com. A few of the highlights included:

• Please make a sequel to 13 going on 30! We love you guys together -cupsbykari 
• Jenna & TomTom! ❤️ -worknandreamn 
• 20 years is something to be proud of ❤️ -melrobbins 
• Jenna + TomTom 4ever 💘 -Alexandra Kyle 

Melanie Lynskey also got in on the lovefest by showing her love for Judy Greer, posting:

The love is real, and knowing that Jennifer Garner and Judy Greer have been pals for so long makes this birthday post all the sweeter. 

On top of their friendship being absolute goals, the project where they met also sounded like a dream. Garner explained that making 13 Going On 30 was one of the “happiest” parts of her life. She also noted that while she was out for dinner with Greer a few months ago they got recognized for the movie, and explained that she loves the adoration surrounding the beloved movie. 

Along with these two women staying close over all these years, the actors behind Jenna and Matty have also kept in contact. Mark Ruffalo posted a sweet reunion photo with Garner a few years ago, and in 2021 they starred in the Netflix action flick The Adam Project together, where they played a married couple. So, the love is real among the 13 Going On 30 cast, and I’m so grateful they have made other projects together. 

Ten years after 13 Going On 30, the actresses starred in Men, Women, and Children together, and then in 2018, the Garner starred in Greer’s directorial debut, A Happening of Monumental Proportions. So, I think it's time we get these two besties back on screen together ASAP.

While we wait for that to happen, you can throw it back and see where their friendship began almost 20 years ago by streaming 13 Going On 30 with a Max subscription. 

There’s no arguing we’re in a reboot/revival age of entertainment and, sometimes, it seems there are few shows from past decades still out there that haven’t been updated for the current generation. That makes it all the more upsetting when an original series like Reboot — an ensemble comedy from Modern Family creator Steve Levitan — gets the ax after a single season. Johnny Knoxville, whose performance was just one of many reasons to watch, spoke out about the series' cancellation and received supportive messages from John Stamos and other celebrities.

In addition to Johnny Knoxville, the Reboot cast boasted numerous comedy vets, including Keegan-Michael Key, Judy Greer, Paul Reiser, Krista Marie Yu and Rachel Bloom. The meta comedy centered around the revival of the cheesy fictional sitcom Step Right Up and the drama that ensued off-screen and in the writers’ room. The Jackass veteran got real in an Instagram post about Hulu’s decision to cancel the series, writing:  

It’s a pretty scathing message to the streamer, but the reason for Johnny Knoxville’s frustration is obvious. As he pointed out, that the series was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Series. It also was positively received by pundits, amassing an 88% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  

Johnny Knoxville was definitely not alone in voicing his disappointment, as a number of celebrities commented their support for the actor, including Full House alum John Stamos, who wrote: 

Other famous names who joined the Uncle Jesse portrayer in mourning the end of the series (after just eight episodes) were Reboot star Judy Greer and more, who commented: 

• Judy Greer: Amen
• Maria Menounos: What?!!!!!!!!! Where do I start the protest. Hubby and I are OBSESSED!!!!!!!
• Whitney Cummings: Boo. Uncool. Amazing I’m still shocked by this business.

Judy Greer shined in her leading role as Step Right Up matriarch Bree, and former child star Calum Worthy played the most hilarious meta version of former child star Zack. The Sex Lives of College Girls’ cast member Alyah Chanelle Scott was amazing in her recurring role as a reality show star-turned-aspiring actress, and that’s just to name a few. In taking the action off the stage and into a diverse, multi-generational writers’ room, Reboot also made pointed commentary about the state of comedy in today’s world.

It’s a shame that Hulu isn’t giving Reboot a second season, but Johnny Knoxville says they’re shopping it around. So hopefully, there’s a chance we'll see the Step Right Up cast and writers return with a different studio. In the meantime, you can watch Season 1 using a Hulu subscription, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon. 

In an era of entertainment in which everything old is new again, a comedy poking fun at the idea of reboots, revivals and reimaginings could be a risky venture. But if anybody’s up for the task, it makes sense that it would be Modern Family creator Steve Levitan. Hulu’s new comedy Reboot takes aim at everything that is right and wrong about sitcoms, remake culture and comedy in today’s climate, and it does it with the most spectacular ensemble cast in the most appropriately meta way — with a TV show about a TV show. 

Keegan-Michael Key stars as an actor who played the patriarch of the fictional 2000s-era sitcom Step Right Up, which is receiving a modern-day revival, courtesy of Rachel Bloom’s Hannah. It’s a constant battle between her hopes to update the series with a more meaningful look at the series' family dynamics and original creator Gordon Gelman’s old-school (read: bordering on problematic) sitcom tactics. The result is comedy gold that everyone can enjoy, and here are the reasons you should fire up that Hulu subscription to watch Reboot. 

Johnny Knoxville Is The Perfect Jackass, But Not How We’re Used To Seeing Him 

Jackass star Johnny Knoxville plays Clay Barber, who plays the ex-husband Jake on the fictional sitcom. Clay’s life off-screen has been mired in drugs, alcohol and arrests, and at the time of the revival, we see him trying to clean up his act. That means he desperately needs this revival to work out — even if he continues to struggle with his demons — and honestly, his best moments are when he’s fighting against those baser instincts. 

Clay inadvertently becomes involved with Susan (played by the wonderful Kerri Kenney), the mother of Step Right Up’s former child star, who still hangs around her grown son’s set. Knoxville has no right being this damn funny as his character tries to navigate that awkward situation and, as you'd expect, a number of other scenarios. 

Calum Worthy Is The Best Worst Former Child Star Ever In Return To Sitcoms 

It’s so hard to single out any one or two actors in this amazing ensemble, because they are all worthy of praise, but Calum Worthy, like Johnny Knoxville, is just too good in this role. His performance as obnoxious former child star Zack Jackson feels like it should be grating, but it’s just brilliant. Zack’s wide-eyed naivety is only bolstered by his colleagues’ inability to acknowledge that he’s an adult now.

Like his character, Calum Worthy was a child actor, getting his start at 10 years old. The former Disney star is known for his role as Dez on Austin & Ally, but has since appeared in in multiple genres, also playing Nicholas Godejohn in the Hulu series The Act and Young Jasper in Netflix’s book-to-screen adaptation of Pieces of Her. The meta aspect of Worthy returning to sitcoms as a former child star is a thing of beauty. 

Judy Greer Shines In The Leading Role She’s Always Deserved 

Judy Greer has a long (and fabulous) career of supporting roles. Whether she’s the best friend, the kooky co-worker or the main character’s mother/daughter/sister, Greer is all too often the best part of projects that under-utilize her talents. Well, say goodbye to those! In Reboot she is the leading lady Bree Marie Jensen, who played the matriarch in Step Right Up before marrying the duke of a small European country. It’s no surprise that Greer nails every assignment, making even the tropiest of tropes feel more refreshing than overcooked. 

The Cast Of Comedy Veterans Appeals To Multiple Demographics 

When we think of multigenerational comedies, Modern Family comes to mind (for good reason), and while Reboot also is a product of Steven Levitan, it touches multiple demographics in a completely different way than the ABC sitcom. The A+ cast boasts comedy stars from three different decades, including Paul Reiser (Mad About You), Rose Abdoo (Gilmore Girls), Judy Greer (Arrested Development), Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele), Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and the list goes on. 

In the same way that Hacks pits Gen Z’s Ava (Hannah Einbinder) against Baby Boomer Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), the characters in Reboot are able to make honest and often scathing social assessments about each other without alienating any segment of the home audience. Some of the best scenes take place in the writers’ room, where the young writers are constantly cringing at the veterans’ crass conversations and tired ideas of comedy, while the older writers are flummoxed by the new generation’s penchant for writing “jokes” that aren’t funny. 

Reboot Does Meta The Right Way, And Yes, There Will Be Tropes 

Rather than having the well-worn comedy plotlines play out on the fictional Step Right Up, Reboot incorporates the tropes right into the main story, and it just works. An argument in the writer’s room over whether or not it's funny when someone trips over something will inevitably end with one of them doing just that. Reed (Keegan-Michael Key) navigates the complexities of working with Bree (Judy Greer), who he used to date, despite currently being “in a committed relationship.” Even the obligatory “character gets too drunk/high and makes a fool of themselves” feels fresh when done by this cast with these scripts. 

It’s The Best Show About A Show Since 30 Rock 

There have been some truly iconic series that explore the behind-the-scenes happenings of fictional TV shows, with 30 Rock providing some of the funniest inside jokes. Tina Fey’s NBC comedy had its own star-studded cast to satirize Saturday Night Live, and Reboot could be the equivalent for a series parodying the best TGIF sitcoms. Step Right Up’s opening credits feel very Full House, and it’s so much fun to see the result of multiple generations trying to figure out what that kind of series would look like today.

TV viewers with any kind of appreciation for sitcoms should definitely check out Reboot, especially if you’re willing to laugh at the more ridiculous aspects. From an A+ cast to hilarious writing and meta plotlines, we can only hope this Reboot will see more seasons to come. The first season of Reboot is available for streaming on Hulu, with new episodes coming each Tuesday. Also be sure to check out the other best shows on Hulu and see what premieres are coming to television and screening with our 2022 TV Schedule.

The newest batch of Halloween movies will be coming to an end soon with the appropriately-titled Halloween Ends. Whether or not this will actually mark any sort of true end to the Halloween franchise is anybody’s guess, but it surely will be some sort of massive culmination for the franchise to this point. We’re expecting some sort of final battle between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, and normally I’d be all here for it, but I just can’t get into Halloween Ends. I’m just not sure I care enough.

Halloween, i.e. the first movie in this trilogy (not to be confused with the original 1978 movie Halloween , which is also part of the official timeline of the new trilogy) was a good movie. I enjoyed it overall; it had strong tension, creative kills and, most importantly, strong characters who I connected with. But that’s my problem, because at the end of the sequel Halloween Kills, one of those great characters, Judy Greer’s Karen, was killed, so what is even the point?

Judy Greer's Karen Was The Best Part Of The New Halloween

Karen is by far the most interesting character in the new Halloween. We only meet her as an adult, but we learn very quickly who she is and how she came to be this woman. She grew up as the daughter of an extremely paranoid Laurie Strode, being taught how to defend herself from a young age. Karen is removed from Laurie’s care as a child and she ultimately rejects her mother’s way of life and goes out on her own, building a much more traditional and “normal” life for herself and her family. Her own significant quirk is that she wears Christmas sweaters in October because she chooses to simply “skip” Halloween as a holiday.

Karen is originally set up as a minor antagonist, serving the wall between Laurie and her own daughter Allyson. She’s the one who is most sure that her mother is mostly just paranoid and that there is nothing to fear from Michael Myers. However, when it is proven that there is, in fact, something to fear, Karen takes it as seriously as anybody. 

There's a particular moment in Halloween that I have always remembered, because the scene sort of “got me.”  It’s near the end of the film during the final showdown with Michael in Laurie’s home. In the scene, Karen and Allyson are in the basement, and they know Michael is there. Karen, while holding a rifle, begins to break down, calling for her mother. Karen says she can’t do it, that she’s not going to be able to fight Michael Myers. This causes Michael to show himself, and Karen to shoot him in the mouth. 

I remember sitting in the theater, and at first, as Karen began to cry, I got confused. The movie had been very clear that no matter how Karen felt about it, she had been trained to fight. She knew how to use this weapon. It didn’t make sense that she would be reacting like this. The fact that she was just suckering in Michael, and that she had suckered in me, was excellent. Karen is quite capable; she just doesn’t look like somebody who would be, and that’s how she gets you. 

Halloween Kills Made A Terrible Mistake 

Halloween Kills isn’t as good a movie. It largely seems to be running in place waiting to get to the last movie, but it does have some high points to it, and once again, it’s basically all Karen. She is the real hero of Halloween Kills, and unfortunately, she meets the same fate that many heroes have before her.

With Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie out of commission for a large part of Halloween Kills, Karen is a focal point of the film. She’s the one trying to make sense of the insanity going on in and around the hospital while they wait for Laurie to heal and prepare for whatever may come from Michael Myers.

At one point, she tries to calm a mob that thinks they’ve cornered Michael, but are only causing a sick man to panic. She understands the cost of all this aimless fear when the man kills himself rather than be subject to the mob. Later, when her own daughter is on the verge of becoming Michael’s next victim, she stabs the dude in the back with a pitchfork and then runs off with his mask, which is a boss level move. She tricks him for a second time by leading him into the heart of the murderous mob. At least if they’re not going to stop until they kill somebody, she might as well make sure it’s the right somebody.

It doesn’t work, of course. Michael survives, kills everybody trying to kill him and then he does the thing that I can’t forgive this franchise for: he goes back to his old house and kills Karen. The absolute best character in the first two movies is now dead.

Now I Just Can’t Get Excited For Halloween Ends 

I understand why Halloween Kills felt the need to kill Karen. They were going to need to do something to increase the tension and up the stakes going into Halloween Ends, and of the three Strode women, Karen was the most expendable to the story. Whether or not Laurie Strode will survive the trilogy is very much a question, but she certainly was never going to die any earlier than the last movie.

They’re also not going to kill off the teenager. Allyson has been the primary POV character for the first two movies, and she’s the least likely of the three to die at all. Horror movies don’t usually kill kids unless the movie is about killing kids. Take grandma and granddaughter out of the mix and you only have once choice left.

While there’s maybe part of me that would like to see Michael Myers die because he killed Judy Greer, I’m mostly just annoyed that the new movie won’t have Judy Greer. She was the best part of the movies and the fact that she won’t be there for whatever final battle takes place just makes me less interested in that battle in its entirety. Still, we'll see how this final chapter unfolds when Halloween Ends comes out on October 14.

Reviving hit sitcoms is a trend that has dominated TV (or streaming, more accurately) for years — such as with Netflix’s Full House sequel series, Fuller House, or Paramount+’s follow-up to Nickelodeon’s iCarly, more recently. Part of the fun of seeing the stories of these classic comedies continued as opposed to being remade is the original cast coming back to the spotlight and reuniting for the first time in a while. But, what if the actors are merely a shell of their former selves and a reunion with the former co-stars comes with disastrous results? That is the question that Reboot asks and answers in a hilarious fashion.

From Modern Family co-creator Steven Levitan, this new Hulu original September release chronicles the Hulu exclusive revival of a (fictional) family-friendly, early-2000s sitcom called Step Right Up. While things do not go so well behind the scenes when the show’s original cast members and creator are brought in to work together again, I cannot imagine the talented Reboot cast facing the same issues. Speaking of, let’s dive deeper into the hilarious, self-aware world of this new comedy by shedding light on who plays whom and where you know them from.

Keegan-Michael Key (Reed)

Playing Reed — an actor with a failed post-Step Right Up film career — is Keegan-Michael Key, who is already one of the biggest names in comedy from co-headlining the hit sketch series, Key & Peele, with his former MADtv co-star Jordan Peele, with whom he would also reunite on the big screen in Keanu and Toy Story 4. 

His other notable cinematic endeavors include Shane Black’s The Predator, Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice, a couple of Disney remakes (2019’s The Lion King and Pinocchio from 2022), the Hotel Transylvania movies, and several Netflix original comedies like Dolemite is My Name and The Bubble, more recently. Reboot actually marks only his latest time on a TV comedy ensemble following the likes of Playing House, Netflix’s Friends from College, and the Apple TV+ musical fantasy Schmigadoon!

Johnny Knoxville (Clay)

As Clay — an actor with a post-Step Right Up criminal record — we have Johnny Knoxville, who most know best as one of the boldly immature pranksters from MTV’s Jackass and its many feature-length spin-offs, subsequently. However, years of risking his life on camera would soon earn him a relatively impressive acting career, as well, that includes low-brow comedies like 2005’s The Dukes of Hazzard and the surprisingly heartfelt The Ringer from 2006, and action moves starring the likes of Will Smith (Men in Black II), Dwayne Johnson (2004’s Walking Tall), Arnold Schwarzenegger (2014’s The Last Stand), Jackie Chan (2016’s Skiptrace), and Mads Mikkelsen (2019’s Polar).

Knoxville also voiced Leonardo in the new, live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies and has even done earnest dramas like Lords of Dogtown and the 2019 horror film, We Summon the Darkness, but Reboot actually marks his first time joining a scripted TV series’ main ensemble.

Judy Greer (Bree)

Bree — an actor with a disappointing post-Step Right Up TV career — is played by Judy Greer, who has been a standout in many main ensembles on TV shows of various genres, such as Showtime’s The First Lady cast and on FX’s Archer voice cast as Cheryl Tunt, most notably. 

However, she is even more prolific as a scene-stealer in some of the biggest blockbuster franchises — like the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ant-Man’s ex, Jurassic World as the sister of Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, or as the daughter of Laurie Strode in the latest Halloween movies. Greer has also starred in some highly acclaimed cinematic favorites like Steven Soderbergh’s Three Kings from 1999, 2004’s 13 Going on 30, the Oscar-winning dramedy The Descendants from 2011, and plenty more.

Paul Reiser (Gordon)

As Gordon — the creator of the original Step Right Up — we have Paul Reiser, who has some real-life experience with sitcoms (such as My Two Dads in the 1980s and the ‘80s-set Amazon original Red Oaks more recently) and reboots, having revived his own ’90s sitcom, Mad About You, as a Spectrum original in 2019. 

The comedian debuted in Barry Levinson’s Diner in 1982, played the human antagonist of Aliens four years later, and gave a memorable performance in Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning feature-length debut, Whiplash, in 2014. Reboot is the latest in what appears to be something of a comeback for Reiser that also includes his recurring role on Netflix’s The Kominsky Method, his enlarged role in the Stranger Things cast in Season 4, his awesome cameo on The Boys, and his return to the Beverly Hills Cop franchise in the upcoming fourth installment.

Rachel Bloom (Hannah)

Playing Hannah — who pitches Hulu the idea to revive Step Right Up — is Rachel Bloom, the Emmy-winning star and co-creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend who was previously best known for a serious of funny, musical shorts and a brief role on How I Met Your Mother in Season 7. 

Since then, her big claim to fame has been mostly voice acting roles — such as recurring spots on Bojack Horseman and Robot Chicken, playing Batgirl in 2019’s Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Barb in the Trolls 2: World Tour cast, to name a few. Bloom also recently appeared on the aforementioned iCarly revival and opposite fellow Reboot cast member, Keegan-Michael Key, in Disney+’s Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers in 2022.

Calum Worthy (Zach)

As Zach — the now-grown-up, former child star of Step Right Up — we have the now-grown-up, former child actor Calum Worthy, whose previous sitcom experience mainly involves Disney Channel — such as Austin & Ally, most notably — but he also appeared on three episodes of Psych and had a pivotal role on Netflix’s mockumentary style true crime parody, American Vandal. 

His dramatic TV work ranges from guest spots on series like Stargate: Atlantis, Smallville, or Supernatural to joining the ensemble of Hulu’s true crime miniseries, The Act, or lending his voice to Pacific Rim: The Black for Netflix. Worthy made his feature-length debut in 2004 with Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, went on to play a teenage cyborg in 2007’s The Last Mimzy, and later was the lead of the 2017 rap battle film, Bodied.

Krista Marie Yu (Elaine)

Playing Elaine — Hulu’s new Vice President of Comedy, despite being “new to humor” — we have Krista Marie Yu, who is actually well-versed in humor from playing the title characters' daughter on Dr. Ken and foreign exchange student, Jen, on Last Man Standing. She also appeared on other TV comedies like Cougar Town, The Middle, and Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans, and funny movies like 2012’s Fun Size (with Reboot  co-star Johnny Knoxville) and 2015's Love the Coopers. 

Yu is also no stranger to drama, having starred in the 2016 horror movie, The Darkness, and landed small roles on the likes of Parenthood, the MCU-canon period adventure series, Agent Carter, and Netflix’s animated reboot of Carmen Sandiego, more recently.

They certainly don’t make sitcoms like Step Right Up anymore and it is rare to see such a star-studded ensemble of talented comedic actors like the Reboot cast all in one place. Check them out by streaming this Hollywood satire on Hulu, Tuesday, September 20, 2022.

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

Viola Davis (Michelle Obama)

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

Michelle Pfeiffer (Betty Ford)

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

Gillian Anderson (Eleanor Roosevelt)

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

O-T Fagbenle (Barack Obama)

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

Aaron Eckhart (Gerald Ford)

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

Kiefer Sutherland (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

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

Jayme Lawson (Young Michelle Obama)

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

Regina Taylor (Marian Shields Robinson)

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

Dakota Fanning (Susan Elizabeth Ford)

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

Judy Greer (Nancy Howe)

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

Ellen Burstyn (Sara Delano Roosevelt)

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

Lily Rabe (Lorena “Hick” Hickok)

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

Jackie Earle Haley (Louis McHenry Howe)

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

Kate Mulgrew (Susan Sher)

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

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

SPOILERS are ahead for 2021’s Halloween Kills. 

Last year’s Halloween sequel once again proved something about the horror franchise we’ve been reminded of over the past four decades: Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode is still the ultimate final girl. David Gordon Green’s slasher film shockingly killed off Laurie’s daughter, Karen, played by Judy Greer, and we’re not over it. Of course, it'll up the stakes for Laurie’s next standoff with Michael Myers, but as you can imagine, Greer wasn’t privy to the news of her character’s death. 

Now that the audience have had half a year to process the ending for Halloween Kills, and with half a year to go before the trilogy closes with Halloween Ends, Judy Greer has spoken about receiving news of her character’s fate. In her words:  

Judy Greer got blunt about her first reaction to Karen being killed off while speaking to Collider, and it's incredible. The actress was clearly not stoked to say goodbye to the Halloween franchise so soon, calling the writer/director a “fucker” when she received the phone call. However, Green did have a solid argument as to why, and ultimately, Greer filmed the tragic, but epic conclusion to her role ahead of the movie’s 2021 release. 

If you need a refresher, Halloween Kills waited until the final act to slash Karen. Right before Karen’s daughter, Andi Matichak’s Allyson, looks to be done for, Karen comes in and saves her by stabbing Michael Myers in the back with a pitchfork before grabbing his mask and luring him into an angry mob trap. Unfortunately, Michael fights off the mob and gets quick revenge on Karen. It’s obviously especially brutal because now Myers has killed off Laurie’s own daughter.  

Previously, Greer shared that she wanted fans to be “bummed” and “upset” about her death to match her own reaction to Halloween Kills. The actress also said that she wasn’t too surprised to learn of Karen’s fate in the sequel because she felt like it was the “right thing” for the story as a whole. She is, of course, the most sad about leaving the cast and crew of the horror trilogy. 

The moment sets the stage for what is to come in Halloween Ends. The movie has already finished shooting as of last month. Greer sent her Halloween mother and daughter “Final Girl” shirts despite no longer being alive in the movies. Is it possible we might see Greer again in a flashback? We’ll wait and see when Halloween Ends hits theaters on October 14. Until then, you can stream Halloween Kills with a HBO Max subscription and stay updated with other upcoming 2022 movies here on CinemaBlend. 

Since rejoining the Halloween franchise, Jamie Lee Curtis seems to be enjoying her breakthrough role as Laurie Strode. But this time she hasn’t been alone in the fight against Michael Myers, as her onscreen daughter and granddaughter Judy Greer and Andi Matichak joined her. Their onscreen relationship has translated off-screen, as the women share online posts about each other all the time. And this time wasn’t any different as Curtis shared an image of a sweet present from Greer.

The Halloween Kills star couldn’t help but gush over her onscreen daughter after taking to Instagram to share the heartfelt gift. Of course, it hinted at the bond Curtis, Judy Greer, and Andi Matichak have formed over filming the Halloween trilogy. To see what gift Greer left for the cast, check out Jamie Lee Curtis’s shout-out to her onscreen daughter below.

It was a subtle way for the cast and crew to keep Judy Greer’s presence on set by wearing the shirts. Of course, Greer’s Karen Nelson was killed at the end of the Halloween sequel. So, wearing the shirt was a nice homage to the character. At least, she managed to let everyone know they are still on her mind.

As seen in Curtis’s post, she was feeling bittersweet about Judy Greer not appearing in Halloween Ends. Sporting the “final girl” shirts was a fantastic way to keep Greer’s and Karen’s spirit alive in the final film. Jamie Lee Curtis drove that idea home by mentioning her onscreen daughter’s presence was “everywhere.” The actress has never been too far from Curtis' heart as evident by her Halloween Kills set photos. But the Freaky Friday actress had to keep things real and hilarious by separating Halloween’s Karen from the other troublesome Karen’s out there. It seems like Greer is missed on the set as Curtis, and Andi Matichak will remain “Strode Strong” in her absence.

Karen’s murder at the hands of Michael Myers will catalyze the showdown between Myer and Laurie Strode in Halloween Kills. Seeing Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role as Strode and reinvent her has connected with audiences on many levels. It translated to the rebooted series becoming commercially viable again, and Curtis' legacy was cemented. Despite Greer’s absence, the True Lies star has been grateful for the threequel. She took to Instagram to express her gratitude to devoted fans for their decades of support. And Curtis hasn’t been shy about giving on-set peeks like sharing the first look of Laurie Strode’s new do and posting her reunion with Andi Matichak and Kyle Richards.

Though her character was killed off, Judy Greer has remained a part of the Halloween family. Of course, Jamie Lee Curtis and Matichak will finish out the fight against Michael Myer’s reign of terror in Halloween Ends. The horror film will land in theaters on Oct. 14. It will be one of the multiple blockbuster releases coming out in 2022.

Have you wondered what the 13 Going On 30 cast has been doing? Because I certainly have, literally twenty years later.

I have a lot of comfort movies in my life, and one of them has always been 13 Going On 30. If we’re talking about a movie that still holds up, 13 Going On 30 is one of those. Not only are the performances great, but the story always makes me want to watch it over and over. It’s crazy to think that the young Jenna Rink is now over 30 - amazing how seventeen years go by just like that. However, since so much time has passed since this film originally came out, one might wonder where the cast is now - and what they might be doing next – and this list is your answer!

Jennifer Garner (Jenna Rink)

Jennifer Garner is the lead in 13 Going On 30, and has done plenty in Hollywood since the romantic comedy. Some of her biggest roles have been starring in several romantic comedies, such as Ghosts of Girlfriends Past or Valentine’s Day. She’s also starred in movies like Yes Day, Love, Simon, Dallas Buyers Club, and more.

Another big role that she had while filming 13 Going On 30, and resumed after the film’s release, was starring in and being a part of the Alias cast - which is even cooler because the cast reunited in 2021. Garner appeared in several other films over the last few years, including The Adam Project, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Family Switch.

Coming up, she’ll be in a new film called Mrs. Claus for Netflix, and appeared in a new true-crime film called Fruitcake alongside Paul Walter Hauser.

Christa B. Allen (Young Jenna Rink)

Playing the young Jenna Rink in 13 Going On 30 was Christa B. Allen, and she’s appearing in both movies and TV shows since her big role in the romantic comedy. Some of her biggest appearances were a reunion with Jennifer Garner in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Detention of the Dead, The Valley, and other movies.

She’s also had quite the career in TV as well. Allen had a main role as Charlotte Clarke in Revenge, as well as a recurring role in the series, Baby Daddy, and most recently, she appeared in the film Meet Me In Rome in 2024.

Mark Ruffalo (Matt Flamhaff) 

I feel like everyone knows who Mark Ruffalo is now thanks to his amazing performance as the Hulk in Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as his many other roles, but before the Hulk, he portrayed Matt Flamhaff in 13 Going On 30. Aside from the Hulk/Bruce Banner in the MCU, some of his biggest roles have been in Shutter Island, The Kids Are Alright, and many critically acclaimed movies like Foxcatcher,Spotlight, and 2023’s Poor Things, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Ruffalo has also had success in television, appearing in the TV film, The Normal Heart and the miniseries, I Know This Much Is True, as well as the miniseries All The Light We Cannot See. Coming up, Ruffalo will appear in Now You See Me 3, the highly-anticipated Mickey 17, and more, so keep an eye out for him (as always).

Sean Marquette (Young Matt Flamhaff) 

Sean Marquette portrayed the younger version of Matt Flamhaff in 13 Going On 30, and he’s also been successful since. One of his biggest roles has been voicing Mac in the popular children’s show, Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends. Besides that, he’s also had a major recurring appearance on The Goldbergs as Johnny Atkins, a role he played again in the spin-off, Schooled.

Marquette has also appeared in a variety of movies, like Grilled, High School, Friend Request and more.

Judy Greer (Lucy “Tom-Tom” Wyman) 

I feel like all of us have a Lucy “Tom-Tom” Wyman somewhere in our lives, but the original was played by Judy Greer in 13 Going On 30. Greer has established herself as a force to be reckoned with due to her many movie and TV appearances.

Some of her biggest movie roles have been the romantic comedies 27 Dresses and Love and Other Drugs, the horror remake, Carrie, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, 2018’s Halloween and its two sequels, the Ant-Man films in the MCU as well as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Aporia and so many more.

Greer has also appeared in many television shows (truly too many to list). Some of her most recognizable have been The Big Bang Theory, Arrested Development, Two and a Half Men, Married, and Kidding alongside Jim Carrey. She even held a role in the miniseries The White House Plumbers in 2023.

Coming up, Greer will appear in several movies, including The Fire Inside, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, The Fisherwoman, and more.

Alexandra Kyle (Young Lucy “Tom-Tom” Wyman) 

Next up, we have Alexandra Kyle, who played the younger version of Lucy “Tom-Tom” Wyman in 13 Going On 30. Like her other younger co-stars, Kyle has had success in both movies and TV, appearing in films like Funky Monkey, and having recurring roles in shows like Justified and Days of Our Lives.

Kyle doesn’t have anything new coming up soon, but it does seem like she’s breaking into the world of directing and writing. She produced, directed, wrote, and starred in her own short, Anxiety Wilma in 2022, and since then she’s made a few other shorts as well, so keep an eye out for her.

Andy Serkis (Richard Kneeland) 

You know, I’ll admit, when I first saw Andy Serkis in 13 Going On 30, I almost didn’t recognize him because I’m so used to his brilliant motion-capture performances where you don't see his face. This movie just proved that Serkis, as Richard Kneeland, was the perfect casting decision, as I can't picture anyone else but him playing the role.

Serkis, as you probably know, has gone on to do so much in Hollywood. Some of his biggest roles have been portraying Caesar in The Planet of the Apes revival, a major role in the Adventures of Tin-Tin series, motion-capturing Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequels, as well as many other movie roles. He also had a leading part in the TV miniseries, The Letter for the King, playing Mayor Mistrinaut. He even appeared in The Batman cast in 2022, and had a pretty big guest role in Andor.

Now, he’s producing The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself, as well as the new TV series, Brilliant Minds.

Kathy Baker (Beverly Rink) 

Next up, we have Kathy Baker, who played the mother of Jenna, Beverly Rink, the one person Jenna went running to when she was thirty and in need of advice. Baker has been active in both movies and TV since her work here. Some of her biggest movie appearances have been Saving Mr. Banks, Nine Live, Big Miracle, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and many more.

She’s also had success in TV. Baker has had recurring roles in many shows including, Medium, Against the Wall, Those Who Kill, I’m Sorry, and more. Baker also had a leading role in the Netflix series, The Ranch during its run, where she played Joanne. Now, she’s appeared in a new show called Teacup on Peacock in 2024.

Phil Reeves (Wayne Rink) 

Playing Wayne, the husband of Beverly, in 13 Going On 30 was Phil Reeves, who’s appeared in both movies and TV. Some roles you might recognize him from are playing Father in Blades of Glory, one of the committee members in Evan Almighty, Don Parker in A Thousand Words, Principle Kent in the Dwayne Johnson/Kevin Hart buddy cop movie, Central Intelligence, and many others.

He’s also had quite the career in television, appearing in many shows. Some of his biggest roles were playing Andrew Doyle on Veep, Charles Swedelson on Girlfriends, Gene in The Detour, and more. While he doesn’t have anything coming up soon, he was a part of the series, Home Economics in 2021, and had a guest role on the show American Auto.

Lynn Collins (Wendy) 

Next up, we have Wendy from 13 Going On 30, played by Lynn Collins. Since her role in the romantic comedy, Collins has appeared in several movies and shows. She had major roles in films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, John Carter, Beneath Us, and more. In television, she’s had recurring roles in shows such as True Blood, Manhunt: Unabomber, and Bosch, as well as other TV guest appearances.

Collins also recurred as Leah in The Walking Dead, and appeared in the movie Someone Like You. She’ll appear in a new movie soon called James the Second.

Susan Egan (Tracy Hansen) 

Last, but not least, we have Susan Egan, who played Tracy Hansen in 13 Going On 30, one of Jenna’s co-workers when she was thirty. Since her role in the film, Egan has appeared in many movies and TV shows, like The Third Wish movie, Modern Family, and others, but her biggest role thus far was voicing Rose (as well as other minor characters) in the popular TV series, Steven Universe.

Egan is also known for her talented voice-acting, and has guest-starred on shows such as The Simpsons, Amphibia, and has voiced many characters in video games like Spider-Man 2, and the Kingdom Hearts series. She’s continued several voice roles since then, working on shows and games like Disney’s Speedstorm, Bjorn the Last Unicorn and more.

After such an iconic film, it only makes sense that these famous actors and actresses have gone on to do so much in the industry, and I for once can’t wait to see what they do next.

MAJOR SPOILERS for Halloween Kills are ahead, turn back if you have yet to see the horror sequel before reading on. 

Michael Myers wasted zero time going back on a murderous rampage in the latest among the Halloween movies. In the second installment of David Gordon Green’s trilogy, Halloween Kills, the masked killer pierced right through our collective hearts with the last bloody stab of the film. Judy Greer’s daughter of Laurie Strode, Karen was murdered by Michael in his childhood home after she removed his mask and attempted to end him as well. It’s sad knowing all three generations of Strodes will not be present in Halloween Ends, but Greer has an interesting take on how she hopes audiences take it. 

Laurie Strode has lost a lot in her lifetime thanks to Michael Myers and thought she had him when she, her daughter and granddaughter set a trap to end his evil once and for all. But in Halloween Kills, Myers ascends from the ashes and continues to kill, kill and kill whilst Laurie is in the hospital for injuries sustained by Michael. Judy Greer shared her thoughts about the ending: 

It’s a sad and unfortunate ending to be left on for the next year before Halloween Ends, but as Judy Greer told Vulture, she hopes the movie gets people “bummed” because they're supposed to feel that way. Halloween Kills is not the kind of movie to get a happily ever after and high stakes like the death of a major character is a great way to set up the final face-off between Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie and Michael Myers. 

Greer also recalled that director David Gordon Green asked to call her before sending her the Halloween Kills script to break the news that she wouldn’t survive to the movie’s credits. The actress said this:  

Most of all, Judy Greer is sad that she won’t be able to share the experience of being on set for Halloween Ends, but it comes back to her being aware that Karen’s death during the Halloween Kills ending was the “right thing” for the trilogy’s arc. If we thought Laurie was traumatized by Michael Myers already, now her own daughter has been slaughtered by him. And interestingly enough, Halloween Ends will feature a time jump of four years. 

We’ll see how everything plays out when Halloween Ends comes out on October 14, 2022. 

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Halloween Kills. Leave this tab open and start watching in theaters or Peacock first!

We’re currently in the midst of spooky season, and horror fans were treated to a new slasher with David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills. Jamie Lee Curtis was back as Laurie Strode following the acclaimed 2018 sequel, reuniting with some stars from the 1978 original. And one star helped protect the film’s shocking ending ahead of its release.

Blumhouse’s 2018 Halloween focused on the trauma of Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode and how it affected her family. This includes her daughter Karen played by Judy Greer, who also reprised her role in Halloween Kills. Karen met a grisly fate at the end of Halloween Kills, in one heartbreaking final scare. But it turns out that this was nearly spoiled to the public ahead of the movie’s release. As Greer recently explained,

What a class act. The cast and crew have been guarding the secrets of Halloween Kills for an additional year due to the movie’s delay. It’s likely for this reason that Judy Greer personally advocated for measures to protect Karen’s fate in the movie. I mean, how can you not love the iconic character actress?

Judy Greer’s comments to Vulture help to peel back the curtain on what it’s actually like working on a top-secret project like Halloween Kills. And sometimes something as simple as an IMDb page has the potential to provide spoilers, especially in a horror movie where so many characters would ultimately perish. Luckily Halloween Ends’ page was updated to include Greer-- at the actress’ request.

Soon after her debut in the 2018 Halloween movie, Judy Greer’s Karen quickly became a fan favorite character. The bait-and-switch where she shot Michael Myers elicited cheers in theaters, and she got some equally badass moments in Halloween Kills. Unfortunately, she would be the final kill in David Gordon Green’s second installment in the trilogy.

After seemingly killing Michael Myers, Karen went upstairs in the old Myers house and looked out Judith’s window. She’s entranced in a way we saw a number of times throughout Halloween Kills, and the last jump scare happens when The Shape suddenly appears and seemingly kills Judy Greer’s character. It’s a devastating final blow, one that paid homage to the filmography used in Pyscho. And luckily Greer helped to protect this secret to ensure the maximum emotional impact.

Halloween Kills is out now in theaters and streaming on Peacock. Be sure to check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Halloween Kills stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Anthony Michael Hall, Kyle Richards, director David Gordon Green and producer Jason Blum are back to discuss the follow-up to one of the greatest horror reboots of all time. 

In this interview with CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg, they discuss behind-the-scenes secrets (including a hidden cameo by Bob Odenkirk), how Laurie Strode and her relationship with her daughter have evolved, what it was like to bring back characters from the 1978 classic and more.

Video Chapters

• 00:00 - Intro 
• 00:09 - David Gordon Green & Jamie Lee Curtis Discuss The Dramatic Shift In Laurie’s Story Arc 
• 02:03 - How Halloween Kills' Director Helped Revive Characters From The Original 1978 Film 
• 03:21 - How Judy Greer & Jamie Lee Curtis Approached Karen and Laurie’s Closer Relationship 
• 04:31 - Halloween Kills Director Blew Jamie Lee Curtis' Mind With His Sneaky Bob Odenkirk Cameo 
• 05:28 - The Halloween Kills Cast Discusses Working Behind The Scenes With Director David Gordon Green 
• 06:11 - We Have An Awesome Idea For A 5-Hour Halloween Special, and Jamie Lee Curtis And Jason Blum Are Here For It

While Halloween Kills was delayed a year, it’s finally coming out in just a few days, and the final movie, at least for now, is set for next Halloween. And with a name like Halloween Ends, it’s clear that the movie at least wants us all to believe this is really it. 

After an unexpected delay, Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently in full swing, with thrilling projects arriving on both the small and silver screens. One of the highly anticipated sequels currently in the works is Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which will be Paul Rudd’s third leading project in the MCU. And one star doesn’t think they’ll appear in Quantumania, but really wants to.

Actress Judy Greer has had a long and successful career in film, and has an ongoing role on the MCU as Maggie Lang, the ex-wife of Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man. She’s appeared in both installments of the property so far, but doesn’t look like she’ll have a role in the upcoming threequel. Greer was recently asked about Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, saying:

Well, there you have it. While Judy Greer doesn’t currently have any plans to play Maggie Lang, she seems ready to jump back in the MCU when called. Let’s just hope that the studio does exactly that, and we get another appearance by Greer’s character.

Judy Greer’s comments to ScreenRant come as she’s promoting the upcoming release of Halloween Kills, where she plays Laurie Strode's daughter Karen. The conversation turned to her time in the MCU, especially since Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is currently filming. But if Greer’s comments are to be believed, we won’t be seeing Scott Lang’s ex-wife Maggie in the threequel.

Fans haven’t seen Judy Greer’s character since Ant-Man and The Wasp. Maggie was in a better place with her ex-husband after the events of the first movie, co-parenting with Scott while he was under house arrest in the sequel. It’s currently unclear if she was snapped out of existence when Thanos accrued the Infinity Stones, or if she survived and raised Cassie during the five-year time period before Scott emerged from the Quantum Realm.

Of course, it’s also possible that Judy Greer is indeed appearing in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, and merely guarding the secrets of the blockbuster. Marvel Studios is known for its notoriously tight security, with the cast and crew sworn to secrecy. So it’s not out of the question that Greer might simply act like she doesn’t have a role in Paul Rudd’s third starring vehicle. Only time will tell.

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

October is arriving, and therefore spooky season is in full swing. And for moviegoers, David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills will hit theaters soon to really amp up celebration for the titular holiday. And ahead of its release, Jamie Lee Curtis shared some sweet set photos with her onscreen daughter, actress Judy Greer.

Blumhouse’s 2018 Halloween movie was focused on Laurie Strode’s trauma forty years after she survived an attack by Michael Myers. The story also showed how this affected her relationships with her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). But there’s clearly a lot of love shared between the trio of actresses, as Jamie Lee Curtis shared on social media:

The stakes are high for the characters of Halloween Kills, but it looks like there was still lots of fun to be had on set. In the images we can see the three Strode women embracing, smiling, and generally looking happy while filming the upcoming slasher. We’ll just have to see how that trio of scream queens changs in this latest sequel.

The above post comes to us from Jamie Lee Curtis’ personal Instagram account. Since Halloween Kills nearly upon us, she’s been sharing content every day to help hype up the generations of fans out there. With moviegoers likely watching the Strode women go through a ton of pain, it’s nice to see the more casual, lighthearted moments on set.

This isn’t the first sweet tribute Jamie Lee Curtis has posted about her Halloween Kills cast. She previously applauded both Anthony Michael Hall and Real Housewives royalty Kyle Richards for their respective performances. Curtis’ caption salutes both Judy Greer and Andi Matichak, reading:

These fun set photos from Jamie Lee Curtis have made every day of waiting for Halloween Kills feel that much longer. The movie was originally going to arrive last year, but was pushed back in hopes of making bigger box office numbers. You can check out the final trailer below,

Of course, theaters aren’t the only place that Halloween Kills will be available for folks who want a scare this October. The movie will also arrive on Peacock, with Jamie Lee Curtis helping to hype up that two-tier release strategy. We’ll just have to see how well it ultimately performs at the box office.

Halloween Kills will arrive in theaters and streaming on October 15th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

At long last, David Gordon Green's Halloween Kills is almost here. Following in the wake of the hit 2018 semi-reboot, the film is one of the most hotly anticipated big screen releases of the fall season, and it is set to arrive just in time for the holiday for which the franchise is named. Before it hits theaters here in North America, however, the blockbuster is set to have a splashy premiere at the on-going Venice Film Festival, and star Jamie Lee Curtis is hyping the event with a wonderful look back at the making of the project.

Halloween Kills will be hosting its world premiere in Italy this coming Wednesday, and the movie's lead actor is literally counting down the days. Taking to her personal Instagram account, Jamie Lee Curtis has posted an image from the making of the sequel – featuring her alongside co-stars Judy Greer and Andi Matichak – and has included a caption that further adds to the growing buzz surrounding the film. Check it out below:

Obviously Jamie Lee Curtis has a bit of a bias when it comes to judgement of Halloween Kills, and it is in her best interest for people to provide the film with a warm welcome when it is released next month – but one also has to remember that she is not typically one to censor herself and has been very open about her past with the Halloween franchise. That in mind, when she calls the upcoming movie "David's masterwork of brutality and beauty ," I'm willing to trust her, and as such my excitement for the film only grows.

Furthermore, it's wonderful that this picture very much represents both of those two adjectives. If you look closely, Jamie Lee Curtis' arm is covered in blood, but there are nothing but smiles as the three stars are clearly having a blast working together.

Co-writen by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems, Halloween Kills picks up immediately in the wake of 2018's Halloween, with Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter (Judy Greer), and her granddaughter (Andi Matichak) being convinced that they have finally been able to end Michael Myers' reign of terror. Unfortunately, Michael is a horror show that just won't die, as he manages to escape the burning house that the Strode women trap him in. The murder spree continues, and Laurie and her family continue to fight back – but this time they enlist they help of all the people who call themselves survivors.

Halloween Kills co-stars Will Patton, Kyle Richards, Anthony Michael Hall, and Nick Castle (who returns as The Shape), and it will be in theaters everywhere on October 15. For now., though, stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for the latest updates about the film, including the critical reactions to the movie's Venice Film Festival premiere.

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The importance of learning from history and preserving truth cannot be stressed enough, especially in today’s trying times. Apparently, Netflix has chosen to comment on this pressing matter by releasing - days before the Fourth of July - the most uproarious, raunchy, violent, and historically inaccurate movie to poke fun at the United States since Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Team America: World Police. Produced in part by acclaimed filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the America: The Motion Picture cast boasts some really impressive voice talent, including Channing Tatum, whom we will spotlight first in the following breakdown of who is voicing who in the animated comedy.

Channing Tatum (George Washington)

I believe that Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s casting of Channing Tatum as young-looking undercover cop Greg Jenko in 2012’s 21 Jump Street, along with the semi-autobiographical Magic Mike from director Steven Soderbergh the same year, had a lot to do with the reinvention of his career. It led to a turning point for the Step Up star, who was taken more seriously than ever in films like the true crime/sports drama Foxcatcher or Quentin Tarantino’s western whodunnit The Hateful Eight and he became one of the more well-respected and versatile actors of his generation. The 41-year-old is reteaming with Lord and Miller for the first time reprising Superman in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, on America: The Motion Picture as both a co-producer and as the voice of an eager, bladed gauntlet-wearing version of the Father of our Country, George Washington.

Jason Mantzoukas (Samuel Adams)

Also enjoying a surprisingly versatile career thanks to previous success in comedies is Jason Mantzoukas, well known as the unforgivably crass Rafi on FX’s The Leagueor popping up in more serious projects like John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, in which he played the mysterious Tick Tock Man, or opposite Mark Wahlberg in the sci-fi thriller Infinite (streaming exclusively on Paramount+). The comedian of Greek descent has also lent his voice to various animated movies like The LEGO Batman Movie, animated series like the Boys-esque Invincible (one of the most acclaimed 2021 TV shows on Amazon Prime), or as co-host of the popular How Did This Get Made? podcast. Also known for voicing several characters on Netflix’s Big Mouth, Mantzoukas’ latest contribution to the streaming platform is playing founding father Samuel Adams, portrayed as a beer-swilling bro in America: The Motion Picture.

Olivia Munn (Thomas Edison)

Another unique historical rewrite incorporated into America: The Motion Picture is the depiction of Thomas Edison (yes, you read that right - they put the Wizard of Menlo Park Thomas Edison in here instead of the Declaration of Independence scribe Thomas Jefferson) as a female scientist with mechanical expertise as advanced as Tony Stark. Voicing the superhero-esque genius is Olivia Munn, who is also no stranger to superhero movies having once provided satirical commentary on them as co-host of Attack of the Show! on G4 (which is apparently being revived) and played Psylocke in X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016. The actress author of the 2010 memoir Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek will also appear in the crime drama The Gateway opposite Marvel movies star Frank Grillo and another thriller called Aleppo, now in post-production.

Judy Greer (Martha Dandridge)

Another veteran of the Marvel movies (namely as Scott Lang’s ex-wife, Maggie, in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp) among other franchises (2015’s Jurassic World and the new Halloween movies) is Judy Greer, who voices George Washington’s wife, Martha Washington, when she was still known as Martha Dandridge in America: The Motion Picture. The Netflix original comedy also marks a reunion for the 46-year-old actress with director Matt Thompson - an executive producer of FX’s long-running, animated espionage comedy Archer, on which Greer voices the promiscuous Figgis Agency secretary Cheryl Tunt. She also voices the title character of the PBS children’s series Let’s Go Luna and has two other projects about the history of the United States in the works, including The White House Plumbers (set around the Watergate Scandal) and the Showtime miniseries The First Lady.

Beyond the screen, Judy Greer's voice can be heard as the narrator of several audiobooks, including Liz Tuccillo's How To Be Single, and Max Brooks' recent novel, Devolution. She also narrated her own book, the cleverly titled I Don't Know What You Know Me From.

Bobby Moynihan (Paul Revere)

America: The Motion Picture also marks a reunion for Bobby Moynihan with his DuckTales reboot co-star Jason Mantzoukas and a few alums of the Saturday Night Live cast whom we will name soon. The 44-year-old actor, writer, and comedian provides the voice of Paul Revere (remembered in reality for calling attention to the British Forces’ approach before the battles of Lexington and Concord), which, actually, is his second role related to politics in 2021 after playing the communications director for Ted Danson’s character on Mr. Mayor on NBC. You can also hear his voice on an episode of the latest of Disney+’s Star Wars TV shows (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), the newest addition of Crank Yankers on Comedy Central, and the animated series Loafy as the titular weed-dealing manatee.

Raoul Max Trujillo (Geronimo)

I cannot find anything from history suggesting that famous Apache tribe leader Geronimo ever fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolution, or having one arm, but I guess that is how the makers of America: The Motion Picture decided to portray him. At least he is voiced by actual Native American descendent Raoul Max Trujillo, who, in addition to playing intergalactic mercenary Lockspur in Riddick, has also played many other indigenous people from history in more accurate period pieces like the TNT miniseries Into the West or Terrence Malick’s retelling of John Smith’s romance with Pocahontas in The New World, as well as a Mayan warrior in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto in 2006. Speaking of Mayans, Trujillo is a series regular on the Sons of Anarchy spin-off Mayans M.C. as Che “Taza” Romero and will play the Ponca tribe chief White Eagle in an upcoming biopic based on the life of Sacajawea.

Killer Mike (Blacksmith)

The character of a blacksmith whom George Washington enlists for help during the American Revolution is just about the biggest acting role yet for rap artist Michael “Killer Mike” Render - not counting the times he has played himself, such as in ATL from 2006. However, the second half of the Grammy-nominated hip-hop duo Run the Jewels (whose hit song “Nobody Speaks” has appeared in countless movies, TV shows, and commercials) does have a couple of other voice acting credits, most notably his recurring role on the animated sci-fi comedy series Frisky Dingo (co-created by America: The Motion Picture writer Matt Thompson) for Adult Swim. Not to mention, this is only the most recent time he has worked with Netflix, who released his boundary-pushing and thought-provoking reality series Trigger Warning with Killer Mike in 2019.

Andy Samberg (Benedict Arnold)

America: The Motion Picture, in which Andy Samberg plays infamous Benedict Arnold, is also the latest of several times the former Saturday Night Live star has worked with Netflix, including the visual album The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, in which he rapped as Jose Canseco. The Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member has also worked with Hulu, most recently for the delightful 2020 rom-com Palm Springs, as well as Quibi (when it was still a thing) as a guest star on Mapleworth Murder, and has hit the big screen to great results, like with the acclaimed music industry satire Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping in 2016. In addition to starring in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, Samberg and the rest of The Lonely Island are currently working on a new, partially live action Chip ’n’ Dale movie, starring he and John Mulaney as the titular heroic chipmunks.

Will Forte (Abraham Lincoln)

What an honor it must be for Will Forte to be the voice of Abraham Lincoln - who, at least, has to be represented more truthfully in America: The Motion Picture than he was in 2013’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, right? This is actually the third time the former star of Fox sitcom The Last Man on Earth and veteran Netflix collaborator (most recently with a role in the fantasy series Sweet Tooth) has played our sixteenth president after doing so in both 2014’s The LEGO Movie and its sequel and the second time he has played a president after succeeding Will Ferrell’s role as George W. Bush on Saturday Night Live. Speaking of the long-running sketch comedy series, Forte is reportedly bringing back his most popular character, MacGruber, for a new Peacock original TV series.

Simon Pegg (King James)

Rounding out the America: The Motion Picture cast is the villain of the story, King James, voiced by one of the most beloved British actors and filmmakers of his generation, Simon Pegg. After exploding onto the American mainstream as star and co-writer of one of the greatest horror movies (and horror-comedy movies) of all time with Shaun of the Dead, the Spaced star went on to become an integral part of some properties he was already a fan of, including the Mission: Impossible movies, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, and the Amazon Prime original series adaptation of The Boys as the father of Hughie, which was originally written with him in mind. In 2020, Pegg also reunited with his frequent collaborator and friend Nick Frost for the horror-comedy miniseries Truth Seekers and has two Mission: Impossible movies with Tom Cruise in the works as we speak.

With a cast this amazing, there is no way America: The Motion Picture cannot be a fun revisionist history comedy. Watch it streaming on Netflix starting Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

For many audiences, How I Met Your Mother was how they met Hunters actor Josh Radnor, MCU heroine Cobie Smulders, and Cristin Milioti of Palms Springs. It is also likely how they became reacquainted with Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast alum Alyson Hannigan, former Freaks and Geeks cast member Jason Segel, and Neil Patrick Harris – formerly known as Doogie Howser. Yet, some fans may not realize that the hit CBS comedy may also be how they met many of today’s biggest celebrities.

As it often happens with long-running TV shows (nine seasons, in this case), the sitcom from creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas turned out to be a big break (or the home of a brief, but fun, appearance) for many you would easily recognize today. In fact, to mention every big name we found in supporting roles alongside the How I Met Your Mother cast list would take longer than the story of Ted Mosby’s life-changing romance (as well as the misadventures of his friends in New York). So, we narrowed the list down to 31 celebrities, starting with one incredibly talented performer who appeared on the series right before he became legen– wait for it… DARY!

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Gus)

Before his hip-hop history lesson, Hamilton, made him the biggest name on Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda appeared in an episode of How I Met Your Mother’s final season that is also told entirely in rhyme. He even gets to drop a few sick verses as a bus patron initially annoyed by Marshall’s incessant use of homonyms to put his infant son to sleep while en route to Barney and Robin’s wedding.

Rizwan Manji (Dr. Vikash)

In Season 5’s “Double Date,” we see a glimpse into one of Marshall’s sexual fantasies, which requires him to envision an elaborate scenario in which Lily is diagnosed with a “rare and fatal hiccup disorder.” The doctor in that imagined scenario is played by Rizwan Manji, who would go on to steal scenes from the Schitt’s Creek cast as Ray Butani and star in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street or, more recently, Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Jay Ellis (Sound Guy)

Marshall visits his father’s grave to tell him all about the gang’s New Year’s adventures, such as when Robin steps in to produce, and ultimately, cover the celebration in Times Square in “Tailgate.” The Season 7 holiday episode also features an early sighting of Top Gun: Maverick’s Payback actor, Jay Ellis, as Robin’s audio technician.

Raymond Lee (College Dude)

Ellis is not the only Top Gun: Maverick cast member who had a role in a 2012 HIMYM episode. The following season, Raymond Lee – who also went on to lead the rebooted Quantum Leap cast – appeared as a “sandwich-eating” Wesleyan student whom Ted discovers from an old video gave him the idea for his alter ego, Doctor X.

Matt Walsh (Captain Dearduff)

Fans of Matt Walsh’s work in 2009’s The Hangover and the Veep cast, to name a few, would be forgiven for not noticing his subtle HIMYM cameo in Season 9’s “Sunrise.” In Marshall and LIly’s room at Farhampton hangs a photo of the sailor who supposedly haunts the room, Captain Dearduff, which is really a photo of the actor, who, coincidentally, later appeared on CBS’ supernatural comedy, Ghosts, as the spirit of Elias Woodstone.

Kate Micucci (Registrar)

When the gang heads to Atlantic City to see Marshall and Lily Elope in Season 2, they try to obtain a marriage license from a clerk who continuously gives them false hope by saying “what she would say” if it were true or possible. This frustratingly misleading registrar is played by Kate Micucci in only her second acting gig before she and Riki Lindhome hit it big as musical comedy duo, Garfunkel and Oates, and she starred in one of the best episodes of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, “The Outside.” 

Matthew Moy (Louis)

A HIMYM guest actor who went to become a regular on another hit CBS comedy is Matthew Moy, who appeared in Season 5’s “The Window” as Ted’s student, Louis. Two years later, he was on 2 Broke Girls – which was cancelled in 2017 – as Williamsburg Diner owner, Han Lee.

Jayma Mays (Coat Check Girl)

Before working with Neil Patrick Harris as part of the Glee cast (when he guest-starred in 2010) and playing his wife in the Smurfs movies, Jayma Mays appeared opposite him in one of the best episodes of How I Met Your Mother: Season 1’s “Okay Awesome.” One of Mays’ earliest TV roles was a woman working the coat check counter at a nightclub who impresses Ted by sharing a low opinion of such places.

Anna Camp (Cassie Lowell)

Glee also gave Anna Camp a chance to exhibit her singing skills before doing so in the Pitch Perfect cast in 2012. The following year, the actor appeared in two episodes of HIMYM’s ninth season as an attractive and outgoing guest at Robin and Barney’s wedding whom Ted takes interest in, but with increasingly disastrous results.

Amber Stevens West (Janet McIntyre)

Already well-versed in disastrous romances by How I Met Your Mother’s seventh season, Ted and a beautiful woman he recently met named Janet McIntyre both agree to avoid each other’s social media presence to prevent disappointment on their first date, which becomes a greater challenge than either expected. The woman is Amber Stevens West – best known at the time for Greek, before appearing in 22 Jump Street and landing a starring role opposite comedian Jerrod Carmichael on the short-lived comedy, The Carmichael Show, on NBC.

Morena Baccarin (Chloe)

How I Met Your Mother even put a then-single Marshall in a disastrous romance (which, thankfully, resulted in he and Lily rekindling their relationship in Season 2) with a seemingly well-natured barista (despite Barney’s warning of her “crazy eyes”) played by Morena Baccarin. Baccarin was previously best known from the Firefly cast as Inara Serra and would go on to have a somewhat more successful relationship with Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson in Deadpool.

Ryan Michelle Bathe (Michelle)

Baccarin’s co-star on NBC’s The Endgame cast, Ryan Michelle Bathe, appeared in the Season 3 episode, “Sandcastles in the Sand,” which explores the idea that a certain friend or loved one can bring out a dramatically different personality in someone. Case in point, when Lily suddenly adopts a boisterous, “party girl” attitude during a visit by her friend, Michelle, who is played by Bathe -- best known at the time for a recurring role on Boston Legal and later for the Amazon original romance, Sylvie’s Love.

Robbie Amell (Nate Scooberman)

Baccarin has also appeared in several DC adaptations, such as The Flash – on which Robbie Amell (Stephen’s cousin) played the incendiary Ronnie Raymond. The Canadian star of Upload – which has a third season in the works – also had a pair of HIMYM guest spots in Season 6 as Robin’s new boyfriend, who unwittingly earns the nickname “Scooby” and not just for his last name, but for his canine-esque characteristics, especially after he “eats a sandwich.”

Doug Benson (Cool Customs Guy)

“Eating sandwiches” is a claim to fame for Doug Benson and likely earned him the part of an airport customs agent who allows Marshall through without checking what he brought back from Amsterdam. This “miraculous” flashback moment from HIMYM’s third season is one of the comic’s many appearances as a stoner (or, in other words, himself), such as on Bob’s Burgers and You’re the Worst.

Scoot McNairy (Fast Food Worker)

Also one to appear on How I Met Your Mother in a nameless role is Scoot McNairy, who is now one of the most acclaimed actors of his day for movies like 12 Years a Slave, and TV shows like True Detective. Despite the briefness of the Batman v Superman star’s Season 2 appearance as a cashier from a restaurant visited by a starving Marshall and Lily at their wedding, he is remembered as the first stranger to refer to Lily as Marshall’s wife.

Malin Akerman (Movie Stella)

Speaking of DC movies, Malin Akerman appeared in Zack Snyder’s 2009 Watchmen movie a year before she, supposedly, poked fun at blockbuster stardom on Season 5 of How I Met Your Mother. She plays the female lead of a hit romance flick called The Wedding Bride, which happens to be a highly fictionalized retelling of when Stella (future Rick and Morty star, Sarah Chalke) left Ted at the altar for her ex-husband, Tony (Jason Jones), who also wrote the screenplay.

Jon Heder (Narshall)

In Season 9, we learned there was actually a sequel called The Wedding Bride Too, which the gang watches at Farhampton (the site of Barney and Robin’s nuptials) despite Ted’s forbiddance. One character of the fictional film, who appears to be based off of Marshall, is played by Jon Heder, whose defining role is Napoleon Dynamite in the iconically bizarre 2004 indie comedy of the same name.

Judy Greer (Royce)

Ted actually first sees the original Wedding Bride while on a date with a woman named Royce, played by Judy Greer. As a, sort of, reversal of Malin Akerman’s career trajectory, the Archer actress would find blockbuster stardom years after her HIMYM role as as Bryce Dallas Howard’s sister in Jurassic World, Laurie Strode’s daughter in the more recent Halloween movies, and in the MCU as Ant-Man’s ex-wife, Maggie.

Jon Bernthal (Carlos)

Also connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is The Punisher star Jon Bernthal, who first played a morally questionable comic book character on The Walking Dead for two seasons. Years earlier, the actor – who is also set to reprise Frank Castle on Disney+’s upcoming series, Daredevil: Born Again – appeared in the second-ever episode of How I Met Your Mother as Carlos: a mysterious guest of Ted’s three-night party who almost ruins his increasingly problematic attempts to woo Robin.

Lindsey Morgan (Lauren)

When Barney and Ted board what they refer to as the “Drunk Train” to meet women, they only end up getting drinks thrown in their faces by passengers who very quickly assume they “think they’re better” than them. One of the women is played by Lindsey Morgan, who – just two years later – starred in CW’s The 100 cast as Raven Reyes before playing Micki Ramirez on Walker for the first season of the network’s crime drama reboot.

Rachel Bloom (Wanda)

Another up-and-comer who threw a drink in Ted’s face after feistily asking, “Ya think ya betta than me?!” on the Drunk Train was Rachel Bloom. One of the first high-profile TV appearances by Bloom was on that Season 7 How I Met Your Mother episode, before she went on to win a Golden Globe for playing a lawyer making increasingly problematic attempts to woo a man from her past on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which she also co-created.

Floriana Lima (Haley)

Another HIMYM character who had a drink thrown in his face in Season 3’s “Rebound Bro,” is Barney’s potential replacement for Ted, Randy (Will Forte), after his disastrous attempt to hit on a bar patron named Haley. This role was the second ever for Floriana Lima, who has since starred on two TV series comic book adaptations (Supergirl as Maggie Sawyer and The Punisher Season 2 as the villainous Krista Dumont) and ABC’s hit drama, A Million Little Things.

Kristen Schaal (Laura Girard)

A comedic actress known for her feisty characters is Kristen Schaal, star of movies and TV shows like Bill and Ted Face the Music as the time-traveling Kelly or Bob’s Burgers, for which she lends her unmistakable voice to play Louise Belcher on Bob’s Burgers. In HIMYM’s third season, she played one-half of the Girards – a couple living across from Marshall and Lily, who first seem like the perfect neighbors until the friendship becomes a little invasive.

Larry Wilmore (Dr. Greer)

Kristen Schaal was also a Daily Show commentator for years, much like the news satire’s former “Senior Black Correspondent” Larry Wilmore, who would eventually get his own short-lived Comedy Central show called The Nightly Show. The actor, writer, and talk show host also popped up on Season 3 of HIMYM as a veterinarian who buys Lily’s artwork after discovering its calming effect on dogs.

Matt Jones (Pizza Guy/Arthur)

How I Met Your Mother is also famous for several appearances by Breaking Bad cast members, including Bryan Cranston as Ted's former boss Hammond Druthers, Bob Odenkirk as Marshall's former boss Arthur Hobbs, and Matt Jones as a pizza deliverer in Season 5. Jones, who played Jesse Pinkman's buddy Badger on the phenomenal AMC crime drama, made a second appearance later that season as the same character, whom we then learned was a frequent visitor the gang even knows by name.

Hong Chau (Cook Pu)

Speaking of names, on another Season 5 HIMYM episode, Ted once assumed his architecture class was playing a trick when he found "Cook Pu" written on the attendance sheet and proceeded to mock the name several times. He came to the late, awkward realization that it belonged to a real student of his played by Hong Chau, who would go on to receive a Golden Globe nomination for Downsizing, an Oscar nomination for The Whale as Liz, and also steal the show from the Menu cast as Elsa.

Jimmi Simpson (Pete Durkenson)

In HIMYM's seventh season, we learn that Marshall once went by a funny name (of his own invention), "Beercules," from an embarrassing video uploaded by an old college buddy named Pete Durkenson, who ends up reviving his drunken alter ego after a game of "Edward Fortyhands." This serial drinker (who, apparently, is a surgeon professionally) is one of many notable TV appearances by Jimmi Simspson – best known today for one of the best Black Mirror episodes, "U.S.S. Callister," and as William on Westworld, more recently.

Martin Starr (Kevin)

Jason Segel is just one of a few Freak and Geeks vets who have been on HIMYM. For instance, future Silicon Valley cast member Martin Starr made a guest appearance in the Season 1 episode “The Duel” as a guy who is not quite Robin’s type, but she tries going out with him in protest of Barney’s introduction of a Lemon Law for dating.

Busy Philipps (Rachel)

Martin Starr is not the only Freaks and Geeks alum who, sort of, reunited with Jason Segel on HIMYM as Busy Phillips – who played Kim Kelly on the prematurely cancelled dramedy – appeared in a Season 3 episode. She plays Rachel – a friend of Ted's former one-night stand, Trudy (Danica McKeller), who seems interested in trying again with the newly single architect when Rachel shows signs of wanting to share.

Conan O’Brien (Bar Patron)

After Conan O'Brien won the chance to appear on How I Met Your Mother's seventh season, instead of more formally sharing the screen with the cast, he opted to just blend into the scenery in an uncredited role, according to ScreenRant. Thus, you may not have spotted the living late night legend’s cameo as a guy just hanging out at MacLaren's unless you were paying close attention.

Harvey Fierstein (Lily’s Smoking Voice)

Even more difficult to notice is Harvey Fierstein's purely unseen HIMYM cameo as what Lily's voice becomes after the gang's smoking habits go off the rails in Season 5. However, in retrospect, who else but the Tony-winning Broadway actor, Mrs. Doubtfire star, and BROS cast member could have produced that distinct, gravelly drawl?

I don't know about you, but I have always found these lesser-known or basically hidden cameos on How I Met Your Mother more interesting than their A-list guest stars, such as Britney Spears, John Lithgow, or Maury Povich. I wonder if we will ever see any of these HIMYM characters appear on How I Met Your Father – Hulu’s in-universe spin-off – like Barney, Robin, and others already have. If they do, hopefully this list helps fans recognize them. 

One of my favorite things about House is that, unlike some other popular medical dramas, it seemed to have a clear stopping point in mind. Yet, the Fox series, starring Hugh Laurie in the Golden Globe-winning title role of a cynical, Sherlock Holmesian diagnostics expert, boasts a hefty amount of guest stars after eight seasons. Not to mention the fact that many of these up-and-comers of the time, such as the talented Elle Fanning or Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, are some of the most recognizable names in Hollywood today.

As it tends to be the case when searching for A-listers whose early appearance on a TV show may have slipped your mind, there were many to choose from among those who can say they had the “pleasure” of having their case investigated by Dr. Gregory House and his team. Of course, to save us all some time, we have narrowed down the list to just 17 of our favorite pre-fame House actors, starting with one of the most charismatic and versatile talents of our generation.

Michael B. Jordan (Will Westwood)

While he had already found a steady career with roles on The Wire, Friday Night Lights, and in the film Chronicle, Michael B. Jordan would not become a household name until Ryan Coogler cast him in 2013’s Fruitvale Station, followed by the title role in Creed, and in Black Panther as Erik Killmonger. Right in between that star-making transition was a guest spot on the final season of House as a blind man who experiences a strangely high sensitivity to sound right as he is about to propose to his girlfriend (The Big Bang Theory’s Margo Harshman).

Jeremy Renner (Jimmy Quidd)

Fellow MCU alum Jeremy Renner was once an underrated Avenger, but fans are already bittersweet over his imminent exit once Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop takes over in the upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye. Prior to his role in The Hurt Locker (his first of two Oscar-nominated performances), the actor and musician appeared on House’s fourth season as a punk rocker whose bouts of coughing up blood may be the least of his problems.

Judy Greer (Morgan West)

If you do not recognize Judy Greer as Scott Lang’s ex-wife, Maggie, in Ant-Man or Bryce Dallas Howard’s sister in Jurassic World, you may recognize her as the voice of Cheryl Tunt on Archer. However, you might not have initially recognized the star of 2018’s Halloween as a House patient convinced that the appearance of a strange cat has sealed her death (something even the skeptical doctor almost begins to believe), on the drama’s fifth season.

Randall Park (Brad)

Judy Greer’s Ant-Man and the Wasp co-star Randall Park has a much bigger role on the Disney+ series WandaVision, in which he reprises his MCU character, FBI agent Jimmy Woo. One of the earliest appearances of the comedian (otherwise known from ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat, as a marine biologist in Aquaman, and as Asian Jim on The Office) was on Season 2 of House, as a man who attempted his own circumcision.

Yvette Nicole Brown (Ellen Stambler)

Speaking of House characters making big mistakes, Yvette Nicole Brown starred in another Season 2 episode as an organ procurement agency employee who unwittingly becomes the bearer of bad news for a man previously unaware of his wife’s death. At this time, the actress was already well-known to younger viewers as Helen on Drake & Josh before becoming one of many Community regulars to make an MCU cameo later on.

Evan Peters (Oliver)

Another Marvel movie scene-stealer (but not in the MCU) is Evan Peters, whose first action sequence as Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past is cited as one of the most dazzling in the entire franchise. Before breaking out on American Horror Story, the then 21-year-old played a teenager taken hostage by a man desperate to receive House’s diagnosis in Season 5.

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Juan “Alvie” Alvarez)

Composing and starring in the Tony winner In the Heights already made Lin-Manuel Miranda a Broadway star, when he brought his rap skills to the two-hour Season 6 premiere of House as the disgraced doctor’s bipolar roommate at Mayfield Psychiatric hospital. Today, the multi-talented actor / writer is internationally known for creating the blockbuster musical Hamilton, and his recent starring role on HBO’s series adaptation of the His Dark Materials book series.

Skylar Astin (Derrick)

Another actor who started out on Broadway is Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist star Skylar Astin, who broke out into the mainstream in 2012’s Pitch Perfect as Anna Kendrick’s pop culture-obsessed love interest. That same year, he appeared on Season 8 of House as a college cheerleader initially brought into Princeton–Plainsboro for nosebleeds and dizziness, but his case becomes more serious when he claims to hear voices that are not there.

Breckin Meyer (Brandon)

Before playing an artist somehow seeing the world as a Picasso painting on Season 5 of House, Breckin Meyer was best known as Travis in Clueless, a college student desperate to retrieve his own mistakenly sent sex tape in Road Trip, and Garfield's owner, Jon, in the critically reviled live action film with Bill Murray as the lazy cat. Since, the Emmy-nominated Robert Chicken producer starred as one half of the titular attorney duo from Franklin & Bash and more recently appeared in Unpregnant, an HBO Max exclusive dramedy feature.

Jurnee Smollett (Tracy)

Speaking of HBO, working on the network's series adaptation of Lovecraft Country and playing Black Canary in DC flick Birds of Prey brought Jurnee Smollet further into the mainstream than her breakout childhood role on Full House did. In a minuscule coincidence, House, on which she played a married assault victim with massive breathing problems, is the third of five medical dramas she has guest starred on, including (unsurprisingly) ER.

Elle Fanning (Stella Dalton)

ER actually marked the acting debut of Dakota Fanning, but instead of following in her sister's footsteps, the equally talented Elle Fanning landed a spot on a different medical drama, House. The then 8-year-old actress appeared on the series' second season as the daughter of a businesswoman (Julie Warner) suffering from uncontrollable muscle spasms.

Mike Moh (Waiter)

Elle Fanning's sister would also grow up to appear in Quentin Tarantino's dark, Oscar-winning love letter to cinema's Golden Age, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, which also features Mike Moh, in a memorable performance as Bruce Lee during his years on The Green Hornet. One of the former stuntman's first legitimate acting gigs was as an unnamed restaurant server on Season 7 of House.

Taraji P. Henson (Moira)

Mike Moh would later score a recurring role on Fox's music industry drama Empire, which stars the incomparable Taraji P. Henson in the Golden Globe-winning role of Cookie. The actress also earned an Oscar nomination in 2008 for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but three years earlier, she appeared on Season 2 of House as the ambitious agent of a star cyclist, in a plot loosely inspired by early allegations of Lance Armstrong's doping scandal.

Jimmi Simpson (Daniel Bresson)

Another notable David Fincher movie veteran is Jimmi Simpson, who appeared as a grown-up survivor of Zodiac in the director’s 2007 film about the search for the elusive serial killer. Hidden within the Westworld star's many memorable TV guest appearances (such as Black Mirror's "U.S.S. Callister" episode) is a spot on House's fifth season as a priest whose admission to Princeton-Plainsboro after claiming to see Jesus eventually leads to suspicions of sexual abuse.

Felicia Day (Apple)

Also famous for a career full of notable guest spots and recurring roles is Felicia Day, who is best known as Penny in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the villainous Kinga Forrester on Netflix's Mystery Science Theater 3000 reboot, and from Supernatural as Charlie Bradbury (and her evil doppelgänger). The Geek Goddess paid reality a painful visit on Season 5 of House as a woman who becomes the latest (and sole surviving member) of many who fell ill years after receiving an organ donation from the same man.

Blake Anderson (Ethan)

Netflix has been the home of many recent projects involving Blake Anderson, who is best known today as the co-creator and co-star of Workaholics, which ran for seven seasons on Comedy Central. Right around the time that gross-out sitcom was taking off, the comedian made an appearance on House as a patient who suspects his grayed fingertips are frostbitten, until Dr. House rightfully assumes this to be proof the young man has been stealing from the cash register from work.

Noah Segan (Sir William)

Speaking of criminal activity, Noah Segan has played his fair share of bad guys in nearly everything Rian Johnson has directed (save Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and his X-wing pilot role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi). Among his notable TV guest spots (including a cameo as a firefighter in the Johnson-directed Breaking Bad episode "Ozymandias") is a Season 6 appearance on House as a Renaissance Fair performer admitted after suffering a painful defeat in a jousting competition.

What do you think? Did House have a magic touch when it comes to treating potential future A-listers? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on this popular medical drama, as well as even more inside looks into what your favorite celebrities were up to before they were stars, here on CinemaBlend.

The horror genre was built on long-running franchise, and John Carpenter's 1978 classic Halloween is known for shaping slashers that followed. Laurie Strode's eternal battle with Michael Myers continued with David Gordon Green's 2018 installment, which was a direct sequel to the original. Two more movies are on their way starting with Halloween Kills, and Karen actress Judy Greer will be back to play Laurie's daughter. And while keeping the movie's contents under wraps, she offered a short but exciting update about the character.

2018's Halloween picked up forty years after the original, and focused on the trauma suffered by Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode and how that affected her family. But that family dynamic is no doubt changed when Michael Myers returned and the three generations of Strode women united against him. Judy Greer was recently asked if he'd see more of Karen's badass side in Halloween Kills, to which she responded:

Well, that's definitely what people wanted to hear. Karen's arc throughout Halloween was an interesting one, as she eventually faced her own childhood trauma in order to fight The Shape. She was trained for survival her whole life by Laurie, and it seems Halloween Kills will feature more of that aspect to her character.

Judy Greer's comments to TooFab are sure to be exciting for moviegoers who can't wait to catch up with Karen when Halloween Kills arrives next year. In many ways she served as Laurie's foil in the last movie, showing how the protagonist's obsession with survival irreparably repaired their relationship. But she eventually took up her childhood rifle and pulled a bait-and-switch on Michael Myers where she shot him in the neck. And fans are dying to see more of that fighting spirt in the next two Halloween sequels.

Halloween Kills was originally going to arrive in theaters this year, but was pushed back to October of 2021 in hopes of making more money at the box office next year. The film is totally completed, but we'll have to wait a full year until its contents are finally revealed. Luckily, some teaser footage has been released to keep moviegoers satiated ahead of an actual trailer.

Pretty, awesome right? Because while 2018's Halloween movie was focused on Laurie Strode and her family, Halloween Kills will make the entire town of Haddonfield into a character. The cast is filled with returning characters from John Carpenter's original, including a handful of original actors. This includes the likes of Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, and Charles Cypher who are all returning to their iconic roles. The ensemble will also feature adult version of characters Tommy Doyle and Lonnie Elam, played by Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Longstreet respectively.

As the above footage shows, these actors are all arming up to take on Michael Myers themselves, as Haddonfield has seemingly cracked as a result of the Boogeyman's return. Judy Greer previously teased that her character's daughter Allyson has become somewhat blood thirsty, and eager to get some revenge on The Shape. Considering her father and friend both died in the last movie, it's hard to blame her.

Halloween Kills will arrive in theaters on October 15th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

Alan Ball’s Uncle Frank, the latest original film to hit Amazon Prime Video, features an outrageously talented cast full of recognizable faces… but many of them are also stars that the average viewer might not be able to specifically name directly off the top of their head. Audiences likely recognize Paul Bettany, but others might have you saying, “I know them, they were in that thing,” while drawing circles in the air trying to think.

It’s in aid of that particular process that we are here to help. Rather than scramble around the internet and sift through full resumes, we’ve put together this feature to highlight the best known works of the Uncle Frank cast. There are a lot of names to discuss, so let’s dig in!

Paul Bettany (Frank Bledsoe)

There’s a pretty good chance that you already know who Paul Bettany is and probably isn’t the reason you’re checking out this article, but just in case you’re not entirely familiar with his resume we’ll clue you in. In Uncle Frank he plays the titular character, a gay man who hides his sexual identity from his conservative family, and it’s the smallest movie he’s done in a few years given that he’s been busy playing the android Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the villainous Dryden Vos in Solo: A Star Wars Story. He first caught the attention of audiences back in 2001 with his performances in A Knights Tale and A Beautiful Mind, and has starred in other major features including Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Wimbledon, and The Da Vinci Code.

Sophia Lillis (Beth Bledsoe)

At 18 years old, Sophia Lillis is one of the brightest up-and-coming stars in Hollywood, capturing a great deal of attention for her fantastic turn as Beverly Marsh in the adaptation of Stephen King’s IT. Shortly after that she played the younger version of Amy Adams’ character in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects. Earlier this year Sophia Lillis starred as the titular female lead in the horrific big screen fairy tale Gretel & Hansel, and reunited with her IT co-star Wyatt Oleff for the excellent Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This. As you might have noticed, Lillis has developed a habit of doing period pieces, and Uncle Frank continues that trend, featuring her as a young woman growing up in 1973 who admires her Uncle Frank and becomes a conduit for his journey to come out to his family.

Steve Zahn (Mike Bledsoe)

Steve Zahn plays the father of Sophia Lillis’ Beth in Uncle Frank, and is a wonderful addition to the cast because… well, he’s Steve Zahn. A great comedic character actor who always brings a special and specific energy to his roles, Zahn has been on cinephiles’ radar since 1994’s Reality Bites, and has scene-stealing turns in films like That Thing You Do!, Out Of Sight, and Riding In Cars With Boys. In 2017 he played the lovable Bad Ape in War For The Planet Of The Apes, and has been most active on the small screen, starring in shows and miniseries such as ABC’s The Crossing and Showtime’s The Good Lord Bird.

Judy Greer (Kitty Bledsoe)

Like Paul Bettany, Judy Greer (who play’s Beth’s mother in Uncle Frank) is another member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe family, as she plays Scott Lang’s ex-wife Maggie in the Ant-Man movies, but that’s just one of many, many things that’s earned her acclaim and fans. Early in her career she was known for her supporting roles in romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner, 13 Going On 30, and 27 Dresses, and she has had numerous parts in fan-favorite television shows including Two And A Half Men, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and Arrested Development. In addition to her MCU work, her franchise resume also includes Jurassic World, the last two Planet Of The Apes movies, and 2018’s Halloween. Since 2009 she has also voiced the psychotic Cheryl Tunt on the animated series Archer.

Margo Martindale (Mammaw Bledsoe)

In Uncle Frank, Margo Martindale plays the matriarch of the Bledsoe clan, and it’s really a perfect choice given that few are better at playing southern maternal figures. Hell, it was just a few years ago that she won an Emmy for her season-long turn as Mags Bennett on the FX series Justified. If you don’t know her from that, her face may be familiar because you’re a fan of The Good Wife/The Good Fight or The Americans. Her extensive big screen career also goes back to the late 1980s, and includes greats like The Rocketeer, The Firm, Million Dollar Baby, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Stephen Root (Daddy Mac)

If you were to show a movie fan a picture of Stephen Root and ask where they know him from, you’d probably get 100 different answers, as the guy is everywhere an excellent in everything. His most iconic role is probably as the nerdy firebug Milton Waddams in Office Space, but he’s also a go-to guy for the Coen brothers (with roles in No Country For Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, and The Lady Killers), and has a number of memorable performances in films like Dodgeball, Selma, and Get Out. He’s recently earned terrific acclaim and an Emmy nomination for his work on the HBO series Barry, and if his voice sounds familiar you might just be a King Of The Hill fan, as he voiced William Fontaine de La Tour "Bill" Dauterive for 13 years.

Lois Smith (Aunt Butch)

In a cast full of veteran stars, Lois Smith’s goes back the furthest, as she made her professional acting career in an episode of the serial Love of Life in 1951. Fans of Alan Ball’s work probably recognize her as Adele Stackhouse from True Blood, but her filmography is loaded with notable titles, including Twister, Fried Green Tomatoes, Midnight Run, Minority Report, The Nice Guys, and Lady Bird. Her most recent work has been on the small screen, playing a recurring role on the series Ray Donovan.

Peter Macdissi (Wally)

Peter Macdissi plays Frank’s secret long-term boyfriend in Uncle Frank, and like Lois Smith he is another Alan Ball veteran, having not only starred in three episodes of True Blood’s fourth season, but also his 2018 show Here And Now. He’s probably best known for playing Olivier Castro-Staal on the award-winning HBO series Six Feet Under, but his credits also include David O. Russell’s incredible Desert Storm-set war film Three Kings.

Uncle Frank is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

The next entry in the ongoing Halloween franchise, the one that's a sequel to the original Halloween but not a sequel to the other sequels of Halloween, has been delayed until next Halloween, but when we finally do see it, we know from the brief few seconds of footage that have been released that the next movie will pick up right where the last one left off. However, while no time at all will have passed for the characters, the events of the previous film have had a huge impact on the Strode family, according to Judy Greer who plays the daughter of Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode.

The Strode women, Laurie, Karen, and Allyson have been through hell and come out the other side, but you can't come that close to death without it affecting you, and Judy Greer recently told Total Film (via TheHorrorDude_ on Twitter) that we'll see a very different Allyson, played by Andi Matichak, when we see her in Halloween Kills. While Allyson started the film, for lack of a better term, "normal," at the very least the most well-adjusted of the three, she's been changed the most by the events of the film, and she will apparently become the aggressor of the group, ready to take the fight to Michael. According to Greer...

It seems that Allyson will very much follow in her grandmother's footsteps when it comes to her reaction to dealing with Michael Myers. We see in the Halloween sequel that Laurie Strode has trained herself and her daughter to fight so that she would be ready if and when Michael ever returned. Allyson will also be ready to fight and seemingly won't be willing to wait for the fight to come to her.

However, the even more interesting change may have come in Judy Greer's Karen, The actress says that Karen is "trying" to resist the same temptations that her daughter is giving into, which implies that she is recognizing that she has those temptations. Karen was the voice of sanity in the previous film, and while she showed that she could hold her own in a fight, she's also clearly not comfortable in one.

As for Laurie Strode herself, she will apparently spend much of Halloween Kills recovering from injury, but that doesn't mean that Jamie Lee Curtis' character won't be ultimately important in the film. According to Judy Greer...

Halloween Kills is now set to release Oct. 15, 2021.

On the surface, not many similarities are readily available when thinking about horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis and professional drunkard Sterling Archer, yet audiences will get to enjoy that completely unexpected pair-up for FXX's Archer when Season 11 premieres in September. Archer writer and executive producer Casey Willis dropped the big reveal that Curtis joined the new season not just for a mere one-off episode, but rather as a recurring guest star. And we all have Halloween to thank for it, though Michael Myers isn't earning any of our appreciation.

Archer was one of many TV series that took part in the rather subdued Comic-Con@Home event, but was somehow one of relatively few shows to actually unveil the kinds of surprises that Comic-Con attendees are used to getting in traditional outings. Joined by cast members Judy Greer, Aisha Tyler, Lucky Yates and Chris Parnell, Archer EP Casey Willis waited until the middle of the panel to make a pair of awesome announcements. First, he revealed that comedy genius Simon Pegg will show up in Season 11, and then said this:

As awesome as it will be to get Star Trek and Shaun of the Dead vet Simon Pegg into the Archer-verse for an episode, it will be that much better to have Jamie Lee Curtis around for multiple episodes. I'm going to blindly assume that True Lies callbacks are definitely going to be used, though it wasn't James Cameron's action flick that connected the actress to Archer, but rather David Gordon Green's 2018 Halloween revamping. As Casey Willis implied, Judy Greer was almost entirely responsible for Curtis getting involved for Season 11, though it helps that the latter was already a huge Archer fan. In Greer's words:

In the first place, how awesome is it that Jamie Lee Curtis and her son Thomas can use Archer as a bonding mechanism? (No, not as a bond-age mechanism, Pam.) Not that it's much of a surprise that Curtis would be a fan, considering she balances her horror cred with plenty of solid comedic roles, and is married to mockumentary maestro Christopher Guest. Enjoying a TV show doesn't automatically mean wanting to turn that fandom into a job, but it sounds like Curtis was quick to take Judy Greer up on the guest-star offer.

Considering the lack of info Casey Willis and Judy Greer shared about any new characters, it's hard to know what to expect from Jamie Lee Curtis when her animated counterpart shows up on Archer. However, we can guess with nearly 100% confidence that Curtis will be voicing a realistic human being in a modern-day setting, since Season 11 marks the first time in several years that Archer will return its characters to the real world following the titular spy's three-season coma. No more Dreamland nostalgia, Danger Island adventures or space-related wackiness for the crew, with audiences finally learning what actually happened after the Season 7 finale.

While I can dream of Jamie Lee Curtis being brought in as a co-boss with Jessica Walter's Mallory Archer, it would make more sense for Curtis' mystery character to have a connection with Judy Greer's naive and constantly evolving Cheryl Tunt. Could this be the season when we finally meet Cheryl's mom, who has only been mentioned in passing in previous seasons? That might be a little too on-the-nose, considering the pair's mother-daughter relationship on Halloween. But if it ain't broke, and it ain't a seemingly immortal monster in a mask, then why change anything?

Having had its original May premiere date postponed due to TV production lockdowns, Archer Season 11 will now make its long-awaited debut on FXX on Wednesday, September 16, at 10:00 p.m. ET, with two back-to-back episodes kicking the new non-coma season off. (Remember when it was supposed to end after Season 10?) While waiting for all the phrasing mishaps, be sure and keep current with our Fall 2020 TV Premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will be debuting soon.

The new Halloween, by virtue of its name, is mostly focused on the holiday that sees kids dress up in costumes looking for candy. However, one of the characters, Judy Greer's Karen, seems to be celebrating a different holiday, as we see her wearing a traditional Christmas sweater throughout much of the movie. While never specifically referenced in the film, it seems that Karen's upbringing as the daughter of Laurie Strode has led her to hate Halloween, and as such she starts celebrating Christmas a little early. According to Judy Greer...

The new Halloween takes place 40 years after the original film and sees that Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode has never truly gotten over the events of the original film. She has trained herself to fight in case Michael Myers ever comes back and she has also trained her daughter Karen to do the same, something Karen never truly accepted. One assumes that the anniversary of the attack on Laurie was never an easy time in the Strode household. As Karen eventually rebelled against her mother and has become somewhat estranged, it makes sense that Karen just doesn't enjoy Halloween the way most of us do.

Judy Greer tells EW that the idea to have Karen skip Halloween entirely came from director David Gordon Green, but she embraced the idea whole-heartedly. While the movie never comes out and tells us why Karen is wearing a Christmas sweater, Judy Greer had a complete understanding of what's going on in Karen's head.

It's a great little element that adds a bit of depth to the story. If you notice that Karen is wearing a Christmas sweater you might even be able to piece together in your own head why she might do that. Her rebellion against her mother and her feeling that there's nothing to fear is made clear, even if her specific hatred of Halloween is not.

It seems that the new Halloween is simply littered with little ideas like this one. Recently, Jamie Lee Curtis spoke about how she decided that, in one early scene, Laurie Strode would be drinking strawberry milk because it's the same thing she drank in the original Halloween, and Laurie Strode is still very much in the same mental apace as yer 17-year-old self. Again, the moment is never explained and attention isn't really brought to it, just like the Christmas sweater, but it all makes sense if you think about it.

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for the new Halloween movie! Proceed with caution.

If you've seen the new Halloween movie, you know that Judy Greer's Karen Strode has a strained and complicated relationship with her mother, Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode. That, coupled with Haddonfield's apparent proximity to the psychiatric institute where Michael Myers, the reason for her mother's paranoia, was kept, begs the question of why Karen hasn't moved away. Judy Greer, who plays Karen Strode, imagines the reason is part practical and part optimistic, as she explained:

So often in life, where people live is dictated by their jobs and vice-versa, so Karen and her family stay in Haddonfield in part because of her husband Ray, played by Toby Huss (also known as Artie, the Strongest Man in the World) and their jobs. This is a practical reason and makes total sense, as most people don't just move in a way that goes against practical concerns such as these.

The other reason Judy Greer postulates to Entertainment Weekly is less practical and more idealistic and hopeful. Karen Strode hasn't moved out of Haddonfield because, despite the strain in their relationship and the difficulties of her childhood, Laurie is still her mother. Instead of giving up on her, Karen stays, hoping to someday repair that relationship.

This paints Karen as an inherently good and hopeful person. She is someone who doesn't hate her mother, but just doesn't fully understand her. It's not that she outright doesn't want her mother to be a part of her family's life, it's just that she doesn't want the PTSD-suffering, morbid survivalist who believes in the Boogeyman to be around.

Even though in the film we see Karen purposefully avoiding contacting her mother and not inviting her to family events, this reasoning rings true. Although a person might drive you crazy or be the cause of much pain, bonds, especially ones as deep as mother and daughter, are not so easily severed and abandoned.

So even though Judy Greer's character doesn't appear to be actively trying to repair that relationship, perhaps she is hoping that one day her mother will just get over her pain and fear and when she does, Karen will be there waiting for her.

There are some other factors that Judy Greer doesn't really get into that I also think played a role in Karen staying in Haddonfield. For one, just because her relationship with her mother is difficult doesn't mean she has problems with anyone else or the town itself. She has a life there and presumably friends and other things, so moving because of one relationship at the expense of others doesn't make much sense.

Also, it is important to note that Karen wasn't alive when Michael Myers went on his rampage. He is an abstract to her, someone that is the cause of her mother's trauma and indirectly some of her own, but not something that she has experienced first hand. In Halloween, we see Karen's skepticism at her mother's fears, not viewing the incarcerated Michael as a real threat, so it doesn't seem likely that any proximity to the killer would bother her enough to force relocation.

­Halloween is now playing and slashing up the box office. Take a look at what CinemaBlend thought and let us know what you thought once you've seen it. For all the biggest movies still to come in 2018, check out our release schedule.

Judy Greer is great. You probably know her from Arrested Development or FX's Married or any number of lower budget movie roles like Jeff, Who Lives At Home in which she's been delightful over the years. She even voices the character of Cheryl on FX's Archer. The point being, she's around on TV and on the big screen quite often, but you may not really remember her for some of the major franchise roles she's nabbed recently, including the original Jurassic World and the Ant-Man franchise movies. Yes, Greer's in both, and it's a damn shame she isn't given more to do.

In Jurassic World, Judy Greer is around early on in the movie, playing the mother of Zach and Grey. Then, you know what happens? They head off to Jurassic World, where they are in the middle of chaos and dinosaurs chomping on human flesh, while Judy Greer's character sits on her rear at home, panicked. Ant-Man has to be better, right? Well, in truth it is, marginally. In Ant-Man, Greer plays Maggie, Scott Lang's ex and co-parent. She spends most of the first movie knocking on Scott Lang's criminal enterprises and general deadbeat status, but by Ant-Man and the Wasp, the two have made up. Now on Team Scott Lang, Maggie spends most of that movie hounding the FBI for raiding his home at every opportunity. Other than that, she doesn't really factor into the plot of the sequel.

Judy Greer herself has spoken out about the side roles she's cast in previously on Conan when the late night host happened to mention she tends to playing sidelining roles, like playing the best friend.

And that comment, right there, is why Judy Greer needs more to do in movies, especially big budget franchise movies that could put her front and center. Besides being competent at acting, Greer is lively, she's funny and she's a little bit self-deprecating. At this point in her career, she's probably never going to be the lead in a big budget event film. Somehow, I don't see her as an action heroine either, although a few years ago, I probably would have said the same thing about Bryce Dallas Howard. Still, a person can be more of a character actress and still be used in a plot in a way that makes her talents apparent. For example, maybe that means making pithy comments for half of a J World movie before getting eaten by a dinosaur in an epic death scene. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, she could have had a role akin to one of the ex-cons, getting funny lines similar to that Baba Yaga joke. Yes, Ant-Man and the Wasp is more about the Pym family than Lang's family. But Judy Greer deserves better. She deserves to use her God-given talents. Or at least be the type of character in big budget movies whose name people know.

Speaking of names, next up we'll see Judy Greer in the Halloween reboot, where she'll play Karen Strode, the daughter of Laurie Strode. Maybe this will be the big budget venture that finally gets Judy Greer right.

In 2006, the folks at the newly formed Marvel Studios began mapping out a plan of attack for a movie franchise. This endeavor included discussions about films for Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and Ant-Man. The last name on that list didn't get his own solo adventure until four years after Captain America's first solo film debuted, but it was such a big hit that Ant-Man is now getting his own sequel in the form of Ant-Man And The Wasp.

The new film is set to be the first Marvel Studios feature with two titular heroes, but that's the least exciting thing about it in comparison to everything else it has going on. As we regularly do for upcoming major blockbusters, we've constructed this What We Know So Far guide to keep track of everything going on with Ant-Man And The Wasp, so read on, learn, and keep checking back for future updates!

What Have We Seen From Ant-Man And The Wasp?

Luckily, since we don't have much longer to wait until Ant-Man and the Wasp is released, we finally have a trailer that lets us in on some of what we can expect from the new film. The above trailer shows off The Wasp's powers, gives us a look at villain Ghost and lets us know that the film takes place after Captain America: Civil War, along with telling us that, because of Scott's actions in that film, Hope and Hank have had to make themselves (and their work) scarce. All in all, it looks like this sequel has a good shot at being as much fun as its predecessor.

What Is Ant-Man And The Wasp's Release Date?

Marvel Studios began a tradition of releasing three movies a year starting in 2017, and that tradition will continue in 2018. The year kicks off with Ryan Coogler's Black Panther in February, and it will be followed by Joe and Anthony Russo's The Avengers: Infinity War in May. Ant-Man and The Wasp will be title number three for Marvel, and is set to come out on July 6, 2018.

Of course, this release date puts the film in a fascinating position. The Avengers: Infinity War is expected to be a two-parter that concludes its story with the untitled Avengers 4, but it's unclear exactly how the movies released in-between will be impacted (especially Ant-Man And The Wasp, given that Scott Lang will participate in Infinity War). Captain Marvel, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is the only other title set to be released in this specific timeframe, and since it's a prequel set in the 1990s, it won't be impacted by what happens in Infinity War, although Carol Danvers is confirmed to appear in Avengers 4.

What Is Ant-Man And The Wasp's Rating?

The MPAA doesn't get its hands on any movie until shortly before its release -- mostly because the version of the film they are viewing is the one that is likely going to be hitting theaters. Because of this, we can't say with absolute certainty what the rating of Ant-Man And The Wasp will be, but you can feel free to bet every cent you have on it ultimately being labeled with a PG-13 score.

Why? For starters, it wouldn't make a ton of sense for Ant-Man And The Wasp to be R-rated simply because it's not a rating that really fits the character (even if Paul Rudd can be really funny when allowed to curse as much as he wants). More importantly, however, it's been firmly stated by higher-ups at Disney that despite the success seen by titles like Deadpool and Logan, there are no plans to make an 18+ movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For something closer to that, fans are much better off checking out the Marvel Netflix shows like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage.

The Director

In case you don't remember, there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding the director job on the first Ant-Man. Writer/director Edgar Wright had been attached to the project for years and years, co-writing the script with partner Joe Cornish, but just a few months before the start of production the filmmaker and Marvel Studios parted ways over creative differences. Director Peyton Reed, who was once almost brought on to make Guardians of the Galaxy, was hired as Wright's replacement -- and the studio was so happy with his work that they brought him back for the sequel.

Pulling in $519 million globally, Ant-Man made a strong showing when it was in theaters back in the summer of 2015, and Peyton Reed was able to ride that success to a gig directing Ant-Man And The Wasp. Of course, an important difference in the making of the sequel is that Reed has had much more than a few weeks for pre-production, and instead has had a much greater amount of time to construct the comic book adventure film he really wants to make.

What Is The Story Of Ant-Man And The Wasp?

Taking place after the events of Captain America: Civil War, where Scott Lang was last seen being broken out of The Raft prison with his other Team Captain America allies by Steve Rogers, Ant-Man and the Wasp will follow Scott as a fugitive. Although he is keeping up his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he is also trying to balance them with his family life. Cue Hope van Dyne and Hank Pym re-entering his life, as they need Scott's help on a new mission, which will require him to learn how to fight in the field alongside Hope, who is now officially The Wasp.

The other plot thread we expect the sequel to explore is the mystery behind the original Wasp, a.k.a. Janet Van Dyne. As we learned in Ant-Man, she and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) used to operate as a spy duo for S.H.I.E.L.D. -- but she disappeared forever when she exceeded safeguards and overrides her suit's regulator, disappearing into the Quantum Realm (a.k.a. the Microverse). When Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is in the alternate dimension, the shadow of Janet Van Dyne can be seen, and it's been heavily suggested that Ant-Man And The Wasp will follow the endeavor to try and rescue her.

Another plot thread the sequel will have the opportunity to follow concerns the fate of Martin Donovan's Mitchell Carson. He got away with a vial full of Pym Particles at the end of Ant-Man, and while there was a deleted scene that featured him being captured by Scott Lang, that's not officially canon. As a result, we may learn what happened to Carson and his sample of shrinking molecules in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Scott Lang

Thanks in large part to the never-ending charm of Paul Rudd, Scott Lang has quickly emerged as a fan-favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the simple promise of seeing him back on the big screen again is exciting. We not only got to see his origin story play out in the original Ant-Man -- which chronicled his path from thief ex-con to shrinking superhero -- but in 2016 fans also got to see him fight as part of Team Cap in Captain America: Civil War (where he made his debut as Giant Man). Of course, that film had some pretty serious consequences for the character, and we'll have to see how Ant-Man And The Wasp deals with them.

Last we heard from Scott Lang, he was being kept as a prisoner on the underwater prison known as The Raft -- but his incarceration didn't last very long. Along with Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Scott is released by Captain America -- though we don't know where he went from there. This answer very well may come in The Avengers: Infinity War, but there may wind up being so many questions that some of them need to be answered in Ant-Man And The Wasp. For example, what has been up with his ex-wife (Judy Greer) and daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson)?

Hope Van Dyne

Hope Van Dyne was originally written to have a role in Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: Civil War, but actress Evangeline Lily's pregnancy at the time of production wound up making this a bit impossible. As a result, we've had to wait for her to start flying around while the size of deadly bee -- but, no matter what, we expect our patience to be rewarded in the summer of 2018. Hope is also sitting out Avengers: Infinity War so as not to draw attention away from her big superhero debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp. From the trailer we know that we'll be treated to Hope's standard Wasp incredible shrinking abilities, and see that she'll also some nice offensive weapons to help fight baddies in addition to the hand to hand combat skills she showed off in the first film. What we don't know yet is how long she's been acting as The Wasp (if at all) since the original film.

Hank Pym

It looked like Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) might have been a goner in the third act of Ant-Man -- having been shot trying to save his daughter, Hope -- but that proved not to be the case. Instead, he revealed that the tank he keeps in his pocket is no ordinary key chain, and with the use of some Pym Particles he and his daughter rode the military vehicle to safety and medical care.

Of course, the end of Ant-Man also saw the destruction of Hank Pym's famed company, Pym Technologies, but we now know, thanks to the trailer, that he was able to continue his work courtesy of the building that he can shrink into what is essentially carry-on luggage. Even though Hank and his daughter had to go on the run because of their association with Scott, he continued to work with both of them to help them with their costumed hero work. It was, after all, confirmed in Captain America: Civil War that he had been working with Scott on the whole "Giant Man" trick.

Janet Van Dyne

Going into San Diego Comic-Con 2017, one of the biggest bits of news that could have been revealed was whether or not we'd actually see more than a costumed glimpse of Janet Van Dyne when Ant-Man And The Wasp hits theaters. Well, Marvel did not disappoint fans when they announced that we would, in fact, be treated to a storyline that somehow included the first Wasp. It was revealed that Michelle Pfeiffer had been cast as Hope's mother, meaning that we can likely expect to see some major scenes from her in the film.

We've mentioned Janet Van Dyne a few times now, but this is where we will really dig into the details of who she is. While not actually a spy herself, Janet was Hank Pym's wife and partner during his S.H.I.E.L.D. spy days, and worked with him wearing a special flying shrinking suit. During one particular mission, she and Hank found themselves desperate to stop a launched missile, and Janet sacrificed herself by shrinking too far and entering the Quantum Realm (you can read our full explainer of that dimension HERE). She's been there for decades, but if a rescue narrative plays out in Ant-Man And The Wasp, that may be what results in her return.

Of course, there's no way to know right now if a rescue mission will be what brings Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet to the sequel. It's possible that we could only see her as a figment of Hank or Hope's imagination. But, considering how important the character is to their history and the history of the tech that they and Scott use, it's a lot more likely that an attempt will be made to free her from the Quantum Realm. Right now, we'll just have to wait and see what Ant-Man And The Wasp has in store for her.

Luis & The Gang

The promise of every Marvel solo film is not just the return of a titular hero, but also the return of specific ensembles of supporting cast members. In the case of Ant-Man, this means the big screen return of Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (Tip 'T.I.' Harris) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian). All three of them operate as Scott Lang's thieving partners in crime, and we suspect that they will be given at least one big job to do in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

As is the case in all classic cinematic heist gangs, each member has their own specific job on any given gig. Luis is the man with the plan, always knowing somebody who knows somebody who has a line or a possible mark. Kurt is an expert with computers, able to remotely hack systems and help the man on the inside. And Dave is the reliable wheel-man, who, unfortunately, has to sometimes drive Luis' ratty van around. Together they provided some of the comedic highlights of the first Ant-Man, and we fully expect them to do the same in Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Maggie Lang

In case you were wondering if we'd see Scott's family again, it's been confirmed that Judy Greer is returning as his ex-wife, Maggie, and Abby Ryder Forston will reprise his daughter, Cassie. Maggie will likely be aware of how much trouble Scott has been in, seeing as how we see him with his daughter in the trailer, and also as he gets fitted with an ankle monitor so the authorities can track him. You can bet Maggie will be wary of any open attempts Scott makes to see their daughter, but it looks like she'll be sympathetic enough to let him continue to have a part in Cassie's life, even if it is limited.

The Newcomers

Everybody loves a sequel because it means the returns of characters that audiences fell in love with -- but they're also great because it provides opportunity to introduce some fresh faces to the mix. This is most definitely true when it comes to Marvel movies, as there are thousands of characters from the comics just waiting to be brought to life for the first time. We don't yet know how many we can ultimately expect to appear in Ant-Man And The Wasp, but news out of SDCC 2017 did reveal a few key new players outside of Janet Van Dyne.

Hannah John-Kamen, whose credits include the series Killjoys, as well as episodes of Black Mirror and Game of Thrones, has signed on to be in the Marvel blockbuster as Ghost. In the comics, Ghost is an industrial saboteur for hire who wears a suit of his own design which allows him to become intangible so that he can phase through things, which is a skill the film seems to have kept. As you've probably noticed, the comic book version of Ghost is also male, so clearly Ant-Man And The Wasp is going to reimagine the character a bit. The comic character has also never had his secret identity revealed even though he's been around for 30 years, so it'll be interesting to see if this Ghost has a name or history that we find out about during the course of the film.

Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne has also joined the cast as Bill Foster, a scientist who would come to be known as the superhero Goliath. In the comics, Foster worked with Hank Pym, and created his own version of Pym's growth formula which led to him using it to become Goliath. Since we've seen Scott use Pym's suit to grow in size in Captain America: Civil War, it's possible that Ant-Man And The Wasp will see Foster show up to lend some assistance with this new found ability. I have to admit, though, that it would be a shame if we didn't also get to see Laurence Fishburne suit up as Goliath, even if it's only temporary. Along with Ant-Man and the Wasp, Fishburne also has another Marvel project in the works, though he hasn't provided any details about it yet, including whether or not it will involve Bill Foster.

Randall Park

Joining in on the fun in the new film as longtime S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jimmy Woo is Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, Veep). In the comics, the former FBI agent specialized in infiltration and information gathering, making him a great asset for covert operations. He's also known for helping take down Godzilla by using Pym Particles to shrink the beast, which worked as a temporary fix. While we don't know exactly what Park's Jimmy Woo will be doing in Ant-Man And The Wasp just yet, it's unlikely that we'll see him fight Godzilla. That would be cool, though, wouldn't it?

Walton Goggins

Some pleasantly surprising casting news came down when we found out that Justified, Vice Principals and The Hateful Eight actor Walton Goggins was joining Ant-Man And The Wasp as Sonny Burch. The character is chairman of Cross Technologies in the comics, and since Ant-Man saw Darren Cross (also known as the first film's big bad, Yellowjacket) die, Burch is likely trying to run the company in his stead. Seeing as how Burch is a bad guy in the comics, we can probably count on his desire to win at business leading to some questionable decisions that put lives in danger.

A big part of creating this guide is to keep up with new casting announcements, so keep checking back to this page as more news comes in about Ant-Man And The Wasp.

Next October, Halloween will see itself relaunched with a sequel that sounds more like a wholesale write off of any sequel past the first two films. This is some pretty good news, as it allows Jamie Lee Curtis to return for a (supposedly) final time to play one of her most memorable roles: Laurie Strode. So since the timeline of Michael Myers' history is about to get fudged again, there's room to introduce some new and exciting characters, such as Laurie's daughter, Karen. As if that wasn't exciting enough, the best part about this news is that Judy Greer is in the running to play said role.

Talks are in the early phases for Greer to join Halloween's brand new refresh, which sees David Gordon-Green and Danny McBride writing, and Gordon-Green directing this latest trip to Haddonfield. Taking an opportunity to forget Curtis' other appearances in the franchise, such as 1997's Halloween: H2O and Halloween: Resurrection, this allows Judy Greer to come in with a fresh slate to work with when it comes to her character. And considering her body of work spans from impressive motion capture roles in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to comedies like 13 Going On 30 to even another '70s horror revamp in the Carrie remake, the folks in charge couldn't be pursuing a more well versed actor for their cast. Though her casting does indicate some interesting possibilities for this new film.

Considering Judy Greer is a decently well-known name when it comes to general recognition by the moviegoing public, one would assume that her potential Halloween gig would be a major component to the film's story. With Michael's obsession with Laurie driving him to seek her out, there's a chance that Greer's Karen could serve as one of two catalysts to the new film's action. Option one is that she might be a major kill, which would both frighten and motivate Jamie Lee Curtis's legendary hero to mount up and hunt her brother down. The other, and more desirable option, would be that Karen would be introduced to help her mother fight her uncle off on this latest fateful Halloween night.

Of course, with this possibility comes the chance of Laurie facing her end at the hands of Michael, leaving Judy Greer's new character to inherit the franchise from that point on. Seeing as even Jamie Lee Curtis herself is touting Halloween's 2018 soft reboot as one last time at bat, and taking into account how successful this new film could be, there's obviously going to be thought of where a potential franchise would go. So why not write in a new character to take over, once Laurie Strode has helped us all get familiar with Michael again? Again, talks are early according to information from Deadline, but if this sort of scenario has been teased to Greer and her people, we'd like to think there's a good chance for her to sign on.

If you're looking for some Judy Greer-inclusive entertainment at the moment, she can now be seen in the Netflix original, Our Souls At Night. As for this project, still simply titled Halloween, you'll have to wait for the film to be released on October 19, 2018. But if you're looking to visit some other cinematic destinations before this frightful occurrence, feel free to plot a course with our 2018 release date schedule.

As we wade deeper into the waters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Three, more details have begun to surface regarding the final films set to arrive in the next few years. One of the upcoming sequels that has been slowly revealing more news is Ant-Man and the Wasp, which will give Paul Rudd's Scott Lang his second solo film in the shared universe. The sequel will also be the first in the MCU to feature female superhero in a leading role, and now another one of Ant-Man's female actresses has been confirmed to be reprising her role: Judy Greer.

Judy Greer played Scott Lang's ex wife Maggie in Ant-Man. A supporting role who primarily showed up in the film's first act, Maggie was largely parenting by herself due to Lang's incarceration. Her relationship with new fiancee Paxton (Bobby Cannavale) was originally a source of contention between the estranged couple, although things seem have reached a resolution by the film's end.

The inclusion of Judy Greer's Maggie (which comes to us from Deadline) likely means that Ant-Man and the Wasp will one again focus on Scott Lang's attempts at maintaining his relationship with his daughter. This will be a welcomed change for Lang's journey within the MCU, in which he's currently a fugitive in large ensemble projects.

Due to Ant-Man's support for Captain America and participation in Civil War's iconic airport battle, Lang and the rest of Team Cap were imprisoned The Raft. And while Steve Rogers was able to free his team by the film's end, the group are fugitives at the moment. Ant-Man will also team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers in the battle against Thanos in Infinity War, so he's been a bit too distracted by giant team up battles to focus on his relationship with daughter Cassie.

But the heart of Ant-Man was Scott Lang's attempts to do right by both his daughter, and ex-wife Maggie. He takes the job to steal the Ant-Man suit in order to make money and begin paying child support, therefore allowing him to have parental visits with his daughter. There was plenty of microscopic action and cool sequences in the film, but Lang's motivation for the film was familial (and therefore relatable) at its core.

The Ant-Man franchise is just the latest in Judy Greer's blockbuster roles in the past few years. Greer also had roles in cash cows like Jurassic World, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and the recent remake of Carrie. Aside from those roles, Greer has a supporting role in a ton of films like 13 Going on 30, 27 Dresses, and Jawbreaker. On the small screen she's had a slew of guest roles, as well as recurring characters in Arrested Development and Two and a Half Men.

Ant-Man and the Wasp will arrive in theaters on July 6, 2018, and you can catch Paul Rudd's Ant-Man before that in Avengers: Infinity War on May 4, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Back in the summer of 2015, Judy Greer popped up in two of the biggest films of the year, as she brought her own quirky charm to both Jurassic World and Ant-Man. Sure they weren't the biggest parts, but as usual she was able to lighten each of them with her presence to such an extent that the sequels just wouldn't feel the same without her. Which is why it's a little devastating that it looks as though Jurassic World 2 has deemed Judy Greer surplus to requirements, something that the actress admitted to me when I sat down to discuss her role in Wilson.

After chatting about her work on the comedy-drama Wilson, which sees her acting alongside Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern, I quizzed Judy Greer about the chances of her turning up as Karen Mitchell in Jurassic World 2. Which provoked her to respond with:

Since principal photography began on Jurassic World 2 at the end of February, you'd think that Judy Greer would have already heard from new director J.A. Bayona about whether or not Karen Mitchell will feature again.

Unfortunately, it would make more sense if the character didn't pop up in the film after the antics of Jurassic World. That's because the blockbuster saw Karen entrusting the safety of her two sons to her sister Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). While Claire deserves the upmost credit for eventually saving the lives of Gray (Ty Simpkins) and Zach (Nick Robinson) from those pesky dinosaurs, I doubt that Karen would want her kids going anywhere near them again. Putting the kids in harms danger would also feel a little repetitive, too, while its hard to imagine Greer's inclusion without them.

There's a chance Judy Greer could still find herself called into action for Jurassic World 2, though, as Ty Simpkins previously insisted that he'd signed on for multiple films. However, it is still yet to be confirmed that he'll be involved in Jurassic World 2.

Those of you pining to see Judy Greer in action on the big-screen sooner rather than later are in luck, though. That's because she takes the role of Shelly opposite Woody Harrelson's titular character in Wilson. Based on Daniel Clowes' graphic novel of the same name, Wilson revolves around a lonely, neurotic and relentlessly honest middle-aged man who reunites with his estranged wife Pippi (Laura Dern) after he learns he has a teenage daughter Claire (Isabella Amara), who he sets out to meet for the first time. If the idea of Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern and Judy Greer in the same film isn't enough to convince you to go watch the film, you can see if the trailer for Wilson will do the trick below.

Wilson will be released into theaters on March 24, while stay tuned to Cinema Blend for further coverage from my interviews with Woody Harrelson, Laura Dern, Daniel Clowes and director Craig Johnson over the next few days. Jurassic World 2, with or without Judy Greer, will be released on June 22, 2018.

Actress Judy Greer - known for her parts in shows like Archer and Arrested Development, as well as movies like The Descendants and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - has a role in Tomorrowland… but if you blink you’ll miss her. In the movie, she plays the mother of Britt Robertson’s character, Casey Newton, but only briefly appears on screen in a home movie that’s played early in the film. It might strike some as odd that a known actress would have such a small part – but as it turns out she originally had a more significant role that ultimately had to be axed because of first act pacing issues.

While recently sitting down to talk with Tomorrowland director Brad Bird, I took the opportunity to ask about Judy Greer’s tiny role, and he confirmed that her role in the movie was larger during the production process. In fact, she was actually one of a number of family members who wound up being cut out of the film completely. As Bird explained,

In the final cut of the film, Casey’s only family members are her father, played by Tim McGraw, and her younger brother, played by Pierce Gagnon. Judy Greer is credited in the movie as simply "Mom," and the IMDb page for the movie reveals that actor Lochlyn Munro has an uncredited part as "Uncle Anthony" in the movie – which we can presume is the relative to whom Brad Bird was referencing.

The filmmaker explained that the scenes will be included on Tomorrowland’s Blu-ray release, but noted that the moments were a problem because they "tended to divert energy away from where [they] needed it to go." That being said, Bird regrets that Judy Greer isn’t in the movie. He said,

While it may sound like Tomorrowland was forced to cut out a significant portion of Casey’s home life, the cuts actually aren’t actually noticeable in the final film, and you simply get that she is being raised by a single father (it’s possible if not very likely that this was partially fixed through reshoots). The only reason it might bug you is if you recognize Judy Greer’s presence and wonder why she doesn’t have a bigger role, but that’s exactly why I asked Brad Bird about it!

Tomorrowland, which still does feature the likes of George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Kathryn Hahn and Keegan-Michael Key in significant roles, arrives in theaters this Friday.

The long-awaited next installment to Steven Spielberg's 1993 dino-epic Jurassic Park is almost here. Among its cast are Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt, Spider-Man actress Bryce Dallas Howard and the always-lovable Judy Greer of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Not a lot is known about the big players' roles in the film as of yet, but Greer did recently give a bit more insight into her part in the film which may, as it turns out, be bigger than first let on, as she plays sister to a very important character.

We're guessing that Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World, coming in June of this year, will likely keep fans on the edge of their seats. But that's not the only thing we've been left to speculate on. Due to Universal Pictures' tight-lipped approach to the release of their highly-anticipated sci-fi action adventure film, fans have been kept mostly in the dark with regards to anything more than basic plot. However, in a recent discussion with the cast of the animated series Archer on Larry King Now, Greer shared a bit more information about her character's backgound in the upcoming picture. Well, sort of.

Greer was very careful not to "loose-lip" any critical information about Jurassic World in her chat with King. While poked and prodded a bit, she kept a tight lid on the film, citing studio demands and non-disclosure agreements.

While we understand that she didn't exactly give up an encyclopedia of information about her role in the film, it certainly is more than we knew before. Up until this point, we only saw Greer appear in the trailer for a brief moment during the setup. In the short teaser, which you can check out below if you haven't already seen it, she can be seen sending off two boys (which we now can assume are her two sons mentioned above), before delivering the pre-supposing line that "something may happen" that will almost certainly having the boys hustling across the length of the massive dinosaur-populated theme park island. Also, with Howard's character playing a central role in creating the park's "first genetically-modified hybrid" dinosaur, there's definitely a chance her sister (Greer) will be forced further into the mix than we first thought.

Judy Greer's Jurassic World character in IMDB simply lists her as "Park Visitor," which we find to be a bit "mysterious." Also worth noting is the name (which is blank on IMDB at the moment) of the character we're assuming may be her significant other in the film (the man standing behind her in the airport in the trailer), played by Andy Buckley (The Office). We're not entirely sure what to make of the lack of information but it wouldn't be all that shocking to find out it's linked to the fact that they play a larger role in the plot, one that Universal opts not to share at present so as to keep from spoiling major story arcs.

Jurassic World is slated to release its second trailer during the Super Bowl, airing this Sunday, Feb. 1. Maybe that will shed a bit more light on the subject prior to the film's hitting theaters June 12, 2015.

Marvel will be exploring the smaller side of its cinematic universe this summer with Ant-Man. However, judging by the tone of the recently-released teaser trailer, one might have gotten the impression that this blockbuster was more of a dramatic piece of insect agitprop than its more lighthearted Marvel contemporaries, specifically Guardians of the Galaxy. According to the film’s co-star, Judy Greer, though, Ant-Man will most definitely be bringing the comedy.

In a Q&A for the Television Critics Association press tour promoting her role on TV’s Archer, Greer discusses her Ant-Man experience and was quoted by IGN. Playing Maggie, Ant-Man/Scott Lang’s ex-wife and mother to his daughter, Greer, who has never done a comic book film, reveals that there will be comedic aspects to the film.

If the sporadic instances of humor and sarcasm in the film’s teaser trailer wasn’t enough indication, then the appointment of director Peyton Reed, primarily a veteran of slapstick and romantic comedies, certainly had to send the message that this was going to a more lighthearted Marvel movie. Pair that with the scriptwriting duties, which have fallen to Anchorman director Adam McKay and star, Paul Rudd himself, and the recipe is clearly set for superhero film that will take unorthodox, bumbling routes in our main hero’s journey.

For Judy Greer, walking into her first comic book was a bit intimidating. Even the task of answering initial questions of who her favorite superhero was were met with awkward responses like "Batman" and "Wonder Woman," learning the hard way that those are DC Comics properties. However, after being provided a little research into the Marvel cinematic brand, Greer has been made a fan, pointing to Guardians of the Galaxy as a primary example of how comedy can meld with the comic book genre.

Much like Guardians was last year, Ant-Man will undoubtedly be an important litmus test for the Marvel cinematic brand. While Guardians tested whether a property of generally unknown comic book characters could translate into something accessible by layman audiences, Ant-Man, the story of a character who is generally known as one of the most important members of The Avengers, has the hurdle of eccentricity and perceived silliness to overcome. (Possibly the reason for the initial trailer’s serious tone.) Thus far, the story seems to portray a graspable redemption tale, but unlike Guardians it will not have the team dynamic to carry the chemistry. It will certainly be interesting to see if Ant-Man lives up to expectations when it embiggens itself into theaters on July 17.

Aside from the occasional plot detail and set image, Marvel has been keeping details on Ant-Man on the down low, especially concerning the roles its actors are playing. Sure, it’s great that we know who all the main players are, like Paul Rudd as Scott Lang and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, but c’mon, Marvel! Throw us a bone on some of the supporting cast! Fortunately, we can scratch one of those mystery roles off the list. After months of staying quiet, Arrested Development actress Judy Greer has spilled the beans on who she’ll be playing in the 2015 blockbuster.

While talking with HeyUGuys.com about her new movie Men, Women and Children, Greer revealed that she will be playing Scott Lang’s ex-wife in Ant-Man - though she was wary to say anything else. Said the actress:

Scott’s ex-wife is named Peggy Rae in the comics, although there’s no guarantee she’ll be named that in the film. Greer’s statement also confirms the rumors. that Scott’s daughter will play a part in the film. In the comics, Scott is a single dad raising his daughter Cassie. Her heart condition forces Scott to steal Hank Pym’s Ant-Man suit so that he could kidnap the only doctor that could help her. Cured of her illness, Cassie later became the superhero Stature, and was also a member of the Young Avengers.

Cassie’s mom barely plays a role in Marvel comics, so Greer likely has free reign with the live-action version of the character. The actress also mentioned that she’s still shooting the movie and specifically mentioned having fun with Paul Rudd, Peyton Reed and Bobby Cannavale - the latter of whom is playing a character named Paxton. I suspect that Ant-Man will be taking a similar approach with the Lang family that Spider-Man 3 did with Flint Marko’s (Sandman) family, in that the mother that takes care of the sick child while the father is doing time for stealing funds to keep the family afloat. The only difference is that Flint continued his crime spree while Scott will eventually become a superhero in his own right. Considering the comment about Judy Greer's character is "rooting for him to succeed," Scott’s ex-wife will probably prefer him in this line of work rather than continuing to steal, even if his reasons were legitimate.

With all due respect to the male actors, I walked out of Jason Reitman’s new Men, Women & Children in awe of the ladies… and its their stories that stick with me days later.

Men held its World Premiere tonight at the Toronto International Film Festival. If you have heard anything about Reitman’s adaptation of Chad Kultgen’s novel, you know that it’s about "The Internet" (in a broad sense), and about how technology affects several members of a small Texas community. Reitman weaves through roughly 5 to 10 individual, horrifying stories which intersect as Men, Women & Children probes its subjects – sometimes deeply, sometimes superficially. He doesn’t judge. He just observes, and waits for the audience to recognize and empathize with the characters of our choosing.

So why am I gravitating to the stories of three women? Because of the outstanding performances of Judy Greer, Jennifer Garner and Rosemarie DeWitt, all playing suburban wives and mothers with vastly different problems to bear. I don’t necessarily relate to any of them. But I understand them, and I feel the pain they endure during Men, Women. Not because I’ve been in their shoes, but because the powerful actresses make me understand what it’s like to be in their predicaments, the highs and lows of their individual journeys.

How do these women factor into Jason Reitman’s equation? Jennifer Garner plays Patricia, a buttoned-up Conservative who fears the Internet and spends an inordinate amount of time going to great lengths to protect her daughter, Brandy (Kaitlyn Dever), from its evils. Rosemarie DeWitt plays Rachel, a bored housewife who actually adopts the screen name "Bored Housewife" when she begins to experiment with Ashley Madison – an online service that helps people conduct extramarital affairs. And in the movie’s most heartbreaking sublplot, Judy Greer plays Joan, a failed actress and failing suburban mom who runs a questionably elicit Web site that sells pictures of Joan’s teenage daughter, Hannah (Olivia Crocicchia) – who also dreams of stardom, celebrity and, most important, being recognized.

None of these stories reflect my own. Yet I connected with pieces of them. And in a sprawling ensemble of actors all fighting for screen time, these three women developed their characters quicker than most, with Greer really establishing a heartbreaking superficiality to Joan that stings when her blinders ultimately are removed.

Remember, Jason Reitman doesn’t judge with Men, Women & Children. If there’s a downside to the movie, it’s that there is not central story providing a powerful throughline to which audiences can cling. Most of the stories reach a resolution, of sorts, but each plot honestly could continue along for the duration of another movie, and in most cases, you wouldn’t complain.

To be honest, I still feel that Jason Reitman is at his best when he has a focused story to tell. The contemplative and engrossing Up in the Air, as an example, remains his high point (no pun intended). But the director seems content to linger on larger character studies in Men, Women & Children, capturing different types of people who are struggling to find their place in a tech-heavy time.

Reitman himself will tell you that Thank You For Smoking isn’t about cigarettes, Juno isn’t about teen pregnancy, and Men, Women & Children isn’t about the Internet. All of those films are about people, and from where I was sitting, the women emerged at the end with the better stories to tell.

You have to say this about Marvel and Ant-Man: they've really kept the fans on their toes. Even with the Edgar Wright kerfuffle earlier this year, there was the sense by San Diego Comic-Con that the furor surrounding Ant-Man had died down, and we were beginning to get a clear sense of the film. As we learned earlier today, the movie has now entered production, but with that latest announcement comes the reveal that the cast has gotten a bit beefier with all sorts of new additions.

The names added to Marvel's Ant-Man includes a who's who of character actor all-stars. Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Wood Harris, Abby Ryder Forston, Gregg Turkington and rapper T.I. are the latest to climb aboard the film, all joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the process. We also have one repeat member of the group - a surprising addition to the cast: John Slattery is aboard the film, presumably to reprise his role of Howard Stark from Iron Man 2. This matches with the intel we've received about this film's ties to the larger picture that the movie will surely include. Don't be too surprised to see Slattery sharing a drink or two with a young Hank Pym.

As for the rest of the names, they certainly are colorful, and we wonder what sort of roles they'll fill in both Ant-Man and in the larger cinematic universe. The newcomers are joining the already-announced cast that includes Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, Michael Douglas as an aged Dr. Hank Pym, Evangeline Lilly as Hank's daughter Hope van Dyne, Corey Stoll as the villainous Yellowjacket, and Michael Pena and David Dastmalchian in as-yet-undisclosed roles.

It's interesting that the production has reached out to actors who are just at home doing comedy as they are doing drama. Cannavale and Greer seem like they'll play sizable roles, and you wonder just exactly who they'll be. Is it possible Greer is the late Janet Van Dyne, aka The Wasp, who has passed away at the start of this film? Or maybe she will be Scott Lang's wife. Who will Wood Harris play in the ongoing saga? Could T.I. be suiting up for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Given the nature of the Marvel movies, where everyone is someone "significant", you could see any one of these actors attached to a role as a character who makes an impression that will go beyond just a single solo Marvel movie.

You also start to wonder if any of these guys are playing characters originated from the Wright-Joe Cornish script, and if any of them are actors that Wright would have cast if he were still directing Ant-Man. This is a good ensemble, but it really has an air of "who's available right now" to it as opposed to a cohesive ensemble. Director Peyton Reed is probably running a tight ship by now, but with massive casting announcements like this, it's hard to disabuse yourself of thinking about what could have been.

While Judy Greer began her career largely playing small supporting roles in small comedies and television shows, she has suddenly begun moving into the blockbuster phase of her career. Later this year she will be a part of the fantastic ensemble cast featured in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and at the end of 2015 she will be starring right alongside George Clooney in Brad Bird's Tomorrowland. Today The Wrap reports that the actress is ready to take on Blockbuster Movie #3. Sources have told the site that Greer has become the latest actor to join the cast of Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World.

The 2015 blockbuster is inching closer to production every day, and in the past few weeks has been continually building on its already impressive cast. Chris Pratt, who is moving into a similar blockbuster phase to Greer's, will be playing the male lead in the movie, while Bryce Dallas Howard will star opposite. The supporting cast includes a collection of impressive names, including Omar Sy, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Irrfan Khan,and Vincent D'onofrio (who will be playing the central human antagonist). Unfortunately, at this point we don't know very much about what kind of roles any of the actors will be playing.

As for members of the original Jurassic Park cast, right now only B.D. Wong - who played Jurassic Park scientist Henry Wu - is attached to reprise his role. That could very well change in a big way in the coming weeks.

Greer had a fairly uneventful year on the big screen in 2013, but where she was really active was on television. In addition to reviving her Arrested Development character Kitty Sanchez for the new season on Netflix, she also starred in the fourth season of the animated series Archer. This summer she has a new live-action series called Married debuting on FX, but sadly we have yet to see a preview for the series.

In addition to the aforementioned Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Tomorrowland, Greer's upcoming feature work includes a supporting role in Jason Reitman's Men, Women & Children and a voice-over role in Pixar's The Good Dinosaur (two dinosaur projects in one year!)

With Universal Pictures having set Jurassic World with a June 12th, 2015 release date, we can expect production to start soon, and hopefully when that happens we will start to get more details about the screenplay co-written by Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. Until then, just enjoy the music.

Whether she's breaking our hearts in The Descendants or cracking us up on Arrested Development or Archer, we can't get enough of Judy Greer. And it seems we're not alone. The Wrap reports four-time Academy Award-nominated writer-director Jason Reitman wants Greer for his next dark comedy Men, Women & Children, which is based on the novel by Chad Kultgen. But some scheduling issues have emerged because Greer is so in-demand.

See, Greer is already set to star opposite Nat Faxon in a pilot that The Last Exorcism co-writer Andrew Gurland pitched to FX. That project, which has the pair playing a married couple dabbling in an open marriage arrangement, has Greer's first refusal, meaning she's committed to it over any other project. If the TV network picks up the pilot--which sources say is likely--it will be a challenge to fit Men, Women & Children into her schedule. But as Reitman and Greer are eager to collaborate on Men, Women & Children, negotiations are currently being made to see if a shooting schedule can be made that will appease the pilot's team as well as Reitman's. If an arrangement can be worked out, Greer will be joining a cast that already includes Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Cameron Diaz.

According to the heralded novel's back cover Men, Women & Children "explores the sexual pressures at work on a handful of troubled, conflicted junior-high students and their equally dysfunctional parents. From porn-surfing fathers to World of Warcraft-obsessed sons, from competitive cheerleaders to their dissatisfied, misguided mothers, Kultgen clicks open the emotionally treacherous culture in which we live—in his most ambitious and surprising book yet." Should Greer sign on, she'd be playing the role of Joan Clint, a mother who inexplicably decides to post "alluring" photos of her young daughter online.

Reitman, an outspoken fan of the novel, gave the following book cover blurb:

With Juno, Up in the Air and Young Adult, Reitman has shown a deft awareness of zeitgeists, and captured their quirks beautifully. So, Men, Women & Children seems like a great fit for his skillset. While we wait for word on when this film will roll into production, you can see Greer in theaters now in Kimberly Peirce's gritty reboot of Carrie. Then December will see the release of Reitman's latest film, the Kate Winslet/Josh Brolin drama Labor Day.

It looks like 2014 is going to be a year of blockbusters for Judy Greer. Not only does she have Matt Reeves' Dawn of the Planet of the Apes coming next summer (in which she will join Andy Serkis as one of the mo-cap apes), today Deadline is reporting that in December next year it looks like we'll be seeing her in the new film from director Brad Bird. The actress is now in talks to make a deal that would see her starring alongside George Clooney in the sci-fi adventures Tomorrowland - though much like the rest of the movie her role and how she fits into the story is being kept a closely guarded secret.

Scripted by Damon Lindelof, the film doesn't have a full plot synopsis available just yet, but through casting reports we've picked up bits and pieces and know that the movie involves a rebellious young woman named Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) who approaches an inventor (Clooney) to help her on a special quest. Hugh Laurie is set to play the movie’s central antagonist and Raffey Cassidy is going to play a “kid robot," but at this stage it's pretty impossible to tell how they will fit into the story. The trades have said that the project can be compared tonally to Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, This will actually be the third time that Clooney and Greer have worked together, having first both appeared in David O. Russell's war film Three Kings and then again in Alexander Payne's The Descendents.

Greer hasn't spent any time on the big screen thus far in 2013, last appearing in the Gerard Butler soccer comedy Playing For Keeps, but she has been keeping very busy on the small screen. In addition to appearances on Robot Chicken and Two and a Half Men, she also has a regular role voicing Cheryl Tunt on the animated series Archer and returned as Kitty Sanchez in the fourth season of Arrested Development. This fall she will be playing a key role in Kimberly Peirce's remake of Carrie. She is also attached to star opposite Oscar-winning Descendants co-writer Nat Faxon in a new untitled comedy series for FX.

Even beyond adding talented names to the cast list, this should be a very interesting week for Bird's new film. This weekend in Anaheim, CA, Disney fans will come from all over the globe to celebrate the bi-annual D23 Expo, and it's been confirmed that Tomorrowland will have a presence at the event. We have absolutely no idea what they'll be showing from the movie, as production on the film hasn't actually started yet. In fact, Lindelof just Tweeted earlier today that filming is getting underway this Friday:

We don't know what they have in store, but we expect to be surprised.

Caesar has found his love interest. Or, at the very least, Matt Reeves has found an actress to play the love interest in his upcoming Dawn of the planet of the Apes.

Judy Greer, who audiences best know from Arrested Development episodes and supporting parts in movies like The Descendants or 13 Going on 30, has landed the coveted ape role of Cornelia in Reeves’ sequel, Vulture reports. The character actress will don a motion-capture suit to act opposite her one-time 13 Going on 30 co-star Andy Serkis, who encouraged her to lobby hard for the part.

What you might not know is how important the Apes franchise is to both Greer and her husband, who apparently is a dedicated fan.

So Greer isn’t as odd of a choice as you might initially assume. Because yes, if you were to asked me to run through 50 names I thought would land a part in the Apes sequel, I’m not sure I would have arrived at Greer. But she’s a talented actress who seems to have a deep appreciation for the work done on the franchise, and that kind of passion could be vital for the sequel.

Greer and Serkis will join a number of actors already cast as humans in Dawn, including Jason Clarke, Keri Russell and Gary Oldman. From what we know so far, the movie will take place a short time after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with Bay Area scientists trying to deal with the aftermath of the ape experiments, and Caesar trying to maintain control over his growing ape population. The sequel is targeting a May 23, 2014 release date, so Reeves better get stepping.

We reported pretty enthusiastically last month that Judy Greer, the actress known for roles both comic (Arrested Development) and more heartfelt (last year's The Descendants) had signed on to play the gym teacher in Carrie, the new planned adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel. After reporting it we were told by the studio's reps that no casting decision had in fact been made, so we had to put our enthusiasm for Greer on hold for a little while.

Now, apparently all the contracts have been signed, and the news is free to get out there at last. MGM has confirmed today that Greer will indeed play the sympathetic gym teacher Miss Desjardin, and that Portia Doubleday has also been confirmed as Chris Hargensen, the girl responsible for a lot of teasing and suffering Carrie endures, including the famous bucket of pig's blood dumped on her at prom. While you'll have no trouble recognizing Greer thanks to her extensive film and TV work, Doubleday is more of a newcomer; she appeared opposite Michael Cera in Youth in Revolt, and more recently was on the short-lived TV series Mr. Sunshine. You also won't have too much trouble believing she's able to torment Carrie, played by Chloe Moretz-- Moretz is a 15-year-old playing pretty close to her actual age, while Doubleday is 24.

With Kimberly Peirce set to direct and Julianne Moore also starring as Carrie's obsessive, not-quite-all-there mom, Carrie is all set to go into production this summer in time to meet its March 15, 2013 release. We still don't really know how it can hold a candle to Brian de Palma's original adaptation, and Sissy Spacek's unforgettable performance as Carrie, but the cast is strong enough so far that we at least want to see how it turns out.

UPDATE: We have received an email sent on behalf of MGM informing us that Judy Greer has not signed on to the Carrie remake and that no actor has yet been cast as the gym teacher.

The original report follows:

We still don't really know what to make of the planned Carrie remake, from the fact that it exists at all to Chloe Moretz starring to Boys Don't Cry's Kimberly Peirce directing it. Every single casting choice since Chloe Moretz got on board has felt some strange combination of just-right and slightly off-- Julianne Moore as Carrie's psychotic mother, for example, needing to step up into a dominating role after a career of playing delicate, very broken women. Now here's another one to add to the list-- Bloody Disgusting reports that Judy Greer has signed on to play the gym teacher, who as you may remember is there for Carrie's traumatic pelting with feminine hygiene products in the gym and who might be the only encouraging figure in Carrie's life.

As much she has a reputation for comedy thanks to her work on Arrested Development and in movies like 13 On 30, Greer had a nice dramatic turn in The Descendants last fall, and she's got the kind of sweet demeanor that would make her well-suited for the role of the generous gym teacher, referred to in the original film as Miss Collins. But you also have to wonder if that part shouldn't have gone to an actual unknown, giving room for Moore and Moretz to take over in the central roles. Greer is really good at working a little bit of humor into dark moments, but Carrie doesn't seem to call for anything like that-- is this really the most interesting role she could take?

Even if the Carrie remake turns out to be a disaster, it's bound to be a fascinating one-- Peirce is a talented director who wouldn't just be trying for a cheap retread, and Moretz, Moore and Greer are bound to commit to their roles, even if they're constantly haunted by the actresses who originated them in the 1976 film. Even Miss Collins, a relatively small role, was played by Broadway legend Betty Buckley, not to mention Sissy Spacek as the title character and Piper Laurie as Carrie's mom. There's a lot to live up to here.

For the last five years, whenever any actor who was in the Bluth family on Arrested Development has given an interview, they've inevitably been asked about the movie and said a variation on the same thing: "We all want it to happen, and they're working on a script now." That promise got a little more solid a few weeks ago, when creator Mitch Hurwitz and the entire cast announced before a live audience that they were making both a prequel TV show and, finally, a movie. And while the entire Bluth family was there onstage to guarantee they'd be in it, there was one very important person missing: Kitty, George Sr.'s loyal assistant.

OK, so there are a lot of other side characters from the show's run who really need to make a come back, from Bob Loblaw to Gene Parmesan to Lucille 2. But since I talked to Kitty herself, Judy Greer, today about her new movie The Descendants, it seemed worth checking to see if Kitty would make a return. As it turns out, even Greer doesn't quite know:

She went on to tell me that she really wants to "put it out there" that she'll be in the movie, so she gave me the very unequivocal but tongue-in-cheek answer: "The movie's happening, and I'm in it." Of course, what that really means is "Mitch Hurwitz, call this woman!" How can you bring back the Bluth family and not "say goodbye to these!" Kitty, whose anarchic presence in George Sr.'s life would clearly be welcome even when catching up with the characters 10 years later. Plus, Greer is more famous now than ever, especially given her role in the soon-to-be-huge The Descendants, so why not add a little extra starpower for good measure?

Now it's on everybody else to ask Charlize Theron, Liza Minnelli, James Lipton Scott Baio, Carl Weathers and anyone else they can think of if they'll be returning, and have them put the heat on Hurwitz. Sure, it might result in a movie that's nothing but guest appearances-- but in a way, I'd be fine with that.

It's been a fine balancing act here at TV Blend. One minute you have to cover the latest Charlie Sheen Roast or Anger Management news, the next it's back to covering the pieces as they are picked up on CBS' Two and a Half Men. I just brought you the latest two promos for the Comedy Central Roast of the tiger-blooded actor and now, I've got some casting news for his former series. Love interests for both of our men have been added... sorry kid, nothing for the half.

Some time ago, details regarding Ashton Kutcher's character started to emerge though the foggy atmosphere surrounding the CBS staple, the most important of which was that our new star/character will be a little love-sick. Who did the Kutch contract this sickness from? Well, TVGuide is reporting that Arrested Development alum (and all around great comedic actress) Judy Greer will be entering the show as the cause of Kutcher's romantic woes.

In fact "Greer will play Bridget, who's in the process of divorcing Internet billionaire Walden Schmidt." Yes, Walden Schmidt is Ashton's name on the show and apparently he's in the midst of a messy divorce. Greer is expected to appear in several episodes over the course of the season and oddly enough, as TVGuide notes, this isn't her first appearance on the show as she did a couple episodes as a Charlie love-interest in 2007.

Divorce for the newcomer, I wonder if the other female addition offers a little more romantic promise for Jon Cryer's Alan Harper. According to EW, one of Cryer's former flames is making a return to the show. Courtney Thorne-Smith is set to reprise her role as she "previously had a 10-episode arc on the show as Lyndsey McElroy, a love interest for Jon Cryer's character." The actress last appeared on the show near the middle of last season and why she's returning is being kept hush-hush. I would assume it's either to torture Alan or to allow Alan to blow it again, either way it's all for our amusement.

Two and a Half Men returns to CBS on Monday, September 19 at 9 p.m.

For a while, back in August of last year, it looked like we might be getting an adaptation of Tom Perrotta's The Abstinence Teacher, another novel from the Little Children author about sexuality and repression in the American suburbs. That adaptation, which was rumored to have Sandra Bullock and Steve Carell interested at one point, doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment, which is leaving from for Playing the Field to take its place.

The comedy, starring Gerard Butler as a youth soccer coach getting romantically entangled with various women in his neighborhood, starts filming this week, and two more smitten women have been added to the cast. According to The LA Times Catherine Zeta-Jones and Judy Greer have each signed on to play neighborhood women who have the hots for Butler's character; they're competing against Uma Thurman, who is married to Dennis Quaid in the film, and Jessica Biel, who plays Butler's estranged wife. Thankfully Butler won't be asked to provide one of his characteristically terrible accents-- his character is a professional European soccer player who moves to the suburbs in order to be closer to his kids.

Gabriele Muccino will be looking to make up for his last film, the disastrous Seven Pounds, by directing this one, and he's at least managed to assemble an impressive cast to have faith in him. He's also brought in a pinch hitter-- sorry, wrong sports metaphor-- to help him out; the Times is hearing from sources close to the production that Stuart Blumberg, the Oscar-nominated co-writer of The Kids Are All Right, has been brought on board to tweak the script originally written by Rob Fox. Given that Kids had one of the better comedy screenplays in recent memory, Blumberg's participation would be another huge step forward for this movie. Keep this up, Muccino, and I may pretend I never lost those two hours to Seven Pounds after all.