There are so many good book-to-screen adaptations to check out, from Nicole Kidman’s Scarpetta to the upcoming Ryan Gosling space adventure Project Hail Mary, and the upcoming Apple TV series Imperfect Women may be another you want to add to your watchlist. Critics have seen the eight-episode miniseries, which is based on the Araminta Hall novel of the same name. While opinions of the series are varied, they all seem to agree the performances are the best part.

Imperfect Women (streaming with an Apple TV subscription) features an impressive cast, with Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington starring as longtime friends Mary and Eleanor, who become suspects when Kate Mara’s Nancy — the third member of their trio — is murdered. Leila Latif of AV Club gives the movie a B+, writing that it’s refreshing to see the relationship of these complicated women explored with little concern for making them more “likeable.” Latif says:

Dave Nemetz of TVLine gives it a B, writing that while it doesn’t break any new narrative ground, Imperfect Women does spend as much time examining the grief brought on by Nancy’s death as it does trying to solve the mystery. Nemetz’s review continues:

Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert rates it 2 out of 4 stars, saying it hits all the notes of a “salacious confessional,” like hidden desires, envy and guilt, mostly with tepid results. It’s the performances that save the series, though, Nicole says:

Daniel Fienberg of THR calls the series “maddeningly generic,” and struggles to call it a “new” Apple series because of how little about it is actually “new.” It’s not the worst in the overextended genre of wealthy woman murder mysteries, though, Fienberg says, explaining:

Carly Lane of Collider is similarly nonplussed, awarding the series 5 out of 10. All credit goes to Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara for keeping the series afloat, Lane says, writing:

Whether the critics loved Imperfect Women or thought it was just OK, every review I read gave credit to the leading trio. If this is a genre you’re a fan of, or you just appreciate the work of these actresses, the first two episodes of this Apple TV series premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday, March 18, with episodes dropping weekly thereafter.

Every week brings great new movies to streaming and the beginning of brand new series. This week is certainly no exception. Whether you’re a fan of animation, serious drama, or ridiculous comedy, all the best streaming services have what you’re looking for. Here are some of the week’s highlights.

Invincible, Season 4 - March 18 (Prime Video)

Superhero shows and movies are everywhere, but four seasons in, there’s still nothing quite like Invincible. This animated series is certainly not for kids, but it’s a lot of fun. The new season will tell some stories completely original to the series, while still giving fans all the hilariously violent action they’ve come to expect.

Short Circuit Experimental Films: Maddie & The Test & Life Drawings March 18 (Disney+)

Disney got its start with animated shorts, and while they’re not quite as popular as they once were, they are still the place where many of today’s great animation directors got their start. The Short Circuit program at Walt Disney Animation gives anybody with an idea a chance to become a director, and this week, your Disney+ subscription gets you two new original and creative pieces of animation from fresh talent at Disney.

Imperfect Women - March 18 (Apple TV)

Any series that includes Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington is one that is going to get a lot of people to take notice. The new series, debuting with an Apple TV subscription, sees the two playing friends who become suspects, and investigators when the third member of their trio (Kate Mara) turns up dead.

Wicked: For Good - March 20 (Peacock)

The sequel may not have been quite as successful as the original, but in order to properly finish the epic story that is Wicked, you need Act II. Wicked: for Good continues the story of Elphaba, but the second half of the story is where Ariana Grande shines as Glinda. The movie is available with your Peacock subscription and includes a sing-along track as well as a commentary track from director Jon M. Chu.

Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat - March 20 (Prime Video)

Jury Duty was something of a surprise hit and is still one of the best reasons to have a Prime Video subscription. The reality series/comedy followed a fake trial where everybody was an actor except for one unsuspecting man on the jury. While recreating that scenario would have been difficult in a courtroom, Season 2 takes the show to the company retreat of a fictitious company, where once again, everybody is an actor, except the new hire.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man - March 20 (Netflix)

For many years, Peaky Blinders was one reason a lot of people had their Netflix subscription. This week, it is once again as the feature film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man debuts. The movie has already gotten solid reviews from critics, and so fans will likely be very happy to see Cillian Murphy return to the role that introduced him to many. Barry Keoghan and Rebecca Ferguson co-star.

The final week of March approaches, and it’s going to be a big one, as Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finally arrives. Check back here to see what else you won’t want to miss next week.

The 2025 movie schedule delivered The Fantastic Four: First Steps to fans a couple of months ago, but while it was the first official MCU entry for Marvel’s First Family, it was hardly the first time we’d seen them on the big screen. That movie’s Vanessa Kirby played the third major iteration of Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, after Jessica Alba and Kate Mara. Now, the star of 2015’s negatively reviewed Fantastic Four has opened up about her “messy experience” making the film and the one plus she took away from it.

What Did Kate Mara Say About Making Fantastic Four Being ‘Messy’ And The One Bright Side?

In 2015, it was rare for a superhero movie to be both nearly universally trashed by critics and abandoned by fans to the point of it flopping, but that’s exactly what happened with Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four. Though the movie was underwhelming (at best) the end product came after a widely reported tumultuous filming process that led to many rumors of behind the scenes antics on set.

Star Kate Mara (who’s also known for her work in shows like House of Cards and movies such as Brokeback Mountain, Shooter, and The Martian) was a part of that production, along with castmates Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Toby Kebbell. She’s opened up before about the filming of that infamous superhero bust, and talked about things like the one regret she has from her time on set, but she recently appeared on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast and opened up to host Ted Danson about working with Bell:

I think a lot of people have had work experiences like this, as they certainly aren’t limited to those in the entertainment business. You get a job and realize that everything in the company is kinda fucked from top to bottom, and you just try to hang on long enough for all your benefits to kick in so you can start looking elsewhere. But, if you’re lucky, you at least make a good friend or two among your fellow, suffering co-workers like Mara did with Bell. She continued:

OK, so this probably happens to fewer people who have shitty work experiences, but good for Mara and Bell! Now that we can all see where this is going, let’s just go ahead and get right to their big revelation:

Somehow, just working on Fantastic Four wasn’t quite enough of “trauma bonding” for the friendly actors to go from being buddies to dating, but enduring the press tour (which I can imagine was filled with awkward questions from the media and memories of filming that everyone had been trying to forget) tipped the duo right over the romantic edge.

In case you’re wondering, Mara and Bell married in 2017, and now have a young son and daughter. So, it’s more than understandable that the star has been able to take away at least one big positive from that “messy” movie.

Kate Mara might have a few regrets about Josh Trank’s panned Fantastic Four film. However, she isn’t haunted by the 2015 flick, not even a little. A decade after playing Sue Storm in the box office disappointment, the actor is leaning into the future of upcoming Marvel movies and the First Family’s 2025 movie schedule entry, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. To that point, Mara shared a sweet take on the notion of seeing Marvel Studios' reboot when it comes out.

Kate Mara caught up with THR, during which she opened up about her love of movies, her excitement for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and why the upcoming superhero film doesn’t stir up baggage from her time in spandex. When asked if she has any interest in seeing the MCU movie for herself, the former Sue Storm actress responded enthusiastically:

The House of Cards alum's comments come one month before the 10th anniversary of her film's release and the debut of the latest iteration of the team. First Steps boasts a fantastic cast, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who are stepping into the roles of the Fantastic Four. It's sweet for Mara to lend her support to the franchise's newcomers.

Kate Mara and husband Jamie Bell -- who played Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing -- helped bring these characters to life in the 2015 Fox-produced version of the franchise. However, the Shooter star’s response to the new film isn't based on comparison. Her comments to THR suggest that the past doesn't influence her view of the latest movie. What truly matters to her is her love of going to the movies.

That’s not nothing, especially when you consider how much Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four became defined by behind-the-scenes chaos: clashing visions, reshoots, and a director's cut that never saw the light of day. But, through it all, Mara met Jamie Bell, whom she married and started a family with. That chapter has a silver lining for her that has nothing to do with the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score.

Kate Mara's perspective is also especially refreshing in a genre that too often eats its own. Superhero actors who don’t make it into the Marvel canon usually go quiet or go bitter. The former Sue Storm does neither. It's also easy to understand why Mara would express an interest in seeing the film.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps feels like a fresh start for the classic property. With Matt Shakman, who directed WandaVision (streaming with a Disney+ subscription), at the helm, this movie seems set to bring Marvel’s famously dysfunctional family into the MCU in a fun way. Expectations are pretty high, especially with Kate Mara giving it the thumbs up (even i it wasn't exactly needed). Still, it adds a nice touch as fans get excited for this reboot.

Fans can flock to their local cinemas to see The Fantastic Four: First Steps when it's released on July 25.

As the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps approaches the 2025 movie schedule, fans of Marvel’s First Family are eagerly dissecting every detail from the “fantastic” first teaser trailer. But it’s not just audiences sharing thoughts, as actors who previously donned the iconic blue suits are weighing in, too. Miles Teller, who played Reed Richards in the 2015 reboot, recently reacted positively to the teaser. Now, his co-star from that same film, Kate Mara (who portrayed Sue Storm) is sharing her take on the next cinematic iteration of the F4.

Kate Mara just attended this year's SXSW when Screen Rant asked for her thoughts on the upcoming Marvel movie’s trailer, which debuted to major fanfare. The actress had nothing but praise for the film’s cast and its fresh direction, saying:

That's an interesting response, and it probably strikes a chord with a lot of fans who have watched the cinematic ups and downs of the Fantastic Four franchise. After the mixed reviews of Josh Trank’s 2015 iteration, it makes sense that Marvel Studios is going in a totally different direction with their take on the team. Trank’s FF was plagued with problems behind the scenes and became one of the biggest flops in the superhero movie genre. With the retro style and vibes of this newest flick, “very different” is precisely what fans and viewers need.

After Fox's second take on the superhero team failed at the box office, the franchise was left in limbo until Marvel Studios reclaimed the rights. The Shooter actress has previously spoken about her struggles during production, so her support for the reboot shows she’s more than happy to see the property get another shot. Miles Teller was also supportive, sharing his best for the cast and saying that he doesn't "wish anybody to be a part of a bomb."

First Steps marks the first time the beloved superhero family will be fully integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe's timeline. The teaser gives fans a sneak peek at what looks like a cool retro-futuristic version of the team, diving into the sci-fi adventure vibe that made them so popular in the comics. Even though we don't know much about the plot, the stunning visuals and upbeat feel of the teaser make it stand out from past adaptations.

As Kate Mara pointed out, The Fantastic Four cast is stacked, with Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm (The Thing). Fans have been buzzing about the casting choices, and Kate Mara’s comments reflect a general excitement over the new lineup. Mara is a real class act and, if she ends up seeing the movie when it's released, I'd love to hear her full reaction to it.

The upcoming superhero movie looks like it will finally give us a faithful take of Marvel’s first family, the way we fans have always hoped for. Now, all we have to do is wait for the Fantastic Four: First Steps to drop in theaters on July 25. Until then, you can revisit all MCU entries with a Disney+ subscription.

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

Elliot Page is getting honest about his life as a queer person in the upcoming memoir Pageboy. The book’s many intimate stories will see The Umbrella Academy star talking about his experiences growing up, becoming a Hollywood star and coming out as transgender to the public in 2020. Among Pageboy’s topics is the revelation that Page once dated Fantastic Four actress Kate Mara back in 2014. 

Ahead of Pageboy’s release on Tuesday, June 6, Elliot Page expanded on some of the topics of the memoir with People. During the interview, Page shared that he “fell for” Mara after his heart had been broken prior. At the time, Mara was also dating actor Max Minghella, but he allowed for the pair to explore their feelings for each other. In Page’s words: 

With Page and Mara’s relationship becoming public with the book’s release, Page shared that she read the book and the pair remain close to this day. Kate Mara is also expected to join Elliot Page for a book event in Los Angeles this month, where the two of them will speak about its contents at the historic Montalban Theatre in Hollywood, via Eventbrite. As Page continued: 

We imagine more information about the two actor’s once-romance will be part of the Pageboy memoir. While Page and Mara’s romantic relationship was short-lived, it was nonetheless an important one to Page that he felt passionately about writing about in his memoir. 

Page initially came out as gay back in 2014 and was reportedly filming X-Men: Days of Future Past when the romance emerged. Page and Mara starred together in the 2017 romantic drama My Days of Mercy, where they play two women who fall in love despite their families being on opposite sides of political causes regarding a death row case. They both produced the movie together. 

Nowadays, Kate Mara is married to her Fantastic Four co-lead Jamie Bell – they tied the knot in 2017 after she began dating him in 2015. Mara and Bell share two children together. Page, on the other hand, went on to marry dancer/choreographer Emma Portner after making their relationship public in 2017. They separated in mid-2020 and their divorce was finalized in early 2021. 

Along with looking forward to Elliot Page’s honest memoir next week, you can check out Kate Mara among the cast of Class of ‘09. The new crime series is available to stream with a Hulu subscription. 

Sometimes the best crime TV shows are the ones that are less concerned with the cases that the heroes pursue and more so with the heroes themselves and their own philosophies regarding right and wrong. Creator Tom Rob Smith’s Class of ’09 — which is presented by FX and exclusively available to stream with a Hulu subscription — is one such series, following a group of FBI agents from their days at Quantico to their bitter, present-day reunion. Perhaps the Number One reason to check out this exciting new miniseries is to see the star-studded ensemble in the Class of ’09 cast, whom we will talk about in depth — including their characters and other notable career highlights — below.

Brian Tyree Henry (Tayo Michaels)

Insurance executive-turned-FBI operative Tayo Michaels is the latest character on an FX-presented series portrayed by two-time Emmy nominee Brian Tyree Henry, whose breakout role was Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles on one of the funniest shows on Hulu, Atlanta. His transition into movie stardom has gone swimmingly, though — having already appeared in a number of superhero movies (a brief part in 2019’s Joker, a leading role in Marvel’s Eternals cast, and voicing Miles Morales’ father, whom he is reprising in the upcoming superhero movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Also known for If Beale Street Could Talk, Godzilla vs. Kong, Bullet Train, and more, Henry became an Academy Award nominee in 2023 for his acclaimed performance in Causeway.

Kate Mara (Ashley Poet)

As Ashley Poet, who was a psychiatric nurse before receiving an unexpected invitation to join the FBI, we have Kate Mara, who also has a few superhero movies under her belt — including the 2006 family film, Zoom; a brief appearance in 2010’s Iron Man 2; and 2015’s Fantastic Four reboot as Susan “Invisible Woman” Storm. She is also an FX veteran, having appeared on American Horror Story Season 1 and earned an Emmy nomination for the network’s Hulu exclusive drama miniseries, A Teacher, in 2020, and her other notable TV credits include Netflix’s House of Cards and Black Mirror’s sixth season, which premieres June 2023. The sister of Rooney Mara is also known on the big screen from 127 Hours and The Martian, to name a few.

Sepideh Moafi (Hour Nazari)

Starring as data specialist Hour Nazari is Sepideh Moafi, who last played an FBI agent on the Apple TV+ true crime miniseries, Black Bird, which followed an eclectic variety of TV roles like a New York sex worker on HBO’s The Deuce or a realtor struggling to co-parent with her ex-wife on Showtime’s The L Word: Generation Q. Moafi has also guest-starred on various popular crime dramas — such as The Blacklist, Elementary, and Blue Bloods — and played one of the leads of the heart-wrenching 2020 film, The Killing of Two Lovers.

Brian J. Smith (Daniel Lennix)

As Daniel Lennix, we have Brian J. Smith, who also has many guest appearances on crime series like Blue Bloods and Quantico  on his resume, but is better known for his starring roles on sci-fi series like Stargate Universe or one of Netflix’s best sci-fi shows, Sense8. He also had a main part on USA’s short-lived Jason Bourne spin-off, Treadstone, and got the chance to be a big screen action star by joining the Matrix Resurrections cast alongside Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, and more.

Jon Jon Briones (Gabriel)

FBI training instructor Gabriel is played by Jon Jon Briones, who is one of the Class of ’09 cast’s most experienced FX veterans — having played “Asian Elvis”on Sons of Anarchy, Modesto Cunanan on American Crime Story Season 2, warlock Ariel Augustus on American Horror Story Season 8, and himself on Better Things. His association with Ryan Murphy also earned him a main role in the Ratched cast on Netflix, for which he also leant his voice to the anime Trese. His most recent voice acting roles are on Nickelodeon’s Transformers: Earthspark and he also appeared a couple of episodes of Paramount+’s Picard in 2022.

Brooke Smith (Drew)

Before starring in Class of ’09 as Drew — an agent whose FBI career was cut tragically short — Kate Mara’s Random Hearts co-star, Brooke Smith, made her breakthrough as a woman rescued by an FBI agent (Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling) in the terrifying Best Picture Oscar winner, The Silence of the Lambs. She would go on to join the Grey’s Anatomy cast as Dr. Erin Hahn, also played a doctor on American Horror Story Season 2, and was a nurse in Christopher Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi drama, Interstellar. When not playing people in law enforcement or in the medical field, Smith has played a suffragette in HBO’s Iron Jawed Angels, Fox News executive Irena Briganti in Bombshell, and a realtor on Amazon Prime’s horror series, Them, to name a few notable examples.

Jake McDorman (Murphy)

As Murphy — an FBI recruit who gets more than he bargained for when he joins — we have Jake McDorman, who previously led a crime drama of his own as Brian Finch on the series spin-off of the Bradley Cooper movie, Limitless. He has also starred in some action-packed films like the fourth installment of the Die Hard franchise, Live Free or Die Hard, or the Oscar-nominated war biopic, American Sniper, from 2014, as well as lighter titles like A24’s coming-of-age dramedy, Lady Bird, or Hulu’s LGBTQ+ rom-com, Happiest Season from 2020. His other notable TV credits include college sitcom Greek, playing Murphy Brown’s son on the sitcom’s 2018 revival, and more recently starring in Peacock’s Mrs. Davis cast.

Rosalind Eleazar (Vivienne)

As Vivienne — a civil rights lawyer who wants to change how the justice system operates —  we have Rosalind Eleazar, who previously played a disgraced MI5 agent on Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and someone on the opposite side of the law in Cinemax’s structurally reversed crime drama, Rellik. The English actor is also known for her major role on the Hulu period drama series, Harlots and for starring alongside Dev Patel in the 2019 Charles Dickens adaptation, The Personal History of David Copperfield.

Check out this talented ensemble by logging on to stream Class of ’09 on Hulu now.

With Better Call Saul now in its final stretch, with several big deaths and twists having already heightened the stakes in its sixth season, fans are extremely eager to see how Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will finally appear anew as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively. But before we can witness what will presumably be another depressing peek into Jesse’s tumultuous life, Paul has landed a new role on another series that has long been known for disturbing the shit out of its viewers: Black Mirror. 

Aaron Paul is currently already in the midst of dealing with hyper-disturbing issues within the fourth season of HBO’s sci-fi thriller Westworld, where he stars as the military vet Caleb. But he apparently hasn’t yet been sated when it comes to taking on complicated and challenging stories in his career, thus his upcoming role in at least one episode of the darkly satirical anthology Black Mirror, where technology is prone to go dangerously haywire even when created under the best of intentions. Which does sound like a pretty solid mixture of Jesse Pinkman and Westworld elements, making Paul a superb addition for the long-awaited Season 6.

According to Variety, Black Mirror’s sixth season is believed to already be in production, with several other new cast members being announced alongside Aaron Paul (as listed below). But for as much as we can celebrate the actor’s presence in the hit series created by Charlie Booker, it’s not yet clear who he will be playing, with all episode and storyline details being kept behind locked doors and such. But considering Black Mirror’s biggest stars each season tend to be the ones invested in the most disturbing situations, I doubt we’ll see a whole lot of Paul’s charming smiles during the installment.

Aaron Paul already has ties to both Netflix and Black Mirror at this point, which further makes this casting addition a solid one. For the Season 4 premiere, "USS Callister," Paul provided a vocal cameo as an online gamer. That episode was co-led by Jesse Plemons, whose creepy AF character Todd notoriously put Paul's Jesse through hell in both Breaking Bad and the Netflix-housed feature spinoff El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. To bring it all together, Paul also played a character named Todd for the streaming service, though for the animated neo-classic BoJack Horseman.  

All The Black Mirror Season 6 Cast Members Announced

Let's take a look at the other cast members who were announced besides Aaron Paul, with the obvious understanding that we also don't know who any of these talents will be playing in the new season.

• Kate Mara (House of Cards, Pose, A Teacher)
• Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Top Gun: Maverick, Tales of the Walking Dead)
• Josh Hartnett (Penny Dreadful, The Fear Index, Oppenheimer)
• Anjana Vasan (We Are Lady Parts, Killing Eve, Cyrano)
• Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, Gangs of London, Anne Boleyn)
• Clara Rugaard (Love Gets a Room, The Rising, Press Play)
• Auden Thornton (This Is Us, Doubt, Palm Trees and Power Lines)

All of the cast members listed above are reportedly set to star in the first three episodes of Black Mirror's sixth season, with more cast members expected to be added and revealed in the near-ish future. In other episode news, the upcoming season will allegedly have more episodes than the critically maligned Season 5, which comprised three 2019 installments. (Including the one with Miley Cyrus.)

So it's definitely been a while since the last time we've been disturbed by Black Mirror's dystopian takes on society and our tech-heavy obsessions. But now we can take comfort in things going forward with stellar new stars. And since Aaron Paul has long been known to be tech-averse himself, and famously doesn't use a cell phone, he may very well be the hero this show deserves.  

While waiting to see how Paul's episode ranks among the 10 best eps of Black Mirror so far, stay tuned to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are popping up soon.

When it comes to some of the biggest films of the last decade, one that always pops up in my mind is The Martian. The Academy Award nominated movie told the story of a lone astronaut who had to find a way to survive on Mars after mistakenly being left for dead by his team, and told a tale of perseverance and strength. 

But with a film that was so well-received and with many stars headlining it, one might be wondering where the cast of the feature adaptation of Andy Weir's popular novel might be today. Well look no further, as this is what The Martian cast has been up to, and what they have going on in the next couple of years. 

Matt Damon (Mark Watney)

First up on this list is Matt Damon, the star of The Martian, who plays Mark Watney. From his Academy Award-nominated role, Damon has gone on to star in several movies that you might recognize. He had a funny cameo role in Thor: Ragnorok, a role he's expected to reprise in the upcoming 2022 movie release, Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Besides that, he’s also had starring roles in films such as The Great Wall, Stillwater, and Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. And he reprised his famous role as the titular character in Jason Bourne. Besides his upcoming appearance in Love and Thunder, Damon is also going to be appearing in the new Christopher Nolan film, Oppenheimer. 

Jessica Chastain (Commander Melissa Lewis)

Next up, we have another big-time star, Jessica Chastain. Since her role as Commander Melissa Lewis in The Martian, Chastain has appeared in a number of movies and been a part of television as well. 

In terms of films, she was in The Zookeeper’s Wife, It: Chapter Two, a part of The 355 cast, won an Academy Award for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and more. She was also in the miniseries, Scenes From a Marriage, and in the TV series, George and Tammy. 

Coming up, she is going to be in several films, including The Good Nurse, Memory, The Division and Mother’s Instinct, so keep an eye out for this talented actress. 

Kristen Wiig (Annie Montrose)

Kristen Wiig portrayed Annie Montrose in The Martian. Known for her hilarious yet moving comedic roles Kristen Wiig has done plenty of movies since the film. She was in the 2016 version of Ghostbusters, closed off the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy, was one of the villains in Wonder Woman 1984, was in the comedic hit, Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar and more. 

She’s also appeared in TV shows as well, including a recurring voice role in the adult animated series, Big Mouth, voiced Jenny Hart in Bless the Harts, and was in MacGruber. Coming up, she’s going to continue her role in the Despicable Me franchise in the upcoming Despicable Me 4, and she'll also be appearing in Mrs. American Pie on Apple TV+.

Jeff Daniels (Theodore “Teddy” Sanders)

Now we have Jeff Daniels, who played Teddy Sanders in The Martian. Daniels has been in many TV shows since his appearance on The Martian. He did have a big role in the film Allegiant, but TV is where he really shined in recent years. 

Daniels had a part in the miniseries, Godless, The Looming Tower miniseries, and recently starred in the Showtime series American Rust. Coming up, he’s going to be appearing in a new Netflix limited series called A Man In Full. 

Michael Pena (Major Rick Martinez)

Michael Pena played Major Rick Martinez in The Martian, and has been quite active in his career. He had a voice role in The Lego Ninjago Movie, had a fun part in Ant-Man as well as its sequel, was in the latest rebooted version of A Wrinkle in Time, had a big role in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and most recently was a part of the Moonfall cast.

He also had a huge role as Kiki Camarena in the TV series, Narcos: Mexico. Next up, he will be in the upcoming film, Secret Headquarters, as well as reprise his role as Luis in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 

Sean Bean (Mitch Henderson)

Sean Bean played Mitch Henderson in The Martian. Bean has been very active in television, and has appeared in many shows. He appeared in Legends, Wasted, Broken, The Frankenstein Chronicles, The Oath, Medici, Curfew, World on Fire, Time, and most recently, Snowpiercer, all in main or recurring roles. Talk about a big-time actor.

He’s also appeared in films like The Young Messiah or Dark River, but television is where Bean really shined. Coming up soon, he’s going to be in another new BBC series called Marriage, as well as a new movie role in Knights of the Zodiac.

Kate Mara (Beth Johanssen)

Kate Mara played Beth Johansson in The Martian, and has grown her career even more since then. In terms of movies, she’s appeared in such hits like Captive, Morgan, The Senator, Ghostwriter and more, but television is also where she’s been able to show her talents. 

She had a voice role in Moonbeam City, played Zoe Barnes in the House of Cards cast, portrayed Patty Bowes in the Ryan Murphy drama, Pose, and starred in the miniseries, A Teacher. Soon, she’s going to be in a new TV miniseries for FX called Class of ‘09. 

Sebastian Stan (Dr. Chris Beck)

Sebastian Stan has only continued to grow in popularity since his role as Dr. Chris Beck in The Martian, appearing in many TV shows and movies. One of his biggest roles is playing Bucky Barnes, otherwise known as The Winter Soldier, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role that he reprised for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier cast. 

Other than the MCU, Stan has been active in both movies and television. Some of his biggest roles were I, Tonya, where he received critical praise for his performance, Destroyer, The Devil All The Time, Monday, The 355, the Hulu original movie, Fresh and more. He’s also dived back into TV for a bit to play Tommy Lee as part of the Pam & Tommy cast on Hulu. Coming up, he's set to appear in the film Sharper. And in 2020 he was listed among the stars of the film The Brutalist, though we haven't seen updates on that project since. 

Aksel Hennie (Dr. Alex Vogel)

Next up, we have Aksel Hennie, who played Dr. Alex Vogul in The Martian. He’s appeared in films such as The Congo Murders, The Cloverfield Paradox, The Doorman, The Middle Man and more. He’s also had roles in TV shows such as White Wall and Nobel. 

In the next couple of years, he will be in a new film called Immortal. According to Deadline, the film began production in September 2021. 

Mackenzie Davis (Mindy Park)

Mackenzie Davis played Mindy Park in The Martian, and she’s appeared in films such as Blade Runner 2049, Freaks of Nature, Tully, Terminator: Dark Fate, the 2020 Christmas film, Happiest Season and more. She’s also had roles in TV shows like Halt and Catch Fire, as well as the miniseries Station Eleven. She even played Yorkie in the famous Black Mirror episode, “San Junipero."

In 2020, Variety included her among the cast of an upcoming film called Alpha Gang. 

Benedict Wong (Bruce Ng)

Benedict Wong's star has continued to rise over the last several years since The Martian released and he played Bruce Ng. His biggest role thus far has been playing Wong in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most recently as part of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cast, but Wong has done plenty of other TV shows and movies too. 

Some of his highlights include a big role in the film Nine Days, a role in the Raya and the Last Dragon cast, a starring role in the TV series, Deadly Class, a voice role in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and more alongside his many appearances in Marvel. Coming up, he’s going to be in the new Disney+ Marvel show, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and in a Netflix TV series called The Three-Body Problem.

Donald Glover (Rich Purnell)

Donald Glover played Rich Purnell in The Martian. Besides his accomplished music career as Childish Gambino, Donald Glover has appeared in many movies, including Solo: A Star Wars Story, Guava Island, The Lion King, and more. 

He’s also been the creator and star of his own FX series, Atlanta, which as of writing this, just wrapped up its third season. Soon, he’s going to be starring in a TV series called Mr. & Mrs. Smith based on the movie of the same name. 

Chen Shu (Zhu Tao)

Chen Shu portrayed Zhu Tao in The Martian, and since then has appeared in a variety of TV shows and movies. These include, but aren’t limited, to the movie Fell in Love Like a Star, the miniseries A Love for Separation, the TV series, Peace Hotel, the TV series Behind the Scenes, the film Cloud Mountain and more.

Eddy Ko (Guo Ming)

Eddy Ko played Guo Ming in The Martian, and has appeared in a couple of films, including Beyond Redemption, The God of Wealth, and The Thousand Faces of Dunjia. 

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Vincent Kapoor)

Last but not least, we have Chiwetel Ejiofor, who has also continued to make a name for himself since his role as Vincent Kapoor in The Martian. Since the film, he appeared in Triple 9, Mary Magdalene, The Lion King, The Old Guard, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and portrayed Baron Mordo in both Doctor Strange and its sequel. 

He also had a role in the TV series, The Man Who Fell to Earth. Among his upcoming projects are The Pod Generation, The Old Guard 2, and Rob Peace (the latter which he's expected to direct, per a report from Variety in 2020.) 

With so many stars, it’s hard to sometimes keep track of all the amazing stuff that they’re doing, but it's clear everyone's been busy with interesting movies and TV shows since the sci-fi film released in 2015. 

Every once in a while, celebrity siblings - such as Ben and Casey Affleck or Dakota and Elle Fanning - end up sharing the screen together. Well, apparently it happens a little more often than just every once in a while, given the amount of examples we compiled below.

Jake And Maggie Gyllenhaal (A Dangerous Woman, Homegrown, Donnie Darko)

Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and his twice-nominated older sister, Maggie, are in three movies together: 1993’s A Dangerous Woman, 1998’s Homegrown (both were directed by their father, Stephen), and the eventual sci-fi cult classic, Donnie Darko, in 2001.

Jeff And Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys)

Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and his older brother, Beau, also played siblings in The Fabulous Baker Boys - a 1989 comedy in which the titular musicians become rivals after teaming up with a beautiful aspiring singer (Michelle Pfieffer).

Kate And Rooney Mara (Urban Legends: Bloody Mary)

Kate Mara of the House of Cards cast led the 2005 straight-to-video slasher, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, in which her younger sister, Nightmare Alley’s Rooney Mara, made her acting debut.

Sean And Chris Penn (At Close Range)

Future two-time Oscar-winner Sean Penn and his late younger brother, Chris (best known from the Reservoir Dogs cast) played siblings in the 1986 crime thriller, At Close Range, starring Christopher Walken as their criminal father.

Andrew, Owen, And Luke Wilson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Owen Wilson and his younger sibling, Luke have also acted alongside their eldest brother, Andrew, in 1996’s Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums from 2001 - both of which Owen also co-wrote with director Wes Anderson.

Chris And Luke Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Chris Hemsworth has yet to star in anything with his little bro, Liam, but the Australian Marvel movie star’s older bother, Westworld star Luke, did show up in Thor: Ragnarok as a dramatized version of the God of Thunder, whom he is set to reprise (along with Matt Damon as “Actor Loki”) in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Dylan And Cole Sprouse (Various)

Twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse (the latter of which went on to join the Riverdale cast) have shared the same role in several TV shows (most notably Grace Under Fire) and movies (such as Big Daddy with Adam Sandler) and have played siblings just as often, most famously as the title characters of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and 2011’s The Suite Life Movie.

Tia, Tamera, And Tahj Mowry  (Sister, Sister, Smart Guy, Seventeen Again)

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry have shared the screen with their little brother, Tahj, several times - most notably as guest stars on each other’s respective sitcoms, Sister, Sister and Smart Guy, and in the 2000 Showtime original movie, Seventeen Again.

James And Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist)

After years finding success in the business in separate projects, James Franco and his younger brother, Dave, played Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero of the infamous cult favorite, The Room, in the 2017 biopic, The Disaster Artist.

Hilary And Haylie Duff (Various)

Haylie Duff would appear on three episodes of her younger sister, Hilary’s, Disney Channel show, Lizzie McGuire, and provided the singing voice of Isabella Parigi in the theatrical spin-off before they both played a singing group on an episode of American Dreams, sisters in the 2006 rags-to-riches story Material Girls, and both leant their voices to the infamous animated movie Foodfight!, which was released in 2012.

Aly And AJ Michalka (Various)

Singer-songwriter duo Aly and AJ Michalka first shared the screen in the 2006 Disney Channel original movie Cow Belles as sisters, again in the MTV original Super Sweet 16: The Movie the next year as rivals, followed by three episodes of Aly’s CW series Hellcats in 2011 as half-sisters. Most recently, they appeared in the 2015 drama, Weepah Way For Now, as what appear to be fictionalized versions of themselves.

Dakota And Elle Fanning (I Am Sam, Taken)

Elle Fanning has portrayed a younger version of her older sister, Dakota, on two separate occasions: first in the 2001 drama I Am Sam and secondly in the Steven Spielberg-produced, Syfy original miniseries, Taken, in 2002.

Spencer And Abigail Breslin (Various)

Academy Award nominee Abigail and her older brother, Spencer, played siblings in both Raising Helen and The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement in 2004, played elves in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006, and later played cousins in the 2014 crime drama, Perfect Sisters.

Jason And Justine Bateman (Arrested Development)

Justine Bateman played her real-life brother, Jason's, sibling in the 1986 TV movie Can You Feel Me Dancing? and a sex worker whom Jason’s Michael Bluth mistakes for his long-lost sibling on Arrested Development.

John, Joan, Ann, And Bill Cusack (Grosse Pointe Blank)

While beloved star John Cusack and his Academy-nominated sister, Joan, have appeared in more films together than most celebrity siblings can claim (including Say Anything… and High Fidelity), the only screen credit that they also share with both their sister, Ann, and brother, Bill, is 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank, which John also co-wrote and produced.

Bill And Brian Doyle Murray (Various) 

Bill Murray and his older brother, Brian, are both Saturday Night Live veterans (although at different times) and have several classic movies in common - including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Groundhog Day, and The Razor's Edge.

Ben And Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy)

Years before casting him in his amazing directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck shared the screen with his younger brother and fellow Oscar winner, Casey, in Good Will Hunting (which Ben co-wrote with Matt Damon) and Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy in 1997.

Macaulay And Kieran Culkin (Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Kieran Culkin (now more famous than ever since starring on HBO’s Succession) made his acting debut alongside his older brother (child megastar Macaulay Culkin) in 1990’s Home Alone cast as his cousin, Fuller - a role he would also reprise in the 1992 sequel.

Rory And Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down)

In addition to playing Macaulay’s younger self in Richie Rich, the youngest Culkin brother, Rory, also played a younger version of Kieran as the title role in 2002's Igby Goes Down.

The Wayans Siblings (Various) 

Where do we start with the Wayans Siblings? Well, for instance, several of them (such as Damon and Kim Wayans) were a part of the In Living Color cast with star and creator Keenen Ivory Wayans, who later directed his younger brothers, Marlon and Shawn, in movies like White Chicks, the first two Scary Movie installments, and Little Man.

Zooey And Emily Deschanel (Bones)

In Season 5 of Bones, star Emily Deschanel’s sister (Zooey of the Elf cast fame and later the lead of the New Girl cast) guest starred as Temperance Brennan’s second cousin, Margaret Whitesell.

Fred And Ben Savage (Little Monsters, The Wonder Years, Boy Meets World)

After playing siblings in the family-friendly horror film, Little Monsters, in 1989, Ben Savage made a guest appearance on his older brother, Fred’s, hit dramedy, The Wonder Years, in 1990 and later returned the favor by inviting him to the Boy Meets World cast for an episode in 1998.

Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

After making several movies together - including Young Guns, Men At Work, and Rated X (the latter two of which Emilio Estevez directed), Charlie Sheen (née Carlos Estevez) reunited with his brother on an episode of his hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men, in 2008.

Vanessa and Laura Marano (Saving Zoë)

Both of these talented ladies had guest appearances on Dexter at different times in the series’ run, but Vanessa Marano and her younger sister, Laura, did appear together in the 2019 mystery, Saving Zoë, as siblings torn apart by one’s unsolved murder.

Nat And Alex Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band, Mr. Troop Mom, Stella’s Last Weekend)

Hereditary’s Alex Wolff and his older brother, Peacock’s Joe vs. Carole cast member Nat Wolff, both debuted as fictionalized versions of themselves in Nickelodeon’s faux rockumentary, The Naked Brothers Band, its series continuation, and the 2009 TV movie Mr. Troop Mom before reuniting in 2018’s Stella’s Last Weekend, which was written and directed by their mother, Polly Draper.

Vera And Taissa Farmiga (Higher Ground, At Middleton, The Nun)

Scream Queens Vera and Taissa Farmiga, who are often mistaken for mother and daughter, played mother and daughter in 2013’s At Middleton after Taissa previously played her older sister’s younger self in Vera’s 2011 directorial debut, Higher Ground. However, interestingly, their characters in the 2018 Conjuring spin-off, The Nun, have no apparent familial ties.

Maude And Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40, Funny People)

Euphoria’s Maude Apatow and her younger sister, Iris, have played siblings in 2007’s Knocked Up, its “sort-of sequel” This is 40 from 2012, and 2009’s Funny People - all three of which also starred their real mother, Leslie Mann, as their mother, and were written and directed by their father, Judd Apatow.

Dan And Sarah Levy (Schitt’s Creek)

While Annie Murphy plays co-creator Dan Levy’s on-screen sister in the Schitt’s Creek cast, Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands, is played by his real-life sister, Sarah.

Mary-Kate, Ashley, And Elizabeth Olsen (How The West Was Fun)

After Full House made the Olsen Twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, household names and  before the Marvel movies made their younger sister, Elizabeth, an A-lister, all three of them appeared together in the ABC original TV movie How the West Was Fun in 1994.

Bill And Alexander Skarsgård (White Water Fury)

Years before his terrifying performance as Pennywise in It, Bill Skarsgård made his acting debut alongside his older brother, True Blood cast member Alexander, in the 2000 Swedish thriller, White Water Fury.

Blake And Robyn Lively (Simon Says)

Robyn Lively, star of 1989’s Teen Witch, shared the screen with her then up-and-coming half-sister, former Gossip Girl cast member Blake Lively, in a 2006 slasher flick called Simon Says, which also stars fellow ‘80s icon Crispin Glover.

Brian And Domhnall Gleeson (Mother!, Frank Of Ireland)

Despite plenty of years of experience between the them, it was not until 2017 when Star Wars star Domnhall Gleeson and his younger brother, Brian, shared the screen in Mother! before reuniting as co-creators and co-stars of the Amazon Prime original comedy Frank of Ireland - also starring their father, Brendan Gleeson.

Eddie And Charlie Murphy (Harlem Nights, Norbit)

Comedy icon Eddie Murphy worked behind the scenes a lot with his older brother, Charlie, who passed away in 2017, but the two would also share a few acting credits, - namely Eddie’s 1989 directorial debut Harlem Nights (also Charlie’s first movie), and in 2006’s Norbit, in which Charlie voiced a dog named Floyd.

Phylicia Rashad And Debbie Allen (The Cosby Show, Grey’s Anatomy, The Old Settler)

Phylicia Rashad and her younger sister, Emmy-winning dance legend Debbie Allen, have made guest appearances on each other’s shows - The Cosby Show, on which Rashad played Claire Huxtable, and Grey’s Anatomy, on which Allen plays Dr. Catherine Fox (née Avery) - and both starred in a 2001 TV movie called The Old Settler, which Allen also directed.

Ron And Clint Howard (Various) 

You can find Clint Howard in just about every movie directed by his brother, Ron Howard - including his feature-length directorial debut from 1977, Grand Theft Auto, which was also the brothers’ third time acting alongside each other after the 1963 film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and a handful of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Angelina Jolie And James Haven (Gia, Hell’s Kitchen, Original Sin)

Audiences probably remember Angelina Jolie’s brother, James Haven, better for other reasons than all the times he shared the screen with his younger sister - namely Gia and Hell’s Kitchen from 1998, and 2001’s Original Sin.

Jared And Shannon Leto (Various)

In addition to being bandmates with his young brother, Oscar winner Jared Leto, in 30 Seconds to Mars, Shannon Leto also shared the screen with him on a couple of episodes of My So-Called Life (on which Jared played the iconic Jordan Catalano) and through brief appearances in the movies Prefontaine from 1997, 1998’s Highway, and Sol Goode in 2003.

Chris And Scott Evans (Before We Go, Playing It Cool)

Former Captain America actor Chris Evans has a brother named Scott who has also appeared in two romantic-comedies from 2014 with his older sibling, called Before We Go (which Chris also directed) and Playing It Cool.

Sarah And Laura Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program, Bob’s Burgers, Masters Of Sex)

Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman and her sister, Laura, played heavily fictionalized versions of themselves as series regulars on The Sarah Silverman Program, made guest appearances on Showtime’s Masters of Sex together, and have recurred on Bob’s Burgers as Jimmy Pesto’s twin sons, Andy and Ollie.

Kevin, Nick, And Joe Jonas (Camp Rock Movies, Jonas)

Back when they were the biggest thing to come out of Disney Channel, Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas played three brothers in a band not named the Jonas Brothers in the Camp Rock movies, and later played themselves to more comedic effect in their own sitcom, aptly titled Jonas.

Looks like talent really does run in the family.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment world, with stories appearing on both the small and silver screens. The universe is constantly expanding, and fans are eager to see more characters introduced like the X-Men and Fantastic Four since Disney acquired Fox and its properties. But would Kate Mara return to her role as the Invisible Woman in the MCU? Here’s her honest thoughts.

House of Cards actress Kate Mara debuted as Sue Storm/ Invisible Woman in Josh Trank’s ill-fated 2015 blockbuster Fantastic Four. While it was originally meant to start a new franchise with the killer cast, the movie’s box office and critical box disappointment dashed those hopes. But would Mara like to give it another go within the MCU? She was recently asked this, saying:

Well, there you have it. It seems like Kate Mara might be able to be convinced to play Sue Storm again if she’s paired with the right director. That being said, she doesn’t seem to believe that such a project will be coming together anytime soon-- referring to it as a “fantasy.” What a bummer.

Kate Mara’s comments to ComicBook come from an interview she did promoting her new podcast Ghostwriter. With Phase Four of the MCU introducing new characters and expanding the beloved franchise, eventually the conversation turned to her brief tenure in the Fantastic Four. Especially since Marvel fans are eager to see that team of heroes finally join the shared universe alongside The Avengers.

Since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties, fans have been eagerly anticipating Marvel characters finally showing up in the MCU. This includes Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, as well as the X-Men. Kevin Feige and company seemingly have plans to eventually introduce the Fantastic Four back onto the big screen, although there’s been no indication of when that might occur, or who will be playing characters like Johnny Storm and Reed Richards.

There have been a number of fan theories about when the Fantastic Four might show up in the MCU, and what actors might be great in those roles. Some thought that WandaVision’s Aerospace Engineer would end up being Reed Richards, but that didn’t happen. And fans have long hopes that John Krasinski and Emily Blunt might play Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman respectively-- although the Jungle Cruise actress doesn’t seem super interested in the role. Perhaps that’ll leave room for Kate Mara to return. Fingers crossed.

The next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Spider-Man: No Way Home on December 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

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It is hard to believe that it has been a decade since co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk introduced us to the bizarre, disturbing, psychosexual world of American Horror Story - FX’s acclaimed seasonal horror anthology that would make household names out of Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, to name a few. Of course, we should not forget about some of its biggest guest stars, like Alexandra Daddario or Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet, but if their appearances did slip your mind, we don’t blame you. In fact, there are a few other familiar faces we found ourselves surprised to see in the earlier seasons upon rewatch and, in honor of American Horror Story Season 10 (subtitled Double Feature) hitting the 2021 Fall TV schedule, we decided to revisit their roles, such as this A-lister who can call one of the best horror TV shows ever one of her first gigs ever.

Rosa Salazar (Nurse Maria, Season 1)

It was not until she more recently starred in Bird Box and the Netflix original miniseries Brand New Cherry Flavor when Rosa Salazar began earning a reputation as one of the top horror Scream Queens of modern day. However, the genesis of this was actually when the Alita: Battle Angel actress was in a few episodes of American Horror Story Season 1 as a nurse brutally stabbed to death in the “Murder House.”

Kate Mara (Hayden McClaine, Season 1)

I would also consider Kate Mara to be a bit of a Scream Queen for her roles in Morgan, 2015’s Fantastic Four (which some would say counts for different reasons), and, especially American Horror Story’s first season as a student of Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) who became his mistress and, later, obsessive stalker. Ironically, the Emmy nominee would play the reverse role (minus the stalking and depravity) on the FX on Hulu miniseries, A Teacher.

Heather Langenkamp (Female Toulouse / Tupperware Housewife, Season 4)

Speaking of scream queens, it is no secret that Ryan Murphy (also the creator of a show literally called Scream Queens) has an affinity for some of horror movies’ most iconic actresses, which is why he has cast a few on American Horror Story. However, fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street were probably quicker to spot Heather Langenkamp (Nancy in the Wes Craven classic) when she appeared on the Freak Show season as a Tupperware party guest.

Alexandra Daddario (Natacha Rambova, Season 5)

One of today’s leading Scream Queens (for Texas Chainsaw, What We Do in the Shadows, etc.) is Alexandra Daddario, who recently starred on HBO’s dark miniseries comedy The White Lotus. A year after her memorable role on another popular seasonal anthology, True Detective, the actress played a highly fictionalized version of Rudy Valentino’s (Finn Whitrock) costume designer wife, Natasha Rambova, who is reimagined on American Horror Story: Hotel as a vampire.

Alexandra Breckenridge (Young Moira O’Hara, Season 1 / Kaylee, Season 3)

Another famous Alexandra who has starred on American Horror Story is Alexandra Breckenridge, whom many might know best today as the lead of the Virgin River cast on Netflix. Years earlier, she played the younger image of the Harmons’ ghostly maid Moira (Frances Conroy) in Murder House and briefly appeared in Coven as a victim of serial witch hunter, Hank (Josh Hamilton).

Christian Serratos (Becca, Season 1)

Alexandra Breckenridge’s former The Walking Dead cast mate Christian Serratos also appears on American Horror Story Season 1, but in a far more brief role. She plays one of three bullying teens who gang up on Violet Harmon (Taissa Farmiga) for smoking a cigarette on school ground.

Ian Anthony Dale (Dr. David Zhong, Season 3)

Former Hawaii Five-0 cast member Ian Anthony Dale is joining The Walking Dead Season 11 cast, but also has a small part on American Horror Story in common with Christian Serratos. In Season 3, he plays a biochemist whom Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) demands help her remain youthful, only to meet a bitter end when his prescription fails.

Mike Colter (David, Season 3)

Another American Horror Story: Coven actor who may have slipped from your memory is Mike Colter, who appeared in three episodes as member of a secret witch hunters organization who also meets a bitter end at the hands of real-life, unidentified serial killer The Axeman (Danny Huston). While the actor had notable roles before in films like Million Dollar Baby and Men in Black 3, he would later rise to fame from Netflix’s Marvel TV show Luke Cage as the title character and on another popular TV thriller, Evil.

Chrissy Metz (Ima Wiggles, Season 4)

Before she rose to fame for her Emmy-nominated role as Kate Pearson on the This Is Us cast, Chrissy Metz experienced a breakthrough on American Horror Story Season 4. She played a woman named Barbara who is recruited into the titular freak show and given the nickname Ima Wiggles by Jessica Lange’s Elsa Mars after discovering her at a weight loss clinic.

Mark Margolis (Sam Goodman, Season 2)

Mark Margolis had already scored the most memorable (and Emmy nominated) character of his career when he joined the Breaking Bad cast as Hector “Tio” Salamanca by the time he cameoed on American Horror Story. He appears on three episodes of Asylum as a Holocaust survivor whose vengeful Nazi hunt is interrupted by the possessed Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe).

Madchen Amick (Mrs. Ellison, Season 5)

The most iconic roles of Madchen Amick’s career are Shelly Johnson from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks or on the Riverdale cast as Betty Cooper’s mother, Alice Smith. One of her more brief and underrated roles is on American Horror Story: Hotel as a hypochondriac killed by her own son after Alex Lowe (Chloë Sevigny) turns him into a vampire.

Marla Gibbs (Cassie Royale, Season 5)

Five-time Emmy nominee Marla Gibbs earned her iconic status as Florence Johnson on The Jeffersons and on 227 as Mary Jenkins. She brought that iconography to Season 5 of American Horror Story as the mother of Angela Bassett’s character, Ramona Royale.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Angus T. Jefferson, Season 4)

Another Emmy-nominated former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story is Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who is best known for playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Ryan Murphy would also cast him as NFL star Al Cowlings on American Crime Story after he played the second husband of the three-breasted Desiree Dupree, also played by Angela Basset on Freak Show.

David Burtka (Michael Beck, Season 4)

Yet another Emmy-nominated former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story: Freak Show is How I Met Your Mother cast member Neil Patrick Harris, but you probably remembered that. What you might have forgotten is that his husband, David Burtka (who played Scooter on HIMYM), also appeared that season as Elsa Mars’ producer and spouse, Michael Beck.

Eric Stonestreet (Derrick, Season 1)

One Emmy-winning former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story is Eric Stonestreet, who played Cameron Tucker as part of the Modern Family cast for 11 seasons. In his sole episode from Season 1, the actor plays a patient of Ben Harmon who tries to face his fear by calling out to a Candyman-esque urban legend known as the Piggy Man, only to be killed by a burglar who thought he was mocking his weight.

Morris Chestnut (Luke Maxcy, Season 1)

Morris Chestnut (who may be a familiar face from appearances in movies like The Best Man and the TV show The Resident) made his feature film debut in 1991’s Boyz n the Hood, opposite future American Horror Story: Roanoke cast member Cuba Gooding Jr. However, he got to beat his Oscar-winning co-star to the punch by starring in the series’ first season as a security guard whom Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton) hires to help protect the “Murder House” and begins to the develop a crush on, much to the hypocritical chagrin of Ben.

Jenna Dewan (Teresa Morrison, Season 2)

Speaking of romance going south on American Horror Story, while the bulk of the second season takes place in the 1960s, we are first introduced to the infamous Briarcliff Asylum in the present day as it is being visited by a couple of self-described “horror freaks” seeking to consummate their marriage in several historically deadly spots. The lady in the relationship is Teresa Morrison, played by dancer-turned-actress Jenna Dewan, who is best know from the first of the Step Up movies.

Adam Levine (Leo Morrison, Season 2)

Playing Teresa Morrison’s husband, Leo, is someone who is a bit of dancer himself, once claiming to have “moves like Jagger” in a 2010 pop song of the same. Of course, I am talking about Maroon 5 frontman and former The Voice coach Adam Levine, who made his acting debut (as someone other than himself, I should specify) as the ill-fated American Horror Story: Asylum character.

Considering this show has been on air for 10 seasons now, I would not be surprised if there were a few other notable names whom I forgot to mention. Regardless, it only goes to show that enduring the traumatic nightmares one goes through on American Horror Story, for many of the actors involved, it must be a dream come true.

There are a lot of different trajectories to take if you’re trying to establish a career in Hollywood. Some actors seem to break through pretty quickly, while others take a bit longer to build up a presence. Kate Mara did the latter, by appearing in smaller roles in films and TV shows over time. One such role just happened to be on screen, albeit briefly, with Robert Downey Jr. in one of the biggest movies of 2010, Iron Man 2 -- and she recently revealed exactly why she chose to make that particular move.

The early part of Kate Mara’s career included some pretty impressive highlights. She appeared alongside Heath Ledger in a small but pivotal role in Brokeback Mountain and earned credits in films like We Are Marshall and guest roles on TV shows like Everwood.

Starting in 2010, she began to slowly but surely level up. Kate Mara had a small (very small) role in the 2010 Iron Man sequel. In the cameo appearance, she shows up to tell Tony Stark that he’s been subpoenaed to appear before the United States Senate. While it wasn’t exactly a star-making turn, the actress told Collider that she took the part for a couple of different reasons:

While her role in Iron Man 2 didn’t end up translating into a bigger part in the MCU, it wasn’t a total loss. Kate Mara made it clear that she still valued the experience -- and her career still managed to take off, albeit in a different direction.

By the end of 2011, she began to really make her mark with roles in American Horror Story. In 2013, she had a huge breakthrough playing reporter Zoe Barnes in Netflix’s House of Cards. Although the following years saw a few disappointments, especially with films like Fantastic Four, she’s still had plenty of career highlights too, as she's built up a steady stream of credits.

What’s your favorite role of Kate Mara's roles? Would you have wanted to see her take on a bigger role in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

Imagine getting one of your first big roles in a movie -- and having your on-screen partner be one of the most well-known actors in Hollywood. That was Kate Mara’s experience with Brokeback Mountain after she was cast to play against Heath Ledger. The experience was certainly memorable -- and, luckily, one that she doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to forget.

Brokeback Mountain wasn’t Kate Mara’s first professional acting role but in many ways, was a breakthrough role for her. She played Alma Jr., the daughter of Heath Ledger's Ennis Del Mar -- but despite having a smaller role, she found the experience of filming to be memorable and rewarding. On the Watch What Happens Live After Show, Kate Mara revealed what it was like to work with Heath Ledger and discussed the unusual circumstances they found themselves in on set:

Heath Ledger was in his mid-20s when Brokeback Mountain was filmed -- in other words, less than a decade older than Kate Mara. When she shows up at the end of the film, Ennis is supposed to be roughly 40 years old, which the filmmakers and Heath Ledger pulled off using a combination of styling and subtle changes in the way he carried himself. Still, it’s funny to consider the small gap in their ages when you remember their on-screen relationship.

More importantly, it’s nice to hear that the late actor was supportive of Kate Mara while they were filming, especially since she didn’t have much experience on set. By that point, Heath Ledger was a well-known actor, thanks to roles in movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, The Patriot and A Knight’s Tale. So it’s easy to see why having someone so well known would be a huge help to someone who was new to making movies on such a big scale.

Despite his experience, Brokeback Mountain would end up being a huge milestone in Heath Ledger’s career, too. While it was controversial in some circles, its portrayal of a romantic relationship between two men was groundbreaking, and it was both a commercial and critical success. Heath Ledger’s performance ultimately resulted in his first Academy Award nomination.

It was, unfortunately, the only time the two actors worked together. Heath Ledger died less than three years after Brokeback Mountain was released. Kate Mara went on to enjoy a busy career with starring roles in everything from American Horror Story and House of Cards to Fantastic Four and The Martian. Next, she’s starring in the FX on Hulu series, A Teacher.

Remember Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four? I’ll give you a moment – in a crowded comic book movie landscape, paired with the 2015 film bombing hard, it may not pop right to mind. It stands as one of Marvel’s worst disasters, and while the film’s Invisible Woman, Kate Mara, may be content with the film fading into the background amidst her larger career with memorable performances in House of Cards and Shooter, she walked away from it with a valuable lesson to share about trusting her gut.

Following the viral success of his debut film Chronicle, a 29-year-old Josh Trank jumped straight into the deep end when he directed Fantastic Four with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell and Miles Teller also starring. Trank and 20th Century Fox reportedly had creative qualms that led to the summer blockbuster-hopeful-turned-9% Rotten-box office bomb. Kate Mara spoke at length about the lessons Fantastic Four taught her:

Kate Mara’s recent words to Collider show that the actress may have had a strange feeling about the project while working on it, but was being told it was a good project for her to be a part of nonetheless. To date, the actress’ role of Sue Storm is arguably her most high profile, but it won’t go down in history due to the film’s bad reception by fans and critics alike. Mara continued:

Thanks to Fantastic Four, Kate Mara fell in love with husband Jamie Bell. The couple now have a daughter together after falling in love on the press tour (according to Mara on Andy Cohen) and then getting married in 2017. So there’s a silver lining right there for the actress, and as she says, she doesn’t regret doing the movie itself. However, in retrospect, she does wish she would have stood up for herself more on the project.

Kate Mara also recently called her time on Fantastic Four a “horrible experience” and cited wishing she had responded to the situation she was presented with differently. As she touched on, being on a Marvel set is typically a very good place to be. It would make sense she might try and trust her cast and crew despite the strange circumstances of the film, but in retrospect, she knows not to ignore the gut feelings she has in situations.

The Fantastic Four will reportedly be explored in the future by the MCU, as opposed to Fox’s former offshoot of the comic book franchise. In the meantime, check out the Marvel Cinematic Universe line-up here on CinemaBlend.

There are actors like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and even Jermey Renner who will always be remembered for their roles in various Marvel movies, but there also actors who either appeared in early Marvel Cinematic Universe titles or showed up before they were big stars who tend to be forgotten. Take Ty Burrell, for example, who showed up as Betty Ross' boyfriend in 2008's The Incredible Hulk just one year before he became a major star on ABC's Modern Family. 

If Edward Norton's Hulk movie would have switched places with Iron Man 2, we all probably would remember Burrell in the same way we remember Terrence Howard in the first Iron Man solo film, but instead, his performance is often forgotten.

But Ty Burrell isn't alone. In fact, there have been more than a dozen (and counting) famous actors whose Marvel appearances aren't all that remembered, which is insane considering the names of some of these film and television stars. Actors like Kate Mara, Powers Boothe, and even Bill and Ted Face the Music's William Sadler have all shown up in Marvel movies over the past 12 years, so I thought it would be fun to explore some of the most notable bit roles, cameos, and other appearances up through Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ty Burrell - The Incredible Hulk

When Ty Burrell showed up as Betty Ross' (Liv Tyler) boyfriend, Leonard Samson, in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, he was mostly known as the rich jerk from Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake and not the lovable Phil Dunphy on Modern Family. Burrell's character doesn't really do much outside of make Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) jealous and tip off Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross of Banner's return from exile. It's just a bummer we never got to see how the character would have been expanded if the second movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe got a sequel of its own.

Tim Blake Nelson - The Incredible Hulk

Tim Blake Nelson's transformation from cellular biologist Samuel Sterns to Leader near the end of The Incredible Hulk was one of the most exciting moments in the 2008 summer blockbuster, but just like Ty Burrell's Leonard Samson, the character was never seen again. Unlike Burrell, however, Nelson was already an established star at the time of his first and only Marvel appearance, having shown up in The Thin Red Line, Minority Report, and a little movie called O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

Peter Billingsley - Iron Man, Spider-Man: Far From Home

Remember Ralph Parker from the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story? Well, Peter Billingsley, the actor behind the role, is all grown up now and has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe twice at this point. His first appearance can be seen in Iron Man as Stark Industries scientist William Ginter Riva who is on the receiving end of Obadiah Stain's (Jeff Bridges) epic "with a bunch of scraps" rant about Tony Stark, and then again as the same character in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home amazing Mysterio reveal scene. Billingsley is a long-time collaborator of Jon Favreau, having appeared in and produced a number of the director's films, including Iron Man.

Kate Mara - Iron Man 2

You might think that Kate Mara's only appearance in a movie based on a Marvel Comics property came in 2015's Fantastic Four, but the star of the box office and critical failure showed up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe five years earlier in bit role as process server for the U.S. Marshals serving Tony Stark a subpoena to appear before the U.S. Senate in Iron Man 2. 

Mara had already appeared in the children's superhero comedy Zoom, We Are Marshall, and 24 by the time she was cast in Jon Favreau's second Iron Man movie, but she was still a few years out from finding success with American Horror Story: Murder House, House of Cards, and The Martian.

Natalie Dormer - Captain America: The First Avenger

Natalie Dormer is probably best known for her portrayal of Margaery Tyrell on HBO's Game of Thrones, but like just about every face in Hollywood, the British actress made a brief, yet important appearance in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger as Private Lorraine. In the scene, Lorraine grabs Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and pulls him in for a kiss while he awaits the arrival of Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) just as Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) walks by at just the wrong time. 

Natalie Dormer, still a year out from Game of Thrones, was already somewhat established at the time, having appeared as Anne Boleyn on The Tudors in the historical drama's first two seasons.

David Bradley - Captain America: The First Avenger

Natalie Dormer wasn't the only Game of Thrones star to appear in Captain America, as David Bradley, who shocked and disgusted fans of HBO's fantasy series as Walder Frey, showed up as the tower keeper in the opening moments of the 2011 Marvel movie. He's only in the film for a few minutes before he is gunned down by Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) after locating the tesseract. David Bradley had one hell of a 2011 with his final appearance as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter franchise, as well as roles in Game of Thrones, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jenna Coleman - Captain America: The First Avenger

Jenna Coleman, best known for her portrayal of Clara Oswald on Doctor Who, also made a very brief appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger as Bucky's date, Connie, at the world expo in the film's first act. Even though she had appeared on shows like Emmerdale and Titanic when she was cast in a very small role in the first Captain America adventure, Coleman was still a year out from becoming one of the most well-loved companions on the British science-fiction program.

Harry Dean Stanton - The Avengers

The first Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover film The Avengers had one of the biggest casts at the time of its 2012 release. In addition to the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Scarlett Johansson, Joss Whedon's epic also featured some great cameos, including one by Harry Dean Stanton. The late character actor is seen in a brief interaction with Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) following the big blowup abroad the Helicarrier. And although short, it's great to see the actor best known for roles in Paris, Texas, Alien, and Escape from New York show up for some comedic relief.

Ashley Johnson - The Avengers

Ashley Johnson shows up briefly at the very end of The Avengers when her character, Beth, is being interviewed about the battle of New York. At first it may seem weird that the the actress who appeared in The Help, What Women Want, and who would later become the voice of Ellie in The Last of Us, would have such a small part, but Johnson's role was trimmed down and most of her scenes ended up being cut from the final draft. This includes her conversation with Steve Rogers, which explains her specially naming Captain America during the interview.

William Sadler - Iron Man 3

William Sadler, who has appeared in everything from The Shawshank Redemption to the Bill & Ted franchise, showed up on more than one occasion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His first appearance came in 2013's Iron Man 3, where he is seen playing President Matthew Ellis during the action-packed kidnapping scene aboard Air Force One. Sadler would reprise the role in a few episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Chris O'Dowd - Thor: The Dark World

Don't feel bad if you forgot that Chris O'Dowd was in 2013's Thor: The Dark World because the British funny man known for his roles from The IT Crowd, Get Shorty, and Bridesmaids even forgot he was in the movie until a 2019 interview with MTV News. O'Dowd showed up briefly as Jane Foster's date, Richard, in the early goings of the second Thor adventure, but I guess not enough for anyone to remember, the actor included.

Sam Neill - Thor: Ragnarok

The great dramatic retelling of "Loki's sacrifice" in the beginning of Thor: Ragnarok is probably best remembered for the performance by Matt Damon as the over-the-top actor portraying the God of Mischief, but acting great Sam Neill is also in there as an Asgardian actor taking on the role of Odin during the play. Neill, who is best known for his portrayal of Alan Grant in Jurassic Park (and the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion), previously worked with Ragnarok director Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which explains his brief cameo here.

Those aren't even all of the great actors who have made appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past 12 years. With the Marvel One-Shots featuring the likes of Lizzy Caplan, Bradley Whitford, and Scoot McNairy, to name a few, as well as cameos from people like Garret Morris in Ant-Man, there are just too many to count. Did this article reveal any of those forgotten stars or did it leave out some that slipped between the cracks? Either way, sound off in the comments below.

It seems like forever ago when Frank and Claire Underwood and the rest of the impressive House of Cards cast were making news for being a part of one of the most controversial and well-made original shows on Netflix. Over the course of the David Fincher-produced show's six-season run, the political drama was home to some of the biggest and brightest stars of the time as well as those who became famous for their portrayals of the Washington, D.C. elite.

But, nearly two years after the final episode of an abbreviated sixth season debuted on the streaming platform, some of you may be wondering what the show's stars are up to now, and where you can catch up with their careers since leaving the seven-time Emmy Award-winning series. Luckily, you're in the right place, because I have put together an extensive list of the most memorable actors and actresses from House of Cards and what they're doing right now.

Robin Wright (Claire Underwood)

Robin Wright's portrayal of Claire Underwood in House of Cards will probably go down as one of the most significant and decorated performances on a television program. From lobbyist to the President of the United States, Claire was a driving force which was brought to life by Wright's mastery of the medium. Since the show's shocking finale in 2018, the Golden Globe winner has continued to stay busy with her work in the DC Extended Universe, including the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 and the 2021 release of Zack Snyder's Justice League. Wright is also slated to make her directorial debut with Land, a drama in which she also stars, about a grieving attorney who goes off the grid to escape society.

Michael Kelly (Doug Stamper)

Michael Kelly appeared as Frank Underwood's Chief of Staff and trusted confidant Doug Stamper throughout the entire duration of House of Cards, and was a player in one of the most traumatic and somber moments in the show's run. Since leaving the show with Season 6 finale, Kelly has remained busy with a supporting role on the Amazon original series Jack Ryan, where he plays CIA station chief in Venezuela, Mike November (hopefully he returns for Season 3), as well as being the spokesperson for the most recent Supercuts marketing campaign starting in 2019. The veteran television actor will return to the format for the upcoming political miniseries A Higher Loyalty, which will see Kelly portraying former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.

Mahershala Ali (Remy Danton)

For parts of the show's first four seasons, Mahershala Ali portrayed Remy Denton, Frank Underwood's former Press Secretary who later bounced around between being a lobbyist and Underwood's temporary Chief of Staff in the absence of Doug Stamper. Since leaving House of Cards, Ali has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, for his performances in Moonlight and Green Book, the latter of which also earned him a Golden Globe. Ali will take a step into the big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future, in the announced reboot of Blade, in which he will play the titular vampire hunter.

Rachel Brosnahan (Rachel Posner)

Rachel Brosnahan is one of the biggest and most talented names in television right now thanks to her portrayal of Miriam "Midge" Maisel on the Amazon original series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but the actress got her first bit of fame after her run as Rachel Posner during the first three seasons of House of Cards. Since leaving the Netflix series, Brosnahan has earned two Golden Globes, an Emmy, and a number of other awards for Mrs. Maisel. We're still waiting to hear more about the Season 4 of the hit comedy series, but in the meantime, expect to see Brosnahan in the historical feature The Courier and the upcoming drama I'm Your Woman.

Kate Mara (Zoe Barnes)

Kate Mara's Zoe Barnes was a major player in the first season of House of Cards when the Washington Herald reporter became the lover/mouthpiece of Frank Underwood. Well, that is until her shocking death at the hands of her former lover in the Season 2 premiere. Since leaving the series, Mara has gone on to star in the panned Fantastic Four, the FX series Pose, and a number of other smaller projects. Mara is set to return to FX for the upcoming drama miniseries A Teacher, in which she will portray a young teacher who gets caught up in an affair with one of her students.

Corey Stoll (Peter Russo)

Corey Stoll's Peter Russo, a Democratic congressman recovering from severe addiction issues, was one of Frank Underwood's first victims in Season 1 of House of Cards, but he wouldn't be his last. Since his departure from the Netflix series, Stoll has gone on to have a rather successful career in film and television, with appearances in Ant-Man, First Man, and The Strain to name a few. The talented actor will next appear in Steven Spielberg's adaption of West Side Story as well The Many Saints of Newark, the highly-anticipated prequel to the HBO series The Sopranos, which is scheduled to hit theaters in March 2021.

Boris McGiver (Tom Hammerschmidt)

For all but the third season of House of Cards, Boris McGiver played Tom Hammerschmidt, the no nonsense editor-in-chief of the Washington Herald newspaper who proved to be a constant thorn in the side of Frank Underwood. After the show wrapped up in 2018, McGiver joined the cast of the CBS supernatural drama series Evil, as well as the ABC legal drama For Life, where he plays the prosecutor who was responsible for putting the show's main character, Aaron Wallace, in prison in the first place.

Jayne Atkinson (Catherine Durant)

Jayne Atkinson's portrayal of former Louisiana Senator and Secretary of State Catherine Durant was one the most memorable performances on House of Cards, especially in the show's final seasons for the vicious games she and President Claire Underwood played against one another. Since her departure from the series, Atkinson has continued to pop up in various television programs like The Walking Dead, Castle Rock, and Bluff City Law, which was cancelled by NBC after the original 10 episodes that were ordered were filmed.

Nathan Darrow (Edward Meechum)

For the first four seasons of House of Cards Nathan Darrow played United States Capitol Police officer and Frank Underwood's personal security guard Edward Meechum until his character's tragic ending. Besides his tragic death and strange threeway scene with the Underwoods, Meechum was a bright spot of the show in its early days, and provided some great moments. Near the end of his run on the Netflix series, Darrow joined the cast of Gotham where he portrayed Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze. Darrow is currently featured on the CBS crime show FBI.

Sakina Jaffrey (Linda Vasquez)

Sakina Jaffrey was mostly on House of Cards in the show's first two seasons, where she portrayed former United States President Garrett Walker's Chief of Staff, Linda Vasquez, one of the many enemies of Frank Underwood in his rise to power. Since leaving the show, Jaffrey has continued to have a successful career in film and television, with roles in major projects like American Gods, Homeland, Lost in Space, and the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob, where she stars alongside Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, J.K. Simmons, and other members of a large ensemble cast.

Sebastian Arcelus (Lucas Goodwin)

Sebastian Arcelus' portrayal of reporter Lucas Goodwin will probably go down as one of the most traumatizing and unforgettable descents into madness featured on the show. In trying to find dirt and take down Frank Underwood, Goodwin's life (professional and personal) continues to get worse and worse until its tragic ending. Following his departure from House of Cards, Arcelus found moderate success on television shows like Madame Secretary, The Leftovers, and most recently, small roles on FBI and Bull. One of the most notable facts about Arcelus is that, due to him being a descendant of Sophia of Hanover, he is in the line of succession to the British throne, though he is pretty far down the list.

Kevin Spacey (Frank Underwood)

And finally, there's the man who started it all — Kevin Spacey. Until being written off after a number of personal controversies all but put a stop to Spacey's career, Frank Underwood was written off the show ahead of the final season in 2017. Since being dropped from the show in which he was the star (and narrator) for five seasons, the former Hollywood legend has only made two appearances in some of the strangest YouTube videos you can find on the internet with "Let Me Be Frank" on December 24, 2018, and then again a year later with "KTWKK."

Well, that's what the cast of House of Cards has been up to lately, or at least most of the cast. Some have gone on to find a great deal of success in film and television, others found themselves on the line of succession, and others are finding strange ways to fill their time. If there is someone you think I left off, make sure to let me know in the comments below.

It's a brave new world for comic book movies, as studios are showing an increased willingness to take risks and try new things with the genre. In the realm of DC movies, few upcoming projects epitomize that idea more than David Ayer's Gotham City Sirens. In the process of taking the spotlight off of the Caped Crusader, the upcoming film will show the titular urban hellhole in a brand new light by focusing on the conflict between the villainous Sirens and the heroic Birds of Prey team.

That said, as excited as we are for Gotham City Sirens, we still know very little about who will take part in the film. One of the most important and fundamental characters in the entire story is Pamela "Poison Ivy" Isley, but no casting reports have been confirmed yet with regards to who will take on the role. To better make sense of this beloved character, we have compiled a list of nine actresses that we think are perfect choices that DC needs to consider. We have quite a few unique options to consider, so we're going to kick this off with an actress who has already shown an interest in joining the DCEU as Poison Ivy.

Jessica Chastain

Kicking off this list is none other than Jessica Chastain -- an actress who seems to have made a genuine and concerted effort to avoid pigeonholing herself in any particular genre as an actress ever since she entered the limelight. Between her work on films like Zero Dark Thirty and Crimson Peak, she has established her ability to convey strength and menace with ease, but her performances in The Help and The Huntsman: Winter's War have also confirmed her knack for sympathetic heroism and charm. Ms. Chastain has already said to CinemaBlend that she is very interested in portraying Poison Ivy at some point in the near future, so this casting decision seems like a complete no-brainer for the folks at DC.

Christina Hendricks

Christina Hendricks' most iconic role to date came during her tenure as Joan Holloway on AMC's Mad Men from 2007 to 2015, and that character could arguably be considered a perfect practice run for portraying Pamela Isley in the DCEU. Known for portraying smart and strong women who know how to use their sexuality to their advantage (as well as her distinctive, curvaceous figure), Hendricks not only looks the part to portray Poison Ivy, she also seems tailor made for the role itself in her ability to match seductiveness with darkness. Beyond that, at 41 she's the perfect age to portray a version of Ivy with a long history in Gotham City facing off against Ben Affleck's Batman.

Kate Mara

The fact that Kate Mara was cast as Sue Storm in Josh Trank's ill-fated Fantastic Four reboot from 2015 was nothing less than a wasted opportunity to use this immensely talented actress in a comic book movie universe. Ms. Mara deserves better, and with Poison Ivy set to join the DCEU, there's no better time for her to get another shot at the world of superhero movies than right now. Aside from her resemblance to Ivy, Mara has proven that she has an established (albeit criminally underused) knack for acting in action films, and her recent turns in projects like Morgan and House of Cards confirmed that she could brood in a way that would make any Poison Ivy fan incredibly happy.

Alexandra Breckinridge

Not only does Alexandra Breckinridge already have experience working within an established comic book universe due to her performance as Jessie Anderson on AMC's The Walking Dead, but she also has ample experience portraying a strong female character with many similar traits to Poison Ivy: American Horror Story's Moira O'Hara. Depicting the younger version of Ms. O'Hara's ghost, Breckinridge nailed the characterization of a woman who knows how to use her physical attractiveness to lure men in, while also maintaining a deep-seated distrust of the men she seduces. Qualities like that are core facets of who Poison Ivy is as a villain, and this small screen experience could easily translate to the DCEU.

Deepika Padukone

She may not look like a traditional depiction of Ivy but keep an open mind. Deepika Padukone isn't the most well-known face among Western movie audiences (yet), but the Bollywood actress has gradually started to make an impression in America. In fact, she made her Hollywood debut in early 2017 with her portrayal of Serena Unger in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. Although the third installment in the xXx franchise left quite a bit to be desired, Padukone's performance in the movie easily stood out as one of the highlights of the entire affair. Her ability to portray a femme fatale with incredible ease is now firmly established, and it could easily lend itself to a scene-stealing performance as Poison Ivy in Gotham City Sirens.

Madelaine Petsch

Although Madelaine Petsch is the youngest entry on this list by a substantial margin, the Riverdale star has already proven that she has what it takes to make the jump to a major franchise with her now signature role as Cheryl Blossom. Week in and week out, Petsch portrays Cheryl Blossom with a distinctive menace that makes her seem dangerous and terrifying while simultaneously conveying a tragic sense of sympathy and charm. Throw in the ability to control plant life, and those unique qualities as an actress could serve her well in the DCEU. Perhaps most importantly, she is one of the few women on this list with experience playing a comic book character, thus giving her an advantage when it comes to adaptation.

Penelope Cruz

As the oldest entry on this list, one could easily argue that Penelope Cruz is the actress on this list who is the most ideally suited to portray Poison Ivy in a version of Gotham City where Batman and his rogues have existed for decades. More importantly, she is an Academy Award nominated actress (with one win to her name), she has regularly maintained a presence as one of the most beautiful and beloved actresses in Hollywood, and she is even known for her charitable conservation work outside of her acting resume. After combining all of those qualities together, one thing becomes clear: Penelope Cruz could easily make Ivy one of the most engaging villains in the DC Extended Universe.

Natalie Dormer

Like several other actresses on this list, Natalie Dormer has appeared in a comic book movie before -- she had very memorable a scene alongside Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger. However, she was sadly underused as little more than a quick cameo to squeeze some extra laughs out of the film. If you ask us, Margaery Tyrell deserves better than that. Between her work on projects like Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games films, Dormer clearly has no trouble venturing into the world of effects-driven fantasy and sci-fi. That, coupled with her ability to convey strength and beauty in equal measure, would make her a perfect counterpoint to Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn during the events of Gotham City Sirens.

Bryce Dallas Howard

Bryce Dallas Howard has flirted with blockbuster franchises over the years with credits in films like Jurassic World, Terminator: Salvation, Spider-Man 3, and the Twilight movies, but she has yet to come across a blockbuster role where she has had the opportunity to stand out. She has waited patiently for her moment, and Poison Ivy seems like a part that could easily allow this natural redhead to shine. Like Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard recently admitted on Twitter that she wants the role of the iconic comic book villainess. If she does get the part, let's just hope that the folks behind this film won't have her sprinting in high heels again; that would not be a great look for Pamela Isley.

What do you think? Is there an actress that you think would make a perfect Poison Ivy? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Warning: MAJOR spoilers for Morgan below. You have been warned.

Much like his father's work on Blade Runner, Luke Scott's Morgan has proven itself as a surprisingly effective sci-fi thriller -- replete with an ending that forces us to question everything we think we know about the film. Morgan features a brave, quintessentially sci-fi twist involving Kata Mara's Lee Weathers and Anya Taylor-Joy's Morgan. However, it raises one question: does the twist work? As enjoyable as the movie is to watch, we think Morgan stops just short of greatness, and that's because of a poorly executed twist.

We've gone through the details, and come up our definitive rationale for why the twist ending in Morgan doesn't work. It's a solid thriller that exemplifies some truly masterful filmmaking techniques, but the ending simply doesn't stick the landing as well as it wants to, for specific reasons. Of course, we will get to that eventually, but let's get you caught up regarding what actually happens in the film's finale.

What Happens

After a slow burn first hour, Morgan kicks into high gear once the titular bio-weapon finally escapes. Realizing that her creators don't truly think of her as a friend, Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) breaks out and goes on a rampage through the compound where she was born. Trapping Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) in her cell, Morgan starts to pick off the scientists one by one, and kidnaps Amy (Rose Leslie) -- the one member of the staff with which she has a genuine connection.

Lee eventually frees herself from the cell, and chases after Morgan and Amy with the help of Skip (Boyd Holbrook). Tracking the escapee to a nearby lake, Morgan and Lee engage in a vicious forest fight ripped straight from the pages of First Blood, with each woman utilizing their respective skills, experiences, and combat talents. Eventually, Morgan impales Lee on a dead tree branch but simply leaves her to bleed, having seemingly learned compassion from an earlier experience in which she killed a deer that had suffered the same injury.

Morgan returns to Amy, and the two look out over the beautiful lake. They gaze in awe at the majesty of nature, when suddenly Lee appears and brutally drowns Morgan under the water. Having accomplished her mission, Lee's demeanor suddenly turns very cold as she guns down Amy and Skip -- leaving no witnesses of the Morgan program behind.

Later, in the final moments of the film, we see Lee Weathers nursing her wounds at a diner while Brian Cox's character discusses her performance with other mysterious businessmen in a boardroom. They praise her efficient work, and discuss the fact that, although the Morgan program yielded interesting results, the "old dogs" make for better hunters. As one member of the board asks Brian Cox what to do about Ms. Weathers, she looks at her hands the same way Morgan did earlier in the movie, and Cox simply replies "she's perfect." Cut to black.

What The Ending Means

The ending of Morgan implies that Lee Weathers and Morgan have far more in common than we know. Although Lee blended in with the scientists at the compound perfectly, she's actually the product of another program designed to create a bio-weapon just like Morgan. She's an older model, with somewhat less advanced emotional development, but that actually makes her a more efficient and lethal killer.

This finale insinuates that, not only could bioengineered beings currently be walking among us, but those executives with the power to create them have no interest in teaching them compassion. The executives responsible for funding Morgan's creation consider the child's emotional development interesting, but little more than a novelty -- when all they really want is a high-tech assassin. Lee is stunted by comparison to Morgan, but that makes her useful, and far more deadly.

Once we have learned that Lee isn't naturally human, this paints the final confrontation in an entirely new light. The fact that Morgan decided not to kill Lee against the fallen tree means that the younger, newer model could have potentially learned compassion, and evolved to live a peaceful existence. On the other hand, Lee's inherent callousness and coldness prevents her from attaining that level of self-awareness, and allows her to murder everyone at the lake with ease. It's a complete reversal, as the movie initially wants us to side with Lee Weathers as the more human of these two characters when they first meet.

But the twist doesn't work. Allow us to explain.

Why The Twist Disappoints

On paper, the twist ending of Morgan should work, but it doesn't. The problem with Morgan's finale is the fact that the film telegraphs it far too early, and consistently hints at it. By the time the twist is actually revealed, most of us probably have already figured it out.

There are too many overt hints, from Lee Weathers' robotic appearance and demeanor, to the way in which her own face is reflected on Morgan's when they look at each other through the window of Morgan's cell. The film wants to hint at this twist so that it doesn't come out of nowhere, but it ends up swinging too far in the opposite direction. Many films don't earn their twists, but Morgan works TOO hard to earn it.

Our biggest issue with this is the fact that the movie tells us upfront that there's more to Lee than meets the eye. From the moment she arrives at the compound, it's made abundantly clear that she's not just a suit from corporate working to assess the risk posed by the Morgan program. Kathy (Jennifer Jason-Leigh) calls her an assassin the first time they meet, and she's right. Once we see how much of a badass Lee actually is, it feels far less poignant because we expect it.

This problem seems further exacerbated by the fact that other films of a similar ilk have used twists to better effect in recent years. For example, Alex Garland's Ex Machina expertly lulled the audience in with the idea that Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) had been randomly brought in to administer the Turing Test on Ava (Alicia Vikander), when in actuality he had been specifically chosen. That twist worked because the film trusted the audience to get it without beating us over the head with it prior to its reveal. By comparison to Luke Scott, Alex Garland used a far more delicate touch in his storytelling. Morgan's twist could've proved equally effective, but the film feels to insistent on laying groundwork for the reveal, and that weakens the ultimate reveal in the process.

Of course, that's just our take. What're your thoughts on Morgan's twist ending? Let us know what you think in the comments section below to keep this conversation going!

Fantastic Four 2 has a release date, a cast... but no real hope of happening any time soon. The date, for the record, is June 9, 2017, but since there has been no movement on the sequel, we expect that to fade away very soon. That doesn't mean, however, that the stars of the recent Four reboot aren't entertaining the option of doing Fantastic Four 2 at some point in the near future. However, when Kate Mara -- who played Sue Storm in the reboot -- is asked about the sequel, her answer is On Message, but her body language says, "Stop asking me about this, please." Mara said:

Perfect. That is the textbook response, and exactly what Kate Mara should say when asked by an outlet about a possible Fantastic Four 2. We know that the origin story didn't work. She knows that the origin story didn't work out. But, because she's under contract, she's required to leave that door open to any possible follow up. However it's more HOW Kate Mara answered the question on camera. She's not great at hiding her indifference to the possibility of Fantastic Four 2. Watch her body language in this IGN interview, and decide for yourselves.

Not quite gung ho. Not exactly, "Where do I sign on the dotted line?" And yet, who can blame Kate Mara. The experience of making -- and especially of promoting -- Fantastic Four was a draining and soul-sucking process because of the behind-the-scenes muckraking that reportedly ruined the version of the film that she and her director, Josh Trank, tried to make. Several people involved with the production have gone on record to talk about too many cook being in the Fantastic Four kitchen, and I can totally understand why Mara'd be hesitant to go through that grind one more time.

However, I think that her words suggest something else, entirely. When she uses phrasing like "whatever they may or may not have in store for us," or "we would love to actually play these characters in another way," is she implying that The Fantastic Four could make the leap over to Marvel? Normally, that would be crazy talk. Fox has a hold on the rights to the characters. But as we recently saw with Spider-Man, studios can figure out how to play nicely, and it could lead to a new translation of some classic characters.

Now, if that were to happen, would Marvel maintain the same team? Would Mara get bounced, the way Andrew Garfield got traded for Tom Holland? It's too soon to tell, but in the cutthroat world of superhero casting, anything is possible.

Last summer, Ex Machina told the story of what happens when a genius decides to create artificial intelligence, only to see it go awry. This summer, Morgan looks to tell that same sort of story, and it's hard not to notice the similarities between the two on paper. However, after watching the first teaser for Morgan, we not only have faith that the two films will be wildly different, we also have to praise whoever plotted this sparse, intriguing teaser. Watch it for yourself below.

With 20th Century Fox's release of the trailer on YouTube, Morgan has introduced the public to its sci-fi mystery in a way that most films choose to ignore when it comes to advertising. Instead of filling the trailer with the usual array of cut away scenes of tension and action, the trailer for the Kate Mara starring film decides to fill in a little bit of backstory. Slow, deliberate shots of the sets we'll see in the film are punctuated by dialogue that suggests the peril ahead. Yet all throughout, we only see brief glimpses of actual people, and stark, un-populated settings. If Alfred Hitchcock sold Ex Machina the same way he sold Psycho, you'd have the trailer for Morgan.

Story wise, Morgan tells the story of the titular synthetic being, and the decision that's to be made involving her continued existence. This decision will come down to a risk analyst, played by Kate Mara, as she weighs the history before and after an industrial accident of sorts. Judging by the blood smear on that door in the middle of the trailer, we'd venture to guess that "accident" was the murder of someone on the project. Just a tiny guess. Now this is where Ex Machina and Morgan begin to part ways. While the former film saw its examiner testing whether the A.I. involved could pass as Human, this film is pondering the ethics of allowing a being we created to exist after it's committed the ultimate sin. Both films approach the same apple, but Morgan's bite looks to be more ethical and less sexual.

Perhaps the most interesting difference between Morgan and its predecessor is the fact that we don't know exactly what sort of organism Morgan truly is. While she's mentioned as a "human," quotation marks and all, she's referred to as an "it" in the film's fitting tagline: "Don't Let It Out." With the accelerated path of growth and development that is charted through the trailer's opening minutes, it's assumed that she's definitely an organic being to a certain degree. Though if early reports hold up, Morgan is a "genetically engineered" being, which means that not only is she organic, but the span of her life may be a lot shorter than we think – thus explaining her child's mind. Also starring in this fun house of sci-fi morality is an all star cast of folks like Game Of Thrones' Rose Leslie, Paul Giamatti, Toby Jones, and even Anya Taylor-Joy, who's experiencing a bit of a popularity bump after her featured role in this year's horror hit The Witch.

The world will meet Morgan on September 2nd, which gives us just a little bit of pause, as that's sometimes where bad films are left to rot. We're crossing our fingers that this isn't the case with Morgan, as they really nailed that trailer.

In both The Sopranos, as well as Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco has played a strong woman who knows more than a thing or two about motherhood. Those skills are going to come in handy, as she's has signed on to star in the independent biopic Megan Leavey - which recalls the title character's two tours of Iraq with her bomb sniffing combat dog Rex.

Deadline reports that Falco, also of Nurse Jackie fame, will be playing Megan’s mother, coincidentally named Jackie Leavey, while Kate Mara will be playing the titular role of Megan. Directing them both is Gabriela Cowperthwaite, who is best known for the documentary Blackfish - a film which opened a floodgate of criticism against the aquatic theme park SeaWorld. Jennifer Monroe, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon of LD Entertainment will serve as producers on the project.

Megan Leavey will focus on the story of the Iraq War veteran and Rex, her German Shepherd combat partner. Together, the team served two tours in Iraq between 2004 and 2006, and were said to have been responsible for saving countless lives as Rex sniffed out roadside bombs. While Leavey received her discharge from the Marines in 2007, Rex continued in the service for another five years. At that point, he was scheduled to be euthanized, but his old partner Leavey came to the rescue and adopted him. They remained reunited as Megan Leavey continuing to care for Rex, until his passing in 2012 - just 8 months after coming home.

Edie Falco is no stranger to tough, gritty roles, especially after showing the world her moxie against James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano. But Falco has also shown the varying depths of her acting skills as Showtime's drug addicted Nurse Jackie. Seeing as she's able to bring the durability and endurance of a catcher’s mitt, while evoking sympathy at the same time, Falco is perfectly suited for the role that will play a game of Cat’s Cradle with the audience's heartstrings.

Kate Mara, on the other hand, is quite literally coming from opposite ends of the universe. From the depths of Fantastic Four to the heights of The Martian, it will be incumbent on her to bring the necessary weight to really nail the lead role of Megan Leavey. Which means that the film, as well as Mara's performance, will both certainly benefit from Falco’s essential contribution to help bolster the emotional bottom line.

Megan Leavey currently has no release date scheduled, but it can be assumed that the project will aim for a 2016 release. Kate Mara and Edie Falco are the only two attached to the project that have been announced this far, which means that any further casting announcements could make things more interesting. LD Entertainment is the production company behind the nature thriller The Grey, which starred Taken’s Liam Neeson, as well as the acclaimed indy comedy I Love You Phillip Morris, which starred Jim Carrey opposite Ewan McGregor.

It’s common knowledge that not only has Kate Mara not actually seen Fantastic Four yet, but neither has most of the cast. But what about Kate’s little sister, Rooney Mara? Did she shun the film like the rest of the world? Or did she ignore popular opinion and go and see it anyway? Well, it turns out it’s the latter, as Rooney has actually seen Fantastic Four.

With Kate Mara constantly reminding us that she hasn’t seen Fantastic Four yet, I decided to ask Rooney Mara if she’d watched the much maligned blockbuster during the press junket for her upcoming role in Pan. Not only did Mara see the film, but she only had good things to say about her sister’s work in it too:

Sure, it’s hardly a ringing endorsement, but it’s still one of the best reviews that Fantastic Four has received, with critics savaging the blockbuster immediately upon its release. Heck, even its director Josh Trank decided to get in on trashing the film. On the eve of its release he took to Twitter to write the following post, before almost immediately deleting it.

Because of all this negativity, Fantastic Four ultimately went on to gross the rather measly sum of just $165.5 million at the box office, which has immediately put any plans for a sequel on hold. The film had looked promising in some of the trailers released before the August release date, one of which you can enjoy below.

Despite the fact that Fantastic Four was a bona fide flop of the highest order, you’d have still thought that Kate Mara would’ve wanted to see how all of her hard work actually manifested itself onscreen? When I probed Rooney Mara as to why her older sister might not have watched Fantastic Four yet, she was rather pragmatic with her response, answering:

We’re still not really sure what Fox’s plans for any Fantastic Four sequels are at the moment. In the immediate aftermath of the poor reviews and its poor box office performance, it was assumed that 20th Century Fox wouldn’t move forward with the sequel.

But the fact is that if Fox doesn’t produce a sequel Fantastic Four’s rights revert back to Marvel complicate this matter, as Fox won’t want their rivals to get their hands on a franchise that could easily flourish within their cinematic universe. One things for certain though, if Fantastic Four does get a follow-up, Josh Trank won’t be involved. If that's the case, then neither Kate or Rooney Mara may have to worry about discussing another Fantastic Four film at the box office.

Meanwhile, Pan is due out this coming Friday. If Kate Mara is as good a sister as Rooney, she’ll be the first in line to see it.

What’s the best way to get over an embarrassing situation? Make a joke about it! That way, everyone else will stop taking it so seriously and you’ll show that you don’t care one jolt about what people say. Well, Kate Mara has taken this advice to heart after her appearance in the monumental flop that was Fantastic Four. In fact, she’s once again cracked wise about it during an interview.

Kate Mara was partaking in an interview with Entertainment Tonight alongside her co-stars in The Martian, Sebastian Stan (Captain America: Winter Soldier) and Michael Pena (Ant-Man), when the topic of comic-book movies came up (all three have roles in one, as you know). Mara was quick to joke about how poorly her attempted reboot was received, both financially and critically, insisting humorously:

Kate Mara didn’t stop there though. Because when Sebastian Stan tried to quell the simmering awkwardness that had started to emerge following Mara’s original quote by insisting that he hadn't seen Fantastic Four, Mara decided to add:

Oh my. The fact that Kate Mara is able to make such brutal jokes about Fantastic Four either proves that she has a really thick skin, or that she gave up the ghost caring about the blockbuster a long, long time ago. Earlier this week, Kate Mara insisted that she’s still not got around to actually watching Fantastic Four, even though it’s now been out for over a month and a half.

Meanwhile, it’s quite clear from Kate Mara’s remarks about The Martian that she rather enjoyed being apart of a film that is gathering acclaim ahead of its theatrical release. The 32-year-old House Of Cards star added that she has "certainly been a part of movies that people are not very thrilled about," so she's delighted about being in a movie now that people love.

Clearly, Fantastic Four was not that. Rumors of discontent and arguments shrouded its entire production, as speculation that director Josh Trank was at war with both the studio and his crew continued to appear. Trank all but confirmed he’d been in dispute with 20th Century Fox on Fantastic Four when the day before it was released he Tweeted his discontent with the finished film, by writing:

While Fantastic Four has already claimed its place in infamy as a bona-fide flop, The Martian has been touted as stirring sci-fi drama that sees Ridley Scott at his entertaining best. We’ll see if that’s the case when it finally hits cinemas on October 2.

If you can’t see something, it doesn’t exist, right?

Kate Mara, the actress who played Sue Storm, aka Invisible Woman, in Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot, still hasn’t seen the film. A week or so before the film dropped into theaters, the four lead stars admitted to press that they hadn’t seen it then either, and for fans it was just another nail in the coffin. Now that the movie is out as one of the biggest superhero bombs of all time and critical reception stripped it of all its dignity, she’s been avoiding seeing what everyone is talking about.

Mara recently spoke with the U.K.’s The Times and said that the reason she hasn’t seen the flick yet is because of all those harsh words the majority of us have been spewing. Though she said she’ll eventually get around to see it, the reviews made her "a little bit gun-shy."

Frankly, who can blame her. According to the reports coming out of the Fantastic Four production, she had it harder than most of the other actors. Josh Trank, who directed the film, made it known to the studio that he did not want Mara to play Sue Storm, and yet that’s what happened anyway. Instead of moving past it, he allegedly was anywhere from "abusive to cold" in the treatment of her. With that in mind, Mara continued to reiterate to The Times that she enjoyed the time she spent making the film.

However, the actress touched upon the infamous tweet from Trank. On August 6 at 9:43 p.m., the director wrote,

He deleted it shortly after, but nothing ever truly goes away on the Internet and the damage was done. Mara called the act "highly disappointing."

As for the future of Fantastic Four 2, which the studio still has scheduled for theaters on June 9, 2017, she said she has "no idea" if they will ever make another one. This contradicts recent comments made by producer-screenwriter Simon Kinberg, who told MTV News that he is "really focused on the next one." The actors weren’t fully in the loop on what was happening with the first one, so perhaps there’s still hope for a sequel. Before all this drama went down, there was also that rumor that X-Men helmer Bryan Singer was considering directing FF2 in order to cross them over with his mutants, though that chatter lost steam. It seems the cards are still falling, so we’ll have to wait to see where they land.

Fantastic Four starred Kate Mara, Miles Teller as Reed Richards, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm, Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm, and Tobey Kebbell as Victor von Doom.

The following review discusses The Martian in-depth. It contains material some might view as a spoiler. Please click away if you want to go into the movie unspoiled.

Sir Ridley Scott makes great use of Gloria Gaynor’s fiercely self-satisfied anthem "I Will Survive" during his jubilant space thriller, The Martian. As it turns out, the disco track is the ideal exclamation point to this triumphant accomplishment, a vibrant mood-maintainer that successfully keeps the film’s party vibe going. It works perfectly for those who’ll want to pump their fists, high-five audience members in your vicinity, and dance out of the theater after experiencing one of the year’s most enjoyable and exhilarating films.

Our eyes haven’t turned to the skies as frequently as they used to. Space missions used to command the attention of the global community, with astronauts viewed as celebrities or rock gods inside and out of their specialized fields. The exploration of space has become mundane. But in a few weeks, audiences will be able to travel – quite literally venture – to the Red Planet for the cost of a movie ticket. A simple movie ticket! One piece of advice, though. Spend whatever it costs for the 3D. Rarely has the visual-enhancement technology been better utilized on screen.

Based on the award-winning novel by Andy Weir, The Martian tells the impossible story of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon), one member of an exploration team on the planet Mars, who is left for dead on the desolate planet after his crew barely escapes a devastating storm. Only, Watney didn’t die. And when he wakes up to the reality of his terrifying situation, he realizes that he has limited resources and infinite obstacles if he’s going to endure and even survive. ("First I was afraid, I was petrified…")

The Martian sounds scary. It rarely is. First and foremost, the movie is a celebration of ingenuity, of intelligent problem-solving in the face of life-altering deadlines, and of the stubborn, never-quit attitudes that should be spotlighted in the human spirit. Through the resilient and hysterical Matt Damon, Mark Watney immediately joins a short list of classic on-screen heroes pulled from numerous genres – Westerns, sci-fi, action-thrillers – who refuse to lose, and seem to grow larger (physically and emotionally) when they are faced with insurmountable odds. And even though The Martian occupies an alien environment, it’s shockingly grounded and accessible.

When you stop and think about it, The Martian benefits from a single-minded and relatively simple premise. An astronaut is stranded 140 million miles from home, and NASA is trying to figure out how to bring him back. But Weir’s story, and Drew Goddard’s crowd-friendly script, never forgets that they are entertaining novices instead of preaching to engineers and astrophysicists. There’s a lot of necessary science crammed into the Martian screenplay, as Watney – a botanist – figures out how to expand his rations, or NASA team members (personified by everyone from Jeff Daniels and Chiwetel Ejiofor to Donald Glover and Benedict Wong) troubleshoot solutions and race the clock to make the impossible possible. To the film’s immense credit, The Martian never operates above its audiences’ head, and continually lays out each obstacle, as well as the possible solution. It repeatedly reminds us of Mark’s "overwhelming odds," then pops imaginary champagne when the isolated scientist experiences victory. You only get a few minutes of joy, though, before the tension sets back onto the movie’s shoulders so we can see how things can go right (or horribly wrong).

I want to pause briefly to gush about the film’s production values, which aren’t "sexy" but are crucial to the overall experience of the film. The vast and deserted locations are breathtakingly frightening, in that you honestly believe that Matt Damon and Ridley Scott somehow managed to shoot on the Red Planet’s horrific surface. The 3D is spectacular, and it puts you inside the suits, inside the ships, and on Mars’ landscape… which sounds unfeasible but I’m telling you, it has happened here. Harry Gregson-Williams’ score is understatedly encouraging and uplifting. And the soundtrack keeps the mood vibrant, including ABBA and David Bowie without forcing the issue. Because, of course!

Is The Martian an Oscar picture? That’s the inevitable question whenever a star-studded event picture like this plays a fall film festival. Right now, the film’s prospects in the annual awards race are stellar, and I can see successful bids for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and a half-dozen technical nods for Sir Ridley Scott’s thriller. The thing about The Martian is that it plays more as an roller-coaster event picture, but appeals to the smarter, more mature and demanding audiences who tend to turn out for end-of-year dramatic fare. It bridges the gap between effects-driven tentpoles and Oscar-seeking human dramas. No matter your taste, you’ll find something to celebrate here. It’s one of the year’s best films.

Margot Robbie dodged a major bullet, and we’re not just talking about the ones zipping by her in Suicide Squad. Before the Wolf of Wall Street actress was cast as Harley Quinn in David Ayer's DC film, Robbie was up for a Marvel role, that of Sue Storm in Fantastic Four.

Kata Mara portrayed Sue, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman, in Josh Trank’s superhero film, which is now known as the infamous Fantastic Four. Robbie, however, revealed in an interview with The New York Daily News that she almost landed the role instead. She said:

In this case, Robbie definitely won. We haven’t seen Suicide Squad, so perhaps it’s a bit premature to judge the upcoming DC film. That said, the first footage, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con, got fans totally, utterly riled up for this latest venture in the DC cinematic universe. And Robbie’s Quinn stole the show.

Fantastic Four, on the other hand, debuted in theaters on August 7, and it was one of the most poorly reviewed Marvel films in history. (Though, it’s important to note that this film is part of the Marvel properties owned by 20th Century Fox and not Disney, which is spearheading the true Marvel Cinematic Universe.) On top of that, it floundered at the box office, and it seems like everyone involved is distancing themselves from the disaster. Trank went on Twitter to hint that the studio ruined what he created, while others say it was Trank who was indecisive. Miles Teller, in turn, tried to lower fans’ expectations before the film’s release, saying some might not embrace it.

Long story short, it appears that Robbie definitely made the right choice.

According to reports, other actresses up for the role of Sue Storm were Girls’ Allison Williams and The Grand Budapest Hotel’s Saoirse Ronan. Including Mara and Robbie, all four reportedly tested for the part. Thankfully, Mara’s career is already moving away from this bad memory. She’ll appear opposite Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain The Martian, and showed up across from Selma’s David Oyelowo in trailers for Captive. Elsewhere, she’ll team up with Robbie’s Suicide Squad castmate Jai Courteney in the post-apocalyptic Man Down. Although Fox is still determined to move forward with Fantastic Four 2, hopefully it won’t be another studio-vs-filmmaker train wreck like the first one became.

Suicide Squad hits theaters starting on August 5, 2016.

Just in case you somehow managed to miss this fact, Fantastic Four was one epic-scale trainwreck. And that’s not even regarding the movie, which was fairly brutalized by critics and largely ignored by audiences, we’re talking about the production. There have been all kinds of grievances aired from all sides on this over the past week, but the latest word going around is beyond anything else. According to the newest reports, director Josh Trank and star Miles Teller almost came to blows on set.

According to the latest print issue of Entertainment Weekly (via Comic Book Movie), things were incredibly tense. Trank reportedly had issues forming a coherent vision for the film, producer Simon Kinberg was brought in to help, but Trank wasn’t happy with the changes they made and wrote another draft, which caused delays. Then the studio cut the budget by $30 million, down to $120 million, which Trank didn’t think was enough to fulfill his vision, scenes were removed, and decisions were taken out of his hands. All of this and more bubbled over during production. According to the article:

That does not sound like a good time for anyone. Sure, Trank and Teller didn’t throw down in the middle of production, but it sounds like they came pretty damn close to resorting to fisticuffs. Sometimes you hear stories of movies with troubled productions, or stars and directors who had an antagonistic relationship offscreen that yielded incredible things on screen. Those stories can become the stuff of legend. This, however, does not appear to be one of those times.

And Teller is a one of the actors that Trank really fought to have cast in Fantastic Four. The director went to bat with the studio to have him play Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic. On the other hand, he reportedly did not want Kate Mara to star as Sue Storm. Fox overruled him on that decision, and that did not play out particularly well for the House of Cards star, as Trank vented all of his frustrations and disappointments on her. According to the EW report, his treatment of her "ranged from cold to cruel."

Considering he almost got into a fistfight with her co-star, what the hell does that mean?

Granted, this is all hearsay and comes from unofficial, unconfirmed sources, and at this stage everyone is just playing one huge game of he-said-she-said. Still, something was obviously very not right during the production of Fantastic Four. We’ll probably never know precisely what the issues were, at least not for certain, but there were apparently a lot of people not particularly happy on that set.

Some people really make a mess of things the first time around. In the case of Fantastic Four, the reboot blew its wad a bit too early. Not only was it universally bashed by critics for essentially being two dull movies in one, it already wasted the team's chief antagonist, Doctor Doom. He’s the most recognized and, arguably, interesting villain the Fantastic Four ever faced on the page or screen, and his first impression in this new, modernized superhero world was unsatisfying.

So where do the Fantastic Four go from here? Until we hear otherwise, we have to assume Fox is moving ahead with Fantastic Four 2, which is still scheduled for release in 2017 despite dwindling box office numbers for the first one. Who will be, or even could be, the big bad coming to menace the team? SPOILER ALERT: We thought it was going to be Tim Blake Nelson’s character, Harvey, but his Mole Man connections weren’t even touched upon and he eventually fell victim to Doom. So who’s left?

In the event that Fox doesn’t want to rehash what they’ve already done — i.e. bringing back Doom directly after the first movie and bringing in Galactus — here are some ideas for villains that could reinvigorate this franchise.

Namor the Sub-Mariner

Namor isn’t the easiest figure to adapt, mainly because his cinematic rights are property of Universal Pictures. Nevertheless, if Sony could work something out with Disney to bring Spider-Man into the MCU, Fox should think about following suit.

Born in Atlantis, he’s basically Marvel’s version of Aquaman: he has superhuman strength, stamina and reflexes; he can communicate with most forms of marine life; and he can fly, thanks to the winged fins on the back of his ankles. One of the first characters he battled was the original Human Torch — not the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four we all know and love, but Carl Burgos’s original creation. He eventually encountered Johnny Storm in New York City. Namor had amnesia, and his battle with the fiery hero brought back some of his memories. Believing Atlantis had been destroyed, he waged war against NYC and the surface world for years, most often opposed by the Fantastic Four.

Skrulls

Disney’s Marvel universe proved aliens and outer-space sequences could lead to massive success in the superhero genre, and Fox could have their own version by taking the Fantastic Four off-Earth to do battle against the Skrulls. The team were the first to discover the alien empire in the comics, and with the movie seeing the team investigating another dimension what’s to stop them from turning their gaze upwards?

The Skrulls, too, are obsessed with conquering Earth and the race has one massively powerful being spearheading their army. KI’rt, AKA Super Skrull, has the natural shape-shifting capabilities of the Skrull race, but he also has all the powers of the Fantastic Four. Since our heroes have just gotten the hang of their abilities, pitting them against a creature with the same powers could be interesting, but Super Skrull would also make a funny nod to Johnny Storm in Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Frightful Four

This one might be a little fanboy-y for your average reader, but hear me out. The Frightful Four of the comics is a collective of four supervillains whose roster frequently changes, though their mission stays the same — put an end to the Fantastic Four. In the Trank-led cinematic world, the government is trying to crack inter-dimensional travel, but what’s to say nobody else is? If Reed was able to crack the code alongside Victor and Dr. Storm, there could be someone else out there reaching the same success.

With the government using The Thing to attack other military bases in top-secret missions, these enemies of the U.S. might want revenge. But how do they battle something like The Thing and the Fantastic Four? How about send over their own team of four individuals to Planet Zero to gain abilities? See, I’m having a fanboy moment, but it could work.

Annihilus

The Fantastic Four successfully traveled to Planet Zero, and the characters are determined to learn more about it. The obvious choice for the sequel’s villain is to have someone or something come out of Planet Zero that’s not Doctor Doom.

Annihilus is perhaps the most famous Fantastic Four villain to arise from the Negative Zone, which is the basis for the film’s Planet Zero. There was also a rumor flying around at one point suggesting he would be the villain of this current movie, but who knows with all the cuts and reshoots that went down. Annihilus is an all-powerful tyrant of this space, commanding a horde of destruction. Helping matters is last year’s revelation from James Gunn (via Comic Book Movie), who said Annihilus could not be used in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 because Disney’s Marvel Studios doesn’t own the rights to him.

Molecule Man

What do you call a man who has the ability to command matter at the molecular level? One of the most powerful men in the world. Molecule Man, aka Owen Reece, used this power in the comics to lift the Baxter building high above Times Square; create a new conscious being which he called "son"; and to freeze, liquefy and disintegrate objects. Uatua in Secret Wars II #6 refered to this character as "mightier than all other beings in the multiverse."

While we would love to see Doom immediately return to prove that someone can finally get him right, that's already been done; Doom was a villain in both of the original Fantastic Four films. Molecule Man is a character that's not only just as dangerous, but he also reinforces the film's emphasis on science and will test the heroes to their limits. Plus, we've never seen a character with his abilities envisioned on the big screen.

For better or worse, 20th Century Fox is still moving ahead with Fantastic Four 2. That’s what all the latest intel is telling us, and we just have to accept it, no matter how big of a flop the first film was. With the stage already set, it seems as though the sequel will pose its own set of challenges to whomever directs it.

Hitfix recently published an analysis of the entire Fantastical situation, claiming that the sequel was happening. According to their sources, a few details were confirmed: (1) Fantastic Four 2 is still in the works, (2) it may not make its original release date of June 9, 2017, and (3) this is Trank’s world that we’re living in. Drew McWeeny wrote:

So, let’s recap where we are at the end of Fantastic Four -- be wary of SPOILERS.

This film was a bit more "dark and gritty" than the first run of films; our heroes got their abilities from traveling to the Negative Zone Planet Zero, instead of cosmic radiation in space; these characters are a lot younger than they’re classically depicted; they are given their own facility in a remote location to conduct their work; Doctor Doom was zapped through his inter-dimensional gateway; and Tim Blake Nelson’s character, who was pegged as the man to become Mole Man, is gone.

It doesn’t sound like the most appealing project to work on, especially since you already have to adhere to the rules that have been put into place by a different director, but there’s some wiggle room here. As we learned from Trank himself (and other reports with off-the-record sources), there were a lot of scenes cut from the film. We saw a piece of b-roll, for instance, that featured Reed Richards’ infamous Fantasti-car; and his character’s relationship with Sue Storm never came to fruition with a romance for the ages. So there’s at least two points that can make it into the sequel. And, if you really think about it, how much character development was actually going on in this film? Not a whole lot. So there’s also room to stretch these characters to their limits. Pun intended.

Another plus for the future director of the sequel? The cast: Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Miles Teller and Jamie Bell. Unfortunately, Fantastic Four is still in theaters, so we’ll have to endure talk of this first attempt for a little while longer.

The following story contains mild spoilers for the new Fantastic Four movie, so back away if you haven’t seen it yet, and still plan to!

Costumes, in superhero movies, are a big deal. I love what Marvel has done with Captain America’s look over the years. I lament the fact that Hugh Jackman’s never donned Wolverine’s traditional duds, and I’m dying to see what Tom Holland’s new Spider-Man will look like. Additionally, I was looking forward to seeing the new Fantastic Four cast in their classic blue duds (pictured above). Only, it wasn’t meant to be.

So when I sat down with the cast in New York City, I asked them why they didn’t slip on the traditional costumes in the new movie. I wanted to know if these was ever a cut of the movie (or a draft of the script) where the team did don the costumes, but Miles Teller said that, for this reason, that wouldn’t make sense. He told me:

Will they get a chance to? That remains to be seen. The story of the Fantastic Four movie gradually is becoming what happened behind the scenes during production and post-production, creating a movie that critics have dismissed. Worse than that, audiences seem to be avoiding Fantastic Four, as the movie earned an estimated $11.3 million on Friday night. Not great.

Listen to Miles Teller tell the story himself, and watch the team display their decent chemistry, with Jamie Bell and Michael B. Jordan playfully coming to Kate Mara’s rescue when she has a microphone malfunction during the junket piece. Adorable!

Fantastic Four is in theaters as we speak. The sequel is dated for June 9, 2017. I’m guessing we’ll finally see this new team in their old costumes… if the sequel actually happens.

If the wait for Ridley Scott’s adaptation of The Martian is too much for you to bear, then today is your lucky day. We have new video of the ARES-3 crew, and if the clip below is any indication of what to expect, the humor of Andy Weir’s book is very much intact.

Through the ARES: Live archive, we’ve been given access to snippets of the crew’s psychological evaluations after a 10-day isolation period. While we saw the crew before in their farewell video before departing on their launch, this new video gave us an even better look into the crew’s already vibrant personalities. With a manned mission to Mars in the balance, and the eyes of the world on them, this is the best time for the crew to really ponder all of the big questions plaguing the mission.

For instance, Matt Damon’s Mark Watney wonders just how Aquaman can control whales despite the fact that they are mammals. A little further up on the scale, we have Michael Pena’s Rick Martinez and Sebastian Stan’s Dr. Chris Beck, who are the chief smart-asses of the ARES-3 mission. Both are apparently men of healing, as they’ve credentialed themselves as practitioners of tension relief and the soul, respectively. Though, Dr. Beck is the only actual medical expert of the two, as Major Martinez is the mission’s pilot.

And all the way on the other end of the spectrum are the mission’s two badasses: Jessica Chastain’s Commander Melissa Lewis and Askel Hennie’s Alex Vogel. Both are fearless, and adapted to all of the extreme conditions that their mission will throw at them. Commander Lewis’s submarine story is an especially inspired piece of background that shows us just why she’s been picked to be the first female mission commander to head to Mars. Which leaves one crew member to occupy the dead center of the spectrum. She knows it all and isn’t afraid to tell, and she’s Kate Mara’s computer guru Beth Johanssen – our guide to the personalities and quirks of the ARES-3 crew.

While The Martian promises to be a harrowing journey of survival and ingenuity, much like the source novel that it’s adapting, it also needs to have a fair amount of humor and wisecracks. Watney’s narration through the book can get a bit snarky at times, and since the man practically promises to "science the shit" out of Mars, you know he’s good for some colorful commentary.

This psych evaluation video that Fox has released is another effective tool in building the emotional attachment to the characters in The Martian, because we get to see the crew at their normal operating capacities. Considering the Ridley Scott film will push everyone to the brink, testing their limits and their sanity, it’ll be even more rewarding thanks to the foundation these ARES: Live videos are building. Here’s hoping we get a tour of Mission Control soon, as their side of the story is just as important as the trials of Watney’s battle to survive the Martian wastes.

The Martian launches into theaters on October 2nd, and will be present at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, as well.

Fantastic Four is set to either wow the world or underwhelm audiences yet again. With only a little over a week to go until our super powered allies make their first revamped appearance, it's as good a time as any to get acquainted with said powers. Hence the video you're about to see below.

Courtesy of the film's official Twitter feed, we were able to watch the preceding video, disguised as a Department Of Defense briefing on the "tragedy" involving Reed Richards and his team's work on inter-dimensional travel. Though, to be honest, only one out of the four team members really has a tragedy to speak of – as Ben Grimm / aka The Thing (Jamie Bell) is a man made of solid rock. That rock, according to the video above, is "literally impenetrable," and has the DoD excited for the practical applications of such a material. Ben might not be the most maneuverable member of the team, but he's strong enough to do some real damage.

As for the rest of the team, their powers are also pretty much in line with previous incarnations of their crime fighting antics. Sue Storm (Kate Mara) still has the power to become invisible, and her brother Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) is still as hot as ever with his fire powers. In fact, the only real change to the Fantastic 4's power set is a minor but promised tweak to Reed Richards' stretching powers. This new look still has Reed stretching to move around, but this time his flexibility is tempered by a more grounded approach. The small clip of footage showing him catapulting with the use of his super powered arms, and while the stretch they certainly hold up better than the stretching effects the previous Fantastic Four incarnation.

The more grounded approach towards the Fantastic Four also reaches out to the costume design. We see this mostly through Reed, Sue and Johnny's costumes, which also double as "containment suits" that will undoubtedly help focus their newfound energy in the most effective way possible. Or, at the very least, they'll make the three of them look more believable than any blue spandex jumpsuit ever could. Shifting back to the subject of the powers of the Fantastic 4, there is one slide that seems to hint on the possible introduction of Doctor Doom into the picture.

At 02:35, under the slide "Untapped Potential," the second section talks about investigating what long term exposure to another universe could do to a person. While the Fantastic Four only get a short burst of energy, it seems to be a safe bet that Victor Domashev will be going through the Quantum Gate without as much luck as his counterparts. Which means that the Department of Defense might want to think long and hard before they decide to do any further testing.

Fantastic Four is already a hard sell for audiences around the world, but at the very least it looks like they're designing/powering the characters with enough intrigue to lure younger viewers into a new and improved team. You'll be able to judge for yourself when the film opens on August 7th.

The upcoming reboot of Marvel’s Fantastic Four gets set to break dimensional barriers in less than a month. However, with the public debut of the new trailer shown to San Diego Comic-Con crowds this past weekend, we have finally been given a substantive glimpse of the team’s traditional antagonist, Doctor Doom. Additionally, Fox unveiled yet another new trailer today. Check out both of the new clips below.

With film classifying itself as a "contemporary re-imagining," the new official Fantastic Four trailer immediately sets out to live up to that billing by digging deeper into the character development. This video sets quite the tone of curiosity by starting with a glimpse of a prodigious young Reed Richards, whose scientific and engineering aspirations seem to be the destructive bane of both his school life and his blue collar parents’ property. Clearly a brilliant visionary, even in grade school, a pattern seems to be set for his life, which will eventually see an adult Reed make a stunning breakthrough with implications far greater than fried fuses.

Further emphasizing this tone, the voice-over from Reg E. Cathey’s Franklin Storm discusses our duty as human beings to push forward into the unknown. Yet, the accidental discovery that will transform the team into the super-powered pounders of evil also taps into a Pandora's Box-like pocket of power. On one hand, it creates the heroic team that the government exploits. On the other, it creates the metal-covered malevolence of Toby Kebbell’s updated take on the A-list Marvel baddie, Doctor Doom. While the trailer stops short of details regarding his origin and motivations, it’s clear that his beef with the team and stretchy Reed Richards (Miles Teller) is a personal one that will yield some brutal, knock-down drag-out destruction.

Much like the way that Julian McMahon’s version of Doctor Doom was portrayed in the 2005 Fantastic Four, and its 2007 sequel, Kebbell’s version also deviates from the character’s traditional comic book rendition and seems to have some kind of kinship with the team. Like those films, he is also portrayed as more innately powerful than any one of the foursome, making the collective energies of the team necessary for his defeat. Based on what we’re seeing in the clip, with a pre-transformation version of Jamie Bell’s Ben Grimm overlooking a fully transformed Doom who is strapped to a bed, it could be the case that Doom is the proverbial patient zero in the still-vague inter-dimensional phenomenon that will ultimately transform the team. That, however, is still unclear.

Fox also surprised fans today with a brand new trailer that seems to complement the wondrous tone of the Comic-Con clip. Beside giving us a little more footage of Doctor Doom, this trailer shows more of young Reed Richards and his mysterious playmate, transitioning to a focus on the critical ingredient of the new Fantastic Four's group dynamic. You can give that clip a glimpse in the video below.

Certainly, Fantastic Four will have quite a lot to overcome being a Marvel Comics property not connected to either Marvel Studio’s Avengers continuity or (as far as we know,) Fox’s own mixed-up X-Men mythos. Plus, for better or worse, it recently abandoned its 3D release. However, the new trailer does demonstrate that the film sports enough brute strength to initiate clobberin’ time for the box office competition when it arrives at theaters on August 7.

With Fantastic Four only three months away, 20th Century Fox has been steadily increasing their marketing for the film through new images, trailers, and featurettes. The latest promotional material includes character posters for each of the four members. Unfortunately, they’re also not very exciting, as each have similar backgrounds of destruction, and all four uniformed superheroes are rocking the same blank expressions. Regardless, let’s take a closer look at the four heroes.

First up is Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. Aside from those brief shots of him stretching in the most recent trailer, the marketing material featuring Reed has just been him standing and not using his unique ability. At least we know he can remain calm while flaming projectiles strike the buildings behind him. That’s a good quality for a team leader to have.

Next up, Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman. Unlike Reed, she’s using her powers to turn her arms invisible. Her poster is also notable for including the Baxter Building in the background, which is where the team’s experiment on inter-dimensional travel is headquartered.

Then we have Ben Grimm as the rock-skinned Thing. This is arguably the most interesting of the posters since, unlike his teammates, Ben is captured mid-action with his fist raised. Hopefully he’s about to punch the film’s main antagonist, Doom. Those mitts can do some serious damage.

Finally, there’s Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who has decided to cover his hands in flame. Personally, I think it would have been cool to have a shimmering heat aura surrounding his entire body, rather than limiting his fiery powers to just the hands.

If 20th Century Fox decides to release a second batch of character posters, hopefully they will make them more visually interesting by having each of the foursome really demonstrate what they’re capable of. Reed could be stretching to grab something, or changing his body into a weird shape, Susan could be creating an invisible force field, Ben could be slamming his fists to the ground, and Johnny could be completely flamed on and flying. Oh, and give them each different expressions, whether it’s excited, angry, upset, or any of the other emotions. Let’s liven things up a bit.

Fantastic Four will be released in theaters on August 7.

The history of science fiction has shown us many possible changes to our world that could occur after the introduction of synthetic organisms – be they organic or mechanical – to our society. While Ex Machina is the most recent film to cover the mechanical side of the issue, it looks like Fox's new sci-fi film Morgan is going to take the more organic approach. In doing so, it's also attracted a cast of newcomers and established actors – including Paul Giamattic and Toby Jones - to tell its story of life and the judgments we pass when we decide we're the superior species.

The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop that the studio that's made great bedfellows with Ridley Scott and his sci fi urges on numerous occasions is taking a chance on his son, Luke, as the director for this sci-fi morality tale. According to the report, Morgan tells the story of "a corporate risk-management consultant, who is summoned to a remote research lab to determine whether or not to terminate a genetically-engineered being." It seems someone at Fox saw the hubbub that Alex Garland's Ex Machina has stirred up with audiences ever since its SXSW premiere, and they want in on the cerebral/conversational sci-fi market. Along for the ride in Luke Scott's directorial feature debut is an impressive ensemble.

Paul Giamatti

Already having a busy year, what with <Straight Outta Compton and San Andreas making his summer an eventful one, Giamatti has been hired to play, " a psychologist who has trouble relating to people." We'd like to think that in the "terminate vs. don't terminate" debate, he'll be one of the people on the latter side of the argument, which might yield one of the actor's more sensitive performances.

Kate Mara

Continuing her relationship with both Fox, as well as Ridley Scott, Kate Mara will be playing the "corporate risk-management consultant" that's called in to assess the situation. With both Fantastic Four and The Martian keeping her on the Fox lot, her casting may have been fast tracked thanks to a glowing recommendation Ridley Scott.

Toby Jones

Veteran character actor Toby Jones will be playing, "the chief scientist in charge of the facility." Considering the man has convincingly played figures of both authority and scientific knowledge, this is an easy casting choice. Though don't be surprised if Jones' character turns out to be the straight laced, "kill that thing before it kills us" sort of scientist that these sorts of movies always contain.

Anya Taylor-Joy

A relative unknown, except for some television work and the much buzzed horror feature The Witch, Anya Taylor Joy is cast as the "genetically-engineered being" that will factor into the center of this mystery. If we were to put money on it, we'd assume that Taylor-Joy is the titular Morgan of the picture.

Boyd Holbrook

Last but not least is Boyd Holbrook, who was recently seen as Ed Harris' erratic son in Run All Night, as well as Kristen Wiig's scuba instructor in The Skeleton Twins. Holbrook is still in negotiations for the role of, "a nutritionist at the facility," but seems like an easy fit with the rest of the cast.

While the initial premise does sound like "Ex Machina for the genetic ethics crowd," the fact that there's more of a presence in the desolate location promises to make things even more complicated for the characters of Morgan. While two characters fighting over the ethics of a potentially revolutionary technology is tense enough, a group of people engaging in the same sort of fight can be even more exciting. We'll have to wait and see though, as Morgan has no immediate plans for shooting or a release window just yet.

We’ve been thinking of Josh Trank’s upcoming Fantastic Four as a superhero movie. It is, after all, based on a popular Marvel comic and features a heroic team of individuals with superpowers and costumes. Seems to fit the bill. But according to the director, the film may be much creepier than you expect.

EW caught up with Trank, who made his name with 2012’s low-budget, superpowered Chronicle, and he talked about focusing on the terrifying nature of the powers acquired by Reed Richards (Miles Teller), Sue Storm (Kate Mara), Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell). He said:

X-Men: Days Of Future Past writer/producer Simon Kinberg handled the script, and he and Trank had two goals in making this movie. They wanted it to be a coming-of-age story, where the characters become the masters of their own fate, and the other thing was they want it to watch more like a horror movie than your average comic book adaptation.

What we’ve seen so far from the movie definitely looks eerie way grittier than the previous films from 2005 and 2007. That was very much the intention, as Trank calls his film "Dark Amblin," saying it’s like Steven Spielberg meets Tim Burton. That’s a fantastic mix from where we stand, and sounds like a combination of great action and adventure with a brooding, sinister sensibility. Let’s just hope it doesn’t crib too much from the Dark Knight approach.

Superpowers almost always come with one drawback or another. Hulk may have incredible strength and power, but he’s also an uncontrollable green rage monster; Captain American may be strong and fast, but it’s also lead to him being a man out of time and he’s isolated from the world around him; Daredevil has heightened senses, but can’t see; and the list goes on.

If viewed from the right perspective, it’s easy to think of them as a curse, a burden, and it sounds like Fantastic Four is going to focus more on that side of things. You have to imagine that turning to stone, your bones stretching and bending, and you skin bursting into flames doesn’t feel particularly pleasant. Kate Mara compares gaining their powers to a car crash, a traumatic experience that leaves lingering effects and changes you from that day forward.

This latest version of Fantastic Four is another origin story. During an experimental interdimensional journey, the team is "infected"—how that plays out remains to be seen—and transformed. Reed becomes Mr. Fantastic, Sue the Invisible Woman, Johnny the Human Torch, and Ben the Thing. Victor Domashev (Toby Kebbell), another member of their team, is also turned into a new version of Dr. Doom.

We can see just how dark Fantastic Four is for ourselves when it hits theaters August 7.

After months of waiting, comic book movie fans finally got their first look at Josh Trank's Fantastic Four with a debut trailer in late January... but since then we have experienced yet another footage drought. Fortunately, Fox now seems to be ramping up promotion again, as they have dropped four new featurettes about the film online. Watch the first one below!

Did you know that Miles Teller had originally auditioned for a role in Chronicle? I didn't, and that's just one of the first interesting bits of trivia to come out of these actor-centric videos. For example, our next video centering on Kate Mara - who plays Sue Storm a.k.a. The Invisible Woman in this new Fantastic Four - talks about the tests for chemistry between her and her on-screen brother, played by Michael B. Jordan.

Speaking of Jordan, the Human Torch-centric clip makes note of the fact that Josh Trank and Michael B. Jordan previously had the chance to work together on Chronicle, but focuses more on the key emotional element that Trank and writer/producer Simon Kinberg were looking for in the new Fantastic Four. And basically, it all boils down to charisma.

Finally, the last video is an examination of Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing. Interestingly, the production didn't cast the actor because they felt that they had seen something from him previously that would lend itself to the character. Instead, Trank believed that this kind of monstrous hero was somewhere inside of Bell, and wanted to take a chance on bringing it out of him.

Sadly, it's worth noting that there isn't exactly any new footage in these clips to dissect, but hopefully there will be more on the way soon. After all, we are now just a few weeks away from the start of the summer movie season. At the very least Fox should release something to commemorate that we're now in the fourth month of the year. Stay tuned!

Fantastic Four will be in theaters August 7th.

With Josh Trank's Fantastic Four hitting theaters this August, a new trailer featuring Human Torch and The Invisible Woman taking flight has just been released for the upcoming Marvel pic. We covered this about a month ago when the footage showed up online after a bootleg version leaked through Instagram but in case you missed it (as it has since been pulled) here it is, once again, now in the form of the official international trailer.

While many of us have already seen Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) and Sue Storm (Kate Mara) shooting through the sky, it still doesn't seem to have lost any of its excitement the second time around. While it is only split seconds that we can actually see the Storm siblings, it's enough to see that they both are visually well-executed. Johnny can be seen instantly igniting and subsequently with his entire body engulfed in flames, while Sue is shown surrounded by a blue-lit force field bubble.

Both look amazingly cool and ultra-forceful utilizing their powers while shooting across the night's sky right before Sue seemingly crashes directly into a rock-like structure.

While we still haven't actually seen Sue utilize her powers of invisibility, something tells me we won't be let down as far as visual effects go. Thus far, her force field powers have proven to have been executed with top-notch imagery, so potentially it's the trailer time constraints that have thus far prevented Marvel and Fox from showing us her invisibility transformation. There's also a good chance they just want to hold out on it so as to keep us in suspense until we're sitting in theater seats.

Sue Storm has a range of different powers that not only include invisibility, flight and force fields... she can also turn other people and objects invisible and is a highly competent as a martial arts fighter. Johnny, on the other hand, can not only fly and burst into flame on command, he can absorb fire into his body and control nearby flames and generate cylinders of fire.

In watching the trailer, you'll also see a few nods or thefts (depends how you want to look at it) from other films like Interstellar and Terminator. Watch it again and see for yourself. After all, you still have another few months before this highly-anticipated comic-book installment hits theaters on August 7.

While Marvel Comics’ distinguished dysfunctional team will see a film franchise reboot this summer in The Fantastic Four, a long-running point of contention among the fans seems to be the differing descriptions of just how much the new movie will adhere to elements of the comic book canon’s 50+ year history. Star Miles Teller may have rekindled the issue in a recent interview in which he implies that he and the cast were instructed not to delve too deep into the comic books since the film would not be going out of its way to resemble those materials.

In an interview with MTV News, Miles Teller, who plays the superbly pliable Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic in the upcoming film, claims that, despite his own independent efforts to "educate" himself for the role by reading comic book source materials, the film’s creative forces seemed to think it was a pointless errand. As Teller reveals,

The quote seems to mirror something said by co-star Kate Mara last year, in which she implied that she, a non-comic fan, was told not to read up on source material since "the plot won’t be based on any history of anything already published." That apparently controversial comment would cause her publicist to immediately go into damage control, releasing a statement claiming that she was misquoted. Thus, with Teller’s latest comments, this point of contention seems to have been moved back to square one.

Yet, the apparent desire to keep a lid on the film’s possible non-adherence to the classic comic book canon already seems to contradict what we’ve been seeing. Teller’s description of the film’s mission statement seems to echo the dark, almost ominous tones depicted in the recent trailer. Clearly, director Josh Trank and screenwriter Simon Kinberg have taken the traditional, upbeat, optimistic Fantastic Four story and put it down a character-driven pathological path. At the same time, its overall tone seems difficult to gauge, even for Teller, who couldn’t even knowledgeably answer if the film would carry even a slight level of humor and comic relief. That could be a problem, especially for a film with a sequel in the works.

With confirmed radical differences in the team’s origin story and some non-traditional creative casting -- especially in the case of Michael B. Jordan’s Johnny Storm/Human Torch, who is ethnically altered from the comic books -- it’s clear that this film is defining itself more as a "re-imagining." However, while those things may be superficial, it does leave one to wonder if the tonal liberties the film is taking, which rumored comparisons have evoked the name of horror/thriller mastermind, David Cronenberg and even Steven Spielberg, might relegate the film to being somewhat of a sideshow to the current celebrated crop of comic book films.

With that genre undoubtedly dominated by the visually bright, more energetic Marvel Studios Avengers-centric epics, one would think that a film like The Fantastic Four may want to ground itself in a more lighthearted motif and then cull the drama from the likeability of the characters, themselves. What we’ve seen of the film is undoubtedly intriguing, but it didn’t necessarily make us fall in love with the characters.

Regardless, the fans will render the final verdict on this imaginative new rendition when The Fantastic Four hits theaters with form-altering force on August 7.

In January, after months of keeping tight-lipped on the project, 20th Century Fox released the first trailer for The Fantastic Four. At barely two minutes, it fulfilled its role as a teaser, but evidently the studio didn’t show their whole hand with the preview. Leaked footage from an alternate trailer has found its way online, and its most exciting moment features Johnny and Sue Storm using their new powers to fly around the Negative Zone. Check it out!

This Instagram footage definitely looks like it was filmed in a movie theater. Adding only a couple extra seconds to the preview, it’s odd why they didn’t just include this in the preview released online, unless of course they were trying to provide extra incentive for comic book fans to go see Kingsman: The Secret Service. The first trailer, which has become 20th Century Fox’s most viewed trailer, only gave brief glimpses of Johnny flaming on, Ben Grimm as the Thing and what may have been Reed Richards about to stretch his arm. Although Kate Mara was seen at several points, she didn’t get to turn invisible once, which is why it’s surprising that our first look at her powers would be flying in an energy bubble rather than simply hiding herself from the human eye.

The fact that these two are flying, however, isn’t surprising at all. In the comics, Johnny frequently takes flight after setting himself on fire, while Sue being able to levitate and fly is a byproduct of her ability to create invisible objects. However, The Fantastic Four will the first time on film that Sue will be seen flying, the previous series only having her be able to turn herself invisible and generate force fields. As you can see, that invisible energy Sue manipulates is strong enough to power through a gigantic rock body.

Taking inspiration from the Ultimate continuity, The Fantastic Four will have the four heroes gain their powers from their journey to the Negative Zone, an alternate universe, rather than out in space. From what little we’ve seen of this extra dimensional world, there’s been a lot in the way of bizarre natural activity like active volcanos and energy beams shooting into the sky. It’s unclear if the siblings are simply testing out their new abilities or if they are fleeing from an unknown threat. Other than a few alien species, the Negative Zone is mostly uninhabited in the comics, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the four heroes came across a monstrous creature in the film, forcing them to use their new abilities to survive and make it back to Earth.

The Fantastic Four will be released in theaters on August 7.

Turns out, it was worth the wait. The Fantastic Four finally unveiled a first look at its trailer, giving us a ton of incredible imagery to dissect as we figure out the angle director Josh Trank will take into Marvel’s classic "First Family" of superheroes. From the looks of things, yes, The Fantastic Four is going to be an origin story. But this first trailer puts an incredible emphasis on science, and on exploration. Which makes sense, given the inquisitive nature of Dr. Reed Richards (played by Miles Teller on screen here). But it lends real credence to the Interstellar jokes that flooded Twitter in the wake of the trailer’s release.

Let’s start there, with the scientifically Interstellar vibe of the teaser for Josh Trank’s new Fantastic Four, and figure out what else Fox decided to show us in the introductory clip for this summer’s most mysterious blockbuster.

‘To discover, to invent, to build…’

If the opening narration of the Fantastic Four trailer was done by Matthew McConaughey instead of the terrific Reg E. Cathey (playing Dr. Franklin Storm in this update), you’d assume these were outtakes from Christopher Nolan’s star-gazing epic. We even have a vehicle driving through a corn field. But I instantly like how the emphasis is placed on the scientific bent of these characters – particularly Reed Richards – because he’s supposed to be one of the smartest men on the planet.

Young Reed Richards! And Probably Best Friend Ben Grimm

Everything about this teaser suggests "Origin Story," which may make some fans angry. Do we have to see how the Four became a team again? At the very least, it looks like we may start out with an "early days of Reed and Ben," as the bespectacled kid in the above shot seems to be Lil’ Reed, and I’m guessing he’s right next to his buddy Ben Grimm – who has a rocky future ahead of him.

The Government Sanctions This Trip Into the N-Zone

This isn’t the Muppet Babies version of the Fantastic Four though. We quickly skip ahead to a time when the members of the team are being recruited for an experimental program – with charts and graphs being analyzed by official, soldier-looking types. Sending the Fantastic Four into outer space where they can absorb cosmic radiation seems silly. So there will be tweaks. But there’s no question that our government sanctions whatever "mission" Reed, Ben, Johnny and Sue embark on. What kind of repercussions might that have?

It’s Clobberin’ Time

This image reminded me, with a bit of melancholia, how young the members of the Fantastic Four are supposed to be in the story. Part of that appeal is why I like Peter Parker so much – in his earliest days. He’s a teenager, overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a hero. And when you know that Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) is going to be transformed into a cynical rock creature, this shot of him as a budding baseball star breaks my heart just a tad.

This Is How They Transport Between Worlds

Rarely does it play out on screen as it did in the comics. And Josh Trank has to make major changes to the Fantastic Four mythology. No longer can the team ride in a rocket ship to outer space. This time, scientists in suits will board a whirling top of a mechanical device and – from what we can tell – use it to transition between dimensions, exploring a place that we hear is going to be called The N-Zone. We see a lot of it in the trailer. We also see… disaster!

Things Go Horribly Awry

We don’t see the machine break in the Fantastic Four trailer. But we do see the aftermath of what we assume is a devastating accident. In the above shot, one member of the team crawls through flaming wreckage – though we can’t tell if it’s after the team has spent a good amount of time in them other dimension, or if the machine breaks shortly after each person gets into one of their pods. Either way, there’s going to be destruction, and I’m guessing that the team’s individual powers are born from this accident. Speaking of which…

A Thing Is Born

We get a few good looks at The Thing, who will be created with 95% CGI. And as producer Simon Kinberg notes in this Yahoo breakdown of the trailer, the above shot of The Thing emerging from his pile of rock will be one of the most screen-capped moments of the entire clip. Because the powers of the FF are unusual, and not easy to bring to the big screen. (Ask Michael Chiklis what it was like to wear a rubber suit for Tim Story’s Fantastic Four films.) We get this great shot at Ben Grimm in rock transformation – and we get another as the trailer draws to a close.

Flame On!

Right after we see Ben breaking out of his "shell," Josh Trank shares the above shot of Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) triggering his inner heat. We don’t hear him screaming the Human Torch’s signature line, "Flame on!" But I do love the choice to film the Torch from a distance, and to make his ignition subtle. He’s not flying. He’s not showing off, like a showboating Chris Evans did in the earlier films. But he does fight someone unusual in the next freeze frame.

Torch And Invisible Girl In Action

Seeing as how this is an origin story, we’re not entirely sure who the villain of the piece will be. We have thoughts, and they are coming. But as the Four learn to use their newfound powers, it looks like siblings Johnny (Michael B. Jordan) and Sue (Kate Mara) unleash a little hell on each other. Is it in malice? A mistake on Johnny’s part as he learns to control his flames? Only time will tell.

Sue’s Invisible Shield?

Sue Storm’s powers are hard to convey. She can turn invisible, and conjure massive shields to protect her teammates or fend off an attacker. This eagle-eye shot of downtown Manhattan, we think, shows Sue blasting up a massive force field to either protect the remaining members of the team or prevent a villain from escaping. The trailer opens with a shot of New York City, and we know that the team eventually will have a headquarters here. But will the Baxter Building be a part of this chapter? Or will Fox save it for the already announced The Fantastic Four 2?

Reed’s First Stretch

One complaint aimed at today’s trailer is that it’s light on the powers of the members of the Fantastic Four. And I get that. But I also understand that basically all four of them require heavy CGI if they are going to be believable, and it’s likely that they just aren’t ready yet. You can show Johnny in his suit, but until we see him cloaked in fire, he isn’t the Human Torch. Same goes for Reed. Stretching his limbs can be cool. But one false step, and he’s the dancing fool from Rise of the Silver Surfer, and no one wants to repeat that.

A Title Treatment

Earlier, someone claiming to be an editor working on The Fantastic Four shared what they claimed to be a title treatment from the end of the trailer. Well, they were wrong, which leads me to believe that a LOT of what was shared in advance of this teaser is wrong. This is the new title treatment for Trank’s movie.

Doctor Doom?

Do you know who else was missing from this teaser? Doctor Doom. And Doom is, to the Fantastic Four, what Lex Luthor of The Joker is to Superman and Batman. He’s pivotal, and there are ample hints at Doom’s presence in the teaser, but no full-blown shot of him. Unless that figure on the table is him. Reed approaches him, and asks him what is coming next. The voice of the narrator changes, and I believe that is Toby Kebbell speaking.

A Team, Assembled

This final shot from the trailer is awesome for so many reasons. It gives us the first full shot of the team united (though Johnny really should be ignited to fully sell the effect). It gives us our second full look at The Thing, so we can get an idea of his size and scope. He’s a full head taller than Reed and Johnny, and he’s poised and ready to rumble. But pull back from the team and start to ask questions. Where are they? Is This the N-Zone, where they arrive and eventually receive their powers? Whose plane is that, caught in the vortex of what looks to be a lightning storm? There is a lot more sci-fi in this comic-book adaptation than I anticipated, and it might answer why Josh Trank earned a Star Wars movie from his work on Fox’s updated Fantastic Four.

When you consider the fact that Rooney Mara and her sister Kate Mara are only two years apart in age, it makes a lot of sense that they would be considered for the same roles. This surely doesn't help in any kind of sibling rivalry sense, and one can imagine the competition growing more intense in direct correlation with the size of the project or part they are pursuing. That in mind, the two Mara siblings might soon get ready to go to war, as apparently both of them are going out for the female lead in Gareth Edward's upcoming Star Wars spin-off movie.

This interesting tidbit comes directly from Variety reporter Justin Kroll, who dropped the scoop about Kate Mara potentially being up for a role in the new Star Wars movie on his personal Twitter account. This news is coming about 24 hours after the story from last night that said Rooney Mara is also one of the candidates up for the part. Also currently being tested for the role is the Academy Award nominated Felicity Jones - who may not be able to do the film because of a scheduling conflict involving Ron Howard's Inferno - and Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany.

But while we know that the Maras, Jones and Maslany are all vying for the female lead in Gareth Edwards' Star Wars spin-off, that's pretty much where the information about the project ends. There has been no official word from Lucasfilm or the Walt Disney Company regarding what the plot of the film will be about - though we have heard some interesting rumors. Previous reports have suggested that the movie could actually be set in the time period right before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, and follow a group of bounty hunters who are hired by the Rebel Alliance to steal plans for the original Death Star. It's also been said that the feature could actually be centered around the adventures of a young Han Solo. It's also possible that those two ideas are actually two parts of the same larger idea.

Because there's so little known about the Star Wars project, it's impossible to say if Kate Mara would be a good fit for the part - though she did just recently get her first dose of blockbuster experience playing Sue Storm a.k.a. The Invisible Woman in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. She may have a bit of an edge as a result of this, if not only because Josh Trank - The Fantastic Four's director - is attached to helm a Star Wars spin-off movie of his own. It also doesn't hurt that she is a talented actress who has shown her skills on shows like House of Cards and American Horror Story.

Gary Whitta - whose credits include The Book of Eli and After Earth - was originally hired to write the script on the first ever Star Wars spin-off movie, though apparently his time on the project has come to an end. It's unclear exactly who will wind up replacing him, but that information should come in the next few months, along with a slew of other big announcements. After all, production is going to be starting in the first half of 2015, and all of the pieces have to start getting put into place. Apparently it seems that starts with finding the female lead.

There are three superhero movies coming out in 2015, and so far, we have seen footage from two of them. Marvel has tipped its hand when it comes to both The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man, revealing full trailers for each in the span of the past week. But 2015’s third comic-book blockbuster -- The Fantastic Four -- continues to keep its tricks up its sleeve, so an Internet poster claiming to be an editor on the film took to the Web to reveal some juicy details.

Keep in mind that the information shared by this person could be made up. Recently, someone posted a claim that Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was going to be broken in half and screen as early as this year – a claim that Henry Cavill himself shot down. But a Reddit user calling himself MrBlueFox claims to have worked on a recent edit of the film, and wanted to share details with fans to ensure to them that the upcoming Josh Trank film "isn’t a complete trainwreck" and is "a genuinely good movie." Obviously, we are going to delve into spoilers from this point on, so please depart if you still don’t want to know any potential plot ideas for Trank’s Fantastic Four film.

There are a few interesting elements about The Fantastic Four that this person, claiming to be a Fox employee, shared. Some of them we knew, as when they confirmed that Tobey Kebbell’s Victor Domashev will be a blogger who works at the Baxter Institution – the new name for the Baxter Building in this F.F. universe. The poster claims that the Doom costume will resemble the pics that leaked online a while back, and added that there will be "many hints" towards Kebbell’s character returning to his homeland of Latveria to use his powers for "good" and help his native people. This might tease what will happen in the already greenlit The Fantastic Four 2.

Outside of Doom, there was talk of The Negative Zone – the cosmic area where the four cast members allegedly receive their powers. This poster said it will integral to the first half of the second act, with more than 30 minutes of footage taking place in there. He also said that the CGI being used to create The Thing is "more or less the same" as the pics that leaked a while back, and that "design-wise, he looks fine." There also were hints that there were changes made to the traditional story of the Fantastic Four, particularly when it came to "the original love story between two of the characters." This could mean that Sue Storm (played by Kate Mara) no longer falls in love with Reed Richards (Miles Teller), but rather, with Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell), as she does in the Ultimate line of Fantastic Four comic books.

Want to double check what the person wrote? Well, you can’t. This mysterious person deleted all of their comments from Reddit, leading me to think that there is some credence to what was posted. These aren’t groundbreaking nuggets, but they ease a few of our early concerns. The poster said that the movie "feels like Chronicle 2," and that makes a lot of sense, because Trank’s work on that independent superhero film is what earned him his crack at directing Fantastic Four. Is all of this real? Made up by someone who wants to dupe comic fans? Once we see a trailer from Fantastic Four, we’ll know for sure.

Next year should be a great 12-month stretch for moviegoers. Some of the most highly anticipated movies in recent memory are being released throughout 2015, such as Star Wars: Episode 7, Avengers: Age of Ultron and the final installment of The Hunger Games franchise. With them comes some of the biggest movie stars of all time, as well as stars in the making. But which celebs are the biggest ones in the industry, as far as the fans are concerned? A new poll has revealed all the answers.

The folks over at Fandango surveyed more than 1,000 movie fans and polled them on which stars and films they’re most anticipating to see grace the screen in 2015. Naturally, Star Wars, Avengers and Hunger Games topped the film categories, and the actor lists were very much a reflection of this ranking. Here is the complete list of the fan favorite movie stars who will be toplining 2015 movies:

Actresses

1. Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, Joy)

2. Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

3. Angelina Jolie (By the Sea)

4. Melissa McCarthy (Spy)

5. Halle Berry (Kidnap)

Actors

1. Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

2. Chris Hemsworth (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Blackhat, In the Heart of the Sea)

3. Daniel Craig (Spectre)

4. Chris Pratt (Jurassic World)

5. Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible 5)

Jennifer Lawrence is an obvious first-place holder; she’s already one of the most beloved modern celebrities. The same goes for Chris Pratt - who transformed from the loveably plump Andy Dwyer into the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy - and Chris Hemsworth, who has a big year ahead of him and recently earned People Magazine’s coveted title of Sexiest Man Alive. A surprising name that made the cut, though, is Angelina Jolie. The Unbroken director will star in next year’s By the Sea, a film that will reunite her with her husband, Brad Pitt, for the first time since they starred together in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Apparently, people are pretty excited to see that happen.

More than just ranking the big name actors of the moment, however, Fandango also polled their audience about who they believe will be the male and female breakout movie stars of the coming year. For those of you who have been regularly following news updates over the last year or so, some of these names should really be no brainers:

Actresses

1. Daisey Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)

2. Lily James (Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)

3. Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey, A Bigger Splash)

4. Kate Mara (The Fantastic Four, The Martian)

5. Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service)

Actors

1. Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey)

2. John Boyega (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)

3. Levi Miller (Pan)

4. Neel Sethi (The Jungle Book)

5. Tony Jaa (Furious 7)

Unsurprisingly, Fifty Shades and Star Wars are the repeated titles in these categories. Both have such large fan bases already, and their leading stars haven’t yet had their big breakthrough performances. Model-turned-actor Jamie Dornan, for one, is great in BBC’s The Fall, but the billionaire BDSM-obsessed Christian Grey has already turned him into a major Hollywood heartthrob. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, also largely unknown prior to their saga casting, are bound to land some juicy gigs after the world sees them in action opposite Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. Thai martial artists Tony Jaa is an unexpected choice, though, considering he’s not technically a "breakout" star; he’s already been the star of his own franchise with the rather massively Ong-bak movies. Sofia Boutella, on the other hand, is an up-and-comer, though to say her role in Kingsman is a breakout role might be a bit of an overstatement.

It’s interesting to see which films are on peoples’ radars. Elsewhere in the Fandango survey, Minions, Disney’s live-action Cinderella and Pixar’s next film, Inside Out, all topped the most-anticipated family friendly movies of 2015. But which films and stars are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments.

Throughout its relatively quiet production cycle, The Fantastic Four has dropped pieces of information that, for better or worse, have successfully distinguished the 2015 movie from its 2005 predecessor. Just when you thought the Josh Trank directed film couldn't be any more different from Tim Story's two attempts at launching a viable Marvel franchise, a new scoop promises that The Fantastic Four will be set in a completely different universe than any other Fantastic Four movie before it. That's not hyperbole either, the film is actually going to involve alternate universe travel.

Comic Book Movie has reported that an allegedly official synopsis for The Fantastic Four has broken through various venues, Rotten Tomatoes being one of them. You can read what the film's plot has in store below.

So not only does it look like we're going to be party to a found footage reboot where Doctor Doom is a computer programmer and the team wears sexy HazMat suits, but we're now going to see The Four travel between universes and be played younger than ever before.

While this isn't particularly a bad thing, as the cast of Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Jamie Bell is a pretty good roster to have; it could be a disastrous thing if the writing skews to a more "hip and fresh" attitude to fit the young cast members. Again, Doctor Doom is a computer programmer... that little decision didn't exactly sit well with most people, as it sounds like a way to inject "tech savvy" storylines into the films.

On the more positive side though, this is the first Fantastic Four film to use the alternate universe angle that some of the comics like Ultimate Fantastic Four have used. Alternate universes could explain a whole bunch of the changes that this version of the story has brought on board, and could also lead to some interesting cross-overs if used properly. In fact, this is probably the best news The Fantastic Four has playing in its favor.

Of course, while the writers of the Fantastic Four reboot are at it, there's still plenty of time to throw in a gag or two to repay Marvel for not only canceling the comic component of the franchise, but also having The Punisher kill their entire cast. You know... in the spirit of fair play and good natured humor! Here's hoping that this synopsis is confirmed as accurate by Fox in the near future, as this could possibly get more people excited for The Fantastic Four's theatrical release on August 7, 2015.

Josh Trank's upcoming Fantastic Four reboot continues to be a complete mystery. While big comic book movie productions like The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice have to deal with all kids of paparazzi spy photos from the set, the 20th Century Fox film managed to slip in and out of production without drawing too much attention, and we have yet to actually hear any details regarding the film's plot. With the film not out until August of next year, it may still be a little while before anything is officially confirmed, but for now we can subsist on the rumors that keep trickling in.

Take, for example, this new report from Schmoes Knows, which claims to have information about the Fantastic Four actually become the Fantastic Four in the new Fantastic Four movie. According to the site's source, Reed Richards (Miles Teller), Sue Storm (Kate Mara), Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bill) will be getting their powers due to a lab experiment that winds up going terribly awry. They are working on a portal that can access another dimension, but when they go through they wind up changed on the other side, gaining the superpowers that they are famous for in the comics.

Those of you who are familiar with the Ultimate Fantastic Four comics probably feel your spidey senses tingling right about now - and that's because this origin is basically ripped straight from what was done in that run. Just like the rumored plot, that version of the team had Reed Richards doing experiments with the Negative Zone and bringing his friends along for an inter-dimensional ride. Unfortunately, Victor von Doom (the future Doctor Doom) screws with the calculations a bit, which is how the Fantastic Four wind up changing. This is a very different introduction than what was featured in the original run of the comics or Tim Story's Fantastic Four film from 2005, but that would be a very good thing for a reboot to do, right?

Adding to their scoop, the new report also says that The Fantastic Four is going to be "VERY character-driven." Rather than just being all about the action, instead the movie plans of really taking a close look not only at the relationships between the central team of heroes, but also their connection with Victor (who will be played by Toby Kebbell). Obviously this is far from a confirmation and every bit of this "news" should be treated with a grain of salt, but it certainly would be an interesting direction for the project.

Co-starring Reg E. Cathey (as Johnny and Sue's dad, Dr. Franklin Storm) and Tim Blake Nelson (as Harvey Elder a.k.a. Mole-Man), The Fantastic Four is now in post-production and will be in theaters on August 7, 2015.

Yesterday, Fantastic Four starlet Kate Mara told a journalist the upcoming superhero adaptation wasn’t going to pull any subject matter from the comic books. The franchise’s always colorful fans, not surprisingly, didn’t respond too positively to that, and now, one day later, we’re in backtrack city.

Kate Mara’s publicist reached out to Entertainment Weekly this afternoon to let the outlet know the House Of Cards star was misquoted. Instead, she allegedly told Esquiare Latin America that Fantastic Four would be based on many Fantastic Four-related comics. That obviously sounds a whole lot better to diehard fans, but there’s some question as to which one of the takes is really more true.

Here’s a look at the actual original quote…

That certainly doesn’t seem like something that could possibly be misquoted. Rather, it seems like a pretty clear statement about the instructions she’d been given. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean she was informed correctly. She may have been told by director Josh Trank that there was no point in reading any comic books because the plot of the movie wouldn’t be found there. Maybe it’s a mish-mash of numerous plotlines and character traits that developed over the years and is being repackaged for a new time. We just don’t know. That’s the power of the Hollywood publicity machine.

Once upon a time, the Hollywood publicity machine turned pretty slowly. There was no twenty-four hour news cycle, and without Twitter or Facebook, it was hard to measure any kind of outrage. So, if a Rock Hudson rumor got out of control, he could simply be photographed the next weekend with a smoking hot starlet to stop the whispers from gaining more momentum. Problem solved. That’s not the case anymore. Now, things need to be dealt with immediately. So, a day after Kate Mara’s flippant comment, we now have a full denial from the publicist. Tomorrow, we may get a full statement from Fox or director Josh Trank. It probably depends mostly on whether the outrage continues following this denial.

This Fantastic Four reboot doesn’t have a ton of positive momentum thanks to a slew of controversies, but given all the talent involved, it could still turn out to be great. We’ll see.

Kate Mara is one of the stars of the new Fantastic Four film, playing the Invisible Woman aka Sue Storm. Currently doing promotion for Transcendence, she was asked about the superhero tentpole slated for release next summer. And while it's still early and she doesn't know much about the production, she's clearly amped about being a part of the comic book movie world, even if she doesn't seem to have any idea who the Fantastic Four really are. Here's IGN's video interview segment that has Mara talking about her take on Sue Storm and what she knows about the Fantastic Four film:

The first part that sticks out about this video is the quote below.

Which... okay... grounded. This is The Fantastic Four we're talking about. Deep space adventures. Monsters and madmen. Rock people and flame-shooting. Her character is still The Invisible Woman, right? Or is she invisible in a metaphorical sense? Regardless, we already knew they were making a slightly "grittier" film than the PG-rated originals, so this isn't exactly note-worthy. However, then she says,

Well. The big question here is, has Ms. Mara read the script? There's a good chance she hasn't, and her and her castmates have signed on blindly, common practice for many blockbusters.

But maybe she has read the script. And maybe the grounded approach has to do with the "costumes" the characters wear. In the original film, the comics' baby blue bodysuits were preserved, though Chris Evans' Human Torch makes a joke out of it by selling ad space on the outfits. These superhero movies have brushed up hard against the reality of costumes in a plausible scenario: in real life, would the Fantastic Four actually wear them? Surely you can get across the idea of a stretchy man, a rock guy, a lady who can't be seen and a fire dude without costumes, right? Maybe we'll see a Fantastic Four in jean jackets and baseball caps. Fidelity may be important to some, but do you really need costumes to tell the story of the Fantastic Four?

Or maybe Mara really just ain't paying attention and there totally are costumes.

Fans are wary regarding next year's The Fantastic Four. It's not the talent involved: everyone's high on director Josh Trank. But Fox has had two opportunities to get the characters right, and most think the last film, which stayed close to the lightweight spirit of the comics, was otherwise made by, ah, under-equipped personnel. It only makes sense that Fox would try to change things, making a radical departure from the comics. But just how radical is this version going to be?

The Fantastic Four opens June 19th, 2015.