We’re creeping closer to Halloween, but while you might expect that to mean an increase in the number of spooky season shows and movies coming to streaming, that’s not really the case. To be sure, there’s already plenty of horror content on all your favorite streaming platforms, but any additions to the various streaming libraries have largely already been handled.

This week’s theme is actually animation, as several different animated series and films are debuting this week, alongside the return of some popular streaming series and a movie about one of the greatest men to ever make movies.

Splinter Cell: Deathwatch - October 14 (Netflix)

It has been far too long since the video game world has seen a new entry in the Splinter Cell franchise, so fans of covert agent Sam Fisher will have to make due with a new animated series available with a Netflix subscription. The good news is the series is produced by John Wick creator Darek Kolstad, and stars Liev Schreiber as the voice of Fisher, so the chances this one will be good are pretty solid.

Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy - October 16 (Peacock)

In what appears to be Peacock’s answer to Netflix’s popular Monster series of true crime dramas, we have Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. Michael Chernus stars as Gacy, but the series appears to primarily be mostly about the aftermath of Gacy’s killings, giving a greater focus on the man’s victims than on the man himself.

The Diplomat, Season 3 - October 16 (Netflix)

The Diplomat, Netflix’s political drama starring Kari Russell, gained a little bit of TV political clout in Season 2 when West Wing star Allison Janney joined the show as the Vice President. Season 3 will up the ante by introducing Bradley Whitford as the new President’s husband. The reuniting of the castmates will likely only be a small part of what is sure to be another season of political intrigue.

The Twits - October 17 (Netflix)

Netflix has been making itself a force in animated films over the last several years, which has earned it Oscar recognition and critical praise. Its newest animated film, The Twits, takes Roald Dahl’s characters on an original adventure. Phil Johnston, writer of Zootopia and director of Ralph Breaks the Internet, handles both duties here for a film that includes Natalie Portman and Emilia Clarke among its voice cast.

Marvel’s Spidey and Iron Man: Avengers Team-Up - October 17 (Disney+)

Spidey and his Amazing Friends is a hit Disney Junior series that imagines Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacy as a trio of Spider-Man-powered heroes who are also about nine years old. A similar companion series based on Iron Man recently debuted, and in a new crossover special, all of them, alongside pint-sized Hulk, Black Panther, and more, will team up thanks to your Disney+ subscription. It’s basically Avengers: Endgame for kids who are too young to watch Avengers: Endgame.

Mr. Scorsese - October 17 (Apple TV+)

Martin Scorsese has given some of the greatest movies ever made, so it’s only fitting that he get a movie of his own. Mr. Scorsese will trace the Oscar-winning director’s life from childhood through to the modern day and will include interviews with his many friends and collaborators, like Robert De Niro, Margot Robbie, and Steven Spielberg.

If you were looking for new horror to enjoy in October, stay tuned because next week will give us one of the month’s biggest news releases with HBO Max’s new IT series, Welcome to Derry. Come back next week for more info on it and everything else new to streaming.

It’s been a quarter-century since Aaron Sorkin introduced us to President Jed Bartlet and his senior staff on The West Wing, and to this day that remains one of the most rewatchable series in television history. So when I heard that The Diplomat Season 3, premiering this fall on the 2025 TV schedule, would feature a reunion between Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, I knew I had to see it. I’m now through Season 1, and I’m kicking myself for not getting into this Netflix series sooner.

The West Wing is such a comfort-watch for me. As far as I’m concerned, there are few things better than Aaron Sorkin’s smart, quick dialogue being delivered by brilliant actors playing well-intentioned characters whose only goal is to leave the world a little better than they found it. The Diplomat doesn’t quite rise to that level of idealism, but it’s a super fun ride that I probably should have gotten on earlier.

Allison Janney And Bradley Whitford Playing Spouses Excited Me As A West Wing Fan

When it comes to political series in general, I’ve dipped more than a toe into the genre, enjoying shows like Scandal, Veep and House of Cards but never attempting to make the effort to watch everything available. Keri Russell’s series The Diplomat always fell on my list alongside things like The Americans and Designated Survivor as something I figured I would enjoy but never was a priority.

Then, all of a sudden, The Diplomat became a priority. Allison Janney’s casting in Season 2 had gotten my attention, but with Bradley Whitford joining Season 3 — as Janney’s character’s husband! — yeah, that sealed the deal.

I’ve now streamed the 8-episode first season with my Netflix subscription, and even though neither of The West Wing actors have appeared yet, I’m all-in for this thriller starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell.

The Diplomat Has Some Similarities To The West Wing, But It’s Great In Its Own Way

I won’t get into any spoilers about The Diplomat, but the story centers around Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler, who unexpectedly gets appointed to serve as the US ambassador to the UK following an attack on a British aircraft carrier that killed dozens. She doesn’t know it, but she’s also interviewing to take over as vice president of the United States.

There are definitely parts of the Netflix series that feel like The West Wing — particularly when they get into the weeds of international relations. Jargon is spit back and forth across a conference table and information is quickly delivered to Kate as she walks hastily from one meeting to the next, walk-and-talk style. Both shows also inject plenty of humor into otherwise serious or mundane situations.

The Diplomat is a thriller, though, complete with plot twists, tons of behind-the-scenes scheming and a major cliffhanger at the end of Season 1. Now, The West Wing has provided some of the best cliffhangers in TV history, but I’m more likely to feel a sense of satisfaction over some legislation being passed on than to get bamboozled over who double-crossed whom to cause an international incident.

I’d also argue that no relationship on The West Wing is as complicated, infuriating and satisfying as the one between Kate Wyler and her (sometimes estranged?) husband Hal.

The Diplomat Is Keri Russell’s Show, But Rufus Sewell Threatens To Steal It

Kate Wyler is kind of a mess — she spills food on her clothes, she doesn’t give speeches, her hair is often all over the place (Keri Russell’s hair is always its own character, is it not?), and sometimes she doesn’t even try to hide her hangover. I think she’s great, but it can be pretty hard to compete with what Rufus Sewell is doing as Hal.

Hal Wyler is a former US ambassador himself, who has been politically hamstrung after calling the Secretary of State a war criminal. As ambitious as ever, though, he seems to always be about three steps ahead of everybody else, enacting schemes to benefit Kate or, more often, himself.

Just as Hal continuously finds ways to upstage his wife as he seemingly positions himself for a return to power, Rufus Sewell does threaten to steal the show from Keri Russell at times. He brings an energy to every scene, because it’s so hard to know what he’s up to, and what has he already done that we won’t know about until later?

For instance, Kate has already decided to divorce Hal, and he’s going along with it. However, he also knows that a divorce would end her chances of becoming VP, and he’d prefer to stay married anyway. How does she feel about that? It’s super complicated.

Romances Add A Layer To The Diplomat’s Characters That The West Wing Lacked

Kate and Hal’s chemistry is fire, but so is her attraction to UK Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi). In the eight episodes I’ve seen so far, Keri Russell’s character is caught up in two “will they/won’t they” situations, and this is simply not something The West Wing ever spent too much time with.

Sure, there was Josh Lyman and Donna Moss (Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney), but they didn’t go past inappropriate workplace flirtation until the very end of the series (and they really lost their luster after they did get together).

CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) sporadically fought the chemistry between her and White House correspondent Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) on the grounds of it being a conflict of interest, and of course we got some good moments between Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet and first lady Abbey (Stockard Channing) — “J’accuse mon petit fromage!”

However, the way the relationships in The Diplomat are weaved into the day-to-day happenings makes for a whole new layer of messy. Because in addition to Hal noticing the chemistry between his wife and the UK foreign secretary, he also clocked Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Heyford’s (Ato Essandoh) relationship with the CIA station chief.

The Cast Is Incredible, And I Haven’t Even Seen Allison Janney Or Bradley Whitford Yet

It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — The Diplomat’s cast is definitely part of what makes this worth watching. Keri Russell is even nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award after also receiving a nod last year. You’ve also got Rory Kinnear as the prime minister, Michael McKean as the president and so many more. I can definitely see Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford fitting right in.

It’s funny to me that The West Wing is what finally made me hit Play on The Diplomat, and I’m completely sold on the show before either of the two Aaron Sorkin players even make an appearance. I know showrunner Debora Cahn was afraid casting Whitford would turn her show into a “West Wing cover band,” but I have to think there are more people like me who will find The Diplomat through that.

I’ll definitely be tuning into Season 3 when it hits the 2025 Netflix schedule on Thursday, October 16 (after I watch the 6-episode second season, of course), and when I do, it will be because I am into the show, not JUST because of The West Wing reunion.

The West Wing is one of my all-time favorite shows. At this point, I’ll watch basically anything that Aaron Sorkin writes. However, one of the unfortunate things about the fact that Sorkin is mostly focused on making movies these days is that there’s just nothing on TV quite like The West Wing anymore. Although I've been told Netflix’s The Diplomat is certainly close, and now it’s even closer since it’s added a second member of The West Wing cast for Season 3.

I don’t watch The Diplomat, but every time I see something about it I get one more reason to start it. Honestly, considering how often Netflix cancels shows, any project that makes it to Season 2, nevermind 3, is probably worth checking out. Certainly, since the show deals with politics and politicians, it has more than a passing resemblance to The West Wing. I’ve also been a fan of Keri Russell since she was on The Mickey Mouse Club (no, I’m not kidding). Then, when the show added Allison Janney in Season 2 I came awfully close to watching.

However, now I’m out of excuses because Season 3 is bringing Bradley Whitford into the fold.

Bradley Whitford And Allison Janney Together Again Is Going To Be Glorious

Allison Janney joined The Diplomat in Season 2 as the Vice President of the United States, but by the end of the season, she had ascended to the top job. Today, Deadline reports that when Season 3 catches up to the new President, we’ll also be introduced to her spouse, who will be played by fellow West Wing cast alum Bradley Whitford.

Any show starring Allison Janey and Bradley Whitford is going to have my attention, but a series that casts them as a married couple is going to demand my attention. Their West Wing characters Press Secretary C.J. Cregg and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman never had any romance, but their chemistry was off the charts. So, I'm thrilled they're playing a couple on The Diplomat, and this indicates that most of Whitford’s scenes will likely be with Janney, as they should be.

Whitford’s role is recurring, meaning he likely won’t be a major player in whatever the plotline of the season is, but he’ll also be around for more than just a brief cameo.

Guess I’m Going To Start Watching The Diplomat Before Season 3 Arrives

The Diplomat Season 3 renewal was announced back in November, but the show had already been filming for its new season. While no release date for the next season has been placed on Netflix's 2025 schedule, there were 16 months between Seasons 1 and 2, which would put Season 3 somewhere in the first quarter of 2026 if that gap is maintained.

I guess I’m running out of excuses not to watch The Diplomat. While I will continue to light a candle in prayer that Aaron Sorkin’s occasional teases of bringing back The West Wing end up bearing fruit one day, until then, this may be the next best thing.

I cannot count how many times Scrubs has come up when discussing the best TV sitcoms of all time. Over the course of nine seasons (and two networks), the Zach Braff-led medical comedy introduced audiences to some of the most iconic and endearing small-screen characters of the past 25 years, as well as some legendary celebrity guests. With Academy Award winners, Star Wars alumni, and on-the-rise comedians, Sacred Heart Hospital was a hopping place when these 32 actors popped up on Scrubs.

Brendan Fraser

Though Brendan Fraser is best known for roles in movies like The Mummy, The Whale, and Encino Man, the Oscar winner played a small yet pivotal role as Ben Sullivan on Scrubs. Dr. Cox’s (John C. McGinley) brother-in-law, Ben was at the center of several of the best episodes of Scrubs as well as one of the most emotional TV moments of all time. Seriously, Ben is one of the best characters to ever appear on the show, which is saying a lot.

Michael J. Fox

One of several Spin City cast members to show up on Scrubs, Michael J. Fox appeared in a pair of episodes during the show’s third season. Taking on the role of Dr. Kevin Casey, a confident and talented doctor and surgeon dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Ryan Reynolds

Before he was leading some of the best Marvel movies and showing up in great romantic comedies, Ryan Reynolds had a one-off appearance on Scrubs. Showing up in the show’s second season, Reynolds played Spence, J.D. (Zach Braff) and Turk’s (Donald Faison) college friend who comes to visit while in town for a wedding.

Courteney Cox

A few years after Friends came to an end and a few months before Cougar Town premiered, Courteney Cox had a brief fun on Scrubs. During her handful of appearances in the show’s eighth season, Cox played Dr. Taylor Maddox, the new Sacred Heart chief of medicine following Dr. Kelso’s (Ken Jenkins) sudden departure.

Dick Van Dyke

Probably the Scrubs celebrity guest with the most prolific career, Dick Van Dyke showed up for a single episode partway through the show’s second season. The legendary actor/singer/dancer took on the role of Dr. Doug Townshend, a Sacred Heart doctor who no longer wanted to stick around and keep up with technology and decided to retire.

Elizabeth Banks

In terms of guest spots, few actors appeared in as many episodes as Elizabeth Banks. Between Seasons 5 and 8, Banks popped up in a total of 15 episodes as Dr. Kim Briggs, a urologist at another hospital who eventually became the mother of J.D.’s son before it was all said and done.

Colin Farrell

Colin Farrell was just about everywhere in the 2000s, including Scrubs. The In Bruges actor played Billy Callahan, an Irishman who was sticking around to watch over a man he knocked out in a bar fight, partway through Season 4. Though his arrival caused a stir at Sacred Heart, it all eventually worked out in the end.

Aziz Ansari

Before he became one of the biggest comedians on the planet thanks to Parks and Recreation and Master of None, Aziz Ansari had a supporting role on Scrubs. Ansari appeared throughout the show’s eighth season where he played Dr. Ed Dhandapani, one of J.D.’s young interns, and possibly the laziest person at Sacred Heart.

Heather Graham

A major player throughout Scrubs Season 4, Heather Graham took on the role of Dr. Molly Clock, a psychiatrist at Sacre Heart who kept referring to J.D. as “Johnny.” She appeared in nine episodes during her single-season run on the show.

Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams, of Star Wars and Brian’s Song fame, showed up in a single episode of Scrubs Season 5. But like other guest stars, Williams played himself, or at least a version that was Julie Quinn’s (Mandy Moore) godfather.

Matthew Perry

The late Matthew Perry (appearing alongside his real-life father, John Bennett Perry) showed up for an episode of Scrubs back in the show’s fourth season. In his one-off appearance, Perry played Murray Marks, a man who comes to Sacred Heart Hospital to donate a kidney to his ailing father.

Mandy Moore

Several years before she led another all-time great NBC series, This Is Us, Mandy Moore showed up on Scrubs as Julie Quinn. Though she only appeared on a pair of episodes during the show’s fifth season, Moore’s character made quite an impact on the staff at Sacred Heart, especially J.D. Their romance was short-lived, but one the hopeless romantic doctor wouldn’t forget.

Richard Kind

Harvey Corman is definitely one of the most iconic (and annoying) guest characters on Scrubs, and that’s all thanks to the brilliant work by Richard Kind. A hypochondriac like no other, Corman was in and out of Sacred Heart Hospital with all kinds of issues and medical emergencies throughout Seasons 2 through 4.

Masi Oka

Before having a massive breakout role on Heroes, Masi Oka appeared on Scrubs off and on between Seasons 1 and 4, in which he took on the role of a lab tech named Franklyn. Though he only appeared in a handful of episodes before leaving the show, Oka’s character showed up in some of the most memorable moments in Scrubs history.

Tom Cavanagh

In addition to leading the comedy series Ed, Tom Cavanagh also had a sizable guest spot on Scrubs. Every once in a while, Cavanagh would show up as J.D.’s older brother, Dan Dorian. There for a life, a shoulder to cry on, or an important life lesson, Dan was there for some of his brother’s most trying moments.

Tara Reid

Tara Reid was part of the Scrubs cast for 11 episodes, with all but one coming from the show’s third season. During her run, Reid took on the role of Danni Sullivan, Ben Sullivan’s younger sister, who became one of J.D.’s many girlfriends at one point.

Phill Lewis

Phill Lewis has appeared just about everywhere throughout his prolific TV career, including Sacred Heart Hospital for a stretch. During his run on Scrubs, Lewis portrayed Hooch, an orthopedic surgeon with a wild and dangerous side, to say the very least.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman popped up for a single episode of Scrubs during the show’s fifth season. During his one-off appearance, Bateman plays Mr. Sutton, a garbageman who refuses to thank J.D. after being treated.

John Ritter

The late John Ritter showed up in two episodes of Scrubs as Sam Dorian, J.D.’s dad. The cash-strapped and constantly unemployed character had his issues, but still cared deeply for his song.

Taran Killam

Before landing a steady gig on Saturday Night Live, Taran Killam had a recurring role on Scrubs during the show’s penultimate season. Killam took on the role of Jimmy, one of J.D.’s interns at Sacred Heart.

Jimmie Walker

Jimmie Walker, best known for his portrayal of J.J. Evans and his “Dynomite” catchphrase from Good Times, appeared in two episodes of Scrubs. During the show’s first season, Walker played himself as he appeared in two of the J.D.’s signature daydreams.

Sean Hayes

Best known for his roles as Jack McFarland on Will & Grace, Sean Hayes has made a ton of other appearances over the years. This includes Scrubs, where he played Nick Murdoch, an intern whose time at Sacred Heart was shortlived because he couldn’t handle the stress and emotional toll of watching a young patient’s slow demise under his care.

Ricky Schroder

Ricky Schroder’s career got off to a hot start as a child actor, including multiple appearances and a leading role on Silver Spoons, one of the most beloved sitcoms of the ‘80s. That career would continue well into adulthood for the former teenage star, including a four-episode turn on Scrubs. During the show’s second season, Schroder played Paul Flower, a male nurse Elliott Reid (Sarah Chalke) was embarrassed to admit she was dating.

Kelli Williams

If you look at the list of the best TV shows of all time, you’ll find multiple featuring the work of Kelli Williams. In addition to Law & Order, Quantum Leap, The Practice, and Ally McBeal, there’s also Scrubs. During her two episodes back in 2001, Williams played Kristen Murphy, a surgical student at Sacred Heart Hospital.

Cheryl Hines

In the middle of her run as Larry David’s wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Cheryl Hines made a brief appearance on Scrubs. During a single episode in the show’s fifth season, Hines played Paige Cox, Dr. Perry Cox’s very religious sister who shows up at Sacred Heart Hospital and forces the temperamental doctor to think about memories he long locked away in the deepest and most secure vaults of his mind.

Dave Foley

Dave Foley, best known for his time on The Kids in the Hall and movies like A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2, had a pair of appearances on Scrubs during the middle of the show’s nine-season run. Foley took on the role of Dr. Lester Hedrick, a Sacred Heart grief counselor who was like a softer, kinder, and more easy-going mentor for J.D. when compared to the easily angered and annoyed Dr. Cox.

Julianna Margulies

E.R. wasn’t the only NBC-based show set in a hospital to feature the work of Julianna Margulies, as she also popped up on Scrubs for a couple of episodes during the show’s fourth season. But instead of playing a doctor this time, Margulies took on the role of Jenna Broderick, a candidate for the scariest lawyer award. The malpractice attorney had a habit of showing up and causing trouble, especially with J.D. Not much is known about the character’s whereabouts about J.D. put an end to things.

Keri Russell

Keri Russell, best known for her work on shows like Felicity and The Americans, had a short run on Scrubs, appearing in two episodes. In the show’s sixth season, Russell took on the role of Melody O’Harra, Elliott’s sorority sister who shows up and brings her easy-go-lucky personality and philosophy on life to the core group of the cast, but mostly J.D.

Heather Locklear

Heather Locklear added Scrubs to her long list of TV credits when she appeared for a pair of episodes during the show’s second season. During her time on the show, Locklear played Julie Keaton, a pharmaceutical rep who showed up at Sacred Heart Hospital to sell her company’s latest and greatest product. But she got more than she could chew when she started a relationship with Dr. Perry Cox, which provided a short-lived reprieve for everyone who had grown tired of his anger and outbursts while making rounds.

Christopher Meloni

Christopher Meloni played one of the most sadistic prisoners in the Oz cast as well as a dedicated and complicated detective on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but did you know he played a pediatrician on Scrubs? Well, that was the case for an episode during the show’s third season in which he played Dr. David Norris, Dr. Cox and Jordan Sullivan’s (Christa Miller) son’s pediatrician. Though a far stretch from his turn as Chris Keller on the landmark HBO series, Dr. Norris was still a wild card, to say the very least.

Amy Smart

Amy Smart showed up in movies like Varsity Blues, Road Trip, and The Butterfly Effect throughout the late ‘90s and early 2000s, but she also had quite a few TV appearances during that stretch of time. This included a spot on Scrubs as Jamie Moyer, aka “Tasty Coma Wife,” the wife of a car crash victim. This led to one of J.D.’s most ridiculous relationships on the series, which is saying something.

Nicole Sullivan

Mad TV star Nicole Sullivan appeared in a handful of episodes of Scrubs. Sullivan played Jill Tracy, a recurring troubled patient at Sacred Heart who made an impact on everyone she encountered, for better or worse. Her death, which ultimately led to one of the show’s most heartbreaking sequences (it features The Fray’s “How To Save a Life”), is one that had a massive impact on the medical staff for years to come.

October comes to an end this week and November begins. Not only does that mean Halloween is finally here, it means that all the best streaming services are going through a massive content shuffle. There’s so much upcoming on Netflix that it can easy to get buried under all the new content.

What's coming to Disney+ this week includes one series finale, and on the same day, another new series gets underway. A new season of a popular Netflix TV series also arrives. Here’s a look at this week’s streaming highlights.

New TV

Agatha All Along Finale - October 30 (Disney+)

Agatha All Along is the closest thing to a Season 2 of WandaVision that we will likely ever see, and the show has largely been a worthy successor. Marvel Studios' spookiest production since Werewolf By Night will come to an end this week by dropping the final two episodes on the day before Halloween. It should be a fitting holiday treat, that might have a trick or two up its sleeve before the end.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - October 30 (Disney+)

Before Selena Gomez was the star of Only Murders in the Building and also a literal billionaire, she was a Disney kid. As the star of Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez became a teen idol, and while many who got their start with Disney have run away from that position, Gomez is embracing it, as the executive producer of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, a new sequel series in which she will also occasionally appear.

The Diplomat, Season 2 - October 31 (Netflix)

In the world of streaming where it seems like getting canceled after one season is the norm for any given series, The Diplomat should be commended for even getting a second season. Perhaps thanks to the star power of Keri Russell, her Emmy nomination or a combination of the two, the show has already been renewed for Season 3, which is as good a reason as any to hold on to that Netflix subscription.

New Movies

Despicable Me 4 - October 31 (Peacock)

While a lot of headlines have sung the praises of Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine as the two highest-grossing movies of the year, number three on that list is actually Despicable Me 4. The animated franchise that stars Steve Carrell as a reformed supervillain isn’t the best movie in the franchise by any stretch. However, considering how many people saw the movie in theaters, there are probably going to be quite a few who will want to check it out with their Peacock subscription this week.

Music By John Williams - November 1 (Disney+)

John Williams is, to put it simply, the greatest composer of movie music who has ever lived. The man who gave us the themes to Star Wars and the Indiana Jones movies, as well as so many others, is the subject of the new documentary Music by John Williams. Anybody with a Disney+ subscription can watch this and then sit down and marathon a lot of the movies where his amazing music has appeared.

As we leave Halloween and enter the traditional winter holiday season plenty of thematic content is on the way. If Christmas movies are not what you’re looking for, we’re all really sorry.

Four years after her time on the TV series Felicity came to an end, Keri Russell made her blockbuster movie debut in Mission: Impossible III, where she played Lindsey Farris. Although her time in this installment of the Mission: Impossible film series was relatively short, Russell at least got to shine alongside franchise lead Tom Cruise in what she described in a recent interview as an “epic gun battle scene.” The actress recalled what it was like participating in this action sequence, and that included sharing the suggestion Cruise gave on what to do if her hair caught on fire.

Russell sat down with Variety to play a game of guessing lines from some of her most well-known projects, with this happening just weeks before she’s seen reprising Kate Wyler in The Diplomat Season 2. While she couldn’t remember that “I’m out! How many rounds you got?” came from Mission: Impossible III, she had no trouble remembering the experience of shooting the gun scene from the 2006 action movie. She started off by saying:

It’s the thought of Tom Cruise looking out for Keri Russell that counts, but yeah, it would have been a lot harder for her to shake the flames off her long hair compared to if he had to deal with them on his much shorter hairstyle. But it wasn’t just advice that Cruise had to offer shooting while shooting Mission: Impossible III with Russell. There’s a moment in the sequence when Ethan Hunt tosses Lindsey Farris a gun, and Cruise pushed for a take where Russell would actually catch the firearm rather than have it be handled through CGI. The actress explained:

Mission: Impossible III was Keri Russell’s second collaboration with director J.J. Abrams, who co-created Felicity with Matt Reeves, and then they re-teamed for 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Although not as commercially successful as the first two Mission: Impossible movies, and still ranking as the lowest-grossing entry in the film series, III earned generally positive reviews. Sadly, Lindsey Farris didn’t go on to become one of Ethan Hunt’s recurring allies, as she was killed shortly after her introduction by an explosive pellet implanted in her head.

While we wait for more updates on 2025’s Mission: Impossible 8, remember that all of the franchise’s released movies can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. For the Keri Russell fans reading, The Diplomat Season 2 premieres to Netflix subscription holders on October 31, and the show has already been greenlit for Season 3.

When it comes to the best movies of the 1990s, Clueless is definitely up there! It’s not only a hilarious high school comedy with all its quotable lines and fashion moments, it’s a pop culture minefield of the era! While the original cast of Clueless is absolutely perfect, over the years, it's been revealed that numerous big name actors were almost in the classic ’90s movie. From Reese Witherspoon to Gwyneth Paltrow, a lot of massive stars crossed paths with the Beverly Hill-set film before Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd and more were officially cast. 

Next time you watch Clueless, which is currently available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription, you can imagine how these other major actors would have been like as the main cast. Check them out: 

Reese Witherspoon 

Years before Reese Witherspoon starred in iconic movies like Legally Blonde, Election and Cruel Intentions, the actress auditioned “so hard” for Clueless, clearly to play Cher Horowitz. While talking to BuzzFeed, she shared the role that got away. It’s not hard to see her as the leading character, but of course she’s gone on to have a fabulous career without wearing that yellow plaid matching set. At the time, casting director Carrie Frazier recalls Witherspoon was “amazing,” but Alicia Silverstone was ultimately the right Cher. 

Kerry Washington

At the same time Reese Witherspoon shared her audition for Clueless, her Little Fires Everywhere co-star Kerry Washington explained that she tried out for a role in the comedy as well! We can totally see Washington rocking the role of Cher’s best friend Dionne Davenport, but it was, of course, Stacey Dash’s part to win. While realizing their unique connection, Witherspoon and Washington joked they should “recreate” a Clueless scene together. 

Ben Affleck 

Another big name that could have been in the 1995 movie is Ben Affleck! At the time, Affleck was just stepping into the Hollywood scene with roles in School Ties and Dazed and Confused when he was considered for Paul Rudd’s part as Josh. Reportedly, Affleck passed on the role in order to do his first movie with Kevin Smith, Mallrats, as well as Glory Days. But as casting director Carrie Frazier said, per ET, she was “really trying to get” Affeck for the part and was “heartbroken” when it didn’t go to him at first.  

Terrence Howard

Before Donald Faison earned the role of Murray in Clueless, Terrence Howard was reportedly a “top contender” for Dionne’s boyfriend. At the time, Howard was also pretty new to Hollywood, but he’d done guest spots in All My Children, Living Single and Family Matters. While Howard didn’t get the role, he would go on to be part of Mr. Holland’s Opus, which became a part of the 1995 award season conversation. 

Zach Braff 

Speaking of Donald Faison, the actor’s future BFF and Scrubs co-star Zach Braff was also up for Clueless as Josh as well. All we know is that he auditioned for Paul Rudd’s part, but didn’t get it. Braff and Rudd certainly look somewhat alike, and we have to wonder if Faison and Braff passed each other at the casting office years prior to meeting on Scrubs. 

Angelina Jolie 

Carrie Frazier has also revealed in the past that Angelina Jolie was among the actors who auditioned for Cher Horowitz at the time. However, the casting director shared that she felt Jolie was “too knowing” for playing the high schooler and found her to be “exactly the opposite” of what they needed for the role. 1995 would become the year Jolie first starred in a movie, but it was for Hackers instead. 

Jeremy Renner

Another memorable member of the Clueless cast was Breckin Meyer’s Travis Birkenstock, who played the school’s resident stoner/skater kid. According to ABC, the eventual Avengers actor “came down to the finals” to play Travis at the time and was “very funny” in his audition. If he had gotten it, it would have been Renner’s first movie. Instead, 1995’s National Lampoon’s Senior Trip was his first film! 

Keri Russell

Director Amy Heckerling reportedly had her “heart set” on Alicia Silverstone quite early on for Cher Horowitz (per ET), but she was asked to “explore” all the options, so she went ahead and did so. Among the names she has shared that auditioned is Keri Russell, who would of course go on to star in another iconic coming-of-age leading role with Felicity. 

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Another future ‘90s TV icon who auditioned for Clueless just a couple of years before getting her big break leading a show was Sarah Michelle Gellar. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress auditioned as Cher’s nemesis at school Amber, which Elisa Donovan ended up playing. In this case, Gellar was actually offered the role before Donovan, but she had to pass it up due to a role she had at the time on All My Children.  

Seth Green 

Another actor that was reportedly up for Travis Birkenstock along with Jeremy Renner before Breckin Meyer, was the actor’s pal Seth Green. While he didn’t get the part, the actor would star in another iconic ‘90s teen movie in 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait which starred the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Dave Chappelle

Dave Chappelle could have been in Clueless too in Donald Faison’s role of Murray. The director apparently met with the comedian while casting for the part after being a fan of Robin Hood: Men In Tights. However, what allowed Faison to win over him was his more “innocent” appeal. She felt Chappelle was a bit too edgy for the high school role. 

Gwyneth Paltrow 

Lastly, we also know that Gwyneth Paltrow was also in the running for Cher. It sounds like the studio really wanted her to be in the movie after she had been in 1993’s Flesh And Bone. However, the director shared she never actually got to see Paltrow audition. Paltrow would go on to star in Se7en that year!

So many huge actors were considered for Clueless. While it’s fun to imagine these other great talents as these iconic characters, the casting team of the comedy really made some incredible choices. We wouldn’t want it any other way! 

Years before Keri Russell became a household name for fronting the popular drama series Felicity, she was part of one of the most star-studded young casts as a member of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. The ‘90s sketch series starred big-names-to-be like Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake ahead of their viral fame. Looking back, Russell doesn’t count herself among the most talented of the crew. 

With 2023 marking thirty years since Russell last appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club reboot, the Emmy-nominated actress recently shared her thoughts about being part of the show to W Magazine. In her words: 

No matter what Keri Russell might think, we know she’s a massive talent in her own right between her incredible six season run on The Americans to frequently working with J.J. Abrams on projects from Felicity to Star Wars. Most recently, Russell starred in a series called The Diplomat, which you can stream with a Netflix subscription. The actress also had more jokes when asked if she saved anything from her time on the series, saying this: 

Now, Russell was 15 when she first appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club reboot in 1991 and so of course she has some cringe thoughts about her teenage self being on TV. Looking back on the actress’ run on the kids show, she looks absolutely cool and oozing with personality from my estimation, but if any of us looked back on our high schooler self we’d probably have similar words to say. Check out a taste of Russell on the show: 

Across The All-New Mickey Mouse Club revival, which aired from 1989 to 1994, there were over 30 cast members, many of which did not go on to find themselves with the kind of lasting career Russell has found in Hollywood. It’s pretty amazing that a handful of young people who would go on to help define a new generation of entertainers were all cast together, and Keri Russell is definitely among those select handful of global sensations. 

Obviously Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and NSYNC members Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez went on to be major names in pop music, but also Ryan Gosling has been a huge name in the movie industry for decades now, finding tons of memorable characters over the years, most recently playing Ken in Barbie. 

Back in 2018, Ryan Gosling and Britney Spears reunited on the Ellen show after Spears shared her interest in doing a Mickey Mouse Club reunion. It would be fun to see the cast come back together and share memories of meeting each other before their massive fame, wouldn’t it? 

When it comes to Apple TV+, they’ve been coming out with hit after hit, whether it be the famous Ted Lasso, or the award-winning Severance, there’s plenty on the streaming service to love. And now, they’re back with the latest ensemble series, Extrapolations. 

The TV show is an anthology drama series that shows the effects of climate change across the world, from different characters that are somehow all connected. In any show like this, there are many stars that you have probably seen somewhere before. Here is where you might have spotted the Extrapolations cast. 

Kit Harington (Nicholas Bilton)

First up on the list is Kit Harington, who plays Nicholas Bilton in Extrapolations. Harington is primarily known for his role as Jon Snow in the Game of Thrones cast, but he’s also had roles in shows such as Gunpowder, and was in movies like Pompeii as well as Eternals. 

Daveed Diggs (Rabbi Marshall Zucker)

Daveed Diggs portrays Rabbi Marshall Zucker in Extrapolations, and the actor has been on a grind recently with his shows and movies. While Diggs is primarily known for his role in the Hamilton cast, he’s the star of Snowpiercer, and was also in big movies such as Soul and Blindspotting. 

Sienna Miller (Rebecca) 

Next up is Sienna Miller, who plays Rebecca. Miller has been in films such as The Lost City of Z, Foxcatcher, American Woman, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. She was also in the TV film, The Girl. 

Meryl Streep (Eve)

Portraying Eve in Extrapolations is Meryl Streep, a name that I’m sure we are all very familiar with. Streep has been in so many movies that it’s hard to even keep track sometimes. I’m sure that somehow, someway, you have heard of her, so let’s go over some of her best roles and where you’ve seen her before.  

Streep got started back in the 1970s on the stage, but later on moved into movies and TV with films such as Julia, Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, Out of Africa, Death Becomes Her, The Bridges of Madison Country, The Post, Little Women, The Devil Wears Prada, Into the Woods, The Hours, and more. If you want to hear something crazy, she holds the record for the most nominations by an actress for the Academy Awards – 21. 

Besides movies, Streep has done a lot in television, as well. She had a lead role in the miniseries, Holocaust, as well as a starring part in the second season of Big Little Lies. She was also a part of the miniseries, Angels in America, which won her a Primetime Emmy award. 

Michael Gandolfini (Rowan)

The son of James Gandolfini, Michael Gandolfini portrays Rowan in the series. He’s been in films such as Ocean’s 8, and portrayed the younger version of Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark on HBO Max. He is also going to be in Beau is Afraid, coming out later in 2023.

Heather Graham (Hannah)

Moving on, we take a look at Heather Graham, who plays Hannah. She’s been in many films that you might recognize her from, such as Six Degrees of Separation, Boogie Nights, Bowfinger, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Horns and more. She also had a supporting role in Twin Peaks, and was in the shows Scrubs and Californication. 

Tahar Rahim (Omar) 

Tahar Rahim portrays Omar in Extrapolations, and this actor has already been all over in movies and television. Rahim is mainly known for his role as Judas in the film Mary Magdalene, as well as his big part in The Looming Tower, but he’s also been in movies such as The French Prophet, and the miniseries, The Serpent.

Matthew Rhys (Junior) 

Moving on, we take a look at Matthew Rhys, who plays Junior. Rhys is primarily known for his starring role in the famed drama, The Americans, but he’s also been in films such as The Edge of Love, The Post, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and more. He’s also the titular character in Perry Mason, and has done voice work in the underrated animated show, The Owl House. 

David Schwimmer (Harris Goldblatt) 

Harris Goldblatt is played by David Schwimmer, and I’m pretty sure most of us are aware of Schwimmer from his time as part of the Friends cast. However, he has plenty of movie work under his belt, including the Madagascar series, Nothing But the Truth, The Pallbearer and more. He was also a part of Band of Brothers, and was one of the stars of The People vs. O.J. Simpson. 

Diane Lane (Martha)

Next up is Diane Lane, who plays Martha and has been in many, many movies. Some of her biggest hits have been Man of Steel, The Cotton Club, Streets of Fire, The Lady Beware, and Hollywoodland. 

Edward Norton (Jonathan) 

Edward Norton plays Jonathan, and he has been around in the film industry for some time. Recently, he was a part of the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery cast, and was also the lead in The Incredible Hulk, but has starred in many other movies, like Fight Club, Bourne Legacy, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, among others. 

Mia Maestro (Mariama)

Moving on, we have Mia Maestro, who plays Mariama in Extrapolations. Maestro is primarily known for her role in shows such as The Strain and Alias, as well as her parts in The Twilight Saga, and her role in Frida.

Indira Varma (Gita) 

Indira Varma plays Gita and was also a part of the Game of Thrones cast, but has been in other television roles such as on Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Amazon original, Carnival Row, Luther, Human Target and more. She was also in movies like Silent Hours and the Disney+ original movie, The One and Only Ivan. 

Adarsh Gourav (Guarav)

Next up on the list is Adarsh Gourav, who plays Guarav in Extrapolations. The actor is primarily known for his work in Bollywood, as he’s appeared in many Hindi films, but he was also in the American film, The White Tiger in 2020. He was also a part of the online web series, Hostel Daze. 

Keri Russell (Olivia Drew)

Another big name here is Keri Russell, who plays Olivia Drew. Russell is also known from her starring role in The Americans (alongside her real-life partner, Matthew Rhys), as well as her breakout starring role on the college show, Felicity, but has since appeared in many other shows and movies. Most recently, she starred in Cocaine Bear, but has also appeared in films such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, We Were Soldiers, and more. 

Gemma Chan (Natasha)

Moving on, we take a look at Gemma Chan, who plays Natasha. Chan was also a part of the Eternals cast, but has appeared in many other movies, such as Don’t Worry Darling, Crazy Rich Asians, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and more. She was also a part of the Humans television series. 

Marion Cotillard (Sylvie)

Marion Cotillard is a French actress who plays Sylvie on Extrapolations. Cotillard is primarily known for her Academy Award-winning role in La Vie en Rose, but has been in many other movies such as Taxi, Inception, The Immigrant, Midnight in Paris, The Dark Knight Rises and others. 

Eiza Gonzalez (Elodie)

Next up on the list is Eiza Gonzalez, who plays Elodie in Extrapolations. The young actress was primarily known for her role in Spanish telenovelas for many years, but has since started to break into Hollywood with many roles in movies such as Baby Driver, I Care A Lot, Godzilla vs. Kong, and 2022’s Ambulance. 

Tobey Maguire (Nicolas) 

You’d really have to be living under a rock to not know who Tobey Maguire is, and thankfully, he’s back in action in Extrapolations, where he plays Nicolas. Maguire is primarily known for his years as Spider-Man, where he played Peter Parker for three films and reprised the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but he’s done plenty in the acting industry besides that. 

His biggest roles besides Spider-Man include those in The Great Gatsby, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pleasantville, The Cider House Rules, Brothers, and many more. He was also recently in 2022’s Babylon, which was nominated for an Academy Award. 

Forest Whitaker (Augustin)

Last but not least, we take a look at Forest Whitaker, who has been in the industry for some time and appeared in many, many big-time movies. He plays Augustin in Extrapolations. Some of Whitaker’s biggest roles thus far have included parts in movies like Platoon, The Great Debaters, The Butler, Respect, The Crying Game, Good Morning Vietnam, and The Last King of Scotland. 

Whitaker has also appeared in such big films like Rogue One: A Star Wars Series, and was also in Black Panther. Currently, he stars in the series, Godfather of Harlem. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t even the complete cast, so if you’re at all interested in seeing anyone else that might not be on this list, be sure to check it out at Apple TV+. Either way, Extrapolations is looking to be an intense show – and with an even more intense cast list. It’ll still be fun, that’s for sure.  

Monster-like animals can be a great starting point for an action film, whether it’s a lion like in Beast or the prehistoric creatures in Jurassic World Dominion. Add to that the words “Based on a True Story,” and you’ve got a tasty theatrical stew cooking. Cocaine Bear is loosely inspired by real events, and audiences will see what happens when a 500-pound black bear goes on a rampage after ingesting large amounts of cocaine. The reviews are in, so let’s let the critics help us decide if we should grab a big glass of Diet Cokagne and head to the theater this weekend.

Director Elizabeth Banks is hoping to find box office success with Cocaine Bear, which boasts an ensemble cast that includes Keri Russell, Margo Martindale, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, to name a few, as well as the late Ray Liotta, who passed away in May 2022. The NSFW trailer promises a hilarious and gory horror comedy, so let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Cocaine Bear. Our own Mike Reyes gives the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, calling the movie ridiculously fun, imploring moviegoers to “just say yes”: 

Mike Ryan of Uproxx gives Cocaine Bear a resounding “Oh Hell Yes,” saying there’s no false advertising in the movie’s title, and this movie is everything he could have asked for. In his words: 

Lovia Gyarkye of THR calls the movie a “no thoughts, just vibes” kind of experience, with the 90-minute runtime aiming for maximum entertainment value, even if the details get murky if you look too closely. The critic continues: 

Jude Dry of IndieWire grades Cocaine Bear a "B-," calling it a clever but obvious cash grab on the part of Elizabeth Banks. And while it may provide a bump to the historically sleepy February movie scene, what you see in the title is what you get from this film. More from this review: 

Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment also thinks the movie falls a little short, giving it a "user rating" of 5. The critic admits that there is a lot to like, though, including the CGI bear and the comedic timing of some of the cast. The review reads:  

If you are intrigued by what Elizabeth Banks and her cast have pulled off here, you can first give the Cocaine Bear a follow on Twitter and then watch Cocaine Bear online as it hits streaming services. Also be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are headed to a theater near you. 

In 1985, in the depths of Chattahoochee National Forest, a hunter discovered a dead 175-pound black bear who had just ingested 75 pounds of cocaine after a drug smuggler had unsuccessfully moved some drugs from Colombia to the United States. But what if this bear had just gotten super high and went crazy on locals in the forest? That is the story of the 2023 movie release Cocaine Bear. 

From Into the Spider-Verse producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who’ve previously teased how “insane” it is. The movie is also directed by Elizabeth Banks years after she helmed Charlie’s Angels comes the first trailer (you can watch above) for the upcoming horror movie / outrageous comedy. And from the looks of it, Cocaine Bear is going to be absolutely hilarious, vulgar and super gory. 

The script was written by The Babysitter: Killer Queen writer Jimmy Warden. When CinemaBlend attended a Los Angeles event for Cocaine Bear with Elizabeth Banks earlier this week, the actor/filmmaker shared her direction for the movie, saying this: 

The Cocaine Bear trailer adapts the wild piece of history with fiction as drug smugglers drop their blow in the national forest and the wild, fuzzy black bear consumes a whole block of it before causing quite the ruckus for everyone in the surrounding area. Among the cast is Solo’s Alden Ehrenreich, reteaming with Lord and Miller after his Star Wars movie, Keri Russell, Sweet Tooth’s Christian Convery and the late Ray Liotta as the movie’s drug kingpin hungry for coke after losing it in the drop gone wrong. 

Liotta’s upcoming role in Cocaine Bear is now among his final performances after the Goodfellas actor died at the age of 67 in May. Following his death, Martin Scorsese showed his regret not having worked with him again. It’ll be a treat to see the actor bring comedy to Cocaine Bear amidst the movie walking a line between ridiculousness and a slasher starring a high AF bear. 

The bear was created with the help of CGI from Weta Digital, which are the creatives behind The Planet of the Apes and Lord of the Rings movies. As the movie teases, there’s a ton of fun f-bombs, dark humor and slasher-like action as the bear gets high on cocaine and just runs wild. Cocaine Bear is set to hit theaters on February 24. 

Scott Cooper’s Antlers is a movie with a good head on its metaphorical shoulders, and a healthy appreciation of the greatness that exists in horror filmmaking. It’s not overly invested in cheap scares, earning its bigger moments with atmosphere instead of quick reveals and score crescendos, and it’s smart enough to unlock the allegorical power of the storytelling style by rooting itself in real world monstrosity. It has engaging characters, brought to life by a talented cast, and when appropriate, it has a willingness to really let it rip with shocking gore and violence.

For all of these reasons, it’s a feature that genre fans are going to want to love – but unfortunately it’s an experience that isn’t totally able to hold together before the end credits roll. While the movie has a number of good ideas, it isn’t able to totally take advantage of them with proper coalescence by the third act, leaving you with a pervasive feeling of wishing that there was more to it. There’s still plenty to like, but it falls short of meeting its full potential.

Based on a script by Henry Chaisson, Nick Antosca and Scott Cooper, Antlers balances its Oregon-set story between two protagonists: a small, bullied 12-year-old boy named Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas); and his elementary school teacher, Julia (Keri Russell), who has recently returned to her hometown after years away and is temporarily living with her brother/the local sheriff, Paul (Jesse Plemons).

Having personally experienced abuse at the hands of her father when she was her students’ age, Julia takes a special interest in Lucas, and believes that he may be having serious troubles at home – her suspicions only growing greater as she discovers sincerely disturbing artwork in his desk, and learns that the child’s dad (Scott Haze) is a single parent with a criminal record. From an outsider’s perspective, all of the red flags are waving, and it has every appearance of being a terribly typical case.

These suspicions are warranted, but the case is anything but typical. As we follow Lucas home, we learn that he’s living a life of struggling self-sufficiency – his house a dark mess and each meal is catch-as-catch-can with no money and resources. But he’s not alone. Behind a heavily locked door is a mysterious, feral being that Lucas cares for by providing it animal carcasses that he finds on his way coming back from school. The boy hopes he can care for it and continue living his life, but horrors await as the secret is uncovered and the truth of the circumstance is revealed.

Antlers tries to use horror to say something about abuse, but the metaphor doesn’t totally track.

Above all else, the easiest thing to appreciate about Antlers is its allegorical intent and attempt at being more than just a cool monster movie. Some of the best examples in the genre root themselves in the terrors of non-supernatural reality, lending the material deeper resonance and verisimilitude, and there is an earnest attempt made by Scott Cooper to establish a link between the film’s fiend and the trauma of child abuse. The problem is that while this work stands up through the first two acts, it withers away in the third and leaves the experience feeling unsatisfying – with one’s initial admiration of the setup dissipating in light of the lacking resolution.

This is tricky material to discuss in what is intended as a spoiler-free review, but too significant not to acknowledge. Analyzing the beginning and middle of the film, one can draw one-to-one lines between real world horrors and the movie’s fantastical interpretations – especially because of the unfolding story about Julia’s experiences – but those connections fall away as Antlers ascends towards its climax, and really disappear altogether in the final moments in aim of including some form of “twist.”

The story in Antlers leans towards messy when the monster is unleashed… and not in a good way.

It’s not just the cracking metaphor that hurts the third act of Antlers, though; there is a point where the script seems to be unsure of how to proceed forward beyond just barreling towards a final confrontation. After spending an hour or so establishing characters and dynamics, and slowly ladling exposition that allows audiences to put pieces together, it just goes into plot mode and starts putting everything out on the table. You no longer have to question how Lucas ended up in his position, as there is a series of blunt flashbacks that spell everything out. And you no longer wonder about the supernatural side of the story, as Julie and Paul are able to get a full, no-doubts lowdown on the situation from the town’s Native American former sheriff (played by Graham Greene), who spells out the mythology for them.

The movie gives the impression that at some point in pre-production the writers were told to cut 20 minutes out of the script, forcing a lot of material to be condensed, and it’s ultimately very much to the final product’s detriment.

There is a great monster featured in Antlers, and it is savage.

Antlers may lose what makes it most interesting in its third act, but what it is supplemented is some solid straight monster-driven horror, and that material certainly is effective for what it is. Scott Cooper’s dark, somber aesthetic throughout the film effectively lends it a haunting, creepy atmosphere that sets the stage for all kinds of bloody mayhem, and he doesn’t pull punches when it comes time to shred human beings apart into jagged chunks of muscle and bone. For being Cooper’s first intentioned step into horror, the movie effectively demonstrates the director’s impressive genre instincts, and suggests it’s a world and tone in which he should continue to play around in the future.

Given its promise and everything it does right, Antlers winds up being a frustrating experience. It’s always exciting to see horror taken seriously and constructed with detailed purpose, but the movie’s aim falters at exactly the wrong time, and the issues badly undermine the best aspects. There is plenty to appreciate in its crafting, as it looks terrific, has bold style, and features quality performances, but it’s let down by its disappointing conclusion.

Srar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is one month away. To celebrate the impending conclusion to the 40-year saga, Disney just released 13 character posters highlighting the main players in the upcoming Star Wars release. By the look of them, Episode IV certainly offers up a mix of old friends, recent fan favorites and newcomers we’ve yet to meet, such as an enhanced look at Keri Russell’s Zorii Bliss. Take a look…

While The Last Jedi’s character posters went for an artsy flair, as each character showed off red getups like paint on a canvas, these Rise of Skywalker posters are much more classic. Each character is featured atop a blanket of stars with simply the title and December 20 listed along with the character images. We have seen Keri Russell’s scoundrel and leader of the Spice Runners of Kijimi, but this is the clearest look at her yet.

First images of Zorii had her costume looking purple, but this poster makes it obvious she’s sporting the color red. It’s an awesome costume with two harnesses for blasters at her hips. The character apparently shares a past with Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron – so perhaps Zorii may be a window into the pilot’s backstory. As the resistance fighters reach their final story together, they can probably use all the help they can get too!

Another new character featured in their own poster is a new droid named D-O. He’s a rusty ‘lil guy that befriends BB-8 during Rise of Skywalker. He’s described as “excitable” and made out of spare parts by Babu Frik. Droids are always fun additions to Star Wars movies and often add some comic relief to the serious situations characters are faced with throughout the movie. Check him out:

One character especially in question going into Rise of Skywalker is Daisy Ridley’s Rey. The powerful young woman has been teased to exhibit a leaning to the Dark Side somewhere in the film in D23’s shocking reveal. Yet, her character poster shows her sporting a white outfit she is iconically known to wear. The fact that the series isn’t marketing Dark Rey inspires some confidence in her character’s journey with the bright side of the force. Here's Rey:

Another highlight to the newly released posters is to see Billy Dee Williams back in action as Lando Calrissian for the first time since The Return of The Jedi's release 36 years ago. Since the new trilogy killed off Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, it will be nice to see some more original blood from the franchise, alongside the late Carrie Fisher’s Leia who will have a role in the film, thanks to some unused Force Awakens footage. Here's Williams' Lando:

Rise of Skywalker also stars John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Naomi Ackie as Jannah, Ian McDiamid as Palpatine, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Richard E. Grant as Allegiant General Pryde and Anthony Daniel as C-3PO. Check out the remainder of the Rise of Skywalker character posters below.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

The Star Wars universe is on an exciting precipice, as J.J. Abrams' The Rise of Skywalker will essentially end the franchise was we know it. Episode IX will wrap up the current trilogy, as well as the overarching Skywalker Saga that began with A New Hope. Abrams has a ton of characters to service for the upcoming blockbuster, but there are also some exciting newcomers making their debut in the space opera. Chief among them is Keri Russell's mysterious Zorii Bliss, who has been described as an old friend of Poe Dameron. And a new image was recently revealed, showing a better look at her epic costume.

Keri Russell has a long history of working with J.J. Abrams, so it wasn't a huge surprise when she eventually made her way to the galaxy far, far away. But exactly how Zorii Bliss factors into the story remains a mystery. We also haven't see Russell's face yet, with only a few brief glimpses of the character, all of which her helmet has been on. Now we can see a closer look Zorii, thanks to a new Rise of Skywalker still. Check it out:

Is it December yet? This still us the closest look at Zorii Bliss' helmet. Although what he character is doing and her true allegiance in the galactic war remains to be seen.

This new image comes to us from EW, and is sure to excite the generations of Star Wars fans out there. Keri Russell's character is wearing her signature armor and helmet, likely because she's a criminal who is trying to hide her identity. But it's what's in her hands that will likely entice moviegoers. It looks like she's got a coin or a data chip, and I have to wonder how important that prop will be in the upcoming blockbuster.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will reportedly feature a time jump, allowing the conflict against the First Order to take a new form. From what we've heard so far, The Resistance has fallen on hard times, and can no longer afford to continue the ongoing war against Kylo Ren's forces. This might be where Zorii Bliss comes in, as she operates in the underground of the galaxy. It's going to take all of The Resistance's efforts to even the playing field, with Poe Dameron likely seeking out his old friend.

The Star Wars franchise is known for its secrecy, so the overall story and evens of The Rise of Skywalker should remain a mystery until it arrives in theaters on a few months. The footage release thus far as been limited, with Keri Russell's Zorii Bliss not getting any screen time so far. John Boyega's agent previously indicated that a new trailer for Episode IX was going to arrive this past Monday, but that didn't come to fruition.

Related: Keri Russell Had An Emotional Reaction To J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Script

Given Zorii Bliss' connection to Poe Dameron, one has to assume that Keri Russell will be sharing her scenes with Oscar Isaac. This is the third acclaimed actress that Isaac has had the privilege to collaborate with, following Carrie Fisher and Laura Dern. I'm eager to see how Poe has continued developing as a Resistance Leader, as he's been set up as Leia's protegee in the last two films.

The generations of Star Wars fans will have to patiently wait for The Rise of Skywalker's upcoming release, and hope that more stills and footage arrive to raise anticipation. But if you're eager for more Star Wars content, there are plenty of comics to choose from. Plus, The Mandalorian will hit Disney+ shortly.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters December 20th, and you can check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Every saga has an end, and for Star Wars that saga will come to an end this year with The Rise of Skywalker. The ninth film in the Skywalker saga has a lot riding on it, and expectations are incredibly high. We have little idea what to expect from the film itself, but if Keri Russell's reaction to the movie is any indication, it's going to be an emotional conclusion, as the actress admits to crying when she read the script.

While Keri Russell says that the emotional script doesn't necessarily mean everything will translate to the screen in quite the same way, the actress says J.J. Abrams clearly loves Star Wars and she hopes that comes through in the final product. According to Russell...

Of course, Keri Russell doesn't go any further into detail than that in her comments to AP, so we don't know anything about why it made her cry, but one can certainly make a few guesses. This movie is being billed as the end of the Star Wars story that fans have been following for over 40 years. While we may still see new characters like Rey and Finn and Poe again, this movie will be putting a definitive ending on a lot of stories. That's going to be, at least potentially, emotional for a lot of fans.

Keri Russell says the original Star Wars trilogy were some of the first movies that she saw in theaters, so she feels a strong connection to them. She is one of those fans for whom this will be a significant movie. Certainly, the rest of us want to have a reaction to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker like the one she had.

Keri Russell will play a character named Zorri Bliss. We don't know anything about the character other than the name. Russell had previously said she had the coolest costume, and now that we've seen it, I have to agree,

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker won't only be the end of the Skywalker saga, it will be the end of Star Wars movies for a while. While the original plan was to release at least one Star Wars movie a year until the heat death of the universe. The franchise will actually be taking a break, and the next film in the franchise won't be arriving until 2022. Maybe it will be a spinoff movie starring Zorri Bliss.

While we’re still pretty much in the dark when it comes to details on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s plot, there’s plenty of other information that’s slowly being put out into the universe. Today brings one of the most beautiful traditions linked to the modern era of Star Wars film’s: the Vanity Fair spread.

Among the new character reveals that took place in this latest version of that time-honored happening is our first look at Keri Russell’s new Star Wars character, Zorri Bliss. As you’ll see in the photo below, she was absolutely right to say that she had the coolest costume in the film:

This first look at Zorri and her costume has us thinking that Keri Russell is playing a bounty hunter character, or at least someone who swims in the same dark circles as Boba Fett. Then again, if anyone shows up in the Star Wars universe with weapons and a helmet obscuring their face, it’s not a hard stretch to think that this person would be looking to apprehend any person, object, or information for the right price.

With a gold helmet that looks like The Rocketeer joined Daft Punk, and a crimson/purple jumpsuit that complements further gold and bronze accents, Zorri is definitely ready for action. The inclusion of her dual pistols only makes us want to hang out with her more, knowing that at any given moment, a fight could break out and Zorri Bliss would end it just as quickly.

Not only was the first look at Zorri’s costume shared by Vanity Fair, but some details about Zorri’s character were also given. Sure enough, we’re not the only people that see a smooth criminal in the Star Wars galaxy, as their write up mentions that the fresh war raging throughout the new trilogy has continued to allow the criminal underworld to flourish. Which certainly explains the fancy threads on Zorri Bliss.

As Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set up to conclude the Skywalker Saga, the two trilogies of stand-alone films that won’t deal with that particular corner of the storied universe are on the horizon, and will need new characters to play around with. Which means that between Rian Johnson’s new films, and those being undertaken by Game of Thrones’ masterminds David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, there’s a chance that Zorri Bliss could appear again down the line.

That's speculation, of course, but should Keri Russell’s new character make a big enough impression, this just might be the future we’re looking at. We’ll have to wait until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in our galaxy on December 20th to find out. In the meantime, you can take a look at what all we know about the upcoming flick so far.

The Star Wars galaxy has been known to boast some awesome threads for its characters, human or alien, throughout its storied history. In that galaxy far, far away, there’s certainly a lot of wardrobe choices that help distance the look of the science fiction juggernaut from that of our very own. But among them all, there are those select few that we know and love above all others, and in the face of that knowledge, Keri Russell sounds like she’s of the opinion that on top of having a ball acting in Star Wars: Episode IX, she’s possibly got one of the coolest get-ups in the blockbuster.

It’s a bold claim in a world where Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, and even Queen Padme Amidala all exist, with their own outlandish and beautiful costumes, but during a recent late night appearance promoting her recent gig on Broadway, Russell started talking about her time on the set of director J.J. Abrams’ concluding chapter to the Skywalker Saga. During that talk with Stephen Colbert, Keri Russell made the following claim while talking about her time away from her family shooting Star Wars: Episode IX:

Now surely, this could mean that Russell thinks that she has the coolest costume in her own career, or that it's just "the coolest" in a general sense. However, one cannot be sure, as during her time on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert she was bombarded with questions both real and fake when it came to Star Wars: Episode IX. Seeing as everyone on the set of a film in this very franchise has a black belt in secrecy, and taking into account that Keri Russell’s time on The Americans also taught her how to walk and talk like a spy, the truth could be extremely illusive.

For as much as we don't know about Star Wars: Episode IX, what we do know is that the Star Wars tradition of far flung species and locales, accompanied by designer fashions that look like nothing we’ve seen on Earth will be maintained. This especially applies when considering that Star Wars: Episode IX’s costume designer, Michael Kaplan, has been on board for this entire trilogy of new Star Wars films, and anyone who designer outfits like that of Laura Dern’s Vice Admiral Holdo from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, or even Kylo Ren's mask from Star Wars: The Force Awakens is more than capable of delivering what could be the coolest costume in the galaxy.

You can interpret Keri Russell’s remarks for yourself, as well as enjoy the entirety of the humorous interview she took part in on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, below (the Star Wars talk starts around the 4:10 mark)

Star Wars: Episode IX will blast off into theaters, presumably with a title and some trailers under its belt, on December 21st. But there’s a galaxy’s worth of entertainment available to you on the market between now and then, and you can best find it in our 2019 release schedule.

They say that show business is all about who you know. While talent and luck are also major factors, fostering creative and professional relationships can be key to making it in tinsel town. There are certain filmmakers that tend to use the same company of actors, including Ryan Murphy, Quentin Tarantino, and J.J. Abrams. The latter is returning to the Star Wars franchise with Episode IX, and is once again putting frequent collaborators on the project. One of these is The Americans actress Keri Russell, who has a mysterious role in the untitled sequel. Russell originally worked with Abrams when he created her hit TV series Felicity, and she recently spoke to the process of reuniting in the galaxy far, far away.

It looks like, in addition to joining arguably the biggest film franchise ever, Keri Russell is especially excited to be back on set with J.J. Abrams. Abrams helped to catapult her career when bringing Felicity to The WB, and now Russell has the chance to reach whole new audiences through George Lucas' colorful and vibrant space opera.

Keri Russell's comments to Deadline further illustrate how positive of a collaborator J.J. Abrams must be. In order to sustain so many working relationships, the guy has to be doing something right. No project is quite as high profile as the Star Wars franchise, and Abrams has already been shown to create roles for his actors. Joining Keri Russell in Episode IX is Lord of the Rings actor Dominic Monaghan. Monaghan also has a mysterious role in Episode IX, and previously worked with Abrams on Lost.

J.J. Abrams also included plenty of familiar faces in The Force Awakens, in varying sized roles. For instance, Heroes actor Greg Grunberg played Resistance pilot Snap Wexley, Lost alum Ken Leung played U.O. Statura, and Star Trek star Simon Pegg played Unkar Plutt. But given the high profile hire of Keri Russell and her recent success on FX's The Americans, smart money says her role will be quite larger by comparison.

Unfortunately, it's going to be some time before we get any concrete information about Episode IX. The sequel is filming now, and will be keeping security very tight for the time being. And considering we have over a year until J.J. Abram concludes the trilogy and Skywalker Saga forever, fans will have to sit tight.

All will be revealed when Episode IX arrives on December 20th, 2019-- complete with Keri Russell. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is behind us, which means now we have approximately a year and a half to go until the next entry in the Star Wars film series, Episode IX, arrives. As is the case with most blockbusters nowadays, Disney and Lucasfilm are staying quiet regarding Episode IX's story, but if there's one thing we can count on in a new Star Wars movie, it's that new characters will be introduced to a galaxy far, far away. With that in mind, it's just been revealed that the first new face to likely be cast in Episode IX is someone director/co-writer J.J. Abrams already has experience working with: Keri Russell.

Variety dropped the news that Keri Russell is in early talks to join the Star Wars: Episode IX cast. No details about her character were revealed, other than the fact that the role "calls for action-heavy fight scenes," something which Russell has plenty of experience doing in other movie and television projects. Supposedly J.J. Abrams and Lucasfilm executives had been meeting with actresses over the last two months and settled on Russell right before the July 4th holiday. Abrams is reportedly expected to cast two additional actors by the time Episode IX kicks off production at the end of the month.

This will be Keri Russell's third collaboration with J.J. Abrams. First she starred as Felicity Porter in the ABC series Felicity for four seasons, and then she boarded 2006's Mission: Impossible III as Lindsey Farris. Russell's other notable credits include Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Free State of Jones and The Americans, the latter of which concluded its six-season run this past May. Assuming a deal is reached, knowing Lucasfilm, we'll probably have to wait a long time to learn how Russell fits into Star Wars: Episode IX. Is her character with The Resistance? Is she part of The First Order? Is she not affiliated with either group, yet is somehow dragged into the main events? Whoever this individual is, it sounds like she'll be able to hold her own in a brawl.

As far as familiar faces go, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver are also expected to return for Star Wars: Episode IX. Originally the plan was for Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow to direct Episode IX, but due to creative differences, Trevorrow stepped down, and J.J. Abrams, who directed The Force Awakens, came back to helm the picture and co-write the script with Chris Terrio. This will also be the last Star Wars film that John Williams composes.

Star Wars: Episode IX opens in theaters on December 20, 2019, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on its development. As for what else the Star Wars film series has coming up, look through our handy guide.

The WB drama Felicity is known for a lot of things, and among them is the notorious haircut of its leading lady. As it turns out, the whole hair ordeal started out as a joke before taking a jump into reality. Going from long hair to a super short cut was a significant leap that got everyone buzzing, and not in a good way. Keri Russell recently revealed how the haircut that many hold responsible for the series' ratings dive came about, saying:

Twenty years later it is still being talked about, as evidenced by Keri Russell addressing it with this anecdote during the ATX Television Festival (via EW). What have we learned here? You never joke about hair. All kidding aside, when Felicity's ratings experienced a worrisome downturn in Season 2, the blame famously fell on the actress' severe haircut. Known for her beautiful long curls; Russell's haircut shocked the television world, sparking conversations outside of the show's fan base.

While Keri Russell was joking, J.J. Abrams was not. Inspired by the picture, he asked if she would be willing to make the wig a reality. What ended up happening sparked controversy and the show was engulfed in buzz for all the wrong reasons -- a haircut and a ratings spiral. For whatever reason, Russell did not end up wearing a wig to cushion the time between when it naturally grew out some.

A wig could have saved the show from a hairy situation. It may have at least been able to circumvent the negative attention the hairdo generated in its aftermath. Ever since then, a high-profile incident of severe hair cutting has not occurred in-between seasons on television. So Felicity can consider itself a true trailblazer in that regard. Why the show did not make a move to attempt to curb things remains a mystery though. Maybe they did not want to ruin the congruity of the show?

Remember, it was the producer, who asked her if she would be willing to do it. Keri Russell did not go rogue by any means. Networks are now acutely aware of how attached fans are to the follicles of the stars of the show. So they can rest easy, as a similar situation is not as likely to occur now. Can you imagine Jon Snow coming back with a buzz cut? Or any other popular character closely tied to their hair rocking a severely altered look? No, and we can probably thank Felicity for that.

Unfortunately, reliving Felicity's daring hair chapter is not going to happen via Netflix or Amazon Prime, as it is not streaming on either. For new upcoming and returning television shows, you can consider watching over the next few months, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.

Actors pretty much universally talk about the sex scenes they have to film in less than positive terms. It's cold, you're half naked in front of a, generally unfortunate, number of people, and you have to do body smooshing things with people you frequently barely know and may have no physical attraction to at all. But, for Keri Russell of The Americans, the experience isn't quite so bad upon further inspection.

Keri Russell and her Americans co-star Matthew Rhys spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the show recently, and Russell revealed that while the scenes are pretty much always awkward, she can at least find something positive in the motivation behind them. Russell finds that the sex scenes on The Americans, which have a reputation for being super graphic and have led to a lot of those scenes being labeled "sexpionage," are actually meaningful in a different way from the standard love scenes that we get in TV or movies, even when those scenes are graphic. Instead of sex on The Americans being used as a mostly romantic or, even, purely sexual, moment of the show, it's almost always more about power. Specifically, Russell's character, Elizabeth, using sex to convince people to give her needed information that she can use as a very undercover Soviet spy. Russell said that she finds that use of the show's sex scenes to be "empowering" for her as an actor.

Well, when you talk about sex in a show like The Americans, it's totally fitting that a basic human desire like that will be used as a power play. There's no way that real life spies don't use anything and everything they can to dig up the secrets they need to get their hands on, and we all know that sex can be a good way to get people to do silly or even dangerously irresponsible things. You know, like telling someone where the plans for that new stealth aircraft are being held.

I say, if you're going to take your clothes off for, potentially, all the world to see, then you better feel pretty good about why you're doing it. And, if Keri Russell feels empowered by having fake sexy times in The Americans, then good for her. You can catch up on all the spyriffic body bumping when The Americans returns to FX for Season 5 in 2017.

If you’re of a certain age, Amy Heckerling’s 1995’s teen comedy Clueless is a definitive piece of cinema. It both captured and defined a particular moment in popular culture, and beyond, and introduced the world to Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd. And it also made people say "as if" too much. But it could have been a very different movie as there were a slew of young actresses in line for the lead role of Cher, including Angelina Jolie.

To mark the 20th anniversary of Clueless, Vanity Fair published an expert from Jen Chaney’s oral history of the update of Jane Austen’s novel Emma (for as different as they are, the two are remarkably similar). Over the course of the interviews, which include Heckerling, Silverstone, Rudd, producer Twink Caplan (who also plays Miss Geist), and tons of other players, it comes out that not only was Jolie in the running for the Cher part, but so were Alicia Witt, Tiffany Amber Thiessen, Keri Russell, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Reese Witherspoon.

Heckerling says she had her heart set on Silverstone for the role. However, when the project was still at Fox, where it was originally being developed a TV show and was once called I Was a Teenage Teenager, the studio wanted her to look at more options, which is how she came to check out others on the list. Silverstone became a sizeable star, but it’s crazy to look at the names on this list and see what they’ve all done in their own non-Clueless careers.

Angelina Jolie, of course, went on to become one of the biggest female movie stars on the planet, collecting a slew of awards hard wear along they way, like her Oscar for Girl, Interrupted. Not only is she still a box office juggernaut on screen, fronting hit movies like Maleficent, she’s also started directing prestigious movies like Unbreakable and an upcoming ivory poacher drama that has awards bait written all over it.

Alicia Witt first came to the attention of the general public in the mid-1990s as the daughter on Cybill Shepherd’s sitcom Cybill, and has worked steadily in TV and films ever since, including a long run on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, acclaimed high school football drama Friday Night Lights, and a stint on FX’s modern western noir Justified, just to name a few. We’ll also always lover her because of her turn in John Waters’ Cecil B. Demented.

Best known as Kelly Kapowski, the perky cheerleader and object of affection for both Zack Morris and A.C. Slater on teen sitcom Saved by the Bell, Tiffani Amber Thiessen (now just Tiffany Thiessen, though we can never call her that) is as busy as ever. She went on to have a lengthy run on Beverly Hills 90210, USA’s White Collar, and even reprised her role as Kelly in an awesome bit on The Tonight Show earlier this year.

When she came to prominence on the J.J. Abrams-created Felicity, Keri Russell was known as the girl with the big hair—it was quite a to-do when she cut it all off. After working steadily, though never becoming a huge star, Russell has been kicking ass, figuratively and literally, on FX’s fantastic The Americans, and even reteamed with Felicity co-creator Matt Reeves for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes last year.

Since not appearing in Clueless, Gwyneth Paltrow has done pretty well for herself, appearing in a string of Marvel movies, winning all kinds of critical acclaim, and even took a foray into TV and singing with Glee. Sure, she’d probably rather we don’t talk about Shallow Hal, but that Academy Award for Shakespeare in Love must go a long way to helping her not care too much about that.

Reese Witherspoon starred in her own definitive, though admittedly very different, high school movie, 1999’s Election (and Cruel Intentions the same year). Ever since, she’s been wowing audiences in a variety of roles across numerous genres in big and little films (though maybe let’s not dwell to long on Hot Pursuit). She won an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line and even founded a production company with the express goal of finding and creating quality roles for women in movies.

I have considered myself obsessed with a lot of things in my life, from Monty Python to Stephen King to bacon, but the entertainment industry has a way of making my obsessions look like “passive disinterest.” The A&E show Obsessed is more nightmarish than any Hollywood horror of the past five years.

But the above trailer for Sony’s romantic comedy Austenland, courtesy of Yahoo! Movies is an altogether different take on what it means to be a fan of something. Keri Russell plays Jane Hayes, a woman who seems to have based her entire life around the 6-episode 1995 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But it isn’t exactly the film itself or even its source material that enraptures Jane’s mind, but rather Colin Firth’s acclaimed performance as Mr. Darcy. He encapsulates everything she wants out of a man, except he’s just a fictional character. Right?

Well not at the modernity-free Austenland, the Jane Austen “theme park” run by Jane Seymour’s Mrs. Wattlesbrook; this place has Mr. Darcy characters coming out the wazoo. Jane throws her life savings into taking a trip to the British attraction, only to find herself staying in the servants’ quarters and fraternizing with people who don’t even know what Pride and Prejudiceis. (This would be Jennifer Coolidge’s character.)

And amidst all the orchestrated meals and outside events, Jane manages to find not just one dapper potential beau, but two of them. J.J. Fields (Captain America: The First Avenger) plays Henry, and Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords) plays Martin, and it looks like both of these guys are going to be fighting for Jane’s heart, but without any actual fighting I’d bet.

Austenland is the feature directorial debut from Jerusha Hess, the wife of Jared Hess, with whom she co-wrote Napoleon Dynamite and others. The film is adapted from the 2007 novel by Shannon Hale. It’s definitely got a quirky enough premise that should allow for storytelling that is outside the usual rom-com box. Yet it still looks quite like many a film that came before it. And even though I have no real interest in Austen or her work (outside the occasional zombified reimagining anyway), I’m actively hoping that this is something I won’t be ashamed to say I enjoyed. McKenzie's presence alone had me intrigued.

Speaking of Colin Firth Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, I wonder if Jane would be enthralled by the promotional campaign that has a statue of Firth touring different sites. Check out the video below to see what I mean.

Austenland will see a very limited U.S. release on August 16, but I’d assume the U.K.'s September 27 release will be more widespread.

Matt Reeves has quickly been putting together the cast for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes over the last few weeks, and he's been doing a pretty exceptional job picking up talent. While having Andy Serkis returning is the ace up the project's sleeve, additions set to play human characters include Jason Clarke, Kodi-Smit McPhee and Gary Oldman, meaning that it's already playing with a stacked deck. Today it only gets better.

Keri Russell, most recently seen in the sci-fi thriller Dark Skies and on the currently running series The Americans on FX, has signed on for a mystery role in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel. Variety, which revealed the casting, says that the story will begin more than a decade after the end of the last movie and be set in a world where apes have all but completely wiped out humanity. Previous reports have said that Gary Oldman will be the leader of a human colony and that part of the plot will center on a group of scientists trying to find a way to stop the apes in a San Francisco lab.

Assuming that Russell is playing another human character, I'm curious if any other known actors will join Serkis as an ape in the sequel. Obviously the performance that the English star gave in the last movie was phenomenal and is undoubtedly intimidating, but I wonder if there will be an actor willing to take the challenge in going up against him.

A trailer for Edward Norton's comedy Leaves of Grass has debuted at Apple.com, and I have to admit, after seeing it I still didn’t really get any sense of what the movie is actually about. Norton plays two identical twin brothers who couldn’t be more opposite if one was a bird and one was a fish. One’s a country bumpkin who’s gotten himself into a spot of trouble, and one is a city slicker who has to head back to Oklahoma to help him out. That’s about all I could gather.

From there the trailer jumps into gun fights and one-liners without actually getting into why one brother is in the shit and how his fancy brother being there will save him. But the movie does look pretty funny, and Edward Norton never fails at bringing his A game, so with him doing dual roles this one could turn out pretty great.

I hope Norton isn’t expecting Oscar consideration though, because they don’t seem to like when one actor plays two characters brilliantly (Eff you Academy for snubbing Sam Rockwell this year). Leave of Grass hits theaters April 2nd; you can check out the trailer below.