It's no doubt 13 Going on 30 is now considered a classic movie of the 2000s. So, I guess it was only a matter of time before the title would get rebooted for a new generation and, now, it's actually happening at Netflix! While I wasn't expecting this remake, there's one big reason why I'm dancing "Thriller"-style after seeing the announcement.

Real talk. 13 Going on 30 is kind of perfect how it is. The cast is pitch-perfect, and the story is so sweet. Also, as someone who recently turned 30 and rewatched it, I can say it definitely holds up. But, when Netflix announced the reboot (via X), there were two magic words that got me on board: Jennifer Garner.

That's right, Garner has boarded the new film as an executive producer. While she may not be the star this time around, I'm so happy she'll be involved, and it makes me confident that she'll ensure the essence of Gary Winick's OG movie is present in the new film. Plus, Emily Bader -- who's amazing as the star of one of the best films on the 2026 movie schedule so far, People We Meet On Vacation -- will be the new leading lady and star alongside Hollywood heartthrob Logan Lerman.

This 13 Going On 30 remake will be directed by Brett Haley, who also helmed People We Meet On Vacation, along with ba few sweet films like Hearts Beat Loud, All The Bright Places and All Together Now. I definitely trust him to bring a lot of heart to this reboot, given his filmography.

I'm also not surprised that Jennifer Garner is involved, because she has shown her love for the 13 over the years. She even talked about being stopped at airports by fans of the film. Recently, she also talked about remaining close with co-star Mark Ruffalo over the years along with being best friends with Tom Tom actress Judy Greer, who she recently worked with on The Last Thing He Told Me Season 3. I would imagine that Garner saw some serious potential with this reboot if she decided to join as a producer, and I'm so glad she's involved.

Of course, I still have a lot of questions about how the creative team will approach this movie. For starters, who will be the one who goes from 13 to 30? Will it be Emily Bader or Logan Lerman? My gut is it will be Bader, but it would be interesting to see the story gender-swapped this time. The other element I'm curious about is whether Garner will have a role in the movie and if so, would she reprise her role be Jenna Rink or play someone else completely? Should she have a cameo, I'd think it would probably be the latter.

I don't really feel like I need another 13 Going On 30 movie, but, hey, if they are going to do it, it's important to have some talented people on the project. And with Garner being a key producer who cares a lot about the original movie and knows what it means to people, I'll breathe a sigh of relief for right now. So best believe I will absolutely be checking this out with my Netflix subscription once it comes out!

The new season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is new on streaming this week, which marks the second time Rick Riordan’s book Sea of Monsters has been adapted. But last time, it was Logan Lerman playing the series’ title demigod character, and this time it’s Walker Scobell. It may be a different era for Percy Jackson, but I love Scobell’s idea for how to get Lerman into the new TV show.

Walker Scobell and Logan Lerman have linked up before, and Lerman has even called the 16-year-old actor a “friend” who he talks and texts with from “time to time.” So, how can we get these two to share the screen in Percy Jackson? Here’s what character Scobell would like to see Lerman take on:

Wouldn’t that be the best? Scobell was talking to Entertainment Tonight alongside co-stars Leah Jeffries (who plays Annabeth) and Daniel Diemer (who plays Percy’s half-brother Tyson), when he pitched the idea, and they were in full agreement. Triton is another one of their brothers (and another one of the sons of Poseidon) and the sea messenger god. When asked if he’s reached out to Lerman about his idea, Scobell said this:

It’s great to hear what Logan Lerman thinks about getting back into Rick Riordan’s beloved universe, so what’s the hold up? In the case of the book series, Triton doesn’t actually appear until the fifth book, The Last Olympian, which would mean we’d need to wait until Season 5 – unless the creators decide they want to introduce the character earlier.

It’s clearly a bit too early for the show to cast Percy Jackson, but I certainly hope that Scobell’s idea does end up happening when the time comes. Lerman has been supportive of the series since it was announced. Lerman was cast in the role when he was seventeen, and starred in two movies that came out in 2010 and 2013. We didn’t see more Percy Jackson movies, mostly due to the source material not being properly adapted. Riordan thought the decision to change the ages of the characters “alienate[d] the core audience”, but has said he had “nothing against the very talented actors”.

You can stream the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 right now with a Disney+ subscription and Hulu subscription, and look forward to new episodes on Wednesday.

Now that we’re on Season 5 of Only Murders In The Building, I’m actually rather shocked at the lack of romance we’ve seen in the comedy starring Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin. It’s kind of refreshing that the only big couple to write home about is the recent marriage between Short and Meryl Streep’s characters (the actors are rumored to be an item in real life), but now that Logan Lerman’s character made his first appearance on the series, the potential for a new romance for Gomez’s Mabel has stirred up a lot of thoughts about the show from me.

Lerman has been established as Jay Pflug, who is one of three billionaires the Only Murders podcasters/mystery-solvers come across as they try to solve the potential murder of the Arconia’s Lester Coluca. He’s the heir of a pharmaceutical magnate and happens to be around the same age as Mabel. In Episode 4, they strike up a meaningful conversation that had Charles and Oliver saying that he makes her “eyes flutter.” So, what’s being set up exactly?

I (And Other Fans) Do Sense Some Flirtation Between Mabel And Jay On Season 5

While I could be absolutely wrong, I do detect Only Murders In The Building is trying to set up a little flirtation and potential love interest territory between Mabel and Jay. Particularly, one where one of the possible villain and our hero could get into a classic enemies-to-lovers scenario. The romance trope is personally one of my favorites, found in the likes of Pride & Prejudice, Bridgerton, La La Land and The Sound of Music, and hasn’t necessarily played out on the show yet. Here’s one reaction on Twitter that sums things up pretty well:

I’m certainly not alone in catching the potential. Check out some other social media reactions:

• “logan lerman and selena gomez playing friends to enemies to lovers in only murders in the building im calling it now” - @americanreqiuem
• “the chemistry between logan lerman and selena gomez was chemistrying fr. 😍” - @mdnightchords
• “i’ve never been able to get into any of mabel’s love interests but logan and selena’s chemistry is crazy. the potential for an enemies to lovers with insane buzz!!” - @decodedsabrina

These two are just too easy to want to see together, and lots of fans are rooting for it to happen, and we’ve only seen a taste of these two actors playing off the other, with half the season having aired so far.

I Actually Love The Idea Of Mabel's Guard Going Down For A Villainous Billionnaire

Shortly after Jay impressed Mabel during the unexpected billionaire “dinner” party in Episode 4, we learn that Jay used the information they talked about to trap her, Charles and Oliver in a new deal where they cannot talk about him or the other billionaires on their podcast. Mabel is flustered and angered that he took advantage of a sweet moment between them, but that goes to show that his charm went far. Mabel's skills are usually sharp, and she’s always paying attention to who could be suspects, and how they could be tricking her. But, in the case of Jay, she was quick to write him off, probably because she has a little crush.

Being attractive and knowing how to use it to gain power is a dangerous game that I think that Jay is playing, but if Mabel falls for it, it’d mean she’s only human. There've been a lot of unexpected villains throughout the series, but a case being difficult to crack because a character like Jay knows how to use his magnetism to get away with things is an interesting plotline for Only Murders to explore. And, it'd be even better if it ends with Jay actually being one of the good ones, and the pair fall in love. Mabel has always been an unexpected character, and as long as he’s not actually a murderer, I’d kind of love this for her.

It'd Sort Of Be The Best, Since Selena Gomez Once Said He Was Her Celebrity Crush

One big reason why Mabel and Jay’s possible romance is also so interesting to the internet comes from their history. Long ago, Gomez said that Lerman was her celebrity crush (via X), and it became so viral that the actor was asked about it during a press junket. He was flattered, and Gomez sweetly took back her answer to get the attention off the pair of actors being a couple everyone wanted to see. Over a decade later, the pair have had the chance to work together for the first time, and should they become an on-screen couple, it's kind of a sweet full circle moment. Plus, nowadays, Gomez is engaged to Benny Blanco and Lerman is engaged himself.

I Have A Larger Problem With Mabel's Romantic Storylines That I Hope The Show Can Start To Rectify

The conversation about Mabel and her love life brings me to a larger issue I’ve had with how her character has been handled in relation to meeting a love interest. Across the show so far, Mabel has had a few love interests, with Oscar Torres in Season 1, Alice Banks in Season 2 (played by one of her best friends Cara Delevingne) and Jesse Williams’ Tobert. I totally get why the writers have chosen not to make any of them stick. The focus is more on Mabel’s friendship with Charles and Oliver, and her own personal self growth journey, but it’s getting kind of tiring to see them each last season, and for her to be stuck in the same one-season romance loop.

It doesn’t allow Mabel to really grow as a character if she’s interested in a romance/partner-in-crime outside of her sweet friendship with Charles and Oliver, but she’s never able to juggle her mystery-solving life and finding the happiness she’s looking for, it ends up being a let down if we don't get to see her explore relationships beyond the surface.

While I don’t necessarily expect Jay to be the character to break the spell, the arrival of another love interest has me thinking about a circular pattern on the mystery. I hope it doesn't stay stagnant until whenever they decide to end the show. In other words, if you’re going to give Mabel another love interest, really commit to a good romantic plotline, because they’ve been so thin and forgettable thus far.

One of the most unique 2025 movie releases I’ve seen this year has to be Oh, Hi! starring internet boyfriend Logan Lerman and The Bear’s Molly Gordon. The independent film from writer/director Sophie Brooks follows a couple, Isaac and Iris, as they go on a remote romantic getaway together. However, while they engage in some sexual bondage play, and Lerman’s Isaac gets handcuffed to the bed, a frustrating truth comes out about their relationship and Iris decides to leave him tied up until he tells her what she wants to hear.

The dark comedy, also co-written by Molly Gordon, works as a rather brilliant take on relationships in this day and age, especially as Iris learns that what she thought was a promising beginning to a long coupling was actually not Isaac’s intention the whole time. One element of the movie that really stuck with me is the use of referencing 1943’s Best Picture winner, Casablanca, throughout the film. WARNING: I’ll be getting into SPOILERS ahead.

Early on in Oh, Hi!, Iris and Isaac talk about their favorite movies, and Iris mentions loving Casablanca. Here’s what Sophie Brooks said about having this detail in the movie the first time it’s mentioned:

I didn’t think about it this way, but as the writer/director shared with me during our interview, Casablanca helps establish the theme of miscommunication from the movie. In terms of the movie, Iris is a big fan of it, but Isaac only pretends to have seen it. It sort of plays into the pair’s relationship, where Iris kind of plays along with Isaac because she likes him, but he is leaving things unsaid that are uncomfortable for him.

I felt like the use of Casablanca helped underline how Iris is conditioned to romanticize relationships that haven’t even had a chance to start and really be something real. She assumed she and Isaac had something they didn’t have, and even after she ties him up to a bed, and he tells her that he doesn’t want a relationship at the end of the film, she quotes the movie, saying “We’ll always have 'Oh, hi!'” As Brooks continued:

Oh, Hi! and Casablanca certainly have an ending somewhat in common, considering they don’t end up together. But, the fact that Iris sees a situation where she was lied to and almost went to jail as the kind of time and place to recite a line from a heartbreaking movie like Casablanca is certainly telling.

At the same time, as Brooks mentioned, just because two characters don’t end up together at the end doesn't mean a movie cannot be romantic or be its own kind of love story. Having Casablanca as a reference really helped me as a viewer understand that aspect of the film. Because yes, while not every love story is healthy or long-standing, if it made you feel something, it means something to you. We all have those short-lived romances, that weren’t right for us, but taught us something about love and ourselves, and that’s Oh, Hi!

From his role in Perks of Being A Wallflower and Percy Jackson, Logan Lerman has been what we call an “internet boyfriend” for over a decade now, and he continues to claim that title with a new performance in upcoming 2025 movies like Oh, Hi!. But I certainly didn’t expect the actor’s recent reaction to the phenomenon and him dropping the names of other stars for whom he constantly gets mistaken. I guess he's sitting down and staying humble.

Logan Lerman Reacts To His 'Internet Boyfriend' Status

Logan Lerman’s latest movie is a twisted dark comedy called Oh, Hi! where he was handcuffed to a bed for hours upon hours for its clever plotline. While speaking to Bustle about his public persona over the years deeming him a “Tumblr king” in the past, he had this to say:

It sounds like Lerman isn’t necessarily Googling himself and his “internet boyfriend” status on the daily (which sounds really healthy), but he is definitely aware of some of it. All in all, it sounds like the actor is honored to earn the title, because it means he can keep doing what he loves, which is making movies and TV shows. And hey, being an internet boyfriend is definitely a good thing for a performer's career, and the likes of actors like Tom Hardy, Keanu Reeves, Pedro Pascal, Ryan Gosling, Andrew Garfield have him in good company.

He Admits What Actors He's Getting Mistaken For 'All The Time'

During the same interview, Lerman was asked if there’s a group chat for himself and other internet boyfriends who also have brown hair and are around his age, as he mentioned while on The Tonight Show. Lerman said it was a late night joke, but did have this to say about a couple of his colleagues:

Isn’t that funny how that happens? While I wouldn’t necessarily say Lerman and O’Brien are the spitting image of the other, I do get why they are often mixed up. Both of them started playing beloved teens, with O’Brien on the Teen Wolf TV show, and have some comparable front-facing personalities.

I can absolutely see Lerman and Minette (who was in the 13 Reasons Why cast) getting mixed up, because they both have dark hair and ocean blue eyes. Lerman also shared that he and those actors will often run into each other for the same roles, but they are close in a personal capacity too. He continued:

How sweet is that? Comments like that only add to his “internet boyfriend” status, don’t they?

If you’re a fan of great romantic comedies, I definitely recommend you watch Oh, Hi!, which is a project on the 2025 movie schedule that presents a clever twist on the genre. And its leading man, Logan Lerman, certainly had a unique experience on the independent film, considering his character is handcuffed naked to the bed most of the time. Considering the premise, I of course had to ask the Percy Jackson actor during our interview how long he was actually handcuffed to a bed for the shoot. And, his answer pretty much blew my mind.

The movie, co-written by The Bear’s Molly Gordon (who’s been in a ton of great movies over the years), follows a couple, Iris and Isaac (played by Gordon and Lerman), who go on a romantic getaway to a remote cabin. The couple gets a little kinky in the bedroom, and Isaac ends up in handcuffs. But when he makes a troubling confession to Iris about their relationship, Iris decides to keep him chained to the bed. Here’s what Lerman had to say about being handcuffed on set:

Molly Gordon added that it was definitely “a long time” and was giving “held captive vibes,” but hey, it seems like Lerman was very much game to do it. For some reason, I thought he was going to say that he was never really handcuffed for long, but I’m amazed he really committed.

And for a good reason. Oh, Hi! is a really fun movie that highlights the frustration that can come with dating when two people who like each other aren’t looking for the same thing. In Iris’s case, she comes into the getaway thinking they are a couple, whereas Isaac explains to her he’s not looking for anything serious, and she goes a bit Misery on him.

As we also discussed in the interview, one big problem it brought up for the actor was not having the ability to use his hands in conversation. As he explained:

It really did work, too, and helped make the movie.

After Molly Gordon successfully called out theater kids by co-writing and co-directing Theater Camp, which came out in 2023, I was very excited for what she’d be doing next as a filmmaker. For Oh, Hi!, she collaborated with co-writer/director Sophie Brooks to bring to life this dark comedy in between her work on The Bear (which is already coming back for Season 5).

You can check out if Logan Lerman’s Isaac ever gets out of those handcuffs when Oh, Hi! hits theaters this Friday, July 25.

Worlds collided when Disney+ posted a picture of Logan Lerman and Walker Scobell together in April 2024, Percy Jackson fans freaked out. The possibility of them even briefly meeting would have been enough, but a photo op? It was more than most fans could hope for. Now almost a year later, and with Season 2 of Percy Jackson And The Olympians set to air sometime on the 2025 TV schedule, Lerman has revealed the photo was just the tip of the iceberg.

As it turns out, the We Were The Lucky Ones actor knows his fellow son of Poseidon actor past just posing for a photo. The Percy Jackson vet told IMDB that he actually has gotten to bond with the young actors taking over his legacy role, and as a longtime fan, my heart is so full.

As someone who was in the depths of their Percy Jackson obsession when the Lightning Thief movie came out in 2010, it makes me so happy to see Logan Lerman still has love for this franchise. It’s not an easy project to take part in, considering how dedicated this fanbase is. I’ll admit, we are a tough crowd to please, but it comes from a place of loyalty to the characters and books. There was pressure on the OG actors who first took on the roles of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, but after the movies flopped, the expectation for Scobell and crew was even higher.

Needless to say, I’m really glad these two sons of Poseidon are in touch and hopefully Lerman can act as a mentor of sorts for the Secret Headquarters actor as he heads into this sophomore season. In an ideal world, an OG cast cameo would do huge numbers for the series, and while Lerman hasn’t been on set for Season 2, he says it’s not out of the question.

Most likely there hasn’t been a conversation yet because author Rick Riordan is adamant about the new Disney+ show being completely separate from the movies. It’s no secret to fans that Riordan beefed with Hollywood studio execs when it came to a script for the original adaptation of his beloved YA mythology series. However, I’m hoping after being renewed for a second season, and a look at some fan feedback, he might reconsider this position.

Not everything about the Logan Lerman movies needed to be scrapped, and I think it was a mistake to completely take a 180 turn from them when creating this series. Despite being older than the character in the books, I thought the Bullet Train actor’s portrayal of Percy was pretty great. Based on Scobell’s performance in the Adam Project, I know he can match Percy’s sarcastic, impulsive energy, but he wasn’t quite there yet in Season 1. So perhaps a familiar face on set would help blend the two.

Production for Season 2 has officially begun, and I’m excited to see how they adapt Sea of Monsters for TV, especially after the movie plot was such a trainwreck. However, before Season 2 premieres, make sure you are all caught up on how we left things with our favorite demi-god heroes at the end of Season 1. You can stream Season 1 of Percy Jackson And The Olympians now with a Disney+ Subscription.

After Rick Riordan’s best-selling Percy Jackson series finally got the TV show it deserves on Disney+, The Sea Of Monsters is in the process of getting a book-to-screen adaptation in the form of the show's second season. While the author is hard at work on the set of the streaming series as cameras began rolling in August, Riordan recently took a minute to speak about whether a mythology multiverse including the actors from the original movies could be in the cards.

As fans of Rick Riordan’s novels know, the author has created an entire book universe of his own based on mythology. After Percy Jackson became his claim to fame, the author expanded with The Heroes of Olympus, which gets deeper into the Greek mythological world from Percy, and The Kane Chronicles, which derives from Egyptian mythology. Here’s what Riordan said about the idea of having a multiverse of his own:

During a conversation with People, Rick Riordan also delved into whether actors like Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario could return if a multiverse was in fact established. Here were his thoughts:

It’s no secret that Rick Riordan was not a fan of the original Percy Jackson movies, and the studio and fans were not either, considering the franchise fell apart after two films. He also likened the flicks to placing his life’s work going through a “meat grinder” at one point. So perhaps he has a fair point in regards to placing attention on the new series and allowing the movies to stay untouched. The author also said this:

That’s not to say the paths of past and present Percy Jackson haven’t crossed paths. When the TV series was in the works, Logan Lerman shared he was “happy” for the fans to see the series being made under Rick Riordan along with sharing he was unlikely to join the cast but “who cares.”Lerman and the new Percy, Walker Scobell also met and took a picture together at an event for the Hulu on Disney+ launch earlier this year.

With the adaptation of The Sea of Monsters in the works, there are a few things from the books we’d love to see in the show. While we wait for that, you can watch the first season now with a Disney+ subscription and stay up to date on Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 right here on CinemaBlend.

For the Rick Riordan fans, the author also just released the latest Percy Jackson book, The Wrath of the Triple Goddess, which is the second of three books from the series called The Senior Adventures.

Hulu’s integration into Disney+ finally happened after months of speculation. Of course, Disney promoted the streamer’s newest addition to no end with more streaming channels possibly to come. However, one promotional photo sent multiple fanbases into a frenzy. The streamer dropped a pic featuring a fully-suited-up Jeremy Allen White, Tom Hiddleston, and Logan Lerman, and the fans united to stan.

The possibly once-in-a-lifetime moment came at the right moment for the House of Mouse, as Hulu on Disney+ received a mixed reaction from viewers. However, the streamers ramped up the launch by posting a photo with three of its leading men – White, Hiddleston, and Lerman – on its Instagram account. Check out the multi-platform crossover in the image below:

Now, that’s how you promote a streaming launch. Taking three beloved stars from some of the House of Mouse’s fan-favorite hit shows is genius. Viewers have grown to love and cheer for Tom Hiddleston’s Loki by watching the Marvel movies in order. Meanwhile, Jeremy Allen White and Logan Lerman have solidified themselves as the internet's boyfriends due to the success and acclaim of Hulu's The Bear and We Were the Lucky Ones, respectively. It’s a plus that White and Lerman are currently gaining Emmy buzz.

Of course, the gentlemanly photo set the comments section on fire as multiple fandoms converged on the photo as soon as it was posted. The OG and new Percy Jackson fans showed up for Lerman. However, the multi-fandom saw the photo as a moment to push Disney+ to do some stunt casting for its Percy Jackson streaming series (which is worth noting that Lerman also took a photo with the current Percy, Walker Scobell):

• Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades for the new Percy Jackson series
• Young Poseidon, young Apollo and young Hades. Just saying
• Percy Jackson, Kerry Von Erich and Loki all in one shot

While all the MCU and Percy Jackson fans found some common ground, not everyone was looking for the next fantasy-action crossover. Some commenters flooded the comments with their thirst for the three Hollywood leading men. Many fans couldn't hold back, saying:

• Disney understands the female gaze 😍
• Appetizer, entrée, and dessert 😙🤌
• ....I can't even choose who to look at....
• disney said “gather the three hottest white boys, it’s time to break some hearts”

Some followers couldn’t handle White, Hiddleston, and Lerman being in one photo together. Other followers showed Disney some appreciation for bringing the trio together:

• my brain combusted rn, what is this disney?
• everyone say thank you disney+

If the House of Mouse wanted to announce Hulu on Disney+ in style, then, this is mission accomplished. 

Once viewers are done gazing at all three men, they should get a Disney+ subscription to watch their respective shows. Tom Hiddleston can be seen in Loki Season 2 on the streamer. Logan Lerman deals with family and danger in the Holocaust miniseries We Were the Lucky Ones, which is currently airing on the 2024 TV schedule. And Jeremy Allen White can be seen as the complicated Carmy in The Bear’s first two seasons as the cast shoots Seasons 3 and 4 back-to-back. Both shows are also available with a Hulu subscription.

Look, there’s not a multiverse in the world of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books, but if there was one, we’ve just found our crossover event! Walker Scobell, the current actor behind Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has officially met Logan Lerman, who, of course, played the same role in two movies over a decade ago. The pair of Percy actors took a picture together, and the internet is fangirling about the whole thing. 

On Friday night, a ton of big names celebrated the recent launch of Hulu on Disney+ in the U.S., which brings together both platforms for one of the best streaming service deals available right now. The event resulted in Walker Scobell and Logan Lerman linking up for a glamour shot. Check it:  

Percy met Percy! The stars aligned for the two actors for this event thanks to Logan Lerman’s latest role in Hulu’s We Were The Lucky Ones, which premiered on the 2024 TV schedule last week. And in this instance, Scobell is representing Disney+, having just had a successful launch of the new Percy Jackson series on the platform a few months ago. Fans of Percy Jackson were absolutely geeked when the photo was posted on Instagram. Check out some reactions from the comment section:  

• “the fan girls are gonna have a field trip with this one (it’s me im fan girls)” @seetaslibrary 
• “IM LITERALLY SCREAMING ANF CRYING HELLOOOOO ITS TWO PERCYS” @moxie_mills
• “CHILDHOOD ME AND ADULT ME ARE SCREAMING, CRYING AND HUGGING EACH OTHER RIGHT NOW” - @arasruz
• “IT HAPPENED IT HAPPENED I DIE A HAPPY PERSON NOW” @currymunches 
• “I need an hour long behind the scenes documentary on this picture alone” @heroesofstories
• “is this why the earthquake happened” @readswithhann_

Ever since the new Percy Jackson series was announced, fans have been sharing their hopes for Logan Lerman to be part of the fun, so this is a big day for the fandom. There’s just something so lovely about seeing the actors behind the son of Poseidon in the same room. They represent two generations of the famed book series being adapted to audiences. 

Aside from the initial freakouts from fans, others commented further on the actors being in the same photo. Check out these: 

• “Nice of you to have Walker sit so we can’t tell he’s probably grown another 10 inches” - @earthto_chrissy 
• “guys they made Walker sit down cuz he’s probably taller than Logan 😭” @its_silena_beauregard
• “logan must have some formula of youth cause man is he aging backwards” = @ashesbooksandmovies
• “nah bc why do they actually look related” @stina.beann 

Walker Scobell is 15 years old and growing every day – the actor actually grew six inches within the shooting of the first season, per an interview he did with Teen Vogue. Lerman reportedly has two inches on him, that is unless Scobell has since continued to get taller (which is very much possible!) Along with fans joking about their heights, others applauded Lerman, who is 32, for looking as youthful as ever.

Following Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 finale, the series has already been renewed for a second season which will adapt Rick Riordan’s Sea of Monsters book. And after seeing this photo, maybe someday the two Percy's will work together on a project. But, for now, you can catch up with all the Percy Jackson movies and TV show with a Disney+ subscription.  

How To Watch We Were The Lucky Ones Online

Watch We Were The Lucky Ones Online: Synopsis

An incredible cast bring this heartrending Hulu Original series to life. We Were The Lucky Ones followed the tight-knit members of the Kurc family as their lives are forever altered by the Nazi invasion of Poland and the subsequent upheaval of WWII. An adaptation of Georgia Hunter's New York Times’ bestseller, this 8-part saga is a testament to family, faith, and the human spirit. Read our guide below for how to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online and from anywhere.

Although a work of historical fiction, We Were The Lucky Ones is grounded in the experience of the author’s own ancestors. Addy Kurc, for instance – who’s played by Hunters star Logan Lerman – is based on her own grandfather.

When the series began, the Kurc family were enjoying Passover together in Radom, Poland. The financial and familial stability of siblings Halina (Joey King), Addy (Lerman), Genec, Jakub, and Mila, and their parents Sol (Lior Ashkenazi) and Nechuma (Robin Weigert), was enough for them to dismiss rumblings of war and antisemitic violence.

But when the German army marched into Poland, the Kurc family scattered across the globe – either fighting with the allied resistance, barely surviving in concentration camps, or seeking refuge in the United States – each going on wildly divergent journeys. As time passes and despite the dangers and intervening distance, they remain determined to find their way back to each other.

Now available to stream internationally, including in the UK, and featuring a powerhouse performance by the Emmy-winning Joey King (The Act), We Were The Lucky Ones is a timely tale, and inspiring, breathtaking entertainment.

Catch Hulu’s latest with our guide below, which explains how to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online from anywhere.

How to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online in the US

US viewers can watch We Were The Lucky Ones online with a Hulu subscription. The show first premiered on March 28 with the final episode dropping on the platform on May 2.

You can now stream all eight episodes back to back on Hulu at your leisure.

There are a number of Hulu plans available. New subscribers can opt for one of its on-demand only plans and enjoy a 30-day free trial. Thereafter, you’ll pay $7.99 a month for its ad-supported plan, or $17.99 a month to go commercial free.

If you want to benefit from its 90+ live channels, the Hulu + Live TV plan is currently $76.99 per month and comes with ad-supported Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, and Hulu included too. You can also opt for one of the Disney Plus bundle plans and pay from $9.99 a month for purely on-demand content.

How to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online from anywhere

US citizen on vacation? Or perhaps you're working overseas and still want to stream We Were The Lucky Ones on a streaming service as if you were back home. Unfortunately, in some markets you'll be stopped from doing so due to geo-blocking.

But with a VPN you can change your IP address and make your computer, smartphone, tablet or other streaming device think its right back in the US.

That means US citizens overseas can subscribe to a VPN, join a US-based server and access their subscription no matter where you are in the world, just as if you were in the comfort of your own home.

How to use a VPN to unblock streaming services:

1. Choose your ideal VPN and install – our go-to recommendation for unblocking is NordVPN, costing from $3.99 a month with its 2-year plan

2. Connect to a server – for Hulu, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US

3. Go to the stream you wish to access - for We Were the Lucky Ones, head to Hulu.

How to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online in Canada

Arriving a few weeks after its US debut, Canadians can watch We Were The Lucky Ones online now with a Disney Plus subscription following its debut on Wednesday, April 17. The whole season is available now. 

Don’t have Disney Plus yet? Disney Plus prices start from CA$7.99 a month for the platform’s ad-supported plan. Otherwise, choose between its Standard (CA$11.99 a month/CA$119.99 annually) or Premium ad-free options (CA$14.99 a month/CA$149.99 a year).

How to watch We Were The Lucky Ones online in the UK

After a bit of a delay, We Were The Lucky Ones is now available on Disney Plus in the UK. The good news for Brits is that unlike the weekly release schedule overseas, the entire season has dropped at once, meaning you can binge the WW2 drama in full right now. 

Disney Plus plans begin from as little as £4.99. Of course, subscribers have the option of upgrading to the ad-free Standard plan at £7.99 a month, or the £10.99 Premium option, which supports 4K and HDR streaming.

An American abroad wanting to access Hulu? Get yourself a VPN to port yourself back home.

Watch We Were The Lucky Ones online in Australia

In Australia, We Were The Lucky Ones also landed on Disney Plus on Wednesday, April 17, with the whole season available now. 

There are just a few subscription options to choose from in Australia. Go monthly for AU$13.99, or get a great saving – effectively 12 months for the price of 10 – by getting an annual plan for AU$139.99.

We Were The Lucky Ones Trailer

We Were The Lucky Ones Episode Release Schedule

• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 1: "Radom" Thursday, March 28
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 2: "Lvov" Thursday, March 28
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 3: "Siberia" Thursday, March 28
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 4: "Casablanca" Thursday, April 4
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 5: "Ilha Das Flores" Thursday, April 11
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 6: "Warsaw" Thursday, April 18
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 7: "Monte Cassino" Thursday, April 25
• We Were The Lucky Ones – Episode 8: "Rio" Thursday, May 2

In summer 2025, we’ll be introduced to James Gunn’s younger take on the Last Son of Krypton in Superman: Legacy. As DC fans await more details on the next era of Superman following Henry Cavill’s unexpected exit as the superhero, new rumors surfaced this week regarding who the filmmaker is considering for the leading role. Gunn dispelled them, but his response is starting to get me hopeful for what’s to come for the iconic hero. 

On Wednesday, reporter Grace Randolph shared that the team behind Superman Legacy was “very close” to casting its lead, and it could be leaked soon. Gunn responded to her on Twitter saying he hadn’t had a “single talk with a single actor” about the role yet, but he’s currently making private lists and “prepping material for auditions.” Randolph then said she had “heard” Gunn’s top choice for Superman was 31-year-old Logan Lerman of the Percy Jackson movies and The Perks of Being A Wallflower. Check out the exchange: 

While James Gunn’s latest rebuttal from the DC movie rumor mill confirmed that casting for Superman: Legacy is still in early days over at DC Studios, I do seriously respect the transparency. He's really not letting one rumor go on too long without refuting it or letting fans know what's true and what's really going on. 

And the idea that Gunn, who wrote the script and will direct the movie, is starting to form a list of possible candidates regarding which actor will play his version of Superman does get me somewhat excited. That being said, wow, am I still bummed Henry Cavill’s time as Superman is officially over and it might take some time before I warm up to the idea of Superman: Legacy. 

Part of me gets it, Cavill was Zack Snyder’s pick for Superman and there’s a lot of baggage now and confusion regarding his Man of Steel appearances. Plus, James Gunn wants to make a Superman movie starring a younger Kal-El that will center “around Superman’s heritage — how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.” That certainly sounds like a completely different take than that of the Snyderverse, hence the clean slate on casting. 

Superman is clearly an important character to James Gunn considering the touching statement he shared when he confirmed he’d be directing. While the filmmaker and co-CEO of DC Studios was offered a Superman movie before and declined it, he said he found his way into the story, and it sounds like he’s really passionate about Superman: Legacy. 

For the time being I’m cautiously optimistic about the whole thing. I’d imagine cameras will need to start rolling on the project sometime in 2024, so Gunn certainly has time to get auditions going in the near future and be on schedule for what will be the first movie in his DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate. 

Logan Lerman has been a fixture within Hollywood for a while now, as the 30-year-old actor truly rose to prominence during the 2010s as the lead of the Percy Jackson franchise. Even before that, he’d notched roles in impressive movies like The Patriot and 3:10 to Yuma. Yet the actor still isn’t instantly recognizable to everyone in the industry, and that apparently includes Chris Hemsworth. When the A-lister star crossed paths with Lerman, he actually mistook him for a stuntman from his upcoming film, Extraction 2. That’s funny on its own, but what’s even wilder is that the Perks of Being a Wallflower didn’t correct him and opted to play along. 

Though Logan Lerman continues to make movies, he’s also working in the TV sphere. His most recent venture in that medium is Hunters, which just made its second and final season available to Amazon Prime Video subscription holders. Lerman recently explained that while working on Season 2, he and his co-stars ended up in Prague, which is where he encountered the Australian actor. Lerman hilariously set the scene and explained that the meeting took place at a very on-brand location for the Marvel alum:

Just when you think working out with a stud like Chris Hemsworth is tough enough, he doesn’t even know your name. Most people’s egos would’ve probably been deflated if they were in the position that Logan Lerman described during his appearance on The Tonight Show. However, the Bullet Train actor showed that he had a great sense of humor, based on his decision not to reveal his true identity to Hemsworth. Lerman went on to describe how he kept the ruse going while in the action star’s presence: 

Kudos to the actor for looking at the situation in such a lighthearted way. And to be fair, you probably can’t blame the Aussie actor for confusing his fellow performer with someone else. By all accounts, Extraction 2 has been a massive undertaking that includes a considerable amount of moving pieces. Chris Hemsworth, who wrapped the film in March 2022, has since claimed that it involves some of the most “exhausting” fight scenes he’s ever performed. All of that work is bound to pay off though, and Hemsworth looked intense and ready for a fight in a recent first look.

A small part of you can’t help but wonder whether or not the actor has had these kinds of mix-ups with stars other than Logan Lerman. If that’s the case, I’d wager that he remained as cordial and respectful as he was during his chat with Lerman, though. I’d also hope that anyone else would approach the matter with the Press Play actor’s playful and trollish demeanor.

Be sure to check out Logan Lerman in the final season of Amazon Prime Video’s Hunters. Also, grab a Netflix subscription so you can Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction 2 when it drops as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Director David Leitch is hardly a stranger to the world of action filmmaking. After spending years working in the stunts realm, he made his directorial debut with 2014’s John Wick, which he worked on with Chad Stahelski. Since then, Leitch has helmed Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Hobbs & Shaw, and now he’s tackling Bullet Train, based on the Japanese novel “Maria Beetle” by Kotaro Isaka, for Sony Pictures.

If you have recently watched the new movie or are planning on seeing Brad Pitt in action at some point, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the Bullet Train cast before they found their way into what looks to be one of the best action films of the year. There are quite a few passengers we need to meet, so let’s punch our tickets and step aboard.

Brad Pitt (Ladybug)

Shortly after the release of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Brad Pitt said he would act in fewer movies going forward. Evidently he deemed Bullet Train worthy of his time, as Pitt stars as the lead character, a hitman named Ladybug in the new movie. 

Pitt and David Leitch previously worked together on Deadpool 2, where the former cameoed as Vanisher, who we only briefly saw when he was being electrocuted to death. So Bullet Train will give them a chance to become much better acquainted, and we’ll see how this compares to Pitt’s previous action outings, such as Fight Club, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and World War Z, to name only a few.

Joey King (The Prince)

Some of you might remember Joey King from films like Ramona and Beezus, The Dark Knight Rises (she played a young Talia al Ghul in a flashback), and Oz the Great and Powerful, but nowadays she’s best known for Netflix’s The Kissing Booth movies, Hulu’s The Act, FX’s Fargo and Blumhouse’s The Lie, among other things. 

While Bullet Train won’t mark King’s first foray into action movies, this will definitely be her biggest action platform yet, with her portrayal of a seemingly harmless schoolgirl who is actually a fierce and deadly assassin who goes by the name “The Prince.”

Andrew Koji (Yuichi Kimura)

Those of you who’ve seen the Cinemax series Warrior are already well acquainted with Andrew Koji, and G.I. Joe fans will remember him from bringing Storm Shadow to life in 2021’s Snake Eyes. Now Bullet Train is the latest opportunity for Koji to show off his action cred, and count on him standing out among the other main cast members with his martial arts skills as Yuichi Kimura, another mysterious assassin aboard the action-packed train.

Throughout his career, Koji has also given great performances on shows like American Gods, Call the Midwife, and Peaky Blinders.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Tangerine)

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is no stranger when it comes to action movies, plays a visible role in Bullet Train as Tangerine, one half of a citrus-themed team of contract killers who finds himself crossing paths with Brad Pitt’s Ladybug.

During the first half of last decade,  Taylor-Johnson drew attention for playing Dave Lizewski in the Kick-Ass movies, Quicksilver in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Ford Brody in Godzilla. More recently, Taylor-Johnson has appeared in Outlaw King, A Million Little Pieces,Tenet, and The King’s Man. And Taylor-Johnson knows a thing or two about playing less than heroic characters, especially with his menacing role in Nocturnal Animals.

Brian Tyree Henry (Lemon)

And who takes on the role of the other member of the citrus hit squad on the Bullet Train cast? Well, none other than Brian Tyree Henry, who can’t really be stopped thanks to a list of notable credits that includes hit shows like Atlanta.

If you’re an avid consumer of movies, then it’s hard to imagine you haven’t seen Henry in anything over the last several years, as he has appeared in Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Child’s Play and Joker. In 2021 alone, Henry had major roles in the Legendary monster epic Godzilla vs. Kong and the Marvel Phase 4 movie Eternals. 

Zazie Beetz (The Hornet)

Like Brian Tyree Henry, Zazie Beetz is a member of Atlanta’s main cast, but if you haven’t seen her on that series, you likely remember her for her roles as Domino in Deadpool 2 or Sophie in Joker. Now Beetz is hopping aboard Bullet Train, taking on the role of “The Hornet,” an American assassin who has a fondness for poisons, hence her sleek and deadly name.

In the past year prior to punching her ticket to Bullet Train, Beetz has appeared in one of the best Netflix movies, Harder They Fall as well as the surprisingly clever and entertaining animated feature film The Bad Guys.

Masi Oka (Train Conductor)

Taking on the role of one of the conductors aboard the high-speed assassin deathtrap in Bullet Train is Masi Oka, who will be instantly recognizable for fans of a certain NBC drama from the early 2000s.

Oka kicked off his time in Hollywood working at Industrial Light & Magic as a digital effects artist, but in the 2000s, he began his acting career. Most of you likely remember him best either as the time-traveling Hiro Nakamura on Heroes or coroner Max Bergman on Hawaii Five-0, while his resume also includes Get Smart, Friends with Benefits and The Meg. 

Michael Shannon (The White Death)

Michael Shannon, who has been one of the most interesting and entertaining faces in Hollywood for the past decade-and-a-half, shows up on the Bullet Train cast as the White Death, a notorious and dangerous crime boss.

Some of you may know Michael Shannon best as General Zod in Man of Steel, while others followed along with him playing Nelson Van Alden in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Or maybe you prefer one of his other credits more, like Revolutionary Road, 99 Homes, Elvis & Nixon, The Shape of Water or Knives Out. In any case, Shannon has clearly been around the Hollywood block, even before boarding Bullet Train. 

Logan Lerman (The Son)

Logan Lerman takes a seat on the Bullet Train cast as the son of the powerful and dangerous White Death, whose rescue and safe return can make some of his fellow passengers quite wealthy.

Some of you have most likely seen Lerman on the small screen playing Jonah Heidelbaum on the Amazon Prime Video original series Hunters. Lerman’s notable film credits include 3:10 to Yuma, the Percy Jackson movies, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Noah and Fury, the latter of which also featured his Bullet Train co-star Brad Pitt.

Hiroyuki Sanada (The Elder)

Showing up as a mysterious character known as The Elder, Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada serves as one of the most interesting passengers on the Bullet Train cast.

American audiences have gotten to know Hiroyuki Sanada over the years in movies like The Wolverine, Mr. Holmes, Life and Avengers: Endgame, as well as seeing him in TV shows like Lost, Revenge and Westworld. Sanada appeared in 2021 Warner Bros. films like the Mortal Kombat reboot and Netflix originals the Zack Snyder-directed Army of the Dead, and now we can throw Bullet Train into the mix too.

Bad Bunny (The Wolf)

Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known by his stage name, Bad Bunny, appears as The Wolf, the pissed off hitman trying to stab Brad Pitt’s Ladybug in the Bullet Train trailer.

Bad Bunny is a Latin Grammy-award winning singer who has been on a tear the past few years, with performances alongside Shakira and Jennifer Lopez at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2020, multiple appearances at major WWE events, and more. Acting-wise though, Mr. Bunny is just as busy. We already saw him in the Netflix series Narcos: Mexico and the movie American Sole, and now he’s taking the express train to superstardom. And this looks like it’s just the beginning as the Grammy Award winner is slated to star in his own Marvel movie in the future.

Sandra Bullock (Maria Beetle)

And then there is Academy Award-winning actress Sandra Bullock, who portrays Brad Pitt’s on-screen handler, Maria Beetle, in Bullet Train.

Brad Pitt and Bullock have been active in the Hollywood space for roughly the same amount of time, but Bullet Train will be only their second time working together (they previously appeared together earlier this year in The Lost City). Bullock is no stranger to working on action movies, with her resume includes Demolition Man, Speed and The Heat. Bullock and Pitt have also both been part of the Ocean’s franchise though they’ve never been in one together.

Bullet Train is now playing in theaters nationwide. If you want to know what other movies are coming to a cineplex (or streaming service) near you, check out our rundown of all the 2022 new releases. 

The Percy Jackson saga of novels is coming back to the screen, but not in the form of a sequel to the film franchise that ended after just two movies. The books are being adapted into a Disney+ series that has gotten the seal of approval from author Rick Riordan. Walker Scobell will play the title character in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and now Logan Lerman – who played Percy in the movies – has weighed in with his thoughts. 

Lerman is returning to the big screen yet again for a role in Bullet Train along with a stacked cast including Brad Pitt, but many still remember him for bringing Percy Jackson to life on the big screen. Speaking with THR about the series and fans’ excitement about the new adaptation, the actor who previously played the demigod said:

Although Logan Lerman was clear that he doesn’t have any inside information to share about the new show, fans can be happy to see that he’s excited for a new generation. His mention of Rick Riordan running it is especially interesting, since the author hasn’t held back about his feelings concerning the films. 

He hasn't even seen the two films (with Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief releasing in 2010 and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters releasing in 2013) before the film franchise ended early, but “judged them from reading the scripts." Riordan did say that he had “nothing against the very talented actors” and was “just sorry they got dragged into that mess,” because to him, the films were his “life’s work going through a meat grinder” when he “pleaded with them not to do it.” Ouch!

Riodan is actively involved with the production of the Disney+ series, as he is both credited as an executive producer and actually made the announcement himself that the show is happening. That’s not to say that the film actors have been forgotten. After backlash to the casting of Leah Jeffries in the role of Annabeth, Alexandra Daddario (who played the character in the films) chimed in. 

Logan Lerman went on in his interview to share whether he would appear in the show as a different character, or make a cameo: 

So, any who watched the films and have more positive feelings about them than Rick Riordan are out of luck if they were hoping to see Logan Lerman appear in Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It sounds like any connections between the movies and the show will be minimal aside from the basics of the premise. The new production will follow Riodan’s books more closely and start Percy’s story when he is 12-years-old and finds himself facing a fantastical trek across the United States, with the help of his friends. 

Logan Lerman’s version of the character was already a teenager, which was one of the decisions panned by Rick Riordan. It’s good to see that the actor is enthusiastic about the new project, even with some of the reception to when he played the role and the fact that he’s not involved.

The upcoming series was confirmed back in January 2022, but no release date has been announced at the time of writing. If you want to revisit the films starring Logan Lerman, you can find Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief streaming with a Disney+ subscription and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters with an HBO Max subscription now. 

For over a decade now, Percy Jackson fans have been cursing the gods in regards to the movie adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief in 2010. If you’ve ever wondered what all the hubbub is about, or just want a refresh about why the movie starring Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario did not depict the Rick Riordan book accurately, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about the major differences between the bestselling first Percy Jackson book The Lightning Thief and the major motion picture directed by Chris Columbus. 

The Percy Jackson movies did not meet hopes of becoming the next Harry Potter franchise on a number of fronts, which may have been a big factor in the potential franchise not surviving beyond one sequel. But all these years later, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is receiving a remake in the form of a Disney+ series, which author Rick Riordan is heavily involved in. Before we look forward to a new Percy Jackson, here’s how the book and 2010 movie differed. 

The Age Of Percy Jackson And His Friends, Plus Their Dynamics

The number one problem with the book vs. the movie is the decision to age up the main characters to be high schoolers instead of middle schoolers. Percy and Annabeth are 12 years old in the first book The Lightning Thief, but the movie decided to make them 16 instead. It completely changes the dynamic of Percy’s journey in the movie, along with his dynamics with the other core characters. While Percy and Annabeth slowly progress from being friends to love interests in the book series, the movie skipped right to attraction for the pair from day one. 

Additionally, in the book there is a major element of Percy receiving the prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi, which will come true when he is 16, which the movie completely ignores. Instead it’s supposed to come to fruition when he is 20. If the Percy Jackson movies had continued, Percy’s overarching journey would have been completely different because he’d be a full-fledged adult by the time the series ends. 

How Percy’s Identity And Powers Are Handled

In the Percy Jackson movie, the marks of his demigod powers are because he “likes being in water” and his ability to hold his breath underwater for a prolonged period of time once he’s submerged. However, that is not how his powers are uncovered in the first book. It instead first starts showing signs when he causes the water in the water fountain to well up and “attack” a girl at his middle school. Also, in the movie he has nearly full control over his powers, whereas in the books he struggles with controlling them. 

Additionally, in the movie Percy is treated like he’s Harry Potter when he gets to Camp Half Blood because it's well known he is the son of the god. In Rick Riordan’s book however, Percy learns this when something called “claiming” occurs. Claiming is when a deity acknowledges their demigod offspring, usually by sending a hologram of their symbol of power, in Percy’s case, a trident appears to him. 

Percy’s Use Of The Shield Wristwatch And Flying Shoes In The Movie 

Percy has a number of cool gifts he receives throughout the books, notably with the shield wristwatch, which is given to him by Tyson in the second book, Sea of Monsters. However, in the movie version of The Lightning Thief, Percy gets it almost instantly in the first movie by Luke. 

In the book, Luke does give him the flying shoes, but he never wears them, due to a warning from Zeus about Poseidon’s son using them, and instead gives them to Grover to wear. Yet, in the movie Percy uses them during his quest. Sure they are cool elements of the book, but the use of them shows that the movie didn’t really get their purposes in the larger plot. 

Key Characters Like Clarisse And Dionysus Are Barely In The Movie

It’s common that book-to-movie adaptations have to cut down characters as to not clutter the storyline. In The Lightning Thief book a number of characters are introduced that do not make their way into the film, including Clarisse, who is the camp bully. For the movie, it actually seems like they fused her character a bit with Annabelle. For example, in the book, Clarisse is on the opposite team in the Capture the Flag game, and Annabelle is on Percy's team, while in the movie,  Annabelle is placed on the opposite team as Percy, and Clarisse is nowhere to be found. The change for the movie seemingly replaces the tension of the scene with a contentious moment for Percy and Annabelle, instead of introducing Clarisse. 

Clarisse does show up in the 2013 sequel Sea of Monsters, portrayed by Leven Rambin. 

Another major character who does not really show up in the Percy Jackson movie is Dionysus, the god of wine. He is also called Mr. D and is in charge of Camp Half-Blood in the book. Other prominent characters that barely show up, or at all are the Three Fates and Ares, which we’ll get to a bit later. 

Percy’s Quest And Hades Involvement In It Is Much Different

Another point of difference between the book and movie is in regards to the larger quest Percy, Annabeth and Grover go on in The Lightning Thief. In both versions they go on a road trip, but the details of the trip have some distinct differences. In the book, they must locate Zeus’s lightning bolt and find his mom, Sally, both of which they believe to be with Hades, who lives in Los Angeles. In the movie however, Hades asks Percy to trade the lightning bolt for his mother, and he sets out on the quest. He is given a map and much of the movie revolves around the trio finding three pearls belonging to Persephone to allow them to escape the underworld. 

Once Percy meets Hades in the underworld, he learns that Hades’ Helm of Darkness has also been stolen. Later he finds out that Ares, the god of war, has been behind the whole situation and serves as the secondary villain of the story. When Hades realizes Percy was not the thief, he returns Sally home. Percy then takes the bolt back to Mount Olympus. 

Percy And Luke’s Fight At The End Of Lightning Thief

At the end of The Lightning Thief book, after Percy has returned the bolt to Zeus, he finds out that Luke was the real thief and was under the orders of Kronos. Luke ask Percy to join him in his cause to overthrow the gods, but he refuses. Luke then tries to kill him with his scorpion back at Camp Half Blood and fails. The movie on the other hand, made the confrontation a huge third act battle including Zeus’ bolt. They fight in Manhattan, but Percy wins and returns the bolt following the fight.

More than usual, the movie adaptation for The Lightning Thief changed a lot of the material from Rick Riordan’s best selling book. We’re certainly curious how the upcoming Disney+ show will translate the material when it comes out.  

Warner Bros., in 2023, will bring us back to a world of pure imagination with Wonka, a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequel exploring the origins of its reclusive chocolate-maker and how he built his vast fortune with his extravagant factory. Directed by Paul King (Paddington 1 and 2) and written by Simon Rich (An American Pickle), the studio is on the lookout for who can play the titular part, made iconic by the late, great Gene Wilder. Any young actor who adopts this role has mighty big shoes to fill, as Johnny Depp will attest, but there are several actors who could shine here.

Currently, Tom Holland and Timothee Chalamet are reportedly being sought. While both are fine picks, there are some other performers who strike my fancy more. Admittedly, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is my favorite film, so I have a lot invested here. With that said, here are some strong contenders for this proposed prequel.

Donald Glover

When this prequel was initially announced, there were three big-name actors reportedly considered: Ryan Gosling, Ezra Miller, and Donald Glover. In my view, all of them were promising prospects, but the one choice that seemed the most exciting was the latter. The Community actor-comedian is one of the most dynamic talents working today, particularly as he continues to thrive as a musician, and a producer-writer-director on Atlanta, to boot. He's capable of being buoyant, but introspective and reserved. His acting depths only continue to grow, and Wonka would prove the vastness of his well-versed talents.

While he keeps a lower profile nowadays, Donald Glover's star power is undeniable, and he can capture Willy Wonka's spunky heart, while also channeling his child-like giddiness and mysterious aura. He'd be my ideal choice.

Adam Driver

While Adam Driver is known for his brooding, turmoil-driven performances in Girls, Marriage Story, The Report, and the new Star Wars trilogy, the high-rising Oscar-nominated actor is capable of delivering a wealth of distinctive, engaging characters — if he's given the chance to cut loose and have fun. Whether it's his scene-stealing supporting turn in What If?, his soulful leading role in Paterson, his kooky character work in Logan Lucky, or even his surprisingly wacky performances on SNL, Driver has proven himself to be a dependably, well, driven performer with a variety of characters in him. If he had the chance to shine inside the lead role of Wonka, we could get a better look at how silly he can be.

Certainly, there's more to Willy Wonka than his dry sense of humor or his sporadic sensibilities. Adam Driver has demonstrated a great flair for playing oddballs who constantly surprise and delight. Certainly, Wonka could be a marvelous showcase for his comedic skills.

Ryan Gosling

Of all the actors originally proposed to play Willy Wonka, Ryan Gosling interests me the least, if only because I prefer his smaller, more intimate performances compared to his studio fare. But, there's something to be admired in how Gosling could bring in the gentle sensitivity of Gene Wilder's original performance, in a way that isn't forced or overbearing. Gosling's facial features can capture a demurred inquisitiveness and casual wonder that would play well into Wonka's wondrous spirit. Ultimately, as one of the oldest actors here, he might not be the right fit anymore. But he could easily capture Wonka's dry wit and unsuspecting heart.

Ezra Miller

Certainly the most intriguing option of the three actors initially listed, Ezra Miller could definitely channel the eccentric wit and rambunctious spirit of Wonka's public persona. Their talent for playing characters both outlandish and introspective would also be vital in capturing the inner life of this hard-to-read factory-owning personality. Miller can play both broad and calculating, which would create the dynamism of this off-beat title character, though their commitments to other WB properties like the DCEU, where they play The Flash, and the Fantastic Beasts franchise may prevent them from committing. Not to mention difficulties in their personal life.

Daniel Radcliffe

As Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe has major clout at Warner Bros. While there are reportedly concentrated efforts to return to the wizarding world of Hogwarts (and possibly reboot the series), it's hard for audiences to see anyone other than Radcliffe in the role. He literally grew up before our eyes with that performance, and nearly all of his recent efforts (many of which are quite good) are deliberate attempts to shake off this image. Perhaps the best way to move past Harry Potter is to let Radcliffe play another iconic character altogether with Wonka.

While Daniel Radcliffe's talents weren't always natural, he has progressed into a very fine young actor, particularly with outstanding performances in Imperium, Miracle Workers (also written by Simon Rich), and, most especially, his transformative turn in Swiss Army Man. Radcliffe has developed a knack for cheeky performances with a wily sense of humor, while also showcasing dependable dramatic chops. This role could suit him well, and allow him to progress beyond his past performances.

Logan Lerman

Logan Lerman is due for his big break. First coming to fame with Percy Jackson, those movies never reached the Harry Potter-level heights they sought. He won a lot of hearts with his sensitive performance in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but since then, he hasn't had a chance to branch out as far as he should. He did good work in Fury, Noah, Indignation, and, most recently, Shirley, but it'd be nice to see him capture that radiant spark in his earlier work. While he might not be considered for Wonka, his underdog spirit makes him a good fit.

The heartful sincerity he brings to his best performances is a great asset, and his understated talent for dry humor and reflective charm makes him an endearing pick. Aided by his boyish features and good-natured grin, Wonka would be a good way for Logan Lerman to finally make it big.

Dylan O’Brien

Following Teen Wolf, Dylan O'Brien has tried discovering his next step. His lead performances in the underseen The First Time and 2020's Love and Monsters were praised, while he did solid work in wobbly projects like The Maze Runner trilogy, American Assassin, and The Internship. Clearly, the actor has a pleasant, appealing screen presence that shines on screens big and small, but O'Brien hasn't progressed into superstardom. It's clearly within reach, though, and Wonka could showcase his star power.

With his affable charm, flexible talents, and capable screen presence, as well as his unsuspecting ability to surprise, Dylan O'Brien has what it takes to make a good Willy Wonka. His boyish grin and happy-go-lucky on-screen personality would work wonders if it's done right. Also, O'Brien always brings a great deal of heart and sincerity to his performances, which could make the title character's vibrant inner life shine.

Alden Ehrenreich

Admittedly, the last time Alden Ehrenreich starred in a high-profile prequel, it didn't work out — financially, at least. Yes, for many moviegoers, Ehrenreich is best known for Disney's troubled and underperforming Solo: A Star Wars Story, though the movie's faults don't belong to the young talent. The actor had the tough task of honoring Harrison Ford's beloved space-based scoundrel while also finding his own rhythm with the character. Alas, while the balance wasn't perfect, Ehrenreich brought lots of warmth and charisma, and his other performances outside of this notable leading role vividly demonstrate the wealth of his acting prowess.

Notably, Alden Ehrenreich is a standout in Beautiful Creatures, Blue Jasmine, and even the underwhelming Rules Don't Apply, but it's his Oscar-worthy supporting role in the Coen brothers' underrated Hail Caesar! that solidified his up-and-coming talents. Alas, Hollywood hasn't served him well, but this prequel could be the iconic role he needs to excel.

Janelle Monae

When Wonka was first proposed, one name that was thrown around wildly was Janelle Monae. And I admire that choice immensely. Monae's dynamic charisma and strong acting talents make her a performer with a continuously-impressive career. While she focuses primarily on music, Monae's scene-stealing supporting turns in Hidden Figures and Moonlight were promising starts to a thriving acting career.

Alas, while Antebellum didn't showcase her talents, Wonka would be an incredible opportunity for the exceptional musician/rising actress to shine in this star-worthy leading role. She's capable of playing up Wonka's heart, humor, and extravagance, and having a performer as incredible as Janelle Monae involved would really justify this movie's seemingly-needless existence. Will it happen? I dunno, but she should absolutely be considered.

Dev Patel

Over the years, Dev Patel has showcased a flair for playing passionate, good-hearted men going against the odds to make a name for themselves. Whether it's Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, or 2020's The Personal History of David Copperfield, the British actor excels in leading roles that let him play underdogs who discover their passion, dreams, or enthusiasm for life. Certainly, if this prequel studied Willy Wonka's rags-to-riches adversities in the midst of greatness, Patel has proven his capability in that type of role. Additionally, Patel could really sell Wonka's warmth, too.

Notably, Dev Patel's work in David Copperfield is some of his finest yet, nailing the whimsical and lyrical comedic-dramatic tone. While the movie itself isn't without faults, Patel's vibrant, bewitching performance hits with gusto. If he brought that same winning spirit, he could play Wonka's tenacity well.

Who's your pick? Tell us below!

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As far as the new show Hunters pushes things, it’s ultimately a show that is grounded in reality. There is definitely a blend of tones, as on the one hand it’s a show that exists in memory of the horrors and atrocities that were committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust; and on the other it’s a pulpy revenge story, but at all times it has both of its feet planted in a world that is defined by the same rules as our own.

But what if it wasn’t? What if it was introduced in the series that time travel was possible? Would the characters who fit under the umbrella of the title go back before the events of World War II and assassinate Adolf Hitler before he could inspire his awful brand of historical chaos? It’s a subject that we may not wind up seeing explored in any upcoming episodes of Hunters, but thanks to my recent interviews with the show’s cast, we now have an idea of how the heroes (and one of the villains) would act:

Hunters launched its first season on Amazon this past weekend, and in promotion of the launch I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Logan Lerman, Jerrika Hinton, Greg Austin, Josh Radnor, Kate Mulvany, Saul Rubinek, Tiffany Boone, Carol Kane, and Louis Ozawa during the show’s Los Angeles press day. While ultimately different topics were covered in different rooms based on who I was speaking to, one question that I asked everybody was the classic scruples question about whether or not they feel their character would try to go back in time and assassinate Adolf Hitler.

As it turns out, most of them were very much in favor of the idea – which admittedly isn’t altogether too surprising given the attitude that their characters project on screen. In the show, the characters played by Logan Lerman, Josh Radnor, Kate Mulvany, Saul Rubinek, Tiffany Boone, Carol Kane, and Louis Ozawa, under the leadership of Al Pacino’s Meyer Offerman, work to track down Nazis who have escaped punishment for their crimes during the Holocaust, and while they are very strict about due diligence and making sure they are targeting the right people, they are often very brutal in their executions. And there is no questioning Hitler’s guilt.

The “Yes” answers seemed to mostly come instinctively, with little regard for the potential ripple effect that assassinating Adolf Hitler would have – but the comments also came with some interesting thoughts and alternative perspectives. Saul Rubinek, for example, questioned if perhaps killing the Nazi leader wasn’t the answer, but instead diverting his attention and getting him accepted into the art school from which he was famously rejected. And Greg Austin’s Travis Leich, who plays one of the central antagonists on the show, had his own quandary presented, as he wondered if Travis would potentially want to get Hitler out of the way so that he himself could rise to power in Germany.

You won’t see any discussions about time travel on Hunters, but the entire first season of the show is now available to stream on Amazon – so go ahead and check it out, and stay tuned for updates, news, and more about the show in the days, weeks, and months ahead!

The casting call to play the young Han Solo was one of the biggest that we’ve ever seen in Hollywood. Nearly every male human with a headshot and a pulse was reviewed by Disney and Lucasfilm as they went looking for the man who would play the young version of Harrison Ford’s famous character. Now it looks like the thousands of potentials have been narrowed down to just a few.

According to Variety, the list is down to about a dozen names, eight of which are specifically listed. So here’s the rundown of the actors most likely to play Han Solo next. Do you like any of them? Do you prefer one over the others? Let us know.

Miles Teller

Miles Teller is by far the best known name on the list. Teller starred alongside Oscar winner J.K. Simmons in the well-received Whiplash, and played the role of Reed Richards in the not so well received Fantastic Four reboot from this past summer. He’s also been part of the Divergent series. He’s been a fairly high demand actor recently, so his presence here is no surprise.

Ansel Elgort

Ansel Elgort is a relative newcomer to Hollywood, but has done well for himself in only the last few years. Like Teller, Elgort has been part of the Divergent series, in the role of Caleb. He also had the role of the male lead in the teen weeper The Fault in Our Stars, another film based on a popular young adult novel. Needless to say, the role of Han Solo would make him an overnight superstar.

Dave Franco

Dave Franco isn’t as well known as his brother, James, though he has been putting together a solid acting career for years. He starred in the surprise hit Now You See Me as Jack Wilder, and will be returning for the sequel later this year. Franco has tried his hand at comedy over the years, in the 21 Jump Street films and Neighbors. He’s currently filming The Disaster Artist, a movie about the making of the cult movie The Room, directed by his brother.

Jack Reynor

Jack Reynor is a bit of a wild card. While he’s had a strong acting career, the vast majority of it has been in smaller films. Nothing like what a Star Wars movie is likely to be. He’s not completely without blockbuster cred, however, as he did play Shane, the boyfriend to Mark Wahlberg’s daughter in the most recent Transformers movie. Is that enough to help him carry a Han Solo movie? Or will it work in his favor that he's still unknown to mainstream crowds?

Scott Eastwood

Scott Eastwood is the oldest actor on the short list at the nearly over the hill age of 29. Eastwood started out acting in films directed by his father Clint, and his been making his own name in recent years with roles in films like Fury, The Longest Ride and Diablo. By the time the Han Solo movie hits, he’ll be much better known thanks to his role in Suicide Squad and his starring turn in the upcoming action movie, Overdrive.

Logan Lerman

Logan Lerman is best known for his work as the title character in the two Percy Jackson films. He was also up for consideration as the new Spider-Man before that role went to Tom Holland. Interestingly, he also had a role in Fury with Scott Eastwood. That was the last time we saw him, though he’s starring in the new film Indignation, which will be screened at Sundance later this month.

Emory Cohen

Emory Cohen may be the most unknown on this list. After a recurring role on NBC’s musical drama Smash, he went on to play Tony in 2015’s well received Brooklyn. He’s not going to be unknown for too much longer, however. He has at least five movies currently set for 2016 release dates, so a year from now, he’ll be a much higher-profile actor. Maybe it makes sense for Lucasfilm and Disney to snatch him up now, before his star reaches the stratosphere?

Blake Jenner

Does Han Solo need to sing? If Blake Jenner takes the role, he may have a great voice. Jenner’s major screen role to date was as Ryder Lynn on the TV series Glee. Most recently, he played the role of Adam Foster on CBS’ Supergirl opposite his real life wife Melissa Benoist. Jenner has a couple of films slated for 2016 including the comedy Besties alongside Woody Harrelson and Hailee Steinfeld.

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Certainly one of the biggest questions to emerge since the announcement of the landmark deal between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures has been in regard to recasting Spider-Man. Andrew Garfield's tenure as the big screen version of the character is up, and the search is on for a much younger actor to replace him. We will surely here about a ton of names vying for the part over the next few weeks and months, but for right now there seems to be two names launching the hunt for the perfect new star: Dylan O'Brien and Logan Lerman.

This news comes to us from Variety, which has sources telling them that both the Maze Runner and Fury stars have emerged as candidates for the role of Spider-Man. The trade notes that actors haven't been approached about the role yet, but let's take a closer look at these two young stars, shall we?

Dylan O'Brien was included in our list of 10 potential candidates to play Spider-Man that launched this morning, and, as we noted, he's a pretty good fit. The 23 year old actor got his first taste of franchise filmmaking last year when he starred in the surprisingly successful The Maze Runner (which has a sequel in the works), and already has a solid fan following thanks to his his time as the lead on MTV's Teen Wolf series. He certainly has the youthful look and athleticism that would be needed for him to play the wall-crawler, and just from our comments section its clear that a lot of people like him as a choice.

Unlike O'Brien, Logan Lerman wasn't on our list, but his name has been getting dropped by a lot of fans across social media platforms. He has actually has quite a lot in common with his competition, as he is also a rather fresh-faced 23 year old, and he has also had some experience heading up his own sequel-producing franchise (namely the Percy Jackson movies). He got some positive marks for his work in David Ayer's World War II tank drama Fury last year, so it's not hard to see why he might be considered a good option for Spider-Man.

While it's exciting to hear about the actors who will end up in contention for the coveted role of Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's important to note that it may be a little while until a casting selection is made. Variety says in their piece that Sony is looking to find a director for the upcoming solo Spider-Man reboot in 2017 before they move forward with finding someone to cast in the titular part. Still, that's not going to stop the rumor mill from constantly spilling out names, so stay tuned!

Sometimes actors go to extreme lengths for a part. Hell, just last night we reported that Bradley Cooper put on 40 pounds of muscle so that he could more accurately portray a Navy SEAL in Clint Eastwood's upcoming film American Sniper. This kind of story is rather common in Hollywood, but Shia LaBeouf really managed to take the idea up a few notches after he signed on to star in David Ayer's upcoming tank drama Fury.

In an interview with British GQ (via The Independent), LaBeouf's co-star Logan Lerman revealed that the Transformers actor was willing to mutilate his own face in the name of making Fury a more accurate movie. According to Lerman, it all began when LaBeouf was sitting in the make-up chair getting fake cuts applied to his face for a scene. He was dissatisfied with the work and didn't believe that it looked real enough. He then walked into the hallway, said, "Hey man, wanna see something fun? Check this out…" and then proceeded to cut his face with a knife. He would also keep opening the cuts all through production, making sure that they continued to look fully realistic:

But face cutting wasn't the end of LaBeouf's dedication to the role. He also had his front teeth pulled out by a dentist (a pretty hardcore move) and, according to reports, both became an expert tank operator and didn't shower while he was filming. Added Lerman,

In the movie, LaBeouf plays Boyd 'Bible' Swan, one part of a five man tank crew operating in Germany during the waning days of World War II. In the film they are forced to go on an incredibly dangerous mission, led by Sergeant 'Wardaddy' - played by Brad Pitt. In addition to Lerman and LaBeouf, the film also stars Michael Pena, Jon Bernthal, Scott Eastwood, Jason Isaacs, and Norman Ellison. The feature is the second from writer/director David Ayer this year, as back in March we saw the release of his hardcore R-rated cop drama Sabotage.

Fury will be shown as the closing night gala of the London Film Festival, and will be in theaters on October 17th. Hopefully all of Shia LaBeouf's commitment will shine through in his performance.

As follow-up to writer-director David Ayer’s jaw-dropping cop drama End of Watch, we anticipate Fury will be full of action and tense moments. But for our first look at the World War II drama that is now in production, Ayer has chosen to share a peaceful moment featuring his star-stacked cast.

In its original tweet, it’s a bit hard to make out whose who in this pic. But in the blown up image below, you can make out from left to right Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief’s Logan Lerman, End of Watch’s Michael Pena, Brad Pitt sitting in the center, The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal, and Shia LaBeouf.

Fury stars these five as members of an American tank crew that’s cutting its way through Germany in the final days of World War II. The arguable sixth member of this unit is Fury, the tank you see them resting on above. As he did with End of Watch, Ayer plans to create a gritty and earnest portrait of a job that demands incredible tenacity and bravery. “What these men went through is worthy of a complex, honest portrayal,” Ayers has said. “This will have incredible, visceral action and complex rich characters. I plan to bring tank combat to life in a way that lands with a modern audience.”

Pitt plays a tough as nails Army sergeant called Wardaddy, who leads his unit in the mission to make a major blow to the Nazi forces. LaBeouf will portray that familiar war movie figure of the young man who is eager for battle until he faces the true horrors of war. Pena will play Fury’s oft-drunk driver, who has made a solemn vow to never go into war sober. Lerman will be the crew’s youngest member, reluctant gunner Norman Ellison, who was trained in the Army as a typist. Finally, Bernthal will tackle the role of Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis, an Arkansas native whose can be as cruel as he is cunning.

After End of Watch, we’re on board for whatever Ayer does next, which technically would be the upcoming Arnold Schwarzenegger crime-drama Sabotage. Rather than writing and directing as he did on End of Watch and will do on Fury, this feature has him as a hired gun helmer, directing the action icon in the tale of a DEA task force being picked off one by one after they plunder a drug cartel’s safe house. Open Road Films will unleash Sabotage on January 24th, 2014. Columbia Pictures plans to bring forth Fury in theaters on November 14th, 2014.

It seems Shia LaBeouf won't be the only young actor soldiering up with Brad Pitt for David Ayer's World War II tank drama Fury, as Deadline is now reporting that Logan Lerman, best known for playing the titular character in the Percy Jackson movies, has also signed on for a role in the new film. According to the site he will play, "Norman Ellison, an Army typist and the youngest and most inexperienced member of the crew who is thrust into being a tank gunner."

The film, written by Ayer, follows a five-man American tank squadron in 1945 who ride in to fight off the remaining Nazi forces in Germany. The writer/director previously said of the story, "What these men went through is worthy of a complex, honest portrayal. This will have incredible, visceral action and complex rich characters. I plan to bring tank combat to life in a way that lands with a modern audience.”

Production on the movie is scheduled to begin this September. Columbia Pictures recently picked up the project after a decent sized bidding war, and is planning to have the film in theaters on November 14, 2014.

Lerman earned good marks for his performance in last year's The Perks of Being a Wallflower and has two films coming up. He'll next be seen this August in Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, with co-stars Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Sean Bean, Nathan Fillion, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Head and more. In addition to Fury in 2014, the actor will also have a part in Darren Aronofksy's Noah, with Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone and Douglas Booth.

Nearly everyone involved in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief has moved on and grown up a bit-- Logan Lerman warring in last fall's The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Brandon T. Jackson to TV's Beverly Hills Cop TV series and Jake Abel to The Host just last weekend. But the gang's all back, with Nathan Fillion inexplicably added to the mix, for Percy Jackson and the Sea Monsters, whose first trailer just debuted at MTV.

When I interviewed Abel about The Host last week it was interesting hearing him admit that the Percy Jackson series is pretty much exclusively for kids at this point, which might be tough for a twenty-something actor making his way in the world but also provides a pretty steady paycheck. And as evidenced by all the work these actors have gotten since Lightning Thief, it's definitely not hurting that they're most recognizable to elementary schoolers. You'd think the original Percy Jackson film might not merit a sequel, making just $88 million in the United States, but with a $226 million worldwide total it's enough to move forward even without Harry Potter or Hunger Games-sized grosses.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, with newly added director Thor Freudenthal and cast additions that include Stanley Tucci as Dinoysus and the aforementioned Nathan Fillion, comes to theaters on August 16 this year.

Those familiar with the story of Noah's ark know that it wasn't just Noah and two of every animal aboard the giant ship. When God sent the message, he told the titular hero to also take his family. Obviously this is a good element to have for film version of the story, as it gives Noah somebody to talk to other than some zebras and a porcupine, but it also means that actors need to be found for the other parts. Darren Aronofsky has already cast Oscar-winner Russell Crowe as his lead and now it seems he's found actors to play two of Noah's sons.

Deadline is reporting that Logan Lerman and Douglas Booth have been added to the cast of Aronofsky's Noah. Logan will play the older son, Ham, while Booth will play the younger Shem. The site also has word that the director is considering casting Jennifer Connelly as the protagonist's wife. Should that come true it would be a double reunion of sorts, as Connelly worked with Crowe on Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind (which earned Connelly her Oscar) and with Aronofsky on the haunting Requiem For A Dream. They are also still on the hunt for an actor to play the film's villain. It was previously rumored that Liam Neeson could take that part, but now it seems that won't be coming to pass. There is also still a love interest for Lerman's character up for grabs.

It's too bad that Neeson is no longer in contention, as it would have been great to see him take on a villain role again (particularly if he would be squaring off against Crowe). Considering this is Aronofsky we're discussing, however, I'm sure that they'll find a more than suitable substitute.

It looks like Kristen Bell's agent is on a serious hot streak. Just two days after landing a lead role in Disney's Frozen and a part in Jennifer Getzinger's adaptation of Neil LaBute'sSome Girl(s), she has been cast in yet another project. And she has some pretty solid company as well.

Bell, Lily Collins, Lily Collins, Logan Lerman, Nat Wolff and Liana Liberato have all joined the ranks of Writers, a new dramedy from writer/director Josh Boone (who will be making his directorial debut. According to THR, which broke the casting story, the group of actors will be joining Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly, who are already 0n-board. Set over the course of a year, the story centers on a a famous novelist, played by Kinnear, who has become entirely obsessed with his ex-wife (Connelly).

Collins will play the couples' daughter - who is college-aged and is lusted after by Lerman's character - and Wolff will play their son - who is in love with Liberato's character. Bell will be a friend of Kinnear's character who makes attempts to get him past his former love. Stephen King is set to make a cameo as himself in the film while Rusty Joiner and Patrick Schwarzenegger are also playing supporting roles. Production will begin this March in North Carolina.

It's really great to see Kristen Bell keep getting parts. Obviously she rose to popularity with the short-lived Veronica Mars, but in the years since she's shown herself to be a talented and funny actress. Her script choices aren't always the greatest - she does have titles like Burlesque and When in Rome on her resume - but hopefully this new string of roles will bring her the success she deserves.

Casting continues to chug along on the second Percy Jackson & The Olympians picture, which, as we reported a few weeks back, will be subtitled The Sea of Monsters. Original stars Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario will return for the follow up, as will supporting players Brandon T. Jackson, Jake Abel and Melina Kanakaredes. But three actress – two with Oscar cred – are lending their talents to the proceedings, according to Variety.

Mary Birdsong (The Descendants), Missi Pyle (The Artist) and Community star Yvette Nicole Brown have been added to the Percy Jackson ensemble. They will play the three Fates, sisters from classic mythology who share one eye. In this modern version, they will be portrayed as taxi-driving siblings, and they’ll help Jackson along on his latest quest.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid helmer Thor Fredenthal will direct the sequel, taking over the reigns from original director Chris Columbus (who’ll produce). Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski penned the screenplay, which also makes room for Cyclops (Douglas Smith, Big Love), Percy’s half-brother who helps the main character try to find the Golden Fleece in the titular sea of monsters.

The original Percy Jackson was a decent-sized hit, earning $226.5M worldwide. The sequel is targeting a March 27, 2013 release date, and so far is shaping up with an impressive cast. What do you think? Will you check it out when it opens? And how do you think the new cast members will fit into the fantasy world? Share your thoughts in our comments section below.

Directed by Chris Columbus from Rick Riordan fantasy novel, the initial Percy Jackson film was released in 2010 and likely was going to trigger the next page-to-screen teen-lit sensation - a worthy successor to Harry Potter. And while The Lightning Thief earned $226M at the global box office, only $88M of that came from the States. Perhaps audiences suffered Potter fatigue? Or maybe they just weren’t that familiar with Mr. Jackson. Well, they’re going to get another shot.

Variety claims that original Percy Jackson stars Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario are on board for a sequel, subtitled The Sea of Monsters, and that Douglas Smith is in final negotiations to join the ensemble in an as-yet-to-be-determined role. Smith’s best known for his role in HBO’s Big Love, though he can also be seen in the upcoming features The Boy Who Smells Like Fish and Antiviral.

Thor Freudenthal (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) will helm this second Percy Jackson movie, which finds the son of Poseidon on a quest to discover the lost Golden Fleece, which legend says is located in the titular Sea of Monsters. The trade says Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski drafted the latest version of the script, while Columbus has shifted into a producer’s role.

Hopefully audiences caught up with the first Percy Jackson on home video or cable, but for family adventure, it was far better than expected and deserved a much larger crowd. Columbus has his limitations as a filmmaker, but his genre of choice is kid-friendly entertainment. If he isn’t going to direct, Freudenthal is a great substitute. The sequel is eyeing a March 26, 2013 release date, so expect more casting decisions soon.

It's the casting process that never ends, despite the fact that the movie in question has a release date and a whole chunk of money riding on it. For months since they announced that they were rebooting the entire Spider-Man franchise, Sony has proceeded with caution through every major decision, from picking a director (Marc Webb) to the agonizing process of figuring out who will play Spidey. The rumors have been leaking out for weeks, with names like Josh Hutcherson, Andrew Garfield, Anton Yelchin, Logan Lerman, Aaron Johnson, Jamie Bell, Frank Dillane, Michael Angarano, Alden Ehrenreich and who knows who else batted around endlessly. For a minute we thought Jamie Bell had the job. Then Hutcherson said he was still in the running. With the exception of the short-lived Donald for Spider-Man experiment, most of us gave up caring about this a long time ago.

Now, according to Deadline, we may soon be put out of our Peter Parker misery and move on to worrying about who will play all the other roles. The studio reportedly viewed screen tests from all of their finalists on Friday, and is "getting closer" to finding the right actor. They're planning to begin production by the end of this year in order to make the July 3, 2012 release date, and given that no one else has even been rumored for other roles, yeah, it's definitely high time they stop dragging their heels.

Pretty much all of the names mentioned above came in for screen tests, though Hutcherson may very well be out of the running after all, and Dillane is likely to choose drama school over a small chance at webslinging anyway. And don't take any of this all that seriously-- there may still be more names added to the list. Feel free to go back to tearing out your hair and feeling nostalgic for the simpler days when Tobey Maguire could simply be dragged back to the role kicking and screaming.

Earlier this weekend we told you here about a rumor being reported by the website “HitFix” in which they claimed that Percy Jackson and the Olympians star Logan Lerman was the frontrunner to be Peter Parker in Sony’s new Spider-Man reboot. They were wrong.

Deadline’s sources at Sony tell them that not only is Lerman not the frontrunner, he’s pretty much out of the running for Spidey altogether.

Normally I’d be quick to point out that a denial like this isn’t a definitive debunk of the story. Official studio sources often blanche at confirming anything and even when they do deny it they leave themselves wiggle room to change their mind or in some cases play fast and loose with the truth to kill a story they don’t want circulating. They’re not doing anything heinous exactly, rumors like these are pretty early in the casting process when nothing’s nailed down and so it makes sense that they don’t want to commit to anything.

In this case though, Deadline’s sources seem pretty adamant on the subject and odds are they’re giving them the straight story. Here’s how Deadline phrased the denial:

Sounds pretty certain. So that puts Lerman out of the running. Who’s next? Anton Yelchin, Jesse Eisenberg, Patrick Fugit and Johnny Simmons have all been rumored to be up for the part at some point. Or is it someone else? I know who I want. His name is Tobey Maguire.

UPDATE! New information from Sony Pictures indicates that Lerman may not be in the running to play Spidey after all. Full details here.

He’s been rumored to be one of the contenders all along and now HitFix claims Logan Lerman is the frontrunner to be the new Peter Parker in Sony’s much loathed Spider-Man reboot.

So who’s Logan Lerman? A few weeks ago you might have seen him as the lead in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He’s eighteen, which makes him the right age for Sony’s plan to roll the clock back and Spidey, put him back in high school, and fill him full of teenage, Twilighty, angst. He also sort of looks the part. One problem: He can’t act. He’s mediocre at best in Percy Jackson, a movie which required little of him other than that he looked scared whenever some guy on the set yelled “monster!” and waved a tennis ball at him.

Lerman is a huge step down from the likes of Tobey Maguire and if he really is a frontrunner as HitFix claims, then it’s a pretty clear indicator of the dismal direction Sony’s Spider-Man franchise is headed. But then if you’ve been following along with this project at all, you already knew that.

There's some hope here though. At best Lerman's only a frontrunner, which means the role isn't locked down. Anton Yelchin, Jesse Eisenberg, Patrick Fugit and Johnny Simmons have also been rumored to be up for the part and at least two of those actors might actually do a good job, if they're hired instead.

After outbidding Universal and Original Film, Variety has announced that the Spielberg-owned DreamWorks banner picked up the rights to Justin Adler's script, The Escort. Despite a title implying that it'll be about an upscale harlot with a heart of gold who overcomes adversity, earns her G.E.D and escapes her lecherous lifestyle, the film will actually follow a flight attendant tasked with ferrying a 14-year-old to Boston when the plane is forced to land before it reaches its destination. Zaniness presumably ensues.

This idea screams mid-90s buddy comedy, and the first thing that comes to mind is the amazing Burt Reynolds masterpiece Cop and a Half. The formula is “rebellious kid + plus bumbling authority figure = wacky comedy,” which you can expect this script will follow to a T.

Adler's credits include an episode each of the under-rated as hell Better off Ted and Christina Applegate's lovable Samatha Who, but most notably he spent time as a staff writer on Futurama. With that resume we can at least expect the familiar idea for The Escort to be clever and maybe come at it from some new angles. Casting predictions? I say Gerard Butler will take a turn as the flight attendant (who will possibly have combat training) and he'll probably be paired with Logan Lerman, reteaming the two after their run together in Gamer.

After having seen Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, I was somewhat disappointed upon reaching the top of the Empire State building and not finding a doorway to Olympus. I may not have met Zeus, Poseidon and Athena, but I was lucky enough to be in the presence director Chris Columbus and stars Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario and Pierce Brosnan.

Based on the popular fantasy book by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief tells the story of Percy Jackson, an average teenager who finds out he’s the son of Poseidon. After receiving guidance from the wise Centaur Chiron, Percy teams up with his protector Grover and Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, to rescue his mother and identify the individual who stole Zeus’ coveted lightning bolt. The trio goes on a cross-country adventure battling any ungodly creature in their way.

Columbus has the stellar source material and the impressive cast, but the question remains; did he kick off a franchise with the potential to follow in Harry Potter’s footsteps. My hopes are high, but only time will tell. What I can say for sure is that if The Lighting Thief does spawn a film series, Columbus will have a team of humble and hardworking actors in his company.

With this film’s high franchise potential, do you think it’ll change your lives? Do you expect people to be mobbing you like at the film’s premiere?

Lerman: It was only at the theater because that’s where they really recognize you. This is a movie that I’m really proud of. Because of that it’s the biggest compliment when people recognize you for a movie that you’re very proud of. It’s the biggest pat on the back.

Daddario: For me it’s already changed my life a lot. I have opportunities that I never had before and I’ve learned so much and I’m incredibly lucky as far as anything beyond this point I’m sort of taking it day by day. I’m just really excited to be doing what I love and I think that’s the best part about all of this.

Jackson: Okay, we can’t say it’s not weird leaving a theater and we’re being dragged out in a crowd surf of kids that are screaming. But at the same time it’s very inspiring to see everybody love the movie and that’s the best thing.

Chris, how did you approach the idea of having Pierce play a Centaur and Pierce, how’d you respond?

Brosnan: Well, Chris was very sly. He went straight to my vanity and he sent me this beautiful portrait of me as this Centaur, which I looked magnificent. Of course my sons were instrumental in me playing in this film. They have read the books and they loved the books and Chris and I had worked together on Mrs. Doubtfire all those years ago and I’ve just admired him as a filmmaker and as a man and his passion and compassion for actors and storytelling. But we didn’t really discuss how to play this role or what to do as a Centaur. I love horses and I ride horses. I had a portfolio in my script of photographs of Centaurs. Then you begin to use your imagination. Chris obviously had a defined image because the portrait that he sent me of myself as Chiron was beautifully rendered. Then came the blue tights, which I really had no idea what to do. It’s very hard to keep ones dignity and humility when you stand looking resplendent from the waist up and then you look at yourself in electric blue tights with orange fluorescent spots.

Jackson: I feel your pain.

Brosnan: You feel my pain. You did! I saw you, Brandon, and I thought, ‘Oh! I’ve got a friend! We’re in this together!’

Columbus: For me it was just a matter of finding the gods themselves. I cast actors who had a larger than life god-like quality about them and who better to play a trainer of heroes, people like Hercules and Michael Jordan, than Pierce Brosnan? Originally I just wanted to work with Pierce again. We had a great time on Mrs. Doubtfire and it was really the case with all of these gods and goddesses. How do we find someone who you can believe as a god? Danny DeVito might have been a stretch, so we needed to find someone who really had that air about him.

Chris, how’d you find the balance between entertaining older and younger audiences?

Columbus: I’ve got four children of my own and I’ve spent the last several years going to various children’s movies and sitting through a screening of Pokémon one time. I almost physically deteriorated and thought about suicide so I realized that there’s a point where you can’t entertain the parents enough and for me, this film had to work on two levels; first level is make a wild ride for the seven to 16-year-olds and then for the older kids and the adults in the audience make it something that makes them feel like they’re 12-years-old again. So that was it. It was really the goal and so you’ll see that there’s a balance where kids are laughing at something when they’re watching a movie and then the parents giggle at something that goes over the kids’ head. You learn that from some of the best, the better children’s films over the past decade.

This is just the first of five books. Will there be more Percy Jackson movies? As younger cast members, is there any concern that you could be too old for subsequent films?

Lerman: Are we going to be told old later on? Chris and the creative crew aged it up for a reason, right?

Columbus: Yeah, the point of aging it up, which I just want to address because a couple of the fans of the books say, ‘Why isn’t Percy 11?’ and I thought, well, you’re dealing with a character who’s got an extraordinary amount of baggage in his life. He’s dealing with parental abandonment, he thinks his father abandoned him, he wants to know who his father is, he’s dealing with dyslexia and ADHD, dealing with the fact that he’s a troublemaker and been sent to various schools. I needed some complexity in the actor who was going to portray that. When I saw Logan in 3:10 to Yuma and when I saw Logan’s screen test I realized this is the guy. I had no qualms about making the character older. I thought it can only make it a better film if I have an actor of that quality and then surrounding him with actors as talented as Alex and Brandon and Jake Abel just was the goal all along. These kids are battling for their lives. They’re training to be heroes and warriors and gladiators and 11-year-olds running around with paper hats and wooden swords seemed a little lightweight to me.

What about the sexual tension concerning 11-year-olds?

Columbus: I can’t answer that. I’ll be with Polanski! [Laughs] That was quite the question, but I know what you’re saying. There’s just a certain amount of romantic tension that – there’s no question that Logan and Alex have a tremendous amount of chemistry. We looked long and hard for someone like Alex because I saw a lot of young actresses who weren’t eating properly and they could barely lift a fork from the table. I needed someone who felt like they could hold a sword and be a formidable opponent for Percy. The romantic tension was always something that I thought would be great in the film and they pulled it off beautifully.

What’s it like for the three of you to work with such a prestigious cast? Did you look at them as mentors?

Jackson: I had a stupid question for Rosario. I actually made a goof out of myself. I actually literally asked her to be my mentor. Besides the goofball of me I think looking at Pierce and looking at Steve Coogan and Uma Thurman and Rosario and everybody, it’s just always a pleasure to work with people who’ve been in the business longer than you. It’s always good to learn and bounce off energy with people who you watched when you were a child. To actually be on screen next to them is always a pleasure and is very humbling and at the same time you get to learn so much so it definitely is a blessing.

Daddario: These are actors that I’ve grown up with and admired my whole life. It’s really an honor to have the opportunity to work with people like this and learn from them and listen to them and I’m very very lucky. It’s a really a dream come true.

Lerman: I’ve always put it this way; acting for me is like a kid walking into a playground and, you know, these great actors like Pierce and Uma and these people that are so seasoned and so talented, they have a huge playground. And going into a scene there’s so much to explore with them because they have many places to go. So it’s just a lot of fun to see your heroes and work with them.

Brosnan: Likewise. It’s amazing with the three of you, really. I mean, your instincts are so sharp. They made me real. It was a joy.

Did you have an interest in Greek mythology before the film?

Jackson: I was very interested in Greek mythology always. We learned a lot about it in school, but, to be honest, we had to really brush up on our Greek mythology because we realized that you guys would quiz us – and please don’t quiz us today. [Laughs]

Daddario: I think one of the wonderful things about this series and about the movie, I’ve heard that kids have gone and learned more about Greek mythology just because of the movie and because of the books and I think that that’s really wonderful.

Columbus: It was fun to go back to the stories because some of the stories are very very dark and adult-oriented and not appropriate for a children’s movie, so we wanted to avoid some of those. Our version is almost more the Classics Illustrated version of the books. Hopefully the kids will be inspired enough and interested enough to start to read about Greek mythology and then that will truly scare them out of their wits!

How’d you approach the scene in Las Vegas?

Columbus: That was just a little homage to Pinocchio, to fantasyland in Pinocchio. Remember, people are saying, ‘Oh, it’s druggies,’ but that was 1940 and the kids went into a bar and drank pints of beer and smoked cigars. They, of course, turned into donkeys. So there are ramifications, obviously, for eating a lotus flower.

Jackson: It’s telling kids do not go to Vegas! [Laughs] And also you’ve got to look at the underlying message: if you have too much fun in life, you lose track of time and your quest doesn’t get done. So it teaches you how to get out of there and get focused and listen to that thing inside you that voice inside you. I love to have fun but I don’t let it get in the way of my work, in the way of my quest.

There are a number of intense fight scenes where you’re interacting with things that aren’t really there. Is that particularly challenging? What were your reactions when you saw the final product?

Lerman: Working with green screen you always hear actors say that it’s so difficult to act opposite nothing. For me, I thought it gave us a lot of freedom as actors to create the other character and just kind of lose yourself in your imagination. Chris creates this comfort level, a set that you can just lose yourself so easily. It just becomes a workout for your imagination so it’s a great time.

Jackson: Chris always does a good job as a conductor. He’s like Mozart with his notes. It’s like he yells out things that you don’t see. He’s like, ‘There’s this fire breathing at you!’ and you don’t see anything there, it’s a tennis ball, and you just have to act like it’s there and they draw it in later.

Daddario: Yeah, it’s a little like being a kid again. You get to use your imagination. You can imagine the monster as big and scary as you want it to be. It’s a lot of fun. It’s really amazing to see what you imagined brought to screen.

When did you first read the book? Did you want to maintain certain elements of the characters from the book or did you try to stay away from that and focus more on the ones in the screenplay?

Daddario: I read the book before I read the screenplay. I read it on my way to the screen test. I didn’t have the script available to me and I got a great sense of what the film would be like from the book and what Annabeth would be like. I think it only helped develop the character and after I read the script you start to make comparisons at first but then you just start to rely on the script.

Lerman: It would be cheating the audience if you didn’t read the book in the first place, so of course I read that to understand the basis for the movie. I used the script as my bible more than anything, just used that as a reference and based a lot of Percy off of that.

Jackson: I have two little sisters who are obsessed with Percy Jackson and I told them that I’m just auditioning for Grover and they went totally crazy and that’s when I read the book. I’m going through the book and going through the book and just trying to hurry up and learn it and I feel in love with it. Then I read the script; I feel in love with the script too. So it was like the way I developed the character. And Chris did a great job with helping me develop Grover because in the book he’s real timid and he’s real kind of nervous and I wanted to play him a little cooler. A little bit more swag, as we say.

Chris, have you ever wanted to act?

Columbus: Yeah, I was a horrific actor. I saw myself one time, I was in Home Alone. We had a newscast and my assistant director and I decided to be the newscasters and I saw the footage and I would have fired me if I had the opportunity. I was horrible.

Pierce, you did a lot of your role on stilts and this skill went back to your youth in Dublin. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Brosnan: When I started as a young actor I was about 17 and I had a street theater company called Theater Spiel and we would do children’s theater. I learned how to do fire eating and stilt walk was part of it as well. It was a very fertile time in the theater, experimental theater.

Is it like riding a bike? You never forget?

Brosnan: Kind of, yes. Painter stilts are quite comfortable to wear. They have a little platform and a foot in a spring. I didn’t fall over. I didn’t disgrace myself. That was my main worry, especially in the tights.

The power of a few simple words got the better of the young actor during an interview with Access Hollywood a few days ago. When asked whether or not he might play Peter Parker in the Spider-Man reboot, Logan Lerman told Billy Bush cryptically, “Conversations are starting.” The Internet was instantly abuzz with talk that Lerman was next in line for the Spidey suit, but not so fast. Shortly after, Sony officially announced (via Digital Spy), "No offers have been made, nor have any business discussions been made with Lerman."

It was clear that junket day for Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief was dedicated to damage control. During the press conference Lerman clarified, “To be totally honest, it’s a role that any young actor would die to play and I’m just hoping to be considered for it more than anything.” He delivered an identical response in an interview with MTV. Think Lerman has had some coaching since slipping up with Access Hollywood?

I’ve got my fingers crossed for Lerman. Even though I'm appalled by the idea of rebooting the Spider-Man franchise far too soon, the thought of Lerman as Peter Parker gives me a slight change of heart. Lerman makes a fantastic young hero and happens to look the part as well. I imagine Sony is waiting to see how Percy Jackson fares at the box office. If it’s a success and blossoms into a franchise as hoped, Lerman won’t have time to take on another extensive project.

Anyone with a passing familiarity with tabloids and upcoming movie trailers probably could have guessed that 18-year-old Logan Lerman, star of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, would show up on the casting shortlist for the Spider-Man reboot. Now Access Hollywood is the first one to get confirmation. Lerman admitted to Billy Bush that "there have been a few discussions" about the Peter Parker role, and "it's definitely something I'm looking into."

Not sure if Lerman is just too fresh to know that keeping silent on such matters is usually protocol, or if this means he's pretty far along in the discussion, but he seems like a pretty good pick either way. Fresh-faced and young, with a potential star-maker coming up in Percy Jackson. Only problem, of course, is that the Percy Jackson movie is just the start of what's intended as a large and expansive series, and casting one actor in two separate franchises typically doesn't work out that well.

He's kind of in a no-win situation, really. If Percy Jackson tanks, it frees Lerman up to be Spider-Man, but then he's the start of a failed movie. If it's a hit, Lerman will be stuck throwing lightning bolts for the next eight years. Is there some kind of happy middle ground, in which Percy Jackson is a moderate success but not a burgeoning franchise, in which Lerman gets to play Spidey? Who knows, but I'm betting that's what Lerman is hoping for.

This latest trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief has premiered over at Coming Soon and is definitely the best one so far. The story unveils itself even further than before and we get a look at some really awesome monsters and powers in action. I literally said, “WHOA!” aloud to myself at least once.

We also get our first look at Uma Thurman as Medusa, which for any fan boy will be the most exciting two seconds of the trailer. Percy Jackson hits theaters February 12th, and this really could be the last trailer I see for it. I don't see how they could ramp it up even more than they already have. Below is the plot synopsis from Coming Soon, and below that, the trailer itself.