In Olivia Wilde’s film on the 2026 movie schedule, The Invite, there’s a lot of hilarious and direct talk about sex. The film sees two couples played by Seth Rogen and Wilde and Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton gather for a dinner party, and quickly the conversation gets intimate. Their actions do too, and while speaking about filming those moments in particular, Rogen shared that he just kept telling Cruz “thank you.”

This story came up after Ike Barinholtz – who is one of the guest hosts filling in for Jimmy Kimmel – asked Rogen if he was “at all worried Javier Bardem is going to kill [him]” while he was filming intimate scenes for The Invite with Penélope Cruz. Here’s what The Studio star had to say about that during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live:

As someone who covers steamy shows like Heated Rivalry and Bridgerton, I’ve heard my fair share of stories about how intimate moments are filmed. I can safely say I haven’t heard one like this before. However, manners are always nice, so it’s both hilarious and kind of wholesome that Seth Rogen just kept saying “thank you” to his scene partner as they played out a moment where their characters almost hooked up.

However, it was a bit odd that he just kept reiterating the phrase as he filmed with Cruz, and The Invite’s director, Olivia Wilde, couldn't help but ask him what was up. Recalling how she reacted to Rogen’s constant thanking, the comedic actor said:

He went on to joke that he would be “apologetic and thankful” in the situation their characters were in, which makes the “thank yous” make sense.

Overall, this story hilariously highlights both what this new A24 movie is about and how funny it is. While it has tense and dramatic moments as these two couples navigate their relationships, as The Invite’s trailer shows, it’s also laugh-out-loud funny. That’s in great part thanks to the comedic genius of Rogen and his co-stars.

So far, The Invite has a great Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% and stellar reviews. And ever since I saw it, I’ve been thinking about the masterful performances given by Rogen, Cruz, Wilde and Norton and the wild story they tell about two couples reckoning with their relationships in mental and physical ways. The movie really is so nuanced, emotional, and funny, and it is very deserving of the praise. Or, I guess I should say, it’s very deserving of a few thank yous.

Seth Rogen has not exactly been sitting around for the past decade resting on his laurels. The man has acted in, produced, and wrote for various new TV shows, from live-action to animation, with The Studio becoming one of the buzziest Hollywood comedies of 2025, with a second season on the way. But when it comes to big-screen movies, he and longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg have been absent from the feature side since 2014, and he explained why that's been the case.

Rogen addressed that long break with The Hollywood Reporter, while attending the Los Angeles premiere of Olivia Wilde’s stress-inducing new movie The Invite, in which he stars alongside Wilde, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. His reason for staying away from directing films is pretty understandable, given the last movie he and Goldberg directed together was The Interview. He said:

That is a very funny line about a situation that was, at the time, not funny at all. The Interview starred Rogen and James Franco as journalists who land an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, then get recruited by the CIA to assassinate him. The comedy became the center of an international incident, with the North Korean government threatening the United States over the film, and with Sony Pictures later being hit with a massive cyberattack.

Being “a little gun-shy” after such an ordeal seems fair. Most filmmakers worry about opening weekend numbers, bad reviews or studio notes, but everyone involved with this movie had to deal with it becoming a diplomatic headache and a corporate security nightmare. That is the kind of thing that might make someone look at the director’s chair and think, “Maybe non-dictator-focused television sounds nice for a while.”

And television really has been a way back in. The Superbad duo have directed multiple TV episodes since The Interview, most notably with The Studio, which gave Rogen a chance to satirize Hollywood from inside the belly of the beast. That feels like an appropriate reentry point after a movie that caused actual global fallout. A series about studio panic probably feels near-cozy in comparison.

The industry has changed quite a bit since Rogen and Goldberg's last big-screen directorial effort in 2014. Hollywood now has plenty of problems fighting for the crown: streaming confusion, theatrical uncertainty, franchise fatigue, AI anxiety, runaway budgets and a comedy market that has become much harder to navigate. Compared with all that, two guys wanting to direct another movie sounds almost charmingly old-fashioned.

For now, the Freaks and Geeks alum is back in actor-only mode with the 2026 calendar release of The Invite, and he sounded pretty happy about that, too. He joked that it was nice to see a miserable production conversation happening nearby and realize he did not have to be part of it, leaving him free to scroll social media and talk to Edward Norton instead. Honestly, that sounds like a tiny vacation for a guy who is usually juggling several creative jobs at once. Whatever stress went into making the movie seems to have paid off, too, since the new A24 flick has a Rotten Tomatoes score high enough to leave me shook.

He also praised Wilde, who both stars in and directs The Invite, saying he found her bold as an actor and filmmaker. That probably carries extra weight from someone who knows exactly how hard it is to do both jobs at once without setting your own brain on fire.

Whether Rogen and Goldberg actually direct a new movie next year remains to be seen. But after more than a decade away from features, it sounds like the door is finally open again.

The Invite is now playing in theaters, so be sure to check your local listings for showtimes.

Seth Rogen has been bringing the comedy in a big way for over two decades, but over the past year he’s really stood out in a new way, setting Emmy records with The Studio, not to mention The Muppet Show TV special he delighted us with this year. Next up he’ll appear in The Invite, which Olivia Wilde both directs and stars in, and as reviews hit ahead of its release on the 2026 movie calendar, I’m surprised to see it sporting a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score (as of this writing).

Is it shocking to me that Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz are capable of such a rating? Not at all, but scores this high are hard to come by these days for any filmmaking ensemble. Even the critically lauded Toy Story 5 is ranked lower than The Invite at 92%. The year’s biggest shocker Obsession, which is doing unprecedented things at the box office, has 94%. So if that’s the bar that’s been set, what exactly do The Invite reviews say?

Alex Godfrey of Empire rates the movie 4 stars out of 5, warning that it’s not a date movie. As tense and funny as it is, The Invite is also “a sad, incisive, brilliantly drawn study of a failing marriage.” The critic says:

Kate Erbland of IndieWire gives it a B+, saying that Olivia Wilde is fully in control here, balancing the big laughs from the awkward dinner party teased in the trailer with the heartbreaking moments, all while surprising the audience at every turn. Erbland cannot overstate how much fun it is to watch The Invite in a crowded theater, so please, she says: Accept this invite. The critic continues:

Joey Magidson of Awards Radar says that “Olivia Wilde directs the hell out of” the upcoming A24 movie, giving a talky comedy a real visual style. It’s smart and profound but also “a laugh riot.” The quartet of actors are doing top-tier work, Magidson says, rating The Invite 3.5 out of 4 stars and writing:

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10, praising Olivia Wilde’s achievement and joining other critics in saying it’s one of the best of the year. Adlakha’s review of The Invite reads:

Several of the reviews I’ve read had small quibbles, particularly with The Invite’s third act, but because the critics find the overall product so impressive, they’re willing to overlook some things. Jacob Oller of AV Club is a tad less forgiving, giving the movie a B-, writing:

Despite the critiques from the AV Club critic, however, he says Olivia Wilde’s directorial control of her ensemble keeps the awkward dinner party moving through its clunkier courses.

After reading Olivia Wilde’s comments on how sex is portrayed in movies — and her promise that The Invite would be “irreverent” and “playful” — I was expecting the “fun” but possibly not the depth that critics say her direction brings to the movie.

I’m definitely interested in checking out this highly rated film, and we don’t have long to wait, as The Invite hits theaters on Friday, June 26.

Over the years, Superbad has become one of those movies people love to revisit and reexamine. Some fans still consider it not just one of the greatest movies of the 2000s, but one of the best comedies ever. Although some have argued that certain jokes and attitudes have aged less gracefully. So when Seth Rogen recently said the movie would never get made today, I immediately assumed he was referring to the content. Turns out, that wasn’t the issue at all.

During an appearance on The Interview, the podcast from The New York Times, Rogen reflected on how dramatically Hollywood has changed since he and Evan Goldberg brought Superbad to theaters in 2007. According to the actor, producer and co-writer, the biggest difference lies in how studios approach risk when planning their 2026 movie release calendar and beyond. As he explained:

That's a fascinating answer because the movie itself has frequently been part of conversations about how comedy evolves, along with Mel Brooks's classic Blazing Saddles. Some of the elements that feel like products of their era, but it’s hard not to acknowledge why the movie remains beloved nearly two decades later.

According to the Pineapple Express star, modern studios want nearly every piece of the puzzle locked down before committing to production. He continued:

Rogen argued that the process isn't necessarily impossible, but it has become far more complicated because of what he views as increasing risk aversion. A couple of beats later, he credited former Sony executive Amy Pascal for trusting the creative team instead of chasing the safest possible option. He added:

That is an interesting contrast with how Superbad actually came together. Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse were not major movie stars at the time. The Superbad cast became stars because of the film's success, not the other way around.

Ironically, some corners of Hollywood seem to be moving in the opposite direction. Recent horror hits like Obsession have embraced a more filmmaker-driven model. Curry Barker reportedly arrived with much of the project already assembled, giving him leverage and the freedom to choose Focus Features as the film’s distributor. That approach has been paying off for new horror movies for years, and it makes me wonder whether smaller comedies could follow a similar blueprint. Instead of waiting for studios to eliminate every ounce of risk, perhaps the next Superbad gets made by creators who show up with the movie already in hand.

That is what makes Rogen’s comments so interesting. Whether Superbad’s humor would land the same way in 2026 is one conversation. Whether Hollywood would still take a chance on an original R-rated teen comedy with relatively unknown actors is another entirely. Maybe the future of the next raunchy teen comedy belongs to young filmmakers who show up with the movie ready to go, and for a fraction of the cost. Hey, if horror doesn't need big stars, neither should comedy. Just bring the jokes.

Major blood-soaked spoilers below for the latest episode of The Boys, so wade carefully if you haven’t yet watched via Amazon Prime subscription.

Ho-leeee. Mo-leeee. Fri-joleeees. The Boys has once again topped itself with the episode “One-Shots,” which shockingly killed off a major Supe, set up an until-death rivalry between two others, and delivered a celebrity cameo-filled sequence that went far beyond the highly anticipated Supernatural reunion for Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins. This will no doubt go down as one of the most fun and bloodiest hours in all of 2026 TV.

So let’s put our viscera-proof swimming caps on and dive into this muck to celebrate all the larger-than-usual number of wild and gory deaths, as well as series executive producer Seth Rogen heading up a murderer’s row (and eventually murdered row) of comedy stars, including Kumail Nanjiani, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Will Forte and Craig Robinson. All in a day’s work for the Supes that populate The Boys, amirite?

Jensen Ackles Got To Brutally Kill Off His Supernatural Co-Stars

The very first look at Misha Collins on The Boys surprisingly foreshadowed his death in the episode, with Soldier Boy holding his character Malchemical by the throat just before snapping the Supe's neck. I thought the show might buck that expectation somehow, but no.

From a plot perspective, Malchemical's death is pretty tragic by way of Butcher & Co.'s grand plan to kill off Homelander, since he could emit fumes noxious enough to knock the Seven's leader unconscious. Unfortunately, none of The Boys are likely aware Malcehmical exists, and thus likely won't be able to reverse-engineer his knockout gas. (That said, I'm holding out hope for Misha Collins-as-a-corpse to reappear in Episode 506 for Frenchie to extract DNA from.)

Jared Padalecki's speedster Mister Marathon was also an important introduction for the overall plot, as he confirmed where perhaps the last remaining vials of the V1 serum are. But his death was most much elaborate, utilizing some of the gnarliest practical effects I've ever seen in this show. (But only after fans got to see a hilarious assortment of Sony Pictures-produced VCU offshoot movies with Padalecki's character front and center.)

In a sequence straight out of a Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon, Marathon runs arouns his mansion chasing Soldier Boy, who amusingly puts the various celebs in his pursuer's path, causing each of them to full-on explode the way Hughie's girlfriend did when A-Train zipped through her. I guess Rogen didn't get fully 'sploded, but more on that below.

I Absolutely Loved The Dorky Nods To Superbad And Saturday Night Live

If you're looking for an SNL vet to play the weirdest dude in your movie, you're probably gonna go with Kyle Mooney. But if we're talking the second-weirdest character, that's the realm ruled over by talents like Will Forte and Bill Hader. Only, the latter isn't around anymore in The Boys' timeline, as he was outed (correctly or otherwise) as being a Starlighter, and Forte was only too happy to take advantage. As he put it:

I think hearing him refer to himself as "The Forte" could grow on me. But probably not for a while.

Elsewhere, when everyone is reacting in a panic to Homelander getting knocked out, Mister Marathon makes it clear that one of Forte's most memorable characters does indeed exist in this universe.

• WILL FORTE: Can we f--k off, please?!?
• MISTER MARATHON: Chill out, MacGruber! Everything is cool.

Forte's body does end up looking like the wrong end of a MacGruber mission, as he's the first celeb Soldier Boy sacrifices while running away.

But let's jump back a bit to before things getting so bloody. Seeing Seth Rogen and Christopher Mitz-Plasse together at the card table immediately sparked memories of Superbad, given that was the movie that put Mintz-Plasse on the map. So it's only fitting that he hilariously threw co-star Michael Cera under the bus as a possible traitor.

• CHRIS MINTZ-PLASSE: Hey, do we think Michael Cera's a Starlighter? 'Cause we're up for the same part right now, and it'd be pret-ty good if he got vanished.
• SETH ROGEN: You've been friends with him for 20 years, Chris.
• CHRIS: Yeah, but I really need this part, man.

A couple of minutes later, Homelander's ire has everyone on edge, and Mintz-Plasse once again draws attention to the Arrested Development vet, saying:

Technically, the Bill Hader comment could also count as a Superbad reference, since he and Rogen played the bumbling cops in that. Fans may recall that Craig Robinson played a drug dealer in 2007 comedy and its "Cop Car Confessions" extras. Well, he also showed up for an extremely brief cameo to gripe about Danny Trejo's tacos before Mister Marathon turned him into human salsa.

Seth Rogen Joked About Hating Weed And Then Got Half His Body Blown Off

Amidst all of the stressful happenings, Mintz-Plasse sparks up a joint and offers it to Rogen, who turns it down with the following reasoning:

It's high-ly ridiculous for this scene to imply that Mintz-Plasse wouldn't already be aware of Rogen's disinterest in the devil's lettuce after so many years. But still a funny joke, since there's a less than 0% chance that Rogen wasn't stoned while filming that very scene.

Firecracker's Fuse Was Permanently Snuffed

After all the earlier events of the episode, including Sister Sage laying out her mega-plan to eradicate humanity and catch up on reading, Homelander punctuated the episode off with another shocking death. After Firecracker pulled off arguably her most deplorable and sickening act by falsely accusing her hometown pastor and his church of being in cahoots with Starlighter, so soon after sitting with him and knowing that wasn't the case at all.

Against her better wishes, Firecracker remained loyal to Homelander's "I'm God now" turn to a fault, and likely would have continued to do his bidding for years on end. Which could have happened just so if Homelander never learned that she bagged his old man. He should have directed his anger at Soldier Boy, who knew that Homelander didn't rise to the occasion with her, but instead took it out on the one who actually had his back.

It's not quite as divisive as A-Train death scene in the premiere, since there wasn't anything redeemable happening with Firecracker. But still gave an equally cruel example of how little Homelander cares about anything or anyone around him. He's even getting breast milk from rando churchgoers now? For shame.

Find out who'll be the next to die when The Boys drops the rest of Season 5's episodes on Prime Video every Wednesday.

Now that Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s The Drama has arrived to the 2026 release schedule, there are four more upcoming A24 movies to look forward to this year. The last of the bunch, titled The Invite (an English adaptation of Cesc Gray’s Spanish film The People Upstairs), doubles as Olivia Wilde’s directorial follow-up to 2022’s Don’t Worry Darling. She additionally stars alongside Seth Rogen, and the first trailer for The Invite has me stressing out about the dinner party their characters are holding.

Although The Invite is labeled as a comedy, many A24 movies contain some degree of tension, and this one isn’t bucking that trend. The Invite, written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, sees Rogen and Wilde (who shared screen time just last year in an episode of Apple TV’s The Studio) playing couple Joe and Angela, who are having a rough patch when the movie begins, and hosting a dinner party for their upstairs neighbors Pína and Hawk, respectively played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. Just seeing Angela call out Joe for not complimenting her enough is awkward.

The weirdness just keeps ratcheting up as the trailer continues, most notably when it’s strongly implied that Pína and Hawk are swingers and would like to include Joe and Angela in their sexual escapades. The song choice of “Ring My Bell” certainly hammers that home. Now that by itself wouldn’t necessarily be odd, depending on who you ask, but then preview for The Invite wraps up with bizarre imagery and moments. From Angela sticking her fingers into a stick of butter to Joe screaming out in pain over what looks like… you know what, I won’t get into that here.

I’m thinking The Invite will be similar to last year’s uncomfortable A24 release Friendship, which was hilarious, but so cringe to get through (I still haven’t forgotten about the soap punishment scene). One difference here is that it seems like the events will be contained to just the one apartment, or perhaps there will be a point in the movie Joe and/or Angela sneak into Pína and Hawk’s apartment. Either way, I am intrigued to learn just what the full deal is with Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton’s characters in The Invite, and what ramifications their… unique interests will have on Joe and Angela’s marriage.

The Invite opens in theaters on June 26, the same day as Supergirl and Jackass 5, and just one week after A24’s The Death of Robin Hood sees Hugh Jackman playing an aged version of the legendary archer. I’m sure the Olivia Wilde-helmed movie will generate a lot of chatter, including at dinner parties, but I just know I’m going to be squirming uncomfortably once I sit down to watch it.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll never forget reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm in high school. It’s one of those core-memory books I have because of how timeless the allegorical novella from 1945 is. Well, now Animal Farm is among the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the 2026 movie schedule, and the new trailer previews Andy Serkis’ approach to it.

Now, Andy Serkis has been working on helming an Animal Farm movie since back in 2012, originally as a performance capture movie. Ultimately, the director/voice actor decided to make it as a traditional 3D animated film geared toward ages 11 and up. While the previous trailer for it showcased the more lighthearted aspects of the film, this new look at Animal Farm (in the video above) offers perhaps a more balanced showcase of how the classic is being handled.

The movie starts with a group of animals thinking they are “going on vacation” before they realize they’re being sent to a slaughterhouse and rebel against their humans. Just like the novella, they decide to take over the farm for themselves, thus calling it “Animal Farm.” Once they do so, they have to decide how the farm will be ruled. Two pigs ultimately assume command and start to adopt rules on the farm that create inequality among the different animals, thus becoming a dictatorship.

While there’s definitely some cute family-friendly elements to this Animal Farm that may seem off-kilter to those who read the novella, this new look seems to skew closer to the source material. About halfway through this trailer, you can see how some of Animal Farm’s residents start to be treated unfairly. Though there is a key difference to note in this Animal Farm, with the protagonist being a new character, a piglet named Lucky, who decides to “rebel” against the dictatorship.

The animated film was initially going to be produced by Netflix back in 2018, but was ultimately made by Cinesite, Aniventure, and Imaginarium Productions. It is being distributed through Angel Studios. The movie boasts a star-studded cast, with Seth Rogen as Napoleon, Gaten Matarazzo as Lucky, along with Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Laverne Cox, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Kathleen Turner, and Iman Vellani among the voice cast.

Per a press release by Angel Studios, the producers of this Animal Farm worked closely with George Orwell’s estate to “intentionally” reimagine “certain roles and character identities to broaden the film’s appeal to younger audiences.” When speaking about his film, Serkis said he wanted this version of the classic to “feel contemporary and genuinely connect with younger audiences”.

Previously, Animal Farm was adapted into movies in 1954 and as a live-action movie in 1999. This new Animal Farm is coming to theaters on May 1.

Following the flop of Snow White, it was suggested Disney might pull back from live-action remakes of its animated films. However, following the smash success of Lilo and Stitch, things are full speed ahead. A major remake project on the horizon is the live-action Tangled. And the outstanding question is who will play the bad guy.

The two main roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider have been cast with Teagen Croft and Milo Manheim, respectively, but we’re still waiting to hear about who will play the film’s villain, Mother Gothel. The role was originally being circled by Scarlett Johansson, but following her dropping out, rumors have indicated Disney is interested in Agatha All Along’s Kathryn Hahn. Recently, Hahn got asked about all this, too, while she was with her The Studio co-stars, and while she didn't say much, they had great reactions.

What Kathryn Hahn Is Saying About The Live Action Tangled

Hahn attended the recent SAG-AFTRA's Actor Awards alongside her castmates in The Studio. While on the red carpet, ET brought up the possibility of Hahn playing the villainous lead in Tangled. She looked a bit like a deer in the headlights when she was asked about the possibility of the movie, and gave the most non-commital response imaginable, saying…

While perhaps a bland response, it’s not exactly a surprising one. If she is in talks for the role, she’s certainly not supposed to talk about it. Johansson played equally coy when she was the name attached to the part. Hahn might even have the role by now, but Disney is going to want to make that announcement in its own way, so Hahn needs to stay mum until that happens.

The Studio Cast Is On Board With Kathryn Hahn In The Live-Action Tangled

To be sure, Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel is absolutely the best choice for the role I could imagine, and I firmly believe it needs to happen. I’m not alone in this as ET asked the cast of The Studio what they thought of the casting idea, and Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders were all entirely on board, their responses included…

• Chase Sui Wonders: Say less.
• Seth Rogen: Say less.
• Ike Barinholtz: All in already.

I honestly can’t imagine people not reacting this way. Hahn feels just too perfect to play Mother Gothel in live-action. I don’t always love Disney’s live-action remakes, but if we’re going to make them, let’s do it right and cast the people who were clearly born to play these roles. The Studio cast gets it.

While an exact timeline for the production of the new Tangled is unclear, the fact that two members of its main cast have been announced would seem to indicate a plan to go into production sooner rather than later. If that’s the case, we can likely expect that Mother Gothel casting announcement, whoever it may be, to come very soon.

The fifth and final season of The Boys is upon us. When Prime Video announced that the raunchy superhero drama would be ending after Season 5, Season 4 hadn’t even premiered yet. Fast forward two years, and the series is set to debut its final season in April on the 2026 TV schedule. Post-production is almost done, and the creative team celebrated by giving middle fingers. Of course, upon seeing that, Erin Moriarty, Seth Rogen, and more had some playful responses.

Filming wrapped on The Boys last year, and not surprisingly, everyone got pretty emotional thinking about the end. It’s still unknown what will happen, but Karl Urban teased some deaths in Season 5, so you know it’s going to be big. The creative team has been hard at work on finishing the season, and creator Eric Kripke shared a pretty appropriate picture on Instagram to celebrate finishing one of the final steps:

Between the middle fingers and the very appropriate balloons in the background, I can only imagine how fun that little party was when they eventually finished the final sound mixing. And while things seemed fun in the picture, Kripke got emotional in the accompanying caption. He reflected on the journey, saying how much he’ll miss the show, and honestly, me too:

Kripke went on to explain that making television isn't about the destination, it's about the journey and the people you go on it with. Explaining that point in emotional detail, he wrote:

I'm sure some of this sentimental emotion will sneak into the show. However, as the middle fingers imply, this is The Boys we're talking about, so I expect it to be far more action-packed and gloriously brash than anything.

Following this post, plenty of people took to the comments to share their thoughts on post-production nearing a wrap, including stars Erin Moriarty and Karen Fukuhara, as well as Seth Rogen, who serves as an executive producer:

• Seth Rogen: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
• Erin Moriarty: Immeasurable amount of gratitude and love for you/everyone/everything [The Boys] related. forever. x
• Karen Fukuhara - My heart !!!
• Shana Stein (Director) - All the feels. Sad it’s over. Happy that is was and always will be. Grateful to have gotten to come play with you all - the best of the best from start to finish. ❤️
• Zach McGowan - 🐶🪢❤️
• Laz Alonso: Nice!!!!!! Can’t wait to see what u all cheffed up! 🔥

The Boys Season 5 premieres on April 8 for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, so fans still have a little bit of time to prepare themselves, and it seems like the cast and creatives are preparing themselves as well. Since this show is highly unpredictable, you never know what can happen and how things will truly end. If the finale of Gen V’s second season is any indication, there will be a lot at stake in the final season, especially with the much-anticipated return of Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy.

Luckily, The Boys universe will remain alive and well post-The Boys. Ackles and Aya Cash will be leading a new prequel, Vought Rising, and Prime has yet to share an update on Gen V’s future, which could very well receive a third season. But it will still be sad to see The Boys end, and I am looking forward to seeing how they close that crazy chapter.

Many of Seth Rogen’s movies have pushed boundaries in regard to raunchy comedy. However, arguably none of them sent ripples throughout the political sphere like 2014’s The Interview did. The political satire flick, which Rogen co-directed with Evan Goldberg drew significant backlash and also became tied to the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures. Michael Lynton, who headed up the studio at that time and gave the movie the green light, recently reflected on the film and revealed former U.S. President Barack Obama’s reaction.

The Interview tells the story of two journalists – played by Rogen and James Franco – who organize an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Randall Park). Ultimately, those plans are co-opted by the CIA, who task the pair with assassinating the politician. By the summer of 2014, amid promotion of the film, the North Korean government threatened action against the U.S. if the film was released. That November, Sony was hacked by a terrorist group with purported ties to North Korea.

Lynton reflects on that situation in his new memoir, From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn’t Own You, which is co-written by Joshua L. Steiner. As expected, many people were not pleased with the situation surrounding Rogen and co.’s film. Lynton revealed he even spoke to President Obama – who was still in the White House at the time, eight months after the hack. As the ex-studio exec explained in his book (via Variety), the Commander-in-chief shared a brutally honest take on how everything panned out:

Barack Obama has proven himself to be a pop culture connoisseur but, given his professional position at this time, it tracks that he would weigh in on The Interview. Considering the movie’s political subject matter, some may wonder why Michael Lynton decided to give it the go-ahead in the first place. Lynton cited a rivalry between Sony’s Amy Pascal and Universal’s Stacey Snider as a reason for the latter wanting Rogen’s latest “outrageous” film. Also, Lynton named a more personal reason for his rationale:

The Sony hack did indeed prove to be costly for the film studio, as a considerable amount of company details were divulged to the public. Personal information regarding employees was divulged as well. While North Korea denied launching the hack, the country didn’t express disapproval once it happened. In 2014, Seth Rogen was asked if he felt guilt over how the situation transpired and admitted that he found it hard to feel such a way at that point.

As for The Interview’s eventual release, the film was bumped back from its October 2014 release to December of that year. That time allowed for Rogen and co. to make required editorial alterations. After major theater chains declined to carry the film, Sony released it to digital platforms, and it grossed $40 million in digital rentals and an additional $12.3 million worldwide via a limited theatrical run. So, while the film ended making some money, that came at the expense of a hack and some shade from President Obama.

Over the weekend, when I saw that The Muppets Show is new on streaming, I couldn’t have clicked play faster. See, The Muppets backlog has been a source of comfort for me when I go on Disney+ these days, but a brand new episode with a current star? My dream! I was absolutely charmed by the half-hour special, but like many fans I’ve since been asking for more. And, I think there’s a leading reason why we do simply need more.

Only One Episode Of The Muppets Show Revival Is A Crime

Over the years, there have been attempts to bring back the property, such as with ABC’s The Muppets in 2015, Disney+’s Muppets Now in 2020 and The Muppets Mayhem in 2023. For some reason, none lasted longer than a season – which must be why the Seth Rogen-produced revival is only a single episode.

Now that fans such as myself have seen what this Muppets Show revival is, which is, as one critic aptly put it: the “truest return to form” for the property since the original show and everything we wanted it to be, I hope this is the Muppets show that sticks. We cannot simply let these iconic characters come and go again. Now feels as if this is the right time and place to see Kermit the Frog and the gang return to the fold in the present day.

The Guest Star Possibilities Is The Resounding Reason We Need More

If there’s one reason alone why The Muppet Show has to be revived after this special, it’s for the sheer amount of guest star possibilities for fans like myself who had never interacted with The Muppets before. Some of my favorite picks would be Jonathan Bailey, Pedro Pascal, Jack Black, Ryan Gosling, Amy Poehler, Adam Sandler, Lady Gaga and the return of Steve Martin, but after looking online, there’s a wealth of even more ideas. Take a look at this X user’s massive list, for example:

There’s such a reverence for The Muppets among Hollywood stars that I don’t think Disney would necessarily have trouble getting big names to join the series for a guest spot. I think in a world where the variety show feels like it’s gone stale or stagnant, the return of The Muppet Show feels like a refreshing place to bring new (yet classic) energy to our TVs.

Sabrina Carpenter was such a perfect first guest, because she was a great pair with Miss Piggy, and her humor is well aligned with the series. I love how the episode highlighted Sabrina’s likeness with Miss Piggy and played around with it throughout the episode. Plus, seeing her sing “Manchild” with the help of Muppets – genius!

The special also had me thinking about the additional modern acts and songs that haven’t been Muppet-ized because the original show hasn’t been around since 1981. Also, the fact that the show ended with Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” had me thinking about how the revival could bring together multiple generations of Muppet fans on a regular basis. (Can you believe the last theatrical Muppets movie was in 2014?)

I guess if it doesn't end up getting picked up, we still have Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone’s Miss Piggy movie to look forward to, but after seeing how good the special was, this feels like a no-brainer for Disney+ in my opinion, and I hope to see more episodes of the show ASAP.

Fifty years ago the world was introduced to what would become one of the best sketch comedies of all time, thanks to Jim Henson and his understandably overwhelmed host and showrunner Kermit the Frog. The Muppet Show ran for five seasons before the curtain closed in 1981, and several revivals have been attempted over the years. Seth Rogen is spearheading the latest effort, with a one-off special hitting the 2026 TV schedule on February 4, so what are critics saying?

The Muppet Show featured some great guest hosts in its day — with some even contributing to its most wocka-wocka-worthy moments — and the new special is no different, with Sabrina Carpenter sure to bring out only the best in Miss Piggy, right? Right?! Either way, CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable says this is everything he’d hoped it would be and more, writing:

Alex Zalben of Comic Book Club agrees that Seth Rogen captures the “anarchic, weird, funny, and heartfelt” chaos of the original series, calling the special “comedic perfection.” Zalben writes:

Tara Bennett of IGN scores it an “Amazing” 9 out of 10. Bennett loves how Seth Rogen understands that Kermit and co.’s silly humor and desire to make audiences happy is timeless, not something to be updated for 2026. The critic hopes the “heart and hilarity” will be enough to earn a series order, because “the world really needs Kermit and his pals more than ever.” She continues:

Daniel Fienberg of THR says this may not be The Muppet Show at its best, but it’s a return to what the Muppets do best — bringing joy with its variety format, complete with a theme song that still slaps and the “perfect” guest host in Sabrina Carpenter. Fienberg writes:

Collider’s Ross Bonaime rates the special 8 out of 10, saying from top to bottom, it feels like a production made by people who genuinely love the Muppets and want the show to succeed. Hopefully this will be a launching pad for a new series, but if not, it sure is great to see all of our felt friends having a good time again. Bonaime says:

If the Muppets have, in any way, positively affected your life, it sounds like this 50th anniversary special is worth checking out. The 30-minute program will be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription at 3 a.m. ET Wednesday, February 4, and will air later that same day on ABC at 9 p.m. ET.

One of the biggest streaming highlights of the week (or the year/decade/millennium thus far) for fans of any age is Disney+’s The Muppet Show special, celebrating 50+ years of Jim Henson’s timeless and fan-beloved creations. Seth Rogen is leading the charge this time around, a few years after the maddeningly short-lived Muppets Mayhem concluded, but don’t expect this special to just be a grab bag of stoner jokes and Judd Apatow-friendly snark.

Somehow going beyond my stretched-to-snapping-point expectations, The Muppet Show is the truest return to form these characters have enjoyed in….possibly ever. Rogen’s Freaks and Geeks co-star Jason Segel, Nick Stoller and James Bobin arguably came the closest with 2011’s The Muppets, but this special goes above, beyond, and through. (Possibly propelled by The Great Gonzo’s cannon.) It provides laughs, warmth, and joy, and without solely throttling nostalgia. Allow me to wax on a bit more…

This Is Classic Muppet Show Bliss, And Not A Cringe-Centered Reboot

When classic characters are announced for new projects, an innate worry tends to materialize, hooked into on the possibility that the characters’ legacies will be tainted and tarnished for one reason or another. That’s certainly the case with the Muppets, especially after ABC’s 2015 mockumentary series The Muppets lasted only a single widely panned season, despite going through a wide-ranging creative overhaul in the middle of it. The precedent for disappointment is real.

But thankfully, this isn’t Seth Rogen treading new ground and taking Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and others into previously unexplored territory. (Not that I’d skip out on that hypothetical angle.) Rather, the creatives involved were solely invested in recapturing the unbridled ebullience that made the original series a TV staple for five seasons, and they wholly understood the assignment.

Sabrina Carpenter Fits Perfectly With The Muppet Show's Celebrity Guests Of Yore

Variety shows can live and die by the quality of their guest stars, and lord knows The Muppet Show had its fair share of celebs whose icon status did not carry over from the 1970s. But for each of those, there were five times as many A-tier legends such as Cher, Elton John, Vincent Price, Rita Moreno, Christopher Reeve, Leslie Uggams and many more. For all the stellar actors, the show was one where singers and musicians really thrived.

As such, Sabrina Carpenter is among the relatively few pitch-perfect choices who could have helped front this one-off special. Going from Disney child actor to libidinous pop star helped her build a massive and loyal fanbase that spans multiple generations. Perhaps most importantly for anyone unfamiliar with her music, she’s smart, self-aware, and is naturally skilled at performing opposite felt characters, as hilariously proven by her big musical number. And who doesn't love a foil for Miss Piggy?

So. Many. Muppets.

When Seth Rogen touted the fact that the special would be bringing out all the Muppets possible, he wasn't going for Fozzie-level humor. I couldn't be more impressed with the plethora of different characters making it to the screen throughout, even outside of the opening. Having rewatched classic Muppet Show eps over the past couple of years as dinner-time viewing with my family, I thankfully still had a lot of the lesser-seen characters in mind, and if I can paraphrase Janice, "Just like, wow, you know?"

The limited runtime obviously caps just how much any. characters are able to bring to the table, so many go without lines. But who can complain when that just means we get more from the core squad? Not that there's never enough Gonzo for my personal tastes, regardless of runtime. That Bunson and Beaker get their own segment is enough to get my five-star approval. (With an extra star granted for my hopes from the teaser panning out.)

Seth Rogen & Co. Crafted The Perfect Prototype For The Muppet Show To Return In Full

The Muppet Show's anniversary special is faithful to the original almost to a fault, if there were any faults to be had here. (So it's a good thing they didn't film near...San Andreas, wocka-wock...a?) Sincerely, while most of the puppeteers' voices here are obviously different from Jim Henson, Frank Oz and others, and the showbiz spirit and the frantic rhythm are both as intact as ever. It all looks fresh and new, but beneath the sheen, these feel like the Muppets I've known all my life.

While I obviously can't speak for everyone involved with this special behind the scenes, it does feel primed to be a prototype pilot for a new era of Muppet Show excellence. In that respect, it succeeds and matches up with my wildest dreams, with the easy potential to soar beyond them if Disney has enough faith in the project to order up a full season.

Which means enough Muppet fans and outsiders need to watch it to justify that kind of a studio decision. One can only hope that the budget that went into crafting the sets and getting all of the Muppet characters restored and camera-ready would be an extra impetus to move forward to utilize all of those elements on a regular basis. For like...100 episodes or whatever. Not ALL during the 2026 TV schedule.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming special below, unless you want to jump into it with as few spoilers as possible.

While I’m still 1,010% down for Knives Out filmmaker Rian Johnson to craft a Muppet murder mystery movie at some point, that hope has easily taken a backseat to my dream for The Muppet Show to get ordered up for an entire season. Could the world maintain its sanity if Taylor Swift took Miss Piggy through the latter’s various Eras? Probably not.

The Muppet Show will be available to stream via Disney+ subscription on Wednesday, February 4, so be sure and watch it on every TV in your house, as well as all mobile devices, while making sure to spread the word to everyone. Sure it’s gonna seem weird AT FIRST when you run into a grocery store hollering about how great Fozzie is, but they’ll get it eventually.

Earlier today, it was revealed that Catherine O’Hara died at the age of 71. It didn’t take long for tributes from her Home Alone costar Macaulay Culkin and more to start pouring in, and we can count the cast and crew of The Studio on that list as well. The Apple TV subscription-exclusive series was one of the final projects O’Hara acted in, and Seth Rogen and other people from the show have shared kind words to honor their late collaborator as we also learn where things stood with her on the forthcoming Season 2.

What Seth Rogen And Other Talent From The Studio Said About Catherine O’Hara

Catherine O’Hara starred in The Studio Season 1 as Patty Leigh, the former head of Continental Studios and mentor to Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick, who was tapped to succeed her. Rogen, who also co-created, directs, writes and executives produces the series, went on Instagram to pay tribute to his late costar, with these words accompanying a picture of O’Hara smiling as she was leaning on his back:

Fellow series regular Ike Barinholtz, who plays Continental vice president of production Sal Saperstein (a favorite at fictional awards shows), also went on Instagram to commend Catherine O’Hara on both a professional and personal level, writing:

Additionally, The Studio’s cast and crew released a collective state about Catherine O’Hara’s passing to outlets like THR, making it clear that how she was a treasured member of the team:

The Studio’s first season ran from late March to late May last year, and it quickly gathered critical acclaim and numerous accolades. Catherine O’Hara won an Ad Astra Award for her performance as Patty, earned Best Support Actress nominations at both the Emmys and Golden Globes, and it also competing in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries & Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television category at the Satellite Awards in early March.

What Was Reportedly Happening With Catherine O’Hara On The Studio Season 2

The Studio Season 2 began filming last week, and according to The Sun, Catherine O’Hara was expected to appear in some of the early scenes. However, those plans were scrapped due to “personal matters,” with an unidentified source who spoke with the publication sharing:

So sadly, The Studio’s Season 1 finale, titled “The Presentation,” will be the last time we ever see Patty Leigh. This, along with her appearances in The Last of Us Season 2, mark Catherine O’Hara’s final TV work. Movies-wise, she was seen last year being interviewed for the documentary John Candy: I Like Me, and in 2024, she starred in Argylle, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and The Wild Robot.

We here at CinemaBlend offer our sympathies to O’Hara’s family and friends during this difficult time, as well as the people who got to know her on The Studio. She was among the many highlights in the first season, and it’s a shame that her run as Patty didn’t last longer.

2025 was a good year for both Seth Rogen and Pamela Anderson, with the former garnering acclaim for his work on the Apple TV subscription-exclusive series The Studio, and the latter starring opposite Liam Neeson in The Naked Gun reboot (which can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription). Both actors ended up being seated near each other at the 2026 Golden Globes, but it was hardly cordial between them. Anderson was not pleased about having to sit by Rogen at the ceremony, and she wants an apology from him over his role in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy.

Released in 2022, the miniseries chronicled Pamela Anderson’s three-year marriage with musician Tommy Lee, with emphasis on when their unauthorized sex tape was released to the public. In addition to playing Rand Gauthier, Seth Rogen was also one of Pam & Tommy’s executive producers, meaning he had a key role in shaping how the miniseries turned out. Anderson wasn’t pleased with this tumultuous period in her life being used for TV content, and said the following to Andy Cohen on SiriusXM (via TMZ) about what was going through her head when she saw Rogen at the Golden Globes:

This isn’t the first time Pamela Anderson has expressed her dissatisfaction about Pam & Tommy. In 2023, the actress talked about how the TV show made her “sick,” and last year, she recalled how he learned about its existence while filming the documentary about herself, and that it was “strange and hurtful” that no one from the show called her to be involved. These feelings bubbled up again when Anderson noticed Seth Rogen at the Golden Globes this past Sunday, as she continued in her conversation with Cohen:

Pamela Anderson also said that while she’s heard that “when you’re a public person, they say you have no right to privacy,” she thinks that your “darkest, deepest secrets or tragedies in your life shouldn’t be fair game for TV series.” It’s hard to say if Seth Rogen will ever reach out to Anderson to apologize for Pam & Tommy, but the miniseries ended up being a hit. Among its accolades was earning four Golden Globe nominations and 10 Emmy nominations, though it only won Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) at the latter’s Creative Arts ceremony.

Looking ahead, Pamela Anderson’s upcoming movies include Rosebush Pruning, Place to Be and Love is Not the Answer, though none of them have release dates yet. Seth Rogen’s 2026 movies include Animal Farm, The Wrong Girls and The Invite, and fresh off winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for playing Matt Remick on The Studio, he’s set to soon begin filming the Apple TV show’s second season.

It turns out that Keanu Reeves is a big fan of This Is the End, the celebrity-packed end of the world movie written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The 2013 movie, which you can check out with a Netflix subscription, has cameos from 20 or so actors and pop stars, but it doesn’t have one from Keanu Reeves. Still, Reeves took a moment during a conversation with Rogen, Aziz Ansari, and Keke Palmer, while promoting their 2025 movie releaese Good Fortune, to talk about how much he loved the movie.

Keanu Reeves Is A Big Fan Of This Is The End

During the conversion on Esquire’s Table Read, which can be watched on Esquire’s YouTube feed, Reeves tells Rogen that he loves the movie (which is not something I had on my bingo card this year). Ansari, who is one of the many stars who appear in This Is the End, immediately chimes in with:

After Keke Palmer confirms that it’s the movie where Rihanna “slaps the shit out of Michael Cera” (it is), it sets Rogen off on a wonderful tangent about getting all those stars to appear in the movie. Ansari mentions that it’s “crazy” that they were able to get all those stars, and Rogen adds:

As Rogen goes through the list of people who went to New Orleans and joined in on the This Is The End fun, Reeves almost seems jealous that he didn’t get to be there. He’s clearly blown away that Rogen and company were able to pull it off. Ansari is, too, and he was there! For his part, Rogen still sounds pretty shocked by it, too:

I get exactly what Rogen said about it being part of the appeal for the likes of Kevin Hart, Paul Rudd, Emma Watson, Rihanna, and all the other stars who agreed to do the picture. An all-expenses-paid trip to The Big Easy to work for a few days on a movie and hang out with a list of stars like those in This is the End? I’m actually surprised there weren’t more people!

A lot of the conversation is Palmer, Rogen, and Ansari asking Reeves about The Matrix, including getting Reeves to recreate the “bullet time” scene. That, of course, is wonderful, but not at all that unexpected. Reeves toasting Rogen and Ansari for This is the End is much more unexpected, and in a lot of ways, more wonderful.

Reeves has a great knack for comedy, as Good Fortune shows, and he would have been perfect for a movie like This Is the End. It’s too bad we’ll never get to see how horrible his death could have been in the movie!

As wildly excited as I am for Cole Escola's in-development Miss Piggy movie being produced by Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone, I can't deny that I'm even more over the moon for Seth Rogen's upcoming Muppet Show revival special. It was already an early leader in my my anticipated projects hitting the 2026 TV schedule, and Disney+'s first-look teaser just cemented its stop atop that list, which I admit is a bit "Manchild"-ish of me.

That cheeky reference to this year's hit is pointing directly at Sabrina Carpenter serving as the Muppet Show special's big guest star, and though she doesn't appear in the below promo herself, there's a background detail that I'm desperately hoping ties into her impending arrival. Check out the video below and then join me in some felt-covered speculation.

It's almost depressingly short for a teaser previewing a special that's less than two months away, but I'll take anything I can get from this squad. At least we do actually get to see some in-action Muppeting with Kermit popping into frame early on to get the Muppet Theatre lit up and ready for some showstoppers. And I'm not talking abotu Statler and Waldorf, who just want the show to stop. [Waits for familiar laughter from the balcony.]

Here's the official synopsis for the streaming release, which will be available on February 4 via Disney+ subscription:

Assuming this special follows along with the traditional format, fans will likely see Carpenter taking the stage for some comedic antics with Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo and others before she delivers one or more musical performances. Speaking of...

Will Sabrina Carpenter Perform With Dr. Teeth And The Electric Mayhem?

While the Muppet Theatre's backstage set looks very similar to the one utilized for the original series, which ran from 1974-1981, there are certain aesthetic changes that were made in bringing the design to life anew. In particular, on the stairs' side wall, there appears to be a poster advertising a concert performance from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, as well as an appearance from The Great Gonzo, which I'll assume was more cannon-centric than musical.

In any case, fans no doubt remember that Dr. Teeth's band was at the center of the Disney brand's most recent TV series, Muppets Mayhem. That guest star-filled series was unfortunately canceled after a single season, but this Muppet Show special sounds like the perfect place to bring one of pop culture's best fictional bands back into the spotlight alongside one of the biggest pop stars out there.

I guess it might depend on whether the idea is for Carpenter to perform her own hits, which likely wouldn't require the efforts of Zoot, Lips, Animal, Janice, Floyd or Dr. Teeth himself. However, if the "Espresso" singer is set to join characters in performing some of the Muppets' own biggest hits, that would be an easy way to meld these musical maestros. So make it happen!

I don't think anyone should expect. her to dance around in show-branded underwear as she did on SNL in October, given her family-friendly relationship with Disney (where she previously co-starred in Girl Meets World.). But I bet she brings the house down all the same. Hopefully not literally, though, since they JUST got the theatre back open again. Maybe Sweetums can help hold the roof up.

Seth Rogen's The Muppet Show special is set to stream on Disney+ on February 4, 2026.

If you turned on any type of screen this year, it’s likely you saw Seth Rogen, and had a good laugh. He popped up multiple times over on our 2025 TV schedule, including through his own award-winning humorous take on Hollywood, The Studio. Yet, as we’ve come to know the funnyman over the years, we know he can take on serious roles a la The Fablemans or Steve Jobs. So why haven’t we seen Rogen pull an Adam Sandler-like transition into more titles with heavy-hitting directors?

As a part of GQ’s “Men of the Year,” the Superbad creator shared all about his goings on when it comes to Tinseltown. During the conversation, he revealed why his resume doesn’t have as wide an array as Adam Sandler movies has or reflect the variation of Emma Stone's greatest performances. The reality behind it is simpler than we’d all think: he takes them when they come, and he puts his other titles aside, saying:

Seth Rogen's response in how he nabs the projects is even funny, as the thought of Blockers vs. any of Fincher’s movies is a great juxtaposition, though no hate to the 2018 comedy. In all seriousness though, it has been interesting to see him evolve over the decades and shed his past skins. I think Rogen's been shifting dramatically, and The Studio seems to be a catalyst for this coming phase.

Fortunately though, I don’t think we’ll ever have to part with the funny side of the Knocked Up star. Humor seems to be intrinsically sewn into Rogen's DNA since he had a great response to the Emmys misspelling his name. On top of that, one of the 2025 movie calendar entries he was in, Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune, tows that line of humor and drama. (Though it’s much more comedy leaning and has a surprising RT score.)

So it’ll be interesting to watch Rogen’s resume now that the reasoning is officially out there. Fingers crossed that some directors have perked up after catching wind of the sentiment. Personally, I’d love to see him shake it up with something dramatic among the smattering of comedies he has. After all, Adam Sandler (and many others) carved this exact path for new generations of comedians to showcase the depths of their talents.

If you’d like to watch either of Seth Rogen’s comedy series, The Studio or Platonic, you can stream both with an Apple TV+ subscription.

I saw Aziz Ansari's Good Fortune in theaters this week, and I was quite surprised by the movie. It’s tonally nothing like I would have expected from a comedy starring Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, and Ansari himself. In fact, it’s more of a downer in moments and more political than I would have anticipated, focusing on issues such as the housing crisis, cronyism in business and wealth inequity. To me, some of this worked, and some of it was kind of preachy; regardless, the movie has been full of surprises on the review front.

In fact, as Keanu Reeves’ popular character Ted would say, its debut was rather “excellent.” When I’d looked at early reviews ahead of the opening weekend, Good Fortune had around 60 reviews and was well over the 80% mark. In the last couple of days before Rotten Tomatoes officially certified it “fresh,” it has nabbed even more reviews and has settled into a comfortable 78% on the critics side.

But the biggest surprise to me? Good Fortune is the rare case where critics and audiences seem to be on exactly the same page!

Critics And Audiences Both Agree On Good Fortune

By the time of the writing of this article, Good Fortune settled into a 78% on the critics side and was matched with a 78% on the audience side. I cannot underscore how rare this is. A lot of movies that are critical darlings for journalists are not beloved by wider audiences. A lot of fun, silly (and sometimes big budget) movies that critics seem to despise really land more traction with people paying for the popcorn and movie tickets.

Sure, there are some clunkers everyone hates, and there are some big releases that hit on levels both critics and fans can appreciate. I’m looking at you, Inside Out 2 review, or Weapons releasing to fanfare on both sides earlier this year. However, to be a movie that’s seen as “pretty good” by folks on all sides of the spectrum just does not feel like it comes up that often.

This is why we often see big discrepancies between critics and the moviegoing audience at large. The Conjuring: Last Rites was a recent example in which many critics splatted the film (at 58% in total, though CinemaBlend's own review of Last Rites was positive). Meanwhile, the audience liked it pretty well — intriguingly at the same 78% Good Fortune has also settled into at the time I wrote this article. People look for different things from their moviegoing experience, and it’s rare for everyone to be on the same page about a movie that's pretty decent.

I’m still surprised Good Fortune hasn’t been a little more polarizing for some audiences, but that might say more about the people watching and reviewing the movie being aligned tonally with the comedians involved than anything else. And that might also be why it’s at a 78% rather than an 88% or 90% overall.

Regardless, Keanu Reeves, Aziz Ansari, and Seth Rogen Good Fortune landed some, well, good fortune with reviews when it came to their movie about a fallen angel, a gig economy worker and a wealthy business owner who swap places. Even though I was only OK on the movie personally, I’m happy to see fans and critics rally around a theatrical comedy. Now, if only that could translate into box office numbers…

Horror flicks may be the primary focus for many movie lovers in October, but there’s always room for a good supernatural comedy, right? Aziz Ansari sure hopes so, as he makes his feature directorial debut with Good Fortune. With a cast that includes Ansari, Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer and more, this one has been on our radar as one that must be seen in the theater, so are critics in agreement?

Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune — which hits the 2025 movie calendar on October 17 — stars Keanu Reeves as Gabriel, a guardian angel who loses his wings after failing to prove to down-on-his-luck Arj (Ansari) that switching lives with rich socialite Jeff (Seth Rogen) won’t make him happier. Matt Fowler of IGN calls the movie “funny, sharp, and sweet,” as it somehow upends the It’s a Wonderful Life cliché but still manages to embrace it. He rates it a “Great” 8 out of 10, writing:

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY also says Keanu Reeves is “angelic” in this “heaven-sent” comedy, giving it 3 out of 4 stars. Aziz Ansari toes the line between hilarity and gravity, Truitt says, by using comedy to approach deep themes. The critic says:

Joe Schmidt of Collider rates Good Fortune 7 out of 10, writing that it’s a fine first effort from Aziz Ansari at the helm, as he weaves a simple yet satisfying tale of people realizing they can both cherish what they have and fight to make the world better. Keke Palmer steals the show, in Schmidt’s opinion, and Keanu Reeves is a “godsend.” In the critic’s words:

Tim Grierson of AV Club grades the movie a C+, noting that Good Fortune acknowledges the anger that economic inequality causes but doesn’t dig too deep. Grierson wonders if Aziz Ansari’s message lacks heft because the actor can’t fully recognize the plight of those struggling to make ends meet. The critic says:

Lindsey Bahr of the AP also says the life-affirming message that comes from Good Fortune feels hollow, despite the director’s good intentions. She gives it 2 out of 4 stars and writes:

While there are some questions regarding Aziz Ansari’s feel-good message, it appears that critics are mostly on board with his directorial debut. Good Fortune holds a 79% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, so if you want to see the hilarity that ensues amongst this cast — including Keanu Reeves, who is apparently worthy of all the angel puns — the movie is in theaters as of Friday, October 17.

Knocked Up is considered one of the best movies of the 2000s, and I watched it multiple times when it first came out, relaying the story of career-minded Allison, who gets pregnant after a one-night stand. When I saw the title on the 2025 Netflix schedule, I decided to throw it on for the first time in well over a decade, and I’m shocked that nearly 20 years after it was first released, one side plot is as hilarious and relevant as ever.

The main story in Knocked Up revolves around Katherine Heigl’s Allison trying to make a relationship work with Ben (Seth Rogen) after they learn they’re going to have a baby. The Judd Apatow movie stars a good portion of the Freaks and Geeks cast as Ben’s stoner housemates, as well as Apatow’s wife and daughters — in other words, A+ casting. Still, the performance that stuck out to me after all this time was Ryan Seacrest playing an exaggerated version of himself.

Allison is an up-and-comer at E! News, and she ends up being the crew member on the other end of Ryan Seacrest’s epic rant about the Hollywood celebrities who waste his time.

Upon being notified that Jessica Simpson is late for her interview, the host makes it clear that he doesn’t have time to wait on her, because he has to be at American Idol. Then he really gets going:

Somebody get this man a cookie!

Jessica Simpson probably doesn’t deserve to be the poster child of the kind of celebrity Ryan Seacrest is complaining about here, but it’s so funny to me how much of the rest of it is still relevant. The man still has 97 jobs, and he’s definitely just as famous (if not more so) than anyone he shares airtime with.

In fact, now he’s the one getting interviewed a lot of the time, and the question he’s being asked is, “Do you sleep?” Wheel of Fortune contestant Jarri Machelle-Melton posed that query to him on the October 1 episode, TV Insider reports, to which Ryan Seacrest responded:

The best comedy has a certain percentage of truth to it, so it’s almost surprising to me that Ryan Seacrest would agree to a bit where he’s shading young Hollywood so hard and saying they “fuck his day up.” (Can you imagine him saying that to his Wheel of Fortune contestants?)

I’m so glad this Knocked Up side plot exists, though, and it was just one part of the Judd Apatow comedy that made it worth the rewatch. The 2007 classic is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.

Seth Rogen is coming off an exceptional weekend for his career. The Studio, the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive he co-created, won 13 categories at Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards, the most ever for a comedy TV show with just a single season. That makes it even better that The Studio is returning for Season 2, and his other Apple TV+ show, Platonic, is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule. Now it’s been announced that Rogen will be bringing back The Muppet Show next year in a special way… in that it will literally be a special.

As shared by THR and other outlets, Seth Rogen is putting together a Muppet Show TV special that will be released in 2026 on Disney+. Singer, songwriter and fellow actor Sabrina Carpenter will star in the project and also executive produce. The special will air as The Muppet Show celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and the goal is for this revival to function as a backdoor pilot for a new season.

Although The Muppets franchise began in 1955 when Jim Henson created the TV show San and Friends, it wasn’t until The Muppet Show began that characters like Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie and more got to have the spotlight to themselves. The variety sketch series had a rotating slate of guest stars and ran for five seasons, all of which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. As The Muppet Show was airing, its subjects also made the jump to the big screen with movies like The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper.

This will be the fourth Muppets project made exclusively for Disney+. The first was the improvisational comedy series Muppets Now, which ran for six episodes in 2020. A year later, the Halloween special Muppets Haunted Mansion followed, and then there was The Muppets Mayhem in 2023, which also only lasted one season. There was also a limited-run TV show in development in the late 2010s called Muppets Live Another Day, which would have taken place after The Muppets Take Manhattan, but that project was ultimately cancelled.

With Seth Rogen putting together this Muppet Show special with Sabrina Carpenter, his producing partner Evan Goldberg and many other behind-the-scenes individuals, I have high hopes for its level of quality. I know I’m not alone in thinking The Muppets have been underutilized by Disney in more recent years, and I was especially disappointed that The Muppets Mayhem didn’t get a second season. My fingers are crossed that this special that Carpenter is heading is not only an enjoyable watch, but also leads to a full-on revival of The Muppet Show.

We’ll see if that’s in the cards whenever this Muppet Show special premieres on the 2026 TV lineup. In the meantime, if you happen to find yourself in Walt Disney World next year, that’s when the Muppet-rebranded Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster will open following the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D.

I don’t know about you, but as I watched the 2025 Emmy Awards, I couldn’t wait to hear someone from The Studio thank Sal Saperstein. However, it never happened during the prime time portion of the ceremony, and Seth Rogen explained why. Don’t worry, though, Ike Barinholtz’s vice president of Continental Studios got his flowers thanks to Apple TV+.

Why Seth Rogen Didn’t Thank Sal Saperstein At The Emmys

Over the course of the Emmys telecast, Seth Rogen got up to give speeches four times, as the show won Outstanding Directing, Writing and Lead Actor for a Comedy Series, as well as the biggest award of its genre, Outstanding Comedy Series. Not once did he, or anyone who took the stage with him, thank Sal Saperstein.

That came as a surprise, because at the Creative Arts Emmys, where the comedy won awards for Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Costumes, Cinematography, Production Design, Casting, Picture Editing, Guest Actor and Music Supervision, the character was thanked numerous times. However, after winning, Rogen was asked at a press conference why he didn’t give a nod to the character who was thanked over and over again at their fictional Golden Globes during the show’s eighth episode, and he said (via Deadline):

Well, I can understand their reasoning there. However, I still would have liked to see the fictional exec get his flowers on the real-life telecast.

Barinholtz did too, as he hilariously cut in during the press conference to make it known that he was “very disappointed” by the lack of a callout as well. However, have no fear. While Rogen understandably didn’t want to thank Sal Saperstein, Apple did, and it did it in a very fun way.

How Apple Thanked Ike Barinholtz’s Character After The Emmys

Apple TV+ and its best shows have had a lovely run on the 2025 TV schedule, as their many Emmy wins this year showed. It took home multiple awards for many projects, including Severance and Slow Horses; however, its biggest winner was The Studio, as it became the most awarded comedy ever. So, after the awards, the platform put up a billboard that thanked Sal Saperstein, take a look:

Well, that’s just perfect!

I’ll always wish Rogen thanked Sal (and maybe he will if The Studio wins for Season 2). And, even though Noah Wyle most certainly deserved his win, I’ll always wonder if Adam Scott would have thanked Sal if he won for Severance, considering it was him who started the bit on The Studio. Oh, and I can't help but hope that Ike Barinholtz had thought about thanking himself if he took home gold. However, in the end, I’m happy we got something thanks to the winners at the Creative Arts Emmys and this billboard.

Plus, if you really want to go back and see Scott, Quinta Brunson, Aaron Sorkin, Zoë Kravitz, Jean Smart and Ramy Youssef playing themselves and thanking Sal Saperstein, you can always go back and rewatch The Studio with an Apple TV+ subscription.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards are tonight, and there’s plenty of reason to be excited. A number of major stars are up for some major honors this evening, and some of the categories are too close to call, if you ask me. Seth Rogen also has some 2025 Emmy nominations to his name. Speaking of Rogen’s surname, it seems there was a humorous error, as his last name was misspelled as part of the seating chart. Rogen ultimately called out the humorous error, though I do understand how it could happen in the first place.

Just recently, footage from the preparation for the Emmys was released online by The Hollywood Reporter. The Instagram video the outlet shared, which was captured from within the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, shows the various markers for specific celebrity seating. Identifiers – which feature celebrity names and photos – for the likes of Pedro Pascal, Kristen Bell, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Evan Peters among others can be seen in the clip. Check it out and also peep how Seth Rogen’s name was incorrectly printed:

Honestly, there’s a humorous irony to the fact that the Platonic star’s last name was wrongly printed as “Rogan.” Of many of the celebrities that’ll be present at the show tonight, the comic’s last name is honestly one of the easiest to spell. After all, this is a year where stars like Ike Barinholtz and Chloë Sevigny are nominated for awards. The spelling error, on its own, is funny, but the icing on the cake was that Rogen himself eventually chimed in with a response under the IG post:

As I said earlier, though, it’s understandable as to how a mixup like this could happen. There were a lot of names that needed to be printed up for the Emmys’ seating chart, and it would be easy for a small mistake to be made. Plus, there are definitely those who have the last name “Rogan,” so it’s not as if that’s a weird spelling of the name. Regardless, I just love that the Pineapple Express icon weighed in publicly.

When it comes to the actual reason Seth Rogen will be at the TV-centric awards show, though, that’s because of the show he co-created, The Studio, which is up for six awards at the big show. Rogen himself is nominated in four categories for comedy series – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing, Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Comedy Series. The show also won nine awards at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

The Studio, which is streamable with an Apple TV+ subscription, has garnered a lot of attention, and not just because of the leading man’s tendency to fall during episodes. What this series does is provide a satirical look at the inner workings of a fictional film studio. As a result, Rogen and co. were able to cast famous directors and actors to play themselves on the show. Thus far, the show has received praise (and also drawn the ire of real-life studio executives).

I’m curious to see just how many awards Seth Rogen’s show ends up raking in. At the same time, let’s also make sure to put some respect on his name as well as an “e” where the “a” is on that seating marker. Here’s hoping Rogen acknowledges the mixup in any acceptance speeches he ends up giving. The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards air on CBS tonight, Sunday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET as part of the 2025 TV schedule. Viewers can also stream the ceremony using a Paramount+ subscription.

I’ve never been in a movie before, so I’m going to have to take actors’ word for it when they tell me that making movies can be a fulfilling, yet exhausting experience where you’re constantly making little changes here and there. This is true for Best Picture winners, massive superhero spectacles and even some of the best comedies of all time. That last one is based on a story Craig Robinson told me about an experience with Seth Rogen on the set of the cameo-filled 2013 comedy This Is The End.

I recently sat down with Robinson to talk about the home release of The Bad Guys 2, which is available on Digital after debuting on the 2025 movie schedule. During our conversation, I asked the actor behind the master of disguise, Mr. Shark, what the biggest difference was between making an animated movie and a live-action one, and he told me that there are “great advantages” of voice work, “because you can go back”:

When I asked the Office alum if he ever had to “go back” and refilm something due to changes to a character or scene in one of his live-action movies, Robinson shared a story about Seth Rogen and the rest of the This is the End cast while they were filming the 2013 end-of-the-world disaster comedy:

With the 2013 comedy starring actors playing wildly exaggerated versions of themselves, it’s surprising that Robinson, Rogen and the rest of the large ensemble cast didn’t have to go back and refilm more scenes, like that random, yet amazing dance sequence. I mean, I know I would be cracking up filming that over-the-top heavenly scene with the Backstreet Boys and would have to refilm that way too many times.

With Robinson’s background in music, which could open the doors for a Bad Guys musical, I’m sure he was having the time of his life playing a version of himself hanging out in heaven with his best friends getting up to trouble with one of the biggest pop groups of all time.

The Bad Guys 2, like multiple other new and recent movies streaming, is currently available to rent or buy on Digital. It will also be available on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD starting October 7.

Platonic is one of the best shows you can watch with an Apple TV+ subscription. The second season of the comedy series starring Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as two estranged friends who reconnect after life gets in the way, which premiered a few weeks ago on the 2025 TV schedule, is outrageously relatable for millennials, and I just can’t get enough. One of the main reasons I love this show so much is that it’s avoided a classic sitcom trope so far.

So many of the best sitcoms from over the years have had the main characters hook up and make a mess of everything they’ve built, but that hasn’t happened in this Apple TV+ original series, and I really hope that remains the case moving forward.

I Feared Will And Sylvia Would Hook Up, But It Hasn't Happened (And I Hope It Doesn't)

When my wife and I first started watching Platonic back in 2023, I was convinced that Sylvia (Rose Byrne) and Will (Seth Rogen) would hook up at some point and make a mess of their lives. Sylvia has a great thing going with her husband, Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), but Will jumps from girl to girl, and I was afraid that between one of those flings, the two old college friends would get hot and heavy. That hasn’t happened, and I hope co-creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller don’t let it happen.

So far in Platonic Season 2, Sylvia’s marriage is better than ever, while Will’s engagement to Jenna (Rachel Rosenbloom) is all but over, but I honestly don’t think that these two will ever be anything other than friends, and that’s awesome.

Honestly, It's Refreshing To Have A Comedy Series Avoid The 'Will They? Won't They' Dynamic

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good “Will they? Won’t they” dynamic in a sitcom. Hell, so many shows have done this really well over the years, and some of Platonic’s contemporaries continue to pull this off effectively. However, it’s so refreshing to have a show completely avoid that dynamic as the story progresses.

Instead of having a show about some odd sexual tension between the two leads, Platonic is a comedy series that illustrates how members of the opposite sex can be friends without hooking up. Sure, this goes against what When Harry Met Sally taught us years ago, but instead of a great rom-com, we have a great comedy about friendship and how difficult it is as you get older.

It Sounds Like Seth Rogen And Co-Creator Francesca Delbanco Have No Intention Of Going There

It sounds like Seth Rogen and other members of the Platonic creative team have no plans for Sylvia and Will to have sex by the time the show is over, and all I can say is Yes! During an August 2025 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the Primetime Emmy nominee poked fun at Friends for setting a precedent for characters of the opposite sex hooking up, an idea he seemed to dismiss for his show. Good, because a show about two people going through a midlife crisis is complicated enough without it.

Similarly, co-creator Francesca Delbanco told Deadline earlier in the year that there is “no tension about 'Will they or won’t they?’” and that “they’re just buddies.” This is something Delbanco said was important to represent for the show, and she’s totally right.

I hope I’m not wrong, and I hope Will and Sylvia remain friends and nothing more as the show goes on. New episodes of Platonic premiere on Wednesday nights on Apple TV+.

Welcome to August. The last full month of summer is here, and with it is a brand new batch of movies and TV series to keep you from having to go outside into the heat. Several popular series are returning with new seasons this week, but we all know which one of them you’ve been waiting for.

King of the Hill, Season 14 - August 4 (Hulu)

One of the benefits of animated television is that nothing ever has to change. Even time doesn’t need to pass. The Simpsons has continued on for decades with this premise. However, when King of the Hill makes its long-awaited return for Season 14, available with a Hulu subscription, eight years after its last outing, time will have passed for the Hill family, and we’ll get to see just what the world is like now through the eyes of Hank and his now adult child.

Wednesday Season 2, Volume 1 - August 6 (Netflix)

Our long national nightmare is over. Season 2 of Wednesday, is finally here, giving you another reason to keep your Netflix subscription. The Addams Family spinoff was an absolutely massive hit in its first season and turned Jenna Ortega into a star. Now, nearly three years later, the first batch of episodes of Season 2 debuts this week. The good news is that Season 3 has already been greenlit, so it shouldn’t take quite as long to get here, and a spinoff series might be in the works, too.

The Pickup - August 6 (Prime Video)

Eddie Murphy made a big splash on streaming with the long-awaited sequel to Beverly Hills Cop, Axel F. Now he’s jumping streamers and trying something a little more original. In The Pickup, Murphy and Pete Davidson play armored car drivers who are forced into helping with a casino heist. With a cast that includes Keke Palmer, Eva Longoria, and Marshawn Lynch, this one looks like it should be worth an evening’s entertainment if you have a Prime Video subscription anyway.

Platonic, Season 2 - August 6 (Apple TV+)

Seth Rogen’s recent Apple TV+ comedy, The Studio, was a huge hit, so perhaps that will help get more eyes on his other Apple TV+ comedy, Platonic. The first season of the show, which stars Rogen and Rose Byrne as old friends who reconnect after years apart, was truly relatable and quite humorous. If you haven’t caught this one before, give season 1 of Platonic a look before diving into Season 2. If you got your Apple TV+ subscription to watch The Studio and you still have it, why not?

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Season 3 - August 6 (Disney+)

King of the Hill isn’t the only popular animated series to make a return this week. If you’ve got a Disney+ subscription, then you can also check out the third season of the rebooted The Proud Family. Considering the show only had two seasons in its initial run (though admittedly with far more episodes per season), it shows just how popular this series has remained through the years. A fourth season is already on the way.

This is just the beginning of what August has to offer streaming fans. Later this month, we’ll get the highly anticipated Alien: Earth, the first series based on the iconic franchise, as well as the newest chapter of the DCU with the second season of Peacemaker.

Hollywood can be a cutthroat place where authors and movie fans alike often take jabs at those involved in the creation of a film. Some of those barbs really do stick out to the living, breathing people occupying space in the movie business, and that’s even true when it comes to a-list actors. Jason Segel can clearly remember the weight jabs made when he gained a bit of tonnage while filming a flick.

During a recent round-table, the comedic actor opened up about the “wildest” thing he’d read about himself. While his Freaks and Geeks co-star Seth Rogen joked it was someone calling him “Too Tall Segel” (the actor is allegedly 6’4”), the insult that actually has stuck with the actor the longest has to do with his girth and not his height. He spoke with THR, Rogen and other a-listers about getting ripped into for weight gain.

[SEGEL: "I wish! I did a movie in New Orleans, and I’d eaten a lot during this movie and gained a bunch of weight, and the review, which was a very nice review, said, 'Jason Segel, an actor on the verge of a Gerard Depardieu-style expansion.'”

ROGEN: "You fought that off nicely. Maybe that’s what you needed."

SEGEL: "A wake-up call. (Laughter)" ]

Segel doesn’t mention the movie in question, but I can confirm it's Jeff, Who Lives At Home, a Duplass Brothers mumblecore drama that has him playing an unemployed stoner living in a basement. The movie shot in New Orleans well over a decade ago at this point, and from the sounds of these latest quotes, the weight gain may have been unintentional. I did trace Segel's comment back to the original source critic who insulted him and confirmed it was this film, so at least the weight gain did fit with the character he was playing in the film.

It's not like he was getting jacked to play a Marvel hero and went full fat Thor instead or anything. I do think though that it is good to hear from celebrities about moments that stood out for them in the public eye. It does feel like fans and even movie critics live in a microcosm sometimes and feel empowered to say whatever they want about actors in ways that can be notable, or even hurtful.

Regardless, those actors are real people, and they do sometimes read or hear the mean-spirited comments that have been made about them. This has even prompted people like Jamie Foxx to speak out about issues with being a public facing person in the new era of social media, with the actor calling it "dangerous." It's not all bad news, as Ben Stiller enjoys interacting with fans, and even Monica Barbaro has spoken about being lured back to social thanks to kind exchanges. But the bad comments can still linger.

Even for Jeff, Who Lives at Home, one critical comment may have stood out, but actual reviews of that movie also refer to "Segel’s teddy bear sweetness" and a "solid performance from Jason Segel," so it's clear most people were into what he was trying at the time.

These days, Segel is looking relatively trim whilst appearing in Shrinking and those with an Apple TV+ subscription doubtless have little to complain about when it comes to his appearance. Hopefully, he'll have no Gerard Depardieu-esque comments in his future, but if you're thinking about becoming a keyboard warrior, consider this your warning.

From directors like Ron Howard and Olivia Wilde playing unhinged versions of themselves, to Charlize Theron’s “baller” cameo in the debut episode, The Studio featured a lot of major Hollywood talents in its first run. Well, there’s much more where they came from, because following the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive show’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, The Studio will return for Season 2. Earlier this month, co-creator, director, writer and lead actor Seth Rogen expressed interest in having Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel appear in the next season. I’m now hopeful that this could actually be pulled off when the series returns.

Seth Rogen And Vin Diesel Have Finally Met

Rogen had previously said that he’s never met the man who’s been playing Dominic Toretto for well over 20 years, but fate intervened to rectify this. The two men crossed paths at an event involving Steven Spielberg’s mysterious 2026 movie, and the Superbad alum snapped a picture of them together to share on his Instagram account:

This post doesn’t mention The Studio, but I’d like to think the seed has been planted for what will eventually blossom into Vin Diesel cameoing as himself. That’s assuming, of course, that Seth Rogen was able to bring up the comedy series while speaking with Diesel, but I find it hard to believe he wouldn’t at least mention it once. You gotta shoot your shot, after all. And while he’s currently busy putting Fast 11 together, I imagine Diesel has at least heard of The Studio. If he has watched the show and finds it funny, then that only improves the chances of him appearing in it.

What Seth Rogen Previously Said About Vin Diesel

Seth Rogen first shared his desire for Vin Diesel to appear in The Studio while speaking to Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s title host. When Kimmel asked if there were any people he had in mind for the Apple TV+ show’s next season Rogen answered:

When Jimmy Kimmel mentioned that Vin Diesel is The Pacifier, Seth Rogen retorted that that movie came out “25 years ago” (it was actually 20 years). For the sake of accuracy, I’ll remind everyone reading that the last 10 years has seen Diesel star in movies like The Last Witch Hunter, XXX: Return of Xander Cage and Bloodshot. But Rogen’s overall point stands, Diesel is still best known for anchoring the Fast & Furious franchise.

After going on a tangent with Kimmel about how the action star’s real name is not actually Vin Diesel’s real name (it’s Mark Sinclair), Seth Rogen delivered an amusing plea directly to the camera:

Nothing is guaranteed just yet, but I’ll cross my fingers that Vin Diesel is one of the names that’s announced for The Studio Season 2. It would pair nicely with learning when Fast 11, the final film in the franchise, will be released. Meanwhile, Platonic, Seth Rogen’s other Apple TV+ show, returns for its second season on August 6.

The 2026 movie schedule has a good number of its tentpoles planted and ready to go, and we even know what some of them will be about! But good luck getting any further details on Steven Spielberg’s next movie, as even with new footage making its debut in the wild, there isn’t much to go on. But of course, in looking a little closer at the guest list for the occasion that made it all possible, there’s an even bigger question now looming in my mind.

Steven Spielberg’s Summer 2026 Blockbuster Is Still As Mysterious As Ever

​​For a movie from the director of The Sugarland Express, Jaws and Jurassic Park to not even have its title revealed to the public says a lot about both the film and the man behind it. Per reporting by Variety, there was actually an event that used some footage from Steven Spielberg’s untitled event picture.

Fittingly enough, that occasion was the dedication of a new screening room named after the man of the hour at Universal Pictures in Los Angeles. As for what was contained in those clips, I’m going to lay out some names and terms that further enshroud the finished product in mystery.

Witnesses on site claim that Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor narrowly escape a speeding train, Coleman Domingo and Eve Hewson take part in a chase sequence that “explodes through farmhouses,” and Colin Firth gets to be the baddie. It practically sounds like an old-school teaser a la Super 8 or E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial could be made at this very moment, and I’m kind of upset that it doesn’t exist.

Still, when some of those witnesses include former DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg, director Ava Duvernay, and actors Vin Diesel and Seth Rogen, you can bet there was more than a little inspiration in the room that night. Though speaking of that guest list, it’s time to get down to the question that found its way into my mind.

Could Steven Spielberg Make An Appearance In The Studio Season 2?

As you can see, I’m still mulling over Ron Howard’s villainous appearance for The Studio. Clearly the who’s who of Hollywood are game to play ball with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg on this Apple TV+ subscription gem. With Rogen being part of the night’s attendees, more than likely due to his role in 2022’s The Fabelmans, I now have to raise the subject of whether or not the Steven Spielberg could follow the examples of Mr. Howard and Martin Scorsese, and join this satire's guest cast.

Maybe it’s because Mr. Spielberg’s cryptic new footage festival reminds me of how The Studio Season 2 has a script ready that involves a test screening, but I sense some threads coming together. Matt Remick could find himself in a situation where the Catch Me if You Can auteur is testing his latest opus, and he arrives forewarned by Apollo 13’s helmer of the person he’s dealing with.

That would then have Matt being uber careful about the notes he’s willing to give. Come to think of it, I'd be surprised if The Studio's president didn't admit he played the video game Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair for most of his teenage years in this episode. I'm not going to say that my dream alliance of disgruntled auteurs is forming to give Mr. Remick the maximum amount of hell, but I don't see anyone trying to prove me wrong.

Of course, this is all speculation, and for all I know, Seth Rogen was just in the room because he’s friends with his previous collaborator. We won’t know if I’m wrong until at least next year, as that’s when The Studio Season 2 is currently likely to drop. And as for Steven Spielberg’s mystery movie, June 12, 2026 is the day you should keep open on your calendars.

Movie-making is a wild business. Every actor has countless stories of the strange confluence of art and commerce that creating film and television in Hollywood creates. Creative people try to make entertainment while the studio executives behind them try to make it as successful as possible. It’s led to some strange situations, including Seth Rogen having to convince people to let him cast the likes of Emma Stone.

Seth Rogen plays a studio head in his new series, The Studio, available with an Apple TV+ subscription. In doing so, he becomes the guy who finds himself giving the dreaded studio notes that so many filmmakers hate. Speaking with THR, Rogen admits he’s had some bad notes over the years, including having to convince somebody to let him cast certain actors, including two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone. Rogen said:

While Rogen doesn’t mention any movie by name here, back in 2007, Seth Rogen wrote and produced Superbad. The raunchy comedy was one of Rogen’s earliest efforts, and it was also the first major film role for Emma Stone. Being largely unknown at the time, it’s perhaps understandable why some might have had reservations about casting her.

Except that, you know, basically the entire cast of Superbad was unknown at the time, including the other actors Rogen mentions here.

In retrospect, it absolutely is shocking that somebody would take issue with casting Emma Stone. She’s as funny as anybody in Superbad, and that honestly should have been obvious to anybody paying attention. One can only imagine if Rogen had acquiesced to the request and not cast Stone. She certainly would have still gone on to be a major star, and the fact that somebody fought against casting her might have been quite a career stain.

Rogen admits that today, he largely doesn’t acknowledge studio notes. To be fair, there have been times when studio notes improved movies. It's been known to happen. Having said that, it doesn't sound like Seth rogen will be giving them much attention.

In the years since Chris Evans concluded his stint with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he's remained busy. He's currently looking towards the release of two new films on the 2025 movie calendar. Given the actor has stayed so active in the business as of late, it's not surprising that he'd prefer to slow down a bit. In fact, Evans is dreaming of just kicking back, smoking pot and taking up pottery. Funny enough, those are some of Seth Rogen's pastimes, and the comedic actor -- who's one of Hollywood's great potheads -- responded to Evans' desire in an on-brand way.

On the docket for Chris Evans right now are rom-com Materialists and Ethan Coen's Honey Don't! It's probably safe to assume that Evans is thankful for the various acting gigs he's been able to line up as of late. However, everyone needs a break, right? The actor made a comment to GQ, which was shared by Complex's Instagram reposted the quote, and the fan-favorite actor was quite clear about what he'd love to have in his life:

Honestly, that sounds like an excellent way to slow down from the hustle and bustle of Tinseltown. Pottery sounds relaxing, and stars who've smoked marijuana have discussed just how soothing it can be in some ways. Such comments track for the former Captain America actor, who seems to understand the value of personal time. After all, Evans recently celebrated his mom's 70th birthday in person, missing the premiere of Honey Don't! in the process.

Under Complex's post, many took to the comments to weigh in on Chris Evans' thoughts, and most seemed to approve. What I was particularly delighted to see, though, is that Seth Rogen himself entered the chat, and he made a brief, yet, direct, offer:

Talk about receiving a 10 out of 10 green flag invite! I'd be interested in knowing whether the Red One star takes Seth Rogen up on it. Of course, it totally tracks that Rogen would be so gung-ho about that kind of hangout. After all, his cannabis use is practically legendary at this point. Plus, he's the CEO of a ceramics company called Houseplant, which specializes in home goods smoking accessories. So he could surely help Evans get his hands on some quality grass and pottery tools.

Even though Rogen is known to enjoy his downtime, he's been a busy man himself. He made a major impression on the 2025 TV schedule via his show, The Studio, which has been renewed for a second season, he seems open to welcoming the novice to come hang with him. (The acclaimed series is available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription). Additionally, Rogen will appear in Aziz Ansari's Good Fortune and Andy Serkis’ animated Animal Farm. So, after all that work is done, I'm sure he'll need to take some time to chill and smoke.

Should Chris Evans actually be interested, I think he really could end up listening to some smooth music with Seth Rogen and smoking and doing pottery with him. The thought of such a hangout is actually kind of surreal, and a part of me would love to be a fly on the wall for it.

It’s always unsettling when a random age stamp slaps you in the face, and it’s only piled on for us middle-of-the-pack millennials (though, I know none of us will escape this fate). When I put two and two together and remembered that The 40-Year-Old Virgin premiered in 2005, and is just shy of its 20th anniversary, my mind needed to take a lap. Thankfully, I’m not the only one marveling at the latest somewhat shocking anniversary date; Seth Rogen thinks it's a little wild, too.

Though the A-lister has been pretty busy popping up all over our 2025 TV guide, including his own show, The Studio (which is streamable with an Apple TV subscription), he took the time to honor this iconic ‘00s flick. While it's not the first time he’s reflected on the film and how much Hollywood's dynamics have changed since its release, he stated that it’s "crazy" that it’s been over 20 years since that happened. Along with the exasperation, he shared with People about how the Judd Apatow-directed film was his first big leg up on a project. Rogen also mentioned it's where his undeniable raunchy influence on Hollywood began, saying:

Hearing this behind-the-scenes bit makes so much sense to me. While the movie’s star, Steve Carell, and Apatow haven’t shied away from that edginess, the boundary-pushing jokes, early style and blunt overtones scream Rogen’s beginnings. This blended comedy pocket had a wildly undeniable influence on the mainstream comedy genre that still influences today. Case and point, Carell was filming this breakout role right after the pilot of The Office and reportedly had anxious energy while filming, but The 40-Year-Old Virgin’s success saved Dunder Mifflin.

Now, two decades after the oddball romantic comedy's arrival, the Superbad alum is one of Hollywood’s biggest names, and his resume is bigger than ever. He carries a lot of weight with getting a project going, and The Studio, which got renewed for Season 2, feels like a cherry on top of it all. Rogen has plenty ahead on the 2025 movie guide, too, including Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune and Andy Serkis’ animated Animal Farm.

Whether or not they’ll rank with The 40-Year-Old Virgin and the rest of Seth Rogen's best movies remains to be seen. I do think that it’ll be safe to say the Hollywood star, his fans and I will be reeling at the next big unsuspecting project milestone to hit us one day. (And don’t remind me it’ll have been 25 years since Freaks and Geeks ended this fall!)

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet streamed The Studio’s Season 1 finale with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Seth Rogen & Co. deserve a lot of praise for everything that’s made The Studio’s first season such a hilarious treat for streaming audiences, from A+ directors cameoing as themselves to the spot-on satire surrounding its Kool-Aid movie to Rogen’s proficiency with on-screen pratfalls. The main cast also excels, of course, but the finale firmly proves that recurring star Bryan Cranston is not only this show’s biggest highlight, but quite possibly the funniest thing on TV in 2025 altogether.

Of course, Cranston’s studio boss Griffin Mill wouldn’t have reached such unpredictably nutty highs and lows without the events of the preceding episode, "CinemaCon,” which goes a long way in supporting this argument. It’s of course where Griffin imbibed on countless shroom-enhanced chocolates and other drugs, leading to a largely bumbling and completely incoherent performance in “The Presentation.” Speaking of…

Bryan Cranston Deserves Awards For His Weekend At Bernie's-esque Physical Comedy

Matt's plight to pull off the most successful CinemaCon presentation imaginable seems all but possible on the morning of the event itself, considering no one involved is able to get any sleep, with Matt thinking it'd be a good idea to have a hallucinogen-fueled rager the night before. Who knows how successful he would have been if not for Griffin showing up and drinking, eating and snorting whatever was in his midst. Behavior that's made all the more troubling by Matt learning Griffin is 82, far older than what others believe him to be.

This perfect set-up for disaster is indeed hell for Matt, Sal and others, and the finale turns into a very self-aware semi-parody of 1989’s vacation-gone-awry movie Weekend at Bernie’s. (The second Andrew McCarthy movie reference, following Matt namechecking Mannequin in a previous episode.) That gimmick could easily lose its appeal with the quickness if handled wrong, but The Studio makes an artform out of it thanks to Bryan Cranston’s upper-echelon physical comedy talents.

The fact that Cranston isn’t playing a corpse makes his lolling and other unpredictable movements all the more hilarious, and there are moments where I felt positive a dummy was used in the actor’s place, only to realize the Breaking Bad star never left. Every single time his head rolled backwards or forwards, with his mouth awkwardly hanging open, I howled. Similarly, his every attempt to lick his ice cream cone floored me. I had to rewind several times because jokes were drowned out by my voice.

While many fans can’t wait to see Bryan Cranston return to the world of Malcolm in the Middle for that sitcom’s upcoming revival, I can’t imagine that anything he does in those four episodes will come anywhere near the excellence of his Studio performance. Which is made all the more impressive due to how completely incomprehensible the character was in the finale, with his only big line happening during the “Movies!” chant that closes things out.

It’s a perfect performance that just doesn’t happen very often in modern entertainment, but Cranston proves beyond all doubt that slapstick will never die. And if it turns out any of The Studio’s shelved episodes are about Griffin Mill, I will do whatever’s necessary to see them come to light.

Though Bryan Cranston's performance is on a wholly different level from everyone else in The Studio's finale, the episode also features the wildest scenes from Zoë Kravitz, who unwittingly chows down on way too many illicit chocolates before realizing that there's psilocybin in them.

I honestly could have watched everything that went down in Kravitz's hotel room in real time, considering how hiliariously childlike and completely random she became. Perhaps the biggest highlight? Her effortlessly nailing the Blackwing presentation for the CinemaCon crowd before walking backstage and gleefully confessing that she was peeing her pants. Pure chaos and pure comedy.

Honorable Mention #1: Zoë Kravitz On Mushrooms Is A+ Television

Honorable Mention #2: Dave Franco Should Always Be This Hysterically Loud And Unpredictable

As if there weren't already enough unpredictable moving parts wandering around Las Vegas during The Studio's final two episodes, Dave Franco's presence is almost completely uncessary from a narrative perspective, but absoultely necessary to ramp up the comedic quotient. He basically exists to offer the loudest and most sporadic exposition possible, as he's also under a number of different influences

It's a testament to Franco's unbridled id-energy and charismatic smile that his performance works so well, since there isn't much to it beyond him yelling and enjoying everything. I mean, he obviously gets as caught up in the mayhem as anyone, and pulls off his own CinemaCon presentation despite being covered in blood from an unrelated incident. And it's hard to judge the crowd for applauding it, since it's surprisingly effective for something so off-the-cuff.

So by the time the Emmys come around again, if Bryan Cranston's name isn't one of the Guest Actor nominees for his stellar work as Griffin Mill, I. guess the only next step would be to eat a bunch of mushroom-filled chocolates and then produce my own version of the Emmys at home. Nobody needs to see that, though.

There have been a lot of memorable moments on The Studio as it’s aired on the 2025 TV schedule, from Charlize Theron delivering a “baller” one-liner to Ron Howard playing himself as an “asshole.” Hell, the opening episode even explored Martin Scorsese making a Jonestown movie under the title Kool-Aid, and just a few weeks later, it was announced that Bill Hader is developing a Jonestown TV series. But another thing I’ve been noticing on the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive series is how much Seth Rogen falls on it. Not only did two of the executive producers tell me why this is, they also talked about the one time Rogen legitimately did trip on camera.

When I brought up how frequently Rogen’s Matt Remick has taken tumbles on The Studio to executive producers Frida Perez and Peter Huyck, the latter explained that it this aspect of his character was included to help the series harken back to a more timeless style of comedy. In his words:

A lot of humor can be funny in the time the joke, sequence, etc. was made, but doesn’t effectively age as the years pass. But like Peter Huyck said, there physical comedy gags the early years of film are still funny a century later, and those gags were inspired by the earlier entertainment genre of vaudeville. So while most of The Studio’s humor is dialogue driven, it’s nice to have these falls from Seth Rogen and other physical comedy shenanigans (like everything that happened to Ike Barinholtz’s Sal Saperstein in “The War”) interspersed throughout the stories.

The falls aren’t just about laughs either. Frida Perez added that they also help strengthen Matt Remick as a character, saying:

Well by that definition, Matt was certainly humanized in last week’s episode of The Studio, “The Pediatric Oncologist.” He broke his right pinkie finger while at a pediatric oncology gala and had to be taken to the hospital after passing out. On the other hand, Matt spent much of the episode arguing how his job as a head of a film studio was just as important as what doctors do, and tried to use Continental Studios’ Duhpocalypse!, which features “shitsploding” zombies, to make his case. So yeah, that offset the humanizing just a bit.

As for when Seth Rogen tripped on camera, Peter Huyck told me that came in the aforementioned Martin Scorsese episode, as the actor really did loose his footing as he was walking up some stairs. As the producer recalled:

Other shows might’ve used a take where Seth Rogen walked up the stairs just fine, but sometime there are unscripted opportunities that you just shouldn’t toss aside. Rogen quickly collected himself and completed the scene, so I absolutely agree with Peter Huyck that it was the right move to keep that take in. If only Matt had tempered his excitement in the moment a bit, because not only did the Scorsese-directed Kool-Aid movie not move forward, but he also refused to sell the director’s Jonestown script back to him, crushing his dream of that being his last movie.

New episodes of The Studio come out on Wednesdays, and while there’s no word yet on if Season 2 is in the cards, I’d like to think it stands a strong chance given how critically-acclaimed this show is. You can also hang around on Apple TV+ to watch Seth Rogen’s other original show for the platform, Platonic.

The Studio is one of the most critically acclaimed shows to be released onto the 2025 TV schedule so far, with co-creator Seth Rogen starring as Continental Studios head Matt Remick. The series’ first episode saw Matt being tasked with putting together a Kool-Aid movie, and he went so far as to court Martin Scorsese to direct it after learning the filmmaker was interested in making a Jonestown movie. Needless to say this didn’t go well, and you can break out your Apple TV+ subscription to learn what happened, but now we have life initiating art… almost. There’s a Jonestown TV series in the works, and Saturday Night Live vet Bill Hader is attached.

Hader is partnering up with Daniel Zelman to write an HBO series about cult leader Jim Jones and the horrific events that took place at the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project, a.k.a. Jonestown. Both men are also serving as co-showrunners and executive producers, and if the project moves forward, Hader would also direct the project if it gets greenlighted. Additionally, Variety reports that the man behind SNL characters like Stefon and Vinny Vedecci could end up starring in the series as well.

Jim Jones started the Peoples Temple in Guayana in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, it became known as Jonestown. The settlement gained global attention in 1978 when over 900 people, including Jones, died in a mass murder-suicide. This came just hours after US Congressman Leo Ryan was shot at an airstrip in Guyana as he and others were attempting to leave, having come to the country to investigate the claims that people at Jonestown were being held against their will.

The majority of the deaths came from ingesting a cocktail of drugs and poisons, including cyanide, mixed into Flavor Aid. However, this was misidentified as Kool-Aid, resulting in the phrase, “Drinking the Kool-Aid.” The Jonestown deaths were previously explored on TV in the 1980 miniseries Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones, which starred Powers Boothe as Jones. Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan was also working on his own Jonestown series for HBO in 2016, but it never moved forward.

Although Bill Hader is primarily known for his comedy work, he’s also delved in dramatic territory various times, most notably with his HBO series Barry. So he presumably knows that adapting what happened at Jonestown for television needs to be handle with care and not used for comedic fodder. It’s also probably a safe bet that if the acting side of Hader’s arrangement is worked out, he’d be playing Jim Jones, though we’ll obviously let you know if that’s not the case.

Assuming this Jonestown TV series gets off the ground, I can only hope that its creative process goes ok and doesn’t crash and burn like what Martin Scorsese wanted to craft as his final movie in The Studio. Meanwhile, feel free to revisit Bill Hader’s work on Barry with a Max subscription, and remember that he’ll be heard as The Cat in the Hat’s title character in the animated film adaptation hitting theaters next year.

It’s been almost three years since Olivia Wilde’s viral and buzz-worthy film, Don't Worry Darling (and the drama attached to it), premiered, and now, she’s gearing up for her next big-hitting directorial entry. The Invite seemingly meets at the intersection of adult comedy, offbeat relationship material with vulnerable and intimate details sewn throughout. And if that wasn't enough, the ensemble cast was revealed to be filled with plenty of recognizable names leading the pack.

The future project, which is one of several that Wilde is currently invested in, is based on Cesc Gay's Spanish film Sentimental, and was adapted for U.S. audiences by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, per Variety. As the wheels start rolling for the coming title, she'll pop up in the upcoming 2025 movie I Want Your Sex from Gregg Araki, and has already played a version of herself in director mode on Seth Rogen’s The Studio (which hit the 2025 TV schedule in March). But the newest addition sounds like something that could rival her 2022 flick.

Olivia Wilde's Next Movie Is About 'Unexplored Sexuality'

With Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling under her belt, Wilde continues to push what genres she opts for, while majorly centering female stories. The filmmaker and actress have also made her opinions abundantly clear about her feelings about female directors in Hollywood–she’s not one to play it safe. And, by the sounds of this movie, she’s staying on brand with the promise of ‘unexplored sexuality.’

The following official, but general synopsis of the coming adaptation of the Cesc Gay directed title describes a normal neighborly event taking an unexpected, explicit turn:

While the teaser is overall vague, production has begun in Los Angeles with FilmNation Entertainment producing. (The studio most recently backed Sean Baker’s Anora and the papal thriller Conclave.) But what has me most jazzed about Wilde’s next endeavor is who she landed to round out the cast.

She's Cast Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz And More To Lead Her Project

The main quartet, including the movie’s director, to fill out the sexually driven The Invite, is as follows:

• Olivia Wilde
• Seth Rogen
• Penélope Cruz
• Edward Norton

What a knockout cast! All are dynamic enough performers to easily blur a couple of lines, so I’m pleased to say the least! I’m going to assume, from the brief overview and these leads, it seems like Wilde and Rogen may be one couple, with Cruz and Norton playing the other, but that could be backwards.

Even though it’s wildly reflective of the star power she had for her sophomore project, just the thought of this foursome emits some good vibes. (Though not necessarily the kind provoked by Rogen’s more notorious habit.)

At the time of this posting, there’s no public projected premiere date, but each of these celebs has plenty going on as they begin filming. As mentioned, Wilde showed up as one of The Studio's impressive cameos–Seth Rogen’s streaming satire (available with an Apple TV subscription). Meanwhile, Norton’s been taking it easy since his work in his Oscar-nominated role for A Complete Unknown. And after Cruz’s appearance in Ferrari, she shifted gears into The Bride! I’m excited to see this unlikely foursome team up to take on this quirky comedy.

Hopefully we'll hear even more casting updates for this Wilde movie soon. I'd say don't worry, darling, but it's probably too early for pet names.

Since Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick is the newly-minted head of Continental Studios on The Studio, that obviously means he meets with creative talent in Hollywood on a regular basis, including the blunt Charlize Theron and various directors. In the latter category, Ron Howard, Sarah Polley and Olivia Wilde are among the ones who’ve appeared on this 2025 TV schedule offering, and Alex Gregory, who co-created the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive series, shared with CinemaBlend the story behind how Rogen recruited these three. I especially got a kick out of Gregory sharing what Howard thought about his “asshole” appearance.

Ron Howard In The Studio

Let’s start with that one first. Howard stopped by during “The Note,” which saw Matt Remick struggling to give the director a note about his movie Alphabet City because of a traumatic experience more than two decades earlier when Howard mocked Matt over a suggestion he made for A Beautiful Mind. While it looked at first like The Studio’s Howard was a nice enough guy, his mean side eventually came out, and Gregory informed me that the filmmaker actually welcomed the opportunity to play himself in this way. In his words:

The Studio’s Ron Howard showed his true colors when he was informed in a meeting by Kathryn Hahn’s Maya Mason that Matt Remick had feedback for Alphabet City. Howard proceeded to embarrass Matt to everyone in the room by telling them how Matt had suggested back in the day that viewers of A Beautiful Mind know from the start that Paul Bettany’s Charles Herman was a figment of Russell Crowe’s John Nash’s imagination from the start. An angry Matt proceeded to tell Howard about how boring the motel sequence in Alphabet City was, and an an altercation ensued.

Ron Howard ultimately agreed to cut the motel sequence, but informed Matt that he’d destroy the film executive if he ever crossed him again. So the Howard in The Studio’s world is definitely not a nice guy, but the real deal relished the opportunity to play an “asshole.” Like Alex Gregory mentioned, he may not be that way in real life, but that doesn’t mean he feels like a nice guy all the time.

Sarah Polley In The Studio

The week prior to Ron Howard’s appearance, Sarah Polley of Ramona fame appeared in the critically-acclaimed The Studio as herself in “The Oner,” a.k.a. the episode that was entirely one take. She and Seth Rogen had worked together 2011’s Take This Waltz, which Polley directed, and the Apple TV+ show actually marked her first time acting in a decade and a half. But Alex Gregory recalled that Rogen knew she was the right person for this episode:

You could feel Polley’s frustration as Matt Remick kept ruining the oner she was trying right at sunset, as that’s the only time of the day the shot would work. But it was just one thing after another, and by the end of the episode, they weren’t able to get the shot. What was a series of unfortunate events for this Continental Studios production made for hilarious hijinks for the viewer, and both Rogen and Gregory were pleased with how Polley played this fictional version of herself.

Olivia Wilde In The Studio

And then there’s Olivia Wilde, who appeared in the noir-inspired “The Missing Reel.” As the title indicates, the episode revolved around a reel from Wilde’s movie being stolen… only for it to be revealed that Wilde herself was the culprit. It provided the opportunity for Wilde, known from House, Tron: Legacy and Drinking Buddies, among other projects, to play an unhinged version of herself, which she was all too welcome to do. As Alex Gregory told me:

The Studio’s Olivia Wilde stole that reel because she was unhappy with the scene on it and intended to force reshoots. By the end of the episode, she destroyed the reel, and Matt Remick was forced to pay for the reshoots by selling his $2 million car to Zac Efron, one of the movie’s stars. However she may be as a director in real life on set, at least those who are working with her can take comfort knowing she won’t fly off the handle like she did on this series… probably.

We’re now at the halfway mark with The Studio's debut season, so check out the latter five episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV+. Should it return for Season 2, I look forward to seeing what other directors will poke fun at themselves, like perhaps Greta Gerwig considering how Barbie influenced the series, and I’d also welcome seeing Ron Howard exacting revenge on Seth Rogen’s character.

It’s an exciting time to be a movie fan because there’s so many actors in their 20s and 30s who are proving to have A-list star quality – from Timothée Chalamet to Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Glen Powell, or Jenna Ortega and Sydney Sweeney. I’m a big fan of all those names, but it’s time to talk about how we should be naming Keke Palmer among them. Sure, she falls into the category of child stars who made a comeback, but Palmer has too many huge and exciting projects on the way to be called anything but one of the biggest young actresses in Hollywood.

Earlier this year, Keke Palmer of course starred in One Of Them Days with SZA, which actually crushed at the box office with a $51 million worldwide haul against a reported $14 million budget. While certainly audiences were looking for a good comedy to start their year, I think undoubtedly Palmer was a huge selling point for the film, and women in the industry who are doing it like Keke Palmer are few and far between.

I Can’t Get Over How Funny Keke Palmer Is In One Of Them Days

When I walked out of One Of Them Days when it hit theaters in January, I was just happy. Along with critics having a blast with it, I had such a good time at the movies watching Palmer and SZA’s buddy comedy. I know I’m going to return to it when I need a few belly laughs, because there just aren't enough female buddy comedies like it. The movie proved further that there’s no shot Palmer has “no charisma” like her character says about herself as the down-on-their-luck besties hilariously tried to come up with their rent in the matter of hours.

The movie then arrived for those with a Netflix subscription at the end of March, and shot right to the top of Netflix’s top 10, making it one of the most popular movies being streamed at the moment. What makes the Netflix domination better is how much the movie deserves to reach its status.

Next, Palmer Is Set To Keep Her ‘Good Fortune’ In A Comedy Alongside Keanu Reeves And Seth Rogen

In honor of Keke Palmer finding huge success with a comedy, which is very hard to do in the present landscape in Hollywood, I decided to hunt around for what she’s up to next, and boy, was I not bummed out. Even though Keke Palmer has the baggage of being on Nickelodeon as a kid and recently became a first-time mother herself, she’s clearly hustling and being sought after with what she has next.

Her next project set to be released, which is among upcoming 2025 movies coming out in October, is another comedy called Good Fortune. The movie -- written and directed by Aziz Ansari -- will have Palmer starring alongside Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen and Sandra Oh! Is Palmer here to revive the theatrical comedy? I think she might be.

Anyway, in Good Fortune Reeves playing an angel named Gabriel who has Ansari’s and Rogen’s characters body swap to show the former struggling man that money won’t solve his problems. It leads Gabriel to lose his wings and all sorts of mayhem to occur following his actions. I’m so ready for this.

She's Also Going To Team Up With Eddie Murphy For A Movie!!

Another upcoming project that Palmer has under her belt will have her actually collaborating with comedy legend, Eddie Murphy. It’s a heist movie called The Pickup from the director of The Blackening and the Ride Along movies. It’s an Amazon Prime movie that also has Pete Davidson and Eva Longoria involved, so you know it’s going to be a funny one. I just need to see this pair’s chemistry like right now!

I’m Also Hyped For The Filmmaker She’s Working With On An Upcoming Sci-Fi Comedy

I was also excited to read that Keke Palmer will be the star of Boots Riley’s next movie, I Love Boosters, with Demi Moore, LaKeith Stanfield, Naomi Ackie, Eiza González, Poppy Liu, Taylour Paige and Will Poulter. The film is apparently about a group of shoplifters who target a fashion icon. Boots Riley directed a movie called Sorry To Bother You in 2018 that was absolutely wild and riveting, and I love that Palmer is getting a chance to be in more auteur projects alongside some pure fun comedies. I mean she was just incredible in Jordan Peele’s Nope, she deserves the range she’s getting in her career.

And, She Also Signed On For A Remake Of One Of My Favorite Weird ‘80s Movies

As if all those projects in and of themselves aren’t exciting already, per a Variety report from this past September, Palmer has also signed on to star in a remake of The Burbs for Peacock. I know it’s not one of the most popular '80s movies, but I watched the original The Burbs movie, which stars Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern and Corey Feldman, when I was growing up and I loved its weird, dark humor.

If you’re not hip to it, it’s about residents of a suburban neighborhood who start to suspect their neighbors are ritualistic murderers. While Palmer is doing all sorts of original stories not based on any IPs, I definitely can’t wait to see her spin on this classic, because I actually think she’s one of the few people who could really make it as funny (or funnier) than the cult classic.

I'm So Just Happy Keke Palmer Is Becoming A Bona Fide Movie Star Now, As She Should

Didn’t I tell you Keke Palmer is absolutely on fire? Of course, I don’t know at this point which of these movies will actually be good and which one’s might bomb, but I think her upcoming resume really shows how big a star Palmer is. And, it’s time for the public to recognize Keke Palmer as such, because it feels like she’s only just now starting to get her flowers!

Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Sarah Polley and Olivia Wilde. We’re four episodes into The Studio’s run on the 2025 TV schedule, and that’s only a few of the wildly impressive A-list directors Seth Rogen and co. have rounded up to guest star in this show. However, there’s one more director who I think would be a great fit for this series, and I desperately, and I mean desperately, need her to be on this fabulous Apple TV+ series.

Now, the director I’m talking about is Greta Gerwig, and I doubt anyone is really shocked by this choice. The first episode of The Studio is all about Rogen’s Matt Remick trying to secure a director for the Kool-Aid movie, and Barbie and its success are mentioned while talking about how it was an artistic anomaly in the world of IP-driven films. Plus, the Superbad writer has been open about how Gerwig’s movie influenced The Studio.

That alone makes her a great and fitting addition to this show. I mean, to have her come in and enter this ongoing conversation about the state of film would be perfect, based on that one episode alone.

However, I also want you to consider the other directors who have guest-starred on The Studio, because it gives us another reason why Gerwig would be a perfect fit.

Of the four directors I mentioned at the top of this story, three of them are or were also actors. Ron Howard got his big break playing Opie Taylor on the Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. Then, he went on to direct Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind (among many others). Olivia Wilde was on screen in projects like House and Tron: Legacy before she helmed Booksmart. And Sarah Polley acted in films like Dawn of the Dead and Go way before she directed Women Talking.

Gerwig is also an actor-turned-director. You can see her on screen in Frances Ha and Mistress America. However, she’s best known for directing Ladybird, Little Women and Barbie. She’d fit in perfectly with the talent that has been lined up for The Studio, and I just know she’d give an A+ performance.

All this is to say, so far, the director guest stars have been my favorites on The Studio because they are playing themselves, which helps show how relevant this series is, while also getting to show off their skills as performers. Ron Howard playing an absolute diva was hilarious. Sarah Polley getting more and more frustrated over that one-take was incredible. Then, seeing Olivia Wilde freak out about a missing roll of film was really, really funny. So, let’s get Greta Gerwig in the mix.

Her films have played a major role in making the film industry what it is right now, and she’s got the acting history to exceed on camera. Putting her in The Studio would give her a chance to show off both things while also providing a poignant and impactful commentary about the state of movies.

Quite literally, I think she’s the perfect person to get on this series all about making movies in this day and age, so Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, can we get on this?

In the meantime, Season 1 of The Studio is in full swing, and it will feature even more iconic directors and writers like Zack Snyder and Aaron Sorkin, as well as TV bosses like Hacks’ Paul W. Downs and Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson (among others). So, make sure you tune in every Wednesday with your Apple TV+ subscription, while I hope and pray that this dream of mine comes true.

Warning: minor SPOILERS for The Studio are ahead!

If you’re like me and have been streaming The Studio with an Apple TV+ subscription over the last several weeks, you know that the first episode of Seth Rogen’s critically-acclaimed new series revolves around the title company putting together a movie about an advertising icon. Rogen’s Matt Remick agrees to greenlight a movie about the Kool-Aid Man in exchange for becoming the new head of Continental Studios, and that leads to… well, more on that later. The point being, the real life news about a Hershey’s Chocolate movie being made gives off similar vibes, and Apple hilariously channeled The Studio reacting to it.

First off, before anyone gets riled up, this movie, aptly titled Hershey, will chronicle the story of how the chocolate company was founded rather than deliver a Jungle Cruise-style adventure where characters travel down a chocolate river or anything along those lines. Nevertheless, the Apple TV X account decided to break out Kathryn Hahn’s Maya Mason to comment on the news.

As Continental Studios’ head of marketing, I have no doubt she could sell Hershey no problem. Hell, she came up with a pitch video for the Kool-Aid Man movie on The Studio without there even being a plot, and Bryan Cranston’s Griffin Mill ate it up. Also, a movie about the Hershey company being started is a lot more palatable than when Matt Remick tried to pivot the Kool-Aid movie into a Martin Scorsese-directed feature about the Jonestown deaths.

Regarding what we can expect from Hershey, Variety reports that the movie will star Finn Wittrock and Alexandra Daddario as Milton and Kitty Hershey, with Milton having founded The Hershey Company in 1894. Together, the couple founded the Hershey Industrial School in 1909, which gave free education and housing to orphans and underprivileged children. Then in 1925, 20 years before he died, Milton transferred the majority of his fortune into the Milton Hershey School Trust. He and Kitty were also able to build theaters, recreations and public transportation for their workers in the town that was built around their chocolate factory.

Mean Girls and Freaky Friday’s Mark Waters will direct Hershey, and filming is expected to begin in May. The movie doesn’t have a distributor yet, but the plan is to release it in 2026. Here’s what Waters had to say in an official statement:

We’ll have to wait and see how Hershey does with audiences come next year, but for now, I’m just glad that whoever’s running the Apple TV X account broke out that shot from The Studio to chime in on the announcement. Catch new episodes of the Seth Rogen-led series Wednesdays on the 2025 TV schedule.

When I first read about The Studio, I was excited. I’m a big fan of The Player, Robert Altman’s 1992 satire of Hollywood, and a big inspiration on The Studio. I also love The Offer, which you can watch with a Paramount+ subscription. I even loved the “insider” aspects and cameos of Entourage. So, for me, The Studio had a lot of promise. Now that we’re a few episodes in, I think there are some things it does really well, which I’ll talk about, but I don’t know that I can get over the dichotomy of Seth Rogen’s character, Matt Remick's, behavior.

The Studio Does Some Things Really Well

I appreciate what Seth Rogan and the other creators of The Studio, which you can watch with an Apple TV+ subscription, are trying to accomplish with the show, and in a lot of ways, it really works. The satire of the industry is on point, and some of the characters are perfect. Catherine O’Hara as Patty, the former studio head who was replaced by Matt, is hilarious. Katheryn Hahn’s Maya, a seasoned marketing exec who is still trying to be a hip 20-something, is my favorite character on the show.

The cameos have been a ton of fun, too. Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mackie, and Ron Howard are riotous, and the briefer cameos, like Charlize Theron, Steve Buscemi, Paul Dano, and others are great, too. It’s always fun to see big-name celebrities playing ridiculous versions of themselves.

The one-shot style, while maybe getting a little overdone these days, works really well in The Studio, too, both as satire and to drive the stress and tension that Matt feels in each episode. The show looks great, and there are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. For that, it deserves all the praise it’s gotten from the critics.

I Just Can’t Buy Seth Rogan’s Character

Matt Remick has, according to the show, been in the film business for more than 20 years, and he’s risen all the way up the ranks to the top. Sometimes, we see exactly why he has. He signed a huge franchise deal at some point in the past, and in his first conversation with Patty in the first episode, he seems to know exactly what he needs to do.

At other times, really for most of the show, he’s a blundering buffoon. He’s not an idiot, exactly. It’s more like he’s got no clue what he’s doing in the business, and that contrast is really throwing me off. How is it that a guy who has been in the business for decades has absolutely no clue how to act on a film set? Matt’s made a ton of movies in his career, yet he’s starstruck by almost everyone he meets? Is he a studio head with years of experience, or is he an intern working on his first movie? It makes no sense at all. It’s possible for a “suit” to be an idiot, but he would never be this clueless.

People are loving The Studio because it’s funny and creative, and I'm not giving up on it. At least, not yet. Hopefully, Matt grows into his role, and the buffoonery gets toned down, or at least his naivete does. The satire is there, and it’s wonderful, but great satire needs believable characters to be sustainable.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains light spoilers about The Studio, so if you want to go into the new 2025 TV show with the freshest eyes possible, I recommend you proceed with caution before doing a double-take as you read on.

I have yet another reason to be relieved that I have an Apple TV+ subscription, and that reason is The Studio. Co-creator and co-director Seth Rogen also leads the cast of the comedy as a newly appointed movie studio head who is constantly challenged with decisions that might financially benefit the company but negatively impact the “art” they produce. I agree with most critics’ feelings about The Studio that it is easily one of the best Apple TV+ original TV shows I have seen yet, with its impeccable satirical wit, almost frighteningly realistic depiction of what goes on in the industry, and even its impressive technical mastery.

However, I must admit that the one thing I most appreciate about the new Apple TV+ series on a technical level is also a source of concern for me. Nothing about how it is utilized in The Studio is an issue in my eyes, but it is this otherwise impressive and widely celebrated filmmaking technique’s increased commonality, especially in the world of television, that has me worrying that it may be overstaying its welcome. Allow me to explain…

Every Scene In The Studio Is A Oner

As a huge fan of unbroken, one-shot takes in films (one of my all-time favorite movies is the Best Picture Oscar winner Birdman), I was delighted to discover that literally every single scene in The Studio is shot in this style. In fact, the entire second episode, aptly titled “The Oner,” is a single, continuous shot depicting the struggles that come with achieving these types of scenes. Rogen and co-creator and co-director Evan Goldberg told IndieWire that they were inspired by the opening scene of Robert Altman’s 1992 industry satire, The Player.

I believe that The Studio’s use of oners, shot on a 21mm lens by cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra, is a perfect choice for the series, enhancing its fast-paced style and anxiety-ridden tone. However, I fear that they are becoming a little too common in the TV landscape lately and that they could soon reach a point of oversaturation.

Adolescence Just Used Oners To Brilliant Effect Only Weeks Before

At the time I am writing this, Adolescence has been available with a Netflix subscription for a little over two weeks and is still the most popular TV show on the platform. In addition to its stunning performances and thought-provokingly grim subject matter, the four-part miniseries has been praised for how each episode is filmed in one continuous take and in real time with no tricky editing. It also premiered less than two weeks before The Studio, which is the shortest gap between two different pieces of media to heavily use oners that I can recall. This begs the question, “How much is too much of a good thing?”

Earlier in the same month, Disney’s new Marvel TV show, Daredevil: Born Again, opened with a one-take fight scene, which had essentially become tradition for the series’ original Netflix incarnation. The same can be said for The Bear, which aired a one-take episode in its first season that blew fans away, inspiring more full oner episodes to come and, likely, plenty more shows and movies to try their hands at the idea. The thing is, what really makes shots like these “mindblowing” is not just their challenging nature, but their infrequency. However, as oners have become more frequent lately, I cannot help but worry how long we have before they are no longer special.

You know, I think the one to blame for this trend, really, is Mike Flanagan, who certainly blew me away with the sixth episode of one of his greatest movies or TV shows, The Haunting of Hill House, which is virtually unbroken from start to finish. I honestly believe the reason some fans were disappointed in the follow-up, The Haunting of Bly Manor, is that there was nothing quite as technically impressive in that otherwise beautifully told, haunting story. In that regard, I think a continued demand for oners is what will keep them interesting. I hope TV creatives and filmmakers alike agree.

The viral Barbenheimer craze of 2023, without a doubt, took the world by storm. I, like many others, was up to date with The Odd Couple equivalent of movies, including partaking in the historic moviegoing event. And even though I recognized the cultural impact and influence of the Christopher Nolan & Greta Gerwig pairing, hearing that it changed Seth Rogen’s wave-making The Studio surprised me at first. But thinking about what I’ve already seen of the Apple subscription show, the surprise muse makes everything a lot clearer.

Rogen appeared on The Howard Stern Show to talk about the 2025 TV guide’s big-hitting show The Studio. A clip of the pair was shared on TikTok in which the actor and comedian was asked about the state of Hollywood and watching movies. The funny man quickly jumped in on the topic, noting that what’s so special about movie magic and the world of TV is that everything can change in a blink of an eye, with the right title.

The Superbad alum makes an astute point. As he says in the clip, people have always made the case that Hollywood is dead, but it simply isn’t true; it just takes that one game-changer to reignite some excitement. And if you’re anything like me, you’re thinking about that specific touchstone that jumpstarted the industry’s drive again. Stern also understood the sentiment and had the most recent example we’ve all experienced and chimed in with: “Like the Barbie movie.”

Immediately, the Houseplant owner shared his thoughts on the historic blockbuster movie and its unlikely 2023 partner. The Studio co-creator revealed that the pairing’s showcase influenced the new show in a whole new way. Along with the tidbit, he also revealed that the big summer weekend changed him and his longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg’s mindsets. Rogen shared:

Although not all that surprising, understanding how much it impacted the duo, it’s still a little wild to think that we’ll continue to find the influence of Barbie (and Oppenheimer) in surprising places. Also, I’m relieved to know the timing of the game-changing flicks’ premieres was kismetly timed while Rogen and Goldberg were fleshing out The Studio. Personally, I’m not sure if I could’ve taken that grimmer version of a look behind the scenes he mentioned. The Barbie-inspired Kool-Aid storyline featuring Bryan Cranston, along with the impressive cameo list, is truly what comedically larger-than-life content dreams are made of.

Clearly the power of Barbie x Oppenheimer remains alive and well (including an announced Barbenheimer movie that is reportedly in the works). The success of both movies helped revitalize the box office following the hits it took due to COVID-19. Collectively, the titles accrued more than $2 billion worldwide, but Barbie had the edge over Oppenheimer, making a little more than $500 million more while in theaters.

The other poignant idea Rogen revealed that goes hand in hand with the right film transforming Hollywood is that people within the industry can be the vehicle behind these seismic shifts. The most recent case in point is Gerwig's box-office-breaking influence for female filmmakers. Sure there's plenty of smaller scale instances that have happened since, but none rival what she did with Barbie BTS.

Regardless of where Tinseltown stands in its storied history of vitality, Seth Rogen isn't wrong about how the industry runs. And with the solid argument, a couple of things are for sure: Hollywood and the magic won’t ever die (thanks to the special films and humans who make it that way), where Seth Rogen pulls his inspiration from can be initially surprising and Barbie will continue to influence things in pop culture, including The Studio for a long time to come.

Following the 2023 release of Platonic, which has been renewed for a second season, Seth Rogen has another Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive show to the masses. The critically-acclaimed The Studio, which dropped its first two episodes on Wednesday, sees Rogen playing Matt Remnick, who becomes the new head of the film production company Continental Studios, only to run into challenges he never expected to deal with when he got the job.

Even though, at the time of this writing, it’s only been two days since The Studio premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, Rogen has already been at the receiving end of anger about it. But even better, he told a story about the Golden Globes that inspired one of the upcoming episodes.

Seth Rogen’s Already Been Yelled At Over The Studio

Rogen appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to chat about The Studio, and the host brought about how the actor/series co-creator “did research with some formal and not so formal interview” with Hollywood “producers” and “studio people.” Colbert then asked if anyone’s called Rogen after seeing the series to say, “I know that’s me,” and Rogen responded:

Yeah, I can definitely understand why there’d be yelling from some considering how The Studio does a deep dive into the inner workings of film studios, warts and all. For example, and without getting into specific spoilers, the first episode sees Matt Remnick being instructed to make a movie about Continental Studios’ newest IP acquisition, Kool-Aid. Wanting to make a movie that has both mass appeal and can win Oscars, Matt tries to hire Martin Scorsese to direct Kool-Aid, and that doesn’t go well. I have to think something similar has happened in real life.

Rogen has been in the business for decades, so he’s not just working off these interviews, but his own firsthand experience. Case in point, there’s a scene in The Studio when Matt Remnick says, “I got into this because I love movies, but now I have this fear that my job is to ruin them.” The Superbad alum confirmed to Colbert that this line came straight from Steve Asbell, the current president of 20th Century Studios, who told this to Rogen and his partner Evan Goldberg when shooting down a pitch from then that was too R-rated, despite the fact that he liked it.

A Golden Globes Speech Snub Inspired One Of The Studio’s Episodes

After Seth Rogen shared the varying reactions these people in the Hollywood business have shared with him, he then explained how one of The Studio’s episodes will revolve around that time when a film executive was left out of an acceptance speech at the Golden Globes for a movie Rogen made. Per Rogen:

It’s unclear which movie Rogen is talking about considering that of the two movies he’s been in that have been nominated for Golden Globes, 50/50 and The Disaster Artist (both in the Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy category), neither won. Whatever he’s referring to, I’m amused by how Rogen’s taking the pain this unnamed executive felt at the time for not being mentioned and turning it into another awkward situation for Matt Remnick. Will he succeed in getting that mention for whatever Continental Studios movie wins a Golden Globe? Or will there be an upset and the movie won’t even win at all?

We’ll find out as new episodes of The Studio release Wednesdays on Apple TV+. You can also hear Seth Rogen voicing Allen the Alien in Invincible, which can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription and recently wrapped up its third season.

Seth Rogen has had a fascinating career ever since he debuted in 1999’s Freaks and Geeks. In fact, pretty much everybody has their own favorite Seth Rogen movie (and I’m just talking about the ones that he’s acted in. I’m not even referring to the films that he’s produced, like my favorite TMNT movie, Mutant Mayhem).

That said, with such an impressive filmography, some movies might get forgotten. Like, Kevin Smith fans aside, do you remember Zack and Miri Make a Porno? What about the romantic comedy, You, Me & Dupree? I mean, I’m not saying either movie is bad (I actually like both of them), but I’m just illustrating that most people probably wouldn’t put them on their list of the best Seth Rogen movies.

However, one film that might get put on that list (but still gets slept on) is Observe and Report, which is my favorite Seth Rogen movie. Now, I know back when it debuted in 2009, people compared it to Paul Blart: Mall Cop, but the two films couldn’t be any more different. So, here's why Observe and Report is my favorite Seth Rogen movie.

First Off, This Movie Is SO FREAKING DARK

I know Observe and Report is labeled as a comedy, but, I don’t ever see it labeled as a “dark” comedy, and it definitely is. I once wrote about Robin Williams’ dark comedies that people should check out, and even though he’s not in this film, I think he would have fit right in since this movie does not hold back on the dark side of comedy.

For example, our protagonist, Ronnie Barnhardt, definitely should not be a police officer, let alone in mall security. It’s not just that he would be the kind of cop who doesn’t follow the rules. It’s more so that he’s mentally unstable and would be dangerous in a police uniform.

Since this is a 2009 film, I’m not sure if it handles bipolar disorder tactfully, but Ronnie takes medication for his mood swings. But, it’s his tendency toward violence that really makes him dangerous, and the film plays this up when a flasher starts harassing the female employees. Ronnie doesn’t just want to apprehend him. He wants to kill him! Which, I don’t know about you, is a bit far, even far a flasher.

But, the whole movie is dark like this. Anna Farris plays the woman of Ronnie’s affection, and she uses him for his medication, which she thinks he uses recreationally. There’s a questionable (even back then) scene involving Farris’s character taking too much of Ronnie’s medication, and the result of them hooking up, but it thoroughly adds to the kind of character that Ronnie is, as he’s definitely not on the level.

These dark undertones really blur the line of what this film actually intends to be, which makes it really fascinating.

That Said, I Find It Utterly Hilarious

Okay, so yes, Observe and Report is really dark…but it’s also hilarious.

I think a lot of this is because it was directed by Jody Hill, who I know best from his work on Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals. Hill’s characters often seem to have these delusions of grandeur, and he plays that up to the nth degree, even though the characters having them are pretty low on the totem pole.

This creates a sort of disparity between the events that are occurring and how the characters perceive them, with Ronnie Barnhardt genuinely thinking he’s doing a good job when he goes “undercover”

It’s moments like these that have me dying laughing. Plus, you never feel bad for Rogen’s character. In any other film, his issues would likely be played up for dramatic effect, but here, you’re just wondering how much farther he can push this desire to be a police officer. I mentioned earlier how Paul Blart was often compared to Observe and Report when it first came out, but the very PG Blart is more silly than funny.

That said, I’ll never forget Ray Liotta blowing a gasket at Rogen’s character for being incompetent in Observe and Report. It's all just so darkly funny that it makes me laugh every time. But, Liotta, Rogen, and Farris aren’t the only hilarious actors in this movie.

Danny McBride And Michael Pena Are At The Top Of Their Game

I love Danny McBride, and Eastbound & Down is probably the funniest live-action show I’ve ever seen.

But, believe me when I say this, I think Danny McBride’s character in Observe and Report as a drug dealer is the funniest character that he’s ever done (“This my motherf***in’ seed right here!”).

He’s only in the movie for a few minutes, but just everything about him makes me howl. Like the fact that he has his son tattooed on his chest, but not as a baby, mind you, but rather, as he is at that very moment in time. Or, when he asks one of his “employees” how many people he’s killed, and McBride’s character gloats that he’s killed two. Like, who keeps score like that?

That scene is hilarious, but I think my favorite moments are with Michael Pena (I even put this role on my list of Michael Pena’s best performances). Pena plays a fellow mall cop, and he gets Ronnie to do a number of drugs with him as they waste the day together. He’s a total scumbag in the movie, but also uproariously funny, playing off of Seth Rogen perfectly.

I honestly laugh every time I watch this movie, and Danny McBride and Pena are probably my two favorite characters, which really says a lot.

Seth Rogen Has Also Never Shown So Much Range In A Comedy

Comedy is Rogen’s bread and butter, even though he’s also done dramatic roles, like The Fabelmans, and Steve Jobs. He’s also done a lot of voice work, such as the Kung Fu Panda movies.

He usually stays pretty consistent in whatever movie he’s in. Like, you never know exactly what form of Seth Rogen you’re going to get in a movie like Neighbors or The Night Before, but once you’re introduced to his character, you’re pretty much locked into that version of Rogen throughout the entire film.

Not so with Observe and Report, as Rogen’s performance seems to be on the same emotional roller coaster as Ronnie’s mood swings. In the film, he’s constantly trying to prove himself, and this is always comedic in nature. However, the lengths he goes to can be soft humor, like the scenes he’s talking to Anna Farris’s character and thinking that he’s getting somewhere when the audience can clearly see that he’s not, to much broader comedy, like when Ronnie is beating people left and right with a billy club in ridiculous fashion.

I think this is what makes this movie feel fresh to me, since the range of comedy is all over the place. Some people might say that Rogen is more interesting as a team player than as a leading man, like in 50/50 or Superbad.

However, I much prefer him as a leading man since his range is so huge, especially as a comedian. And no other film in his career, for me anyway, has as wild a range as Observe and Report. Rogen is just all over the place in this film, and I can’t get enough of it.

Lastly, It Is Unlike Any Other Movie In His Lengthy Career

I’ve been a fan of Rogen’s all the way back to the early 2000s, and like I said in the intro, he’s had a really fascinating career.

That said, while he’s done everything from Donnie Darko to The Lion King, there’s nothing else like Observe and Report in his catalogue. Because unlike with most films, where Rogen plays a likeable schlub, in Observe and Report, he’s not likeable.

In fact, nobody’s really likeable in this movie, which makes it all the more humorous. And that’s very much unlike a Seth Rogen movie, as you usually have characters who are jerks, but also loveable jerks. But no, you don’t get that here, and that’s why it really stands out for me.

That said, you couldn’t have anybody besides Rogen in this role, as nobody else could play such a deluded, troubled man. It’s like if Taxi Driver were a comedy (Though, I don’t really know what to make of Taxi Driver as of late).

For these reasons and many others, it’s my favorite Seth Rogen flick. What’s yours?

Seth Rogen has his hands full with his new AppleTV+ show, The Studio. The series follows a new studio head of the fictional Continental Studios. The studio is failing, and the new head honcho, who Rogen plays, is trying to save it amidst an ever-changing Hollywood industry. It is a meta commentary about the current film industry and the shift in output at these big studios. To make the show realistic, the Superbad star enlisted some big names for recurring and cameo roles, and the ever-growing list is so large that it's even stressing Rogen himself out.

The actor and producer talked about some of the cameo roles and guest stars that are set to make an appearance in The Studio during a promotional piece for Apple. It kind of feels like almost everyone in Hollywood showed up for the comedy actor, signing off on his vision for this buzzy project on the 2025 TV schedule. And that notion gives him a bit of anxiety, as he explained:

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the big names heading to the small screen for this project too. The Studio cast list also includes:

• Lucia Aniello
• Peter Berg
• Steve Buscemi
• Ice Cube
• Paul Dano
• Paul W. Downs
• Lil Rel Howery
• Josh Hutcherson
• Johnny Knoxville
• Keyla Monterroso Mejia
• Dewayne Perkins
• Sarah Polley
• Adam Scott
• Jean Smart
• Zack Snyder
• Aaron Sorkin
• Antony Starr
• Nicholas Stoller
• Ziwe

Listen, I see why Rogen is stressed. However, I hope he's proud of all the talent he's assembled.

I’m not only excited to see these A-List actors in action, but I’m also eager to see some of these filmmakers and behind-the-scenes creatives finally getting their on-screen spotlight. Scorsese has famously made several cameo appearances on screen, but Aaron Sorkin, Zack Snyder, and Sarah Polley will be fun and unexpected personalities to see.

It’s impressive that Rogen and Goldberg were able to create such a killer list. While Rogen has worked with many of these stars before, like Charlize Theron and Zac Efron, many are not people that have connections to the Rogen-verse. This goes to show that the actor has a pretty solid script on his hand and a premise that many Hollywood creatives are vocally passionate about.

For some, it may be hard to balance so many stars and characters in a mini-series, but it seems like Rogen isn’t having this problem at all. The Studio has released its first two episodes, and it debuted with a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, which is pretty remarkable. Critics are calling The Studio a “self-loathing love letter” with a unique approach, which is probably why so many people wanted to jump in on the fun. It speaks to Rogen as a creative, and the reputation he’s developed with his own career as someone people want to work with and someone who makes great projects.

You can see for yourself if this new comedy joins the ranks of Apple TV+’s best shows by checking out the first two episodes of The Studio, which are streaming now with an Apple TV+ subscription. While you're at it, make sure to keep a tally of all the guest stars to fully appreciate all the work Rogen put into this series.

Reacher is one of the big hits airing on the 2025 TV schedule right now, and Seth Rogen, of all people, just reiterated the point. In the lead-up to the premiere of his upcoming Apple TV+ series, The Studio, the actor explained that he actually loves to spend his weekends watching the Alan Ritchson-led show (which I love for him and the series), and he does so in a particularly on-brand way.

While chatting about the work he and his production company do, Seth Rogen revealed to The Guardian that he actually works pretty normal hours and gets to spend his weekends relaxing. He said he and his producing/writing partner Evan Goldberg work from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. normally and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. when filming. Now, when it comes to what he does on the weekends, it sounds like it’s all about getting caught up on TV and not doing much else, as he revealed:

As you likely know, Seth Rogen gets high often, and he even owns a weed company. He’s honestly one of Hollywood’s most famous stoners, and he’s proud of it. So, it’s not shocking that he gets high while using an Amazon Prime subscription to watch Reacher.

Honestly, this all sounds like a good way to wind down after a week of work. New episodes of Reacher drop every Thursday, making it a great weekend watch. Plus, every installment is action-packed and highly entertaining, so I can see why Rogen gave the series a shout-out while chatting about what he does during his time off.

Now, I’d love to know his thoughts on Season 3. Has he read Persuader, the book this season is based on? How does he feel about this season's villains? Does he have thoughts about Reacher and Duffy’s relationship? Is he looking forward to seeing Reacher and Paulie face off? As a fellow fan of Reacher, I would love all these questions to be answered by Rogen. However, that seems like a far-flung dream, so for now, I’ll just hang on to the fact that he’s a fan of the show.

You know, these comments got me thinking about Rogen’s new show, too. So far, critics’ reactions to The Studio have been overwhelmingly positive, and the comedy has a remarkable list of guest stars (via THR) that range from Anthony Mackie to Martin Scorsese to Zoë Kravitz. With a wide-ranging guest star list like that, maybe Alan Ritchson could hop into the mix if the show gets a Season 2?

Obviously, that’s also a far-flung dream, seeing as the first season of The Studio premieres tomorrow (March 26), so news of renewal is likely a ways away. However, a girl can fantasize. Plus, you never know what could happen. I never pegged Seth Rogen as a Reacher fan, but here we are. So, maybe someday, he and Alan Ritchson could work together.

Now, as I wait for these dreams to become reality, I’ll be getting excited for Reacher’s Season 3 finale that drops this Thursday and preparing to watch The Studio with an Apple TV+ subscription on Wednesday. And you should, too. One has Seth Rogen’s stamp of approval, and the other was made by him and is already receiving rave reviews, so I think it’s safe to say they’re both very worth your time.

There are some spectacular options right now on the Apple TV+ calendar, and Seth Rogen is hoping he’s got the next show to utter in the same breath as Apple TV+’s best series like Severance and Ted Lasso. The Studio premieres on March 26, parodying the behind-the-scenes happenings in Hollywood. Rogen stars as Matt Remick, a newly appointed studio head who must learn to balance his dreams of creating prestige cinema with the constraints of, well, everything else.

The cast is objectively phenomenal — starring Catherine O'Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders and Kathryn Hahn alongside Seth Rogen — but it’s the guest stars you simply won’t believe. Apple TV+’s The Studio got people talking when it premiered at SXSW, so let’s see what critics are saying before it becomes available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription. According to Judy Berman of Time magazine, it’s the first great new show of 2025. Berman says:

Peter Travers of Good Morning America also dubs The Studio the best new comedy on the 2025 TV schedule so far, saying Seth Rogen has never been better, and along with co-creator and co-director of all 10 episodes Evan Goldberg, he busts open a piñata of juicy inside jokes for film geeks to devour. The critic continues:

Nick de Semlyen of Empire gives it 4 out of 5 stars, writing that Seth Rogen brilliantly spoofs the daftness of the movie business, and by the time Martin Scorsese is sobbing in the arms of Charlize Theron, The Studio will likely have sucked you in. De Semlyen says:

Paul Bradshaw of NME awards the upcoming comedy series with a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, also invoking Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage as he says the creators “deliver a 10-part self-loathing love letter to the biz that just might be the sharpest, funniest show of 2025 so far.” More from Bradshaw:

Nick Hilton of the Independent rates The Studio 4 stars out of 5, calling it laugh-out-loud funny and praising Seth Rogen’s strangely relatable Hollywood executive. Because each episode is self-contained, Hilton notes they’re a bit hit-or-miss, but this series is ultimately worth checking out. The critic says:

This sounds like a can’t-miss comedy, especially for fans who love to see Hollywood satirizing its most ridiculous quirks. The above critics aren’t the only ones raving about The Studio. The series is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 97%. The first two episodes will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, March 26, with one episode coming each Wednesday thereafter.

March is starting to come to a close but the entertaining content isn’t ending any time soon. This week’s streaming highlights include multiple made-for-streaming movies, the streaming debut of a major 2024 blockbuster, and both new and continuing streaming series.

From Daredevil to The Lion King and Nicole Kidman to Seth Rogen it’s going to be an interesting week streaming and here’s what you’ll want to keep an eye open for.

Daredevil: Born Again, Episodes 5 & 6 March 25 (Disney+)

Rather than simply getting one episode of Daredevil: Born Again, this week we get two. Episode five is especially likely to get fans talking. It may have been my favorite episode of the season, but that may not be the opinion of everybody.

Mufasa: The Lion King March 26

Mufasa: The Lion King didn’t quite reach the billion-dollar heights of the Lion King remake, but the movie was a box office hit nonetheless. Director Barry Jenkins and the music of Lin-Manuel Miranda combine with Disney’s technically impressive digital animation to tell the prequel story of how Mufasa became the Lion King.

The Studio March 26 (Apple TV+)

With Silo and Severance, having an Apple TV+ subscription has recently been dedicated to psychological dramas, but comedy fans get something new this week. Hollywood loves little more than celebrating itself and Seth Rogen’s new series The Studio looks to do that, while certainly poking some fun along the way. Rogen plays the new head of a movie studio trying to navigate the complex world of filmmaking. The series promises appearances by many major stars from both sides of the camera.

Holland March 27 (Prime Video)

Nicole Kidman’s newest film, Holland recently premiered at SXSW and for fans who want to see her at her most unhinged, you'll need a Prime Video subscription. Kidman stars as a wife and mother living a seemingly perfect suburban lifestyle. Then things start to fall apart when she begins to believe her husband (Matthew Macfayden) may be living a double life.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip - March 28 (Disney+)

It feels like it's been a minute since our Disney+ subscription has given us an original movie. A new twist on a popular story. Eva Longoria and Cheech Marin co-star in the story about a family who take a road trip to visit Mexico City where everything that can go wrong absolutely does.

The Life List March 28 (Netflix)

The best reason to have a Netflix subscription this week. Former Disney Channel star Sofia Carson leads this romantic comedy-drama about a young woman who, after losing her mother (Connie Nielsen) is challenged by her dying wish that she complete the bucket list she made as a teenager.

Next week marks the end of March and the beginning of April which means a massive shift in streaming content as dozens of titles leave one streaming platform, perhaps to show up elsewhere. April also promises the return of several popular streaming series from You Season 5 on Netflix to Andor Season 2 on Disney+.