Rita Ora has always known how to slay a red carpet. She proved that once again too, as she celebrated the premiere of Descendants: Wicked Wonderland on the 2026 TV schedule while wearing a stunning sheer red gown. However, while this wicked fashion moment was A+ on its own, Taika Waititi did have to help her out with it, which made it even better.

Rita Ora Rocked A Sheer Red Dress To The Premiere Of Descendants: Wicked Wonderland

Seeing as Rita Ora is the Queen of Hearts in the Descendants universe, she obviously went for an all-red look for the premiere of Wicked Wonderland. It was wickedly stunning too, as it was completely sheer and paired with a pair of matching sheer gloves. Take a look:

The dress is by Do Long, and according to its Instagram, the garment was custom and “meticulously adorned with thousands of hand-applied embellishments.” So, while the front was completely sheer, the corset back was covered in red rhinestones. Truly, it was giving Queen of Hearts.

Personally, my favorite addition to this look was the matching sparkly red gloves. Not only does Ora love a sheer fashion moment, but she’s also a fan of a matching glove, and that was on full display here.

All around, the ensemble was fit for a royal, and it was wickedly gorgeous. However, to move around in it, the actress did need a hand from her hubby, Taika Waititi.

Taika Waititi Had To Assist Her With The Gown On The Red Carpet

Of course, Ora’s husband, Taika Waititi, was also at this premiere to support his wife. I mean that literally and figuratively too. That’s because not only was he there to celebrate her new film, but he also assisted her on the red carpet. Take a look:

First of all, how chivalrous of the Thor: Ragnarok director to fix her dress. That’s so sweet of him. Secondly, of course it’s also a funny moment, as you can see Waititi posing for the camera while adjusting her train with an A+ Blue Steel look. What can I say, it’s always wonderful to see this couple not only supporting each other, but also having a great time doing it.

Now, Ora and Waititi revealed they were married in 2023, a year after they tied the knot. Before that, rumors had swirled about their nuptials. Overall, they’ve always spoken highly of each other, and they aren’t afraid to joke around either. I think this latest red carpet moment they shared fully proves that once again.

All in all, this fashion moment (and assist) is making me very excited for this new Descendants film. After Ora made her franchise debut in 2024’s Descendants: The Rise of the Red, she’s back as the Queen of Hearts in Wicked Wonderland. This is the fifth movie overall, and it sees the return of characters like Red and Chloe as they embark on a journey to Wonderland.

To watch it, you can catch Descendants: Wicked Wonderland on the Disney Channel today, July 16. Then, it will be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription alongside the other Descendants movies on July 17. Meanwhile, I’ll be thinking about the outfit Ora curated to celebrate this film’s release, and the cute and funny way Taika Waititi helped her out with it.

After her iconic run on Game of Thrones, Lena Headey has stayed busy across television and film. Still, one of her more intriguing projects never actually made it to the screen. She was quietly cast in a mystery role for 2022’s mixed-reviewed Marvel movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, only for her scenes to be cut before the final version was released. Now, Headey is finally opening up about what that role involved, and it sounds like a much stranger addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe than I had expected. Honestly, I so wish we could have seen this.

Speaking with ScreenRant, Headey shared that her role placed her in a bizarre coven, a trio of witches she described as equally chaotic and comedic. The concept, which apparently was a completely original creation from director Taika Waititi, would have been pretty out there. As she described it:

The idea of three witches with this sort of “insanity” definitely feels like it would have fit right into Taika Waititi’s approach to the Thor franchise, especially after the tonal shift introduced in Thor: Ragnarok and continued, maybe to its detriment, in Love & Thunder. The idea of a sort of comedic coven guiding the God of Thunder through the underworld sounds like exactly the kind of offbeat detour that film leaned into. Headey continued:

It sounds like the trio of witches could have delivered something memorable, even within a film packed with larger-than-life characters. Though it's worth noting that a lot of MCU fans felt that Love & Thunder pushed a little too far into Taika Waititi’s comedic voice, undercutting the movie’s more dramatic undertones and storyline. So this particular group of characters being left on the cutting-room floor may have been for the best.

This doesn't sound like a single cameo being trimmed for time, either, but a full concept that may not have quite fit the final version of the movie. That happens more often than people realize, especially in large-scale productions and new superhero movies where tone and pacing are constantly being adjusted during editing. Why was this storyline cut? It's hard to tell, but given the over-the-top nature of the rest of the movie, it may be a blessing in disguise. Though I won't lie, I wish we could have seen these witches on the big screen.

Released in June 2022, Thor: Love and Thunder marked Taika Waititi’s return to the MCU after Thor: Ragnarok and went on to earn more than $760 million worldwide, landing mixed reactions from critics but a stronger response from audiences.

Even without her scenes making the final cut in Thor, Headey hasn’t slowed down post-Game of Thrones. While her recent Western series The Abandons didn’t move forward, she’s already onto her next project, the thriller Ballistic, where she plays a grieving mother pulled into a deeper mystery surrounding her son’s death.

Both of Taika Waititi’s Thor films, sans Lena Headey, are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. But, if you want to catch the former Game of Thrones star in her latest project, you're in luck because Ballistic hits the 2026 movie calendar and theaters on Friday, April 17, 2026.

In 2017, six years after Chris Hemsworth debuted as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, filmmaker Taika Waititi delivered Thor: Ragnarok, which leaned more into comedy than the previous two Thor movies. The end result was a success across the board, leading to Waititi being brought back for Thor: Love and Thunder, which went even harder on the humorous moments. That movie failed to achieve the same success as its predecessor, but Waititi has no regrets with how he handled his version of Thor. He said as much while discussing the character’s return in the upcoming Marvel movies Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

While attending the Sundance Film Festival to help promote the upcoming family movie Fing!, where he voices the main villain, Taika Waititi spent some time sharing an update on what he has planned for his Star Wars movie, as well as his thoughts on Thor forthcoming MCU appearances. On the latter subject, he’s looking forward to seeing what directors Joe and Anthony Russo do with the character this time around after previously handling him on the third and fourth Avengers movies, saying to Variety:

In addition to Taika Waititi and the Russo Brothers, directors Kenneth Branagh, Alan Taylor and Joss Whedon have all delivered takes on Chris Hemsworth’s Thor in the decade and a half since we first met him. So Waititi is perfectly fine with the God of Thunder falling into the Russos Bros’ hands again, having enjoyed what they delivered in Infinity War and Endgame. Doomsday will mark the first time we’ve seen Hemsworth reprise Thor since Love and Thunder, although footage of him from The Dark World was repurposed for 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine.

At the same time, Taika Waititi is still proud of the work that he and Chris Hemsworth did by taking what was a mostly-serious superhero, capitalizing on the actor’s comedic sensibilities and kicking that up a few notches for Thor: Ragnarok, followed by Thor: Love and Thunder. In Ragnarok’s case, that paid off big time, as it still ranks as one of the most critically acclaimed MCU movies and making $855 million worldwide. However, Love and Thunder didn’t fare as well, being the most low-rated Thor movie and pulling in nearly $100 million less at the global box office than Ragnarok did. Even Hemsworth admitted he didn’t “stick the landing” with his performance.

Judging by the Thor-focused Avengers: Doomsday teaser, it looks like Marvel is taking Chris Hemsworth’s version of the Asgardian in a more serious direction again, as he’s on a quest to find Love, his adoptive daughter (played by Hemsworth’s real-life daughter India Rose Hemsworth). Taika Waititi may have preferred handling the character with a lighter touch, but that’s not going to stop him from seeing what awaits Thor towards the end of the 2026 movies schedule. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Waititi at the Doomsday world premiere either.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, and Avengers: Secret Wars will follow on December 17, 2027. Make sure to stream Thor’s previous MCU appearances with your Disney+ subscription to ensure you’re caught up on his story. Taika Waititi’s next directorial effort, the Jenna Ortega-led Klara and the Sun, is expected to be released in 2026 as well.

If I were to choose what I consider to be the best thing to come out of the Star Wars universe in the last five years, the answer would unquestionably be Andor. While working within the complicated framework as a prequel to Rogue One, it gets into the gritty Rebels vs. Empire dynamic in a way fans have never seen before, and it’s emotional in its reflection of our world in the 21st century. It stands as one of the great dramas in the history of the franchise – and in the wake of that accomplishment, I am very ready for Taika Waititi to try and hit that same high bar with “fun” in his upcoming Star Wars movie.

It was all the way back in May 2020 that we first learned that the director of Jojo Rabbit was going to be tackling a movie in the Star Wars universe, and the project is still very much alive amid major changes behind the scenes at LucasFilm. The status of the developing blockbuster has been earning some new attention in recent days thanks to the news that Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her leadership position, and when Variety asked Waititi about the project recently during an interview at the Sundance Film Festival, he explained that he’s not planning to necessary break the Star Wars mold with his contribution:

Taika Waititi has said in the past that he knows it’s impossible to please every aspect of the Star Wars fanbase, and that idea has very much been reflected in the response to recent output from the franchise: reactions tend to be very binary in the “love it or hate it” sense, as it seems at times that different factions are looking for very different things in the lore from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

That being said, I also feel that audiences everywhere can get behind a smart blockbuster with intentions to just be fun through and through, and I’m keeping fingers tightly crossed that the Thor: Ragnarok writer/director can thread that needle.

Of course, the big question that takes priority over “will it be good?” right now is “When will it actually get made?” and that’s not a question to which we have an answer. The Waititi solo project is one of several that is currently in the works from the franchise – the list also including a post-Rise Of Skywalker Rey movie, a Simon Kinberg-produced trilogy, and a Dave Filoni feature set in the New Republic era (none of which currently have release dates).

The good news: if you’re foaming at the mouth to see a new Star Wars film on the big screen, The Mandalorian & Grogu will be arriving on May 22, and Star Wars: Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling is being prepped for one year later on May 28, 2027.

I hope you’re excited, because we’re finally going to be getting another Judge Dredd movie after all these years – and a huge director is already attached to it. While it won’t be on the 2025 movie schedule, there’s a chance we could see it in the next few years.

From who will be taking on this challenge to what the film is reportedly about, this is what you need to know about the upcoming Dredd film.

What Is The Dredd Release Date?

At the time of writing this in August 2025, there is no set release date for the new Judge Dredd film, which isn’t that surprising. The news was only really just confirmed in July that a movie was officially in the works, so it would be pretty shocking if we already had a release date announced.

That being said, there’s a chance that things might move fast, and it could appear on the 2026 movie schedule, but I would say we'll be more likely to get it in 2027. Honestly, that’s great, because that just means 2027 will have another great comic adaptation alongside the many other comic book movies coming out that year, like the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars and more.

Taika Waititi Is Directing

Now this is the big piece of news – according to The Hollywood Reporter, in July 2025, it was confirmed that Taika Waititi is going to be directing the new Judge Dredd film.

This is significant news. The director has made some of the best films of the last decade, many of which have gone on to become favorites among cinephiles. One of his biggest, Jojo Rabbit, earned six nominations at the Academy Awards and won Best Adapted Screenplay (Waititi wrote the film).

Besides that, he also directed Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, as well as What We Do In The Shadows, Next Goal Wins, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy, and Eagle vs. Shark. He also worked in television, including the TV adaptation of the aforementioned Shadows, and directed episodes of The Mandalorian (one of the best shows on Disney+), Wellington Paranormal, Time Bandits, Our Flag Means Death, and more.

Honestly, I could not think of a better director to bring this violent and wacky character to life, and Waititi is going to rock it.

The Dredd Cast

So, as you can expect, there is no set cast yet for the Judge Dredd movie, mainly because it was only announced about a month ago, as of August 2025.

It’s not like this film won't be likely to bring us stars, though. There have been two big screen adaptations before this one – one in 1995, which wasn’t well-received, and another in 2012, directed by Pete Travis, titled Dredd.

The first film had Sylvester Stallone in the titular role, but also actors like Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Armand Assante, and more. The 2012 film had The Boys star Karl Urban as Judge Dredd (which, honestly, is great casting), as well as stars like Olivia Thirlby, Wood Harris, Game of Thrones cast member Lena Headey, and more.

I’m sure that it won’t be long before we see some significant updates on casting in this film – and I’ll be ready for whoever gets the coveted titular role.

What Is The Dredd Movie About?

The story for the new Judge Dredd movie has been kept under wraps. We only know a few details from the Hollywood Reporter article above.

According to the pitch for the film, it’s said that the it will draw more inspiration from the comics than the previous screen adaptations. It will expand the world, as well as the dark humor that the comics are known for, and cater to today's sci-fi fans.

But that’s not it – the film is basically looking to create a new Dredd universe, so that there’s the possibility of using newly created characters to headline potential sequels. You thought there were enough upcoming Marvel movies? Think of a world with a potential Dredd franchise. Now that’s awesome.

What Is Judge Dredd?

If you don’t know what the comic is about, Judge Dredd isn’t from a comic called ‘Judge Dredd.’ The character appeared in the 1970s British anthology comic series 2000 AD. He's a police officer living in a dystopian future where officers are allowed to become ‘judge, jury, and executioner, essentially.’

While there are plenty who would use this power to their advantage, Dredd took it seriously and took out literally anyone who went against his moral code. The entire franchise is more of a satirical look at the justice system around the world, but it features and intriguing story and some intense illustrated moments of violence.

From there, the series became huge, spawning an entire franchise that went into books, video games, and more, especially in the U.K., where the comics originated.

Drew Pearce Is Writing The Script

The last official thing that we know about the upcoming Judge Dredd film is that Drew Pearce is writing the script, which was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter article above. Apparently, both he and Waititi are huge fans of the franchise and have been looking for a chance to work together for years – the new film was their opportunity.

If Pearce's name sounds familiar, it could be because he's written scripts for some notable films over the last decade. Some of his most well-known works includes The Fall Guy, Hobbs & Shaw, Iron Man 3, and more. He’s also going to be writing the script for the upcoming film The Thomas Crown Affair, according to Deadline.

Okay, this already has me so excited for what’s to come, and I know I’m going to be counting down the days until I get to hear more about this film. Judge Dredd is coming back, and I am not prepared.

There is a certain segment of people who are clearly incapable of having fun and lead truly miserable lives, and believe that if you don’t have kids, you have no business going to Disney Parks. The rest of us know the truth: that going to Disneyland without kids is fantastic, even if you have them. Taika Waititi gets it, so I don't see what the problem is.

Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi recently posted pictures from a recent trip to Disneyland Paris, and he clearly had an absolute blast. He was in full “Disney Adult” mode as he went with some friends, but did not bring his kids. In fact, in the post, he specifically asks, “Please nobody tell my kids,” as they will obviously get upset that Dad went without them. Hopefully, the kids don’t follow Dad’s Instagram.

Waititi looks great with the Mickey ear sunglasses, the ear band and the Sorcerer Mickey hat all piled on top of each other. He’s dancing around the park, smiling at everything, getting pictures with Disney Princesses and just generally having a blast.

As a fellow Disney Adult, who has kids, but who frequently visits theme parks without them, I fully endorse this message. I also don’t tell my kids when I’m going to Disneyland or Disney World most of the time because it will only upset them. If they do find out, I have to bring them something.

I know the term "Disney Adult' is used as a pejorative, but most of those people cosplay as athletes to watch other people play sports, so I don't know what they're on about. Some of my best friends are Disney Adults, and now I want Taika Waititi to be one of them because he looks like a fun dude with whom to hang around Disneyland. He could probably also get me into Club 33.

And say what you will, but Disney Parks have no problem whatever with "Disney Adults." Disney World recently opened a lounge where nobody under 21 is allowed. Clearly the park doesn't mind if the kids stay home. The adults are the ones with the money.

I love my kids, and I’ll take them to Disneyland too whenever I can. That said, I’ve been a fan of theme parks since long before I had kids and have gone as an adult without my kids many more times than I have gone with them. There’s a lot to be said for not waiting in a line with somebody who doesn’t have as much patience for waiting, or not having to skip an attraction because somebody isn’t tall enough to go on it.

And to be fair, Disneyland Paris is one resort I would absolutely want to visit without my kids, at least the first time. I’ve never been there, so I’d want to be able to explore it at my leisure without needing to worry about kids. Also, being a lover of great food and great Disney Parks food, and with it being Paris and all, my kids probably wouldn’t appreciate most of the food I would want to eat. Maybe when they’re older.

I usually try to do my best to avoid watching trailers, but I could not resist checking out a sneak peek at the second season of Conan O’Brien Must Go. I have been a fan of the former late-night TV host since his days at NBC’s Late Night, and I believe that his Emmy-winning travel docuseries, which is available with a Max subscription, is one of his most wonderful creations yet.

There is a moment from the Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 2 teaser that has me especially excited for its return, in which O’Brien, while visiting New Zealand, urges Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to cast him in one of his movies. While the comedian likely said this in jest, I genuinely think their collaboration could be a match made in heaven for a couple of reasons.

Conan's Improvisational Skill Works Perfectly For Waititi's Comedy Style

Any fan of Taika Waititi’s movies knows that he often encourages his actors to ad-lib. While some believe he may have overdone it with the improv comedy in Thor: Love and Thunder (even star Chris Hemsworth), many also agree he struck gold with the first of his Marvel movies, 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, and three years earlier with his acclaimed horror-comedy movie, the documentary-style What We Do In The Shadows.

I believe that, if Waititi wants to catch lightning in a bottle with more hilarious ad-libs in a future project, it would be a mistake not to cast Conan O’Brien. With a legendary background that includes writing for The Harvard Lampoon and shows like Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons, the comedian has developed a knack for coming up with whip-smart jokes on the fly, as demonstrated on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and his guest appearance on the partially improvised series Murderville on Netflix, to name just a few. I imagine he would not even need a script, but just a simple prompt, and the result would be magical.

Conan Seems To Have Caught The Acting Bug

Now, imagine if Waititi was interested in casting O’Brien in a comparatively more serious role that would not be improv-heavy, a la his Oscar-winning World War II-era satire Jojo Rabbit from 2019 or his 2023 underdog sports biopic, Next Goal Wins. If you ask me, I think he would also be a great choice in that regard.

Since retiring from late-night TV, O’Brien has indulged in taking more acting roles lately, and not counting his many fun cameos over the years. For instance, he starred in the SNL-adjacent comedy film Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain and has even took on a more dramatic role in the upcoming A24 movie, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, for which he earned rave reviews when the drama premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In that regard, I think he would be able to handle any type of role that Waititi throws at him.

Taika Waititi has multiple projects in the works right now, including his long-awaited Star Wars movie. I don’t see why that mysterious cosmic adventure could not be Conan O’Brien’s chance to become a part of the galaxy far, far away.

Considering just how big the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become, even if you’re not a huge fan, you probably have a movie or two that you enjoy. Of course, the actors who appear in the MCU have their favorites as well. And a lot of them, as it turns out, actually love the same movie: Thor: Ragnarok.

Speaking with six different actors who have appeared in the MCU, Disney’s D23 Fan Club finds four of them of them who are big fans of Taika Waititi’s first outing directing a Marvel film. Both Simu Liu and Iman Vilani list it among their favorites, as does Ant-Man star Paul Rudd, who said…

However, one of the more surprising people who put Ragnarok on the top of their list was Natalie Portman. She’s one of the few who picks a franchise that she’s actually part of, but she picks the one Thor movie she wasn’t in, saying…

To be fair, it’s completely understandable why so many people love Thor: Ragnarok, it’s actually just a flat-out great movie in my opinon. Portman’s comment that it makes you smile the whole time is right on the money. The movie is fun, funny and exciting in equal measure. Whatever it is you love about Marvel movies, or just movies in general, Thor: Ragnarok has it. It’s one of the best MCU movies to date.

Paul Rudd, being a part of one of the other comedy-focused corners of the MCU is sure to appreciate the movies in the franchise that have made you laugh. Natalie Portman made her return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the movie that followed Ragnarok. It seems quite likely that her love for it is part of the reason Taikia Waititi was able to convince her to come back in a single meeting.

The fact that many of the follow-up Thor: Love and Thunder took things a little too far (even Chris Hemsworth sees it as a failure) shows just how precarious the balance was, and how easy it was to overdo it all.

One thing that’s probably worth noting, is that of all the movies mentioned by the various stars, none of them call a movie that has been released post-Avengers: Endgame their favorite. That’s probably something that Marvel would like to change. Perhaps one of the other upcoming Marvel movies will become somebody's favorite.

For over 15 years now, we’ve been witness to all the Marvel movies in order, and what a journey it has been! We’ve come a long way since Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man first took flight, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe introducing so many characters into its movies and TV shows, that some of our favorites just haven’t had enough of the limelight yet. Let’s talk about the MCU characters that could use more screen time than they’ve currently been given.

Valkyrie

After the dismal reaction to Thor: The Dark World, the God of Thunder had an awesome comeback in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The third Thor movie was partially awesome due to the debut of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie, who instantly became a fan favorite for her wit and all-around standout performance. Despite all the love for Valkyrie, she’s remained on the sidelines in every one of her appearances.

Captain Carter

OK, so technically Hayley Atwell had a television series on ABC in the early days of the MCU called Agent Carter, but watching that series only made me want to see the character more. Especially when Peggy Carter came back in the Multiverse Saga for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for a short cameo and in animated form for …What If? Captain America’s great love is one of the most interesting MCU characters who deserves to have her hero’s journey fleshed out more.

Maria Hill

Early in the MCU, Cobie Smulder’s Maria Hill was established as a key part of the universe in The Avengers as Nick Fury’s right hand, but over the years, she’s never really gotten any sort of major arc in either of the movies or TV shows yet, despite sharing she’d love to do more. She was barely in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and has mostly been used for a few jokes here and there over the years.

Morgan Stark

One of the most heartbreaking arcs in the MCU was the death of Tony Stark, especially after it was revealed that the character had a daughter with Pepper Potts, named Morgan Stark. (We’ll never forget the “I love you 3000” line). While it does make sense to wait a bit before we see Morgan Stark again, it would be interesting to catch up with the daughter of Iron Man, and see how her life progresses in the MCU following Endgame.

Jimmy Woo

Randall Park’s FBI agent character Jimmy Woo was first seen in 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp as Scott Lang’s parole officer. Woo has since been seen in WandaVision and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in brief roles. Sure, Jimmy Woo isn’t a huge Marvel character or anything, but Park is so hilarious, I’d love it if he earned a larger role in the universe.

Okoye

One of the best Black Panther characters is definitely Danai Gurira’s Okoye, who has had somewhat of a central role in both of the movies, but when you look at the screen time she actually had (about 13 minutes in Black Panther and 16 minutes in Wakanda Forever), she’s still rather a minor character. The former general of the Dora Milaje and head of Wakandan armed forces isn’t just very impressive in her strength and power, but a magnetic character I’d watch a whole movie about.

M’Baku

Winston Duke got on the Hollywood map due to his role in Black Panther, and while he was only in the first movie for about six minutes, he left a lasting impression on fans that had us wanting to see more. Especially following the end of Wakanda Forever, where he actually assumes the role of King of Wakanda. Here’s hoping the next Black Panther project gives him more to do.

Adam Warlock

As soon as Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock was announced to be part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel fans were excited to see the cosmic being in live action. However, it felt like the third Guardians movie didn’t really know what to do with the character, and is admittedly filed under “the worst thing” in our list of best and worst parts of every Marvel movie. The character deserves some redemption!

Cosmo the Spacedog

In the final Guardians of the Galaxy movie, James Gunn decided to introduce one of the cutest Marvel characters, Cosmo, but she was barely in the film! The Labrador astronaut, who has enhanced intelligence and psychic powers is such a fun and hilarious character, especially as voiced by Maria Bakalova. While it seems like the Guardians movies have wrapped up, I would love to see more of Cosmo.

Lady Sif

In the original Thor movie, Jaimie Alexander’s Lady Sif was brought on board the MCU as an Asgardian warrior and good friend to the God of Thunder. However, the heroic character, who is based on the Norse goddess who is known as the wife of Thor, had an anticlimactic role in the franchise. After showing up for around eight minutes in the first movie, her only other big appearance was in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She’d be a solid character to show up in the next Thor movie.

Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight getting a TV show rather than a big-screen movie will always be a mystery to me. Sure, he’s not the most popular Marvel hero, but given the studio has sold us on all sorts of smaller characters over the years, I don’t see why an antihero with dissociative identity disorder with roots in Egyptian mythology would have pulled in a crowd.

Korg

Not only is Thor: Ragnarok a movie that is so much fun on its own, but it also introduces Taika Waititi’s hilarious character of Korg, a Kronan warrior who Thor meets on Sakaar. Korg has only had short supporting moments in the last two Thor movies, but because he’s so loveable, we’d happily catch his return.

Quicksilver

Aaron Taylor-Johnson played Quicksilver, the brother to Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but had a hero’s death while shielding civilians from gunfire coming from Ultron. We have to wonder if the MCU would ever bring back the actor’s version of the character, especially after the multiverse was opened up. The actor has since jumped to playing another Marvel character for Sony’s Spider-Verse with the Kraven The Hunter movie.

Wong

When Doctor Strange came out in 2016, Benedict Wong’s role of Wong introduced the keeper of ancient books of the mystic arts. Since the MCU has progressed, Wong has been promoted to the Sorcerer Supreme. Following his title shift, we’re thinking about how the character could get a bigger spotlight that follows his own adventures.

America Chavez

When it was announced that America Chavez was coming to the MCU, we were excited to get to know the hero, also known as Miss America. Xochitl Gomez was highlighted in the key plot of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but she deserves a lot more attention in the MCU. Perhaps, she could be in the Young Avengers team we think the MCU is quietly setting up.

Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)

After Tobey Maguire was the first big-screen Spider-Man in a trilogy of blockbuster films, his Spider-Man joined the MCU in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. While we imagine his appearance was more for nostalgic purposes, we’d genuinely love to see Tobey’s Peter Parker be part of the MCU again, and perhaps see Sam Raimi do the Spider-Man 4 movie that was previously cancelled. Spider-Man 3 ended the character on such a sour note, and the actor makes for such an awesome version of the hero.

Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)

Andrew Garfield was such a Spider-Man in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man movies, however, they came at the time right before Disney earned the rights to the character. So, the cord was pulled on Garfield’s version and Tom Holland was part of the reboot. Garfield’s version technically joined the MCU when he showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. We’d love to see Garfield return to the MCU with his Spidey brothers, and perhaps continue where his movies left off.

J. Jonah Jameson

In Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was perfectly cast as J. Jonah Jameson, so we were unsurprised when the MCU cast him as the character for short cameos in Tom Holland’s movies. Except in the version we’ve seen, he’s only been seen on TV screens across the city. We don’t have a lot of Spider-Man 4 details right now, but wouldn’t it be fun if Holland’s Peter Parker began working for him?

Ned Leeds

Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds has always been such a fun addition to the Spider-Man movies with Tom Holland. Ned is Spider-Man’s “guy in the chair”, but the comic book character has more of a backstory that can be explored in upcoming Spider-Man movies. In the Spider-Man comics, Edward Leeds becomes a supervillain called the Hobgoblin!!

MJ

Mary-Jane Watson has always been an iconic part of the Spider-Man universe, but the character herself has yet to ever get a larger role that surpasses simply being a love interest to Spider-Man. Zendaya’s MJ is a step in the right direction for the character, but we have to wonder if there’s more the MCU could do with her.

Dane Whitman

When it was announced Kit Harrington was joining the MCU in 2019 in the role of Dane Whitman/Black Knight, we thought it was going to be a much bigger deal than it turned out to be. Harrington ended up having a rather anticlimactic role in Eternals, and we’re not even sure if we’ll get the payoff for the awesome character who has been in teams like the Avengers and Defenders in the comics.

Kate Bishop

When it comes to the best Marvel TV shows, Hawkeye is definitely one of the good ones, especially for how perfectly it established the character of Kate Bishop. Hailee Steinfeld hit the bullseye when it comes to portraying the second generation of Hawkeye. After being in her own TV show, Kate showed up in The Marvels mid-credits scene with Kamala Khan, and we hope the MCU does promote her to an Avenger.

The Collector

In the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, Benicio del Toro’s take on The Collector was brought into the MCU. He’s a villain in Marvel comics with a long history dating back to 1966 and tons of storylines with the Avengers and such, however, so far del Toro’s character has only had a few cameos.

Zeus

The king of the gods, Zeus, has even entered the MCU. In Thor: Love and Thunder, Russell Crowe had a small role as the Greek mythology legend. Since it’s such an epic character, and Crowe is an incredible talent, we’d be hyped for Zeus to have more screen time.

Luis

In Ant-Man, Michael Peña brought lots of laughs to the MCU as Luis. The character doesn’t have a comic backstory, and is really just a regular guy who used to be the cellmate of Scott Lang. However, Luis is so genuinely hilarious that we’ve missed him lately. We were especially bummed that he wasn’t in the third Ant-Man movie.

Namor

In the second Black Panther movie, audiences were introduced to the king of the underwater kingdom of Talokan, Namor. Tenoch Huerta did a fantastic job playing the villain of Wakanda Forever, and while he was technically defeated by Shuri in the movie, he’s very much alive, and is an interesting enough character to get more screen time, somehow.

Heimdall

It’s a shame that Idris Elba’s Heimdall died in Avengers: Infinity War, because the Asgardian gatekeeper was never really given much of a role in the MCU. The character could sustain a movie on his own considering what he does on Asgard, but here’s hoping he is still afforded the chance.

James “Rhodey” Rhodes

Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes was introduced in Iron Man 2, after Terrance Howard previously played the character in the first movie. Rhodes has become a member of the Avengers as War Machine / Iron Patriot, but he’s definitely been among the members of the team that’s not highlighted enough. At least the character is still reportedly set to front his own movie called Armor Wars, which would be very much deserved.

Madisynn King

In She-Hulk, a hilarious MCU character was born with Patty Guggenheim’s Madisynn (“with two n’s and one “y”, but it’s not where you think”). She was accidentally sent to a hellish dimension before crossing paths with Benedict Wong’s Wong, which she lovingly calls “Wongers.” She’s a laugh-out-loud addition to the universe that’d be so fun to see pop up again somewhere.

Sharon Carter

The niece of Peggy Carter, Emily VanCamp's Sharon Carter has been in two Captain America movies, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and an episode of What If...? But still, it never fully feels like the MCU knows what to do with her. Perhaps if she was interwoven into the plotline more, she could have deeper ties to the universe.

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the director of the CIA in the MCU, who has been sprinkled in recent chapters in the MCU and is set to be part of the Thunderbolts cast. Currently, she isn’t giving us a lot to care about her, so here’s hoping the MCU does her character right and gives her more screen time going forward.

Hulk

May we remind you that Hulk is the only member of the original Avengers who has never been given his own solo project? It’s so wild! Yes, he left a huge mark on the main Avengers saga, but Mark Ruffalo is so good as Bruce Banner, that he deserves his own arc without being part of a team.

One of the best shows on the 2024 TV show schedule is also one of the many series ending in 2024. What We Do in the Shadows (inspired by the 2014 movie of the same name) easily ranks as one of my most rewatchable shows ever. I would never stop watching these vampires, so I'm admittedly sad that the show is nearly done. However, EP Taika Waititi believes it’s been on for too long already and, while I understand what he means, I disagree.

The Our Flag Means Death actor/producer spent some time with Entertainment Weekly to discuss some of his best work, including the horror comedy series. As it stands, the acclaimed comedy is about to finish out its run after six seasons. The New Zealand-born writer-actor-director divulged his feelings about the movie-turned-T show’s long run and expressed his surprise that the "five-minute idea" has endured as long as it has:

One can understand the Oscar winner's feelings, as they suggest that when something is stretched far, it can become stale or boring. Nevertheless, as a fan of the show, I feel as though the series has remained fresh. Yes, there are plenty of series that have overstayed their welcome over the years. However, series creator Jermaine Clement and his team have consistently managed to keep me (and likely other fans) engaged with the continuing adventures of the eclectic vampires.

Honestly, it feels like the shows with seemingly simple concepts (Seinfeld, Friends, The Simpsons, etc.) have the longest runs. Honestly, in terms of WWDITS, I could literally be an old woman and still watch Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) stare at paint (while I also have a Nadja doll of my own in tow) and secretly hope that pans out somehow. Nevertheless, I’m preparing for the end and can accept it.

Taika Waititi isn't alone in his thinking either, as Laszlo actor Matt Berry is also ready to move on. It'll be weird not to see this cast and crew together moving forward, and their on-screen dynamics will be missed so much.

With only two episodes left of What We Do in the Shadows left and the least funny joke Taika Waititi has ever pulled eclipsing me and any fans who feel the same, I guess it is time to say goodbye. Despite that, I remain grateful for the six seasons that exist and plan to revisit them.

You can watch all six seasons of What We Do in the Shadows with a Hulu subscription. Or, if you’d like to watch the 2014 movie, it’s available on VOD. Also, if you’re looking for other movies or shows with similar motifs, you should check out what to watch if you liked Shadows.

When Taika Waititi was announced as the director of the third Thor movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a lot of fans scratched their heads. Waititi was best known for making indie comedies like What We Do In The Shadows and Hunt For the Wilderpeople. Those movies were also much smaller than a massive Marvel blockbuster. A lot of people voiced displeasure regarding Waititi’s new job.

Today Taika Waititi is a director whose projects get noticed, and who has been involved in multiple major franchises. But that’s all thanks to the success of Thor: Ragnarok. Speaking with EW, the director admits that taking the job catapulted him into the Marvel fandom, subjecting him to all the negativity from those who thought he would ruin something great. But as Waititi points out, it all worked out pretty well. He said…

It’s not exactly news that fans can be passionate about the things that they love, to the point that many can get quite vocal, and angry if they see something happening they don’t like. Dealing with fan harassment is unfortunately a regular occurrence now that has become the norm rather than an exception.

There’s certainly no argument that Taika Waititi didn’t make some pretty significant changes to Thor as a character in Ragnarok. The first Thor movie, directed by Kenneth Branagh had been truly Shakespearean in tone. Waititi would give Thor a humorous bent, basically exactly the sort of movie those angry fans were afraid he'd make.

Of course, as Waititi said here, it turned out this version of Thor is exactly what fans wanted. Both of Waititi’s Thor movies were massive box office hits and while some think that Thor: Love and Thunder pushed things a little far, people clearly love the funnier Thor.

Some of Marvel’s greatest successes have come when it has tapped up-and-coming directors who aren’t necessarily the first names you think of when it comes to helming massive blockbusters. Before the Guardians of the Galaxy films, James Gunn’s highest profile gig was as screenwriter of two live-action Scooby-Doo movies. Yet Gunn would turn out to be the perfect choice to handle the franchise. When Marvel picks weird directors, sometimes magic happens.

At this point, there’s no indication that Waititi will be directing more movies in the MCU. The future of Thor as a character is also in question. Whatever happens, hopefully, it will be exactly what fans want, even if they don’t realize it at first.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Masked Singer's Thanksgiving episode "Peanuts Night." Stream it with a Hulu subscription and read at your own risk!

While I think The Masked Singer's "Peanuts Night" was sorely lacking in songs tied to Charlie Brown and crew, I still think the holiday episode was a massive success for Fox. The network already has me looking forward to more holiday episodes hitting the 2025 TV schedule, especially after an unexpected cameo from a major director that was handled quite wonderfully.

Before this episode, I thought I'd seen enough shocking reveals on The Masked Singer that nothing would stun me. Now, I'm eating crow with a side of pumpkin pie after being as shocked as I've ever been by seeing a celebrity wasn't even under any of the masks. Let's talk about it.

Taika Waititi Made A Surprise Appearance As "Rita Ora's Husband"

The Masked Singer's Thanksgiving special featured a video segment with holiday messages recorded by the cast's family for the host and panel. We saw messages from a few of Nick Cannon's many children, Ken Jeong's wife, Robin Thicke's children, and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg's husband, Blue Bloods star Donnie Wahlberg, and their kids. We also saw Rita Ora's significant other appear, and while he was only referred to her "Husband" in the episode, many know him quite well as director and actor Taika Waititi.

Yes, Rita Ora is married to the director who brought us Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows and so much more. So anyone who thought they might've recognized him but weren't aware of their marriage or hilarious scaring videos together on social media, now you know.

'I'm sure some of the viewers watching The Masked Singer may not even have known he was anyone of note at all, and thus had no reason to consider "Rita Ora's husband" as being anything but an apt descriptor.

Why I Love How The Masked Singer Handled Featuring Him

There was a chance for The Masked Singer to brag and name-drop Taika Waititi as being part of their show, and I think the Fox series probably would have pulled that kind of promotional move in earlier seasons. He's a big deal in Hollywood, and with the episode airing on Thanksgiving and potentially drawing more viewers who don't regularly tune in, I could see the temptation to feature as many worthy names as possible in promos.

I credit the show for resisting the temptation to the point that Taika Waitit wasn't given any more notability than any other family members who appeared in the segment. Despite being a Hollywood director who may or may not be working on an upcoming Star Wars movie, he's just Rita Ora's husband when it comes to The Masked Singer,

Plus, the series had to close out its Group C Finals and didn't have time for everything it already planned. Royal Knight was eliminated and revealed to be actress and singer Jana Kramer, and Sherlock Hound was former baseball star turned singer Bronson Arroyo. That means Strawberry Shortcake will advance to the quarter-finals of Season 12 and move one step closer to winning The Masked Singer.

The Masked Singer continues on Fox at its normal time on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm ready to see who will win this season and hope to find my front-runner pick as the quarter-finals approach.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving creates a weird limbo for me. While countless people around me embrace the emphasis on pumpkin, or go overboard on their horror decorations for the celebration of all things ghoulish, my mind immediately wanders to Christmas. That’s my jam. I’d decorate the house for Christmas on September 1, then leave the decorations up until March, if it didn’t make my kids look at me funny. Certain movies and TV shows help to boost that holiday spirit inside of me, so I tee them up whenever the chilly season starts to roll around. And top the top of that list, I’m about to add Taika Waititi’s brand new short film The Boy and the Octopus, a gem of a reel with the perfect musical accompaniment.

The Walt Disney Company debut the short The Boy and the Octopus on Tuesday, Nov. 12. I’ll share it below. It features no dialogue as it catches up with a young man vacationing on a seaside holiday who encounters a curious mollusk, who attaches itself to the boy’s head. As the boy returns home, his passion for all things Disney – from Buzz Lightyear to Mickey Mouse – feeds the wonder of the accompanying octopus. And then, once Christmas arrives, the two cook up a whimsical idea that involves Santa, and the beginning of a global adventure.

Here, see for yourself. This is Walt Disney’s charming, beautiful new The Boy and the Octopus, directed by Taika Waititi:

Taika Waititi has a long history with the Walt Disney Studios. The New Zealand filmmaker helmed hit entries in Marvel Studios’ Thor franchise, breathing new life into the series with Thor: Ragnarok, still considered by fans to be one of the best Marvel movies in the MCU. Waititi has played a role in the Star Wars universe over the years as well, even flirting with the idea of helming a Star Wars movie some day. And he broke into the realm of family friendly sports films when he delivered the winning Next Goal Wins with Michael Fassbender… even though he admits he knows a lot more about rugby than he does about soccer.

The bottom line is that Taika Waititi has heart, and he injects it into his projects, as is evidenced by The Boy and the Octopus. Opening up about the collaboration, Waititi said:

The technology used to create the octopus is something to behold. Tim Pennoyer, Director of Brand Marketing at Disney, spoke about the VFX effort that went into animating the octopus, saying:

It’s well worth the time. This short reminds me very much of another sequence that puts me in the holiday mood every single year, and that’s Jack Skellington visiting Christmas Town in the magnificent The Nightmare Before Christmas. Now, when I sit down to watch that scene each year, I’ll add The Boy and the Octopus right behind it. Bring on the Christmas cheer! I’m officially in the mood.

With a bit more fantastical whimsy than many of Apple TV+’s best shows, the film-to-TV reimagining of Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits is as irreverently wacky and ridiculous as time-travel movies and TV shows can get. Some of that comes from star Lisa Kudrow and the rest of the ragtag ensemble, but much of it stems from the imaginative duo of co-creators Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, whose past efforts helped to inform the streaming comedy.

CinemaBlend spoke with Waititi and Clement going into Season 1 of Time Bandits, and given just how wide the scope of the story is, I asked them if and how the former’s MCU films Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder paved the way for this series, and similarly inquired about how the impact of their shared vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows. Understandably, Clement attributed the size of it all to the Marvel features, as he put it:

Of course, a sizeable budget and massive scale are good things to have for an audacious remake like this, but all are essentially worthless without someone who knows how to turn the money into gold. And Taika Waititi explained who that person was for this show, saying:

Indeed, the Oscar-nominated Ra Vincent is no small-timer. He started as a sculptor for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Ring movies, moved up to handling set decoration for the Hobbit trilogy and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Along the way, he crossed professional paths with Waititi and Clement, and since handled production design on films like What We Do in the Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, JoJo Rabbit, and Next Goal Wins, as well as Our Flag Means Death and the pilot of What We Do in the Shadows.

Save for Thor: Love and Thunder, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Eagle vs Shark, Vincent has been looped into the majority of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s mainstream creative ventures. And I think most fans would agree that the looks of all of those projects is spot-on and right in line with whatever moods and tones are needed. (The vamp’s house alone in Shadows is a design feat.)

Jemaine Clement agreeably shared praise for Ra Vincent in bringing up a series that wasn't already mentioned earlier. And he also spoke more generally to the idea that he and Waititi attempted to do with Time Bandits what they did with Shadows as far as building upon an existing story goes. In his words:

Among the funniest shows streaming on Hulu, Time Bandits was able to pull off some of its wild visuals by filming within the screened-in environments of The Volume, which Taika Waititi gained a bit of experience with while directing episodes of The Mandalorian. It's certainly possible his time on that show would have influenced his work on the Lisa Kudrow-helmed series even if he hadn't even joined the MCU or adapted his own film for TV. But I don't think he'd be going back in time to try and change any of that, either. And we're all the better for it. In Penelope, we trust!

Time Bandits is available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription, with the final two episodes dropping on Wednesday, August 21. Check out all the other upcoming Apple TV+ shows heading to the 2024 TV schedule and beyond.

When you watch the Marvel movies in order, there may be no more significant shift in tone than the one we see for Thor in Thor: Ragnarok. The film was a significant departure for both Thor as a character and the Marvel Cinematic Universe more generally. Taika Waititi brought a fresh energy and humor to the franchise that, while many think he overdid it in Thor: Love and Thunder, is just perfect in Ragnarok, and hearing Cate Blanchett talk, that movie was an absolute joy to make.

Cate Blanchett recently spoke with GQ about some of her biggest film roles, among them, the role of Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Most would likely agree that she is fantastic in the role, and one of the best MCU villains to date. Blanchett says she learned a great deal on the set, which she still uses today about how to act in front of massive green screens. She also learned how to throw hammers from Chris Hemsworth. Blanchett explained…

Blanchett does say the quiet part out loud, that Marvel movies often start filming without a complete script, and that the pieces get put together as the movie is happening. This isn’t exactly a secret, but it’s not something that is often discussed. Still, it sounds like Blanchett enjoyed working on the “jigsaw puzzle” and was proud to be the first major female villain in the MCU, something she didn't even realize was the case until later. She continued…

While the end of Thor: Ragnarok certainly made a return for Hela seem unlikely, with the Multiverse still a thing in the MCU, despite the transition away from Kang and toward Doctor Doom, a return for Cate Blancett is far from impossible. Until then, we’ll have to make do with the actress appearing with Thor and Loki at Disneyland only.

Lisa Kudrow may be best known for playing Phoebe Buffay on Friends, but her latest project has her tackling a different classic — one of the best time travel movies, Terry Gilliam's fantasy adventure Time Bandits. The 1981 movie has been reimagined as a new Apple TV+ series and comes from the brilliant minds of Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris. Ahead of its July 24 premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, Kudrow sat down with CinemaBlend to talk about the series, and she said working with the talented trio was “heaven.”

Taika Waititi has made some truly wonderful television over the past few years, producing series like What We Do in the Shadows, Reservation Dogs and Our Flag Means Death. Now he’s tackling the adventures of the rag-tag group of thieves — led by Lisa Kudrow’s Penelope — who travel through time and space, begrudgingly picking up an 11-year-old history buff along the way. When our own Nick Venable asked Kudrow what it was like to work with Waititi and Clement on Time Bandits, she said:

That really does sound like the ideal situation for an actor. The Friends veteran enjoyed that Time Bandits was a collaborative effort, where the actors were given the space to experiment but also could lean on the comedic expertise of the creators. The actress continued:

Lisa Kudrow clearly had a lot of trust in the people around her, and having seen the first couple of episodes of Time Bandits (available to stream now with an Apple TV+ subscription), it’s funny to hear her specifically mention the way Penelope talks to Kevin (relative newcomer Kal-El Tuck in a wonderfully precocious role). The pre-teen proves to be as helpful to the bandits as he is disapproving of their plight, which leads to some hilarious exchanges between Kudrow and Tuck’s characters.

The trio behind the Time Bandits series and Lisa Kudrow have all proven themselves in the comedy world, and the synergy that she described between the cast and crew makes it sound like it was a great situation for all involved.

The first two episodes of Time Bandits’s 10-episode first season are streaming now on Apple TV+ — one of the best streaming services to subscribe to — with two new episodes dropping each Wednesday.

The Met Gala may be over, but Rita Ora doesn’t need a red carpet to continue to prove she looks good in the hot sheer trend! The Masked Singer Season 11 panelist shared photos from a vacation to Tulum, Mexico with her husband and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, and she rocked not one, but two versions of the sheer dress trend. 

Earlier this week, tons of celebrities wore jaw-dropping looks at the annual Met Gala. During the major fashion event, the sheer trend was everywhere. From Kim Kardashian pairing a silver floral dress with a controversial sweater to Jennifer Lopez’s bombshell of a see-through dress, a lot of celebrities were flirting with showing off their skin at the event. Ora took on this trend too with a gorgeous beaded dress, which you can see in this get-ready video she posted: 

Rita Ora walked the carpet in a Tom Ford gown that had her wearing a mesh bodysuit with strands of multicolor beads hanging over her body. When speaking to Vogue during the event, she said the beads were from the first and second century BC and therefore “older than anyone on this planet." She went to the Met Gala with Waititi, who wore a brown-leather suit. 

Rita Ora also stepped out in a second sheer look for the after-party, by wearing another see-through bodysuit with jewels and florals across her body. You can see it on Instagram as well. 

Now that the couple, who tied the knot with a gorgeous wedding in 2022, have finished serving at the Met Gala, they ventured off to Tulum for what looks like a breathtaking vacation. Check out Rita Ora’s latest sheer looks post-Met Gala: 

The singer can’t stop, won’t stop making this look work for her! 

In the first photo, she is pictured wearing a see-through yellow dress with black sandals. It looks perfect for a tropical climate between its airy material and the gorgeous floral design in the front. As a video shows in the sixth slide, the dress is held up with a yellow ribbon material and is open in the back. It looks like she and Waititi were having a blast doing photoshoots together. Waititi can be seen there too posing while Ora took pictures of him as he swung on a very fancy couch swing. 

Ora’s other sheer look was a white lacy number that she posted in the second and seventh pictures. When you're on a vacation like this one, one tends to want to show off their bathing suit and body, and these looks definitely allow Rita Ora to do so with style! 

You can see Rita Ora next in two movies on the 2024 schedule, a thriller called Tin Soldier, alongside Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro, and as the Queen of Hearts in Descendants: Rise of Red, which comes to Disney+ on July 12. While we wait for those to come out, we'll also continue to follow her fashion. 

Some of our best horror movies have been centered around characters who just so happen to be legendary creatures of the night: vampires. And, because of the enduring popularity of these mythological bloodsuckers, not only do we also have a number of TV vamps, but many famous actors who’ve portrayed some version of the famed, usually-human-looking beasts. Here for you now are 32 actors who’ve played a vampire.

Eddie Murphy (Vampire In Brooklyn)

So many vamps have been seen on screen that even a comedy and action movie legend like Eddie Murphy has played one. The 1995 horror comedy, Vampire in Brooklyn, saw the star play the last member of a group of Caribbean vampires, who hits New York to find a mate so that he can continue his family line.

Tom Cruise (Interview With The Vampire)

Who could forget the 1994 film that gave us Tom Cruise as the captivating and cruel (And blond!) bloodthirsty fiend, Lestat de Lioncourt, from author Anne Rice’s legendary novel series, The Vampire Chronicles? Of course, it also gave us Brad Pitt’s tortured vamp, Louis, and made a star out of young Kirsten Dunst.

Dakota Fanning (The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)

While there are some obvious stars to add to this list, let us not forget that the cast of famous (and soon-to-be-famous) vampires in The Twilight Saga films was quite stacked. That roster included noted child star Dakota Fanning, who portrayed the villainous Volturi guard member, Jane, who was able to mentally create sensations of pain in those who she deemed worthy of punishment.

Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood)

Several vampire-focused TV shows have hit the airwaves over the past 20 or so years, so we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the HBO hit, True Blood. Many of its stars portrayed members of vamp-kind for most or all of the series’ seven seasons, but Evan Rachel Wood made an equally impressive (bloody) splash as the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne Leclerq, during her recurring guest appearances in Seasons 2-4.

Robert Pattinson (Twilight)

Back to Twilight! It’s not worth mentioning this franchise without bringing up lead romantic vamp Edward Cullen, as well as the man who brought him to life in five movies, eventuall live action Batman actor Robert Pattinson. Despite the fact that his love interest’s portrayer, Kristen Stewart, would have dumped Edward “immediately”!

Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In)

It’s possible that we don’t get creepier than kid vampires in movies and television shows, and that’s what we got with Chloë Grace Moretz’s Abby in the 2010 film, Let Me In. She befriends a young loner after moving into his apartment complex, but is (you guessed it) hiding nefarious purposes he could have never guessed, which end up taking his life in a most unexpected direction.

Salma Hayek (From Dusk Till Dawn)

This might be the shortest movie vampire appearance on the list, as 1996’s From Dusk Til Dawn saw Salma Hayek play the fanged exotic dancer, Santanico Pandemonium, only for about five memorable minutes that simply cannot be forgotten once witnessed.

Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows)

Undead life isn’t always filled with glamorous globe-hopping adventure, gorgeous mates who can’t resist you and other perks, at least according to 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows, which concerns the rather mundane day-to-day lives of vampire roommates, of whom Taika Waititi’s uptight and nearly 400-year-old vamp, Viago, is among.

Theo James (Underworld: Awakening, Underworld: Blood Wars)

Another big screen franchise that depended on heaps of stars to populate its supernatural world is that of Underworld. Two sequels saw Theo James play the heroic vampire, David, heir to one of the main vamp covens, and lead Selene’s one steadfast ally during an important time in her journey.

Willem Dafoe (Shadow Of The Vampire)

Not many cinematic vampires are said to be based on a real person, but the one played by Willem Dafoe in 2000’s Shadow of the Vampire is. He portrayed a fictionalized version of the real Nosferatu lead actor, Max Schreck, whom the crew begins to suspect is an actual vampire because of his behavior and the strange goings-on surrounding filming.

Gerard Butler (Dracula 2000)

Speaking of vampires who are based on real people…Author Bram Stoker based his Dracula on Vlad the Impaler, and Gerard Butler played yet another version of the ever-popular character in a film from, yes, 2000. This tale sees the ancient vamp accidentally awoken by a group of thieves who find and steal his highly protected coffin, which had been watched over by generations of the Van Helsing family.

Wesley Snipes (Blade)

A Marvel character that will soon have another portrayer when the upcoming Blade reboot finally begins filming, the original action/horror trilogy famously saw Wesley Snipes take on the vampire/human hybrid titular lead, who’s a nearly unstoppable vamp hunter bent on taking down all members of the species who bit his mother and infected him with their supernatural blood while he was still in utero.

Colin Farrell (Fright Night)

If a scary and suave undead night stalker is your type, look no further than Colin Farrell’s Jerry Dandrige in 2011’s remake of the 1985 cult classic, Fright Night. He may have to eventually do battle with a couple of teenagers, but he sure looks darn good doing it.

Ethan Hawke (Daybreakers)

A movie that takes a more science-fiction approach to a world overrun by vampires is the 2009 film Daybreakers, which sees Ethan Hawke play a vamp hematologist who refuses to drink human blood and is looking for a synthetic option to their usual meal of choice that will stop humanity from being wiped out by his more brutal peers.

Luke Evans (Dracula Untold)

Again with Dracula? Why, yes! This time, Luke Evans plays a Vlad the Impaler who only becomes a vampire to have the strength, speed and ferocity to turn back an invading army in an attempt to save the people of his kingdom. Does it work out for him? Well, yes…and no.

Kate Beckinsale (Underworld)

There’s no mentioning the Underworld franchise without giving respect to the main heroine, Kate Beckinsale’s Selene. In the first film she’s a vampire looking to destroy the werewolves that killed her family, but she ends up uncovering a major secret about the two sets of creatures and falling in love with a human, instead.

Alicia Silverstone (Vamps)

This 2012 horror comedy sees Alicia Silverstone play Goody, an old vampire who tries to stay young and hip while helping her much younger bloodsucking buddy, Stacy (Krysten Ritter), get used to her powers as they try to abstain from the red stuff during their immortal and unholy (sorta) lives.

Pedro Pascal (Bloodsucking Bastards)

Ever wondered what working in an office that was slowly being overrun by vampires who care as much about the bottom line as they do about drinking blood would be like? Just watch Bloodsucking Bastards, where beloved The Last of Us cast member Pedro Pascal begins turning his employees into the titular immortals.

Jim Carrey (Once Bitten)

Jim Carrey’s first leading role came in this 1985 comedy, where he played a teen virgin turned into a vampire by an alluring, 400-year-old creature of the night, who seduced him so she could use his blood to keep her youthful appearance.

Paul Reubens (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

In the 1992 horror comedy that eventually led to the long-running series of the same name, the late Paul Reubens starred as Amilyn, a vamp doing the bidding of a much more powerful bloodsucker who’s ruling his kind in Los Angeles.

Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood)

While HBO’s True Blood was positively filled with the undead, few of them made as much of an impact on audiences (and the lead, Sookie) as Alexander Skarsgård’s cunning and alluring (but sorta evil) 1,000-year-old Eric Northman. This also happens to be the role that really made Skarsgård famous.

David Boreanaz (Buffy, Angel)

When it comes to popular TV vampires, no one can discount the reign of David Boreanaz as evil vamp turned heroic vamp (and then sometimes evil vamp again) Angel, whom he played on Buffy the Vampire Slayer beginning with the first episode in 1997, through wrapping his run on the fifth season series finale of his own show, Angel, in 2004.

Sterling K. Brown (Supernatural)

Sterling K. Brown may best be known now for delivering heartfelt emotions as Randall Pearson on This Is Us, but for four episodes across Seasons 2 and 3 of the CW mega-hit, Supernatural, he played Hunter and dedicated vamp-hater-turned-vampire, Gordon Walker, to astounding, understandably cold-blooded effect.

Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys)

Even though Kiefer Sutherland was certainly a star on the rise by the time he starred in The Lost Boys in 1987, his part as apparent vampire motorcycle gang leader David cemented his leading man qualities and turned him into a household name.

Rami Malek (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II)

Sure, Bohemian Rhapsody is one of the best Rami Malek movies to watch, but let’s not discount his turn as the powerful (and ancient) Egyptian vampire, Benjamin, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II, one of the few creatures of the night in the franchise who can directly manipulate things, with his specialty being controlling fire, water, air and earth.

Bryce Dallas Howard (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse)

Yet another actor you may have forgotten was fanged in the expansive Twilight franchise is Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard. She took over the role of evil, vengeful vamp Victoria (who’s looking to kill Bella in retaliation for Edward killing her love, James) from Rachelle Lefevre, for the third movie, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive)

As one half of the very old vampire couple at the center of the 2013 dramedy, Only Lovers Left Alive, Tilda Swinton is a wife forced to visit the husband (played by Tom Hiddleston) she’s long been separated from once she realizes his lengthy undead existence has begun to bring him down, as she tries to force him to reevaluate the value of living forever.

Bill Nighy (Underworld, Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans)

Every good vampire needs a parental figure to show them the ropes, and for Underworld’s Selene, that role was filled by Viktor, who was portrayed by Love, Actually star Bill Nighy. His Vampire Elder turned out to be more of a threat than the heroine ever expected, though, leading to some tense moments between Selene and her mentor.

Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker's Dracula) 

Back to Drac! One of the most popular films about the character is still 1992’s Bram Stoker's Dracula, which saw eventual Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban star Gary Oldman play Vlad Dracula.

Christopher Meloni (True Blood)

Where there is one vampire there are generally enough to have a whole hierarchy among their brethren, and as with the series True Blood, sometimes we get to see what that could look like. In Season 5, Law & Order: SVU and Organized Crime star Christopher Meloni portrayed the Guardian, Roman Zimojic, who led the Vampire Authority and (ostensibly) set the rules for all vamps. Many, however, didn’t agree with his desire to have his kind fit in with human society, which caused a lot of problems for the calm, determined and deadly when challenged leader.

Nicolas Cage (Renfield)

If you guessed that this is yet another Dracula story, well, you’re sort of correct. 2023’s horror comedy, Renfield, stars Nicholas Hoult as the count’s titular long-time familiar, who’s tired of helping him kill innocent people and all the abuse he’s taken from the being who gifted him with immortality, as well as super strength and speed (when he eats bugs) 90 years prior. So, he gets help from a support group for people in codependent relationships in order to be able to live his own life again. Nicolas Cage is our Dracula here, and he’s a perfectly winking one, who still manages to be creepy and deadly.

Johnny Depp (Dark Shadows)

Johnny Depp has become known for his outrageous characters, and his Barnabas Collins is no different. The 2012 Dark Shadows film (which was based on the 1966-1971 gothic daytime drama of the same name) follows Barnabas after he’s cursed with vampirism in 1760, buried alive in a coffin, and then accidentally freed in the early 1970s. He rejoins the Collins family at the estate they still hold, while trying to keep his true nature a secret, but hijinks ensue as his past comes back to haunt them. 

This, of course, is just a small sampling of the famous actors who've portrayed vampires over the years, but if you decide to do a vamp movie/TV show marathon, you can start right here and have hours of entertainment.

Despite the show being critically acclaimed and garnering a devoted fan base, Max has canceled Our Flag Means Death after two seasons. The LGTBQ+ pirate romance centered on Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a gentleman-turned-pirate captain of a ragtag crew, with romantic undertones carry both seasons of the show as Stede and Taika Waititi's famed pirate Blackbeard, a.k.a. Ed Teach, navigate their romantic feelings for one another, the series is really a found-family story that reframes our ideas of piracy and aims at making queer relationships and identities less taboo. Understandably, audiences aren't happy that it was forced to walk the plank. 

Creator David Jenkins had the unfortunate job of breaking the news to fans via Instagram, but while his heartfelt statement softened the blow, it did not dissuade the masses from being upset about the tremendous loss. Unlike Ed, they didn’t wallow in their misery and instead got organized. In seemingly no time at all beloved viewers pivoted their renewal campaign into a save the show campaign with an official website, petition, and clever social media hashtags like:  #RenewAsACrew and #SaveOFMD. 

Fans of Our Flag Means Death aren’t the first to launch such efforts to save shows; Manifest was saved by Netflix after viewer-based campaigning followed NBC's cancellation, and fans also helped get Magnum P.I. back on TV after it was axed at CBS. But that just means there's more precedence for optimism, and if there’s one thing the pirate show taught viewers, it's that you should never give up on something you love. 

For many, the show is more than just a comedic pirate romp, it’s an important story about representation and finding a place where you’re allowed to be who you are free of judgment. That’s a huge part as to why fans are so vocal about it getting saved. X User @plumftw said it best, tweeting: 

While many fans share the same sentiment about wanting the show saved to ensure the LGBTQ+ stories introduced continue to be told, other fans are campaigning for other reasons. For example, many fans, like @gendercrowley,  are upset over the fact that they’ll never get to witness Stede and Ed tie the knot. 

Despite a near-perfect Season 2 ending, the series still left many with unanswered questions they were hoping a third season would tie up. Fans were certain that Jenkins would provide those answers if the show was granted a third season, which is why they’re campaigning so hard now. @Victori70961405 summed it up splendidly, saying: 

Despite it being one of Max's best original shows, the powers that be are unlikely to reverse OFMD's cancelation. But fans clearly aren’t letting that discourage them. In fact, they’re already tweeting other streaming services and cable networks begging for them to pick up the show instead. 

Even though the odds are against us, I will definitely be joining the crew for one more battle in the hopes of shaving this historic show. In addition to tweeting your support, consider streaming Our Flag Means Death with a Max subscription to show other companies just how popular the show is. 

Our Flag Means Death has been drawing praise since its 2022 premiere for its comedy and LGBTQ+ pirate romance — two qualities not necessarily often associated with historical fiction — as well as a stellar cast. But after what some thought was a perfect Season 2 finale, creator David Jenkins has taken to social media to announce that the series will not return to Max for a third season. He revealed the Our Flag Means Death cancellation to his sure-to-be-disappointed fans in a good news/bad news scenario.

Season 2 of the historical comedy ended in October with Stede (Rhys Darby) and Ed (Taika Waititi) literally watching the Revenge and its crew sail off into the sunset, and while that was more than satisfying for many fans, there was still plenty of story to tell if Our Flag Means Death had been renewed for a third season. That, unfortunately, won’t come to pass, David Jenkins wrote on Instagram, highlighting the “good news” before addressing the cancellation itself: 

While Our Flag Means Death surely meant a lot to its audience, it seems those behind the show got just as much in return. Without so much support from the fans, a second season may not have been possible, the creator wrote. Then David Jenkins got to the “bad news,” revealing: 

The announcement sparked an outpouring of love and admissions of heartbreak from the loyal viewers, many saying they were “devastated” and hoping a third season might happen somewhere other than Max. Others thanked David Jenkins and company for the queer representation OFMD provided. Jenkins concluded his message with these heartfelt words: 

This news is undoubtedly a huge disappointment, but if you want to relive the first two seasons, you can stream Our Flag Means Death with a Max subscription, and be sure to take a look at our 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming our way soon. 

Ask a fan of the superhero genre what their favorite film from the last 20 years has been – either from Marvel, DC, or an unaffiliated brand – and Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok will receive a lot of love. Following up on the dreadful and miscalculated Thor: The Dark World, Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok took a pendulum swing in the other direction, trading broody Shakespearean melodrama for weird but inspired sci-fi, and incorporating the filmmaker’s dry sarcasm. At the time, Waititi’s contributions to the Thor franchise was the breath of fresh air Marvel needed with that character. There’s a reason why the movie ranks high on our list of Marvel Studios movies, ranked. That air grew stale with Waititi’s follow up sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, and now I’m beginning to understand why.

In a recent interview with the SmartLess podcast, Taika Waititi opened up about his time in the MCU, and he doesn’t come across as super appreciative. Waititi helmed two Thor films with Chris Hemsworth, which are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription and are essential to any viewing of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in order. Though Waititi has the new sports comedy Next Goal Wins in theaters at the moment, he has dipped his fingers into the Marvel and Star Wars pots, and is no stranger to franchise work. But as he explained to the podcast hosts, he thought of his initial Marvel assignment as a paycheck gig. He said:

And you know what? He’s right. Franchise movies absolutely are ideal for paying one’s bills. And in no way, shape, or form is Taika Waititi the first (or last) Hollywood employee to take a job because it’s just that: a job. And the director has opened up about the fact that he essentially lied to Marvel during the interview process, convincing them that he could do things on the set that he hadn’t done before. And sometimes, that’s magic. Bring in someone who knows nothing about the source material, filter it through their own unique eye, and see how it plays. And it worked! 

Did Taika Waititi end up staying with the series because he now understood Thor, and knew how to move him forward in new and exciting ways? I wish. As mentioned, I have little issue with Waititi taking a Marvel offer for the paycheck, particularly to put food on the table for his family. Who would ever take issue with that? It’s the next thing Waititi said that really sours me on his continuation with Thor. As the writer-director explained:

I listened to the comments in context, and even tried to apply Waititi’s self-deprecating, cavalier sense of humor so as not to read to deeply. And I take away the fact that Waititi hated Thor. The comic character, as he states, physically made him ill. He was “baffled” by the character, and didn’t seem all that interested in figuring him out. As Waititi says, in the cringiest way possible, superheroes weren’t in his career plan as an auteur (now I’m saying “ugh” and rolling my eyes). But he tried it, for the paycheck.

What bothers me more than anything else is that this “auteur,” this allegedly pure storyteller who prides himself on heartfelt cinema such as Jojo Rabbit or Hunt for the Wilderpeople, kept doing it. And in the process, took a gig from a filmmaker who actually might enjoy Thor. Who actually might realize that he’s more than – checks notes – a “billionaire” who “lives in space” and “looks ridiculous.” (Seriously, what the hell was Waititi looking at?) And who might have delivered a Thor movie that rose to the level of Thor: Ragnarok, simply because he or she legitimately cared. 

A lot of Taika Waititi’s shtick in interviews is this aloof, too-cool-for-the-room demeanor. So maybe he’s putting this thicker layer of skin on to deflect from the half-hearted reception Thor: Love and Thunder received. (The movie sits at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a meager 76% vote from audiences.) And again, I appreciate his candor in admitting that his Marvel stint was purely paycheck. 

But I’m someone who remains pot committed to the MCU, and I feel every feature released by the studio SHOULD have value. And like a lot of you, I think Marvel has become a little lax in their quality control on the recent films and Disney+ shows. Having dug deeply into the Infinity Saga for a recent feature on Captain America, and was struck (again) at the attention to detail, the rich characterization, and the care that went into Marvel storytelling. It has been absent as of late, and it has me worried about upcoming Marvel movies. Did Marvel play too fast and loose by allowing directors like Waititi – who didn’t understand their characters, and confess to not caring about understanding them – drive the bus? If even for one movie, allowing a storyteller to approach the MCU with a cavalier, self-proclaimed “ugh” attitude is heartbreaking. What should we care if the filmmakers responsible for the latest Marvel movie can’t, won’t, or don’t? 

Taika Waititi’s comments annoy me for these reasons. He’s entitled to take a job for the paycheck, of course. If Marvel was willing to give him millions to churn out a Thor sequel he didn’t care about because he viewed it as a paycheck, shame on them. What else would Marvel expect to receive in the end if they hire a filmmaker who admits to being “baffled” by the character? Why wouldn’t they hire the best person for the assignment? This is an issue facing Marvel as they shuffle potential directors on upcoming Avengers movies, hire new writers for Phase 5 and 6 movies, and try to restore order amidst the chaos caused by handing the keys over to apathetic filmmakers like Waititi in the first place. 

Of all the film series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Thor franchise is arguably the one that’s evolved the most over time. Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 entry kicked it off with a somewhat Shakespearean-esque tale and motif. And later on, Game of Thrones alum Alan Taylor injected the 2013 sequel, The Dark World, with an aesthetic that felt like a much lighter variation of the HBO show. The God of Thunder truly seemed to find his footing, however, when indie director Taika Waititi was hired to direct 2017’s Ragnarok. At the time, Waititi seemed like an unusual choice for the gig and, now, he’s explained why he took on the job despite having had “no interest” prior to landing the movie. And his answer is very relatable. 

The New Zealand native had a few notable films to his name before he opted to enter the massive MCU. What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople were arguably his most acclaimed productions at that time. While those films are delightfully quirky and entertaining, they don’t exactly scream “superhero epic.” Taika Waititi recently appeared on the SmartLess Podcast, during which co-host Jason Bateman asked him what prompted him to make the jump to the Disney-owned studio. When responding, Waititi spelled out a clear reason – money: 

Some may scoff at the notion of the Boy director only choosing to put his mark on the massive IP because of cash. However, is it really so bad that he simply wanted to provide some sort of financial cushion for himself and his kids? A number of people can probably relate to such a desire. At the end of the day, it’s wonderful whenever a filmmaker gets to work on something they’re passionate about. They also have to eat, though, and what’s proven to be true time and time again is that Disney is a company that’ll feed you, financially speaking. 

Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios’ gamble on Taika Waititi eventually proved to be beneficial. Thor: Ragnarok was a smash hit at the box office when it opened in theaters in November 2017 and set new monetary benchmarks for the Chris Hemsworth-led series. It’s honestly somewhat amazing that the cosmic romp worked as well as it did, especially considering Waititi’s lack of knowledge at the onset. In the past, Waititi explained what he thought he could bring to the fictional universe and, during his recent podcast interview, he discussed how he got honest about trying to prep for the threequel: 

The filmmaker also explained that he viewed the Asgardian prince as a “rich kid,” who happened to live in space - which isn’t really inaccurate. For the most part, fans seemed to take to his funnier take on the hero in Ragnarok. His second MCU effort, Thor: Love and Thunder, received more mixed reviews, though. The film – which made Chris Hemsworth one of the highest paid MCU actors – was chastised for having an uneven story, subpar visual effects and more. 

Taika Waititi recently told Business Insider that a fifth movie in the series is in active development, though he apparently won’t be involved. That may be for the best as, if the Asgardian warrior is returning for another bout, it may be time for a creative refresh. Also, Waititi has more than left a lasting mark on the films – and surely earned enough cash so that he can keep feeding his kids and making movies.

The director’s latest film, Next Goal Wins, is now playing in theaters alongside other 2023 new movie releases. You can also stream the Thor movies and other MCU installments using a Disney+ subscription.

Next Goal Wins, writer/director Taika Waititi’s latest film effort, is finally in theaters all over the world. The film tells the true story of American Samoa’s soccer team overcoming their significant dry spell after famously losing a FIFA game 31-0 in 2001. That wasn’t the only way that the American Somoan team made history, as their own Jaiyah Saelua is the first trans woman to compete in a men's FIFA World Cup qualifier. Although she’s beautifully portrayed by Kaimana in the film, it was Jaiyah Saelua herself who joined Taika Waititi for the Next Goal Wins press tour, and it was done with the intention of educating the masses.

When I asked Jaiyah on behalf of CinemaBlend about having her story told on perhaps the biggest platform American Samoa’s trans population has ever had, she told me this:

Faʻafafine are people who identify as having a third gender or non-binary role in American Samoa. It’s fair to say that most Americans aren’t even aware that the Faʻafafine exist, so the fact that Jaiyah has taken it upon herself to educate communities by utilizing the film’s press is admirable. While Taika Waititi did mention that his football knowledge is still at an all-time low, American awareness of American Samoa culture and Faʻafafine is certainly about to be at an all time high. 

Next Goal Wins is something of a departure for Taika Waititi, as it’s completely family-friendly. Our own Eric Eisenberg referred to it as “charming, warm and funny” in his official Next Goal Wins review. Not only is there a positive message at the heart of the movie, but after some massive delays, we’re lucky the film came out at all. The Armie Hammer controversy led to his role of Alex Magnussen, an antagonistic sports executive in the film, being recast with Will Arnett. Recasting has become a common trend with Hammer’s projects, and in this case, Arnett’s role was even expanded after he stepped in. In the end, the film finally made its way to theaters, and helped to tell Jaiyah Saelua's story.

You can inform yourself about Faʻafafine and American Samoa itself by checking out Next Goal Wins in theaters right now! While the 2023 release schedule may be soon coming to a close, we’ll keep you updated on everything coming to theaters in 2024 and beyond!

Next Goal Wins, Taika Waititi’s first original, non-franchise film since 2019’s Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit, is finally in theaters. The movie is about football, or soccer for us Americans, and given that Waititi seems rather particular about the projects he takes on, one would assume he has immersed himself in the world of the sport. As it turns out, that isn’t quite the case. Not only does he consider his soccer knowledge to be at an “all time low,” but he hasn’t seen some pivotal, modern soccer shows that American audiences are absolutely crazy about, including Ted Lasso. 

When I spoke with the filmmaker about Next Goal Wins, I confessed that my soccer knowledge is essentially limited to the massively popular shows Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham. Consequently, said knowledge is at an all time high, despite how limited that may be. His brutally honest response surprised me:

Taika Waititi has never seen Ted Lasso or Welcome to Wrexham! I would officially like to offer Jason Seudekis, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds my condolences. 

It’s no secret that Ted Lasso has become a cultural phenomenon, and is often considered the one of the best Apple TV+ shows to watch. The fact that Taika Waititi has successfully avoided it, especially when doing research for Next Goal Wins, is pretty shocking. Then there’s Welcome to Wrexham, another American television show taking the world by storm. It even publicly reunited Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, and given that Taika has found success within the same universe as the two actors, one would think that he’d stumble across the show. 

To his point, he comes from a rugby nation, and he may just be as ignorant towards European football as I am. He did, however, note that he believes Netflix’s Beckham to be the best documentary of the year. This would make sense, as the docuseries is more so focused on David Beckham’s personal life, his relationship with Victoria Beckham and the costly ways he kept their budding love afloat. So the man knows a ton about David Beckham, at this point, but not a lot about the sport itself. 

Next Goal Wins does capture the heart and spirit of soccer, regardless. Despite Taika Waititi's honest assertion of his own lack of knowledge, he must have been working with the right people. Our own Eric Eisenberg referred to it as being “fun,” and “family-friendly” in his Next Goal Wins review, which is something of a departure for the irreverent filmmaker. 

Even though he’s back to making originals, Waititi is still teasing his upcoming Star Wars film, so we’ll keep you updated as that progresses. In the meantime, drag your butt to a movie theater and see Next Goal Wins! Things are ramping up in Hollywood, and there’s plenty more to come down the rest of our 2023 release schedule.

As an elder millennial who grew up playing and watching baseball, basketball, football, soccer and more, I have strong feelings of nostalgia tied to the family-friendly sports movies of the 1980s and 1990s. The Mighty Ducks. The Sandlot. The Big Green. Little Giants. Ladybugs. Little Big League. Rookie Of The Year. Cool Runnings. Angels In The Outfield. These were all movies that frequently came home from the video store in my household and were watched over and over again.

It was with these movies in mind that I set my expectations for Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins. I prepared myself to watch a classic underdog story filled with colorful characters and more heart than creativity. Living up to expectations, that is ultimately what the movie delivers… but that’s pretty much all it has, and it’s a disappointing result given Waititi’s excellent track record.

The movie is charming, warm, funny and has verisimilitude granted from being inspired by a true story, but it also feels slight and has the wonderful flavor that Waititi typically brings to his work watered down by tropes and lacking depth. It brings together all of the traditional pieces of a classic family-friendly sports movie, but it doesn’t end up doing more than the expected with them.

With his eighth feature as a director, Taika Waititi tells the story of the American Samoa national football team, which spent years as a punchline in the sport after a disastrous 2001 World Cup qualifying match against Australia that saw them defeated by a score of 31-0. They never managed to score a goal in international play, but a decade after their most notorious game, Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) arrived to lead the squad.

As depicted in the movie, it’s not a job that Thomas wants – he is given the choice to either coach the team or no longer be a part of the sport – and he accepts the position begrudgingly. On top of being a fish out of water in the island community, he is regularly driven to rage-fueled temper tantrums when he is outraged by his players’ lacking skills, and it leads him to drink heavily. Still, however, he gets the unending support of the ever-positive team president Tavita (Oscar Kightley), and over the course of four weeks, everyone works together and trains towards achieving a shared objective: scoring just a single goal the forthcoming World Cup qualifying matches.

Next Goal Wins puts too much focus on Michael Fassbender's Thomas Rongen

Playing with heaps of irascibility and shades of Emilio Estevez’s Gordon Bombay and Walter Matthau’s Morris Buttermaker, Thomas Rongen is far and away the most well-defined character in Next Goal Wins… and that’s meant to register as a mixed complement. He has a litany of issues – including, but not limited to, anger management problems and lingering feelings for his ex-wife (Elisabeth Moss) – he has clear personal motivation and ambition, and connecting those two things ultimately delivers a full arc (albeit one with some awkward pacing built in). Michael Fassbender doesn’t get the biggest laughs in the film, but he has a collection of funny lines and reactions and plays the hell out of Thomas’ moments of blinding rage.

The problem with Thomas’ prominence is that the rest of the ensemble cast gets shortchanged, specifically the American-Samoan characters. Tavita is an exception – as the movie provides us with some insight into his family life, and there is a solid running joke regarding him having multiple occupations – and the same is true for Kaimana's Jaiyah Saelua, who is given a special spotlight in the story as the first transgender player to compete in a World Cup game. Unfortunately, everyone else is basically a background player.

Trite, but effective, sports movies typically provide supporting characters with a single standout trait that makes them unique in the cast and sets up some kind of signature moment, but audiences won’t find any of that tradition in Next Goal Wins, and it’s missed. It’s a strange thing, because while there are setups for that kind of material – like the former coach, Ace (David Fane), identifying members of the team for Thomas and a recruitment montage – the follow-through is weak. The movie uncovers the most potential with Uli Latukefu's Nicky Salapu, the team goalie who retired after the 31-0 loss, but it’s a part of the story that’s not anywhere near as substantial as it could be.

Intermittently funny, Next Goal Wins lets tropes overshadow Taika Waititi's unique filmmaking voice.

In addition to wanting more from the players, the underdeveloped players also have another side effect that ends up undercutting the humor. There is a certain meta sensibility that Taika Waititi instills in the film (beginning with a fourth wall-breaking monologue he personally delivers acknowledging embellishments to the true story), and that includes lampshading familiar elements of white saviorism. There are funny scenes where Tavita and his wife (Rachel House) actively manipulate Thomas into thinking that he is the team’s white savior, but that touch ends up being far too light.

That’s the kind of irreverent humor we’ve come to expect from Taika Waititi’s filmmaking voice, and there’s just not enough of it in general in Next Goal Wins. There are flashes of it that surprise – like a bit of shocking violence during the aforementioned recruitment montage and Thomas quickly cycling through the five stages of grief when given the word that he’s being shipped off to American Samoa – but there’s only enough to be frustrating. The drama is solid, and it’s worth noting that Waititi’s best films (Boy, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Jojo Rabbit) brilliantly balance tones, but this one isn’t up to the set standard.

If I were to revisit all of the movies I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I’m sure I would discover a mixed bag in terms of quality – with nostalgia doing quite a lot of heavy lifting for certain titles paving over blatant flaws. An enjoyable-though-too traditional diversion, Next Goal Wins is a feature that slots in well into that mix, even with the letdowns that come with expecting more from its writer/director.

While there are a number of big sci-fi franchises, Star Wars’ iconography and fandom is on another level. Generations grew up with the galaxy far far away, and those fans are eager to learn about what’s coming with upcoming Star Wars movies. While Lucasfilm has announced its plans for a new trilogy, there are some other announced Star Wars projects. That includes Taika Waititi’s flick, and his latest tease for the movie is so on brand.

Waititi became a household name thanks to his work on Thor: Ragnarok, which was quickly followed up by the Oscar-winning movie Jojo Rabbit. He’s reportedly not going to work on another Thor movie, which should open up his schedule to develop a Star Wars installment. Taika Waititi was recently asked by Variety about what to expect from that blockbuster, saying:

Well, that’s one way of putting it. Taika Waititi is known for his signature style and sense of humor. It sounds like he’s going to be putting his own spin on the Star Wars galaxy. And he’s expecting to ruffle some feathers along the way. Sign me up!

Waititi’s comments to Variety were at the premiere of his new movie Next Goal Wins. Like so many interviews he’s had in recent years, the conversation eventually turned to his forthcoming Star Wars movie. The WGA strike no doubt slowed down its development, but the Oscar winner is determined to make the type of movie he’s interested in.

While Taika Waititi thinks that he’s going to piss off moviegoers with his Star Wars movie, I actually think he’s the perfect man for the job. He’s already got experience in the franchise, as Waititi directed an episode of The Mandalorian, where he also played the role of  IG-11. Although perhaps this intimate knowledge of the franchise is why he’s so certain that some fans aren’t going to be happy with what he brings to the table.

As previously mentioned, Waititi does have a signature sense of humor/sensibility as a filmmaker that we’ve seen throughout his career. He brought new life to the Thor franchise with Ragnarok, which was much zanier and funnier than its predecessors. And since the Skywalker Saga is officially over, he should have more freedom to bring a new tone to Star Wars.

It’s currently unclear when a new Star Wars movie will hit theaters, but new TV content will continue arriving for those with a Disney+ subscription. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Armie Hammer had a prominent acting career gaining wide recognition in The Social Network and a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Call Me By Your Name. But January 2021 changed everything for him when an anonymous Instagram account House of Elfie made allegations about leaked messages Hammer allegedly sent that involved cannibalistic requests. As these rumors led Hammer to drop out of many upcoming projects, Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins is the next movie to repeat this controversial trend.

Last January, an anonymous Instagram account House of Elfie claimed that Armie Hammer sent her DMs requesting graphic, sexual activity with hints of cannibalism. The Social Network actor denied the accusations, calling them “bullshit claims.” The controversy towards the acclaimed actor didn’t stop there as sexual assault allegations against Hammer followed, with one woman saying she reportedly suffered violent abuse from Hammer and thought he was going to kill her. Another accuser told Page Six she was reportedly subjected to emotional abuse from the J. Edgar actor and attended a PTSD hospitalization program as a result of the relationship. Following the allegations, Hammer dropped out of many film projects, with his next one being Taika Waititi’s latest movie.

Armie Hammer Was Originally Supposed To Be In Next Goal Wins 

One of Armie Hammer’s upcoming movies was Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins based on the true story of the American Samoa national football team trying to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. According to Deadline, Arrested Development’s Will Arnett has replaced Hammer’s role as the team’s executive Alex Magnussen. Whereas Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World had the then-accused Kevin Spacey completely replaced by Christopher Plummer weeks before the movie’s release, Arnett’s new role was instead expanded. Hammer’s role was originally supposed to be just a cameo appearance before Arnett stepped in. 

Armie Hammer reportedly had to drop out of the project due to the American actor not being available for reshoots. It’s possible that Hammer’s unavailability could have also arisen from news that came not long after that Hammer completed a rehab program in Orlando, Florida. Sources claimed the actor had been in the facility for nine months and was doing fine, but wanted to leave to return to his family. Fortunately, Arnett was able to successfully reshoot his scenes for the new role. 

The Role Getting Recast Is Part Of a Trend Of Armie Hammer’s

Next Goal Wins is just one of the movies that Armie Hammer had to drop out of amongst the personal scandals he went through. He reportedly first left the action rom-com Shotgun Wedding feeling the need to stay with his kids while the allegations occurred, rather than shooting a movie in the Dominican Republic. Hammer’s role as Jennifer Lopez’s leading man Tom Fowler was officially replaced by Josh Duhamel. Then, Hammer dropped out of the Cold War drama Billion Dollar Spy where he would have co-starred with Mads Mikkelsen. 

Next in line with Armie Hammer’s projects was the Sean Penn drama Gaslit co-starring Julia Roberts telling the story of the Watergate Scandal. Hammer was set to play White House counsel member John Dean conflicted about lying to protect the president. The role was replaced by Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens with reasons apparently having nothing to do with Hammer's cannibal text allegation scandals. It was due to scheduling conflicts to be a leading man in the Paramount+ series The Offer which Hammer no longer became a part of either. The final project no longer starring the On the Basis of Sex actor was the Broadway show The Minutes which Hammer said he needed to exit to focus on himself, his health, and be with his family.

Based on the trailer for Next Goal Wins, the American Samoa national football team was considered one of the weakest football teams out there. In order to recover from the brutal 2001 FIFA match, a new coach, played by Michael Fassbender, plans to get this team into top shape for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This may be one of the many projects of Armie Hammer’s absence, but the comedy stylings of Will Arnett should help audiences enjoy themselves watching the biographical sports dramedy. You can watch this 2023 movie release in theaters on November 17th. 

Chris Hemsworth’s Thor hit a major milestone last year, as he became the first Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero to lead a film series lasting longer than a trilogy. The God of Thunder’s fourth solo outing, Thor: Love and Thunder, saw him facing off against Christian Bale’s Gorr and fighting alongside Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, his ex-girlfriend who wielding the reconstructed Mjolnir as The Mighty Thor. As things currently stand, Thor 5 isn’t confirmed to be one of the upcoming Marvel movies, but even so, filmmaker Taika Waititi has already set a major goal for the villain of this hypothetical project.

After successfully helming Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi reprised his directorial duties for Thor: Love and Thunder, as well as co-wrote the script with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. He was among the subjects interviewed for Thor: Love and Thunder The Official Movie Special, and in an excerpt for the upcoming book (via ScreenRant), he explained that he wants the baddie, whoever it ends up being, to be more powerful than Cate Blanchett’s Hela:

There’s no question that Hela is one of the strongest MCU villains, because although Thor Odinson was briefly able to put up a decent fight against her in Ragnarok when he unlocked the true potential of his lightning powers (and after losing his eye just a few minutes earlier), she still wiped the floor with him. It was only when the towering Fire Demon known as Surtur was reborn that the Asgardian Goddess of Death was finally killed, though it came at the cost of Asgard itself. So Taika Waititi wanting to unleash someone even more powerful than Hela in Thor 5 is a lofty goal, though that begs a question: would Thor somehow be able to take down this opponent on his own, or would he once again have to rely on someone/something else to vanquish them?

Waititi didn’t elaborate on who he’s considering for Thor 5, if anyone, but he did add that continuing to pit Chris Hemsowrth’s protagonist against “more and more outlandish and crazy beasts, monsters and aliens” stays true to both the Marvel Comics version of the character and his original mythology. Hemsworth said in June that he’s game to continue playing Thor in the MCU, provided that’s what the audience wants and he, Waititi and the rest of the team can keep things “a little unpredictable.” Utilizing such a powerful villain could be a good way to accomplish this, though considering the flak Hemsworth’s kids gave him for Love and Thunder’s humor, going in a darker direction may also be up for consideration.

In any case, if any official word comes in about Thor 5, we’ll let you know about it. Until then, stream the God of Thunder’s past cinematic adventures with your Disney+ subscription and check out Taika Waititi’s next movie, Next Goal Wins, in theaters on November 17.

Over the last year, Taika Waititi and Rita Ora have been pretty hush-hush about their wedding. The two got married one year ago, after being engaged for a few weeks. However, they didn’t talk about it publically for a long time, which led to lots of rumors about the singer and director tying the knot. Eventually, they confirmed their nuptials, and now, to celebrate their first anniversary, Vogue published a gorgeous gallery of images and videos giving us a sneak peek into their intimate and on-brand wedding. 

Based on Rita Ora and Taika Waititi’s sense of style and a seemingly shared sense of humor, it looks like this wedding was their dream come true. In one of the galleries Vogue Weddings posted on Instagram, it highlighted both of these things. The couple was dressed to the nines, and looked like Old Hollywood legends, while their goofiness was also on full display – especially when you see the message iced onto their cake in image number three and the final photo of Ora singing with an Elvis impersonator.

Everything about this gallery is perfection, especially when it comes to the fashion. Ora’s Tom Ford one-shoulder dress is detailed, form-fitting, and so unique. Meanwhile, Waititi rocked a classy double-breasted black suit with vertical stripes. 

The pop star is a fashion icon, from rocking a sheer dress and see-through gloves to the beaded vest she wore last spring, she’s always looking fab. When it came to her beautiful wedding dress, not only did it fit her style, it was found in an impromptu way, because of the short window between their engagement and wedding. She explained there wasn’t much planning that went into their ceremony, so she just went into Tom Ford’s shop to look for a dress, and then fate came to the rescue as she told Vogue:

Honestly, this quote makes me even more obsessed with this special moment. Ora is quite literally glowing in this dress, and she looks overjoyed about everything in this adorable video Vouge Weddings posted:

In another post about the ceremony, the Jojo Rabbit director noted that their ceremony “was beautiful” and “super simple.” It wasn’t a big deal, they gathered their closest loved ones and they planned it on a whim. In the end, they both spoke about how it felt like the perfect way to celebrate their union. 

As this beautiful and goofy couple celebrates their one-year anniversary, they also both have projects we can all look forward to as well. Ora’s latest album, You and I, is out now, and make sure to check out the 2023 movie schedule so you don’t miss Waititi’s latest film Next Goal Wins, which should hit theaters on November 17.

Next year we’ll see Deadpool make his big-screen Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. Right now, we have little idea what all that is going to look like, once it happens, it will open up the Merc with a Mouth to potentially working with all the other great talent that has become part of the MCU both in front of the camera and behind it. A movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively directed by Taika Waititi sounds like something that was meant to be. Until then, they can still collaborate on beverages.

Drinks are apparently a big deal in the Ryan Reynolds/Blake Lively household. He has his Aviator Gin, while she just launched Betty Booze, a line of sparkling cocktails to go along with her Betty Buzz mixers. Lively posted about her new product on Instagram and one person who is very interested in trying it, with his own coffee, is Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi. 

In fact, he suggested bringing his coffee brand, Taika, together with Reynolds’ Gin and Lively’s cocktails. Lively in turn, suggested that the three could collaborate on just about anything, not simply drinks, though drinks are good too. The exchange went…

• Taika Waititi: I'm gonna mix this with my coffee and see what happens. May as well chuck in Ryan's gin while we're at it. #colab
• Lively: Why has no one else has ever thought of you, me and [Ryan Reynolds] collabing on anything before, ever, on anything at all. Oh well. The world’s loss.Can’t wait to try your [Taika] coffee tho.

Drinks are a popular side hustle for many celebrities. Cameron Diaz has her wine. Dwayne Johnson has both a tequila line and an energy drink. Hugh Jackman has a coffee brand (just like Taika Waititi!) If you wanted, you could probably fill your home with only celebrity beverages, so maybe drinking Taika Waititi coffee with a Blake Lively cocktail isn’t that wild an idea.

But honestly, a real collab, with Taika Waititi directing a movie or other project with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds sounds amazing. Lively is right that it’s shocking that nobody has suggested such a collaboration before. Reynolds and Lively haven’t been in a movie together since the ill-fated Green Lantern. Reynolds and Waititi were in the movie Free Guy together, though they never shared the screen. The two did put together a great promo for Free Guy with Deadpool and Korg though.

Considering Taika Waititi’s sense of humor, and the sort of characters that Ryan Reynolds tends to enjoy playing, seeing the one direct the other feels like it would be magic. Throw in Lively, who Reynolds has actual, real, chemistry with, and we could end up with a project that’s something special. 

Make this happen Hollywood. And we can all watch it while drinking coffee cocktails, the perfect collab.

The MCU is a behemoth force in the film world, with a number of new releases arriving every year. We’re currently in the midst of Phase Five, which began with projects like Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder. That blockbuster marked the first time that a superhero was given a fourth solo movie, although it somewhat failed to live up to the expectations set by Ragnarok. And Chris Hemsworth recently revealed that he caught flak from his kids and friends over Thor 4.

Those who have been watching the Marvel movies in order were hyped for Thor: Love and Thunder, which included the Guardians and brought the return of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. Add in Christian Bale and Mighty Thor, and fans were hyped. But the final result got some criticism… including some that came from Chris Hemsworth’s loved ones. He recently spoke to GQ and shared their reaction, saying:

One thing you can count on with kids is truth bombs… even if you don’t want them. And it looks like Chris Hemsworth’s friends and family didn’t mince their words once Thor: Love and Thunder was finally released. Since it was a highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie ahead of hitting theaters, perhaps that's why they (and other fans) had such a strong reaction. 

Part of why audiences seemed to respond so strongly to Thor: Ragnarok was because of the way the movie balanced the main story and Taika Waititi’s signature sense of humor. While Love and Thunder brought emotion thanks to Jane’s cancer storyline and Gorr’s tragic backstory, the comedy beats felt like much more of the focus. Later in that same interview, Chris Hemsworth addressed the struggles of finding that balance, offering:

In the end, Thor: Love and Thunder performed great at the box office, while it got some criticism for its tonal inconsistencies and visual effects. That seems to be the feedback that Chris Hemsworth himself got as well. And fans are wondering about the future of the franchise, and his ongoing role as Thor in the MCU.

The end of Thor 4 saw the title character becoming a father to Gorr’s daughter Love. This is a huge change for the character, and they were shown teaming up for some superheroic adventures. It’s unclear if a fifth movie is coming, or when we might see Hemsworth return to the MCU. Although the most obvious choice seems to be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Fingers crossed.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. As for Chris Hemsworth, his action sequel Extraction 2 hits Netflix on June 16th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Rita Ora is just one of the many celebrities to make the sheer fashion trend look anything but invisible. After all, actress Florence Pugh broke the internet recently with her sheer pink Valentino gown that left fans with praiseworthy reactions. Now it’s Rita Ora’s turn as she shows off her rocking sheer dress with its matching gloves which has left me completely obsessed with it.

This English singer/songwriter/actress clearly knows that if a look works for you, continue to go with it. Other than Florence Pugh, many female celebrities have been going with the sheer look like Anne Hathaway jumping on the see-through gown trend for her red carpet premiere of She Came to Me and Rachel Brosnahan wearing a sheer dress to the Met Gala this year. Today Rita Ora posted on her Instagram Stories some photos promoting her new album You & I wearing a sheer dress and matching see-through gloves that make me wish I had an outfit like that in my closet. Take a look at this eye-piercing fashion trend below.

High-rise gloves truly do complete an outfit. To me, it’s a great throwback to the flapper girl days in the 1920s back when some women refused to leave the house without this perfect accessory. All eyes would be looking at those hands, and folks wouldn't be able to help but be expressive with them as an excuse to show off those chic gloves. This wouldn’t be the first time Rita Ora has rocked the sheer ensemble look. She first owned the see-through dress look at the beginning of the year during her performance at the Heaven Nightclub in London. Then in March, Ora rocked a beaded see-through vest to the beach that could potentially be this summer’s latest summer trend. So if she’s going to spend all day promoting her latest album, she might as well work her outfit in a way that’s been known to compliment her well.

As you can see in another photo below, what also goes well with those gloves is the sleeveless maxi dress Rita Ora is wearing with it, revealing a strapless bra and underwear underneath. You can tell a lot of creativity was put in this dress with its drawstring ties and twisted seams making this fashion apparel look like a work of art. You can see for yourself why I can’t stop looking at the Fifty Shades of Grey actress tussling her hair in this full-length shot of the sheer dress down below:

Another reason for Rita Ora to take such pride in promoting You & I is because of the work she and her director husband Taika Waititi put in for one of her music videos off the album. This loving couple, who secretly got married in a private ceremony in the summer of 2022, worked together for the music video "Praising You," which Waititi directed. For someone who had experience directing music videos for the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, this New Zealand director absolutely had his work cut out for him in his wife’s new video which is a take on Fatboy Slim’s hit single. In her video, we see Ora as a nervous dancer prepping her dance team to wow Fatboy Slim himself as they perform the re-worked "Praising You" song and dance for him. Initially unimpressed, he, of course, came around by the song’s finale. Ora and Waititi are clearly a dream team and all the more reason why she needs to use the Jojo Rabbit director for more of her music videos.

With her latest album coming out on July 14th, a creative director husband to collaborate with, and a rocking sheer dress with gloves to match, Rita Ora has clearly got it made. I may not be able to find a dress like that anywhere in my area, but it is worth seeing if I can at least include sheer gloves in my wardrobe. Take a look at our 2023 movie releases so you don’t miss when Ora and Taika Waititi make their way to the big screen again.

Among the big news items to come from Star Wars Celebration last month was Lucasfilm revealing its concrete Star Wars movie plans for the coming years, with some interesting titles finally confirmed for the masses. But there are a handful of other upcoming Star Wars movies that are still in development, including the feature that filmmaker Taika Waititi is writing and set to direct. However, word’s come in that Waititi looks to have found his next movie, which begs the question: where do things stand with his work in a galaxy far, far away?

Nearly a year after the release of Thor: Love and Thunder, and half a year ahead of the already-filmed Next Goal Wins (which dropped its first trailer last week) coming out, Deadline reports that Waititi is in negotiations to direct Klara and the Sun, a film adaptation of the same-named 2021 New York Times-bestselling novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, for Sony 3000 Pictures. David Waller is writing the project’s screenplay, and David Heyman already attached to produce the film for Heyday Films, with Waititi and Garrett Basch also in talks to carry out producing duties.

Klara and the Sun follows a robot girl named Klara who’s created to prevent teenagers from getting lonely, with the main story seeing her trying to save a family of humans from heartbreak. The articles notes that the role of Klara will be “one of the more sought-after parts for actresses in their 20s” given how popular Ishiguro’s body of work is; other novels he’s published over the decades include The Remains of the Day, When We Were Orphans and Never Let Me Go. Assuming Taika Waititi signs on the dotted line, this will be his ninth time directing a movie, with his other filmmaking credits including What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit.

This film adaptation of Klara and the Sun certainly sounds like an interesting project for Waititi to tackle, but if this is next on his agenda, then what does that mean for the Star Wars movie he’s been attached to for three years? Well, Deadline’s “insiders” claim that he’s still “excited” about the movie and is “committed to direct that next year.” In other words, Waititi would spend the rest of 2023, and perhaps a little bit of 2024, putting Klara and the Sun together. Once that’s in the can, then he’d be able to turn his attention back to Star Wars, assuming nothing holds up that project or something else doesn’t catch his eye afterwards.

Originally Taika Waititi was writing his Star Wars movie with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, but during the latest Star Wars Celebration, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy shared that he’s now working on the script by himself, and that the movie would be made “one day.” He admitted last year that he knows he’s “never gonna please the fans,” as well as stated that while he didn’t have the time to read “thousands” of Star Wars books for research, he simply wants to “be able to do something that's like very close to what everyone knows.” At least Waititi already has some Star Wars creative experience under his belt from directing The Mandalorian Season 1 finale, along with voicing the droid IG-11.

We’ll keep you apprised on how things are going with Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie and Klara and the Sun’s progress as more updates come in. For now, Next Goal Wins is slated among the 2023 new movie releases for a November 17 drop, and you can use your Disney+ subscription to stream the Star Wars movies in order.

Representation has been a major topic of discussion within the entertainment industry for some time now, and you could argue that slowly but surely, progress is being made. Pacific Islanders make up just one subset of the population that seeks to have their stories told across multiple mediums. There’s still plenty of work to be done on that front, yet there have been productions in recent years that shed light on Pacifican culture. Part of this is due to the efforts of stars like Jason Momoa, Auliʻi Cravalho and Jason Scott Lee. There are a number of upcoming movies and TV shows on the way as well, including Momoa’s Chief of War series. And, we’re going to take some time to discuss those forthcoming projects. 

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, during which the public celebrates the cultures and gives people a space to speak about their experiences. (Of course, we should do this all year round, too.) So, what better way to kick off this special occasion than by highlighting some of the entertainment offerings that are on the way from talented individuals of Pasifika descent? There are some exciting and intriguing titles on the docket that audiences may want to keep an eye out for, so let’s jump in and talk them out! 

Chief Of War

Announced in the spring of 2022, Chief of War is starting to gain a bit of notice from TV junkees. The drama, which stars and is executive-produced by Jason Momoa, is a historial limited series that opens up at the turn of the 18th century during the war of the four kingdoms of Hawaii. Momoa plays the role of Kaʻiana, a war chieftan who seeks to unite the factions after traveling outside his home and learning of the invaders that threaten their island. Other notable stars within the cast are Star Wars icon Temuera Morrison, The Night Agent’s Luciane Buchanan and Fear the Walking Dead alum Cliff Curtis. 

Production began in October 2022 in New Zealand, with filming also taking place in Momoa’s native Hawaii. (Some locals weren’t too happy, though, due to the shoot causing a lucrative farmer’s market to temporarily close.) This is something of a passion project for the star, who’s proud of his heritage. Amid filming, an open casting call was put out for Hawaiian residents, as the actor is aware that Hollywood has been “inaccessible” for so many people for so long. A release date has yet to be announced for the series, but what is known is that you’ll need an Apple TV+ subscription to check it out.

Lilo & Stitch

Walt Disney Studios has been knee deep in live-action remakes as of late, and one of the latest classic films to get the treatment is Lilo & Stitch. Given the popularity of the 2002 animated film, it was probably only a matter of time before it was chosen for a revamp. The movie was confirmed to be in the works back in 2020, but it really gained new steam after hiring director Dean Fleischer Camp. The filmmaker previously directed Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, and this latest feature will mark his first collaboration with a major studio. 

Lilo & Stitch has also been filling out its cast over the past several months, with the first attached star being comedy fan-fave Zach Galifianakis, who voices Dr. Jumba Jookiba. The lead actress is newcomer Maia Kealoha, who will bring the adorable Lilo to life. Chris Sanders is returning to voice Stitch. Other stars include OG Nani actress Tia Carrere, who plays a different role, Sydney Agudong, Kaipo Dudoit and Courtney B. Vance. Some may be skeptical about a remake but, based on what we know, it seems as though the producers are staying true to the original story. So, if you happen to have a Disney+ subscription, you might want to give it a chance whenever it drops exclusively on the streamer.

Moana

As mentioned, the House of Mouse has a number of high-profile reboots in the works, but I’m not sure a live-action Moana movie announcement was on people’s bingo cards. The critically acclaimed flick did only hit theaters in 2016, after all. Nevertheless, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confirmed the movie in April 2023, and shared a heartfelt message about it. The star – a.k.a. the voice of the demigod Maui – is set to serve as a producer alongside the actress who brought the titular heroine to life, Auliʻi Cravalho. 

The project appears to be in the early stages of development at this point, so not much is known. Reports, however, suggest that The Rock may be reprising his role. Moana was a major step for representation for Pacific Islanders, and one can only hope that this new adaptation builds on that progress. 

Next Goal Wins

Before Taika Waititi directed Thor: Love and Thunder, he helmed another feature film called Next Goal Wins, which is adapted from the 2014 documentary of the same name. The sports dramedy tells the story of the American Samoa national football team, as Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen seeks to turn it into a formidable unit. If you’re aware of the amazing story, then you’ll know that the group ultimately managed to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This is a perfect story for the Oscar winner and will hopefully include a balanced amount of heart, humor, and sports action.

The movie was also filmed in Honolulu and features a cast filled with Pacific Islander actors like David Fane, Oscar Kightley, Uli Latukefu, and Beulah Koale. Also part of the cast are Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, Rhys Darby, and Will Arnett. Waititi, who also co-wrote the script, has some strong ingredients here. As a sports fan, I’ll definitely be heading to the cinema to see this sometime after it opens on November 17 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

Far North

Fans may know Temuera Morrison best for his role as Boba Fett within the Star Wars franchise, but he’s now set to take on another role that’s pretty badass. The veteran actor is leading Far North, a New Zealand-based drama that’s set to debut on Sundance Now. He and fellow veteran performer Robyn Malcolm play an ordinary couple who manage to thwart a massive deal initiated by a crime syndicate in the Pacific. That information is cool enough, but get this: the series is inspired by real-life events.

Joining the two stars on the six-episode series are Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Maaka Pohatu, Fay Tofilau, Xana Tang, Fei Li and Gabriel Chao Ren. We have limited info on the plot, but this crime drama lover is already intrigued. If you are too, keep an eye on the 2023 TV schedule, which is where the release date will be found after it’s confirmed.

The Islands

Peacock has more than a few small-screen productions in development, and one of them is The Islands. Announced in the spring of 2022, the show is described as a crime drama set against the backdrop of 1960s Hawaii. Plot details are scarce at the moment, but the show reportedly puts a significant amount of focus on American Imperialism and the effects it has on people. It’s hard to say what that'll look like exactly, but know that there are some talented creatives putting it all together.

Longtime Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is executive-producing alongside Oscar nominee Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead, Minari, and Beef fame. They’re joined by Eternals scribes Kaz and Ryan Firpo, who are penning the script. As of right now, there’s no indication as to when the show might see the light of day. One would hope that when it does, it’ll be an entertaining piece with a compelling story and some strong Native Hawaiian talent.

Untitled Duke Kahanamoku Biopic

Jason Momoa is one of the busiest stars in Hollywood so it shouldn’t be surprising that he has yet another notable project on this list. The A-lister is planning to produce and star in a sports biopic about legendary athlete Duke Kahanamoku. The revered Hawaiian sportsman won five Olympic medals and is also widely known for popularizing surfing. In the process, he broke down racial barriers and is considered to be a trailblazer.

This movie reunites Momoa with Aquaman producer Peter Safran and, when discussing the project, the EP revealed that he’d long been “fascinated” by Duke Kahanamoku’s story. If you’re someone who enjoys sports movies and/or biopics (like me), then this should be right up your alley. Hopefully, this film gets off the ground, as it has the potential to shed light on an interesting individual. 

There’s definitely a lot to look forward to when it comes to Pacific Islander-led movies and TV shows. Here’s to continued growth in representation and a great Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Among the projects that dropped Armie Hammer, following accusations of sexual misconduct and rape was Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins. The sports dramedy is finally coming out this year and is among this fall’s 2023 new movie releases. The movie stars Michael Fassbender as a down-on-his-luck coach, who finds an unlikely job as the leader of the American Samoa national football team, and the trailer (above) is a delight.

Taika Waititi Is Crafting A Funny-Looking Sports Biopic

As Searchlight Pictures' trailer sets up, Dutch-American soccer coach Thomas Rongen (played by Michael Fassbender) begrudgingly takes a job coaching the American Samoa soccer team following its infamous and brutal 31-0 FIFA loss back in 2001. Set to the tune of ABBA’s “Take A Chance On Me,” the footage shows Rongen going to American Samoa to turn the team around all while he drinks his days away and showing doubts of his team’s capabilities. All the while, his players are humorously leery of him as well.

The movie initially wrapped back in early 2020 but, following the Armie Hammer controversy, the actor's role was recast, with Will Arnett taking over. Deadline reported in December 2021 that Arnett would step in for reported reshoots. This occurred months after Hammer went viral over a cannibal text scandal. Arnett plays an executive at the Football Federation American Samoa, who is shown in the trailer to be breaking some bad news to Michael Fassbender’s Rongen. 

What's Going On With Armie Hammer's Situation?

Armie Hammer's situation led the actor to the actor checking himself into a treatment program, and he currently has a case being reviewed by Los Angeles District Attorney. One couldn't have foreseen such a situation impacting the production, and it has definitely taken longer than expected for this movie to see the light of day. Now that have our first look though, Taika Waititi's feel-good comedy seems like it might be worth the wait.

The Social Network alum's role was supposedly a cameo when the movie was initially filmed but, when Will Arnett, stepped in the role was expanded for him. The soccer movie is one of several productions the embattled actor was involved in before dropping out. For example, amidst the controversy, he was replaced by Josh Duhamel in Shotgun Wedding, which was released on Prime Video in January 2023. He also exited Paramount+’s The Offer, and that premiered back in April 2022.  

That drama aside though, Taika Waititi seems to be on top of his game. He's certainly made a name for himself, between writing and directing the What We Do In The Shadows movie and helming the last two Thor movies. He also directed Jojo Rabbit, which won him the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar in 2020. His latest film is based on the 2014 British documentary of the same name, and it received overwhelmingly positive praise when it was released. Let's hope Waititi's adaptation will be a winner, just like the doc and the team itself

Next Goal Wins makes its long-awaited theatrical debut on November 17.

Rita Ora’s been one of the celebrities championing sheer looks in recent months, and recently she shared a post from a day at the beach in which she rocked an awesome beaded vest. The see-through item is doubtless now on plenty of bucket lists for the summer, and the even better news is there are plenty of similar options out there for fans at varying price points. It’s not the only sheer look she’s shared in recent days, either. 

Ora traveled to Dubai for the opening of ZUHA Island by Zaya this month. While she was there, she shared a slew of snaps featuring some cute looks that definitely have me champing at the bit to be busting out my own summer apparel. The most notable of these was the aforementioned beaded vest that she rocked with nothing underneath. Take a look. 

The outfit had its share of admirers on Instagram, including Netflix star Lindsay Lohan, who sent a vivid red heart emoji. Other influencers praised her anklet in a subsequent pic and her overall beauty, though I suppose they could have been talking about the resort on that front, too. 

What I do like about this see-through vest is how easy it would be to style myriad ways. Ora might have worn this with nothing to accentuate, but it’s exactly the type of apparel that would look great over a bikini or even a tank top. 

The beaded look is certainly going to be around this summer. If you’re a fan, you can get a similar look in places like Free People, which is kicking off its summer line with a super adorable beaded capelet. Sheer beach cover-ups are also in, and are in fact something else the ‘Anywhere’ singer has worn in recent days. 

Sheer looks have been all the rage for a while, and Rachel Zegler and Halle Bailey have worn see-through styles on the red carpet in recent weeks. This time, Ora was more casual with the generally dramatic look, sharing a separate post to her instagram stories, this time showing off her long, flowing hair and a sheer dress.

The singer’s been more in the news in recent months thanks to showing off her wedding ring after her secret wedding to Thor: Ragnarak director Taika Waititi. Outside her secret nuptials, she also has a third album coming, and has been releasing tracks like “You Only Love Me” in recent months. Throw in her high-profile fashion choices of late, and she’s quickly becoming one of the more interesting celebrities to follow on social media.

I'd assume that will only continue as we get closer to her new album's release date. It’s a good thing too, since fellow social fashion aficionado Megan Fox recently shut down her Instagram. 

At present, the future of Star Wars movies is unclear. The last blockbuster from the sci-fi franchise, J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, was released in December 2019, and while the canon has continued to expand thanks to other mediums (most notably with multiple shows on Disney+), we have not learned firm details about projects destined for the big screen. As it turns out, the reason for this may be the fact that two of the features that have been in the development pipeline for a while now are apparently no longer moving forward.

According to a story from The Hollywood Reporter, Lucasfilm is presently not actively developing Rogue Squadron, the project that was set to be made by Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. Additionally, it looks like the studio is also not moving forward with the Star Wars movie set to be produced by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. The report doesn't include firm details about what's happening with Rian Johnson's planned trilogy (which has been in the works for a few years now), but adds that the filmmaker's plate is rather full at the moment thanks to the Benoit Blanc movies and Poker Face on Peacock.

This is obviously a big shake-up, but sources also tell the trade that one project that seems to be safe for now is the movie that is in the works from writer/director Taika Waititi. Little is known about what the film is, but the report does mention that the filmmaker "would most likely have a part in it as well" as an actor.

Another feature that is still turning gears in development is a Star Wars film made by Oscar-winning documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. She has some Disney experience under her belt already, having directed two episodes of the Marvel Studios Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, but she is now said to be contributing to the beloved franchise set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. She is said to be collaborating with screenwriters Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson.

Fans will remember that Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron movie was first announced back in December 2020 during the virtual Disney Investor call event, but it has hit some turbulence since then. While the movie was given a December 2023 release date, the project was put on indefinite hold in November 2021 and it was taken off the calendar. There were signs of life for the blockbuster in an update from Jenkins last December, but now it may be dead.

We first learned about Kevin Feige's mystery Star Wars project back in September 2019, but it too has dealt with rockiness in the development process. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness screenwriter Michael Waldron was brought aboard to write a script, but in May of last year, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said that there wasn't anything "specifically" planned. According to the new trade report, Feige's focus is staying on the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the foreseeable future – including collaborating with Waldron on the script for Avengers: Secret Wars.

For now, Star Wars devotees can enjoy the franchise's original programming on Disney+ – including The Mandalorian, which just began its third season last week. As for what the future will hold, one can make a safe bet that there are going to be a lot of eyes on this year's Star Wars Celebration, which is scheduled to take place in London on April 7-10.

By our count, there are 97 famous faces in the massive, star-studded History of the World, Part II cast — all of whom would be just a little too difficult to cover in one article. So, we decided to narrow our breakdown of who is starring in Mel Brooks’ aptly titled series sequel to his 1981 film, History of the World, Part I, to just the 18 names confirmed in the trailer for the new comedy TV show streaming on Hulu now. Let’s begin with the man who started it all. 

Mel Brooks

We do not know who Mel Brooks is playing in History of the World, Part II, but hope he reprises some of his characters from the original (such as Moses and King Louis XVI), which is just one of the many classic spoof movies (such as Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs) that made him a legend. In more recent years, the Oscar winner (for writing 1967’s The Producers) has mostly done voice acting roles in movies like the Blue Sky favorite, Robots, the Hotel Transylvania movies was Vlad, Toy Story 4 as Melephant Brooks, and the Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank cast as The Shogun.

Ike Barinholtz

Portraying multiple historical figures (including Alexander Graham Bell) is executive producer and former MADtv star Ike Barinholtz, who has also starred in parody movies like Disaster Movie and Vampires Suck, as well as more grounded comedies like Blockers and Neighbors and nuanced, dark satires like The Oath, which he also wrote and directed. The Mindy Project cast member’s career has also grown more eclectic after appearing in thrillers like Suicide Squad (before voicing Two-Face on the DC-inspired podcast, Batman: The Audio Adventures), The Hunt, and Netflix’s fantasy crime drama, Bright.

Nick Kroll

Also taking on multiple roles (such as Judas, according to THR) and executive producing is comedian Nick Kroll, who had his own sketch series called Kroll Show, following his appearances in movies like I Love You, Man and Dinner with Schmucks and his starring role on one of the funniest shows on Hulu, The League. Outside of lending his voice to the new Addams Family movies and the Sing movies, the Emmy-nominated co-creator of Netflix’s Big Mouth has also led a more eclectic career lately that includes joining the Don’t Worry Darling cast and the 2018 historical drama, Operation Finale.

Wanda Sykes

Fellow History of the World, Part II headliner (appearing as Harriet Tubman in one sketch, for instance) and executive producer Wanda Sykes has one of the funniest stand-up specials on Paramount+, is a scene-stealer in movies like Down to Earth, Monster-in-Law, and Clerks II, and stars on a popular Netflix sitcom called The Upshaws. The recent Oscars host was also a highlight of other sitcoms like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The New Adventures of Old Christine and has leant her voice to movies like the Ice Age series and TV shows like Bob’s Burgers.

Pamela Adlon

Pamela Adlon’s career began with a role in 1982’s Grease 2, leading to guest spots in acclaimed sitcoms like Night Court and The Jeffersons, and parts in cinematic favorites like Say Anything… She is best known, however, for her various voice acting roles — such as her Emmy-winning work in the King of the Hill cast as Bobby Hill and Netflix’s Human Resources cast with Kroll — and leading the FX dramedy, Better Things, which she also co-created. 

Zazie Beetz

Appearing as Mary Magdalene (according to Time) is Zazie Beetz, who rose to fame as one of the four main stars of FX’s Atlanta in her Emmy-nominated role as Vanessa. Soon after, the German-American actor earned comic book movie roles (Domino in Deadpool 2 and Joaquin Phoenix’s love interest in Joker), leant her voice to a comic book TV show (Amazon Prime’s Invincible cast), played a disguised assassin in the Bullet Train cast, and is set to appear on Black Mirror Season 6, next.

Jack Black

Jack Black once paid tribute to Mel Brooks at the Kennedy Center Honors by performing a song from Robin Hood: Men in Tights and earned the chance to do so by being one of the most popular comedic actors of his time after starring in movies like High Fidelity and School of Rock — the latter of which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination — to name a few. Some of the actor and musician’s best-known work also includes Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake, director Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, voicing Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and the last couple of Jumanji movies.

Quinta Brunson

Jack Black’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story co-star, Quinta Brunson (she played Oprah), has quickly become one of the most prominent faces in comedy following her Emmy-winning work as the creator and star of Abbott Elementary. Prior to that, she appeared alongside Seth Rogen (more on him later) in HBO Max’s An American Pickle, parodied another era of history on TBS’ third season of Miracle Workers, and also leant her voice to a few episodes of Big Mouth.

Dove Cameron

As Princess Anastasia, we have former Disney Channel star Dove Cameron, who has come quite a long way since rising to fame as both titular roles on Liv and Maddie and Maleficent’s daughter in the Descendants franchise. The star of Vengeance and Good Mourning more recently utilized her talents for acting and singing in Apple TV+’s Schmigadoon! cast.

Danny DeVito

One of the biggest living legends in History of the World, Part II is Danny DeVito, whose eclectic film career includes One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Twins, and Batman Returns (as one of the most iconic Penguin portrayals) — and that is not counting what he has directed, such as Matilda and Death to Smoochy. He is just as much of an icon on TV, having earned an Emmy for playing Louie de Palma on Taxi and starring as Frank Reynolds in the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia cast for 15 seasons so far.

Jay Ellis

Starring as Jesus is Insecure cast member Jay Ellis, who had previously landed his first starring role on a TV series with BET’s The Game. That would lead to an impressive resume of feature-length hits like 2019’s Escape Room, playing Payback in the Top Gun: Maverick cast, and Alison Brie’s love interest in Amazon’s Somebody I Used to Know.

Josh Gad

Starring as William Shakespeare is Josh Gad, who last worked with Mel Brooks on FX’s mockuseries The Comedians, on which he poked fun at his meteoric fame following his Tony-nominated performance in Broadway’s The Book of Mormon and scene-stealing role as Olaf in the Frozen frozen. The star and co-creator of Apple TV+’s Central Park also had a big year in 2017 with Murder on the Orient Express, Marshall, and playing LeFou in the live-action Beauty and the Beast remake, before playing Muncher in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and starring on Avenue Q for HBO.

Johnny Knoxville

After MTV’s Jackass and its subsequent movie spin-offs made him a star, Johnny Knoxville (who plays Rasputin in History of the World, Part II) went on to star in comedies like The Dukes of Hazzard and The Ringer and action movies like Dwayne Johnson’s Walking Tall. More recently, the prankster — also known for voicing Leonardo in the new, live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies — landed his first starring role on a TV series when he joined Hulu’s Reboot cast in 2022.  

Kumail Nanjiani

As the creator of the “Kama Soup-tra,” we have Kumail Nanjiani, who was already well on his way to becoming one of comedy’s biggest names (as co-host of Comedy Central’s The Meltdown) before he and spouse Emily V. Gordon earned Oscar nominations for writing The Big Sick. The Pakistani-born actor and Welcome to Chippendales cast lead has since joined the MCU (he was Kingo in the Eternals cast) and the Star Wars universe (played Haja Estree in the Obi-Wan Kenobi cast).

Seth Rogen

Playing Noah is Seth Rogen, who has previously crossed paths with most of his History of the World, Part II co-stars at least once since breaking out in the Freaks and Geeks cast (his first of many collaborations with Judd Apatow), such as Nick Kroll in Sausage Party and Big Mouth, Zazie Beetz on Invincible, and Ike Barinholtz in The Disaster Artist. The writer, director, producer, and actor has expanded his horizons wonderfully in recent years with more serious roles in films like Steve Jobs and Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, and TV shows like Pam & Tommy. 

Sarah Silverman

Rogen’s Funny People and Santa Inc. co-star and Jack Black’s School of Rock co-star, two-time Emmy-winner Sarah Silverman, had a short SNL stint and guest-starred on Seinfeld before becoming one of the most acclaimed comedians of her generation. Some of her best-known roles include Vanellope in the Wreck-It Ralph movies, Gladys Heldman in Battle of the Sexes, various characters on Bob’s Burgers, and fictionalized versions of herself on many occasions.  

J.B. Smoove

Seemingly poking fun at his Curb Your Enthusiasm character, Leon, in a History of the World, Part II segment called “Curb Your Judaism” (according to IGN’s review) is former SNL writer J.B. Smoove, who has appeared as a guest star or main player on numerous sitcoms over the years — most recently when he joined the Blockbuster cast for Netflix. In addition to memorable roles in movies like Pootie Tang and Date Night, he is also part of the MCU (having appeared in two Spider-Man movies).

Taika Waititi

Another an MCU star (from both in front of and behind the camera) in the History of the World, Part II cast (as Sigmund Freud) is Taika Waititi, who previously poked fun at history by playing an imaginary Hitler in Jojo Rabbit, which also earned him a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, and Blackbeard in HBO’s Our Flag Means Death. He is also part of the Star Wars universe, having played a droid on The Mandalorian (which he also directed an episode of), the DC Extended Universe after playing the original Ratcatcher in The Suicide Squad, and more recently leant his voice to Pixar’s Lightyear cast as Mo.

Look out for other cast members — such as Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander, Emily Ratajkowski, Big Mouth’s Jason Mantzoukas, Jillian Bell, Jack White, and so many more — when you stream History of the World, Part II on Hulu. Be sure to do your homework by also checking out History of the World, Part I on Hulu, too.

Taika Waititi and Rita Ora may just be the cutest couple ever. They have been together for two years and always seem to be up to some new shenanigans. While often private, they sometimes give fans a brief glimpse into their personal life as a married couple. This Valentine’s Day, Waititi celebrated the occasion with a compilation video of Ora scaring him, and the results are perfectly and fittingly hilarious. 

The JoJo Rabbit director and the singer always find new ways to honor their love. Whether it’s iconic red carpet moments, or symbolic tattoos, this couple has shown again and again that they are solid, and here to stay. The Valentine’s compilation proves just that, and it includes some fun jump scares and other silly moments. You can check out the video from Waititi’s Twitter below:

These two make an adorable team, have incredible chemistry, and they seem to share a great sense of humor. The duo was electric hosting MTV’s European Music Awards, showing their love is palpable both on screen and off. The two are both definitely romantics as well. They secretly got married last year in a private ceremony, and Ora was graced with a gorgeous emerald sparkler to mark the occasion. We seriously can’t get enough of them and if this compilation is any indicator, they certainly love to have fun together, and we love to see it.

The two were first romantically linked in April 2021 after first meeting in 2018. Rumors swirled for months, and some thought the two were in a throuple with actress Tessa Thompson, after compromising photos by the paparazzi were published in July of 2021. However that rumor didn't seem to shake the couple, and they made their red carpet debut as a duo later that year. They were married in August, and confirmed their marital status back in January of 2023. 

Waititi and Ora aren’t the only couple that loves pranking each other. Chris Evans posted a similar compilation video of him and his girlfriend Alba Baptista scaring each other around the house back in January. In addition, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively always are poking fun at each other, and traditionally post hilarious birthday shout-outs for each other. It seems like Ora definitely has the upper hand in the prank war with Waititi, though. Maybe he’ll get her back eventually. 

You can check out Taika Waititi’s latest directorial feat, Thor: Love and Thunder with a Disney+ subscription, along with Thor: Ragnarok, which he also helmed. In addition, Rita Ora’s latest single “You Only Love Me” is currently available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, and her album is on the way. For more information on other projects hitting streaming and cinemas in the near future, make sure to consult CinemaBlend’s 2023 movie release schedule. 

We’ve been wondering for a while if Rita Ora and Taika Waititi secretly got married, and now, the singer confirmed their nuptials. The two spent over a year dating, and rumors about a wedding started swirling during the summer of 2022, well, it’s finally official following the pop star showing off her gorgeous emerald wedding ring for the first time. 

As Rita Ora gushed about her husband and new music on The Tonight Show, she also revealed her ring for the first time, and let me tell you it’s stunning. The ring’s focal point is the massive emerald jewel at the center, it’s then circled in diamonds and the bands around the ring appear to also be encrusted with diamonds. As Ora explained, Waititi did a great job. 

While the Thor: Ragnarok director did indeed do a great job, he didn’t pick out the ring all by himself. Ora explained that she may have helped guide her hubby in the right direction when it came to picking out the jewelry, saying: 

Ora was glowing and absolutely thrilled to share the news, and she went into detail about how this new exciting chapter of her life has influenced her career. She also explained that her relationship with Waititi helped her feel inspired to write music.

Along with her ring, Ora’s music video for her single “You Only Love Me” features a wild wedding. All this love-inspired chatter and music is reminding me a lot of Jennifer Lopez’s music coming out soon, and how her album This Is Me…Then prophesied her future with Ben Affleck in a way. Although Ora and Waititi’s relationship does not have the history Bennifer has, however, they have made the headlines once because of a spicy relationship rumor. 

When it comes to news surrounding Ora and Waititi there were rumors for a little while that the “Let You Love Me” singer and Jojo Rabbit director might have been in a throuple with Tessa Thompson. Other than that, it’s been all love from Ora and Waititi, and this new view of her gorgeous ring further verifies that these two are a true power couple, like Bennifer, in my opinion. 

Along with the exciting news about their wedding, both the singer and director are already off to an exciting start in 2023. Ora rocked a see-through dress to celebrate the release of her single that's taking off. Plus, she also has a show on the 2023 TV schedule, as the animated series Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight released its second season last month, and you can check it out with a Netflix subscription. Meanwhile, Waititi is as busy as ever, with a new movie called Next Goal Wins on the 2023 movie schedule, and lots of other projects in development. 

While I’m so excited about the couple’s upcoming projects, right now I’m thrilled about this closeup look at Ora’s gorgeous ring, and a little peek into their status as a married couple. Hopefully, we'll get a bit more of it as they continue to release their projects. 

Rita Ora has been making headlines of late thanks to addressing throuple rumors involving her partner Taika Waititi and Tessa Thompson that ran around the interwebs. But she totally changed the narrative this week when she showed up in a fully see-through dress for a club performance. She wore star pasties and silver underwear under the completely sheer look and a slew of other celebs could not get enough.

The Fifty Shades of Grey actress wore the head-turning look for a performance at Heaven Nightclub in London. Afterward, she took to Instagram to share photos and video from the experience, also writing on the platform, “Hi everyone. I’m so overwhelmed with all the support on my new single ‘You Only Love Me.” Take a look at her ensemble, below.  

More like fifty shades of "hey girl." I don’t honestly know if I would have been so comfortable and confident rocking out in a sheer look whilst performing at the same time, but she made it work, and celebrities from Jessie J. to Chelsea Handler applauded her efforts. Her new husband Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi also liked the post in support. 

• Jessie J “Love this 🔥”
• Chelsea Handler “Lub you”
• Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath: Amazing Pic🔥

A lot of other fans on the post commented about the dress itself, noting things like, “What a night x this dress is to die for!” Snaps throughout the night showed off the dress from multiple angles, as well.

The one-shouldered dress is from the brand Avellano, though it’s worth pointing out this isn’t the first time Rita Ora wore a sheer ensemble recently. She chose a purple lace dress to wear to the Netflix Golden Globe And Critics Choice Nominee Toast, choosing to wear black underwear underneath.

Of course, it's worth noting Rita Ora is not the only celebrity to rock a sheer dress of late. Salma Hayek rocked a sheer look just a few days ago. In fact, it's becoming quite the trend, one that Megan Fox perhaps kicked things off with a VMAs appearance in a naked dress. In short order, Florence Pugh also broke the Internet with a red carpet sheer Barbicore Valentino look and other celebrities like Nicole Kidman are even fully embracing the trend. But I have to say, Ora fully owns the see-through dress. 

A few years ago, Rita Ora found herself swept up in rumors surrounding her relationship status with Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi after photos surfaced of her, Waititi and MCU star Tessa Thompson sharing an apparent kiss. The photos spawned gossip that the individuals were a “throuple.” Ora and Thompson have remained mum on the scenario while Waititi was unbothered when asked about the rumors. Things have changed though, as the British singer finally addressed those persistent rumors.

The TV personality has been enjoying her relationship with the Thor: Love and Thunder director since reportedly tying the knot last year. Rita Ora opened up about the relationship with British GQ. She mentioned feeling “100 percent” settled at this time in her life, but soon the conversation turned from Ora and Waititi being in love to those pesky rumors about the alleged three-way relationship between the couple and Thompson. The “R.I.P.” singer finally addressed why she hadn’t spoken on the subject until now, saying:

Rita Ora just didn’t want to feed the beast by addressing the speculation, unlike her rumored husband. After being in the public eye for over a decade, being rumor fodder is nothing new for the Masked Singer UK judge, including being the rumored “Becky with the good hair” in Beyonce's hit song "Sorry." She learned to not fan the flames of hearsay, and while photos set the internet on fire, Ora chose to focus on her relationship and career, which seems to be working for her. The singer’s been gushing over the Thor: Ragnarok director while jumping on multiple TV and film projects.

Ora seemed unbothered about the headline-making photos. She simply equated the series of images to a drunken moment between a group of strangers. The multihyphenate brushed off the rumors by saying the photos were of Waititi and Thompson having a little downtime from a busy schedule:

Despite the suggestions about her relationship with her alleged spouse, Rita Ora did find a bright side in her fanbase seeing the shared kiss. She revealed the following feedback she got from her LGBTQIA+ fans upon the photos hitting the press:

The Voice Australia coach turned an intrusive moment into a slice of representation for those in the LGBTQ+ community who don’t see positive images of themselves every day. Rita Ora used the moment to connect with her fanbase.

Since the photos took over the internet, Rita Ora, Taika Waititi and Tessa Thompson have all moved on. Ora and Waititi are enjoying their life as a reported married duo, with the former appearing in the Disney Channel movie Descendants: The Pocketwatch, and the latter helming the sports drama Next Goal Wins, which hits theaters on September 22. Thompson will be seen next in Creed III, which hits movie cinemas on March 3. Check out what other new movies are hitting theaters and streaming platforms in 2023.

“We Don’t Talk about Bruno” became one of 2022's most viral hits. Encanto’s signature tune was the hit no one saw coming, including the song’s writer Lin-Manuel Miranda. The animated movie and the hit song did modestly well in the theaters, but it wasn’t until the film popped up on Disney+ that things took off. Upon the Oscar-winning film’s streaming debut, Miranda got inundated with messages from others after social media got hold of the song. One of those messages came from an unexpected fan as the Tick, Tick… Boom! director recalled a funny direct message he got from fellow director Taika Waititi.   

The viral sensation was an instant earworm even before the Disney animated film found a second life online. Miranda revealed to Variety that his father-in-law found the song catchy upon hearing the demo version. He mentioned his in-law recalled singing the inescapable hit for three days. Before the musical comedy dropped on Disney+ (currently available through a subscription), the multihyphenate went on vacation with his wife. The Hamilton star recalled the flurry of messages he received, including Taika Waititi, after the film took over the world.

Miranda knew “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was an earworm, but didn’t think he would have a viral worldwide hit. You know the musical number was ubiquitous even Waititi sends you a direct message. But the song’s popularity went beyond the internet as it stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 for weeks following tremendous radio play and streaming numbers. The hit song inspired numerous online dance and cover videos. The Broadway-style number’s impact led to the Encanto cast opening this year’s Oscars (despite not being submitted for Best Song). Its presence is still felt as kids (and adults) continue watching the animated movie a year after its theatrical release despite his son being over the hit song.

Before taking off on social media, Miranda admitted Disney wasn’t pushing the song as they did with the big hits of the Disney Renaissance. The multihyphenate credited TikTok and social media for causing the song to become a worldwide sensation. Despite the song’s catchiness and signature hook, he didn’t see it becoming the movie’s biggest hit, referring to the Grammy-nominated song as “a collection of a lot of different moments.” The 42-year-old entertainer knew the viral hit didn’t follow a typical pop song structure, which is why its virality caught him off guard. Even after the signature tune reached pop culture status, he didn’t dream “it would be a hit.”

The viral hit is still raking up the awards nomination as it is up for a Grammy, which will be present at the 2023 ceremony. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” helped the Encanto soundtrack hit a massive milestone, becoming the sixth animated soundtrack to hit number one on the Billboard 200. Hopefully, the film’s consistent replay value will lead to a possible sequel or other avenues to revisit the Madrigal family.

The man following Paul Rudd’s tenure as People’s Sexiest Man Alive is none other than America’s Ass himself, Chris Evans. As a firm believer that Chris Evans is the best of the famous Chris-s, and as a long-time fan of the actor, I was thrilled to find out he was awarded the title of Sexiest Man Alive, and so were many celebrities. However, there were others who had hilariously jealous posts as well. No matter what, it's all in good fun, and it's entertaining to see such a range of celebrities (from Taika Waititi to Topher Grace) reacting to the news.

Evans and Dwayne Johnson announced the news last night from the set of their movie Red One. Then Evans took to Instagram to post the cover, noting that he has big shoes to fill following in the footsteps of Paul Rudd, but nonetheless he’ll do his best. You can check out the post here: 

Following the post, the celebs weighed in with angry, thirsty and complimentary comments. We’ll begin with the most aggressive of the responses. Evans’ fellow  Lightyear cast member and MCU actor Taika Waititi responded in a classic way, commenting: 

I’d assume Waititi’s allegiances are with Chris Hemsworth, hence the aggression. It’s honestly on brand for the Thor: Love and Thunder director to troll like this, and it’s hilarious.  

Justin Long commented on the post too, and seemed to be all for a second term for Paul Rudd as the sexiest man alive, writing: 

Listen, I’m with Justin to an extent, I love Paul Rudd too. However, that’s not how the rules of the Sexiest Man Alive work. Sadly Long’s Walk Hard co-star could not stay with the title.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, Topher Grace, who starred alongside Evans in the 2014 rom-com Playing it Cool, was hilariously disappointed he was not awarded the title, writing: 

Sticking with the theme of celebrities who are bummed they didn’t get the title, Final Destination and Casper star Devon Sawa tweeted: 

In a much nicer statement, but still in the same vein as Sawa and Grace, Frozen star Josh Gad commented: 

It wasn’t all snark and sass on social media though. Many other celebs posted their support, and thirst for the Captain America actor taking the sexiest man moniker. Evans’ Gifted co-star Octavia Spencer commented: 

Sticking with the theme of compliments, fellow hot person and MCU star Simu Liu complimented the Sexiest Man Alive with many  🥵 emojis. I’d assume this encapsulates how many, myself included, reacted to seeing the news this morning.

Back in the world of Twitter, Evans’ co-star in Avengers: Endgame Yvette Nicole Brown, posted: 

I doubt our “handsome Ransom,” as the official Knives Out account commented, will let the title go to his head. In the announcement video, he seemed quite bashful about his new title, and it was very endearing.

I’m honestly a bit shocked it took People so long to give Evans the title in the first place. I mean if you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, you know he’s been rockin’ a hot bod as Captain America since 2011, and was dubbed America’s Ass in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Not to mention, he’s an activist, a dog dad to Dodger, plus he's a fashion icon who can rock a sweater, cable-knit or otherwise. So, I’d say all the flattering comments are well deserved.

If you are looking to catch 2022’s Sexiest Man Alive in a new movie, he’s had multiple entries on the 2022 film schedule, with The Gray Man and Lightyear. You can also always go back and watch America’s Ass, and now the World's Sexiest Man Alive in various Marvel movies with a Disney+ subscription. 

Popstar Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, director of the last two Thor movies, have been one of Hollywood’s power couples for well over a year now. While there have been rumors swirling about the two secretly getting married, Ora recently gushed about her boyfriend/possible husband. 

The two began dating back in 2021 and have had the most adorable relationship. From goofy red carpet photos to Waititi helping Ora out with her Vogue cover shoot by wrangling wind for her, whenever the two are spotted together it's so cute. Now, about a month and a half after the news about their alleged wedding broke, Ora gushed about Waititi on the podcast Jamie Winstone’s Greatest Night Ever. 

Her angelic singing voice really emphasized that she is indeed “in love” with the director/actor. While the two are fairly private, every once and a while they will post about each other on Instagram, like their adorable photos at the Thor: Love and Thunder premiere. She also explained why she loves love and Waititi so much, saying: 

How adorable! She also explained that Waititi is “so funny and lovely,” which, based on his projects, that tracks. His movies like Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do In the Shadows and Jojo Rabbit are all funny and full of heart, also anytime he does an interview it's clear just how goofy he is. 

While this is all very wholesome, there has been one spicy rumor surrounding the couple. A few months ago the internet posted their thoughts regarding the rumored throuple between Waititi, Ora and Tessa Thompson, who has been in both Thor movies Waititi directed. However, Waititi noted that he is unbothered by online rumors, being careful to not confirm or deny the claim. 

On top of being one of the world’s celebrity power couples, both are extremely busy with work. Ora is reportedly working on her third studio album, while Waititi has appeared all over both the 2022 movie schedule and the 2022 TV schedule. 

This year alone, Waititi starred as Blackbeard in the HBO Max show Our Flag Means Death, directed, wrote and reprised his role as Korg in the fourth Thor movie, and voiced a character in Lightyear. He’s also been working on lots of upcoming projects, including Next Goal Wins, which can be found on the 2023 movie calendar. 

Both Ora and Waititi are extremely busy, and it’s so cute to see them always supporting each other. It makes it even better that Ora has made it clear the couple are very much head over heels for each other. 

It is not unusual for an actor to play more than one comic book character role. Sometimes this means they first star in a DC movie before switching sides to the Marvel movies (and vice versa) or appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe years after playing an entirely different character from Marvel Comics in a film that predates the shared universe’s creation. 

However, what if I told you that there are also many cases of actors who have double-dipped in the MCU? While the Marvel movies’ timeline is usually pretty tight, there are a surprising amount of times when the same actor played more than one character in the same interconnected franchise and the following are some notable examples of such Marvel movie characters.

Tara Strong - Miss Minutes (Loki), Mainframe (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

Famed voice actor Tara Strong has played multiple iconic comic book characters, including two in the MCU alone. She made her franchise debut on the Disney+ series Loki as the Time Variance Authority’s animated, AI mascot, Miss Minutes, and later cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Mainframe – a member of the OG GOTG from the comics who was previously voiced by Miley Cyrus in Vol. 2.  

David Dastmalchian - Kurt Goreshter (Ant-Man), Veb (Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania)

Another actor known for many, many comic book character roles is David Dastmalchian, who gave a memorable appearance in the first two Ant-Man movies as Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Russian-born, computer hacker friend, Kurt Goreshter. While Kurt did not appear in the third installment from 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Dastmalchian still got to be a part of the adventure as the voice of Veb – a creature who helps Scott and Cassie (Kathryn Newton) understand the Quantum Realm’s inhabitants by feeding them his ooze.

Seth Green - Stark Expo Fan (Iron Man 2), Howard The Duck (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

The post-credit sequence from 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed that, in the MCU, there exists Howard the Duck, who was voiced by Seth Green for a brief, but memorable, cameo as the fowl private eye who would make subsequent appearances. Four years earlier, Green made an even more brief appearance in Iron Man 2 as a fan of Tony Stark seen at his expo.

Michelle Yeoh – Aleta Ogord (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2), Ying Nan (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Before earning an Oscar for her performance in one of the best Multiverse movies, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh entered the Marvel Multiverse with her cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Aleta Ogord – one of the original members from the team’s comic book iteration. Four years later, the actor seemed to create a rift in the timeline when she appeared in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast as the title hero’s aunt, Ying Nan. 

Linda Cardellini – Laura Barton (Various), Lylla (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3)

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was introduced to Clint Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) wife, Laura, whom Linda Cardellini would reprise in Avengers: Endgame and the Disney+ TV show, Hawkeye. In 2023, the Freaks and Geeks cast alum would reunite with Scooby-Doo scribe James Gunn to voice Rocket Raccoon’s friend, Lylla, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Nathan Fillion – Monstrous Inmate (Guardians Of The Galaxy), Karja (Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3), Headpool (Deadpool & Wolverine)

Another actor known for his frequent collaborations with James Gunn (Slither, The Suicide Squad) is Nathan Fillion, who voiced an alien prisoner threatening Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy before receiving a bigger role in Vol. 3 as the Orgosphere’s cocky head of security, Karja. The former Firefly cast member became an MCU triple-dipper with his cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine voicing Headpool, which also marks his second time playing a disembodied head after his role on one of Fillion's best TV shows, Santa Clarita Diet.

Sean Gunn – Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin (Various)

The Guardians of the Galaxy’s furry weapons expert, Rocket Raccoon, is a role shared between Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper providing his Boston-accented voice and director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, performing the mo-cap on set. Gunn has also appeared “alongside himself” on several occasions, as recently as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as former Ravager, Kraglin.

Laura Haddock – Autograph Seeker (Captain America: The First Avenger), Meredith Quill (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)

Speaking of Guardians of the Galaxy stars, most fans are likely to recognize British actor Laura Haddock as Peter Quill’s mother, Meredith, in the cold open flashbacks from the first movie and its sequel. However, the Downton Abbey: A New Era cast member’s MCU tenure actually dates back to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, in which she plays a 1940s-era woman affectionately approaching Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for an autograph. The characters’ resemblance led to a fan theory suggesting Cap is Star-Lord’s real grandfather, which James Gunn later debunked.

Kenneth Choi – Jim Morita (Captain America: The First Avenger), Principal Morita (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Speaking of Captain America: The First Avenger stars, Private Jim Morita — Steve Rogers’ Japanese-American teammate on the Howling Commandos — was played by Kenneth Choi. The actor (also part of the DC Extended Universe as a Yakuza boss in Suicide Squad) would later appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Morita’s grandson, who also happens to be Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) high school principal.

Benedict Cumberbatch – Doctor Strange, Dormammu (Doctor Strange)

An interesting example of a Marvel actor appearing as two different characters in the same movie occurs in Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch debuted as one-time Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange in director Scott Derrickson’s visually stunning 2016 fantasy, in which he also provided the voice of the ruler of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu. Talk about being your own worst enemy.

Clancy Brown – Ray Schoonover (Daredevil, The Punisher), Surtur (Thor: Ragnarok)

Another actor who gave a memorable Marvel movie performance as a giant CGI villain is Clancy Brown, who was the voice of the Fire Demon, Surtur, in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. That same year, the SpongeBob SquarePants star (also famous for voicing Superman nemesis, Lex Luthor in many animated DC titles) would reprise his Daredevil role as Major Schoovover on the short-lived spin-off, The Punisher.

Patton Oswalt – The Koenig Brothers (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Pip The Troll (Eternals)

Comedian Patton Oswalt has lent his distinct voice to several comic book characters, including a troll named Pip in the mid-credits scene from Eternals in 2021. Before then, he would appear on several episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as four different characters: identical quintuplets Sam, Eric, Billy, and Thurston Koenig, making him the current record holder for the most MCU-canon characters portrayed by one person.

Enver Gjokaj - Young Cop (The Avengers), Daniel Sousa (Agent Carter, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

One example of an actor who debuted in the MCU with something small before re-emerging with something much bigger is Enver Gjokaj. He played an unnamed police officer in 2012’s The Avengers before starring on Agent Carter and the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as World War II soldier-turned-strategic operative, Daniel Sousa.

Gemma Chan – Minn-Erva (Captain Marvel), Sersi (Eternals)

Outside of those who played two characters in the same movie, English actor Gemma Chan has one of the smallest windows of time between her first MCU character and her second. In 2019, she donned blue makeup to play Kree Imperial warrior Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel and, in literally the same year, was announced as part of the Eternals cast in the role of Sersi.

Alfre Woodard – Miriam Sharpe (Captain America: Civil War), Black Mariah (Luke Cage)

Someone who can top Gemma Chan’s record in time between her characters’ official appearances is Alfre Woodard. The Academy Award nominee appeared in one memorable scene from 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as Miriam Sharpe — a woman grieving the unseen death of her son during the final act of Avengers: Age of Ultron. That same year, just months later, she debuted on Luke Cage as Mariah “Black Mariah” Dillard, whose cousin is Harlem crime boss Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.

Mahershala Ali – Cottonmouth (Luke Cage), Blade (Eternals)

Speaking of Cottonmouth, the crime boss on Luke Cage would turn out to be only the beginning of Mahershala Ali’s legacy in the MCU. While the two-time Academy Award winner’s new take on vampire-hunter Blade has yet to be seen, he debuted the character in a vocal cameo from Eternals’ post-credit scene. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

It is hard to imagine a Marvel character better suited for Chris Hemsworth to play than the God of Thunder, but, believe it or not, the title hero of Thor: Ragnarok is not his only role from the funny 2017 blockbuster. Only eagle-eyed fans noticed that the Australian actor also played one of the three heads of Hajo — a gladiator from Sakaar who tried to help save Asgard from Hela (Cate Blanchett).

Taika Waititi – Korg, One Of Hajo’s Three Heads (Thor: Ragnarok)

Actually, Hemsworth is not the only well-known star of Thor: Ragnarok to share the role of Hajo. The film’s own director, Taika Waititi, also appeared as one of the gladiator’s three heads, in addition to providing the voice of fan-favorite, rock-skinned alien, Korg, and in the same frame, too!

I am not sure if there is or could ever be a weirder example of the MCU’s double-dipping phenomenon than those last two. However, I would love to see a challenger step up to the plate someday. Of course, considering the franchise is now in a stage known as “The Multiverse Saga,” it seems like it is a distinct possibility. 

When he hasn’t been directing Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder or playing Blackbeard in front of the camera, Taika Waititi has been spending his time with Rita Ora. The New Zealand-born filmmaker has been dating the singer for well over a year now, and they’ve only seemed to be getting closer as of late. Now, a new report is sure to have many wondering if they’ve taken the next step. That’s right, a story is claiming that Waititi and Ora were secretly married. 

The report suggests that Taika Waititi and Rita Ora recently wed in London. This comes from one of The Sun UK’s sources, who claims that the “Carry On” performer will now go by the surname Waititi-Ora. The same source also shared details on the alleged wedding ceremony and, based on the claims, the event was a joyous occasion:

This purported union has yet to be formally confirmed by the stars themselves, but there’s apparently evidence that backs up the news. Per The Sun, the MTV Video Music Award winner posted a photo of her partner this past weekend, which showed him partaking in a glass of wine that was sent to them by Cameron Diaz. While the caption covered up his ring finger, another photo shared by the songstress’ sister dropped a snapshot from the same outing, and the pic seemed to show the director sporting a silver ring on his left hand.

The 31-year-old Rita Ora and the 46-year-old Taika Waititi were reportedly friends before they began dating in 2021. This past Valentine’s Day, Waititi posted a tribute to his girlfriend and included a photo they took together four years earlier. Since getting romantic, the two have more than captured the public’s attention. From their red carpet outings to Waititi even wrangling wind for one of his lady’s photoshoots, the two have had more than a few notable moments in the public eye.

They really made headlines last year when they were spotted getting cozy with Thor star Tessa Thompson. This prompted some to believe that Waititi, Ora and Thompson were a throuple. Eventually, Waititi waved off the throuple rumors and said that he was “doing nothing wrong” during the viral meet-up. 

Despite the buzz surrounding them, it’s said that Rita Ora has been aiming to keep things low key and will continue to do so now that she and her man are allegedly married. The Sun UK’s source added that Ora “is determined to keep the relationship as private as possible.” She’s also said to be back in the studio already, where she's reportedly working on her third studio album. 

Meanwhile, Taika Waititi – who call himself the “laziest actor” – has been incredibly busy as of late. In addition to his work on Thor: Love and Thunder and Our Flag Mean Death (streamable with an HBO Max subscription), he also lent his voice to space ranger recruit Mo Morrison in Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear. And at present, Waititi is working on a Star Wars movie and has been open about feeling like he’ll “never” please all of the fans with it.

He does seem to be making Rita Ora happy, though and, given how things have been going between the two of them, it’s very possible that they could now be man and wife. We’ll have to wait and see whether they confirm this for themselves and, if it’s true, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Oscar winner finds the funniest (and sweetest) possible way to reveal their nuptials.

Spoilers for Thor: Love and Thunder lie ahead, so read at your own risk.

Thor: Love and Thunder, the latest big-screen entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has left quite an impression on moviegoers. The movie delivered the action, humor and heart that has become synonymous with Taika Waititi’s take on the God of Thunder while providing some pretty memorable moments in the process. Of course, Waititi’s latest also features some fun Easter eggs (one of which ties to 2016’s Civil War). Interestingly, one fan spotted what seemed to be a reference to Dwayne Johnson and posted about it in an amazing tweet. And later on, Waititi responded to the assumption in the best possible way.

The bulk of the romantic tension in Thor: Love and Thunder can be attributed to the titular Asgardian and his ex, Jane Foster (who messes with him after becoming Thor herself). However, some sparks also flew for the delightful Korg, who managed to find a partner of his own by the end of the movie. His new mate, a fellow Kronan named Dwayne, caught the attention of one Twitter user, who couldn’t help but point out that he shared The Rock’s name. With that, they shared an A+ photo of the character sporting Dwayne Johnson’s signature black sweater and chain. The post itself was great, but Taika Waititi’s retweet was truly the icing on the cake:

I can’t say that I’m too surprised that the quirky filmmaker would even consider using one of the most recognizable people in the world as a reference for Korg’s love interest. But then again, can you really blame him for having a rock channel… The Rock? It’s just too perfect and makes for a fun little nod within the MCU movie. 

Dwayne Johnson is more than aware of the fact that his vintage photo has been an internet sensation over the years. On at least one occasion, he’s even recreated the classic fit. For example, Johnson once looked like the meme in a set photo he shared from the set of Netflix’s Red Notice. As of this writing, it’s clear whether he knows that Taika Waititi paid tribute to him in Love and Thunder. If and when he does though, I’m sure he’ll put out an A+ response.

All in all, the MCU flick has been creating some interesting buzz across the web. Even before the movie came out, the internet seemed fascinated by Christian Bale’s Gorr, who many compared to Lord Voldemort. Post-release, many have also taken to discussing some of the unsung heroes of the movie. This includes those wailing goats that Twitter can’t get enough of. 

I’m sure fans will find more Love and Thunder tidbits to discuss as the movie continues its theatrical run but, especially as more Easter eggs are discovered. But right now, I can’t imagine one being as funny or sweet as this Dwayne Johnson one.

Thor: Love and Thunder is now playing in theaters, and you can stream past films in the series with a Disney+ subscription.

It’s no secret that Marvel movies have a lot of moving parts behind the scenes which ultimately result in a concept being translated from the page to the big screen. And in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe release, Thor: Love and Thunder, filmmaker Taika Waititi puts in work, balancing a fun comedic tone with some heavier themes (He even throws in some zanier elements like the heroic and viral space goats and Russell Crowe’s ridiculous Zeus.) Amid all of that, though, Waititi apparently used a wrong take involving Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in the final movie, as pointed out by the actress herself.

Taika Waititi and Tessa Thompson recently teamed up for Vanity Fair's Notes on a Scene series, during which filmmakers and actors do a deep dive into a single scene in a film and explain the finer elements of it. Check out the moment when the Valkyrie actress shows her director one moment that might have worked best as a blooper: 

Now I’ll be honest, I didn’t notice this little mistake when I caught the fun, feels-inducing movie that is Thor: Love and Thunder, but Tessa Thompson sure did. As she revealed to Taika Waititi, he left a shot from her performance in which she was supposed to be reacting to Chris Hemsworth’s Thor waking up from the Shared Vision with Asgardian children. In the short moment, Valkyrie looks like she’s reacting in surprise to something for no reason. 

The New Zealand-born filmmaker laughed in embarrassment at the revelation, admitting he’d never noticed it. Tessa Thompson laughed it off as well, saying she doesn’t “mind it” and thinks it’s “kind of funny.” While she said that “it doesn’t make any sense, she “loves it.” Also in Thompson’s words: 

To be completely honest, this little editing flub is pretty funny all in all. The next time you catch Thor: Love and Thunder, you can see the short moment and, if you go with friends or family, check and see if they're able to spot it. It's true that director's definitely want to shoot for a clean and cohesive edit with their films, yet little things like this can happen from time to time. Though I'm sure the Creed actress is going to humorously rib her director about this little blemish for the foreseeable future. 

Thor: Love and Thunder has been absolutely killing it at the box office since Chris Hemsworth's latest hit No. 1 at the box office in its debut last weekend. The movie has already amassed $415 million worldwide, per Box Office Mojo and is predicted to win the weekend again as Where The Crawdads Sing and Paws of Fury reach theaters. You can check out CinemaBlend’s interview with the Love and Thunder cast while you’re on the subject. And do yourself a favor and check out the movie, complete with the small editing flub.

This piece contains some MAJOR SPOILERS for Thor: Love and Thunder, so please exercise caution if you haven't watched the movie yet.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has long had a history of making audiences experience a gauntlet of feelings with incredible emotional moments that were too much for some fans, as well as incredibly exciting scenes that left fans jumping out their seats in joy. It’s safe to say the latest addition to the long-running franchise has done it again with the surprising Thor: Love and Thunder, at least for me.

As I watched Chris Hemsworth’s fourth solo movie as the God of Thunder, I couldn’t help but be overcome with so many feelings, which included hilarity due to some of Taika Waititi’s best written and delivered lines, pure excitement on account of those eye-catching action sequences and utter sadness on more than one occasion. Now that time has passed and my emotions have calmed down a bit, I feel like it’s a good time to go back and break down five feelings I had while watching the Marvel movie.

Thor: Love And Thunder Feeling #1 - Hilarity

Much like he did with Thor: Ragnarok, director Taika Waititi found a way to insert a ton of laughs into his second Marvel effort, and the jokes work for the most part. Sure, there are times where the constant barrage of one-liners and small asides distract from the overall story, but the lion’s share of those jokes had me audibly laughing in my chair. There is just so much that works about Waititi’s unique sense of humor, especially with a character like Thor and an actor like Chris Hemsworth.

I couldn’t contain myself whenever Korg (voiced by Waititi) would mess up Jane Foster’s name by calling her everything from Jane Fonda and Jodie Foster when telling the story of Thor. That story, by the way, was the perfect way for the movie to carve out a ton of exposition without adding too much to the film’s overall runtime. But it wasn’t just Korg that had me rolling with laughter, as Thor himself had some incredibly funny moments, especially when he made Stormbreaker jealous after discovering a reassembled Mjölnir.

Thor: Love And Thunder Feeling #2 - Happiness

I’m not ashamed to say Korg brought so much joy to my life whenever he was on screen in Thor: Love and Thunder because I have always loved that character and have long thought he should get his own Disney+ series. When he shared his origin story about his Kronan dads met inside a cave and held hands over a volcano for a prolonged period to give birth to him, I couldn’t help but feel the love he felt for them and his life as a whole. Then later on when Korg found love himself and had a partner of his own named Dwayne (a possible nod to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), I was just beaming with happiness. 

Another incredibly happy moment came in the second Thor: Love and Thunder end-credits sequence, which showed Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) being welcomed to Valhalla by none other than Heimdall (Idris Elba). Foster, who essentially sacrificed herself to help Thor defeat Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), was finally free of her pain, and we, the audience, finally got to see Heimdall after his own act of sacrifice in Avengers: Infinity War.

Thor: Love And Thunder Feeling #3 - Sadness

Thor: Love and Thunder is hilarious and has a lot of happy moments, but they are needed to balance out the pure and utter sadness that is prevalent throughout. The movie wastes no time hitting you over the head with a hammer of pure sorrow with one of the most upsetting introductions we've seen for an MCU villain. In the opening minutes of the movie, Gorr and his daughter, Love (India Hemsworth), are hanging on to life in a barren desert before the young girl perishes, leaving the future villain alone. I’ve cried in multiple Marvel movies over the years, but not like I did upon seeing the makeshift grave the grieving father constructed. I was absolutely gutted.

Death is prevalent throughout Thor: Love and Thunder whether it’s with Gorr planning his revenge to avenge his daughter, Jane Foster succumbing to cancer or King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) shedding more light on losing her partner in the battle referenced in Thor: Ragnarok. This should be expected from Taika Waititi, who famously balanced life and death, and happiness and sorrow, in his Academy Award-winning movie Jojo Rabbit.

Thor: Love And Thunder Feeling #4 - Excitement

Even though I shed a few tears during Thor: Love and Thunder, the movie was so exciting that I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. One of the most exciting scenes of the whole affair came early on when we finally got to see the Guardians of the Galaxy in action for the first time since the epic Avengers: Endgame battle, and was it a sight for sore eyes. Seeing that ragtag group in battle had me so excited for what’s to come for them when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters in May 2023.

There were other exciting moments sprinkled throughout (the battle of New Asgard and arriving in Omnipotence City quickly come to mind), but a scene I can’t stop thinking about is the battle in the Shadow Realm. The movie, for the most part, was full of color and style, but the screen turned to black-and-white when Thor and his crew brought the fight to Gorr in the final act. This got even better whenever Thor would swing Stormbreaker to bring brief flashes of color back to the fight. 

Thor: Love And Thunder Feeling #5 - Fear

Thor: Love and Thunder doesn’t come close to the horror elements in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but this isn’t to say I wasn’t terrified throughout the movie. This was especially true in the battle at New Asgard when Gorr stole the Asgardian children, and then later on when he acted like the worst birthday party performer ever.

In fact, just about everything about Gorr was unnervingly terrifying throughout Thor: Love and Thunder. Motivated by the death of his daughter, for which he holds the gods accountable, Gorr had nothing to lose in his quest to wipe out the gods and reach the gates of eternity. There is nothing more terrifying than a motivated villain with nothing to lose. Oh, and the corrupted power of the Necrosword just adds to that.

All in all, Thor: Love and Thunder struck lighting and found a great balance (as all things should be) with its combination of tones. I laughed, I cried and I bit my fingernails down to the quick on this wild and fulfilling ride. I just can’t wait to see how any of the upcoming Marvel movies match this.