There’s all sorts of new holiday releases on the Christmas movie schedule, but I think there’s one that’s particularly special. Kate Winslet has just put out her directorial debut Goodbye June, and I love how it tackles themes about family and the complicated emotions associated with the death of a loved one. In CinemaBlend’s interview with Winslet, the first-time director shared the way she decided to shoot Goodbye June, and I think it definitely speaks to her talent as a new filmmaker and shows the care she brought to the topic.

The new movie, which is now streaming for those with a Netflix subscription, follows a British family pent up in a hospital room during the holidays with June (Helen Mirren), the matriarch of the clan who doesn't have long to live. It leads her adult children (played by Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette and Johnny Flynn) and her grandkids to all be in close quarters over the season as they process her looming death. Discussing her approach to the story, Winslet told us,

Kate Winslet is obviously a beloved actress who has been making movies since the 1990s. She’s been vocal about some of the difficulties she’s faced over the years, like once being told she’d have to “settle for the fat girl parts” when she aspired to the profession as a kid. Winslet may have seen it all, but it sounds like she spent a lot of time making sure her actors felt comfortable and trusted. One way she did this was by hiding microphones on set so that the kids (and adults) wouldn’t be distracted by them. She continued,

I can imagine with the subject matter of Goodbye June, and the fact that most of it takes place in a hospital room, this was a really effective filmmaking technique. She also said this:

Critics have had a lot of positive things to say about Goodbye June, which is actually written by Winslet’s son Joe Anders about the experience of losing his own grandmother (Winslet’s own mom). Reviews have called it “impressively realistic” and everyone “brought their A-game” to Winslet’s debut film.

While it’s definitely one of the heavier Christmas movies I’ve seen in recent years, I found it to be really cathartic – especially as someone who lost a grandparent not too long ago and experienced some similar things the characters do. It feels so intimate (while often being funny and heartwarming too), so I’m not too surprised Winslet’s set was as intimate as it was.

You can watch Goodbye June on Netflix now.

Milly Alcock might be suiting up as the next Supergirl in the new DCU movie next year, but her next post-cape project is sounding more like Saw than Smallville. The House of the Dragon breakout and Supergirl lead is set to star in a psychological survival thriller. If that wasn’t already enough to get die-hard fans of new horror movies excited, Alcock will be starring alongside horror genre royalty, Toni Collette, in what's truly a wild-sounding film.

The Reckoning alum will co-star with Collette in Hot Mother, the debut feature from Australian writer-director Lucy Knox, per Deadline. The plot is simple and suffocating: a mother and daughter check into a remote wellness retreat for some quality time… only to end up trapped inside a sauna with no way out and no one to hear them scream. What follows is a tense, physically brutal fight for survival that leans heavily into both psychological horror and raw endurance. Needless to say, a DC hero would be invaluable in this tale.

The project marks a major return to genre for Collette, who practically has “trauma horror icon” on her resume thanks to Hereditary, The Sixth Sense, Velvet Buzzsaw, and, more recently, the thriller series Wayward, available with a Netflix subscription. Alcock, meanwhile, has been steadily expanding her post-HOTD resume with recent roles in Netflix’s Sirens and her high-profile upcoming DCU Chapter 1 project, set to hit theaters on June 26, 2026.

Hot Mother is being produced by Carver Films (Relic, Run Rabbit Run) and Rapt Films’ Oscar-winner Alex Coco, who recently produced Sean Baker’s Anora. The film will shoot in Australia and is backed by Screen Australia, Screen NSW, and VicScreen, with Maslow Entertainment handling local distribution. Bankside Films is overseeing global sales and co-repping North America with CAA Media Finance, and they seem just as smitten with the film’s twisted premise as the cast.

“We were sold on Hot Mother from the title alone,” Bankside’s Stephen Kelliher told Deadline, adding that the mother-daughter core will help elevate the film from just another survival flick into something with real emotional weight. Producer Anna McLeish echoed that, saying Knox is “beyond ready to bring Hot Mother to life,” while Coco called her a “filmmaker’s filmmaker” poised to leave a global mark.

The original Hot Mother short film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020, where Knox turned a sauna into a pressure cooker of character, tension and sweat-soaked dread. So, while the premise might sound minimal, the emotional stakes are shaping up to be huge, and with actors like Collette and Alcock at the center of it, it’s bound to burn in all the right ways.

No official release date has been announced, but Hot Mother is reportedly being lined up for 2026 movie schedule debut, giving Alcock just enough time to trade her red cape for a towel and a bottle of water. In the meantime, you can catch her in Sirens or revisit her breakout role as young Princess Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon Season 1, streaming now with an HBO Max subscription.

Clint Eastwood’s legal thriller Juror No. 2 has been wowing critics with its thought-provoking journey of a family man on jury duty faced with the moral dilemma of saving a defendant on trial for a murder the juror committed. But, would critics and audiences be watching what could be Eastwood’s final movie? The cast of the thriller-drama responds to the speculations of their director’s possible retirement as the rumor mill swirls.

The American Sniper director is living his best life at the ripe age of 94 years old. But after the release of Juror No. 2, rumors have been circulating that the legal thriller could be Clint Eastwood’s swan song. Allegations first circulated via DiscussingFilm in March 2023 about the Escape From Alcatraz actor directing his “final film.” RadarOnline added more fuel to the fire of those rumors with insiders making allegations of the actor-turned-director’s health worries and “gathering up the troops one last time” for Juror No. 2 after Cry Macho bombed.

While nothing has been confirmed that Juror No. 2 will be Clint Eastwood’s final project, the cast of the 2024 movie release has a few things to say regarding those rumors. Gabriel Basso, who plays the film’s accused murderer, told THR about his disbelief of his director’s retirement and how he could “stick it to everybody” for all we know:

The Golden Globe winner very well could just surprise everybody with another project we don’t know about. Clint Eastwood previously said he had no reason to stop working in his ‘90s believing audiences will say when they’ve had enough of his works. But, you can never have enough Eastwood! He’s got to be one of the best actor-directors out there with his directorial works like Million Dollar Baby and Unforgiven giving him Oscar success later in life. Eastwood has the gift of directing films that can truly hit you in the gut like Mystic River, Changeling, Hereafter, and more. He proves that age has nothing to do with talent and that if you’ve got the strength, don’t let it go to waste.

Juror No. 2’s actress Toni Collete also told THR that she doesn’t believe Clint Eastwood’s days of cranking out projects are over either:

It doesn’t surprise me that the cast of Juror No. 2 spoke in high praises of their director. In fact, they had nothing but “badass” things to say about him like Chris Messina who found him “completely gentle” working on the thriller film expecting him to be a tough guy like his Western characters. The Julie & Julia actor remarked on his director’s great sense of humor and gave great notes working behind the camera. I wouldn’t blame any of the cast for wanting the legendary actor/director to continue making great works.

No one knows if Clint Eastwood’s time in the film industry will end after Juror No. 2. But it would be great if Eastwood could “stick it to everybody,” as Gabriel Basso said, and surprise us with a new movie to show it’s over for him when he says it’s over. Prepare to see the Oscar winner’s possible swan song in theaters on November 1st.

If there's any actor we'd gladly take words of wisdom from, it's the ever-soulful Oscar winner Viola Davis. She's a performer who is as capable of being a fount of warmth in The Help (even if she has good reason for regretting that role) as she is a force of nature in The Woman King. 

The acting legend offered up some sage advice through a recent Instagram post, in which she posited this question to her 12 million followers: 

The 58-year-old star captioned the post with her own answer: "You are worthy," and the fan-favorite Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes star was far from the only celebrity to respond to the wistful prompt, with many taking to the comments section of Davis' Instagram post with their own advice for their younger selves.

Many echoed Viola's heartful sentiment, with Davis' United States of Tara co-star Toni Collette offering herself an all-caps reminder: 

Grammy-winning R&B singer SZA added the always-helpful admonition: 

And Trigger Warning actress–slash–baby brand mogul Jessica Alba referenced how the passing years can help soften those youthful dramas and disappointments. 

But other commenters took the more comedic route, with quips about everything from SPF to student loans:

• "Don't marry Greg" - @glendahorodyski
• "NO STUDENT LOANS" - @tonybaker
• "Don't overpluck eyebrows" - @gailyhyl70
• "Always wear sunscreen!" - @alicia.b
• "You are gay" - @itsmeabesh_
• "Slow down, Sparky" - @spencergarrett1
• "Listen to adults" - @cassiecrumps
• "Wear the condom!!!!!!" - @glauciamarolla

Celebrity stylist and costume designer Karla Welch, who dresses everyone from Olivia Wilde to Tracee Ellis Ross to Justin Bieber, had a particularly hilarious addition: 

But even better was the hilarious response from The Roots drummer and The Tonight Show bandleader Questlove, who replied to Welch:

Along with that reply, Questlove (a.k.a. Ahmir K. Thompson) added his own advice for young Ahmir, jokingly writing: 

Given that the multimillionaire musician-filmmaker has scored an Oscar alongside a slew of Grammys, we think Quest is doing pretty well with or without those Uber investments.

Things are clearly going well for O.G. poster Viola Davis, too, with the actress having several upcoming projects in the can, including the upcoming action thriller G20, the animated flick Kung Fu Panda 4, and the DC Comics-based TV series Creature Commandos, which will reportedly hit Max later this year. 

Prior to her stirring Instagram post, David previously discussed what she would tell her younger self while chatting to ET's Kevin Frazier about her memoir Finding Me:

Given the powerhouse that Viola Davis would grow up up to become, we're all glad she did!

The list of Best Picture winners is short, and exclusive, which means that even some of the most acclaimed, decorated, and generally well-liked actors of all time haven't taken home the grand prize at the Academy Awards. You might be surprised by the number of celebrities we have listed below — many of which have Oscars of their own — that have never starred in a Best Picture winner.

Denzel Washington

As one of a few actors who have two Oscars to their name, you might assume that some of the best Denzel Washington movies were also guaranteed a Best Picture win, right? Surprisingly, the star of Glory and Training Day has never made a movie that won the Academy's big prize, but at least he can say that King Kong still ain’t got nothing on him.

Heath Ledger

If what many consider to be one of the Academy’s greatest mistakes (awarding Crash Best Picture over Brokeback Mountain in 2006) had not happened, Heath Ledger’s name would not be on this list. However, the late Australian actor still left behind a stunning legacy only so many actors can dream of. Notably, he won a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the Joker in one of the best superhero movies, The Dark Knight.

Christian Bale

Five of Christian Bale’s best movies have been nominated for Best Picture (The Fighter, American Hustle, The Big Short, Vice, and Ford v. Ferrari), but to no avail. At least his performance in The Fighter — David O. Russell’s 2010 boxing biopic — earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Robert Downey Jr.

It is already hard enough to believe that Robert Downey Jr. has only two Oscar nominations (for Chaplin and Tropic Thunder), and that none of his many great movies outside of the MCU have achieved the highest honor, either. However, things could change at the 2024 Oscars, given his stunning work in the Oppenheimer cast and the promising chances for Christopher Nolan’s glowing biopic.

Toni Collette

Toni Collette is an extraordinarily talented actor with the accolades to prove it, including an Oscar nomination for 1999’s The Sixth Sense. However, the classic M. Night Shyamalan movie is also one of a few Toni Collette movies to be nominated for Best Picture (also including 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine), but she hasn't been in a winner yet.

Will Smith

From TV sitcoms to sci-fi blockbusters to critically acclaimed biopics, Will Smith’s filmography is pretty extraordinary, but it does not include Best Picture winners. If that does change for him soon, he may be unable to celebrate the honor in person. This is because he has been banned from future ceremonies for the next decade after slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars — which also happened to be the night he won Best Actor for King Richard.

Harrison Ford

Two of Harrison Ford's most iconic characters were featured in two Best Picture Nominees -- the original Star Wars movie, where he played Han Solo, and the first Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark -- but neither of them won. At least Ford, who does have an Oscar nomination for fellow Best Picture nominee 1985’s Witness, can say those films, among others, made him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

Scarlett Johansson

Some of the most significant films of Scarlett Johansson’s career were Best Pictures nominees — such as her breakthrough role in one of the best movies of the 2000s, Lost in Translation, and her dual Oscar-nominated performances the same year for Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story. Of course, none of these films took home the top prize.

Ryan Gosling

There was a time when it seemed like Ryan Gosling would not be eligible for a list like this when we thought La La Land won Best Picture in 2017. However, it turned out to be a case of mistaken envelopes and the real winner was Moonlight. The Barbie cast member was also in the nominated film The Big Short, and there are sure to be more Ryan Gosling movies getting Oscar consideration.

Glenn Close

Glenn Close is one of those actors whose longtime losing streak at the Academy Awards — eight nominations, zero wins — continues to baffle audiences. Add on the fact that none of her best movies have won Best Picture either and the notion becomes simply unspeakable.

Jennifer Lawrence

The Academy loves Jennifer Lawrence — nominating her four times and awarding her the Best Actress Oscar for 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook. However, they seem to like her just a bit more than Jennifer Lawrence’s best movies, none of which have received the Best Picture award.

Julia Roberts

I suppose Julia Roberts’ multiple nominations and one win — for Erin Brockovich — had me convinced that she had been in a Best Picture winner at some point. In truth, said biopic from 2000 is actually the only Best Picture nominee among Roberts’ filmography so far, and it lost to Gladiator.

Meg Ryan

Would you believe that Meg Ryan has never been nominated for an Academy Award? Well, what if I told you that none of her movies — which include some of the best romantic comedies of all time, like When Harry Met Sally — were considered for the top prize either? Some talents just do not get the recognition they deserve.

Laura Linney

Curiously, Laura Linney has been nominated for her performances in 2000’s You Can Count On Me, Kinsey from 2004, and 2007’s The Savages — none of which even received Best Picture nominations. She has been in a Best Picture nominee though — Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River — however, that did not win either.

George Clooney

For a while, George Clooney’s filmography seemed to consist primarily of Best Picture nominees, such as Syriana (for which he won Best Supporting Actor) and Good Night, and Good Luck (which also earned him nods for writing and directing). However, in terms of the Best Picture category, that’s all any of them ever amounted to being; nominee.

Samuel L. Jackson

With a resume as lengthy and renowned as his, you would think Samuel L. Jackson has been in at least one Best Picture winner but he has not… yet. He has starred in quite a few Best Pictures nominees — many of which are Quentin Tarantino movies like Pulp Fiction, for which he received his sole Oscar nomination.

Hugh Jackman

Tom Hooper’s 2012 adaptation of Les Miserables earned eight nominations including one for Best Picture and and another for Best Actor for Hugh Jackman, but those categories were not among the three it did win. At least the Australian X-Men movie star has had the honor of hosting an Oscar ceremony before.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt has won a Golden Globe for Gideon’s Daughters, a Screen Actors Guild Award for 2018’s A Quiet Place, and three BAFTA nominations for The Devil Wears Prada, a special “Rising Star Award” from the same year, and The Girl on the Train. However, never has the Academy given her a nod, nor have any of Emily Blunt’s movies even been nominated for Best Picture.

Jake Gyllenhaal

The fact that Jake Gyllenhaal has only been nominated for an Oscar once — for Best Supporting Actor in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain surprisingly enough -- is crazy. To learn that said LGBTQ+ romance movie is the only film of his to receive a Best Picture nomination is equally baffling.

Matthew McConaughey

Mathew McConaughey has starred in two films nominated for Best Picture — Dallas Buyer’s Club, for which he won his Best Actor Oscar, and The Wolf of Wall Street — which were both released in 2013. Even with favorable odds like that, neither acclaimed drama took home the gold that year.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman has been nominated for three Oscars, and she took home one in 2011 for Black Swan. Darren Aronofsky’s twisted tale of ambition gone too far is also the actor’s only film to be nominated for Best Picture.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman is one of those actors who was overdue for his Oscar for a long time before he broke the streak with his transformative performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. Before (and after) his win, the British actor appeared in just a couple of Best Picture nominees — namely Oliver Stone’s JFK and David Fincher’s Mank.  

Amy Adams

The fact that none of Amy Adams’ movies have earned a Best Picture Oscar — despite six being nominated, including American Hustle and Arrival — is not particularly shocking. What is shocking is that the actor also has six nominations of her own and has never won any of them.

Angela Bassett

Years after she was nominated for an Academy Award as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, Angela Bassett made history as the first actor to receive an Oscar nomination for a Marvel movie performance (as Queen Ramona in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). Yet, her first Marvel movie, 2018’s Black Panther, is her only Best Picture nominee. 

Jeff Bridges

In addition to taking home an Oscar for Crazy Heart, Jeff Bridges has many Best Picture nominees under his belt, from 1971’s The Last Picture Show to Hell or High Water from 2016. Not a single one of them took him the grand prize, but I think the Academy’s biggest misstep in regards to acting legend was not nominating him for playing The Dude in The Big Lebowski.

Michael Caine

Despite two Academy Award wins to his name (one for 1986’s, Hannah and Her Sisters, and the other for 1999’s The Cider House Rules) Michael Caine cannot say he has starred in a Best Picture. Unfortunately, since the 90-year-old actor told The Telegraph that he is “sort of retired now,” he may never receive that honor.

Robin Williams

The late Robin Williams led a tremendous, widely beloved career that really made us laugh, through movies like 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire, as well as cry, like with his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting. That 1997 favorite and 1989’s Dead Poets Society are the only two Best Picture nominees he starred in.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry gave a landmark performance in 2001's Monster's Ball which earned her a historic Best Actress Oscar win. However, that film was not nominated for Best Picture, and neither has anything else the actor has starred in.

Sean Penn

Sean Penn has won Best Actor twice -- first for 2003's Mystic River by director Clint Eastwood and second for the title character of the powerful 2008 biopic, Milk. Neither of those acclaimed dramas got a Best Picture win, leaving the Fast Times at Ridgemont High cast member empty-handed in that particular regard.

Sandra Oh

With 13 Emmy nominations to her name, former Grey's Anatomy cast member Sandra Oh is better known as one of the greatest modern actors from the small screen. That would explain why her otherwise impressive big screen career -- which includes Alexander Payne's Best Picture-nominated Sideways -- does not include any grand prize winners at the Oscars at the moment.

Bradley Cooper

The otherwise bewildering fact that none of Bradley Cooper's many Oscar-nominated performances -- such as in 2012's Silver Linings Playbook or 2014's American Sniper -- nor his many Best Picture-nominated films -- including the two aforementioned films -- have resulted in any wins is not particularly a concern of mine. What I am surprised, and concerned, about is the snub for directing A Star is Born, which hopefully gets made up for when the upcoming Netflix movie, Maestro, comes out.

Viola Davis

I am happy that we live in a world in which an actor of momentous talent such as Viola Davis has been recognized and rewarded by the Academy with her Oscar win for 2016's Fences. That alone makes me, at least, content with the fact that there are still no Best Picture winners on her resume as of today.

Perhaps there will come a day when the names on this list change drastically and many of the actors above can say they have been in a Best Picture Oscar winner. For now, just keep cross your fingers and keep your hopes up for the next ceremony.

Little Miss Sunshine is a movie that I immediately loved and saw a few times after my initial viewing. However, it’s probably been at least a decade since I rewatched it. With the passing of Alan Arkin, I decided to rewatch the film to admire his hilarious, standout, and sentimental performance. I watched it for his performance but I found a new appreciation for Toni Collette’s performance and character.

I’ve been a fan of Toni Collette since watching Muriel's Wedding long, long ago on TV. She’s an actress that if I see her in a project, I’ll likely watch it because I know she’ll give a captivating performance. Therefore, I have seen many of Toni Collette’s best performances and her character in Little Miss Sunshine didn’t stand out to me when I was younger, especially compared to all the other characters in the film. However, after rewatching it, I saw how vital her character is to the story and what a wonderful mother she is. 

Sheryl Hoover deserves more praise, so let’s give it to her. 

Warning Little Miss Sunshine spoilers ahead. Proceed with caution. 

She Helps Keep The Family From Falling Apart 

It’s clear that the Little Miss Sunshine family is quite dysfunctional, but that’s kind of the point of the movie. They’re a mess but they love and support each other. Sheryl is the main reason the family is able to function at all. She’s very much keeping things together. I noticed during this viewing a few lines that reveal a lot about the family that you may not notice during the first viewing. For example, Sheryl is the only one in the family working. 

She’s not only bringing home the bucket of chicken and making the salad, but she’s also working, likely full-time. Richard (Greg Kinnear) is not bringing in money for the household because he’s putting all his time and attention into his self-help business. Richard not working isn’t the problem, the problem is that the burden to support the family financially is solely on Sheryl at the moment. 

Sheryl Acts As The Emotional Backbone For The Family 

Not only is Sheryl financially supporting her family, but she’s basically a supermom by being the emotional support for everyone. I don’t think I’m being dramatic by saying she might be one of the best movie moms. She’s only shown as being supportive of all those in her family, including her husband and his dreams. 

Sheryl and Frank (Steve Carell) have another sister named Cindy, who we never meet but we know that she’s the reason Olive (Abigail Breslin) is into the pageant world. The mention of Cindy shows that Frank does have another family member to stay with after he almost dies from suicide. However, Sheryl is the one who steps up to offer her brother a place to stay and emotional support. 

She gives her family any type of emotional support that they need. 

She Keeps Her Cool In Ridiculous Situations 

When grandpa aka Edwin (Alan Arkin) dies and Richard decides to try to take his body on the road with them, at first, like everyone else, Sheryl is mortified. However, she’s also the first to go along with the plan, and then she pushes everyone else into action. Sheryl was the last one to join the “Super Freak” dance but she watched gleefully as the rest of the family joined Olive. She was their cheerleader.

Sheryl is often seen smiling and laughing at the ridiculous things done and said by her family members. She is just a joyous person overall, which may be why Olive is also so happy and free. Even when things get tough, Sheryl tries to not freak out or lose her cool too much.

When she finds out that Richard may have lost all of their money, she waits until she’s alone with him to let it all out. Sheryl makes sure to keep her composure in front of her family, but she isn’t afraid to show emotions or get emotional. She lets the others know that grieving is okay when their grandpa dies. 

She Fixes Things That Richard Messes Up 

Richard may be one of the worst movie dads. He sort of starts to redeem himself by the end of Little Miss Sunshine. However, he’s fairly awful through most of it. One of his most offensive scenes is where he basically tries to guilt-trip Olive for wanting ice cream. Now, the person who steps up the most in this scene is the grandpa for going against what Richard does and says, and even gets the family involved to get Olive to eat her ice cream.

However, Sheryl also deserves some praise for telling Olive she can be fat or skinny and it doesn’t matter. She also often emotionally steps in when Richard causes some damage. She goes against him without being too combative. She shows that strong and tough women characters aren’t just action stars but come in many forms. They can be a supportive mom who repairs any emotional damage another parent may inflict. 

Sheryl Has To Put Up With A Lot From Her Family 

Richard may be the most difficult person that Sheryl has to deal with in her family, but he isn’t the only one. Dwayne (Paul Dano) has a whole scene where he tells her that he hates her. She doesn’t even flinch. Sheryl knows he’s emotional and anything he says isn’t his true feelings. She has a deep understanding of the people in her life. It’s commendable. 

Additionally, Dwayne refuses to speak for nine months. Instead of trying to force him to talk, she accepts it and caters to his decision. Maybe at first she tried to get him to speak, but now she just accepts it. Grandpa is not a completely angry old man but he can be cranky. One of the first scenes in Little Miss Sunshine involves him complaining about eating chicken all the time.

Sheryl has probably had to deal with many, many outbursts from him. She really deals with her own madhouse but she does it in a way that’s non-judgmental, caring, and supportive. 

The Character Allows Toni Collette To Give Another Great But Understated Performance  

The Little Miss Sunshine cast is full of great actors who give outstanding performances. Alan Arkin even won an Oscar for his performance in the film. Additionally, it’s one of Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano, and Steve Carell’s best performances. However, Toni Collette gives a great performance in a quieter way. She isn’t as focal as other characters but she’s a critical character.

As stated, she’s basically the emotional glue that holds this family together. Collette’s character presents herself as the supportive core for this family and she does it so well. She truly feels like a loving matriarch that you would want in your own family. 

Little Miss Sunshine is one of the best movies to watch on Max right now, for many reasons, and one of them is Sheryl Hoover and her kind glory. Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Max.  

We are fast approaching the dog days of summer, and for people hoping to escape the heat, there have already been plenty of family-friendly options in theaters. Animation dominated the box office last weekend, and Disney offered up its live-action remake of The Little Mermaid a month ago. Now it’s DreamWorks Animation’s turn to take moviegoers under the sea, as Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken hits theaters June 30. Critics had a chance to screen the movie ahead of its release, and they seem to like it, but think it should have leaned further into what makes it unique.

The movie stars Lana Condor from the To All the Boys series as the voice of the titular Kraken, as well as Toni Collette and Jane Fonda as her mother and Grandmamah, respectively. Let’s see what the critics think of the latest project from DreamWorks Animation, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Our own Sarah El-Mahmoud rates it 3 stars out of 5, noting its similarity in plot to last year’s Pixar offering Turning Red. At a tight 90 minutes, this is an enjoyable option for families she says, but nothing earth-shattering: 

Nell Minow of RogerEbert.com gives the movie 3.5 out of 4 stars, calling it “one of the best family films of the year” with its buoyant energy, and while this critic also points out that it’s reminiscent of Turning Red, DreamWorks delivers its own unique delights Minow says, writing: 

Many critics, including Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics, agree Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken had potential but didn’t dive deep enough. The movie is at its best, Hopson says, when daring to skewer our perception of The Little Mermaid, and while the critic thinks a franchise could be built around Ruby, this movie gets just 2.5 out of 5 stars: 

Manuel Betancourt of AV Club grades it a C+, calling the movie a “perfectly adequate fable.” The critic says there’s plenty to enjoy, but Ruby Gillman struggles to find the happy medium between its kooky premise and sincere emotion. Betancourt continues: 

Rachel LeBonte of ScreenRant rates it a “Fairly Good” 2.5 out of 5 stars, calling Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken “endearing” with a stunning voice cast, but the movie needed to go deeper, and it may have trouble making an impression with so many other options. LeBonte writes: 

The critics have lots of good things to say about Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, even if the story isn’t as well-developed as many would have liked. As a family-friendly option with a reasonable runtime, there are surely plenty of worse ways to spend a summer afternoon, so if you’d like to check this one out, head to your local theater now. Be sure to also take a peek at our 2023 Movie Release Calendar to see what else is hitting the big screen soon. 

The world cannot seem to get enough of true crime - be it a feature-length drama, a series, a documentary, or a docuseries to get every last detail out of the case of the week. It also appears that some stories are more obsessed over than others, such as that of Michael Peterson, whose long-debated case involving of his wife, Kathleen - who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in 2001 - has been the subject of a feature-length Lifetime movie, a docuseries on Netflix, and now an eight-episode HBO Max original drama called The Staircase.

Whatever your opinion is regarding the shocking trial, I think few can argue that creator Antonio Campos’ miniseries - available to stream on HBO Max Thursday, May 5 - doesn't look like a gripping representation of the events that took place. See for yourself by taking a look at who is playing whom in The Staircase cast.

Colin Firth (Michael Peterson)

Playing novelist Michael Peterson - convicted of murder in 2003 before charges were reduced to manslaughter in 2017 - is Colin Firth, whose last true crime title was 2013’s Devil’s Knot. The British actor is better known for literary costume dramas like 1995’s Pride and Prejudice miniseries, biopics like The King’s Speech (for which he won an Oscar), rom-coms like Bridget Jones’ Diary, musicals (namely when he joined the Mamma Mia! cast), or even cartoonish spy thrillers like the action-packed Kingsman movies. 

Firth more recently played Stanley Tucci’s partner in Supernova, a British Naval officer in 2022’s Operation Mincemeat, and (speaking of war dramas) will reunite with 1917 director Sam Mendes for Empire of Light.

Toni Collette (Kathleen Peterson)

Playing Kathleen Peterson - whose mysterious death is the main focus of the story - is Toni Collette, whose previous experience with true crime includes Netflix’s Unbelievable and Imperium. The Australian actress’ eclectic filmography ranges from horror movies like The Sixth Sense (for which she received an Oscar nomination) and Hereditary (for which she should have received an Oscar nomination), to dysfunctional family dramedies like Little Miss Sunshine, the Showtime series United States of Tara (which earned her an Emmy), or more fun mystery thrillers like Knives Out. Collette recently starred in Netflix’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things in 2020 and Guillermo del Toro’s Best Picture Oscar nominee, Nightmare Alley, the following year.  

Michael Stuhlbarg (David Rudolf)

As Michael Peterson’s lawyer, David Rudolf, we have Michael Stuhlbarg, who (in addition to recently starring on another legal drama, Showtime’s Your Honor) has played a lot real people in fact-based titles. He joined Hulu’s Dopesick cast as former Purdue Pharma president Richard Sackler, gave an Emmy-nominated performance as national security expert Richard Clarke on The Looming Tower, was crime boss Andrew Rothstein on Boardwalk Empire, and sparred with Michael Fassbender in the title role of Steve Jobs as software engineer Andy Hertzfeld, to name just a few. 

He also led Joel and Ethan Coen’s A Serious Man in 2010, played an alien in Men in Black 3, played a human afraid of aliens in Arrival, and is reprising his Doctor Strange role in its sequel in 2022.

Parker Posey (Freda Black)

As Freda Black - the prosecuting attorney in the Michael Peterson case - we have Parker Posey, who first broke into the mainstream (like many of her co-stars in the 1993 classic) as Darla in Dazed and Confused, before becoming a recurring cast member of Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy's mockumentaries after first appearing in 1996’s Waiting for Guffman. 

She is also known for classic rom-coms like You’ve Got Mail, horror movies like Scream 3, and comic book movies like Blade: Trinity and Superman Returns. Posey has also had recurring roles on many notable series (such as The Good Wife), starred on Netflix’s Lost in Space reboot, and will appear in AMC’s upcoming anthology Tales from the Walking Dead.

Dane DeHaan (Clayton Peterson)

Playing Michael Peterson’s son, Clayton, is Dane DeHaan, who has a few credits in common with his The Staircase co-stars - namely Devil’s Knot with Colin Firth and Lincoln with Michael Stuhlbarg. He is even better known as Andrew Detmer in the acclaimed 2012 found footage thriller Chronicle, Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Lockhart in A Cure for Wellness, and the title character of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. 

Other notable miniseries credits for DeHaan (who recently joined Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast) include the suspenseful The Stranger (formerly a Quibi exclusive) and Apple TV+’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story.

Patrick Schwarzenegger (Todd Peterson)

Playing Michael Peterson’s son, Todd, is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, Patrick Schwarzenegger - who made his acing debut in the 2006 comedy, The Benchwarmers, before reuniting with David Spade and Rob Schneider in 2013’s Grown Ups 2. Before playing the title role of 2019’s Shudder exclusive movie, Daniel Isn’t Real, his first horror efforts were Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse and an episode of Scream Queens in 2015 and, in the years in between, he played a soldier on National Geographic’s The Long Road Home and shared a romance with Bella Thorne in Midnight Sun (not to be confused with the Twilight spin-off book). 

Schwarzenegger has since shared the screen with Michael Shannon in Echo Boomers, Amy Poehler in Netflix’s Moxie, and Thomas Jane and more in the dystopian ensemble drama, Warning. 

Sophie Turner (Margaret Ratliff)

Playing Michael Peterson’s adoptive daughter, Margaret Ratliff, is Sophie Turner, although she goes by the last name Jonas since her marriage to Joe Jonas in 2019. Like some of her fellow The Staircase cast members, the English actress has starred in comedic spy movies (2015’s Barely Lethal), Marvel movies (as the X-Men’s Jean Grey), and Quibi original thrillers (Survive from 2020). Of course, Turner (who more recently leant her voice to HBO Max’s animated comedy, The Prince) is best known for her Emmy-nominated performance in the Game of Thrones cast as Sansa Stark. 

Odessa Young (Martha Ratliff)

Playing Michael Peterson’s adoptive daughter, Martha Ratliff, is Odessa Young, who previously worked with Colin Firth in 2022’s Mothering Sunday and Michael Stuhlbarg in Shirley two years earlier. Following her starring roles on the Australian dramas Tricky Business (also starring The Boys cast member Antony Starr) and Wonderland, the actress made her feature-length debut in 2015’s The Daughter and later starred in A Million Little Pieces and played the lead of Sam Levinson’s coming-of-age satire, Assassination Nation, in 2018. In 2020, she joined Paramount+’s The Stand cast.

Olivia DeJonge (Caitlin Atwater)

As Caitlin Atwater - Kathleen Peterson’s daughter from a previous marriage - we have Olivia DeJonge, who, like some of her fellow The Staircase cast members, has starred in found footage thrillers and worked with M. Night Shyamalan (2015’s The Visit), in Shakespearean costume dramas (TNT’s short-lived series, Will), and dystopian supernatural TV shows (Netflix’s The Society). The Australian actress made her feature-length debut in 2014’s teen mystery The Sisterhood of Night, later starred in the 2016 holiday horror movie Better Watch Out, and will soon appear in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis as Priscilla Presley.

Rosemarie DeWitt (Candace Zamperini)

As Candace Zamperini - Kathleen Peterson’s sister - we have Rosemarie DeWitt, who last played Toni Collette’s onscreen sister on the aforementioned United States of Tara. Also like some of her fellow The Staircase cast members, she has starred in dysfunctional family stories (Rachel Getting Married and Your Sister’s Sister), period TV shows (a recurring role in the Mad Men cast), horror movies (2015’s Poltergeist remake), musicals (La La Land), and modern satirical dramas (Men, Women & Children). DeWitt also tried dystopian sci-fi with one of the best Black Mirror episodes from Season 4 (“Arkangel”) and was part of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere cast in 2020.

Tim Guinee (Bill Peterson)

Playing Michael Peterson’s brother, Bill, is Tim Guinee, whose last role on a fact-based miniseries this year was on Netflix’s Inventing Anna, after previously starring in the 2019 biopic Harriet, and playing John Denver in the 2002 TV movie Warning: Parental Advisory. His lengthy, versatile filmography also includes vampire movies (John Carpenter’s Vampires and 1998’s Blade - also his first Marvel movie before appearing in the first two Iron Man movies), and a couple other appearances alongside Rosemarie DeWitt (The Odd Life of Timothy Green and Promised Land). He also has recurring roles on several hit series - such as The Good Wife, Hell on Wheels, Elementary, and Homeland. 

Vincent Vermignon (Jean-Xavier de Lestrade)

As Jean-Xavier de Lestrade - the Oscar-winning documentarian behind the docuseries also called The Staircase - we have Vincent Vermignon. Originally from the French-Caribbean island of Martinique, the actor is best known for the 2016 drama Gangs of the Caribbean, the interactive series Cut, and lending his voice to the spooky animated French film Little Vampire in 2020. English-speaking audiences may also recognize the actor from an episode of the Idris Elba-led crime series, Luther, in 2019.

Juliette Binoche (Sophie Brunet)

Playing Sophie Brunet - Jean-Xavier de Lestrade’s editor who become romantically involved with Michael Peterson during the making of The Staircase docuseries - is Juliette Binoche, who last starred opposite Colin Firth in the Best Picture Oscar winner The English Patient, for which she also won an Academy Award. Like Firth, the French actress is also known for literary romance dramas (1992’s Wuthering Heights), rom-coms (2007’s Dan in Real Life), and big budget blockbusters (2014’s Godzilla), to name a few. The Chocolat star is also known for Michael Haneke’s thriller, Caché, the romantic anthology Paris, je t’aime, and two unique thrillers opposite Robert Pattinson (2012’s Cosmopolis and High Life from 2018).

Murder. Mystery. Romance. Family drama. A talented cast. What more could you ask for from a true crime series like The Staircase on HBO Max?

There are certainly some names in Hollywood that some might say get way too much attention, but on the flip side of that, there are stars who are so underrated it hurts. Toni Collette is one of those people, in my opinion. Her name may be one that you aren’t familiar with right off the bat, but her face is most likely one you are very familiar with. She’s been in some major series and films over the years, isn’t afraid to take risks in a role, and she brings her A game each time. 

Collette is, I think, one of the most talented living actors to grace our screens. She’s been in iconic films since the ‘90s, has worked opposite some of the biggest names in the industry, and owns one hell of a powerhouse scream that is sure to have even the biggest horror buff shaking in their boots. From The Sixth Sense to A24’s Hereditary, we’ve collected some of the best Toni Collette movies and TV shows and where you can witness her greatness yourself, either by streaming or to adding to your home video collection.

United States of Tara (2009 - 2011)

If you ever needed an example of the massive range Toni Collette has as an actor, look no further than the Showtime series, United States of Tara. Colette plays the titular character, who has Dissociative Identity Disorder (previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder). She also plays, and completely EMBODIES, each one of Tara’s personalities, of which there are a handful who include a 5-year-old child, a rebellious teen, and a grumpy Vietnam vet named Buck. Collette won an Emmy for this (these?) role(s).

If you ever wanted to see a grown woman switch from a regular suburban mom to pretty much every possible opposite in existence, United States of Tara is the perfect show for you. It’s undeniably funny, but it also deals with some pretty heavy topics and conversations. DID is a disorder that stems from a ton of trauma, and Tara explores her harsh history throughout the series.

Stream United States of Tara on Hulu.
Rent/Buy United States of Tara digitally on Amazon.
Buy United States of Tara on DVD on Amazon.

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out was one of the last big films to hit theaters before the pandemic threw Hollywood for a loop, and it sure did make for a star-studded bookend on the backside of 2019. Toni Collette was joined by a number of other talented actors in the Knives Out cast, like Jamie Lee Curtis, Daniel Craig (who is revisiting his role in the upcoming sequel), Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas.

Basically a cross between Clue and the children's mystery The Westing Game, the whodunit puts a number of interesting characters together as they wait for a will reading after the death of the head of the family. Deaths occur, mystery abounds, and comedic timing is all but perfected in this fun film.

Rent/Buy Knives Out digitally on Amazon.
Buy Knives Out on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Hereditary (2018)

There are countless things that can be said about this film. The acting in Hereditary shows a level of dedication that is only found in the best Hollywood has to offer, and Toni Collette’s performance is the most realistic, moving portrayal of grief I have ever seen on screen. This theme of grief can also be found in director Ari Aster’s later film Midsommar, but the way Toni Collette played her role in the contemporary horror film is just *chef’s kiss*. 

If you ask any horror buff to list their top ten horror flicks, I’m willing to bet the majority will have Hereditary somewhere on it. Although the film didn’t quite make the 90 percentile on Rotten Tomatoes, it has achieved reverence in a lot of horror circles and is an example of a truly horrifying work of art to come out of Hollywood. 

Stream Hereditary on Showtime.
Rent/Buy Hereditary digitally on Amazon.
Buy Hereditary on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Pieces of Her (2022)

Netflix’s Pieces of Her series brought a bestselling novel’s story (although, with a few differences) to our small screens not too long ago, and the thrilling and dark story earned a spot on Netflix’s Top 10 upon its release. It sees tragedy hit a small town, leading a woman to try to piece together her mother’s troubled past. The mysterious mother is played by our girl Toni Collette, and she gives yet another daunting and impressive performance. 

Stream Pieces of Her on Netflix.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Toni Collette is just as amazing in a supporting role as she is in the lead, and her work in the Little Miss Sunshine cast is one such example. Colette plays the mother of Abigail Breslin’s titular character, and she shines just as bright as the rest of the film family played by a cast of some fantastic talent like Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, and Steve Carell. Although Little Miss Sunshine is one of the many, many films in which Collette plays the matriarch of the family, it certainly is a stand out on her resume of film titles.

Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Hulu.
Stream Little Miss Sunshine on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy Little Miss Sunshine digitally on Amazon.
Buy Little Miss Sunshine on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Unbelievable (2019)

Unbelievable jerks Toni Collette out of the mom role we are so used to seeing her in and gives her a gun. She plays a detective who connects a serial rapist to a case that happened a few years prior. The case in question was one in which the woman was not believed by the male investigators on the case. 

Unbelievable is a true crime thriller that seems to blur the lines of our world and one of fiction, as many women could find truth in the story. The Netflix original series is an emotional one, and seeing Toni Collette in a serious, based on real events series hits different, but not at all in a bad way. 

Stream Unbelievable on Netflix.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

Now, there are plenty of people who, when thinking about The Sixth Sense, can only bring up the image of Haley Joel Osment as a small child in bed with the covers around his face, uttering that iconic “I see dead people” line to a concerned Bruce Willis. However, Toni Collette put on a pretty spectacular performance in the horror flick, as always. 

You may not recognize her because her signature strawberry blonde hair is dyed a deep red, but Toni Collette plays Osment’s mother in The Sixth Sense. She does a pretty amazing job at playing mother to a creepy kid, too, and was nominated for an Oscar for her performance.

Stream The Sixth Sense on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy The Sixth Sense digitally on Amazon.
Buy The Sixth Sense on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

About A Boy (2002)

Toni Collette is a pro at portraying moms on screen. She pretty much has never played the same mom twice, and her About A Boy performance is one of a severely depressed woman who is also raising an incredibly special and endearing young boy by herself. 

While the film centers around the relationship between Toni Collette’s on-screen son and his unlikely friendship with a slacker playboy on the hunt for single moms, Collette adds something powerful to the film in her portrayal of motherhood and mental illness. 

Rent/Buy About A Boy digitally on Amazon.
Buy About A Boy on Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Muriel’s Wedding (1994)

If you’re a fan of Toni Collette and looking for something that showcases the actress that you probably haven’t seen, Muriel’s Wedding most likely fits the bill, and may even become your new Collette go-to film. It was one of her very first movies, and it’s such a hidden gem. It’s quirky, funny, and hosts Collette as the central character in a way that’ll make you love her even more - not to mention she has her natural Australian accent in the film.

Rent/Buy Muriel’s Wedding digitally on Amazon.
Buy Muriel’s Wedding on DVD on Amazon.

In Her Shoes (2005)

As far as the chick flick genre goes, In Her Shoes is an underrated, yet vital film. Toni Collette looks almost unrecognizable in the role of a straight edge workaholic who is the opposite of her party girl sister, played by Cameron Diaz. The two are forced together after their grandmother, whom they never knew previously, shows up.

The film is a story of how two polar opposite, rival sisters can grow together again. It's funny and endearing, and a great addition to any girls' night in.

Stream In Her Shoes on Starz.
Buy/Rent In Her Shoes digitally on Amazon.
Buy In Her Shoes on DVD on Amazon.

Fright Night (2011)

Another film where Toni Collette plays mom, Fright Night is a humorous remake of the classic ‘80s vampire film of the same name. David Tennant, Colin Farrell, and Anton Yelchin join Collette in a pretty impressive line-up of stars, and they all totally work in sync together. 

While not the shining star at the top of Toni Collette’s collection of horror flicks, Fright Night is still a great watch for a lot of different reasons. As far as remakes go, it’s a great one. It’s a modern version of a pretty great classic and a wonderful combination of horror and comedy; the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, even though it’s going up against the already-solid original, is refreshing. Also, the acting talent is respectable - Collette has a smaller role compared to the other great names in the cast, but she definitely doesn’t shrink beside them. 

Stream Fright Night on Hulu.
Buy/Rent Fright Night digitally on Amazon.
Buy Fright Night on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Toni Collette has been a part of so many fantastic projects, and she honestly gives something a little (or, honestly, a lot) extra to whatever film or series she lends her talents. It’s practically a sin she hasn’t won an Oscar yet, or has even been nominated since the ‘90s, because she is one actress who can contend with the biggest players in Hollywood. 

No matter which direction you go into when you sit down to watch a film or series, if Toni Collette’s name is in it, it’s pretty much a promise that it will be worth your time. Luckily, she can be found all across the major streaming platforms, whether you just have a Netflix subscription, or one to all the streamers, you can find something that features the actress pretty easily.

Spoiler alert! This story contains MAJOR spoilers about Pieces of Her, both the Netflix series and the book by Karin Slaughter.

The new series, Pieces of Her, was one of several shows to see a March release on Netflix as an addition to the 2022 Netflix TV schedule. Starring Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote as Laura and Andy, respectively, a mother and daughter who find themselves in a deadly situation when a shooting breaks out in the restaurant where they're celebrating Andy's birthday. The series is based on the book of the same name by Karin Slaughter, and you can always expect a book-to-screen adaptation to change some things around to better suit the new medium, but just how true did the Pieces of Her TV show stay to its source material?

While the main plot stayed the same — after Laura brutally kills the restaurant shooter, Andy is sent on a dangerous journey in which she discovers she has no idea who her mother is — quite a bit was changed from Karin Slaughter's book, including a big twist to the ending. Let's take a look at nine of the biggest differences between Pieces of Her the book and the Netflix series.  

Alex Maplecroft Was The Character Who Took A Knife To The Hand In The Book 

First of all, the characters involved in the stabbing that inspired Laura's violent actions in the restaurant were different in the book. The series showed a flashback to Laura's past (or Jane's past, as it was pre-Witness Protection), when Alex Maplecroft, the woman they'd taken hostage, stabbed Nick Harp through the palm, and he turned the blade around and slit her throat with the knife still in his hand. In the book, however, it was Quarter (a little-used character in both media) who stabbed Maplecroft through the palm, and she attempted to kill Jane before Nick stepped in and killed her.

More was made of the restaurant incident in the book, as well, because rather than just slashing the shooter's throat like in the series, book Laura did attempt to save his life. This was important because of the shooter's identity. He was part of a well-connected family of cops and lawyers, whose father had recently been killed in the line of duty. The series used the restaurant shooting as a jumping off point, but didn't get into any of its intricacies. 

Charlie Was Not In The Book, As It Took Place Almost Entirely From Andy’s Perspective 

U.S. Marshal Charlie (Gil Birmingham, whom you may recognize as Thomas Rainwater from the Yellowstone cast) was not a character in the Pieces of Her book. In fact, readers had no insight into what Laura was doing after Andy left town that first night, as the present-day story was told only through Andy's eyes, with flashbacks being narrated by Jane.

Paula Kunde Was The One After Laura And Andy, Not Nick And Jasper

Another big book-to-series change was Paula Kunde's role. The imprisoned Paula was barely mentioned in the series, when in the book, she was the one after Laura and Andy — not Nick and Jasper. Paula hired a man to go after Laura after seeing her on TV for the restaurant shooting, and Paula followed Andy to Clara and Eliot's cabin (his name was Eli in the series). Her motives were basically the same  — find out where Laura/Jane had hidden paperwork that would implicate Jasper in Martin Queller's murder, thus freeing Nick (who had been in prison for 30 years in the book but had been on the lam for 30 years in the series). 

In the book, Paula held Andy hostage, and when Laura showed up under the guise of handing over the papers, she killed Paula instead.

Andrew Died Of AIDS, Not A Gunshot

The event that convinced Jane to leave Nick's Army of the Changing World was Andrew’s death in both the Netflix series and the book, but the circumstances were much different. In the series, he simply died after being shot trying to escape the FBI. In the book, his illness was drawn out, and his death from AIDS showed the absolute monsters that Nick and Jasper were in their treatment of him.

Jane Had Lost Multiple Pregnancies To Nick’s Abuse

Speaking of absolute monsters, Nick's villainy was ten-fold in the book. As all of Laura/Jane's actions in the story centered around wanting to protect her daughter, the book gave a deeper explanation of why. While Jane's pregnancy with Andy is the only one mentioned in the series, the book tells of the multiple miscarriages she suffered as a victim of domestic violence. Nick always told her they'd "keep the next one."

Jane Did Not Slam Her Hand In The Door To Get Out Of Playing Piano

While it was hinted in the series that Martin Queller had been sexually abusive to his daughter Jane, it was stated outright in the book. Jane had a stable of excuses for quitting the piano in the book — she didn't want to use her father's blood money, her instructor dropped her, etc. — but the series cut to the chase and had her slam her hand in a car door to avoid having to go out on tour with her father. 

Clara Didn't Die In The Book

In the series, Charlie showed Laura photos of a murdered Clara, which proved that Nick was still out there and a threat. However, she didn't die in the book. Paula tracked Andy to Clara's house, thinking Laura/Jane's daughter might be able to get information out of Clara, who suffered from Alzheimer's. Paula stormed the house, killing Eliot and shooting Clara. In the end, Clara was revealed to be safe in a long-term care home.

Jasper Had A Much Smaller Role In The Book

Paula was the only visible villain after Laura and Andy in the book. Jasper was mentioned as a corrupt politician and frequent presidential candidate, and his participation in Quellcorp's fraud and Martin's murder were the same. However, the campaign stops, visit to Jasper's house and the surveillance of Andy’s phone were all added for the series.

Laura Tricked Nick Into Admitting He Sent Paula After Them, Ensuring He'd Never Get Out Of Jail 

The book’s epilogue showed Laura visiting Nick in prison and manipulating him into admitting that he sent Paula after her and Andy. This ensured her ex-boyfriend would never get out of jail and she and Andy were safe. The series didn’t have such a happy ending, with Jasper continuing to spy on Andy and coming into information to hold over Laura/Jane’s head as blackmail. They had to leave the door open for another season, right?

While the story of Andy embarking on a dangerous journey to find out her mother's true identity and outrun the people trying to kill her was similar in both Karin Slaughter's book and the Netflix TV show, quite a few liberties were taken in the adaptation, not the least of which was to make Laura a bigger character and thus take advantage of having Toni Collette.

Pieces of Her is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription, and be sure to check out some of the other best shows on Netflix right now. 

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the ending of the Netflix drama Pieces of Her, including multiple plot twists. Proceed with caution if you haven’t finished watching the series.

The new Netflix series, Pieces of Her, follows Laura (Toni Collette, who recently starred in the highly rated Nightmare Alley) and her daughter Andy (Bella Heathcote, who appeared in the Fifty Shades Darker cast) on a dangerous journey after Laura violently killed a man who opened fire in the restaurant where they were dining. The national attention brought on by Laura’s seemingly uncharacteristic actions alerted people from her past to her whereabouts, and Andy slowly begins to uncover secrets about her and her mother’s past. The Pieces Of Her ending is full of twists and revelations that reveal who Laura really is and what she’s been hiding.

Based on the book of the same name by Karin Slaughter, Pieces of Her consists of eight hourlong(ish) episodes that include plenty of plot twists, aliases, and flashbacks across different periods of Laura’s life to show what led to the situation she and Andy find themselves in now. Most of the puzzle was pieced together by the end of the eighth episode, but there were enough questions left for viewers to wonder if maybe another season could be ordered. Let’s take a look at what we learned from the ending of Netflix’s Pieces of Her. 

Laura And Andy Were In Witness Protection

Laura used to be Jane Queller, who became involved with Nick Harp, the leader of a domestic terrorist organization that was responsible for the murder of Jane's father Martin Queller, a Big Pharma billionaire. After more unexpected deaths, a pregnant Jane turned herself in to the FBI, testified against Nick and the others in the group, and joined Witness Protection. 

The national attention Laura received after killing the restaurant shooter alerted Nick — now on America’s Most Wanted list, as he’d evaded capture for 30 years — to Laura’s new identity and whereabouts. Charlie (Gil Birmingham), who had been like a godfather to Andy all her life, was a U.S. Marshal assigned to Laura’s case, as was Michael, the man who followed Andy when she left town.

Laura’s Killing Of The Shooter Mirrored A Murder She Witnessed In The Past

What drew the most attention to Laura’s restaurant-shooter killing was the violent way in which she took him out. After taking a knife clean through her hand, she turned her fist around and back-handedly slashed his throat. It was a move that Jane had watched Nick execute 30 years prior when he’d killed kidnapped professor Alex Maplecroft.

Nick And Jasper Were After Jane For A Tape, Not The Money

Jane decided she had to get away from Nick and get Andrew to a hospital after he was shot, as the Army of the Changing World fled following Alex Maplecroft’s murder. While grabbing some of the money they’d gotten from Maplecroft’s ransom, Jane happened upon a mini-recorder, and the tape inside contained a conversation that implicated Jane’s other brother, Jasper, in the plot against their father.

Jasper took over Quellcorp following Martin’s death. In the present day he was on track to become the running mate for a presidential candidate, which made that tape very valuable to both Jasper and Nick — to Jasper to make sure he was never tied to the murder, and to Nick so he could have control over Jasper. When Andy found the suitcase full of ransom money that Jane had taken all those years ago, she didn’t realize the people who were after her were looking for the tape hidden in the suitcase’s lining, not the cash.

Jane Set Her Father Up To Be Murdered

A huge twist came near the end of the series, when it turned out that Nick was telling the truth about not giving Grace Juno the gun to kill Martin Queller. The Army of the Changing World’s plan had been only to detonate dye packs to represent metaphorical blood on Martin’s hands. But, after Martin had tried to poison Jane to make her lose her baby, Jane snuck a gun into the Oslo conference and gave it to Grace, who blamed Martin for the death of her husband and children, telling her what her father had tried to do to her baby. 

Grace killed Martin to protect Jane and her unborn child, Andy, and Nick knew the truth all along. That’s why Laura/Jane had been so afraid of Nick finding her — the entire case against Nick was built around Jane's false testimony that she saw him give Grace the gun.

The Finale Twist Left The Door Open For Season 2

With the tape (presumably) burned in the house fire that Andy started while trying to escape Nick, and Nick finally in custody, It seemed that Pieces of Her was about to wrap everything up with a nice bow. However, when Andy made the connection regarding her mother’s involvement in Martin’s murder and called Michael, the U.S. marshal she stayed close to, for information, it was revealed that Jasper still had people listening in on her phone calls. 

Jasper also called Laura/Jane to inform her that he was officially going to be a vice presidential candidate and that Nick had told him that she was responsible for their father’s murder. He said he’ll keep Nick quiet, but it was clear that favor wasn’t going to come cheap. There’s also the matter of Paula Kunde, a member of the Army of the Changing World, who was about to finish her prison sentence and still held a pretty strong grudge against Jane.

Netflix hasn’t made an announcement about whether or not there will be a second season of Pieces of Her, but there was no sequel to Karin Slaughter’s book. There were still plenty of stories left to create, even without another book, so now we’ll just have to wait and see.

Pieces of Her is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription. You can also check out some of the other shows to binge watch on Netflix, and see what premieres are coming up soon on our 2022 TV Schedule.

Some people might think that, for the most part, 2021’s movie rundown is pretty much finished. Though if you pay attention to the awards season chatter, or even if you’re just looking out for Spider-Man: No Way Home, you’d know December is a pretty big month. It’s about to get bigger, as Guillermo del Toro’s final trailer for his latest film Nightmare Alley shows Bradley Cooper reading the mind of Cate Blanchett, and a whole lot more, in bloody detail.

As Searchlight Pictures is positioning this film for an awards qualifying run, the promotional machine is starting to rev up rather fiercely. Our latest look at Stan Kenton (Bradley Cooper) includes everything from a lie detector test to good old fashioned noir movie seduction. The one thing you won’t find in here is the del Toro staple of supernatural monsters, and that’s for good reason. In the world of author William Lindsay Gresham’s source novel, humanity is the beast, and its denizens can shed blood just fine without any powers. 

This is a slicker, meaner beast than the previous trailer we saw for Nightmare Alley, which brooded a little more as it laid the foundation. With the introductions to the world of Stan Kenton, and his transition from carnival performer to high society adviser already established, it’s time to throw some threats into the pot. Bradley Cooper’s ambitious huckster certainly gets his share of warnings from multiple parties, with varying degrees of anger being presented. 

On one hand, the ever busy Cate Blanchett cryptically warn him of keeping the right people happy, with a cool and icy demeanor. Which is a perfect juxtaposition from Richard Jenkins, who gets a bit fiery with his insistence on results from his mind reading friend. Nightmare Alley wouldn’t be a film noir if it didn’t have its slimy protagonist pinned into a corner every so often, so this tracks. 

Marking Guillermo del Toro’s first directorial effort since 2018’s Best Picture winner The Shape of Water, his departure from the world of fantastical monsters is as slick as you’d expect. Going hard on the noir aspects, as it fulfills a lifelong dream of his in the world of filmmaking, Nightmare Alley looks like a dream that promises a swift passage to Hell. In a world like the one we’ve just gotten a glimpse at, such a prospect is probably seen as a kindness among the cruelest of people. 

Nightmare Alley will invite viewers into its web of deceit, only in theaters, on December 17th. Don’t be afraid to check out the 2021 release schedule, as there’s plenty more where this came from in the next month. Though considering that other trailer that dropped earlier this week, it wouldn't take a mind reader to guess another anticipated December release. 

Every once in a while, an indie darling with a small budget, two first-time movie directors, and a talented cast comes along and catches everyone by surprise. This happens to be the case for the 2006 family road trip comedy Little Miss Sunshine, that went on to bring in more than $100 million at the box office worldwide and earned a spot on numerous best-of lists.

At the time of the film's release, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, and Alan Arkin were already well-known actors, having appeared in countless critically acclaimed comedies and dramas over the years, but for other members of the Little Miss Sunshine cast, specifically Abigail Breslin and Paul Dano, this was their introduction to larger audiences. In the 15 years since the movie took home two Oscars and dozens of other accolades, the cast has only become more popular. Here’s everything they’ve been up to since the release of Little Miss Sunshine.

Steve Carell (Frank Ginsburg)

Steve Carell’s heartbreaking and tormented, yet hilarious, portrayal of Frank Ginsburg came at a time when the actor’s career was on the rise thanks to star-making performances in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman, and a little show by the name of The Office, which debuted just a few months before Little Miss Sunshine premiered at Sundance in January 2006.

Since playing the suicidal and unemployed Proust scholar, Steve Carell has gone on to give multiple outstanding performances in animated comedies like the Despicable Me franchise (with Minions: The Rise of Gru on the way), and outstanding dramas like Foxcatcher, The Big Short, and Vice. Over on the TV side of the spectrum, Carell has followed up his success on the The Office with leading roles on Space Force and The Morning Show.

Greg Kinnear (Richard Hoover)

By the time he took on the role of family patriarch and struggling self-help writer Richard Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine, Greg Kinnear was already an established star, having appeared in everything from Sydney Pollack’s Sabrina remake to As Good as it Gets and even Mystery Men.

In the years following his outstanding performance, Kinnear has gone on to portray John F. Kennedy on the controversial limited series The Kennedys, as well as other notable television programs like House of Cards and The Stand. Not bad for the guy who helped make Talk Soup must-watch television upon its 1991 debut on E!. Kinnear was also slated to take over the role of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s Broadway production of To Kill a Mockingbird before New York’s theater district was shutdown due to COVID-19 in March 2020.

Toni Collette (Sheryl Hoover)

Toni Collettte’s career in show business got started long before she took on the role of Sheryl Hoover, the overworked mother that keeps the family together, in Little Miss Sunshine. Whether it be in romantic comedies like 1995’s Emma or About a Boy or horror films like The Sixth Sense, Collette had built up a nice track record for herself by the time 2006 came around. But, that was really just the beginning.

In the years following the Academy Award-winning comedy, Toni Collette has gone on to appear in everything from modern horror classics like Hereditary and Krampus, to big-budget action flicks like xXx: Return of Xander Cage. More recently, Collette has stolen scenes in films like Knives Out and I’m Thinking of Ending Things as well as the truly inspirational Dream Horse.

Paul Dano (Dwayne Hoover)

Paul Dano had a few roles — most notably The Emperor’s Club and The Girl Next Door — by the time he was cast as Dwayne Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine, but his portrayal of a tormented youth on a speaking strike helped introduce the talented actor to a much larger audience. In the years following, Dano gave out-of-this-world performances on in movies like Being Flynn, 12 Years A Slave, Prisoners, and There Will Be Blood.

In 2022, Paul Dano plays the Riddler in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, giving fans of the DC Comics character a less cartoonish version of one of the Dark Knight’s most notorious enemies. Dano will also appear in the Adam Sandler-led sci-fi drama Spaceman at some point in the near future.

Abigail Breslin (Olive Hooper)

Abigail Breslin’s career was just getting started when she joined the Little Miss Sunshine cast as Oliver Hooper, the young girl whose dream of being in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant led her family to make the unforgettable journey to California. Following her breakout role, Breslin went on to play supporting roles in No Reservations and Definitely, Maybe before landing one of the lead roles in the 2009 zombie comedy Zombieland, which was then followed by two more undead movies: Maggie and Zombieland: Double Tap.

The horror genre has become one Abigail Breslin has returned to time and time again throughout her career, with movies like Final Girl and Freak Show, as well as the horror-comedy series Scream Queens from 2015 to 2016.

Alan Arkin (Edwin Hoover)

While other members of the Little Miss Sunshine cast were relatively unknown or not known by mainstream audiences upon its release, that is far from the case for Alan Arkin. In a movie that won Arkin an Oscar, the Hollywood legend took on the role of Edwin Hoover, Olive’s grandfather and coach whose death by heroin overdose led to some of the movie’s most shocking yet hilarious moments.

In the years following the release of Little Miss Sunshine, Alan Arkin has gone on to give great performances in movies like Argo, Going in Style, and the Netflix original series The Kominsky Method, though he departed prior to the show’s third and final season. Arkin will next voice a character in 2022’s Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Bryan Cranston (Stan Grossman)

Looking back on Little Miss Sunshine, some might find it strange that Bryan Cranston, one of the biggest actors of the modern era, would have such a small role in the 2006 comedy, but you have to remember that this is before Breaking Bad took the world by storm. Cranston appears as Stan Grossman, Richard Hoover’s prospective business partner who finally tells the struggling life coach he is a failure and should pursue something else.

Prior to landing the small yet pivotal role, Bryan Cranston was mostly known from his time on Seinfeld and Malcolm in the Middle or small roles in the Saving Private Ryan cast. In two years, however, Cranston would be on his way to becoming a three-time Emmy winner, a Golden Globe recipient, and one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.

Beth Grant (Pageant Official Jenkins)

Standing between Olive Hoover and her dreams of competing in the beauty pageant in Little Miss Sunshine is an official played by Beth Grant. The character actress, who had appeared in everything from Rain Man to Donnie Darko before appearing in the 2006 comedy, has gone on to show up in dozens upon dozens of movies and TV shows over the years including King of the Hill, The X-Files, The Office, and Grey’s Anatomy. She most recently appeared in the b-movie heaven that was Willy’s Wonderland.

Wallace Langham (Kirby)

Kirby, the sympathetic hired hand who makes sure Olive makes it into the pageant in Little Miss Sunshine was played by Wallace Langham, whose career includes everything from small roles in Weird Science to the controversial Netflix documentary Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal. Langham also played David Hodges on the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he will reprise on CSI: Vegas in fall 2021.

Matt Winston (Pageant MC)

Matt Winson, who briefly appears as the MC at the beauty pageant in Little Miss Sunshine, has quite the history in show business. Not only has he appeared in movies like A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Zodiac, as well as shows like Scrubs, Six Feet Under, and Friends, but he is also the son of the late special effects icon Stan Winston, and even worked with his dad as a puppeteer during the production of Jurassic Park.

Dean Norris (State Trooper McCleary)

Dean Norris has made a career out of playing members of various law enforcement agencies over the years, with his most recognizable being that of DEA Agent and Walter White’s brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, on Breaking Bad. But, just before that, Norris played State Trooper McCleary, the offical who’s more preoccupied by porn magazines than Edwin Hoover’s dead body in the back of the family van, in Little Miss Sunshine.

Mary Lynn Rajskub (Pageant Assistant Pam)

Mary Lynn Rajskub portrays Pam, the pageant assistant who can’t get enough of Olive’s routine, in Little Miss Sunshine. Over the years, Rajskub has appeared in comedies like Sweet Home Alabama and Julie & Julia as well as numerous TV shows like Mr. Show, The Larry Sanders Show, and, most notably, 24. Rajskub most recently appeared in the Amazon sci-fi action thriller The Tomorrow War.

As you can see, the Little Miss Sunshine cast (from the leads down to the smallest of roles) are a busy bunch and it looks like it will be that way for quite some time. To find out when you will see them next, check out CinemaBlend’s list of all the 2021 movie premiere dates.

In between the reality-defying turns movies often take, such as a zombie heist in Army of the Dead or the bold style and color of upcoming musical In The Heights, it can be refreshing to sit back and watch a more grounded storyline that follows something real and impactful rooted in an actual story. One of this weekend’s offerings is Dream Horse, which stars Toni Collette as Jan Vokes, a Welsh woman who decides to breed her own race horse, Dream Alliance.

For the film, Toni Collette was tasked with portraying a real person, and not one many would know going into the impactful storyline. The Australian actress completely changed her look, learning the Welsh accent and channeling Jan Vokes’ sweet small-town sensibilities. CinemaBlend spoke to Collette about how she looks at projects based on reality differently, and she explained why it was "truly inspirational" to be a part of the film:

Jan Vokes is a working class store clerk and bartender living in South Wales who, with little experience, breeds racehorse Dream Alliance. The horse becomes a star in the racing community, going into the Grand Nationals (as you’ll see in the movie), and a syndicate of locals from Vokes' town join in to cheer him on.

As Toni Collette discussed during our interview, she had not heard of Jan Vokes before being approached for the project, but she felt attached to the story itself, which has the Welsh woman deciding to expect more out of her mundane life. Her true story goes to show that with enough gumption, one’s dreams can certainly come true. And because of Vokes undertaking, it also went on to affect so many more people other than herself.

During the recent chat, Toni Collette also told us about the “profound” bond she formed with one horse on set. She said there was a horse on set named Bo who she would do all her acting with, and she felt like he truly understood her words when she spoke to him. And apparently, the horse once even moved the other actors out of the way to be close to Collette during a promotional shoot.

Dream Horse follows a string of more strong roles from Toni Collette, such as the horror epic Hereditary, Rian Johnson’s whodunnit Knives Out and Netflix’s recent space movie Stowaway. Colette’s role here offers the actress a completely different atmosphere, and one can understand why she truly found it to be an inspirational story to be part of. Dream Horse is now playing in theaters, alongside a ton of exciting 2021 movie releases.

It’s been a tense few years for Toni Collette (on screen that is) with a number of gripping projects to sink her acting chops into. The Oscar-nominated actress recently played a concerned ship commander on Stowaway, a lifestyle guru in Rian Johnson’s whodunnit Knives Out and a grieving mother in Hereditary. But her latest project is Dream Horse, a feel-good film about a Welsh store clerk and bartender who decides to breed her own horse into race shape.

Dream Horse is based on a true story about Jan Vokes and her horse Dream Alliance, as she raises money with the help of her community to compete in the horse racing big leagues. Throughout the film, Toni Collette brings real heart to the role in these intimate moments between her and Dream, with whom she seems to have had a deep connection. CinemaBlend sat down with Toni Collette to talk about how she found her own experience with the horses on set, and she said this:

Dream Horse sees Jan Vokes taking on a completely new undertaking by breeding her own horse with the support of her town in South Wales. It comes from a place of passion and true love for animals, while also taking care of her elderly parents and husband Brian (played by Brian Teale). When Damian Lewis’ club patron, Howard Davies, comes along, Vokes becomes inspired to breed Dream and he goes on to become a champion.

Working with animals isn’t always a walk in the park behind the scenes, but as Toni Collette shared with us during our interview, she was absolutely taken with one horse in particular named Bo, and they formed a special bond that is still close to her heart. The actress continued with these words:

Bo definitely sounds like he had a preference toward Toni Collette on set, and the movie itself really showcases this ‘profound’ bond the actress recalled while speaking about her work on Dream Horse. On top of her close work with horses, the Australian actress also sought out to perfect the very specific Welsh accent for the role and portray a real-life person.

Dream Horse is coming to theaters this Friday, May 21. Check out what other films are coming out this summer with CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie release schedule.

Minor SPOILERS are ahead for Stowaway, which is streaming on Netflix now.

Over the weekend, the latest Netflix original Stowaway took us into the orbit of a spaceship en route to Mars on a two-year mission. The tense thriller starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim and Toni Collette felt primed to conceal some sort of intergalactic mystery or horrific tale, but it was what it was. Stowaway is about the pitfalls of traveling through the stars. If you were shocked the movie didn’t involve aliens or bloodshed, you wouldn’t be the only one, as Daniel Dae Kim was too.

When the Lost alum spoke about Stowaway’s lack of a big bad other than, well… space, he shared his own early reactions to the storyline. Here’s what Daniel Dae Kim said:

Well look at that, I had the exact same thought process while watching the movie from writer/director Joe Penna. As Daniel Dae Kim shared to Collider, when he found out about the small crew’s limited oxygen, he expected them to come across some kind of alien or fight each other to the death. The movie certainly offers up the setup for situations like these, and we’ve seen so many other movies in space by now that we fully expect that kind of thing to go down.

Instead, Stowaway is more about walking the audience through the types of honest human errors that could happen during space travel and what sacrifices may need to be made. Despite sharing some of the hard realities when humans leave Earth’s orbit, the Netflix release does have an optimistic viewpoint on decision-making during a crisis.

Stowaway was even fact checked by NASA, which revealed that the events of the movie could in fact happen, and some of the decisions made would be in line with what would help a mission survive. The storyline revolves around Shamier Anderson’s Michael, who is the titular stowaway by error and complicates the mission to Mars by simply breathing the same air as the three other astronauts on board. Check out the Stowaway trailer:

Now the question becomes, did we want to see aliens and murder in Stowaway? Critics overall enjoyed the movie and audiences seem to be in the mixed category regarding the film. You tell us by voting in the poll below and check out what’s new to Netflix in May.

Netflix’s latest original is a tense thriller set in space, as a small crew of three head to Mars and are faced with an impossible moral dilemma. Stowaway is packed with a small but incredibly talented cast, including Anna Kendrick’s medical researcher (Zoe), Daniel Dae Kim’s biologist (David), and Toni Collette’s ship commander (Marina). What happens when the skeleton crew is burdened with one more crew member (Shamier Anderson’s Michael) with their limited resources? Let’s get into the Stowaway ending.

The movie, which dropped on Netflix alongside a host of exciting April releases, was co-written and directed by Joe Penna, a Brazilian director who previously made Arctic in 2018 with Mads Mikkelsen. Before we get into Stowaway, be warned that this article includes major SPOILERS for the Netflix film. Stream it before reading on:

What Happened At The End Of Stowaway?

Stowaway has a somber ending that involves the crew struggling to save themselves after Michael accidentally makes his way onto their spacecraft. Once Michael is found as a stowaway on their mission to Mars, the three-person crew find out that by simply existing on the craft with them, he will sabotage the mission and none of them will able to survive. After exhausting a number of options (which we’ll get to in a moment), Zoe decides that she will go out during a deadly solar storm to retrieve the oxygen needed for at least three of them to survive.

Stowaway is a story of sacrifice for the greater good, and that comes at the expense of Anna Kendrick’s character. At the beginning of the movie, Zoe recalls that she joined the program as a joke to watch herself get rejected. As the movie reaches it’s final moments, she realizes that it allowed her to “truly give life meaning” beyond anything she could ever imagine. While sci-fi fans may have expected the film to turn into a bloodbath between the astronauts fighting for their own right to stay alive, the ending of Stowaway is based on what’s best for the entire crew. It’s a sad ending, but also one that focuses on the decision of a community, rather than highlighting the selfishness of human nature.

How Did The Stowaway Get Aboard The Kingfisher?

Let’s backtrack now. How was the problem of Stowaway created in the film? Basically, not soon after launch the crew found Michael in a compartment. He had mistakenly been stuck there since before the launch and no one knew about it. During his fall from the compartment, Toni Collette’s Marina tries to break his fall, but it ends up damaging the ship’s life support systems in a way that cannot be repaired.

Marina finds out that Michael is a launch support engineer. Him being aboard is a major mistake that was somehow made before lift off, leading the crew to question whether Michael was a purposeful stowaway. As the movie continues to unfold, we learn that Michael’s presence on the ship is innocent. He shares that he was arming the second-stage firing pins when he suffered a concussion and was knocked out on the ship as it launched. Michael’s disinterest in being there is made apparent by the fact that his younger sister has been left alone without him. The mission he finds himself on is set to be two-years long, and spacecrafts cannot simply turn back and go home. And, then comes the moral dilemma of Stowaway.

What Options Did The Crew Have?

Marina then learns that the damage to the life support systems caused on the ship will not sustain all four of them on the mission. In addition, they don’t have enough fuel to turn back around. Stowaway was actually fact-checked by NASA during the making of it, and they learned, according to Wired, that a stowaway could absolutely happen on a mission like this. The film’s director, Joe Penna, explained the crew’s dilemma further:

What happens next is Daniel Dae Kim’s David tries to use his expertise in biology to algae scrub the carbon dioxide on the ship and create more oxygen for them. Half of his batch fails, leading Marina to come to the conclusion that the crew will asphyxiate on carbon dioxide just a few weeks before reaching Mars. This leads to David basically asking if Michael will kill himself for the good of the mission. Zoe comforts Michael by telling him they will find another way, which will be to nab a tank of oxygen (that was used for launch) 450 meters above their craft and will save all of them.

Why Did Anna Kendrick’s Zoe Make That Choice?

Zoe and David suit up and go out to space to grab the oxygen tank together (Marina has a fractured arm from Michael’s fall, so she sits it out). When the crew members reach the oxygen tank, they find out that there are over 500 litres of liquid inside, which would solve their problem and keep all four of them alive. But, then they get word about the solar storm and are forced to rush the tank onto the ship.

While Zoe is attempting to get the tank back to the ship, she loses control and the canister floats off into space. The final decision comes down to who will go out into the solar storm to save the remaining three crew members. Marina, once again is injured and cannot do it. Michael volunteers himself but he does not have the skills to complete the mission. David has a family back at home, so Zoe decides it’s the best decision for her to be the one to make the sacrifice.

In the end, Stowaway becomes a realistic depiction of how a real situation could play out during space travel. It may not particularly be the twisty turny space thriller we’d expect, but it does end up being an interesting thought experiment about the struggles that come with traveling among the stars. What did you think of the Stowaway ending? Vote in our poll below.

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If faced with the impossible decision to take a life to save another, could you? And if you could, would you? These are the questions, among others, that are posed by Joe Penna’s Stowaway on Netflix. The film has only four characters who are forced to examine the lengths they’re willing to go to preserve their own lives. Check it out in the clip above.

Starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette, Netflix’s Stowaway follows three astronauts and a launch engineer (Anderson) who accidentally ends up aboard the ship in transit to Mars. The accident that lands the engineer on board also results in permanent damage to the oxygen supply. With the ship moving too quickly to return to Earth and only enough oxygen for three people to survive, the four crew members are forced to evaluate which life is least important.

As seen in the clip above, Shamier Anderson’s character, Michael, is the most obvious choice to sacrifice. The other three spent years training for the two-year mission and are essential to its success as commander (Toni Collette), medic (Anna Kendrick), and scientist (Daniel Dae Kim). As the story progresses, however, we see different skills emerge in all of the characters that may increase survival and begin to question the initial casting aside of the unplanned passenger.

Stowaway was the first feature-length script written by Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison, who share a love for philosophical debates, moral quandaries, and space movies. These three things come together perfectly in the film which keeps audiences guessing and on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Daniel Dae Kim mentions in the exclusive clip above that Stowaway is a story that examines human vs. nature more than human vs. human. It’s an extremely interesting point, and a valid one, as the film really explores these characters and the decisions they make based on the likelihood of their own survival. The human vs. human approach may take more feelings into account, things like who had the most family waiting back on Earth, who would boost morale, etc. But with human vs. nature, it’s purely about survival which causes us to make very different decisions than we probably think we’re even capable of prior to being presented with the choice.

As Anna Kendrick says in the clip, this story has impossible decisions about whose life is more important. It almost seems that commander Marina Barnett’s life is automatically considered the most important because she pilots the ship. But then she sustains an injury, and that begs the question, what if the mission had gone according to plan but something happened on Mars and she couldn’t make it back? Were the other two on her crew incapable of piloting the ship? That seems unlikely.

Stowaway is a great film to watch with friends and family because it will cultivate really interesting conversations. All of the characters have relatable qualities and detestable moments, which makes it all the more intriguing for the audience to see who they relate to most and what decisions they think they would make in the same situation.

Stowaway is now streaming on Netflix. Once you’ve watched, connect with CinemaBlend on social media and let us know which character you relate to the most, and how you feel about the ending. If space travel movies are your thing, there are a lot more of those to check out.

When a spaceship headed to Mars discovers an accidental stowaway, the ship's medical researcher becomes the only dissenting voice against a group consensus with a grim outcome in Netflix's Stowaway, the latest space-based sci-fi thriller from the streaming service. Directed by Joe Penna and starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette in a cast with only a few actors on board, Stowaway hopes to orbit viewers into the stratosphere with their latest blockbuster. And there's a good chance that you're familiar with its starry ensemble (hardy har har). If the Stowaway cast looks recognizable, here's where you've seen these actors before.

Anna Kendrick (Zoe Levenson)

As Zoe Levenson, a medical researcher, Anna Kendrick plays the protagonist in Netflix's newest sci-fi movie, Stowaway. Most notably, Kendrick is an Oscar-nominated actress for her standout supporting turn as Natalie Keener in Up in the Air. She's also known for her leading role as Beca Mitchell in the Pitch Perfect trilogy. Her other notable film credits include The Twilight Saga, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Into the Woods, The Accountant, 50/50, End of Watch, and What to Expect When You're Expecting. She can also be seen in Digging For Fire, The Voices, Life After Beth, Rocket Science, Get a Job, The Day Shall Come, and Drinking Buddies.

Additionally, Anna Kendrick starred in Mr. Right, The Last Five Years, Camp, Happy Christmas, Table 19, A Simple Favor, and Disney+'s Noelle. Furthermore, as a voice actress, she can be heard in Trolls and last year's Trolls World Tour, as well as ParaNorman. Next, Kendrick is expected to star in the upcoming thriller, Unsound.

Away from film, Anna Kendrick starred in Quibi's Dummy, which she also produced. Likewise, the actress stars in and produces HBO Max's Love Life. She also had a voice role in Facebook Watch's Human Discoveries. She also reprised her part as Poppy in NBC's Trolls Holiday. Furthermore, outside of film and television, Kendrick was acclaimed for her Tony-nominated Broadway performance in 1998's High Society. The A-list actress is also the author of the best-selling 2016 memoir, Scrappy Little Nobody.

Toni Collette (Marina Barnett)

In the role of Marina Barnett, the ship's commander, Toni Collette plays an authoritative character in Stowaway. Most notably, Toni Collette is an Emmy-winning actress for her starring role in Showtime's United States of Tara. She's also an Oscar nominee for her supporting turn in The Sixth Sense. Furthermore, Collette received a Tony nomination for her lead performance in 2000's The Wild Party. She was also Emmy-nominated for Tsunami: The Aftermath and Unbelievable. Additionally, Collette received BAFTA nominations for her supporting turns in About a Boy and Little Miss Sunshine, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for her titular lead performance in Muriel's Wedding. Her other TV credits include a lead role in Wanderlust and starring in CBS's short-lived Hostages. Also, Collette will star in Netflix's thriller series, Pieces of Her, later this year.

Toni Collette is well-known for her lead performances in Hereditary, In Her Shoes, Lucky Them, Connie and Carla, and Clockwatchers. Her other notable film credits include Knives Out, Velvet Goldmine, The Hours, Hitchcock, The Way Way Back, Tammy, Imperium, Velvet Buzzsaw, Hearts Beat Loud, and xXX: Return of Xander Cage. She can also be seen in Dirty Deeds, Changing Lanes, Shaft (2000), and The Pallbearer. Additionally, as a voice actress, Collette led 2009's excellent Mary and Max. She's also heard in The Boxtrolls, Blinky Bill: The Movie, The Magic Pudding, and Arabian Knight.

Most recently, Toni Collette was seen in Netflix's I'm Thinking of Ending Things and starred in Dream Horse. Next, the actress appears in Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley. Outside of acting, Collette will make her screenwriting and directorial debut with Writers and Lovers. Furthermore, she's the lead singer in Toni Collette & the Finish.

Shamier Anderson (Michael Adams)

Playing the part of Michael Adams, the launch plan engineer and the titular stowaway, Shamier Anderson hops on-board Netflix's latest sci-fi blockbuster. Most notably, Anderson is known for playing U.S. Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls in Syfy's Wynonna Earp. He also played a main part in Universal Kids' The Next Step, as well as a recurring role in Family Channel's Overruled! His other TV credits include Defiance, Trailer Park Boys, Goliath, Shots Fired, Dear White People, Soulmates, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and Skins. Additionally, the actor can be seen in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, and Desperately Seeking Santa. Next, Anderson will appear in Apple TV+'s Invasion.

On the big screen, meanwhile, Shamier Anderson played a prominent part in Destroyer. He can also be seen in Race, The Barrens, Love Jacked, and Across the Line. Last year, Anderson provided a supporting turn in Endings, Beginnings. Earlier this year, he appeared in City of Lies and he was in the Son of the South cast. Next, Anderson is slated to star in Netflix's Bruised, Awake, and the short film, Dalia, which the actor wrote and produced.

Daniel Dae Kim (David Kim)

As David Kim, the ship's biologist, Daniel Dae Kim has one of the lead roles in Netflix's Stowaway. Most notably, Kim is known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon in ABC's Lost and Chin Ho Kelly in CBS's Hawaii Five-0. Also, the actor played Gavin Park in The WB's Angel. His other TV credits include recurring roles in ER, 24, Star Trek: Enterprise, Miss Match, Unsolved Mysteries, and Beverly Hills, 90210.

Additionally, Daniel Dae Kim is currently playing recurring roles in NBC's New Amsterdam, Amazon Prime's Flack, and CBS's The Good Doctor, where he's an executive producer. As a voice actor, furthermore, Kim lent this voice to Justice League Unlimited, The Legend of Korra, The Casagrandes, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Elsewhere, the actor is heard in video games like the Saints Row series, 24: The Game, Scarface: The World Is Yours, Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth, and Agents of Mayhem. Also, the actor narrated Big Pacific. Next, Kim will be heard in National Geographic's The Hot Zone: Anthrax and AMC's animated series, Pantheon.

Outside of television, Daniel Dae Kim played Ben Daimio in Hellboy (2019). Also, the actor appeared in Always Be My Maybe, Crash (2004), Hulk, Cradle 2 the Grave, For the Love of the Game, The Jackal, The Onion Movie, Blast Blast (which he also produced), The Cave, and The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Allegiant, respectively. As a voice actor, additionally, Kim recently lent his voice to the role of Chief Benja in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Furthermore, Kim was the narrator for the documentary, Linsanity, and he was heard in the English dub for Mirai.

Director Joe Penna

At the helm of Netflix's Stowaway is Joe Penna, who co-wrote the sci-fi blockbuster with frequent collaborator Ryan Morrison. Under the name MysteryGuitarMan, Penna became the most subscribed YouTube channel in Brazil, resulting in over 2.6 million subscribers and over 400 million views. Also, he hosted Xploration Earth 2050, which received eight Emmy nominations. As a director, Penna's other TV credits include Sand Box, Once Upon, T-Shirt Wars, Behind the Glasses, and last year's Release. He also called the shots for short films like Meridian, Instant Getaway, Beyond, and Turning Point. Additionally, Penna was the director behind Avicii's "You Make Me (Avicii by Avicii)" music video.

In 2018, Joe Penna made his feature directorial debut with Arctic, starring Mads Mikkelsen. Following the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the Icelandic survival drama was well-received by critics and audiences, and it proved the director could transition into films. It's too early to know how Stowaway will be received, but if it does well, it'll be one of the biggest successes of the director's outstanding career.

Stowaway is now available to stream on Netflix.

Moral dilemmas can happen anywhere, even in space. And in the new Netflix movie Stowaway, Anna Kendrick and Daniel Dae Kim are among two of the people who are about to run into one of the greatest of them all. When three astronauts on a mission to Mars find a surprise fourth party aboard their vessel, a ticking clock is put into motion that could determine the course of each of their lives.

Co-starring Toni Collette and Shamier Anderson, Stowaway puts a modern spin on an old sci-fi favorite: the stowaway dilemma. With only enough life support for three people, this promising scientific mission may result in the conscious death of one member of this party. That is, unless a daring plan to repair the vessel that’s on a one-way trip to Mars can be pulled off. And as you’ll see in the trailer above, this is one of the most harrowing Anna Kendrick roles we’ve seen in quite some time.

What’s even more stressful is the fact that Shamier Anderson’s character in Stowaway, Michael, is a launch support engineer who happened to be in one of the worst “wrong place/wrong time” scenarios. Not meaning to stowaway on this grand scientific endeavor, the two year journey takes him away from his sister. Oh, and if he’s not careful, fate might end up killing him off, as Stowaway has that pesky “oxygen for three” problem.

Much like The Midnight Sky and Away before it, Stowaway is another Netflix project that looks like it’s ready to examine the human experience in space. With a moral dilemma that we’ve seen depicted before, most notably in various adaptations of author Tom Godwin’s sci-fi story The Cold Equations, it’s another bad day in space for all involved. But on the bright side, in our reality this marks another streaming platform that Anna Kendrick has colonized, in the name of entertaining the masses.

There’s a good chance that by the end of Stowaway, one of these four people are going to die. And before that happens, we’re going to get as close to them as possible, making the eventual decision all the more agonizing and heartbreaking to watch. But that’s probably what makes a movie like this so compelling, as we’d all hate to be in that scenario, but it’s always interesting to watch it unfold in a fictional confines.

At least there’s one bright side to the cosmic dilemma in Stowaways: at least there aren’t any space pets we have to worry about seeing die. Then again, that could change when the movie premieres on Netflix, as of April 22nd. But if you’re an Anna Kendrick fan, and want to see more of here, you’re in luck. Streaming has been her playground as of late, and there’s a host of options for you to keep watching this talented actress do her thing, across a variety of platforms.

Rian Johnson's murder mystery Knives Out evokes the feel of classic mysteries like those of the Agatha Christie collection, and it has a comedic tone similar to Clue. Knives Out was a runaway hit for Johnson, earning him critical praise and box office success. A major reason for the film’s popularity was the ensemble all-star cast lead by Chris Evans. People flocked to the film because of these a-listers but they enjoyed it because of the clever script and performances.

Since Knives Out, most of the cast has remained busy and booked--appearing in TV shows, movies, theater, and so-on. If you’re dying to know what projects the Knives Out cast will be doing next, then look no further.

Daniel Craig (Benoit Blanc)

Daniel Craig played lead detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out. He was the one leading the charge to solve the case of who killed author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). Craig will conclude his run as James Bond when No Time To Die hits theaters in April 2021.

Craig will reprise his role as detective Blanc in the upcoming Knives Out sequel. Not much is known about the sequel, but it will likely involve a new set of suspects and a new murder mystery.

Ana de Armas (Marta Cabrera)

Ana de Armas plays Harlan’s beloved nurse Marta. Originally, she believes herself responsible for Harlan’s death, but then gets involved in trying to uncover the truth behind it. Ana de Armas has been one of the busiest since Knives Out. She appeared in the British crime thriller The Informer. She then appeared in the Netflix original movie Wasp Network with Penelope Cruz, Edgar Ramirez, and Gael Garcia Bernal.

De Armas also appeared in another Netflix original movie: The Night Clerk. This one stars de Armas, John Leguizamo, Helen Hunt, and Tye Sheridan. It involves a hotel night clerk being the center of a murder investigation. She also appeared in Netflix's bio-pic Sergio about UN diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Ana de Armas will appear alongside Craig again in No Time to Die. The Cuban actress will make history when she plays Marilyn Monroe in the upcoming movie Blonde. She’ll also star alongside Ben Affleck in Deep Water.

Chris Evans (Hugh Ransom Drysdale)

Chris Evans' character Ransom is the eldest grandson of Harlan. They have a disagreement and they fight before Harlan’s death. Ransom also is the family member most helpful with the case to find his grandfather’s murder, and he enjoys a knitted sweater.

Without having another Marvel movie to film, Evans was able to join the world of TV with Defending Jacob. In the Apple TV series, Evans plays an assistant district attorney whose life gets turned upside down when his 14-year-old son is accused of being involved in a murder. Jaeden Martell who also played a Jacob in Knives Out co-stars in Defending Jacob with Evans and Michelle Dockery. The series streamed on AppleTV from April to May 2020. Netflix has commissioned a project called The Gray Man that stars Evans and Ryan Gosling. The Russo brothers will direct it.

Evans is also rumored to be playing Orin Scrivello in the Little Shop of Horrors remake. Orin is the psycho dentist and abusive ex-boyfriend of Audrey. Steve Martin played this character in the 1986 version.

Jamie Lee Curtis (Linda Drysdale)

In Knives Out, Jamie Lee Curtis plays Linda Drysdale, Harlan’s daughter and a suspect in his murder. Curtis voiced the character of Agent Bruchstein for the FX animated series Archer. The Halloween actress is set to reprise her role as Laurie Strode for two additional Halloween movies: Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends.

Curtis will also appear in the A24 sci-fi film Everything Everywhere All At Once. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, and Jonathan Ke Quan.

Michael Shannon (Walt Thrombey)

Walt is Harlan’s son and the one who works in his publishing company. He’s fired by Harlan right before his death, making him a prime suspect in the case. Michael Shannon appeared in the Broadhurst Theatre production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. He played Johnny from May 4th to July 28, 2019.

Shannon will join an ensemble cast in the adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s book Nine Perfect Strangers. David E. Kelley will act as executive producer for this upcoming Hulu series. In 2020, he appeared in the films The Quarry and Echo Boomers. Shannon also has a few upcoming projects: Bullet Train, Swing, and Shriver. Shriver reunites him with his Knives Out co-star Don Johnson.

Don Johnson (Richard Drysdale)

Richard Drysdale is Linda’s husband and Harlan finds out about his affair. Johnson appeared with Knives Out co-star Michael Shannon in Shriver. In 2019, the same year as Knives Out’s release, Johnson was appearing in Watchmen as Chief Judd Crawford.

Don Johnson teams up with John Boyega in Rebel Ridge. Rebel Ridge is a thriller about an ex-marine who takes on dirty cops. Johnson will also reprise his role as Nash Bridges in the upcoming revival of Nash Bridges.

Toni Collette (Joni Thrombey)

Joni is a Thrombey by marriage. She was married to Harlan’s now-deceased son Neil. She embezzles from Harlan by dipping into her daughter’s college fund to keep up her lifestyle. In 2020, Toni Collette appeared in Dream Horse alongside Damian Lewis. It’s a sports movie based on the true story of a racehorse. Collette had a role in the Netflix and Charlie Kaufman original film I’m Thinking of Ending Things.

In 2019, she also appeared in the critically acclaimed Netflix miniseries Unbelievable, which earned her an Emmy nomination. In 2021, Toni Collette will take on the leading role in the adaptation of Karin Slaughter’s novel Pieces of Her. She also has a few projects in development: a sci-fi thriller with Anna Kendrick called Stowaway and a Guillermo del Toro thriller called Nightmare Alley.

Lakeith Stanfield (Detective Lieutenant Elliott)

Lakeith Stanfield played a detective assigned to Harlan’s case. He doesn’t seem too thrilled with Blanc taking over the investigation but slowly gets on board with his method of crime-solving. Stanfield co-starred with Issa Rae in the romantic drama The Photograph.

Stanfield lent his voice to the final season of BoJack Horseman. He played Guy. In 2021, Stanfield will voice the first African samurai in Yasuke. Stanfield appears in the Black Panther Party drama Judas and the Black Messiah. He’ll play activist William O’Neal alongside Daniel Kaluuya and Jesse Plemons.

Katherine Langford (Meg Thrombey)

Katherine Langford plays Meg Thrombey, Harlan’s granddaughter and she’s Joni’s daughter. She seems nice and kind, unlike the rest of her family, but when her tuition is threatened, her true colors show. Langford had the lead role in the Netflix original series Cursed. She played Nimue, a young woman with magical powers on a quest during medieval times. It’s a retelling of the legend of King Arthur.

In 2020, Langford co-starred with Charlie Plummer and Hayley Law in the teen drama-comedy Spontaneous. She played a girl who finds love after people in her high school start to randomly explode.

Jaeden Martell (Jacob Thrombey)

Jaeden Martell played Jacob Thrombey, the youngest of the Thrombey dynasty. He’s the son of Walt and Donna (Riki Lindhome). He doesn’t do much in the film but stays on his phone, but you just know he’s up to no good. Martell appeared in many movies in 2019, including the horror film The Lodge and the coming-of-age story The True Adventures of Wolfboy.

He reprised his role as teen Bill in IT Chapter Two. Jaeden Martell joined his Knives Out co-star in Defending Jacob. In the Apple TV series he played Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery’s characters’ son Jacob. He’s suspected of being involved in the murder of another teen. Martell will star opposite Susan Sarandon in the upcoming drama Tunnels. The film is about the unlikely friendship between the grandmother who raised a school shooter and the brother of one of her grandson’s victims.

Christopher Plummer (Harlan Thrombey)

Harlan Thrombey was the patriarch of the Thrombey family who is killed by a member of his family. Knives Out then follows Harlan through flashbacks and shows various reasons why he might have been killed. Plummer appeared alongside Sebastian Stan, Ed Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Fonda, and William Hurt in The Last Full Measure.

Plummer played Howard in the suspense drama series Departure. It’s a show about the mystery of Flight 716, a plane that vanishes. Departure was renewed and Plummer will make an appearance in it. In 2021, Plummer will voice a character in the animated feature Heroes of the Golden Masks.

Noah Segan (Trooper Wagner)

Noah Segan plays Trooper Wagner in Knives Out. Wagner is one of the men called to investigate Harlan’s death. Unlike Detective Elliot, Wagner is immediately impressed and in awe of Blanc. Segan appeared in the anthology horror film Scare Package. Segan appears in the segment called “M.I.S.T.E.R.” The film is currently available on Shudder.

Noah Segan also appeared in the horror western The Pale Door.

Knives Out is full of amazing performances, so we can’t wait to see the cast’s upcoming projects. Knives Out is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Stream it here.

Knives Out is one of those films that is as much fun to watch as it is to talk about after, from discussions of the pitch perfect production design, Rian Johnson’s gloriously clever, Oscar-nominated script, and, especially, the performances. When is the last time you saw a star-studded ensemble cast this good? Perhaps in a Wes Anderson movie, but that is beside my point.

The point is that Rian Johnson’s 2019 whodunnit is one of the best casted crowd pleasers in years, in my humble opinion. While I am much anticipating Daniel Craig’s reprisal of Benoit Blanc in the upcoming Knives Out sequel, I am a little bummed we will likely not see the likes of Michael Shannon, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, and the rest of the wonderful cast returning with him.

It is hard to determine whom I would choose as the cast member who turned out the best performance in the film, but I am going to try anyway. These are the five performers in whom I believe made the most memorable killing in Knives Out, ranked in ascending order.

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers to Knives Out**. Unless you would rather the twists and turns of this whodunnit be ruined for you, we recommend you catch yourself up before you continue reading.**

5. Jamie Lee Curtis (Linda Drysdale)

She first became a star by desperately outrunning the cold, cunning, ruthless Michael Myers as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s 1978 slasher masterpiece Halloween. More than 40 years later, Jamie Lee Curtis won over audiences in Knives Out as the cold, cunning, ruthless Linda Drysdale, whom the overwhelmed Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) is desperate to outrun after an awkward reveal in her father, Harlan Thrombey’s (Christopher Plummer), will.

Jamie Lee Curtis nails her character’s two-faced persona, often exhibiting a demeanor that is loving, empathetic, and sternly protective of her father’s legacy until the shock of receiving not a cent of inheritance reveals her selfishness, bitterness, and greed. The two-time Golden Globe-winning actress was actually featured in scenes from Knives Out she was not originally meant to appear in due to how well she impressed director Rian Johnson with her strong admiration for the film and the fact that she happened to be on set. Let that be a tip for life: even after becoming an expert, never lose the enthusiasm of a beginner.

4. Toni Collette (Joni Thrombey)

I don’t know about you, but I still think that Toni Collette was unjustly overlooked by the Academy for her devastating performance in Ari Aster’s 2018 masterful debut horror feature Hereditary. I was hoping her scene-stealing role in Knives Out could potentially have a chance to make up for that. Oh, well.

As Joni, perhaps the one member of the Thrombey clan most out of touch with reality (not counting Great Nana), the Australian actress plays arguably her funniest role to date (and, maybe, in the film) as a middle-aged woman desperate to fit in with the Millennial crowd, with reveals like her discovery of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc by reading “a tweet about a New Yorker article” about him. Joni’s role in Knives Out becomes all the more intriguing, and frustrating, when her plot to grub extra money from the unwitting Harlan, her father-in-law, is revealed, but Toni Collette’s incorporation of selfish ignorance mixed with bewildered desperation almost earns your sympathy.

3. Chris Evans (Ransom Drysdale)

Perhaps the most shocking reveal in Knives Out is the discovery that Chris Evans, known best as the Avengers’ Golden Boy, is also exceptionally skilled at playing a real piece of garbage. Even before the ultimate reveal that his character, Hugh Drysdale (who goes by his middle name), is the one truly responsible for his grandfather’s death after learning he is cut off from the will, he makes it so fun to hate him, even if you do not suspect him for foul play to begin with.

However, there is also something oddly charming about how the 38-year-old heartthrob plays this otherwise spoiled, despicable prick, especially in how he gleefully tells his entire family to “eat shit,” a line he came up himself with after Rian Johnson reimagined the film as PG-13 mid-shoot. That should be enough to cement Chris Evans’ role in Knives Out as more than just a dude in slick sweater.

2. Ana de Armas (Marta Cabrera)

Prior to her upcoming role as Daniel Craig’s Bond girl in the upcoming No Time to Die, Ana de Armas played his “Watson,” Marta Cabrera, in Knives Out. Little does Benoit Blanc reveal that the hired nurse to the Harlan Thrombey is racing to avoid incriminating herself from right under his nose, as she believes Thrombey’s death to be the cause of her mistakenly giving him a lethal dose of morphine. Her situation only worsens when she unexpectedly becomes the sole heir to the millionaire mystery novelist’s fortune, much to the chagrin of his family.

In a Golden Globe-nominated performance as the reluctant central heroine of Knives Out, Cuban actress Ana de Armas is also the beating heart and precious soul of the film, immediately earning the audience’s sympathy as she struggles to get out of her overwhelmingly grim situation. The irresistible desperation in her eyes, as well as her dishonesty-induced vomiting affliction not doing her any favors, makes it impossible not to root for her to, technically, “get away with murder,” until the truth is revealed, of course, by the film’s most memorable character and my choice of the best performance.

1. Daniel Craig (Benoit Blanc)

There is no question why Rian Johnson chose to break his unspoken rule to avoiding sequels to his work by teasing a follow-up to Knives Out because fans will agree that the mystery genre needs more of Benoit Blanc. Daniel Craig’s irreverent private I with, as Ransom Drysdale puts it, a “Kentucky-fried, Foghorn Leghorn drawl” may not be the story’s true hero, but is one of its saviors from being just another whodunnit.

Daniel Craig plays Benoit Blanc with a silly, absent-mindedness that makes you question his reliability until his brilliant breakthrough by the end, but his undisputed politeness and professionalism keep you hanging onto his every hilariously over-eloquent word and in anticipation of his next dessert analogy or quirky nervous tic. I may have said that I will  be bummed out not to see the rest of the original Knives Out cast return for the sequel, but as long as Craig is around, I believe we can all cope.

What do you think? Is my Knives Out performance ranking a killer list, or is how I chose these five as my top favorites a mystery to you? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back from more updates on Rian Johnson's whodunnit and its sequel here on CinemaBlend.

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Long before Rian Johnson detoured into the Star Wars galaxy for the divisive Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the writer-director specialized in razor-sharp genre explorations that reveled in his deep film knowledge and unquenchable passion for cinema’s recognizable touchstones. Whether toying with the tropes of sci-fi time travel (Looper) or high-school film noir (Brick), Johnson enjoyed taking established genres and bending them around his finger.

Knives Out does that to the traditional structure of an Agatha Christie murder mystery, recruiting a brilliant cast and painting in between the lines with colorful character quirks and unexpected plot twists that add up to a highly-enjoyable evening at the theater.

The cast is damn delightful playing against type.

The best directors lure delicious ensembles, because talent wants to collaborate with them, and Rian Johnson may have populated his Knives Cast with the most enviable crew we’ve seen this year (outside of The Irishman, because really, damn). It starts with Christopher Plummer, who plays best-selling mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey, who triggers an investigation when he turns up dead in the family mansion.

The suspects are a murderer’s row of outstanding character actors. Michael Shannon is a son who desperately wants his dad to sell the rights to his books for movie adaptations. Jamie Lee Curtis is Harlan’s oldest daughter, and she and her husband (Don Johnson) have money problems of their own. Then there’s Harlan’s daughter in law (Toni Collette), who has been hanging around the family because she enjoys the spoils of their wealth. And finally, Chris Evans’ “Ransom” is the spoiled, entitled brat who didn’t give a damn about his grandfather Harlan… until the old man croaked.

The script is tight and the pacing is brisk.

Naturally, everyone has motive, so when a mysterious private detective (Daniel Craig) starts poking around, the cast is able to tee up Rian Johnson’s spectacular dialogue and dance around to his spectacular rhythms. Knives Out is the type of movie that’s expertly choregraphed to the dialogue, like a stage play that has been handed to Broadway veterans. Punchlines set up even better jokes, and Johnson knows that this surreal family is only more interesting when he provides unpredictable (yet credible) quirks.

Take Harlan’s dedicated caretaker, Marta (Ana de Armas, who practically steals the entire production away from her A-list co-stars). She was with Harlan on the night that he died, and may know more than she is letting on. But Marta is physically unable to lie, or it makes her vomit… a gag Johnson wisely unleashes at the best possible times.

Timing is key in Knives Out and everyone has it, but the joy comes in how the unique rhythms of the performers play off of each other – and how several actors are playing completely against their type. Chris Evans, in particular, makes a drastic shift from Marvel’s stoic Captain America to a self-centered asshole, and seems to be having the best possible time doing it. As for Craig, his inquisitive detective, with the ideal whodunit moniker of Benoit Blanc, is the farthest thing from 007’s suave sophistication, and yet the role fits the actor as well as a black tuxedo fits Bond.

This genre soars, when the entries are this good.

Hollywood doesn’t make murder mysteries that often, and Knives Out kind of reminds me why. There’s a certain dedication that has to be provided to make this genre sing, and if don’t fully appreciate the elements of a whodunit, your movie’s going to suffer.

Rian Johnson knows that the “who” isn’t the most important aspect of a mystery, so he understands exactly when to reveal it, keeping more tricks up his sleeve to make sure Knives Out leaves you guessing. He also knows that heightened comedy helps break the tension in a murder mystery (think Clue), so he draws broadly absurd caricatures of familiar people, then turns them loose in a beautifully constructed mansion that exists solely for stories of this ilk.

Murder mysteries likely won’t ever become as popular as superhero movies, but if we get one as good as Knives Out every other year, it should keep intelligent, cultured audiences very, very happy.

Netflix has become the home for a lot of popular true crime series and movies, including Mindhunter, Making a Murderer, Abducted in Plain Sight, and Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us. Toni Collette and Merritt Wever's Unbelievable, the latest limited series crime drama, recently join those ranks in a big way. Given its popularity among streaming viewers, Netflix is reportedly interested in turning Unbelievable into a true crime anthology series.

Netflix recently revealed its third quarter numbers, which were more optimistic than those for Q2. Apparently, Unbelievable was watched by 32 million households within its first month of release. Whether or not that means the entire season was binged by all those people from start to finish remains a mystery, but its instant popularity reinvigorated Netflix’s idea to turn the series into an anthology, which was a previously existing concept that execs had set aside. Now that it’s clear Unbelievable is popular enough, though, an anthology series could finally become a priority.

However, even though it’s been discussed, there are currently no concrete plans to go ahead with an Unbelievable anthology series (via Deadline). Still, those early numbers show the limited series to be one of the streaming service’s highest-rated shows of 2019, so Netflix might start expanding sooner rather than later. Making the show an anthology means Season 2 wouldn’t be beholden to the original Unbelievable plot, and the creators could focus on other true crime stories (of which there are many).

Based on T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong's Pulitzer Prize-winning article, “An Unbelievable Story of Rape,” Unbelievable stars Toni Collette and Merritt Wever as detectives who are tasked with investigating Marie Adler (Kaitlyn Dever) after she’s charged with falsifying a rape. (And the real Marie Adler had thoughts about the depiction of events.)

The limited series, which contained eight episodes, was immediately met with critical acclaim, and the positive reception primarily highlighted the performances of Toni Collette and Merritt Wever. In addition, Unbelievable is also one of the only true crime dramas currently streaming that focuses solely on female detectives investigating crime cases. This is incredibly rare, even in this day and age, and makes Unbelievable an all the more refreshing counterpart to HBO's True Detective.

Turning Unbelievable into an anthology series might be the smart way to go for Netflix, which seems to be hemorrhaging shows left and right. With so much competition in the streaming services market — Disney, Apple, CBS, and NBC all have streaming service plans, to name a few — Netflix could do with some more original programming. If only to satiate those fans who will be mourning the loss of staples like Friends and The Office, which are being relocated to HBO Max and NBC’s Peacock, respectively.

With the popularity of Mindhunter and Making a Murderer, Netflix seems to have unexpectedly carved out its own niche of true crime dramas for fans to watch, so savvy subscribers can expect to see the service building on those trends.

Unbelievable is currently available to stream on Netflix. Interested in more true crime dramas? Be sure to check out our list of which true crime series are worth checking out on Netflix.

Netflix’s limited series, Unbelievable, is a dramatization of a horrifying true story. The series recounts the harrowing ordeal teenager Marie Adler endures after she reports her rape. Marie is the real-life woman’s middle name and the name she uses in the true crime article that told her story.

Unbelievable is based on a scarily real event. The show dramatizes what happens after Marie reports her rape. Bit by bit, the initial detective investigating the case in Washington comes to doubt her story, and Marie is ultimately charged with filing a false police report. Meanwhile, her rapist goes free.

When other rapes are committed in Colorado, a pair of detectives begin to link their cases. Their joint investigation ultimately sets the wheels in motion for Marie to be vindicated. Unbelievable debuted in September and stars Last Man Standing’s Kaitlyn Dever in the role of Marie Adler.

The Netflix series is based on the true crime article by ProPublica and The Marshall Project: An Unbelievable Story of Rape. The article’s co-author, Ken Armstrong, is now giving those who watched an insight into how the real Marie Adler feels about the show. In a Twitter thread, Armstrong shared some of the real Marie’s reactions to various aspects of Unbelievable. Armstrong wrote:

While the real Marie Adler praised the series, there is one scene that she drew attention to. It occurs in Unbelievable’s first episode. There are eight episodes of the series, total. Ken Armstrong shared the real Marie’s response to Kaitlyn Dever’s portrayal of Marie as she is harshly confronted by police as they pressure her to recant. Armstrong wrote:

As Unbelievable portrays, it was not just the police who came to doubt Marie. Her former foster mothers also expressed their misgivings to each other. Only to have those suspicions shared with the detective investigating the case. On the real Marie’s reaction to those scenes, Ken Armstrong wrote:

As the series progresses, two detectives (played by Merritt Wever and Toni Collette) in Colorado become involved in investigating a serial rapist that is terrorizing their respective jurisdictions. The detectives ultimately merge their investigations, which takes place a long way away from where the same rapist had attacked Marie in Washington. On watching that part of Unbelievable, Ken Armstrong relayed from the real Marie:

In the Netflix show, Unbelievable, and in real life, the serial rapist was finally arrested and charged. The series recreates the moment when Colorado detectives finally move in on the criminal and end his reign of terror. Ken Armstrong shared that moment brought about something that surprised the real Marie, writing:

As someone who watched, it is good to know that the show was well-received by the real Marie Adler. Sometimes that is not always the case when real-life is portrayed on-screen. In this case, it sounds like Unbelievable not only delivered a portrayal of the events. The final episode also gave the real Marie a sense of closure.

Unbelievable is now streaming on Netflix along with other new content. It is one of the new dramas that have premiered this fall, and there will be more.

Between this Netflix miniseries Unbelievable -- plus new movies like Booksmart and Them That Follow -- it's no wonder busy Kaitlyn Dever cut back to recurring status for Fox's Last Man Standing Season 7. The 22-year-old actress plays rape victim Marie in Unbelievable, which also stars Toni Collette and Merritt Wever as detectives trying to catch a serial rapist. The eight-episode series premieres September 13, 2019 on Netflix. Unbelievable was inspired by real events, when a teen reported and eventually recanted her reported rape, while two detectives, states away, investigated evidence that could reveal the truth. Check out the trailer:

Based on the trailer, it looks like Unbelievable will be as much about Toni Collette's Det. Edna Hendershot and Merritt Wever's Det. Stacy Galbraith as Kaitlyn Dever's Marie. That's good news to me, since you can never have enough Toni Collette or Merritt Wever. Their Emmy award-winning star power should also help bring in more viewers.

According to Netflix, Unbelievable is based on The Marshall Project and ProPublica Pulitzer Prize-winning article, "An Unbelievable Story of Rape," written by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong, and the This American Life radio episode, “Anatomy of Doubt." Episodes were directed by Oscar nominees Susannah Grant (who also serves as showrunner) and Lisa Cholodenko.

It's another major showcase role for Kaitlyn Dever, who had a main role as Eve Baxter on the first six seasons of Last Man Standing. She returned for a recurring role in Season 7 on Fox, with Eve coming home on leave from the Air Force Academy.

Last Man Standing is returning for Season 8 on Fox, but it's not clear how much of a role Kaitlyn Dever's popular Eve Baxter will play. Fox is holding the Tim Allen comedy until midseason 2020, and moving it to Thursdays since WWE's Smackdown Live will be taking over the Friday slot.

Kaitlyn Dever is on a hot streak of roles, including playing Lauren in Beautiful Boy; and playing Andrea Hart, daughter of Hugh Jackman's Gary Hart, in The Front Runner. After those 2018 roles, she's had a strong 2019 so far with the co-lead in the critically acclaimed Olivia Wilde comedy Booksmart. And she co-stars with Olivia Colman, Alice Englert, Jim Gaffigan, and Walton Goggins in the thriller Them That Follow, which is scheduled for release on August 2.

Unbelievable will be streaming on Netflix starting Friday, September 13. Last Man Standing returns to Fox in midseason 2020; stay tuned for an exact release date.

It has been an amazing year for horror, with Get Out winning an Oscar and A Quiet Place turning into a massive hit for Paramount. Then there's Hereditary, which carved out a reputation for itself as a brutal throwback to films like The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby. I recently got a chance to ask star Toni Collette if there were any lessons the success of the film could impact upon film studios, and she explained that a lot of it boiled down to reminding these powers that be in Hollywood to not play it safe. Toni Collette explained:

It's no secret that we live in an era where mass appeal is important. As many storytellers look to the small screen and blockbusters reign supreme on the big screen, it's important to get as many people into the seats as possible. However, that wasn't what A24 did when Ari Aster's Hereditary started rolling. The film was unapologetically unique, and as Toni Collette explained: that helped feed into its success.

It is also worth mentioning the fact that there's some quantifiable data to back up what Toni Collette had to say about bold, creative storytelling paying off. Hereditary was undeniably a polarizing film, earning a D+ on CinemaScore when it premiered for audiences, but it was also a significant box office success. In fact, the film has gone on to become A24's highest-grossing film to date. The film may have not been the most widely-accepted horror film of the year, but its financial success shows the clear advantages of embracing bold storytelling.

Of course, movies like Hereditary are precisely where this degree of storytelling can actually thrive. Horror is hot right now, and a bit part of that heat is the fact that smaller-scale horror movies can compete with significant tentpoles from the Marvel or Star Wars franchises, largely due to their relatively low financial overhead. With that strength in mind, we're left to wonder if inventive horror films like Hereditary could clear a way forward for artists and studios to continue breaking new ground in the realm of silver screen storytelling for years to come.

Hereditary will be available on Digital HD, 4K, DVD, and Blu-ray on September 4. Make sure to pick up a copy of the film when it hits shelves, and if you are looking for even more information about all of the other films that are set to premiere this year, then head over to CinemaBlend's comprehensive 2018 movie premiere guide.

Are you scared right now? If you are, then there's a good chance that you saw Hereditary this weekend. Ari Aster's modern horror masterpiece has blown us away, and its effective use of terror and old-school family drama about the trials of motherhood has ensured that it's a film we will talk about for quite a while.

With that said, our viewing of Hereditary has also left us with some questions. The film has stayed with us since its premiere this weekend, and there are a few moments that we still need to figure out. On that note, we have put together a list of burning Hereditary questions that we still have after seeing the scary flick, and we're going to start that list off by addressing the machinations of the cult of Paimon.

Was the Cult Somehow Responsible for Charlie's Death?

The moment in which Charlie's head is ripped off of her body by a telephone pole seems like the epitome of an accident upon first viewing. The young girl (Milly Shapiro) sticks her head out the window of the car to breath right at the moment when an animal crosses the street, and it seems like a one in a million incident that nobody could've anticipated -- which is likely why Steve (Gabriel Byrne) is so forgiving of his son. However, the ending of the film appears to imply that the cult expected this to happen and that its plan always relied on Charlie dying so she could take over Peter's body. Was the cult somehow responsible for the accident with the pole? And if so... how?

Why Did Steve Burn?

One of Hereditary's scariest moments (and one that was sadly teased in the film's creepy trailer) is the scene in which Annie (Toni Collette) accidentally burns Steve by throwing Charlie's book into the fire. It's set up as a surprise based on the fact that Annie caught fire earlier in the film when she attempted to burn the book, but it's never really explained why Steve is the one who ignites at that moment -- after all, he had nothing to do with the burning, and he had every intention of leaving. There's a case to be made that Annie merely is behind the change and was lying when she feigned shock, but Hereditary definitely keeps us in the dark as to why this actually happened the way that it did.

What Is the Significance Of The Beheadings?

One visual motif that consistently pops up throughout Hereditary's story is the idea of decapitations and beheadings. We see it early on with Charlie's decision to cut the head off of a bird and put it on a doll, then we see it later when Charlie's own head is ripped off by a telephone pole as Peter rushes her to a hospital during an allergy outbreak, and we see it again later when Annie's mother has the head removed from her body, and Annie saws her own head off with razor wire while chasing Peter through the house. The beheading imagery is definitely disturbing, but its greater relevance to the cult and Paimon's arrival on earth is never explicitly made clear by the film.

Did Charlie Know About The Cult?

Nobody in the Graham family seems to have a clear understanding of the cult's existence before the final sequence in Hereditary in which Annie goes crazy. Having said that, it's implied that Annie's mother got to Charlie while both of them were still alive, and the cult had some degree of influence over Charlie's development. Given that fact, Hereditary leaves us questioning how immersed Charlie was in the cult during her life. Was she vaguely aware of its existence, or was she a full-blown member? Her innocent personality would suggest the former, but her tendency to cut the heads off of animals (see the previous entry about beheadings) would suggest the latter.

What's Going To Happen To Charlie?

Finally, one of the last questions that we have about Hereditary's absolutely insane ending is the question of what will ultimately become of Charlie Graham after the cult completes its Paimon ritual. One of the elements of the story that's never made entirely clear is why Charlie is so essential to complete the process of bringing the demon into our world, and we're left to wonder if Paimon will overtake Charlie's soul or if Charlie was Paimon the entire time. Neither option bodes well for the world (the arrival of a demon is never a good thing), but we still have no idea what Charlie's final fate will be.

Horror is on a real upswing, and the latest movie that's go everyone's attention is Hereditary. Released in theaters this weekend, Hereditary is a supernatural horror that feels old school and has drawn comparisons to the likes of The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby. The movie has received very positive reviews from critics and horror movie buffs, which is why it's pretty surprising that audience members are hating it big time. Hereditary has a D+ CinemaScore, meaning that film is leaving some moviegoers polarized.

For those who may not know, CinemaScore is a rating system based on audience reactions after they have left the theater, as opposed to Rotten Tomatoes, which measures professional film reviews. There's some debate as to how important it is to have a positive CinemaScore, but the majority of movies typically receive an A, B, or C ranking. In this regard, Hereditary getting a D is notable because the critic reviews have been very positive. CinemaBlend's own Sean O'Connell gave the horror movie 4.5 stars, while Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 94% (and a less excited audience score of 73%).

So, why is CinemaScore reporting that audiences aren't too hot for this movie? Well, there could be a few reasons. For one thing, CinemaScore doesn't tend to be a good source to review horror movies, because that genre can tend to be pretty polarizing. Either you love it or you don't. Not everyone loves to see lots of gore or get spooked out of their boots. Secondly, Hereditary is a slow burn horror film, meaning audiences really have to be in it for the long haul and wait until the back half of the film before things start getting REAL. The VVitch was in a similar situation when it first came out.

Lastly, Hereditary doesn't seem like a movie that was made for everyone to fall in love with. It's kind of like the reaction to mother!, which received the rare F CinemaScore, but Hereditary is not quite as polarizing. It seems like horror fans have really taken to the movie, though, so that means that it's playing well with the real target audience. A D+ ranking doesn't mean the movie is bad, just that it's really only appealing to a certain demographic of movie fans.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether Hereditary is right for you and the only way to do that is to see it. The movie is out in theaters right now and waiting for you to either hate it or love it. If horror isn't your cup of tea, then see what else is coming down the road with our 2018 movie guide.

Warning: this article contains MASSIVE spoilers for Ari Aster's Hereditary! You've been warned!

The horror genre is in high gear right now, and nothing epitomizes that quite like Hereditary. Ari Aster's shocking horror film takes some seriously dark turns, offering up some truly amazing dramatic moments for actors like The Sixth Sense's Toni Collette, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's Alex Wolff, and The Handmaid's Tale's Ann Dowd. More than that, however, the film also features a gut-punch ending that arguably elevates it beyond even the lofty comparisons to The Exorcist that have popped up in recent days. That's right, folks; it's that intense.

With that in mind (and now that we have managed to calm our heart rates down following the film's debut) we have dissected Hereditary's ending in an attempt to make sense of what we just saw. There are a number of major points to get to here, so let's get started with what actually happens at the end of the film.

What Happens At The End Of The Film?

The beginning of the end of the Graham family comes when Steve (Gabriel Byrne) brings Peter (Alex Wolff) home after Joan (Ann Dowd) puts a bizarre hex on the teenager, and a demonic force attacks him in his classroom. Peter goes to bed, while Annie (Toni Collette) begs Steve to burn Charlie's sketchbook in the fireplace -- an act she believes (but still accepts) will cause her to burn as well. Steve ultimately refuses to play Annie's game, thinking her to be responsible for everything that has happened in recent days, so Annie throws the book into the flames herself. In shock, Steve is the one who combusts, and Annie's shocked face quickly turns calm as the mysterious light seen in previous scenes in the film overtakes her.

Day quickly changes to night, and we can see an army of mysterious figures standing outside of the Graham house. Peter awakens from his room and goes looking for his parents, completely unaware that his mother is stalking him from the ceiling. He goes downstairs to find his father's charred corpse by the fireplace and then looks into the corner to see a naked man smiling at him from the shadows. At that moment, Annie attacks Peter and chases him up into the attic; though he closes the door behind him, Annie manages to cling onto the ceiling and repeatedly slam her head into the door like a jackhammer.

Once in the attic, Peter finds evidence of a satanic ritual, including a photo with his eyes punched out of it. His grandmother's body is gone, but above him, he sees that his mother has somehow made it into the attic, and she saws her own head off with razor wire while making eye contact with him. Peter is then attacked by a group of naked worshippers who were hiding in the shadows, and he jumps out of the window and lands in the lawn below.

The fall seemingly kills Peter, and his black soul leaves his body. Then the bright glow seen earlier in the film enters his body, and he reawakens, clearly changed by the ordeal. Peter lets out the same clicking sound that Charlie made throughout the movie, and then follows the hovering, headless body of his mother as it flies into Charlie's treehouse.

Inside the treehouse, a group of naked cultists greets Peter. Joan refers to him as "Charlie," and places a crown on his head as the cult prays to a statue of Paimon with Charlie's severed head set at the top. Everyone seems to treat Peter with reverence, as they hail the impending arrival of Paimon, and the movie ends.

Who Were Those People In The House?

Now that we have processed what happens to the Graham family Hereditary, we also need to figure out who those people were in the house at the end of the film. Based on all of the clues provided by the movie, it's relatively easy to see that Annie's mother was a member of a satanic cult and that Joan was a member, as well. That much is easy to see on the first viewing, but the nuances are where things get even more complicated.

Throughout the Hereditary narrative, we're given clues to suggest that Annie's mother was involved in something that she never fully revealed to her family. Annie notes explicitly the "secret friends" that populated her mother's life, and her funeral offers up the first glimpse at several of the individuals who show up and watch Peter run from his possessed mother in Hereditary's climax. They've been together for decades, and the mementos discovered by Annie as she rummages through her mother's belongings reveal that this evil organization has been plotting something (including the robbery of the grave) without her knowledge for a very long time.

In fact, the ever-present symbol of Paimon that shows up throughout Hereditary implies that the cult may actually be directly responsible for some of the movie's most terrifying moments. Paimon's emblem appears near the location of Charlie's death, with a possible interpretation of that placement telling us that the cult organized Charlie's decapitation, and the accident that killed the Graham daughter was actually part of an elaborate plan to prepare her for Paimon's arrival.

That explains why Joan showed up out of the blue to provide Annie with a shoulder to cry on when Charlie died. Acting as a sleeper agent, Joan's job was to act as the public face of the cult and get closer to Annie in order to surreptitiously plant the seeds of the séance in her mind -- a move that leads Annie to conduct her own ritual, which in turn brings Charlie's spirit into the house and sets the film's truly supernatural elements in motion.

The film also potentially implies that the cult has been trying to summon Paimon for far longer than the duration of the central storyline. Earlier in the movie, Annie reveals to her grief counseling group that her brother committed suicide during her childhood and that the death created a wedge between Annie and her mother. Given what happens to Peter when he jumps out the window at the end of the movie, it's not entirely unreasonable to assume that the cult may have tried the exact same ritual years earlier on Annie's brother and that his suicide may have resulted either as a means of protecting himself from Paimon's possession, or as a failed attempt to bring the demon into his body.

Of course, parsing out the logistics of the cult is one thing. It still doesn't explain the importance of Charlie, where she went, or what happened to her in the film's final moments.

What Happened To Charlie?

Well... The short answer is that Charlie was killed. If you watched Hereditary, then there's really no way to get around that fact. That said, things get a bit more interesting and complicated when we unpack what happened to Charlie after her death.

As far as we can tell from the evidence provided by the film, Charlie's initial return to the Graham family comes after Joan convinces Annie to go through with the séance. The disturbed child briefly takes control of her mother's body, and she becomes a much more noticeable presence in Peter's grief -- even appearing in the corner of his room and making the clicking sound while he tries to sleep. The séance brings her soul into our world, and the death of Peter (coupled with the ritual that takes place in the attic) allows Charlie to inhabit a male body.

That's an important element to note, as Charlie's status as a girl is a much-talked-about aspect of the story. At numerous points throughout Hereditary, it's noted that Annie's mother wished that Charlie had been a boy. Though this initially seems like petty family squabbling, the truth is that she wanted Charlie to be a boy because Paimon needed a male body to complete the ritual. Based on how much time Charlie spent with her grandmother in the earlier years of her life, it's clear that the cult did some major prep work to prepare the girl for the ritual and her eventual indoctrination into the satanic organization. Charlie's death and move to Peter's body was always supposed to happen (because a man from Annie's bloodline was necessary to complete the process), and the film merely shows us the tail end of a plan that had been in place for years.

The final question that this raises is where we're supposed to draw the line between Charlie and Paimon. On the one hand, the film makes a case that Charlie's soul is the perfect host for the arrival of Paimon, which requires the need to move her into Peter's body so that she can fuse with the demonic entity. Annie's mother had groomed Charlie for this moment for years, and the final scene shows the young girl getting ready to become the vessel that she was always destined to become.

On the other hand, there's also another interpretation that could suggest that Charlie was the living incarnation of Paimon from the very beginning. Through this interpretation, we could assume that Charlie (whether knowingly or unknowingly) was always destined to take on her role as the symbol of worship for the cult, and she was just too weak in her original female body to act on her powers. Given the fact that Charlie's head is actually placed on top of the Paimon statue at the end of Hereditary's story, this reading would also make quite a bit of sense.

Either way you look at it, the film ends with the fusion of Charlie and Paimon through Peter's body as the credits start to roll. We don't know what the future holds for the world now that the dark lord has a human body, but it can't bode well for any of us.

Of course, that's our take, but what do you think of Hereditary's ending? Now that Hereditary is in theaters, let us know what you thought of the film's conclusion in the comments section, below, and check out our full review to read our take on everything else associated with Ari Aster's terrifying feature debut!

Ari Aster's Hereditary isn't scary, in the traditional sense. Meaning, the first-time feature-film director doesn't rely on jump scares or cheap gimmicks to goose you out of your seat.

No, Hereditary is scary in an unconventional way. It unnerves you. It gradually earns your trust, because it wants you to believe, wholeheartedly, in its campfire tale so that when the final card is shown, you'll tumble over the edge with the movie into the full grip of insanity. Make no mistake, the final act of Hereditary is an assault. But it's one that this movie earns, through each deliberate and disturbing step.

Hereditary is also the type of movie that you have to patiently stick with until its overall explanation is revealed. The journey is populated by numerous mysterious happenings that you have to accept and file away until the movie tips its hand, allowing you to then go back and figure out if all you endured makes sense. A second viewing likely will prove very rewarding, as Ari Aster (the credited screenwriter) no doubt layers numerous subtle clues to his intent. Days after seeing it, I'm still asking questions -- and usually finding the answers in a line of dialogue or a visual cue given by the movie. You process a lot during Hereditary, and don't fully understand what's terrifying right away. When it hits you, you feel it. It just won't hit you until you are least expecting it.

This much, I can tell you. The film opens on an obituary in the local newspaper. A grandmother, Ellen, has passed, and her family mourns. We meet Ellen's daughter, Annie (Toni Collette), her son-in-law Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and their children: Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). They are a normal family, except not, and Hereditary slowly peels away the layers to reveal their secrets. Annie was estranged from her mother, especially during Peter's childhood, but rekindled their relationship once Charlie was born. Charlie and her grandmother had a special relationship, but now that has... changed.

When I say Hereditary doesn't have run-of-the-mill scares, I need to clarify by explaining this. Mood and atmosphere are more important to Ari Aster. Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night because, in the back of your half-sleeping brain, you thought you heard a noise? While still groggy, you look in the darkest corner of your bedroom and swear that you can make out the shape of a small person, standing still and staring back at you. You know, in your rational mind, that a person can't actually be IN your room. Right? It's 2 a.m., and this is your safe bedroom. And yet, it looks like this "person" moves, slightly, so it casts doubt in your brain and you get a cold chill that grips your spine.

Hereditary produces that feeling, only, for two sustained hours. It messes with your perception. It forces you to doubt what you are seeing. It suggests the supernatural, but keeps you on your heels until its answer is finally delivered.

Yes, Hereditary is one of those horror films that play better when you know next to nothing going into it. There are spectacular twists waiting for the audience, and they will not be revealed here. Since I can't elaborate on details, I'll sing the praises of the Hereditary cast. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle co-star Alex Wolff convincingly puts himself through a physical wringer to play Peter, an unfortunate pawn in a much larger game being played by his family that he often isn't aware of and definitely can't see. He's aided by a somber Gabriel Byrne and the inherently creepy Milly Shapiro, who brings an off-kilter intensity to the unusual Charlie.

The standout, as she so often is, is Toni Collette. How often do we sing the praises of Collette? It's still not enough. Annie is a complicated character formed by difficult personal relationships that Collette -- and Ari Aster's layered screenplay -- reveal in small doses. She alternates from antagonist to victim, quite often in the same scene, and she's always the magnet that attracts your eye in every sequence... even when there's some bizarre and shocking stuff playing out. Last year's Oscar race reminded us that quality horror, in the form of Jordan Peele's Get Out, could compete for Academy gold when it raises the bar for the genre. This year, it's my belief that Collette's performance should, and will, continue to push that conversation forward as she contends for -- and possibly receives -- Oscar glory by scaring the daylights out of unsuspecting audiences.

The horror genre is having a moment right now, and Ari Aster's Hereditary seems to stand out as a game-changer for many fans of the genre. Aster is a relative newcomer to the world of scary features, but he employs seasoned Sixth Sense veteran Toni Collette as the star of the show. I recently had the chance to ask Collette how a film like Hereditary compares to something like M. Night Shyamalan's classic thriller, and she explained that they're similar in the sense that they both deal with the struggles of motherhood. Collette told me:

One of the major elements of Hereditary that many audiences have begun to praise is the balance of authentic and relatable horror with an added supernatural element. It gives the film an extra layer of terror that not a lot of other horror movies manage to achieve, but Toni Collette already had plenty of experience with on The Sixth Sense. Moreover, she has a deep appreciation for the fact that her role as Annie Graham in Hereditary has allowed her to offer up a warts-and-all portrayal of motherhood -- one that includes the ugly side of it that doesn't always make it into films.

The Sixth Sense and Hereditary aren't the only horror movies that Toni Collette has starred in over the years, however. Elsewhere in our discussion about Hereditary, the actress addressed her roles in other films like 2015's Krampus and noted that, unlike the other two films, she has also had the opportunity to flex her campy muscles in the genre as well. Collette explained:

Of course, if you want a closer look at CinemaBlend's chat with Toni Collette about her work on Hereditary, then you can take a look at a clip from the interview, below!

On that note, make sure to catch Hereditary when it debuts this weekend on June 8. Beyond that, head over to our 2018 movie premiere guide and keep yourself up-to-date on this year's biggest movie releases!

You may have already noticed, but over the course of his career, Vin Diesel has had a way of making his passion projects magically materialize as if by sheer force of will. He may have talked his way into a Marvel movie; we didn’t expect to see another installment in the Pitch Black saga after Chronicles of Riddick, but then Riddick came to be; and he’s doing it again with xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage, a franchise most thought was long dead. Production is slated to begin soon, and they just added an unexpected member to the cast, as Academy Award-nominee Toni Collette has joined the extreme sports party.

xXx 3 is only a few weeks away from kicking off production, but there is still room to fill out the roster, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, one of these slots will be occupied by Toni Collette. The Australian actress has been nominated for both an Oscar and a Tony, and will reportedly play a bureaucrat in an intelligence agency. Though there’s no word on whether she’s a supporter or antagonist of our hero Xander Cage, the extreme sports star turned agent of espionage.

Collette joins what has become an awesome, if wildly eclectic cast. Vin Diesel will return in the lead role, Samuel L. Jackson will reprise Agent Augustus Eugene Gibbons, and Ice Cube has even been rumored to be back as his Darius Stone character from xXx: State of the Union. And then there are the franchise newcomers. Martial arts stars Tony Jaa and Jet Li will be on hand to pummel the beefy lead about the head, neck, and torso; Orange is the New Black’s Ruby Rose is on board; UFC champ Conor McGregor will likely throw some punches; The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev will figure in; and Bollywood star Deepika Padukone will make her U.S. debut.

Like I said, eclectic.

There aren’t a lot of details about Toni Collette’s character, but an obvious point of comparison seems to be Joan Allen’s character form the Bourne movies. My guess is that she’ll be some kind of high-ranking intelligence officer that doesn’t approve of Xander Cage’s unusual methods.

The larger plot is also being kept under wraps, but the rumors indicate that after being left for dead, Xander Cage resurfaces in secret and takes on dangerous new assignments from Augustus Gibbons. Odds are these missions will involve lots of high-octane stunts like snowboarding, motorcycle jumping, and the like. The story is also said to feature two teams of badasses that go head to head.

Directed by D.J. Caruso (Disturbia), xXx 3 plans to shoot in Toronto and the Dominican Republic. There’s no set release date yet, but it will likely drop sometime in 2017.

Here at Cinema Blend we're still reeling from the sudden death of James Gandolfini, who recently passed away from a heart attack at 51. Of course, he was best known for his celebrated starring role in The Sopranos, but his contribution to film has been so fantastic that many of us have been hard-pressed to pick our favorite performance. Maybe it was his corkscrew-threatening thug in True Romance. Or his anti-war general in In the Loop? His maniacal hitman in Killing Them Softly? Or his emotional monster in Where the Wild Things Are? But it may be too soon to decide.

Two of the late Gandolfini's films will be released posthumously, Animal Rescue written by detective novelist Dennis Lehane, and Nicole Holofcener's upcoming comedy Enough Said. Last week I had the opportunity to sit down with Gandolfini's Enough Said co-star Toni Collette for The Way, Way Back, and I asked her to tell me about her experience on the film—which was previously untitled—and working with "Jim." Her answer could easily be counted among some of the most eloquent words said about the star:

Written and directed by Holofcener, Enough Said centers on a divorced woman suffering from empty nest (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) whose pursuit of a charming man (Gandolfini) is complicated when she realizes he is the ex-husband of a new friend (Catherine Keener). Collette told me she plays another of Louis-Dreyfus's friend in the film. But where Louis-Dreyfus's character is divorcing and dealing with sending her kid to college, Collette and onscreen spouse Ben Falcone are just at the beginning of their marriage and kid-raising troubles.

Collette's description of Gandolfini's character in the film seems a real change of pace from the glaring tough guys roles he was known for. But it also sounds like it might be the closest a film role has come to capturing the captivating man who has made us root for bad guys for decades. I never met Gandolfini, much less knew him, but I suspect that it's this charm and sweetness that everyone who did speaks of so often that is the key to even his bleakest roles. Because no matter how bad the guy he plays, he was oddly charming. There was a twinkle in his eye. And thankfully for those of us who've loved his work, there's more to come and a great legacy to revisit.

Enough Said is completed but has not yet announced a release date. The Way, Way Back opens Friday.

Though it's now considered one of Alfred Hitchcock's masterworks, Psycho was initially deemed a risky prospect by everyone in Hollywood, even Hitch's most ardent supporters like his wife Alma Reville and his devoted assistant Peggy Robertson. The struggle to get Psycho made is the focus of the new film Hitchcock, but at its throbbing heart are the two women who helped this genius filmmaker make the best out of Hitch's films and his iconic image.

Toni Collette tackled the role of Peggy Robertson, who served as Hitchcock's personal assistant through four decades and scores of films and television productions. While she is known to have been Hitch's right hand woman and dedicated defender, little else is certain about her or her role in the makings of his films. This offered a unique challenge to Collette, who had much fewer historical resources on which to base her character than the rest of the cast. But by focusing on what kind of person Peggy must have been to be able to handle 40 years of Hitchcock's reputed bad behavior and wicked humor, Collette created a portrait of Robertson that shows her to be sharp, collected, and ready for anything.

Talking with the bright and cheerful Collette last weekend in a posh New York hotel, we discussed Peggy, her relationship with Hitch, as well as what it was like working with Sir Anthony Hopkins and Dame Helen Mirren. And of course, we weighed in on the still vibrant work of Hitchcock.

I was surprised that despite being titled Hitchcock, the film is largely about the women who influenced his works, not only his iconic Hitchcock blondes, but also those behind the scenes, Alma and Peggy. What was most important for you to get across about Peggy Robertson?

Well, the real Peggy worked with Hitchcock for over four decades. I just found it interesting that here was a very astute, strong, capable, stoic woman who serves as a kind of second rock for Hitch. There's Alma and Peggy; they're kind of in the same pool in a way. But she also kind of gave up her life for him. It's kind of an odd contradiction in a way. I just wanted their relationship to be real. Yes, it is about the contrast of the fantasy blondes in his life and these supportive, real women in his life. And I just love the fact that she didn't take any crap from him, you know?

How were you able to research her? Because it seems like she was largely in the shadows.

There was very little. There were a few photos and one interview with her when she was probably in her 50s. So a lot of it was good writing and imagination. [Laughs]

It's clear from your portrayal that Peggy is so a part of the Hitchcocks lives that she has an easy shorthand of them. A glance or a gesture gets across a great deal of information.

That's good to hear! [Laughs.]

How did you, Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins develop this sense of camaraderie for the film?

We had one very short morning of rehearsing with Sacha and we just talked about it and tried to imbue it with a sense of reality. For me, the first film I ever made [The Efficiency Expert]—I was 17 years old in Australia—and Anthony was the lead in the movie and I was a baby. Being able to work with him again so many years later in a way helped for me, because I felt like I had some knowledge of him. Although to be honest, every time that he turned up on set I didn't see him as Tony, I saw him as Hitchcock because he had to get in to early to be made up. And it was so shocking at the end of the day sometimes he would rip off his prosthetics and I'd be like, "Oh my god, your eyes are actually crystal clear blue! Who are you?" [Laughs.]

I'd really love to see photos of him ripping the prosthetics off.

I think there are a few, but you may not see them. But [Mirren and Hopkins] they're both fine actors that I admire, and that's an actor's job to make it feel real and I had a lot of fun doing that with them.

I imagine it could be intimidating working with someone with a reputation as prestigious as Hopkins', was it more or less intimidating when he seems like Hitchcock?

Well, Hitchcock, I'm seeing him through Peggy's eyes, and she's someone who rolls her eyes at him and knows every little idiosyncratic quirk, so I don't think she's taken by what seems to be quite a domineering, controlling, moody, insecure man.

And she also seems aware of his weaknesses.

Yeah, but she's also incredibly protective. So I think she's aware of the flaws and the greatness, and takes it all in her stride.

Having worked with him for so long, do you believe Peggy shared Hitch's sense of macabre humor or just understood it?

I think she probably oscillated between the two, but I don't think any of them really, initially were supportive of his idea to adapt Psycho into a film. I think they were shocked and thought it may have been a folly until they realized how obsessed he was. And then you get on the train because that's the job. I think they were all aware of him as a whole person and that's why they were so—um—easy in a way.

What was your first exposure to Hitchcock?

I think I was aware of the shower scene [from Psycho]. In terms of pop culture it's such a known kind of image and the music is also very familiar. So perhaps as a teenager? I remember doing this kind of thing [gesturing iconic stabbing motion, then laughs warmly.] Then throughout my life I've kind of taken his films in. Yeah, it's interesting with Psycho, because—obviously making the film I watched it again—and I found Tony Perkins performance—and other people disagree—but I found it really, really contemporary. I mean, it could have been in a film now. But they are all so—I love how stylized they are, and how beautiful they are to look at. And Hitch was kind of a rebel, kind of a rock star. Even the way he promoted his movies, he just thought outside the box and that's always inspirational.

Do you have a favorite Hitchcock movie?

I love the voyeurism of Rear Window.

Do you remember the first time you saw Psycho?

I can't remember when it was. It might have been in my early twenties—I don't know if I was in my teens or twenties—life is chugging along! My memory is going to shit.

I think it's hard to pick out that movie, like I can't remember a time before I knew the ending, and I don't remember the first time I saw the movie. But I watched it again yesterday and was shocked at how differently I saw it.

How you remembered it to how you see it now?

Well, also how I experienced it. Like you said about Anthony Perkins, I feel if that movie had come out now, there'd be tumblr pages dedicated to how dreamy he is.

Yeah yeah yeah, totally.

Which makes it even more disturbing.

I agree I think the fact that somebody can be so monstrous and so fragile; it was a really great performance. It was good casting I guess. I don't know how involved Hitch was as a director, where he says, "I don't know, you do it." So I don't know how much of it was the actor and how much was the script. I mean, you never know do you. It's always a combination.

Writer-director Nicole Holofcener has been collaborating with edgy leading lady Catherine Keener since the indie auteur's first feature Walking and Talking in 1996, so it's little surprise that Keener has just signed on to play a major role in Holofcener's latest comedy, which currently is only known as the Untitled Nicole Holofcener Project. However, other additions to the cast are a bit more unexpected, though no less enticing.

THR reports that Tony Collette has also committed to co-star in Holofcener's latest comedy, joining a cast that includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Ben Falcone (Bridesmaids), and teen fashion and feminism blogger Tavi Gevinson, who will be making her feature film debut here. None of these performers have worked with Holofcener before, but this shouldn't prove an obstacle, as most of the above are known for being able to nail scenes of quick-witted dialogue, which is a trademark of Holofcener's style.

Louis-Dreyfus will front the film as a divorcee who is re-evaluating her identity when the last of her kids prepares to move out. She finds inspiration in a seemingly chic and totally together woman, played by Keener. And things are looking up when she begins a romance with a like-minded man (Gandolfini)…that is until she discovers he is her new idol's ex. According to THR, Gevinson will play a girl named Chloe, who is generally ignored by her parents and so has had to grow up fast. But it's currently unclear how this tied in to the main plotline, and there's no mention of what role Falcone or Collette will play.

The Untitled Nicole Holofcener Project is now shooting in Los Angeles.

Since My Week With Marilyn was nominated for a couple Academy Awards, it shouldn't come a surprise that similar explorations of cinema's behind-the-scenes history are quickly being shuffled into production. It also isn't surprising that, when looking for subjects from the past to turn into a feature, director Alfred Hitchcock and his infamous blonde obsessions became a topic of choice for more than one project. Julian Jarrold's The Girl, starring Toby Jones and Sienna Miller, explores Hitch and Tippi Hedrin's relationship during the making of The Birds and while that story is certainly interesting, the other Hitchcock tale in development seems like the real prestige project.

Already sporting an all-star cast, Variety reports that Sacha Gervasi's Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho is close to adding another four fantastic actors. Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Danny Huston and Michael Wincott are all in negotiations to join the cast of the film from Fox Searchlight that explores the behind the scenes struggles while shooting Psycho (obviously), the acclaimed director's most famous work.

The article notes that Academy Award nominee Collette, the amazing star of The United States of Tara, is in talks to play the director's longtime assistant and confidant Peggy Robertson. Fresh off his heart-warming turn in Martin Scorsese's Hugo, the Oscar-nominated Michael Stuhlbarg would play Hitch's agent, Lew Wasserman. Huston would play a friend and colleague of writer Alma Reville (Mrs. Hitchcock) named Whitfield Cook. And finally, Wincott is circling the role of Ed Gein, the serial killer on which one of the original slasher flicks was based. I'm not sure how they are going to work Gein into the story but that is certainly the most interesting tidbit from today's casting.

The four great character actors are joining the aforementioned all-star cast that already includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Scarlett Johansson, Helen Mirren, James D'Arcy and, as of earlier today, Jessica Biel. Hopkins is obviously starring as the big name director with Mirren playing his wife Alma; D'Arcy is Anthony Perkins; Johansson is Janet Leigh; and Biel is actress Vera Miles. That is quite the ensemble. I just can't wait for Gus Van Sant and the Remaking of Psycho.

We've seen directors express their love of the French capital in Paris, Je' T'aime and others explored the five boroughs in New York, I Love You. Now it's time for filmmakers to express their adoration for the largest city in Australia.

As first reported last June, producers Gary Hamilton and John Polson are currently working to create their own love letter to Sydney, Australia - titled Sydney Unplugged - and today they have announced the list of directors that will be tackling segments in the compilation film. THR reports that Anthony LaPaglia, Toni Collette, Alex Proyas, David Michod, Ivan Sen, John Curran, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Liev Schreiber, Rachel Ward, Ray Lawrence and Russell Crowe have all signed on to direct one of 12 stories that will make up the anthology. The film will mark the first time that LaPaglia and Collette have worked behind the camera. Production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2012 and shooting will all be done within the city.

Said Polson when the lineup was announced, "It’s no secret some hugely talented directors, actors and others either live here or are from here. It’s about time this talent got together to tell stories that showcase one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The people that have stepped up to take part in this project are beyond our wildest dreams."

To go with the announcement, a teaser trailer of sorts has been launched online. Check it out below.

While there are some interesting names listed here, there are some key missing names, including John Hillcoat, Baz Luhrmann, Craig Gillespie and Phillip Noyce. Perhaps they were all simply too busy working on their own projects to take part in this one.