Keke Palmer is one of the funniest and hardest-working actresses out there right now, delivering great titles over the past couple of years including Nope, One of Them Days and a reimagining of The ‘Burbs, to name just a few. She’s keeping her foot on the gas for the 2026 movie calendar, too, teaming up with Boots Riley for I Love Boosters. Reviews are in as the film hits theaters May 22, and I’m intrigued by critics’ reactions to the “deranged” crime comedy.

In I Love Boosters, Keke Palmer’s Corvette leads a group of shoplifters — aka “boosters” — against fashion maven Christie Smith (Demi Moore) after she steals their designs. The ensemble cast boasts too many big names to list, and in his review of I Love Boosters, Joseph Tomastik of Loud and Clear says Riley brings the same chaos and big twists to this as he did to Sorry to Bother You. The critic gives it a perfect 4 out of 4 stars, writing:

Bill Bria of SlashFilm rates it 8 out of 10 and says I Love Boosters is one of the most visually innovative comedies in some time. It draws colorful inspiration from ‘90s cult movies, music videos, fashion and street culture to drive home its message, even incorporating stop-motion animation and a monstrous creature. Bria continues:

Alyssa Mora of IGN also rates it a “Great” 8 out of 10, calling it a “cheeky takedown of capitalism served up in signature Boots Riley bizarre fashion.” I Love Boosters is equal parts romp and political statement, the critic says in her review:

Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire gives it a B, writing that even as I Love Boosters “spins wildly out of control,” Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige are able to ground the “dizzying, entertaining acid trip.” That’s especially true of Palmer, as Lattanzio says:

Jacob Oller of AV Club also gives I Love Boosters a B in his review for how Boots Riley paints an amusement park ride in the bright colors of his politics. The style is like a “Marxist Pee-wee Herman run wild,” Oller says, that “weaponizes silliness of all flavors.” Some choices are more overbearing than exhilarating, but the critic loves how Riley uses classic animation to inform his vision, writing:

Boots Riley clearly has some things he wants to say, and these reviews suggest he’s using all forms of humor, animation, colorful sets and some highly comedic actors to get those messages across. Critics have rated it 92% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, so if this movie sounds at all interesting or intriguing to you, take Riley’s suggestion and see it opening weekend.

I Love Boosters hits theaters on Friday, May 22.

When actors and directors work well together, they tend to work together frequently. James Gunn has a few actors who tend to show up in his projects again and again, including Nathan Fillion and Michael Rooker. Now it looks like there may be a new member of Team Gunn, as it’s being reported Guadians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s Will Poulter could be getting ready to become part of an upcoming DC TV show.

According to a report from Gunnverse, Poulter is currently in talks to join James Gunn’s DCU in the role of science fiction hero Adam Strange. Strange is set to be the focus of an upcoming DCU series for Max. This would mark the second time that Poulter played an outer space hero named Adam in a project involving James Gunn, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.

Will Poulter Could Become Adam Strange

Will Poulter previously played Adam Warlock for Gunn in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While the character was a bit superfluous to the story (and, arguably, the weakest element from the MCU flick), he played the role well. If Poulter and Gunn are looking to work together again, they must have both enjoyed the experience. Although, based on the report, it doesn’t appear Gunn is writing the series, as other are reportedly circling the series for that job instead.

Considering that everybody in the Guardians of the Galaxy cast seemed to love James Gunn, even signing a letter asking for him to be brought back when it looked like he might not direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a lot of people have wondered if members of the threequel's cast might join Gunn in the world of DC. Most of the cast, Dave Bautista especially, have seemed to be quite open to the possibility, though there hasn’t been any indication that anybody has been seriously considered for a role of late.

That makes Poulter the biggest name from a Guardians film to join the DCU so far. Technically speaking, his Adam Warlock is still kicking around the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well, as a member of the new Guardians of the Galaxy team. However, since nobody in that group was part of the recent Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, it doesn’t appear there are any plans for those characters, at least in the near term.

There Are Still A Lot Of Outstanding Questions regarding James Gunn’s DCU

Adam Strange isn’t exactly a household name, though he did appear on the short-lived Krypton TV series. The character’s story is somewhat similar to that of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter, as Strange is an explorer who inadvertently finds himself teleported to an alien world, where he becomes part of their culture. This would certainly make for a strong opportunity to tell a focused story that’s not dependent on a larger universe, but still allows for those connections as desired.

James Gunn has said casting doesn’t happen if there isn’t a script, which, if this news is accurate, means there is already a story for Adam Strange. This would put it further along than many of the projects that James Gunn first announced as part of his Gods & Monsters first chapter of the DCU, many of which already appear to be in limbo. Between this series and the upcoming Clayface movie, it seems some newer projects are taking precedence over older ones.

This year, we know we’ll see Superman, as well as Peacemaker Season 2. The Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie is in production right now, as is the Lanterns series. Beyond that, we don’t really know what the future holds. The initial report suggests that Adam Strange will first be introduced in some other upcoming DC movie or show before his solo series happens. Maybe we’ll get an idea of what that could be when and if this is confirmed.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the new movie Warfare (now in theaters). If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk.

Watching Warfare, it's apparent that the mission statement of directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland is to present the eponymous experience without traditional elements of dramatization – but that doesn't mean it's without big and memorable cinematic moments. The sequence where the evacuation vehicle is hit with an IED is powerful to make your head spin a bit as you sit comfortably in a movie theater recliner, and there are key emotional scenes like Joseph Quinn's Sam discovering the extent of his injuries and Will Poulter's Erik realizing he needs to cede command.

These moments stick out in reflecting on the finished work, but as Joseph Quinn explained during the Los Angeles press day for Warfare last month, picking out specific memories from the production aren't easy. Because of the realism that the film was going for and its very tight scope, Quinn apparently experienced it as a blur. Said the actor,

The specific scene with Sam in discussion here comes shortly after the aforementioned IED blast that rocks the Navy SEAL team operating in Ramadi during the Iraq War in 2006. Severely injured from shrapnel hits, he is immobilized and in great pain, and he is in a state of shock as he understands the extent of his injuries after his fellow soldiers help take him off the street and back inside the house where they had set up a surveillance operation.

Once the action gets going in Warfare, however, it really doesn't stop, and while Joseph Quinn's Sam is given prominent focus, the intensity of the entire production impacts how the actor looks back on the experience

While Joseph Quinn didn't say it, that sounds utterly exhausting.

Will Poulter Explains How Warfare Achieves A Different Kind Of Realism Than Most War Movies

The scene alluded to earlier with Will Poulter's Erik possesses a different kind of intensity. Removed from blood, pain, and explosions, the character takes a minute aside to reconcile with the fact that the moment has gotten entirely on top of him. He comes to terms with the fact that he is not in a state to lead, and he gives command to Charles Melton's Jake.

In a separate interview during the same Warfare press day, Will Poulter told CinemaBlend's Jeff McCobb that he sees it as a scene that exemplifies what Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland have made with their movie:

In the moment as depicted in Warfare, Erik has responsibility, but he has a human moment and understands that he has been rendered unfit. It's not a traditional depiction of bravery that we see in war movies, but the idea with the film is bucking tradition, and Poulter sees the hand-off and the character's acceptance of his own limitations as notable:

Also starring D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Gandolfini, Henry Zaga, and Kit Connor in addition to the aforementioned Joseph Quinn Will Poulter, and Charles Melton, Warfare arrived at the box office this past weekend after weeks of developing buzz and critical acclaim. While the stars may not remember all of the specific details of making it, the film will be recalled as one of cinema's most intense of 2025.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains some light spoilers from the Black Mirror Season 7 episode, “Plaything.” If you have not yet seen the installment, just remember there is no turning back after you choose to read on.

Black Mirror Season 7 was one of the most anticipated seasons of the acclaimed horror anthology TV show yet, especially because it includes a sequel to the Emmy-winning Season 4 episode, “USS Callister.” However, it is not the only sequel in the Netflix original series’ latest collection of technophobic tales.

“Plaything” exists in the same universe as the show’s interactive spin-off movie, Bandersnatch (or in one of the choose-your-own-adventure story’s many potential timelines, more accurately), with the return of Will Poulter as video game developer Colin Ritman serving as the connective tissue. The character’s appearance is certainly an intriguing way of introducing the plot, but an ultimately disappointing aspect of the episode for me, if I am being honest. Allow me to explain…

Bringing Back Will Poulter's Bandersnatch Character Is Pointless

The main story of Black Mirror Season 7’s fourth episode, “Plaything” (now available to stream with a Netflix subscription) kicks off when isolated video game reviewer Cameron Walker (played in the ‘90s by Lewis Gribben and as an older man by Peter Capaldi) is invited by Colin Ritman to preview his new creation, Thronglets. It is not actually a game, however, but a platform that houses a race of living, sentient digital creatures that Walker soon becomes dangerously obsessed with preserving.

Save one other mention of Ritman later in the episode, this scene is all we see of the character, which begs the question of why he was involved in the first place. I mean, I do understand why: it is yet another attempt for Charlie Brooker and co. to connect the dots between the best Black Mirror episodes and through a cameo by an actor who has increased in notoriety since his last appearance in the role. However, by the end, the character becomes inconsequential and could have easily been swapped out for any other eccentric game developer.

Colin Ritman Was Far More Interesting In Bandernsatch

Do not get me wrong: I am a fan of Will Poulter and his movies and was genuinely excited to learn that the English actor was coming back as Ritman. I think most would agree that he was one of the most memorable and engaging aspects of Netflix’s interactive film from 2018, but I would not say the same about “Plaything.”

There is, unfortunately, not much about Poulter’s performance in his one scene that stands out in any memorable way, other than the fact that he is a well-known actor playing a familiar character from one of Netflix's most popular TV shows. Of course, I don’t believe that Poulter is at fault here, but that Brooker’s otherwise entertaining and modestly fascinating teleplay offers nothing interesting for him to do with the role like his Bandersnatch screenplay did. I admire the intention behind including Ritman, but not the execution.

There are plenty of other ways to see a great, new Will Poulter performance right now, though, including his scene-stealing turn in Death of Unicorn and his devastating portrayal of a U.S. soldier in another new A24 movie, Warfare. Still, I would say it is worth it to stream Black Mirror on Netflix, as “Plaything,” overall, proves that one of my all-time favorite TV shows is still going strong.

Warfare is not a typical war movie. It's based on true events (the memories of co-director Ray Mendoza), and it foregoes traditional cinematic expectations to present as realistic a portrayal as possible of the titular experience. As I write about in my four-star review for CinemaBlend, it's a unique film to take in – and it was special enough to attract the interest of star Will Poulter despite the actor's complete lack of interest in contributing to the war genre.

As captured in the video above, Will Poulter spoke about his first time meeting with co-director Alex Garland during the press day for Warfare last month, and the story is not what you'd typically expect from a junket interview. He explained that he was a fan of the filmmaker prior to their meeting, but his experience talking to him about his latest project was a roller coaster. Said Poulter,

The director of Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, and Civil War, Alex Garland has made a massive impact on genre cinema in the last decade-plus, and one might think that Will Poulter was going to be meeting the filmmaker about a new science-fiction or horror idea. In contrast to Garland's previous work, Warfare is super grounded, and it was the special degree to which it's grounded that let Poulter see it as a project he wanted to be a part of.

Will Poulter has one of the standout roles in the new 2025 movie, but he is surrounded by a cast full of talent, including D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (playing Ray Mendoza), Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, Noah Centineo, Joseph Quinn, Henry Zaga, and Charles Melton. If the unique approach to the film wasn't a particular draw, certainly being a part of the ensemble must have been.

Kit Connor also discussed his first time reading the script during CinemaBlend's interviews during the Warfare press day, and he remarked that it was the structure of the story to which he initially reacted – comparing it to a short film:

Because it's intended to reflect reality, Warfare doesn't have a first, second, and third act. It's a narrative film by technical standards, but one might say it is more a window into the reality of the characters during a particularly hellish time.

Connor continued,

Adding to his co-star's point, Cosmo Jarvis added that the focus on reality and attention to detail didn't end with the script; Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza brought that same energy to the production:

Having spent the last few weeks building up buzz and hype, Warfare arrives in theaters everywhere this Friday courtesy of A24 – and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from our interviews with the movie's fantastic cast.

Superhero movies almost always have great action, which is a testament to the fight choreographers, stuntmen, and the actors playing the roles. Of course, two people pretending to beat the hell out of each other can sometimes get out of hand. People actually getting slapped, kicked or punched in the face can certainly happen, as it apparently did on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Adam Warlock portrayer Will Poulter mentioned that he was a fan of Dave Bautista during his WWE days before the two ended up in a fight scene on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Poulter has nothing but praise for Big Dave, especially for the fact that Bautista didn’t seem to mind when Pouler accidently punched him in the face. Poulter explained:

To be fair, as the best actor who was once a professional wrestler, Bautista is used to being punched in the face. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’d expect him to like it, especially when it was unexpected. It’s also possible that maybe Poulter didn’t hit him all that hard, but there was a telltale sign that Bautista took a decent shot: Adam Warlock’s gold paint on Bautista’s face. Poulter continued:

One can only imagine how Dave Bautista looked in his Drax makeup, with gold knuckle prints transferred over from Poulter’s gold makeup. It’s certainly enough of an indication that Bautista got punched. It was awfully nice of him not to say anything.

I had never thought of the complexities that come with doing these sorts of action scenes in makeup. The actors are often in the makeup chair for hours on end to fully apply makeup like what Bautista wore as Drax. It makes me wonder just how easy it would be to touch up the makeup once it transferred like that or if fixing the makeup became a multi-hour process.

Bautista had said the Drax makeup was his least favorite part of the job. Even getting the makeup off is tough. If this errant swing from Will Pouler led to Bautista spending a prolonged session in the makeup chair, that might have bothered him more than the punch.

Where will the Guardians of the Galaxy show up next? As of right now, we have no idea. A brand new roster for the intergalactic team was revealed at the end of James Gunn's Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 , but we haven't heard anything about the group's next adventure, and none of the actors were included in last week's cast announcement for Avengers: Doomsday. Fans are presently waiting for any kind of update about the ragtag heroes – but if it were up to Adam Warlock himself, Will Poulter, he would gladly sign up for a mission that sees the Guardians hook up with Joseph Quinn's Human Torch and the Fantastic Four.

Poulter and Quinn star together in the upcoming action/drama Warfare from directors Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza (which has been earning rave reviews), and during a recent interview with IGN, the former expressed excitement about the possibility of collaborating with the latter again, next time with both actors playing their respective Marvel Cinematic Universe roles. Discussing what could potentially come together in upcoming Marvel movies, Poulter said,

Fans last had the chance to see Adam Warlock in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 end credits, which revealed that the Guardians are currently being led by Rocket Raccoon (Star-Lord having decided to go back to Earth and spend time with his only living relative). In addition to Warlock, the team also includes Kraglin, Cosmo, Blurp, Groot and Phlya-Vell. We can hope that we'll end up seeing them again in Avengers: Secret Wars, which is scheduled to start production a few weeks after principal photography wraps on Avengers: Doomsday, but nothing has been promised yet.

As for the Guardians and Adam Warlock potentially interacting with the Fantastic Four, the potential of that meetup will be much clearer once Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives this summer. There has been significant suggestion that the film takes place in a parallel reality that is not the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there has been a great deal of speculation that they will be crossing dimensions before the blockbuster's end, making crossovers with other MCU heroes viable.

In addition to Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm a.k.a. The Human Torch, Fantastic Four: First Steps also stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm a.k.a. The Invisible Woman, and Ebon Moss Bachrach as Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing. The impressive supporting cast also includes Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, John Malkovich, Paul Walter Houser and Natasha Lyonne.

We'll have to wait and see if a Guardians of the Galaxy/Fantastic Four team-up ends up happening (it would certainly be logical given that both teams are key within the cosmic realm of blockbuster action), but if you're curious now to see what a Will Poulter/Joseph Quinn team-up looks like, you'll be able to see Warfare when it arrives in theaters everywhere on April 11.

Not even the so-called “superhero fatigue” can slow down the slate of upcoming Marvel movies. Thunderbolts* is next up, releasing in just over a month. But it’s next year’s tentpole film, Avengers: Doomsday, that has everybody talking. Even the actors can’t help but get excited, including Marvel’s newest star, Joseph Quinn, who was just announced as part of the star-studded ensemble Doomsday cast.

The cast list for Avengers: Doomsday was revealed during a five-house live stream of various director’s chairs with fan-favorite actor’s names stitched into the back. While the usual suspects were there, like Chris Hemsworth and Anthony Mackie, fans were surprised to see the inclusion of others like several former X-Men members and even the yet-to-be-released Fantastic Four: First Steps cast, which includes Quinn.

While it was previously confirmed that the new Fantastic Four cast would be featured in other Marvel films, it’s exciting to see physical proof that the MCU is sticking with that plan. As thrilled as fans are, no one can beat Quinn’s excitement about seeing his name on one of the many chairs during the live stream, telling IGN:

Avengers: Doomsday might have one of the best casts in the history of the MCU, but that hasn’t stopped many from wondering why some fan-favorite superheroes were left out and speculating on whether they might appear in other Avengers films later on. The Stranger Things alumni even got in on the fun, revealing which Marvel star he’d like to see suit back up and join him on set when production begins:

Poulter played Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Though he started out as an antagonist tasked with capturing Rocket, he ultimately earned a redemption arc by saving Star-Lord and later joined the gang at the end of the movie.

As a fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Poulter’s acting work, I couldn’t agree more with Quinn’s statement. It might be the only time we get to see Adam in action with the rest of the new Guardians crew since a fourth installment has yet to be confirmed for the box-office hit franchise now that filmmaker James Gunn has parted ways with Marvel and has creative control over DC Studios. But I’m going to remain hopeful since even Poulter has expressed his interest in returning to the role and the MCU.

Unfortunately, for now, it seems like Avengers: Doomsday will be void of any and all Guardians of the Galaxy members — a surprising twist considering how instrumental the gang was in the last two Avengers movies. Still, there’s always hope for Avengers: Secret Wars, which is slated for a May 2027 theatrical release.

Thankfully, fans of Quinn and Poulter don’t have to hold out hope for 2027 to see these two rising stars share the screen. Instead, fans can catch both of them in A24’s upcoming film, Warfare, which is being hailed by critics for its realistic portrayal of war. The film is set to be released on April 11th as part of the 2025 movie schedule.

In writer/director Alex Scharfman’s Death Of A Unicorn, the titular fantastical creatures don’t behave quite as they are typically portrayed, as it turns out the horns on their head are quite useful when it comes to eviscerating humans when properly provoked… but it’s not all darkness and violence. They are also shown to be beings of wonder, and it was a common activity on set for the stars of the film to pet the practical creations that were made for the production.

Earlier this month, I had the chance to do a virtual interview with Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant to discuss their work on the new A24 movie, and one of the questions that I asked the trio concerned their interaction with unicorns on the set. Poulter acknowledged that there was great contributions from visual effects artists in the making of the film, but having life-like puppets on set was an asset for his performance. Said the actor,

Following up, Richard E. Grant noted that the actors never had to deal with what could be dubbed the industry’s worst scene partner: the dreaded “tennis ball on a stick.” He had something real to react to – and he opened up the conversation about the puppets being pet-able:

In Death Of A Unicorn, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant all play members of the wealthy Leopold family, and they are the kind of evil that only sees the opportunity to make money when something magical is discovered. They learn about the existence of unicorns when an employee (Paul Rudd) and his daughter (Jenna Ortega) hit one while on their way to the Leopold estate and drive on with it in their car’s trunk, and the incident spurs all kinds of horror.

While the Leopolds are a plague on unicorn life on screen, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant as real people adored the fake creations on set, as did their co-stars. Leoni even recounted a time finding Jenna Ortega petting one and just being in her own world:

Richard E. Grant: Oh, fondling unicorns between setups was my go-to. We loved it.
Téa Leoni: But remember the baby? The baby was so cute and like...
Will Poulter: Then you've gotta be Leopold about it. You gotta turn that off. That's money, that's profit right there.
Téa Leoni: But occasionally we would just like sit... I remember when they had the baby out there, and I caught Jenna just like spacing out and petting it.
Will Poulter: Like you would with a puppy. Yeah.
Téa Leoni: Because I mean, it was so cute. It was right there in the middle of the floor.

We should all be so lucky to have the opportunity to work with unicorns – fake or not.

Also starring the scene-stealing Anthony Carrigan and Jessica Hynes, Death Of A Unicorn is now playing in theaters everywhere.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away certain key details from the plot of Death of a Unicorn. If you have not seen the new 2025 movie yet and do not want the magic ruined for you, I recommend that you proceed with caution.

The bigger a movie studio gets, the more prolific its films’ ensembles become. That is especially evident in the latest A24 movie, Death of a Unicorn, which stars longtime A-lister Paul Rudd and recent A-lister Jenna Ortega as a father and daughter who fatally hit a mythical creature with their car. The movie also stars Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, and Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant as a wealthy family who want to profit from the animal’s magical abilities.

Having seen writer and director Alex Scharfman’s feature debut, I can say the true stars here are the unicorns. However, among the human actors involved, there is one who particularly blew me away with what I believe is the absolute best performance in Death of a Unicorn. Allow me to explain...

Will Poulter Is Brilliantly Hilarious In Death Of A Unicorn

Many of the best Will Poulter movies and TV shows have proven that the actor has the masterful ability to switch between playing nice and playing really, really bad on a dime. He has even demonstrated this duality within the same movie, namely when Adam Warlock (a role he would be interested in revisiting in the MCU) is introduced as a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 before becoming an ally. Well, in Death of a Unicorn, he portrays Shepard Leopold as a total amoral baddie, but to an irresistibly comical degree.

Poulter does an incredible job as the son of a wealthy pharmaceutical company CEO, portraying the most spoiled, arrogant, and even delusional aspects of his personality in a manner that can prove maddening but never irritating, due to his skilled authority over the script's comedic elements.

Also, those toxic traits do not disappear when Shepard snorts a line of unicorn horn shavings and suddenly becomes a genius, which I thought was, indeed, a genius decision. It is one of my favorite performances from the Son of Rambow actor yet, which is really saying something, and was key to my enjoyment of this modern take on the fantasy genre.

The Other Time Will Poulter Played A Great Problematic Character In An A24 Horror Movie

Curiously, this is not the first time that Poulter has played a despicable douchebag in an A24 horror movie (and make no mistake, Death of a Unicorn is absolutely a new horror movie). The last time was when he added jangled nerves to Midsommar as Mark, who is loud, immature, dismissive of other people's cultures, and just about every other shameful stereotype you could apply to a white male college student.

After realizing the similarities between Shepard and Mark, I then remembered that the writer and director of Midsommar, Ari Aster, is also an executive producer for Death of a Unicorn. I would not be surprised if he had a hand in casting Poulter, knowing the actor would be a perfect match.

Shepard Leopold is not the last despicable douchebag that Poulter will be seen playing this year, as he is reprising his role from Netflix’s interactive movie, Black Mirror: Bandernsatch for Black Mirror Season 7. He also has another A24 flick coming out next month, Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare, which is sure to demand an entirely different kind of performance from the actor.

After seeing the performance he cooks up in Death of a Unicorn, you can consider me perpetually excited for whatever he delivers next.

The A24 movie schedule can always be counted on to provide films with unique concepts and unsettling situations (just look at A24’s best horror movies). Its next offering on the 2025 movie calendar certainly seems to fit both of those criteria, as the horror-comedy Death of a Unicorn hits the big screen on March 28. Critics screened the movie ahead of its release, and they agree the cast is the most magical element of Alex Scharfman’s directorial debut.

The movie stars Paul Rudd as Elliot and Jenna Ortega as his daughter Ridley. Their weekend trip to Elliot’s boss’ estate takes a turn when they hit (and seemingly kill) a unicorn, and things turn bloody when the pharma billionaires try to exploit the creature’s magic. In CinemaBlend’s review of Death of a Unicorn, Nick Venable has a few gripes but says the scene-stealing Leopolds (particularly Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan’s characters) compensate for them. He gives the movie 4 out of 5 stars, writing:

Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant agrees that Will Poulter steals the show and is “a delight at every moment.” Death of a Unicorn avoids digging into its more serious subject matter, but the cast works well together. The critic gives this crowd-pleaser 7 out of 10 and says::

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gives Death of a Unicorn 3 out of 4 stars, noting its Jurassic Park vibes. While its commentary on grief and greed is a bit undercooked and the CGI is a little “janky,” Tallerico says, the performances save the day. By the time the film turns into a slasher, any issues with the visual flaws are forgotten. The critic continues:

Some critics, however, don’t think the cast’s efforts are enough to save it. Jacob Oller of AV Club gives it a C+, saying there’s some gory fun to be had here, but it falls short in its attempts at establishing a connection between Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s characters. Oller writes:

Bill Goodykoontz of the AZ Republic rates the film 3 out of 5 stars, saying it’s less than the sum of its parts. Death of a Unicorn is gory and funny with a cast that keeps things running. It’s just not a great movie. The critic says:

Critics seem to agree that the upcoming Jenna Ortega movie gets the job done in terms of satisfying kills and comedic performances, but between under-developed plots, questionable CGI and a father-daughter relationship that largely misses the mark, they’re split on the movie overall. This is reflected on Rotten Tomatoes, where it stands at 59% on the Tomatometer.

Any less-than-favorable views on Death of a Unicorn shouldn’t keep moviegoers from checking it out. Nearly all of the opinions I read praised Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan as scene-stealers of an overall-excellent cast, so feel free to draw your own conclusions when this A24 film hits theaters on Friday, March 28.

Genre storytelling often involves the reiteration of certain tropes and ideas, with new twists and contexts helping modern projects stand apart from their influences. It’s a practice that 2024’s dread-filled thriller Heretic hinged on, and writer-director Alex Scharfman’s first feature, the fantastical horror-comedy Death of a Unicorn, sounds on paper like a dovetailed mix between I Know What You Did Last Summer and The Simpsons’ “Burger Kings.”

Thankfully, despite any arguable surface-level similarities shared, Death of a Unicorn is a madcap morality tale unto itself, mashing together two families with wildly differing ideologies on how to approach an accidental conundrum that could change the course of human history. It is perhaps unfortunate that one family — widower Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) and his thorny daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) — often feels ported from a more homogenized version of the script when sharing scenes with the magnificent Leopold clan.

The hyper-wealthy and otherwise oblivious Leopolds comprise the divergence point where Death of a Unicorn goes from emotional daddy-daughter drama to unpitying satire, and it’s during those most bonkers and bloody sequences where Scharfman’s efforts are most rewarding. Which is why it’s mostly unfortunate that Elliot and Ridley are the main characters we’re supposed to be rooting for.

Alex Scharfman crafted a brilliantly straightforward premise for Death of a Unicorn that’s weakened by Jenna Ortega and Paul Rudd’s characters.

Rudd's Elliot Kintner is an attorney who is very clearly more comfortable dealing with occupational hazards than having an authentic conversation with his daughter Ridley (Ortega), and it's clear that his wife's death has weakened his parenting skills even more. To be fair, Ridley has all the hallmarks of an overdramatic on-screen teen, and doesn't provide the easiest route to kinship for her middle-aged father.

Road trips could and should be fun, but the pair are mostly at odds during their drive out to the lavish abode of Elliot's boss Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant), whose declining health requires a meeting of the minds to avoid a total crisis. And it's that meeting that Elliot is obsessing over when he unwittingly smashes his car into a living, breathing (for now) unicorn. Ridley discovers the magical creature's glowing horn has a distinct impact when touched, making her the most empathetic and sympathetic character throughout all the chaos to come.

Without getting too deep into spoilers, the horn provides unexpected health benefits that the Leopold family is very keen to utilize and exploit, which is what drives a wedge between Elliot and Ridley. Despite some inherently funny and brutal moments caused by their imbalance, the duo's scenes are filled with avoidable sitcom-esque conflicts that could almost all be resolved with a single two-minute conversation. Rather than being a genuinely great father to his kid's face, Elliot thinks impressing his boss will lead to a more financially secure future, which would theoretically make him a great dad in the long run.

If the entire movie was a two-hander just between Rudd and Ortega, their story might not feel as cliché. But once the Leopolds' outlandishness is on display in full, Elliot and Ridley's inherently more important relationship gets completely overshadowed –despite the script continuing its attempts to strike that emotional chord.

Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan are scene-stealing geniuses from start to finish.

Let's properly meet the Leopolds and their loyal staff, shall we? At the head is the bedridden Odell(Richard E. Grant) and his seemingly doting wife Belinda, with Téa Leoni bringing her signature edge to a character who seems like a doting wife and mother until she isn't. And Grant also plays into his performative strengths as Odell, who goes from sluggish and sickly to stoic and Shakespearean as he is introduced to the unicorn's medical benefits.

But it's the couple's endlessly pampered and spoiled son Shepard who earns the lion's share of Death of a Unicorn's laughs, with Will Poulter dishing out a career-best performance. Despite not having any of his father's ailments, Shep ends up taking advantage of the unicorn horn's mystical powers himself, which magnifies his own inflated ego and sense of self-worth. From his questionable fashion choices to his echoing screams into the night from a hot tub, nearly every one of Poulter's on-screen moments is a comedic highlight.

All that said, this film's comedy crown probably deserves to be shared with Barry and Gotham vet Anthony Carrigan, who makes a staff meal out of what might otherwise have been a forgettable character in a lesser actor's hands. He plays the Leopold's butler Griff, whose unyielding dedication to the family is clearly a detriment to his own mental health – which is stretched to a breaking point once dead unicorns and tales of mythological vengeance enter the picture.

For every crass and loud declaration uttered by Poulter's Shep, Carrigan's Griff sells a moment with just his longing and/or defeated eyes, and it's a testament to his skills that he earns as many big laughs as others do without an abundance of dialogue.

Both the film’s fantasy mythology and unicorn CGI veer between successfully captivating and awkwardly lacking.

Death of a Unicorn might not have been more than a short film if its antagonistic family was able to manipulate the unicorn horn's benefits without any opposing forces, and I applaud Alex Scharfman for drawing upon "real-world" mythologies to give the titular creatures their own arc within the movie. Ridley schools herself in such lore, and makes efforts to get everyone on her side, but to no avail.

But for all that I'm into with the introduction of such lore, the historical context presented is somewhat simplistic, and doesn't give Ridley much to work with when half-assedly trying to make others aware. I likely wouldn't have believed her either, and I know she's telling a movie-truth.

The same mix of appreciation and disappointment can be applied to the film's CGI unicorns. By and large, the close-ups of the creatures are awesome, especially as the movie's horror vibes are working overtime and their sharp teeth are on display. But the digital wizardry falls flatter in wider shots, where the hulking beasts gallop around with movements that are clearly non-organic and feel weightless within the settings.

Despite any lows tied to narrative explanations and visual effects, however, Death of a Unicorn is indeed wildly successful when viewed specifically for its horror-comedy elements. The laughs are sharp and plentiful, and the gore is gross and masterful, often coinciding during the same scenes.

Alex Scharfman has proven himself worthy of directing more quotable, splatter-tastic features in the future, and one can only hope that he gets to work with a similarly fantastic cast the next time around. But even if not everyone can make it, Will Poulter and Anthony Carrigan should be prioritized.

When you look at the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, we apparently have a little over a year before the next Avengers movie is released. And, of course, we’re trying to figure out who will be part of the superhero team when the second generation assembles next summer. At this point, there are a lot of options, including from the last Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

One of the latest movies coming out this week is A24’s Death of a Unicorn, which stars Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd alongside one star of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Will Poulter was welcomed in the Marvel family back in 2021 to play Adam Warlock, but he only had a small role. Now that he’s worked with Rudd, Poulter spoke to whether he’s still interested in the MCU, saying:

As you might recall, Warlock was a Sovereign created by Ayesha to be a living weapon with the programming to kill off the Guardians. However, Warlock wasn’t very successful in his attempts to destroy the misfit superhero team, and during the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ending, he ended up joining the new Guardians team led by Rocket the Raccoon.

Given that the Guardians of the Galaxy were very instrumental in the last two Avengers movies, Infinity War and Endgame, it is in fact possible Warlock could make an appearance. And as Poulter told Comicbook, if given the chance, he would “love” the opportunity to jump back in that gold body paint for a Warlock comeback.

The question is whether Marvel truly has a future mapped out for Adam Warlock without filmmaker James Gunn in the Marvel world anymore. The writer/director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy actually has creative control over DC Studios now, and has the new Superman movie coming out this summer.

Sure, Marvel has the rights to all of the Guardians even without James Gunn, but I’m just not sure the team will be the same without his voice in play. Additionally, there are so many other characters in the MCU that have been introduced in recent years, but have been underdeveloped. When Gunn spoke to having Warlock in Vol. 3, he even said he felt he needed to have the character because he “promised” him in the post-credits for Vol. 2,. However, some of his script plans changed throughout the process, making him perhaps less prominent in the threequel.

Poulter is a great talent in Hollywood, having two buzzy movies out this year with Death of a Unicorn and Warfare. Plus, after he was in one of the best Black Mirror episodes, Bandersnatch, he is reprising his role in a sequel episode coming out in Season 7, which drops April 10. Of course, anything’s possible with the Avengers movies, and it would be awesome to see Warlock in more MCU installments.

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

Valkyrie

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

Captain Carter

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

Maria Hill

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

Morgan Stark

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

Jimmy Woo

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

Okoye

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

M’Baku

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

Adam Warlock

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

Cosmo the Spacedog

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

Lady Sif

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

Moon Knight

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

Korg

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

Quicksilver

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

Wong

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

America Chavez

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

Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)

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

Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield)

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

J. Jonah Jameson

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

Ned Leeds

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

MJ

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

Dane Whitman

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

Kate Bishop

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

The Collector

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

Zeus

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

Luis

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

Namor

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

Heimdall

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

James “Rhodey” Rhodes

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

Madisynn King

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

Sharon Carter

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

Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

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

Hulk

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

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

Spoilers for Episode 4 of The Bear’s second season are ahead. If you aren’t caught up, you can stream every episode right now with a Hulu subscription. 

While The Bear’s cast is already incredible, they took their ensemble to a whole new level with the guest stars they brought in for Season 2. One of the most surprising cameos to me was Will Poulter – you know, Adam Warlock from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (among other things). He played Chef Luca, a baker who Marcus is sent to work with so the longtime Beef employee can truly find his voice within his profession. The episode is a wonderful stand-alone piece focused solely on Lionel Boyce’s character, and while chatting with CinemaBlend he opened up about working with Poulter, how filming with him just felt like “hanging out,” and how he loved riffing with the actor about Michael Jordan. 

When Marcus meets Chef Luca he’s kind of intimidating at first, but as the episode goes on their walls come down. Then, at the end, the two characters share a heartfelt moment about how they got into cooking, and what it’s like working to become the best. It’s alluded that Poulter’s character has a history with Carmy, Marcus’ boss, and was constantly working to be better than The Bear’s owner. However, he couldn’t, so he decided to stay open and try to keep up with and learn from the best rather than get bogged down. This led to Boyce’s character comparing Luca to NBA legend Scottie Pippen, and then Poulter’s chef joking that he didn’t know who Michael Jordan was. 

It’s a simple scene of two guys rolling dough, but it turned out it was one of Lionel Boyce’s favorites as he told CinemaBlend that he loved riffing about the basketball icons with Will Poulter:  

You can feel the chemistry between the two in that sequence, and it feels like such a sincere way to wrap up Marcus' transformative trip to Copenhagen to learn from Chef Luca. Being able to see them casually roll dough and bond over their shared love of baking was heartwarming, and seeing them riff about Micheal Jordan was not only funny, but an effective comparison to show the audience Luca’s history with Carmy. 

While Lionel Boyce was a bit nervous at first to work with Will Poulter, and he wanted to make sure he wasn’t “sinking the ship” in the presence of the Dopesick star, ultimately he was “excited” to learn from him. 

After calling Poulter the “perfect person to play” Luca on The Bear, Boyce explained what he learned from the actor, complimenting his attention to detail, and saying: 

Boyce was speaking about the rolling dough scene specifically, and it sincerely was such a special moment in the show. Not only did it show Marcus’ growth professionally, but it also gave us a raw look into the life of a chef and the power of staying open to new opportunities. 

To see how Marcus was impacted by Chef Luca, and to see Lionel Boyce and Will Poulters’ fantastic performances, you can stream Season 2 of The Bear right now. And when you finish watching the hit FX/Hulu show, make sure to check out the 2023 TV schedule to find your next favorite series. 

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we will reach the end of a story a decade in the making. We’ve followed Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, and the rest of the team through two other Guardians of the Galaxy films and a couple of Avengers side projects to get here, the end of the line. The Guardians have defeated several villains to get this far, however, there are some loose ends to tie up before we get to the finish line, and one of the biggest revolves around a scene at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and how it will connect to the story in Vol. 3. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 introduces several new characters that haven’t appeared in previous Marvel films, but one of the most important is Adam Warlock, as played by Will Poulter. Warlock is a character that we haven’t seen before, but he‘s one that we knew we would see because his appearance was strongly hinted at in the end credits of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In partnership with AMC Theaters, where tickets for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are on sale now, we take a look at how this important scene from Vol. 2 impacts the new film.

What Happened In The Key Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Scene

Marvel Studios is famous for dropping scenes during the end credits of their movies. Sometimes these are just for fun, but other times they tease the future for particular characters or the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has several of these short scenes, and while most are just there for fun, one of them quietly introduced an antagonist for the new movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 includes a race of “perfect” beings called The Sovereign. The movie opens with the Guardians defending them from an interdimensional creature attempting to consume some valuable batteries – but after Rocket steals a few of those same batteries, The Sovereign chase after the team to punish them for their indiscretion..

In one of the final scenes of the second Guardians film, we see that the Sovereign high priestess Ayesha, having been defeated in her attempts to kill the Guardians, is breeding a new member of the Sovereign in a “birthing pod.” She calls her creation the next step in the evolution of the Sovereign race, indicating that this new being will be better and stronger, and he’s specifically being created to destroy the Guardians of the Galaxy. She names this new being Adam.

How Adam Warlock Fits Into Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

If you’ve seen any of the trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, then you’ve certainly seen the golden man played by Will Poulter. This is Adam out of his birthing pod and ready to do what he was literally born to do: destroy the Guardians of the Galaxy. Adam is called the Warlock, which appears to be more title than surname, indicating that he holds a position of high regard among the Sovereign. 

Adam Warlock is a longstanding Marvel Comics character, who was actually a key part of the original Infinity Gauntlet story in the comics. His movie counterpart is more than a little different, though he is still clearly recognizable to those that would know him from the comics.  

Guardians 3 sees the return of Ayesha and her son Adam, who are on the warpath to avenge the slight at the hands of the Guardians. However, Adam is just one of the antagonists that the Guardians of the Galaxy must overcome if they are going to survive. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theaters now. As mentioned, tickets are on sale at AMC Theatres!

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" writer/director James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt (“Peter Quill / Star-Lord”), Karen Gillan (“Nebula”), Pom Klementieff (“Mantis”), Will Poulter (“Adam Warlock”) and Chukwudi Iwuji (“The High Evolutionary”) play a trivia game with CinemaBlend and reveal hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies.

Later this year, Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon and their allies are set to return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the final film in James Gunn’s Marvel trilogy. This installment could mark the end of the road for at least several of Gunn’s lovable, cosmic A-holes. And while that’s a sobering thought, the first Vol. 3 trailer suggests that this version of the team is going out with a bang. One character that’s going to shake things up a bit is Adam Warlock, played by the talented Will Poulter. The British star really had to have impressed Gunn in order to land the impressive role, and the moviemaker explained just why he was the best fit over stars like Tom Cruise.

Adam Warlock was initially teased during a mid-credits scene in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and it didn’t take long for fans to start speculating about who might play the role. Some fans imagined Zac Efron taking the part, while others mentioned the aforementioned Mission: Impossible icon. James Gunn has proven to be very meticulous when casting his movies, and that was no different, it seems, with his trilogy capper. The filmmaker – who apparently asked big questions about Will Poulter before casting him – revealed that the Midsommar alum possessed key attributes that set him apart from his peers: 

Will Poulter was cast as Warlock back in 2021, a development that was confirmed by his director shortly after. When Poulter himself broke his silence later on, he expressed just how “lucky and honored” he was “to be welcomed into the Marvel family.” No disrespect to Tom Cruise or any other stars, but It’s not hard to see why James Gunn would want Poulter for the role, considering just how varied his work has been over the years. He’s turned in impeccable performances in critical darlings like The Revenant and Detroit as well as more commercial fare such as We’re The Millers and The Maze Runner.

As the Suicide Squad helmer suggested while speaking with Empire Magazine, Adam Warlock could be a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward. It’s likely that he’ll eventually align himself with the MCU’s heroes and aid in the fight against the Multiverse Saga’s Thanos-level threat, Kang the Conqueror. But more immediately, the Guardians 3 filmmaker teased that during his debut, Adam will want more than just revenge on the titular team in the name of the Sovereign:

That “baby” is sure to do some serious damage before it’s all said and done, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what Will Poulter does in the role. It’s undeniably interesting to consider what someone like Tom Cruise would bring to the role. However, with James Gunn’s track record in mind, I’m confident that he found the right man in Poulter.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters on May 5 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. You can prepare for the movie by streaming the first two installments, along with the holiday special, using a Disney+ subscription.

Months after Will Poulter broke his silence on playing Adam Warlock, he hasn’t revealed much about his character outside of speaking about his diet and training to get ripped. While Poulter has been quiet about the character, one question has still loomed… how did the rising Hollywood star land the role of a Marvel fan favorite? Well, the Emmy nominee has finally opened up about auditioning for the space-traveling superhero.

The Midsommar actor was known for his smaller comedic and dramatic work outside of the Maze Runner franchise. But taking on the beloved Marvel character was unfamiliar territory for Will Poulter. While the role likely is the biggest of his career so far, Poulter was surprisingly unfamiliar with Adam Warlock before auditioning for Marvel. The upcoming Hollywood star spilled to The Playlist about the audition process he went through before landing the character.

Of course, Will Poulter wouldn’t be the first MCU star to know which character they’re auditioning for (or completely forgetting they were in Marvel movies at all). it was understandable Poulter didn’t know much about Adam Warlock given the character isn’t all well known as the Avengers, X-Men, or Spider-Man. Of course, the Marvel diehards knew about the superhero, but the general audience isn’t as familiar with him.  

While Poulter may not have been familiar with Warlock, he was a huge fan of James Gunn’s work. Upon receiving the Gunn-penned Vol.3 script, the Maze Runner star loved the director’s tone and creativity. But it wasn’t just reading Gunn’s script that made him sign up for the Guardians Vol.2 sequel as he spilled why he was so grateful to play the god-like superhero.

Poulter’s praise of James Gunn and the Guardians cast makes the threequel sound more formidable. It seemed like Will Poulter had fun working with the cast and crew. The experience was so good he even expressed his gratitude for being part of Gunn’s film.

Signing up with Marvel usually means a multi-year film deal, but things are still up in the air for Adam Warlock, according to Will Poulter. The 29-year-old actor admitted he was unsure about his future with the MCU as he and the studios wait to hear fans’ reception to the cosmic superhero. Poulter mentioned he would love to continue Warlock’s MCU journey once Guardians Vol. 3 arrives. He already explained Warlock will be working things out in the threequel as he deals with finding himself.

Marvel fans will have to wait until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023, to see what will happen in Adam Warlock’s MCU debut. There is a plethora of upcoming Marvel movies, including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, for viewers to watch in the meantime. You can look into upcoming movies to see what else is coming out in 2022.

Five years have passed since James Gunn teased the “birth” of Adam Warlock in the closing moments of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and a ton of stuff has happened in the MCU since that point – including the culmination of the Infinity Saga and the defeat of Thanos to the Guardians accompanying Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on an early mission in Thor: Love and Thunder. Eventually, we were going to have to get back to the official introduction of Adam Warlock and his impact on the MCU when Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters in 2023. So when we spoke with Warlock star Will Poulter following the Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con, we talked a bit about his motivations… what he could say about them, anyway. 

Will Poulter was handpicked by James Gunn to play Adam Warlock in the anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and that is a character who could end up being very, very important to the cosmic corner of the MCU. But when we meet Adam in Vol. 3, he tells us what the character will be dealing with, explaining:

As we learned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the Sovereign create new individuals from scratch, and have such control over their DNA that they create perfection, almost with ease. As the movie concludes, the Sovereign’s leader, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), reveals what she refers to as “the next step in our evolution.” He’s more powerful. He’s more beautiful. And according to Ayesha, he’s more capable of destroying the Guardians of the Galaxy. So, that makes him a foe, right? 

Not so fast. Will Poulter addressed that reality, and told CinemaBlend:

So, that’s one mystery we will be pressed to discover when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters in 2023. Add that to the already discussed search for Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, the return of the Ravagers (including Sylvester Stallone), the exploration of Rocket Raccoon’s troubled childhood, and the culmination of Gunn’s trilogy, there’s a lot of ground for this sequel to cover.

Gunn and his cast opened up about the sequel when they caught up with CinemaBlend in San Diego, which you can watch below:

And you can also keep up with all of the latest information with regards to Upcoming Marvel Movies just by bookmarking our guide and checking it often.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” stars Chris Pratt (Peter Quill / Star-Lord), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Will Poulter (Adam Warlock), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Sean Gunn (Kraglin / On-Set Rocket), Chukwudi Iwuji (The High Evolutionary) and writer Director James Gunn discuss their upcoming Marvel film and conclusion of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy in this post-Hall H interview with CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

Video Chapters

• 00:00 - Chris Pratt on Finding “Your Side”
• 00:35 - Chris Pratt Teases What’s Ahead For Star-Lord and Gamora In GOTG 3
• 01:24 - Karen Gillan LOVES ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Fan Reactions
• 02:00 - Karen Gillan Weighs In On Nebula Unaliving Nebula in ‘Endgame’
• 02:32 - James Gunn Teases a “Darker” ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Movie
• 03:20 - Sean Gunn on Baby Rocket’s Difficult Backstory
• 04:30 -  Pom Klementieff on Welcoming New Marvel Actors to the ‘Guardians’ Family
• 05:15 - Pom Klementieff Teases A More Badass Mantis In ‘Guardians 3’
• 05:35 - Will Poulter Teases Adam Warlock Origins in ‘GOTG 3’ 
• 06:32 - Chukwudi Iwuji on The High Evolutionary and His Motivations
• 07:20 - Chukwudi Iwugi Praises James Gunn’s Dialogue
• 08:15 - Chris Pratt Recalls His Last Day of Filming the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Trilogy
• 08:55 - James Gunn Is Literally Always Writing and Rewriting Scripts
• 09:49 - Will Poulter Wants to Play Adam Warlock Again “If Marvel Will Have Me”

When writer/director James Gunn took to the San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H to present his latest Marvel movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he recalled that it was a decade today that he pitched the first film to Marvel. As the logo for the third movie shined on the projection screens, he told the crowd: “This is the end of that story.” Then the attendees of SDCC got to see the first trailer of the upcoming Marvel movie. 

Y’all, it’s an emotional one. Between the first footage breaking down Star-Lord and Gamora’s lost romance, a tease of Rocket Raccoon’s origin story, it was enough to get the crowd teary eyed – though, at least there was some funny moments to break down all the tension. Shortly after the cast saw what looks to be the first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the cast including Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff and Sean Gunn were in tears in the realization that their journey as a bunch of (lovable) a-holes was almost over. 

The footage begins with Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill being alarmed by some ravagers before it’s revealed that his lost love, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora is now the head of the crew. Of course, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 follows the events of Avengers: Endgame, where the only Gamora left is one from the past who never became a member of the Guardians or fell in love with Star-Lord. The Gamora Peter loved was sacrificed by Thanos to get the Soul Stone in his failed mission to snap away half the universe. 

In the trailer shown to SDCC’s enthusiastic crowd, Star-Lord attempts to catch up Gamora on the past she never experienced herself and images from past movies, including their Kevin Bacon scene flashes to the audience. At the same time, we’re also presented images of a young and adorable Rocket Raccoon, in what is going to be another major focus on the film. During the panel, James Gunn called Rocket the “saddest creature in the universe” and something that’s going to be a major element of the final Guardians of the Galaxy movie, officially heading to theaters this May. 

The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 panel also showed a first look at Will Poulter’s gold-plated Warlock and the High Evolutionary, who will be played by Chukwudi Iwuji. During the SDCC panel, the actor appeared in character as the High Evolutionary and playfully insulted Hall H for being “disgusting low-life scum” and said that it inspired him to “enhance genetically” something “less reprehensible”. 

It was also announced that Maria Bakalova will be voicing the role of Cosmo the Dog, who took the stage in excitement to enter the MCU. As Sean Gunn, on-set Rocket and Kraglin said it best when he spoke during the panel as the cast got choked up about the first footage of the movie with Hall H, they “fucking care” about these Marvel characters and in this trailer, it shows. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into a behemoth force in the entertainment industry over the past decade and change of filmmaking. But a few franchises stand out as fan favorites, like the Guardians of the Galaxy. And MCU newcomer Will Poulter recently explained why he’s so “grateful” to join the shared universe with James Gunn’s threequel.

Guardians 3 is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies coming to Phase Four. The blockbuster will end the story of the beloved cosmic team, so the stakes definitely feel high. Will Poulter will debut as Adam Warlock in James Gunn’s third MCU movie, and recently explained to ComingSoon why he was so happy to be joining the franchise (and getting super ripped in the process). As he put it,

Well, there you go. It looks like Will Poulter got to join the MCU within his favorite franchise. The Guardians of the Galaxy movies are fan favorites, and that goes double for certain cast members like the Midsommar actor. We’ll just have to wait and see how his character Adam Warlock shakes up the action for the motley crew of heroes.

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was originally going to be one of the first installments in Phase Four, the changed when James Gunn was (temporarily) fired from his position as director. Things were ultimately pushed back a number of years, but perhaps that scheduling change made way of Will Poulter to be available to play Adam Warlock.

Fans have been patiently waiting for the introduction of Adam Warlock since the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. His name was dropped during the credits-sequence, with Sovereign leader Ayesha creating him to destroy the Guardians. But knowing James Gunn, smart money says he’s got some surprises up his sleeve for Will Poulter’s newcomer.

Luckily for Guardians fans out there, there’s plenty of content coming from that corner of the MCU. Prior to the upcoming threequel, Disney+ will release the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Additionally, there’s animated shorts coming starring Baby Groot.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 5th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Florence Pugh has had a quick rise to fame following her 2019 breakout role in Midsommar, which has led her to become a Marvel star and reportedly one of Dune Part Two’s latest additions. Unfortunately, being in front of the spotlight has led to Pugh facing the internet's wrath regarding her dating life, again. The actress’ “blissful” Ibiza vacation was disrupted by rumors she has split with her boyfriend of three years, Zach Braff, because she is enjoying time with Midsommar co-star Will Poulter overseas, which she attended with other friends, also of the male variety. 

After photos of Florence Pugh at the beach alongside a group of friends, including Will Poulter, Archie Madekwe, Harris Reed and Chet Lo, among others, the internet began to speculate that Pugh perhaps ended things with Braff for Poulter. Pugh took to her Instagram stories to set things straight, penning this: 

Alongside the note, Florence Pugh went on to point out a number of paparazzi photos that surfaced online that were not depicting her vacation in a factual light. Many of the images apparently cropped out the other friends she was with while next to Will Poulter, making it look as if she was on a private vacation with him. She cleared things up with a few images, including this one of her Midsommar co-stars: 

Florence Pugh also pointed out that while the paparazzi was snapping photos of them, she was snuggling with one of her best friends Olive, and her “nipple kept popping out.” Yet, the photographers didn’t catch that. Pugh claimed the paparazzi was “hiding behind some poor family, waiting for the optimum time of ‘let’s make a fake relationship happen.'" 

After the photos hit the internet, one viral comment on Twitter said they would “support” Florence Pugh and Will Poulter dating because he is “better than that expired man,” referencing 47-year-old Zach Braff, whilst another user called her longtime boyfriend a “senior citizen.” Many of those people likely didn’t think Pugh could see their comments, but she clearly did and called out the gossipers to put a stop to the bullying of the Scrubs actor and rumors about Poulter. 

Florence Pugh and Zach Braff have long been bullied for being in a relationship with a 21-year age difference. Back in 2020, Pugh also made a point to address negative comments about their relationship, saying she was “upset” to see commenters “hurling abuse” at them, politely asking people to not tell her who she should or should not love as it is not their place. While addressing rumors about Will Poulter on Tuesday, Pugh also said:

Although Florence Pugh did not mention Zach Braff specifically, just last month she posted a cute photo alongside Braff on her social media, wishing him a happy birthday and calling him a “beautiful human being” who she is lucky to witness his “incredible talent.” Now that Pugh has indeed addressed the rumors amidst her vacation, let’s focus back on her upcoming movies, including the very exciting and creepy Don’t Worry Darling alongside Harry Styles and Chris Pine, which hits theaters on September 23.  

The wait for James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has certainly been longer than planned, and at this point fans are very much chomping at the bit in anticipation – but soon the wait will be over. The blockbuster has key placement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 2023 slate, and all wheels are in motion to make it the best movie that it can be.

Of course, a big part of that is the cast, and for his upcoming Marvel movie James Gunn has brought together a fantastic ensemble – including both series veterans and some exciting newcomers. It’s a group of stars that make us only anticipate the arrival of the film even more, and below we’ve provided a rundown of all the confirmed names attached so far.

Chris Pratt

Clearly Peter Quill didn’t care too much about revisiting Earth, as the character is ready to get back into the cosmos as quickly as possible in Avengers: Endgame, and Star-Lord’s story will continue in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Chris Pratt has been busy in the years since 2019, making big movies like The Tomorrow War and Jurassic World: Dominion, but he’ll soon be back playing the role that turned him into a blockbuster superstar.

Zoe Saldana

The Gamora featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 won’t be the same one we got to know in the previous two chapters of the trilogy, as fans will remember that one was sacrificed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. The new Gamora comes from an alternate timeline and hasn’t undergone the emotional growth we’ve witnessed, which should make an interesting acting challenge for Zoe Saldana (who has been posting behind-the-scenes shots from the set). The movie is one of many sci-fi sequels that the actor has in the works, the others being the new Avatar films and the new Star Trek that is in development.

Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista has built a rather spectacular reputation in the sci-fi genre. He broke out in a huge way playing Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, and while continuing to make Marvel movies he has also teamed up with director Denis Villeneuve for both Blade Runner 2049 and Dune. He also currently has Dune: Part Two in the works, but we’ll see him back in the grey and red makeup for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 first.

Bradley Cooper

Watching the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the last two Avengers films, one doesn’t really think about Bradley Cooper doing the voice of Rocket – but that’s just a testament to his impressive voice work bringing life to the character. We’ve been seeing a lot of Cooper recently with films like Nightmare Alley and Licorice Pizza, but his next feature film performance will see him back as the fan-favorite alien raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Karen Gillan

From Guardians of the Galaxy to Avengers: Endgame, Nebula has gone through one hell of an arc, and with Thanos now being dead it will be fascinating to see what he future looks like. Thankfully, we’ll get that special window into her life soon, as Karen Gillan will be reprising the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gillan’s latest movie, Dual, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and she is a part of the ensemble in Judd Apatow’s new comedy The Bubble.

Pom Klementieff

Pom Klementieff made a stellar debut as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and since then she has been expanding her resume with awesome films like the last two Avengers movies, Uncut Gems and the upcoming Mission: Impossible 7. Soon, though, we’ll get to see her back as the delightful empathic alien in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Vin Diesel

Between his adventures as Dom Toretto in the Fast & Furious movies, Vin Diesel has found time to go into the recording booth and say hundreds if not thousands of variations of “I am Groot,” and more of this is scheduled as the actor will be back as Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. At what stage in his development will the living tree be in when we catch up with him post-Avengers: Endgame? We have no idea, but we’re curious to find out.

Sean Gunn

As he has done on multiple Marvel movies now, Sean Gunn will be back pulling double duty in the making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In addition to playing Kraglin, a friend of the Guardians who now has possession of Yondu’s Yaka arrow and fin, Gunn also does all of the on-set performance capture work for Rocket. The actor recently made his debut in the DC Extended Universe, playing Calendar Man and doing the mo-cap work for Weasel in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

Sylvester Stallone

Like Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone also reteamed with James Gunn for The Suicide Squad, providing the voice for King Shark, and soon the actor and the writer/director will be collaborating again while working on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Stallone made his MCU debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 playing Stakar Ogord, and he will be back playing the part in the sequel – though we have no idea how his character enters into the plot.

Will Poulter

When casting began for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, surely every actor in Hollywood even remotely right for the part went out for the role of Adam Warlock, but James Gunn could only hire one star for the part, and he chose Will Poulter. The film will be the actor’s first venture into the world of superhero blockbusters, but he does have franchise experience, having been a part of the ensembles in both the Chronicles of Narnia movies and The Maze Runner trilogy.

Chukwudi Iwuji

It’s always great to know when your work is being appreciated, and Chukwudi Iwuji got that sign from James Gunn after the filmmaker had a chance to collaborate with the actor on the HBO Max series Peacemaker. Gunn’s show of gratitude? An offer to play a part in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. We don’t yet know what role Iwuji is playing in the blockbuster, as that’s a secret being kept close to the vest, but it’s a detail we’re excited to learn about.

Daniela Melchior

Daniela Melchoir broke out in a big way with her performance as Ratcatcher II in The Suicide Squad, and, as a result, it is not particularly surprising to learn that she will be reuniting with James Gunn with a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The writer/director personally confirmed that Melchoir is part of the ensemble in June 2022, and while we don't know anything about her character yet, we do know that she won't be playing Moondragon.

Maria Bakalova

Speaking of incredibly talented actors who have broken out in a big way within the last couple of years, Maria Bakalova turned heads across the globe with her hilarious performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and some of those heads belonged to Hollywood's most popular filmmakers. In 2022 she had a part in Judd Apatow's comedy The Bubble, and now she has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a character in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. James Gunn confirmed Bakalova is in the cast in June 2022, and it's been called a key role.

Nico Santos

If Nico Santos looks familiar to you, then chances are you know him from one of two places, or perhaps both! From 2015 to 2021, he starred as Mateo Fernando Aquino Liwanag in the NBC sitcom Superstore, and in 2018, he appeared as Oliver T'sien in Crazy Rich Asians. Now Santos is jumping into blockbuster territory with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, although it hasn’t been revealed yet whether he’ll have a prominent role in the Marvel movie or will just pop his head in.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is presently scheduled to be released exactly six years after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and will be in theaters everywhere on May 5, 2023. To learn about all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films that are currently in the works, head over to our Upcoming Marvel Movies guide.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, and Phase Four has already contained a ton of wild twists. One of the most highly anticipated blockbusters currently in the works is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is expected to end the story of the current team. And it turns out that James Gunn asked some big questions about actor Will Poulter before casting him as Adam Warlock.

Fans have been waiting to see Adam Warlock debut in the MCU since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s credits scenes hinted at his upcoming entrance. Will Poulter is a killer talent to add to James Gunn’s ensemble of names, but he seemingly asked around to make sure the Midsommar actor was actually fun to work with. Actress and producer Molly Quinn was one person that Gunn reached out to, as she recently shared:

Well, there you have it. While Will Poulter’s career and talents speak for themselves, James Gunn wanted to make sure he’d actually enjoy being on set with him. Luckily he was able to get some references, and quickly offered him the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. We’ll just have to wait and see what hi-jinx ultimately occur on screen. 

Molly Quinn’s comments come from an interview with The Direct, and shows just how methodically James Gunn approaches casting for Guardians of the Galaxy. She is close personal friends with James Gunn, and even appeared in Guardians 2 as Howard The Duck’s date. She also co-starred with Will Poulter in We’re The Millers, which is why she was the perfect person to ask about his behavior on set. Although it seems like the Black Mirror actor is as delightful as the rest of the starring cast.

While the cast and crew of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are keeping the movie’s contents under wraps, Adam Warlock is expected to factor heavily into the content of the mysterious threequel. Ayesha and The Sovereign are seemingly out for revenge, so it's presumed he’ll be the primary antagonist. But the Guardians also have their own trauma to work through as they search for the 2014 version of Gamora.

Since Molly Quinn has such a great relationship with James Gunn, she ultimately followed up about his Will Poulter inquiry. As such, we can assume he knew about the Adam Warlock casting before the rest of us. As she went on to explain,

It remains to be seen if Molly Quinn will get another cameo in Guardians 3, but fans are expecting Seth Green’s Howard the Duck to appear at least briefly. Gunn’s penchant for adding the infamous character has always tickled the fans, and Howard even showed up in Avengers: Endgame’s final battle alongside the Ravagers. We’ll keep our fingers (and wings) crossed.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 23rd, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive franchise, one that has a devoted multigenerational fanbase. But some properties stand out as fan favorites like James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Moviegoers can’t wait to see the upcoming Vol. 3, especially since it was revealed that actor Will Poulter will be playing Adam Warlock. And thanks to fan art, we can imagine what the Midsommar actor might look like in the MCU.

The arrival of Adam Warlock was teased in the credits of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and there were a ton of fan theories about who might be playing the role. In the end it went to Will Poulter, who seemingly got ripped for the role before arriving on set. It’s unclear what his design in the threequel will be, but some fan art offers what Adam might look like. Check it out below,

I mean, how cool is that? Adam Warlock is expected to be a major presence in Guardians 3, and will presumably be super powerful when interacting with the scrappy team of heroes. Let’s just hope that an official look at the character is revealed by James Gunn and company sooner rather than later.

This above image comes to us from the Instagram of digital artist Aitesam Farooq. They regularly make stunning fan art featuring superhero characters, resulting in a whopping 178k followers on the social media platform. And given the amount of detail put into each rendering, it makes a great deal of sense. Although the question is: what will Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock actually look like in the MCU?

The contents of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are currently being guarded by the cast and crew, but filming has been underway for a few weeks already. James Gunn’s blockbuster is expected to wrap up the story of the current team, and actors like Karen Gillan make it seem like a real tear-jerker. There’s also the Guardians Holiday Special coming up, which should actually be quite connected to the upcoming threequel.

Adam Warlock is seemingly being created as a weapon for the Sovereigns, who are an alien race with a grudge against the Guardians of the Galaxy. Smart money says Will Poulter is going to kick some serious ass throughout Vol. 3’s mysterious runtime. For his part, the 28 year-old actor seems utterly thrilled to be joining the Guardians franchise, and getting to work with the likes of James Gunn.

While it’ll take years for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to arrive in theaters, the beloved team of Marvel heroes will have a role in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder. They’re not expected to be huge characters, although Chris Hemsworth’s character was last seen departing on the Guardians’ ship after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 5th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

After years of speculation, it was recently confirmed that Will Poulter will play the role of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Now, the actor has spoken out about his new role, and as you might expect, he’s quite excited. 

Will Poulter was recently in attendance at the BFI London Film Festival where somebody caught up with him and got a chance to ask how he felt joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While he keeps himself a bit reserved, he repeatedly states how lucky he feels he is to have scored the role, and he’s particularly complimentary of his new director. Poulter says... 

In one of the scenes played during the credits of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it was revealed that the Sovereign race was creating a perfect being who the leader Ayesha referred to as Adam. That got fans very excited. James Gunn had tried to temper that excitement over the years; until the casting was announced he never actually confirmed Adam Warlock would be in the movie. 

Exactly how Adam Warlock will fit into the movie is certainly an interesting question. Adam was being created as a way to destroy the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Sovereign holds a grudge, and so it would seem that Adam will be the film’s antagonist, but that’s not usually the type of character Adam Warlock is. 

No movie in Marvel’s Phase 4 has had quite the rough road of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The movie itself was in limbo and might not have happened at all after James Gunn was let go, though that decision was eventually rectified. But the Guardians themselves went through a great deal over the course of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Exactly what sort of state we’ll see them in is anybody’s guess. 

We may get something of a hint of what we’re in for when Thor: Love and Thunder arrives, as we know that the Guardians of the Galaxy actors will be appearing there in some capacity. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see that too, as that movie, along with several others from Marvel, recently had their release dates pushed back. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was one movie that did not have to adjust its release. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will open in May of 2023, and while that's still a long way off, the movie is getting ready to start shooting very soon. Perhaps once that happens we'll begin to learn more about just who Adam Warlock will be in the MCU.

Years after his long-awaited introduction was teased in one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s post-credits scenes, we finally know who is playing Adam Warlock in the Marvel movies: Will Poulter. The talented, 28-year-old British actor has an eclectic filmography that includes intense dramas like The Revenant, goofy comedies like We’re the Millers, and, more recently, fact-based limited series like Dopesick on Hulu, but he will be making his superhero movies debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as one of the most powerful cosmic beings in Marvel Comics history. In the meantime, let’s revisit the highlights of his career thus far with some of the best Will Poulter movies available on streaming, for digital rental, or on physical media, starting with his very first credit.

Son Of Rambow (2007)

A young boy (Bill Milner) and a notorious school bully (Will Poulter) form an unlikely friendship while shooting their own movie inspired by First Blood  - the first of the Rambo movies - in 1980s England. 

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Will Poulter was 14 when he made his screen acting debut in Son of Rambow, an inventive and charming coming-of-age story that brilliantly sheds light on all the highs of lows of friendship during childhood.

Stream Son Of Rambow on Paramount+. 
Rent/buy Son Of Rambow digitally on Amazon. 
Buy Son Of Rambow on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (2010)

Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund Pevensie (Skandar Keynes) bring their cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter), to the wondrous world they once discovered years earlier for a trip to the edge of the world aboard a royal ship that brings them face-to-face with dragons, long-lost warriors, and more.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Will Poulter got to experience a sudden uptick in scale and budget with his second movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - the third (and, unfortunately, last) installment of the fantasy/adventure franchise inspired by C.S. Lewis’ beloved book series.

Stream The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader on Disney+. 
Rent/buy The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader digitally on Amazon. 
Buy The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Maze Runner Movies (2014, 2018)

A group of young amnesiacs manage to escape a labyrinth crawling with deadly machines, only to discover even more horrifying circumstances and dark secrets in the outside world that inspire them to lead a rebellion against their former captors.

Why they are good Will Poulter movies: In his next experience acting in a big budget franchise based on a book series, Will Poulter played Gally, who evolves from a ruthless rival to a redemptive ally of central hero Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) in the first and third Maze Runner movies, which are based on James Dashhner’s hit YA dystopian novels.

Rent/buy The Maze Runner digitally on Amazon. 
Buy The Maze Runner on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.
Rent/buy Maze Runner: The Death Cure digitally on Amazon. 
Buy Maze Runner: The Death Cure on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

We’re The Millers (2013)

A middle-aged pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) enlists his broke stripper neighbor (former Friends cast member Jennifer Aniston), a hapless young introvert (Will Poulter), and an edgy teen runaway (Emma Roberts) to pose as his wife and kids on a trip to Mexico for a huge drug pickup.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Before returning to big budget spectacle, Will Poulter would branch out into funnier and raunchier territory with We’re the Millers - director Rawson Marshall Thurber’s fun twist on the family road trip comedy in which the then 20-year-old actor’s character suffers a tarantula bite in a very awkward place.

Stream We’re The Millers on HBO Max. 
Rent/buy We’re The Millers digitally on Amazon. 
Buy We’re The Millers on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

A young, aspiring designer (Fionn Whitehead) attempts to adapt a choose-your-own-adventure novel into a video game, only to find that his own life seems to be its own choose-your-own-adventure story that he is slowly loosing control over, in 1980s England.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: You will never know what to expect from how you choose the story to continue in the Emmy-winning interactive movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch - one of the best Netflix movies also spun-off from on the best Netflix TV shows - but can count on Will Poulter to give a stellar performance as a famed video game programmer whose eccentricities are fueled by dark secrets. 

Stream Black Mirror: Bandersnatch on Netflix. 

Midsommar (2019)

Hoping to find solace from a devastating tragedy, a young woman (Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh) joins her emotionally distant boyfriend (Jack Reynor) and his classmates at a traditional Swedish festival that proves to be a more bizarre and ominous experience than they were prepared for. 

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: While Black Mirror: Bandersnatch could be considered Will Poulter’s first foray into horror movies, his most definitive performance as a “Scream King” is in writer and director Ari Aster’s masterfully unnerving sophomore effort Midsommar - one of the best movies on Amazon Prime and one in which he, once again, does a fantastic job playing an insufferably bullish character.

Stream Midsommar on Amazon Prime. 
Rent/buy Midsommar digitally on Amazon. 
Buy Midsommar on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Detroit (2017)

The story of the deadly police raid that led to one of the most infamous race riots in American history in 1967.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Two years before co-starring in Midsommar, Will Poulter and Jack Reynor played two police officers who participated in the horrifying true events depicted in Detroit - another stunningly intense drama from writer Mark Boal and director Kathryn Bigelow, in which Poulter gives another sinister performance.

Stream Detroit on Starz.
Stream Detroit on IMDb TV. 
Rent/buy Detroit digitally on Amazon. 
Buy Detroit on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Revenant (2015)

A frontiersman (Leonardo DiCaprio) defies death in order to exact revenge on a member of his hunting crew (Tom Hardy) who killed his son and left him for dead after suffering a horrifying bear attack.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Will Poulter was thankfully given a chance to be a more sympathetic character in The Revenant - another intense, yet visually engrossing, retelling of an (allegedly) true story that earned director Alejandro González Iñarritu his fourth Oscar and star Leonardo DiCaprio his first.

Rent/buy The Revenant digitally on Amazon. 
Buy The Revenant on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

War Machine (2017)

A seasoned U.S. military general (Brad Pitt) assigned to “clean” things up and exit Afghanistan after eight years of war is instead more interested in winning the fight.

Why it is a good Will Poulter movie: Will Poulter appears as an ambitious American soldier in some of the more memorably intense moments from the Netflix original film War Machine, which is an otherwise absurdist satire that explores when enough really is enough when it comes to war.

Stream War Machine on Netflix.

While there are no 2021 movies starring Will Poulter to look forward to once you have finished this binge, the actor has completed filming a musical heist movie called The Score, is currently filming a limited series based on Agatha Christie’s novel Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? premiering in 2022, and, of course, his debut as Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected for May 2023.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 just blew everyone’s minds recently when director/writer James Gunn announced Will Poulter joined the third installment as a highly-anticipated character, Adam Warlock. Fans waited a long time to see this Marvel character make his way to the big screen, but I have to ask, is it a little too late? Probably not, given the genius of James Gunn and superhero movies, but I am concerned about the character’s debut all the same. 

Fans expected to see Adam Warlock much sooner in the MCU, but excitement is still high about his arrival, even if it’s a bit later than expected. A large part of that comes from his connection with one huge part of the Infinity Saga: the Infinity Stones. Now that he’ll debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, I wonder, is this going to be the character we wanted to see?

A Lot Of Adam Warlock’s Character Is Tied To The Infinity Stones

The Infinity Saga had a lot of Adam Warlock rumors, and much of that was because he was such an integral part of the original story in Marvel Comics. In the comics, Adam Warlock took on Thanos in adventures related to the Infinity Stones (or Gems, as they were known back then). Rumors swirled years back that Warlock could join the MCU and be vital in defeating Thanos once the villain obtained control of the Infinity Stones. Obviously, that didn’t happen, and Thanos went on and destroyed the current MCU Stones. 

The MCU's heroes managed to snag alternate Infinity Stones to defeat Thanos, but at the end of Avengers: Endgame, they returned those Stones to their parallel timelines. That would suggest the Infinity Stones don’t exist within the present Marvel timeline, which squashes a big part of what Adam Warlock does in the Marvel Universe. Warlock formed the Infinity Watch to protect the Stones from falling into the wrong hands, but with the way the MCU labeled things, he’s presumably out of a job.  

That’s not to say Adam Warlock’s only use in the MCU is working with the Infinity Stones (despite him typically being in possession of at least one), but it has been a large part of his character in Marvel Comics. Missing out on an adventure involving Adam Warlock and the Infinity Stones will certainly be a bummer, but as mentioned, I doubt James Gunn is bringing the character in without a plan. As for what that plan may be, we can only speculate. 

We Still Don’t Know The Deal With Infinity Stones Post-Endgame

Talk about Infinity Stones dominated a bulk of the MCU’s run, but we haven’t gotten much on them after Avengers: Endgame. There was a scene in Loki in which the God of Mischief stumbled upon a good number of them in a desk drawer. The discovery shocked Loki, and he learned that outside of their designated reality, Infinity Stones are meaningless. 

So if the Infinity Stones don’t exist in the present MCU timeline, and outside Infinity Stones won’t be of any use in that reality, then it feels easy to speculate Adam Warlock won’t be protecting any Infinity Stones there. However, it is possible that Adam Warlock is from another part of the multiverse, one which has the Stones. This would make sense, though one has to wonder if that means that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could take place between universes. 

This wouldn’t be unrealistic to believe, as Loki teased another multiversal war could happen. This would imply the MCU will introduce a way to travel between dimensions, which does bleed into a notable Adam Warlock storyline. Warlock joined the Guardians of the Galaxy in Marvel Comics in an effort to plug fissures in space-time and prevent attacks from other universes that could threaten all existence. Perhaps that’s what could happen when Warlock links up the Guardians in the upcoming movie, but there are other avenues to explore as well. 

And, it’s possible we don’t know what all is true of the Infinity Stones in regards to the MCU. After all, Marvel never rolls out all the answers to questions all at once, so it’s possible there are loopholes in which traveling cross-dimension and using Infinity Stones are an option. Plus, if the multiverse is starting to blend, one could make an argument the rules may no longer apply. We’ll just have to see.

There Are Other Parts Of Adam Warlock To Explore, But They Tie Back To Thanos

A lot of what’s known about Adam Warlock is via encounters with Thanos. Yet Marvel was able to tell the story of Thanos without Warlock, but I’m curious if the same can be done the other way around. The challenge will be to re-introduce the finer parts of Warlock’s war without tying in Thanos, such as his darker counterpart Magus. 

Adam Warlock’s universal counter-balance to his power is a character one might expect to see in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Magus definitely wouldn’t be the first thing to bring up in Warlock’s debut appearance, though I would expect to see him at some point down the stretch. That is, if there are even fans to take Warlock that far, because once again, so much of Magus and Adam Warlock’s persona in Marvel Comics is tied to The Mad Titan, Thanos. 

It’s great that James Gunn will bring Adam Warlock to the MCU, but all of these things lead me to ask, is it a little too late? It seemed like Warlock’s time to shine was during the Infinity Saga, so to bring him in afterward has me wondering how Marvel Studios intends to do the character justice. Again, the best I can do is point to Gunn’s past track record with superhero movies and show that he’s more than capable of turning lesser-known superheroes into smash hits. Plus, Will Poulter is an unexpected choice for the role, but he’s great in most projects he’s a part of. I’m sure ultimately things will be fine, but for now, I’m just a touch worried about what the plan is for Adam Warlock. 

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently slated to premiere Friday, May 5, 2023. That means there’s a lot of time to sit back and discuss Adam Warlock, so be sure to get a look at what he could look like via this awesome image.

Ever since he was teased in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we’ve known that Adam Warlock is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the general expectation being that he would officially debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Not only has that now been confirmed, we also know who will play him in the threequel. Detroit actor Will Poulter has been cast as the MCU’s Adam Warlock, and now we have an idea of what he could look like in Guardians 3.

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 not coming out for a little over a year and a half, obviously it’ll be a while until we get an official look at Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. That said, when Marvel casts a major character, it doesn’t take long for fan art of the actor in the role to surface. Adam Warlock was no exception, with Instagram user _artkin_ putting together the below mock-up of how they think Poulter might look bringing the character to life:

As noted in the caption, this mock-up of Will Poulter as Adam Warlock combines elements of “literally every outfit he’s worn in the comics,” which is a good way to cover ground when you have no idea what will specifically inspire Adam’s appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Maybe Poulter’s Adam will look relatively close to his comics counterpart, or maybe, like some of the other Guardians characters, bigger creative liberties will be taken with his look. For now though, this is a solid envisioning of the MCU’s Adam Warlock, someone we’ve been waiting to see for four and a half years and counting.

For those who need a refresher, one of the scenes that played during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s credits showed Elizabeth Debicki’s Ayesha, leader of the Sovereign people, revealing that she’d created an artificial being named Adam who she will use to destroy the Guardians. Presumably Will Poulter’s Adam will attempt to carry out that directive in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, only for something to happen that leads to him becoming an ally to these cosmic superheroes. On the other hand, given that the comics version of Adam has a dark side known as The Magus, it’s entirely possible will remain an antagonist, at least for Guardians 3.

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s plot shrouded in secrecy, it’s difficult to predict what’s in store for Adam Warlock, but needless to say that this is a big opportunity for Will Poulter, who’s the first new actor to be added to the threequel’s cast. Along with playing Phillip Krauss in Detroit, his other notable credits include two Maze Runner movies, The Revenant, Midsommar and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Poulter was also originally selected to play Pennywise the Dancing Clown in IT, but he ended up exiting and was replaced by Bill Skarsgård.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to begin filming sometime next month and will come out on May 6, 2023, five months after the arrival of Disney+’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else this superhero franchise is sending to theaters.

A traditional Marvel Cinematic Universe movie includes one or two mid/post-credits scenes, but 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 squeezed in five! One of them showed Ayesha, leader of the Sovereign people, creating a new being whose name is Adam and whom she intends to use to destroy the Guardians. It was confirmed by director/writer James Gunn that this will be the MCU’s version of Adam Warlock, and nearly four and a half years after Vol. 2’s release, today brings word that Detroit actor Will Poulter will play the character in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

This casting update comes from Deadline, which reports that James Gunn and the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 team began their search for the actor to bring Adam Warlock to life back in August. Poulter was among several actors who met for the “highly coveted part,” and while Gunn and executives took their time deciding who would score the role, Poulter test was reportedly “too good to pass on.” According to THR’s Borys Kit, Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page was considered to play Adam, while 1917’s George MacKay was “on the shortlist.”

James Gunn confirmed that Will Poulter has come for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 with the following tweet:

Will Poulter is the first new actor to sign onto Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with the rest of the cast so far consisting of the following familiar faces: Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Vin Diesel’s Groot, Bradley Cooper’s Rocket, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Sean Gunn’s Kraglin and Elizabeth Debicki’s Ayesha. Along with his role as Phillip Krauss in 2017’s Detroit, Poulter’s other notable credits include two Maze Runner movies, The Revenant, War Machine, Midsommar and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. He’ll soon be seeing starring alongside Michael Keaton in the Hulu miniseries Dopesick.

Adam Warlock debuted as the enigmatic Him in 1967’s Fantastic Four #66-67, and he was revamped with his current name in 1972’s Marvel Premiere #1. The comics version of the character was created by a group of Earth scientists called the Enclave to be the perfect human being, but after rebelling against his creators and getting into a skirmish with Thor, he embarked into space, becoming one of Marvel’s most important cosmic figures. Adam also acquired the Soul Gem (now known as the Soul Stone) early on, paving the way for him to clash with Thanos and play a big role in the Infinity Gauntlet storyline and its follow-up stories. There have also been times when a darker version of Adam called The Magus has popped up, with one of these incarnations being a future version of the character who led the Church of Universal Truth.

Obviously there will be some major differences between the MCU's Adam Warlock and his comics counterpart, particularly since Will Poulter's version is now a product of Sovereign science instead of hailing from Earth. Also, with Thanos dead and the Infinity Stones in the main MCU timeline being destroyed, it stands to reason we won’t see Poulter’s version of Adam hold the Soul Stone. Nevertheless, a lot of Marvel fans have wanted to see Adam in the MCU for a long time, and there was even a cocoon seen within The Collector’s museum in Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy inspired by the one the character uses in the comics to recuperate. Now Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is providing the opportunity for Adam to shine in a cinematic setting, and given his prominence in the comics, it’s a good bet he could appear in other cosmic-oriented MCU stories.

We’ll learn what’s in store for Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is released on May 6, 2023, with filming expected to begin next month. Learn what else the MCU is priming for the silver screen with our upcoming Marvel movies guide.

These past few decades, we've seen many talented, respected actors take on the famous role of The Joker in several different interpretations of the iconic character. Whether it's Jack Nicholson's memorable version from Tim Burton's Batman, or Mark Hamill's long-standing voice-only version of the Clown Prince of Crime, the late, great Heath Ledger's incredibly disturbing Oscar-winning performance as the legendary Dark Knight foe, or, recently, Joaquin Phoenix's outstanding Oscar-winning take on the title character in Joker, we've seen several acclaimed actors crush it in this part. 

Though not everyone did the villainous role justice (looking at you, Jared Leto), almost every actor who adopted this challenge did wonderful work. And there's a good chance that we'll see another actor or 12 pick up the torch in the future. But who should be next? Here are six performers who'd be great Jokers.

Daniel Radcliffe

While most moviegoers are best acquainted with the former child actor through his long-standing lead role in the Harry Potter film franchise, Daniel Radcliffe has taken seemingly every opportunity available to him since then to play strange, surprising roles in a variety of different movies and shows.

Through his audacious performances in movies like Swiss Army Man Imperium, Horns, and, recently, Guns Akimbo, Daniel Radcliffe has taken big chances and he's not afraid to push against his popular image to play characters that go against his child star image. In that spirit, Radcliffe could really challenge himself in a major way if he were to adopt the role of The Joker in an upcoming DC adaptation. The actor is fearless in the right roles, and he'll do comedic and dramatic roles in equal fashion. He is unflinching in his recent choices, and if done well, he could provide a memorable take on the antagonistic character. It'd fit in line with the odd, deranged roles he's taken on lately, and it'd let audiences see him as more than Harry Potter.

LaKeith Stanfield

Quickly becoming one of the most accomplished and versatile young actors in Hollywood, LaKeith Stanfield is a bonafide talent. Making an impression on FX's excellent Atlanta after previously making strong supporting turns in movies like Short Term 12, Straight Outta Compton, and Selma, Stanfield has built a resume filled with highlights, notably with standout roles in Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, Knives Out, and Uncut Gems, to name only a few. He's an actor who continues to prove himself in a variety of roles in various different genres, and his ability to perform in a multitude of roles proves that he has what it takes to tackle the challenges that come with playing The Joker. 

Certainly, there has been interest in seeing Stanfield playing the part, as the actor himself has publicly expressed interest. Just last month, in fact, Stanfield noted that he would love to play The Joker with the Safdie brothers.

Will Poulter

Though we've made this suggestion before, Will Poulter would absolutely be a fantastic choice for The Joker. The English actor is best known for roles that are either comedic (Son of Rambow, We're the Millers) or unsettling (Detroit, Midsommar) in nature. It's no surprise to know that he was previously set to play Pennywise the Clown in Cary Fukunaga's abandoned adaptation of IT, which I firmly believe would have been an incredible performance. Nevertheless, while that menacing clown part didn't work out, Warner Bros. has a great opportunity to redeem themselves by casting Will Poulter to play the Clown Prince of Darkness. He's an actor of commendable range and unnerving conviction, and in the right menacing parts, he proves himself adept at making you feel totally unnerved. Plus, those prominent eyebrows will work wonders under the white clown make-up.

Willem Dafoe

With an assorted career filled with top-notch career, character actor Willem Dafoe is an incredible performer, capable of playing a wealth of characters of various varieties. While he's incredible at playing a kind-hearted souls in movies like The Florida Project, or Jesus Christ himself in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, he's often most commonly associated with playing more undesirable characters. For instance, many know him best for playing the Green Goblin in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies. He also played an entertainingly unbecoming type of man in The Lighthouse. And he played one of the most memorably vicious supporting characters in cinema history (at least, in my view) in David Lynch's Wild At Heart. These roles in particular prove that Dafoe has the chops to be one of the most famous villains in cinema history. Hell, "foe" is even in his name! 

Apparently, at one point in the '80s, there were conversations regarding Dafoe taking on The Joker. Sadly, that didn't pan out, but it's not too late!

Nicolas Cage

Because why not? Nicolas Cage is an Oscar-winning actor who is known for performances that are both brilliantly bold and shockingly unhinged in a gobsmacking way. You never really know what you're going to get with Nicolas Cage, other than the fact that the actor will almost always commit fully to his own personal brand of insanity. I think that makes him an excellent candidate for The Joker. While letting Cage have the chance to become the Clown Prince of Crime might seem foolhardy to some, fearing it might flying too close into the sun, this is the character that Cage was born to play.

Nicolas Cage has a deep, long-standing reverence for comic books, particularly DC Comics; he even named his son Kal-El. He starred in Ghost Rider and voiced Superman, among other comic book roles, and he's a seasoned star with an extensive history of letting loose and playing it up to the nines. Some may think that Nic Cage playing The Joker is a recipe for disaster, but I believe he would the perfect performer to embody the classic DC villain.

Macaulay Culkin

Back in the 1990s, Macaulay Culkin was one of the most famous movie stars on the planet. The Home Alone actor became a mega-famous celebrity, particularly for a younger generation. Though, in the 2000s, Culkin started stepping away from the limelight, opting instead to work on other projects. In recent years, however, the former child star has been working his way back into the acting business, appearing in weird art projects like Adam Green's Aladdin and Father John Misty's "Total Entertainment Forever" music video. He also played a small role in Seth Green's directorial debut, Changeland.

Up next, the Golden Globe-nominated actor will appear in the newest season of American Horror Story, though some fans have a few other ambitions for the actor. Specifically, there has been interest to see Macaulay Culkin take on the role of The Joker, which sounds a bit odd at first, but as you think about it, it could be very interesting. The actor's adult work has a sporadic, unhinged quality that's enjoyable to watch, suggesting that the second phase of Culkin's acting career might be defined by bolder, weird choices. Certainly, that would play in the actor's favor here while playing The Joker.

Who do you think should don the make-up? Who would kill it as the killer clown? Let us know in the comment section below!

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings may have recently added new cast member Ema Horvath to the show’s growing ensemble, but it also just lost a major star due to the show’s five-month creative hiatus. The series has already been renewed for Season 2 at Amazon, but Will Poulter won't be around for it, as he is officially leaving Middle Earth behind.

Will Poulter’s casting made headlines back in September. After months of negotiations, the Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and MIdsommar actor landed the role of a lead character, the name of which remained heavily under wraps. However, Poulter has left the Lord of the Rings series after only a few months due to scheduling conflicts. Poulter had other project commitments that clashed with the hiatus.

Although the early Season 2 renewal aimed to help Lord of the Rings be a lot more like the films, the news also halted the production on Season 1 after only two episodes. According to Deadline, Will Poulter had to leave because the series queued up a months-long break so the writers could regroup and finish the majority of the Season 2 scripts, with a goal of constructing the universe as wholly as possible in the early days.

The unforeseen production changes may have altered the course of Season 1 of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings, which has an unprecedented 20-episode count. Will Poulter, who also had to drop out of playing Pennywise in IT, was playing a lead role, and there’s no telling whether Amazon will have to recast and reshoot his scenes with another actor when production picks back up.

There’s still a lot for fans to be excited about when it comes to Lord of the Rings, which will specifically cover the era before The Fellowship of the Ring (also known as the Second Age). It's the biggest project the streamer has ever taken on, and is reportedly costing Amazon over $1 million to produce. That means Amazon is confident that the series will do well and fans will get to travel back to Middle Earth big budget style.

That said, there’s plenty to be nervous about as well. With Will Poulter having to exit the series after only two episodes, there’s no telling whether the production shutdown will lead to other actors following in his footsteps. After all, five months is a long time to halt filming on Lord of the Rings and I can only imagine what that will mean for the remainder of actors who may have locked in other projects. Or, conversely, who might need something to work on in the meantime.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news on Lord of the Rings Season 1 and Season 2. In the meantime, be sure to check out what’s new and returning to network TV and streaming after the holidays with our 2020 midseason schedule.

Lord of the Rings has cast one of its lead roles with a great actor. Amazon’s highly-anticipated television series just took a huge leap forward. It has added a frequent silver screen presence, familiar to fans of a particular anthology series, to take on a main role. Who is it? Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’s Will Poulter will star as one of the Lord of the Rings series’ leads.

According to Variety, nothing beyond that is reportedly known, as Will Poulter’s character remains a much-guarded secret. Those carefully following the development of Lord of the Rings are probably familiar with the intense security surrounding the show.

For those anxiously awaiting an update on the Lord of the Rings series’ progress, Will Poulter’s casting is a pretty significant one. The show has taken great strides forward in the past, so this is the latest in what should continue to be a long line of upcoming news.

The reportedly huge episode count for Season 1 means that fans could see a lot of Will Poulter. For those who need a Poulter refresher, the actor has not only starred in the standalone installment of Black Mirror, but was also a part of the cast in this summer’s much-discussed horror flick, Midsommar as well as the Maze Runner series and We're the Millers.

In a note of compelling trivia, Will Poulter was initially cast as Pennywise in the IT remake. The director later explained why Poulter dropped out. On that note, will Poulter be playing a hero or a villain in the Lord of the Rings?

Fans will apparently have time to speculate. There is a lot that is known about the upcoming series. However, not even the nature of Will Poulter’s Lord of the Rings role is currently one of those things.

Will Poulter will be one of the show’s leads, so anticipate more to join him. The Lord of the Rings series sounds ready to be an ensemble effort. Thankfully, it has a consultant that is highly familiar with that concept. Not a lot is known about the show's plot, but the timeline that it will take place in is known.

According to that timeline, Sauron should be a part of the show. Is that the role that Will Poulter has signed on to play? Time will tell if it is him or someone else who takes on the major Lord of the Rings character.

There is a lot to be excited and nervous about when it comes to the Lord of the Rings television show. It has secured a talented actor to be a part of the cast, so that bodes well. Will Poulter has the ability to portray an impressive array of characters, and it will be interesting to find out who he will play in the series!

A premiere date has not been set for the Lord of the Rings television show yet, so stay tuned. When it does finally make its debut, it will do so on Amazon Prime Video, but to help pass the time waiting, check out this fall’s premieres.

Ari Aster is still a young director, now only two movies into his career, but one thing that has already been made incredibly clear is that he is a very detail-oriented filmmaker. Both Hereditary and Midsommar are elegantly crafted features, and this extends not just to the cinematography and production design, but also storytelling. He creates a specific history for the worlds in his work, and it provides a special richness to the cinematic experience.

His work on Midsommar is a perfect example, as even though the film came together only about a year after the release of Hereditary, he still managed to put together a 100-page story bible that defined the rules of the story. This material not only detailed explicitly how he was going to make the movie, but also dug into the background for the isolated Swedish community that the central ensemble visits during their special seasonal festivities.

The catch, however, as I recently learned talking with the Midsommar cast, is that he never actually told his actors about it:

It was in my preparation for Midsommar interviews last month that I first learned about Ari Aster’s special story bible for the film… and I was surprised by the reaction I got when I brought it up during my sit down with William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren. While Poulter seemed to know what I was talking about, the whole thing was news to his co-stars, who apparently hadn’t previously heard about the director’s special world-building tome.

Interestingly, though, while the Midsommar stars didn’t know about the story bible, it didn’t surprise them in the least to learn that it existed. The level of detail demanded in Ari Aster’s approach was made very clear in the way that he ran things on set during production, so it wasn’t exactly a huge revelation to discover that he had written his whole plan down.

Offering tremendous applause to his director, Will Poulter explained,

Like Hereditary, Midsommar is a stunning work that treats every frame like a painting – and it’s wonderfully effective. The material engaging in its beauty, and then it smashes you over the head with images of true horror. It’s one hell of a thing to see, especially because it’s all happening in non-stop sunshine.

Based on an original screenplay by Ari Aster, the movie centers on Dani (Florence Pugh) – a young woman who experiences an extreme tragedy at the start of the story. Emotionally shaken by what has happened, she hopes that she can lean on her boyfriend, Christian (Jack Raynor), but he is basically at a point where he’s ready to break up with her. Because he can’t leave her under the circumstances, he instead brings her along with him on his summer trip to Sweden with his friends (William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren. But what awaits them in Europe is a truly an escalating series of unexpected horrors.

Midsommar is in theaters now – and after you see it be sure to come back to the site, as we have plenty of coverage coming your way about this ultra-trippy feature.

Ari Aster may only be two features deep into his directing career, but his skills have already left a significant impact on the industry. While Hereditary and Midsommar are completely different films, what they share in common are intricately-constructed and beautifully shot sequences that rattle the movie-goer brain. They’re stunning to see on the big screen, and were clearly a challenge to bring to life during production.

The style creates an interesting domino effect, as the more complicated a setup is, the more planning and preparation is required, and the more planning and preparation that is required means that the actors need to be all the more precise in their performances. It was something that I had the chance to discuss with Ari Aster and the Midsommar cast late last month, and you can watch our conversation below:

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ari Aster, Jack Raynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren at the Los Angeles press day for Midsommar, and one question that I brought into both rooms was about how the detail-oriented nature of the filmmaking influenced the actors in their approach and performances. What I learned is that Aster’s style definitely had a unique effect, but in addition to being restrictive, it also had a certain freeing quality as well.

Discussing how he puts his movies together, Ari Aster explained that it is very early on that he gains a total vision of what he wants his films to look like, and that means coming to set each day with a set shot list and a plan to get everything that he needs. Part of it is admittedly about money, as he doesn’t want to waste resources on material that he doesn’t wind up using, but what’s more important is the fact he doesn’t fully trust himself as an improviser – particularly when on-set and simultaneously juggling 20 different problems. Said the filmmaker,

Working with a director who knows exactly what they want can be a blessing for an actor, as it makes it that much easier to trust in their vision for the totality of the project. There is also the risk that it can be creatively stifling, however, and that was a razor-thin line that was walked in the making of Midsommar. At the end of the day, though, the balance that was struck was one the performers could fully appreciate.

According to William Jackson Harper, not every single scene was treated with exactly the same level of intensity and detail – but what was common throughout the process was everybody working towards the same goal:

With his director sitting right next to him, Jack Raynor noted that Ari Aster’s particular approach was something to which the cast needed to adjust from the very first day, with the preparation for each scene being different than past projects. While in most cases the actors have the ability to move around and find what works for them personally, that wasn’t really in the plans for the making of Midsommar.

Raynor said that the making of the movie forced him to work outside his comfort zone, and made the actors prepare differently than they otherwise would, saying,

Interestingly, though, it was through this process that Jack Raynor did eventually find a special kind of way to contribute his own ideas to the mix. Specifically, each different take would give him the chance to try something new within the parameters of what Ari Aster needed for his vision:

What’s particularly funny, though, is that it seems not everybody was playing by the same rules. According to Vilhem Blomgren, the Swedish actors on set were apparently functioning with a bit more personal agency – which makes sense when you consider that Midsommar is meant to be a cinematic experience that that audiences into their world. Said Blomgren,

Midsommar is Ari Aster’s follow-up to the 2018 hit Hereditary, and centers on a young woman (Florence Pugh) who travels to Sweden with her boyfriend (Jack Raynor) and his friends (William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, and Vilhelm Blomgren) to experience a special festival that only happens every 90 years. Unfortunately, not only is she carrying a great deal of emotional baggage with her on the trip due to a recent tragedy, but the festivities aren’t at all what they are expecting.

The film arrives in theaters everywhere this Wednesday, July 3rd, and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interview with the Midsommar writer/director and stars.

The IT movie entered development in 2009, and next week, Stephen King fans will finally get to see how the theatrical adaptation of his massive 1986 novel turned out. Bill Skarsgard is breathing life into the movie's eponymous being more than two decades after Tim Curry played Pennywise the Dancing Clown on TV, but originally Detroit star Will Poulter was set to portray the terrifying clown. Poulter dropped out of IT in April 2016, and director Andres Muschietti has revealed that the main reason the actor departed was because he was losing interest in playing Pennywise on the big screen. After noting that he'd talked to Poulter after his directorial predecessor, Cary Fukunaga, left IT, Muschietti said:

From 2012 to 2015, True Detective's Cary Fukunaga was set as the IT director, and it was in his final weeks on the movie that he cast Will Poulter as Pennywise. It's unclear if Fukunaga's departure from IT played any role in Poulter's own decision to leave or if he might have left even if Fukunaga had stayed on board. Either way, as Andres Muschietti laid out to Deadline, the actor eventually decided he didn't want to be part of IT anymore. If Poulter's recent appearance as police officer Phillip Krauss in Detroit is any indication, he would have done an impressive job playing one of Stephen King's most terrifying creations. However, from what we've seen of Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise in the IT previews, he has the creepy clown act down pat, and when also taking into account the early reactions to the horror movie, it's safe to say the casting change worked out for the best.

Just like the original IT story, Andres Muschietti's cinematic re-telling will follow The Losers' Club, a group of outcast kids, who face a shape-shifting entity in their town that preys on children using their deepest fears. However, as with any adaptation, there will be some differences from the source material, most notably with the action being moved from the 1950s to the 1980s. IT Part 2 is already in development, and will adapt the adult portions of Stephen King's novel, with some flashbacks to when the main protagonists were still kids.

IT opens in theaters on September 8. Don't forget to also look through our movie premiere guide to find out what other theatrical releases 2017 has coming up.

You would have a hard time finding a more iconic comic book villain than The Joker. In the decades since he was introduced in 1940's Batman #1, the clown-themed villain has turned into one of pop culture's most well-known and beloved bad guys. Because of that popularity, the character has been adapted time and time again on the silver screen, and the search is now officially on to find a brand new Joker for the upcoming non-DCEU movie exploring the origins of the character.

No final casting announcements have been made yet (as it's far too early for that), but we've decided to go through the Hollywood landscape and pick out nine actors that we think have the potential to nail the role. With that in mind, let's dive in and take a look at our first possible Mr. J.

Will Poulter

It's hard to think that only four years ago Will Poulter was that nerdy kid from We're the Millers, particularly after he delivered incredible performances in films like The Revenant and War Machine. However, it is his recent turn as corrupt, racist police officer Krauss in Detroit that has definitively proven what he can do as a super villain. His work in Kathryn Bigelow's 2017 thriller combined equal amounts of despicability, authority and menace that made him an unpredictable (yet oddly magnetic) screen presence. You hate him while you're watching him, but it doesn't make him any less of a scene-stealer. If any villain in the pantheon of DC Comics fits that description, then it has to be Mr. J.

Caleb Landry Jones

Caleb Landry Jones will look familiar to fans of the mutant universe out there from his brief stint as Banshee in X-Men: First Class -- before he was unceremoniously killed off in the interim between First Class and Days of Future Past. However, despite his experience on the heroic side of the comic book genre, Jones' experience as an actor seems to have prepared him to delve far deeper into the more evil side of things than anything morally righteous. Most recently making a name for himself as the sadistically macho Jeremy Armitage in Jordan Peele's Get Out, Jones can crack a seriously creepy smile and leave audiences completely on-edge, just like a proper Joker should be able to.

Bill Skarsgård

Okay, so this one feels like we're cheating a little bit since Bill Skarsgard has already proven his ability to play a killer clown with his upcoming stint as Pennywise in the IT adaptation. That said, there's a reason people often like to adhere to an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. Skarsgard is bringing a lot of charisma, and even more creepiness, to his role as the iconic, murderous clown originally played by Tim Curry. But it actually only seems to represent an appetizer of what he could be capable of if a Joker solo movie were to allow him to step out from the sewer and don the infamous purple suit and green hair.

Lakeith Stanfield

With Lakeith Stanfield, we have yet another Get Out veteran on the list of possible young actors who could potentially play a brand new version of The Joker. Possessing one of the most diverse resumes in Hollywood (with credits on everything from Atlanta to Death Note), Stanfield has proven that he knows how to deliver comedy, drama and everything in between with gusto. Beyond that, when the announcement of a Joker origin movie actually occurred online, Stanfield was one of the first actors to take to Twitter in order to throw his hat into the ring for the role. He may not look like a traditional Joker, but he has all of the inherent traits that the part requires.

Karen Gillan

Although Joker is most typically portrayed as a man in the pages of DC Comics, there's ample precedent to flip the script and turn him into a her. With that in mind, Guardians of the Galaxy actress Karen Gillan recently came out and admitted that she wants a crack at the role at some point, so now feels like a perfect opportunity to give her a shot. In her role as Nebula, Gillan has shown an ability to throw herself into a dark and intense part, while also leaving room for comedy. If any actress young enough to play a Joker origin story has the chops to take on this role, then it's definitely her. Besides, we've seen the Joker story told from a male perspective before; maybe it's finally time to see a female Joker.

Robert Pattinson

Let's get one thing straight: it is not 2009 anymore, and the jokes about his role in the Twilight films have completely run their course. In the years since Robert Pattinson achieved fame and heartthrob status for his work as Edward Cullen and Cedric Diggory, the 31-year-old Brit has proven time and time again that he has the gumption and talent to take on increasingly challenging roles with each passing year. Between his work on Cosmopolis, The Lost City of Z and the recently released Good Time, Robert Pattinson is one of Hollywood's bravest actors, and his tall, wiry frame could potentially make him a dead-ringer to don the role of The Joker when the upcoming origin film finally starts rolling.

Paul Dano

At 33 years old, Paul Dano is the oldest entry on this list by a slight margin. Having said that, the Swiss Army Man star has also amassed an enormous filmography in the years since he began acting, and most of his roles have maintained the creepy (yet oddly comical) stylings that we would need to see in a Joker origin movie. In most of his best roles, Paul Dano has excelled at conveying an underlying sense that there's something not entirely sane lurking beneath his unimposing exterior. If a Joker origin story wants to explore a sad man's descent into madness, then there are few actors more naturally gifted at telling that type of story than Paul Dano.

Iwan Rheon

After achieving fame for his performance as Ramsay Bolton on HBO's Game of Thrones, a comic book villain seemed like an obvious direction for an actor like Iwan Rheon. Although he will flex those particular muscles on Marvel's upcoming Inhumans TV series as Maximus, it's hard to deny the fact that there's still a bit more potential for this 32-year-old actor as a silver screen bad guy. Often regarded as one of the worst villains to ever grace Game of Thrones, there's an argument to be made that Rheon's performance as the Bastard of Bolton even elevated him above King Joffrey. Able to portray ruthlessness, deceptiveness and sadism in every conceivable way, Iwan Rheon legitimately seems tailor-made for a role like The Joker.

Dane DeHaan

Between his work on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Dane DeHaan arguably hasn't had the best experience working in the comic book movie genre. Having said that, there's an equally valid argument to be made that he simply hasn't found the right character yet. With his roles in films like A Cure For Wellness, The Place Beyond The Pines, and Chronicle (among others), the 31-year-old actor has proven his ability to delve into dark material and deliver truly haunting performances. Couple that experience with some of the better elements of his Green Goblin, and he could do some severe damage as a young (and completely unhinged) Clown Prince of Crime.

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When you’re a professional film actor, dealing with fans is part of the job. You’ll get recognized by people who want a photo or an autograph. It’s the cost of doing business. Most actors don’t have a problem with this. Some even enjoy it. The Revenant’s Will Poulter was a little shocked one of the first times he was recognized in America. He was even more shocked when he realized the reason he’d been recognized was because a woman thought he was Sid, from Toy Story.

I have to admit, I never really saw the similarity, but now, thanks to Yahoo, I will never be able to unsee the similarity. Will Poulter told the story on The Jonathan Ross Show. It’s not exactly clear why a living human woman, apparently capable of coherent sentences, thought Poulter was a cartoon character. Apparently Poulter was so shocked, and he admits, a little excited, at being recognized that he wasn’t quite sure how to react. So he just sort of went along with it.

For the record, there’s no way Will Poulter could have even been an unintentional inspiration for the character of Sid. He was two years old when the movie came out in 1995. Still, the resemblance is uncanny. The same short haircut, similarly shaped faces, and even near-identical arches in the eyebrows. If I walked past Poulter in the street I might do a double take.

At the same time, if I did decide that I needed to speak to the man about this bizarre coincidence, I would likely say something like. "Wow, do you realize how much you look like that kid from Toy Story?" What I would not do is automatically assume that he somehow was the kid from the movie and ask for a picture. Because that would be weird. Yes, it’s true that Woody certainly resembles Tom Hanks, but that doesn’t always happen. Don Rickles has little resemblance to the film's Mr. Potato Head, for instance.

It’s great that Poulter was such a good sport about the thing. Of course, if he wanted to make his connection to Toy Story a reality there is a fourth movie on the way. Maybe there’s a place for a cameo by an adult Sid. We saw him briefly in Toy Story 3 so maybe he'll return again and Poulter can retroactively make that picture he took accurate.

It continues to be a struggle to bring a fresh adaptation of Stephen King’s masterful novel It to the big screen. Which sucks beyond belief, because the presence of director Cary Fukunaga (Jane Eyre, True Detective) suggested that this new take was on the right track. Only, Fukunaga no longer is attached to the project, and the reason for his departure has us deeply concerned.

The Wrap breaks the news that Cary Fukunaga has departed the It adaptation that has been in the works at New Line for some time. Sources close to the production tell the trade site that the sticking point in the argument between Fukunaga and the studio was the need to spread King’s story over two films. New Line seems to want to keep the story limited to one film, likely because of budgetary concerns, as is stated on The Wrap. Fukunaga fought hard to give his story some necessary breathing room, then walked when it became clear that a two-part It never was going to be a reality.

This should be a major problem for any Stephen King fan anticipating a rich, detail-oriented translation of the author’s fantastic tome. Without dabbling in too many spoilers, King’s book follows a set of characters and close friends as they confront the ultimate evil on two separate occasions – first as children, and later as adults. King weaves the stories together, and spends a lot of time with the characters in each time period, making their interactions integral to the success of the story. A proper adaptation was always going to be a challenge. Trying to reduce It to one movie sounds downright impossible.

Heck, It barely fit in a two-part miniseries that ran on ABC back in November 1990. This show – much like the book – tried to divide up the narrative and spend time with the contemporary, haunted adults as well as the innocent childhood friends. But something about the storytelling felt rushed, as if there’s too much in King’s book to ever properly fit on the screen.

The site now says that It has been delayed indefinitely. We recently reported that Will Poulter had been hired to play Pennywise, the terrifying "It" of the title who mostly appears to residents of the fictional (and horrific) town of Derry in the form of a menacing clown. The Wrap notes that New Line might have tracked the relative soft opening of Poltergeist this weekend and got cold feet about their clown movie. But It is supposed to be so much more than that. If New Line can’t figure that out, then it makes more sense for them to scrap the movie and step away now, rather than delivering a half-hearted attempt of a story too many of us love.

The upcoming new film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, It has just cast the story’s evil eponymous pronoun of a character. In a surprisingly out-of-the-box move, it is being reported that actor Will Poulter will be donning the bright, demonic digs of the one and only Pennywise The Clown for the remake project directed by True Detective visionary Cary Fukunaga.

According to Variety, Will Poulter, seen recently in The Maze Runner and memorably busting impressive rhymes covering TLC in We’re the Millers, will be taking the role of Pennywise, the homicidal harlequin who lures young children into the sewers to be murdered - but not before feeding on their fears. For the 22 year-old English actor, this will be a major step up in prestige, as he takes the next evolutionary sinister step for which his villainous repertoire of roles in The Maze Runner and the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle, The Revenant have him prepared.

Cary Fukunaga’s film will serve as the first proper feature film adaptation for Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel, It, and will reportedly be divided into two films due to the enormity of the story. The book actually saw a live-action rendition in the form of two-part TV movie that aired on ABC in 1990, boasting a packed cast headed by TV A-listers at the time like John Ritter, Richard Thomas and Harry Anderson. However, it was horrifyingly memorable for Tim Curry’s iconic, categorically chilling portrayal of Pennywise The Clown (pictured at the top of this article). To this day, Curry’s nightmarish visage as the puffy-buttoned parasite who freaked out an entire generation of viewers remains the gold standard by which Will Poulter will be judged as he gets set to tackle the role. Yet, things sound promising, since, according to Variety’s sources, Poulter’s audition for the role left Fukunaga "blown away."

The traditional story of It focuses on seven children in a Maine town who are stalked and tormented by Pennywise, a sinister shapeshifting killer creature, whose fun-loving façade of a clown is ironically no-less creepy than his elusive sewer-dwelling unhuman form. The creature also has the power to use the fears and phobias of people to bend them to his will, which makes him a particularly formidable adversary to children and adults alike. That aspect becomes more consequential, since the story takes place between two distinct time periods, documenting the group’s first confrontation with Pennywise as children, as well as the period 30 years later with the kids grown to adults whose lives have been shaped by the emotional scarring of the ordeal, and must go back to face him again.

Both the original novel and the ABC TV movie depicted a dynamic of dual time periods set in the late-1950’s when the group were children, and the contemporaneous period of mid-1980’s in the book and 1990 in the TV movie. At this point, it has yet to be confirmed if we will see a change in chronological setting, although, Fukunaga has hinted about what he said would be "changed names, dates dynamic" – though vowing to maintain the spirit of the original story. It's possible that the casting of the 22 year-old Poulter could be indicative of a general direction pointing to a younger cast with the adult group. An alteration of the length of time between the two primary periods could allow for a younger set in the adult cast, opening the possibility of actors in their 20's or 30's playing opposite the updated, younger-looking clown played by Poulter.

Regardless, this sounds like an inventive casting choice to take the mantle of Pennywise and moviegoers will undoubtedly look forward even more to sleepless nights from the horrifying images that he’s sure to generate. However, no details have been revealed regarding when the It films will commence production or see release.

The Chronicles of Narnia franchise had kind of run its course by the time Voyage of the Dawn Treader came to theaters in 2010, making the kind of big money that's unimaginable for most of us but disappointing for studios hoping to bankroll a blockbuster. But the people who skipped out on Dawn Treader missed out on a seriously enjoyable performance from Will Poulter, the kid cast to play the obnoxious cousin Eustace Scrubb, owner of one of the best opening lines in literary history.

Poulter had previously played an even smaller breakout role in the British indie Son of Rambow, and booked a part opposite Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis in We're The Millers, but only now is he setting up a proper star turn. Deadline reports that Poulter has been offered one of the lead roles in Maze Runner, an adaptation of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi book about a group of boys trapped in a maze as part of a test. As you might imagine the book is the beginning of the series, and reviews compare the book to The Hunger Games and Divergent-- both of them other dystopian young adult novels that have led to film adaptations.

A lead role in a big young adult franchise can lead to huge things-- just ask Jennifer Lawrence. But after his part in Dawn Treader didn't necessarily jump start his career, Poulter may be extra-eager to take on Maze Runner and show more of the world what he can do. With a newcomer named Des Ball on board to direct and no studio attachment, Maze Runner may be an underdog in the coming glut of futuristic young adult adaptations… but if Poulter continues showing the same talent, that might not last long.