"It's Johnny ******* Cage. Mortal Kombat II – coming soon only in theaters," the official Mortal Kombat 2 Twitter posted alongside a poster for a fake movie about Johnny Cage starring Karl Urban as the iconic video game character. "Uncaged Fury," the poster reads. "From the studio that brought you Rebel Without a Cage." You can check out the poster below.

Mortal Kombat 2, which serves as a follow-up to 2021's successful Mortal Kombat, is directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay penned by Jeremy Slater. The cast includes Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Lewis Tan as cole Young, Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, and Tati Gabrielle as Jade.

Urban is arguably best known for his role as Billy Butcher in Amazon Prime's hit superhero satire series The Boys, in which he has starred in some 32 episodes and appeared in the spin-off Gen V. Johnny Cage was previously portrayed by Linden Ashby in the 1995 movie, Matt Mullins in the 2011 fan-made movie, and Casper Van Dien in the Machinima series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

Mortal Kombat 2 hits theaters on October 24, 2025. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies, or, check out the ever-growing list of upcoming video game movies.

Timed to the latest trailer drop during the 2025 Super Bowl, Marvel Japan shared a new Thunderbolts* poster on social media, and fans think it finally offers a clue about the much-discussed asterisk.

In the poster, we see the main characters, including Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, placed inside a yellow asterisk. "Not super. Not heroes. Not giving up", reads the tagline. At the bottom, below the official title in Japanese and release date, we finally get the meaning behind the asterisk: "*The Avengers are not available".

In the latest Thunderbolts* trailer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine delivers a speech that connects with the meaning of the asterisk. "Let’s talk facts," she says in front of some kind of Congress hearing, "The Avengers are not coming. Who will keep the American people safe?".

The fact that the trailer and the revealing Japanese poster dropped almost at the same time indicates that Marvel is ready to fully disclose the meaning of the asterisk — and it's really not that deep.

It seems to be a humorous way to say that this new superhero group is a downgrade from the mighty Avengers, but they're still the only option available to protect humanity from the threat ahead. It would match the light tone of the movie, which has been compared to '80s teen classic The Breakfast Club.

Previous footage of the movie teased a potential name change for the group, which might explain the use of asterisk to indicate a temporary name. When Red Guardian screams passionately in one of the trailers, "we are the Thunderbolts!", Bucky shakes his head and says: "We can't call ourselves that."

Alas, despite the clue left by the new poster, the mystery remains until official confirmation.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2. For more, check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as all you need to know about watching the Marvel movies in order.

"I think it is such a kick-ass Valentine's Day movie," says Weaver to GamesRadar+. "It's a great date movie because it's terrifying and you're going to be sitting in each other's arms from, you know, the first half hour. And it's also one of those movies that sends thrills and chills up and down your spine the whole time, you don't know what's going to happen."

It may seem like an odd choice to release a horror movie on Valentine’s Day, but despite looking like an all-action, video game-like shooter movie from the offset, The Gorge is a love story at its core. "I think it's really smart that they chose Valentine's Day because it's a very romantic, suspenseful love story," adds Weaver.

Director Derrickson says the blending of multiple genres is what makes The Gorge an ideal V-Day flick. "You do have to like genre to like this film. But if a couple, or even one of the members of the couple, likes, you know, science fiction, action, horror, thriller, they're gonna get, you know, plenty of that," explains the helmer, adding that romance is the "glue" that holds the other genres together.

Although he’s best known for his horror pics including Sinister and The Black Phone, Derrickson says "the romantic elements" of The Gorge "spoke" to him because of his personal life. "I fell in love and got remarried in 2022 and it was just really shortly after that that I was given the script," says Derrickson.

Written by Zach Dean, The Gorge follows two highly trained snipers (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) who guard separate watchtowers overlooking a vast gorge. But as the pair protect the world from the evil that lurks beneath, they start to form a romantic bond. Weaver plays a headstrong businesswoman who appoints Teller’s character to the tower.

For more on the movie, see our interviews with Weaver on admiring co-star Anya Taylor-Joy and hoping to see her in Avatar 3, and Derrickson on how video games inspired The Gorge.

The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best movies on Apple TV Plus, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

"That was actually one of the first things I said to the bosses. You can't do this show without Karen and Foggy. They're Matt's family. They're the heart of his world. You can't take them out without explaining why, and if that explanation doesn't ring true, don't take them out," he explained in a recent interview with Empire.

The show was originally planned almost like a reboot for Charlie Cox's blind vigilante, but Scardapane didn't want to leave the three seasons of Netflix's fan-favorite show entirely behind. "It was much less the world we knew, and more trying to blaze a new trail, but in doing so, they'd forgotten some things that really were necessary to the engine of the story," he said of the original plans for the show.

During the writers' strike in 2023, The Punisher showrunner and directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead overhauled the production, reinstating some key elements including Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll's characters.

"I was willing to lose a job over this one. Because season 3 of the Netflix show ended with a dream, with the names on that napkin. If you don't pay that off, you're not giving your characters context. You can't ignore that dream," he argued.

Daredevil season 3 ended with Matt, Foggy, and Karen in a bar planning to turn their firm into Nelson, Murdock & Page. It was the dream of three close friends that the MCU show will respect, while delivering an exciting new adventure now within the confines of the superhero franchise.

Daredevil: Born Again releases on March 4 in the US and March 5 in the UK. For more, check out our list of all upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.

According to Flix Patrol, The Åre Murders is Netflix's most-watched show worldwide today (February 11). The show is set in Sweden and follows two detectives investigating the murder of a teenage girl, and it's based on the novels of the same name by Viveca Sten. Carla Sehn and Kardo Razzazi star, and Joakim Eliasson and Alain Darborg direct.

The series seems to be flying under the radar entirely, with only two critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and fewer than 50 audience ratings. This could be Netflix's next major hidden gem, then.

The rest of the top 10 is made up of Cassandra, The Night Agent, Apple Cider Vinegar, Prison Cell 211, Wrong Side of the Tracks, The Recruit, Sakamoto Days, Sweet Magnolias, and Ghosts.

"I don't love acting, honestly, I'm not really psyched about this business, but season 3 I'm very excited about," The Night Agent star Gabriel Basso told us recently of the upcoming third season of the hit show. "I think the crew down in Istanbul were amazing. The stuff we were able to get on camera that was unplanned was nuts. I do some stunts in there that I can't believe Netflix signed off on."

2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for Netflix, with the likes of Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein (which recently screened a trailer behind closed doors), Knives Out 3, and a new Ben Affleck and Matt Damon project arriving on the movie side of things, with TV shows out this year including Squid Game season 3, Wednesday season 2, and Stranger Things season 5.

To fill out your watchlist, check out our guide to the best Netflix shows and the best Netflix movies to stream now.

"I love those games, and I do think that gaming has sort of set the bar for gunplay action, especially if you're really with a single character or two characters, you kind of can't beat it," says Derrickson to GamesRadar+ when we asked him if the movie emulating the aesthetic of games like Until Dawn and Silent Hill was intentional.

The Gorge follows two highly trained snipers (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) appointed to guard separate watchtowers overlooking a vast gorge. But when night falls, the shooters realize just what evil lurks beneath. Off the bat, the movie reminded us of shooter games like Overwatch, but when the secrets of the gorge below became apparent, the film sprung into action scenes reminiscent of dystopian games like The Last of Us or Silent Hill.

However, as much as he admires these games, Derrickson didn't want to create an all-action mission movie, so he decided to add a different element to give the film some heart: love. "I think that the challenge of the movie was not letting it fall into just the straight, chaotic stimulus of gaming-type action. The challenge was to have that kind of stimulus and power and really utilize that," explains the director, "But then to also really keep the romance alive."

Fans of The Black Phone and Sinister director may be surprised to see that The Gorge at its core is really a love story, that is, of course, mixed with the horror, action, and sci-fi genres. This makes The Gorge really one of the most original stories so far this year. At a time when the horror genre is being dominated by remakes, prequels, and sequels, Derrickson feels it is important that movies like this are made.

"I don't want to keep seeing the same movie getting made, you know, or versions of the same movies getting made," says Derrickson, who feels that making this movie for Apple TV Plus gave him more freedom to be different. "I think streaming is a place where you can really dare to be different because you don't have that box office pressure every on the opening weekend where people are going to decide whether or not your movie is a failure based on the box office return."

The movie is written by Zach Dean and also stars Sigourney Weaver. For more, see our interview with Weaver on admiring Taylor-Joy and hoping to see her in Avatar 3.

The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best movies on Apple TV Plus, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

Quan, who played Short Round in the Temple of Doom, revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he burst into tears before filming the film's iconic minecart sequence.

"When we shot this sequence, I was so scared," Quan said. "And I cried. I remember Harrison Ford kneeling down in front of me and asking me if I was okay."

"He said, and I'll never forget this, 'Ke, I want you to remember, I will never hurt you.' When he said that, oh my gosh, it just made me love him so much more. Here is Indiana Jones telling me that he's gonna take care of me."

After Quan's first role in the Temple of Doom, he then appeared the next year in The Goonies as Data. The actor then spent decades away from acting in Hollywood – including a stint as assistant fight choreographer on 2000's X-Men – before finding prominence and awards acclaim as part of the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Speaking to GamesRadar+ prior to the release of his new action comedy Love Hurts, Quan admitted that he would be open to reprising his role of O.B. in the MCU after first appearing as the TVA techie during Loki season 2.

"First of all, the answer to that is a resounding yes," Quan said. "I love O.B. I had such a fun time playing him, I loved him on the page, and when the show came out, he was so beloved – that was so gratifying. That entire experience, working with Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson, was amazing. I would love to see him do more, not only in the TVA but possibly in the main timeline…"

Harrison Ford, meanwhile, is set to join his former co-star at Marvel Studios, portraying Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross/Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World.

For more, check out our guide to upcoming movies. Then dive into the Marvel timeline for the MCU's story so far.

The movie, titled Dreadnought, is directed by Cary Murnion and Jonathan Milott, with a script from Joseph Greenberg.

Bautista will play a man named Max, who, according to the official synopsis, lost his wife in a devastating plague caused by aliens crash-landing on Earth. In the aftermath of the plague, the survivors coexist with the alien invaders. Max's daughter Greta, though, is dying from the illness, with an alien predator intent on taking her body after her death for a metamorphosis ritual. "The government sanctions it. Society accepts it. But Max refuses to have anything else taken from him," the synopsis reads.

John Wick producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are onboard Dreadnought as producers via Thunder Road, and Bautista is also among the producers via Dogbone Entertainment.

"Erica and I have been trying to make a movie with Jon and Cary since we saw Bushwick," Iwanyk said in a statement. "They're able to create incredible tension, mount some kick-ass action, and create a compelling world without breaking the bank. It's exactly the kind of filmmakers Thunder Road has succeeded with in the past."

Bautista is no stranger to the sci-fi genre, having had previous roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, the Dune movies, and more.

Dreadnought doesn't yet have a release date or any further casting details. While you wait, check out our guide to all of 2025's most exciting upcoming movies for everything the year has in store, as well as our guide to the year's movie release dates.

The series is one of the few that still airs weekly and doesn't drop all at once on streaming. As a result, it can be a little trickier to keep up to date with exactly when new episodes of the series arrive. Not only this, but there are also episode counts, time differences, and different streaming services to navigate. Well fear not, that's where we come in. We've compiled a complete guide to watching The White Lotus season 3 below. Happy vacationing!

The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 release date: What time is the new episode on Max?

The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 will be released on HBO streaming service Max on February 16 at 9pm ET / 6pm PT.

It will also be available at the same time in the UK on Sky and its streaming service NOW. Episode 1 arrives at 2am GMT on February 17.

The White Lotus season 3 release schedule: When are new episodes out?

The White Lotus season 3 airs every Sunday/Monday from mid-February to early April. Check out the full release schedule below.

• The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 – February 16/17
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 2 – February 23/24
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 3 – March 2/3
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 4 – March 9/10
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 5 – March 16/17
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 6 – March 23/24
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 7 – March 30/31
• The White Lotus season 3 episode 8 – April 6/7

How many episodes of The White Lotus season 3 are there?

There are 8 episodes in The White Lotus season 3. Each season the count has gone up, with season 1 only having 6 and season 2 only having 7. The more the merrier, we say.

Where can I watch The White Lotus season 3?

You'll need to be subscribed to Max in the US and NOW in the UK in order to be able to stream The White Lotus season 3. The new series also airs on HBO and Sky if you have a television subscription to either of those services.

For more, check out our guide to the best shows on Max and the best movies on Max to watch now.

The new look comes from a merchandise box for a Krypto action figure. A picture of the hero is shown at the corner of the box, where Corenswet’s Superman is seen flying upwards with his fist pointed out. Check out the image below.

New Promotional Image of David Corenswet's Superman from a Krypto Action Figure Cover from r/DC_Cinematic

It hasn't taken long for DC fans to take to Reddit to discuss Corenswet finally striking the iconic Superman pose. "Love the Reeve-style of flying!," said one fan, while others pointed out how the shot feels reminiscent of Brandon Routh’s hero in the 2006 movie Superman Returns

However, many Reddit users are questioning why Warner Bros. didn't use this shot in the first trailer. "This is literally what the other flying shot should have looked more like," said one fan, while another added, "Okay, now that’s more like it. I can’t help but feel the recent spot wouldn’t have gotten so much in the way of jokes had this been the posing, angle, and all that."

Of course, the fans are talking about the awkward restrained pose Superman was shown in recent Superman footage. As soon as the clip dropped, fans couldn't get over how strange Corenswet looked taking flight as the hero, with his arms held back as if he had been shot out of a cannon. This made a few fans a bit concerned, but with this new look, it seems like we have nothing to worry about.

Kickstarting the live-action side of James Gunn’s brand new DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, Superman stars Corenswet as The Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent AKA Superman, as the hero balances his Kryptonian and human heritage. The movie also stars Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.

Superman releases on July 11, 2025. While you wait, check out what other upcoming DC movies you have to look forward to.

The follow-up to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning sees Cruise's Ethan Hunt diving into the wreckage of the Sevastopol submarine. Something goes wrong during the mission, putting the hero in an impossible, life-threatening situation.

This subaquatic sequence, shot in an 8.5 million litre water tank on a rotating gimbal, is set to be one of the most impressive stunts in the movie. It required Cruise to wear a special suit and mask that he could only be in for 10 minutes at a time before suffering damaging consequences.

"I'm breathing in my own carbon dioxide. It builds up in the body and affects the muscles," the actor told Empire about the dangers behind the stunt, which could have led to him to suffer from an absence of oxygen in body tissue, a condition known as hypoxia.

"You have to overcome all of that while you're doing it, and be present," he added.

The film's director Christopher McQuarrie reflected on filming the sequence, saying it was "so challenging and so terrifying" for the team, but especially "really physically punishing" for Tom Cruise.

"He's in a rotating structure filled with debris, and you had to find a way to make that environment look as chaotic and unhinged as humanly possible, but in a way that you could repeat, and that Tom could navigate, and survive," McQuarrie explained.

As seen in the first trailers of the movie, the new Mission: Impossible movie is packed with death-defying stunts, which see Ethan Hunt hanging from a biplane and engaging in plenty of intense fights.

If this is his goodbye from the franchise, Tom Cruise is giving his all.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits cinemas on May 23, 2025. For more, check out our movie release dates calendar, and don't miss our ranking of the best Mission: Impossible movies.

According to a new report from TheWrap, the fifth Avengers movie will begin shooting this March in the UK. That's just a few weeks away, and just over a year from the movie's May 1, 2026 release date.

At the moment, it's unclear who will be appearing in Doomsday. All we know for sure is that Robert Downey Jr. will be returning, though as Doctor Doom rather than Iron Man. Chris Evans has shot down rumors that he'll be back as Steve Rogers, too.

"That's not true, though," Evans said. "This always happens. I mean, it happens every couple years – ever since Endgame. I've just stopped responding to it." He added: "Yeah, no – happily retired!"

Captain America: Brave New World star Anthony Mackie recently told us what he's excited to see in Avengers 5 and 6. "It's just exciting, the idea of seeing the new people, and hopefully the two worlds coming together and creating a super MCU," he said. "It's exciting. You see Deadpool and Wolverine, [and] it's like, 'Are they gonna be in it?' You know what I mean? Like, you see these movies [and you think], 'Who's gonna be in it, who's gonna do it.' I'm excited about that."

Avengers: Secret Wars will be arriving a year after Doomsday, landing on May 7, 2027. In the meantime, this year has Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, along with TV shows like Daredevil: Born Again.

You can keep up to date with everything the MCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows, or have a marathon with our rundown of how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

"We’re in the middle of filming it right now, we’ve been at it since November, and I can tell you that I thought season 1 was extraordinary, personally, I was very pleased with it," he told Deadline. "This blows it out of the water, what these writers have done and the artisans that have come together to tell this story. It’s really gonna be something. I can’t wait for people to see it. We’re working really hard to make that happen."

Goggins plays The Ghoul in the hit Prime Video adaptation of the beloved game, a former film star turned bounty hunter. He went on an incredible arc in season one, which ended with him teaming up with Lucy MacLean to continue searching for answers about what happened to his family.

Official plot details for season 2 haven't yet been announced, but some casting news has been confirmed. Macaulay Culkin has joined the show, as well as rumors that Kumail Nanjiani will star. Beyond that, executive producer Jonathan Nolan has teased it will be bigger and better.

"There are more monsters, more environments, more factions that we are currently designing and building right now to begin production quite soon," he told The Wrap in 2024. "So we’re really excited."

You can see Goggins next on screen in The White Lotus season 3, where he joins a star-studded cast including Aimee Lou Wood, Michelle Monaghan, and Jason Isaacs. For more of what to stream now, here are our guides to the best Amazon shows and the best Amazon movies.

"I am as hungry for it as you all are," Serkis said during a public appearance at Orlando's fan convention MegaCon last Sunday (via Youtube channel Love Our Life).

"He [Matt Reeves] told me the story of The Batman 2, and I was so excited for it", the actor told the fans, but he didn't reveal any more details about the movie, or when we can expect filming to start.

It's still a positive update, however, following the sequel's recent delays, which will lead to a five-year gap between The Batman and the release of The Batman 2.

In early January, director Matt Reeves addressed the situation, saying things are going to start moving forward soon. "I can tell you we're going to be shooting this year, and that we're excited about it. We’re doing something that absolutely continues where the story comes, but it's something that I hope people will be surprised by," he said.

Reeves also said the villain of the film, who hasn't been announced yet, will surprise fans. "The story is a continuation in a certain way and completely different in another. It's gonna show a different side to Rob[ert Pattinson]. I think it's going to be really cool," he added.

It's going to be a long wait for The Batman 2, but in the meantime we can also enjoy this DC universe through HBO's award-winning spin-off series The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell as the titular DC villain.

The Batman: Part 2 hits theaters on October 1, 2027. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else that's on the way.

In the new movie, there are several references to the ongoing show as well as some of the actors crossing over and voicing the roles. Therefore, it's a good idea to get up to speed with exactly when the story takes place before diving into the new release. That's where we come in. Below, we've outlined exactly when Sirens of the Deep takes place in a spoiler-free section, as well as taking a more spoiler-heavy look into how exactly the plot connects. Read on for our complete guide.

When does The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep take place on The Witcher timeline?

The new anime movie is set very specifically between episodes 5 and 6 of The Witcher season 1. If you need a quick recap, episode 5, 'Bottled Appetites', is when Geralt and Yennefer first meet over an ill-fated release of a Djinn. It's the moment that their paths become intertwined forever after Geralt's last wish is to have his fate bound to Yennefer's, saving her life. This happened in 1256.

Episode 6 skips forward in time to 1262 when Yennefer and Geralt meet again on a dragon hunt. 'Rare Species' sees them join with Jaskier, and a group of monster hunters to find a golden dragon. Geralt and Yennefer aren't quite on speaking terms at this point, but it's another pivotal moment in their relationship.

Based on the events in Sirens of the Deep, it likely takes place in 1261, just before Yennefer and Geralt meet again.

How is The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep connected to The Witcher? *SPOILERS*

Sirens of the Deep is canon to The Witcher live-action universe. Most of the cast crossover between the two, including Anya Chalotra returning as Yennefer and Joey Batey back as Jaskier. The only one who doesn't is Geralt, who was played by Henry Cavill in season one. Cavill announced his exit from the show after season 3, and Liam Hemsworth is due to play the role in The Witcher season 4. Given this film falls in the time between these, the Monster Hunter is played by game actor Doug Cockle instead.

The film also helps fill in some gaps in The Witcher timeline with several added scenes between Yennefer and Geralt, giving audiences a bit more insight into their characters, and how they develop in the years between episodes 5 and 6.

Right at the end of the movie, there's also a very specific callout to what happens in the next episode of the Netflix series. As Jaskier and Geralt decide where to head next, the bard is very clear that he wants to go somewhere that Yennefer is not. His idea? "The farthest corner of the Continent. No culture. No comforts. No reason for that spoiled witch to be there," he tells Geralt. "A place called Caingorn, in the dragon mountains." Welp, as we well know, that's exactly where Yennefer will be…

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is out on Netflix now. For more, check out our The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep review as well as our guide to the best Netflix shows to stream now.

Of course, the latest Geralt will be no stranger for fans of the franchise as iconic voice actor Doug Cockle takes on the mantle, after voicing the monster hunter in The Witcher games. And thankfully too, as his iconic take on the character helps carry this potentially confusing addition into a satisfying new Witcher adventure that harks back to the live-action series' heyday.

Set very specifically between episodes 5 and 6 of the main Netflix show's first season, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep tells a standalone, fantastical story that both enriches Geralt's character and would be a satisfying entry point for those unfamiliar with this golden-eyed monster hunter.

Part of your world

Based on Andrzej Sapkowski's short story 'A Little Sacrifice', the animated adventure film picks up with Geralt and his trusty companion Jaskier (voiced once again by Joey Batey) on a new mission. This time, they're hired to investigate a series of mysterious attacks in a seaside village. Naturally, it proves to be more than what the monster hunter bargained for as he's drawn into a centuries-old conflict between humans and merpeople that shows no sign of abating.

It's a great premise, and one that feels particularly suited to this mode of storytelling. South Korean animation studio, Studio Mir – who previously worked on The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf – has great fun depicting the underwater, fantastical world. The design of the merpeople is particularly beautiful, blending blue and purple tones to create something quite visually arresting.

This lean deeper into monsters and fantasy is something that the best episodes of the live-action series did too. Focusing on a small, contained story, rather than a heavy reliance on ongoing conflicts reminds me of some of its best episodes, like season 2's opener 'A Grain Of Truth' or season 1's 'Rare Species'. Yet, here there is even more time to delve deeper into both the story itself and the backstories of our beloved protagonists.

Character study

Jaskier in particular gets a lot more to tackle, and we find out some interesting details about his past. While we won't venture into spoilers, it's a real joy to learn more about him, especially because Batey and his musical character remain a real high point of Netflix's take on the world of The Witcher. Geralt too gets some growth with the memories of his relationship with Yennefer (voiced by the returning Anya Chalotra) plaguing his every decision. This is particularly interesting when brought into contrast by new love interest, Essi Daven.

Daven is a fascinating character, with links to Jaskier's past as well as being a refreshing new heroine in The Witcher franchise. Voice actor Christina Wren does bring warmth to the character, but sadly it's a performance weighed down by a distracting accent that makes it hard to follow her narrative at times. As the film progresses, it evens out a bit, but unfortunately a barrier remains for audiences to truly engage with her story.

It's not just Daven's accent which hampers the film either, but some of the action sequences don't flow as well as you would hope. While the animation is wonderful at capturing the unique world of The Witcher, it gets a bit clunky in fast-paced scenes which can't hold a candle to some of the incredible fight sequences of its live-action counterpart.

Full of potential

Yet, if you're able to look past these quibbles, there's a lot to like about The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. It remains an enjoyable watch throughout thanks to its pacy, well-woven storytelling that broadens the lives of familiar characters while exploring previously untouched areas of Sapkowski's world. Director Kang Hei Chul does a stellar job, and props go to writers Mike Ostrowski and Rae Benjamin who understand the delicate balance of a standalone tale that fits into an existing narrative.

All this is anchored by Cockle's impressive handling of Geralt, which will feel nostalgic for The Witcher 3 fans and will hopefully introduce a whole new audience to his deft genius at playing the monster hunter. Quintessentially, the animation feels like a breath of fresh air in The Witcher's increasingly controversial franchise – and it's enough to make you wonder that if while the future of The Witcher live-action may be limited, cut down from its original seven-season plan to just five, anime could be where it finds its future.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is out now on Netflix. For more on what to watch, check out our guides to the best Netflix movies and the 10 best fantasy movies on Netflix to stream now. If you're after more Witcher, here's our guide to The Witcher season 4.

The Ash clan, aka the Mangkwan, are set to make their first appearance, with Oona Chaplin's Varang as their leader.

"[The Mangkwan] had a natural disaster befall them, and that sort of helped shape their culture," production designer Dylan Cole told Empire. "So much of the world of Pandora is rich and vibrant and full of life - this is just the exact opposite. They used to live not too dissimilarly to the Omatikaya from Avatar 1." You can check out the photo below.

Cameron previously teased that we can expect Avatar 3 to show us "different cultures from those I have already shown. The fire will be represented by the 'Ash People.' I want to show the Na'vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides."

The cast includes Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Giovanni Ribisi, Edie Falco, and Jermaine Clement. David Thewlis has also joined the cast as a Na'vi character who will go on to appear in Avatar 4 and 5 - which have already been greenlit by Disney.

Avatar 3: Fire and Ash hits theaters on December 19, 2025. Avatar 4 is set to hit theaters in 2029 (if the world hasn't exploded by then). For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2025 and beyond, or, skip ahead to our complete list of movie release dates.

"[Your Friendly Neighborhood is] cool, but I do want to get the live-action out, too," Domingo said on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast. "Wouldn't that be kind of cool? I would love to tear that up on the big screen. But I'm having a good time, I love the animation. I love the idea of playing Norman Osborn and you'll see his evolution as the Green Goblin in the coming seasons."

The new animated series takes place in an alternate timeline where a young Peter Parker (Hudson Thames) is mentored by Domingo's Norman Osborn, rather than Tony Stark. Created by Jeff Trammell, the cast includes Kari Wahlgren as Aunt May, Grace Song as Nico Minoru, Peter's classmate and best friend, Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln / Tombstone, Zeno Robinson as Harry Osborn, and Hugh Dancy as Otto Octavius AKA Doc Ock.

Despite online debate, the new animated series is the 12th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – thus making it canon to the MCU, though it does not take place on Earth-616. The main MCU timeline does not have its own Norman Osborn or Green Goblin – which made it all the more special when Willem Dafoe reprised his role from the Sam Raimi, pre-MCU Spidey movies in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is streaming now on Disney Plus. For more, check out our Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man review or check out our Your Friendly Neighborhood release schedule to stay up to date with all-new episodes.

Does that sound dramatic? Well, it is. A multi-billion dollar franchise that has captivated millions of fans is on the brink of potential collapse in a way that it hasn’t been before. Sure, things took a turn for the mixed after Avengers: Endgame in 2019 with the reaction to the cluttered output of Marvel Studios TV and film in the subsequent years. But there were highlights as well as lowlights, leading to the turning point for the MCU: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a critically lambasted film that failed to capture the fanbase, led to revelations about Marvel’s overwork of VFX artists, and kicked off 2023, aka Marvel's no good, very bad year.

2024 was a relative pause for the studio, purposefully so from the brass at Disney, and it led to what seemed to be a return to form: Deadpool & Wolverine was an enormous box office hit beloved by fans, Echo generally surpassed the otherwise low expectations, Agatha All Along was popular enough to spur on talk about a potential second season, and What If…? was also there.

So heading into 2025, one might think the MCU is back on track… Right? Well, no. From the film to the TV output, there’s a sense of nervousness around nearly every project Marvel is releasing this year.

Thunderbolts* isn't the only title with an asterisk

That nervousness starts with Captain America: Brave New World, a project that spins out of the mixed reception to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (a show that, to be fair, was heavily impacted by COVID production).

Delayed nearly an entire year since its original release date, the movie has reportedly gone through multiple reshoots that added some actors (Giancarlo Esposito) and removed others (Seth Rollins). It's also spurred on a fair amount of controversy for initially casting Shira Haas as Israeli superhero Sabra, who has since been changed to a non-Israeli Black Widow. Add in that the movie is repurposing characters from 2008’s not-exactly beloved The Incredible Hulk and picking up plot elements from the outright maligned Eternals, and there are, to be kind, a lot of questions going into this Valentine's Day release.

The next two theatrical releases this year also have similar question marks. Thunderbolts*, an anti-hero team-up movie, has also gone through a fair amount of churn behind the scenes, with actors and even directors leaving the project. Heck, it even has an asterisk next to its name, a confusing promo move that Marvel’s Kevin Feige has said won’t be explained until the movie hits theaters.

And then there’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Not only does this movie have the responsibility of introducing Marvel’s first family into the MCU, a cast of characters that are likely crucial to the franchise's future, but this is the fourth time Marvel has tried to introduce the FF on screen. While assuredly every version of Fantastic Four on-screen has its fans from Roger Corman on, if this take doesn’t work not only will it capsize any sort of future for the team on screen, it could take the MCU with it.

Eyes on the small screen

Marvel TV, too, has an interesting year. Daredevil: Born Again is a highly anticipated reboot of the beloved Netflix series, but it is built on the bones of an MCU series that was stopped mid-production and entirely reassessed. The first trailer seemed to rest entirely on the idea of ultra-violence, something that may appeal to the hardcore Netflix crowd but could be an odd fit with the rest of the MCU.

Ironheart debuts later this year, after first being announced in 2020 and sitting on the shelf for several years, which is never a promising sign. And at the end of the year we’re getting a superhero parody, Wonder Man (announced in 2022), as well as two short-form animated series: Eyes of Wakanda (announced in 2023) and Marvel Zombies (announced in 2021).

While all of these shows have the chance of being creative high points, and/or pleasant surprises like Agatha All Along, with multiple projects left over from Disney’s original directive to flood the zone on Disney+, rather than their more recent “chill, dudes” directive, there’s a sense of worry around these series too. Not to mention that once again releasing multiple TV projects at the same time as multiple movies has the potential to wear out more casual fans who were, perhaps, refreshed by the restraint of 2024’s release schedule.

In the previous decade and a half, whenever there was a hiccup in the MCU (think Thor: The Dark World or Iron Man 2), there was always the next movie to pick up the slack. In 2025, the MCU is being afforded far less leeway by the fans, the general public, and critics. It’s entirely possible all of these TV shows and movies hit, and here’s hoping they do. But if this turns into a repeat of 2023, rather than the franchise rejuvenation Marvel and Disney are hoping for leading into the upcoming superhero mash-ups Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, we may be looking at those pair of high-budget blockbusters (which given the money and resources already invested will happen no matter what) as the MCU’s swan song.

Captain America: Brave New World is next on the agenda, hitting theaters this February 14. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store, or prepare for a marathon with our guide to watching the Marvel movies in order.

"Listen, after a while, when it was constantly in the press and places like Twitter, I was like: 'wait a minute, is this true? Am I being talked about for Kang?' So I literally called my team and asked: 'are you having conversations that I don't know anything about?' They were like, no," he recalled in a recent appearance in Josh Horowitz's podcast Happy Sad Confused.

"There had been conversations about me coming into Marvel in some way, so we did follow up with a sit-down meeting with the heads of Marvel. So I did do that. And we talked openly about the landscape of Marvel, and even the Kang rumors," Domingo explained.

Ultimately, replacing Majors as Kang was not in the cards for the Oscar-nominated actor.

"I'm just all about energy, and I just want to do things that makes sense and brings gentle energy. I want a role to be mine, whatever that role is, whatever I develop. Something doesn't feel right of me like: 'oh, would I replace someone?' No, I said: 'I want to build something from the ground up that's my own'.

"So I feel that was never a conversation from my point of view, you know what I mean? If I was discussed, I still don't know if I was discussed, but I just know that I would want to build something from the ground up," he said.

Domingo confirmed "there are still talks" with Marvel, so we might get to see him in an MCU movie soon.

For now, as he pointed out in the podcast, he is already part of the superhero franchise thanks to his voice acting in Disney Plus' animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The actor voices an alternate-universe version of iconic villain Norman Osborn.

"I'm having a great time. I love the animation. I love the idea of playing Norman Osborn. You'll see his evolution to the Green Goblin in coming seasons, which will be very cool," he told Josh Horowitz.

Still, Colman Doming wants to switch to live action as soon as there is an opportunity for him: "It's cool [Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man], but I do want to get the live action out there. Wouldn't that be cool?".

For more, check out our list of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows you should know about.

"The details in this trilogy never cease to amaze me: there's a quarry next to Isildur statue in the Argonath!" said one fan on Reddit, accompanied by a picture of the quarry besides the statue.

lotr from r/lotr/comments/1ij71dr/the_details_in_this_trilogy_never_cease_to_amaze

"Yes, and those parts of the statues that are above the height of the cliff-face were visibly made with bricks," points out someone else.

"Just shows the amount of thought, love, and imagination that so many people put into these films. I hope we get to see their like again some day" says another fan.

"Wēta Workshops world building is unmatched," says someone else.

"The concept behind them is that they're carved out of the cliff faces of the river, but we theorized that probably there wasn't the necessary rock to be able to carve the whole figure," explained Richard Taylor, Weta Workshop Creative Supervisor, in a behind the scenes featurette for the movie.

"So what we're saying is that they were able to carve to about this level [below the arm], but then had to construct this massive quarry to mine the rock, lifting with massive gantries and lifting equipment, up onto the upper surfaces of these huge, 300 foot tall sculptures, to place and place these huge granite blocks into which they could continue to carve and create the final look of the characters," he continued.

You can return to Middle-earth with The Rings of Power season 3, which will be headed to Prime Video sometime soon – though there's no release window just yet.

In the meantime, check out our guide to the best shows on Prime Video to fill out your watchlist.

Just like with every season, there's a new cast of characters to meet and much – much – drama unfurls. But the question is – how does The White Lotus season 3 compare to the previous two chapters?

For star Natasha Rothwell, who returns as spa manager Belinda reprising her role from season 1, showrunner Mike White has seriously upped the stakes. As the actor tell us, this is made clear from the very first minute, with an intense opening scene that had the star shook, even though she knew exactly what was coming.

As Rothwell tells GamesRadar+: "It's bigger, bolder, better. You watch and you are like, 'I don't know if he can outdo what he's done'. Then you saw the pilot and from the opening shot, it's unreal. I knew what was going to happen and my jaw was on the floor. I think he has upped the artistry and timeline. It's really beautiful."

Having skipped season 2, for this third instalment Belinda is on an exchange programme at the Thailand resort, staying there for three months to learn new things she can bring back to Maui.

Rothwell admits that she never expected to get a call to return, telling us that it was a "huge surprise". Continuing, the star reveals that she is grateful she has been there since day one, meaning that she has been able to experience The White Lotus as it grew from an idea to a huge HBO hit.

She concludes: "I didn't audition for it. It was just this new show from Mike White, and I love him, so I took the meeting. At the end, he was like 'I see you as Belinda' and I was like, 'What is that?'. He sent me the scripts and I'm so glad I entered this world then, when it was just beginning and there's no pressure. You know, the pressure that it like needs to be The White Lotus (echo, echo, echo). I'm so honored to be a part of it and so grateful. It's changed my life in so many ways."

The White Lotus season 3 begins on Max on February 16 in the US and February 17 in the UK on Sky. For more, check out our guides to the best HBO shows and the best HBO movies.

All eyes then were on the casting announcements for The White Lotus season 3, with fans getting excited by the news that the likes of Fallout's Walton Goggins, Harry Potter's Jason Isaacs, and Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood were joining the show.

As ever it's an impressive ensemble, but one name in particular is drawing curiosity – Lalisa Manobal. For those unfamiliar, Manobal is better known as 'Lisa' and is a huge K-pop star, mainly thanks to being a member of beloved girl group Blackpink. In The White Lotus season 3, the Thai singer makes her acting debut, portraying Mook, a health mentor for the guests staying at the Thailand resort.

Ever since the announcement fans have been desperate to know more about what they can expect from Lisa's performance, which according to co-star Michelle Monaghan, who plays a guest named Jaclyn, is something very special.

As Monaghan tells GamesRadar+ in an interview: "She's incredible. She's such a talented performer. You know, she can sing, she can dance, but she's wonderful in the show. Her fans are gonna like, lose their minds, they're gonna be so excited. But on top of that, she's just one of the sweetest persons you've ever met. I mean, she's really lovely."

The star continues, saying that it's brilliant representation for Lisa's home country of Thailand too: "And how exciting for Thailand. It's so exciting for Thailand to have her represent their beautiful country. I know this is really special for them."

The White Lotus season 3 begins on Max on February 16 in the US and February 17 in the UK on Sky. For more, check out our guides to the best HBO shows and the best HBO movies.

It's no secret that Marvel has been floundering ever since Avengers: Endgame, and the debate over superhero fatigue has only become even more intense in its wake. High profile flops like Ant-Man: Quantumania and The Marvels seemed to cement that audiences were growing tired of watching spandex-clad heroes save the day, instead craving something different.

And then, last year's release Deadpool and Wolverine seemed to finally break the mold, grossing over $1 billion at the box office and proving a success with critics to boot.

This year, it looks like Thunderbolts* is primed to be something of a successor to the R-rated hit. For one thing, both movies take on a more irreverent and self-deprecating tone. Most importantly, though, they're also focused on more unconventional 'heroes,' who aren't really heroes at all – but Thunderbolts* is going bigger with a whole team of them.

The Thunderbolts* line-up is an eclectic mix of characters, featuring some former antagonists like Ghost and Taskmaster, along with anti-heroes like Yelena Belova and Bucky Barnes. Bringing a bit of grit to the MCU is very welcome indeed, and it allows for something genuinely fresh. This isn't yet another superhero team-up – and with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars on the way, we surely have enough of those in the pipeline after The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Instead, it's an oddball crew with plenty of potential.

Yelena stole the show when she was introduced in 2021's Black Widow, and Red Guardian provided tons of laughs. John Walker has a real, terrifying dark side too, while Taskmaster has her tragic past, Ghost her intriguing powers, and Bucky his own complicated history (and dry sense of humor). Marvel has dabbled in misfit team-ups before with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, but this group of characters are far more morally gray than the Guardians ever were. None of the Thunderbolts are straightforward 'good guys,' but they're not villains, either, and that's what makes them – and the movie – so interesting.

It looks like the eccentric team will be going up against a real threat in Sentry, too, who is seen vaporizing people fleeing in terror in the new trailer. If Lewis Pullman is indeed the one playing the character, then that's another intriguing twist, since his character 'Bob' is also seen hanging out with the team.

First Family

Now, don't get me wrong. The Fantastic Four: First Steps has plenty of potential to be a standout superhero movie too. But I was slightly let down by the movie's first trailer, which borrowed the '60s aesthetic of WandaVision without really showcasing what makes this film so special. When the trailer finished, I found myself thinking "this looks like any other Marvel movie," which really wasn't the reaction I was hoping for after the promise of the illustrated first look.

Thunderbolts*, meanwhile, really does look like something new for the MCU. "It’s not a straightforward Marvel movie as you’ve seen in the past,” John Walker actor Wyatt Russell has teased before (via The Hollywood Reporter). "I think that it's gonna be a lot of fun but I think it will be something that hopefully Marvel fans will look at and go, ‘Oh OK, this is a little different, let’s go hard at it.'"

I'm not writing off Fantastic Four just yet, of course. It certainly does have a lot of potential with its retro-futuristic setting and family dynamics. But so far, what I've seen of Thunderbolts* is far more exciting, because it really seems to be throwing out Marvel's tried and tested playbook for a tale that focuses on the MCU's shades of gray, rather than its shining heroes.

Time will tell if I'm right and Thunderbolts* turns out to be the more interesting of the two Marvel movies. It's undeniable that there's a lot riding on both their shoulders – along with February's Captain America: Brave New World – and 2025 is something of a make or break year not just for the MCU, but for DC, too, with the much-anticipated release of Superman.

It really feels like this year will reveal the fate of superhero movies going forwards – and it's one of either continuing diminishing returns, or a revitalized future with an enthusiastic audience. Here's hoping the Thunderbolts really can save the day.

Thunderbolts* arrives on May 2, while The Fantastic Four: First Steps lands on July 25. Next up for Marvel, though, is Captain America: Brave New World, which releases this February 14.

In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store.

That’s right, the Christmas-themed slasher is about to claim yet another holiday. As confirmed on Twitter, Terrifier 3 is coming to Screambox on February 14. Not only this, but the streamer has celebrated the news by sharing a Valentine's Day-themed Terrifier 3 poster with Art the Clown swapping out his Christmas tree-shaped sunglasses for love heart frames. Check it out below.

The news comes just four months after Damien Leone’s threequel dominated the October box office last year. The threequel stirred up a whopping $89.9 million worldwide against its $2 million budget. This is quite a feat for a franchise that has very humble beginnings, with the first Terrifier movie costing just $35,000 to make.

The third movie shakes up Art’s usual storyline of terrorizing Miles County on Halloween Night, as he did in the first two movies, and sees the serial killer come alive at Christmas time. The threequel follows final girl Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and her brother Jonathan (Elliot Fullam) as they try and rebuild their lives after Art murdered everyone they love, but that doesn't last too long as the clown (David Howard Thornton) is soon resurrected once again.

But the story isn't over as Terrifier 4 is officially in the works. The fourth movie will include Art the Clown’s long-awaited origin story and will mark the beginning of the end for the franchise. However, before the release of Terrifier 3, Leone told GamesRadar+ that it may take more than one movie to finish the Terrifier story, but he already knows how it's going to end.

Terrifier 3 hits Screambox on February 14, but before you tune in, make sure to read our Terrifier 3 review. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

Reuniting with Nolan after Inception, Cotillard played Wayne Enterprises' CEO Miranda Tate in the sequel to The Dark Knight, released in 2012. Spoiler alert, her character starts as an ally to Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne, but she is later revealed to be Talia al Ghul, an accomplice of Tom Hardy's masked villain Bane.

After trying to kill Batman and destroy Gotham, Cotillard's character dies in a crash. Her death scene sees the French actress delivering a monologue in an awkward position from the truck that’s just crashed. "My father's work is done," she whispers in her last breath. However, the emotional impact of the scene, fans point out, is ruined by the oddness of Cotillard's performance.

The actress agrees. "I didn't nail that scene," she said when a fan asked her about the scene in French TV show Les rencontres du Papotin (via Reddit).

"I couldn't find the right position, I couldn't find the right way... I was stressed. Sometimes it happens, we screw something up. And this, I screwed up", she added.

As a recurrent debate among The Dark Knight fans since the movie was released, this is not the first time Cotillard talks about it. Back in 2016, she addressed the scene in an interview with Allociné.

"Sometimes there are failures, and when you see this on screen, you're thinking: 'Why? Why did they keep that take?' But either you blame everyone or nobody. But I thought people overreacted, because it was tough to be identified just with this scene. When I'm doing the best I can to find the authenticity in every character that I'm playing, it's tough to be known just for this scene".

For more, check out our list of upcoming movies in 2025.

The clip shows Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner fixing his infamous hair, captioned "the only bowl I need."

"Yes! I love that you're leaning into his haircut," says one fan, while another says: "Guy Gardner fixing his bowl cut stylishly is exploding on the timeline, I prayed for times like this as a DC fan"

But not everyone is so positive. "Bro did they rlly only drop one Krypto promo vid and a goddamn Guy Gardner TikTok for this Puppy Bowl? Where is the new clip" says another person.

"I really hate this character design. I don't care that it's comic accurate," says someone else.

"Not having a Super Bowl TV Spot for a Superman movie is kind of insane. Don't agree with it tbh," is another person's verdict.

We'll just have to be a little more patient for our next look at the tentpole DC movie, which is arriving as part of Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.

David Correnswet stars as Superman, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Along with Fillion, the rest of the cast includes Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Milly Alcock as Supergirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.

Superman arrives on July 11. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows for everything else the DCU has in store.

"The main difference is that it's a high school coming of age movie, in the same way that the original movie was a middle school coming of age movie, but those are two very different sorts of things," says Derrickson to GamesRadar+. "You know, a high school coming-of-age movie demands more. It has to be more visceral. It has to be, I think, more graphic, scarier."

The Black Phone follows a 13-year-old boy named Finley who is kidnapped by a masked assailant and held in a soundproof basement. The movie scared audiences silly with Ethan Hawke’s chilling performance as child killer The Grabber, so much so, the figure has since earned a spot at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights. With that, it will be interesting to see how Derrickson makes the sequel even "scarier."

According to the director, that's all down to Finley's maturity. "I think that the change that occurs in human beings between middle school and high school, that's some of the biggest change you go through in your life," Derrickson tells us. "And so to be able to revisit these characters who've really developed as people in the four years between the movies was also very interesting to me."

However, as scary as the sequel may be, the difference in Finley’s age will also add another factor to the story: love. "[Romance] has a place, even in the movie I just shot, The Black Phone 2, I just finished production on that," explains Derrickson. "I think that I'm interested in it because I think the two most powerful feelings that we have in our lives are love and fear."

The director explores romance even further in his upcoming movie The Gorge starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller as two trained snipers appointed to guard watchtowers over a large gorge. But as the two are kept apart by the vast valley beneath them, they must work together to protect the world from the evil that lies below. The genre-bending horror slash romance slash action movie also stars Sigourney Weaver.

The Black Phone 2 has now wrapped filming and finished production, as confirmed by Derrickson, who adds, "I think we shot something very unique." However, Blumhouse has yet to release an official synopsis of the movie. It looks like the bulk of the main cast is returning too, including Hawke as The Grabber – which will certainly be interesting as he seemingly died in the last movie.

The Gorge is released on February 14, 2025 on Apple TV Plus and The Black Phone 2 hits theaters on October 17, 2025, just in time for Halloween! For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

Despite her prominent position in the poster and being named in the trailer, Taskmaster actually barely appears in the latest clip. It's a pattern too that we've seen in earlier teasers as well, leaving fans all but convinced the character doesn't last long in the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.

Posting on Reddit, one user wrote, "Either Taskmaster dies early, or she’s going to be so different that they aren’t showing her. I’m hoping for the latter but expecting the former." A second agreed, adding: "Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I've been hoping this is where they'll fix her personality but I'm losing faith with how little she's in the trailer."

A third even speculated on how it might happen, adding: "My bet is on Taskmaster being the one The Void kills to prove his power. Which is a shame. Really had high hopes of her coming back." Another agrees, citing two possibilities, "I wonder if they are hiding her arc for some reason or they really have her as the character to be sacrificed early on to level set Sentry/Void."

Olga Kurylenko's Antonia Dreykov first appeared in Black Widow as an antagonist, controlled by her father Dreykov to work for the Red Room. However, Natasha Romanoff freed her in that movie, bringing her to the side of the light. Fans had been hoping that Thunderbolts* may feature more character development and give the Quantum of Solace star more of a role.

Thunderbolts* follows a group of misfits brought together in lieu of the Avengers to fight a new threat. Recruited by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the team features Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, David Harbour's Alexei Shostakov, Wyatt Russell's John Walker, and Hannah John-Kamen's Ava Starr. Meanwhile, Lewis Pullman plays Sentry, who has been all but confirmed as the bad guy in the latest trailer.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2. For more, check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as all you need to know about watching the Marvel movies in order.

"I was sitting there smiling, going: Look at you. On the day you didn't get a nomination for an Oscar, you're working on Othello on Broadway. Are you kidding me?", he said in a recent interview with The New York Times. The actor is playing the lead in a new production of Othello that goes into previews on February 24, with Jake Gyllenhaal co-starring as Iago.

"'Awww. Oh, I'm so upset'. Listen, I've been around too long. I'm getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that's exciting," he added.

The supporting actors nominated for this year's Academy Awards are Yura Borisov for Anora, Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain, Edward Norton for A Complete Unknown, Guy Pearce for The Brutalist, and Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice.

Washington was also surprisingly snubbed for this year's BAFTAs, but he did received nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, and the Satellite Awards.

Ridley Scott's sequel to Gladiator, which follows Lucius' story decades after Maximus' death, received mixed reviews when it was released last November. However, critics agreed that Denzel Washington stole every scene he was in. The movie also starred Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger, as well as Connie Nielsen reprising her role of Lucilla from the first movie.

During the press tour for the movie, Washington revealed he has a list of projects he will be working on in the next few years before he retires from acting. The list includes roles in Ryan Coogler's Black Panther 3, Spike Lee’s High N Low, Antoine Fuqua’s Hannibal, a Steve McQueen movie, and an Othello adaptation.

For more, check out our list of upcoming movies in 2025.

Fresh off the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer earlier this week, Marvel has also unveiled a new look at Thunderbolts*.

We've seen a couple of first looks at the Marvel Phase 5 movie already, but this one is the most action-packed yet. The trailer, released at the 2025 Super Bowl, can be watched above - and it looks like the MCU's most beloved antiheroes are stepping in for the Avengers.

In the brief clip, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine tells a courtroom that the Avengers "aren't coming" and that it's up to the Thunderbolts, consisting of a plethora of MCU antiheroes who have definitely committed some war crimes, to save the world. "None of us can fly," Yelena says. "So we all just punch and shoot?"

The emotional trailer sees the team become discouraged by their pasts, only to be reassured that they do have some goodness in them - and that they are, in fact, the right people for the job - which seems to be defeating the mysterious Sentry. There's plenty of ass-kicking action, explosions, car flips - and there's still an asterisk next to the film's title for some reason. 

The premise sees a team brought together by Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for a special government mission. Alongside Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova and Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes, the movie also brings back David Harbour's Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell's John Walker, Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman's Bob (or Sentry if we're being honest), and Hannah John-Kamen's Ava Starr.

Star Stan has been vocal about how great he thinks Pugh is in the movie, which she previously told GamesRadar+ she was very flattered by. "I was very, very chuffed that he said that about me," she told us at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. "Also, it's so kind when people that you look up to and respect and love working with say wonderful things about you because it just makes you fill yourself with confidence and makes you feel that the thing you appreciate is also appreciating you and it's a lovely feeling. And he's been in the MCU for such a long time so to hear that from him is very special."

Thunderbolts* is due to hit theaters on May 2, just a few months after Captain America: Brave New World. They're not the only upcoming superhero movies either as The Fantastic Four: First Steps then arrives in July.

For more on the MCU, check out guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, our breakdown of the Marvel timeline, and all the details about how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Everything you were, everything you've done, has come to this. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. See you at the movies May 23, 2025. pic.twitter.com/KDt7LbOdTCFebruary 9, 2025

The new trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is here and, forget the Super Bowl, the real action can be found in what's shaping up to be Ethan Hunt's final Mission.

In the brief trailer, which can be viewed above, Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt embarks on what appears to be his final mission - complete with explosions, underwater stunts, and a scene where Cruise does that famous drop-down move from the first movie. "Everything you are, everything you've done, has come to this," the voice-over says. We also see Cruise very impressively hang off a biplane that's speeding through the air. Needless to say, the stakes are high and the stunts are more dangerous than ever.

Even the air of finality surrounding The Final Reckoning hasn't slowed the action franchise or Cruise down, however.

"We had a small screening and someone said, 'I was suffocating throughout the entire sequence. I almost had a heart attack.' And I thought, 'I guess we did something right," director Christopher McQuarrie told Empire of an unnamed sequence.

Meanwhile, the Final Reckoning's callback to Mission: Impossible 3 might elicit shock of a very different kind, one that could majorly hint at how the curtain-closer acts as a love letter to the series' past. In the first Final Reckoning trailer, a canister that appears to contain the Rabbit's Foot MacGuffin from the J.J. Abrams-directed threequel can be glimpsed.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, stars Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Vanessa Kirby, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Pom Klementieff. It's set to hit cinemas on May 23, 2025.

For more, check out the upcoming movies headed your way very soon. Then your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to dive into our ranking of the best Mission: Impossible movies.

After seeing the silhouette of the Devourer of Worlds and The Thing looking heartbroken about his rocky new look, one shot saw the titular team standing together on a TV show set with arrows from every direction pointed at them. This band of heroes wasn't the first to walk on such a stage, though, as it's a direct homage to The Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show back in 1965, only four years after the Fantastic Four's comic book debut.

It's a fitting wink to an equally iconic group who appeared in Marvel comics themselves. Besides getting their own comic book in 1978, The Beatles had plenty of run-ins with the Fantastic Four over the years. Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross' Marvels comic run saw Ben Grimm/The Thing and Johnny Storm/The Human Torch stop a robbery and cross paths with the band. Also, a group resembling The Beatles attended the wedding of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman. Well, it might've been them, as it was also revealed in later years that The Beatles in Earth-616 were hijacked by Skrulls, who continued the band's career while concealing their alien identities. Imagine.

There is no confirmation on whether The Beatles will appear in the upcoming film because while it might look like a familiar era, it's potentially not the dimension we know. As already spotted in the trailer in a blink-or-you-'ll-miss-it moment, Pedro Pascal's Reed is hard at work on a portal system that could bridge the gap between this future retro-looking world and the one with angry red presidents and wall-crawling menaces. We'll see how he makes it over when Fantastic Four: First Steps storms into theatres on July 25. Before that, check out the 12 easter eggs we spotted in the latest preview here.

Speaking to Deadline about the upcoming film, Brosnahan assures that there's no better time than now for the Man of Tomorrow to make his return today. “We’re living in a moment of so much turmoil, both here, abroad,” explained the former star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. “There’s a lot of challenges for everybody in all different pockets of the world right now. And for a lot of the complaints that people have sometimes about superhero movies, at their core, they’re about the goodness of people and how good we can be to each other, how the pursuit of truth and justice really are the American way, and that courage and hope can carry us through."

So far, what's been left on show has given fans very little to complain about (excluding that viral clip of Supes flying that even Gunn himself had to address). Corenswet's Kal-El looks to be tapping into the classic iteration of the hero that the former Guardians of the Galaxy director revealed will bring a balance of the Silver Age comic book style for modern-age storytelling. Meanwhile, Brosnahan assured, "It’s a hopeful superhero movie, which I feel like is so true to the comics. So, I’m excited for audiences to see it and hopefully have some fun and enjoy the ride with us.”

But of course, just like Corenswet will be following in the superpowered footsteps of stars like Henry Cavill, Brandon Routh, and the legendary Christopher Reeve from director Richard Donner's iconic iteration, his co-star will have the same issue following the legendary Lois' that came before her. “I mean, I grew up loving the Donner Superman movies, the Chris Reeve Superman movies, Margot Kidder. I mean, she’s just a dream. So, I was definitely intimidated to step into this role but excited to pick up the mantle."

We'll see how Brosnahan handles staying in her Lane when Superman flies into theatres on July 11. For everything else DC-related, be sure to check out our guide of movies and shows from that universe here.

While attending the Critics Choice Awards this weekend, Marks explained to Deadline where he and the team are in the creative process, and it all sounds incredibly promising. “We’re coming out of the writers room now. We’re also done with the 10 episodes, and we have our finale now. That’s allowing us to start figuring out how we’re going to shoot this. But we’re very excited about the plan,” Marks revealed. “I think the thing to take away, more than anything, is how, I hope people are going to be surprised with some of the big ideas as soon as the first episode of part two. So, we’ll start there and see where it takes us for future stories. But we’re really excited about it, especially for [Hiroyuki Sanada].”

Speaking of Lord Toranaga himself, Sanada – who walked away with Best Actor in a Drama Series at the event – revealed what was on his wishlist for his character and the show that will be getting a second and third season. “In Season 1, [Toranaga] didn’t become a Shōgun yet. So, I’d like to see him become the leader of Japan. That is my hope.”

Who might help or hinder his character from getting there has yet to be confirmed, but Sanada gave a brief rundown on who will be getting an audience with Lord Toranaga. “We are aiming for the fall of this year, and the writers’ room is working so hard now. We’re going to have half [of the Season 1] cast remaining, and then half new cast coming," Sanada told Variety. "We are finding the best crew for next season now, so I’m excited.” He's not the only one.

If you missed Shōgun last year, find out why it made our list of the 25 best TV shows here, along with some fantastic gems to binge-watch as well.

J.K. Simmons, who voices tortured Viltrumite Nolan Grayson, aka Omni-Man, let slip to Collider that work on season 4 for Invincible is in its early stages already. "Yeah, we actually have dipped our toes. Or at least I have into the next season," confessed Simmons. "And I'm looking forward to... I don't know when in the next coming months, but looking forward to getting back in the studio again."

The uninitiated might wonder just how much Simmons' stoic heel-turning hero will be involved in the next season of Invincible, given his current predicament of being held captive in a Viltrumite prison in season 3 of Invincible. Since season 2, he's been left to stew over his past deeds alongside Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen), making for more television gold that Simmons admits he has enjoyed bringing to life.

"Well, it's unexpected, I hope. And I'm always loath to even get close to any spoilers, but I loved the whole season, the whole third season, and, exploring the relationship between Omni-Man and Allen the Alien that, you know, based on the first two seasons, you know, there was a continuing surprise to me." Together, the two are proving to be the buddy story some fans might not have anticipated, but it sounds like Simmons is having a ball recording. "And also getting to play scenes with Seth Rogen was, you know, even though we were never in the room at the same time, I did get to respond to what Seth had already laid down a few times."

You can see how this loveable pair continues to get on as Invincible continues on Thursdays on Prime Video. Also, to get an idea of what's in store, check out what creator Robert Kirkman had to say about characters returning to Invincible season 3 here.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Mackie revealed his math behind keeping the mantle of the shield-chucking hero and believes a decade would just about do it. "The 10 years start on the 14th. That's it. After the 14th I got a 10-year run. I'm not trying to be a 60-year-old Captain America. That'll hurt."

Mackie, 46, officially assumed the role of Captain in the finale of Falcon and the Winter Soldier after Steve handed Sam the shield at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Even then, he was unsure what to make of it, initially predicting that Sam wouldn't make it out of Marvel's massive comic book movie alive.

The new chapter of Sam's career as the star-spangled hero will see him unravel a conspiracy that involves a decorated war hero and the newly appointed president, Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross (Harrison Ford). That's not the only threat he'll be facing, either. Joining in on the action is Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder, along with Tim Blake Nelson, who will be reprising his role as Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, after we last saw him in The Incredible Hulk back in 2008.

With such a huge hit list to tackle during his first filmic mission as Cap, Mackie was still enthusiastic about his alter-ego's ability to do this all day, just like his predecessor—most specifically, on the big screen, as opposed to the small. "I think there's something in the idea of Captain America being, people love the nature of these movies, the attitude, the realness, the groundedness of these movies," explained Mackie. "It just works in a cinematic base that I think movies, Captain America deserves to be on the big screen because people love Captain America and that's where they want to see him."

Captain America: Brave New World touches down in theatres on February 14. For every other upcoming MCU chapter, check out our guide to every upcoming Marvel movie and TV show here.

Following another successful and explosive second season, the streaming service revealed on Twitter that season 3 is in production and will have our top agent, Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), once again sprinting down well-lit streets and telling whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the passenger's seat of whatever car he's in to "hang on."

The footage, shot in Istanbul, shows Basso prepping for fight scenes and a chase sequence that we can guarantee will leave his ride with a few scuff marks and probably a dented wing mirror. This secret snippet also comes after Basso told Games Radar+ in an exclusive interview that the first episode had already been shot and that it housed what he deemed "the strongest opening of all seasons."

Understandably, though, that's all the information we're getting regarding Sutherland's next operation. When we last left him, Peter was tasked with a mission by his handler, Catherine Weaver (Amanda Warren), that was so secret, so hush-hush, that there aren't records of it in the Night Action program. In fact, we're expecting red dots to appear on our screens any time now just by typing this.

But while Peter might be off the radar, one person that's off his is his former love interest, Rose (Luciane Buchanan), who decided to call it day in regards to their relationship. For all we know, that chapter is seemingly closed in Sutherland's story (we hope not), and that's exactly how Basso likes it.

"What I love about this show is that it never ends on a cliffhanger that is expecting you to come back. It closes the storylines introduced in that season then at the very end, introduces a new question. But it's not a leave you hanging note, you don't feel like things weren't resolved. I feel really good about where season 2 ends and how season 3 picks up, Shawn [Ryan, showrunner] and the writers pay it off well." To get the full debrief on how season 2 ended, head to our ending explained here.

Starring Anthony Mackie as a delivery guy driving across a scorched USA with all manner of crazed characters on the road, Jason Mantzoukas appeared in the first season to wreck his route a little, playing Preacher. Unfortunately, as revealed by Mantzoukas while attending the Invincible Season 3 premiere (via Collider), schedule issues stopped him from hitting the road again.

"I'm not. And there's no reason, there's no juice to that, it's just that I wasn't able to do it," explained Mantzoukas. "But I know the show is going to be dynamite because I know a bunch of people on it, and I was heartbroken that I couldn't go because they very much wanted me to, and I very much wanted to do it, but it just didn't work out schedule-wise, so I got to know a lot of what is coming, and I think that's going to be nuts."

In addition to Anthony Mackie returning, season 2 will also feature Stephanie Beatriz reprising her role as Quiet and Will Arnett voicing Sweet Tooth, the unhinged clown who will be physically portrayed on screen by WWE star Samoa Joe.

Joining them for the ride this time will also be the new addition of Barry and Superman star Anthony Carrigan as Calypso. He'll bring more rage to the road as the iconic video game character and villain at the head of the death races the franchise is known for but was absent in the first season. For those looking for bigger screen takes on beloved video game titles, load up our list of every upcoming video game movie you need to know about here.

Caught by a fan on Twitter, Eggers teased, "It's a medieval werewolf movie. It's also the darkest thing I've ever written, by far." Considering this is coming from the man who turned Bill Skarsgård into a character that could give Pennywise a run for his money, we're unsure if we even want to believe him.

It's proving challenging to sniff many details out regarding Werwulf. What's known so far is that it's set in the 16th century and, according to Eggers' go-to cinematographer, Jarin Blaschke, will create a style for the creature that has never been caught on film. "I can’t tell you a thing," promised Blaschke. "But it’s something that’s not been done before that I’m aware of or not done in this way. So [we’re] just going to test it and see if it works."

Regarding the script, Eggers has also enlisted the talents of the Icelandic poet Sjón, who co-wrote his chilling Viking epic, The Northman. It's not the only project they are working on together, as it was recently announced that Eggers is heading into the more family-friendly territory of a long-awaited sequel to Labyrinth. We can only hope both will presumably star Willem Dafoe, but only one might have him dancing to David Bowie's Magic Dance, which sounds so good it's scary. Alternatively, you can get lost in our great pitch for a dark Labyrinth sequel here.

“My thoughts were that it’s fucking bullshit,” the actor told MovieWeb, backing the film that the rest of the world will never see. “It is such a delightful movie. It deserves so much better than it got. I can’t tell you possibly why the decision was made to not release it. But it makes my blood boil.”

In the film, Forte plays a down-on-his-luck human attorney who partners up with Wile E. Coyote for a lawsuit of the century. Tired of ACME products failing to do their job in capturing his longtime target, the Road Runner, Wile E. attempts to file a case against the mega corporation for all his years of trauma and presumably the bulk buying of sandwich board signs that have "HELP!" on them. The film also starred John Cena and Lana Condor.

Pleased to hear that the world hadn't forgotten about this now archived animation, Forte said, “Thank you for asking me about it because I like talking about the movie because I don’t want people to forget what [Warner Bros.] did to this,” The whole experience certainly sounds like a bittersweet one that he's still understandably sore over. “I appreciate them letting us make it, but don’t let us make this thing that we fall in love with and then not show it. I would understand if the thing sucked, but it’s really good. Maybe, somehow, we get to see it at some point. I hope people do. I was really proud of it.”

Coyote vs. Acme wasn't the only film to sink to the depths of the Warner Bros. water tower. Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, which promised some festive frights, also got tucked away, all in a business deal Forte confesses isn't his territory.

“Look, when it comes to Hollywood business stuff, I don’t know shit about shit. Even when a movie tests very well (like ours), there’s no guarantee that it’s gonna be a hit,” he added. “And at the end of the day, the people who paid for this movie can obviously do whatever they want with it. It doesn’t mean I have to like it (I fucking hate it). Or agree with it. And it doesn’t mean that this movie is anything less than magnificent.” We believe you, Forte. It's just a shame that your poor Coyote pal's run of bad luck didn't stop with his very own film. Meep-meep. As for films that are coming out this year, check out our guide for every major film coming out in cinemas and on streaming services in 2025 here.

Speaking to TCM’s Dave Karger about his career and the films, both past and present, that have inspired him, Scorsese discussed his love for horror. Karger asked the Goodfellas director if he had seen Eggers' latest vampire flick, echoing much of what critics and audiences have already said about the movie. "It’s amazing. Anything this guy does, amazing. And that's one [film] you don’t do much after seeing. You’re still in the world. You’re in Transylvania, and it’s really, [laughs] whoa. Man, he’s something."

Over the past few years, Scorsese has been quick to back the genre that he's never really spent much time in. Films like Cape Fear, Bringing Out the Dead, and Shutter Island have all had thin strands of horror running through their veins, but it seems he prefers to let others scare folks in the theater aisles. One notable fright fest that caught his attention in the last decade was Hereditary, which Scorsese described in a Q&A back in 2019 as "Disturbing, there's no doubt, it's a horror film in that way. But it's more than that. It reminds me of the best of horror films."

Hopefully, after Eggers' encounter with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), Scorsese will be first in line to see the Nosferatu director's next horror film, Werwulf. Set in the 16th century, the film promises to be another pulse-pounding take on a classic monster, which Eggers' go-to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke has described as something "that’s not been done before." Well, maybe. But we might wait for Scorsese to verify that, seeing as he's watched just about everything. Speaking of the man himself, check out our ranking of the 10 best Scorsese movies here. Yeah, we're talking to you.

"I entertain myself a lot and then I end up telling [the cast] about this stuff and they all just sit there and go, okay. But I'm like, did you guys see that?" Mouser tells GamesRadar+. "I feel like the most fan theories that came out were when we were doing the season four tournament. There were a lot of theories to like what people, who people thought was gonna win, who was fighting for what dojo to what degree. And I think the most fun part for sure is when they get it almost right. When they get it almost right. They do it a lot with Tory's dad."

In the series, which takes place in the Karate Kid universe, Mouser plays Sam LaRusso, the daughter of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his wife Amanda (Courtney Henggeler). List plays Tory, who, follows a similar arc to Johnny Lawrence and becomes corrupted by Kreese - the sensei who negatively influences and effectively traumatizes Johnny in The Karate Kid 2. It's ultimately Terry Silver, the antagonist of The Karate Kid 3 who also becomes a sensei at Cobra Kai, who makes Tory feel used and unintentionally pushes her to leave the dojo and join Miyagi-Do with Sam.

"Yeah, they pranked me on set," List reveals. "Thomas, who plays Terry Silver, he told me, oh yeah, 'They're writing it that I'm your father [in season four]. And so I believed him for pretty much that whole season. I thought that was really farfetched, but Thomas Ian Griffith is] so believable when he commits to a bit - he’s so genuine."

Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 hits Netflix on February 13. For more, check out our lists of the best Netflix shows and the best Netflix movies to stream right now.

Enter Marshall, an eccentric and (one might argue) genius that's discovered a mushroom that can heal basically everything. The problem is that everyone else – DEA agents, pharmaceutical companies, global conglomerates, and even rival scientists – seem to be invested in him not actually sharing that discovery with the world.

Common cause

"Like everybody in the world, or at least the United States, we've had encounters with the healthcare system and insurance," says Hely when asked by GamesRadar+ about the genesis of the series, "and it's like going up against a gigantic sci-fi tentacle monster that's hard to deal with and hard to get to the humanity of, but even that system is made up of people that are motivated by their little problems and struggles."

"Little problems" here might be relative given that Marshall and Frances, an old high school lab partner he runs into who ends up helping out, that just so happens to be the assistant to a big pharma CEO, also have to deal with a goodly amount of trained killers that aren't afraid to maim and murder. If you've seen Scavengers Reign, which Bennett also co-created, start at that level and tone it down just a couple of pegs and you'll have a good idea of the amount of body horror and gore to expect.

It's not all horrible and dark, mind. Common Side Effects can often be extremely funny, sometimes while also being horribly dark but not always. The DEA agents like to lip sync and dance, a pharma CEO referred to as "the devil's idiot butler" obsessed with an exploitative mobile game, Marshall is often paranoid for good reason but sometimes he can freak out over nothing to comedic effect, and there's a shot that lingers on a man playing a fishing game in VR that very much does not look like he's playing a fishing game in VR.

"Even the people that are like masters of the universe are often like goofballs," says Hely, "and they have to eat and shit the way everybody else does, and they often have strange little quirks and bizarre interests. From the President on down, you're seeing people who are just odd, weird, sometimes funny, sometimes a little scary, but human, and we try to put that into all of our characters."

But even beyond the creators' control, there's an inherent darkness to this all thanks to the simple fact that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered on December 4, 2024. Common Side Effects, which again deals with the healthcare industry and all of its inherent evils, started airing on February 2, 2025.

"They did move around the show a little bit," says Hely when asked if there was a possibility the whole thing got canned in the wake of Thompson's death, "and there was a press release that was going to come out on the day of the shooting [...] and so they actually pushed the press release, but that led it to go to a week later, when it was in the news again because they'd arrested the alleged shooter."

"It definitely seems like we're plugged into some themes, and we're hitting a nerve, and tying into an electrical streak in the culture," continues Hely. "But I think that just came out of us being interested in things that are bothering a lot of people, and questions that a lot of people have about how we have this weird healthcare system, why we spend so much money on it, and yet we seem to be sicker than ever. What the possibilities are to find a healthier way to live. All that is stuff a lot of people are thinking about."

"In addition to that, I would say that we've been working on this project for five to six years," adds Bennett, "and I would say that just making adult animation and trying to make a serialized story always feels like a risk, and so there's always concern that we're going to get canned for that reason alone."

"Credit to Adult Swim for taking a chance on something that's a little electric," Hely concludes.

Common Side Effects airs on Adult Swim every Sunday with episodes streaming on Max the following Monday. If you're already watching, there's probably another show you'd like in our ranking of the best shows to watch on Max right now.

"I didn't even realize that it was gonna be like, it was being scrutinized until people saw it and they were like, 'Oh my God, I thought it was gonna be trash' ," DeCenzo tells GamesRadar+. "It's like, oh, glad it wasn't. I would've been way more scared going into the first season if I knew, but we passed the trash barrier. We did it. We're not trash. Are you proud now, Mom? "

The series, which picks up some 40 years after the first Karate Kid film, sees longtime rivals Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) start dojos of their own and train a new generation of martial artists. DeCenzo plays Demetri Alexopoulos, tech genius and best friend of nerd-turned-bully-turned-hero Eli 'Hawk' Moskowitz (Jacob Bertrand). Mouser plays Sam LaRusso, Daniel's daughter.

The 2010 Karate Kid reboot starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan received mixed reviews, and was the last entry in the franchise before Cobra Kai popped up as a YouTube RED series in 2018. Netflix quickly scooped up the show and turned it into one of the streaming giant's biggest hits. Since its inception, the series has included countless cameos from actors from and has made sure to stay true to the initial Karate Kid trilogy.

"I definitely feel like the franchise, as a whole, has been completely behind us. It's true, though. I don't think we were ever in a negative position in which people voiced to us that they thought wished us bad or wished us ill or thought it was going to blow up in our faces," Mouser explains. "But I have loved that since we've kind of gotten to prove our medal, we've never lost that core fan base. We've gotten to grow and bring people to the original franchise. I'm a fan girl myself for a lot of different things and have been a part of fandoms where people aren't that welcoming of new fans where they're like, 'No, you weren't here for day one,' or, 'You don't know the hardships as a fan of blah blah blah.' Right? We don't have that, which has been wonderful because it means that we've gotten to have like just open arms from us to the fandom as it grows and from the fandom to us, which I'm really grateful for."

Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 hits Netflix on February 13. For more, check out our lists of the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix shows to stream right now.

"Anya Taylor-Joy needs no tips for me to play anything," Weaver tells GamesRadar+. "Drasa, as played by Anya is particularly unique. And she just goes for it. She just plays the hell out of it, and has, I think, great fun doing it."

Weaver adds that Taylor-Joy’s highly skilled and fearless Lithuanian sniper character "is really a badass." So much so, that she reminds her of a strong Na’vi woman from James Cameron’s Avatar franchise. "I hope Jim sees The Gorge because I think he'll appreciate the character of Drasa a lot," says Weaver. "You know, he's been so ahead of his time creating these amazing characters like Neytiri. I think Drasa is very much in that tradition."

Weaver starred as Kiri in Avatar and Avatar: The Way of the Water, and looks to be returning for further movies in the franchise too including Avatar 3. Who knows, maybe Taylor-Joy could be the next star to join Cameron’s hit fantasy franchise. She is most definitely capable enough, and no one knows that more than Weaver who adds, "I've admired her work since I saw her in The Witch and then in Queens Gambit. I think there's really nothing she can do."

Starring Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, the Gorge follows two highly-trained operatives appointed to guard opposite watchtowers overlooking a misty and mysterious gorge. But as the pair protect the world from the evil that lurks beneath, the two start to form a bond. The genre-bending horror slash sci-fi slash romance movie co-stars Weaver as a no-nonsense woman in charge of sending snipers to the gorge.

The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best movies on Apple TV Plus, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.

"Throughout the Cobra Kai series, there have been those mentor moments, those parenting moments. So paying the legacy forward is kind of part of what Daniel LaRusso does now as an adult and will do in the Karate Kid Legends film when that comes out, the end of May," Macchio tells GamesRadar+. "Really excited about that other chapter within the grand universe of sharing stories. But for Cobra Kai, where my focus is now, it was about landing that plane in that, you know, big, winning way and I'm super proud of that."

The series, which takes place some 40 years later after the first Karate Kid film, hit YouTube Red in 2018 before getting picked up by Netflix and turned into one of the streaming giant's biggest hits. Macchio reprises his role as Daniel LaRusso, one of pop culture's most beloved underdogs, with William Zabka returning as bully-turned-hero Johnny Lawrence. In the show, the two decades-long enemies run two competing karate dojos - and are training the next generation of teen competitors.

The last five episodes of Cobra Kai are set to air mid-February, putting an end to Daniel and Johnny's six-season adventure. A new Karate Kid movie, however, is set to arrive this May - which sees Daniel living in Okinawa some three years after the events of Cobra Kai.

In the new movie, Daniel once again takes on the role of sensei, this time joining Jackie Chan - who reprises his role from the Jaden Smith-starring Karate Kid reboot - in training the next karate kid (Ben Wang, who was cast via a worldwide talent search). In a way, Macchio is stepping into the shoes of Mr. Miyagi, played by the late Pat Morita, who Macchio says would've been immensely proud of Cobra Kai and where the franchise is today.

"I think he would've been first in line with and bought popcorn for everybody. I really do. His character - it's always been super important to me that it was woven into the Cobra Kai series. That was day one when this was pitched to me. I said, I need that to not be forgotten because without that, none of this exists, meaning that character of Miyagi and that performance by him. So I enjoy honoring those who are no longer with us that helped, create this franchise."

Continues Macchio: "And I feel, I guess I would say a responsibility, but I take pride in making sure, or at least letting my voice be heard, of the importance of that in honor of them. I'd like to believe he'd be proud of me for that part."

Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 hits Netflix on February 13. Karate Kid Legends hits theaters on May 30. For more, check out our lists of the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix shows to stream right now.

"I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie," Weaver tells GamesRadar+. "And he's a little badass too. It's going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he's grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series."

As Weaver did not appear in The Mandalorian series, we still don't know for sure who her character is, although it has been reported that Weaver is playing a New Republic Colonel Bishop in the film. When asked for more on her mysterious role, Weaver replies, "I play a wonderful character who is, you know, in a position of authority. And I have to send the Mandalorian out on a mission on the Outer Rim where all the bad stuff happens."

With so much experience working on big sci-fi franchises like Alien and Avatar, it is surprising that Weaver didn't join the galaxy far, far away sooner. "I admire [Star Wars], but I don't sit around wishing I was in another franchise, because I've been so lucky to be in some wonderful ones," Weaver adds. "But at the time, when I was offered it, I was delighted. I'm a great fan of John Favreau. I was already a great fan of The Mandalorian."

Directed and written by Jon Favreau, the movie welcomes back Pedro Pascal as bounty hunter Din Djarin who embarks on an exciting new adventure with his apprentice Grogu. The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theatres on May 2026.

But before Weaver makes her big Star Wars debut, the Ghostbusters actor stars in Scott Derrickson’s genre-bending horror slash romance movie The Gorge. The movie follows two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) as they are appointed to guard opposite watchtowers overlooking a misty and mysterious gorge, "protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within," reads the synopsis from Apple TV Plus.

The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies, or keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.

"Due to overwhelming demand, Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK screenings in the US & Canada have been EXTENDED! More chances to experience the epic conclusion on the big screen – don't miss out!" reads a post on Attack on Titan's Twitter account.

It was announced back in December that the movie would be getting a wide theatrical release in multiple territories, including the US, UK, and other European countries like France and Spain.

The Last Attack debuted in Japan on November 8, while the original two episodes that make up the finale were released back in 2023. But, the movie is slightly different, with a new post-credits scene and updated visuals.

"After venturing beyond the walls and separated from his comrades, Eren finds himself inspired by this new truth and plots the 'Rumbling,' a terrifying plan to eradicate every living thing in the world," reads the movie's synopsis. "With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, a motley crew of Eren's former comrades and enemies scramble to halt his deadly mission. The only question is, can they stop him?"

The Last Attack is released in the US on February 10 and in the UK on February 26.

If you're in the mood for a marathon, you can check out our guide on how to watch Attack on Titan in order. Or, to fill out your watchlist, see our guide to the best anime or the most exciting upcoming anime.

Abbott plays Michael, a sheep farmer who leads a lonely life in rural Ireland with only his ailing, ageing father and the burden of responsibility for a tragic accident that happened two decades prior for company. His quiet life is suddenly disrupted, however, by a minor dispute over land access with neighboring farmer Gary (Paul Ready) and his son Jack (Keoghan) that quickly snowballs out of everyone's control.

The film is the debut feature from writer-director Christopher Andrews, who Abbott praises for "taking this, on paper, very small world and small story, but adding these bigger allegories and terrible themes to it."

"To me, the movie is almost biblical," he continues. "It's like the Parable for the Good Shepherd, and I personally feel that it's strangely almost like a mafia movie. With sheep." The title of the movie refers to the "bringing down" of livestock from higher ground to lower pastures, but also plays into the reactive nature of the two farmers' feud.

The sheep in the film provide plenty of opportunity for metaphor, and Abbot expands on the New Testament comparisons: he thinks "the idea of the shepherd leaving one away from his flock, going to get the one sheep that he left behind, but then leaving the rest" can also be applied to the family dynamics in the film. "There's a lot to play with there."

As for the mafia parallels, there may not be any organized crime in Bring Them Down, but there's plenty of violence in the film against both man and beast that's presented in a frighteningly casual and matter-of-fact way. Combined with an oppressive, seemingly inevitable expectation of masculinity that weighs heavily on both Michael and Jack from the patriarchal figures in their lives, the comparison isn't actually that left field.

It's not just the movie's themes but its form, too, as Abbott thinks the film's structure – which abruptly and unexpectedly switches its narrative POV from Michael to Jack halfway through the runtime – is also reminiscent of a mob flick. "You're following this one character and you learn just enough about what's going on to have a fair amount of questions, and then it switches," he explains. "And then some of those [questions] get answered, until this sort of final crescendo. I really liked it. I thought it was exciting."

There's no clear hero or villain in the movie and no apparent winner or loser as the altercation between Michael and Jack plays out, and the futility of the situation plays into the tragedy of the film. "It's not an obvious thing why the characters are pitted against each other. It just sort of happens," Abbott explains. "I love in movies where a small event changes the course of a character's life, and the reason why Michael is pitted against Barry's character is sort of silly.

"It's really just a series of misunderstandings and mistakes [then] all of a sudden this mayhem starts happening. If they'd just gotten together and chatted for an hour about everything, probably a lot of things could get resolved, but it doesn't. But that's the drama of it. They're enemies, but neither of the characters even knows why, and that's what's interesting."

Bring Them Down is out now in UK cinemas and US theaters. For more on what to watch, check out the rest of our Big Screen Spotlight series.