Out of the many Ridley Scott historical pictures, Kingdom of Heaven is one of the most underrated. Despite a stacked cast including Orlando Bloom and Eva Green, it is somehow rarely in the conversation.

At the height of Bloom’s popularity in the mid-aughts, he was the focal point of a film that delved into the brutal realities of the Crusades. He plays the character of Balian, a blacksmith who reluctantly joins the fight in Jerusalem. By putting the protagonist in the Christian camp of armies waging war against Muslims, the film could have easily subjected to anti-Islamic rhetoric. Instead, Ridley’s vision handles the subject matter with grace, showing the Christian defeat at the hands of the Muslims, Saladin’s (Ghassan Massoud) fascinating characteristics, and painting the Knights Templar in a gruesome light.

Though Kingdom of Heaven is admittedly heavily fictionalized, it is based on historical figures of the time. Notably, the ruling class of King Baldwin (Edward Norton) and his sister Sibylla (Green), with whom Balian becomes close. Balian’s romance with Sibylla should be taken with a grain of salt, but King Baldwin’s portrayal lies closer to reality, down to his real-life ailment.

What was King Baldwin’s disease in Kingdom of Heaven?

King Baldwin of Jerusalem ruled from 1174 to 1185 and was generally considered a kind and fair king. The terrible irony was that his reign was littered with war, infighting, and disease. These events are depicted in Kingdom of Heaven when Balian first arrives in Jerusalem. He is taken by Sibylla, but notices that her brother is never without his ornate mask. Baldwin’s mask was in place to obscure his diagnosis of leprosy. A common ailment at the time, Baldwin would get sicker and sicker throughout his reign as his body rotted away. 

Baldwin’s disease was the cause of much of the unrest within the kingdom. His leprosy was well known throughout his court and threw doubt on his succession. Baldwin had not married due to his ailment and, therefore, never provided any heirs. At the time, women could ascend the throne, so long as they were married. Sibylla would be the prime candidate for his successor. Her claim was strong because she had a son who would continue the family line. But because of the uncertainty, others found an opportunity to disrupt this reign. Sibylla’s husband Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas), who was a Templar Knight, was particularly interested in gaining power for himself.

Ultimately, Sibylla’s young son, Baldwin V, succeeded his uncle after Baldwin IV died from his illness. The reign ultimately did not matter in the end, however. Saladin’s defeat of the Christian ruling class made the Leper King’s activities during this time a moot point. All of these events and more fictionalized ones are depicted in Scott’s epic historical film. There is no evidence to suggest that the real king wore such a mask, though he did suffer from the disease depicted.

As always, Scott proves to be a filmmaker with a specific vision and dedication to his craft. He implemented the mask as a source of fiction, which ultimately inspired a subdued and moving performance from Norton. The film would go on to be appreciated due to the Director’s Cut, viewed as the definitive version of the film.

Five years on to the month since Avengers: Endgame cemented the MCU‘s status as the biggest movie franchise of all time, the world of Marvel Studios finds itself in much different health. While Endgame brought home $3 billion worldwide, its most recent production The Marvels could barely scrape together $200 million at the box office. Clearly, something needs to be done.

Disney chief Bob Iger thinks he knows what that something is. As per the company’s quarterly earnings call (via Variety), Iger decreed that Marvel is “slowly going to decrease volume” over the next couple of years and he’s working to have the studio release “two TV series a year instead of what had become four” and “reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three.”

To recap, it looks like we’re heading for two movies and TV series a year. And, as you would expect, the fandom is reacting entirely calmly and is in total agreement about this. As Cyclops would say… NOT! On the one hand, many are firmly of the belief this is a cap Marvel should’ve had in place since the start of the Multiverse Saga, clearly feeling that the splurge of content we’ve had since 2021 is to blame for the steady decline in audience interest.

Others, meanwhile, are taking a more Magneto-like extremist viewpoint and think Iger should limit Marvel to a single movie a year!

Of course, not everyone’s going to love the idea of less MCU content. So some believe that Iger should really be focusing on quality, not quantity.

Elsewhere, we have those who haven’t kept up with the MCU at all and are stunned that four productions per calendar year is considered a strict limit. Oh honey, wait ’til you find out we had four movies and five TV shows in 2021!

Is Marvel Ant-Manning the MCU the right thing to do?

Naturally, every fan has their own opinion on the MCU’s shrinking strategy, but is it really a good thing or not? First of all, I think we have to accept that, at this point, quality is almost a non-factor. As everyone found out when they belatedly caught it on streaming, The Marvels is a completely solid slice of superhero entertainment and far from deserving of its status as Marvel’s lowest-grossing film. Clearly, audiences had just reached a zenith of exhaustion with the franchise by last November.

A long break has certainly helped, as all the signs are pointing to Deadpool & Wolverine winning a lot of drifted viewers back into the fold. That certainly suggests that “less is more” for the MCU, meaning the Iger Cap — not to be confused with the Feige Cap, which the Marvel prez wears on his head at all times — is surely a good thing.

That said, all those fans noting how this should’ve been in play all along are making a vital point. It is possible that, outside of “special” releases like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Deadpool & Wolverine, the audience just isn’t interested anymore. To test that theory, we’ll really have to see how more regular MCU fare like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts perform in 2025. If they sink in a similar fashion to The Marvels, it might be time for Marvel to admit that viewers are just bored of the whole “shared universe” model altogether.

Who knows, maybe Ant-Manning the MCU will turn out to be a good thing. Or maybe, the franchise is just like the giant Paul Rudd skull in Deadpool 3; no amount of cuts can make a difference because the scythe has already been swung.

We have our new Fantastic Four, there’s no doubt about that, but what there is doubt about is how much Marvel is actually going to use the superhero quartet we thought were going to be all over the MCU following their introduction in July 2025’s The Fantastic Four.

Don’t take it as a sure thing just yet, but rumors — which gel with everything else we’ve heard about the film’s storyline, to be fair — are claiming that Avengers 5 (aka The Film Formerly Known as The Kang Dynasty) will not feature any of the fabulous foursome. That’s right: Don’t expect to see Pedro Pascal (Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Queen (Human Torch), or Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Thing) team up with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the big Marvel event.

If you ask us, that’s a huge waste of potential given that Avengers 5 must match up to the cross-the-streams extravaganza that was Avengers: Infinity War. But, OK, we get it, Pedro and pals are very busy people. Thankfully, there’s a little thing called the multiverse at play, which could allow Marvel to introduce a whole other variant team of Fantastic Four heroes across both Avengers 5 and Secret Wars.

John Krasinski has already turned up as Earth-838’s Reed Richards, so we know it can be done. In that vein, why couldn’t varying squadrons of Marvel’s First Family assemble before the Avengers meet the actual motley crew? Let’s keep the fancast-to-reality trend going and bring in all the Fantastic Four possibilities as the Multiverse Saga builds to its (hopefully) stunning climax. Kevin Feige, if you’re looking for ideas, here are some free of charge — excepting a six-figure consultant’s fee, but we’ll discuss that later.

The Driver team

Remember when we were all convinced that Adam Driver was going to be the MCU’s Reed Richards? That was wild. Well, it can still conceivably be made canon thanks to the multiverse. If we were to build a variant team around him, Adria Arjona would make a great Sue. She reliably gives her all to every project she’s in (see Andor) and she truly deserves another crack at the Marvel whip after Morbius. Meanwhile, Jay Lycurgo has already stormed the DC multiverse thanks to Titans and The Batman, so ticking the MCU off his to-do list as Johnny Storm only makes sense. Last but not least… Jack Black as the Thing. I mean, that says it all, right? The defense rests.

The Badgley team

Want another walk down memory lane? Forget Driver ⏤ at one point, the whole internet was certain that Penn Badgley, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, and Jason Segel had been officially cast as the Four, with Badgley and Comer as Reed and Sue, Keery as Johnny, and Segel as Ben Grimm. They did make for an intriguing ensemble, so it would be rather fun to see them suit up for a brief cameo in Secret Wars. Comer already has previous practice doing this in Disney movies after her Rise of Skywalker role. That said, it might be creepy to see Comer and Keery play siblings after being love interests in Free Guy.

The fans’ dream team

Fans have been salty about how John Krasinski‘s Reed was treated ever since Wanda turned him into spaghetti in Doctor Strange 2. Similarly, it was also a bit of a bummer that Marvel didn’t complete the dream team by having him share the screen with IRL wife Emily Blunt as Sue. There’s still time to put this right, though, before the Multiverse Saga calls it quits. As for who could be their cohorts, John Boyega was always a popular choice for Johnny, and Disney still owes him for doing Finn dirty. And Alan Ritchson would be a perfect Thing, assuming James Gunn doesn’t hoover him up as Batman first.

The near-misses team

If Secret Wars really does become a way for Marvel to apologize to all the actors it’s failed to cast over the years, then this lineup would make a lot of sense for a variant Fantastic Four. Jamie Dornan is the kind of actor whose name gets thrown around for various superhero roles, but he’s never taken one to date. Amanda Seyfried was almost Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy. Zac Efron was everyone’s top pick for Adam Warlock, and Seth Rogen feels like a Marvel cameo waiting to happen. So make it happen, Marvel!

The so-wild-it-just-might-work team

The exhilarating thing about the concept of Marvel introducing another Fantastic Four team for a scene in Secret Wars is that they can make some bizarre, yet winning, actor pairings. So how about Jason Sudeikis as Mr. F, Kevin Hart as The Thing, the internet’s boyfriend Jacob Elordi as Human Torch, and Ryan Reynolds’ other half Blake Lively as Sue. And, yes, in this imaginary scenario, Deadpool would get to meet this Sue variant and probably have a crush on her. It’s the Green Lantern reunion we’ve all been waiting for. You’re welcome.

The curveball team

On a similar theme, Marvel could ignore all your fan casts and hire whoever they like to play the FF for five seconds of screentime and watch everyone’s jaws drop. John Cho could be a brilliant yet completely unexpected Mr. Fantastic and Jessica Chastain definitely deserves another shot at a Marvel role after Dark Phoenix let her down. Liam Hemsworth is long overdue for a spot in the MCU after losing Thor to his brother and Peacemaker has proven that John Cena is a better actor than we realized.

The refreshing team

In a similar vein, it would be really refreshing to have a Fantastic Four made up of these four actors. Despite Marvel’s increasing interest in diversifying its cache of characters, the studio still went with a fully Caucasian cast for the FF reboot. It could always put that right by having a variant team made up of people of color ⏤ like, say, Dev Patel, Constance Wu, and Terry Crews, all of whom would be amazing additions to the franchise. And John David Washington would just be keeping things in the family after his dad becomes Kang (we can dream, can’t we?)

The internet-breaking team

The ultimate aim with any cameo in a Marvel movie is to grab our attention, right? In this case, Marvel should absolutely find a spot for these guys in Avengers 5 and 6, as social media might just spontaneously combust if it does. Imagine Bridgerton heartthrob Regé-Jean Page turning up as one of the Council of Reeds? Or X-Men alum Jennifer Lawrence randomly returning to the Marvel multiverse as Sue? Meanwhile, Outer Banks fave Rudy Pankow has a lot of feral supporters while the hilarity of casting the actual Rock Dwayne Johnson as the rock-based the Thing speaks for itself.

To be clear, The Fantastic Four cast we do have is terrific, but there’s no harm in kicking up a storm by multiplying their number a few times, is there? It’s not called the Multiverse Saga for nothing, after all!

It’s about time that Ryan Gosling starred in an action comedy. Not that he hasn’t before, but we’re hoping he does it again, and this time with SNL star Mikey Day along for the ride.

Day showed up in support of Gosling at the Fall Guy premiere as part of a stunt (yes, that is a pun), and after Gosling walked the carpet as himself in a mint-green suit, he returned with Day, dressed up as live-action versions of Beavis and Butt-Head.

If you missed out on Gosling’s recent SNL hosting gig, then this likely feels like it’s coming out of left field. On the April 13 broadcast of the show, Gosling and Day dressed up as the characters for a sketch starring Heidi Gardner and Kenan Thompson as a news anchor and a professor specializing in AI, respectively. The two attempted to have a serious discussion about the perils of unregulated AI, but were distracted by Gosling and Day, who were unaware of how much they resembled Beavis and Butt-Head. Trust me, it’s more fun to watch it than to read about it, especially if you love when cast members break character on SNL.

If there was any red carpet on which to dress up as Beavis, the premiere for a comedic film is probably your best bet ⏤ and The Fall Guy, starring Gosling alongside Emily Blunt, looks like a great watch. Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a professional stunt performer for action films who quits the business after a near-fatal accident. When he finds out his ex-girlfriend (Blunt) is directing her first film, he returns to the field to help save her movie, their relationship, and potentially, the world.

David Lietch, known for films like John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw, directed the film, and with those other movies under his belt, I’m hopeful that this one cements Gosling as the action star he should be. Not that he needs it; one look at his filmography shows that Gosling has picked his share of great roles over the years. But if there’s any actor who can pull off basically every movie genre known to man, my bet’s on Gosling.

You can watch Gosling in The Fall Guy, playing in theaters May 3. Sadly, I don’t think you’ll see Beavis or Butt-Head ⏤ or anyone who resembles them ⏤ in the film. But if we get our way, both will be headed to the big screen at some point very soon.

Disney dropped the first trailer for the new The Lion King prequel about the origin story of Simba’s father, Mufasa.

As seen in the teaser, Mufasa is in the same CGI style as the 2019 remake, and features many of the same cast members. It will also feature music by award-winning writer Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The stacked cast of veteran actors also includes some brand new cast and characters. Here is a complete list of who we know will be returning for Mufasa: The Lion King.

Aaron Pierre

Foe and Brother actor Aarin Pierre will follow in the footsteps of James Earl Jones and play the young version of Simba’s father and titular character Mufasa. James Earl Jones is the only actor to ever take on the role of Mufasa, and it’s certainly an iconic one. A fresh, young voice is an exciting addition to Jones’s classic character.

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Though many details of the movie are still under wraps, it does seem like it will delve into the relationship between Mufasa and his brother, Scar. Kelvin Harrison, Jr., who is known for Waves and Gully, will take on the complicated position of Taka, later Scar in this new adaptation.

Donald Glover

Donald Glover took on the role of older Simba from Matthew Broderick in the 2019 remake and will reprise it for Mufasa: The Lion King. The Community star and rapper delivered his interpretation of the character and with an all-new script and perspective, fans are excited to see what he does with the beloved character this time.

Billy Eichner

Billy Eichner of Billy on the Street, Parks and Recreation, and Bros will also be reprising his role as Timon from the 2019 film. He’ll play the bossy but loveable meerkat once again, although because the movie seems to be taking place in a past timeline, it’ll be interesting to see how Timon is incorporated into the film.

John Kani

John Kani followed in the footsteps of Robert Guillaume in 2019 when he took on the role of Rafiki in The Lion King remake. Now, he’s back. Also known for Black Panther and The Ghost and the Darkness, the actor’s iconic voice will be heard once again in the 2024 prequel.

Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelson is set to voice the character Kiros, who is described as a “formidable lion with big plans for his pride” by Variety. Since the producers and cast haven’t given very much away when it comes to the plot of the film, Mikkelson’s character remains very much a mystery. But knowing the Hannibal star, it’s sure to be memorable.

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton, known for Westworld and The Pursuit of Happyness will join the ensemble as Scar AKA Taka’s mother, Eshe. This new prequel seems to be introducing several parents that created the heroes and villains we have begun to know and love, and it will be interesting to see how their dynamics come about.

Seth Rogen

You can’t have Timone without Pumbaa, so obviously Seth Rogen will be returning as the very loveable and very hungry warthog. Maybe if more nothing more than comic relief, it really wouldn’t be a Lion King movie without this iconic duo, and Rogan and Eichner are well equipped to handle it.

Tiffany Boone

Simba’s mother, Sarabi, who was played by Alfre Woodard in 2019 and Madge Sinclair in 1994, is getting a fresh, young voice. Tiffany Boone of The Chi, The Midnight Sky, and Nine Perfect Strangers are next in line to play the matriarch of Pride Rock. Since the movie takes place as Mufasa grows up, he and Sarabi may just get a love story of their own.

Kagiso Lediga

South African comedian, actor, writer, and director Kagiso Lediga will voice Young Rafiki, following in the footsteps of Robert Guillaume and John Kani. It’s hard to imagine the wise, seemingly centuries-old monkey as young, but Lediga is sure to put a fun and surprising rendition of the new facets of the character.

Lennie James

Mufasa: The Lion King will introduce the parents of Scar and Mufasa, starting with Scar’s Father, Obasi. The Walking Dead star Lennie James will take over the position of raising one of Disney’s most infamous villains.

Anika Noni Rose

Mufasa’s mother, Afia, is played by Anika Noni Rose. You may recognize her voice from her iconic role as Disney’s Tiana in Princess & the Frog. If that movie tells you anything about her, you know that we’re in for a real treat. She’s also graced the screen over the years in Dreamgirls and For Colored Girls.

Keith David

Mufasa’s father Masego will be adorned with the voice of Keith David. You may recognize his sweet and soulful voice from another Disney favorite, as well. David and Anika Noni Rose are giving fans a little Princess & the Frog reunion since he played Dr. Facilier alongside her Tiana. Hopefully, they’ll get along a little better this time.

Preston Nyman

In the voice of a possibly younger Zazu will be industry rookie, Preston Nyman. He follows in the footsteps of Rowan Atkinson and John Oliver to play the strict, uptight red-billed hornbill. Nyman previously did voice work for Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdon and 3rd & Bird.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter played older Nala in the 2019 The Lion King remake, and her voice will be gracing our screens once again in the 2024 rendition. Need we go over her resume? As the most awarded artist in Grammy’s history, she’s sure to handle reprising the role with the same grace and ease she brings to every other vocal project.

Blue Ivy Carter

Beyonce and Jay-Z’s eldest daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, will make her acting debut as Simba and Nala’s daughter, Kiara. At only 12 years old, Blue Ivy already has a Grammy, has sung and produced alongside her parents, and even danced on Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour. Naturally voice acting as the child of two iconic Disney characters is next on her bucket list.

With such a stacked cast, excitement is already growing for Mufasa: The Lion King. Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait too much longer. The film will be available in theaters on December 20, 2024.

There is so much we still don’t know about Deadpool & Wolverine, thanks to the trailers doing an exceptional job of holding back many of its secrets, but if there’s one thing that has been made abundantly clear it’s that there will be no end to the Easter eggs, cameos, and crossovers to the Marvel movies of yesteryear.

Mostly Fox’s original X-Men movies, of course, but with Jennifer Garner confirmed to return as Daredevil‘s Elektra the door is open for other Marvel legacy characters, as we might call them, to drop by too. One of the MCU fandom’s biggest pie-in-the-sky hopes? That Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man could be among them.

That might seem a bit too much for the already stacked threequel to add to its plate, but the latest snippet of fresh Deadpool 3 footage definitely opens the door to some form of crossover with the Sam Raimi Spider-Verse. See if you can spot the big clue in the promo below:

Did you spot it? Don’t feel bad if you didn’t as you need to flip the screen to do so. The menu written on the window of the diner Wade and Wolvie are shown sitting in, once flipped, reveals that the diner is called Joe’s and uses a very familiar font — it’s the same font used by Joe’s Pizza, the NYC pizza parlor Peter Parker memorably worked for in Spider-Man 2!

Some are doubting this is an actual reference to Spider-Man 2, however. For starters, this is clearly a roadside diner and not the same inner-city restaurant Joe’s Pizzas was in that film. Not to mention that Joe’s is the most common name for an eating establishment there is!

Having said that, this is Deadpool & Wolverine we’re talking about, a film whose every shot we’ve seen so far has been marinated in Marvel lore and winks to the audience. There’s little chance that the set designers simply accidentally stumbled on the same name and font as Joe’s Pizzas from Spider-Man 2.

That doesn’t mean, of course, that scene takes place in the Raimiverse and that Maguire is about to join Wade and Logan at their table. However, this subtle nod to the OG Sony trilogy reminds us that Maguire is out there somewhere in the Marvel multiverse. Which may just set the stage for an actual team-up with Jackman’s Wolverine in Avengers: Secret Wars, if you believe the rumors (which we desperately want to).

Deadpool & Wolverine will unveil which of the many theories we have are fact or fiction when it hits cinemas on July 26.

Movie fans don’t have much longer to wait until Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is released as highly anticipated standalone sequel to 2017’s War for the Planet of the Apes hits theaters worldwide on May 10.

Andy Serkis’ Caesar, the much revered and respected king of the apes, was the main ape in the 2017 film that kicked off this simian revival . At the end of War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar succumbed to a crossbow arrow wound and died while fighting to protect his fellow primates.

However, Caesar left behind a young son, Cornelius, who was born in 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and appeared in its 2017 sequel. Maurice, a Bornean orangutan and Caesar’s most loyal confidant and closest friend promised that Cornelius would know who his father was. That’s left fans wondering if Cornelius would continue Caesar’s legacy in the new movie.

Will we see Cornelius in the upcoming film?

Unfortunately, Cornelius will not appear in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

The events of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will occur 300 years after the previous movie’s story, meaning Caesar’s son will be long dead.

That being said, in the absence of Caesar and Cornelius, their legacy will likely live on in the form of the movie’s main character. Owen Teague will play Noa, a young chimpanzee hunter who, it’s more than probable, is a descendant of the two characters.

The film’s villain, Kevin Durand’s Proximus Caesar, will pervert Caesar’s teachings, meaning Noa will have to do right by his ancestors and thwart his evil plans.

So, while Cornelius will almost certainly be mentioned, and viewers will surely learn more about the legacy he left behind during his life, he can’t appear, given the passing of three centuries since War for the Planet of the Apes.

Jar Jar Binks has been the butt of Star Wars‘ fans jokes for a quarter century now and it seems he’s finally had enough. Gone is the bumbling comedy Gungan and in its place is a fearsome red lightsaber-wielding Sith Lord who travels in an evil Millennium Falcon.

His one line to date: “Meesa gonna hurt yousa…”. This is quite a development for Jar Jar, so why is he a Sith Lord and what in the name of Boss Nass is going on?!

Rebuild the Galaxy

Fans have long theorized that Jar Jar’s affable demeanor concealed something far darker. After all, it was his actions as a Senator that granted Chancellor Palpatine the emergency powers necessary to enact his evil plans. The canon take is that this was a classic Jar Jar oopsie, but what if he was playing the long game?

What if Jar Jar was secretly a dark practitioner of the Sith all along, concealing his power under the innocent facade of a bumbling amphibious clown? Amusing fan art has long wondered what “Darth Jar Jar” would look like, but now we have the official take courtesy of LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy.

This upcoming animated special sees the basics of Star Wars mutating beyond recognition. There are X-wing/TIE Fighter hybrids, Ewok bounty hunters, and, yes, Darth Jar Jar. As a LEGO special, the events of Rebuild the Galaxy are firmly non-canon so don’t expect to see this followed up in live-action. Even so, the trailer shows a sense of fun and imagination that’s been a little lacking in the franchise of late, so we’re very much tuning in.

And yes, if you’re wondering that is indeed original Jar Jar actor Ahmed Best once again reprising his most notorious role.

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy will be released on Disney Plus on Sept. 13.

The animated sports comedy franchise Cars is one of Pixar’s most popular vehicles (pun intended). Such was the success and popularity of the opening installment in 2006 that the franchise has spawned two more movies, a couple of television series, several short films, the Planes spin-off movie franchise, and a plethora of merchandise, including video games and toys.

A fourth entry has long been touted but is yet to happen. The third movie hit theaters worldwide in 2017 and just before its release, producer Kevin Reher told Cinema Blend not to rule another film out. When asked about the possibility of a fourth movie, he had this to say:

I don’t know, there might be. If there’s a good story to tell. I mean our heads kinda break after having gotten this one done, like oh my god what could you do the further adventures of? But like any sequel, from Toy Story 4 to Incredibles 2, as long as there’s a good story to tell it’s worth investing, we do love these characters, we love them as much as the public does.

Owen Wilson, the voice of Cars’ protagonist Lightning McQueen, has also spoken about the possibility of a fourth film. In 2017, he also sat down with Cinema Blend and said this to them:

Well, I kind of trust Pixar to kind of come up with the stories because they have such a great track record with doing these movies that work for kids and also that grown-ups and parents find entertaining. I would imagine that if they do do another one, it’ll be something pretty cool. But yeah maybe like Lightning McQueen in sort of like a thriller. Maybe that could be something.

Perhaps most importantly, however, is that director Brian Fee has explicitly stated that Cars 3 wasn’t the end for Lightning McQueen. In 2017, he said this to Entertainment Weekly:

Where the franchise goes from here, I have no idea what may be down the road, but I can tell you that for Lightning McQueen, as a character, I think by the end of the movie it’s safe to say that this is only the beginning for him.

Of course, that was seven years ago, so it might look like the franchise is dead in the water. But is that the case?

What’s the state of play with ‘Cars 4’ right now?

Cars 4 isn’t confirmed as things stand, but there’s every chance Pixar will revisit the franchise in the future, based on previous comments from influential people who’ve worked on it.

The animation studio’s current upcoming slate of movies takes us to 2026, with Inside Out 2 (2024), Elio (2025), and Toy Story 5 (2026) all confirmed. However, an untitled project is also scheduled for 2026, which could easily be a Cars sequel.

The three previous films have generated a whopping $1.4 billion worldwide, and the two Planes movies have earned a further $390 million, so there’s undoubtedly a market for more.

While no plot details have emerged and no cast information is available, Brian Fee will likely return to direct, and Owen Wilson won’t need much convincing to reprise his role as Lightning McQueen.

A more recent comment from a prominent cast member, Larry the Cable Guy, who played the beloved tow truck Mater, came in 2020. He believes a fourth movie could and should happen. Speaking to Popculture, he said this:

That was a fun thing to do. Obviously it’s one of the only Pixar movies. It’s got its own theme park. I just feel that they probably know that they’ve got this Disney thing up and going. You would think if you put in a billion-dollar theme park, you probably got to keep putting fuel in the tank. You would think. So I don’t know.

Whether or not a fourth Cars movie happens is open to debate. It’s not scheduled, but the signs are good, and it’s nice to see people who worked on the previous films keen on doing another. Fans of the franchise will have to be patient and wait to see what happens.

Stand up, Black Christmas, and get ready to welcome your descendent into the realm of Canadian cult slasher classics, which is where Sundance darling In a Violent Nature certainly seems to be heading.

Indeed, with a Shudder deal closed and a 95 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes already under its belt, things are looking up for Chris Nash’s experimental slasher, and they’re likely to come to a whole new front once it makes its way to cinemas later this year.

But when exactly will In a Violent Nature be stalking North American theaters?

When does In a Violent Nature release?

In a Violent Nature is due out in theaters on May 31, 2024, with an aforementioned Shudder release planned for later this year.

The film follows Johnny, an undead serial killer resurrected after a mysterious locket is disturbed by a group of teenagers camping in the Ontario wilderness. Endeavoring to get it back, Johnny slowly and wordlessly trudges off on a hunt for the locket, making gory mincemeat out of whoever dares to get in his way.

In a Violent Nature has garnered a reputation for its unique approach to the slasher genre, as it’s told primarily from the perspective of the mute Johnny and also features no soundtrack. That and more contributes to its status as an “ambient slasher,” sacrificing standard dramatization for something a bit more unsanitary and matter-of-fact.

Time will tell what wider genre enthusiasts make of the result, but at the end of the day, you can’t hope for a homerun without taking a swing, and what a swing In a Violent Nature seems to have taken.

These days, it’s no easy task to mention “DC” and “movie” in the same sentence without a twinge of exasperation in one’s throat; the ill-fated DC Extended Universe made sure of that. Of course, those willing to dig a little deeper know that DC is as healthy as ever, just in animation.

For those of you not in the know, the Tomorrowverse is a DC canon of animated feature films that began in 2020 with Superman: Man of Tomorrow, and has since seen such heavy hitters as Batman: The Long Halloween and Justice League: Warworld. Nowadays, the Tomorrowverse is in the twilight of its life as it aims to wrap up with a massive three-part event in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (and if you know your comics history, you know that this adaptation is a big deal).

Part One was released back on Jan. 9, while Part Two—in which a fractured legion of heroes from a myriad of realities contend with an army of reality-slaughtering demons, inter-team discord, and a game-changing prophecy involving Supergirl—made its bow on April 23.

Up next is Part Three, which will conclude the Tomorrowverse with an animated crossover event for the ages (and if you don’t believe me, look no further than the confirmed appearance of Kevin Conroy‘s Batman from Batman: The Animated Series, which will mark the voice actor’s final time voicing the Caped Crusader following his death in 2022).

So, where are we marking our calendars?

When does Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three release?

For the moment, all we know is that Part Three is due to release sometime in 2024, but since we’re already in May, it won’t be too long of a wait no matter how you swing it. Moreover, if we consider the gap between the release of Part One and Part Two (early January to late April), then it’s no great gamble to assume a similar gap might occur between Part Two and Part Three, which would put the latter’s release near the end of August at the absolute latest.

In any case, keep your eyes peeled for further updates on the conclusion of the Tomorrowverse; they won’t be far off now.

Zack Snyder’s two-part Rebel Moon has split many movie lovers down the middle over the last few months. Though, at this point, that’s par for the course when it comes to Snyder’s movies.

Rebel Moon—Part One: A Child of Fire, and Part Two: The Scargiver have had Snyder enthusiasts holding their ground to back the director and his storytelling methods, while his critics still seem just as harsh on him as they were when he brought Batman and Superman into the same film.

The question here is: are we getting a third part of the Rebel Moon saga? The first two films were a complete story, and it seems that Zack Snyder has plans to further the world he has created in these made-for-streaming films, as he has indeed confirmed Rebel Moon 3 and plot details to go along with it.

The flip side of that coin is that, unfortunately, Netflix, the streamer that backed the first two films as originals to their service, has yet to greenlight the project. In Snyder’s comments about Part 3’s plot, he seems to sound confident that although a third Rebel Moon film is not on the slate at the moment, discussions are being had.

Netflix backed Zack Snyder at a time when most of Hollywood seemed to have wanted to exile him. The fallout from leaving behind the DCEU back in 2017 led Snyder to direct Army of the Dead for the streamer, which came hot off the heels of the Snyder Cut of Justice League hitting Max. There seems to be a good relationship between Netflix and Snyder, and it may be good enough to give us another Rebel Moon film down the road at some point.