Mickey 17 and Novocaine are too close to call for the top spot this weekend, but both films are performing poorly.

2025’s box office woes just seem to be getting worse and worse. According to Deadline, as it stands now, the week’s number one movie – which is still a toss-up between Novocaine and Mickey 17 – isn’t likely to cross the double-digit mark. So far, Novocaine seems to have the edge, but it’s too close to call, with both movies looking on track to gross $8 million. While that’s an underwhelming number for Novocaine (a notch less than we predicted earlier this week), considering the low budget, it’s not a terrible result. However, the B CinemaScore is middling. 

However, even if the week-to-week fall for Mickey 17 is less than 60%, the movie is shaping up to be a major bomb for Warner Bros. The movie is unlikely to cross the $40 million mark domestically, which is a horrible result for a film that cost north of $118 million. Focus Features’s Black Bag isn’t performing well either, with the star-studded spy-flick only on track for a $6 million opening. That’s not too far off from what Conclave made in its first weekend, but it was playing on 1000 fewer screens and had a lot of Oscar buzz propelling it throughout the fall movie season.

Other new releases, like Ketchup’s The Day the Earth Blew Up or A24’s Opus, aren’t making much of a dent. The Looney Tunes movie (which was bought from WB) is on track for a $2.15 million opening (on over 2000 screens) while Opus, following its middling reception at Sundance, is only on track for a $1.5 million opening, despite the presence of The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri in the lead role. A24’s cult of fans seems to be giving this one a pass so far. The CinemaScore is a pretty bad C+.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a full round-up!

It’s not just DVDs that are defective; over 600 Blurays have known defects, and they could already be in your collection.

When it comes to physical media, there always has to be a concern for degradation. We saw it with VHS, Cassette Tapes, and Laser Discs. Eventually they become unwatchable. DVD was supposed to fix that issue, giving us the same experience each time, and with a much longer shelf life than laser discs (which are currently dropping like flies). And judging on Bumbray’s article about Warner Bros titles, the issue is as present as ever. But those are DVDs. That’s two whole generations ago and there’s a reason we’ve since switched! What about Blu-rays?

Blu-rays were actually made with the intention of lasting 100 years. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t issues that spring up. Any discs that have two layers, such as BD-50s (which have 50 GB of storage versus 25 GB for standard) are more likely to degrade as the two layers are essentially “glued” together. Lack of proper storage, or even an issue when initially printed, can cause these layers to separate, rendering the video unusable. It’s why proper storage is essential for any collection. Ever have a title just completely stop at one point in the film? That’s because it’s having an issue switching between data layers.

I was able to come across a website cataloguing a number of defective titles. Many are BD-50’s and are a result of printing problems. The list includes a bevy of popular titles like 127 Hours, A Ghost Story, Cloverfield, Death Race, Elysium, The Eye, Ghost Rider, Gone Girl, Hellboy, Jurassic Park 3, Peter Jackson’s King Kong, Layer Cake, Piranha 3D, Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Sunshine, Van Helsing, and The Witch. The issues can range from the film skipping, artifacting, and being unable to play entirely.

Even Criterion, who is considered the absolute top tier of physical media, has had its fair share of issues. 27 Criterion releases have known defects with classics such as 8 1/2, The Seventh Seal, M, and Paris, Texas falling on the list. The biggest offender may be the Citizen Kane 4K, which Criterion had to re-issue discs for and offer a $10 credit to purchasers. That at least shows the lengths that Criterion is willing to go to make up for these kinds of problems. Because unlike the massive WB issues from 2006-2008, these are more sporadic and self-contained, likely down to a specific batch of films, versus an entire lineup.

If anything, my hours of combing through message boards, blogposts, and responses just proved problems occur all the time and can be quite random. There are certainly some companies that pop up more than others, but it really comes down to who did the actual release. And I’d also like to point out how little Boutique Labels like Scream Factory and Arrow Video appear on this list. Not to say that they’re without they’re problems, but as collectors, we have to take the wins where we can. I’d encourage you to check out your Blu-rays, rather than just putting them on the shelf, assuming they work. You could just have a bunch of expensive paperweights on your shelves.

Have you had any issues with any of your Blu-rays? Which companies have you noticed have the best quality? Are these points against Physical Media as a whole? Let us know in the comments!

Martin Scorsese named the most essential New York movies, including films from Lumet, Lee, the Safdies, and more.

Martin Scorsese is the quintessential New York filmmaker. Sure, some of his greatest films are set in New York, but that asthma kept him inside of a Little Italy apartment to do nothing but study cinema says a lot about how embedded the city is in his blood and his own movies. Now, Scorsese has listed more than 30 of the most essential New York films – and yes, he was modest enough to not list Mean Streets and Taxi Driver and Goodfellas and…

Check out Martin Scorsese’s list of 30+ greatest New York movies below:

Daybreak Express
The Naked City and Kiss of Death 
Fourteen Hours
Cry of the City 
A Double Life and The Marrying Kind
It Should Happen to You
On the Waterfront
The Wrong Man
Sweet Smell of Success
Shadows
Midnight Cowboy and Marathon Man
The French Connection
Bye Bye Braverman
Prince of the City
Manhattan
Bad Lieutenant and Heaven Knows What
Good Time
Uncut Gems 
The Apartment
Do the Right Thing
Dog Day Afternoon 
Midnight Cowboy
The Musketeers of Pig Alley and Regeneration 
Odds Against Tomorrow
On the Waterfront
Sweet Smell of Success

Expectedly, that is one hell of a list of essential New York movies (who’s putting the Letterboxd list together?), with Martin Scorsese hitting on everything from D.W. Griffith all the way up to the Safdie Brothers, even giving the fellas three movies – as many as Sidney Lumet and George Cukor, the latter being someone who I don’t generally equate as a “New York director” but I’m not about to argue with Marty (although I would contest the inclusion of On the Waterfront, which he admitted is set in New Jersey…).

Scorsese put the list of movies together for the “Living, Breathing New York” series, tied to Olmo Schnabel’s film Pet Shop Days, which Scorsese executive produced.

One of the great things about Martin Scorsese compiling a list like his picks for the best New York movies is that it automatically generates a queue. Many of us are familiar with the works of Sidney Lumet, Spike Lee and others we tend to associate with the city, but giving us new films to explore – kind of how I learned more about Italian cinema from his 1999 documentary My Voyage to Italy.

For me, I’d name my quintessential New York movies as Mean Streets, Dog Day Afternoon, Manhattan, Do the Right Thing, and Maniac, if I had to narrow it down to five. But we’d rather hear from you! So, what do you think are the most essential New York films? Drop your picks in the comments section below.

Fans of the caped crusader have named Alan Ritchson as a favorite to cast as the next Bruce Wayne and the Reacher star is also showing his interest.

While Robert Pattinson’s side-universe of DC’s famous caped crusader experienced delays, the sequel to his film, The Batman, is finally scheduled to film later this year. All of the waiting has Pattinson joking that he’ll be “old Batman” when cameras finally roll. However, the new DCU, headed up by James Gunn and Peter Safran, will still need to find a new Bruce Wayne for their in-universe version for Batman: The Brave and the Bold. As always, fans would throw around their casting wishlist and Reacher star Alan Ritchson is a favorite to don the cowl for the new continuity.

Collider reports that Ritchson is still fielding these questions as he promotes his new season of Reacher. According to the site, Ritchson gave an interview with WIRED where he was asked again if he would be playing Batman. The hulking star responded,

What’s amazing about this rumor is that James Gunn has come out publicly and said ‘LOL he’s not playing Batman.’ And this thing will not die. I get asked every day if I’m playing Batman. Would I play Batman? Yes. You wouldn’t even have to pay me to be Batman. Yeah I would don the suit. ‘Gotham is mine.’”

Last year, he would react to all the fans who are calling for DC to cast him as the next dark knight, “The fact that people are interested in me playing Batman is a real honor and privilege.” Ritchson said, “It’s one of the first characters I fell in love with as a child: I still remember the big, long pistol coming out of Joker’s pants as he goes to shoot down the Batplane.“ Ritchson continued: “Those iconic moments really resonated with me as a child. For there to even be a conversation or a rumor mill surrounding this role, for me… all I can do is laugh. I just think it’s wild that’s where we are.” When the actor expressed that perhaps he’s too old to play the character now, the hosts reminded him that Batman will have a kid in The Brave and the Bold. “Okay, then, you know… I would love to,” Ritchson said. “I would absolutely love to. It’s one of the coolest characters of all time.“

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

While SWAT was surprisingly revived for a couple extra seasons, the legacy TV network has decided to not renew the show…unless they bring it back again.

It’s not unusual for a TV series to get canceled and then come back. Most of the time, it’s picked up by another network or a streamer. Sometimes, there are shows like Family Guy, where they were canceled by FOX twice but also brought back, and interestingly enough, it’s become a staple of their animation block. The Hollywood Reporter is now revealing that CBS has decided to bench SWAT yet again. The show was a remake of the 1975 ABC series, which had also served as an inspiration for the 2003 Colin Farrell/ Samuel L. Jackson film of the same name.

The show had just wrapped up its eighth season. Showrunner and executive producer Andrew Dettmann would react in a statement that said, “It’s heartbreaking news, primarily because it’s been such an immense pleasure working with this cast and crew to put out a show that we’ve always been proud of. They are truly an extraordinary group of people who have all worked so hard and have been so dedicated for all these eight seasons, overcoming countless challenges. I can’t give them enough credit.”

CBS had first canceled SWAT following its sixth season back in 2023. The network would then reverse its decision and they would give the impression that the seventh installment would be the show’s last. However, in April 2024, to the surprise of the fans, CBS would bring back the show with a last-minute renewal for an eighth installment. Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, explained at the time, “Here at CBS, we always ‘stay liquid’ and love a good dramatic twist, especially when it leads to an eighth season of SWAT.”

Executive producer Shawn Ryan said in a statement, “It’s been an extraordinary privilege to work on SWAT for eight seasons and tell the stories of Hondo and 20-Squad. I thank our fans, Shemar Moore, the rest of our cast, our producers, Sony Pictures Television, CBS Studios and CBS for the opportunity. Most of all I want to thank our tireless, dedicated crew who made our writers, directors and cast always look good. My greatest concern right now is for them.”

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.

The 1988 vampire sequel is getting a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release from Synapse Films and Red Shirt Home Video

Last year, Synapse Films and Red Shirt Home Video teamed up to bring us a deluxe edition Blu-ray and 4K UHD release of the 1986 rock ‘n roll horror film Trick or Treat, one of my all-time favorite movies. Now Synapse and Red Shirt have announced that they’ll also be giving the deluxe edition treatment to the 1988 vampire sequel Fright Night Part 2! A lot of fans have resorted to buying bootlegs just to have a good copy of this movie on DVD, but now it’s getting an official 4K UHD and Blu-ray release. According to Red Shirt’s Michael Felsher, it’s likely to be released sometime in 2026.

Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, who takes over from the first film’s Tom Holland, and scripted by Tim Metcalfe, Miguel Tejada-Flores, and Wallace, Fright Night Part 2 features young Charley Brewer, fresh out of a psychiatric hospital, and the vampire hunting former TV show host Peter Vincent, facing more thirsty vampires. Three years after dealing with vampires, Charley Brewster separates from vampire hunter Peter Vincent. When mysterious actress Regine Dandrige arrives in town, Charley’s past resurfaces, suggesting a repeat occurrence involving vampires. The film stars William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowell, reprising the roles they made famous in the first film, alongside Traci Lind, Julie Carmen, Jon Gries, and Brian Thompson.

Felsher said, “We have got the original negative, we are going to be getting everybody and anyone we possibly can involved. This one took a Herculean amount of work to get cleared up, but Tommy Lee Wallace is on board, the original producer is on board, I’ve even spoken to Tom Holland, he’s gonna contribute to the documentary to talk about not so much this movie but all the Fright Night sequels that didn’t happen but could have happened. … There’s a lot to do for it. I definitely would love to get the DP, Mark Irwin, in to do the color grading on the transfer so it will look exactly the way it was supposed to.” The deal for this release was just finalized a few days ago.

Are you a fan of Fright Night Part 2, and are you glad to hear that it’s coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

PLOT: Confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, a former Judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child’s puppet to abuse the home’s residents with deadly consequences.

REVIEW: Jonathan Lithgow may just be the most versatile actor working today. He manages to be loveable goofballs and awful killers with an ease that inspires disbelief. He fully commits and has you believing whatever he wants. So it’s exciting to see him returning to the horror genre in The Rule of Jenny Pen, a film where he takes up the mantle of main villain. Because if there’s one thing that’s terrifying, it’s elderly abuse. But rather than focusing on that, and really getting under the viewers skin, this film is more interested in giving us creepy shots of a doll that go nowhere.

The Rule of Jenny Pen follows Judge Stefan Mortensen after he suffers a stroke in court. He’s shipped off to a rest home to recover. But while laid up, he notices that one of the other residents has been tormenting the others. He does so while carrying around a creepy hand puppet which he refers to as Jenny Pen. The immediate question becomes: is this supernatural? Is Crealy even in control of his own mind? Unfortunately, the doll is nothing more than a tool for creepiness and metaphor. This is simply a tale of elder abuse and the terrible things that human beings are capable of, which makes the doll element feel like a red herring.

There’s a great parallel between the pompous judge that Stefan was in life, with the feeble man who can’t even rely on his own mind in the nursing facility. Stefan has clearly been able to talk his way out of and around any event that he sees fit. But now, no one believes him, and he can hardly even trust his own faculties. The film certainly plays off of our fears about being placed into a retirement home and having all sense of free will taken away. Is that truly living? However, this is only focused on in a superficial way, with more time spent making the doll seem important. Thankfully, Geoffrey Rush is phenomenal in the role and give nuance to otherwise simple moments.

John Lithgow‘s performance as Dave Crealy is wonderfully maniacal. He’s managed to play some all time great villains and this may just be the most evil of them all. There are no redeemable qualities in Crealy and he truly evokes an intense desire to see him get his comeuppance. I can’t remember the last time I felt hatred for a character, and he continued to do despicable acts after despicable acts. From his crooked, yellow teeth to his hunched over posture, Lithgow really loses himself in the role. It made me wonder why they felt that he needed a creepy doll on his hand to further hammer home the point of his lunacy. It could have worked if they then didn’t go for absurdist imagery with it, undercutting the personality aspect.

While I really enjoyed the tormenting angle, as it really plays off of universal fears, the more abstract horror doesn’t really work here. There’s some montage that felt like it was added late in the process, just meant to give us some creepy imagery. After all this buildup with Crealy and the awful things he’s done to the old folks in this place, the story goes out with a bit of a whimper. The audience is robbed of a truly satisfying payoff and instead it simply feels like a joke without its punchline. I think this can sometimes happen with horror when its looked down upon.

While The Rule of Jenny Pen boasts some great performances from both Lithgow and Rush, it tries to do too much. Rather than focusing on the horrors of elderly abuse and this madman, there’s too much mystery around this stupid doll. The horror feels a bit plain and uninspired, relying more on silly tropes like a creepy doll and authority not listening to reason. I really enjoyed several elements of Jenny Pen and think there’s an awesome movie within the story, it’s just presented in a way that make it feel skippable.

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN IS IN THEATERS ON MARCH 7TH AND STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON MARCH 20TH, 2025.

Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott have joined Robert De Niro in the serial killer thriller The Whisper Man, coming from Netflix and AGBO

Last month, it was announced that Robert De Niro will be following up the Netflix series Zero Day with another Netflix project, as he has signed on to star in the serial killer crime thriller The Whisper Man for AGBO and the streaming service. Now, Deadline has revealed that De Niro is being joined in the cast by The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan and Severance star Adam Scott.

Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Whisper Man will be directed by James Ashcroft. Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer are writing the script. The story centers on a widower crime writer who, after his 8-year-old son is abducted, looks to his estranged father, a retired former police detective, for help, only to discover a connection with the decades-old case of a convicted serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Michael Disco are producing the film for AGBO. The company’s Kassee Whiting serves as an executive producer alongside Marcus Viscidi. Production is expected to take place on the East Coast sometime this spring.

When the project was first announced, Russo-Otstot, AGBO’s chief creative officer, provided the following statement: “AGBO is excited to be embarking on our 6th film with our incredible partners at Netflix. The Whisper Man is a gripping thriller but at its core is a poignant and complex story of father and sons. We are grateful to have one of the finest actors of his generation, Robert De Niro, anchoring that story and with the remarkable James Ashcroft directing.” Other collaborations between Netflix and AGBO include The Gray Man, The Electric State, and the Extraction films (plus the recently announced Extraction TV series spin-off called Mercenary).

Ashcroft has previously directed the 2021 horror thriller Coming Home in the Dark and the newly released John Lithgow / Geoffrey Rush horror film The Rule of Jenny Pen.

Does The Whisper Man sound interesting to you? What do you think of Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott joining Robert De Niro in the cast of this serial killer thriller? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Bong Joon Ho’s latest film, Mickey 17, earned $2.5M during Thursday preview screenings on its way to the top of the box office.

After a brief delay, Bong Joon Ho’s latest sci-fi epic, Mickey 17, is finally playing in theaters. The Live, Die, Repeat-like feature is off to a solid start with $2.5M in Thursday preview screenings. Bong Joon Ho is one of South Korea’s premiere filmmakers, having released films like Snowpiercer, The Host, Okja, and the Academy Award-winning psychological drama Parasite. His latest exploration of sci-fi themes stars Robert Pattinson as an “expendable” who goes on a dangerous mission to colonize an ice planet. As Mickey fails one mission attempt after the other, new versions of him try to complete the mission, but when the process goes awry, Mickey finds himself trapped in a deadly paradox. Mickey 17 has a good chance of reaching the top of the box office this weekend, but what’s the breakdown?

Analysts expect Mickey 17 to bank $17M to $20M domestically and $20M to $25M internationally. The combined totals could put Mickey 17 at $40M to $45M for its opening weekend. I hope positive word about the movie spreads because Mickey 17 cost $118M to produce, so it will need $275M to $300M to make a decent amount above its production dollars.

The official synopsis for Mickey 17 reads: “From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of “Parasite,” Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience, “Mickey 17.” The unlikely hero, Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) has found himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.” In addition to Pattinson as the various Mickeys, the film also stars Steve Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, and Naomi Ackie. The film is based on the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, with Bong Joon-ho writing the script and directing.

JoBlo’s Editor-in-Chief, Chris Bumbray, reviewed Mickey 17 for the site, saying it’s “uneven” but “undeniably entertaining.” In his review, Chris praises the film’s strong visuals, with Darius Khondji’s cinematography especially impressive if you see this on an IMAX screen. “Indeed, Mickey 17 is all over the place in terms of quality,” Chris said. “It’s one of the few recent films where I went back and forth between thinking it was a disaster and a masterpiece over and over again – sometimes in the same scene, depending on who was being showcased.”

Outlets expect Mickey 17 to take the top spot at the box office this weekend, beating Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World after several weeks at the box office’s apex.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

From plot theories, casting, and more, we look at everything about Taylor Sheridan’s next prequel series.

What Do We Know About the upcoming Yellowstone prequel series 1944? More than you may think. The Paramount+ series is slated to continue the origin story of the Dutton family after the conclusion of 1923. From plot, casting news, and more, let’s dive in and look at what is coming up in the new addition to the Yellowstone franchise.

What is 1944 about?

While there is no official plot description for the still-in-development series, 1944 places the action roughly two decades after 1923, which was, in turn, set forty years after 1883. The original title of the Harrison Ford/Helen Mirren-led series was 1932, and the shift to ten years earlier could have been to create room for the eventual 1940s set continuation. The action shifting right in the middle of World War II could offer a glimpse of where characters featured in 1923 would end up at the next pivotal historical moment for the United States.

Will Spencer and Alex Dutton be the main characters?

In the second season of 1923, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) and Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) were separated and reunited in Montana. With the two-decade time jump, 1944 could center on the star-crossed lovers enjoying their golden years while their children and possibly grandchildren begin the golden era of the Dutton ranch near Yellowstone National Park.

Will John Dutton be a character?

Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III was born in April 1959, fifteen years after the title year in the new prequel series. Both 1883 and 1923 kept the action pretty confined to the years in their titles, but the eventual birth of the Yellowstone patriarch could be part of 1944 or a follow-up series about John’s childhood, something teased in flashbacks during the original run of Yellowstone.

How many seasons will it run?

While 1883 lasted a single season and 1923 spanned two, 1944 could be a one-and-done arc or a multi-season arc. Taylor Sheridan has liked to keep the action focused in the prequels so far, so 1944 could last for two seasons before transitioning to a 1960s set series chronicling the childhood of John Dutton III.

Who will star in the series?

Nothing has been announced regarding the characters or cast of 1944 since the revelations in store for the second season of 1923 will likely factor into the next series’s theme. I would venture to guess that a new cast could be brought in to play any characters from 1923 as older adults, but we will wait and see.

What else do we know?

It seems likely that Taylor Sheridan will script all episodes of 1944 as he did in 1883 and 1923. 1923 was the most expensive Sheridan-created series to date, and if 1944 incorporates World War II sequences, the new prequel could eclipse that record. Until the finale of 1923 airs, we will be theorizing and guessing what will come next, but stay tuned for more as it develops.

When will we see it?

While 1923 was initially known as 1932 until the conclusion of 1883, and two years elapsed between seasons of the Roaring Twenties-set prequel, we have a ways to go before 1944 becomes a sure thing. Taylor Sheridan likes to work efficiently, but it seems unlikely that the series will begin production until late 2025, which puts an on-screen premiere likely for late 2026.

Stay tuned to JoBlo.com as we learn more about 1944 and your favorite shows. What do you expect to see in the upcoming Yellowstone prequel? Let us know in the comments, click like, and subscribe to follow all our latest original videos.