Last Updated on April 30, 2024

In 2022, Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media revived the Scream franchise with a new entry (the fifth) that was a box office hit, earning almost $139 million at the global box office. Fourteen months later, Scream VI came along – and became an even bigger hit, pulling in almost $169 million at the global box office, a number that was up there with the series’ heyday, when the first Scream and Scream 2 made just over $170 million. (Scream 3 also made over $160 million – only Scream 4 failed to crack $100 million.) So, of course, the companies are moving full steam ahead with Scream 7. While the movie seemed, initially, to be on the fast-track to success, the track it’s on has turned out to be a shockingly bumpy ride.

MELISSA BARRERA FIRED

Melissa Barrera entered the franchise with the fifth Scream as a character named Samantha Carpenter, who turns out to have been the daughter of original Ghostface killer Billy Loomis and Christina Carpenter, a character who has not yet appeared on screen in any of the films. Barrera was back as Sam in Scream VI and was expected to return for Scream 7… but she won’t be. On November 21st, Spyglass Media confirmed that Barrera had been fired from the project. Their reasoning: “Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.” Apparently Barrera had made comments on social media regarding the situation in Israel and Gaza that didn’t go over well with Spyglass. Her response to the firing was, “Silence is not an option.“

When Barrera was still expected to be in the movie, she was hoping Samantha’s mom Christina (who is also the mother of Sam’s sister Tara, played by Jenna Ortega) would be showing up in the film as well. She even knew who she’d like to see play Christina: Salma Hayek. That’s very unlikely to happen now. Barrera was also hoping the next sequel would explore Sam’s mental health.

Whatever the case, Barrera does not seem to have been slowed by her firing, with her joining a pro-Palestinian protest at Sundance, where her latest (well-received) movie Your Monster premiere. She’s also got another movie with her Scream directors Radio Silence, coming out in April. That film, Abigail, is getting good buzz and she’s been front and center in the advertising campaign. Many of the stars seem to be on Barrera’s side, with her recently reuniting with much of the cast at a gala event, while Hayden Panettiere, who co-stared in Scream VI, called it “unfair and upsetting”. While the filmmakers were hoping to wrap up Sam’s story as a trilogy, during an interview with Collider, Barrera said she feels satisfied with where Scream VI left her character. “I feel like the ending of Scream VI was a very good ending, and so I don’t feel like ‘Ugh, I got left in the middle.’ No, I think people, the fans, were wanting a third movie to continue that arc, and apparently, the plan was a trilogy, even though I was only contracted for two movies . So, I did my two movies, and I’m fine. I’m good with that. I got two – that’s more than most people get. When you’re on a TV show, and it gets canceled, you can’t harp on things, you gotta move on. That’s the nature of this industry too, I get excited for the next job, I get excited for the next skin I get to put on. It’s exciting to create a different character. So yeah, I feel good. I did what I set out to do. It was always meant to be two movies for me, ’cause that was my contract, and so everything is perfect.“

JENNA ORTEGA WANTED (AND DESERVED) MORE MONEY

The day after Melissa Barrera’s firing was confirmed, it was revealed that her co-star Jenna Ortega had also exited the project. In addition to playing Tara in the Scream movies, Ortega plays the title character in Netflix’s Addams Family series Wednesday – and since season 2 of Wednesday is scheduled to film in Ireland through the spring and summer next year, her Scream 7 absence is blamed on scheduling conflicts. About a week later, it was confirmed that Ortega, who is also a lead in Beetlejuice 2, wanted a substantial salary increase. Spyglass, who seem to be rather tight-fisted with actor salaries, refused, so Ortega walked away. So we won’t be seeing either of the Carpenter sisters – who formed the “core four” group of characters with the Meeks-Martin twins (played by Mason Gooding and Jasmin Savoy Brown) – in this next film. Last we heard, Gooding and Brown hadn’t even been contacted about reprising their roles.

NEVE CAMPBELL TO RETURN… WITH PATRICK DEMPSEY?

Neve Campbell played heroine Sidney Prescott in the first five Scream films, and was expected to reprise the role of Scream VI… but then she dropped out of the sequel over a pay dispute. When asked if Campbell might be brought back for a Scream 7 or if the filmmakers had given up on her, Bettinelli-Olpin replied, “We’d never give up on her. We love Neve, and we love Sidney. So we’d love to be able to make another movie with her, and we’re not giving up.“ Original Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who has been involved with several of the sequels in some capacity, has spoken out in support of Campbell. He said, “I totally respect her opinion… I know exactly where she’s coming from, I know her well. I love and adore her and that’s what she did. It’s right for her. I love everyone involved in Scream and all I can say is, pay her the money. That’s what I would do, I would give her the money.” For her part, Campbell holds no ill will towards the films, recently praising the sixth film.

With Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega out of Scream 7, new reports suggested that Spyglass was looking to bring Sidney Prescott back into the picture, trying to entice Neve Campbell to return… along with newly minted Sexiest Man Alive, Patrick Dempsey, who played her love interest in Scream 3. The character, a cop named Mark Kincaid, is widely believed to be married to Sidney in the Scream universe, with her name-dropping her husband, Mark, in the fifth film. Most fans believe she’s referring to Dempsey’s character, and that the two got married and started a family following the third film.

We don’t yet know if Dempsey is going to be in the movie (we hear he’s in talks), but on March 12th, Campbell took to Instagram to officially confirm that she is going to be starring in the new sequel. She wrote, “Hi All. I’m so excited to announce this news!!! Sidney Prescott is coming back!!!! It’s always been such a blast and an honor to get to play Sidney in the Scream movies. My appreciation for these films and for what they have meant to me, has never waned. I’m very happy and proud to say I’ve been asked, in the most respectful way, to bring Sidney back to the screen and I couldn’t be more thrilled!!! Well actually I could. While I’ve been so incredibly lucky to make these films with both the master of horror Wes Craven and the wonderfully talented Matt and Tyler team, I’ve dreamt for many years of how amazing it would be to make one of these movies with Kevin Williamson at the helm. And now it’s happening, Kevin Williamson is going to direct Scream 7! This was his baby and it’s his brilliant mind that dreamt up this world. Kevin is not just an inspiration as an artist but has been a dear friend for many years. To the amazing Scream fans, I hope you are as excited as I am. See you on set Kevin Williamson.”

Courteney Cox is believed to be a lock to return to the role of author and reporter Gale Weathers… which would make sense, because Cox has never missed out on any of these movies.

WHO IS THE DIRECTOR?

While the first four Scream films were directed by the late, great Wes Craven, Scream (2022) and Scream VI were both directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who form the Radio Silence team with producer Chad Villella. At the Scream VI premiere, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett were asked about the possibility of Scream 7 happening. They replied, “We hope (there will be a Scream 7). We want to be watching Scream movies, whether we’re involved or not, for the rest of our lives.” They wanted to direct the next sequel, but they got wrapped up in making their Universal Monster movie Abigail (a project once known as Dracula’s Daughter) – so, as they put it, they were “exited” from the Scream sequel. Radio Silence remains attached to the project as executive producers. The first choice to replace Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett at the helm was Christopher Landon, the director of Happy Death Day and Freaky. But as the project fell apart around him with the exit of Ortega and the firing of Barrera, he abandoned ship. A rumor claimed that John Hyams, who previously collaborated with Kevin Williamson on the slasher movie Sick, was being considered for the directing job, with his competition being an “unidentified female director.”

But the job didn’t go to Hyams or a female director; instead, Kevin Williamson is going to be directing the film! In addition to writing the original Scream, Williamson has also written I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2, The Faculty, and Halloween H20 (where his script contribution were uncredited). He wrote the initial drafts of Scream 3 and Scream 4, then those both received some major rewrites. For Scream 7, he’ll be working from a screenplay by 2022’s Scream and Scream VI writer Guy Busick, who crafted the story with his co-writer on the fifth and sixth films, James Vanderbilt. (Vanderbilt is also a producer on the most recent sequels.) Williamson made his directing debut with the 1999 thriller Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Twenty-five years later, Scream 7 will be his second directing credit.

Are you interested in Scream 7 now that we know Neve Campbell is going to be starring in the film, with Kevin Williamson directing? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

The release of Kraven the Hunter has been pushed back to December while the upcoming Karate Kid sequel jumps to 2025.

Sony Pictures is playing a little release date shuffle this Friday evening. Kraven the Hunter, the upcoming Spider-Man spin-off starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, was originally slated to hit theaters on August 30th, but the film has now been pushed back to a December 13th release. Kraven the Hunter‘s fresh release date was already occupied by the new Karate Kid movie, which has now been bumped to May 30, 2025.

Kraven the Hunter has been delayed several times already, but hopefully, this will be the last move. Coming on the heels of the less-than-impressive debuts of Morbius and Madame Web, this Spider-Man spin-off has a lot to prove, but with an R-rated edge, it could just turn the tide. Director J.C. Chandor has previously described the movie as a tragedy. “Sony probably doesn’t want me to lead with this. but the story is a tragedy,” Chandor said last summer. “When the final credits roll on this film, if you’ve been paying attention, you won’t have the feeling that this is all going to end great.” In addition to Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the title character, the film also stars Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Christopher Abbot, Alessandro Nivola, and Russell Crowe.

As for the new Karate Kid movie, it will blend together the Cobra Kai universe and the reboot universe. The film will star Ben Wang (American Born Chinese) as a young teenager from China who finds identity and strength in martial arts. During his journey of self-discovery, Wang’s character meets a disciplined martial arts master. The coming-of-age drama will also find Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising their roles of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. Joshua Jackson (Fatal Attraction) and Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian) will also appear in the movie, alongside Sadie Stanley (Cruel Summer) as the romantic lead. Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) will direct from a script by Rob Lieber (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day).

Ever since Steve Rogers decided to hand his shield off to his buddy Sam Wilson (a.k.a. Falcon) at the end of Avengers: Endgame, fans have wondered what was next. We got a Disney+ series that showed Sam’s hesitance to pick up the mantle of Captain America and the history that comes with it. By the end of the series, he knew he was the only person who could take on the role of Captain America. Now, where do we go? It looks like the upcoming story of super heroes and alter egos, Captain America: Brave New World, will tell us when it reaches theatre screens on February 14, 2025.

Official image

The first official image from Captain America: Brave New World, featuring Sam Wilson in his Captain America costume, has just (on May 3rd) been unveiled by Empire, and you can see it right here!

Director Julius Onah, whose previous credits include The Girl Is in Trouble, The Cloverfield Paradox, and Luce, told Empire that, while Sam did already suit up as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, this movie is “really his coming-out show. It’s about putting him through the paces. Part of the challenge for Sam as Captain America, working within the government, is the way he’s going to make decisions. The point of view he’s going to have will at times put him at odds with the President.“

The action sequences will also be putting Sam to the test, especially since he doesn’t have the benefit of Super Soldier Serum giving him any enhanced abilities. As Onah put it, “The action in this movie is incredibly exciting because this is a guy who can break, this is a guy who can bleed. We get to have a lot of fun pushing him to the limit.“

A Brave New World Order

This Marvel Comics adaptation was initially revealed to be Captain America: New World Order. If you’re a wrestling fan like me, you had visions of Sam decked out in his new Captain America gear, fighting off Hulk Hogan clad in his old black and white wrestling gear from the days of his heel run as leader of the faction the nWo. While these are only fun ideas that nerds like to put together at the mention of the New World Order, others seemed very surprised by the use of the subtitle.

Even before WCW thought up the name of the renegade group, it was used by conspiracy theorists to describe the powerful elite that want to form a single-world government and enslave everyone. There is a lot more to go into, but seriously, there is not enough time, and JoBlo doesn’t want to end up on a conspiracy hit list. Google it if you feel brave enough. Some believed it also has a tinge of antisemitism within these circles as well. As production began, the name was changed to Captain America: Brave New World. Some feel this sounds like a more positive-sounding title as it looks forward to a new world. Those who have read the Aldous Huxley book think that might be a little naive.

Who’s Coming Back

With this film being in the Phase 5 lineup of the MCU, you know there have to be some returning superheroes. Of course, Anthony Mackie will be back as Sam Wilson. He’ll don the red, white, and blue as the new Captain America as we saw him embrace the part at the end of Falcon And The Winter Soldier. How will the character handle carrying his own movie? That’s the big question. As a sidekick to Steve Rogers, Sam worked as the wise-cracking guy with wings. Even as one of the main characters of the Disney+ series, he could at least share some of the lead with Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier. Now, he will be front and center. We’ll see if the character has the legs . . . er wings to carry the story on his own.

One of the characters we met in the series was Isaiah Bradley, who was the first African American Captain America. While Steve Rogers was taking an ice nap, the government was still working to find a way to replicate the super soldier serum. Unfortunately for Isaiah, his chance at becoming a super soldier was not his choice. He was imprisoned and experimented on until he escaped. His love for state and country is not riding very high these days.

Another character crossing over from Disney+ is Joaquin Torres, who seems to be taking up the mantle of Falcon. We saw him in some episodes of the show and had worked with Sam Wilson before. Now, it looks like he will earn his wings and help the Captain.

The two significant returns that surprised many people were two characters and actors from way back in The Incredible Hulk. Tim Blake Nelson has returned as scientist Samuel Sterns. He was contaminated by Hulk’s irradiated blood and seemed to be set up as a future Hulk villain, The Leader. His enhanced intelligence due to the irradiated blood makes him a formidable foe. The plot thread seemed to have been left dangling as no more solo Hulk films were made. Now he’s finally returning, and the director told Empire that, “Sam finds himself almost standing between Samuel Sterns and what he thinks the government owes him, and how he wants to go about getting that.“

Liv Tyler is also returning as Betty Ross. She was the love interest of Bruce Banner and the daughter of Thunderbolt Ross. The entire film of The Incredible Hulk seemed to have been forgotten except for William Hurt’s appearance in a few movies and Tim Roth’s recent return on She-Hulk. Now it looks like they are finally pulling in some other characters to fill out the Hulk’s roster. Mark Ruffalo seemed to announce he’d be coming back for this film but Marvel has said that was untrue. Maybe a post-credits scene?

Sebastian Stan won’t be showing up as Bucky Barnes, but he is in the upcoming film Thunderbolts. Mackie has said that he was disappointed Marvel decided to move forward with a Captain America movie instead of a second season of Falcon And The Winter Soldier because he wanted to spend more time hanging out with his friends from that show, Stan and Daniel Brühl (who played Baron Zemo).

It’s not clear if Samuel L. Jackson will be around as Nick Fury. We know for sure that Iron Man won’t be showing up. Sadly, Steve Rogers was left a widower when Peggy Carter passed away, but it seems unlikely Chris Evans will be putting on old age makeup again to give us a glimpse into his current life.

New Additions

The most significant addition comes with Harrison Ford taking over the character of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. William Hurt, unfortunately, passed away in 2022. Before, when an actor passed away, Marvel shied away from recasting the character. This time, they decided to bring in a new actor. This seemed to raise some questions about why it was okay in this instance but not for Black Panther after Chadwick Boseman died before being able to film the sequel.

Getting Harrison Ford in the movie is definitely a plus, no matter his role. This time around, Ross will be the new President Of The United States. Now that the gruff military guy is in charge of the whole country, how will that play against the world of superheroes? Well, there are some rumors that he could end up being the villain of the film. Some rumblings have been made that Ross will be turning into the Red Hulk. In the comics, Ross had found a way to turn into a giant monster just like Bruce Banner, only with a red tint.

The comic book character of Sabra will be making her MCU debut played by Shira Haas. Some were concerned that debuting an Arab character during the times of unrest that is currently happening in the world might have consequences. Marvel has assured fans that they have taken care to update the character for a modern audience as they have with other heroes that have been brought to the big screen. In the comics, Sabra is a mutant who can transfer her life essence into others and even give them superpowers.

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins has filmed some scenes for the film. No one is sure what character he will be playing, but rumors are possibly King Cobra as part of the Serpent Society. The group was a snake-themed team that fought against Captain America numerous times. The film has undergone some reshoots with some claims that the Serpent Society arc has been completely cut out of the film. Who knows if Rollins will even make the cut?

Strikes

Filming began in March of 2023, and the looming writer and actor strikes had fans wondering if they would finish before the strikes started. Marvel indicated that it shouldn’t interrupt filming all that much as there were already planned breaks between the regular shoot and later reshoots. In theory, this film was already ahead of where Deadpool And Wolverine was at in production. They felt they should remain on course for their July 26th, 2024 release date. For whatever reason, it was decided to go full steam ahead on finishing Deadpool And Wolverine and release it on this date and push Brave New World to February 14, 2025.

In all honesty, it was probably their best decision. Deadpool And Wolverine seems guaranteed to be a billion-dollar movie. The hype is already at a fever pitch. This new version of Captain America still seems like it could end up being a gamble one way or the other. Fans can be fickle about their favorite character. Falcon And The Winter Soldier didn’t light up Disney+ but fared well enough. Gambling a summer release date on a character that is unsure if he can carry his own film might be something Marvel isn’t looking to do with some of their recent films falling below expectations lately.

Hopefully, we’ll be seeing a trailer soon. Possibly even attached to Deadpool And Wolverine. After watching Deadpool work with the TVA to clean up the Fox Marvel Universe, then maybe we’ll get the pleasure of watching Harrison Ford turn into a giant Red Hulk (not to be confused with Red Skull) and face off against the new Captain. As President Ross, do you think we’ll get to see him grab someone by the collar at some point and tell them, “Get Off My Plane!” before smashing them?

CinemaCon Preview

The first footage from Captain America: Brave New World was shown to attendees at the CinemaCon event in Las Vegas. Mackie was on hand to introduce the footage, which finds his Captain America meeting up with Harrison Ford’s President Ross, who thanks him for everything he’s done and asks him to help rebuild the Avengers. The President later honors Captain America at an event which is interrupted by Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who attempts to kill the President along with an army of sleeper agents. Sam Wilson takes care of the sleeper agents in a very cool action scene, which ends with President Ross telling Sam, “You’re not Steve Rogers.” Sam responds defiantly, “You’re right, I’m not.”

The story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America began with Captain America: The First Avenger, which was primarily set during the days of World War II. That film showed us how Steve Rogers became Captain America – and ended with him waking from a state of suspended animation in modern times. The World War II era hero went on to battle all new threats in The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame (and was also seen in Ant-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming along the way – not to mention the time Loki took on his appearance in Thor: The Dark World).

Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected].

Furiosa by G.R. David

Godzilla by Huan Do

Invincible by John Dunn

Jaws by Choots

The Land Before Time by Contact Patrick

Late Night With The Devil by Chris Berning

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin by Jerry Padilla

Tomb Raider by Ton Lima

V For Vendetta by Bryan Johnson

Watchmen by Mike Fitzgerald

At long last, Eddie Murphy is reprising his role as street-smart cop Axel Foley in the fourth instalment of the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, which is set to hit Netflix this summer. But, it isn’t easy being a middle aged action star. It’s been nearly thirty years since we last saw Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, and in a recent interview with People Magazine he admitted that the shoot was a “rough one”.“I did Axel Foley when I was in my 20s. I am not in my 20s anymore,” he said. At any rate, Murphy won’t be the only aged actor from the original to show up, with many of the classic Beverly Hills Cop cast members are set to join him in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. Here’s everything we know about Beverly Hills Cop 4!

Who’s making it?

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley is written by Will Beall, who wrote Gangster Squad, Aquaman and worked on Zack Snyder’s Justice League. While his credits lean more heavily into action than comedy, Beall was also one of the scribes behind the TV show Castle, which has the right vibe for the franchise. The film is being directed by Mark Malloy, a famed commercial director who is making his directorial debut. He replaced Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who left the project to direct the now-shelved Batgirl. Jerry Bruckheimer is again producing, with him not being involved in the third film.

What Beverly Hills Cop cast members are returning?

The Beverly Hills Cop cast originally included Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser and Ronny Cox, all of whom returned for Beverly Hills Cop 2. Of the four, only Judge Reinhold returned for the third film. Bronson Pinchot, who memorably played Serge, the museum gallery worker in the first movie, returned for the third film but sat out the second. It looks like this fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise is leaning heavily into nostalgia, with Judge Reinhold heading back to the Beverly Hills Police Department to reprise the role of Billy Rosewood, John Ashton returning as his partner, John Taggart, Paul Reiser as Axel’s Detroit partner, Jeffrey Friedman, and Bronson Pinchot returning as Serge. Ronny Cox, so far, seems to be sitting this one out. Despite being eighty-four, Cox is still active, with him having recently appeared in Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos. He also contributed a vocal performance to the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy.

Most of Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop cast members have stayed busy since the last time they shared the screen with Axel Foley. Reinhold had a supporting role in the Santa Clause franchise and has also been seen in movies like Four Christmases and a Wedding, Bad Grandmas, and the underrated horror film The Hollow. He also reprised the role of Billy Rosewood in an unsuccessful Beverly Hills Cop TV series pilot that Barry Sonnenfeld directed back in 2013 with Brandon T. Jackson taking the lead as Axel’s son Aaron Foley.

Ashton’s recent credits include Death in Texas, American Christmas, My Little Baby, The Last Big Save, and Uncle John. Reiser has been seen on The Boys and multiple episodes of Stranger Things, and got to revive his 1990s sitcom Mad About You (co-starring Helen Hunt) for a new season in 2019. Pinchot’s recent notable credits include episodes of Ray Donovan, A Million Little Things, Lodge 49, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

The only core member from the first film, other than Cox, who’s not returning is Lisa Eilbacher as Axel’s friend Jenny Summers, but she never returned for any of the sequels either. Elibacher seems to have retired way back in 1995, as she has no screen credits since then.

Who else is in it?

The supporting cast is pretty stacked with an impressive array of names. Rising star Taylour Page plays Axel Foley’s daughter, who, in the trailers, is attacked by a hang of corrupt cops led by Kavin Bacon, who seems to be playing the villain. Seeking revenge and wanting to protect his daughter, after making his way to Beverly Hills, Axel runs afoul of the cop assigned to the case, played by Joseph-Gordon Levitt, although, as the trailer suggests, they eventually put aside their differences and team up to take out the bad guys. The heat is on!

Gordon-Levitt has earned a lot of respect and positive attention for his performances over the years, following his six season, 139 episode run on the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun with films like Mysterious Skin, The Lookout, 500 Days of Summer, Hesher, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Premium Rush, Looper, Lincoln, Don Jon, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, The Walk, The Night Before, Snowden, The Trail of the Chicago 7, and yes, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Paige made her screen debut as a dancer in 2008’s High School Musical 3, and has since been seen in the likes of Touched, Ballers, Jean of the Joneses, Hit the Floor, White Boy Rick, Zola, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Kevin Bacon… well, who doesn’t know who he is? He’s the actor who has been so prolific and has been in so many high profile projects, they created the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game to prove any other actor can be linked to him in just six steps. Here’s a fun bit of trivia: in 1984, Bacon starred in the hit film Footloose, which was the seventh highest grossing film to be released that year. The film that sits at #1 on that list: the first Beverly Hills Cop.

Who’s doing the music?

Now, this is exciting. According to the IMDB and Wikipedia, none other than Harold Faltermeyer is back to do the score. This is terrific news, as the third film infamously dropped Faltermeyer’s synth to give us a fully orchestral version of Axel F, which fans of the series despised. Faltermeyer also recently contributed to the Top Gun: Maverick score (alongside Hans Zimmer and Lady Gaga).

Just how popular are the Beverly Hills Cop movies?

The Beverly Hills Cop series totally blew up the box office in the eighties. Everyone loved Eddie Murphy’s streetwise Detroit cop, Axel Foley, who made his way to Beverly Hills to investigate his buddy’s murder. Along the way he form an unlikely friendship with some white cops who, initially, arrest him for being thrown out a window, but eventually become his allies and newfound best friends, to the extent that when one of them is shot in the second movie, Axel returns to seek vengeance. The first film made $234 million in North America alone, making it the top-grossing film of 1984 (it beat Ghostbusters). Taken for inflation, that’s about $677 million in 2023 dollars. The sequel, Beverly Hills Cop 2, was another hit for Paramount Pictures (who put out most of Eddie’s 80s movies), making over $153 million domestically. However, the third film was a notorious flop, only earning $42 million. Over the years, there have been numerous efforts made to get Eddie Murphy to reprise the character, with him even showing up in a CBS pilot that focused on the character’s son, who was played by Tropic Thunder’s Brandon T. Jackson, which has never seen the light of day.

What will Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F be rated?

While everyone assumed Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F would be R-rated, you never really can be sure with Eddie. While Murphy certainly hasn’t shied away from R-ratings in recent years, with his other two Netflix movies, You People and the great Dolemite is My Name both being hard-R, over on Prime Video, he’s focused on family fare. His sequel, Coming 2 America, nabbed a PG-13 despite the original being R, something fans weren’t thrilled about. It seems like Eddie listened to them, with a new promo spot for the movie showing him dropping enough F-bombs to guarantee this is going out with an R-rating.

When will it come out?

Word on the street is that this film is supposedly testing through the roof, so Netflix did the smart thing and gave it a big summer 2024 release. Indeed, the movie is set to officially bow on July 3rd, 2024 on the streamer.

Are you excited for Beverly Hills Cop 4? Let us know in the comments!

Al Pacino gave it his all for his Razzie-winning, borderline surreal performance in 2011’s Jack and Jill, in which he played himself.

Last Updated on April 30, 2024

With a career that has lasted over 50 years, it’s expected that Al Pacino would have some stinkers. But nothing is worse on the resume of Pacino than 2011’s Jack and Jill – hey, at least Gigli streamed on the Criterion Channel. For his performance as himself, he earned the Worst Supporting Actor Razzie…but also gave us one of the best ads in history.

In Jack and Jill, Al Pacino is recruited by Adam Sandler’s Jack to do a commercial for the Dunkaccino, a coffee/hot chocolate blend that Dunkin’ Donuts actually discontinued last year. Although he doesn’t have a credit, much of that scene came about because of Robert Smigel, who came onboard before Pacino was even cast. As he remembered,  “The Dunkaccino thing was just something I thought of while I was doing the rewrite. The whole premise was already there — that Adam worked at an ad agency and needed a famous actor for a corny product tie-in and the only way he’s able to get the guy is that he’s smitten by his twin sister. Dunkin’ Donuts wasn’t originally in the script though. The original idea was Starbucks, and the drink was Frappuccino…At the end of the day, it’s funnier that Al Pacino did a commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts. That way there’s no pretense that he ever thought this was a classy gig.”

Banking on the over-the-top, Scent of a Woman-type Pacino, the Jack and Jill team found that the Oscar winner (for, ironically enough, that 1992 film) was more than willing to give it his all, even acknowledging how damaging it might be for his career, just like the Pacino in the movie. As one extra remembered, “During one of the takes, Pacino flubbed a line or a dance move, and he jokingly said, ‘This is going to ruin me. I can’t believe you got me to do this.’” Even still, he was in on the joke of it all, requesting more takes and having fun on the set, in turn making sure the extras were game. As Smigel put it, “All the extras knew how to deliver the lines in a super-corny, whitebread kind of way, and Al just sunk his teeth into it. I didn’t know he was that good a dancer! Working with him every day was a joy, but that day in particular was heaven. Writing that song and seeing him do it was one of my favorite moments in show business.”

It was such a successful spoof that some people actually thought Al Pacino starred in a Dunkin’ commercial. But that was only the Pacino of Jack and Jill; the real Pacino has only ever endorsed Vittoria Coffee, which is considerably classier…

Challengers looks to be opening within expectations, but Boy Kills World is underperforming in a big way.

Last Updated on April 30, 2024

As we predicted earlier this week, Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers is set to lead the box office this weekend, with Deadline reporting that it’s on track for a $15 million opening. While that’s a bit below the $17 million we forecasted for the film, that’s still a decent start for a character-driven drama, with the Zendaya-led film an Amazon-MGM production that’s set for an eventual debut on Prime Video. Indeed, the studio has had a lot more luck with launching their fare theatrically than many of their competitors, with Challengers opening similarly to Air and The Beekeeper, both Amazon-MGM movies whose theatrical success paved the way to big streaming numbers. 

It certainly helps that Zendaya’s become a big star in the wake of Dune: Part Two’s blockbuster run this winter. However, whether the $50 million film is ultimately judged to be a box office success depends on how well its word-of-mouth allows it to hold up in the coming weeks. Next weekend sees the release of the first would-be summer blockbuster of the year, The Fall Guy, so hopefully the movie doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Sadly, another pretty good new release this weekend is dying, with Boy Kills World only looking like it will open with $1.6 million. It will be outgrossed by the theatrical re-release of Ridley Scott’s Alien, which celebrates its 45th anniversary with a limited theatrical run set to gross $1.8 million this weekend. Not bad for a movie literally everyone has seen, with it undeniably a special experience on the big screen. Meanwhile, the Christian biopic Unsung Hero looks like it will open in second place with $8 million. Last weekend’s new horror release, Abigail, will likely be beaten by Alex Garland’s Civil War, which has become a major word-of-mouth hit in recent weeks, with it passing the $55 million mark by the time the weekend ends.

What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments. 

Last Updated on April 30, 2024

Streaming services are the bane of my existence. It’s 2024 and there are so many options that it makes my head spin. Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, Prime Video, Peacock cover the main streamers but that’s not counting the niches. Like old cartoons? Check out Boomerang. Like anime? Then Crunchyroll is for you. But what about horror fans? Sure, Hulu has its “Into the Dark” label and Netflix is always releasing something horror-related (though I question the quality.) And the horror genre features multiple options with Screambox, Arrow Player, Full Moon Features, and even Tubi. But the subject of today’s spotlight is the best of them all, with a great UI and wonderful selection of films, nothing can compete with Shudder.

Shudder features the best catalog of horror films out there and is always partnering with horror greats. Just yesterday we saw the release of Infested, which may just be the best Spider film of the modern era. And this comes just two weeks after the wonderful Late Night With The Devil. It’s also the movie that got Sébastien Vanicek the job as the director of a new Evil Dead (turns out, one of two). And on that same day, Humane released to theaters. For those unaware, that’s Caitlin Cronenberg’s directorial debut (which you can check out my glowing review HERE) and it comes to Shudder in July. Shudder is allowing us to see these films when they would have otherwise either never gone into production or failed to reach the right audience.

And that’s not to say that everything they release is great. Baghead was one of the worst movies of the year but that doesn’t take away from Shudder’s mission statement. Nearly every Thursday/Friday you can expect a new horror film. And with exclusive content like Late Night With The Devil, Suitable Flesh, Destroy All Neighbors, Birth/Rebirth, and When Evil Lurks, you just never know when the next horror classic is waiting around the corner. There are sure to be flubs but that’s true of any service.

Then there’s the Joe Bob of it all.

I never thought we’d see the day when Joe Bob Briggs is back on my television introducing me to genre classics old and new. With Darcy the Mail Girl at his side, he has become a staple of the streaming service. Hell, there was an episode last night that put a spotlight on The Autopsy of Jane Doe (a film we’ve covered on the JoBlo Horror Originals channel). Much like our YouTube channel, it’s a great way to be introduced to horror films that may have passed you by. Plus, he always has interesting insight whether from his own research or from guests that range from the filmmakers to historians. Right now the series is airing every other Friday through August, so all the more reason to keep the service.

And if you’re wondering, this article is aimed at their actual Shudder streaming service. Not that AMC+ crap. Because as much as you’d think it’s just Shudder with bonus non-horror material you’d be wrong. Because AMC+ features the worst app I’ve ever experienced in my life. Adding movies/TV shows to a list only for them to be deleted the next time you join the app. So make sure you support Shudder directly, as it’s the least frustrating option. Not to mention that a full year only costs $71.88 a year. I spend more on toilet paper.

What do you think? Do you have Shudder? Is it the best horror streaming service? What can they do to improve? Let us know in the comments below!

Pam Grier opted for Quentin Tarantino over John Carpenter when it came to which director she had more in common with.

Last Updated on April 30, 2024

Foxy Brown may be the meanest chick in town and Coffy the baddest one-chick hit squad that ever hit it, but Pam Grier is one of the most down-to-earth actresses on the planet. Still going 50 years into her career, Grier has worked with some premiere directors, most of whom wanted to collaborate because they were fans of her iconic work in the ‘70s. Take John Carpenter and Quentin Tarantino, for example, who directed Grier in 1996’s Escape from L.A. and the next year’s Jackie Brown, respectively. But who does Pam Grier prefer when it comes to these genre-loving filmmakers? Oh, she knows what’s goin’ down!

Comparing both John Carpenter and Quentin Tarantino, Pam Grier said, “Quentin is more reality, John is fantasy. Because he got me to play Hershe Las Palmas, where I was a female actor playing a man who becomes a woman,” referring to her character in Escape from L.A., although we shouldn’t neglect that she appeared in 2001’s Ghosts of Mars as well. “So they’re both unique in so many ways, and I was honored to work with both of them.”

Still, for Grier, it’s Tarantino that takes it. While she did respect that John Carpenter is a musician, she just clicks with Quentin Tarantino. “Quentin watched all my videos, and he and I can talk movies for three days, five days. Just style, black and white. Everything that he taught me to be a filmmaker as I’m going to direct and produce. But the fact that there’s things that we missed, and he does not. Quentin can find the smallest essence of a word, dialogue, a bell bottom, a shoe…and when he [referenced] me in Reservoir Dogs – c’mon now. How’s he going to bring Foxy Brown in Reservoir Dogs, a show full of men and named after colors…?”

We all know that Tarantino is a massive Grier fan, but did you know that he even opened up a coffee joint next to his Vista Theater called, appropriately enough, Pam’s Coffy? Grier, too, has had nothing but positives about her director, recognizing his ability to take an actor to somewhere they’ve never been and channel a part of themselves that they have yet to put on the big screen.

But Carpenter and Tarantino aren’t the only great directors that Grier has worked with. How can you forget the likes of Jack Hill, Jack Clayton, Tim Burton, and so many more?

Who is your favorite director that Pam Grier has worked with? Who got the most memorable performance out of her? Drop your pick below.

So many of the biggest movies from the last decade or so aren’t available on physical media, with streaming services refusing to issue them.

It used to be said that every movie, no matter how badly it did at the box office or critically, went to heaven. Heaven, of course, meant physical media. First, it was VHS, then it was Laserdisc, then DVD, Blu-ray, and now 4K Blu-rays; every movie would get some kind of physical media release. After all, rentals and sales were important to a film’s profitability. In fact, some movies that tanked theatrically did so well on DVD that they became perennials, such as Donnie Darko or The Transporter, with the DVD sales of that movie directly influencing the studio to greenlight a sequel and give Jason Statham a legit career as an action star. Yet, despite physical media making a comeback, it’s worth noting that some of the most popular movies in recent memory have never gotten a physical media release. And we’re not only talking about movies that all but disappeared when they hit streaming. Oscar winners aren’t getting released on physical media. In fact, the only streaming movies that reliably hit Blu-ray are the ones Netflix lets Criterion put out. Still, unless your name is Martin Scorsese or Noah Baumbach, so many HUGE movies haven’t gotten physical media releases, so let’s take a look at ten that REALLY need some kind of physical release.

Road House

One of the most contentious streaming movies of all time also ended up being one of the most successful, with something like 50 million people watching this in its first week on Prime Video. While I had issues with the movie, I also think it would be a no-brainer to put out on a slick-looking 4K Blu-ray that could really showcase what star Jake Gyllenhaal and director Doug Liman were trying to pull off with this. 4K streaming is good, but it’ll never be AS GOOD as 4K physical media.

Outlaw King:

It’s worth noting that the version of this movie I saw at TIFF in 2018 isn’t the version that hit streaming, with 20 minutes being excised from the film before its general release. Given that it’s a quasi-sequel to Braveheart and the fact that its stars, Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Florence Pugh, are even bigger now than they were back then, this seems like a movie that’s ripe for the re-appraisal a Blu-ray release could give it.

The King:

The same thing goes for this superb historical drama, which – quite honestly – was the movie that sold me on Timothee Chalamet. This David Michod movie is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henry V, and Chalamet is so good that a lot of us think the action-driven drama might have played a big hand in his Dune casting. Again, Chalamet is much bigger now than he was in 2019, so why not polish it off with a new release? Joel Edgerton has rarely been better than he is in this as Falstaff, and it has an incredible score by Nicholas Britell.

Glass Onion:

Again, this seems like a no-brainer, given how popular Knives Out was on physical media. You’d think Rian Johnson would push for this one to get an extras-packed release, but no dice so far from Netflix. You have to think that the people who bought the first film would love to have it in their collection, with a Rian Johnson commentary track.

Dolemite is My Name:

Now, this one is really inexplicable. Dolemite is My Name is begging for a Criterion release with a ribald Eddie Murphy commentary track and some deleted scenes. The original Dolemite isn’t streaming on Netflix either, making a Blu-ray set that included it a must for collectors. 

6 Underground:

I’m surprised Michael Bay hasn’t pushed for a physical release for his would-be franchise starter, which Netflix apparently considered a misfire. Given the fact that it’s a Ryan Reynolds action flick, this would certainly sell well, especially for home theater enthusiasts. 

The Gray Man:

Another misfired franchise starter; given how Ryan Gosling is riding a new wave of popularity following Barbie, one assumes this high-profile action flick would sell a bunch of 4k discs. I suppose Netflix hopes more people will check it out on the streaming service, but it feels like a missed opportunity for disc.

The same thing goes for the Extraction films. This has proven to be a solid franchise for the streamer, but action fans are collectors. Both of these movies would certainly make a mint on 4K Blu-ray. Give these flicks to Arrow Video, and let them do a special-feature loaded double bill. It would SELL.

Triple Frontier:

J.C. Chandor’s star-studded heist flick has gotten some renewed attention, with star Charlie Hunnam hyping a potential sequel. Again, some of the actors in this, notably Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal, are way more popular now than they were a few years ago. It’s a great movie, and frankly, this is one I’d actually like to add to my own personal collection.

Coda:

Apple’s Coda is the only Best Picture winner at the Oscars that you can’t get on physical media. I know from posts on X that this drives collectors crazy, so this charming film would certainly sell well, especially given that far fewer people subscribe to Apple TV Plus than Netflix. This would be a sharp way to make a little extra bread. 

Barbarian:

This one boggles the mind. Barbarian was a solid box office hit and a pop culture phenom once it hit Hulu. Horror fans love physical media, and a loaded-up Blu-ray of this movie would sell like hotcakes. That said, of every film on this list, I think this has the best chance of maybe eventually coming to physical media, with Disney putting out Prey not too long ago.

What other streaming movies do you think should be out on physical media? Let us know in the comments!