Fast & Furious director Justin Lin will take the helm of BRZRKR, the adaptation of the comic-book series co-created by Keanu Reeves.

THR reports that Fast & Furious director Justin Lin has been tapped to helm BRZRKR, the live-action action flick based on the comic of the same name co-created by Keanu Reeves.

BRZRKR is a “brutally epic saga about an immortal warrior’s 80,000 year fight through the ages. The man known only as ‘B’ is half-mortal and half-god, cursed and compelled to violence, even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the earth for centuries, B may have finally found a refuge — working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B will be granted the one thing he desires — the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence … and how to end it.”

Reeves will star in BRZRKR and will also produce alongside Stephen Christy for Boom! Studios, Stephen Hamel for Company Films, Ross Richie, and Justin Lin for Perfect Storm. Mattson Tomlin (The Batman Part II) penned the script for the movie. Netflix is also developing a BRZRKR anime series, which will expand the universe by exploring different elements of the story with Reeves attached to voice his character.

Reeves co-created and co-wrote the comic series with Matt Kindt, which was illustrated by Ron Garney. The first issue was one of the best-selling comics of the last decade, selling over 600,000 copies. The series spanned twelve issues and has been followed by several spinoffs and a novel, The Book of Elsewhere, which Reeves wrote with China Miéville.

Justin Lin certainly knows his way around action sequences, but it’s interesting that Reeves once considered directing BRZRKR himself. “I know how it’s a lot of work, but the film that I directed, Man of Tai Chi, was born; I became the director because I was part of the writing process, and I didn’t want to hand it over,” Reeves explained in 2022. “I was like, oh, okay. I have to direct this. I’m not quite there yet on ‘BRZRKR.’ I have to read the script, but I’m also interested in having a collaborator and what they could bring to it.“

The two acting thespians talk the challenges of their roles, while Lithgow picks between some of his most famous villain roles.

It’s always exciting to see major actors try their hand at horror. Both John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush have never shied away from it, and always find interesting roles when they do take part. That’s no different here as The Rule of Jenny Pen provides the two thespians an absolute smorgasbord to play with. They get to play nemesis and are really able to milk each of their interactions. There’s a tension present whenever these two are in the same room and it’s because they know how to play off the small moments so well. I didn’t love the film itself (check out my review HERE) but I was floored by the performances from these two talented actors.

Talking to two absolute acting titans like John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush can be a bit intimidating. Thankfully, they’re two of the nicest people out there and truly love acting, so it made them very easy to talk to. It was fascinating to see their rapport together, with Rush asking if Lithgow had performed a certain Shakespeare play. If anything I wish I had more time with them as they had such thoughtful answers. And with Lithgow having played so many all time great villains, I asked him who had the most humanity between The Trinity Killer (from Dexter), Carter/Cain (from Raising Cain), and Dave Crealy. The answer may surprise you. Check it all out in the embedded video above!

The Rule of Jenny Pen plot:

Arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush) suffers a near-fatal stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed and confined to a retirement home. Resistant to the staff and distant from his friendly roommate, Mortensen soon clashes with seemingly gentle resident Dave Crealy (Lithgow) who secretly terrorizes the home with a sadistic game called “The Rule of Jenny Pen” while wielding his dementia doll as an instrument of cruelty. What begins as childish torment quickly escalates into far more sinister and disturbing incidents. When Mortensen’s pleas to the staff go unanswered, he takes it upon himself to put an end to Crealy’s reign of terror.

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

About the Author

Tyler Nichols is a horror fanatic who resides in Michigan and is always on the hunt for the next great film. When not scouring the internet for movie news, he is usually off watching something dark, writing nonsensical musings, or playing in some fantastical video game world. While horror takes up most of his time, he still makes time for films of all types, with a certain affinity for the strange and unusual. He’s also an expert on all things Comic Book Cinema. In addition to reviews and interviews here on JoBlo.com, Tyler also helps with JoBlo Horror Originals where he’s constantly trying to convince viewers to give lesser-known horror films a chance.

You can’t keep Michael Hirst away from the world of Vikings as Amazon has given a series order to Bloodaxe, a Norse historical drama.

You can’t keep Michael Hirst away from the world of Vikings. Prime Video has given a series order to Bloodaxe, a historical drama created, written, and executive produced by Michael and Horatio Hirst.

Hirst created and wrote all 89 episodes of the Vikings series for the History Channel and executive-produced Vikings: Valhalla, the sequel series that aired for three seasons on Netflix. Although Bloodaxe will also deal with real-life Norse figures, the new series won’t be related to Hirst’s previous Viking dramas.

Bloodaxe chronicles “the rise of one of history’s most famous Viking warriors, Erik Bloodaxe, and his formidable wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings. As they fight for the throne of Norway, the land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties, and bloody betrayals. With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom, drawing in the ruthless Kings of other Scandinavian countries, and even a powerful English ruler, the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling and utterly magical new Viking Saga.“

“I feel blessed and deeply excited that Amazon has given me the opportunity to return to the fantastic world of the Norse Sagas and the men, women and gods of the Viking world who have come to mean so much to me,” Michael Hirst said. “Horatio and I intend to open your eyes to incredible new characters and unbelievable stories, all of which happen to be true and many of which changed the course of history.“

Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Michael and Horatio Hirst, who have an impressive track record bringing historical dramas to life with stunning authenticity and gripping storytelling.This story is a fascinating tale of Erik Bloodaxe and we can’t wait to unveil this new chapter to transport our global customers back to a fascinating era of history.“

Bloodaxe isn’t the only project Michael and Horatio have in the works at Amazon. They’re also developing a historical drama based on A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, written by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Vicky Alvear. The book tells a series of overlapping stories about the people living in Pompeii before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Kevin Smith has been a longtime fan of Archie, and in the new comic, he will bring Riverdale into the View Askewniverse.

THR reports that Kevin Smith is bringing the View Askewniverse to Archie Comics. The Clerks writer/director is writing a double-sized crossover comic titled Kevin Smith Presents: Archie Meets Jay & Silent Bob.

The comic will be set after the events of Clerks III, which ended with a significant death, but Smith says, “Archie plays a role in the healing” when the iconic character gets a summer job at the Quick Shop and befriends Randal Graves. “Not only is this my stab at a classic American franchise that existed long before me that I read as a kid … It’s a midlife crisis project about death and learning to deal,” Smith explained.

Smith has long been a fan of Archie comics, and he wrote the first draft for the comic just one day after Archie creative executive Jesse Goldwater pitched him the idea. “Kevin has always been one of my creative heroes, and seeing him bring his unique voice and vision to the page with all of these iconic characters truly feels like a once in a lifetime moment,” Goldwater said. “Kevin’s work has always been hilarious and irreverent in the absolute best way, but also always filled with such joy, heart, and always focused on the importance of love and friendship, just like Archie Comics.“

Kevin Smith Presents: Archie Meets Jay & Silent Bob features artwork from Fernando Ruiz and Rich Koskowski, colours by Matt Herms, letters by Jack Morelli, and a cover by Ruiz, Koslowski and Rosario “Tito” Peña. It will be released on July 9th.

As for the movie side of the View Askewniverse, Smith revealed last year that he’s been working on a sequel to Dogma after finally regaining control of the film back from the Weinsteins. “Some people will be like, ‘Don’t f—ing touch it. You’ll ruin it,” Smith said. “And I’m here to tell you: I will. I’m f—ing tickled. I found a way in.” Smith also teased that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon may return, joking that they still owe him for never acknowledging him during their acceptance speeches for Good Will Hunting. “I have been able to hold that over both their heads for 25 f—ing years, which is why they keep showing up in all the movies,” he said. “Expect a cameo from them — more than a f—ing cameo. The only way we get a Dogma sequel made is if they’re there. So count on those guys being there.“

While not a patch on the solid original, Another Simple Favor is still good fun.

PLOT: Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick), who’s reinvented herself as an amateur investigator (as well as being a mommy blogger), is convinced by her old foe, Emily (Blake Lively), to attend her extravagant destination wedding in Capri.

REVIEW: A Simple Favor was a surprisingly effective potboiler, anchored by two ace performances from Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. Plus, it had snappy direction from Paul Feig and a tight script that somehow managed to take some vast cliches and make them feel fresh. As such, the only thing surprising about a sequel being made is that Amazon’s opting to premiere this on streaming, despite Lively’s last movie making $300 million worldwide – controversy be damned.

While not as inspired as the original and more of a retread than expected, the gorgeous scenery (well-photographed by John Schwartzman) and an especially good turn by Lively make it worthwhile. Emily Nelson is surely the best role of her career, with her getting more screen time than she did in the original, thanks to an added twist (which I won’t reveal here). While Lively looks terrific in her jaw-dropping wardrobe, she sinks her teeth into the camp aspect of the role, playing well off Kendrick, whose Stephanie is portrayed as a little less naive in this instalment.  

Most of the co-stars from the first movie return, with Henry Golding intriguingly cast against type. In the first film, his character, Sean, is presented as a bit of a trophy husband, but Golding’s charm is dialled down, with the character having gone to seed in the years since the last film. Oddly, he’s never been more likeable. 365 Days star Michele Morrone plays Emily’s mobbed-up, new would-be husband, but like Golding in the original, seems to have been cast to up the beefcake quotient more than anything else – which is understandable given the target audience.

Where the movie falters is in the inclusion of too many red herrings, including Allison Janney as Emily’s sinister aunt, who arrives with her addled mother (Elizabeth Perkins – filling in for Jean Smart) in tow. When you have someone like Lively having such a whale of a time playing a quasi-antagonist, it’s a shame they inevitably water her down somewhat (softening her rough edges way too much) to perhaps pave the way for a third instalment, which seems like a questionable proposition now.

It’s not that Another Simple Favor is bad – in its own way, the sequel is kind of fun. It’s just that it’s so unnecessary and seems to undo everything that made the original such a romp. Anna Kendrick’s Stephanie follows the same beats she did in the original, with her again being haunted by guilt over a traumatic death. In the first movie, it was her husband and half-brother/ lover. In this one, we find out that a case she was investigating led to the suicide of someone who may have been innocent, which would have given her an interesting wrinkle. Still, the movie seems afraid to commit to the notion that she is fallible. 

The film is also loaded with extraneous characters, with Alex Newell, Stephanie’s agent, tagging along on the European getaway for no reason and then being given absolutely nothing to do. The movie, which—like the first—embraces the camp aspect, goes overboard in its resolution, with everything wrapped up in too tidy a package.

However, the scenery is gorgeous, the leads are fun, and Feig’s thrown in some choice needle drops, including Ennio Morricone’s Once Upon a Time in the West theme. It’s absolutely watchable, if not a patch on the surprisingly rock-solid original. It should prove to be a big streaming hit for Prime Video, and while it’s not a movie that cried out to be made, taken as a lark, it’s good fun. 

This week’s Awesome Art features interpretations of The 2024 Golden Schmoe Winners with The Substance, Nosferatu, & more!

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].

Anora by Siddharth Vinod

Conclave by Luis López

Deadpool & Wolverine by Azmat

Dune: Part Two by Augusto Garcia

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga by Axel Almirón

Joker: Folie a Deux by Hadi Sabbagh

Nosferatu by Jason Gloom

The Substance by Michael Pinckney

Wicked by Dorothea Taylor

The Wild Robot by Jaime Ventura

While it might be slightly too inside to connect with folks who aren’t obssesed with Hollywood, the show is still good fun.

PLOT: A studio exec (Seth Rogen) who finds himself promoted to the top slot at the studio has to juggle his wish to make great films with the pressures of his new job.

REVIEW: What professions are most often depicted in movies and TV? Certainly, doctors, lawyers, cops (and criminals). To that, I’d add the Hollywood exec. Pretty much ever since they started making movies, Hollywood has been doing films about their business, with many of them classic tales, like the first two versions of A Star is Born (the latter two took on the even sexier music industry instead), Singing in the Rain, The Last Tycoon, The Player, Swimming With Sharks, and – on the small screen – the too quickly cancelled Action, and Entourage among others. 

Yet, it can’t be denied that those earlier versions, even if they were at times scathingly critical, also adhered to the romance of the business. All involved aimed to make great movies (well, not on Action – and maybe that’s why it was cancelled). In Seth Rogen’s The Studio, which he created with his long-time collaborator Evan Goldberg, no one cares about making good movies. They want to make A LOT money and protect their jobs.

It might be that Rogen and Goldberg, having spent their fair amount of time in the Hollywood trenches, have a particularly jaundiced view of the town. Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick says he wants to make great movies, but within moments, he’s selling out all of his scruples to secure his role at the top of the chain. In The Studio, or at least its early episodes, no one cares about making anything good, with much of the first episode centring around Matt’s attempt to make Kool-Aid the movie at the behest of his new boss, Bryan Cranston’s studio CEO. 

The show is packed to the gills with cameos, with Martin Scorsese having a significant role playing himself, as he tries to launch a Jonestown film (a project he actually flirted with in real life), plus there’s Charlize Theron, Paul Dano, Steve Buscemi, and many more. Clearly, Rogen has a deep bench of people from which to pull.

However, The Studio could wind up being a little too venal for its own good, as, at least in the early episodes, there’s no one you root for at least a little – something which is a tried and true format on British TV but is less proven in the U.S (with Veep being a notable – long-running – exception). Sure, Succession, The Sopranos, and many others centered around bad people, but you still cared about them. At least early on, Rogen’s Matt is such a bottom-feeder that you’ll be rooting for his downfall within moments of meeting him.

That said, The Studio is funny, especially if you know the business a little bit. Scorsese pokes fun at his massive running times and budgets, while Nicholas Stoller shows up as himself to pitch an animated version of Kool-Aid that, God Forbid, sounds like the kind of tepid fare that would actually get made. Ike Barinholtz is a blast as Matt’s coked-up best friend/ adversary at the studio, while Katherine Hahn is at her best as the studio’s foul-mouthed chief marketer. Catherine O’Hara also enters late in the pilot as the studio exec thrown over by Matt to make it to the top.

My only caveat is that The Studio, as funny as it is, is also quite depressing as with it, Rogen really does seem to be saying that Hollywood, as it once was, is over and that if good movies do get made anymore, it’s a bit of a miracle. Given his place in the industry, he would know. God help us, loyal film fans. 

More details about the James Bond stalemate at Amazon surface as harsh words between top brass reportedly fly.

Right now, the hallowed James Bond franchise feels in a tighter spot than becoming strapped to a table as a laser beam inches toward your nethers. Since Daniel Craig’s retirement as the legendary superspy, the fate of 007 is a giant question mark. Whether it’s deciding who the next Bond should be or the act of moving ahead with a British Secret Intelligence Service television series, the situation appears aimless and exhausting. According to a write-up from The Hollywood Reporter, fans can chalk much of the ire up to hurt feelings and a lack of a clear creative direction.

According to THR, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wanted complete creative control of the Bond IP after hearing an off-color comment by longtime Bond producer Barbara Broccoli. In December 2024, The Wall Street Journal published a piece in which Broccoli was quoted telling personal friends that Amazon executives were “fucking idiots,” regarding their handling of the James Bond franchise. Word travels fast in Hollywood and Broccoli’s alleged comments activated alarm bells in Bezos.

Digging deeper into the situation, THR says Bezos “read her quote in the Journal and got on the phone and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, get rid of her,’” according to an insider who asked to remain anonymous. As a way of adding fuel to the fire, Broccoli became upset after hearing Amazon content chief Jennifer Salke refer to the Bond IP as “content” instead of the iconic franchise we know it to be. Broccoli’s half-brother, Michael G. Wilson, was also pushed out of meetings with Amazon executives, widening the divide between creative forces.

Earlier this week, Longlegs and The Monkey director Osgood Perkins issued harsh words about Jeff Bezos after being asked if he’d direct a new James Bond movie. The question came to Perkins via a Reddit AMA, which read as follows: “Are you open to directing a Bond movie/trilogy? If so, who would you cast as your version of Bond?” Perkins quickly replied, “No, because fuck Jeff Bezos.”

In late February, Amazon MGM Studios and longtime Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced a shift in leadership as they ceded creative control over to Amazon. Under the new deal, Wilson, Broccoli, and Amazon would share co-ownership of Bond, with Amazon deciding the franchise’s fate and direction. While Perkins is not in the running to helm a Bond project, demand for his talents is on the rise as movies like Longlegs and The Monkey continue to resonate with audiences.

Another name floated as a candidate for a 007 project is Conclave filmmaker Edward Berger. While speaking with Variety’s Marc Malkin on the 2025 Oscars red carpet, Berger said his interest in getting involved with the Bond franchise has shifted after the exchange of ownership.

“Barbara Broccoli is no longer doing it and she is at the heart of this project, so I think it’s something different,” Berger said when asked if he’d helm a Bond movie. “I don’t know. Things have changed. We will certainly miss her very much.”

007’s fate has dangled from the edge of a creative cliff for what feels like a long time, with actors like Henry Cavill, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Hardy, Dan Stevens, Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Regé-Jean Page, Tom Hiddleston, and more rumored to become the international superspy. However, with creative forces behind the Bond IP seemingly at war, 007 straddles a stalemate from which escape is tricky.

While the confusion could appear as territorial pissings, it’s important to remember how valuable the Bond franchise is. Few characters maintain generational leaps like James Bond, who has appealed to audiences of all ages for decades. Pushing Bond in the wrong direction would spell disaster for a beloved cinematic icon, thus making the need for smart decisions paramount to his survival in a time when people are quick to judge.

What would you like from the James Bond IP? Who should play the character in future installments? Could you split the character between feature films and a television series? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Despite it’s massive budget, Mickey 17 is having a hard time attracting North American audiences.

As we predicted earlier this week, Mickey 17, the Robert Pattinson-led sci-fi flick from Parasite director Bong Joon Ho is having a hard time attracting audiences in North America. While the movie was initially looking at an opening in the mid-20s, the outlook for the film has grown grimmer, with Deadline reporting that it’s unlikely to cross the $20 million mark. So far, they have it opening in the $18-19 million range.

Considering that the movie cost north of $118 million, that’s a terrible number, with it looking like it has the makings of being a major flop for Warner Bros. While I enjoyed it, one must admit that it’s more of a cult movie than anything that would ever connect with a mainstream audience. It has a B CinemaScore rating, which is OK (if you consider WB’s last big swing, Joker: Folie a Deux had a D rating), but with an opening number like that, it seems unlikely that the film will cross the $40 million mark. 

Hopefully, for all involved, the movie will make up its domestic shortfall with solid international business, such as in Bong Joon Ho’s South Korea. Worse, this continues 2025’s box office woes, with virtually every opener since the holidays underwhelming. Captain America: Brave New World drastically underperformed, while hoped-for sleepers like Flight Risk and Companion weren’t able to pull in much of an audience. Family fare like Dog Man has proven to be more of a bright spot, but by this point last year, we already had Dune: Part Two in theatres, with Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Godzilla x Kong both on the horizon. This year, we have Paramount’s Novocaine, as well as the Jason Statham actioner, A Working Man, but both – at best – will be sleeper hits. Disney’s Snow White is the only potential blockbuster, but the word of mouth on that one has been pretty toxic.

Check back tomorrow for our full box office report!

Hans Zimmer says that he has turned down the Marvel Cinematic Universe and doesn’t think he could be faithful to a Star War score.

With a career in film composing that has lasted more than 40 years, Hans Zimmer has run the gamut. Despite having a distinct sound that often makes you recognize it as a Zimmer, the man’s work has range: Rain Man, The Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, Gladiator, Dune…But there are two franchises that Zimmer will absolutely never work within: the MCU and Star Wars.

Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Hans Zimmer said that while he has been approached by Marvel, he had a couple of conflicts. “They have, and it was always…timing wasn’t great. And really, quite honestly, I’m looking for other things right now. Look, I’ve done the trifecta — I’ve done Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman! I mean, what do you want me to do, some of the minor characters?” (By the way, the word Zimmer would really be looking for is “quadfecta”.) He added, “That was very arrogant of me to say that, but actually, Kevin Feige said that to me: ‘Hans, what are you complaining about?’”

As for Star Wars, Hans Zimmer said that his style may be from a galaxy too far, far away to fit the Star Wars mold. “How many interesting things do you want to put onto this thing before it falls apart and isn’t Star Wars anymore? Because the only way I would see myself is if I could reinvent it.” On the matter, Zimmer did praise the work of Ludwig Göransson, who did the music for The Mandalorian.

Of note, only one MCU movie has ever been nominated for Best Original Score: Black Panther, with Göransson taking home the Oscar (he would later win again for Oppenheimer, directed by frequent Zimmer collaborator Christopher Nolan). And while the Star Wars series has a total of four nods, only John Wiliams’ original took home the statue, marking his third (of five wins). Zimmer, meanwhile, has two wins out of 12 nominations.

This year, Hans Zimmer has a score credit on Joseph Kosinski’s F1 starring Brad Pitt.

How do you think Hans Zimmer would do with franchise fare along the lines of the MCU or Star Wars? Give us your take in the comments section below.