During the early 2000’s, horror was on a mission to shake things up and keep audiences on the edge of their seats—literally. Gone were the days of predictable slasher flicks; this was an era where psychological scares, supernatural thrills, and mind-bending twists took center stage. In 2002, a film called Darkness decided to challenge its viewers with just that. Perhaps your house was a little too quiet or your lights flickered just a bit too often, or maybe your house was home to a cult practicing satanic rituals? This creepy flick stars Anna Paquin, who moves into a seemingly charming countryside home with her family—except this house has more than just creaky floors and drafty windows. It’s practically the poster child for “homes you definitely shouldn’t buy,” with a dark past that’s more twisted than a haunted house ride. As the shadows grow longer and the walls seem to close in, Regina realizes that her new home is hiding something far more sinister than a bad paint job. So, before you start screaming “get out of the house,” let’s revisit this forgotten horror flick, just make sure you’ve checked the corners of your own home before bed.

Before directing Darkness, Jaume Balagueró was primarily known for his work in the horror genre, particularly for his feature film debut Los Sin Nombre, which translates to The Nameless, in 1999. It was based on the novel of the same name by British author Ramsey Campbell and became a significant success in the European horror scene. The film is a dark, psychological horror-thriller that revolves around a mother’s search for her missing daughter and her encounter with a mysterious cult and was praised for its intense atmosphere, disturbing imagery, as well as Balageuro’s ability to craft a chilling narrative, earning him several awards, including Best Film at the Fantafestival and Fantasia International Film Festival.

Balagueró’s work on Los Sin Nombre established him as a rising talent in horror. His style was characterized by a focus on mood and atmosphere, creating a sense of dread that lingered with audiences. This success paved the way for him to take on larger projects, leading to his involvement with Darkness.

The production history of Darkness is as complex and shadowy as the film itself. Darkness was one of the early films produced under Filmax International, a Spanish production company that sought to elevate the profile of Spanish horror globally.

Originally, Balaguero tried to get Natalie Portman as the lead, but the part eventually went to Anna Paquin. Fresh off her role as Rogue in X-Men, brought star power and a proven ability to handle complex, emotionally charged roles, making her a natural fit for the film’s protagonist who must unravel the terrifying mysteries of her new home. Her presence was also intended to enhance the film’s marketability, especially in the U.S. Alongside Paquin, the filmmakers cast Lena Olin. Her ability to convey nuanced emotions and her experience with intense, dramatic roles made her ideal for the part. Iain Glen, known for his versatility and intensity, added another layer of complexity to the family dynamics. The supporting cast, including Giancarlo Giannini as the mysterious grandfather.

The movie was shot largely in Spain, with some exterior scenes filmed in Barcelona and its surrounding areas. Despite being a Spanish production, Darkness was conceived as an English-language film to maximize its international appeal.

Production faced several challenges, particularly in balancing the film’s artistic vision with its commercial potential. As stated before, the movie’s dark and complex narrative was a departure from the more straightforward horror films.This posed difficulties in editing, which was reported as tumultuous.

Darkness premiered in Spain on October 3, 2002 and had its wide release in the country on October 11. The film was accepted for its atmospheric tension and the way it incorporated elements of psychological horror with a supernatural twist. Spanish audiences were familiar with Balagueró’s style, and many were drawn to the film’s dark narrative and its production values. However, the reception was somewhat mixed. While some praised the film’s mood and suspense, others felt that the movie didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by his previous work. There was also some critique regarding the film’s pacing and its somewhat convoluted plot, which left some viewers feeling that it lacked coherence. Additionally, the decision to make the film in English was a double-edged sword; while it broadened the potential audience, it also led to some criticism from those who felt that the film lost a bit of its authenticity by not being in Spanish.

In October of 2003, Filmax sold U.S. distribution rights for Darkness and Los Sin Nombre, to Miramax Films and sat on the shelf for nearly two years, during which time it underwent significant re-editing. These changes included reducing the film’s runtime, toning down some of its more disturbing elements, and streamlining the narrative to make it more straightforward for audiences.

Darkness premiered in the U.S. on December 25, 2004 through Miramax’s Dimension Films. Instead of releasing it as an R rated film, it would be released as PG-13. Despite these efforts, Darkness faced further setbacks. Its U.S. release was poorly timed, coming out during the busy holiday season when it faced stiff competition from big-budget blockbusters. On it’s first week it opened in 7th place, behind newcomers Meet The Fockers and Fat Albert, but surprisingly beat out The Phantom of the Opera’s opening in the top 10. The film would gross around $6 million on its Christmas opening weekend. It stayed in the top 10 for one more week before dropping out. Darkness would finish with $22 million domestically and $11 million internationally making for a worldwide total of $33 million.

Critics weren’t too kind. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a rating of 5% and critics conesus stating: “Yet another predictable variation on the hoary old haunted-house movie, Darkness is an illogical, portentous mess. While most didn’t enjoy it, companies like Variety praised it for its cinematography but criticized the script saying it lacked coherence and scenes didn’t feel connected.

Darkness was released on DVD and VHS on April 26, 2005. In the early 2000’s, lots of films would distribute two types of DVD’s. There would be the theatrical cut DVD and the Unrated DVD. The unrated version had the original R rated cut with the run time of 102 minutes as well as a quick bonus feature for behind the scenes of the film. The PG-13 release not only had a different color on the case, but was only displayed in Full screen Viewing Aspect Ratio. Why the studio did this I have no idea. In 2012, Miramax released the film on Blu-ray with the extended cut. This release would showcase an upscaled high definition version of the film. It didn’t release with any new bonus content, just the same behind the scenes featurette as the DVD, “Darkness Illuminated”. In May 2024, the good people at Shout Factory re-released the film on Blu-ray. For this release, the disc housed both Unrated and Theatrical cuts as well as the same bonus feature as previous releases.

One of the film’s most significant strengths is its atmospheric tension. The house itself becomes a character in the film and contributes to a sense of dread. The film’s use of shadows and eerie sound effects heightens the sense of suspense and unease, making it effective at generating scares. When I was watching this at home, with my wireless headphones, I felt my heart racing and was genuinely scared at certain points in the film.

The premise is another strong point. While the cursed house idea sounds like it’s copying The Amityville Horror, it stands on its own by providing ground for both supernatural and psychological horror. The film delves into ideas of family secrets, trauma, and the haunting impact of past events, offering more depth than a typical haunted house story. But the biggest standout lies within its lead star… Anna Paquin. She brings a level of emotional depth and vulnerability to her role and is both compelling and convincing, providing a strong anchor for the film’s plot.

But with every strength, there are some problems with the film. One of the major issues is the film’s plot. This only spans to the original cut. While I’ve only seen the longer version, which is the easily accessible cut to view, the film underwent significant re-editing, which resulted in pacing issues and a disjointed narrative. Character development, extended backstory, some subplots and climatic scenes all had a dramatic change.

The film also suffers from familiar horror tropes and clichés. As stated earlier, a cursed house is intriguing, but it feels tired and predictable. The reveal of certain characters and their backstories can be seen coming from a mile away. Character development is another area where Darkness struggles. We are excluding Anna Paquin from this as the film’s supporting characters are somewhat underdeveloped. The interactions between characters can feel underdeveloped and generic whereas the family feels like they lack any emotional depth, other than one character’s backstory.

I do give high praise for the twist at the end of the film. Without spoiling anything, it’s pretty engaging and thought provoking. I do wish we could have seen what happens after things are revealed and given more run time to that, but alas I’ll accept it for it is.

In conclusion, Darkness is a film that is celebrated for its atmospheric tension and effective use of eerie visuals and sound design to create a hauntingly claustrophobic environment. The film’s premise, which delves into the supernatural curse of a family’s new home, offers a rich foundation for psychological and supernatural horror, setting it apart from more conventional types of films.

Anna Paquin’s stands out but the film is also marked by several issues, including underdeveloped characters, inconsistent motivations, and a convoluted narrative, which affected the theatrical cut.

Despite this, I still enjoyed the film. Its suspense and tension made for some truly great moments that are packed into this film. I would have liked more backstory on the forces behind everything and another five minutes at the end when everything is revealed, but beggars can’t be choosers. Can someone though release a complete version of this film on Blu-ray? I just want some more special features and behind the scenes of how this film was brought to light…hell, even a commentary by Balaguero explaining the process in detail would be great! Speaking of Balaguero, he would have some great success with the REC films. He directed three of the four films. Screen Gems even made a remake of it in 2008 under the title Quarantine.

Overall, Darkness serves as a memorable entry in early 2000’s horror, demonstrating both the potential and pitfalls of filmmaking as well as leaving a lasting impression with its chilling atmosphere and thought-provoking finale.

Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!

A trailer has been released for the action thriller The Accountant 2, starring Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal, directed by Gavin O’Connor

Christian Wolff, Ben Affleck’s character from the 2016 action thriller The Accountant, will be making his long-awaited return to the big screen this year – and his comeback is going to be a violent one. The Motion Picture Association ratings board recently revealed that they’ve given The Accountant 2 an R rating for strong violence, and language throughout. That happens to be the same rating the first movie received, for the exact same reasons. Coming our way from Amazon MGM Studios, the film is scheduled to be released on April 25 – and with that date just a couple of months away, a trailer for the film has arrived online! You can watch it in the embed above.

If you need a refresher, Wikipedia reminds us that Christian Wolff was “a certified public accountant with autism who makes his living (un-)’cooking the books’ (i.e., sanitizing fraudulent financial and accounting records) of criminal and terrorist organizations around the world that are experiencing internal embezzlement.”

Directed by Gavin O’Connor from a script by Bill Dubuque, the team behind the first movie, The Accountant 2 has the following synopsis: When her former boss is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) is forced to contact Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) to solve the murder. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax (Jon Bernthal), Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. As they get closer to the truth, the trio draw the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive—all intent on putting a stop to their search. Here’s another synopsis: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,” Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

Ben Affleck, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jon Bernthal are joined in the cast by J.K. Simmons, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, Robert Morgan, and Grant Harvey. Affleck is also producing the sequel with Matt Damon, Lynette Howell Taylor, and Mark Williams.

Are you a fan of The Accountant, and are you looking forward to The Accountant 2? What did you think of the trailer? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Linda Cardellini is reportedly in talks to play Jason’s mother Pam Voorhees in the A24 / Peacock series Crystal Lake

On Halloween of 2022, it was announced that original Friday the 13th screenwriter Victor Miller – fresh off winning the U.S. copyright to the 1980 film after a lawsuit that stretched on for years – was teaming up with his lawyer Marc Toberoff, franchise rights holder Rob Barsamian, production company A24, the Peacock streaming service, and showrunner Bryan Fuller (whose credits include Hannibal and Pushing Daisies) to develop a new Friday the 13th streaming series called Crystal Lake. Things were moving ahead at a good pace, filming was expected to begin this July, but then the project hit a speed bump at the end of April with the firing of Fuller and his frequent collaborator Jim Danger Gray. Things got back on track in late August with the hiring of a new showrunner – and that person is Brad Caleb Kane, who also serves as co-showrunner and executive producer of It: Welcome to Derry, the It prequel series that’s coming to HBO next year. Now, it looks like the show is in good enough condition to get back to the casting process, because industry scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider reports that Linda Cardellini is in talks to play Pam Voorhees, the vengeful mother of Jason Voorhees!

Cardellini’s credits include No Good Deed, Nutcrackers, Dead to Me, Bloodline, Strangeland, Freaks and Geeks, Legally Blonde, Scooby-Doo, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Brokeback Mountain, Grandma’s Boy, Daddy’s Home, Daddy’s Home 2, Comanche Moon, ER, Mad Men, A Simple Favor, Green Book, The Curse of La Llorona, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Endgame, and Hawkeye, among others.

A while back, an article published by The Wrap sought to figure out why Crystal Lake fell apart just a few months before filming was scheduled to begin. Their sources gave a lot of conflicting information, but it seemed to boil down to concerns about Fuller’s vision, late scripts, a ballooning budget (it was surpassing the $85 million being provided for the first season), unpaid writers… and possibly A24 executives’ lack of TV experience. In that article, it was mentioned that Charlize Theron was being eyed for the role of Pam Voorhees. Industry scooper Daniel Richtman later added, “While they eyed Charlize Theron, Claire Danes had the offer to play Pam Voorhees but she passed. Another interesting bit is that it was only a one-year deal. Meaning the main character would change in season 2.“

In addition to showrunner, Kane will be credited as creator, writer, and executive producer of Crystal Lake. It remains to be seen if he’s using anything from the original Fuller scripts and outlines, or if he scrapped those and started over completely. When he was hired, he provided the following statement: “From the moment I watched Jason Voorhees squeeze a guy’s eyeball out of its socket (in glorious 3D!) at the tender age of 8 years old, I knew my creative path was someday destined to converge with The Man Behind The Mask. Nothing defined my childhood more than growing up in the golden age of the slasher flick, and nothing’s defined the genre more than Friday The 13th. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to contribute a chapter to this iconic franchise, particularly with such fearless partners as Peacock and A24.“ In addition to It: Welcome to Derry, Kane’s TV credits include Fringe, Black Sails, Lodge 49, Moonhaven, Warrior, and Tokyo Vice.

Fuller’s approach to the material was to make each season a deconstruction of the first four Friday the 13th films. “The series would incorporate lore from several sequels but remix that material in a way similar to Fuller’s Hannibal, which interpolated the Thomas Harris novels for three seasons.” So season 1 would be set “in the immediate aftermath of the drowning of a young Jason Voorhees,” and it would center on his mother Pam as she goes on a homicidal rampage of revenge. That rampage doesn’t turn out well for Pam, opening the door for Jason to return and start his own killing spree. Vincenzo Natali (Cube) and Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry) were going to be directing episodes, while Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson was writing an episode that would have been an hour-long chase sequence “set entirely on a frozen Crystal Lake, with the summer camp’s cabins trapped under snow drifts.”

Each episode of Crystal Lake was set to have a budget of $9.6 million, but A24 reportedly wanted to cut that in half. Maybe Kane’s vision will allow them to do that.

What do you think of the idea of Linda Cardellini playing Pam Voorhees in Crystal Lake? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Addison Rae and Suzanna Son are rumored to have joined Charlie Hunnam in the Ed Gein-themed Monster season 3

The ten-episode series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (read our review HERE) was such a huge success for the Netflix streaming service back in 2022 that Netflix ordered two more seasons of the show from its creators, Ian Brennan and American Horror Story co-creator Ryan Murphy. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story was recently released, and has had quite an impact on the real lives of the title characters… and right before that season premiered in September, it was announced that Sons of Anarchy‘s Charlie Hunnam had signed on to play murderer and graverobber Ed Gein in Monster season 3. As it turns out, Monster season 3 (which is apparently called The Original Monster) is expected to reach Netflix by the end of 2025 – and industry scooper The InSneider reports that singer / TikTok celebrity Addison Rae (Thanksgiving) and Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, pictured above) are the latest additions to the cast. Information on the characters they might be playing was not revealed.

When the project was announced, Variety reminded us that Ed Gein, who also hailed from Wisconsin like Dahmer, became infamous in the 1950s when authorities discovered that he not only had killed multiple people, but had dug up graves from a cemetery near his home and fashioned all manner of household items and clothing from human remains. Gein’s case served as an inspiration for several major pop culture characters later on, including Norman Bates in Psycho, Leatherface and his family in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.

Hunnam is joined in the cast by Laurie Metcalf (Scream 2) as Augusta Wilhelmine Gein, Ed Gein’s mother; Tom Hollander (Feud) as iconic director Alfred Hitchcock, and Olivia Williams (Rushmore) as Alma Reville, Hitchcock’s wife.

When Hunnam’s casting was announced, there were some complaints that he’s too handsome to play Gein, but they seem to have Geined him up well enough, judging by the set pics that have leaked out:

About the Author

Cody is a news editor and film critic, focused on the horror arm of JoBlo.com, and writes scripts for videos that are released through the JoBlo Originals and JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channels. In his spare time, he’s a globe-trotting digital nomad, runs a personal blog called Life Between Frames, and writes novels and screenplays.

Fans have accused Marvel of using AI to create the posters for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but the studio has denied it.

At long last, Marvel Studios has released the first official teaser trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. They also dropped a handful of posters for the much-anticipated Fantastic Four movie, but some fans believe AI was used to create them, citing an inaccurate number of fingers, two people with the same face, and other inconsistencies.

However, a Marvel spokesperson confirmed to The Wrap that AI was not used in the creation of the Fantastic Four posters. You can check out the four posters below. What do you think?

Although Marvel has denied it in this case, the studio has previously been criticized for using AI to create the opening credits of Secret Invasion.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps stars Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic; Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman; Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, aka The Thing. Ralph Ineson plays Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds, with Julia Garner playing the Silver Surfer. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne are also involved in undisclosed roles.

The film will launch Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision) from a script by Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer. Shakman has teased that the movie will be unlike anything we’ve seen from Marvel so far. “It’s different in so many ways,” Shakman said. “I wish I could be specific. I wish I could say more. But we are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material. I wish I could say more. I would love to, but I can’t. But I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and certainly unlike anything at Marvel that you’ve seen before.”

The official synopsis for The Fantastic Four: First Steps: “Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.” The film will hit theaters on July 25, 2025.

It’s been forty years since the release of The Goonies, but Ke Huy Quan “would love” for the long-belated sequel to finally happen.

The Goonies never say die, even when it comes to a sequel. It’s been forty years since the release of the original movie, and there’s been talk of a follow-up for years. Will it ever happen? Who knows, but the cast is certainly game to return.

At Ke Huy Quan’s recent hand-and-footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, the actor told Variety that getting asked about a potential sequel to The Goonies is “one of the most asked questions in my life,” but that he “would love for it to happen.” Much of the original cast showed up to support Quan, including Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen, Kerri Green, and screenwriter Chris Columbus.

Feldman added that he had been developing a potential sequel with Sean Astin a decade ago and had even pitched it to original director Richard Donner, who was excited by the concept but thought it was “too expensive.” Feldman is also down to return for more Goonies. “All I can say is, get us all together.” he said. “Everybody is looking good. Sean’s looking good. Josh is looking good. We’re all looking good still, and we’re all alive. Goonies never say die…There’s hope.“

Nothing is official yet, but last month, it was reported that Columbus was working on a new Goonies project (as well as a new Gremlins movie).

Quan will next be seen in Love Hurts. ” Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a realtor working the Milwaukee suburbs, where ‘For Sale’ signs bloom. Gable receives a crimson envelope from Rose (Ariana DeBose), a former partner-in-crime that he had left for dead. She’s not happy,” reads the Love Hurts synopsis. “Now, Marvin is thrust back into a world of ruthless hitmen, filled with double-crosses and open houses turned into deadly warzones. With his brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu), a volatile crime lord, hunting him, Marvin must confront the choices that haunt him and the history he never truly buried.” The film is set to hit theaters on February 7th.

Quan is also set to star alongside Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State. Directed by the Russo brothers, the film is set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the 1990s, where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising. The film will debut on Netflix on March 14th.

Would you like to see a sequel to The Goonies?

Following the Karla Sofía Gascón controversy, Netflix is changing the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign to distance itself from the actress.

Emilia Pérez has been receiving numerous accolades, including 13 Oscar nominations, the most of any film this year. One of those nominations was a Best Actress nod for Karla Sofía Gascón, who made history as the first openly transgender performer to be nominated for the award. However, after some social media posts were uncovered which were seen as racist and Islamophobic, Netflix seems to be cutting ties with Gascón and removing her as the face of the Oscar campaign for the film.

Gascón was set to make numerous appearances at Awards shows in the coming weeks, including the AFI Awards luncheon, The Critics Choice Awards, The Directors Guild of America Awards, The Producers Guild of America Awards, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, but THR has heard that she likely won’t be attending any of them. If she does, Netflix won’t be footing the bill as the streaming service is no longer covering expenses for her travel or styling.

Given the millions Netflix has invested in this campaign, tensions between the streaming service and Gascón are said to be rather high. In fact, they are no longer in direct communication and are instead communicating through Gascón’s agent.

Gascón did issue an apology after the controversy broke and booked an interview with CNN en Español to explain everything, but all without Netflix’s involvement. In a subsequent social media post, she said they wanted to “cancel me” and wondered, “How can I move forward?“

The new Oscar campaign for Emilia Pérez has shifted focus to Zoe Saldaña (who is nominated for Best Supporting Actress) and other talent. Given that Gascón plays the title character, her absence is very noticeable. Some Oscar voters aren’t letting a little controversy change their opinions on the film, but others think the damage is already done. “I think it’s going to have a huge effect. It left a bad taste in people’s mouths,” one voter told Variety. “People are allowed to have their opinions, but I don’t want to live in a world where a racist and bigot is highlighted and rewarded. I was going to vote for her because I really did think she was extraordinary, but how could I now? I hope it doesn’t affect Zoe. It really shouldn’t. I don’t think people are that stupid.“

What do you think of Emilia Pérez‘s Oscar chances now?

It’s game day, and once again the ads are crazy, with some of our favorite star-studded spots right here!

The Super Bowl is nearly upon us, and in addition to the battle between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, the game will also feature movie trailers and star-studded commercials. Some Super Bowl commercials have already been revealed, including a Häagen-Dazs spot in which Vin Diesel reunites with Michelle Rodriguez and Ludacris.

I suppose that will have to tide us over until the next Fast & Furious movie. Diesel posted a video on Instagram of the making of the commercial, and reflected on how far the franchise has come. “25 years ago on the streets of Los Angeles, we created something that became bigger than any of us could have imagined. Not just a movie—but a family that stretches across the globe,” he wrote. “Being on PCH, filming this Super Bowl spot, brought it all rushing back. The same stretch of coast where Pablo and I raced 25 years ago, practical driving, living those moments that would change our lives forever. Now here we are again, Dom and Letty sharing that coastal sunset moment, surrounded by local crew members I haven’t seen in years.” The actor has previously said that they will be returning to Los Angeles for the next installment.

Next up is Ben Affleck’s latest Super Bowl commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts. They’ve been teasing this one all week, and it turns out that the sixty-second spot airing during the Super Bowl is actually only a trailer for a seven-minute long short film featuring both Ben and Casey Affleck (no Damon though), Jeremy Strong, Jay & Silent Bob, Bill Belichick, and many more. Check it out:

Another super cool spot, which was revealed a few weeks ago, is an ad for Hellman’s mayonaise, with reunited the iconic stars of When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. They even got Sydney Sweeney to deliver the classic, “I’ll have what she’s having” line. Check it out:

Ya know, in this era of legacy sequels, I gotta say, When Harry Met Sally 2 is one I’d actually love to see (as long as they can get Rob Reiner to direct). If you need a reminder, the Super Bowl will air tonight. We’ll see more than a few trailers during the game, but a special sneak preview of James Gunn’s Superman will air during the Puppy Bowl.

Warwick Davis’s Leprechaun ranks as one of the most enduring cult horror icons, but of the many movies, which are the best?

Top of the mornin’ to you! It may not be St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s never a bad time to watch Leprechaun movies, and we here at Arrow in the Head decided to go back over the whole Leprechaun franchise to rank them from worst to first. The Leprechaun Movies Ranked list can be seen below – check it out and let us know how you would rank the movies!

LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS (2014)

This is appalling. Director Zach Lipovsky, writer Harris Wilkinson, and WWE Studios were given the chance to make a new Leprechaun movie, they cast a professional wrestler (Dylan “Hornswoggle” Postl) as the title character, and then they just churned out a dull monster movie. I don’t know how anyone involved thought this was a good idea (“You know what we should do? Take everything people liked about Leprechaun and remove it!”) or how Leprechaun: Origins made it through production. The story follows Americans backpacking through Ireland and running across a leprechaun, who is just a hideous creature with no personality. It’s not even fun to watch this thing pick people off. There’s nothing interesting to be found in this movie, although there is some curiosity factor in seeing one of the most wrongheaded reboots ever made. Unfortunately, you have to sacrifice some of your time to do so. (Good thing the 90 minute running time is padded out with 12 minutes of end credits.)

LEPRECHAUN IN THE HOOD (2000)

Around 2000, there was a surge of low-budget horror movies set “in the hood”. Full Moon was in on it, and the Leprechaun franchise joined the trend as well. Directed by Rob Spera, who got help from four other writers in crafting the story and script, Leprechaun in the Hood has its charms. You get Ice-T as a record producer who gained success with the help of a flute he stole from the leprechaun. You get the leprechaun smoking weed, rapping, and mesmerizing a trio of “fly girls”. And of course, you get him killing people while trying to get his flute back from the rap group that has stolen it from Ice-T’s character. (Called Mack Daddy O’Nassas because he was a pimp who “owned asses”.) This one ranks lower just because it doesn’t feel as fun as some of the other entries, despite the weed and the rapping.

LEPRECHAUN BACK 2 THA HOOD (2003)

Writer/director Steven Ayromlooi wanted to make a Spring Break Leprechaun movie, but Lionsgate wanted to send the character Back 2 Tha Hood. Well, at least this repetition is more tolerable than going Back 2 Space would be. This sequel has better production value than the previous Hood entry, some cool action moments, and fun elements like bullets laced with clover and a magic battle between the leprechaun and a fortune teller. On the downside, the characters aren’t very interesting, so it bogs down whenever we have to watch them interact. We get the leprechaun hitting a bong, but he doesn’t give us another rap sequence… which I’m sure was disappointing to fans of the first Hood film. This may be the last time we’ll ever see Warwick Davis starring in a Leprechaun movie, which is a shame. He seemed to have a lot more Lep left in him, but they let the franchise go dormant for too long.

LEPRECHAUN 4 (1996)

Leprechaun 3 director Brian Trenchard-Smith returned to direct Leprechaun 4, which is not on the level of his previous contribution to the series. The fact that it’s set in space isn’t the problem, it’s fitting that the Leprechaun movies helped start one of the most amusing franchise trends. The problem is, it feels like Dennis Pratt just wrote it as a generic Aliens knock-off and then replaced the alien with the leprechaun. He lives on a random planet and is referred to as an alien. At least he’s still obsessed with wealth and power. This movie does get incredibly strange as the leprechaun wipes out a bunch of soldiers and the medical staff on a spaceship, so it has that going for it. This seems to be a love it or hate it entry: it gets too ridiculous for some viewers, while others enjoy that it’s packed with jaw-dropping nonsense.

LEPRECHAUN RETURNS (2018)

The leprechaun is a different character in every Leprechaun movie, they all just happened to be played by Warwick Davis. Until Leprechaun Returns, which brings back the leprechaun from the original. Ironically, the first direct sequel is also the first sequel Davis opted not to come back for. So this returning leprechaun is played by Linden Porco, who does a good job, it’s just difficult for anyone to come close to what Davis did. Directed by Steven Kostanski, Leprechaun Returns is an entertaining sequel with an amusing, clever script by Suzanne Keilly – who recently wrote a fun Slumber Party Massacre movie as well. The story finds the leprechaun accidentally being unleashed by a group of sorority girls and proceeding to kill them and their friends one-by-one. Nice and simple. Mark Holton reprises the role of Ozzie from the original film, and the heroine is the daughter of Jennifer Aniston’s character.

LEPRECHAUN (1993)

Some horror franchises start out dead serious and slide into silliness. That’s not the case with Leprechaun. Future entries would definitely be sillier, but this concept was ridiculous from the start. Written and directed by Mark Jones, Leprechaun is about a single father and his daughter moving into a fixer-upper home in North Dakota… and quickly realizing there was a leprechaun trapped in the basement and a pot of gold coins the previous owner brought back from Ireland (after stealing it from the leprechaun) stashed nearby. The leprechaun wants his gold back, and is willing to kill people in nasty ways to retrieve it. Jones tries to make moments genuinely unnerving, but while Warwick Davis turns in a hell of a performance and the leprechaun is hideous, he’s still wearing a funny outfit, tossing out one-liners, and getting distracted because he’s compelled to polish shoes. He’s also up against some goofball characters, including Pee-wee’s Big Adenture‘s Mark Holton as a fellow named Ozzie Jones, who’s unlucky enough to have swallowed one of the gold coins, and a rather annoying heroine played by pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston.

LEPRECHAUN 3 (1995)

The idea behind Leprechaun 3, which was directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith from a script by David DuBos, was a really smart one. You have a horror villain who’s obsessed with collecting riches, so what better setting could there be for one of his sequels than Las Vegas? Of course, the movie only had to budget to film in Vegas for one day (the interiors were shot in Los Angeles), but Trenchard-Smith made the most of it. While the leprechaun causes trouble for people who work at a casino, including a terrible magician and a croupier played by genre regular Caroline Williams, we also learn that leprechaunism is an infectious disease when the lead (played by John Gatins, who would go on to earn an Oscar nomination for writing Flight) starts to turn into a leprechaun himself. This was one of the better, most well-crafted entries in the franchise. And you get to see what a handful of leprechaun poop looks like.

LEPRECHAUN 2 (1994)

Every one thousand years, a leprechaun can claim a human bride, and in Leprechaun 2 an evil leprechaun has his mind set on a young woman named Bridget (Shevonne Durkin). With the help of his drunken uncle Morty (Sandy Baron), Bridget’s boyfriend Cody (Charlie Heath) desperately tries to save his love from life with a leprechaun. Directed by Rodman Flender and written by Turi Meyer and Al Septién, this sequel is a step up from its predecessor. It’s quick and fun, with a good sense of humor and very entertaining performance from Baron. It also brings a welcome new addition to the Leprechaun mythology, saying a captured leprechaun has to grant its captor three wishes. Of course, those wishes don’t always work out for the person making them. Warwick Davis was given better material to work with, including a great sequence in which he and Morty have a drinking contest. This one also earns points for being set on St. Patrick’s Day.

Zendaya has moved on from YouTube but her first video from 14 years ago has gone viral once again, showing her on the brink of stardom.

Just as Chani was fighting for her people, Zendaya is fighting for some positive vibes. While Zendaya amassed over 4 million YouTube subscribers during its run (it has been active for seven years), there is one video that fans keep going back to: her first.

In the clip, simply titled “My First video!!!!:)”, shows a then-teenage Zendaya as she was just getting her career going in the mid-2010s. In the clip, she tells her subscribers, “I just wanted to let everyone know that this is my official YouTube channel and this is my very first YouTube video so I don’t really know what to say! So I’m just gonna this is a place for happy, smiley faces and lots of love and dancing! So please enjoy and watch all my wonderful videos that I’ll be having for everyone to watch…Have a great day…” before signing off.

It’s cheesy and has a certain teenage-level of naivety in its message, but it’s also pretty positive and just the sort of video her soon-to-be legions of fans would want to see. As of 2024, 14 years after it was posted, the video stands as one of her most popular on the entire channel, being topped only by official music videos.

Seven years ago, Zendaya even posted a reaction video to this first YouTube post, which pops up every few years. “What the f*ck is that? I was trying to make like this positive environment and trying to be this f*cking ray of sunshine. This is the most annoying sh*t I have ever seen in my entire life.”

Obviously Zendaya has completely blown up, staking her place in music and movies, most notably playing MJ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chani for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films and the co-lead in Challengers, which earned her both acting and producing nominations at the Golden Globes, with some believing she could squeeze into the Best Actress race this year. On the TV front, her work on HBO’s Euphoria earned her both a Globe and an Emmy, with a SAG nomination to go along.

What is your favorite Zendaya performance? When do you think she will get her first Oscar nomination?