While it might be too light for hardcore horror fans, Heart Eyes is still a fun horror/comedy mash-up.

PLOT: The infamous Heart Eyes killer has been targeting couples on Valentine’s Day for many years. Soon, two co-workers (Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt) mistaken for a couple find themselves spending what’s supposed to be the most romantic night of the year running for their lives.

REVIEW: Watching Heart Eyes, I wondered why there haven’t been more romantic comedy/ horror mash-ups. After all, the horror genre is a perennial date night staple, as nothing breaks the ice on a date like being frightened and clutching your date’s arm when a jump scare happens. Director Josh Ruben, who previously helmed the well-received Scare Me and Werewolves Within, dives head-first into both genres with a gory slasher film that leans more heavily into the rom-com aspects than you might expect, given the film a unique flavour.

To be sure, Ruben and his team of writers (including Happy Death Day’s Christopher Landon) purposefully lean into all the rom-com tropes with their two leads. Olivia Holt’s Ally is a driven career woman with a broken heart and no time in her life for romance. Mason Gooding’s Jay is her new, high-flying co-worker who, despite his ladykiller vibe, wants to settle down and find “the one.” They work for a fashion brand trying to build a campaign around romance, so to do some “research,” they book a table at the most romantic restaurant in town. Alas, the Heart Eyes killer, who we learn has been terrorizing couples for years, has recently arrived in their city, mistakes them for a particularly happy couple, and becomes focused on doing away with them.

Now, Heart Eyes may not be for the more hard-core horror fan. While some nifty gore moments earn it a hard-R rating, the vibe is kept light throughout. Even when running for their lives, Gooding and Holt, a likeable pair, trade quips and never seem especially afraid, even if a maniac is chasing them. Gooding is a rising star in the genre thanks to his role in the Scream movies and he settles nicely into a leading man part. While newer to the genre, Holt makes for a solid final girl, and their chemistry is strong enough that you hope they’ll end up together in true rom-com fashion by the time the credits roll.

However, it should be said that the Heart Eyes killer’s reign is definitely secondary to the romance. I’d definitely classify Heart Eyes as a rom-com that just happens to have horror elements, and despite the high body count, the killer’s reign never seems to be taken too seriously. Given that it’s a comedy, all the side characters are played for laughs, with Devon Sawa and Jordan Brewster’s Heart Eyes-hunting cops knowingly named Hobbs & Shaw in a cheeky nod to Brewster’s most popular franchise. Sawa chews the scenery as the ultra-macho Hobbs, while Brewster’s Shaw complains about never being able to find a man (a bit of a stretch given how jaw-droopingly gorgeous she is). Neither is played straight, but they have bigger roles than you’d think, with mistaken identity and a violent trip to the police station ranking among the film’s goriest highlights.

Heart Eyes should prove to be a solid sleeper when it comes out, as it is perfect for the audience it’s targeting – couples. Hard-core horror aficionados might be more challenging to please, but if you don’t mind the heavy emphasis on comedy and romance, you’ll still find plenty to like about the slasher flick, including practical gore effects and a superb design for the killer’s mask. I had a good time with it and wouldn’t be adverse to seeing this turn into a perennial Valentine’s Day tradition, where the killer stalks a new couple in each sequel. 

7

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Viewer Ratings (0 reviews)

Captain America: Brave New World director discusses the reshoots that removed Seth Rollins’ character and added Giancarlo Esposito’s

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has hit some speed bumps recently. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels under-performed at the box office and some of the Disney+ shows were poorly received… but the universe rebounded with the success of Deadpool & Wolverine last year, and the next addition to the MCU, Captain America: Brave New World, is set to reach theatres on February 14th. The film went into production in March of 2023, with filming lasting through June. In December of ’23, another screenwriter was brought onto the project to write new material for reshoots, which seemed to be quite substantial. It was said that the reshoots were primarily done to rework three major action sequences – and this included adding Giancarlo Esposito into the mix as Sidewinder, the leader of the Serpent Society, while also dropping a Serpent Society character that was played by wrestler Seth Rollins. During an interview with ComicBook.com, director Julius Onah said that shake-up was part of the creative team figuring out how they should present the Serpent Society on screen.

Here’s the official information on the film, straight from Marvel: Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. Harrison Ford makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as newly-elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, a role originated by the late William Hurt. Ross and Sam have a bit of a history: In his previous role as Secretary of State, Ross was responsible for arresting Sam and his fellow Avengers during the events of Captain America: Civil War. Now as president, Ross is eager to work with Sam, hoping to make Captain America an official military position. But that tentative alliance is jeopardized when Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident, with friend and retired super-soldier Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) as the prime suspect. Sam’s investigation send him on a dangerous chase, and (leading to) a deadly showdown and a tease of the menacing Red Hulk. Danny Ramirez returns as former Air Force lieutenant Joaquin Torres, who’s picked up Sam’s old wings and taken on the role of Falcon. Tim Blake Nelson is also back as Samuel Sterns, AKA The Leader, appearing in the MCU for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. New to the cast is Shira Haas, who joins as Ruth Bat-Seraph. A former Black Widow, Ruth is now a high-ranking U.S. government official who has the trust of President Ross. Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Xosha Roquemore also star. The film is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers. Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Rob Edwards crafted the story for the film. Onah receives screenplay credit alongside Peter Glanz and Matthew Orton (Orton being the writer who was brought on for the reshoots).

Onah told ComicBook.com, “When you’re taking characters like Serpent Society from publishing, who, as you know, are individuals dressed up as snakes and have snake-adjacent powers, you’re always iterating and trying to figure out the version that totally works best in a movie like this. I love Seth Rollins, Seth’s incredible. But as we were evolving and we knew we had an additional photography period, just one that we did early on in the process that’s planned, we were trying to figure out, ‘Hey, who’s somebody that can bring a very specific kind of gravitas that works with this tone?’ And when Giancarlo Esposito became available, it was such a no-brainer. I have a very particular history with him. He’s iconic for working with Spike Lee. I interned with Spike Lee when I was 19 years old. And of course, fans have been fan-casting him for a long time in the MCU. So it’s really about making sure that all the elements worked in the grounded tone and vision that I have for this film. And as we evolved and iterated, Giancarlo just made sense. And what a blessing to have in this film.“

Are you looking forward to Captain America: Brave New World? What do you think of Seth Rollins being cut and Giancarlo Esposito added? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

The hype for Andor season 2 is building after the well-received first season. Disney+ has given us a new look at the show in a new still.

The first season of Andor became a surprise for audiences with an initial lukewarm anticipation. The Star Wars show told the backstory to one of the characters from Disney’s first spin-off with the property, Rogue One, and the reception has been a positive one. Andor season 2 will bring the story of Cassian (Diego Luna) right up to the beginning of Rogue One, so we can expect to see a few familiar characters from the movie, including Ben Mendelsohn as Imperial Director Orson Krennic. Discussing Film recently shared on their social media a new look at Diego Luna from season two of Andor. It appears to be a still from an upcoming promotion, perhaps an upcoming Super Bowl spot, but it displays Luna’s Andor sporting a suave look while a mysterious figure is blurry in the background.

About the Author

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

Things are still up in the air when it comes to a fourth season of Ted Lasso, but star Juno Temple has a hopeful update for fans.

Last Updated on February 7, 2025

The panda became the lion for Keeley Jones as Ted Lasso made it through its first two season. With season three, we got to see just how she would fare in a jungle of her own. And while the conclusion of season three found Keeley positioning herself in a way we wouldn’t have expected from the early locker room shenanigans, most Ted Lasso fans took the word that those 12 episodes would be the last (you don’t name an episode “So Long, Farewell” for nothing). Now, Juno Temple has some high hopes that Ted Lasso could be headed towards its fourth season.

Juno Temple recently chatted with Entertainment Weekly about the prospects of another season for Ted Lasso, to which she gave an optimistic outlook. “I’ve heard the kind of stunt version of, yeah, potentially, it sounds like there might be a season 4. I don’t know when. I don’t know exactly who, what, why, where, but I think it sounds like those cogs are turning.”

There was talk about Ted Lasso spin-offs going back to even before the third season concluded, with Jason Sudeikis saying that everything had been set up for many of the characters to carry on that way. But for Juno Temple, she’s not ready for any of the Ted Lasso characters to split, saying it’s effort that takes all of AFC Richmond. “The idea of a spinoff with Ted Lasso is a complicated one for me, because it so feels like a team that I don’t know if I would want to do a spinoff. I don’t want to be a part of it if everybody else isn’t. It’s a team. It’s a real team!” Speaking of teams, Temple will be appearing alongside Myles Garrett (defensive end for the Cleveland Browns) in a Super Bowl ad for yogurt brand Oikos.

As for where Keeley could head if Ted Lasso did in fact get the go-ahead for a fourth season, Juno Temple recalled where she left off at the end of season three as a good launching point. “I haven’t thought about that, but I think that’s definitely something I would find to be a great journey for Keeley and also for Rebecca, you know? And I think, also, women’s football is something that is so exciting — especially in England, we’ve been doing so well — but I think it’s something that… I don’t know, who knows? It would be a great storyline.”

Do you “believe” that Ted Lasso will get either another season or spin-offs? Should it or is it best left with the episodes it gave us?

Neil Patrick Harris, James Norton and Jessica Gunning join Bella Ramsey’s coming-of-age summer camp romantic comedy.

Bella Ramsey is set to star in the coming-of-age film Sunny Dancer. The movie follows Ivy, a teenager in remission from cancer. Her spitfire mum and well-intentioned dad insist she attends Children Run Free Camp, a summer retreat for young adults affected by cancer. Ivy scoffs at the camp’s slogan, “Where kids come to kid,” and is more unsettled when a Google search reveals the camp’s cringe-worthy messaging and plastic promotion of smiles and picturesque sunsets. Horrified by what she’s found, Ivy dreads going to what she refers to as “chemo camp.” However, forced smiles and kumbaya-inspired campfire singalongs aren’t the only thing the camp has to offer.

Variety now reports that Neil Patrick Harris, James Norton and Jessica Gunning are now packing their bags to join the campers for the comedy. Their roles are yet to be announced, but the production is set to take off in April. The project has been abuzz since it launched at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Embankment has already pre-sold Sunny Dancer to all European and Latin American territories. The company True Brit Entertainment is setting plans to have a wide 2026 U.K. world premiere release.

Embankment’s Hugo Grumbar stated, “The movie’s key cast, production HoD’s, and multiple pre-sale distributors recognize George and Ken as amongst the most exciting and refreshing of U.K. filmmakers — young polymath talent, closely in touch with the demands of the audience.” While True Brit CEO Zygi Kamasa also declared, “I’m thrilled that True Brit brings such a beautiful and life-affirming story with outstanding young British talent to audiences next year. ‘Sunny Dancer’ is the ninth film to of True Brit’s roster of independent British films.”

Here’s the official description for Sunny Dancer,
“Sunny Dancer takes a refreshing, uplifting and surprising approach to the teenage cancer story. As Ivy bonds with her fellow campers and blossoms in love — kids and adults emerge from adversity with resilience, humor and heart.”

Hollywood is eyeing George Jaques, a writer, producer, director, and actor who is only 23 years old. His first film, Black Dog, focuses on two teenage boys from very different London backgrounds who embark on a road trip north together. As they make the journey, the pair opens up about their pasts and learns they have more in common than they thought. Ruby Stokes, who stars in Sunny Dancer, also starred in Black Dog.

“I’m beyond excited to the tell this story which focuses on a subject matter very close to my heart,” Jaques said. “I can’t imagine anybody better to bring it to life than the amazing cast of Bella, Louis and Ruby — I am truly thrilled they are a part of it.”

We interview the horror-heavy cast of Heart Eyes, including Mason Gooding, Devon Sawa and Jordana Brewster!

I dug Heart Eyes! A fun, fast-paced mash-up of the romantic comedy genre and slasher flicks, it should do nicely at the box office this weekend. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the surprisingly gory R-rated flick stars rising horror icon Mason Gooding in one of the leading roles and has a witty screenplay by Happy Death Day’s Christopher Landon. We gave it a solid review, and folks should enjoy it when it opens this Friday.

Recently, we had the chance to sit down with the cast for a round of interviews, and you can tell how excited they were about potentially launching a new franchise. First up were Mason Gooding, Olivia Holt, and Gigi Zumbado. Holt reflected on playing her first final girl, Gooding paid tribute to the horror community that has embraced him, and Zumbado yearns for her own match-up against Heart Eyes.

Next were two legends, Jordan Brewster and Devon Sawa. Brewster, who’s had a long career in horror (going back to The Faculty), had a blast in her role, with her having fun at a certain Fast & Furious nod, which was apparently in the script even before she was hired. And, like Gooding, Sawa acknowledges how supportive horror fans have been throughout this career, and expresses his hope that the now-cancelled Chucky series gets revived.

Check out the interviews embedded above and read our Heart Eyes review here! 

The Peacock streaming service has cancelled the coming-of-age Satanic Panic thriller series Hysteria! after just one season

A couple of weeks ago, the Peacock streaming service announced that they had cancelled the James Wan-produced series Teacup after just one season. Now, another one bites the dust. Variety reports that Peacock has also decided to cancel the coming-of-age Satanic Panic thriller series Hysteria! after just one season.

Written and executive produced by Matthew Scott Kane, Hysteria! explored America’s dark history of mass hysteria through the shocking story of the teenage Satanic Panic. The series follows a group of 1980s high school misfits as they exploit the growing hysteria around teen occult activity. Here’s the full official synopsis: When a beloved varsity quarterback disappears during the “Satanic Panic” of the late 1980s, a struggling high school heavy metal band of outcasts realize they can capitalize on the town’s sudden interest in the occult by building a reputation as a Satanic metal band, until a bizarre series of murders, kidnappings, and reported “supernatural activity” triggers a leather-studded witch hunt that leads directly back to them.

The cast includes Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Bruce Campbell (the Evil Dead franchise),  Emjay Anthony (Physical), Chiara Aurelia (Cruel Summer), Kezii Curtis (Charm City Kings), Nikki Hahn (Magnum P.I.), Anna Camp (the Pitch Perfect franchise), Garret Dillahunt (The Last House on the Left remake), Nolan North (Pretty Little Liars), Elijah Richardson (Fantasy Football), Milly Shapiro (Hereditary), Allison Scagliotti (Warehouse 13), and Jessica Treska (Alex & Me). 

I haven’t watched Teacup, but I am very disappointed to hear that Hysteria! has been cancelled. I really liked this show and was hooked from beginning to end. I binge-watched the eight episodes as quickly as I could, enjoying spending time with the characters and eager to see how the mysteries were going to be resolved. The season did wrap up in a way that could be considered an ending for the show if it didn’t continue – but I was hoping for more episodes because I didn’t find the resolution of every element to be entirely satisfying. I thought the story could go further, and that some of the questions could be given different, better answers. But, it’s not to be.

Did you watch Hysteria!? What do you think about the fact that Peacock has cancelled the show? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Confluential Films is partnering with Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer creator David Crownson to adapt his Killer Bee graphic novel.

Tommy Oliver’s Confluential Films is partnering with comic book creator David Crownson for an adaptation of his upcoming graphic novel Killer Bee with DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion, She’s Gotta Have It, Imaginary) set to star. Indie comic book fans know Crownson’s name from the page-turning action comic series Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer, written by Crownson with art by Courtland Ellis. Killer Bee adapts Crownson’s latest assassin story about “a retiring assassin who takes on an underground criminal network after being tasked to kill the man she’s recently fallen in love with.”

Kevin Arbouet and Terry Rossio will write the screenplay for Killer Bee. Rossio’s credits include action blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

David Crownson’s Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer is poised to become an original Disney+ television series. According to Massive Publishing, the story blends elements of Django Unchained with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with the legendary freedom fighter at the center of an action-packed and timely thrill ride. Massive’s description for Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer reads, “When slave owners can’t stop the formidable ninja warrior Harriet Tubman, they call on the help of Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, and Demons to stop her. Harriet Tubman must lead a family of slaves to freedom while battling an army of darkness.”

“With DeWanda, the writing team of Terry and Kevin, and kick-ass source material, we have the ingredients for something very cool, that we are excitedly fast-tracking,” said Confluential Films’s Tommy Oliver, who will produce the project.

As a fan of David Crownson’s work, I think the Killer Bee film project is something to keep tabs on. Crownson’s writing voice is powerful, and Demon Slayer delivers poignant societal commentary, visceral violence, and clever wordplay. The prospect of partnering with Confluential Films, an award-winning, Black-owned, and Black-founded film, television, and documentary production company, is not to be overlooked, as they lend a unique and authentic touch to the source material.

Have you read Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer? I highly recommend it. As I said, Crownson’s writing is bold and effective, while Courtland Ellis’s art brings the story to another level.

About the Author

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

Full Moon is giving the 1984 sci-fi thriller classic Trancers the black & white treatment with the streaming release of Trancers Noir

Of the hundreds of pieces of entertainment Full Moon founder Charles Band has brought into the world, one of my favorites is the 1984 sci-fi thriller classic Trancers, which also happens to be one of my favorite Christmas movies. Now, Full Moon has revealed that they’ll be releasing a black & white version of Trancers, called Trancers Noir, on the Full Moon Features streaming service this Friday, February 7th!

Directed by Band from a screenplay by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo, Trancers has the following synopsis: Welcome to Angel City, 2247. Trooper Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson) is wiping out the last disciples of Whistler, who used his psychic power to ‘trance’ those with inferior minds, forcing them to follow his every desire. Though he’d been thought dead, he’s very much alive… in the year 1985. Whistler’s master plan – kill the ancestors of the City Council. With the Council disbanded, nothing can stop him from controlling the city. And that’s where Deth comes in. Jack is sent back in time, inhabiting the body of his ancestor and tracking down the elusive sorcerer for one final showdown.

Tim Thomerson plays the iconic Jack Deth and is joined in the cast by Michael Stefani, Helen Hunt, Art LaFleur, Biff Manard, Richard Herd, Telma Hopkins, Anne Seymour, Peter Schrum, and Alyson Croft.

Trancers was followed by Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth (1991), Trancers III: Deth Lives (1992), Trancers 4: Jack of Swords (1994), Trancers 5: Sudden Deth (1995), and Trancers 6 (2002). Thomerson reprised the role of Jack Deth in all of the sequels except Trancers 6, where Zette Sullivan stepped in as his daughter Jo Deth. There’s also a 20 minute short film called Trancers: City of Lost Angels, which was shot in the ’80s but not released until 2013. Back in 2009, Thomerson mentioned that he might return for one more Trancers movie that would be filmed in China and could co-star Bill Moseley, but that project never made it into production, unfortunately.

Judging by the Trancers Noir trailer, the movie looks pretty cool when given the black & white treatment, so I will definitely be using my Full Moon Features subscription to check this one out. Full Moon has also recently released black & white “noir” versions of the movies in the Pulp Noir line, Quadrant and Death Streamer.

Are you a fan of Trancers, and will you be watching the black & white Trancers Noir version? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Mark Strong has been cast as Armitage in the Apple TV+ 10-episode series adaptation of William Gibson’s Neuromancer

Forty years ago, author William Gibson brought the world a cyberpunk novel called Neuromancer – and an adaptation of that story has been trudging its way through development hell pretty much ever since. Versions of a feature film adaptation have passed through the hands of directors like music video maker Chris Cunningham, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and The Blob‘s Chuck Russell, Torque‘s Joseph Kahn, Cube‘s Vincenzo Natali, and Deadpool‘s Tim Miller. An adaptation of Neuromancer is currently moving forward as a 10-episode series that’s set up at Apple TV+, and we’ve previously heard that BAFTA Award-nominee Callum Turner of Masters of the Air and The Boys in the Boat will be playing the lead character, Henry Dorsett Case, while Briana Middleton of Sharper and The Tender Bar takes on the role of Case’s partner Molly, “a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes.” Several months have passed since we heard those casting announcements, but now there has finally been another one: Variety reports that Mark Strong of Dune: Prophecy and The Penguin has been cast as Molly’s employer Armitage.

Created for television by Graham Roland (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan) and JD Dillard (The Outsider), Neuromancer will follow a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes, aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.

Gibson’s novel has the following description: Case was the sharpest data thief in the matrix—until he crossed the wrong people, and they crippled his nervous system, banishing him from cyberspace. Now a mysterious new employer has recruited him for a last-chance run at an unthinkably powerful artificial intelligence. With a dead man riding shotgun and Molly, a mirror-eyed street samurai, to watch his back, Case is ready for the adventure that upped the ante on an entire genre of fiction. Neuromancer was the first fully realized glimpse of humankind’s digital future—a shocking vision that has challenged our assumptions about technology and ourselves, reinvented the way we speak and think, and forever altered the landscape of our imaginations.

Gibson, Roland, and Dillard are executive producing the series with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell of Skydance Television, Anonymous Content; Drake, Adel’ Future’ Nur, and Jason Shrier of DreamCrew Entertainment; and Zack Hayden.

Are you a fan of William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and are you looking forward to the Apple TV+ series adaptation? What do you think of Mark Strong taking on the role of Armitage? Let us know by leaving a comment below.