Cancelled by The CW, the Supernatural prequel series The Winchesters has failed to find a new home and is now officially dead

A few weeks ago, we heard that The CW had cancelled the Supernatural prequel series The Winchesters after just one season – which wasn’t a major surprise, since The CW is under new management that is looking to wipe the slate clean for the most part. But being cancelled by The CW didn’t necessarily have to mean that The Winchesters was dead, because the show’s producers at Warner Bros. Television had the chance to find a new home for it on another network or at a streaming service. Unfortunately, Deadline reports that no one was interested in picking up The Winchesters, so the show is now officially over.

The Winchesters came from Warner Bros Television and CBS Studios. Glen Winter (Supergirl) directed and executive produced the pilot episode. This show was executive produced by Supernatural star Jensen Ackles and his wife Danneel through their company Chaos Machine Productions.

The Winchesters is told from the perspective of narrator Dean Winchester, voiced by Ackles. The aim with this show is to tell the epic, untold love story of how John met Mary and how they put it all on the line to not only save their love but the entire world. When John returns home from fighting in Vietnam, a mysterious encounter sparks a new mission to trace his father’s past. In his journey, he crosses paths with 19-year-old demon hunter Mary, who is also searching for answers after the disappearance of her own father. Together, the two join forces with young hunter-in-training Latika and easygoing hunter Carlos to uncover the hidden truths about both their families. Their investigation leads them to a rare book emporium, whose owner Ada takes an interest in the occult and could provide the missing pieces to their puzzle. But secrets run deep for both the Winchesters and Campbells, and despite the best efforts of John’s mother Millie to protect her son from pursuing a dangerous life of demon hunting, John and Mary are both determined to work together to uphold their families’ legacies while beginning to form a family of their own.

Deadline notes that, “Three of the major streaming platforms each had a tie to The Winchesters that would make a pickup feasible — Max is owned by the same company as Warner Bros. TV, Netflix is the longtime streaming home of Supernatural where all 15 seasons are still available, and Amazon Studios is where Jensen and Danneel Ackles’ company is now based. In the end, no one stepped up to take in the show. The producers’ efforts were likely hampered by the ongoing writers strike as networks and streamers are refraining from major pickup decisions amid the uncertainty when series can go into production.”

Ackles acknowledged the bad timing in a tweet where he confirmed that the search for a new home was over:

The Winchesters stars Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) as Mary, who “has been fighting the forces of darkness since she was a child. After losing someone close to her, the hardened hunter considers quitting the family business – until her father’s disappearance and the arrival of newcomer John Winchester forces her to lead a new team”; Drake Rodger (The In Between) as John Winchester, who has “recently returned from Vietnam. The selfless and clearheaded John finds a new mission back home, where traces of his father’s past lead him to a secret organization and a whole new war as a hunter”; Nida Khurshid (Station 19) as Latika Desai, “Fiercely intelligent and braver than she believes, Latika Desai is a young hunter-in-training whose research and problem-solving skills help her face her fears in battling dark forces”; newcomer Jonathan “Jojo” Fleites as Carlos Cervantez. “Easygoing and confident, Carlos is a natural when it comes to fighting demons and a boost of positivity for the team as it takes on more serious threats”; Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry’s House of Payne) as Ada Monroe, “a studious and sharp bookstore owner who also takes interest in the mysteries of the occult”; Bridget Regan as pirate radio DJ Rockin’ Roxy, who is “hijacking the airwaves of Lawrence, Kansas to broadcast a wicked new sound”; and Bianca Kajlich (Halloween: Resurrection) as Millie, a “hard-working and tough and has done the bulk of parenting in her family for the past 15 years. She has always worried John, a Vietnam veteran, would take after his father and wanted to prevent him from pursuing a dangerous life. She is now coming to grips with the fact that this is exactly what John plans to do.”

Are you disappointed to hear that The Winchesters couldn’t find a new home? Share your thoughts on the end of this series by leaving a comment below.

Eva Longoria’s directorial debut is a heartwarming and inspirational story that hits the right notes even if it doesn’t deviate from the underdog formula.

Plot: This is the inspiring true story of Richard Montañez who as a Frito Lay janitor disrupted the food industry by channeling his Mexican heritage to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from a snack into an iconic global pop culture phenomenon.

Review: Underdog stories come in all sorts of flavors, but they rarely aim to be as spicy as Flamin’ Hot. Based on the title and the story at the core of this biopic of Richard Montanez, Flamin’ Hot could have taken some more risks and challenged the expected formula of other rags-to-riches stories. This year alone, Ben Affleck’s Air told the origin of Michael Jordan’s historic contract with Nike in a way that turned what could have been referred to as “that movie about basketball shoes” into a potential Oscar contender. Eva Longoria’s directorial debut has a disputed origin of Cheetos’ popular spicy brand at its core but remains an inspirational if familiar story. While the Montanez version of Flamin’ Hot may not be completely true, it is a feel-good tale nonetheless. I wish this movie would have been a bit more unique like the invention that inspired it.

Flamin’ Hot, based on the book A Boy, A Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive, opens with Richard Montanez (Jesse Garcia) chronicling his family’s Mexican heritage and struggles from a young age. Moving to a predominantly White neighborhood, young Richard met Judy (Annie Gonzalez), his future wife, and began earning pocket money by selling bean burritos to kids at school. When intolerance for Mexicans reared its ugly head, Richard fell into a life of gangs and crime before giving it up when Judy became pregnant. Struggling to find work without a high school diploma, Richard made his way to a custodial job at Frito-Lay. It was there that he befriended Clarence C. Baker (Dennis Haysbert) and began learning about the machines that generated chips and snacks like Doritos and Cheetos. When the economic downturn of the 1980s kicked in and risked the closure of their factory, Richard innovated the idea for a Latino-targeted spicy snack.

Taking it upon himself, Richard contacted the CEO of Pepsi, Roger Enrico (Tony Shalhoub), to pitch his titular snack. When he gets the chance to pilot the new Cheetos flavor to his California neighbors, Richard enlists his friends, family, and coworkers to change the world of American snacks forever. The key Throughout the film is Richard’s unyielding dedication to his family and heritage, which comes in the form of heartfelt voice-over narration and tongue-in-cheek variations of actual events. Richard embellishes elements here and there, which makes for funny moments like executives talking like cholos as well dramatic moments shown a scene later as awkward and clumsy. What never changes is the honest dynamic between Richard and his wife, Judy, which is a lovely and strong foundation for the following story. Jesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez make for a solid duo who share the screen most of the time.

It is worth noting that the screenplay by Lewis Colick and Linda Yvette Chavez wholeheartedly supports Richard’s version of events. Aside from one reference to a character referencing that Frito-Lay already had a spicy product being test marketed in the Midwest, there is no acknowledgment of the New York Times investigation that could not corroborate the Montanez invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos as he claims. That does not diminish the truth that Montanez went from being a janitor on a Frito-Lay factory floor to Vice President of Multicultural Sales at PepsiCo, where he oversaw decades of initiatives and brand rejuvenation that helped turn the company around. Taking out the legitimacy of Montanez’s claim to inventing the spicy brand, Flamin’ Hot still tells the inspirational journey that took Richard from being poor and barely able to support his family to a wealthy executive for one of the biggest corporations in the world.

Eva Longoria shows a solid aptitude as a filmmaker, especially when hitting the right moments of drama and humor that Flamin’ Hot is full of. A Latino heartbeat at the center of this movie gives the film a rhythm and tone that goes beyond ethnicity to tell a tale that will have all audiences smiling and rooting for the underdog. The problem with the movie is that there is never a moment where you doubt that obstacles or adversity will be overcome. Maybe it is the family-friendly approach or the sanitized perspective of poverty, but Flamin’ Hot never feels like a challenge. The fact that Richard Montanez transformed from dropout to executive feels glossed over in favor of focusing on the Flamin’ Hot product rollout being presented as a cultural landmark in American history. Make no mistake, the story is rousing and engaging, but it feels like it could have been more.

Flamin’ Hot is a good movie stuck between telling a unique story and a familiar one. I had hoped that Eva Longoria would have opted to try something a little unconventional with her debut as a filmmaker. She still brings energy to telling this story but lacks the spice this underdog tale deserves. Flamin’ Hot is authentic and rooted in Latino culture, blended with the American spirit of capitalism and striving for success. After the movie finished, I felt that distinct satisfaction of knowing that anything is possible, so in that way, this movie works well. I wish Flamin’ Hot had opted to pursue the obstacles as more than bumps on the way to Richard’s success. This story works better than I had thought it could have, but it needed a little more intensity.

7

A final trailer has been released for Insidious: The Red Door, which is set to reach theatres in July. Patrick Wilson stars and directed

The fifth film in the Insidious franchise, Insidious: The Red Door, is set to reach theatres on July 7th – and with just one month to go before that date arrives, Sony Pictures has released the final trailer for the film. You can check it out in the embed above.

Insidious: The Red Door marks the feature directorial debut of Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2 star Patrick Wilson. The screenplay was written by Halloween Kills co-writer Scott Teems, based on an idea from Leigh Whannell, who created the franchise with James Wan. The story catches up with the family from the first two films, the Lamberts, ten years after the end of Insidious 2. Josh Lambert heads east to drop his son Dalton off at an idyllic, ivy-covered university. However, Dalton’s college dream becomes a nightmare when the repressed demons of his past suddenly return to haunt them both.

Wilson is reprising the role of Josh Lambert, with Rose Byrne returning as his wife Renai, Ty Simpkins as their son Dalton, and Andrew Astor as their son Foster. Also in the cast are Sinclair Daniel (Madam Secretary), Peter Dager (Demente Criminal), and Hiam Abbass (Blade Runner 2049).

Insidious: The Red Door is coming to us from Screen Gems and Stage 6 Films. Jason Blum is producing the film for Blumhouse, alongside James Wan, Leigh Whannell, and Oren Peli. Steven Schneider, Ryan Turek, and Brian Kavanaugh Jones serve as executive producers.

When Insidious: The Red Door was first announced, Wilson said, “I’m honored and thrilled to be at the helm of the next Insidious installment, which will provide an amazing chance to unpack everything the Lamberts went through a decade ago, as well as deal with the consequences of their choices. Directing the movie is both professionally and personally a full circle moment for me, and I am extremely grateful to be entrusted in continuing to tell this frightening and haunting story. Into the further we go…“

What did you think of the final trailer for Insidious: The Red Door? Will you be watching this movie on the big screen next month? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

I have seen every Insidious movie so far, so I will definitely be watching this one as well. Sony obviously feels like they have a hit on their hands, as they’re already moving forward with another film set in the world of Insidious. That one is Thread: An Insidious Tale, starring Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani.

In a seemingly casual social media post, Anthony Mackie shows Harrison Ford on set and unveiled the new title for Captain America 4.

In addition to hanging up the hat and whip in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and enjoying new success in the Apple Original comedy Shrinking, Harrison Ford is now joining the MCU as General Thunderbolt Ross. Ford is stepping in for the late William Hurt, who had occupied the role before his passing. Anthony Mackie has recently posted a picture on his Instagram that shows Ford giving Mackie advice on kicking ass on screen while filming the new Captain America. The exclusive picture not only showcases Ford as a mustache-less Ross, but a new title has been revealed through the on-set chairs.

The title for Anthony Mackie’s official turn as Captain America, where he was originally the Falcon, had previously been known as Captain America: New World Order. However, both the photo and Mackie himself confirm that the title has now been changed to Captain America: Brave New World. Mackie’s post under the picture says, “When Harrison Ford tells you how kicking ass should look, you listen! LoL… Thanks for the on set wisdom and laughs my friend!
Can’t wait to do it again… Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World in theaters May 3, 2024.”

Marvel Studios has made announcements in cutesy ways in the past and utilized social media to connect with the fans. Tom Holland and his co-stars would use their social media to announce the title of Spider-Man: No Way Home as well as reveal posters for the film like an unboxing video. The videos were a fun play on the notion that Holland is bad at keeping spoilers secret and would accidentally let some slip through.

In addition, Marvel Studios would often make announcements during their unveiling of phase plans on a panel, and the previously announced title would find a new identity. During the presentation for phase 3, the third film in the Captain America series, with Chris Evans still in the role, was announced to be Captain America: Serpent Society. Not long in the same presentation, Kevin Feige would pull a twist and surprise fans with their plans to adapt the Civil War comics and reveal the actual title to be Captain America: Civil War. The same event announced the anticipated plans for the Avengers: Infinity War saga, which was originally set to be simply titled Avengers: Infinity War – Part I and Avengers: Infinity War – Part II. Although, it wasn’t until way later that the Russos changed Part II to Avengers: Endgame.

This episode of Revisited was Written by Cody Hamman, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Adam Walton and Chris Bumbray, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

INTRO: Universal had a hit franchise on their hands with The Fast and the Furious. They just weren’t quite sure what to do with it. That uncertainty is how we get the third film in the franchise. The one that jettisoned almost all connection to the previous two in favor of introducing new characters. Telling a story about an outsider who finds new friends – and love – in the world of racing. It’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (watch it HERE), and it’s about to be Revisited.

SET-UP: Starring Paul Walker as undercover LAPD cop Brian O’Conner and Vin Diesel as criminal street racer Dominic Toretto, The Fast and the Furious earned more than two hundred and six million dollars at the global box office. Very good for a film made on a budget of thirty-eight million. The budget was doubled for the sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious – and since Diesel chose not to return, the story followed Walker’s Brian O’Conner as he brought down a Miami drug runner. The sequel did well, earning two hundred and thirty-six million at the box office. The domestic numbers were down a little, but the international numbers were much higher. So you’d think distributor Universal Pictures would see a clear path to move forward with this franchise. It looked like a series of films about Brian O’Conner busting criminals and racing cars in a variety of interesting locations would be a success. But Universal and producer Neal H. Moritz weren’t so sure.

They did know they wanted to make a third film, though. So they held an open writing call. Any writer who wanted to come in and pitch a Fast and Furious idea could do so. One writer who had a pitch was Chris Morgan, who had recently earned his first screen credit by rewriting Larry Cohen’s script for the thriller Cellular. Morgan’s pitch caught their attention because it not only moved the story to a new location – Tokyo, Japan – it also opened the door to a new racing sub-culture. The first film was inspired by real-life quarter mile street races in Los Angeles and New York. Morgan’s idea was inspired by drifting competitions, which had been popular in Japan since the 1970s. Races that make drivers drift their cars around tight corners. A technique that was perfected by drivers practicing on Japan’s winding mountain roads. Morgan wanted to bring Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto into the Tokyo drifting world. Show him learning how to drift. And have him solve a murder mystery along the way.

Getting Diesel to star in the film was unlikely. Not only had he skipped 2 Fast 2 Furious, he had recently dropped out of the xXx sequel as well. It seemed like the only franchise he was interested in was his Riddick space adventures. So Universal told Morgan to remove Dominic Toretto from the idea. And while Paul Walker would have gladly come back for another sequel, they didn’t want Brian O’Conner in there either. Diesel and Walker were both in their thirties at the time, and Universal wanted younger leads so they could appeal directly to the youth market. Specifically, they wanted the main characters in this film to be high school students. So Morgan wrote a script that is basically a twist on The Karate Kid Part II: American youth goes to Japan, romances a local girl, learns drift racing instead of karate, and clashes with a rival who has a criminal kingpin for an uncle.

With the story in place, Moritz reached out to a director: Justin Lin, who had recently made the independent film Better Luck Tomorrow. Lin raised that movie’s two hundred and fifty thousand dollar budget by maxing out ten credit cards, wiping out his life savings, and getting a little financial help from M.C. Hammer. Moritz was very impressed by the film, which was about over-achieving Asian American youths pursuing a hobby of escalating criminal activity. But Lin wasn’t impressed by the script he was shown for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He told SFgate that his response to Universal was, “’I think it’s offensive and dated, and I don’t have any intention of doing it.’ But Stacey Snider, the head of the studio, said, ‘Just tell us what you’d do differently.’ So I said, ‘To begin with, I’d get rid of all the gongs and temples and Buddhas and the visual gags about how the white guy is a foot taller than all the Asians.’ And she said, ‘Okay, we’ll make the kind of movie you want.’ … Ultimately, it ended up being a constant challenge. I kept on getting into discussions that were like, ‘You signed me to do a certain type of movie, if you don’t want to do that movie, get rid of me.’ But all you can ever ask is that the producers and the studio be fair and reasonable. And to their credit, they were very fair and reasonable.”

Scripted by Morgan and rewritten with Lin’s input, Tokyo Drift centers on American teen Sean Boswell. He has a record of reckless driving and property destruction, so when he competes in a disastrous race through a construction site at the beginning of the film, this is going to be his third strike. The authorities want him off the streets. So his mom sends him to live with his father – a U.S. Navy officer stationed in Tokyo. There Sean befriends a military brat called Twinkie and falls for a classmate named Neela. Who is into drift racing and has a complicated relationship with a guy everyone calls the Drift King. Or D.K. A guy who wants to follow in the criminal footsteps of his uncle, who is in the Yakuza. Sean is a fan of classic American cars, he brushes off the vehicles his Tokyo peers drive as “cute little toys”. But he gets interested in drift racing, and one of D.K.’s associates, Han, agrees to teach him how to drift. As the film goes on, interactions between Sean and the Drift King get more troubled. And more dangerous. When D.K. finds out that Han has been making shady deals behind his back, a chase through the streets of Tokyo ensues… Ending with Han’s death in an explosive crash. D.K. is also intensely jealous that Neela is falling for Sean. Of course, it all comes down to a race: Sean against D.K., drift racing along mountain roads. And the loser has to leave Tokyo. Sean makes sure to bring his own style to drifting. The car he drives in the final competition is an American classic: a 1967 Mustang.

Lin signed on in June of 2005 – exactly one year before Universal planned to give the film a theatrical release. When the casting process began, he was hoping to find an Asian American actor he could cast in the lead role. Even though Universal told him there was no one who was bankable. After a global search, Lin became convinced that the best actor for the lead role was a white actor from Alabama: Lucas Black. Whose previous credits included Sling Blade, Friday Night Lights, and Jarhead. A supporting cast was then built around Black. Nathalie Kelley makes her screen debut as Neela. Kelley had only just recently gotten her driver’s license, but had to appear to be an experienced drift racer in the film. Rapper Bow Wow was cast as Twinkie. Brian Tee is the villainous Drift King. The legendary Sonny Chiba plays D.K.’s Uncle Kamata. Sean’s parents are played by Lynda Boyd and Brian Goodman. Zachery Ty Bryan appears as the jock Sean races at the beginning of the film. With Nikki Griffin as the girl who puts herself up as their prize. As Han, Lin cast Sung Kang – who had also played a character named Han in Better Luck Tomorrow. They saw their previous collaboration as the back story for Kang’s Tokyo Drift character. Han got mixed up in the crimes committed in Better Luck Tomorrow, and went off to Tokyo to avoid prosecution. Another Better Luck Tomorrow cast member, Jason Tobin, plays Han’s friend Earl, but that character has no connection to Lin’s indie film. Japanese film producer Kazutoshi Wadakura and real-life Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya have cameos as fishermen who witness Sean’s drift practice sessions.

Despite being completely different from the previous Fast and Furious movies, Tokyo Drift had the highest budget yet. Eighty-five million. That extra cash came in handy, because much of the filming did not take place in Japan. Instead, Japan was recreated in the Los Angeles area. The waterfront docks, the winding mountain roads, those aren’t in Japan. That’s California. When D.K. chases Han and Sean through Tokyo’s Shibuya district, that’s mostly not Japan. The production shut down six city blocks in downtown Los Angeles and turned it into Tokyo by dressing street signs, buildings, newsstands, restaurants, and bus stops with Japanese kanji. Then they filmed in this fake Shibuya for almost two weeks. Eventually cast and crew headed over to Japan for four weeks of exterior shots. When you add these expenses to the fact that over one hundred cars were wrecked during filming and the drifting cars burned through around two thousand tires, it’s no surprise Tokyo Drift needed some extra money.

Once the production made it to Tokyo, they found that city officials don’t give out film permits. So the cast and crew ran around the city shooting guerilla-style, getting whatever footage they could. When they went to film in the actual Shibuya district, the police shut them down… And Lin discovered that the producers had hired someone else to tell police he was the director. Because they knew a director would get arrested for filming in the Shibuya district. This guy was busted and spent the night in jail so Lin wouldn’t have to.

REVIEW: Lin openly admits that there are elements in Tokyo Drift that are similar to The Karate Kid Part II. It might not follow that movie as closely as the first Fast and Furious followed Point Break, but the connection is there. Lin also had Westerns in mind while making the film. Stories of mysterious strangers coming into town and taking on the bad guys. And SFgate’s Jeff Yang pointed out that it was in the tradition of kung fu movies as well. Movies like Drunken Master, The One-Armed Swordsman, and Shaolin Temple. Stories where a cocky young man takes on a seasoned master and fails. Then learns the techniques necessary to defeat the master from an eccentric mentor. And he usually has to avenge a murder by the end, too. Tokyo Drift is more likely to make you think of these movies from other sub-genres than it is to make you think of the previous two Fast and Furious movies. So to enjoy the movie, you have to accept that it’s something different. This isn’t a story about Brian O’Conner or Dominic Toretto. It’s a whole new group of characters, and you have to be open to their story. Instead of wishing you were watching somebody else’s story.

Taken on its own merits, Tokyo Drift is a solid racing drama. Sean Boswell is a likeable lead character, and Lin made the right casting choice. Not only does Lucas Black do a great job of bringing Sean to life, but he does so while speaking with his natural Alabama accent. Something that makes his character stand out as even more of an outsider when he’s interacting with people in Tokyo. The story he gets mixed up in there is interesting. We root for him to defeat D.K. so he can pursue a relationship with Neela in peace. And the thing that really makes the film worth watching is the presence of Sung Kang as Han.

Kang emanates coolness in every moment he has in the movie. As he takes Sean into his world of drifting and questionable business, he’s also making the viewer get more invested in the story and characters. Lin has said that Han scored through the roof with test audiences. He was the favorite character of every focus group they showed the movie to. We do come to care about this guy, possibly even more than we care about Sean. So when he gets killed off with roughly 25 minutes left to go, the viewer is just as devastated as Sean is. Which gives us even more reason to root for him in the climactic race against D.K.

Lin did an excellent job directing the movie. Tokyo Drift has a great energy and style to it, and some awesome visuals. One of the most memorable moments is a moonlight drive Sean and Neela take while on a date. Drifting around curves on a mountain road, part of a line of other cars. If drifting can look this cool, you can really understand why Sean gets so interested in it.

Lin said, “Drifting is a very cinematic sport. It’s exciting to do something that’s never been done before on film. It’s amazing to me how we’ve found new angles and new camera moves to capture the action. These drivers are so good and so precise, we were able to come up with new ideas on how best to capture it.”

LEGACY/NOW: Tokyo Drift went over well with test audiences, but Universal still wasn’t sure what the future held for the franchise. Some were concerned that The Fast and the Furious was already played out. There was some consideration given to the idea of sending sequels direct-to-video. The studio is very big on making direct-to-video sequels. Just look up the American Pie, Tremors, Bring It On, Chucky, Death Race, Scorpion King, or Dragonheart franchises for proof of that. There was a chance The Fast and the Furious could join those ranks. But then the studio got an idea for how they could give the ending of Tokyo Drift a boost. And have audiences leave screenings buzzing about the possibility of a fourth film. They asked Vin Diesel to make a last minute cameo.

Diesel could have refused. He could have asked for more money than the production would be able to pay him. Instead, he asked for the rights to the Riddick franchise. Universal handed them over – and offered him the chance to produce the next Fast and Furious movie. He took the offer. So Tokyo Drift ends with a scene where Dominic Toretto shows up to challenge Sean to race. And while doing so, he mentions that he was friends with Han. Actually, more than friends. They were family.

So when Tokyo Drift hit theatres on June 16, 2006, it started drawing in not only audiences that were interested in seeing this new story. But also fans who wanted to see the Vin Diesel cameo that tied it to the other movies. Even with that extra bit of Diesel in there, it fell short of its predecessors. It made just over sixty-two million at the domestic box office. Less than half of 2 Fast 2 Furious’s domestic numbers, which were almost twenty million below the first movie’s. At the international box office, it performed better than the first movie, drawing in over ninety-five million. That was still fourteen million short of the second film’s international box office. In the end, TOKYO DRIFT earned a total of just under one hundred and fifty-eight million. Not too bad. But almost forty-nine million less than the first movie. And almost seventy-nine million less than 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Justin Lin had proven he could make a summer popcorn movie, and he was ready to step away from blockbusters for a minute. He went into production on the comedy Finishing the Game. He was planning to balance working on studio movies with making more indie films. But then Universal asked him to direct the fourth Fast and Furious movie, which led to him directing more sequels. And making a Star Trek movie for Paramount along the way. At this point, it’s been a long time since he revisited the indie world.

If that Vin Diesel cameo in Tokyo Drift hadn’t opened the door to the next sequel, The Fast and the Furious might have gone direct-to-video after all. But now Universal knew how they were going to proceed. Dominic Toretto was coming back… and they were going to reunite him with Brian O’Conner. And we’re going to take a look at their reunion, in a movie simply titled Fast & Furious, in the next episode of Revisited.

Have you had a treat today? Maybe inspiration will be found if you check out the upcoming Hulu flick Flamin’ Hot. You may then be craving a spicy snack. The new feature about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is directed by Eva Longoria and tells the story of Richard Montañez, a fellow who claims he invented the flavor that became a billion-dollar industry. The film features excellent performances from Jesse Garcia as Richard and Annie Gonzalez as his wife Judy. It’s a bright and engagingly solid feel-good flick. And yes. Ms. Longoria brings on the Flamin’ Hot energy.

We recently spoke to Jesse Garcia and Annie Gonzalez about taking on these roles. They talked about the love story aspect of these two and connecting with each other. They also opened up about meeting with the real Mr. and Mrs. Montañez. And finally, they opened up about working with the talented Eva Longoria, who has been directing television for a while, but this is her feature film directorial debut, and she brings heart and passion to the film. Check out Flamin’ Hot this Friday on Hulu!

Flamin’ Hot has the following synopsis: Richard Montanez, the son of a Mexican immigrant, was a janitor at Frito Lay when he came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. His creation, inspired by the flavours of his community, revitalizes Frito-Lay and disrupts the food industry.

In the midst of a strike from the WGA, the Screen Actors Guild is finding itself in the middle of a pending strike if negotiations falter.

It has not been made official, but just over a month after the Writers Guild of America declared a strike in Hollywood, the Screen Actors Guild union has voted to authorize a strike if their own negotiations with the studios and streamers fall through. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “nearly 98 percent of members of performers’ union SAG-AFTRA voted to authorize a strike in a referendum that lasted a little over two weeks and concluded Monday evening.” The union’s president is none other than Fran Drescher, known for her hit 90s sitcom, The Nanny.

Drescher would explain in a statement, “The strike authorization votes have been tabulated and the membership joined their elected leadership and negotiating committee in favor of strength and solidarity. I’m proud of all of you who voted as well as those who were vocally supportive, even if unable to vote. Everyone played a part in this achievement. Together we lock elbows and in unity we build a new contract that honors our contributions in this remarkable industry, reflects the new digital and streaming business model and brings ALL our concerns for protections and benefits into the now! Bravo SAG-AFTRA, we are in it to win it.”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers would respond with their own statement, “We are approaching these negotiations with the goal of achieving a new agreement that is beneficial to SAG-AFTRA members and the industry overall.”

This vote does not put the strike into effect, but it does give the negotiating representatives the greenlight to call for a work stoppage for union actors once their movie and TV contracts expire at the end of the month. The percentage that voted “yes” almost matches the same percentage that voted to authorize the strike from the Writers Guild back in April with 97 percent. The writers’ strike would eventually go into effect in the last month. Since then, there have been debates about the state of the industry as AI is becoming more refined and many fear studios may stoop to using algorithms to produce new content.

However, a solidarity between both the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild may shake the studio systems into agreeing to their demands. In addition to the many stories of tax write-offs, such as Warners pulling Batgirl and Disney pulling dozens of titles from streaming to write off $1.5 billion in content, as well as the number of studio employees being laid off as of late, the rest of the summer, if not the year, will be a bumpy road in the world of entertainment.

Spirit Halloween has unveiled a line of Horror Babies, featuring infant versions of Leatherface, Pennywise, Ghostface, and Sam

Spirit Halloween has unveiled an all-new line of items called Horror Babies – which turn genre icons into demented infants! Spirit Halloween expects horror fans to “drool over” this merchandise, and they note that “each officially licensed baby is inspired by a different fan-favorite horror movie to bring a petrifying peek-a-boo to any home or collection.” The Horror Babies in this line are infant versions of Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pennywise from Stephen King’s It, Ghostface from Scream, and Sam from the anthology film Trick ‘r Treat!

Each one of these Horror Babies is going for the price of $49.99, and you can purchase them directly from Spirit Halloween at the following links:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Leatherface Horror Baby: Avoid a massacre this Halloween by adding this officially licensed Leatherface Horror Baby to your home decor. Any fan of the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre will love adding this adorable Leatherface baby to their horror collection. Avoid getting on his bad side or you might just end up getting whacked by his mallet! Dimensions: 14″ H x 10.4″ W x 9.3″ D

It Pennywise Horror Baby: From the sewers of Derry to now inside your home, Pennywise will always be ready to put on a scare for your guests once you get this officially licensed Pennywise Horror Baby. Featuring the S.S. Georgie in his hands, any fan of the movie It will love adding this adorable Pennywise baby to their horror collection. Dimensions: 14″ H x 10.1″ W x 8.6″ D

Scream Ghostface Horror Baby: Get your home looking Halloween ready with this officially licensed Ghostface Horror Baby. Any fan of the iconic slasher Ghostface will love adding this adorable Ghostface baby to their horror collection. This officially licensed doll is equipped with a fake bloody knife and is so cute he’s to die for. Dimensions: 14″ H x 10.9″ W x 11.2″ D

Trick’ r Treat Sam Horror Baby: Add some horror-inspired decor to your home this Halloween with this officially licensed Sam Horror Baby. Any fan of the movie Trick ‘r Treat will love adding this adorable Sam baby to their horror collection. Equipped with his signature lollipop, follow the rules of Halloween and he’ll always stay happy in your home. Dimensions: 14″ H x 10.8″ W x 10.4″ D

An image showing all four of these Horror Babies together can be seen below. These things are made out of “foam filled with latex”.

Will you be buying the Leatherface, Pennywise, Ghostface, and/or Sam Horror Babies? Let us know what you think of these items by leaving a comment.