Tom Cruise recalls getting emotional reuniting with Val Kilmer on the set of Top Gun: Maverick; “He instantly became Iceman again.”

Top Gun: Maverick was one of the biggest successes of the last year, with Steven Spielberg even saying that the film “might have saved the entire theatrical industry,” but it wasn’t all big-screen action and death-defying stunts. There was plenty of emotion to be had in Top Gun: Maverick, particularly when Pete “Maverick” Mitchel (Tom Cruise) shared the screen with Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer).

Tom Cruise recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and revealed that the scene between Val Kilmer and himself in Top Gun: Maverick was just as emotional behind-the-scenes as it appeared on screen, if not more so. “I just want to say that was pretty emotional,” Cruise said. “I’ve known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character… He’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman… I was crying. I got emotional. He’s such a brilliant actor, and I love his work.“

In a film filled with thrilling flight sequences, there’s something to be said for one of the most powerful scenes in the film consisting of two men standing in a room together. Val Kilmer spoke last year about reuniting with Tom Cruise on the set of Top Gun: Maverick, saying that “it was like no time had passed at all… We blew a lot of takes laughing so much. It was really fun… special.”

Given Val Kilmer’s health struggles, you would understand why he didn’t appear in the movie, but Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski has said that there was never any question whether Val Kilmer would return as Iceman. “That was a requirement from Tom, from Jerry [Bruckheimer], from myself,” Kosinski said. “You had to figure out a way to bring Iceman in. We met with Val. He had the idea of how to integrate Iceman in a really authentic way.” Once it came time to shoot the scene, it was obviously emotional for all involved. “[We] spent a lot of time on that scene, writing it, getting ready,” Kosinski explained. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Chris McQuarrie put the final touches on the scene and really convinced me that that scene was going to work. And he was right. It’s a really beautiful scene. We shot it in Los Angeles in a really beautiful house up on a park. Very special to see not only Val and Tom, but Maverick and Iceman back on the screen together.“

In addition to the box-office success of Top Gun: Maverick, the film was also a massive hit when it debuted on Paramount+.

Vincent Cassel says that David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises 2 isn’t going to happen, seemingly the final nail in the coffin of the sequel.

It’s been over fifteen years since the release of David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises and despite rumours of a sequel for over a decade, it seems that Eastern Promises 2 is well and truly dead.

Eastern Promises told the story of Anna (Naomi Watts), a midwife who delivers the baby of a young teenage prostitute who dies in childbirth. After learning that the teen had been forced into prostitution by the Russian mafia, she crosses paths with ruthless crime boss Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl) and his menacing driver Nikolai (Vincent Mortensen). The film also starred Vincent Cassel as Kirill, Semyon’s drunk and ruthless son, and he told The Independent that Eastern Promises 2 isn’t happening. “[Cronenberg] had a wonderful script,” Cassel said. “We were ready to do it and I don’t know why it collapsed. Now I don’t think it will happen any more.“

The Eastern Promises sequel was supposed to have picked up where the first film left off, with Kirill and Nikolai inheriting Semyon’s crime syndicate, with Kirill unaware that Nikolai is secretly working as a double agent. Both Viggo Mortensen and Vincent Cassel were expected to return for the sequel, but Cronenberg spoke with JoBlo back in 2012 to say that the project had fallen apart and was “pretty much dead.” Despite that death, Eastern Promises 2 was revived with original screenwriter Steven Knight in 2019, who said that a script had been written and even claimed that production could get underway that year. “It went through permutations in the sense of, how do you follow Viggo?” Knight said. “We’ve been through that and we’ve moved on and now we’re in a position where I will say, ‘watch this space,’ we’re close to getting into production.” The sequel transformed into Small Dark Room, a thriller set in the same Russian mob world with Jason Statham tapped to star, but it’s been a while since we heard anything about that project.

David Cronenberg said that the original plan for Eastern Promises 2 would have involved Viggo Mortensen’s character in Russia. “I really wanted to see Nikolai go back to Russia, because one of the things I wanted in the first movie was that you see a bunch of Russians in London, but you never see them in Russia,” Cronenberg told IndieWire. “In other words, you experience their exile, and they are trying to recreate some of Russia within London.“

Vincent Cassel is currently starring alongside Eva Green in Liaison, a high-stakes, contemporary thriller series for Apple TV+ exploring how the mistakes of our past have the potential to destroy our future, combining action with an unpredictable, multilayered plot where espionage and political intrigue play out against a story of passionate and enduring love.

Guy Ritchie says that they’re kicking some ideas around for Aladdin 2 and would very much like to return to direct the sequel.

After Disney’s live-action adaptation of Aladdin made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, it came as no surprise that the studio quickly began developing a sequel. But four years later, we’ve heard very little about the project moving forward. Collider recently sat down with Guy Ritchie and asked him if he will be returning to direct Aladdin 2.

“I’d very much like to,” Guy Ritchie said. “I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that experience. It was a great experience. That whole Disney thing, as you can imagine, is such a professional outfit. Just from that perspective, it was so much fun. I would very much like to, we’ll wait and see.” The director added that they’ve “been kicking some ideas around for some time now, but it’d be great to do, it would be great to go back there.“

Mena Massoud, who played Aladdin in the live-action movie, offered an update on Aladdin 2 last year. “I don’t know that there is movement,” Massoud said. “There was a change with the writers, and they are working on a brand new draft. That’s all I know. If Aladdin 2 happens, that’s fantastic. I think it should happen. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback Productions, who did the Lego movies and Aladdin, want to make sure they get this right. So if we do see Aladdin 2, it’s not going to be based off the animated version at all. This is going to be a brand new original story.” The original Aladdin was followed by two direct-to-video sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

As for whether Will Smith will return as the Genie for Aladdin 2, Guy Ritchie has said that he wouldn’t hesitate to ask the actor back, despite the whole Oscar slap controversy. “I’ve never met a more lovely man, and working with him was one of the most wonderful, great experiences I’ve ever had,” Ritchie said. “I never saw anything other than the consummate, generous gentleman. I wouldn’t have any issue casting Will Smith in anything because, as I say, he was just the fucking perfect gentleman.”

Are you down for Aladdin 2, and would you like Guy Ritchie to return as director?

Cocaine Bear Jimmy Warden never wanted to call the comedy horror movie anything else, saying there was never a question in his mind.

And why would you? Cocaine Bear perfectly sums up the recently released movie by Elizabeth Banks, but when you choose that title, you’d better deliver. Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden spoke with THR and said that he never once considered giving the movie another title.

“There was never a question in my mind,” Jimmy Warden said. “Why wouldn’t we call it Cocaine Bear? It’s not every day that a title comes your way that describes the movie in two words. You understand exactly what it is and what you want it to be.” I’m reminded of Snakes on a Plane being briefly changed to Pacific Air Flight 121 before Samuel L. Jackson demanded that it be returned to the original title. Thankfully, Cocaine Bear has fared better than Snakes on a Plane.

The true story of Cocaine Bear is just as compelling as the movie. In 1985, convicted drug smuggler Andrew Thornton was on a smuggling run from Columbia and had dumped several packages full of cocaine out of an aircraft before bailing from the plane himself. Unfortunately, he hit his head on the tail of the aircraft and wound up in a free fall to the ground, where he was found dead in someone’s driveway. Several months later, a 175-pound black bear was found dead after devouring approximately $15 million worth of cocaine that Thornton had dropped. After hearing the real-life story, Warden wanted to explore what happened with the bear. “It’s kind of the fantasy of what might have happened. What could have happened,” Warden said. “I think the goal in writing the script was: Don’t disappoint the audience. Don’t call the movie Cocaine Bear and then make it about the drug trade.“

Jimmy Warden did plenty of Google research about bears to help write the script, and he found that black bears, such as the one featured in the movie, are rarely dangerous in real life, but a pound of cocaine could easily change that. “Black bears on cocaine are probably kind of dangerous,” Warden said. “I’ve known people like that. The person’s not dangerous at all, but you give them some cocaine and, you’re like, ‘watch out.’“

Cocaine Bear is now playing in theaters, so be sure to check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray right here. Arrow in the Head’s Tyler Nichols also dove into Cocaine Bear in the premiere episode of Modern Horror Movie Talk, a new series covering the latest horror movies, news, and trailer.

Arrow in the Head reviews the new release Wolf Garden, which has been described as “An American Werewolf in London meets Vertigo”

PLOT: William and Chantelle’s vacation in the countryside goes terribly wrong, leaving Chantelle missing and William hiding in the wilderness, fearing the next full moon.

REVIEW: Chances are that any genre fan who decides to check out the horror movie Wolf Garden (watch it HERE) is going to, given the title, expect the film to fit into a certain sub-genre – and since distributor Gravitas Ventures is marketing the film as “An American Werewolf in London meets Vertigo”, I suppose it’s safe to confirm that Wolf Garden is a werewolf movie. Of sorts. It just might be the most economical werewolf movie ever made. Even more so than that Howling movie that primarily seemed like a documentary about a Pioneertown honky-tonk. Don’t go into this one hoping to see much in the way of cool special effects, but do go into it aware that it’s a slow burn psychological thriller that may test your patience with its pace and its non-linear structure.

Writer/director Wayne David also stars in Wolf Garden as William, a man who went on a vacation to the countryside with his girlfriend Chantelle (Sian Altman), and something clearly went terribly wrong while they were out in the wilderness. While the story jumps back and forth between past, present, nightmares, and moments where William and Chantelle question whether or not they’re properly experiencing reality (therefore it’s difficult to say whether it’s another flashback or another nightmare), we can decipher that William is now hiding out by himself. Chantelle isn’t around anymore. But for some reason, William keeps chopping up meat and carrying it out to a shed in the woods.

Some viewers might be able to get into playing the mind game of the scattered narrative and enjoy the ride to the ending that we all expect from the beginning, but I found Wolf Garden to be very difficult to get into. Not only was the constant shifting in and out of the past, present, and reality annoying, but I also couldn’t bring myself to care about William or Chantelle at all. They may have a true, deep love for each other, but from the outside they are not interesting characters and their interactions were just another part of the film’s overall drab dullness.

Although Wolf Garden is largely a one-man show, focusing on William with the occasional appearance by Chantelle, she isn’t the only character he interacts with over the course of the film. From time to time, William will also talk to Grant Masters as a mysterious character known as The Visitor, who was someone William thought was dead before he shows up for his first visit. This was an element of the story that made me think of An American Werewolf in London even before I saw the “An American Werewolf in London meets Vertigo” marketing line. The Visitor’s conversations with William are similar to the chats the werewolf in London would have with the ghosts of victims, and Masters has a captivating screen presence.

David did a fine job of carrying the film on his shoulders, and Altman also did well with the material she was given to work with. There’s just not enough going on in the movie to sustain the 89 minute running time and make it a satisfying viewing experience. Fans of the slow burn may get something out of it, but for me the tone, structure, and pace were off-putting and patience-challenging. I couldn’t wait for this movie to reach its conclusion.

If you would like to give Wolf Garden a chance, you can do so today. Gravitas Ventures has made it available on digital and VOD as of February 28th. You can watch it on Amazon at THIS LINK.

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Tom Sizemore is likely in the final days of his life, as doctors have told the family there is “no further hope.”

Actor Tom Sizemore is likely in the final days of his life, as doctors have told his family that there is “no further hope” in his recovery.

Tom Sizemore’s manager made the following statement on Monday: “Today, doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision…The family is now deciding end of life matters and a further statement will be issued on Wednesday.”

Tom Sizemore was listed in critical condition after collapsing following a medical emergency. According to his manager, over the past weekend, “Sizemore collapsed at his Los Angeles home and was transported to a hospital by Paramedics. He was found to be suffering from a brain aneurism that occurred as a result of a stroke. Since that day, Tom has remained in critical condition, in a coma and in intensive care.”

Tom Sizemore emerged on the scene in the late 1980s, marking himself as a stand-out supporting actor towards the end of that decade and into the 1990s in movies like Born on the Fourth of July, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and Passenger 57. He is probably most recognizable to movie fans for his turns in True Romance, Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down, while gamers will know him as the voice of mob boss Sonny Forelli in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Sizemore’s most notable roles of the later part of his career was appearing in the Twin Peaks revival for David Lynch and a black ops member on Shooter. Just last month came Bermuda Island, which could be his last movie released during his lifetime.

Tom Sizemore has of course had personal troubles and scandals as well, with the release of a sex tape, sexual abuse allegations and substance abuse problems. He went on to appear on the reality series Celebrity Rehab, proving to be one of the more interesting participants that viewers could root for.

What is your favorite Tom Sizemore performance? What made him stand out as an actor to you? Let us know in the comments below. There, you can also send your best to Tom Sizemore and his family.

Damian Lewis had been absent from the last couple seasons of Billions, however, the actor is primed and ready to return in season 7.

As season 7 of Billions just got ordered by Showtime, Damian Lewis appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to announce, “Bobby’s back. Axe is back, and it’s exciting. He’s not been around for a couple of seasons.” Of course, he is referring to his character on the show, Bobby Axelrod. When the show premieres later this year, Lewis is set to appear in six of the season’s 12 episodes. In addition, Toney Goins, who plays Philip, has been promoted to a series regular.

According to Deadline, season 7 sees “alliances are turned on their heads. Old wounds are weaponized. Loyalties are tested. Betrayal takes on epic proportions. Enemies become wary friends. And Bobby “Axe” Axelrod returns, as the stakes grow from Wall Street to the world.” Along with Lewis, Billions co-stars Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll, Maggie Siff, David Costabile, Asia Kate Dillon, Condola Rashad, Jeffrey DeMunn, Sakina Jaffrey, and Daniel Breaker. The cast is set to return as filming starts in New York.

Lewis had exited the show after season 5 due to the unfortunate passing of his wife, Helen McCrory. When Lewis bowed out for seemingly the last time, the actor posted on Instagram, “Thank you @SHO_Billions thank you @briankoppelman @DavidLevien. A pleasure and a privilege to play Axe for 5 seasons with some of the smartest, funniest most talented cast and crew I’ve worked with. I’ll miss the Billions family. Yep, some jobs are more than just a job…. Love.”

Recently, Entourage creator Doug Ellin, went onto a podcast and called out the creators for stealing his idea. Ellin claims to have had an idea for a hedge fund-themed show and even implied he sought the help of the series writers and co-creators to help develop the idea. He states that he was able to sell the show to HBO, but the network ultimately ended up passing on it. Ellin expressed his extreme disappointment, “This was like kind of as low rent, lowlife s–t as can possibly be done…I want nothing out of this. I want the universe to take care of itself and burn them in f—ing hell.”

Billions is created and executive produced by showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Beth Schacter also serves as showrunner and executive producer in addition. The series was also created by Andrew Ross Sorkin.