Lord of the Rings writer Philippa Boyen really wants Viggo Mortensen to return for The Hunt for Gollum but it’s all dependent on the script.

Viggo Mortensen played Aragorn to perfection in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, but can he be convinced to return for The Hunt for Gollum? The upcoming movie does feature a prominent role for Aragorn, and Philippa Boyens, who wrote the trilogy alongside Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson, told The Playlist that they really want the actor to come back.

“Honestly, that’s entirely going to be up to Viggo, collaboratively and we are at a very early stage,” she said. “I’ve spoken to Viggo, Andy [Serkis] has spoken to him, Peter [Jackson] has spoken to him, we’ve all spoken to each other and honestly, I cannot imagine anyone else playing Aragorn, but it will be completely and entirely up to Viggo.“

As The Hunt for Gollum takes place during the same time period as The Fellowship of the Ring, some digital trickery would likely be employed to make Mortensen appear as he did in that movie. “I know Andy wants to work with him, but also, we don’t see this as like, using A.I. [technology], this is about a digital make-up, and whether Viggo does it or will entirely depends on how good the script is,” Boyens continued. “And he doesn’t have a script yet. So to be fair to Viggo, let’s see if we write a good enough role and that he can find enough in it to see that it’s a performance he wants to take on. After that, it’ll be between Viggo and Andy of how that is achieved.“

Mortensen has previously said that his involvement is dependent on the script. While it would be great to see him return to the role, the de-aging would really need to be flawless. I can’t speak for everyone, but some modern de-aging techniques (even ones that are done really well) can’t help but take me out of the film. That said, the technology is always improving.

Boyens explained that the new film is set shortly before Frodo leaves the Shire for Rivendell. It would begin with Gandalf tasking Aragorn with finding Gollum, so he doesn’t spill the beans about the One Ring to Sauron. Speaking of Gandalf, Ian McKellen has expressed a tentative willingness to return, although the 85-year-old actor added that they’d “better be quick” about it if they want him back.

Would you like to see Viggo Mortensen return for The Hunt for Gollum (with some digital de-aging), or should the role be recast?

Samuel L. Jackson doesn’t think an Oscar nomination is enough; instead, he says the real honor is beating everyone else.

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

When Martin Landau was announced as the winner of Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Ed Wood, fellow nominee Samuel L Jackson can be visibly seen mouthing a word that normally wouldn’t get by on national television (no, not that one…) And he meant it! After all, winning an Academy Award is just about the highest honor an actor can receive. Being nominated? Who needs that?

With great vengeance and furious anger, Samuel L Jackson called out anyone who says that being nominated for an Oscar is an award in and of itself. “We’ve been in the business long enough to know that, you know, the folks who go, ‘Well, it’s just an honor to be nominated.’ No it ain’t – it’s an honor to win!” He added, “You know, you get nominated, folks go, ‘Yeah, yeah, I remember that. Most people forget, you know. Generally, it’s a contest you didn’t volunteer to be in. I didn’t go in there so I could flex, like, ‘Well, wait a minute. Let me do my scene then! Hold up! Make sure you remember who I was!’ No, they nominated you and folks go, ‘What is that movie they [got] nominated for? What’s the name of that thing?’ And then after it’s over, people have a hard time remembering who even won.”

Remembering that Landau won for playing Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood might be a tough one to pull out, especially since Samuel L Jackson’s turn as Jules in Pulp Fiction arguably remains the most memorable in the category at that year’s Oscars. But even if you couldn’t remember who beat him out that year, we’re sure you could name another handful of performances that deserved a nomination – and you might be surprised to learn that he’s only ever been nominated once (although he does have an honorary statue). I’d say the snub for Best Supporting Actor for Jungle Fever is one of the biggest oversights in the category’s history – hell, Cannes even reintroduced Best Supporting Actor for him that year and they haven’t done it since!

Which un-nominated performance from Samuel L Jackson do you think deserved some Oscar love? Share your pick with us below!

A holiday movie that is neither family-friendly nor very funny marks a miss for the team behind Dumb & Dumber.

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

Plot: When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.

Review: The Farrelly Brothers were a bastion of bad taste and crass humor when I was a kid. Basically, they were the funniest filmmakers in Hollywood. From Kingpin and Dumb & Dumber to There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself, & Irene, Peter and Bobby Farrelly turned out movie after gut-busting movie. The Farrellys matured a bit as they got older, with Peter directing his Oscar-winning Best Picture Green Book and the Apple Original The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Bobby tried his hand at Champions with Woody Harrelson. Both directors returned to their broader comedy roots, with Peter directing Ricky Stanicky earlier this year, and now Bobby has Dear Santa. Co-written by Peter, Dear Santa reunites the Farrellys with their Shallow Hal star, Jack Black, for a Christmas comedy that is one of the unfunniest projects to bear the siblings’ recognizable name.

Dear Santa tells the story of middle-schooler Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith), a dyslexic and nerdy kid who recently moved after a tragic accident at his prior school. Liam’s parents (Hayes MacArthur and Brianne Howey) fight often, which casts a pall over the Christmas season, so Liam decides to write a letter to Santa. Because of his dyslexia, Liam’s letter heads to Hell, where it is found by Satan (Jack Black). Ignoring the misunderstanding, Satan convinces Liam to make a wish, which locks the pre-teen into a deal for his eternal soul after casting two more wishes. While Liam does not believe that the demonic lord of the underworld received his letter, Satan uses some magic to convince him. As Liam uses his wishes, Satan begins to realize that corrupting such a good soul may not be worth the damnable pleasure.

Two different films compete for narrative focus in Dear Santa. One is a crass comedy about a little kid acting like a douchebag under the influence of Satan, and the other is a wholesome Christmas comedy with a heartfelt message during the Yuletide season. Every scene that Jack Black is in eclipses every sequence without him. Sporting a salt-and-pepper beard, Black is still a physical and agile comedic performer who utilizes a gruff voice as Satan that would have been hilarious had the Farrelly’s let him go all out. His scenes shared with young Robert Timothy Smith could have taken a cue from Bad Santa and gone dark and profane, but instead, they feel muted and sanitized. Seeing Jack Black dance around, do leg kicks, and wear ridiculous outfits as he delivers dialogue in a mocking and sing-songy voice only goes so far before it wears thin. When Black is not on screen, the film suffers from the child actors delivering dialogue that sounds wooden and inauthentic for kids their age.

When Robert Timothy Smith’s Liam is on screen with his best friend Gibby (Jaden Carson Baker), the two have some chemistry, which is wasted by having them talk like robots. The rest of the cast is barely utilized, with Keegan Michael-Key’s therapist, Dr. Finklman, appearing for two scenes and P.J. Byrne’s snooty teacher, Mr. Charles’ one funny scene being wasted in the trailer. The trailer also spoils Post Malone’s role as himself, which is not remotely as funny or timely as the filmmakers think it is. In fact, the only worthwhile moment in the entire film is a great appearance by Ben Stiller in which he and his Tropic Thunder co-star get to have some hellish fun. Aside from that, this cliche-ridden film has nothing to recommend.

Based on a story by Dan Ewen, Dear Santa was co-written by Peter Farrelly, who proves once again that his Oscar wins for Green Book were a complete fluke. Bobby Farrelly brings nothing distinct or unique to the visual side of the film, which suffers from a couple of terrible CGI shots. Otherwise, the movie looks like it was made on a limited budget, with most of the money spent on securing Post Malone for the concert sequence. The biggest affront in the story is a subplot involving the tragedy that happened to Liam and his family, which feels completely out of place for the rest of the film. By the time the final act rolls around, you probably have already guessed what would happen, and it all does.

Dear Santa is the worst kind of Christmas comedy. It never brings anything special or distinct to the concept, which could have been a lot of fun had The Farrelly Brothers still had the same maniacal spark from which their early films benefitted. Jack Black is the only actor with any charisma or energy in the entire movie, and he is wasted with sub-par material that does not live up to his talents as a performer. Dear Santa is schmaltzy, dumb, and does nothing to earn its PG-13 rating outside of mild profanity and a couple of poop jokes. Avoid.

Dear Santa is now streaming on Paramount+.

Sky and AMC’s Gangs of London gets a Season 3 teaser trailer and first-look images for the intense crime drama from Gareth Evans.

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

Sky and AMC are getting down and dirty this Wednesday with a Season 3 teaser trailer and first-look pics for Gangs of London. Today’s evocative images paint a vivid picture of the one-person-army gangster saga, which tells the story of London being torn apart by the turbulent power struggles of its international gangs and the sudden power vacuum that’s created when the head of London’s most powerful crime family is assassinated.

Gangs of London, starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Joe Cole, Michelle Fairley, Lucian Msamati, and Brian Vernel, takes audiences to the U.K. capital, where drugs and a power struggle corrupt from the inside out. Pippa Bennett-Warner, Narges Rashidi, Asif Raza Mir, Orli and Eri Shuka, Jahz Armando, and Fady Elsayed return for the intense drama’s third season, with new cast members Andrew Koji, Richard Dormer, and T’Nia Miller. Phil Daniels, Ruth Sheen, and Mat Fraser join the madness as guest stars.

Sky and AMC dropped a Season 3 synopsis alongside today’s teaser trailer for Gangs of London, which reads, “Former undercover cop turned gangster Elliot navigates his new role as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but the spiking throws their operations into disarray. The Wallaces, Luan, Lale, and the street gangs face devastating consequences as personal vendettas collide with professional power struggles bleeding into violent turf wars. In the ruthless fight for control of London’s criminal underworld, no one is safe. This was no accident — it was a calculated attack. But who’s pulling the strings?”

Interestingly, Gangs of London, brought to us by Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery, is based on London Studio’s 2006 video game for the PlayStation Portable and is the fourth chapter of Sony’s The Getaway franchise created by Brendan McNamara and Katie Ellwood. I guess Amazon’s Fallout isn’t the only video game adaptation that is eating well. Man, do you remember the PSP? I still have mine, though the only games I have for it are Gunpey and Every Extend Extra. Thankfully, you can hack the PSP to do all sorts of things, including watching episodes of Gangs of London.

Is today’s Gangs of London Season 3 teaser trailer getting you pumped for upcoming episodes? Let us know in the comments section below.

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.

The documentary Art Attack! The Dissection of Terrifier 3 will be released through the Screambox streaming service in 2025

Writer/director Damien Leone had a budget of around $55,000 to work with on his breakout horror film Terrifier, and a budget of “a little over” $250,000 for Terrifier 2, which was a massive hit when it was released in 2022, earning $15.1 million at the box office. Since the second film did so well, Terrifier 3 has a substantially higher budget. A “couple million” went into this one – and it paid off, as the new sequel was well-received (JoBlo’s own Tyler Nichols considers the film to be the best entry in the Terrifier franchise) and proved to be a major box office success, making over $73 million worldwide. Now, Variety has revealed that we can expect to see a documentary about the making of Terrifier 3, titled Art Attack! The Dissection of Terrifier 3, sometime in 2025.

Terrifier 3 has the following synopsis: Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve. Here’s some more information: After surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother are struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art the Clown returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.

David Howard Thornton reprises the role of Art the Clown, a character who was first introduced in Leone’s 2013 anthology All Hallows’ Eve (although Thornton didn’t start playing him until Terrifier). Also in the cast are Lauren LaVera, who’s back as Terrifier 2 heroine Sienna; Elliot Fullam returns as Sienna’s brother Jonathan, Samantha Scaffidi is returning as Terrifier and Terrifier 2 character Victoria Heyes, and Daniel Roebuck, who has been cast in the role of Santa Claus. FX legend Tom Savini also shows up, as do Jon Abrahams, Antonella Rose, Krsy Fox, and legendary character actor Clint Howard. Chris Jericho, who had a cameo in Terrifier 2, is back in Terrifier 3 – but he made sure to let everyone know that his appearance in the film doesn’t last very long.

Art Attack! The Dissection of Terrifier 3 is said to be a full dive into how the Terrifier 3 team brought various brutal kills and bloody effects to life in the latest slasher entry. The documentary features interviews with director Damien Leone, producer Phil Falcone and various cast members, along with new footage from the set of the production.

Gary Smart and John Campopiano directed the documentary, which is coming our way from Cult Screenings UK, the producers of Pennywise: The Story of It, RoboDoc, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, You’re So Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night, and Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II. Smart and Campopiano also produced the film alongside Adam Evans and Christopher Griffiths. Erick Opeka, Yolanda Macias, Brandon Hill, and Brad Miska of Cineverse serve as executive producers with Hank Starrs and Laurence Gornall of Cult Screenings UK Ltd.

Art Attack! The Dissection of Terrifier 3 will be released through the Screambox streaming service early next year. Will you be watching? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

JoBlo’s Lance Vlcek continues his The Best Scene series with a look at his favorite moment from the 1988 film Night of the Demons

After taking a look back at House II: The Second Story (a favorite of mine since childhood), House of 1000 Corpses (which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year), the awesomeness of Tales from the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight, the leg smashing in the Stephen King adaptation Misery, three separate moments from John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China, the “Jason vs. Tina” battle in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, the “all hell breaks loose” sequence from the start of Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake, the opening sequence of Pitch Black, a cool moment from The Crow, a memorable shark attack from Jaws 2, a creepy moment from Lost Highway, and the climactic factory chase sequence from Child’s Play 2, JoBlo’s own Lance Vlcek is continuing his The Best Scene video series with a look at a memorable moment from the 1988 Halloween classic Night of the Demons (watch it HERE) – and if you’re familiar with that movie, this is probably one of the first things you think about when the movie comes to mind: the scene where Angela dances beside the fireplace to the Bauhaus song “Stigmata Martyr.” You can hear all about it in the video embedded above.

Directed by Kevin S. Tenney from a screenplay written by Joe Augustyn, Night of the Demons has the following synopsis: It’s Halloween night. And a group of good-time teens has broken into an abandoned funeral parlor with plans to raise a little hell. And that’s exactly what they do. For their intrusion has awakened an ancient, demonic evil whose hunger for human souls knows no bounds. And now, the monstrous predator is out to turn their Halloween party into an unending celebration of sheer terror.

The film stars Cathy Podewell, Amelia Kinkade, William Gallo, Alvin Alexis, Linnea Quigley, Lance Fenton, Hal Havins, Allison Barron, Philip Tanzini, Jill Terashita, and Harold Ayer.

Are you a fan of Night of the Demons? What did you think of this best scene video? Let us know by leaving a comment below… and if this isn’t what you would have picked as the best scene, let us know which scene you think is the best one in the movie.

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

Alba Baptista, Samson Kayo, and Tharanya Tharan have been added to the cast of the live-action Voltron movie

Coming from Amazon MGM Studios and director Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice), a live-action film adaptation of the classic mecha anime Voltron is set to head into production in Australia next month, and The Wrap has broken the news that the latest cast additions are Alba Baptista (Warrior Nun), Samson Kayo (The Bubble), and Tharanya Tharan (Year Of).

This trio joins previously announced cast members Henry Cavill (The Witcher), Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), Rita Ora (Fifty Shades of Grey), John Kim (The Last Thing He Told Me), and newcomer Daniel Quinn-Toye, who served as Tom Holland’s understudy in the West End production of Romeo and Juliet and also played Paris, a suitor of Juliet.

Based on the Japanese sci-fi series Beast King GoLion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV, Voltron centers around five young pilots whose vehicles join together to form the towering mech known as Voltron. The classic TV show was edited together from several Japanese anime series and originally ran in the mid-80s. Voltron spawned several sequel series, including Voltron: Legendary Defender, which spanned eight seasons on Netflix. Thurber has written the screenplay for the film with Ellen Shanman.

While addressing the crowd at VoltCon in Indianapolis via video, Thurber said, “I want to make sure that we stay true to the heart and the spirit of Voltron. In this film, we’re going to be introducing an entirely new generation of pilots. We’ve reimagined Voltron for the live-action world, but we’re going to stay true to…those iconic elements that you love, that I love.” 

Voltron is being produced by Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman, along with Bob Koplar, the head of World Events Productions and owner of the Voltron IP.

I haven’t watched an episode of Voltron since the ’80s, but I remember loving the show when I was a kid, so I’ll be interested to see how this movie turns out… and I might even revisit some classic Voltron while I’m waiting.

Are you looking forward to the live-action adaptation of Voltron? What do you think of Alba Baptista, Samson Kayo, and Tharanya Tharan joining the cast? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein says the Apple TV+ comedy series takes inspiration from L. Frank Baum’s classic cautionary tale.

Last Updated on November 28, 2024

With Jon M. Chu’s Wicked burning up the box office like fireballs from Elphaba’s fingertips, everyone’s got The Wizard of Oz on the brain (if you’ve got one). Even Ted Lasso‘s Brett Goldstein is talking about L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy fairytale, saying aspects of Dorothy’s trip to Oz heavily inspire the Apple TV+ comedy series.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Goldstein addressed theories about Ted Lasso taking cues from The Wizard of Oz, saying, “Oh yeah, there’s loads and loads of The Wizard of Oz in Ted Lasso.” He then explained, “The pinball machine is the one that’s always ‘Ted has to go home. There’s no place like home.’ And then, there’s no place like Richmond F.C. Yes, that’s all Wizard of Oz.”

Ted Lasso’s connections to The Wizard of Oz go beyond a few strategically placed Easter eggs. Goldstein says his surly, foul-mouthed character, Roy Kent, is modeled after the Tin Man (the one missing his heart). Jaso Sudeikis is the show’s Dorothy (a person who finds themselves in a strange and enchanting land), and Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca is the Lion (someone who finds her voice and bravery through her friendship with Ted). Phil Dunster’s Jamie is the Scarecrow (a person who doesn’t have much going on upstairs at first).

“I’m sure this is going to cause a lot of trouble,” Goldstein said, referring to feeding the Ted Lasso fandom with his take on the theory. The interesting thing is I can see the comparisons immediately. Are there other character connections? Is Juno Temple’s Keely Jones the show’s Galinda the Good Witch? Is Anthony Head’s Rupert Mannion the Wicked Witch of the West, or does that parallel belong to Nick Mohammed’s Nathan Shelly? Is Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard Toto? Yikes! This line of thinking is a rabbit hole. I need to stop.

What do you think about Ted Lasso‘s connections to The Wizard of Oz? Have you heard this theory before today? What other character connections could you make? Who’s the Wizard? Does this mean the F.C. Richmond players are the angry apple trees? The Munchkins? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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.

At a time when movie theaters need butts in seats, why do they care if people come dressed up to see Wicked?

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

Hollywood needs movies like Wicked to be successful. The year has been chockfull of pretty huge box office duds, with the fact that movies like The Fall Guy, Joker Folie a Deux, Red One and Furiosa are having a hard time, likely sending a chill through the industry. With home theaters suddenly affordable, more and more folks are simply staying home to watch the latest releases once they hit VOD, which is often as little as twenty-one days after they premiere. In a time like this, theaters need to be encouraging folks to come out and see movies if they want to survive.

This very fact is what makes the way theaters are treating Wicked, which is shaping up to be one of the few movies this year audiences are turning out in droves to see, such a head-scratcher. Here on the site, we’ve covered the fact that theatre chains are posting warnings that audience members shouldn’t sing-a-long to the popular Broadway tunes featured in the movie. That feels like an overreach to me, as part of the fun of seeing a movie in theaters is how the audience reacts, but fair enough. A sing-a-long version is reportedly on the way anyhow. They’ve also asked people not to take photos of the screen during the movie with their cellphones. That’s also a fair request, as it’s an annoying new habit that was popularized by the TikTok generation when Oppenheimer was in theaters.

But, in my opinion (and that of a lot of us here at JoBlo), AMC went way too far recently when they asked a woman attending Wicked dressed up as the main character, Elphaba, to remove her green face paint. Sounds crazy, right? Well, it happened, and you can see for yourselves in this embed:

The Prestige is one of Christopher Nolan’s most under-appreciated but nuanced films. What’s it really about?

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

Here’s a question: What is movie magic? Is it the modern age of digital effects, giant green warehouses being turned into sweeping other worldly landscapes, is it hiding Collin Farrell’s perfectly symmetrical features under blobs of rubber blubber? Yes, it is… But today, we’re here to discuss a different type of movie magic. A more analogue and old-world approach to making miracles that the modern master of moviemaking brought together- Christopher Nolan– in what I would consider to be one of his best films to date– and maybe even the most obvious parallel between a life in the spotlight vs the obsession that fuels it. That’s right, folks; today, we’re going to take a trip down memory lane and finally figure out once and for all what The Prestige is really about.

2006’s The Prestige follows two magicians who start off as friends and partners, only to sink deeper and deeper into their shared obsession to become the best of their time. Of course, this creates a conflict that will run the spectrum of casually spying on each other- to eventually both being consumed by the secrets they both keep trying to keep. It’s poetic, but it’s also in line with Nolan’s tendency to write movies that reflect the filmmaker’s feelings. And that’s what we’re here to explore!

Firstly, it’s a well-known speculation that all of Nolan’s movies are in some way about the price you pay to pursue your dreams. Inception was about a man who spent so long LITERALLY chasing dreams that it cost him his family. The Dark Knight Trilogy tells an epic three-movie story about choosing to sacrifice your own happiness to serve the work. And then there’s Interstellar which… nah. I’m not getting into it because i literally can’t think about this movie without crying.

The point is that Nolan knows how to write the things that he knows while dressing the story up in practical effects and pageantry. He’s a tried and true filmmaker. But as a result, it leaves me thinking that The Prestige is really no different. This movie wants the audience to witness the dangers of obsession and the pursuit of perfection. If there is one thing Nolan is saying with these incredibly thoughtful stories with smooth and masterful direction- it’s that chasing the big life comes at a price. And that price- is usually the people you love, as we examine in the video embedded above!

Let us know in the comments if you agree with our speculation about The Prestige!