Tomorrow may never die, but for the cast and crew of Bond #18, it was like every day would never end. Hit with constant script rewrites, testy stars, filming locations pulled at the last second, and a seemingly impossible release target, Tomorrow Never Dies felt like it was panning out to be the sophomore slump that neither Pierce Brosnan nor the 007 franchise needed. And yet, it actually turned into a pretty damn good movie…decades after its release, that is. Appreciated and more relevant now than ever, Tomorrow Never Dies may not have lived up to standards in 1997, but is today considered a key entry in the Brosnan era. So what went on behind the scenes, and how exactly did it get there? Let’s shake it up as we find out: What Happened to This Movie?!

Tomorrow Never Dies was greenlit before the previous Bond installment, 1995’s GoldenEye, even hit theaters. But this was really no surprise since the Bond films were pretty much coming out in alternating years (except for Connery’s ‘62-’65 run of four movies). But this wasn’t just to pump out another so fast – it was also a strategic move to coincide with MGM’s public offering. With that, Tomorrow Never Dies had a tight deadline. As producer Michael G. Wilson recalled, “After the last film opened, we were given a release date, and ‘gotta have it on this date’ means the studio depends on you to do it.” With the deadline already on the calendar, the team had to be assembled – and what a team it ended up being…

Directing duties would go to Roger Spottiswoode – you know, the dude who made Turner & Hooch and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. Granted, he did have a history of editing for Sam Peckinpah, so he was no slouch. Spottiswoode was actually considered for GoldenEye but was passed over for Martin Campbell, who himself was offered the Tomorrow Never Dies gig but opted instead to direct The Mask of Zorro, taking Anthony Hopkins – who was offered the role of Elliot Carver – along with him. One person who would be returning from GoldenEye was screenwriter Bruce Feirstein, although, interestingly, he was not the first choice and would subsequently be fired on multiple occasions… Initially, it seemed like everybody was on the same page, as Feirstein wanted the script “grounded in a nightmare of reality”, while producer Wilson wanted to go for a more small-scale, From Russia with Love-style movie. Unfortunately, the studio – as always seems to be the case – wanted to go big.

Tomorrow Never Dies went through a handful of treatments, one of which – from crime novelist and Oscar nominee for The Grifters Donald E. Westlake – put the setting around the Handover of Hong Kong, the situation that ended British rule. However, MGM reportedly already had a movie centering around that in development; also, by the time Tomorrow Never Dies would have come out, the issue wouldn’t have been timely anymore. Probably a good decision – and the only logical one Henry Kissinger (who served as something of a consultant) ever made. Similarly, another key entity had a say in the script: the Pentagon; the Department of Defense scrubbed a one-liner about the U.S. losing the war in Vietnam. Westlake would use some of this for his novel “Forever and a Death.” Leaving the Hong Kong handover scenario behind prompted a complete change, and at one point, a team of seven writers was assembled to hash out a plan, including Beverly Hills Cop’s Dan Petrie Jr., The Perfect Weapon’s David Campbell Wilson and Mrs. Doubtfire’s Leslie Dixon. Star Trek movie alum Nicholas Meyer also did some rewrites. One of the participants described the weekend as “fun”, which isn’t entirely what you want to hear from someone trying to make a big budget movie on a strict deadline… Oh, and this script that took so many voices and so much time? It wasn’t even complete before the cameras rolled! As Wilson recalled, “We didn’t have a script that was ready to shoot on the first day of filming.” Brosnan – who would have problems even when filming – also noted, “We had a script that was not functioning in certain areas.” Jonathan Pryce – who would be cast as Bond villain Elliot Carver – confirmed that the script he had signed on for wasn’t even close to what he ended up shooting… and not for the better.

Rewrites were constantly being done once cameras rolled. As Feirstein remembered, “I was writing in a tent outside the Bond stage, sending in pages as we were shooting, where Pierce was standing on the deck of the stealth boat, asking ‘Which way do I go? Do I turn left or do I turn right?’ The answer was ‘Wait, we’ll have the pages in a minute.” One person who was comfortable with an unfinished script? Michelle Yeoh was used to working in such a loose way in Hong Kong.

As for the title, one that was being workshopped was Tomorrow Never Lies… but this was actually misread as Tomorrow Never Dies and it stuck!

Also sticking around would be Pierce Brosnan, marking his sophomore outing as 007. Also reprising would be Judi Dench as M, Desmond Llewelyn as Q, and Samantha Bond as Miss Moneypenny. But there would be plenty of newcomers as well. Jonathan Pryce would be mastermind Elliot Carver, whose characteristics have found many comparing him to magnate Rupert Murdoch. However, the actual inspiration is controversial media king Robert Maxwell (whose daughter is Ghislaine, to give you an idea of how messed up that family tree is). This is supported by the parallels between Carver’s reported death and Maxwell’s actual death, having presumably fallen overboard off of his yacht. Stepping into the role of Wai Lain would be Michelle Yeoh, who described her character as “a female version of Bond.” Yeoh was well-known in Hong Kong cinema, especially in action flicks. Through this, extra fight scenes were worked in to capitalize on her skills. Unfortunately, Yeoh wasn’t permitted to do her own stunts despite her request. The other key female role – Paris Carver, wife of Elliot – would be played by Teri Hatcher, beating out Sisters star Sela Ward, Daphne Deckers (who ended up getting a sort of consolation role), and even Monica Bellucci, who Brosnan tested with. (Bellucci would eventually get her Bond moment in 2015’s Spectre, playing Lucia Sciarra.) Hatcher was actually pregnant at the time of filming, which may have been part of the reason why she later claimed she had zero satisfaction from playing the role. She, too, was just coming off of the final episode of The New Adventures of Superman, which wrapped the same week Tomorrow Never Dies started filming.

The supporting cast would feature Götz Otto as tough Richard Stamper, famed magician Ricky Jay as cyber specialist Henry Gupta and the great Vincent Shiavelli as assassin Dr. Kaufman.

Amid studio pressure to hit that target opening date, tabloids declaring the movie was already behind schedule and the unfinished script putting a cloud over the production, principal filming on Tomorrow Never Dies began in April 1997, after a few months of second unit to capture the awesome opening sequence in the French Pyrenees mountain range (initially set in Transylvania!), shot earlier that year under the guidance of Superman and Indiana Jones stuntman Vic Armstrong. Other locales used included Portsmouth, Hampshire, England; Suffolk; Buckinghamshire; Phang Nga Bay off of Thailand; Hamburg; and…Florida. Water sequences used the same tank that James Cameron did for TITANIC, while more filming was completed at England’s famed Pinewood Studios – fittingly, on the dubbed “007 Stage” – and Elstree Studios. One studio they couldn’t land, however, was Leavesden because George Lucas had set up shop there with The Phantom Menace. Hey, MGM’s $110 million budget only had so much pull… Another forbidden location would be in Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. There were plans to film here but this fell apart when the production was deemed too big for the locale – or that the depiction of Communism wasn’t exactly flattering, depending on which side you want. With every secured location – pegged to be around one-third of the movie – officially off the table, the team had to come up with something – and fast. With that, these scenes were moved to Bangkok, Thailand.

One of the best scenes in Tomorrow Never Dies comes in the motorcycle chase. Coming off of the tank chase in GoldenEye, you’d think the studio would want to go even bigger. Instead, the crew would go much smaller and slimmer… while also taking advantage of their sponsorship with BMW, with that car manufacturer taking over for Aston Martin. (This wasn’t the only notable replacement, as Bond swaps out his favorite Walther, the PPK, for a P99 here.) The model of BMW motorcycle used – the R12000C – had 15 made available, 12 of which were completely wrecked. For these scenes, Jean-Pierre Goy stood in as chief stuntman, while stuntman Vic Armstrong’s wife actually served as Michelle Yeoh’s stand-in. In July, Brosnan got whacked in the face with someone’s motorcycle helmet during a key scene, requiring eight stitches. This is just one of the many reasons that Brosnan said making Tomorrow Never Dies was “like pulling teeth.” The car chase, meanwhile, brought a different kind of intention altogether, as the local fire brigade was called on the production by some people who weren’t hip to the filming of Tomorrow Never Dies.

So, yes, Tomorrow Never Dies had its issues going on. One crew member was quoted saying, “I don’t see how we are ever going to finish the thing. All the happiness and teamwork which is the hallmark of Bond has disappeared completely. We have got ourselves locked into an impossible situation, the like of which I have never witnessed in more than 30 years in the industry.” Another said, “What we are getting is an awful mishmash with changes virtually every day. The actors don’t know if they are coming or going. Pierce, to his credit, has remained calm about the whole thing, as has his co-star Michelle Yeoh. They are there until the end and have to make the best of it.”

Enter Dame Judi Dench, who said:“It was very off-putting indeed to have learnt the script, and at a quarter to ten the night before to get a loud knocking on the door by the courier with a new script.” Even Pierce Brosnan and Teri Hatcher had a brief clash when the latter showed up late to set, causing Brosnan to totally erupt…only to later find out she was late because she was pregnant.

Stitches, baby bumps, and scrambled scripts aside, production on Tomorrow Never Dies wrapped in September 1997, three months before its mandated release date.

The music of the James Bond series is some of the most famous in all of cinema. Knowing that none other than John Barry was approached to return for the first time since 1987’s The Living Daylights, but he and the studio couldn’t reach a financial agreement, and to this day, that Timothy Dalton outing remains his final Bond score. Instead, Barry recommended David Arnold of Stargate and Independence Day fame. For his approach, Arnold wanted to give an update to Barry’s iconic music, composing with “one foot in the ‘60s and one foot in the ‘90s”, writing the music on and off from April to October. Arnold would also put out the compilation “Shaken and Stirred”, which gathered the likes of Aimee Mann, Chrissie Hynde, Iggy Pop, and Pulp to do covers of classic Bond songs. Sheryl Crow, who earned Grammy and Golden Globe nominations, would be handling the title song. Elsewhere, Moby gave an “update” of the iconic James Bond theme, and a k.d. lang song plays over the end credits.

Tomorrow Never Dies would have its world premiere on December 9th, 1997, and its wide release on December 19th, debuting with $25.1 million behind Titanic, although it was only edged out by about $3 million. It would hold the #2 position for a couple more weeks, swatting off various newcomers like As Good as It Gets, Jackie Brown, and An American Werewolf in Paris. Worldwide, it had a haul of $339.5 million, slightly under its predecessor, GoldenEye, and the next Bond entry, The World Is Not Enough.

Just like it Tomorrow Never Dies couldn’t match GoldenEye at the box office, it didn’t sit as well with critics, either. Today, it holds 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise justly going to the action sequences but the movie being panned for being too “by-the-numbers.” Even still, the reputation of Tomorrow Never Dies has improved in the 25+ years since its release. It’s actually considered one of the more prescient of the Bond films, with provisioned takes on web hacking, foreign tech, and the spreading of misinformation/lies (especially as propagated by mainstream media) – and how it could all play a part in how modern wars can launch. And this wasn’t even the most grim Bond!

For now, we do know one thing: James Bond will return in… a future episode of What Happened to This Movie?!

We interview Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, Maddie Hasson, and director George Nolfi for the science-fiction action thriller Elevation

In 2018, A Quiet Place proved that there can be some blockbuster potential in these “monsters invade earth and take over” stories. Alien Invasion’s really needed sprucing up and monsters with a gimmick seem to be the most intriguing solution. While the monsters in A Quiet Place were sound-dependent, murdering whatever moves, the monsters in Elevation are drawn to CO2 and can’t go above 8000 ft. It’s a bit less relatable in that “put yourself in their shoes” way but it means we get a post-apocalyptic movie set in the mountains versus solely deserted suburban towns. This makes for some absolutely stunning visuals. But as you can see from my review, not much else worked.

As someone who lived out in Colorado for 7 years, I had to ask the cast about their timing filming in the Colorado Mountains. Anyone who’s been in high elevation understands how hard physical activity is so Anthony Mackie gets into all the ways he prepared for his sprints up the mountain. And everyone who watches these films always seems to think they can do better than the characters on screen, so I made sure to ask the cast how well they think they’d do within the world of Elevation. I don’t think anyone would be surprised to hear that Captain America himself is confident he’d survive, though the rest claim to be day-one goners. At least the women have realistic expectations. These were great talks that you can check out in the embedded video above.

ELEVATION plot: The world has changed. The only habitable place left for humanity is in the high mountains, above 8000 feet. Below 8000 feet dwell the creatures that killed 95% of the human population less than three years ago. To save the life of his young son, a father (Anthony Mackie) is forced to venture below “The Line” with a scientist (Morena Baccarin) he despises, but who just might hold the key to defeating the monsters, and a young woman (Maddie Hasson) determined to keep them both alive long enough to save the human race.

ELEVATION IS PLAYING EXCLUSIVELY IN THEATERS ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2024.

About the Author

Tyler Nichols is a horror fanatic who resides in Michigan and is always on the hunt for the next great film. When not scouring the internet for movie news, he is usually off watching something dark, writing nonsensical musings, or playing in some fantastical video game world. While horror takes up most of his time, he still makes time for films of all types, with a certain affinity for the strange and unusual. He’s also an expert on all things Comic Book Cinema. In addition to reviews and interviews here on JoBlo.com, Tyler also helps with JoBlo Horror Originals where he’s constantly trying to convince viewers to give lesser-known horror films a chance.

The final season of Marvel‘s animated anthology, What If…, is here to tease one of the studio’s most epic battles as heroes and villains collide for a world-altering showdown. Marvel’s What…If Season 3 trailer comes as Disney’s D23 Brazil event winds to a close after a weekend of surprises, reveals, and hype for the Marcel Cinematic Universe’s future.

Marvel’s What If… Season 3 begins streaming on Disney+ on December 22, with a new episode debuting daily for eight days. You can read Disney’s official synopsis for the series below:

Marvel’s animated series “What If…?” returns in Season 3 for its culminating adventure through the Multiverse. Watch as classic characters make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the MCU. The Watcher (voice of Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters. The series features an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles. Season 3 features fan-favorite characters like Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner, The Red Guardian, Captain Peggy Carter, Agatha Harkness, Shang-Chi, Storm the Goddess of Thunder, and numerous others.

Episodes are directed by Bryan Andrews and Stephan Franck and are written by Matthew Chauncey, Ryan Little, and A.C. Bradley. Executive producers are Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, and Bryan Andrews, with co-executive producer Matthew Chauncey, and producers Danielle Costa, Carrie Wassenaar, and Alex Scharf.

Marvel’s What If… Season 3 trailer features heroes and villains from across the Multiverse, including a few surprises like Howard the Duck, Kat Dennings’ Darcy Lewis, Dormammu, Red Guardian, Binary, Winter Soldier, and more! Still, the trailer’s most surprising aspect is the X-Man Storm’s appearance! As Disney works to integrate the X-Men into the MCU, fans can expect more surprises like this in the future.

The first two seasons of Marvel’s What If… are available to stream now on Disney+. The animated anthology series presents audiences with alternate takes on their favorite characters in jaw-dropping animation and action. What do you think about Marvel’s What If… Season 3 trailer? 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.

While he initially said he thought the Penguin series would be a one-off, Colin Farrell says he would be on-board for season 2.

In the weeks leading up to The Penguin’s debut on HBO, Colin Farrell was very vocal about his reluctance to return for a second season of the series, even going so far as to say, “I never want to put on that f’ing suit and f’ing head again.” However, this seems like it was all a ruse, with Farrell telling THR that he’s all in on a potential second season for The Batman spin-off. “If there’s a great idea [for season two], and the writing was really muscular and as strong or stronger on the page than it was the first season, of course I would do it.” 

Farrell also recently stated that he’s heard The Penguin is in The Batman – Part II, but still hasn’t read the script. “I have no idea what the second film is gonna be. I heard Penguin features in it. I haven’t read it.” The Penguin has been a ratings smash for HBO, with many thinking Farrell and co-star Cristin Milioti are shoo-ins for potential Emmy recognition. 

In the interview on THR, Farrell says his initial quotes about wanting to leave the role behind were taken out of context and were just him “bitching” to anyone who would listen. Farrell also says he’s pleased with how embraced the show has been by fans, saying, “for me, the bar for success is not very high. It’s, ‘Do most people like it?’ — just the simplicity of that. I love being in things that are critically approved — it’s much better than the alternative — but I’ve been around long enough [to know] that it’s the audience who are really the most important critics.”

The Penguin’s entire first season is now streaming on MAX. What did you think of the finale? Let us know in the comments!

Gal Gadot and Kevin Macdonald are joining forces for The Runner, a thriller that finds a woman locked in a race against time to save her son.

After conquering the DCEU, riding shotgun in the Fast and Furious franchise, and taking hackers to task in Netflix’s Heart of Stone, Gal Gadot is locked into a race against time in director Kevin Madonald’s The Runner, an upcoming thriller set up at Amazon MGM Studios. David Kosse produces through his newly established Rockwood Pictures, with Amazon MGM Studios holding the worldwide rights.

Macdonald, whose films include One to One: John & Yoko, The Last King of Scotland, The Mauritanian, and more, directs The Runner from a script by Mark Gibson (The Wild, Snow Dogs). According to Deadline, the plot finds Gadot playing “a high-powered attorney who must race through London, following the cryptic commands of a mysterious Caller, as she fights against time to save her abducted son.”

Before Gal Gadot laced up her sneakers for The Runner, she played the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action adaptation of its first animated classic, Snow White. The enchanting (and visually questionable) take on Disney’s pioneering princess whistles in theaters on March 21, 2025. Marc Webb directs Snow White, with Rachel Zegler starring as the raven-haired beauty of the forest. Andrew Burnap plays Jonathan, while Lorena Andrea, Colin Michael Carmichael, and Ansu Kabia round out the primary cast.

Gal Gadot recently wrapped production for In the Hand of Dante, a crime drama directed by Julian Schnabel. The plot for the upcoming mystery starring Al Pacino, Gerard Butler, Martin Scorsese, Jason Momoa, John Malkovich, and Oscar Isaac revolves around a handwritten manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s poem “The Divine Comedy” makes its way from a priest to a mob boss in New York City, where Nick Tosches take it after he’s asked to verify its authenticity.

Details for Kevin Macdonald and Gal Gadot’s The Runner are scarce. We hear the movie involves Gadot’s character locked in a fight for her son with a mysterious stranger. While we’ve heard this story before, Macdonald and Gadot could add something new, taking the ticking time bomb approach differently. What do you think about the setup for The Runner? Are you excited to learn more? 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.

Hiro Murai, best known for his work on Donald Glover’s Atlanta, is set to make his feature directorial debut with Bushido for A24.

Deadline reports that Hiro Murai will make his feature directorial debut with Bushido. The samurai movie will be financed by A24, who will produce alongside Square Peg and 2AM.

Not much is known about Bushido yet, only that it will be a “high-stakes action film set against the backdrop of feudal Japan.” I’m always down for more samurai movies, so I’m certainly not complaining. Murai will direct from a script by Henry Dunham (The Standoff at Sparrow Creek). The pair will also produce alongside Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen for Square Peg, and Julia Oh, Christine D’Souza, and David Hinojosa for 2AM.

Murai is best known for directing and executive producing Donald Glover’s Atlanta. He helmed more than half the series’ episodes. He’s also directed episodes of Legion, Snowfall, Barry, Station Eleven, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Murai has worked with Glover frequently; in addition to Atlanta and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he’s also directed several music videos for Glover’s Childish Gambino persona, including This Is America. He also helmed Guava Island, the Amazon music film starring Glover and Rihanna.

Thanks to the success of FX’s Shōgun, samurai stories are getting bigger once again. Based on the novel by James Clavell, Shōgun was FX’s most expensive television series, but it paid off big time with rave reviews and an impressively large audience. It also took home Emmy Awards for Best Drama Series, Best Actor (Hiroyuki Sanada), Best Actress (Anna Sawai), and more. Although initially billed as a limited series, a second installment is in the works.

The official synopsis for Shōgun: “The 10-episode limited series is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that could help Toranaga tip the scales of power and devastate the formidable influence of Blackthorne’s own enemies — the Jesuit priests and Portuguese merchants. Toranaga’s and Blackthorne’s fates become inextricably tied to their translator, Toda Mariko (Anna Sawai), a mysterious Christian noblewoman and the last of a disgraced line. While serving her lord amidst this fraught political landscape, Mariko must reconcile her newfound companionship with Blackthorne, her commitment to the faith that saved her and her duty to her late father.” You can check out a review of Shōgun from our own Alex Maidy right here.

Mark Rylance is being considered to play the role of Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series.

The casting process for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series has been moving ahead, and Variety reports that Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) is being considered for the role of Albus Dumbledore.

The report states that Rylance is “at the top of the casting wishlist” for Dumbledore but adds that “Warner Bros. Television hasn’t yet entered into negotiations with the actor, but the studio has reached out to gauge interest and availability.” So, don’t get too excited, but I think Rylance would be fantastic in the role if the studio is able to sign him. In response, an HBO representative said, “We appreciate that such a high profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.“

As I mentioned above, the casting process for the Harry Potter TV series has begun. An open call was put out for children who are residents of the U.K. and Ireland and will be between the ages of 9 and 11 in April 2025 to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. “We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting,” the notice reads. “For every role, please submit qualified performers, without regard to ethnicity, sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.“

It was revealed earlier this summer that Succession‘s Francesca Gardiner had been tapped to serve as writer and showrunner, while Mark Mylod signed on to executive produce and direct multiple episodes. The project was originally developed for Max but made the leap to HBO (along with a variety of other Max shows) in June.

Each season of the Harry Potter TV series is said to cover one of J.K. Rowling’s novels, for a total of seven seasons. While the movies were able to fit quite a lot in, there were plenty of moments cut from the novels that the TV series will finally be able to bring to life. Last year, the studio released a statement saying, “Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.“

Could you see Mark Rylance as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter TV series?

Concept art for James Cameron’s third Avatar movie, Fire and Ash, was revealed at this year’s D23; the film is due out next December.

December 2025 may feel like an eternity away, but with just over a year out, you know we’re going to be getting all sorts of news and teases for one of the most anticipated films of next year: James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. Fresh out of the D23 Expo in Brazil comes some concept art that gives us an idea of what we can expect.

Some of the highlights of this year’s D23 Expo included trailers for MCU films like Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts. But we all know that Avatar: Fire and Ash will be the one that dazzles us all the most next year. So at this point, really anything related to the film will be much welcome. You can check out some of the revealed artwork below:

Emily Watson, Mark Strong, Olivia Williams, and Travis Fimmel lead HBO’s ambitious prequel series to Denis Villeneuve’s acclaimed films.

Plot: From the expansive universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.

Review: Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune has proven that once considered unadaptable, Frank Herbert’s novels could make for critical and commercial successes in the right creative hands. With the first film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Dune: Part Two destined for the same honor, the franchise’s future has never been more in the zeitgeist. Seizing the opportunity to explore other formats and media, Warner Bros and HBO have developed Dune: Prophecy. This prequel series explains the origins of the mystical sect seen in the films known as the Bene Gesserit. Chronicling the familiar Houses of Harkonnen, Atreides, and Corrino, Dune: Prophecy takes a cue from series like Game of Thrones to explore the palace intrigue of royal families, commoners rising through the ranks, backstabbing, and destiny to deepen the mythology of Dune beyond the planet of Arrakis.

Having seen four of the six episodes that comprise the first season of Dune: Prophecy, I am torn about how this series fits alongside the feature films. As far as plot elements, Dune: Prophecy shares a lot in common with the Games of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, as both series namecheck ancestors of characters from the main series while dramatizing events that are key to the events of the films set in the distant past. As fans of the Dune novels know, one hundred centuries before the first book, a war was waged between the humans and the thinking machines that were destroying them. Dune: Prophecy picks up one hundred and sixteen years after that war, The Butlerian Jihad, as House Corrino has taken control of the Imperium. Familiar Houses like Harkonnen and Atreides exist but are lesser compared to the major families. Much of this series is set at the seat of the Imperium, where Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) rules alongside his consort, Empress Natalya (Jodhi May). Javicco is preparing his daughter, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina), for indoctrination into the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit and marriage to forge a bond with House Richese. This comes when soldier Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) returns from Arakkis with a message for the Emperor.

The first episode of Dune: Prophecy sets the foundation for how Reverend Mother Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and her sister Tula (Olivia Williams) shape the next generation of Truthsayers to control the various Houses behind the scenes. We meet young Sisters, including Theodosia (Jade Anouka), Emeline (Aoife Hinds), Lila (Chloe Lea), and more, as they learn the ways of the Sisterhood while questioning the potentially dangerous leadership of Valya and Tula, which unfolds via flashbacks to how they gained control of the Bene Gesserit. We also see how a shocking event at the end of the premiere episode puts Emperor Javicco’s control at risk and how Desmond Hart plays a key role in what is to come. The atmosphere of the series feels more opulent than the setting of Arrakis, as the Emperor lives on Salusa Secundus, a planet briefly seen as training grounds for soldiers in the Dune films. On Salusa Secundus, we see the nightlife of the aristocracy, which involves nightclubs teeming with spice usage and lots of sex. We also visit each House’s home planet, ranging from forested (Atreides) to frozen (Harkonnen).

The lack of technology is seen briefly in a sequence showing the downfall of machines with robotics factoring into the plot. There are also connections to the Dune films as we see swordmasters using training shields, some shots of massive sandworms, and the mind-controlling skill known as The Voice by the Bene Gesserit. There are also references to elements from the sequel novel, Dune Messiah, that I will not spoil here as it is a major plot twist. Needless to say, there is a lot to unpack in this short season, and by the fourth episode, I am still unsure how they will pull it all together with just two chapters remaining. I can say that fans of the prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Andersen, both of whom are credited as executive producers on Dune: Prophecy, will find a lot of changes from the published books. Like HBO’s adaptations of George R.R. Martin’s novels, this series draws the books’ main timeline and plot points and includes many characters from them. It also has new creations that are original to this series and expand on elements from the thirteen prequel books.

Some of the elements of Dune: Prophecy are intriguing, such as the skill shown by Desmond Hart, which has no equivalent in the book series. The power hierarchy within the Imperium is interesting, but what we see inside The Sisterhood is far more interesting than the palace intrigue and political conversations between the established Houses we know by name and the multiple new families you have to try and keep straight. The Harkonnens are much different than the bald, powerful empire seen in the films, but knowing they are monsters makes it hard to root for them here. Equally, the similarities between this series and Game of Thrones purely from a structural standpoint make this series feel a bit derivative rather than an interesting foray deeper into the mythology of Dune. Travis Fimmel does some interesting work as the standalone character in the story, while Mark Strong feels like he is sleepwalking through his character. Emily Watson and Olivia Williams have an intriguing dynamic in their story arcs, but they do not have enough time to work together on screen.

Director Anna Foerster (Westworld, Outlander) helmed the first episode and the final two, with John Cameron (Severance) helming the second episode and Richard J. Lewis (Westworld) helming episodes three and four. None of these three directors are anywhere close to the visual grandeur of what Denis Villeneuve brought to the Dune films, making Dune: Prophecy feel smaller than the films that bring viewers to this story. Alison Schapker (Fringe, Lost, Westworld) serves as showrunner after co-creating the series with Diane Ademu-John (The Haunting of Bly Manor), and the pair manages to give the female characters their due in a show that previously carried the subtitle The Sisterhood. Scott Z. Burns and Dune co-screenwriter Jon Spaihts are credited as executive producers, while Villeneuve is not. Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front) does not come close to Hans Zimmer’s memorable score but does lend some gravitas to the series.

Dune: Prophecy is a well-made series with high production values and a solid cast of veterans and newcomers, but it cannot help but feel like a replica of Game of Thrones set in outer space. With a limited run of episodes for the first season, I expected more from this series, which spends each episode too heavily reliant on characters talking to each other rather than providing a compelling argument for telling this story rather than other periods from the ten thousand years before Paul Atreides arrived on Arrakis. Frank Herbert’s novels were not shy from sexual content and focused heavily on conversations about political action rather than actual action, so Dune: Prophecy does not stray far from the source material. However, audiences flocked to HBO’s Game of Thrones because it was compelling, interesting, and a unique world to visit with characters to root for. While Dune: Prophecy certainly has the potential to achieve the first two, none of these characters are worth caring about. If you loved the Dune movies, this is worth watching to learn more background instead of reading thousands of pages, but it is not nearly as interesting or entertaining as the feature films.

Dune: Prophecy premieres on November 17th on HBO.

Kevin Costner learned about how John Dutton turned out in the new episode of Yellowstone but has little interest in seeing it.

SPOILERS: This article will contain spoilers for the newest episodes of Yellowstone, particularly the fate of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton.

With the release of the second half of season five of Yellowstone, fans finally learned what became of John Dutton following the seemingly endless disputes between portrayer Kevin Costner and the suits. Even if you haven’t had a chance to see the premiere episode, it seems like everybody now knows. But one who hasn’t exactly learned — not firsthand, anyway — was Costner himself. As he revealed on The Michael Smerconish Program (via Deadline), “I didn’t see it. I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it.”

Kevin Costner went on to elaborate as to what went down behind the scenes of Yellowstone and why he was ultimately written out. “I didn’t really have to leave anything behind. There were the gaps that were there. There was contractual things that would allow for both things to be done, but because both things were contractual, you had to make room for the other thing. There was room, but it was difficult for them to keep their schedule. It seemed to be, it was just too difficult for them to do it. There was the time there, what happened, you can deal with it. But no one, I didn’t leave. I didn’t quit the show. Okay? I had made a contract to do all three. There was a contract in place to do all three. And within about an eight-month period, two more different kind of contracts were being negotiated. Not at my request, but at their request to try to do things.” Costner said that once things went too far, he knew he had to ride off into the sunset.

At a certain point – and much longer than learning about the fate of John Dutton – Kevin Costner said he would return to Yellowstone if the circumstances worked out. With Dutton being killed off, it’s a guarantee now that this won’t happen. On the bright side, it did let him explore the western genre in a more epic form, further developing his Horizon saga.

How do you feel about the way John Dutton was killed off on Yellowstone? Was it a cheap end for Costner’s character or did it work?