‘Superman’ had its home release only one month after its theatrical release, which seems very early for a big comic book movie.
After the events of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, this makes sense.
Fans who missed ‘Superman’ in theaters will want to watch it since it has ties to the second season of ‘Peacemaker’.
When the home release date of ‘Superman‘ was first released, many people felt it was way too soon. Not only is the movie still playing in theaters, it is still bringing in money. A home release date of August 15th is just 35 days after its theatrical release. This is quick for any movie, but for a comic book movie? It is almost unheard of.
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Then, after watching the first episode of ‘Peacemaker‘, it became instantly clear why DC Studios did this. The events of ‘Superman’ tie into key plot points of this season and while it is not required viewing, it certainly helps with the storytelling.
At the end of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 1, fans lost their minds when the Justice League showed up. Now that the DCEU has gone the way of the buffalo, and the DCU is the new canon, James Gunn needed to correct a few things. To no one’s surprise, he did so brilliantly, proving what a mastermind he is.
‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 starts off with a “Previously On” however, it highlights that it is the DCU, not the DCEU. Because of this some events are slightly altered, with the major one being that instead of the Justice League showing up, it is the Justice Gang, who are prominently featured in ‘Superman’. This includes Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardener), Isabela Mercad (Hawkgirl), and Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific).
‘Superman’ Events Are Referenced Multiple Times In ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2
(L to R) John Cena and Danielle Brooks in ‘Peacemaker’ season 2. Photo: Curtis Bonds Baker/Max.
Also in the premiere episode of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 is an interview between Christopher Smith (John Cena), also known as Peacemaker, and the Justice Gang, which he hopes to join. While Mr. Terrific is absent, Hawk Girl, Guy Gardener, and Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) are present. They mostly poke fun at Peacemaker, delivering a hilarious scene.
There are also several times in this episode (and later in the season) that the “Luther event” is mentioned. This is, of course, in reference to the pocket universe that Lex Luther (Nicholas Hoult) opened up, nearly destroying Metropolis in the process. Frank Grillo also reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr., who is acting director or A.R.G.U.S. while Amanda Waller is being investigated.
Early Home Release For ‘Superman’ Just Makes Sense Now
Frank Grillo in ‘Peacemaker’ season 2. Photo: Jessica Miglio/Max.
With all of these ties to James Gunn’s ‘Superman’, it makes sense why DC Studios opted to give it a home release. As mentioned, it is not necessary to watch it in order to understand what it happening in ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, but it will give you more insight into why A.R.G.U.S. is so afraid of dimensional rifts.
Also, because the Justice Gang is in the series, although not often, seeing ‘Superman’ allows viewers to get to know them and their dynamic a little bit more, rather than being thrust into the chaotic conversation that is going on during Peacemaker’s interview without any backstory.
The best part? If you so wish, you can still see ‘Superman’ in theaters, as it is still playing.
Fans are worried that James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ has too many characters in it.
James Gunn is known for large ensemble casts and knows how to write for them.
No one has ever complained about the numerous characters in ‘The Godfather’.
Every time a new trailer or TV spot for ‘Superman‘ is released, the internet is abuzz with people saying that there are too many characters. The concerns are that if there are too many characters, the story would be difficult to follow, there would be too many side plots to give the core story the time it needs, and the film would end up too oversaturated.
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The thing is, James Gunn is well known for his large ensemble casts. This is his wheelhouse, so there is no reason to be worried. He thrilled Marvel fans with the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ trilogy, and his ‘The Suicide Squad‘ success surely had something to do with DC Studios handing him the reins as co-CEO.
On top of that, this feels like just another reason for people to complain about something they aren’t even that passionate about, as no one has ever said the same about ‘The Godfather‘, which has just as many characters.
The Prominent Characters In ‘Superman’ All Make Sense For The Story We Assume Is Being Told
(Center) James Gunn and the cast of ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram Account.
One of the biggest thing that fans need to remember about ‘Superman’ is that this is technically the introduction into James Gunn’s DCU, as it is the first feature film. Yes, ‘Peacemaker‘ is (mostly) cannon and ‘Creature Commandos‘ is included yet animated, but this is the real start of Gunn’s plans. Because of this, it is necessary to establish the world that these heroes live in. Superman is not the only hero, and opting not to include any others would only hurt the believability of the story.
How many times have people asked where the Eternals or Namor were during the events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ and ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ and why they never came to help? Even if Marvel tries to offer a reason, most viewers do not accept it. James Gunn is avoiding this response to ‘Superman’ by showing where the main characters of the DCU are during these events and establishing that they do exist in this world.
David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent / Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luther, can you imagine a story that only involves the three of them? Not only would it likely get very boring, very quickly, it risks being repetative and too closed off.
Adding in nurmerous characters (that are likely to not be a major part of the plot, mind you) such as Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr will bring in subplots and round out the universe, making it more realistic while simultaneously setting up for what is to come in future films and television projects.
If Anyone Can Handle An Ensemble Cast, It Is James Gunn
It is hard not to laugh at the idea that ‘Superman’ has too many characters when you look at who is behind it all. James Gunn is writing and directing, and if anyone knows his way around an ensemble cast, it is that man. He is a genuis when it comes to plucking characters out of obscurity and telling an emotional, exciting, and action-packed story around them.
While Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luther are undoubtedly household names, several other characters in ‘Superman’ are not. Those who do not read DC Comics and don’t immerse themselves in these worlds, probably have never heard of Mister Terrific or Steve Lombard. James Gunn excels at bringing these types of characters to life.
If you look at character list for ‘The Suicide Squad’, it has just as many, if not more, than ‘Superman’ does. There were two complete rosters in that movie and fans still soaked it all in and loved nearly every moment of it. James Gunn is brilliant when it comes to giving every character, big or small, their time to shine and justifying their reason to exist in that universe. There is no reason to believe he will not do the same with ‘Superman’.
No One Has Ever Said ‘The Godfather’ Has Too Many Characters
(L to R) James Caan, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and John Cazale in ‘The Godfather’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The final point to make in this arguement is that no one has ever said ‘The Godfather’ had too many characters – and there are at least fifteen prominent characters in that movie. They do not all need a backstory for it to make sense that they exist in the world. Viewers don’t complain that the plot gets lost because there are so many of them, and ‘The Godfather’ certainly is not considered a bad movie (not even remotely).
This is just one example of a beloved film having multiple characters, each with a job to do to drive the plot forward even if you don’t know about their upbringing or their deep dark secrets. A movie can have one hundred main characters and still be good if the writing and the story being told is good.
James Gunn himself pointed out that ‘Oppenheimer‘ has three times as many speaking roles as ‘Superman’ does and promises that the film will not confuse anyone in an interview with IGN. Plus, ‘Superman’ isn’t even out yet, so can we please normalize saving the criticism of a movie until after you watch it?
(L to R) David Corenswet and Krypto in ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram account.
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Preview:
The strong hatred towards The Last Of Us Season 2 is unnecessary
Changes made from The Last Of Us Part II are minor and always enhance the storytelling
The Last Of Us Season 3 will focus on Abby’s journey and introduce key characters that fans are worried will not be included
Spoiler Alert: Spoilers for ‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2 below.
‘The Last Of Us‘ season one was a massive hit with both critics and audiences, but Season two, unfortunately, cannot say the same. While the Rotten Tomatoes score for both seasons remains similar (in the nineties) for critics, the audience score has dropped from eighty-six percent to thirty-eight percent. Viewers have not been afraid to go to the internet and express their hatred for this latest season, which is completely unwarranted.
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As with any adaptation, there are changes from ‘The Last Of Us Part II’ video game. This is often done to expand on the storytelling and allow for things to play out better for a viewing audience versus a gaming audience.
The devastating death of Joel (Pedro Pascal) caused an uproar among video game players as well. Some went so far as to stop playing the game before finishing it, so it was not a complete surprise that viewers felt this way as well. That said, season two is not nearly as bad as people act like it is. While there are some minor changes, they only enhance the viewing experience and set up what is sure to be a fantastic season three.
MovieFone breaks down the most significant changes that are incorporated into ‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2, and why they make the story even better.
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
While Abby’s backstory is revealed at the very beginning of ‘The Last Of Us’ Season two, players do not discover who her father is until much later in the game. As the creators of the series have explained in detail, doing it this way makes much more sense for an audience.
If everyone watching was kept in the dark about why Abby is doing these horrible things, it would be almost impossible to connect with her on a human level. In the game, you are forced to play her, which is when that bond is formed. In the show, you need to understand her motives in order to fully understand where things are going.
An Infected Horde Attacks Jackson
Gabriel Luna in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The infected attacking Jackson is easily one of the best parts of the season. It comes in episode two, which is already a highly emotional episode, and adds much higher stakes. The different patrol pairings, Dina going with Joel and Ellie going with Jesse, mean that viewers get to see Dina and Joel’s bond rather than just hear about it, as they do in the game.
At first, there was some concern that key moments between Ellie and Dina would be missing because of this, but the series makes up for it later in the game. Having the attack on Jackson forces Tommy to stay behind and help manage repairs, rather than go off after Abby immediately, as he does in ‘The Last Of Us Part II’. He remains a part of the story, however, as Jesse and Tommy decide to go after Ellie and Dina and end up saving them from likely death.
The Addition Of Gail, Played By Catherine O’Hara
Catherine O’Hara in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Catherine O’Hara is a great actress, so bringing her into any project is a good decision. She plays a therapist named Gail, who is there to help viewers learn more about what certain characters are thinking. Again, when you are playing them in a game, you grow closer to them and feel that you understand them inside and out. That is more difficult to accomplish in a series if you are not laying it all out on the table.
Not only does the addition of Gail let viewers know what is going on inside Joel, Tommy, and Ellie’s heads, but it also gives more meaning to Eugene. He is only mentioned in passing in the game, but has a key role in the series, as his death is what makes Ellie realize that her suspicions about what Joel did to the Fireflies at the hospital were right.
While the actual confrontation does not happen until later, Joel lying and saying he would not kill Eugene until he could say goodbye to Gail, but then doing it anyway, proved to her that he will lie when push comes to shove.
Joel & Tommy’s Backstory Adds More Emotion To Why Joel Did What He Did
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The video game does not offer up any details about Joel and Tommy’s upbringing, so including the scene of a young Joel with Tommy and his father at the beginning of ‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2 Episode 6 is a welcome change. It is here that we learn their father abused them, but that he was slightly better than his own father, who once broke his jaw.
The added generational trauma, and the fact that Joel is trying hard to break the cycle himself with Ellie, makes the story that much more emotional, especially when it comes to the heart-to-heart they have on the porch, which is another sequence that was changed for the better.
Not only is this revelation at the end of the game, but Joel never says “I love you” to Ellie. This is still the last time they talk to one another before his death, but in the game version, this was a conversation about forgiveness, as Ellie has known what Joel really did for months at this point in the game.
Joel getting to express his feelings adds a bit of closure that the game did not have. We all know that he thinks of Ellie as a daughter, but for her to be able to hear that from him is satisfying and one of the best changes that was made.
The Scars Almost Kill Abby, Not Ellie, In The Game
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Anyone who is worried that Abby’s encounter with the Scars is not going to happen because Ellie was almost killed on Scar Island can put their minds at ease. If you look closely at Abby in the theater scene at the end of ‘The Last Of Us’ Season 2, you can see a bruise on her neck.
Without getting into spoilers, there are key characters that come into play during this part of Abby’s story, which we are sure to see play out in Season 3 as we follow what she has been up to those three days in Seattle.
‘The Last Of Us’ Season 1 and Season 2 are currently streaming on HBO Max. The third season has been greenlit, but does not currently have a release date.
(L to R) Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
What is the plot of ‘The Last of Us’ season 2?
Five years after the events of the first season, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
(L to R) Isabela Merced and Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Preview:
‘The Last of Us’ has been renewed for Season 3.
The show adapts the wildly successful video game.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey star in the show.
With the second season of much-loved video game adaptation ‘The Last of Us’ landing on screens to plenty of acclaim this past weekend, it would appear that HBO’s belief in the show is at an all-time high.
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The channel has handed down a third-season order for the show, which adapts the video game created by Neil Druckmann and his team at Naughty Dog Studios.
‘The Last of Us’ series is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by people infected by a fungus that turns them into mutated zombie-like creatures, and stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
‘The Last of Us’ takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, played by Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Producers/Showrunners Craig Mazin (‘Chernobyl’) and Druckmann have yet to detail exactly what the new season will cover.
The first season of ‘The Last of Us’ covered much of games ‘The Last of Us Part I’ and ‘The Last of Us: Left Behind’, while Season 2 will cover part of ‘The Last of Us Part II,’ kicking off with a five-year time jump as in the video game.
Ellie, 14 in Part I and Left Behind, is 19 in Part II, and she and Joel have been living in Jackson since they left the Fireflies in Salt Lake City.
While zero details have been revealed on Season 3, we can expect it to tackle more of ‘The Last of Us Part II.’
Who else is in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2?
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
With Pascal and Ramsey both back for the new season, the cast of the show is growing and changing as their quest continues.
On top of them, Jeffrey Wright is playing Isaac, who in the game is the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group, known as the Washington Liberation Front. They sought liberty but instead have become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy.
Wright represents the second actor to reprise a voice role from the game, after Merle Dandridge did the same for her character Marlene in Season 1.
And while we won’t get too deeply into it, if Season 2 covers certain events, the cast will be a little smaller when Season 3 dawns. But again; without having seen the whole season, we can’t speak to that, and won’t spoil anything for those who approach the story from the point of view of the show alone and haven’t played the game.
‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 renewal: The Team Talks
(L to R) Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann on the set of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
With the renewal now official (hardly a surprise given the success of the show so far and the early reactions to Season 2 even before its launch), HBO and the show’s creators have weighed in on its return.
“It can’t be overemphasized how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of ‘The Last of Us’ is. Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the entire executive producer team, cast and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig and Neil’s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season.”
And this is what Craig Mazin had to say:
“We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of ‘The Last of Us’ with season three!”
Finally, this is the quote from Druckmann:
“To see ‘The Last of Us’ brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic and overwhelming support. Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We’re thrilled to bring you more of ‘The Last of Us’!”
When will ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 be on screens?
We’ll all need some patience. Season 2 has just launched this past weekend, and while we’re relatively sure the team knew that Season 3 would be a done deal, there is still scripting and filming work to be done.
With luck, we should have the new season next year, though ‘The Last of Us’ has been such a good thing so far that it’s worth waiting for.
(L to R) Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1. Photo: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
Back on Max for its second season and debut the first episode on April 13th, ‘The Last of Us’ plunges us back into the chaotic, carefully-crafted world adapted from the Naughty Dog game originally created by Neil Druckmann and his team.
Now Druckmann, working again with co-showrunner Craig Mazin, is starting the even more perplexing process of adapting ‘The Last of Us Part II,’ which deepened the story of the game and its hard-bitten survivors.
Is ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 worth battling mushroom zombies to see?
(L to R) Bella Ramsey and Gabriel Luna in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Perhaps the biggest question, and indeed challenge facing the new season of the show is whether it can live up to the praise and success of the first. It’s a situation that co-creator Neil Druckmann has faced before in this universe, and it should give fans of the show who never played the game hope that by all regards, ‘The Last of Us Part II’ is seen as superior to the original, much-loved game.
Of course, season 2 of a TV series, even one with a pedigree such as this, is a different beast. Yet Druckmann and Mazin have shown remarkable patience and care with their work, bring what works about the game to the screen by making the changes necessary to ensure it functions in a different, less interactive medium.
And it’s reassuring to report that, on the basis of the first episode of the new season, ‘Future Days,’ their efforts continue to pay off.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann on the set of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
While Mazin and Druckmann do the lion’s share of the writing on the show, the first episode features a script by Halley Wegryn Gross that has a lot of work to do.
Though there is a brief moment set right at the end of Season 1, the majority of the episode takes place five years later. With the survivors’ base in Jackson, Wyoming (a former ski resort repurposed as a fortress against the fungi-ravaged zombie-like mutants that prowl the lands between encampments) up and running as a functioning community.
That means we not only have to be re-introduced to Pedro Pascal’s tough-but-heartfelt Joel and Bella Ramsey’s headstrong Ellie (now even more so as a 19-year-old brawler itching to take on more responsibility), but fill us in on all the other characters.
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The script for ‘Future Days’ is busy but finds time for everyone –– even deviating from the game in introducing and immediately identifying Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby Anders as someone who is looking to enact vengeance on Joel for his actions in the final episode of the previous season.
Another challenge for the script is to start building towards what game players already know is coming either in this season or the next (both are drawn from ‘The Last of Us Part II’ game) –– no spoilers, but things don’t end well.
Mazin doesn’t have that many directing credits to his name despite years in the feature business, and even with his involvement in the series, this is the first time he has called the shots on an episode. But he shows a steady hand and a clear eye for what makes the show work, and if the time jump is a jolt, the style is not.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1. Photo: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Anchored by Pascal and Ramsey, the episode doesn’t forget to give other performers some solid work.
Pascal is, of course, still great as the haunted, soulful Joel, the man who never expected to find a surrogate daughter after losing his own in the early days of the pandemic that rocked the world. Here, we find him in problem-solving mode, and Pascal brings out all the tones, including his sly sense of humor.
(Left) Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO. (Right) Catherine O’Hara in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Ramsey has even more to prove with the more grown version of Ellie, but they handle the job fluidly, this tougher, less childish version of the character finding new connections while still dealing with old issues.
Among the newcomers we meet, Dever makes and impact with relatively little screen time as Abby, Isabel Merced is a shiny delight as Dina and Catherine O’Hara gets to go to some deeper places as Gail, who is tending to Joel’s mental health.
Final Thoughts
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Though it remains to be seen how the rest of the season and beyond plays out, the first episode of ‘The Last of Us’ new season is a welcomer reminder of why this is one of the best shows on TV.
There is so much solid character work going on from both sides of the camera, and the look of the show, including some truly scary mushroom mutants, is still superb.
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What is the plot of ‘The Last of Us’ season 2?
Five years after the events of the first season, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
When it originally landed on our screens with its first season two years ago, ‘The Last of Us’ became an instant sensation, hailed for transferring its video game source material with care and authenticity while also expanding the complicated, emotional world originally built by Neil Druckmann and his team.
With Druckmann involved as a key collaborator alongside fellow show developer (and ‘Chernobyl’ limited series veteran) Craig Mazin, ‘The Last of Us’ tells the post-apocalyptic story of the world brought to ruin by mutated Cordyceps fungus, which spread through a global pandemic and turned a majority of the population into infected, transformed zombie-like creatures.
Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are two survivors trying to make their way through this difficult world.
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Season 2 explores the fallout from the first, when Joel massacred a group looking to extract a cure from Ellie –– the procedure nearly killing her –– and is set five years later, with Joel and Ellie seemingly settled into a mountain community of fellow survivors in Jackson, Wyoming.
But Joel’s actions may yet catch up to him, and Ellie is finding other connections in this world.
Here are 10 things we learned at that press conference, edited for clarity and length. ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 will debut with its first episode on Max on April 13th.
1) Bella Ramsey Is Excited For The Show To Be Back
Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Ramsey admitted they were nervous to see the reaction to the new season.
Bella Ramsey: It’s a little bit scary. When season one came out obviously it was this huge thing. I think I’m just so aware of season two coming out and everybody looking at it and looking at me and it’s quite scary, but it’s exciting. I’m trying to see it as a celebration of all the hard work that we did. I just hope that people will –– I mean, people are going to like it ––because these guys did an incredible job and we all went into it with complete trust for them. We’ve been carried and protected the whole way, so it’s pretty exciting and I hope that people will watch it.
2) Kaitlyn Dever Was Anxious About Joining The Show
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Dever –– who was actually attached as Ellie back during a version of the story being made as a movie –– plays Abby Anderson, who has a reason to hate Joel.
Kaitlyn Dever: It was all of the feelings. I was nervous, I was anxious, but also very excited. I’ve been a huge fan of this game and the show for a very long time. The reach of this world is so, so big. The world of ‘The Last of Us’ is so large. You can feel that, even in wardrobe fittings when you’re first in prep and then finally getting on set. It still feels very big but I felt less nervous once I got onto set, just because of this wonderful group of people and being held by Craig and Neil.
3) Mazin Was Actually Very Impressed With Dever As Abby
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The co-writer/showrunner and occasional director was full of praise for Dever and her co-stars.
Mazin: Kaitlyn did things that I’m not sure she even should have done. I don’t know how you did them. We knew her, obviously, as an actor and what she could do, but when you then meet the person and you’re, “well, what can you actually do? What are you comfortable with?” Kaitlyn just would never say no. It was amazing. When you see how physically tremendous her performance is, it’s insane. We just haven’t f****d up in casting. We just haven’t f****d up.
4) Young Mazino Felt Fortunate To Have Gotten The Job
Young Mazino in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Mazino, who was seen in ‘Beef,’ plays Jesse, ex-boyfriend of Isabela Merced’s Dina and friend to Ellie.
Young Mazino: I felt incredibly fortunate. Joining a second season for something that was so well established the first time and the trust that I think Craig and Neil had in me to deliver on this character. I do remember getting more nervous when I stepped onto set and realizing the sheer scale of the town and seeing the huge gate that they built. That’s when I started to feel a little tripped out. But then, but then the longer I was there, I realized the energy was so, so warm and so inviting, and I feel like there was no ego on set. I think that’s a rare thing, especially the larger sets. I had such a blast. It was chill.
5) Ramsey and Pascal Talked About The Rifts That Have Formed in Ellie and Joel’s Adoptive Father/Daughter Dynamic
(L to R) Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1. Photo: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
It’s clear when season 2 kicks off that in the years since the first, Ellie and Joel have seen emotional distance grow between them, which for the actors presented a challenge but also an opportunity.
Ramsey: Obviously a lot has changed over those five years. Ellie was 14 and now is 19. I think in any teenager’s life that’s always the formative years, so that definitely informed it. But there’s deeper reasons for their little rift. I didn’t enjoy the feeling of feeling estranged from Pedro within a scene. It wasn’t a nice feeling. When the cameras were rolling. In real life, we still sort of each other, just about! But it was definitely interesting.
6) Pascal Addressed Treating a Show Such as ‘The Last of Us’ as Escapism When It Still Confronts Real-World Issues
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The actor opened up about the show’s depth of theme and feeling.
Pascal: I think that storytelling is cathartic in so many ways, always has been. It’s the way that human beings have made testimony to life. Whether it was handprints on the walls inside of a cave to television show that you can stream on Max. So, for me, growing up, all of my development was based on books I’ve read, movies I’ve seen, and television that I’ve watched. So, it’s very much going to reflect the human experience. Under such extreme circumstances, I think that there’s a very healthy and sometimes sick pleasure in that catharsis, in a safe space, to see human relationships under crisis and in pain and intelligently draw political allegory, societal allegory based off of the world that we’re living in and, and very beautifully and very intelligently.
7) Druckmann Was Asked About the Show’s Change to Abby’s Backstory Introduction
(L to R) Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle, Ariela Barer, Kaitlyn Dever, and Spencer Lord in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
‘The Last of Us’ makes a key change to Dever’s character Abby, setting up her backstory immediately as opposed to the game, which holds it off for a while.
Druckmann: In the game [Part 2], you play as Abby, so you immediately form an empathic connection with her because you’re surviving as her. You’re running through the snow, you’re fighting infected, and we can withhold certain things and make it a mystery that will be revealed later in the story. We couldn’t do that in the show because you’re not playing as her, so we need other tools. That context gave us that shortcut. Something similar happened in season one when the first game starts with you playing as Sarah, and we didn’t have to do a lot of heavy lifting for you to care about Sarah, because you’re playing as her, you’re experiencing the outbreak as her. In the show, we had to spend quite a bit of time to achieve something similar.
8) Asked What The Most Satisfying Moment Was to Adapt, Mazin Gave a Careful Answer
(L to R) Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann on the set of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Not wanting to give away spoilers, Mazin talked about his favorite scene to craft.
Mazin: There is –– I don’t want to say what it is –– but there was a scene in the in the final episode of the season. It’s quite impactful in the game, but there was this evolution of it as we put it on film that blows me away. Those moments are very exciting. But I have to admit, there’s also –– this is not a spoiler, it’s in the trailer –– you see Pedro and Bella both by the space capsule in the museum and that scene is the first thing that Neil ever showed me from [the game] ‘The Last of Us Part Two.’ It’s beautiful and watching them inhabit that and make it their own was pretty spectacular. [doing Larry David impression] Pretty, pretty good. We’ll let you watch it sometime.
9) Isabela Merced Talked About What Dina Means To Her
Isabela Merced in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
The actor discussed her character, who starts a relationship with Ellie in the new season.
Isabela Merced: I kind of see Dina as an extension of myself. If I were in an apocalyptic situation, I would try to lighten it up a bit. I think that’s our superpower as humans, is we really have the power to shift our perspective and make our own reality. I think Dina is also Ellie’s compass and light, in a way. I think Dina’s also grieving at the same time, and we explore that. I think it’s going to be really fun to get to know Dina as more than just “the funny guy.” I think Craig does a great job of well-rounding his characters like that.
10) Mazin Says That We Can Expect At Least One More Standalone Episode This Year
(L to R) Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1. Photo: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Following the wide praise for the standalone diversion episode ‘Long, Long Time,’ which told the story of survivors Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), the showrunner explained there will be more.
Mazin: One thing that Neil and I talked about was just making sure that we didn’t just say, “Oh, you know, that Bill and Frank episode… people really liked that. Let’s do a very special episode of ‘The Last of Us’ Season Two.” It just has to happen as it happens. But I will say that there is a gorgeous episode this season directed by Neil that is different. it’s not Bill and Frank, but it is, in its own way, its own thing, because it needed to be. Just you wait.
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What is the plot of ‘The Last of Us’ season 2?
Five years after the events of the first season, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.
The ‘Alien’ franchise has gotten especially convoluted in the 21st century, with spinoffs (‘Alien vs. Predator’), origin stories (‘Prometheus’) and sequels to prequels (‘Alien: Covenant’) clogging up the trajectory of what started out as something simple and elegant: a haunted house movie set in space. ‘Alien: Romulus,’ directed by Fede Álvarez, works hard to bring the brand back to the basics. And in many ways, Álvarez succeeds: working off a script he co-wrote with Rodo Sayagues, Álvarez has created a mostly tense, atmospheric, and to-the-point monster movie that – much like the first ‘Alien’ – has a terrific central character at its core.
But Álvarez also makes the mistake of leaning too heavily on nostalgia, with ‘Alien: Romulus’ – particularly in its second half – playing like the franchise equivalent of a greatest hits package and showing a decided lack of imagination in its callbacks to not just the first ‘Alien,’ but ‘Aliens,’ ‘Alien: Resurrection,’ and even the controversial ‘Prometheus.’ And one creative choice in particular is not only incredibly distracting and jarring, but bordering on unethical – and also a spoiler.
Story and Direction
Director Fede Álvarez at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
‘Alien: Romulus,’ we find out fairly early on, is set around 20 years after the events of the first ‘Alien.’ It opens on a mining colony on a brutal, storm-tossed world where it’s hard enough for humans to survive, let alone work. Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) works for, of course, the ever-present Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and gets the bad news that her contract – more like indentured servitude – has been extended another six years without her knowledge.
Devastated by the news that she cannot get herself and her child-like (because he’s been damaged in the past) android “brother” Andy (David Jonsson) off the planet, Rain joins a group of four other young co-workers who have detected an abandoned space station drifting above the planet. Their plan: fly their own ship up to the derelict, break in and load its cryosleep pods into their vessel, and fly off to the distant planet Yvaga, where life is presumably more pleasant and one can actually see a sunrise instead of round-the-clock darkness.
We’ve already glimpsed that space station in a brief prologue, and it’s no spoiler to tell you that our young friends find out the hard way that while there is no crew in sight, the spacecraft is definitely inhabited. The initial buildup of the story is brief, with the six colonists getting up to the station in relatively short order. The exploration of its darkened, abandoned corridors is one of the highlights of the film and most reminiscent in spirit of both the original ‘Alien’ and the space Marines’ foray into the deserted colony on LV-426 in ‘Aliens’ (although why no one else seems to know this rather large space station is floating above the colony is a mystery that the film never answers).
The pace continues to pick up as our friends make their first contact with Xenomorphs (come on, it’s right in the trailer) in their facehugger form, ending in a bad way for one of their number. There are other revelations to come as well, including how a Xenomorph first got on the station, what the station’s purpose was, and how the seemingly innocent Andy undergoes an upgrade that suddenly has Rain wondering if her adopted mechanical sibling can be trusted even to save her life.
A lot of exposition comes courtesy of a plot device we won’t discuss in detail here, but is the one that audiences – ‘Alien’ fans in particular, but also people with a conscience in general – may find difficult to reckon with. Yes, that’s the one we mention above that’s distracting and frankly ghoulish; we can only hope the right people got paid well for it, but even then it may set a terrible precedent. That in turn opens the floodgates for a series of callbacks to various other ‘Alien’ movies as Rain, Andy, and their dwindling band try to escape the growing infestation of Xenomorphs and the station itself, which in time-honored ‘Alien’ tradition is on a path to destruction in less than the two hours it takes to watch ‘Alien: Romulus.’
Some of the homages are subtle and kind of neat, like a reference to the events of ‘Prometheus’ that works in context. Others, however, approach ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ levels of inanity and over-slavish fan service, while another climactic reveal channels the last plot turn you’d expect from one of the less popular entries in the series.
In fairness, Álvarez – who has covered this kind of territory before with his underrated 2013 ‘Evil Dead’ remake – keeps the action moving, the shocks visceral, and the atmosphere grimy and bleak, aided by Galo Olivares’ excellent cinematography and Benjamin Wallfisch’s score. Both effortlessly channel the vibe and tone of the early ‘Alien’ movies. In many respects, this is the most intense and effective film in the series since the first two, which makes the decision to lean hard into blatant nostalgia bait down the stretch all the more irritating.
Following her recent sterling work in ‘Priscilla’ and ‘Civil War,’ Cailee Spaeny is a bit flat here as Rain. Like the rest of the cast, she seems a bit too young to have been laboring for years already under Weyland-Yutani, although the future’s child labor laws may have started her in the field at a young age. She’s clearly meant to continue the time-honored ‘Alien’ tradition started by Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, but her character isn’t given enough development early on and her line readings tend to veer toward monotone. Spaeny does handle her eventual (and expected) transformation into action-oriented warrior well, and she’s still an engaging screen presence.
Even though Spaeny is top-billed, the movie belongs to David Jonsson as Andy. It’s also been a feature of the ‘Alien’ films that its synthetic characters are among its best, and Andy follows in the tradition laid down by Ash, Bishop, and David. But he’s also his own unique creation: found “in the trash” by Rain’s late father and adopted as a sort of little brother with intellectual disabilities that she must take care of, Andy undergoes the best, most fully realized (and arguably only) character arc in the film, an arc that creates its own narrative tension and makes for the most compelling parts of the story. Jonsson is spectacular throughout, handling Andy’s transformation with nuance, mystery, and a mix of empathy and unease. It’s also interesting to see more of the ‘Alien’ universe here, in terms of how synthetics are perceived and treated, which opens up all kinds of possibilities should the series continue.
As for the rest of the small cast, they also unfortunately follow a time-honored ‘Alien’ tradition of simply being Xenomorph fodder. But while previous installments were often peppered with seasoned character actors who could make something out of nothing (Harry Dean Stanton, Jenette Goldstein, and many others say hello), this crew is largely forgettable, as hard as they try and as fully as they commit.
On the other hand, special props should go to the actors and operators behind the practical and animatronic Xenomorph manifestations – it’s refreshing to see Álvarez return to physical creations on set, which also keeps ‘Romulus’ in line with the franchise’s initial, classic entries.
As we said earlier, as so many legacy sequels and franchises are prone to do, Álvarez’s film feels the need to rely on obvious and even silly callbacks in the name of fan service. Like so many filmmakers nowadays, he seems to worry that the fan base may not be perceptive enough to handle new ideas without reassuring them that he’s not straying too far. This, along with that one unsettling element we mentioned earlier, hurts ‘Alien: Romulus,’ but not fatally.
Yet there is a lot to like in the movie too; in a series that’s yielded far more disappointments and squandered opportunities than not, it’s nice to see an entry fashioned by a filmmaker who’s clearly passionate about this mythology and legacy. ‘Alien: Romulus’ is an often exciting, suspenseful, and gruesome crowd-pleaser that fits well into the existing canon and works hard – almost too hard – to recreate the experience of watching the saga’s best films.
‘Alien: Romulus’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Alien: Romulus’?
A group of young space colonists hatch a plan to salvage technology from an abandoned space station and inadvertently come face to face with an incredibly dangerous life form that threatens all their lives.
With David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Gunn has been busy making the movie under great scrutiny, his concept for Superman seen as partly defining the way ahead for DC on screens big and small.
Now, though, barring any planned additional footage shoots, Gunn is headed into the post-production stage ahead of the movie’s release next year. We can likely expect at least the first teaser before the year is out.
“And that’s a wrap,” Gunn posted on Instagram about wrapping. “God bless our cast and crew whose commitment, creativity, and hard work have brought this project to life.”
David Corenswet as Superman in James Gunn’s ‘Superman’. Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram.
Little is truly known about the plotline at this point, but Gunn has been clear that he’s eschewing the usual exploding home planet Krypton/arrival in Smallville origin story (though those will likely be referenced) in favor of more of a workplace film with Clark showing up to work at the Planet, where Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) will already be an established reporting star.
Peter Safran, Gunn’s co-chief of DC Studios (and a producer on the movie) said this about the new movie during the duo’s big announcement about DC films and series going forward:
“It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”
Who is appearing in ‘Superman’?
(Center) James Gunn and the cast of ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram Account.
Alongside Corenswet and Brosnahan, there’s an eclectic, sprawling cast.
That’s the main ensemble; we can expect an appearance from Gunn’s brother Sean (a regular in his movies, who has played the likes of Kraglin and provided the on-set reference performance and voice for Rocket Raccoon in the ‘Guardians’ franchise) as the villainous Maxwell Lord.
(L to R) Spike Fearn, David Jonsson, Isabela Merced, Cailee Spaeny, director Fede Álvarez and Archie Renaux at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
Preview:
‘Alien: Romulus’ brought terror to the San Diego Comic-Con.
Director Fede Alvarez and his cast were in attendance.
The movie’s team brought Facehuggers to the presentation.
It’s always a challenge to stand out at a panel at the San Diego Comic-Con; but when you have the compelling terror of an ‘Alien’ movie and the resources of 20th Century Studios, you can afford to put on a show.
With journalists previously teased by a VHS tape begging up the idea of the panel weeks before, the Con event itself proved to be memorable, launched with flashing red lights and red smoke piercing the pre-show gloom and closing with a planted audience member stumbling on stage, attacked by a Facehugger (AKA the larval stage of the xenomorph aliens we love to hate), others of the creature scuttling across the stage and another person having an alien burst from his chest with a spray of fake blood.
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
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Who is in ‘Alien: Romulus’?
(L to R) David Jonsson, Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Cailee Spaeny, and Spike Fearn at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
The actors talked about their roles and the experience shooting the movie, which blended practical and physical effects –– Fearn talked about not having to shoot “with tennis balls”, while Spaeny enthused about being enveloped by the huge practical sets.
What did we learn at the ‘Alien: Romulus’ Comic-Con panel?
(L to R) Director Fede Álvarez, Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux and Spike Fearn at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
Director Fede Alvarez, who wrote the script with regular collaborator Rodo Sayagues, answered the lion’s share of the questions, including those submitted by the likes of Ridley Scott (director of the original 1979 ‘Alien’ and a couple of more recent spin-offs, who is a producer on ‘Romulus’), Dan Trachtenberg (director of Predator movie ‘Prey’) and Guillermo del Toro (a filmmaker who surely needs little introduction).
Asked by del Toro about his approach to leading the design for the latest take on the xenomorph creature, he admitted it included lots of reading and looking through old films to make sure they honored what came before. “If you love it, it’s hard to f*** it up,” he said.
Trachtenberg asked who would win between a Predator and a Xenomorph, with Alvarez and his cast clear that the Xenomorphs would triumph.
Cailee Spaeny at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
Scott got two questions –– one about the themes of the new movie (“It’s called ‘Romulus’ because it’s really a story about siblinghood,” Alvarez said, explaining that he wants to explore more human connections in a way the original movies didn’t.
The other Scott query could almost have come from the fan Q&A section, grilling Alvarez on his favorite ‘Alien’ movie, with the proviso that he directed the original –– which Alvarez confirmed he loved the most (well, it wouldn’t do to be fired at this point).
Dotted through the panel was footage from the movie, including a chestburster scene that the director explained upfront had been edited differently to the final film version so as to preclude some spoilers. All the scenes shown from the movie had the audience screaming and cheering in equal measure.
When will ‘Alien: Romulus’ be in theaters?
The movie itself is due to unleash horror in cinemas on August 16th.
(Right) Director Fede Álvarez at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
(Left) Jeffrey Wright attends the Los Angeles Premiere of MGM’s ‘American Fiction’ at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on December 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Stewart Cook/Getty Images for MGM. (RIght) HBO Max’s ‘The Last of Us.’ Photo: Warner Media.
Preview:
Jeffrey Wright is joining ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2.
He’ll play Isaac, a militia leader.
The second season is now shooting.
As work continues apace on the second season of hit video game adaptation ‘The Last of Us’, we’ve been learning about the various people who are joining the likes of stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the cast for the HBO series.
The latest recruit for the show is Jeffrey Wright, who needs little introduction at this point, but already has a history with the game itself –– he voiced (and was used for performance capture) of a character called Isaac in ‘The Last of Us Part II’.
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What’s the story of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2?
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Last of Us.’ Photo: Warner Media.
‘The Last of Us’ takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, played by Pascal, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Producers/Showrunners Craig Mazin (‘Chernobyl’) and Neil Druckmann (creator of the original game) have yet to detail exactly what the new season will cover.
The first season of ‘The Last of Us’ covered much of games ‘The Last of Us Part I’ and ‘The Last of Us: Left Behind’, which means it is likely that Season 2 will cover at least part of ‘The Last of Us Part II’. There is also potential for it to cover some of the time between Part I and Part II, as there is a five-year time jump in the video game. Ellie, 14 in Part I and Left Behind, is 19 in Part II, and she and Joel have been living in Jackson since they left the Fireflies in Salt Lake City.
Mazin has said that because of its size, Season Two will only adapt part of the second game.
Who is Isaac in the world of ‘The Last of Us’?
Wright’s Isaac in the game is the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group, known as the Washington Liberation Front, who sought liberty but instead has become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy.
Wright is the second actor to reprise his own voice role, after Merle Dandridge did the same for her character Marlene in Season 1.
When will ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 be on screens?
HBO has yet to indicate when the show will return, but given the production schedule and heavy effects load, the company has already warned fans not to expect the new season before 2025.
