Henry Cavill in ‘Highlander’. Photo: Henry Cavill’s Instagram Account.
Preview:
Henry Cavill has posted the first look at the new ‘Highlander’ movie.
He’s playing sword-swinging immortal McLeod.
Chad Stahelski has started directing the film.
After a long development process, and plenty of casting news drops, the new take on 1986 action pic ‘Highlander’ is officially in production with Chad Stahelski directing and Henry Cavill starring as an immortal warrior who must battle others of his kind.
Cavill’s caption includes the phrase, “this has been quite the journey for me, which I’ll tell you all about when the time is right,” which might be a reference to an injury he sustained while training, which pushed the schedule of the movie back.
Henry Cavill in ‘Highlander’. Photo: Henry Cavill’s Instagram Account.
The 1988 original revolves around Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish Highlander born in the 16th Century who is somehow immortal. He has survived through the centuries, and learns from Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), that he is part of a race of many who can only die when beheaded.
We don’t exactly know what elements the new movie (written by Michael Finch) will utilize, but Stahelski has said the focus will be on modern-day New York and Hong Kong.
When will the new ‘Highlander’ be in cinemas?
(L to R) Sean Connery as Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez and Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod in 1986’s ‘Highlander.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Amazon MGM Studios has yet to announce a release date for the movie, but a 2027 date is not out of the question given that cameras are rolling.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Highlander’ Franchise:
Though the cameras may not have started rolling last month as originally planned thanks to star Henry Cavill injuring himself during training, the ‘Highlander’ reboot is still moving forward, aiming to begin production early next year.
(L to R) Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod and Clancy Brown as The Kurgan in ‘Highlander’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
The 1988 original revolves around Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish Highlander born in the 16th Century who is somehow immortal. He has survived through the centuries, and learns from Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), that he is part of a race of many who can only die when beheaded.
The power of the slain immortal is absorbed into the victor, and they are all competing for “The Prize” –– enough power to rule Earth forever. Connor’s biggest threat is the Kurgan, a murderous brute of an immortal who wants that power for himself and Connor must face him at an event known as The Gathering.
There can, as the tagline famously reads, only be one.
Stahelski on the story for the new movie
Chad Stahelski attends ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
Here’s what Stahelski had to say about the plot and changes:
“We’re bringing it forward from the early 1500s in the Highlands to the beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong. There’s big opportunity for action… and it’s a bit of a love story — but not how you think.”
Finch’s script is the most recent draft, and it is taking some diversions from the original as it builds out a more complex and deeper world.
Cavill is MacLeod, with Crowe as a version of Ramirez. Bautista is playing the Kurgan, the movie’s top villain, while Gillan is MacLeod’s Scottish and very mortal wife. Djimon Hounsou is an immortal warrior from Africa, while Abela is MacLeod’s modern romantic interest. Max Zhang and Drew McIntyre are also in the cast, with McIntyre taking the role of Cavill’s brother.
Irons will be the movie’s other antagonist, the leader of a secret order called The Watchers, who are keeping an eye on the immortals and see them as a threat to humanity.
When will the new ‘Highlander’ be on screens?
Amazon MGM Studios has yet to confirm a release date for the movie, and it may yet appear later given the production delay.
(L to R) Sean Connery as Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez and Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod in 1986’s ‘Highlander.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Highlander’ Franchise:
(L to R) Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod and Clancy Brown as The Kurgan in ‘Highlander’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
The 1988 original revolves around Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish Highlander born in the 16th Century who is somehow immortal. He has survived through the centuries, and learns from Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), that he is part of a race of many who can only die when beheaded.
The power of the slain immortal is absorbed into the victor, and they are all competing for “The Prize” –– enough power to rule Earth forever. Connor’s biggest threat is the Kurgan, a murderous brute of an immortal who wants that power for himself and Connor must face him at an event known as The Gathering.
There can, as the tagline famously reads, only be one.
Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the first film is considered a cult classic, dividing audiences into those who love it and those who think it’s so bad it’s great. The movie is famous for its sword fights and its Queen-composed soundtrack.
Stahelski on his plans
Chad Stahelski attends ‘Wick Is Pain’ Screening At Beyond Fest at Aero Theatre on May 08, 2025 in Santa Monica, California. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
Here’s what Stahelski had to say about his ideas:
“ ‘Highlander,’ I’ll tell you, if we get our s**t together and pull off a feature, we have ideas for days about the coolest characters and how to make that an epic TV show. I just think that’s a rich, rich mythology. Our story engages a lot of the same characters and stuff like that. But we’ve also brought in elements of all the TV shows, and we’re trying to do a bit of a prequel, a setup to The Gathering, so we have room to grow the property.”
As for the story:
“We’re bringing it forward from the early 1500s in the Highlands to the beyond present-day New York and Hong Kong. There’s big opportunity for action… and it’s a bit of a love story — but not how you think.”
Tom Hiddleston stars in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Mike Flanagan is not only one of the premier horror auteurs of the 21st Century, with films like ‘Oculus’ and limited series like ‘Midnight Mass’ under his belt, but he also has a flourishing sub-career as Director Of Difficult Stephen King Adaptations. From ‘Gerald’s Game’ (which was mostly about a lone woman chained to a bed) to ‘Doctor Sleep’ (a sequel to both one of the most iconic horror movies of all time and the very different book it was based on) to, now, ‘The Life of Chuck,’ Flanagan keeps excelling at bringing King stories to the screen that at first seem like insurmountable cinematic challenges.
‘The Life of Chuck’ (which first appeared in King’s 2020 collection ‘If It Bleeds’) reads on the page like one of the author’s strangest yet sweetest stories, with events taking place in three different timelines – and possibly more than one reality – of which the connections only become apparent as the story unfolds. Its centerpiece sequence involves two strangers doing an impromptu (and spectacular) dance in the middle of one of those outdoor shopping and entertainment destinations, and its three parts are told in reverse order.
It’s a strangely affecting story with a widescreen canvas and universal theme, and Flanagan effectively and faithfully translates it to the screen, helped by Eben Bolter’s gorgeous cinematography and moving performances from much of its cast. If some of its parts don’t work – such as an over-reliance on narration and a supernatural aspect that seems tacked on (as it did in the novella) – those are minor distractions from what is, for the most part, a compelling story that fits comfortably alongside other non-horror King adaptations like ‘Stand by Me’ and ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’
Story and Direction
(L to R) Director Mike Flanagan and Tom Hiddleston on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
‘The Life of Chuck’ begins with ‘Act III – Thanks Chuck,’ the most overtly frightening section of the film. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Marty, a high school teacher who is trying to hold his class and life together as the world starts to literally crumble from some unexplained apocalypse. As California falls into the sea following a 9.1. earthquake, and other disasters wreak havoc worldwide (followed by the loss of the internet, which may not seem as such a bad thing), Marty and others start to see and hear strange billboards and commercials thanking someone named Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz for a ‘wonderful 39 years’ – although who ‘Chuck’ is remains a complete mystery.
‘Act III’ ends with Marty and his ex-wife, an exhausted, despairing nurse named Felicia (Karen Gillan), reconnecting as events around the world grow even grimmer. It’s during the final moments of this segment that we also get our first, flickering images of Chuck (Tom Hiddleston) himself, in ways both inexplicable and melancholy. Both scenarios give way to ‘Act II – Buskers Forever,’ in which a middle-aged, suit-and-tie-wearing Chuck – an unassuming, mild-mannered accountant, as we find out from the narration provided by Nick Offerman – sits quietly on a bench at that downtown destination following a day at an out-of-town bookkeeping seminar.
It’s on his way back to his hotel that Chuck is drawn to a busker (Taylor Gordon) who is banging out a beat on her drum kit. Something stirs within Chuck and he begins to dance – and not just a little tapping of the feet and swaying of the shoulders but a full-fledged, spectacular routine like something Fred Astaire might take on. He’s joined by Janice (Annalise Basso), a complete stranger who’s just been dumped by her boyfriend, but who finds connection with Chuck and the busker through this one random moment together.
It’s in ‘Act I – I Contain Multitudes’ that we learn the origin of Chuck’s skills on the dance floor, as we meet a younger version of him (played primarily by Jacob Tremblay) as well as his grandfather (Mark Hamill) and grandmother (Mia Sara). The Krantz family goes through both remarkable tragedy and simple moments of happiness together – but we also learn why dancing was not in the cards for Chuck’s future and why his grandpa (or ‘zayde’) keeps the upstairs cupola in their house locked up tight.
It’s in this third segment that the pieces of the story fully fall into place, but it’s also where the movie’s heavy emphasis on narration (as good as the wry, always slightly sardonic Offerman is) and the secret of the cupola mix unevenly with the movie’s shifting tones and a late supernatural element that seems randomly dropped into the proceedings. No spoilers here, but Flanagan’s slightly off-balance juggling of these elements slightly dilutes the film’s drive to tie together its themes and narrative into a coherent whole, leading ‘The Life of Chuck’ to wind down into a moderately affecting conclusion instead of a poignant, universal crescendo of emotion.
Cast and Performances
Mark Hamill in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Although the movie is called ‘The Life of Chuck’ and it’s that central image of the title character that represents the film, Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz is very much part of an ensemble here. Tom Hiddleston makes the adult Chuck a bit of a cipher in some ways, a man who seems almost inconsequential – until he does his dazzling dance in the middle of the square. Hiddleston gives his all during this sequence (and is tremendous in it), while also showing how Chuck comes fully alive here for perhaps the one time in his adult life.
He’s very good, but the work from Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay as the teen Chuck (and the younger actors portraying him as a little boy) hits harder. Ejiofor and Gillan are believable and poignant as two people trying to find their way back to each other with barely any time to lose, while other minor characters are given brief but textured life by veteran actors like Matthew Lillard and Carl Lumbly.
And then there’s Mark Hamill and Mia Sara as Chuck’s zayde Albie and bubbe Sarah. The latter (of ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ fame) brings warmth and light to the role of Chuck’s grandma, while the former is equally warm but also a man living with the pain of knowledge he’s not supposed to have. Hamill – appearing in the first of two Stephen King adaptations this year (he has a quite different role in September’s ‘The Long Walk’) – is engaging and sensitive, especially in a scene where Albie, an accountant his whole life, expounds to Chuck on why math is the bedrock for everything in existence, guiding his grandson to a decision that will have repercussions for the rest of his life.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Stephen King has always been a deeply humanist writer, and it’s his empathy and compassion that Mike Flanagan seems drawn to and able to capture. Like predecessors such as Rob Reiner and Frank Darabont, he gets King in a way that many other filmmakers don’t. That’s why he aims for the same profundity found in earlier King classics like ‘The Shawshank Redemption,’ even if ‘The Life of Chuck’ struggles to hit the exact same high mark.
But there’s no question that the message of this story, while in the end quite simple, is still a moving one: that every moment in a life is precious in some way, and that every life is made up of those moments, which we must recognize for what they are and hold onto. We do contain multitudes, King and Flanagan seem to say, and they’re all beautiful, rich, and worthy in some way, no matter how fleeting. In a world that seems to be coming unglued on a daily basis, that is a message worth repeating. Whether it’s Chuck’s life or yours, it’s important.
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What is the plot of ‘The Life of Chuck’?
Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Hiddleston about his work on ‘The Life of Chuck’, his first reaction to the screenplay by Mike Flanagan and the way he adapted Stephen King’s source material, and the challenges of preparing for and shooting the massive dance sequence.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan.
Tom Hiddleston stars in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the way Mike Flanagan was able to adapt Stephen King’s source material?
Tom Hiddleston: I remember it so clearly. It was Easter of 2023 and I read it in a single sitting. In the UK, the Monday after Easter is a public holiday, so it’s a day off. Bank Holiday Monday, we call it. I was so moved and inspired by what I read because initially I felt like, I was so intrigued by the first act. It felt like a film about the end of the world, but with such tenderness and such truthfulness about the uncertainty of that experience through Marty and Felicia, the characters played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan. Also, because I had the letter from Mike, I knew he’d asked me to play Chuck and just like everybody else, I was like, well, who’s Chuck? Who is this guy? Then when it was revealed, what was happening, in terms of the narrative, and I don’t want to spoil too much. But when the stars started to be extinguished and I understood what that meant for Chuck’s life and how it turned into a meditation on joy and an exploration of the magic of the ordinary life of every human being, that none of us are one thing. We all contain multitudes, which is to say that inside the soul of every ordinary human being is an internal world of infinite possibility. That infinite possibility can create a universe in every life, a universe of connections, of people, of experiences, of memories. That when that life comes to an end, so does that universe. It sums up the way I think about life and that sometimes the small moments aren’t small at all, and they end up, in your mind becoming the big moments, in your memory. Really, in the last hours of our lives, all we will carry in our hearts and our minds are the people we loved, the memories we shared with them, the connections we made. That is all that matters. I was so struck by it and so moved by it and so inspired by how Mike had put the film together, and I just immediately wanted to get on the phone with him and say, please, can I do this with you? It was a very special experience and a film that’s very close to my heart.
(L to R) Annalise Basso and Tom Hiddleston in ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
MF: Finally, can you talk about rehearsing for the dance sequence and how many times did you have to shoot it to get it right?
TH: Well, I had, in my own life, less formal dance training than Charles Krantz had. I’ve always loved dancing, but I’ve never danced like this. I had about five weeks and the brilliant, extraordinary Mandy Moore, our choreographer and her assistant, Stephanie Powell, who was working with me in London, we worked every day, and we did salsa, swing, Charleston, Bossa Nova, polka, samba, and jazz. I mean (we did) every dance under the sun, you name it. We put the thing together. It was so thrilling to do it, but by the time we got to set, I think the first four days of principal photography on the entire picture, we shot the sequence in the mall when Chuck starts dancing to the beat of those drums. It was me and Taylor Gordon on the drums and Annalise Basso. We shot it consistently across the same stretch of time so that the light matched, essentially. So, it was between about 11am and 3pm across four days. We just did it from every angle. Every camera was wide, it was high, it was dancing with us, it was Steadicam, and it was on a crane. But I will say, the very last take we did, because we’d do the whole sequence from start to finish every time, was on the fourth day, the Thursday. We went back to a setup we’d done before. It was almost an homage to the great musicals, which contained the entire thing. It wasn’t close-up; it wasn’t a mid-shot. It was both Annalise and me and the drum kit and Taylor and the crowd. We played it from start to finish. It was a moment I will never forget. It was a kind of magical take, and a lot of the sequence is from that take. Mike knew it. I knew it. Annalise knew it. The crowd knew it. Mandy knew it. It was like a perfect thing. That’s where we stopped.
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What is the plot of ‘The Life of Chuck’?
Charles ‘Chuck’ Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us.
Landing on Disney+ daily across eight days from December 22nd, the second season of Marvel’s Disney+ animated series ‘What If…?’ wraps up the show’s run –– at least for now –– with another set of episodes where several build to a grand, multiverse-hopping finale.
Disney’s Marvel arm has seen something of a renewal this year, between the success of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (even if that film poked plenty of fun at how tired the idea of the multiverse seems these days) and ‘Agatha All Along.’ And now here comes the welcome return of ‘What If…?’ which again blends more stand-alone stories with some clever easter eggs (and in one case, an actual egg) that knit together to spin a bigger tale around Jeffrey Wright’s powerful The Watcher. Who, it turns out, will have to answer for meddling in the affairs of different universes.
Does ‘What If…?’ Season 3 still provide multiversal fun?
In keeping with the previous two seasons, the new run of ‘What If…?’ offers a blend of intriguing possibilities and an overarching spine that only starts to reveal itself towards the end of this final eight episodes. Those who have seen the previous seasons won’t be surprised at what it is building to, though it’s mostly satisfying.
But the pleasure in this show is usually more in the individual episodes, which here run the gamut between the hilarious (one focused on Howard the Duck and his unlikely, but somehow perfect relationship) and the heartbreaking (an epic, dystopian story of what happens with a ‘Black Panther’-associated character following the near destruction of Earth by Tiamut the celestial). Indeed, there is better use of several elements of the ‘Eternals’ than in the movie itself.
Another welcome element, near prescient, given the runaway success of her solo show, is the presence of Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness.
And that’s probably about all we can say on that front, given the extensive embargoes in place on this!
The regular writing team of Matthew Chauncey, Ryan Little and A.C. Bradley are back for the season, and the scripts run the usual gamut of superb to solid. While there isn’t perhaps the knockout winner of, say, last year’s festive episode, there remains a good balance of character interaction and fascinating peeks into unusual corners of the MCU while also blending in some more comics-faithful moments for fans of the printed pages.
Bryan Andrews and Stephan Franck return to direct the episodes and the look of the show continues to evolve in subtle ways. Most of the characters will be instantly recognizable, while others, such as Obadiah Stane (voiced here by Kiff VandenHeuvel rather than Jeff Bridges) might take a moment.
There are the occasionally jarring replacements, but on the whole, it’s a satisfying set of voices. Seth Green is great as usual as Howard the Duck, playing perfectly off the energy of Kat Dennings as Darcy. And kudos to Wright who, when given more to do as the Watcher than simply observe and narrate.
Oh, and you won’t tire of hearing Jackson emote the phrase “Mr. and Mrs.… The Duck.”
It’s also fun to hear the likes of Jason Isaacs –– something of a genre titan thanks to ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Star Wars’ and the DC animated appearances he’s put in –– as a powerful cosmic entity whose voice fairly drips with withering sarcasm.
Though it may not quite hit the highs of last year’s festive season run, Season 3 of ‘What If…?’ certainly has enough pleasures to keep fans happy. And though the big finale feels a little predictable at times, it is definitely enough to leave you wishing the company would commission future seasons, especially given how effective the creative team has been in making compelling narratives fit in sub-30-minute episodes.
‘What If…?’ Season 3 receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘What If…?’ Season 3?
“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 (Jeffrey Wright) will guide viewers as the series traverses new genres, bigger spectacles, and incredible new characters.
Karen Gillan as “Laura Baines” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Karen Gillan about her work on ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, her approach to her character, her involvement in the film’s mystery, working with Russell Crowe, what she learned from watching him work, and collaborating with director Brad Cooper on set.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Gillan and director Brad Cooper.
Karen Gillan as “Laura Baines” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the aspects of your character that you were excited to explore on screen?
Karen Gillan: When I first read the script, I was like, “Oh, this is a really fun, twisty thriller, a sort of who done it, and I definitely didn’t see the ending coming.” So that one caught me off guard, which was quite exciting. Then in terms of the character, I found her interesting because she’s this psychology student, she’s studying under the man who was murdered in the movie that everyone’s trying to solve. She’s sort of a woman who wears many masks in her life for various reasons. So that was one of the more attractive things about the role for me was getting to kind of play all these different versions of her and figure out why she is that way and why she takes on these different personalities.
MF: Laura is first seen through the perspective of other characters. Can you talk about your approach to playing her and did it seem at times like you were playing different versions of the character?
KG: Yeah, it’s interesting because first, she’s a person who wears many masks and assumes different personalities depending on who she’s interacting with and what she wants out of the situation. But on top of that, this movie is told from various perspectives of different characters. So, you’re sort of introduced to her through the eyes of her ex-boyfriend. Any ex is going to have a very specific view of a person. So, that was interesting to play with, like what was she like through his eyes and then what was she really like? Also, on top of that, she’s sort of shape-shifting a little bit.
Russell Crowe as “Roy Freeman” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
MF: Without giving anything away, can you talk about how Laura is involved in the mystery?
KG: So, she is the student of the man who has been murdered. She is connected to it because she’d been working with him on this big piece. All her research had gone into it, but she wasn’t getting any credit for it. Her professor was taking all the credit and so therefore she wasn’t very happy about that. I won’t say anymore, but that’s how she’s connected.
MF: What was it like working with Russell Crowe and watching the way he approaches making movies?
KG: Oh, it was so cool working with Russell Crowe. He’s like a legendary movie star. I grew up watching him. The first time I had a proper scene with him, I watched him sort of act for the first time in person and I was like, “Oh, that’s why you’re a movie star.” He has that thing that’s hard to articulate, the quality that makes a person a movie star. He has that, a lot of it.
Russell Crowe as “Roy Freeman” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
MF: What did you learn from watching him work and the way he interacts with the cast and crew?
KG: I feel like I learned a great deal. I mean, I was totally watching him from within the scenes. It was great. When I was watching him in the scenes, it was like, “Oh, you are very good at this.” He’s very aware of the camera and very sort of technically savvy. Then he adjusts his performance around that. So that was interesting. He just seems like he really understands movie making, all of it, not just the acting part. He really has a grasp of all of it, which was kind of interesting to see.
MF: What was it like collaborating with director Adam Cooper on set?
KG: It was great. Adam’s the best. He’s such a lovely guy, which creates a safe feeling atmosphere so that you can offer things up and try things, fall flat on your face and fail, and not be dying of humiliation. He’s collaborative. He also wrote it, so that was handy. If we had any ideas, he was able to take our ideas. I feel like as actors, we have a lot of ideas for adjustments and then it takes a writer to come in and be like, “Oh, here’s how you make that better.” That’s exactly what he was like. So, he would listen to our ideas and then we would get to put it through the Adam machine of making it a better line.
(L to R) Director Adam Cooper and Karen Gillan behind the scenes of the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
MF: Finally, the movie is a throwback to classic noir movies, is that a genre you enjoy?
KG: It’s such a vibe. Noir, thriller, who done it. All that stuff is always fun to watch. I really like films like that. My favorite film is probably ‘The Silence at the Lambs,’ so it’s that sort of serial killer thing, and all the psychology that goes along with it. I saw some parallels between that and this in terms of vibe and themes.
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What is the Plot of ‘Sleeping Dogs’?
Retired homicide detective Roy Freeman (Russel Crowe), while undergoing treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, is forced to re-open an old case involving the murder of a college professor (Marton Csokas) when new information comes from a mysterious woman (Karen Gillan).
Landing on Disney+ daily across the next nine days, the second season of Marvel’s Disney+ animated series ‘What If…?’ has plenty of treats to deliver, including a smart, clever festive episode that is the highlight of the early run.
At a time when Marvel and Disney are feeling the pinch of superhero fatigue (witness the box office collapse of ‘The Marvels’ and complaints about the sheer amount of movies and shows one must have seen to keep up with the storyline), the return of ‘What If…?’ is a pleasant one, by design untethered from the complicated continuity (albeit often rewarding fans of the various movies).
Does ‘What If…?’ Season 2 work to keep expanding the MCU?
Whether the implications of this season will tie directly into any future live-action stories is not really worth worrying at this point (and not something we could talk about anyway given the embargoes in place): ‘What If…?’s second run is more about enjoying the parallel universe take on some familiar stories.
Once more, the peek at different versions of characters and encounters works well as wish-fulfilment entertainment, including a chance for supporting characters to get the spotlight.
And Marvel/Disney+ are certainly experimenting with the release schedule for this one, dropping one episode a day across the festive season between December 22 and 30. The best example? Putting the ‘Die Hard’-spoofing ‘What If… Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?’ on Christmas Eve.
With direction and writing from Bryan Andrews, Stephan Franck (directors), AC Bradley, Matthew Chauncey and Ryan Little (writer/producers), ‘What If…?’s new run will feel familiar to those who watched the first season. It’s a similar mix of different looks at characters and situations.
Disney provided press with all the episodes, but there are strict embargoes in place. What can we tell you? There is some stylish, witty writing to be found here –– if you ever wanted to see Karen Gillan’s Nebula as a member of the Nova Corps investigating a situation on Xandar that comes across as a Clint Eastwood cop story meets a hard-bitten private eye future noir that has some serious ‘Blade Runner’ overtones, you’ve come to the right place.
Is every story a winner? They’re not all to the quality of, say, the Happy Hogan festive episode, but there is a high watermark for Marvel fun here. And the various little references and touches (a cuddly raccoon toy here, a nod to Hawkeye there) are welcome color rather than overloaded easter eggs.
The animation style of the show will still get mixed responses from those who believe it’s not up to the levels of big-screen output, but it works well for the stories and has seen a slight upgrade from the first season, which itself was a perfectly solid style.
Employing the same mix of original MCU voice actors (it’s fun to hear the likes of Jon Favreau, Kat Dennings, Karen Gillan, Chris Hemsworth, Michael Douglas and more lend their vocal skills to versions of their characters) and replacements for those who chose not to return (or were perhaps too pricey), the show keeps the feel of Marvel’s sprawling universe intact.
This will be something of a repeating motif in the review, but the Happy Hogan episode is certainly among the highlights, though there’s certainly something to be said for hearing Douglas, Annette Bening, Kurt Russell and Sebastian Stan playing earlier versions of their characters in a story that pits a powered Peter Quill (as a child, rather than the grown-up Chris Pratt we know) against a version of the Avengers that hews closer to the comics than movie screens.
The vocal replacements are once again a mixed bag –– that’s certainly not Glenn Close in the Nebula episode –– but the likes of Mick Wingert and Lake Bell once again prove to be reasonable stand-ins for Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson without causing too much whiplash when their voices share the air with Mark Ruffalo and more.
‘What If…?’s second run is certainly worth checking out even if you are starting to feel the creep of superhero fatigue. It’s a fun, enjoyable dip into the MCU that doesn’t worry too much about the tapestry of everything weaving together –– it’s more a diverting dive into some fresh takes.
Comics fans will certainly appreciate the episodes that dive into versions of the characters more directly drawn from them as opposed to the adaptations (Douglas’ Hank Pym as Ant-Man, say), and of course the animated medium means that it can once more put on spectacles that even the healthily budgeted Marvel movies can only dream of.
Yet it doesn’t sacrifice character moments simply to blow stuff up or show off superpowers. While not every story works, there are enough winners (such as the big ‘Die Hard’ spoof) to make this a worthwhile watch.
‘What If…?’ Season 2 receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
Season 2 continues the journey as The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) guides viewers through the vast Multiverse, introducing brand-new and familiar faces from the MCU.
The series questions, revisits and twists classic Marvel Cinematic Universe moments with an incredible voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their iconic roles.
This new season features fan-favorite characters this season like Nebula, Hela and Happy Hogan.
The film is set after the events of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’, where we find the band of misfits in their new home on Knowhere. Unexpectedly, a new powerful enemy crashes in and injures Rocket, and if the Guardians don’t act fast enough, it could mean life or death for their teammate.
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The official synopsis for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is below:
“In Marvel Studios ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ opened in theaters on May 5th, 2023, to $118.4 million domestically and has grossed over $348.5 million since its opening. Worldwide box office earnings have grossed over $825.3 million since its release. This was a highly anticipated film among Marvel fans and is certified Fresh on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with an 82% score from critics and a 94% score from the audience.
The team faces brand new threats in this movie, with the stakes being higher than ever when it involves one of the members of the team. Still recovering from his heartbreak and loss of Gamora, Peter Quill and his band of misfits are settled in on Knowhere when Adam Warlock crashes in.
Adam Warlock has long been teased to appear in the MCU since ‘Thor: Dark World’ and the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ However, it was in the post-credit scene in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2’ that confirmed his appearance. Played by Will Poulter, the MCU’s Adam Warlock origin differs from the comics. Instead of being created by scientists, Adam Warlock in the film is a Sovereign warrior created by the high priestess Ayesha and The High Evolutionary.
The film also introduces The High Evolutionary (played by Chukwudi Iwuji) to the MCU. A geneticist whose personal mission is to create the perfect species, he abducted various creatures for his experiment, with Rocket Raccoon (then named 89P13) being one of his test subjects. When Rocket points out the flaws in The High Evolutionary’s project, it confuses and angers him to the point where he orders Rocket’s brain to be removed so that he can study him.
Rocket manages to escape. Years later, when The High Evolutionary learns of his involvement with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he orders Adam Warlock to retrieve him at all costs.
When it comes to the Guardians of the Galaxy, we know we’re in for a grand space adventure, with hilarious banter between the Guardians. However, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ takes on a more somber and emotional tone. With director James Gunn being the co-chairman of DC Studios, this is likely the final film he’ll direct for Marvel. This movie not only wraps up the adventures of the current team of the Guardians, but it also dives into the origin story of Rocket.
Previously named 89P13, Rocket Raccoon is subjected to tests and experiments by The High Evolutionary. In flashback scenes, we meet Rocket’s fellow cagemates Floor, Teefs, and Lylla. The four friends found comfort in each other, often playing games and daydreaming about the “forever and beautiful sky.” The message of animal cruelty is not missed in the film, and what The High Evolutionary does to Rocket and his friends will send a shock through your system and gives you an insight into some of Rocket’s hardened personality.
Though the Guardians tend to bicker with each other, the group has become quite close-knit. Once Rocket’s life is on the line, his friends will stop at nothing to save him, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Rocket is definitely the heart of this story and we suggest you have some tissues on standby when you watch.
Where Can I Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’?
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
The film premiered at Disneyland Paris on April 22nd, 2023. Later, the US premiere was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California, on April 27th, 2023. The movie is still showing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, making it the longest film in the Guardians franchise.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Movies Anywhere will have the movie available digitally on July 7th, 2023.
As for as streaming goes, an official date hasn’t been confirmed. The movie is released by Disney so it is likely to end up on Disney+ once it is ready to go to streaming.
For those who prefer physical copies, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ will be available on DVD/Blu-Ray on August 1st, 2023, complete with special features such as featurettes, deleted scenes, director’s commentary, and gag reel.
To watch our exclusive interview with writer/director James Gunn and Chris Pratt about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ please click on the video player below.
Director James Gunn and the cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ at the world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
When the movie opens, our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere. But it isn’t long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket’s turbulent past. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s (Bradley Cooper) life — a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the global virtual press conference for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ along with several other members of the press. In attendance were James Gunn, Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, Pom Klementieff, Maria Bakalova and President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige.
Here are the 10 things we learned from the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ global virtual press conference:
1. James Gunn Will Miss Working on the Movies
Writer and director James Gunn at Los Angeles premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’
James Gunn: I think it’s changed me in so many ways. I mean, everything I’ve learned from Kevin and Lou (executive producer Louis D’Esposito). I think also, in terms of just this family of people, I’ve been really good at hiring non-jerks. Not only non-jerks, but people who are actually positive, compassionate, loving, kind people. And so, I’ve just grown incredibly close to these people. I really love them. And it makes making movies a much more pleasant experience. So, my main memories are not going to the premieres or, you know, going on these press junkets. It’s being on set and having the little moments. It’s doing bits with Chris in between sets. It’s, talking to Sean. Watching Chuk turn in an amazing performance. Goofing around with Pom, wondering what the hell she’s talking about. I’m gonna miss the characters. That’s the saddest part for me, is I really, truly love these characters. I love all of them. I think there’s certain ones that I have a special fondness for, especially Rocket. And yeah, the saddest part of all of this. I’m gonna see all these people again. They’re all friends of mine. But I’m not gonna see the characters. I’m not gonna be writing the characters again, at least not in the near future. And so, that’s a real sadness.
2. Chris Pratt Says We Find His Character in a Bad Emotional Place
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Pratt talked about how Peter “Star Lord” Quill is still recovering from the losses he’s suffered.
Chris Pratt: I think, oftentimes, we find ourselves in our relationships or in the affiliations we have with a team or a family or whatever. And he has been lost. So, yeah, in the beginning, he was running away from the death of his mother, but he got to pretend to be this character based on these pop culture icons of his childhood of the late-’80s. And so, he was dancing around, but all of that was really, he had found himself there. But it was kinda B.S., you know? And then he found himself with the Guardians of the Galaxy. And then he thought he could find himself with who his father was. So, he’s a guy who’s constantly been searching for who he is. And then he found it again in his relationship with Gamora. And so, when that’s stripped away from him, he’s a guy who’s realizing that all of these various people that he’s found that are Quill, none of them have been the real him. And so, he is, he’s lost. And that probably does mean that he’s sad.
3. Kevin Feige Says ‘Vol. 3’ is Different From Other Marvel Trilogies
Kevin Feige at the world premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
The Marvel boss explained the thinking behind the new movie.
Kevin Feige: We’ve had trilogies before. We’ve had a number of them, actually. And I was thinking, why does this feel so different and so much of a passage of some sort? And it’s because Guardians really was the first movie that was completely outside of the realm. It tied in with Thanos and Infinity Stones. But The Avengers were not in it. And we weren’t setting up Tony Stark’s next adventure, or Captain America. And it was really our attempt of saying, we don’t wanna just do superhero movies. We don’t want to just do ‘Iron Man‘ movies or ‘Avengers‘ movies. And we wanted to do a big space movie. And it worked in a crazy way. It worked entirely because of James Gunn. So, it just feels like this trilogy, and James writing and directing all three of them, it represents something unique within the pantheon of the MCU, that I’m very proud of.
4. Pom Klementieff Explained the Differences Between the Comic-book Mantis and the Movie Version
(L to R) Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer and Pom Klementieff as Mantis in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Mantis, the emotion-and-memory manipulating character we met in ‘Vol. 2‘ has changed a lot from the comic book version.
Pom Klementieff: I think it was so interesting to give a different version of Mantis. I mean, in the comic books, she was great, too. She was, like, very powerful. But kinda similar to a lot of other female characters in the Marvel universe or in other superhero movies. I think it was so interesting to give a different take on a female character and make it give more comedy and more awkwardness and something different.
James Gunn also talked about the character.
James Gunn: I think it’s also cool to have somebody who their superpower is empathy. It is feelings. Emotions are so important to Mantis. And we’re so used to this very male, hardcore, macho, shooting rays out of their arms, or throwing automobiles and shooting people.
5. Sean Gunn on Kraglin Finding His Place Among the Characters
Gunn (brother to James), who plays the Ravager-turned-Guardian Kraglin, explained how his character’s journey mirrored his own.
Sean Gunn: I think that, just like all the Guardians, Kraglin had to figure out what his place in the family was. And one thing that really impresses me about the movies is how I do feel, in a way, that the journey of the cast has mirrored the journey of the characters, in a way. And that for me, being there in the first movie and feeling like, ‘oh, I’m the director’s brother and I’m here and I’m kind of on the outside.’ And Kraglin is just on the peripheral, and he comes in and says his things here and there. And then learning that, over the course of the movies, that I felt as much at home with all these people, that I felt fully accepted and a full member of the cast and of the group.
6. Kevin Feige Talked About the Challenges of the ‘Guardians’ Movies to Begin With
(L to R) Zoe Saldaña, Chris Pratt, Rocket, Dave Bautista and Groot in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’
He was, he says, “nervous” about tackling the characters, but had faith in Gunn.
Kevin Feige: It always makes me nervous. But the goal has always been to do justice to the audience members who have loved these characters their whole lives, and to audience members who’ve never heard of these characters, or who heard of them for the first time in the trailer or in the poster. Which, for ‘Guardians’ in particular, was certainly the majority of the audience. Now on the flip side of that, there are people who go, “Well, people don’t really know the Guardians, so you really have a lot of leeway to do new things.” Which you do, but James was constantly going to the comics and constantly referring to the comics and constantly building off of the storylines. So, people who did know these characters from the more recent run at the time, or the early run, saw things they could get excited about. And just as important, people who never heard of this crazy spaceman with a tree and a raccoon.
7. Maria Bakalova Loves Playing Cosmo the Space Dog
Maria Bakalova and Cosmo the Spacedog at the world premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
The ‘Borat’ sequel star brought the canine character to life on set via Performance Capture
Maria Bakalova: When I was auditioning for the part, I was, “How can I play this?” And it was so interesting, because you can make it be a little bit more over the top, because she’s a puppy and she has more energy. And then, when I found out that I can be on set, actually, and work with a mo-cap suit, and imagine that I’m a child again and use my imagination to be like, “Okay, today I’m going to be a dog. Tomorrow I will be a flower. The next day, I’m going to be a butterfly.” It’s interesting, we tend to forget about imagination when we grow up. And it’s been just incredible.
8. James Gunn Has A Policy for the Music in the ‘Guardians’ Movies
‘Vol. 3’, like its predecessors is full of great tunes. And Gunn curates his soundtracks carefully.
James Gunn: I want to give good music to people by good bands! And I snuck a couple of favorites in there. I snuck my friends, you know, The Replacements in there. I snuck Alice Cooper, my hero, in there. When I’m writing, I put the music in along with the script. I write it in. But sometimes I change it. Sometimes on this, it was very difficult choosing the music for this movie because in the first two movies, they were basically all am ‘70s pop hits. In this one, it takes place after Yondu (Michael Rooker) gives Peter Quill a Zune at the end of the second movie. And it’s music from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, 2000s. I could choose from anything. So, it was very difficult because of that.
9. Pratt Would Happily Make More Movies with James Gunn
(L to R) James Gunn and Chris Pratt attend the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
While Gunn might not be making any more ‘Guardians’ films, Pratt still wants to work with him.
Chris Pratt: First of all, I’d jump at the opportunity. Making movies is really fun. When you get to do it with people that you love, it’s even more fun. That’s the journey, right? The destination, it sometimes sucks. You have this great time with all your friends, and you get together and you work hard. And then you see the movie and you’re like, “Boy, that movie sucked. But, hey, that was a lot of fun to make it.” With James, it’s been both the journey and the destination have been glorious. The films are incredible. I don’t know how he does it. And so, just selfishly, I’d be willing to deal with a terrible journey to get to this destination.
10. Karen Gillan Enjoyed Nebula’s Character Development
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula and Zoe Saldaña as Gamora in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Nebula has evolved from an antagonist in the original movie to a key member of the team here.
Karen Gillan: It’s been beautiful to see. Nebula was always the kind of bitter one. So jealous of Gamora. And then, she evolved and Gamora kind of helped her gain some compassion along the way. And now they’ve switched places in a way. Which has been really interesting to play around with. But yeah. It’s been really beautiful to watch their relationship evolve and become what it is. It’s been amazing.
The cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ at the premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
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Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
