(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘The Karate Kid‘ franchise is over 40 years old and is just as popular today as it was when it first began!
Starting with 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid’, which starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, the series has spawned three sequels, a remake, an animated series, and the Netflix series ‘Cobra Kai‘, which has breathed fresh life into the IP.
The franchise is now returning to the big screen once again with ‘Karate Kid: Legends‘, which opens in theaters on May 30th and stars Ben Wang. The new movie will also feature legendary actor Jackie Chan reprising his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 remake, alongside Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso from the original film.
In honor of the release of ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Karate Kid’ movie and TV show ever made, from forgettable to legendary.
Mr. Miyagi in the 1989 ‘The Karate Kid’ cartoon. Photo: DIC Enterprises/Saban Entertainment.
Daniel and his mentor Mr. Miyagi travel the world with their Okinawan friend Taki Tamurai in search of an ancient Japanese talisman stolen from an old fishing village.
Hilary Swank in ‘The Next Karate Kid’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) decides to take Julie (Hilary Swank), a troubled teenager, under his wing after he learns that she blames herself for her parents’ demise and struggles to adjust with her grandmother and fellow pupils.
In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original ‘Karate Kid’ Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in ‘The Karate Kid Part III.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese (Martin Kove) joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist (Thomas Ian Griffith) to get revenge on Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
Twelve-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying (Wenwen Han) but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng (Wang ZhenWei). With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is a kung fu master. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
(L to R) Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in ‘The Karate Kid Part II.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Summoned by his dying father, Miyagi (Pat Morita) returns to his homeland of Okinawa, with Daniel (Ralph Macchio), after a 40-year exile. There he must confront Yukie (Nobu McCarthy), the love of his youth, and Sato (Danny Kamekona), his former best friend turned vengeful rival. Sato is bent on a fight to the death, even if it means the destruction of their village. Daniel finds his own love in Yukia’s niece, Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), and his own enemy in Sato’s nephew, the vicious Chozen (Yuji Okumoto). Now, far away from the tournaments, cheering crowds and safety of home, Daniel will face his greatest challenge ever when the cost of honor is life itself.
This ‘Karate Kid’ sequel series picks up 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and finds Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) on the hunt for redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. This reignites his old rivalry with the successful Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who has been working to maintain the balance in his life without mentor Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) moves to Los Angeles with his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller), and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali (Elisabeth Shue). He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of high school students, led by Ali’s ex-boyfriend Johnny (Willian Zabka), who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove). Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
(L to R) Ben Wang, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio star in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’.
Moviefone recently had the honor of speaking with Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang about their work on ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Chan discussed his love for the first movie and combining the remake with the original franchise, while Macchio talked about reprising his role on the big screen opposite Jackie Chan, and Wang spoke about joining the franchise and what he learned from working with the two legendary ‘Karate Kid’ actors.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Chan, Macchio and Wang, as well as Sadie Stanley.
Moviefone: To begin with, Jackie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the idea of bringing Mr. Han and Daniel together in the same film?
Jackie Chan: Believe it or not, I have a long story to tell you. When I was a stunt guy, I was in a martial arts movie that was not popular anymore. Then I was disappointed, nobody hired me. Then what should we do? Even the people around me, all the martial artists, the stunt guys, we were just very depressed, and wanted to give up. No training anymore, just fooling around. Then suddenly ‘Karate Kid’ comes out. We buy the ticket, we go in, and we watch. More we watch all my friends go, “Yes. Wow. Wow.” You know, that brings you up. Then I talk to myself, “Why are you training so many years? One small thing knocks you down, you just give up. No, we should get back up. Do it again.” We will go to training, training, training. Yeah. Till suddenly another movie, ‘Rocky’, comes out. It brings me up again. The two movies bring me back to training with all my friends. Then some friends become action directors. Then some become stunt coordinators. I become an actor. I become a Jackie Chan. So, I really thank you, ‘Rocky’, and Ralph. Then many years later, Will Smith call me, “Jackie, I want you to make ‘The Karate Kid.” I said, “Me? I’m not a kid anymore.” Then he said, “Not you. You are Miyagi.” Because when I watched the movie for the first time, I already was thinking, “Oh, why him? Why not me? I want to be a Karate Kid.” But now I become a Miyagi. 40 years later, the movie is a success, and when I see Ralph, I just don’t believe it. “Wow. That’s Daniel.” We work together. Now we are becoming a Miyagi and Daniel. For me it’s just amazing.
(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: Ralph, what was it like to reprise your iconic character on the big screen and share scenes with the legendary Jackie Chan?
Ralph Macchio: I mean, that was super special. Jackie’s legendary in his career, his stunt work as an actor, and his personality in the industry is so well respected. So that was just like anytime you can work with an element of greatness, I’ll take it. I want to learn. Every experience I want to learn and gain from. The character of Daniel Russo is near and dear to the world. He has become a piece of pop culture. The original films, very few have that kind of staying power. Then through the ‘Cobra Kai’ series and how that exploded, and we got to explore different sides of all those characters and in a whole new generation of karate kids in that show then leads us to, “Okay, how do we connect these worlds?” Using that footage from ‘The Karate Kid Part II’ where we learn and are reminded that Shimpo Sensei fell asleep off the coast of China and brings back the secret to Miyagi karate to Okinawa. Now we connect the worlds. For me, it was just about how to be honest, truthful, and genuine to LaRusso. We find him in a place that he’s in this grounded element of wisdom at this point of his life, and how he can spread a piece of the legacy of Miyagi forward and help a kid in need. Then connecting the Kung Fu and the karate. It was like, okay, there’s a lot of boxes to check, but there’s organic stories to tell for a fresh new generation and in a different style. Then you add Ben to this, because my question was, “Who’s the kid?” If you don’t have a kid and you’re not leaning in and rooting for this kid in this movie, then you could come up with all the Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio you want but we need to love this kid. You need to get on his shoulders like you did with LaRusso and the other characters. Then Ben has delivered in a way that’s so cinematic and so much fun. Yet the through line of the same human themes that made ‘The Karate Kid’ what it is today are there and hopefully for a whole new generation.
Ben Wang in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: Finally, Ben, what was it like for you to join this franchise and what did you learn from working with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio?
Ben Wang: I was a huge fan ever since I was a kid. I saw Jackie’s ‘Karate Kid’ film when I was in elementary school in a theater with my mom. Shortly thereafter I started doing after-school martial arts. So, it’s the start of what got me here in the first place. Ralph’s films were passed down to me by my aunt because they were her favorite films. So, I have known these films for as long as I remember watching movies. I am a fan, so I understand why there’s so much goodwill and so much love for this whole franchise. It was exciting for me to get to be the center of this next part and to bring the two film universes together. It’s also really terrifying because as a fan, if it wasn’t me, I’d be like, “Who’s this kid? Can he do it?” So, I knew I had a lot of work cut out for me.
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What is the plot of ‘Karate Kid: Legacy’?
In Karate Kid: Legends, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
The new ‘Evil Dead’ spin-off movie is ‘Evil Dead Burn.’
Souheila Yacoub is aboard to star.
French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček is in the director’s chair.
Back in February last year, we reported on the news that Warner Bros., New Line and ‘Evil Dead’ producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert decided to strike while the franchise iron was sizzling hot after the success of ‘Evil Dead Rise.’
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That movie, directed by Lee Cronin, and released in 2023 was originally slated to go directly to streaming service Max, ended up landing theatrically and grossed $147 million worldwide.
We already knew that French director Sébastien Vaniček, who previously made spider horror ‘Vermine,’ (AKA ‘Infested’) was hired to handle the new movie, but there were no casting details revealed yet.
Here’s what Vaniček had to say about his new star:
“I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater. She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances –– exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for in ‘Evil Dead Burn.’ ”
While we now know the movie’s title and who will be starring in ‘Evil Dead Burn,’ there are no details online about the plotline.
We can hazard some guesses from the title –– fire certainly sounds like it’ll be involved. Could it be something to do with flames in a contained space, or something to do with wildfires.
According to Vaniček, who wrote the script with Florent Bernard, he sees the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise as a great place to be making a movie. As he told Variety:
“It’s like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”
And this is what he said about his idea for the new title:
“My goal was to craft a powerful, singular –– almost personal –– story that could stand on its own, while still resonating deeply within the rich, complex world that Sam has built. [I want to add] depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”
Finally, this is what he said about what he brings:
“The ambition remains the same as with ‘Infested’: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut. I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”
Vaniček has said that he’s going to demand a lot from Yacoub, since this will be a demanding role.
Where else have we seen Souheila Yacoub?
(Center) Souheila Yacoub in ‘The Balconettes’. Photo: Tandem.
The Geneva-born actor, who is a former professional athlete and was even part of the national team of gymnastics at a young age, sounds like someone who could well stand up to the rigors of an ‘Evil Dead’ movie (maybe Bruce Campbell, who went through the wringer at Raimi’s hands in the first three movies, can offer some pointers).
In addition to her ‘Dune: Part Two’ role, Yacoub also starred in ‘Planet B,’ which earned her a César Award nomination, and Noémie Merlant’s ‘The Balconettes,’ which premiered at Venice and Cannes.
What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?
2023’s ‘Vermin.’
As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.
The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to ‘Vermine.’
That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.
He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.
Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company.
When will ‘Evil Dead Burn’ be in theaters?
With Sony aboard to co-finance, Warner Bros. and New Line have handed out a July 24th, 2026 release date for the movie, which is a prime summer slot.
That means Vaniček will have his work cut out for him.
Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.
(L to R) Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid in ‘Broke’. Photo: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid about their work on ‘Broke’, if as a former professional hockey player Russell could relate to what his character is going through, why Quaid’s character is so hard on his son, working with actress Mary McDonnell, training for the horse-riding scenes, and how they shot the snowstorm sequence.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
(L to R) Dennis Quaid and Wyatt Russell star in ‘Broke’.
Moviefone: To begin with, Wyatt, as a former professional hockey player, could you relate to what your character is going through and his passion for his sport?
Wyatt Russell: That was one of the original draws for me, to be honest, the authenticity of what this world brought. I don’t like doing any sports movies. I don’t like watching any sports movies, to be honest, that feel inauthentic. This felt very authentic. I asked the director, “Do you know about this world?” He was like, “Yeah, because this is what I do when I’m not writing or directing movies.” I felt like I was in good hands, and I just knew that so much of what True goes through in the story is what I went through in hockey. I had concussions. Doctors tell you not to play. You feel like you get better, you go back, you have other issues, and you just won’t let them take you off the ice. In this instance, you can’t rip me off the horse, and you just got to keep getting back on. I went through it. I had to finally have someone tell me, “You can’t play anymore,” for me to stop playing and enter a life of the arts. It was just so different from what I was doing. I know it sounds crazy, and people are like, “Well, I don’t understand.” You didn’t do it. I was there doing it. When you must change gears like that, it’s daunting. It’s a whole new life. It’s a whole new you. You must change your identity, and so a lot of that was played into the film.
MF: Dennis, can you talk about your character’s relationship with his son, the tough love that he gives him, and working on that dynamic with Wyatt?
Dennis Quaid: Carlyle, who wrote the script and directed it, just from the first page, it is descriptions, which I say I’d never read except here. He’s so authentic, just the way he describes shooing a horse and what goes through there. Does this guy really know these people? He knew this life, and this world. These are men that don’t even know their own feelings. Forget about expressing them, which is gargantuan. The littlest breakthrough is a big one in a sense. He’s a guy out there trying to make it and trying to pass something important onto his sons, based upon the way he grew up, which is all we ever know. I think a lot of people can relate with that. I had Wyatt to do this with, which we had a good relationship to begin with. He knows what he is doing, and he’s very authentic. So, I wanted to be a part of it.
Wyatt Russell in ‘Broke’. Photo: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
MF: Wyatt, what kind of training did you do to prepare for the bronco-riding scenes?
WR: I’ve done a lot of movies where I had to have horse training. I always would talk to the horse guys and be like, “Can I come out again?” Because it’s fun to learn. They’re always amazing people too. We had the eight-time national cutting champion, and I was like, “Can you teach me how to do stuff?” They’re free lessons. This was something I got to be able to go do and do a little bit of what I think is exciting to do on horseback. With Carlyle, we worked on roping skills, which was a big one because that wasn’t something that I was comfortable doing. I hadn’t done any of that. There was a lot of little things that we worked on, just the little details, so it didn’t look like I didn’t know what I was doing, or I hadn’t done that before. But you can tell when someone gets up on a horse immediately whether they’re a rider. I like being able to be authentic in things, and it was what I felt I could bring to this because I did have some ability.
MF: Dennis, had you ever worked with actress Mary McDonnell before and what was it like working with her on this project?
DQ: No, that was really a first. Gosh, she’s good. She made it seem so real to me as well, those people who live out there and what their life is like and what they endure. It really felt like a marriage, with a history to it.
Dennis Quaid in ‘Broke’. Photo: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
MF: Finally, Wyatt, can you talk about shooting the snowstorm scenes, and were you as cold and miserable as it seemed like you were while you were shooting them?
WR: We made this movie for very little money, and we had to have a snowstorm. We shot it in two seasons, obviously, but we had to have a snowstorm. It had to happen. It wasn’t happening. But suddenly, boom, we get a cold snap. It was a negative 35 degrees in Wisdom, Montana. There’s no service up there. We had a skeleton crew wherever we were. There were two days, one where I had to go in the river, which is gnarly. The other one was where I had to bury myself in snow and pop up out of it. I had to be under there for a few minutes, until they set the camera up, and then I hear, “Okay, action.” Then I pop up, and I’ve got snow everywhere. I had a little snorkel. We didn’t have anything. My trailer was a rental car. We didn’t have any money. I was producing the movie. I was like, “Hey, get used to being uncomfortable”. I’m in a jean jacket and jeans, and let’s go. I’d come home, and I’d take a cold shower. I learned this. I would come home, and I would take a cold shower every night, because getting comfortable made it way worse. So, for that two-and-a-half weeks, I tried to stay as uncomfortable as possible because the more comfortable I got with being uncomfortable, the easier it became. Not so horrible. The weather was too gnarly to get warm and cozy.
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What is the plot of ‘Broke’?
A bronc rider (Wyatt Russell) in denial about his fading rodeo career battles against brain injury and a sudden blizzard while reflecting on how it became so difficult to achieve his dreams.
Summer 2025 is almost here and with it comes the sun, the beach and summer movies!
The summer movie season will officially begin on May 2nd when Marvel’s highly anticipated ‘Thunderbolts*‘, which stars Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan, opens in theaters.
Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie Smothers in ‘Another Simple Favor’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) and Emily (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.
Nicolas Cage stars in ‘The Surfer’. Photo: Saturn Films.
A man (Nicolas Cage) returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son. When he is humiliated by a group of locals, the man is drawn into a conflict that keeps rising and pushes him to his breaking point.
David Dastmalchian in ‘Rosario’. Photo: Mucho Mas Releasing.
Wall Street stockbroker, Rosario Fuentes (Emerald Toubia), returns to her grandmother’s apartment after her sudden death. While sorting through her Grandmother’s belongings, Rosario uncovers a horrifying secret—a hidden chamber filled with occult artifacts tied to dark generational rituals. As supernatural occurrences plague her, Rosario must confront her family’s buried secrets and face the truth about the sacrifices and choices they made.
Rainey Qualley as “Astor” in the music drama ‘Off The Record’. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution, a True Foe production.
Rainey Qualley stars as Astor Grey, a rising singer-songwriter whose life takes a dark turn when she enters a turbulent romance with washed-up rock star Brandyn Verge (Ryan Hansen). What begins as a whirlwind love story unravels into a gripping tale of manipulation and resilience as Astor fights to reclaim her autonomy and music.
Shia LaBeouf and Toby Kebbell star in an emotional, action-packed film about a prize fighter’s battles both inside and outside the ring. When a battered boxer past his prime finds his dreams and his relationships on the ropes, he falls back in with a dangerous crowd and has to take the biggest swing of his life to reclaim his hope and his family.
Swamp Dogg in ‘Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Legendary musician Swamp Dogg, alongside housemates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty, has transformed his home into an artistic playground. Together they navigate the tumultuous music industry, and forge a unique and inspiring path across time and space.
Wyatt Russell in ‘Broke’. Photo: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
A bronc rider (Wyatt Russell) in denial about his fading rodeo career battles against brain injury and a sudden blizzard while reflecting on how it became so difficult to achieve his dreams.
(L to R) Omar Sy as Isaac and Kerry Washington as Kyrah in ‘Shadow Force’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Kyrah (Kerry Washington) and Isaac (Omar Sy) were once the leaders of a multinational special forces group called Shadow Force. They broke the rules by falling in love, and in order to protect their son (Jahleel Kamara), they go underground. With a large bounty on their heads, and the vengeful Shadow Force hot on their trail, one family’s fight becomes all-out war.
‘Clown in a Cornfield’ opens in theaters on May 9th. Photo: RLJE Films & Shudder.
Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time.
(L to R) Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in ‘Friendship’. Photo: A24.
Suburban dad Craig (Tim Robinson) falls hard for his charismatic new neighbor, as Craig’s attempts to make an adult male friend threaten to ruin both of their lives.
Don Johnson in ‘Unit 234’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
While working the night shift alone, Laurie Saltair (Isabella Fuhrman) discovers a comatose man, Clayton (Jack Huston), in Unit 234 of her family’s storage facility. What transpires is a thrill ride of a cat-and-mouse game for Laurie and Clayton to survive the night.
‘Watch The Skies’ opens in theaters on May 9, 2025. Photo: XYZ Films & Flawless.
When a foster home placed teenage rebel suspects that her father is not dead but kidnapped by UFOs, she takes help from a UFO association to find out the truth. Together, they embark on a risky adventure that takes them far beyond the laws borders and into a world filled with UFO expeditions, conspiracies and inexplicable phenomena.
(L to R) Shia LaBeouf and Evan Jonigkeit in ‘Henry Johnson’. Photo: 1993.
Henry Johnson (Evan Jonigkeit) navigates his search for a moral center, after an act of compassion upends his life. Looking to authority figures he encounters along the way, Henry’s journey leads him down a road of manipulation and ethical uncertainty.
Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.
(L to R) Troy Gentile as “Mason Kelly,” Riele Downs as “Killer Queen,” Page Kennedy as “Big Farmer Jay” and Grace Caroline Currey as “Violet” in the thriller horror comedy ‘A Breed Apart’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
When Violet (Grace Caroline Currey) accepts an invitation to a private island with some of the world’s most famous social influencers, she expects a weekend of unrivaled viral opportunity. She soon becomes part of her own horrific reality show when the guests are pitted against each other to capture the island’s legendary man-eating dogs before they become victims of the monstrous canines.
(L to R) Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, Greg Tarzan Davis plays Degas, Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn and Hayley Atwell plays Grace in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After escaping a calamitous train crash, Ethan (Tom Cruise) realizes The Entity is stashed aboard an old Russian submarine, but a foe from his past named Gabriel is also on the trail.
‘The Surrender’ opens in theaters on May 23rd. Photo: Shudder.
A fraught mother-daughter relationship that is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection ritual spirals out of control, both women must reconcile their differences as they fight for their lives, and for each other.
(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
Kōki, in John Maclean’s ‘Tornado’. Courtesy of Norman Wilcox- Geissen. An IFC Films release.
A Japanese puppeteer’s daughter (Kōki) gets caught up with criminals when their show crosses paths with a crime gang, led by Sugarman (Tim Roth) and his son Little Sugar (Jack Lowden).
Ana de Armas as Eve in ‘Ballerina’. Photo: Murray Close.
Taking place during the events of ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
Nick Kroll in ‘I Don’t Understand You’. Photo: Vertical.
Stranded in rural Italy without transportation or language skills, an American couple on the verge of adopting tries to reconnect during a disastrous vacation, as their fears and relationship problems threaten to boil over.
(L to R) Christian Convery “Ethan” and Garrett Hedlund as “Caleb” in the Crime, Drama, Thriller ‘Barron’s Cove’, a Well Go USA release. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA.
Barron’s Cove follows a father with a violent past (Garrett Hedlund) as he grieves the sudden loss of his only child. Convinced of a cover-up and intent on obtaining answers about his son’s death, he kidnaps the troubled boy he holds responsible – the son of a prominent local politician – which ignites a media firestorm and frenzied manhunt. But as he grows ever closer to uncovering the truth, he is left to wonder whether his pursuers are really seeking to protect the boy, or merely the secrets he keeps.
Jai Courtney in ‘Dangerous Animals’. Photo: IFC Films.
A savvy and free-spirited surfer is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer. Held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
‘Best Wishes to All’ opens in theaters on June 6th. Photo: Shudder.
A young woman’s visit to her grandparents’ home leads to the discovery of what’s brought them happiness, a revelation that will lead her to question her choices, sanity and reality itself.
(L to R) Orlando Bloom as “Marlon,” Bryce Dallas-Howard as “Kat,” and Nick Mohammed as “Hugh” in the action comedy ‘Deep Cover’. Photo courtesy of Peter Mountain/ Metronome Film.
Three improv actors are hired by the police to help stage low-level stings. Their instinct to “always say yes” without breaking character leads them deep inside London’s criminal underworld.
Mason Thames (right) as Hiccup with his Night Fury dragon, Toothless, in Universal Pictures’ live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ written and directed by Dean DeBlois. Photo: Universal Pictures.
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames) stands apart, defying centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in Apple Original Films’ ‘F1,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films.
Racing legend Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is coaxed out of retirement to lead a struggling Formula 1 team—and mentor a young hotshot driver—while chasing one more chance at glory.
‘Hot Milk’ opens in theaters on June 27th. Photo: IFC Films.
Rose (Fiona Shaw) and her daughter Sofia (Emma Mackey) travel to the Spanish seaside town of Almería to consult with the shamanic Dr. Gomez, a physician who could possibly hold the cure to Rose’s mystery illness, which has left her bound to a wheelchair. But in the sultry atmosphere of this sun-bleached town Sofia, who has been trapped by her mother’s illness all her life, finally starts to shed her inhibitions, enticed by the persuasive charms of enigmatic traveller Ingrid (Vickey Krieps).
Something bad happened to Agnes (Eva Victor). But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least. When a beloved friend visits on the brink of a major milestone, Agnes starts to realize just how stuck she’s been, and begins to work through how to move forward.
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Five years after the events of ‘Jurassic World Dominion‘, covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
Superman (David Corenswet), a cub reporter in Metropolis, embarks on a journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer.
(from left) Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Bad Guys 2’, directed by Pierre Perifel. Photo: Universal Pictures.
The now-reformed Bad Guys are trying (very, very hard) to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: The Bad Girls.
(L to R) Ana Sophia Heger and Taron Egerton in ‘She Rides Shotgun’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Newly released from prison and marked for death by unrelenting enemies, Nate (Taron Egerton) must now protect his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly (Ana Sphia Heger), at all costs. With scant resources and no one to trust, Nate and Polly form a bond forged under fire as he shows her how to fight and survive — and she teaches him what unconditional love truly means.
(L to R) Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Years after Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover lightning might indeed strike twice.
(L to R) Mel Jarnson as “Brooke,” Jamie Campbell Bower as “Alexander Babtiste,” Madison Iseman as “Emily,” and Aaron Dominguez as “Christian” in the Horror film ‘Witchboard’, a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Emily (Madison Iseman) and her fiancé Christian (Aaron Dominguez) discover a mysterious Wiccan artifact as they prepare to open a bistro in New Orleans’ French Quarter. A darkness descends over Emily as she becomes obsessed with the board’s power of divination and ability to summon spirits, and Christian seeks the help of Alexander Babtiste (Jamie Campbell Bower), a mysterious occult expert who’s hiding secrets of his own.
Peter Dinklage as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
A horrible toxic accident transforms downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage) into a new evolution of hero: The Toxic Avenger.
As far as generic horror entries go, ‘Until Dawn’ is…all right. Directed by David F. Sandberg (who helmed the horror outings ‘Lights Out’ and ‘Annabelle: Creation’ before going down the superhero rabbit hole with two ‘Shazam!’ films) and written by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman (the latter having penned all three ‘Annabelle’ films and the recent adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot,’ which he also directed), the movie is based on a 2015 survival horror game released for PlayStation. Except that – in the time-honored tradition of how Hollywood has treated most video games – the game’s story has been thrown out entirely in favor of an all-original tale loosely set in the game’s world.
Gamers may (rightly) complain about the disrespect (although it didn’t much hurt ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ did it?), but this version of ‘Until Dawn’ still has to succeed as a horror movie. It’s entertaining in a superficial way — and repetitive in the way that games can be — but it ultimately succumbs to its own thin nature and the lack of real stakes. While the game took inspiration from slasher movies and some other horror classics, the movie goes all-out in its homages to the genre to the point of distraction. What Sandberg and Dauberman, who certainly know their genre, might have intended as a celebration of horror ends up being a warmed-over pastiche.
It’s been a year since Clover’s (Ella Rubin) sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell) took off for parts unknown following the death of their mother, and now Clover is convinced that something is amiss. Along with four friends – ex Max (Michael Cimino), bestie Megan (Ji-young Yoo), and lovers Nina (Odessa A’zion) and Abe (Belmont Cameli) – she tracks her sibling as far as a remote area named Glore Valley, where it turns out that there have been a number of strange disappearances.
And that’s the least of it. The gang of five drive through pouring rain into the valley, only to emerge at the area’s Welcome Center – with the rain still cascading around the little patch of dry land that the center sits on. Plus this has to be the most inhospitable welcome center of all time, as Clover and the others are soon stalked and brutally dispatched once night falls by a masked figure wielding a pickaxe – only, to their surprise, to wake up again at the same point earlier in the day at which they arrived in the valley.
As this goes on, the group is viciously murdered again and again – by the slasher, by poisoned water that makes them explode, and by other gruesome and painful means – only to do it again the next day. It becomes apparent that they’re caught in some kind of time loop and can only die a certain amount of times. And each time the cycle starts anew, there are more buildings, more monsters, and more ways to get killed – with the only clue about how to escape coming from an apparition in the form of a witch: “Either survive the night or become part of it.”
As mentioned earlier, the plot of ‘Until Dawn’ the movie has little to do with the game, save for some references to a mine collapse and a handful of Easter eggs regarding the main characters of the game and the actors who voice them. Instead, the movie utilizes every horror trope it can get its claws on: a masked slasher, a witch in an old house, a buried town, evil dolls, demonic possession, flesh-eating ghouls (here called wendigos, another nod to the game, although they’re not like any wendigo we’ve ever read about), and even a giant monster stomping around the woods (more like the wendigo we know).
Equally comprehensive is the list of movies that ‘Until Dawn’ pulls from: ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ ‘Friday the 13th,’ the first two ‘Evil Dead’ movies, ‘Poltergeist,’ ‘The Descent,’ ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ ‘My Bloody Valentine’…the references go on and on. Eventually it all gets explained (by Peter Stormare, playing a version of the character he voiced in the game), although the reason why all this is happening seems somewhat vague and underwhelming after 90 minutes of watching the kids get mutilated, mangled, and mauled in every way possible.
The gore effects, to be sure, are vivid and plentiful, a nice throwback to the hard-R rated cinematic abattoirs of the 1970s and ’80s. They’re fun to watch in the moment, channeling fleeting sensations of the giddy vibe that accompanied watching such outrageous effects decades ago. But the film can’t really rise above the nostalgia it invokes: an attempt to suggest that the ghastly events occurring in Glore Valley are a manifestation of Clover’s fear and grief rings hollow, since why would she manifest those as flesh-eating monsters?
Sandberg does wring some nicely atmospheric moments out of the premise early in the film, but once we get past the initial revelation of the time loop, the script just goes in circles itself, the crew adding a little more knowledge to their skimpy arsenal every time they respawn…kind of like a video game.
Not much to work with here, really. This is sort of a classic ensemble of fairly unmemorable teens/twenty-somethings who are held back by flatly drawn characters and in some cases, their own relative lack of experience. The actor who probably comes off the best is Odessa A’zion, who was stuck in another woeful horror retread a few years back (Hulu’s ‘Hellraiser’), but can muster up some presence, charm, and inner strength (see her performance in the excellent ‘Fresh Kills’), earning her the most cheer-worthy moments.
No one here is bad, and the cast shows considerable commitment to the often physically demanding story, with all them dragged, beaten, stabbed, blown up, violently poisoned, and generally roughed up throughout the movie. But lead Ella Rubin doesn’t do much in particular to distinguish herself from plenty of similar characters, and the male leads are handsome but bland. The only other actor in the movie is, of course, the always offbeat Stormare, who can do this kind of thing in his sleep and makes a meal out of saying the name “Clover.”
‘Until Dawn’ is slickly made, with some nice production design elements and a few spooky moments. Aficionados of the games may be very disappointed with the lack of real connection to the source material. When they’re on their game (no pun intended), both Sandberg and Dauberman can bring the horror goods (the former’s ‘Lights Out’ and the latter’s ‘Annabelle Comes Home’ are both underrated). There’s no question that ‘Until Dawn’ is programmed to be a crowd-pleaser – the film keeps piling on the effects and gore with increasing intensity.
However, it’s all in the service of characters and a story that are not so much flimsy as just a string of sequences meant to unearth memories of other, better movies. Genre fans might have fun picking out all the references even as they get tired of the circular narrative beats, but it only exacerbates the perception that the filmmakers have no original ideas of their own, or even interesting takes on the genre tropes they’re supposedly celebrating. If you can survive that to the end credits – never mind dawn – you might enjoy yourself.
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What is the plot of ‘Until Dawn’?
Clover (Ella Rubin) and four of her friends travel to a remote valley in search of her missing sister, only for the group to find themselves trapped in a nightmare in which all of them are killed by a vicious murderer each night – only to wake up and relive the horror again unless they can survive until dawn.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Antonio Banderas about his work on ‘Paddington in Peru,’ his prior experience with the character, playing multiple roles, working with director Dougal Wilson, and the challenges of wearing a bushy beard on set.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Antonio Banderas in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your history with Paddington before you were offered the role? Did you know much about him?
Antonio Banderas: No. Do you know why? Because my kids were grown and because they’re in Los Angeles and I am in Spain, and because I’m a very busy man! But I remember seeing on television, Paddington having tea with the Queen of England and that was surprising. Basically just to see how the Queen of England was actually a very good actress. When I got the script, I got to know the character through what I was reading. It came out of the paper beautifully, like a very special character. Not affected by the life in which we are all living in the world. He is different, he’s got calmness, kindness, a way of behaving that is actually very special.
Director Dougal Wilson on the set of ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: How was it working in collaboration with the director, Dougal Wilson?
AB: The second time I met Paddington was on the set through my director and the producers who were taking a lot of care of presenting this character in two different ways. In one way, which is creating and building a character that actually connects with kids and their parents in an entertaining way, and at the same time in an educational way too. So two different ways to just present the character. It was beautiful, I think it’s worth it to be in a movie like this because I always like movies for kids. I have done a lot of those. I’m an expert on that territory and I know of the importance of bringing something to parents around the world that they feel safe taking their kids to see.
Antonio Banderas in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: You play multiple characters in the movie, all of Hunter’s various ancestors. Did you enjoy playing multiple roles?
AB: It was fun. I never had the possibility of playing six characters in a movie. Mainly they’re episodic. Some is just in little moments here and there, with the exception of Caboto, the conquistador, which has much more participation, the rest are little episodes here and there. It was interesting because at the end the character is about struggling with himself. Those family members, these ancestors are pushing him to behave in a way that he’s trying to get out of. It’s the greed, which is I think one of the main things. In the movie that situation between good and evil, and the evil is represented by greed, by gold, by ambition, and love for his daughter is the other side of the character. So in that struggle, who’s going to win at the end? You’ve got to watch the movie!
Antonio Banderas in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: Finally, was it challenging on the days you had to wear a giant, bushy beard?
AB: Yeah, when I had days of the bearded characters, I was not that happy. You arrive to the set and they just put this raccoon on top of you that is going to stay there scratching! You cannot eat actually, because if you eat normally, the mustache just comes away from your lips and then they come with the glue, and it’s just crazy. But in the end I had fun. In a way, when we were in the makeup trailer, we were creating the character together because they ask you, ‘what do you think about this?’ And you are in mood of creation. Because they allow just you to bring ideas of how this character can be and to make it more effective.
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What’s the story of ‘Paddington in Peru’?
The new movie brings Paddington’s (Ben Whishaw) story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears.
With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
Paddington in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘Paddington in Peru’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Arriving in theaters on February 14th, ‘Paddington in Peru’ is a perfectly fun family film that would be considered a solid chunk of entertainment on its own merits.
Unfortunately, it is also the third outing for a franchise that has so far produced one very good film and one stone-cold classic of the genre, which rather overshadows this less unique-seeming take on the cuddly bear character and his London family.
Paddington in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
When ‘Paddington in Peru’ was announced without co-writer/director Paul King overseeing matters, there was huge concern from the ‘Paddington’ faithful (Padding-stans? No, we’re not going to call ourselves that!) that some or all of the magic might be missing this time around.
Could it end up a craven attempt to cash on the pure joy and emotion (not to mention superb characterization) of the first two movies? Is it a quest too far for our furry hero with the big heart?
And if we’re honest, would it have been better to leave things well alone given how satisfying the final of ‘Paddington 2’ ended up being?
Fortunately, director Dougal Wilson (making his movie debut year after some years creating commercials and music videos) steers the ship with enough charm to answer most of those questions, and King is still involved. Yet there remains some key spark missing.
Script and Direction
Director Dougal Wilson on the set of ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘Paddington’ veterans King and co-writer/occasional actor Simon Farnaby cooked up the story alongside Mark Burton (who himself has worked at Aardman Animation), screenplay duties fell to Burton and Jon Foster and James Lamont, who have some ‘Paddington’ experience of their own having written for the Netflix animation series featuring the character.
Which means that it does at least feel like ‘Paddington in Peru’ takes place in roughly the same universe as the two previous movies, the tone also largely carried over.
Taking the main character from London is sometimes a disadvantage, since he loses that fish-out-of-water feel but having the Brown family accompany him on his quest to find his Aunt Lucy who has seemingly gone missing on a mission of her own at least includes some of those elements.
And our furry central figure remains as clumsy as ever, evidenced by his trouble using a photo booth at the start and his efforts to steer the boat that the group find themselves upon following the captain falling off.
Yet there is still something that just feels… off about the story in itself, as if it’s a very competent cover band playing, but missing some of the style of the original musicians.
Oliva Coleman in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Likewise, Wilson handles the directorial side of things with large helpings of charisma and humor as is requisite in a ‘Paddington’ outing and looks to ape a lot of what King brought to his movies.
But there’s still that X-factor that has gone astray, one that even playing the hits (such as Paddington breaking out his “hard stare” at one moment) cannot entirely replicate or successfully channel.
Moving things to the Amazon from London presents something of a challenge, as while the movies have always existed in a more fantastical, idealized version of England’s capital city, attempting to replicate the jungle on stages and with bluescreen means it looks even more ersatz.
It’s still a very fun adventure with some watchable villains (a ‘Paddington franchise staple) and boasts enough laughs to carry it along alike a riverboat cruising through the Amazon.
Performances
(L to R) Samuel Joslin, Madeleine Harris, Paddington, Emily Mortimer, Hugh Bonneville, and Julie Walters in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
At the heart of any ‘Paddington’ movie is the bear himself, and with the capable, charm-filled voice of Ben Whishaw still present and correct, he sounds and acts the part. The VFX team have also taken care to make sure he looks the same.
Having him head back to where he grew up does diminish a little of his appeal, but he still gets into scrapes and will tug at your heartstrings for certain moments.
Around him, the Brown family have gone through more of a change. While Hugh Bonneville is still excellent as the slightly stuffy but still warm Mr. Brown, his wife Mary is now played by Emily Mortimer rather than Sally Hawkins. She brings perhaps a sweeter vibe, though Mrs. Brown remains a slightly less active character in story terms than her husband.
Still, that’s better than the two kids, Judy, played by Madeleine Harris and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin). Despite being older, they’re almost superfluous at this point, except when the story finds a reason for them to exist. That’s not a knock on the actors, they just don’t have too much to do.
Oliva Coleman in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Faring better in support are the likes of British National Treasure (and Oscar winner Olivia Colman), who was seemingly born for the ‘Paddington’ franchise and here plays a quirky nun who oversees the Home for Retired Bears in Peru and Antonio Banderas, who understands the amplified comedy assignment as boat captain Hunter Cabot.
He has the advantage of playing several characters, including all of Hunter’s deceased ancestors, who appear in ghostly form and give him other shades (pun intended) to play.
Final Thoughts
Antonio Banderas in ‘Paddington in Peru’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
While still a very fun family outing with plenty to recommend it, ‘Paddington in Peru’ does inevitably suffer in comparison to its near-perfect brethren (particularly that second one).
That’s not entirely the fault of the film itself, more that it comes across as an attempt to channel what worked about those two without cracking the formula to the same degree. It doesn’t embarrass itself in the ‘Paddington’ pantheon, it’s just not up there with the best.
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What’s the story of ‘Paddington in Peru’?
The new movie brings Paddington’s (BenWhishaw) story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton), who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears.
With the Brown family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
The Heart Eyes killer from Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’. Photo: Christopher Moss.
Forget “elevated” horror. The last few years have seen a new crop of self-aware horror comedies populated (in varying degrees) by likable if often socially inept protagonists, copious amounts of gore played for laughs, a smattering of pop culture references, and a deluge of ironic needle drops. Think ‘Happy Death Day,’ ‘Freaky,’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Knife,’ and now add ‘Heart Eyes’ to that list.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that two of the writers of ‘Heart Eyes’ are Christopher Landon, who directed and wrote ‘Death Day’ and ‘Freaky,’ and Michael Kennedy, who co-wrote ‘Freaky’ and penned ‘Knife.’ With director Josh Ruben (‘Werewolves Within’) at the helm, much of ‘Heart Eyes’ feels a lot in tone and aesthetic like those other films. ‘Heart Eyes’ is entertaining, with two charismatic leads at its center and a number of laughs (if no real scares), but it also feels like it adheres to a formula set down by those earlier pictures (and even going back to the likes of ‘Scream’) without adding any particularly new wrinkles.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Jordana Brewster as Detective Jeanine, director Josh Ruben, and Mason Gooding as Jay on the set of Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’. Photo: Christopher Moss.
If there is anything different about ‘Heart Eyes,’ it’s that the film more or less functions as a rom-com in conjunction with its slasher narrative. The latter is introduced in the opening scene, when a couple and their photographer are turned into bloody human debris by the title killer, who strikes on Valentine’s Day (a nod to slasher classics like ‘My Bloody Valentine’) and wears a pretty neat mask with two glowing hearts as eyes (which also nicely double as night-vision goggles). HEK, as the murderer is known, tends to visit various cities and slice up as many romantic couples as possible on the annual holiday for reasons that chattering heads on news programs endlessly debate.
While weary detectives Hobbs (Devon Sawa) and Shaw (Jordana Brewster) – yes, you read that rather pointless ‘Fast and Furious’ reference right – try to determine who HEK is before he lays more waste to the dating scene in Seattle, we switch to the rom-com portion of our story, in which recently single marketing exec Ally (Olivia Holt) has a meet-cute (with a bit of blood involved) in a coffee shop with the outrageously handsome, alluring Jay (Mason Gooding). But the “cute” part dissipates when Ally finds out a short time later that Jay has been hired by her boss (Michaela Watkins) to salvage a Valentine’s Day campaign launched by Ally that rather tastelessly links the holiday to dead lovers.
Jay pours on the charm despite their new circumstances, while Ally – who has some rather bitter opinions about love – wants to keep things professional even though she’s attracted to her new colleague. She slips up, however, when she spontaneously kisses Jay during a chance meeting with her ex and his new squeeze. That lip-lock, unfortunately, is also spied by the Heart Eyes Killer, who mistakes Jay and Ally for a real couple and decides to set his glowing sights on them – even as they try to convince him otherwise as they attempt to fight him and his formidable array of deadly weapons off.
(L to R) Gigi Zumbado as Monica, and Olivia Holt as Ally in Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’. Photo: Christopher Moss.
The plot takes a few twists and turns from there, with Jay briefly (and implausibly) considered a suspect in the killings and a few red herrings thrown into the mix. The violence is grisly but handled in glib fashion (although we’re getting a bit tired of the “camera pulls back through a bloody hole in a body” shot), designed to generate both laughs and groans of disgust, and while the movie does pick up a decent amount of energy and momentum, it develops a stop-and-start quality in its third (and fourth, sort of) acts, with a too-long sequence in a police station and a convoluted, not especially impressive climactic revelation of who’s behind HEK’s mask and what their game is.
Even if the slasher tropes feel a little threadbare, the rom-com conventions actually help pick the film up, from a “getting dressed for a date” montage to a ticking-clock pursuit in an airport. On the other hand, an extended slaughter at a drive-in feels labored (it goes on forever with HEK openly filleting people and not a cop in sight), as does the ending, a fault more on the page than in Ruben’s mostly efficient direction, which offers up some imaginative setpieces and kills earlier on.
The Cast
(L to R) Olivia Holt as Ally and Mason Gooding as Jay in Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’. Photo: Christopher Moss.
Singer and actress Olivia Holt rose through the Disney and Freeform ranks (doing time in Marvel series ‘Cloak and Dagger’ and ‘Runaways’) before graduating to her first slasher comedy vehicle opposite Kiernan Shipka in 2023’s ‘Totally Killer.’ The young thespian clearly has chops as she balances the many sides of the surprisingly well-written Ally. She’s terrific at the physical comedy and double-takes, while also bringing needed vulnerability and empathy to a woman whose views on love have been soured in both her childhood and adult life.
Holt has fine presence and a real spark, and importantly shares great chemistry with Gooding, who’s been a supporting player in the recent ‘Scream’ outings but hasn’t really had a chance to shine. He gets his chance here, not only playing well off Holt but bringing shades of complexity to a role that could have easily been one-dimensional. Jay’s unabashed but non-toxic romanticism has its own troubled origins, and the fact that he and Ally come to each other from extreme ends of the emotional spectrum makes the tension between them both palpable and affecting.
Gigi Zumbado blasts off like a rocket as Ally’s best friend, Monica, although her character rehashes the “brash best friend” trope that also seems to be a staple of recent horror-comedy fare. What she lacks in depth she makes up in charisma and good humor, although there could be more to the character. Meanwhile, Michaela Watkins channels a more dazed ‘Devil Wears Prada’-era Meryl Streep as Ally’s boss, and while it’s nice to see Jordana Brewster get out of the shadow of the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise, her Detective Shaw has dating and motivational problems of her own.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Jordana Brewster as Detective Jeanine, Devon Sawa as Detective Zeke Hobbs and Mason Gooding as Jay in Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’. Photo: Christopher Moss.
As slasher comedies go, ‘Heart Eyes’ is a perfectly good time. The leads are effortlessly watchable and appealing, the kills channel some of the macabre fun inherent in the best of the genre, and Josh Ruben manages to maintain a consistent level of energy throughout the proceedings. Yet the tone fluctuates here and there, and the script is less sharply written than some of its predecessors and even current genre cousins like ‘Companion,’ resulting in a film with a muddled message.
If it’s a hit, however, you might expect to see those glowing heart eyes again at some point, and in the meantime we hope that the likes of Landon, Kennedy, Ruben, et al. don’t settle for formula as they further explore genre mash-ups like this.
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What is the plot of ‘Heart Eyes’?
Professional colleagues Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) find themselves trying to outwit and outrun the Heart Eyes killer, who slaughters couples on Valentine’s Day and mistakes the pair for romantic partners.
Who is in the cast of ‘Heart Eyes’?
Olivia Holt as Ally McCabe
Mason Gooding as Jay Simmonds
Gigi Zumbado as Monica
Michaela Watkins as Crystal Cane
Devon Sawa as Detective Zeke Hobbs
Jordana Brewster as Detective Jeanine Shaw
Screen Gems and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Heart Eyes’.
Eddie Murphy in the documentary ‘Eddie’. Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Eddie Murphy is attached to a new action comedy called ‘Blue Falcon.’
He’ll play a former superspy unexpectedly reunited with his archrival.
Chad St. John wrote the script.
Eddie Murphy may never have had the chance to play James Bond, and he’s probably a little too old for the role now. Let’s be honest, though: who needs to be the stodgy old spy when you’re Axel Foley?
Regardless, after appearing in one espionage-themed action comedy, 2002’s ‘I Spy,’ Murphy is getting the chance to be one himself. Or at least, a former superspy.
The actor is now attached to star in new comedy project ‘Blue Falcon,’ which Deadline reports Sony Pictures is developing from a script by ‘London Has Fallen’ writer Chad St. John.
St. John’s script will see Murphy play a retired spy who heads for the destination wedding of his estranged son and finds himself in proximity with his archrival.
Awkward situations around relationships and families has become something of a theme in the actor’s recent work –– in ‘You People,’ he had to deal with his daughter becoming engaged to a quirky character played by Jonah Hill, ‘Candy Cane Lane’ saw him as a father trying to protect his kids (and Christmas), while even last year’s ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ had that character teaming up with his estranged daughter to solve a case.
‘Blue Falcon’ marks a somewhat surprising script from St. John, who is better known as an action writer who has been behind the likes of ‘Peppermint,’ ‘Replicas’ and the fourth ‘Expendables’ movie.
He has been dabbling with comedy of late, though, including ‘My Own Worst Enemy,’ which has Kevin Hart attached.
His next project to hit screens will be ‘Motor City,’ set in 1970s Detroit.
Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’ season 2.
‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson stars in that one as Miller, who falls in love with a local gangster’s girl.
In retaliation, the gangster enacts a frame job to send the innocent man to prison. Life ruined, Miller plots a revenge campaign against the man who took his girl away.
Potsy Ponciroli directed that one, and it’s awaiting a release date.
With his career heating back up again in the last decade or so, Murphy has been busy, with a variety of action and family-friendly projects.
He’s worked on Tim Story’s new action comedy ‘The Pickup’ (which is awaiting a release date) and has a number of projects in development including a reunion with his ‘Dreamgirls’ director Bill Condon on the life of Parliament Funkadelic founder George Clinton.
Also on his list? A new take on the ‘Grumpy Old Men’ movies, a fresh adaptation of ‘The Pink Panther’ (which would see Murphy as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau and a new animated movie ‘Bodacious’ about a fearsome bull who becomes a rodeo champion.
And while he’ll be heard rather than seen, Murphy has already been back at work on a new outing of DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Shrek’ franchise.
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Here’s what he said about that last June to Collider:
“We started doing Shrek four or five months ago. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year. We’ll finish it up.”
Walt Dohrn, who worked on the second and third films as a writer and artist and as Head of Story on the fourth film, is directing the fifth.
‘Shrek 5’ (assuming it doesn’t take a new title), will be in theaters on December 23rd, 2026.
(L to R) Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in ‘Shrek’. Photo: DreamWorks Animation.
Finally, there is a new documentary called ‘Eddie’ about his life and career coming from Netflix this year.
In ‘Eddie,’ Murphy looks back on his extraordinary journey and looks ahead at what’s still to come, for the first time.
The film chronicles his meteoric rise from teen comic phenomenon to ‘Saturday Night Live’ breakout and stand-up supernova to box office titan. It illuminates the evolution of Eddie Murphy –– the trails he blazed and records he broke on his way from Brooklyn upstart to Hollywood icon.
He opens up his home and dives deep into his eclectic, nearly 50-year career. In his own words, he talks about entertaining three generations of fans with a filmography that spans comedy, action, drama, animation, musicals, and family fare.
Will it also address his troubles and failures? We’ll have to wait and see on that front.
