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Every Movie of Director Sam Raimi’s Career Ranked

(L to R) Director Sam Raimi and Rachel McAdams on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Send Help’. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Sam Raimi is one of the most beloved and unique directors of his generation.

Raimi’s career began in the early 1980s when he teamed with actor Bruce Campbell and producer Robert Tapert to make the groundbreaking horror film ‘The Evil Dead‘, eventually leading to the equally groundbreaking sequels ‘Evil Dead II‘ and ‘Army of Darkness‘.
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He would go on to direct such popular movies as ‘Darkman‘, ‘The Quick and the Dead‘ and ‘A Simple Plan‘, before making the box office hit ‘Spider-Man‘, which reinvented the genre.

Raimi would follow that up with the successful sequels ‘Spider-Man 2‘ and ‘Spider-Man 3‘, before moving on to make ‘Drag Me to Hell‘, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘, and the MCU movie ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘.

The director’s latest, ‘Send Help‘, opens in theaters on January 30th and stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien.

In honor of ‘Send Help’, Moviefone is counting down every film Sam Raimi has ever directed, including his latest.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Benedict Cumberbatch Talks ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

17. ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)

(L to R) Thomas Haden Church and Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man 3.’ Photo: Sony.

The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), deals with nemesis Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) and also gets caught up in a love triangle.
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16. ‘It’s Murder!‘ (1977)

A scene from 1977’s ‘It’s Murder!’

The film tells the story of a family whose uncle is murdered. The son (Raimi) gets everything because he’s in the will. A detective (Scott Spiegel) is trying to find out who murdered the uncle while avoiding ending up dead as well.
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15. ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘ (2013)

2013’s ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.

Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus illusionist and con-artist, is whisked from Kansas to the Land of Oz where the inhabitants assume he’s the great wizard of prophecy, there to save Oz from the clutches of evil.
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14. ‘Crimewave‘ (1986)

(L to R) Sheree J. Wilson and Brion James in ‘Crimewave’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

Fed up of his business partner, Ernest Trend (Edward R. Pressman) hires the services of two exterminators. When things go drastically wrong and they murder the wrong man, the race is on to frame an innocent video surveillance man.
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13. ‘For Love of the Game‘ (1999)

Kevin Costner in ‘For Love of the Game’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

A baseball legend (Kevin Costner) almost finished with his distinguished career at the age of forty has one last chance to prove who he is, what he is capable of, and win the heart of the woman (Kelly Preston) he has loved for the past four years.
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12. ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ (2022)

(L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
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11. ‘Drag Me to Hell‘ (2009)

Alison Lohman in ‘Drag Me to Hell’. Photo: Universal Pictures .

After denying a woman (Lorna Raver) the extension she needs to keep her home, loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) sees her once-promising life take a startling turn for the worse. Christine is convinced she’s been cursed by a Gypsy, but her boyfriend (Justin Long) is skeptical. Her only hope seems to lie in a psychic (Dileep Rao) who claims he can help her lift the curse and keep her soul from being dragged straight to hell.
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10. ‘Send Help‘ (2026)

(L to R) Rachal McAdams as Linda Liddle and Dylan O’Brien as Bradley Preston in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Send Help’. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Two colleagues (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
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9. ‘The Gift‘ (2001)

Cate Blanchett in ‘The Gift’. Photo: Paramount Classics.

Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett), young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others’ futures⁠—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client’s violent husband and plagued by visions of a missing local woman, Annie finds herself pulled into a thicket of lies and deception in which her extraordinary gift may ultimately get her killed.
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8. ‘A Simple Plan‘ (1999)

(L to R) Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton in ‘A Simple Plan’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers (Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton) erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora’s box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.
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7. ‘The Quick and the Dead‘ (1995)

(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio, Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Russell Crowe in ‘The Quick and the Dead’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

A mysterious woman (Sharon Stone) comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman (Gene Hackman).
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6. ‘Darkman‘ (1990)

Liam Neeson in ‘Darkman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond recognition and forever altered by an experimental medical procedure, Westlake becomes known as Darkman, assuming alternate identities in his quest for revenge and a new life with a former love (Frances McDormand).
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5. ‘The Evil Dead‘ (1981)

Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

In 1979, a group of college students find a Sumerian Book of the Dead in an old wilderness cabin they’ve rented for a weekend getaway.
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4. ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)

(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in ‘Spider-Man’. Photo: Sony.

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.
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3. ‘Evil Dead II‘ (1987)

Bruce Campbell in ‘Evil Dead II’. Photo: Rosebud Releasing Corporation.

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) find a log cabin in the woods with a voice recording from an archeologist who had recorded himself reciting ancient chants from “The Book of the Dead.” As they play the recording an evil power is unleashed taking over Linda’s body.
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2. ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)

(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina in ‘Spider-Man 2’. Photo: Sony.

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). In the meantime, Parker still can’t act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), a girl he’s loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) as well…
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1. ‘Army of Darkness‘ (1993)

Bruce Campbell in ‘Army of Darkness’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Ash (Bruce Campbell), a handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk, is time warped backwards into England’s Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty and faces legions of the undead.
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February 6, 2026
Spider-Punk Animated ‘Spider-Verse Movie in Development
(Left) Daniel Kaluuya in ‘Nope,’ written and directed by Jordan Peele. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Marvel Comics Spider-Punk. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com

Preview:
- A ‘Spider-Punk’ animated movie is in development at Sony.
- It’ll spin off from the successful ‘Spider-Verse’ movies.
- The movie doesn’t yet have a release date.
Daniel Kaluuya made a big impact on Sony’s animated Spider-universe when he voiced Hobie Brown AKA Spider-Punk, who disrupted Miles Morales’ (Shameik Moore) life in ‘Across the Spider-Verse’, and was a romantic rival for the affections of Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), and as a general engine of chaos.

It makes sense, then, that the studio would entrust Kaluuya –– who was part of the process in bringing his character to life beyond simply providing the voice –– in developing a spin-off for the character.
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According to Deadline, Kaluuya and Ajon Singh (‘Primetime’) are co-writing a script for the potential new movie, though the trade site cautions that it’s in very early development, so don’t hold your breath for it to happen quickly.

Related Article: Sony Confirms Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson as the Directors of ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’

What is Spider-Punk’s history?

Spider-Punk/Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

Created by writer Dan Slott and artist Olivier Coipel, Spider-Punk is a version of Spider-Man who leans into a more anarchistic, anti-establishment attitude than Peter Parker. Residing on Earth-138, the character is fueled by his desire to help take down corrupt systems. He first appeared during a Spider-Verse crossover event, as part of 2015’s ‘The Amazing Spider-Man #10’.

As mentioned, he first appeared on the big screen in 2023’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’, which was nominated for an Oscar and earned more than $690 million worldwide.

Hobie will be back in ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’, which is scheduled for release in June 2027.

The new movie’s storyline is naturally a mystery, though perhaps it’ll dig into Hobie’s backstory and how he ended up as Spider-Punk. Or it may dig into one of his comic book adventures. Either way: expect mayhem.

Where else can we see Daniel Kaluuya?

Daniel Kaluuya in ‘Nope,’ written and directed by Jordan Peele. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Kaluuya, who won an Oscar for his supporting role in ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, might be best known for ‘Get Out’ and his other collaboration with Jordan Peele, ‘Nope’.

He has writing experience too –– Kaluuya co-wrote and directed dystopian Netflix movie ‘The Kitchen’.

Among his other credits are ‘Widows’ and ‘Black Panther’.

Currently, the actor is at work on Chris Rock’s latest movie, which is either titled ‘Misty Green’ or is still figuring that out. And he’s attached to produce and potentially star in a movie based on kids’ show ‘Barney’, about the big purple dinosaur.

When will the ‘Spider-Punk’ movie be on screens?

Given that it takes years between the main ‘Spider-Verse’ movies, we’d hazard a guess that the spin-off will be in production for a while, even if it leaves the development stage.

Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

Movies Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)
- ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)
- ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)
- ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)
- ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Venom‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ (2019)
- ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)
- ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)
- ‘Morbius‘ (2022)
- ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘ (2023)
- ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)
- ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)
- ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Movies on Amazon
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August 6, 2025
Amy Pascal and David Heyman to Produce Bond Movies
(Left) Amy Pascal arrives at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 12, 2024. The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, 2024 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) David Heyman at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 12, 2024. The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, 2024 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:
- Amazon has officially hired producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman to oversee the Bond franchise.
- They’ll replace longtime shepherds Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson.
- It follows the company securing creative control over the spy movie.
Forget M and Q, now we know a little bit more about who will be guiding Ian Fleming’s super-spy James Bond in future endeavors.

Following the recent change in Bond creative ownership (get all the details below), Amazon/MGM Studios has officially set powerhouse producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman to oversee the Bond franchise on screens big and (if Amazon has its way) small.

The news confirms rumors first floated by reporter Jeff Sneider, who brought word that Amazon was looking to bring in two giant producing veterans to steer the Bond movies.
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Pascal, of course, already has Bond bona fides (Bonda fides?), as when she served as Sony’s chairman of film, she oversaw the release and distribution of the likes of ‘Casino Royale,’ ‘Quantum of Solace,’ ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Spectre,’ which are among the most successful movies featuring the character.

She’s also been a key part of the ‘Spider-Man’ franchise and holds a wealth of experience bringing big movies to screens.

As for Heyman, he has a little franchise called ‘Harry Potter’ to his credit, one of the most successful movie series of all time. He’s also worked on a variety of other projects, including the ‘Paddington’ movies.

Related Article: Amazon MGM Studios Takes Creative Control of James Bond Franchise as Producers Step Back

New Bond Producers: The Studio and Team Speak

Producer Amy Pascal attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Challengers’ at Regency Village Theatre on April 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios.

Here’s what Amazon MGM Studios’ Head of Film, Courtenay Valenti had to say about the new recruits:

“We are approaching every creative decision with James Bond, which Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have so masterfully steered, with the greatest sense of responsibility. Part of an elite group of producers who have developed and managed massive film franchises to box office success and critical acclaim, Amy Pascal and David Heyman are two of the most accomplished, experienced, and respected film producers in our industry. We are honored to be working with them on James Bond’s next chapter and are excited to deliver to global audiences storytelling that upholds the impeccable legacy of this beloved character.”

And this was the statement from Pascal and Heyman:

“James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema. We are humbled to follow in the footsteps of Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson who made so many extraordinary films and honored and excited to keep the spirit of Bond very much alive as he embarks on his next adventure.”

What happened with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson?

Daniel Craig as James Bond in ‘Casino Royale.’

In a shocking turn of events, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the longtime stalwart step-sibling powerhouse producers behind the last couple of decades of Bond films, relinquished control of the franchise and handed more creative decision-making to Amazon MGM studios.

It was perhaps not as surprising as it might have seemed, though: In 2022, Amazon bought MGM for $8.5 billion, acquiring a vast catalog with more than 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows alongside the rights to distribute all of the James Bond films and to develop spin-offs (such as the frankly less-than thrilling reality competition show ‘007: Road to a Million,’ which saw Bond fans answering trivia questions –– posed by Brian Cox, no less –– in search of cash prizes).

But a key part of that deal was that the producers kept creative control of the character, deciding on who would play the main role, hiring directors and other key choices, while stopping ideas they didn’t approve of.

Yet it has seemed as though the pair were in something of a creative downbeat following the departure of Daniel Craig as Bond, with the character killed off in 2021’s ‘No Time to Die’ and little sign of forward movement.

Here’s what Broccoli previously told The Guardian on the past changes:

“I go back to ‘GoldenEye’ when everyone was saying ‘the cold war is over, the wall is over, Bond is dead, no need for Bond, the whole world’s at peace and now there’s no villains’ –– and boy was that wrong! Daniel gave us the ability to mine the emotional life of the character… and also the world was ready for it.”

And her comments on where they are with the next phase of the franchise from 2023:

“I think these movies reflect the time they are in, and there’s a big, big road ahead reinventing it for the next chapter, and we haven’t even begun with that. Our focus is making the feature films. When we get going on a Bond movie it takes our full attention for three or four years so that’s our focus. We make the Bond movies for the big theatrical screen and everything about the Bond movies is for audiences to see around the world on that format, so we’ve not wanted to do television.”

That seems likely to change going forward, as Amazon would clearly like to exploit new avenues.

As per details of the historic new agreement, Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli have formed a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights. The three parties will remain co-owners of the iconic franchise but Amazon MGM will have creative control.

Broccoli and Wilson stepping back was perhaps less of a surprise these days since she in particular has expressed frustration with the Amazon deal. And this way, the duo will have some small say in the future, but also enjoy what is surely a healthy payday.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in 2012’s ‘Skyfall.’

List of James Bond Movies:
- ‘Dr. No‘ (1963)
- ‘From Russia with Love‘ (1964)
- ‘Goldfinger‘ (1965)
- ‘Thunderball‘ (1965)
- ‘You Only Live Twice‘ (1967)
- ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service‘ (1969)
- ‘Diamonds Are Forever‘ (1971)
- ‘Live and Let Die‘ (1973)
- ‘The Man with the Golden Gun‘ (1974)
- ‘The Spy Who Loved Me‘ (1977)
- ‘Moonraker‘ (1979)
- ‘For Your Eyes Only‘ (1981)
- ‘Octopussy‘ (1983)
- ‘A View to a Kill‘ (1985)
- ‘The Living Daylights‘ (1987)
- ‘Licence to Kill‘ (1989)
- ‘GoldenEye‘ (1995)
- ‘Tomorrow Never Dies‘ (1997)
- ‘The World Is Not Enough‘ (1999)
- ‘Die Another Day‘ (2002)
- ‘Casino Royale‘ (2006)
- ‘Quantum of Solace‘ (2008)
- ‘Skyfall‘ (2012)
- ‘Spectre‘ (2015)
- ‘No Time to Die‘ (2021)
Buy James Bond Movies On Amazon
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March 25, 2025
TV Review: ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’
Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

Launching on Disney+ with its initial two episodes on 29th January (before going to a weekly schedule for the remaining eight), ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ is a diverting take on the Spidey mythos that brings the character back to the time even before Tom Holland’s Peter Parker met the Avengers.

Yet while it was originally developed as a series outlining the Holland incarnation’s origin story (which Marvel Studios chose to skip on the big screen since we pretty much known it all already), this has instead been converted to show the early days of an alternate Peter Parker, here voiced by Hudson Thames, who is not the MCU’s Pete.

That scenario is confirmed early on when we see Doctor Strange appear from a portal and wrangle a strange spider-like creature back to the universe we’re used to. Instead, what we get is this Peter Parker being bitten by a mysterious spider left behind and putting the resulting powers to familiar use.

Related Article: Sony Confirms Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson as the Directors of ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’

Is ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ going to make friends?

(Far Left) Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) and (Second from Right) Harry Osborn (Zeno Robinson) in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

If that early description has you rolling your eyes and dreading that you’re in for yet another take on Spider-Man’s well-utilized origin, think again. The new series skips forward in time to find Peter already wearing a basic (yet entertainingly steampunk) version of his suit and busy doing good around New York.

This is a universe where the Avengers exist, and when the show opens, they’re going through the internal strife as shown in ‘Civil War’ (the Sokovia Accords also exist here), but Peter doesn’t link up with them, and they’re shown very much in classic Marvel comics style rather than the cinematic variations.

Along the way, we meet several characters that comic book fans will recognize, but portrayed in fresh new ways, including Lonnie Lincoln, known as Tombstone, who here is a friendly, strong high school friend of Peter’s… at least until he’s forced to work with a local gang.

Perhaps the biggest shift is in Norman Osborn, voiced with effortless panache by Colman Domingo, who is Peter’s sponsor and supporter here (at least in the early going).

Script and Direction

Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

With Jeff Trammell, previously of ‘Craig of the Creek,’ the tone of the show is light and zippy, Peter displaying his talent for puns while fighting crime and facing the standard Spider-Man issues of balancing his “work” and his attempts to have a life as a teenager.

Trammell and his team have found a new way into the story that still feels right for both Parker and Spidey, and the action is entertaining.

On the visual side of things, this is very much styled to mimic classic ‘Spider-Man’ comics, blended with the experience of the Marvel Animated team from the seasons of working on ‘What If…?’

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’: Performances

With Thames leading the cast, the voice acting here is solid.

Hudson Thames as Peter Parker

Spider-Man/Peter Parker in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Thames, who has had the advantage of playing the Tom Holland/MCU version of Parker/Spidey in ‘What If…?’ already, here finds a relatable, easygoing gear for the character in this alternate universe.

His Peter is charming and sometimes chaotic, but always familiar enough.

Kari Wahlgren as Aunt May

The May Parker of this universe has already lost her Ben, and while that weight of grief is felt, she’s also a lively, warm character very much in the Marisa Tomei mold of the role.

While she might not get as much to do as that version just yet (at this point in this Spider-Man’s story, she has no idea Peter is swinging around town battling wrongdoers), Wahlgren gives her the right amount of energy.

Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn

(L to R) Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) and Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo) in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Domingo’s been putting in great performances elsewhere for years, and his take on Osborn drips with both style and just enough subtle menace that you truly wonder about the character’s true intentions.

Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln

As we mentioned earlier, Lonnie is quite different from the Tombstone of the comics, but certainly ends up in a situation that will sour his intentions. And Byrd makes that journey believable.

Paul F. Tompkins as Bentley Wittman

Though the character shares a name with a famous Fantastic Four foe (the Wizard), here he’s more of an uptight scientist working for OsCorp who is tasked with overseeing the interns –– including Peter –– and would clearly rather be doing anything else.

With veteran character performer Paul F. Thompkins in the role, he’s a snarky delight, the perfect mix of frustrated wannabe genius and bad boss.

Final Thoughts

(Fourth from Left-R) Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Hudson Thames) and Harry Osborn (Zeno Robinson) in Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Though we perhaps didn’t need yet another Spidey variant swinging across our screens, ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ more than makes its case as a worthy successor to the likes of ‘What If…’

The sort of family-friendly entertainment that works well in animated form, it its bursting with comic book and MCU Easter eggs, but never forgets to tell a good story. Like its opening theme, a remix of the classic Spider-Man cartoon opening credits, it’s a welcome refresh and lively Spider-outing.

If you enjoy these initial 10 episodes, there’s good news that a second season is already in development.
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What’s the plot of ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’?

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ explores Peter Parker’s (Hudson Thames) origin story and early days using the Spider-Man persona. The series is set in an alternate timeline within the multiverse where Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo) becomes Parker’s mentor instead of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), as happens in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Sacred Timeline”.

Who is in the cast of ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’?
- Hudson Thames as Peter Parker / Spider-Man
- Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn
- Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln
- Grace Song as Nico Minoru
- Zeno Robinson as Harry Osborn
- Hugh Dancy as Otto Octavius
- Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock / Daredevil
- Kari Wahlgren as May Parker
- Paul F. Tompkins as Bentley Wittman
Marvel Animation’s ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (1967 – 1970)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (1978 – 1979)
- ‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends‘ (1981 – 1983)
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (1994 – 1998)
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)
- ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)
- ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)
- ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)
- ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Venom‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ (2019)
- ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)
- ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)
- ‘What If…?‘ (2021 – 2024)
- ‘Morbius‘ (2022)
- ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘ (2023)
- ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)
- ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)
- ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Movies on Amazon
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January 30, 2025
Tom Holland to Star in and Produce ‘The Partner’
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Michael Baker / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:
- Tom Holland is to star in and produce ‘The Partner.’
- It’ll adapt the successful John Grisham novel.
- Graham Moore is writing the script.
For a while there, between the early 1990s and the early 2000s, lawyer-turned-author John Grisham found his works very much in demand.

His twisty legal thrillers, already big sellers in book form, became the source material for a run of hugely successful movies, including the likes of ‘Runaway Jury,’ ‘A Time to Kill,’ ‘The Client,’ ‘The Firm’ and ‘The Pelican Brief.’
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While the big screen doesn’t go down the legal route as much these days (Clint Eastwood recently tackled the genre with the non-Grisham ‘Juror #2,’ only for Warner Bros. to give it a short theatrical run before pushing it quickly to streaming), it looks like there’s life in the Grishamverse yet, as Tom Holland is now aboard an adaptation of the writer’s 1997 bestseller ‘The Partner’ as star and producer.

According to Deadline, Holland will make this as one of the first projects with his freshly-formed Billy17 production company after New Regency –– which at one point had planned to have John Lee Hancock make it after ‘The Blind Side’ was a success –– let the rights lapse.

Indie production outfit Rideback saw an opportunity, snapped up the chance and set the movie up at Universal, with Holland then jumping aboard.

Related Article: Tom Holland Talks New Video Game Adapted Movie ‘Uncharted’

What’s the story of ‘The Partner’?

Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Paul Hebert / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.

The plot follows Patrick Lanigan, a young partner in a white shoe Biloxi law firm who fakes his own death in a burning car. He’s left behind a wife, newborn daughter, and a secret. What he’s actually done is fake his death to create a template for a new life by stealing $90 million from a client of his crooked law firm.

He finds happiness and love in South America. When the client who worked so hard to defraud the government finds the money is missing from his offshore accounts, he becomes determined to hunt down the lawyer he doesn’t believe is dead.

That leads the attorney to have to turn himself in to the FBI and face up to the wife, child and life he left behind…

The role of Lanigan offers Holland the chance to play another conflicted, morally questionable character, and enjoy some of the complexity he found in the likes of ‘The Crowded Room’ and ‘Cherry.’

While there is no director attached yet, there is a writer at work bringing the script to life: Graham Moore, whose credits include films such as 2014’s ‘The Imitation Game,’ and 2022 crime thriller ‘The Outfit’ (which he also directed).

What else is Tom Holland attached to?

Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.

After taking a year off following his heavy work schedule on ‘The Crowded Room’ (which he has recently described as a less-than-pleasant experience), Holland has stepped back up and is ready to tackle some big roles.

He has one of the lead parts in Universal’s ‘The Odyssey,’ Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ follow-up that also stars Zendaya, Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron.
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We’re still waiting to hear quite what angle the director will take on the mythological classic novel, but he’s been hiring half of Hollywood to support Holland and Damon.

With a July 17th, 2026 release date on the books, that one is scheduled to kick off shooting soon.

Holland (and Zendaya, most likely) will then segue into a fourth ‘Spider-Man’ movie for Sony and Marvel, with ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton directing after Jon Watts (who handled the previous three Spidey movies) decided he needed a break from the superhero life.

(L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

The plotline for the next ‘Spider-Man’ remains a mystery, but it’ll have to deal with the fallout of 2021’s hugely successful ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ which ended up Peter Parker choosing for the world to forget who he is lest he put his friends and family in danger.

Whatever it ends up being called (and we may have to wait for the notorious spoiler-leaker Holland to slip up and accidentally announce it), that movie is set for release on July 26, 2026. Summer next year will be Holland heavy.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Holland also shows up as Spidey/Peter Parker in at least one of the next two ‘Avengers’ movies, which have Joe and Anthony Russo in the director’s chair.

Aside from those two confirmed go-projects, Holland also has some others floating around his to-do list, including a Fred Astaire biopic, historical drama ‘Beneath a Scarlet Sky,’ about a young Italian man who helps Jews escape to Switzerland during World War II, and ‘American Speed,’ based on the true story of three racing car driver brothers who became embroiled in a scandal.

That one also has Austin Butler attached, but despite the star power may also have to wait for the others to be completed.

When will ‘The Partner’ be in theaters?

Unless by some miracle it can get moving before the other big gigs Holland has lined up, we wouldn’t expect to see this one hit screens much before 2027.

Though it’s sure to be a shorter commitment than either the Nolan outing (even if that has a big ensemble rotating through meaning more potential time off) or the next Spidey effort, it’ll likely have to wait its turn.

Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Carolyn Diloreto / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.

Other John Grisham Movies:
- ‘The Firm‘ (1993)
- ‘The Pelican Brief’ (1993)
- ‘The Client‘ (1994)
- ‘A Time to Kill’ (1996)
- ‘The Chamber‘ (1996)
- ‘The Rainmaker‘ (1997)
- ‘The Gingerbread Man‘ (1998)
- ‘Runaway Jury‘ (2003)
Buy Tom Holland Movies on Amazon
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January 10, 2025
Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson Announced as ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Directors
(L to R) Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) and Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ Photo by: Courtesy of Sony Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Preview:
- Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson are directing ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.’
- The movie will continue the story from ‘Across the Spider-Verse.’
- The ‘Spider-Man’ animated sequel doesn’t yet have a confirmed release.
Given the reception for ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ and last year’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ you’d think Sony –– which really needs success in its Marvel arm given the flops of its more recent live-action superhero offerings –– would be going full speed ahead on the third outing, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,’ there has seemingly been a slowdown in its development.

Which is even more surprising, since the first two films in Sony’s trilogy were critical and commercial successes for the studio, grossing a combined $1.07 billion at the global box office.

Additionally, ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ won the Animated Feature Oscar in 2019, and its acclaimed sequel, ‘Across the Spider-Verse’, became the highest-grossing animated film for the studio to date.

Yet here we are in 2024 with no release date locked in for the third movie and plenty of chatter about delays, script re-writes and issues with ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse,’ produced as ever by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
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Though the second and third movies were supposedly being produced back to back, there have been changes afoot behind the scenes, with Sony just now announcing that Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson are directing the film.

Persichetti previously served as part of the Oscar-winning directorial team on ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ and was an executive producer on ‘Across the Spider-Verse.’ Thompson served as the production designer on ‘Into the Spider-Verse,’ where he was instrumental in developing the franchise’s groundbreaking visual style. He went on to join the directorial team on the sequel alongside Joaquim Dos Santos and Kemp Powers.

Powers and Dons Santos have since moved on, but this has slightly the feel of the studio trying to get some good news about the ‘Spider’-sequel as concerns rise.

Related Article: Every Spider-Man Movie Ranked!

‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’: The Filmmakers Speak

Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

Here’s Persichetti and Thompson’s statement on the gig:

“We have had the immense privilege of being part of Miles’ journey from the very beginning and directing the conclusion to his story is beyond exciting. The creativity and care poured into every minute of this project has been truly inspiring. We have crafted what we feel is a very satisfying ending, and we can’t wait for fans to experience it – we’re bringing everything we’ve got!”

And this was the statement from Lord and Miller:

“Bob and Justin’s fingerprints are woven into the DNA of these films, and their passion for Miles’ journey shines through in every frame of his last adventure. There is nothing more rewarding than collaborating with creative partners with bold vision and brilliant execution like Bob and Justin. We are thrilled to work with them once again to create a beautiful and satisfying conclusion to this story.”

Finally, here’s Kristine Belson, President of Sony Pictures Animation:

“We’re very happy to officially announce the directorial duo behind the final chapter of the Spider-Verse saga. Bob, Justin, and the entire filmmaking team have been hard at work crafting something truly spectacular, and we’ve been blown away by what we’ve seen so far –– there’s more work ahead to bring Miles’ story to a satisfying close and we are confident that they are perfect pair to pull it off.”

What’s the story of ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’?

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ lands in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

The exact plot is still under wraps, though since ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ ended on a cliffhanger with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) arriving in universe where one of his alternates has become the villain known as the Prowler, and a rescue attempt launched by some of his friends, you know that story will need to be wrapped up somehow.

What else is happening with ‘Spider-Man’ movies?

Issa Rae as Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ which opens in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

Amy Pascal and Avi Arad, who are the general overseers of Sony’s Marvel-affiliated Spider-Verse, talked to Variety about possibilities for other movies.

Among them? A live-action film focused on the Miles Morales character and a ‘Spider-Woman’ animated spin-off.

What did the Spider-team say about a Miles Morales movie?

Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE.

Morales, who first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics in ‘Ultimate Fallout #4’ in 2011, has become a popular figure for fans who enjoy the more diverse characterization.

As the emotional core of the ‘Spider-Verse’ movies, he’s also crossed over into a more mainstream movie audience.

“You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening,” Pascal said last year at the ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ premiere.

On the small screen, the ‘Spider-Noir’ series (which is drawn from a character who was used well in ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ and is likely to return for ‘Beyond’) is still moving forward at Prime Video with Nicolas Cage leading a cast that includes Jack Huston, Brendan Gleeson, Lamorne Morris and Li Jun Li. That show is filming now.

And, of course, there is the next Sony/Marvel ‘Spider-Man’ movie starring Tom Holland, which has ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton directing. It’s due to film next year and is set for release in July 2026.

When will ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ be in theaters?

As mentioned, Sony hasn’t confirmed a new release date for the latest ‘Spider-Verse’ installment.

Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

Movies Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)
- ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)
- ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)
- ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)
- ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Venom‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ (2019)
- ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)
- ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)
- ‘Morbius‘ (2022)
- ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘ (2023)
- ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)
- ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)
- ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Movies on Amazon
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December 19, 2024
Best Spider-Man Movies

Aaron Taylor Johnson in Columbia Pictures and Marvel ‘Kraven the Hunter’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Spider-Man is a cultural icon and one of the most popular comic book superheroes of all time!

The character has appeared on the big screen many times in both animation and live-action, where he has been played by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and currently, Tom Holland in the MCU.

The character has appeared in several ‘Avengers‘ movies and has had spinoffs made from other Spider-Man characters like the ‘Venom‘ trilogy, ‘Morbius,’ ‘Madame Web‘, and ‘Kraven the Hunter,’ which opens in theaters on December 13th.

In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down the best Spider-Man movies of all-time, including ‘Kraven’.

For this list, we are only including feature length live-action or animated appearances from the wall-crawler that premiered theatrically, including the ‘Avengers’ movies, as well as spinoffs like ‘Madame Web’ and ‘Kraven’.

Let’s begin!

19. ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ (2024)

Aaron Taylor Johnson in Columbia Pictures and Marvel ‘Kraven the Hunter’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Kraven the Hunter is the visceral, action-packed origin story of how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Kraven, a man whose complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
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18. ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)

(L to R) Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor), Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced), and Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Madame Web.’ Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Forced to confront revelations about her past, paramedic Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) forges a relationship with three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor) destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present.
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17. ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘ (2014)

Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

For Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy. Between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), high school graduation cannot come quickly enough. Peter has not forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen’s father to protect her by staying away, but that is a promise he cannot keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past.
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16. ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)

(L to R) Topher Grace and Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man 3’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), deals with nemesis Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) and also gets caught up in a love triangle.
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15. ‘Morbius‘ (2022)

Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Morbius.’ Photo by: Jay Maidment. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

One of the most compelling and conflicted characters in Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters comes to the big screen as Oscar® winner Jared Leto transforms into the enigmatic antihero Michael Morbius. Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, Dr. Morbius attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed. Will good override evil – or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges?
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14. ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)

Carnage in 2021’s ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage.’ Photo: Sony.

Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal protector Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters. Directed by Andy Serkis, the film also stars Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris and Woody Harrelson, in the role of the villain Cletus Kasady/Carnage.
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13. ‘Venom‘ (2018)

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom in 2018’s ‘Venom.’ Photo: Sony.

Investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) attempts a comeback following a scandal, but accidentally becomes the host of Venom, a violent, super powerful alien symbiote. Soon, he must rely on his newfound powers to protect the world from a shadowy organization looking for a symbiote of their own.
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12. ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)

Andrew Garfield in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is an outcast high schooler abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.
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11. ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)

Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock/Venom in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures.

Eddie (Tom Hardy) and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.
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10. ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)

(L to R) Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
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9. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)

Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
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8. ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)

Tom Holland in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
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7. ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ (2019)

(L to R) Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
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6. ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)

(L to R) Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: Civil War.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron,’ the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
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5. ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)

(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in ‘Spider-Man’. Photo: Sony.

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.
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4. ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)

(L to R) Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina in ‘Spider-Man 2’. Photo: Sony.

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). In the meantime, Parker still can’t act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), a girl he’s loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) as well.
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3. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘ (2023)

(L to R) Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) and Issa Rae as Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation’s ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’ After reuniting with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
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2. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)

(L to R) Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire from ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
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1. ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ (2018)

2018’s ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is juggling his life between being a high school student and being a spider-man. When Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk (Liev Schreiber) uses a super collider, others from across the Spider-Verse are transported to this dimension.
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December 15, 2024
Next ‘Spider-Man’ Movie Set for July 2026 Release
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Preview:
- The fourth, untitled MCU ‘Spider-Man’ movie lands in July 2026.
- Tom Holland is starring.
- Destin Daniel Cretton is in the director’s chair.
With ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ gobbling up huge amounts of money back in 2021 (an even more impressive achievement given that audiences were still wary of movie theaters during the ongoing COVID pandemic), you knew that Sony and Marvel were not going to just give up on future installments of the web-slinging franchise, even if it represented the end of star Tom Holland’s then-current contact.

He’s long since confirmed that he’s back for the next movie, while director Jon Watts, who handled ‘No Way Home’ and predecessors ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home,’ is not.
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Watts has been moved on to other projects, but stepping in to replace him, as reported back in September, is ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Destin Daniel Cretton.

And now, per Sony, we have news that the fourth film –– whose title we have yet to learn –– will be in theaters on July 24th, 2026.

What’s the story of ‘Spider-Man 4’?

Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.

“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why,” Holland told the Reporter previously about the fourth movie. But that actual reason has yet to be divulged (and with Holland not currently doing press, we’ll have to wait until he does before any details emerge accidentally).

We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.

Holland also recently told Jimmy Fallon that the movie will be shooting next summer.

Here’s what he had to say:

“Next summer, we start shooting. Everything’s good to go. We’re nearly there. “The project is super exciting.”

That makes sense given the new release plan and will make it the second confirmed MCU release for 2026 after ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ in May.

Related Article: ‘Shang-Chi’ Director Destin Daniel Cretton in Talks to Handle ‘Spider-Man 4’

Who will appear in the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie?

Zendaya in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?

What movies will the new ‘Spider-Man’ film be up against?

While the latest Spidey outing has its release date to itself, Holland may face competition –– from himself. He’s reportedly aboard the next Christopher Nolan film, which is scheduled to land on July 17th, 2026, so one week before the fourth ‘Spider-Man’ entry.

Could we be looking at the next “Barbenheimer” with a Double Holland coincidence? Only time will tell…

Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Other Movies Featuring Spider-Man:
- ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)
- ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)
- ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man‘ (2012)
- ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)
- ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)
- ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Venom‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘ (2019)
- ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)
- ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)
- ‘Morbius‘ (2022)
- ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘ (2023)
- ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)
- ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Movies on Amazon
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October 28, 2024
Movie Review: ‘Venom: The Last Dance’
Venom in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Opening in theaters October 25th is ‘Venom: The Last Dance,’ directed by Kelly Marcel and starring Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, and Stephen Graham.

Related Article: ‘Venom 3’ is ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ and Arrives Earlier Than Thought

Initial Thoughts

Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock/Venom in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Let’s be clear about one thing: when we say that ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ is the best of the three movies starring Tom Hardy as both former reporter Eddie Brock and the voice of the alien symbiote that lives inside him, we’re talking about a very low bar. ‘Venom’ (2018) and ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ (2021) were genuinely painful to sit through, with the latter in particular being unwatchable gibberish. ‘The Last Dance,’ written and directed by Kelly Marcel (from a story by Marcel and Hardy), is nonsense too – but it leans all the way into its ridiculousness from the start, which gives it a big advantage.

Whereas it was never fully apparent in the previous two movies, this time it seems like everyone is in on the joke – not just Hardy. So thin on plot that it’s practically transparent, ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ wants you to laugh at it from the start – which makes for a better time and even allows room for a smidgen of heart here and there.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Director Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy on the set of Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Laura Radford.

“Story” is a decidedly loose term here. As explained to us at least twice during the course of the film, the symbiotes (the species to which Venom belongs) have imprisoned their creator, a superbeing named Knull, on the planet Klyntar because he aims to destroy them as well as the rest of the universe (we’re kind of hazy on why, what else is new). The only way for Knull to break free is if he can obtain a “codex” – which looks like just a glowing light – that appears on symbiotes when they’re fully activated within their hosts. Only Venom has the right codex, so Knull sends an army of grotesque aliens called xenophages to find and kill our favorite symbiote and get the thingamajig.

Eddie and Venom, on the lam from the law and the government, are hiding out in Mexico, where we left them at the end of ‘Let There Be Carnage.’ After that quick trip to the MCU universe we saw during the post-credits scene of that film (“I’m sick of this multiverse s**t!” exclaims Venom when they return, echoing numerous moviegoers), they’re back in the Sony Spider-verse when Knull’s first tracker arrives (why they only come one or two at a time is a mystery that’s never adequately explained). The xenophage sets off in pursuit of our pals, a task made difficult by Venom deliberately remaining mostly a voiceover for the first 30 minutes or so of the film.

Meanwhile, a secret government operation located in a facility deep below Area 51, headed by Dr. Payne (Juno Temple) and General Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), is tasked with collecting as many symbiotes as possible. They’ve already got Detective Mulligan (Stephen Graham), who was infected in the previous film, but they want Venom as well. Between Strickland and his forces and Knull’s xenophages – who are all eventually going to clash — it’s no wonder that Eddie can barely keep a pair of shoes on his feet for more than five minutes.

(L to R) Director Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy on the set of Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Laura Radford.

That description gives the narrative more credit than it may deserve. For its first half, ‘The Last Dance’ is a loosely connected string of bits, jokes, and ideas, with Eddie and Venom bickering more like an old married couple than ever before (“I want to see a Broadway show!” rumbles the symbiote as they discuss their sketchy plans to hide out in New York City). Their back-and-forth – with Hardy once again literally talking to himself in an admittedly impressive comic performance – is as ludicrous as ever, but a little more endearing. Because the film starts from a place of absurdity and stays there, the half-formed collection of skits that passes for a plot goes down easier this time.

The rest of the film finds Eddie/Venom turning a horse into a symbiote, catching a ride with a hippie family led by one-time ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ super-villain Rhys Ifans in a psychedelic Volkswagen van, and taking a side trip to Vegas that serves no purpose except to allow Venom to participate in a dance sequence. All of it leads to an extended climax in which the plot strands, such as they are, unravel in an orgy of CG mayhem.

Marcel, making her directorial debut after toiling for years as a screenwriter, opens up the action more than the previous films, dumping Eddie in the Southwest and giving us the occasional nice vista to take in. But the entire third act takes place in one dark, bland military location, recalling the smallish feel of the first two films, and while she has a solid sense of place during the action scenes, the preponderance of CG-generated monsters in the third act turns much of the climax into sludge.

Yes, there is a bit of heart involved as well, with Eddie and Venom potentially facing the end of their marriage – sorry, we mean parasitic relationship – but none of it really matters. Whatever entertainment value ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ has all comes down to the fact that it revels this time out in its own dumbness, and is better off for it…as far as that goes.

The Cast

(L to R) Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor star in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Laura Radford.

This is the Tom Hardy show through and through. Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor are accomplished actors, but their characters are barely fleshed out beyond “stock scientist” and “stock soldier,” with Temple given some half-baked back story about she and her brother getting hit by lightning on a beach. Rhys Ifans’ Martin is the only other character who gets some significant runway, but even his character – along with his ever-patient wife and annoying kids – contributes pretty much nothing meaningful to the story.

Hardy, on the other hand, fills the screen, and even though Eddie isn’t the most articulate guy on the planet (although he’s a regular Chatty Kathy compared to Hardy’s grunting, mumbling motorcycle club leader in ‘The Bikeriders’), he’s clearly just letting rip here and having the time of his life without a thought about whether any of it makes a lick of sense. His throw-it-all-at-the-wall work across all three ‘Venom’ films may end up being the oddest sustained performance of any actor’s career.

Final Thoughts

Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock/Venom in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures.

As we stated at the beginning, ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ is not a good film – but it is a marginally more satisfying experience than its predecessors. Maybe it’s the crazy, old-school British comedy feel that Marcel and Hardy somehow filter their twisted superhero movie through, or perhaps it’s Eddie’s surprising admission that Venom is “his best friend,” but this one feels a little more bearable.

Having said that, three movies is enough. ‘The Last Dance’ does bring Eddie and Venom’s journey to a conclusion, although the post-credits scenes, of course, leave room for more. But Sony’s universe of Spider-Man villain movies without Spider-Man has been running on empty for a long time, and the ‘Venom’ franchise should go out now on what passes for probably the highest note it’ll ever hit. Let it be the last dance indeed.

‘Venom: The Last Dance’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Venom: The Last Dance’?

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien symbiote Venom are on the run – not just from government authorities and law enforcement, but from Venom’s creator, the powerful entity known as Knull.

Who is in the cast of ‘Venom: The Last Dance’?
- Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as General Rex Strickland
- Juno Temple as Dr. Payne
- Rhys Ifans as Martin
- Peggy Lu as Mrs. Chen
- Stephen Graham as Patrick Mulligan/Toxin
Venom in Columbia Pictures ‘Venom: The Last Dance’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

List of Movies Featuring Venom:
- ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)
- ‘Venom‘ (2018)
- ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage‘ (2021)
- ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home‘ (2021)
- ‘Venom: The Last Dance‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Venom’ Movies on Amazon
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October 23, 2024
Movie Review: ‘Wolfs’
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Opening in theaters in limited release from September 20th ahead of a September 27th arrival on Apple’s TV+ service, ‘Wolfs’ is the latest attempt by the tech giant to lure in audiences with big names and healthy budgets, though seemingly –– given that one-week run in theaters –– more concerned about buzz (and subscribers) than box office.

Still, the movie itself offers enough fun to make it a worthwhile effort, even if it seems a little too much in love with the star wattage of its two central famous faces.

Related Article: Jon Watts’ George Clooney and Brad Pitt Caper ‘Wolfs’ is Spawning a Sequel

Will ‘Wolfs’ Blow You Away?

(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Do you long to see George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunited on screen for the first time since –– no, not the ‘Ocean’s movies but actually the Coen brothers’ ‘Burn After Reading,’ which barely counts since they only occupy the same cinematic space for a very brief time?

If you’re yearning to have two of the most famous movie stars Hollywood has to offer trading barbs, occasionally letting themselves look vulnerable but generally being just as cool as you expect, then Apple has the answer for you. And the giant tech corporation has kindly agreed to put in theaters for exactly a week before the whole affair shuffles off to its Apple TV+ service.

That might sound sarcastic or cynical, but it’s hard not to see the ploy in the same light: agree to back ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy director Jon Watts’ new original crime caper, see him secure two giant stars then look for buzz over box office.

Still, the film that was made does have enough going for it to warrant seeing it on the big screen, even if you must be quick. Just don’t go expecting a completely original tale, as what unspools is largely a fun version of stories we’ve seen before with a tweak here and there.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Watts has been sitting on the ‘Wolfs’ script for years, fully hoping that Clooney and Pitt might agree to star, since the roles very much feel written for them in ‘Ocean’s chatty mode. Of course, Spidey has gotten in the way for the last few years (albeit doing plenty for the filmmaker’s profile and bank balance), but the director has now broken free of Marvel’s grasp to get back to the sort of movie that launched his career, ‘Cop Car.’

The ‘Wolfs’ script is light on its feet, mostly driven by the banter between Clooney and Pitt, though it does at times twist itself in knots trying to figure out certain situations. And there is also sometimes too much of a reliance on certain repetitive dialogue tricks, such as the duo overlapping each other or one saying a curse word, then the other saying the same thing when they discover what he’s looking at.

It all adds up to the movie at times feeling exactly that, a movie –– while we don’t go to star-driven films such as this for gritty reality, it does jolt you out of the experience from time to time.

And Watts knows how to direct both actors and action, New York shot in appealing tones as the characters make their way on their unexpected mission. One moment in particular –– no spoilers, but it involves a car and one of the characters is played in slow-mo for maximum impact.

Performances

(L to R) George Clooney and Brad Pitt in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Aside from Clooney and Pitt, almost everyone else is a cipher (and one particular actor should feel hard done by –– see below.)

George Clooney as “Margaret’s Man”

Neither of the stars’ characters are given names that we learn here; that pretty much comes with the job of mysterious, gruff fixer. Still, Clooney can knock this sort of role out of the park in his sleep and here he’s offered the chance to sideline the twinkly charm for a more circumspect character.

Brad Pitt as “Pam’s Man”

Both Pitt and Clooney are channeling their real-life friendship here, albeit, submerging under layers of characters who don’t want to work together. Pitt, like his co-star, is on good form, underplaying it and keeping his cool. There are a few funny grace notes to the pair aging, such as cracking backs or downing Advil, and it all adds to the layers of the two fixers.

Austin Abrams as “Kid”

Yes, names really are not a thing in this movie (with a couple of exceptions), but Abrams doesn’t need one to make an impact. He’s a fine pick to play off of the two leads, his nervy, slightly manic energy (since his character is in the midst of a drug trip/comedown during the story) works well against their measured stoicism and he really makes the part work.

Amy Ryan as Margaret

Ryan is the first person we meet in the film, and though she only makes a brief appearance as a panicked district attorney who initially summons Clooney’s character for help when she thinks she has a dead body in her room after a hookup gone awry, she does a lot with a little.

Supporting cast

A few other roles pop –– ‘Never Have I Ever’s Poorna Jagannathan is dry and funny as June, the doctor to whom the central pair take the kid, while Zlatko Burić dutifully portrays the gangster Dimitri with whom our heroes interact during the movie.

Still, there is one giant crime in the movie (and we don’t mean murder or drugs), and that’s the utter waste of the brilliant Richard Kind, who while he’s great as always, has maybe a couple of lines of dialogue and a minute or two of screen time.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

‘Wolfs’ gets by on star power for good and ill, slowly turning the dial on the central characters, peeling away some layers and adding in some moral questions, which is surely why Clooney and Pitt took the gig beyond the chance to team back up again on screen.

It doesn’t totally succeed, but it’s better than your average crime caper.

‘Wolfs’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Wolfs’?

‘Wolfs’ sees George Clooney as a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Brad Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.

Who stars in ‘Wolfs’?
- George Clooney as Jack
- Brad Pitt as Nick
- Amy Ryan as Margaret
- Austin Abrams as Kid
- Poorna Jagannathan as June
- Zlatko Burić as Dimitri
- Richard Kind as Kid’s dad
(L to R) George Clooney and Brad Pitt in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Other George Clooney and Brad Pitt Movies:
- ‘Ocean’s Eleven‘ (2001)
- ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind‘ (2002)
- ‘Ocean’s Twelve‘ (2004)
- ‘Ocean’s Thirteen‘ (2007)
- ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)
- ‘IF‘ (2024)
Buy George Clooney Movies on Amazon

Buy Brad Pitt Movies on Amazon
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September 19, 2024