Deon Cole hosts the 57th NAACP Image Awards on February 28th. Photo: Paramount+.
Preview:
‘Sinners’ took home the big prizes at the 2026 NAACP Image Awards.
‘Paradise’ and Cynthia Erivo were also among the winners.
The event took place Saturday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Following the difficult, insulting moments of this year’s BAFTA Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Deon Cole, which took place Saturday night at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, were a chance to balance things out.
CKADSUBv2bw7WoJvzJ6pa4
And Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ proved to be the big winner, going home with 13 awards following a nomination count of 18. Star Michael B. Jordan himself won both a Best Actor award and was honored with Entertainer of the Year.
The ceremony also paid tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, with NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson honoring the late civil rights activist, whose family was in attendance at the ceremony.
Sterling K. Brown plays Agent Xavier Collins in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
Arriving on Hulu on February 23 with three episodes (with five more to follow once weekly) is the second season of ‘Paradise’, the thriller series from ‘This is Us’ creator Dan Fogelman that keeps audiences guessing.
Shailene Woodley plays Annie in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
Talking about ‘Paradise’ is a dicey prospect for any reviewer, since it is predicated on a giant, twisty premise. But if you’re here reading a review of Season 2, we have to assume you’ve seen the first season (if not, go and watch it!) so I can talk about the fact that it revolves around an underground community that is designed to keep a limited population safe after an Earth-shattering environmental incident.
The first run of episodes was full of twists and turns, and the second keeps the pace up, even if much about the community has been revealed. But the best idea here was to send Brown’s Xavier Collins on a hunt for his wife, who has survived the cataclysmic events elsewhere, opening things up to new avenues.
Script and Direction
Krys Marshall plays Agent Nicole Robinson in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
Dan Fogelman, no stranger to both narrative rug pulls and tugging on the emotional heart strings, has here managed to keep the story of ‘Paradise’ moving even after the revelations of last year. The expanded plotline is worthwhile, even if it sometimes dilutes the overall effectiveness.
Filmmaking duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are the primary directors for the series, and working alongside a couple of others, they keep ‘Paradise’ looking good, with the visual palette of the post-apocalyptic outside world just as impactful as those inside the show’s usual community.
Cast and Performances
Julianne Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
It’s no accident that Fogelman chose to work with Sterling K. Brown again after helping him break out with ‘This is Us.’ Here, Brown gets plenty of chances to showcase his considerable acting chops, bringing lots of layers to Secret Service officer Xavier Collins.
Julianne Nicholson remains superb as the calculating tech billionaire Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond who conceived of the bunker, while in-Paradise highlights include Krys Marshall as dedicated officer Robinson and Nicole Brydon Bloom as the psychopathic Jane.
Woodley, meanwhile, enjoys her own storyline as survivor Annie, who made it through the environmental chaos holed up in Graceland.
Final Thoughts
Sarah Shahi plays Dr. Gabriela Torabi in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
‘Paradise’s first season was a series of mystery box reveals, and while elements of that remain in the second, the focus is also on the emotional stakes for the characters, letting some accomplished actors revel in solidly written scripts.
‘Paradise’ Season 2 receives 71 out of 100.
Nicole Brydon Bloom plays Jane Driscoll in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
What’s the plot of ‘Paradise’ Season 2?
A shocking murder turns the serene community of Paradise on its head. Kicking off a high-stakes investigation that uncovered secrets that some hoped would stay hidden.
And in Season 2, the world expands yet further as both Sterling K. Brown’s Xavier Collins and the story venture beyond Paradise’s borders.
Who stars in ‘Paradise’?
Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins
James Marsden as President Cal Bradford
Nicole Brydon Bloom as Jane Driscoll
Julianne Nicholson as Samantha Redmond
Sarah Shahi as Dr. Gabriela Torabi
Shailene Woodley as Annie
Thomas Doherty as Link
Sterling K. Brown plays Agent Xavier Collins in ‘Paradise’ Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.
Premiering on Hulu with its initial three episodes on January 28th followed by a weekly schedule for the remaining five, ‘Paradise’ is the latest show from Dan Fogelman, who last brought us the hugely successful (and massively tear duct-targeting) cross-generational family drama ‘This Is Us’.
Here, Fogelman is channeling more of a another show he’s been involved with (albeit more as a consultant than a showrunner), ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ though the tone here is much more geared towards mystery box thriller than the comedy stylings of the Steve Martin series.
Still, it certainly shares some elements in kind with Fogelman’s heavy network hitter, not the least of which is the presence of that show’s breakout star Sterling K. Brown, here the full lead of ‘Paradise.’
And like ‘This Is Us,’ there’s more to ‘Paradise’ than its basic logline suggests, but we’ll leave that for you to discover.
(L to R) Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden in ‘Paradise’. Photo: Hulu.
While trying to tiptoe around talking about ‘Paradise’s true nature is a frustrating experience from a critic’s point of view, that’s not to say that there isn’t plenty about the show that we can recommend.
Fogelman has clearly not lost his touch with character building, and he and the writing team make this an appealing place in which to spend time because the people filling it are complex and compelling.
Brown’s in particularly could have come across as starchier than his well-pressed suits, but as lead Secret Service agent Xavier Collins, assigned to protect a former President (James Marsden) who discovers him dead, he brings real life to the character.
Oh, and the whole dead President thing is in the trailer (and the opening minutes of the show), so we’re safe talk about that.
While not every subplot works as well as others (a growing friendship/potential relationship between Xavier’s daughter Presley played Aliyah Mastin and Charlie Evans as the late leader’s son Jeremy) feels particularly trite, though the actors still bring real charm, it’s mostly a dynamic, easy-to-enjoy series.
Script and Direction
(L to R) James Marsden and Sterling K. Brown in ‘Paradise’. Photo: Hulu.
Fogelman brings plenty of what made ‘This Is Us’ so damnably captivating here, and the ongoing mystery plot means it also isn’t always going for your heartstrings (though there’s still plenty of that, with some well-earned moments of emotion).
He and the rest of the writers clearly enjoy playing with time, and though some of the flashbacks dotted around most of the episodes can occasionally be grating (with one or two hard to figure out exactly when they take place), they’re largely effective.
As a mystery set in a small town heavy with secrets, ‘Paradise’ certainly keeps you guessing, and almost every character has something about them that’ll make you wonder about their true motivations. It also helps that the writers have cooked up some complicated personal connections between the various personalities who call Paradise home.
Visually, the directors (Hanelle M. Culpepper,Stephen Williams and ‘This Is Us’ helmers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa handle the various episodes), bring a real sense of style and energy to the scenes, especially in certain flashbacks.
‘Paradise’: Performances
With Brown as its confident core, ‘Paradise’ supports him with a great ensemble.
Sterling K. Brown as Xavier Cross
Sterling K. Brown in ‘Paradise’. Photo: Hulu.
Brown, who did such good work as Randall Pearson on ‘This Is Us’ here shines as the conflicted Agent Cross, a man dedicated to protecting his boss but also burning with grief and resentment over some past issue between them. What’s that issue? That would be telling, but it’s worth noting that we’re introduced to Xavier as a single dad still mourning a lost wife.
And, as referenced earlier, Brown makes the character work so well, bringing his trademark blend of straight-arrow hero and complicated charm to the role.
James Marsden as President Cal Bradford
James Marsden in ‘Paradise’. Photo: Hulu.
Marsden’s President is a slightly smarmy, often drunken take on a Kennedy type of Commander in Chief, but the actor’s innate likeability still shows through the flaws and moods.
And yes, in case you were wondering, he does appear in more than the first 10 minutes of the show thanks to extensive flashbacks.
Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond, a member of the President’s coterie whose nickname is “Sinatra,” but to say much more about her would be to get too deep into the initial mystery.
Suffice to say, however, that Nicholson takes a role that could be one-note and, thanks to clever use of her own flashbacks, makes it work.
A genius psychologist brought in to help with the murder investigation, Torabi is a good role for Shahi, and she brings her usual likeability and spine of steel to the part.
McRaney, another ‘This Is Us’ alum, is good value as Cal’s crochety father who is still imposing despite a slow decline in health.
Final Thoughts
Sterling K. Brown in ‘Paradise’. Photo: Hulu.
How you react to ‘Paradise’ might depend on your tolerance for mystery box shows that dole out information piecemeal. However, unlike some recent examples, Fogelman’s effort puts some of its bigger cards out on the table early, allowing you to then delve into the wider story.
The characters for the most part work well and the writing, while occasionally overwrought, services a game cast.
And even the odd trope, such as one character promising to reveal what they know leading to an entirely predictable murder shortly thereafter is tweaked in such as way as to keep you from rolling your eyes too hard.
A7GKzzRmUOtAolpvPrptT7
What’s the plot of ‘Paradise’?
The series is reported to involve a Secret Service Agent (Sterling K. Brown) assigned to the protection detail of a former President (James Marsden).
All being well, Thurber should have the cameras rolling this month in Australia.
What’s the story of ‘Voltron’?
‘Voltron: Legendary Defender.’ Photo: Netflix.
‘Voltron’ has its roots in the Japanese sci-fi series ‘Beast King GoLion’ and ‘Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV’.
American production World Events bought the rights for the States, then edited and dubbed the series as a syndicated show, titling it ‘Voltron: Defender of the Universe’, which ran in the mid-1980s.
The premise focused on five young pilots in a battalion named the Robot Lions, which are vehicles that merge to form a mega robot known as Voltron and take on a variety of enemies.
The show in animated form has already been rebooted twice, once for the NickToon channel in 2011, while the current version is on Netflix.
K5dKiGYsXqtgpBfqmHEKc
It’s a compelling concept (one that has been referenced and parodied endlessly since its heyday) and a-live action version has been in development at different terms since the early 2000s.
The plot for the new movie, which Thurber wrote with Ellen Shanman, is a mystery for now, but we can expect a fair amount of giant robot combat.
This is what Thurber told fans at a ‘Voltron’ convention this past October:
“I want to make sure that we stay true to the heart and the spirit of ‘Voltron.’ In this film, we’re going to be introducing an entirely new generation of pilots. We’ve reimagined ‘Voltron’ for the live-action world, but we’re going to stay true to those iconic elements that you love, that I love.”
Who else will appear in ‘Voltron’?
Henry Cavill in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’. Photo: Daniel Smith.
The new recruits join Henry Cavill, who was cast in October, and Daniel Quinn-Toye, a relative newcomer whose previous screen credit was a tiny role in a BBC sitcom called ‘Badults’ that ran in 2013 and 2014.
But Quinn-Toye has one other job that caught the eye of Thurber and Amazon MGM studios: the 21-year old actor, who attended London’s Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts as well as the Dance School of Scotland, was the understudy to Tom Holland in the ‘Spider-Man’ actor’s big return to the theater world this past spring in the West End production of ‘Romeo & Juliet.’ He also had small roles in the play itself.
Brown, who was most recently seen in ‘American Fiction’ (for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination) and Netflix sci-fi thriller ‘Atlas’, is starring in and executive producing Hulu drama series ‘Paradise,’ created by Dan Fogelman, who helped Brown break out in ‘This is Us.’
The actor is due to begin production on Elegance Bratton’s ‘By Any Means’ opposite Mark Wahlberg, and recently wrapped production on Hulu’s limited series ‘Washington Black.’
While Ora is best known for her successful music career, she is increasingly taking acting and hosting jobs, and was last seen in Disney’s ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ (and is in the cast for the fifth outing of the popular franchise).
Amazon MGM Studios has yet to confirm a release date for the movie. Given the likely post-production/effects workload, 2026 would be a more sensible target given that production is only now about to kick off.
‘Voltron: Legendary Defender.’ Photo: Netflix.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Voltron’ Franchise:
Opening in theaters in limited release on December 15th and expanding wide on December 22nd, ‘American Fiction’ is one of the canniest and funniest satires to land in theaters for a long time.
Rooted in an assured, well-observed script adapted itself from a great book, Cord Jefferson’s feature directorial debut has a captivating lead performance from Jeffrey Wright, surrounded by a cadre of actors from which there are no false notes.
The subject of race in America and the wider world can often be a tricky one to tackle; and while that’s certainly the driving force in the movie, it’s one that it handles with such surety and creativity that you come away from the experience impressed and satisfied.
Percival Everett’s novel ‘Erasure’ was fueled by an incisive, angry look at how the Black experience can be commodified and packaged for guilt-ridden white audiences –– the better for it to be accepted into wider, whiter society.
That’s an even trickier narrative to make work in a movie, so Cord Jefferson –– who has form writing on shows such as ‘Watchmen’, ‘The Good Place’ and ‘Master of None’ but hadn’t directed a film before –– is to be lauded for how effectively he does it. ‘American Fiction’ might occasionally fall into the odd indie movie trope, but that doesn’t diminish its power or entertainment value.
Having worked in various writers’ rooms, Jefferson knows his way around an astute screenplay, and here he channels Everett’s book while also finding his own voice. The writing is witty and keenly observed, but it’s not all about the central premise –– the family story running alongside it (and sometimes taking prominence in the life of main character Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, (played by Jeffrey Wright) is given plenty of space and time to becoming just as involving.
As a director, Jefferson mostly lets his characters do the heavy lifting, aside from a couple of worthwhile meta sequences where creations come to life or the end of the film is edited and workshopped by two characters, this has an unassuming visual palette that gives the story prominence.
One or two moments do slip into standard indie movie style –– shots of characters contemplating their situation on a beachfront path as seagulls cry in the distance, waves lap the land and Laura Karpman’s score goes full ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ jingly jazz don’t help matters, but they are few and far between.
Much more successfully is how Jefferson has brought out the best in his cast, which we suppose isn’t too difficult given a cast this wonderful, but still counts for a lot.
Jeffrey Wright owns ‘American Fiction’, absolutely proving he’s one of the best actors of his generation, albeit one who doesn’t always get the chance to prove that (which just shows you why the conceit of the movie is worth exploring).
Here, Wright feasts on the role of Monk, giving life to Jefferson’s script in nuanced, creative and emotionally satisfying fashion. An intellectual author who teaches privileged, issues-led students at a Los Angeles college to make ends meet between publishing highbrow fiction (he’s shocked when he sees his work filed in the “African American” section and insists it be moved elsewhere, only to be informed by a nervy shop assistant that that’s not how chain stores work).
Monk is a fully realized, superbly rounded character, one who soon learns what he’s always feared; that he’s slowly pushed everyone and everything in his life away and is painfully lonely, even as he covers it with intelligent frustration. This is a funny, flawed, human man with many foibles tarring his intelligence. When he decides to write the ultimate “Black experience” book to poke fun at the sort of material that white publishers lap up, his career becomes much more successful, even as he’s terrified of what it all means, and his life slowly starts to spiral out of control.
But this is no monologue, and Jefferson has cast so very well around Wright that it’s hard to pick out the best of the ensemble. When you have the likes of Sterling K. Brown, Keith David, Tracee Ellis Ross, Leslie Uggams, Issa Rae and John Ortiz in fully fleshed out supporting roles, you know you’re in good hands. Everyone shines, helping to build Jefferson’s world and filling it with watchable moments.
‘American Fiction’ features a book awards ceremony at one point, and the voting process for the tomes that end up making it to the dais could well be read as a dig at the Oscars’ proclivity for movies such as 2004’s ‘Crash’ that claim to have insight on race relations.
Yet as a movie itself, the film is good enough to be in consideration for categories such as Best Actor (for Wright), Best Adapted Screenplay (for Jefferson) and more. It might be dealing with a difficult subject, but it makes the whole endeavor look easy. As film directing debuts go, Cord Jefferson scores a real winner, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
‘American Fiction’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
3JQe2O0gqPfvhnzaNUQYk2
What’s the story of ‘American Fiction’?
In ‘American Fiction’, Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who is fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes.
To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
Who else is in ‘American Fiction’?
Around Wright, the cast includes Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, Keith David, Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown.
‘Invincible’ Season 2 official trailer unveiled during New York Comic Con
Season 2 trailer teases multi-verse and dimension jumping
Who are the new characters in season 2?
It’s been over two years since the season one finale of ‘Invincible’. Finally, the second season is just around the corner. The first four episodes will air on November 3rd, with four more episodes releasing in early 2024.
The series, created by Robert Kirkman, premiered its first season on March 25, 2021. Before it was adapted into an animated series, ‘Invincible’ was a comic book series published by Image Comics.
The teaser trailer for season 2 was released on July 21, 2023, announcing the premiere date as well as returning and new voice talents. The official trailer was released during Prime Video’s panel at New York Comic Con.
Season 1 left us with Mark and his dad Omni-Man engaged in a brutal battle. The fight resulted in Omni-man fleeing Earth, and Mark Grayson was left clinging to life. Once Mark has healed in a special hospital. He and his mom Debbie went home to resume their lives, telling everyone that Nolan had passed away in an explosion.
In season 2, we’ll be introduced to new characters as Mark/Invincible faces new enemies, as well as his internal fear that he will turn out just like his father, “When I was a kid, I always wanted to be my dad.” says Mark in the trailer. “What if that happens?”
It seems like things will become quite devastating in this season. Toward the end of the trailer, a destroyed city sets the background as Mark appears on a large screen broadcasting a message to the people of Earth, “the more you resist, the worse this gets. And if you think you can stop us, don’t forget – I’m invincible.”
“For some, the pain will never fade.” The battle between Invincible and Omni-Man may be over for the time being, but as new threats arise while Mark tries to rebuild his life. One of the new villains this season is Angstrom Levy, voiced by Sterling K. Brown. Angstrom Levy is from the comics and has the ability to travel to other universes – so it looks like there’ll be some dimension-hopping this season.
Another character from the comics to be introduced in the upcoming season is the Shapesmith, and just as his name suggests, has the ability to shape-shift. He is a Martian and made his first appearance in Invincible issue #18 in 2004.
‘Invincible’ is created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. Executive producers for the series are Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Simon Racioppa, Margaret M. Dean, Rogen and Evan Goldberg, with Helen Leigh and Walker as co-executive producers.
Things have changed since then, however, as Deadline report that, while the film remains set up at the studio, only Washington is still attached from that original list.
Joe Carnahan, who wrote the movie with the superbly named Leon Chills, is stepping up to direct it.
‘Shadow Force’ follows an estranged couple with a bounty on their heads who must go on the run with their son to avoid their former employer, a shadow ops unit that has been sent to kill them.
Omar Sy, known for ‘Jurassic World’ and Netflix’s crime drama ‘Lupin’ is on board to star opposite Washington. Brown, though he’s no longer in the cast, is still a producer via his Indian Meadows Productions company.
Omar Sy in 2016’s ‘Inferno.’
“Omar is at the top of his powers – combined with his global stardom, he’s ideally suited to co-lead this action-drama with Kerry, whose talent as an actress and a producer is unbounded,” says Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President Nathan Kahane. “We’re thrilled to be working with the production team of Stephen, Kerry, Sterling, and Pilar, who have shepherded this story of a family in peril from the beginning, and with Joe, who will bring a unique, visceral style to the film.”
Carnahan, of course, has made a trademark of frenzied action movies, and most recently brought ‘Copshop’ and ‘Boss Level’ to the screen, both of which starred his regular collaborator Frank Grillo. Could that mean we’ll see Grillo pop up in ‘Shadow Force’ as part of the former employer-turned-threat? Don’t count out the idea.
Sy will be back on our screens this summer reprising his role as Barry Sembène in ‘Jurassic World Dominion’, which stomps in on June 10th and sees the original ‘Jurassic’ trio of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum reunited onscreen for more dino-chaos. And while there’s no set date, there should be another season of ‘Lupin’ on the way, which has proved to be one of the most entertaining series on Netflix’s roster.
With luck, ‘Shadow Force’ will actually kick off shooting this year, though we must admit we’re a little sorry to see Mahoney drop out of directing. Still, if Carnahan brings his visual zip and anarchic sentiments to the movie, it could be something really fun, and very different for Washington in particular.
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is finally set to make its triumphant return to the spotlight, with the Emmy-winning Amazon Prime series announcing a premiere date for its third season.
The show will be back just in time for the holiday season, with season three set to debut on December 6. “Mrs. Maisel” also dropped a new season three trailer, packed with the show’s signature witty banter (thanks, Amy Sherman-Palladino) and a brief glimpse of new guest star Sterling K. Brown.
Details about Brown’s character haven’t been revealed yet, and his appearance in the clip doesn’t give much away, either, though his presence alone is enough to get us excited. We see him approach Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager, Susie (Alex Borstein), on an airplane, wishing them “happy flying,” though Susie — mid-gulp of an adult beverage — doesn’t look particularly pleased.
Season three of the series follows Midge as she sets out on a stand-up tour of the U.S. and Europe, serving as the opening act for crooner Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain). Part of the season was shot in Miami, and the locale’s sun-kissed color palette lends an additional air of whimsy to the trailer. Looks like fans of “Mrs. Maisel” should be plenty happy with these new episodes.
Reigning Emmy-winning comedy “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will be getting even more marvelous in season three, thanks to the addition of another Emmy winner: “This Is Us” star Sterling K. Brown.
The Marvelous Mr. Brown announced the news himself in a video message on Twitter, where he oh-so-casually mentioned that “Mrs. Maisel” co-creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino created a role in the new season specifically for him.
“The Palladinos were kind enough to write a little something for your boy, and I going to be awesome.”
Season three of the series — which stars Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan as the titular jilted housewife-turned-burgeoning stand-up comic, Midge Maisel — is in production now. Though specific plot details haven’t been revealed, we know that at least part of the new season will be filmed in Miami, where Midge will make a stop on her comedy tour.
It’s not yet clear how many episodes Brown will appear in, but the ridiculously talented star can play pretty much anything (in 2019 alone, he’s starring in the eclectic trio of “Frozen 2,” “Angry Birds 2,” and the Blake Lively drama “The Rhythm Section”). We have no doubt that “Maisel” fans are in for a major treat.
