Tag: Movies

After several years away from the maelstrom of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — or even the adjacent corner he typically inhabited – everyone was more than ready to welcome back Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again. But as that series begins its second season, it seems like the Punisher is, once again, missing.

Thankfully, though, we know he will be going solo again very soon with The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming Marvel Special Presentation on Disney+ set to debut this May. But, you may be wondering, what is a “Marvel Special Presentation?” You may also be confused why Frank is on his own again. Let’s dive into what it means for the Punisher to make a skull-shaped hole on Disney’s streaming platform and how One Last Kill might tie into the character’s next appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Previously On The Punisher

(Photo by Jessica Miglio/Netflix)

One thing to consider is where the Netflix Punisher series left off. After finding allies in the United States intelligence apparatus, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) declined the chance to keep Punishing on behalf of Uncle Sam. That was, of course, many years ago, before the Blip that saw half of Earth’s population vanish for five years. While it will never matter whether or not Frank was Blipped — indeed, the very notion of it was unknown to Netflix and the makers of their Punisher series despite its second season airing in 2019 — Born Again’s canonization of that first Daredevil series and, likely, The Punisher, means his mental state still carries forward.

From his Born Again appearance, it’s clear Frank continued to Punish those whom he considered breaking the law. It is also clear Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) continued to find his methods unpalatable even as he turned to Frank for aid. Nonetheless, Frank assisted Daredevil as Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) anti-vigilante task force became more relentless in looking for them both.

In his final Born Again season 1 scenes, Frank busted out of prison following a pretty hellacious beatdown by AVTF agents. But as mentioned in the first episode of Born Again’s second season, Matt and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) have no idea what became of him in the six months of story time between the two seasons.

So, where is he?

According to reports, One Last Kill will see Frank living a life without the Punisher when a new development brings him back into the dark world he inhabited for, some would say, far too long. And considering the timing of Born Again, One Last Kill, and Brand New Day, the events of the special will likely put Frank back in New York for his “team up” with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man (Tom Holland).

The Special (And Bloody) Streets

(Photo by Marvel Television)

Since the special was filmed in New York City in the summer of 2025, it’s safe to assume Frank will be back in the 10 square blocks he and many of the other street-level Marvel characters protect, defend, and occasionally make a warzone. So expect it to still feel like the Manhattan of Born Again.

But just as important as the setting of One Last Kill is the format: a Marvel Special Presentation. First utilized for October 2022’s Werewolf by Night, a Marvel Special is a single-episode tale, running anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes. The second presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, was released a month later to coincide with that year’s winter holidays and to set up an important plot point in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It is currently unclear if One Last Kill will tee up something for Brand New Day — beyond Frank Punishing again — or be more freestanding like Werewolf by Night.

But considering the heaviness of the Netflix Punisher series, we can see how a one-off special would appeal to Marvel, Disney, and Bernthal himself. Frank’s grim journey is much easier to watch in smaller installments.

The Punisher And The Punished

(Photo by Giovanni Rufino/Marvel)

Naturally enough, Bernthal returns as Frank — a character often so static and caught up in his one motivation, that it will be interesting to see him make an earnest attempt at living a life with peace. Also, as the most consistent actor to play the Punisher, Bernthal has a unique perspective on the character. More on that in a moment.

Joining him for One Last Kill is Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle, a returning character from the Netflix series. In that program, he is a Navy veteran who runs a support group for those who, like him, lost limbs in combat. As revealed in the trailer, however, Curtis appears as one of several hallucinations plaguing Frank as he attempts to find peace. But even as an aspect of Frank’s mind, he makes a good philosophical foil.

Other actors in the special include Roe Rancell as Dennis and Mila Jaimes as Charli, with Chelsea Brea, Dominick Mancino, Evelyn O. Vaccaro, and Tom Johnson in undisclosed roles. Additionally, set photos reveal a Gnucci restaurant will be part of the plot, but it is unknown if the infamous Ma Gnucci from the “Welcome Back Frank” comic book storyline will finally make her debut. The Gnucci crime family was mentioned in at least one episode of The Punisher, with James J. Lorenzo appearing as Tony Gnucci.

That said, Ma Gnucci is the sort of adversary we’d love to see Bernthal’s Frank confront at some point.

Defining One Last Kill

(Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

Taking the helm of the special is Reinaldo Marcus Green, known for films like King Richard and the television miniseries We Own This City , both of which feature Bernthal. While his movies tend to be biopics, his TV work suggests the sort of grit needed for Frank’s war on crime. Green also co-wrote the script with Bernthal, who makes the leap to a creative on top of playing Frank.

One Last Kill first appeared in the actor’s mind during the troubled production of Born Again’s first season. Bernthal reportedly quit the series when it was meant to be a more lighthearted legal show. His concern: The producers were moving Frank away from what he believed Frank should be. But after the 2024 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Marvel replaced the show’s original creative team with Punisher veteran Dario Scardapane. Bernthal returned and offered some notes regarding Frank’s place in the story. The end result directly leads, at least emotionally, into One Last Kill. Reports indicate the special will be rated TV-MA, which is consistent with the Netflix Punisher series and the tone of Born Again‘s second year.

Executive producing the special is the Marvel Studios and Marvel Television team, which includes Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, and Sana Amanat — names that should be quite familiar from the Born Again credits and elsewhere. Amanat, for example, is one of the creators of Ms. Marvel. Green and Bernthal also serve as executive producers.

Other crew include director of photography Robert Elswit, known for There Will Be Blood and Nightcrawler; production designer Michael Shaw of Orange is the New Black fame; costume designer Emily Gunshor from Born Again; and editor Melissa Lawson Cheung, another Born Again veteran.

When The Punisher Resumes

(Photo by Marvel)

The Punisher: One Last Kill will debut May 12, 2026 on Disney+. The events of the special are reportedly concurrent with Born Again’s second season — which led some to believe it would be released at the same time as that series. Additionally, Bernthal said his scenes in Brand New Day will feel consistent with the character as seen in One Last Kill. Based on the glimpse of him in the film’s trailer, we’re not so sure. Then again, Spidey’s team-ups with Frank in the comics always end up both bloody and funny for those involved. Is it possible Frank will have a sense of humor? That remains to be seen.

Thumbnail image by Marvel Studios

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Rom-coms and horror IP were not enough to take down the two biggest movies of the year so far. Retro VHS carnage, first-person spot-the-difference strategery, and exotic locale romance were the new options against the Mario Galaxy and the one Ryan Gosling is hurling himself through to save us, and together the latter two have grossed over a billion dollars in theaters across the globe.

King of the Crop: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Holds Strong to Cross $300 Million Domestic

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie led the way once again this weekend, and though the hold wasn’t quite as impressive as its predecessor, it was hardly terrible either. Back in 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie fell just 36.9% to $92.3 million (the seventh-best second weekend ever at the time and now the 10th) after a $146.3 million weekend opening. That was after $58.2 million made on Wednesday and Thursday. Galaxy made $59.1 million on its pre-weekend weekdays and then opened to $131.7 million. Now in weekend two, it fell 47% but earned another $69 million to bring its 12-day total over $308 million.

That is the 23rd-best 12-day start ever. The first film had the 15th best with $353.1 million. These are all just informational statistics for a film that was already in profit by the end of its first weekend. Last summer’s Lilo & Stitch had a $61.8 million second weekend and is about $16 million behind where Galaxy is. Last year’s Jack Black video game adaptation, A Minecraft Movie, had a $78.5 million second weekend but ended up $1.4 million behind Lilo’s pace; it still ultimately held out to best its domestic run. But these are numbers that could be suggesting a finish in the $440-460 million domestic region for Galaxy. Globally the film has already crossed half a billion and then some with $628 million and will continue to charge forward to hit the whole billion.

Tales of the top 10: Project Hail Mary Continues to Soar, The Drama Isn’t So Divisive

Phil Lord & Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary is not going anywhere. Second place again with only a 23% drop in its fourth week added up to $24.5 million. Now with over $256 million, it has the seventh-best 24-day total for a March release ever and is still outpacing Dune: Part Two by about $23 million. That pace all but solidifies making it over $300 million. Among the 18 films to have grossed between $250-260 million in 24 days, there were still eight that didn’t make it. (Every film above $260 million has.) Then again, every film on the list to gross over $17 million in weekend four did. Project Hail Mary has crossed the half-billion mark worldwide with $510 million and still going strong.

Kristoffer Borgli’s divisive film The Drama, with Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, apparently wasn’t that divisive with audiences, as it fell a very respectable 39% in its second weekend and grossed $8.7 million. At $30.8 million, it is 10th on A24’s all-time chart and is their second-highest-grossing film after 10 days. (It would be Marty Supreme without the initial limited launch, but alas.) These numbers are closely aligned with that of Duncan Jones’ sci-fi actioner Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal, which had an $8.6 million second weekend and a 10-day total of $28.2 million. If people keep the conversation going on this, it is looking at a finish in the $50-55 million range, possibly even a tad higher. Worldwide the $28 million production is over $65 million.

After a string of exotic locale travel rom-coms populated streaming services over the years, one is finally back in theaters. Universal, the only major studio to counterprogram against Super Mario Galaxy this weekend (also put out by Universal, by the way), has released Kat Coiro’s You, Me & Tuscany with Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page into 2,500 theaters. The result was $8 million, slightly better than the studio’s release of Coiro’s last rom-com feature, 2022’s Marry Me with Anaconda co-stars Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. It opened to $7.9 million and finished with $22.4 million despite also being available on Peacock at the same time.

Tuscany has maintained a reasonable score with critics (68%), while Marry Me managed to just eke out a Fresh one (61%). In the post-pandemic world of streaming, the only films of Tuscany’s type to draw a sizable audience have been Anyone But You ($88.3 million) and Ticket to Paradise ($68.2 million), the latter also released by Universal. The studio’s Colleen Hoover adaptation of Reminders of Him looks like it will come up shy of $50 million, just as last fall’s Regretting You did. An additional $1 million this weekend gives it a domestic total of $47.4 million. It is over $80 million worldwide. Regretting You made $90.4 million globally.

Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers added $4.1 million to its domestic haul, which is now just over $157 million. That passes 2024’s release of Elemental, though it is still well shy of that film’s $496 million global take. It currently stands at $354 million and close to profit. 2017’s The Boss Baby, one of the last non-sequelized animated films to gross as much domestically, had a similar 38-day haul of $156.5 million but made $5.9 million in its sixth weekend. Hoppers has trailed off harder in part thanks to Mario Galaxy and may be looking at a $160-165 million final gross in North America.

Those from a certain generation will remember the VHS phenomenon of Faces of Death, which purported to show real deaths of humans and animals from various gruesome means including, infamously, the electric chair. Well, now it’s a new film utilizing that IP from the director of Cam and How to Blow Up a Pipeline. IFC just had its fourth-best opening ever with it in 1,600 theaters, grossing $1.7 million. That puts it just behind Late Night with the Devil ($2.83 million), last year’s Good Boy ($2.34 million), and In a Violent Nature ($2.15 million). It is their sixth film to open over a million dollars and just their 10th film to open in over 1,000 theaters. Right behind it was the video game adaptation Exit 8, which Neon released in just 495 theaters, and it grossed $1.4 million. Guess more people were into to that bit of IP. Neon’s release of Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers with Ian McKellen also grossed $80,000 in just four theaters.

Rounding out the top 10, we have Roadside’s release of A Great Awakening with $1.2 million to bring its total to $4.8 million. This is their highest-grossing release since The Last Showgirl at the end of 2024, which made $4.73 million, and 2021’s The Courier, which finished in the heart of the pandemic in March that year with $6.57 million. Finally, in the middle of it all, the BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Goyang had a live viewing in 1,189 theaters Saturday night, and it grossed enough in one night ($2.44 million) to finish sixth on the list this week.

On the Vine: A Little Something for Everyone

More horror next week as the director of Evil Dead Rise brings his possessive title, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, from Warner Bros., which is not coming off a great release for They Will Kill You. In limited release, look for David Lowery’s latest, Mother Mary, with Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. Then, we also have the documentary about Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, aptly title Lorne. And speaking of which, former SNL writer Bob Odenkirk stars in Normal from Ben Wheatley. And lastly, Janus Films also releases the family drama Blue Heron, which currently boasts a 100% on the Tomatometer based on 22 reviews.

Full List of Box Office Results: April 10-12, 2026

1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – $69.0 million ($308.1 million total)
2. Project Hail Mary – $24.5 million ($256.6 million total)
3. The Drama – $8.7 million ($30.8 million total)
4. You, Me & Tuscany – $8.0 million ($8.0 million total)
5. Hoppers – $4.1 million ($157.1 million total)
6. BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Goyang: Live Viewing – $2.4 million ($2.4 million total)
7. Faces of Death – $1.8 million ($1.8 million total)
8. Exit 8 – $1.4 million ($1.4 million total)
9. A Great Awakening – $1.2 million ($4.8 million total)
10. Reminders of Him – $1.0 million ($47.4 million total)

Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on Business First AM with Angela Miles and his Movie Madness Podcast. [box office figures via Box Office Mojo]

Thumbnail image by ©Universal Pictures

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Nearly eight years after Mockingjay, Part 2 closed the book on Katniss Everdeen’s fight for freedom, The Hunger Games is returning to the big screen with a brand new chapter. Following the success of 2023’s prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Lionsgate is once again taking audiences back to Panem… this time with a story fans have been eager to see brought to life.

Titled The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming film adapts Suzanne Collins’ latest novel and reunites director Francis Lawrence with producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. With a release date already set in stone, fans are looking forward to the newest installment in the franchise.

Here’s everything we know about The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

When Will it be released

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to release in theaters on November 20, 2026.

Who’s behind the new FILM?

(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

The creative team behind Sunrise on the Reaping reads like a reunion of Hunger Games veterans. According to Deadline, Francis Lawrence, who previously directed Catching Fire, both parts of Mockingjay, and the recent prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is set to return at the helm, bringing his seasoned vision back to Panem. The script is in the hands of Billy Ray, the screenwriter who first brought Suzanne Collins’ original novel to theaters, making this a full-circle moment for the franchise. Longtime producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson of Color Force are once again overseeing the production, with Cameron MacConomy on board as executive producer.

Who’s In It?

The cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is nothing short of stacked, pulling together an impressive lineup of rising stars, and award-winning legends to bring this prequel-sequel to life. Leading the charge is Joseph Zada (We Were Liars) as a young Haymitch Abernathy, the role made famous by Woody Harrelson in the original films. Producer Nina Jacobson has called casting Haymitch one of the biggest challenges of the production, noting the need to capture both the mischievous spark and the underlying depth that define the character.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Harry Potter) plays President Coriolanus Snow, stepping into the role previously portrayed by Donald Sutherland and Tom Blyth, with Jacobson calling his casting both a tribute to Sutherland and a personal dream fulfilled. Glenn Close joins as Drusilla Sickle, the razor-edged escort for District 12, while Billy Porter (Pose) plays her estranged husband, Magno Stift, the tributes’ reluctant fashion designer.

Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) plays Wiress, another District 3 victor mentoring the District 12 team, and Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under) takes on Mags, the tough but compassionate former champion from District 4.

(Photo by John Phillips, Victor Boyko, Jeff Spicer, NBC, Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images)

The film also introduces younger versions of familiar faces. From District 3, Kelvin Harrison Jr. appears as Beetee, here as a past victor whose son is a tribute in the Games, lending his tech expertise to sabotage efforts; Jeffrey Wright originated the role in the original Hunger Games film. Elle Fanning (The Great) steps into the role of Effie Trinket, originally portrayed by Elizabeth Banks, serving as Haymitch’s image-conscious stylist. Kieran Culkin (Succession) takes over as Caesar Flickerman, the Games’ slick and smarmy TV host, while Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog) plays a young Plutarch Heavensbee, years before becoming a rebellion leader, capturing the reaping for District 12.

Joining Haymitch from District 12 is McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, one of the other tributes from Haymitch’s home district, and Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl) as Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch’s girlfriend and a descendant of Rachel Zegler’s Lucy Gray Baird from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Ben Wang takes on the role of Wyatt Callow, District 12’s other male tribute with a knack for reading the odds, while Molly McCann plays Louella, the youngest tribute from the district, and Iona Bell appears as Lou Lou, Louella’s Capitol-appointed double.

According to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are set to mark their return in Sunrise on the Reaping. While the upcoming film takes place 24 before the first Hunger Games film, there’s an epilogue scene included in the Sunrise on the Reaping novel featuring an older Katniss and Peeta. Based on these reports, fans can expect to see the iconic duo back on screen once again.

WHAT IS THE STORY OF THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING?

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping marks the sixth installment in the blockbuster Hunger Games series. According to People, Collins’ 2025 novel bridges the gap between The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the events of Katniss Everdeen’s original story. Set 24 years before the first film, the story follows a young Haymitch Abernathy as he is thrust into the brutal 50th Hunger Games, better known as the Second Quarter Quell. This notorious event doubled the number of tributes from each district, making it the bloodiest Games in Panem’s history. Haymitch must navigate the deadly arena but also the manipulations of the regime. Along the way, fans can expect the film to dive into Haymitch’s relationship with love interest Lenore Dove.

The original Hunger Games films were a box office powerhouse, cementing the franchise as one of the most successful dystopian sagas in movie history. Kicking off in 2012, the first film earned over $690 million worldwide, a remarkable feat for a YA adaptation at the time. The 2013 sequel, Catching Fire, became the highest-grossing installment, raking in just over $865 million globally and topping the U.S. box office for the year. Along with the two-part finale, Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014) and Mockingjay, Part 2 (2016), the series’ total global earnings are just under $3 billion. The films also launched actress Jennifer Lawrence into global superstardom.

Are there any trailers?

The first Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping trailer has officially dropped. The film officially began production in Summer 2025 in Spain’s Somiedo Natural Park (via a social media announcement).

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to release in theaters on November 20, 2026.

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(Photo by Netflix)

One Piece is a story that simply keeps resonating with audiences no matter the medium. Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga is among the best-selling comics of all time, while the anime has been running for over 25 years and only growing in popularity. Then there’s the live-action remake from Netflix, which managed to surpass every expectation and debut to wide acclaim from critics and viewers alike. 

After the first season introduced audiences to a fantastical world of pirates and supernatural powers, season 2 deepened the world and the characters. We followed Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) and his pirate crew, the Straw Hats, as they ventured into the dangerous Grand Line ocean route. Along the way, they faced other pirates, giants, marines, and more while gaining allies throughout the journey. By the end, the Straw Hats gained a new crow in the adorable doctor Tony Tony Chopper (voiced by Mikaela Hoover) and were on their way to help Miss Wednesday aka Princess Vivi (Charithra Chandran) save her kingdom of Alabasta. But they’ll have to face both the remaining Baroque Works agents and their fearful leader, as well as a Marine Captain hellbent on bringing Luffy to justice.

Netflix confirmed a third season of One Piece even before season 2 premiered, but what will it look like? The Alabasta Arc of the anime and manga is remembered as one of the best in the story, a pivotal moment for One Piece as it grew from a fun adventure into a proper epic. This means the stakes are high for the live-action adaptation. So before you become King of the Pirates, get ready to set sail, because here’s what you need to know about One Piece: Season 3.

What will the plot of One Piece: Season 3 be?

(Photo by Netflix)

The main thrust of the season will be the fight to stop a civil war from breaking out in the kingdom of Alabasta. Ultimately, the Straw Hats have to defeat the remaining Baroque Works officers as well as their leader Mr. 0 aka Crocodile (Joe Manganiello), the head of the criminal syndicate. Based on how the story arc plays out in the anime and manga, the crew will face plenty of issues before they find Crocodile, including a shape-shifter, a man with a familiar bond to Luffy, an army of turtle-dugongs that know kung-fu, and much more. We’ll get to learn about Alabasta, its culture, and its tragic past.

We don’t know if One Piece: Season 3 will cover more than the Alabasta arc and go into the Jaya arc. In late 2025, Eiichiro Oda released a special message (via Twitter) saying that season 3 will “conclude the Alabasta Saga,” but he didn’t say whether the season will only focus on this one arc or not. Regardless, Alabasta is a much bigger story arc than what we’ve seen in One Piece until now, with huge battles, spectacular devil fruit powers, and an explosive climax.

Who can we expect to see?

(Photo by Casey Crafford/Netflix)

Plenty of the characters from season 2 of One Piece will return for season 3. In addition to our Straw Hats — Nami (Emily Rudd), Zoro (Mackenyu), Sanji (Taz Skylar), Usopp (Jacob Gibson) and Chopper — we know Charithra Chandran’s Vivi and Sendhil Ramamurthy’s Nefertari Cobra are returning, as are Callum Kerr’s Smoker and Julia Rehwald’s Tashigi. Meanwhile, in addition to Crocodile, Miss All Sunday (Lera Abova), aka Nico Robin, will return. 

As for new faces, season 3 will introduce the beloved character of Mr 2. Bon Clay (Cole Escola), a member of Baroque Works with a flamboyant style and a devil fruit that allows them to change into the shape of anyone they touch. We’ll also meet Mr. 1 Daz Bonez (Awdo Awdo), the highest-ranking male officer of Baroque Works who can turn any part of his body into a steel blade, as well as Miss Doublefinger (Daisy Head), the highest-ranking female Baroque Works officer, with the power to grow pointy spikes from any part of her body.

On the non-villain side, season 3 of One Piece will introduce Portgas D. Ace, a young pirate with a long history with Luffy. Ace will be played by Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña, a brilliant piece of casting fans have been asking for for years. Ace has the power to manipulate, create, and transform into fire, and is the 2nd division commander of the mighty Whitebeard Pirates.

Who is behind The New Season?

(Photo by Casey Crafford/Netflix)

Matt Owens, who developed the live-action adaptation of One Piece alongside Steve Maeda, officially left the show in March of 2025 to focus on his mental health. Joseph E. Tracz remained as showrunner to oversee post-production on season 2. Ian Strokes officially joined as co-showrunner for season 3.

Neither Tracz nor Strokes are strangers to the world of One Piece. Both served as writers on the show, with Ian Strokes writing episodes of both the first and second seasons, while Tracz wrote an episode of season 2.

When will it premiere?

(Photo by Casey Crafford/Netflix)

Unfortunately, considering season 2 only dropped on Netflix earlier this week, we don’t know yet. But we do know that season 3 filmed back-to-back with season 2, so the wait will hopefully be shorter this time around.

One Piece: Into the Grand Line is currently available to stream on Netflix.

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“Comedies, and especially rom-coms, are often overlooked and kind of marginalized, and I think this has to do with the fact [that] it’s a female-led genre, and there’s inherent sexism in the world,” Director Kat Coiro tells RT Awards Editor and Seen on the Screen podcast host Jacqueline Coley. “There’s this question that often gets asked: ‘Are we bringing the rom-coms back?’ [But] rom-coms have been here since the beginning. You look at the first short films, and they are rom-coms. Every generation has defining rom-coms. […] It’s not gone anywhere.”

No, it hasn’t. The latest one to hit theaters, You, Me & Tuscany, proved that rom-coms are here to stay when it cracked the top five at the box office during its opening weekend. And if anyone could be considered an expert on the genre, it would be Coiro, who has made a career out of bringing us the laughs and romance with such films as Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, and A Case of You, starring Justin Long and Evan Rachel Wood. Coiro’s latest has her taking a trip to Italy with Halle Bailey, who plays a young cook crashing the Tuscan getaway abode of a recent fling, and falling in love with the fling’s cousin (Regé-Jean Page).

But romantic comedies aren’t the only playground Coiro has directed in; she has a slew of TV credits, including the recent hit series Matlock. She also directed several episodes of Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and shares what she took away from the show. “I learned how to be a VFX Supervisor. [….] By the end of [She-Hulk], I could run VFX on a show because it was so intense.” Fingers crossed that Coiro’s next film is a romance between two giant green monsters.

Check out the full Seen on the Screen episode above, where Coiro also discusses being inspired by Nancy Meyers, her indie roots, and the “I’ll have what she’s having” cameo she gave to herself in You, Me & Tuscany.

You, Me & Tuscany is in theaters everywhere. Buy tickets now on Fandango.

Seen on the Screen is a Universal Entertainment and Fandango podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes.

Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment! Each episode invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors, and industry insiders. Blending sharp cinematic trivia with thoughtfully crafted interview questions, Jacqueline leads each guest through a rich, reflective journey into their lifelong relationship with entertainment. From the formative movie‑going experiences that shaped their artistic worldview to their career‑defining moves — asking them to reflect on the films that have rocked their world, scared the daylights out of them, and changed them forever.

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The award-winning series Beef is back for a second season, and the first reviews mainly agree that it’s worth the return. Lee Sung Jin’s anthology Netflix drama delivers a new story and cast this time, with Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton leading the narrative as clashing couples employed at an exclusive country club. The show’s plot is being criticized for being too much, but the performances are said to make it another watchable installment. Fans should understand that the first season was going to be hard to top anyway.

Here’s what critics are saying about Beef: Season 2:

Does it live up to the expectations left by the first season?

It’s every bit the excruciating masterpiece the first season was. Everything you hoped would come back to this series does.
— Kelly Lawler, USA Today

It remains a compelling look at ambition and avarice gone awry…Beef: Season 2 serves up another deliciously savage hunk of drama for you to sink your teeth into.
— James Mottram, NME

Beef Season 2 still maintains the electric unpredictability that is becoming a hallmark of the show.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

It’s a comic crime saga that demonstrates the difficulty of catching lightning in a bottle twice.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

I’m sorry to say I was disappointed with this, but that has more to do with how brilliant Season 1 was than what Season 2 delivers.
— Karina Adelgaard, Heaven of Horror

As a successor to a cultural phenomenon, Season 2 is a bit of a disappointment.
— Sara Clements, Next Best Picture

The wait for the third season… doesn’t feel particularly worth it, the show feeling stagnant.
— Tyler Doster, AwardsWatch

How does Season 2 compare to Season 1?

Season 1 of Beef was a masterful stroke of absurdity and consequence, but Season 2 is even better…There’s just more, well, meat here.
— Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch

If Beef Season 1 felt like watching an unsupervised pot repeatedly boil over, the second season operates at a well-maintained simmer.
— Allison Picurro, TV Guide

Beef Season 2 succeeds in cutting a distinct figure [compared] to its predecessor, but there are plenty of thematic connections.
— David Craig, Radio Times

There’s a lack of cohesion that stands in stark contrast to the tighter storytelling of its predecessor.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

While the new episodes don’t offer quite the same depth of character or adrenaline rush as the original, the show remains a sharply observed, virtuosically acted, and artfully shot study of human behavior at its ugliest.
— Judy Berman, TIME Magazine

It’s a weaker season than the first, but no less watchable.
— Alistair Ryder, Looper.com

Does it also just go bigger?

It’s a bigger season and, defying the odds, a better one.
— Ben Travers, IndieWire

Beef Season 1 held a mirror to everything we tend to worry over or take for granted…Season 2 takes this to the next level.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

Season 2 feels more like a Grand American Story, a parable about the destructive force of capitalism and how striving for something that seems better may just leave you worse off.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

In a bigger, more focused Season 2, that great show has finally revealed itself.
— Allison Picurro, TV Guide

It would have been nice to see some bigger swings taken this time around.
— David Craig, Radio Times

This expanded version of Beef has so many centers of gravity that the whole enterprise starts feeling adrift.
— Alison Herman, Variety

Is the tone a lot different?

Darker…just a sadder vibe.
— Karina Adelgaard, Heaven of Horror

The beef here is far less external; while Yeun and Wong kept going at each other with reactionary fervor, this season feels more like a slow burn of sniffing around into others’ business.
— Sara Clements, Next Best Picture

Beef makes use of its real secret weapon: a preternatural control of tone, swinging confidently from acidic to emotional to darkly humorous at the drop of a hat.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

How is the writing this season?

Lee expands on his interest in themes of marriage dynamics and class disparity. Those ideas are threaded together here even more elegantly than they were the first time around.
— Allison Picurro, TV Guide

Jin has big ideas to play with and trenchant aspects of contemporary American culture to pick apart…[in] a story that begins tightly contained and spins wildly and intentionally out of control.
— Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

It’s a lot of story, and this sprawling narrative doesn’t always work in Beef‘s favor.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

The plot turns can feel contrived even before the introduction of an incompetent cosmetic surgeon.
— James Jackson, The Times

Beef is never dull, but it’s not nearly as deep as it intends to be.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

Is this season just as funny as the first?

Lee maintains Beef‘s acidic sense of humor in its sophomore season, poking fun at both couples to great effect.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

Though Beef isn’t exclusively a dark comedy, its comic beats thrive with a tighter pace and stricter focus.
— Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

You won’t know whether to recoil in disgust or laugh at the absurdity on display, but such unpredictability only makes this even more appealing to binge-watch in as few sittings as possible.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

It doesn’t utilize the dark comedy edge nearly as much this time around. This is a real shame.
— Karina Adelgaard, Heaven of Horror

Will we like any of the characters?

Anyone who thinks we need likeable heroes and the purest of protagonists to root for is likely in for a rude awakening here.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

Lee takes his characters to their extremes, but they never stop being unmistakably human.
— Kelly Lawler, USA Today

Mulligan’s brittle Lindsay — a study in frustrated fury — may be unlikeable, but she is also compelling, nailing the marital doubts that can amplify in midlife.
— James Jackson, The Times

Everyone, rich or poor, is so unlikeable leaves no one to root for.
— Pat Stacey, Irish Independent

How is the cast this time?

The new cast is truly amazing.
— Karina Adelgaard, Heaven of Horror

Four exceptional lead performances that will be among the year’s very best.
— Alistair Ryder, Looper.com

Suffice it to say that the main quartet of Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton more than holds up their end of the bargain.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

The performances are uniformly and unsurprisingly excellent…just professionals demonstrating why their success is so justified.
— Alison Herman, Variety

They’re not only watchable, they create a sense of what the characters are thinking—or not thinking—in some of the quieter moments.
— Karen Gordon, Original Cin

All four performances are strong, but mostly resemble business-as-usual for these actors, which is disappointing when Season 1 was such a radical departure for both Yeun and Wong.
— David Craig, Radio Times

Does anyone in the ensemble stand out?

The season belongs to a never-better Isaac. He gives a knockout performance from beginning to end.
— Allison Picurro, TV Guide

It’s Isaac who gets the more deserving showcase, especially after years where it’s felt like Hollywood has had no idea what to do with him.
— Alistair Ryder, Looper.com

Mulligan is truly exceptional here, doing some career-best work.
— Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch

The clear exception is Melton, who showcases impressive comic talent as the rather dim-witted Austin.
— David Craig, Radio Times

The way Spaeny balances her character’s ferocity and terror create some of the season’s heartiest laughs and most moving revelations.
— Ben Travers, IndieWire

How does this season look?

The season is spectacularly shot by Moonlight cinematographer James Laxton, lensing raw intimacy as deftly as moments of surrealism.
— Erik Anderson, AwardsWatch

Lee and his co-directors, Jake Schreier and Kitao Sakurai, maintain a sleek visual style that evolves as the series progresses.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

This continues to be a show that doesn’t merely tell its story well, but knows how to dazzle as it does so.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm

Does this season end on a high note?

Believe me when I say that the destination is well worth the journey.
— Tyler Doster, AwardsWatch

Season 1’s harrowing masterpiece of a two-hander finale would’ve been impossible to replicate. So Lee smartly escalates in a different direction, ramping up to a stylish, Korea-set climax that recalls the anticapitalist thrillers, like Bong’s Parasite and Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, for which that country’s film industry is known.
— Judy Berman, TIME Magazine

Beef builds to it so efficiently that the genre jumping feels as surprising as it does inevitable.
— Allison Picurro, TV Guide

The final stretch of the season takes things in a Coen Brothers-inspired direction.
— Alistair Ryder, Looper.com

Perilous situations and a bit of aesthetic razzle-dazzle help distract attention away from the ho-humness of the narrative’s resolution.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

If the entire show had maintained the energy of its final episode, it could have been great.
— Sara Clements, Next Best Picture

Does it leave us wanting a third season?

Lee Sung Jin has proven without doubt that Beef works as an anthology and, with any luck, there will be more sizzling, bloody servings to come.
— David Craig, Radio Times

The show left me with so much to think about and so many details to be amused by that I hope Lee Sung Jin has the opportunity to show us what else Beef can be.
— Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

It’s a lot of story, and this sprawling narrative doesn’t always work in Beef‘s favor.
— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

If we can go back to smaller-scale character drama next time, the series will be much stronger for it.
— Alistair Ryder, Looper.com

BShould the series continue onward, it’d be wise to plumb personal and social ills by again tapping into the everyday rage and frustrations—and the minor conflicts that escalate into major crises—that were the lifeblood of its breakout debut.
— Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

Beef: Season 2 premieres on Netflix on April 16.

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The latest: CinemaCon 2026 has wrapped! Relive all the exciting moments by checking out our interviews below, covering such hotly anticipated titles as Spaceballs: The New One, Avengers: Doomsday, Jackass: Best and Last, Scary Movie, I Play Rocky, and Street Fighter!

We’re at CinemaCon 2026, and interviewing some of the biggest names in film and television! This includes Milly Alcock clashing with Jason Momoa as they discuss Supergirl, Director Takashi Yamazaki talking about the upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero, and Adam Scott gushing over horror film Hokum. Watch all the interviews below, and keep checking back as we update the page everyday with new interviews.

Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, and director Craig Gillespie join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to tease their highly-anticipated addition to the DCU, Supergirl! Alcock shares how Supergirl has a more chaotic moral compass than her cousin, Superman. Momoa describes how it feels to finally play his favorite superhero, Lobo. And director Craig Gillespie gushes about the accessibility, vunerability and strength of his all-star cast. Supergirl hits theaters June 26, 2026!

Billie Eilish and James Cameron join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to discuss their new concert film, Billie Eillish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour. Billie Eilish explains why, after a long layoff from concert films, she believes this was the perfect time and way to give the fans a peek behind the curtain. James Cameron details the groundbreaking film techniques he uses to achieve a one-of-a-kind experience, and both share their favorite movie snacks and theater-going experiences. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour hits theaters May 8, 2026!

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and directors Joe & Anthony Russo join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at 2026 CinemaCon to share new details on Avengers: Doomsday! They discuss why it was important to them to bring Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans back into the fold, how they balance the huge scale of the film while giving each character their own heart and complexity, and give tips on how they manage a colossal film project. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18, 2026!

Director/Co-writer/Producer Jon Favreau joins Fandango correspondent Zuri Hall to discuss into the mystery of the Hutts, how switching from a television to a movie format allowed for bigger sets and more visually astonishing camera shots, and what it was like to direct Martin Scorsese in a Star Wars movie! Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters May 22!

Johnny Knoxville joins Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to discuss the “last hurrah” in the legendary ‘Jackass‘ saga. Knoxville shares why the team felt so passionate about going for broke with this last movie, shares some of this favorite pranks of all time, and how director Spike Jonze came in to elevate the scope and style of the opening and ending! Jackass: Best and Last hits theaters June 26, 2026!

Noah Centineo, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Andrew Koji, and Callina Liang join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak to talk about their highly-anticipated movie, Street Fighter! They share how important it was to adapt the movie as a love letter to fans, jam packing the film with easter eggs. They talk about the incredible stunt work that went into creating the movie’s unmatched combat scenes. And they share stories of donning their iconic costumes and playing their favorite characters. Street Fighter hits theaters October 16, 2026!

Anna Faris, Marlon Wayans, and Shawn Wayans join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to describe what it was like reuniting for the new revival of Scary Movie! Anna Faris talks about what convinced her to come back after so many years, they share how they decided what to spoof this go-around, and where their characters are at in their lives now. And it’s a little unhinged! Scary Movie hits theaters June 5, 2026!

LaKeith Stanfield sits down with Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley at CinemaCon 2026 to share details on Boots Reley‘s eclectic new film I Love Boosters. He describes the boundary-pushing scope and style of the picture, how they experimented with camera shots never tried before, and how within the entertaining story is a message apropos to the time we are living in. I Love Boosters hits theaters May 22, 2026!

Director Takashi Yamazaki joins Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley at CinemaCon 2026 to discuss the new state of affairs in the world of Godzilla Minus Zero. He shares how it’s important to come into the movie with a clean slate, how the post-World War II time period and a more global scope will factor into the film, and which Godzilla iterations of the past inspired his take on the iconic kaiju. Godzilla Minus Zero hits theaters November 6, 2026!

Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Josh Gad, Lewis Pullman, and director Josh Greenbaum join Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley to share details about Spaceballs: The New One, the upcoming sequel to Mel Brooks‘s classic comedy. They detail how the sequel came to be 40 years after the original film’s release, Rick Moranis shares what it felt like to don the legendary helmet once again, and they discuss how father-son generational elements connect the past and the present. Spaceballs: The New One hits theaters April 23, 2027.

Hugh Jackman and Nicholas Braun sit down with Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley to share their experience working on The Sheep Detectives. Hugh Jackman details how the charm of the story convinced him to take the role of shepherd George Hardy, Nicholas Braun talks about a few of his favorite mystery movies, and both share the unique way they worked with their “sheep” acting partners. The Sheep Detectives hits theaters May 8!

Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Stephan James, Kiki Seto, and director Peter Farrelly talk about how their Sylvester Stallone biopic came to be! Peter Farrelly shares the unlikely journey that the script took to finally make it into his hands. Anthony Ippolito details the steps he took to embody both Stallone and Rocky. And, the whole cast shares what their favorite Rocky movie is! I Play Rocky hits theaters November 13, 2026.

Adam Scott Says Hokum Blends Horror with Levity to Keep You Off-Balance

Adam Scott joins Fandango correspondent Jacqueline Coley to share why Hokum, the upcoming horror picture in which he stars, is the perfect movie to see on the big screen. He describes how the Irish countryside is both the most beautiful and perhaps the most scary place on Earth, how director Damien McCarthy‘s filming style could “scare the s*** out of [him]” with even the most subtle shot, and how funny moments create a mood for the audience that intensifies the scary moments. Hokum hits theaters May 1, 2026!

Williamn Franklyn-Miller joins Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to discuss his transformation into George Washington. He shares his enthusiasm for taking on such a legendary historic figure in his first starring role, why it is important to examine the period of Washington’s life before he became the first President, and how it felt going toe-to-toe in scenes with lauded actors like Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, and Kelsey Grammer. Young Washington arrive in theaters July 3, 2026!

Yash & Namit Malhorta Tease Ramayana as the “Foundational Story of Indian Culture”

Writer/Producer Namit Malhorta and Ravana actor Yash join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to discuss all things Ramayana. They share how the timeless story represents the belief system that has inspired generations, compare the movie to epics like Avatar and Gladiator, and how audiences can expect a war of noble causes in this two-part saga. Ramayana will release in theaters November 8, 2026!

Buddy the Dog & Director Robert Vince Talk Stunts and Snacks Ahead of Air Bud Returns

Buddy the Dog and director Robert Vince join Fandango correspondent Nikki Novak at CinemaCon 2026 to share why now is the perfect time to revive the beloved Air Bud franchise! Buddy brags about how he did his own stunts (what a showoff!), the director shares details about how canine casting and directing dog-forward basketball games work, and Buddy reveals his favorite movie treats. Air Bud Returns hits theaters January 22, 2027! 

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CinemaCon 2026 has come and gone, and we’re still reeling from all the big reveals and special surprises that came to us during all of the studio presentations. RT was on the ground in Las Vegas, and there’s been a lot to talk about. Check out all the latest news with everything we’ve learned, and be sure to follow our coverage on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and more!

See Also: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans Stun Crowd with Avengers: Doomsday Trailer

(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images)

It has been a while — six years, to be precise — since we’ve seen all of Marvel’s mightiest heroes gathered in one film, so anticipation has been understandably high for Avengers: Doomsday, recent franchise doldrums notwithstanding. Thankfully, Marvel and Disney did not disappoint with their presentation on Thursday, bringing out directors Joe and Anthony Russo and stars Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to debut the first full-length trailer for the fans.

The footage begins with a shot of Professor X inside the X-Mansion witnessing a flash of light outside, followed by Doctor Doom (Downey) landing outside the mansion as Downey, in an accented voice, speaks in voiceover. The trailer reveals shots of Gambit (Channing Tatum) fighting Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Yelena Belova fighting Mystique shapeshifted into her own image, and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fighting Doctor Doom, plus the Fantastic Four, the Thunderbolts (aka New Avengers), Namor (Tenoch Huerta), and, in the trailer’s biggest moment, Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers emerging to wield Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir.

The audience response was understandably electric, and it was probably the smartest way for Disney to end its presentation. Avengers: Doomsday is set to open in theaters on December 18.

Buzz and Woody Battle Tech in Toy Story 5 Clips

(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images)

Tom Hanks and Tim Allen took the stage to debut first-look footage at Pixar’s upcoming Toy Story 5, offering more context for the film. Disney provided two clips for the audience, the first of which sees young Bonnie being enamored with a tablet in the shape of a frog called Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee. When Bonnie leaves the room, Jessie (Joan Cusack) confronts Lilypad about taking Bonnie away from her friends, to which Lillypad responds by sending friend requests to the other kids in Bonnie’s dance class. As Jessie attacks Lillypad out of frustration, Bonnie returns, the toys turn inanimate, and Bonnie delights at the new friends she now has through Lillypad.

The second clip shed light on another storyline in the film, as Hanks’ Woody returns — a little worse for wear after his time away from the gang — to help, and the old rivalry between him and Allen’s Buzz reignites as they squabble over who will lead the effort to save the toys.

Both Hanks and Allen joked about how old they felt when they recently looked back at footage of themselves working on the original Toy Story back in 1995, but most of the rest of us are just glad they’re still at it. Toy Story 5 opens in theaters on June 19.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Debuts First 17 Minutes of Footage

(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Jon Favreau also made a big splash for the Star Wars fans, as he appeared on stage to present The Mandalorian and Grogu. It wasn’t just an update on the film or a mere hype session, however; Favreau shared the first 17 minutes of the film with the audience.

Favreau began by talking about how “Star Wars made me fall in love with movies,” explaining that he saw the movie for the first time with his father and that he hoped that same enthusiasm would translate for fans seeing this film for the first time. He then debuted the new trailer, after which he said he wished he could show more. And that’s when he shocked everyone by presenting the 17-minute opening of the film.

The scene begins with a secret meeting of Empire sympathizers that Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin has infiltrated. As things get tense, he reveals himself and makes his escape, taking out an entire Empire base in the process. With Grogu by his side, Mando commandeers an AT-ST walker and takes on the much larger AT-AT walkers before flying back to regroup with with Ward, a New Republic leader played by Sigourney Weaver. Ward initially scolds Mando for killing his target but hands out his next assignment, namely to rescue a Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) from rival gangsters.

The explosive footage helped alleviate concerns for some who worried the film would feel like a mere extended episode of the Disney+ series, and there was plenty of Grogu sweetness to go around, too. Fans of the show and Star Wars on the big screen should all be excited for the film, which releases in theaters on May 22.

Other Updates

(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images)

• Disney announced a new premium large format initiative that it calls Infinity Vision, meant to “signify to audiences which auditoriums offer the biggest, brightest, and most immersive cinematic experiences.”
• Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia introduced an exclusive look at the upcoming live-action Moana, in theaters on July 10.
• Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones were announced as the stars of an upcoming Disney animated film called Hexed, about a teenage girl who discovers witchy secrets about her family.
• Queen Latifah, Denis Leary, and Ray Romano came on stage to talk about the next chapter of the Ice Age franchise, Boiling Point, and debuted a sneak peek at the film’s opening sequence.
• New footage and trailers were presented for films Whalefall, The Dog Stars, and Wild Horse Nine.

Bruce Buffer Introduces Street Fighter Cast and New Trailer

(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

During Paramount’s presentation, legendary ring announcer Bruce Buffer to instruct the audience to “get your coins ready as we travel back to 1993.” Buffer then went on to introduce several members of the cast including David Dastmalchian (M. Bison), Callina Liang (Chun-Li), 50 Cent (Balrog), Roman Reigns (Akuma), Olivier Richters (Zangief), Andrew Schulz (Dan), Cody Rhodes (Guile), Noah Centineo (Ken), and Eric Andre (Don Sauvage).

50 Cent stated that the film has to be seen on the big screen, and Richters brought out an old TV to cue the new trailer. Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16.

Johnny Knoxville Debuts Trailer for Jackass: Best and Last

(Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

Johnny Knoxville stunned fans earlier this year when he announced that a new Jackass movie would be coming to theaters this summer, and he was on hand at Paramount’s CinemaCon presentation to offer the first look at the film’s trailer. Knoxville explained that he knew this was going to be the last one, so they went “extra hard” on it to make the best Jackass ever. Accordingly, Knoxville revealed that the official title for the film would be Jackass: Best and Last.

The trailer showed archival footage of past stunts and cast members, including the late Ryan Dunn, as well as some of the new stunts in the film. They included things like penis shock collars, an escape room, and prostate exam given to Steve-O by a robot. Jackass: Best and Last opens in theaters on June 26.

Billie Eilish and James Cameron Reinvent the Concert Film

(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

Billie Eilish and James Cameron came on stage to talk about their collaboration on Eilish’s concert film Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft. They touted the film as the best way to see a concert, while Cameron went into detail on the new tech employed to make the film a reality. Specifically, he called out a camera the size of a pack of ciagarettes that was used to offer the closest perspective possible, making the audience feel like we’re on the stage with Eilish. Afterwards, the pair debuted an extended look at the film, as audience members were provided with 3D glasses for the experience.

Scary Movie Prepares to Offend Everybody

(Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

Shawn and Marlon Wayans and Anna Faris took to the stage to hype up their upcoming return to the Scary Movie franchise, pushing back against the idea that R-rated comedies don’t work: “F— that!” Marlon Wayans then stated, “We are equal opportunity offenders. Nobody is safe,” before unfurling a comically long scroll to indicate the list of people they’ll likely need to apologize to, including “white people, Black people, off-white people, Mexicans, Mexican’ts,” and more.

The trio then debuted a new trailer for the film, which of course included a slew of timely pop culture references to things like Get Out, Weapons, Sinners, and The Substance. Scary Movie is set to open in theaters on June 5.

Other Updates

(Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

• It was announced that a new Top Gun is movie is currently in development, though we didn’t get any further details.
• Teyana Taylor is making her feature directorial debut with Get Lite, following in the footsteps of classic Paramount dance movies like Saturday Night Fever, Footloose, and Save the Last Dance.
• Johnny Depp presented a first look at Ti West’s upcoming horror-tinged Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.
• We got new looks at Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie and Angry Birds 3.
• The David Corenswet sports biopic Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story revealed its full title and first-look footage.
• The Brad Pitt-and-dog survival adventure
• Director Gina Prince-Bythewood and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, and Thuso Mbedu previewed the upcoming fantasy adaptation Children of Blood and Bone.

CinemaCon 2026 runs from Sunday, April 12 to Thursday, April 16, with studio presentations taking place on Monday through Thursday. Here’s what the schedule currently looks like:

Monday, April 13: Angel, Sony Pictures Classics, STUDIOCANAL; Sony Pictures Entertainment
Tuesday, April 14: Neon; Warner Bros.
Wednesday, April 15: Universal Pictures and Focus Features; Amazon MGM Studios
Thursday, April 16: Paramount Pictures; Walt Disney Studios

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Last week, horror IP and a rom-com could not move audiences away from the cartoon plumbers and the amateur astronaut. So this week a mummy, action star Bob Odenkirk, and Theo Von(?) gave it a shot. No dice. People are still locked into the two biggest films of the year, and we have not had a pair of films do so well this early in the year since 2016 when Deadpool, Zootopia, and Batman v Superman had already posted over $300 million each and Disney’s live-action The Jungle Book was just getting started.

King of the Crop: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Leads for Third Week in a Row

Only Brendan Fraser’s mummy could have defeated Mario this weekend, but that won’t be out until 2028. In the meantime, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie led the way for a third straight week, the first film to do that since Avatar: Fire & Ash. Mario brought in another $35 million of family business to bring its 19-day total to $355.2 million. That ranks 26th all time, but how does it line up with another sequel to a mega-blockbuster? Avengers: Age of Ultron had a $38.8 million third weekend with $367.4 million in the bank. Galaxy also has symmetry with another Marvel film, Captain America: Civil War, which was just displaced to 27th all time with $353.1 million after 19 days and a $32.9 million third weekend. The 48.6% dip for Mario (compared to the 35% third weekend dip for the original) has lowered its domestic estimate from $440-460 million last week to perhaps $420-430 million. But every dollar is profit at this point, and worldwide the Galaxy Movie has reached $747 million. Is a billion still in the cards for it, though?

Tales of the top 10: Project Hail Mary Holds Steady, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Opens in Third

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s Project Hail Mary is just cruising towards its next milestone. Already reaching half a billion across the globe last week, it now has over $285 million of that on the domestic side. Forget Dune: Part Two, as it has already passed that. The film it is most-closely trending is (well, look at that) Disney’s 2016 live-action version of The Jungle Book. Like Hail Mary’s $24.1 million fourth weekend, that film had $24.4 million. The weekend after, Jungle made $17.1 million, while Hail Mary made $20.4 million in its fifth. The latter would still need a little boost to catch Jungle’s overall numbers, but the pattern suggests a run towards the $330-340 million region. That means $600+ million worldwide is definitely happening. (It is currently over $573 million.) It is also just the 12th film ever to gross over $20 million in its fifth weekend of wide release, plus this could rank as the highest-grossing “original” film since the first Zootopia in 2016. How about that?

Joining the likes of John Carpenter and M. Night Shyamalan as horror auteurs getting their name ahead of the title (or just a way to not confuse people with the Brendan Fraser films), Lee Cronin’s The Mummy debuted to $13.5 million, the fourth-best horror debut of the year after Scream 7 ($63.6 million), Send Help ($19.1 million) and Iron Lung ($17.8 million), while just ahead of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple ($12.5 million). It would have been the ninth-best debut in 2025, a banner year for original horror with Sinners and Weapons. But Cronin’s Mummy barely bested Him. Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise opened to $24.5 million on roughly the same weekend on 2023 and finished with over $67 million. Critics gave that film a positive 85% while Mummy has fallen to 45%. The $22 million production has already grossed $34 million globally.

This weekend, Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama became the eighth-highest grossing film in A24’s history. Another $4.8 million in weekend three puts it at $39.6 million. In 2023, Ben Affleck’s Air made $5.4 million in its third weekend and stood with over $37 million. The Drama is right in that pace and is still targeting a $50-55 million finish, which would make it the third R-rated film of the year to clear that number. Last year there were 12, including five over $100 million.

Last week’s exotic locale rom-com, You, Me & Tuscany, fell to $3.8 million this weekend to bring its total to $14.3 million. The numbers right now are behind those of Monte Carlo, the 2011 Selena Gomez girls trip film which had $16.1 million after a $3.8 million second weekend. It finished its run at $23.1 million. Tuscany’s numbers unfortunately share a remarkable consistency with films involving Black romances. Apart from star-driven films like Hitch and Boomerang and ensemble pieces like the Think Like a Man and The Best Man films, here is a list of said films over the years:

How Stella Got Her Groove Back ($37.6 million), Poetic Justice ($27.5 million), Love & Basketball ($27.4 million), Brown Sugar ($27.3 million), Two Can Play That Game ($22.2 million), Love Don’t Co$t a Thing ($21.9 million), Just Wright ($21.5 million), Jason’s Lyric ($20.8 million), The Photograph ($20.5 million), Deliver Us From Eva ($17.5 million), Love Jones ($12.4 million), Something New ($11.4 million)

Tuscany may struggle to reach $20 million. One film not on the list worth finding is Raine Allen-Miller’s Rye Lane with David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah, which debuted at Sundance in 2023 but was only released on Hulu and never given a chance to find its audience in theaters.

Here is some positive news for theatrical distribution, though. Magnolia Pictures, the longstanding indie staple that has released films such as Melancholia, Bong Joon-Ho’s The Host, and Let the Right One In, among others, just had its biggest opening ever. Yes, it is only their second wide release and their first to ever open in over 2,000 theaters, but Ben Wheatley’s action film Normal, with Bob Odenkirk, cracked the top 10 with $2.65 million. Their previous leaders included Woman Thou Art Loosed ($2.5 million) in 2004 and Thelma with June Squibb ($2.3 million) in 2024. If the estimates hold, Normal is already their 17th-highest grossing film ever. As long as it doubles its opening weekend, it will be in the top five. Congrats, Magnolia.

Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers should be close to victory for them as it continues to chip away at its costs. An additional $2.9 million this weekend brings the film over $161 million domestic. It has also crossed $206 million on the international side, which is among the lowest global hauls for one of their productions. Only Lightyear, Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and The Good Dinosaur grossed less thus far. Inside Out 2 has been the only Pixar release to cross half a billion globally ($1.69 billion actually) since the pandemic, though Elemental got close with $496 million.

Rounding out the top 10 this week is Busboys, a comedy with David Spade and podcaster Theo Von, of which Blu-ray.com’s Brian Orndorf said, “If there’s a worse film… in 2026, I’ll be shocked.” The Mind Blowing Films release grossed an estimated $1.65 million in 800 theaters. Hindi horror comedy Bhooth Bangla managed $950,000 in 500 theaters. Finally, another viewing of the BTS World Tour “Arirang” in Japan made another $1.8 million Saturday night after grossing $2.44 million last Saturday as well.

Beyond the Top 10: Mother Mary Opens Decently in Limited Release

David Lowery’s new film with Anne Hathaway, Mother Mary, opened to $168,000 in just five theaters in New York and Los Angeles. A24 currently owns the three best per-theater averages of the year for releases in two theaters or more, including The Moment ($106,985), Pillion ($60,442), and now Mother Mary ($33,613)

Neon expanded Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers into 364 theaters, and it grossed $596,000 for a total of $702,000. Neon’s Exit 8 did $669,000 for respective totals of $3.1 million and $2.8 million. Focus Features’ release of the documentary about the creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne, grossed just $270,000 in 414 theaters for only a $652 PTA.

Falling out of the top 10 this week, Roadside’s A Great Awakening added $823,667, bringing its total to $6.6 million. The film now ranks 18th all time on the studio’s theatrical releases, soon to be passing Winter’s Bone with Jennifer Lawrence and The Courier released in March 2021. IFC’s Faces of Death fell 81.8% to $300,000 to bring its total to $2.44 million. Finally, Universal’s Colleen Hoover adaptation, Reminders of Him, made $450,000 to  bring its total to $48.2 million.

On the Vine: Michael Set to Thrill Audiences

Next week, Mario and Ryan are going to give way to Michael. Antoine Fuqua’s delayed-by-third-act-reshoots biopic of the one-time King of Pop is expected to get off to a big start for Lionsgate. IFC is releasing Jorma Taccone’s remake of Tommy Wirkola’s The Trip, Over Your Dead Body, with Jason Segel and Samara Weaving as the spouses planning to kill each other.

Full List of Box Office Results: April 17-19, 2026

1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – $35.0 million ($355.2 million total)
2. Project Hail Mary – $20.4 million ($285.0 million total)
3. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy – $13.5 million ($13.5 million total)
4. The Drama – $4.8 million ($39.6 million total)
5. You, Me & Tuscany – $3.8 million ($14.3 million total)
6. Hoppers – $2.9 million ($161.1 million total)
7. Normal – $2.6 million ($2.6 million total)
8. BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Goyang: Live Viewing – $1.8 million ($4.2 million total)
9. Busboys – $1.6 million ($1.6 million total)
10. Bhooth Bangla – $950,000 ($050,000 total)

Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on Business First AM with Angela Miles and his Movie Madness Podcast. [box office figures via Box Office Mojo]

Thumbnail image by ©Universal Pictures

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“When I was a kid and I would go to the movie theater… I remember just feeling like I went on a ride… I haven’t felt that in a long time. And when they locked me in a room and let me read the script for The Mandalorian and Grogu, I felt that. And then being on set, what I saw was the kind of thing that made my mouth drop when I was a kid.”

That was Pedro Pascal’s response when Fandango correspondent Perri Nemiroff asked him why he believed Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu would be regarded as an iconic cinematic adventure. “It was a feeling of true adventure with characters that are grounded in real relationships and a visual experience that comes from Jon [Favreau’s] imagination, where I feel like he just gets to go all out on this one,” Pascal continued.

The Star Wars franchise has been absent from movie theaters for six years since the 2019 release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and it’s Pascal who takes up the mantle this May. After three seasons on Disney+’s Tha Mandalorian, Pascal returns to play Din Djarin, the bounty hunter who reluctantly becomes the guardian of a force-sensitive “Baby Yoda” named Grogu, who becomes his sidekick.

(Photo by Nicola Goode/Lucasfilm)

The film picks up after the downfall of the Empire as the New Republic rises up to reestablish order, and Din is tasked with hunting down Imperial sympathizers. His handler, a New Republic colonel named Ward (Sigourney Weaver), sends him — and Grogu — on a mission to rescue Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White), son of Jabba, in exchange for information on a new target.

Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and director Jon Favreau all sat down for a Fandango Big Ticket interview to chat about the film ahead of its release, offering insight into their characters and what the film means to them. Pascal reflected on what he felt watching movies as a child and how being a part of this film has provided him the same feeling, while Weaver talked about why joining the Star Wars franchise is uniquely special. Favreau not only brought us up to speed on what Mando and Grogu have been up to since the series ended, but explained why casting Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt was so important and how filming in IMAX changed everything.

Check out the full interview above, and get your tickets to Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu on Fandango.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu opens in theaters on May 22, 2026.

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