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Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.News HooperThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the creation of a competitive award for achievement in stunt design beginning with the 100th Academy Awards in 2028. “Stunts are essential to every genre of film and rooted deep in our industry’s history,” says filmmaker and stunt performer David Leitch, who led the initiative. The Academy also announced that members are now required to watch all nominated films in each category to participate in the final round of Oscar voting, though it's currently unclear how such a measure will be enforced.Director Ryan Coogler negotiated a rights-reversion agreement with Warner Bros. for Sinners (2025) under which he becomes the owner of his film 25 years after its release.

Season 1 of Squid Game landed in 2021 like a bombshell, becoming Netflix’s most-watched series ever. It wasn’t just a show; it was a cultural phenomenon. By the time Season 2 rolled around, expectations were sky-high. While it broke records, it didn’t quite grab the world by the throat the way its predecessor did.

Was it too much competition from other streaming hits? Or just the challenge of following an iconic debut? Either way, Season 3 has shaped up to be the series’ final act, and I’m already pacing with anticipation. Will Gi-hun finally dismantle the games? What’s the deal with those stolen organs? And can we get some closure for, well, anyone?

Here’s my wishlist of everything I’m dying to see when Squid Game returns. Get ready for wild theories, emotional reunions, and maybe even a few deaths that’ll leave us sobbing into our popcorn.

The anticipation builds for the upcoming episode of “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light” as Season 2 reaches its sixth chapter, titled “Light.” This gripping episode airs on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at 9:00 Pm on PBS. Fans of the series can expect a dramatic turn of events that will leave them on the edge of their seats.

In this episode, Thomas Cromwell faces a perilous situation. Stripped of his titles and power, he finds himself imprisoned in the Tower, accused of treason. The stakes have never been higher for Cromwell, a character who has navigated the treacherous waters of Tudor politics with cunning and intelligence. As the episode unfolds, viewers will witness the unraveling of his carefully constructed world and the consequences of his past decisions.

The tension is palpable as Cromwell confronts his enemies and reflects on the choices that led him to this moment. The episode promises to delve deep into themes of loyalty,...

When Jar Jar Binks first appeared in Star Wars, people didn't respond to the character very well. Yet there's no denying that the technology used to create him set the groundwork for computer-generated characters to come.

The actor who played Jar Jar, Ahmed Best, was subjected to years of bullying over his portrayal of the character. Thankfully, he was able to come out the other side of it. Now he's spoken with ScreenRant at Star Wars Celebration while helping to promote Light & Magic Season 2, a show that examines the intersection of technology and storytelling in the movie world by looking at the achievements of Ilm.

"Doing The Phantom Menace at that time was like being in the best film company and the best internet startup you can possibly imagine," Best remembered of the early years of Jar Jar. "I mean, every day was an iterative experience. Every day was an invention.

While Disney+ has a ton of scripted content, it also has some of the most underrated documentary content in the game. Offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at aspects of the Mouse House that make the magic, these documentaries are always a delight to watch. The second season of Light & Magic is no exception, offering another deep dive into the art of special effects with a particular emphasis on a galaxy far, far away.

Light & Magic Season 2 Review

Season two of Light & Magic continues to explore the story of Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects house behind such influential films and franchises as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, the Jurassic Park films, the Transformers movies, and more. This season focuses on the transition to digital, exploring challenges like creating CGI characters in live action and designing CGI water.

Whereas the first season of Light & Magic was only six episodes,...

Fans haven't given up hope for the Smallville sequel series, even if that project isn't part of the Dcu lineup. New concept art teased what that Elseworlds story could look like.

Smallville broke new ground for superhero TV shows by focusing on young Clark Kent's story arcs, hooking fans with an engaging teen drama. There's still clamor for a continuation almost 14 years after the series ended, and the cast is also pushing for a spinoff. User @buffy2ville's joined the bandwagon with concept art on Instagram, which featured different iterations of Tom Welling as Superman. One post even imagined an epic battle featuring Welling (as Kal-El), Laura Vandervoort (Kara Zor-El), and James Marsters (Brainiac); it's a compelling pitch for an Elseworlds Superman.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Buffy2ville (@buffy2ville)

Clark did not finish his hero's journey in Smallville's final season; the series finale even...

Late last year, IndieWire hosted college students from Uc Berkeley at our Los Angeles offices for a presentation on the journalistic and educational content that their generation of film and TV professionals want to see. Afterwards, I chatted with a group of these informed and confident industry hopefuls and wanted to know what they found worth watching. “The Bear”? Maybe Sean Baker‘s soon-to-be Oscar-sweeper “Anora”? To my surprise, the only thing they’d all seen recently was the Max original film “Sweethearts.”

Surprising? At first, but then it was self evident: A film about teens returning home from college for the first time and recognizing the shifts that have taken place — how could it not appeal to exactly to this group of students?

That lesson repeated itself as social media blew up this weekend over the surprise $157 million domestic box-office opening for “A Minecraft Movie.” The trailers, marketing materials,...

Gabriel Luna has once again expressed his enthusiasm for playing one of Star Wars: The High Republic’s most complex and compelling characters — Elzar Mann.

Luna previously revealed he had initially pitched himself for the role of Ezra Bridger but later shifted his focus to Elzar. Now, in a recent interview with Screen Rant during press for The Last of Us Season 2, he confirmed that he’s fully immersed in the character, having read all of The High Republic books. "I know the character inside and out," Luna stated, reinforcing his passion for bringing Elzar Mann to life.

The High Republic era, introduced in 2021 with Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi, has quickly become one of the most exciting expansions of the Star Wars universe, set centuries before the Skywalker saga. Through a vast collection of novels, comics, and audiobooks, this initiative has brought fans into a golden age of the Jedi,...

Actor Val Kilmer, whose film roles included Iceman in Top Gun, the titular superhero in Batman Forever and Doc Holliday in Tombstone, has died at the age of 65.

Kilmer died on Tuesday of pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes tells The New York Times. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, and a procedure on his trachea reduced his speaking voice to a whisper. A 2021 documentary, Val, documented his health issues along with his film career.

More from TVLineRichard Chamberlain, The Thorn Birds and Shogun Actor, Dead at 90Guiding Light and One Life to Live Vet Mark Dobies Dead at 65The Vivienne...

Actor Richard Chamberlain, whose TV credits include Shogun and The Thorn Birds, has died. He was 90.

The news of Chamberlain’s death was confirmed to TVLine by his publicist Harlan Boll, who said Chamberlain died Saturday of complications following a stroke.

More from TVLineGuiding Light and One Life to Live Vet Mark Dobies Dead at 65The Vivienne Dead: RuPaul's Drag Race Star's Cause of Death RevealedAmerican Idol's Doug Kiker Dead at 32 - Watch His Emotional Audition

“Our beloved Richard is with the angels now,” Chamberlain’s longtime partner Martin Rabbett said in a statement. “He is free and soaring to those loved ones before us.

Indian director Payal Kapadia’s long journey in support of her Mumbai-set drama All We Imagine as Light finally came to a close last week — with the addition of yet another honor. The film won best picture at the 18th Asia Film Awards (AFAs) in Hong Kong on March 16, capping a nearly yearlong run of promotion and accolades that began when it received the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. In between, the critically acclaimed drama about a trio of working women in Mumbai received a Golden Globe nomination, became the subject of an ugly and unfair Oscars controversy at home in India, and opened theatrically in over 50 countries, an unprecedentedly wide reach for a low-budget independently financed Indian feature.

Now, at last, Kapadia can begin focusing on new projects.

“I have two new films in mind,” Kapadia told The Hollywood Reporter in Hong Kong before the AFAs. “Together...

The following contains spoilers for Invincible Season 3, now streaming on Prime Video.

Fans waited patiently for Invincible Season 3 to see one of the comics' biggest events animated. Though the Invincible War was contained in one episode, it still gave fans a gory spectacle.

The Invincible War involved Angstrom Levy, a villain who opened up portals and who brings 18 evil Invincible doppelgängers to Earth and hurt the titular hero. But which of these sinister duplicates is the most vile in terms of death and destruction?

Flaxan Invincible Gets Pummeled The Alien Hybrid Is Murdered By Reanimen Image via Prime Video

Flaxan Invincible (aka Flaxancible) hails from his world's Flaxan dimension. That region was filled with bug-like aliens who wanted to invade planets like Earth. This Mark is a hybrid, but not much is known about his personality, as he doesn't get speaking lines.

Flaxan Invincible attacks the Pentagon, but is killed by Cecil Stedman,...

Disney+ April 2025 Lineup (Photo Credit – Prime Video/Hotstar)

March is nearing its end and April is all set to spread its wings and fly. With a brand new month, there is a fresh slate of releases and premieres when it comes to entertainment content on digital streaming platforms. Be it Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+ or even Paramount. Films, series and reality shows of various kinds can be expected on these hit platforms.

Disney+ has managed to make a mark for itself in the hearts of fans and many of them regularly stream content on the medium. Here’s what the avid viewers of the platform can expect to watch during April 2025 as the complete slate of releases slated for Disney+ are officially listed below.

Disney+ April 2025: Everything On Release Schedule

The first day of April brings four releases for Disney+ watchers. There is season 2 of the documentary...

Sometimes concerts come with a history lesson. Monday’s main event at New York’s City Winery was one such evening, as the organization If You Heard What I Heard presented a “Night of Resilience” fundraiser. The headliner was reggae rapper Matisyahu, but the main focus was never forgetting the Holocaust.

Matisyahu has turned into a lightning rod, vocally supporting Israel at a time when protests over the Gaza war are starting to spike again. Last year, three of his concerts were canceled when staffers refused to work at the venues. There was no such problem at City Winery, which was patrolled by a large security force hired by the nonprofit. They weren’t taking any chances.

“No one will stop us from holding our concert,” If You Heard founder and executive director Carolyn Siegel declared in her opening remarks. It was their second such effort with Matisyahu as the...

LocalThunk’s Balatro, developed by Playstack, was deemed a royal flush as it was crowned Game of the Year at the 25th Game Developers Choice Awards. Handed out on Wednesday at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Balatro also snagged wins for Best Design, Best Debut and the Innovation Award.

Other winners included Astro Bot, which won Best Audio and Best Technology. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth garnered a win for the Audience Award while the Best Narrative went to Metaphor: ReFantazio. Black Myth: Wukong and Astro Bot came into the ceremony with a leading seven nominations apiece. Baldur’s Gate 3 dominated last year’s Gdc Awards, taking three awards, including Game of the Year.

This year’s Game Developers Choice Awards honored indie developer Lucas Pope known for cult hit puzzle games Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn, with the Pioneer Award.

Another honoree also included Remedy Entertainment’s creative director Sam Lake,...

American Cinematheque’s This Is Not A Fiction Festival is returning for its second season.

The festival launched last year with screenings of Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story, featuring a Jon Bon Jovi Q&a and Morgan Neville’s Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces.

It is now returning with a slew of new premieres, screenings and appearances from the likes of Conan O’Brien, Survivor’s Jeff Probst, Errol Morris and Documentary Now!’s Bill Hader and Fred Armisen.

The second season premiere of Max’s Conan O’Brien Must Go will kick off the event on April 9 with a Q&a with the Oscars host.

The event, which runs through April 17, will also feature a 10th anniversary screening of IFC’s Documentary Now! and Probst is hosting Tribute to Survivor: An Evening with Jeff Probst.

Morris will be honored with a retrospective that includes Gates of Heaven,...

There was no shortage of smash-hit games in 2024. However, one of the biggest surprises of the year was undoubtedly Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2. No one in their wildest dreams could’ve predicted the success this game would go on to achieve.

There’s a new Space Marine game coming soon. (Image via Focus Entertainment)

After the success of the game’s release, developer Saber Interactive stated that it had plans for a successor. Now, it seems like things have materialized, as it’s been confirmed that Space Marine 3 is being put together by the studio.

Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 3 is coming soon

Focus Entertainment has put out a press release on its official website, which confirms that Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 3 is in active development by Saber Interactive. It’s also been confirmed that the game will see the return of Titus.

RelatedSwitch 2 Will Never Get Space Marine 2 But There...

It should surprise no one that Bad Bunny decided to drop the long-anticipated music video for “LA MuDANZA” on his 31st birthday. The song is a riotous salsa track that — like one of DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS’ other mega hits, “Baile INoLVIDABLE” — borrows from the salsa gorda era of the genre. It’s deeply personal, too: It opens with a spoken word snippet of Benito retelling the story of how his parents came of age in the Nineties, crossed paths serendipitously, and eventually had the kid who is now an international superstar.

After the relatively barren month of February and the awards season mercifully in the rearview, March finally brings the goods. From some of our favorite festival premieres charting all the way back to a few from Berlinale and Rotterdam last year to new documentaries and thrillers from accomplished directors, check out the batch of eclectic recommendations below.

15. The Empire (Bruno Dumont; March 7)

A year on from its Berlinale debut, where it picked up the Silver Bear Jury Prize, Bruno Dumont’s sci-fi feature The Empire is finally headed stateside. Rory O’Connor said in his review, “Playing his signature brand of rural French absurdity in stark counterpoint to the grandiose strains of a space opera, Bruno Dumont returns with The Empire: his Barbarella bourguignon, his dijionnaise Dune. The Empire is the story of two warring factions: one whose mothership resembles the palace of Versailles; the other’s as if someone glued together two Notre Dames,...

The Dying Light franchise is in full swing, with Techland pushing the 10th Anniversary Celebration in all its glory. Having sat down with us to discuss that and the larger picture of the franchise, including Dying Light: The Beast, Tymon Smetkala also responded regarding the longtime ban of the original Dying Light being banned digitally in Germany, and the studio’s potential fixes for it.

Dying Light’s Ban

A game being banned is nothing new these days. Depending on the country and the reason though, some are more understandable than others. One of the more confusing ones is how the original Dying Light is still banned, all these years after its 2015 release, and what can be done to reverse that.

For those not in the know, the original Dying Light was banned in Germany back when it released, but only via digital platforms. The reason the German government gave is a simple one,...

Dying Light‘s 10th Anniversary is in full swing, with Techland going into some detail as to what we can all expect not only from Dying Light: The Beast, but also Dying Light 2: Stay Human, as well as the larger franchise as well. This isn’t the first time we’ve sat down and spoken to Tymon Smetkala, and it won’t be the last, but this certainly may be one of the most enlightening times with some of the answers below.

Editor’s Note:Due to this being a written interview, some answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. Dying Light’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions! Would you mind letting us know who you are and what you do?

My name is Tymon Smektała, and I’m the Franchise Director for the Dying Light series at Techland.

Werner Herzog’s The Twilight World, the German director’s first feature animation and new projects from leading animation directors including Anca Damian,Alain Ughetto, Filip Pošivač, Vincent Paronnaud and Alexis Ducord, will be among the projects presented at European co-production and pitching event Cartoon Movie, taking place in Bordeaux, France, from March 4-6.

Additionally, Chloé Nicolay’sBrume, based on a script written by Celine Sciamma and produced by French animation powerhouseFolivari, is being showcaed as a film in development.It is a 2D coming-of-age film for children about a feisty seven-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a powerful witch.

A young girl gifted with the power to converse with animals anchors this film, set against the stark, unyielding terrain of rural Argentina. From the opening moments, we witness her enigmatic talents as she interacts with creatures whose silent voices hint at hidden realms.

Accompanied by two ambiguous guardians whose roles are shrouded in quiet mystery, she moves through a series of evocative encounters—a nocturnal meeting at a pet cemetery, fleeting images of dimly lit van interiors, and soft exchanges under the indifferent sky.

The film unfolds at a measured pace, offering a series of meditative vignettes that stir questions about belief, innocence, and the nature of unseen truths. The barren landscape, marred by economic hardships and environmental desolation, frames these encounters with a persistent air of melancholy and subtle humor. Each scene casts a reflective light on life’s impermanence and the silent depths beneath our daily existence.

Hit series NCIS: Sydney has been renewed for a third season, with filming starting soon. The show, a spin-off of the popular NCIS franchise, has been a success both in Australia and internationally. Here’s the Lowdown: NCIS: Sydney will return for a third season, with production starting on Monday in Sydney. The main cast, including […]

NCIS: Sydney Gets Green Light for Season 3!

Beware novel psychological therapies from Austria: You never know where they may lead.

In the curious case of German director Tom Tykwer’s The Light, which opened the Berlin Film Festival, such a quacky therapy — mostly involving a flashing LED light and an egg-timer — is Syrian refugee Farrah’s comfort, an escape hatch from the horrors of her life and, ultimately, a tool to heal the multiple afflictions tearing apart the German family for whom she is keeping house. The parents are in failing couples therapy, the kids are disaffected, and Farrah appears from nowhere to sort them out. Sort of like Mary Poppins, but with extra lashings of fragrant Orientalism.

At first, a handful of characters are introduced, the connections between them drip-fed, Magnolia-style, over a long series of intercut scenes where we see them at work and play. Milena Engels (Nicolette Krebitz) is working in Kenya on an arts project funded from Germany,...

Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival has selected 71 films for its competition sections, including 56 world premieres, 12 international premieres and three European premieres.

World premieres for the festival’s 22nd edition include Ukrainian director Alisa Kovalenko’s My Dear Theo. Few details have been revealed for the film yet; Theo is the name of Kovalenko’s son. The film will be produced by Kasia Kuczynska of Poland’s Haka Films, with Ukrainian production company Moonman Productions, the company behind recent festival titles Songs Of Slow Burning Earth and A House Made Of Splinters.

Scroll down for the full list of competition titles...

More than 10,600 registered Gold Derby users voted for the 2025 Gold Derby Film Award winners — an all-time record — and they picked Brazil’s political biopic I’m Still Here as Best Picture. That makes it just the second non-English-language film to take top honors, following South Korea’s Parasite, which prevailed five years ago. Scroll down for our list of winners in all 22 categories and to watch many individual acceptance speech videos.

I’m Still Here defeated an eclectic group of rivals for Best Picture, including fellow international films All We Imagine as Light and Emilia Pérez, big-budget blockbusters Dune: Part Two and Wicked, indie comedy Anora, epic immigration tale The Brutalist, tennis love triangle Challengers, papal thriller Conclave, and body-horror satire The Substance. The victory was so decisive, in fact, that I’m Still Here won all four of the awards it was nominated for, also claiming Best Actress (Fernanda Torres), Best Adapted Screenplay,...

Shark action specialist Renny Harlin is back this year with Deep Water, starring Aaron Eckhart. It now has a distributor in the US, and set for release in 2025.

Filming wrapped on Deep Water, the latest movie from action director Renny Harlin, in February 2024. Almost exactly a year later, it’s been announced that it now has a US distributor: Magenta Light Studios, which put out last year’s excellent horror thriller, Strange Darling. Deep Water is now set for release in US cinemas this year, which potentially means a UK appearance won’t be too far behind.

The disaster thriller sees Harlin return to the realm of sharks, having previously directed the batty cult favourite Deep Blue Sea in 1999. Starring Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley, Deep Water (not to be confused with the saucy Adrian Lyne film of the same title) is about an LA to Shanghai plane journey that goes awry,...

Dragon Balland One Pieceare two of the most recognizable anime series ever created. Millions of people tune into every new episode, keen to see where Goku and Luffy's adventures take them next. Naturally, as both franchises are often active simultaneously, many animators have worked on both shows in various amounts. One such person is Naohiro Shintani, who has played a massive role in One Piece and Dragon Ball history.

Naohiro has a long relationship with anime. In an interview published on the Dragon Ball website, Naohiro explained that:

"I watched the [Dragon Ball] anime from the time I was in elementary school. I believe the anime was what got me interested in it first, rather than the manga. Plenty of other people I knew liked Dragon Ball, too. I went to the theater with my big brother each year to watch the movies."

RelatedDragon Ball Daima Just Ripped Off...

Coors Light is having a serious “Case of the Mondays”!

The company debuted their 2025 Super Bowl commercial, airing during the Big Game on Sunday (February 9).

In the spot, football fans experience the dreaded Monday after the national football season is over…feeling like sloths, literally.

Keep reading to find out more…

We watch them get back to work, scrolling through their emails, even having a slow-speed chase, before someone gets their hands on a pack of “Mondays Light.”

“The day after the Big Game, it’s easy to feel like a sloth—they perfectly capture that ‘Case of the Mondays’ feeling,” says Marcelo Pascoa, Vice President of Marketing at Coors Light in a statement.

“For weeks, we’ve been bringing this idea of ‘Case of the Mondays’ to life everywhere. Our ad is the culmination of all that hard work in an unexpected way.”

A 30-second version of the sloth-filled...

Dexter: Original Sinhad two of its biggest cameos by major players from the original series. The prequel show, which shows the early years of The Bay Harbor Butcher, just gave fans two glances and two characters who will have major impacts on the lives of the Morgans.

So far, the prequel series has explored the origins of Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson). While showing that before he becomes and removes the worst dredges of Miami’s population, Original Sin also shows the messy web that tangles all of the Miami Metro and leads directly into events taking place in the original series.

Related'She Went Back Into the Light': Original Dexter Series Star Addresses Possible Return in Resurrection

Julia Stiles comments on her potential return as Lumen in the upcoming Dexter sequel series.

Two Major Appearances Sets Up Major Storylines For The Original Series

Spoilers Ahead

Fans of the original...

It’s been a while since the Light vs Darkness saga came to an end in Destiny 2. Bungie had been telling us this story right since the inception of the game. It contained an epic conflict between the forces of Light and Darkness and took Guardians on a journey showcasing their sacrifices and resilience.

Destiny 2 is still making waves in the gaming industry. (Image via Bungie)

However, Bungie is moving forward. Last year, the studio revealed a partial roadmap revealing several changes and Frontiers saga. While we still don’t know what the studio has in store, gamers believe that whatever ends up coming, it would be a disaster, considering what Bungie did during Light vs Darkness.

Destiny 2 gamers have lost trust in Bungie’s capabilities Destiny 2 treated its very first saga in a horrific way. (Image via Bungie)

Over on Destiny 2‘s official subreddit, one gamer has compared Destiny...

Most Super Bowl viewers live nowhere near Shane Gillis, Post Malone and Peyton Manning. On Sunday February 9, the people who help sell Bud Light hope they see the trio as just three more of their friends or neighbors.

The popular beer, which has been a staple of Super Bowl advertising for 35 years, will introduce “Big Men of Cul-de-Sac,” a group of regular folks who enjoy grilling in the backyard and talking in the driveway, says Todd Allen, senior vice president of marketing for Bud Light, in an interview. The new 60-second ad turns up in Super Bowl Lix alongside commercials for parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Stella Artois, Budweiser and Michelob Ultra.

The spot is meant to pay tribute “to those neighborhood parties that are happening across every backyard, every cul-de-sac in America,” says Allen. “We hope our fans can see themselves in this.”

The characters would seem to be...

Bud Light isn’t waiting for the Super Bowl to start talking about its Super Bowl commercial.

Rapper and performer Post Malone and comedian Shane Gillis will be spotted in a “teaser” for Bud Light’s coming Big Game promotion Sunday during coverage of the AFC and NFC Championships on Fox and CBS. In the preview, the pair sit on lawn chairs in what looks like the driveway of a suburban home, and discuss the fact that standards prohibit the depiction of alcohol consumption in a TV commercial, which prompts them to start counting down the seconds until the ad will be over.

Anheuser-Busch InBev announced earlier this week that Malone and Gillis will appear in a commercial for what is arguably one of the brewing giant’s signature products in Super Bowl Lix. It will be Malone’s fourth Super Bowl campaign with Bud Light. Gillis is making his Bud Light Super Bowl debut.

Squid Game, the survival thriller K-drama, has currently taken the world by storm. Its adaptation of a series of children’s games into something more sinister has intrigued fans. But did you know Tite Kubo had attempted something similar in Bleach way before the debut of Squid Game?

Tite Kubo has created a plethora of Shikai and Bankai abilities for Bleach characters and all of them have their own quirks. But one Gotei 13, in particular, has a Shikai that is eerily similar to Squid Game‘s central theme.

Tite Kubo’s genius preceded Squid Game Shunsui Kyoraku’s Shikai ability lets him recreate popular children’s games | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Shunsui Kyoraku is the 1st Division captain in Bleach and the commander of the Gotei 13. The special ability of his Shikai is called Katen Kyokotsu, which can turn children’s games into reality. It is a deadly ability that...

Dying Light: The Beast shocked gamers around the world after being announced at Gamescom 2024, with many expecting another Dlc announcement for the second game in the franchise.

Techland had other ideas, and instead has pivoted to a smaller, more condensed adventure with the return of Kyle Crane included, and new beastly powers for us. I was lucky enough to speak to Tymon Smektala, franchise director of Dying Light about all the things we have in store for us when the game drops!

Editor’s Note:Due to this being a written interview, some answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. Dying Light: The Beast is the Next Step

Players will be taking back control of Kyle Crane in Dying Light: The Beast, the same protagonist as in the first game. With events in this happening right after Dying Light 2 Stay Human, players will be taking the fight to the Baron,...

Widely considered one of the most important and prolific film critics in America, Jonathan Rosenbaum began his career in the 1970s writing film criticism for Sight and Sound, Film Comment, and the Village Voice before becoming chief critic of the Chicago Reader from 1987 to 2008. At the Reader, he published over 5,000 reviews and columns; now, Jonathan runs his own website where he publishes old and new capsules. He is known, among other things, for being a champion of independent and international auteurs and for writing about them in a highly accessible yet personal, erudite style. Jean-Luc Godard once likened him to André Bazin and James Agee.

He has written multiple books on film. The latest, In Dreams Begin Responsibilities: A Jonathan Rosenbaum Reader, was published by Hat & Beard Press in June of last year, and can be considered the definitive culmination of Jonathan’s writing (to date!). An autobiographical and chronological journey,...

On Tuesday January 21 2025, PBS broadcasts Molly of Denali!

Light Up the Night; Tracked and Found Season 4 Episode 11 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Molly of Denali,” titled “Light Up the Night; Tracked and Found,” promises to be an exciting adventure. In this episode, Trini sets her sights on mastering a challenging ice skating move. Her determination shines through as she practices and seeks ways to improve. Viewers can expect to see her perseverance and the joy that comes from learning something new.

Meanwhile, Tooey and his brothers embark on a different kind of adventure. They use their tracking skills to find their dad, who has gone into the forest. This part of the story highlights the importance of teamwork and resourcefulness. Tooey and his brothers will face challenges along the way, but their bond as siblings will help them navigate the forest and stay focused on their goal.

As the episode unfolds,...

The Berlin Film Festival on Tuesday unveiled the full list of titles set for its official competition alongside perspective and specials sidebars.

A total of 19 films have been selected for the international competition. It’s a buzzy selection with multiple titles that have been anticipated and boast high-profile names. Highlights include Richard Linklater’s latest feature Blue Moon, starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale and Andrew Scott. Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco launches his latest title Dreams in competition. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Isaac Hernández and Rupert Friend. Franco last worked with Chastain on the Venice competition title Memory.

Elsewhere, Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude lands in competition with Kontinental ’25. Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Hot Milk starring Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps also secures a spot alongside Hong Sangsoo’s latest What Does that Nature Say to You, and Mumblecore veteran Mary Bronstein returns as a director with If I Had Legs I’d Kick You...

This article contains Major Spoilers for Squid Game Season 2.

Tension peaked during the six-legged pentathlon in Squid Game's second season. One team couldn't have survived Episode 5 without fan-favorite character Cho Hyun-ju.

Park Sung-hoon said he really slapped co-star Chae Cook-hee in Squid Game Season 2. Fans know this as the moment Cho Hyun-ju [Park] hit the Shaman Seon-nyeo [Chae] during the six-legged pentathlon, which required five players to take on a gauntlet of children's games. Hyun-ju led and motivated his team during their turn, which they almost didn't finish; they were only given five minutes to complete five games of skill, luck, and patience. Seon-nyeo quickly succumbed to the pressure, forcing Hyun-ju to slap her out of her stupor. Speaking to Netflix, K-Content, Park explained why Hyun-ju's slap looked so believable.

Related 'This Will Not Happen Again': Squid Game Star Catches Controversy After Posting Nsfw Photo

The Squid Game actor...

Yesterday, Along Main Street published an article on the upcoming animated feature, Light of the World (2025), and how Disney's influence brought it to life. Today, Disney animator Tom Bancroft shares a message for fans of the studio's peak era.

Bancroft, along with his brother Tony Bancroft, were instrumental in crafting the look and designs of many of our favorite Disney features. Known for creating the character of Mushu for Disney's Mulan (1998), he has also had his hand in many other iconic films like Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994). Now, he's taking that Disney magic and telling a whole new story.

Tom Bancroft's message to fans

Light of the World (2025) is an adaptation of the life of Christ with an undeniably Disney design. In a world that desperately needs more of that classic Disney magic of the '90s, this film might just be an answered prayer (pun...

Hey, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" fans. We're back on here with some wonderful news for you guys because after many weeks of delays, the NBC people are going to finally air the next, new episode 9 of Law & Order: Svu's current season 26 tonight, January 16, 2025, and we've got some new spoiler scoops for it. We were able to round up a total of two, new official teaser descriptions for this new episode 9 straight from the NBC people via their official episode 9 press release synopsis. So, we're going to run it by you for this spoiler session. Let's go. For starters, we've got an official title for this new episode 9. The writers decided to name this one, "First Light." It sounds like episode 9 will feature some very scandalous, intense, dramatic, emotional and interesting scenes as lies and betrayal are discovered. Dominick Carisi runs into some struggles and more. The...

From Tim Burton to Brad Bird, many iconic artists, animators, and directors first cut their teeth at Walt Disney Animation Studios. As a result, many of our modern animated masterpieces (with and without the Disney brand) come out with a certain magical flavor fans adore.

One of the newest projects to hit the big screen this summer comes from the legendary Tom Bancroft. Bancroft is an artist who has had his pen attached to some of the most iconic Disney characters on the studio's roster. However, his film, Light of the World (2025), has a familiar flavor that might make Disney nervous.

Tom Bancroft and The Light of the World

If you don't know who Tom Bancroft is, you definitely know his work. Brother of fellow Disney alum Tony Bancroft, he was the pen behind many immortal Disney characters such as Simba, Iago, and Pocahontas, but he is most famously known...

Exclusive: German Films, the agency that promotes German cinema globally, has revealed the seven participants for its annual Face to Face campaign, which include talents who have worked on projects such as Unorthodox, We Children From Bahnhof Zoo and Tides.

This year, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Face to Face initiative, will see German Films introduce seven burgeoning talents from the German film and TV industry to the international film community at the Berlin Film Festival next month. The initiative has long been considered a significant platform for showcasing German talents to the wider film and television spheres.

This year’s selection includes actors Aaron Altaras, Lea Drinda and Thea Ehre, writer-directors Leonie Krippendorff and Mariko Minoguchi, as well as director Mala Reinhardt and Director of Photography Tim Kuhn.

They are following in the footsteps of filmmakers and stars Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel, Burhan Qurbani, Saskia Rosendahl, Alexander Fehling,...

On Thursday January 16 2025, NBC broadcasts an episode of the series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit!

First Light Season 26 Episode 9 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” titled “First Light,” promises to be a gripping installment that dives deep into themes of memory, truth, and justice. Set to air on NBC, this episode centers around a woman who faces a troubling situation when she is shown video footage of a night she cannot recall. This confrontation leads to a complex unraveling of lies and betrayal, pushing the narrative into dark and unexpected territories.

As the investigation unfolds, viewers will witness how the woman’s struggle with her lost memories impacts her life and those around her. The episode highlights the emotional turmoil that comes with confronting a past that remains shrouded in mystery. The tension builds as the Svu team works to piece together the events of that night,...

Dune: Part II has shown up on many critics' lists of the best films of 2024, including MovieWeb's list. It's an epic film from a great director who has been expanding our notions of what science-fiction films can be since Arrival and then Blade Runner 2049, and Denis Villeneuve had made tense masterpieces even before then. While he's too humble to include his own film, Villeneuve has revealed his own picks for the best movies of 2024.

Villeneuve's picks are fairly standard awards fare — they're neither too international or arthouse nor big blockbusters. He has chosen an historical epic that will likely sweep the Oscars (The Brutalist), a beautifully poetic indie about the lives of two Black men (Nickel Boys), a star-studded drama about religion and power (Conclave), a boundary-pushing adaptation with a subversive lead performance (Queer), and a controversial French film about a transgender crime lord (Emilia Pérez). Villeneuve told Total...

Green light!

With 152.5 million total views, the second installment of “Squid Game” has become the third most-watched TV season on Netflix, trailing behind only its own first season (265 million) and “Wednesday” (252 million).

Four days after its Dec. 26 premiere, “Squid Game” Season 2 had amassed 68 million views in four days, becoming Netflix’s biggest TV debut ever. A week later, it had picked up 126.2 million views across 11 days, more than any Netflix series has ever achieved in that amount of time. Suffice to say, the Korean-language deathmatch drama spent another week atop the non-English TV top 10 list, with Season 1 resurfacing at No. 3.

On the English-language chart, Harlan Coben’s limited series “Missing You” took the No. 1 spot with 15.2 million views during the week of Jan. 6. It’s followed by the historical drama “American Primeval,” which nabbed 10.4 million views, and the Jerry Springer docuseries “Fights, Camera, Action” at 7.7 million. Other entries: the debut of “WWE Raw” at No.

South Korea’s Exhuma has topped the field, earning 11 nominations at the 18th Asian Film Awards, followed by Hong Kong’s Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In with nine nominations.

Hong Kong martial arts legend Sammo Hung will serve as the jury president for the awards, which feature a selection of 30 films from 25 countries and regions, competing across 16 categories. The awards ceremony will take place on March 16 in Hong Kong.

Directed by Jang Jae-hyun, Exhuma gained nominations for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Adapted from the novel “City of Darkness” by Yuyi, Hong Kong action blockbuster Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In gained nine nominations, including Best Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Yes, bikini-clad baristas actually do exist. No, the cartel doesn’t maintain relationships with landmen like Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris.

Christian Wallace should know what is true and what is fictional when it comes to what happens around the Permian Basin of Texas; it was his 2019 podcast Boomtown about big oil that inspired Taylor Sheridan to embark upon Landman for Paramount+.

Ahead of Landman‘s first season finale on Jan. 12, Wallace — who’s both a co-creator and writer with Sheridan on the series that also stars Jon Hamm and Ali Larter — answered a few burning questions about the making of the show and whether he’s actually ever met a landman who’s as fearless (and badass) as Tommy himself.

Deadline Can you explain how your role worked on the series? Were you a part of the writer’s room?

Christian Wallace Yes. Taylor and I were the writer’s room.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 26 Episode 9 episode titled First Light!

Find out everything you need to know about the First Light episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit First Light Season 26 Episode 9 Preview

The upcoming episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” titled “First Light,” is set to air on NBC at 9:00 Pm on January 16, 2025. This gripping installment promises to delve deep into the themes of memory, truth, and the complexities of human relationships.

In “First Light,” a woman finds herself facing a shocking reality when confronted with video footage from a night she cannot recall. This unsettling twist leads to the unraveling of a disturbing web of lies and betrayal, forcing her...