Advance tickets for “Predator: Badlands,” 20th Century Studios’ newest intense entry in the Predator Universe, are now available for purchase at Fandango or wherever tickets are sold. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“Prey,” “10 Cloverfield Lane”), the franchise-expanding action-adventure spectacle marks the first “Predator” film to debut in theaters since 2018 and demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, “Predator: Badlands” follows a young Predator outcast (played by newcomer Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) who finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Elle Fanning) as he embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt and Brent O’Connor, “Predator: Badlands” opens exclusively in movie theaters on November 7 in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD (3D), Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX and premium screens everywhere.
Paramount Pictures has released a thrilling new trailer for director Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN.
Streamed live from New York Comic Con, the NYCC panel for The Running Man featured Glen Powell, Lee Pace, and Edgar Wright in a conversation about the making of the film, along with an early look at this fall’s adrenaline-fueled action thriller, arriving only in theaters this November 14.
In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.
Based on the novel by Stephen King, the score is from Oscar-winning composer Steven Price (GRAVITY, BABY DRIVER, THE WORLD’S END and the upcoming COYOTE VS ACME).
Wright shared this photo of himself and long time collaborator Price on Instagram.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Edgar Wright, Glen Powell and Lee Pace attend “The Running Man” New York Comic Con Presentation at the Javits Center on October 10, 2025, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
He’s an angel. Technically. Keanu Reeves is Gabriel in #GoodFortune – in theatres October 17. Also starring Seth Rogan, Aziz Ansari, KeKe Palmer & Sandra Oh.
Did you think there’s no room at the multiplex for SF/fantasy tent poles during the “ultra-serious” end of the year awards season? Well, the “mouse house” thinks moviegoers still have a taste for at least a couple of big franchise flicks. We’re only two months away from a third trek to Pandora in AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, but they’re releasing another follow-up, which now cements another trilogy, though this series started long before James Cameron’s blockbusters. Can it possibly be 43 years since that initial entry (which was a modest hit during that great “geek” movie Summer of 1982)? And it’s now been fifteen years since the middle flick (or the first “sequel”). Disney thinks it’s time to boot up the ole’ “mainframe” and take another plunge into the digital dimension with TRON: ARES.
The opening moments transport us into the original with an “archival” video interview with Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the founder of the tech “dominator” ENCOM. From there, we plunge through “cyber-history” as various TV news people get us “up to speed”. Sam took over from his pop, Kevin, and the company changed hands again as the Kim sisters took ENCOM into the modern age. But the upstart Dillinger Systems is “nipping at their heels” as Ed Dillinger’s grandson Julian (Evan Peters) ruthlessly “steers the ship”. The “talking heads” then segue to a glowing data-filled metropolis where a digital knight in black and red armor named Ares (Jared Leto) destroys all the warriors that challenge him. Soon, he’s joined by his “second-in-command” Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) as they gather their squad. Cut to the “real world” as Julian makes a big presentation to a group of potential “buyers” at his company’s HQ. Two massive mobile cannons become large-scale digital printers as they build a solid living Ares and his “battle vehicles”. After a demonstration of Ares’ abilities, Julian touts him as the perfect soldier. As the ‘clients” leave, his mother Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson) reminds him that these “products” will only function outside the mainframe for 29 minutes before they disintegrate into dust. Julian insists he’ll find a way to fix that. Meanwhile, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) has already found it. In a remote “off the grid” mountain in Alaska, she has located her late sister Tess’ “tent/research lab”. After countless hours combing through the outdated software and notebooks, Eve retrieves Kevin Flynn’s “Permanence Code,” which will give all digital creations stability indefinitely. But through Ares and his troops, Julian hacks into the ENCOM database and learns of Eve’s discovery. When she returns to the West Coast, he sends Ares and Athena after her. But as the duo dissolves, Eve is zapped into their cyber-home world. Can Eve, with the aid of a more enlightened Ares, keep the code away from Julian? And can she somehow return to this dimension?
Leto commands the often hyperbolic storyline as a modern cyber-punk Pinocchio with a dash of the friendlier Terminator and a splash of Star Trek’s Data. Yes, he’s a fearsome fighter, but a “glitch” in his system causes him to question his creator. So, is he sentient or has he acquired a touch of humanity, even empathy? In our world, Leto’s Ares is a wide-eyed newcomer who relishes every rush of discovery, while in the mainframe, he’s the ultimate digital bodyguard. And who wouldn’t want to protect the ethereal Lee as Eve? She radiates an intelligence muted with a consuming grief as she still misses her “lil’ sis” while fiercely clinging to Flynn’s legacy. And yes, we get to see Bridges as the “master” of his cyber-kingdom. Bridges plays him as an ultra-cool guru exuding gravitas just like classic movie “wizard” like Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brings some much needed warmth to the often cold tech. And bringing the villainy is Peters as the snarling tech bro Julian (if he had a ‘stash he’d be twirling it). Sure, he’s over the top, but the sense of fun Peters is having is most infectious. Ditto for the ferocious and very intimidating (and somewhat sultry) Turner-Smith, whose Athena is almost a spurned lover to Ares as he embraces that outer world. She defies you to look away during her intense pursuit. It’s always a pleasure to see Anderson in a SF project, though she’s relegated to wringing her hands over Julian’s antics as she tries to be the “good angel” on his shoulder (which he ignores). And there’s some sporadic comic relief by Hasan Minhaj as head of ENCOM PR (and cheerleader) and Arturo Castro as Eve’s over-excited and needy aide, Seth.
Well, there’s no questioning the beauty and dazzling visuals that bring this update to neon-soaked life. Director Joachim Ronning keeps the camera moving in a million or so different directions to immerse us in this fantasy light show (that makes great use of the music from Nine Inch Nails). It’s a shame that a bit more time couldn’t have been used to bring greater depth to the plot and the principals. It’s a given that Ares will turn on his creator (it’s hammered home by home video footage of teenage Eve holding Shelly’s Frankenstein novel). And Ronning makes excellent use of the IMAX format (the ads tout it as being shot in it), but the big finale showdown on the city streets feels like a rehash of giant monster/robot battles (though seeing a police car sheared in two by the “light cycles” and their “razor trail” is pretty cool). Lots of creativity went into all the nifty gadgets, but the human element and connection feel like an afterthought. Ah, but those fans of the 1982 and 2010 flicks will get their arcade-style thrills, but casual viewers may wonder why another dive into the concept after seeing TRON: ARES.
Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ “ROOFMAN.”
This weekend sees the release of a most unusual true-crime story. Yes, it’s got the standard details of a lawbreaker’s plans and motives (yup, filthy loot), but it’s more than that ole DRAGNET cliché of “Just the facts”. No, it takes lots of twists and turns, even making a detour into comedy (often slapstick) and romance (thanks to the sprightly pairing of the two leads). But don’t let its title mislead you, because the fella’ here known as the ROOFMAN is certainly not a spandex-clad “superguy”, though he’s not a super villain either. Mostly…
The film opens with the title guy doing his “thing”. Former US Army Reservist Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) scopes out a busy suburban McDonald’s as it closes for the night. After the workers depart, he heads to the roof and bashes a big hole so that he can drop in. From there, it’s a waiting game until the morning crew arrives. Jeff springs out wearing all black (including a ski mask) and brandishes his rifle. After the manager gives him the cash from the safe, Jeff instructs them to grab their coats and head to the walk-in cooler. But the manager doesn’t have one, so Jeff gives him his black jacket (he’s also dubbed the “gentleman robber”), then dashes away (and calls 911 to get his victims rescued from the cold). From there, the story backtracks to Jeff struggling to make ends meet for his wife, pre-teen daughter, and twin toddler sons. Taking inspiration from his Army pal Steve’s (LaKeith Stanfield) illicit schemes (phony IDs and passports), Jeff begins his retail and restaurant robbery spree. But the law catches up to him. Due to the whole “locking folks in freezers” MO, Jeff is convicted of armed kidnapping and given a hefty sentence. He quickly learns that his spouse has cut out contact with him (Jeff is quite a “girl daddy”). Using his observation skills from the service, he slips out of prison, and contacts his pal Steve, who tells him that he’s too “hot” and to contact him in a month about setting Jeff up with a new identity. What to do over those thirty days? A nearby Toys ‘R’ Us shop may be the answer. Near closing time, Jeff hides via the bathroom ceiling tile. He emerges after the store is closed, disables the security video system, and uses the space behind the bicycle display as his daytime hideaway. He also sets up video baby monitors throughout the store. One day, Jeff is aware of a sweet single mother on the staff. He sees Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) plead with her prickly boss Mitch (Peter Dinkledge) to let her take some discarded, unsellable items for her church’s toy drive. Mitch refuses, so Jeff figures out a way to exit and re-enter the store during the day. He shows up at the church to drop off his bag of goodies, but a member insists that he join the service. He spots Leigh in the choir, and at the post-service spaghetti lunch, Jeff (calling himself John) strikes up a conversation. A romance quickly ensues. But can he dodge her questions and the police? And what will happen when Steve returns? Will Jeff flee or pursue a new life with Leigh?
Once again, Tatum proves that he’s much more than his superb dancing skills as he ramps up the charm (and “rizz”) as the “man on the lam”. Actually, his Jeff/John just entrances almost everyone he meets, and even some of those crime victims, as he deftly sidesteps inquiries and contemplates his next move. But Tatum also shows us this man’s inner conflict and heartbreak over losing contact with his kids. Fortunately, he enjoys a surrogate fam via his relationship with Leigh, given a bouncy sweetness by the still endearing Ms. Dunst. It’s nice to see her step away from her recent somber, dramatic roles, although Dunst can certainly bring the tears in the emotional third act. A big entertaining asset is the great Dinkledge, who makes Mitch a very funny “retail dictator” as he glowers at his “slacking underlings”. Stanfield brings a dangerous, tough energy to the no-nonsense Steve. It’s a shame that the bubble Juno Temple (so great in “Ted Lasso”) doesn’t have more to do as his ditzy beautician GF. On the other side of the law is the inspired pairing of Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba as the affable Pastor John (at Leigh’s church) and his nurturing wife Eileen (going against the notion of Hollywood deriding the ministry). And stand-up comic Jimmy O. Yang delivers some laughs as a frazzled used car salesman.
Like Dunst, this is much lighter fare for director Derek Cianfrance, perhaps best known for THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and BLUE VALENTINE. He displays a real flair for breezy comic set pieces, especially when Jeff becomes the nighttime ruler of “toyland” as he wastes the pre-dawn hours tossing teddy bears and scarfing peanut M&Ms (better than all the jars of baby food). Ditto for the initial dating of him and Leigh. But it eases into a few clichés, especially with her two daughters. The pre-teen is sweet and adorable, while the sixteen-year-old is the usual surly, snarky “demon spawn” overused in so many shows. I suppose this is there for conflict so that Jeff has to “work” to win them all over. This precludes a lull in the pacing, as the movie “spins its wheels” as Jeff gets a new set of wheels. Really, the film could have used a good fifteen or twenty-minute trim on the ole’ editing bay (well, probably all computers now). This leads up to the very sobering and sad finale, in which Jeff reverts to his criminal ways. The film doesn’t give him a “pass” since he’s really a good guy with Leigh and her kids. He “fesses up” that he’s a bad guy even after the filmmakers work diligently to make him the hangdog hero that we “root for”. No, he’s a criminal who takes the hard-earned money of others while waving a weapon. And if not for the high-caliber cast, this might have been another made-for-cable-TV bit of fluff. However, fans of Mr. Tatum and Ms. Dunst may enjoy and be moved by the true-life modern fable of the ROOFMAN. Oh, and be sure and stay for the end credits, which include lots of footage of the real folks.
Four years ago, 13-year-old Finn killed his abductor and escaped, becoming the sole survivor of The Grabber. But true evil transcends death … and the phone is ringing again.
Four-time Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).
As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.
Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.
From returning visionary writer-director Scott Derrickson, Black Phone 2 is written again by Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill, based on characters created by Joe Hill. The film is produced by Jason Blum, Derrickson and Cargill. The executive producers are Adam Hendricks and Ryan Turek.
The cast includes Oscar® nominee Demián Bichir (The Nun, A Better Life) as the supervisor of the camp, Arianna Rivas (A Working Man) as his niece, Miguel Mora (The Black Phone) as the brother of one of The Grabber’s victims, and Jeremy Davies, returning as Finn and Gwen’s father, Terrence. Other new cast members include Maev Beaty (Beau is Afraid) and Graham Abbey (Under the Banner of Heaven).
Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s horror phenomenon The Black Phone, released in 2022, received widespread critical acclaim and earned more than $160 million.
(from left) Mustang (Arianna Rivas), Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) and Finn (Mason Thames) in Black Phone 2, directed by Scott Derrickson.
A scene from THE VILLAGERS. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
I’ve enjoyed a slew of Ma Dong-seok’s contributions to Korean action flicks. The rotund, open-faced actor usually plays sidekicks and minor parties – often adding some comic relief. Most of his 14 awards and nominations, to date, have been for supporting actor gigs. But in THE VILLAGERS, he’s the action star.
His character, Yeok Gi-cheol, is a former MMA champion who had aged into coaching. His integrity gets him banished when he confronts the sport’s honchos about their corruption. Fortunately – or so it first seems – an admirer gets him a job in the village giving rise to the film’s name, teaching phys ed and serving as assistant dean at a high school.
The latter title merely sticks him with the thankless task of collecting overdue tuition from the students and their families. Because he looks like an overweight, middle-aged simpleton, he gets less respect than Rodney Dangerfield. The main drama comes from the ignored efforts of a student, Yoo-jin (Kim Sae-ron) to get the school and cops to investigate the disappearance of her best friend. Despite being only 15, the missing girl had been working at a night club that catered to very adult tastes, raising many possible crime-free explanations about her fate. Yoo-jin insists that her pal was not the sort of unhappy teen who runs away that the authorities want to presume. Deaf ears on lazy cops’ heads abound.
Since all her efforts have been rebuffed by every adult in the picture, Yoo-jin is skeptical about Gi-cheol’s attempts to help her. It becomes apparent to us long before them that there’s something big going on, with cops, politicos and school honchos in on whatever it is. His default setting is that of being baffled by how little anyone in any position of responsibility cares what happened to her – especially the cops’ reluctance to even open a file for investigation.
This sort of little guy(s) vs. systemic corruption is a common theme in films from all around the world. Bollywood cranks out tons of these with high-octane, one-man-army vigor. Usually, the action quotient is higher than in this one, which plays out more like a slowly unfolding procedural. Gi-cheol could and should be delivering more beat-downs than he does, spreading his frustrations to the viewers.
The conspiracy is a spider web that takes a long time to penetrate. But the two stars keep it interesting, even as daylight starts peeking through the fog of criminal enterprise and cover-up later than viewers might prefer. Even so, the climax makes the journey worthwhile.
There’s a sad note in all of this. Kim Sae-ron was a charming, talented actress with a dozen awards and nominations on her resume, including one of my favorite Korean imports, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE. But she committed suicide a few years after this film’s release when she was only 24. A real loss for all.
THE VILLAGERS, in Korean with English subtitles, is available streaming in digital format from WellGo USA starting Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
First of all, don’t even think of watching “Public Enemy: Season 3” if you haven’t seen the first two, since the same cult kidnapping case has been running throughout the two years covered in this Belgian procedural. You wouldn’t know who’s who or what’s what. For those who need a refresher, or want to try a shortcut for catch-up, the link to my previous review is HERE.
Season 3 picks up three months after the finale of the last one. Chloe has been removed from the case because her sister was discovered as one of the missing women. Brother Lucas is still managing Guy’s alleged rehabilitation after he’s become a full-fledged monk. But beneath the veneer of monkhood (monkiosity? monkitiude?), we can see the wheels spinning in Guy’s head, and follow his ongoing manipulations. That non-dietary Hannibal Lecterness seems ready to emerge, though none of the cast can see it as clearly as we do.
Due to a lucky fluke, Paul, the cult leader, is found and Chloe is back on the case. Her indispensable skills and knowledge of the case outweigh the concern that her sister makes it too close to the bone for her. Halfway through the six-episode season, the girls are rescued in an exciting sequence. The second half revolves around Guy’s sly, methodical return to his former deviant nature.
In most such dramas, the story ends happily with the rescue of the victims and the return to their families. But this onecontinues, addressing the effects of many years under the isolation and spell of a cult leader, as re-integration to their loving families isn’t simply presumed with a fade to the credits. The plot deals with the fact that the six girls have been together, removed from all outside influences, for so long that they aren’t the same people their parents and siblings last knew. The depth of that analysis is admirable for its psychological realism, if not as feelgood.
The other plotline is more disturbing as Guy’s intricate machinations surface, causing damage to the entire community. He dribbles out bits of help to the cops in finding the girls, but we can see that he’s withholding way more than he’s giving – always exacting some type of quid pro quo for what he discloses. The action and suspense build during the second half as the stakes become higher, and Guy’s plans start unfolding. There is closure on all issues, though it may not be as satisfying to all viewers as they’d prefer. That’s all I can give without spoilers for a worthy series.
“Public Enemy: Season 3”, mostly in French with subtitles, streams on MHz Choice beginning October 7, 2025.
A new PREDATOR movie is almost here! What great time to be a fan too – we all just witnessed the awesome PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS earlier this year, and now comes a badass movie!
Check out the brand new trailer and poster for 20th Century Studios’ intense, action-packed PREDATOR: BADLANDS.
The film is helmed by returning director Dan Trachtenberg (“Prey,” “10 Cloverfield Lane”) and marks the franchise’s highly anticipated return to the big screen with a story that expands and redefines the Predator Universe.
Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, “Badlands” follows a young Predator outcast (played by newcomer Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) who finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Elle Fanning) as he embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt and Brent O’Connor, PREDATOR: BADLANDS opens exclusively in movie theaters on November 7 in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD (3D), Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX and premium screens everywhere.
“Donkerbos”, the title of this eight-episode South African miniseries is Afrikaans for “dark forest”. That’s proper, since it’s where the most significant action in this procedural about multiple child homicides occurs, as well as being the name of the small town in Limpopo in which the story unfolds. The series opens with one boy being chased through the woods and possibly killed. Next, the head and partial remains of an unidentified child are found. Then the bodies of six others are unearthed among the roots of a large tree, with indications of ritualistic motives for those horrible crimes.
The main cop is Fanie (Erica Wessels), who had been transferred from her last position in Pretoria for some non-favorable reason that takes a while for us to learn. Her main colleague among the locals, Sybrand (Wilhelm van der Walt), is easing his way back into the job after six months of psych leave for some incident of his own. Her new partner, Detective Tsedza Tshivenga (Sanda Shandu) has been assigned from Pretoria to help with this case due to Sybrand’s uncertain status.
A whole bunch of subplots are tossed into the package, ranging from the fact that one of the six kids is the police chief’s daughter, to unraveling the mythology behind the group murders, to several current issues among the adults and kids in the rest of the community. It also gives us a fairly large serving of media frenzy, and some of the sleazeball tactics reporters may use to get their scoops.
As is often the case, the series runs longer and unfolds more slowly than it should have. A plethora of vague flashbacks and time shifts make plot progression harder to follow than need be. The dramatic tension would have been significantly enhanced by a tighter package, without sacrificing any of the character arcs or story lines. There’s a lot more melodrama in the mix than some might prefer enroute to learning backstories and reaching solutions.
If you’re in the mood for a series that presents multiple stories among a large cast of players, this may suit you. Performances are solid all around, and the production delivers many visual assets among the rural environs – especially in transition scenes. A binge is advisable, since there are so many moving parts to keep track of.
“Donkerbos”, in Afrikaans and English, streams on MHz Choice beginning October 7, 2025.
