In this horror thriller from the creator of The Purge, a rebellious twentysomething is sentenced to community service at a quiet retirement home. The residents on the fourth floor are strictly off-limits, said to require “special care.” As his suspicions grow and he digs deeper, he uncovers a chilling secret that puts both the residents’ lives and his own in grave danger.
As a HUGE fan of the PURGE franchise (as well as FINAL DESTINATION, THE CONJURING, INSIDIOUS horror series), seeing that James DeMonaco is back with another film warms this Geeks horror heart!
“When I set out to create The Home, I aimed to capture the spine-chilling eeriness of 70’s horror, where suspense simmers and ultimately erupts into glorious chaos. Joining me is my Staten Island brother, Pete Davidson, who unveils a darker, dramatic side as his character navigates a bizarre group of residents in an old age home. The growing tension culminates in an epic blood-soaked finale, designed to leave audiences gasping, terrified, and cheering. I can’t wait for everyone to visit The Home. Cover your eyes, folks.”
Based on Richard Osman’s international bestselling novel of the same name, THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB follows four irrepressible retirees – Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) – who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun. When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn as they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands. Directed by Chris Columbus, the film is the latest to be produced through the Netflix and Amblin Entertainment partnership.
See it on Netflix on August 28.
Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren also star in Paramount+’s MOBLAND alongside Tom Hardy. The brilliant crime series is executive produced by Guy Ritchie.
In Netflix’s TUDUM post, the article states the film also features Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes,The Crown), David Tennant (Doctor Who, Inside Man), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Withnail and I) and Paul Freeman (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Hot Fuzz). Amblin founder Steven Spielberg stopped by the set during production and ran into an old friend — Paul Freeman, who played Belloq, nemesis and “shadowy reflection” of Indiana Jones, in Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Working with such an adept cast, director Columbus aimed to bring out a balance of humor, intrigue, and heart, and the result is a singularly moving, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure. “There’s a wonderful mystery at its core, so mystery fans will be very happy,” he says. “But thematically it’s interesting that we’ve got four elderly people who are living in a retirement community and who are fascinated by death and murder. They are facing their own demise, yet at the same time they are obsessed with studying cold cases. I fell in love thematically with that. It’s comedic, but it’s also very emotional.”
Opening in theaters on June 13 is HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. Inspired by CRESSIDA COWELL’s New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences, earning four Academy Award® nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office. Now, through cutting-edge visual effects, director Dean DeBlois transforms his animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny.
The music is by two-time Academy Award® nominee John Powell (DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise, Wicked)
Few film scores have left as profound a mark as Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon, a career-defining work that earned him his first Academy Award® nomination. Nearly 15 years later, he returns to revisit the music that shaped the world of Berk – this time for the live-action adaptation. Fresh off his second Oscar® nomination for Wicked, Powell approached the project not as a recreation, but as an evolution, shaping the score to match the film’s expanded scale and emotional depth. “When Dean first called me about directing the live-action adaptation, my answer was simple: ‘If you’re doing it, I’m in,’” Powell says. “The animated film was already cinematic in its approach to music—more live-action in its sensibilities than most animated scores. So, in many ways, this wasn’t about reinventing anything, but about realizing something that was always present beneath the surface. How to Train Your Dragon has always felt like a grand fantasy epic, even in animation. This adaptation allows it to reach the scale Dean always envisioned.”
Though the foundation of the score remains, Powell’s process wasn’t about direct translation. The rhythm of live-action demanded something more. “Some moments needed no adjustment, while others required substantial changes,” Powell says. “The transition from animation to live-action affects everything – timing, pacing, intensity. The performances bring a different weight, the storytelling has a new depth, and the music had to evolve alongside it. And once the visual effects began coming in, I saw what Dean had been crafting and it was extraordinary. The sheer scope of it required me to rework the music to match its scale and weight. My goal was for longtime fans to feel like nothing had changed, while in reality, a great deal had been subtly reworked to fit seamlessly.”
Powell also introduced new material to support the film’s emotional core. “All of the old themes are there, but I also wrote new material, including a theme that people might assume was always part of the original score,” Powell says. “There’s a new piece tied to Hiccup and Stoick’s relationship, which is explored more deeply in this film. The feeling of disappointing a parent carries a heavier weight here, and the performances really express that, so the music had to support that evolution.”
Listen to a sample of the score below.
Despite the changes, Powell approached the live-action score with the same methodology he used in 2010. “We recorded in the same place, using the same program we did in 2010,” Powell says. “Even then, the score was more tuneful than a typical animated film, which was very much at the encouragement of Chris Sanders and Dean. They wanted a rich, melodic approach – an overture of sorts that introduced every major theme right from the opening. That philosophy hasn’t changed. The tools have advanced, but the fundamental approach of writing orchestral music, whether on paper or digitally, remains the same.”
For Powell, the most striking part of the process was watching the film take shape as he scored it. “Watching the film evolve during the scoring process was extraordinary,” Powell says. “With animation, I was used to working from rough storyboards or unfinished renders, but even in live-action, a lot of what I was scoring early on wasn’t fully realized yet. As shots became more refined, the film took on this breathtaking intensity. And watching it all come together was one of those rare moments where you hope it will work, and then it exceeds your expectations.”
A first teaser was released on Wednesday for GOOD FORTUNE, and hoo-boy, is it ever funny!
In GOOD FORTUNE, a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist (Seth Rogen).
Written and directed by Aziz Ansari, the film opens in theaters on October 17.
Oh Ca’mon – this is CONSTANTINE!! And while we’re at it, when are we getting the long-awaited and promised sequel?
Plus Reeves is also involved in bringing his BRZRKR comicbooks to Netflix. It was announced in 2021 the the streaming service has acquired the rights to the BOOM! Studios comic book BRZRKR and will first adapt the story into a feature film followed by an anime spinoff series. In March it was announced that Justin Lin, who directed several Fast & Furious movies, was hired according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Empire recently had an article where Reeves was with filming.
BRZRKR is created by Keanu Reeves, written by Reeves and New York Times bestselling writer Matt Kindt, and illustrated by famed Marvel artist Ron Garney with colors by Bill Crabtree, letters by Clem Robins, and character designs and covers by Rafael Grampá
BRZRKR originated from an original idea Reeves had been developing for a number of years. BRZRKR is a brutally epic saga about an immortal warrior’s 80,000 year fight through the ages. The man known only as “B” is half-mortal and half-god, , cursed and compelled to violence… even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the earth for centuries, B may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.
The anime series will further expand the BRZRKR universe by exploring different elements of the story. In the series, Reeves will reprise his role and voice his character.
The promotional campaign for SUPERMAN is in high gear, and this time you can win two Fandango tickets to see the film!
Keebler® in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products celebrates Superman’s return to the big screen this summer with an epic new cookie innovation: Limited-Edition Keebler Superman Fudge Stripes.
Magically baked by Ernie and the elves in the Hollow Tree, these mouthwatering Strong Berry Fudge Stripes Cookies are drizzled with stripes of mixed-berry fudge and feature four unique designs that reflect the DC Super Hero, including the Superman S-Shield as depicted in the new film.
“We know our Fudge Stripes cookies help create special moments for families – from after-school snacks to weekend movie nights. That’s why we’re introducing this new summer flavor, giving families and Superman fans of every generation another delicious way to connect and create sweet memories,” said Kim Thomas, Senior Brand Manager, Ferrero Cookies. “Our partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery allows us to make movie experiences more meaningful and draw a new generation of fans into the iconic franchises of Keebler and Superman.”
Beyond the epic new cookie, fans can scan the QR code on the pack to unlock even more magic on Keebler’s Open for Magic digital content hub and enter the Keebler® Superman™ Sweepstakes. Beginning June 1, families can unleash their inner superhero through a magical simulation game, inspired by Superman, where they rescue cookies in need for a chance to win two Fandango admissions ($30 value) to see Superman in theaters. See below for more details.
Visit OpenforMagic.comfor a chance to see the all-new “Superman” in theaters
Shop Limited-Edition Keebler Superman Fudge Stripes at retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $4.80.
“Superman” from Writer/Director James Gunn soars into theaters and IMAX® nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning 9 July 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
The film stars David Corenswet (“Twisters,” “Hollywood”) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” movies, “Juror #2”) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry,” “Gotham”), Nathan Fillion (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “The Suicide Squad”), Isabela Merced (“Alien Romulus”), Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza,” “Booksmart”), Sara Sampaio (“At Midnight”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys”), Wendell Pierce (“Selma,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), Alan Tudyk (“Andor”), Pruitt Taylor Vince (“Bird Box”) and Neva Howell (“Greedy People”).
“Superman” is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by frequent collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with composer David Fleming (“The Last of Us”) and editors William Hoy (“The Batman”) and Craig Alpert (“Deadpool 2,” “Blue Beetle”).
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. who are 18 years of age or older with a valid email account as of the date of entry. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00:00 a.m. ET on 6/1/25 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on 7/31/25. Unclaimed Instant Win Prizes not awarded. For complete details, including entry, prize claim and prizing details, see Official Rules available at www.supermansweepstakes.com. Sponsor: Ferrero U.S.A., Inc., Parsippany, NJ 07054.
(L-R) Eiza González as Esme, Natalie Portman as Charlotte and John Krasinski as Luke, in THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. Courtesy of Apple TV+
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH is director Guy Ritchie’s, latest, an action/adventure tale starring John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, as a brother-sister duo hunting for the mythical Fountain of Youth. THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH is a globetrotting adventure yarn blends RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, NAME OF THE ROSE, and NATIONAL TREASURE with an art heist thriller. Yet, there is little thrilling here, as the characters, plot and tropes are all too familiar, while the talented stars are miscast in their roles.
Guy Ritchie is a director who burst on the scene with a pair of clever twisty crime thrillers, LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH, but mostly failed to live up to that early promise. With THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, all that remains of that early promise is some clever editing, a couple of good chase sequences, and a few cinematic flourishes. The script, not by Ritchie, is a mishmash of other films in the adventure genre, and seems maybe aimed at a middle or grade school audience. The story in both overly familiar and preposterous – far-fetched doesn’t even cover it.
John Krasinski and Natalie Portman are talented actors but seem miscast here. John Krasinski is particularly miscast, as a roguish art thief in the vein of Harrison Ford. Krasinski does his best to make Luke Purdue into a charming rogue but it’s a hard sell. After a wild chase sequence in Thailand, with Krasinski’s art thief Luke pursued by Asian gangster types led by Kasem (Steve Tran), and also a mysterious female agent named Esme (Eiza González) working for someone else, his character jets off to Europe, where he drops in on his sister Charlotte (Portman), a curator at an art museum, to liven up her dull life by stealing some art.
It turns out the siblings’ father was an art historian/archaeologist who had a particular fascination with the myth of the Fountain of Youth. The siblings had a splendid art and history education and a father who instilled good values but they took differing paths – her to art history and museum work and him into international art theft.
Luke does his work with the help of a pair of assistants, Murph (Laz Alonso), who arranges logistics like transportation and other practical matters access to locked places, and Debbie McCall (Carmen Ejogo), who restores and cleans up the stolen art, as well as providing research. Luke’s team has been hired by a billionaire suffering from terminal cancer, Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson) to find that legendary Fountain of Youth, for obvious reasons.
While Krasinski seems miscast, Portman gets to do little more than look outraged or scared in this tale. Luke decides his sister’s life is too dull, and wants to recruit her to help with the quest for that Fountain of Youth. She’s having none of it, and actually has enough going on in her life right now, as she and her British husband Harold (Daniel de Bourg) are in the middle of a divorce, and squabbling over custody of their precocious son Thomas (Benjamin Chivers). Stealing a painting from the museum where she works, and then practically kidnapping her when she tries to stop him, does not encourage family feeling but it does insure she has to listen to his pitch.
Nonetheless, Charlotte ends up going along on this search for the Fountain of Youth, and thanks to Gleeson’s billionaire, who arranges for a job for her husband in Japan, even is forced to take her eleven-year-old son along on this world-spanning adventure. To reassure her, the billionaire brings on a security team, led by tough guy Praeger (Michael Epp).
With a brother and sister pair at the center of this adventure, the film needs to look elsewhere for a love interest for Krasinski’s charming rogue, and finds it in the mysterious, and beautiful, female agent Esme he met in Thailand. While Esme coolly tries to separate Krasinski’s character Luke from the tube with the rolled-up stolen painting, the two have a little cat-and-mouse flirtation. The mysterious agent, who we find works for the equally-mysterious Elder (Stanley Tucci), turns up time and again as the brother and sister go on their globe-trotting quest.
The worldwide search takes the brother, sister, and nephew, all over the place, to track down clues to the location of the mythical Fountain of Youth, still pursued by the Thai gangsters, the mystery woman agent, and now Interpol, in the form of an inspector named Jamal Abbas (Arian Moayed).
You would think they would end up in Florida at some point but, oddly, they never do. Along the way, the story does sprinkle in a few interesting historical tidbits, and offers up some puzzles and riddles to solve, as it skips around the world. The whole thing rattles along to a big visual effects-filled and big battle conclusion, as expected.
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH debuts streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 23, 2025.
A scene from THE PROSECUTOR. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment
I’ve previously described Donnie Yen as a Chinese Gary Cooper, projecting a calm, unshakable integrity that endures in the midst of chaos. His outings as Ip Man, and more recently as John’s blind, but still lethal, frenemy in JOHN WICK 4 make the point solidly. In THE PROSECUTOR, Yen stars as a tough cop who grows frustrated with a legal system that lets too many violent perps elude the consequences of their crimes, despite all the cops endure to get them arrested and indicted. After a particularly aggravating enforcement failure, he quits the force and spends seven years in school to qualify for joining the ranks of the eponymous part of the system.
The premise cuts down on the usual amount of action in Yen’s movies, but still leaves room for a few particularly gratifying fight sequences. In his first case, Yen is so concerned about the possibly wrongful conviction of a young felon that his courtroom efforts during the appeal seem more like those of defense counsel than prosecutor, incurring the enmity of the judge and his bosses. But, true to Yenian form, he just might be onto something, and starts convincing colleagues to help in the investigation.
The plot is somewhat more convoluted than necessary, and the courtroom scenes lack the tension and excitement levels one would hope for in any of those dramas. Yen has a few eloquent moments, but they almost seem out of place compared to the rest of that tepid side of the proceedings. Despite these flaws from Donnie the director, and the amount of time he’s stuck in a suit and tie rather than in a uniform or fightin’ civvies, his fans should be satisfied with the Donnie the actor on display in this production.
THE PROSECUTOR, in Cantonese Chinese with English subtitles, debuts in digital formats, 4K and Blu-ray on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 from Well Go USA.
Psycho slasher flicks are hard to predict on the quality scale. Some viewers only care about the gore level. Others look more for novelty in the methods of dispatch; the more studious types may seek more in the plot and character vein to understand they whys of the situation. PRETTY BOY is pretty good on the first two, but weak on the third. What I didn’t know before watching was that this 2021 movie is a sequel, picking up right after the events of 2019’s BLIND. I then watched it, too, and probably would have liked this one better if I’d seen them in the correct order. But not by all that much.
The eponymous masked murderer has a fixation on a blind former starlet (Sarah French). As this one opens, he’s schlepping her body around Hollywood Hills for reasons I still don’t understand after seeing both when he comes across a Valentine’s Day party at someone’s home, and starts killing those folks.
We learn a bit about them, but not enough to care who might survive. Despite his lack of dialog, we also learn more of Pretty Boy’s backstory, which is suitably sordid, if not fully credible.
Gore junkies will be more satisfied by the sights and sounds of the slaughter, including plenty of blood and a few unique methods of offing the co-stars. The body count is higher and more visceral than in BLIND. Other plot and character details matter little.
Now that you know what to expect, make your own decision on which parts of the genre you find most motivating, and choose accordingly. That’s the best non-spoiler advice I can offer.
PRETTY BOY is available VOD and on digital platforms starting Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
James Gunn’s SUPERMAN hits theaters this summer on July 11th and along side the Man of Steel will be his trusty sidekick, Krypto! To mark the release, Milkbone will feature Krypto on it’s boxes… The marketing for the film is genius – first the contest for the premiere and now this!
Treat your small-but-mighty dog like Krypto the Superdog — with snacks that are just as special as they are: the iconic Milk-Bone dog biscuits that your sidekick already loves, but in a fun, limited-edition package that you’ll love too. Same meaty taste. Same deliciously crunchy texture that helps clean teeth. And same spectacular tail-wagging power. Still made with vitamins and minerals, and still produced in Buffalo, New York, USA. Talk about a super easy choice.
Remember to enter for a chance to win the contest to the Hollywood premiere. Two lucky comic book fans will win the opportunity to attend the World Premiere of director James Gunn’s Superman in Los Angeles by discovering “Krypto’s Golden Biscuit” hidden inside the front cover of DC’s facsimile-edition reprint of the 1955 comic book Adventure Comics #210 that will land in local comic book stores starting on June 18.
Written by Otto Binder with art by Curt Swan (including art by Ramona Fradon and George Papp), this iconic comic book with cover art by Curt Swan features Krypto’s first appearance in comics in the story “The Superdog from Krypton,” where a young Clark Kent rediscovers Superboy’s best friend in a heartwarming reunion spanning years of time and light-years of space.
Starting on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, fans can head to their local comic book shops to pick up a special polybagged edition of Adventure Comics #210 for their chance at discovering “Krypto’s Golden Biscuit.” Copies of Adventure Comics #210 Facsimile Edition can be preordered from your local comics shop, so talk to the staff at your favorite store about adding comics to your pull list.
Grand Prize (2 winners): Each Grand Prize consists of a 3-day/2-night trip (“Trip”) for winner and one (1) guest to Los Angeles, California to attend the world premiere screening of DC Studios Superman (“Screening”) Screening is currently scheduled to take place on Monday, July 7, 2025 in or around Los Angeles, California (date subject to change; specific location to be determined). Winner will receive confirmation of date of Screening no later than at the time of issuance of Prize Claim Documents; the Screening date is at Sponsor’s sole discretion and is subject to availability.
Trip consists of: round-trip economy class air transportation for two (2) people to Los Angeles, CA from major commercial airport near winner’s home (selected by Sponsor in its sole discretion); two (2) nights hotel accommodations (one standard room, double occupancy) in hotel selected by Sponsor in its sole discretion; round-trip ground transportation between Los Angeles airport and hotel; round-trip ground transportation between hotel and Screening; two (2) passes to the Screening.
For a chance to win a Prize at the same odds of winning WITHOUT PURCHASING DC’s facsimile edition of Adventure Comics #210, send an e-mail with your name and phone number to KryptoGoldenBiscuit@probabilityworks.com to be received by June 25, 2025 at 12:00:00 p.m. Eastern Time. (E-mail submissions will not be accepted before June 18, 2025 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time.) In addition, you must subscribe to DC Studios Fan First newsletter (if you are not already a member). There is no charge or fee to subscribe to DC Studios Fan First newsletter; to subscribe, go to https://www.dc.com/fanfirst and provide all required information.
“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
The film stars David Corenswet (“Twisters,” “Hollywood”) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” movies, “Juror #2”) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry,” “Gotham”), Nathan Fillion (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “The Suicide Squad”), Isabela Merced (“Alien Romulus”), Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza,” “Booksmart”), Sara Sampaio (“At Midnight”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys”), Wendell Pierce (“Selma,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), Alan Tudyk (“Andor”), Pruitt Taylor Vince (“Bird Box”) and Neva Howell (“Greedy People”).
Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
“There is never an easy day on Mission: Impossible. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Cruise’s legendary superspy Ethan Hunt has by now made both their names synonymous with achieving the unimaginable. But in The Final Reckoning, an eighth entry that is the jaw-dropping, satisfying arc to a now 30-year story, the pair of them are facing their most dangerous and narratively complex challenge ever. Simply put the film is EPIC!
The 9th movie is the culmination of Hunt’s journey, bringing back characters and plot threads from the franchise’s very beginning while delivering the spectacular action fans have come to expect.
Here are a few of the brilliant highlights from MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING.
Tom Cruise’s Unmissable Theatrical Experience: This is why we go to the movies! As always with “Mission: Impossible,” the film is designed for the big screen. The scale of the stunts and the immersive nature of the filmmaking demand a theatrical viewing. Cruise is truly a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. The star issued this statement on Tuesday morning.
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise is renowned for its practical and breathtaking stunts. The previous installment, “Dead Reckoning Part One,” featured a highly publicized motorcycle jump off a cliff and a massive train sequence. The new film has some of the most daring set pieces in cinema.
The aerial sequence against Gabriel: The basis of the story in the aerial sequence in The Final Reckoning finds Esai Morales’ Gabriel has just flown off in a classic Stearman biplane, forcing Ethan to give chase in a second one, transfer to its undercarriage and climb onto the wing of Gabriel’s plane, to fight him. In the real world, this staggering sequence was filmed at 10,000 feet above sea level, with Cruise battling hurricane-force winds, and a pilot trying his very best to throw him off. Co-star Henry Czerny probably says it simplest. “What Tom does up there is something you’ll never forget, for the rest of your life.”
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Diving The Sevastopol: For Cruise, shooting The Sevastopol sequence was physically exhausting, to a level that he could only really discover by getting in the tank and finding out firsthand. McQuarrie says, “Despite their best-laid plans, the sequence proved to be a scheduling nightmare, with them able to set aside ten days to shoot. For the director and star and producer, that number wasn’tnearly enough to put what they knew they were truly capable of up on screen. “The accepted limit for shooting underwater was six shots per day. So, I designed a sequence that would comprise twenty shots total. This ensured that ten days was more than enough time. It also ensured Tom would have to work much harder and hold his breath longer to get the shots required. Such is Mission.”
Historic Box Office: “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” had a strong opening, and “The Final Reckoning” is the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s story. THR reported that the film opened to a series-best $79 million domestically and a franchise-high $191 million globally, according to weekend actuals (M:I’s final domestic tally was up from Sunday’s estimate of $77.5 million). The numbers include a three-day weekend gross of $64 million for Final Reckoning. “
Music Score: The music for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (and by extension, “The Final Reckoning” as it’s a two-part story) was composed by Lorne Balfe. Max Aruj, after providing additional music for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, and Alfie Godfrey took the baton for The Final Reckoning and made it even more thrilling! Their powerful and propulsive score incorporates Lalo Schifrin’s classic theme. Listen to the score here: https://missionimpossible.lnk.to/thefinalreckoningAY
Actress Hannah Waddingham as Admiral Neely: Hannah Waddingham is indeed a new addition to “The Final Reckoning” cast, playing the character of Admiral Neely, in charge of the USS George H.W. Bush. She is very much patterned after the first woman to command a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier – Captain Amy Bauernschmidt – who took command of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in August 2021. https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2023-05-24/abraham-lincoln-change-command-10221945.html
Hannah Waddingham plays Admiral Neely in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Shea Whigham as Jim Phelps, Jr.: This is a confirmed and significant reveal in “The Final Reckoning.” Shea Whigham’s character, Jasper Briggs, is revealed to be Jim Phelps Jr., the son of Jon Voight’s villainous character from the original 1996 “Mission: Impossible” film. This adds a deeply personal layer to Briggs’ pursuit of Ethan Hunt.
Shea Whigham plays Briggs in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
The Return of William Donloe: Yes, Rolf Saxon reprises his role as William Donloe, the CIA analyst from the first “Mission: Impossible” movie. His return connects directly to the events of the original film and provides an unexpected and important supporting role in The Final Reckoning.
“When Saxon, 69, first got wind that McQuarrie wanted to meet with him on a video call, he thought that a friend was playing an elaborate prank. “In fact, when Chris told me that, I thought it was a way of getting me to do it,” he said. “I thought he was being nice and generous.”
In the summer of 2023, after he shot his initial scenes, Saxon got a call from McQuarrie and braced for the worst. But the director was not getting in touch about axed scenes. Instead, he was informing him that they wanted him to come back to work. They had added him into the last section of the movie.
“We wrote a small part for him, and we just kept expanding, it kept growing,” McQuarrie said. “I called Tom and I said, ‘You know, I think we’re doing ourselves a disservice if we let this character leave the movie midway through.’ Tom said, ‘I completely agree; he should be there in the third act.’”
Saxon was nervous when he first got to set, but he said Cruise, whom he had interacted with only briefly during the first movie, quickly put him at ease.”
Rolf Saxon plays William Donloe in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
