Denis Villeneuve To Direct Next ‘James Bond’ Film

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June 26, 2025

Denis Villeneuve will finally get to direct James Bond

It’s official. Denis Villeneuve, known for the Dune franchise, Prisoners, Arrival, Sicario, and other critically acclaimed films, will direct Bond 26. Amazon MGM made the news on social media, just days after a shortlist of contenders was named. Villeneuve beat out Edward Berger, Edgar Wright, Jonathan Nolan, & Paul King for the gig.

Villeneuve said following the announcement…“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery. I’m a die-hard Bond fan. To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honor the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honor. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”

Amazon MGM has been moving quickly with James Bond since acquiring full creative control earlier this year. Amy Pascal and David Heyman were named as producers.

As for when the film will happen, that’s unclear. But it will have to wait a few years, which should offer plenty of time to hammer out a screenplay. Villeneuve is about to roll on Dune: Messiah, and Bond 26 will be next after that. This is something Villeneuve has openly talked about wanting to do, so it’s good to see him get his wish.

Hey, if you can’t get Christopher Nolan to direct Bond, you are almost getting the same thing with Villeneuve. What the two filmmakers share is an ability to make almost any story, big or small, feel epic with plenty of creative visual style. They both favor moody, dark stories that strike at the heart of their heroic leads, think Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Now imagine Villeneuve doing something similar with James Bond and you’ve got something that sounds pretty cool.

‘Witchboard’ Trailer: Madison Iseman Conjures An Occult Game In Chuck Russell’s Horror Remake

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Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

It's getting hot for Madison Iseman in WITCHBOARD

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 and The Blob director Chuck Russell is making his big horror comeback with Witchboard. Wait, you remember the original 1986 movie by Kevin S. Tenney, too? It was a video store classic back in the day, but Russell is updating it for a new audience and with a cast led by Madison Iseman, no stranger to horror movies herself after Annabelle Comes Home and Goosebumps 2.

The reimagined Witchboard is directed by Russell from a script he co-wrote with Greg McKay. Iseman is joined in the cast by Aaron Dominguez, Mel Jarnson, Charlie Tahan, Antonia Desplat, and Stranger Things‘ Jamie Campbell Bower.

SYNOPSIS: From legendary director Chuck Russell (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, The Mask), Witchboard resurrects the ’80’s horror classic with a chilling new vision. In present-day New Orleans, a cursed artifact unleashes a vengeful witch, drawing a young couple into a deadly spiral of possession, temptation, and occult terror.

It’s good to see Russell getting back into the horror game. The veteran filmmaker has been closely linked with John Travolta, having directed the actor in Paradise City and I Am Wrath. He also directed Eraser with Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Mask with Jim Carrey.

Witchboard premiered last year at Fantasia, and it currently holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Avenue and Atlas Distribution will release it into theaters on August 15th.

‘Rogue Trooper’: First Look At Duncan Jones’ Adaptation Of Wild 2000 AD Sci-Fi Comic

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Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

There hasn’t been a new film from Duncan Jones since the sci-fi drama Mute in 2018, but that same year he began teasing his next project, an adaptation of the 2000 AD comic book, Rogue Trooper. Seven years later, and we are finally getting our first look at the animated feature, which began as a live-action movie before Jones switched gears.

Rogue Trooper is pretty wild stuff, which is par for the course from Judge Dredd publisher 2000 AD. The story centers on 19, the titular Rogue Trooper, a Genetic Infantryman on the planet Nu-Earth who is the sole survivor of an invasion. Desperate to find the traitor who sold out him and his squadmates, 19 is accompanied by three of his fallen comrades whose personalities are kept in biochips attached to his helmet, backpack, and rifle.

Interestingly, an earlier attempt by Grant Morrison to adapt Rogue Trooper was thwarted when 2011’s Dredd underperformed at the box office. Dredd is, of course, a cult classic now, but it goes to show how the performance of one movie can totally destroy another.

Aneurin Barnard leads the cast, joined by Jemaine Clement, Matt Berry, Hayley Atwell, Jack Lowden, Daryl McCormack, Reese Shearsmith, Sean Bean, Asa Butterfield, Alice Lowe, and Diane Morgan.

Jones directs and adapts the comic from Gerry Finley-Day and Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons. [Empire]

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‘Eden’ Trailer: Ana De Armas, Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, & Daniel Brühl In Ron Howard’s Island Thriller

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Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

A feature film based on the mysterious Galapagos Affair has been long overdue. Fortunately, Ron Howard has made it happen with Eden, and he’s assembled an all-star cast for the thriller surrounding the mysterious disappearances and deaths of disillusioned expats on the remote island of Floreana in 1930.

Eden is led by Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas, Daniel Brühl, and Sydney Sweeney. Howard directs from a screenplay penned by Noah Pink.

SYNOPSIS: Director Ron Howard’s Eden unravels the shocking true story of a group of disillusioned outsiders who abandon civilization, settling on a remote, uninhabited island only to discover that the greatest threat isn’t the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other. As tensions spiral and desperation takes hold, a twisted power struggle unfolds, leading to betrayal, violence, and the deaths of half the colony.

Vertical will release Eden in theaters on August 22nd.

‘The Stand’: Doug Liman To Direct Adaptation Of Stephen King’s Post-Apocalyptic Epic

By

Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

Doug Liman to direct new adaptation of THE STAND

Stephen King adaptations are a brand that will never die. Case in point: it’s only been five years since Paramount’s miniseries based on King’s post-apocalyptic classic, The Stand, itself a remake of the 1994 series. And already Paramount has another adaptation in the works, this time a feature film that THR reports will be directed by Doug Liman.

Liman, best known for The Bourne Identity, Road House, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and more, will direct the latest take on The Stand. The film will be produced by Cross Creek Pictures, which worked with Liman previously on the Tom Cruise drama, American Made.

The Stand follows the survivors of a weaponized flu outbreak that wiped out most of humanity. The survivors divide themselves into factions and engage in battles of good vs. evil.

A screenwriter still needs to be found so this should be a long way off, giving Liman time to do other projects until then. Perhaps the outer space movie he’s been planning with Tom Cruise and NASA? Liman is currently busy on the underwater horror Deeper with Cruise and Ana de Armas. I think he’s a great choice to direct The Stand, but I’m also unsure it can be done well in a single movie.

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Final Trailer: Marvel’s First Family Arrives In Theaters July 25th

By

Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS opens July 25th

Well, Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to an end this week with the debut of Ironheart on Disney+. But the start of Phase Six officially kicks off next month with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The fourth movie featuring Marvel’s “First Family”, and the second reboot following 2015’s disaster, the hope is that fans fall in love with this iteration of the superhero team. It has some stiff competition, coming just two weeks after James Gunn’s Superman and the launch of the DCU. Which nostalgic comic book icons will audiences choose?

The final trailer has dropped for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. And as usual in these situations, my advice is to skip it if you want to see the movie as fresh and open-minded as possible. Once again, I’m impressed with the retro-futuristic style chosen by director Matt Shakman, but also feel this approach could be a tough sell for Marvel. Shakman got audiences to dig it with WandaVision, but a feature film that people have to pay money for is a different proposition.

SYNOPSIS: Opening in theaters July 25, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Jospeph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles, The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

‘Roofman’ Trailer: Channing Tatum Is A Criminal Who Falls For Kirsten Dunst In A Toy “R” Us

By

Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

Channing Tatum finally got his chance to play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, and now he’s taking on another character who…well, he at least has a name that sounds like a superhero. Tatum stars in Roofman, but the guy he plays is real and hardly what you’d call a superhero. Miramax and Paramount have dropped the first trailer for the film by Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance.

Tatum stars as Jeffrey Manchester, a spree robber and former Army Reserve officer who turns to a life of crime to make ends meet. He earns the nickname “Roofman” due to his breaking into McDonald’s restaurants by cutting into the rooftops and dropping in. The film, co-written by Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn, follows fugitive Jeffrey as he hides out in a Toys “R” Us and falls for a single mom and her two kids. But his shot at redemption is complicated by his criminal past.

Tatum stars alongside Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, Peter Dinklage, Uzo Aduba, Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Molly Price, Tony Revolori, and Jimmy O. Yang.

SYNOPSIS: Based on an unbelievable true story, Roofman follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

Roofman opens in theaters on October 10th.

‘Bone Lake’ Trailer: Maddie Hasson’s Romantic Getaway Turns Into A Nightmare

By

Travis Hopson

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June 25, 2025

If anything can undo what’s meant to be a relaxing, romantic getaway…it’s other people. Usually, they amount to little more than annoyances, but in the new horror Bone Lake, the unwanted guests turn out to be downright sinister.

The film stars Maddie Hasson, best known for her roles in the horror film Malignant and the apocalyptic actioner Elevation. Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan (Spoonful of Sugar, which we reviewed here), Bone Lake follows a couple forced to share their vacation at a romantic estate with a mysterious and sexy couple. Does it devolve into a nightmare? Of course it does, but at least there’s some sex, too, so it ain’t all bad.

Hasson is joined in the cast by Margo Pigossi, Alex Roe, Andra Nechita, Elaine Reis, and Clayton Spencer. Morgan directs from a screenplay by Joshua Friedlander.

SYNOPSIS: A couple’s romantic vacation at a secluded lakeside estate is upended when they are forced to share the mansion with a mysterious and attractive couple. In this darkly hilarious and seductive horror story, a dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies, and manipulation, bringing terrifying secrets to light and triggering a bloody battle for survival.

Bleecker Street will open Bone Lake in theaters on October 10th, as they are clearly hoping to hook the Halloween crowd.

James Gunn Teases ‘Superman’ Semi-Sequel That He Could Direct

By

Travis Hopson

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June 24, 2025

We’re now less than a month away from James Gunn’s Superman, the critical first feature for DC Studios. As co-chair alongside Peter Safran, Gunn is both director of the movie and creative overseer of the entire brand. It’s a lot for any one person to handle, but Gunn is already talking about adding more to his workload, such as with a possible Superman follow-up.

Speaking with EW, Gunn teased a Superman-related project that he’s writing and could direct.

“What I’m working on is in some way…I mean, yes, yes, yes, yes. But is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily…Well, I always leave saying I’m going to direct something till I’m actually done with the screenplay, and then I say, ‘Yeah, I want to do this.’ But it’s probably what I will direct. Yeah, probably, to be totally realistic. Yes, probably.”

What could that be? A Superman film that isn’t a direct sequel? What is this? A Jimmy Olsen movie? Probably not, but my gut tells me it could be Legion of Super-heroes, which Superman was a part of as Superboy.

Superman hits theaters on July 11th, and that will be followed by Supergirl in June 2026. If something doesn’t go right, Gunn could find himself in an awkward situation where he’s focused on Kryptonian stuff that audiences aren’t into. Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen.

‘Guns Up’ Trailer: Kevin James And Christina Ricci Take On The Mob In Action Film Arriving Next Month

By

Travis Hopson

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June 24, 2025

An action movie where Kevin James and Christina Ricci fight the mob? Uh, I don’t know if that’s going to be any good but I definitely want to see how it plays out. That’s what we get in the new film Guns Up from writer/director Edward Drake that Vertical will release next month.

In Guns Up, James plays a mob enforcer who is forced to fight against the family when a job goes wrong and he tries to quit. Ricci plays his wife, who takes up arms alongside her hubby.

The film also stars Luis Guzman and Oscar nominee Melissa Leo.

SYNOPSIS: A family-man moonlighting as a henchman for the mob has one night to get his family out of the city – and keep his dark secret hidden – after a job goes horribly wrong.

It’s been a quiet few years for James. He was last seen in 2024’s Monster Summer alongside Mel Gibson and Mason Thames. He’s been doing less comedy and taking roles that lean into action, such as this one.

Ricci, on the other hand, is a regular on two hit shows, Wednesday and Yellowjackets. She continues to be incredibly popular and her fans will likely follow her to this film, too.

Guns Up opens on July 18th.