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‘Clayface’: Tom Rhys Harries Lands Lead Role In DC Studios’ Horror Film

By
Travis Hopson
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Tom Rhys Harries to play Clayface in DCU Horror film

The DCU project Clayface remains something of a curiosity. It’s an odd choice to make a B-level Batman villain the centerpiece of the next big DC film following Superman and next year’s Supergirl, but that’s what they’re doing. And now we know who will be playing the shapeshifting baddie who smells like Play-Doh:Tom Rhys Harries.

Who?

Yeah, DC Studios went with a newer face to star in Clayface. Tom Rhys Harries recently starred opposite Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in The Return, Gerard Butler in Kandahar, and Matthew McConaughey in The Gentlemen.

Harries reportedly beat out Jack O’Connell (Sinners, 28 Years Later), Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), George MacKay (1917), and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus). No small feat because all of those actors are fantastic.

Gunn confirmed Deadline’s report on social media…

Clayface began life as a pitch by horror veteran and The Life of Chuck director Mike Flanagan. Last we heard, Flanagan’s script was being overhauled, with the most recent rewrites by Hossein Amini. James Watkins (Speak No Evil, The Woman in Black) is directing.

It’s unclear exactly which version of Clayface will appear in the movie, but it’s likely an amalgam of versions seen in DC Comics and Batman: The Animated Series. The most popular version follows a B-movie Hollywood actor who injects himself with a substance that makes his body malleable as clay. He adopts the identity of a character he played before, and turns to a life of crime. The film is expected to lean heavily into horror.

Clayface is expected to hit theaters on September 11th 2026.

‘Breakthrough’: Darren Aronofsky Could Direct Dwayne Johnson In A24’s Guru Thriller

By
Travis Hopson
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Darren Aronofsky eyes directing Dwayne Johnson in BREAKTHROUGH

As Dwayne Johnson branches out from action blockbusters and superhero flicks, he’s beginning to work with more interesting filmmakers. Martin Scorsese, Benny Safdie just to name a couple. Soon, you might be able to add Darren Aronofsky to that list.

Just weeks ago, we learned Johnson would be starring in A24’s psychological thriller, Breakthrough, in which he would play a dangerous SoCal motivational speaker. Deadline reports Aronofsky is being eyed to direct the film, working from a script by Zeke Gordon.

Here’s a synopsis for Breakthrough: “Set in turn-of-the-millennium Southern California, the story follows an alienated young man who comes under the influence of a motivational guru, whose intoxicating charm masks his morally questionable methods of manipulation and his own concealed darkness.”

Aronofsky has kept himself busy of late. His ’90s crime film Caught Stealing, starring Austin Butler, arrives in August. There’s also a Cujo remake that he’s been mentioned for, although nothing has been confirmed.

With Johnson on board and Aronofsky possibly directing, Breakthrough is even more anticipated than before. There’s one more key leading role to cast, and you can bet some big names will be vying to get it.  Would anyone have pegged Johnson and Aronofsky working together? Me neither.

‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Trailer: Jennifer Love Hewitt Is Back To Stop A Copycat Killer

By
Travis Hopson
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I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER opens on July 18th

Legacy sequels and reboots have a mixed track record, but Sony Pictures hopes to hook you in with its reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer. The new horror from director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge) revives the franchise that launched way back in 1997 and spawned a sequel one year later.

The new film stars Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Hauer-King and Chase Sui Wonders, with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. reprising their roles from the original movies. Robinson crafted the story with Leah McKendrick and co-wrote the screenplay with Sam Lansky.

Here’s the synopsis: When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they’re forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer…and is hell-bent on revenge. As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.

In the trailer, it’s clear that a copycat “Fisherman” serial killer is on the loose. Hewitt and Prinze’s characters have some experience dealing with, and surviving, exactly this scenario so you think others would listen to them, right? Doubtful. At least Hewitt gets to deliver her classic line!

I Know What You Did Last Summer hits theaters on July 18th.

‘London Calling’ Trailer: Josh Duhamel Is A Down On His Luck Hitman In New Action Comedy

By
Travis Hopson
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Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor in LONDON CALLING

A hitman really only has one job: kill the target. Check that; kill the RIGHT target. So what happens when you screw that up? In the case of Josh Duhamel in the new buddy action comedy London Calling, you end up babysitting your new boss’s son and teaching him how to be a man.

Quiver Distribution has dropped the new trailer for London Calling, starring Josh Duhamel and Jeremy Ray Taylor. The film is directed by Allan Unger, who worked with Duhamel previously on Bandit. Unger is also a producer on the upcoming Death Stranding film by Hideo Kojima.

Also in the cast are Rick Hoffman and Aidan Gillen.

SYNOPSIS: After fleeing the UK from a job gone wrong, a down on his luck hitman is forced to babysit the son of his new crime boss and show him how to become a man.

London Calling hits theaters on September 19th.

 

James Gunn Confirms ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ Title Change

By
Travis Hopson
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SUPERGIRL opens on June 26th 2026

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow was never a very good title, especially for such an important movie in James Gunn’s budding DCU. Something had to be done, and Gunn has done it. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Gunn confirmed the film’s title has been changed simply to Supergirl.

Now, you might recall that Superman was once titled Superman: Legacy, and Gunn cut that, too.  Clearly, he’s into keeping these titles short, and that’s probably for the best.

Gunn explained… “I’m always cutting. ‘Legacy’ was really — we do something called a premortem,” he shared. “A premortem is you get together with your group that’s doing the project. It’s usually about a couple months before shooting, and you go, hypothetically, ‘If it’s an epic disaster, what are the things that we’re doing today that are going to cause it to be an epic disaster? Everyone here can speak freely.'”

“The things you find on other productions are the things that people are whispering. ‘Oh, God, I don’t know why they cast that actor — he doesn’t fit the role.’ Or, ‘The production designer’s never on time.’ One of the things I brought up was, it was called Superman: Legacy. Even though I was the one that gave it that title, I just wasn’t sure.”

“First of all, I’m sick of the superhero title, colon, other-name thing,” Gunn admitted. “And then also it seemed to be looking back when we’re looking forward, even though it does have to do with legacy in the movie itself. And everybody was like, ‘Oh, yeah, no, change it.'” 

Supergirl is going to need some help. Let’s be honest, but the character has never been a huge draw. The Helen Slater movie from 1984 is a curiosity for the most part, while the CBS/CW series with Melissa Benoist had a small but loyal following that lasted for six seasons.

That said, it does have a star in Milly Alcock who everyone acknowledges was the best thing about House of the Dragon. She could catch fire in this role, too, and perhaps even overshadow David Corenswet’s Superman. If that happens, watch out.

Supergirl hits theaters on June 26th 2026, directed by Craig Gillespie.

‘Can We Talk?’: Natasha Lyonne To Play Joan Rivers In Upcoming Biopic

By
Travis Hopson
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Natasha Lyonne to play Joan Rivers in CAN WE TALK?

With five Emmy nominations, Natasha Lyonne has earned her share of praise on the small screen. But is it time for her to finally get the same recognition for her work in features? According to Jeff Sneider, Lyonne is up for the role of comedic legend Joan Rivers in the biopic, Can We Talk?

While the project doesn’t yet have a director, it’s set up at Sony’s 3000 Pictures and has a script by The Office writer Amelie Gillette.

The casting of Lyonne is brilliant, in my opinion. Just going by the smokey, raspy voice she shares with Rivers, it’s perfect. But Lyonne is well-known for playing characters who say whatever is on their mind; they don’t hold back. That seems to be a trait that Lyonne shares with Rivers, who became famous for her relentless comedic style. She could be self-deprecating but also ruthless to others. She said what a lot of female comics were afraid to, and didn’t care what her male counterparts thought.

Joan’s daughter, Melissa Rivers, has given her blessing to the casting of Lyonne, too.

Currently, Lyonne can be seen starring in Peacock’s hit series, Poker Face. She will also have a role in Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, presumably as Alicia Masters.

How good Can We Talk? turns out to be will depend a lot on the director, and whether the film is willing to break some biopic conventions. Will it be surface level only or go deep into what really made Joan Rivers tick?

‘The Naked Gun’ Trailer: Liam Neeson Is Frank Drebin In The Action-Comedy Reboot

By
Travis Hopson
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Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson in THE NAKED GUN

Liam Neeson has been doing action movies for so long that it’s tough to remember what a funny guy he can be. Seth MacFarlane’s films Ted 2 and A Million Ways to Die in the West showed flashes of Neeson’s comedic chops, and that relationship with MacFarlane has lasted for years. It continues with The Naked Gun, which MacFarlane produces and Neeson stars, taking over the goofball lead role of Frank Drebin from the great Leslie Nielsen.

This version of The Naked Gun isn’t a remake, though. Instead, Neeson plays Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Nielsen’s character. Frank has followed in his father’s footsteps and become a cop of dubious distinction. In short, he’s an idiot. A heroic, brave, wildly oblivious idiot cop who stumbles from one incident after another.

The film is directed by Akiva Schaffer, the Lonely Island member known for directing Hot Rod, The Watch, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.  Hard to complain about that resume.

Pamela Anderson continues her career resurgence by joining Neeson in the cast. Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, and Danny Huston co-star, as well.

SYNOPSIS: Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father’s footsteps in “The Naked Gun,” directed by Akiva Schaffer (“Saturday Night Live,” Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) and from producer Seth MacFarlane (“Ted,” “Family Guy”).

The Naked Gun hits theaters on August 1st from Paramount Pictures.

Review: ‘I Don’t Understand You’

Nick Kroll And Andrew Rannells Play Bloody Idiots Abroad In Vertical's New Slasher Comedy

By
Cortland Jacoby
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Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells in I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU

Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells worked together for years on the Netflix hit cartoon Big Mouth. If you believed the show, known for descriptive and creative depictions of sex, lacked a bloody slasher element, their latest film may be for you. I Don’t Understand You is a violent, dark comedy that keeps you guessing on which twisted direction writers and directors David Joseph Craig and Brian Crano will go next.

Kroll and Rannells play Dom and Cole, a well-established couple waiting to hear back about adopting a child after a prospective parent pulled out at the last minute. To keep themselves distracted for their anniversary, they go to Italy. Keen on enjoying the sights and the food scene, Dom jumps at the opportunity to eat at a local woman’s “restaurant”, despite his partner’s protests of keeping with their plans. 

Their car getting stuck in a ditch should have been the first indication that their time at Zia’s home was doomed. It’s the first in a series of misfortunes that Cole and Dom face. The homeowner, Zia (Nunzia Schiano), is initially excited to have the couple in her home as their relationship is one she strives for her son Massimo (Morgan Spector) to have. But as misinterpreted microaggressions overshadow the meal, things take a deadly turn.

This movie is bonkers. Crano and Craig crank up the comedic tension with little regard for comfort. Sure, their commentary about Americans abroad is all too common nowadays, with The White Lotus dominating television. But their ability to (no pun intended) bite through what’s been done before and create a cohesive narrative around American individualism makes the story feel fresh.

If you’ve been following Kroll and Rannell’s careers, you know that these parts were made for them. The former excels at playing the food obsessed douchebag that prides himself on using Duolingo to learn Italian, even though he can’t use it at all. Rannell’s performance rings similar to his turn as Elijah in HBO’s Girls, the codependent truthteller that eventually submits to what the more dominant one in the relationship. The two work well together and become the oblivious jack-asses Crano and Craig need them to become.

I Don’t Understand You is not for everyone. It’s unrelenting in its gore and the leads can be exhausting. The script is not laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s backed by good ideas and solid performances, mainly by Kroll, Rannells and Amanda Seyfried, who is playing their perspective birth parent. Those who love dark comedy, gore, and even cringe comedy, will love this.

Vertical has released I Don’t Understand You in theaters.

Box Office: ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ Soars To Nearly $200M Globally, ‘Materialists’ Opens To $12M

By
Travis Hopson
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HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON flew higher than MATERIALISTS and THE LIFE OF CHUCK
  1. How to Train Your Dragon (review)- $83.7M

Dreamworks and Universal’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon, officially elbowed its way into Disney territory. The film opened huge with $83.7M domestic and $197M worldwide. The film, a nearly shot-for-shot remake of the 2010 original, and directed by the same filmmaker, Dean DeBlois, is the third best opening ever for Dreamworks Animation behind a pair of Shrek movies. Reviews were strong all around, too, with critics giving it a 77% RT score and audiences at 98%.

2. Lilo & Stitch– $15.5M/$366.3M

3. Materialists (review)- $12M

The powerhouse trio of A-listers Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal drove Celine Song’s rom-com Materialists to $12M, a successful bit of counterprogramming by A24. The film, a love triangle set in the world of romantic matchmaking, was A24 ‘s biggest debut of the year.

4.Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning– $10.3M/$166.3M

5. From the World of John Wick: Ballerina– $9.4M/$41.8M

6. Karate Kid: Legends– $5M/$44.1M

7. Final Destination Bloodlines– $3.9M/$130.6M

8. The Phoenician Scheme– $3M/$12.8M

9. The Life of Chuck (review)- $2.1M/$2.4M

After a solid debut in platform release last week, The Life of Chuck leaped into the top 10 with $2.1M and an 854% increase.  The Stephen King adaptation from Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan is led by Tom Hiddleston in a crowd-pleasing performance that won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, usually an indicator of an awards season contender.

10. Sinners– $1.4M/$275.4M

[BoxOfficeMojo]

 

‘Ruins’: Vanessa Kirby And Sebastian Stan Set For Steamy Romantic Thriller

By
Travis Hopson
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Vanessa Kirby, Sebastian Stan to star in romantic thriller RUINS

Vanessa Kirby and Sebastian Stan are starring in a new movie together, and no, it’s not Avengers: Doomsday. Deadline reports Kirby and Stan will star in Ruins, Miramax’s adaptation of the upcoming novel by Amy Taylor

Here’s a synopsis of the book:

At a crossroads in their lives, a couple arrives in Greece to house-sit for a friend. Emma is searching for a meaningful next step beyond work or starting a family, and Julian is struggling to come to terms with the failure of his academic career. Their visions for the future seem to be pulling them in different directions, and they hope that this summer away will help them mend their frayed connection.

Emma and Julian’s plans take an unexpected turn when they meet Lena, an enigmatic young Greek woman, who presents an opportunity for them to explore their relationship in uncharted and excitingly risky ways. However, as the heat in the city grows stifling, Emma and Julian find themselves far more entangled in Lena’s life than they’d bargained for. Engaged in a three-way struggle for control, Emma, Julian, and Lena are suddenly faced with consequences far greater—and far more explosive—than they could have predicted.

Voyeuristic and thrilling, Ruins delivers the drama of a modern Greek tragedy while exposing the tensions between privilege and power, desire and intimacy.

It’s been an amazing year for Stan, who recently received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Donald Trump in The Apprentice, and he won a Golden Globe for starring in A Different Man. He was also recently seen in two Marvel films, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. Along with Kirby, he’ll have a role in Avengers: Doomsday. Kirby will appear (or disappear?) as Invisible Woman Sue Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Ruins doesn’t yet have a director attached, but it shouldn’t be difficult to find one with these two headlining.

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