Turns out James Gunn did write an R-rated version of Scooby-Doo, Matthew Lillard has confirmed – but it didn't see the light of day because parents didn't dig it in the live-action adaptation's screen tests.

"I'm a product of a lot of those jokes," the actor, who recently reprised his role as the one of the franchise's original Ghostface killers Stu Macher in Scream 7, told Entertainment Tonight. "Can you make that parents like and can catch a joke or two above the kids' heads? That's a James Gunn specialty... Frankly, it was very funny and I do think that that movie would've been a huge hit as well. But when they tested it, some of the parents were like, "Hm, I don't know if we need that level of joke." Check it out below.

Written by Gunn and directed by Raja Gosnell, Scooby-Doo follows the snack-loving Great Dane and his crime-solving best pals Shaggy (Lillard), Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), Velma (Linda Cardellini) and Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.) as they travel to a horror-themed tropical island resort to investigate a series of paranormal events.

While it was panned critically (it currently holds a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score), it made a decent-enough $275 million at the global box office and went on to spawn a sequel: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed in 2004.

When asked by ET whether or not he'd like to be involved in Netflix's upcoming Scooby-Doo series, in which his Scream 7 co-star McKenna Grace has just been cast a member of Mystery Inc, Lillard candidly replied: "It's not about you, it's about the part. It's not about you, it's about the franchise. It's not about you, it's about those kids that are introduced to their first look at horror movies.

"When they're sitting there as young people, they're experiencing these things for the first time. So your job is to be the best possible version of that character."

For more, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

Nintendo is planning to release a "consistent cadence" of movies following Super Mario Galaxy in 2026 and The Legend of Zelda in 2027, president Shuntaro Furukawa has announced.

The declaration was made during the company's most recent financial results briefing on November 4. "We are continuing to prepare for the ongoing release of movies in the future," Furukawa shared, as he highlighted that Nintendo doesn't just license out its IP, it is "deeply involved in production" and "takes part in financing." He also noted that Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of both Mario and Zelda, is co-producing both movies.

What could be next? Animal Crossing? A live-action Splatoon? The world's Nintendo's Cloyster...

He added: "Thanks to the support of people around the world, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, released in 2023, was a success. It was enjoyed by a vast audience, including those who had experienced Mario games, those less familiar with gaming, and people of all ages, from children to seniors."

"What has pleased us most about this film, even more than the measurable results, are the warm comments we received from so many people. One comment we received was, 'I was able to cheer for the same Mario I played with in games as a child, but this time in a movie theater as a parent with my own kids.' We are truly grateful that Mario has a role in so many aspects of people's lives and the precious time families spend together. Through this movie, we reaffirmed that our unique brand of entertainment has the power to expand our fanbase across generations and to build long-term relationships with our consumers."

Released in 2023, The Super Mario Bros. Movie saw the titular Brooklyn-based plumber (Chris Pratt) stumble across the mysterious Mushroom Kingdom. There, he must team up with Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) to save his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) and stop Bowser (Jack Black) from using an all-mighty power-up to take over the realm. Bowser, it turns out, though, isn't just interested in world domination; his main goal is to convince Princess Peach to marry him.

Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic are back to direct the sequel, working from a script by returning writer Matthew Fogel. Hardly surprisingly, really, that Universal and Illumination assembled the same team for the follow-up, given that the first movie made a whopping $1.361 billion.

Elsewhere, the live-action Legend of Zelda movie will be helmed by Wes Ball (The Maze Runner, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes). Details are scant, as it stands, but we do know that Bo Bragason (Renegade Nell) is on board to play the eponymous princess while The Haunting of Bly Manor's Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will bring Link to life.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is heading to cinemas on April 3, 2026, while The Legend of Zelda will release on May 7, 2027. For more, check out our picks of the best video game movies of all time or our guide to all the upcoming video game movies heading our way.

In 2022, the Sanderson Sisters returned to Salem in Hocus Pocus 2, with a new band of heroes to interrupt their magical schemes. Now, with a third film on the cards, a hero from the 1993 original movie has expressed some interest in joining in the fun when Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker) come back for thirds.

Thora Birch, who played Dani Dennison in the original film, told Entertainment Tonight that she'd like to see what happened to her character after that fateful Halloween night involving talking cats and candles with a black flame. “Yeah, I’d like to know what they land on for how Dani wound up. I’m super open to the idea,” revealed Birch. “They love talking about this stuff, so we’ll see.”

The second film appeared on Disney+ and, along with Midler, Najimy, and Parker reuniting, was also joined by master of monsters Doug Jones, who reprised his role as Winifred's former, very undead love, William "Billy" Butcherson. Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo, and Whitney Peak were the new generation of heroes who got caught up in the magical mayhem, but haven't been confirmed to return for the planned threequel, which got the greenlight in 2023.

One promising plot point is that Hocus Pocus 2 ended with a hint of the return of Mother Witch, played in the sequel by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham. If Birch did make a comeback, it might see her on unsalted ground standing alongside the Sanderson Sisters to take down an even greater threat. Details are slim, but we should keep an eye out for future Halloweens for another spell to be cast. In the meantime, check out the 30 best films to watch on Disney+ now.

As the Christmas classic Home Alone nears its 35th anniversary this year, director Chris Columbus has no desire to reboot the iconic franchise, saying that he doesn't want to ruin what made the original film so special.

"I think Home Alone really exists as, not as this timepiece, but it was this very special moment, and you can't really recapture that," said Columbus in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "I think it's a mistake to try to go back and recapture something we did 35 years ago. I think it should be left alone."

Home Alone, which stars Macaulay Culkin as an 8-year-old boy who fights off a pair of robbers after his family accidentally leaves him home during Christmas break, was both a critical hit and a box office success at the time of release. However, the 1990 movie has only grown in popularity over the decades and is regarded as one of the best Christmas movies ever made.

Two years later, Columbus did reunite the cast one last time for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which proved to be another hit and was the third top-grossing movie of 1992. However, the director says that it only worked as it was made right after the original, and no one had aged. A handful of Home Alone movies from different directors and with different cast members have followed over the years, but none have managed to come close to the first movie's success.

In 2021, Disney attempted to reboot the franchise with Home Sweet Home Alone. The movie follows Jojo Rabbit star Archie Yates as a young boy who gets left home alone when his family jets off to Japan at Christmas time. However, the straight-to-streaming film failed to strike a chord with fans and sits at 15% on Rotten Tomatoes.

With this in mind, it looks like Columbus is right in not wanting to mess with something so special. But that doesn't stop other filmmakers and studios, as more childhood classics such as The Goonies, The Gremlins, and even Harry Potter are facing remakes over the next few years.

On the other hand, it looks like some movies can be revisited. Freakier Friday, which is essentially a sequel to a remake, has won most Freaky Friday fans over. Welcoming back Lindsey Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, Freakier Friday sits at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, which isn't too much of a drop from Freaky Friday’s 88% score. Plus, the sequel's audience score is almost double the first's.

Home Alone is available to stream on Disney Plus. For more, check out our guide to the best movies on Disney Plus, and keep up with upcoming Disney movies.

It was safe to assume that the live-action Lilo & Stitch film would be a modest little earner in theaters, but now it has officially become a billion-dollar monster movie and the first in Hollywood to cross the monumental landmark this year.

The remake couldn't have arrived at a better time, following reports that Disney was considering a change in tactics and easing off on giving their classic movies an upgraded real-world polish, after the box-office bomb that was Snow White. However, Experiment 626 proved that audiences were okay with some of their hits getting reworked after the Dean Fleischer Camp-directed film made $341 million in its opening weekend. From there, ticket sales continued to skyrocket, leading to reports that Disney was quickly considering a sequel.

It would mark an interesting direction for the House of Mouse to take with the Elvis-obsessed alien, given that the original Lilo & Stitch did receive a follow-up film, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch, but it was released directly to video. We'll have to wait and see if the plans in place for our lovable pair follow that plot line and how many more stuffed Stitch's can be sold to the masses in the process.

The next big gamble for Disney will be to see if the Moana remake earns the same level of attention. Announced back in 2023, the news received a strong reaction online, with the biggest concern being that Disney was revisiting one of its most recent successes rather than looking further back in its library. Admittedly, though, by the time the film arrives next year, it'll have been a full decade since the original hit theaters, confirming that it's not so recent after all, and we must instead face the horrifying fact that we're just getting old. What can we say, except you're welcome?

If you're wanting to look through some of the best remakes Disney has dished out, check out our ranking list here.

Hang onto your bananas because DK is coming back to the big screen, as it looks like there is a Donkey Kong movie on the way.

That’s right, it seems like the crazed monkey is finally getting his own movie as some eagle-eyed Nintendo fans on Resetera have found that Universal Pictures has registered a movie with US Copyright titled 'Untitled Donkey Kong Project; Motion picture,' on the Public Records System. The movie has Nintendo Studios LLC and Universal Pictures listed as involved parties. Nintendo fan account Wario64 has since posted a screenshot of the listing on Twitter. Check it out below.

This comes just 10 days after Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company plans to expand "the number of people who have access to Nintendo IP," adding, "visual content is one such area." The statement seemed quite cryptic at the time. However, now we know what such 'visual content' Furukawa was alluding to. As well as a DK project, Nintendo also has a Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel in the works, as well as a live-action Legend of Zelda movie.

Donkey Kong has been part of Nintendo’s Super Mario franchise for almost 45 years, appearing in such games as Mario Kart, Super Mario Party Jamboree, as well as many Kong spin-offs. We saw DK make his big-screen debut in the 2023 animated movie Super Mario Bros. Movie, voiced by Seth Rogen. However, it is not clear at this point whether Rogan will return to play the cheeky monkey.

A DK movie is just the icing on the cake for Kong. The fan-favorite character is having quite the year, with the highly anticipated upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game, Donkey Kong Bananza, coming out on July 17, 2025. The game follows Kong and Pauline as they set out to recover stolen banana diamonds from a gang of evil apes.

For more upcoming movies, check out our guide to all the upcoming video game adaptations you need to know about.

Another Night at the Museum movie is in the works – and this time it's a reimagining.

According to Deadline, the new film is said to be a fresh story set within the museum but with all-new characters. Original director (and Deadpool and Wolverine helmer) Shawn Levy is returning to produce. Levy's production company 21 Laps is developing the movie for Disney's 20th Century Studios.

The original movie, released back in 2006, starred Ben Stiller as a nightwatchman who works in New York City's Museum of Natural History. At night, the exhibits come to life, and Stiller's character finds himself dragged into all sorts of magical mayhem revolving around an ancient Egyptian tablet.

A sequel titled Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian was released in 2009, and a third film, Secret of the Tomb, released in 2014. Then, an animated movie titled Kahmunrah Rises Again released in 2022.

By the sounds of things, this will be a new take on the franchise rather than another sequel, but that remains to be seen.

Levy also has a Star Wars movie in the works starring Ryan Gosling, which will be the next movie after The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters next May. The film, titled Star Wars: Starfighter, is set to release in May 2027. Mia Goth will be playing the villain, though plot details are non-existent at the moment.

While you wait for the new Night at the Museum film, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year.

After dominating the box office, fans of A Minecraft Movie have very little time to wait for it to be available to stream, with news that it'll be arriving on Max by next week.

The Jared Hess-directed film made an impressive haul of over $951 million at the box office, with $313 million earned in its opening weekend alone. Audiences attended in droves to see Jack Black shout out "chicken jockey" and leave in a perfectly calm and respectful manner, making it the second most successful video game movie adaptation of all time after The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Now, though, they can enjoy it from the comfort of their own homes with confirmation (via Variety) that it will be arriving on Max on June 20.

For those who might have been living under a pixelated rock, the Minecraft Movie followed a group of individuals who were transported into the Overworld and roped in an overly plucky miner, Steve (Black), to survive the unpredictable terrain. Given its huge reception, it will be unsurprising if the film draws in massive viewing numbers when it hits the streaming service, and that's even with the not-so-impressive reaction it got from critics.

While fans may have stormed theaters to see the film, critics weren't so welcoming, with the film earning only 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. That's pretty disappointing when the likes of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise have gone no lower than 64%.

Regardless of what the critics have said, though, a second Minecraft movie has been made all but official thanks to Warner Bros Pictures co-chairman/CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy confirming via Deadline that it has been added to the studio's to-do list, which makes sense given the teaseworthy ending we were given.

While we wait to be reunited with Steve, though, here's a list of every upcoming video game movie we need to keep an eye out for.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 star Colleen O'Shaughnessy has called for a Tails spin-off because, well... why should Knuckles have all the fun?

In a new interview with ComicBook, the voice actor said she "would love" to see a show explore who the sweet, tech-loving fox, whose full name is Miles Prower, was before he met the titular speedster. "I think you could absolutely do a spin-off with Tails. An origin story for Tails would be amazing, to see where he came from… a little baby Tails.

"Is it of course amazing to have him with Sonic? For sure, because they are, you know, a sidekick/hero combination... They work so well together," she continued. "But I think it would be really neat to see where he came from. Why not?"

This isn't the first time O'Shaughnessy has expressed in fleshing out Tails' backstory. Back in 2022, she told GamesRadar+: "I'd like to see more of his world. How did he get started creating these things? How did he become an inventor? What was it that like? Was it because he was different? And he needed something to do? Did it always come to him? Did he have a crazy uncle? I would love to know how he got started in his gadgetry."

While Sonic is obviously the main focus of the franchise's big-screen outings, Idris Elba's Knuckles got a taste of the limelight in his own Paramount Plus series, which was released in April 2024. The six-episode streaming event followed the echidna as he struggled to shake off his warrior mindset, adjust to a quieter life on Earth, and train middle-aged cop Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) in the art of combat.

Both Knuckles and Tails feature heavily in Sonic 3, as they help Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and a reluctant Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to thwart the dastardly plans of the latter's grandfather (also Carrey) and his vengeful partner-in-crime Shadow (Keanu Reeves).

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is still showing in some UK cinemas, and is available to buy digitally in the US. For more, check out our ranking of the best Sonic games.

If you love your animated movies you may well know Chris Sanders’s name – he co-wrote and co-directed Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon (as well as voicing Stitch). 

His new film is a solo effort. Based on a children’s book by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot follows a robot designed to serve people that's shipwrecked on a verdant island, which has no human population but abundant wildlife. Roz (as the robot comes to call itself) then transforms its programming by adopting and raising an orphaned gosling. Lupita Nyong'o supplies the voice of Roz, while other cast members include Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara and Matt Berry.

SFX’s reviewer called the film “expertly told, packing an epic-feeling story into a modest running time”, adding that “the parenting story between Roz and the bird will have audiences blubbing”. 

The Wild Robot is available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD (visit www.thewildrobotmovie.com). Bonus features include an alternate opening in storyboard form; featurettes on the animation, voice work and music; and kid-friendly pieces that show you how to draw some of the main characters, and how to make a Brightbill the goose kite!

Thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, we have three Blu-rays to give away. To put your name in the hat for the chance to win one, simply answer the question below. 

Just over a month after Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hit screens, Sonic 4 has set a release date, and fans are already wondering what part of the games the fourth installment will follow.

Sonic 4 is due to release in theaters on March 19, 2027, as reported by Deadline. However, as Paramount Pictures is yet to release a synopsis for the sequel, fans have already taken to Reddit and are theorizing what storyline from the original Sonic games the movie could follow.

"With everything we've seen so far, I expect Sonic 4 will be mostly about Metal Sonic and Amy with some likely references to robotic and cyborg characters overall," said one fan, while another added, "Sonic 4 better have Metallic Madness and Stardust Speedway's themes or I'm gonna be upsetti spaghetti."

Other Reddit users are already wondering what the possible fifth, sixth, and seventh Sonic movies could follow, with one pointing out that a new storyline may take more than one more movie to cover. "I expect this to lead into Sonic 5 which is most likely to be Sonic Adventure 1, AKA the Chaos Saga," said one user, and another highlighted, "I think Sonic 5 will be an original plot about Team Sonic going on the run from the Feds, and then the resolution of that will lead into Chaos."

Although the Sonic series so far has had a pretty quick turnaround with three movies and one TV show released over four years, some fans seem a little impatient, "I'm sorry but I simply cannot wait that long!" But other fans quickly pointed out just how fast Paramount has made its Sonic projects, writing, "They are cranking these out so fast!." Another added, "Two Sonic movies and a show before The Batman Part 2 (laughing emoji)."

An official cast list for Sonic 4 is yet to be revealed, but we expect Ben Schwartz to return as the voice of Sonic, alongside Idris Elba as Knuckles, as well as James Marsden and Tika Sumpter. Jeff Fowler has directed the trilogy to date, so it will be no surprise to see him helm the fourth installment too.

For more, check out our guide to the Sonic 3 ending, or see our list of the best video game movies.

Sonic 4 is officially a go and racing toward a 2027 release, per Variety.

The news comes just a day ahead of Sonic 3's official theatrical premiere, which signals that Paramount is happy with the threequel's early reviews. Variety reports that Sonic 3 is expected to rake in $55 million to $60 million from 3,800 North American theaters this holiday season (and that's just the domestic box office), hence the early green lighting of yet another sequel.

While its box office success is yet to be confirmed, Sonic 3 is a critical darling, debuting to an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score — one tiny percentage point behind the highest rated video game movie ever, Werewolves Within.

GamesRadar+'s Sonic 3 review is a little less positive than the average, giving the movie a respectable 3/5 stars and prophetically calling it "a fine, wheel-turning instalment in a continually burgeoning franchise that will no doubt continue for many years to come".

The Sonic 3 cast includes Jim Carrey as main antagonist Dr. Ivo Robotnik as well as Ivo's grandfather Gerald Robotnik, Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog, and Keanu Reeves as the fan-favorite Shadow the Hedgehog. James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Colleen O’Shaughnesse are also in the cast. Jeff Fowler directed all three Sonic movies.

Sonic 4 plot details, as well as information on the cast, are being kept under wraps for now.

For more, check out our ranking of the best Sonic games or our interview with Carrey, where he explains what it is about the Sonic franchise that keeps him coming back.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is the second-best video game movie of all time – and what's in first place may surprise you...

In the review aggregator's ranking of adaptations, Werewolves Within tops the list with an impressive 86% fresh rating, meaning the latest Sonic flick, which debuted to 85%, just missed out on the #1 spot.

Directed by Josh Ruben (Scare Me, A Wounded Fawn), the cult horror comedy takes inspiration from the social-deduction VR game of same name. Much like The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow, One Night Ultimate Werewolf, or Mafia, players are assigned the role of either 'villager' or 'werewolf' and are tasked with sniffing out the murderous lycanthrope among them.

Starring Marvel Rising's Milana Vayntrub and Ted Lasso's Sam Richardson, it follows postal worker Cecily and forest ranger Sam as they try to protect a bunch of Vermont locals from an elusive, violent creature during a snowstorm.

The third highest rated video game movie is currently The Angry Birds Movie 2, followed by Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Gran Turismo, and the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Rounding out the top 10 are The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mortal Kombat, and Tomb Raider (2018).

Releasing in theaters on December 20 (or December 21 if you are UK based), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sees the titular blue hero team up with Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and his former foes Knuckles (Idris Elba), as well as his previous adversary Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey), to take on Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious new enemy who looks a lot like the sneaker-wearing speedster.

Turns out, where everything in Sonic's life "has gone right", everything in Shadow's "has gone wrong", and the superiorly superpowered villain is hellbent on punishing Sonic for stealing his potential of a perfect life.

For more, check out our ranking of the best Sonic games or our interview with Carrey, where he explains what it is about the Sonic franchise that keeps him coming back.

Sonic shares more in common with Fast & Furious' Dominic Toretto than you might think. Sure, on the surface, one's a blue hedgehog and the other's a bulky Vin Diesel who's welded to a Dodge Charger, but let me explain.

Both love going fast; both have an obsession with family; both are essentially superheroes; both are great at convincing their defeated rivals to join their gang; and both are leading franchises overloaded with too many characters.

That last point is the most pressing when it comes to Sonic 3 – there are too many humans and CGI animals vying for screen time. Not only has everyone and their literal grandfather shown up for this third outing, but we're also introduced to a handful of new faces, including Keanu Reeves as Shadow, Krysten Ritter's military leader Director Rockwell, and the rest of the villainous Robotnik family. There's a lot to juggle...

Team Sonic

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 picks up directly after the second movie's post-credit scene in which Shadow – the dark version of Sonic best known in the games for being the ultimate bad-ass anti-hero – wakes up after 50 years of being kept on ice. He quickly dismisses some guards, escapes, and battles 'Team Sonic' – that's the Blue Blur, his foxy friend Tails, and the red echidna Knuckles – in Tokyo.

It's a fairly fantastic action set piece, the colors and tone feeling like some strange, alternate-dimension version of John Wick as Sonic and a gun-toting Shadow race through the Japanese capital's streets. Yet, minus one heartfelt (if slightly cliché) flashback sequence, that's most of Shadow's interesting stuff over.

He quickly becomes just another stooge for the evil Dr. Robotnik leading to Shadow predictably repeating the same character journey as Knuckles in the last movie (while Knuckles, despite having had a spin-off series, becomes essentially a one-joke punch-line here). Considering Shadow has been front-and-center of the marketing, as well as being a key character in the games, it's a somewhat disappointing turn.

Meanwhile, James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Sonic's adopted parents are equally underserved; a particularly egregious mistake considering how hungry the world is for more Marsden following his hilarious part in Amazon's Jury Duty series.

Then there's Lee Majdoub as Robotnik's lackey Agent Stone, this time given a surprising emotional through-line that's half-baked, and Ritter's Rockwell, who barely registers as anything other than a hard-headed military type. Oh, and then Tails and Adam Pally's Wade Whipple (who had a main role in the Knuckles series) somehow fit into proceedings too, plus a couple of cameos. Phew.

Seeing double

Still, despite half the characters getting a quarter of the screen time they deserve, there's one returning actor who makes Sonic 3 completely and utterly watchable: Jim Carrey.

Seeing him once again embrace the silliness of being a literal moustache-twirling villain is an absolute treat, to the point where his dual roles as both Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, overshadow everything else.

Carrey's performance is even weirder than before, especially when he dons the fat suit to portray the ageing, cranky Gerald, who has recently escaped from prison to exact his revenge on the world by manipulating Shadow.

At one point, the actor gamely does a two-man dance number that's more bizarre than words can describe. There's also an early fourth-wall break that, in the wrong hands, could have been painfully unfunny, yet under Carrey’s control, is a laugh-out-loud moment. His enthusiasm is infectious, lifting every scene; like the other two Sonic movies, this one belongs to Carrey.

That's not to say Sonic's not also a fun presence. Voiced by a consistently great Ben Schwartz, the Speed Demon has grown more confident and his jokes have become more consistent than in previous movies.

Director Jeff Fowler has previously likened Sonic to Harry Potter in the way the character is maturing at the same rate as the young audience does, and that's certainly true of Sonic the Hedgehog 3. And while his journey of self-discovery and learning to be a better leader may feel familiar, he remains the heart of the series, which will no doubt continue to run for quite some time.

A family affair

It's also worth noting that the CGI continues to impress. Where the first movie was affected by that god-awful original Sonic design needing a complete overhaul, and the second impacted by the pandemic, Sonic 3 delivers the most impressive visuals of the series yet, with the final third feeling particularly at home on the big screen.

Plus, the sequel manages to stay under two hours in length, which feels like a minor miracle for a movie starring an Avengers-like number of characters.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 then is a piece of overstuffed franchise affair that's simple and predictable – but great fun. Anchored by two great characters, Sonic and Robotnik, it's a family-friendly adventure that does nothing to revolutionize the formula Fowler has developed but keeps the wheels turning fast enough to get everyone excited for a sequel.

Should Carrey, who has consistently hinted at retirement plans, decide not to return for Sonic 4, this will certainly be a fine trilogy capper. And if Carrey decides not to retire, it would continue to be a pleasure watching him go full balls-to-the-wall mode.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 releases in US theaters on December 20, before hitting UK shores on December 21.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming video game movies to get on your radar, as well as our picks of the best video game movies of all time.

If Jon Favreau's 2019 live-action version of The Lion King left you with a painful scar (get it?), then at least Barry Jenkins' directorial effort Mufasa: The Lion King provides the plaster. Favreau's shot-for-shot attempt was completely soulless, lacking the emotion of the classic animated film, ultimately failing to justify its existence despite the star power of Donald Glover and Beyoncé.

And while it showcased the boundless technology resembling a nature documentary that David Attenborough would be proud of, to echo Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn't stop to think if they should."

As harsh as that sentiment is, we are talking about The Lion King here. The epic, award-winning 1994 film that came at the height of the Disney animated renaissance, traumatizing a generation of '90s kids in the process.

Fast-forward to 2024 and the studio has strayed from that legacy, intent on remaking all their animated films into live action (or in the case of The Lion King, a photorealistic virtual production).

Even with the elite talent of Barry Jenkins at the helm (with a career forged by masterpieces such as The Underground Railroad, If Beale Street Could Talk, and the Academy Award winning Moonlight), everything still pales in comparison to the original, no matter how much money is thrown at the screen.

Mufasa doesn't make a strong enough case for its necessity, but to judge the 2024 prequel on its own merits, or at least for the parts that do work, Jenkins' fingerprints are all over the story's direction.

Touches of magic

Jeff Natherson's screenplay keeps in tone with The Lion King's Shakespearean roots – a light story about bloodlines, brotherhood, and betrayal. Told through a series of flashbacks via Rafiki (John Kani), we see the origin story of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) before he became the king of Pride Rock.

After a flood separates young Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins) from his parents (insert a different type of childhood trauma here), the little lion is rescued by Taka (Theo Somolu), another cub from a royal tribe who will one day be heir to the throne.

Despite opposition and tension from Taka's father Obasi (Lennie James), who sees Mufasa as nothing but a lost stray only worthy of being food in his belly, the cubs grow up to become brothers (now voiced by Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka), learning to hunt and navigate the Pride Lands, thanks to the nurturing support of Taka's mother Eshe (Thandiwe Newton).

Their peaceful existence is disturbed by an encounter with The Outsiders, an albino pride led by Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen). With the future kingdom at stake, the pair journey to find the fabled "Milele" – a 'forever' home – and along the way, they pick up familiar faces in Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), Zazu (Preston Nyman), and a young Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga).

The touches of magic Jenkins does bring to the table makes it feel a little less like a cash grab but rather an earnest attempt to deliver something different. Its commitment to capturing African cultures is very identifiable. Rafiki telling Simba's daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) about her legendary grandfather is reminiscent of elders sitting their descendants down to tell family stories, continuing the ancestral line from generation to generation.

The soulful tones of Lebo M meanwhile are baked within Dave Metzger's accompanying score. And while he doesn't quite pull off his trademark POV shot with the same emotional resonance, Jenkins' natural eye for visual poetry still captures the vastness of the African Pride Lands. And The Lion King wouldn't be what it is without James Earl Jones, so the film rightfully pays its respects to the legendary actor who passed away this year.

It also helps that the animation feels more expressive this time around – not by much but certainly an improvement over Favreau's effort. The slight, emotive upgrade allows a better connection with its voice cast which comprises of the 'who's who' of Black excellence, including the next generational talent in Somolu and Rankins.

Whilst Pierre is no James Earl Jones (but then again, who is?), at least he makes the character his own to feel invested in Mufasa's journey as a reluctant leader who becomes the king we know and love. The learned nobility complements the eventual downfall of Taka and his infamous nickname.

Vision vs nostalgia bait

Yet the technology still has its limitations and the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned lyrics doesn't have the same punch as its animated predecessor, although hearing Mikkelsen sing 'Bye Bye' might be worth the cinema admission alone. But there's nothing those imaginative lyrics can do when it's trapped in a bland CGI landscape committed to real world physics.

But honestly, that's not the frustrating part. The studio obligation for brand reassurance and nostalgia bait is constantly at odds with Jenkins' vision, especially when they're not emotionally earned. How many times can we slide in "everything the light touches?" How many times should we tease Mufasa's downfall where Scar does his best Star Wars impression of 'having the high ground'? Ever wanted to know how Pride Rock was formed? These are somehow the burning questions Mufasa felt the need to answer and yet it is amazing how quickly they take you out of the moment. The result: a messy and rushed third act that doesn't spend enough time with characters.

While Mufasa will still (likely) end up as a commercial hit thanks to its VFX and brand familiarity, you just wished Jenkins was given the benefit of the doubt to tell Mufasa's story to its fullest potential.

Mufasa: The Lion King is out in theaters worldwide on December 20.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming Disney movies to watch out for, as well as our picks of the best movies on Disney Plus that you can watch right now!

Sonic 3 is now on streaming, but don't race to your couches just yet. Surprisingly, the Blue Blur's Paramount Plus rollout isn't a worldwide one, meaning there are a handful of regions who will be waiting (im)patiently for their chance to watch the threequel from the comfort of their own homes.

So, you may be wondering when Sonic 3 will be out in your region. Below, we've got the confirmed US release date, as well as the latest on its UK status. Spoiler: it's not looking good.

For a spoiler-filled look at the movie, check out our guides to the Sonic 3 ending, Sonic 3 post-credits scene, and Sonic 3 Easter eggs.

Sonic 3 streaming release date

Sonic 3 is streaming on Paramount Plus in the US as of February 18, 2025.

Those in other regions, such as the UK, may have a slightly longer wait.

A Paramount representative told our sister site TechRadar that it will be coming "soon" but didn't give a further date.

They said, "Sonic 3 will only be available in the US and Canada. It will also come soon to the UK and Australia, but we haven't set a date yet"

Seeing as how even the second Sonic movie hasn't hit UK shores yet on Paramount Plus, we could be waiting right up until the end of the year and beyond. We'll keep you posted.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming video game movies to get on your radar, as well as our picks of the best video game movies of all time.

What are the best Christmas movies to watch in 2025? A good Christmas flick is a holiday staple, after all. There's no better feeling than kicking back with a comforting classic on a wintery afternoon, and that's why we've searched high and low to bring you a curated list of films this holiday season.

Below, we've rounded up our 10 picks for a movie marathon this Christmastime, from bonafide classics like Home Alone to slightly more unconventional choices like Little Women (not strictly a festive film). We've got everything you need to settle down in front of the TV with a hot cocoa and a plate of leftovers.

So, for the best Christmas movies to watch this holiday season, look no further than our list below. If you're in the mood for something a little less festive, though, then we've got plenty of the best action movies and best thriller movies to recommend, too. Happy holidays!

10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Year: 2000
Director: Ron Howard

The Grinch, a grumpy solitary creature living on the outskirts of the endlessly cheery town of Whoville, hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the gift-obsessed residents. But his plan goes awry when he meets a little girl, Cindy, who wants to return the holiday to its true meaning.

Howard's adaptation of the famous Dr. Seuss book is the most iconic, and for good reason. The movie's quirky Whoville slant, all-in Jim Carrey performance, and endearing songs have made it a staple on most people's Christmas watchlist. It's cheeky, absurdly silly, and warm-hearted despite the Christmas-hating green crank at the center of it. It carries that elusive holiday feeling better than almost any other movie, and that's why it’s so enduring.

9. Arthur Christmas

Year: 2011
Director: Sarah Smith

Santa Claus is retiring soon, and his beefing sons Steve and Arthur are next in line for the red fluffy crown. The problem is that the family members have extremely different ideas about how to execute Christmas, which has become a mission of epic proportions thanks to an expanding population. It turns out even the Claus family bicker at the dinner table.

Succession, but make it Christmas! This animated movie is an earnest gem. Like many other Christmas films, it hones in on the difference between what Christmas is meant to be versus what it often becomes. The animation quality has aged fairly since its 2011 release, but James McAvoy's voice acting, the cheery humor, and the unique take on Santa as an institution keep it afloat. Arthur Christmas is also very rewatchable, due to an emotional core that just works.

Read our Arthur Christmas review for more animated cheer.

8. Home Alone

Year: 1990
Director: Chris Columbus

You know the story: a young boy left behind when his family goes on vacation must defend his home from bumbling bandits. Whipping back and forth between his dream-turned-nightmare scenario and his frantic mother trying to get back home, this is a classic.

Many folks will argue it's not really Christmas if you've not snuck in a Home Alone rewatch. That's fair, but we'll opt for the original over Home Alone 2… or the other ones, which we don't talk about. This hammy home invasion film is the perfect family movie; kids will love watching Kevin fend for himself, and older viewers will find themselves loving Catherine O'Hara's matriarch more with each revisit.

For more classics, check out our list of the best Disney Plus Christmas movies.

7. The Holdovers

Year: 2023
Director: Alexander Payne

A teacher at a 1970s New England boarding school is forced to supervise students over the holiday break after he costs the academy money by flunking a major donor's son. They band together as a misfit group over the breaking, learning to live with each other's differences.

There's a quiet reassurance in seeing strangers evolve into a found family, overcoming their disparities and challenges. The Holdovers is a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, embracing understated melancholy over loud declarations. While imbued with moments of sorrow, it becomes a cherished and feel-good winner.

Read our five-star The Holdovers review for more information!

6. Gremlins

Year: 1984
Director: Joe Dante

When Billy Peltzxer is gifted a fuzzy, mysterious creature by his inventor father, he soon unleashes a hellish raid on his town when they begin multiplying. This is perhaps the only time you don't want to be surprised by extra presents under your Christmas tree.

Had enough of the toothless holiday stories? Don't fret, an army of cuddly but demonic creatures are here to save you. Just don't feed them after midnight, obviously. This horror comedy is a practical effects showcase with mischievous humor and an impressive cast. It zips through several tones effortlessly, with the strong duo of young adults Billy and Kate at the center. The havoc is so much fun to watch, but Gremlins is also sentimental in the right places.

Check out our Gremlins review for more on one of the best Christmas horror movies of all time!

5. Die Hard

Year: 1988
Director: John McTiernan

It's Christmas at Nakatomi Plaza, and an employee holiday party is about to go very wrong. When NYPD officer John McClane visits his estranged wife, Holly, he ends up being the last line of defense against a terrorist group targeting the plaza.

This legendary action flick features Bruce Willis at the height of his powers. But despite the macho qualities, it's the story's everyman angle that sets it apart. John is not a superhero, he's at the wrong place at the wrong time. He has a simple goal of saving the woman he loves and he's going to get it done, shoes or no shoes! There's also the matter of Alan Rickman's infamous villain, Hans Gruber — if you need reminding of the late actor's range, there's always Die Hard.

Is Die Hard a festive classic? See if it's on our list of the best Christmas movies that aren't really Christmas movies.

4. Krampus

Year: 2015
Director: Michael Dougherty

When a young boy loses his Christmas spirit, an eerie snowstorm turns a family reunion upside down. When his grandma shares the story of a malevolent creature, it becomes clear that the bumps in the night and increasing tension aren't just because of bubbling relative rivalries.

Krampus is the perfect introduction to Christmas horror. This unhinged fable about a dark spirit antithetical to Santa Claus is imbued with chaotic practical effects, realistic family drama, and a snowed-in isolated setting. Despite how much straight-to-DVD trash about this mythical creature exists, Dougherty's capable hands transform it into a cynical but exhilarating ride with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. The ending will stick with you, we promise.

3. Little Women

Year: 2019
Director: Greta Gerwig

In 19th-century Massachusetts, the March sisters — Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth — come of age amongst civil war, the pressures of womanhood, and a loss that changes their lives forever. This adaptation of the 1868 novel is a stirring drama with fantastic performances.

It's impossible to overstate Saoirse Ronan's hold on Little Women. Whether it was her evolving creative partnership with director Gerwig or just the right role at the right time, Ronan's Jo March is the definitive on-screen version of the character. We experience the story through her eyes, as the non-linear editing unfolds the details of her life. The stretched timeline only strengthens the period piece's characters, their endearing dynamics, and the challenges of a budding novelist trying to make sense of a family tragedy.

Read our Little Women review for more on this must-watch!

2. Carol

Year: 2015
Director: Todd Haynes

Aimless department store clerk Therese meets an alluring but troubled older woman in 1950s New York. When sparks fly over Christmas gifts and shared glances, their circumstances and ties to normality threaten to put a stop to dreams of a whirlwind love affair.

Did you order romance? Haynes' period piece is endlessly dreamy. It has the power to stop time in its tracks — the entrancing score, Edward Lachlan's cinematography, and career-best performances feel as if they're suspended in the air. Carol's grainy visuals, hypnotic storytelling, and the blue melancholy of longing put you in a vice. This is mature romance at its most enthralling, heartache and painful growth set against snowflake flurries and winter fur coats.

Check out our five-star Carol review for more on this modern Christmas staple.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Year: 1992
Director: Brian Henson

A muppet interpretation of Charles Dickens' tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, penny-pincher extraordinaire. Held accountable for his dastardly ways during three ghostly visits on Christmas Eve, the cold miser confronts past, present, and future.

You would think a tale as expansive and weighty as this would suffer from high-pitched muppet voices infiltrating every facet of the story, but you’d be wrong. This retelling is warm, funny, chilling, and touching. It's not just the finest muppet adaptation, it's a timeless and toasty musical that hits every single one of its marks. Michael Caine goes all in on his Scrooge, and he lends a gravitas that is as non-sensical as it is moving. You know a movie is powerful when you're teary-eyed over green frog puppets.

For more on our top festive pick, check out our The Muppet Christmas Carol review.

Want more holiday recommendations? Head over to our lists of the best Netflix Christmas movies and the best Christmas TV episodes.

The first reactions to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are in, and it sounds like the third entry in the series ups the ante for the blue blur in a major way.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is directed by Jeff Fowler and stars Ben Schwartz as the titular hedgehog. The cast also features Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, Idris Elba as Knuckles, and Keanu Reeves as Shadow. Actors appearing in live action roles include James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, and Jim Carrey in a dual role as both Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather Gerald.

"sonic 3 rules. it’s the closest Hollywood has made to a dragon ball movie. there was plenty for a longtime fan to clap and cheer for, which i did in a mostly empty theater, and outside of a few expected cringe jokes, this was a hilarious story," Washington Post's Gene Park writes on Twitter.

"#SonicMovie3 begs the question: What if Ben Schwartz made me cry as a blue guy who has to go fast? Just as action-packed and as fun as the first two films, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 really ups the anti and reminds us why we love these movies. Go TEAM SONIC!" says Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue.

"It’s not often that each movie gets better in a trilogy, but #SonicMovie3 is the best of the bunch. There’s action-packed goofiness a plenty thanks to Jim Carrey pulling double duty, but what I didn’t expect was a surprisingly moving performance from Keanu Reeves and a third act that might make Sonic fans a little weepy-eyed. Also - there are two big post credits scenes so AVOID SPOILERS. It’s clear [Fowler] and crew have a great affinity for the Blue Blur and he’s not going anywhere anytime soon," according to Chris Killian of ComicBook.com.

"I’ve seen Sonic 3 and I was surprised that my favorite emotional arc was actually with Dr. Robotnik (!!) The cast is as wonderful and goofy as ever and I teared up when I heard [SPOILER]. Also, you are NOT prepared for the mid-credits scene," Jeffrey Vega of IGN says.

"Surprising no one... #SonicMovie3 is the best Sonic yet! It's also the best video game adaptation to date. With electrifying action, truly touching moments, and Jim Carrey doing what he does best, Sonic 3 marks a wonderfully chaotic end to the year. What an utter blast!" says James Lister of Get Your Comic On.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 hits theaters on December 20 in the US and December 21 in the UK. For now, check out our guides to all the movie release dates and upcoming video game movies you need to know about.

Mufasa's Barry Jenkins says he's keen to "work the other way again" after directing the CGI-heavy prequel to The Lion King.

In a new interview with Vulture, the Moonlight helmer opened up on the challenges of shooting an all-virtual movie and explained why he prefers a more traditional approach to storytelling.

"When I took this job, the idea was 'What does Barry Jenkins know about visual effects? Why the hell would he do this movie?'" Jenkins admits. "I think part of that I found very invigorating. People make these things, you know, with computers. So anybody should be able to do this. Anybody, right? There's nothing physically that says I am incapable of doing this."

Set long before Simba scoffed bugs with Timon and Pumbaa and reclaimed Pride Rock, Mufasa: The Lion King introduces the titular big cat as an orphaned cub, who's chance encounter with royal heir Taka sets him on an extraordinary path. Rebel Ridge's Aaron Pierre voices Mufasa, while Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and Kelvin Harrison Jr., round out the supporting cast.

"It is not my thing," he reflected on the filmmaking process candidly. "I want to work the other way again, where I want to physically get everything there. I always believe that what is here is enough, and let me just figure out what is the chemistry to make alchemy? How can these people, this light, this environment, come together to create an image that is moving, that is beautiful, that creates a text that is deep enough, dense enough, rich enough to speak to someone?"

Mufasa: The Lion King releases on December 20. For more, check out our picks of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

If you thought that Barry Jenkins – the Oscar-winning writer/director behind such soulful adult dramas such as Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Amazon Prime Video’s The Underground Railroad – was an unusual choice to helm a prequel to 2019's photorealistic remake of The Lion King, you're not the only one.

Jenkins himself felt the same. "I definitely thought that when it first came my way," he tells GamesRadar+ and Total Film. “I got a call from my agent saying, 'Disney has sent over this project – a prequel for The Lion King.' And I said, 'Yeah, that's not going to happen.' But without even reading the thing!"

You can check out our exclusive image from Mufasa: The Lion King above.

This was back in 2020, when Covid restrictions still loomed large. Jenkins was just about to take a break with partner and fellow filmmaker Lulu Wang when the call came in. After the trip, Jenkins was ready to call his agents to decline, before Wang encouraged him to actually read it first.

"I expected to read five pages, and about 45 pages in, I turned to her, and said, 'Hell, this shit is good,'" he recalls with a mile-wide grin. "And the next day, I finished it. As someone who was very familiar with The Lion King, I was shocked at how many things I assumed I knew, or how many things I thought were etched in stone about who these characters were, and what the themes of The Lion King were, to be honest. I was just shocked at how [screenwriter Jeff Nathanson] had dislodged so many of these notions, and how much of what I feel like is prominent in my work, I felt like was prominent in this…"

The common themes that Jenkins highlights are "the bonds between brothers, and this idea of found family, yearning, community, and legacy in a certain way. And just really deep things said and unsaid between the characters in interpersonal relationships."

If Jenkins' appointment initially seemed unlikely, so did the concept of a prequel focusing on the leonine patriarch who suffered one of the most harrowing deaths in the Disney animated canon (trampled by stampeding wildebeest, as if you didn't already have that emblazoned on your mind).

Mufasa was voiced by the late, great James Earl Jones in both versions: the 1994 animation, and the 2019 redo sometimes controversially referred to as live action. The latter, directed by Jon Favreau, was a technical marvel with envelope-pushing VFX that faithfully recreated the shots, plot beats, and songs from the original. It grossed more than $1.6bn at the global box-office, peaking as the seventh highest grosser of all time (it's still in the top 10). There's clearly an audience there, but where does the story go?

Full circle (of life)

Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier, Waves) says that he was "kind of shocked" when he first heard that Jenkins was directing this spin-off. "First of all, I couldn’t believe they were making another Lion King. I was very confused about that. And then I recognized that it was a prequel. And I was like, 'What is that going to be?' I was excited about that.

"And then the Barry of it all – to me, it just made me excited. I was like, 'What a beautifully done film originally, and well executed a second time. But to get a filmmaker like him? It brings it full circle and almost right back to its home, you know?'"

Harrison plays lion Taka, who will later become known as Scar. Aaron Pierre, who recently broke out in a huge way as the star of Netflix thriller Rebel Ridge, steps into the considerable paws of Mufasa (Harrison and Pierre also recently starred together in the TV series Genius: MLK/X).

Pierre calls The Lion King his "favorite Disney", and harbors strong nostalgic feelings of wearing out his VHS copy back in the day. "I've heard a lot of people say when discussing The Lion King that Mufasa, to them, feels like everyone's dad. That was true to me as well."

Though Jenkins says there was never a plan for Jones to appear in the film given its place in the timeline (these interviews took place the day after Jones' death has been announced), his presence will always loom large over any Mufasa story.

"James Earl Jones is a hero of mine, and a hero of many," says Pierre. "He was one of my greatest inspirations, from his stage work to his extensive filmography, to his voice work. He's timeless. We celebrate him. We champion him. And he'll be greatly missed.

"In regards to this, his portrayal of Mufasa was my guiding light, actually. It gave me clarity. It gave me direction. It gave me insight. I think my greatest challenge was to discover the adolescent version of this Lion King who has an abundance of wisdom and understanding and perspective. What was the trajectory of that lion? How did that lion arrive at that place? That was my greatest challenge. And I'm very grateful to Barry for guiding me on that journey."

Jenkins previously worked with Pierre on The Underground Railroad, and invited him to audition, where he read for both Mufasa and Taka, before eventually winning the title role.

"I told Aaron when we cast him that he had to dislodge the performance of Mr. James Earl Jones from his memory, partly because that character is great," explains Jenkins. "That character is a grown-ass man. That character is a king. That character is a leader. This character has to become all those things. So they don’t have the same voice. I told him I didn’t want him to approximate that voice, and I didn’t want him to project what that voice would have been like. The character was his."

Although, Jenkins does hint that there's a point in the film when you may wonder whose voice you're hearing. "It’s Aaron, for sure, but I felt there was a point in the journey where maybe – maybe – he had earned the right, you know, to sort of walk a step in those shoes."

Jones was the only voice actor from the OG Lion King to reprise a role in the remake, so Scar has previously been voiced by Jeremy Irons and Chiwetel Ejiofor. So, is Harrison thinking about his character ending up with Ejiofor’s voice, or is he running with his own thing?

"I think it’s a little bit of both," he says. "I guess because my initial fascination with the movie was with Jeremy Irons, I was like, 'That’s the one. That was my Scar.' And then in 2019, I watched that movie when it came out. But I guess because it was so different and I was older… I still had a loyalty to the other Scar," he laughs. "During the process, though, there was a lot of 'trial and error' when it came to actually honing in on the character."

Through faith and love

Another new cast member who has a strong connection to the 1994 original is Tiffany Boone (Prime Video's Hunters, Showtime's The Chi), who voices Sarabi, the lion who will eventually be Simba's mother. "I watched it over and over again, as most kids did at the time," she tells us. "And I had a special connection with Simba. My father died when I was really young, so I felt this intense connection with the character."

For Boone, the chance to work with Jenkins was the biggest draw, and a balm for any hesitation. "I knew that any reservations people might have about doing a prequel to such a beloved film – like, is it safe? Are we going to mess up the legacy? In Barry’s hands, you know you’re going to be OK. I felt excited to be a part of it, because I knew he was going to make something really soulful and beautiful."

This was one aspect of the role Boone had taken for granted, though. "Nobody mentioned singing until months into the audition process, and they were like, 'OK, she’s really close. We just need her to sing a song'" she laughs. "And I’ve had a real phobia of singing in front of people ever since I was in middle school… So I almost quit. I almost said, 'You know what? The Lion King is not for me.'"

But a vocal coach and months of training got her through. "And, you know, the music is so important in Disney films. It's a way that they express themselves. I wound up having more fun with that than I thought I would, too. I thought it was going to be torture, and I was going to cry every time. And it wasn't that bad."

Pierre was similarly not massively professionally experienced when it came to the singing. "I would be able to hold my own at karaoke," he says, modestly, of his background. "But I have to celebrate and champion and thank deeply Lebo M. [composer, producer, and singer] and Lin-Manuel Miranda [creator of the songs for Mufasa: The Lion King] and their respective teams for training my voice to the level we got it to. I never imagined that I would be able to engage with the task of a Disney song in my journey. And they got me there."

Yes, Lin-Manuel Miranda is bringing his Midas touch to Mufasa. The awards-laden multihyphenate has had a hand in some of Disney's most successful songs in recent years, through his work on Moana, Encanto, and the live-action The Little Mermaid.

"Lin loves The Lion King just as much as anyone else," says Jenkins. "So when he came onto the project, he brought a really great energy. He was also really, really kind about illustrating where, how, and when music was appropriate in a musical, and the function of it, in a way that was very respectful of the story we were telling outside the songs."

Finding our place

The 1994 movie was notable for its Shakespearean connection, essentially being a remake of Hamlet transposed to the African plains (the young prince seeks revenge on the uncle who murdered his father to assume the throne). That continues in Mufasa. "These movies begin with purely voices, and Aaron Pierre, who we cast as Mufasa, I first saw at the Globe Theatre in a production of Othello back in 2018 with Mark Rylance," explains Jenkins.

"I feel like The Lion King and Shakespeare are always going to be connected," adds Pierre. "I think there's something innately in the DNA of The Lion King that will always feel Shakespearean," echoes Harrison. "It’s the relationship between men – young men – and class and power and confusion and turmoil. All of those things are very Shakespearean. Without saying what the actual conflict is, [Mufasa] definitely has those notes."

No one’s saying a great deal about the plot at this juncture, though it's clear from the trailers that Mufasa is actually the outsider taken in by Taka's family. There’s also a villainous white lion voiced by Mads Mikkelsen who looks set to occupy the villain role while Mufasa and Scar, sorry, Taka exist in greyer shades on the protagonist/antagonist spectrum.

"I mean, look, when you think about the OG – the original Lion King – that movie was made very much for younger audiences," considers Jenkins. "It’s meant to teach them some very clear lessons. Because of that, there’s a very binary quality. There’'s good, and there's evil. There's black, and there's white… But when you listen to the way Jeremy performs some of those lines, you can really hear the heartbreak and the woundedness. You can see that there's some kind of history and depth to the hatred. And I thought, 'Oh, that’s the place that I get to run to when making this prequel.'"

There's one area in which Jenkins isn't dealing with that level of ambiguity, though. Despite the controversy as to whether The Lion King (2019) should be classified as an animated film or live action, Jenkins gives a very definitive answer about his feelings on Mufasa.

"Absolutely, yeah, it's an animated film," he asserts. "I am communicating constantly with these animators who are trying to manipulate these somewhat photorealistic sort of models in a way that is expressive. And so because of that, I don't think of it as live action. I do think of it as animation… It’s just a very different tool."

Mufasa: The Lion King opens in theaters worldwide on December 20. For more coming your way to the big screen soon, check out our guide to the new Disney movies that will be releasing soon.

The first look at Jack Black as a satanic, fake Santa Claus has been unveiled – and it's everything we never knew we needed. 

The film, Dear Santa, is directed by Dumb and Dumber helmers the Farrelly Brothers, and sees a young boy named Liam write a letter to Santa in hopes of proving his existence. The catch is, Liam isn't a great speller, so he accidentally writes to Satan, instead. Oops. 

A short teaser has been released which shows Black in all his Satan Claus glory, wearing the classic red and white get-up, but with sizzling devil horns. "What, were you expecting someone else?" he asks, before giving an appropriately evil laugh. 

More pictures also come courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. In them, we see Black in full satanic Santa mode, along with the rest of the cast, which includes Post Malone, who has a cameo as himself, and Keegan-Michael Key. 

"Jack is just that guy that with his arching eyebrows and his faces and all that, there's a little bit of mischievous to him at all times, but he's eminently likable, and that's just Jack," Bobby Farrelly told EW. "We never wanted to make it a horror movie or something like that. We wanted it to be comical. So it was a delicate ball of playing this iconic character but doing it in a way that the audience can have some fun with it. And Jack was the perfect guy."

Black can also soon be seen in the live-action Minecraft film, titled A Minecraft Movie, in which he plays Steve. The first trailer gave us a look at Black in character as the iconic Steve, complete with that blue shirt. 

Dear Santa releases this November 25 on Paramount Plus. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming major movie release dates to fill out your watchlist. 

The latest chapter in the much beloved Paddington film series introduces several new characters as we see the bear travel to Peru in search of his missing Aunt Lucy. But what you may not know is that the majority of these new introductions are played by a singular actor – Antonio Banderas.

If you are at all familiar with his work voicing the incredible Puss in Boots, you will already be aware that if there is one man who can take on several hilarious roles in a single movie, it's Banderas. And he sure does deliver!

In Paddington in Peru we first meet Banderas as swashbuckling boat captain Hunter Cabot, who offers to help the Brown family in their Amazonian quest. However, we soon learn that Cabot is in constant conversation in his head with several of his ancestors, all of whom are played by Banderas.

Each one is very unique, with Cabot's ancestors including everything from an Edwardian explorer to a female pilot. Banderas embraces every single one but admits to GamesRadar+ it was certainly challenging, taking on so many identities. However, he also adds that he had fun with it too, leaning into the various outfits and wigs to help him bring these characters to life.

Banderas explains: "They have a real participation in some moments as they are characters that actually live in the head of Hunter. It was nice to play them because I have a tendency to play like a kid, and when they put you in make-up and very specific dress, your whole body goes there to start playing with it. Your voice changes, your manners change."

He continues: "It was fun but it was hard because of the make-up. I had fantastic artists doing it but it was a lot of hours in the make-up trailer and I spent most of the movie there, with caps and beards, and I felt sometimes like a racoon attacked me in the morning. But it's a part of the movie and I had a lot of fun with it actually."

And if you are wondering which of these characters is Banderas' favorite, in response to our question he has a definite answer: "I quite like the girl actually!" In fact, Banderas was dressed as this female pilot when he first met co-star Olivia Colman, who plays the all-singing all-dancing Reverend Mother.

As she tells us, it was a delightful surprise meeting Banderas dressed as his female character: "That's when I first met you! You were like, 'Hello Olivia, it's Antonio'. I opened the door and was like, 'Wow'!"

The female pilot isn't the favorite of filmmaker Dougal Wilson though, who takes over directing duties from Paul King, who helmed the previous two movies. He reveals to us that he has a soft spot for another of Banderas' characters: "I quite like the Edwardian, the guy who is hacking through the jungle when he gets set upon by a jaguar, although you can’t see the jaguar, that was a special budgetary trick to avoid having an actual jaguar!"

Wilson also elaborated on where the idea came from to have not only the ancestors living in Cabot's head, but Banderas playing all of them. As he concludes, the aim was to give the character an obstacle to face, whilst also providing comic relief too: "We wanted to show that families can be both positive and negative influences on someone's life. And we wanted to show somebody trying to overcome the expectations of their ancestry, which may have been not altogether positive. 

"So, that's where the idea came from. He had to overcome something from his past, and he could do that with the influence of someone who was kind and polite, who could show him the way the world would be right. So, that was the idea then we just thought it'd be really fun to go through history and dress Antonio up in a series of funny costumes!"

Paddington in Peru releases in UK cinemas on November 8 before heading to the US next year, hitting theaters on January 17. For more on the movie, here's what director Wilson had to say about the film's tribute to the late Queen.

And don't forget to check out our guide to the upcoming movies to get on your watchlist.

Reviews and reactions are in for Red One, the new Christmas movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans – and they're not great. 

The film sees Santa Claus, played by JK Simmons, kidnapped. Callum Drift (Johnson), head of security in the North Pole, sets out to rescue him, teaming up with bounty hunter Jack O'Malley (Evans). 

However, critics have decidedly not been charmed by the festive film, with most reviews trending to the negative. 

"Amazon MGM's $250-million bid at a Marvel-level Christmas franchise is a charmless, level-four naughty-lister that will make you wish Christmas was canceled," reads IndieWire's take. 

"This holiday entry, which could almost have been called A Fast & Furious Christmas, is so ugly, artificial and overlong that it should cure kids of any belief in magic," is The Hollywood Reporter's verdict. "It's a prime example of the ways in which CG effects have impoverished the imaginations of many contemporary filmmakers – making anything possible, but too often at the expense of a human heartbeat. In any case, Red One is the equivalent of a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking."

"There's nothing wrong with a big-hearted film for Christmas, but this commercial and formulaic slice of content is a toy destined to be forgotten, not by Boxing Day, but mid-November," says The Guardian. 

"The villains are shape-shifters, but the key thing about Red One is that the whole movie is a shape-shifter: arduous action jape, low-kitsch Christmas fairy tale, buddy movie, family-reconciliation movie – every quadrant and demo must be served," says Variety. "At the movies, Christmas isn't a holiday anymore, it's a concept to be retro-fitted. Do you hear those sleigh bells jingling? Come on, it's lovely weather for an over-the-top-of-the-North-Pole, through-the-supply-closet-portal, cargo-plane ride together with you."

"The familiarity is the point with Red One, which might as well have been engineered to run in loops on cable, if that were still a thing. It's a new movie that’s meant to feel like something you’ve already seen, like, I dunno, Jingle All The Way if the villain in Jingle All The Way were a Christmas witch played by Kiernan Shipka," reads Vulture's review. 

It's not all bad, though, with some critics giving a slightly warmer review. "It's a reasonably entertaining three-star blockbuster with some fun ideas, a game cast, and a brisk storytelling style that never runs out of steam. I was never especially impressed, but I was just enjoying the fact that they somehow turned this absurd elevator pitch into a functional, breezy, slightly above average action-comedy," says TheWrap. 

"With a first installment ripe with DC and Marvel alums (and [Bonnie] Hunt), it's easy to imagine a holiday action franchise taking off in this climate of existing IP. After all, the Santa we’ve come to know in U.S. culture was originally an 1863 illustration for Harper's Weekly with the intent of making children behave and spreading capitalism… so not much has changed. And although the idea of a Christmas cinematic universe might initially make one's eyes roll, the addition of Krampus and other lesser known holiday lore offers a refreshing take," is Deadline's review. 

Red One hits theaters on November 6 in the UK and November 15 in the US. In the meantime, check out our guide to the year's most exciting upcoming movie release dates to plan your theater trips, or fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix movies. 

The Paddington film series has featured some incredible villains, played by brilliant actors. The first movie saw Nicole Kidman step into the shoes of the menacing taxidermist Millicent, whilst Paddington 2 featured an iconic performance from Hugh Grant as the dastardly Phoenix Buchanan.

Threequel Paddington in Peru follows in these footsteps, although it would spoil the surprise to say who appears as the villain here. But what we can say is that Paddington sure does encounter a foe or two on his adventure in Peru, where he is searching for his missing Aunt Lucy.

With Paddington 4 and a TV show seemingly already in the works, although the cast are holding their cards close to their chests regarding more details, the question is – which actor would make a great villain for a future Paddington project?

The voice of Paddington himself, Ben Whishaw, certainly has thoughts, suggesting to GamesRadar+ that British comedic star Dawn French, best known for her lead role in sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, would be a great fit, telling us that the idea "tickles" him. 

And when we suggest that they should get her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders involved too (after all, French and Saunders are iconic), Whishaw is even more enthused about the potential: "Oh my god, yes please! That would be fantastic! We can't have enough of those two, that would be amazing and I think they would understand the world of Paddington."

Director Dougal Wilson has other ideas, suggesting a late James Bond star who he thinks would have been perfect as a Paddington villain: "I'd love maybe... someone from the past who would have been amazing would be the late, great Roger Moore, who is unfortunately no longer with us. But playing a villain would have been against type and quite interesting."

Of course, there's no resurrecting Moore, so as alternatives Wilson offers a legendary British actor as well as one of director Martin Scorsese's regular collaborators: "Michael Caine would be fantastic and I'd love to see [Robert] De Niro go against Paddington". Us too!

However, star Olivia Colman, who joins the franchise here as an all-singing all-dancing nun, arguably has the best idea, suggesting that Whishaw himself appear as a villain. Of course, we have never seen him on screen before given that he voices our beloved bear, so having him show up in another role as a baddie would certainly provide a fun twist.

As Colman explains us: "It's got to be someone you wouldn't expect... imagine Judi Dench as a baddie?! That would be a shock. Or Ben Whishaw as a baddie!!!" StudioCanal – let's make it happen!

Paddington in Peru releases in UK cinemas on November 8 before heading to the US next year, hitting theaters on January 17. For more on the movie, here's what director Wilson had to say about the film's tribute to the late Queen.

And don't forget to check out our guide to the upcoming movies to get on your watchlist.

In 2022, Paddington Bear enjoyed tea with Queen Elizabeth II for a sketch celebrating her Platinum Jubilee. Naturally, the charming short film quickly went viral and did so again later that year following the Queen's death in September. In fact, for many people the sketch took on new meaning, with thousands sharing a drawing of the Queen holding hands with Paddington to pay tribute to her.

It was such a sensation that director Dougal Wilson knew he had to make reference to it in new film Paddington in Peru, a threequel which sees our beloved bear (voiced as ever by Ben Whishaw) searching for his missing Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) in the Amazon rainforest.

Before Paddington sets off on his adventure, we see him writing a letter to Aunt Lucy, with a picture from his time with the Queen sitting proudly on his desk. It's only seen briefly but, as Wilson explains in an interview with GamesRadar+, it's an affectionate nod that not only pays tribute to the late monarch, but is something fans of the sketch can enjoy too.

As he tells us: "I wasn't actually involved in the production of that film as it was happening whilst I was pre-producing this one, but it seemed to go down quite well with the public. Then unfortunately the Queen passed away and people seemed to have a lot of affection for that clip, so we thought it would be appropriate for Paddington to have in his bedroom a little still of the moment he had tea with the Queen. So that's why it got put into the frame."

Continuing, Wilson also reveals that they did have to get permission from Buckingham Palace to include the photo, but the Royal Family were delighted to oblige: "Yes, we had to ask for permission but they were more that happy to give us that."

In the third movie, Paddington also receives his very own passport, which he uses in order to travel to Peru with the Brown family. But what you may not realize is that passport is actually very real, with the UK government issuing the bear an official document, which was brought to set. 

The unexpected surprise certainly amused director Wilson, who pointed out to GamesRadar+ some of his favorite details from the passport. He reveals: "I think under special observations it says 'bear'! And then for his date of birth, we actually put the date that Michael Bond [the creator of Paddington] published his first Paddington book."

Wilson adds that receiving the passport was a wonderful gesture, although he isn't quite sure how Paddington got away with such an "unorthodox" photo: "It was a lovely, authentic thing to see, the genuine document with the genuine bear inside. Although his photograph is a little unorthodox... I’m surprised it was allowed to be honest!"

Paddington in Peru releases in UK cinemas on November 8 before heading to the US next year, hitting theaters on January 17.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming movies to get on your watchlist.

When StudioCanal first brought Paddington to the big screen 10 years ago it was something of a gamble. The trailer for the most expensive film the French production company had ever made failed to impress the internet with many calling the animation style creepy and Colin Firth, who was set to play Paddington, replaced with the lesser-known actor Ben Whishaw, making fans of the beloved literary bear nervous. 

But much like Paddington himself, Paul King's film became a triumph of the underdog and was beloved by audiences, critics, and StudioCanal's accounting department. Three years later it would triumph again with Paddington 2, which by several metrics is technically the greatest film ever made and breathed new life into the career of Hugh Grant who played the dastardly thespian Phoenix Buchanan. Now, a long seven years later, Paddington returns for a third outing in Paddington In Peru, no longer the underdog but an international treasure.

A patchwork plot

The stakes are markedly lower than in his first or second outing, he's been part of the Brown family for a full decade, has a brand-spanking new British passport, and is a beloved member of the candy-colored Windsor Gardens in London's Notting Hill. The greatest struggles the Brown family face are Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) needing to come across as more of a risk taker at work, Judy's (Madeleine Harris) imminent departure to university, and Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) spending too much time in his room.

All that Paddington and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer replacing Sally Hawkins) want is the family to spend more quality time together, so when Paddington gets word that his beloved Aunt Lucy is feeling lonely at her retirement home in Peru, the pair decide it's time for the whole family to take a trip to South America to cheer her up.

Naturally, there are more adventures than just a family reunion ahead arriving to find Aunt Lucy missing, being told by the Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman) that Paddington's beloved aunt has seemingly gone on a "sort of quest". And so, they have to journey deep into the Amazon on Hunter Cabot’s (Antonio Banderas) boat to try and rescue her, or at the very least, give her back her glasses. 

If plot-wise that sounds like convoluted nonsense that is just an excuse to get the gang back together, it's because it is, and one of the more puzzling aspects of the film that seven years since its last installment, can only come up with a patchwork of plot devices. 

Pitch-perfect

Paul King, who directed the first two films, is credited with the story (alongside Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton), but it feels like the movie started with its catchy title and worked backwards from there, with a central mystery whose resolution makes absolutely no sense. 

This is particularly true of Banderas’s Cabot, both in motive and characterisation, and his relationship with his plucky daughter Gina (Carla Tous). While Banderas seems to be having a whale of a time with a character that is half Werner Herzog's Augirre, The Wrath Of God and half panto baddie, unlike Grant's delicious villain from the second movie, he occasionally hams it up too much and veers into cartoonish and witless territory.

Thankfully, Colman is pitch-perfect as The Reverend Mother who has a few tricks up her sleeve and reminds us that "The Lord moves in suspicious ways". She sings, strums on the guitar, and dances her way through a wonderfully silly musical number, but proves just as enchanting when playing two-handed scenes with perplexed Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) who has accompanied the Browns on their trip.

A high bar

While the time spent with Colman and her fellow nuns in the retirement home are the film's funnest and funniest moments, packed full with background gags and zany one liners, the Amazonian antics are joyous but feel a little conventional in comparison. The action set pieces that take place in boats, planes, and Incan ruins are energetic but predictable, and while watching Paddington tackling getting into a hammock is a charming bit of physical comedy, you can't help but long for another nun-based musical number to manifest. 

It's also notable that despite the title, the film feels distinctly un-Peruvian. There are no Peruvian characters (unless you count the bears) and while the film alludes to the previous horrors of plundering Spanish colonizers in a surprisingly brutal montage, it's still an uneasy shift that there is more screen presence from people of color in London than there is in South America.  

But it's saying something that the standard of the Paddington films is so high, saying this film is the weakest entry is a bit like calling Machu Pichu the seventh-best wonder of the world. 

Convoluted plot and problematic casting choices aside, time spent with Whishaw's marmalade loving bear is more than worthwhile. When Mrs. Brown laments that she just wants to spend more time together it near breaks the fourth wall, as whether its in "deepest darkest Peru", West London, or the bingo hall at a retirement home for bears, Paddington's family is endlessly easy to love. No matter what they get up to next or where they go, we can only hope that it wont be another long seven years before we get to reunite with them.

Paddington in Peru releases in UK cinemas November 8 before heading to the US next year, hitting theaters on January 17.

For more, check out our guide to the upcoming movies to get on your watchlist.

Pixar has surprise revealed a brand new animated movie that seemingly isn't part of any existing franchises, and it's about a girl who somehow exchanges brains with a beaver.

Per Deadline, the flick was announced during the 2024 D3 Expo alongside the debut trailer, which showed two female scientists telling a child that they want to put his brain inside a beaver for whatever reason. This unusual scene is followed by a shot of a beaver running around.

The movie is being directed by We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong and is set for a theatrical release in 2026. The cast includes Bobby Moynihan (Inside Out 2), Piper Curda (Back on the Strip, May December), and Jon Hamm (Fargo). Hamm plays the mayor of a town who aims to destroy the beavers in the movie, presumably because they can be destructive little buggers. 

It's always a big deal when Pixar announces something completely out of the blue, and boy oh boy did Hoppers come way out of left field. We're not really sure what to expect out of this one, but Deadline reports that it continues the studio's tradition of treating its subjects and topics with measured sensitivity. After all, this is the studio that made everyone in the world ugly cry with a movie about a man that makes his house fly by tying helium balloons to it.

For everything on the horizon, check our guide to new Disney movies coming out over the next few years. Or, for something to watch right now, here are the best movies on Disney Plus in August 2024, and here are the best Pixar movies ever.

Taking a loose approach to adapting the much-loved picture book of the same name, Harold and the Purple Crayon opens with an inventive animated sequence featuring the baby whose scribblings come to life. It’s not long till he grows up, and when his narrator’s voice goes quiet, a journey to the real world ensues, in which Harold takes on the form of Zachary Levi, and his pals Moose (Lil Rel Howery) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds) become humans.

Anything that Harold draws with his magic crayon becomes real in our world too, much to the delight of his newfound young friend Mel (Benjamin Bottani). It’s an inherently fun idea that director Carlos Saldanha (various Ice Ages) makes solid use of.

There are plenty of elements that feel familiar - Levi’s manchild-out-of-water recalls Shazam! and that film’s major touchstone, Big, while the presence of Zooey Deschanel reinforces the Elf parallels (her single mom, Terri, is even unhappily working in a department store here). But it’s all assembled in a big-hearted, slickly put-together confection that entertains without outstaying its welcome, and delivers its uncomplicated messages without too much sentimentality.

It’s squarely aimed at the younger end of the audience, and the focus on imaginative play encourages you to go a little easier on the occasionally substandard CGI than you otherwise might. A side plot with a lost Porcupine also adds little. But Jemaine Clement’s unique comic timing enlivens any scene he’s in as a frustrated librarian/would-be fantasy author, bringing to mind 2009's Gentlemen Broncos, and the stakes are refreshingly low-key. Throw in a few amusing set pieces and it’s easy-to-enjoy fun, particularly if you’re still of crayon-using age. 

Harold and the Purple Crayon is in UK cinemas now and in US theaters on August 2.

For more upcoming movies, check out our guide to 2024 movie release dates you need to know about.

If you had the means to travel in time, where would you go? The past, or the future? For so long, filmmakers have wondered this same question, with more time travel movies than you can count. At least some of them happen to be - ahem, timeless classics.

While time travel has existed in the human imagination for centuries, with examples found in Hindu and Islamic mythologies, our modern understanding of time travel begins with early science fiction tales. Stories like The Year 2440 by French author Louis-Sébastien Mercier, Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy, and The Time Machine by H.G. Wells are some of the earliest and most popular uses of time travel in sci-fi. 

It should be no surprise that as soon as humans invented moving pictures, time travel became a recurring genre. (This is not to be confused with time loop movies, in which stories involve a set and finite time frame that "loop" back and start all over again.) Whether it's to prevent catastrophes or just fall in love, filmmakers have obsessed over time travel as a story device to explore what it really means to be human. With so many time travel movies to choose from, here are 32 of the greatest time travel movies ever made.

32. The Time Machine (1960)

It should be no surprise that the first feature film adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal science fiction novella The Time Machine also qualifies as one of the best time travel movies ever made. Rod Taylor stars as a scientist inventor, also named "H. George Wells," whose invention of a time machine flings him to Earth's distant future where he sees mankind split between peaceful, gentle Eloi and the predatory Morlocks who feed on them. Though its primitive effects may be hard on modern eyes, George Pal's movie splits the difference between pulp slop and old-school magnificence.

31. Timecop (1994)

It's not saying much that Timecop, an adaptation of comic strips published by Dark Horse, is one of the best movies starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. But JCVD is in top form in Peter Hyams' corny '90s gem. Van Damme stars as a police officer in the Time Enforcement Commission who must stop a corrupt politician (played by Ron Silver) from influencing the past for personal gain. Although Timecop's comic book-y premise and wham-bam filmmaking renders it indistinguishable from other Van Damme flicks, it also happens to feature one of Van Damme's finest performances. 

30. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Based on Audrey Niffenegger's hit debut novel, The Time Traveler's Wife stars Rachel McAdams as the wife of a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) who suffers from a genetic disorder that causes him to spontaneously travel through time, making a stable life in the present difficult to maintain. Written by Niffenegger as an elaborate metaphor on her failed relationships, the sentimental and sappy movie version - from director Robert Schwentke - efficiently captures that painful desire to stay still in a life that pulls us apart. 

29. Déjà Vu (2006)

In their third collaboration together, actor Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott teamed up for the time travel thriller Déjà Vu. Washington plays a special agent who goes back in time to prevent a terrorist attack in New Orleans. While doing so, he falls in love with a beautiful victim (Paula Patton) and becomes determined to save her. While Déjà Vu isn't the best movie by Scott nor even the best from Scott and Washington's creative tag-teaming, it's still a gritty action thriller with a novel science fiction bent.

28. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

While it may feel too "Tumblr twee" for some, Colin Trevorrow's Safety Not Guaranteed is an emotional comedy-drama about having trust in the impossible. A group of magazine journalists (played by Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnston, and Karan Soni) investigate a curious classified ad that promises a time travel adventure; Mark Duplass plays the socially awkward grocery clerk who placed the ad, claiming to have a time machine. Safety Not Guaranteed notably launched Trevorrow into the realm of big budget blockbusters, with the director landing the gig of helming Jurassic World shortly after and, for a time, attached to the coveted ninth Star Wars movie. Safety Not Guaranteed is small fries in comparison, but the movie's flightful sensibilities showed what Trevorrow was capable of. 

27. Donnie Darko (2001)

It's a bit of a spoiler to detail exactly how time travel factors into Richard Kelly's morbid teen drama Donnie Darko. But in its tale about a troubled suburban teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) who receives cryptic psychic messages from an ominous figure in a scary bunny costume, Donnie Darko explores adolescence as a vehicle to meditate on the nature of reality. Years later, Donnie Darko remains a cult classic, not only for its dark and cerebral tone and surprisingly star-studded cast, but for its enthralling portrait of teenage angst and depression through the lens of science fiction and comic book tropes.

26. Star Trek (2009)

In this modern reboot of the classic 1960s sci-fi television saga, the past and present collide in unexpected ways when villainous Romulans (led by Eric Bana) are flung to Starfleet past, changing the course of Star Trek history forever. As the starting point for what has been called the "Kelvin Timeline" - an alternate timeline diverting from original Star Trek canon - J.J. Abrams' Star Trek satisfies fans both new and old with a zippy, crowd-pleasing blockbuster that is secretly about the burdens of history and legacy and the virtues of pursuing one's own path.

25. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Leave it to Woody Allen to create a time travel movie that isn't about aliens or A.I., but hanging out with famous literary icons. Owen Wilson stars as a dissatisfied screenwriter who, while on a trip to Paris with his fiance (Rachel McAdams), finds himself able to travel to 1920s Paris, meeting the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and befriending Ernest Hemingway. After a long period of movies that failed to live up to his established reputation, Allen enjoyed a brief career resurgence with his critically acclaimed Midnight in Paris, a jovial gem (with an excellent Corey Stoll as Hemingway) that romanticizes Paris regardless of whatever era you're seeing it. 

24. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

While parsing out the X-Men movie timeline can induce psychic shock, the 2014 tentpole X-Men: Days of Future Past is still one of the franchise's all-time strongest entries. Loosely adapting Chris Claremont's iconic comic book storyline, Bryan Singer's film version swaps Kitty Pryde for fan-favorite Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who is psychically sent back in time to the 1970s to prevent Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) from creating his menacing Sentinels that will doom mankind and mutantkind alike. With memorable set-pieces and a locked-in Jackman anchoring alongside Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, the past and present collide like never before in this exquisite sci-fi superhero spectacle.

23. When We First Met (2018)

After falling in love at a Halloween party in 2014, lovestruck Noah (Adam Devine) uses a magical photo booth to relive the night he met the gorgeous and funny Avery (Alexandra Daddario), who only sees Noah as a friend. While Noah tries to relive and redo that night all over again, he quickly finds out that love is sometimes set in stone. Though Ari Sandel's sugary rom-com for Netflix may leave some audiences in the friend zone, for anyone familiar with the pangs of unrequited feelings, When We First Met is a breeze of a movie that can help us figure out why things happen for a reason - or for no reason at all. 

22. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Raunchiness meets bitterness in the R-rated time travel comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson (plus Clark Duke, as Cusack's nephew) play unsatisfied adult men who - after a freak accident involving a hot tub and an energy drink spillage - find a way to time travel back to one fateful night in 1986. Determined to change their mediocre lives for the better, the men embark on reliving the greatest night of their young lives. With surprising depths of darkness, wistful nostalgia, and an underlying message to never take even one second for granted, Hot Tub Time Machine is more than its simplistic title leads on.

21. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

If your life ethos is to "Be excellent to each other!" and "Party on, dudes!" then you have Bill and Ted to thank. In this cult classic from 1989, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter co-star as dim-witted high school students and aspiring rock stars who are desperate to pass their history class and avoid being enrolled in military school. With the help of an enigmatic figure - played by the legendary George Carlin - Bill S. Preston Esq. and Ted "Theodore" Logan travel in time to collect the world's greatest figures in history to help them pass. While Bill and Ted inadvertently threaten to change history, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is, indeed, an excellent movie about the virtues of friendship and being true to oneself. 

20. Synchronic (2020)

In this time travel horror movie, two New Orleans paramedics - hard-drinking playboy and terminally ill Steve (Anthony Mackie) and family man Dennis (Jamie Dornan) - find a series of bizarre deaths linked to a designer drug called Synchronic, which induces abilities to travel in time. Dennis grows alarmed when his daughter goes missing at a party where Synchronic was rampant. With its explorations of loss and friendship, Synchronic is unlike many other time travel movies with a distinctly dark and grim atmosphere. It's complimented by the skillful filmmaking of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who have helmed films like Spring (2014), The Endless (2017), Something in the Dirt (2022), and the Marvel shows Moon Knight and Loki.

19. Click (2006)

Ever wondered what the "Beyond" was in Bed, Bath, and & Beyond? Adam Sandler found out in the 2006 comedy Click, where Sandler plays a workaholic family man who finds a universal remote that lets him travel in time. Though Sandler has fun "fast-forwarding" mundane moments, he soon finds out how critically important it is to relish every single minute you get in life. While Click initially polarized audiences and critics, it has slowly accrued goodwill, with some observers calling it one of Sandler's best and most mature movies behind Uncut Gems. 

18. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

Oh, behave! In the third installment of the Austin Powers series, the out-of-time special agent Austin Powers (Mike Meyers, reprising one of his most iconic characters) is flung from 2002 back to 1975, teaming up with feisty FBI agent Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé) and his own distant father, Nigel Powers (Michael Caine) to stop the mastermind known as "Goldmember." After spoofing spy-fi media of the 1960s, Jay Roach's Goldmember roasts the grittier, funkier era of '70s James Bond and Blaxploitation classics like Foxy Brown. 

17. Kate & Leopold (2001)

Can love transcend time? That's the idea behind Kate & Leopold, a most enchanting romantic comedy from James Mangold and starring Meg Ryan opposite Hugh Jackman. Jackman plays Leopold, the handsome Duke of Albany from the 19th century who falls through a time portal and ends up in 2001 Manhattan. While adjusting to the 21st century, he begins wooing a successful but lonely ad executive (Ryan). Kate & Leopold is good old fashioned Hollywood magic at its best, being a mismatched couples comedy that champions how love can triumph over all - even time itself.

16. About Time (2013)

Several years after The Time Traveler's Wife, Rachel McAdams again fell in love with a time traveler in Richard Curtis' sappy but sweet romantic dramedy About Time. Domnhall Gleeson plays an ordinary man who inherits a remarkable family power: the power to travel in time. (The only catch: They can only travel in their lived timeline, and never forwards.) Determined to use his power to find love, he becomes smitten with beautiful Mary (McAdams), though using time travel to maintain a perfect life involves a lot more risk than it seems. About Time plays fast and loose with its time travel rules, but the movie's irresistible premise and picturesque romance is enough to thaw even the most cynical of hearts.

15. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

After revolutionizing Hollywood filmmaking with his acclaimed gangster epics The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Francis Ford Coppola lightened up with his lively comedy about middle-age regret and baby boomer nostalgia. In Peggy Sue Got Married, dissatisfied Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner) is on the brink of divorcing her unfaithful husband Charlie (Nicolas Cage) when she faints at her 25th high school reunion. When she wakes up, she's back in her senior year of high school, learning she's been given a second chance at changing her life for the better.

14. Looper (2012)

Brick star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and director Rian Johnson reunite for one of the best time travel thrillers of the 2010s. Looper, released in 2012, takes place in a near future reality where time travel is possible but illegal; "loopers" are hired assassins who are sent back in time to kill specific targets. Things get complicated for a looper named Joe (Gordon-Levitt) who must "close the loop" when his older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to kill. A trippy action-thriller that was critically acclaimed for its ingenious depiction of time travel, the buzzy success of Looper undoubtedly put Johnson on the map to later helm Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017.

13. See You Yesterday (2019)

Time travel whimsy meets timely social commentary in See You Yesterday from director Stefon Bristol and producer Spike Lee. Teenage science prodigies and best friends C.J. (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (Danté Crichlow) invent backpacks that enable time travel; they use their inventions to save C.J.'s brother, who was killed by a racist police officer. But in trying to save her family, C.J. finds unforeseen problems in trying to alter the past. A beautiful mix of Amblin-esque adventure and the full weight of systemic racism, See You Yesterday - a sweeping picture about love and the ethics of genius - elevates the time travel genre into something more. 

12. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

To mark the end of Marvel's acclaimed Infinity Saga, directors Joe and Anthony Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely invited Marvel fans to take another lap around the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the time travel-oriented finale Avengers: Endgame. Following up on the events of Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame sees the Avengers reunite and hatch a scheme to reobtain the powerful Infinity Stones - all scattered throughout the MCU's vast canon - and restore a vanished populace, not to mention stop Thanos for good. Avengers: Endgame needs no introduction; it was and still is one of the biggest movies of all time.

11. Time Bandits (1981)

Terry Gilliam brings his strange sensibilities to a more mainstream family audience with his 1981 classic time Bandits. Craig Warnock stars as Kevin, a young boy with a fascination for history who is visited by time-traveling dwarves who plunder treasures from different historical periods. As Kevin joins the dwarves, they escape capture by Evil (David Warner), a malevolent entity who wants to steal the dwarves' map that lets them travel through portals. Time Bandits stands the test of, ahem, time, to look and feel like a riveting children's storybook come to life. 

10. Primer (2004)

In Shane Carruth's debut feature film, two engineers (played by Carruth and David Sullivan) accidentally discover the means of time travel. While experimenting with their discovery, they find out that time travel is a lot more complex than they thought it would be. Still an underground indie favorite to this day, Primer is remembered for its experimental plot structure that mixes philosophical theory with hard mathematics. Primer was concocted by Carruth, who actually majored in mathematics in college and previously worked as an engineer prior to becoming a filmmaker. Primer was a huge hit at the Sundance Film Festival and is still beloved for its cerebral exploration of the ethics of scientific discovery.

9. Time After Time (1979)

Nicholas Meyer pays tribute to the granddaddy of time travel storytelling, H.G. Wells, with his delectable time travel fantasy Time After Time. Malcolm McDowell plays H.G. Wells, who uses his time machine to finally apprehend Jack the Ripper (David Warner) after the famed serial killer escapes to modern-day San Francisco. While Time After Time tries to be a dark thriller, it can't help but have fun with H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper exploring a most alien environment loaded with fast food chains and disco nightclubs. 

8. Somewhere in Time (1980)

Have you ever been in love so bad you were willing to get lost in time? Shortly after Christopher Reeve took off with Superman: The Movie, the actor strove to play against typecasting with Somewhere in Time. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc, Reeve stars as a playwright who becomes smitten by a beautiful stage actress (Jane Seymour) seen in a portrait dated 1912. Under hypnosis, Reeve's character ends up in 1912 and tries to find and woo the woman. He succeeds, but we won't spoil the devastating ending. While the movie endured bad reviews during its original release, it has since become a beloved romantic classic. The Grand Hotel in Michigan, where the majority of principal photography, hosts annual anniversary screenings of the picture every October.

7. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Terry Gilliam is no stranger to science fiction and time travel stories. One of his most successful Hollywood films to date is still the 1995 classic 12 Monkeys. Bruce Willis plays a convict from 2035 who is sent back in time to 1996 (though he ends up in 1990) to gather information about the terrorist plot that led to a virus wiping out most of humanity. Arriving at the right time to observe the paralyzing inundation of information at the end of the 20th century, 12 Monkeys mesmerized critics and audiences to become the number one movie for two weeks in January 1995. While not strictly a remake of the French New Wave sci-fi La Jetée by Chris Marker - Gilliam even claimed he hadn't even seen it before production - Universal Studios obtained the remake rights to Marker's film after producer Robert Kosberg successfully pitched the studio 12 Monkeys as a movie heavily inspired by it. In 2015, a hit TV series remake premiered on Syfy.

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Time travel isn't exclusive to science fiction. In the 2004 sequel to the hit fantasy film saga, Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuarón adapts the book of the same name which sees the increasingly aging Hogwarts trio - Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) - meet the wizard criminal Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) who has connections to Harry's family. A key part of Prisoner of Azkaban's story involves a magical device that lets the characters travel in time; some of the film's most memorable and deliciously staged set pieces center around ingenious depictions of time travel.

5. Source Code (2011)

In the aftermath of major events like 9/11, some Hollywood filmmakers dared to ask if time travel could stop acts of terrorism. Enter: Source Code, from director Duncan Jones. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a U.S. soldier tasked with using a cutting-edge government program called "Source Code" to relive the final minutes of a commuter train prior to its bombing and identify the terrorist behind it. The catch is that Gyllenhaal's character enters the program inhabiting the body of another unknown man, which creates problems for both himself and the unknown man's beautiful companion (Michelle Monaghan). Jones' movie is a muscular action-thriller that successfully combines time travel with time loop stories, perfectly balancing the two to become something totally unique. 

4. Tenet (2020)

Christopher Nolan is a filmmaker obsessed with time as a thematic motif. But in 2020, Nolan was in top form with his summer sci-fi Tenet. John David Washington stars as the nameless agent, going only by "The Protagonist" who must navigate the twilight world of international espionage to stop the powerful arms dealer Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) and prevent World War III. To accomplish this, he teams up with another enigmatic agent (Robert Pattinson) and the beautiful wife of Sator, Kat (Elizabeth Debicki), all while using the newest tool in his arsenal: inverted entropy, basically the reverse physics of an object in time. Confused yet? A lot of people were. But that hasn't stopped Tenet from amassing a dedicated fanbase who insist that Tenet isn't a movie you think about, but rather feel.

3. Your Name (2016)

In this sweeping animated romantic fantasy by acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai, two teenagers (voiced by Ryunosuke Kamiki and Mone Kamishiraishi in the original Japanese language, and Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh in the English dub) mysteriously find themselves swapping bodies. In their efforts to better understand what is going on, they find a deeper connection linked to a tragic natural disaster. A time travel movie unlike so many others, Your Name was celebrated upon release for its gorgeous visuals and equally breathtaking story about fate, love, and intertwined destinies that transcend time itself.

2. The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Arguably the definitive time travel action blockbusters, James Cameron's Terminator movies are simply unstoppable. Arnold Scwharzenegger is in top form as the T-800, who is initially dispatched to kill the mother of mankind's hero John Connor, a woman named Sarah (Linda Hamilton). In the bigger, somehow better sequel Terminator 2, Schwarzenegger returns as a repurposed T-800 to save both Sarah and her 12-year-old son John Connor (Edward Furlong). Despite numerous sequels, nothing can top the tech-noir transcendence of the first two Terminator entries.

1. The Back to the Future Trilogy (1984-1989)

Robert Zemeckis' '80s classic trilogy is, without question, one of the greatest time travel adventures ever told, an untouchable sci-fi trilogy if there ever was one. In the first movie, teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally travels to 1955 and must figure out a way to get his own parents to fall in love again after his presence disrupts the whole town. In the sequels, Marty travels to the "future" year of 2015, and then the distant past of the Old West, all with the help of Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a ridiculously tricked-out DeLorean. The Back to the Future trilogy is foundational for an entire generation, and it's not hard to see why. The movies are fast, fun, and unforgettable, a movie that doesn't need roads to take us away.

Marmalade sandwiches and cups of tea at the ready, people - the first trailer for the highly anticipated sequel Paddington 3 (officially titled Paddington in Peru) has landed.

The two minute teaser kicks off with Paddington getting his passport photo done in a booth at Paddington station (of course), preparing for his adventure across the seas. There's just one slight hiccup, though, as he's told no hats are allowed. As it turns out, Paddington forgot he had a marmalade sandwich on his head - classic!

Paddington and the Brown family are heading to Peru to the Home For Retired Bears to meet Aunt Lucy, but once there they encounter another obstacle: Aunt Lucy has set off on a quest into the wilderness and no one knows where she is. As Paddington tells us, she found him as a cub and so he must now find her. Let the journey to find Aunt Lucy in Peru begin!

Watch the full trailer below:

The trailer also introduces us to franchise newcomers Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas. We see the former as a nun working at the retirement home, with one scene teasing that Colman will have her own Sound of Music moment as she stands in a field with a guitar. At the world exclusive trailer event attended by GamesRadar+, director Dougal Wilson teased that Colman plays a"fun, singing nun" which already has us excited.

Banderas, meanwhile, plays "a swashbuckling adventurer who buckles swash like no one else" according to Wilson, which we get a glimpse of in the footage as he welcomes the Brown family upon reaching Peru.

The teaser should ease any fears fans have regarding the change of director helming this next chapter. Whilst filmmaker Paul King directed the previous two installments, he was too busy bringing magic to our screens with Wonka (although he remains on-board here as producer). 

This time, Wilson (who is arguably best known for his work making several John Lewis Christmas adverts) is behind the camera. Perhaps bring the tissues for this threequel, then. 

Paddington in Peru marks his feature directorial debut, with Wilson telling the audience that whilst at first he was "excited and flattered" upon being approached to helm this threequel, that "soon gave way to terror as the first two films set a high bar to follow".

As heard in the footage, Ben Whishaw is back as the marmalade-loving bear whilst the likes of Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, and Imelda Staunton (the voice of Aunt Lucy) return too.

They will be joined by newbies Banderas, Colman, and Emily Mortimer, with the latter taking over from actor Sally Hawkins to portray Mary Brown. With the film releasing later this year on British shores, it won't be long until we find out exactly what they bring to the beloved series.

Paddington in Peru will be released in UK cinemas on November 8, 2024 and in US theaters slightly later on January 17, 2025.

Whilst we await this next adventure, check out what other exciting upcoming movies are heading your way soon.

After the basement-bear horrors of Imaginary, along comes John Krasinski’s more family-friendly ode to childhood fantasy. Warm and well-intentioned but frankly sappy, IF centres on Bea (Cailey Fleming), a tween who lost her mother in early childhood and is now bravely facing her father’s upcoming heart surgery. 

As if that weren’t enough to deal with, quirky animal/food/toy characters that apparently only Bea can see (like Phoebe Waller-Bridges’ creepy ant-girl Blossom) have started making trouble around her. A possible solution arises when grumpy, wisecracking neighbour Cal (Ryan Reynolds) - who shares Bea’s ability - co-opts her into matchmaking the needy IFs (Imaginary Friends) with new kids to replace their grown ones. 

With its big, bumbling, Monsters, Inc. lookalike Blue (voiced by Steve Carell), IF badly wants to be a live-action Pixar movie, but its creaky, CGI-augmented world-building isn’t smart or cohesive enough (the Home for Retired IFs in Coney Island, for example, is a one-note, sub-Toy Story gag about longing for lost kids).

The sluggish story doesn’t help either, as Bea auditions clunkily adorable IFs in a blink-and-you'll-mis-it set of starry cameos (Matt Damon, George Clooney, Amy Schumer, plus innumerable others) that decorate rather than drive the narrative. 

By the time we’ve discovered that adults also need IFs to help them in tough times (Fiona Shaw’s quaint Irish granny assists here), the film has become a rather soppy hymn to the power of imagination. IF is obviously aiming to be an E.T.-style family classic about kids and creatures on a healing journey. But its sticky sentimentality keeps it mawkish rather than magical.

IF releases in UK cinemas and US theaters on May 17.

First reactions for Wonka have hit the internet, and they’re overwhelmingly positive.  

Written and directed by Paddington’s Paul King, the film follows a young Willy Wonka on his journey to becoming a world-famous chocolatier, from his conflicts with rival candymen to how he came to meet the Oompa-Loompas. 

With a star-studded cast led by Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, alongside British treasures Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Matt Lucas, and Mathew Baynton, it comes as no surprise to hear the movie is a success, but judging by first reactions it looks like King's flick has gone above and beyond, exceeding everyone's expectations.

Following the premiere on November 28, critics took to social media to express their thoughts on King’s latest creation. Griffin Schiller, the host of FilmSpeak, tweeted: “Wonka is the family event of the holiday season. A charming, delightful, whimsical tale of dreamers and the system that restricts them. King WONDERFULLY channels Dahl's cheeky disdain for the elite that enhances the enigma of Wonka while standing confidently on its own. A winner!”

Despite praise for the creator, it seems that there was one name leaving a sweet taste in everyone’s mouths as critics have been singing Chalamet’s praises since the screening. “Wonka is a super charming delight powered by an exceptional and pitch-perfect performance from Timothée Chalamet. It can get quite silly and there’s a few plot points that are a tad on the thin side, but that couldn’t stop such an impossibly sweet film with a hefty and very effective dose of sincerity from warming my heart”, writes Collider's Perri Nemiroff.

“Wonka is an instant holiday classic and a truly magical time at the movies.” echoed movie critic Zoë Rose Bryant. “Paul King’s whimsical style works as well here as it did in Paddington, every musical number enchants, and the entire ensemble takes turns stealing the show, led by an endlessly charming Timothée Chalamet.”

And what of the other cast members? “Hugh Grant steals every scene he's in. Keegan Michael-Key was under-utilized. Don't go into this movie w/o buying chocolate!” tweets Wendy Lee Szany. The Hugh Grant love train continues as Variety writer Courtney Howard shares “Hugh Grant in exceptional IDGAF mode.”

Forbes Journalist Simon Thompson adds “while Paul King's Wonka doesn't quite reach the charming and beguiling heights of the Paddington movies, it is still a delightfully sweet treat. Timothée Chalamet's titular dandy is endearing and fun while Hugh Grant's Oompa-Loompa steals every scene he is in.”

Check out some more reactions below… 

Wonka hits theaters on December 8, 2023. For more on Wonka, read our exclusive interview with writer-director Paul King.Thirsty for more films? Check out all of the best upcoming movies heading your way in 2023 and beyond.

Attention, this is not a drill, Shrek’s swamp has been listed on Airbnb. Yes, you read that right, for the first time ever, Shrek himself is opening up his own residence and inviting three lucky fans to swamp-sit. For one time only this Halloween weekend, you and two friends can stay at Shrek’s swamp house for FREE, courtesy of Airbnb. 

As listed on the site, the marshy manor is a secluded bungalow fit for any solitude-seeking woodland creature, equipped with a dining area, comfy chairs, and a big ogre-sized bed. Open to fairytale creatures of all kinds, Airbnb is offering this one-weekend stay completely for free in honor of childhood memories and nostalgia.

Shrek’s Swamp has been listed by none other than his best, and maybe most annoying, friend Donkey who apparently joined Airbnb as a host earlier this year. In his ad, Donkey writes: “Wow, it is so nice to meet you. I’m Donkey, and I’m making magic with Airbnb to roll out the welcome mat this October while I’m swamp-sitting for Shrek. I have to be honest – I love everything about the swamp: the boulder out front, the modest interiors, the seclusion (ideal for singing karaoke late into the night), you get the picture. I can’t wait for guests to experience this muddy slice of paradise for themselves.”

That'll do donkey, that'll do.

You may be thinking, where is Shrek’s infamous swamp? Located a great distance from the kingdom of far far away, everyone’s favorite Ogre's humble abode sits in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, near the village of Newtonmore, surrounded by lush countryside, muddy trails, and an enchanted forest. 

On top of this, in celebration of this new property, Airbnb will make a one-time donation to HopScotch Children’s Charity, which provides some of Scotland’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children with respite breaks through nurturing and dynamic holiday trips.

What are you waiting for? Why not relax in the ambiance of an “earwax candlelight”, kick your feet up, and enjoy the haven that is this muddy, moss-covered, oversized tree trunk this spooky season? 

Booking opens on October 13 at 6 p.m. BST for one, two-night stay for up to three guests for the weekend of October 27-29.  See the full Airbnb listing here.

In the mood to get Shrecked? Why not read our piece on why now is the right time for the release of Shrek 5. For more animation fun, check out our list of 50 greatest fairy tale movies.

There's good news for fans of the 1993 classic Hocus Pocus as in celebration of its 30th, yes that's right, 30th anniversary, it will be screening in theaters across the US and UK. 

For a limited time only, you can feast your eyes on Hocus Pocus on the big screen this autumn and get yourself into the Halloween spirit. The film will be showing in theaters across the US on October 6 at chains such as Regal and AMC. Not to worry though UK fans, the classic will also screen at multiple cinema chains on those shores at Vue, Cineworld, and Showcase on multiple dates in October. 

Hocus Pocus, which has become a favorite of many and a must see during the spooky season, follows a teenage boy named Max and his little sister Dani who have recently moved to a new town, the historic and hexing Salem. On the first day at their new school the siblings learn of a town folktale about three witches named the Sanderson Sisters, Winifred played by Bette Midler, Sarah played by Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mary played by Kathy Najimy, who were executed 300 years ago for the crime of kidnapping and doing away with local children. 

Cynical Max uncovers the witches' den and accidently reawakens the hags by reading from their cursed book. Now Max and his sister, along with their new friends, a corpse and an enchanted cat, must stop the sisters from putting a curse on the town and free anyone who is under their spell. This movie tells the classic tale of good vs evil and what one brave hero must do to save the ones he loves against supernatural forces. 

Directed by Kenny Ortega, who has since gone on to direct all three High School Musical movies as well as many other films for Disney, Hocus Pocus remains one of the most popular Halloween movies suitable for the whole family. The film features mystifying musical performances from the legendary Midler and SJP, as well as hilarious moments from the comedic Najimy and the interactions between the children and witches. 

After a string of success and accolades from the first movie, the original three witches were resurrected again in 2022 for Hocus Pocus 2. The long awaited sequel sees the sisters navigate life in the 21st century and pray upon a new set of children. 

Hocus Pocus will be available to view at cinemas during the month of October. 

It has been rumoured that a third film may be in the works but for now, both Hocus Pocus movies are available to stream on Disney Plus now. For more check out the best movies on Disney Plus and the best shows on Disney Plus.

Welcome, foolish mortals, to the ultimate Haunted Mansion Easter eggs roundup. Our resident Disney Parks fanatic has combed through every frame of the new film to bring you a rundown of all the references and hidden details you might have missed. There's a lot to get through, so make sure your safety bar is down and your hands, arms, feet, and legs are inside the ride at all times. 

Haunted Mansion is based on the spooktacular ride of the same name, but each Disney Park has its own version of the attraction (besides Shanghai Disney, which doesn't have one at all). That means we've gone the extra mile and dived deep into the differences between the rides below, too. 

Before we go any further, though, a note that the following will contain major spoilers for the film. Turn back now if you haven't seen the new Haunted Mansion movie yet!

Now that's out of the way, our tour begins here, in this gallery… er, we mean, head down to the below for all the Disney and ride references you might have missed in Haunted Mansion. We've been dying to have you! 

Haunted Mansion Easter eggs 

The ride

The mansion

Yes, a haunted mansion in Haunted Mansion isn't strictly an Easter egg. But the spooky setting of the movie is modelled on a specific version of the ride. Travis and Gabbie's new home is near-identical to the version of the Haunted Mansion attraction found in Disneyland California, right down to the New Orleans setting. 

We'll give you a whistle stop tour of the Haunted Mansion basics here, to make it easier to dig into the Easter eggs that follow. All the versions of the ride – besides Hong Kong Disney's Mystic Manor – have the same premise: you're a visitor in a very, very haunted house, taken on a tour through the halls and rooms, which are all populated by various eccentric spirits. The Disneyland California version of the ride opened first, while the others followed later. 

The Florida and Tokyo versions of the attraction are virtually identical both inside and out (with some minor variations). Their exterior looks very different to California's mansion, though, and while they have a lot in common with Disneyland's version, there are some key differences inside. 

Disneyland Paris's take on the ride is named Phantom Manor, and, thanks to its Wild West theme, its exterior is modelled completely differently to the other versions of the Haunted Mansion. Unlike the other three haunted houses, this version has its own, focused storyline, too. The ride follows a bereaved bride named Melanie Ravenswood. She had four suitors, and they all died tragically under mysterious circumstances, so she wanders her home in her wedding dress forevermore. Her father, Henry Ravenswood, is the titular Phantom, who narrates the ride (and seems to have had something to do with those four deaths, too). While it shares a lot of similarities with its cousins in America and Japan, this is actually a fairly different ride – and we'll get into that as we go on. 

Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor, meanwhile, also has an official premise, but is more magic themed than spooky. You take a tour of Lord Henry Mystic's fantastical home, accompanied by adorable monkey Albert. The manor is filled with fascinating artefacts, and a little bit of magic brings them all to chaotic life. This is by far the most drastically different version of the attraction, but it does have a few things in common with its cousins, too. Before we continue, though, we should note that this version of the ride is so different that you can go ahead and assume we're not talking about this one unless we've specifically referenced it. 

"Welcome foolish mortals"

The first words in the film are delivered by Jamie Lee Curtis's Madame Leota: "welcome, foolish mortals." If that sounds familiar, it's because it's pretty much the rides' tagline – it's also one of the first things you hear on the attractions. When you step into the stretching portrait room (more on that in a moment) your Ghost Host, AKA the narrator, welcomes you with this particularly sinister line of dialogue – though, in Phantom Manor, your narrator is slightly nicer, and welcomes you as "curious friends" instead. How sweet! (Don't worry, you get called a foolish mortal later on, instead.)

The music 

The Haunted Mansion attractions all share distinctive music, and you can hear that creepy theme throughout the score of the movie. It's enough to give you chills. 

The stretching room 

Ben and Travis get stuck in a stretching room as they try to escape the mansion – they're in pretty serious peril, considering the TNT, quicksand, and alligators from the portraits lining the walls appear in the real world. Luckily, they manage to escape through the ceiling, after some assistance from the paintings themselves. 

The four portraits show innocuous situations that turn sinister once the room stretches: a woman holding a parasol turns out to be on a tightrope above water with an alligator beneath her; an elderly lady sitting with a flower turns out to be perched atop her husband's grave; a man standing with his arms folded is actually sitting on the shoulders of another man, part of a human chain slowly sinking into quicksand; a man posing proudly is really standing on top of a barrel of TNT with the fuse lit. Gulp. 

This is a very faithful recreation of the stretching room that welcomes you inside the Haunted Mansion in California, Florida, and Tokyo (Paris's Phantom Manor has its own stretching room, but the portraits are different). At first, the room appears to be normal, but as the Ghost Host narrates, the ceiling stretches up and up and the portraits elongate with it, revealing those terrifying situations. When the room is plunged into darkness and lightning flashes, you can spot the Ghost Host through the ceiling in a hidden room – that's the space Ben and Travis escape into. 

A ghost will follow you home 

On the rides, you're warned that a ghost will follow you home as you come to the end of the attraction – and that's exactly what happens to the characters in the film. They each try to leave the Haunted Mansion behind, only to discover a spooky spirit has accompanied them on their journey. 

"You'll be back"

When Gabbie and Travis flee from their new home, the Hatbox Ghost menacingly calls after them: "You'll be baaaaack!" While not a direct quote, you're told something very similar on the rides by a tiny version of Madame Leota (fittingly named Little Leota) who calls "hurry baaaaack" in the same tone as you leave. She also reminds you to bring your death certificate. How sweet! 

The suit of armor 

When Travis and Gabbie move into their mansion, one of the first spooky things they both notice is a moving suit of armor. It walks up behind Travis while Gabbie is trying to reassure him that the house isn't haunted. In the rides, you can spot the moving armor pretty soon after boarding, next to an endless corridor with a floating candelabra. In Mystic Manor, the suits of armor don't just move, they also sing. 

Doom Buggy 

When Harriet is unceremoniously ejected from the Séance Room, she goes flying through the mansion in a large, black chair with a particularly distinctive shape. It looks remarkably like a Doom Buggy, AKA the vehicle that transports you around the attractions. In Mystic Manor, you instead board a Magneto-Electric Carriage with an entirely different style. 

Eagle eyed viewers might also have spotted that one of the chairs in the Séance Room has a familiar pattern, too; you can spot the armchair (with a design that looks a lot like Donald Duck's face) in all four haunted house rides. 

999 haunts (and room for one more)

In the film, exactly 999 ghosts haunt the mansion. That's also how many ghosts haunt the rides. You'll hear from the Ghost Host (or the mayor of the surrounding town in Phantom Manor) that there's "room for 1,000 – any volunteers?" In the movie, the Hatbox Ghost needs one more spirit to complete his ritual; that extra soul needs to be a willing sacrifice (AKA a volunteer), too. 

The watching busts 

Gabbie tells Ben that two busts in the mansion turn their heads to watch as people walk past, though they're not actually seen doing this in the movie. In Phantom Manor and California's version of the ride, busts appear just before you board your Doom Buggy, and if you look at them as you walk by, they do indeed appear to turn their heads to watch you. Creepy.

In Florida and Tokyo, the busts in the library will turn to watch you as you pass, and in Mystic Manor, two busts do appear, but you don't get a chance to see if they watch you before your vehicle is turning around. Phew…

Floating candelabra and stretching hallway

When Ben is exploring the mansion at midnight, he sees a candelabra floating by itself in the middle of an empty corridor that appears to stretch into infinity. The scene is seen in all three Haunted Mansions, as well as Phantom Manor – though the Paris version of the scene is slightly different, featuring the ghost of Melanie and the Phantom. 

Plus, multiple times in the movie, the hallways suddenly begin to stretch, making walking from one end to the other impossible, just like the candelabra's endless hallway. 

The ballroom 

The ballroom in the film is pretty much identical to the version seen in the rides, right down to the spirits floating up from the organ and the cheerful ghost perched on the chandelier. The major variation in the film is that the duelling portraits are located elsewhere in the mansion, while in the attractions, they have pride of place in the ballroom. 

Phantom Manor, though, has a slightly different ballroom set up for Melanie's wedding party – and the duelling portraits are found at the start of the ride instead.  

The raven 

In the film's Séance Room, there is a raven perched on the back of a chair. The Dream Team at first take it to be fake, but get a fright when it startles to life later in the movie. You can spot a raven throughout the Haunted Mansion and Phantom Manor attractions, perched ominously in various locations. 

Staircases 

Towards the end of the film, while Ben and Gabbie are trying to save Travis, the Hatbox Ghost uses the mansion itself against them. Gracey helps Ben navigate the shifting corridors, and they end up in a room of staircases going in every direction, including upside down. This room is also taken straight from the ride, though it's found only in the Disney World Florida version. 

Saloon dancers 

At the end of the movie, all of the haunts are at last happy and are seen celebrating in the ballroom. Some of the ghostly women dancing are decked out like saloon dancers doing the can-can; Phantom Manor features a saloon with a similarly dressed woman inside. This could also explain why Father Kent is dressed like a cowboy at the end of the film, though, either way, we're digging his style. 

The bat stanchions 

The attention to detail in Haunted Mansion truly is extraordinary – even the line stanchions are represented. In Alistair Crump's mansion, a chain strung between gold bats stops visitors from getting too close to a fireplace. This is exactly what the line barriers and stanchions look like on the rides.

Rhyming graves 

In the terrifying basement of Alistair Crump's home, Travis finds countless graves of all the people Crump has killed. Every headstone features a rhyming epitaph – another feature of the rides is rhyming headstones, located in the line area; Phantom Manor has its own cemetery at the end of the attraction.

Many of the fictional dead are named after Disney Imagineers, like Yale Gracey (yes, just like that Gracey). You'll find Master Gracey's gravestone in California and Florida: "Master Gracey laid to rest. No mourning please, at his request. Farewell." In Tokyo, this epitaph instead appears on the grave of one Mister West. Master Gracey is a character in the new movie and has a long history with Haunted Mansion history (more on that later). 

In Florida, you'll also pass the headstone of Madame Leota in the line; her grave features a sculpt of her face, with eyes that occasionally open and take a look around. 

The clock strikes 13 

When Ben enters the ghost realm, a creepy-looking grandfather clock strikes 13 with a resounding gong. You'll find this same clock striking 13 in the rides, just before your Doom Buggy takes you to Madame Leota.

The locked trunk

When Ben ventures up into the attic, he finds a trunk wrapped in chains. There's a mysterious banging sound coming from inside. Ben narrowly escapes the attic with the trunk in tow, and it turns out to be holding the crystal ball that contains Madame Leota. The locked trunk also appears in the 2003 The Haunted Mansion movie, used by the villain to trap children Michael and Megan inside. 

"Grim Grinning Ghosts"

This spooky song plays as an instrumental at the start of the film, then again at the end of the film when the Dream Team and the happy haunts are partying together in the ballroom. You can hear this song in all of the rides, performed by the spirits in the cemetery. All together now: when the ghosts come out to socialiiiiize…

Happy haunts

The Hatbox Ghost 

Jared Leto's mysterious Hatbox Ghost isn't an all-new character. He's actually a figure from Disneyland California's Haunted Mansion, originally located in the attic (where you'll also find Constance Hatchaway, the hatchet-wielding bride). However, as the special effects that would make the ghost's head disappear and reappear in the hatbox weren't quite up to scratch, he was removed soon after the ride opened in 1969. The Hatbox Ghost was finally returned in 2015, though he's now on the balcony rather than in the attic. 

You won't find the Hatbox Ghost on any other version of the attraction, though there are references to him in Disney World's. 

Constance Hatchaway 

Constance is another infamous character from the Haunted Mansion rides. Much like in the movie, she haunts the attic, where you'll see portraits featuring her headless husbands (their heads disappear and reappear as you pass by). She's also holding her hatchet, which she tries to use against Ben in the film. 

Constance appears in Disneyland California and Disney World Florida, and a previously anonymous bride character in Tokyo Disneyland was identified as her in 2023. Disneyland Paris's Phantom Manor, though, has its own bride: the tragic Melanie Ravenswood. 

Madame Leota 

Jamie Lee Curtis plays a medium trapped in a crystal ball in the movie – and you'll find Madame Leota on every version of the attraction, as well as in the original 2003 movie, played by Jennifer Tilly. Just like the ride, Curtis's Madame Leota also has a penchant for speaking in rhyme, and she can be found in the Séance Room. 

Madame Leota gets her name (and face) from Disney Imagineer Leota Toombs, with Eleanor Audley and later Susanne Blakeslee voicing the character – though Oona Lind lent her face and voice to the Disneyland Paris version. 

The Ghost Host 

The Ghost Host isn't just the narrator of the rides – he also appears in a portrait, with a noose around his neck, a hatchet in hand, a bulging eye, and a sinister grin. In the stretching portrait room, he can also be spotted through the ceiling when lightning strikes at the end of the narration. 

While this exact painting doesn't appear in the film, a character who bears a strong resemblance to the Ghost Host does, complete with hatchet and bulging eye. The ghost chases Ben and later tries to possess him in the movie. 

Master Gracey 

In the film, Master Gracey is the ghost of one of the mansion's previous owners. His wife, Eleanor, died from yellow fever, and he relentlessly searches for her spirit in the afterlife – though don't worry, they do get a happy ending. In a blink and you'll miss it moment, Master Gracey and his wife can be seen seated opposite each other in the ballroom right at the end of the movie. 

Master Gracey is a figure with a long Haunted Mansion history. If you've seen the 2003 movie, you'll remember him as the tragic character played by Nathaniel Parker. He was also looking for his missing (murdered) wife, though she was named Elizabeth.

Before that movie, though, his name was found inscribed on a grave outside of the California and Florida versions of the ride – if you enter the attraction via the servants' quarters rather than the stretching room, you'll also see his name written on a bell. The name is a tribute to Disney Imagineer Yale Gracey. 

The history of the character gets rather enigmatic, though. Fans have embraced the man as the master of the house (rather than the traditional meaning behind the title of Master, given to boys too young to be called Mister)  – at one point, the Florida version of the attraction was even named Gracey Manor, identified as such by a prop crate outside. The crate has since been removed, however. 

In California, Florida, and Tokyo, there is also a portrait of a young man that ages, Dorian Gray-style, as you watch (or, in California, when lightning strikes). This mysterious fellow has been identified as Master Gracey in some merchandise. There is also speculation that the young man is the Ghost Host himself, rather than the portrait of the hanged man. As with most things Haunted Mansion, there is no official explanation to clear up all these details, so you're free to choose the version of the story you like best. 

The caretaker (and his dog) 

One of the ghosts who appears in the spirit realm is that of a caretaker and his dog. You'll see him in the cemetery on the Haunted Mansion rides, looking terrified with a lantern and his trusty hound (Phantom Manor has the titular spirit and a red-eyed, skeletal dog in his place).

Interestingly enough, a barrel addressed to the caretaker found in Walt Disney World apparently revealed his name as Silas Crump – though the barrel has since been removed, leaving his canonical name in question. The movie's Hatbox Ghost is named Alistair Crump… a relation, perhaps? More likely, it's another tribute; this time to Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump.

The opera singer 

When Ben goes into the ghost realm, he encounters a huge array of ghosts. One in particular is an opera singer wearing a Viking helmet – you can spot her on the California, Florida, and Tokyo versions of the attraction in the graveyard, singing with her male companion. 

The executioner 

When Father Kent is being chased by all those ghosts at the end of the film, one of the assembled array is a spirit wearing an executioner's hood. You'll find him in the cemetery scene on the California, Florida, and Tokyo versions of the ride, singing next to a beheaded man. We're sure he had nothing to do with that…

The Roman emperor and Egyptian queen 

Amid Father Kent's merry band of spirits is a Roman emperor and an Egyptian queen. They don't have exact counterparts on the ride, but there is a similar duo who can be found sitting together on the ballroom's chandelier in California, Florida, and Tokyo. The man looks like a Roman centurion and his companion an Egyptian lady, bringing some serious Antony and Cleopatra vibes to the occasion. 

Interestingly enough, the ghost of Julius Caesar also haunts these three rides, sitting at one end of the table in the ballroom. 

The mummy

Another of Kent's group of ghosts is a particularly creepy looking mummy – he's so scary, in fact, that Kent asks him to turn around so he can finish his rousing speech. You can find a mummy ghost in the cemetery scenes of California, Florida, and Tokyo's versions of the ride. 

Hitchhiking ghosts 

At the end of the rides, you pass in front of a series of mirrors, which show you an unwanted passenger is hitching a ride in your Doom Buggy. There are traditionally three of these hitchhiking ghosts, and they all show up in the movie when Ben enters the spirit realm.

In Phantom Manor, the ghost of Melanie appears in your Doom Buggy and asks you to marry her instead. 

The mayor

As Master Gracey's story is being told in a flashback, we see more and more ghosts filling up his home as sèance after sèance is conducted in the hunt for Eleanor. You can briefly spot a ghost who bears a strong resemblance to the mayor seen in Phantom Manor as Master Gracey blows out his birthday candles. 

Phantom Manor features a ghostly version of Thunder Mesa – AKA the fictional setting of Disneyland Paris's Western-inspired Frontierland. As you pass the mayor, he takes off his hat in greeting... only his head pops off, too. 

He's also the one who warns you to beware of hitchhiking ghosts and informs you of the 999 spirits – requesting volunteers because, as we know, there's always room for one more. Any takers?

Portraits

The duelling men 

In the movie, the ghosts of two men jump free of their portraits and shoot each other in a duel at midnight. These duelling men can be found in the Haunted Mansion attractions, too, appearing as portraits in the ballroom – like in the movie, the ghosts escape the paintings to shoot each other at the same time. 

In Phantom Manor, the duelling ghosts don't appear. However, there is a portrait of a duel involving Henry Ravenswood, the father of the bride ghost Melanie. A flash of lightning changes the portrait to reveal Henry cheated and shot his opponent in the back. 

Werecat portrait 

In the film, you can spot a portrait of a woman reclining on a chaise lounge. When Ben enters the ghost realm, she is revealed to be a werecat. This portrait also appears in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and the subject shifts into a white tiger. 

The mariner 

Ben is followed home by the belligerent ghost of a mariner, who goes as far as trying to harpoon him. A portrait of a mariner appears in Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland, though it doesn't look the same as the one in the film – in fact, it's a lot creepier. 

April-December 

In the film, the secret entrance to the Séance Room is concealed behind a large portrait of a woman in a fancy dress with dark hair. While not exactly the same, the portrait bears a strong resemblance to the April-December painting found in California's version of the ride. That portrait shows another young woman in a similar pose who slowly shifts from young and beautiful (April) to a very old woman (December). Her elderly form can be seen in the Florida and Tokyo attractions, too. 

Disney

Marvel

Not all the Haunted Mansion Easter eggs are ride related. Travis is apparently a big Marvel fan, considering he has Black Panther, Namor, and Storm action figures in his possession, as well as a Marvel branded Monopoly set. 

"It's a Small World"

At Alistair Crump's mansion, a familiar tune can be heard. Dan Levy's murder mystery maestro sits at a piano playing a charming rendition of "It's a Small World," that (in)famous jaunty tune that soundtracks the Disney ride of the same name. We're crossing our fingers for an It's a Small World movie (yes, we mean it). 

Ah, there you are! And just in time…  Prepare to exit to the living world with our guide to all the upcoming Disney movies. Remember, beware of hitchhiking ghosts before you click off the page – and hurry baaaack…

The Little Mermaid live-action remake revamps the classic story with new songs, a longer runtime, and some key story tweaks. However, despite a big update to the Disney classic, some fans have noticed an emotional callback to the original movie is hidden in plain sight.

**Warning: We'll be getting into slight spoilers from here on, so if you want to go in fresh, bookmark this page for later.**

When Ariel is exploring the human world with Prince Eric, she encounters a kind woman at the market who is played by none other than the original Ariel, Jodi Benson. She gives her a fork – or a 'dinglehopper' to give it its Scuttle name – to eat the food she’s just purchased. Of course, as Scuttle told her earlier in the film, this is used to comb hair so Ariel does just that with the fork – much to the surprise of those around her.

Some fans have noticed that the sweet interaction also has a deeper meaning as well. "Jodi Benson giving the dinglehopper to Halle Bailey like she’s passing the torch to the next Ariel," writes one. While another adds, "That’s how you cameo!" A third shared: "I literally shouted out in the cinema, THE ORIGINAL ARIEL!!!! It gave me butterflies."

This isn’t the first adorable interaction we’ve seen between Benson and Halle Bailey either. The pair went slightly viral when they were pictured hugging on the red carpet of the film’s world premiere.

For more on the new movie, check out our breakdown of The Little Mermaid's differences from the original, our best guess when The Little Mermaid will be on Disney Plus, and the GR+ team’s pick of the best Disney songs. 

Another weekend, another record broken by The Super Mario Bros. Movie. This time, it's set a new domestic box office record in North America, surpassing the $500 million milestone.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, that makes the hugely-successful animated movie only the fourth film to have crossed the "half-billion mark domestically in the pandemic era" – only The Avatar sequel, Top Gun sequel, and Spider-Man: No Way Home have surpassed it, earning $683.9 million, $718.7 million, and $814.1 million respectively.

It's also now the first Illumination and Universal collaboration to exceed $500 million – albeit not adjusted for inflation – and is "the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time" and "third-biggest Universal release of all time" after E.T. and Jurassic World.

We already know that the Super Mario Bros. Movie is the biggest video game film of all time having crossed $1 billion internationally last weekend, making it one of just 10 animated movies to have done so. Ever. That means Super Mario Bros. Movie joins a very select group of animated films that have broken the billion-dollar ceiling. 

"Bringing the world’s most recognizable video-game characters back to the big screen is an intimidating task, especially when the failure of their last cine-venture still looms large," we wrote in GamesRadar+'s The Super Mario Bros. Movie review, for which we awarded the film three out of five stars. 

"But Illumination and Nintendo's big animated gamble The Super Mario Bros. Movie mostly sticks the landing. A fun, fast-paced take on the plumber siblings, it’s a far cry from 1993’s much-derided live-action Super Mario Bros."

Here's our roundup of all the upcoming video game movies.

We already know that the Super Mario Bros. Movie is the biggest video game film of all time but it seems the animated hit still hasn't finished breaking records – this weekend, it's thought the movie will cross $1 billion, making it one of just 10 animated movies to have done so. Ever.

That's right: if The Hollywood Reporter's projections are correct, Nintendo's hugely-successful movie adaptation is expected to gross $37.5 million in the US over the weekend. 

Coupled with the $69 million the movie is projected to earn overseas, the overall global total will hit $1.02 billion. 

That means Super Mario Bros. Movie joins a very select group of animated films that have broken the billion-dollar ceiling. 

"Bringing the world’s most recognizable video-game characters back to the big screen is an intimidating task, especially when the failure of their last cine-venture still looms large," we wrote in GamesRadar+'s The Super Mario Bros. Movie review, for which we awarded the film three out of five stars. 

"But Illumination and Nintendo's big animated gamble The Super Mario Bros. Movie mostly sticks the landing. A fun, fast-paced take on the plumber siblings, it’s a far cry from 1993’s much-derided live-action Super Mario Bros."

Talking of that live-action movie; Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has revealed his feelings towards the original Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993.

"When I was 11, I saw the original Mario Bros. movie and I was so excited," Rogen said of the live-action adaptation, starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi respectively. "But it’s one of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed. I think it made me realize that movies could be bad. That never occurred to me until that moment."

The original Super Mario Bros movie was a critical and commercial failure, grossing only $38.9 million at the box office from a reported $42 million budget. It currently sits at 29 per cent on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Here's our roundup of all the upcoming video game movies.

The new Super Mario Bros. movie grossed $55 million at the Friday box office, and is expected to become the second-best US start of all-time for an animated movie, second only to Incredibles 2.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, that would translate to a five-day opening for $195 million or more, with a three-day weekend projection of $137 million, which surpasses the current second-place holder, Finding Dory, which grossed $135.1 million.

The figures look even more impressive internationally; Super Mario Bros. kicked off with $173 million for a $368 million start, topping current top-spot holder Frozen 2, which generated $358 million.

It's the best start Illumination has ever had and may become the second-biggest five-day launch in history behind Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. 

"Bringing the world’s most recognizable video-game characters back to the big screen is an intimidating task, especially when the failure of their last cine-venture still looms large," we wrote in GamesRadar+'s The Super Mario Bros. Movie review, for which we awarded the film three out of five stars. 

"But Illumination and Nintendo's big animated gamble The Super Mario Bros. Movie mostly sticks the landing. A fun, fast-paced take on the plumber siblings, it’s a far cry from 1993’s much-derided live-action Super Mario Bros."

Talking of that live-action movie; Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, has revealed his feelings towards the original Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993.

"When I was 11, I saw the original Mario Bros. movie and I was so excited," Rogen said of the live-action adaptation, starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi respectively. "But it’s one of the worst films ever made. I was so disappointed. I think it made me realize that movies could be bad. That never occurred to me until that moment."

Super Mario Bros was a critical and commercial failure, grossing only $38.9 million at the box office from a reported $42 million budget. It currently sits at 29% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Here's our roundup of all the upcoming video game movies.

Paddington 3 may have been released in the UK already, but the film is still heading to the big screen in the US this February Despite the extra months of waiting for all you non-Brits, the news that Paddington's latest outing is still on the table is a mighty relief, to be honest, considering it's already been over 7 years since the second film came out.

In short, we're itching to reunite with the marmalade-loving bear in the movie, which is officially titled Paddington in Peru, especially after the threequel's trailer gave us a taste of the globetrotting adventure he'll embark on in the third installment in the franchise. Below, we pull together all there is to know about the follow-up to one of the best feel good movies around. From cast lists, reviews, and US release date details, we have it all.

We'll also tell you about the plot, which sees Paddington and the Brown family travel overseas to visit his Aunt Lucy, only to get a surprise when they learn that Lucy has gone missing in the Amazonian jungle. So, if you're keen to know more about the family-friendly flick, which is stacked with famous faces, wipe off your sticky, sandwich-grabbing paws and scroll on...

Paddington 3 release date 

Paddington 3 will be released in the US and Canada on February 14, 2025. However, if you are in the UK, unfortunately, the film is no longer in theaters since it came out over the pond back in November 8, 2024.

However, if you missed the flick or can't make it to your local Cineplex in February, worry not! Paddington 3 is also rumored to be coming to Netflix sometime in March 2025! Stay tuned for updates.

Paddington 3 reviews

At the time of writing, Paddington 3 reviews are wildly positive. Currently, the film has a 92% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is on track to be one of the best family movies in the UK. So, once it comes out in the US we're guessing it will be equally as loved over there as well!

Like most of the critics who have seen this movie, we also loved it and gave it a four-star rating in our Paddington in Peru review. Although we weren't a fan of some plot holes, the film itself was as charming as ever, proving that Paddington is still a global treasure who never fails to make us smile.

Paddington 3 trailer and plot

The trailer for Paddington in Peru was unveiled on June 12, and it teases quite the adventure. Watch it above.

It opens with Paddington getting his picture taken so that he can get a passport, but things go bear-y wrong when he misunderstands the photo booth's instructions. Later, he, the Browns, and Mrs. Bird (Julie Walters) fly out to Peru to pay a visit to Aunt Lucy at the Home for Retired Bears. There's a problem, though...

Lucy, according to Olivia Colman's nun, went on an expedition in the Amazon a while back and never returned. So now it's up to Paddington and his family to venture into the jungle, find her, and bring her back safely.

We don't want to get into too many spoilers here, but if you're keen to know what happens, read our Paddington 3 post-credits guide.

Paddington 3 cast

Paddington 3 features a mix of new and familiar faces. Ben Whishaw returns, reprising the role of Paddington himself. Other notable cast members making comebacks include Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, and Imelda Staunton, who voices Paddington's Aunt Lucy, who lives in Peru.

Newbies to the franchise include Amit Shah, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, and Emily Mortimer, who takes over from Sally Hawkins as Mary Brown. Rachel Zegler was involved and due to play Banderas' onscreen daughter Gina, but she's been forced to exit the project due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Carla Tous has since been assigned the role.

Colman plays a character named The Reverend Mother, a "blithe and sunny" nun who runs the Home for Retired Bears, while Banderas plays riverboat captain Hunter Cabot.

While you book tickets for Paddington 3, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies coming our way in 2025 and beyond.

Paddington 3 might not be released for a while, according to star Ben Whishaw. The actor voices the titular bear in the movies, but, thanks to a new update, it would seem he might not be stepping back into that iconic hat and duffle coat for some time. 

"I haven't read this script and I don't even know when we're due to shoot it," he told Collider. "I don't know. I thought it would be happening by now, but I don't know. It's gone silent in the way that sometimes these things do. Maybe that just means they're still working on it, or maybe it means it's not happening, or you just don't know."

Paddington 3 was revealed to be in the works in early 2021. That makes Whishaw's update disappointing, but here's hoping it's just a temporary setback rather than a sign the project has derailed. It was previously reported that Paddington 3 would start filming in the second quarter of 2022, but that clearly didn't come to fruition. 

While Paul King isn't returning to direct, he did work on the story with Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton, with a script from Burton, Jon Foster, and James Lamont. Dougal Wilson will helm the movie, which is officially titled Paddington in Peru. No cast or plot details have been revealed just yet, but, from that name, we can assume Paddington will be headed back to his home country. 

Paddington 3 doesn't have a release date, either, but while you wait, check out our roundup of all of 2023's major movie release dates to get planning the year's theater trips. 

Stuart Little child star Jonathan Lipnicki has revealed why he's been absent from our screens over the past decade, sticking to short films and direct-to-video releases instead of the big-screen hits where he rose to fame in the late '90s. The actor is best known for playing George Little in 1999's Stuart Little and its 2002 sequel after making his big-screen debut in Jerry Maguire alongside Tom Cruise.

"The biggest transition for me was… I didn’t work for a long time," Lipnicki said in a recent interview with /Film. "And people always frame that as, 'Oh, I went to high school,' and whatnot. And that’s the story that people tell sometimes when they don’t work. Or if they’re a child actor or whatever, they took time off. I did take time off, in the sense that it wasn’t the only priority I had. But I didn’t work because I just didn’t work. I didn’t really get any roles for a while."

"I’m honest about that. And it was because [I] wasn’t a very good actor at one point," Lipnicki continued. "Because the great thing about being young, a kid, is there’s this nice inherent childlike wonder. And that’s why a lot of kids you see are quite talented. And filters come in and you become nervous… or the world comes into play. And so for me, I went from just doing the natural thing to trying to be like my favorite actors."

Next up for Lipnicki is a role in the movie The Re-Education of Molly Singer, in which he'll appear alongside Britt Robertson, Holland Roden, and Jaime Presley. For more on upcoming movies on the horizon, check out our guide to this year's movie release dates.

Chris Evans has some strong words for those who oppose the same-sex kiss in new Pixar movie Lightyear.

In the run-up to the Toy Story spin-off's release, it was announced that the film would be banned in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait – where homosexuality is illegal – due to a scene that sees Uzo Aduba's animated scientist Hawthorne share a smooch with her wife. The moment was said to have been cut from the flick but later reinstated, after Disney came under fire for previously donating to the backer of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

"The real truth is those people are idiots," Evans candidly told Reuters, when asked his thoughts on the backlash. "Every time there's been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good."

The Marvel star continued: "There's always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human."

Not so much a prequel as it is a film of a film another film is based on, Lightyear sees legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear embark on an intergalactic adventure with a ragtag team of fellow recruits: Izzy, Mo, Darby, and their robot cat Sox. It's in cinemas now. 

For more on the latest Disney Pixar flick, check out our interviews with Taika Waititi, Keke Palmer, producer Galyn Susman, and director Angus MacLane, as well as real-life astronaut Tim Peake.

The list of the best video game movies is constantly growing thanks to Hollywood's big new interest in giving us quality adaptations (finally). However, despite some absolute new gems like the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, there are still some flicks that suffer from the dreaded video game movie curse and should probably be avoided. So to help you navigate your movie night and only check out the hits, I've made a handy round-up of the greatest video game adaptations currently out there.

From animated gems like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie to live-action marvels such as the iconic Resident Evil movies, I've left no gaming stone unturned in my quest to highlight the top 10 movies that you should watch today. I'm also keeping a close eye on all the upcoming video game movies on the horizon, so if you see this ranking change in the future, it's because we got a banger. Unfortunately, some new movies (such as Mortal Kombat 2 and A Minecraft Movie) haven't made the cut this time, but I make it a point to watch and evaluate every flick I get my hands on for this ranking.

Another rule to keep in mind is that, to make the list, the film needs to be an adaptation of a specific game, and not just set in a fictional game world. So, there's no Ready Player One, Free Guy, or Jumanji on our list. But, with all that out of the way, scroll on to discover the 10 greatest video game movies, and happy playing!

The best video game movies, starting with...

10. Silent Hill

Year: 2006
Director: Christophe Gans

Sure, it's needlessly clunky in places, but it certainly brings the chills. In hindsight, Silent Hill was a perfect fit to cut through the thicket of below-average video game movies that seemed to come out every few months in the mid-'00s. Packed with a decent cast (including a rare sight: Sean Bean surviving!) and more than its fair share of scares, Silent Hill may not stack up to its horror peers, but for a video game effort, it's more than good enough.

Bonus points for including Pyramid Head; just as terrifying (perhaps more so) than its video game counterpart and a sight that will be sure to have you hiding behind the sofa long after the credits roll. While we can't recommend most of this film's sequels, you can check out our list of the best Silent Hill games if you are still hankering for more thrills.

9. Mortal Kombat

Year: 2021
Director: Simon McQuoid

The 2021 adaptation of Mortal Kombat scores a place on the list for the fight scenes alone and has enough gore splashing around that fake blood supplies must have plummeted during production. Protagonist Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is a new addition to the Mortal Kombat universe, but his fate to fight in Mortal Kombat competition means we get to see fan favorites like Sub Zero and Sonya Blade in action.

Sure, the dialogue is a little clunky, but these characters get hit in the head a lot, so it's perhaps understandable they're not spouting Shakespeare. If you're a fan of the fighting series or just want to disconnect your brain and relax in front of some brutal fatalities, this is the movie for you. You'll also likely want to check out Mortal Kombat 2 after, which, although we weren't massive fans of (read our Mortal Kombat 2 review for more details on that), has been doing pretty well on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing.

Read our Mortal Kombat review for more details!

8. Warcraft

Year: 2016
Director: Duncan Jones

World of Warcraft was just ripe for being picked up by Hollywood. Being brushed aside as Lord of the Rings-lite, Blizzard's jewel in the crown is packed with lore in abundance and it’s all guided under the steady hand of indie darling Duncan Jones. It's not only the best-performing video game adaptation at the time of release, grossing $433m, but it chooses to give the world of Warcraft (heh) a pedestal to stand on – and it is beautiful.

The film does fall down by over-egging the pudding under the creaking weight of its ensemble but it's still an outlier in the video game movie world: a movie that isn't scared to take a chance, chuck a massive budget at an acclaimed director and just letting him run riot with the world. More of that, please.

Read our Warcraft review for more information on this misunderstood gem.

7.  The Super Mario Bros. Movie 

Year: 2023
Director(s): Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

Now, we wouldn't be doing this list any justice without including one of the most well-executed video game-themed movies of the past few years, and better yet, this one is suitable for the whole family. The Super Mario Bros. Movie takes everything we know and love about all the best Mario games and transports it onto the big screen, giving our beloved Mushroom Land inhabitants personalities like never before.

The film follows Brooklyn plumbers and brothers Mario and Luigi, who, while at work one day, are transported through a mysterious pipe to a magical new world. The pair are soon separated, and each sets off on equally epic adventures. The star-studded cast really rounds this movie off nicely, with Chris Pratt leading the way as Mario, Jack Black as Bowser, Charlie Day as Luigi, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. A sequel was also recently released; however, it's nowhere near as good as the first film, so keep that in mind if you decide to check it out after watching this one.

Read our The Super Mario Bros. Movie review if you're after more Mushroom Kingdom fun.

6. Resident Evil

Year: 2002
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson

Resident Evil has so many movies (six by our count and an upcoming reboot as well) that it's hard to pin a single one down to present a dead cert for this list. They range from the shambling effort that is Afterlife to this, the original and (probably) the best. It's streamlined and only pokes around at the edges of Resi's sprawling lore, and with good reason: the emphasis is on the action.

That may grate with some, but back in 2002, a slow-burn experience through a mansion just wouldn't have turned out as kinetic and overly entertaining as this first effort – and it still holds up well today. Milla Jovovich is exceptional in her role as Alice (and, honestly, doesn't get enough credit), and the set pieces come thick and fast. It's also notable in that it looks to set up sequels and sprawling universes long before Iron Man heard about the Avengers Initiative. Well worth a re-watch.

If you haven't played the source material yet, check out our list of the best Resident Evil games to play right now.

5. Assassin's Creed

Year: 2016
Director: Justin Kurzel

Assassin's Creed felt like the moment video game movies stepped into the spotlight for the very first time. Where others were dismissed as oddities or only for a certain audience, Assassin's Creed attempted to put that all to bed with a compelling take on the eternal struggle between the Creed and the Templar Order.

Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Michael K. Williams, Assassin's Creed is a movie that doesn't lack stars. It gives the film real legitimacy, and it's flanked by an impressive-looking Animus adventure in 15th-century Spain. A parkour-heavy style featured throughout the flick pays homage to the best Assassin's Creed games without – as some movies do – going too far on the fan service. It may have disappointed some fans and filmgoers, but give it another go. It soars higher than you might think.

Read our Assassin's Creed review for more details!

4. Tomb Raider

Year: 2018
Director: Roar Uthaug

Following in the footsteps (and ice pick) of the 2013 rebooted game, Tomb Raider returns to the big-screen by giving us a newly-vulnerable Lara and a movie that – while it doesn't quite break out into an all-time great action flick – is a welcome homage to one of the finer games of its generation.

While the movie riffs on rather than directly pulls from the games, Alicia Vikander gives us a Lara who is bursting with life and, interestingly, a character who appears more at home in London than raiding the tombs of a lost kingdom. Tomb Raider certainly marks a watershed moment for video game movies: no longer content with being kept to the shadows, this is a forceful entry filled with star talent that might open up the door for even more video game treasures down the line.

Want more Lara Croft action? Read our Tomb Raider review.

3. Werewolves Within

Year: 2021
Director: Josh Ruben

Werewolves Within has no right to be as entertaining as it is. Based loosely on Ubisoft's 2016 VR game, it takes the central theme - a small group where anyone could be the monster in disguise - and weaves a smart and funny horror film around it. Forest Ranger Finn arrives in Beaverfield just as a storm hits, power generators are sabotaged, and a dead body or two turns up. Only one of a handful of residents could be responsible, and the group starts to give in to paranoia and suspicion.

The director is Josh Ruben, who wrote and led Shudder's equally smart Scare Me, and he's a perfect fit. Star Sam Richardson - from Veep and The Tomorrow War - makes Finn equally funny and likeable, and What We Do In The Shadows fans will be happy to see Harvey Guillén thriving as one half of a tech millionaire couple. Honestly, this is one of the best comedy movies of 2021, so you won't want to miss it.

2. Sonic the Hedgehog

Year: 2020
Director: Jeff Fowler

The early signs for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie didn't look good. Fans reacted badly to initial designs for the blue blur, so much so that the filmmakers went back to the digital drawing board. When the movie was finally released in 2020, it won over audiences with Ben Schwartz's enthusiastic voice-over work and Jim Carrey hamming it up as Dr. Robotnik.

In fact, it has easily cemented itself as one of the best video game movies of all time, thanks to its understanding of Sonic as a character and perfect tone. The movie follows Sonic and a Montana sheriff as they try to evade Robotnik and track down Sonic's iconic rings. Since its release, we've had two stellar sequels (read our Sonic the Hedgehog 2 review and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review), and Sonic 4 is also currently in the works. The future is bright for our favorite blue friend.

Feel the need for speed? Well, read our Sonic the Hedgehog review.

1. Detective Pikachu

Year: 2019
Director: Rob Letterman

Here it is the best video game movie. The minute we found out Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool himself – would be voicing the fuzzy little yellow guy, we knew Detective Pikachu would do justice to the Pokemon brand. The movie focuses on 21-year-old Tim Goodman, who wants to find his missing private investigator dad, Henry, and teams up with Pikachu in the process. Cue lots of CGI, lots of sentimental stuff about family, and – most importantly – enough jokes to tickle a Snorlax.

Goosebumps director Rob Letterman is in charge of an eclectic cast that includes pop singer Rita Ora, Bill Nighy, Ken Watanabe, and DJ Diplo, but it's the love and care given to the Pokemon world at large that stands out most. Also, seeing those adorable Bulbasaur in live-action will make you cry and remind you to replay all the best Pokemon games as soon as the credits start to roll.

Read our Detective Pikachu review for more details on the very best video game movie of all time.

For more picks, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time. Or look toward the future with our guide on all the upcoming movies heading our way.

Johnny Depp has revealed that he once had a "very good" ending mapped for the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

The Jack Sparrow actor has been reflecting a lot on the swashbuckling Disney movies recently, as his ongoing defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard continues in Fairfax, Virginia. 

Having admitted in court last week that he has never actually seen Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the movie that kicked things off back in 2003, Depp opened up about his plans to conclude the series before he was dropped by the House of Mouse.

"A franchise can only last so long, and there's a way to end a franchise like that," he said on Monday, April 25. "I thought the characters should have a way out, to end the franchise on a very good note, and I planned on continuing until it was time to stop."

Depp – who appeared in The Curse of the Black Pearl and its follow-ups Dead Man's Chest (2006), At World's End (2007), On Stranger Tides (2011), and Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) – went on to say that Pirates is now very much in "dangle mode", as Disney tries to work out how it wants to proceed with the sequels.

Wherever they take the franchise in the future, Depp won't be involved. The 58-year-old previously stated that he wouldn't be interested in reprising the role as rum-drinking marauder Jack Sparrow, even if Disney offered him "$300 million and a million alpacas".

"Captain Jack Sparrow was a character that I had built from the ground up and was something that I put a lot of – you put a lot of yourself into characters," he began.

"Having worked on those films with those people, and having put a lot of my own rewriting, dialogue, scenes, and jokes and whatever they are," Depp continued, "I didn't quite understand how, after that long relationship, and quite a successful relationship, certainly for Disney, that suddenly I was guilty until proven innocent."

Prior to the abuse claims she made in an op-ed published in December 2018, Heard first publicly accused Depp of domestic violence when she filed a restraining order against him in 2016. Depp has alleged that "there was not a molecule of truth" in Heard's accusations. 

Just a few months before the couple's divorce was settled in 2017, Depp agreed to pay Heard $7 million – which she promised to donate to charity – and the pair issued a joint statement that assured "neither party has made false accusations for financial gain."

Since then, Depp has sued Heard, claiming that she was the abuser and that her accusations against him have negatively affected his working relationships with major studios like Disney. Heard countersued Depp in August 2020.

Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp says he would never play Jack Sparrow again, even if Disney offered him "$300 million and a million alpacas" to reprise the role.

The actor expressed his disinterest in returning to the franchise while appearing in a Virginia courtroom, as his defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard – who launched abuse claims against him through an op-ed in December 2018 – continued. 

During the trial, Depp, who has worked with Disney on a few notable projects over the years, including Alice in Wonderland and Into the Woods, was asked by Heard's attorney, Ben Rottenborn, about a Daily Mail article from October 2018, that reported he was "out as Jack Sparrow".

"I wasn’t aware of that, but it doesn't surprise me," Depp replied (via Variety). Later, Rottenborn referenced Depp's deposition, in which he expressed that he would not want to work on a sixth Pirates film, even if the opportunity arose.

"The fact is, Mr. Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on a Pirates of the Caribbean film? Correct?" the lawyer posited, to which Depp said: "That is true, Mr. Rottenborn."

Depp first played Jack Sparrow in 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of Black Pearl, and portrayed the rum-swigging marauder in all of its sequels, Dead Man's Chest, At World's End, On Stranger Tides, and Dead Men Tell No Tales. Despite this, he claims he's never seen the first installment.

"I didn't see it. But I believe that the film did pretty well, apparently, and they wanted to keep going, making more and I was fine to do that," the 58-year-old stated during the trial. 

Heard first publicly accused Depp of domestic violence when she filed a restraining order against him in 2016. Since then, Depp has alleged that "there was not a molecule of truth" in Heard's accusations. When the couple's divorce was settled a few months later, Depp agreed to pay Heard $7 million – which she promised to donate to charity – and the pair issued a joint statement that assured "neither party has made false accusations for financial gain." Now, Depp is suing for defamation, and Heard is countersuing. The court case continues.

Jim Carrey has revealed that he will "probably" retire from acting very soon.

The actor – whose 40-year career has seen him front movies such as The Mask, Ace Ventura, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and The Grinch – is currently doing the rounds promoting Sonic the Hedgehog 2. 

During a recent interview, he was asked about his future in the ever-expanding franchise, and what he will be working on immediately after the animated sequel, which prompted him to admit that he's "fairly serious" about packing it all in.

"It depends, if the angels bring some sort of script that's written in gold ink that says to me that it's going to be really important for people to see, I might continue down the road, but I'm taking a break," Carrey explained to Access Hollywood. "I really like my quiet life, and I really like putting paint on canvas, and I really love my spiritual life, and I feel like – and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists – I have enough. I've done enough. I am enough."

Before appearing in Sonic the Hedgehog in 2020, Carrey had a four-year break after 2016's True Crimes and The Bad Batch, so he's no stranger to stepping away from the camera for a little while. Though it sounds like he's looking to do so for good this time around.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Carrey reprises the role of Dr. Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik, the titular hero's arch-nemesis. The film itself sees speedster Sonic (Ben Schwartz) team up with anthropomorphic alien fox Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessy) to stop Robotnik, and his new ally Knuckles the Echidna (Idris Elba), from getting their hands on the Master Emerald, a mystical gem imbued with enormous power.

James Marsden is also back as Sonic's human pal Tom, while Tika Sumpter and Lee Majdoub return as Tom's partner Maddie and Robotnik's sidekick Agent Stone, respectively.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is in UK cinemas now. It is set to release in the US on April 8. In the meantime, why not check out our roundup of the best family movies of all time for some watchlist inspiration.

Hot on the red-and-white heels of 2020’s surprise hit, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 draws on a wealth of videogame icons and vocal talent for another helping of kinetic family fun. 

This time, Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is trying to find his place in the sleepy suburb of Green Hills. That dose of introspection – and ill-fated superhero audition as the Batman-esque ‘Blue Justice’ – is swiftly dispatched as the spiny speedster is joined by twin-tailed fox Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey, reprising her role from the games) on the high-octane hunt for the Master Emerald, a source of unlimited power.

There are roadblocks on that bejewelled quest, though, in the form of a returning Doctor Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his new uneasy ally, Knuckles (Idris Elba). The bristling echidna’s hard-hitting approach is welcome, providing a far more physical threat for Sonic here than anything found in the original movie. As a dynamic, Knuckles as the straight man to Sonic’s relentless ball of energy doesn’t always work. But Elba brings a real sense of gravitas to what could have otherwise been an overly po-faced role.

The breezy adventure is later brought to a screeching halt in disappointing fashion by a baffling sub-plot, as Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) head to Hawaii for the wedding of Maddie’s sister, Rachel (Natasha Rothwell).

When Sonic 2 does eventually say aloha to that meandering middle third, however, it shines. Tom and company being sidelined gives more room for Jim Carrey (in literal moustache-twirling form, no less) to relive his ’90s heyday with a superb sugar rush of a performance. The entertaining CGI scraps between Sonic and Knuckles also showcase director Jeff Fowler’s sharper eye for action this time around.

While the joke hit rate isn’t as high as it should be, there are still laugh-out-loud moments to be had. A liberal sprinkling of adult gags – including a glorious eye roll of a mushroom pun – keep Sonic 2 from being a kids-only affair.

In truth, the original just edges out the sequel. The story beats here follow the same well-worn path as the 2020 film, with Robotnik’s mad schemes and the power-of-friendship message feeling a touch reheated a second time around, even with the added wrinkle of Knuckles and the noticeably improved special effects. But this snappy sequel proves Sonic’s race isn’t run yet. Far from it. With a threequel already confirmed and a Knuckles spin-off series in the works for 2023, it’s full speed ahead for the Blue Blur.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 reaches UK cinemas on April 1 and US theaters on April 8. For more, check out the most exciting upcoming movies heading your way soon.

A Blue's Clues movie is in the works, and it's drawing a strange comparison – everyone is saying the same thing about Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The film is titled Blue's Big City adventure and will release on Paramount Plus, though further details are scarce at the moment. From the first look picture, though, it seems all three Blue's Clues hosts will be uniting – No Way Home-style.

Steve Burns was the original Blue's Clues host, and, after he left the show, was replaced by Donovan Patton, who played his brother Joe. Then, Joshua Dela Cruz took over as both former hosts' cousin, Josh. Steve and Joe are recurring characters in the latest series, titled Blue's Clues and You! (hosted by Josh). That show revealed that Steve and Joe now have jobs that suit their outfits: Steve works at Blue Prints Detective Agency, while Joe is working at the Present Store. 

Since the picture from the film was released, everyone has been making the exact same comparison…

"No Way Home walked so the Blues Clues movie could run," said one Twitter user, while another commented: "The Blues Clues movie bringing all the cast together like #NoWayHome for pre-schoolers" 

"I can't believe I just found out about the Blues Clues: No Way Home multiverse," remarked someone else. 

"It's Blues Clues: No Way Home. The Nickelodeon multiverse has been opened," said another. 

"Honestly might watch this. No Way Home for Blues Clues is not a hard sell for me," was another response. 

"Sorry for who I'll become when Blues Clues: No Way Home comes out," said one fan. 

"The Blues Clues movie is gonna try and beat No Way Home. It very well might," predicted another tweet. 

But, one person pointed out that the crossover isn't that unprecedented: "Clearly people don't know their Blues Clues lore because you're [saying] this movie is their version of No Way Home doesn't work when they all live within the same universe and are literally related."

It's not quite a multiversal adventure, then, but it's still a pretty cool crossover. 

Blue's Big City adventure lands in 2023. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best Netflix movies streaming now to fill out your watchlist.

It's been over 30 years since Home Alone first graced our screens, and it's safe to say that the cast of the Christmas classic are looking pretty different these days. Kevin McAllister actor Macaulay Culkin is all grown up, for one thing.

Directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes, the festive favorite follows the escapades of eight-year-old Kevin, who is accidentally left behind after his family leave their Chicago home to spend Christmas in Paris. Two home invaders believe the house to be empty and plan a break-in – but they don't know what's about to hit them… The movie held the record for the highest-grossing live-action comedy ever until 2011, when it was finally overtaken by The Hangover Part II.

Home Alone also features big names like Joe Pesci and Catherine O'Hara – but what are they up to now? We looked into how they've been filling their time since 1990.

Macaulay Culkin (Kevin McAllister)

Macaulay Culkin played the lead role of Kevin, which catapulted him to fame. In 1994, he took a break from acting – he’d filmed 15 movies in seven years and was still only 14 years old. Returning to acting in 1998, he had a range of smaller roles, mostly on TV. From 2013 to 2016 he was the vocalist in comedy rock band The Pizza Underground, which has now split up. Culkin hasn’t had many acting roles lately, aside from a Google Assistant advert and 2019’s Changeland with Seth Green, but he did have a role in American Horror Story season 10 in 2021.

Joe Pesci (Harry Lyme)

Joe Pesci was Harry, one half of the burglar duo trying to break into the McAllister home and facing off against Kevin and his plethora of traps. After Home Alone, he starred in movies like legal comedy My Cousin Vinny and Scorsese crime film Casino. Although Pesci retired from acting in 1999, he’s had a few cameos since then such as in Robert De Niro’s 2006 spy movie The Good Shepherd. In 2019, he officially came out of retirement to work with Martin Scorsese again in the crime epic The Irishman. In the same year, he also released an album, Pesci... Still Singing, his first in 21 years. 

Daniel Stern (Marvin “Marv” Merchants)

The other half of the burglar duo was Marv, played by Daniel Stern. After Home Alone, he had made his directorial debut in 1993 with the sports comedy Rookie of the Year. He also roles in movies like comedy-Western City Slickers with Billy Crystal, comedy-drama Whip It alongside Ellen Page and thriller The Next Three Days with Russell Crowe. Between 2019 and 2021, Stern played the dad of protagonist Annie (Aidy Bryant) in the Hulu comedy series Shrill, and he's set to star in For All Mankind season 4. He also works as an artist, specialising in bronze sculpture, and he’s an artist in residence at a California arts centre – a man with many strings to his bow.

Catherine O’Hara (Kate McAllister)

Kevin’s negligent mum, Kate, was played by Catherine O’Hara. Her movie roles since Home Alone have included a number of Christopher Guest mockumentaries with Eugene Levy, including Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. She’s also had several voice acting parts in animated movies, like Chicken Little and the English dub of Studio Ghibli flick When Marnie Was There. From 2015 to 2020, O’Hara reunited with Levy to play glamorous matriarch Moira Rose in the critically acclaimed sitcom Schitt’s Creek. O’Hara won an Emmy for the role, and the show set a new record for most Emmy wins by a comedy series in a single season. O'Hara's next role is in the upcoming Apple TV Plus spy movie Argylle, alongside Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Kieran Culkin (Fuller McAllister)

Macaulay’s real life younger brother, Kieran, played Kevin’s cousin Fuller – his first big screen role. Post-Home Alone, he starred in comedies like Father of the Bride, before trying his hand at parts in indie movies like Igby Goes Down (for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe) in his teen years. He also had a part in cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Since 2018, Culkin has played Roman Roy in Succession, the HBO series about a dysfunctional family in charge of a media empire. Culkin’s performance as the youngest Roy sibling has earned him several awards nominations, including two Golden Globe nods and an Emmy nomination.

For more festive cheer, make sure to check out the best Christmas movies of all time. And, yes, Home Alone does make the cut.