After appearing in the trilogy of Star Wars prequels, Natalie Portman says "no director" wanted to work with her.

Quotes from a 2014 piece in New York Magazine have recently resurfaced thanks to Far Out Magazine. There, Portman recalled the fallout from playing Padme Amidala in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith.

"Everyone thought I was a horrible actress," Portman said. "I was in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade, and no director wanted to work with me."

The Phantom Menace grossed over $1 billion dollars upon its release, but Episode One, and the subsequent movies in the trilogy, were widely panned by critics – and used as shorthand for unnecessary prequels thanks to its melodramatic twists, middling CGI, and move away from what made the original Star Wars trilogy so popular.

A separate 2008 interview in The Independent also saw Portman recall a negative backlash to her stint in the Star Wars prequels, but had a measured approach to her performances.

"With almost every performance, I feel like I've failed on some level," Portman said at the time. "But I also think it's very human to feel that when you mess up, you get more out of it than when you succeed."

Thankfully, Portman soon turned her career around with acclaimed performances in 2003's Cold Mountain and 2004's Closer, the latter of which netted her a Golden Globe win and Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The 2010s proved more of a success for Portman, with the actor winning Best Actress for Black Swan. She even dipped back into franchise waters as Jane Foster in Thor and Thor: The Dark World, before reprising the role for a (seemingly) final time in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Portman is next appearing in Good Sex, the Lena Dunham-directed romcom, alongside Mark Ruffalo.

For more, check out the rest of 2026's biggest movie release dates.

These days, it's easy to look at a movie's box office number and declare it a success or, in the case of both live-action remake Moana and Star Wars feature The Mandalorian and Grogu, a dismal failure.

New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro clearly doesn't subscribe to such binary thinking, declaring on the company's earnings call (via Variety), "Even when our franchise films don’t meet our box office expectations, as with The Mandalorian and Grogu and the live-action Moana, our investments in these core properties fuel other parts of our company."

Disney CFO Hugh Johnston added, "Theatrical performance is important to us, of course, and we certainly aspire to deliver consistent financial results for our films. But the nature of the film industry is such that it is more of a portfolio game. The good news for us is our diversified business helps us basically cover the volatility that comes out of the film business."

As the pair of Disney leaders allude to, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Moana aren't film-only concerns. There is, of course, immense value in adding them to streaming on Disney Plus. That's without factoring in merchandise and synergy with Disney's theme park and cruise ship businesses.

Released on May 22, The Mandalorian and Grogu marked the next chapter in Din Djarin's journey in a galaxy far, far away after three seasons on Disney's streaming success.

Unfortunately, a low-stakes plot and general disinterest in the series led to disappointing takings at the box office, with the Star Wars movie only grossing $345 million – a record low for a live-action film in the franchise.

The Moana remake fared less well when stacked up against the gold rush of Disney live-action movies in recent years.

It's currently only just made more than its $250 million budget, a stark contrast to last year's Lilo and Stitch remake ($1.03 billion). It's not a disaster Disney is sweeping under the carpet, but it's certainly one the House of Mouse is taking positives from.

For more, check out the new Disney movies in the works, plus all the movie release dates we still have to look forward to in 2026.

Legendary director James Cameron is thinking about what the rest of his career looks like, which may or may not involve the next two Avatar movies.

After receiving the Canadian Governor General’s Prize, Cameron told GG Awards what's next for him. "There's been momentum in the Avatar universe for 21 years at this point because we started in 2005. It's been kind of an unbroken continuum," said Cameron. "So this is the point where I'm looking at the landscape and asking, 'What are the other stories I want to tell? How many of them do I need to direct myself versus writing and/or producing with other filmmakers?'"

It sounds like Cameron's future may not include Avatar at all, as the director shared that "over the last two weeks" he has "literally mapped out" what his last act of filmmaking looks like. "I started with, 'What will do the most good?' I put that in block letters at the top," added Cameron. "And I started looking at all the projects I'm most fond of, asking, 'How's this going to improve our condition? How's that going to make the world better for our kids?'"

This is a complete 180 from Cameron's comments just two years ago. Following reports in 2024 that Cameron might not direct the next two Avatar movies, the director told The Hollywood Reporter, "They're going to have to stop me. I've got plenty of energy, I love doing what I'm doing," adding that the only way "somebody else is going to do it" is if "I get hit by a bus and I'm in an iron lung."

However, that was before Avatar: Fire and Ash had hit screens. As we know, Avatar movies take a very long time to make, and as Hollywood studios continue to cut budgets, movies like Avatar may fade out. In May, Cameron told Empire that Avatar movies are "simply too massive, too expensive, and too time-consuming to keep making the same way." Avatar 4 officially entered production in 2022. However, despite targeting a 2029 release, the fourquel is still very much "floating," according to Cameron.

But we might not have to worry right away, as Cameron assured GG Awards, "I haven't made any decisions yet. I'm still in this liminal state of mapping out, you know, kind of the last act. And I don't know if that last act will last a year or 20 years."

For more, check out our guide to upcoming movies and keep up with 2026 movie release dates.

Given that Star Wars has been around for almost 50 years now, you’d be forgiven for being a little off in remembering certain portions of the beloved franchise. That’s the very issue one fan highlighted on Reddit, which sparked plenty more replies about revealing sequences that didn't play out like they originally imagined.

"What's one of those things that you swear you remember happening in the movies that isn't actually from the movies at all?" wrote the fan, with plenty coming back with their own rather odd encounters with the Star Wars saga.

One moment was an obvious one, given that the whole world had seemingly been hit with the Mandela Effect when it came to The Empire Strikes Back. "There isn't one I can’t think of for myself, but 'Luke, I am your father' is probably the most famous historical example of this," wrote the fan, referring to the sequel's big reveal, which is often misquoted. It's "No. I am your father."

Another fan chimed in, saying that they misremembered the outcome of Luke's test. "When I was a lad I didn't understand that Luke's face was in Vader's mask in the Dagobah vision scene. I thought that was Vader." One fan also added the double-take that had lasted decades: that C-3PO was all gold, when in fact he had a silver leg instead of a matching pair. Clearly something we overlooked, what with being near-sighted scrap piles and everything.

Admittedly, given that there are various versions of the movies up to this point, we'd understand how some scenes are a little sketchy in the old memory banks.

For our list of favorite Star Wars moments, head on over here and see which one of yours makes the cut.

Acclaimed sci-fi director Neill Blomkamp has shared his work on an AI film. The director behind District 9, Elysium, and Gran Turismo posted a 14-minute-long short film that he made entirely with artificial intelligence on YouTube, which is a mash-up between a military movie and a zombie thriller.

Entitled 'Nightbourne', it features 32 AI characters, based on real actors, and tells the story of a helicopter pilot shot down and killed in action. However, it seems the army is actually building zombies to make super soldiers. It's a cool idea in theory, but it seems no one is happy with the execution or the fact that Blomkamp has used AI software Seedance 2.0 to make it.

"Wow Neill thank you for showing us that even in the hands of an established director AI slop looks indistinguishable from everyone else's AI slop," replied one on Twitter. "Holy fuck this somehow looks even worse than you can possibly imagine lmao," another simply replied as a third wrote: "Waited 17 years for District 10, and now this? Come on, man."

Others have been pointing out some of the inconsistencies in the film. Posting on YouTube, several viewers spotted inconsistencies with things like the injury placement, seeming duplication of AI actors, and strange reactions that feel "uncanny". Not only this, but there are some pretty strange line-readings and even moving buildings in the backgrounds of shots.

It doesn't seem like any of this will be stopping Blomkamp, though, as he also announced his plans to make a fully AI feature-length film. He has also founded a studio purely for AI called Barley Studios.

Blomkamp's film isn't the only AI movie knocking around. Recently, it was announced that another studio is remaking The Odyssey too, but they already admit it won't be at the same level as Christopher Nolan's epic.

For more movies out in 2026, check out our guides to upcoming movies and movie release dates you need to know about.

Following a muted non-annoucement and an unspecified delay, the director's cut of the maligned 2008 standalone movie The X Files: I Want to Believe now has an official streaming date on Hulu and Disney Plus, and a bizarre new title along with it.

As announced by the big D (h/t Gizmodo), the "never-before-seen R-rated Chris Carter Director’s Cut" of The X Files: I Want to Believe will stream from August 14 on Hulu or Disney Plus, depending on which part of the world you live in and which bundle you may or may not have. Set to "faithfully restore the filmmaker’s original vision," the standalone X-Files movie has also been re-monikered with a strange new title: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn.

That new title – a clear reference to Victor Frankenstein in Russian – isn't totally out of left field. If you watched I Want to Believe, you may recall it doesn't involve aliens at all, but is instead about the grisly theft of organs, which are used to keep one particular character alive, Frankenstein-style. There's also some ill-advised backstory involving abusive priests. With any luck, Carter has cut that stuff.

Carter revealed the existence of the director's cut on X-Files star David Duchovny's podcast last year, with Carter explaining it was an opportunity to "make the scary movie that I always intended." The original cut was widely panned and is sitting at just 32% on Rotten Tomatoes.

As for The X-Files, after two uninspiring sequel seasons featuring Mulder and Scully, the show is currently being rebooted by Sinners director Ryan Coogler. Filming on the pilot episode recently wrapped, starring The Odyssey's Himesh Patel and Station Eleven co-star Danielle Deadwyler. There's currently no official release date.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn streams on Hulu and Disney Plus from August 14. For more, dive into our list of upcoming horror movies, or the best movies on Hulu right now.

Star Wars creator George Lucas is the latest prominent voice to come out in support of AI in the creative arts, comparing its rise to that of the invention of the automobile.

Lucas's full-throated embrace of AI despite its inherent ethical and environmental risks – not to mention Yoda's outspoken skepticism of paths that are quicker, easier, and more seductive – is disheartening, but the Star Wars visionary says there's no point in resisting. It's "the future," in his words.

"Artificial intelligence means it's much easier for us to make movies," he tells A Rabbit's Foot. "It's very much like sitting here saying, 'Well, I believe the horse and the buggy is really where it's at. These cars, they break down, they need gas, there's all kinds of problems with them and pretty soon they'll be making them into tanks, and then they'll be killing people. It's terrible.' There's nothing you can do about it."

The car analogy is one of the most common rationalizations for AI complacency in the ongoing debate about the technology's role in various mediums, an inevitability one would be wise to adapt to or risk being left behind. But most analysts still see the worst implications of AI as far from inevitable, which is why in the video game industry many prominent developers refuse to use it at all. Meanwhile, other filmmaking auteurs are outright rejecting AI in movies, like The Odyssey director Christopher Nolan, who just recently praised Gen Z for its "rapid wholesale dismissal of a supposedly foundational jump in technology."

Lucas acknowledges that AI has its risks, but argues that it's smart enough to self-correct. "If you want AI that tells you when something is fake and where it came from, AI can do that," he says. "Humans can't, we're not that smart. The whole idea is you're a human being, you're responsible for what you say and what you do, and if you're doing something that's illegal you should be punished for that. Whatever you do, you should be recognised. It's just like real life."

Of course, Lucas is one of the most prolific, enduring, and beloved filmmakers of his generation, known for pushing technological boundaries and revolutionizing the film industry's approach to visual effects. If anyone's allowed a bullish take on an emerging technology, it's him, even if film buffs and creatives alike are grimacing at the implications.

Star Wars creator George Lucas says film studios nowadays care more about "what the fans think" rather than trusting filmmakers

Star Wars creator George Lucas has been around long enough to see the film industry change and shift into what it is today, and feels thta studios nowadays care more about the audience's opinion than the filmmaker's original vision.

“I don’t like focus groups,” said Lucas in an interview with A Rabbit's Foot. "The audience doesn’t know what they want to see. If they don’t like a character, that’s interesting, and as a filmmaker I want to find out why. But when the studios hear that, they take the wrong message."

The legendary director added, "They let the audience actually make the movie. Of course, now they go crazy with that. Now, it’s all about what the fans think. That isn’t how you make the movie. You make a movie by finding someone that knows how to make movies, that has a story to tell and is passionate about it.”

But in an industry run by box office sales and Rotten Tomatoes scores, Lucas still values the artistry in filmmaking. "You go to the movies because the stories move you emotionally,” he said. “Art is an emotional medium.” Lucas thought back to the criticism he received when he was making the first Star Wars trilogy in the late '70s, and if he had listened, we wouldn't have some of the most beloved characters in the galaxy far, far away.

"The critics and the fans who were 10 years old when they saw the first one and 13 when they saw the second one complained that they didn’t want to see a children’s film," recalled Lucas. "Oh, that’s terrible. Jar Jar Binks is terrible!... Everyone said the same thing about R2-D2 and C-3PO. At the beginning, there was a huge push for me to get rid of C-3PO, and then in the third one [Return of the Jedi], people said the same thing about Ewoks."

However, despite admitting "I’m a stubborn man," Lucas will take criticism from his lifelong friends who just so happen to be celebrated filmmakers in their own right. "I had a group of friends I went to school with: Marty Scorsese, Francis [Ford Coppola], Steven [Spielberg]. We were all students at the same time, and we all know each other really well," said Lucas. "When I show them a movie and they make comments, I know where they’re coming from."

For more, keep up with movie release dates and new movies heading your way.

The End of Oak Street director David Robert Mitchell isn't confirming or denying whether the upcoming sci-fi pic is part of the J.J. Abrams-produced Cloverfield franchise.

"Here’s what I can tell you. I wrote the script before I ever personally talked with J.J. You can make of that whatever you will," Mitchell told SFX Magazine. As for whether the film explains how the neighborhood ended up in whatever dinosaur-infested universe it's currently in, Mitchell says that “there are certainly some answers in there."

"Don't want to over-explain," he continued. "And I think it's a subjective thing as to whether or not someone has enough, but I believe that's the case."

The new movie, written and directed by Mitchell, sees a "mysterious cosmic event" transport Oak Street to an unknown location that's rife with dinosaurs, and the Platt family quickly realizes that the only way they can survive is by sticking together.

Now, there isn't a lot of evidence that points to Oak Street intersecting with, say, Cloverfield Lane in the upcoming film, but the whole different universes and creatures thing and the flash of light in the beginning of the trailer, and the fact that the movie was initially called Flowervale Street (clovers, flowers...), and the whole J.J. Abrams producing thing... I say, at minimum, there's a connection. But only time will tell.

The End of Oak Street arrives in theaters on August 14. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the rest of this year's biggest movie release dates.

A new trailer has arrived for Dune 3 and alongside it Timothée Chalamet and Denis Villeneuve sat down for a fan Q&A. During the conversation, Paul Atreides star Chalamet reflected on his experience filming the trilogy and how it feels to be letting it go.

"This was the most emotive, on a personal level," Chalamet said of the upcoming third film, per Gold Derby. "Not necessarily the character, but I've been living with this for so long. I'm so proud to live with it. I'm so proud to work with Denis and this family. So I felt there was a finality in the exercise that I was kind of nostalgic about living the moment, even though I was 29 when we shot this. I still felt like I was losing a part of me by getting through it."

He went on to add: "It felt like there was finality in it. And it was just moving. I felt melancholic to be moving on from this incredible family, incredible crew. And I just couldn't believe how quickly the experience came and went."

At the same event Villeneuve also teased Chalamet's performance. "I'm really looking for you all to see what Timothée did in this film," he said. "It's really impressive. It's like in the first movie he's like, you have a boy discovering a planet, second one someone becoming an adult and now he creates something very special. I was very impressed with Timothée brought to the movie again."

The actor lost out on an Oscar last year for his role in Marty Supreme. Could Dune 3 finally turn the dial for the star? We'll have to wait and see.

Dune 3 arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. For more, check out our guides to all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

Ahead of its release later this year, a new trailer has been released for Dune 3. The latest look sees Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides at war with Zendaya's Chani in the brutal return to a much-changed Arrakis.

In the brief clip, which can be viewed above, Chani confronts Paul for taking power after he promised her that he never would, and his shaved head and eerie new demeanor signify a major change to our once-hero. Now, the rest of the universe is ready to go to war with Paul in order to obtain peace – and yes, there's a sandworm.

Alongside Zendaya and Chalamet, the new movie brings back several major cast members including Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem. Jason Momoa is also returning to the fantasy world as a clone of the deceased character Duncan Idaho. Robert Pattinson joins the cast while Anya Taylor-Joy plays a larger role, following on from her cameo in Dune 2.

The third movie is based on the Dune sequel, Dune Messiah, which was released in 1969 from author Frank Herbert. It also marks the conclusion to Villeneuve's trilogy of movies.

Chalamet spoke earlier this year at CinemaCon about his work across the trilogy, comparing it to one of the greatest franchises of all time. "I've grown up on screen with Denis [on these] three films," he said. "It was just deeply moving to be part of a sci-fi trilogy on the scale of Lord of the Rings, but in a time when movie theaters and movies aren't as naturally successful as they used to be, you know. It's a deep honor."

Dune 3 is set to be released on December 18, 2026, which is the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. For what else is coming this year, read our guide to all of the 2026 movie release dates you need to know about.

One of the stars of Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic The Odyssey thinks the director's mindbender sci-fi Tenet is underrated.

Himesh Patel plays Eurylochus in The Odyssey, but he also played Mahir in Tenet. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Patel shared his assessment of the time-twister.

"Dare I say, I think Tenet is one of his underrated movies," Patel shared. "What I get with Chris is, he doesn't stop with the ambition. He just wants to keep pushing it and keep pushing it, and what's the next thing? What's the next thing we can do to to elevate the cinematic experience to put a marker down in cinematic history, you know?

"I remember the first time I watched Tenet and I didn't know how they were going to achieve all of the inversion and all that sort of stuff. It still does something to me when I watch clips from it, or if it comes up, and I just go, it does something weird to my brain when I'm watching it, more than any sort of CGI will ever do... He seems to understand some sort of alchemy," he added.

It sounds like The Odyssey will be another massively ambitious film, with early reactions saying it's some of Nolan's best work ever.

"It was a really weird movie for me personally in the sense that I had almost a nostalgic feeling the entire time I was making it, because it felt like the movies when I started working. And I know that that’s going away," Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, has said of the film. "I knew that this was the last chance I was going to have to do something like this."

The Odyssey arrives this July 17. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year to plan your theater trips.

It's time to discuss the Star Wars prequels like it's 1999.

Speaking on the Class Clown podcast (H/T Variety), Peter Serafinowicz – who voiced Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace – recalled his displeasure with the experience.

"The design of it… I wasn't that into it," Serafinowicz said of Maul's Dathomir look. "When I saw the film, it was the biggest disappointment of my life at that point. It really was."

Serafinowicz, who was replaced as the voice of Maul by Sam Witwer in future projcets, even revealed how Star Wars creator George Lucas compared him to Darth Vader's voice actor, James Earl Jones. It didn't seem to go down that well.

"Suddenly there I was with George Lucas, and he was like saying, 'Well, Peter, you're the new James Earl Jones,' and I was like, 'Fucking hell, am I? Then why are you paying me such shit money, George?'"

Whatever Serafinowicz's opinion, it can't be doubted that Darth Maul emerged from the prequels as one of its most iconic aspects. The twin-blade lightsaber-wielding Sith went on to play a key role in Star Wars: The Clone Wars before starring in his own Disney Plus animated series, Maul – Shadow Lord.

Recently, fellow Star Wars villain actor Ian McDiarmid has revealed that Lucas once had plans for a Palpatine TV show, seemingly charting his life from Chancellor to Emperor. But that's not a story Disney will tell you.

For more from a galaxy far, far away, check out the upcoming Star Wars movies currently in the works.

The Mandalorian and Grogu star Brendan Wayne has defended the movie's box office performance – and also hinted at Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni's grander plan.

Wayne is one of the Din Djarin suit performers and has played Mando since season 1 of the Disney Plus show.

Speaking to Brandon Davis, Wayne was asked what makes Filoni the right man for the top Lucasfilm job. As part of his answer, Wayne explained: "Dave's understanding of like, 'Hey, we're going to tell a story, and we're going to tell it over, three movies, or this next episode, this next season of Ahsoka.' He understands that it's not all about, did we open well against Solo, or whatever it was? We were amazing because we didn't have the budget of those movies, and we still did something."

The Mandalorian and Grogu debuted to a $165 million opening weekend on a budget of a matching $165 million, and its total global gross now stands at $297 million. While it has made almost double its production budget, it is the lowest grossing Star Wars movie ever, behind Solo's $392.9 million.

What's especially intriguing about Wayne's answer, though, is the concept of telling a story over three movies and the next season of Ahsoka. Whether Wayne is just speaking hypothetically, or whether there really is a plan for more movies, remains to be seen…

What is clear, though, is that Ahsoka season 2 is going to have huge ramifications for the galaxy far, far away.

"Anybody who saw the sequels knows that there's a First Order coming in, like, 20 years from where we are now in the storyline," Jon Favreau has previously teased. "And then Ahsoka season 2 is coming out – which I've seen all of – and that's definitely more dealing with the larger [picture], a higher level. That's about the officers and we're the enlisted men – this is more of a ground-level experience of what's going on. You're seeing the backdrop – which, by the way, is what the first Star Wars started off as."

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.

Mad Max director George Miller is reportedly shopping a final Mad Max movie and TV show around Hollywood, before he plans to sell the beloved post-apocalyptic franchise off to the highest bidder, according to a new report.

The news arrives via Puck, which claims that the 81-year-old maestro of mayhem has been meeting major studios around Hollywood after Warner Bros – Mad Max's traditional home – turned down the opportunity to make both the movie and the show. Universal, Amazon and Sony are reported to be among the interested parties.

This isn't a huge surprise. While true that Warner Bros. has distributed all five Mad Max movies over the last 40+ years, 2024's Fury Road prequel Furiosa was something of a flop, earning just $174 million on a $168 million budget, meaning the studio Warner Bros likely lost over $100 million on the movie. This despite overwhelmingly positive reviews – back in 2024 our Furiosa review awarded the movie 4 stars, while it currently sits on 90% over at Rotten Tomatoes.

It's a safe bet that any 'final' Mad Max movie would be centered on Max Rockatansky, though the idea that Tom Hardy would reprise Max after the rocky production of Fury Road seems unlikely. A script, called The Wasteland, was written in conjunction with Fury Road and Furiosa, and is presumably the film Miller now hopes to make.

A Mad Max TV show has long been mooted. Miller even considered making a TV show set in the Wasteland during the decade-long development process of Fury Road, before he turned his attention to that modern action classic.

But it certainly sounds like Miller has an ambitious plan for his Mad Max swan song if reports are true. Miller, famously, owns the rights to Mad Max and clearly wants to put the pedal to the metal one final time before handing the beloved series over to a new custodian.

The future of Mad Max is uncertain, but you can read about all the movies hitting screens in the near future with our list of upcoming movies.

Jon Favreau says The Phantom Menace inspired a tiny detail in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

In the in-theater director commentary, Favreau revealed that the red laser barriers in the stadium where Din Djarin is forced to fight Rotta the Hutt (voiced by Jeremy Allen White) were inspired by the Duel of the Fates sequence in The Phantom Menace (H/T Laughing Place). Remember those laser gates on Naboo in the infamous fight scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi faces off against Darth Maul? It's a subtle reference, but a cool one nonetheless.

Favreau also revealed that the video game Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order was used as a reference for what the inside of an All Terrain Armored Transport, aka an AT-AT walker, looks like. The worlds depicted in various Star Wars graphic novels also helped the art team figure out what the planet of Nal Hutta should look like.

The director commentary is available in over 6,000 US theaters via the TheaterEars app, and is currently only available in the United States. The commentary itself, and more, will likely arrive with the later streaming and VOD release of the film. As the movie is still in theaters, we likely have quite a while to wait before that happens.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

The Mandalorian and Grogu director Jon Favreau has shared which scene from the Star Wars movie was filmed first, and it's my favorite moment.

In the director's commentary currently available to moviegoers via the TheatersEars app, Favreau revealed that the very first thing shot for the film is the plate of the ocean at Adelphi Base, where Grogu and Rotta the Hutt play in the tides together (via Laughing Place).

Now, if you're not up on filmmaking lingo, a plate shot is something filmed to be used in a VFX shot. So, this means the ocean itself was filmed, and Grogu and Rotta added later.

The scene is my favorite in the whole movie – which might come as a surprise, considering all the action, or that beautiful sequence involving Grogu fending for himself. But, the brief, adorable moment acts to emphasize the growing friendship between Rotta and Grogu (one of the reasons Rotta is my MVP of the movie), and, as Din Djarin watches on, it's a sweet reminder that these two get to play in the surf because they have a protector willing to save them from the galaxy's villains.

The director's commentary has revealed all kinds of fun behind the scenes facts about the Star Wars movie, including that Favreau sought George Lucas's permission for one part of the film, Edgar Wright had some advice regarding Embo the bounty hunter, a Luke Skywalker reference was added last minute, one of the best lines was improv, the Droid Gotra were inspired by a scrapped Star Wars game, and Jedi: Fallen Order helped with one action sequence.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.

Steven Spielberg is about to release his first original sci-fi blockbuster in 25 years, Disclosure Day, but the legendary director says he doesn't mind if audiences watch "first-run" movies at home, even if he prefers movie theaters.

Speaking on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, Spielberg touched on the importance of theatrical distribution post-COVID, revealing that his once militant stance on streamers seems to have softened somewhat.

"It’s critical for the longevity of motion picture exhibition, without which everything will become a home experience, or basically a smartphone experience," Spielberg said. "I don’t think anybody should watch a first-run movie on a very tiny screen. It’s okay to come home and watch a first-run movie on a screen in your home, but I prefer movie theaters. I prefer the moviegoing experience. I was raised that way."

Spielberg, of course, is one of the few major directors left who has yet to direct a movie or TV show for one of the streaming giants, though his company, Amblin, did produce The Thursday Murder Club for Netflix last year. Just a few years ago, Spielberg had harsh words for HBO Max in particular, after the streamer's 'Project Popcorn' initiative saw a full year's worth of theatrical movies debut day and date on the streamer, without filmmaker input, including Dune and Mortal Kombat.

"We all got into our own bomb shelters during Covid," Spielberg continued. "And I think people are now starting to realise the importance of big group communal experiences, of getting our communities back together again: watching concerts, watching plays, watching movies, watching opera, going to the New York City Ballet. People getting back together again is the greatest way to bridge our differences.”

Disclosure Day is Spielberg's latest movie, and something of a companion piece to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. It stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor as two strangers on the run from an extra-governmental organization tasked with keeping the existence of aliens under wraps from the public. Already seen the movie? Check out our Disclosure Day ending explained. Still avoiding spoilers? Then our spoiler-free Disclosure Day review has you covered.

Disclosure Day is out now in UK cinemas, and releases in US theaters on June 12. For more, dive into our list of upcoming movies heading your way throughout the year.

Three months after it hit cinemas, sci-fi adventure movie Project Hail Mary has finally set a streaming release date. But unlike past Amazon movies, the film won't be heading to Prime Video straight away.

Project Hail Mary will be available to stream on MGM+ from June 18. Despite being owned by Amazon, MGM+ is a standalone streaming service, but it can also be added as a channel on Prime Video. Formerly known as EPIX, MGM+ has slowly been building, offering original content like horror series FROM and Godfather of Harlem.

This isn't a huge surprise, as the movie was made by Amazon MGM Studios, and other projects the studio has released this year, including Spider-Noir, have been shown on MGM+ before heading to Prime Video. Nevertheless, it is still disappointing that Prime Video subscribers won't get to see Amazon's theatrical movies as soon as they used to.

Based on Andy Weir’s best-selling novel of the same name, Project Hail Mary follows Ryan Gosling as science teacher turned astronaut Ryland Grace, who one day wakes up in space on a mission to save the world. However, he has his buddy Rocky the alien to keep him company. The movie is directed by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse's creative duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, from a script written by Drew Goddard.

Project Hail Mary debuted to a near-perfect 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, and opened to $80.5 million in the US, marking Amazon's biggest opening ever. The movie went on to gross $680 million globally. In our Project Hail Mary review, we call the movie a "large-scale sci-fi" with "stunning visuals, a beautifully emotional story, and a delightful central bond between Ryan Gosling's Grace and Rocky the alien."

However, Project Hail Mary is just one of Amazon's big-screen movies of 2026, as on June 5, He-Men adaptation Masters of the Universe was released. The fantasy movie has yet to reach the success of Project Hail Mary, earning just over $29 million during its opening weekend in the US. Upcoming Amazon MGM Studios movies heading to theaters later this year include How to Rob a Bank, Verity, and I Play Rocky.

For more, check out our guide to the best Prime Video movies, and keep up with new movies heading your way in 2026 and beyond.

The Mandalorian and Grogu may be a standalone movie, but the Star Wars film includes a flurry of nods to the franchise and has brought up many discussions within the fan base, including how powerful the Hutts are.

Over on Reddit, one fan pointed out how the new movie shines a new light on the Hutts after Jabba made a rather weak first impression in the original trilogy. "For the longest time, I've heard about how Legends paints the Hutts of Old as these great warriors," said the fan, "I never really believed it when my only point of reference was the likes of Jabba and the Hutt Council… Then I saw how Rotta was moving in the new movie and completely understood all of it."

Let's face it, when we meet Jabba in Return of the Jedi, we see a bloated, idle crime lord who, yes, has immense power, but he is not exactly a warrior. The sluggish villain made it hard to understand how he got into such a position. Enter Rotta the Hutt in The Mandalorian and Grogu. The new movie gives us insight into what the Hutts can do at the peak of their power, which is demonstrated in the arena scene, where we see a jacked Rotta, voiced by Jeremy Allen White, show off his talents.

"Sure, he's still probably not beating anything in a foot race," added the fan, "but the sheer intimidation factor of this Slug Hulk charging at you like a demon, followed by the strength to lift some of the most deadly creatures in the galaxy and toss them around like toys… Combine all of this with the aforementioned blaster-resistant hide, and I can finally understand why these guys are so feared even before their empire."

Other fans seem to agree, as one replied, "Hutts are like tongues, pure muscle, but leisurely life makes them fat," and another added, "Honestly, Rotta has become one of my favourite new characters just because of how he makes people realise how dangerous Hutts are when they aren't fat and lazy."

When the movie first hit screens, our writer singled Rotta out as the real MVP of The Mandalorian and Grogu, writing, "from the moment Rotta is introduced in the film, it's obvious he's going to be a ton of fun."

The Mandalorian and Grogu is out in theaters now. In the meantime, check out our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order, and keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.

Star Wars stories in a galaxy far, far away often take inspiration from wider media in the iconic franchise. But we didn't expect this.

As Jon Favreau revealed during a cinema-exclusive director's commentary on The Mandalorian and Grogu, the cancelled Uncharted-like Star Wars 1313 was influential to the droid group guarding the Nal Hutta palace.

As per Laughing Place, the Droid Gotra were 'borrowed' from the scrapped LucasArts title, which would have centred around Boba Fett on Coruscant.

Perhaps the most famous Star Wars video game that never was, 1313 was dropped after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm and the shuttering of LucasArts. Perhaps it's no surprise that remnants of the project live on, however.

Ex-Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy told Slash Film back in 2015 "we don't want to throw any of that stuff away" in regards to 1313 or George Lucas' ambitious TV show Star Wars: Underworld.

The Mandalorian also has previous history with repurposing 1313 concepts. So, even if we never get to play as Boba Fett in a fully-fledged rampage through the galaxy's criminal underworld, some of the game's legacy stretches out into streaming and big-budget blockbusters.

The curious case of the in-cinema director's commentary, meanwhile, has thrown up several gems for those listening via the TheatreEars app – including why director Edgar Wright gets a thank you in the credits and how a Luke Skywalker reference was added on the day of filming.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now in cinemas. For more, see our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.

While the Masters of the Universe post-credits scenes set up a sequel, it isn't quite the story fans are hoping to see next.

Instead, everyone seems to be crying out for more Skeletor, the skull-faced villain ruling Prince Adam's home planet of Eternia.

"I want a Skeletor 30-minute weekly sitcom," said one person on Twitter, along with pictures of Skeletor in his HR and gym bro guises, and they're not the only fan who wants to see more of the villain's funny side.

"Don't we all?" agreed another fan, while another simply said: "Yesssssssss"

"What if Skeletor isn't defeated, he's just stuck on Earth for a while like Adam was? He has just enough of his powers to be a dick, but not quite enough to conquer his HOA" said someone else.

"I wish they did this bit a couple more times with Skeletor, my whole audience was cracking up. Have him as Adam's hippie roommate crying over romcoms, as a geek in the comic book store…" said another fan.

"If he doesn't end every single episode with "Until next time" what are we even doing here?" is another person's idea.

Before Skeletor gets his time in the sun, though, it looks like it'll be time for She-Ra. Adam's twin sister is introduced in the movie's second post-credits scene, and it seems she's returning to Eternia. But, the third and final post-credits scene also sets up Skeletor's return, so the bad guy isn't out for the count yet.

Masters of the Universe underperformed during its opening weekend, but Amazon MGM is happy with the result. "[Director] Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy – building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window," said the studio's domestic distribution chief, Kevin Wilson, in a statement.

The film is in theaters now. For more, check out our Masters of the Universe review, or our roundup of the most exciting upcoming movies.

Filmmaker Edgar Wright had one key note after watching an early screening of The Mandalorian and Grogu, and it has to do with the movie's evil bounty hunter, Embo.

According to the director's commentary provided by Jon Favreau, which movie-goers can listen to in-theater thanks to the TheaterEars app, Wright suggested that the best way to introduce Embo in the film was to have him appear earlier (H/T The Holo Files). Initially, our live-action introduction to Embo was when he breaks into Din and Grogu's house to capture Din on the orders of the Hutt Twins. Having him subtly appear in the corner of the screen when Din and Grogu fly back to Nevarro makes things a little more ominous (especially with his overall sinister appearance), and sets up the danger to come.

We first met Embo in The Clone Wars season 2 episode 17, and his arc ended with him and his anooba Marrok joining the Fett syndicate. It's also worth noting that Embo has a different anooba (his wolf-like hunting partner) in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

The director commentary is only available to United States fans (at least for now), as the TheaterEars app is available in over 6,000 US movie theaters. The commentary itself, and more, will likely arrive with the later streaming and VOD release of the film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

A Luke Skywalker reference in The Mandalorian and Grogu was added during filming, Jon Favreau has revealed.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is still in theaters, and now you can listen in on Favreau's director's commentary with the TheatersEars app. As you might expect, the commentary is revealing all kinds of interesting details about the film.

During the movie, when Mando is injured and Grogu must fend for himself, we see Baby Yoda seated on a tree trunk and meditating. It's a call back to Grogu's stint training as a Jedi Padawan with Luke Skywalker, as seen in The Book of Boba Fett: in episode 6 of that show, we saw Luke and Grogu meditating together.

According to Favreau (via Laughing Place), he had the idea for the meditation scene in The Mandalorian and Grogu on the day of filming, and he used some spare time to capture the moment. He explained that he thinks Grogu learned to meditate from Luke, and the former-Padawan could be "continuing Jedi training on his own."

During The Book of Boba Fett, Luke gave Grogu the choice to either continue his Jedi training or return to Din Djarin. Grogu chose Mando, and now Grogu is officially a Mandalorian apprentice.

"He's not on the typical Jedi path of a youngling, but he has trained with some of the best Jedi teachers that there are," Favreau told us of Grogu's Jedi journey before the film's release. "We know for sure he's studied with Luke Skywalker. There's implications that he may have crossed paths with Yoda, because he does recognize the name, is what we imply. And he also was there at the Jedi Temple before Order 66.

"So, it's a big part in talking to Dave Filoni, and by extension, to what he learned from George [Lucas], which is that the Force is about training," he continued. "It's about refining, just like an athletic ability or any skill. And we do see that, although Grogu is not serving under somebody who is teaching him, he still clearly is meditating and going through some version of the Jedi discipline. So, I think that his Force use has definitely leveled up a bit. Luke Skywalker didn't study under Obi-Wan for very long, but still refined his skills. So, I think that that's part of the path that's available to Grogu, as per what we've already learned from the previous Star Wars films."

This might not be the only reference to Luke in the movie, either: one fan spotted what could be R2-D2 being lifted from an X-wing in the background of the movie's opening credits.

In the same director's commentary, Favreau also revealed that he sought George Lucas's permission for a specific aspect of the film, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order provided inspiration for a major action sequence, and the movie's best line was improv.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. You can check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review to read our verdict on the film, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

Despite directing some of the most beloved movies of all time, Steven Spielberg is still relatable, so much so that he wrote the initial story for his new extraterritorial movie Disclosure Day on his iPad.

"I just wrote it in the summer of 2023. I just sat down and spent two months writing it. I wrote a 50, 60 page, single-space story," said Spielberg in an interview with CBS. However, when the host pressed him on where he actually wrote the story, Spielberg answered, "On my iPad," adding, "Everybody has it right? We have a notes section. That's where I wrote it."

Well, we had no idea that the same app we use for writing shopping lists and general reminders was used to create one of this year's biggest blockbusters. Spielberg expanded on his creative process, adding, "And then I printed it out and would read it and go back to my iPad again." The director joked, adding, "Thank you, Steve Jobs."

However, we imagine that a more appropriate software was used to create the script after Spielberg came up with the idea. Spielberg wrote the initial story for the upcoming alien flick, but the screenplay was penned by his long-time collaborator David Koepp. The duo has previously worked together on Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Koepp also wrote the script for Spielberg's last alien movie before the 2008 action thriller War of the Worlds, which seems to share some similarities with the upcoming movie Disclosure Day, including an alien invasion and the discovery of other beings that have been lying dormant on Earth. Starring Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, and Colin Firth, the film follows a meteorologist and a cybersecurity expert who set out to uncover extraterrestrial secrets harboured by the government.

However, in an interview with Gamesradar+, O'Connor says the movie is more in line with Spielberg's earlier works, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. "I don't want to speak for Steven, but I think there is an element of it being the third in a sort of trio: Close Encounters, E.T., and this," said the star. "Obviously, War of the Worlds is in there as well, but Steven's talked about those three."

Disclosure Day releases in US theaters on June 12, and is in UK cinemas from June 10. For more, check out our guide to the best Alien movies, and keep up with upcoming movies heading your way this year and beyond.

Masters of the Universe might have underperformed in its opening weekend, but Amazon MGM says it's still happy with its performance.

The new film has a reported budget of almost $200 million (not including marketing), but only grossed $54.4 million worldwide during its opening weekend.

"[Director] Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy – building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window," said Kevin Wilson, Amazon MGM's domestic distribution chief, in a statement (via Variety).

Essentially, Wilson is saying that the box office isn't the only measure of success for a film like Masters of the Universe, which is based on the iconic He-Man brand. Time will tell if the movie proves to have staying power, but with an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems movie fans are enjoying the new flick.

Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba. In the film, Prince Adam (Galitzine) must return to his home planet to save it from the evil Skeletor (Leto).

Our own Masters of the Universe review awarded the film 3 stars, with our verdict reading: "He-Man returns for a derivative, comedy-fuelled action-fantasy that never takes itself seriously, for better or worse. It's much too slow off the mark, but there's infectious affection for the source material and, like him or loathe him, Jared Leto steals the show as Skeletor."

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now. For more, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming movies for everything else that's on the way.

If there's one thing you probably know about upcoming sci-fi blockbuster Disclosure Day, it's that the new movie is directed by Steven Spielberg. But if there's another thing you know about Disclosure Day, it's that the new movie is about aliens, making it something of an unofficial follow-up to Spielberg classics Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

"I don't want to speak for Steven, but I think there is an element of it being the third in a sort of trio: Close Encounters, E.T., and this," Disclosure Day star Josh O'Connor tells GamesRadar+. "Obviously, War of the Worlds is in there as well, but Steven's talked about those three."

While the nature of the aliens in Disclosure Day is still a closely guarded secret, screenwriter David Koepp has at least denied the wild theory doing the rounds online that the movie is part of a deep-state plan to reveal the truth about aliens. Disclosure Day, if you didn't know, is also based on a story by Spielberg, who previously wrote Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and played a key role in the inception of E.T., which may explain the thematic and spiritual connection between the three movies.

Disclosure Day is arriving at an opportune moment, as the real-life disclosure movement picks up steam in the wake of congressional hearings about UAPs and the release of a tranche of UFO documents by Pentagon in May, with O'Connor noting it's "surreal" to be part of a film that chimes so closely with contemporary concerns.

Co-star Eve Hewson even turned to interviews with people who claim to have had close encounters with non-human lifeforms as part of her research for the film, turning her into something of a disclosure convert. "People keep ignoring it, somehow" Hewson says, incredulously. "It's really weird. [Whistleblowers] keep being like: 'This is real, these are facts,' And everyone's like, 'Say what?' [laughs]"

"It's a really strange thing," adds O'Connor. "But it's nice that there's that feeling around the film."

In the new movie, Challengers star O'Connor plays Daniel Kellner, a whistleblower on the run from an extra-governmental agency doing all it can to keep the existence of alien life under wraps. Hewson plays Kellner's ex-novitiate girlfriend, Jane, who reckons with the existence of non-human life through a religious lens. Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell and Colin Firth also star.

Disclosure Day releases in US theaters on June 12, and is in UK cinemas from June 10. For more movies still to come this year, check out our guide to the upcoming movies heading your way throughout the year.

It turns out everyone's favorite line from The Mandalorian and Grogu was actually some genius improvisation.

That's according to Jon Favreau, who revealed the behind the scenes tidbit in the new director's commentary for the film, which is available via the TheatersEars app.

In the new Star Wars movie, Din Djarin is captured and taken to Nal Hutta by Embo the bounty hunter, and Grogu and his Anzellan pals set off on an adventure to rescue him. This involves climbing up to a pipe that leads deeper into the Hutt palace. As the camera pans down the long, dark tunnel the tiny friends will have to traverse, one of the Anzellans observes: "Big pipe, huh?"

It's a line that has taken on a life of its own online already, and Favreau shared in the commentary that it was improv from Shirley Henderson, who provides the voices for the Anzellans (H/T The HoloFiles).

Favreau has also previously revealed that he reached out to JJ Abrams about the Anzellans, since Babu Frik debuted in Abrams's The Rise of Skywalker. "When I was working with the Anzellans, I called up JJ," he explained. "And JJ came to the set. Because you want him to know that, you know, 'I appreciate what you did. Can we – do you mind? Are we handling this well? Are you happy?'"

In the same director's commentary, Favreau also revealed that he sought George Lucas's permission to use the original Red Jammer model, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order provided a key piece of inspiration for a major action sequence in the film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. You can check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review to read our verdict on the film, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

Boba Fett actor Temuera Morrison was hoping to make an appearance in The Mandalorian and Grogu, and it actually would've made a whole lot of sense.

"I was hoping to pop in there, too, and maybe help [Din Djarin and Grogu] out with something," Morrison told a fan who said that he hoped Boba would've made an appearance. "They might want him back one day… you never know."

It wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibility for Boba Fett to appear in The Mandalorian and Grogu given that he appeared in The Mandalorian season 2, specifically in episodes 6, 7, and 8 (though his subsequent survival after falling into the sarlacc's mouth is implied in episode 1).

You might also recall that Boba's arc ends with him sitting upon the throne that once belonged to Jabba the Hutt. Given that The Mandalorian and Grogu takes place on the Hutts' planet and involves a rescue mission for Jabba's son Rotta... it would've actually made perfect sense for Morrison's bounty hunter to make an appearance, and, as Morrison said, help Din Djarin and Grogu out with something.

The Book of Boba Fett ran for just one season on Disney Plus back in 2022, with Morrison previously saying that the show's reception "seems to have impacted the future of the character in the franchise." As a staunch defender of The Book of Boba Fett and the Star Wars Christmas Special (where Boba made his first official on-screen appearance), I have full faith that we'll see the bounty hunter again.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

Death Stranding movie director-writer Michael Sarnoski has given a status update on the A24 adaptation's script – and Hideo Kojima's glowing response to it.

"I'm writing the script right now and hopefully almost done with that and really excited to dive into it," Sarnoski told IGN.

To that end, the Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One helmer has been in discussions with both Kojima and A24, which means the usual back-and-forth tweaks.

"We're working on some revisions together, and they all seem super excited and happy with it. Kojima has been really generous in letting me play in his world but letting me tell a story with my own characters and my own sort of corner of this world, but keeping it honest to the game and doing something that fans will really like," Sarnoski revealed.

It should come as no surprise, too, that Kojima has been keen to point out movie references and allusions to Hollywood in the Death Stranding script. This is, after all, someone who looks like a beaming puppy when in the same room as Martin Scorsese and routinely reels off a 'just watching' list that should instantly give him access to the Criterion Closet.

"I was impressed that when he read this script, without me needing to talk to him about it, he knew every single [movie] reference… He just knows movies incredibly well. So that's been very cool to see.," Sarnoski continued.

Much like Hideo Kojima revealed upon its unveiling, Sarnoski said the Death Stranding movie will be an original story set in the universe, not an adaptation of the two Norman Reedus-starring games. Despite that, the director refuses to rule out any familiar faces showing up.

"You might see some characters from the game pop up," Sarnoski teased. "But it definitely feels like something that could happen alongside the game and honors what's going on in the game but very much is its own thing."

A Death Stranding anime is also in the works, penned by Raised by Wolves writer Aaron Guzikowski.

The Death Stranding movie is currently undated.

For more, check out the new PS5 games on the horizon, plus a look ahead to the rest of 2026's movie release dates.

Over the past decade, Star Wars has focused heavily on the period of time between the prequels and original trilogy, so much so that fans are wondering if it is time to move on from releasing projects set in this era.

When the Star Wars prequels were released, there was no doubt that fans had a lot of questions about what had happened in the 19 years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. But thanks to the ever-growing franchise, many projects have filled in the blanks and introduced lots of new characters. But when is enough enough?

"Considering the sheer amount of media we've gotten that takes place between III-IV, is there STILL some plot holes that need to be addressed? Or is it finally time to move on?" asked one fan on Reddit. Many others agree, as one pointed out, "Personally, I’m over the timeline between Ep1-6... give us the Luke Han Leia story post-6. Take some heavy swings at the lore. Dig deep and do some mythological heavy lifting."

Many fans are seeing the funny side of Lucasfilm and Disney's overexploration of The Dark Times. "There's still a dude in the back of the Mos Eisley's cantina in ANH we don't have a full 3-season show about," joked one fan, and another added, "You joke, but the Tales From Mos Eisley Cantina literally gave us the backstory of Han Solo's vest."

There are now 10, yes ten, projects set between the prequels and the original trilogy, and that's not counting Tales of the Jedi, which has episodes set slightly before. On the Star Wars timeline, Tales of the Empire, Tales of the Underworld, The Bad Batch, Maul – Shadow Lord, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Star Wars Rebels, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story all take place during that 19-year gap.

It doesn't look like Lucasfilm is quite finished with the period known as the Reign of the Empire, as Maul – Shadow Lord season 2 is already in production, and a third Star Wars Jedi games is expected to continue the story of Cal Kestis in this period. However, the franchise is exploring pastures new in Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter, which will take place approximately five years after The Rise of Skywalker. Starfighter hits cinemas on May 28, 2027.

For even more, check out our guide on how to watch Star Wars movies in order, and keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.

Disclosure Day is almost upon us, and if you're wondering what to expect from the mystery-shrouded project – director Steven Spielberg's first sci-fi blockbuster in almost a decade – stars Josh O'Connor and Eve Hewson claim you won't have a moment to catch your breath.

Speaking with GamesRadar+ at a press event in London, the Disclosure Day co-stars explained that the new movie is both classically Spielbergian, and as breathless as any movie on Spielberg's extraordinary CV. "It's like a gun going off before the hundred meter dash," O'Connor says. "It was kind of like driving straight through, and so in that sense the, like, rush element of it is so there."

Disclosure Day stars O'Connor as Daniel Kellner, a whistleblower who is being hunted by an extra-governmental agency trying to keep the existence of aliens under wraps. Hewson plays Jane, Kellner's girlfriend, who gets caught up in the pursuit. Hewson previously worked with Spielberg over a decade ago on Bridge of Spies, but O'Connor says his first experience working with arguably the greatest living commercial filmmaker lived up to expectations.

"I can't claim this one, but a friend of mine described Steven as like the 'Mozart of the moving image,'" O'Connor says, clearly in agreement. "There are things about his films that, for me, and I'm sure for many, feel nostalgic. You immediately get this sense of safety from Steven's images, because of [his movies] being so present in our childhood."

Despite operating in a world of shadowy extraterrestrial cover-ups and – as the trailer reveals – alien encounters, Hewson notes that the film is shot by Spielberg and long-serving cinematographer Janusz Kaminsky like it could all be happening on the streets outside your window.

"He wanted to make it kind of feel a little bit documentary style," Hewson notes. "He wanted to make it feel very alive and real, like it could happen today, tomorrow, the next day. So that's exciting too, the way he shot it, and the way they use the light, it just feels very present."

Alongside O'Connor and Hewson, Disclosure Day also stars Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Colmon Domingo and Wyatt Russell. Early reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with some even calling the film Spielberg's best in 20 years.

Disclosure Day releases in US theaters on June 12, and is in UK cinemas from June 10. For more movies still to come this year, check out our guide to the upcoming movies heading your way throughout the year.

The Mandalorian and Grogu might be directed by Jon Favreau, but Star Wars creator George Lucas was still involved in one specific way.

Moviegoers are currently able to listen to Favreau's director's commentary for The Mandalorian and Grogu while watching the film in theaters via the TheatersEars app, and Favreau reveals plenty of fascinating details about the flick.

In the commentary, Favreau explains that he was at Skywalker Ranch, using the parking lot to film a Razor Crest miniature, when he learned that the original Red Jammer Y-wing starfighter model was being prepped for display at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Favreau then obtained the permission of George Lucas himself to use the model in the film (via Laughing Place).

The Red Jammer was created as a reference for A New Hope, but the model itself never appeared in the film. The Mandalorian and Grogu marks its first appearance in Star Wars.

"After a lengthy negotiation, George Lucas gave us permission to borrow the model," visual effects supervisor John Knoll previously told VFX Voice (via ComicBook.com). "We shot two motion-control elements of it. It's in the movie and will go by quickly. Unless somebody points it out, you won't notice it, but there are two photographed elements of a 1976 original model from Star Wars, which has never been seen onscreen before."

The Red Jammer shows up during The Mandalorian and Grogu ending, in the Nal Hutta X-wing action sequence. It's being piloted by filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung. For more The Mandalorian and Grogu Easter eggs and cameos, check out our guide through the link.

Lucas's American Graffiti was also an inspiration for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau shared, specifically Mando wanting to boost the Razor Crest's speed by stripping his new ship of restrictors.

Favreau has also previously revealed that he reached out to JJ Abrams about using the Anzellans again, since Babu Frik debuted in Abrams's The Rise of Skywalker.

Plus, during the commentary, Favreau explained how Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order helped inspire a key sequence in the film.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. You can check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review to read our verdict on the film, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get caught up on the galaxy far, far away.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is still in theaters, and moviegoers are currently able to enjoy an audio track of Jon Favreau's director's commentary running alongside the film via the TheatersEars app.

As you might expect, the director's commentary lifts the lid on plenty of interesting details about the latest Star Wars film – including a link to the game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

Per Laughing Place, Fallen Order was used as a reference for the look of an AT-AT walker's interior. The Mandalorian and Grogu's action-packed opening sequence sees Din Djarin and Grogu battling Imperial remnants across three different walkers, destroying the giant vehicles as they go.

In Fallen Order, Cal Kestis climbs inside of an AT-AT on the Wookie homeworld planet, Kashyyyk, and he even uses the walker itself in a showdown against his Imperial foes.

That's not the only way Fallen Order figures into the movie, either: on Adelphi Base, BD unit droids can be spotted wandering around (they made their live-action debut in Peli Motto's garage in The Mandalorian). For more The Mandalorian and Grogu Easter eggs, check out our guide through the link.

Recently, it was confirmed that Cal Kestis's story is not over, and a new Star Wars book even revealed that Luke Skywalker knows Cal survived Order 66 by 34 ABY on the Star Wars timeline (AKA after the Death Star's destruction). What might be next for Cal remains to be seen, but here's hoping he returns sooner rather than later.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more on the film, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or see our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order to get up to speed on the galaxy far, far away.

Your eyes weren't deceiving you: that was indeed She-Ra, Princess of Power, who appears during one Masters of the Universe post-credits scene. The beloved twin sister of Adam has headlined two animated shows over the years, but She-Ra's post-credits cameo in Masters of the Universe marks the first time the character has appeared on screen in live action.

A momentous moment, then. But as director Travis Knight tells GamesRadar+, it's a cameo that almost didn't happen, and only came together late in production. "I wanted to get her in the movie, [but] there was a very complicated rights thing," Knight says. "We did that with like no money, too. That was at the end of the shoot. We were just scrambling around trying to build a set and put a costume together because we finally got the rights to do it and, I mean, she looks great."

It was such a big secret, in fact, that the She-Ra mid-credits scene was omitted from some early screenings. "We didn't show it to anybody. Like the studio hadn't even seen the finished version of that," Knight says. "When we screened it at the premiere last week, I didn't know how people were going to react. And the crowd just erupted into cheers. I couldn't believe it. It was actually really sweet. It was really heartening because that character means something to people and they've never seen her on the big screen. So that would be an honor to be able to breathe life into her, if we're so lucky."

While a Masters of the Universe sequel is far from confirmed, and will likely depend on how the film performs at the box office this weekend, if a follow-up does happen, She-Ra would play a major part, according to Knight. "She is a character that is hugely important in the mythology of this world. If we told another story set in this universe, she would absolutely play a huge part of it. I know exactly where that would go. But even if we don't [get to make a sequel], I was glad to get her on screen."

As for who would play She-Ra in a Masters of the Universe sequel, Knight has an answer for that too. "I know exactly who I would reach out to to play She-Ra," he teases, with a smile. "I can't jinx it so I can't say it. But I know exactly who it should be."

Masters of the Universe, starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and Jared Leto, is in theaters now. Check out our Masters of the Universe review before you head to the theater, or read what Knight has to say about bringing Leto's scene-stealing Skeletor to the screen.

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now. For more, check out our list of the best upcoming movies heading your way in 2026.

The funny thing about living in the 'Golden Age' of remakes in conjunction with an ever-changing and neverending nostalgia boom is that we either get a) grade A slop that lacks in a compelling story in favor of fan service or simply ignores the source material altogether, or b) something so good it heals your inner child and makes you genuinely happy that a brand new generation gets to discover it for the first time. Enter: Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe, which takes everyone's favorite loincloth-wearing warrior prince (and all of the memes that have surrounded him in the years following his debut) and turns it into a campy action-comedy about the pesky need to prove yourself.

Though you could easily compare it to Transformers or Voltron, He-Man is one of those toy-turned-cartoon phenomena that stands out especially for its overall weirdness. The titular character is a rather aloof prince and his nemesis is a dude with a skull for a face who's really into maniacal laughter. Rather than lean into the overall absurdity, the 1987 live-action movie starring action man Dolph Lundgren plays it pretty straight, and wants the viewer to think they're watching a true fantasy-adventure film a la The Dark Crystal (which I don't really think is speculation, seeing as both films share the same screenwriter).

Travis Knight's 2026 take on Masters of the Universe, however, is more of a Marvel-esque blockbuster that embraces the absolute goofiness of He-Man's lore and puts him on Earth as a confused 20-something who's desperate to find his way home – and doesn't mind telling everyone he comes into contact with about it. A first date goes badly because he tells her about his childhood on Eternia, he gets fired for his incessant sword searches on company time, and he gets arrested for finally finding said sword. Let me just say: it's not what I expected.

Looking camp right in the eye

It's the way Adam is so unapologetically himself and doesn't see the need to make up a backstory (at the suggestion of his roommate) and settle for a life on Earth that just... got me completely. There's one part where his roomie says, "Can't you just live for the weekend and wait until your next vacation?" Well, no, actually. Adam knows he's meant for something more. And I think Knight wanted us to take that and apply it to ourselves. In fact, I think the entire movie is meant to give us a kick in the pants by way of feeling happy and hopeful and never settling for less than what we truly deserve.

And if you're wondering what that has to do with He-Man, well, that's kind of what the whole thing's about (to me, anyway). When he yells, "I have the power," it's not because his super cool sword is giving it to him. It's actually because the power inside his heart (if you want to get cheesy about it), and there's a beautiful scene in the film where the Sorceress reminds Adam that she chose him for a reason… and that it doesn't matter who gets their hands on the sword, because only he has the true power to wield it.

So yes, the movie is a big ol' metaphor. And it really does beat us over the head with it. However, I didn't really mind it all that much. I love the idea of a kiddo sitting down to watch the movie and walking away feeling enlightened and inspired… and while all the meme references and other 'adult' themes are meant for the adult He-Man fans watching the film, I truly think the rest is meant to instill hope in a younger generation.

Yes, the movie spends far too much time on Earth. Yes, the joke-per-minute format was a rather, uh, interesting choice. But Nicholas Galitzine and Idris Elba made me cry. And even the post-credits scene made me cry! And Skeletor is so brilliantly acted that I'm almost ready to forgive Tron: Ares for all of whatever that was. I don't know if Masters of the Universe is the movie that the world needs right now, but it's definitely the one that I need right now.

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

Shawn Levy may be busy working on Star Wars: Starfighter, but he has an idea for another story in the universe. It's all inspired by Backrooms, the new world-of-mouth horror movie from YouTuber Kane Parsons, which sees a shopkeeper get lost in an endless stretch of rooms that he can't escape from.

Speaking at a screening of the film, which Deadpool and Wolverine director Levy was an executive producer on, he revealed that he'd love to explore something similar in a galaxy far, far away.

"Right now, I'm making a movie called Star Wars: Starfighter, and so I very much have Star Wars on my mind," Levy told Vanity Fair. "And I can't help but be captivated by a Backrooms, Star Wars mashup and, luckily, I've got a little bit of involvement in both, so I'll see what I can do."

It's definitely a fun idea. Part of the appeal of Backrooms, and why it has already been winning over audiences at the box office, is that it is a unique, original idea. We'd love to see this kind of thinking brought into the Star Wars universe. It wouldn't be the first time that the franchise has expanded beyond its core story, finding success with original stories like Andor, The Acolyte, and Skeleton Crew.

While these genre experiments have had mixed success, we'd love to see more of them. It's true too that horror is not a style that Star Wars has explored yet – and this isn't the first time that it has been suggested.

Andor creator Tony Gilroy previously shared his hopes that the franchise would lean into genre. "I always fantasised that the show would break new ground, that someone would be able to make a three-camera sitcom in Star Wars or a horror movie," he previously told SFX magazine.

"I think the first thing I said to Kathy [Kennedy, Lucasfilm president] when she said they wanted to open a line, was, 'Could you do a courtroom drama?' And why not? We've worked really hard on Andor to make our lane, and it's up to other people now to find another way to do it."

For more on the galaxy far, far away, check out our guide to upcoming Star Wars movies and shows and our breakdown of the Star Wars timeline.

Masters of the Universe may have been a huge undertaking but, somehow, it isn't the only film director Travis Knight is releasing this year. As well as a live-action filmmaker, Knight is also the CEO of Laika, where he has directed two of the stop-motion studio's animated movies, including this year's Wildwood.

So how exactly is Knight releasing two years-in-the-making projects within 5 months of each other? "I don't recommend it!" chuckles Knight when GamesRadar+ catches up with him in London. "I'm still working on Wildwood actually." Of course, stop-motion animation is a famously slow process – at best, an animator can hope to produce seconds of footage per day – so operating on different production tracks helped. As did the fact that Wildwood has been in the works for over a decade.

"I've been developing Wildwood for 16 years," Knight says. "The majority of my career, the majority of my adult life, I've been working on this project. And I'm nearly done with it. But, you know, there was definitely overlap there."

While pointing out that Masters of the Universe – an irreverent reboot of the '80s Filmation cartoon – and Wildwood – a magical fantasy about a young girl whose infant brother is kidnapped by crows – are "very different kinds of movies," Knight notes that the two "share kind of a philosophical DNA. If I analyze it, there is some influence that one has over the other. But I don't think [that can be helped] when you're working on something that you deeply care about so intensely for so long, and when those things happen to coincide."

"I'm just happy for how it all came together," Knight continues. "Because I think Masters is a special movie. Working on Masters, actually, it changed the way I was thinking about Wildwood as we're doing all the final visual effects and everything. And in fact, some people I met along the way working on Masters, I loved collaborating with them so much that I then brought them on to Wildwood after we finished on Masters. So they definitely are connected in some way."

Masters of the Universe is out now in some parts of the world, and is a reimagining of the famed '80s animated series. You can read our full Masters of the Universe review now. Wildwood, meanwhile, is Laika's next, long-in-the-making movie – an adaptation of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis' 2011 novel. The wildly popular Wildwood teaser trailer (see above) has already racked up an astonishing 89 million views on YouTube alone. Before his banner 2026, Knight directed 2016's Kubo and the Two Strings at Laika, and helmed 2018's warmly received live-action Transformers spin-off, Bumblebee.

In conversation with GamesRadar+, Knight also explained how the new Masters of the Universe movie reckons with He-Man's "internally inconsistent" mythology, and told us all about Jared Leto's scene-stealing Skeletor.

Masters of the Universe is in UK cinemas now, and hits US theaters on June 5. Wildwood releases in theaters on October 23. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

Despite the series' perennial popularity, Masters of the Universe has never held much power on the big screen. In fact, 1987's Dolph Lundgren-starring MotU, for all its low-budget charm, was a turkey of such magnitude that it scared Hollywood off He-Man for decades to come. Well, almost 40 years later, Amazon is having a second stab at the muscle-bound blonde, and while this latest adaptation isn't as strong as you'd hope, it's an enjoyable and self-consciously silly take on outdated source material.

More Marvel than MotU '87, director Travis Knight's simple take on He-Man is simply not to take any of it seriously. The tonal and aesthetic cousin of Thor: Ragnarok, it's a film where the relentless need to crack jokes engulfs any sense of stakes. Masters of the Universe is here to show you a good time, and is at its best when doing just that, with confused attempts to ride the hopecore wave and re-align He-Man around the idea of radical empathy falling flat. He-Man just isn't that deep.

He-Man may not be deep, but Masters of the Universe is definitely bloated; it's the best part of an hour before Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) raises the Power Sword aloft and transforms into the loincloth-sporting super-man – so be warned. Instead of hitting the ground running, MotU imagines a world where Skeletor wins, plunging the fantastical planet of Eternia into tyrannical rule. During Skeletor's siege of Eternos, a young Adam flees through a portal with the Power Sword, but loses it en route to Earth.

Cut to: 15 years later. Adam is a social outcast, obsessed with the idea that he comes from another world, still desperately searching for the sword that will be his ticket home. One day, rather anticlimactically, he finds it and is retrieved by his former childhood friend, Teela (Camila Mendes). Skeletor still rules Eternia with a, er, skeletal fist, but when Adam finally transforms into the hero of legend, he brings renewed hope to Eternos' colorful insurgents – most notably the capital's once-great war chief, Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba), who has fallen on hard times in the years since.

Man of the hour

To its credit, Masters of the Universe is self-aware enough to know that you're probably not going to take characters like Fisto, Ram-Man, Meckaneck, and Trap Jaw seriously, and smartly plays into the absurdity of the world. One fun, postmodern idea: all those ridiculous character names come from Adam's own, imagined nicknames for them dreamt up during his isolated childhood on Earth, as he tried to hold onto the memory of Eternia. Galitzine's performance is the anchor point; as Adam, he's more Rick Moranis than Dolph Lundgren – a bumbling klutz in way over his head. His take on He-Man is more traditional, and Galitzine certainly looks the part. But the idea to incorporate more modern ideas of talking things out doesn't really make sense when your arch-enemy is an evil skeleton man who likes to turn people into goop with his magic staff.

Speaking of which, we're as surprised as anyone to report that after delivering one of the more blandly self-serious performances in recent blockbuster history in Tron: Ares, Jared Leto's arch Skeletor is a riot. With a plummy British accent and an impressively expressive CG-animated face atop an equally impressive practical costume, Skeletor looks and sounds amazing. As in the original Filmnation cartoons, he's a petulant, power-hungry evildoer who treats his fearful underlings, like Evil Lyn (Alison Brie, somewhat miscast), with as much contempt as his enemies. Even the cackle is great.

Similarly aware of exactly what movie he's in is Idris Elba, who lends the film some gravitas amidst the zaniness as fallen war hero Duncan/Man-at-Arms, who turns to booze to numb the pain of his greatest failing. His strangely sweet relationship with homicidal robot Roboto (Kristen Wiig) is a treat, while his enervated demeanor highlights how much his daughter, Teela, has it together. As the movie's lone straight (wo)man, Camila Mendes isn't given the opportunities to pop off screen like those around her, but she holds her own during the film's dynamically staged action.

Power ballad

For all its irreverence, Masters of the Universe delivers on blockbuster spectacle where it matters. Hand-to-hand fight scenes have the kinetic energy of a child smashing two action figures together and imagining the fireworks. A more generic, forest-based chase with some rough compositing is a noteworthy misstep, but Knight's history in animation is apparent elsewhere, the camera pirouetting impossibly around swinging blades and flying fists. It even incorporates other diverse techniques, like anime-style impact frames, to striking effect.

Also terrific is Daniel Pemberton's thunderous glam rock score. Boasting Queen's Brian May as part of the musical ensemble, whose electric guitar wails over what feels like every scene, He-Man is given a suitably larger-than-life theme for an '80s icon.

Whether the film's tone – almost gratingly eager to make you smile – works will come down to personal taste. If the Taika Waititi-directed Thors turned you off, then be warned this dials up the comedy even further (it even lifts a few key plot points from Ragnarok). And as with many first entries in budding franchises, after a rote two-hour origin story, there's a frustrating sense that the movie you really want to see is the one teased in the last 20 seconds, with a major mid-credits cameo promising the appearance of a fan-favorite character in a sequel we may never get if the movie's underwhelming tracking proves correct.

Still, there's no denying this is a valiant effort to make Masters of the Universe relevant again on the big screen some four decades after its '80s heyday, made by filmmakers with sincere affection for the source material. Whether younger viewers will respond to an outmoded character like He-Man amidst the paradigm-shifting wave of horror movies drawing crowds right now remains to be seen, but we'll soon know where the real power lies.

Masters of the Universe releases in theaters on June 5. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out the rest of your movie-going year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

Before making his live-action debut in The Mandalorian and Grogu, we first met villain Embo in The Clone Wars series. However, Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni says the bounty hunter was actually supposed to appear way earlier, in George Lucas' scrapped series Star Wars: Underworld.

"While we were writing and creating The Clone Wars, George was also developing a live-action series called Star Wars: Underworld," said Filoni to StarWars.com. "He had a lot of visual development done where he was exploring new designs for ships, planets, droids, and aliens. When we would meet to discuss upcoming Clone Wars [episodes], George would use some of that visual inspiration for our stories."

First announced at Star Wars Celebration 2005, Star Wars: Underworld was supposed to be a live-action show that would bridge the gap between the prequel and original trilogies. Set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, Lucas wanted the series to take on a more mature tone than the space opera. Over the next few years, the team built huge set pieces and wrote over fifty scripts. However, in 2010, the project was abandoned due to budget constraints.

Just last year, producer Rick McCallum shed a little more light on why Underworld was cancelled. McCallum told Young Indy Chronicles podcast that the show would have cost upwards of $40 million per episode, adding, "each episode was bigger than the films... It would’ve blown up the whole Star Wars universe, and Disney would’ve definitely never offered George to buy the franchise."

It is not clear what part Embo would have played in Underworld, but it was the first piece of concept art that prompted both Lucas and Filoni to include him in The Clone Wars. "I gave Embo the species name 'Kyuzo,' which was a character from the Seven Samurai played by Seiji Miyaguchi," added Filoni. "I really liked that character so I gave a nod to the performance in Embo's character." That was just the beginning, as Embo went on to make more appearances in the show and even gained a trusty companion, a dog named Marrock.

After the Clone Wars, Embo retired and went to live a quiet life on the planet Felucia. In The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is set around 30 years after the end of The Clone Wars, we meet Embo in a new era, where he has a new pet and is quickly pulled back into the bounty hunter life. Embo is just one of the antagonists against Din Djarin and Grogu in the new movie, as the pair join forces with the New Republic in order to save what the Rebellion fought so hard for.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now in cinemas. For more, check out our guide to The Mandalorian and Grogu ending, plus a look at the full Star Wars timeline.

A new trailer for The End of Oak Street is here, and I still think it's a secret entry in the Cloverfield franchise.

In the brief clip, which can be viewed above, Greg Platt (Ewan McGregor) listens as his daughter Audrey (Maisy Stella) and son Brian (Christian Convery) tell him about the flash of light they saw outside the night before. He jokingly suggests it must be aliens, but it's not long before we cut over to his wife Denise (Anne Hathaway) seeing a dinosaur in the backyard. What follows is a montage of clips involving the family taking on a range of prehistoric creatures with a shotgun.

Directed by It Follows helmer David Robert Mitchell and produced by J.J. Abrams, the movie's official synopsis reads, "After a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighborhood to someplace unknown, the Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings."

Now, there hasn't been a new Cloverfield movie since 2018's The Cloverfield Paradox, and it's been theorized that the overall poor reception to the film is what killed off the franchise. So, while you could very well say that fans are so thirsty for a new installment that they saw a Bad Robot production banner on a new post-apocalyptic-ish sci-fi movie and decided to run with it... but it kind of fits perfectly with the whole 'the world is now open to different universes and creatures' thing that we saw in 10 Cloverfield Lane. The flash of light in the beginning of the trailer is also eerily reminiscent... and the film was originally titled Flowervale Street. Case closed, if you ask me.

The End of Oak Street arrives in theaters on August 14. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the rest of this year's biggest movie release dates.

In the pantheon of great hero and arch-villain pairings, He-Man and Skeletor are up there with the best. So it's no surprise that, for the first live-action Masters of the Universe movie in almost 40 years, Skeletor makes his glorious return – and he's badder than ever.

Played unrecognizably by Jared Leto, the latest rendition of Skeletor is a cartoon-faithful take on the character with a twist: at the outset of the movie, he wins, plunging Eternia into 15 years of tyranny. Not that it makes the famously petulant Skeletor any happier.

"We loved [Skeletor] and we wanted to make sure that those things that we loved about him came through on the screen," Knight tells GamesRadar+. "He was funny, he was strange, he was scary, he was menacing, he looked cool. He was deeply insecure. He was always insulting his underlings. He had a very distinctive voice and a distinctive laugh. And so making sure that we had all of those things in the character was really important."

Much like Knight, a He-Man fan dating back to childhood, Leto had his "own history" with He-Man, before signing up to play ol' skullface. "He loved He-Man when he was a kid, just like I did," Knight says. "And Skeletor was his favorite character. So he really wanted to create a distinctive villain that honored everything that came before, while at the same time putting our spin on it. And he gave an incredible performance. I just think he's so fun to watch."

Unlike the main star behind a certain masked Mandalorian, Leto gave a full physical performance as Skeletor, donning a prosthetic suit each day on set. Though the final result was achieved using an impressive mix of filmmaking techniques, including a full-CG skull face.

"Ultimately, it comes down to collaboration of disciplines, because he's wearing this incredible muscle suit that was put together by our prosthetics master Barry Gower. He has this incredible costume made by our costumers led by Richard Sale, so he's on set completely performing for his fellow actors, and the only thing that wasn't there on the day was the skull of the face.

"Jared's face was replaced by CG animation," Knight continues. "And the animators did an extraordinary job of capturing the nuance and the personality that Jared brought to the physical and the vocal performance, and so the face is really emotive. You wouldn't think that would be the case for a skull, but there's a lot of personality and a lot of emotion in that skull!"

For Knight, there was no question that Leto needed to be present on set. Leto's vocal performance, meanwhile, needs to be heard to be believed, and lands somewhere closer to Tom Hardy's Bane than Thanos.

"It was important to me, because it's not just the voice or the facial performance. So much of what we love about an actor is what they do with their body. How they physically move, it can communicate so much, so many different types of emotions just based on someone's bearing, how they walk across the room. Jared understood that the physical performance was a big part of it. There's so much that he brings to that aspect of it that has nothing to do with what you're hearing or what you're seeing in his face."

Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine, Jared Leto, Camila Mendes, and Idris Elba, and reboots the classic Filmnation cartoon. If you're wondering how the new movie reckons with He-Man's "wildly internally inconsistent" mythology, Knight told us all about that, too.

Masters of the Universe releases in theaters on June 5. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out your year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

While there have been many animated shows, comics, and even a previous live-action movie over the last four decades, Masters of the Universe has never been a franchise where mythology is considered sacred. So when it came to adapting Masters of the Universe once again, director Travis Knight didn't feel beholden to previous takes on the character.

Speaking with GamesRadar+ at a press event in London, Knight – who fell in love with He-Man aged eight through the original Filmation cartoon and action figures – addressed the new movie's relationship to continuity in He-Man canon. "It's certainly something I thought about," he says. "But anytime you've got a property like this, a world and a series of characters that have been around for over four decades, the continuity is going to be all over the place. And it is in this property. It's wildly internally inconsistent. So, in the end, you have to decide what you embrace and what you leave behind."

For Knight, that meant embracing the original source. "It was always going back to the toys, the little mini-comics, and the Filmation cartoon from the '80s. That was really what we used as our foundation. We make choices based on where we want these characters to go, but that really was the baseline. We drew from other sources, some aspects of the '87 live-action movie. There were some obscure newspaper comic strips that we pulled from. But the foundational element was the original '82, '83 era."

That much is plain to see in the movie, which faithfully renders He-Man, Skeletor, Teela, Cringer, Man-at-Arms, and the more obscure/bizarre likes of Fisto, Ram-Man and Mekaneck as if they've just leapt out of the cartoons. In the new movie, Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) is stranded on Earth after Skeletor's forces destroy Eternos. Fifteen years later, Adam returns to embrace the mantle of He-Man, and liberate Eternia from Skeletor's tyrannical rule, but he's not exactly the hero of legend that everyone expects.

Despite heading up stop-motion studio Laika, and working in animation for much of his career, Knight didn't keep up with He-Man's mostly animated output over the years. "[He-Man] was a huge part of my childhood, but there were so many different iterations since then, and that was not something that I vibed on [at the time]," Knight admits. "But getting acquainted with some of that stuff now with fresh eyes as an adult, it was interesting to see what remained and what changed. For me it was always about: hold on to what made it pure and interesting to begin with, which was where it started."

Masters of the Universe might not be picking up directly from any previous adaptations, but Knight previously revealed how the new movie is acknowledging the original animated series by imagining "What would happen if [Skeletor] actually won?" In the same interview, Knight also claimed that fan-favorite character She-Ra will "play a huge part" in any sequel. Thankfully, those sequel prospects are looking promising – early verdicts have billed Masters of the Universe " as one of the biggest surprises of 2026."

Masters of the Universe releases in theaters on June 5. For more, check out our list of upcoming movies, or plan out your year with our 2026 movie release dates guide.

The Way isn't just a nifty catchphrase. For Din Djarin and his fellow Mandalorians, it's a way of life that adds 'never showing your face to an enemy' to its list of many rules and regulations.

Pedro Pascal's Mandalorian has already broken that creed on multiple – albeit necessary – occasions, but The Mandalorian and Grogu movie has unmasked the Star Wars character for longer than at any point in Din's prior history across three seasons on Disney Plus.

As per numbers crunched by Star Wars Holocron, Din Djarin is unmasked for 270 seconds in The Mandalorian and Grogu. By comparison, The Mandalorian seasons 1-3 offer a shade fewer moments of unmasked action, clocking in at 259 seconds.

Towards the movie's third act, The Mandalorian and Grogu sees Din Djarin pulled in front of the Hutt Twins and his helmet removed – a moment that Pedro Pascal said made "perfect sense."

"When we got to that part, all I can say is that it made perfect sense, and it was what I was hoping would be the reason," Pascal told Empire. "If I were to pitch something, I would say, ‘The only thing that makes sense is...’ And that’s exactly it. He filled that blank. I said immediately, ‘Jon, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear!’"

Previously, Mando has taken off his helmet to say goodbye to Grogu, as well as showing his face to IG-11 after being seriously wounded at the tail-end of the first season. This is the first time he has been forcefully unmasked, however, which is probably why we saw Pedro Pascal's face for so long.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is now in cinemas. For more, check out our guide to The Mandalorian and Grogu ending, plus a look at the full Star Wars timeline.

The Mandalorian and Grogu director Jon Favreau has revealed he got in touch with J.J. Abrams about using the Anzellans again.

The very first Anzellan brought to screen was Babu Frik, everyone's favorite little guy from The Rise of Skywalker – which was directed by Abrams (he also helmed The Force Awakens).

Speaking to SFX magazine about bringing Dave Filoni's creation Embo into live-action in The Mandalorian and Grogu, Favreau explained: "We were developing the live-action version of him and showing Dave versions – we've got to show Dave. Because there's a special thing, when you use a [character] – even though it belongs to Star Wars, if somebody came up with the character, you go [to them].

"Like when I was working with the Anzellans, I called up JJ," he continued. "And JJ came to the set. Because you want him to know that, you know, 'I appreciate what you did. Can we – do you mind? Are we handling this well? Are you happy?' And with Embo, same thing with Dave."

Now, the Anzellans first returned in The Mandalorian season 3, so it's not totally clear if Favreau reached out about the Anzellans for the show or the new movie. But, J.J. Abrams is thanked in the credits of The Mandalorian and Grogu, so it seems this story explains why.

The Anzellans end up having quite the pivotal role in the first Star Wars movie in seven years, too, so we're sure Abrams is very happy with how the little guys are doing.

Next up for Star Wars is Ahsoka season 2, which has an early 2027 release window.

Until then, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review or our guide on how to watch all the Star Wars movies in order.

Steven Spielberg's next film, Disclosure Day, is getting rave early reactions.

The film stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, and it revolves around the revelation that we are not alone in the universe. Our alien neighbours look to be far creepier than the likes of E.T., however: the extraterrestrials have been revealed as having long, spindly fingers.

"I loved #DisclosureDay," says Gizmodo's Germain Lussier. "A dense roller coaster ride blending chase film, love story, & mystery, all wrapped in sci-fi wonder. It's Spielberg's best film in 20 years, filled w/ all the magic that makes his films so special, plus an all-time character/performance by Emily Blunt."

"#DisclosureDay is the weirdest movie Spielberg's ever made (complimentary)," says journalist Bill Bria. "Breathtaking compositions, David Koepp's X-FILES-meets-The Bible script is one big high-wire act, Emily Blunt's most accomplished performance, John Williams' best score in years. Riveting, moving stuff."

"In a shock to absolutely no one, Steven Spielberg has delivered another towering home run with #DisclosureDay," says Collider's Steven Weintraub. "I could go on and on about what I loved, but I was lucky enough to see the movie knowing almost nothing, and I strongly recommend you do the same. Stop watching the trailers. The one thing I will say: Emily Blunt is incredible. I know big summer movies aren't usually the kinds of performances that get awards-season attention, but once people see what she does in this…"

"Disclosure Day is ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! Truly something special," says Rotten Tomatoes's Tessa Smith. "I was hanging onto every word, captivated by the story as it all played out. The score perfectly elevates every single scene. Part mystery, part Twilight Zone, something new entirely. I shed a tear at the end. WOW."

"DISCLOSURE DAY is top-tier Spielberg, as exhilarating as RAIDERS but with the emotional texture & increased ambition of his post-9/11 work," says IndieWire's Jim Hemphill. "Right from the opening, Spielberg lays down the gauntlet and reminds you that he does this stuff better than anybody in the history of film."

"I can't remember the last time I loved a Spielberg movie as much as #DisclosureDay – thrilling, funny, deeply emotional and impeccably acted (Emily Blunt, in particular, is astounding)," says TheWrap's Drew Taylor. "Full of mystery and wonder, it proves that nobody does it quite like Spielberg. Just great."

"#DisclosureDay is like E.T. and LOST in one," says media personality Brandon Davis. "Steven Spielberg is all in on engaging mystery and some astounding bits of camera work. Emily Blunt is exhaustingly good, Colman Domingo stands out. It's a mysterious, tense thrill that largely gives what it promises. Good movie."

"#DisclosureDay is profound and deeply human with a stellar Williams score," says journalist Simon Thompson. "Emotional and intelligent, it's the perfect companion piece to E.T. and Close Encounters. Superb performances across the board but Emily Blunt is wondrous. @disclosureday is truly soul-enriching Spielberg."

Disclosure Day arrives this June 12. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year.

It's been almost a decade since Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi hit screens, but one eagle-eyed fan has spotted a big difference between the final cut of the movie and the trailer.

The trailer for The Last Jedi, which landed on Star Wars' YouTube page in October 2017, includes a shot of Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 approaching the Jedi Temple only to find it destroyed and on fire. However, one Reddit user has found that the shot in the trailer does not include the many bodies strewn all over the ground in front of the temple, which is shown in the movie. "In the final version for The Last Jedi, you can see [dead] bodies in this shot, unlike in the trailer version," pointed out the fan.

The scene is actually a flashback from Luke's memory, as he recalls finding the bodies of the students he placed in his Jedi temple between Return of the Jedi and The Last Jedi. He believed that Kylo Ren killed the students. Kylo's motivations stemmed from his paranoia and dark thoughts due to his shift to the dark side. He thought that his uncle wanted to kill him after finding Luke standing over his bed one night with his lightsaber drawn.

The post has opened up a big discussion. One fan pointed out, "At the time the film came out, I think the implication was that the Knights of Ren are what some of the surviving Jedi students became, because Luke says, 'When I came to... the temple was burning. He had vanished with a handful of my students. And slaughtered the rest.'" Another added, "It would also better explain why Luke gave up. He trained all these people only for the dark side to rise in some."

It is thought that Skywalker had brought Padawans to the temple to train, including his nephew, Ben Solo. Luke's sister, Leia, had previously expressed her wish for her Force-sensitive son to be trained under Luke, after she discovered a dark presence attempting to influence him. But after Skywalker entered Ben's room one night and briefly considered slaying him, Ben lashed out, creating a lightning storm that destroyed the temple and killed almost all of the students. However, in the movie, we don't actually see Kylo causing the destruction or harming the students.

Since The Last Jedi in 2017, the Galaxy Far, Far Away's cinematic universe has grown with movies Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Rise of Skywalker. This year, the first Star Wars movie in seven years hit the big screen. The Mandalorian and Grogu follows Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu, who join forces with the fledgling New Republic after the fall of the evil Empire.

For more, check out our guide to the Star Wars timeline, and keep up to date with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.

One Star Wars fan has given us all a full tour of the Din Djarin and Grogu homestead, and now I'm wondering if Mando is accepting applications for roommates.

The homestead was introduced at the end of The Mandalorian season 3, when Din Djarin and his newly adopted son, Din Grogu, settled down on Nevarro. In the show, though, we only got to see the house from outside.

The duo return to it in The Mandalorian and Grogu, and this time, while we get to see inside, it's only a glimpse before Grogu is forced to flee (with his Anzellan pals) and Mando literally blows up the roof to get to bounty hunter Embo.

But, thanks to the Fortnite collaboration, we can see the entire household. In the video, which you can watch below, we can see the grounds outside, including two blurrgs outside in a callback to season 1. The N-1 starfighter is also parked nearby, and there's a target range behind that. Round the front, you can even see Mando himself sitting next to the front door and enjoying some downtime, in a reference to the season 3 finale.

Inside, the house is simple, but very cozy. There's a bed against the wall and what looks like a smaller bed for Grogu on the floor beside it. On the other side of the house, there's a fireplace – with Mando's blaster mounted in pride of place above it – and a small kitchen and dining area. The whole interior is pretty spartan, but there are some rugs for decor. Check it out below.

Honestly, the whole place looks adorable, and I hope someday – in a potential The Mandalorian season 4 or somewhere else – we get to see Mando and Grogu spending a peaceful stretch of time in their homestead together.

"We wanted to build something that, yes, was a gaming experience, and you drop in with, I think, up to [12 players], and it's a fun adventure, but the backdrop is a very immersive one," Jon Favreau told us of the Fortnite collaboration. "And you could choose to go on the adventures within it, but you could also choose to explore. And we even developed other areas that we had either explored [or] thought about, so that you can actually explore and go throughout that planet."

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in theaters now. For more, check out our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, or our roundup of how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.

The Mandalorian actor has reacted to the positive reaction of The Mandalorian and Grogu. We're not talking about Pedro Pascal though, but instead the man inside the suit, Brendan Wayne.

Wayne took to Instagram to thank fans, writing, "The audiences have been heard from and we are overwhelmed by the positive response. We loved what we were making and hopefully now we can make more!!!"

The movie currently stands at 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it seems like fans are loving it a lot more than critics, as the movie holds an 88% audience score. In our The Mandalorian and Grogu review, we called the movie "a lot of fun with Baby Yoda's sheer adorableness doing a lot of heavy lifting."

Wayne booked the role of Din Djarin for the first season of Disney Plus series The Mandalorian back in 2019, and has helped bring the bounty hunter to life for three seasons, and now in the new movie. But wait, you might be thinking, 'I thought Pedro Pascal played the Mandalorian?', which is true, but it actually takes a number of actors to play Mando. Pascal provides the voice of Mando, and is who we see under the suit whenever he takes his mask off, which has only been four times so far.

However, most of the time, when the hero is in full metal armour, it's Wayne under there. When it comes to the stunts, mixed martial artist Lateef Crowder takes the wheel. Thanks to Mando following the strict creed that all Mandalorians live by, which involves never revealing their faces out of fear of banishment, you never really know who is under there.

Pascal, Wayne, and Crowder all return to play the bounty hunter in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Set after the fall of the evil Empire, which has displaced Imperial warlords throughout the galaxy, the movie follows Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu as they join forces with the fledgling New Republic. Directed by Jon Favreau, the movie also stars Sigourney Weaver as Colonel Ward, Jeremy Allen White as Rotta the Hutt, Steve Blum as Zeb Orrelios, and Jonny Coyne as Lord Janu.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is currently in theaters. For more, check out our guide to the Star Wars timeline, and keep up to date with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.