Connect with us

Entertainment

The Muppet Show’s Return Is Ruined By Filling It With Sly Adult Content

Published

on

The Muppet Show's Return Is Ruined By Filling It With Sly Adult Content

By Joshua Tyler
| Published

In a world gone mad, we could all use a little simple, silly, innocent fun. It’s the perfect time for a revival of The Muppet Show, and, on the surface, that’s exactly what Executive Producer Seth Rogen has given us.

His new version of the classic variety series on Disney+ looks, sounds, and feels exactly like the iconic Jim Henson series from the 1970s and 1980s. On that front, it’s a triumph. A perfect production.

Classic Muppet Show backstage chaos on Disney’s revival of The Muppet Show.

Except, there’s one big difference, and it’s this: Jim Henson’s version was the ultimate in wholesome, family-friendly entertainment. Seth Rogen’s version only pretends to be. 

It’s normal for family-targeted shows to work in a couple of edgy jokes that’ll go over the heads of little kids who might be watching with them. That’s part of the fun for parents. However, what would you think if instead of one or two sly adult references in your Pixar movie, there were twenty? Or thirty? And what if all those sly adult references were only about one specific inappropriate thing? At what point would you start thinking… hey, is this Pixar movie trying to tell my kids something?

Sabrina Carpenter makes Kermit uncomfortable by bragging about sleeping with a married man.

Because that’s exactly what The Muppet Show is doing. It’s only thirty minutes long, but I counted at least ten references to various kinds of sex in those thirty minutes. Actually, not just references, most of them seemed to specifically revolve around celebrating full-on, willful cheating.

There’s a joke where Sabrina Carpenter tells Kermit she likes kink. There’s an entire sketch that totally revolves around Piggy cheating on her lover. After that, it’s back to Sabrina Carpenter so she can brag to Kermit about banging a married man. 

Advertisement
Piggy cheats on her pig with a prawn.

Then there’s a segment with Maya Rudolph where she seems to be sort of getting frisky with a grumpy Muppet in the audience. Oh, and two of the musical numbers are popular songs about sex. Though the second one is sung entirely by rats, and it’s hilarious. The third song has Piggy replace Kermit as the object of Sabrina Carpenter’s desire. 

There are more, and to Seth Rogen’s credit, I guess, they’re all structured in a way that little kids probably won’t realize what’s going on. But it’s a significant portion of the show, which is a very weird thing to do for your debut episode of The Muppet Show. It’s not the jokes themselves so much as the volume of them, crammed into a short thirty minutes of otherwise perfect Muppet silliness.

Piggy replaces Kermit for a love song with Sabrina Carpenter.

I get and support the desire to work in some sly adult jokes for the parents; it’s a family show, not a kids’ show. But why are they all sex references? And why are there so many of them?

The best parts of The Muppet Show are when it does fully get away from sex and cheating and engages in sillier gags. My favorite was a setup early in the episode where a Beaker mishap leads to eyeballs bouncing all over the Muppet theater. That, in turn, snowballs into Maya Rudolph being pronounced dead, and ultimately ends in a classic saxophone gag buried in the end credits.

Rat Dance on The Muppet Show.

It looks and feels so much like The Muppet Show that I worry parents won’t realize their kids are being fed a steady stream of sexualization, or whatever it is. In an era when people are already wary of Disney’s tendency towards showing inappropriate content to minors, filling the debut episode of your attempt to revitalize the greatest family television show of all time with adult references is, to say the least, a very odd decision.

All the elements are there for The Muppet Show to be the right thing at the right time, if Seth Rogen can just get control of his libido. Maybe they’ll fix it in the second episode. Who am I kidding? This is a Disney show. Of course they won’t.

To throw or not to throw?

THE MUPPET SHOW REVIEW SCORE

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

President Trump Shares Racist Video of Michelle, Barack Obama as Apes

Published

on

020626_trump_truth_social_kal

President Trump
Goes Apesh*t on the Obamas!!!

Published


Advertisement

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

International Runway Model Cristina Pérez Galcenco Dead at 21

Published

on

Cristina Pérez Galcenco main getty 1

Cristina Pérez Galcenco
Global Runway Model Dead At 21

Published

Advertisement


Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Milo Ventimiglia Speaks About Being a New Dad and Expecting Baby No 2 

Published

on

Milo Ventimiglia is getting candid about a massive year, which included losing his home in the L.A. fires, welcoming his first child with wife Jarah Mariano just two weeks later and now, expecting their second baby together.

Appearing on the Thursday, February 5 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ventimiglia, 48, joked that he’d lost track of what day it was amid the chaos and that they “must be crazy” to go back to back with a second pregnancy.

“Got a beautiful daughter, she’s wonderful. What day is it?”  Ventimiglia joked to host Kimmel, 58, as he shared details of how he was adjusting to fatherhood after welcoming daughter Ke’ala in January 2025. “Thursday, wonderful. It’s the same as Wednesday or Tuesday, yeah. They’re all the same. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday…”

After Kimmel asked whether Ke’ala was keeping the This is Us alum awake at night, Ventimiglia shared that while their daughter slept through until early hours of the morning, he and Mariano still fretted over her.

Advertisement
Milo Ventimiglia Adorably Cuddles Infant Daughter Ke ala in Rare Family Photo 1 2180902394


Related: Milo Ventimiglia Cuddles Infant Daughter Ke’ala in Rare Family Photo

Milo Ventimiglia’s birthday was extra sweet this year, thanks to his daughter, Ke’ala. “Happy birthday Milo, husband, dada,” Ventimiglia’s wife, Jarah Mariano, wrote via her Instagram Story on Tuesday, July 8, alongside a white heart emoji. The This Is Us alum’s spouse, 41, gave fans a rare glimpse at Ventimiglia’s life as a dad with […]

“She’s actually doing great, she’s sleeping through the night. She loves to wake up at 5.40 in the morning and talk to herself. Kinda jabber on and whatnot. My wife and I are laying in bed, like ‘Does she have her [pacifer]?’ ‘I don’t know, I can’t tell from the monitor.’ ‘Did she poop herself?’ ‘I don’t know, I can’t tell from the monitor,’” he recalled. “And then you’re kind of like, after a certain period of time, you know this. You walk in there, you’re like, well, she didn’t poop herself, and she’s got her [pacifier], so the world’s good.”

Advertisement

Ventimiglia also admitted that while he initially had grand plans to be a “wonderparent,” he was forced to take a step back and acknowledge the pair had faced a “hard and wonderful” year after losing their Malibu home and becoming first-time parents in a short period of time.

Jarah-Mariano-IG_621217767_18551069788020190_4873764878711796448_n

Jarah Mariano.
Courtesy of Jarah Mariano/ Instagram

“Listen, my wife is the most unbelievable — Jarah, if you’re watching, you are the most unbelievable human being, creature, species of everything. She handles everything great. But you know, I mean, when you’re a first parent too, you kind of think you’re going to be this wonderparent,” he explained.

He continued, “I was striving to. I’m like, ‘Cool man, I’m going to be the healthiest, we’re going to feed this baby organic, we’re going to buy blenders, do all this stuff, we’re going to go argue with some dude named Kale about blueberries at the farmers’ market.’ Then after a while you’re like, ‘Oh, man, we had quite a year.’”

Ventimiglia was one of many celebrities and Californian residents who suffered the loss of their homes when fires wreaked havoc on the region last year. Mariano was heavily pregnant at the time and during his Kimmel appearance, Ventimiglia touched on the experience.

“If anybody doesn’t know, we lost our home in the fires in Malibu top of the year. It’s okay, it happened, thank you. Two weeks later, got the best blessing and our daughter was born. Six weeks later, on the road to do this movie that is coming out this month, I Can Only Imagine 2. Literally on the road,’” he said.

Advertisement
Milo Ventimiglia and Jarah Mariano 02


Related: Milo Ventimiglia Adorably Hugs Pregnant Wife Jarah Mariano at Event

Advertisement

Milo Ventimiglia and wife Jarah Mariano made their first public appearance since announcing that they are expecting their first baby. Ventimiglia, 47, and Mariano, 39, posed for some sweet photos together while attending photographer Brian Bowen Smith’s “Joyride” exhibit at Studio CT in Agoura Hills, California on Saturday, October 19. In one snap, Ventimiglia leaned […]

Joking that reality thwarted his super parent ambitions, Ventimiglia continued, “While you’re on the road you’re like, ‘Where’s my blender?’ It’s dawn. You’re not making organic foods anymore.”

After Kimmel trolled the Gilmore Girls alum about how much harder it will be to be a dad to two children, Ventimiglia also joked about being apprehensive about what’s on its way.

“You saw me hard swallow, right? I hard swallowed,” he remarked. “Now I know it’s coming. But at a certain point, don’t they start to entertain each other?”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Cruz Beckham Teams Up With Spice Girls For Sing-Along

Published

on

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham are seen leaving their hotel during Paris Fashion Week

Cruz Beckham is showing his support for mom Victoria Beckham courtesy of an impromptu sing-along of the 1998 hit song “Viva Forever,” with the Spice Girls themselves.

This is the latest in the three youngest Beckham siblings’ continued support for their parents, David and Victoria, amid the ongoing feud between the family and Brooklyn Beckham.

Article continues below advertisement

Cruz Beckham Teams Up With His Mom And The Spice Girls For A Sing-Along

In a video posted on Instagram, Cruz shared a look at himself playing the guitar, as Victoria and the Spice Girls (minus Mel B) sat around the table and sang a stripped-down version of the fan-favorite song, “Viva Forever.”

Advertisement

“I think I found my openers… you think they have potential? Something exciting coming later today 😉 keep an eye out and get involved,” Cruz captioned the video.

Cruz has always been a fan of his mother’s legendary pop star status, as evidenced back in 2023 when he got a “Posh” tattoo on his arm in honor of her Spice Girl moniker.

Article continues below advertisement

Victoria Beckham Has Been Spending Quality Time With The Spice Girls Recently

This is the second time in the last few weeks that Victoria has spent time with her Spice Girls group members, except for Mel B, who lives in Los Angeles.

Advertisement

In honor of Emma Bunton’s (Baby Spice) milestone 50th birthday, Victoria joined group members Geri Halliwell-Horner (Ginger Spice), and Melanie Chisholm (Mel C) on Saturday, January 24, for Bunton’s birthday bash

Victoria followed up the celebration on Sunday, January 25, by posting a photo on Instagram of the pop icons all together.

“Happy birthday to the most beautiful soul @emmaleebunton I love you girls so much @gerihalliwellhorner @melaniecmusic xxxxxxx,” she captioned the post.

David Beckham also couldn’t resist joining in on the special moment and left a sweet comment underneath the photo.

Advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

“This made me happy. I can only imagine how the Spice Girls fans feel @spicegirls @victoriabeckham special night celebrating Emma @emmaleebunton x,” he wrote.

Article continues below advertisement

The Beckham Family Presents Unity Amid Ongoing Tension With Brooklyn

David Beckham and Victoria Beckham are seen leaving their hotel during Paris Fashion Week
Spread Pictures / MEGA

Victoria was in the city to accept being appointed a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Ministry of Culture. She was presented with the award for her significant contributions to fashion and culture.

During her acceptance speech, she thanked her family, who were in attendance to support her.

Advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

Brooklyn Beckham Has No Current Interest In Reconciliation With His Family

David and victoria Beckham , Nicola Peltz Beckham and Brooklyn Peltz Beckham leave their hotel to go to dinner.
KCS Presse / MEGA

In addition to the shocking claims that Victoria “hijacked” the first dance at his wedding by dancing “inappropriately” and making him feel “uncomfortable” and “humiliated,” Brooklyn also alleged behind-the-scenes sabotage of his marriage and media manipulation.

“I have been silent for years and have made every attempt to keep these matters private,” Brooklyn wrote last month in a series of fiery posts.

“Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed,” he continued.

Brooklyn also made it very clear that he is not interested in mending fences with his family. “I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

Advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

Brooklyn’s Father-In-Law Recently Addressed The Family Feud

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

10 “Bridgerton” main cast members who left the series — and where they are now

Published

on


“Bridgerton” has persevered as a Netflix favorite despite the departure of OG stars Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor.

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Kaley Cuoco Weighs in on Ashley Tisdale’s Toxic Mom Group Drama

Published

on

Kaley Cuoco is sharing her two cents on Ashley Tisdale French’s “toxic mom group” drama.

Appearing on the Thursday, February 5 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the Big Bang Theory alum was asked via a fan question whether she had any thoughts on the viral parenting saga.

“I mean, if you don’t like being part of a group, just leave, baby,” Cuoco, 40, replied. “Do we have to talk about it?”

When host Cohen, 57, referenced Tisdale French’s The Cut essay and Substack post, both of which slammed her mom group, Cuoco doubled down on her belief that the public discourse surrounding the whole situation was unnecessary.

Advertisement
Stars React to Ashley Tisdale Viral Mom Group Drama Matthew Koma Haylie Duff Hilary Duff


Related: Stars React to Ashley Tisdale’s Viral Mom Group Drama: Matthew Koma and More

Ashley Tisdale French’s unfiltered commentary on being iced out of a “toxic” mom group has caught the attention of many fellow celebrities. In January 2026, Ashley — who shares two daughters with husband Christopher French — raised eyebrows with an essay for The Cut titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group” as she candidly […]

“You don’t have to do that. Just leave,” the actress, who shares daughter Matilda, 2, with Tom Pelphrey, said. Cuoco added, “Find a new group.”

Advertisement

In January, Tisdale French, 40, caused a stir when she exposed the dynamics of her mom group in a personal essay written for The Cut. In the piece, she called out the group as “toxic” and revealed she had ultimately quit it after feeling ostracized.

She did not mention any of the other moms involved by name, but Tisdale French frequently documented playdates with celebrities such as Meghan Trainor, Mandy Moore and Hilary Duff, each of whom have young children.

GettyImages-102792583Kaley-Cuoco-Weighs-in-on-Ashley-Tisdale-Toxic-Mom-Group-Drama.jpg

Kaley Cuoco and Ashley Tisdale in 2005.
(Photo by Michael Bezjian/WireImage)

“I remember being left out of a couple of group hangs, and I knew about them because Instagram made sure it fed me every single photo and Instagram Story,” Tisdale French wrote. “I was starting to feel frozen out of the group, noticing every way that they seemed to exclude me. … I told myself it was all in my head, and it wasn’t a big deal. And yet, I could sense a growing distance between me and the other members of the group, who seemed to not even care that I wasn’t around much.”

Tisdale French described parting ways with the other mom by texting the group that it felt “too high school for me, and I don’t want to take part in it anymore.”

After fans pointed the finger at the famous mom group as being the one Tisdale French was referencing in the essay, her representative denied the speculation.

Advertisement
How Ashley Tisdale Former Mom Group Is Moving Forward After Viral Essay


Related: How Ashley Tisdale’s Former Mom Group Is Moving Forward After Viral Essay

Ashley Tisdale French’s former mom group is ready to move on after her viral essay about their alleged “toxic” dynamic put all eyes on them. “The moms remaining in the group wish Ashey no ill will,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. The group of women — which many believe includes celebs Mandy Moore, Hilary […]

However, when Duff’s husband Matthew Coma, 38, uploaded a post mocking Tisdale French’s essay, it further fueled the fire and indicated that it was the celebrity group that included the Lizze Maguire star that Tisdale French had been talking about.

Advertisement

In his Instagram post, Coma took a swipe at the High School Musical star by sharing a fictional version of the article in The Cut.

“A mom group tell-all through a father’s eyes,” Koma’s article read. “When you’re the most self obsessed tone deaf person on earth, other moms tend to shift focus to their actual toddlers.”

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Cuoco is part of her own mom group. Following the headline-making drama surrounding Tisdale French’s mom group, Cuoco’s mom friends celebrated their own close connection.

“Mom groups are having a real moment on the interweb this week. Shoutout to my village, without whom I could be very lost and lonely,” Cuoco’s friend Ashley Jones wrote via Instagram on January 7, alongside several photos of their mom squad. “Tag your supportive ride or die mom group!”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

$50,000 Offered For Return Of Nancy Guthrie

Published

on

Savannah Guthrie and her mother at the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation's 37th Annual Gracie National Awards

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is now offering a $50,000 reward for the return of the 84-year-old, who disappeared from her home on January 31.

Article continues below advertisement

Police Offer Financial Reward For Nancy Guthrie’s Safe Return

Savannah Guthrie and her mother at the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation's 37th Annual Gracie National Awards
MPI28/Capital Pictures / MEGA

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the FBI, announced on Thursday, February 5, a $50,000 reward for the return of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, according to Variety.

Per the outlet, the reward is for any information leading to Nancy’s whereabouts and/or “the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance,” according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke.

“The FBI has agents, analysts and professional staff employees working day and night with our partners at the sheriff’s department,” Agent Janke said during a press briefing. “We have deployed additional intelligence and agents from our Phoenix office.”

Advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

Pima County Sheriff’s Department Recently Provided An Unfortunate Update In The Case

Savannah Guthrie
MEGA

Chris Nanos, of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, shared on Thursday that five days into the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance there are still “no suspects.”

“At this time, we have not identified a suspect or a person of interest in this case,” Nanos said at the briefing, per Variety. “We are working our best to do that. To be clear: we have nobody of interest or any suspects that you would consider a prime suspect.”

“I have no clue where that comes from,” he clarified. “We have been very consistent — we are not discussing that at all, whether it’s forced entry or not forced entry.”

Article continues below advertisement

Advertisement

Savannah Guthrie Posted An Emotional Video Begging For Her Mother’s Return

In a video posted to Instagram, alongside her siblings Annie and Cameron, a visibly emotional Savannah pleaded for Nancy’s return.

“We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” Savannah said in the video. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please, reach out to us.”

“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman,” Savannah continued. “You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy. We believe and know that even in this valley He is with you.”

Article continues below advertisement

Advertisement

The “Today” show co-anchor also stressed that she and her family will not give up searching for her.

“Everyone is looking for you mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment and we pray without ceasing and we rejoice in advance for the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you,” she said.

Article continues below advertisement

NBC Announced Replacements For Savannah At The Winter Olympics Amid The Search

Savannah Guthrie
MEGA

NBC confirmed on February 4, that Mary Carillo and Terry Gannon will host the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, while Ahmed Fahreed will host “Olympic Late Night,” as all three will take over duties from Guthrie, according to Entertainment Weekly.

“Our hearts go out to Savannah and the entire Guthrie family. They continue to have our full support,” Molly Solomon, executive producer/President of NBC Olympics Production, said in a statement announcing Guthrie’s replacements for the international sporting event.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

FBI Arrests ‘Imposter’ In Nancy Guthrie Case

Published

on

Savannah Guthrie with Blake Shelton On Today - May 2025

Savannah Guthrie continues to search for her missing 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie, and as authorities call on the public for help, they have been confronted with an imposter.

The FBI recently revealed that an arrest has been made regarding an imposter, and the ransom note that was sent demanding millions in Bitcoin funds.

Article continues below advertisement

FBI Confirms Arrest Of Ransom Demand Imposter In Search For Nancy Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie with Blake Shelton On Today - May 2025
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

During a press briefing on Thursday, February 5, FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke confirmed the arrest of someone claiming to be involved in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, according to Us Weekly.

“We have made one arrest related to an imposter ransom demand, and a complaint will be presented to a magistrate judge later today,” Janke said at the briefing. “You will get more on that from the FBI and our U.S. Attorney’s office here in Arizona when it becomes available.”

Advertisement

“There’s no evidence to connect this to Nancy’s case. It was someone that was trying to profit off it,” Agent Janke added.

He then gave warning to those who may be inclined to present false information regarding the case in an attempt to collect reward money.

Article continues below advertisement

“My next message is to those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation,” Janke said. “We will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions. This is an 84-year-old grandma that needs vital medication for her wellbeing. You still have the time to do the right thing before this becomes a worse, much worse scenario for you.”

Advertisement

Article continues below advertisement

Authorities Offer Reward For The Safe Return Of Nancy Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie
MEGA

Also during Thursday’s briefing, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the FBI, announced a $50,000 reward for the return of Nancy Guthrie, according to Variety.

The reward is for any information leading to Nancy’s whereabouts and/or “the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance,” per Agent Janke.

“The FBI has agents, analysts and professional staff employees working day and night with our partners at the sheriff’s department,” Janke confirmed. “We have deployed additional intelligence and agents from our Phoenix office.”

Article continues below advertisement

Advertisement

Despite Ongoing Investigation Police Have ‘No Suspects’

Savannah Guthrie
MEGA

Almost a full week since her disappearance on January 31, Chris Nanos of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, provided the update that there are still “no suspects” in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.

“At this time, we have not identified a suspect or a person of interest in this case,” Nanos, per Variety. “We are working our best to do that. To be clear: we have nobody of interest or any suspects that you would consider a prime suspect.”

“I have no clue where that comes from,” he clarified. “We have been very consistent — we are not discussing that at all, whether it’s forced entry or not forced entry.”

Article continues below advertisement

Authorities Confirm Positive Match Of The Blood Found At The Crime Scene

Savannah Guthrie and her mother at the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation's 37th Annual Gracie National Awards
MPI28/Capital Pictures / MEGA

According to PEOPLE, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have confirmed that the blood found on the exterior porch of Nancy’s Arizona home positively matches her DNA.

Earlier this week, authorities in the case previously labeled Nancy’s home as a crime scene after discovering what they described as “very concerning” conditions. They also said there has been “no proof of life” as of now.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Guess Who These Brothers Turned Into!

Published

on

Guess Who These Brothers Turned Into!

Before these two cool bros turned into a pop rock duo, they were just runnin’ the concrete jungle, writing music at just 5 years old … and surrounded by acting and writing!

They were on Nickelodeon — both part of “The Naked Brothers Band.” One bro was the lead singer and guitarist, while the other played the drums …

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Christoph Waltz Doesn’t Act to Have Fun, Even in His New ‘Dracula’ Film [Exclusive]

Published

on

caleb-landry-jones-dogman-stuffed-dog

Summary

  • Dracula stars Caleb Landry Jones and Christoph Waltz in a new reimagining of the iconic character.
  • The film marks another collaboration between Jones and writer-director Luc Besson following Dogman.
  • In a post-screening Q&A, Jones and Waltz discussed the creative process behind the film and their approach to bringing this version of Dracula to the screen.

Count Dracula has been reimagined for film countless times, but the 2026 iteration approaches the iconic vampire through performance, restraint, and atmosphere rather than spectacle. Directed by Luc Besson, Dracula stars Caleb Landry Jones in the titular role and Christoph Waltz as the Priest, a Van Helsing-like character. Joining Jones and Waltz in the film are Zoë Bleu, Guillaume de Tonquédec, and more. Rather than leaning into scale or excess, the film centers on its characters, physical transformations, and mood, following two figures on intersecting paths that gradually move toward confrontation.

Following Collider’s early screening in collaboration with Vertical, Steve Weintraub moderated a Q&A with the two stars of Dracula, where Jones and Waltz reflected on some of their favorite films from titans of the industry, what drew them to Besson’s script, and the collaborative demands of working with a writer-director who remains deeply involved throughout production. The pair also discuss preparing for demanding roles, performing under heavy makeup and armor, seeing the finished film for the first time with Danny Elfman’s score, and why not every part of the filmmaking process needs to be explained off-screen.

Favorite Films from Titans of the Industry

Plus their favorite theaters to catch a movie in.

COLLIDER: How’s everyone doing? While we’re getting set up, can I introduce Christoph Waltz and Caleb Laundry Jones.

Advertisement

CHRISTOPH WALTZ: Hello. Good evening.

How are you guys doing tonight while we’re waiting for the camera to get set up?

WALTZ: Thank you for coming, everybody. I’m completely over, not over, I’m whelmed. Not overwhelmed.

How long have you guys been in L.A.? I don’t know where you guys are based. Have you been in L.A. for the last little bit or?

Advertisement

WALTZ: Yes. Yeah.

CALEB LANDRY JONES: I just want to know what you guys thought.

I was telling Caleb outside, I thought he was great. I really, I really did. You know, you guys are both such. And we’ll talk about this when the cameras are going, but I really love both of your work. I really do.

WALTZ: Thank you.

Advertisement

JONES: Which of the Draculas was your favorite?

Oh, don’t even play that way. Listen, I really want to start —

JONES: Two people said this one, so I know.

I really want to start with a huge thank you for doing this Q&A with us and being here and to Vertical for partnering up to do the screening. And I just want to say thanks.

Advertisement

WALTZ: Thank you.

JONES: Thank you.

And thanks to everyone here in the audience for coming out tonight on the school night. I appreciate it. Before we jump into Dracula, I like doing a get to know you. Let’s call it the get to know your Dracula actor. And so, I’ve been doing this with a lot of people recently, and I’m just very curious. It’s about filmmakers that I love and most of the audience loves. For each of you, do you have a favorite Martin Scorsese movie?

WALTZ: I have a favorite Martin Scorsese movie. It may be Mean Streets. And it’s not because these fabulous actors were so young and beautiful. It’s because it’s really, you know, especially historically for its moment in time, an almost revolutionary movie. And, yeah, I don’t care for the big things so much.

Advertisement

Just to follow up on that, there is a fantastic Scorsese documentary on Apple TV right now. It’s a five part session and it really gets into his early days.

WALTZ: It’s five parts, big thing, right?

JONES: $9.99, $14.

Yeah, but it’s a fantastic doc. Do you have a favorite Scorsese? You want me to move on to the next?

Advertisement

JONES: No, I was just thinking of a favorite. It’s tricky because there’s probably three, but the one that made me want to go to film school and stuff was Who’s That Knocking at My Door, because I’d never seen anything like that. Especially from an American film director. And it made me think, “Oh, you can make that in film school. You should go to film school.”

Sure. There’s a pretty cool screen card of your film that’s now above you.

JONES: Of Who’s That Knocking at My Door?

Exactly.

Advertisement

JONES: Oh, wonderful.

The next part of this question is another filmmaker. Do you have a favorite Christopher Nolan?

JONES: No, no, I like The Following a lot. I really liked that movie.

There’s two more. The next one is, Mr. Spielberg. It wasn’t.

Advertisement

JONES: The Following was… Was that a student film or just the first film?

It was his first film.

JONES: Was it in school?

He was filming it, like over the course of a few years, I believe, when he could get the actors and money. I could be wrong about that.

Advertisement

JONES: I like that.

Do you have a favorite Spielberg?

WALTZ: I forget the title. With the truck chasing the car.

JONES: The Duel, I think, right?

Advertisement

WALTZ: Yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah. That really is my favorite Spielberg.

I’ve heard a few people say that actually.

JONES: I love The Animaniacs, but he did not direct that.

It’s a good answer. We’ll let it go. This is the last one.

Advertisement

JONES: That’s hard.

I mean, yeah, the next one’s the hardest. Actually, I’m a huge Stanley Kubrick fan. And do you have a favorite Kubrick?

JONES: Wow. Yes.

WALTZ: You know, I run through the Kubrick movies through my head and said, “Yeah, this is not… The next one. Yeah. This is no, no, that. Yeah. This.” And I can’t decide. I actually admire them all to a degree where I’m incapable of picking, favorite.

Advertisement

I think he’s an amazing filmmaker.

WALTZ: Yeah, you could say that.

Yeah. I mean, truly. And if anyone in the audience is not familiar with his movies. Please —

JONES: Go see Doctor Sleep. That was a bad joke, I’m so sorry.

Advertisement

One last thing before we get into your movie. I love seeing movies in movie theaters. I just love it so much. For each of you, do you have a favorite movie theater?

WALTZ: There is a tiny little theater in Vienna, and it unfortunately has closed down recently. It’s called the Balleria. And it was there since, I think, the 20s of the 20th century. And it is the loveliest little theater. And they only play sort of copies of films that only old people would know. I think that’s my favorite movie theater in the world.

JONES: That’s so sweet.

WALTZ: Yeah, you should come.

Advertisement

JONES: Well, they closed it down.

WALTZ: Maybe they’ll reopen.

JONES: I don’t have a theater like that. My theater got bought by Regal, and that turned into a massive mall of a place, but a great place to see Lord of the Rings. I loved it when I moved here, the cheapest cinema was the Beverly Cinema, and you could catch two movies for nine bucks. And so that was the one. And I lived a block away from Arclight and Egyptian’s not too far, so. But I never made it to Egyptian. But I was always excited that they were playing things like Bunuel.

WALTZ: This here was a nice movie theater when it was still a nice movie theater.

Advertisement

I have to say, one of the things that I really enjoy about this theater, this used to be an Arclight, and what I really like is what they’ve done with these screens. I’m dead serious. Like, this is some state of the art stuff in terms of projection.

WALTZ: But they don’t project anything onto it.

Do they actually project here?

WALTZ: Occasionally. Tonight.

Advertisement

We have one room that has projection here. Where exactly?

JONES: All right, there you go. I’m not sure what that means. Yeah, well.

We’ll just shoot. We’ll shoot it, but then just move on. Okay.

Advertisement

Reuniting With Besson After ‘Dogman’

“So it was a real honor for a filmmaker that I revere to come back to me with something else in this way.”

caleb-landry-jones-dogman-stuffed-dog
Caleb Landry Jones looking at a taxidermied dog in the movie Dogman
Image via Shanna Besson/Europacorp

So, jumping into the film, one of the things that I read and what Luc told me was because of your work with him on Dog Man, that he was inspired to work with you again, and he was thinking about what can I do with you? And that’s where Dracula came in. And so what is it like as an actor when a director is that enamored by your performance that he wants to keep working with you?

JONES: It’s what I was looking for when I came out to L.A., when watching Scorsese, watching one movie back to back with something else. I don’t want to bring up Klaus Kinski, but, you know, when I read on the back that… or Jim Carrey shooting The Mask and — what’s the other one where he goes backwards, Pet Detective? You know, like the same year or something. I’m amazed by that. I’ve been fascinated by that for a very long time. Or Keaton from Beetlejuice to Batman. So it was a real honor for a filmmaker that I revere to come back to me with something else in this way. This is a real, very special thing.

Advertisement

Reading the Script and Collaborating With a Director-Writer

And why Jones trusts Besson the way he does.

I know you both read a lot of scripts. What was it like reading Luc’s script for this for the first time? And what was it about the material that said, “Oh, yes, I really want to be a part of this:?

JONES: Page 8. But you guys don’t know what that is. But we do.

WALTZ: With Luc it’s not a thing. Not a result. Before you actually start working on it. And it makes a lot of sense, you know, that it’s still a living organism. That that needs to be tended to and cared for. So you get you don’t read a script as something set in stone and say yay or nay. You enter a conversation and a discussion and that’s how you find yourself involved. All of a sudden, pleasantly and interested and engaged and all of a sudden you’re on a stage in a costume shooting this and you, in a way, you still continue deliberating. And that’s actually how it should be.

Actually, I want to do a follow up. If you don’t mind. I’m a big fan of Luc’s work. Can you talk a little bit about the collaboration on set with him? Because he writes and directs and he’s so involved in all the shots. What is it like collaborating with him, and how is he possibly similar or different to other filmmakers that you’ve worked with?

Advertisement

WALTZ: You answer that.

JONES: Okay. I mean, I’ve said things like this before, but on sets, you hear so many problems, and it can take hours and hours until there’s a solution. If there’s a solution they’re days or weeks or months or a year later for reshoots for the solution. And Luc is finding the solution immediately. And it usually means he has to step in and do it himself. But it’s also part of why I feel like I can trust him in the way I do when working with him because of how he works, the way he works: he’s investing all of himself. And he is not losing focus from the film ever while making the film. And these things alone are, I think, very rare. I’m usually very upset with the director when I see a director take the eye off the ball and joke around or start to become fearful about what we’re doing and what people will think. This stuff becomes very difficult suddenly, and Luc is always solving the problem. And together. We’re solving it together in some ways, too.

When you say scripts and Christoph is talking about, did you say delegating or deliberating? What was the word with the D? Yeah, it was with a D is a D word. And, you know, the end of the movie was something we were talking about probably from the beginning. I don’t know about yourself, but that was something from early on discussing, and “It doesn’t feel right. What is it?” And yada, yada, yada. Christoph and Luc were working on this together, and I kind of stepped back a little bit and said, “Yes, that looks good,” not knowing myself if it’s right or wrong, but I talk way too much, I thought.

Advertisement

The Comraderie Myth in Filmmaking

And how each actor prepares for a role in a film as heavy as ‘Dracula’.

I thought that answer was great. One of the things about the film is you’re both on different paths throughout the film leading up to that confrontation. I don’t want to do spoilers or anything, but what was it actually —

WALTZ: Just in case you haven’t seen it.

But what was it actually like when you guys filmed together? Was it towards the end of the shoot? Was it on purpose towards the end? And what was it like finally collaborating on screen?

JONES: We filmed and we went home to a separate place.

Advertisement

WALTZ: Yeah, if you don’t mind, please. It was pleasantly professional. You know, this whole camaraderie myth is a myth. I just exaggerated it to call it a myth. It’s important to get along with people, and we got along, and then we have our things to come back to after work. And I think that’s how it should be. You don’t need to get married to shoot a movie together.

I’m a huge fan of both of your work, and I think that what you put on this film is just fantastic. And I’m always curious about how actors get ready for roles because I’m just so impressed. So when you’re getting ready to do a role like this, for both of you —

JONES: There’s a lot of bad takes in there, Steven. I fell off the horse a few times.

But I never saw it. But that’s the movie magic.

Advertisement

JONES: That’s what I’m saying. That’s what you saw.

But I am really curious about what it’s like in those weeks leading up to the first day of filming in terms of, for both of you, how do you like to get ready for a role and if you could just talk a little bit about it?

WALTZ: It’s actually very straightforward. You start very relaxed and comfortable with yourself and then the tension increases slowly until you really hate yourself. And then you start working.

The thing is, I think you’re probably telling the truth with that.

Advertisement

JONES: I think there’s a lot of truth to that. For me.

But I mean, being serious, like you have to deliver this very intense emotional performance and you really put it on display in this. I really am curious, how are you thinking about the role before you’re stepping on set? If you could just talk a little bit about it. It seems like you might be reluctant, but I’m trying.

JONES: No, I’m not sure, honestly. Just trying to keep up. It’s hard to know what century I was in most of the time. When I was in makeup, I knew what timeframe it was. But when I wasn’t, sometimes I was very lost. Yeah, I don’t wanna bore him, you know?

Well, I’ll say something. I spoke to Joaquin Phoenix about the way he likes to work and he was reluctant about talking about it, but he said his favorite days on set is when he starts working and all of a sudden he realizes it’s lunch. Like he sort of disappears into the role and I found that so fascinating because it, you know, it was just…

Advertisement

WALTZ: You know that can be medicated.

That is true. But I think he was being sincere, you know?

JONES: He doesn’t eat?

No, he doesn’t do anything.

Advertisement

WALTZ: In all seriousness, I think there is no formula. There is no recipe. Everything, every role demands something else. Every day demands something else. Every scene demands something else. Every partner, every director. So that’s why experience helps because, you know, just to have something to fall back onto. But there is no, if someone says, “This is how I do it and this is how I always do it,” then, well, I’m happy. Good luck. It must be great to do it that way. I wouldn’t know.

There’s going to be a lot of fans of this movie and I love learning about the behind the scenes of the making of film and, like, interesting facts. So is there anything that you think would surprise people to learn about the making of Dracula?

WALTZ: No. You know, of course, if I may, I hope you forgive me, beg to differ because I don’t think it’s a positive thing to disclose what’s going on behind the camera. Now, everybody is an expert. Everybody criticizes a movie from a perspective that is not necessarily an audience’s perspective. Being an audience is, I mean, I’m talking about myself when I’m an audience, is a responsibility set aside from the responsibility from the ones who make the movie. There is the screen in between. And I think that’s how it should be. I don’t want to know how they made it. I just want to see what they made.

JONES: Some people really want to know what nail polish and breakfast and regimen.

Advertisement

WALTZ: It’s turned into a fringe industry and I think the focus needs to go on the story.

Okay. I’m curious how you found the voice of the character, Caleb.

JONES: A dialect coach. A dialect coach worked for three months on dialect and then it was a lot of just… groaning every morning and will it so.

Advertisement

Armor, Makeup, and the Physical Limitations of Both

“Sweat isn’t helpful.”

An ancient-looking Dracula stands in front of a window, over a banister, looking down.
An ancient-looking Dracula stands in front of a window, over a banister, looking down.
Image via Vertical

Something else I want to touch on. I loved the armor that you have in the beginning and I love the mask. Your mask is badass and I’m just curious, A, did you take it home and B, can I have it?

JONES: No, Luc’s got all of that stuff in a collection. So maybe someday we can see it in a museum. But yeah, no. But that was made by Terry and I forget his last name who worked on Excalibur. I love that movie a lot. You don’t love that movie, I bet.

WALTZ: No.

Advertisement

JONES: But it’s a great movie. Anyway, I’ve seen it five times, six times.

I want to do one other thing, which is I thought your makeup was exceptional when you’re 400. And I love the hair, I love the makeup and I talk a little bit about, do you enjoy working under that kind of thing? And part two is, is there any temptation to leave set when you’re in that kind of makeup just to get people’s reaction?

JONES: No.

I would so be taking it for a spin.

Advertisement

JONES: You’d think that. But no, no, no, you get that when you come out and nobody’s seen it and you get that and then you just want to get it off as soon as possible. But at the same time, it was not much. Frankenstein was crazy, this was nothing. They had it down to like four hours by the end and it was putting on gloves and then doing several pieces for the face and the chest. But they had it, I think, at a very, very easy job when it came to that. But you just hope it stays on, you know? And we get it.

How does that actually work though? Is it one of the —

JONES: Sweat isn’t helpful. That’s what I mean. You can’t poop. And you can’t eat, you know?

Dead serious.

Advertisement

JONES: Which works for Dracula.

I am actually legitimately curious when you’re in that kind of makeup or you’re wearing a costume that is very restrictive…

JONES: You could poop, that was my choice. And you could eat, that was my choice too.

How much though.

Advertisement

JONES: To not reapply later.

I am really serious about how much does that impact what you are putting in your body legitimately? Like are you thinking about certain liquids or certain foods?

JONES: Oh yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, don’t… I’m sorry to talk about it. You know, poop in the morning and make sure you don’t have to for the rest of the day. But that’s more because also-

WALTZ: That’s so interesting.

Advertisement

JONES: I’m giving you guys this stuff he said we don’t wanna give. Because I think there is something to it. And I love watching a three hour fan made something. But yeah, I’ll stop. But no, all those things somehow become helpful.

Seeing the Finished Film and Hearing the Score

“That’s what the music’s supposed to do: it opens a new dimension.”

Dracula approaching a woman in a white gown near a horse-drawn carriage.
Dracula approaching a woman in a white gown near a horse-drawn carriage.
Image via Vertical

What was it like for both of you seeing the film for the final version for the first time and hearing Danny Elfman’s beautiful music?

Advertisement

JONES: Yeah, we were upset that you cut it on this. Somebody cut it so fast. Guess we gotta get out of here.

It has to do with the Q&A.

JONES: I thought it was because of the police at a certain time, you can’t, because it’s not a theater that’s open every day.

100%. What was it like for both of you seeing it for the first time and hearing his music and the way Luc had cut it together?

Advertisement

JONES: I mean, I love Danny Elfman from The Simpsons onward, so that was amazing to see the movie. It’s just, you’re seeing the movie and you’re in the movie and you’re in a lot of the movie and you’re watching it back and it’s a little hard to watch. And so, luckily there is music that takes you away from that. There’s this particular sequence, I think, more at the end of the second act, if I’m not mistaken, where the music really starts to take hold where they start to charge the castle and he really gives it to the music in that way. And that was, I remember being very happy to see that in a movie and to be a part of that, you know? Because music gets used now. It’s like, I don’t know, the music is… I’m picky. So many people just play the keyboard, you know? Nothing against John Carpenter. Just, you know, there’s some really good stuff out there. A lot of it happened before I was born.

WALTZ: That’s what the music’s supposed to do: it opens a new dimension. So when you see it finally all mixed together, it is a different film. And, you know, I think you’re lucky if the music is that great. Because, as I said, a new dimension and a much, much grander dimension.

I’m just about out of time with you.

JONES: I was just thinking music’s so important and sometimes we’re watching movies. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t know if AI wrote the script or if AI did the music or just folks just gave up, you know? So it’s very special to… Danny does the… I don’t know.

Advertisement

Looking Ahead and Outside of ‘Dracula’

“I take my work very seriously.”

Camilla, Bash, and Jay in the Velvet Room in Only-Murders-in-the-Building-Season-5 Image via Hulu

No, no, I totally get what you’re saying. Christoph, just an individual for you. How much fun did you have being on Only Murders in the Building?

JONES: I just saw that, by the way.

Advertisement

WALTZ: Well…

JONES: I really liked it!

WALTZ: You know, along the lines of the above-discussed topics, I don’t really go to work to have fun. I take my work very seriously. Of course, you can have fun, but it’s a different kind of fun. And the fact that it is a comedy does not really influence the work itself so much. And comedy is just more difficult than the rest. So you have to be more precise and more attentive and more concentrated and more focused. And that way, I have more fun, but I admit only my kind of fun.

And my last question. Caleb I believe you co-wrote Down the Arm of God. I’m not actually sure when it’s coming out. What can you say about it, and what inspired you to co-write the script?

Advertisement

JONES: It feels weird with Christoph here, so I don’t want to take too much time. It’s a film that I believe very much in and with people that very much need a voice. And it’s a social impact film, I guess you can say, but these films are very hard to make. And nobody wants them right now. It’s frustrating. But I think that kind of work is very important.

100% agree. I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Dracula is in theaters now.


Advertisement
dracula_-a-love-tale-poster.jpg

Advertisement


Release Date

February 6, 2026

Runtime
Advertisement

129 minutes

Director

Luc Besson

Advertisement

Writers

Luc Besson, Bram Stoker

Advertisement

Producers

Virginie Besson-Silla, Luc Besson

Advertisement

Advertisement


Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025