Monty Python strikes again with Life of Brian, a spoof of Biblical proportions that centers on Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a man who had the misfortune of being born on the same day as Jesus (Kenneth Colley). At birth, Brian is mistaken for the messiah, and it’s a recurring theme throughout his life.

Brian’s infatuation with Judith Iscariot (Sue Jones-Davies) leads him into the revolutionary factions who want to break Judaea free from Roman rule. From there, Brian’s story becomes increasingly absurd, including his face-to-face meeting with Rome’s governor of Judaea, Pontius Pilate (Michael Palin). This movie is hysterically funny for reasons you’ll just have to see for yourself.

Life of Brian is streaming on Prime Video.

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Jerry Bruckheimer has given us some amazing movies. From Pirates of the Caribbean to Top Gun, the producer is behind some of our favorite titles featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. This year, he has bagged his second Oscar nomination for the Brad Pitt-led sports drama F1. The movie directed by Joseph Kosinski is competing for Best Picture, Visual Effects, Film Editing, and Sound. The movie was a big surprise right from the start; first, it got an unexpected reception at the box office worldwide, becoming a critical as well as commercial success, but its unexpected Oscar nominations cemented the movie as one of the best sports films in recent memory.

Bruckheimer was at the Oscar luncheon recently, where he discussed the impact of F1 among other movies. But the conversation took an interesting turn when he was asked about his other highly anticipated movies: Pirates of the Caribbean 6 and Top Gun 3. Interestingly, Kosinski directed Top Gun: Maverick, which brought Tom Cruise back as the titular character, and was Bruckheimer’s first Oscar nomination. Its success led to the announcement of a third movie in the franchise.

On the other hand, another installment of Johnny Depp-led Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is long overdue, although its lead star’s return is still in limbo. While the producer stayed tight-lipped about revealing anything about the projects, he did confirm to Entertainment Tonight that both are under development, saying, “I think it’s a horse race between the two of them, so we’ll see.” When pressed for which one is ahead in the race, he affirmed:

“Right now, Top Gun is a hair ahead, but that’s it. We’re expecting a script shortly.”

What Do We Know About ‘Top Gun 3’?

The success of the Top Gun sequel in a post-pandemic period practically saved Hollywood when it hit four summers ago. The way fans turned up to see Maverick and his new squadron cemented their love for cinema and eagerness to see movies on the big screen. So the bar for Top Gun 3 is going to be really high. Kosinski previously revealed the status of the script to Collider, saying, “I’ve said a few things about it. We’re working on it. Ehren Kruger’s writing the script as we speak. The idea of it is very exciting.” He further shared the scope of the film, revealing, “The scale of it is massive. It’s going to make Maverick feel small in comparison, honestly. That’s all I want to say. It’s very exciting. But we’re working on the script.”

Meanwhile, Top Gun: Maverick is streaming on Paramount, and you can check out F1 on Apple TV. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.

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Release Date

May 27, 2022

Runtime

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130 Minutes

Writers

Ashley Miller, Justin Marks, Peter Craig, Zack Stentz

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Prequel(s)

Top Gun

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By Jennifer Asencio
| Published 18 seconds ago

Episode 5 of The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin is titled “The Price of Failure.” While that may seem like the name of a young adult book, it’s a layered story that deftly establishes the future of the legends we know.

The cold open is not the only time we see Merlin as a child, as his past is woven throughout the episode through flashbacks that explain his “missing years.” All this history is resurrected in his memory by a necessary return to the lands of Yr Hen Ogledd, the site of his childhood. His Atlantean heritage doesn’t help him, either, since he’s hardly aged while people he knew in his youth have.

Meanwhile, Aurellius and Uther have gathered the kings of England to make an alliance that names Aurellius high king, where they are having troubles of their own. Gorlas has the most battle experience and thinks he should lead the armies, much to the chagrin of notorious hothead Uther. But when Uther goes to negotiate with the war leader, his life will be changed forever.

A Step Back From The Previous Episode

This episode wasn’t quite as good as the last, mainly because it lacks the kind of large-scale battles that made the last so intense. However, there is a lot of drama here, as tense negotiations are taking place across England. Gorlas, played by experienced Arthurian actor Chick Allan, delivers vigorous opposition, but the intrigue runs throughout as characters work at cross-purposes to undercut one another.

There are a couple of instances of errant CGI in the episode: Merlin’s eyes always seem to glow when he does something magical, and this hasn’t improved. A wonderful scene of approaching Saxon ships would have been even better (and eerier) had it looked a tad less cartoony. Merlin’s magic tricks this time aren’t as overwhelming as they should be, including a levitation scene in which the harness on the actor is so obvious that you can tell where the crane must have been. I have to admire the use of practical effects and the adept deletion of their mechanics, but it reduced the dramatic effect of what was supposed to be an important scene.

However, these scenes are offset by attention to other important facets of production.

You’ll Believe You’re In The World Of King Arthur

The makeup that comprises wounds and injuries that are important to the story is very well done and really conveys the savagery of 6th-century fighting. A scene in a medical tent is brutal in its realism. None of this ever devolves into gore, but empathetic viewers will cringe and wince along with the patient.

The settings this time were extremely well-done. The war camp brings the audience into the reality of early medieval campaigns. Most notable is the stronghold of Goddeu, which is stunning both inside and out. I can forgive if the long exterior shot was CGI, because the interior sets brought it to vivid life as a working structure with real people living within its walls.

The natural scenery steals the show, though. Lush groves are juxtaposed with green-blue river valleys and rocky coasts. One mountainous valley where a child gets lost conveys such urgency and isolation that it makes me wonder how many other children have wandered through there and never come back. The lighting that accompanies the episode’s resolution illuminates it in gorgeous gold, heightening the scene’s contrast.

Great Performances Continue Carrying Pendragon

Alex Laurence-Phillips once again shines as Merlin’s sidekick Pellaus. He doesn’t have as much to do in this episode other than comment about events, but his snappy dialogue, coupled with the actor’s comic timing and expressive delivery, make him the best part of the show. This was the only thing that kept me engaged in the events in Goddeu.

Myles Clohessy’s Uther displays all the character’s infamous temperament, while Aurellius, played by Finney Cassidy, confidently holds in at bay while trying to charm the other kings. The dance between them and Gorlas was so engaging that, no matter how gorgeous the set of Goddeu was, I couldn’t help but want to be back in the war camp watching the machinations taking place. The men dominated this episode, with only two important female characters involved: the mysterious Ganieda and a young princess with a big destiny.

Arthurian Legend And Christianity Collide

Fans of Arthurian legend will start to recognize the names of some of these characters. Uther, for example, is a very important figure to Camelot, and so is Morgain. A few of the other names are more obscure, and I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but once these figures begin to come into the scene, it’s hard not to anticipate what’s coming.

What must be said for Stephen Lawhead’s writing and Jeremy Boreing’s adaptation is that they were very aware of this when they wrote it, and they use what the audience thinks it knows against us. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, that anticipation is deftly subverted without being ignored.

Christianity appears a little more prominently in this episode, as key characters have converted to the new religion. The overtones are a little thick at times, but the show has still gone out of its way not to attack or denigrate other religions. The cold open contradicts itself by declaring an action ignorant, then showing the very same character performing the ignorant act, but religion in the episode is highlighted by one of Rose Reid’s few appearances, when Charis gives Merlin very sage advice about belief.

The Pendragon Cycle Maintains A High Level Of Quality

Although Episode 5 wasn’t quite as good as its predecessor and doesn’t use the techniques that succeeded for Episode 4, the script is still strong enough to be interesting. Once again, I compare it to its most famous competitor, Game of Thrones, because there is a very similar struggle going on. Several people think they should be in control of events and are willing to come to blows for it. The biggest difference between that show and this one is that the places were real, and the diffracted kings recorded in poetry.

The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin has risen to the level of the Westeros saga, and even when there’s not a lot of action, there’s still plenty of conflict. There are only two episodes left after this one, and it will be exciting to see how the series concludes. Episode 5 drops at 9 pm on Thursday on Daily Wire+.

James Patterson‘s Cross returned for a second season — but who did and didn’t come back to the cast after a shocking onscreen split and another surprise hookup?

Cross, which premiered in 2024, is based on the Alex Cross novel series written by Patterson. The series follows forensic psychologist and homicide D.C. Metro Detective Alex Cross, who pursues some of America’s most dangerous killers. Together with his partner, Cross navigates the perils of the criminal underworld while trying to keep his family safe.

In addition to Mason and Lillard, Cross stars Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd and Jennifer Wigmore.

“Every time you go into a job, every episode is a new adventure. You really have no idea what’s coming because both of us went in and auditioned. We fought for these parts and at that point, Cross hadn’t existed yet. The TV show hadn’t been on yet. So when we got the jobs, we were signing on to the 10 pages that we had as sides to audition for,” Lillard, who plays Lance, exclusively told Us Weekly in February 2026. “It’s a real joy playing these characters and being a part of this world [because] Cross is now this worldwide phenomenon.”

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Lillard praised Cross’ viewership, adding, “They got 40 million views in the first 20 days. So we’re now really excited to be a part of this hit show. We are excited about people joining us on this whole journey. It’s gonna be a blast.”

Keep scrolling to see who did and didn’t return for season 2 of Cross:

Aldis Hodge

There would be no Alex Cross without the main character so Aldis Hodge is still front and center in season 2.

Isaiah Mustafa

Similar to Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa is back as Detective John Sampson.

Alona Tal

Season 2 took Alona Tal’s character Kayla for a turn when her work with Alex Cross led to them sleeping together.

Samantha Walkes

Speaking of Alex Cross’ love life, Samantha Walkes is back as Elle in season 2 but she is no longer dating him when the show picked back up.

Jennifer Wigmore

After being a main cast member in season 1, Jennifer Wigmore’s Chief April Anderson is now credited as a special guest star.

Eloise Mumford

Eloise Mumford was introduced as Shannon in season 1 — a role that she isn’t reprising moving forward.

Ryan Eggold

While Ryan Eggold was the major villain in season 1 a.k.a Ed Ramsey isn’t expected to come back for more episodes.

Jeanine Mason

Season 2 introduced Jeanine Mason as the new person Alex Cross was hunting down. She is named Rebecca but her real name is Luz.

Wes Chatham

Another newcomer is Wes Chatham, who is starring in the role of Donnie throughout the sophomore season.

Johnny Ray Gill

Bobby Trey appeared in season 1 but is still playing a role in season 2.

Matthew Lillard

Matthew Lillard has been cast as billionaire CEO of Crestbrook Industries Lance Durand in season 2.

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 7 seconds ago

Stranger Things finally ended late last year, to a mixed reception from fans, some of whom were holding out hope for a secret final episode that would give them the real ending. That never happened, but instead, rumors are circulating that Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the Broadway play about Vecna’s early life, will be filmed this week for a future release on Netflix. The streamer has yet to officially confirm the rumors originally reported by Collider, but if true, this is the strangest release strategy possible. 

Stranger Things: The First Shadow Breaks Free Of Containment

Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered in London’s West End back in 2023. At the time, the Duffer brothers explained that the play would be considered canon, which turned out to be true when the finale referenced the play within the play, “Dark of the Moon,” Henry Creel’s time as a student at Hawkins High, and most importantly, Henry’s experience in the cave. Viewers watching the finale didn’t know why the cave was so terrifying to Henry, who the man was with the case inside it, and why that rock was so important. Now, months after the finale, fans unable to attend the play will be able to connect the dots. 

As the final season aired, fans on social media complained that only a small fraction could watch the play and understand key lore, leaving many feeling the season was incomplete. Stranger Things: The First Shadow was a unique way to introduce Henry’s background and expand on the origins of the Upside Down with a wild new twist that ,again, the Duffers have said will be vitally important to the franchise going forward. It’s understandable that Netflix would finally relent and allow the play to be filmed for the streaming service since the upcoming prequel goes deep into what started this mess in the first place. 

No one has said which of the Stranger Things: The First Shadow casts will perform in the filmed version, and again, it hasn’t been officially confirmed, but the play did black out time this month, which is highly unusual while a performance is running. Ever since it was first announced, rumors swirled that the play would eventually be streamable, but at this point, it feels like any rumor about the franchise’s future could be true. Or none of them. 

The Murky Future Of Stranger Things

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, the upcoming animated series set between Seasons 2 and 3 and based on the canceled video game, is the only spin-off confirmed to be coming anytime soon. The upcoming spin-off set in a different decade with an entirely different cast is rumored to center on the mysterious stone, the establishment of the Nevada research lab, and how the Philadelphia Experiment ties into the arrival of the Mind Flayer. Then again, it’s also rumored to be set in the 90s with a different generation of kids battling a re-emergence of the Mind Flayer. 

The big question is, will any of this satisfy Stranger Things fans who were let down by the final season? The answer is no, because in today’s world, fandoms of all types run away with their own headcanon and theories about what should really happen, though in their defense, some fans have fantastic and creative ideas that really do outshine canon. Stranger Things: The First Shadow, finally getting a wide release months after it mattered, will be salt in the wounds of the series’ biggest fans.