Entertainment
Divisive ‘Man of Steel’ Controversy Officially Reignited With ‘Supergirl’s Ending
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Supergirl.’
Just last year, DC Studios co-chief James Gunn finally launched his first feature that would set the tone of the new DCU, introducing David Corenswet in Superman as the titular Kryptonian hero. The movie was a healthy dose of Kal-El’s stubborn optimism and a clear picture of Gunn’s vision for the future, but an altogether different hero wasn’t far behind on the horizon. Working in tandem with Gunn and Peter Safran, director Craig Gillespie now proudly offers an answer to Superman’s hopefulness with Supergirl, starring House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, whose internal battles aren’t for Earth’s acceptance but for her own.
Unlike her cousin, Kara’s past trauma has left her cynical and resentful of this role of protector that’s been thrust upon her. For Gillespie, writer Ana Nogueira’s script, based on Tom King’s comic miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, was all about navigating this turbulent emotional journey, manifesting on screen as an action-packed western of sorts that allows Kara to embark on over half of the nearly two-hour runtime without ever donning a supersuit. And while it’s an emotional and unapologetic look at superheroes, Supergirl brings every ounce of DC’s more fantastical moments, from Jason Momoa as the larger-than-life Lobo to Kara’s best friend and superdog, Krypto.
In this exclusive interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Gillespie discusses finding the tonal balance for Supergirl’s DCU debut, from changes made in the edit to determining how much Lobo and Superman screen time was necessary to push Kara’s story. He also talks about the inclusion of the Kryptonian sequence, how he brought his previous directorial style from I, Tonya, Cruella, and “even Lars and the Real Girl” to Supergirl, deleted scenes, finding the visual language for the film, and much more.
Craig Gillespie Explains Kara’s Difficult Decision at the End of ‘Supergirl’
“That was something James [Gunn] felt very strongly about.”
COLLIDER: How did the film change along the way from when you first got the script to what people are going to see? Did it go through huge revisions, or was it pretty close to what you made?
CRAIG GILLESPIE: Amazingly, it’s pretty close. Honestly, one of the first things that I asked her to do was to prolong as long as possible her wearing the superhero outfit. In the original script, it was a lot earlier. I sort of designed it in a way, obviously, the ship gets stolen at the beginning, and the suit’s on it, so she gets to not have to wear it for a while, and that was important to me from an emotional standpoint. But the ending was always there, from the get-go, and I loved that that’s where they wanted to go with the film.
I love the ending. I’m watching the movie, and I’m not sure what is going to happen with Krem. Are they going to let him go? When she does that, honestly, I was all on board. I’m sure there was a lot of debate behind the scenes about whether or not she would do this, but I think it shows the difference between what she’s been through and what Kal-El has been through. Can you talk about that?
GILLESPIE: Absolutely. It was amazing because that was something James [Gunn] felt very strongly about, and it was in the script. There were conversations leading up to that day of, like, “Do we shoot a backup version?” And every time, it would come back, like, “Nope. Just go with that.” To have that kind of confidence that we wouldn’t be in a test screening and suddenly they’re like, “Ooh, yeah, we completely misread that,” was amazing. It was never debated. It was something that we stayed true to, and James was 100% behind it all the way through. Knowing that that was our North Star, and that they were willing to go that far with the film, gave you license for so many other things.
Also, if we go back a number of years, one of the things that really bothered a lot of people about Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is Superman killing Zod, and I viewed it as times have changed, and Zod is going to keep killing people, so what do you do? That’s that version of Superman. But in James Gunn’s universe, Superman is that North Star of good who believes in redemption for everyone, and I think that the difference between Supergirl and Superman is a great thing that can be mined for story.
GILLESPIE: Absolutely. They come from such different backgrounds. She’s come from trauma. She’s come from loss. She’s come from seeing a lot of suffering, and never being discussed that this is going to be her role in life. She wants to stay there and die with her family, so to suddenly have this thrust upon her, she resents it. She’s resisting all of it. She doesn’t even know if she’s capable of it. Everything about it stayed true to that logic, and that was the emotional journey that she was on.
Why Kara Speaking Kryptonian in Her Flashback Was So Important
“We had this linguist who created five different languages for the film.”
I love the stuff on Krypton because you see another side of Krypton that you haven’t seen, but in the middle of the movie, you have this big scene that’s not in English. From the studio’s perspective and from your perspective, how long can you get away with this where it’s not going to be in English? Can you talk about what the debate was on how long you could speak in Kryptonian?
GILLESPIE: You just reminded me. That was not in the script. That was something I decided I wanted to do, which was to have them speak in a different language, almost for the authenticity of it, as strange as that sounds, because it’s a language we created. But to really make it feel grounded and like it’s of another world, in watching other films where this is done, that, to me, is where you really start to feel like it’s layered and complex and we are going throughout these different universes. I can’t tell you how many of the actors were like, “Are you sure we need to do this in another language?” [Laughs] It’s formidable, and some people are better at it than others. That was the scene that just blew me away.
We had this linguist who created five different languages for the film, and then that was off of my plate. I knew the actors had to go and work with the linguist, and work on this and learn this phonetically. I never really talked to Milly [Alcock] about it, and then we got to the scene with her and David [Krumholtz], and it’s an incredibly emotional scene. It’s four pages long. “Action,” and out of the gate, she just killed it. Absolutely killed it to the point that there were hairs standing up on my arms. She was so engaged and emotional and nuanced with it, and it’s a completely made-up language. I remember that day being like, “Wow, she’s such a master of her craft.” Between being able to do that, the humor, the drama, and the physicality that she’s doing for five and a half months for this, she was just killing it every day.
The stuff with her and David is great. And like I said, I liked seeing something on Krypton that I hadn’t seen before.
GILLESPIE: That scene and how much we broke them up, that was one scene that moved around a lot in the movie, in the edit.
I’m always fascinated by the editing room because there’s always so much that happens. With all Marvel and DC movies, they’re always plussing the movie to make it better and to learn from early screenings. How did this film change in the editing room once you started getting feedback and seeing what people were thinking?
GILLESPIE: In terms of plussing it, and the thing that surprised me in the edit, throughout the film, we kept trying things. I love to be spontaneous. I stay by the camera, I’m throwing out ideas and throwing out jokes and throwing out things to Milly as we’re shooting, and vice versa — she’s trying things. You like to have that arsenal in the edit room so we can figure out the tone of the movie, like, “How much humor do we want? No humor?”
That was the surprising part of it, because literally we have this ticking clock, and there were a lot of jokes that we ended up having to take out because it just felt like she’s not in a joking mood. She’s pissed off, and she’s on a mission, and every second counts. So every time she would stop to have a joke or be sarcastic about something, we really had to weigh up, “Is it true to her character and where she is emotionally right now,” and make those sacrifices. So there was a lot of leaning it out more and making it tighter in a way, and that was an interesting learning curve to the edit. She is almost like this missile on a mission throughout the film, and it got leaner and leaner in that sense.
Who was the one you showed it to who gave you a note that you had just missed somehow completely? It was oblivious to you, and you’re like, “How did I miss this?”
GILLESPIE: It’s a good question. The first person I always show it to is my wife. We’ve been together for 40 years, 34 years married. She’s very straight and blunt and honest. I know if I’m in good shape after she’s seen it. She saw the first rough. It’s hard to imagine, but as soon as the movie finishes, she was like, “How does she not reunite with the dog?” That scene we have in the tent was a pickup. We had the part at the end where Krypto was there running through the field and everything, but that interstitial scene there… As soon as the credits came, that was her first response. I was like, “Oh my God, you’re right. How did we not shoot that?” So there you go. That was one thing.
[Laughs] I’ve spoken to so many filmmakers, and there’s always something that you miss. By the way, it was everyone on set. Every single person. It’s not just you.
GILLESPIE: Yeah, nobody was like, “Should we show him getting the anecdote?” [Laughs]
The whole movie is about saving a dog, but we’re not going to show the reuniting because that’s not important.
GILLESPIE: We had them reuniting in the field, but it just wasn’t the same.
Craig Gillsepie Explains Superman’s Small but Important Role in ‘Supergirl’
Superman and Supergirl will return in James Gunn’s ‘Man of Tomorrow.’
Superman is in the movie, but he’s a minor part. I would imagine there’s a lot of debate from the studio, like, “How much do we want Superman in the movie? Where is he going to be in the movie?” Because I’m a huge Superman fan, I want to see him in the movie, but it’s not a Superman movie.
GILLESPIE: It ended up being a great, organic thing. There was that discussion as we were putting him in the film because that was something that wasn’t in the initial script, was the conversation when she’s brushing her teeth at the beginning of the film. It was like, “Do we do a flashback here? Do we do this or that?” And I really liked the idea that he was calling here on a video phone, and keeping it in her space and in her environment, and not going to him on his planet, and saving those moments where they were actually physically together for later in the film.
So that was something that we sort of mapped out throughout the movie. And again, you don’t need a lot. A little goes a long way. So there are sort of these emotional touchstones along the way where she is that worked beautifully as these signposts, in terms of their relationship. So that was the main goal of Superman in this film.
I love the stuff with her in him when she has returned. She goes through so much. Where she starts at the beginning and where she is at the end, we see her journey, and we understand at the beginning why she is the way she is, and we understand at the end why she is the way she is. For fans, there’s something so great about seeing the two of them together, both on the same page. Can you talk about filming that stuff?
GILLESPIE: I sometimes like to give myself options, so I actually shot that scene with David [Corenswet] in the superhero outfit and then David as Clark Kent, trying to do a surprise birthday for her. Very quickly, when we cut that together, to your point, you wanted to see the two superheroes together in their outfits. It was abundantly clear. And it is a magically understated moment between them, which I love.
She’s not “cured.” She’s not at peace, necessarily, but she’s definitely come to terms with her responsibilities. I think it’s still going to be a journey to her, but that’s what’s exciting about it. You do see she’s gotten a darker place, and part of that whole journey was that she was very much running away from it, and she was forced to deal with it, obviously, through Krypto, but also Eve [Ridley], as a character, who was almost a mirror to the trauma that she’d been through in a different kind of way, a very drastic trauma. So when she starts trying to preach to her how to deal with that, she realizes she’s not doing that, and that was a very interesting dynamic to have for the two of them.
‘Supergirl’s Lobo Was Always Going To Be Jason Momoa
“Fifteen years he’s been championing it.”
I definitely have to bring up Lobo. Was it always going to be Lobo, or did you guys discuss another character?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] Jason [Momoa] has wanted to do this role forever, and he’s perfect for it. Fifteen years he’s been championing it, I think, so pretty much out of the gate, it was like, “Yeah, we’re going to have Jason for Lobo,” and he was thrilled with it.
Then, it was about, “Alright, so there have been decades of comics with Lobo. Where are we zeroing in? Which version of Lobo will we do?” We very quickly gravitated towards the ‘90s and all the outfits and how close we stayed. Because you’ve seen in the comic book world, they’ve gone a long way away from, sometimes, where comic books are with their outfits, but we really wanted to stay true to a version of Lobo, and Jason did too. He had a very strong point of view on that, as well.
When he came on the set, it was, in the best way, this sort of injection of adrenaline, because there’s a certain energy to Milly’s performance, which is exactly what it should be. She’s an outsider, and she’s quieter, and she’s subversive and sort of sarcastic, but then Lobo comes in, and he’s like a tornado. He literally comes out of a fireball in that scene. He’s so gregarious and unfiltered in the best way, and to see those two clash, it was always some of the funnest scenes to shoot.
Was it always going to be Lobo hungover in a bar, the way you introduce him? I do like how he’s in the bar, and Milly’s like, “Don’t look at him. Don’t talk to him. Don’t engage this man.”
GILLESPIE: Yes. It was always written that way. And Jason, of course, in the best way, once he gets up to the bartenders, that was primarily the script, but he’s improvising in places, and I do love when actors get to improvise. It’s always something that I get excited about. So, to see the way that they can react to each other, because that’s acting to me, is the reaction, to see when they can play and to have that banter, that’s when it really comes alive, and Jason was very game with that.
When you think back on the Lobo stuff when you were filming, is there a scene or a moment with Milly and Jason that, when you think back, you always zero in on?
GILLESPIE: It’s in the bar. It’s literally him coming up and asking about her, and then her slinging under and doing the Valley Girl impersonation. And then when he’s like, “Stop, you’re giving me a headache.” I think that was an improvisation from Jason.
Once Jason agreed to do Lobo and he’s in the movie, I’m sure there’s debate between how much it’s going to be a cameo and how much we want Lobo to be in the movie. Where is the line? Because for a lot of men, that’s what they want to see. I love that it’s two women leading this movie, but being honest, a lot of men go to see superhero movies, and they want to see Jason as Lobo or Superman, and you have to balance, “How much do we want to have?”
GILLESPIE: It is a dance, and it’s absolutely that balance. Obviously, the priority is that this is Supergirl’s film, so it’s like, how much can we get away with? There was even to the point of, in that final action sequence, the balance of, like, a few less explosions and carnage on the Lobo side, in which case he comes in and just causes mayhem. So, it was that dance of that balance, of when do we get back to then Milly taking over? And you want to leave the audience wanting a little more. That’s always the best part, too. You don’t want to overdo it. You don’t want to overcook it.
No matter how much money you have and no matter what your schedule is, there are always sequences that the line producer or someone will say, “Are you sure we need this?” What was something that you were fighting for, even against the budget and schedule?
GILLESPIE: Candidly, it was shooting in Iceland. As much as there’s stuff that’s done on stage, we got to go to Iceland and shoot some sequences there, and it sets the look for the whole third act. What I love about that, where she lands and walks out and collapses, and Eve coming out of the cave and going down to the water, is that it holds the visual effects companies beholden to make it as authentic as what we’ve already shot. It’s great for them that they’ve now got the canvas that they have to replicate, in terms of lighting and the clouds. So it just makes it all feel so much more authentic, and that was something that I really threw down my sword on at one point.
I’ve thankfully been to Iceland before, and it is really like visiting another planet. The actual location, there’s no set deck, it’s just another planet.
GILLESPIE: Literally, when she comes out of that cave and walks down to that lake, that’s all in camera.
I say the same thing about Malta. It’s like stepping back in time. It’s incredible. Anyway, what is a tiny background detail, costume choice, or prop that you hope fans obsess over?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] The pooping alien.
That’s a great gag.
GILLESPIE: Also, Alan Tudyk on the space bus.
Of course.
GILLESPIE: That was a really fun surprise.
It was. Once you hear his voice, you know exactly who it is. He’s okay. He’s talented.
GILLESPIE: He might have a future.
Exactly. So you’ve mentioned the intense debate over where to place Kara’s single allowed PG-13 F-bomb. Without spoiling the exact moment, what was the funniest or most absurd scene where you considered using it but ultimately had to say, “Let’s save it?”
GILLESPIE: It was probably the arm wrestling scene. She had a good F-bomb in there.
Was there a lot of debate on where you wanted to place it?
GILLESPIE: It’s also, again, to that point that we were talking about with her being locked into getting to save Krypto; that was some of the jokes that we’d have to sacrifice. It’s a fun moment, but again, maybe she’s having too much fun in the moment. Ultimately, that scene was longer, the whole arm wrestling part of that, and then we ended where she just snaps it. She’s just moving forward, like she’s propelling the plot. That was a sort of discovery in the edit.
It’s also Harrison Ford just shooting the dude in Raiders.
GILLESPIE: Exactly.
‘Supergirl’s Deleted Scenes Expand on Eve’s Backstory
“There’s like 10 minutes of stuff that is not in the movie.”
It’s great when someone super powerful doesn’t play around. It’s “Let’s just move on.” You’ve obviously finished the movie, and eventually this will be out on home video. Let’s not pretend it won’t be. Have you actually prepared a bunch of deleted scenes, or are there things you’re going to give to the fans down the road?
GILLESPIE: Yes, we’re working on that. The amount of scenes is what we’re trying to figure out. But yeah, there’s a few.
Is it something where you would think about an extended cut, or is it always the theatrical cut with deleted scenes?
GILLESPIE: We’ve tightened it, so there’s like 10 minutes of stuff that is not in the movie, but it’s all part of the same scene, so to speak. So, I’d say some of the other things. There’s a scene we’re thinking about where we get to see Eve’s family. We do a whole section of that that used to be the front of the film.
So it’s basically more with the family before Krem, and everyone shows up.
GILLESPIE: Yeah, and ultimately, we felt we didn’t necessarily need that. It’s those small sacrifices that you make to propel the movie on.
Totally. That’s why I love physical media. But some directors I’ve spoken to do not like showing deleted scenes, and others are selective with what they’re willing to show. It’s the balance.
GILLESPIE: It is a balance. Then there are the alternate scenes, as well. Is that good or bad? So, we haven’t quite figured out the list yet. Right now we’re just in the middle of getting the film out.
Judd Apatow has done a lot of alt scenes where they’ll show multiple versions with different jokes and stuff.
GILLESPIE: I enjoy those scenes because you sort of put your own director’s hat on, like, “Would I put that in, not put that in?”
100%. It’s interesting because in a lot of movies, filmmakers will do that, but with superhero movies from Marvel and DC, they tend not to do that. It’s very meticulous what the studio will allow out. It’s a little different.
GILLESPIE: Good to know. [Laughs]
Good luck, because I would love for you to do this. I love that home video stuff. There are five original alien languages created for this film. Did you ever catch Milly or the cast cursing at you in Kryptonian when a scene took too many takes?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] I’m betting they were. Here’s my flaw as a director: “Let’s do one more.” Milly would be like, “It’s never just one more.” But I knew she was saying, “Let’s go again!”
You’ve directed ice skaters, fashion villains, hedge fund chaos, and now Kryptonians. Which one has the most dangerous set of fans?
GILLESPIE: I would probably say the hedge fund guys. There are some pretty aggressive lawyers.
They also have way too much money.
GILLESPIE: Yeah. That’s a scarier proposition.
You’ve directed complicated, messy, funny characters in movies like I, Tonya and Cruella. What made Kara Zor-El feel like a Craig Gillespie character?
GILLESPIE: She’s so similar in so many ways to characters I’ve done in the past, whether it’s I, Tonya, Cruella, or even Lars and the Real Girl with Ryan [Gosling]. They’re these outsiders, or these misfits, who have often been through some kind of trauma and are trying to find their way and find their own identity. Ultimately, their imperfections are what make them so relatable. I love to go on that journey and find out what makes them beautiful.
How Craig Gillespie Found a Unique Directorial Voice for ‘Supergirl’
Gillespie has previously worked on ‘I, Tonya’ and ‘Cruella.’
What’s the most Craig Gillespie scene in the film?
GILLESPIE: It’s probably her drinking in the bar at the start. [Laughs] It’s funny, I love being able to meet her character that way. It’s just not what you expect of a superhero. She’s running away from all of her responsibilities; she wants to hide, she’s got nobody other than Krypto, and we see all of that happening in a singular scene. Then, against her better judgment, she can’t help but help someone. Having all that wrapped up in one scene as an opening was really amazing.
James Gunn has spoken extensively about creating a DC universe with distinct directorial voices. What is the specific thematic boundary you pushed in this film that you think would never have been allowed in a traditional, formulaic studio superhero movie?
GILLESPIE: I think it is that unapologetic nature of this character. To see, particularly, a female superhero that’s so flawed and almost self-destructive in a way, with her going to the red planets and trying to escape with alcohol, to be able to start there, but have a female character as a superhero that’s not sexualized, that can just look like she’s rolled out of bed in rumpled clothes, and give basically zero fucks. All of that stuff was incredibly exciting for me to be able to present, like a really grounded, fully formed character that is not perfect and is more beautiful because of that, and more relatable, I think, for the audience.
Also completely different from Superman. We don’t want two of the same character. There has to be a difference.
GILLESPIE: I know. That was wonderful to have that sort of friction and juxtaposition. I do love that line where she’s explaining it upstairs in the bedroom to Eve, and she’s like, “Oh, he’s a nerd.” She’s like, “He sees the good in people, and I see the truth.” They have such a different perspective on life.
You find out you’re going to do this project. What is it like as a director, because you must have known a little bit about DC, but I don’t think you knew everything. What is it like once you get to the gig in terms of the preparation? How much are you reading? How much are you diving deep on every character to understand the lore, and how much is it like, “I have so much to do. I can only read so much, so what do I really need to know?”
GILLESPIE: The amazing thing is Tom King’s version of Supergirl, Woman of Tomorrow, is so different than what’s come before it. So having that and then Ana [Nogueira]’s script, that was my North Star, and I started there. I deliberately stayed away from everything else. I think the trick is, too, you can’t second-guess people. You’ve got to sort of stay true to yourself, and so I put together a deck of what I wanted to do. If they didn’t want to do that, no harm, no foul. So I had 120 images; I came in, it was gritty, it was quite dark. She was very rough around the edges as a character. I pushed to not have her be in her superhero outfit until late in the movie. All of these things that excited me about it.
I had the one meeting with James, and in that meeting, I said to him as we were talking, “How much do you want this to be in your universe?” Right out of the gate, he’s like, “We’re taking each one as its own graphic novel, as distinctive as a graphic novel is with its illustrator and writer. This is your version.” And because most of this movie happens off-planet, I had to invent it all, which was incredibly exciting and ultimately daunting as hell. I mean, there are like 50 aliens on that bus. All the wardrobe, the languages, every planet, the different spaceships. I’d turn around and be like, “Give her a coffee cup,” and they’d be like, “Which planet is it from?” It’s not a coffee cup from Earth. You can’t just grab things. So that part was daunting, but the freedom we had to do all of that was kind of amazing.
Everyone loves George Lucas and Star Wars, but a lot of people forget that he was doing all that in ‘75, ‘76, designing all these aliens, all the tech. People just forget how genius it was, what he accomplished back then.
GILLESPIE: Honestly, to do a movie now that’s just set on Earth… Like 70% of our production was taken up with that development — all these aliens, all the looks, all the languages. I think they’re on seven different planets. The transportation and the backstory of that. Krypton, we’re reinventing that in its own way. So, that was an enormous undertaking, just every aspect of that, between wardrobe, production design, the cinematography. We were trying to make it look different in each place.
It’s funny you mentioned cinematography because that was my next question. How did you end up with Rob Hardy, and what were those initial conversations like in terms of telling him what you wanted to accomplish and working together on the visual aesthetic of what you wanted to put on screen?
GILLESPIE: I love his work. He has such a range, from Ex Machina to Mission: Impossible. I had my regular DP, who sadly was not available, who I did Cruella and I, Tonya with, Nicolas Karakatsanis, so I went to Rob, and I showed him the visual deck that I had. We started with that. One of the first questions was, “How gritty can we go?” And I was like, “I think we can go as gritty as necessary. We don’t have to shy away from that. We’ve been given that opportunity, and I want to lean into running with it.”
He quickly latched onto some of the late ‘80s, like Thelma & Louise was sort of a big inspiration for the bar scenes with the neon. There was a lot of color going on in that period, and so we looked at that as a reference and faced a lot of practicals that had those colors and influence, like in those bar settings. Same with the space bus. There was a lot of color going into those sections, and we really tried to differentiate each emotional space. By the time we get to Bilquis, it’s pretty grim in terms of color. There’s a lack of color there on that planet, and we talked our way through all of that.
The other thing, which I love with Rob Hardy, in terms of the grittiness of it, is that he really insisted on a lot of that action sequence shooting outside, even though there would be big blue screen sections to it, up on the decks — we built that whole deck — but he loves the imperfection of that, and that you have to chase the light. There are things that aren’t perfect, whereas if you’re on stage, everything looks perfect all the time. So, it’s constantly trying to give it that grit.
You’ve said that the camera language shifts with Kara’s emotional state. What emotion was the most fun to translate visually?
GILLESPIE: I actually did really enjoy the fight on Bilquis. The first one was in the bar, and we said, “Let’s make this Eve’s perspective, because we’re going to see a lot of action through the film.” So that was fun to see with her and to see the wonder of it. The second one, she’s angry, and to have her be angry with a superpower and also poison, so she’s not completely in control of her faculties, to see a superhero on the edge that might lose it and go too far was a really fun dynamic to have in that sequence. But then, I love the final sequence of the big wraparound because it’s poetic. She’s fully embraced her character, and you see the awe from Eve. So, I love how they’re all so different, honestly.
One thing people don’t realize is that when you’re filming an action set piece, that can eat up a lot of time in your schedule, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. Hypothetically, let’s say you had 80 days. You have to calculate, “Where and when do I want to deploy my additional resources in my schedule?” Can you talk about working with everyone to figure out, “Where do we want to spend extra time?”
GILLESPIE: It’s amazing. It’s kind of incredibly surprising how much those action sequences take up. I like to do it myself. We don’t have a second unit director to do the action because I’m a little too specific about what I want and a bit too much in control, I guess.
You like to micromanage? What?
GILLESPIE: As a director? [Laughs] So, we shot all of those sequences, so that middle sequence probably ultimately ended up being maybe six weeks of our shoot. And then you get to do these dialogue scenes where Lobo in the bar is one day. It’s such an impactful scene, and it’s just the kind of stuff that people love. But the flip side of that is our actors are so good at their craft, and so dialed in, that we can do that in a day. Then you might do three big action set pieces in a day, which is 12 seconds of the movie. It’s such a crazy imbalance, but it all is important. Obviously, the character stuff is the stuff that you connect to and resonate with, so you’ve got to make sure you have space for that. There is that dance, but when you break it down, the amount of time that you have two people talking in a room, percentage-wise, is kind of shocking.
Every movie is going to have big action set pieces. The thing that I visually really remember is the two of them in the apartment talking after she’s back. That scene means a lot.
GILLESPIE: I love that scene. Again, that scene is probably two-thirds of a day. It didn’t need to be more. Milly is so good. She sat down, and that was her body language out of the gate, tucked in that corner, not wanting to talk, resisting, trying to keep her space from Eve. Then it was the blocking on Eve, when she’s sitting, and then she lays down. Once you figure out that blocking, and then you let them go, she didn’t do a bad take. That’s the amazing thing. You get to see this beautiful performance, and we get to do eight or nine takes, and we have it. You kind of want to step away before you wear it out, in a weird way.
Your filmography frequently explores characters who build emotional walls to cope with isolation or trauma. How did you approach Kara’s specific flavor of grief, the burden of remembering a dead world that her famous cousin never knew?
GILLESPIE: It’s emotional walls, and often, too, humor is used to deflect, which is something that I think is often a tool of humor. It gets overlooked. So she might make a joke or dismiss something, or throw a line away. That’s her way of deflecting the moment. It’s just a very natural human trait, and I think it’s something that people identify very quickly with and can relate to. It’s so much more interesting than somebody who doesn’t have things to explore and work out within their own selves.
Supergirl has Krypto, Lobo, alien worlds, revenge, and comedy. What was the hardest tonal ingredient to balance?
GILLESPIE: It was the tone. It was exactly that. Like I said before, I’m getting a bunch of different jokes, knowing in the edit we’re going to have to sacrifice some of those jokes. Interestingly, that was the thing we lost more than I expected. There was a great scene between her and the alien that’s drooling on her shoulder on the space bus. It’s so much fun, but we were kind of like, “We kind of don’t want her wasting her time with him.” So, things like that, that I thought would be just fun to sit in for a while, we had to release.
Supergirl is in theaters now.
- Release Date
-
June 26, 2026
- Runtime
-
108 minutes
- Writers
-
Ana Nogueira
- Producers
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James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran
Continue Reading
Alabama Barker had time to check the trolls allegedly body-shaming her online. She said she’s tired of the constant criticism and believes she has found the perfect solution to prevent the negative comments.
RELATED: Skin Out Is In? Alabama Barker Turns Heads After Flaunting Her Curves In Risqué All-Black Look (PHOTOS)
Alabama Barker Addresses Body-Shaming Comments From Trolls
Recently, Alabama Barker hopped on social media to let her followers know she’s had enough of the constant criticism about her body. She said the nonstop backlash has her considering Ozempic. “I’m going to get on the highest does of ozempic and I’m going to become so skinny you’re going to tell me I need a burger.” From there, she said she thinks the continued comments are mean, but she’s keeping it cute because 2027 will be her skinny era. “It’s f****g disgusting. I f*****g hate you guys.” She continued, “No a**. No tits 2027.”
Fans Tell Bama To Ignore The Shade
Once Alabama dropped her clap back video, folks immediately flooded The Shade Room’s comment section with reactions. Plenty of people told her to ignore the shade because her body has always been tea.
Instagram user @lexilolaa wrote, “People are too comfortable tearing others down. We are all humans with feelings.”
Instagram user @normapino0814 wrote, “Now Alabama you’re lucky I don’t know your middle name Barker!!! Stop playin with us! You bet not!!!!!! You are stunning!!!”
While Instagram user @ummmcanunot wrote, “With all the money around you just get a trainer and chef🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️”
Another Instagram user, @keyanamariaaa, wrote, “girl look in the mirror and say these words ‘I am gorgeous, I am beautiful, I am strong, I am confident, I am a god fearing woman, I am loved.’”
Instagram user @quinnceylon wrote, “them all yo people body shaming you sis.. cause i know it’s not us🤣🤣”
Then another Instagram user @___thatzsobri wrote, “Eh. Y’all bully people into hating themselves 🤦🏾♀️ Also be you. Be confident in yourself! Nd don’t let what anyone says tear you down.”
While another Instagram user @hood_hippie0587 wrote, “I wish tf I would let the ppl who don’t touch grass dictate my weight. 🥴”
While another Instagram user @shaymariebarbie wrote, “Mind you she is gorgeous.”
Finally, Instagram user @bossbarbieagency wrote, “She’s so tea to me 😍😍”
Bama Previously Had The Girlies Gagging & Taking Notes
Despite the shade, Alabama Barker continues to drop fire flicks on Instagram. Back in July, she had the gworls eating up her pics as she served and slayed in all black fit. Bama gave full baddie energy in the carousel, rocking a sheer outfit with a lace-detailed bodysuit. She was clearly feeling the vibes too, captioning the pics, “So dope!”
RELATED: Slip Up! Social Media Reacts After Alabama Barker Mixes Up Bad Bunny With Bhad Bhabie (WATCH)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton enjoyed a full family outing with their three children at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
William and Kate, both 44, stepped out at the Track Cycling competition at The Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday, August 1, with their kids — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 7 — in tow.
The Princess of Wales looked effortlessly chic in an emerald-green blazer over a black-and-white striped sweater and flowy, pleated ivory skirt, which complemented Charlotte’s white-and-black polka dot dress. William, for his part, sported a navy suit without a tie, while his sons each donned Polo button-downs with navy trousers.
Just weeks earlier, William and Kate brought George and Charlotte to the final day of the Wimbledon tennis tournament.
Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton are the proud parents of three children and have shared many sweet moments with the little ones over the years. The couple wed in April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, five months after their engagement. William and Kate went on to welcome three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte […]
“I think it means a lot to the players and to tennis fans to see the royal family at Wimbledon,” tennis legend Andy Murray told Hello! last month, referring to Kate’s patronage of the famed tennis club. “It’s part of the tradition of Wimbledon and the fans really like that, especially the overseas fans. She is definitely a tennis fan and she plays a bit herself, I think.”
Kate attended Wimbledon shortly after completing the National Three Peaks Challenge, a mountaineering feat across mountains in England, Scotland and Wales, as her undisclosed form of cancer remains in remission.
“I have taken on the National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavor but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back,” Kate wrote via Instagram in June. “The Royal Marsden [hospital] is a place that holds great meaning for me and whose care and expertise are life changing for so many people. Through this challenge, I want to raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare.”
The duchess was diagnosed in 2024, subsequently undergoing chemotherapy as treatment. She confirmed in January 2025 that she is cancer-free.
“Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life,” Kate concluded in her June upload. “I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.”
When Kate completed the mountain challenge, the Prince of Wales brought their kids to the base to greet her. Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and her brother, James Middleton, were also present.
“I’m so incredibly proud of my darling sister ❤️⛰️,” James, 39, wrote via Instagram at the time, celebrating Kate’s accomplishments. “Two years ago, I told you we’d climb this mountain together. We talked about climbing mountains while you were in hospital, and about the incredible healing power that nature can have for both the body and the mind. It was such an honor to join you for your Three Peaks Challenge for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Seeing how far you’ve come is nothing short of inspiring.”
Marlon Wayans is speaking out again about parenting. During a new interview, the actor, comedian, and father of three condemned spanking children as a form of discipline, saying doing so will only lead to resentment when they’re older.
Marlon Wayans has made headlines before when speaking about parenting. Over the last several years, the “Scary Movie” actor has not only talked about loving his transgender son through thick and thin, but has also talked about the importance of protecting them from harm.
Speaking with Los Angeles radio station 92.3, Wayans said that his opinion on spanking children has changed as he’s aged, noting that it does nothing except drive a wedge between the parent and child.
“Don’t hit’em. Don’t spank your kids, because it shows that you’re a poor communicator. They’re a baby. Why can’t you talk to a baby?” Wayans said. “Every time you spank your kid, you’re taking your potential best friend, and you’re making them your enemy. You’re hurting your potential best friend.”
Marlon Wayans Says Spanking Children Is Not Discipline
Wayans said that he understands people have used spanking as a form of discipline in the past. However, he argued that when parents hit their minor children, it causes way more harm than good.
“And I know you’re trying to teach them, but they don’t need to learn that way. There’s other ways to teach them, and they’ll never forget those spankings,” he said. “There will always be a part of them that resents you for that. It’ll take a lot of prayer and a lot to get over that. So just don’t do that to them.”
Experts Share Why Spanking Children Doesn’t Work
Researchers have released studies over the last several years about the ineffectiveness of spanking children. In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics said that, based on a slew of studies, physical punishment only leads to more issues down the road.
“The new AAP statement includes data that show that kids who were spanked in their early years were more likely to be more defiant, show more aggressive behavior later in preschool and school, and have increased risk for mental health disorders and lower self-esteem,” Karen Estrella, MD, said, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Estrella later argued that while spanking may instill fear in the moment, the act of hitting a child can “generate more negative behaviors in a child.”
Instead of spanking, researchers and clinicians said parents should try three key steps to discipline their child effectively: establishing a positive and supportive parent-child relationship, using positive reinforcement, and trying other disciplinary actions, such as time-outs or taking away items.
Marlon Wayans Previously Spoke About Protecting His Transgender Son
Wayans has been in the media before regarding his parenting strategies. In 2026, the actor spoke about his natural instinct to protect his transgender son from harm while appearing on the “We In Miami” podcast.
“People could judge and say what they want but at the end of the day that’s my child and I’m gonna love my baby regardless of what anybody says and they should be allowed to have their anonymity and enjoy their life exactly the way they want to enjoy it,” he said. “You can’t beat gay out of someone. You can’t hypnotize someone to not be transgender. You just gotta accept and love them.”
Wayans Went Through Five Stages Of Grief Before Accepting His Child
Wayans previously spoke with Jennifer Hudson about initially struggling with the news that his child was transgender, adding that he went through the five stages of grief before getting to the “beautiful, magical place called acceptance.”
“Those are my babies,” Wayans said, talking about his three children, Shawn, Axl, and Kai. “All this was happening to me at one time, and then it was just like this universal thing: acceptance.”
While getting to that place may have been a challenge initially, the “White Chicks” actor said that he felt much better after embracing his child with open arms.
“And once you accept, you release, give yourself to God, and then everything is all right. It’s better, actually,” he said of the moment.
Y’all! GloRilla is making sure her latest celebration comes with plenty of style, confidence, and moments for the timeline. The rapper recently gave fans a glimpse into her birthday festivities, and social media quickly made it clear that she knows how to have all eyes on her.
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GloRilla’s Birthday Dump Has The Timeline Lit
On Saturday, GloRilla dropped a birthday photo dump that had fans double-tapping in no time. In one standout shot, the rapper rocked a white two-piece outfit, a long wavy side part, a flawless glam look, and white boots while posing in front of a “HBD CLIP” sign. Other photos from the carousel showed Glo in a vibrant pink-and-red dress with a huge smile, enjoying time on a boat in a swimsuit while showing off her curves, and spending quality moments with loved ones.
Big Glo Is Living Life And Looking Good
The birthday dump gave fans a look at GloRilla living her best life, celebrating another year while staying focused and embracing every moment. At times, the rapper appeared to be enjoying a tropical getaway or island escape, soaking up the views while sipping a drink and taking in the vibes. From the fashion to the memories, GloRilla reminded everyone why she continues to be one of the most talked-about names in the game.
Fans Show Love In The Comments
Fans wasted no time running to Big Glo’s Instagram comment section, and it was definitely up. While many simply stopped by to wish the rapper a happy birthday, others couldn’t help but point out that GloRilla is “getting thicker than a snicker” and looking better than ever. Beyond the compliments, plenty of supporters shared how happy they are to see Glo living her best life and enjoying her special moments.
One Instagram user @monaleo wrote, “looking burtiful boo 💕 happy bday”
This Instagram user @define_jasmine said, “Happy bday GLO😍😍😍🔥”
And, Instagram user @onetrill_reemo46 added, “😍🤤😘😍🤤😘😍🤤😘🥵💎🤍🍑🫶🏾”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @youngn_official shared, “That 3rd clip.. peaches then got thick lol 😮💨😍”
While Instagram user @spinagainaj commented, “Dang bae u getting thick😮💨”
Finally, Instagram user @angel__extraordinary__libra said, “Awwww so pretty 🥰 HBD GLO 🎉🎉”
RELATED: Play All Day! Victoria “BroRilla” Woods Cracks Joke About GloRilla’s Facial Expression In Throwback Family Photo
What Do You Think Roomies?
The zombie genre has gone to great heights, but there is still one series that has not reached its full potential. While The Walking Dead continues to deliver repetitive storylines, Netflix’s All of Us Are Dead has still not delivered a second season. The Netflix series first debuted in 2022 and has had a monumental four-year hiatus. This seems to have less to do with the fatigue of zombie content and more to do with Netflix – once again – failing to see what it has on its hands.
All of Us Are Dead is a Korean zombie drama that puts a delightful high school spin on the horror genre. Just as Buffy the Vampire Slayer once showed that high school is hell – literally and figuratively – this new zombie series has its finger on the pulse of what makes school so traumatic for teenagers. The first episode does a miraculous job of introducing the audience to the huge high school with many students from all walks of life. These students endure crushes, mental health issues, and bullying all before the official breakout occurs. All of Us Are Dead isn’t just a run-of-the-mill undead show, but one that has something to say about the trials of youth. This rich material has been begging for a follow-up season but still has failed to deliver.
Is ‘All of Us Are Dead’ Getting a Season 2?
If a Netflix series isn’t Squid Game or Stranger Things, there is really no guarantee for additional seasons. Even an exciting premise such as All of Us Are Dead hasn’t been prioritized by the streamer. This is especially surprising considering what a success the show was when it hit the platform in 2022. In the first week of airing, it debuted with millions of viewers, which only increased the longer fans had to wait for more episodes.
After four years, fans are wondering if there is any hope for the continuation of this teen zombie series. Netflix has been surprisingly quiet on that front, but key actors such as Choi Yi Hyun and Park Ji Hu confirmed via social media that they have wrapped filming on a second season as of February 2026. This is a surprisingly long wait for a show as popular as All of Us Are Dead. Season 1 ends on a cliffhanger where many characters’ lives hang in the balance.
While this production schedule is promising, there is no official guarantee of when the new episodes will air. This is regrettably not the first time that Netflix has strung viewers along. Some of its most popular shows have lived in permanent limbo or been cancelled altogether when it doesn’t fit perfectly into a box. Shows with special effects are even less likely to survive long wait times.
The wait is seemingly over, but that doesn’t fix the lack of momentum for shows like these. Television series such as House of the Dragon have incurred similar issues when it comes to a release schedule. With long hiatuses, shows lose the interest of the fans, which ultimately may lead to lower viewership. All of these streaming platforms may wonder what the secret sauce is to keep viewers invested, and the answer is something that network television has been doing for decades. It is easier to keep fans on the line and excited when they have a reason to be. Yearly drops of seasons have always worked, a fact that streaming television seems to have forgotten. All of Us Are Dead Season 2 has no official release date, but at least in this case, it seems that the long wait is finally over.
- Release Date
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January 28, 2022
- Network
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Netflix
- Writers
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Chun Sung-il
-
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Yoon Chan-young
Lee Cheong-san
Milania Giudice is saying goodbye to her childhood best friend Victoria Zardoya following her tragic and sudden death at 20.
“Hello, this is my first time,” Giudice, 20, began a Friday, July 31, TikTok video, getting emotional. “They are packing up Victoria’s hospital room. She just went in, she’s saving eight people’s lives [via organ donation]. … I’m spreading awareness about Victoria.”
Zardoya died on July 24 after a fatal accident. She was 20.
“I can’t really say much right now because this is, obviously, really new,” Giudice continued on Friday. “I just can’t believe this is real, like, seriously just hug your loved ones.”
The Marías frontwoman María Zardoya paid tribute to her late niece and Milania Giudice‘s longtime friend, Victoria Zardoya. “Rest in peace to my sweet niece, Victoria,” the Grammy nominee, 31, wrote via her Instagram Story on Thursday, July 30. “Heaven gained an angel too soon, but she lives on.” María added that the following day […]
Giudice spent nearly one week at Zardoya’s bedside in the hospital in the days ahead of the college student’s tragic death.
“Milania slept 7 days in a chair until her BFF was ready to give life to 7 people,” the Bravo star’s mom, Teresa Giudice, wrote in the comments section, to which Milania replied, “I would sleep in a chair next to her forever.”
Milania and Zardoya had been close friends since they were young kids.
@milaniagiudice321 we love you so much victoria we are sooooo proud of you my girl 🖤🖤🖤🖤 @victoria
“Victoria, I’m trying,” Milania captioned another TikTok video on Friday, where she clutched a towel to her chest and appeared to fight back tears.
Hours later, Milania shared throwback footage of friends with the caption, “Everything is for you now, Vic.”
Victoria is survived by her parents and her twin sister, Alexandra Zardoya.
Milania Giudice and her family are mourning the loss of her childhood friend Victoria Zardoya after a fatal accident. “There are no words for this kind of pain,” Joe Giudice wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 26, sharing a photo of himself with Milania, 20, and her friends. “Victoria, you were like a daughter to […]
“Victoria, I can’t believe this is real life. Tears are falling down my cheeks as I type every word,” Alexandra, 20, wrote via Instagram on Friday, breaking her silence on her sibling’s death. “My twin sister, my other half, we were in the womb together, and ever since then we have been inseparable. You are the only person in this world who truly understood every single part of me. You truly were a light in everyone’s life, especially mine. … You were everything and more to me.”
She continued at the time, “You taught me so much about myself and I am so grateful to have been given such an incredible person to call my twin. You were the reason why I could keep going. You are my person and no one will ever compare to you. … [You were] such a young soul filled with so much life. I wish I could go to your room right now, give you the biggest hug and hear your beautiful voice and contagious laugh one more time.”
Spider-Man is the big Marvel superhero, doing for that side of the comics world what Batman and Superman do for DC. There are other heavy-hitters Marvel-wise, of course, like Iron Man, Captain America, and the X-Men, but Spider-Man is just another level of popular, and maybe another level of reliable, too. There have been almost a dozen Spider-Man-centric movies made since 2002, making his dominance over the 21st century hard to deny.
Now, two of those are Spider-Verse movies, which are top-tier, but they’re animated, and so they’re not going to be counted below. Also, the likes of Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame all feature Peter Parker/Spider-Man in supporting roles, and since he’s not the lead in any of them, they won’t be counted below as “Spider-Man” movies. Instead, here’s a ranking of all the live-action Spider-Man movies released theatrically to date, starting with the one misfire of the bunch and then progressing onto eight that range in quality from pretty good to pretty great.
9
‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (2014)
It’s the messy one. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is such an overstuffed mess of a movie, sorry. It’s not irredeemable, and there are worse superhero movies out there, but it really collapses under its own weight in so many regards. There’s a certain Spider-Man movie from 2007 that this one felt like it learned all the wrong lessons from, in terms of having too many villains and stuff in general going on, and maybe another comparable movie is The Dark Knight Rises.
Though The Dark Knight Rises has higher highs than The Amazing Spider-Man 2. All this 2014 movie has to offer are some visuals that are occasionally striking, and a few things that set up some good moments in the third Spider-Man movie Andrew Garfield featured in… no, not one where he got to star as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was his final (at least for now) time playing the central character in a Spider-Man movie, and he did as well as he could with what he was given here. The sentiment that he was a pretty great actor for this series who didn’t get the best material is an often echoed – but overall fair – one.
8
‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ (2012)
While The Amazing Spider-Man doesn’t technically give Peter Parker as much to do, compared to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it does give Andrew Garfield more to do, or at least it’s a better opportunity for him to showcase why he was right to play Spider-Man (even if it was a short run). He is the Millennial Spider-Man, while the live-action actor before him was probably more late-Gen X, and then the one after was born right near the start of Gen Z (maybe a “Zillennial,” but whatever).
The biggest problem here is that The Amazing Spider-Man is another origin story for Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and is just too narratively similar to the first big Spider-Man origin story, which had only come out 10 years earlier. It would’ve been like Ben Affleck’s Batman being given an origin story in 2015, only a decade after Batman Begins. Just not needed, and too repetitive. It’s far from bad, as an origin story, and probably even a good film in its own right, but if you’d seen the 2002 one (even 10 years earlier), you were likely destined to get some déjà vu while watching this.
7
‘Spider-Man 3’ (2007)
While it marked the final time Sam Raimi directed a Spider-Man movie (to date), and the final instance of Tobey Maguire playing the lead role, Spider-Man 3 wasn’t the proper end of things for either. The former returned to the superhero genre by directing the second Doctor Strange film, and Maguire made a memorable appearance in one of the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies. But that’s getting ahead of things a little.
Spider-Man 3 has some of the same problems as The Amazing Spider-Man 2. There are a handful of villains here who end up stepping on each other’s toes, and the final act in particular suffers from feeling overstuffed. All the stuff with Peter Parker going through his emo phase, though, and the bits of the film where the camp is dialed up to new levels… yeah, you can kind of see why it’s been re-evaluated. People “get” Spider-Man 3 a little more nowadays, and it feels hard to call it the worst Spider-Man movie, as a result. There are still things about it that don’t work, but not as many as there may have seemed once, 15 to (almost) 20 years ago.
6
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)
It speaks to the consistency of the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies, at least so far, that the “weakest” of his ones to date is the still pretty good Spider-Man: Far From Home. This is the movie equivalent of a vacation episode, since most of it takes place during a summer trip to Europe, with it being admittedly somewhat taxing to adjust to a live-action Spider-Man movie that doesn’t have New York City as its central location.
It’s a fun film, or fun enough, and it also feels interesting in being something of an epilogue to Avengers: Endgame, with Endgame not actually being the final film of Phase 3, since Far From Home played that role. There’s an argument to be made that at this stage, Peter Parker/Spider-Man doesn’t have as much of an identity separated from the Avengers and the broader MCU, but this was addressed/amended, to some extent, in Holland’s third and fourth outings as Spider-Man. Speaking of…
5
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (2026)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the most recent Spider-Man movie, and the fourth starring Tom Holland, making him now the most prolific Spider-Man actor, certainly by lead appearances, and then overall, too, thanks to him being in three other MCU movies. He largely gets to stand alone here, necessitated by the way the third movie ended, with him getting a fresh start as Spider-Man and without anyone knowing he’s really Peter Parker.
So, Tom Holland gets to carry a lot of the movie, more so than his past Spider-Man movies, and he’s great here. Most of the supporting players are also good, and they really only start to distract from the Spider-Man stuff a bit in the final act, which is where you feel the MCU machine taking over a little, and setting up future movies (possibly Avengers: Doomsday, though more likely films actually beyond that). It almost gets a bit much, but Brand New Day sort of sticks the landing, and then lots of the ride it provides up until that point is also successfully exciting, not to mention decently emotional at times, too.
4
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)
Tom Holland is so smol in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Lil’ baby Tom Holland. Well, young is the better word. He’s young. And he actually feels really young here, and that does make his Peter Parker feel small in a vulnerable and endearing kind of way. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield both felt like guys in their 20s playing high schoolers, because they were, at least in their first movies. Tom Holland was younger, being only just 20 when Spider-Man: Homecoming was filmed, and he does actually look like a high schooler.
That helps Spider-Man: Homecoming work particularly well as a coming-of-age movie on top of being a superhero one, potentially even to the extent that it’s a better coming-of-age film than it is a superhero movie. The more expected superhero action here is still good, though, and seeing Tony Stark/Iron Man have a prominent role in this movie without being right at the center the way he was for his own movies and the Avengers ones was neat. This is just an inherently likable and crowd-pleasing movie, and proved to be a particularly good opportunity for Holland to showcase (after a scene-stealing role in Captain America: Civil War) why he was a good choice for the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. And no retread of the Spider-Man origin story here, either, which was a big plus.
3
‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
2002’s Spider-Man began the webslinger’s reign over cinema, and though that reign was on potentially shaky ground during Spider-Man 3 and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he kept pulling through. There was goodwill for the character overall, even if Spider-Man 3 might’ve halted the Tobey Maguire run, and then The Amazing Spider-Man 2 might’ve halted the Andrew Garfield run. Watch out, Tom Holland; don’t trip up. This series is unforgiving.
2002’s Spider-Man was the first time there was a proper blockbuster/theatrically released movie about Spider-Man, and it was phenomenal for its time.
Uh… Spider-Man, though. The character had existed on the page for decades before 2002, of course, and there had been some TV shows and TV movies with the character before, but 2002’s Spider-Man was the first time there was a proper blockbuster/theatrically released movie about Spider-Man, and it was phenomenal for its time. Alongside the first X-Men, and maybe the first couple of Blade movies, it suggested Marvel superheroes could really dominate the box office into the 21st century in a way only really Superman and Batman had done during the 20th century (and even then, not 100% of the time). Without Spider-Man (2002) and its success, the blockbuster world might well look very different today.
2
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
There are problems with Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s pretty blatantly dependent on nostalgia, with the whole poorly-kept secret, in the lead-up to its release, surrounding the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. But it was fun to feel like it was a mystery, and then not knowing 100% still made it a blast in that scene where they enter the picture (more or less literally).
Other than that, it is a bigger Spider-Man movie than the previous two Tom Holland ones, and he gets some moments to shine here, while the scenes he does end up sharing with Holland and Maguire are also great. Two all-time great villains are brought back, from the Maguire movies, and then No Way Home even does a decent job at making Electro a better character than he was in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. And there is one other moment near the climax that harkens back to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and makes it a bit stronger in hindsight, giving Andrew Garfield’s Peter some genuinely touching emotional closure. Maybe No Way Home is a tiny bit messy, but it’s messy in a good way, and that final act is excellent, all the while giving Tom Holland’s Peter some origin story-esque stuff, just in a more interesting and unexpected way (if you know, you know).
1
‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)
Spider-Man 2 does so many things right that just calling it the best of the live-action Spider-Man movies doesn’t feel like enough praise. It’s right up there among the best and most important movie sequels of all time, doing a bit of an Empire Strikes Back thing, feeling to Spider-Man (2002) what that movie was to the original Star Wars. In both cases, you have an original that did everything exceptionally well, and then a sequel that took all that worked and made everything even better.
This movie gets off to a great start, and then just keeps building with the difficulties it puts Peter through, the comedy that hits the mark almost every time (not something you can say about the more recent Spider-Man movies and their jokes, honestly), and then it finds room to make Doc Ock just as compelling a villain as the Green Goblin was in the first movie, which is saying a lot. Spider-Man 2 is the gold standard for live-action superhero movies generally, and feels like a true masterpiece that was great in 2004, and has honestly aged so well that it feels like an even greater movie nowadays, some 20+ years later.
Spider-Man 2
- Release Date
-
June 30, 2004
- Runtime
-
127 minutes
- Director
-
Sam Raimi
- Writers
-
Alvin Sargent, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Michael Chabon
Taylor Swift’s father, Scott Swift, reportedly took matters into his own hands after his daughter became entangled in Blake Lively’s bitter legal war with Justin Baldoni. According to a new report, the 74-year-old allegedly provided Baldoni’s attorneys with information about private communications between Swift and Lively in exchange for the withdrawal of a subpoena targeting the singer.
The alleged arrangement came after Lively reportedly asked Swift to delete their messages amid concerns that the exchanges could undermine part of her case. However, accusations involving the texts and alleged efforts to pressure Swift were later struck from the court record after a judge deemed them improper.
Swift had repeatedly attempted to distance herself from the “It Ends With Us” dispute but was eventually subpoenaed by Baldoni’s legal team for communications potentially connected to the case. As the litigation intensified, Lively allegedly asked Swift to erase private messages they had exchanged.
The request was reportedly detailed in an affidavit filed by Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman. According to a Daily Mail insider, Lively worried that the communications would “prove” there was “never any mention of any sexual improprieties” involving Baldoni, despite her sexual harassment allegations against him. “There was only her b-tching about how much she hated Justin and wanting Taylor to come to her apartment to scare this d-ckhead director,” the source claimed.
The allegation does not establish what was contained in the messages, whether Swift deleted anything or whether any request to erase communications occurred.
Lively’s legal team has rejected related accusations as false and improper.
Scott Swift Was Reportedly The Source Behind The Allegations
The individual who reportedly provided information about the alleged threats was initially described as “a person very closely linked to Taylor Swift.” That person was later identified by the Daily Mail as Swift’s father, Scott.
According to sources, Scott became concerned about his daughter being pulled further into the increasingly ugly dispute between Lively and Baldoni. He allegedly decided to cooperate with Baldoni and Freedman in an effort to protect Swift from additional legal involvement.
Scott has long played an important role in his daughter’s business affairs, making him both personally and professionally invested in keeping her away from the controversy. The report claims he “voluntarily gave up this information as part of a deal that would include [Baldoni’s team] withdrawing their subpoena for Taylor.”
Neither Taylor nor Scott has publicly addressed the report about his alleged cooperation.
Justin Baldoni’s Attorneys Sought Evidence Of Alleged ‘Witness Tampering’
Freedman argued in court documents that the subpoena was designed to obtain information “relating to witness tampering and evidence spoliation.” Evidence spoliation generally refers to the destruction, alteration, or failure to preserve information that may be relevant to litigation.
Baldoni’s attorneys accused Lively of attempting to “coerce” Swift into publicly supporting her legal claims. According to the filing, Swift’s team responded to Lively’s alleged “inappropriate and apparently extortionate threats in at least one written communication” sent to attorney Michael Gottlieb.
“It is those communications that [Baldoni’s team] seeks to obtain by way of subpoena, as they would evidence an attempt to intimidate and coerce a percipient witness in this litigation,” the letter stated. A percipient witness is someone believed to possess direct knowledge relevant to a dispute.
The filing did not prove that witness intimidation, coercion, or destruction of evidence occurred. It presented allegations from Baldoni’s legal team that Lively’s attorneys subsequently fought to remove from the case.
Blake Lively’s Attorneys Called The Claims ‘Baseless’
Lively’s lawyers filed a motion asking the court to strike the accusations, describing them as “baseless, unnecessary, improper and abusive.” The court granted that request. The decision removed the allegations from the docket and prevented them from becoming part of the issues being litigated in that proceeding.
In a prior response to similar claims, Lively’s attorney categorically denied that she threatened to expose Swift’s private messages unless the singer publicly supported her. The legal dispute continued for months after Swift’s involvement became public. Baldoni’s case was dismissed in October, according to the report.
In May, after a judge dismissed most of Lively’s claims, she reportedly agreed to settle with Baldoni. She later sought $8 million in legal fees, a demand he is fighting.
Blake Lively Was Missing From Taylor Swift’s Wedding
Any remaining possibility of a public reconciliation between Swift and Lively appeared to fade when the singer married Travis Kelce on July 3. The couple exchanged vows during an elaborate ceremony at Madison Square Garden surrounded by hundreds of guests. Adam Sandler reportedly officiated the wedding, while Stevie Nicks and Paul McCartney performed. Swift also surprised attendees with a performance of her own.
Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, were conspicuously absent despite once being considered fixtures within Swift’s closest celebrity circle. A source claimed Lively was deeply upset about being excluded from the celebration. Lively was “sad and a little bit ped. No, a lot ped,” the insider said. “That friendship was over before but if there was hope, it’s gone. They’ll never be friends again.”
Neither Swift nor Lively has publicly confirmed that the wedding invitation issue permanently ended their relationship.
Peacock is closing out summer with a slew of new movies, shows and reality TV reunions that will have everyone talking.
Love Island, The Valley and Married at First Sight will all have reunions this month, promising more fireworks in August than there were on the 4th of July.
Summer lovers will get their chance to swoon with Halle Bailey and Bridgerton heartthrob Regé-Jean Page by streaming their sunny romance, You, Me & Tuscany.
Peacock is also streaming two 2026 breakout hits, the horror film Obsession and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
August 1
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Almost Famous
The Angry Birds Movie
Armageddon
Battleship
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The Big Short
The Boy Next Door
Bring It On
The Cable Guy
Clash of the Titans
Clueless
Couple Retreat
Dear Evan Hansen
Escape Room
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
Exodus: Gods and Kings
F9: The Fast Saga
The Faculty
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Field of Dreams
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Freed
Flashdance
Flushed Away
Fool’s Paradise
Footloose
Friday Night Lights
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Good Boys
Good Will Hunting
Gremlins
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Grown Ups
Grown Ups 2
The Help
Insidious
Insidious: Chapter 2
Insidious: Chapter 3
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Keanu
Kindergarten Cop
Knock Knock
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda 2
Kung Fu Panda 3
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events
Let’s Be Cops
The Lincoln Lawyer
Little Miss Sunshine
Major Payne
The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
Mean Girls
Mean Girls 2
Megamind
Mud
National Lampoon’s Animal House
Neighbors
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Old
Old School
One Hour Photo
Peeples
Pineapple Express
Predator
The Predator
Pretty in Pink
Robin Hood
Save the Last Dance
The School of Rock
Seabiscuit
The Secret Life of Pets
The Secret Life of Pets 2
She’s All That
Sideways
Source Code
Troy
Twins
Uncle Buck
Wrath of the Titans
August 2
The Killer Among Us, Season 1 – Finale (Oxygen)
August 3
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 17 – Finale (Bravo)
Ms. X, Season 1 – Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
August 6
The Valley, Season 3 – Reunion Part 1 (Bravo)
The Ballad of Wallis Island
August 7
You, Me & Tuscany – Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
August 9
Unknown Serial Killers of America, Season 2 – Premiere (Oxygen)
August 10
The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th, Season 5 – Premiere (Bravo)
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 17 – Reunion Part 1 (Bravo)
Kim’s Convenience, Seasons 1-5
Copshop
August 11
Marry Me
August 13
The Valley, Season 3 – Reunion Part 2 (Bravo)
August 16
Oppenheimer
August 17
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 17 – Reunion Part 2 (Bravo)
August 18
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, Season 3 – Finale (Bravo)
August 20
We Are Pat
The Valley, Season 3 – Reunion Part 3 (Bravo)
August 21
The 355
She Dances
August 24
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Season 17 – Reunion Part 3 (Bravo)
Days of Our Lives, Season 62 – Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
August 25
Borderlands
August 27
The Undeclared War, Season 2 – Premiere, All Episodes
Married at First Sight, Season 20 – Finale (Peacock Exclusive)
Married at First Sight, Season 20 – Reunion (Peacock Exclusive)
The Woman in the Yard
August 28
Fear Lake Lanier
August 31
Love Island USA, Season 8 – Reunion (Peacock Original)
Mama June: From Hot to Not, Season 8 – Premiere (We TV)
NEW EPISODES WEEKLY:
The Dan Patrick Show (Monday through Friday)
PFT Live (Monday through Friday)
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (Monday through Friday)
MLB & SNB
August 1: MLB – Giants vs. Padres
August 1: MLB – Tigers vs. Athletics
August 2: MLB – Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Angels
August 2: MLB – Giants vs. Padres
August 2: MLB – Tigers vs. Athletics
August 2: MLB Sunday Stretch #14
August 2: MLB – SNB #18: Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
August 2: MLB – Game of the Day #126
August 3: MLB – Game of the Day #127
August 4: MLB – Athletics vs. Reds
August 4: MLB – Game of the Day #128
August 4: MLB – Giants vs. Rangers
August 5: MLB – Giants vs. Rangers
August 5: MLB – Athletics vs. Reds
August 5: MLB – Game of the Day #129
August 6: MLB – Athletics vs. Reds
August 6: MLB – Game of the Day #130
August 7: MLB – Athletics vs. Red Sox
August 7: MLB – Game of the Day #131
August 7: MLB – Tigers vs. Giants
August 8: MLB – Athletics vs. Red Sox
August 8: MLB – Game of the Day #132
August 9: MLB – Cincinnati Reds vs. Washington Nationals
August 9: MLB – Athletics vs. Red Sox
August 9: MLB Sunday Stretch #15
August 9: MLB – Tigers vs. Giants
August 9: MLB – Game of the Day #133
August 9: SNB #19: Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres
August 10: MLB – Game of the Day #134
August 10: MLB – Astros vs. Giants
August 10: MLB – Rays vs. Athletics
August 11: MLB – Game of the Day #135
August 11: MLB – Astros vs. Giants
August 11: MLB – Rays vs. Athletics
August 12: MLB – Rays vs. Athletics
August 12: MLB – Astros vs. Giants
August 12: MLB – Game of the Day #136
August 13: MLB – Game of the Day #137
August 14: MLB – Game of the Day #138
August 14: MLB – Rangers vs. Athletics
August 14: MLB – Rockies vs. Giants
August 15: MLB – Rockies vs. Giants
August 15: MLB – Game of the Day #139
August 15: MLB – Rangers vs. Athletics
August 16: MLB – Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays
August 16: MLB Sunday Stretch #16
August 16: MLB – Rockies vs. Giants
August 16: MLB – Rangers vs. Athletics
August 16: MLB – Game of the Day #140
August 16: SNB #20: Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros
August 17: MLB – Game of the Day #141
August 17: MLB – Athletics vs. Royals
August 18: MLB – Giants vs. Guardians
August 18: MLB – Game of the Day #142
August 18: MLB – Athletics vs. Royals
August 19: MLB – Giants vs. Guardians
August 19: MLB – Game of the Day #143
August 19: MLB – Athletics vs. Royals
August 20: MLB – Giants vs. Guardians
August 20: MLB – Athletics vs. Royals
August 20: MLB – Game of the Day #144
August 21: MLB – Giants vs. Red Sox
August 21: MLB – Game of the Day #145
August 21: MLB – Athletics vs. Astros
August 22: MLB – Athletics vs. Astros
August 22: MLB – Game of the Day #146
August 23: MLB – Athletics vs. Astros
August 23: MLB – Cincinnati Reds vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
August 23: MLB – Game of the Day #147
August 23: SNB #21: San Francisco Giants vs. Boston Red Sox
August 24: MLB – Game of the Day #148
August 24: MLB – Reds vs. Giants
August 24: MLB – Twins vs. Athletics
August 25: MLB – Game of the Day #149
August 25: MLB – Reds vs. Giants
August 25: MLB – Twins vs. Athletics
August 26: MLB – Reds vs. Giants
August 26: MLB – Game of the Day #150
August 26: MLB – Twins vs. Athletics
August 27: MLB – Game of the Day #151
August 27: MLB – Diamondbacks vs. Giants
August 28: MLB – Game of the Day #152
August 28: MLB – Orioles vs. Athletics
August 28: MLB – Diamondbacks vs. Giants
August 29: MLB – Arizona v Giants – Game 1
August 29: MLB – Game of the Day #153
August 29: MLB – Diamondbacks vs. Giants – Game 2
August 29: MLB – Orioles vs. Athletics
August 30: MLB – Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals
August 30: MLB Sunday Stretch #17
August 30: MLB – Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs
August 30: MLB – Diamondbacks vs. Giants
August 30: MLB – Orioles vs. Athletics
August 30: MLB – Game of the Day #154
August 30: SNB #22: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets
August 31: MLB – Giants at Atlanta
August 31: MLB – Game of the Day #155
August 31: MLB – Athletics vs. Rangers
Motocross
August 15: Supermotocross – Race Day Live – Unadilla
August 15: Supermotocross Rd. 26: Unadilla
August 22: Supermotocross – Race Day Live – Budds Creek
August 22: Supermotocross Rd. 27: Budds Creek
August 29: Supermotocross – Race Day Live – Ironman
August 29: Supermotocross Rd. 28: Ironman
Premier League
August 22: Premier League – Nottingham Forest v. Leeds United
August 22: Premier League – Ipswich Town v. Sunderland
August 22: Premier League – GOAL RUSH
August 22: Premier League – Brentford v. Spurs
August 23: Premier League – Brighton v. Aston Villa
August 29: Premier League
August 30: Premier League
Women’s soccer
August 15: Women’s Soccer – DC Power FC vs. Carolina Ascent FC
August 15: Women’s Soccer – Lexington SC vs. Brooklyn FC
August 15: Women’s Soccer – Fort Lauderdale United FC vs. Sporting JAX
August 15: Women’s Soccer – Dallas Trinity FC vs. Tampa Bay Sun FC
August 22: Women’s Soccer – Sporting JAX vs. Tampa Bay Sun FC
August 22: Women’s Soccer – Dallas Trinity FC vs. Carolina Ascent FC
August 23: Women’s Soccer – Brooklyn FC vs. DC Power FC
August 28: Women’s Soccer – Fort Lauderdale United FC vs. Brooklyn FC
August 29: Women’s Soccer – Lexington SC vs. DC Power FC
August 29: Women’s Soccer – Carolina Ascent FC vs. Tampa Bay Sun FC
August 29: Women’s Soccer – Sporting JAX vs. Dallas Trinity FC
Tour de France
August 1: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 1
August 2: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 2
August 3: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 3
August 4: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 4
August 5: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 5
August 6: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 6
August 7: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 7
August 8: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 8
August 9: Tour de France Femmes – Stage 9
WNBA
August 2: WNBA – Los Angeles Sparks vs. Portland Fire
August 3: WNBA – Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty
August 9: WNBA – Dallas Wings vs. Minnesota Lynx
August 10: WNBA – Toronto Tempo vs. Atlanta Dream
August 17: WNBA – Dallas Wings vs. Golden State Valkyries
August 23: WNBA – Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky
August 24: WNBA – Atlanta Dream vs. Los Angeles Sparks
Additional sports dates
August 1: IMSA – Porsche Carrera Cup – Road America #2
August 1: 2026 AIG Women’s Open – Round 3
August 1: IMSA – Road America 120
August 1: IMSA – Qualifying – Road America
August 1: Lamborghini Super Trofeo – Road America #2
August 1: USA Swimming Toyota National Championships – Day 5
August 2: IMSA – Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix
August 2: 2026 AIG Women’s Open – Final Round
August 5: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 1 AM
August 5: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 1 PM
August 6: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 2 AM
August 6: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 2 PM
August 6: NFL – HOF Game: Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
August 6: U.S. Gymnastics Champs – Senior Men Day 1
August 7: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 3 AM
August 7: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 3 PM
August 7: U.S. Gymnastics Champs – Senior Women Day 1
August 8: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 4 AM
August 8: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 4 PM
August 8: U.S. Gymnastics Champs – Senior Men Day 2
August 9: World Athletics U20 Champs – Day 5
August 9: U.S. Gymnastics Champs – Senior Women Day 2
August 12: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 1 (Prelims)
August 12: 2026 U.S. Amateur Golf – Round of 64
August 12: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 1 (Finals)
August 13: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 2 (Prelims)
August 13: 2026 U.S. Amateur Golf – Round of 32
August 13: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 2 (Finals)
August 14: Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships – Individuals All-Around Finals Day 1
August 14: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 3 (Prelims)
August 14: 2026 U.S. Amateur Golf – Quarterfinals
August 14: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 3 (Finals)
August 15: Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships – Groups All-Around DAY 2
August 15: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 4 (Prelims)
August 15: 2026 U.S. Amateur Golf – Semifinals
August 15: Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Day 4 (Finals)
August 16: Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships – Individuals and Group Apparatus Finals Day 3
August 16: 2026 U.S. Amateur Golf – Championship Match
August 21: Liga MX – Juárez vs. America
August 22: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 1
August 22: IMSA – VP Racing SportsCar Challenge – VIR #2
August 22: IMSA – Ford Mustang Challenge – VIR #1
August 22: IMSA – VP Racing SportsCar Challenge – VIR #1
August 22: IMSA – Virginia Is For Racing Lovers Grand Prix
August 22: IMSA – Qualifying – VIR
August 22: Liga MX – Chivas vs. Tijuana
August 22: Liga MX – Tigres vs. Atlante
August 23: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 2
August 23: IMSA – Ford Mustang Challenge- VIR #2
August 23: IMSA – Michelin GT Challenge at VIR
August 24: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 3
August 25: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 4
August 26: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 5
August 27: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 6
August 27: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 7
August 28: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 8
August 29: Kentucky Downs 2026
August 29: Big Ten Football – San Jose State vs. USC
August 30: La Vuelta a Espana Stage 9
August 30: Purina’s Incredible Dog Challenge 2
August 30: Kentucky Downs 2026
August 30: NFL Special
Same-Day:
TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, Season 1 (Monday through Friday)
Meet the Press with Kristen Welker (Sunday)
Sunday Today with Willie Geist (Sunday)
TODAY (Monday through Friday)
In February, there’s one comedy show that jumps out as the most intriguing new series of the year. Peacock‘s The ‘Burbs is very loosely based on the 1989 cult comedy classic starring Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher. Keke Palmer headlines the new series, which re-contextualizes the paranoia of The ‘Burbs and expands upon it. Now, […]
Next-Day News (Below are the days episodes come to Peacock):
Dateline (Saturday)
Nightly News with Tom Llamas (Daily)
Noticias Telemundo (Tuesday through Saturday)
Noticias Telemundo En La Noche (Daily)
Noticias Telemundo Fin De Semana (Sundays and Mondays)
Noticias Telemundo Mediodía (Tuesday through Saturday)
Next-Day Talk Shows (Below are the days episodes come to Peacock):
Access Hollywood, Season 30 (Monday through Friday)
The Kelly Clarkson Show, Season 7 (Monday through Friday)
Late Night with Seth Meyers, Season 13 (Tuesday through Friday)
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Season 13 (Tuesday through Friday)
Watch What Happens Live, Season 22 (Monday through Friday)
Netflix has evolved from one of the foremost places to stream studio content to a producer of its own excellent original works. Whether it’s dominating the animated landscape with mega-hits like KPop Demon Hunters or taking over the sci-fi genre with shows like Stranger Things, Netflix is a force to be reckoned with in the battle for new and iconic IPs. One area where the channel is slowly making progress is in the action movie genre.
Gripping plotlines, impressive stunts, and nonstop thrills are all par for the course when it comes to action films. Like children’s and family movies, action films are deceptively difficult to execute well. It is not merely a matter of throwing in an explosion here or adding a few more stunts there. A great action movie needs to feel like an odyssey, a rewarding saga that audiences are allowed to participate in. While Netflix makes strides in almost every genre, its foray into action is steadily rising in both quantity and quality. Here are Netflix’s best original action movies so far.
‘Carry-On’ (2024)
Whether or not Carry-On can be called a Christmas movie is up for debate in the same vein as the ongoing Die Hard debate. Taron Egerton stars as Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent working on one of the busiest travel days of the year, Christmas Eve. As if his workday wasn’t stressed enough, Ethan soon has an unknown hijacker talking to him through an earpiece, threatening his coworkers and loved ones if he does not let a suspicious package go through the safety check and onto a plane.
Carry-On is full of suspense. Its realistic and close-to-home setting ramps up the stakes and makes it instantly gripping. Egerton is phenomenal in the movie and carries the focus well. Jason Bateman is brilliant as the cold, calculating, and methodical Traveler. Carry-On makes a good watch any time of the year, but especially for action fans who want a little mayhem in their holiday movies.
‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ (2021)
If you were to combine the maternal feelings and chaotic felicity of Everything Everywhere All at Once with the fast-paced fight scenes of John Wick, you would get Gunpowder Milkshake. Karen Gillan stars as Sam, an assassin who is used to kicking ass and taking names, who gets saddled with an eight-year-old girl named Emily (Chloe Coleman) who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gunpowder Milkshake is packed with talent, including Everything Everywhere All at Once‘s Michelle Yeoh. Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Angela Bassett, and Paul Giamatti are also part of the extremely gifted cast.
Gunpowder Milkshake is refreshingly original and one of the best female-led action movies of the 21st century. There are gorgeous slow-motion sequences that make the visceral visually stunning. Released during the height of the COVID pandemic, Gunpowder Milkshake didn’t receive the attention it deserved. The blend of distinctly feminine elements and gritty action tropes is brilliant, and if you haven’t checked out this absolute triumph yet, this is your sign.
‘Damsel’ (2024)
From facing monsters in titles like Stranger Things and Godzilla: King of the Monsters to solving mysteries in the popular Enola Holmes trilogy, there is nothing Millie Bobby Brown can’t do. One of her most epic action movies yet is the 2024 dark fantasy Damsel. In Damsel, Brown stars as Elodie, a young woman who thinks her dreams are about to come true when she is wedded to the young and eligible Prince Henry (Nick Robinson). However, there are darker circumstances and deeper motives at play, and immediately after saying her vows, Elodie is tossed into a deep cavern where a dangerous dragon lives.
Damsel is a fantastic flip on the fairytale genre. It takes back the ground used as an all-too-often trope of sacrificing the lives of innocent young women as a means to an end. Brown proves in Damsel why she is one of the foremost action stars of the day, and the performances given by Robin Wright, Angela Bassett, and the rest of the cast are equally dedicated and captivating. Shohreh Aghdashloo is irreplaceable as the voice of the dragon. The writing in Damsel lifts the character of the dragon off the page and, much like the damsel herself, she isn’t relegated to merely being a plot device, but is in fact an important part of the story.
‘Day Shift’ (2022)
In a world where vampire hunting is a money-making enterprise, Bud Jablonski (Jamie Foxx) goes on an all-out killing spree trying to make money fast so his ex-wife doesn’t relocate with his daughter. Day Shift is a gory, nonstop horror-meets-action banger. As the movie makes note, this is nowhere near Twilight. In Day Shift, vampires are soulless, blood-sucking villains, and the hunters like Bud are there to “cut necks and cash checks.”
Foxx is, as always, brilliant, and his odd couple dynamic with Dave Franco as Seth makes for a highly entertaining movie. Day Shift is a perfect choice for dark fantasy-action fans and puts viewers in the mind of films like Blade and Daybreakers. The comedic elements lift the overall tone of the film and keep it from being a straight horror. There have been whispers about a possible Day Shift sequel in the future, and Franco has said he would be up for it and would love to work with Foxx again.
‘Ultraman: Rising’ (2024)
Ultraman: Rising is an awesome Netflix original action movie that the whole family can enjoy. It is one of the best animated movies of the past five years and packs a whole lot of punch and heart. The story revolves around protagonist Ken Sato (Christopher Sean), a famous baseball player who returns to Japan after having a successful life and career overseas. Ken’s return to Japan carries the emotional weight of taking over the Ultraman mantle from his father, a source of deep contention between them, and his relocation is made even more complicated when he takes in a baby Kaiju that has lost its mother.
Ultraman: Rising is the latest in a solid canon that has included everything from anime to TV shows. It feels like a capsule story within the Ultraman franchise, and you don’t have to be familiar with any of the other projects to enjoy this spectacular standalone film. Ultraman: Rising has action scenes with superhero themes and a touching undercurrent about family and parenting. The baby Kaiju is absolutely adorable, and watching Ken bond with her makes the movie highly rewarding. If you want a fun action-packed movie with a good story that everyone can watch together, Ultraman: Rising is your next watch.
‘Space Sweepers’ (2021)
Set in the future, Space Sweepers follows a misfit crew of scavengers who stumble upon a highly advanced android child. Those onboard The Victory face a crisis of conscience and have to decide whether to turn the robot Dorothy (Park Ye-rin) in for money, or keep her safe. The cast is spot-on, and Space Sweepers delivers one of the more interesting and introspective performances about an android with the identity journey of Bubs (Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Hyang-gi).
Netflix is known for its excellent selection of South Korean TV shows and movies, and Space Sweepers is no exception. It has the ensemble movie format down to an art. Each character is interesting on their own, and the group as a whole is dynamic to watch. Netflix offers an English dub of the movie and subtitles. Space Sweepers is an interesting and enthusiastic fan-favorite that could be poised to reach cult status as time goes on.
‘Enola Holmes 2’ (2022)
Taking after her older brother, the famed detective Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) has a keen mind for solving mysteries. Instructed by her mother, Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), to be cunning and independent, Enola is a leading lady like none other in the Victorian era. Headstrong, fiercely loyal, and abounding with tenacity, Enola tackles cases that get dismissed by other detectives.
The second movie in the trilogy, Enola Holmes 2, is the best of the canon. The romance, action, and intrigue are all dialed up to 11, and the introduction of Moriarty (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) as a villain is excellent. Enola Holmes 2 offers some interesting insights into social and gender issues of the era and is a great watch for fans of period murder mysteries.
‘The Gray Man’ (2022)
Directed by The Russo Brothers, The Gray Man stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as combatants. In the movie, Gosling plays Six, a CIA agent with virtually no identity. Evans plays Lloyd, a psychotic hitman who puts a bounty on Six’s head, ensuring that everyone, not only himself, will be trying to end him. It becomes an all-out brawl as multiple agents and assassins get involved, and The Gray Man is full of excitement.
The Gray Man is a divisive movie. It has an abysmal critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, but an audience approval rating of 90%. It seems as though viewers either love or hate this original action movie. While The Gray Man is no Avengers, it has exhilarating action scenes, solid fight sequences, and watching Evans play a villain in an action movie after his long stint as Captain America in the MCU is refreshing. Although there were talks about a possible sequel to The Gray Man, the project has been put on hold for the time being.
‘Vampires vs. the Bronx’ (2020)
Bringing some fresh blood (pun intended) to the vampire genre is the dark comedy Vampires vs. the Bronx. In the movie, three young friends notice a strange influx of people to their neighborhood who act out of the ordinary, right as a bunch of locals go missing. When Miguel (Jaden Michael), Bobby (Gerald Jones), and Luis (Gregory Diaz IV) investigate, they find out that the newcomers are actually vampires.
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a funny and bloody action movie. It has a distinct energy and grit to the mise en scène and the storyline emphasizes the importance of a local community. All of the cast are brilliant, and fans of shows like Stranger Things and Buffy the Vampire Slayer need to add this Netflix original to their watchlist.
Vampires vs. the Bronx has a direct contradiction of Rotten Tomatoes scores compared to The Gray Man. It ranks incredibly high with critics, but very low with audience votes. This makes it another movie you have to see for yourself to decide. Movies like Vampires vs. the Bronx and The Gray Man prove that action fans are a highly discerning crowd, and they can’t be swayed by critics’ votes, one way or the other.
Vampires Vs the Bronx
- Release Date
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October 2, 2020
- Runtime
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85 minutes
- Director
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Osmany Rodriguez
- Writers
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Blaise Hemingway, Osmany Rodriguez
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