By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 13 seconds ago

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys has a lot in common with pro wrestling. The fights are all choreographed, the plots are soap opera drama for men, and sometimes, the actors will go into business for themselves. Most of the time a fight scene goes off without a hitch, or at least, nothing that can’t be fixed in post. During the filming of Season 2’s “Siege at Naxos,” the battle between Hercules and Goth devolved into an actual fistfight requiring both actors to be separated. What caused it? Jealousy. 

A Real Fight With Cameras Rolling

The story of the fight between Kevin Sorbo and Brian Thompson, playing the barbarian leader Goth, started before the two were on set together. When Sorbo won the coveted role of Hercules, Thompson was the runner-up. In the back of his head, he thought the role should have been his. That was enough for him to stop thinking straight and start throwing real punches at Sorbo during the filming of the fight. Sorbo fought back, and quickly, the two were separated with Thompson being escorted off set for the day. 

These things happen, no lasting damage was done, though Thompson never did appear on Hercules again. The story of the fight was relayed on an extra from the DVD box set, and while it was a bit of a shock for real punches to be thrown, it wasn’t as bad as other on-set injuries Sorbo experienced filming the show. In the very first episode, he was cut by a sword, and he again took a real punch in a later season when he wasn’t able to move out of the way like he needed to.

No Blood, No Foul

Brian Thompson went on to have a long career in Hollywood filled with guest star spots on every show that needed a muscular villain or a stern authority figure. He played aliens on multiple Star Trek series, from Next Generation through Enterprise, the Alien Bounty Hunter on The X-Files, he was on The Orville, and most recently, Fallout. In retrospect, had he been given the role of Hercules, he would have absolutely killed it. 

Kevin Sorbo isn’t acting as much these days, but part of that goes back to his time on Hercules where it wasn’t a stunt gone wrong or a fight that left him with a lasting injury, it was a chiropractic adjustment. Sorbo’s explained that the release of blood clots caused him to suffer not one, but three separate strokes while filming in New Zealand. This left it hard for him to move, and acting becomes considerably more difficult when your muscles stop listening to your commands. 

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys was one of the most successful shows of the 90s, though it always lagged behind its own spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess. Thompson didn’t get the part, and acted a fool for a brief moment, but in the end, everyone went on to find success in their own way. Given the horror stories of other sets, it was the best possible outcome, and at least “Siege of Naxos” is one of the best episodes of Season 2.

Mark Wiliams‘ Blacklight stars Liam Neeson as a quintessential Neeson variant. Travis Block, a government operative, specializes in extracting agents whose covers have been compromised when missions go sideways. As he attempts to lay his shadowy past to rest, the lines between friend and foe begin to blur when he brushes up against another agent he once protected. Despite the initial lackluster response upon the film’s release, thanks to Prime Video and Apple TV, Blacklight has gone from a forgettable left-swipe-worthy title to an unequivocal streaming hit.

Throughout the film, a conspiracy boiling just underneath the surface is slowly uncovered through Block’s growing distrust of his superiors. In an attempt to repair the strained relationships, Travis Block attempts to slowly retire from his former life and to heal his strained familial relationships. However, one of the big guys calling the shots, Gabriel Robinson, played by Aidan Quinn​​​​​​, protests this vehemently, thus creating a primary footing of conflict which then forces Block to question everything. Quickly, as two former confidants become adversaries, Block unearths some unscrupulous work Robinson has been doing right under his nose. Emerging journalist Mira Jones, played by Emmy Raver-Lampman, hungry for a salacious story, is hoping to make a story out of this push and pull. However, her naivety and zeal put her directly in harm’s way with only Block to protect her.

The ‘Blacklight’ Critic Vs. Audience Gap

Image via Briarcliff Entertainment

To say there’s just a radical difference between critic and audience reception would be the understatement of the century. Film aficionados have thrown around words like “stale”, “cliché”, and even “unwatchable”. Especially in comparison to Neeson’s legendary work in films like Taken or Cold Pursuit, these scathing reviews aren’t necessarily misguided. Those pictures defined the genre, thus anything that misses that impossibly high mark pales in comparison. Due to the reportedly dull action sequences and disjointed plot, the film received an abysmal and truly shocking 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. With all of this being said, it’s fair to wonder if this espionage thriller is truly so terrible, and more than that, should critics be the deciding factor in a film’s value?

Adversely, in examining the streaming numbers alone, it would express that audiences felt decidedly different. Despite its original box office failure, and terrible critical reception, the film has frequently topped viewership charts on Netflix, Prime Video, and Tubi. In fact, on Netflix in particular, the film has grossed over 13.3 million hours of time watched. Additionally, it also achieved a whopping 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps this is due in part to Neeson’s decorated reputation, convincing fans that a technically bad film is not only watchable but entertaining. Or maybe the cliché, but albeit exciting, quintessential action tropes captured in the film provide the surface-level entertainment streaming audiences want.

In summary, this controversial film, with a truly baffling discrepancy in reviews, is nonetheless soaring in popularity. As far as spy thrillers go, Blacklight has everything one can hope for. Mark Williams captures Neeson doing exactly what he does best, and proves yet again that, against all odds, the actor will remain an undying force in the action genre.

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Release Date

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February 11, 2022

Runtime

108 minutes

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Director

Mark Williams

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 26 seconds ago

The One Piece is coming to Netflix in 2027, but it’s not to be confused with One Piece that’s already available for streaming or One-Piece live-action which is One Piece but with live-action, though it’s actually closer to The One Piece. Eiichiro Oda’s manga has been running since 1997 with no end in sight. The anime has been running since 1999, and with over 1,000 episodes, tackling it is a lifetime commitment. That’s why Netflix, alongside Oda, has produced The One Piece, a modern retelling of a series that hasn’t finished yet, with improved animation, visuals, and best of all, no filler episodes. 

The One Piece Is All Killer No Filler

Right away, you can tell that The One Piece looks incredible. The CGI enhanced ships look fantastic while retaining the character and charm of Oda’s original designs from 30 years ago. While the live-action series has done a great job with casting and costuming, it’s also nice to see that the classic character designs have been retained for the new anime. Everything looks sharper, Luffy delivering a punch looks smoother than the original East Blue Saga does at it best, but the best part of the remake can’t be shown in a teaser: the new pacing. 

One Piece is infamous for adding new story arcs in order to stay behind the manga. Over the last 27 years this has resulted in hundreds of filler episodes that exist only to eat up time. That doesn’t mean they’re all bad, the G-8 arc in particular is so good fans want it to be canon. 

The Rare Remake Fans Want To See

Between One Piece, The One Piece, and One Piece live-action, there will soon be three separate sets of canon to keep track of, which might irritate fans. Except, One Piece fans are built different, and on average, they’re excited to see what The One Piece changes and to relive their favorite moments with better animation. We’ve seen Whiskey Peak twice now, what’s The One Piece going to do differently when Zorro takes on 100 Baroque Works agents? Will we ever get to see Blackbeard or Gear 5 Luffy in The One Piece?

Who knows? Netflix is committed to One Piece as a franchise and has been opening the wallet for Oda in addition to including him in all creative decisions. The investment is paying off with an ever-growing collection of anime on Netflix including more, such as Sakamoto Days, coming to the service as exclusives. The fans win, Oda is winning, and Netflix gets subscribers. For some reason, One Piece is the only time that Netflix is doing everything right for the existing fans. 

We’re still months away from The One Piece hitting streaming. Expect more trailers, more character art, and more information on what is and isn’t going to be covered by the new anime remake. This is a chance for Netflix to include both Jango and Chouchou, both of whom were left on the cutting room floor for the live-action series. Fans need to see the moonwalking hypnotist and the bestest boy ever in the new, stunning animation style.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 12 seconds ago

You know how the subtext of every single conversation we have is that a bunch of billionaires gather in remote locations to commit horrible crimes against humanity as if they’re simply playing a game with human lives? By now, we’ve seen the emails, the court documents, and enough leaked files to know these things happen, and to our horror, the world keeps spinning because most of us can only be revolutionaries until the rent is due.

2024’s Blink Twice, a psychological thriller written and directed by Zoe Kravitz and led by Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie, whisks viewers away to one of those remote places, where women are unknowingly rounded up as prisoners, only coming to their senses after a series of traumatic incidents force them to confront the reality of their situation.

Having never heard of this one because of its limited theatrical run before being relegated to on-demand purchases, I finally had a chance to sit down with it now that it’s streaming free on Tubi, complete with an opening trigger warning. And why is there a trigger warning, you ask? Because this movie is absolutely batsh*t insane.

Seriously, it takes a lot to make me upset while watching a movie, and Blink Twice certainly delivers on that front. To the film’s credit, it’s not shocking for the sake of being shocking, and its willingness to go all in on criticizing how the ruling elite treat ordinary people makes for an enthralling watch that’s not only going to keep you up at night, but also make you wonder what we can do as a society to dismantle the power structures that allow the ultra-wealthy to operate this way.

A Series Of Unfortunate, Horrifying Events

Blink Twice offers a visceral experience that’s best experienced firsthand. There’s no real way to break down the plot without revealing major spoilers, so beyond the setup, it’s probably best to either use your imagination or simply fire up the film and give it a go.

We’re introduced to Frida (Naomi Ackie), a nail artist and waitress who works corporate events attended by some of the world’s swankiest public figures and financiers. She has a run-in with vaguely disgraced tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), who invites her and her best friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a gathering at his exclusive private island. They take him up on his offer and are showered with gifts, the finest food and drink money can buy, drugs, and sex.

The problem, however, is that Slater’s assistant Stacy (Geena Davis) confiscates everybody’s phones, every woman is suffering from memory lapses, and once the fog from the drugs and opulent overstimulation finally wears off, a feeling of fear begins to consume the collective consciousness.

Everybody within Slater’s inner orbit, like Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), and Lucas (Levon Hawke), acts suspiciously about what they’re getting into during the nights when memories become imperfect, while the other women guests, Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel), and Heather (Trew Mullen), grow increasingly apprehensive of one another as alliances form, loyalties are questioned, and Jess voices her suspicions to deaf ears.

A High-Concept Brainwashing Catastrophe

Slater King’s alleged paradise is basically Epstein Island without explicitly saying it’s Epstein Island. It’s a place where people of influence, washed-up child actors, reality TV stars, and social climbers can get together and act as uninhibited as they damn well please. They have the resources and privacy to do whatever they want while operating above the law.

The women lured to this island are manipulated at the highest level. They know something is wrong. They know they’re witnessing crimes against humanity and even crimes against their own well-being, but they’re so charmed by everything Slater and his entourage have to offer that they don’t want to give up the lavish lifestyle they’re quickly becoming accustomed to. Once the charm wears off and they catch wise, however, they’re still fed an unthinkable amount of illicit substances to keep their rational minds at bay.

It doesn’t matter that the perfume is administered strategically as if it’s something more than just perfume, that nobody ever wakes up remembering what happened the previous night, or that certain members of the group share the exact same snake tattoo. The private island is a free meal ticket, and to most of the people unwittingly trapped there, the trade-off seems fair, even as their mental and physical autonomy is constantly compromised in increasingly invasive ways.

Blink Twice offers a horrifying glimpse at what can happen when morally reprehensible people with seemingly infinite resources get to treat the world like a playground while the average person watches helplessly from the sidelines. It’s one of those movies that will make you wish similar behavior doesn’t actually happen behind closed doors in real life.

But after all of the impropriety, carnage, and brutal lessons learned, it somehow gets the last laugh with an ending so far out of left field that you can’t help but give your TV a standing ovation.

As of this writing, Blink Twice is streaming free on Tubi. It’s a wild ride, but one worth the cost of admission.

Who ya gonna call? Apparently, a brand-new team of Ghostbusters.

Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation have officially unveiled the first details for Ghostbusters: Night Shift, an all-new animated series set within the beloved supernatural franchise. Alongside the announcement came the first concept art, a logo reveal, and an official story synopsis that teases a fresh generation of paranormal heroes.

Set in New York City in 1994, the series takes place five years after the events of Ghostbusters II, when the original team famously brought the Statue of Liberty to life to save the city. But while that battle may have ended, a new supernatural threat is just beginning.

According to the official logline:

“A new wave of supernatural terror hits the Big Apple, forcing a group of scrappy, young New Yorkers — untrained, underappreciated, and kinda sorta responsible for the problem — to put on proton packs, face their fears, and bust some ghosts.”

The newly released concept art hints at a darker and more cinematic tone than previous animated entries. One image showcases a massive fiery ghost towering over a lone figure inside an industrial building, while another depicts eerie creatures roaming the streets of New York beneath an orange sunset sky.

The series is being executive produced by Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, Ben Hibon, Elliott Kalan, Amie Karp, and original Ghostbusters star Dan Aykroyd. Reitman and Kenan previously collaborated on Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, helping usher the franchise into a new era while honoring its roots.

Ghostbusters: Night Shift [credit: Netflix]

Fans have been eager for more animated Ghostbusters adventures ever since The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters aired decades ago. Early reactions online have praised the title Night Shift and the moody art direction, with many hoping the series embraces a slightly darker tone while maintaining the humor the franchise is known for.

Netflix has confirmed that Ghostbusters: Night Shift will premiere exclusively on the streaming service in 2027.

With a 1990s setting, a new generation of ghost hunters, and the backing of several key figures behind the recent films, Ghostbusters: Night Shift may be the franchise’s most exciting animated revival yet.

What do you think of the first look at Ghostbusters: Night Shift? Are you excited to return to the world of Ghostbusters?

Teen Mom alum Kailyn Lowry is setting the record straight.

“[People] think that I am a serial cheater, that I’ve cheated on everyone that I’ve ever been with, which is completely false,” Lowry, 34, said during the Wednesday, June 24 episode of Gia Giudice’s “Casual Chaos” podcast.

Lowry clarified to listeners that she cheated when she was 19, which played out on Teen Mom.

“I had to retell him on camera, even though we had already talked about it in real life, but they weren’t there for it,” she continued. “So, people have assumed that I have cheated on every single partner I’ve been with since.”

Lowry added, “I literally haven’t.”

When Lowry made her debut as a MTV reality star, she and high school boyfriend Jo Rivera were expecting son Elliott, now 16. She moved on with Javi Marroquin and welcomed son Lincoln, 12. Lowry shares two sons — Lux, 8, and Creed, 5 — with ex Chris Lopez. She and ex-fiancé Elijah Scott are parents to Rio, 3, and twins Verse and Valley, 2.

“If I’m with somebody and then we break up and I date somebody else, that is not cheating, and then we happen to get back together,” Lowry said on Wednesday. “That was just a toxic relationship, but I didn’t cheat on you. Do you know what I’m saying? That’s frustrating for me.”

Wednesday’s episode was the second part of Lowry’s podcast with Giudice. The first was released on Tuesday, June 23, and Lowry was also quick to discuss the ups and downs she’s experienced with her exes.

“It depends on the day,” Lowry said when asked where she stands with her kids’ fathers. “One of the dads, we’re email-only. So we don’t do phone calls unless we schedule it. We don’t communicate via text or anything like that. It’s just strictly email.”

Related: ‘Teen Mom 2’ Star Kailyn Lowry’s Dating History Over the Years

Teen Mom 2 viewers have been following Kailyn Lowry’s love life for nearly a decade on MTV. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of […]

Lowry didn’t share names, but did admit that things are “super tumultuous” with a different ex.

“I’ve spent almost a million dollars on that child custody case,” she shared. “It’s been a wild ride.”

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Things with ex-fiancé Scott, however, are great.

“We share a driveway. … It’s convenient,” Lowry said, telling listeners that she and Scott are neighbors. “We have not needed to go to court. We don’t have child support orders.”

She added, “If anyone was to ask me what my perfect scenario is for coparenting, it’s that one, because it is so easy. It really is.”

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 second ago

1993’s Fire in the Sky is a fantastic sci-fi thriller allegedly based on true events. It follows the story of Travis Walton, who wrote a book about his close encounter called The Walton Experience. In it, he recounts being abducted by aliens near Heber, Arizona, in 1975, though the supposed real-life incident remains hotly debated to this day.

While there are plenty of contemporaneous tabloid stories and later books covering the incident, I’m not here to talk about what happened in real life. I’m here to talk about Fire in the Sky, which, whether it’s based on true events or not, is a fantastic sci-fi entry that examines the abduction itself, the search effort that took place while Walton was missing, the media circus surrounding the case, and how all of the above affected him for the rest of his life.

Smoke On The Water, Fire In The Sky

Fire in the Sky has a simple enough setup. Logger Travis Walton is seemingly whisked away by an alien spacecraft, as witnessed by his five co-workers: Mike Rogers (Robert Patrick), Allan Dallis (Craig Sheffer), David Whitlock (Peter Berg), Greg Hayes (Henry Thomas), and Bobby Cogdill (Bradley Gregg). Rightfully terrified, the men flee the scene, except for Mike Rogers, who returns after coming to his senses to look for him.

Back in town, Travis’ disappearance is treated like a missing persons case, but the men all know what they saw. They’re clearly shaken, but Sheriff Blake Davis (Noble Willingham) and Lieutenant Frank Watters (James Garner) suspect foul play. In their minds, there was likely a violent altercation, and Walton’s body was simply disposed of. The men take polygraph tests that mostly corroborate their innocence, except for Dallis, who previously got into it with Walton and may have had a motive to make him disappear.

At least that’s what everybody thought until Travis Walton returned from the other side, severely traumatized and in desperate need of medical attention. Though his initial accounts are met with intense scrutiny, his flashbacks tell an entirely different story. In them, he’s whisked aboard a spacecraft, wrapped in a cocoon-like synthetic material, and operated on by extraterrestrials without anesthetic as invasively as you can imagine.

If there’s any reason to check out Fire in the Sky, it’s the abduction sequence itself. The aliens look exactly how you’d expect from a relatively low-budget ’90s movie ($15 million), but their behavior is what you’ll latch onto. They don’t seem overtly hostile, and in their minds, they’re probably not even being aggressive or invasive at all. They simply appear to be studying and experimenting on Travis the same way a zoologist might tag a bear after modifying its diet to see if there are any behavioral changes worth documenting.

The Real Story Is Debatable, But The Movie Is Excellent Fiction

While director Robert Lieberman has expressed doubts about Travis Walton’s story, he turned it into a palatable sci-fi thriller that any genre fan can enjoy. In Lieberman’s view, Walton simply pranked his friends and the whole thing spiraled out of control. The subsequent media attention was too good to pass up, so he rolled with it, and the story continued to snowball.

Whether the story that inspired Fire in the Sky is real or a total fabrication is ultimately beside the point. The storytelling and abduction sequences alone are essential viewing if you’re a fan of The X-Files or any other sci-fi that has been asking the same question for decades: are we alone in this universe, or do we have company?

As of this writing, you can stream Fire in the Sky for free on Pluto TV.

The heat between Jacob Elordi and Kendall Jenner seems to only be getting hotter!

The high-profile pair were recently seen spending casual time in a scenic international location close to the performer’s family roots. 

This latest getaway follows several other tropical and exotic vacations the duo has shared over the last few months.

Elordi and Kendall recently took their developing relationship to a scenic region in Australia. The twenty-eight-year-old movie performer and the thirty-year-old reality television personality were photographed together enjoying a relaxed outdoor stroll with a dog in Byron Bay. 

This destination is located roughly two hours away from the city of Brisbane, which is the actor’s original birthplace. Observers noted that the couple opted for matching style choices during the walk, with both individuals sporting colorful waterproof jackets combined with dark trousers. 

They attempted to keep a low profile during the public outing by wearing dark sunglasses, with Kendall wrapping her hair in a bandana while Elordi wore a standard baseball cap.

See photos of the sighting obtained by People Magazine.

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Notably, this sighting came just shortly after they were seen enjoying each other’s company during a previous holiday in Japan. 

A Tropical Getaway Reportedly Accelerated The Bond Between Elordi & Kendall

Elordi and Kendall seem to be spending more time together lately, as the pair was also spotted enjoying an island vacation just weeks ago. According to reports, the getaway seemingly deepened their romantic connection. 

An anonymous source revealed that the joint trip to Hawaii served as a major catalyst for the pair, creating a bond that quickly became more serious than Kendall expected.

Insiders say the model did not expect to develop such profound feelings in such a short timeframe, but the beach holiday changed things pretty quickly. 

“They got super close on that trip, and it definitely made their connection stronger,” the source said, per The Blast. 

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The source noted that she is exceptionally joyful with the relationship, specifically appreciating how effortless and comfortable their interactions feel. Additionally, a particularly positive element of this flourishing romance has been the opportunity to share the experience with her sibling, Kylie Jenner.

Kendall Jenner & Jacob Elordi Are Reportedly Not Rushing To Label Their Connection Just Yet

Shortly after sources revealed that Kendall and Elordi’s Hawaiian trip strengthened their bond, more reports surfaced, suggesting that the two are going slow and taking things at their own pace. 

According to The Blast, a source revealed that while the couple is exclusive, they are not “rushing to label anything or call each other boyfriend/girlfriend yet.” Instead, they are choosing to let the dynamic evolve naturally.

Notably, the reality television personality has increasingly integrated the movie actor into her core social network, frequently organizing gatherings with her closest confidants.

This integration has reportedly proceeded smoothly, with insiders noting that her friends have formed a highly positive impression of the performer. 

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Hailey & Justin Bieber Allegedly Orchestrated The Initial Introduction Between Jacob Elordi & Kendall Jenner

As Kendall and Elordi’s bond continues to heat up, reports reveal that they did not meet by chance and were allegedly set up by mutual friends. 

According to The Blast, insiders revealed that the reality television star and the actor were intentionally brought together by Hailey and Justin Bieber. This orchestrated setup proved highly successful, as the couple was first seen together sharing an intimate moment at the musician’s Coachella afterparty in April.

Observers at the music event further noted that the reality star appeared deeply captivated by the actor during the gathering. Following their initial connection, the pair was also spotted celebrating Memorial Day weekend with Hailey and Justin. 

Jacob Elordi Is Reportedly Amazed By Kendall Jenner’s High-Profile Social Circle

The strategic role their mutual companions played in introducing the couple aligns with how the actor has integrated into the supermodel’s luxurious lifestyle.

The “Wuthering Heights” actor has spent more time experiencing his partner’s world, and this exposure to her highly influential social circle has reportedly left a significant impression on him.

The Blast reported that Elordi has allegedly grown increasingly fascinated by the highly influential environment surrounding Kendall as their relationship continues to strengthen. 

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An insider shared that the performer is “starstruck for sure” and is incredibly excited to be part of her social network. 

“He is thrilled with her social circle, which he has called ‘impressive,’” the source revealed.