Entertainment

How DreamWorks Snuck a ‘Predator’ Cameo Into Their Next Animated Movie [Exclusive]

Published

4 hours ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Son Goku smiling and doing a thumbs up in 'Dragon Ball Z'

Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with Forgotten Island directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
The directors discuss the Filipino folklore behind the film’s story, ’90s callbacks, how they snuck the movie Predator in the film, and the various animation styles they utilized to explore memories.
They also discuss returning to Annecy, a new single from H.E.R. for the movie, movies they were influenced by, and more.

DreamWorks Animation’s Academy Award-nominated directing duo Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado returned to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this year after leaving the fest in awe with 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. This year, they debuted exclusive new footage of their ‘90s nostalgia throwback, Forgotten Island, and Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the pleasure of chatting with them afterward to get all the movie magic details about this epic animation feat.

Following in the footsteps of the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Crawford and Mercado steered the Puss in Boots franchise straight to the Academy Awards, earning a nomination for the Best Animated Feature Film for a movie that pushed beyond a familiar limitation within the medium. “Having these classic CG animated movies for so long,” Crawford explains, “you had a limited set of tools.” With Forgotten Island, this duo set out to surpass their own creativity, using a blend of animation styles to visually tell the story of BFFs Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), who are about to set out on different paths. On their last night together, the girls discover a portal that whisks them off to a whimsical island called Nakali, but to escape, they’ll have to give up every memory from their friendship. With the help of a hapless weredog, Raww (Dave Franco), and a few new pals, Jo and Raissa embark on a race to find a way off that island without sacrificing their memories.

Check out the full conversation below, where Crawford and Mercado discuss the different styles of animation and how each one serves the story, delivering audiences ‘90s nostalgia, and drawing inspiration from films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and even The Hangover. They explain the Filipino folklore that Forgotten Island is based on, with details about the two antagonists who rival even The Last Wish’s sinister Wolf (Wagner Moura), plus the music that captures the heart of Jo and Raissa’s bond, including a brand-new track from H.E.R. In addition, towards the end of the conversation, they reveal why they included a clip from Predator in the movie.

‘Forgotten Island’ Wouldn’t Exist Without ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’

The Shrek spin-off was critically acclaimed upon release.

COLLIDER: Annecy is fantastic. What is it like for you guys being here? Also, I think you did a signing today. What was that like? I would imagine there are a lot of students here who really want to do what you guys are doing.

JANUEL MERCADO: This is our community, right? Animation and people who are just so passionate and love the art form, and this diverse collection of storytelling and points of view.

JOEL CRAWFORD: We fell in love with this place and the festival in ‘22 with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. That was the first time we came here, and, man, did that get a great reception. It was amazing to be able to present the sneak-peek stuff this morning to this audience. You just feel the love and passion. From the stage, we couldn’t help but want to give it back.

MERCADO: They totally get what we do, which is we just want to tell stories that mean something, and we just want to keep pushing the medium of animation.

I want to go backwards. How did this movie happen? You’re telling an original story, and with studios, there’s that constant balance of original versus sequel and IP that they know.

CRAWFORD: It’s interesting. Going back to 2020, we had finished The Croods: A New Age, and Januel and I started actually kicking around the idea of Forgotten Island, going, “Let’s tell something based on Filipino mythology.” We then actually stepped away from Forgotten Island for a little bit when we took on Puss in Boots and directed that. I’m super grateful for that experience with the studio because Puss in Boots pushed some boundaries for animation, but for DreamWorks, in terms of not just the style, the look of it being more painterly, but also the introduction of we’re telling a story about life and celebrating it, and so we introduced a character in Wolf that is death incarnate and was pretty scary. One of the coolest things was the honesty to go, “If you’re going to tell a story that celebrates the light, you’ve got to go to the dark a little bit,” and how well received and how that character resonated with audiences.

Because of that trust we gained from that experience with Puss in Boots, it was great that we got to jump into Forgotten Island after that, because now we have this shorthand with them, where we go, “We’re creating a big adventure comedy.” But really, there were no challenges on, like, “We know this is going to be a nuanced ride. It’s not going to just be all levity.”

CRAWFORD: I think they knew that we could deliver the goods. I mean, it took some convincing still, because originals, right? It’s so hard to get started, and even completing a movie is a frickin miracle, right? Let alone a good one.

The Puss in Boots movie was fantastic, so I think there’s probably faith from the studio after you deliver something like that.

CRAWFORD: Forgotten Island exists because Puss in Boots existed. But for us as filmmakers and storytellers, we’re like, “Let’s go further. Let’s dig deeper emotionally. Let’s see where we can take this medium of animation.” And one of the coolest things was creating this story that takes place in the ‘90s, and then it’s centered around memories and nostalgia. We get to actually tap into a lot of things from our formative years, of even ‘90s anime.

The Movies That Inspired ‘Forgotten Island’

“You have more ways to articulate a more nuanced story.”

I really think that the Puss in Boots movie and Spider-Verse really opened the door in terms of pushing animation forward because it was taking more creative risks and doing things we hadn’t seen. Do you think that both Spider-Verse and Puss in Boots are opening the door, especially to executives, the people who are greenlighting, and showing them we can go further?

MERCADO: That is a great question, because you’re right. We’ll flat-out say confidently, especially with Spider-Verse, how inspiring that was and how groundbreaking it was. Again, we’re just such fans of animation and our peers. To see something that blows your mind, I’m like, “Hell yeah! I want more of that.” I want people to step up right and inspire each other, you know?

CRAWFORD: It definitely inspired us, and inspired so many other filmmakers to then elevate and do their own version of breaking the box of what animation is supposed to be. I think one of the coolest things, not just stylistically, is when you also just visually say animation doesn’t have to just look like this. It also opens the gates for stories that could be told and themes that can be addressed because you’re not just back to the expected.

In a weird way, it felt like having these classic CG animated movies for so long, you had a limited set of tools, and these are the tools that you can tell this story with. Then all of a sudden, when you go, “Wait, you can use anything?” You can have paint brushes, you can have an airbrush, and you can have the mix of these things. You have more ways to articulate a more nuanced story. And I think that’s been the gift that Spider-Verse brought, that came along with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, with Wild Robot, KPop Demon Hunters.

That’s another one. Not only is the story so important, but the animation of that movie and the way the eyes and the reactions, all of that stuff, is bringing in a whole new audience who are seeing animation in a new way.

CRAWFORD: It’s kind of cool because there’s been so much of what’s been done in the West, independent of what anime has been doing for decades in storytelling, like you mentioned, pushing the chibi pushed expressions and how you’d have dramatic stories in anime, and all of a sudden they turn into cute little characters, and you can do these tonal shifts.

MERCADO: Blood shoots out of her nose and waterfall tears.

CRAWFORD: [Laughs] What’s so cool with the international audience now consuming all kinds of animation is that this is a vocabulary that’s not foreign to anybody. For us, when we started Forgotten Island, we’ve been consuming so much anime for so long that we were like, “We think the Western audience is ready to actually get these references and these influences,” and that really opened the doors for us in our storytelling, of our timing, of our sensibilities. Because when you can actually break the model of a character and change them from very grounded and realistic looking, and they look cartoony and simple, and they’re missing their nose, within 13 seconds, you’re able to hit emotions and expressions that if you were grounded would take so much longer and would not have the emotional impact.

MERCADO: It wouldn’t be as interesting, too.

CRAWFORD: Yeah. It’s exciting.

‘Dragon Ball Z’ and ‘The Hangover’ Were Major Influences on ‘Forgotten Island’

Anime overall plays a key role in the film.

I want to get specific for fans who are not here, who have not seen what I saw, which looks awesome. Tell people about the different styles of animation and the things that they can look forward to in this movie.

MERCADO: If you’re a fan of animation in general, and the breadth of styles and storytelling tones, you’re in for a treat, because Joel and I’s sensibility is that we’re kind of maximalists, and it’s coming from a place of, “I love this. I love that. Let’s put it all in our movie!”

When specifically talking about the styles of animation, we have this amazing display of traditional CG performances, as well — subtle acting that you’ve seen in DreamWorks’ filmography — and we also have these pushed anime moments that now can be rendered in the 3D world. We also have 2D elements and classic 2D, ‘90s anime, inspired by the anime that we grew up watching. And that’s, to your point, too, people who don’t know anime think it’s all the same, but there are so many different styles of anime, and we haven’t even scratched the surface in our movie. It’s just, like, three shows and Street Fighter video games in the ‘90s.

CRAWFORD: We put all these things we love, but we make sure everything has a thematic and metaphorical reason to be in this story. One of the really fun things was going, “This is a story about memories and how we experience them and how we celebrate them and how they become part of our DNA.” We all will remember the same situation in different ways and be able to utilize the medium of animation to stylistically change it depending on who’s telling or retelling a moment, going from, yeah, we have the weredog, Raww, who’s retelling a moment, and his sensibility is he sees himself like Goku in Dragon Ball Z. He’s going Super Saiyan.

MERCADO: And he’s going Super Saiyan over a high five. It’s just his internal wish of, like, he wants to be a part of a group.

CRAWFORD: He wants a connection.

MERCADO: He wants a pack. He wants friends.

CRAWFORD: We love taking the fantastical and making it about the most relatable and nuanced thing, which is Raww wants connection. He wants a high five. When he tells a story, that high five is the biggest deal, but being able to put that into pushed anime.

There are other styles of a very narcissistic, handsome merman, who, if he retells a story, it might look like Sailor Moon. There’s going to be a lot of giant eyes with Vaseline on the lens and a lot of extra highlights in the eyes. Or there’s a giant demon baby, who is so naive and sweet, and we found a style that’s an anime called Crayon Shin-chan, which has rounded lines and a very soft, naive tone. So, being able to just find inspirations that tell your story has been so freeing.

Something that I don’t know if you guys realized, but I realized watching the footage today, is that there’s a little bit of the movie The Hangover. There’s a little bit of a plot similarity. They’re searching, and like, “What the hell did we do last night?” And these kids are searching, like, “What happened last night?” When did you guys come up with that story idea? By the way, I’m not trying to…

MERCADO: No, no, no. You’re on the money.

It’s a great plot device. When did you guys come up with that idea? It’s almost like teaching kids about a hangover — I’m joking around.

MERCADO: The great thing about that is the answer is always magic. [Laughs]

CRAWFORD: I’m excited for you to see the full movie. For us, we take this idea of being forgotten, like at the root of Jo and Raissa’s story is the fear that when you grow apart, the other friend will forget you. What we love is taking that theme, and really letting it ripple throughout the story in different tones. Like you mentioned, The Hangover is essentially a story of forgetting, but through a comedic lens. There are other inspirations we’ve taken, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

I saw a clip of that today where she’s trying to reach for the memory, but it’s disappearing.

CRAWFORD: Mhm. For us, it’s taking every angle of memories and exploring them through all of the tones of our film. So, I think it has the comedic lens, like you mentioned, but has so much more when people see the full movie.

‘Forgotten Island’s Villain Is Ripped Straight From Filipino Mythology

“When diving into this world of Filipino folklore, that was one of the creatures that really stood out to us.”

One of the things that I learned today is that there are two villains in the movie, and one of them seems pretty badass.

MERCADO: The vampire demon that splits in half?

Yeah. Talk about this antagonist and powers and how this character ranks against classic villains and antagonists from animated films previously.

MERCADO: That’s an excellent question. So a Manananggal — the demon vampire — is from Filipino folklore. They have a variant of a woman demon vampire that is able to split in half, and that is called a Manananggal. When diving into this world of Filipino folklore, that was one of the creatures that really stood out to us, of “I’ve never seen a character like this!”

I’ve never seen a character like this in a major animated release from a studio.

MERCADO: To your point, that is so unique, this type of vampire, and that feels like a really badass villain to follow up our wolf. Also, on the other side of it, there are noticeable archetypes about this villain, too, of her looking like a villain, just her design, but how she ranks as a villain is that she seems like this most badass, just evil thing, but there is something deeper with this character that relates to the themes of this movie.

I’m sure this is not just a villain to be a villain. Antagonists can be badass, but they need to have a reason. You look at Hans Gruber in Die Hard. That’s one of the best antagonists in any movie, because he’s just doing it for money. He’s such a badass, but he wants the money. It’s just very simple anyway.

MERCADO: You are on the money.

But there are two villains, so who’s the other villain?

MERCADO: The other villain is Batiba. You have, on one spectrum, the vampire demon that looks evil and looks like the bad guy, and the other end of the spectrum is this character, Batiba, that looks like a giant Totoro. [Laughs] Like a cat, fluffy Totoro thing. So you have the vampire, and she’s essentially a witch that plays with magic and is obsessed with the power of memories.

CRAWFORD: Like you mentioned, you’ve never seen this in an animated form before. One of the coolest things is that just by not going to the same well of European folklore and mythology, and by just going into and celebrating a different culture’s mythology, you get these unique stories. Like Januel said, the Manananggal is one of the most popular and iconic ones, and we felt like, not just because it’s terrifying, but to represent Filipino culture, that has to be one of the ones that we showcase in this. Batiba was actually derived from a different mythological thing, which is what was called the Batibat, which is even more terrifying, but we took some liberties.

MERCADO: This creature, it is a big, heavyset creature, which our version is still this big heavyset animal. The original creature is one that, kind of like Freddy Krueger, preys on the victim’s nightmares. It preys on the nightmares, and because we’re developing this story around memories, we thought we could put our twist on this creature and make this one prey on memories.

‘Forgotten Island’ Directors on the Film’s Unique Music Choices

The directing duo also discuss how they got a clip of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Predator’ in the movie.

There is a montage in the first act of the film where you’re seeing the girls growing up and what’s happening in their lives. It’s a really well-done montage. For a sequence like that, how long does something like that actually take to put together? I know that with that sequence, every bit you’re putting in these frames is designed to move the story along and not waste any frames, and it’s so well done, but that takes time.

MERCADO: 100%, yeah.

CRAWFORD: Aww. Thank you. That means a lot that you recognize that. Game recognize game. Even the song choice. Everything about that moment.

MERCADO: INXS.

CRAWFORD: When we started writing the story six years ago, we had written in INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart.” Thematically, it felt so right, and it’s interesting because that was a love song, but all of the lyrics and the vibe of it really represented the story of this friendship. So we carried that with us in the script until we started, years later, storyboarding it. We even had to convince story artists because it isn’t the conventional, what you might expect in the first act. It doesn’t have the pop kind of feel that you would expect in a montage of seeing them grow up together.

MERCADO: Very mundane, right? Two girls growing up and their friendship developing.

CRAWFORD: The goal was really to establish the bond that these two take on as they grew up together and what they do for each other, so that you see that they are kind of like two puzzle pieces that perfectly match each other, and neither one would be who they are in the present without that experience. So, there was a lot of reworking with our story artists, them pitching and redrawing and coming up with these moments. It’s one of those beautiful moments that, when you watch the full movie, that scene is such a setup for where the movie goes that we had to get it right.

MERCADO: To your point, too, Steven, you nailed it, where it was actually quite easy to write this because of the story we’re telling about friendship and the point of view of these two girls and the bond, but it was one of the hardest scenes to execute. We were spinning, like, “What happened? This works on paper, and this works for the movie, for sure. Why is it so frickin hard to board it and to cut it together?” That was the crazy thing. So when you asked that question, it was like that was the experience, right there. It was the hardest one to nail, to crack.

It’s just hard. Every single frame matters when you’re putting together a montage. One of the reasons why the movie works for the audience today, and I was so impressed with it, is that you’re telling a story that people can follow, but you’re breaking the conventional rules while you’re telling it. You’re not reinventing the wheel, but it’s the way you’re telling the story and the music you’re using.

CRAWFORD: Thank you.

What percentage are you done with the movie right now?

CRAWFORD: We’re pretty close. What’s going to be screened tomorrow is probably 90% finished. We actually just came from Skywalker Ranch right before. We were mixing the movie just a few days ago. For us as filmmakers, it’s so hard when we’re showing an unfinished movie, even though to everyone’s eyes, they’re probably like, “Oh, yeah, that looks mostly done.” There are some effects missing. There are some scenes where the lighting is not final. We haven’t color-finished anything.

But more importantly, the artists up at Skywalker Ranch, just to craft the sound, the original score that we have from Nathan Matthew David, the sound effects of some of these creatures and things that just bring everything to life, and sonically tell the story, for us, that’s not even represented yet. So, technically, by the middle or by the end of next month, we’ll be done with the movie. We’ve got so much to do.

It’s also a sign that the studio really believes in the film that they’re showing it at CinemaCon. They’re showing it at Annecy. They’re trying to tell people, “We have something here,” because they would not be screening this if they didn’t think they had something.

CRAWFORD: We’re so grateful for that, too, of that confidence, because we know how hard it is, also, with an original movie, to just get it to stand out, to get the audience to see it. So, on one hand, it’s terrifying for us to show an unfinished thing, but at the same time, I’m so grateful that DreamWorks and Universal were 100% behind, like, “Let’s show it.”

MERCADO: And to both of your points, it speaks to the power of storytelling. If the story is solid, if you could connect to the characters and what it’s about, then it matters at the end, but you could connect to a story at any stage, I think, if it’s a good, solid one.

CRAWFORD: We’ve actually screened our movie incredibly early, also for our cast, too. A lot of times, the cast sees the movie toward the end, when it’s mostly finished. Between H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, and Manny Jacinto, they’ve all seen the movie multiple times. They’ve been so engaged and locked in, invested in finding the best version of the characters. It’s been this great trust on both sides where they saw it when it was mostly storyboards so long ago, and Dave Franco’s texting thoughts and different things, and was just so invested.

Out of H.E.R. seeing the movie, emotionally, she was like, “I want to write a song.” For us, we want her for her acting performance. We would never ask her for a song. We would love one. But she was so emotionally moved watching the movie so early that we now have a song that she wrote, that also Liza Soberano’s singing on that just came organically. So, there’s been so much trust from everybody on this.

Is this song in the credits?

CRAWFORD: Yeah. It takes us out of the movie and into the credits.

There are going to be a lot of kids who watch this and are going to want to create friendship bracelets like the girls in the movie. Have you already thought about that in terms of creating something that’s movie-related that kids can get? There are going to be people who are like, “We should do that! We’re best friends.”

MERCADO: Oh yeah. The studio’s already on it.

CRAWFORD: Some of those scenes, too, that just came out of us trying to tell a story about objects, like they’re just objects until it’s a gift from somebody or means something. How do you visualize how powerful memory is? And story-wise, we came up with this bracelet that has all these charms from all these core memories. That’d be amazing to see kids celebrating, in a customized way, their own moments together.

Taylor Swift also opened the door with the bracelets. For me personally, the things that I wear are from specific things. They mean something to me.

MERCADO: We hope that Dreamworks is on the merch.

Studios seem to know how to do that. Sometimes it’s not as cool as you want it to be. That’s the issue. Sometimes, the people who are creating the merch don’t have that emotional connection, and I think for a movie like this, my best advice is to make sure that whoever is working on this watches the movie.

CRAWFORD: I think, also, it’s to understand the full scope of the audience. Because so many times, they do a great job servicing the traditional audience of younger kids, but especially as the industry evolves, as the audience is evolving, getting used to anime, 20-year-olds, young adults are wanting stuff to celebrate these movies that they’re enjoying just as much. For us, we were always saying we should have Sideshow Collectibles. We don’t have any of the Wolf from Puss in Boots.

I couldn’t believe that it’s an animated movie, but there’s a live-action clip of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie. How did you pull that off?

MERCADO: [Laughs] That iconic handshake.

Oh, so you did it for the handshake?

CRAWFORD: Did it for the handshake.

MERCADO: Well, we also did it for Predator. We love Predator.

CRAWFORD: It wasn’t easy to get through legal and everything. But we were always trying to make sure, like, how do we tell this story so it feels like everything in it has a purpose and means something? It was just us writing from our formative years.

MERCADO: What we love.

CRAWFORD: Yeah. We wanted an emotional symbol for the power of these girls’ friendships, and thought, wouldn’t that be cool if little Jo and Raissa were clasping hands with just as much machismo as Carl Weathers and Arnold Schwarzenegger because of the pact of their friendship? So we just wrote that into the script and then found out how hard it was to get through legal.

CRAWFORD: And that feeling, too, that I think a lot of us were probably too young to see Predator, but how formative movies like this are when you see them when you’re young. “That movie was not made for me, but I’m glad I saw it, and it’s totally shaped my sensibilities of the movies that I love.”

Forgotten Island opens in theaters on September 25.

Release Date: September 24, 2026
Director: Januel Mercado, Joel Crawford
Writers: Advertisement

Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado

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Fans Drag Her Watching Brian McKnight

Published

2 minutes ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Wayment! Kelly Price Claps Back After Fans Drag Her For Watching Brian McKnight Perform (VIDEOS)

Kelly Price isn’t having it after fans reportedly called her out for watching Brian McKnight perform during the Season of Love Part 2: R&B Edition concert on Saturday, June 27. Both singers were on hand to perform at the event in Nassau, Bahamas, and folks did not appreciate seeing Price give McKnight his flowers amid his unfortunate family drama.

RELATED: Julie McKnight & Brian McKnight Jr. Share Heartfelt Tributes On One-Year Anniversary Of Nikos Passing (PHOTOS)

Kelly Price Claps Back After Being Roasted By Fans Over Brian McKnight

Price shared footage of herself watching McKnight’s performance with her fans on Instagram, but things quickly took a turn when folks called foul. McKnight faced criticism for failing to support his son, Niko McKnight, as he was dying from cancer last year.

The father and son were estranged when Niko died in May of 2025 at the age of 32. The ‘One Last Cry’ artist has long been canceled by many fans for his part in the family drama, and Price caught strays after she watched his performance on Saturday. LiveBitz captured the Instagram Story and shared the video on June 28.

“I just wanna say don’t come in here talkin’ garbage,” said Price. “This is my concert tonight, too…. I don’t get to be in the audience at concerts.”

Price added that she was merely supporting other artists, and she wasn’t here for the negative comments.

Things Quickly Went Left As Fans Dragged Price, Again

As TSR previously reported, Price faced her own issues with fans last year after she went off on a rant about Black women being her worst critics. Fans were quick to critique the 53-year-old singer again after she shared the video, and they did not mince words in their replies.

User @shadowofobsidian wrote, “Kelly, log off. We don’t need you either.”

@ivery2139 replied, “Y’all know she got issues too!!!🤷🏾‍♀️.”

@derwinking wondered, “well, why does she feel the strong urge to justify it?”

Other responses were a bit more…spicy.

User @peewee_450 wrote, “I gotta a shoe for you and him stfu.”

@feb4thfab echoed the sentiment. “Stfu Kelly 😂😂😂 Yo ass weird too…”

@heischarles joked, “She should be happy to get a comment!”

@beachamtangela added, “We wouldnt have known , if you didnt press your button….she knew what she was doing.”

Brian McKnight’s Ex-Wife & Eldest Son Paid Tribute To Niko McKnight

More recently, Brian McKnight’s ex-wife, Julie, and eldest son, Brian McKnight Jr., paid tribute to Niko McKnight. As The Shade Room previously reported, May 30 marked the one-year anniversary of Niko’s passing. This, after he passed from cancer.

Furthermore, Julie and Brian Jr. both took to social media with heartfelt posts. This, while Brian McKnight continued to appear silent.

RELATED: Brian McKnight Files Lawsuit Against Julie McKnight, Brian Jr. & More Over Claims About His Relationship With Late Son Niko

What Do You Think Roomies?

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Netflix Action Comedy Heist Unites World’s Biggest Stars

Published

16 minutes ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

By Jacob VanGundy
| Published 40 seconds ago

Netflix brought together some of Hollywood’s biggest names for the 2021 action comedy, Red Notice. Despite a tepid critical reception, the movie dominated the streaming platform’s viewership when it came out. The movie has gained a reputation as a light, fun, mindless action comedy popular enough that multiple sequels have entered development.

Two Thieves, An FBI Agent, And A Huge Budget

Red Notice centers around a series of heists and cons as various characters try to acquire an ancient set of bejeweled eggs that belonged to Cleopatra. The movie’s three central characters are the world-famous thief, Nolan Booth, his rival Sarah Black, and an FBI profiler named John Hartley.

The three engage in a series of temporary alliances, double-crosses, and deceptions with each other as they each try to acquire the eggs.

The cast is what makes Red Notice noteworthy, with its three leads each being played by an A-list actor. Nolan Booth is played by Ryan Reynolds, Sarah Black by Gal Gadot, and John Hartley by Dwayne Johnson. Seeing these mega-stars acting together is the movie’s main draw.

Released in 2021, Red Notice was originally planned as a Universal movie but was acquired by Netflix, receiving a limited theatrical release. It dominated the streaming platform, becoming the most-watched debut weekend in Netflix history.

It was the 5th most-watched movie on Netflix in 2021, making it a huge hit for the company as an exclusive film. Due to the unusual way the movie came to Netflix, it has a much higher budget than most Netflix-exclusive movies. Costing $200 million, Red Notice was the most expensive Netflix movie at the time, though it was later unseated by The Gray Man in 2022. This budget is reflected in the cast and explosive action sequences.

Critics Didn’t Like It

In addition to its huge budget the production of Red Notice is noteworthy because it was produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic created major problems for the movie, which was filmed in both Atlanta, Georgia and Rome.

Production was halted completely for some time and the portion filmed in Italy was significantly delayed.

Despite its popularity on Netflix, Red Notice was a huge flop among critics. The film has a 36 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with the writing being the most heavily criticized element, particularly the movie’s unbelievable plot. Despite overall poor reviews, the performances, action sequences, and comedy were fairly well received and often praised even in negative reviews.

Red Notice’s success has prompted the greenlighting of two sequels, being made back-to-back. These sequels are currently in the writing stage, with one script finished and the other still being written. It’s been claimed that these sequels will add more stars to make the franchise a growing ensemble venture.

Due to its time of release and the fact that it was a Netflix original movie, Red Notice became one of the standout movies of the pandemic. While some of its success is likely a result of those circumstances, the chemistry and skill of its all-star cast may have made it a hit under any circumstances.

Red Notice is a fun, star-studded, action comedy mega-hit, that is still available on Netflix.

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Dave Portnoy Calls Dianna Russini ‘No-Brainer’ Hire After Vrabel Drama

Published

29 minutes ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Promo Mike Vrabel Poses With Wife Julie as Son Tyler Announces His Engagement Amid Dianna Russini Scandal

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy would have no problem hiring Dianna Russini after the fallout surrounding her alleged relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.

“No-brainer, if she wanted to work here, we’d do it,” Portnoy, 49, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting his memoir, Cancel Me If You Can, which was released Tuesday, June 30.

Russini, 43, resigned from her job as The Athletic’s senior NFL insider in April after photos emerged of her and Vrabel, 50, together at an Arizona resort. Russini and Vrabel were seen in subsequently published photos and videos dating back as far as March 2020, when they were photographed kissing at a New York City bar.

Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999. Russini married her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, in September 2020.

While Portnoy acknowledged the optics of Russini’s relationship with Vrabel are “bad,” he also argued “an affair is not like a murder.”

Russini has never publicly admitted to having anything other than a professional relationship with Vrabel. Similarly, Vrabel has also never explicitly confirmed they had an affair.

“She’ll land somewhere, and you know, if people who have affairs are never allowed to work again in this country, you’re gonna lose a significant amount of the workforce,” Portnoy added. “It is obviously really sad, but at the same time, that’s not like a capital offense that should end somebody’s professional career.”

The New York Times reported on June 24 that Russini called herself “a former reporter” when texted about a potential interview. “This has had a significant impact on my life, both professionally and personally,” she told the Times.

An investigation into Russini’s professional conduct by her former employer remains ongoing.

“It’s going to take a few more weeks,” senior editor Steven Ginsberg told staff members on June 7, according to Page Six. “There’s just a lot to go through, and we obviously want to take our time and be careful doing that. We will update everybody when we get to the end of that. We’ve also said that if we find anything that needs to be corrected, we will correct it along the way.”

The Athletic launched their investigation on April 11, four days after the first photos of Russini and Vrabel were published.

In her resignation letter, Russini said she had “covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career.”

“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,” she wrote. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.”

Russini added, “Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”

When it comes to Portnoy’s latest career move, he told Us that the idea for his book was born out of something very specific.

“I never really thought about books, but for some reason the thought — and it’s probably due to my age — but the thought of walking in an airport and seeing my book on a window or my book in a little bookstore appealed to me,” he explained. “I don’t think I knew how much work it would end up being, and I probably wouldn’t have agreed to do it again if I had to start over.”

He continued, “I’m glad I did it. It’s a pretty good memoir of a pretty crazy story, but yeah, I really think the end product appealed to me. It’s something we’ve never done. We’ve done a lot of other things, but books? Never. For whatever reason it captured my attention when it was brought to me.”

Cancel Me If You Can is available now wherever books are sold.

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90 Day Fiance: Paula Doesn’t Want to Live Like a Refugee – Recap [S12E08]

Published

42 minutes ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

On 90 Day Fiance, Paula Barbosa can’t manifest what she needs from Thomas Dintino and confides to neighbors she doesn’t want to live like a refugee. Edward Miguel Gomez learns the hard way that appearances matter to Marissa Rubinetti. Rasit and Mallorie share an emotional moment. And Shea McGuire’s daughter throws him under the bus. Let’s break it all down in this recap of Season 12, Episode 8: “Love Is A Work In Progress.”

90 Day Fiance: Paula Just Wants to Feel at Home

Paula Barbosa gets emotional looking at her miniature cooking set. Thomas Dintino doesn’t share her sentiment. He considers her hobby a waste of money. Paula used the credit card he gave her to purchase several things online, including a miniature sofa that she hopes to manifest a full-size one for the apartment. She leaves the apartment in frustration to visit her neighbors Felix and Anderson. Paula Barbosa is stunned by their furnished space.

She loves the decor of the place and the fact that there’s an actual kitchen table. She explains her frustrations with Thomas Dintino’s lack of empathy and furniture. The guys agree that Thomas can be a little “challenging.” Paula Barbosa confides that she just wants to feel welcome and cared for. And if things don’t change she will return to Brazil. She’s tired of eating on her knees at a camping table and doesn’t feel Thomas is giving enough.

Later on 90 Day Fiance, Paula Barbosa and Thomas Dintino rollerblade. They stop for a sorbet break and discuss the lack of closet space he provided. Thomas seems tone deaf to Paula’s needs, suggesting the small closet is enough for her. Paula gets upset and reveals she is considering going back to Brazil. Thomas is surprised and pulls her close, suggesting this is an overreaction. But Paula Barbosa is clearly fed up.

90 Day Fiance: Edward Gets Schooled in Suburban Life

Edward Miguel Gomez is trying his best to fit in to Marissa Rubinetti’s world. The 90 Day Fiance couple come from vastly different worlds. And since he really can’t work yet, he’s doing some work around the house. Tasked to fix a fence, he does a good job, but then he confiscates some molding from the living room. He renders the fence unable to open. And Marissa is upset and scolds Edward for his handyman fail.

Edward protests that he doesn’t care what other people think. But Marissa certainly does, especially in her well-manicured suburban neighborhood. Marissa has doubts about their future if Edward can’t step up. She feels like he’s another kid to her. His feelings are hurt by the accusation. So, she plans a trip to New York City for them so he can experience the Big Apple and they can have some fun.

90 Day Fiance: Rasit and Mallorie Revisit Her Car Accident

Rasit scrubs dishes in the sink on 90 Day Fiance. He is irritated that Mallorie didn’t wash them the night before. Cleaning has become an issue for the couple. Rasit is used to living in a household where cleaning is pretty constant, while Mallorie takes a more laid-back approach. On the subject of cleanliness, the couple are about to shop for a bidet, since it’s important to Rasit for them both to have good hygiene.

On the way to bidet shopping, Mallorie eats a breakfast sandwich and Rasit grabs it for a taste, not realizing there was bacon on it. Rasit is Muslim and doesn’t eat pork. He spits it out and Mallorie finds it dramatic but funny. Mallorie mentions that they aren’t far from the scene of her accident. Rasit wants to see where it happened. They are both emotional and he admits if he had lost her there isn’t anybody he would want to marry.

On 90 Day Fiance, shopping for bidets proves entertaining and expensive. Rasit thinks Mallorie should drop a grand for a high-end bidet. But Mallorie resists, suggesting it’s not a priority. He wants her to dip into the settlement money she got from the accident. But she explains she invested it so it’s not easy to access. Rasit insists the bidet is a necessity and that she should listen to him. But she’s not budging.

90 Day Fiance: Shea Has Some Secrets in His Shed

Annabelle Chua has been pretty forgiving of Shea McGuire’s party lifestyle and flirty ways. She’s also got him on a health plan. She prepares a fresh smoothie for his breakfast. And he admits he’s enjoying the frozen fruity concoction. He’s doing less hanging out with the boys downing beers and admits he feels slimmer already. But Annabelle suggests he’s got a long way to go. They jump in the truck to go meet his daughter Allison at the grocery store.

Allison is feeling a little left out on 90 Day Fiance. While she likes Annabelle, she feels like she takes up a lot of her dad’s time and energy. So she stirs the pot a little. She brings up Shea’s ex-wife Nicole and the fact that her things are still in the shed in Shea’s backyard. Annabelle is furious, demanding that Shea tell Nicole to get her things ASAP. Shea takes Allison aside and suggests she quit throwing him under the bus.

Later, Shea McGuire shows Annabelle Chua the contents of the shed. It’s mostly furniture. Shea calls Nicole to come get it. But she asks that he sell it for her. This angers Annabelle and she seeks answers from Allison, who admits that for the last four years while her dad was engaged to Annabelle, he hung out with Nicole and even tells her he loves her. Although she never saw them kiss or hold hands. This is quite a blow to Annabelle. And now she’s not sure if she wants to marry Shea.

90 Day Fiance: Catie Makes a Fool of Josh

At Catie Norboe’s birthday party, Josh Atkins confronts her and Ryan about their betrayal on 90 Day Fiance. Ryan actually apologizes for being inappropriate with Catie and feels bad for hurting Josh. Catie continues to joke around about making out with others. But Josh Atkins is giving her slack. She tries to kiss Ryan and other male friends. They discourage her behavior and tell her she’s in a relationship now and shouldn’t act crazy.

Josh Atkins has had enough and goes outside. Catie’s pal Mark heads out to talk to him. He thinks Josh is going too easy on Catie and suggests he demand she stops with the inappropriate behavior. Of course Catie Norboe is sloppy drunk and continues trying to kiss other men. So Josh finally takes a stance. She questions what she’s even doing wrong. It’s clear he’s had enough and demands they leave the party, accusing her of messing up.

90 Day Fiance: Ashia Montgomery Stands Her Ground

On 90 Day Fiance, things are tense in Nigeria after Ashia Montgomery revealed her plans for a glow-up for Maxwell Okeke. It seems his mama thinks he’s just fine and doesn’t appreciate Ashia’s plans to change her son’s appearance. Of course Ashia is standing her ground and fighting back a little on all of Maxwell’s demands, including dressing modestly and addressing his parents as sir and madam instead of mom and dad.

It makes for tension at the breakfast table, and mama Maxwell stares down Ashia Montgomery. Maxwell Okeke takes Ashia out for the day and they do some shopping but end up arguing about his family’s approval. And Ashia is taken aback when he starts questioning the marriage. Back at the apartment, Maxwell’s parents express their concerns to Ashia’s mom. And it gets pretty personal when it comes to Ashia’s age and her childbearing potential. Till next time!

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Serena Williams Slams Anti-Doping Testing System

Published

55 minutes ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Serena Williams playing at Wimbledon in 2019

Serena Williams‘ highly anticipated Wimbledon return appears to have come with a few challenges for the highly decorated athlete.

The tennis legend recently expressed deep frustration with the strict drug-testing rules she must follow as she prepares for her highly anticipated singles return. Before officially launching her latest competitive comeback, she had to re-enter the sport’s formal testing program to comply with the regulations.

Williams officially returned to competitive play after being inspired to make an iconic comeback by her close friends and family.

The iconic tennis star openly criticized the sport’s anti-doping rules before her upcoming match, calling the current setup both unprofessional and unreasonable.

“It’s grueling. They changed the rules now. I didn’t know some of the rules. So apparently if you miss a test outside of your window, it still counts as missed,” the mother of two explained, as reported by ESPN.

Williams made it clear that while she believes drug testing is important, the current restrictions make everyday life feel impossible.

“It’s unprofessional. I hate it. I think it’s necessary, but I think a lot of the stuff, if I want to go places outside of my window, I should be able to go without having it count as a missed test.”

The rules require players to give their exact location every day for surprise tests, which she feels ignores how packed her schedule is. She also noted that these strict rules initially discouraged her from returning because she runs a “busy” life while trying to manage her business and her family at the same time.

In response, the International Tennis Integrity Agency stated that the rules have actually been the same for a long time. They clarified that a missed test only counts as a penalty strike if a tester cannot find a player during their specifically chosen one-hour window, not outside of it.

Serena Williams Was Unsure About Returning To Competitive Play

Serena Williams at 2022 The Championships Wimbledon - Day 2 — ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

In addition to feeling frustrated with the anti-doping system, Williams also faced some internal struggle before agreeing to step back on the court. Knowing the rigid requirements of the sport, she spent a lot of time wrestling with self-doubt on whether she was truly ready to put herself through the grind of professional competition again.

“I thought I should really take this opportunity. Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again. This could be it,” she said, acknowledging that she was being handed a rare chance.

At the end of the day, the athlete realized she needed to embrace the experience, noting that people spend their whole lives wishing for a chance like this, per The Blast.

The Athlete’s Return To Competitive Play Starts An Uphill Battle

Serena Williams and Venus Williams lose to Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova at the 2022 US Open — ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Williams’ decision to push past her doubts and enter the tournament puts her face-to-face with a very challenging lineup, which has caused many to openly question her chances of winning after spending four years away.

According to The Blast, the Grand Slam champion’s journey to capture an eighth singles title at the historic venue starts with a match against an opponent who is twenty-four years younger than her.

Williams was paired with twenty-year-old Australian rising star Maya Joint for the opening round. Notably, the match represents her first competitive solo appearance since she lost in the third round of the 2022 US Open.

Serena Williams’ Return Was Inspired By Her Family & Friends

Serena Williams and Olympia on stage — Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA

Although Williams faces a tough ride ahead, she won’t be without the unending support of her family and friends, who played a huge role in her comeback.

According to The Blast, she revealed that her daughter, Olympia, convinced her to team up with her sister Venus for the doubles competition.

“Well, I think it’s going to be fun. My daughter, Olympia, told me I should play with Venus. She’s always right,” she shared.

Williams also found deep inspiration in watching her sister Venus fight hard at the US Open, noting. Witnessing her sister’s dedication, combined with watching skiing legend Lindsey Vonn and other powerful women achieve incredible things in sports, gave her the final emotional push to return to the courts once more.

Serena Williams’ Family Supported Her Big Return

The deep inspiration from Williams’ inner circle was fully visible during her very first competitive appearance in nearly four years.

Stepping onto the courts earlier this month at the Queen’s Club Championship in London, the tennis superstar made her return while her family members cheered her on from the stands.

The Blast reported that Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, along with their two daughters, Olympia and Adira, watched as she successfully reclaimed her place in the spotlight.

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Chris Rock Gives Druski His Flowers After Hosting BET Awards

Published

1 hour ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

When it comes to the funniest people, Chris Rock‘s name is often in the mix. Now he’s giving credit to Druski following his hilarious performance hosting the BET Awards on Sunday, June 28. At 31, Druski made history as the youngest person to host the BET Awards, and he took to his Instagram Stories on Monday, June 29, to share a special message from Rock.

RELATED: Oh, Nah! 6 Viral BET Awards Moments The Internet Can’t Stop Talking About (VIDEOS)

Chris Rock Sent Druski A Text Message Following The BET Awards

In addition to hosting the award show, Druski also won the Pulse Award — which honors digital creators moving Black culture forward. The comedian rose to fame quickly by creating and sharing comedy videos online. Now, one of the biggest names in comedy is giving him praise.

Druski shared a text message he received from Rock on his Instagram Stories, and it credited the funny man with his comedy chops. Not only did Rock praise Druski’s performance, but he also claimed it was so good that he was now “officially retired.”

“Hey, incredible,” wrote Chris Rock. “Best host ever. You officially retired me. Hats off your the best.”

The post was captioned, “I SHUT THE BET AWARDS DOWN LAST NIGHT 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.”

Druski Dropped A New Video During The BET Awards

Meanwhile, Druski dropped another hilarious video during the BET Awards, and he portrays the late Joe Jackson, the father of The Jackson 5. The video is a skit portraying the film ‘Joe,” a parody-prequel to the movie currently in theaters about the late pop star Michael Jackson, “Michael.” Jackson was said to be a strict disciplinarian with his children, and Druski did not hold back in his mockery of the family drama. The video portrays the family’s early days in the music business. The post was captioned, “The Prequel to MICHAEL… ‘JOE’ 😂 Coming to Theaters Soon #BETAwards.”

Fans React To Druski’s Joe Jackson Video

Fans reacted to Druski’s new video online, and they ate it up.

Instagram user @savageboygio replied, “Brooo😭😭 how do you keep doing this🐐😩😭😭🤣🤣🤣🐐🐐🐐🐐.”

User @ noted, “Everytime he reach for the belt I died😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.”

@therapnetwork5 called Druski a “genius.” “Bro this dude have went next level on capitalize genius @druski 📌🎙️🔥.”

User @chanelnicoleofficial noted that Janet Jackson was at the awards show and had just been on stage when the video drooped. “After Janet just left the stage bruh you wild!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂.”

Several users noted how well the video was made. @jonthrifts wrote, “How is the production value so high…”

@hardstop.lucas agreed and wrote, “I almost thought this was real ong!!! 😂.”

So far, the video has been liked more than 2 million times.

What Do You Think Roomies?

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Marvel’s New Blade Project Faces Cancellation

Published

1 hour ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

News broke this afternoon that the long-gestating Blade game in the works at Arkane could be on the verge of being canceled. This comes as reports indicate XBOX is soon to announce a massive wave of layoffs, which could lead to multiple studios being shut down and games being canceled.

Release Date: August 21, 1998
Runtime: Advertisement

120 Minutes
Director: Stephen Norrington
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Writers: David S. Goyer, Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

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Kristen Stewart Sparks Concern For Interaction Caught On Camera

Published

2 hours ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Kristen Stewart at the 2026 BAFTA Tea Party - Arrivals In Beverly Hills, US

Kristen Stewart has become the subject of a viral social media debate after footage from a recent film festival appearance prompted fans to question whether she appeared uncomfortable during an interaction onstage. The actress attended the Biarritz Film Festival in France on Thursday, where she served as president of the jury. However, it wasn’t her role at the event that captured attention online. Instead, a brief exchange with a man during an onstage appearance quickly spread across social media, leaving viewers divided over what they witnessed.

In the widely circulated clip, Stewart is seen speaking onstage before a man approaches her from behind. After turning to face him, the actress listens as he speaks while she steps backward and takes a seat on the platform behind her. As the interaction unfolds, Stewart crosses her legs and maintains a focused expression while listening.

The video was later shared on X with a caption translated from Spanish that read, “Kristen Stewart’s uncomfortable expression with this man’s closeness.”

The post quickly gained traction, racking up more than 2 million views and sparking a heated discussion among fans.

Kristen Stewart at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party — Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE / MEGA

Kristen Stewart at the "Full Phil" Photocall at 79th Festival de Cannes - Cannes, France — Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE / MEGA

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10 Best Jackie Chan Martial Arts Movies

Published

2 hours ago

30 June 2026

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Michelle Yeoh behind a frantic Jackie Chan in Police Story 3: Supercop

Jackie Chan could well be the ultimate martial arts actor of all time, since he’s had roles in such movies for decades now, has had crossover appeal in terms of appearing in Hong Kong and American films, and he’s also well known for his dedication to action scenes and stunt work. There does exist a video that suggests he hasn’t done literally 100% of all his stunts, which is a thing that gets repeated about Chan in a similar way to Tom Cruise, but still, Chan has plainly done plenty of his own stunts and been right in the middle of various high-intensity action scenes.

Anyway, Jackie Chan’s very best starring roles from his greatest martial arts movies are outlined below. He had uncredited roles in some classics, like appearing as nameless fighters in movies like Enter the Dragon, Fist of Fury, and (apparently) A Touch of Zen. These are all technically some of the best movies Chan has appeared in, but he barely appears in them… and with A Touch of Zen, you can’t even really find him. (Then again, if you can, or if you know where to find photo or video evidence of which part of the movie Jackie Chan’s in, genuinely let me know; I am interested).

10

‘Police Story 3: Super Cop’ (1992)

The sentiment that sometimes gets echoed when it comes to Police Story 3: Supercop is that Michelle Yeoh outshines Jackie Chan in a series that had, up until that point, kind of been a starring vehicle for him. That’s not unreasonable to say, because Yeoh definitely makes a strong impression and has a lot by way of fighting and impressive stunts to do here, but it could be defined as a good showcase for both of them, since their dynamic drives the movie, what with it being a buddy film of sorts.

They both play cops who come from different backgrounds, and have some similarities and differences, though they do both want to take down the same drug lord. It’s typical buddy cop movie stuff, but with perhaps a little less comedy than you might expect, and also maybe just a little less broad humor than what could be found in the earlier two Police Story movies Jackie Chan starred in (more on both of those in a bit).

9

‘Armour of God’ (1986)

Armour of God has some problems, so it’s not quite a perfect action/adventure movie or anything, but the parts that work do make it worthy of a watch, if you’re into martial arts cinema. And it’s fun seeing Jackie Chan a little out of his comfort zone, since Armour of God gets globe-trotting in nature and scope, with its premise involving him clashing with a cult that wants the sword – and other pieces of armor – that he came into possession of during his treasure-hunting.

Like with a good many martial arts movies, the best action is saved for the final act, so the slower parts (or the scenes focusing on inconsistent comedy) are worth getting through, for the whole climax. Otherwise, Armour of God often gets talked about because Jackie Chan endured his most serious injury, as an actor/stunt performer, while filming this one (more details can be found here, though the year of release is mistakenly mentioned as 1989).

8

‘Crime Story’ (1993)

Even if the title sounds similar, and Jackie Chan plays a member of law enforcement, Crime Story is not officially part of the Police Story series. It’s a good bit darker than those films tend to be, and one of the rare Jackie Chan starring roles that doesn’t really require him to do anything comedic. For Jackie Chan, this is about as heavy-going as his movies get, albeit it’s still not one of the grimmest or grittiest martial arts films of all time or anything.

Once you adjust to the tone, Crime Story delivers quite a lot of compelling action, with a bit of hand-to-hand fighting alongside some shootouts, with this being about as close as you’re probably ever going to get to seeing Chan in either a neo-noir or heroic bloodshed sort of film. When there’s not action playing out, Crime Story can feel a bit meandering, or at least not consistent, but much can be forgiven when the action is so reliably strong.

7

‘Operation Condor’ (1991)

Jackie Chan in 'Armour of God II: Operation Condor' — Jackie Chan in ‘Armour of God II: Operation Condor’

A sequel to Armour of God, Operation Condor marks a slight improvement on that film, since there’s a bit more by way of impressive action here, it’s paced a little better, and it feels a bit more at ease being an action/adventure movie than its predecessor. As for the plot, though, things are still simple, because Chan is still playing a treasure hunter, and he’s sent after, you know, some other treasure.

Various other people want the gold he’s searching for, and so it plays out as a whole chaotic race to find it. Armour of God gets compared quite often to Indiana Jones, and you can also, unsurprisingly, make that comparison when it comes to Operation Condor. It’s a fun and quite ambitious/large-scale romp, at least by Jackie Chan standards, and does indeed feel sufficiently adventurous throughout.

6

‘Police Story 2’ (1988)

You sort of have to go through the Police Story movies backwards, if you’re talking about the best ones and ranking them, since Police Story 2 is a little better than Police Story 3: Supercop, and yet it’s not quite on the same level as the first Police Story. Still, being in roughly the same ballpark as the original is well and truly something, considering how good that one is, and so Police Story 2 certainly satisfies in many ways, as an action/crime/comedy movie.

The important thing is that there are ample excuses for wild action, and Police Story 2 undeniably contains some all-time great Jackie Chan stunts.

Narratively, it’s a bit whatever, and doesn’t have to be much more. There’s some degree of revenge wanted by the villains of the first movie, and Jackie Chan’s character also has to deal with some other consequences of what happened near the end of that movie. The important thing is that there are ample excuses for wild action, and Police Story 2 undeniably contains some all-time great Jackie Chan stunts, including one brief sequence that involves jumping around on top of a truck and then a bus, dodging signs and then eventually flying through a window.

5

‘Project A’ (1983)

It might be a little sacrilegious to only put one movie in this ranking that features both Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, but Project A is their best collaboration. Also, a good many movies they’re both featured in have Chan in a minor role, not being much more than a cameo, in some instances. And also, some of them are hard to watch, outside the action scenes, with some really awkward (not just mildly unfunny) comedy found in quite a few of the Lucky Stars films.

Project A, though… to focus on Project A, it’s really good. Most of it holds up, it has some great stunts, and it allows Chan and Hung to play characters who fight pirates, so there is plenty to like. It also features a third legendary Hong Kong martial arts actor, Yuen Biao, so seeing them all in the one movie – and having that overall movie be as good as this – proves to be quite a treat, if you’re a fan of old-school martial arts flicks.

4

‘Miracles: The Canton Godfather’ (1989)

Possibly the most underrated of all the classic Jackie Chan action movies, Miracles: The Canton Godfather sees him starring in and directing a gangster movie, albeit one with a bit more comedy and action than most gangster films. It is a tonal oddity, sure, since much of it’s very farcical, and then there are other moments that are played more for drama, but that’s also a way it stays unpredictable and, overall, rarely boring.

Perhaps it’s a little too all over the place for some, and the runtime being over two hours doesn’t necessarily help, as the sweet spot for Jackie Chan’s best films is more in the 90 to 100-ish minute-long range. You take the good with the not-so-good here, to some extent, yet the good stuff in Miracles: The Canton Godfather is closer to excellent than good, truth be told, and there is also more than enough here to make it worth digging out (more people need to do some digging, when it comes to this one).

3

‘Who Am I?’ (1998)

Jackie Chan posing on top of a skyscraper ready to fight in Who Am I? (1998)

Another Jackie Chan movie that’s kind of underrated, and one he co-directed, Who Am I? sees Chan doing a spy movie, basically. There’s a bit of comedy, and the comedy isn’t really consistent, but that can be said about most of his action comedies. You’re probably more here for the action, and the action can dependably be relied upon, though at least the premise here – with Chan playing a man with amnesia – has some novelty value.

Who am I? also feels valuable for being one of the final gonzo movies Jackie Chan starred in, since he was in his mid-40s at this point, and while he didn’t slow down entirely by the time the 21st century started, he wasn’t doing quite as many wildly dangerous stunts. So, you can view this as a bit of a last hurrah for that kind of Jackie Chan movie, even if he didn’t bid it farewell entirely… it’s more just that this feels noteworthy as a late-era Jackie Chan film where very little was seen as off-limits.

2

‘Police Story’ (1985)

If Police Story (1985) isn’t the gold standard for martial arts cinema, then it is the gold standard for this kind of martial arts movie: one that takes place in contemporary times, or at least times that were modern when the movie came out, if that makes sense. It’s contemporary in feel because firearms and 20th-century vehicles factor into the action scenes, as opposed to something set long ago, like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (not a Jackie Chan film, but a good example of that sort of martial arts film).

There is a real focus on hand-to-hand combat for the finale of Police Story, which is easily one of the best action sequences ever, and it concludes with a remarkable stunt (even by Chan’s standards), where he slides down a long pole, through all sorts of obstacles, risking electrocution and who even knows how many other forms of harm. And then the destruction at the start of the movie is also remarkable, and between the great opening and closing, you’ve got some other solid action scenes, too. It’s just fun, fast-paced, and extremely impressive on a technical/choreography front.

1

‘Drunken Master II’ (1994)

An honorable mention should go out to the first Drunken Master, which was an early starring role for Jackie Chan, and one of his better 1970s films… but he did kind of come into his own in the 1980s, and kept the momentum going into the 1990s. So, it’s Drunken Master II that’s ultimately even better, and one of the very best action movies of its decade, too. Narratively, it’s about artifacts and different people who want them, including some who want to steal them.

They’re MacGuffins. They exist so people can fight. And fight they do. The fights here are incredible, and it stands in contrast to something like Police Story, because just about all the action here is hand-to-hand, whether the people are using their literal hands, or weapons that are handheld. The best action sequences in Drunken Master II are about as good as such action sequences have ever gotten, or will ever get, and they ensure the film is, overall, quite the classic within its genre.

Drunken Master II

Release Date: Advertisement

February 3, 1994
Runtime: 102 Minutes
Director: Chia-Liang Liu, Jackie Chan
Writers: Advertisement

Edward Tang, Man-Ming Tong, Kai-Chi Yuen, Rod Dean

Jackie Chan
Wong Fei-hung
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Entertainment

Jerry O’Connell Likes Rebecca Romijn’s Body Odor Smell

Published

2 hours ago

30 June 2026

NewsAdmin

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell's Relationship Timeline

Jerry O’Connell isn’t afraid of a little perspiration.

The actor candidly shared his appreciation for wife Rebecca Romijn’s body odor in an interview on the “Thanks Dad With Ego Nwodim” podcast on Monday, June 29.

Romijn, 53, came up in the conversation as O’Connell, 52, and Saturday Night Live alum Nwodim, 38, discussed antiperspirants, with the actor sharing that he prefers spray deodorants over roll-ons.

O’Connell then admitted, “I have to tell you, my wife, Rebecca Romijn, rubs crystals under her arms. And I’m here to tell everyone it doesn’t work … the crystals under the arms doesn’t work.”

“Now, I don’t mind the way my wife [smells] … it doesn’t offend me,” he continued. “This is going to get a little dirty … I kind of like it when I can smell my wife’s body odor. It’s kind of like, yeah, she’s alive, we’re alive, we’re living.“

O’Connell added, “It’s like a little kicking and, like, it’s a little funky town.”

O’Connell and Romijn have been married since 2007 and share twin daughters, Charlie and Dolly, 17.

Romijn was previously married to Full House icon John Stamos. The exes began dating in 1994 and tied the knot in 1998. Romijn and Stamos separated in April 2004, and their divorce was finalized a year later.

Earlier in June, Stamos, 62, admitted on Bobbi Althoff’s “The Really Good Podcast” that, “I didn’t want to get divorced.”

“It broke my heart,” the actor said.

“She wanted to [get divorced]. It took me a long time to get over, but I have to say that … she has a nice life, she married another guy, they have kids, they’re doing great,” Stamos added, referring to O’Connell.

Stamos also recalled bumping into O’Connell at a recent party.

“I met him recently. It was very interesting. He was very sweet. He was very nice,” he shared. “We were at a party together and he came over and he was super nice. He couldn’t have been sweeter. He was very, very funny and very charming.”

O’Connell also dished on their conversation during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live on June 23.

“John Stamos was at this party and I was like, ‘I got to make a beeline for him. I gotta just like, I got to go extend my hand,’” O’Connell explained. “So I went, I saw him. His beautiful new wife was there. They have a kid. I put my hand out.”

“I hugged him and I said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me about the shopping addiction?’ I’m kidding,” O’Connell joked about Romijn. “That was a light-hearted joke I was trying to come up with.”

“I made some self-deprecating jokes. I made sure his new wife was there. You want everyone to feel included,” O’Connell continued, referring to Stamo’s wife, Caitlin McHugh, with whom Stamos shares son Billy, 8. “I whispered to him when I hugged him, ‘She says you’re bigger than me.’ … I whispered, ‘She says Greeks are better lovers.’”

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