Lots of action movies like to open with a bang. They hit the ground running and get an audience primed and their adrenaline pumping for the roller coaster ride that’s ahead of them. Opening action scenes set the table in the best way possible, and there are few movie-going experiences as thrilling as watching a new film and immediately getting thrust right into the thick of it. The old Hollywood adage is “cut to the chase,” and these are the movies that do just that.

Some franchises are known for their opening sequences. So much so that audiences come in with set expectations for each new installment to thrill them more than the last in the opening minutes. That’s certainly led to an escalation in on-screen spectacle, but sometimes the best opening action scenes aren’t even the most bombastic, though there are quite a few that do blow things up spectacularly. Loud or quiet, expected or not, these ten opening action scenes are the most perfect of all time.

10

‘Blade’ (1998)

Image via New Line Cinema

Superhero movies love to open with action. In the cinematic eras before origin stories became popular and after they were played out, it’s been a common occurrence to open these adventures watching our caped crusaders and webslingers doing what they do best. X2 opens with a terrific White House attack featuring Nightcrawler, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and some bad guy faces almost immediately, and the opening sequence of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the only good scene in that movie. The best, and bloodiest, of these though, comes from a superhero classic made well before the modern era of superheroics had even started; Blade.

As an early prognosticator of the superhero boom that would happen in the 2000s, Blade straddles a line between superhuman action and blood-soaked horror. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the slaughterhouse rave opening action scene. With water sprinklers that spray blood, things are plenty crimson even before Wesley Snipes’ day walking vampire slayer shows up. Once he does, he starts turning his fanged foes into dust while some sick techno beats blare. It’s a scene so good, the rest of the movie actually suffers in comparison. Blade introduces himself so hard that the only direction for him to go was done. Even so, the bloodsoaked vampire rave shootout still slays.

9

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’ (2002)

Image via New Line Cinema

Peter Jackson’s epic The Lord of the Rings saga is packed with outstanding action depicted on a massive scale. Gigantic battle sequences featuring hundreds of extras, groundbreaking CGI and all kinds of fantasy carnage dominate the latter two films in the trilogy. The Fellowship of the Rings, other than a brief prologue, is relatively smaller in scale in its action in comparison, with The Two Towers upping the ante considerably with the Helms Deep finale. That may be the best action scene in all of Middle-earth but the sequel also starts with a pretty spectacular one as well.

Opening with a return to when Gandalf tragically sacrificed himself to save the fellowship from a big ugly Balrog, the movie follows the wizard’s fall as he continues to do battle with the gigantic beast in a midair sword and fiery claw fight. It has some truly astounding visuals and a rousing Howard Shore score that’s guaranteed to get you excited. Fantasy movies don’t often open with bloodthirsty battles, often attempting to ease audiences into their fantasy worlds, but with that worldbuilding already handled, The Two Towers stands out with a wholly unique and utterly awesome fight scene of mythical proportions.

8

‘Drive’ (2011)

Image via FilmDistrict

Contrary to what you may have heard, size isn’t everything. While some action movies shoot their load in their opening minutes with all the spectacle they can muster, it doesn’t always serve them in terms of maintaining their momentum. Often the best kind of opening action scene is the kind that shows some restraint. Plenty of movies have opened with a car chase, with one of the most frequently cited as the best being the musical getaway in Baby Driver. All due respect to the rhythms of Edgar Wright, but that car chase is ever so slightly bested by the cooler and quieter one in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive.

With Ryan Gosling as the laconic Driver, the film opens with him acting as wheelman to some would-be robbers. The getaway that follows is less demolition derby or high-speed pursuit and more a sweat-inducing game of hide-and-seek between the Driver and the LAPD. Using side roads and the shadows, the Driver moves with effective efficiency, and we’re all along for the ride as the camera never leaves the car until he does. It’s an incredibly tense and masterfully designed sequence that shows you don’t need a climactic crash or even speeds over 100 MPH to get an audience’s pulse to race.

7

‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’ (2015)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Every Mission: Impossible film has a memorable opening sequence that kicks off the plot before lighting the fuse for the opening credits and Lalo Schifrin’s iconic theme plays. The shocking flash-forward from Mission: Impossible III featuring the sadistic villain played by Philip Seymour Hoffman is probably the overall best of these. In terms of action, though, it’s hard to top Tom Cruise running down a cargo plane and then getting stuck outside it while it takes off from Rogue Nation.

As with all the iconic stunts in the film franchise, Cruise performed the plane takeoff himself, looking like a stubborn bug on a windshield. The stunt is even more visceral for the minimal amount of digital enhancement done on it, as evidenced by the behind-the-scenes material. It lets the stunt speak for itself as one of the most daring from the entire film series, and it puts the audience right on edge for what is arguably the best Mission: Impossible movie ever made.

6

‘GoldenEye’ (1995)

Image via MGM/United Artists

There’s something about a secret agent trying to catch a plane. More so than any franchise, the James Bond films are known for their iconic opening action sequences. They are a key part of the 007 formula and there’s no shortage of awesome action on display in them. From the car chase leading to a train fight in Skyfall to the iconic snowy mountain pursuit in The Spy Who Loved Me, it’s hard to pick just one. Walther PPK to our head though, it’s got to be the induction of Pierce Brosnan into the franchise in GoldenEye.

Infiltrating a Soviet military base by way of a record-breaking bungee jump is one hell of a way to open a movie, and from there the sequence delivers on all the Bond hallmarks. Gunfights, witty dialogue and a daring escape all make up the meat of the sequence, which is capped off by Bond jumping a motorcycle off a cliff to intercept a crashing plane. Even if the visual effects of the last part haven’t stood the test of time, the sequence has. It’s vintage Bond with a modern twist, it inspired an awesome video game level, and it leads into the banger that is the Tina Turner title track. It’s an exceptional action sequence that will leave you shaken and stirred.

5

‘Police Story’ (1985)

Image via Golden Harvest

Jackie Chan has few equals when it comes to nail-biting stunt work and the effortless blending of humor and action. His films, particularly those made in his native Hong Kong, are second to none in the action department, and Police Story is his masterpiece. It’s a film filled with Chan’s unique brand of physical comedy mixed with martial arts, and its book ended with two amazing action sequences. It ends with a blistering mall melee and begins with an equally destructive raid on a shanty town.

Chan plays a police officer who is part of a sting operation to take down a crime boss, an operation that goes south fast and quickly devolves into a shootout. The shootout culminates in a downhill demolition derby as the crime boss flees by driving literally through the shantytown. Chan gives chase and ends up dangling from a bus like the heir apparent to Buster Keaton. It’s a physical feat surrounded by action that could have only come from a talent like Chan, and it’s the perfect opening to one of the best action movies of all time.

4

‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Lana and Lilly Wachowski took clear influence from the likes of Chan and many others for their cyberpunk martial arts thriller The Matrix, which ushered in a new era of action in Hollywood. The film redefined the genre with its artificial reality setting and its combination of gunfights, king fu and its iconic bullet time effects. All of those elements are front and center in the film’s perfect opening action scene.

Carrie Ann Moss, as the leather-clad badass Trinity, is caught between a digital rock and a hard place, with cops and agents swarming on her location. She escapes by the skin of her teeth thanks to some gravity-defying footwork and the first of the film’s landmark 360-degree slow-motion shots. A rooftop chase ensues with more superhuman acrobatics. It’s not only an awesome action sequence, but it perfectly introduces the audience to the world of the Matrix and its reality-bending effects. Anyone who was sitting in the audience in 1999 watching this opening scene knew they were witnessing a game-changing moment in the action genre.

3

‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

There are few ways to start a movie more enthralling than a high-stakes heist. Bonus points if it doubles down on the action. The standard of this kind of opening was set by Michael Mann’s Heat, and it would get the mention here if it weren’t for the opening action scene that was most directly influenced by it in The Dark Knight. The second part of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy immediately sets itself apart from its more gothic predecessor as an urban action thriller while simultaneously giving Heath Ledger’s Joker a proper villain introduction. It’s a masterclass in action, tone setting, and establishing a character.

Batman is nowhere to be seen in this opening sequence, which focuses solely on a group of clown-masked criminals robbing a bank. The IMAX cinematography used to capture downtown Chicago, standing in for Gotham City, is magnificent, and gives the film an appropriately epic scale. The mounting tension of the sequence is compounded as each member of the robbery crew kills off another in an escalating series of executions that culminates in the final reveal of the Joker. It perfectly illustrates both the expanded scope of the sequel while effectively communicating how clever and ruthless this version of the iconic villain will be. It’s easily one of the best openings in any superhero film ever, and a perfectly executed action sequence.

2

‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)

Image via Golden Princess Film Production

For pure, unbridled action, there are few filmmakers who can compete with John Woo at the peak of his powers. The director set the action world on fire as one of the founding filmmakers behind the Heroic Bloodshed action movement. These movies coming out of Hong Kong took inspiration from classic crime and noir cinema and exponentially increased the bullet and body count. They had an immeasurable influence on Hollywood’s own action movies, but none of those Hollywood copycats, even the ones directed by Woo himself, came close to the best of the Hong Kong classics. The best of those originals is Woo’s masterpiece Hard Boiled, which begins with a tea house shootout for the ages.

Chow Yun-fat plays the awesomely named inspector Tequila, who is described as a god when he’s given two guns, which he often does in the opening action scene. He dual wields his way through a group of heavily armed gangsters, creating the most dynamic destruction ever put on film. The action is the perfect balance of chaotic and balletic, and the ammo is seemingly infinite. Hard Boiled is as kinetic as action movies get, and the opening shootout announces Woo’s intentions for what would be his Heroic Bloodshed swan song. Bullets fly, blood is spilled, and action movies are forever changed.

1

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Raiders of the Lost Ark is as perfect an action adventure film as has ever been made. Its flaws, which every movie has, are immediately rendered irrelevant by another iconic and awesome moment. Many of those moments come in the absolutely flawless opening, where there’s not a single frame out of place. From the introduction to Harrison Ford’s greatest hero Indiana Jones, to the unforgettable booby-trap set pieces and the rousing airplane escape set to John Williams’ score, it’s a perfectly constructed action sequence that should be taught in every film class.

Inspired by everything from James Bond movies to adventure serials and Uncle Scrooge comics, the opening tomb raiding action scene synthesizes those core inspirations into their most essential parts. As Jones steals a golden idol from a Peruvian temple, he’s faced with pitfalls, poison darts, tarantulas and, most memorably, the world’s most perfectly spherical boulder. Every singular moment of this opening action scene has been etched into pop culture history. In another hundred years, film scholars will continue to study it like paintings on a cave wall. Just like the artifacts idolized by Jones, the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark belongs in a museum.

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Release Date

June 12, 1981

Runtime

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115 minutes

Writers

Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman

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Love is clearly in the air for Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley, as they spark fresh conversations with a series of intimate photos.

The duo, who made their relationship public in 2025, have remained vocal about their affection for each other ever since.

While their romance continues to serve as a point of admiration online, Cyrus’ ex-wife, Firerose, has also resurfaced with explosive accusations against the singer.

Billy Ray Cyrus And Elizabeth Hurley Share Intimate Easter Moments

In a collaborative post with Cyrus, Hurley gave fans a glimpse into her wholesome Easter Bank Holiday weekend with her partner and her son, Damian.

The actress shared a three-slide post featuring loved-up snapshots of the trio visiting lambs on her country estate.

In one photo, Cyrus and Hurley beamed as they cozied up together while holding a lamb. In another, Hurley looked radiant as she cradled a lamb in her arms inside a barn. As reported by the Daily Mail, Hurley’s son, Damian, appeared cheerful in the last slide as he fed a lamb with a bottle, with Cyrus smiling in the background.

Hurley captioned the post, “Happy Easter,” and it quickly gained traction, with fans flooding the comments with admiration.

“Love you both and wish you would do a MOVIE together!” one fan wrote. A commenter pointed out how cute they looked, adding, “Aw, you both are the cutest couple! And that goat.” 

This user gushed about Cyrus’ happiness, writing, “Ain’t never seen anyone make Billy Ray smile like this,” while another added, “He looks so happy when he is with you…love makes the world go around.”

The Duo Reveals One Thing They Don’t Do Together

Despite their blossoming relationship, Hurley revealed that there is one activity they prefer not to do together.

As reported by The Blast, the “Austin Powers” star shared that grocery shopping is off the table for them. “He stays in the car … Because he would be annoying,” Hurley joked.

Aside from that, she noted that they are aligned in nearly every other aspect of their lives, adding that their families have blended seamlessly, with Cyrus’ children getting along well with her son, Damian.

Inside Billy Ray Cyrus And Elizabeth Hurley’s Relationship

The couple’s connection dates back to 2022, when they met while filming the holiday movie “Christmas in Paradise” on the Caribbean island of Nevis. At the time, Cyrus’ marriage to his ex-wife Firerose had just ended.

As reported by The Blast, the pair bonded during filming but did not stay in touch for two years before reconnecting and officially going public with their relationship on social media in April 2025.

Following that, they made a stylish appearance as a couple at the Orizzonti/Rossi exhibition at Palazzo Barberini, celebrating Valentino’s showcase in Rome in May 2025.

Firerose Accuses Billy Ray Cyrus Of Verbal And Emotional Abuse

Amid Cyrus’ flourishing relationship with Hurley, his ex-wife Firerose has come forward with serious allegations, sharing an audio clip in which Cyrus is allegedly heard using abusive language toward her.

In the one-minute, 28-second recording cited by The Blast, a voice believed to be Cyrus’s could be heard saying, “I don’t know who the f-ck you think you are… f-ck you, f-ck you. You know better than that, you idiot.”

The voice continues, “I don’t think you are really smart. I’ve changed my mind about that. What you are is a selfish f-cking b-tch.”

Firerose Speaks Out About Experience With Narcissist Billy Ray Cyrus

Beyond the audio, Firerose also took to social media to share her personal experience during the marriage.

“I spent years being terrified. I was trained to be afraid of what would happen if I even dared to think about sharing a glimpse of the truth I was living behind closed doors,” she wrote, per The Blast. 

She went on to describe the emotional toll it took on her, adding, “Over the years, my spirit was systematically worn down so that I became a shell of the person I was. That is always what happens with narcissistic abuse. It’s not an accident.”

Firerose concluded by acknowledging the courage it took to speak out, ending her statement with gratitude and a note of faith.

Henry Cavill has given us some amazing characters in his long career, be it Superman in Man of Steel, a worthy villain in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, or the titular character in The Witcher. Fans are now gearing up to see his Highlander reboot and are also excited about his Warhammer 40000 universe. The actor has given us numerous layered characters with his body of work, but fans seem to love him in an action-oriented spy role.

He proved with A Man From U.N.C.L.E. that he could effortlessly carry the old-school espionage genre. Then, in his more recent release, Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, the actor again proved that he is versatile enough to play a gory, blood-soaked version of a spy. No wonder many fans believe that he should be playing iconic British spy James Bond. But he kinda already did.

In Matthew Vaughn’s spy comedy Argylle, Cavill plays a slick and stylish spy. The movie follows reclusive author Elly Conway, who writes best-selling espionage novels about a secret agent named Argylle who’s on a mission to unravel a global spy syndicate. However, things take a turn when the plots of her books start to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization. The feature sharply divided its audience, as seen in its Rotten Tomatoes score: 33% from critics and 70% from the audience.

However, the fans’ love is showing years after the original release. Argylle is in Apple TV’s Top 10 list, as per FlixPatrol. The feature stands at #9 among films like Brad Pitt’s F1, The Gorge, Greyhound, and Eternity. While Sam Rockwell’s performance was universally praised in Argylle, the movie also cast a long list of powerhouses, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Will Henry Cavill Play the New James Bond?

Ever since a new James Bond movie was announced, with Denis Villeneuve set to direct, many fans have been clamoring for Cavill to take the lead role. However, the actor revealed in an interview, “What actor wouldn’t love to be Bond? But at 42, I’d probably be considered a bit old to start now.” He then added, “I would love to be a Bond villain, though. If it was the right character, I think that would be fascinating to explore.”

Meanwhile, check out Argylle on Apple TV.

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Release Date

February 2, 2024

Runtime

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139 Minutes

Director

Matthew Vaughn

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Writers

Jason Fuchs

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Alexa Demie stunned fans with her noticeably different look and facial appearance while attending the “Euphoria” season 3 premiere in L.A.

Fans of the show flooded social media with wild reactions, as some wondered if the actress had lost a lot of weight or had “buccal fat” removed due to how unrecognizable she looked, especially in comparison to her Maddy character in the series.

The third season of “Euphoria” sees Alexa Demie and the rest of the actors, including Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, placed five years in the future, with the show creator explaining that the time jump “felt like a natural place” for them to be.

Alexa Demie Looked Different For ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Premiere

Fans who attended the “Euphoria” premiere on Tuesday in L.A. might have walked past Alexa Demie without realizing it, as the actress had a different appearance from what she looks like in the series.

For the event, the 35-year-old ditched her character’s dark, sharp-winged eyeliner and straight hair for a more minimalist, fresh face look, while leaving her hair to flow freely down her back.

She wore a plunging silver-and-black striped off-the-shoulder gown for the event and was all smiles as she posed for the camera, something that wasn’t quite seen with her sassy character in the film.

Fans’ Reactions To The New Look Were Mixed

Demie’s look was so unrecognizable that several fans took to social media to speculate on what exactly was going on with the actress.

Some seemed to love the new look, with one person writing, “Apart from the makeup, are people usually this pretty? Look at how elegant she looks, perfect face card you would always want to see on a dinner date.”

“She looks so beautiful and amazing, her hair and her makeup look very natural and beautiful,” another individual noted.

However, many were critical of Demie’s transformation, with some speculating that she used Ozempic or some sort of cosmetic procedure to achieve it.

“She looks pretty, but she was prettier with fuller, chubby cheeks,” an X user wrote, while another said, “Ozempic is doing too much damage to the community.”

Someone else suggested that she “looked way better compared to how she’s looking now,” adding that they “just hope it’s not drugs.”

“Buccal fat removal is the DEVIL… save my gfs from the scourge of cosmetic surgery, dear god,” another user wrote.

A third critic said, “REINSTALL THE BUCCAL FAT NOW! YA’LL WOMEN GOTTA STOP DOING THIS TO YOURSELVES!”

About The New’ Euphoria’ Season

“Euphoria” season 3 premieres on HBO on Sunday, April 12, and will see a significant time jump as Demie and her other costars pick up five years from when they left off in season 2.

They are all now out of college and are grappling with the struggles of adulthood.

Demie’s character Maddy works at a talent agency in Hollywood, while Lexi, played by Maude Apatow, also works in the film industry as an assistant to a showrunner played by Sharon Stone.

Zendaya’s character, Rue, continues to battle her drug addiction, but this time in Mexico as she moves to escape the drug dealers she owes money to.

The Show’s Creator Explained Why A Time Jump Made Sense For Season 3

The third season of “Euphoria” will reportedly see Sweeney’s character, Cassie, get married to Nate (Jacob Elordi), and would also mark the last season for Eric Dane, who died in February after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show’s creator, Sam Levinson, explained the time jump in a London event earlier this month, saying, “Five years felt like a natural place because if they’d gone to college, they’d be out of college at that time.”

He added, “We basically pick up Rue [Zendaya] south of the border in Mexico, in debt to Laurie [Martha Kelly], trying to come up with some very innovative ways to pay it off.”

Reports Suggest ‘Euphoria’ Stars Zendaya And Sydney Sweeney Are Feuding

Meanwhile, the hit series has been marred by reports of a strain between Zendaya and Sweeney over their respective political views.

The pair were also in attendance at this season’s premiere in L.A., but didn’t pose together after reports emerged that Zendaya had been left upset by Sweeney’s support for republican President Donald Trump, as well as claims her American Eagle ad was racist.

During promotion for the new season, the pair hardly posed together in any group photo as Zendaya allegedly refused to stand close to her.

In one post that made headlines, the “Dune” actress was noticeably absent from a group shot, with just Sydney, Hunter Schafer, Alexa Demie, and Maude Apatow posing for the photo together.

Director Steven Soderbergh has a disappointing update for “Star Wars” fans hoping to see Adam Driver reprise his role as Ben Solo in a future movie. The villainous Kylo Ren, who first appeared in 2015’s “The Force Awakens,” was later redeemed in 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker,” which was also the last “Star Wars” film released in theaters. Although Ben Solo seemingly passed away at the end of the sequel trilogy, Driver and Soderbergh had an idea to continue Ben’s story. Unfortunately, top Disney execs did not, leading to the film’s cancellation. Despite a significant fan campaign to get the movie back on track, especially with changes in both Lucasfilm and Disney’s leadership, Soderbergh revealed that the movie is “done” and that he has moved on to other projects.

Disney’s Leadership Change Won’t Help Ben Solo’s Future

In January, Kathleen Kennedy stepped down as President of Lucasfilm and was replaced by Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. Two months later, Josh D’Amaro officially succeeded Bob Iger as Disney CEO. With so much change in leadership, “Star Wars” fans were hopeful that the Ben Solo film, tentatively dubbed “The Hunt for Ben Solo,” would finally come to fruition.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case. While promoting his upcoming film “The Christophers,” director Steven Soderbergh told The Playlist that the film is dead, saying, “Look, if it was gonna happen, it would have happened.”

“It’s that simple,” he added, giving a clear “Nope” when asked if he would ever return to the project.

‘Andor’ Had Nothing To Do With The Ben Solo Movie

Soderbergh was also asked about a fan rumor suggesting that Tony Gilroy’s highly successful Disney+ series “Andor” sparked the idea of bringing Ben Solo back to life. Soderbergh shot that idea down, saying that conversations with Driver had actually started before the “Andor” premiere.

“Well, I don’t want to say [it had no influence], because then it makes it seem like, you know, ‘I watched ‘Andor,’ and it had absolutely no impact on me,’ which is not true, it was great,” he explained. “But this was [all] before ‘Andor’ aired. Adam and I started talking, and this would have been almost three years ago now.”

Steven Soderbergh Doesn’t Regret His Work On His Scrapped ‘Star Wars’ Film

Soderbergh still valued the project as a valuable creative exercise, even if it is no longer moving forward.

“I don’t regret one minute of the time we spent working on that,” he said. “I felt the work was good. It’s just good for you to be in that room and working on it. It’s like CrossFit—it’s good for you. It’ll have a residual effect that will be unexpected at some point.”

Instead of lingering on regrets, it seems Soderbergh is taking a page out of Kylo Ren’s book and is ready to “let the past die” and move on to other projects.

“As soon as it became apparent, OK, not gonna happen, I sat down and started writing [something else],” Soderbergh said. “It’s like, ‘OK, new scenario, let’s get cracking.’ At a certain point, it’s like complaining about the weather. You just gotta keep moving.”

Steven Soderbergh Reveals The Ben Solo Movie Was Adam Driver’s Idea

In the interview, Soderbergh revealed that the idea to revisit the character of Ben Solo actually came from the “Marriage Story” actor himself.

“It was strictly Adam saying, ‘I think there’s still somewhere to go with this character.’ That’s how it started,” Soderbergh revealed. “Otherwise, I never in a million years would have found myself in that universe again.”

Adam Driver First Revealed The Film’s Existence In October 2025

In October 2025, Adam Driver first revealed the existence of “The Hunt for Ben Solo” in a conversation with AP News while promoting his film “Father Mother Sister Brother.”

Soderbergh and Rebecca Blunt outlined a story that the group then pitched to Kennedy, Filoni, and Lucasfilm vice president Cary Beck. After getting their approval, Scott Z. Burns wrote the script.

“We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it,” Driver said. “We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”

NCIS: Origins shocked viewers by having Gary Callahan the dog get stabbed in the line of duty — but did he survive?

During the Tuesday, April 7, episode of the NCIS prequel, flashbacks shows how Gary came into Franks’ (Kyle Schmid) life. Then in present time they were chasing a suspect when the dog is badly stabbed. The blade ultimately damaged several nerves controlling the movement in his hind legs, which made the vet work that he won’t be able to walk again.

The episode ended with scenes from Gary’s induction ceremony vs. his retirement, which he got up to get his medal recognizing his courage and valor. (Gary will remain an agent where he will split time between Franks on the weekends and Herm on the workdays.)

“Maybe it was just grit or hell, or maybe it was a miracle, but in that moment, Gary Callahan stood up and took his first steps — for the second time,” Mark Harmon‘s Gibbs said in a voiceover.

Related: Beloved TV Pets Through the Years

While human actors often get top billing in beloved TV comedies and dramas, it’s sometimes their four-legged companions who steal the spotlight. Comet, the lovable golden retriever on Full House, become one of the most iconic TV pets though he is far from the only animal companion the sitcom cast worked with on set. While the […]

NCIS: Origins, which premiered in October 2024, follows a young Gibbs — a role originated by Mark Harmon — years prior to the events of NCIS. The new series picks up less than a year after Gibbs’ wife and daughter were killed. During season 1, Gibbs started a new job as a special agent at the NIS Camp Pendleton office while still dealing with the aftermath of losing his family.

“That was really our ultimate goal from the start was to make a show that the fans of the original show loved and felt satisfied by. But [it is] also [a show] that new viewers can come in from the beginning of NCIS: Origins,” cocreator Gina Monreal explained to Us Weekly in April 2025. “Viewers can jump in and not be confused and really get on board with our characters and their stories. We’ve always approached it from that point of view. I feel like we’ve succeeded.”

She continued: “We’re really keen on sticking to canon [events]. We’re strict about that. We want to pay respect to the mothership. We both have written on the mothership and do love that show. But we also love branching out into our new characters and digging into their emotional lives.”

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At the time, Monreal and cocreator David J. North talked about how they were able to explore everything they planned in season 1 — but there was one idea they want to expand on.

“Special Agent Gary Callahan — or K-9 Special Agent — we could have got more of him in there. So we need more flashbacks,” North quipped. “Maybe that’s the next spinoff. NCIS: Gary Callahan.”

NCIS: Origins airs Tuesdays to CBS at 9 p.m. ET.