By Robert Scucci
| Published 2 minutes ago

With Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey fast approaching, it’s time to get back into all of the great historical epics that have come out over the years. Gladiator (2000) is always a no-brainer thanks to Russell Crowe’s magnetic performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius, and if you want to channel your inner Spartan while a single tear runs down your cheek because you’re 37 and need to accept the fact that you’re never getting the abs back, you can fire up 300 (2007) to get your fill. Between those two films, though, is a little $185 million historical epic called Troy (2004), which wasn’t exactly a critical darling upon release (53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but has remained a fan favorite for decades.

Here’s the thing about historical epics based on Ancient Greek mythology: they almost always lose points for not properly representing the source material. But here’s my counterpoint: this is a movie, everybody speaks American English, and our main hero’s weakness is his heel because his mother dunked him upside down in the River Styx to make him immortal, but the water didn’t touch the spot where she was holding him. In other words, let’s suspend some disbelief, watch some epic battles, and enjoy the show.

I’m No Scholar, But Troy Is Badass

I hate long movies that don’t earn their runtime, but Troy is built differently because it fully commits to spectacle. There are plenty of names being said out loud that made me think, “Oh, that’s how you pronounce that, I’ve only ever read it before,” followed immediately by enough cinematic violence to distract me from the fact that I should probably brush up on both my history and my phonics.

Here’s the short and sweet version of what happens in Troy because, if I’m being real, I’m not watching this one for the plot. I’m watching it to see thousands of extras get leveled while armies wage war against each other and burn everything to the ground.

After Paris (Orlando Bloom), a prince of Troy, sparks a forbidden romance with Helen (Diane Kruger), the wife of Spartan King Menelaus, tensions between the two kingdoms explode into all-out war. The Greek armies unite under the ambitious Agamemnon (Brian Cox), bringing along their greatest warrior, Achilles (Brad Pitt), whose legendary fighting skills are matched only by his pride and ego. As Troy braces for invasion, noble prince Hector (Eric Bana) struggles to defend his family and city from destruction. What follows is a massive clash driven by love, revenge, ambition, and the pursuit of glory during a time when nothing else really mattered.

Beyond Epic In Scope And Scale

Filmed during that sweet spot in movie history where CGI enhanced a film instead of completely replacing practical filmmaking, Troy never feels like a green screen experience. Sure, digital effects were used to fill out backgrounds with massive armies and sprawling naval fleets, but the production still relied on thousands of extras swinging rubber swords during combat sequences so everybody could safely hack away at each other with reckless, military-sanctioned abandon. It’s even been reported that Brad Pitt and Eric Bana spent days rehearsing their final duel without stunt doubles to make sure audiences got the best fight sequence money could buy.

Speaking of Brad Pitt, his portrayal of Achilles is second to none. He brings a certain level of nonchalance to the role, like he’s a party guy who just so happens to be exceptionally gifted at war. He’s untouchable and unflappable, and he commands the screen whenever he shows up while channeling serious dude-bro energy anytime somebody asks anything of him. When we’re first introduced to him, he effortlessly kills Boagrius (Nathan Jones), a giant hulk of a man, while violently hungover and not even having eaten breakfast yet. It’s poetry in sandals, and it’s ridiculously fun to watch play out.

For every bit of charisma in Troy, however, there’s also a healthy amount of corn you need to chew through. The most egregious moment, to me, is when Ajax lets out his battle cry in the middle of combat, bellowing, “I am Ajax, breaker of stones! Look upon me in despair!” Don’t get me wrong, that’s an objectively badass thing to say, but Troy is set in 1184 BC and he delivers the line like he knows there’s a camera crew behind him and he wants to sound as cool as humanly possible. Moments like that can take me out of movies like Troy, but it’s also worth mentioning that this is still an incredible quote to casually work into real life whenever the opportunity presents itself.

In 2026, Troy’s legacy has far exceeded its initial reputation, which is reflected in its much stronger 74 percent Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics may have gone hard on this movie at the time, but it’s also worth remembering that critics don’t always know how to have fun. Troy is fun. It’s pure popcorn spectacle wrapped in armor, and if you’re looking for next-level fight choreography and carnage, it really doesn’t get much better than this.

As of this writing, Troy is not available through standard streaming subscriptions, but it can be rented or purchased on demand through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV+.

Thrillers are such a special brand of cinema. Their narratives often eschew anything grandiose or epic in favor of something that cuts right to the bone. Maybe their impact is only skin deep, or maybe it drills deep down into the marrow, but they are more often than not effective and efficient. As a genre, the thriller may be one of the most pliable as well, able to combine with science fiction, horror, Westerns or action with equal ease. It’s maybe because of that pliability that the thriller itself can go a little undervalued.

Thrillers don’t have the devoted fanbase that horror and science fiction do, and even if they have broad appeal, it doesn’t always deliver the same box office success as their more action-packed counterparts. The streaming age has only worsened this situation, with the majority of thrillers bypassing theaters altogether and getting swallowed up by the algorithm. These newer overlooked thrillers are in good company with many older gems that remain hidden. New and old alike, these are ten amazing thrillers that you’ve been sleeping on.

‘Prime Cut’ (1972)

Image via National General Pictures

Prime Cut is a nasty little crime thriller that was controversial upon its release for some of its explicitly violent and sexual content. Depicting the conflict between a Kansas meat-packing magnate and a Chicago mob enforcer, the film isn’t afraid to get lurid or downright sleazy. However, it’s elevated above the lowest ranks of exploitation thanks to solid direction, some memorable suspense sequences and an overqualified cast of professionals and rising stars.

Lee Marvin plays Devlin, an enforcer working for the Irish Mob who’s sent to collect a debt from the boss of a meat packing plant in Kansas named Mary Ann, played by Gene Hackman. In the middle of their escalating conflict is the young Poppy (Sissy Spacek in her first screen role), who has been sold into prostitution. Prime Cut was directed by Michael Ritchie, who later became better known for his comedies like Bad News Bears and Fletch, but his direction on this lean piece of pulp shows the same affinity for character. The film isn’t the equivalent of a fine filet mignon, but rather some cheap and juicy chuck that’s still packed with flavor.

‘Race with the Devil’ (1975)

Image via 20th Century Studios

City folk getting more than they bargained for on a rural excursion was a popular premise in the ’70s, as best exemplified by movies like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. Also popular during the decade were car chase movies, such as Smokey and the Bandit and Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. The underrated thriller Race with the Devil combines both these genres with a dash of Satanic panic that makes it the real road trip from hell.

Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, who both separately starred in car movies, play co-owners of a motorcycle dealership who are headed to Aspen in an RV together for a vacation with their spouses, played by Loretta Swit and Lara Parker. The foursome’s plans are derailed when they witness a human sacrifice performed by a Satanic cult. Thus begins a pursuit across Texas as the couples try to survive increasing attacks from the cult and apathy from local law enforcement. Race with the Devil is a unique road thriller that’s had some minor influence, but deserves more eyes, especially for the shocking ending.

‘Trespass’ (1992)

Image via Universal Pictures

Walter Hill knows how to make a lean, mean thriller. The director is responsible for cult classics like The Driver, The Warriors, and Southern Comfort, which all put their protagonists up against a gauntlet of external threats. His most underrated effort, which many haven’t woken up to yet, is the tightly wound 1992 siege thriller Trespass. It’s got an all-star cast, a simple but effective premise, and a clever script that keeps things taut until the end.

Bill Paxton and William Sadler play two firemen who come across a map that leads to a supposed treasure hidden in an abandoned building. When they decide to seek out this treasure for themselves, they get a mountain of trouble for it after they unwittingly witness a gang murder. That puts them up against a dangerous group of criminals, which includes Ice-T and Ice Cube in their only film together. Trespass isn’t overly complex or groundbreaking; it’s just a down-and-dirty thriller with a great cast that should’ve been a hit.

‘One False Move’ (1992)

Image via I.R.S. Releasing

Bill Paxton is the apparent king of underseen thrillers released in 1992. In addition to Trespass, he also played a key role in the massively overlooked neo-noir film One False Move. Co-written by Billy Bob Thornton, who also stars alongside Paxton, and directed by Carl Franklin, the movie received an overwhelmingly positive reception from critics but failed at the box office. Alas, that failure doesn’t diminish its lethal effectiveness.

Thornton is the leader of a trio of criminals who leave a pile of bodies in Los Angeles after they high-tail it out of town to sell a stash of drugs. Paxton is the chief of police of a small town that the trio is headed towards, and he has some secrets of his own. The film has unflinching violence and a stripped-down style that makes it pack a harder punch than you might expect. With a layered script and a perfect cast, One False Move lives up to its title, execution-wise.

‘Running Time’ (1997)

Image via Panoramic Pictures

For B-movie fans who only know Bruce Campbell as Ash from the Evil Dead franchise, Running Time offers slick, no-frills thrills that prove the actor has more skills than just slaying deadites. Made on a shoestring budget, this heist movie stands out thanks to its gimmick. The entire film takes place in real time and has the added layer of being filmed to appear as if it is one continuous shot, accomplished through old-school ingenuity and hidden cuts, taking a page out of Alfred Hitchcock‘s Rope.

Campbell plays Carl, an ex-con who has a heist planned for the same day he’s released from prison. That plan isn’t foolproof, as several criminally stupid mistakes put Carl and his crew on the run after the botched robbery. Running Time isn’t flawlessly executed, but it isn’t amateur hour either. There’s an undeniable skill to pulling off the film’s visual gimmick, and any rougher moments in the performances or occasionally stilted dialogue don’t take away from its well-timed thrills.

‘You Were Never Really Here’ (2017)

Image via Amazon Studios

As based on the novella by Jonathan Ames, there’s a version of You Were Never Really Here that could’ve been made as a much pulpier, more action-fueled movie along the lines of the original Taken. They’re all films about men with a certain set of skills that they use to punish criminals and protect innocents. However, Lynne Ramsay’s caustic thriller has a much sharper psychological edge to it, with a protagonist defined by his trauma in a way that breaks from the Hollywood anti-hero mold. The film was given a limited theatrical release before it promptly disappeared on Amazon, but it should not be allowed to fade away.

Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a mercenary whose specialty is saving young victims of trafficking. Brutality seems his second nature, rooted in his violent past. Joe is a fundamentally broken man, and no matter how much blood he spills, it will never free him from his trauma. The violence of You Were Never Really Here is fascinatingly filmed, with Ramsay often cutting away in a manner that denies the bloodthirsty catharsis that most action fans would want. It’s one of many ways in which the film makes its violence even more visceral, and it leaves an impact that will not be forgotten by anyone who watches it.

‘The Lookout’ (2007)

Image via Miramax

The Lookout was the directorial debut of screenwriter Scott Frank, who had risen to prominence writing crime films like Get Shorty and Out of Sight, and would later find success on streaming with series like The Queen’s Gambit. It’s a small-scale heist film featuring a terrific lead performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the middle of his resurgence as an adult actor.

Gordon-Levitt plays the retroactively distracting Chris Pratt, a once-promising high school hockey phenom who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident, which left him impaired. He works as a janitor at a bank, which is what brings him into the orbit of a former high school classmate, played by Matthew Goode, who manipulates him into robbing the bank. Frank’s script for the film is characteristically clever, and the plot veers in unexpected directions even when it’s repeating beats we’ve seen before. The Lookout is a sublime crime thriller that has been overlooked for far too long.

‘Calibre’ (2018)

Image via Netflix

Another thriller sacrificed to the algorithm gods, Calibre is a menacing British thriller that premiered on Netflix internationally, making it simultaneously instantly accessible and frustratingly hidden. It’s a taut and terrifying thriller, turning the rural fears that have fueled so many films on its head. It’s a truly discomforting and nerve-wracking film to watch, but it is so well-made that you can’t help but admire it even when it’s making you squirm.

Jack Lowden and Martin McCann play friends Vaughan and Marcus, who have taken a weekend hunting trip together in the Scottish Highlands. After an accident leaves two people dead, the men swear each other to secrecy but quickly find themselves stranded in the nearby town, where tensions with the locals quickly begin to rise. Calibre grabs hold of you early and continues to tighten its grip until you can’t bear it anymore.

‘Bull’ (2021)

Image via Signature Entertainment

Bull is another British thriller with far less recognition internationally than it deserves. It’s a brutal and violent revenge thriller that treads over familiar ground, but does it with such an unrelenting tone that it borders on the horror genre. It also benefits from a strong lead performance by Neil Maskell, who also appeared in the similar genre-shifting Kill List. Revenge thrillers, when done well, can offer a nasty bit of violent catharsis, and Bull does that with blood-soaked tenacity.

As Bull, Maskell is a feared enforcer for a dangerous gangster who is also his father-in-law. After being betrayed and seemingly killed, Bull returns to exact vengeance on those responsible as well as to find his son. Bull doesn’t pull its punches in the least. It means to be an old-school violent revenge thriller, and it is exactly that. It also has a twist ending that may hammer the point home a little too strongly, but the film doesn’t suffer drastically because of it. Fans of films like the aforementioned Kill List and Dead Man’s Shoes should check this one out.

‘Rebel Ridge’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

Jeremy Saulnier made his name on gritty thrillers like Blue Ruin and Green Room, which both include brutal body counts and bloodletting. His most recent thriller, Rebel Ridge, flips the script on that and presents itself as a non-lethal, or less lethal, action movie that focuses on tension over brutality. It’s been compared to First Blood for its plot that pits a former specialist against a corrupt police department, but even that comparison fails to capture the effectiveness of Saulnier’s thoroughly modern thriller. It’s another film that’s gotten swallowed up by Netflix, but is primed for discovery.

Aaron Pierre gives a star-making performance as Terry Richmond, a former Marine who has traveled to a small town in Louisiana to post bail for his cousin, but has his money unlawfully taken by the local police. That act sets off a chain reaction of escalating events between Terry and the police. It’s a gripping thriller that pulls some of its plot points directly from real issues, but it turns them into fodder for an engaging mystery action thrill ride. Rebel Ridge continues Saulnier’s evolution as a genre director, and it puts all others on notice for how effective its thrills are without riddling bodies with bullets.

For those who love Stargate, it’s no secret that we’ve been waiting for the franchise to continue for some time. With news that Prime Video is rebooting the science fiction staple, we have hope for the first time since Stargate Universe concluded that more adventures across the galaxy — and through the gate — are underway. But several years back, in honor of Stargate SG-1‘s 20-year anniversary, MGM briefly revisited the franchise in a mythology-rich 10-part miniseries that aired across several weeks in 2018. If you’re looking for a quick sci-fi-flavored binge on Prime Video this weekend, look no further than Stargate Origins.

‘Stargate Origins’ Calls Back to the Franchise’s Roots While Telling a Standalone Story

Stargate Origins was originally released on the now-defunct streaming platform Stargate Command, which was devoted entirely to the Stargate franchise. However, since the streaming platform folded and Amazon purchased MGM, the entire franchise catalog has been folded into Prime Video — which is great news for fans looking for a new binge. Although the last entry in the franchise to date, Stargate Origins is a prequel that takes place even before the original Roland Emmerich-directed film. Set in 1938, several years after Professor Paul Langford (Connor Trinneer) and his team first discovered Earth’s stargate in Giza, the miniseries begins with a brief flashback to the 1994 film’s opening before jumping ahead several years to Langford and his daughter, Catherine (Ellie Gall), who struggle to understand the strange glyphs on the alien device. While Catherine would play a role in both the original feature film and SG-1, this prequel presents viewers with her own adventure through the gate, arriving on the world of Abydos decades before Daniel Jackson (James Spader, Michael Shanks), Jack O’Neill (Kurt Russell, Richard Dean Anderson), and their team would arrive there.

Whether you’ve seen all of SG-1 or only the original Stargate movie, you’ll find yourself up-to-speed for this standalone prequel. The 10-part miniseries — consisting of 10-minute episodes that run around an hour and 40 minutes total — sets up many of the events in the first film after the professor is forced through the gate by a crazed Nazi occultist, Wilhelm Brücke (Aylam Orian), who aims to use the power of the gods to give the Third Reich an edge on the rest of the world. In an effort to save her father, Catherine recruits her boyfriend, Captain James Beal (Philip Alexander), and Egyptian native Wasif (Shvan Aladdin) to jump through the gate, finding themselves on an adventure through the stars. In many respects, Stargate Origins comes across as a revisionist pulp story that seems to infuse 1930s speculative fiction with material meant for 2010s audiences. However, you feel about some of that, Origins is rife with inspired references to and set-up for the original motion picture, which featured an older Catherine played by Viveca Lindfors.

‘Stargate Origins’ Was the Final Entry (Thus Far) in the ‘Stargate’ Franchise

While the 10-minute episodes are a perfect way to binge the series over a short weekend, folks wishing to enjoy the miniseries all in one go can do so just as easily. For those unwilling to click “next episode” every 10 minutes (or if you just want a more seamless transition), Stargate Origins was re-edited into a “feature cut” by MGM titled Stargate Origins: Catherine. The re-edited version features a revised score and some updated effects, though the story itself doesn’t change. Of course, if you’re looking for something more like Stargate Atlantis in quality, you’ll be out of luck. While Origins is fun for what it is, the low-budget production is a bit uneven in terms of its performances, adds some strange character choices, and is more akin, in some respects, to a tie-in web-series rather than something of the caliber of SG-1 or its spin-offs. But if you love Stargate, it remains a must-see, if only on the basis that it’s another entry in the overall series — one that ties so directly to the foundation of the franchise.

Of course, if you’re looking to jump into the Stargate franchise and wondering if Origins is a good place to start, despite the name, we wouldn’t recommend it. The best order to watch this sci-fi extravaganza is by starting with the 1994 Stargate film. Although the feature was meant to be the first in a trilogy of Stargate movies, the franchise went a different direction entirely by transitioning to television in the form of Stargate SG-1, which picked up with the characters from the original film and continued their interstellar adventures. At least watch the first movie before diving into Origins (which, again, steals its opening scene directly from the 1994 picture), but if you’re looking to better understand the world, SG-1 is the perfect follow-up that will help set the stage for this quick prequel. Of course, you could always wait for the inevitable reboot…

Stargate Origins is available for streaming on Prime Video.

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Stargate Origins

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Release Date

2018 – 2021-00-00

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Stargate Command

Directors

Mercedes Bryce Morgan

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Dungeons & Dragons has evolved from a role-playing game into a cultural phenomenon, impacting pop culture along the way. Without Dungeons & Dragons, Stranger Things wouldn’t have its big narrative hook. Critical Role wouldn’t be a thing, which means no Legend of Vox Machina or Mighty Nein. In 2023, Paramount decided to take the next logical step and make a D&D movie, resulting in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Honor Among Thieves is one of the rare films that were both critically acclaimed and box-office flops, which is a shame because it perfectly captures the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons.

As its title suggests, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is essentially a heist movie set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Led by the boisterous bard Edgin Darvis (Chris Pine), the barbarian Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), sorcerer Simon (Justice Smith), and druid Doric (Sophia Lillis) join forces to rob the Lord of Neverwinter, Forge Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant), of his treasures. They end up embroiled in a sinister plot concocted by the Red Wizard, Sofia (Daisy Head), and wind up having to save Neverwinter. What follows is a fast, funny, and engaging adventure that will appeal to both Dungeons & Dragons super fans and newcomers to the game.

‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Mixes Heart, Humor & Action

Image via Paramount

Throughout Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, writer/directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley manage to keep up a blend of hilarious and emotional moments that are punctuated by bouts of action. A key example is when the party, led by Paladin Xenk Yandar (Regé-Jean Page), travels into the subterranean realm known as the Underdark to retrieve a magical artifact. They wind up running afoul of Themberchaud, a dragon feared throughout the land…only to discover that Themberchaud has packed on a few pounds over the years. Emotionally, the film doesn’t hold back: Edgin is putting himself through a lot to see his daughter and potentially resurrect his wife; Simon is struggling with his magic; and Doric wishes to protect her people from Forge’s greed.

Goldstein and Daley also manage to introduce plenty of Dungeons & Dragons Easter eggs, showcasing their deep love for the game. Whether it’s creatures like Mimics, the dreaded sorcerer Szass Tam, or the cast of the beloved Dungeons & Dragons animated series, these Easter eggs are skillfully woven into the movie; longtime fans can enjoy them, while newcomers won’t feel lost. Goldstein also told Den of Geek that the heist element of Honor Among Thieves was crafted to appeal to non-D&D fans.

“We wanted to create a film that would be entertaining and appealing to all audiences, whether you knew D&D or not. For that to work, we needed a sort of scaffolding and infrastructure for the movie that would be enjoyable and engaging. We’ve always wanted to do a heist movie.”

The response was extremely positive, as Honor Among Thieves currently holds a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Most reviews pointed out how it was one of the few modern blockbusters that actually managed to replicate the feeling of a Marvel Studios movie; ironically, Goldstein and Daley previously helped write the screenplay for Spider-Man: Homecoming, while producer Jeremy Latcham worked on some of Marvel’s biggest hits, including Guardians of the Galaxy. Sadly, Honor Among Thieves was released in the same month as other major blockbusters, like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and John Wick: Chapter 4; this resulted in a less-than-stellar box office haul.

Paramount Should Capitalize on Fantasy’s Resurgence with a ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Sequel

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves might not have set the box office on fire, but its story could potentially continue in a different form. Netflix is currently developing Dungeons & Dragons: The Forgotten Realms, a television series that is set in the same fictional realm as Honor Among Thieves. The timing couldn’t be more perfect; fantasy shows are making a splash on streaming services, and Honor Among Thieves was a big streaming hit for Netflix. If Forgotten Realms is a huge hit for Netflix, that could be the push Paramount needs to put another Dungeons & Dragons movie into production. In the meantime, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is still worth a watch, whether you’re a fan of the game or not.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 second ago

Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is one of the most beloved superhero movies ever made. It’s a deconstruction of the medium as a whole that pits Batman and the Joker against each other like archetypal forces of nature, all while giving us top-notch writing and characterization. However, some fans have always had a problem with the film’s ending, in which the titular Dark Knight takes the blame for Harvey Dent’s crimes. Sure, we got a cool Commissioner Gordon speech out of it, but Batman could probably have escaped to inspire and save lives another day. 

Plus, The Dark Knight Rises largely undoes that ending. Batman enables the same authoritarian overreach he previously preached against, and his sacrificial arc is rendered meaningless because the Caped Crusader ultimately ends up clearing his name. Interestingly, The Batman basically fixes The Dark Knight’s ending because Robert Pattinson’s Batman ultimately learns the lesson Christian Bale’s Batman never did: unless his vigilante activities become a source of hope instead of fear, there is no real meaning to his endless quest for justice.

Hanging Up The Cape For All The Wrong Reasons

The Dark Knight is an insanely well-written film, and one that sets up Batman’s fateful decision very early on. You see, the Caped Crusader runs into multiple vigilantes who are clumsily trying to follow in his footsteps, using violent weapons (including guns) to stop the criminals of Gotham City. This is part of why Bruce Wayne is so enamored with Harvey Dent. Not only does the ambitious District Attorney inspire people without wearing a mask, but he inspires them to do something better than distributing street justice while wearing bad cosplay. At the end of the film, Batman preserves Harvey’s reputation by taking the blame for the crimes he committed as Two-Face.

This makes for a tragic ending, one where Batman has to become the public’s number one villain so they could have the hero they needed. However, the sequel film, The Dark Knight Rises, undoes much of the impact by revealing that a law named after Harvey Dent greatly expanded police power (remember when The Dark Knight preached against the surveillance state and the dangers of giving anyone too much power?). The movie also lets Batman clear his name, which makes for a heartwarming end to a cinematic trilogy, but retroactively ruins the ending of The Dark Knight by revealing how the titular character’s sacrifice was only temporary. 

A New Batman Begins

In its own way, The Batman did its best to fix what Christopher Nolan did to the Caped Crusader. Much of this Matt Reeves film is bleak because it features Batman contending with the sobering fact that he is just one force for justice in a city teeming with criminals. Eventually, he accepts the blunt reality that he can’t make all of the crime in Gotham City go away simply by punching the mentally ill. But after the Riddler floods the city, Batman focuses on saving citizens rather than punishing criminals, ultimately realizing he is more useful to Gotham as a source of inspiration rather than a source of fear.

When I first saw The Batman, the ending really blew me away. I kept muttering to myself, “They actually gave Batman an arc?” Normally, he’s one of the most static characters in superhero media. Sure, big things happen around Batman, but he remains the unflappably cool guy who is always rewarded for using fear and violence to get the job done. Having the Caped Crusader realize that fear and violence weren’t enough seemed like a genuine revelation, and one that intentionally called back to the ending of The Dark Knight, which similarly had Batman realize that his brutal ways wouldn’t be enough to truly save the city. 

The Hero They Need AND Deserve

However, Nolan’s Dark Knight decided to simply hang up the cape, retiring (albeit temporarily) the vigilante so that the public could find better heroes to emulate. Weirdly, though, Christian Bale’s Batman never seemed to consider the option that Robert Pattison’s Batman later embraced: simply becoming the change he wanted to see. Obsessed with duality, the earlier iteration of Batman decided that he had to be the villain so that Harvey Dent could be the public’s hero. He seemingly never considered that he had the option of becoming an inspirational hero himself, saving the city while redeeming Batman’s reputation. 

Ironically enough, that’s more or less what he does in The Dark Knight Rises. After recovering from the injury Bane gives him, Batman returns to save Gotham City and seemingly dies, sacrificing himself to stop a neutron bomb from killing everyone. Just like that, Batman becomes an inspirational hero to millions of people who once saw him as a murderous vigilante. Becoming openly inspirational rather than striking from the shadows with fear was always an option. It’s just one that Pattinson’s vigilante figures out much earlier in his career, which is why The Batman has a far, far better ending than The Dark Knight.

As it turns out, the secret ingredient to a good Batman ending is simply giving the Caped Crusader a proper arc from the beginning. Bale’s Batman didn’t get to become a different kind of hero until the very end of his trilogy, which retroactively ruined the ending of The Dark Knight. However, The Batman effectively fixed that disappointing ending by allowing Pattinson’s hero to realize he had the capacity to grow and change. He learned it wasn’t that hard to become the kind of hero that Gotham both needed and deserved. Best of all, he didn’t have to fight a terrorist luchador wearing a fetish mask in order to learn that particular lesson.

The Batman is streaming on Max.

Although it’s disappointing that KPop Demon Hunters isn’t expected to follow up on its world-dominating first tour until 2029, the members of HUNTR/X should be back on-screen before then. Last year, it was announced that Arden Cho and May Hong, the voices behind Rumi and Mira, would be re-teaming for a new film set against the backdrop of the K-pop industry — Perfect Girl. The project is a much different beast than their animated smash hit, focusing on the darker side of the scene with a story that’s been described as “Scream meets Black Swan.” Among those accompanying the pair is Adeline Rudolph, who had nothing but kind words for her two co-stars, even if the film pits them against one another.

With Mortal Kombat II now in theaters, Rudolph sat down with Perri Nemiroff for a new episode of Collider Ladies Night, where they dug into her career, bringing Kitana to life from the iconic fighting games, and some of the exciting projects she has on the horizon. When asked what subgenre of horror Perfect Girl occupies, the actress admittedly had a bit of trouble finding the right descriptor. The synopsis described the story as revolving around a fierce competition to find the members of a K-pop supergroup designed to steal the spotlight. However, with one last-second arrival, the audition turns out to be a literal bloodbath where every entrant is hunted down until the final four are left standing. Rudolph ultimately agreed that “psychological thriller” would be the best category for the film. “That’s what I would have said,” she responded. “I wasn’t sure if that was a subgenre, but it’s very much in that world and in that realm.”

The mere mention of Hong and Cho’s involvement had Rudolph thinking of all the ways the two stars had made her experience better. “Firstly, working with May was lovely,” she continued. “She’s so sweet and so kind.” For Hong, Perfect Girl represents just her third film role, though she’s been a regular presence on television from Full Circle to Hacks. Rudolph got a ton out of watching Cho, though, as the Teen Wolf alum wasn’t just starring, but also producing, and brought with her a track record of trailblazing for Asian-American actors. Rudolph continued:

“And then, of course, working with Arden was a gift of a lifetime. I mean, Arden is so incredible in very many ways. She’s just kind of carved out a path for Asian-Americans, or AAPI talent, and she’s very much a person who wants everyone to win, and you can feel that. Girls’ girl, 100%. She’s incredible. She was also producing on this film as well as acting. But yeah, to play opposite her and then also have her on set every day to help guide the project was so amazing. I mean, she deserves everything this planet has to offer. She’s incredible through and through.”

‘Perfect Girl’ Twists the K-Pop Industry Through the Realm of Horror

Although she had much to say about the reunited HUNTR/X members, Rudolph couldn’t speak as freely about Perfect Girl itself. She did, however, tease that, despite its more horrifying premise, it does hit at the very real, cutthroat paths to stardom that prospective K-pop stars have to endure. “Without giving too much away, it’s a movie about the K-pop training system,” she said. “It’s very rigorous. And it’s about these artists’ journeys being in that system, and the insecurities or the fears or the competitiveness that comes out being placed in a situation like that.”

It’s too early at this time to start talking about her character, but there’s a lot about the idea that has the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina alum excited. Based on the Blacklist script by Lynn Q. Yu, Perfect Girl hails from director Hong Won-ki and features a cast that is packed with real musical talent. John Kim, Peter Lee Jae Yoon, and Samantha Cochran are also on board alongside Filipino-Canadian singer AC Bonifacio, Thai singer and actress Ally, and real-life K-pop idols Jeon Somi from The Black Label, Nancy from Momoland, Siyoon from Billie, and Chaerin from Cherry Bullet. Somi also made one of the six original K-pop tracks for the film. So far, Rudolph loves how all those elements come together to paint a heightened, tense picture of the K-pop world that still speaks to the truth hopeful artists face.

“I cannot wait, honestly, to just talk all about the project. I feel like it’s a space that lends itself to a psychological thriller horror. Obviously, it’s exaggerated, but there’s so much that goes on in that world that is so fascinating. Taken to the extreme, not that any of this would ever happen, but you can understand how, just mentally, it could be tough.”

There’s no release date yet for Perfect Girl. In the meantime, Rudolph is in theaters for Mortal Kombat II. Stay tuned here at Collider for further updates. You can watch Rudolph’s full episode of Ladies Night below.

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Release Date

May 8, 2026

Runtime

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116 Minutes

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As fans gear up for Season 2 of HBO Max’s docuseries On the Roam with Jason Momoa, the DC star and jack of all trades took some time to chat with Collider’s Steven Weintraub about what to expect this time around. Talking alongside director and executive producer Brian Andrew Mendoza, Momoa shares the art, adventures, and bonds he explored while juggling his “manic schedule” (on top of filming Supergirl), plus an exciting tease for more from Apple TV’s hit series Chief of War.

On the Roam Season 2 takes viewers across the country with Momoa once again for even more artistry, craftsmanship, and pushing technological boundaries for the sake of passion, admiration, and curiosity. This time around, Momoa chronicles the resurfacing of garage punk band The Bobby Lees, spotlighting the struggle of artists and the state of the music industry; meets and collaborates with yet another “top hero,” painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel; and breaks down the innovative mechanics that make Season 1’s Rolls-Royce look easy. Don’t miss the full conversation in the video above, or the transcript below.

Jason Momoa Says ‘Chief of War’ Is at a “Standstill”

But he’s eager to tell more stories from the hit Apple TV series.

Image via Apple TV

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COLLIDER: You guys know that I love Chief of War, and before I get into On the Roam, I think you envisioned it as a one-season show, but did Apple ever tell you how it did? Is there more in that world you want to explore, or other stuff that you want to explore from Hawaiian stories?

JASON MOMOA: No, absolutely. We sold it as a one-shot with the inspiration to hopefully do more. We’re just waiting for it to do its run and hopefully get some more words. But basically, right now, it’s kind of at a bit of a standstill. But yeah, there’s definitely high hopes to do more with that storyline because there’s so much to tell.

‘On the Roam’ Turned Heroes Into Family

Momoa discusses working with The Bobby Lees and meeting Julian Schnabel.

If you make more, I would watch more. Jumping into why I get to talk to you guys. On the Roam feels like a love letter to things that take time in a world that moves too fast. So after two seasons of meeting these masters of time, how has that changed your relationship with time and with your work?

MOMOA: Great question.

BRIAN ANDREW MENDOZA: There’s not enough time. Realizing there’s not enough time. One of the things I really love about this is that the people that we get who let us go into their homes are really good at knowing how to control their time. They’re artists. They’re craftsmen. They’re fulfilled by what they’re able to complete at the end of the day, if it’s a song or if it’s just part of an engine or it’s a piece of art on canvas. I love being able to get in these spaces because each one of them really knows how precious that time is, and they do a really good job of slowing down and making sure that the world moves at their speed. They’re not moving at anybody else’s speed, and it’s a good thing to see.

MOMOA: I love watching the show, and the sense of where we start with our idea and where we were at. For The Bobby Lees, for instance. We just read that I was doing SNL, and in between doing SNL, which is the hardest thing you could ever do in your life, I’m literally trying to meet this band to try to pull something off to shoot their last show, and then get up to see them in their hometown.

So, we’re trying to plan all this stuff, and in between, probably doing Lobo at that time. It’s just a manic schedule. But you get to see that section of time that, if I just were doing that passion without shooting it, it would be just in pictures and maybe lost, but you get to relive that moment, like, “Holy shit, we had so much going on.” I mean, Sam [Quartin] literally got knocked up, had a kid, had a baby. We went through a whole thing with them. We went to record the album. I didn’t get to be there because I was doing Lobo. Brian was there.

MENDOZA: [Julian] Schnabel made a whole film.

Image via Everett Collection

MOMOA: Yeah. I mean, I was scared meeting Schnabel in the very beginning, and now he’s, like, frickin dad, the great uncle you got. So, everything changes so much. Even the thing with Kirk Hammett, like, “Bro, tonight?” We’re on camera having my first conversation with Kirk, and trying to just talk about this guitar that we want to talk about that’s so special, getting invited over to his house. He’s cooking fucking breakfast omelets for us and wants to go surfing. We’re talking about this amazing guitar that then we’re going to make duplicates of it so that we can auction it off.

Next thing you know, the person who shot his book, they call us, and Sharon Osbourne wants us to be a part of the fucking Black Sabbath concert. Then that thing opens up, and now it’s turned into this huge thing, and we’re here in Hawaii, I just wrapped this movie, and we’re doing a benefit thing. I’m playing with my band, who I didn’t have in Season 1 because all this happened, and now I’m playing music, and then Kirk Hammett is going to come play fucking “For Whom the Bell Tolls” with us for flood relief!

All this shit is happening right now. So it starts like this, and you talk about time, you get to go, like, “Wow, I get to relive all this shit.” You’re like, “Wow, this started as, really, this idea of like, ‘I hope, hope, hope he’ll pick up the phone.’” Now I’m like, I hope he fucking leaves me alone because I just want to play guitar with my friends. Like, leave us alone, Kirk. You already did it. We’re playing your song our way. [Laughs]

It just keeps evolving. It’s just a really cool marker of time. And for us just to go, “I have an idea,” and then to see what the universe offers us, and then see if it opens up and we’re making the right steps.

Jason, have you thought about playing the lottery? Because you have clearly won life.

MOMOA: I’m the most unlucky fucking person! I gamble on my life in the things that I do, so I’m lucky that way, but man, if you see me at a poker table, sit next to me because I’m going to lose. If I pick black, pick red. You’re going to win.

‘On the Roam’ Addresses the Real Cost of Being an Artist

“We literally can’t buy a fucking sandwich.”

Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

Being serious, is On the Roam, the entire series, really just a covert thing for you to become friends with Julian Schnabel?

MOMOA: Well, he’s actually kind of our hero. Same thing with Todd Hido. He was our hero. If we were to think, “Who are our top heroes?” It’s Tom Waits, Julian Schnabel, and Todd Hido. Those were our holy grail. And through that, he’s almost like a dad, man. He’s like a fucking uncle to us. Just mutual respect. Then he forced me to do a movie I did not want to do. It’s a weird thing to say that, but I had to play this crazy character, and I was like, “I cannot do this, Julian. I cannot do this.” And he literally made me do it, and we killed it. But I’ve never had a bigger fan believe in me. Because he was stoked on See. That really hit it off for him.

Then, when we were doing Chief of War, [Brian]’s directing and I’m producing, we’re both producing, we’re doing everything, and he’s watching us do it behind the scenes, and he’s going, “You motherfuckers…” Like, Julian couldn’t believe it. He was so stoked to be watching us do Chief. I’m like, “We’re just your bastard children now. You are our inspiration.” He’s like, “How do you have time to do all this?” I’m like, “Motherfucker, you have a book this big of paintings by Taschen, and then seven films and fucking seven kids. What do you mean you don’t have the fucking goddamn time? He’s got one, I got two. I’m barely trying to make good cinema, you know? You fucking just decide to go, like, “Oh, painting! Let’s try cinema,” and just pop out four… I mean, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly — what the hell? Before Night Falls, Basquiat. I haven’t made that. Sure, we did Chief of War, but I ain’t you, man. How did you do it?

So yeah, I think all of it just comes down to, like, we want to do stuff that is like, what are the dreams? But at the same time, showcase small things, big things. Just the idea of talking about the music industry. Until I talked to Sam, like, “What’s going on? You look so great on Instagram. Blah, blah, blah.” And she just explains, “We don’t make any money. By the time we come back, there’s nothing left. We’ve been gone for two years.” She’s like, “We literally can’t buy a fucking sandwich.” You’re just like, wow, and she’s like, “Yeah, if you don’t sell this and this and that, you’re not making any money.” We pay $4 for a coffee every day, but you won’t buy your artist’s fucking favorite songs. It hit me, where I’m like, oh my god, we gotta explain this to the world so they understand art is not free. We need to support the arts. So, it was nice to make an episode without bitching at someone just to go, like, “Hey, this is what state some artists are in. Support your artists. Get that shirt, buy that sticker.” If you love it, do it.

No, 100%. This is a whole bigger conversation, but I want to ask a specific question.

Jason Momoa Breaks Down the Ambitious Tech Behind ‘On the Roam’ Season 2

“The Rolls-Royce was easy compared to what they pulled off.”

In Season 1, the 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom electric conversion was a highlight of technical rule-breaking. Is there something in Season 2 that pushed the boundaries of what you thought was possible with craftsmanship?

MOMOA: The shit that we pull off for our electric, the stuff that we went for, the technology has never gone to. We fucking did it. I’m like, “It should be easy, right? Blah blah blah blah.” He’s like, “This is the hardest…” Dude, the Rolls-Royce was easy compared to what they pulled off. So, Electrogenics, we do four different types of things, whether it’s solar or whether it’s batteries, but basically just working on green energy. We took all these old bikes…. Say your grandfather had a 1920s bike, right? A 1920s bike doesn’t work. It’s frozen. You take that back wheel off, you put a wheel on. That hub will basically power it. You put the batteries, like, on the side, and that bike from the 1920s is all E. That’s with it not even running, the motor. We also did, it could be gas and oil, so say you’re an 80-year-old guy that can’t kick his bike over anymore. You basically switch it over; you’re just changing out the back wheel. It’s still gas and oil, and it goes E. So the hub works as E, then you pop the clutch and it kicks over in and goes into gas.

So you can ride it in gas. Say you break down and don’t have enough gas, switch it over to E, and it’ll get you home. Or if you wanted to combine it at the same time, where it’s E and gas, which I wouldn’t recommend because those bikes weren’t meant to go that fast, but we did it, is to go gas and E at the same time. So you’re taking something that’s a historical piece, keeping it in its original form, adding just the rear wheels so if you wanted to take it off, you can go back to the way it was, but you just put that tire on, and that tire would be E technology. So you can ride all these really beautiful old things and not hurt the planet.

MENDOZA: Also, the technology in some of the places that we went, like we went to Poland, with this company called Sunreef that is pushing the boundaries of solar panels.

MOMOA: Basically, having the whole mast and the whole side of the boats all solar panels. It’s called solar skin. So being able to run the whole fucking boat, just going off sails for your energy, and then you’re going off of your motors. So it’s only getting better using the marine motors. But when that gets to a certain level, it’s like, oh my god, we’re not putting all that shit into the ocean. So it’s just touching on everything that we’re moving and shipping being able to have E motors. There’s just a lot of stuff that I’m curious about where things are at, and so we talk about a lot of those things.

On the Roam Season 2 premieres on HBO Max on May 14. Episodes will release weekly.

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Release Date

January 16, 2024

Writers

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Ben Holmes, Adam McClaughry

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Kylie Kelce was a good sport about her relatable wardrobe malfunction at the 2026 Webby Awards.

“This week, I had no place being at the Webby Awards accepting the Podcast of the Year Award for NGL,” Kelce, 34, said during a Thursday, May 14, episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast. “Yes, I do have a hair tie on my wrist,” she said while showing a photo of her look. “Did I remember to take it off before the red carpet? Absolutely not.”

“Am I wearing open-toed shoes?” Kelce continued, telling her fans not to “zoom in on the dogs.”

“Yes, I am. Should I have been? No,” she quipped. “I shouldn’t have been but those are the shoes I brought and I didn’t know what I was wearing when I left the house that morning.”

She continued to break down her look through laughter, noting she “did” her own hair, which featured a side part, a half-up coif and her ends curled. “It was fine from the front,” Kelce said. “Did it look good from the back? We may never know because I made it a point not to turn my back to anyone.”

Related: Why Kylie Kelce Feels ‘Guilty’ About How ‘Invested’ Fans Are in Her

Kylie Kelce has been dubbed Philly’s princess, but she’s just like Us. “I feel almost a little guilty that people are so interested and invested in what I’m doing,” the 31-year-old wife of Jason Kelce in a Good Morning America segment that aired on Monday, January 29. “I’m like, ‘I am trying to scrape applesauce […]

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“Would I ever wear this outfit again? As long as I’m not near my children,” she said of the four daughters she shares with retired NFL star husband Jason Kelce: Wyatt, 6, Elliotte, 5, Bennett, 3, and Finnley “Finn,” 13 months. “Why? You might ask, because it’s an ivory suit, people. I would get within a mile of my children and still end up with ketchup on the sleeve.”

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During her latest podcast episode, Kylie also opened up about receiving the award, accepting the prize on stage to “acknowledge [her] team as a whole.”

At the awards show, Kylie went viral for her five-word acceptance speech which included a shout-out to Jason’s former team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Women supporting Women,” she said to a cheering audience. “Go Birds.”