Being married to a genuine bookworm, I know what it’s like to compete for attention with a mountain of thrilling page-turners. My wife has read an estimated 300 novels this year, so I sympathize with Elija Wood’s Strawn as he attempts to appeal to the mind of someone overflowing with information and imagination. In today’s Bookworm trailer, father and daughter embark on an epic journey into the wilderness in search of an elusive Canterbury Panther. However, neither came prepared to find love and the beginnings of forgiveness alongside danger and adventure.

Here’s the official synopsis for Bookworm courtesy of Vertical:

Bookworm follows 11-year-old Mildred (Nell Fisher), whose life takes a wild turn when her estranged father, Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), a washed-up Las Vegas illusionist, suddenly reappears. Years ago, after a magical encounter with the once-charming Strawn, Mildred’s mom moved back to New Zealand. Now, a...

Battle royale games emerged as a sort of experiment from a genre that is no longer as popular as it once was. The industry changed forever, leading many titles to adapt to this model.

With globally recognized games like Pubg, Apex Legends, and the most well-known, Fortnite, the battle royale genre, although no longer as popular as it once was, proved that the free-to-play model works very well for companies and studios.

These are currently the top nine battle royale games you can play on your way to work or college. While these games are not as popular as before, the footprint that they left in the industry will resonate forever. This genre has been a complete success in mobile devices.

9 – Stumble Guys Stumble Guys is following Roblox‘s steps. Image via Scopely.

This game started as a copy of the hilarious Fall Guys, but it evolved into something entirely different,...

Signature Entertainment has unveiled the UK trailer and artwork for the upcoming adventure comedy Bookworm, starring Elijah Wood. This heartwarming and quirky film, set against the stunning backdrop of New Zealand’s landscapes, is set to make its European premiere at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest this bank holiday weekend before its release on digital platforms on 11 November.

Directed by Ant Timpson, who previously collaborated with Wood on the darkly comedic Come to Daddy, Bookworm tells the story of 11-year-old Mildred, a bright and imaginative girl who escapes her mundane suburban life through the pages of her favourite books. Her long-time dream is to prove the existence of the mythological Canterbury Panther, a legendary beast said to roam the wilds of New Zealand. When a freak accident lands her mother in the hospital, Mildred’s estranged father, Strawn Wise (played by Wood), a washed-up magician, arrives to care for her—a daughter he’s never met.

Black Water Pictures is thrilled to announce that their latest horror comedy, Members Club, will have its world premiere at this year’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on 24th August. This highly anticipated film, written and directed by Marc Coleman, is a wild fusion of The Full Monty and From Dusk Till Dawn, promising a unique blend of laughs and scares. It will certainly bring a bit of light relief to the otherwise rather dark and gruesome festival.

Members Club stars an impressive, extensive list of British talent including Dean Kilbey, Top Boy), Perry Benson, Barbara Smith, Juliet Cowan, Mark Monero, Steve Oram, David Schaal, Alan Ford, Liam Noble, and Peter Andre.

The film follows Wet Dreams, a down-and-out middle-aged male stripper group, as they grapple with a series of disastrous gigs and contemplate disbanding. Alan, the group’s optimistic frontman, seizes control and secures a seemingly lucrative gig in rural Essex.

This is a very exciting time for action cinema. Movies like "John Wick" have brought a new appreciation in American cinema for meticulous choreography and cartoon physics that make each set piece larger and wilder than the ones that came before them. Indie filmmakers like Adil & Bilall are similarly playing in the big studio space, while there's now unprecedented access to action movies from around the world, with filmmakers from countries like Indonesia leaving their mark on the genre. Indonesia, in particular, has seen some of the best action movies of the past decade, and it also gave us perhaps the most exciting voice in the genre working today — Timo Tjahjanto.

To quote our own Bj Colangelo, Tjahjanto "has never made a movie that didn't, at minimum, totally rip," whether it's his short films in "V/H/S/2" and "The ABCs of Death," his Sam Raimi-inspired movie "May the Devil Take You,...

Exclusive: 2x Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk has closed a deal to return for Nobody 2, a sequel to the acclaimed 2021 action thriller from Universal Pictures and 87North.

Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes for Us) will direct from a script by Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin (Jack Ryan), Odenkirk, and Umair Aleem (Kate). Kelly McCormick and David Leitch are returning to produce through 87North’s first look deal with Universal, as are Odenkirk, Marc Provissiero through Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, and Braden Aftergood through Eighty Two Films.

Slated for release on August 15, 2025, the film will be overseen for Universal by Executive Vice President of Production Development Jay Polidoro and Director of Development Tony Ducret.

While plot details for the sequel are being kept under wraps, the original film centered on Hutch Mansell (Odenkirk), a seemingly ordinary suburban father who suppresses his past as a deadly government assassin. After a home invasion shakes his family,...

Activision introduced their new mobile battle royale game called Call of Duty Warzone Mobile in March. The launch was a little surprising as Activision already has a Call of Duty Mobile game, which is a massive success as well. But the game was developed by Tencent and Activision had to share profits.

Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, since its release, has made a significant mark in the mobile gaming world, particularly in the battle royale genre. One key gameplay aspect that sets it apart from its competitors, Pubg and Garena Free Fire, is the exclusive inclusion of human players in its 120-player matches.

The Human Element: No Bots, Only Real Players

Call of Duty Warzone Mobile has 120 players Battle Royale | Activision

In many mobile battle royale games, bots are used to populate matches, especially during off-peak hours or in regions with fewer players. Unlike the other games, Call of Duty...

Exclusive: Signature Entertainment has picked up UK and Irish rights to Bookworm, the latest film from Kiwi filmmaker Ant Timpson (Come to Daddy) starring Elijah Wood.

Described as an “adventure comedy”, the film is produced by Emma Slade (Come to Daddy), Roxi Bull (Uproar), and Victoria Dabbs (Malevolent) of Firefly Films New Zealand and Mette-Marie Kongsved (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore), Laura Tunstall (Nine Days) of Nowhere.

Timpson directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Toby Harvard (The Greasy Strangler). Starring alongside Wood are Michael Smiley (Free Fire), Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise), Morgana O’Reilly (Housebound), and Nikki Si’ulepa (Same But Different: A True New Zealand Love Story). The film’s plot tells the story of a 12-year-old whose life is turned upside down when her estranged, washed-up American magician father comes to look after her.

The deal was negotiated between Signature Entertainment’s Chief Commercial...

Kadokawa Announces Anime for Free Fire Mobile Game - Main Image

Many popular mobile games get anime adaptations, but most of them are RPGs that already have an anime-inspired art style. This time, it’s a popular shooter’s turn to get adapted. That’s because Kadokawa and Garena announced that a Free Fire anime is in the works.

This upcoming anime was revealed jointly by Kadokawa and Garena earlier today, and while there aren’t a lot of details announced so far, information about its production has been shared.

While Free Fire is no stranger to the world of anime, an anime adaptation is a surprise given that it’s a battle royale instead of a gacha roleplaying game.

All You Need to Know about Garena Free Fire, the Hit Mobile Battle Royale

There are plenty of gacha games that have gotten anime adaptations over the years. For instance,...

Comedic actor and writer Bob Odenkirk is loading up for his next foray into the action genre. Odenkirk would take many by surprise when he took on a movie like 2021’s Nobody, which gave him the opportunity to perform John Wick-esque action. The film would even be written by John Wick‘s writer, Derek Kolstad. Odenkirk is set to reunite with Kolstad on another action film with Free Fire‘s Ben Wheatley in the director’s seat, titled Normal. Deadline is now reporting that the film has secured distribution sales from all around the world.

The territories that have acquired the film and their respective distributors include the UK (Sky), Latam/Italy/Portugal/Spain (Vertice), Eastern Europe (M2 Films), France (Metropolitan), Germany (Leonine), Switzerland (Ascot Elite), Greece (Spentzos), Turkey (Bg Film), Middle East (Grand Entertainment Fzco), India (PVR Pictures), English-speaking Africa (Gravel Road), Benelux (The Searchers), Baltic States (Acme Film...

Starz has released a first look at the second season of the captivating Samantha Morton-led historical drama The Serpent Queen. The photos tease the debut of Academy Award nominee Minnie Driver as the infamous ‘Virgin Queen’ Elizabeth I, who rivals Catherine in court in the delightfully wicked upcoming season.

In addition, Starz has also released the first teaser trailer, revealing that Catherine is willing to do anything to maintain her power.

The Serpent Queen tells the story of Catherine de Medici (Samantha Morton), who, against all odds, became one of the most powerful and longest-serving rulers in French history. The lavish drama’s second season is set to return in Summer 2024.

Danny Kirrane (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Ray Panthaki (Away), Raza Jaffrey (Homeland), Enzo Cilenti (Free Fire), Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones), Ruby Bentall (Firebrand), Beth Goddard (Manhunt), Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin), and Rupert Everett...

Cillian Murphy movies ranked. (Photo Credit – IMDb/Instagram)

The dazzling life of Cillian Murphy, the man who transformed from a rock band rebel to a silver screen sensation, with pit stops at law school and the theatre along the way. Despite initially chasing parties over passion, Murphy’s undeniable talent soon stole the spotlight, earning him many awards and a cult following, especially for his electrifying performance in “Oppenheimer.” Now, join us as we delve into Murphy’s movie magic, unveiling the top 10 films that have solidified his reign as Hollywood royalty. Grab your popcorn and brace yourself for a cinematic journey like no other!

10. Free Fire (2016)

Genre: Action, Crime, Comedy Cast: Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy Runtime: 90 minutes Tomatometer: 70% IMDb Rating: 6.3/10 Available on: Max (US) Rent from : Prime Video for ₹69 (India)

In 1978, Stevo, Bernie, and their companions assembled with arms dealer Vernon and his associates...

The Brit crime comedy “Down Terrace” was a hit with critics back in 2009. Made on a shoestring budget and shot over a little more than a week, it was lapped up for giving a uniquely dark and hilarious twist to the standard gangster flick while adding splashes of U.K. kitchen-sink social realism into the mix. The film also set up its director Ben Wheatley — making his feature debut after years working on TV, commercials and shorts — for cinematic greatness.

Fifteen years on and Wheatley has more than staked out his territory as one of the U.K.’s most exciting — and unexpected — filmmakers. After landing “cult director” status thanks to his “Down Terrace” follow-ups — the gritty psychological horror “Kill List,” murderous black comedy “Sightseers” and trippy period feature “A Field in England” — he then upped the stakes (and A-list stars) with J.G. Ballard adaptation “High Rise” (starring Tom Hiddleston...

After getting in on the action game with Nobody, Bob Odenkirk is ready to “get his ass handed to him” once again.

It was announced last week that Bob Odenkirk would be reuniting with Nobdody screenwriter Derek Kolstad for Normal, a new action movie set to be directed by Ben Wheatley (Free Fire). While speaking with THR, Odenkirk explained why he wanted to tackle another action movie.

“Well, it went pretty well [last time], didn’t it? Derek is the most collaborative screenwriter I’ve ever worked with,” Odenkirk said. “His willingness to hear a note from anybody at any point in the process is amazing. He listens to everybody and when he says ‘best idea wins,’ he really means it. I’m going to guess it has to do with his personality, but also from getting beat up for years [in this industry]. Making Nobody was just a great experience, everyone really gave their all on that one,...

Following 2020’s Nobody, Bob Odenkirk will once again be bringing a script by John Wick writer Derek Kolstad to life with Normal – a tale of a small-town sheriff sucked into a vast criminal conspiracy.

Given how popular his performances were in the hit TV show Breaking Bad, fans had long clamoured for Bob Odenkirk to be given bigger and juicier onscreen roles in the wake of that show and its Odenkirk-centric spin-off, Better Caul Saul.

They weren’t the only ones either: Odenkirk himself was spoiling to headline a film project, and perhaps surprisingly, was keen to try his hand at the action genre. The result was 2021’s Nobody, written by John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad and featuring Odenkirk as an unlikely lead in a movie full of brawls, bruises and Christopher Lloyd. We really enjoyed it and we weren’t alone either.

While a direct follow-up to Nobody was...

Are we officially at the point where we can say that, other than maybe the great Giancarlo Esposito, no other actor is enjoying a better post-"Breaking Bad"/"Better Call Saul" universe career than Bob Odenkirk? Best known for playing the criminal lawyer Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill, Odenkirk could've easily taken his foot off the gas pedal and coasted on the good will (and residual checks!) from starring in two of the best shows of the 21st Century. Instead, the talented actor has made a point to go with the exact opposite approach.

After making time for fantastic supporting turns in Steven Spielberg's "The Post" and Greta Gerwig's "Little Women" followed by his unexpected swerve into action leading man territory in 2021's "Nobody," Odenkirk is now setting his sights on an even more attention-grabbing collaboration. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor will join forces with director Ben Wheatley ("High-Rise,...

Here's a combo we're not sure we anticipated — but we're very glad will exist. Ben Wheatley, the genre-hopping filmmaker who went from the likes of Kill List and High Rise to Rebecca and Meg 2: The Trench is aboard to direct a new action thriller starring Bob Odenkirk, who when he's not been busy playing Saul Goodman on small screens, took to cinemas back in 2021 with tough-nut film Nobody. They're teaming up for the film Normal.

And the new movie also sees Odenkirk back working with John Wick veteran (and Nobody writer) Derek Kolstad, who has written the script. The official synopsis reads, "Normal follows Ulysses (Odenkirk), who is thrust into the temporary role of the sheriff for the small sleepy town Normal after the previous one’s untimely death. When the town’s bank is robbed by an out-of-town couple, Ulysses arrives on the scene to find that the...

Ben Wheatley will direct Bob Odenkirk in the action film Normal, which WME Independent is launching at next week’s EFM in Berlin.

Derek Kolstad, a writer on the John Wick franchise who scripted Universal’s 2021 action thriller Nobody starring Odenkirk, wrote the screenplay.

Odenkirk will play Ulysses, who is thrust into the temporary role of the sheriff of the titular small sleepy town after the previous incumbent’s untimely death.

When the town’s bank is robbed by an out-of-town couple, Ulysses begins to learn that the town is hiding secrets and everyone – from the bartender to the priest – is in on it.

Ben Wheatley will direct Bob Odenkirk in the action film Normal, which WME Independent is launching at next week’s EFM in Berlin.

Derek Kolstad, a writer on the John Wick franchise who scripted Universal’s 2021 action thriller Nobody starring Odenkirk, wrote the screenplay.

Odenkirk will play Ulysses, who is thrust into the temporary role of the sheriff of the titular small sleepy town after the previous incumbent’s untimely death.

When the town’s bank is robbed by an out-of-town couple, Ulysses begins to learn that the town is hiding secrets and everyone – from the bartender to the priest – is in on it.

Emmy Award winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) has re-teamed with Nobody writer Derek Kolstad (John Wick franchise) on a new action pic titled Normal, with Ben Wheatley set as director. WME Independent will launch sales at the upcoming European Film market.

The script, written by Kolstad, follows Ulysses (Odenkirk), who is thrust into the temporary role of the sheriff for the small sleepy town Normal after the previous one’s untimely death. When the town’s bank is robbed by an out-of-town couple, Ulysses arrives on the scene to find that the town is hiding much more sinister deep-seated secrets under its surface and everyone – from the bartender to the priest – is in on it. And now Ulysses, who’s up-till-now focused only on running away from the demons of his past, must uncover the full extent of this criminal conspiracy.

This list was compiled using data provided by IMDb.Avengers: Endgame (2019)After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos’ actions and restore balance to the universe.Rating: 8.4/10Stars: Robert Downey Jr.,...

Christmas comes early on Max, as the streamer adds a bevy of holiday movies to its library for the month of November, alongside new TV debuts, a noteworthy documentary and more. “Elf,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Arthur Christmas,” “The Shop Around the Corner” and “Four Christmases” are some of the holiday films arriving on the streaming platform on Nov. 1.

This month also sees the Season 2 premieres of “Rap Sh!t” (on Nov. 9) and “Julia” (on Nov. 16) and the series premiere of “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre’s new sitcom “Bookie” starring Sebastian Maniscalco (on Nov. 30).

On Nov. 11, check out the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” in which the comedian, actor and filmmaker’s best friend Rob Reiner peppers him with questions about his life and career.

And Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate a 100-year-old building in “Fixer Upper: The Hotel,” which premieres on Nov. 8.

Check out the full list...

It’s a lean month for new original content on HBO/Max. November will see the return of two scripted series in Julia and Rap Sh!t, both of which are debuting their respective second seasons, but this month’s fresh highlight is likely to be Bookie, a new comedy series from the partnership of The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre, and Nick Bakay. The show tracks an LA bookie called Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco), whose business is in peril as California movies to legalize sports gambling.

Elsewhere in November, there quite a few interesting documentaries to keep an eye on, and two that jump out as “must watch”. The first is Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, which chronicles the aging comedian’s life and career. The second is the previously-released Little Richard: I Am Everything, which tries to peel back the whitewashed canon of Richard Penniman in a true...

Max out your November viewing with Max! The streamer is starting the new month with a wide variety of additions to its combined library of HBO and Max exclusives, plus titles from Food Network, Cartoon Network, HGTV, and more.

While also racing toward the official holiday season with dozens of Christmas classics like “A Christmas Story” and “Elf,” you can also stream new documentaries on Albert Brooks and Little Richard, catch the premieres of new seasons of “Rap Sh!t” and “Julia,” and much more.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s new this month on Max, and then continue below to see the full list of everything new in November!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

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What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Max in November 2023? “Rap Sh!t” Season 2 | Thursday, Nov. 9

Issa Rae is back on her “Rap Sh!

Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in ‘Julia’ season 2 (Photograph by Sebastein Gonon/Max)

Max’s November 2023 schedule includes season two of Julia starring Sarah Lancashire as Julia Child and the return of Rap Sh!t with Aida Osman and Mia KaMillion. Bookie, a new comedy about sports gambling created by Chuck Lorre, makes its debut on November 30th with Sebastian Maniscalco starring as an LA bookie.

HBO documentaries Albert Brooks: Defending My Life and South to Black Power will stream on Max this November, along with CNN Films’ Little Richard: I Am Everything.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In November 2023:

November 1

Act of Valor (2012)

After the Thin Man (1936)

Aliens (1986)

The Ant Bully (2006)

Arthur Christmas (2011)

The Avengers (1998)

The Bachelor (1999)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Bells Are Ringing (1960)

Black Beauty (1994)

Boys’ Night Out (1962)

Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)

Brigadoon (1954)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Christmas Cookie Challenge, Seasons...

All titles below begin streaming for free on October 1 unless otherwise noted:

Originals

Documentary

TMZ Presents:

Tragically Viral

– 10/11-

What happens when the quest for clicks goes too far? TMZ examines the dark & sometimes deadly side of social media in Tragically Viral.

Scariest Monsters In The World

-10/18-

Join us as we embark on this international countdown of the scariest monsters in the world – who will be on your list as the most creepy?

TMZ No Bs: Rich, Famous & Terrified Stars

-10/25-

TMZ examines some of the most downright terrifying experiences celebs have faced that prove being a celebrity isn’t all glitz & glamor.

Horror

Dante’S Hotel

-10/13-

When an unknown assailant preys on a haunted hotel’s patrons, an event planner teams up with a mysterious tenant who’s dark past is the key to freeing the cursed hotel

The Devil Comes To Kansas City

-...

New Delhi, Sep 6 (Ians) After almost several months of ban over national security reasons, a couple of Chinese games have returned to India in various formats and new avatars. While it may bolster the online gaming industry, it has raised serious concerns about impacting the mental and physical well-being of children and young adults in the country.

South Korean video game developer Krafton’s Battlegrounds Mobile India (Bgmi), the popular battle royale game that enthralled the country’s gaming community, relaunched in May albeit with a government rider where it would be closely monitored every quarter for additional factors, including user harm and addiction.

The game has reportedly received the official approval from the Indian government to continue in the country, amassing millions of young users.

Bgmi has even roped in Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh to promote the game in the country.

Another popular banned game, Free Fire from Singapore-based gaming company Garena,...

New Delhi, Sep 6 (Ians) After almost several months of ban over national security reasons, a couple of Chinese games have returned to India in various formats and new avatars. While it may bolster the online gaming industry, it has raised serious concerns about impacting the mental and physical well-being of children and young adults in the country.

South Korean video game developer Krafton’s Battlegrounds Mobile India (Bgmi), the popular battle royale game that enthralled the country’s gaming community, relaunched in May albeit with a government rider where it would be closely monitored every quarter for additional factors, including user harm and addiction.

The game has reportedly received the official approval from the Indian government to continue in the country, amassing millions of young users.

Bgmi has even roped in Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh to promote the game in the country.

Another popular banned game, Free Fire from Singapore-based gaming company Garena,...

Dive into uncharted waters when the larger-than-life thrill ride “Meg 2: The Trench” arrives for purchase Digitally at home on August 25. The film is directed by Ben Wheatley and stars Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing and is the sequel to the surprise 2018 summer blockbuster “The Meg”. The film will also be available to purchase on 4K Uhd, Blu-ray and DVD on October 24. Along with Statham and Jing, “Meg 2: The Trench” cast also ... Read more...

Cillian Murphy has had quite the career since he first appeared in the 1997 short film Quando. He would rise to prominence in the 2000’s by appearing in Danny Boyle’s post apocalyptic zombie tale 28 Days Later before finding even more success being one of Christopher Nolan’s go to guys in films such as Batman Begins and Inception. It would be that collaboration that would give Murphy his biggest leading roles yet in the massively successful Oppenheimer, a film that will hopefully see Murphy’s name on the short list for Best Actor during this years Awards season. So with quite the Pre-Oppenheimer resume, we wanted to know what film starring the Irish born actor has been your favorite. As always, if you don’t see your favorite listed, click other and let us know in the comments. We kept films like Tron: Legacy, Dark Knight and Dark Knight...

It is a rare thing when just the studio attached to a movie can get butts in seats, but that is just what Independent Film Company A24 has done since they were formed in 2012. From humble beginnings with the Roman Coppola directed A Glimpse Inside The Mind of Charles Swan III to break out hits like Ex Machine and The Witch. More recently the studio became the first one to ever sweep the top six awards at this past years Oscars when their films Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Whale took home Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Picture. As their latest film Talk To Me continues to put up impressive numbers at the box office, we wanted to know: What A24 releases has been your favorite? We compiled a pretty comprehensive list, but if you don’t see your favorite listed,...

This month marks four years since it was announced that Ben Wheatley, whose latest film Meg 2: The Trench is in theatres now (you can read our review at This Link and check out our interview with Wheatley Here), would be writing, directing, and executive producing Generation Z, a “hilarious, frightening, and political” series that would consist of six hour-long episodes that would “mix flesh-eating zombies into a story that satirizes how Brexit has divided the UK.” That project didn’t make it into production because of the pandemic shutdown… but now it has been revived, and Wheatley has confirmed that it’s going to be his next project!

During an appearance at an Empire VIP screening of Meg 2: The Trench, Wheatley said (with thanks to Fangoria for the transcription), “What I’m doing next is six hours for Channel 4, [a] TV series, a horror-based thing […] In the same...

The first weekend of August is in the books and to the surprise of no one Barbie remains atop the charts with an estimated $53 million, bringing its domestic total to an impressive $459.3 million and its worldwide total hovering around the one billion dollar mark. It won’t be long before Barbie has a higher worldwide total than the highest grossing Transformers movie (2011’s Dark of the Moon with $1.12 Billion.) The film is a juggernaut, and it is the rare massive hit that doesn’t already have a sequel in development.

Sadly it appears this weekend was the end of Barbenheimer as the films have been split up on the box office charts by the new release Meg 2: The Trench with an estimated $30 million, about $15 million shy of what the original opened with, but still a solid opening in this crowded marketplace. I can only expect this one to absolutely...

The first time I saw Kill List, I was fascinated with the filmmaker behind it. As his work continued to grow, my appreciation for Ben Wheatley was only confirmed. With terrific features like Kill List, High-Rise, Free Fire, and the recent In The Earth, I was impressed with Wheatley’s choices. And then, he surprises once again, by taking on a gigantic Megalodon, and something that can be even more deadly, the extremely charismatic Jason Statham. Meg 2: The Trench is a new direction for the director, one that is far more of a spectacle than what we’ve seen from him before.

Recently, I sat down with the filmmaker, and as always he was incredibly kind and a joy to speak with. Ben opened up about taking on a film with an emphasis on visual effects and action. He discussed the creature design, and how he found himself involved with the sequel.

Plot: When an evil mining operation unearths prehistoric beasts from the ocean’s depths, including multiple megalodons, rescue diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) must suit up to face the return of an old enemy.

Review: 2018’s The Meg overcame middling reviews (including one from yours truly) to become an unlikely global success at the box office. Like its predecessor, Meg 2: The Trench is based on a novel by author Steve Alten, and what’s exciting to genre fans is that the great Ben Wheatley is behind the camera. For those who may not know his work, Wheatley is widely considered one of the UK’s best genre directors, with him having made Kill List, Sightseers, Free Fire, High Rise and – recently – the Netflix remake of Rebecca. This is different for him because it’s a big-budget event movie. How does it fare compared to the original?

Honestly, it’s a mixed bag.

Ben Wheatley is one of the most unpredictable filmmakers working today. He impressed with his feature debut, the darkly funny "Down Terrace," but took a huge leap when he decided to blend two quintessential British genres, crime flicks and folk horror, with the terrifyingly brilliant "Kill List." Wheatley could've hightailed it for Hollywood on the strength of the latter, but he had different priorities. He bounced from the psychedelic horror of "A Field in England" to an effective adaptation of J.G. Ballard's dystopian "High-Rise" to the pitch-black shoot-em-up "Free Fire." He subsequently took a crack at Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca," and while he couldn't quite place his distinctive stamp on the material (which Alfred Hitchcock aced with David O. Selznick hanging over his shoulder in his 1940 Best Picture winner), you had to admire his ambition.

Wheatley is an undoubtedly gifted filmmaker, but, film to film, I can't...

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ looks for piece of the action.

Shark sequel Meg 2: The Trench is the first major challenger to the Barbenheimer supremacy, opening in 544 cinemas at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend.

Meg 2 will look to challenge both its Warner Bros stablemate Barbie, and Universal’s Oppenheimer, while benefitting from the surge in audiences those titles have brought in the past fortnight.

The first title, 2018’s The Meg, started with £3.7m also in early August; and ended on a sharp £15.9m.

Jason Statham returns for the sequel, which sees a research team encounter multiple threats...

Jason Statham in The Meg 2: The Trench Photo: Warner Bros. Any film where one character reacts to a near-fatal undersea incident by saying “That was close” and another responds with “… Too close” should probably not clear space on the mantle for anything other than a Razzie Award. And yet...

For a certain class of cinephile, the news that Ben Wheatley (Ben Wheatley! “Kill List” and “Free Fire” and “A Field in England” Ben Wheatley!) was directing the sequel to Jon Turteltaub’s 2018 hit “The Meg” could only be met with joy and confusion. If nothing else, it suggested a big-budget film about Jason Statham fighting massive prehistoric sharks that would actually be fucked up, creepy and scary and weird and spine-tingling. Alas, “Meg 2: The Trench” is none of those things, and only occasionally (perhaps even accidentally) fun, yet another seemingly unassailable combination of story and filmmaker that fails to capitalize on any of its obvious promises.

It’s never a good sign when you’re checking your watch during a film — especially a film built on the inherently entertaining elevator pitch of “Jason Statham fights massive prehistoric sharks!” — but audiences will likely find themselves doing just that during...

Jason Statham in The Meg 2: The TrenchPhoto: Warner Bros.

Any film where one character reacts to a near-fatal undersea incident by saying “That was close” and another responds with “… Too close” should probably not clear space on the mantle for anything other than a Razzie Award. And yet there...

Find yourself a more interesting career path than director Ben Wheatley's, who's set to release "Meg 2: The Trench" this week. After cutting his teeth on various television shows throughout the aughts (including "Doctor Who"), Wheatley broke out among film circles with 2015's "High-Rise." The Tom Hiddleston-starring satire, perhaps best described as "'Snowpiercer' in a skyscraper," gave us our first real look at the filmmaker's distinct sensibilities when allowed the freedom to truly wild out. His follow-up, "Free Fire," gathered several of the most charismatic actors around for a single-location extended shootout that seemed to provide Wheatley with a blank check to do whatever he wanted next. That turned out to be ... the sequel to Alicia Vikander's "Tomb Raider," of all things.

Fans have remained curious about what Wheatley would've done with such an unexpected franchise play, but that wasn't meant to be as the...

The sharks are back and hungrier than ever in Meg 2: The Trench, which is headed to the big screen starting tonight. While you wait, Rotten Tomatoes has debuted a new clip.

Not one, not two, but Three massive Megalodon sharks are descending upon a beach in this clip from Meg 2: The Trench, and they’re gobbling up humans like they’re the cute little marshmallows in their own personal cereal bowl. Hungry? Watch the clip below!

WB teases, “Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!”

Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean.

In the buildup to its release, there was an expectation "The Meg" would be a Sharksploitation B-movie wrought on a big budget, like "Deep Blue Sea" only painted on a larger canvas and even more ridiculous. What we got, however, was a shockingly earnest PG-13 thriller that, yes, had its moments of unapologetic nonsense (of course Jason Statham stabs a gigantic megalodon shark in the eye during the climax). Yet, it was also very sincere in the scenes where characters grieve the deaths of their friends or mourn the fact that, in the face of the miraculous discovery that a prehistoric species of shark is still around in the present-day, all humanity can do is cause more harm and destruction.

While this contributed to the film's middling reception, it didn't prevent "The Meg" from becoming a massive box office hit and earning a sequel. Titled "Meg 2: The Trench," the...

Jon Turteltaub’s 2018 movie The Meg (watch it at This Link) delivered on its promise of being a “Jason Statham vs. a giant shark” adventure – and now director Ben Wheatley’s sequel Meg 2: The Trench is set to reach theatres on August 4th. In a newly released featurette, which you can watch in the embed above, Wheatley says his intention with this film was to make a supercharged sequel with bigger creatures and bigger action… and judging by the footage on display in the featurette, it definitely looks like this follow-up has a change of being better and more exciting than its predecessor.

The screenplay for Meg 2: The Trench has been written by Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber, and Erich Hoeber, the same writing team that was on the first film. These films are inspired by a series of novels written by Steve Alten.

Jason Statham is back in...

The summer movie season rolls on as we officially break into August, and this first week of the month is loaded with fresh horrors on the big screen and the small screen as well.

Here’s all the new horror releasing August 1– August 6, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

First up, Ghastly Brothers is streaming exclusively on Screambox now!

The Dutch supernatural horror-comedy harkens back to such gateway horrors as Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and Goosebumps.

“Lilith is sent to boarding school where she meets the Ghastly brothers, a pair of strange ghost hunters. Together, they need to rid the school of the demons who have made it their home.”

Start screaming now with Screambox on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, Philo, and Screambox.com.

From now to August 11, new users can sign up for 99 cents/month for the first three months at screambox.

Back in 2018, Warner Bros. scored a massive, somewhat unexpected success with "The Meg." The adaptation of Steve Alten's book of the same name, in which Jason Statham takes on a thought-to-be-extinct megalodon, proved to be a big winner with audiences, raking in $530 million at the global box office. Now, five years and a full global pandemic later, Statham is back in the sequel, "Meg 2: The Trench," which once again hopes to become a late summer sleeper hit. This time, though, it appears competition is going to be a bigger issue.

Box Office Pro currently estimates director Ben Wheatley's big shark sequel could make anywhere between $22 and $27 million domestically on its opening weekend. That's not exactly what a studio wants to see with a big blockbuster, to say the least. While the budget has yet to be revealed, the original cost $130 million before marketing. One imagines that "The Trench" isn't any cheaper,...

Meg 2: The Trench, director Ben Wheatley’s sequel to Jon Turteltaub’s 2018 “Jason Statham vs. a giant shark” movie The Meg (watch it at This Link), is set to reach theatres on August 4th – and while this sequel will feature multiple giant sharks, those aren’t the only prehistoric creatures that will be rampaging across the screen. In fact, a newly released promo, which you can check out in the embed above, says that this time “the Megs are just the beginning”. One of the other giant creatures we’ll be seeing in Meg 2: The Trench is an octopus, and you can get a glimpse of some giant octopus action in this promo, including a moment where the octopus gets in a fight with a Meg! A moment that brings to mind the 2009 classic Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus.

The screenplay for Meg 2: The Trench has been written by Dean Georgaris,...

The big screen is set to be attacked by a giant shark once more in the upcoming Meg 2: The Trench, a sequel to the international hit from 2018 that gobbled up $530 million.

In celebration of #SharkWeek, Warner Bros. has opened up the full official image gallery for Meg 2: The Trench, previewing the sequel ahead of its theatrical release on August 4.

Open wide and check out the mega-sized image gallery below.

WB teases, “Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!”

Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into...

Clockwise from upper left: Blue Beetle (Warner Bros.) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Paramount), Meg 2: The Trench (Warner Bros.), Heart Of Stone (Netflix), Oldboy (Kino Lorber)Graphic: Libby McGuire

Barbenheimer is living up to its billing as a cinematic phenomenon and both films will still figure prominently in August.

The Meg was a big hit internationally back in 2018, swimming its way to $384 million at the international box office. In comparison, the film’s domestic total was just $145 million.

Upcoming sequel Meg 2: The Trench is looking to have the same success internationally, and today a gorgeous new poster has been unleashed for the big screen follow-up.

This one promotes the release of the film in China, where The Meg performed particularly well back in 2018. And it’s unlike any movie poster you’ll ever see here in the States.

Check out the Chinese poster below and see The Meg 2 in theaters on August 4, 2023.

Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!

Dive into uncharted...