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Warner Bros.Adapted from Andrew Neiderman's novel, The Devil's Advocate arrived in 1997 boasting an exceptional cast (Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron) and a clever concept: what if Satan worked on Earth as a powerful attorney? A cleverly subversive, smart blend of The Firm and Faust with a generous helping of Paradise Lost thrown in, The Devil's Advocate — which has just received a new, much-needed 4K upgrade from Shout Factory — was a polished cinematic spectacle that wrapped sleazy horror antics in a stylish, high-priced package.Reeves plays Kevin Lomax, a Florida defense lawyer. His aggressive, victorious tactics catch the eye of a New York City law firm led by the charming but ethically suspect John Milton (Pacino), whose practice represents questionable clients. Kevin and his wife Mary Ann (Theron) relocate to a luxurious Manhattan residence, but as Mary Ann has difficulty adjusting and Kevin becomes increasingly consumed by work, a string of bizarre, frightening events help Kevin discover Milton's true identity — and his intentions.How Was The Devil’s Advocate Received Upon Release?Earning a 65% critics' rating and 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Devil's Advocate performed reasonably well at release, evolving into an enduring audience favorite. Contemporary reviews noted its 143-minute length as somewhat excessive, but critics appreciated the film's technical skill, concept, and Pacino's theatrical performance.“You enter anticipating a shamelessly corny, confrontational depiction of evil, and that, I'm pleased to report, is exactly what you receive,” commented Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman, while Variety's Todd McCarthy observed that the movie "overflows with an almost operatic level of absurdity and extravagance." Most critiques fell into similar territory, with reviewers either embracing the film's unabashed style or dismissing it as a superficial collection of gimmicks.Charlize Theron joins the long list of legal thriller wives who have a bad time. | Warner Bros.Why Is It Important to Watch The Devil’s Advocate Now?While the horror genre struggled to stand out in the mid-1990s, The Devil's Advocate proved an outlier. A moderately-funded, star-powered, concept-heavy thriller crafted to draw mature viewers with abundant violence, nudity, and sexuality (this is decidedly an R-rated film), the picture occupies a middle ground between the more sensational, low-cost horror of slasher flicks and zombie splatter-fests and more sophisticated, upscale genre works like Rosemary’s Baby or The Omen.Under the direction of Taylor Hackford (Dolores Claiborne), who demonstrates solid control over the movie's fluctuating moods—merging courtroom drama and bleak satire with horror spectacle—The Devil's Advocate could even be considered a forerunner of the "elevated horror" movement that matured in the 2010s and 2020s. The narrative also incorporates elements of intergenerational trauma, as Kevin learns his relationship with Milton is more familial than he initially realized.The movie's clever fusion of pulpy frights and social commentary makes The Devil's Advocate particularly unforgettable. Mary Ann grows increasingly uneasy around the firm's materialistic partners' wives, while Kevin breaks legal ethics to defend one of the practice's key clients, a Trump-esque Manhattan property tycoon charged with killing his wife and child (notably, Trump's actual gold-plated midtown apartment served as the developer's residence). Combined with Milton's compelling lack of morality and the progressively terrifying hallucinations tormenting Mary Ann and Kevin, this creates the impression that the legal field is truly Satan's ideal playground for manipulating mankind.Reeves delivers one of his more overlooked performances, while Theron is deeply moving. Yet Pacino commands the picture. Arriving during a period when he was balancing more restrained roles in films like Donnie Brasco with over-the-top theatrics in Scent of a Woman, Pacino chooses the latter approach here, devouring every scene he inhabits while delivering one of cinema's greatest portrayals of Satan. His final monologue to Kevin regarding God's commandments ('Look, but don't touch... touch, but don't taste!') ranks among the all-time greats.Pacino, seen here in one of his more restrained moments. | Warner Bros.What New Features Does The Devil’s Advocate 4K Blu-ray Have?Beyond what will undoubtedly be a dramatic enhancement of the movie's already richly detailed cinematography sourced from the original camera negative, Shout Factory's new 4K UHD release of The Devil's Advocate includes no additional bonus content. It does, however, preserve a previously released assortment of deleted and extended sequences, along with a commentary track from Taylor Hackford.The new 4K edition also omits the original bas-relief carving of imprisoned souls in stone that appeared behind John Milton's desk in the movie's initial theatrical exhibition and first home video issue. Following a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Warner Bros. by Washington D.C.'s Episcopal National Cathedral and sculptor Frederick Hart—who alleged the artwork was essentially a copy of Hart's "Ex Nihilo," housed in the Cathedral—all subsequent copies of the film, after an initial production run of 475,000 DVDs and VHS cassettes, replaced the sculpture via CGI with a less distinct image, until the figures animate during the movie's climax.If you own a copy from that initial pressing, hold onto it, as it's a genuine collector's item. For now, a definitive collector's edition of The Devil's Advocate continues to elude fans, though that shouldn't prevent you from revisiting this diabolical treasure.The Devil's Advocate 4K Blu-RayShout! Factory -

Moviestore/ShutterstockBud Abbott and Lou Costello were well-acquainted with blending genres in their comedy. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, the pair starred in dozens of films that applied their signature mid-century comedic style to westerns, fantasies, safari adventures, and showbiz stories. Their 1948 film, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, launched a series of horror-comedies that arguably established the first cinematic universe. Consequently, it wasn't particularly shocking when they encountered the Invisible Man 75 years ago. What is unexpected, however, is that Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man leans more towards a slapstick sports movie than a traditional horror-comedy.During the first decade of their film career, Abbott and Costello engaged in original antics, but Universal Pictures soon began integrating them with various properties from their library. (Synergy!) None of these collaborations were as successful as the initial crossover with Frankenstein's Monster, which also included Dracula and the Wolf Man. (Bela Legosi and Lon Chaney Jr. reprised their iconic roles for these characters.) The standalone monster films were losing momentum. Since Frankenstein had already battled the Wolf Man in 1943, reuniting them with the comedians famous for "Who's on First?" provided an excellent strategy to refresh the franchise and sustain the duo's popularity. The film is authentically humorous—earning a spot on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 funniest American comedies—and while it lacks genuine scares, it retains the visual style of a classic Universal Monster movie.At the conclusion of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, after the Wolf Man, Dracula, and the Creature have been defeated, the duo hears a greeting from an unseen presence. Vincent Price's unmistakable voice introduces himself as the Invisible Man. This was a brilliant cliffhanger, though it took four more films for the promise to be fulfilled. (One of these films, Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, featured the original actor who played the Creature, receiving a menacing credit as himself. Although it isn't a classic Universal Monster crossover like some of their other horror-comedies, it deserves a nod.)Vincent Price does not provide the voice for the Invisible Man in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, which hit theaters on March 14, 1951. Rather than a direct sequel to the Frankenstein film, it casts Abbott and Costello as Bud Alexander and Lou Francis, two bumbling novice private detectives. They take on their first client, Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz), a middleweight boxer framed for his manager's murder. Tommy visits his fiancée and her uncle—a doctor who inexplicably possesses the invisibility serum originally used by Jack Griffin. To evade capture, Tommy turns invisible, leaving Lou and Bud thoroughly confused.In H.G. Wells's story and the 1933 James Whale adaptation, Griffin's serum drove him to madness, which is why the Invisible Man is categorized alongside monsters like the Wolf Man and the Creature From the Black Lagoon. Although the invisible Tommy occasionally threatens to go rogue and acts without inhibition, he isn't a monster. He is arguably the film's true hero rather than its villain. The actual antagonist is Morgan (Sheldon Leonard), a corrupt promoter who framed Tommy for the murder after Tommy refused to throw a match. Tommy hires Lou and Bud to solve the case, leading to a scenario where a reluctant Lou must pose as a boxer and face Morgan's fighter in the ring. Fortunately for Lou, the invisible Tommy is in the ring with him, handling all the punches and blocks. Lou becomes a boxing sensation because his strikes appear too fast for the audience to see, resulting in classic slapstick humor.Abbott and Costello solve mysteries. And apparently box. | Snap/ShutterstockThe special effects, crafted by the same artist behind previous Invisible Man sequels, are impressive and facilitate humorous gags. One standout scene involves an invisible Tommy eating spaghetti at a restaurant while Lou and Bud struggle to make it appear as though they are consuming the floating food. Narratively, however, Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man seems more focused on a boxing crime drama than the invisibility of its title character. Boxing films have long been a significant subgenre of cinema, particularly during this era. Stories about boxers getting into trouble for refusing to throw fights were commonplace, with movies like Kirk Douglas's Champion (1949) and John Wayne's The Quiet Man (1952) receiving major Oscar attention. It isn't entirely surprising that Abbott and Costello would land in a boxing movie, though doing so alongside the Invisible Man is certainly peculiar.Classic horror fans seeking humor will find plenty of it in Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. A particularly funny moment occurs when Lou fails to be hypnotized by a psychiatrist but inadvertently puts the doctor—and anyone else entering the room—to sleep by waving a pocketwatch. However, these fans might feel disappointed by how little the film resembles the vintage monster movies it claims to continue. While Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein stands as a solid entry in the Universal Classic Monsters canon, their encounter with the Invisible Man plays out more like a standard Abbott and Costello comedy with a few strange genre elements. Nevertheless, watching two of cinema's greatest comedians perform their routine is never a bad experience. For those desiring a monster-centric Abbott and Costello crossover, the duo faced off against Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde two years later.Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man is currently available for rent on YouTube, Prime Video, and various other digital platforms.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directors of the cult favorite Ready or Not, understand that most viewers are eager for a repeat of that film—even though nearly every character (except the unbreakable protagonist, Samara Weaving’s Grace) actually blew up. In many ways, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come delivers exactly that: Additional wealthy yes-men meet gruesome ends, a fresh game drenches our heroes in blood, and Weaving lets loose her signature shriek when the moment calls for it. It even kicks off with a callback to Ready or Not’s now-famous finale, reintroducing Grace as she stumbles out of her in-laws’ opulent estate, her wedding gown saturated with their blood, to finally light a cigarette as two shocked paramedics watch.This is a suitable opening, even if it clearly retreads familiar territory. But just as we start to relax, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett take that visual and escalate it in the most outrageous manner imaginable. Picking up smoothly from that closing moment, Grace falls into critical shock; a disorienting snorricam shot follows her into the ambulance, where rapid, jarring flashes of her traumatic wedding night play out. Any sense of safety going into Ready or Not 2 is quickly shattered by the sequel. While the game itself remains largely the same, doubling the number of participants brings twice the chaos—and, of course, more wild appeal.It’s a true family affair for Samara Weaving’s Grace in Ready or Not 2. | Searchlight PicturesThough Ready or Not 2 picks up exactly where the first film ended, the time between has elevated this story to almost legendary status. The film portrays Grace as a sort of cult icon—and considering she married into a family of Satan worshippers and was almost sacrificed to “Mr. Le Bail” during a hide-and-seek game, that admiration is well-deserved. Grace essentially embodied the spirit of John McClane to outlast the Le Domases, yet her otherworldly trauma is met with apathy and confusion in the real world. Even her distant sister Faith (Kathryn Newton)—who only shows up because she’s Grace’s emergency contact—doesn’t believe there’s a straightforward way out of this nightmare. “You’re definitely going to prison,” she deadpans after hearing Grace’s story, dousing the excitement of her escape with another layer of fear.It’s almost a comfort to discover that Grace has one final fight ahead. The Le Domas family was merely one part of a larger threat: A full council of families whose Faustian pacts were endangered when Grace won her hide-and-seek game. The death of the Le Domas patriarch and all his viable heirs left the “High Seat” empty, forcing the four remaining families—along with Grace and Faith—to compete for it. The winner gains control of the world, but if Grace survives until morning, the seat defaults to her. If no one emerges victorious, Mr. Le Bail will be “extremely displeased,” and everyone will die in a blast.With double the players, expect an even more explosive game of hide and seek. | Searchlight PicturesWhile Ready or Not mostly stayed within the mystery of the Le Domas’ pact with the devil, the sequel is responsible for revealing everything. This means some initial worldbuilding to get through, but the script by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy does it efficiently—if only to get Grace back into her wedding dress and yellow Converse, a scene that feels almost like a superhero suiting up once more. (Rest easy, she does get a chance to clean up eventually.) Elijah Wood’s casting as The Lawyer—Mr. Le Bail’s human representative—makes that exposition more palatable. A new game brings a few new rules, but the real strength of Ready or Not 2 is the introduction of numerous detestably quirky families, each getting a chance to ham it up and reinforce the message that the wealthy deserve their comeuppance.Grace having support this time around makes the game feel distinct. Since she’s been in survival mode for the past 24 hours, we haven’t learned much about her—but teaming her with a sister we never knew existed adds new layers to both the game and its final girl. Their struggle to survive is often halted by Faith’s desire to confront their past issues: She’s angry that Grace left her for a comfortable city life, and this argument flares up in bits and pieces as they flee. Newton’s consistent snark—honed in films like Lisa Frankenstein and Abigail—provides a perfect balance to the impending doom and Satanic darkness. Ready or Not 2 has a lightness that the first film’s tight, intense tone didn’t need—but revisiting this universe calls for a touch of humor, which Faith delivers effortlessly.Elijah Wood’s Lawyer pulls the curtain back on the franchise’s unseen world. | Searchlight PicturesReady or Not 2 raises the stakes beyond just a seat—and Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett explore the true cost of selling one’s soul. Grace can’t muscle her way out of this game like she did before; escaping now requires outsmarting genuine psychopaths with endless resources. The Radio Silence team cleverly pairs the MacCaullay sisters with Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus Danforth (The Pitt’s Shawn Hatosy)—the very definition of evil twins. Ursula might be the mastermind, but Titus is the unpredictable wild card of the whole ordeal. As the night progresses, he becomes the threat that could unravel the game from within, and Hatosy’s performance—half over-the-top, half truly terrifying—sets the scene for a genuine plunge into hell.Radio Silence has never shied away from bold supernatural choices, but Ready or Not 2 shines brightest when it delves deeper into Mr. Le Bail and his devil-worshipping followers. It knows what the audience wants and delivers it—yet still finds innovative ways to make every “Hail Satan!” feel new. Creating a sequel to a film as perfectly self-contained as Ready or Not was always risky, but going all in pays off spectacularly with a story this delightfully dark.Ready or Not 2: Here I Come premiered at SXSW on March 13. It releases in theaters on March 20.

Gary Miller/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesGiven his extensive work on alien-themed films, one might assume Steven Spielberg would be a complete conspiracy theorist. However, the filmmaker behind sci-fi masterpieces like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind had never been particularly open about his views on extraterrestrial life. That has now changed.During a keynote conversation at Friday's South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, where he was promoting his new science fiction movie Disclosure Day, Spielberg disclosed his firm belief that extraterrestrials coexist with us. "I don't possess any more knowledge than you do, but I'm highly convinced that Earth is currently inhabited by more than just humans," Spielberg stated. "And I've created a film exploring that very idea!"What sparked this conviction? And what motivated him to produce his first genuine UFO film since Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Spielberg credited a 2017 New York Times piece authored by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, and Leslie Kean. The article detailed an event where an F/A-18 launched from the USS Nimitz and, according to the pilots who observed it, came across "an object that moved with unprecedented speed."The article, along with the subsequent documentaries it generated about comparable unexplained phenomena, propelled Spielberg to conceive the narrative for Disclosure Day. He presented the concept to his longtime associate David Koepp, the screenwriter behind several of his most acclaimed works including Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds. "He'd crafted a treatment—a story outline—that was quite thorough and extensive... very comprehensive," Koepp told Inverse. "And he asked me, 'What's your take on this?'"Universal PicturesSpielberg and Koepp spent two years developing the screenplay, which Koepp characterizes as "likely the most demanding writing collaboration I've ever had with him.""I believe it's because this was his personal story, plus he's aware he's tackled UFO narratives previously," Koepp explains. "Each had a distinctly different feel. Consider Close Encounters, ET, and War of the Worlds—they're three separate genres, really. This film is unique as well, and he aimed for both originality and perfection. So the process was extremely challenging."While in post-production on Disclosure Day, another development nudged Spielberg deeper into believer territory. In January 2026, ex-President Barack Obama made headlines for stating that aliens are "real." Spielberg's instant response was: "Oh my God, this is fantastic for Disclosure Day!" he quipped.Although Obama quickly retracted his statements, Spielberg remained steadfast in his conviction that extraterrestrials do exist. "He clarified his position to express his belief in cosmic life—which, naturally, everyone should share," Spielberg remarked. "Since nobody should assume we're the sole intelligent species in the universe. I've believed since childhood that we're not alone. That's obvious. The crucial question is: Are we alone currently? And have we been alone for the past 80 years? For the past several millennia?"Yet even as a committed believer, Spielberg expressed no anxiety about aliens. "I'm completely unafraid of that possibility. I believe our film acknowledges the potential societal upheaval. If authorities revealed decades-long alien contact, it would shake many belief structures. But I don't consider it a catastrophic disruption."Nevertheless, he wouldn't mind experiencing a real sighting, joking: "I directed Close Encounters of the Third Kind—yet I haven't even experienced a first or second kind encounter!" he exclaimed. "Why haven't I witnessed anything? Many of my friends have seen UFOs or UAPs. How is that fair? If anyone's listening out there..."Disclosure Day arrives in cinemas on June 12.

NetflixThe success of KPop Demon Hunters was a true cultural phenomenon, blending the massive appeal of K-pop with a fantasy narrative and incredibly catchy music. Following its surprise debut on Netflix, the film quickly cultivated a dedicated fanbase, leading to sing-along screenings, hit songs, and a surge in Halloween costumes inspired by the characters.Naturally, speculation immediately turned to the future of HUNTR/X. While a sequel seemed inevitable, the gears of Hollywood turn slowly. Fortunately, just nine months after the film's release, we have confirmation regarding the future of KPop Demon Hunters.KPop Demon Hunters expertly combined K-pop styles with a fantasy story inspired by folklore. | NetflixNetflix has officially greenlit a sequel to KPop Demon Hunters, with directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans returning to helm the project. This film marks the first installment of a multiyear agreement with the pair, suggesting that more animated features from them are likely headed to the platform.The announcement comes at a significant time: KPop Demon Hunters has earned two Oscar nominations and is one of only two Best Original Song nominees scheduled to perform at the ceremony. Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami are set to perform “Golden,” which holds the distinction of being the first K-pop track to win a Grammy.However, fans should prepare for a wait. Initial reports indicate that KPop Demon Hunters 2 is targeting a 2029 release. Crafting hit music and high-quality animation is a time-consuming process, but if the quality of the first film is any indication, the result will be worth the anticipation.HUNTR/X’s singing voice actors have found success performing songs from the movie, including at the upcoming Academy Awards. | JMEnternational/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty ImagesIf Netflix follows its current trajectory, this sequel may just be the beginning. Early reports suggest the streamer is exploring various ways to expand the franchise, including a potential television spinoff and a Broadway musical adaptation, similar to the Stranger Things stage production, Stranger Things: The First Shadow. While there were rumors of a live-action remake, Netflix has confirmed that this is not currently in the works.Any future projects featuring Rumi, Mira, and Zoey should reflect the massive scale of their popularity, both within the story and in the real world. While Netflix is eager to satisfy the high demand from fans, they are likely wary that a rushed or subpar sequel could damage the brand's reputation.Although 2029 feels distant, it is a standard timeline for animated musicals of this caliber. For comparison, it took six years for Frozen 2 to arrive in theaters. If anything, Netflix appears to be fast-tracking this production.KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix.

Paramount PicturesIt is beyond doubt that Street Fighter stands as the most significant and influential fighting game franchise ever crafted – without 1991’s Street Fighter 2, it’s uncertain whether the entire genre would exist in its current form, or if the vast community of fighting game players that keeps the ecosystem thriving would have even come into being in the first place. And yet, for some reason, it has utterly failed to translate that global success to the realm of film or television. Apart from a few OVAs and the original Street Fighter 2 animated film, every attempt to bring the franchise to the big screen has fallen flat – the Jean-Claude Van Damme film was savaged by critics and fans at the time (even though it has gone on to become somewhat of a cult classic, mainly due to Raul Julia’s theatrical performance as M. Bison), and 2009’s The Legend of Chun-Li fared worse, often being cited as one of the worst films ever made.After more than a decade to reevaluate and devise a new approach, it’s possible that Capcom and producing partner Legendary Pictures have finally broken the mold, because another Street Fighter reboot is set to hit theaters later this year. Unlike previous efforts, director Kitao Sakurai seems to be hewing as close as possible to the source material, retaining every bit of the kinetic maximalism that the games are known for – a quality that appears to have earned him a very crucial collaborator.A recent clip posted by the official Street Fighter game account on Instagram revealed that the set of the film was visited by none other than Takayuki Nakayama, the director of both Street Fighter 5 and 6. Nakayama had a tough task to fill in replacing Takashi Tsukamoto, the director of 2008’s widely acclaimed Street Fighter 4 (the first mainline game in the series since 1997), but 5 and 6 were successful in their own right, and since 2020 Nakayama has become something of a creative guiding light for the series. The fact that he was invited to visit the set is concrete evidence that Sakurai is doing his utmost to honor the larger-than-life legacy of the games, unlike previous adaptations that were clearly embarrassed by the cartoonish nature of the original material.In the video, Nakayama is shown hanging out with the cast on set and actually playing Street Fighter 6 with them, while different stars such as Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Cody Rhodes, and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson speak warmly about their individual ties to the series. Nakayama himself even praises the production, stating that “the director and everyone involved in the production love Street Fighter” and going on to say plainly, “this is the Street Fighter I know.”If they left Guile’s ridiculous haircut as is, there’s no way they changed anything else. | Paramount PicturesWith the franchise’s history dotted with notable failures, there’s an understandable hesitation from the community to believe that characters like Ryu and Chun-Li will ever truly be done justice on screen. However, the high-octane playfulness of the film’s first teaser shows that Kitao Sakurai isn’t ashamed of the source material and is determined to replicate the absurd, Saturday morning cartoon energy that makes the series so beloved. Having received Takayuki Nakayama’s approval, it’s clear that at least the folks at Capcom are confident that fans will be satisfied when the film arrives later this year.Street Fighter releases on October 16th, 2026.

DC StudiosWe’ve entered a new era of the DC Universe, and this time, it’s here to stay. Guided by James Gunn’s vision, the franchise launched a fresh beginning with Superman, followed by Peacemaker Season 2 and the upcoming Supergirl. However, the momentum won’t end there — HBO will debut Lanterns, a detective drama influenced by True Detective. For a period, it appeared this series might remain largely separate from the Superman storyline — at least initially — but it seems the crossover integration of DC Studios is unfolding earlier than anticipated. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Lanterns lead Aaron Pierre will make an appearance in Man of Tomorrow, the upcoming follow-up to Superman. Despite Lanterns not yet premiering, this development offers significant insights into both the series and the broader future of the DC Universe. Aaron Pierre, the star of the upcoming series Lanterns, will reprise his role as John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow. | TOLGA AKMEN/EPA/ShutterstockPierre portrays John Stewart, a member of the Green Lantern Corps, in Lanterns, making his role in Man of Tomorrow somewhat expected. From the outset, it has been clear that Man of Tomorrow will feature Superman and Lex Luthor facing off against Braniac, an alien antagonist to be played by German actor Lars Eidinger. It’s plausible this role will mirror Matt Murdock’s cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that film, Peter Parker required legal representation, so introducing Matt briefly as his lawyer was an effective way to connect the movie and TV universes. Man of Tomorrow finds itself in a similar scenario: Earth is on the brink of an alien threat, making the Green Lantern Corps uniquely suited to assist and provide critical information. Lanterns hasn’t even premiered yet, but we know it will tie into Man of Tomorrow. | HBOOver the long term, though, this role could fulfill a decades-long desire among DC fans: a proper Justice League film, an Avengers-style team-up featuring characters established across different projects. The 2017 Justice League was so polarizing it spurred a fan campaign demanding Zack Snyder’s director’s cut, which ultimately emerged as a four-part miniseries. Perhaps Man of Tomorrow marks the first step toward a genuine, well-executed Justice League movie that gets it right from the start. Superman demonstrated how distinct James Gunn’s approach to the franchise is, leaving room for endless possibilities. Still, that goal remains distant: two characters don’t form a “league” — they form a partnership. Yet if a TV character can appear in a new DC film, anything could be on the table. Man of Tomorrow premieres in theaters on July 9, 2027.

A24The first thing that stands out about Undertone is its quietness—not just in the audio design, but also in its cinematography, which relies heavily on steady wide shots that glide slowly over empty spaces, making your eyes dart around frantically looking for anything out of place. This subtle approach to filmmaking amplifies the impact of the movie’s frights, and once those scares arrive, they stick with you for an surprisingly long period.The film centers on Evy (Nina Kiri), the resident skeptic co-hosting a paranormal podcast with her old friend Justin (Adam DiMarco), who’s the believer in the duo. Justin receives a series of odd audio files via an anonymous email and shares them with Evy during a live podcast episode. These recordings seem to feature a couple, Jessa (Keana Lyn Bastidas) and Mike (Jeff Yung), who started recording their nights after Jessa began speaking mysteriously while asleep. As the recordings continue, the sounds they capture grow more menacing and start to affect Evy’s life in increasingly threatening ways.A key premise—and major strength—of Undertone is that Evy and her sick mother (Michèle Duquet) are the only characters who appear on screen throughout the film. Evy moved into her mom’s house to care for her during her terminal illness, and she’s mostly stuck at home waiting for her mother’s passing. Her podcast, which she records at 3 a.m. to fit Justin’s UK schedule, is her only source of solace. All these factors, plus an absent boyfriend who calls now and then to try to get Evy out of the house, combine to create the perfect storm of stressors that make Evy the next target of the demonic curse released by the audio recordings.At first, Evy is a total skeptic. Early recordings show Jessa singing children’s songs in her sleep, which she has no memory of upon waking. Evy points out that Jessa and Mike are expecting a baby, so it’s natural for children to be on her mind. But Justin excitedly leads them down a rabbit hole of conspiracies about reversed children’s songs, and Evy goes along reluctantly. Things get even weirder when Jessa starts speaking gibberish, which Justin and Evy find out is a backward chant summoning a demon. Meanwhile, strange occurrences start happening at Evy’s house at night: her mother, who’s almost comatose in bed, seems to move in her sleep; faucets turn on by themselves; and the many Christian items scattered around the creaky, dusty house (Evy’s mom was very religious) start to look off—for example, a Virgin Mary statue keeps appearing on her mom’s bedside table, each time with more babies crawling up its robes.Undertone dwells on empty spaces, building a sense of dread until your nerves are raw. | A24To be honest, Undertone doesn’t break new ground in demon possession or haunted house films—in fact, Jessa and Mike’s audio recordings are a lot like listening to Paranormal Activity. But like Paranormal Activity before it, Undertone feels like a bold, fresh evolution of the horror genre. Thanks to writer-director Ian Tuason’s steady direction and Kiri’s powerful lead performance (which balances steeliness and vulnerability), the film’s audio-focused premise doesn’t come off as a cheap gimmick. It’s sparse where it needs to be and uses jump scares effectively—often choosing to hold back instead of going for the usual shock. Undertone’s core idea of a cursed media file passing from person to person will draw plenty of comparisons to The Ring, but its tendency to withhold information is actually more similar to the original Japanese Ringu, a film defined by slowly building dread until it reaches a fatal climax in the final minutes.Similarly, Undertone plays with the expectations of experienced horror viewers: a bathroom cabinet mirror swings open and shut to reveal nothing, a slow pan across a room shows only empty corners. The scariest parts of Undertone are actually the things you can’t see—its terrifying climax happens when the screen cuts to black, leaving only Evy’s screams and inhuman sounds to accompany you. This is a testament to the film’s top-notch audio production (best experienced in Dolby Atmos or, even better, through headphones) that such a scene can be so frightening and chilling without anything happening on screen.Many horror films have tried to capture the feeling of reading a creepypasta—an online urban legend that spreads through dark corners of 4chan threads or obscure YouTube links. But Undertone is one of the few that nails that sense of accidentally stumbling onto something purely evil by clicking the wrong link or getting stuck in a digital rabbit hole. It’s a terrifying new thriller for the internet era, one that will stay with you long after the credits end.Undertone is currently playing in theaters.

Saban FilmsB-movies—once the realm of double bills, sweltering drive-in theaters, and Blockbuster patrons in search of something to watch—have never seemed more dispensable. With every major streaming platform boasting a massive library of content, why would viewers go out of their way to dig through the absolute dregs? It’s hard to picture a contemporary director making a name for themselves in direct-to-streaming the way Roger Corman did with his low-budget films, much less moving into the mainstream like so many of Corman’s protégés and stars. Still, the genre lives on because, against all odds, there’s still profit to be made. And exactly five years ago, unlucky viewers came across one of its most cynical and divisive offerings.From 2012—when his standout roles in Moonrise Kingdom and Looper suggested a career resurgence that never materialized—to 2023, when his family announced his dementia diagnosis, Bruce Willis appeared in 36 direct-to-video films. Seven of those were released in 2021 alone, including Cosmic Sin, a sci-fi “action” movie co-starring Frank Grillo (best known for playing Crossbones in the MCU and Rick Flag Sr. in DC). On paper, this was the perfect B-movie setup: Willis earned a large paycheck for just a few days of work, and director Edward Drake got to feature Willis’ recognizable face on a poster advertising an epic adventure the film could never actually live up to. But the reality was far more complex.Set in the year 2524, humanity has just made contact with an aggressive, zombie-esque alien race, and James Ford (Willis) is recruited to evaluate the danger. The former general was dishonorably discharged after using a “q-bomb” to wipe out 70 million people in a rebel colony—but that same uncompromising practicality is precisely why General Eron Ryle (Grillo) has summoned his world-weary former superior.In practice, this translates to Willis, Grillo, and a group of relatively unknown actors donning armor that looks like it was lifted from Edge of Tomorrow, blasting through space to fight the parasitic aliens in settings that resemble paintball fields, track down their home planet, and blow it to smithereens with a q-bomb. The premise is serviceable, and the special effects are decent for the film’s budget, but it’s undermined by dialogue so awkward it could have come from a grade school play—and the unforgivable flaw of making space zombies utterly tedious.Willis and Perrey Reeves gear up for what feels like a lively game of laser tag. | Saban FilmsThe premise is truly absurd: our protagonists embark on an unauthorized mission to commit interstellar genocide, and there’s no plot twist to question whether this is the right course of action. Notably, the production design draws more from video games than films— the hostile aliens look like a species that didn’t make the cut for Destiny, while one hero’s outfit combines Gears armor cosplay with a massive Halo sniper rifle. All three franchises center on the guilt-free killing of evil aliens, but even they included a touch of ethical complexity in their stories.Cosmic Sin would have faded from memory within 30 seconds of viewers watching it if not for Willis’ involvement. In 2022, after Willis retired from acting and the public learned of his aphasia diagnosis, The Los Angeles Times reported that he often seemed disoriented on set, requiring his lines to be shortened and fed to him through an earpiece. This is a disturbing, ethically questionable revelation. Willis was handsomely compensated for his roles—earning up to $2 million for just two days of work—but many crew and cast members voiced worries about his health, and on one set, he reportedly fired a blank-loaded gun at the wrong time, startling those around him.The irony is that Willis—who was heavily criticized for his performance in Cosmic Sin before his health issues came to light—still shows he’s one of the few people on set who knows how to act. The film is no hidden masterpiece, but even at his lowest, Willis has that unmistakable “wow, that’s Bruce Willis!” charisma that sets him apart from the soap opera actors, a pro wrestler, Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s celebrity child, and the movie’s co-writer, who also plays Ford’s drinking companion. He was tasked with portraying a worn-out, fatigued man, and he delivers.Wrestler CJ Perry plays a soldier from a future where helmets aren’t required. | Saban FilmsAll of this highlights the laziness and cynicism of today’s B-movies. Roger Corman never pretended his box office success was just a happy byproduct of his artistic vision, but when no one bothers to fix obvious plot holes or even check if their star is healthy enough to work, why should anyone spend 90 minutes on something that feels more like a tax dodge than a creative project? If your mindless scrolling through a streaming service leads you to duds like Cosmic Sin, maybe it’s time to step outside instead.Yet there’s a moment where Willis—despite his diminished abilities—delivers the line: “The older I get, the more I just want to watch the stars with someone.” It’s a throwaway line in a film that has no interest in exploring what it means for his character, but it’s unexpectedly touching given what we now know about the circumstances under which it was filmed. And now that Willis has earned his money and retired to be with his loving family, he can finally do just that.Cosmic Sin is streaming on Prime Video.