News

There are few films that can capture the forthcoming bad vibes of 2025 better than this one. Celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, David Fincher’s newly-remastered Se7en is returning to theaters. Set open theatrically worldwide with exclusive IMAX engagements in the U.S. and Canada beginning on January 3, and international theatrical engagements on select dates, the theatrical run will be followed by a 4K Uhd and digital release on January 7, 2025.

The 4K restoration of Se7en was completed at Warner Bros. Discovery’s Motion Picture Imaging (MPI) and was sourced from the original camera negative. The restoration was overseen by director David Fincher.

Scott Nye said at its TCM Classic Film Festival premiere earlier this year, “David Fincher’s 1995 triumph Se7en was restored in 8K for IMAX presentation and an eventual 4K disc release. Fincher appeared in person at the Tcl Chinese IMAX Theater to relay familiar anecdotes––the...

As we’ve previously mentioned, there’s currently a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to build a statue honoring late Monty Python member Terry Jones in his hometown of Colwyn Bay, Wales. In a rare moment of agreement, all the surviving Pythons have thrown their support behind the project, dubbed “A Python on the Prom,” which will possibly result in a detailed bronze replica of Jones playing the organ while completely naked.

The campaign has, at the time of writing, raised 83 percent of its goal, but organizers are hoping to make up the difference with a new exhibition celebrating Jones’ life. “The Life of Terry” will open in Colwyn Bay on December 12th, with all proceeds going toward the statue fundraiser. The exhibit will reportedly feature more than 100 items that have been loaned by Jones’ family and the Monty Python archive.

The items will include rare personal photographs, as well...

For the last 50 decades, the identity of the Zodiac Killer has remained one of the most puzzling cold cases in American true-crime culture. With countless suspects emerging and fading into obscurity, the serial killer struck terror throughout Northern California’s Bay Area in the late 1960s, inspiring countless podcasts, books, and even the 2007 Zodiac film starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr.

For those who are unaware of the cold killer, the Zodiac Killer is an unidentified serial murderer who terrorized Northern California. He is infamous for his cryptic letters, taunting authorities with symbols, ciphers, and claims of several unsolved murders. The Zodiac Killer also claimed to have killed 37 people, but only five murders and two attempted murders have been linked to him. Despite extensive investigations, the Zodiac Killer’s identity remains a mystery, except, for Arthur Leigh Allen, a former elementary school teacher and convicted sex offender,...

Known for his jaw-dropping stunts and relentless commitment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise almost shared the screen with Scarlett Johansson in the third installment of the franchise. However, the thrilling team-up never made it to the big screen, leaving fans to mourn the untapped chemistry and exhilarating action.

Mission: Impossible 3 | Credit: Paramount Pictures

The actress later reflected on the missed opportunity prompted by the filmmaker J.J. Abrams taking over the project after David Fincher stepped down as the director due to creative differences.

How J.J. Abrams Robbed Fans of a Tom Cruise And Scarlett Johansson Action Team-Up

Renowned filmmaker J.J. Abrams took over as the director for the 2006 film Mission: Impossible 3 after David Fincher stepped down due to creative differences, choosing instead to focus on his 2007 thriller Zodiac.

Tom Cruise and Michelle Monaghan in Mission: Impossible 3 | Credit: Paramount Pictures

However, when Abrams stepped...

El aclamado cineasta detrás de ‘Perdida’, ‘Seven’ y’ La Red Social’ llevará ahora los macabros juegos a suelo estadounidense. © Netflix

En diciembre vuelve El juego del calamar con su segunda temporada, y además ya ha sido renovada por una tercera y última temporada.

Ahora, según informa Deadline, el universo de esta popular serie de Netflix se expandirá con un spin-off dirigido por David Fincher, el aclamado cineasta detrás de películas como Perdida, Seven, Zodiac, La red social y The Killer.

Esta nueva serie no será un remake de la historia original (para quienes ya estéis pensando «¿otra vez?» o «¡que para eso están los subtítulos!»), sino una serie derivada ambientada en Estados Unidos y, siendo David Fincher el encargado, no puede (esperemos) salir mal.

¡SÍGUENOS!

Twitter

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Threads

The post David Fincher dirigirá un spin-off de ‘El Juego del Calamar’, ambientado en Estados Unidos, para Netflix. first appeared on mundoCine.

David Fincher is reportedly making a Squid Game spin-off series for Netflix. But wouldn’t we rather see something original from the filmmaker?

From a comparatively small investment, Squid Game has become a huge money-spinner for Netflix. The streaming giant bankrolled South Korean writer Hwang Dong-hyuk’s dystopian TV game show concept when other studios wouldn’t, with the series eventually appearing on the platform in 2021. The budget for the series was a reported $21.4m; the show was such a hit with subscribers that it was said to have made something in the region of $900m for Netflix.

With numbers like that swirling around, it’s little surprise that Netflix wants more Squid Game. Series two is due to stream in December, while a third and final season will follow in 2025; to keep the show’s name at the front of subscribers’ minds, reality TV spin-off Squid Game: The Challenge streamed in 2023.

Meanwhile,...

David Fincher is the director behind influential movies like Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac, not to mention having a hand in foundational series like House of Cards. The director has worked closely with Netflix in recent years, releasing solid movies like The Killer and great shows like Mindhunter. And now, Deadline has it that his next project may be an English-language remake of Squid Game.

The first season of Squid Game dropped back in 2021. It wasn't just a hit; it became Netflix's most-streamed show ever, which surprised a lot of people. Who expected a Korean-language drama about debt-ridden people battling for their lives for the amusement of sadistic billionaires would be this big of a hit? Makes you think.

Anyway, Netflix capitalized on the success of Squid Game with an unscripted reality show called Squid Game: The Challenge, not to mention a second season of the original show coming out this December.

Ahead of the Dec. 26 premiere of Squid Game season 2, there are already rumblings about what the future could hold for the Netflix franchise.

Now, we have known that Netflix renewed the series for a third and final season for quite some time, but there's currently rumors that an Academy Award-nominated director could be developing a new English-language series that would grow the universe.

According to Deadline, Netflix has begun to develop an English-language Squid Game series, likely paving the way to continue the franchise beyond season 3 and the second season of the reality competition series, and they're bringing in David Fincher to do so.

David Fincher might be working on new Squid Game series

The pairing would make sense considering Fincher re-upped his deal with Netflix earlier this year. Because the supposed series remains in early development, additional details are scarce beyond that fact that it's scripted, English-language, and likely set in the United States.

Movies Like Woman of the Hour on Netflix: Anna Kendrick has been working in Hollywood for over two decades, mainly known for her performances in comedy-dramas like “Pitch Perfect” and her Oscar-nominated turn in Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air“. Now, with “Woman of the Hour,” she steps in as a director of a dark, psychological thriller. The film revolves around Sheryl Bradshaw, a young aspiring actress from the 70s, who entered a reality television show to find her next date. She was supposed to choose someone from the three male contestants trying to woo her.

One of these suitors was serial killer Rodney Alcala, who charmed Sheryl enough to select him as her date. As the film follows her journey, it offers glimpses into Rodney’s past encounters with his victims and survivors. It alternates between these different stories to give us a sense of his personality...

Netflix’s This Is the Zodiac Speaking spills some shocking facts about the case that continues to haunt America. The Zodiac killer was an unidentified serial killer who operated in Northern California in the ’60s. The killer mailed taunting messages to regional newspapers, with his last letter claiming that he had killed 37 victims. The new documentary focuses on the only suspect that authorities named publicly, Arthur Leigh Allen.

A still poster of This Is The Zodiac Speaking | Credits: Netflix

According to the documentary, people who knew Allen claimed that he had told them that he was the Zodiac killer. These people also revealed that Allen drugged them as children and may have even brought them along to his crimes. The documentary included interviews with David and Connie Seawater and several other former pupils who knew Allen.

Robert Graysmith, the journalist who wrote the book about the serial killer and was...

The Zodiac Killer, one of the most notorious serial killers in history, taunted authorities and the public with cryptic ciphers for over five decades. Among these was the Z340 cipher, a 340-character cryptogram that remained unsolved for 51 years, confounding both amateur and professional codebreakers.

However, in 2020, an international team of cryptographers successfully cracked this infamous code. The details of their breakthrough and the meaning behind the message offer a fascinating insight into the mind of the Zodiac Killer and the methods used to solve this enduring mystery.

The Z340 Cipher: A Half-Century Enigma One of The Zodiac Killer’s victims | Credits: Crime scene officer, San Francisco Police Departmentvia Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

Between 1968 and 1969, the Zodiac Killer claimed the lives of at least five people in Northern California. During his spree, he sent a series of letters to local newspapers, often accompanied by cryptic ciphers. These ciphers were...

As the late evening grew darker, the shadows seemed deeper somehow. Even all these years later, the memory remained vivid—like it was only yesterday. We had sat together so many times before, chatting into the night as old friends are wont to do. But on this occasion, a heaviness lingered in the air between us, carrying on waves of recollection flooding back unbidden. Images long buried were unearthed, forcing eyes to witness horrors anew.

My friend’s face bore lines more pronounced in the low light, etched by time and experience. Their eyes, once full of warmth, had grown weary with wisdom. But within those gentle eyes also glimmered a determination—a need to revisit the darkness of the past, if only to help illuminate the present. And so they began to speak, sharing secrets long kept in the hope they might bring answers or even peace to others.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Woman of the Hour is a crime thriller drama film directed by Anna Kendrick from a screenplay by Ian McDonald. Based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, the Netflix film is set in the late 1970s and it follows the story of The Dating Game show contestant Cheryl Bradshaw who aspires to become an actress until she crosses paths with a serial killer on the dating show. Woman of the Hour stars Kendrick in the lead role with Daniel Zovatto, Autumn Best, Kathryn Gallagher, Pete Holmes, Kelley Jakle, and Tony Hale starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the thrilling story, a terrifying serial killer, and compelling characters in Woman of the Hour here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Extremely Wicked,...

Arthur Leigh Allen is a familiar name among amateur investigators who delve into the darker side of humanity. In this case, his name is frequently associated with one of the most notorious serial killers in U.S. History — the Zodiac.

In the grand scheme of things, the Zodiac Killer is small potatoes, outdone by the likes of Gary Ridgeway, Gerald Stano, Ted Bundy, and Dennis Rader, at least in terms of victims.

The only difference is, the Zodiac was never apprehended. All that remains of the Zodiac’s rampage between December 1968 and October 1969 is theory, circumstantial evidence, and innuendo.

(Courtesy of Netflix Trailer/Screenshot)

Americans are fascinated by serial killers and even more fascinated by the unknowns associated with them. Whether that’s a healthy obsession or not is a topic for another day.

With Netflix’s “This is the Zodiac Speaking” documentary release on the horizon, the trailers have...

This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "The Penguin."

While I can't help but think of "The Batman" as "Seven" but not quite as good, there was still a lot to love about the film. Director Matt Reeves tried several new things with his take on the Dark Knight, turning Bruce Wayne from a millionaire playboy into a tortured shut-in inspired by late-career Kurt Cobain. While Reeves touted classic crime thrillers such as "Chinatown" as his inspiration, "The Batman" was also clearly working from a David Fincher rubric, with the aforementioned "Seven" providing the most obvious influence alongside "Zodiac," which partly inspired the look of Paul Dano's Riddler.

Elsewhere, one of the coolest changes Reeves made to Batman lore was the Bat-cave itself. In "The Batman," Robert Pattinson's vigilante works out of an abandoned train station beneath Wayne Tower in the center of the city. Such...

A new week has arrived and with it comes a few new movies and shows to Netflix. The new additions to the lineup include a new adventure drama series, a new horror movie, and a new documentary. While there aren't a ton of new things coming to the streaming service this week, there might be something you're interested in.

First up this week is Territory. The new show hits Netflix on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 and stars Anna Torv, Jay Ryan, Robert Taylor, and Sara Wiseman. The show follows the drama at the Lawson family cattle station, which has been left without an heir. With the family unsure what to do next, multiple Australian factions fight it out to see who will win the land and if it will finally be the end of the Lawson dynasty. This is giving Yellowstone vibes but down under.

Take a look at the trailer here:

Don't Move,...

One of the most perplexing figures of the last 50 years, the Zodiac Killer still inspires plenty of questions, theories, and obsession. The serial killer, linked to multiple murders across Northern California in the late ’60s, has been the subject of countless books, movies, and TV shows. “Zodiac was different,” Rita Williams, a former Ktvu reporter, says in the trailer. “He got away with it.”

Now, the three-part true crime docuseries This Is the Zodiac Speaking provides a new perspective on the case — with fresh evidence.

Here’s everything you need to know about This Is the Zodiac Speaking.

Over the course of their decades-long investigation, police have only ever publicly identified one suspect in the Zodiac Killer case, Arthur Leigh Allen, but they never found enough evidence to charge him. This Is the Zodiac Speaking revisits the case once more, with never-before-seen evidence and interviews with people who knew...

[Editor’s note: The following interview contains light spoilers for “Woman of the Hour.”]

When serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared on the hit game show “The Dating Game” in 1978, he was billed as one of three eligible bachelors competing for the affection of struggling actress Cheryl Bradshaw. Alcala ultimately won a date with Bradshaw, but the wily young woman refused to go out with him, mostly because she found him to be “creepy.”

She was right to feel that way: By the time of his appearance on the game show, Alcala had already killed at least five women, been listed as one of the FBI’s most wanted, and skipped his way around the country to avoid a variety of criminal investigations. “Creepy“? That was only the tip of the iceberg.

Such is the wild, horrifying true story at the heart of Anna Kendrick’s feature directorial debut (in which she also stars as Cheryl), “Woman of the Hour.” For screenwriter Ian McDonald,...

The opening sequence of the new Netflix film Woman of the Hour contains one of the most terrifying and shocking scenes in crime thriller history. A young woman, Sarah (played by Pitch Perfect’s Kelley Jakle), unburdens her ruminating regrets to a new friend and is subsequently attacked.

However, the perpetrator gives his victim life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation, only to attack her again.

On that note, let’s get right to the point: Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is a thoroughly gripping and relevant crime thriller transcending the #MeToo film movement in powerful ways. Woman of the Hour explores themes that extend well beyond what hides in the shadows or, for that matter, in plain sight.

Tony Hale, Anna Kendrick, and Daniel Zovatto in Woman of the Hour (2024) | Image via Netflix Related “There was no chemistry there”: Blake Lively’s Awkward Second Interview With Kjersti Flaa While Anna Kendrick Kept...

John Carpenter’s Halloween has influenced everything from other slasher flicks to even music videos. With her new visual “Undone,” indie-pop artist Young Summer rips images from the iconic 1978 film for a tension-splitting story that guarantees to creep under the skin.

Young Summer (real name Bobbie Allen) stars in the video as a woman unaware of her surroundings. While out walking her adorable pooch Scrappy, a stalker (Miloš Šarenac) wearing all black lurks from the corners of each frame.

Everything about the brand new “Undone” music video, on which she worked with frequent collaborator and cinematographer Seth Dunlap, feels very 1970s. From long lens shots to a vibrant but muted color grading, Allen (director/editor) masterfully laces suspense by using various classic film techniques and equipment – namely the telephoto Canon Fd 50-300mm T/4.9 zoom Lens.

“I knew using that long zoom for the spy shots would make the stalking...

The new Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, part of Ryan Murphy’s true-crime anthology, delves into the notorious case of the Menendez brothers, who murdered their parents in 1989.

The series boasts a talented cast portraying critical figures from the real-life events.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has taken Netflix by storm, sparking debate about the infamous murder case.

The second season of the Monster anthology series, following Dahmer, it premiered on September 19, 2024.

While the performances were widely praised, critics offered mixed reviews, citing concerns over the season’s length, uneven tone, and depiction of the Menendez brothers’ relationship, which included controversial incestuous overtones.

Erik Menendez publicly condemned the series for its inaccuracies, particularly in portraying his brother, Lyle Menendez.

Here is everything we know about the talented cast of the Netflix series.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch shine as the Menendez brothers

Nicholas...

An immense yet slinking police procedural that slips with disturbing ease into its audiences’ subconscious, Fabrice Du Welz’s Maldoror owes a debt to many contemporary serial killer creepers to come before it but comes together as a formidable, restrained, uniquely resonant work that finds the director at the height of his powers in telling a story at once hauntingly personal and broad in scope.

In early ‘90s Belgium, impulsive young police officer Paul Chartier (Anthony Bajon) is preparing to marry his sweetheart, Gina (Alba Gaïa Bellugi) but is soon distracted when he’s tapped by his superior, Hinkel (Laurent Lucas) to participate in Maldoror – a secret operation to monitor a dangerous sex offender named Marcel Dedieu (Sergi López) and investigate the abduction of two pre-teen girls. But, as Chartier gets closer to uncovering the truth, he grows increasingly erratic and frustrated with the calcified bureaucracy of his department, jeopardizing...

The thrill of the chase meets an offbeat character study in Diego San Jose’s latest series “Celeste,” a six-part episodic set to bow at San Sebastian’s Velodrome on Sept. 22.

Produced by Movistar Plus and The Mediapro Studio’s 100 Balas, with The Mediapro Studio Distribution handling international sales, the slyly enthralling first season follows Sara, an uninspiring tax investigator inching through life. On the cusp of early retirement, she’s lured into staying on the job for one last case – running down Latin pop star Celeste, who’s rumored to be taking advantage of her status to evade paying dues.

Setting out to make a thriller he likens to “Zodiac” or “Seven” but with a twist, San José manages an act of rebellion certain to shake monotonous algorithms and pull a curious, rapt audience. While not a masochist, he admits to craving change – and as he crafted this wily,...

13Z by Mixed Realms is an upcoming hack and slash game that builds on the concept of roguelike games. Its roots lie in Zodiac folklore, introducing players to the Zodiac Trials – a test of reflexes and tact. It may ease you into its world with an art style that draws inspiration from cel-shading, and a soundtrack that keeps things cozy.

However, the gameplay loop is anything but simple. 13Z’s biggest strength lies in its combat system, which is filled with satisfying combos and fluid animations. Yet, its progression system that works on a roguelike model can feel quite punishing at times.

Fortunately, all of it works in 13Z’s favor. Even in its preview build, it shows the promise of being the perfect entry into a genre of gaming that’s for people who enjoy fast and rewarding gameplay that thrives on novelty.

Welcome to the Zodiac Trials Before the trials begin,...

It should be a stunt, hiring a man of Colin Farrell’s particular good looks and physicality to play the Penguin, a venal creature of the Gotham City underworld. Not because the Penguin is actually subhuman, mind you, but because his literal stature and appearance in various comics, cartoons and movies — short, squat, bald, pointed nose — features any number of physical attributes lacking in Farrell.

And to some extent, Farrell’s version of the character, first seen in the 2022 feature film “The Batman” and revived for HBO’s eight-episode companion series “The Penguin,” does come across as a feat of make-up, transforming a leading man into a supporting mobster.

The real magic of “The Penguin,” though, is how it then transforms Oswald Cobb back into a lead, albeit of the antihero variety. Despite all of the accouterments that come with playing Oswald — scarred face, a limp on a disfigured foot,...

Paramount ’s Peak Screaming collection returns to the service today with a monster-sized lineup of thrills for audiences to enjoy this Halloween season. The popular Peak Screaming collection expands each year and features more genre-defining hits and classics than ever before, with over 450 new originals, fan-favorite horror movies, and iconic Halloween episodes from beloved series.

The seasonal collection will include the debut of the Paramount original film Apartment 7A (September 27), a haunting prequel to the cult classic Rosemary’s Baby, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Kreepaway Kamp (October 10), a new hour-long special where, while at Kamp Koral for a reunion, SpongeBob and the gang are stalked by a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows as campers start disappearing one by one.

The curated Peak Screaming collection brings the household together by providing a scare for everyone with terrifying thrillers, spine-chilling films, and frights for the fainthearted, with 25 expertly curated carousels. New and returning...

Just in time for the Halloween season, the Peak Screaming Collection from Paramount has returned to the service today with a monster-sized lineup. The collection expands each year and this year features more genre-defining hits and classics than ever before, with over 450 new originals, fan-favorite horror movies and iconic Halloween episodes from beloved series.

The seasonal collection will include the debut of the Paramount original film Apartment 7A (September 27), a haunting prequel to the cult classic Rosemary’s Baby; and Spongebob Squarepants: Kreepaway Kamp (October 10), a new hour-long special where, while at Kamp Koral for a reunion, SpongeBob and the gang are stalked by a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows as campers start disappearing one by one.

The curated collection brings the household together by providing a scare for everyone with terrifying thrillers, spine-chilling films and frights for the fainthearted, with 25 expertly curated carousels. New and returning subgenres include the...

TV and film are different mediums. This isn't a radical thing to say, it's a simple fact. And yet, at some point, producers and showrunners got it into their heads to structure TV shows like very long movies. I personally don't have a problem with long movies — I will rewatch David Fincher's "Zodiac" any day of the week, gang! — but when I sit down to watch a TV series, I want a TV series. I don't want a seemingly endless film. "The Penguin," a new HBO series spun-off from Matt Reeves' excellent "The Batman," is the latest example of a show trying to be an 8-hour movie, and it suffers because of it. The pacing is detrimental to the series as a whole, so much so that I found myself losing interest as the story plodded along without a single standout episode.

Think back to the best shows of the so-called "peak TV era.

Netflix Lifers, we're closer than ever to spooky season, and we can hardly contain our excitement! This October, Netflix will be releasing many new horror titles on its platform, such as The Platform 2, It's What's Inside, Time Cut and many others. Now, we've just learned that a new true crime docuseries called This is the Zodiac Speaking will be released just in time for Halloween as well. The exact release date is Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024.

Based on the title of the docuseries, you probably already know what it'll be about. Yes, it's about the infamous yet still unidentified serial killer, the Zodiac Killer. From 1968 to 1969, the Zodiac Killer went on a killing spree throughout Northern California. While he has claimed to have killed 37 people, he's only been directly linked to five murders, with two victims surviving.

In Netflix's upcoming three-part docuseries, coming from Ample Entertainment and helmed and executive produced...

Keanu Reeves is not only Hollywood’s sweetheart, with all his chivalrous deeds poking through to establish him as one of the most beloved gentlemen in the entertainment industry, but also one of the most talented actors of all time. That’s not all, for he is also incredibly kind and humble even in the roles he gets to embody on the screen, be those from the action genre or any other.

Keanu Reeves in the John Wick lore. | Credits: Lionsgate.

But among all the masterpieces he has been perfectly cast in, there have also been some major mishits that could have seriously disrupted his career because of just how out of place he looked in them. One of these was his $47 million piece with James Spader, The Watcher – the very one that Reeves was tricked into doing and is grateful didn’t land him in Hollywood jail!

Keanu Reeves...

Clint Eastwood is one of those people who can turn anything into gold by simply being a part of it. One could say that the director/actor is gifted the Midas Touch. While it is difficult to pick just one favorite amongst his many works, Dirty Harry by Don Siegel seems like a good place to start. Having received unending praise from both critics and fans, the cop thriller was preserved by the Library of Congress in the U.S. National Film Registry. It’s that good.

Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry (1971) | Credits: Warner Bros.

While Clint Eastwood’s creative ideas always seem to work in his films’ favor, he was a little off about how things should end for his character in Dirty Harry. Luckily, director Don Siegel was there to guide him in the right direction and he actually ended up loving the ending he was once so against.

David Fincher has firmly established himself as a master of blending art and commerce. It’s especially impressive considering his output has been uniformly dark, moody and disturbing, with flashes of wit and satire thrown in. Let’s take a look back at all 12 of his films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1962, Fincher cut his teeth at special effects house Industrial Light and Magic, working on such films as “Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi” (1983) and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984). He left to pursue a career in directing, making his mark with a commercial for the American Cancer Society that depicted a fetus smoking a cigarette. He co-founded Propaganda Films, a production house for music videos and commercials that employed future filmmakers Spike Jonze, Michael Bay, Antoine Fuqua, Alex Proyas, Mark Romanek, Zach Snyder and Gore Verbinski. Fincher himself helmed several famous music videos, including “Vogue,...

Fictional horror movies scare us until we leave the theater. True crime dramas follow us home because they happened once to someone—or so they say.

Heists, abuses of power, murders, and multiple murders. Hollywood loves crime and all the ill-gotten bootie it brings. From 1907’s The Unwritten Law: A Thrilling Drama Based on the Thaw-White Case to the upcoming Roofman, films inspired by true crime capture a special kind of imagination. They are cautionary tales with real-life consequences, and dramas too sordid for mixed company. In the Golden Age, stories of gangland thugs came with promises of being “ripped from today’s papers.” Every robbery is a drama. Each public scandal is a potential movie trailer. Every human tragedy is a closeup. Here are some of the best films that took their plots from schemes attempted in real life.

Zodiac (2007)

Directed by David Fincher, Zodiac is as exhilarating as it is frustrating.

This month marks the 15th anniversary of Batman: Arkham Asylum: the universally acclaimed video game developed by Rocksteady Studios that started an entire gaming franchise. Loosely inspired by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean’s best-selling graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the 2009 game has DC Comics’ iconic superhero take on the Joker and a whole host of escaped inmates when they take over Gotham City’s asylum for the criminally insane. Over the course of a single, long night, Batman moves to stop the supervillains and their private army from wiping out the personnel trapped on the island as he moves to stop the Joker’s most dastardly plot yet.

While Arkham Asylum’s various follow-ups, including 2011’s Batman: Arkham City and 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight, have earned well-deserved acclaim for continuing the story and expanding the world of the original game, Arkham Asylum is vastly...

David Fincher is known for his impeccable attention to detail and technical precision. Hence, when actress Rooney Mara was being considered for the role of Lisbeth Salander in the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher reportedly gave her a ‘laundry list’ of things she should prepare for.

Mara was unrecognizable as the anti-social hacker Lisbeth who crossed paths with Daniel Craig’s Mikael Blomkvist. The actress reportedly beat many potential candidates such as Scarlett Johansson, Emma Watson, Sarah Snook, and Elliot Page among others.

David Fincher Had An Unusual Set Of Demands For The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Lead A still from The Social Network | Credits: Sony Pictures

Known for dark thrillers such as Se7en, Zodiac, Fight Club, and Panic Room, David Fincher was the obvious choice for the adaptation of Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s best-selling thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fresh on the...

Matt Reeves’s The Batman (2022) captivated the audience with its dark and gripping portrayal of the iconic character. The director presented a fresh take on the older characters, especially the menacing DC villain.

Frank Gorshin in Batman (1966) | Credits: 20th Century Fox

The Riddler was originally portrayed by Frank Gorshin, who set the tone for future interpretations of the villain, from Jim Carrey to Conan O’Brian to the most recent one, Paul Dano. But the 2022 character was much more unsettling, perhaps because the director modeled him after a real-life serial killer.

The sinister model for The Batman‘s iconic villain

The Riddler‘s character is not a new one for Dceu fans; he originated from the comics and was later played by various actors in the live-action movies. But Paul Dano’s portrayal of the notorious villain was different from what had been done before. Director Matt Reeves had drawn inspiration...

This article is part of IndieWire’s 2000s Week celebration. Click here for a whole lot more.

Much like the decade that produced them, the movies of the 2000s were shaped in response to such profound and irrevocable change that it’s difficult to assign them a cohesive identity of their own; it can be tempting to think of them as a long suspension bridge between then and now rather than as a well-defined era unto itself. When the sun rose on the start of the new millennium, the vast majority of films were shot and projected on film, superhero movies were still considered an outlandish gamble, middle-class malaise was American cinema’s preoccupying crisis, and James Cameron was the biggest director on the planet. By the time the smoke cleared 10 years later, digital had pushed celluloid to the brink of extinction, Marvel was beginning to exert an iron grip on the multiplex,...

Robert Downey Jr. understood the concept of a miracle in the early 2000s shortly after a stint in the prison. After a decade of lost time and forgotten memories, the reputation that the A-lister had accrued for himself until then no longer held any charm to it. The 21st century brought with it a fresh start for the actor who would soon go on to become a cinematic legend.

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man [Credit: Marvel Studios]

But before any of that could come true, Robert Downey Jr. had to face the demons of his past. After spending nearly his entire life high on substances, the actor had to find the courage to set himself straight, accept accountability for his actions, and take back control of his destiny moving forward.

In simpler terms, Robert Downey Jr. learned, evolved, adapted, lived up to his potential, and rose to greatness.

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. became synonymous with the superhero Iron man after spending a decade playing the Marvel hero. But there were other familiar Marvel heroes he wouldn’t have minded experimenting with at one point.

Robert Downey Jr. wondered what it’d be like to play these two superheroes Robert Downey Jr. | Franco S. Origlia/WireImage

When Downey Jr. was offered the chance to play Iron Man, the actor didn’t take the opportunity lightly. At the time, Downey Jr. was on the cusp of a resurgence after several controversies temporarily sidelined his career. The 2000s saw Downey Jr. slowly climbing back to the top, testing Hollywood waters with movies like The Shaggy Dog and Zodiac.

In a resurfaced interview with Entertainment Weekly, Downey Jr. actually expected the crime thriller Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to mark his big comeback. Although the movie enjoyed good reviews from critics, it didn’t...

[Editor’s note: this list was originally published September 2023, and has since been updated.]

There was a time not too long ago when whodunnits seemed to be a dusty relic of cinema’s past. Mysteries about a cast of colorful characters at the center of a murder case, and the intrepid detective investigating them, were far and few between in movie theaters for what felt like decades, and the rare films to feature those plots seldom attracted much attention. But nowadays, the genre is back, baby.

In 2017, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred as the iconic detective Hercule Poirot in “Murder on the Orient Express,” based on one of mystery writer Agatha Christie’s most famous novels. It was the first high-profile Christie adaptation to hit theaters in ages, after 1988’s “Appointment with Death.” The movie was highly successful, and Branagh has returned to that Poirot mustache with “Death on the Nile” and “A Haunting in Venice,” the latter of which opened in theaters this month.

Welcome to Random Roles, wherein we talk to actors about the characters who defined their careers. The catch: They don’t know beforehand what roles we’ll ask them to talk about.The actor: Kelly Reichardt, Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Kathryn Bigelow. All names that appear multiple times in...

It has been five long years since fans have seen the Avengers assemble, and fans surely miss the fun panel interviews with Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, and Chris Hemsworth.

The Avengers / Walt Disney Studios

One of the many unforgettable things about these types of events is the interaction between the cast members as well as the media. It’s where they show their quirky sides while responding to the most asked questions about their roles and films.

Mark Ruffalo’s Childhood Inspiration Tickled Robert Downey Jr.’s Funny Bone

While attending the Avengers: Age of Ultron Press Conference in 2015, the cast of the Avengers sequel answered some personal questions from reporters. One member of the press said, “When you guys were growing up, who inspired you? Who were your big idols?” (via HeyUGuys).

Scarlett Johansson said without second thoughts, “Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.

The untitled “Bosch” spinoff focused on cold case detective Renee Ballard has cast John Carroll Lynch as a series regular, Variety has learned.

As previously announced, Maggie Q will star in the Amazon MGM Studios series as Ballard while Courtney Taylor is set to play Zamira Parker. As with “Bosch,” the show is based on the work of author Michael Connelly.

The official description states the show follows Ballard, “who is tasked with running the LAPD’s new cold case division—a poorly funded, all-volunteer unit with the largest case load in the city. Ballard approaches these frozen-in-time cases with empathy and determination. When she uncovers a larger conspiracy during her investigations, she’ll lean on the assistance of her retired ally, Harry Bosch, to navigate the dangers that threaten both her unit and her life.”

Lynch will play Thomas Laffont, described as “a retired former police partner who comes...

This August, Paramount is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated streaming release of the biographical film Bob Marley: One Love and a very weird but humorous and heartfelt film Sasquatch Sunset, which follows the daily lives of a Sasquatch family. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Paramount in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Airplane! (August 1)

Airplane! is a disaster absurdist comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David, and Jerry Zucker. Based on the 1957 drama film Zero Hour! by Arthur Hailey, Hall Bartlett, and John Champion, the 1980 film follows Ted Striker, a former pilot with a fear of flying as he finds himself in the impossible situation of landing a...

It’s hard to think of an actor managing his career after leaving a franchise better than has Robert Downey Jr. And that makes his announced return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — in which he’ll be playing the villainous character Dr. Doom in forthcoming “Avengers” sequels, as announced this weekend — come as a surprise.

Downey’s “Iron Man” kicked off of the MCU in 2008, and his character Tony Stark’s death, in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” was a climax of sorts. “Endgame” represented a culmination of all Marvel storytelling to that point: Downey’s definitive departure meant that this particular set of stories, in which wisecracking defense contractor sat at the emotional center, was done.

What immediately followed his departure was a major hiccup, with his film “Dolittle” bombing critically and commercially in early 2020. It was an attempted franchise-starter, and a cynical one: Downey has said since that he was...

Peacock has announced the lineup of movies, TV shows, and live sports that will be available on the streaming service in August. The Peacock August 2024 schedule includes Mr. Throwback, the Love Island USA Season 6 reunion, Bel-Air Season 3, and the new film The Killer.

For the crime junkies, all seven seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street make their streaming debut on August 19. The fast-paced police drama portrays the brutal detective work of a homicide department in Baltimore.

Additionally, mark your calendar for the action-packed streaming debuts of The Fall Guy and The Fall Guy: The Extended Cut on August 30. The Bikeriders also cruises onto Peacock for its exclusive streaming premiere on August 9, and the magic of the Harry Potter franchise returns to Peacock exclusively all month long.

August Highlights

August 8: Mr. Throwback (Peacock Original)*

August 9: The Bikeriders (Peacock Exclusive)*

August 15: Bel-Air Season 3 – Premiere (Peacock Original)*

August 19:...

How You Know Mercury Is in Retrograde I recently filled an online shopping cart with four hundred dollars worth of trading cards, and I don’t have the four hundred dollars to purchase them, so that’s one way. More to the point, astrology has seen a resurgence in popularity over the past decade or so, and I’m far from the first person to tell you. Daily horoscopes, in particular, seem to crop up everywhere, as do zodiac sign assignments to all manner of subjects, no matter how niche. Want to know what Neopet you are based on your sign? It’s out there. At some point, things like Mercury retrograde became part of today’s zeitgeist, and whether you intended to or not, you’ve heard about it. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to...

Mark Ruffalo's film debut came in 1994, when he appeared as a seductive and possibly supernatural super-hunk named Christian who periodically appears to Tracy Wells in the horror sequel "Mirror Mirror II: Raven Dance." The producers, likely pleased with his performance also hired Ruffalo to play a brand-new role in "Mirror Mirror III: The Voyeur." In that film, he played a sexy moving truck worker named Joey. Ruffalo did not appear in "Mirror Mirror 4: Reflections."

Despite starring in the "Mirror Mirror" movies, as well as the gore flick "The Dentist," Ruffalo had a pretty varied early career. He appeared in the '60s-set coming-of-age drama "There Goes My Baby" in 1994, the indie comedy "Safe Men" in 1998, and the Oscar Bait biopic "54" that same year. He worked with Ang Lee in 1999's "Ride with the Devil," but exploded into the pop consciousness with his memorable performance in Kenneth Lonergan...

El cine independiente triunfa. © DeAPlaneta

Este fin de semana, “Longlegs” ha arrasado en la taquilla estadounidense, situándose en el puesto número 2 de la taquilla, solo superada por la película familiar “Gru 4: Mi Villano Favorito”. Con una recaudación de más de 20 millones de dólares, una cantidad impresionante dado su presupuesto de menos de 10M de dólares, “Longlegs” se ha alzado como el mejor estreno con calificación R del año y la película de terror independiente con mejores datos de estreno de los últimos 20 años. Además, la película se ha convertido, junto con “Civil War” de Alex Garland, en la segunda película no producida por una major en superar los 20M de dólares en su primer fin de semana en Estados Unidos este 2024.

Influenciada por obras maestras del thriller como “El Silencio de los Corderos”, “Zodiac” o “Se7en”, la sinopsis de “Longlegs” dice así: mientras el FBI intenta atrapar a un retorcido asesino en serie,...

Spoiler Alert: This interview contains plot details for the film Longlegs

Oz Perkins didn’t mean to scare you. Despite creating one of the year’s most jarring atmospheric horror thrillers, Perkins swears his cinematic concoction was cool and (allegedly) accidental. Longlegs, written and directed by Perkins, follows intuitive FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who is tasked with investigating a series of gruesome unsolved murders spanning from the 1970s to the present Clinton era of the 1990s being carried out by a potential supernatural entity known as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage).

Here, with Deadline, Perkins unpacks creating nuanced character dynamics, his fascination with women in horror and using his own narrative to create scares.

Deadline: First off, this movie is terrifying. How do you sleep at night knowing that you’ve dropped a movie that scares the hell out of everybody?

Oz Perkins: I subscribe to the same ideology...