Hoo-ah! Actually, how about who are two acting legends you’d want to see in a boxing match? If you went with Robert Mitchum and Charles Bronson, we’d all be in for one hell of a slobberknocker. But when we think of Al Pacino squaring off against Dustin Hoffman, we might have a real demonstration of The Method on our hands — and to think it was actually proposed.

Having come up around the same time, Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman quickly marked themselves as some of the most unique, bold talents on the screen. With that, people couldn’t help but lump them in the same class and debate over who had the upper hand — or the best right hook. As Pacino recalls in his new book Sonny Boy (which is crammed with amazing stories), “There must have been something in the air, because the comparisons were flying left and right. It got to the point where the great theater producer and impresario, Alexander H. Cohen, a guy I liked very much, suggested that Dustin and I get together at Madison Square Garden and fight each other in a boxing match, and he really meant it.” Oh come on, that’s a million times better than Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul!

Pacino would end up brushing off the potential bout with Hoffman, fully aware he wouldn’t stand a chance. “I said to Cohen, ‘Let me just tell you straight out: Dustin will beat me. He works out. He’ll knock me out.’ I thought Alexander would be better off asking Meryl Streep to fight me instead. But then I got a little worried. Sh*t, what if she wins? Luckily, the fight never got off the ground.” Now imagine Pacino being told he had to get into the ring with the Raging Bull himself, Robert De Niro…

Despite their decades-spanning careers and having numerous parallels, Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman only ever had one shared credit: 1990’s Dick Tracy, with Pacino giving an Oscar-nominated turn as Big Boy Caprice and Hoffman in the limited role of nervous, sweaty henchman Mumbles.

Imagine it’s the 1970s and make a call to your shady bookie. Who do you have in the boxing match between Al Pacino and Dustin Hoffman? 

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You could pretty much call any adult who sings with puppets to be strange, but Jason Segel has run with it, once being called “weird” and making a career of it. And judging by Forgetting Sarah Marshall, he’s more man than muppet…

Appearing on Today (with Entertainment Weekly), Jason Segel remembered his time working with Judd Apatow initially on Freaks and Geeks, in which he played Rush-loving drummer Andopolis. It was here that Segel – like so many – was taken in by Apatow, who provided the budding actor with advice that would change his course. “It was a bit of an apprenticeship period, where we literally learned how to write a script. And his parting words to me were, ‘Listen, Jace, you’re a weird dude. The only way you’re going to make it is if you write your own material.’ He was right, and it changed my life. I wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall like a year after that.”

Jason Segel, of course, is one of many alumnus of The Judd Apatow School of Comedy for Stoners. On this collection, Segel remembered the writer/director/producer “systematically started putting us in movies. He put Seth in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and then Seth did Knocked Up as the lead, and he put the rest of us in as the friends. After Knocked Up he took me to a Lakers game and he said, ‘I think you’re at bat. Do you have any ideas?’ I said ‘Yeah, I just started writing this thing called Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Apatow would end up serving as producer and Forgetting Sarah Marshall would take in more than $100 million worldwide.

Jason Segel would go on to resurrect The Muppets in the 2011 namesake movie, following that up by reteaming with Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Nicholas Stoller for The Five-Year Engagement. Surprisingly, Segel has done very little directing, only doing so for his short-lived drama Dispatches from Elsewhere. Season two of Shrinking is currently on Apple TV+, itself a series I could see Segel excelling at directing a few episodes of.

What is your favorite Jason Segel project to date? Do you prefer him as an actor or a writer?

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As it stands, the Best Picture race is wide open, with no clear winner at the head of the pack. But one that will no doubt be vying for a number of categories is The Brutalist, a post-WWII epic that many critics are having a hard time finding the right films to compare it to. So as we wait for its prime awards season release on December 20th, A24 has unveiled the first teaser for The Brutalist.

A slow burn that rests on smart pacing, a tense score and only a mere idea of what to expect, this trailer for The Brutalist might be the most fitting way to tease the “monumental” picture.

Here is the official plot of The Brutalist: “Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost…” 

The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody as Tóth, marking what looks to be just the sort of return to glory that has too-long eluded him since winning Best Actor back in 2003 for The Pianist, another WWII-set film. Felicity Jones – who earned an Oscar nod for The Theory of Everything – plays his wife, while Guy Pearce is the aforementioned industrialist.

Running just over three and a half hours, The Brutalist may not seem like the film to rush out and see on opening night, but by pretty much all accounts – it holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and our own Chris Bumbray gave a 9/10 out of the Toronto International Film Festival – this is one of the essential films of 2024. Maybe, too, Oppenheimer helped open the gates for those who might have been skeptical of seeing a film with such a lengthy runtime on the big screen. Heck, make it a double feature with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 if that’s what gets you to the cinema.

What do you think of the teaser for The Brutalist? Will you be seeing it when it opens in December?

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I am the one who reduces, reuses and recycles! Walter White is back, but instead of cooking up meth, he’s cleaning up trash. You’re goddamn right…

In the 30-second ad, Walter White (that is, Heisenberg) is seen rolling a barrel in the desert. But this isn’t a Golden Moth product. Instead, it’s revealed to be a garbage can, which he sets up next to a spread of trash. Amongst the pile is a pair of pants that were made famous in both the first episode and the final season’s “Ozymandias.” Once the camera cuts to a close-up, Walter White holds up a discarded cup from Los Pollos Hermanos and says, “Keep litter out of my territory.”

The video was shared by Lujan Grisham, the current governor of New Mexico, the state which, of course, Walter White called home. It’s part of an initiative called “Breaking Bad Habits!” In a statement, Grisham said, “I need everyone’s attention. We’re going to talk about what you can do to reduce packaging and plastics and have a discussion about that and about where they go.”

Using an anti-hero in your campaign for the environment might seem like a curious choice, but with the obvious geographical connection and immediately identifiable figure, there might be no one better. Walter White may have been killed off in Breaking Bad’s finale, but the guy is still far more relevant than Captain Planet and the Planeteers.

Walter White has lived on as one of the greatest TV characters ever, solidified even more so due to Bryan Cranston’s willingness to use him elsewhere, as in the case of the “Breaking Bad Habits!” campaign. He previously brought back the character for a pair of Super Bowl ads: one for Esurance and another promoting PopCorners alongside Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman.

But these will be about the extent of Walter White’s returns, as Bryan Cranston is still against a full-on Breaking Bad reunion. Malcolm in the Middle on the other hand…

What do you think of Walter White’s return for this campaign? What do you think would make the most sense for the character to plug?

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Even with certain terms being met amid last year’s SAG-AFTRA strike, the threat of artificial intelligence in the business is still prevalent, especially with loopholes and tricky terminology. And Nicolas Cage has been one of the biggest skeptics on the use of AI in Hollywood, now warning those who will enter the business that it’s something they’re going to have to face head on.

Appearing at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, Nicolas Cage took time to call out AI, particularly a form dubbed EBDR, or an employment-based digital replica. In short, AI can be (used with the performer’s participation) to alleviate workload and production costs. Going through this on The Flash, Cage has enough experience to know that it’s going to do more harm than good to the new generation of actors.

Nicolas Cage took his stance on AI by saying, “The studios want this so that they can change your face after you’ve already shot it — they can change your face, they can change your voice, they can change your line deliveries, they can change your body language, they can change your performance. I’m asking you, if you’re approached by a studio to sign a contract, permitting them to use EBDR on your performance, I want you to consider what I am calling MVMFMBMI: my voice, my face, my body, my imagination — my performance, in response. Protect your instrument.”

Nicolas Cage also noted that AI lacks pretty much everything we love about the craft of acting. “Film performance, to me, is very much a handmade, organic, from-scratch process. It’s from the heart, it’s from the imagination, it’s from thoughts and detail and thinking and honing and preparing.” What, you think artificial intelligence could possibly generate Longlegs?

Earlier this year, a study revealed that the use of AI in Hollywood could end up costing the industry more than 200,000 jobs in just three years. While we’ll have to wait to see if those numbers turn out to be accurate, even the possibility is scary enough. And of course this isn’t just about acting, as we have already seen it take heavy criticism in the graphic design realm as well.

What do you make of EBDR? Do you see this posing a significant threat in Hollywood?

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We’ve all heard stories about our favorite stars acting like complete jerks on the set, whether it’s lashing out at cast and crew members or showing up whenever the hell they want because they know cameras won’t roll without them. And we’ve seen them act quite grouchy in public as well, although it’s hard to blame them for wanting to not be bothered every time they leave the house. And if he had his way, Chris Pratt would make sure every prominent celebrity would be pleasant and patient both on the set and with fans.

Appearing at New York Comic Con (via People), Chris Pratt addressed his fellow Hollywood stars, particularly those who turn into primadonnas on the set. “Look, these guys can attest to this, because they’re the same way, like, there’s no room for sh*tty attitudes there. You can’t have a bad…you can’t have a bad attitude in moviemaking, it ruins everything for everyone, and then you don’t last long.” He added, “It sucks when people have a crappy attitude. So when you show up on set, there’s no reason why you should…Like, ‘Oh, are you having a hard time living your dream? Is that tough for you today?’ Like, come on and pull your head out. Have fun.”

Chris Pratt does indeed seem to have as much fun as possible both on and off the set, with co-stars often praising his personality and composure and his fanbase recognizing this in public. Heck, the dude is even patient with TMZ lurkers, to give you an idea of how conscious he is with his persona.

Chris Pratt recently wrapped up his tenure as Star-Lord (or did he…?) and voiced two iconic characters, Mario and Garfield. His next film, The Electric State, will debut on Netflix in March and co-stars Millie Bobby Brown, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, and Giancarlo Esposito, with voices from the likes of Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Billy Bob Thornton, Brian Cox, and more. No word yet on if Cox was in one of his moods or not…

What do you make of stories of celebrities acting unprofessional on the set? Does it change your image of them or does it not matter? Give us your take in the comments section below.

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If Goosebumps is going to have a revival, we are all in for it. So many of us grew up on R.L. Stine’s spooky spines, collecting haunted masks and staying out of the basement. The live-action movies may have run their course, but the series is thriving on the small screen. With strong enough ratings and reviews, word came a few months after the first season’s conclusion that a sophomore season would officially mark it as an anthology. Now, we have the official trailer for what has been dubbed Goosebumps: The Vanishing.

As per Disney, Goosebumps: The Vanishing “begins when twins Cece and Devin Brewer are sent to spend a summer in Gravesend, Brooklyn, with their divorced dad. A threat is stirring, and they quickly realize that dark secrets are among them, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. As they delve into the unknown, Cece, Devin and their friends — Alex, CJ and Frankie — find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994.”

Jayden Bartels plays Cece, while Sam McCarthy is Devin. Meanwhile, Alex, CJ and Frankie are played by Francesca Noel, Elijah M. Cooper and Galilea La Salvia, respectively. Most of these may not be household names, but David Schwimmer’s presence will bring a bit of star power (and maybe some willingness to watch from parents), just as Jack Black did for the 2015 Goosebumps movie and Justin Long’s familiarity did for season one.

While we dug the first season of Goosebumps enough to give it a 7/10 review, the trailer for The Vanishing does look a lot better in numerous aspects. Unfortunately, it will only consist of eight episodes, whereas the first had 10. There, too, is a bit of disappointment that it won’t come out until January 10th on Disney+ and Hulu, as October would have obviously been the premiere choice for release.

What do you think of the trailer for Goosebumps: The Vanishing? Were you a fan of the first season? Do you think it will improve on it? Say “cheese” and let us know in the comments below!

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Just last week it was announced that Alien: Romulus would be getting its physical media – more specifically, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD – release in December. You can now add one more type of physical media to that collection, as Alien: Romulus will also be getting the VHS treatment, complete with artwork by the great Matt Ferguson.

This Romulus VHS is marketed as a tie-in to the original Alien’s 45th anniversary, although we can’t ignore the fact that Romulus director Fede Álvarez worked in several references to and took plenty of inspiration from past installments of the Alien franchise.

The fact that 20th Century Studios (and Disney) is willing to take a risk to please such a niche audience shows some real dedication. Certainly Romulus itself didn’t need it, as it already took in $350 million at the worldwide box office and will certainly do just fine through streaming and Blu-ray/DVD purchases. But it’s always incredibly cool to see a showcase for VHS, especially through a new film, as we have seen becoming a small trend over the past few years. The studio is going all-in, too, as the film will be presented in 4:3 full screen. And that vintage-looking box art is badass, too!

Here is the official plot of Alien: Romulus: “This truly terrifying sci-fi horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful Alien franchise back to its iconic roots. While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young colonizers come face-to-face with the most relentless and deadly life form in the universe.”

The Alien: Romulus VHS is marked as “limited edition”. While we don’t know exactly how many have been produced, those who want to own this throwback – and check the film out in a way they never would have imagined (even more so if you saw it in IMAX) – might not want to wait. While we will have to wait to get Alien: Romulus on Blu-ray, DVD and VHS until December 3rd, you can currently rent or buy it digitally.

Set between 1978’s Alien and 1986’s Aliens, Romulus bridges the gap between the two films while serving as a total work of dedication and appreciation to the series. It’s still unclear if Álvarez is definitely going to make a sequel, but in the meantime, he has left his mark on the franchise.

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If there’s one thing Tom Holland is known for in the MCU, it’s Spider-Man. But if there’s another, it’s his utter inability not to spoil its movies. Despite some serious gaffes in the PR department, Tom Holland did hold one major secret in regarding the MCU: Robert Downey Jr.’s role as Doctor Doom, one of the biggest surprise casting announcements in recent memory.

Appearing on the Rick Roll podcast (via Variety), Tom Holland said he had a tremendously hard time keeping that particular MCU spoiler to himself. “I’ve been speaking to [Robert Downey Jr.] a lot, especially about him making his [Marvel] return, which is super exciting…That was a tough secret to sit on because I have a reputation for ruining things and I strategically have done no press.” Downey was announced as Doctor Doom this last summer, an incredibly bold move considering we all knew RDJ as Tony Stark/Iron Man for so long. Had he spilled the beans, no doubt we would all have all had an Aunt May moment, screaming our own version of “WTF?!” until we could get ourselves back in order.

As for what Tom Holland is referring to with his MCU spoilers, the kid probably could have taken a few lessons from Peter Parker on how to keep a secret. Seriously, the dude has spoiled plot points in the MCU and the existence of sequels to the point where even his fellow Marvel cast members are on edge during joint interviews that he’ll do it again. (Hey, it would at least take pressure off of Owen Wilson!) With years of this kind of experience to his name, it really is something of a miracle that Downey Jr.’s future wasn’t blown.

Tom Holland spoilers or not, Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU is one of the more intriguing and controversial casting decisions that the studio has ever dropped…Now we’ll just have to wait until 2026 to see if it pays off, as Avengers: Doomsday is set for May 1st of that year. The follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars, is set for a May 7th, 2027 release.

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Season one of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hasn’t even aired yet but has already been renewed for a second, a huge get for the latest expansion of the franchise. Added to this, Tatiana Maslany – who fully broke out in more ways than one with Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law – has also been named as a cast member.

Fresh out of New York Comic Con comes word that Starfleet Academy will go beyond at least its first season, which is currently filming in Canada. Those episodes aren’t even expected to drop until next year at the earliest, with some pegging them to be released in 2026. Whenever the actual release will be, Starfleet Academy is looking to freshen up the franchise in a way that will hopefully beam in a younger audience.

Starfleet Academy will indeed skew towards the next generation, as it “introduces us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.”

But there will still be some veterans in the cast, with Holly Hunter portraying the head of the namesake academy and Paul Giamatti taking on the lead villain role. Maslany’s role has yet to be revealed.

Starfleet Academy was formally announced early last year, with cameras rolling this past August. But this isn’t the only Star Trek project going on, as season three of Strange New Worlds is set to debut next year, with the second season having concluded in August 2023.

Of course, the original Star Trek series first debuted nearly 60 years ago in 1966. But the franchise has had no problem (well, for the most part) adapting with the times or building its fanbase, even switching exclusively to streaming programming last decade with Discovery. Like its predecessors in the streaming age, Starfleet Academy will be available on Paramount+.

What are your expectations for Starfleet Academy? Do you think it has a shot to live long and prosper?

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