Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 157

THE TOXIC AVENGER Reboot Sets 2025 Release Date

The Toxic Avenger is one of the pillars of ’80s horror and remains a splatter classic to this day. That’s why we were so excited when Macon Blair of all people signed on to write and direct a remake. Starring Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon, we first heard about the movie all the way back in 2018. It opened the 2023 Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX, and subsequently played more genre festivals that year. We thought for sure it would release shortly thereafter. But that’s not always how things work. Luckily, the movie will see theaters this year. The Toxic Avenger has set an August 29, 2025 release date.

Legendary Pictures

Cineverse will distribute the movie beginning in August of 2025, and Blair expressed gratitude to both them and his collaborators for their patience in this process. In an official statement, the director said:

It’s so cool that folks will have the chance to see this in theaters, it’s a fun rowdy movie you wanna see with a crowd. Mutant hero smashes bad guys with a mop: perfect entertainment for the whole family! Our goal was always to preserve the heart and spirit of the original Toxie (which was seared into my brain at a very young age) and try to make something that Troma fans would dig and at the same time do something with the character that feels fresh. Lloyd and Michael at Troma have been a blast to work with, absolutely everyone at Legendary are stars, and I can’t wait to start working with the champs at Cineverse to bring this version of Toxie to fans new and old.

The original Toxic Avenger debuted in 1984 and put Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz, and Troma on the map with its blend of irreverent, often puerile humor and over-the-top splatter gore. Troma has produced three sequels for the title as well as, of all things, a short-lived early-’90s children’s cartoon.

Legendary

The new film centers on Dinklage as Winston Gooze, a hopelessly unlucky janitor at a toxic waste facility who, though a series of unfortunate events gets doused in chemicals and transforms into a hideous, green mutant. “Armed with his signature mop, the unlikely hero battles freaks, gangsters, and corrupt CEOs while trying to save his relationship with his son. The story channels the subversive gonzo energy of the original Toxic Avenger while delivering a fresh, contemporary twist,” reads the official synopsis.

I for one am very excited for people to finally get to see this one on a grander scale. I got to see it at Beyond Fest in LA in 2023 and even talk to Macon Blair about it for Nerdist‘s Laser Focus podcast. It’s a very fun time, and just as delightfully gross as you’d hope. And funny, too.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Originally published on January 21, 2025.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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DEN OF THIEVES 3 Already in the Works on the Heels of DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA Success

After topping the box office with its sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, the Den of Thieves series will now continue to a third chapter. Via Variety, we’ve learned that a Den of Thieves 3 movie in the action/crime/heist franchise is currently in the planning stages from Lionsgate Films. Right now, Gerard Butler is expected to return to both star and produce in Den of Thieves 3, and Lionsgate is in talks with franchise creator Christian Gudegast to return to write and direct as well. The plan is for actor O’Shea Jackson Jr. to also return in the proposed third installment.

Lionsgate Films

It’s been quite an adventure to arrive at this Den of Thieves 3 announcement. The first Den of Thieves came out in 2018 and starred Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr, among other notable names. The film was in development for a whopping 14 years before finally filming in 2017. Made on a budget of 30 million dollars, the film made over 80 million worldwide. It became an even bigger hit on streaming. But it took six years to get a sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, greenlit. The second chapter finally hit theaters this January. So it’s no surprise that this time around, Den of Thieves 3 is being fast-tracked. Lionsgate isn’t going to sit on the property for six years this time.

O’Shea Jackson Jr. especially wants to keep working alongside Gerard Butler in this franchise. He recently told Variety “To quote Ryan Reynolds, I want to work with Gerard until he’s 90. I have such a family feel with these guys. I know how much I want to do these other films, but we cannot cheapen this beautiful thing that we made. This one took six or seven years to get done. I hope the next one doesn’t. In our heart of hearts, we won’t make it if it’s not right and if it’s not the same thing that made audiences fall in love with the franchise in the first place.” It seems like he might just get his wish. Den of Thieves 3 doesn’t have a production start date yet or anything else, but we expect more news on the third franchise installment soon.

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Will Smith Releases His MATRIX-Themed Music Video for ‘Beautiful Scars’

One of the most famous “What If?” questions in movie history is what The Matrix movies would’ve been like with Will Smith as Neo. As many fans know, Smith was offered the leading role as Neo by the Wachowskis but he turned it down in favor of the Wild Wild West movie. Obviously, one movie became a whole franchise and one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all-time and it was NOT Wild Wild West. (FWIW, I actually think that movie is a ton of fun and he was great in it.) Will Smith has always maintained that he is okay with his choice and, honestly, it is hard to imagine anyone other than Keanu in that role. Recently, Will Smith stirred up theories on Instagram after posting a cryptic video hinting that he could be in a future Matrix movie, but it turns out that wasn’t the case at all. 

Update 1/30/25: Will Smith Releases Matrix-Themed Music Video for “Beautiful Scars”

Will Smith’s The Matrix-themed music video for his project with Big Sean has now released. You can check out all its Matrix-y goodness right now.

UPDATE 1/23/25: Will Smith, you marketing genius. Deadline‘s suspicions that the actor was dropping a new music project and not starring in a new The Matrix film was spot on. Will dropped more information on his IG page, including some behind-the-scenes shots of him filming some very Matrix-like scenes and even rocking the those infamous shades. Today, Will finally confirmed that his new project is a song he is doing with Mr. Anderson. No, not that one. It is Sean Anderson, better known as rapper Big Sean. Their song and music video for “Beautiful Scars” dropped on January 30. You can check it out above. We guess that means Will is less Neo and more Morpheus.

UPDATE 1/8/2025: Recent reports by The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline suggest that Will Smith will not be involved in a new The Matrix movie. The former said insider information revealed that Will Smith will not be a new The Matrix project, but it is not clear what Smith is referring to in his video (posted below). Meanwhile, Deadline seems to believe that this clip is tied to an upcoming music project by Smith. So far, Will Smith’s reps nor the man himself are telling anyone anything.

Original Article Below

The video mimics the blacked out computer screen that Neo saw a message on in the original film. The initial screen of orange text says the following:

In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo? 

The following screens are what really got fans going. They say “Wake up Will…” and “The Matrix has you…” 

Columbia Pictures

Will Smith posted the strange Matrix message without further captions, which led to people losing their minds in his comments. Is Will Smith going to star in a new The Matrix movie? Will he team up Keanu Reeves for it? Is this film a reboot or just one that takes place in that universe? Or is Will just playing with people’s emotions because he likes to do that on IG? We don’t know but it seems like he’s hinting at something coming soon. His long-time creative partner DJ Jazzy Jeff posted fire emojis, indicating that he is aware of what The Fresh Prince is up to. Let’s see what happens in the near future. 

Originally published January 6, 2025.

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ROMY AND MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION Getting Sequel Nearly 30 Years Later

One of the most offbeat studio comedies of the ’90s is getting a follow-up. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it looks like Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is getting a sequel at last, with original stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow returning. The original film, about two unambitious women who attend their 10-year high school reunion and lie about their accomplishments was a minor theatrical hit in 1997. But it got a huge following on home video and TV. It has since become a cult classic. For years there were rumors about a sequel, and now it looks like it’s finally happening.

Twentieth Century Studios

The sequel has signed on Tim Federle, creator of High School Musical: The Series, to direct the feature film for Twentieth Century Studios. Right now, it looks like filming will start sometime in June, possibly shooting in Los Angeles. Both Sorvino and Kudrow will be executive producers. So what will this sequel be about? No one is saying, but the timing of a potential release would be right around the time Romy and Michele would be attending their 40th high school reunion. That scenario seems way too good to pass up as a premise. This time, Romy and Michele better have a better lie to tell their classmates than saying they invented Post-Its. Maybe they can say they invented social media?

Many supporting cast from the first Romy and Michele film went on to big careers in Hollywood, like Justin Theroux and Alan Cumming. Also in an early role was Kristin Bauer, known for her work on True Blood and Once Upon a Time. She was one of “The A-Group” of mean girls in the first movie. It would be wild if somehow all of these actors returned, even if only for a cameo appearance. Not to mention Janeane Garofalo, who the filmmakers should definitely ask to come back in some capacity. Here’s hoping the Romy and Michele sequel is one of the rare comedy legacy films that does not disappoint.

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Clayface Is Not Dead in the DCU, According to James Gunn

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Eventually, Batman will make his live-action debut in the DCU, probably in the film Brave and the Bold. But one of his most well-known villains just made his DCU debut in Creature Commandos episode 5, “The Iron Pot,” which introduced us to Clayface. The comics have had several shape-shifting villains named Clayface, with the original, Basil Karlo, first appearing in Detective Comics #40 in 1940, only a year after Batman’s debut. Recently, DC Studios announced a Clayface film, written by horror maestro Mike Flanagan. But is the Clayface from this upcoming film the same one from Creature Commandos? It seems, according to recent comments made by DC Studios’ James Gunn, that he probably will be.

jamesgunn.bsky.social‬

On social media, Gunn said “Reports of Clayface’s death have been greatly exaggerated. He’s quite mushy though.” So that sure sounds like it will indeed be the same version of the character. Otherwise why let him live? It looks like he survived his encounter with the characters from Creature Commandos, if only barely. But it could all be a misdirect, and we’re getting a different version of the Batman villain. It could just as easily be one of the many other Clayfaces. And there have indeed been many, eight in total.

Clayface in Creature Commandos DC Studios

In Creature Commandos, Task Force M’s head honcho Amanda Waller receives professional advice from an expert in Themyscira named Professor MacPherson. She convinces them that Circe’s proclamations of Princess Ilana’s plans to conquer the world are, in fact, all true. But in episode five, Rick Flag and Eric Frankenstein discover that the professor is actually Clayface in disguise. Flag recognizes Clayface as a known super villain. The pair gets into a huge fight with Clayface (voiced by Alan Tudyk, who also voices him on Harley Quinn). This fight leaves Clayface (and Flag) a little worse for wear. The episode never actually reveals which version of Clayface they fought, leaving many possibilities.

The Many Clayfaces of DC ComicsDC Comics

The first Clayface in the pages of DC Comics was Basil Karlo. He was a Hollywood actor who used the name of his horror film character and became a serial killer. In the sci-fi Silver Age of the ’60s, DC introduced another Clayface as a Batman foe, Matt Hagen. He was a treasure hunter who gained shapeshifting abilities from a radioactive pool. A third Clayface, Preston Payne, later appeared in the Bronze Age, in a 1978 issue of Detective Comics. He gained his powers by using the DNA of Hagen.

A variety of other characters with similar powers all used the name and look of Clayface since, although mostly for brief periods. Among them were Cassius “Clay” Payne, Peter Malley, Todd Russell, and Sondra Fuller, the only female Clayface. Their powers all differed somewhat, but almost all of them could only change into something (or someone) else for brief periods. They almost always reverted to a muddy, clay being as their default form. The character gained the most fame when they combined Basil Karlo with Matt Hagen for the seminal Batman: The Animated Series in 1992.

Batman: The Animated Series Introduced the Most Iconic ClayfaceWarner Bros. Animation

In the B:TAS episode “Feat of Clay,” the series producers reimagined Matt Hagen as a Hollywood actor, not an adventurer, much like Basil Karlo. However, his power set was definitely like Hagen’s in the comics. He turned into a hulking blob of clay, and that visualization is what the comics eventually adopted. Various media since Batman: The Animated Series has used different people using the name Clayface. However, the look they invented for the character has stuck around, from Batman: Brave and the Bold to Harley Quinn. Only the recent Batman: Caped Crusader went back to the original Basil Karlo iteration for their period piece series.

Creature Commandos‘ Clayface Hints Toward His DCU FutureDC Comics

So who is the Clayface we meet in Creature Commandos? He’s definitely visually inspired by the Matt Hagen version from B:TAS. But they never say his civilian name, likely on purpose. He could be Hagen, Karlo, or even one of the less famous ones. He’s possibly Johnny Williams, the former firefighter Clayface of the early 2000s. He was a little more crass, like the Clayface in Creature Commandos. It’s impossible to say for certainty if this is the one who will star in a solo film. This version is a cold-blooded murderer, not a tragic figure. However, if “it’s all connected” in this new DCU, even if they are not the same literal person, his appearance is likely giving us our first look into what the live-action DCU Clayface looks like. We’re just excited to see what the future of this iconic villain is in the DCU.

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Why a WICCAN Series Should Complete the MCU’s ‘Harkness Trilogy’

Patti LuPone has no filter. She also has neither the time nor the need for BS. So when she says Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer told her the show won’t have a second season, we know the Broadway legend is telling the truth. Normally that kind of news would bum us out because we loved the series, but not this time. It means Schaeffer is free to do something unique on television. Just like Agatha All Along served as a sequel to her first MCU series WandaVision, Schaeffer can now make the first-ever TV trilogy with a show focused on Wiccan. And considering what we know about both his comics and MCU story, the series could make this Harkness Trilogy a full, satisfying circle.

Marvel Studios

“I don’t do second seasons.” That’s what Patti LuPone said Jac Schaeffer told her about potentially returning to Agatha All Along. Schaeffer also told LuPone she passed on doing more WandaVision, even though Marvel Studios wanted another season. Schaeffer said she only does “one-offs” because “there’s too much to write.” That doesn’t mean she has to say goodbye to her MCU witches, though. She certainly didn’t after WandaVision.

Schaeffer followed up her first Disney+ MCU series with a de facto sequel that worked as its own standalone show. Agatha All Along had direct, meaningful connections to WandaVision, but it featured an a different main character, tone, and purpose. That kind of sequel series is what Agatha All Along set up in its final moments. The show ended with Ghost Agatha going off with Billy Maximoff to find his missing brother Tommy. Whatever happens next to the MCU’s witches is about Billy, not Agatha, just as whatever happened to Agatha after the Hex fell was about her and not Wanda.

Marvel Studios

That’s exactly the show Schaeffer should make next. A Wiccan series would tie into its predecessors in meaningful ways yet it could also be something new. It would be the third part of an MCU Harkness Trilogy. Each installment would serve itself and be part of a bigger cohesive story, like a classic movie trilogy.

TV spinoffs are not like movie sequels. Cheers and Frasier are two of the best sitcoms ever, but no one thinks of Frasier as a sequel. It was a spinoff. (The recently cancelled Frasier reboot/sequel was even less connected to Cheers.) Even when a series leads to multiple spinoffs as part of a larger universe, like The Walking Dead, the new shows aren’t operating together the way a cohesive film trilogy does. The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, and Lou Grant are not bound together the way A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi are. Even anthology series that exist in the same universe and timeline and have direct connections don’t work that way. True Detective has through lines, but it is not equivalent to The Dark Knight trilogy.

Marvel Studios

TV can deliver shared cinematic worlds like the Arrowverse, Star Trek, and The Defenders, but those aren’t created or connect the way film series do. No one would equate those shows with movie series like Back to the Future or The Matrix. Mostly because it’s never really been something anyone could do. TV’s traditional episodic structure and typical sandbox-style storytelling makes that all but impossible. The modern television format of fewer episodes with a tighter, season-long major arc doesn’t easily lend itself to recreating the kind of connected stories you can tell with a film series, either. You can focus on a different major story every season, the way shows like Mad Men or The Wire did, but those are still self-contained shows. They would never be confused with a film trilogy and they shouldn’t be.

The only person that has done something similar to Schaeffer on TV is what Vince Gilligan did with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. His shows were intimately connected and interwoven, but told very different stories following very different lead characters in a very different manner. (Though not nearly as different as WandaVision and Agatha All Along told theirs.) But even Gilligan didn’t attempt a third show. The closest he came was the underwhelming El Camino sequel, a movie whose existence makes a compelling case against applying this film format to TV.

Schaeffer’s big advantage is the length of Disney+ MCU shows. WandaVision and Agatha All Along run 18 episodes combined. Breaking Bad alone had 62. With dramatically fewer episodes to worry about Schaeffer can tell a tighter, more movie-like story with each of her shows. She did exactly that with both WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Now she can do so with her next main character, Billy Maximoff. Agatha All Along ended by setting up the beginning of his story, where him and his goals are the focus. His brother Tommy found a body just like Billy did when the Hex collapsed. Billy, with the help of ghost Agatha, is now going to go off and find him, a story set up at the end of both WandaVision and Agatha All Along. It’s also the type of journey his comic counterpart is very familiar with.

As viewers learned, Wiccan is an immensely powerful witch. And despite never getting his own standalone series (him and his boyfriend Hulkling have co-headlined a short run), he’s been a major figure in some important Marvel Comics storylines. One of those included doing the very thing his onscreen counterpart is setting out to do: look for a missing family member. Only instead of his brother, comics Wiccan went looking for his powerful mom, the Scarlet Witch. She’s a major character who just so happens to be missing in the MCU right now.

Marvel Studios

A Disney+ Wiccan series, telling its own story in its own way with its own lead character, just as Agatha All Along did, could also see Billy (and possibly Tommy) looking for their mother. And that would bring Schaeffer’s Harkness Trilogy full circle, the fitting ending for any multi-part series. It began with Wanda creating the Hex and Agatha coming to find her. Now instead of working against a Maximoff witch, Agatha can support the Scarlet Witch’s children to find the woman who binds all them and their stories together. (Which would also provide a bonus of servicing the MCU at large.)

Jac Schaeffer doesn’t want to do another season of WandaVision or Agatha All Along. Yet she left major questions about her witches unanswered, as though she’s not done with them yet. We hope she’s not. And we hope she continues telling her magical story in a way that would be unlike anything that’s ever been done on TV before. She can help a studio that built an empire adapting the best concepts of television serialization for movies do the opposite. Marvel could bring the best of movie serialization to television. And, with apologies to the great Patti LuPone, that would be even better than a second season of any TV show.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist willing to walk the Witches’ Road. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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DEVIL MAY CRY Anime Series Shares Its Rad Opening Credits, Confirms April Release Date

‘Tis the season for many things—pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, and… video game adaptations. Yes, more than ever, our favorite games are turning into series for our viewing pleasure. Next up, the popular video game Devil May Cry is heading to Netflix in the form of an anime series. In this current gaming adaptation age, we bet the results are better than ever. Here’s what we know about the Devil May Cry series heading to Netflix.

Devil May Cry Opening Sequence Video

Netflix finally gave fans more fun to chew on for Devil May Cry by revealing its very rad opening credits set to Limp Bizkit’s “Rollin'”. Gotta love that artwork.

Devil May Cry Official Teaser Trailer and Release Date

In celebration of Geeked Week 2024, Netflix teases that Dante is on his way. The streamer released an official teaser trailer for Devil May Cry and it is action-packed and epic. This Devil May Care teaser made a few things clear: his name is Dante, he’s a demon hunter, and he can sure shoot those two guns. In addition to a million awesome looking demons, the teaser spent most of its time focusing on Dante. But it also introduced us to the villain of Devil May Cry season one, the dastardly White Rabbit, also called Rabi. He can’t wait for the gates of hell to open. And we’re pretty sure that’s bad news. Either way, we’re hyped!

But that’s not the only exciting piece of news, Netflix revealed that Devil May Cry will release in on April 3.

Devil May Cry Series Announcement Teaser Trailer

Conversations about the Devil May Cry animated series have been circulating since 2021. So we feel glad to finally see it coming to fruition. Netflix’s original teaser for Devil May Cry didn’t show us too much from the anime show. But it did set the tone just right. The quick scenes of action and the hard rock music certainly have us ready to dive into an episode. And the animation looks incredibly good.

The only character we see in the above Devil May Cry teaser is Dante. He’s got his red jacket, his guns, his white hair, and he’s ready to go. But in earlier conversations, creator and showrunner of the series Adi Shankar confirmed we’d see other familiar Devil May Cry characters. He noted, “I can confirm that Vergil is in it, as well as Lady, and of course Dante as well.” We can’t wait to see how these characters transform for the show.

The Anime Series SynopsisNetflix

Netflix also shared a logline for the Devil May Cry series; it notes:

In this animated adaptation of the popular Capcom game, sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.

We do love a sinister force. And an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire. Dante certainly does not seem aware the fate of multiple worlds is on his shoulders in the teaser clip, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens when he does.

Devil May Cry‘s Episode Count and MoreNetflix

Devil May Cry will be eight episodes long. Adi Shankar, as mentioned, is the showrunner and creator. Alex Larsen is the writer on the show. The series comes from Netflix, Capcom, and Studio MIR, so we know it is in good hands.

Shankar noted, “I’m honored that Netflix and Capcom have entrusted me to shepherd the Devil May Cry franchise. Alex Larsen and I love these characters; we are part of the fandom, and vow to surpass the exceptionally high bar we set for ourselves.”

Hopefully, we will know more about Devil May Cry very soon.

Originally published on September 27, 2023.

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Somehow, Scott Foley Will Be in SCREAM 7

Despite a slew of controversy over the past couple of years, the Scream franchise is moving forward with its seventh installment. The previous film left the Core Four and Gale Weathers (we assume, considering she didn’t die) in a relatively good place, with Sam finally moving towards healing and peace after killing Richie’s remaining family. (It’s wild but true.) Now, this next film is going back to the original with Neve Campbell returning as Sidney Prescott as the main character.

Dimension Films

In a bit of wild casting news, Scott Foley will return to the franchise in Scream 7. Yes, the guy who played Roman Bridger, a Ghostface who died back in Scream 3. Dewey absolutely shot him in the head, so there’s no way that character is still alive. We can assume he will appear perhaps in some flashbacks or perhaps in a video like Randy Meeks did in Scream 3. One thing we don’t hope happens is another Ghost of Ghostfaces Past, like the previous two films did with Billy. Please don’t do that again.

RELATED ARTICLE

Unpacking Maureen Prescott’s Devastating Story in SCREAM 3

It seems a bit weird to announce his return instead of allowing it to be a shock for fans. But, surprises are hard to hold onto in a world where people are constantly taking videos and photos of people trying to film a movie in peace.

The next film will be interesting, to say the least. Who will don that infamous mask next? Here’s what we know about Scream 7. 

Title

This film is indeed called Scream 7, which could be stylized as Scream VII.

Scream 7’s Plot Paramount Pictures

As stated above, Sam and Tara’s story came to a neat conclusion in Scream VI. And Sidney is living a happy life with her husband Mark and her daughters. It seems like there was no one else hiding in the shadows who would want to kill Sidney. Her story was complete and she found peace. So, the plot of Scream 7 is really up in the air. Depending on this film’s release, someone from 30 years ago could decide to celebrate the events of Scream (1996) in a sinister way. We shall see. 

Neve Campbell says she expects to get the final script sometime in August, so hopefully nothing will leak before they are ready to tell.

Behind-the-Scenes

Kevin Williamson, the writer of Scream (1996), will direct Scream 7. He is replacing Christopher Landon, who left the film after Melissa Barerra’s controversial (and very upsetting) firing and Jenna Ortega’s exit. Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt, who wrote the last two installments, will pen this sequel. The Radio Silence team will step back from directing duties to executive produce Scream 7. 

In an IndieWire interview, Campbell confirmed that filming will start in December 2024.

“We were supposed to start in September, but we’re going to start in December now because of some scheduling stuff with Kevin and myself and having that all aligned,” she shared. “And actually, I think it’s a good thing, because we’re going to be able to have the time to get it really right. So I’m very excited about it.”

It seems that filming is relatively on schedule. In early January, director Kevin Williamson posted an IG photo raving about having a good time on set with the cast and crew. The clapperboard said that it was day one of filming.

Scream 7’s Cast 

Right now, we know that Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding are returning from the previous film. The latter two are interesting considering Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin’s stories are closely tied to the Carpenter sisters, neither of whom will be in Scream 7. We don’t know if they will just make a quick cameo or if their stories will tie closely into Sidney’s in some fashion. We assume Roger L. Jackson will return as the voice of Ghostface.

Deadline reports that Scream 7 added Joel McHale to its cast as Sidney’s husband Mark, which means that she is not married to Patrick Dempsey’s Mark Kincaid from Scream 3. Most fans assumed that when she referred to Mark, she meant that character. They did seem to have some flirtation and were last seen hanging out at her house with Dewey (RIP) and Gale. Welp.

Paramount Pictures/NBC

When asked if he might return as Mark Kincaid, Patrick Dempsey previously said it was possible. Dempsey noted of reprising his role in Scream 7, “I’m waiting on the script, “There has been a conversation about it. I haven’t seen anything yet, so we’ll see what happens. … It’s always good to have a job.”

Unless this story involves Hollywood in some way, there’s no reason for Mark Kincaid to return.

We do know that at least one of Sidney’s kids is making an appearance. Deadline reports that Isabel May (1883) will portray Sidney’s currently unnamed daughter in Scream 7. It is not clear if she will be a main target like her mom was back in 1996. Considering the film releases in February 2026, it is possible that someone wants to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original killings by targeting Sid’s kid. She would be at least 14 years old by that time, according to the universe’s timeline.

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures

Deadline reports that Asa Germann, who is currently known for his role as Gen V‘s Sam Riordan, will join the cast of Scream 7 in some unknown role. Maybe he will be one of the next killers. We certainly know he’s not above taking someone out onscreen. In December, Deadline also reported genre staple McKenna Grace has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. Possibly another Sidney kid, or just fodder for Ghostface.

Mark Consuelos will also be in Scream 7 in some undisclosed role. Many may know him from Riverdale, where he played Hiram Lodge, or their moms perhaps watch him now on Live With Kelly & Mark.

Scream 7 Release Date 

Scream 7 will arrive in theaters on February 27, 2026. The cast and crew shared the release date on social media.

Originally published on March 13, 2024.

The post Somehow, Scott Foley Will Be in SCREAM 7 appeared first on Nerdist.

Watch Charlize Theron in Action in THE OLD GUARD 2 Sneak Peek

It’s been almost four years since The Old Guard hit Netflix. The movie, starring Charlize Theron and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, was based on a Greg Rucka graphic novel about immortal soldiers-for-hire. The Old Guard was one of the rare Netflix movies to get nearly universal praise upon release. Netflix officially announced a sequel not too long after the first film dropped on the streamer. Now, we finally have our first look at The Old Guard 2, which arrives on Netflix later this year, thanks to a special behind-the-scenes featurette. You can watch it right here:

The Old Guard 2 sees much of the original cast of the first film return, including Charlize Theron as Andromache of Scythia. Other actors returning from the first film include KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Also joining the cast this time is Uma Thurman. Will she be putting her Kill Bill stunt training to good use? We’ll just have to wait and see. The director this time is Victoria Mahoney, replacing Gina Prince-Bythewood. They completed filming for The Old Guard 2 way back in Fall 2022. So we’re not sure why such a long delay for Netflix to release it. But at least now we know it’s finally coming this summer.

Netflix

This new teaser for The Old Guard 2 doesn’t really tell us much about the film’s plot or general direction. We do see several brief flashes of Charlize and her crew kicking ass of course. And also what looks like a big action set piece taking place on a helicopter. And that’s pretty much what you’d want out of a sequel to the first film, right? The sneak peek only says “Coming Soon.” But at least as of right now, The Old Guard 2 has a July 2, 2025 release date.

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FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN Drops First Look Photos, Will Release Summer 2025

Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy brought R.L. Stine’s frankly underrated horror books to life with a story that spanned decades. We went to Shadyside, a cursed town with a long history of murder and mayhem until Deena Johnson finally freed them from this horrible cycle in 1994. Like Goosebumps, the Fear Street books were an anthology series that told many spooky stories, so fans were hopeful that the trilogy’s success would lead to more adventures. And we know more about when that’s going to happen. Fear Street will return to Netflix with a fourth installment titled Fear Street: Prom Queen in Summer 2025.

We don’t have a trailer quite yet, but we do have some sinister first-look photos from Fear Street: Prom Queen. Check out the images below:

Click To View Gallery Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix

First, this film is going to take us to Shadyside High School once again for a brand-new and dark story. Here’s a quick synopsis for the upcoming Fear Street film from Netflix: 

Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.  

Return to Shadyside High for one unforgettable night.

Fear Street: Prom Queen comes Netflix in 2025 🔪🩸 pic.twitter.com/W1heyY5SSc

— Netflix (@netflix) October 28, 2024

As evidenced by its title, this film will draw specifically from the 1992 book The Prom Queen. That story lines up pretty closely with the above synopsis, so we will see how it plays out in live-action. A new cast will take the lead of course, but there’s a small chance that we will see familiar characters make cameos, too. Christine Berman and Nick Goode were around and likely in their 20s at the time and that would tie the story somewhat into the events we saw in 1978 and 1994. 

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN IS NOW IN PRODUCTION 🩸 Welcome to Shadyside High. We're gonna have a killer time. pic.twitter.com/jDl0zRa2CH

— Netflix (@netflix) April 30, 2024

Sadly Leigh Janiak is not back as a director this time. Matt Palmer will direct this new movie. 

What Is the Release Date for Fear Street: Prom Queen?  

 Fear Street: Prom Queen will hit Netflix in Summer 2025.

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