Movies

Fans were thrilled at the possibility of Godzilla facing another monster in the sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, something he’s done many times before in films. Early promotional images, which only showed lit-up clouds and the logo, sparked a lot of guessing about which classic monster from Toho might appear. Many believed Hedorah, the notorious Smog Monster, would be included, especially since the director had expressed interest in adapting the character and some thought the clouds represented its toxic pollution. However, a new detail in the Godzilla Minus Zero teaser suggests a different, well-known enemy of Godzilla will be featured instead.

The new movie, Hunt for Gollum, arrives in theaters on December 17, 2027. It’s the seventh live-action film in the Lord of the Rings series, and the eighth overall when you include the animated prequel The War of the Rohirrim released in 2024. Andy Serkis, who has famously played Gollum since The Two Towers in 2002, is directing. The screenplay is by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens – longtime collaborators with director Peter Jackson on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies – along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou.

The new movie begins in 1949, two years after the dramatic events of Godzilla Minus One. It follows the Shikishima family as they deal with a brand new disaster.

Apple TV+ has consistently broken new ground in filmmaking, delivering everything from heartwarming coming-of-age stories and fantastical animated adventures to intense crime dramas and classic Shakespearean adaptations. Films like Hala, Greyhound, Palmer, The Lost Bus, and Cha Cha Real Smooth have established Apple TV+ as a source of high-quality, critically acclaimed movies, becoming a major player in modern cinema.

The traditional model of long TV seasons isn’t popular with streaming services like Apple TV. Shows on these platforms usually have around 10 episodes, and sometimes even fewer. This is because streaming shows generally avoid unnecessary episodes or storylines that don’t move the main plot forward. Instead, they focus on a continuous story that stays on track. Even though these shows often have high production quality and excellent writing, viewers sometimes feel frustrated when a season ends just weeks after it begins. The fifth season of For All Mankind doesn’t change the show’s usual length, but the creators have still found a way to satisfy viewers who prefer to binge-watch more episodes at a time.

Historian William Short reviewed the TV show Vikings and shared how accurately it portrays real Viking history. Sadly, the show didn’t fare well when compared to historical reality.

TopMob got a first look at the merchandise coming with the new Mortal Kombat 2 movie at CinemaCon. Highlights included several items, but the standout was a “I Am Shao Khan” helmet. This helmet will be available for purchase at Cinemark, AMC Theaters, and Regal Cinemas.

While the Mad Max films haven’t had a huge impact on TV, with shows like Prime Video’s Fallout only showing a slight influence, most post-apocalyptic series – from The Walking Dead to HBO’s The Last of Us – draw inspiration from different sources. This is what makes Netflix’s Black Knight stand out.

The most memorable lightsabers in Star Wars often stand out because they break from tradition. Think about Darth Maul’s unique double-bladed lightsaber in The Phantom Menace, Mace Windu’s purple blade, Kylo Ren’s crossguard design, or even the unusual hinged, double-bladed lightsaber wielded by Dark Rey—and later, her yellow one—in The Rise of Skywalker. Introducing new lightsaber variations almost always creates exciting moments in the Star Wars universe.

Mario Puzo’s famous novel, and the movies it inspired, draw heavily from the real history of New York City’s Mafia families. Characters like Johnny Fontane are clearly based on figures like Frank Sinatra, and the powerful Vito Corleone is modeled after crime bosses such as Frank Costello and Carlo Gambino. Puzo’s 1969 book tells the story of this unforgettable fictional Mafia family, even delving into Vito Corleone’s early life. While Puzo’s novel remains essential reading for fans of the Mafia and crime fiction, many other excellent books explore similar themes and are just as captivating.