Gladiator II it surpassed its predecessor in sheer spectacle, but in doing so surprised viewers with the level of CGI used and some of the more disturbing bits relating to the animals involved in the arena. As the now-adult Lucius Verus fights in various locations throughout the Roman Empire, he finds himself involved in several different types of gladiatorial combat. Lucius takes part in everything from a naval battle in the Colosseum to a mini-battle against a pack of deadly baboons, all of which require some serious CGI to be adequately portrayed on the big screen. That's not unusual for…
Author: Bill Dubiel
Following the huge success of the legacy prequel PreyDan Trachtenberg Predator: Badlands is set to take a seemingly obvious story angle that has never been attempted in the film franchise. Set 300 years ago on the Great Plains, Prey revitalized everything Predator franchise, and opened the doors for several other projects to be put into development. While other films, like the sequel to Prey themselves have only just been announced, casting and plot details are already being released about Predator: Badlands. Predator: Badlands will be set on an alien planet in the future, which means the Predator the franchise will…
Joaquin Phoenix's Emperor Commodus murdered many people to secure his position in the Gladiatorbut no murder was more heinous than the murder of Maximus's wife and son. Phoenix's terrifying yet fictional portrayal of the Roman emperor was based on the character's cruelty, but the most intimidating aspect of the character is how calculating he was in his quest to gain and maintain power. In this light, the murder of Maximus' family is much more than just a random act of violence designed to hurt a perceived enemy. Commodus' path to power in Gladiator is littered with bodies, starting with his…
The long-awaited sequel to the action drama Gladiator II advances the story of Lucius Verus Aurelius while expanding the legacy of Maximus Decimus Meridius with an adventure set across the vast Roman Empire. The narrative begins approximately 16 years after the events of the original Gladiatorand begins with Lúcio away from the streets of Rome. Throughout Gladiator IILúcio traverses the empire before returning to the sands of the Colosseum, with stops at some of the most important sites of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century. Although the true history of the locations and events shown in Gladiator II may…
THE Belief film franchise injected new life into the connected cinematic universe that began with Rocky in 1976, and with star Michael B. Jordan about to return to Creed 4the new franchise has the opportunity to execute something that the Rocky franchise has never done well. Already at the beginning of Creed IIIAdonis entered the declining period of his career as a multiple world champion. While the threequel saw him return to fighting form to reclaim the title from his old friend-turned-rival, Damian Anderson, Adonis has all but retired from the sport. THE Rocky the franchise never progressed Balboa that…
The first teaser trailer for the live action adaptation of Dreamworks How to train your dragon provided a clear look at the remake's aesthetic, and Toothless' dragon design should ease the concerns of all fans of the multimedia franchise. The original series is among the most successful animated franchises of all time, both from a commercial and critical perspective. How to train your dragon is set to be released in June 2025, and given how beloved the trilogy is, there was a lot of apprehension about how the characters and creatures would translate into live action. Fortunately, the first teaser…
Set almost 30 years after the original, the sequel to the 2024 disaster Twisted being released confirms Helen Hunt's absence, leaving questions as to why she is not present. Described as a new chapter in the story of the beloved 1996 American epic, audiences are eager to see which actors and actresses from the original film, if any, will once again chase the powerful F5 tornado. TwistedJo Thornton's cyclone-obsessed main character is one of Helen Hunt's most memorable characters. Given the importance of her character, her involvement would shape how the story unfolds. Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell and Anthony Ramos…
Netflix made its first big leap into live sports streaming with Paulo x Tysonthe boxing spectacle that featured professional boxer-turned-YouTube star Jake Paul against iconic, world-famous boxing legend Mike Tyson. The landmark showdown set records when it came to attendance, as the $17.8 million-plus gate brought by Paul vs. Tyson is the highest combat sports gate ever in America outside of Las Vegas. With 70,000 people watching live and the fight broadcast to Netflix's 280 million subscribers around the world, Paulo x Tyson It was one of, if not the most watched boxing match of all time. Despite some streaming…
Godzilla has been the star of countless classic kaiju clashes throughout his 70-year career, but mixed in with the classics are some films that can be safely ignored. Since Godzilla first arrived in Japan in 1954, he has evolved into one of the most famous movie characters of all time. The massive Godzilla franchise has several major films that define the character, his enemies, and the important themes that the radioactive monster played a role in communicating. However, there are also several that are of very little importance to Godzilla's overall legacy. The Godzilla movie timeline has been reset multiple…
WARNING: Major spoilers for Twisters ahead!After 28 years, the Twisted the franchise finally continues the box office success of the 2024 disaster Twistednaturally inviting comparisons between the two films. Twisted is a sequel to the 1996 original, but makes very little mention of the original film outside of the storm tracking technology used and its naming conventions. Twisted is considered a reference film in special effects and received Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. This innovative film production helped make Twisted one of the highest-grossing films of the 1990s. To truly compare the two films, they need…