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It’s safe to say Helldivers 2 has faced its fair share of ups and downs since its release in February. Despite these challenges, the game has managed to build a dedicated playerbase that is committed to doing whatever it takes to spread democracy across the galaxy. Players are drawn to the chaotic, fast-paced combat that constantly forces them to think on their feet, making each mission feel fresh and engaging.

Players are enjoying the game with its recent updates and changes. | Image Credit: Arrowhead Game Studios

However, what truly sets the game apart is its ability to keep the player engaged without leaning too much on the microtransaction. Recently, the game has once again rejuvenated its player base with a steady stream of updates and meaningful changes. In doing so, players are starting to realize that perhaps it’s time to raise their standards when it comes to modern games.

Almost 25 years after Russell Crowe’s famous performance as Maximus thrilled theatergoers, Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” takes place on the bloody sands of the Roman Colosseum. This surprising follow-up continues the epic story through the eyes of Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, who was a boy in the first movie and is now an adult warrior. The movie is set in the chaotic years after Maximus’s famous rebellion when Rome was still trying to figure out how to fill the power void left by past wars.

At age 86, Scott shows that he still loves making big historical shows by writing a sequel that respects and reimagines the original. The movie is about Lucius, who turns out to be Maximus’s son and is caught and thrown into the world of gladiators. His journey is similar to that of his father, but it goes in a different direction. This...

Though Season 3 check-in isn’t for a while yet, several guests arrived at The White Lotus Sunday night, courtesy of a new sizzle reel from HBO.

The premium cable channel put out a new compilation of footage from upcoming shows like The Last of Us Season 2, the Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Noah Wyle’s new medical drama The Pitt. Nestled among them was a brief but tantalizing introduction to Season 3 of Mike White’s popular anthology series, which will take place in Thailand.

More from TVLineYellowstone Preview: Kayce's Out for Blood - Jamie's!

“Janji Darah” embodies the stock grade of Indonesian horror, where a shaman pops up, spirits populate and the realm of the dead occupies center stage. There are no innovations in the screenplay, only an excess of bone-tired cliches that have no spark or originality. The film turns duller with each minute, the horror becomes increasingly leaden.

The CGI infusions of the demonic apparition are so ridiculous it is impossible to ascribe any seriousness of thought or alarm to the scenes designed to evoke terror. It feels increasingly sillier. The film is so bereft of fresh ideas the makers hurl every formulaic ball at the wall. It’s even lazier; there’s no attempt to flesh out the supernatural and the blurring lines between the real and otherworldly.

Characters are paper-thin, the acting wavering, and the entire narrative flaky, injecting random apparitions and amping up the supernatural with little effort and a whole lot of contrivance.

The 1928 animated short film Steamboat Willie officially became public domain earlier this year many have decided to take advantage of the situation by doing their own interpretations. One of the more popular paths recently is using a public domain property for the horror genre. We all remember the amount of publicity Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey got when it was first announced.

While multiple horror-themed movies, both released and announced, have featured the classic mouse, from Mickey’s Mouse Trap to Steamboat Willie to The Return of Steamboat Willie, there have also been instances of him appearing in horror games such as Infestation Origins (formerly titled Infestation 88). Now, another game seems to be taking a darker take on the iconic mouse.

Bad Cheese is a psychological horror first-person shooter by Feardemic.

The game features a very hefty-looking mouse that resembles Mickey as he battles various creatures and monsters straight out of your nightmares.

Before he passed away in 2017, horror master George A. Romero had been developing one final zombie movie titled Twilight of the Dead. The film is coming to life with Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist, Blood), and Deadline reports that the zombie film has found its leads in Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich and Upgrade‘s Betty Gabriel.

The George A. Romero estate is teaming up with LA-based financier-producer Roundtable on Twilight of the Dead, being positioned as the “final installment” in Romero’s ‘Dead’ franchise. The original treatment for the planned project was penned by Romero himself, but Joe Knetter, Robert Lucas, and Paolo Zelati tackled the actual screenplay.

Romero followed seminal zombie film Night of the Living Dead with Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead. The upcoming Twilight of the Dead takes the...

House of the Dragon Almost Got Shelved—Here’s Why That Nearly-Disaster Led to Its Success! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Believe it or not, House of the Dragon almost failed. HBO was ready to cancel the Game of Thrones prequel before it started. Crazy, huh? The show is killing it today because of that near-miss.

HBO has many Game of Thrones spinoffs in the pipeline, but only sometimes. After Game of Thrones finished in 2019, the network took its time—maybe too long—releasing new content. They even spent $30 million on a prequel pilot called Blood Moon about the Long Night to cancel it. Talk about brutal.

But it wasn’t just Bloodmoon that faced the axe. According to co-showrunner Ryan Condal, House of the Dragon was also close to being shelved. Condal revealed, “HBO was going to shelve it” until George R.R. Martin stepped in. This was the story Martin wanted to tell most,...

Shawn Mendes is celebrating Halloween with his friends!

The 26-year-old “In My Blood” singer was all smiles as he walked around a neighborhood to do some trick-or-treating with his friends on Thursday afternoon (October 31) in Los Angeles.

For his outing, Shawn sported an all-black ninja outfit complete with a headband and fake sword.

Shawn was joined by Dr. Jocelyne Miranda, his close friend and a chiropractor, who was seen posing with a fake sword.

In a new interview, Shawn revealed if he’s still close with ex-girlfriend Camila Cabello and explained why he canceled his Wonder Tour in 2022. Find out what he shared here…

Also during a recent performance, Shawn spoke candidly about his sexuality, admitting that he’s still figuring it out.

Click through the gallery for 30+ pictures of Shawn Mendes stepping out on Halloween…...

HBO's Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon has a lot going for it, including excellent actors, gorgeous production values and some excellent source material in George R.R. Martin's book Fire & Blood. But the biggest draw may be right there in the title: the dragons. We've met over a dozen on the show so far, and the series has done a great job of giving them all their own personalities and looks. It's possible for everyone to have their favorites. Do you like Rhaenyra Targaryen's eagle-like mount Syrax? Maybe her husband Daemon's noodle-decked war dragon Caraxes? Or how about Aemond Targaryen's fearsome Vhagar, the oldest and largest dragon around during this time?

Talking about House of the Dragon recently, showrunner Ryan Condal told us exactly how many dragons are out there during this time in Westerosi history, over 100 ears before the events of Game of Thrones. "There...

The Dancing With The Stars cast all become incredibly close during their time in the ballroom. Sometimes, these friendships turn into something more.

Emma Slater was once married to her costar, Sasha Farber. But after their divorce, many fans believe she’s dating Alan Bersten. Now, an insider seems to be adding fuel to that rumor.

Read on to get the scoop.

DWTS Pros Alan Bersten & Emma Slater Are Reportedly Dating In Secret

According to Us Weekly, an insider told them that DWTS pros Alan Bersten and Emma Slater have an ongoing relationship. But for now, they’re keeping their relationship to themselves.

Rumors about their romance sparked during the DWTS tour last winter. The pair were frequently spotted together in behind-the-scenes pictures and videos. And of course, they performed a passionate duet on the tour.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alan Bersten (@alanbersten)

Over the past year,...

Ever since Game of Thrones announced it was coming to an end, studios have been trying to fill the hole it left behind. The most prominent of these attempts is House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin's fictional history book, Fire & Blood. The series details the complexities of the period known as the Dance of the Dragons, when the Targaryen family divided into factions known as the Greens and the Blacks destroyed itself fighting over succession.

But how successful has it been in filling that void? In theory, both shows have a similar quality, with Game of Thrones earning a 89% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and House of the Dragon earning an 87%. However, Game of Thrones actually has an average season score of 94% if we exclude the divisive eighth season, which scored 55%. Meanwhile, the two seasons of House of the Dragon...

Jay-Z was not wrong when he said that Frank Ocean wasn’t playing to anybody’s rules. Ocean is considered a pioneer in alternate R&b and his music has impressed even the likes of Jay-Z and Brad Pitt. Ocean won the Best Urban Contemporary Album Grammy for his debut album Channel Orange. His second album, Blonde, was critically acclaimed for its experimental approach.

Jay-Z in I Just Wanna Love U music video | Credits: Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam

Ocean hasn’t released a full-length album since his 2016 hit and his live comeback after six years at Coachella was a big disaster. Fans await to see his third studio album despite the singer not releasing that much music since the launch of his fashion brand Homer.

Jay-Z Showered Praises Upon Frank Ocean’s Music Frank Ocean in the music video of Novacane | Credits: Def Jam

Jay-Z identified Frank Ocean‘s talents way...

This week on The Anime Effect: Gaydar host Anania joins the podcast to dish about how their favorite anime shows growing up helped them come out of their shell, plus how fandom has changed over the years. Also, we fill you in on the latest news from New York Comic Con 2024 and much, much more, including recommendations from our resident anime experts! Episode 37 of The Anime Effect is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you listen to your podcasts! If you're waiting to watch the video episode, it'll be live on Crunchyroll and YouTube at 7 p.m. Et. Listen or Watch on: Episode 37 Summary In this week's episode, LeAlec, Nick, and Leah discuss all of the anime developments that came out of New York Comic Con 2024 which include a new anime from director Shinichiro Watanabe, updates on the english dub of Dragon Ball Daima and more! Then,...

Arguably, the biggest problem with Shadows of the Damned back when it was originally released in 2011 was its profound unseriousness—when gray-brown, war-torn, and taciturn were the de rigueur trends in gaming. It probably didn’t help that the game was still a far cry from whatever high-level terror was originally planned by co-creator Mikami Shinji (much of which wound up in the Evil Within games later down the road). But resuscitating this deeply unserious third-person horror shooter in 2024, when big and obnoxiously self-serious games are absolutely dooming studios, feels like the most wonderful breath of fresh air.

Shadows of the Damned is, in a nutshell, a dumber and weirder version of Resident Evil 4—and that’s said with nothing but love. There isn’t anything particularly poignant about booze-swilling badass Garcia Hotspur’s quest to save his lingerie-loving girlfriend Paula from the clutches of the big-headed demon Fleming. And...

Could Fargo Dive Deeper into the Coen Brothers’ Cinematic Universe? Here’s What We Know! ( Photo Credit – YouTube; Wikimedia )

Fargo fans, buckle up! With the Coen brothers’ knack for twisted tales and oddball characters, it’s no wonder people are wondering if the Fargo TV universe could start pulling in even more quirky nods to the Coens’ iconic films. Could we see a Big Lebowski crossover? Or maybe a sneaky Raising Arizona Easter egg? The Coen-verse is full of wild possibilities, and with Fargo already dipping into their signature dark humor and crime-ridden storytelling, there’s a lot of potential to unpack.

Marge Gunderson: The Heart of the Madness

It all started with Fargo (1996), a dark comedy that had critics (and audiences) buzzing. Frances McDormand’s Marge Gunderson was an instant classic. A quirky, pregnant cop chasing after one of the most absurd crime sprees ever, all while keeping her Minnesota-nice demeanor intact?...

Lauren Lavera has reportedly been cast in a new horror movie from 'Saw' director Darren Lynn Bousman.The new Scream Queen - who first played 'Final Girl' Sienna Shaw in 'Terrifier 2' before reprising the role in this year's blockbuster sequel - is set to star opposite 'Blood Diamond' actor Djimon Hounsou in 'The Monster'.As reported by Deadline, Lavera has signed up for the project, which will be directed by Lynn Bousman from a screeplay by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer.'Saw' franchise producer Mark Burg is also on board, along with Envision Media Arts duo Lee Nelson and David Tish.'The Monster' will tell the story of two millennials looking to make some money by leasing New York City apartments that they don't actual own to unsuspecting customers.Things soon take a terrifying turn when they come across an apartment owner with a dark secret.

The Young and The Restless (Y&r) spoilers and updates tease fans can always anticipate surprises in the vibrant world of Genoa City.

As audiences are aware, the rivalry between Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell) and Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) has spanned three decades and shows no signs of fading-will a common goal unite them?

The Young And The Restless Spoilers – Recent Reminders

Recently, fans were reminded of this during Phyllis’s 30th anniversary special episode that aired on Friday, October 18.

It appears that they might set aside their grievances just long enough to assist Daniel Romalotti (Michael Grazadei) with the predicament he finds himself in.

Not only has he lost the love of his life, but Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) is also putting in extra effort to pin Heather Stevens’ (Vail Bloom) death on him.

Although Sharon was unconscious during Heather’s tragic end, it remains uncertain whether she was actually responsible.

Alicia Keys and Jay-Z became instant favorites in the music industry when their song “Empire State of Mind” instilled pride in the inhabitants of New York. The song, featured in The Blueprint 3 album, gave Jay-Z his first No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and recently crossed 1 Billion streams.

Jay-Z in the Empire State of Mind Music Video | Credits: Jay-Z’s YouTube

However, we are yet to see a new collaboration between Alicia Keys and Jay-Z after the 2009 track. While the fans are excited to see something new from them soon, Keys stated in 2022 that she hesitates to re-collaborate as she doubts anything can top the Grammy-winning song.

Empire State of Mind‘s outstanding success stops Alicia Keys and Jay-Z from joining forces again Alicia Keys | Image by Eva Rinaldi, licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2009 was a glorious year for Alicia Keys as we got her iconic collaboration with Jay-Z.

Bradley Rust Gray’s melancholic drama Blood explores how one woman navigates grief in an unfamiliar environment. Carla Juri gives a deeply felt performance as Chloe, a photographer who travels to Japan months after the sudden death of her husband.

Still processing her mourning, Chloe reconnects with friend Toshi while fulfilling a work assignment photographing traditional crafts. Toshi helps guide Chloe as she interacts with new people and places, quietly struggling with regaining meaning in daily life without her partner.

Though separated by language and culture, Chloe finds solace in Toshi’s company and the kindness of others she meets, including his playful young daughter and wise grandmother. Patient shots observe Chloe experiencing the rhythms of a foreign world, sometimes accompanied by reflective conversations that provide fleeting insights into her inner experience. Through Chloe’s eyes, we see both the natural beauty surrounding her and haunting memories still clinging to familiar landscapes.

Quick ViewWhere Can You Find Commander Niall?How to Prepare to Fight Commander Niall?How to Beat Commander Niall?

Among the many spectacular bosses in Elden Ring, one of the most important to defeat in order to unlock areas in the game is Commander Niall.

One of the best rewards this particular boss offers is a piece of the Haligtree Medallion, allowing you to access other areas and defeat bosses such as Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree and Malenia, Blade of Miqeulla.

This boss is located on the mountaintops of the Giants area. This guide will outline Commander Niall’s weaknesses and provide you with all the necessary resources in Elden Ring to effectively defeat this boss.

Where Can You Find Commander Niall? The location of Elden Ring Commander Naill.

In Elden Ring, Commander Niall is located in the Mountaintops of the Giants area. Your main goal is to reach...

Earlier this month, we shared the news that Charles Band, founder of the legendary entertainment company Full Moon, will be hosting an event called Church of Chills Live!, a revival of the classic Full Moon Roadshow experience, at the Cleveland, Ohio church that Full Moon recently purchased. Now it has been announced that this event will feature special guests Andrew Divoff (the Wishmaster himself) and Dana DeLorenzo of Ash vs. Evil Dead, along with Robin Sydney, Full Moon’s own “First Lady.” Tickets are now available (in limited supply; there were only 200 to begin with) at This Link! More information can be found at ChurchofChills.com. The one-night-only event is set to take place on October 26th – the last Saturday before Halloween – at begins at 7pm.

A press release promises that “B-movie madness, haunted venues, and boner-inducing scares” will “collide into one unholy Halloween bash.” In addition to having the chance to interact with Band,...

In June 2024, an entire docuseries highlighting the feud between Scooter Braun and Taylor Swift was released. Anyone who was confused about the drama between the pop singer and music producer got a lot of questions answered when watching episodes of the limited series on Max. It turns out that Scooter was hesitant to sit down and watch the docuseries for himself when it first premiered. Now, it’s been revealed that he finally took the time to watch it in its entirety. Here’s what he had to say about Taylor Swift vs Scooter Braun: Bad Blood.

Scooter Braun Admits He Watched Bad Blood Docuseries

Being painted as a villain in the eyes of the public would feel uncomfortable for just about anyone. Unfortunately for Scooter, that’s exactly what happened when he went head-to-head against one of the most legendary musicians of this generation. Scooter’s toxic feud with...

Over the course of three In Search of Darkness documentary films, all of which were over four hours long (with one of them nearly reaching the six hour mark), director David Weiner did an incredible job of digging into the many great (and some not-so-great) horror movies that were released in the 1980s. There were still so many movies left uncovered that Weiner could circle back and continue looking into ’80s movies for years to come – but instead, he has decided to move forward into the ’90s with the upcoming documentary In Search of Darkness: 1990 – 1994. At the time, fans considered the horror genre to be in a lull, a downswing from the heights it reached in the ’80s. But with this movie, Weiner aims to point out that we did still get a lot of good horror movies during that time period. You can get a sample of the...

Emma D'Arcy has received heaps of praise for portraying Rhaenyra Targaryen on House of the Dragon. We're currently near the start of what is sure to be a long wait for the third season of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series, but D'Arcy is already thinking about the kinds of things they'd like to do.

"A privilege of my job is to work with extraordinary actors, and that’s where I derive a huge amount of energy and pleasure," D'Arcy told The Guardian about working on the show. "I enjoy the familial confines of House of the Dragon, but all that said I’m desperate to beef up my Spotlight skill section and I do want a sword next season. I want a reason to see the stunt team. Both things are true."

Rhaenyra made a couple of comments in House of the Dragon season 2 about needing to take up...

It’s hard to overstate Taylor Sheridan’s impact on the modern Western landscape. Since hitting big in the 2010s, Sheridan has penned several great characters for both the big and small screen and is responsible for reshaping the Western trope in the medium of television with Yellowstone.

Taylor Sheridan | Credit: Yellowstone/Paramount

But while John Dutton from Yellowstone and Alejandro from Sicario are often the most common picks when it comes to the discourse surrounding Sheridan’s best characters, Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight often gets overlooked. As for his brilliance, showrunner Terence Winter reveals the aspects that contributed to making Dwight such a well-rounded protagonist.

Tarrence Winter Elaborates on Dwight’s Excellence as a Character Sylvester Stallone as Dwight | Credit: Tulsa King/Paramount

Like any other great show, Tulsa King builds upon its strong cast of well-written characters, with whom fans can connect. Stallone’s lead Dwight is arguably the best of the bunch,...

Greg Jardin’s high-concept techno-thriller It’s What’s Inside weaves a tangeled web of deceit and deception among a group of old friends gathering together for one last fling before the group’s first wedding sends them all into the world of adult relationships and responsibilities. Reuben, the man of the hour, has invited all the usual suspects but threw the group a curveball when he also invited Forbes, an estranged friend who hasn’t spoken to anyone since a big dustup split the group 8 years ago.

As we all know, it’s rude to come to a party empty-handed but rather than bringing a bottle of wine, Forbes has brought an opportunity with him. Now, Forbes has made a bit of a name for himself in the tech world since the group last saw him, like a Great Value brand Mark Zuckerberg. He promises the group an experience like no other…...

Bachelor Nation fans thought Aaron Erb had a lot of potential to become a fan favorite like his younger brother, Noah. Noah found love with Abigail Heringer on Season 7 of Bachelor In Paradise. Aaron was one of the contestants on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette but didn’t stay long. Noah Erb addressed rumors he’s feuding with brother.

Why Fans Don’t Love Aaron Erb

Aaron Erb made a big impression on Bachelorette viewers before he even appeared on screen. He was heavily promoted in the media ahead of Jenn Tran’s season because of his family connection to the show. As we mentioned, he’s the older brother of Noah Erb. They are actually twins, but Aaron was born seven minutes earlier.

Aaron Erb/Credit: ABC YouTube

Fans were ready to embrace Aaron as the frontrunner for Jenn’s affection. Unfortunately, he got into drama with...

Welcome To Plathville Season 6 officially introduced Veronica Peters as Micah Plath’s girlfriend. Based on how she is responding in scenes, there seems to be definitive proof that she has already bought into the Plath philosophy and family system, and proof that she is more than eager to drink the Kool-Aid.

Welcome To Plathville: Veronica Peters Has Been The New Blood In Season 6

With Welcome To Plathville Season 6 on the air, many viewers have been complaining about how tired and stale a lot of the storylines are in current scenes. TLC surely tried to offset this by bringing in some fresh meat into the mix with Micah Plath’s girlfriend, Veronica Peters.

Initially, things started out with Veronica not being comfortable filming. This led to her lurking in the background a lot while Micah Plath filmed Welcome To Plathville scenes.

Eventually, Veronica decided to bite the bullet and put herself...

One of the greatest works of fiction of modern times has to be George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series. The Fire & Blood author, who is often considered modern-day Tolkien, gave birth to characters we have come to love on TV, through shows such as Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

George R. R. Martin | Image by Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

However, despite his worldwide fame and undeniable talent, the writer is infamous for his one habit – his extremely slow writing speed. Fans have been waiting for his sixth novel in the Asoiaf series, The Winds of Winter, for over a decade now, and the wait doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon.

George R. R. Martin only considers book lore canon Credits: Kit Harington in Game of Thrones / HBO

Very often, we see on-screen...

The other week, A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin openly criticized House of the Dragon, HBO's Game of Thrones prequel show, expressing an especial amount of concern over how the series is deviating from its source material: his book Fire & Blood. In response, HBO dropped a surprise episode of its House of the Dragon podcast where showrunner Ryan Condal talked through why he changed certain things from the book. Yes, the author of Fire & Blood and the man running the TV adaptation are in a shadow feud. I didn't expect this but I am, at minimum, entertained now that it's happening.

It's true that the second season of House of the Dragon made a ton of changes to the source material, many of which didn't go over well with fans. But there were a few changes that viewers mostly enjoyed. The Battle of Rook's Rest went over well,...

War’s wounds have ways of festering that aren’t always visible on the surface. In her fifth feature as director, Angelina Jolie adapts Alessandro Baricco’s novel Without Blood to examine how conflict’s impacts can reverberate through lives even long after the fighting stops. We meet Nina, a woman still carrying deep scars from a brutal attack in her youth. Decades later, she seeks out Tito, one of the men responsible. Rather than retaliation, Nina wants discussion.

Jolie’s film centers their difficult conversation as the pair pick at memories of the disturbing incident that altered both their paths. Nina and Tito try making sense of that day’s violence and its lasting effects. But with trauma come fractured recollections, and getting at the truth involves peeling through layers of shadowy recalls. As an actress-turned-director, Jolie shows a passion for stirring dialogues that grapple with war’s heavy realities.

Live in this World

After spending August discussing Paul Morrissey’s Udo Kier-starring Blood for Dracula (listen), Julia Ducournau’s Raw follow-up Titane (listen), and Stephen Herek’s comfort classic Critters (listen), we wrapped up the month with a look at Tim Burton‘s 1988 classic, Beetlejuice!

In the film, Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) are perfectly content married nerds who enjoy staying at home and working on their house. When they die unceremoniously, they’re thrust into an afterlife with rules they don’t understand and horrible humans like Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and Charles Deetz (Jeffrey Jones) who take over their house.

When a bio-exorcist named Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) offers his services to scare the living out of the house, Barbara and Adam take him up on his offer. Unfortunately, they quickly find the rambunctious spirit is completely out of control. With Betelgeuse determined to marry the Deetz’s daughter,...

While there are plenty of stories worth telling, equally as important is the way in which you tell it. Such is the trouble with “Without Blood,” the latest directorial effort from Angelina Jolie that has plenty of ideas worth grappling with, but is never quite able to capitalize on them. Based on the novel of the same name by Alessandro Baricco, it’s a film that takes place almost entirely in one room where two characters, played by Salma Hayek Pinault and Demián Bichir, reflect on a violent event that continues to reverberate into every facet of their future. It’s a film about war, cycles of violence, how it is that we deal with loss and whether revenge is truly the solution, but it never feels like the film is able to fully do justice to any of them. For every moment where it seems like it’s getting somewhere more thoughtful,...

A woman (Salma Hayek Pinault) walks into a plaza sparsely occupied by patrons enjoying an afternoon coffee and a magazine and lottery ticket kiosk. She approaches the booth and fingers a stack of newspapers before asking the attendant (Demián Bichir), an older man with rounded shoulders and reading glasses perched on his nose, a question. Her delivery is studied, as if a more natural cadence battles against an inherent severity. She begs the man to close up the shop and have a drink with her. Her mannered sweetness becomes more urgent with his refusal. This is a command, not a request.

Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, Without Blood is Angelina Jolie’s latest foray into directing. The actress, who is making waves this festival season with her performance in Pablo Larrain’s Maria, adapted this thinly plotted parable from the novella of the same name by the Italian writer Alessandro Baricco.

I hope you're having a pleasant Sunday morning. I hope you'll consider spending part of it reading and watching what we've been working on this past week at WinterIsComing, where we cover all things sci-fi, fantasy, movies, TV and books. Let us begin with a giant list of all the changes to the book made in the latest season of House of the Dragon:

Every change House of the Dragon season 2 made to Fire & Blood, and whether they were good or bad: https://t.co/xoE7meDd3g https://t.co/xoE7meDd3g

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) September 8, 2024

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is currently running on Prime Video. But let's return to the original story...as seen on the musical theater stage!

I saw The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale on stage! Is it worth checking out? https://t.co/31len9cPGV https://t.

With all the awards and fame in his pocket, to call Sylvester Stallone a Hollywood icon would be an understatement. The Italian Stallion defined the action genre in the 1980s and 1990s with his Rambo series, which still stands the test of time.

Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in First Blood | Orion Pictures

However, there was one Rambo movie where Sylvester Stallone was completely off the rails, disregarding his own safety. During the filming of Rambo 3, Sly was going through a really tough time.

Sylvester Stallone’s low point while filming Rambo 3 Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in Rambo 3 | Orion Pictures

Despite being considered one of the lower-ranked entries in Sylvester Stallone’s movie career, Rambo III still packs a punch with its jaw-dropping action and extreme gore. The stunts were often done by Sly himself, and in this movie, he was completely unhinged.

Years later, in an interview with Roger Ebert,...

George Rr Martin, the mastermind behind Game of Thrones, may have faced intense fan pressure over his delayed books, but one celebrity supporter wasn’t having it. Neil Gaiman, a fellow author and fan, stepped in with a fierce defense, calling out the toxic side of the fandom that was pushing Martin to his limits.

The story based on George Rr Martin’s novella has the potential to outdo House of the Dragons l Author: Henry Söderlund | Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Gaiman’s bold stance was a clear message to those who forgot that creative processes can’t be rushed. This wasn’t just about standing up for a friend; it was about reminding everyone that great art takes time. When fandoms cross the line, it takes a hero to bring them back—and this time, Gaiman wielded the sword.

Neil Gaiman had the perfect response to fans demanding George Rr...

The world of Westeros is woven with an intricate web of politics, dragons, and epic battles, and it has become a modern fantasy phenomenon due to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. The first four seasons of Game of Thrones are a masterclass on how to make an epic fantasy drama series.

Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy in House of the Dragon | HBO

However, there was a gradual decline in quality, which was piqued by the final season and left millions of fans disappointed. But after a few years, there came a ray of hope, a new opportunity to once again revisit the universe we so dearly missed, yet it almost never happened!

George R.R. Martin and the Game of Thrones Franchise Diana Rigg in Game of Thrones / HBO

In an interview with the Guardian George R.R. Martin revealed that when he...

A war of words has broken out in Westeros between A Song of Ice and Fire creator George R.R. Martin and HBO over the direction of the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. Earlier this week, Martin published a lengthy blog post discussing the infamous Blood and Cheese incident, where a pair of assassins sneak into the Red Keep and kill Queen Helaena and King Aegon's son Jaehaerys Targaryen. The show cut some important elements of this scene from the book, including Helaena's other son Maelor; Martin thinks that cut has the potential to cause a butterfly effect of even more drastic deviations from the source material in future seasons.

And Maelor was seemingly only the beginning of the author's concerns. Martin hinted that "there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if House Of The Dragon goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated...

We're still sorting through the House of the Dragon drama of the week, with A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin openly criticizing the show for changing too much of his book Fire & Blood, and showrunner Ryan Condal explaining himself on an emergency episode of HBO's House of the Dragon podcast.

We've already talked through Condal's explanations for why he cut important characters like Nettles and Maelor Targaryen. Now, let's hit what Condal has to say about Mysaria, the information broker who becomes an important confidante for Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 2.

Mysaria has a much bigger role in season 2 than she does at this point in the story in Fire & Blood. In the book, she's still in King's Landing, gathering intel in the shadows. In Fire & Blood, it's Mysaria who hires Blood and Cheese, assassins who infiltrate the Red Keep and kill young Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen.

Jerry Cantrell has unleashed “Afterglow” as the second single from his upcoming album, I Want Blood. The song is accompanied by a music video created by Cantrell and visual artist Matt Mahurin, who directed Alice in Chains’ “No Excuses” and “Angry Chair” videos in the 1990s.

“Afterglow” follows previous single “Vilified,” which was released in late July. The music video for “Afterglow” features close-up shots of Cantrell singing the song along with eye-catching visuals created by Mahurin.

Get Jerry Cantrell Tickets Here

“Two of my all-time favorite videos I’ve directed are ‘No Excuses’ and ‘Angry Chair’ for Alice In Chains in the early 1990s,” stated Mahurin. “To be able to once again offer my visual work to Jerry’s ‘Afterglow’ some thirty years later was a blast. From opera aria to pop tune, everybody sees a movie playing in their mind’s eye when they listen to a song.

House of the Dragon recently concluded its second season, with the fantasy drama series receiving mostly positive reviews. However, it was also criticized for making unnecessary changes to the source material. Author George R.R. Martin himself recently criticized showrunner Ryan Condal for changing the infamous Blood & Cheese incident from book to screen.

House of the Dragon loosely adapted the Blood & Cheese incident in Season 2 (Credit: HBO).

During a recent interview, Condal defended his decision to change the incident while adapting it for television. Condal also explained why such changes were necessary and what drove him to make them. However, fans did not react kindly to Condal’s comments, making him one of the most hated creators in Westeros.

Ryan Condal Defended Changing Blood & Cheese Incident in House of the Dragon Season 2

Ryan Condal serves as the showrunner for HBO’s House of the Dragon, an adaptation of author George R.

The Rings of Power Fans Declare Lotr Spinoff is Better Than Game of Thrones - Main Image

The Rings of Power is halfway through season 2 and fans are already convinced that the Lord of the Rings spinoff show is better than Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon combined. Here's why fans think so.

Rings of Power Fans Believe Series is Better than Game of Thrones

The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon have a lot in common, so it's not surprising to watch fans compare the two spinoffs with each other's flagship franchises.

Considering that both universes explore the elements of fantasy and come from original novels, what's particularly comparable is how The Rings of Power has "better storytelling than Game of Thrones."

According to some fans, while Game of Thrones dwells in the political sense of its fantastical world, The Rings of Power explores more...

Author Defends George R.R. Martin’s Now-Deleted House of the Dragon Rant - Main Image

Author George R.R. Martin sparked controversy in the Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fandom earlier this week when he released a now-deleted blog post complaining about how some important characters were removed from the second season of the show which could lead to ‘toxic’ revisions in future seasons.

While there are some fans on Martin’s side, there are also others who think that he was acting quite unprofessional and throwing the series writers under the bus. Though fans know only what’s come out online, Martin’s friend and fellow author Xiran Jay Zhao has come up to bat to contextualize Martin’s rant.

Contextualizing Grrm’s Hotd Rant

For context, Zhao is a fellow author who had befriended Martin, and they had recently gone viral with a video where...

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a fantasy action adventure drama series developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Based on the appendices of The Lord of the Rings by iconic author J.R.R. Tolkien, the Prime Video series is set thousands of years before the novels in Middle Earth’s second age and it follows the rise of the greatest villain the world has ever seen, Sauron while a group of unlikely heroes try to bring him down. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power stars Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Sophia Nomvete, Markella Kavenagh, Charlie Vickers, Maxim Baldry, and Nazanin Boniadi. So, if you loved fantasy worlds, great action, and a good vs evil story in The Rings of Power here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Wheel of Time (Prime Video) Credit – Prime Video

The Wheel of Time is...

George R.R. Martin went all out with his rant on the changes made in House of the Dragon. The author addressed the issues on the Blood and Cheese episode, the fact that Maelor Targaryen is missing, and even revealed a possible spoiler for Season 3.

Credits: George R.R. Martin via CBS News

The entry focused on the possible repercussions of the absence of Prince Maelor, especially on the significant events that will be taking place in the upcoming season.

George R.R. Martin Expressed Frustration Over ‘Maelor the Missing’ In House Of The Dragon

There might have been a million things running through George R.R. Martin’s mind to craft a lengthy rant about the alterations in House of the Dragon only to regret publishing it for the world to see. But this is the Internet, and anything posted here gets copied a hundred times.

Related“I swear to...

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, while generally well-received and successful in terms of viewership, faced criticism from fans who noticed a decline in story quality. The season began strongly but was criticized for mishandling a major scene from the book involving Blood & Cheese. Although Rhaenys’ death provided a surprising and impactful moment, subsequent episodes were seen as lacking significant plot progression and felt more like a buildup to Season 3.

Fans also expressed concerns about the show’s direction, including perceived shifts towards “wokeness” with elements like an unscripted kiss between Mysaria and Rhaenyra, and the portrayal of certain characters. Additionally, the handling of themes like sexism was criticized as superficial, and Rhaenyra was portrayed as the clear “good guy,” which many felt contradicted the book’s more complex depiction of characters.

G.R.R. Martin, the writer behind ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series and ‘Fire & Blood’ book upon which the show is based,...

Last week, George R.R. Martin took to his “Not a Blog” to hint at some significant grievances with the recent sophomore season of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, promising to go into more detail soon.

The writer has now done just that, with a lengthy post outlining why he felt one particular character omission in the season premiere could have a "butterfly effect" on later seasons of the show.

He also spoils a significant season 3 death - at least for those who haven't read the book.

In the show, King Aegon and Queen Helaena have two children (Jaehaerys and Jaehaera), but in Martin's Fire and Blood, the twins have a younger brother, 2-year-old Maelor. The infamous “Blood and Cheese” sequence in the series shows the hired thugs kill Jaehaerys in front of his mother, but the events of the book are quite different - and a lot more disturbing.

George R.R. Martin, the creator of the Game of Thrones universe, is airing his grievances against the spinoff series House of the Dragon.

In a blog post last month, the author told fans that he was going to address what he felt went “wrong” with the HBO show’s second season. On Wednesday (September 4), he did just that in a since-deleted post.

Chiefly, he called out one plot point that strayed from his source material, saying that the change could create a larger problem moving into the final two seasons.

His message prompted a response from HBO.

Keep reading to find out more…

The change that George took issue with happened early in the second season with the elimination of one of Aegon and Helaena’s children, which affected the “Blood & Cheese” story line.

“When Ryan Condal [showrunner] first told me what he meant to do, ages ago I argued against it,...

Updated, 1:31 Pm: HBO has released a statement in response to George R.R. Martin’s latest — and now deleted — blog post about the creative decisions that were made in season 2 of House of the Dragon.

“There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon, both in production and at HBO,” the statement reads. “Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.”

Showrunner Ryan Condal also addressed the challenge of adapting Fire & Blood for the small screen on the latest...