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As a kid, have you ever looked out into the stars and wondered what could possibly be out there, reaching your hand out far enough as if you could touch one of those stars? Has the thought ever crossed your mind about what it would be like to interact with extraterrestrial beings, and if you'd be able to get along with them? The most important question to ask is, have you ever felt lonely and like there was no one in the world that could possibly understand how you feel? Because Pixar's 29th movie, Elio , answers all those questions and showcases the endless possibilities you can reach. Elio is a film that has gone through many changes over the last few years. With the film being initially delayed from its March 1, 2024 date to June 13, 2025, because of the SAG-AFTRA strike and then once again being delayed by a week to June 20, 2025, to avoid competition with How To Train Your Dragon , while the strikes might have been a reason for its initial delay, there are still a lot of variables that likely factor into its delay. The teaser trailer for the movie dropped back in June 2023 and hints at a plot that's unrecognisable at this point. Elio feels like a completely different character; Grigon is an ambassador in the Communiverse, Aunt Olga was originally his mom and voiced by America Ferrera instead of Zoe Saldaña, and original director Adrian Molina dropped out to focus on Coco 2 while Turning Red director Domee Shi and Burrow director Madeline Sharafian hopped onto the project. Usually in the film industry, this many changes bring on a lot of worries about how the final product of a movie might turn out, and Elio went through the exact same thing. Personally, I had no interest in the film, although it was being helmed by someone who directed a recent Pixar film that I absolutely loved. You would think this was a recipe for a disaster, but Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian and the team at Pixar absolutely blow all expectations out of the water and far into outer reaches of space as they deliver a film that has easily become one of Pixar's best in recent years. Its opening scene introduces the audience to Elio and his aunt Olga, and we quickly learn that after Elio's parents passed away, he got put in the care of his aunt, who took a halt in her career to look after her nephew. As a kid, you're at the centre of the world, and everything you hear around you not only affects you 10x more, but you're also more likely to blame yourself for all the negativity taking place. In this moment we see that Elio only simply wants to feel wanted like other kids who still have their parents, and unfortunately he doesn't feel that with Olga, who seems to shut him down at every opportunity and eventually even sends him away to a camp. © Pixar After hearing a message at the space centre that discusses the far reaches of space, Elio finally realises that he may be able to find the place he belongs. This opening scene is not only touching and a quick tearjerker but also effective in highlighting Elio's loneliness and the reason for why he has an obsession with contacting aliens in an attempt to get abducted. The beginning of this film alone feels reminiscent of early Pixar with how impactful they make their opening scenes. It might not reach anywhere near the level of Up , but it's still quite a bleak way to open up a movie aimed at kids who likely could be relating to Elio in that very moment; thankfully this film shows that there's light at the end of the tunnel and that no matter how far you search, you'll never be alone. The movie falls into certain tropes, such as a group of bullies targeting Elio, but quickly the film begins to take things out of this world. Pixar has taken us to space before with Wall-E , but Elio differentiates itself from that with its introduction of the Communiverse, a hub for many species of aliens that are run by their ambassadors. The Communiverse itself is a vibrant and visual spectacle that shows how creative Elio can get with its unique technology that allows Elio to understand all the aliens. It's here that we're introduced to the villain of the film, Lord Grigon and his son, Glordon. What makes Glordon one of the best characters in the film is that he perfectly mirrors Elio. He doesn't fit in with his species and fears that his father will not understand his wishes to not be like him, alienating him from everyone else. Elio and Glordon's interactions are some of the best that this film has to offer, bringing smiles to faces as they team up with each other and continue to further grow their friendship. It's even more beautiful seeing how Elio doesn't once struggle with talking to Glordon or any other alien. It's clear once he has reached the Commuiverse that he has found people who make him feel at home, although he's probably lightyears (hi, Buzz) away from home, considering they must use hyperspace to reach the Commuiverse, which is also another beauty to behold. © Pixar Yonas Kibreab is no rookie when it comes to voice acting characters, and he pulls out all the stops with Elio as he showcases the emotional range he's capable of, leaving a memorable mark on the character. Kibreab paired with Remy Edgerly's Glordon makes for one of the best pairings in Pixar history, and their talent shines through with how great their chemistry is, considering they wouldn't have been in the same booth when recording their lines. Elio can easily be described as a cosmic coming-of-age story that tackles how children deal with grief and overcome their loneliness after feeling alienated from everything around them. Domee Shi and Madeleine Sharafian take this film to infinity and beyond by also exploring a genre that has never been seen before in any Pixar film, and that's horror. While Elio is in space, they send down a clone to replace him for the time being while he proves himself worthy of being an ambassador on Earth's behalf. These scenes with the clone are genuinely creepy and really tap into the cosmic horror side of this world. They're not just forced into the film because it was a cool idea, but they serve a purpose in the story and Olga's development as a character, which all leads to Pixar's most terrifying scene yet in the third act, which is bound to scare the younger audience and possibly a few of the older audience. The third act can feel slightly rushed, but its visuals are at their finest during a certain action-packed sequence in space with a score by Rob Simonsen that makes this moment feel iconic. It's a thrill ride that comes to a heart-wrenching climax that brings Elio full circle, making him one of the most beloved Pixar characters in recent years. Elio is simply one of the best original Pixar films to release in the last five years and is a testament to how strong Pixar is as a company to still be releasing movies that share such a strong and impactful message that's not only relatable but with characters that you can't let go of once the credits roll. For a film that had a questionable production, it proved that you can overcome any obstacle to achieve greatness. It's an emotionally touching movie that's packed full of love, a slight bit of horror and all the whimsical fun you can think of. There's a single quote that perfectly captures everything that Elio stands for, and it's this: " You are unique, and being unique might feel like you're alone at times, but just remember you are anything but alone. You are loved. " Rating: ★★★★½ Elio . © Pixar About Elio Premiere Date:  June 20, 2025 Executive Producer: Mary Alice Drumm Writers: Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones Directors: Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian Production:  Pixar Animation Studios Distribution:  Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Cast:  Yona Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy Edgerly, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Shirly Henderson Synopsis: For centuries, people have called out to the universe looking for answers—in Disney and Pixar's all-new feature film Elio , the universe calls back! The cosmic misadventure introduces Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination and a huge alien obsession. So, when he's beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide, Elio's all in for the epic undertaking. Mistakenly identified as Earth's leader, Elio must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and somehow discover who and where he is truly meant to be.

F1 The Movie  © Apple F1: The Movie  arrives with the weight of massive expectations — a high-octane collaboration between director Joseph Kosinski and superstar Brad Pitt, backed by the prestige of Formula 1 itself and co-produced by Lewis Hamilton. Set against the glamorous yet unforgiving world of elite motorsport, the film follows Sonny Hayes (Pitt), a retired driver lured back to the grid to mentor a rising star while competing in one final season. Blending real-world F1 teams, circuits, and drivers with a fictional story, F1  more than your typical big-budget sports movie, it’s a cinematic event years in the making. It also stars Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Shea Wingham, Tobias Menzies and Javier Bardem and has a script from Ehren Kruger. Released at the height of Formula 1’s global popularity and filmed during actual race weekends, the movie captures the cultural momentum of the sport and translates it into a visceral, big-screen experience that revs up the blockbuster season. Director Joseph Kosinski, following up his high-flying success with Top Gun: Maverick , shifts gears into the world of Formula 1 racing and delivers yet another breathtaking crowdpleaser. Brad Pitt is at his most charming and effortlessly cool, bringing a swagger and charisma to the role of Sonny Hayes, a seasoned driver making a final charge back to glory. His performance will remind audiences why he’s one of the last true movie stars. Damson Idris and Javier Bardem get their well-earned moments in the sun, but Kerry Condon truly steals the show. As the team's sharp-witted, no-nonsense engineer, Condon delivers both emotional depth and razor-sharp dialogue with ease. The racing sequences are a marvel — Kosinski and his team masterfully shoot the action with a kinetic realism that places you right inside the cockpit. You feel  every turn, every collision, every surge of acceleration. The IMAX experience only amplifies the intensity, with Hans Zimmer’s propulsive score driving the action and the meticulously crafted sound design making engines roar through your chest. It’s an immersive spectacle that deserves the biggest screen possible. One of the film’s greatest strengths is how accessible it is. While hardcore F1 fans will appreciate the presentation of the sport and appearances by real F1 drivers, even complete newcomers will find themselves completely engaged. The screenplay smartly balances technical authenticity with character-driven storytelling, and with Lewis Hamilton on board as producer, the film manages to strike the perfect tone, both authentic and aspirational. Javier Bardem as Ruben Cervantes and Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in F1 The Movie  © Apple The story may follow a familiar trajectory — redemption, rivalry, and last-lap heroics — but it's told with such verve and energy that it never feels tired. The characters are vibrant, the humor lands, and the pacing rarely lets up. Every element, from the dialogue to the electric soundtrack, works in tandem to keep the adrenaline high and the audience completely locked in. And when the film hits its climax — an edge-of-your-seat final race — it’s pure cinematic bliss. One of the best things I could say about this movie is that I wish it was longer. F1: The Movie finds the perfect mix of speed, style, and star power to deliver one of the most exhilarating cinematic experiences of the decade. This is a film that understands the power of sound, scale, and spectacle. Whether you’re an F1 fanatic or just in it for a great time at the movies, this film delivers on all fronts. It hits almost every corner perfectly and is a celebration of the sport that feels both respectful and exciting, fully justifying Formula 1’s global popularity. Race to see this high-octane crowdpleaser in IMAX. Rating: ★★★★½ F1 The Movie  © Apple About F1: The Movie Release Date:  June 27, 2025 Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, Brad Pitt, Joseph Kosinski, Lewis Hamilton. Writer: Ehren Kruger and Joseph Kosinski Director: Joseph Kosinski Production:  Apple Original Films, Plan B Entertainment Distribution:  Warner Bros Pictures. Cast:  Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Shea Wingham, Tobias Menzies and Javier Bardem. Synopsis: Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse.

Andy Serkis' adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm had its world premiere at the Annecy Animation Film Festival on June 9th. The film boasts a stellar cast including Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Iman Vellani, and Kieran Culkin. The animated film offers a refreshing take on Orwell's well-known dystopian novel about dictatorship, and the timing couldn't be better — especially as Serkis introduces changes that make the adaptation more hopeful while still keeping it cautionary. In a roundtable interview, we spoke with Andy Serkis about Animal Farm, directing an animated movie, the incredible voice cast, and the universal themes of the movie. How did you feel about yesterday? Andy: It was wonderful. It was just so great to see the film with an audience. It's the first time I've seen it with a big audience, so it was wonderful. It was such a nice response from people. Demet: So, the film's layered storytelling makes it suitable for both children and adults, though it tackles some heavy themes. How did you navigate making such a politically charged story accessible and engaging for a family audience? Andy: It was very important to us that we were not being overtly political, or messy, or anything like that. We wanted to make first and foremost a film. The book obviously is so relevant and when Orwell was writing it, he wanted to make it accessible, make a political story accessible, which is why he put it inside the innocence of these animals. But of course, the book doesn't really have a central protagonist so one of the things I felt very passionate about was that we have a character that we can follow. We put him in the hot seat to have to make the moral decisions and put him on a track where he thinks he's doing the right thing but then gets corrupted, therefore we get corrupted alongside Lucky, our invented character. I mean there are pigs mentioned later on in the book, the next generation of young piglets so that was where I took the cue from. And then based it very much on a kind of Bronx Tale -type story where a young character is guided by adults in two different directions and he finds himself caught between two different ideologies and making the wrong choice and then realizing that at a certain point in the journey. So, I think by putting the young people who are going to be watching this in the hot seat, it charges it for them in a way. Demet: Yes, I very much enjoyed that decision. It has such a stellar voice cast, that goes without saying. How did you allow each of these actors to play to their strengths and bring their own forms of humor to their roles? Andy: I have to say every single actor that we went to who we wanted to be part of agreed to do it because they all loved the book and were passionate about the book, so that was a great start. I mean this goes back, obviously we've been trying to make this film for many years, but we first met Seth back in in 2012 to talk about it and Jim Parsons as well. They've been loyal to this movie for a long time because they love the book. We decided originally it was gonna be a more of a live action, performance captured movie, but then we decided that in order for it to retain its innocence, maybe keeping it in the real world and making it look photo real was gonna be more difficult to have that duality of it being a fairy tale, which is what Orwell wrote. Aside from those people who were long time kind of supporters and wanted to be part of it, I've worked with Woody Harrelson now for 5 times. He's a very good friend of mine, and he was always gonna be perfect for Boxer and there's a charm that he really brings to it and a humor as well, which is delicious. And Kathleen Turner as Benjamin, I mean... We also wanted to just cast it up in a different way, 'cause there aren't that many female characters in the book. [Kathleen] just adored it. And working with everybody individually in their own: Seth was brilliant at improvising, Kathleen was great at taking the text and twisting and turning it around in her own indomitable kind of style, and Glenn Close, she manages to make that character so sinister, but at the same time you're sort of drawn to her. Everyone that we work with just brought their A game and had fun with it, and that was the thing. It was that we want to dance on this sort of knife edge of it being comedic, but at the same time heartfelt. And mostly, we really just wanted it to be believable and truthful. Such a dream cast! Even if somehow someone wasn't familiar with Animal Farm , you'd want to see it just for that. Andy: Right, that's the other thing... It's important to have great storytellers that all come together to tell such an amazing piece of literature like that. It's your first animated movie. Yeah, so what did you bring from live action to that and what will this movie bring to other live action movies? Andy: We intended to make this as more of a live action performance capture movie, but I'm so glad that we went this route because it just opened up the possibility of finding the tone that was necessary to convey the story with innocence we always talked about. We don't want to be messy with this, we don't want to be overtly political and so the look and feel of it was crucial to get right. And early on the design, I wanted it to feel physically real, the animals to feel physically real whilst having a look at the physics of the way they moved. Boxer as a shire horse, I wanted him to look like he was a real shire horse, not a cartoon horse and all of the animals — the weight of the pigs. [We were] always talking to the animators about making the physics of the characters real so that when the pigs eventually stand up, it feels like they're not just like an animated cartoon character that can suddenly pop up and start walking around — they're struggling with gravity. Then, crucially, talking to the animators about bringing the performance down so that there's a lot of close-ups in this film 'cause you want to see inside the characters' minds and feel what they're feeling. So, a lot of the discussions I had with the animators was about not overtly expressing too much, not feeling you have to sort of be big with the facial expressions, but you could allow the audience to come to you like you do in a live action close up. That, I think, was one of the big joys of directing animators like directing actors —because animators are actors — making sure that they could trust themselves to really, really bring it down and they did. And do you think you learned some stuff for your next movies? Andy: Absolutely! Every blade of grass, every piece of everything in those shots in an animated movie, you have to make a decision about. There's nothing, there's no set. You're doing it in a completely different way; therefore, it teaches you to envision things in a very holistic way in animation. Everything is working together to tell the story in every frame and it's like you find the essential things you want the audience to focus on, so you don't want to be distracted by certain things, and I think it focuses you to really look at what's important in the frame and that's certainly a lesson I'll take, isn't it? Demet: Your adaptation ends on a more hopeful note with animals coming together to overthrow Napoleon. What made you choose to include this moment of solidarity and resistance? Andy: At the end, we felt that we live in such a bleak world at the moment, in very dark times. We didn't want to have a sort of a fake happy ending, but we wanted some hope. We wanted some hope there, although history repeats itself and we always make the same mistakes. We keep going round and round, and never finding a way of creating, a way of living, which is inclusive. We always go wrong somehow. So, we want to at least offer up a moment, a brief moment, where Lucky actually confronts the darkness that is Napoleon. Having gone through and made the wrong moral choices, he somehow makes amends to the rest of the animals so that there is an element of hope. I don't think it's an overly optimistic ending. It still says it's gonna be difficult next time round and that's where we leave it. Although we're starting again and the animals have to sit down and kind of go, "OK, now what?" Then it's as Boxer says, they weren't gonna find it easy, but at least they'd try and that's all we can do every time we go wrong, all we can do is try and make amends and make things better. © Aniventure & The Imaginarium Demet: Yeah, it's a very fitting ending because they have to try and history might repeat itself again for them, but yeah, you have to try every time. So that was a good ending. Like you mentioned, this has been in the works for over 10 years now, and you said that it went from more of a live action adaptation to animated. How else did your vision for the film evolve over the years to now in its complete form? Andy: The design of the characters when I first started was crucial, and I remember when we first started off, there were a lot more beaten characters in a live action way. [It] looked much more beaten up and you could see that they'd been sort of not brutalized but neglected by Farmer Jones at the beginning of the movie. So they all were not pretty to look at, and I think we purposefully changed the design of the characters to look a little sweeter, a little bit more accessible for younger people because we knew that the journey that we were gonna take would take them into a slightly darker place, but we didn't want to start off there and that was a major design decision. Talking about design. I was really struck by the car of Glenn Close's character which looks very familiar. So was it on purpose or was it like 10 years ago and it had just happened to be from that time? Andy: That car was designed about 5 years ago. I mean it was supposed to be a modern car and her whole facility is supposed to be like a futuristic facility, but it wasn't referencing any particular [thing]. But that's the amazing thing about allegory and how it is relevant... It's scary, very scary, and as I say this, this film is not particularly aimed at any particular regime or time or place. It's eternally relevant, but it happens to chime in with a lot of the things that are going on in the world at the moment. Would you do animated movie again? Andy: Oh yeah, definitely! I think it's an incredible way of speaking to a broad audience. Family films tend to be patronizing to children or they're very hard to get right. This isn't a family film as such, but it's a film for all ages, and that's the way that we've seen it. I know that the response that we've had from children has been great, actually. We tested it and the kids really do love this film because they are being asked to challenge themselves as to what they think about things. Demet: OK, one last question. Are there any particular scenes or character moments in the film that you feel especially powerful or personally meaningful? Andy: It's interesting. One of the scenes I really love is the animals hadn't had any food and then Napoleon realizes that he's made a huge mistake, but he's just covering and he's blaming Snowball, who'd left the farm a long time ago. He's got a punch bag and he's punching it, and then Lucky's saying, "What have we got to do? The animals are starving; we have to rectify the situation." And Kieran Culkin's relationship as Squealer to Napoleon, just the mood of that scene before they go to see Pilkington and start to strike a deal with humans — a meaningful deal with humans... That scene, it really becomes the turning point in the movie where it suddenly goes to becoming quite dark, but it's really funny as well. And getting the tone of that scene right was really important. This interview has been edited for clarity.

The cast of the highly anticipated third entry in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune  saga continues to grow as the film has found its twins. Sources tell Nexus Point News that Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke are set to portray Leto II and Ghanima, respectively. Momoa and Brooke will portray the twin children of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya). As reported by NPN in April, the film was set to introduce the twins as teens in this film during a time jump. Details of this time jump are currently unknown but may hint at Villeneuve drastically changing the story to incorporate elements of the novel, Children of Dune . Momoa, the son of actor Jason Momoa, will be making his acting debut in Dune   3 , and will be acting opposite his father. Jason Momoa will be reprising his role as Duncan Idaho who returns as a ghola, created by Scytale (Robert Pattinson). Brooke is best known for her roles in Silo  and The Primrose Railway Children . The twins were first introduced in Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel, Dune Messiah at the very end of the novel as newborns. (Spoilers ahead!) The birth of the twins resulted in the death of Chani, an event foretold through Paul’s prescience. They return in the next installment in the series, Children of Dune , as 9 year olds and attempt to overthrow their corrupted aunt Alia and the Corrino uprising. Leto II is crowned as emperor and returns thousands of years later in God Emperor Dune , fully transformed into a sandworm-human hybrid. Dune 3  is slated to begin shooting next month, in July, and continue through the end of the year. Writer and director of the first two films, Denis Villeneuve, returns to write and direct the third installment of the series. Returning cast members include, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Anya Taylor-Joy, Javier Bardem, and Florence Pugh. Legendary’s Dune 3 is currently rumored to release on December 16, 2026.

Peacock's Poker Face was created by Rian Johnson, who was the showrunner for the first season which performed well and got itself a second season renewal. With the second season, we still see Rian Johnson return to direct episodes alongside Natasha Lyonne, who returns as Charlie Cale, but it also brings along a new face to run the show, Tony Tost. Nexus Point News spoke with Tony Tost and discussed actors who were almost in Season 2, his collaboration with Rian Johnson, the decision to end the hitman story early, AI, and more. Christopher: Hi Tony, my name's Christopher Mills. I'm from Nexus Point News. It's a pleasure to speak with you today. How are you doing? Tony: I'm doing good. How are you doing? Nice to meet you and talk with you. Christopher: I'm doing good. This is like my, my second interview of the day, so I'm running on high energy, but I'm so excited to do this. Initially I had two screening to go out for today for films I'm excited for, but then I got the email to interview you and I said, " Poker Face is literally one of my favorite shows. I can't let this slip by." So, I stayed home just so that I could get the opportunity to speak with you today. Tony: Well, I appreciate that. It's cool to hear. Christopher: There are obviously a lot of guest actors in Poker Face . I was wondering for this season, were there any actors you tried to get to get that you wasn't able to that fell through maybe at the last moment? Tony: There's a lot of actors that we reached out to that wanted to do the the the show, but the scheduling didn't work out. Natasha and Rian have so many friends. I've talked about maybe trying to have Aubrey Plaza come in, but it didn't quite work out. There was Fred Armisen, who Natasha is very close to and Rian is friends with. Those were a couple of people that I think we tried [to get], but we just couldn't quite get the scheduling to sync up with us. Natasha Lyonne and John Mulaney in 'Poker Face' © Peacock Christopher: I'm assuming, for a future season, you try to maybe get those people along. Are there any other people that you would love to see on Poker Face ? Tony: Rian has talked about, and it's something that I love is just like if somebody is in season one or season two, there's no reason they can't come back in season 3 as a totally new character. That's something that these old school 70s-80s shows would do. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if say, you know, Tim Blake Nelson, or anyone, came back as some different character. My favorite actress of all time is Sissy Spacek, who played Loretta Lynn and Coal Miner's daughter. I think she is just a genius. She's someone whose flag I'm always gonna wave for a future episode. For whatever reason, I'm obsessed with casting Ron Howard as a bad guy cause he's got this pure opines, and I think there's just something that would be delightful to have him as a Poker Face killer. Christopher: It's so funny that you say that because, I don't know if you've seen The Studio , but Ron Howard is like a kind of villain in in that show. Tony: I haven't seen it yet, but it's ripe there for the picking. I only hear the best things about him behind the scenes. He's a fantastic actor. He's a really underrated director. He's terrific. I'll have to check out The Studio to see Ron Howard as a bad guy cause that's something that's been on my wish list for a while. Christopher: I love that you mentioned actors kind of turning into different characters. In another one of my favorite shows, Doctor Who , there's actors that you'll see in past episodes who return to play like main centric characters. There's never the question of seeing them before. They're just acknowledged as different characters. Tony: This is a thing that TV does, like embracing the TVness of a TV show. There's nothing wrong with like, doing an 8 or 10 hour movie, or doing the great American novel as a TV show. There's no fun show to hang out with each week that's just trying to tell you a good story with some interesting characters and fun guest stars. TV kind of got away from that, but I think people are rediscovering that a little bit. We're not the only show doing that, but if there's a great actor or actress that fits the show and that the people making the show really like working with, why not bring them back? Christopher: I have two wish lists guest actors for the show: Anya Taylor Joy and Daisy Ridley. I'd love to see that in the world of Poker Face . Tony: I could totally see that. I could see both of them, especially as killers, I think that would be fun to see Charlie pair off against them. We'll tuck those away into the back pocket. Christopher: Fingers crossed. You didn't work on the first season of Poker Face and you've come on to season two as showrunner, executive producer, and you've written an episode as well. I just wanted to ask, what was that experience like talking to Rian? Tony: I loved season one, it's a terrific show. It took me a little while to check out the show. I was in the process of brainstorming not the exact same thing, but something similar to Poker Face as a modern day take on Colombo. I was wanting to do a modern day spin on a Rockford Files type of show, with the same idea. I wanted to get a charismatic lead actor, fun guest stars, with a case of the week premise. Then I saw Poker Face coming out and I was like, "Oh crap, they beat me to it." And then I found out that they were looking for a showrunner and they reached out to my reps to see if I'd be interested. This is even better than I thought it would be. I mean, it's daunting to come in. The Zuckermans did terrific work in season one. It's one thing to come in and try to keep a show going, it's another thing to make a show. There wasn't a season zero of Poker Face for them to reference to. When we're in the process of making season two in the writer's room, I'd rewatch episodes, go back to what's unique in Poker Face . They didn't have that luxury. I have all the admiration for what they were able to pull off in in season one. I was not the only candidate for the job. It wasn't handed to me. I had to make my case. Then it was very much coming in and downloading as much of Brian's brain as I can in the writing stage while also getting Natasha's point of view on the show and trying to hold them both together. My job in making season 2 was just to get this collection of great writers to come up with ideas that hopefully got Rian excited or got him tickled. A couple days a week he'd come in the afternoon, we'd pitch out our ideas, go through them, and then he would either thumbs up or thumbs down the idea, or he would, throw curveballs at us. It's just that that kind of process. I could go on and on about different elements of the show, but on the writing side, that's that's kind of the process. Christopher: Honestly, I'm glad you came on board. Even though I've not seen the last two episodes, I do prefer this season to the first. I really, really enjoyed the second season. One of the worries I had going into it was if this was going to feel repetitive with the concept of Charlie getting chased across America again. That's quickly scorched early on in the season. What was the decision behind closing that storyline off? Tony: That's great to to hear! What's your favorite episode this season cause I'm always curious. Did you have a favorite episode in season two so far? Christopher: I think my favorite episode might have to be the gym one. I really liked the gym one a lot. I also do enjoy the episode where the storyline ends with the police shoot out. Tony: The gym one that was fun one to do. The ending was really initiated from Rian. When I came in and when we got our writers room together, at Rian's urging, we didn't even talk about the overarching serialized story for season two. He wanted us to really just focus on standalone episodes that just worked on their own, and then we would come back and figure out what to do with the Beatrix task. The first episode we broke was the Gator Joe one, that the cops one, and then the second one we broke was the minor league baseball one. We broke a handful of of those episodes and we're at the outline or script stages on them. I was just assuming that season two would just kind of carry forward the Beatrix Hasp storyline. [We were trying to figure out] how we were gonna incorporate that in, and Rian was just like, do we have to do it the whole season? What if we just kind of resolved it and then opened it up where Charlie's on the road by her own choice? And it becomes more her trying to figure out what her life is. Then we don't have to keep coming up with characters rushing in at the end of episodes. They did that very well in season one, and season two needs to do its own thing. We got more and more excited about gently pivoting in this direction that kind of carries us through the middle section of the season. When people see the last couple of episodes, they'll see that season 2 does have a story; it just kind of takes an unconventional way of telling itself. Christopher: That's honestly great saying. There was some speculation online in this latest episode that came out that there may have been some use of AI. I was just wondering if there was actually any use of AI when they're looking into the gator's eyes and you feel the whole zen. Tony: I don't think there was. Once we wrap production, and I did my last passes on the last episodes in post, I've only been involved on the post production to come in on sound mixes to be Rian's support. On the VFXs side of things, I haven't really been weighing on it, but I do know that Rian reached out to our post production coordinator and we've been assured that it's not AI generated. I don't know exactly how the image is generated because, again, the nuts and bolts of that stage came in later in the process. I have no reason to not believe that it's actually not AI even though I think some people suspect that it is. Christopher: If you don't suspect it, if the other people amongst teams don't, you know, suspect that there's no AI, who are we to say otherwise? There's none. Tony: When you do a VFX spotting session, which I was involved in, you're talking with your post production producer and your VFX supervisor on the show about what we're kind of going for. Then they go reach out vendors and find who bid on it. The vendors come back and present with you, you give notes, and it develops that way. It's not necessarily an in-house thing, but again, if the vendors tell us it's not AI and our post producers say it's not AI, I believe it's not AI. Christopher: Honestly, that's just great to hear. Thank you so much for your time. I can't wait to get to watch these last two episodes when I get the chance to. I just hope we get more Poker Face . I don't know if you've heard of anything if there's a season 3 renewal. Tony: Everybody's still kind of catching their breath after finishing season two and kind of seeing how season two is being received. I'm sure there will be conversations down the line in terms of that, but there hasn't been those discussions yet. I think everyone's just kind of enjoying that we finished it and that people do seem to be enjoying it and watching it. I'm sure we won't keep it a secret once those conversations take place. About Poker Face Premiere Date:  May 8 2025 Episode Count:  12 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Tony Tost, Ram Bergman, Nena Rodrigue, Adam Arkin, Nora Zuckerman, Lilla Zuckerman Writer: Laura Deeley, Alice Ju, Natasha Lyonne, Wyatt Cain, Tony Tost, Kate Thulin, Taofik Kolade, Megan Amram, Tea Ho, Raphie Cantor, Andrew Sodroski Director: Rian Johnson, Natasha Lyonne, Miguel Arteta, Lucky McKee, John Dahl, Adam Arkin, Mimi Cave, Adamma Ebo, Clea Duvall, Ti West Production:  Animal Pictures, T-Street Distribution:  Peacock Cast:  Natasha Lyonne, Adrienne C. Moore, Alia Shawkat, Awkwafina, Ben Marshall, B.J. Novak, Carol Kane, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Corey Hawkins, Cynthia Erivo, David Alan Grier, David Krumholtz, Favionte "GaTa" Ganter, Ego Nwodim, Gaby Hoffmann, Geraldine Viswanathan, Giancarlo Espositio, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Ritter, John Cho, John Mulaneyy, Justin Theroux, Katherin Narducci, Katie Holmes, Kevin Corrigan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Tom, Lili Taylor, Margo Martindale, Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Leggero, Patti Harrison, Rhea Perlman, Richard Kind, Sam Richardson, Sherry Cola, Simon Helberg, Simon Rex, Taylor Schilling Synopsis: Poker Face  is a mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.

We Were Liars is Amazon Prime Video's newest series, intended to entice young adults with a recipe of suspense, drama, and mystery. Based on the novel by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars revolves around the elite Sinclair family through the eyes of the eldest grandchild, Cadence. They rule like American royalty on their private island, Beachwood, with wealth, power, and a legacy. The Sinclair family has it all, minus trust, respect, honour, and dignity. The series picks up one year after mysterious circumstances leave Cadence with a traumatic brain injury that has her memory in fragments. In her resolve to piece her memory back together, she confronts the sins of her family as they are hellbent on keeping her in the dark. Young adult fiction often provides an immersive experience into dystopian, fantastic, or supernatural worlds, where a clear hero and villain engage in a fight for love or survival. Like its source material, We Were Liars disrupts the formula to engage audiences in an unpredictable thriller set against the backdrop of the real world because there is nothing more terrifying than reality. The series is essentially the offspring of Succession and The Hunger Games. Though, unlike Succession, it is no form of comedy at all. As ironic as this sounds, We Were Liars never pretends to be anything it's not. Showrunners Julie Plec and Carina Adly McKenzie effectively capture the tragic and mysterious nature that originated from Lockhart's mind, resulting in a successful adaptation. The series takes its time to build up, but it pays off in the end. Until then, the leads keep us occupied with impeccable performances as the Sinclairs shed their skins. The Kids Aren't Alright © Amazon The self-titled 'Liars' are a quartet of best friends who spend their summers on the family's private island, Beachwood. They are four cousins (three biological, one by marriage). Unlike their parents, they cherish the time spent with one another instead of fighting for inheritance. Anyone looking at them would easily dismiss them as spoiled rich brats without a care in the world, which is dead wrong. Emily Alyn Lind, Joseph Zada, and Esther McGregor accomplish the nearly impossible task of getting anyone to sympathize with rich white kids as they provide intimate looks into the minds of Sinclair cousins: Cadence, Johnny, and Mirrin. As for the fourth member, Gat, played by Shubham Maheshwari, he shares the Sinclair curse despite not having the same blood. These four kindred spirits band together to keep each other from falling apart. The way Johnny, Mirren, and Gat rally around Cadence after her near-death experience serves as a clear indication of their unbreakable bond. Cadence has been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Now she must learn to let her loved ones carry her, and their dynamic carries the show. The Sinclair Sins Amazon If you ever wonder what a generational curse looks like, look at the parents in the Sinclair dynasty. They are not necessarily bad people, but they are far from good, and to call them flawed would be an understatement. Their love for their children is buried deep down by a primal instinct to survive at any cost. The Sinclair Sisters have so many skeletons in their closet while being starved for affection from their father, who is the absolute worst, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll get to him shortly. Caitlin FitzGerald, Mamie Gummer, and Candice King's portrayals of Penny, Carrie, and Bess Sinclair mirror the faces of greed, pride, and envy. They succeed in internalising those demons with a thread of trauma they share. To no one's surprise, none of them is happy. They smile, wave, and blow kisses for the sake of appearances. While they serve as clear indications for why their children are severely messed up, you can't help but feel pity for them instead of disdain. Any disdain viewers are expected to have is reserved for the Sinclair monarch, Harris. Harris The Sinister Sinclair © Amazon Don't worry about spoilers. You will find none of those here. I can write a dissertation on how Harris might be Satan, and you still would have no idea what transpires. The show is called We Were Liars for a reason after all. Played by David Morse, Harris is the source of the Sinclair family's generational curse. There are stubborn old men stuck in their ways, and then there is Harris. As far as Harris is concerned, he is Zeus, refusing to hand over Olympus to his progeny. He would rather pit them against each other to see who deserves to inherit his kingdom the most. He is the worst type of narcissist anyone can imagine, with a mastery of psychological warfare under his belt. Speaking of psychological warfare, the writers are the most dangerous masterminds. The One Truth Worse Than All The Lies © Amazon The true nature of We Were Liars is not revealed until the season finale. The writers build on the foundation laid by the original author to misdirect viewers with merciless plot twists. This saga testifies that seeing the world through someone else's eyes does not guarantee an understanding of their suffering, because life is more complex than we care to admit. What we see is not necessarily what we know. Rating: ★★★★★ © Amazon About We Were Liars Premiere Date:  June 18, 2025 Episode Count:  10 Executive Producers/Showrunners: Julie Plec, Carina Adly Mackenzie Writers: Julie Plec, Carina Adly Mackenzie, Scarlett Curtis, Fola Goke-Pariola, Sid Gopinath, Aditya Joshi, Allison Sanchez Directors: Erica Dunton, Nzingha Stewart Production:   My So-Called Company, Amazon MGM Studios, Universal Television Distribution:  Amazon Prime Video Cast:   Emily Alyn Lind, Shubham Maheshwari, Joseph Zada, Esther McGregor, Caitlin FitzGerald, Mamie Gummer, Candice King, Rahul Kohli, David Morse, Wendy Crewson Based On: The novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Synopsis: The series follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman and her tight-knit inner circle, nicknamed the Liars, during their summer escapades on her grandfather’s New England private island. The Sinclairs are American royalty -- known for their good looks, old money, and enviable bond -- but after a mysterious accident changes Cadence's life forever, everyone, including her beloved Liars, seems to have something to hide.

This review contains spoilers for Poker Face . In The Sleazy Georgian , Poker Face  delivers a slick con-artist caper that’s as morally corrupt as it is wildly entertaining. The eighth episode of the second season pairs guest stars John Cho and Melanie Lynskey in a tale layered with deceit, desperation, and just enough heart to keep you invested.  The episode opens in a hotel bar where Regina (Lynskey), a warm but wary employee of the National Orphan Fund, meets Guy (Cho), a suave stranger seemingly up to no good. What begins as flirty quickly escalates to an over-the-top tale involving a deposed Georgian monarch, a bag of cash, and a hotel room where shady underground money exchange happens. Guy claims he’s helping a former Georgian ruler in exile, who has billions of dollars in cash in Georgian Lari. He’s supposedly forced to live in a studio flat using banknotes as a coffee table, so Guy helps him out. He’s built trust exchanging small amounts, including 5,000 to 10,000 dollars at a time, but today, he’s taking the leap with a bag containing 400,000 in cash. It’s ridiculous, but brilliant. And it only gets messier from there. Lynskey brings a curious tension to Regina. She’s clearly out of her depth, yet strangely confident, in a situation that would have any sane individual running from. “I just look like someone who would go to a stranger’s bedroom,” she says, before casually remaining in a room with a man who has a gun. Cho, meanwhile, oozes charm as Guy, a ‘businessman’ who will deceive you as much as he does Regina. Things go from zero to noir when bullets start flying, money is taken, and people aren’t who they say they are. As always, Charlie saunters into this chaos with perfect timing and even better timing on her wisecracks. This week, she's using coupons for free breakfasts in hotels that pay no mind to what she's handing over, because, of course, she is. © Peacock What’s most satisfying here is the show’s commitment to emotional ambiguity. Regina’s downfall is as much self-inflicted as it is tragic. She ignores every red flag in her pursuit of something - money? freedom? validation? - and it costs her everything. The show lets the con play out to show how quickly good intentions can be weaponised by the wrong crowd. As the double-crosses stack up, Charlie makes a characteristically rogue decision to outwit the cons at their own game. There’s a satisfying moment when it’s revealed she’s orchestrated a final twist with the help of two supposedly dead side characters (who are, in fact, married - adorably so). Not only does she con the conmen, but she also ensures the 20,000-dollar cut taken from Regina goes to the orphan charity, restoring a shred of justice in an otherwise sleazy affair. Megan Amram’s script is sharp and full of darkly funny moments, while Mimi Cave’s direction keeps the tone balanced between noir and absurdism. If there’s one flaw, it’s the minor suspension of disbelief required for some of the plot leaps. Would someone really lay out a six-figure scam to a woman he just met in a bar? Probably not. Would you, as the woman, fall for it? As Charlie herself says, bullshit. But with performances this good and twists this thrilling, I’m more than willing to play along. Rating: ★★★★☆ © Peacock About Poker Face Premiere Date:  May 8 2025 Episode Count:  12 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Tony Tost, Ram Bergman, Nena Rodrigue, Adam Arkin, Nora Zuckerman, Lilla Zuckerman Writer: Laura Deeley, Alice Ju, Natasha Lyonne, Wyatt Cain, Tony Tost, Kate Thulin, Taofik Kolade, Megan Amram, Tea Ho, Raphie Cantor, Andrew Sodroski Director: Rian Johnson, Natasha Lyonne, Miguel Arteta, Lucky McKee, John Dahl, Adam Arkin, Mimi Cave, Adamma Ebo, Clea Duvall, Ti West Production:  Animal Pictures, T-Street Distribution:  Peacock Cast:  Natasha Lyonne, Adrienne C. Moore, Alia Shawkat, Awkwafina, Ben Marshall, B.J. Novak, Carol Kane, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Corey Hawkins, Cynthia Erivo, David Alan Grier, David Krumholtz, Favionte "GaTa" Ganter, Ego Nwodim, Gaby Hoffmann, Geraldine Viswanathan, Giancarlo Espositio, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Ritter, John Cho, John Mulaney, Justin Theroux, Katherine Narducci, Katie Holmes, Kevin Corrigan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Tom, Lili Taylor, Margo Martindale, Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Leggero, Patti Harrison, Rhea Perlman, Richard Kind, Sam Richardson, Sherry Cola, Simon Helberg, Simon Rex, Taylor Schilling Synopsis: Poker Face  is a mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.

Hollywood has gained a recent obsession with taking well-beloved animated films and putting them through a machine to transform them into, at most times, live-action adaptations. Universal has decided to join in on the trend, and with them having a stacked list of animated films thanks to DreamWorks, there were a lot of films they could’ve worked with. Thankfully, they chose a franchise of theirs that is seemingly the only one that works in the live-action format, and Dean DeBlois, who also directed the original trilogy, has returned to prove why How to Train Your Dragon was Universal’s best choice, why it can be seen as one of the best live-action adaptations, and also asks the question of what audiences really want from their live-action adaptations. How To Train Your Dragon is set on the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations. Hiccup Borrendkus Haddock III (Mason Thames), the inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), defies centuries of traditional dragon-fighting practice when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. Universal Pictures have been extremely proud with How To Train Your Dragon , with it premiering at the start of the year to audiences at CinemaCon. The show of confidence is understandable after viewing this film, as it truly recaptures what made the original film so special. It’s not only full of heart with emotional moments that will, without a doubt, bring you to tears; it has stunning visuals from the beautiful night skies of Berk, the ferocious dragons and the hauntingly terrifying dragon island. © Universal Pictures What differentiates How To Train Your Dragon from your average live-action adaptation is that it brings along a few returning talents from the original film, such as Dean DeBlois and John Powell, who returns with his majestic score that takes you on a ride through the skies, and finally, Gerard Butler, who returns to play the role of Stoick the Vast. There are all these returning factors and the promise that DeBlois is going to get the opportunity to add things he never got to the first time around, but by the time the credits roll, there’s never anything substantial to warrant this film truly existing on its own. There are noticeable scenes removed from the film, such as Hiccup bringing food for the smaller dragons, which DeBlois mentioned slowed down the reveal, and then there’s the promise of Astrid receiving more character development and a stronger character arc, and while Nico Parker easily portrays the character well and has great chemistry with Mason Thames, the relationship between Hiccup and Astrid plays through the same beats as the animated film. Although the performances elevate them ever so slightly, it’s still a disappointment to see that there wasn’t any room for improvements upon the characters themselves. Mason Thames feels like Hiccup ripped straight from the animated movies, and with Hiccup already being such a well-written character, all Thames had to worry about was delivering a believable performance, which he goes above and beyond to achieve. He’s charming, dedicated, caring and driven to make a change in Berk, and Mason Thames portrays all of these traits. While Mason Thames and Nico Parker are the stars of the film. Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, and Haryy Trevaldwyn who portray Fishlegs, Snoutlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, respectively, bring the comedic energy with their perfect timing, making it a joy anytime they’re on screen. © Universal Pictures What stands out with How To Train Your Dragon is the stunning visuals of the various dragons, specifically Toothless, who looks like he has been pulled straight out of the animated films themselves. Outside of Toothless, the other dragons don’t look as vibrant as their animated counterparts, but they still look breathtakingly stunning, especially in the scene where Toothless takes Hiccup and Astrid to the Dragon Island. The VFX doesn’t always look its best when there’s more than one human interacting with a dragon, and it can become noticeable how it affects the visuals, with it starting to look rather unrealistic, but that doesn’t become an issue until the third act, and thankfully, the rest of the film looks superb. While live-action adaptations of animated movies are something that is seemingly hurting the animation industry as it continues to discourage people from watching the animated counterparts, it can’t be ignored that DreamWorks’ live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon is a movie and adaptation that just works. It loses some charm with the transition but also brings over emotion and wit that the actors so powerfully capture. Dean DeBlois creates a movie that’s not only enjoyable but breathtaking, which is carried by John Powell’s iconic and legendary score, but there’s still something missing to help make this its own. There’s already a sequel greenlit for 2027, and if they would like to reach higher heights, it’s probably best they take it in a different direction while still retaining what makes that second film the best in the trilogy. Rating: ★★★½ How To Train Your Dragon . © Universal Pictures About How To Train Your Dragon (2025) Premiere Date:  June 9, 2025 Executive Producer: Marc Platt, Dean DeBlois, Adam Siegel Writer: Dean DeBlois Adapted from:  Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders Director: Dean DeBlois Production:   DreamWorks Animation, Marc Platt Productions, DreamWorks Pictures Distribution:  Universal Pictures Cast:   Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gerard Butler, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, Murray McArthur Synopsis: On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.

Pixar Animation Studios presented to attendees at Annecy Festival 2025 a first look at their upcoming films from 2025 to 2027. The presentation shared various clips, new details on the film and an announcement of a new original Pixar movie. A New Original Pixar Movie Has Been Announced © Disney With Elio just around the corner and Hoppers releasing early next year, Pixar surprised audiences at the Annecy Festival with the announcement of their next film, Gatto . Gatto will take place in Venice and follow a human named Maya who captures a black cat named Nero that doesn't like Venice due to the simple fact that it can't swim. Indebted to a feline mob boss, Nero finds himself forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose. The film will release in Summer 2027 and will be directed by Luca's very own Enrico Casarosa. New Details Revealed On Pixar's Upcoming Films © Disney Aside from Elio , Pixar has a few upcoming films on their slate, one of which is Toy Story 5 , the sequel to Pixar's most beloved franchise. Audiences at the Annecy Festival got a first look at the film where they were shown the opening scene. Toy Story 5 is going to feel more connected with today's world, as it focuses on what happens when toys come across technology, as Bonnie now has a lilypad (tablet) that she uses instead of playing with toys. The opening scene begins with eyes opening to stormy weather on a beach. We see Buzz Lightyear in a package that has a label saying "High Tech Edition". As we look around, we see dozens of Buzz's in packaging all washed up on the beach. They begin to walk into the forest, walking like an army, and as they reach the end, they realize they're on an island. It's now night, and they are by the beach looking into the stars. One of the Buzz's says "Star", while another then proceeds to say "Command". They start repeating before one of them says "Rendezvous". They begin to start changing "Rendezvous with Star Command!" while making a boat and then sailing away. It pans to the stars, and they outline the Toy Story 5 logo. It was also revealed that Joan Cusack would be returning as the voice of Jesse. © Disney Next up was Hoppers , which follows Mabel, voiced by Piper Curda, a nature- and animal-loving student. The film is about Mabel preventing an animal glade from being turned into a highway, but as she makes attempts to rescue it, she uses technology that scientists have created which allows you to hop into robot animals to study them and hops herself into an actual animal: a beaver. A clip was shown where Mabel the Beaver doesn't know the rules; she tries to meet another beaver, but he floats away. A bear then attacks that beaver and is prepared to eat him. Mabel ends up fighting the bear and saves the beaver, but everyone is weirded out by her actions. The beaver was fine with being eaten, as it's part of life and everyone knows you've got to eat. Mabel tells the bear it's okay to continue eating him, but the bear says, "No, now it's weird." Throughout the film, scientists are trying to find Mabel, and Mabel is trying to keep it a secret from other animals that she is actually a human in an animal body. Another clip was shown where Mayor Jerry, voiced by Jon Hamm, who is behind the highway project, wakes up full of joy, says bye to his mom and gets into his car. Mabel the Beaver, the other beaver and King George, voiced by Bobby Moynihan, are also in the car. They lock the doors while the crows are gathering outside. Mabel takes Jerry's phone and communicates with him with text-to-speech. Mabel then says he has to cancel the highway project and that his life is in danger. The animals we see have two slightly different looks. From each other's perspectives, they have bigger eyes and are more expressive. From the human's perspective in the movie, they look more like a regular animal. Brand New Elio Footage Showcased At Annecy Festival © Disney With Elio releasing in just one week, audiences at the Annecy Festival were shown 25 minutes of footage to get them excited for what Pixar had in store. Elio, voiced by Yonas Kibreab is an 11-year-old orphan living with his aunt, Olga Solis, voiced by Zoe Saldaña. Olga is an analyst at the Space Center. She wanted to become an astronaut and join the programme, but Elio's parents dying stopped her from pursuing her dreams. The clip showcased Elio at Olga's job. Olga tries to convince him to eat, but he is reluctant. When Olga talks with a friend, Elio disappears. He goes into the room with the Voyager Golden Record. He presses it and then hears all the messages people sent to space with Voyager, and Voyager visuals appear on the ceiling. Elio is in awe. After this, Elio feels like only aliens can understand him and that he will belong with them. He goes to the beach every day and draws a circle and writes down "ALIENS ABDUCT ME". One day his aunt Olga actually gets a message from space, and Elio answers. They think he is the leader of Earth. He is taken to Communivers, where the greatest minds come to exchange information. A violent alien named Grigon, voiced by Brad Garrett, wants to join the Communivers, but no one wants that. He wants to join using force. Elio eventually befriends his son Glordon, voiced by Remy Edgerly, and uses him as a bargaining chip. More details to come...

© Disney Walt Disney Animation Studios presented to attendees at Annecy Festival 2025 a first look at the highly awaited sequel, Zootopia 2 . The presentation shared various clips and new details on the film, such as casting and upcoming original music. New Zootopia 2 Details Revealed With the Annecy Festival taking place in France, it was only right that they would announce that French actor Jean Reno would be voicing a goat police officer as part of the Zootopia Police Department in a cameo role. A clip was also shown which revealed the first look at comedian Fortune Feimster voicing Nibbles, a reptile expert. A Legend Returns To Walt Disney Animation Studios It was revealed during the panel at the Annecy Festival that acclaimed writer and director Ron Clements, known for his work on The Little Mermaid . Aladdin , Hercules , Moana and so much more would be coming out of retirement and returning to Walt Disney Animation Studios under a new mentor role. First Zootopia 2 Footage Shown At Annecy Festival 2025 © Disney There were several new clips sharing Zootopia 2 footage revealed at the panel today at the Annecy Festival. This movie picks up from where the first one leaves off, and it's all about whether Judy and Nick have what it takes to stay together. They're working undercover for an assignment which goes terribly in a car chase that was extremely dangerous. Bogo blames their differences in style for that. Bogo seems worried and says, "Take it seriously!" He sends Judy and Nick to the partner therapy. The therapist is a Quokka named Dr. Fuzzby. Judy finds out that Gary De'Snake, a snake voiced by Ke Huy Quan, is planning to steal a historical book from a party where it will get displayed. Judy and Nick infiltrate the party and realize the snake might not be the villain after all and that the book might be able to clear the snake's bad reputation. They help the snake escape and become fugitives. It's also known that the Lxyleys' grandfather wrote the book. Mayor Winddancer, who is an actor horse turned politician, is introduced. Nick and Judy are on the run and meet a criminal family made up of Arctic Shrews who give them new clothes and identities. Nick and Judy go to the reptile expert named Nibbles, who tries to gain more information on the book for them. The case is a lot more dangerous than they anticipated as they discover that the villain has already killed someone for the book. Two police officers who are French goats are introduced, with one of them being voiced by Jean Reno. A second clip was shown which shows Nick and Judy going to the dock where all the sea animals live to find Gary De'Snake. The police end up chasing Nick and Judy while they're chasing Gary. They end up following Gary into an extremely long waterslide where they might run out of air. The Arctic Shrews' criminal family consists of Mr Big, his wife Fru Fru and his daughter Judith. More details to come...

Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for 'The Gilded Age' Season 3. Julian Fellowes ' The Gilded Age  returns for a third season on HBO on June 22, and if you thought the drawing rooms and dinner parties couldn’t get any sharper, you were mistaken. From the opening frames of a snow-swept New York spring, it’s clear this season isn’t here to dawdle as the war between new and old money rages on. At the center of it all is Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), society’s most determined social climber, whose ambition has never been so direct or so divisive. Coon plays her with restraint, all posture and control, though cracks do begin to show in both herself and her marriage. The Russell household is noticeably less united this season, with George (Morgan Spector) off on business and the rest of the family navigating rifts of their own. The family drama is commanding, even if not always well-paced. As Bertha tries to engineer her daughter’s future, their conflict becomes as much about autonomy as status. Gladys gains as much agency, voice, and fight as a woman in her position is allowed (so, not a lot for the modern-day viewer, but watching her come into her own, as much as she can, is a delight). Larry (Harry Richardson) has things easier, but this doesn't mean he doesn't have a rough go of it. His will-they-won't-they with Marian (Louisa Jacobson) is the focal point for each, with plenty of drama to come between them. Whether or not you'll be invested will depend on whether you care for either character. Both lack development as individuals and as a pair, but they are sweet. Coon is never better than when Bertha begins to sense she might have finally gone too far, not in society, but with her own family. Her need to dominate every room begins to clash with the dawning realisation that her victories come at personal cost. The season’s most powerful moments aren’t at balls or dinners, but in the devastation that passes between her and George, or in the distance between her and her children as they begin to leave her grasp. Carrie Coon © HBO Meanwhile, Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) remains the show’s crown jewel. Every cutting remark is a gift, and her sparring with Ada (Cynthia Nixon) reaches new comedic heights. Whether she’s objecting to the use of her silver by commoners or declaring she is discerning, not petty, thank you very much, Agnes is an unrelenting delight. Her disdain for Ada’s temperance antics is as hilarious as it is biting, with 'Luke drank wine and served it at communion, just like Jesus’ being a particular gem. But what elevates their squabbling beyond comic relief is the unspoken love that runs beneath it. This season finally gives Ada something of her own, a purpose, and at times, the upper hand as the head of the household. Watching her surprise both her sister and the household staff with uncertain but growing authority is richly satisfying. Agnes, naturally, resists every change tooth and nail, even as she gradually acknowledges Ada’s influence. Whether battling over charitable causes or the meaning of a well-lived life, their relationship becomes a touching exploration of grief, regret, and interdependence. Baranski and Nixon remain the series’ best asset, whose every shared scene feels like a masterclass. If only they were utilised more. And then there are Ada’s séance scenes, which initially feel like throwaway comic relief but quietly blossom into something far more poignant. Grieving and searching for meaning, Ada is drawn into spiritualism with wide-eyed sincerity, hoping to contact her late husband, Luke. It’s faintly ridiculous (and Agnes certainly treats it as such), but Nixon plays it without a shred of irony, which makes it land. What could’ve been played for laughs becomes a look at loneliness and longing that will tug at the heartstrings. Another highlight of the season is Denee Benton’s Peggy Scott. Her professional ambitions continue to bloom, as does her personal life. While I don't want to spoil much, a slow-burn connection with Dr. Kirkland unfolds with tenderness and nuance you won't be able to look away from. While the romance builds gradually, it’s all the stronger for it. The season also continues to engage with the realities of race and racism in 19th-century America. Through Peggy's interactions with the Kirklands, a newly introduced black family of status and education, and Kirkland's position as a doctor in the city, the reactions they face from white society and within their community allow the show to explore respectability politics and the precariousness of advancement. A moment involving a refusal of medical treatment is a stark reminder that wealth and virtue do not protect against prejudice. Gossip surrounding Peggy's traumatic past, revealed last season, further provides Benton and Audra McDonald (Dorothy Scott) with some of season three's best material. Audra McDonald and Denée Benton © HBO That said, The Gilded Age  remains chronically overstuffed. The cast is enormous, and characters often flit in and out with life-changing developments (or deaths) in tow, as if handed to them by an offscreen telegram that Fellowes served to let them know their time in the ensemble is up. New characters are introduced, namely Merritt Wever as Bertha's sister Monica, and disappear as quickly as they arrived. Some romances blossom without build-up, while others end in a single scene. Major plot twists land without fanfare. Kelli O'Hara, in particular, is underused in a storyline that should have placed her at the forefront of the show. We also say goodbye to a character we didn’t know well enough, despite the pain their absence causes to those left behind. At times, it feels like Fellowes is trying to write six shows at once, and while some threads are thrilling, others are frustratingly neglected. The show continues to overestimate our care for the Russells’ downstairs staff, while underestimating our care for those across the street. Despite generous screen time, the Russell servants remain thin, often relegated to gossiping about their employers or fighting to discover who is leaking private information to the papers. It’s not that they aren’t capable - the talent is stacked with the best of Broadway - it’s that they’re rarely given material beyond function. There’s an obvious interest in building a Downton -style dual world, which worked in its British counterpart, but the writing just doesn’t commit to giving the downstairs half of the Russell house any real shape or substance here. At the Forte/Van Rhijn house, however, it’s another story. Their household staff are far more engaging, despite a lack of storylines for many. Jack stands out among them, whose continued subplot involving the invention of his clock is one of the most engaging storylines of the season. Ben Ahlers is a delight in the role, charming and entirely believable as a young man toeing the line between service and self-determination. His scenes, whether downstairs or with the women of the household, are among the show’s most human. It’s a rare example of the series letting a character rise organically rather than being thrust into melodrama for the sake of it. Season 3 of The Gilded Age  is rich in drama and well performed, but it rushes too much, sometimes never quite earning its stakes. It seems to run on instinct, not structure, and while that can be exhilarating, it can also be infuriating when you can see its full potential there. Still, when it works, it works. The season builds toward several satisfying climaxes, each personal, social, and romantic, and the final two episodes deliver some of the most lavish visual sequences the series has produced. Rating: ★★★★☆ © HBO About The Gilded Age Premiere Date:  June 22 Episode Count:  8 Executive Producer/Showrunner: Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame, David Crockett, Michael Engler, Bob Greenblatt, Sonja Warfield, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield Writer: Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield Director: Michael Engler and Salli Richardson-Whitfield Production:   HBO and Universal Television Distribution:  HBO Cast:   Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Harry Richardson, Blake Ritson, Ben Ahlers, Ashlie Atkinson, Dylan Baker, Kate Baldwin, Victoria Clark, John Ellison Conlee, Michael Cumpsty, Kelley Curran, Jordan Donica, Jessica Frances Dukes, Claybourne Elder, Amy Forsyth, Jack Gilpin, LisaGay Hamilton, Ward Horton, Simon Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Ben Lamb, Nathan Lane, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Debra Monk, Hattie Morahan, Donna Murphy, Kristine Nielsen, Paul Alexander Nolan,  Kelli O’Hara, Patrick Page, Rachel Pickup, Taylor Richardson, Douglas Sills, Bobby Steggert, Erin Wilhelmi, John Douglas Thompson, Leslie Uggams, Merritt Wever, with Bill Camp and Phylicia Rashad. Synopsis: The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic and social change, when empires were built, but no victory came without sacrifice. Following the Opera War, the old guard is weakened and the Russells stand poised to take their place at the head of society. Bertha sets her sights on a prize that would elevate the family to unimaginable heights while George risks everything on a gambit that could revolutionize the railroad industry — if it doesn’t ruin him first. Across the street, the Brook household is thrown into chaos as Agnes refuses to accept Ada’s new position as lady of the house. Peggy meets a handsome doctor from Newport whose family is less than enthusiastic about her career. As all of New York hastens toward the future, their ambition may come at the cost of what they truly hold dear.

Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen, Head of Production Kelly Crews, Cam Tang, Dave Hughes and Haha You Clowns creator Joe Cappa took the stage at the Adult Swim Studio Focus at Annecy to talk about the animation process, pitches and their upcoming slate. Michael Ouweleen revealed the following details from the upcoming projects: Rick and Morty Season 10 script has been handed. The series has been renewed for Seasons 10, 11 and 12. Common Side Effects First script from Season 2 is done. Primal Season 3 Premiering in 2026 Smiling Friends Seasons 4 and 5 have been greenlit. 10 episodes a year. Mr. Frog will appear in Season 3. Haha, You Clown Started as a Small. It has been picked up for 10 episodes. The Elephant A brand-new special in 3 acts. It was created in collaboration with Titmouse. Runtime of 22 minutes. Each act was created by different teams without any knowledge of the other acts. Ian Jones-Quartel, Pen Ward, Jack Pendarvis, Kent Osborne, Pat McHale and Rebecca Sugar have worked on it. A making-of documentary of the special is in progress. This story is still developing.