News

Game of Thrones ended years ago, but HBO is keeps returning to Westeros in spinoff series like House of the Dragon. It has more spinoffs in development, including a few animated shows. One would follow the adventures of a young Corlys Velaryon, played in his old age by Steve Toussaint on House of the Dragon. Another would be set in the Golden Empire of Yi Ti, a civilization based on ancient China.

HBO is also developing a spinoff that would follow Nymeria of the Rhoynar as she leads her people out of Essos to settle in Dorne, which happens centuries before the events of Game of Thrones. Last we heard, this was being developed as a live-action show, but author George R.R. Martin, the progenitor of the Game of Thrones universe, makes it sound like it would be a better fit for animation. "10,000 troops, 300 dragons. We have17 in House of the Dragon,...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Twilight Zone is one of the most brilliant and trippy series ever made. Created by Rod Serling, the CBS series is a virtual and psychologically thrilling trip into the unknown. The Twilight Zone premiered over six decades ago, and it still holds up very well as far as the stories and the visual experience go. Maybe that’s why the Jordan Peele reboot failed: it couldn’t capture the same magic as the Serling series did. So, if you loved the trippy stories, inventive settings, and compelling characters in The Twilight Zone, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Severance (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

Severance is a sci-fi mystery psychological thriller dark comedy-drama series created by Dan Erickson. The Apple TV+ series is set in a world where a biotechnology...

Hailed as a dynamic genre for the television landscape, sci-fi shows have garnered a multitude of fans who’ve consumed these fascinating programs with great intrigue. Whether delving into ambitious science fiction or blending genres to enhance a story, many sci-fi series create narratives that entertain audiences and build upon an overarching plot that leaves viewers invested in the ongoing trials and tribulations of the main characters.

Amidst the abundance of acclaimed sci-fi shows that take time to fully appreciate, either due to several seasons or a complicated narrative structure, some well-constructed series can be enjoyed by audiences in one day. In particular, a handful of condensed sci-fi shows emphasize how solid writing and quality filmmaking can go hand in hand to make viewer engagement the best version it can be.

Love, Death + Robots Offers Variety in Animated Storytelling Sci-Fi Has Never Felt More Exciting and Contemplative

Brimming with imaginative spectacle and mature themes,...

Escape.ai, a neo-cinema content distribution platform and creator marketplace founded by “The Matrix” VFX Oscar winner John Gaeta, has debuted in beta.

The aim of the platform is to allow filmmakers, digital artists, and game creators to showcase and monetize original content while offering audiences a curated viewing experience. It aims to attract content creators using generative AI, game engines and other emerging production technologies.

“Escape.ai caters to a new generation of viewers looking to discover a new generation of bold, innovative stories and connect directly with the people producing them,” Gaeta said, adding that he hopes to attract interest from viewers who “like edgy-fun shows like Love Death + Robots or the type of stories spun from game worlds.”

Of the opportunity for content creators, he added, “escape.ai champions the autonomy and growth of the newest class of creators by removing old system obstacles, increasing visibility for new voices,...

Quick Links'Love, Death & Robots' Is a Sci-Fi BloodbathHow Does 'Love, Death & Robots' Use Its Anthology Format?What Might We Expect From 'Love, Death & Robots' Season 4?

Given the truly boundless creative potential of an anthology format, it is surprising that there aren't many great shows that have tapped into it. Netflix's underrated seriesLove, Death & Robotsis one of the few examples of a true anthology. There are some great episodes, some fine, and some that are pretty forgettable. But when taken as one package, Love, Death & Robots is a genuinely unique sci-fi show, with a gleefully immature vision for destruction and some moments of visual wonder in between.

The show features a new story in every episode, with short runtimes and a distinct visual style in each installment that broadly follows the three themes found in the title. This allows creators to go in whatever direction they want, and whilst they are not always successful,...

What could be more enticing than a game of Clue set in the elusive White House? The premise for the latest murder mystery from Netflix is simple: 132 rooms, 157 suspects, one dead body, and one eccentric detective. From producer Shonda Rhimes comes an eight-episode comedic murder mystery series starring Orange is the New Black's Uzo Aduba along with Marvel favorites Randall Park and Giancarlo Esposito. In preparation for the March 20 release, Netflix has released the trailer for The Residence, and it looks like a good old-fashioned whodunnit.

Home of the modern murder mystery Knives Out, which arguably brought the genre back to the mainstream, Netflix is expanding its mystery portfolio with the upcoming miniseries based on the novel The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower. The comedic mystery thriller is produced by TV dynamo Rhimes, who has made more hit shows than one person can count.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Love, Death & Robots is an adult animated anthology series created by Tim Miller and David Fincher. The Netflix series is a collection of various animated short stories from different genres, including sci-fi, dark fantasy, horror, and mystery. Love, Death & Robots’ voice cast includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michael B. Jordan, Topher Grace, Elodie Yung and many more. So, if you loved the imaginative stories, anthology format, and compelling plots and characters in Love, Death & Robots, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Secret Level (Prime Video) Credit – Amazon MGM Studios

Secret Level is an adult animated anthology series created by Tim Miller. The Prime Video series consists of fifteen standalone stories set in the universes of different video games, including Armored Core, Concord, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, Sifu,...

Christopher Nolan's powerful Interstellar is a modern classic of the sci-fi genre, and fans of the film can find some comparable storytelling in this animated series on Netflix that boasts an impressive 86% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Interstellar is a deeply impressive film, boasting some of the most ambitious filmmaking of Christopher Nolan's career. Interstellar's cast are led by Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway playing astronauts who embark on a mission to find a new habitable world for humanity. The film's emotional throughline elevates it beyond other entries in the genre.

Other sci-fi properties released since Interstellar have explored similar concepts. One of the most notable is the animated anthology series Love, Death & Robots. Created by Deadpool director Tim Miller, Love, Death & Robots is a collection of mostly stand-alone shorts, each focusing on the sci-fi or fantasy genre. The best ones create vivid worlds while also exploring a rich emotional arc.

The last few days have been pretty busy for David Fincher. Se7en, his outstanding crime thriller of 1995, is turning 30 this year, and with that comes a re-release in theaters where fans will see a 4K restoration of the movie. However, the director of films like Mank and Fight Club is also using the opportunity to debunk and confirm projects. This time, Fincher addresses his remake of the Disney live-action classic of 1954, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Fincher remaking a Disney feature? As weird as that sounds, the project was on schedule for some time in the early 2010s, with Fincher pitching the movie to Brad Pitt for the role of Ned Land, played by Kirk Douglas in the Disney version. The project vanished at some point, though it probably had to do with the lukewarm reception Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo received in 2011.

The director spoke to Letterboxd...

It’s been fifteen years since it was first announced that David Fincher would be tackling an adaptation of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for Disney. The project didn’t move forward, and Fincher explained why while speaking with Letterboxd. Long story short, Fincher quickly realized that Disney wasn’t on the same page.

“Look, I really wanted to do Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea because what we had in mind was really kind of gross and cool and wet and steampunk and all that,” Fincher said. “But I got to do [Love, Death & Robots episode] ‘Bad Travelling’ on Netflix, and that scratched that itch. I was fine just doing that. You can’t make people be excited about the risks that you’re excited about. Disney was in a place where they were saying, ‘We need to know that there’s a thing that we know how to exploit snout to tail,...

David Fincher, the Oscar-nominated director behind Se7en, Gone Girl, and The Social Network, wanted to make a new iteration of the classic novel/turned movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but that doesn’t seem like it will happen. The original movie, which came out in 1954, starred Kirk Douglas as Nemo, captain of the submarine the Nautilus, as his crew investigated a wave of mysteries in the deep sea. The movie was based on the Jules Verne science fiction novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, which was first published in 1871.

Per Screen Rant, Fincher spoke with Letterboxd about the trials of getting a new 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea movie off the ground. In addition to the 1954 movie, the novel was adapted into a TV movie, 1997’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which starred Richard Crenna, but the 1954 Disney version remains the only major adaptation of the classic novel.

David Fincher no longer has much interest in his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea movie, and he is ready to explain why it failed. Based on the book by Jules Verne, the movie would follow Captain Nemo and the Nautilus crew as they attempt to battle undersea creatures while exploring the depths of the ocean. Fincher is best known for his work as the director of Se7en (1995), Fight Club (1999), and Gone Girl (2014), earning him considerable leeway in the industry.

Unfortunately, Fincher's influence has not been enough to help him to get one project off the ground. His long-awaited 20,000 Leagues adaptation is now unlikely to ever come to fruition. In an interview with Letterboxd about Se7en's lasting legacy, Fincher spoke up about the movie's slow development. While he was initially excited about it, he found that Disney was not interested in exploring the same themes as he was, and they...

There have been many potential projects that haven’t come to fruition for David Fincher, from his take on Aaron Sorkin’s “Steve Jobs” starring Christian Bale to his “Black Dahlia” mini-series led by Tom Cruise. But one failed vision people were clamoring for, perhaps above all others, was his adaptation of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”

Previously brought to life by Disney in 1954 in a beloved film starring James Mason and Kirk Douglas and in 1997 for an ABC mini-series starring Michael Caine and Patrick Dempsey, the story follows a group of scientists and whalers sent out into the open seas to take down a massive sea creature that’s been attacking ships. They soon come to discover that the creature is not a monster at all, but a submarine designed by the emotionally damaged Captain Nemo.

Fincher intended on working with Disney, who still own the IP,...

Fans patiently waiting for the upcoming Season 4 of Netflix's Love, Death & Robots now have a slightly better idea of when to expect those new episodes to land.

The Netflix original series is an animated anthology that tells short stories based on one of the three titular concepts: love, death, or robots. The show first debuted in March 2019, and the latest third season dropped in May 2022.

The series was renewed for a Season 4 in August 2022, but no further word on when they might finally release has been offered.

Read full article on The Direct.

While promoting the IMAX restoration and 30th anniversary of his seminal hit film, Se7en, director David Fincher shares his thoughts on whether his popular Netflix shows will receive a physical release or not.

Fincher spoke with Collider as Se7en returns to theaters and IMAX close to 30 years later and ahead of a 4K Uhd release on January 7, 2025. The film was Fincher's second, following the hotly-debated Alien 3 (1992), which saw the controversial death of Ellen Ripley at the end of the film. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt (in a breakout role) star as Detectives Somerset and Mills, respectively, as they investigate John Doe (Kevin Spacey), who is committing murders and heinous acts tied to the seven deadly sins.

Despite the dark script by Andrew Kevin Walker (The Killer) and cinematography by Darius Khondji, Se7en was a commercial hit when it debuted on September 22, 1995. It eventually made $100 million upon its initial release,...

Harry Potter is one of the most beloved fantasy film franchises of all time. Fans travel the globe to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London, or to get their own wand from Ollivanders at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida. Some dedicated fans even visit King's Cross Station in London on what would be the first official day of Hogwarts every year. You may have even been asked what house you're in. But imagine how different the franchise would be if David Fincher got his hands on it. Would Harry open a box with Dumbledore's head in it? Or is Voldemort actually part of Harry Potter's fractured psyche? It's safe to say it would be weird. Well, David Fincher has clued fans in on just how weird his Harry Potter movie could have gotten.

Speaking to Variety, the acclaimed director of Fight Club and Se...

Tim Miller made some shocking revelations about his time directing the first Deadpool movie.

The writer, director and producer made his film directorial debut with the first outing in the Marvel trilogy, and recently dished on the realities of what it’s like being a first time director in Hollywood.

During an interview with Collider, Tim revealed just how much money he made on the comic book adaptation, which took him a couple of years to make.

Keep reading to find out more…

“You guys might not know, but it’s not really a profitable thing to be a first-time director in Hollywood, and I’ll tell you exactly,” he told the publication. “I got $225,000 to direct Deadpool. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but for two years of work, that’s not a ton of money. Not that I’m not grateful, I’m f–king grateful,...

Secret Level could serve as proof of concept for movie or TV adaptations of Mega Man, Warhammer, and Armored Core. The latter would be even more appealing if Keanu Reeves reprised his role.

Armored Core fans were in for a special treat with Secret Level's 13th episode; Keanu Reeves channeled both Johnny Mnemonic and Neo in "Armored Core: Asset Management", a 14-minute animated short about a mech pilot with questionable motivations. Staging fast-paced mech fights against the backdrop of a dystopian, alien world, the episode was also defined by Reeves' hyperreal semblance and his stoic, John Wick voice. Speaking to The Wrap, executive producer Dave Wilson said he thought Reeves would exit the project at one point; the actor was then scheduled for motion capture at the studio.

Related Prime Video Renews New Series After Debut Smashes Streaming Record

Amazon's touting the success of its newest show by moving forward with a renewal.

Video game adaptations are slowly becoming the next big thing, following the success of Fallout, Arcane, and The Last of Us. But those shows only adapt a single video game. Prime Video's Secret Level says that's not enough. Like your little cousin accidentally spending $1000 on loot boxes, Secret Level is trying to collect everything. The animated anthology features 15 episodes telling new original stories from some of the most popular modern video games (and Concord). But the side-quest to get all the video game developers to agree to appear in the series was a hardcore game mode in itself.

"We wanted to represent the broad spectrum of gaming, from indie, nostalgia titles to Triple A blockbusters, but also past, present and future games, horror games, science fiction, fantasy," said executive producer Dave Wilson during an interview with The Wrap. The new anthology certainly does that, with episodes bouncing between Warhammer 40k...

Prime Video has officially renewed Secret Level for season 2 following its record-breaking debut. Created by Tim Miller, the visionary behind Netflix's Love, Death & Robots, Secret Level is an animated anthology series that brings video game worlds to life through a collection of fifteen standalone short stories. Featuring iconic franchises like Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-Man, Warhammer 40,000, and Sifu, the show reimagines these games into stories that aim to honor their source material with a unique perspective. The series also boasts a stellar voice cast, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, and Laura Bailey.

Prime Video announced that Secret Level has been renewed for season 2 after achieving the most-watched animated series debut on the platform. According to Luminate, the animated series amassed approximately 1.4 million views within its first week. Details about season 2 remain under wraps.

What Secret Level Season 2 Renewal Means Prime Video Expands Its Video Game Universe...

Amazon is celebrating some of the world’s most beloved video games with the launch of “Secret Level,” an animated anthology series for Prime Video that tells 15 original short stories that are set in the worlds and pay homage to titles including “Pac-Man,” “Mega-Man,” “Unreal Tournament,” “Dungeons & Dragons” and “Warhammer 40,000.”

“We wanted to represent the broad spectrum of gaming, from indie, nostalgia titles to Triple A blockbusters, but also past, present and future games, horror games, science fiction, fantasy. So we wanted that diversification of something for everybody,” executive producer and supervising director Dave Wilson told TheWrap.

Creator and executive producer Tim Miller said the project is “inextricably interwined” with another animated series he’s known for: “Love, Death & Robots”

“It took longer than it should have, but I suddenly came around to the idea of, ‘Hey, let’s take our core business of video games, trailers...

“Secret Level” has been renewed for a second season at Amazon Prime Video.

The series is an adult animated anthology made up of short stories set in the world of various video games, such as “Pac-Man” and “Dungeons & Dragons.” Season 1 of “Secret Level” debuted with eight episodes on Dec. 10 with another seven set for Tuesday. Details about Season 2, including which video game worlds will be featured, remain under wraps.

Amazon says that “Secret Level” achieved the most-watched animated series debut of all time for the streamer within its first week, though exact viewership numbers were not provided. According to measurement from Luminate, the series was watched for 155.3 million minutes in the U.S. during its first week of availability, which translates to roughly 1.4 million views when divided by its 109-minute runtime.

The Season 1 cast of “Secret Level” includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Temuera Morrison, Ariana Greenblatt, Heaven Hart,...

The animated, science fiction anthology TV series "Love, Death + Robots", from directors Tim Miller ("Deadpool") and David Fincher ("Black Swan"), starring Topher Grace, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Gary Cole, streams Volume 4 in 2025 on Netflix:

"...sentient dairy products, 'werewolf' soldiers, robots gone wild...

"...garbage monsters, cyborg bounty hunters...

"...alien spiders and blood-thirsty demons from hell...

"...all converge in eighteen Nsfw animated stories..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Last week, Prime Video released eight episodes of its latest anthology series, Secret Level, which seemed to be in the vein of Tim Miller’s Netflix anthology series, Love Death + Robots, but it wasn’t. With the exception of the New World and Warhammer 40k segments, most of them seemed like high-budget cutscenes from the video games in question. I quite liked the Pac-man episode too, but as soon as I learned from the 2024 Game Awards that it was kind of a trailer for the new Pac-Man game, Shadow Labyrinth, I felt hoodwinked. I’m sure that gamers must’ve enjoyed it, but as a non-gamer who was looking for stories that at least checked some of the boxes for a decent short film, it felt like a waste of time. Having watched episodes 9-15 of Secret Level, I think the makers of this series should’ve put some...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Secret Level is an adult animated anthology series created by Tim Miller. The Prime Video series consists of fifteen stories set in the worlds of fifteen different video games, including Armored Core, Concord, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, New World: Aeternum, Pac-Man, Sifu, Spelunky, PlayStation, The Outer Worlds, Unreal Tournament, and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. So, if you loved the video game elements, the blend of genres, and compelling characters in Secret Level, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Love, Death & Robots (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Love, Death & Robots is an adult animated anthology series created by Tim Miller. The Netflix series consists of animated short stories in different genres ranging from sci-fi to fantasy and thriller drama to dark comedy. Love, Death & Robots stars Fred Tatasciore, John Dimaggio,...

Prime Video's Secret Level has a lot of similarities to Netflix's Love, Death & Robots, but are the two connected? Secret Level takes 15 video games - ranging from God of War to Pac-Man - and adapts their worlds, characters, and stories into animated television episodes. It already sounded like a perfect replacement for Love, Death & Robots, even though Love, Death & Robots season 4 is confirmed. In fact, Secret Level seems like such a perfect substitute for Love, Death & Robots that many viewers may wonder if they're somehow connected.

Secret Level and Love, Death & Robots share quite a few similarities. Both shows are anthologies, meaning each episode tells an independent and new story. They also both feature a similar style of animation, which is intentionally supposed to look like the 3D animation of video games. Even more than that, however, Secret Level shares a lot of thematic similarities with the best episodes of Love,...

Tim Miller’s Secret Level is an anthology series, with each episode being based on a video game. It’s kind of like the other anthology series that he created with David Fincher for Netflix, Love Death + Robots, but unlike that show, the Prime Video project requires some level of knowledge about the video game franchise the story is set in or inspired by—which is certainly something that I don’t possess, because I’m not a gamer. I’ll be talking about the storytelling in the episodes on its merit, and that’s about it. I’m more than open to learning about the extended lore that they are drawing from, so feel free to educate me in the comments, preferably in a non-combative way (because I know how gamers can be). Now, without further ado, allow me to talk about the first 8 episodes of Secret Level.

Next week, Prime Video will premiere its new animated series Secret Level, and if you're a gamer, you probably have good reason to be excited about it. Secret Level is unique as television shows go in that it's an anthology series with 15 standalone episodes that each take place in the worlds of some of the most famous video games of all time. Even more exciting, it's produced by the same creative team who made Netflix's acclaimed animated series Love, Death + Robots. So you can bet this show isn't just going to be some cheap IP cash grab, but something special.

You may be wondering which games we'll see in Secret Level. Let's break down all 15 games which will feature in the show.

Every game featuring in Secret Level

Thanks to Deadline, we know already know all of the games which will appear in Secret Level, with one small caveat we'll discuss momentarily.

Amazon Prime Video is diving into the world of video games with a new animated series called ‘Secret Level.’

The show is set to premiere on December 10, 2024, and promises to bring some of the most iconic gaming franchises to life like never before.

Created by Tim Miller, known for hits like ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Love, Death & Robots,’ this series blends stunning animation with gripping storytelling.

The anthology will feature 15 standalone episodes, each based on a different video game universe. Some of the biggest names in gaming are part of the lineup, including ‘Pac-Man,’ ‘Warhammer 40,000,’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons.’

One of the most exciting additions is a fresh take on the classic ‘Mega Man,’ which has already generated a lot of buzz.

While details about the ‘Mega Man’ episode are being kept under wraps, early hints suggest a bold reimagining of the beloved blue hero.

First look at the #MegaMan...

The holidays are heading to Prime Video with their exciting slate of movies and shows being added to the service throughout the month of December. From game shows hosted by familiar faces to a promising new anthology series from the creators of Love Death + Robots, you're bound to find something on the service next month. Check out the list below to find out what's heading to the service in December 2024.

Secret Level is one of the most anticipated anthology series at the moment. The creators behind the show are the visionaries of Love, Death + Robots. The series will feature 10 different stories from various video games.

Secret Level’s first look is amazing. Image Credit: Prime Video Yt

However, Secret Level’s decision to choose Armored Core over the royally ignored Hidetaka Miyazaki game might not have been the best the creators made since this game had all the potential to be turned into an amazing episode.

Secret Level Did Not Choose The Right Miyazaki Title This anthology series takes cinematic storytelling up a notch. Image Credit: Prime Video Yt

Armored Core is the weakest of FromSoftware’s games. There is so much scope for developing other games from the studio that the decision to go for this feels almost deliberate. Why someone would like to give leverage to Armored Core...

From Prime Video and the creative minds behind the adult animated anthology series “Love, Death + Robots” comes the new series “Secret Level,” exploring original stories set within the worlds of some of the most beloved video games. Expect things to get very dark.

“Secret Level” will be available exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide starting on December 10, with additional episodic drops until December 17.

The series, from Amazon MGM Studios and Blur Studio, gives new interpretations and original tales set within our favorite video games, with the trailer below teasing some of the games featured. That includes a rather dark reimagining of Pac-Man, with series writer Jt Petty explaining in an interview with EW how they arrived at translating the game’s iconic ghosts into carnivorous monsters below. “We spent a long time trying to respect the entire 50-year history with Pac-Man and did a lot of retro-style,...

Animated shows can be some of the most imaginative programs on streaming and network television. They are often known for creativity in style, direction, and storytelling, which can be a breath of fresh air in the limited scope of live-action television, particularly the ones in the anthology format.

Anthology animated series with a new cast of characters and plot lines every new episode or season weren't that common. However, in recent years, anthology animated series have grown in popularity, with shows like Netflix's Love Death and Robots and those that build on existing IP, like Marvel's...What If?. However, this episodic-based storytelling format can prove a challenge for some anthologies, which struggle to maintain viewers' attention without a stable cast or unified storyline. The best animated shows in the anthology format not only attract a stable base of fans but perform well critically for their uniqueness in the market.

If there’s one thing filmmaker Tim Miller knows how to do, it’s making cool-looking shit. As a director, he’s made action-heavy films like Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) and the first Deadpool (2016), a film that famously got made because of internet hype surrounding a leaked test reel (made by Miller). As an animator and VFX artist, he co-founded Blur Studio, which does everything from title sequences to David Fincher films to the cutscenes in video games like League of Legends and Call of Duty.

But his biggest passion project...

“Secret Level,” the animated anthology series from “Deadpool” director and “Love, Death & Robots” creator Tim Miller, takes popular (mostly video) games and tells short stories set in their universes. The series will be released on Amazon Prime worldwide Dec. 10. Miller sat down with Variety at the Lucca Comic and Games convention, his first visit to the Italian fest.

What do you think of Lucca?

How much better is it to walk through ancient streets than it is to walk through a convention center? As much as I like San Diego, this is amazing. It’s great to see the culture blossoming. It used to be this little secret thing in dingy rooms, and now the whole world loves the same things I do. And you see these moms, dads and kids dressed up. A whole generation has grown up in this culture.

What’s the inspiration behind “Secret Level...

The Emmy-winning “Squid Game” is commencing its life or death competition once again.

The second season of the hit Netflix show has unveiled its teaser at Lucca Comics & Games, Europe’s biggest Comic Con. Lee Jung-jae returns as Seong Gi-hun, also known as Player 456, for Season 2.

The official synopsis reads: “Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won. With a hardened demeanor and the scars of past games, Gi-hun is on a desperate mission to expose the deadly truth of the competition. Yet, his warnings go unheeded, and tensions rise as fellow players question his intentions. Lee Byung-hun is also back as the mysterious Front Man, whose true motivations remain cloaked in secrecy,...

Prime Video's new anthology series, Secret Level, made a mark at this year's New York Comic Con. Born from one of the creators of Love, Death + Robots, this 15-episode juggernaut pays homage to timeless gaming classics while exploring the thrilling worlds of new titles. First announced in August during the Gamescom Opening Night Live global livestream, this adult-animated project celebrates epic stories inspired by a diverse range of game IP in a single series.

The director of modern Hollywood classics like Se7en and Fight Club, David Fincher, has reportedly found his next project - an English-language remake of the Netflix juggernaut Squid Game. While we have reported rumors of this news a while back, the rumors about Fincher's involvement with a remake of the Netflix show are only getting louder.

Per a report by Deadline, Fincher is now working on a remake of Squid Game, and considering Netflix holds the rights to the show, it's safe to say this will come as part of Fincher's deal with the streamer. A deal that has recently resulted in such films as Mank and The Killer. Writer Dennis Kelly is behind the script for the English-language remake of the hit Korean thriller.

It is also claimed that the project started as a movie before being turned into a TV series, and that it won't take place anywhere near Korea,...

Netflix’s most important filmmaker is linking up with its most important show. David Fincher is eying an English-language series adaptation of “Squid Game” for the streamer as his next project, Deadline reports. Netflix declined to comment.

The project, which has been rumored to be in development for months, will be the first scripted spinoff of the Korean survival thriller series, which is by far the most-watched series in Netflix’s history to date. It has also been adapted into a reality competition series, “Squid Game: The Challenge,” and a video game franchise. Details of Fincher’s take on “Squid Game” are vague, but it will reportedly be set in the U.S. and Fincher will start actively working on it in 2025.

“Squid Game” premiered in September 2021 and quickly became a global sensation, earning hundreds of millions of views and introducing the world to South Korean television. It was nominated for 14 Emmys,...

Brian Cox’s Santa Claus is coming to town in the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy That Christmas.

In the film’s first trailer, the Succession actor is sporting Kris Kringle’s standard uniform — a beard, red suit with a white fur trim and boots — as he delivers presents to children on the busiest night of the year, Christmas Eve.

That Christmas is based on a trilogy of children’s books by award-winning writer-director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually and Yesterday) and marks his first leap into animation. The film features entwined stories about family and friends, love and loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake.

In her review, The Hollywood Reporter‘s Lovia Gyarkye praised the “charming animation” while adding that the movie “slyly avoids the usual mawkishness by grounding its whimsical story in the real and prickly emotions of life.

Exclusive: While fans of the Netflix series Squid Game still have a couple months to go before the Season 2 premiere, they may be seeing this universe expand in a big way. Sources tell Deadline that a new English-language Squid Game series is in the works at the streamer, with David Fincher coming on to develop it.

Although details are vague, rumors have been growing for several months about what Fincher could be up to next. While he could squeeze in a movie beforehand, insiders say the Squid Game series is likely the project Fincher commits his time to in 2025.

This would mark the first Squid Game scripted series offshoot, though it is not the first universe extension for the Netflix blockbuster; there is also the unscripted series Squid Game: The Challenge, which has been renewed for a second season, along with a video game franchise. The Fincher series would mark...

Brian Cox is coming down the chimney.

In the first trailer for Netflix’s animated holiday comedy “That Christmas,” the “Succession” alum suits up as Santa Claus as he tells the story of one of the most challenging nights in his career.

Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis, “That Christmas” follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love, loneliness and Santa Claus making a big mistake — not to mention an enormous number of turkeys.

The ensemble cast includes Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry and Ava Talbot with Bill Nighy and Rhys Darby.

Curtis makes his first foray into animation as the Locksmith Animation comedy’s writer and executive producer.

Tim Miller and Dave Wilson are bringing their unique expertise to a host of new video game franchises in Prime Video's Secret Level. The duo is part of the creative leadership team at Blur Studio, the visual effects studio that has found acclaim in film, video games and television, including creating Netflix's Love, Death & Robots. Both Miller and Wilson have also expanded their talents to feature-length filmmaking, with the former having directed the first Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate while the latter helmed the Vin Diesel-led Bloodshot adaptation.

Secret Level sees the duo combining their past talents in the world of TV with Blur's extensive video game history to adapt some of the most iconic franchises for the screen in an anthology format. The first season of the show will consist of 15 episodes of varying lengths adapting FromSoftware's Armored Core, Sony's Concord, Smilegate's Crossfire, Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons,...

Secret Level is poised to continue Prime Video's successful approach to video game adaptations. An anthology series adapting fifteen different video games from across fifteen episodes, Secret Level looks to be a fun expansion of the approach series creator Tim Miller and his collaborators at Blur Studio brought to Netflix's Love, Death & Robots. Each short takes an established video game franchise and filters them through a new animated approach.

The results look incredibly promising, with the Secret Level panel at New York Comic-Con confirming a slew of stars connected to the project like Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ariana Greenblatt, Kevin Hart and Laura Bailey. Notably, the series seems to be approaching the surprisingly tricky prospect of video game adaptations with a similar mindset to Prime Video's successful reimagining of Fallout. By embracing fresh angles and balancing new stories with respect for the source material, Secret Level looks like another great videogame adaptation.

Chad Michael Murray is getting his freak on for a “Magic Mike”-tinged Netflix holiday rom-com.

The “One Tree Hill,” “A Cinderella Story,” and “Freaky Friday” alum strips down for “The Merry Gentlemen” in a cabaret-style show to save one small town’s beloved theater. Sounds a little like “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” meets Hallmark? Yeah, we thought so too.

Britt Robertson leads the film as a “former big-city dancer” who “decides to stage an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.” Cue Murray’s character, who also realizes that sparks fly with Robertson’s lead even off-stage.

Marla Sokoloff, Beth Broderick, Michael Gross, Maxwell Caulfield, Hector David Jr., Colt Prattes, and Marc Anthony Samuel co-star. Peter Sullivan directs from a script by actress Sokoloff, who also has starred in and directed Lifetime films like “Christmas Hotel” and “Blending Christmas.”

“The Merry Gentlemen” is produced by Jeffrey Schenck, Barry Barnholtz, Brian Nolan, and Peter Sullivan.

The Copeland Brothers have found a new home.

Chris and Justin Copeland, who have worked on “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts,” “Batman: The Killing Joke” and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” cartoon, have joined stop-motion studio Laika to develop animated feature projects. Travis Knight, president and CEO of Laika, made the announcement.

The Copeland Brothers, as they are collectively known, have been working for the past five years on feature and series projects for DreamWorks Animation. The feature they were working on for DreamWorks is not going forward; hence their pivot to Laika, TheWrap has learned. However, a short film that they were working on for the studio is coming soon.

The Copelands join a growing list of filmmakers who are working on projects for the Portland, Oregon-based animation studio, including Pete Candeland, who has directed a number of Gorillaz music videos; Víctor Maldonado and Alfredo Torres, who...

Secret Level, the highly anticipated Prime Video series that has captured the attention of both movie enthusiasts and gamers, has finally unveiled its star-studded cast, which includes some of Hollywood's biggest names, from Keanu Reeves (John Wick) to Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator franchise). Announced at Gamescom on August 20, 2024, the adult-animated anthology series will unfold over fifteen episodes.

During New York Comic Con 2024, Prime Video confirmed the official cast of the animated series, which will premiere on the streaming service on December 10, 2024, with new episodes airing weekly until January 28, 2025. You'll find the complete list of official cast members below:

Cast Members

What They're Known For

Keanu Reeves

John Wick

Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Terminator

Ariana Greenblatt

Barbie

Kevin Hart

Jumanji

Gabriel Luna

The Last of Us

Emily Swallow

The Mandalorian

Temuera Morrison

The Book of Boba Fett

Patrick Schwarzenegger

The White Lotus

Ricky Whittle

American Gods

Merle Dandridge

The Last of Us...

PlayStation confirmed it was closing down Concord just a few weeks after its release, which makes Prime Video's upcoming video game adaptation a lot weirder. Secret Level was announced by Amazon following Fallout's success, with the streaming service seemingly looking to capitalize on the popularity of video game adaptations by introducing a fresh concept. The new show will tell short stories from a variety of different gaming worlds, which include big IPs such as God of War, Dungeons & Dragons, Pac-man, and Warhammer 40,000, giving multiple different franchises the chance to thrive in a televised format.

With an interesting premise and several popular games to adapt, Secret Level looks to be Amazon's answer to Love Death + Robots, especially since Tim Miller is leading the project. The show will be an anthology series consisting of 15 episodes, meaning there is plenty of potential for multiple seasons and a healthy future.

Secret Level brings fresh, bold stories set in video game universes, offering diverse animation styles and major gaming franchises. The return of anthology series on Prime Video signals a willingness to invest in unique animated projects, hinting at a second season of The Boys Presents: Diabolical. Secret Level's positive reception teases a potential hit, paving the way for more original animated projects on Prime Video.

Prime Video's announcement of Secret Level - a new animated anthology series - has the internet hyped and looks like a show with plenty of potential, but it also makes me hopeful a project two years in the making may finally happen. Secret Level is set to arrive in December and comes from the creative team behind Netflix's hit anthology show, Love Death & Robots. It will consist of 15 short stories set in different video game universes and feature several animation styles, with...

If you're a fan of BoJack Horseman, then buckle up for more irreverent humor and existential musings, as the creative geniuses behind the iconic adult animation are reuniting for a brand-new comedy series titled Long Story Short on Netflix.

According to Variety, BoJack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg, along with Michael Eisner’s Tornante Company and the animation wizards at ShadowMachine, are teaming up once again for this exciting new project. The announcement is particularly special, as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of BoJack Horseman's debut on Netflix -- a milestone that makes this reunion even sweeter.

BoJack Horseman season 6 - Credit: Netflix

Bob-Waksberg, known for his sharp wit, couldn’t resist quipping in the announcement:

It is legitimately a thrill and an honor to be back doing what I love most: drafting enthusiastic pull quotes for press releases to Hollywood trade publications. Who says you can’t go home again?...