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Courtesy of Film Masters

by Chad Kennerk

The first feature film produced by the legendary Roger Corman has been given the special edition treatment by Film Masters in a stunning 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative. The B-movie horror gem serves as an important footnote in the history of monster movies, an early precursor to the likes of Jaws (which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year). While it may not have had the technical or financial resources of other 1954 aquatic releases like Creature from the Black Lagoon or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the film’s underwater footage still impresses, evoking an early look into the fear of the unknown ocean. Corman’s debut as a producer paved the way for a career filled with low-budget genre classics. The release adds to his enduring legacy, marking the ninth Corman title to receive the lush treatment from Film Masters.

Exploring the vaults, libraries, and digital collections of Disney films can reveal a horde of obscure titles many haven't heard of. While classics like Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and even cult hits like Tron have established Disney's reputation as one of the most influential storytellers of the past century, there are countless productions that time has forgotten. Not every Disney movie is destined for greatness, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth a second look. Whether good, bad or simply forgettable, each Disney film offers insight into the eras, cultures, and creative minds that shaped them.

Founded by Walt Disney over a century ago, The Walt Disney Company was, in Walt's words, "started by a mouse." Known for its quality animation, storytelling and constant innovation, Disney quickly became a multimedia giant that continually raised the entertainment bar. With the groundbreaking success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs...

Quick LinksDisney’s Ub Iwerks Used Cutting Edge Techniques to Create the Special Effects in the BirdsHitchcock Made Major Changes Adapting The Birds From Page to ScreenCritics Had Mixed Opinions About Hitchcock’s The Birds

Alfred Hitchcock's iconic 1963 film The Birds is remembered for its high concept and cutting-edge special effects of the time. Considered by Hitchcock to be potentially "the most terrifying motion picture" he had ever made, it centered around a small town attacked by its local avian population. It was based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier. Hitchcock adapted another of the acclaimed author's stories, Rebecca, in 1940 to great success. And even though she would not be as pleased with his second endeavor, it would still go on to become one of his most well-known movies.

The Birds was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Special Effects at the 36th Oscars ceremony. Hitchcock...

The failure of Walt Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire was a tragedy for animation fans, but it also robbed us of what could have been some spectacular theme park rides!

In the annals of Disney animation, 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire has an odd place. In its time, it was a box office flop, $186 million off a reported $120 million budget. Its failure was seen as the turning point for Disney animation, and, combined with the following year’s bigger failure of Treasure Planet, it resulted in the death of 2-D animated features.

In the nearly quarter-century since its release, Atlantis has been re-evaluated by Disney fans as an underrated gem. It’s been praised for its animation, its story and wonderful characters and deserved a better box office fate.

What’s overlooked is that Disney really had hoped this movie would be their next big animated hit. They were...

There’s a scene in Netflix’s “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” that might seem familiar to some; at least it should be to “The Lord of the Rings” fans.

Zany inventor Wallace and his pet dog Gromit are back, but it’s the return of the penguin criminal, Feathers McGraw, who has vengeance in mind. The story picks up with Feathers in a zoo, determined and plotting to get out — with whatever means it takes. Enter Wallace’s latest invention: Norbot, a friendly garden gnome that he programs to lend a hand with the pruning, picking and cultivating. A cunning Feathers, however, manages to reprogram Norbot into becoming his evil right-hand cohort, out to destroy Wallace, his neighborhood business and his reputation.

Overnight, evil Norbot creates an army of clones that build a lair in Wallace’s basement, where they store and melt down stolen garden tools — and build a submarine.

The Walt Disney Company loves few things more than its own lore, and its ability to promote that internal mythology is second to none. 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Disneyland Park, the original theme park that helped Disney expand beyond its collection of animated feature films and shorts. Disneyland allowed guests to interact with beloved and iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as princesses like Snow White and Cinderella. The characters had essentially leapt off the screen, as had some of the most exciting and adventurous scenes in other well-known Disney titles. 70 years later, it seems like a fait accompli that Disneyland would be a rousing success; how could it not be? But Disneyland was far from a guarantee when it was under construction and when the studio had to market the theme park to a country full of people who didn't quite know what such a theme park even was.

Fight Club had lackluster box office numbers and dismal reviews when it was released in 1999. Proving that critics and audiences don't always get it right, the movie has since been highly celebrated and is cemented as one of the best films of the 90s. For those who are unfamiliar, the film stars Brad Pitt and Edward Norton as a pair of nihilistic men who start an underground boxing ring, primarily made up of blue-collar, lower-class workers. Their underground fight clubs eventually escalate into a terrorist organization called Project Mayhem, which is made of men (also known as "Space Monkeys") from all over the country.

There are many memorable moments in Fight Club, but one of the most impactful was the surprising ending. Spoiler alert: the masculine and confident Tyler Durden and the awkward, bumbling narrator are actually the same person. Upon subsequent rewatches, it's easy to spot the clues that give away this big twist.

Director David Fincher is best known as a master of psychological thrillers, with hits like Se7en, Zodiac, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. However, his most ambitious project may have been an attempted adaptation of the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Disney. However, the film never got off the ground, and now Fincher is shedding some light on the roadblocks that stopped him from taking the dive.

More than two decades after Holes was released in movie theaters, the feature film by Walt Disney Pictures is set to be rebooted for the small screen.

Per Variety, it has been reported that the 2003 movie Holes is getting rebooted at Disney+. The streamer has reportedly put in a pilot order for a reboot series that's based on the original book of the same name by author Louis Sachar. This new reboot is not expected to be connected to the feature film adaptation, as the official logline for the pilot reads, "In this reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, a teenage girl is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.”

Related Why Disney Recast Genie in Aladdin: The Return of Jafar (& Why Robin Williams Returned)

Robin Williams' Genie was a fan-favorite in Aladdin, and his exit...

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...

David Fincher has been chatting about what his takes on Harry Potter and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea would have looked like.

There’s a new physical media release of Se7en releasing this month and as such, David Fincher is out and about in the world doing press. As reports continue to offer alternative takes on what Fincher’s next film project might be, the filmmaker himself has been reflecting on some of his ideas that never came to be.

When chatting with Variety, FIncher reminisced about his pitch for Harry Potter which would eventually be made by Chris Columbus as a fairly anodyne franchise starter. While the series would eventually successfully tap into darker themes with its third entry, The Prisoner Of Azkaban, Fincher wanted to lean into that direction from the very outset, stating:

“I was asked to come in and talk to them about how I would do Harry Potter.

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,...

David Fincher is not the type of director one would automatically think of to bring Harry Potter to the big screen, but the director was at one point in talks with Warner Bros. about doing just that. However, his pitch likely would have ended the franchise before it even began. Hot off the critical acclaim of movies like Se7en and Fight Club, the director was one of many high-profile filmmakers Warner Bros. looked to for the launch of the Harry Potter franchise. Other names included Steven Spielberg, M. Night Shyamalan, Ivan Reitman, and Terry Gilliam, to name a few. Fincher is best known for psychological thrillers like Zodiac, Gone Girl, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so it isn't shocking to find out the director had a very different take on the material.

Speaking with Variety, Fincher revealed that he met with Warner Bros. about directing the first...

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...

Disney has released new tours and footage from their newest Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Treasure. Included are looks at the Grand Hall, Periscope Pub, Haunted Mansion Parlor, rooms, and the ridiculously expensive tower suite based on Epcot’s Spaceship Earth!

Are we only dreaming? There are a hundred thousand things to see at the Disney Treasure Christening Spectacular! pic.twitter.com/EdmPf7O3H4

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) November 20, 2024

The Disney Treasure Grand Hall

New: Disney Cruise Line released a new look at the Grand Hall on the Disney Treasure – including a look at the Aladdin and Jasmine statue and a look at Captain Minnie Mouse in her adventure outfit. pic.twitter.com/YeNu5fijMm

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) November 20, 2024

There are many nods to Aladdin!

Captain Minnie is ready to go!

So are Captain Mickey and the crew!

Really cool Steamboat Willie Display near the Grand Hall

And here...

David Fincher is the director behind influential movies like Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac, not to mention having a hand in foundational series like House of Cards. The director has worked closely with Netflix in recent years, releasing solid movies like The Killer and great shows like Mindhunter. And now, Deadline has it that his next project may be an English-language remake of Squid Game.

The first season of Squid Game dropped back in 2021. It wasn't just a hit; it became Netflix's most-streamed show ever, which surprised a lot of people. Who expected a Korean-language drama about debt-ridden people battling for their lives for the amusement of sadistic billionaires would be this big of a hit? Makes you think.

Anyway, Netflix capitalized on the success of Squid Game with an unscripted reality show called Squid Game: The Challenge, not to mention a second season of the original show coming out this December.

After charting troubled waters, Nautilus finally unveiled its first trailer. The prequel series to the famed Jules Verne tale, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, will see the infamous Captain Nemos rise to power, who is played by Shazad Latif of Star Trek: Discovery. The new trailer certainly gives hope as its a perfect blend of adventure, humor, ample action, and a swoon-worthy cast.

This essay by Robert Englund on his favorite horror movie of all time is one of several contributed as part of Variety’s 100 Best Horror Movies of All Time package.

It’s so difficult for me; I change it all the time. For classics, it would probably be “Bride of Frankenstein.” I do love that with all my heart. I love “Rosemary’s Baby.” “The Exorcist.” You can watch those again and again and again, and the acting is just so strong. But I love a down-and-dirty 1972 film by a young Brian De Palma called “Sisters.” It has some of the best split-screen in the history of cinema. There’s a performance by Margot Kidder… Conjoined twins freak me out anyway, but there’s an actor. More recently, I love “Longlegs.” I love “Get Out.” I don’t want to live in a world without Jordan Peele movies.

The first movie that scared me was “Them!

Unspooling in Cadiz over Oct. 25-31, the South International Series Festival is a bellwether on trends and highlights for the current season. What could be some of its star performers? Following, 10 titles to track, which also often say something about the way the market is going.

“The Big Jump” (Atresmedia International Sales)

One of Atresmedia’s biggest bets at Mipcom, a biopic series about the rise to Olympic Gold Medals at Sydney and Athens of Spanish gymnast Gervasio Deferr and, in a second timeline, his descent into drugs and alcohol, incapable of accepting failure in competition and lost when retired. Oscar Casas plays Deferr, with “Gangs of Galicia” helmer Roger Gual directs. An Atresplayer Original Series, bowing on Nov. 17.

“La Favorita 1922” (Mediterraneo)

From “Grand Hotel” through “Velvet” and “Cable Girls,” Ramon Campos’ Studiocanal j.v. Bambu Producciones has carved out its international reputation, creating modern gender-agenda melodramas that make...

"All that matters is we are each other's best hope!" Streaming service Stan based in Australia has revealed the full official trailer for a new series called Nautilus, arriving to watch in October (though only in the UK & Australia to start). This series is a re-invention of the classic tale of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea from Jules Vern, by modernizing the concept. Nautilus tells Jules Verne's epic story from Captain Nemo's point of view: an Indian Prince robbed of his birthright and family, a prisoner of the East India Mercantile Company and a man bent on revenge against the forces that have taken everything from him. Shazad Latif stars in this series as Captain Nemo, acting as an origin story for the Captain – an Indian prince-turned-crusading scientist. Yes, his submarine is in it, taking him on his adventures and into battles with giant sea creatures - including an eel and squid.

Fans looking forward to the Witch Mountain television series will sadly be disappointed, as star Bryce Dallas Howard confirmed Disney has scrapped the project. In 2019, Disney announced it was reviving the Witch Mountain franchise as a series for its new streaming platform, Disney+. The cast included Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Levi Miller (Pan), Isabel Gravitt (American Housewife), Bianca "b" Norwood (You), and Jackson Kelly (Chucky). The series, much like the original films, would have focused on extraterrestrial kids on Earth.

A pilot for Witch Mountain was filmed, but that appears to be all that will ever come from it. While attending Fan Expo Canada in Toronto, Bryce Dallas Howard participated in a panel moderated by Collider's Maggie Lovitt, where she revealed that Disney has passed on Witch Mountain. Howard said that despite having a good time filming the pilot, the series is not moving forward, and that is...

Atlantis: The Lost Empire had a rocky start but now has a dedicated fanbase, thanks to Mike Mignola's iconic design influence. Mike Mignola's work on Atlantis was inspired by classic adventure stories, giving the film a unique steampunk feel. Despite being a box office flop, Atlantis' cult success mirrors Mignola's own rise to fame in pop culture.

Despite receiving a lackluster response at the time of its release, Atlantis: The Lost Empire has gone on to become a cult favorite among Disney animation fans. A large part of that is due to the contributions of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, one of the films concept art directors whose work generally inspired the whole look of the film.

Released in the summer of 2001, Atlantis: The Lost Empire was supposed to be Disneys big animated blockbuster for the year. A big step away from the fantasy musicals that defined the studio's output in the 1990s,...

As a Disney+ subscriber, I’m growing restless. I haven’t watched a Disney+ original since the wildly uneven “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” The service has dramatically slowed its original output, and it doesn’t look like there’s any strategy in place aside from 3-4 Marvel and Star Wars shows every year. At this point, I’m reconsidering my subscription.

Sign Up Now $7.99+ / month disneyplus.com

Get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for just $14.99 a month ($12 savings).

If you check out the official Disney+ “coming soon” page, you can see a whopping nine titles.

The problem is that those titles will be coming at a glacial pace.

Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy - Sept. 13 Agatha All Along - Sept. 18 Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - Nov. 2 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew - Dec. 3 Win or Lose - Dec. 6 The Doomies - Tba Percy Jackson and The Olympians Season 2 - Tba Ironheart - Tba...

The careers of both star Kirk Douglas and writer-director extraordinaire Billy Wilder had enormous critical and commercial successes in their time. Douglas had films like Spartacus, The Bad and the Beautiful, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea that were hits with both audiences and film critics. Meanwhile, Wilder saw success with films like Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, and The Apartment during his lifetime. However, the only time the two men collaborated on a film was a commercial failure and not as critically acclaimed as most of their other respective films had been. Ace in the Hole, released in 1951, is a sharp, scathing, quasi-satirical, quasi-noir film about a newspaperman who winds up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after losing most other opportunities in his career. The film's take on broadsheet media and the power of news is a strikingly modern one with particular relevance in this fake news world in which we all now live.

The Emmy Awards grew up on March 7, 1955. For the first time, the ceremony was broadcast nationally on NBC. Steve Allen, the star of “The Tonight Show,” was the host of the 7th annual awards honoring the best of 1954 programming which was telecast from the Moulin Rouge nightclub on Sunset Boulevard.

One of the seminal live dramas of the 1950’s, Reginald Rose’s searing “12 Angry Men,” which aired on CBS “Studio One,” earned the most Emmys that evening winning with three. The taut drama about a jury of a dozen men decided the fate of a young man accused of murder starred Robert Cummings, Franchot Tone, Edward Arnold and Walter Abel. For years, only an incomplete kinescope of the show, which was adapted into the Oscar-nominated 1957 film, existed.

Finally, a complete copy of the show was discovered in 2003. Rose told me in a 1997 L.A. Times interview that he came up...

Disney's 100th-anniversary celebration highlights the creations of Walt Disney, including all the films and television shows that his company has developed since its inception. That said, the best-known Disney projects are the studio's vast canon of animated movies, which have been critically acclaimed and have won numerous Oscars and Emmys. Most of them form a quiet bedrock to the Disney+ streaming service, where they remain fixtures without the periodic jumping to other services like many other films do.

As the celebration kicked off in early 2023, fans of Disney are revisiting the animated movies that made the company the entertainment powerhouse it is today. But with so many movies, it is hard to remember which movies came first. Disney's earliest works established iconic characters and rewrote centuries-old fairy tales that used to have grim endings to having a happily ever after. They also encompass some of the most important films in the company's canon,...

Douglass Fake, founder of leading movie soundtrack label Intrada and producer of more than 700 albums of movie and TV music, died Saturday at a Richmond, Calif., hospital after a long illness. He was 72.

Fake’s many credits include the first complete restoration of Leonard Bernstein’s “On the Waterfront,” a lavish 5-cd release of Elmer Bernstein’s “The Ten Commandments” and the debut of several Henry Mancini scores including “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” previously only available in abridged pop recordings.

Among the label’s best sellers were expansions of previously incomplete recordings of such classics as John Williams’ “Jaws,” Alan Silvestri’s “Back to the Future” and Jerry Goldsmith’s “Alien.” Fake also supervised the re-recording of a dozen albums of classic film music including Bernard Herrmann’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and Miklos Rozsa’s “Ivanhoe,” “Spellbound” and “Julius Caesar.”

A longtime film-music fan, Fake launched Intrada Records...

Since the dawn of modern science and technology, authors have been embracing their inner futurist and writing about what they believed the future would bring us. Sometimes, that led to wacky and fantastical concepts like hoverboards, but other times, sci-fi predicting the future led to something that came remarkably close to what actually happened. Perhaps the most famous and most eerily correct comes from science fiction writer Jules Verne.

Jules Verne Predicted Nuclear Submarines

In Jules Verne’s critically acclaimed 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Verne envisioned a world in which submarines would be all-electric and capable of traveling great distances while underwater without the need to resurface. While he couldn’t have known that nuclear fission is how it would be done, he was remarkably close in his predictions as we now have fully electric submarines that can last months without needing to surface, fully fulfilling the central prediction in his novel.

As opposed to certain other sitcom stars who think their 1990s comedy couldn’t survive today’s hyper-sensitive, woke mind virus media landscape, Kelsey Grammer says Dr. Frasier Crane has never cracked a joke in his 40 years on television that wouldn’t fly in the modern era. After all, half his gags dated back to the 16th century anyway.

The easiest way for a comedian whose peak predated the explosion of social media to score some easy publicity is to claim that their old movie, TV show or novelty T-shirt line would never fly in the era of “cancel culture,” as today’s galvanized and fragile youth could never comprehend the boundary-pushing brilliance that was the Seinfeld rickshaw plot line or the “I’m With Stupid” shirt. It’s a tired refrain that never fails to score headlines on Fox News and in the New York Post, and it’s...

Quick Links What Is Daughter of the Deep About? Daughter of the Deep's Coolest Features Were Probably Its Priciest, Too Daughter of the Deep, a sci-fi adaptation by Rick Riordan, was axed due to budget issues, despite a strong script and team. The film would have featured high-stakes underwater expeditions with Iron-Man-level gadgets, advanced VFX, and a dolphin companion. Despite setbacks, Riordan fans can look forward to the renewed Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on Disney+.

Rick Riordan, acclaimed author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series and writer/creator of its TV counterpart, had a new adaptation in development at Disney+ get axed. The project was called Daughter of the Deep, based on his novel of the same name. The story took place outside the Riordanverse and was more sci-fi-leaning than fantasy. It in itself was an adaptation of sorts, a reimagining of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea...

Daughter of the Deep film adaptation was axed by Disney+ due to budget constraints, despite a completed script and Riordan's excitement. Percy Jackson and the Olympians secures a second season on Disney+, filming set for Fall, causing a potential wait for fans of the series. Rick Riordan shares disappointment at the cancelation of Daughter of the Deep, despite understanding film industry struggles.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians secured a second season on Disney+, but a separate Rick Riordan adaptation has been axed by the streamer. A film version of the author's retro-futuristic Daughter of the Deep has been cut due to budgetary constraints. The New York Times bestseller saw its film rights secured just months after publication in late 2021, followed by script development. Despite there being a completed script by March 2023, Riordan recently announced the project's cancelation at Disney+.

Mirroring the cancelation of The Kane Chronicles adaptation on Netflix, Riordan...

The iconic child-fantasy novel series The Spideriwick Chronicles received a TV adaptation on the Roku Channel. The fantasy series is created by showrunner Aron Eli Coleite, who is known for working on the shows Locke & Key and Daybreak, both Netflix shows. Authors of the novel series, Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black are also part of the development process.

Joining the show is Coleite’s Daybreak star Alyvia Alyn Lind as Calliope, an original character that was not present in the novel series. Before fans take up arms for messing with the source material, the showrunner explained why he and authors Diterlizzi and Black chose to create a new character for the show.

Why Did Roku’s The Spiderwick Chronicles Create An Original Character? A still from The Spiderwick Chronicles

The children’s fantasy novel series The Spiderwick Chronicles has already received one cinematic adaptation. The film version of the...

The Spiderwick Chronicles dropped on The Roku Channel on Friday and the reviews have been mixed, at best. The series, based on Holly Black and Tony Diterlizzi’s novels of the same name, did not live up to the magic of the original source material. Critics generally found that the series tried telling a modernized version of the story but failed to execute the integral fantasy element. Some fans accuse the series of going too woke, without consideration for the myth and the magic.

The Spiderwick Chronicles race-swapped the central characters from the books

Fans call it the Dei Harry Potter, as The Spiderwick Chronicles race-swaps the central sibling trio of Mallory, Jared, and Simon. These characters, originally White in the book, were played by Black actors Noah Cottrell, Lyon Daniels, and Mychala Lee respectively.

Fans Say The Spiderwick Chronicles TV Series Could Fail Due To Its Wokeness Fans say...

Kirk Douglas had a remarkable career spanning over 90 films in different genres, showcasing his explosive acting style. Films like "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Paths of Glory" highlighted Douglas's versatility and star power in Hollywood. Douglas portrayed iconic characters like Spartacus and Vincent van Gogh, earning critical acclaim and recognition for his performances.

Kirk Douglas was one of the most acclaimed and important Hollywood stars of the 20th century whose vast and varied career included countless incredible movies. Following his acting debut in 1946, Douglas quickly made a name for himself as a talented actor, and by the 1950s became one of the most important and interesting leading men in showbusiness. Having appeared in more than 90 films that showcased his explosive acting style, the legacy of Douglas was unmatched in the realm of filmmaking.

Having lived to the ripe old age of 103, before he died in 2020, Douglas stood as the...

Ratatouille includes a dark Finding Nemo Easter egg in a pantry scene with a reference to Nemo Brand Caviar. Despite its family-friendly nature, Ratatouille hides dark Easter eggs such as violent scenes and a cynical critic nicknamed "The Grim Eater." Pixar movies often tackle dark topics, and Ratatouille takes it further with hidden sinister references that may have slipped past viewers.

Pixar movies are full of Easter eggs and references to past and future movies, but Ratatouille went a bit too far with a dark Easter egg that connects to one of Pixar’s biggest box-office hits. Pixar is now a powerhouse in the world of animation, and it all began in 1995 with Toy Story, the first entirely computer-animated feature film. Since then, Pixar has brought a variety of stories exploring different cultures, settings, and worlds, and not all of them have been human. Falling into that category is Ratatouille,...

Indiana Jones' iconic costume, including the fedora hat and brown leather aviator jacket, was based on Charlton Heston's character in the 1954 film "Secret of the Incas." "Secret of the Incas" provided more than just costume inspiration, as it also influenced certain scenes in the Indiana Jones movies, such as the use of a mirror's reflection as a clue and shared moments with a love interest in a river raft and jungle campfire setting. While "Secret of the Incas" may not be as well-known as other Charlton Heston films, it had a clear influence on the Indiana Jones franchise, not only in terms of costume but also in perpetuating stereotypes about Peruvian natives.

While Indiana Jones might be one of the most famous adventure movie heroes of all time, the character who inspired his appearance is largely forgotten. According to franchise co-creators George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Indiana Jones was...

Jules Verne's work has inspired numerous movie adaptations and is the foundation for some of the earliest science fiction films. Some Jules Verne adaptations are entertaining and enjoyable, while others are outdated and not required viewing. The film "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (2008) successfully updates Verne's classic story with modern special effects and remains fun to watch.

Jules Verne is undoubtedly one of the most prominent authors in science fiction, and its no wonder that his works have inspired countless movie adaptations. One of the most translated writers in human history, the French author has written legendary tales like 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in 80 Days. Verne's daring imagination put him far ahead of his time, and it's no surprise that movie studios have sought to replicate his sense of wonder with multiple live-action adaptations of Jules Verne stories.

Conan the Destroyer is rightfully considered vastly inferior to the 1982 Conan the Barbarian. Ironically, Conan the Destroyer's tone and storyline are closer to a horror film than the first movie. Conan the Destroyer's tone reflects the original series creator's long association with H.P. Lovecraft.

Conan the Destroyer occupies a curious spot in pop culture. As a follow-up to the swords-and-sorcery classic Conan the Barbarian, it did what a lot of sequels do: lose the essence of the original and suffering a corresponding dip in box office fortunes. It was quickly forgotten in the wake of star Arnold Schwarzenegger's other signature role in The Terminator, which opened several months after Conan the Destroyer and put Robert E. Howard's Cimmerian on the back burner. Today, the second film is regarded as an unnecessary appendage of the first.

While Conan the Destroyer retains a certain awkward 1980s charm, its efforts to...

Having worked with David Fincher on three films and remained friends since fier working together nearly 30 years ago, Brad Pitt can be considered something of an authority on the director. As such, Pitt has some thoughts about Fincher’s methods, teasing his friend but also offering some insight into his style.

Speaking at the Lacma Art+Film Gala over the weekend, Pitt offered some quotes from the mouth of Fincher. “Here’s some things you will hear on a David Fincher shoot: ‘Let’s shoot this now before we all lose interest in living.’ ‘Ok, we have the out-of-focus version. Now let’s try one that’s in focus.’ ‘That was shit through no fault of my own.’ And a personal fave: ‘I want you guys to enjoy yourselves, but that’s what Saturdays and Sundays are for.’” In other words, Fincher knows filmmaking is tough, he’s a perfectionist and sets are for working.

Netflix’s All the Light We Cannot See is finally here, and it’s unfortunate that we have to say it’s quite a disappointment. Still, there are some good things about the series that drag us towards it, like the actors who play the important characters that drive this simple story forward through a non-linear lens. Amongst them all, the first episode is where the most happens, and it does feel a little bit all over the place because it takes quite a bit of time to set things into motion—way too much time for a series with only 4 episodes. The story begins in Nazi-occupied St. Malo. In August 1944, the Americans are dropping bombs on the little seaside town, and Marie is sending a message to her dear Papa and Uncle Etienne. She’s been alone for a very long time, and she’s requesting that they return home to her.

“All the Light We Cannot See” is not, in the strictest sense, a comfort watch. Like the Pulitzer Prize-winning Anthony Doerr novel on which it’s based, the four-episode limited series takes place in a walled city under siege by a bombing campaign, its trapped civilians unable to evacuate — hardly a relaxing break from today’s headlines. But the Netflix show is, in a way, a return to simpler times.

This particular walled city is located in Nazi-occupied France, on the verge of American liberation in August 1944. As written, “All the Light We Cannot See” is already set amid a conflict that’s far closer to good versus evil than most armed struggles. As adapted by screenwriter Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”) and director Shawn Levy, the series leans into sentiment and moral simplicity. Knight and Levy aim for an uplifting, inspirational tale of connection that transcends division, distance and prejudice,...

The cancelled Disney+ show Nautilus has been picked up by AMC and will begin airing on the network in 2024. It will also be available to stream on AMC+. Actor Shazad Latif, known for his roles in Star Trek: Discovery and Penny Dreadful, will play the role of Nemo in Nautilus. Nautilus follows Nemo, an Indian Prince seeking revenge against the forces that took everything from him. He discovers a magical underwater world while sailing on board the Nautilus.

The high-profile cancelled Disney+ show Nautilus has found a new streaming home. Based on the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the live-action show about the origins of Captain Nemo and his famous submarine, The Nautilus, was cancelled by Disney+ in August as part of the platform's continued cost-cutting measures. At the time, it was confirmed that Nautilus would be looking for a new home.

Now, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter,...

Nautilus has a new home. The limited series based on Captain Nemo will now air on AMC and AMC+ after being cancelled by Disney+ in August. The episodes will air sometime next year.

Starring Shazad Latif, Georgia Flood, Thierry Frémont, Pacharo Mzembe, Arlo Green, Tyrone Ngatai, Ling Cooper Tang, Andrew Shaw, Ashan Kumar, Céline Menville, and Kayden Price, the series is based on the infamous character (Latif) from the classic novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne.

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Hollywood has often turned to the fantasy genre to tell some of the greatest stories ever put to film. From epic, high fantasy to grounded adventure in unique worlds, the genre has racked up an impressive number of awards, solid prestige and a dedicated fan base. Often turning to novels and mythology, the fantasy genre is the highest, purest form of escapism there is, telling stories detached from the real world and populated with magic, elves, monsters and more.

Fantasy movies such as Lord of the Rings have entrenched their status as genuine classics and masterpieces not in need of a remake or reboot. However, there are certainly examples of fantasy films that deserve another look, whether due to a poor execution, stories left unfinished or unrealized full potential. The fantasy genre is full of films that would make for excellent new franchises, and they're just waiting for studios and...

David Fincher isn’t looking to return to “The Social Network” anytime soon.

The “Killer” director told The Guardian in a wide-ranging interview that the 2010 Oscar-winning film could warrant a follow-up for fans, but that it would be a “can of worms” to untangle. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay charting the rise of Facebook through the perspective of creator Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg. Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, and Rooney Mara also starred.

“Aaron [Sorkin] and I have talked about it,” Fincher said, “but that’s a can of worms.”

The director instead pointed to the possible franchise of “The Killer” starring Michael Fassbender. The Netflix film, penned by Fincher’s “Se7en” screenwriter, is based on the French graphic novel series that spans 15 volumes.

“One would think [it would warrant a sequel],” Fincher said. “I’ve given up on trying to predict what people want.”

The director also shrugged...

Special effects artists are often the unsung heroes of horror films. Who is Pennywise without his startling clown makeup (above)? Who is M3gan without her hauntingly digitized face? Would King Kong and the silver screen's collection of other creatures and monsters even be remotely frightening without the technical prowess of the filmmakers behind their creation? We may not tangibly identify these artists' work in the moment as we watch a horror movie, but we certainly feel it.

On paper, many horror films' storylines don't seem scary at all; some even appear to be laughably unrealistic. Through special effects — practical mechanics, animation, makeup, puppetry, stunts, clever set-design tricks, and the like — artists can elevate even the most silly concepts into something macabre. They elicit the frights we love these movies for. Without them, such films appear quite different indeed. Here are what a few iconic horror films look like without special effects,...

The 1950s are considered the “Golden Age” of science fiction cinema, and that’s not just hyperbole. By many accounts, more than 200 sci-fi movies were released during that decade. And while the film industry had sporadically produced quality sci-fi in the years before—ranging from Aelita (1924) to Metropolis (1927), to The Invisible Man (1933)—it wasn’t until the 1950s that classic after classic began to arrive like riches from a long-lost hidden treasure.

And when we say classic, we mean films that essentially created the template for all science fiction movies that followed. Just look at this list. The first half of the decade brought us The Thing from Another World, When Worlds Collide, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, and Them!, while the second half ushered in This Island Earth, Forbidden Planet, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Blob, The Fly,...

David Fincher hasn’t worked on a blockbuster franchise since making his infamous directorial debut on “Alien 3” — a film that he has since disavowed due to what he saw as excessive studio interference — but he has flirted with taking on big properties on multiple occasions. He spent years developing an adaptation of Jules Verne’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” for Disney with the intention of casting Brad Pitt. And more recently, he was briefly attached to direct Pitt in a “World War Z” sequel.

Fincher obsessives who are curious about his would-be blockbusters received an interesting tidbit this week when David Goyer made an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Goyer is best known for writing DC movies for both Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder, but he began his career as a superhero scribe by writing all three “Blade” movies. On the podcast, he revealed that he...