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Each Harry Potter movie has something special about it that makes them timeless classics. At the same time, some movies have earned more acclaim than others due to the subject material or performances of its casts and effects. In particular, the opening scene tends to be one of the most important of any movie since it sets the stage for the rest of the adventure. Watching Harry discover magic or how the wizarding world grows progressively darker can be captured in just a few minutes, transforming the once whimsical story into the dark coming-of-age journey it always has.

Which Harry Potter opening scenes are the best? Over the course of eight movies, it can be hard to distinguish which opening scene did a better job preparing audiences for the next few hours of content, but overall, it's clear that the franchise was excellent at starting off on the right note.

Harry Potterimmerses readers in a vast world full of fleshed-out characters. The books, often set in Hogwarts, quickly familiarize readers with plenty of students from all the houses, who, in their specific way, enrich the Wizarding World experience. However, with their limited screen time, the Harry Potter movies understandably left aside some exceptional Hogwarts students.

Some outstanding, courageous and funny characters, such as Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott, made it into the movies but didn't get their deserved screen time or development. Hannah Abbott, for example, goes on to marry Neville Longbottom. Others, like Anthony Goldstein, didn't even make it as a background character. Hopefully, the Harry Potter reboot will shed more light on Hogwarts' varied and fascinating student body.

Updated on March 17, 2024, by Andrea Sandoval: While the Harry Potter movies did a great job adapting some of the most iconic characters in Harry Potter, they didn't have the...

Quick LinksOrder of the Phoenix Left Quidditch Completely out of the Movie AdaptationHarry and the Weasley Twins Were Banned From Playing Quidditch After a FightQuidditch Should Be a Bigger Part of the Upcoming Harry Potter Reboot

It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. Cbr supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find Cbr's continuing coverage on J.K. Rowling here.

Many fans know that the Harry Potter movie adaptations left out a lot of side plots and character backgrounds that were part of the book series. However, the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie went a step further by leaving out one of the most iconic things of the wizarding world: Quidditch. Quidditch is a wizarding sport that everyone knows about.

Days of Our Lives really brought back a blast from the past with the Woman in White. Originally played by Pat Delany, she was Kristen’s mother, Rachel Blake, who wreaked havoc until she and Stefano were caught in an explosion and presumed dead. As often happens in Salem, Rachel didn’t die (neither did Stefano) and returned to the canvas recently. She helped her granddaughter and namesake, Rachel Brady, capture Ava in an effort to get Brady and Kristen back together. Ros Gentle now plays the Woman in White and opened up about how she thought she nearly didn’t get the part.

Not the Response She Expected

Born in New South Wales, Australia, Gentle has been acting since 1983. She first appeared in the Aussie show Prisoner: Cell Block H where she gained acclaim playing Laura Gardiner, a character with multiple personalities. She’s been in quite a few American TV shows,...

Dragon Ball may be the most popular anime franchise on Earth, but it hasn't been a stable one in decades. Since the conclusion of Dragon Ball Z in 1996, Dragon Ball has been plagued by underwhelming sequel series, disappointing side content, inconsistent release schedules, years when the only new content to be released has been video games, and the existence of Dragon Ball Evolution. Sad as it is to say, things look as bad now for Dragon Ball's future as they ever have. As of March 2025, Dragon Ball Daima is over, Dragon Ball Super is still on hiatus, and there is no longer anyone capable of guiding the franchise forward.

Akira Toriyama was the glue that held his humble story turned pop culture phenomenon together and, with him having passed away in 2024, it may not be possible for the series to continue in the way most fans would like. The...

Harry Potter took over a huge part of my childhood much like other pop culture fanatics. Although it was middle school when I first got a glimpse of Hogwarts’ magical halls, the school and its students have more than made up for lost time by occupying my mind ever since.

A still from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Credits: Warner Bros.

As such, revisiting those movies again and again became sort of a ritualistic therapy. It is a wonder that even after so many repeats, the charm hasn’t worn off. However, there is one movie in particular that continues to amaze me every single time.

That is, of course, Prisoner of Azkaban, and I will die on the hill that the third Harry Potter installment is the best movie of the entire saga of the Chosen One.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the best Harry Potter movie

Now,...

Dua Lipa is celebrating the 5th anniversary of her sophomore album, Future Nostalgia, with a special 3xLP set. The expanded edition is currently available for pre-order ahead of its release on March 28th.

Get Dua Lipa Tickets Here

Featuring one yellow splatter vinyl and two traditional black discs, the special edition includes the original 11 tracks from Future Nostalgia along with the deluxe Moonlight Edition and remix album Club Future Nostalgia.

After dropping in March 2020, Future Nostalgia served as a pandemic soundtrack thanks to hits like “Don’t Start Now,” “Physical,” and “Break My Heart.” It was also a massive commercial success, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 while topping other album charts around the world.

Dua released her most recent album, Radical Optimism, in 2024. She’s set to resume her world tour in Australia and New Zealand in March, followed by a Europe/UK run in May and June. After that,...

The Serpent star Tahar Rahim and Boiling Point’s Izuka Hoyle are leading Prisoner, the Sky thriller series from Matt Charman.

The pair are joined by Eddie Marsan (Back to Black, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe), Catherine McCormack (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, 28 Weeks Later), Leonie Benesch (September 5, Babylon Berlin), Finn Bennett (Black Doves, True Detective), Sam Troughton (Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, Black Doves), Laurie Davidson (The Girlfriend, Mary & George), Ken Nwosu (Black Doves, Sticks and Stones), Brían F. O’Byrne (Conclave, The Wonder) and Youssef Kerkour (Lockerbie: A Search For Truth).

Prisoner follows a principled young prison officer escorting a dangerous, high-value prisoner to court to testify against his elite crime syndicate. Throughout the journey, their relationship twists and turns, with the stakes escalating as the crime syndicate stops at nothing to track them down. Deadline revealed the project several weeks back from Charman, the...

The Bold and the Beautiful (B&b) spoilers tease that Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) has hired The Nose Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) to do her bidding. In this case she wants Fc back, and Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Hope Logan’s (Annika Noelle) romance ended. Can she get the jobs done?

Both Carter and Hope are enchanted with Ms. Rose, and the only question seems to be which one of them succumbs to her charms first. Here’s what to know!

The Bold And The Beautiful Spoilers – Steffy Forrester’s Devious Plan

Steffy wants Carter to cheat on Hope, and if this happens what is Hope’s next step? We predict that her predictable next step would be to turn to waffler Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) and cry buckets on his shoulder.

Liam has always been a sucker for Hope and they share a daughter together. So it...

The next General Hospital spoilers video for Thursday, January 23, 2025, shows Brick helping Sonny to prevent another attack while Lucas advises Joss to use caution.

Coming up in Port Charles

Lucas (Van Hansis) tells Joss (Eden McCoy), “Whatever you’re gearing up to do…don’t.” She might be plotting a move against Cyrus (Jeff Kober), which would be a bad decision. Teasers show that Lucas (Van Hansis) and Josslyn compare notes, so that’s probably how the conversation starts.

Read This: Learn about Hansis’ return to daytime.

Felicia (Kristina Wagner) asks Liz (Rebecca Herbst), “Why is this so important to you?” Was Liz inquiring about Cyrus’ sitting at the bedside of lonely patients who later may have died of heart failure and could be Digitalis victims?

Laura (Genie Francis) tells someone, “I think it’s better if I’m not involved.” The weekly spoilers indicate that Laura learns of a possible threat,...

The Bold and The Beautiful spoilers and updates tease Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada) might end up pregnant, and this could be the best way for her to achieve her goals. The writers may have hinted at this from the start; Dollar Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) believes he’s helping by letting Luna stay in his home during her sentence, but Luna is smart.

The Bold And The Beautiful Spoilers – Luna Nozawa, The Master Manipulator

We strongly believe that Bill has fallen right into her trap-so far, she’s only claimed other prisoners attacked her, and there’s no evidence that she didn’t plan it all. Luna understands that Bill has a protective nature, and she is taking advantage of it.

However, now that he has made it clear he’s not her father and she won’t be a Spencer, she has to change her approach.

That’s why...

The Bold and the Beautiful (B&b) spoilers tease that Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) is a woman scorned and we all know what that means. Sleazy Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) has dumped her again all without proper provocation. What a cad.

The Bold And The Beautiful Spoilers – Brooke Logan Dumped

For her part she slapped Ridge and gave her foe Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) a push when she found out how low Tridge had gone against her.

This changes everything! Brooke thought her and Ridge were couple goals but the cad has shown himself to be a two woman man. This week the crows come home to roost.

After physically punishing Tridge, Brook may take aim at Forrester Creations. She took the CEO role with the thought of getting the company back for Ridge but now that she’s been cheated on she has different ideas. Good for her!

B...

Dragon Ball Super's greatest villain, Moro, has yet to be animated, but Dragon Ball Daima has provided some clues which might fill in the gaps of Moro's tale, revealing the villain's origins in the Demon Realm. While Daima has yet to acknowledge the powerful foe outright, some fans believe that the anime just might reference Moro before it's all over.

Moro is a villain who appears in Dragon Ball Super's manga, and is the main antagonist of the Galactic Patrol Prisoner saga, the arc which follows the Tournament of Power in the manga. Moro possesses incredible magic powers, is phenomenally long-lived, and poses a major danger to Universe 7 upon his escape from confinement. Goku is temporarily drafted into the Galactic Patrol to help them deal with the Moro situation, and through his time there gets to know an Angel-in-training by the name of Merus, who helps him...

The Bold and the Beautiful spoilers document that Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) says that he believes what Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada) told him. But why did he buy her lie?

There’s no doubt that Luna was telling the truth about wanting to get out of the prison where she was being held in downtown Los Angeles, California. She also wasn’t lying about believing Bill was the one person who could help her.

However, viewers were privy to the inner workings of Luna’s mind. So, they know that she played her mother, Poppy Nozawa (Romy Park), pretending to be sorry for the attempted two-murder frame. That alone makes all fans wonder what danger Bill’s in.

The Bold And The Beautiful Spoilers – Using Every Lever Of Power In LA

Luna was thrilled and relieved but naturally perplexed. She was being taken out of the prison visitor’s room...

Prisoner Zero could be returning to Doctor Who, according to a newly-revealed snippet of information. After Matt Smith's freshly-regenerated Eleventh Doctor polished off his custard-soaked fish fingers and adjusted his bow tie, the first Doctor Who villain he faced was the formidable Prisoner Zero. In its base form, this creature looked like a DNA mashup of an eel and a piranha, but the creature's shapeshifting ability meant it typically looked human during Doctor Who season 5's "The Eleventh Hour."

Most memorably, Prisoner Zero was portrayed by Olivia Colman in her pre-Oscar years. When "The Eleventh Hour" aired in 2010, Colman was best known for her long-running role as Sophie in the British comedy series Peep Show. The actress would, of course, go on to win a Best Actress Oscar for The Favourite, and is now a firm favorite of Hollywood. Interestingly, a sneaky clue released ahead of Doctor Who season...

Is Europe going Fast, but the U.S. going FASTer? Fast, or free advertising-supported streaming television, and AVOD (advertising-based video on demand) services have been a key growth segment in the U.S. at a time when streaming has become a competitive amid a maturing market. Cases in point: Fox Corp.’s Tubi, Paramount Global’s Pluto TV, Amazon’s Freevee, or The Roku Channel.

Meanwhile, in Europe, where traditionally more free TV content has been available, Fast hasn’t made as much noise until recently. And MIPCOM in Cannes could in the coming days feature more talk and news about it. This summer, Tubi launched in the U.K., while Pluto TV struck a strategic commercial and editorial partnership with M6+, French TV company Groupe M6’s new AVOD platform, to “scale and expand their free streaming and digital businesses in France.” Sony Pictures recently launched a 54-channel Fast...

Dr Sales, the international sales arm of Danish pubcaster Dr, is launching at Mipcom in Cannes Dr Drama’s latest event series “Generations,” mixing crime, mystery and family secrets.

Making her debut in long-form serialised drama is Anna Emma Haudal, behind DR3’s hit youth series “Doggystyle” for which she won a national Robert Award for best short series in 2019. Haudal shares the writing credits with seasoned writer Rune-Schjøtt-Wieth and co-directs with Thomas Daneskov (“Wild Men”) and Ville Gideon Sörman (“I See You”).

Toplining the drama is rising talent Alice Bier who landed the title role in Netflix’s period drama “Ehrengard: The Art of Seduction,” after an appearance in her mother Susanne Bier’s “The Night Manager.” In other main roles are seasoned actresses Ulla Henningsen, Anette Støvelbæk as well as Simon Sears (“Ride Upon the Storm”).

The series opens with the discovery of a mummified infant during a...

Wentworth deserves a modern revival more than other similar shows like Prison Break. Wentworth was an extremely popular Australian TV show until it ended in 2021. Set in a woman's prison in Melbourne, the series followed the lives and drama of the prisoners during their prison sentences. The show was a modern re-make of the Australian soap opera, Prisoner: Cell Block H. Despite the show being extremely popular around the world, it was canceled in 2021 after nine seasons and 100 episodes. Even today, the Australian show (currently on Netflix) remains popular with audiences.

When the show ended, it was left open with the possibility of a reboot or a spin-off, and it's clear that this needs to happen. There is still so much story to be told in Wentworth and new characters that could be added to the mix. There is still a demand for the show in the world. The great...

It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. Cbr supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find Cbr's continuing coverage on Rowling here .

The Harry Potter series is one of the most popular fantasy stories of the modern era, with a highly successful movie series and an upcoming remake TV adaptation from HBO. While many fans of the Harry Potter books may be aware of the scenes that were left out of the film adaptations, they might not be familiar with the scenes that were left out of the novels.

Author J.K. Rowling went through many drafts while writing the Harry Potter series, and several aspects of the story didnt make it to the final printed version that fans know and love.

The inaugural Tasveer Film Market has unveiled over 40 projects selected from more than 300 submissions across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, the U.K., the U.S., Canada and Australia. The initiative, positioning itself as a new hub for South Asian and diaspora filmmakers, is set to launch as part of the 19th Tasveer Film Festival in Seattle.

Notable talents presenting projects include Radhika Apte (“The Sleepwalkers”), the Cannes-winning “Joyland” team of Apoorva Charan and Saim Sadiq, Sarvnik Kaur (“Against the Tide”), Q (“Garbage”), Nabeel Qureshi (“Na Maloom Afraad”) and Hania Chima (“Laal Kabootar”). The lineup also features the adaptation of Soniah Kamal’s “Pride and Prejudice” adaptation “Unmarriageable,” led by Sadia Ashraf and James McMillan.

Industry leaders scheduled to attend include filmmakers Deepa Mehta and Pan Nalin, along with representatives from Amazon MGM Studios, Blumhouse, HBO, Est N8, Creativeland Studios, NBCU, CAA and WME. The market has partnered with organizations such as NBCU,...

Deadpool & Wolverine has been the gift that keeps on giving for almost two months, and it still isnt done revealing some of its hidden little nods and Easter Eggs. As well as several recent pieces of concept art and abandoned variants of both of its titular characters, Shawn Levy has now commended one fan for spotting an almost impossible to spot reference to Hugh Jackmans stunning performance in the 2012 big screen adaptation of the musical Les Misrables.

Deadpool & Wolverine 3.5/5 SuperheroActionComedy Sci-Fi

A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

Release Date July 26, 2024Director Shawn LevyCast Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Morena Baccarin, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, Brianna Hildebrand, Rob DelaneyMain Genre ActionWriters Shawn Levy,...

TrustNordisk has added more key territory sales for “The Quiet Ones,” a heist action drama from Denmark’s Zentropa and director Frederik Louis Hviid premiering in TIFF.

Starring Gustav Giese, Amanda Collin and Reda Kateb, “The Quiet Ones” has closed Spain (Flins & Piniculas), Poland (MediaSquad), former Yugoslavia (Cinemania Group) and the Baltic states (Europos Kinas). Further deals are under negotiation. “The Quiet Ones” pre-sold to Magnolia Pictures for the U.S., Germany (Plaion) and South Korea (PoongKyong Sori). The Nordic release will be handled by Nordisk Film Distribution.

Aimed at a “broad young audience,” says Zentropa’s Kasper Dissing, who produced “Another Round,” “The Quiet Ones” reconstructs in a fiction thriller the biggest robbery ever carried out in Denmark, pulled off just as the 2008 financial crisis hits Europe.

Giese, (“Riders Of Justice”) plays a frustrated boxer, boasting a remarkable six pack, tattoos and a facial scar wanting to do...

From left: Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan shortly after their release from detention in Russia. (U.S. Government photo/Handout)

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was one of several wrongfully-detained Americans who were released from Russian custody on Thursday as part of a multi-country prisoner swap.

The deal, revealed by U.S. Government officials early Thursday morning, also secured the release of U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, among others.

Gershkovich was found guilty of conspiracy and spying last month after a sham three-day trial behind closed doors. The Russian government accused him of espionage on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency, though the government provided no public evidence to support their charges.

He spent 18 months in prison before being released this week. He was forced to fill out paperwork that requested a presidential pardon from Russian leader Vladimir Putin as part of the process.

Love After Lockup celeb Lindsey Downs has been on a rollercoaster for the last few years as far as her love life goes. Based on the latest updates, she seems to be having an unexpected full-circle moment, where she is now the one dating a prisoner.

Love After Lockup: Lindsey Downs Always Brought The Drama With Scott Bradshaw

When WEtv first introduced Lindsey Downs years ago, it was in scenes with Scott Bradshaw. Fans called it out early on that Scott was just Lindsey’s unfortunate target at the time. Even though this relationship was doomed to fail, it still produced some truly iconic moments, like her trashing his office and more.

After Scott, Lindsey set her sights on Daonte Sierra, a Love After Lockup alum. So, Lindsey didn’t have to look very far to find her next person. However, just like with Scott, destructive patterns started to emerge for these two as well.

Ring the Room Service staff and ask them to prep the penthouse because Liam Neeson is checking into Guy Moshe’s upcoming action thriller Hotel Tehran. The feature-length project stars Zachary Levi, with cameras set to roll later this summer. Moshe is a seasoned filmmaker with films like Holly, Bunraku, and Lx 2048 attached to his director credits.

Speaking about Hotel Tehran, which has worldwide distribution from Rocket Science alongside previously announced Oakhurst Entertainment, Astral Future, and Dreamtime Films, Moshe said, “I’m thrilled to welcome Liam Neeson to Hotel Tehran. He is a true thespian and an icon in our industry. The character he plays, Larry, is complex, irreverent, and inspired by real people. I know his fans around the world will relish seeing him inhabit this distinct role and I can’t wait to be there to capture it.”

Moshe reunites with Prisoner’s Daughter writer Mark Bacci...

Alert: Missing Persons Unit fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 2 Episode 10 episode titled Federal Prisoner #07198F-068P!

Find out everything you need to know about the Federal Prisoner #07198F-068P episode of Alert: Missing Persons Unit, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

Alert: Missing Persons Unit Federal Prisoner #07198F-068P Season 2 Episode 10 Preview

Get ready for a nail-biting episode of “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” titled “Federal Prisoner #07198F-068P,” airing on Fox at 9:00 Pm on May 14, 2024. In this thrilling installment, the joyous celebration of Nikki and Mike’s wedding takes a dark turn when Wayne mysteriously goes missing.

As the festivities grind to a halt, Jason and the Mpu spring into action, racing against the clock to locate Wayne and unravel the truth behind her disappearance. With Inspector Braun and his connection to the...

Horror fans have had a whole lot of zombie entertainment sent our way in the last couple decades, much of it broadcast on television by AMC. There have been so many flesh-eaters and brain-munchers on our screens, some of us are feeling zombie overload. But if you’re still looking for zombie stories that do things a little differently from the others, we have a recommendation for you: a Japanese film that mixes the walking dead with shootouts, swordfights, and lengthy martial arts fights. It’s called Versus – and if you haven’t seen this one yet, it’s the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw.

Versus (watch it Here) was an independent production made by a bunch of unknowns, and many of the people involved with the movie remain unknowns to this day. It marked the feature directorial debut of Ryuhei Kitamura, who has gone on to have a solid career,...

Got a kid that needs discipline? Go make him dig some holes in the desert. It's what Sigourney Weaver's character, Louise Walker, in Holes would've wanted. The Walt Disney Pictures film has become a legend since its release in 2003, and has found success once again through social media memes and the streaming platform Disney+. Aside from its meme-able moments, Holes is best remembered for its Western-esque story of young boys digging holes and forming a brotherhood. Among the young stars in the making was Khleo Thomas, who played a kid who went by the nickname "Zero."

Holes is one of those movies that Gen Z often look back on as a fever dream of sorts. The movie regularly played on the Disney Channel where the star, Indiana Jones' Shia LeBeouf, was also the face of the sitcom Even Stevens. But what about those poisonous lizards hiding in the desert?...

Blue Bloods latest hiatus is short. After a week-long preemption, the Reagans will be back with what appears to be one of their most intriguing plots.

So far, CBS is short on details for Blue Bloods Season 14 Episode 7. What little has been released suggests that Danny and Baez have a big case that might involve the entire Reagan family.

With three episodes before the summer hiatus, will this case move the Reagans toward an exciting cliffhanger?

What little we know so far involves a serial killer targeting people in the hospital.

The promo video focuses on this case, with Danny and Baez talking to hospital staff about a string of mysterious deaths.

The partners talk with healthcare providers, one of whom says that there's something suspicious about all these deaths, and it seems that Anthony and Jamie are both involved in dangerous situations that may or may not be related.

Cannes stood up for Daniel Brühl, as his new Disney+ show “Becoming Karl Lagerfeld” earned a 3-minute standing ovation on Sunday.

Premiering out of competition, it captures the late German designer before morphing into the instantly recognizable figure that took pop culture by storm. And, courted by young Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), finally opening up for love.

Local viewers enjoyed the spectacle, laughing at Lagerfeld’s awkwardness or at Yves Saint Laurent’s (Arnaud Valois) clumsy attempts at romancing de Bascher. The verdict? A “fun” and “entertaining” new show, declared Canneseries audience members, happy to share their enthusiasm with Variety even despite the language barrier: “C’est genial!”

The screening, which started with a joyful fashion show similar to Lagerfeld’s collection for Chloé in the 1970s – spotlighted in the first episode – attracted just about every celebrity in town. Including “Beverly Hills, 90210” alumni Jason Priestley and “Riverdale’s” Vanessa Morgan,...

The Prisoner has potential to adopt Inception's dream manipulation lore, setting up for an exciting connection between the two films. The Prisoner's dream manipulation arc introduces similar concepts to Inception, offering a fresh take if remade by Christopher Nolan. A shared cinematic universe between The Prisoner and Inception could raise anticipation and excitement for the remake's release.

An Inception sequel may have never been promised, but Christopher Nolan's next rumored film has the potential to become a secret follow-up to the 2010 film. Most details surrounding Christopher Nolan's next movie remain shrouded in mystery. However, after the director's Oscar win for Oppenheimer, it is hard not to eagerly wait for his next film's announcement. Although no official confirmations have been made surrounding Nolan's next project, rumors suggest that it may be a remake of the acclaimed 1967 miniseries The Prisoner.

On the surface, The Prisoner does not share much common...

Actor David Dastmalchian's collaborations with Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve made him the directors' go-to source for learning about each other.

Following the release of his new horror film Late Night with the Devil, Dastmalchian spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about his unique career path and work as a character actor. This path, which began with a small role in The Dark Knight, would lead to him appearing in three of Villeneuve's films and, more recently, joining Nolan's star-studded Oppenheimer cast as Atomic Energy Committee executive director William L. Borden. When asked what it was like working with Nolan again, Dastmalchian revealed that he hadn't "seen him since The Dark Knight other than one chance run-in at a park when I was playing with my kids. So I got a chance to thank him for inviting me to be a part of [Oppenheimer], and then he told me how...

Nolan's rumored remake of The Prisoner may challenge his usual style of neatly tying up loose ends in his films. The success of Nolan's movies is often attributed to his ability to explain complex themes, unlike the intentionally ambiguous Prisoner series. Some critics believe Nolan's upcoming project, influenced by The Prisoner, may signal a shift towards embracing ambiguity over clarity.

Although Christopher Nolan’s movies often offer answers to their many mysteries, his next project could challenge this longstanding tradition. Almost all of Christopher Nolan’s movies have an array of instantly identifiable trademarks. Most of Nolan’s work features non-linear storytelling, an approach that facilitates a lot of unexpected twists and turns. A lot of Nolan’s movies feature colder color palettes defined by blue and grey tones, and many of his projects utilize practical effects over CGI where possible. However, Nolan’s rumored next movie could upend some...

It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. Cbr supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find Cbr's continuing coverage on Rowling here.

The magical world of Harry Potter was brought to life in stunning fashion by Warner Bros. in the Harry Potter movies. However, there are limitations in the cinematic medium, and it cannot fully represent the depth and creativity of the written matter. While the movies captured Harry's story of love, sacrifice, and goodness beautifully, there were certain characters who didn't get the attention and dedication that they deserved in the movies.

Some of these characters didn't appear in the movies at all, despite being fan favorites, whereas others were half-baked at best. Many main characters were misrepresented completely in the script,...

The failed 2009 TV remake of The Prisoner shows the challenge of adapting existing content for modern audiences. A potential Christopher Nolan Prisoner movie would face obstacles in updating the story without losing its original appeal. Despite potential difficulties, a Nolan-directed Prisoner movie remains an exciting prospect due to his history of creating unique cinematic experiences.

Christopher Nolan is rumored to be working on a big-budget movie adaptation of The Prisoner, but a TV disaster from 15 years ago proves it’ll be a challenge to bring this story to the big screen. The Prisoner is a surreal, short-lived cult classic British sci-fi series from the 1960s about a secret agent stranded on a mysterious island. After winning Best Picture and Best Director for Oppenheimer at the Oscars, Nolan has the freedom to make whatever movie he wants – but this particular project would be tough to pull off.

Nolan has been reportedly...

Sofie Grabol as Miriam in the Danish TV prison drama series “Prisoner.” Photo by Adam Wallensten. Courtesy of Mhz Choice

Prison films and series tend to pick one of the following themes: Action flicks with plenty of fighting, starring the likes of a Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Jean-Claude Van Damme or Scott Adkins. Usually, it’s a good guy fighting for survival against overwhelming odds. Next would be the slew of sexploitation women-in-chains sort, using the premise as an excuse for nudity and other aspects of lurid appeal. Most were B movies that thrived in the 1970s –‘80s. The “Orange is the New Black” series classed that genre up considerably without losing its titillation value. Then there were high-quality character dramas like Shawshank Redemption, Cool Hand Luke and The Rock. Finally come comedies like The Longest Yard.

The six-episode subtitled Danish drama “Prisoner” manages to break relatively new ground with a bleak,...

With the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Dceu is officially finished and the fans can look forward to a new era under the leadership of James Gunn and his new cinematic universe rebranded as Dcu.

But not all exciting projects based on DC characters will be part of the new cinematic universe. Notably, projects helmed by Matt Reeves that revolve around dark and gritty Batman’s world will be a part of the “Elseworlds” stories; this was a personal choice made by Matt Reeves, which means that practically nothing changed in that aspect since Pattison’s Batman wasn’t a part of the Dceu either.

Robert Pattinson will be portraying Bruce Wayne. Zoë Kravitz will reprise the role of Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, while Andy Serkis will return to take on the character of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and confidant. Colin Farrell will be returning as the Penguin,...

Dr Sales has picked up “Piggy” (“Murk” in Norwegian), a quirky crime comedy from advertising, film and TV production banner The Oslo Company, credited for Netflix’s “Home for Christmas 1 & 2.”

The six-part series set to premiere on the commercial channel TV2 Norway March 17, will be sneak-peeked Feb. 9 at the Scandinavian Drama Series Showcase in Berlin, co-hosted by the Göteborg Film Festival’s TV Drama Vision and the European Film Market.

Headlining “Piggy”’s Norwegian ensemble cast are Ine Jansen (“Mammon”), Trond Espen Seim, Jonis Josef (“Kasko”), John Carew (“Home Ground”), Iben Akerlie (“Norsemen”), and Lars Berge (“Wisting”).

“The Playlist” co-helmer Hallgrim Haug serves as concept director on the series, created by The Oslo Company founder Trond Kvernstrøm. Both shared the writers’ room with Marie Hafting (“Everything You Love”), Tobias Nordbø, Katie Hetland and Kjetil Indregard. The Oslo Company’s Ronny Johansen is producing.

The story turns on Lisa (Jansen) a...

Big-budget disaster series “Estonia,” Canneseries winner “Power Play” and “Painkiller,” the TV drama debut of Göteborg victor Gabriela Pilcher (“Amateur”) feature among the five contenders for next year’s Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize which serves to underscore the robust breadth of current Nordic scripted series.

Also in the running is “Prisoner,” a second admired Canneseries main competition contender featuring “The Killing” star Sofie Gråbøl, and “Descendants,” the showrunning debut of famed Icelandic thesp Tinna Hrafnsdóttir.

Backed by the Göteborg Film Festival and the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the 8th edition of the Prize, awarded to series’ main writers, pits Beta Film, the sales agent on “Estonia” and owner of its producer, “Bordertown’s” Fisher King, against Fremantle, owner of “Power Play” producer Motlys/Novemberfilm and Red Arrow Studios International, the sales agent on “Descendants.” REinvent International Sales handles sales on “Painkiller” and “Power Play.”

The Nordic drama series...

Disney movies have been lighting up screens for 100 years, which has been marked with the recent release of Once Upon a Studio. The delights of princes and princesses, animals, and fairies have been a continually enticing combination in both animation and live-action, keeping audiences on board with everything Walt Disney Studios has to offer.

Alongside the whimsicality and magic, Disney movies have also stepped into darker moments, sometimes catching viewers off guard with intense scenes. While there are a lot of positive lessons to learn, Disney has regularly thrown in some somber scenarios.

20 Saddest Disney Movies, Ranked

Alice's Pool of Tears Alice in Wonderland

The live-action Alice in Wonderland is a darker re-imagining of the original. Having said that, the animated film is also surrounded by dark undertones. The bubbly, bizarre characters would sometimes deliver a sinister aura. Even through the likes of the Cheshire Cat's smile, he is an unsettling character.

Mumbai Film Fest To Honor Luca Guadagnino & Mani Ratnam

The Mumbai Film Festival will honor Luca Guadagnino and Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam at the upcoming fest, which runs from October 27 to November 5. The former will win the Excellence in Cinema Award (International) while the latter is handed the South Asian version of the same award. Both directors will attend the festival to receive their gongs and conduct masterclasses. The festival will also screen Ratnam’s recent Tamil-language historical dramas, Ponniyin Selvan: Part One & Two, and Luca Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated I Am Love. Previous receipients of Mumbai Film Festival’s Excellence in Cinema Awards include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, Jia Zhangke and Chen Kaige.

BBC Buys Denmark’s ‘Prisoner’ Starring ‘The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl

The BBC has acquired Danish drama Prisoner starring The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl. The series for national broadcaster Dr revolves around the lives...

Dr Sales has been racking up sales for Danish drama series “Prisoner.”

Starring Sofie Gråbøl, David Dencik, Youssef Wayne Hvidtfeldt and Charlotte Fich, it has been picked up by BBC (U.K. and Ireland), Canal+ Group’s channel Polar+ (France), MHz Choice (U.S.), Sbs (Australia), Npo (Netherlands) and BeTV (French-speaking Belgium).

Revolving around four desperate prison guards, forced to deal with everything from rampant drug trade to their personal problems and imminent closure of the prison, the show was created by Kim Fupz Aakeson.

“‘Prisoner’ is an authentic, complex and compelling portrait of the harsh realities of life in prison, where it isn’t only the inmates who are trapped,” said Sue Deeks, head of program acquisitions at BBC, with Npo’s Evelien Bloemena adding:

“It’s about people with good intentions forced into difficult situations. A series with a great cast and a good fit for us as a public broadcaster.

The casting decisions for the adult characters in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone had a major impact on the future movie installments. Actor Ian Hart flawlessly played the role of Professor Quirrell, but it's a good thing David Thewlis didn't get the part, as he went on to play Remus Lupin in later films. Thewlis's gentle and father-like demeanor made him a perfect fit for the role of Remus Lupin, and director Alfonso Cuarón approached him first for the role in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone had the tough job of casting the beloved Harry Potter book characters for the first time, and these decisions had a major impact on Warner Bros' future movie installments. This was especially true for the adult characters of the series. The movies just wouldn't have been the same if Maggie Smith hadn't been cast as...

Not so long ago, the only Australian TV shows imported by the UK and US were soaps and the odd kids’ series. Neighbours, Home & Away, Prisoner: Cell Block H, Heartbreak High, and child trauma factory Round the Twist went overseas, but not much else.

It didn’t make for a very complete picture. 30 years ago, if you’d asked a British person to conjure up Australia based solely on its available TV output, they’d have pictured a land of bait shops, haunted lighthouses, prison wings, and cul de sacs where good neighbours become good friends. Ask one now, and thanks to streaming, it’d be a much broader church, based on viewing comedies, thrillers, dramas, detective shows and more.

Here are some of the best Australian TV series currently available to stream in the UK and US. We’ll update this selection as new series arrive.

Mr Inbetween...

If you're wondering why the last 20 years has felt like something was missing, it's because John Woo hasn't given us a Hollywood action flick since 2003's "Paycheck." The legendary Chinese filmmaker is responsible for some of the greatest films of all time and remains the patron saint of Gun Fu. Woo has been continuing to make films in China, with his most recent, 2017's "Manhunt" a return to form in the same vein as "The Killer." But if you've been missing heroic Hollywood bloodshed like "Face/Off" or "Hard Target," now is the time to rejoice as Woo is back with "Silent Night," a dialogue-free Christmas action film starring Joel Kinnaman of "The Killing," "Suicide Squad," and "For All Mankind" fame. This is the perfect time for Woo's return, as films like "Nobody" and the "John Wick" franchise owe their existence to his filmography. In fact, "John Wick" producers Basil Iwanyk...

Danish star Trine Dyrholm takes on the “bad mom” trope in “Birthday Girl,” which has its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival, where a girl’s 18th birthday party goes horribly wrong.

Directed by Michael Noer, it sees her character, Nanna, trying to impress estranged daughter (“As in Heaven” breakout Flora Ofelia Hofmann Lindahl) with a cruise to the Caribbean. But when the girl is assaulted, and no one believes her, Nanna needs to step it all the way up.

“Birthday Girl” was produced by Matilda Appelin and Rene Ezra for Nordisk Film Production, with TrustNordisk handling sales.

“I saw her as a mother who wants to be her daughter’s girlfriend. They are on the biggest party boat she could find, because they haven’t seen each other that much and she wants to make up for all that. She is fighting for this closeness and then they share this terrible experience,...

Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men #25!The X-Men's leader Cyclops has been given a dark new codename, but while the name predicts a significant period of suffering for Scott Summers, it also points to a similar rebirth as his longtime ally and rival Wolverine. As the X-Men suffer immense losses in the Fall of X era, it may be that's exactly what they need.

In Gerry Duggan and Stefano Caselli's X-Men #25, Cyclops is revealed to be a prisoner of Doctor Stasis - one of the villains behind the anti-mutant group Orchis. Having been brutalized by the new Captain Krakoa, Scott is badly injured, and has even had his eyes sewed shut in order to neutralize his powerful optic blasts. Adding indignity to injury, he's been codename 'Prisoner Ten' by Orchis - a dehumanizing name intended to lessen his power and identity as a heroic figurehead. The current era...

This article contains Spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 & 2.

Clancy Brown reprises his role as Lothal Governor Ryder Azadi in Ahsoka, marking his second Star Wars live-action appearance. Other Star Wars voice actors like Katee Sackhoff and Steve Blum have also transitioned to live-action in The Mandalorian. Ahsoka hints at the return of more beloved Star Wars characters, making Clancy Brown's appearance a welcome addition to the franchise.

Ahsoka has brought back Clancy Brown for his second Star Wars live-action appearance, and his first was incredibly fascinating. Brown is known for having voiced Savage Opress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Ahsoka has further cemented his place in the Star Wars franchise. On top of his voiceover work, Brown is an accomplished film and TV actor, so it was inevitable that he would appear in the live-action Star Wars shows.

Brown is not the only Star Wars voice actor to transition to live-action.

Warning: contains spoilers for X-Men #25!As the X-Men's incredibly dark Fall of X era begins, their leader Cyclops finds himself grievously injured and imprisoned, now going by an insulting codename that hints how this experience will transform him. In X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023, Cyclops was attacked and captured by Orchis, even as the anti-mutant hate group razed the nation of Krakoa and seemingly killed 250,000 mutants, including Scott's beloved partner Jean Grey.

During the gala, Cyclops responded to an alarm at the X-Men's New York Treehouse base, only to be brutalized while separated from his team. Now, Gerry Duggan, Stefano Caselli, Marte Gracia, and Clayton Cowles' X-Men #25 confirms that he was captured by Orchis and has been imprisoned in the Henry Gyrich Center for Behavioral Studies. The issue reveals that Cyclops has sustained several terrible injuries - not only has Orchis sewed his eyelids together to neutralize his optic blasts,...

It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. Cbr supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find Cbr's continuing coverage on J.K. Rowling here.

The Harry Potter movies are known for their great casts. They feature many big names, such as Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes, and they single-handedly made stars out of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.

According to Slash Film, Total Film and Insider, the late Robin Williams also wanted a part in the Harry Potter films. He had his eye on the role of Rubeus Hagrid, the beloved half-giant gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts. However, the role that would have been his first choice was that of Remus Lupin,...