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Cary Elwes has joined the cast of new Peacock thriller series M.I.A. Elwes will be appearing in the upcoming show alongside stars from Narcos and Fear the Walking Dead as series regulars.

According to Deadline, Ozark co-creator Bill Dubuque's series has added Maurice Compte (Narcos and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Danay Garcia (Fear of the Walking Dead and Prison Break), along with Saw star Elwes, to its expanding cast. The streamer has yet to reveal the character names of its three newest cast members.

Cary Elwes Joins New Peacock Drama Series M.I.A.

Previously, Peacock cast Shannon Gisela (Her Study of a Killer) and Brittany Adebumola (The Other Black Girl) in leading roles as Etta Tiger Jonz and Lovely, respectively, while Dylan Jackson will be playing Stanley.

M.I.A. – which stands for the airport code for Miami International Airport – revolves around Etta Tiger Jonz's drug-running family,...

Mostly known for her starring role as Blair Waldorf on the television series ‘Gossip Girl’ with Blake Lively, Leighton Meester has also appeared in the films Killer Movie (2008), Country Strong (2010), The Roommate (2011), Monte Carlo (2011), The Oranges (2011), and The Judge (2014). She’s much shorter than Blake Lively, who measures 5ft 8 ½ (174 cm).

Leighton Meester dazzles in a green embellished mini dress while Blake Lively stuns in a vibrant yellow belted dress, both paired with chic strappy heels at a CW event (Credit: INFphoto)

Leighton Meester is 5 feet 4 ½ inches (163.8 cm) tall, a touch above the average American woman’s height of about 5 feet 4 inches (162.6 cm). In terms of footwear, she wears a size 7 (US), which translates to a size 5 in the UK, 37.5 in the EU, and 23.5 in Japan.

Along with her standout fashion moments, Leighton’s petite frame and stylish footwear choices have made her a fashion icon.

Stepping into the Spotlight: Leighton...

Years before social media had this much power over society, Gossip Girl had already warned us about the dangers of it, even though the characters in the series were not really paying attention. This teen drama show based on the novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, adapted by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, aired from 2007 to 2012 on The CW network. It follows the exclusive and drama-filled lives of the Upper East Side's high-class teens, who happen to be closely scrutinized by Gossip Girl, an anonymous blogger that thrives on chit-chat and seems to know everything.

The show is a clear demonstration of the influence that social media has if it is not properly managed, going so far as to run people's lives. Even though Manhattan teenagers knew how unhealthy this blog was and all the effects it had on people and relationships, they kept on reading it, effectively expanding its audience day by day.

Rdj’s Unexpected Acting Partner! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Robert Downey Jr. has worked with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. From the Avengers cast to his Sherlock Holmes co-stars, he’s shared the screen with some legends. But guess what? There’s only one actor he never wants to do another movie without. And no, it’s not Chris Evans or Jude Law.

You’d think it’d be one of his close Marvel buddies, right? Maybe even someone he’s had iconic on-screen chemistry with. But no! Rdj’s ride-or-die pick is Vincent D’Onofrio. Yes, Kingpin himself. The crazy part? They didn’t even share a scene in the MCU.

So, how did Downey Jr. end up vowing cinematic loyalty to D’Onofrio? It all started with a little courtroom drama called The Judge. And apparently, one film was enough for Rdj to declare a lifelong acting partnership.

Trending...

“Nobody Wants This” Season 2 has added two new guest stars.

Variety has learned exclusively that Leighton Meester and Miles Fowler will appear in the second season of the popular Netflix comedy in guest roles. The casting will no doubt delight Meester’s fans, as she will be appearing in the show which stars her husband, Adam Brody.

“Nobody Wants This” also stars Kristen Bell, Stephanie Faracy, Michael Hitcock, Tovah Feldshuh, Paul Ben-Victor, Emily Arlook, Jackie Tohn, Sherry Cola, and Shiloh Berman.

Meester will play Abby, who is described as “Joanne’s (Bell) middle school nemesis who is now an Instagram mommy influencer.” Fowler guest stars as Lenny, said to be “Noah’s (Brody) Matzah Ballers teammate who gets set up with Morgan (Justine Lupe).”

The official series description states:

“An agnostic podcast host and an unconventional rabbi on the rebound walk into a party. When they walk out — together — the unlikely pair,...

Ahead of SXSW next month, Amazon MGM Studios have released the official trailer for The Accountant 2, offering a first look at the return of 2x Academy Award-winner and former Batman actor Ben Affleck (Justice League; Argo; The Town) as the titular accountant and the Punisher himself Jon Bernthal (The Punisher; Daredevil: Born Again; The Wolf of Wall Street) as his equally lethal brother.

The film's synopsis reads, "Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,” Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Jon Bernthal), to help. In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

The estranged brotherly duo of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal is back for “The Accountant 2.”

Ahead of the film’s worldwide premiere at this year’s South by Southwest Film & Television Festival on March 8, “The Accountant 2” has released an official trailer, showing Christian Wolff (Affleck) back in action as the autistic accountant who works to uncook the books. In this new film, he is recruited to help solve a murder case by a treasury agent (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). In order to get to the bottom of the matter, the emotionally distant Christian must reconnect with his brother, Brax (Bernthal), after the events of the first film.

The first film brought in $155 million worldwide for Warner Bros on a budget of $44 million. But despite the mid-budget success of the first film, Vanity Fair reported that “The Accountant 2” was stuck in development for eight years, the process of which director Gavin O’Connor described as “brutal.

In 2024, Clint Eastwood released his latest film, Juror #2, and after watching it, audiences may be eager to find even more legal dramas, courtroom thrillers, and movies with morally gray protagonists. Released in October 2024, Juror #2 follows Justin, a man who is called away from his pregnant wife to serve jury duty. Despite his best attempts, he is ultimately chosen for the trial. However, the situation goes haywire when Justin realizes that the case he is trying may have more to do with him than he thought. In fact, he might be the killer.

Juror #2 harks back to the classic courtroom drama movie. There is mystery, deception, and tense discussions that will make audiences question their own ideas of justice. In particular, Juror #2's strength comes from the moral conundrum at the heart of the film. Justin must decide whether it is better for him to come forward as the murderer, which...

Robert Downey Jr. might be one of the most prolific actors on the planet, thanks to his various roles. The one that immediately comes to mind is Tony Stark, a.k.a Iron Man. Downey helped kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his role as the Armored Avenger (and will be returning as Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday). His performance in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes nails the titular detective's characterization, especially Holmes' obsessive nature. Whether the role is a big blockbuster or a smaller drama like The Judge, Downey will almost always bring his A-Game. But there's one role that he's claimed is his best work: Harry Lockhart in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Oscar-winner Robert Duvall has starred in dozens of films spanning a 60+ year career, racking up six additional nominations in the process, but how many of those titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Duvall made his big screen debut with the small but memorable role of Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), released when he was 31-years-old. His first Oscar nomination came just 10 years later: Best Supporting Actor for Francis Ford Coppola‘s mob classic “The Godfather” (1972).

It would take 11 years before Duvall finally clinched that elusive Best Actor Oscar for “Tender Mercies” (1983), a small-scale drama about a drunken country-western singer working towards redemption. He would compete five additional times: lead for “The Great Santini” (1980) and “The Apostle” (1997); supporting for “Apocalypse Now” (1979), “A Civil Action” (1998), and “The Judge” (2014).

Duvall has found success on the small screen as well,...

Few Westerns are more deserving of the "classic" moniker than 1969's "True Grit," one of John Wayne's best films and a model for the genre that continues to be influential today. That's in part because the film was thrown back into the public consciousness in 2010 when Joel and Ethan Coen remade "True Grit" with Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon. However, the original still stands on its own and remains notable for giving Wayne his only Oscar win.

Both the original and the 2010 film are adaptations of a 1968 novel by Charles Portis, but given how old the 1969 version is, you might not be surprised to hear that most of its stars have passed away in the decades since. Wayne died in 1979, and Glen Campbell passed away in 2017. Dennis Hopper and Jeremy Slate, who play two of the main villains in the film, have also passed away.

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Juror #2 is a legal thriller drama film directed by Clint Eastwood from a screenplay by Jonathan Abrams. The 2024 film follows Justin Kemp, an ordinary member who is called upon to serve as a jury member in a murder case. However, when he realizes that the suspect is not really the murderer, he tries to sway the jury without telling anyone the truth without anyone finding out the truth, because if it comes out, it will destroy his life. Juror #2 stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina, Gabriel Basso, Zoey Deutch, and Cedric Yarbrough. So, if you loved the thrilling courtroom drama, intense twists, and compelling characters in Juror #2, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

12 Angry Men Credit – United Artists

12 Angry Men is a legal thriller drama film directed by Sidney Lumet...

Morgan Lofting, who helped bring to life multiple iconic characters with her voiceover work, has died. She was 84 years old.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Lofting died "unexpectedly" on Wednesday at her home in Burbank, California. No additional details were shared about her passing, though Lofting's death was confired by her agents, Nery Lemus and Christopher Arsaga of CelebWorx. In a statement, the two noted, “As one of the 10 founding actors at our agency, she meant the world to us and our company."

Lofting was born on Feb. 2, 1940, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her career as a voiceover artist began in 1979 when she started voicing the role of Princess Invidia for the TV series Star Blazers. She followed this up with her casting at the voice of Aunt May Parker in the animated Spider-Man series that aired in the early 1980s; Lofting also provided the voice of Black Cat for the cartoon show.

Robert Downey Jr. played Tony Stark for more than a decade and defined the role. While there have been actors who seem to be the right fit for a superhero, Downey Jr. has been synonymous with the role and was born to play it. However, he too was reportedly weary of headlining Iron Man 4.

Downey Jr.’s tenure in the MCU sort of ended in Avengers: Endgame, although he is slated to appear as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers sequels. While Iron Man 3 was in no way the last time fans saw the actor don the metallic suit, he was reportedly wishing to work on other creative projects instead of Iron Man 4.

Robert Downey Jr. Wanted To Explore Other Roles Instead Of Iron Man 4 Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man 3 | Credits: Marvel Studios

Robert Downey Jr.’s journey as an actor almost mirrors Tony Stark’s own...

Jude Law has given fans an encouraging, albeit minor, update on the status of Sherlock Holmes 3. Riding the wave of Robert Downey Jr.'s comeback from Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, Sherlock Holmes was a box office hit in 2009, grossing $524 million worldwide and redefining the character for the modern audience. The sequel, 2011's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, quickly went into production but was seen as a critical and financial disappointment compared to its predecessor despite grossing $543 million at the worldwide box office. Plans for a Sherlock Holmes 3 have been discussed over and over for over a decade now.

Law, who played Holmes's trusty companion, John Watson, in both films, has finally provided a small update on the third film. While speaking with The Playlist, Law said a new draft of a script for Sherlock Holmes 3 has been completed, but he has not read it yet.

Stephen Gaghan's 2020 film "Dolittle," based on Hugh Lofting's "Doctor Dolittle" novels published in the 1920s and 1930s, was notable in that it was Robert Downey Jr.'s first major acting job in five years that wasn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Downey's five previous credits were for Avengers movies, wherein he played the inimitable Iron Man. The MCU, as well as Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" movies, made Downey a wealthy worldwide superstar and a widely recognized household name. His 2010s fame, however, didn't seem to lead to other notable acting gigs. In 2009, Downey appeared in "The Soloist," and 2010 saw the release of the road comedy "Due Date," but neither of those were huge smashes. Downey starred in and produced "The Judge" in 2014, but that film attracted more attention for his co-star Robert Duvall than for his own performance. 

In 2020, when "Dolittle" was released, it seemed to many that Downey was adrift.

Robert Downey Jr. used to hide snacks on the set of Avengers (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Picture this: long filming days on the Avengers set, and Rdj isn’t just acting—he’s also snacking. According to Cinema Blend, Downey was known for bringing a little stash of goodies to keep his energy up. But it wasn’t just for personal enjoyment; somehow, those snacks ended up in the scenes, much to the delight of fans. The production team didn’t bother reshooting because it suited the character perfectly. It provided some much-needed comic relief amid the dramatic moments that made the MCU famous.

Imagine trying to film a high-stakes battle while a cheeseburger mysteriously appears in Stark’s hands. Downey’s improvisation made the scenes more relatable and humorous, solidifying his character as the charming, reckless genius we all adore.

Hidden Food Stashes

Now, here’s where it gets even quirkier.

She’s worked with most of the great names of European cinema, from Godard to Haneke, and on one of Hollywood’s greatest disasters. Now she’s ready for your closeup quizzing

France has quite a few grandes dames of cinema, with Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche and Isabelle Adjani all very much in the game. But none can hold much of a candle to Isabelle Huppert, who is firing on all cylinders as she enters her 70s, in her sixth decade of headline acting performances. Tightly wound and fiery, while simultaneously self-contained and tough as nails, Huppert’s acting persona has been instrumental to a string of masterpieces – and even if the film around her isn’t that great, she’s always magnificent to watch.

With so many amazing credits, stretching back to the 1970s, it’s hard to pick out a few, but we’ll have a go: early...

Peacock has handed a straight-to-series order to the crime thriller M.I.A., written and executive produced by Ozark co-creator Bill Dubuque.

MRC will produce the South Florida-set series about a family running drugs for Etta Tiger Jonze, but when her family is slaughtered, she seeks justice to avenge her blood family while she builds her chosen family. The result sends Etta on a series journey from a powerless orphan to South Florida’s most powerful criminal queenpin.

Karen Campbell will executive produce and showrun M.I.A., while Stefano Sollima will direct and executive produce. Earlier, Solima served as the creator and director of ZeroZeroZero and as the showrunner and director of the hit Italian series Gomorrah.

Ozark earned 45 Emmy nominations and four wins, in addition to honors at the Golden Globes, WGA, SAG and DGA Awards.

Similar to the storyline for M.I.A., Ozark was about family and the American dream.

Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to the female-led crime thriller “M.I.A.,” Variety has learned.

The series, which is set in South Florida, hails from writer Bill Dubuque, who previously co-created the Emmy-winning Netflix series “Ozark.” The official logline for the series states:

“Running drugs is a family affair for Etta Tiger Jonze, but when her family is slaughtered before her eyes, Etta sets out to exact justice on those responsible – avenging her blood family while she builds her chosen family, igniting her series journey from powerless orphan to South Florida’s most powerful criminal Queenpin.”

Karen Campbell will serve as executive producer and showrunner on “M.I.A.” Stefano Sollima will direct and executive produce. MRC will produce.

“Ozark” ran for four seasons on Netflix and followed a family involved in laundering money for a drug cartel. The series received 45 Emmy nominations during that time with four wins. Dubuque’s other...

Modern courtroom dramas engage viewers with compelling narratives of corruption, morality, and justice, leaving a lasting impression. Films like "Roman J. Israel, Esq." and "The Judge" showcase outstanding performances that explore complex ethical dilemmas and legal challenges. Recent courtroom dramas like "Just Mercy" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7" shed light on real-world injustices, sparking thought-provoking discussions.

Courtroom dramas have the power to engage and enthrall audiences, and in recent years, plenty of incredible legal stories have kept viewers on the edge of their seats. This genre can significantly affect viewers as they get drawn into stories of seedy corporate conspiracies, individuals who vehemently plead their innocence, and legal practitioners trying to find the truth behind all the deceit, fraud, and underhandedness they encounter. As a true showcase of the power of cinema, courtroom dramas connect with viewers' desire for good storytelling, messages that resonate with real life, and...

Robert Downey Jr. has done everything from small character-driven dramas to big-budget blockbusters. The Oscar winner’s performances in films like Chaplin, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Judge, and Oppenheimer have been appreciated by fans and critics. However, his career-defining role as Iron Man in the MCU made him a global superstar.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom casting announcement at Comic-Con | Credits: Instagram- @marvelstudios

The actor is set to return to the franchise in a villainous turn as Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers films. The character recently debuted in Fortnite and the terrifying supervillain did heinous things to some beloved heroes. Fans hope the MCU’s version does not replicate what he did to Mr. Fantastic in the game.

Marvel Fans Will Erupt In Tears If The MCU’s Mr. Fantastic Gets The Fortnite Treatment

Doom in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4 | Credits: Epic Games

The...

Twenty One Pilots have kicked off their biggest tour yet!

The Grammy-winning duo, made up of Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph, launched their Clancy World Tour on Thursday night (August 15) at the Ball Arena in Denver, Col.

The tour will continue through May 2025, playing all across North America, Australia, South America, and Europe.

Tyler and Josh are performing songs from their latest album Clancy, as well as their greatest hits and longtime fan-favorite tracks like “Stressed Out,” “Heavydirtysoul,” and “My Blood.”

Head inside to check out the set list…

Keep scrolling to check out the full set list…

**This set list is representative of recent shows on the tour and might not be completely accurate for every show.

1. Overcompensate

2. Holding On to You

3. Vignette

4. Car Radio

5. The Judge

6. The Craving (Jenna’s Version)

7. Tear in My Heart

8. Backslide

9. Shy Away

10. Heathens

11. Next Semester

12. Routines in the Night

13. Addict With a...

Netflix has ordered the psychological thriller limited series “His & Hers” with Tessa Thompson set for the lead role, Variety has learned.

The streamer has given the series a six-episode order. It is based on the Alice Feeney novel of the same name. William Oldroyd and “Ozark” co-creator Bill Dubuque serve as writers and executive producers on the series, with Oldroyd also set to direct the first episode.

The official description of the series states, “Set in the sweltering heat of Atlanta, Anna (Thompson) lives in haunting reclusivity, fading away from her friends and career as a journalist. But when she overhears about a murder in Dahlonega – the sleepy town where she grew up – Anna is snapped back to life, pouncing on the case and searching for answers. Detective Jack Harper is strangely suspicious of her involvement, chasing her into the crosshairs of his own investigation. There are two sides...

The webs of romance in Bridgerton easily captured the top spot among all streaming titles for the show’s return. Theatrical flop Madame Web, meanwhile, found a promising start to its streaming life.

Bridgerton drew 2.76 billion minutes of viewing time in the United States for the week of May 13-19. The first half of season three premiered on May 16, and Nielsen says those four episodes accounted for 70 percent of the total, or about 1.93 billion minutes — which would still have ranked No. 1 by a wide margin. The remaining 827 million minutes came from the first two seasons.

Madame Web — whose mom was in the Amazon researching spiders right before she died — premiered May 14 on Netflix and racked up 1.16 billion minutes of viewing for the week. That’s equivalent to about 10 million complete showings of the movie, which is part of Sony’s Spider-Man universe and was derided by both critics and audiences...

Netflix’s live roast of NFL great Tom Brady made it into the Nielsen streaming rankings for its premiere, despite only being available for a few hours of that week. After its first full week on the streamer, it rocketed to the top of the charts.

The Roast of Tom Brady gathered 1.67 billion minutes of viewing for the week of May 6-12, leading all streaming titles by a wide margin (the second-place finisher, Grey’s Anatomy, had 1.11 billion minutes of watch time for the week). The roast also had by far the biggest weekly viewing tally ever for a Netflix special; the previous high was 798 million minutes for Chris Rock’s stand-up special Selective Outrage in March 2023.

The 1.67 billion minutes of viewing for the roast in the United States translates to about 27.87 million hours, or about two thirds of Netflix’s reported worldwide total (42.2 million hours) for the special that week.

The Netflix special roasting NFL great Tom Brady made it onto the streaming charts for the week it premiered — despite it only being up for a few hours of that week.

The Roast of Tom Brady racked up 279 million minutes for the week of April 29-May 5, good for 10th place among original series in Nielsen’s rankings. The special streamed live on May 5, meaning it tallied those viewing minutes in under 12 hours. (With a running time of almost three hours, the 279 million minutes equate to about 1.6 million complete runs of the special.)

Bluey moved back into the top overall spot with 1.18 billion minutes of viewing on Disney+, adding to its total as the most streamed title in the United States so far this year (21.73 billion minutes and counting). Fallout, which had led the previous three weeks, slipped to third overall with 1.08 billion minutes of viewing on Prime Video, while Grey’s Anatomy...

The Netflix effect continues.

The O.G. streamer has seen major viewership success with the licensing of older titles from other producers since last year, when the long-concluded USA legal drama “Suits” dominated the Nielsen Streaming Top 10 for weeks on end. Since then, several library titles have seen similar trajectories.

The newest example of the Netflix effect is “The Judge,” a 2014 film starring Robert Downey Jr. that was streamed for 703 million minutes in its first five days on Netflix. That made it the seventh-most-streamed title of the week of April 29-May 5, holding its own compared to TV titles with much longer running times.

Also notable on this week’s chart was “Dead Boy Detectives,” which rose to become the No. 8 most-streamed title with 699 million minutes watched in its first full week on Netflix after missing the overall Top 10 and instead landing at No. 3 on the streaming originals chart last week,...

Jerry Seinfeld’s highly touted (and largely panned) feature directorial debut, “Unfrosted,” spent four days leading Netflix’s top 10 movie chart before another Netflix original, “Mother of the Bride” starring Brooke Shields, took the slot before the thematically appropriate weekend holiday.

“Unfrosted” led for just four days, with “Shrek” from 2001 leading midweek before the debut of “Bride.” The Dreamworks animated classic is still in second place, while Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts comedy dropped to fourth.

“Bride” comes from director Mark Waters. Perhaps best known for his “Freaky Friday” remake and the original “Mean Girls,” Waters went on to direct “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “Vampire Academy,” and “Bad Santa 2.” In the new rom-com, Shields is a mom who realizes the father of her future son-in-law broke her heart decades ago.

“Bride” and “Unfrosted” are the sole Netflix originals on its weekly list of the top 10 domestic movies. Reflecting the start of summer’s school vacations,...

The controversial movie Miller's Girl made it to the Netflix Top 10 despite a 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The movie bombed at the box office, but surged in popularity on Netflix. Ortega's bold career choices, like in Miller's Girl, may secure a strong legacy, despite its poor performance.

Jenna Ortega's controversial erotic thriller Miller's Girl has hit the US Netflix Top 10 charts despite its poor 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Ortega has risen to prominence in the last few years, with guest roles in TV shows like You, before achieving global stardom for her leading roles in the movies Scream & Scream 6, and the supernatural black-comedy Wednesday, which has been renewed for season 2 by Netflix. Starring Ortega and Emmy-winning actor Martin Freeman, Miller's Girl focuses on the complicated and inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student, following a creative writing assignment.

The movie has been mired in controversy and bombed at the box office,...

Before "Star Wars," there was "Thx 1138." A strange, dystopic science fiction movie packed with big ideas up to its eyeballs, "Thx 1138" is now mostly known as the feature directorial debut of one George Walton Lucas Jr. (though it also came back in conversation when the best episode of "Andor" paid homage to it). The future Lucasfilm founder originally created this story of repressed emotions and stymied sexuality as a student film, but by the time it was reimagined as a feature, it had gained backing from Warner Bros.

Lucas' American Zoetrope co-founder Francis Ford Coppola also had faith in the movie, and served as one of its producers. "Thx 1138" starred Robert Duvall, then already known for his work on stage and television, not to mention in films like "To Kill A Mockingbird," "M*A*S*H," and "True Grit." Future "Halloween" actor Donald Pleasence co-starred, along with a then-unknown actress named Maggie McOmie.

Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr.’s resume spans a wide spectrum of genres and performances. While some of these have been huge hits like the MCU movies and his Oscar-winning performance in Oppenheimer, others have failed to make an impact, including the 2014 legal drama The Judge, which recently surged in popularity on Netflix’s streaming charts.

Robert Downey Jr. | Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore

The film stands among the lowest-rated films of Downey Jr.’s career with a 49% critic score. However, it still maintains a loftier position in comparison to the 1988 film that has the honor of holding a 0% critic score on the aggregator website.

Robert Downey Jr.’s Lowest Rated Film With 0% Critic Score

Following his debut in the 1970s, Robert Downey Jr. starred alongside Anthony Michael Hall and Uma Thurman in the comedy film, Johnny Be Good. The film follows the titular character, as he navigates offers from...

The Great Wall, starring Matt Damon, has made it to the Netflix top 10 in the US, ranking No. 4 for the week. The movie faced criticism for promoting a white savior narrative and whitewashing the cast, among other issues. Despite making $334.9 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, The Great Wall is considered a flop in Matt Damon's career.

Matt Damons The Great Wall has made it onto the Netflix top 10 in the US. Released in 2016, The Great Wall is a Zhang Yimou movie about a group of European mercenaries who are imprisoned in China and are conscripted to help out a secret army that maintains and defends the Great Wall from fantastical enemies. In addition to Damon, The Great Wall features an ensemble cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal, Tian Jing, Andy Lau, Zhang Hanyu, Lu Han, and Kenny Lin.

Now, Netflix has calculated their Top 10 most-watched movies in the...

Robert Downey Jr.'s career in the past decade and a half has been defined by his role as Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, in the MCU. His 2014 movie, The Judge, is his best modern movie prior to his Oscar-winning role in Oppenheimer. While not received favorably by critics, The Judge showcases Downey's dramatic acting chops and considerable range.

A Robert Downey Jr. movie from 2014, The Judge, is currently available on Netflix, and it features the actor's best modern non-mcu performance before 2023's Oppenheimer. Thanks to his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey is one of the most recognizable stars on the planet. He made his debut in the franchise back in 2008, and the role of Iron Man has come to define his career. However, the actor has an impressive resume outside of the MCU, including a scene-stealing turn in a legal...

It's been a decade since The Judge graced theaters amid Robert Downey Jr.'s tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and boy is it a drama worth revisiting. We might most often associate Downey with his work as Iron Man, Oppenheimer, and his soon-to-be Broadway debut, but rarely do actors give such career-defining performances that don't occur in their most famous movies. In the case of both Downey and his co-star Robert Duvall (who wasn't the first choice for the role), that's especially true of this film. With The Judge making waves again in Netflix's Top 10, it just makes sense to deconstruct this witty courtroom drama and emphasize how it's the dynamic relationship (complicated and dysfunctional as it is) between father and son that makes this story special.

When it comes to trilogies, the third one often ends up being the weakest of them all, and unfortunately, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather 3 wasn’t immune to it. Released in 1990, 16 years after the sequel, the film failed to live up to the bar set by its predecessors, which are often regarded as some of the best the medium of cinema has to offer.

Moreover, due to salary disputes, the threequel didn’t see Robert Duvall’s Tom Hagen return, a character that was pivotal to Michael Corleone’s story in the first two entries. Later, when asked about his decision to stay out of the third one, Duvall had a pretty candid response.

Robert Duvall’s Absence From The Godfather III Boiled Down to Economics

A still from The Godfather | Paramount Pictures

It’s no secret that the main motivation behind reviving the franchise after over a decade was money.

Shrek has now been a part of pop culture for more than 20 years, which is a wild thought for any millennial who remembers when the Mike Myers-voiced swamp-dweller first arrived on the big screen in 2001. Though he'd previously been the focus of William Steig's 1990 picture book "Shrek!," it wasn't until the first movie debuted that the character became fully embraced by the mainstream. Since then, Hollywood has done its thing and produced a stultifying amount of "Shrek" sequels and spin-offs, to the point you'll probably need a refresher on the correct order to watch the Shrek movies before delving in. But if you wanted to just stick with the perennially charming original, we wouldn't blame you. Luckily enough, that very movie can now be found on the biggest streamer in the game.

Yes, Netflix, which this year has already managed to remind us all of the late Angus Cloud...

The Judge, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, ranked seventh on Netflix's Top 10 chart with 12.5M hours viewed. At its release, The Judge received mixed reviews but was praised for the performances of Downey Jr. and Duvall. Despite criticism of being clichd, Downey Jr. and Duvall's performances in The Judge have endured and gained interest.

The Judge nabs a Top 10 spot on Netflix's global chart. The 2014 legal drama follows a morally ambiguous lawyer (played by Robert Downey Jr.) who returns to his hometown where his father and the local judge (played by Robert Duvall) is accused of murder, and as he seeks to uncover the truth, he reconnects with his estranged family. Other than Downey Jr. and Duvall, The Judge cast also includes Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shepard, and Billy Bob Thornton.

Now, a decade after its release, Downey Jr.'s legal drama has nabbed...

The Judge, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, subtly references Duvall's feature film debut in To Kill A Mockingbird. Both The Judge and To Kill A Mockingbird share themes of corruption and murder, creating ethical dilemmas for the characters. Despite mixed reviews, The Judge gained popularity on Netflix for its powerful legal drama and strong cast performances.

Robert Duvall's role in The Judge includes a major callback to his feature film debut that was released more than 6 decades ago. Directed by David Dobkin, The Judge is a powerful legal drama that gained popularity on Netflix in May 2024 after originally being released in 2014. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, earning just a 48 Metascore and a 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Judge has strong ratings among audiences.

Duvall, the celebrated actor who starred in The Godfather (1971), The Godfather Part II (1974), Network (1976), and Apocalypse Now (1979), leads the cast of The Judge alongside...

The Judge gains new popularity on Netflix, showcasing Robert Downey Jr.'s acting skills alongside a stellar ensemble cast. Despite mixed reviews upon release, the 2014 drama starring Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall finds success with audiences on the streaming platform. Downey Jr.'s career resurgence, highlighted by recent successes like The Sympathizer and an Oscar win, may be a contributing factor to the movie's resurgence.

Robert Downey Jr. is finding success on Netflix with a surprising movie as his divisive 2014 legal drama The Judge rose through the ranks of the streamers best performing movies of the last few days. While it has not managed to dethrone Jerry Seinfelds Pop Tarts movie Unfrosted, the film has been sitting in second position on the U.S. movie chart for several days.

Downey Jr. is currently appearing in the miniseries The Sympathizer on Max, and while that show has been receiving plenty of acclaim,...

When a hotshot lawyer returns to his hometown to attend his mother’s funeral, he ends up staying indefinitely after his father, a criminal court judge, is charged with the murder of a former defendant. The 2014 legal drama The Judge, directed by David Dobkin, stars Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, and Billy Bob Thornton. For his supporting role as Judge Joseph Palmer, Duvall earned Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

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Hank (Downey Jr.) is a down-and-out defense lawyer and soon-to-be divorcé who’s just found out his mom passed away. So he heads to his hometown of Carlinville, Indiana, for the funeral and some tense moments with his estranged father, criminal court judge Joseph Palmer (Duvall) — aka The Judge. By the time Hank’s bursting at the seams to head back to his life...

Theaters are in a slump longer than they should be. The last five weekends averaged about $70 million total, while in 2019, the same five weekends with lower ticket prices averaged $190 million. That means success in VOD revenue is all that more important for studios. Even so, on the two top 10 lists from iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (by revenue), half the slots are taken by companies other than the usual top five.

Results overall reflect the cutback in releases due to last year’s strikes, some longer windows for bigger-grossing studio releases, and, in most cases, a weaker response to other films that made little theatrical impact. All that made it easy for “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.), by far the year’s biggest hit, to repeat as #1 on both charts for the third week. And that’s with a higher price than usual.

Jerry Seinfeld’s feature directorial debut “Unfrosted,...

After a decade and change playing superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sandbox, Robert Downey Jr. wants to remind everyone there's more to him than Tony Stark. In the years since permanently (?) retiring his MCU alter ego in "Avengers: Endgame," the actor has lined up an ambitious slate of projects. Between getting an Oscar for his supporting role in Christopher Nolan's Best Picture-winning "Oppenheimer" and pulling a Peter Sellers by tackling multiple colorful characters in Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar's "The Sympathizer" miniseries, it's fair to say Rdj the character actor is officially back.

As chance would have it, we're now 10 years removed from the last time Downey tried (but failed) to renew his acting bonafides with "The Judge." Directed by David Dobkin, the 2014 drama stars Downey as Hank Palmer, a big-shot lawyer from Chicago who returns to his podunk hometown in Indiana to attend his mother's funeral.

Hank from The Judge channels Sherlock Holmes' deduction skills in a bar scene, reminiscent of Downey Jr.'s previous role. Both Hank and Sherlock exhibit confidence and blunt honesty, despite their differing professions and personalities. Despite similarities, Hank in The Judge shows more emotion and a stronger family bond compared to the cold, calculating Sherlock Holmes.

Despite being from different genres and having completely different stories, The Judge repeated a Robert Downey Jr. trick from a franchise released 15 years ago. Robert Downey Jr. has explored a variety of genres in his career as an actor, and in 2014, he starred in the legal drama The Judge. Directed by David Dobkin, The Judge stars Robert Downey Jr. as Hank Palmer, a successful lawyer living in Chicago. When his mother dies, Hank returns to his hometown and reunites with his brothers and his estranged father, Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall).

Joseph Palmer is the judge of Carlinvilles criminal court,...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Sympathizer.

Robert Downey Jr's portrayal of multiple characters in The Sympathizer showcases his impressive acting range and versatility. The show's complex narrative and shifting tone may be why The Sympathizer is not receiving the attention it deserves. Despite the lack of mainstream success, The Sympathizer could continue Rdj's awards streak and highlight his commitment to challenging roles.

Robert Downey Jr. recently gave one of his career-best performances in a new television project, but it is sadly being ignored and deserves more attention. Until a few years ago, it was hard not to associate Robert Downey Jr. with his Marvel Cinematic Universe role because he played Iron Man/Tony Stark for over a decade. Somewhere between his superhero films, he also portrayed other memorable characters in movies like The Judge, Chef, Sherlock Holmes, and Tropic Thunder. However, none were captivating enough to overshadow his performance as Iron Man.

The Judge's ending tied up major plot threads, creating a dramatic conclusion between its main characters. The movie leaves many major questions without a definitive answer, like if Joseph killed Mark Blackwell or if Hank ended up together with Sam. The main themes of The Judge are forgiveness, accountability, and the idea of leading a dignified life.

The Judge packed quite a few emotional punches throughout its runtime, and the film's ending only made its plot even more dramatic. The Judge was released in 2014 to a rather lukewarm reception, but the movie has recently found new popularity on Netflix. Part of the reason for its resurgence in relevancy is because of the all-star cast of The Judge, which features several big names like Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. The cast alone couldn't carry the entire movie, though, and The Judge also needed its emotional ending to stand a chance...

Robert Downey Jr. shined in The Judge, a film that finally found success on Netflix despite mixed early reviews. A family drama with a courtroom twist, The Judge features a strong ensemble cast, including Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. At 2 hours and 20 minutes, The Judge is a perfect streaming choice for a Sunday afternoon movie session.

From 2008 to 2019, Oscar-winner Robert Downey Jr. starred in 18 movies. Of those 18, 10 of them featured him playing Tony Stark. Naturally, those were his most successful of that time period or any other (not including the smashing success of Oppenheimer). Still, there was also an assortment of smaller movies that did well in their own right. Jon Favreau's Chef was a likable indie that quadrupled its budget. Due Date grossed over $100 million domestically despite poor reviews and a crass tone. The Sherlock Holmes movies performed well with critics and audiences alike, though less so with...

Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall's The Judge is set in a small town in Indiana, but it was mostly filmed on-location in Massachusetts. The film extensively used Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts to portray the fictional town of Carlinville, Indiana. The Palmer family house in "The Judge" is a real house in Milton, Massachusetts.

Hank's hometown in Indiana is a major part of 2014's The Judge, but the movie's filming locations told a different story. The Judge received mixed reviews when it came out, and while it may not be one of Robert Duvall's best movies, it did still earn him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 2015. The Judge has also received a second wind on streaming, where it's entered the running ot become one of the best dramatic movies on Netflix. A large part of its success comes from how effective it is in several different areas,...

“Gossip Girl” actress Leighton Meester poses for the St. John x Edie Parker “Tweed Burn” vintage-knit collaboration, photographed by Christian Soria:

Meester is noted for her role as ‘Blair Waldorf’ on the “Gossip Girl” TV series.

She also appeared in the films “Killer Movie” (2008), “Country Strong” (2010), “The Roommate” (2011), “Monte Carlo” (2011), “The Oranges” (2011), “The Judge” (2014), “The Weekend Away” (2022), and “EXmas” (2023).

As a singer, she ha released solo singles "Somebody to Love" (2009) and "Your Love's a Drug" (2010) on the Universal Republic label. Meester has also recorded songs for various soundtracks. Her debut album, “Heartstrings”, was independently released in 2014.

She has also modeled, having been ‘the face’ of the Jimmy Choo, Herbal Essences, and Vera Wang brands.

Click the images to enlarge…...

(Robert Downey Jr On Scripts Photo Credit – IMDb; Flickr )

Robert Downey Jr recently won an Oscar award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his performance in Oppenheimer. In Christopher Nolan’s 2023 biographical war drama, the actor played Lewis Strauss and left a major impact with his outstanding performance. The Oscar-winning film also stars Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Gary Oldman, Benny Safdie, Matthias Schweighofer, Jack Quaid, Rami Malek, and Josh Peck.

In his career of three decades, Rdj has won hearts with his incredible acts in several movies, including Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes, Due Date, The Judge, Tropic Thunder, and many more. For the past many years, Robert Downey Jr has been surprising his fans with exciting choices. One might think the actor is quite careful about what he signs and must be thoroughly going through the scripts and stories. However, in an interview in the past,...