Happy Thursday, folks!

I’m still here at CinemaCon, working on studio report cards, but a juicy tip found its way to my ears this week — a sincere thank you to my tipster — so here I am, a man of the people, sharing this fascinating info with you.

A quick reminder that I did pay my own way to CinemaCon this year, and Las Vegas ain’t cheap, so if you’d like to show your humble host some appreciation by subscribing for a month, I certainly won’t stop you!

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It’s Wednesday morning in Las Vegas. Do you know where your pet tiger is?

After listening to Modest Mouse, Explosions in the Sky, Arcade Fire, Interpol, and Stellastarr* on the drive from L.A. to Vegas, I checked into my room at the Flamingo because I didn’t register for a room at Caesar’s Palace in time to use the CinemaCon discount. Womp womp!

The hallways here smell like cigarettes, and thanks to a new law that recently went into effect, there has been construction at 6:30 a.m. both mornings, but besides that, I’m hanging in there and doing just fine. I’ve been hanging with my right-hand man, Jamie Williams, as well as my podcast co-host, John Rocha, and it was great to finally meet Andrew and Jacob from Discussing Film at last night’s swanky Lionsgate party.

I got a late start on the road on Monday, so I missed the indie presentations from Studiocanal, Sony Pictures Classics, and Angel Studios. The Sony Classics slate should probably be rolled into Big Sony’s presentation next year, though, as the separation makes no sense. Focus Features offers up its slate during Universal’s presentation each year, so what’s the difference, really?

I have no clue what went on during the Sony Classics presentation, but the studio is behind I Swear, which hits theaters next weekend and is the best film I’ve seen all year.

Faith-based Angel Studios, which is as smart as any distributor out there these days, has Young Washington, a new movie about a young George Washington that I can’t imagine will be very good, despite having major names like Andy Serkis and Ben Kingsley involved. I’d much rather see a movie about Shane Gillis’ idea of George Washington as a freakishly tall nutcase with horse teeth, or perhaps just a straight-up horror movie called George Slashington, in which a slasher on horseback kills people while wearing a powdered wig.

Finally, Studiocanal made some headlines, announcing reboots of Escape From New York (meh) and The Howling (ripe), and pushing Danny Boyle’s Ink to 2027. That film stars Guy Pearce as media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and I’m told that the footage was genuinely impressive, so I’m bummed to have missed it. Perhaps it’ll be an Oscar contender next year, but with its new date, it has officially been removed from this year’s race.

In this newsletter, you’ll read my thoughts on Sony and Neon’s CinemaCon presentations, and I’m going to try to have my Warner Bros. report card up before Universal’s presentation in a couple of hours. But no promises!

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Happy Tuesday, folks!

I am here at CinemaCon, where I’ve been dutifully working on the studio report cards that have marketing executives across town waiting with bated breath.

There are far bigger newsletters than mine that can tell you far more important things, but when it comes to trailer reactions, the buck stops here — I can tell you that. I don’t need tracking to tell me how a movie is going to perform — I have two eyes, a gut, and occasionally, taste.

Speaking of which, I’m skipping tomorrow morning’s screening of DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island to work on said report cards, as my young nieces aren’t in Vegas as far as I know. I’m sure it’ll be fun for the whole family, though.

And speaking of family, I was once (honored to be) part of The Ankler family, so my heart goes out to Richard Rushfield and Co. following Paramount’s petty decision to pull its ad dollars from the publication.

Having said that, this is a rather fascinating story that presents a pretty complicated issue…

On one hand, as I said last night to some friends — before I even knew that Rushfield had signed it — I thought the high-profile petition to #BlockTheMerger was pretty dopey, as I can’t really recall the last Hollywood petition to actually work. Why not just make another cringey “Imagine” video?

I mean, who is the petition supposed to be for? The government folks who think they have the power to stop the merger in the interest of the public good? Did they need a petition to spur them into action? Is the petition supposed to make Paramount’s David Ellison feel bad and halt his pursuit of WB? Is it supposed to make President Trump feel bad? WB’s David Zaslav? I genuinely don’t get who this message is intended for.

Obviously, this merger is not going to be good for anyone but Ellison, really. But what’s the alternative? See, there has to be an alternative, as WB is drowning in a sea of debt that is 100 percent of its own making. Ellison didn’t force the studio into this position.

So, if Ellison doesn’t buy Paramount, who will? Because someone has to. And Netflix walked away from the opportunity without so much as putting up a fight. For the streamer, it was about bidding up a rival and walking away with a cool break-up fee for its troubles.

I’m not a petition guy. I don’t believe they work. And I’m too apathetic to sign one.

I also think that, as a journalist, you shouldn’t really be signing a petition like that. You can oppose the merger all you want — that’s what your column is for, if you’re lucky enough, as Rushfield and I both are, to even have a column.

Rushfield argues, ‘What’s the difference?’ Either way, he opposes the merger, which is totally fine and certainly understandable. So why is Paramount choosing to punish The Ankler for this stance, which hasn’t exactly been a state secret?

To put a button on it (ha!), signing the petition crossed a line for Paramount, and I understand it from their point of view. ‘If you aren’t even going to allow us to plead our case,’ why would we support you with an ad buy?’ Of course, in theory, ad buys aren’t supposed to be about supporting a publication; they're supposed to be about using the reach of a publication to help sell your product. But we all know that ads are what keep the lights on at the trades, which is why they usually do the bidding of the studios.

Will The Ankler be forced to downsize because of this financial decision? I hope not, as it employs some solid journalists. Furthermore, I don’t see what the upside is for Paramount in antagonizing one of the few journalistic outlets that holds any sway whatsoever anymore. I think it’s childish that Paramount pulled its financial support, but it’s not my business to tell the studio how to spend its money — unless we’re talking about movies.

Meanwhile, who the fuck narc’d on Richard to Paramount for holding a bag of #BlockTheMerger buttons? Like, who would do that? What is wrong with people? Why isn’t anyone fucking cool anymore, like me and, yes, Richard? Shit like that infuriates me to no end.

In conclusion, I fully support Rushfield’s decision to sign the petition, as he’s a grown man who can do what he wants. But I can support that decision without agreeing with it. And we adults (I moonlight as one on occasion) also know that there are consequences for our actions, and The Ankler is not entitled to a fat annual ad spend from Paramount.

I know everyone is down on Ellison because his family is tight with President Trump, but leaving all the political considerations aside (Mark Ruffalo is already freaking out about CNN after this incident), I know Ellison loves movies. There are a lot of billionaires out there who would love to own a movie studio for all the wrong reasons.

David is doing it because he genuinely loves movies — and always has.

I’m telling you that the only time the guy really came to life during his inaugural press conference was when I asked him about movies and his relationship with Tom Cruise. Every other reporter wanted to know about CNN, and linear TV channels, and all this boring shit that had nothing to do with movies. It blew my mind.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not necessarily rooting for Ellison to get his hands on Warner Bros., but I also haven’t made this merger (or hating Trump) my entire personality. It’s going to happen whether I want it to happen or not. That’s life as one of the peons. A petition isn’t going to change a god damn thing, all due respect.

By the way, I’ve never been asked to sign a petition, which I find a little insulting, but I’m not sweating it too much, for it’s like the old Groucho Marx quote: "I don't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member.” That’s why I don’t belong to any critics organizations, either.

Anyway, with my take on today’s hottest media story out of the way, it’s time to drop that DC scoop my headline promised — though right now is probably a good time to remind everyone that this newsletter is a reader-supported publication. When’s the last time you saw an ad here? Exactly… so do the right thing and tip your server. If you’d tip for a meal or a beer, why not tip for a scoop? I promise that I exerted just as much effort!

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Happy Monday, folks!

CinemaCon is about to kick off with the Sony Pictures presentation — I drove to Las Vegas again this year, and dropped my road playlist on Twitter — but before the four-day event gets underway, I wanted to weigh in on next year’s Oscar race, having spent last week polling some of the most powerful people in Hollywood. They helped me sort the true contenders from the pretenders.

However, before I get to those predictions, I offer some test screening reactions regarding the Tom Cruise movie Digger, Brad Pitt’s survival film Heart of the Beast, and Ridley Scott’s period drama The Dog Stars, to give a little context to this year's race.

I also pass along some early buzz on Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot, Matt Johnson’s Anthony Bourdain biopic Tony, and J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi/fantasy film The Great Beyond, which I’m told has a muted presence thus far in Las Vegas. Perhaps it’s all part of the director’s plan and his penchant for “mystery box” marketing…

Now, before we get to the good stuff, I wanted to weigh in on these Louis Partridge-James Bond rumors, which were given more fuel by the legitimacy(?) offered by Variety. Personally, I don’t believe there’s anything to this rumor — not because I’ve asked anyone, but because I just can’t see it myself.

Best known for the Enola Holmes movies, Partridge looks like a pretty boy, not a return to the rough-and-tumble Bond that screenwriter Steven Knight has hinted at. I know Partridge played Sid Vicious for Danny Boyle, so he does have a bit of an edge to him, but I just don’t get the right vibe from him, even if the 22-year-old actor does turn out to fit the age that Knight and director Denis Villeneuve are going for. I’m skeptical.

I’m all for a younger Bond, but people still want to see a man, not a boy.

This week, I saw not one but two actors who I think would make better Bonds, as it were. 31-year-old Tom Blyth, who impressed me in last year’s gay drama Plainclothes, feels genuinely dangerous in Cal McMau’s prison thriller Wasteman.

Meanwhile, I can’t say much about Richard Gadd’s new HBO Max series Half Man, which remains under embargo, but it seems worth keeping an eye on 27-year-old Scottish actor Stuart Campbell. I’ll just say that, generally speaking, he has a certain presence, and I’ll leave it at that for now.

For more on Half Man, check out the trailer at the bottom of this newsletter.

I was also impressed this weekend by Kieron Moore’s fearless turn in Blue Film, which I’ll have more to say about that film closer to its release next month.

I also watched Netflix’s shark thriller Thrash, which I consider a guilty pleasure. Sure, it strands Phoebe Dynevor for most of its brief running time, but I liked Whitney Peak (soon to be seen in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which dropped a new trailer today) as well as the scenes featuring Stacy Clausen and his two siblings. I’m now looking forward to seeing more from Clausen in this summer’s queer horror movie Leviticus.

Finally, I watched Jonah Hill’s Outcome this weekend, but the less said about that one, the better. Just an unfunny mess from top to bottom.

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Happy Wednesday, folks!

Well, unless you work for Bad Robot, which is downsizing in very public fashion in the wake of J.J. Abrams’ humbling move to New York; or Sony, which is laying off hundreds; or Disney, which is expected to lay off 1000 staffers as part of some scheme Josh D’Amaro has allowed to be labeled “Project Imagine”; or you’re Jeff Shell, the former president of Paramount Skydance who was forced to resign after being sued by a gambler whose company he never should’ve kept; or you’re a fan of Steven Soderbergh, who announced that his next movie with Wagner Moura will be made with the help of… “a lot of AI.” And gas is nearly $7 a gallon. God help us all!

At least it was a good day for the editors of the Avatar franchise, as Disney apparently wants James Cameron to make Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 “shorter.” I don’t know if that will make their job easier or harder, but at least there will be fewer child kidnappings to sort through — one would hope!

I’ve been too busy watching television — Beef S2, The Boys S5, Daredevil: Born Again S2, Euphoria S3, Hacks S5, HBO’s Half Man, Netflix’s Detective Hole, NBC’s two Law & Order shows, etc. — to pay much attention to all the Cannes rumors floating around, but suffice to say, I fully expect Zack Snyder’s The Last Photograph to make its debut on the Croisette, as rumored. I’ve heard good things about the film, which represents a change of pace for its talented director following a trio of Netflix movies.

I’m also hearing good things about Antoine Fuqua’s Michael in advance of its April 24 release. By then, the domestic box office will have gone from Super Mario to Super Michael, as the music biopic is poised to open north of $60 million. Expect it to perform even better overseas, where Michael Jackson is beloved.

Meanwhile, I’ve also been so busy setting up the new pad that when I looked up at the clock last night, I realized there was no way I could get from Santa Monica to Century City in time for Emerson College’s 6th annual Industry Film Showcase at CAA, organized by the tireless Aimee Rivera. I heard the event had a great turnout, though, and I’m bummed to have missed it.

Tonight, I’ve got a juicy CinemaCon preview, a scoop about Netflix’s Kevin Hart roast, and a look at today’s Superman casting mishegas.

There are also items about the new writers of the X-Men and Scream franchises, the latest addition to FX’s Alien: Earth, movies about Bob Barker and Walter Cronkite, and my thoughts on A24’s teaser for Olivia Wilde’s Sundance comedy The Invite.

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Happy Monday, folks!

The folks at A24 have to be happy with the $14.4 million domestic opening for The Drama, which overcame mixed reviews with its clever (some would say misleading) marketing strategy. I think you have to hand it to the studio here — and Zendaya, too.

Meanwhile, I completed my move to the West Side this weekend, and now I’m just wading through heavy boxes that have wreaked havoc on my back, which is why I recorded last Thursday’s Hot Mic podcast lying down, like the other GOAT, Larry Bird.

I have every print edition of Variety that my byline has appeared in, but with limited space, I may have to say farewell to most of those issues and save only the ones with big scoops or memorable features.

And yes, I do write features, for any editors who may be looking.

I’m also proud to say that my trusty 2019 Volkswagen held up over the weekend and made it to the dealership downtown this morning, even though I wasn’t 100 percent convinced it would.

I’ve spent most of the day here in the waiting room, sipping complimentary hot chocolates and fiercely guarding the only available power outlet, just so I can bring you this special report from deep space.

I’ll be back with a full newsletter soon, but for now, here’s the latest on Red Foreman’s favorite “dumbass.”

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Happy Friday, folks!

I’m still knee-deep in moving — who knew a one-bedroom apartment in Koreatown could fit so many boxes — but I’m working my way through a mini-backlog of casting scoops, so I appreciate your patience.

This latest exclusive is an example of what happens when you shake the tree — stuff falls out! Thanks to my tipster for thinking of me!

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Happy Thursday, folks!

I spent the entire day moving, and I can barely feel my fingers. I’m tired, my car’s brakes sound like shit, and to top it all off, I lost the keys to my old apartment at some point today, which sucks.

In other words, it has been a day here at InSneider HQ, but fear not! I’m always thinking of you guys, my readers, who have allowed me to move to the West Side, where I think I’ll be much more productive.

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Plu

Happy Tuesday, folks!

I apologize for my intermittent posting. I’m just moving this week — a good thing this time! Don’t worry, the U.S. Postal Service will still forward all your hate mail to my new address. So yeah, I’ve been super busy, and some of my best sources have been away on spring break. It’s a perfect storm of circumstances, but fear not — once I get settled, I’ll be back on the hunt, and April tends to be a good month for me, as I step up my game around this time each year ahead of CinemaCon.

Last week, I finished watching Netflix’s supernatural series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, which hails from creator Haley Z. Boston and the Duffer brothers. I had planned to write a full review of the show, though the moment passed me by. However, I liked what I saw, for the most part. I found the finale a tad underwhelming, owing more than a little to Ready or Not, and I wish the rules had been a bit more clear, but the show held my attention, largely thanks to its cast.

Camila Morrone is fantastic in this series as its beautiful, bewildered, betrothed lead, who is willing to go to great lengths to walk down the aisle and make her in-laws happy. As her groom, Adam DiMarco does a nice job of keeping viewers wondering whether he’s really the nice guy that he seems to be.

I’m a big fan of character actor Zlatko Buric, and Gus Birney is quickly growing on me, too, between her work in this show, Black Rabbit, and The Last Frontier. But the surprise standout for me was Jeff Wilbusch, who plays DiMarco’s creepy older brother. He had me wondering, ‘Who the hell is that guy?’ and that’s no easy feat in a show co-starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Ted Levine.

Speaking of wedding-themed projects, tonight brings a review of the new A24 joint The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. One of Pattinson’s earliest films was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and tonight, I share my thoughts on the first trailer for HBO’s new Harry Potter series. Is it a good idea, or a trainwreck waiting to happen?

Plus, it has been a busy week for news, so fans of the Bits & Bobs section will be pleased tonight, as there are items about Ryan Gosling, Tom Hanks, Dua Lipa, Stephen Colbert, Oliver Stone, Paul Walter Hauser, Mahershala Ali, Kirsten Dunst, Glen Powell, and former Variety film critic Peter Debruge.

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Plu

Happy Thursday, folks!

Unless, of course, you work for Row K, the indie distributor that’s already struggling to pay its bills less than a year after launching. The company spent way too much money to acquire and release Gus Van Sant’s thriller Dead Man’s Wire, which simply wasn’t an awards contender, and the film wound up losing millions.

Now, Maude Apatow’s directorial debut, Poetic License, is searching for a new distributor — the horror! — Row K is stuck with a Nick Robinson-Emilia Jones movie called Charlie Harper, and the company is touting the Aug. 28 release of its Cliffhanger reboot starring Lily James — a prospect I find suspicious, given that Row K can’t even pay its moderators a few hundred bucks right now.

I feel kind of bad for Megan Colligan, who was in charge of creative at Row K, not the company’s finances, but how could she not know who she was getting into business with? I’m not gonna name names, but one already presided over a company that crashed and burned under unusual financial circumstances. A leopard can’t change its spots, as the saying goes…

Meanwhile, it should go without saying that the indie film business is a horrible, horrible business, and you really have to have a strong stomach for it — and the inevitable losses it brings.

Speaking of losses, Disney may have dodged a bullet with OpenAI pulling the plug on Sora, its AI video generator. The company will get back its billion-dollar investment, and it’ll be able to choose another Big Tech partner to Josh D’Amaro’s liking.

There’s still no word on why OpenAI shuttered Sora, but I suspect that the company realizes that the way to make real money is to cater its products to businesses rather than the average consumer, who only has so much money to spend on AI. Plus, while a ton of people are down to watch AI videos, far fewer people want to actually make them.

This evening’s newsletter finally brings my thoughts on the Oscars and the internet’s favorite post-show topic — Timothée Chalamet‘s future.

Over the past 10 days, we’ve heard more about Chalamet — why he lost, and how he could’ve won — than any of the actual winners, and frankly, I’m sick of it. Mainly because most of these writers have no idea what they’re talking about, let alone how to appreciate true greatness. They’re turned off by confidence. As I write below, fuck ‘em!

I apologize for swearing, but I’m in the mood after catching a sneak peek of the Tourette’s movie I Swear last week, when it screened as part of the AMC Screen Unseen program.

I offered up a brief review on Twitter, but simply put, I Swear is a must-see, featuring an incredible performance from Robert Aramayo as John Davidson, the man who recently shouted the N-word at Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo while they were onstage at the BAFTAs — an incident that somehow made it to the BBC broadcast.

Davidson has Tourette syndrome, which often prompts him to say the worst thing imaginable at the worst possible times. It was a regrettable incident, no doubt, but an involuntary one, and I hope that the bitter memory doesn’t affect Aramayo’s awards chances next year. After all, there’s a reason he beat Chalamet and eventual Oscar winner Jordan at the BAFTAs this year.

Frankly, I loved Maxine Peake and Peter Mullan, too, as well as Scott Ellis Watson, who plays a younger version of John. I Swear is a total crowdpleaser, and I understand why some will likely skip it in the wake of the BAFTA controversy, but after seeing the film and learning about John’s story, that controversy looks even more silly.

Davidson harbors no hate in his heart, and it would be a real shame if someone didn’t see this movie. Not only would they be missing an entertaining opportunity to educate themselves about Tourette’s, but they’d only further stigmatize the disease, all because they aren’t mature enough to understand that what happened at the BAFTAs was purely accidental — no ill will was intended. And yes, intentions still matter, dammit!

Please see I Swear when it hits theaters on April 24. It’s a real winner and a total crowdpleaser. You won’t be sorry — I swear!

Damon Lindelof was sorry last week, though… for calling the color green “stupid” on a 2024 podcast while jokingly explaining why DC’s new Green Lantern series would simply be called Lanterns.

Because some DC fans seem to have a mental defect, they jumped on Lindelof and called for his head, though they were forced to settle for an apology from the man himself.

Lindelof called it “a dumb joke” that was “sloppy and careless.” I don’t know if HBO forced him to address it, given how much the network has riding on Lanterns, but I’ve seen a lot of stupid “controversies” in my day, and this one just about took the cake.

But don’t worry… the frosting was green.

In addition to my thoughts on the Oscars and Lil Timmy Tim, tonight’s mega-edition includes an in-depth review of Project Hail Mary and my thoughts on the Dune: Part Three trailer.

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Happy Monday, folks!

I’ve got plenty of writing coming your way, as it was a surprisingly busy news day, but for now, here’s a juicy rumor about The Bad Guys 2 duo Awkwafina and Anthony Ramos to tide you over.

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Happy Friday, everyone!

If you’re here for the tea on Taylor Frankie Paul, well, I’m sorry to disappoint — I’ve got nothing. But what a wild turn of events for Disney/ABC! The network knew about TFP’s past and still cast her anyway, but once TMZ published that ugly video this week, it had no choice but to scrap the entire season of The Bachelorette. Live by crazy, die by crazy, folks! Bob Iger dodged a bullet here. Welcome to the Big Show, Josh D’Amaro!

I don’t have any thoughts on the new Ryan Gosling movie Project Hail Mary yet, as I won’t catch it until Saturday night, but I can’t wait to see if it lives up to the hype.

However, last night, I did see Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which is the latest loser from Searchlight Pictures and Radio Silence. I caught this sequel with a buddy who agreed that it sucked.

I wasn’t a big fan of the first Ready or Not, but I thought it was okay. I suppose it was a fun movie, I just thought the ending was a giant shoulder shrug — as in, “We have no idea how to end this movie, so let’s just make everyone spontaneously combust!”

Personally, I thought it was ridiculous.

So, I’m not entirely sure why I had a modicum of hope for this sequel, which arrives seven years later (way too late) and should’ve been retitled One Spontaneous Combustion After Another. This entire movie is the same joke on repeat. I gave it a half-star on my blog for its clever washing machine kill, but not even Samara Weaving’s tongue-in-cheek performance can save this mess.

Meanwhile, what is there to say about Radio Silence? These guys showed real promise with their V/H/S short 10/31/98. But since then… woof.

To be fair, their movies make money, for the most part. They have decent commercial instincts. But I couldn’t stand their Scream movies, nor was I a fan of Devil’s Due or Abigail, and I can’t say I’m looking forward to their new Mummy movie, either. Let’s just say, if I were a development executive, you wouldn’t find them on any of my director lists…

Speaking of Searchlight, much has been written about its new Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot, which was rejected by Hulu. There has been a lot of misinformation put out there, and if you want my thoughts, you should really check out the spicy Hot Mic segment that John Rocha and I did about the situation, as we didn’t quite see eye to eye.

In short, this was about having the wrong talent involved, I’m told by reliable sources close to the situation. I’m told that Lilla and Nora Zuckerman were not the right fit for the project, that Chloe Zhao was certainly not the right fit, and that it didn’t help matters that Disney exec Craig Erwich (who oversees Hulu) wasn’t a fan of the original series, which was, of course, Joss Whedon’s baby.

No Whedon, no problem, right? Not quite…

The Buffy pilot didn’t turn out very well, according to, well, just about everybody, and rather than be villainized by the talent in the pages of People Magazine, Erwich should be commended for doing his job — being the “bad guy” who has to make tough decisions sometimes.

This decision was about defending the brand. If Hulu had put out a shitty Buffy series, it could’ve hurt the IP long-term. Erwich, wisely, wasn’t willing to take that chance, no matter how badly star Sarah Michelle Gellar wanted the show to be picked up so she could earn millions and be “back” as the star of a major streaming series.

After all, Hulu plans to go back to the drawing board and redevelop the IP, and there’s no guarantee that Gellar’s Buffy Summers will be involved in the next incarnation. After suffering this public humiliation, she may not even want to be involved. We’ll see…

Having said that, I’m told that there’s no bad blood between Gellar and Zhao and that they’re open to working together in the future on the right project. Hamnet 2, anyone?

And now, before I let the premium readers dive into today’s issue, a couple of mini-updates for everyone, as I hear that Judd Apatow’s upcoming Universal comedy starring Glen Powell may be titled The Comeback King, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s AI-themed Netflix movie starring Rachel McAdams may be titled, simply, 2034.

Tonight’s top story is a doozy, as I’ve got interesting news about newly-crowned Oscar winners Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael B. Jordan, and a little scoop about beloved character actor P.J. Byrne, too.

There are also items about Glen Powell’s producing prowess, the newest member of the Fast & Furious family, Paul Greengrass’ new action thriller, the subject of Netflix’s new comedy roast, and the latest addition to the cast of WB’s Minecraft sequel.

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Happy Thursday, folks!

Last night, I watched Oscar Boyson’s new indie movie Our Hero, Balthazar, which features an impressive performance from a nearly unrecognizable Asa Butterfield, but ultimately wasn’t for me.

I also continued to make my way through the new Netflix series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen from Haley Z. Boston and the Duffer brothers. It premieres on March 26, and I plan to write about it next week once the streamer lifts its embargo.

For now, here’s a cool Neon scoop to tide you over this morning until I return with a full newsletter, which is shaping up to have some cool tidbits strewn throughout.

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Happy Wednesday, folks!

I stayed up late last night finishing Season 1 of Scarpetta as well as a column about the Oscars and Timothee Chalamet, which should drop later today.

For now, here’s a cool Scooby-Doo scoop to tide you over this morning. And don’t worry — there’s still more where that came from this week!

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Happy Tuesday, folks!

I’ll be back very soon with a thicc Oscar column for y’all, and a look ahead at next year’s contenders, including the Tom Cruise movie Digger — maybe.

For now, here’s a fun casting scoop related to The Office to tide you over. And don’t worry… there’s more where that came from this week!

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OK, the Oscars are about to start, so it’s time to drop my annual last-minute predictions column and wish my fellow Boston boy, Conan O’Brien, good luck tonight.

I can’t wait for Conan’s monologue, which I hear has been killing at local comedy clubs in Los Angeles, where he’s been testing his material.

If you missed this afternoon’s hot scoop about The Last of Us, click here.

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Happy Sunday, folks!

It’s Oscar Day, and I’ll be back in a couple of hours with my annual last-minute predictions column.

However, a hot rumor just found its way into my inbox, so if you’re interested in Season 3 of HBO’s The Last of Us, then sign up for a juicy scoop.

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Happy Thursday, folks!

This week, I watched War Machine, which proved to be an above-average entry in the Netflix action movie canon, led by another badass performance from Alan Ritchson, who is a true movie star if I’ve ever seen one. Patrick Hughes directed the film, which plays like Predator, had Arnold Schwarzegger been pitted against a Transformer. More on Arnold below, by the way…

The first half of War Machine actually works better than the second, but this is pretty much everything a streaming movie should be in the year 2026. Debuting atop Netflix’s movie charts, War Machine continues producer Todd Lieberman’s hot streak following The Housemaid, the MGM+ series Robin Hood, and the Amazon documentary Soul Power. Nice going…

Speaking of action movies, Sylvester Stallone has agreed to serve as an executive producer on the upcoming Rambo prequel starring Noah Centineo. It’s nice that Lionsgate got Stallone’s blessing and everything, but I do wonder how much it cost the studio…

Tonight, I’m going to check out A24’s sonic horror movie Undertone, and when I get home, I’ll probably continue watching Nicole Kidman’s Amazon series Scarpetta. While I didn’t receive any screeners ahead of time — which is unusual — I did finish reading Patricia Cornwell’s first Kay Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, which clearly serves as the basis for Season 1 of the show.

So far, Scarpetta is okay, but nothing special, I have to be honest. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why I wasn’t sent screeners, ha!

Tonight’s top story concerns the Hollywood Reporter’s recent interview with Harvey Weinstein, which you should probably read before scrolling further.

There are also items about the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan the Barbarian, a Bon Jovi biopic, James Wan’s new crime film at Paramount, Mike Flanagan’s new TV deal, Tessa Thompson’s latest indie movie, and a look at the trailer for Guy Ritchie’s action thriller In the Grey starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill.

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Happy Thursday, folks!

Again, I’ll be back with a full newsletter shortly, and I plan to weigh in on Universal’s new theatrical window and THR’s interview with Harvey Weinstein.

However, right now, I’ve got a hot scoop that I originally planned to drop on The Hot Mic, but couldn’t risk losing.

Premium subscribers may now enter the Sneider-Verse to find out who is joining James Gunn’s Superman sequel…

Happy Wednesday, folks!

I’ll be back with a full newsletter shortly, but I didn’t want to risk losing this scoop, so if you’re interested in a buzzy adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s seminal novel The Bell Jar, now’s the time to sign up!

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