Woke bylaws have dramatically changed Hollywood’s product.
Raunchy comedies are out, with “Ricky Stanicky” being an exception relegated to Amazon Prime. Old-school rom-coms went the way of the fax machine, with the mediocre “Anyone But You” over-performing with love-starved patrons.
Yet Hollywood’s new moral order has no qualms about making hitmen (and women) the newest trend.
Yes, many recent films ask us to empathize with stone-cold killers. They murder for a living, earn fabulous paychecks, and often live to see the end credits roll. And they anchor a shocking number of films. Let’s tally up some recent examples.
<ul>
<li>Brad Pitt in “Bullet Train” (2022)</li>
<li>The “John Wick” franchise – plus “The Continental,” a new Peacock series and the upcoming “Ballerina” spinoff with Ana de Armas.</li>
<li>Michael Fassbender in “The Killer” (2023)</li>
<li>“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” (2017) and its sequel, “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (2021)</li>
<li>Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Kate” (2021)</li>
<li>Jessica Chastain in “Ava” (2020)</li>
<li>Sasha Luss in “Anna” (2019)</li>
<li>Michael Keaton, Maggie Q in “The Protégé” (2021)</li>
<li>Glen Powell in “Hit Man” (June 2024)</li>
<li>Taraji P. Henson in “Proud Mary” (2018)</li>
<li>Three “Equalizer” films starring Denzel Washington</li>
</ul>
Some of these films are played for laughs. Pitt’s paid killer brings a comic, Zen-like approach to his craft. Most movies make it clear we’re meant to root for the assassins. They’re almost always smart, shrewd, and good at their work.
<div id="attachment_710089" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710089" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-710089" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-864x576.jpg" alt="Brad Pitt and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in &quot;Bullet Train.&quot; 87North/Columbia Pictures/Sony. 2022." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/bullettrainpitt.jpg 2002w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />87North/Columbia Pictures/Sony. 2022.</div>
This month, Michael Keaton directs himself in “Knox Goes Away,” the tale of a veteran hit man forced into retirement by dementia. Keaton’s character, John Knox, attempts to “cash out” while he can, hoping to funnel his money to his estranged family members.
It’s Keaton’s second time behind the camera. His directorial debut, 2008’s “The Merry Gentleman,” also found Keaton playing a hit man with a heart of gold.
What’s happening?
Antiheroes are all the rage in Hollywood. Blame Tony Soprano and Walter White. The deeply flawed figures at the heart of “The Sopranos” and “Breaking Bad,” respectively, taught us to engage with damaged souls.
The hitmen genre flows effortlessly from there.
<div id="attachment_710103" style="width: 811px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710103" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-710103" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-801x576.jpg" alt="Actors Aaron Paul (L) and Bryan Cranston (R), pose in the press room after Cranston won Best Actor in a TV drama and &quot;Breaking Bad&quot; won Best Series - Drama, at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, January 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)" width="801" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-801x576.jpg 801w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-300x216.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463-768x552.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-462616463.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 801px) 100vw, 801px" />ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images</div>
It helps that the genre taps into our collective bloodlust. Few films choreograph death and destruction with the majesty of the “John Wick” saga. Every film is a ballet of bloodshed.
Other stories guarantee big, bold action sequences, the kind that play well in international markets.
Ka-ching!
These films also tap into our hunger for redemption. Yes, we enjoy seeing fathers reunite with their children on screen, or addicts come clean after years of hard living. What’s more powerful than an assassin realizing his line of work has crushed his soul?
Keaton’s character in “Knox Goes Away” knows he’s dying, but he’ll use his last days to repair some of the damage done to his son and ex-wife. The screenplay also makes clear that the targets of his handiwork essentially had it coming.
No judge. No jury. Just an execution.
<div id="attachment_710087" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710087" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-710087" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1024x512.jpg" alt="Michael Keaton in &quot;Know Goes Away.&quot; Brookstreet Pictures. IMDB. 2024." width="1024" height="512" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-300x150.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-768x384.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/keatonknoxgoesaway-2048x1024.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Brookstreet Pictures. IMDB. 2024.</div>
Hollywood also recognizes something about the zeitgeist. American audiences are sick of seeing assailants walk after committing heinous attacks. Soft-on-crime policies permeate big cities, and to see deeply flawed people kill said thugs is cathartic.
Too many stores now lock up the essentials for fear of even more theft.
The fascinating part of this cultural shift circles back to the woke movement. Today’s movies can’t luxuriate in the “male gaze” without triggering cries of “The Patriarchy!” The few R-rated comedies that traffic in “problematic” themes get pummeled by mainstream movie critics. Reviewers pounced on Amy Schumer’s “Snatched” for casting minorities <a href="https://ew.com/tv/2018/05/05/bill-maher-amy-schumer-i-feel-pretty-critics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as the villain.</a>
Many classic movies couldn’t be made today thanks to the new, progressive mindset.
Yet woke scolds won’t go near the hit man genre. No outrage. No calls for their cultural banishment. No hashtag campaigns designed to snuff them out.
The same isn’t true, ironically, for vigilante films.
When Bruce Willis revived the classic “Death Wish” franchise in 2018, critics howled in protest. Even the film’s trailer <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4761804/Bruce-Willis-remake-Death-Wish-labeled-racist-alt-right.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">triggered</a> cries of racism and fascism.
How is Paul Kersey’s one-man war on crime different than John Wick slaughtering literally hundreds over the course of that franchise?
It isn’t. Actually, Wick’s body count is far worse. So is his moral compass.
Jennifer Garner fared far better with the similarly themed 2018 film “Peppermint.” Social critics pulled most of their punches, probably because the vigilante <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/peppermint-trailer-media-hypocrisy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in question</a> was a woman.
<div id="attachment_710075" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-710075" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-710075" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-864x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: Jennifer Garner attends the premiere of STX Entertainment's 'Peppermint' at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14 on August 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/GettyImages-1024920108.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Neilson Barnard/Getty Images</div>
That reminds us how hypocritical the woke movement remains. Social justice types rage against “ageist” attacks on President Joe Biden but stood down when Will Ferrell flirted with an Alzheimer’s <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/will-ferrells-reagan-script-actual-888804/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comedy based on President Ronald Reagan</a>.
They tried to cancel country singer Morgan Wallen’s career after he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-morgan-wallen-first-interview-since-n-word-video-deplatforming-i-can-only-come-tell-my-truth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uttered the “n-word”</a> in a private conversation caught on tape. Yet they rally behind First Son Hunter Biden, a man who <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/06/10/mainstream-media-ignores-lewd-hunter-biden-n-word-texts-to-his-lawyer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeatedly</a> used the same word in text messages.
The woke Left will rage against a comedian for telling the “wrong” joke or a comedy for telling so-called <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/17/get-hard-review-will-ferrell-adds-to-slew-of-gay-panic-comedies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“gay panic”</a> jokes. If the hero snuffs out someone without a trial they look the other way.
Heck, make the assassin female and they might dub it “empowering.”
There’s little chance Hollywood will slow the flow of assassin-themed films. Some still make serious coin, and crime remains out of control across the country.
It’s not logical, but a part of us feels safer with people like John Wick meting out justice. Hollywood’s topsy-turvy moral compass doesn’t seem to mind.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

eq3Picture1

Hollywood’s Obsession With Hitmen Movies

Hollywood's Obsession With Hitmen Movies

Brad Pitt

Breaking Bad

Denzel Washington

Entertainment

Hollywood

Jennifer Garner

Keanu Reeves

Michael Keaton

Movies

Readers Pass

Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves">Keanu Reeves</a> had his home burglarized by men in ski masks who stole one of his firearms, according to a report from <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/08/keanu-reeves-home-raid-buglars-burglary-ski-mask-firearm-stolen/">TMZ</a>.
The LAPD responded to an anonymous call Wednesday night about a possible trespasser at Reeves&#8217; property at around 7 p.m. Officers didn’t find anyone after conducting a search of the property.
Then at around 1 a.m. that night, an alarm sounded on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">actor’s</a> property, prompting a police response once again. Several men with ski masks can be seen on security camera footage smashing a window to gain access to Reeves’ home. The actor was not home at the time of the break-in.
Sources told TMZ that at least one firearm was taken from Reeves’ home. The outlet noted that LAPD was investigating if the earlier phone call tied into the actual <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/burglary">burglary</a> later.
This wasn’t the first time the “John Wick” star&#8217;s house has been targeted by thieves. Reeves also dealt with two break-in incidents in 2014. One time a woman stripped naked and jumped into his pool when the actor was not at home. On another occasion two days prior, a different woman entered the actor’s home when a cleaning crew left the gate open. The unwanted intruder was found wandering around in Reeves’ library.
The actor was also granted a temporary restraining order earlier this year against an alleged stalker who showed up at his house.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1702064407360000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2LZBG2WXLvqZfvX3Bs4Tx9">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Security footage allegedly showed Bryan Dixon, 39, trespassing on Reeves’ $5.6 million Hollywood Hills estate six times between November 5 and January 20. Per <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12842057/Keanu-Reeves-Los-Angeles-home-burglarized-multiple-men-wearing-ski-masks-smashed-windows-stole-firearm-fled-scene.html">The Daily Mail</a>, Dixon allegedly entered through a side gate and fell asleep in the home&#8217;s backyard. The security footage also shows the suspect looking over walls, smoking in the garden, and walking around an outdoor terrace.
Dixon returned to Reeves&#8217; home the next day to leave a “suspicious and alarming” backpack on the property. The bag included a DNA testing kit. Apparently, Dixon had been trying to establish that he and Reeves were related by blood, the outlet noted.

Keanu Reeves’ House Burglarized By Thieves In Ski Masks, Firearm Stolen: Report

Keanu Reeves' House Burglarized By Thieves In Ski Masks, Firearm Stolen: Report

burglary

Celebrities

Crime

Los Angeles

U.S.

Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fans-blow-up-after-matthew-perry-slams-keanu-reeves-in-memoir-perry-responds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves</a> has long enjoyed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keanu-reeves-proves-once-again-to-be-nicest-star-in-hollywood-after-airport-interaction-with-young-fan-who-had-a-lot-of-questions-for-actor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reputation</a> for being a genuinely nice guy — and according to a throwback photo posted by &#8220;Underworld&#8221; star Kate Beckinsale, that reputation is well-deserved.
Beckinsale <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kate-beckinsale-keanu-reeves-saved-embarrassing-wardrobe-malfunction">recalled</a> a moment at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, when she walked the red carpet alongside Reeves, Denzel Washington, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, and Robert Sean Leonard to promote their film adaption of the Shakespearean comedy &#8220;Much Ado About Nothing.&#8221; A slight mishap with her undergarments, she explained, resulted in both Reeves and Leonard helping her hold things in place as the three actors stepped in front of the cameras.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs2VisXph-d/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs2VisXph-d/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kate Beckinsale (@katebeckinsale)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
“So my mum DID find one of the original Cannes pictures but unfortunately it’s not full length so you can’t see the Dr. Martens. Fun fact though: I had bought the bodysuit in the Sock Shop at the airport and when I got in the car to drive to the premiere with Denzel and Pauletta Washington, all the poppers in the crotch popped themselves open and it flipped up like a roller blind,&#8221; Beckinsale wrote, describing what could have been a truly mortifying experience in the caption.
&#8220;I didn’t feel it was appropriate to go delving around in my undercarriage with all of us in the back of the car so I just quietly panicked,&#8221; she added, noting that  she was about to step onto a red carpet with a half dozen Hollywood A-listers and still hadn&#8217;t figured out a way to resolve the issue.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-96097">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;Walked out onto the biggest red carpet of my life and whispered to Keanu and Robert Sean Leonard what had happened,&#8221; she said, adding that the two quickly helped her cover. &#8220;In this picture I am holding the front gusset down and the two of them are holding the back gusset. Absolute legends who may not even have fully understood the physics of what was happening or even heard the word &#8216;gusset&#8217; before[, ]but both jumped in to save me no questions asked x #muchadoaboutnothing #cannes1993.&#8221;

46TH CANNES FESTIVAL

SEE IT: The Moment Keanu Reeves Saved ‘Underworld’ Star Kate Beckinsale From Red Carpet Mishap

SEE IT: The Moment Keanu Reeves Saved 'Underworld' Star Kate Beckinsale From Red Carpet Mishap

Cannes

France

World

Celebrities and Hollywood executives have found themselves at odds over the use of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/collision-course-how-an-explosion-in-artificial-intelligence-could-threaten-human-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Artificial Intelligence</a> like ChatGPT, even as it&#8217;s already happening at every level of moviemaking, eliminating human accountability and judgment.
Stars like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-little-spooky-harrison-ford-80-reacts-to-de-aging-scene-in-new-indiana-jones-5-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Harrison Ford</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/you-lose-your-agency-keanu-reeves-calls-deepfakes-scary-says-his-movie-contracts-forbid-digital-editing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves</a> and more have started to speak out about AI using their likeness and voice. While some celebs have been willing to sell their rights to AI companies, others have taken steps to protect their image in contracts, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ai-has-keanu-reeves-harrison-ford-elon-musks-ex-girlfriend-grimes-at-odds-over-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> noted.
&#8220;They have this artificial intelligence program that can go through every foot of film that Lucasfilm owns,&#8221; Ford said of George Lucas&#8217; production company, making him look younger in the final film in the &#8220;Indiana Jones&#8221; franchise.
&#8220;I did a bunch of movies for them,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They have all this footage, including film that wasn&#8217;t printed. So they can mine it from where the light is coming from, from the expression. I don&#8217;t know how they do it. But that&#8217;s my actual face. Then I put little dots on my face, and I say the words, and they make [it]. It&#8217;s fantastic.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“The danger is less about AI in the creation of documentary, the actual production, and more in the curation of it,” says Amit Dey, executive vp nonfiction at MRC <a href="https://t.co/vawj91Cx5t">https://t.co/vawj91Cx5t</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1654248297962299395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Reeves, who famously played a character who fought AI in &#8220;The Matrix&#8221; in the 1999 sci-fi thriller, isn&#8217;t as keen on the technology. He said he realized a while ago he needed to have legal protection to prohibit digital manipulation of performances without his consent.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t mind if someone takes a blink out during an edit,&#8221; Reeves told <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/keanu-reeves-chad-stahelski-interview/">Wired</a>. &#8220;But, early on, in the early 2000s, or it might have been the &#8217;90s, I had a performance changed. They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, &#8216;Huh?!&#8217; It was like, &#8216;I don&#8217;t even have to be here.'&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s going to be interesting to see how humans deal with these technologies,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They&#8217;re having such cultural, sociological impacts and the species is being studied. There&#8217;s so much &#8216;data&#8217; on behaviors now. Technologies are finding places in our education, in our medicine, in our entertainment, in our politics, and how we war and how we work.&#8221;
&#8220;People are growing up with these tools,&#8221; the &#8220;John Wick&#8221; star continued. &#8220;We&#8217;re listening to music already that&#8217;s made by AI in the style of Nirvana. There&#8217;s NFT digital art. It&#8217;s cool&#8230;but there&#8217;s a corporatocracy behind it that&#8217;s looking to control those things. Culturally, socially, we&#8217;re gonna be confronted by the value of real, or the non-value. And then what&#8217;s going to be pushed on us? What&#8217;s going to be presented to us?&#8221;
In Hollywood right now, the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America(WGA) is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/late-night-hosts-jimmy-fallon-seth-meyers-to-help-pay-staff-during-writers-strike-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">striking</a> and many of your favorite shows are on hold as TV and Film screenwriters express unease and concerns over chatbots rewriting or writing scripts, <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/05/05/writers-strike-hollywood-ai-scripts/">Fortune.com</a> noted. The strike is also over an increase in pay and larger contributions to benefits.
Writer, director, and actress Justine Bateman issued a warning to those in the business amid the strike when she <a href="https://twitter.com/justinebateman/status/1657476895972413440?s=46&amp;t=yVg_AIbZC0FnyCtU4qPVYw">tweeted</a> that “AI has to be addressed now or never. I believe this is the last time any labor action will be effective in our business. If we don’t make strong rules now, they simply won’t notice if we strike in three years, because at that point they won’t need us.”
“Actors, you must have iron-clad protection against the AI use of your image and voice in the SAG MBA or your profession is finished…”she added.
&#8220;AI is terrifying,&#8221; Danny Strong, the &#8220;Dopesick&#8221; and &#8220;Empire&#8221; creator said. &#8220;Now, I&#8217;ve seen some of ChatGPT&#8217;s writing and as of now I&#8217;m not terrified because Chat is a terrible writer. But who knows? That could change.&#8221;
Michael Winship, president of the WGA East and a news and documentary writer said, &#8220;We&#8217;re not totally against AI. There are ways it can be useful. But too many people are using it against us and using it to create mediocrity. They&#8217;re also in violation of copyright. They&#8217;re also plagiarizing.&#8221;
In a recent <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d37za/voice-actors-sign-away-rights-to-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vice</a> article, voice actors spoke out about having to sign their rights away to these tech companies using voice-generating artificial intelligence.
&#8220;It&#8217;s disrespectful to the craft to suggest that generating a performance is equivalent to a real human being&#8217;s performance,&#8221; SungWon Cho, a game and animation voice actor said.
&#8220;Sure, you can get it to sound tonally like a voice, and maybe even make it sound like it&#8217;s capturing an emotion, but at the end of the day, it is still going to ring hollow and false,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Going down this road runs the risk of people thinking that voice-over can be replaced entirely by AI, which really makes my stomach turn.&#8221;
Film producer Emmet McDermott recently wrote that writers should be concerned about &#8220;protections against AI&#8221; in the documentary and nonfiction space, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/ai-filmmaking-algorithm-documentaries-non-fiction-1235478174/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
&#8220;The greatest threat to broader culture posed by ambient machinery isn&#8217;t the bottom-up, AI-generated art populating social media (think: Wes Anderson Directs Star Wars),&#8221; McDermott wrote.
&#8220;It is the top-down, AI-powered platforming of art, which we&#8217;re already seeing across the media landscape — algorithms deciding, on a global scale, which stories to tell and how — and it is especially insidious in the realm of nonfiction,&#8221; he added.
Actor-screenwriter Clark Gregg said that &#8220;what&#8217;s especially scary about [AI] is nobody, including a lot of the people who are involved with creating it, seem to be able to explain exactly what it’s capable of and how quickly it will be capable of more.&#8221;
Amit Dey, executive vp nonfiction at MRC said,  &#8220;It&#8217;s one thing if human-made films are competing in the market against robot-made films. It&#8217;s another thing entirely when data in the form of artificial intelligence, or proprietary algorithms, shape the decisions around what human audiences are exposed to. In other words, what gets bought&#8230;what stories get told.&#8221;
However, CEO Bryn Mooser of XTR has defended using AI after creating a proprietary algorithm which he called a valuable &#8220;tool&#8221; to help guide his development process.
&#8220;We had always been thinking of it as a tool, and as a tool it&#8217;s incredibly useful,&#8221; Mooser said. &#8220;What conversations are trending. What people are talking about. We built it so we could overlay that with historical data in the documentary business.&#8221;
&#8220;What works, what doesn&#8217;t,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Its application as a tool to enhance what filmmakers can do is incredibly powerful and important. And my hope would be that it&#8217;s embraced.&#8221;
Others have noted that it is Hollywood themselves that has been warning us for decades about the dangers of getting &#8220;too close&#8221; to AI, <a href="https://gizmodo.com/ai-chatbot-google-ai-her-ex-machina-replika-1850156877/slides/2">Gizmodo</a> noted.
Such films they mentioned that bring this idea home include the 2014 &#8220;Ex-Machina,&#8221; 2001&#8217;s &#8220;Artificial Intelligence,&#8221; &#8220;Ghost in the Shell&#8221; in 1995, and of course Disney&#8217;s 1982 &#8220;Tron.&#8221; The theme with so many of these sci-fi films is that AI can eventually develop its own autonomy and then the battle between humans and machines changes forever.

Writers’ strike: Hollywood scribes picket studios for better pay. ‘It’s not sustainable’

‘Too Many People Are Using It Against Us’: Celebs And Hollywood At Odds Over Use Of AI

'Too Many People Are Using It Against Us': Celebs And Hollywood At Odds Over Use Of AI

Artificial Intelligence

Harrison Ford

strike

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry">Matthew Perry</a> regrets using <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves">Keanu Reeves</a>’ name in his memoir in a derogatory way.
The 53-year-old actor apologized for how he referred to Reeves in his tell-all 2022 memoir, “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/friends">Friends</a>, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” promising that any future editions of the book will have the name removed. 
“I said a stupid thing. It was a mean thing to do,” Perry said at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, according to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-04-23/matthew-perry-keanu-reeves-friends-book-festival">LA Times</a>. “I pulled his name because I live on the same street. I’ve apologized publicly to him. Any future versions of the book will not have his name in it.” 
“If I run into the guy, I’ll apologize. It was just stupid,” the “Friends” star said.
Perry is referring to a section of the book when he discussed how it&#8217;s not fair that good men, like actors River Phoenix and Heath Ledger, die.
“River was a beautiful man, inside and out – too beautiful for this world, it turned out. It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down,” Perry wrote. “Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?”
The actor also recalled working on the 1988 film “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” with Phoenix, who died from a drug overdose in 1993 at the age of 23. Reeves was also friends with Phoenix.
Perry previously apologized for using Reeves’ name in the memoir in October 2022.
“I’m actually a big fan of Keanu,” Perry said in his October statement. “I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead.”
The “Friends” cast member made headlines when the memoir came out because it detailed his addiction to alcohol and drugs, including during his time on the hit NBC comedy. 
“There is a hell,” the actor wrote in the book, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/there-is-a-hell-matthew-perry-says-hes-been-there-admits-he-spent-nearly-10-million-to-get-sober">reported</a>. “Don’t let anyone tell you different. I’ve been there; it exists; end of discussion.”
Perry said that he got to the point where he was taking 55 Vicodin a day in addition to drinking alcohol and taking Xanax. 
“When you’re a drug addict, it’s all math. I wasn’t doing it to feel high or to feel good. I certainly wasn’t a partyer; I just wanted to sit on my couch, take five Vicodin and watch a movie,” he said. “That was heaven for me. It no longer is,” he said, adding that he spent more than $9 million on his journey to sobriety. 
The actor said the thing that got him to stop doing drugs was the thought of wearing a colostomy bag forever, which he had to do while recovering from a perforated colon. Perry said doctors at the time gave him a 2% chance of survival.

Matthew Perry Will Remove Keanu Reeves’ Name From His Memoir: ‘I Said A Stupid Thing’

Matthew Perry Will Remove Keanu Reeves' Name From His Memoir

Books

Drugs

Friends

Matthew Perry

Hollywood star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lance-reddick-the-wire-and-john-wick-star-dead-at-60">Lance Reddick&#8217;s</a> death back in March at the age of 60 was caused by heart disease.
According to the death certificate obtained by <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/04/06/the-wire-lance-reddick-cause-death-heart-disease-artery-disease/">TMZ</a>, the actor&#8217;s cause of death was listed as ischemic heart disease as well as atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Reddick is probably best known for his work in the &#8220;John Wick&#8221; movies and the HBO series &#8220;The Wire.&#8221;
The outlet also noted that the death certificate included details about how the actor was cremated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
‘John Wick’, ‘The Wire’ star Lance Reddick’s cause of death revealed <a href="https://t.co/7SW9RNsTiz">https://t.co/7SW9RNsTiz</a> <a href="https://t.co/ThvyTmjbic">pic.twitter.com/ThvyTmjbic</a>
&mdash; New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1644038928217829377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Reddick collapsed at his Studio City home on March 17, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/04/06/john-wick-actor-lance-reddicks-cause-of-death-revealed/?utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter">New York Post</a> reported. Reports at the time confirmed the ABC &#8220;Fringe&#8221; star had &#8220;passed away suddenly from natural causes.&#8221;
&#8220;Lance was best known for his roles in &#8216;The Wire,&#8217; &#8216;Bosch,&#8217; Netflix&#8217;s &#8216;Resident Evil&#8217; and the &#8216;John Wick&#8217; films,&#8221; representatives for Reddick said in a statement at the time, <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/06/lance-reddick-dead-john-wick-stars-cause-of-death-revealed-18571778/">Metro UK</a> noted.
&#8220;He is survived by his wife Stephanie Reddick and children Yvonne Nicole Reddick and Christopher Reddick,&#8221; the statement added. &#8220;Lance will be greatly missed. Please respect his family&#8217;s privacy at this time.&#8221;
The lead star of the &#8220;John Wick&#8221; movies, Keanu Reeves, and director Chad Stahelski reacted to news of his sudden passing.
&#8220;We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,&#8221; the pair said in a statement to <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/03/lance-reddick-keanu-reeves-john-wick-chad-stahelski-lionsgate-reaction-1235303471/">Deadline</a> magazine. &#8220;He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680795232291000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2P5VXRE91chuqYyZnEBGLw">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Lionsgate, the studio producing the popular &#8220;John Wick&#8221; movies, also issued a statement following news of his death.
&#8220;The world of Wick would not be what it is without Lance Reddick and the unparalleled depth he brought to Charon&#8217;s humanity and unflappable charisma,&#8221; the statement read.
&#8220;Lance leaves behind an indelible legacy and hugely impressive body of work, but we will remember him as our lovely, joyful friend and Concierge,&#8221; it added. &#8220;We&#8217;re stunned and heartbroken, and our deepest condolences go to his beloved family and his fans all around the world.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lance-reddick-the-wire-and-john-wick-star-dead-at-60">Lance Reddick, &#8216;The Wire&#8217; And &#8216;John Wick&#8217; Star, Dead At 60</a>

Lance Reddick Visits The IMDb Show

‘John Wick’ Star Lance Reddick’s Cause Of Death Revealed

John Wick

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves</a> responded to a fan&#8217;s marriage proposal at a recent film festival in Austin and teased the kind of action fans can expect to see in &#8220;John Wick: Chapter 4.&#8221;
Appearing on stage with director Chad Stahelski at the SXSW film festival in Texas, Reeves revealed that he had kept his character&#8217;s watch and wedding ring from the shoot.
At that point, a fan in the audience shouted, “I’ll marry you!” <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/keanu-reeves-john-wick-4-sxsw-1235553261/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a> reported. The actor replied, &#8220;Yeah, be careful what you wish for.&#8221;
Reeves has most recently been linked with visual artist Alexandra Grant. The couple met in 2009 and finally went public with their relationship in 2019.
At the festival, Reeves also talked about the intense training he went through for his role in the highly anticipated “John Wick&#8221; franchise sequel.
&#8220;It&#8217;s been about 12 weeks of training,&#8221; the actor said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Inside the new issue, Keanu Reeves and the filmmaking team talk about going bigger than ever with the action &#8220;by a good margin&#8221;.
On shelves Thursday, 2 Feb. Preorder a copy online now: <a href="https://t.co/na9JRkDEL9">https://t.co/na9JRkDEL9</a> <a href="https://t.co/egP0Hrf5vS">pic.twitter.com/egP0Hrf5vS</a>
— Total Film (@totalfilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/totalfilm/status/1619005336660357121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;It&#8217;s new levels of action,&#8221; he added. &#8220;You know, nun-chucks, which was challenging. … ‘John Wick&#8217; action asks just a little bit more. And you see the effort and the commitment from the team.&#8221;
During this week&#8217;s premiere of the film in New York City, the &#8220;Constantine&#8221; actor explained more about the stunts he performs in the upcoming movie, <a href="https://people.com/movies/keanu-reeves-appreciates-goodwill-being-called-internets-boyfriend-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People magazine</a> reported.
&#8220;I love the challenges of John Wick, it&#8217;s super intense,&#8221; Reeves said. &#8220;It&#8217;s playful. I get to do different things — driving, you know? [I get to use] nunchucks and do movie Judo, movie jujitsu. So I really enjoy that.&#8221;
In a recent interview with <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/john-wick-4-action-keanu-reeves-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Total Film</a> magazine, Reeves noted that the fourth installment of the franchise &#8220;took car-driving to the next level.&#8221;
&#8220;There&#8217;s 180s, forward-into-reverse 180s, reverse into-forward 270s, drifting. … So it was really fun to get a chance to learn those skills, and to play,&#8221; he added.
“‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ has the most action of any of the [&#8216;John Wick&#8217;] films, which is saying a lot,&#8221; Reeves continued. &#8220;And it&#8217;s more by a good margin. It&#8217;s a big show … &#8216;John Wick: Chapter 4&#8217; was the hardest physical role I&#8217;ve ever had in my career so far. They really trained me up to be able to have what we call the toolbox.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keanu-reeves-proves-once-again-to-be-nicest-star-in-hollywood-after-airport-interaction-with-young-fan-who-had-a-lot-of-questions-for-actor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves Proves Once Again To Be Nicest Star In Hollywood After Airport Interaction With Young Fan Who Had A Lot Of Questions For Actor</a>

2017 New York Comic Con – Day 1

Keanu Reeves Responds To Fan’s Marriage Proposal, Teases ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Action

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves">Keanu Reeves</a> took issue with “deepfakes,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a> technology that can be used to manipulate video footage, during an interview published Tuesday.
The 58-year-old actor told <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/keanu-reeves-chad-stahelski-interview/">Wired</a> that he even added a clause to his movie contracts prohibiting studios from digitally altering scenes he’s in. 
“Yeah, digitally. I don’t mind if someone takes a blink out during an edit,” Reeves told the publication. “But early on, in the early 2000s, or it might have been the ’90s, I had a performance changed. They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, ‘Huh?!’ It was like, I don’t even have to be here.”
“What’s frustrating about that is you lose your agency,” the “John Wick” star said on during his rant against deepfakes. “When you give a performance in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a>, you know you’re going to be edited, but you’re participating in that.”
He continued: “If you go into deepfake land, it has none of your points of view. That’s scary. It’s going to be interesting to see how humans deal with these technologies. They’re having such cultural, sociological impacts, and the species is being studied. There’s so much ‘data’ on behaviors now.”
Reeves remarked that a teenager asked “who cares if it’s real?” during a recent conversation with the actor, but Reeves thinks going down this road could lead to trouble.
“People are growing up with these tools: We’re listening to music already that’s made by AI in the style of Nirvana, there’s NFT digital art,” Reeves told Wired. “It’s cool, like, &#8216;Look what the cute machines can make!&#8217; But there’s a corporatocracy behind it that’s looking to control those things,” he said.
“Culturally, socially, we’re gonna be confronted by the value of real, or the non-value. And then what’s going to be pushed on us? What’s going to be presented to us?” Reeves asked. “It’s this sensorium. It’s spectacle. And it’s a system of control and manipulation. We’re on our knees looking at cave walls and seeing the projections, and we’re not having the chance to look behind us.”
The topic of deepfake technology was in the news earlier this month as a popular video game livestreamer issued an apology after he allegedly paid for AI-generated pornography of fellow internet personalities. 
Brandon Ewing, who uses the screen name Atrioc, admitted to paying for AI-generated “deepfake porn” of several female streamers. 
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/twitch-streamer-caught-viewing-ai-generated-deepfake-porn-of-female-streamers">reported</a>, non-consensual nudity is just one of several controversies related to AI software. The technology has also been used for plagiarizing assignments, passing law, medical, and business school exams, and generating voice clips of celebrities saying offensive things, to name a few.

John Wick Special Screening At The Ham Yard Hotel

‘You Lose Your Agency’: Keanu Reeves Calls Deepfakes ‘Scary,’ Says His Movie Contracts Forbid Digital Editing

'You Lose Your Agency': Keanu Reeves Calls Deepfakes 'Scary,' Says His Movie Contracts Forbid Digital Editing

Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves</a> has filed for an order of protection after an alleged stalker claimed that they were related by blood.
According to a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/02/01/keanu-reeves-alleged-stalker-thinks-blood-related-restraining-order/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from entertainment site TMZ, Reeves&#8217; attorney, Matthew Rosengart, filed paperwork on Tuesday stating that the alleged stalker — a 38-year-old man named Bryan Dixon — has been harassing Reeves and his partner, Alexandra Grant, for months.
Dixon, who Reeves says is a transient, has repeatedly attempted to convince the &#8220;Speed&#8221; star that they are somehow related — even reportedly leaving behind a DNA test kit in an effort to prove it.
According to the court documents TMZ reviewed, Dixon has allegedly trespassed on Reeves’ property at least six times since November — including one incident on November 5 when Dixon reportedly managed to sneak onto the property and then fall asleep.
He was removed from the property only to return the following day, at which point Reeves claims he left behind a backpack containing the DNA kit.
Dixon has also reportedly used the surname “Reeves” in a number of social media posts, claiming that he has signed his own rights over to the “Matrix” actor — despite the fact that Reeves says they don’t know each other and never interacted prior to the alleged harassment.
Reeves’ lawyers looked into Dixon’s criminal history as well — they say his rap sheet is of considerable length and includes an active Rhode Island bench warrant for breaking and entering “with felonious intent.”
The documents state that Dixon attempted to breach the property as recently as January 20, and that police have gotten involved to help resolve the situation.
As for the restraining order, the judge agreed that Dixon could potentially be a threat and granted the order: Dixon cannot come within 100 yards of either Reeves or Grant.
It’s not the pair’s first time to court over this sort of thing, either. Grant <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2550663/keanu-reeves-girlfriend-alexandra-grant-asks-for-restraining-order-from-actors-stalker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> for a protection order in 2020 against a female stalker who was reportedly obsessed with Reeves and his career before turning her attention to Grant.

Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles – October 05, 2022

Keanu Reeves Files Protection Order Against Transient Stalker Who Insists He’s Related

Keanu Reeves Files Protection Order Against Transient Stalker Who Insists He's Related

Harassment

Police

The New Year means resolutions we’ll quickly break, two more months of winter, and the start of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Who wouldn’t want an escape from all of the above?
Hollywood hopes it can help. The following projects, from TV shows to films coming next year, promise to distract us from the year’s problems. Let’s hope they’re as woke-free as possible, keeping the emphasis on laughs, danger, and excitement.
<h2>“That ‘90s Show” (Netflix, January 19)</h2>
American culture gorges on nostalgia, and no decade inspires that better than the 1980s — “Stranger Things,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Goldbergs,” “Hot Tub Time Machine” — to name just a few projects that evoke the Reagan era.
What about the ‘90s? The decade is much harder to capture than most periods. The fashions weren’t exaggerated (no shoulder pads or mullets), the music was grungy but powered by pop essentials and the combination of cable TV and the internet’s rise splintered the culture in a million different directions.
That makes the decade much harder to nail in a single show or series.
This TV reboot wants it both ways. The story picks up where “That ‘70s Show” left off, including cast members from the old Fox series. Plus, it’ll try to spark a ‘90s renaissance all by itself. Good luck, but we can’t say we’re not curious.
<h2>“You” (Netflix, February 10)</h2>
It might be the guiltiest pleasure around, the tale of an obsessed romantic (memorably played by Penn Badgley) who will do anything for true love … even killing those who get in the way.
The show has grown more outlandish since it’s over-the-top first season, but Badgley’s droll narration, and the fiendish twists, keep us coming back for more.
<h2>“Party Down” (Starz, February 24)</h2>
The cult 2009 comedy featured a who’s who of comic actors who deserved to be bigger stars, like Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, and Adam Scott. The hip, “Office”-like look at a catering company never scored huge ratings, but fans became passionate about the show’s sly humor.
Now, Starz is bringing most of the original cast (minus Lizzy Caplan) back for six new episodes. 
<h2>“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (In Theaters, February 17)</h2>
The Marvel Cinematic Universe needs a boost, even from the tiniest of heroes. The end of the MCU’s Phase IV couldn’t come quickly enough, following disappointing films like “Black Widow,” “The Eternals” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
The 2015 “Ant Man” film proved a tonal change of place, while the sequel (2018) delivered big laughs along with the usual comic book action. Can a third film keep that MCU spirit alive, or will the MCU’s turn to identity politics drag this franchise-within-a-franchise down, too?
<h2>“The Mandalorian” (Disney+, March 1)</h2>
No Cara Dune … big problem? The loss of Gina Carano’s beloved character isn’t the only stumbling block for the rare “Star Wars” off-shoot that didn’t make longtime fans wince. The second season seemed to cap the Baby Yoda storyline, for starters. That final episode also delivered a fun, and shocking Luke Skywalker cameo (courtesy of CGI).
What can Team “Mandalorian” do to top that? And will the show stick to the woke-free trail that worked so well up until now, or will Disney’s cultural influence rear its ugly head?
<h2>“John Wick: Chapter 4” (In Theaters, March 24)</h2>
Keanu Reeves is one of the few movie stars who fully earns the title. He’s versatile, ageless and his <a href="https://www.news24.com/you/celebs/international/is-there-no-end-to-keanu-reeves-kindness-actor-stuns-crew-with-timeless-gifts-20211103" target="_blank" rel="noopener">off-screen kindness</a> makes as many headlines as his movies. This franchise, not for the squeamish, delivers bone-crunching action with attitude.
The saga consistently scores with its balletic mayhem and dry sense of humor. This rampage all began, in case some forgot, because someone killed John Wick’s dog. Bet they regret that now.
<h2>“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” (In Theaters, March 17) </h2>
Remember films like “Superman: The Movie”? That 1978 classic didn’t lecture us about climate change or explore the geopolitical ramifications of super-powered beings. It was pure, unadulterated fun.
The first “Shazam!” (2019) didn’t equal the Man of Steel’s big screen adventure, but it brought that zippy spirit back to theaters. It helped that star Zachary Levi added his goofy charm to the role, and that his off-screen messaging is both positive and kind.
The obligatory sequel promises more of the same, according to the trailer, plus Helen Mirren as the villain.
<h2>“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” (In Theaters, July 14)</h2>
This spy saga just keeps getting better. Star Tom Cruise, coming off the biggest hit of his decades-long career with “Top Gun: Maverick,” returns as superspy Ethan Hunt. The film offers the saga’s first two-part adventure, with the second installment coming in 2024.
Once again, Ethan gets a hand from his faithful partners played by Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ving Rhames, but the franchise’s jaw-dropping action remains the prime attraction.
<h2>“Oppenheimer” (In Theaters, July 21)</h2>
Let’s hope director Christopher Nolan’s latest isn’t as mind-twisting as either “Inception” or “Tenet.” The star-studded project (Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey, Jr., Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon) charts the Manhattan Project and its key figure, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy).
<h2>“Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple TV+/Theaters, Date TBD)</h2>
Directorial legend Martin Scorsese just turned 80, but the mind behind “Goodfellas,” “Raging Bull,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” shows no sign of slowing down. Every new Scorsese project is an event, a chance to see the master at work.
“Flower Moon” reteams the director with his muse, Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio. The film, based on the book by journalist David Grann, recalls the serial killings in 1920s Oklahoma later dubbed the Reign of Terror.
Scorsese regular Robert De Niro joins DiCaprio, as do comeback actor Brendan Fraser and “Breaking Bad” alum Jesse Plemons. 
<h2>“The Nightingale” (In Theaters, TBD)</h2>
Siblings Dakota and Elle Fanning star as sisters who, at the onset of World War II, stand tall against the German occupation of France. 
Based on Kristin Hannah’s international bestseller, the film has been bumped around the release schedule and is tentative for the new year.
The story was inspired by women who not only came to the rescue of downed Allied pilots but hid Jews from the Nazis.
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Keanu Reeves In ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Coming Soon: What We’re Looking Forward To Seeing In 2023

Netflix

Tom Cruise

&#8220;Friends&#8221; alum <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/matthew-perry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Perry</a> found himself in the social media crosshairs after excerpts from his memoir revealed an apparent dislike for &#8220;John Wick&#8221; actor <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keanu Reeves</a> — and fans were not happy.
Perry released a number of <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/there-is-a-hell-matthew-perry-says-hes-been-there-admits-he-spent-nearly-10-million-to-get-sober/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excerpts</a> from &#8220;Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing&#8221; — and sat down for several interviews — ahead of his book&#8217;s November 1 release. And while a number of the &#8220;Whole Nine Yards&#8221; star&#8217;s revelations were shocking — he admitted to taking upwards of 55 Vicodin per day at one point — none prompted so much backlash as his apparent digs at Reeves.
The first mention came when Perry discussed his friendship with the late actor River Phoenix — who <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/river-phoenix-dies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died of a drug overdose</a> at 23 outside Hollywood&#8217;s notorious Viper Room on October 31, 1993.
&#8220;The list of geniuses who were ahead of their time is too long to detail here — suffice to say, near the top of any such list should be my costar in &#8216;A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon,&#8217; River Phoenix,&#8221; Perry <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/matthew-perry-slams-keanu-reeves-alive-heath-ledger-dead-1235415189/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, later adding, &#8220;River was a beautiful man, inside and out — too beautiful for this world, it turned out.&#8221;
&#8220;It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down. Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us? River was a better actor than me; I was funnier. But I certainly held my own in our scenes — no small feat, when I look back decades later,&#8221; Perry continued.
Perry name-dropped Reeves again later when he addressed the untimely death of another costar, <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/matthew-perry-said-he-punched-a-hole-through-jennifer-anistons-wall-upon-hearing-chris-farley-died/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Farley</a>.
&#8220;His disease had progressed faster than mine had. (Plus, I had a healthy fear of the word ‘heroin,’ a fear we did not share),&#8221; Perry said of the comedian. &#8220;I punched a hole through Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room wall when I found out. Keanu Reeves walks among us. I had to promote &#8216;Almost Heroes&#8217; two weeks after he died; I found myself publicly discussing his death from drugs and alcohol. I was high the entire time.&#8221;
The backlash to Perry&#8217;s comments was swift.
&#8220;In a world full of Matthew Perry&#8217;s &#8230; be a Keanu Reeves,&#8221; Billy Baldwin said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
In a world full of Matthew Perry’s… be a Keanu Reeves.
&mdash; Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillyBaldwin/status/1585443957928230912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s nice that in a time of such division in our country we can at least all come together and exclaim that no one gets to f*** with Keanu Reeves,&#8221; Liz Vassey added.
&#8220;Personally thrilled that Keanu Reeves walks among us,&#8221; Rachel Zegler <a href="https://twitter.com/rachelzegler/status/1585399194386403328" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>.
&#8220;Of all the people in Hollywood, there’s absolutely no reason to come for Keanu Reeves who even after personal tragedy has remained, by accounts, generous and kind. He just makes movies and comics, treats his cast and crew right, and minds his own business,&#8221; Richard Newby <a href="https://twitter.com/RICHARDLNEWBY/status/1585415611173441536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>.
&#8220;Wonder Woman&#8221; Lynda Carter wasn&#8217;t impressed either: &#8220;Come on &#8230; Keanu Reeves is like one of those frozen cakes. Nobody doesn&#8217;t like him!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Come on&#8230; Keanu Reeves is like one of those frozen cakes. Nobody doesn&#39;t like him!
&mdash; Lynda Carter (@RealLyndaCarter) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealLyndaCarter/status/1585394040849453056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Keanu Reeves secretly donates millions to children&#8217;s hospitals. He gifted Matrix stuntmen Harleys as thanks. He bought ice cream just for a receipt he could autograph for a fan. He organized a road trip for fellow stranded air passengers. Walk on, Keanu,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/AjitPai/status/1585604442912702465" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came from</a> former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
Conservative radio host Dana Loesch added, &#8220;Keep Keanu&#8217;s name out of your mouth, Chandler.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Keep Keanu’s name out of your mouth, Chandler <a href="https://t.co/nRh2rGDyMr">https://t.co/nRh2rGDyMr</a>
&mdash; Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) <a href="https://twitter.com/DLoesch/status/1585429904333877250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Mystery Science Theater 3000&#8221; alum Bill Corbett announced, &#8220;I&#8217;m nominating Matthew Perry for Unforced Error of the Year.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I’m nominating Matthew Perry for Unforced Error of the Year
&mdash; Bill Corbett’s Ghost (@BillCorbett) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillCorbett/status/1585400774863061006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Perry responded to the kerfuffle in a <a href="https://people.com/tv/matthew-perry-apologizes-for-questioning-why-keanu-reeves-walks-among-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> to People Magazine, saying that he had not actually intended it to sound as though he had a problem with Reeves.
&#8220;I’m actually a big fan of Keanu. I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead,&#8221; he said.

CinemaCon 2022

Fans Blow Up After Matthew Perry Slams Keanu Reeves In Memoir — Perry Responds

Alcohol

Superstar Keanu Reeves proved once again to be the nicest celebrity in Hollywood following an airport interaction with a young fan who had a whole lot of questions for the actor.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/keanu-reeves">57-year-old</a> star was photographed signing an autograph for one fan after getting off an international flight from London to New York on Monday, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/06/keanu-reeves-answers-kids-long-list-of-questions-at-airport/">New York Post</a> reported in a piece published Wednesday. Reeves also took a series of &#8220;rapid-fire&#8221; questions from the fan. The entire exchange was noticed by TV producer Andrew Kimmel who<a href="https://twitter.com/andrewkimmel/status/1544100329582743552"> tweeted</a> out the interaction between Keanu and the young boy.
&#8220;Keanu Reeves was on my flight from London to NYC today,&#8221; the producer tweeted.  &#8220;A young boy asked for an autograph at baggage &amp; then began to fire off a series of rapid-fire questions.&#8221;
&#8220;Keanu happily responded to every single one…,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Keanu Reeves was on my flight from London to NYC today. A young boy asked for an autograph at baggage &amp; then began to fire off a series of rapid-fire questions. Keanu happily responded to every single one… <a href="https://t.co/T7m7PciL5C">pic.twitter.com/T7m7PciL5C</a>
&mdash; Andrew Kimmel (@andrewkimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewkimmel/status/1544100329582743552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Kimmel tweeted their exchange that can be seen in the tweet thread <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewkimmel/status/1544100329582743552">here</a>.
The kid&#8217;s first question was why was the &#8220;John Wick&#8221; star in London and he responded that he was &#8220;filming a documentary.&#8221; Reeves also shared that he&#8217;d taken in the Grand Prix, &#8220;F1! Race cars!&#8221;
The fan asked if he drove and Keanu said &#8220;not F1, but I like riding motorcycles.&#8221; At one point, the fan asked where the star lived and what he was doing in New York. The movie star replied that he would be in the city for &#8220;five days&#8221; and was going to take in a show on Broadway, the &#8220;American Buffalo! Mamet!&#8221;
&#8220;By this time the kid was running out of questions, so Keanu started grilling him,&#8221; the producer tweeted. &#8220;&#8216;Why were you in Europe? What galleries did you go to in Paris? What was your favorite?'&#8221;
Kimmel noted that Reeves &#8220;could not have been nicer, especially after an international flight. I thought I’d share this because the dude is a class act and little moments like this can make such a big difference in people&#8217;s lives. We need more Keanus!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
And yes, I geeked out a little and asked for a photo. I mean… had to. Have a happy 4th everyone! <a href="https://t.co/JVR5VTPQHz">pic.twitter.com/JVR5VTPQHz</a>
&mdash; Andrew Kimmel (@andrewkimmel) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewkimmel/status/1544106708548698116?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The photo is on its way to going viral with more than 300 thousand likes at the time of this publication.
In 2019, the &#8220;Speed&#8221; star became a real-life hero after a commercial flight he was on from San Francisco to Southern California had to make an emergency landing in Bakersfield,  <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1026942/keanu-reeves-is-a-real-life-superhero-after-helping-fellow-airplane-passengers">E! News</a> noted prior.
The &#8220;John Wick: Chapter 2&#8221; star helped ease the fears of his fellow passengers, including asking questions and trying to help give them options to get to their final destination, the outlet noted. Reeves ended up joining the group for a two-hour plus van ride from Meadows Field airport to Los Angeles, entertaining them all the while by sharing details about Bakersfield&#8217;s history and playing country music, <a href="https://www.bakersfield.com/news/keanu-reeves-diverted-to-bakersfield-airport-makes-the-best-of-it/article_c5a92510-4fdf-11e9-9557-077592ee7952.html">Bakersfield.com</a> noted.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whoa-keanu-reeves-donated-70-of-his-matrix-salary-to-cancer-research">Whoa! Keanu Reeves Donated 70% Of His &#8216;Matrix&#8217; Salary To Cancer Research</a>

Keanu Reeves Proves Once Again To Be Nicest Star In Hollywood After Airport Interaction With Young Fan Who Had A Lot Of Questions For Actor

Keanu Reeves Proves Once Again To Be Nicest Star In Hollywood After Airport Interaction With Young Fan

Menu