Dan Lin, the chairman of Netflix&#8217;s film division, said in a newly published interview that he is not interested in working with movie directors targeting theatrical releases. 
&#8220;There is a group of filmmakers who still want theatrical. Those are filmmakers that we’ve accepted we just won’t work with,&#8221; Lin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/business/media/dan-lin-netflix-hollywood.html">told</a> The New York Times. 
He also emphasized that Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia” is an exception to this rule and not indicative of a new standard. His blunt comments come on the heels of Netflix’s major merger deal with Warner Bros. falling apart as Paramount Studios swooped in and made an offer it couldn’t refuse.
Some of the chief concerns critics had about the proposed Netflix/Warner Bros. merger centered around the future of theaters and theatrical releases if Netflix cornered such a large piece of the entertainment market.
The company heads promised that Netflix would have taken good care of the Warner Bros. IP (intellectual property) and “strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs in the U.S.,” as they said when the deal fell apart earlier this year.
“But this transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price,” the execs <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netflix-backs-down-in-fight-for-warner-bros-leaving-paramount-inches-from-victory">concluded</a>.
Though neither company (Paramount or Netflix) were favored by those in the industry, Netflix was viewed with a particularly skeptical eye as some questioned the streaming giant’s commitment to the theatrical experience. Others view Paramount CEO David Ellison’s apparently close relationship with the Trump administration as a reason to worry.
When the deal was still on the table, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dispelled rumors that he would shorten theatrical release times if the company acquired Warner Bros.
“When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don’t want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/business/media/ted-sarandos-netflix.html">Sarandos told</a> The New York Times in January.
“I’m giving you a hard number. If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office,” he said at the time.
Now that Warner Bros. won’t be part of Netflix’s portfolio, it appears the streaming giant is abandoning theatrical efforts almost entirely.

Movie theater

Netflix Exec Admits Certain Directors Need Not Apply

Netflix Exec Admits The Company Won't Work With Directors Who Want Theaters

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Amazon MGM Studios made a big promise to keep putting out theatrical releases in the wake of “Project Hail Mary” dominating the box office last month.
The announcement came from the main stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, as Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/04/mike-hopkins-amazon-mgm-theatrical-cinemacon-1236862584/">reported</a>, with Amazon promising to drop $1 billion annually on bringing movies to the big screen.
“While some of our competitors have dipped their toes in and out of the theatrical waters, for us, this isn’t a test or an experiment. Our commitment to release at least 15 films every year into your theaters is on schedule,” studio head Mike Hopkins said, taking a not-so-subtle dig at other streaming platforms that are in the movie business. 
“As I say to our team constantly, our ambition for theatrical film is in the top half of the first inning. Project Hail Mary is just the beginning,” he added.
“Project Hail Mary” was touted as a proof of concept, with the creative team, filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and star Ryan Gosling, who plays the lead character, appearing on stage.
“Hail Mary” just crossed $525 million at the global box office, making it the company&#8217;s most successful movie ever.
Amazon MGM&#8217;s head of domestic theatrical distribution Kevin Wilson said the future was bright. 
“Last year we introduced a slate built to make audiences lean in. A mix of bold originals and iconic IP. That is who we are. And since then, we’ve delivered results,” the exec added from the stage. 
“Four months. Four films. Over $670 million at the box office. And we have nine more on the way. We said 15 films by 2027 — and we meant it. But this is not about volume. It is about impact. We are building films that give audiences a reason to leave the house. Films with scale. Ambition. Something to say.”
“That expertise is now applied with a singular focus: not just releasing films, but championing each one with the care, rigor, and creativity it deserves,” Amazon MGM’s Head of Global Marketing Susan Kroll said. “And now, we have the ability to pair that foundation with something entirely unique — the full power and reach of Amazon.”
The company also teased upcoming projects, including “The Sheep Detectives” and the highly anticipated sequel “Spaceballs 2.”

In this photo illustration, the Amazon MGM Studios logo is

Amazon MGM Studios Makes Huge Promise To Movie Theaters

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Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dispelled rumors that he would shorten theatrical release times after the streaming giant acquires Warner Bros.
The entertainment exec said as much during an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/business/media/ted-sarandos-netflix.html">interview</a> with The New York Times published Friday.
“When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don’t want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows,” Sarandos told the outlet.
“I’m giving you a hard number. If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office,” he added.
Sarandos went on to say that “a lot of assumptions” that Netflix execs had about Warner Bros. weren’t true.
“The general economics of the theatrical business were more positive than we had seen and we had modeled for ourselves. It’s a healthy, profitable business for them. We weren’t in that business not because we hated it. We weren’t in that business because our business was doing so well.”
Netflix’s anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros., which would include its film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO, is valued at $82.7 billion. Industry insiders and fans have pushed back on the merger, saying it could deal a huge blow to movie theaters. Rumors started circulating that Netflix planned to shorten theatrical release times from 45 days to just 17 days, similar to what Universal does for some of its releases.
Sarandos told NYT that he anticipated this type of response. “I think [the backlash] was a lot of loud voices, but not necessarily a lot of them,” the Netflix CEO said. “I think a lot of it was folks who questioned, rightfully so, our intent with theatrical because we hadn’t said anything about it. A lot of it was the emotions around that more than anything else.”
During the same interview, Sarandos addressed comments he made in 2025 about theaters being “outmoded” for people outside of large cities.
“You have to listen to that quote again. I said ‘outmoded for some.’ I mean, like the town that ‘Sinners’ is supposed to be set in does not have a movie theater there,” he said. “For those folks, it’s certainly outmoded. You’re not going to get in the car and go to the next town to go see a movie. But my daughter lives in Manhattan. She could walk to six multiplexes, and she’s in the theaters twice a week. Not outmoded for her at all.”

Ted Sarandos

Netflix CEO Says He Won’t Shorten Theatrical Releases Following Warner Bros. Acquisition

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Hollywood movies just had their worst performing summer season since 1981 when adjusting for inflation and excluding the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, the movies released during this time brought in $3.67 billion, the lowest total not counting 2020 and 2021, and adjusting numbers for inflation. 
The summer began on a high note with a strong Memorial Day weekend performance led by “Lilo &amp; Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.” But by summer’s end, the momentum was gone, and Labor Day weekend was a disaster from a financial standpoint.
Entertainment commentators are blaming this on a whole host of problems, with none agreeing on a single cause. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that lately, the movie industry is struggling in a big way.
Underperforming titles released this summer, which The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/business/media/box-office-collapse-hollywood.html">described</a> as playing to “near empty auditoriums,” include “After the Hunt,” starring Julia Roberts, Sydney Sweeney’s boxing biopic “Christy,” and “Die My Love,” led by big-name stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson.
These movies aren’t just bombing with fans &#8212; they’re also costing the studios millions. “After the Hunt” cost $70 million to make and brought in a paltry $3.3 million, the outlet noted. “Christy” also flopped hard with an abysmal $1.3 million opening weekend. The sports film had a more modest budget of $15 million, but after <a href="https://ew.com/sydney-sweeney-christy-sets-record-for-worst-drop-in-second-weekend-11853251">dropping to 900 screens</a> in its second week and collecting a $90-per-theater average, it’s safe to say the film won’t be recouping even that.
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A lot of the blame is being put on a shortened theater-to-streaming timeframe, which is currently 17 days compared to the old standard of 90 days. This disincentivizes moviegoers to visit theaters, especially for genres like comedy and romance that don’t require large screens and surround sound to get the full effect.
While audiences complain at the overabundance of remakes, franchise films, and superhero movies, which on the whole aren’t performing as well as they used to, industry insiders point to the numbers as proof of why these are still being made. Original films are some of the worst performing of the bunch. This makes it a risky proposition for studios to even try.
One Variety critic <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/columns/where-have-all-the-indie-hits-gone-bugonia-after-the-hunt-1236570489/">mentioned</a> some other factors, like Netflix “rob[bing]” theaters of films which could have potentially drawn people to theaters and television shows taking the place of indie movies.
In August, an unnamed studio executive <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/global-summer-box-office-overseas-2025-domestic-1236357631/">told</a> The Hollywood Reporter they are “very, very nervous for the future” of the industry based on the results and said they “don’t think there is enough of an audience” for future theater openings.

Spilled popcorn on floor in cinema

Hollywood Just Had Its Worst Summer Box Office In Over 40 Years

Box Office

Matt Walsh is a man of many talents — a popular podcaster, a notable documentarian, a feared fisherman, and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyrDtgjAgII" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surprisingly good</a> &#8220;Mortal Kombat&#8221; player. There is one persistent trait, however, that must be addressed: his passionate hatred of &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221;
I discovered Walsh’s animosity for &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; in May of 2023 while listening to his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1156-princeton-professor-tries-to-debunk-biology-fails-hilariously?elementPosition=155&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">show</a>. After hearing I played a recently released &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; game, he looked dead into the camera and said he was “repulsed by (me) completely.” And then continued to call me a “complete and utter disgrace.” Harsh. 
Last Thursday, theaters nationwide <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbYlxVpJnc/">launched</a> a week-long re-release of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” to celebrate the film&#8217;s 20th anniversary. The film stands out not only for its stunning cinematography, one of a kind soundtrack, and compelling life-lessons, but also as the final “Star Wars” entry before progressive-infused Disney’s acquisition.
Walsh, apparently, did not recognize the exceptional film for what it is. After taking his children to see it in theaters, he <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1917266257956724823" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took</a> to X and attacked the movie.
I will now address his unfounded criticisms.
His first issue is with the film’s dialogue. Walsh claims “Revenge of the Sith” has “the worst dialogue he’s ever heard in a mainstream Hollywood film.” To support his claim, he quotes a romantic scene between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala: 
<blockquote>Anakin: You’re so beautiful 
Padme: It’s only because I’m so in love
Anakin: No it’s because I’m so in love with you 
Walsh leaves out the second half of the scene, which reveals the lines are not poorly written, but instead an intentional foreshadowing of what is to come later in the film. The scene continues;
Padme: So love has blinded you?
Anakin: Well, that&#8217;s not exactly what I meant. 
Padme: But it’s probably true.</blockquote>
At this point in the film, Anakin believes his wife is going to die in childbirth because of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLb_k4Pz3CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vision </a>he has in his sleep. As the primary antagonist, Emperor Palpatine (not Ovaltine) tells him that committing to the Dark Side is the only way to save her. This, and his blinding love for Padme, leads him to commit the atrocities he does later in the film. Pure genius from George Lucas, who Walsh claims should be arrested.
<div id="attachment_914885" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914885" class="size-large wp-image-914885" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh’s next criticism of the film is that it has “abysmal action choreography.” To me, this attack is the most absurd. 
The final <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3OtoO5zjjU&amp;t=358s">fight</a> between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, master versus apprentice, is one of the most iconic fight scenes in cinema history. Numerous outlets such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VpsG7JA-jc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WatchMojo</a>, <a href="https://screenrant.com/best-movie-sword-fights-ranked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ScreenRant</a>, and <a href="https://movieweb.com/best-one-on-one-sword-fights-in-movies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MovieWeb</a> all rank the battle as one of the greatest sword fights in movie history. The fight was choreographed by legendary stuntman Nick Gillard, and is not sped up at all. Both actors trained relentlessly to master each move shown on camera.
<div id="attachment_914883" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914883" class="size-large wp-image-914883" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved. " width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh specifically attacks the final move of the duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin, saying the following;
<blockquote>Anakin jumps and flips through the air like Spider-Man but then at the end he loses because the other guy is standing on a small hill and has the higher ground. This was for some reason an insurmountable strategic advantage, even though Anakin had just seconds earlier leaped like 20 feet in the air while doing flips like an Olympic gymnast. So then Anakin decides to jump directly over top the other guy, close enough that he can just casually reach up and cut his legs off. He could have jumped anywhere else on the hill, or just a little higher, and avoided this issue.</blockquote>
Like many things Walsh has criticized in the film, the seemingly risky move Anakin used was intentional. Young Anakin Skywalker was fascinated by his master Obi-Wan’s triumph over Darth Maul in “Episode I: The Phantom Menace.” To defeat Maul, Obi-Wan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsAEdblcqU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flipped over him</a> and cut him in half upon landing.
When Anakin fights Obi-Wan, his pride and ego is at an all time high. He wants to prove to his once-master that he is now his superior. This is why moments before the final move, Anakin tells Obi-Wan, “You underestimate my power!”
Obi-Wan can sense Anakin is going to try his own move against him, so he offers one final warning, “Don’t try it.” Anakin did not listen, and ended up getting his legs cut off.
Walsh also criticized where the battle takes place, on a lava planet “for some reason.” He clearly suffers from a lack of knowledge in &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; lore. It’s the same reason he doesn’t understand why Anakin jumped over Obi-Wan.
The planet they fought on, Mustafar, is <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mustafar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> by Wookiepedia as “powerful in the Dark Side of The Force.” Palpatine sent Anakin there so he could tap into the Dark Side more intensely as he slaughtered the separatists who were awaiting him. In the 2017 comic Darth Vader 5, Palpatine <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Vader_(2017)_5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructs</a> Vader to return to Mustafar because it “is not like other planets. It is unique. Deep beneath its surface rests a locus for the Dark Side of The Force.&#8221;
Vader was so drawn to the planet’s Dark Side power that seven years after “Revenge of the Sith,” he built his <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Fortress_Vader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">castle</a>, Fortress Vader, there. 
Walsh’s final objection to the film was that it “took itself too seriously.” He expands on this by claiming “You can’t be campy and fun and also have mass child slaughter in the same film.”
Most of Walsh&#8217;s criticisms come from a lack of looking beneath the surface, taking everything at face value. “Revenge of the Sith” was always meant to be lighthearted in the beginning, and tragic in the end. After nearly three decades of fans left without a backstory, the purpose of the movie was to show how Hollywood’s most iconic villain, Darth Vader, transformed from a cunning warrior for good, to the embodiment of evil.
Following the classic hero&#8217;s journey literary archetype, we witness Anakin’s lighthearted upbringing in Episodes 1 and 2, his tragic fall in the second half of Episode 3, and his eventual redemption in Episode 6. A story that George Lucas brilliantly wrote and produced over 3 decades.
Walsh’s tweet thread ends on a lighter note, expressing that despite all of his concerns, his kids liked it. To me and countless other fans who believe “Revenge of the Sith” is one of the greatest films ever made, we can only hope Matt Walsh will read this piece and watch it again with an open mind.
* * *
Jacob Falach is an associate producer at The Daily Wire. You can find him on Instagram at: @jacobfalach.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated Ray Park was the fight and stunt coordinator for the film. The actual fight and stunt coordinator for &#8220;Revenge of the Sith&#8221; was Nick Gillard.

Star Wars Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith Photocall In Japan

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About ‘Revenge Of The Sith’

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About 'Revenge Of The Sith'

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Video Games

Video games pose a very real threat to Hollywood’s box office hopes.
Modern games are more interactive and snazzier than their predecessors, digitally enslaving Gen Z in the process. “Netflix and Chill” doesn’t come close.
Studios surveyed the landscape and said, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Or, in this case, leverage their IPs for serious coin.
“A Minecraft Movie” earned a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/minecraft-movie-box-office-success-blockbuster-1236361148/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whopping $313 million</a> across the globe in its opening weekend, pumping life into 2025’s sad theatrical start.
<div id="attachment_906797" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906797" class="size-large wp-image-906797" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-864x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: (L to R) Sebastian Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Jack Black and Jason Momoa attend the World Premiere of &quot;A Minecraft Movie&quot; at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage</div>
The smash comes on the heels of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, the burgeoning “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise, 2023’s “Super Mario Bros.” animated reboot and 2022’s “Uncharted” with Tom Holland. Let’s not forget 2021’s “Free Guy” with Ryan Reynolds as a lovable NPC (non-player character). The latter wasn’t based on any one video game but sprang from a sensibility gamers understood.
We’ve come a long way from wobbly video game adaptations like “Super Mario Bros.” (1993), “Max Payne” (2008) and “Alone in the Dark” (2005).
What changed? Studios started taking the source material seriously, expending big budgets to recreate the look and feel of the games in question. It helps that CGI advancements make it all possible, visually speaking. The sight of John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins fleeing rubbery dinosaurs in 1993’s “Super Mario Bros.” still makes us wince.
Studios have hired A-listers like Jack Black, Jim Carrey, Mark Wahlberg and Chris Pratt to bring video games to stunning life.
They also didn’t make them woke or forget the core audience in question – boys and young men. Disney spent years transforming the “Star Wars” saga into a feminist-friendly franchise with shows like “The Acolyte.”
How did that work out again?
<div id="attachment_906779" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906779" class="size-large wp-image-906779" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg" alt="Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen in ‘A Minecraft Movie’. Photo by Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. IMDB.</div>
It’s notable that “A Minecraft Movie” features two key female characters and gives them little to do. The film’s creative team checked those Identity Politics boxes but neglected to give the stars any sense of agency.
Still, the film’s cast and crew didn’t leave longtime fans behind. The new video game movies efficiently work elements of the games into the on-screen adventures. Those blocky swords in “A Minecraft Movie” are just one of many familiar sights for hardcore fans.
That, plus a wave of “easter eggs” make gamers feel seen. And they’re telling their friends all about it.
Black’s performance in “Minecraft” shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s like the Energizer Bunny on screen, but with even more energy. He also promoted the film without going full or even the semi-Zegler. He praised the feature as a fun, upbeat adventure that could heal a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jason-momoa-jack-black-minecraft-movie-jennifer-coolidge-1236175713/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fractured nation</a>.
<blockquote>We’ve got to work together, my God. There’s so much violence and war and hatred. And that’s what I love about this movie — there’s a lot of love in it and there’s a lot of creativity. There is some anger and violence too, but in the end it’s about friendship and working together to make [the world] a better place.</blockquote>
Black has been a vocal Obama supporter in the past, even shooting a video to support the Democrat’s Iran policies – which haven’t aged well, to say the least.
He hasn’t been as loud about the political scene in recent years. He even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blindsided-jack-black-axes-tour-after-bandmate-cheers-trump-assassination-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporarily shelved his Tenacious D band</a> when fellow rocker Kyle Gass wished for President Donald Trump’s assassination on stage.
<div id="attachment_906787" style="width: 859px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906787" class="size-large wp-image-906787" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-849x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: Jack Black attends the World Premiere of &quot;A Minecraft Movie&quot; at the Cineworld Leicester Square on March 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures)" width="849" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-849x576.jpg 849w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-768x521.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px" />Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures</div>
Carrey similarly <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-news-february-23-2021-1945969" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopped his barrage of hard-Left, anti-GOP paintings</a> in recent years. Meanwhile, Reynolds and Pratt are known for their upbeat, mostly apolitical personas.
Not every recent video game movie snagged “Minecraft”-sized numbers. Last year’s “Borderlands” debacle got ignored by gamers and torched by film critics.
The smart 2023 drama “Grand Turismo” offered a novel way to bring the driving game to the big screen, but audiences didn’t bite in “Minecraft”-sized numbers ($44 million US).
Still, the recent hits have given Hollywood exactly what it needs – young movie goers eager to share their thoughts on social media. “A Minecraft Movie” became a meme sensation in real time, with users producing “Chicken Jockey” gags on TikTok and elsewhere.
If you have to ask, you either never played the game or don’t have children under the age of 16.
Those memes made “Minecraft” an “event,” much like the 2023 “Barbie” movie. Women gathered their friends together to see the film wearing their best, “Barbie”-like outfits.
Now, teens are devouring “Minecraft” movie memes and celebrating them in theaters en masse. That’s exactly what studios love to see, even if some young fans are getting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-boys-trashing-theaters-causing-mayhem-at-a-minecraft-movie-showings?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=Entertainment&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Teen+Boys+Trashing+Theaters%2C+Causing+Mayhem+At+%E2%80%98A+Minecraft+Movie%E2%80%99+Showings">carried away with their exuberance</a>. Those viral clips, ironically, will only build on the film’s popularity.
<div id="attachment_906791" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906791" class="size-large wp-image-906791" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-864x576.jpg" alt="THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 2117 -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Jack Black and host Jimmy Fallon during the &quot;Minecraft Claw Machine Challenge&quot; on Monday, March 31, 2025 -- (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images</div>
There’s another factor here, one that plugs in seamlessly to the “Minecraft” ethos. Many modern video games offer a canvas for inspired young minds. “Fortnite,” for example, allows gamers to choose from any number of “skins” and weapons. Players can team with friends across the street – or the globe – to create their own adventures.
They’re not just part of the action, they’re making the games up as they go. “Minecraft” might be the ultimate example of that ethos. The pixel-friendly game demands creativity from start to finish.
Movies aren’t interactive, at least for now. Films like “A Minecraft Movie” tap into that sense of self-directed adventure, the kind that makes video game adaptations into blockbuster hits.
The only downside for Hollywood? Studios will learn the wrong lessons from “A Minecraft Movie” and we’ll suffer through a few more “Borderlands” in the coming years.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://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://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-09-PM-2616

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Smashes Box Office … And A Few Theaters

'A Minecraft Movie' Smashes Box Office ... And A Few Theaters

Gaming

Jack Black

Jason Momoa

As “A Minecraft Movie” continues to dominate at the box office heading into its second week, there are reports of disorderly conduct as teen boys flock to theaters and act out trends circulating on social media.
These videos include moviegoers filming themselves throwing popcorn and other food and drink items and, in one instance, being kicked out for bringing a live chicken to a showing, per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/minecraft-audiences-trashing-theaters-chaos-1236187217/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
This behavior has led to warnings from theaters about conduct, including threats of involving law enforcement. One New Jersey theater forbade anyone under 18 from attending any showings without an adult present despite the film being rated PG. 
“Large groups of unsupervised boys engaged in completely unacceptable behavior, including vandalism. We also received multiple complaints from other moviegoers who were trying to enjoy the film with their families,” Township Theatre in Washington Township, New Jersey, posted in a social media update. 
“Moving forward: Any minors wishing to see The Minecraft Movie MUST be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Unaccompanied groups of boys will not be admitted,” the statement concluded.
The bad behavior is usually aligned with the viral “chicken jockey” scene, which features Jack Black’s character Steve yelling “chicken jockey!” when a baby zombie appears on screen riding a chicken like a horse. This precedes Jason Momoa’s character, Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison, fighting the zombie.
This moment has inspired moviegoers to shout the line while jumping on theater seats, screaming, and throwing popcorn, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/10/entertainment/minecraft-obsessed-teen-boys-are-destroying-movie-theaters/">noted</a>.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Minecraft Movie is Ruining Theaters 😳" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ZzIq9D3OqA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Theater employees have also been posting images of what theaters look like after a movie showing. “These teens trashed every single theater playing this movie and since we have so many showings we had to clean them in less than 30 minutes as we had crowds outside the theater lined up to go inside!” one person <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZzIq9D3OqA">shared</a> in a YouTube video posted earlier this week, noting that some attendees are being kicked out or being forced to clean up their own messes.
“A Minecraft Movie” has grossed more than $185 million domestically and $380 million globally in just six days, outperforming expectations and putting it on pace to surpass “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
Warner Bros. has not issued a statement on the chicken jockey mayhem as of Friday.

Minecraft Movie

Teen Boys Trashing Theaters, Causing Mayhem At ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Showings

Teen Boys Trashing Theaters, Causing Mayhem At 'Minecraft Movie' Showings

teens

MixCollage-01-Mar-2025-01-46-PM-7816

‘Brothers After War’: An Interview With Gary Sinise And Jake Rademacher

Afghanistan

Documentaries

Gary Sinise

interview

Iraq War

Marines

Morning Wire

PTSD

Soldiers

U.S. Army

U.S. Military

U.S. Navy

Gone are the days of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">It’s a Wonderful Life</a>” wholesomeness for Christmas Day in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">Hollywood</a> community. 
This year’s theatrical releases for December 25 include a film being touted for its explicit sexual content and a gothic horror <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a> remake about a vampire who becomes obsessed with a young woman and takes over her sleep, giving her graphic nightmares.
First up, “Babygirl” starring Nicole Kidman has been generating buzz ever since it was first released following the Toronto International Film Festival in September. The movie’s <a href="https://www.babygirlfilm.com/synopsis/">description</a> says, “A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.”
Kidman, 57, has talked at length about filming the erotic movie. She said the sheer number of sex scenes became overwhelming. “There was an enormous amount of sharing and trust and then frustration. It’s like, ‘Don’t touch me,’” she said, per <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/news/nicole-kidman-babygirl-interview-harris-dickinson-antonio-banderas-b2634689.html">The Independent</a>. 
“There were times when we were shooting where I was like, ‘I don’t want to orgasm any more. Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t care if I am never touched again in my life! I’m over it.’ It was so present all the time for me that it was almost like a burnout,” Kidman added.
The actress <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/festivals/nicole-kidman-erotic-thriller-babygirl-freeing-didnt-feel-exploited-1236124981/">said</a> “Babygirl” is &#8220;obviously about sex, it’s about desire, it’s about your inner thoughts, it’s about secrets, it’s about marriage, it’s about truth, power, consent&#8221; while speaking at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.
“This is one woman’s story and this is, I hope, a very liberating story. It’s told by a woman, through her gaze — Halina [Reijn] wrote it and she directed it — and that’s to me what made it so unique because suddenly I was going to be in the hands of a woman with this material. It was very dear to our shared instincts and very freeing.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Babygirl | Official Trailer 2 HD | A24" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9XXoNB0lVGo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Another movie having a Christmas Day release is “Nosferatu,” a horror film starring Johnny Depp’s 25-year-old daughter Lily-Rose Depp. 
The movie, written and directed by Robert Eggers, is a remake of the 1922 silent film by the same name and both are based on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” novel from 1897.
The description calls it, “A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.”
Depp described how she prepared for the leading female role, telling <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/lily-rose-depp-nosferatu-demonic-sexual-awakening-bible-1235075698/">IndieWire</a> that Eggers encouraged her to read the short story “Péhor” by French author Remy de Gourmont to understand the character.
The actress said de Gourmont’s occult writing was like a “Bible” for her.
“Rob is incredibly well-researched, famously, and so he sent me a lot of references, a lot of movies that had inspired him for the role. He also gave me this text to read, which is called ‘Péhor’, and it’s kind of like a story about a young religious girl who has a sexual awakening love story with a demon,” Depp told the outlet. 
“So, of course, that was quite pertinent for me. I used that kind of like a Bible and found myself reading it again and again as we were shooting.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a>
There are other, less provocative offerings at the movie theater during the Christmas holiday for families hoping for some leisure time, including Disney’s newly released “Mufasa” and Paramount&#8217;s action-adventure comedy “Sonic 3.” 
But it’s all too telling that sex and horror movies are being released on one of the most important Christian holidays of the year.

Nosferatu

Hollywood’s Christmas Day Releases: Glorified Porn And A ‘Sexy Vampire’ Horror Film

Hollywood's Christmas Day Releases: Glorified Porn And A 'Sexy Vampire' Horror Film

Christmas

Horror Movies

Christmas traditions never change.
Open presents. Sip steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Suffer through your wayward uncle’s off-color jokes. And, when the festivities have drawn to a close, hit the local theater.
Hollywood uncorks its “Oscar-bait” films this time of the year, and the December crop is heartier than usual. The best of the best? A look back at the singer/songwriter who shaped the soundtrack of the 1960s.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11563598/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Complete Unknown</a>” (December 25)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847611" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847611" class="wp-image-847611 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1024x576.jpg" alt="Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (2024). Photo by Macall Polay. Searchlight Pictures. Veritas Entertainment. The Picture Company. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-22-AM-4289-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Timothée Chalamet in “A Complete Unknown” (2024). Photo by Macall Polay. Searchlight Pictures. Veritas Entertainment. The Picture Company. IMDB.</div>
Musical biopics became so clichéd, they even made a movie about it. “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” shredded the genre, and rightfully so. Director James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” can’t help but recreate a few of those tics, like key characters turning on the TV just in time to hear, “President Kennedy has been shot.” What timing!
That’s where the Dewey Cox comparisons come to a screeching halt.
Timothée Chalamet studied for six years to sound like folk icon Bob Dylan, and those sessions more than paid off. He brings the inscrutable star to life without feeling like a cheap impersonation. 
The title teases we may never know what makes Dylan tick, but the biopic captures why he mattered to the roiling ‘60s. It’s the music, of course, plus beguiling lyrics that resonated with a generation. it’s refreshing to watch an artist stay true to his principles no matter the era, not bend to the pop culture winds. How many modern stars can say the same?
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8999762/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_in_0_q_the%2520brut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Brutalist</a>” (December 20)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847561" class="wp-image-847561 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-864x576.jpg" alt="Guy Pearce and Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist” (2024). A24 Films. Brookstreet Pictures. Kaplan Morrison. Intake Films. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-29-AM-8302-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce in “The Brutalist” (2024). A24 Films. Brookstreet Pictures. Kaplan Morrison. Intake Films. IMDB.</div>
Quick — who wants a three-plus hour look at an architect’s combustible life? As sales pitches go, it’s a dud. Yet director Brady Corbet (“Vox Lux”) brings so much energy to the fictional life of László Tóth that the film proves mesmerizing.
Adrien Brody’s Tóth, a Hungarian Jew who escapes the Nazi’s clutches, comes to America eager to forge a new life. His beloved wife (Felicity Jones) awaits back home, leaving him to create a career that will allow them to reunite.
He’s aided by a mercurial millionaire (Guy Pearce, excellent), but their bond fractures over time. Tóth’s journey speaks volumes about the immigrant experience and the artistic mindset, not to mention the egos behind the characters.
The word “epic” is tossed around glibly in Hollywood, but “The Brutalist” is one of the few modern tales that deserves the label. Yes, that running time factors in, but it’s the scope of Corbet’s storytelling ambition that matters.
Brody is spectacular, suggesting he could add a second Best Actor trophy to his mantle come Oscar night. His performance anchors a fiercely original tale not soon forgotten.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wicked</a>” (In Theaters Now)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847565" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847565" class="size-large wp-image-847565" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-864x576.jpg" alt="Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (2024). Photo by Universal Pictures. Copyright: Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Universal Pictures. Marc Platt Productions. SKY Studios. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-37-AM-2933-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked” (2024). Photo by Universal Pictures. Copyright: Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved. Universal Pictures. Marc Platt Productions. SKY Studios. IMDB.</div>
Forget that <a href="https://www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2024/11/27/holding-space-and-hefty-tears-why-are-people-talking-about-the-wicked-press-tour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cringe-worthy press tour</a>. 
Forgive how the film’s title hides that this is but part one of a two-part saga. (“Wicked: For Good” arrives next November)
“Wicked” offers everything we love about big-screen musical adaptations. It all starts with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who bring bold, Broadway-worthy voices to Glinda and Elphaba, AKA the Wicked Witch of the West.
The story remains provocative given the “Wizard of Oz” source material. That wicked witch wasn’t always so foul. How she curdled into the film’s signature ghoul is a tortured path with a touch of heartbreak.
The Broadway musical supplied the memorable songs, but director Jon M. Chu adapted the show with energy, wit, and memorable moments. No, the great Jeff Goldblum’s voice isn’t up to the challenge as Oz, but in every other way “Wicked” deserves applause.
<h3>“<a href="https://bestchristmaspageantever.movie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Best Christmas Pageant Ever</a>” (In Theaters)</h3>
<div id="attachment_847577" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847577" class="size-large wp-image-847577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024). Dallas Jenkins. Lionsgate. Media Capital Technologies. Kingdom Story Company. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-05-AM-1575-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024). Dallas Jenkins. Lionsgate. Media Capital Technologies. Kingdom Story Company. IMDB.</div>
The best Christmas movies forget one critical element: Christ. Think “A Christmas Story,” “Elf” and “Christmas Vacation.” We love ‘em all, but it’s refreshing to see a holiday comedy acknowledge the reason for the season.
“Pageant,” based on the 1972 book of the same name, follows a group of wayward kids as they commandeer a small town’s Christmas gala. It’s a recipe for disaster, unless one uber-patient mom (Judy Greer, marvelous as always) can teach the kids why Christmas matters in the first place.
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE</a></h3>
Sweet and soulful, “Pageant” delivers early laughs that set the story in motion. From there, look to young Beatrice Schneider as Beth, the unofficial leader of the cruel Herdman clan. Her transformation supplies “Pageant” with its big, beating heart.
<h3>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21823606/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1">A Real Pain</a>” (In Theaters) </h3>
<div id="attachment_847593" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-847593" class="size-large wp-image-847593" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-864x576.jpg" alt="Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in “A Real Pain” (2024). Searchlight Pictures. Topic Studios. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-10-13-AM-4859-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in “A Real Pain” (2024). Searchlight Pictures. Topic Studios. IMDB.</div>
Actor-turned-director Jesse Eisenberg has his finger on the zeitgeist. His second directorial effort follows two Jewish cousins as they travel to Poland to visit their late grandmother’s hometown.
They’re part of a tour designed to connect Jewish travelers to their cultural past, which includes stops at a concentration camp among other emotionally charged locations.
Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin play the squabbling cousins. Culkin is the wild child, someone who loves to stir things up no matter the setting. Eisenberg adores his cousin but simultaneously wants to wring his neck.
Audiences can relate, although Culkin’s performance is sparking awards consideration, and for good reason.
“A Real Pain” is bittersweet, moving, and filled with gentle truths about the human condition. Eisenberg performs a balancing act throughout, letting us care for two very different souls without shoving the real-life trauma of their heritage into the background.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://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://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-20-Dec-2024-09-13-AM-9997

‘Tis The Season: 5 Films To Watch This Christmas

'Tis The Season: 5 Films To Watch This Christmas

Christmas movies

movie

Actor, producer, and writer Allen Covert says he spent his “entire adult life” working at Happy Madison, the Adam Sandler shingle that gave us “Happy Gilmore,” “Grown Ups” and more comic hits.
“It’s the only real job I’ve ever had,” said Covert.
Now, following his 60th birthday, he’s decided it’s time to branch out on his own. Covert has a new Hollywood goal after breaking free from Happy Madison – bring back the bawdy comedy.
Covert’s expansive credits include “Little Nicky,” “The Wrong Missy,” “Murder Mystery,” “Hubie Halloween” along with his many comic cameos in Sandler smashes like &#8220;The Wedding Singer,&#8221; “Happy Gilmore,” and “The Waterboy.”
<div id="attachment_829489" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-829489" class="wp-image-829489 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTg3OTUwNzA3M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNjY0MzA3._V1_.jpg" alt="Allen Covert, Adam Sandler, and Drew Barrymore in &quot;The Wedding Singer.&quot; (1998). Juno Pix. New Line Cinema. Robert Simonds Productions. IMDB." width="450" height="302" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTg3OTUwNzA3M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNjY0MzA3._V1_.jpg 450w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTg3OTUwNzA3M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNjY0MzA3._V1_-300x201.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Allen Covert, Adam Sandler, and Drew Barrymore in &#8220;The Wedding Singer.&#8221; (1998). Juno Pix. New Line Cinema. Robert Simonds Productions. IMDB.</div>
Covert’s comedy resume speaks for itself, but he also has a focus group of four to fall back on. His children.
“They watch old comedies. They literally say to me, ‘Why don’t they make movies like this anymore?’” he said.
They can’t blame Daddy for the comedy drought. Even though fans tell him how much they love his comedies, Covert says, “Not one studio is making one right now. They’re not making comedy, period.”
It’s an exaggeration, but only a slight one. Big-screen comedies are on the decline, with most of the funny stuff heading straight to streaming. Think this year’s “Ricky Stanicky” (Prime Video) or the upcoming “Dear Santa” (Paramount+).
<div id="attachment_829503" style="width: 495px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-829503" class="wp-image-829503 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTM4NDk2NDY5MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMDg1MDU3._V1_.jpg" alt="2536. Alex (Allen Covert) shows his grandma Lilly (Doris Roberts) how to play &quot;Demonik,&quot; the video game he has secretly created. Photo Credit: Darren Michaels. TM and copyright 2005 Level 1 Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved. Not for sale or duplication. Twentieth Century Fox. Happy Madison. IMDB." width="485" height="314" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTM4NDk2NDY5MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMDg1MDU3._V1_.jpg 485w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/MV5BMTM4NDk2NDY5MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMDg1MDU3._V1_-300x194.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" />Allen Covert and Doris Roberts in &#8216;Grandma&#8217;s Boy&#8217;. Photo Credit: Darren Michaels. TM and copyright 2005 Level 1 Entertainment LLC. All rights reserved. Twentieth Century Fox. Happy Madison. IMDB.</div>
Covert grew up on bawdy teen comedies like “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Their rebellious shtick made Covert and his pals howl. It also gave them a common cultural touchpoint. Now, the veteran film producer laments that Gen Zers lack a similar release valve.
“My daughter just graduated high school. [Her generation] hasn’t had a single comedy that’s theirs. Four years of high school. Not one movie they can look back on and go, ‘Remember when we all saw, ‘Can’t Hardly Wait?’ Now, they get ‘Kissing Booth.’”
The latter is a Netflix original. Covert has no problem with the streaming giant, having worked repeatedly with the platform in recent years. He says nothing can replace the theatrical experience.
“There’s something very bonding about sitting in a room with strangers and laughing your a**es off,” he said. “It’s different than sitting at home with three of your friends.”
<div id="attachment_829473" style="width: 877px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-829473" class="wp-image-829473 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1306440-867x576.jpg" alt="" width="867" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1306440-867x576.jpg 867w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1306440-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1306440-768x510.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-1306440.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 867px) 100vw, 867px" />Allen Covert and Beefy act in a scene from &#8220;Little Nicky.&#8221; (Photo by M. Aronowitz/New Line/Newsmakers)</div>
The veteran comedy producer (“Grown Ups”) and occasional star (“Grandma’s Boy”) wants to do something about it.
So, where did all the comedies go? Covert points the finger at several culprits, including the invincible Iron Man.
“IP and big-budget blockbusters,” he said. “Everyone is like, we want Marvel films where we can create our universe and every movie makes $500 million to a billion dollars,” he said. “Comedies fell by the wayside at studios.”
The Hollywood groupthink stifles genres that fall out of favor, or as he put it, a “small group of people who pick what gets bought.”
Another reason for the big screen comedy vacuum is obvious to most cultural observers. The new woke rules prevent certain jokes and topics from making the final cut.
“That’s 1,000 percent true,” Covert said without hesitation.
<div id="attachment_829481" style="width: 871px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-829481" class="wp-image-829481 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-509577442-861x576.jpg" alt="" width="861" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-509577442-861x576.jpg 861w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-509577442-300x201.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-509577442-768x514.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-509577442.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px" />THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO &#8212; Episode 3062 &#8212; Pictured: (l-r) Comedian Allen Covert during an interview with host Jay Leno on December 16, 2005 &#8212; (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)</div>
That explains why some comedy actors, like <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/09/12/will-ferrell-snl-drag-janet-reno/75192512007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Ferrell</a> and <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/festivals/berlin-film-festival-jonah-hill-wants-to-challenge-traditional-masculinity-1203134534/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonah Hill</a>, have apologized for their jokes in recent years.
“If you made a really horrible joke in the past that’s blatantly racist and discriminatory everyone should apologize for that,” he said. “If you made a comedy that’s maybe gotten a little less palatable to the community over time, who cares? I’ll never apologize for a joke.”
“If you do something wrong you get your ass out there and apologize,” he added.
Covert is that rare Hollywood conservative, but he’s been able to produce, write, and co-star in films for years without punishment.
“I’ve never experienced any type of, ‘He’s a conservative. We can’t work with him.’ I was never the lead guy … I was part of a company that was hugely successful,” he said of Happy Madison and his longtime collaborator, Sandler. “My experience in Hollywood as a conservative is probably different than others.”
<div id="attachment_829483" style="width: 819px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-829483" class="size-large wp-image-829483" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-456306578-809x576.jpg" alt="" width="809" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-456306578-809x576.jpg 809w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-456306578-300x214.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-456306578-768x547.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-456306578.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px" />MALIBU, CA &#8211; SEPTEMBER 28: Actors Adam Sandler and Allen Covert attend Rock4EB, Malibu, with Jackson Browne &amp; David Spade sponsored by Suja Juice &amp; Sabra Hummus at Private Residence on September 28, 2014 in Malibu, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)</div>
Covert has several scripts in near-ready shape for his new endeavor, but he’s still meeting some resistance behind the scenes.
“’What’s the hook?,’ they ask. ‘It’s kids having fun in high school. That’s the hook,” he said. “Kids need this … kids are depressed and anxious. Everyone’s telling them the world’s ending. I wanna tell kids, ‘Have fun … worry about the world ending when you’re 25.”
He still faces an uphill battle despite his comedy resume.
“A lot of people are ready for this. I just don’t think the people in charge are right now,” he said, noting the swirling winds of change in Hollywood haven’t helped. “It’s such a confusing upheaval time in the business. I don’t think they’re able to concentrate on what people wanna see.”
Covert, whose cult hit “Grandma’s Boy” has him recognized in places as far away as South Africa, said he’s ready to meet the pent-up demand for the next great teen comedy.
“I make raw, crazy movies. I make sweet movies — whatever kind of movie needs to be made.”
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://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://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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