Disney has a “boy problem.” 
At least, that’s what a recent Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/disney-marvel-lucasfilm-gen-z-1236494681/">report</a> suggests, quoting insiders at the company who admit the entertainment company has lost the interest of Gen Z men that the outlet describes as a “lonely, gaming-obsessed group who were hampered in their formative years by COVID-19 lockdowns.” 
Disney executives are now hunting for answers, considering every conceivable tactic from “splashy global adventures” to old-fashioned “treasure hunts” in an effort to lure young men between the ages of 13 and 28 back to the House of Mouse.
But for Bill Rivers, a bestselling author and former Trump admin speechwriter, the diagnosis is clear. The problem with Disney isn’t the lack of over-the-top projects. In the end, he says, Disney alienated their audience by forcing an ideology that undermined the same values it used to celebrate. 
When asked for his initial reaction to Disney’s alleged “boy trouble,” Rivers blamed it squarely on the stories being told.
“It’s self-inflicted,” he told The Daily Wire via an email interview. “They’re going to have to ditch an ideology that sneered at masculinity, chivalry, righteous honor, power for noble purposes, the warrior ethos – all these things that coded as toxically male – and accept these attributes are actually good and necessary for any healthy society and worthy of exploring in entertainment.”
“This ideology was obviously anti-men,” Rivers added, “but the kicker is realizing it was also perniciously anti-women because it drove men out of the places women wanted to engage with them. Disney’s already taken the first step by recognizing they have a problem; the next step is to remain stubbornly open to stories they would have discarded as too traditional. It’s a time for tradition. Traditional stories stick around for a reason.”
A return to tradition, Rivers argues, is precisely what Disney needs to survive. “Unfortunately for Disney, it’s both,” he said when asked whether the issue was about content or a deeper cultural disconnect. 
“On content, the boldest thing Disney can do right now is return to traditional storytelling – courageous heroes, nasty villains, and incredibly high stakes for believable characters who wrestle with timeless challenges like family, romance, revenge, redemption. You can tell these stories in outer space or [a] small town in Appalachia, because setting matters less than plot and character.”
The overarching failure, according to Rivers, is how Disney treated young men for years.
“Regarding Gen Z men, Disney still treats them as if they don’t matter when it pushes cash-grab reboots aimed at them and not works of art crafted for them. ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Minecraft,’ the new superhero slop – this is the warmed-over childhood content of Millennials and Gen Xers. Worse, you’ve got these ideological political messages shoved in there. It totally kills the story,” Rivers said, noting how young men “hate being told what to think.”
For decades, Rivers notes, Disney never faced this problem. 
“Marvel, Star Wars, even Pirates of the Caribbean kept this 13–28 year old demographic engaged. What changed? Disney was fortunate to acquire some of the most compelling storytelling in American culture with the original Star Wars and Marvel comics. But these franchises were products of once-in-a-generation geniuses who did the creative heavy-lifting half a century ago or more. Ideological execs have squandered this inheritance for a payday or used them as a vehicle to ram political messages down their audiences’ throats. That’s propaganda, not storytelling.”
And “great storytelling,” Rivers insists, is hard to come by because the content creators have to trust their audiences to come to certain conclusions. That will never work if the studio openly despises them. 
That’s why Rivers disagrees with the suggestion floated in Variety that this problem can be solved by building new franchises centered on splashy adventures.
“Gen Z males are hungry for brotherhood and purpose. They want demanding missions where success is deeply consequential not just for them but for the people they care about. In the content they consume, that can involve treasure hunts and globe-trotting, but those things are secondary. Confusing them for the core is misguided and probably extremely expensive thinking for studio execs.”
The Variety piece described young men as isolated, stunted by COVID lockdowns, and obsessed with gaming. Rivers sees a half-truth there. 
“They are lonely, but I take issue with the ‘gaming-obsessed’ thing because that’s not what they are really after. … The boys weren’t stunted by COVID but by the people who used it as an excuse to get more control over society. By and large, those people subscribed to the same bad ideology that is basically anti-male, anti-woman, and anti-civilization.”
When asked what’s missing in today’s blockbusters, Rivers said it comes down to three things: “Authentic brotherhood. Transcendent purpose. Patriotism,” he said. 
“I write about young boys trying to become men, and all three of those things are critical to that. My novel ‘Last Summer Boys’ explores this in the Vietnam War-era of 1968, but it was a bestseller in 2022 because those are timeless concepts that people desperately want to engage with.”
“As a society, we become the stories we tell about ourselves,” the author said. “Disney understands this, it’s just for so long they injected their stories with an impoverished ideology. The blockbusters that say ‘to hell with that,’ and bring back brotherhood, purpose, and patriotism will dominate. By the way, women love those stories too.”
Despite the current state of entertainment, Rivers remains optimistic: “Disney can absolutely turn this thing around. It’s an iconic American company with an incredible legacy. Just as important, the country is at a moment where we as Americans are willing to do the hard work of renewing and reviving our greatest institutions. Disney can change from within, but it should also recognize America has no shortage of incredibly talented writers and storytellers who love this country and are willing to work with them. Hire those people. Acquire their stories.”
In fact, Rivers believes Disney’s crisis could be a blessing in disguise. “Really, Disney’s ‘boy trouble’ crisis is a gift for the company. Because the opportunity for them is enormous, and I don’t just mean commercially. If Disney starts telling authentic, powerful stories that men actually want to see, they will capture a rising demographic and participate in a renewal of American culture in a way worthy of the greatest institutions.”
Disney already admitted they have a problem – a classic first step. Now they just need to go about solving it in a way that doesn’t alienate young men even more.

Disney

Disney’s ‘Boy Trouble’ Is A Crisis Of Its Own Making. The Fix Doesn’t Require A Plot Twist

Disney's 'Boy Trouble' Is A Crisis Of Their Own Making, But There Is A Solution

Entertainment

Gen Z

Movies

The passing of Native American actor Graham Greene reminded us of the Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The film cast Greene as Kicking Bird, and his screen time with director and star Kevin Costner set the table for the drama.
The film remains beloved for its portrait of the American West, many warts and all. It’s also emblematic of Costner’s career, one dedicated to the great outdoors in the grand American tradition.
Few actors have clung to that mythos like Costner, from his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves” to his most recent venture, the “Horizon” saga. Along the way, Costner has explored the American wilderness on screens large and small, creating a genuine affection for his country in the process.
<div id="attachment_969287" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969287" class="size-large wp-image-969287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB.</div>
He didn’t sugarcoat the land’s flaws then, and he refused to do so in subsequent projects. America’s natural beauty and potential proved his constant companion.
It explains why he endures as more than just a movie star at the age of 70. He’s part of the cultural fabric. And, even when he’s taking political stances that anger a good half of the country, his treasure trove of goodwill barely takes a hit.
Costner famously got left on the editing room floor in 1983’s“The Big Chill,” even though his character’s fate powered the nostalgia-laced drama. Director Lawrence Kasdan made amends to the young actor by casting him in the ensemble western “Silverado.”
<div id="attachment_969291" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969291" class="size-large wp-image-969291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg" alt="CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &quot;Silverado&quot; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &#8220;Silverado&#8221; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)</div>
From there, Costner landed “The Untouchables” (1987), “Bull Durham” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989), a run of hits few actors could match, then or now. That gave him the clout to start shaping his career on his terms. And that led to “Dances with Wolves.”
The film may appear “woke” in retrospect, showcasing a guilt-ridden white man coming to terms with his country’s cruelty to Native Americans. Costner grounded the Western epic with respect for all its elements – from historical realities to the harsh truths about frontier life. 
Such messaging is often found in movies with what YouTube film and TV critic, The Critical Drinker, famously calls “The Message.” Costner, however, refused to lecture without context or push an agenda without exploring that time and place from all angles.
“Dances with Wolves” brought the nation’s complicated history to life, not with finger-wagging asides but a three-dimensional portrait that couldn’t be denied.
And, in the process, he forged a connection with American storytelling that became his unofficial identity. Costner has worked constantly since that film’s release, and his career has hit the usual bumps along the way.
He returned to the American West repeatedly over the years, from the unsung 2003 western “Open Range” to 1994’s “Wyatt Earp.” The latter got overshadowed by “Tombstone,” released a year earlier and featuring an iconic turn from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
And, when his career appeared to be on the downside, Costner teamed with rising TV producer Taylor Sheridan to anchor “Yellowstone.” The Paramount series wasn’t set in the 1800s, but its Montana backdrop and timeless themes connected to the stories Costner knows best.
How many modern shows reflect the natural beauty of a state like Montana? For Costner and Sheridan, it just felt like home.
At a time when even “hit” TV shows draw a fraction of the audience of prior smashes, “Yellowstone” drew huge ratings. The show’s 2024 finale drew north of 13 million viewers.
<div id="attachment_969295" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969295" class="size-large wp-image-969295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &quot;Yellowstone, Watch 'Em Ride Away&quot;Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network - copyright Paramount Network 2022" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &#8220;Yellowstone: Watch &#8216;Em Ride Away&#8221; Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network &#8211; copyright Paramount Network 2022</div>
The Sheridan saga featured a sprawling cast, but Costner’s John Dutton anchored the show. Once again, the actor’s instincts and authenticity made the series matter.
Actors can only fake so much. Audiences see the now weathered star as a credible and engaging part of the American landscape. He leaned on that persona for not one but two FOX Nation limited series based on Yellowstone history – “Yellowstone One Fifty” and “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.”
Costner’s cinematic passions came to a head last year with a project that may never be completed as he originally envisioned it.
Costner returned to the director’s chair for 2024’s “Horizon: An American Saga.” The old-school western cost him a pretty penny, and then some. The star used his sizable wealth to help fund what he saw as a four-part movie saga.
The first installment drew modest reviews and tepid box office results – just $38 million worldwide. The second chapter, already filmed, currently lacks a release date, although it debuted at the Venice International Film Festival last year.
The actor has been open about struggling to fund parts three and four, and it’s possible the saga will end with the second film.
The irony? Costner began dreaming up the story behind “Horizon” in the late 1980s, just before his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves.” His quest to turn the American West into a deeply personal film franchise may have been doomed by fiscal realities, but it’s in line with Costner’s creative self.
He loves America, from its natural splendor to its ability to let citizens dream impossible dreams. And nowhere is that more evident than in the great outdoors.
* * *
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.

Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Kevin Costner: The Wild Wild West Movie Star

actors

Celebrities

Hollywood

Kevin Costner

Montana

Yellowstone

Legendary film director Woody Allen delivered nothing but compliments when comedian and HBO host Bill Maher asked him about working with President Donald Trump, saying that he&#8217;d been professional and pleasant whenever they had interacted.
Allen, who worked with Trump for his 1998 film &#8220;Celebrity&#8221; made it clear that he and the president shared no common ground when it came to politics — but he told Maher that when it came to professional behavior on a film set, he had no complaints about Trump.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨NEW: Dem Filmmaker Woody Allen — who once directed Trump — *HEAPS PRAISE* on president&#8217;s acting🚨
&#8220;He was a pleasure to work with and a very good actor. He was very polite and hit his mark and did everything correctly and had a real flair for show business.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DailyCaller</a> <a href="https://t.co/tNJMzcjq46">pic.twitter.com/tNJMzcjq46</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonJournoDC/status/1962489010481140131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;He was a pleasure to work with and a very good actor. He was very polite and hit his mark and did everything correctly and had a real flair for show business,&#8221; Allen said during a recent appearance on Maher&#8217;s &#8220;Club Random&#8221; podcast.
Maher jumped in with a joke then, noting that Allen — who has faced allegations of sexual misconduct — could soon find himself black-listed by even more people simply for praising Trump: &#8220;If you think you were canceled before &#8230;&#8221;
Maher himself had faced a fair amount of backlash for not only dining with President Trump at the White House, but for saying afterward that Trump had been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-telling-you-it-happened-bill-maher-reveals-what-was-said-during-private-dinner-with-trump">very different</a> in person than he&#8217;d been portrayed by media.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;I only wish I could direct him now,&#8221; Allen continued, and Maher laughed. &#8220;If he would let me direct him now that he’s president, I think I could do wonders. But he was very easy to work with.&#8221;
&#8220;I am a Democrat. I voted for Kamala Harris. And I take issue with him on 95% of the things, maybe 99%,&#8221; Allen said. &#8220;But as an actor, he was very good. He was very convincing and he had a charismatic quality as an actor. And I’m surprised he wanted to go into politics. Politics is nothing but headaches and critical decisions and agony. And this was a guy I used to see at the Knick games. And he liked to play golf and he liked to judge beauty contests and he liked to do things that were enjoyable and relaxing. And why anyone would want to suddenly have to deal with the issues of politics is beyond me. But apparently he doesn’t mind.&#8221;

DOUNIAMAG-SPAIN-US-CINEMA

‘A Pleasure To Work With’: Legendary Director Has Nothing But Praise For Donald Trump

'A Pleasure To Work With': Legendary Director Has Nothing But Praise For Donald Trump

Donald Trump

Politics

Woody Allen

Rapper Snoop Dogg has angered LGBT activists with recent statements he made about the pervasiveness of gay storylines in children’s programming.
The 53-year-old recording artist, whose legal name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., made the remarks during an appearance on a recent episode of the “It’s Giving” podcast.
“What you see is what you see, and they’re putting it everywhere,” Snoop said before referencing the 2022 Disney film “Lightyear,” which featured a same-sex couple. 
“They’re like, ‘She had a baby with another woman.’ Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, ‘Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman!’” he went on.
The rapper said he thought,” ‘Oh sh**, I didn’t come in for this sh**. I just came to watch the g**damn movie.’” But his grandson wouldn’t let it go, and said,”’ They just said, she and she had a baby … they’re both women. How does she have a baby?’” 
Snoop said the whole thing “f***ed me up. I’m like, scared to go to the movies. Y’all throwing me in the middle of sh** that I don’t have an answer for.”
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“It threw me for a loop. I’m like, ‘What part of the movie was this? … These are kids,” he added. “We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="It&#039;s Giving...Showing Love To My Wife Doesn&#039;t Make Me Weak, It Makes Me Strong! With @snoopdogg" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bB6JDlXhAoE?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>
“Lightyear” caused a controversy leading up to its release due to the inclusion of a same-sex kiss, which was initially edited out, then restored in response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” by several legacy media outlets and leftists.
The film earned a paltry $226.4 million against a $200 million budget, meaning it likely lost money after factoring in marketing and other expenses. One Disney exec speculated in 2023 that the movie was a flop because they “asked too much of the audience” by doing a concept film based on the beloved “Toy Story” franchise. But critics say the boycotts and negative press surrounding the gay storyline were likely also a factor.
Many of Snoop’s left-wing followers are furious over his statements, evidenced by their insistence that he should be replaced as the headliner at the upcoming Australian Football League’s Grand Final, per <a href="https://ew.com/snoop-dogg-criticizes-lgbtq-representation-in-childrens-films-11796606">Entertainment Weekly</a>. 
This isn’t the first time critics have been angry. The rapper also caught heat for performing at a celebratory event before President Donald Trump’s January 2025 inauguration.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg Calls Out Hollywood For LGBT Themes In Children’s Films: ‘They’re Putting It Everywhere’

Snoop Dogg Calls Out Hollywood For LGBT Themes In Children’s Films: 'They're Putting It Everywhere' 

LGBT

Lightyear

“Basic Instinct” writer Joe Eszterhas, 80, recently discussed how he plans to approach a reboot of the 1992 thriller “Basic Instinct.” 
The film writer spoke again about his plans for the project, telling <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/basic-instinct-writer-promises-anti-woke-reboot-sharon-stone-claims-original-film-ruined-her-image">Fox News Digital</a> that being politically correct has “stripped” films of real dialogue. 
&#8220;I think that the language has been, for political reasons, the truth has been gutted in some ways,&#8221; Eszterhas told the outlet in a newly published interview. &#8220;And yes, I hope that this ‘Basic&#8217; renewal will be as successful, language-wise, as the first one was.&#8221;
He mentioned specific lines with vulgarity, including when Stone’s co-star Michael Douglas, who played homicide detective Nick Curran, called her “the f*** of the century.”
Eszterhas said he’s glad there are conversations in the industry about political correctness. “DEI, it may be a noble concept, but it doesn&#8217;t work in drama and in film,&#8221; he added.
During an <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/joe-eszterhas-basic-instinct-reboot-trump-interview/">interview</a> last month with The Wrap, Eszterhas said the film was “anti-woke” before going into detail about how the main character will be “open about her sexuality” in addition to being, “raunchy at times,” “funny,” and “iconoclastic.”
In the first film, the character Catherine Tramell, a wealthy heiress, is played by Sharon Stone.
“In terms of the woke culture, I think that there is a segment of the population that’s had it with woke culture. But then there’s also a huge segment that hasn’t. I don’t believe in woke and I don’t believe in being politically correct because I think it’s not the truth, and I like the truth spoken,” Eszterhas at the time.
He added, “The absurdities come when a woman who is sexual and open about her sexuality, you know, the culture that that I grew up in would describe that woman as a nymphomaniac. If a man did the same thing he would be a stud.”
While Eszterhas said he’d love Stone to reprise her role as Tramell, the 67-year-old actress seems less enthused about the idea.
&#8220;If it goes the way the one I was in went, I would just say, ‘I don’t know why you do it. I mean, go ahead, but good f***ing luck,&#8221; she said during a Today show appearance this week.
Stone starred in “Basic Instinct 2” in 2006, but the film was panned by both audiences and critics. It currently has a 6% critic’s score and 26% audience rating on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/basic_instinct_2">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.

Basic Instinct

‘Basic Instinct’ Writer Discusses ‘Anti-Woke’ Reboot, Says DEI ‘Doesn’t Work’ In Film

 'Basic Instinct' Writer Discusses 'Anti-Woke' Reboot, Says DEI  'Doesn't Work' In Film

Wokeness

Your average film festival won’t screen “A Minecraft Movie,” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” or “Nobody 2.” And that’s a good thing.
Festivals give indie filmmakers a chance to shine in a crowded marketplace. They also shake up the theatrical experience by pushing audiences out of their comfort zone.
In short, prepare to be challenged. The best art does just that.
<div id="attachment_961513" style="width: 830px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961513" class="wp-image-961513 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-820x576.jpg" alt="TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 15: Mike Downie accepts the &quot;People's Choice Documentary Award&quot; for &quot;The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal&quot; onstage at the TIFF 2024 Awards Ceremony during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival at Luma on September 15, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images)" width="820" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-820x576.jpg 820w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-300x211.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734-768x539.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2172182734.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" />TORONTO, ONTARIO &#8211; SEPTEMBER 15: Mike Downie accepts the &#8220;People&#8217;s Choice Documentary Award&#8221; for &#8220;The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal&#8221; onstage at the TIFF 2024 Awards Ceremony during the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. (Photo by Jeremy Chan/Getty Images)</div>
Yet some modern film festivals are running from that unspoken promise. And, as is often the case, it involves cowardly programmers who refuse to provoke their presumably left-leaning audiences. In other situations, the festivals won’t stand behind art that could draw the wrong kind of crowd.
Protesters, to be specific, the kind that shout, “From the river to the sea…”
The latest, most embarrassing example? The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), one of the industry’s most prestigious events, recently <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/tiff-pulls-october-7-documentary-from-lineup-1236484968/comment-page-2/#comments">yanked an October 7 documentary</a> from its line up.
“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” recalls how retired Israel Defense Forces General Noam Tibon saved Israelis targeted for death by Hamas terrorists during that cataclysmic day.
<div id="attachment_961501" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961501" class="wp-image-961501 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-864x576.jpg" alt="TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 02: Major General (Res.) Noam Tibon speaks during a rally calling for the remaining hostages to be released a day after the temporary truce ended outside The Museum of Modern Art known as the 'The Hostages and Missing Square' on December 2, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The rally’s speakers included recently released hostages and their families, as well as Israeli performers. The end of the weeklong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has also meant a halt to negotiations over the return of more Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. One hundred and ten hostages - a combination of Israelis and foreign nationals - were released during the recent pause in fighting, under half the number estimated to have been taken captive by Palestinian militants on Oct. 7. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1827492879-1.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />TEL AVIV, ISRAEL &#8211; DECEMBER 02: Major General (Res.) Noam Tibon. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images</div>
But why cancel the documentary at all? TIFF officials initially said the film didn’t get the legal clearances for footage of Hamas soldiers attacking innocent Jews. That explanation drew instant ridicule, forcing TIFF to suggest it’s working to find a way <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/tiff-response-the-road-between-us-1236485877/">to solve the issues</a> and re-install the film into its lineup.
Now, an embarrassed TIFF says it will “<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/08/14/world-news/tiff-reverses-course-will-ensure-oct-7-doc-is-screened-following-swift-backlash/">ensure</a>” the film will screen at the September festival after a major media backlash.
The damage is done, no matter what kind of backpedal the festival attempts. Its absurd rationale is likely cover for the real issue – pro-Palestinian protesters would have swarmed the screening, as they’ve done countless times before.
<div id="attachment_961507" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961507" class="size-large wp-image-961507" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-864x576.jpg" alt="TOPSHOT - Palestinians transport a reportedly captured Israeli person, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 7, 2023. One month after Israel was wracked by Hamas attacks, life has been upended for both the Palestinians and Israel after it launched a war of reprisal in the Gaza Strip. The October 7 attacks by Hamas militants who stormed across from Gaza and struck kibbutzim and southern Israeli areas killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and deeply scarred the nation. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says nearly 9,500 have been killed, two-thirds of them women and children, and mostly civilians. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1711807696.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Jewish artists (Michael Rapaport, Matisyahu) routinely find their shows canceled due to fear of pro-Palestinian protests. Festival-based violence could have ensued, although a strong show of force would likely prevent such an occurrence.
The Heckler’s Veto won. Again. It’s one reason why protesters keep on raising their voices. They get results.
Today’s festival programmer too often chooses to censor art rather than let it shine.
A more egregious example of festival cowardice? The Sundance Film Festival threw open its arms to “Jihad Rehab,” a celebrated film focusing on Muslim terrorists and their path to redemption.
The film actually screened the documentary in January 2022, coaxing two festival employees to resign in protest. That was just the beginning of the outrage. Some Muslim filmmakers howled over the film’s inclusion, arguing the film exposed the participants to potential danger. Others suggested the film’s director, a white woman named Meg Smaker, was the wrong person to tell the story.
<div id="attachment_961509" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-961509" class="size-large wp-image-961509" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-864x576.jpg" alt="PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was shot with a fisheye lens.) People stand in front of the Egyptian Theatre along Main Street during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2025 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2196257724.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />David Becker/Getty Images</div>
Sundance later issued an apology for screening the film, and other festivals dropped “Jihad Rehab” from their lineups.
Smaker eventually won the PR war, with far-Left sites like The New York Times and The Atlantic rushing to her side. The film, retitled “The UnRedacted,” <a href="https://www.justwatch.com/us/search?q=the%20unredacted">still can’t be seen via VOD platforms, though.</a>
Still, the most recognizable film festival in the country couldn’t stand up for its own screened film. That sends a chilling signal throughout the creative community.
Pro-Palestinian pressure also got a trans-related documentary <a href="https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/columnist/editors-note/377538/french-transgender-film-gets-cancelled-because-it-made-israel-look-good/">canceled from a Belgium film festival last year</a>. “The Belle from Gaza” focused on a transgender Palestinian woman fleeing Gaza for her own safety and ending up in Tel Aviv.
Variety captured the current state of film festivals in 2023.
<blockquote>In fact, that quick-to-capitulate reflex underscores a new, unspoken modus operandi in which festivals — once the bastion of provocative, button-pushing fare — are desperate to avoid controversy and the wrath of any identity-focused Twitter mob. </blockquote>
It hasn’t gotten better since then. And there’s a second factor in play.
Modern film festivals display a sense of ideological uniformity that diminishes their cultural impact. Left-leaning features are commonplace, be it stories about abortion rights or pro-LGBTQ+ narratives.
Films that defy that ideology rarely, if ever, make the cut.
Imagine a film festival featuring “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman?row=0&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;rowType=Square+Show+Carousel">What Is a Woman?</a>” The Daily Wire’s blistering take down of progressive gender beliefs.
<div id="attachment_805851" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman?row=0&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;rowType=Square+Show+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-805851" class="size-large wp-image-805851" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/MixCollage-01-Oct-2024-04-20-PM-2436-1024x576.jpg" alt="What is a Woman?" width="1024" height="576" /></a>Matt Walsh/What is a Woman?</div>
What about “The Fall of Minneapolis,” a harrowing account of the media’s false narratives surrounding George Floyd’s 2020 death?
Or consider “What Killed Michael Brown?” That 2020 movie exposed similarly skewed narratives surrounding the Missouri resident’s 2014 death following a police interaction.
Had any of those films made the film festival cut it might have sparked protests, resignations or both. Cancellations might have followed.
Festival programmers, by insisting on ideological purity, keep these kinds of projects out of their lineups. And few audience members are challenged along the way.
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Even stories told by those holding unorthodox views may not get a festival closeup. Podcaster Adam Carolla has complained that his opinions have kept his apolitical racing documentaries from debuting in film festivals. The most extreme example? His 2020 documentary “Uppity,” a testament to Willy T. Ribbs, the first black race car driver to compete in the Indy 500, didn’t make the festival circuit.
The film checked enough progressive boxes to be included, and the few critics who reviewed the film raved about its content. That didn’t help Carolla crack the festival market.
Hollywood’s progressive groupthink remains a problem, keeping great stories and actors off screen. A similar sentiment holds with film festivals. A fear of social media controversy, and backbone deficit, is making matters worse.
* * *
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.

2025 Canada’s Walk Of Fame Induction Gala

Cowardice Is Killing The Spirit Of Modern Film Festivals

Documentaries

Hamas

Hostages

Israel

October 7

Sundance Film Festival

Toronto Film Festival

Director Ron Howard is reflecting on “Hillbilly Elegy,” the film he made about the early life of Vice President JD Vance, saying he’s surprised by the VP’s “divisive” rhetoric.
The filmmaker spoke with <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/ron-howard-in-conversation.html">Vulture</a> about his current thoughts on the 2020 film starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams as Vance’s Mamaw and mother, respectively. Actor Gabriel Basso played the adult version of the VP.
The movie was based on Vance’s best-selling 2016 memoir by the same name.
“It remains a bit of a surprise to me,” Howard told Vulture of Vance’s trajectory to the White House. “I would not have seen it coming, and I wouldn’t have expected his rhetoric to be as divisive as it sometimes is. By the way, I’m not following him or listening to every word.”
“He was trying to run an investment fund. So the run for Senate and the strategy he’s chosen to follow are not what I would’ve expected,” he added.
“I don’t think about it,” Howard told Vulture of the film’s legacy. “I know it’s a mixed bag and probably quite culturally divided. I also know that reviews were bad and the audience-reaction rating was pretty good.”
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When asked if he’s had any contact with Vance since filming and promoting the movie was done, the Oscar-winning director admitted he texted Vance after he won alongside Trump in 2024.
“I did one text, after the election, which was just sort of ‘Godspeed. Try to serve us well,&#8217;” Howard told the outlet.
Earlier this year, Basso said he doesn’t regret the part and thinks it’s “crazy” he played someone who eventually became vice president.
&#8220;It&#8217;s kind of weird to be included in that timeline,&#8221; the actor <a href="https://ew.com/gabriel-basso-says-it-was-weird-to-play-cool-dude-jd-vance-8778261">said</a> of the part.
&#8220;When he&#8217;s thinking about his life — they made a movie of his book, and my name will always be in the description,&#8221; Basso said. &#8220;We talked a little bit. He&#8217;s a cool dude. We&#8217;re both from the Midwest. We just talked about life — about growing up in the woods.&#8221;
Meanwhile Close insists that Vance is totally different now than he was on set. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what happened,&#8221; the actress told the audience of “The View” in January. “Power is probably the biggest aphrodisiac for a human being.&#8221;
“Hillbilly Elegy” is about Yale Law student JD Vance (Basso) reflecting on his turbulent upbringing in a working-class Appalachian family and his struggle to break free from cycles of poverty and alcoholism. Told through flashbacks, it follows Vance’s relationship with his strong-willed grandmother (Close) and his troubled mother (Adams). Major themes include redemption, forgiveness, resilience, and strong family ties.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard Comments On Legacy Of Movie About JD Vance’s Life

Ron Howard Comments On Legacy Of Movie About JD Vance's Life

JD Vance

U.S.

Vice President

A new report from The Wall Street Journal explains how the USDA is using movie clips and popular music to keep hungry wolves away from livestock.
One clip of audio is from the 2019 drama “Marriage Story” starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Laura Dern. The film follows a couple going through a divorce while navigating custody issues over their son. The particular scene being used by the USDA, which has been popular among meme creators for years, shows the couple embattled in a heated argument. 
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/wolves-drones-livestock-ac-dc-scarlett-johansson-ed12d278">According</a> to WSJ, ranchers are using drones equipped with thermal cameras and spotlights to detect wolves at night, while loudspeakers blast unsettling sounds such as fireworks, gunshots, or even movie clips to keep the deadly predators at bay.
“I need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad,” USDA district supervisor Paul Wolf told the outlet.
Playing these clips at high volume is known as “wolf hazing” and acts as a deterrent for wolves looking to turn livestock into a meal. During this hazing, the speakers blast songs such as Five Finger Death Punch’s “Blue on Black” and the AC/DC classic “Thunderstruck” to scare off the would-be predators. 
These drones are being used to protect the gray wolf population in the area, which is still on the endangered species list. But the article noted how the number of gray wolves has expanded since they were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995.
WSJ noted that fewer calves were killed in southern Oregon after the drones were introduced. Over a period of 20 days, ranchers lost 11 cattle, but after 85 days of using the music and movie clip broadcasting drones, only 2 calves fell victim to the hungry wolves.
Whether &#8220;wolf hazing&#8221; can function as a long-term strategy for the USDA remains to be seen. Ranchers Jim and Mary Rickerts are unsure of its effectiveness if the wolves become used to the drones over time. &#8220;Hopefully they’re gonna be successful, but I’m kinda betting on the wolves, truth be known,” Jim Rickerts told The Wall Street Journal.

Gray wolf

USDA Uses Movie Clip Of Marital Spat To Scare Wolves Away

Drones

Oregon

USDA

wildlife

Fantastic Four: First Steps just might be Marvel’s most pro-family movie yet. The bond between Reed and Susan Richards is rock solid, and the joy they share as they prepare to have their first child is heart-warming. Along with Susan’s younger brother Johnny Storm and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm, the Four make a tight-knit family unit, going to great lengths to protect Baby Franklin — and their fellow citizens of Earth — from existential threats. The movie’s core message is heard in Susan’s words as she describes why the Four work so well together: “It’s about fighting for something bigger than yourself,” she says. “Whatever life throws at us, we’ll face it together, as a family.”
But just as the credits roll and we’re ready to declare the movie a real winner, along comes a curveball in the bonus scene that may leave us scratching our heads. It’s now four years later, and Sue is reading The Hungry Caterpillar to Franklin in their living room. When he asks for more, Mom calls to H.E.R.B.I.E, the family’s helpful robotic assistant, to fetch another book to read. We see H.E.R.B.I.E hold up an old copy of Charles Darwin’s famous 19th century volume On The Origin of Species. Mom says that’s not the book she’s looking for, but comments that they love reading that one too. Having found the story she had in mind, Sue returns to the living room and, in typical Marvel fashion, the scene concludes with a little foreshadowing to set up the next installment.
Wait a second. Origin of Species for story time?
At first, it may seem like a natural fit. Mr. Fantastic is a polymath, highly skilled in physics, biology and chemistry, as well as mathematics and engineering. He specializes in harnessing science and technology to help the Four solve difficult problems. He’s a confident scientist, but he&#8217;s also curious and humble, and at times, ready to admit to forces beyond his understanding. Reed would certainly have respect for Darwin’s accomplishments as a scientist, and that’s probably good enough reason to keep a copy of Darwin’s book around the house. But if any superhero team would be skeptical of a purely Darwinian view of life, it would be the Fantastic Four. Let’s look at why their experiences don’t match the expectations of Darwinian materialism.
Throughout the movie, the Four demonstrate countless examples of sacrificial love and commitment to a higher purpose. Reed and Susan deny themselves regularly for the greater good. Johnny Storm is often the first to leap into the path of danger, even willing to die for others if necessary, and Ben is about as selfless as they come. But in a world where life is the result of chance processes like unguided natural selection and random mutations, things like love and purpose are merely social constructs, irrelevant to the struggle for life. Life boils down to survival and power, qualities that are actually espoused by the Four’s formidable foe, Galactus. No purpose means no value, and no value means no moral order. But the Fantastic Four act like human lives and relationships have inherent worth, not just a utilitarian function. Their willingness to suffer and even die for one another and for strangers only makes sense in a universe where life and love have meaning beyond survival.
The lives of this remarkable family also revolve around a universe teeming with intelligent design. The Four contend with their fair share of intelligent beings, from the Silver Surfer, a humanoid alien from the planet Zenn-La, to the mighty Galactus, who devours whole planets in his quest to survive. And alternate dimensions, portals, and even multiple universes suggest a cosmos rich in order. Yet a materialistic worldview contends that the universe is self-contained and closed to outside influence. This would require that there is no such thing as a supernatural being, force, or cause that influences the universe.
So what caused all life in the Marvel universe to exist? Our findings on Planet Earth may yield an important clue. Here, Darwin’s selection/mutation mechanism has been carefully tested in the last century and found wanting. It doesn’t have the creative power or the time to produce the information necessary to power the origin and development of life. And along with our discovery that information runs the show in biology, we’ve also found, based on our uniform and repeated experience, that the only known cause of information is intelligence. The conclusion? A designing intelligence played a role in the history of life. Could it be the same elsewhere? Given his commitment to the quest for scientific truth, Mr. Fantastic would certainly be willing to entertain the notion.
After all they’ve witnessed in their many adventures, it seems unlikely that the Fantastic Four would have a strong commitment to scientific materialism. Perhaps they keep Darwin’s book around as a cautionary tale, a way to teach their children that scientific hubris can blind us to the wonder and order of the universe with dangerous and far-reaching consequences. If so, maybe Darwin’s Origin of Species does belong on the shelf next to The Hungry Caterpillar after all.
* * *
Andrew McDiarmid is a Senior Fellow and Director of Podcasting at the Discovery Institute. His writing has appeared in the New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Daily Wire, and elsewhere. Follow him on X at @amcdiarmid or visit andrewmcdiarmid.org.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: An earlier version stated the bonus scene in the film takes place &#8220;a year later.&#8221; It is actually four years later.

MixCollage-05-Aug-2025-08-52-AM-2732

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: Pro-Family Film With A Darwinian Curveball

Charles Darwin

Marvel

Opinion

In 2017, “Saturday Night Live” uncorked a riotous “‘Woke Jeans’ commercial” tied to the growing woke movement.
The clip proved an exception to the mainstream comedy rule. Woke was more or less off limits to “SNL,” Late-Night hosts, and film comedies, despite a dearth of material.
Insane cultural rules. Virtue-signaling politicians. Identity Politics gone wild. The comic possibilities seemed endless.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Levi&#039;s Wokes - SNL" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/adPXDTvADD0?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>
&nbsp;
Nothing to laugh about here. Move along. Only Comedy Central’s “South Park” regularly targeted the cultural scourge via PC Principal, trans athletes in women’s sports, and related gags.
Now, things are changing. It’s suddenly acceptable to mock the progressive overreach.
The new movie “Eddington” takes direct aim at woke, along with COVID-19 restrictions, conspiracy theorists and BLM sloganeering.
Director Ari Aster’s film isn’t one-sided or brimming with lectures. It takes us back to May 2020, a time when the George Floyd riots were raging across America and government rules made citizens mask up to stop the virus’ spread.
<div id="attachment_955565" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-955565" class="wp-image-955565 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-1024x576.jpg" alt="Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in “Eddington” (2025) A24. Square Peg Productions. 828 Productions. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-11-14-AM-5738-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal in “Eddington” (2025) A24. Square Peg Productions. 828 Productions. IMDB.</div>
The story unfolds in a fictional small town in New Mexico, one about to be rocked by dueling social contagions.
It’s uncomfortable to watch and often hilarious, mocking both Alex Jones types and white teens desperate to be woke. The latter ape the progressive talking points of their big-city peers, desperate to fit in and appear cool.
Heck, one newly woke teen just wants to “get” with a pretty girl, and he’ll virtue all the signals he can to make that happen.
The film’s biggest laugh? A white teen explains his “privilege” to his parents, and his father snaps back at him.
“Are you a f***ing retard? You’re white.”
Aster’s films aren’t blockbusters, but his arthouse musings represent mainstream artistic values. And, yes, he went there. So much so that a New York Times <a href="https://x.com/matthewschmitz/status/1947120245329576009">film critic</a> literally <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/ny-times-eddington-director-mocking-blm/">cursed him out</a> for inserting those gags in his film.
<blockquote>“F*** you, Ari Aster. Really, seriously. It’s so easy to mock these things. People are still dying from COVID. We may no longer be living in a pandemic… I just don’t find it funny, and I find it really important for people to, I think white people should interrogate their f***Ing whiteness, and I think Ari Aster should start.”</blockquote>
Triggered.
<div id="attachment_955653" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-955653" class="size-large wp-image-955653" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2215538204-864x576.jpg" alt="CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 17: (L-R) Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, Ari Aster, Joaquin Phoenix and Austin Butler pose during the &quot;Eddington&quot; photocall at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2025 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2215538204-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2215538204-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2215538204-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2215538204.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Andreas Rentz/Getty Images</div>
The recent horror-comedy “Ick” from provocateur Joseph Kahn also tees-off on woke overreach. The story follows another small town where calamity strikes. This time, the danger comes from a mysterious plant-like substance that goes from benign to deadly.
The menace allows Kahn to satirize American culture, conspiracy mongers (again) and that woke mind virus. Virtue signaling takes it on the chin, as do students talking like an unproduced Lena Dunham sitcom.
It’s far from flattering.
Those eager for a deeper dive into woke excess can read “The Sandersons Fail Manhattan.&#8221; Author Scott Johnston’s biting satire follows a rich New York family caught up in the city&#8217;s progressive mania. A fancy prep school is desperate to recruit its first trans student, while the story&#8217;s patriarch must learn if his colleague is gay enough to satisfy key DEI requirements.
<div id="attachment_955657" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sandersons-Fail-Manhattan-Novel/dp/1250384788"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-955657" class="size-large wp-image-955657" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-384x576.jpg" alt="Cover Credit: St. Martin's Press" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-1360x2040.jpg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/MixCollage-01-Aug-2025-12-42-PM-5680-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a>Cover Credit: St. Martin&#8217;s Press</div>
While “Eddington” and “Ick” take shots at woke, “Manhattan” is a full-on assault against Identity Politics and its cultural tendrils. No apologies.
Even comedians can shred woke pieties from major platforms without fear of reprisal and tell jokes that the woke mob deemed off limits.
Last year, the comedy roast format roared back to life with Netflix’s “tribute” to NFL great Tom Brady.
More recently, stand-up comic Shane Gillis proved that anew. Gillis, starring in Netflix’s rowdy comedy “Tires,” is a walking, talking testament to woke’s cultural decline. The comedian got hired, and promptly fired, by “SNL” for crude comments tied to Asian culture. Rather than fade into obscurity, Gillis went back to work, rebuilding his career.
His star rose so high that “SNL” invited him to host the program – twice – without censoring his rebellious streak.
<div id="attachment_955665" style="width: 835px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-955665" class="size-large wp-image-955665" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225471382-825x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 16: Shane Gillis speaks onstage during the 2025 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre on July 16, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)" width="825" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225471382-825x576.jpg 825w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225471382-300x209.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225471382-768x536.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225471382.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px" />Kevin Winter/Getty Images</div>
More recently, he emceed the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shane-gillis-destroys-the-espys-and-wokeness">ESPY Awards</a>, mocking woke sacred cows like former soccer player Megan Rapinoe, a progressive scold synonymous with virtue signaling.
“Megan Rapinoe could not make it tonight … nice.”
A few media outlets grumbled about his “problematic” material. No Cancel Culture-style punishment ensued, nor was he forced to make a “hostage”-style apology.
Now, a rare voice eager to mock the woke mindset returns to do more of the same. “Beavis &amp; Butt-head” creator Mike Judge took an early swing at woke with his failed 2009 ABC sitcom “The Goode Family.” The show proved ahead of its time, teasing a hard-Left clan who strained to be better than, well, everyone.
Now, Judge is using his “King of the Hill” reboot to satirize gender fluidity, cultural appropriation and more on Hulu starting August 4.
Judge isn’t as merciless as Johnston, but his “Hill” gags give the game away. One episode finds wokesters attacking Bobby Hill, now a young man and overseeing a fusion restaurant. The menu in question sparks cries of cultural appropriation, leaving the Hill clan confused and upset.
The show finds a resolution, albeit one that illustrates the wobbly nature of woke criticism.
Has the pop culture dam finally broken on all things woke? The re-election of Donald Trump pushed the pendulum, hard, in that direction. We’re seeing the fruits of that shift now in pop culture.
More may follow.
And, if “SNL,” late-night TV and mainstream comedies continue to avoid these juicy targets, their cultural clout will diminish even further. Just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nyc-were-with-colbert-rally-draws-tens-of-people-even-cops-go-home">ask Stephen Colbert how that works</a>.
* * *
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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Triggered Yet? Pop Culture’s Woke Takedown Has Begun

Triggered Yet? Pop Culture's Woke Takedown Has Begun

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Neal McDonough made a career out of playing tough characters. From Lieutenant Lynn &#8220;Buck&#8221; Compton in “Band of Brothers” to the steely villain Michael Beck in “Yellowstone,” McDonough always seems to play someone who sends a chill up your spine.
But offscreen, McDonough’s the polar opposite: warm and kind, committed to faith and family, and on a quest to make movies that touch audiences on a deeper level.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, McDonough opened up about his new film, “Guns N’ Moses,” an independent thriller about a group of orthodox Jews grappling with the aftermath of an attack on their synagogue. He hopes the film will inspire viewers to find connections with those who don’t share their beliefs, and realize that we all have more in common than we may otherwise think.
The actor also discussed why he believes smaller, independent films are filling a gap left by Hollywood.
“Guns N’ Moses” was shot in just 20 days, but boasts impressive production values. McDonough thrives on the challenges of indie filmmaking because, he said, that’s where meaningful stories still get told.
“You couldn’t make a film like this for a big studio because it really goes out on a limb and talks about things,” he explained. “The studios…they’re much more tentpole films now…big, huge, action blockbuster types of films. And they’ve really kind of gotten away from the crafting of ideas for smaller films.”
For McDonough, those smaller films are where the important conversations happen.
“Films like this make you realize that we need to be nicer to each other,” he said. “We can all have our different beliefs, but we all believe in the same all-powerful being that created all of us. So, we should be rooting for each other more.”
A devout Catholic, McDonough said he’s experienced firsthand how speaking openly about faith can bring backlash in the industry. He <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-neal-mcdonough-fired-scoundrels-094213107.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> in 2010 after being let go from the ABC drama “Scoundrels” for refusing to participate in intimate scenes or kiss another woman.
“Whenever you stand up for your faith, especially in a positive way, there will be so many people who are ready to take you down,” he said. “They have to have a fight over it. ‘My faith is better than your faith. My color is better than your color. My bank account is bigger than yours.’ It’s kind of exhausting.”
He referenced John Lennon’s “Imagine” as an idealistic vision, but acknowledged that it’s not necessarily realistic.
“Films like Guns N’ Moses talk about the fact that it’s not a better place at times,” he said. “There is hate and there are problems within faiths. Especially now with what’s going on with Israel and the Middle East…it’s really a hard time to figure out: well, what is the truth?”
For McDonough, the answer remains the same. “The truth is always what God says to me in particular. It’s what is God’s idea? God’s idea is we must love each other and we must honor God. Those are the two big things that we’re supposed to be doing.”
In recent years, McDonough and his wife, Ruvé McDonough, a South African model he met while filming “Band of Brothers,” have been producing their own slate of films. Their latest project, “The Last Rodeo,” recently hit top spots on Amazon and Apple.
“People really want to see films that make you think about faith, make you think about Him,” McDonough said. “Doesn’t matter if you’re a Jew or a Christian or Muslim or agnostic or whatever. It makes you think, how can I be a bit better of a person as a husband or as a father, as a coworker, as whatever?”
“A lot of films nowadays don’t allow you to think. They give you the choices and they’ll play the music to swell up to make you think that way. Well, that’s manufacturing a thought process,” he added.
The Hollywood veteran believes films like “Guns N’ Moses” push back against that formula.
“It’s pimples and all. Here’s the film. It’s going to make you think about what your place is in life and how you can make it a better place for everyone else around you.”
For McDonough, it all circles back to the values he holds dear: faith, family, and finding life’s deeper meaning.
“America is the United States of America, not the divided States of America,” he said. “Our country was built upon faith…a Judeo-Christian faith is what it was built upon. It mentions God four times in the Declaration of Independence. It’s on our money. It’s everywhere we go.”
“But somehow we veer away from it because of the temptations that are in front of us. A bigger car, nicer house…You’ll never find happiness if you’re chasing that,” the actor said.
He admitted he used to chase those things himself until he shifted focus to what truly matters.
“Once you start chasing the right thing, two things are going to happen,” he explained. “You’re going to be much more fulfilled because you’re doing the right thing for your Heavenly Father. But it’s also gonna be a lot of people out there who are gonna want to take you down and say horrible things.”
Yet he remains committed to telling stories that encourage audiences to reflect and grow.
“We’re gonna keep on making films like ‘Guns N’ Moses.’ We’re gonna keep on doing films like ‘The Last Rodeo,’ which is killing it right now on video. People want to see films that they can bring the whole family to look at, and have a real discussion about a movie and how we can be better as a society.”
McDonough also dismissed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-lost-the-plot-now-rebels-are-making-movies-great-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the notion</a> that conservative Christians are at odds Jewish people. “That’s not true,” he said flatly. “America is really a Judeo-Christian society. I lived in Hancock Park for a long time and all our neighbors were orthodox Jews. And boy, we got along quite well.”
He called the faith traditions “almost exactly identical” in their values and said true believers in any faith respect each other.
“It’s the ones who don’t 100% believe in Him first, me second…then it becomes about you and your personal opinions. Well, it shouldn’t really be your personal opinion. It should be your personal acceptance of God, acceptance of other beliefs, acceptance of everyone.”
“No one is exactly the same. So why should one person think that their belief or their color or their money is better than somebody else’s? It’s all about faith and He built us to love each other, not to hate each other.”
That, McDonough said, is the message at the heart of “Guns N’ Moses.”
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “Shouldn’t we just enjoy each other more instead of hating each other more?”
Despite Hollywood’s frequent hostility toward faith-based storytelling, McDonough is hopeful that independent films can help fill the cultural gap.
“I think Hollywood has really veered off from making films that can help change your life in a better way to making films that can change your life through darkness and through all kinds of crazy stuff. And I’m guilty of being part of a lot of those films,” he admitted. “I have to make a living as an actor.”
“But when it has our name on it for the McDonough Company, you know it’s gonna be a film that is about family, it’s about faith, and it’s about doing the right thing. And ‘Guns N’ Moses’ goes right along with that.”
He’s convinced audiences are hungry for it. “There has to be a common ground,” McDonough said. “We can come together and allow each other to have our different beliefs… and maybe we can enjoy some together and break bread together and have a good conversation.” And that’s the type of filmmaking he intends to keep pursuing.
“Guns N’ Moses” hits theaters July 18. “It’s an important movie,” McDonough said. “You guys gotta go out there and see it.”

Los Angeles Premiere Of “The Shift”

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Will Smith has revealed that he passed on starring roles in several of the biggest films in Hollywood — seemingly huge misses that he calls &#8220;beautiful scars.&#8221;
The 56-year-old actor has discussed turning down several major movie roles, including parts in “The Matrix,” “Inception,” and “Django Unchained.” Smith revealed some of the reasons why he passed on those projects, including not understanding the point the movies were trying to make and having a difference of opinion about the narratives.
During a June 2025 <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/will-smith-inception-offer-plot-confusing-1236432602/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Kiss Xtra, Smith revealed that director Christopher Nolan offered him the lead in the hit film “Inception” (2010), but he decided not to take it.
“Chris Nolan brought me ‘Inception’ first, and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud,” he told the outlet of the sci-fi action heist film.
“Movies that go into those alternate realities…they don’t pitch well,” he continued, explaining that the concept of dreams within dreams did not make sense to him during the pitch process.
“Inception,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role that Smith turned down, earned over $839 million worldwide.
Nolan’s blockbuster isn’t the only time Smith made a big mistake in turning down movie roles. The actor previously confirmed that he turned down the role of Neo in “The Matrix” (1999), a part that later went to Keanu Reeves and helped define the latter’s Hollywood career.
In a 2019 video posted on YouTube, Smith said, “I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth…I did turn down Neo.” He explained that the pitch didn’t sway him because it left him confused. “That was one of my beautiful scars…But there’s a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced.”
<div id="attachment_947631" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-947631" class="size-large wp-image-947631" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1239558965-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1239558965-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1239558965-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1239558965-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-1239558965.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Will Smith slaps Chris Rock onstage at the Oscars (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
The actor explained how the pitch sounded to him at the time, including how the scene involving the iconic slow motion action sequences was described.
“We’re thinking like…imagine you’re in a fight. You, like, jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump,” he <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/news/will-smith-matrix-inception-christopher-nolan-b2773588.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, per The Independent.
“But then, people could see around you 360 degrees while you stop jumping. We’re going to invent these cameras and then people can see the whole jump when you stop in the middle of the jump.”
Instead of taking the role in “The Matrix,” Smith chose to star in “Wild Wild West,” which did not achieve the same level of critical or commercial success. “The Matrix” went on to earn approximately $460 million globally and remains a cultural touchstone.
And that’s not all. The Hollywood A-lister also turned down the Quentin Tarantino film “Django Unchained” (2012) after being approached early on for the lead role, which ultimately went to Jamie Foxx.
In a 2015 roundtable <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/will-smith-mark-ruffalo-four-842621/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussion</a> with The Hollywood Reporter, Smith said he had a difference of opinion with Tarantino about the film’s narrative.
“It was about the creative direction of the story,” he said at the time. “To me, it’s as perfect a story as you could ever want: a guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave. That idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin [Tarantino] and I couldn’t see [eye to eye]. I wanted to make the greatest love story that African-Americans had ever seen.”
“We talked, we met, we sat for hours and hours about it,” Smith explained at the time. “I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt the only way was, it had to be a love story, not a vengeance story. I don’t believe in violence as the reaction to violence. So when I’m looking at that, it’s like, ‘No, no, no. It has to be for love.’”
In a later appearance on his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s Red Table Talk, Smith mentioned that he turned down the role because of his family.
“I was going to do Django,” he <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/12/will-smith-turned-down-django-unchained-so-it-wouldnt-affect-his-kids?srsltid=AfmBOorXrpLAasO0nYKR6-7it1lop3aUUcZmYBsfWF5H3yJNjPCl7w9N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We had a family meeting and we all talked about Django. I wasn’t all the way in, but one of the main reasons that I wasn’t was the looks on your faces ’cause you knew what that would mean and those characters seep back into the house.”
Smith has described these decisions as “beautiful scars,” acknowledging them as significant moments in his career. He used the phrase in both interviews and in his 2025 song “Beautiful Scars,” where he referenced “The Matrix” and other surprising career choices.
The song and music video feature Smith reenacting a scene from &#8220;The Matrix&#8221; where Smith is offered the red and blue pills. In the video, Smith is offered the choice to go back and star in &#8220;The Matrix,&#8221; but he ultimately chooses to embrace his past choices and let it go.
Despite passing on these films, Smith has chosen some hits in Hollywood, including “Independence Day,” “Men in Black,” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.” He won an Academy Award for his work in “King Richard” in 2022, which was the same night of the now-infamous slap he gave to Oscars host Chris Rock.

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