This week we’re breaking down a jam-packed slate of movie news and reviews:

🎬 Box Office Update – Weapons holds strong at #1 with a huge $155M worldwide on just a $38M budget. But does it live up to the hype? (Spoiler: not really…)
🎥 Reviews – My full thoughts on Weapons (great cinematography, goofy ending), plus in-depth takes on Eddington (a rare 10/10 masterpiece), Highest 2 Lowest, and more.
🧙‍♂️ Lord of the Rings News – A new Gollum movie is on the way, with Ian McKellen and Elijah Wood returning. Do we actually need this?
🎞️ Early Buzz – First reviews are in for Honey Don’t!, Splitsville, Lurker, and Ron Howard’s Eden. Some hits, some misses.
📽️ Upcoming Projects – Ben Stiller shifts from Severance to a new WWII survival movie, plus new trailers for Keepers, The Ballad of a Small Player, and Black Rabbit.

If you want the unfiltered truth about what’s worth your time at the movies (and what isn’t), this is the episode for you.

Episode 10 of The Weekly Reel breaks down the box office shakeup as Weapons opens big, Freakier Friday surprises, and the MCU’s Fantastic Four continues to flop. We cover the latest on the Rambo prequel, Rajamouli’s epic follow-up to RRR, early buzz for Nobody 2, Sydney Sweeney’s Americana, and Spike Lee’s reunion with Denzel in Highest 2 Lowest. 🎥 From bombs to blockbusters, here’s what you need to know this week in movies.

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Comedy’s back (for real), sci-fi’s getting roasted, and the sequel machine never sleeps. This week we break down a crowd-pleasing Naked Gun reboot, the wildly panned War of the Worlds on Prime, fresh casting/news for Star Wars: Starfighter, a disaster-movie follow-up with Greenland: Migration, and where things stand with Michael Mann’s long-gestating Heat 2. We wrap with Early Buzz and a quick Trailer Roundup.

What we cover

• Naked Gun Reboot — Box office win, rapid-fire gags, Liam Neeson’s deadpan lands, Pamela Anderson surprises. One set-piece had us crying—no spoilers, but… snowman.
• War of the Worlds (Prime Video) — A rare national pastime: everyone dunking in unison. We read a few choice review lines and ask how this even happened.
• Star Wars: Starfighter — Matt Smith boards as the villain opposite Ryan Gosling. Hype check on the title, the timeline (post-Ep IX), and Shawn Levy at the helm.
• Greenland: Migration — The Garritys leave the bunker for a shattered world. We revisit the first film’s chaotic morals and predict where the sequel could go.
• Heat 2 — Budget jitters, star-power math, and our fantasy casting for Hanna, McCauley, Chris, and Cherrito—plus whether Leo actually fits anywhere.

Early Buzz

• Weapons (Zach Cregger) — Strong early raves; tense, darkly funny, and meticulously crafted.
• Freakier Friday — Lohan & Curtis reunion delivers easy laughs and warm nostalgia (with some quibbles).
• Sketch — Family-friendly high-concept charmer with standout word-of-mouth.
• Stans — Eminem fandom doc exploring the artist vs. persona dynamic.

Trailer Talk

Jay Kelly, Rental Family, Ella McCay — instant reactions and watch-list verdicts.

It’s a jam-packed week on The Weekly Reel as Mike and Aaron trade hot-takes on everything tearing up (or flaming out at) the multiplex:

🎬 Movie News & Reviews

• Fantastic Four fizzles—why Marvel’s retro reboot couldn’t out-soar Superman and how even Pedro Pascal couldn’t stretch past a paper-thin script.
• Happy Gilmore 2 swings onto Netflix 30 years later—dumb fun or franchise foul? We break down the record-shattering 47 million-view debut.
• Focker-in-Law announced! Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Ariana Grande, and…more milking of the Parents-verse?
• The Social Network Part II: The Zuck Strikes Back—Sorkin writes and directs, Jeremy Strong steps into Zuckerberg’s hoodie, and we ask: do we really need this sequel?
• James Cameron’s next frontier: adapting Joe Abercrombie’s dark-fantasy bestseller The Devils. Why the 70-year-old legend calls it “off its tits.”

🍿 Early Buzz Spotlight

• The Naked Gun reboot (91 % RT) delivers rapid-fire gags—does it honor the Leslie Nielsen legacy?
• Together: real-life couple Alison Brie & Dave Franco bring squirm-inducing romance-meets-body-horror.
• Sam Raimi’s Send Help test-screening reactions—gleefully twisted return to form or too mean-spirited?
• Blue Moon early raves crown it a “perfect work of art”—but one critic begs to differ.

📺 Trailer Talk

• First look at Blue Moon, Zootopia 2, and James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash—our instant reactions.

💬 Join the conversation: Drop your take on the Fantastic Four flop or tell us which sequel you’re actually excited for in the comments!

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Movie news roundup:

Jurassic World: Rebirth has grossed $648M worldwide and is increasingly unlikely to reach $1B—even though Dominion, panned at 29% RT, still hit the mark. Rebirth sits at 51% on RT: not a disaster, but just plainly bad. And with Superman stealing audience share, it’s clear Jurassic fatigue has hit the brand hard—making this one feel more like Stillbirth than Rebirth.

Meanwhile, Superman soars with another $58M in the US and $45M overseas, now at $407M globally. Word of mouth is king even of us casual viewers—and it’s holding strong. But this weekend the Fantastic Four reboot starring Pedro Pascal hits theaters—will it snatch the top spot, or will both films lift each other?

Eddington, set during the pandemic, landed at #7 with $4M—perfect example of a bizarre release strategy. A film from Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) that critics rate at 68% RT, but still doesn’t resonate with mainstream audiences—even with Pedro Pascal and that iconic ‘stache.

Other box office chatter:

The IKWYDLS remake did modest numbers—reviews felt meh.

The Smurfs movie limped into #4 despite a gasping 21% RT score.

F1, How to Train Your Dragon (live‑action), and Lilo & Stitch continue solid runs, with L&S hitting nearly $900M worldwide—a staggering showing for a paint‑by‑numbers remake.

Pixar’s Elio flopped hard, and 28 Years Later has now doubled its $60M budget, pushing $145M globally.

Kevin Feige & the MCU future:

In interviews with Variety, Kevin Feige acknowledges the MCU’s oversaturation: “50 hours from 2007–2019… then 100+ hours in half that time—that’s too much.” He argues the issue is oversupply, not demand—and points to Superman as proof that audiences still crave quality storytelling.

His most awkward quote? “We didn’t want to simply put a leather outfit on Mahershala Ali and have him start killing vampires”—ironic given that’s exactly what fans want from Blade.


Early buzz — Fantastic Four:

Now playing and blowing up reviews at 88% RT, with the retro‑futuristic aesthetic and cast chemistry praised across the board. Seitz (RogerEbert) calls it “solid, intelligent… and occasionally inspired.” FT says it’s “good‑natured and good value—but might be remembered for its nice bathrooms.” IndieWire pans it as “a total surrender… MCU crawling on knees.”

Other new releases to watch:

Oh, Hi! is a quirky rom‑com starring Logan Lerman, Molly Gordon, and David Cross—67% RT. Expect tonal unevenness, but a playful cast and fresh enough twist to find its crowd.

The Home from the creator of The Purge couldn’t scare itself out of obscurity—only one review and heavy walkouts suggests it’s dead on arrival.

Weapons, director Zach Cregger’s follow‑up to Barbarian, is getting hype from social influencers: comparisons range from Magnolia and Prisoners to Pulp Fiction—but critics warn the payoff doesn’t land. Still, it may polarize enough to deserve a look.

This week, we mourn the loss of Malcolm‑Jamal Warner, who passed away on July 20, 2025, in a tragic drowning accident during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Warner—best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show—was 54. He was swept into a powerful rip current at Playa Cocles, and despite rescue efforts by bystanders and first responders, he could not be revived. Initial confusion claimed his daughter was in the water, but authorities later clarified she remained safely onshore. Warner is survived by his wife and daughter. His legacy—as an Emmy‑nominated actor, Grammy‑winning musician, poet, and host of the podcast Not All Hood—will be dearly missed by fans and peers alike

This week’s Weekly Reel is stacked with big box office wins, casting shake-ups, and early reactions from some wild new releases. Here’s what’s making headlines:

Superman Smashes the Box Office

James Gunn’s Superman debuts with a heroic $220M global opening! We break down the numbers, give our spoiler-free review, and talk about how this might fast-track DC’s rebooted Wonder Woman. Plus, we got our first Supergirl poster!

Legend of Zelda Cast Revealed

Nintendo announces the stars of its Zelda movie: Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. Wes Ball (Planet of the Apes) directs. And Donkey Kong fans? You’re eating too. 🍌

Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey

Presales have already started for Nolan’s next IMAX epic—more than a year in advance! We unpack why Odyssey might be shaping up to be Nolan’s biggest event yet.

Harry Potter TV Show First Look

New images drop for HBO’s Harry Potter reboot. We weigh in on the cast reveal, the internet’s overreactions, and why a fresh take might be overdue.

Gosling & Ferrell Team Up in “Tough Guys”

Two henchmen go rogue in this upcoming action comedy. Could this be the spiritual cousin to The Nice Guys?

Casting News Round-Up

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Lily-Rose Depp team with Eggers again for Werwulf

Street Fighter adds Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim

JB Tadena joins The Adventures of Cliff Booth with Brad Pitt and David Fincher

Early Buzz: New Releases

Eddington – Ari Aster's pandemic western is visually stunning but tonally divisive (67% RT)
 I Know What You Did Last Summer – Legacy reboot struggles to stand out (48% RT)
Smurfs – Even the kids deserve better (22% RT)

New Trailers We Saw This Week

Mortal Kombat 2
Tron: Ares
Stranger Things: Season 5

This week’s episode is packed tighter than a Smurf village during Comic-Con. Hit that subscribe button and ring the bell so you don’t miss your Friday fix of film news!

The Weekly Reel – Episode 5
July 11th, 2025

This week, The Weekly Reel is packed with franchise fire, critical hits and misses, and a whole lot of movie mayhem. From dinosaurs dominating the box office to James Gunn’s Superman soaring with critics, we break it all down:

Jurassic World: Rebirth
$322M global debut—but is it any good? We saw it, and let’s just say the Rotten Tomatoes score might be too generous…

Dune: Part Three
Denis Villeneuve gears up for the final chapter, bringing in Paul and Chani’s children, IMAX cameras, and possibly some Children of Dune twists.

Street Fighter Returns
A chaotic live-action reboot with a wild cast including Jason Momoa, 50 Cent, and Andrew Schulz. No script. $100M budget. What could go wrong?

Deeper
Tom Cruise goes underwater in a new supernatural thriller from Doug Liman. Think The Abyss meets Mission: Impossible.

Werewulf
Robert Eggers returns with a medieval horror set in 13th-century England—authentic Old English and all.

RIP Michael Madsen
We salute the legendary character actor whose grit defined a generation of crime cinema.

Early Buzz
Superman is finally back—and he's getting rave reviews. Gunn’s take is heartfelt, weird, and full of flying fists.
Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story offers moody buildup with a violent payoff.
Sovereign, starring Nick Offerman, is a raw, intense true-crime drama examining the Sovereign Citizen movement and fractured father-son dynamics.

New Trailers
Project Hail Mary
Cat in the Hat
The Running Man

Whether you’re in it for capes, kaiju, or casting chaos, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss your Friday fix of film news on The Weekly Reel.

The Weekly Reel – Episode 4
June 20th, 2025

This week on The Weekly Reel, we’re diving into a blockbuster batch of movie news, early buzz, and fresh trailers just in time for your weekend watchlist.

James Gunn Gets Candid
Rolling Stone sits down with the DC Studios chief as he opens up about Superman, the pressure of rebooting the DCEU, and why Robert Pattinson probably won’t be joining his Batman plans.

Jurassic World: Rebirth Roars to Life
Scarlett Johansson and Gareth Edwards promise a return to the franchise’s Spielberg roots—but can they really deliver?

 Bond 26 Drama
Amazon vs. the Broccolis: Leaks suggest production starts in 2026, but behind-the-scenes clashes might shake the foundation of 007.

Early Buzz

• F1 (Brad Pitt x Damson Idris) zooms in with 85% RT and high praise
• Pixar’s Elio charms with heart and imagination
• 28 Years Later shocks with a 91% RT score—after Sony held the reviews hostage

 New Trailers

• The Naked Gun reboot teases absurdity
• I Know What You Did Last Summer gets a modern slash

Whether you're here for the movie scoops, studio drama, or review roundups, Episode 4 has your weekend movie brain covered.

Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss what’s real in the reel world.

This episode kicks off with a heartfelt message about the ongoing ICE raids in Los Angeles, our city, our home, and a call to stand in solidarity with the immigrant community that helps fuel the heartbeat of Hollywood.

Then we dive into a packed week in entertainment:

🎥 Movie News

• Snoop Dogg gets his biopic: Jonathan Davis takes on the role of the West Coast icon in a Craig Brewer directed film.
• KISS meets Nick Jonas: A glam rock biopic with face paint, pyrotechnics, and Paul Stanley played by a Jonas Brother? You bet.
• Tarantino x Fincher: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II joins Brad Pitt in “The Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a Fincher-directed sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

🔥 Early Buzz

• Animal Farm: Orwell meets fart jokes? Andy Serkis’ animated adaptation is getting roasted by critics.
• How to Train Your Dragon (Live-Action): Warm reception but light on originality, critics can't stop comparing it to microwaved snacks.
• The Materialists: Celine Song’s follow-up to Past Lives splits opinions with its romcom flair, money-vs-love debate, and another Pedro Pascal appearance.

🎞️ New Trailers

• The Lost Bus: Matthew McConaughey stars in a true story wildfire thriller, marking his son Levi’s acting debut.
• Eddington: Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix return with a surreal pandemic-era Western, featuring Emma Stone and (of course) Pedro Pascal.

Whether you’re here for the movie scoops, the early reviews, or the righteous rants—Episode 3 brings heat, humor, and heart.

The Weekly Reel – Episode 2 (June 6, 2025)

This week, we delve into a galaxy far, far away as Ryan Reynolds pitches an R-rated Star Wars film, aiming to explore deeper emotional narratives rather than just adding adult content. We also discuss the buzz surrounding Alex Garland's ambitious adaptation of Elden Ring, with Kit Connor potentially leading the cast.

In other news, speculation arises about a sequel to Ryan Coogler's Sinners, despite the director's previous statements about the film being a standalone piece. We examine the early reactions to Project Hail Mary, with test screenings suggesting it could be a major sci-fi hit.

Marvel's Fantastic Four: First Steps faces mixed reviews from early screenings, raising questions about its potential success. Meanwhile, James Gunn's Superman reboot receives positive feedback, indicating a promising start for the new DC Universe.

We also explore the latest trailers: Guillermo del Toro's gothic take on Frankenstein, the teaser for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and the nostalgic yet questionable return of Happy Gilmore 2.

Tune in for insightful commentary on these developments and more in the world of film and television.