The newly formed DCU is finally upon us, with co-CEO James Gunn bringing its first slate of projects to life, titled Gods and Monsters. The first movie in this burgeoning shared universe was Superman, which featured a number of other heroes. That includes Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, who is a bad boy of the Green Lantern Corps. I just realized this is the only live-action version of a GL that I’ve ever been satisfied with as a fan.
Superman is crushing at the box office, and fans like me are already hyped to see the characters return in upcoming DC movies and TV shows. We all remember that Ryan Reynolds’ infamous Green Lantern movie was a flop, and that hero has yet to get another solo flick. While Gardner is kind of an A-hole jerk in Gunn’s movie, the way his powers were used throughout its runtime both looked and felt great. So, I guess having a good live-action Lantern is indeed possible.
Guy Gardner Was The Perfect Green Lantern To Open The DCU
Nathan Fillion said it was freeing to play a superhero who was also a jerk, which added both humor and drama to the movie’s 129-minute runtime.
Lanterns TV series, Gardner’s attitude offered a way for audiences to instantly understand who the character was. Add in Gardner’s wild hair cut (and the jokes about it), and he offered a ton to the overall story of Superman.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
The CGI Was Less Mind-Numbing Than In Ryan Reynolds’ Movie.
There has been a ton of talk about the quality of visual effects in the superhero genre. I personally thought Superman looked great… even if shots of David Corenswet flying in the trailer caused some concern. In particular I loved the way that Gardner’s energy construct functioned throughout James Gunn’s DC blockbuster.
While Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern movie featured way more Lanterns and their constructs, the action ultimately felt somewhat boring and mind-numbing. Gardner was one of many heroes that used their powers in Superman during its battles, allowing for more varied action. We’ll have to see what happens when more than one member of the Corps. are in the same project.
The constructs that Green Lanterns create can sometimes feel cheesy, but that wasn’t the case for Superman. Gardner hilariously uses constructs of his middle finger to beat up bad guys, and even creates a giant bat when he and other members of the Justice Gang are fighting an alien threat in the background of a scene. His somewhat cartoony powers added to the action and the comedy of the movie, once again proving why it’s the best live-action version of the cosmic peacekeeping force.
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Superman is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list, and Nathan Fillion will reprise his role in both Peacemaker Season 2 and Lanterns.
Though its second season served to be far more divisive than its first, The Last of Us Season 3 is still one of the more highly anticipated TV series on the horizon, and it’s near the top of the list of upcoming video game adaptations, given the finale’s game-centric cliffhanger ending. Naturally, shock waves reverberated through the fandom when co-creator Neil Druckmann vacated the live-action series, but star Bella Ramsey doesn’t believe his exit will change the show very much.
Druckmann publicly announced his decision to step away from the Last of Us TV series in order to re-devote his creative talents to the latest sci-fi adventure from his game studio Naughty Dog. (Last of Us Part 2 co-writer and episodic staff writer Halley Gross made the same exodus.) Both left before the horror-drama earned its latest Emmy nominations, which sparked concerns about newly lonesome showrunner Craig Mazin will face obstacles bringing Abby’s story to life in Season 3.
Variety about earning their second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for their portrayal of Ellie, which marks the first time a non-binary performer has received multiple Emmy noms. Speaking to Druckmann’s decision to bow out ahead of crafting the third season, Ramsey serves as a voice of logic and pragmatism amidst a sea of worried fan reactions, saying:
The Last of Us Part II lays out Abby’s story, Ellie may only be seen in limited doses. In fact, she may only appear as often as Dever’s Abby appeared in Season 2.
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Just don’t expect the Emmy-nominated star to reveal those details in full just yet. When asked how much of their beloved protagonist audiences will see, Ramsey replied with:
I sort of know, but I can’t tell you, I’m afraid.
Of course, anything the actor says now could very well be turned on its head by the time Season 3 actually arrives. HBO boss Casey Bloys shared with Variety in mid-July that the cabler is already viewing The Last of Us‘ next outing as a 2027 release, with Mazin in charge of deciding whether or not a fourth season will be required to wrap up the story.
During the long and potentially worry-filled wait for Season 3, the first two Last of Us seasons can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription.
Think back to 2023, when Taylor Swift was fresh off of her breakup with Joe Alwyn after six years but hadn’t yet crossed paths with a friendship bracelet-wielding Travis Kelce. Of course, any Swiftie who’s ever clowned remembers her passionate but short-lived romance with The 1975’s Matty Healy — the breakup was the inspiration behind The Tortured Poets Department. Two years later, they have both moved on, but Healy’s mom still has thoughts. So what did Denise Welch say about Swift, and why is she speaking out now?
What Matty Healy’s Mom Said About The ‘Tricky’ Taylor Swift Situation
When The Tortured Poets Department came out in April 2024, Swifties like myself thought we were getting a Joe Alwyn breakup album. So imagine our surprise when the most heartwrenching lyrics were actually about her split from Matty Healy. Now, imagine what it was like for Healy’s mom, Denise Welch, witnessing all the relentless hate he was getting and not being able to defend him.
Watch What Happens Live on July 24. When Andy Cohen asked her about it, she replied:
found love with Travis Kelce. So, if everyone’s moved on, why is Denise Welch just now talking about the breakup?
More than two years have passed since the release of TTPD, but Matty Healy’s mom allegedly still feels the pain of what her son endured. According to a source for US Weekly:
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Denise is still Matty’s mum at the end of the day, and it was bloody hard for her to stay quiet during the whole ordeal. Now that time has gone by, she’s saying what she can because she knows that her son got hurt.
Since time has passed and new relationships are solidified, the emotions of the Spring 2023 events aren’t as fresh and painful, but Denise Welch certainly hasn’t forgotten. The source continued:
You can’t blame a mum for standing up for her child…. Any mum can imagine what it would feel like — but then you have to multiply it by a million because of how famous [Taylor] is. I wish I could say she’s used to it, but she’s not. It’s a horrible thing to have the most famous person in the world saying that your son broke her heart when it was the other way around, and then you can’t even defend yourself. She’s saying the mother-in-law stuff because that’s where Matty thought it was headed. She’s entitled to her opinion.
Breakups can definitely be tricky, and the two people involved often aren’t the only ones affected. Hopefully, Matty Healy and his mom can continue moving forward. Yet only time will tell if Taylor Swift will pull from that well again in any of her other upcoming music or other projects.
George Lucas entered San Diego Convention Center’s cavernous Hall H and stepped into history, as the legendary creator of Star Wars made his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con, the popular arts convention that has partially been built off his stories and creations.
It was the largest ever Sunday panel for the convention, according to sources, which usually sees its marquee presentation headline Friday or Saturday. But such is the power of Lucas.
Thousands waited hours just to get inside, chanted “Lu-cas, Lu-cas!” while they waited, and then gave a wild standing ovation as the filmmaker took to the stage, introduced by rapper-actress Queen Latifah, and sat down next to filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Star Wars production designer Doug Chiang.
If the 6,500-strong crowd was disappointed he didn’t talk a whiff about Star Wars or Indiana Jones, it wasn’t shown, as cries of “I love you, George!” and waving lightsabers punctuated the air several times.
Lucas even received a standing ovation when he left the presentation, which was devoted entirely to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. He, along with museum board member and fellow art collector del Toro and Chiang, were there to not only give a first look at the museum, but also make a case for the importance and validity of narrative art, which includes comic book art, as a vital form of expression.
“This is a temple to the people’s art,” Lucas said, speaking about the idea for his museum. His first words in Hall H were about how he began acquiring art while in college, but all he could afford was comic book art. With success, he expanded his art collection to now over 40,000 pieces.
“What is important to me, what is magical, is not a man and his collection, it’s a lineage of images,” explained del Toro. “We are in a critical moment in which one thing they like to disappear is the past.”
“And this is memorializing a popular, vociferous and eloquent moment in our visual past that belongs to all of us. And the museum celebrates this,” he added.
A video presentation showed interior looks at the museum — there are no right angles anywhere, Latifah underscored — as well as images that will be in the collection.
A cover of DC comic Mystery in Space, featuring the first appearance of Adam Strange; the first-ever Flash Gordon comic strip; a cover of 1950s EC comic Tales Drom the Crypt; strips of Peanuts and Garfield; art by artists ranging from Brian Bolland and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola to underground cartoonist Robert Crumb, Windsor McKay and Moebius; art of Astro Boy and Scrooge McDuck. But there were also images of art by Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth and Frida Kahlo.
Also in the museum will be concept and storyboard art from Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark by Ralph McQuarrie and Jim Steranko, as well as the props of starships and speeders from various Star Wars movies.
Chiang explained that comic art in particular had long been discounted. “It’s not taken seriously,” he said, adding that when he was younger, he was told, “You will outgrow it one day.”
“I’m so glad I didn’t,” he said, before driving home the point that one of the strengths of narrative art is that it’s driven by story. “Story comes first. Art comes second.”
The idea of narrative art being a driver of community and common belief systems was one theme Lucas, in sometimes elliptical ways, kept repeating and to which he kept returning.
Del Toro also got into the heady and philosophical, denoting differences between art for myth-building purposes and art for propaganda purposes
“Myth belongs to all of us, propaganda belongs to a very small group,” he said. “Myth unites us, propaganda divides us.”
The museum, which has had its opening pushed back several times, is slated to open in 2026.
Bradley Cooper’s been in a relationship with model and socialite Gigi Hadid for a little while now and, as of late there’s been speculation as to the direction of their romance. More specifically, people have wondered if another Marvel star is about to propose. After Tom Holland and Zendaya finally ended their ring speculation, their Spider-Man co-star, Jacob Batalon, also proposed to his girlfriend. Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu popped the question as well. In terms of Cooper, a source now has claims about whether he’ll get down on one knee.
Bradley Cooper and model Gigi Hadid have been going strong for over a year, after first being romantically linked in October 2023. Even with the supposed love triangle involving Leonardo DiCaprio, the couple reportedly became serious quickly. It was also alleged that Hadid and Cooper were already in love only months after meeting. Now, as the couple approaches the two-year mark, an insider close to them tells Page Six that Cooper is leaning towards taking the next step:
[He’s] considering marriage and kids with Gigi. He might pop the question in the next couple of months.
not trying to rush anything, but enjoying getting to know each other’s families. Marriage would be a big step, especially considering both stars already have children with other people. The Versace model shares a 4-year-old daughter with Zayn Malik, the singer known for his stint with One Direction. Meanwhile, the Hangover actor co-parents an 8-year-old daughter of his own with model Irina Shayk.
Bradley Cooper also has projects on the horizon. The A-lister is set to direct a feature from Searchlight Films starring Amy Sedaris (per Variety) as the actor-turned-director seeks to expand his filmography following his acclaimed biopic, Maestro. Whether Cooper’s acting career will take a backseat as a result of his directorial efforts is unclear.
The American Sniper star hasn’t had a leading role since 2023, during which he led (and was Oscar-nominated for) Maestro. He also reprised his role as Rocket Raccoon for the emotional Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, Cooper did cameo in Superman, playing a key role in the superhero flick (which is a major title on the 2025 movie schedule).
Whatever the future holds for both Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid from a personal standpoint, though, reports point to the two really enjoying each other’s company. At this stage in their lives, despite a significant 20-year age gap, the pair have both individually experienced multiple relationships to seemingly know what they want. We’ll just have to wait and see if their future involves Cooper proposing (or even Hadid beating him to the punch).
