Charlize Theron on Why She Hasn’t Revealed Name of Director Who She Says Sexually Harassed Her

Charlize Theron on Why She Hasn’t Revealed Name of Director Who She Says Sexually Harassed Her

by | Jul 2, 2025 | Articles, Hollywood Reporter Articles

Charlize Theron on Why She Hasn’t Revealed Name of Director Who She Says Sexually Harassed Her

Charlize Theron is explaining why she won’t name the director she alleged sexually harassed her.

While on the Call Her Daddy podcast on Wednesday, the Old Guard 2 actress was asked about coming forward with her story about once being asked to go to a director’s house late at night for an audition, which was her first audition ever. Theron first shared her experience during an April 2019 interview on The Howard Stern Show.

At the time, she alleged the director opened the door in his pajamas and kept trying to talk during what she thought was going to be an audition. When the director put his hand on her knee, she said, she left.

“The little voice inside me definitely said, ‘This isn’t right,’” she said. “But then the other voice in me says, ‘Well, I don’t know. Maybe it is right.’”

After publicly sharing the story, Theron said the director heard and seemingly got nervous.

“This guy, he got a little nervous for a while there. I’ve never said his name because honestly, I don’t want the story to be about him. It’s not because I’m protecting him or anything, but he got nervous for a little bit,” Theron added.

When host Alex Cooper asked why the unnamed director was nervous, Theron explained, “Because he heard me tell the story, and he knew it was about him, and he wrote me a pretend letter trying to explain his behavior and how I must have misunderstood it, which is classic, isn’t it?”

Theron said she believes the director “started panicking.”

“He was waiting for me,” she said before clarifying why she won’t reveal his name. “And I just realized, like, I won’t even fucking say your name because you know you’re the scumbag. You know it’s you and if anybody ever asked me about him, I would be completely honest. And he knows that. And I kind of like that he’s got to be on a hot seat. He doesn’t know when it’s going to come. I kind of like that a little more.”

In her recent Hulu documentary, Call Her Alex, Cooper alleged that she was sexually harassed by her soccer coach, Nancy Feldman, at Boston University. When the two discussed how women feel guilt and shame for something that isn’t their fault, Theron recalled feeling that at the time.

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“I remember being furious with myself because I couldn’t believe how I had let myself down. I was like, “Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck would you allow that? Why?”

She continued, “I still get those feelings, because it’s you know yourself so well and there’s something that really kind of like breaks my heart to the core when people in this very luxurious manner talk about ‘Well, you know what, next time you should fucking say something. Like, don’t wait 20 years.’ This kind of like callous way of not wanting to believe. That’s really what it boils down to. It’s instead of saying, ‘I don’t believe you,’ it’s like, ‘Well, don’t be a fucking pussy. Like, maybe you shouldn’t have been a pussy about it.’ And we all know what that feels like. It feels like no matter what they say, it can’t hurt more than what you’re telling yourself.”

Theron then said that anyone could say whatever they want, and no one could hurt her “more than I hurt myself about what happened that day.”

Theron also told Cooper she’s “grateful” and respects Cooper’s “choice” to share her story: “I think that we need to tell these stories so that we can understand that we’re not alone.”

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 17:26:30

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 17:26:30

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

Kenny dying an absurd number of times. Now, however, the situation has gotten dicey, with the official “South Park” social media account having shared a, well, very “South Park” statement from creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

“This merger is a s*** show and it’s f***ing up ‘South Park.’ We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow,'” the statement reads.

Specifically, Parker and Stone’s statement is referencing the proposed merger between Comedy Central’s parent company Paramount Global and Skydance Media, which was inked last year but has yet to fully close. Now, Parker and Stone’s response absolutely rules. This is a very “South Park” reaction, a bridge-burning, no-nonsense, filter-off comment we rarely see from creators. (For a very tonally different shot at executives, watch the response from the creators of “The Tiny Chef Show” to their series getting canceled.)

But there is a lot more here than just Parker and Stone being mad at Comedy Central, because this statement is but the latest chapter in a long fight between the duo and Paramount. Let’s go back to the very beginning. It all started back in 2007 with the establishment of South Park Digital Studios, a partnership between Paramount (which owns Comedy Central) and Parker and Stone. The plan was for the studio to handle the streaming rights to the show (a new concept at the time), with neither of the concerned parties fully in control.

Why Parker and Stone are mad at Paramount

Cartman points his finger in anger at his friends in South Park

Comedy Central

By 2019, however, things had drastically changed in the industry. Streaming was not just a thing, it was dominating Hollywood, and every studio wanted a piece of that large cash pie. Since Paramount had no streaming platform at the time, it saw an opportunity to make a lot of money and sold the “South Park” streaming rights to HBO Max, making every episode of the show available to stream on that platform (including new episodes). Except, by 2021, Paramount had launched its own streamer with Paramount+, and that same year, the studio struck a deal with South Park Studios for an additional six seasons of the show, as well as streaming-exclusive “special episodes” meant for Paramount+.

Yes, Parker and Stone were technically double-dipping by producing “exclusive” new “South Park” projects for both HBO Max and Paramount+. This is essentially what their whole “Streaming Wars” special was about, and that special is spectacular. Still, HBO Max was not happy about what it saw as a breach of contract and sued Paramount for streaming what the company saw as new episodes on its own platform.

But that HBO Max streaming deal was set to expire now, in 2025, meaning “South Park” would only be streaming on Paramount+ after that. If only it were that easy. Instead, that streaming deal has neither been renewed nor replaced with an alternative, and Parker and Stone’s South Park Studios has been shopping the rights to other companies. Except, according to documents revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, Parker and Stone are now also threatening to sue Paramount for allegedly interfering with a new deal for the show’s streaming rights.

Specifically, Parker and Stone are accusing Jeff Shell, who is set to become president of Paramount Global after the pending merger of the studio with Skydance, over attempting to prioritize Paramount+ and shorten terms with other studios in a new streaming agreement.

In short, Parker and Stone are expressing their anger over what they see as corporate shenanigans drastically changing the way they make “South Park” (the recent seasons have been shorter since they’re also making “specials”), when the show’s episodes are released, and who can even stream them.

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 16:21:13

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 16:21:13

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

unexpected box office success of “Paranormal Activity” more than 15 years ago, the house that Jason Blum built has generated tons of hits, several massive franchises, and more than $6 billion at the global box office. Unfortunately, the studio has been in a bit of a slump recently and, despite seeming like a slam dunk on paper, that didn’t change with “M3GAN 2.0.”

On opening weekend, director Gerard Johnstone’s “M3GAN 2.0” opened to just $10 million domestically, which is roughly one-third of what the original film did on its way to $180 million worldwide against a $12 million budget. This one carries a $25 million budget and, though maybe not an outright flop, is going to be far from a hit. So, what the hell happened, exactly? Well, Blum has weighed in on the situation directly.

Appearing on an episode of the “Town” podcast, Blum got very honest with host Matthew Belloni about the disappointing opening for Blumhouse’s latest sequel. Blum admitted he was in a “death spiral of depression” by Monday when the final numbers had come in, which should give some sense of how rough this opening was. Speaking further, he explained that he and the other creatives behind the film got a little too confident when they started putting “M3GAN 2.0” together. Here’s what he had to say about it:

“We all thought M3GAN was like Superman. We could do anything to her. We could change genres. We could put her in the summer. We could make her look different. We could turn her from a bad guy into a good guy. And we classically over-thought how powerful people’s engagement really was with her.”

Who’s to blame for the downfall of M3GAN 2.0?

M3GAN stepping out in her tall, new body in M3GAN 2.0

Universal Pictures

Blum had reason to be confident, but he also had reason to be sick come Monday morning. Mere weeks ago, “M3GAN 2.0” had been expected to make at least $30 million in its debut. However, between stiff competition in the summer from the likes of “F1,” weaker buzz, and a combination of other factors, those projections collapsed.

“People wanted more M3GAN just like she is,” Blum added. “Every time you do a sequel, you have to ride this very fine line. Which is, if you make it too close to the first movie, everyone says, ‘You ripped off the first movie.’ And, ‘Why’d you make this movie? What a waste of time.’ And if you make it too far away from the first movie, everyone says, ‘Why the f*** is this a sequel? This has nothing to do with the first movie and we’re pissed about it.'”

Indeed, even the trailers for “M3GAN 2.0” made it clear that this a “Terminator 2” situation. The villain becomes the hero and it goes full sci-fi instead of horror. The sequel also failed to catch on with social media the way the first movie did. There was no viral TikTok moment to rival M3GAN dancing the first time around. Blum addressed that, explaining they couldn’t just manufacture that sort of thing again. He also didn’t feel the need to shift blame to the movie’s director, saying the following:

“Gerard is a terrific director … Gerard is someone who can solve almost anything you throw at him, but he needs time. He’s just one of those directors that needs a lot of time. On the first ‘M3GAN,’ he had all of the time in the world.”

Jason Blum takes the blame for Blumhouse’s failures

M3GAN in her pink suit holding up a gun in M3GAN 2.0

Universal Pictures

“The marketplace is very different, and it’s incredibly hard to get your arms around,” Blum mused, explaining that the state of the box office has changed dramatically in the aftermath of the pandemic. He pointed to the success of movies like “Sinners” and “Final Destination Bloodlines,” noting that cinematic events seem to get the job done these days. It’s much harder for low-budget, non-event pictures.

“I shoulder the blame for this, not Universal,” Blum added. Blumhouse Productions has had a longstanding relationship with Universal Pictures, with the studio handling marketing and distribution for many of the company’s films. Even so, Blum doesn’t blame it for the sequel’s downfall.

“They play a role, but we’re in this together. I’ve made plenty of movies that have gotten a 4 [percent on] Rotten Tomatoes and they don’t call me and say, ‘You messed up.’ We locked arms and they understand like I understand that the business is long term. It goes on a long time.”

Blum was very willing to acknowledge that Blumhouse was in something of a slump, with movies like “Night Swim,” “Imaginary,” “Afraid,” “Wolf Man,” “The Woman in the Yard,” and “Drop” all serving up varying types of disappointment. Fortunately, it’s got seemingly surefire bets on the calendar that include “The Black Phone 2” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” (Recall that the first “Five Nights at Freddy’s” film made nearly $300 million worldwide.) Blum also made it clear that the company will take a good hard look at what went wrong and determine what needs to change once their emotions die down a bit:

“We really try and learn from our mistakes. But it really takes time. You have to get un-emotional about it and you have to get enough distance from the release to leave your emotions behind. That’s when we really look. We’ll have smaller meetings where we’ll discuss, and discuss, and discuss. Really dig into it.”

“M3GAN 2.0” is in theaters now.

James Bond Movies With Sean Connery, Renee Zellweger-Directed Short Set for Edinburgh Fest

James Bond Movies With Sean Connery, Renee Zellweger-Directed Short Set for Edinburgh Fest

by | Jul 2, 2025 | Articles, Hollywood Reporter Articles

James Bond Movies With Sean Connery, Renee Zellweger-Directed Short Set for Edinburgh Fest

The world premiere of a new animated short film directed by Renée Zellweger, called They, six James Bond movies starring the late Sean Connery screened in a special strand, and “In Conversation” events with the likes of Andrew and Kevin Macdonald, Andrea Arnold, Ben Wheatley and Andy Starke, and Nia DaCosta will all be part of this year’s 78th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Among the movies in the program this year are the likes of Piotr Winiewicz’s About a Hero with Vicky Krieps, which was written by an AI system trained in Werner Herzog’s works, Eddie Marsan and Sam Claflin-starring “brooding, stylish thriller” All the Devils Are Here from Barnaby Roper, Jan-Ole Gerster’s Islands, “a mysterious and Highsmith-esque existential thriller,” Urška Djukic’s debut feature and coming-of-age film Little Trouble Girls, and Elliot Tuttle’s Blue Film, starring Kieron Moore and Reed Birney.

Documentaries screening at Edinburgh include “Sepideh Farsi’s wrenching and timely documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk [that] chronicles disarmingly frank and intimate video calls with young Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona” and Gar O’Rourke’s Sanatorium, “a thoughtful, humane documentary offering a unique perspective on the current situation in Ukraine.”

The festival is led by CEO and fest director Paul Ridd and fest producer Emma Boa. “43 new feature films, 18 feature film world premieres, including 10 world premieres competing for The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, six special retrospective screenings, James Bond on the big screen and a celebration of the work of filmmaker Budd Boetticher, six short film programs, including The Thelma Schoonmaker Prize for Short Filmmaking Excellence competition, the presentation of new short form work by the inaugural NFTS Sean Connery Lab, and the world premiere of a new animated film by Renée Zellweger,” Edinburgh summarized its lineup.

Also, the popular Midnight Madness screenings will return to the Scottish festival, which runs Aug. 14-20.

All six Connery James Bond films will be shown on the big screen in a special strand dubbed “Sacred Bonds,” including 4K restorations of Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Thunderball, and You Only Live Twice. The other films are Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. “All [will be] introduced by a series of soon-to-be-announced special guests,” the fest said.

The fest previously unveiled an opening night film, Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby, and a closing film, Paul Sng’s Irvine Welsh documentary Reality Is Not Enough.

Check out key parts of the Edinburgh film fest lineup below.

Opening Films 
 
Sorry, Baby | UK Premiere 
Director: Eva Victor. Narrative Feature. Cast: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges. United States, Spain, France. 2025. 1hr 44min. English. 
 
Bulk | World Premiere | Midnight Madness 
Director: Ben Wheatley. Narrative Feature. Cast: Alexandra Maria Lara, Sam Riley, Noah Taylor, Mark Monero. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 31min. English.  

Closing Films 
 
Reality Is Not Enough | World Premiere | Midnight Madness 
Director: Paul Sng. Documentary Feature. Cast: Irvine Welsh, Stephen Graham, Nick Cave, Maxine Peake, Olivia Caw, Ruth Negga. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 28min. English. 
  
The Toxic Avenger | World Premiere | Midnight Madness 
Director: Macon Blair. Narrative Feature. Cast: Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Julia Davis.  
United States. 2023. 1hr 42min. English. 
Screening with: 
TOE | World Premiere 
Director: Elly Howard. Narrative Short. Cast: Greta Titelman, Mikael Mattsson. United States. 2024.  
13min. English 

The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence 
 
Best Boy | World Premiere 
Director: Jesse Noah Klein. Narrative Feature. Cast: Lise Roy, Aaron Abrams, Caroline Dhavernas, Dylan Smith, Marc Bendavid. Canada. 2024. 1hr 31min. English. 
 
Blue Film | World Premiere 
Director: Elliot Tuttle. Narrative Feature. Cast: Kieron Moore, Reed Birney. United States. 2025. 1hr 28min. English. 
 
Concessions | World Premiere 
Director: Mas Bouzidi. Narrative Feature. Cast: Rob Riordan, Jonathan Lorenzo Price, Lana Rockwell, Michael Madsen. United States. 2025. 1hr 31min. English. 
 
In Transit | World Premiere 
Director: Jaclyn Bethany. Narrative Feature. Cast: Alex Sarrigeorgiou, Francois Arnaud, Jennifer Ehle.  United States. 2025. 1hr 22min. English. 
 
Low Rider | World Premiere 
Director: Campbell X. Narrative Feature. Cast: Emma McDonald, Thishiwe Ziqubu, Martin Kluge. United Kingdom, South Africa. 2025. 1hr 33min. English.  
 
Mortician | World Premiere 
Director: Abdolreza Kahani. Narrative Feature. Cast: Nima Sadrzadeh,  Gola, Canada. 2025. 1hr 35min. Persian (Farsi) with English subtitles 
 
Novak | World Premiere 
Director: Harry Lagoussis. Narrative Feature. Cast: Ella Rumpf, Yannis Papadopoulos, Elena Topalidou.  Greece, Switzerland. 2025. 1hr 51min. English, Greek with English subtitles. 
 
On the Sea | World Premiere 
Director: Helen Walsh. Narrative Feature. Cast: Barry Ward, Lorne Macfadyen, Celyn Jones, Liz White. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 51min. English. 
 
Once You Shall Be One Of Those Who Lived Long Ago | World Premiere 
Director: Alexander Rynéus, Per Bifrost. Documentary Feature.  Sweden. 2025. 1hr 44min. Swedish with English subtitles. 
 
Two Neighbors | World Premiere 
Director: Ondine Viñao. Narrative Feature. Cast: Chloe Cherry, Anya Chalotra, Ralph Ineson. United Kingdom, United States. 2025. 1hr 44min. English. 
 
Out of Competition 
 
About A Hero | UK Premiere 
Director: Piotr Winiewicz. Documentary Feature. Denmark, Germany, United States. 2024. 1hr 25min.English, German with English subtitles. 
 
All The Devils Are Here | World Premiere 
Director: Barnaby Roper. Narrative Feature. Cast: Eddie Marsan, Sam Claflin, Burn Gorman, Tienne Simon, Suki Waterhouse, Rory Kinnear.  United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 27min. English  
 
Lynda Myles Celebrates After This Death | UK Premiere 
Director: Lucio Castro. Narrative Feature. Cast: Mia Maestro, Lee Pace, Rupert Friend. United States. 2025. 1hr 36min. English, Spanish with English subtitles. 
 
Brides | European Premiere 
Director: Nadia Fall. Narrative Feature. Cast: Ebada Hassan, Safiyya Ingar. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 33min. English, Turkish with English subtitles. 
 
Case 137 | International Premiere 
Director: Dominik Moll. Narrative Feature. Cast: Léa Drucker, Yoann Blanc, Guslagie Malanda. 
France. 2025. 1hr 55min. French with English subtitles. 
 
Christy | UK Premiere 
Director: Brendan Canty. Narrative Feature. Cast: Danny Power, Diarmuid Noyes, Emma Willis. Ireland, United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 34min. English. 
 
Crushed | World Premiere 
Director: Simon Rumley. Narrative Feature. Cast: Steve Oram, Margaux Dietrich, Sahajak Boonthanakit. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 41min. English. 
 
Cutting Through Rocks | UK Premiere 
Director: Sara Khaki, Mohammadreza Eyni. Documentary Feature. Featuring: Sara Shahverdi. Iran, Germany, United States, Netherlands, Qatar, Chile, Canada. 2025. 1hr 34min. Persian (Farsi), Azerbaijani with English subtitles. 
 
Deaf | UK Premiere 
Director: Eva Libertad. Narrative Feature. Cast: Alvaro Cervantes, Miriam Garlo. Spain. 2025. 1hr 39min. Spanish with English subtitles.  
Screening with: 
Bumblebee | UK Premiere 
Director: Fon Cortizo. Narrative Short. Cast: Cory Mañá, Machi Salgado. Spain. 2024. 19min. Galician with English subtitle 
 
Dragonfly | UK Premiere 
Director: Paul Andrew Williams. Narrative Feature. Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Jason Watkins, Brenda Blethyn. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 38min. English. 
 
Fires of the Moon | World Premiere 
Director: Christopher Forster. Narrative Feature. Cast: Huw Ynyr, Elin Prichard, Annes Elwy, Dylan Morrison Jones. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 25min. Welsh with English subtitles. 
 
The Golden Spurtle | UK Premiere 
Director: Constantine Costi. Documentary Feature. Featuring: Charlie Miller, the people of Carrbridge. United Kingdom, Australia. 2025. 1hr 15min. English. 
 
Grow | World Premiere 
Director: John McPhail. Narrative Feature. Cast: Priya-Rose Brookwell, Golda Rosheuvel, Nick Frost, Jane Horrocks, Alan Carr, Joe Wilkinson, Sanjeev Kohli, Dominic McLaughlin. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 47min. English. 
 
Growing Down | UK Premiere 
Director: Bálint Dániel Sós. Narrative Feature. Cast: Szabolcs Hajdu, Ágoston Sáfrány, Anna Hay. Hungary. 2025. 1hr 25min. Hungarian with English Subtitles. 
 
Hysteria | UK Premiere 
Director: Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay. Narrative Feature. Cast: Devrim Lingnau, Mehdi Meskar. Germany. 2025. 1hr 44min. German, English, Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic with English subtitles. 
 
Islands | UK Premiere 
Director: Jan-Ole Gerster. Narrative Feature. Cast: Sam Riley, Stacy Martin, Jack Farthing, Dylan Torrell. Germany. 2025. 2hr 3min. English, Spanish with English subtitles.  
 
Little Trouble Girls | UK Premiere 
Director: Urška Djukic. Narrative Feature. Cast: Jara Sofija Ostan, Mina Švajger, Saša Tabaković. Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, France. 2025. 1hr 40min. Slovenian with English Subtitles. 
 
The Memory Blocks | World Premiere 
Director: Andrew Kötting. Experimental Feature. Cast: Eden Kötting, Charlie Stephens. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 17min. English. 
 
Misper | World Premiere 
Director: Harry Sherriff. Narrative Feature. Cast: Samuel Blenkin, Emily Carey, Christine Bottomley. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 13min. English. 
Screening with: 
Terence | UK Premiere 
Director: Edem Kelman. Narrative Short. Cast: Terence Nzaji-Egnie. United Kingdom. 2024. 15min. English 
 
Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk | UK Premiere 
Director: Sepideh Farsi. Documentary Feature. Featuring: Fatma Hassona. France, Palestine, Iran. 2025. 1hr 50min. 
 
Sanatorium | UK Premiere 
Director: Gar O’Rourke. Documentary Feature. Ireland, Ukraine, France. 2025. 1hr 31min. Ukrainian with English subtitles.  
 
Surviving Earth | European Premiere 
Director: Thea Gajić. Narrative Feature. Cast: Slavko Sobin, Olive Gray, Stuart Martin. United Kingdom. 2024. 1hr 40min. English, Serbian with English subtitles. 
Screening with:  
Truckload | U.K. Premiere 
Director: Aella Jordan-Edge. Narrative Short. Cast: Evie Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Joe Dempsie. United Kingdom. 2025. 19min. English.  
 
Walk With Me | UK Premiere 
Director: Heidi Levitt. Documentary Feature. 
Featuring: Heidi Levitt, Charlie Hess. United States.2024. 1hr 30min.  
 
Young Mothers | International Premiere 
Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne. Narrative Feature. Cast: Babette Verbeek, Janaina Halloy Fokan, Samia Hilmi, Elsa Houben, Lucie Laruelle. Belgium, France. 2025. 1hr 45min. 
 
Zodiac Killer Project | UK Premiere 
Director: Charlie Shackleton. Documentary Feature. United Kingdom, United States. 2025. 1hr 32min. English. 
  
Midnight Madness 
 
See above for The Toxic Avenger  
 
Dead Lover | UK Premiere 
Director: Grace Glowicki. Narrative Feature. Cast: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Lowen Morrow. Canada. 2025. 1hr 22min. English. 
Screening with: 
Death’s Peak | World Premiere 
Director: Willy Fair. Animation Short. Cast: Simon Pavelich. United Kingdom. 2025. 9min 
 
I Live Here Now | The Evolution of Horror and EIFF present | UK Premiere 
Director: Julie Pacino. Narrative Feature. Cast: Lucy Fry, Matt Rife, Madeline Brewer, Sheryl Lee. United States. 2025. 1hr 32min. English.  
Screening with: 
Drainomania | UK Premiere 
Director: Christopher Greenslate. Narrative Short. Cast: Gabrielle Maiden, Sally Maersk. United States. 2025. 15min. English. 
 
Odyssey | European Premiere 
Director: Gerard Johnson. Narrative Feature. Cast: Polly Maberly, Mikael Persbrandt, Jasmine Blackborow. United Kingdom. 2025. 1hr 50min. English.  
Screening with: 
Sleazy Tiger | World Premiere 
Director: James Ley. Narrative Short. Cast: Jay Newton, Jack Douglas, Alan Cumming. United Kingdom. 2024. 15min. 
 
Redux Redux | UK Premiere 
Directors: Matthew McManus, Kevin McManus. 
Narrative Feature. Cast: Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus. United States. 2025. 1hr 47min. English.  
Screening with: 
Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting | UK Premiere 
Director: Alex Thompson. Narrative Short. Cast: Pollyanna McIntosh, Milly Shapiro. United States. 2025. 18min. English. 
 

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 15:00:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 15:00:00

by | Jul 2, 2025 | News, TV & Beyond Articles

the long-awaited Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen)? What would your best pal Natalie (Lyric Ross) say if she could see you now? Well, perhaps she can share her thoughts on the matter now that she’s been brought back from the dead.

After some cryptic quick cuts and a drawn out conversation with the demonic presence that had recently abandoned The Hood, it was soon revealed that Riri (Dominique Thorne) had accepted Mephisto’s offer and asked for her friend Natalie to come back to the land of the living. For someone as smart as Riri, it sure did feel like a dumb decision to make, and it’s one that will absolutely come with repercussions whenever we’re reunited with Ironheart in the future.

The choice Riri was given here (which, quite frankly, she had no right to make) could impact so many people and plot threads — not just Ironheart’s immediate circle of friends and family, but the Marvel universe as a whole. Sure, there was a time when half the universe was snapped out and back into existence, but bringing back a single person on a wish is an opportunity other heroes would die for. Before we branch into that super sensitive issue, though, let’s just consider how Mephisto’s despicable deal could bring two unlikely allies together whenever Ironheart suits up on-screen again.

Mephisto could be playing games with Ironheart and The Hood thanks to the new deal

The Hood removing his hood

Marvel Studios

The problem with dealing with a demonic entity is that there’s always a catch. As far as Riri knows, following her handshake with Sacha Baron Cohen’s sneaky devil, he’s only after her, with no risk of anyone else becoming collateral damage in bringing back her dead friend. It’s only a matter time of, though, until she realizes that’s not the case.

With an inevitable double-cross on the way, this could mark another interesting battle of science and magic, and Riri might not have enough power to compete. What great timing, then, that her former foe, Parker Robbins, has just wandered into Zelma Stanton’s shop and might end up leaving with more than he hoped for, like an alliance with an old enemy.

It’s nothing new for heroes and villains to call a brief truce in order to take down a greater evil (Loki has done it enough times) and given Robbins’ current position, he needs all the help he can get. With that in mind, if Riri finds herself backed into a corner and unable to get herself out of whatever she’s mixed up in with Mephisto, could The Hood come to her aid and get some payback while he’s there? The enemy of her enemy might be her friend this time around, it’s just a matter of how long that will last and how much Mephisto could retaliate that will impact them both.

How will Riri’s mother react to the return of Natalie, but not Gary?

Riri talking to her mother from across a table

Marvel Studios

When Riri’s artificial intelligence took the form of Natalie, it was met with a very mixed and understandable reaction. Riri’s love interest, Xavier (Matthew Elam), wasn’t happy at first, but was willing to try to understand N.A.T.A.L.I.E.’s existence and purpose for his friend’s sake. Meanwhile, Riri’s mother was amazed by her daughter’s creation and the authenticity of N.A.T.A.L.I.E. — so much so that she asked Riri if she could make one of her late husband, Gary (LaRoyce Hawkins), too, but the request was turned down. Imagine the inevitable confusion and disappointment then, when Natalie returns for real, and Gary doesn’t.

Before Riri was compelled to return to work and develop a new Ironheart suit, the super genius and her mother weren’t on the best of terms, with Ronnie (Anji White) struggling to understand her daughter and Riri refusing to let her in. In the wake of the finale, it’s very likely that a rift could reform between them after Riri chose to bring back her best friend instead of her stepfather. Could this be another inevitable downside to the deal Ironheart has struck with Mephisto that she didn’t see coming? It’ll be interesting to see how tense things get within the Williams household when we revisit it and how the family will handle someone close to them coming back from the dead, while another loved one remains lost to them, seemingly forever.

Could Mephisto appear in other MCU stories to make similar deals?

Riri and Natalie taking a selfie together

Marvel Studios

Mephisto finally making his appearance opens up different avenues for him to appear, and it doesn’t just have to involve forcing Riri to sign on the dotted line. This is a demonic force we’re talking about, and an individual to whom mortal laws don’t apply. In that case, Mephisto could appear anywhere and at any time within the MCU and cut more corrupt deals with struggling characters, only for them to find themselves in deeper trouble than before.

In the comics, Mephisto has snatched the souls off of dozens of heroes and villains through Marvel history, including members of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and even Victor von Doom. With names as big as that coming into contact with this devilish dude, could their MCU counterparts find themselves in the same company? Doing so might make for interesting stories here and there, but it could also remove something the MCU has been built on: Danger and stakes.

With Natalie being the first character brought back from the dead in a very real way, could the same be done for some other fallen characters in this ongoing universe? Could Riri actually have a chat with Tony Stark if someone makes a wish to bring him back? Might Foggy’s brutal death be undone from “Daredevil: Born Again,” just like in the comics? If Mephisto really does start to make appearances here and there and anywhere, we can only hope it’s sparingly. If not, all it’s going to cause is a hell of a lot of problems.

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 14:00:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 14:00:00

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

“Rogue One” and the numerous reports of behind-the-scenes turmoil. This trend has even befallen the “Jurassic” movies before, as the original script for “Jurassic Park III” was essentially thrown out the window weeks before principal photography commenced and overhauled at the last possible minute.

With “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the hiring of Gareth Edwards as director brings this full circle. The “Godzilla” and “Rogue One” director knows what it’s like to deal with the challenges of an epic-sized project that remains unsettled right up until the moment the final cut is locked. “Rebirth” marked a refreshing change in that regard, however, as writer David Koepp already had his script submitted before Edwards ever joined the film. Still, that’s not to say the latest dino flick didn’t encounter some forks in the road along the way. One particular choice almost led to a very different ending — one that would’ve led to the death of a major character. Another brief moment of indecision could’ve resulted in a possibly more thrilling, but admittedly more familiar conclusion to the big dinosaur threat.

For those who’ve yet to see “Rebirth,” consider this your cue to hightail it out of here as we enter full-blown spoiler territory below.

Jurassic World Rebirth shot two versions of Duncan’s fate, one where he lived and one where he died

Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid holding a flare to distract a dinosaur in Jurassic World Rebirth

Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

“Jurassic World Rebirth” may be much heavier on spectacle than character (for more on that, check out my review for /Film here), but one fake-out moment in the last act could’ve played out very differently. The main thrust of the story follows the ensemble’s attempts to survive on this mutant dino-infested island until a rescue party reaches them. But not everyone manages to escape unscathed from the so-called Distortus Rex, the film’s final boss. In order to save innocent kids placed in harm’s way, mercenary Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali) grabs a flare and heroically leads the D-rex away. He appears to be done for, but his last-minute return helps end the film end on a triumphant note.

That wasn’t always the case, as it turns out. In an interview with /Film, director Gareth Edwards opened up about the ending of “Rebirth” and revealed that one possible version of events actually kept Kincaid dead. Referring to this as his “favorite part” of the film, Edwards shed further light on the decision-making process:

“I’ll tell you, the bit we did shoot two versions of is Kincaid living and dying. Basically, the version where he dies, you just don’t have the other bit [where he reappears]. But because that was how it was written to start with and we filmed it and did everything as if he was going to die, everything felt correct. As an audience you go, ‘Oh my God, he’s going to actually die, of course he is,’ and then he does. Then when he’s brought back, I think it is a surprise. Then I felt like, ‘Oh no, what if the audience thinks we copped out?’ I would remind myself of ‘E.T.,’ which is the masterpiece version of this, where I never felt that at all in ‘E.T.’ I felt really sad [laughs] that he had gone, and then euphoric when he was back. It was kind of like a little version of that, where you sort of pray: ‘Is the audience going to …?’ And then watching it the other night [at the New York premiere], it got the best reaction in that moment and I was really like, ‘Oh my God, thank God we shot that version where he lived because it could have been quite a downer [laughs].”

Gareth Edwards explains why Jurassic World Rebirth avoids another climactic dinosaur-on-dinosaur fight

The D-rex silhouetted by red lights sneaking up behind a scientist at a blast door in Jurassic World Rebirth

Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment

That explains the human side of the equation, but what about the big, ugly mutant dinosaur of it all? The D-rex was (mostly) kept under wraps throughout the marketing, but this unholy amalgamation of a Rancor and an H.R. Giger drawing mixed with a T-rex finally goes on a rampage in the last action sequence of the film. “Rebirth” immediately stands out from the various other “Jurassic” movies for its choice not to stage some big dino-on-dino fight to wrap things up in a neat and tidy bow. Unlike several of the other sequels, Edwards instead focuses on the plight of the human characters and ultimately keeps the D-rex alive to terrorize the island another day. We asked Edwards about the reasoning that went into this one last swerve from expectations, as opposed to giving in to the temptation and have the T-rex save the day (again). According to the director:

“I thought about — that came up. It didn’t come up on the shoot, it came up in post-production where I just suddenly, I guess, I woke up in a cold sweat one night and was like, ‘Should we, should we have the T-rex turn up?’ [laughs] I went in the next day and brought this up with everybody and I expected everyone to go, ‘Yeahhh’ [enthusiastically], and it was just a reaction like, ‘Really? But all the other ones did that.’ It slightly kind of reassured me like, ‘Okay, I think that we did the right thing.’

But there’s this storytelling thing called [deus] ex machina and it’s like Latin, I think, for God basically coming and saving your characters at the end of a story. I think ‘Jurassic’ has this thing called ‘Rex Machina,’ where it’s like the T-rex comes and saves everyone. I remember [David Vickery], the visual effects supervisor, he was like, ‘But that’s one of the things I loved about this film, is that it didn’t do what the other ones did,’ and all this sort of stuff. Yeah, you do juggle these — there’s like, what’s the right thing here? You try and choose the right path.”

For a sequel that’s so indebted to the other films, we’d agree this was 100% the right call. And, who knows, maybe this sets up another sequel. 

“Jurassic World Rebirth” is now playing in theaters.