“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.
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].”
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.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” was first announced in January of 2024, the news came as a bit of a shock. Setting aside Universal’s ambitious plan to get the movie from David Koepp’s script to cinemas in just a little over a year’s time (a feat which they impressively accomplished, putting to shame the conventional wisdom of blockbuster filmmaking), the announcement came just under two years after the release of the prior entry in the series, 2022’s “Jurassic World Dominion.” That movie was not just the end of the initial trilogy begun by 2015’s “Jurassic World,” but purported to be the grand finale to both the “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” films, operating in a similar fashion to 2019’s “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.” The title “Rebirth” seemed to indicate that this new film may be a soft reboot of the entire franchise, leading fans to speculate on when and where the movie might be taking place. As the director’s chair was filled by Gareth Edwards and actors like Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali began to be cast, it indeed looked like “Rebirth” would be carving its own slice out of this world rather than bringing back any plotlines or characters from the previous films.
Yet now that the movie is in theaters, it’s been revealed that “Rebirth” does not take place in any sort of rebooted or alternate continuity. Sure, the movie takes place in a new location: a previously unseen island named Ile Saint-Hubert, where the company InGen conducted some genetic dinosaur hybridization experiments. And no legacy characters make any sort of appearance in the film — not Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), or Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), or even Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong). Yet despite this distancing itself from the previous films, the movie makes sure to indicate that it is part of the continuity of the series, making it not a reboot but a brand new adventure within the world of the franchise. To this end, there’s a moment where an original franchise character’s name is dropped, making a direct connection between “Rebirth” and the original films, as well as opening the door for some potential crossover in the future.
Universal Pictures
In “Jurassic World Rebirth,” a pharmaceutical corporation represented by Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) puts together a team of mercenaries led by Zora Bennett (Johansson) to go to Ile Saint-Hubert in order to extract some precious dinosaur blood that may lead to new life-saving medicines worth big bucks. Surmising that the expedition is going to need a dinosaur expert, they seek out the services of Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), a paleontologist who is discovering that the public’s interest in dinosaurs is waning as the creatures are beginning to die out across the Earth due to prolonged exposure to a too-unfriendly climate. At one point during the team’s adventure while stranded on Saint-Hubert, Loomis reveals that in his younger years he studied under Dr. Alan Grant, played in “Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic Park III,” and “Jurassic World Dominion” by Sam Neill.
Other than the existence of InGen and a world full of dinosaurs attempting to cohabitate with humans, this mention of Grant, small though it may be, is the biggest direct connection that “Rebirth” makes to the other “Jurassic” films. It’s a clever choice on Koepp’s part, given that this little bit of backstory instantly endears Loomis to the audience even more, giving us an indication that when it comes to the study of dinos, this guy is trustworthy. It also makes for an implied reference to “Jurassic Park III,” specifically to the character of Billy Brennan (Alessandro Nivola). In that film, Brennan was a student and friend of Grant’s, and his belief in paleontology went so far as to try and abduct a Velociraptor egg in order to hopefully sell it for funding. Billy eventually learned the error of his ways, and his storyline seems to echo a little in how Loomis attempts to plunder the nest of a pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, in order to extract some of an egg’s DNA. Needless to say, Loomis’ actions, however well-intended, draw the ire of Ms. Quetzal. Those paleontologists are always getting themselves in trouble!
Universal Pictures
To be clear, the Alan Grant name-drop in “Rebirth” only functions in the ways detailed above, and is absolutely not there as some sort of tease for a future movie or appearance. It does raise the question whether something with Grant and the other legacy characters in the “Jurassic” franchise might happen down the road, though, especially because “Rebirth” is, refreshingly, a one-shot film; it’s happy to be a self-contained “Jurassic” adventure in the tradition of “Jurassic Park III” or even “Jurassic World.” In this way, the “Rebirth” part of the title feels a little like a misnomer, for while it’s obvious that it has a meta connotation of a restart of the series after its assumed finale in “Dominion,” it doesn’t really explain what the future might hold for the franchise, if anything.
There are several characters who survive the events of “Rebirth,” so it’s possible that one or many of them might make a return appearance in a future “Jurassic” movie, yet there are no dangling plotlines or setups that make a return feel necessary. On the flip side, the last time we saw Dr. Grant, he’d rekindled his romance with Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and the couple were about to testify before Congress about the shenanigans surrounding the Biosyn corporation. Might Dr. Grant wish to catch up with Dr. Loomis, his old student, in a manner similar to how Grant visited Ellie in “Jurassic Park III?” Or will the paleontologists find themselves embarking on a new adventure together, perhaps with some new faces joining them? As we understand from Dr. Malcolm’s chaos theory, whatever could happen might likely happen, so all we need do is wait and see.
“Jurassic World Rebirth” is in theaters now.
“Thunderbolts*” managed to recapture by delivering a post-credits scene that actually means something, Riri Williams’ (Dominique Thorne) adventure ends with a struggling villain trying to get back to his former glory and visiting a mutual associate of Ironheart that could play a bigger part in the future of the MCU, and specifically for one A-list hero.
After being cut loose from the long-awaited villain Mephisto (Sacha Baron Cohen), Parker Robbins, aka The Hood (Anthony Ramos), is now a lone agent, since the team he gathered is scattered to the winds. On a mission to reclaim his former title and take hold of the power he once had, Robbins tracks down the Stantons’ store, fully aware of the secret the establishment hides and how it can help Robbins’ mission of getting his ill-fitting Hood back. (Boy, did that thing look terrible.) While it might seem a little questionable as to why this new and mysterious customer gets special treatment from Zelma Stanton (Regan Aliyah) within minutes, the young spell-wielder-in-the-making has proven she’s willing to get mystical at the drop of a magic hat. The concern here is just how deep into the sacred arts she’ll find herself for the criminal formerly known as The Hood, and what it will cost her when Robbins gets his threads back.
Marvel Studios
It’s already been well established that Robbins can talk anyone into getting into cahoots with him with the right pitch, regardless of the dangers he might be sending them to face in the process. Keeping this in mind, it wouldn’t be a total shocker if the impressionable Zelma was the first on his list of new team members, which could find him one step closer to becoming an even greater threat to the MCU.
In the comics, Robbins became a significant presence and a formidable threat to both heroes and villains alike. Facing off against The Kingpin and The Avengers on occasion, he even pushed Doctor Strange to such a limit that he lost his title of Sorcerer Supreme battling him. To be this impactful, it would make sense that The Hood would lead Zelma down the wrong path and regain (and perhaps even surpass) his previous state that was offered to him by Mephisto. The problem with doing that is it could draw the attention of the wrong crowd for The Hood. After narrowly living to scheme another day and taking on Riri, this return to old tricks could find him on the radar of other magic-wielders in the MCU and characters that Zelma’s mother has already lightly referred to. After all, when spells are cast and ancient evils are revived, sometimes the best option is to call for a Doctor.
Marvel Comics
Besides The Hood having a few run-ins with Doctor Strange over the years in the comics, Zelma also has a longstanding history with the most magical member of The Avengers. Debuting in “Doctor Strange” #1 in 2015, Zelma called on Strange for aid when she came down with a nasty Mind Maggots infection. Stephen eventually addressed the issue, but in doing so, led to Zelma being more sensitive to magic and employing her as a librarian at Strange Academy, which is one of the best “Doctor Strange” comics you need to read (think Hogwarts for the MCU with Strange as its Dumbledore). Currently, though, Strange Academy has since gone under new management with none other than Doctor Doom becoming the new Sorcerer Supreme and relocating the school to the villain’s homeland of Latveria and renaming it Doom Academy.
With all these major story details happening in the comics around The Hood and his new potential ally, it would make sense for other big hitters in the MCU like Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange or even the MCU’s Sorcerer Supreme, Wong (Benedict Wong), to turn up to help Riri with whatever Robbins throws at her next. That crossover would be in the same vein as when Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) met Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), just with a more magical spin. For now, all we can hope for is that whenever The Hood returns suited and booted, Riri is ready to deal with the issue and uses even more powerful magic and mechanics to take him down.
Created by Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, Mephisto debuted in 1968’s “Silver Surfer” #3. Ruler of a Hell dimension, he takes an interest in the Silver Surfer; the Surfer’s noble heart is the mirror image of Mephisto’s own, so he wants to vanquish it. Lee and Buscema’s “Silver Surfer” primarily focuses on its heroes feeling disillusioned with humanity’s violent and hateful ways. Who else could be the Surfer’s main adversary than the one inducing people to give into their hearts’ darkness?
Marvel Comics
Mephisto returned a few more times in the title’s 18 issues and has since become a Marvel Comics fixture. He’s not bound to a single book’s ensemble but is more of a general evil that many superheroes have had to contend with. (Why else would he be debuting in “Ironheart,” of all places?)
Mephisto’s name comes from the legend of Faust or the original deal with the Devil story. Faust, a learned man, sells his soul to the demon Mephistopheles. Nowadays, Mephistopheles is often equated with Lucifer/Satan, even though in the Faust story he technically isn’t the same being. The same distinction can be made between Marvel’s Mephisto and the Devil.
As a young boy, I owned an edition of “The Marvel Encyclopedia,” an often-updated book going through the Marvel universe’s characters A-Z. In Mephisto’s entry, I read (paraphrased from memory): “He is not the biblical Satan and his domain is not the Hell of scripture.” “Why?” I thought. He’s so clearly the Devil, why obfuscate that?
Well, remember that Mephisto debuted in 1968. The Comics Code Authority (CCA), instituted in 1954 in response to accusations comics were feeding kids subversive and illicit themes, was still in effect. The CCA explicitly prohibited horror, monsters, and “ridicule” of any religion. Lee and Buscema calling their Devil character “Mephisto” reeks of plausible deniability; it’s a more obscure name than Satan, Lucifer, or just the Devil. At the same time, Mephisto explicitly refers to “his Satanic will” in “Silver Surfer” #3, so they weren’t hiding it that hard.
Marvel Comics
The CCA is no longer a factor these days, but why have Marvel writers kept up the song and dance that Mephisto isn’t the real Devil? Probably because it’s safer, and more universal, to not so explicitly tie the Marvel universe’s cosmology to Christian ideas. Compare Mephisto to HIM (Tom Kane) in “The Powerpuff Girls.” A kids’ show like that couldn’t say he’s the Devil for cultural sensitivity reasons, but we all know who he’s supposed to be.
In any case, Lee and Buscema lifting the name from “Faust” reflects how Mephisto is characterized. Mephisto stories focus much more on the “ruler of Hell, corrupter of souls” side of Lucifer than the “fallen angel” side.
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The nearly 25-year-old Dora the Explorer franchise is gearing up for expansion.
On Wednesday, July 2, the Alberto Belli-directed live-action film, Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, will premiere on both Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. While the family adventure technically serves as a sequel to 2019’s Dora and the Lost City of Gold (streaming now on Paramount+), the 2025 movie has an entirely new cast, including Samantha Lorraine replacing Isabela Merced as Dora.
At a Glance: How to Watch Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado Online
Since select streamers are offering free trials and limited-time discounts, viewers can watch the 2025 adaptation for free; keep reading to learn more about each option.
New eligible subscribers can watch the 2025 Dora the Explorer movie online for free with a seven-day trial to Paramount+. The film will be released on the streamer at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET on July 2.
After the trial period, subscriptions start at $7.99 per month for the ad-supported Paramount+ Essential plan. To go ad-free, the Paramount+ Premium package is $12.99 per month and includes Showtime content. Save on your Paramount+ subscription when you sign up for an annual package ($59.99 or $119.99 per year, respectively).
Seven-day free trial; packages from $7.99 per month
Since Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado simultaneously premieres on Nickelodeon on July 2, at 6 p.m. PT/ET, cord-cutters can watch on any live TV streaming service that carries the channel, including Philo, DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV.
Seven-day free trial; $28 and up per month thereafter
Watch Nickelodeon for free with a seven-day trial to Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives. After the free trial, the Philo base plan is $28 per month.
Five-day free trial; packages from $34.99 per month
Nickelodeon is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier. Plus, DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial for its streaming service. Learn more about each plan option, including how to build your own channel lineup (starting at just $34.99 per month), at directv.com.
Best Value
7-day free trial; packages from $79.99 per month
Watch Nickelodeon with a subscription to Fubo, which offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. After the trial, plans start at $64.99 for the first month and $84.99 monthly afterward.
Three-day free trial; packages from $82.99 per month
Watch Nickelodeon for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, starting at $82.99 per month.
Shop a wide assortment of Dora the Explorer merch, toys, books and physical media at Amazon and Walmart.
There’s a moment in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator when Russell Crowe’s enslaved Roman general Maximus, fresh from eviscerating five foes in short order, throws his arms in the air and asks a stunned arena, “Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?”
It would not be that far from fiction to picture the organizers of Sunday night’s Golden Bee Awards repeating the same question after the final spectacle had been presented to close out a nearly three-hour ceremony held inside Gzira’s Fort Manoel in Malta. Presented by the Mediterrane Film Festival and hosted by David Walliams, the outdoor show finished shy of midnight and by that point had featured around a dozen musical numbers (complete with props, backup dancers and custom backdrops), a slew of Hollywood presenters (Anna Camp, Chris Perfetti, Jared Harris, Karen Pittman and Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier), three fireworks displays and even Maximus himself.
Crowe made a triumphant (and surprise) return to Malta to accept a film legend award to mark the 25th anniversary of Gladiator. The film, like its recent sequel, was shot on the islands not far from the historic 18th century fort that hosted the awards and has long been a source of local pride.
“You want to know what I love about Malta? Everything,” Crowe declared, calling the island nation a “paradise,” one that he has regularly visited over the years on vacation. To prove his point, he said he arrived with his two sons, walked the streets of the capital city of Valletta at sunset, acquired his favorite lasagna and admired his favorite jewelry store Mario Zampa. “I love coming to Malta and I’m grateful for your welcome every time I’m here.”
Crowe accepted his trophy from Johann Grech, Malta film commissioner and CEO of Malta Film Studios. He praised Grech for his commitment and passion for Malta and his “understanding of the opportunity that Malta has at the center of the Mediterranean film industry.” With that, Crowe urged the local government to further fuel a commitment to the arts and to support education for young Maltese people “who want to explore film as a career in whatever capacity because it truly takes a village to make a movie.”
Grech looks on as Crowe accepts a Malta film legend award. Crowe, who won a best actor Oscar for his work in the 2000 film, also used part of his acceptance speech to call attention to a gold ring he wore in the recent The Pope’s Exorcist. The ring featured a Maltese crest and he said, “I hope you noticed and I hope you understood it was from love and respect.”
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Crowe then recounted coming to the country 26 years ago to star in the epic Gladiator. “You could say, in a funny way, I became a man in Malta,” he said. Whatever films I’d done before then, nothing had the majesty, ambition, budget and ultimately reach of Gladiator. I say ‘became a man’ because it wasn’t an easy production. I had to fight everyday for the integrity of the character I was playing, just like the journey of the character himself in a movie. Sometimes you get lucky enough to make something that resonates with people.”
It’s still resonating. Crowe detailed an encounter he had with a man a week ago while visiting Monterosso in Italy’s Cinque Terre. “I was leaving a restaurant at nighttime. As I came out in the street, this young man, he saw me, he recognized me, and he asked me for a photo,” Crowe recalled. “I shook his hand and he started to cry. His friends told me later that he’s the head lifeguard at the local beach — he’s got muscles on muscles and lots of responsibility and authority — and they’d never seen him like that.”
Crowe said the “crying got more intense” and the man couldn’t wipe the tears from his eyes, so he ended up hugging him. “When he got himself together, he said, ‘You don’t understand. When I was 8 years old, my mother sat me in front of TV and put on a video cassette of Gladiator. She told me that if you are ever wondering what type of man your mother expects you to be, it’s this type of man — the honor, the integrity, the faith, this type of man.’ A man made in Malta.”
The anecdote drew cheers and applause from the crowd, estimated at close to 2000 guests. Prior to Crowe’s remarks, Grech delivered a lengthy address that resonated much like a campaign speech. He paid particular attention to the milestone anniversary — 2025 marks 100 years of filming in Malta — while also noting the strides that have been made under his administration. Malta has long been a magnet for Hollywood as it has welcomed such films as Munich, Troy, Jurassic World Rebirth, Captain Phillips, World War Z, Murder on the Orient Express, Assassin’s Creed, By the Sea, The Da Vinci Code, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Last Breath and dozens of others.
Grech called out the skeptics that doubted Malta’s place as an international hub for filmmaking and said that they’ve come from “yes we can” to “yes we have” over the past nearly eight years (thanks in large part to a lucrative 40 percent tax rebate). “The film industry is bigger than it’s ever been,” Grech said. “The next 100 years will be better than the first. Let us never stop believing because we are Malta. We are film.”
The last sentence repeated the theme of this year’s Mediterrane Film Festival, established on the islands of Malta in 2023 as a showcase for films from the area and beyond. This year’s edition wrapped Sunday after running from June 21-29, and featured 55 films from more than 20 countries. Sunday night’s Golden Bee Awards saw the official festival prizes doled out as chosen by the juries in addition to one people’s choice award.
Amel Guellaty’s Where the Wind Comes From picked up steam by claiming two awards including best feature film and best performance for Eya Bellagha’s starring turn in the drama which follows a rebellious 19-year-old Alyssa (Bellagha) and shy 23-year-old Mehdi (Slim Baccar) who dream of escaping their reality. Upon discovering a contest offering a chance to flee, they set out on a road trip to southern Tunisia.
Julio Medem’s 8 also picked up two prizes including best screenwriting for its writer-director Medem as well as a jury’s choice award. The film covers 90 years and follows the eight encounters between a man, Octavio (Javier Rey), and a woman, Adela (Ana Rujas), that so happen to mirror pivotal moments in Spain’s history. The Mare Nostrum award went to Miyazaki: Spirit of Nature, which was “recognized for its lyrical exploration of nature and spirit,” per the jury, while the people’s choice award went to Polly Steele’s Four Letters of Love.
Julio Medem with his best screenwriting award for 8.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Polly Steele accepts the people’s choice award for her film Four Letters of Love.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Leo Favier, director of Miyazaki: Spirit of Nature, holds his Mare Nostrum Award.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Serving the Mediterrane Film Festival jury this year were Catherine Hardwicke, Elli Griff, Rick Carter, Charlese Antoinette, James Price, Mario Philip Azzopardi and Joseph Vassallo. A special Mare Nostrum jury, comprised of Grainne Humphreys, Ania Trzebiatowska and Melisa Sözen, selected from a roster of films curated around themes of climate and environmentalism.
Crowe was far from the only notable name honored Sunday. Fellow Oscar winner Jeremy Thomas, a veteran producer who landed gold for Bernardo Bertolucci’s best picture winner The Last Emperor from 1988, was presented with a lifetime achievement award while veteran location manager Pierre Agius snagged a career achievement honor. As previously announced, Euphoria breakout Barbie Ferreira touched down in Malta to pick up a rising star award for her screen accomplishments. The black-tie gala also hosted boldfaced names like Jon Watts, Edmund Donovan, Joaquim De Almeida, Bailey Bass, Kerry Ingram and more. See below for scenes from inside Sunday’s celebration.
Honoree Barbie Ferreira arrives at the Golden Bee Awards.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
VIP guests like Anna Camp and Chris Perfetti arrived by boat.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Jury member Charlese Antoinette.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Jared Harris and his wife Allegra.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Amazon MGM Studios Glenn Gainor and his wife.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Mediterrane Film Festival director Ray Calleja greets The Theft of the Caravaggio filmmaker Joshua Cassar Gaspar.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Host David Walliams fronts the Golden Bee Awards.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Walliams kicks off the show, which featured songs and film clips selected to honor the past 100 years of filmmaking.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Grech and Crowe, who hoists his Golden Bee trophy.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
A fireworks display lights up the sky.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
A group of performers (including Joseph Calleja, Destiny, Emily Sandé, among others) are seen on stage belting out “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman, which marked the grand finale of the show.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Carolina Lopez Moreno performs “Beyond The Sea.”
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Anna Camp and her girlfriend, Jade Whipkey.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Chris Perfetti.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival
Host David Walliams, honoree Russell Crowe and Malta film commissioner Johann Grech.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Presenter Karen Pittman.
Courtesy of Shutterstock/Mediterrane Film Festival
Edmund Donovan.
Courtesy of Mediterrane Film Festival