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.

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 13:00:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 13:00:00

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

“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.

Dr. Henry Loomis knows Dr. Alan Grant

Dr. Alan Grant lights the way in Jurassic World Dominion

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!

Could the mention of Grant mean the return of legacy characters in a future film?

Dr. Loomis comes face to face with dinosaurs in the sea in Jurassic World Rebirth

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.

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 03:58:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 03:58:00

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

“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.

Is Zelma set to have The Hood pulled over her eyes?

Zelma Stanton talking wearing a black beanie

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.

Could Doctor Strange or Wong spoil The Hood’s future plans?

The Hood standing in front of the Eye of Agamotto

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. 

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 01:30:00

TV & Beyond on 2025-07-02 01:30:00

by | Jul 2, 2025 | TV & Beyond Articles

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?

Mephisto first appearance in Silver Surfer #3Marvel 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.

Silver Surfer #3Marvel 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.