Netflix just released the official trailer for My Oxford Year, starring Queen Charlotte‘s Corey Mylchreest and Carry-On‘s Sofia Carson. If you haven’t read Julia Whelan’s novel, based on a story by Allison Burnett, the two-minute trailer reveals a lot (maybe too much?) about the couple at the heart of the film.
The film also stars Dougray Scott (Ever After), Catherine McCormack (Temple), Harry Trevaldwyn (How to Train Your Dragon), Esmé Kingdom (Fallen), Nikhil Parmar (Gran Turismo), and Poppy Gilbert (The Catch). Romina Cocca (The Penguin Lessons), Yadier Fernández (The Gold), Nia Anisah (Magpie Murders), and Hugh Coles (Baby Reindeer) fill out the cast.
“When Anna (Carson), an ambitious young American woman, sets out for Oxford University to fulfill a childhood dream, she has her life completely on track until she meets a charming and clever local (Mylchreest) who profoundly alters both of their lives,” reads Netflix’s synopsis.
Commenting on the film, Sofia Carson told Netflix’s Tudum, “It was an honor and joy to dive into Anna’s world of dreams, of love, of poetry. To study the great poets that walked the halls of Oxford, and who have since filled our lives with the magic of literature. In 1833, Alfred Tennyson wrote ‘It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.’ Two hundred years after Tennyson so beautifully uttered those words, they ring truer than ever — in the halls of Oxford, and within the heart of our film.”
Iain Morris directs from a screenplay by Allison Burnett and Melissa Osborne. Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Laura Quicksilver, and Isaac Klausner serve as producers. Executive producers include Sofia Carson, Caroline Levy, Laura Char Carson, Christopher Simon, Maggie Monteith, and Pete Harris.
NBC News Studios’ new documentary series Survival Mode focuses on survivors of devastating disasters. The nine-episode season premieres on July 7, 2025, with new episodes airing on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT on NBC.
Chris Cassel, Liz Cole, Elizabeth Fischer, Andy Berg, and Molly O’Brien executive produce the series which examines survivors of the Maui wildfires, Hurricane Ian, and Superstorm Sandy. The series also features interviews with first responders and survivors of the AMTRAK 501 derailment, the Costa Concordia sinking, the Joplin tornado, and the Montecito mudslide.
Survival Mode Episode Guide:
HURRICANE IAN (July 14)
The series premiere features three groups of residents in Fort Myers Beach — a mother and her parents, four close neighbors, and a group of boaters anchored just offshore — who chose to stay and face Hurricane Ian, the deadliest storm to strike Florida in a generation.
MAUI WILDFIRES (July 14)
As flames overtake Lahaina, terrified residents and tourists flee to the ocean in a desperate attempt to survive Hawaii’s deadliest wildfire.
JOPLIN TORNADO (July 21)
When a monstrous tornado strikes Joplin, Missouri, families and strangers alike are thrown into a desperate fight for survival in the deadliest U.S. twister in over 60 years.
THE DERAILMENT OF AMTRAK 501 (July 28)
When a speeding train derails on its inaugural run, passengers are thrust into chaos and forced to find the will to survive amid one of the most shocking rail disasters in recent memory.
MONTECITO MUDSLIDE (August 4)
In the dark of night, Montecito, California residents must outrun a deadly wall of mud triggered by torrential rains after a major wildfire, as homes vanish and lives hang in the balance.
FORT WORTH PILEUP (August 11)
A brutal winter freeze turns a Texas highway into a deadly trap, where drivers and first responders fight to survive a massive, fast-moving pileup.
KENTUCKY FLOODS (August 18)
When unprecedented floods rip through eastern Kentucky, families are forced to cling to rooftops and trees in a frantic effort to escape the raging waters.
SUPERSTORM SANDY (August 25)
As Superstorm Sandy crashes into the East Coast, a city braces for chaos and ordinary people find extraordinary courage as they face unprecedented threats from wind, fire and flood.
THE SINKING OF COSTA CONCORDIA (September 1)
A luxury cruise turns into a nightmare as passengers scramble to escape a sinking ship in one of the most shocking maritime disasters of the 21st century.
Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Greyeyes, Kataem O’Connor, Haile Amare, and Jaeda LeBlanc in ’40 ACRES’ (Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)
40 Acres is an incredibly intense post-apocalyptic thriller set in a world transformed by a fungal pandemic followed by civil war and famine. The film plunges us into a new reality where fertile farmland has become the world’s most coveted resource. And yet, despite the bleak setting, 40 Acres is a profoundly moving story of hope and human resilience.
The film’s action is focused on the Freeman family, owners of a thriving farm that’s often the target of armed trespassers. The family, led by Hailey (an absolutely riveting Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson) and Galen (Michael Greyeyes, 1923), has extensive arms training and quickly dispatches all intruders. Their weapons of choice: guns, knives, and hatchets.
The Freemans aren’t just survivors; they are formidable guardians of their flourishing cornfields. Scenes around the dining room table reveal their deep, ingrained commitment to their land and lineage. The family’s motto, “We work now; we rest when we’re dead,” reflects their daily work ethic.
First-time feature filmmaker R.T. Thorne meticulously builds the world of 40 Acres, layering the rhythm of life on the farm in this dystopian environment – grueling dawn exercises to the constant vigilance required to protect their perimeter – with the very real family drama of hormonal teenage siblings (Kataem O’Connor and Leenah Robinson) growing up isolated from their peers. It’s a brutally harsh existence, but even in the well-stocked armory and private security center, there’s a profound sense of purpose and a relentless drive to keep the family intact.
Hailey maintains daily contact with other surviving farms, and as radio chatter brings news of other farms falling silent, the danger of armed intruders – who dine on human flesh – launching coordinated attacks intensifies. Cracks appear in the tight-knit family’s bonds, and soon everyone is pushed to their limits with the introduction of a stranger (Milcania Diaz-Rojas). Hailey’s constant warning that no one outside the family can be trusted is ignored, leading to a savage final act that’s graphic and disturbingly realistic.
What makes 40 Acres stand out among post-apocalyptic thrillers, apart from its outstanding cast, is its ability to be simultaneously brutal and horrifying yet strangely life-affirming. In a world where cannibals roam free and fresh crops are worth dying for, finding hope might seem paradoxical. However, the film’s focus is on the power of family and perseverance against overwhelming odds. The Freemans’ unwavering dedication to their land and to each other, even in the face of unspeakable horror, embodies our ability to not just survive but to adapt and rebuild.
GRADE: A
Rating: R for language and strong violent content
Release Date: July 2, 2025
Running Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Greyeyes, Kataem O’Connor, Leenah Robinson, Milcania Diaz-Rojas, Jaeda LeBlanc, and Elizabeth Saunders
ABC News Studio announces new true crime docuseries (Photo Credit: ABC News Studio)
Three new true crime docuseries from ABC New Studios will debut in July 2025 on Hulu. The three-part Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit premieres on Tuesday, July 15, and the three-part Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari streams on Monday, July 21.
Rounding out the month is the four-part docuseries Mr. & Mrs. Murder debuting on Wednesday, July 30.
ABC NEWS STUDIOS TRUE CRIME DOCUSERIES:
Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit (Tuesday, July 15)
In 1995, rising TV news anchor Jodi Huisentruit disappeared from her Iowa apartment just before dawn, leaving behind signs of a violent abduction. Her case quickly became one of the nation’s most haunting unsolved mysteries. Now, 30 years later, Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit follows a major break that reenergized the case.
Sparked by a 2022 20/20 episode, a tip from one of Jodi’s close friends led Mason City Police to reveal a secret clue they had kept hidden for decades. In this fast-paced, true crime series, cameras exclusively embed with the case’s law enforcement team as they doggedly follow new leads, conduct intense interviews, and embark on searches that lead them to two new persons of interest—all while growing closer than ever to answering the question: What happened to Jodi?
This three-part docuseries features over twenty new interviews, including with Jodi’s family, friends, and her former colleagues; an unprecedented archive of Jodi’s life and career, including rare access to KIMT-TV, where Jodi’s abandoned desk remains untouched; and exclusive, real-time access to the investigation and breaks in the case—including never-before-seen material and new, groundbreaking information. An exploration of the power of persistence, public memory, and journalism, Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit breathes new life into one of the country’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.
Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari (Monday, July 21)
In Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari, a mysterious death on an African hunting trip sets off a years-long international investigation into the life of Larry Rudolph—a flashy Pittsburgh-area dentist with a taste for big game and bigger secrets, including a long-running affair with his dental hygienist, Lori Milliron. After Larry is forced to choose between his wife of 34 years, Bianca, and his mistress, one of them is found dead in Larry’s safari cabin in Zambia.
The local authorities rule it an accident, but back in the U.S., suspicions mount. As investigators dig deeper, they uncover decades of salacious patterns in Larry’s personal and professional dealings, including affairs, fraud, and more. But the question remains: could this apparent egomaniac commit murder? And if so, does the FBI have the evidence to prove it?
The adrenaline-pumping, three-part series features exclusive interviews with Larry Rudolph and Lori Milliron from federal prison, offering rare insight into their relationship. Plus, new interviews with an eclectic cast of characters, including Larry’s former business partner, Milliron’s daughter, the Rudolphs’ insurance broker, FBI agents close to the case, the former U.S. ambassador to Zambia, and more. Members of Safari Club International and several of Larry’s former dental office employees also speak out, painting a disturbing picture of the man at the center of this shocking case.
Mr. & Mrs. Murder (Wednesday, July 30)
Mr. & Mrs. Murder follows the twisted story of two close-knit couples in Tallahassee, Florida—Kathy and Brian Winchester and their childhood friends Mike and Denise Williams. Devout Baptists who shared a love for the outdoors, the couples did everything together, even planning their children’s births months apart. But on December 16, 2000, their world turned upside down when Mike vanished during a duck hunting trip on Lake Seminole. With no body found, many believed he had drowned or was eaten by alligators.
Years later, suspicions grew after Brian and Kathy divorced and Brian married Denise. What first appeared to be a tragic accident soon pointed to something far more sinister. Over the next 13 years, Kathy relentlessly pursued the truth—uncovering a dark web of lies, betrayal, and murder behind her friend’s disappearance.
The four-part docuseries features an exclusive interview with Kathy, who, for the first time, recounts the extraordinary steps she took to uncover the truth about Mike’s disappearance, including going undercover in a tense sting operation to secretly record her ex-husband, Brian. The series also includes interviews with friends and family of the Winchesters and Williames, such as Brian’s younger sister and Denise’s best friend.
In addition, viewers will hear from key law enforcement officials and special agents involved in the case, including the former Florida Wildlife Commission officer who led the original search for Mike and was on hand when, months later, remarkable evidence mysteriously turned up in Lake Seminole.
Prime Video’s four-part documentary series One Night in Idaho: The College Murders explores the shocking deaths of four college students in Moscow, Idaho. Featuring new interviews with friends and families of the victims, including the parents of Ethan Chapin and Madison Mogen, One Night in Idaho premieres on July 11, 2025 with the release of all four episodes.
Liz Garbus (I’ll Be Gone in the Dark) and Matthew Galkin (Murder in the Bayou) direct the docuseries and serve as executive producers. Additional executive producers include Katie A. King, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Matt Thunell, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, Kate Barry, Mala Chapple, James Patterson, Bill Robinson, and Patrick Santa.
Prime Video offers this description of the documentary series:
“On November 13th, 2022—in the still of the night—four University of Idaho students are brutally stabbed to death in an off-campus house in the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho. Within the devastated families and the community at large, questions and fear abound. What happened? Who did this, and could the killer be among us? And why these four young adults? The twists and turns of what happens next—an explosion of social media sleuthing, a cross-country manhunt, a dramatic arrest, and a looming trial—have made this crime one of the most high-profile stories of the last decade, capturing the country’s attention, imagination, and paranoia like almost no other case before it.
Told in captivating, tense, and emotionally wrenching detail by only those involved in and affected by the crime, the series intimately explores this American tragedy and its continued impact and fallout.”
Lisa Kudrow in ‘The Comeback’ season 2 (Photo by John P. Johnson/HBO)
HBO’s revived The Comeback starring Lisa Kudrow for a third and final…until it’s not…season. Never ever count The Comeback out. Season one premiered way back in 2005, and season two didn’t arrive until 10 years later. Season three is expected to debut in 2026.
Kudrow created the series with Michael Patrick King (And Just Like That) and stars as Valerie Cherish, a former TV star whose career has tanked. The cast of the upcoming final season also includes returning series regulars Dan Bucatinsky, Laura Silverman, and Damian Young.
“Valerie Cherish has found her way back to the current television landscape. Neither of us are surprised she did,” said Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow.
Filming’s expected to get underway this summer with King, Kudrow, Bucatinsky, and John Melfi executive producing.
“No matter what the industry throws at her, Valerie Cherish is a survivor,” stated Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO & Max Comedy Programming. “On the 20th anniversary of her debut, Michael Patrick King and Lisa Kudrow have brilliantly scripted her return to HBO and we can’t wait to see that.”
A look back at the season two plot: “B-level TV star Valerie Cherish was a pioneer of reality television. Now, it’s ten years later—there’s more TV than ever, and she wants back in. Lisa Kudrow stars as the embattled Valerie Cherish, a fading TV ‘It Girl’ who was once so desperate to stay in the spotlight that she allowed cameras to follow her every move as she appeared on a new sitcom, with disastrous results.
When the comedy series returns for [season two], Valerie thinks she has it all figured out this time. She doesn’t. Valerie has hired a student film crew to shoot footage that she hopes will get the attention of Bravo and put her back on the map. When she discovers her former nemesis Paulie G. (Lance Barber), who’s fresh out of rehab, has a new HBO show called Seeing Red, based on his experiences working with her, an irate Valerie crashes the HBO offices crying defamation—but ends up getting the role that’s based on herself.”
Poster for ‘Project Hail Mary’ (Credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
Amazon MGM Studios released the first teaser poster for Project Hail Mary ahead of the trailer debut set for Monday, June 30, 2025. The sci-fi action film stars three-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling (Barbie, La La Land, Half Nelson) and is targeting a March 20, 2026 theatrical release.
Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub also star in Oscar-winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s latest project.
“Science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light-years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out,” reads Amazon MGM Studios’ synopsis. “He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.”
Drew Goddard (High Potential, Daredevil) adapted Andy Weir’s novel and serves as an executive producer along with Patricia Whitcher, Sarah Esberg, Lucy Kitada, Nikki Baida, and Ken Kao. Producers include Miller, Lord, Weir, Gosling, Amy Pascal, Aditya Sood, and Rachel O’Connor.
Kelsey Loper in ‘Alone’ season 12 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
The History Channel’s Alone season 12 episode three begins with eight participants attempting to live on their own in South Africa’s Great Karoo Desert and ends with just six. The action takes place from day three through day five, and focuses on Will, Kelsey, Pablo, and Douglas.
The following is a detailed recap of episode three, “Thirst Trap,” which means there are spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned!
Kelsey Loper: Age 35, Winnett, Montana
Day 3, 3:48pm – Kelsey lectures herself and the audience that we need to drink more water. She gets to work building a water cache and finds a frog. If she was hungry, she’d catch him for bait, but the warthog has supplied a lot of food. Kelsey doesn’t plan on shooting anything else until she only has two days worth of jerky left.
She’s been drinking a two-quart pot of water a day but knows that’s not enough. The four-quart cache will allow her to stop spending half an hour a day boiling water. She uses rocks and a piece of her tarp to build the cache. As she’s working, Kelsey explains that she is able to separate her life of saving animals as a vet tech with her life as a hunter.
Kelsey finds two waterbuck skeletons while walking near the river.
Day 4, 1:57pm – She starts work on her shelter using two bluebush trees as main beams with a tarp over them. Kelsey strips them down and sets up two tripods to lay them across. It’ll work, unless a giant storm sweeps through. (THC says the area normally gets just 10 inches of rain a year.) Setting up in the dry riverbedmeans she won’t have to worry about snakes and other creatures hiding under rocks. It’s a small tent, but Kelsey’s not worried since she doesn’t think she’ll be in there much. She’s aware the temperature is going to fall to the twenties, so she covers the floor with bedding material.
4:55pm – It’s getting colder as Kelsey sets out to look at white-fronted bee-eaters. She loves watching the birds and imitates Sir David Attenborough as she watches them tuck themselves into little holes on the side of a hill.
Douglas Meyer in ‘Alone’ season 12 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Douglas Meyer: Age 57, Kannapolis, NC
Day 4, 9:17am – Douglas hasn’t had time to go hunting or fishing because he’s been busy boiling water. He decides to make a drink container to store it. Dehydration is a real possibility in this environment, and he burns an agave root ball in half instead of wasting energy chopping it.
Only three survivalists, including Douglas, brought a canteen as one of their 10 items. As he works, Douglas reveals he had three father figures who taught him about life, and he wants to win Alone for them.
He finishes carving his container and it’s ready to hold his excess water.
Pablo Arguelles in ‘Alone’ season 12 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Pablo Arguelles: Age 55, Jacksonville, Florida
Day 5, 7:57am – Pablo sets out to fish and says he loved fishing as a young boy in Cuba. By 8:42am, he still hasn’t caught anything. He gained 40 pounds for the competition, and now his energy is draining. It’s getting hot (it’s 77), so he takes a break and boils more water.
10:41am – He almost spills his pot when he tries to open the lid. It’s now 81 degrees and staying hydrated is a huge task.
11:26am – Pablo starts work on his permanent shelter. He’s going to make a dome and begins digging holes to stick the branches in. The heat’s taking a toll on his energy, and he feels as though he’s becoming dehydrated. He’s forced to take a break and rest.
1:37pm – Pablo confesses he’s running out of steam. He’s physically weak and is having negative thoughts.
3:37pm – It’s been a difficult day and he’s still feeling nauseous when he heads down to the lake. He’s always thirsty, and he warns viewers that this is harder than it looks. Pablo opts to tap out because he can’t stay hydrated. It’s a hard decision, but he feels he has no choice. Pablo’s disappointed he didn’t win the grand prize but isn’t willing to risk his health.
He has a new perspective on the sacrifices his parents made. Pablo vows not to take anything for granted and will appreciate what he has.
Will Lamb in ‘Alone’ season 12 (Photo Credit: The History Channel)
Will Lamb: Age 31, Leakey, Texas
Day 3, 3:41am – Will’s up early and ready to use a scorpion as bait. He shows off the UV light The History Channel provided, and the scorpion glows in the dark.
3:57am – Catfish are active at night so Will’s hopeful that he’ll catch a meal.
6:59am – He still hasn’t caught a fish and moves to a new spot. Will lands a decent-sized sharptooth catfish immediately after moving.
7:29am – While he’s preparing his catfish, Will admits he doesn’t like fish, crabs, or shrimp but knows he needs to power through it. He needs the protein.
8:11am – Will takes a bite of his freshly cooked catfish and although there are bones everywhere, he’s actually surprised it tastes so good. It’s the first catfish he’s ever eaten.
Day 4, 11:03am – Will chucks a rock at a bird and misses. He’s feeling pretty good, even though he hasn’t eaten much. He heads up the mountain and spots a waterbuck bull, cow, and young one. Will follows them while explaining he doesn’t want to be like his dad and hopes to do something great and leave a positive legacy for his son.
A gemsbok catches his attention but runs off before he can take a shot. Will realizes that there are herds of different animals nearby and that they’re alerting each other to his presence.
12:57pm – He returns to camp and regrets not killing a kudu when he had a chance on day two.
Day 5, 3:27pm – Will cooks up prickly pear, burning off the needles. It doesn’t taste good, but he needs more than acacia seeds. He’s caught one catfish thus far.
4:22pm – He calls the cactus and acacia seeds desert survival food. THC says the seeds taste like a mix of chocolate, coffee, and raisins. This is the first day since the catfish that he’s had anything substantial. After eating, he’ll put up his tarp and then figure out what’s next. Will’s a little worried about eating this much cactus, and THC warns that it can cause diarrhea, nausea, and bloating.
11:01pm – Will wakes up and vomits blood. He doesn’t know if it’s the cactus because it didn’t have enough time to go through him. Will lies back down, but it’s obvious he’s in pain.
The action shifts to the Alone home base where an announcement goes out that there’s a red button alert. (Every participant has an emergency rescue beacon for life-threatening situations.) The medical team heads over to Will’s camp and he’s in bad shape. He’s sweating but feels cold and apologizes for making them come out in the middle of the night. Will explains what he ate today and reveals his head hurts. He’s been experiencing cold chills, vomiting, and body aches. (The body aches came first.)
A stretcher is brought to his camp to take him out, and the medical team starts an IV. Will’s barely able to stay awake.
In a voiceover, Will says he’s tired of starting over and making bad choices. Alone was an important chapter in his life, and without the series, he never would have had the chance to visit Africa. He wants his son to grow up with more than he had and hopes that there are more triumphs than failures.
The episode ends with the news that Will was diagnosed with acute colitis and received four liters of IV fluids, antibiotics, and steroids before being released.
Artificial intelligence was a big current events deal when the first M3GAN movie came out a few years back. But AI technology has moved in leaps and bounds since then, and the movie franchise had to keep up. Enter M3GAN 2.0.
M3GAN 2.0 picks up a couple of years after the events of M3GAN with toy developer Gemma Forrester (Get Out’s Allison Williams) still living with her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw from Thunderbolts*), and running her own “socially conscious” tech company. When the government uses a variation of Gemma’s M3GAN technology to create a robotic AI weapon called AMELIA, they have the same results that Gemma did when the tech was used as a toy – the robot eventually turns sentient and goes berserk. Knowing the nuts and bolts of the programming, Gemma is the only one who can stop AMELIA. And she turns to a familiar source for help – her original M3GAN prototype.
The band that made M3GAN is back together with M3GAN 2.0. Writer/director Gerard Johnstone and co-writer Akela Cooper are both back. Besides Williams and McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps are back as Gemma’s loyal-yet-underappreciated teammates. Even Jenna Davis and Amie Donald are back as M3GAN’s voice and body, respectively. There are some new faces – Jemaine Clement as a tech billionaire, Aristotle Athari as Gemma’s boyfriend, Ivanna Sakhno as AMELIA – but for the most part, it’s clear that this is a M3GAN movie, both behind and in front of the camera.
Now, that doesn’t mean it’s a knock-off or a rehash. M3GAN 2.0 feels a bit like what Terminator 2: Judgement Day was after The Terminator. The villain from the first film comes back in a hero role to save the day in the second. There are plenty of shades of grey to it, and everyone, especially Gemma, is suspicious of M3GAN’s motives, but what it comes down to is M3GAN is, and always has been, in it to protect Cady, and if that shifts her from antagonist to protagonist, so be it. It’s in her programming, after all.
The issue that fans of M3GAN may have with M3GAN 2.0 is that it’s more of a sci-fi comedy than a horror movie. There’s also plenty of action, and, of course, some dancing, but very little horror. It’s a tonal shift from the first movie that only partially works. Part of what made M3GAN so effective was the uncanny valley concept of M3GAN looking almost human, but not quite. AMELIA looks completely human, so she just seems like a heartless killer. Which she is. But that steers M3GAN 2.0 into being more of a Terminator-type thing than a Child’s Play-type thing.
Once M3GAN gains Gemma’s trust enough to put her programming back into her old body, the uncanny valley is back, but it’s almost humorous at that point. AMELIA is a much more convincing android. And speaking of humorous, the body that Gemma first puts M3GAN into is hysterical, and M3GAN’s reaction to it is equally hysterical.
So, with M3GAN 2.0, the stakes are higher. It’s more about saving the world than saving a little girl. And with that shift, the movie slips into stereotypical action territory, feeling almost like a Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal movie (the latter of which is Cady’s role model for self-defense). Once it hits the third act, the narrative gets a bit clogged up. There are a few too many red herrings and false flags. Some are fun surprises, but most are unnecessary diversions that, frankly, add about 15 minutes or so on to what could be a nice, compact little science fiction action film.
Speaking of science fiction, some of the tech in M3GAN 2.0 is more fiction than science. Most of it seems far-fetched, but it also feels like the kind of movie that people will look back on and think that it’s primitive. Of course, the real techy stuff will age like Hackers, but there are some interesting concepts presented, like strength-assisting exoskeletons and neural implants, that may be possible in the near (or not too near) future. And that may make M3GAN 2.0 fun to revisit in 10 or 20 years.
M3GAN 2.0 also brings up a lot of ethical questions about AI. Gemma’s new mission in life is “responsible AI,” so the conundrums about the technology are front and center in the movie – when to use it, when not to, should it be militarized or privatized, how big of an invasion of privacy it is, how much power does (and should) it hold? There are no real answers, but the questions are interesting. There’s a lot of tech philosophy wrapped up in this crazy little story about fighting robots.
And that technobabble is probably the scariest thing about M3GAN 2.0. It’s not the movie itself, but the future it predicts. And considering other parts of the movie are ripped from the headlines (it seems to have predicted an Israel-Iran conflict), that future is terrifying. But M3GAN 2.0 itself is not.
GRADE: C+
Rating: PG-13 for sexual material, brief drug references, bloody images, some strong language, and strong violent content
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Running Time: 1 hour 59 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
2025 ESPYS hosted by Shane Gillis (Photo Credit: ABC)
Shane Gillis is set to host the 2025 ESPYS taking place in Los Angeles on July 16, 2025 and airing on ABC beginning at 8pm ET/PT. Simone Biles, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, and Caitlin Clark are among the top nominees, along with Coco Gauff, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Ilona Maher, and Alexander Ovechkin.
If first-time nominee Josh Allen wins in the Best Athlete – Men’s Sports category this year, it would be the fourth time a quarterback has won in the last five years. And if Duke standout Cooper Flagg wins Best Breakthrough Athlete, he would become the first men’s college basketball player to win that award.
Voting is now open for the 2025 ESPYS through July 16 at 5pm ET on ESPN.com/ESPYS.
2025 ESPYS NOMINEES:
BEST ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS
● Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
● Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles
● Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
● Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
BEST ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS
● Simone Biles – Gymnast
● Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – Track & Field
● Gabby Thomas – Track & Field
● A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
● Cooper Flagg – Duke Men’s Basketball
● Chloe Humphrey – North Carolina Women’s Lacrosse
● Ilona Maher – Rugby
● Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
● Geno Auriemma – UConn Huskies
● Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
● Kevin Durant – Olympic Basketball
● Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
● Simone Biles – 2024 Olympics Women’s All-Around
● Stephen Curry – US Men’s Olympic BB team
● Freddie Freeman – LA Dodgers – World Series MVP
● Rory McIlroy – Wins first Masters title, completing career Grand Slam
BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
● Gabe Landeskog – Colorado Avalanche
● Suni Lee – Gymnast
● Mallory Swanson – USWNT/Chicago Red Stars
● Lindsey Vonn – Skiing
BEST PLAY
● Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle – NFL (11/3/24)
● Tyrese Haliburton Calls Game!!! – NBA Game 1 NBA Finals (6/5/25)
● Sabrina Ionescu Logo 3 Game Winner – WNBA Finals Game 3
● Trinity Rodman with the OT Goal to send USWNT to the semi-finals – 2024 Olympics
BEST TEAM
● Florida Panthers – NHL
● Los Angeles Dodgers – MLB
● New York Liberty – WNBA
● Ohio State Buckeyes – NCAA Football
● Oklahoma City Thunder – NBA
● Philadelphia Eagles – NFL
● North Carolina Tarheels – NCAA Women’s Lacrosse
● United States Women’s National Team – Soccer
● University of Connecticut Huskies – Women’s Basketball
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – MEN’S SPORTS
● Cooper Flagg – Duke Basketball
● Wyatt Hendrickson – Oklahoma State Wrestling
● Travis Hunter – Colorado Football
● CJ Kirst – Cornell Lacrosse
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE – WOMEN’S SPORTS
● Olivia Babcock – University of Pittsburgh Volleyball
● Kate Faasse – North Carolina Soccer
● Gretchen Walsh – Virginia Swimming
● JuJu Watkins – USC Basketball
BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
● Noah Elliott – Snowboard
● Ezra Frech – Track & Field
● Tatyana McFadden – Track & Field
● Grace Norman – Paratriathlete
BEST NFL PLAYER
● Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
● Saquon Barkley – Philadelphia Eagles
● Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens
● Patrick Surtain II – Denver Broncos
BEST MLB PLAYER
● Freddie Freeman – Los Angeles Dodgers
● Aaron Judge – New York Yankees
● Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
● Tarik Skubal – Detroit Tigers
BEST NHL PLAYER
● Leon Draisaitl – Edmonton Oilers,
● Connor Hellebuyck – Winnipeg Jets
● Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning
● Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche
BEST NBA PLAYER
● Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
● Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
● Nikola Jokić – Denver Nuggets
● Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
BEST WNBA PLAYER
● Caitlin Clark – Indiana Fever
● Napheesa Collier – Minnesota Lynx
● Breanna Stewart – New York Liberty
● A’ja Wilson – Las Vegas Aces
BEST DRIVER
● Joey Logano – NASCAR
● Álex Palou – IndyCar
● Oscar Piastri – F1
● Max Verstappen – F1
BEST UFC FIGHTER
● Dricus Du Plessis
● Merab Dvalishvili
● Kayla Harrison
● Islam Makhachev
BEST BOXER
● Naoya Inoue
● Claressa Shields
● Katie Taylor
● Oleksandr Usyk
BEST SOCCER PLAYER
● Aitana Bonmatí – FC Barcelona/Spain
● Christian Pulisic – AC Milan, US
● Alexia Putellas FC Barcelona/Spain
● Lamine Yamal – FC Barcelona/Spain
BEST GOLFER
● Nelly Korda
● Rory Mcllroy
● Scottie Scheffler
● Maja Stark
BEST TENNIS PLAYER
● Carlos Alcaraz
● Coco Gauff
● Aryna Sabalenka
● Jannik Sinner
