Starz has unveiled the first photos and an action-packed teaser for the upcoming third and final season of Power Book IV: Force. Season two premiered in September 2023 and Starz is targeting a fall 2025 release of season three.
Starz’s first small batch of photos from the final season features Joseph Sikora (Ozark) as Tommy Egan, Isaac Keys (The Oath) as Diamond Sampson, Manuel Eduardo Ramirez (Snowfall) as Miguel Garcia, Kris D. Lofton (Ballers) as Jenard Sampson, and Adrienne Walker (Law & Order: Organized Crime) as Shanti ‘Showstopper’ Page. Season three also stars Miriam A. Hyman (The Chi) as US Attorney Stacy Marks, Anthony Fleming III (Prison Break) as JP, and Lucien Cambric (Chicago P.D.) as D-Mac.
“Tommy Egan (Sikora) is back with an ever-growing list of enemies. With the Feds on his tail and street gangs trying to take him down, Tommy must be strategic in his quest to take over Chicago’s drug game, while also protecting those he loves the most,” reads Starz’s synopsis. “This season, Tommy must poach customers from rival factions to have a chance at becoming kingpin, all while battling Miguel’s growing power and navigating an increasingly complex minefield of threats in the streets. With a deepening divide within his coalition and his personal life under threat, Tommy must balance offense and defense to survive and protect everything he’s worked for.”
Gary Lennon guides the series as showrunner and executive producer. Power creator Courtney A. Kemp, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, Terri Kopp, and Chris Selak also serve as executive producers.
Isaac Keys and Joseph Sikora in ‘Power Book IV: Force’ season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)Manuel Eduardo Ramirez and Joseph Sikora in ‘Power Book IV: Force’ season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz) Kris D Lofton, Joseph Sikora, and Isaac Keys in season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)Joseph Sikora and Adrienne Walker in season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)Isaac Keys and Kris D Lofton in season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Netflix reports that production is officially underway on the upcoming fifth and final season of Outer Banks in Charleston, South Carolina. Season four premiered in October 2024, and season five is expected to debut in 2026.
“We are over the moon to be setting out on one last trip with the Pogues,” stated creators and executive producers Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke to Tudum. “Being back on set with our cast for this final round is nothing short of bittersweet and surreal. We can’t wait to show everyone what we have in store this season—it’s going to be a wild ride…”
The final season cast includes returning series stars Chase Stokes as John B., Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Drew Starkey as Rafe, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Austin North as Topper, and Fiona Palomo as Sofia. J. Anthony Crane and Cullen Moss have been upped to series regulars for season five, reprising their roles as Chandler Groff and Shoupe.
Netflix hasn’t released a final season synopsis, but here’s a look back at season four’s plot: “Following last season’s 18-month flash-forward showing Wes Genrette’s proposal for the Pogues to find Blackbeard’s treasure, season four takes us back in time to the lead-up of that moment. After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a ‘normal’ life. They’ve built themselves a new safe haven, officially dubbed ‘Poguelandia 2.0’, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop.
But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the ‘G’ game for a whole new adventure. But before they know it, they’re well in over their heads, with dangerous new enemies hot on their heels racing them to the treasure. Meanwhile, their problems are only growing, and they’re forced to question their past, present, and future—who they really are, has it all been worth it, and how much are they willing to risk?”
Two months out from Universal Horror Unleashed’s grand opening, Universal Destinations & Experiences has dropped new details on their first “year-round horror experience.” The immersive experience will be set up in the AREA15 District in Vegas, with plans to open to the public on August 14, 2025.
Universal Horror Unleashed includes four immersive areas and four haunted houses representing Universal Monsters, Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Scarecrow: The Reaping. There will also be a collectibles, food, and special themed bars.
Universal Horror Unleashed’s Universal Monsters Haunted House
Universal Destinations & Experiences released the following description of what’s in store for horror fans in the Universal Monsters haunted house section of Universal Horror Unleased:
“Horror’s most emblematic icons await in the Universal Monsters haunted house, where the cinematic legends have broken free from the silver screen to stalk unwitting victims. Guests will pass through the crumbling mausoleum of famed monster hunter Van Helsing and into the cursed domains of creatures that defined the genre. From the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula, to the sandy tombs guarded by The Mummy, to the crackling lab where Frankenstein and The Bride still draw breath – this haunted house resurrects the most legendary monsters of all time in one continuous nightmare.
Prior to entering Van Helsing’s realm, guests will be submerged into monstrous tales and face chilling stunts and interactions in Dead Storage, one of the themed areas within the abandoned production warehouse. Echoing the grandiosity of Universal’s earliest horror productions, Dead Storage will envelop guests in a shadow-filled sanctuary with forgotten set pieces and eerie relics that have been reclaimed by night-dwelling creatures – vampires, a werewolf in mid-transformation, and others that emerge without warning.
Lurking past Dead Storage lies The Boiler bar, a looming mechanical beast pulsing with heat and menace. Nestled at the heart of the venue where multiple horror zones converge, The Boiler is equal parts hellish spectacle and welcome reprieve, offering guests a perfect vantage point for those seeking momentary respite while remaining immersed in the action, enjoying craft cocktails underneath a monstrous flaming machine.”
Season 17? It’s crazy to think It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been around for seventeen seasons and is still going strong. FX just released the official trailer for the upcoming season, and it teases a huge surprise crossover. Frank is going to be on The Golden Bachelor!
Season 17 is set to premiere on FXX on July 9, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes air on Wednesdays.
“Seventeen seasons on, Ronald ‘Mac’ MacDonald (Rob Mac), Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton), Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) return to shamelessly shed their ‘niche’ label for grander aspirations,” reads FX’s synopsis. “They’ll exploit cross-network promotion to increase market share; they’ll scapegoat one of their own to avoid a PR backlash; they’ll risk everything for a handshake with the Saudis; they’ll bend the laws with side hustles to pad their pockets; and they’ll change everything about themselves to appeal to a broader audience.
And sure, like any corporate goon, the Gang craves money and parasitic social privileges. That’s been plain since 2005. But they’re also human beings. They crave love… respect… conditional freedom… constant adulation… histrionic amounts of attention… non-stop gratification… and unfiltered, slaphappy eroticism. In Season 17, they’ll chase down them all. And the money. Obviously, the money. They don’t want to spend the rest of their lives working like dogs.”
Executive producers include Rob Mac (McElhenney’s new preferred last name), Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Michael Rotenberg, Nicholas Frenkel, Dave Chernin, John Chernin, Rob Rosell, David Hornsby, Nina Pedrad, and Victor Hsu.
Poster for ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ season 17 (Photo Credit: FX)
9-1-1‘s Jennifer Love Hewitt narrates Investigation Discovery’s true crime series A Killer Among Friends, premiering on July 14, 2025 at 10pm ET/PT. New episodes of the six-episode season will air on Mondays.
Jennifer Love Hewitt, soon to be seen reprising her role as Julie James in I Know What You Did Last Summer, also serves as an executive producer. “Identifying new pockets of storytelling in an innovative format has always been a passion of mine as an executive producer,” stated Jennifer Love Hewitt. “A Killer Among Friends offers a unique opportunity for me to draw from my own work as an actress, as we blend together a kaleidoscope of perspectives to tell each of these tragedies that deeply impact group dynamics and shatter beliefs.”
Additional executive producers include Julie Pizzi, Jesse Daniels, Farnaz Farjam, and Elissa Halperin. The series is produced by Bunim-Murray Productions.
“From college friend groups, close-knit classmates or high school theater troupes, A Killer Among Friends will spotlight shocking cases of betrayal, jealousy, and violence. As each individual recounts their perspective on the crime or the victim, revelations will bubble to the surface about what really went wrong, as secrets they may have held for years or memories they may have suppressed resurface,” reads ID’s synopsis. “A Killer Among Friends will showcase that each case may not be as simple as it seems—and ultimately reveal who may feel more complicit than they originally claimed.”
Poster for ‘A Killer Among Friends’ (Photo Credit: Investigation Discovery)
A Killer Among Friends Episode Guide:
Killer on Campus
Premieres Monday, July 14 at 10/9c on ID
Trent DiGiuro, a University of Kentucky football player, is shot and killed while celebrating his 21st birthday with his college buddies. Even though there are many witnesses, no one can identify the killer. Investigators question everyone in Trent’s inner circle, but no one can think of a single person who would want to hurt the popular athlete. As the campus reels from the tragedy, Trent’s friends fear that the killer was actually targeting one of them and worry that they will come back to finish the job.
Your Smiles and Your Lies
Premieres Monday, July 21 at 10/9c on ID
A mysterious killer murders the star of a community theater production of Fiddler on the Roof the day after a cast party. As the town grieves young artist Jessie Blodgett, her friends grow concerned that the culprit is someone within their inner circle.
Devil in the Hallways
Premieres Monday, July 28 at 10/9c on ID
When California teen Elyse Pahler disappears, the whole town feels on edge. As suspicion turns inward, her closest friends begin to wonder if the danger was beside them all along, hidden in the familiar faces of classmates with something dark to hide.
She’s No Runaway
Premieres Monday, August 4 at 10/9c on ID
When middle schooler Maryann Measles vanishes without a trace, suspicion quickly falls on the new circle of older friends she’s been spending time with. As family and friends dig deeper, secrets unravel and the line between loyalty and betrayal starts to blur.
Secrets to Reveal
Premieres Monday, August 11 at 10/9c on ID
Best friends take a girl’s trip before applying to grad school. When one of them doesn’t make it home, everyone wonders, what happened in Vegas to Michele Carson? As the stakes continue to rise, sharing long-hidden secrets may be the only chance at justice.
Friendship in Disguise
Premieres Monday, August 18 at 10/9c on ID
A killer stabs UCLA student Ron Baker to death in a train tunnel known for its connection to the Manson murders. Occult rumors begin to spread — until another missing friend redirects suspicion to Baker’s inner circle.
How long is a long time to wait for a sequel? Recently, we’ve waited 36 years for a Beetlejuice sequel, 36 years for a Top Gun sequel, 35 years for a Blade Runner sequel, and 30 years for a Mad Max sequel. This makes the 18 years since 28 Weeks Later seem like an afternoon nap, but considering they missed out on 28 Months Later, fans have been salivating. Well, the wait is over, and 28 Years Later is here.
After the events of 28 Days Later…, the entire British Isles were quarantined to keep the Rage virus off of mainland Europe. The survivors of the virus were left on the Isles to fend for themselves.
It is in this world that 28 Years Later takes place.
A small island off the coast of England has managed to keep the Rage virus away due to its only being accessible to the mainland through a causeway at low tide. This makes the island easily defensible against the Infected, but the residents of the isolated area must go across to the mainland to scavenge for supplies every so often, and this is considered a rite of passage by the small, Wicker Man-esque community. A young boy named Spike (Alfie Williams from His Dark Materials) has just turned 12, and his father, Jamie (Kraven the Hunter’s Aaron Taylor-Johnson), has decided his son should accompany him to the mainland to make his first kill of an Infected. But, while on the mainland, Spike learns that there are things there that interest him more.
While it may be hard to say that the previous 28 Weeks Later was a misfire, it’s great to have the original 28 Days Later… team of writer Alex Garland (Civil War, Warfare) and director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) back in the saddle for 28 Years Later. Garland’s thoughtful writing combined with Boyle’s unmistakable visual style gives the movie a unique feel, so it’s not just another tired old zombie flick. Like the other movies in the series, it’s mostly a journey movie, but it also tosses in bits of folk horror and coming-of-age drama.
And it’s this coming-of-age drama that may be the movie’s weakness. The setup and the first two acts are terrific, but once Spike sets out on his own, things start to fizzle a little. While on his initial trip to the mainland with his father, Spike learns about a doctor named Kelson (Conclave’s Ralph Fiennes) who may be able to help his sick mother, Isla (Jodie Comer from The Bikeriders). So, Spike risks everything to set out and find Kelson and, in turn, hopefully, some relief for his ailing parent. And Spike does find him. And the character of Kelson is extremely intriguing, but he’s introduced way too late, so the movie doesn’t really do anything with him. Which is strange, because if you’ve got Ralph Fiennes in your movie, why wouldn’t you use him?
So, 28 Years Later is two-thirds of a good movie. And while it doesn’t exactly fall apart in that third act, it does seem like it’s working with a different set of rules. The shift in tone is unsettling, and not in the way that one wants from a horror movie. It just feels like a new movie started before the last one ended. And it’s one that raises more questions than it answers.
Those who have been waiting patiently for this sequel will be satisfied…to a point. Indeed, 28 Years Later has more of the same action horror for which the franchise has become known. It falls somewhere squarely in between the scream-out-loud horror of 28 Days Later… and the philosophical thrills of 28 Weeks Later. But it’s not non-stop visceral fright. It’s more of a slow-burn horror movie.
Fans of the franchise will also be pleased with 28 Years Later’s ultimate ending, as it sets up (yet another) sequel. And…a keen look at IMDB shows that there is an upcoming 28 Years Later movie planned with Nia DaCosta (Candyman) set to direct. Which is good, for a couple of reasons. One, DaCosta is a fantastic filmmaker. And two, there are plenty more stories left in the 28 Days/Weeks/Years Later universe. So, hopefully, the questions raised by 28 Years Later will still eventually get answered in the near future.
GRADE: B
Rating: R for grisly images, graphic nudity, brief sexuality, language, and strong bloody violence
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Damson Idris as Joshua Pearce and Brad Pitt as Sonny Hayes in ‘F1 The Movie’ (Photo Credit: Apple Original Films / Warner Bros)
What’s summer without a big, action-packed car racing movie? Well, we won’t have to find out this year, because producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Gone in 60 Seconds), director Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), and heartthrob Brad Pitt (Bullet Train) have teamed up to bring us F1® The Movie.
F1® The Movie stars Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a talented-yet-troubled aging race car driver who is approached by his old teammate/friend Ruben (Javier Bardem from the Dune movies) to drive for his APX Gran Prix team (pronounced “Apex”). Sonny is brought in as a last-ditch effort to save his friend’s bottom-place team, and the shake-up works – the renegade driver causes just the right amount of tension within the camp for them to actually start climbing in the rankings.
The script for F1 The Movie was written by Kosinski and Ehren Kruger (who also worked with Kosinski on Top Gun: Maverick), and it’s really a tale of two movies. There’s the car racing movie, which is visceral and exhilarating, and then there’s the between-the-races, soap opera-y movie that is a bit less exciting. It’s comparable to Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday, where scenes in which the movie is engaged in the sport that it’s about are thrilling, but for the rest of the time, the audience is just waiting for the thrills to come back.
Again, the actual scenes of the races are incredible. Cinematographer Caludio Miranda (another Top Gun: Maverick veteran) puts the audience right in the car and on the track so it can almost feel the wind of the competitors as they speed by. Even the scenes with the pit crew are pulse-pounding. With help from some killer Skywalker Sound audio design and an incredible score from Hans Zimmer (yet another Top Gun: Maverick guy), there may not be a better movie to get the blood pumping this summer.
Another interesting thing about the racing scenes is that there’s a bit of humor to them. Sonny was brought in to help the team win, and he’s got some unconventional ways of doing it. One of these ways is causing complete and total chaos on the track, doing things that are just barely within the rules of racing. Some of it helps him, some of it helps his teammate driver Joshua Pearce (Snowfall’s Damson Idris), but none of it makes him any friends outside of his own camp. And most of it is hysterical.
Which brings us to the between-races segments of the movie. While they serve the purpose of letting the audience catch its breath between action scenes, after a while, they seem unnecessary. At first, the drama is palpable, with obvious tension building between Sonny and J.P., (Sonny’s nickname for Joshua, which is given over J.P.’s own objections, which only helps to feed the rivalry). There are also some shenanigans where Ruben is being forced out as owner. And then, there are some questions and official challenges regarding how legal some of the car’s modifications are. And all this non-race stuff is engaging, to a point. But after a while, the off-track drama feels forced and manufactured, and not at all surprising.
The biggest example of the disappointing off-track drama is a tiny spoiler, so skip this paragraph if you want to avoid a fairly predictable narrative trope. The lead tech on the team is a capable, intelligent, strong woman named Kate (Kerry Condon from The Banshees of Inisherin). Of course, at one point, she is made a typical love interest for Sonny, which kind of throws the whole movie into Standard Archetype territory. Just when you think you’ve got a kick-ass, independent female role model, they hook her up with the Hollywood Leading Man. Hey, but at least they didn’t make J.P. hook up with the team’s only female pit crew worker (Callie Cooke from Cheaters), right?
Okay, so now that we’ve got that out of the way. F1® The Movie is a respectable summer blockbuster. It’s got enough chills, thrills, and spills to earn its cinematic stripes. But it likely won’t be considered a classic of any genre. It’s the definition of disposable entertainment. Immensely fun while in the theater but forgotten as soon as the next Big Movie comes along.
GRADE: B
Rating: PG-13 for strong language and action
Running Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
Release Date: June 27, 2025
Hulu’s summer lineup includes the season four premiere of The Bear starring Jeremy Allen White and the series premiere of Alien: Earth with Sydney Chandler and Timothy Olyphant. Hulu’s also offering lighter summer fare with comedy specials featuring Atsuko Okatsuka, Zarna Garg, and Ralph Barbosa.
King of the Hill returns this summer for a 14th season 15 years after the series wrapped up its initial 13-season run. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox with Grace Van Patten premieres on August 20th, and a documentary on iconic journalist Barbara Walters streams on Hulu beginning June 23rd. The series adaptation of Esi Edugyan’s bestselling Washington Black arrives on Hulu on July 23rd.
New to Hulu in Summer 2025
THE BRAVEST KNIGHT
Premiere Date: June 20, 2025 (All at once)
Synopsis: Season 2 of The Bravest Knight reunites fans of the first season with their favorite group of fairy-tale heroes for even more action-packed adventures. Follow Nia as she continues her training for her biggest challenge yet: the Not-Yet-Knight Tournament. In the meantime, Sir Cedric continues recounting his own experiences as a Not-Yet-Knight, from meeting new friends and foes to searching for the elusive Dragon—again!
Cast: The series stars T.R. Knight, Bobby Moynihan, Wilson Cruz, Teri Polo, Millie Davis, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Emily Hampshire, Elizabeth Hurley, Steven Weber, and Christine Baranski.
BARBARA WALTERS TELL ME EVERYTHING (ABC NEWS)
Premiere Date: June 23, 2025
Synopsis: She didn’t just report the news; she made news. She was a true American original and trailblazer who broke ground for women. Now, this powerful documentary from Imagine Documentaries and ABC News Studios gives viewers an intimate and raw look at her astonishing career, personal life, and the challenges she faced trying to balance it all as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Barbara Walters, in her own words, also reflects on the high price of fame and the legacy she hoped to inspire.
Cast: The documentary features Cindy Adams, Joy Behar, Connie Chung, Martin Clancy, Andy Cohen, Katie Couric, Peter Gethers, Lori Klein, Cynthia McFadden, Bette Midler, Victor Neufeld, David Sloan, Katie Nelson Thomson, Chris Vlasto, and Oprah Winfrey.
THE BEAR Season 4 (FX)
Premiere Date: June 25, 2025 (All at once)
Synopsis: Season four of FX’s The Bear finds Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) pushing forward, determined not only to survive but also to take The Bear to the next level. With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust, and overcome. This season, the pursuit of excellence isn’t just about getting better—it’s about deciding what’s worth holding on to.
Cast: The series stars Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas and Matty Matheson, with Oliver Platt and Molly Gordon in recurring roles.
SUCH BRAVE GIRLS Season 2
Premiere Date: July 7, 2025
Synopsis: The series follows Josie (Kat Sadler), her sister, Billie (Lizzie Davidson), and their mother, Deb (Louise Brealey), risking everything they’ve got for a single scrap of love and adoration. Still desperately trying to escape the reality of their cramped, crumbling, debt-ridden home, it’s a good thing Dev (Paul Bazely) and Seb (Freddie Meredith) are coming to the rescue.
Cast: The series stars Kat Sadler, Lizzie Davidson, Louise Brealey, Paul Bazely, and Freddie Meredith.
A scene from ‘Suspicious Minds’ (Photo Credit: Hulu)
SUSPICIOUS MINDS
Premiere Date: July 10, 2025
Synopsis: The 6-part series introduces Amber (Silvia Alonso), one of the most brilliant thieves in the world who, after a failed robbery in Las Vegas, prepares her next heist. This time it will take place in Isla Esperanza, an idyllic place lost in the middle of the Pacific. Her target is the tiara of saint Agatha, a jewel valued at 240 million dollars, that the daughter of Mexican oil tycoon Emilio Villegas (Asier Etxeandia) will wear during her wedding. To prepare the robbery, Amber has been infiltrated in the Villegas family for three years as a school governess. But her meticulous plan goes awry when Rui (Álex González), a cheeky and mysterious thief with whom she had a troubled relationship in Las Vegas during a spectacular heist, shows up on the island.
Cast: Álex González, Silvia Alonso, Asier Etxeandia, Antonio Pagudo, Olga Hueso, Albert Baró, Alicia Jaziz, Jan Buxaderas, Eduardo Gómez, Cumelén Sanz, Oliver Ruano, Milena Radulovic, Saibon Wang, and Ainhoa Santamaría
WASHINGTON BLACK
Premiere Date: July 23, 2025 (All at once)
Synopsis: Based on the bestselling novel of the same name, Washington Black follows the 19th-century odyssey of George Washington “Wash” Black, an 11-year-old boy born on a Barbados sugar plantation, whose prodigious scientific mind sets him on a path of unexpected destiny. When a harrowing incident forces Wash to flee, he is thrust into a globe-spanning adventure that challenges and reshapes his understanding of family, freedom, and love. As he navigates uncharted lands and impossible odds, Wash finds the courage to imagine a future beyond the confines of the society into which he was born.
Cast: The series stars Ernest Kingsley Jr., Rupert Graves, Iola Evans, Edward Bluemel, Sharon Duncan Brewster, Eddie Karanja, Tom Ellis, and Sterling K. Brown.
ZARNA GARG: PRACTICAL PEOPLE WIN
Premiere Date: July 2025
Synopsis: Zarna Garg is bringing the heat (and the guilt trips) in her laugh-out-loud Hulu debut, taking aim at husbands, kids, in-laws, and anyone who dares question an Indian mom’s wisdom.
KING OF THE HILL Season 14
Premiere Date: Aug. 4, 2025 (All at once)
Synopsis: After years working a propane job in Saudi Arabia to earn their retirement nest egg, Hank and Peggy Hill return to a changed Arlen, Texas, to reconnect with old friends Dale, Boomhauer, and Bill. Meanwhile, Bobby is living his dream as a chef in Dallas and enjoying his 20s with his former classmates Connie, Joseph, and Chane.
Cast: The series stars Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Johnny Hardwick, Stephen Root, Lauren Tom and Toby Huss.
Poster for ‘Alien: Earth’ (Photo Credit: FX)
ALIEN: EARTH (FX)
Premiere Date: Aug. 12, 2025 (Two episodes at launch, then weekly)
Synopsis: When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s Alien: Earth.
In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold. In this corporate era, cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) exist alongside humans. But the game is changed when the wunderkind founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness). The first hybrid prototype named “Wendy” marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After Weyland-Yutani’s spaceship collides into Prodigy City, Wendy and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life-forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined.
Cast: The series stars Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, Adrian Edmondson, David Rysdahl, Essie Davis, Lily Newmark, Erana James, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Kit Young, Diêm Camille, Moe Bar-El, and Sandra Yi Sencindiver.
THE TWISTED TALE OF AMANDA KNOX
Premiere Date: Aug. 20, 2025 (Two episodes at launch then weekly)
Synopsis: A limited series inspired by the story of how Amanda Knox was wrongfully convicted for the tragic murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, and her 16-year odyssey to set herself free.
Cast: The series stars Grace Van Patten, Sharon Horgan, John Hoogenakker, Francesco Acquaroli, Giuseppe De Domenico, and Roberta Mattei.
RALPH BARBOSA: PLANET BOSA
Premiere Date: August 2025
Synopsis: In his second hour-long standup special, Ralph Barbosa: Planet Bosa, Ralph shares his adventures in dating, controlling his temper, working on cars, and his views on current events.
Is there life out in space amongst the stars? That’s the question humans on earth have been asking for thousands of years. It’s also on little Elio’s mind in Pixar’s animated adventure Elio.
Not having any friends and being obsessed with space and aliens, young Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) is desperate to be abducted by aliens and start a new life off of planet Earth and away from his aunt and guardian, Olga (voiced by Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Perez). Olga’s an Air Force officer who he believes would be happier without him.
After numerous botched attempts to be abducted, including lying on the beach in a big drawn circle with the words “Aliens… Abduct Me!” Elio sneaks into a top-secret meeting being held by Olga. When it ends, he records a message: “If any aliens are listening, please come and get me. Okay, bye…I love you,” and sends it into space. The aliens hear Elio’s message and seek him out. His dream comes true, and he’s beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from all over the galaxies.
The aliens mistakenly believe Elio is Earth’s ambassador and welcome him. However, the entire Communiverse is quickly threatened by the gigantic space warlord, Lord Grigon (voiced by three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett), after they denied him entry as a member.
Anxious to save the new world he desperately wants to be a part of, Elio offers to reason with Lord Grigon and remove the threat. This leads to Elio accidentally befriending Grigon’s son, Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly), a slow-moving, slug-like creature who, unlike his father, is very friendly and has no interest in becoming the greatest war machine in the universe. Together, the new best friends try to figure out a way to stop Grigon from destroying the Communiverse.
Pixar’s Elio is a cosmic space romp with rich, bright, and colorful animation and a talented voice cast. It’s a sweet space odyssey that will have kids in the audience smiling and laughing while the adults are mildly entertained.
Yonas Kibreab does a superb job of bringing to life Elio, the young boy who is just trying to find a world where he fits in and belongs. Kibreab captures both the exuberance and heartache Elio experiences during his adventure.
Brad Garrett is perfectly cast as the voice of Lord Grigon, whose look and demeanor is a little too reminiscent of another Pixar character… Emperor Zurg from Toy Story 2. Garrett captures both the imposing warrior and the dad hoping his son will follow in his footsteps.
The animation is stunning, with bright candy-colored aliens and an outer space world of visual delights. It’s a true feast for the eyes.
The message in the film about the need to connect and find a place where you feel you belong is handled a little heavy-handedly but still works. What’s missing is the soul and emotion that makes a Pixar animated movie a powerful, moving, heartfelt experience like what audiences were treated to with Up, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story. Elio is chaotic and fun but fails to be emotionally engaging.
GRADE: B
Rating: PG for thematic elements and some action/peril
Running Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Release Date: June 20, 2025
Directed By: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, and Adrian Molina
Poster for ‘A House of Dynamite’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Two-time Oscar winner Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming thriller has an official title and streaming release date. A House of Dynamite, starring Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, will have a limited theatrical release in October 2025, followed by a streaming release on October 24.
The cast also includes Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke. Rounding out the ensemble are Malachi Beasley, Brian Tee, Brittany O’Grady, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Willa Fitzgerald, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Kyle Allen, and Kaitlyn Dever.
Netflix released this description of Kathryn Bigelow’s dramatic thriller: “When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.”
Noah Oppenheim wrote the screenplay and serves as a producer along with Greg Shapiro and Kathryn Bigelow. Executive producers include Brian Bell and Sarah Bremner. Bigelow’s behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Barry Ackroyd, production designer Jeremy Hindle, costume designer Sarah Edwards, and editor Kirk Baxter, with music by Volker Bertelmann.
