A horrible idea caused chaos outside Area 51, and all because of a random Facebook post. Netflix’s trailer for Trainwreck: Storm Area 51, premiering on July 29, 2025, shows how one truly bad decision led to thousands of people deciding they needed to storm Area 51, despite the possible consequences.
Directed by Jack Macinnes, Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 is the final installment in the eight-episode Trainwreck series. Other installments in the anthology series focused on the infamous poop cruise, a boy thought to be trapped in a balloon, deaths at the Astroworld music festival, and a 16th birthday party that exploded into a real Project X.
“This is the story of the greatest sh*tpost ever made. When 20-year-old Matty Roberts creates a Facebook event inviting people to storm the classified Air Force facility Area 51 in the Nevada desert, the post quickly goes viral, with hundreds and then thousands saying they’ll join the event that stated, ‘They can’t stop all of us,'” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “This prompts the US Air Force, FBI officials, and the Federal Aviation Administration to strongly advise against anyone illegally trying to access the base, and the military warns that they stand ready to protect America and its assets with deadly force. The meme continues to go viral and spread to other social media apps, and soon millions have signed up to attend…
Some joke, ‘If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets,’ but will a crazy party in the desert turn into a deadly confrontation? Featuring an epic ensemble cast of meme lords, military commanders, UFO hunters, sexy aliens, and YouTubers, this is the ultimate story of the internet bursting into the real world.”
Wizard crew dumping crab on the table in ‘Deadliest Catch’ season 21 (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel)
Discovery Channel’s summer 2025 lineup includes the premiere of Naked and Afraid: Apocalypse, the latest spinoff of the original Naked and Afraid survival series. The summer schedule also includes a new season of In the Eye of the Storm and the debut of Animals on Drugs. And the wild off-road series Mud Madness serves up a new season beginning on July 31st.
Rounding out the summer lineup is the return of the long-running Deadliest Catch for season 21, kicking off on August 1st.
Discovery Channel released the following details on the summer series:
NAKED AND AFRAID: APOCALYPSE – New Series Premieres Sunday, July 27 at 8PM ET/PT
For the first time ever, 12 battle-tested survivalists take on a scorched, apocalyptic wasteland where they must scavenge ruins to survive in the all-new series NAKED AND AFRAID: APOCALYPSE. In locations long abandoned by humans, the survivalists face the franchise’s toughest challenge yet as they endure extreme heat and drought as well as unpredictable lions, elephants, black mambas, and more without food, water, and clothing. Four teams are dropped into forgotten corners of South Africa – spanning a ghost town, a vehicle junkyard, a cemetery, and even a mine shaft – where they must scavenge the wreckage for resources.
In a franchise first, survivalists will not be extracted but must escape this wasteland and find their way back to civilization at the end of the challenge. All the while, they must also battle relentless threats from apex predators, endure punishing heat and navigate constant dangers from rusted metal and broken glass.
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM – New Season Premieres Sunday, July 27 at 10PM ET/PT
Anchored by groundbreaking crowdsourced first-person storytelling and footage, IN THE EYE OF THE STORM chronicles the second-by-second stories of recent severe weather disasters through the eyes of ordinary people who survived them and managed to capture it on camera. From this year’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles to twin twisters in Iowa that proved to be the most powerful ever recorded and apocalyptic flooding in Appalachia that swept entire towns off the map, each episode reveals the chaos and terrifying impact of natural disasters as they occurred in real time during the most destructive year for storms in modern history.
ANIMALS ON DRUGS – New Series Premieres Monday, July 28 at 8PM ET/PT (Three Episode Premiere)
Around the world, wild animals are getting dangerously high – and it’s not by accident. From drunk bears to meth-addled gators and Pablo Escobar’s “cocaine hippos,” human vices are wreaking havoc on the animal kingdom. In this all-new three-part series, wildlife biologist and adventurer Forrest Galante (Alien Sharks: Death Down Under) dives into the bizarre and shocking world of animals under the influence, combining boots-on-the-ground investigation and cutting-edge science to track these creatures, uncover how they got hooked, what it means for their ecosystems, and how we can help them recover before it’s too late.
In Florida, Galante investigates aggressive alligators emerging from drug-seeped waterways near methamphetamine hotspots, working to capture and rehabilitate these “meth gators.” Then, Galante explores a strange new trend in the US – bear home invasions where booze and marijuana edibles feed their cravings. In Colombia, aggressive hippos raised by the infamous cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar have escaped his abandoned compound. Becoming a dangerous and deadly invasive species, Galante embarks upon a risky plan to try and stop them.
A scene from ‘Mud Madness’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Discovery Channel)
MUD MADNESS – New Season Premieres Tuesday, July 29 at 8PM ET/PT
An all-new season of this adrenaline-fueled series follows the off-road subculture of extreme UTV and ATV mud racing – where the machines are big, but the personalities are even bigger. As the top 10 best drivers in the country go head-to-head for the first ever MUD CUP, the series explores the rivalries, alliances and personal stakes that fuel the sport. From backwoods garages to rowdy race day showdowns across Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Alabama, MUD MADNESS captures the heart, grit and chaos of a tight-knit community where reputations are built in the mud – and broken just as fast.
DEADLIEST CATCH – New Season Premieres Friday, August 1 at 8PM ET/PT
When fishermen discover monster red king crab in the far west, a gold rush-style race ignites among the Dutch Harbor fleet. To claim their share of the billion-dollar bounty, captains and crews must brave unforgiving 50-foot seas to reach abandoned Adak Island, venturing farther west than anyone has dared in over 30 years and beyond the bounds of rescue. Navigating through unfamiliar territory to secure the lucrative haul, the crews face extreme conditions and major ship malfunctions that put them in serious life-threatening situations, leaving the fleet at the mercy of the tumultuous western Bering Sea.
Apple TV+ dropped a 30-second teaser for the upcoming third season of Invasion which will bring together the storylines of the main characters for the first time. The streamer also announced the new season will premiere on August 22, 2025, with new episodes of the 10-episode season arriving on Fridays.
Season three stars Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Shane Zaza, and Enver Gjokaj. Erika Alexander joins the sci-fi drama as a series regular.
“Invasion follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world. In season three, those perspectives collide for the first time, as the series’ main characters are brought together to work as a team on a critical mission to infiltrate the alien mothership,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “The ultimate apex aliens have finally emerged, rapidly spreading their deadly tendrils across our planet. It will take all our heroes working together, using all their experience and expertise, to save our species. New relationships are formed, old relationship are challenged and even shattered, as our international cast of characters must become a team before it’s too late.”
Simon Kinberg (X-Men films, Deadpool films) and David Weil (Hunters) created the series and serve as executive producers. Additional executive producers include Audrey Chon, David Witz, Alik Sakharov, Dan Dietz, Katie O’Connell Marsh, and Nick Nantell.
In addition to the teaser and premiere date, Apple TV+ released the first season three photos.
Shioli Kutsuna in ‘Invasion’ season three (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Shamier Anderson in season three (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Erika Alexander in season three (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Jeremy Allen White, and Ayo Edebiri in ‘The Bear’ (Photo CR: FX)
FX launched The Bear season four without much fanfare, but apparently the award-winning drama is still a strong performer on Hulu. Season four, which solidified at least this critic’s opinion that labeling it a comedy is a huge mistake, premiered on June 25, 2025. FX’s announcement indicated season six will arrive in 2026.
“The Bear continues to be a fan favorite worldwide and their response to this season—as seen through incredibly high viewership—has been as spectacular as any of its previous seasons,” stated John Landgraf, Chairman, FX. “Year-in and year-out, Chris Storer, the producers, cast and crew make The Bear one of the best shows on television, and we are excited that they will continue to tell this magnificent story.”
Jeremy Allen White leads the cast as Carmen “Carmen” Berzatto, Ayo Edebiri stars as Sydney Adamu, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (soon to be seen in The Fantastic Four: First Steps) plays Richard “Richie” Jerimovich. Abby Elliott is Sugar, Lionel Boyce is Marcus, Liza Colón-Zayas plays Tina, and Matty Matheson is Neil. Oliver Platt and Molly Gordon appear in recurring roles as Uncle Jimmy and Claire.
Christopher Storer created the critically acclaimed series and serves as an executive producer. Additional executive producers include Josh Senior, Joanna Calo, Cooper Wehde, Tyson Bidner, Matty Matheson, Hiro Murai, and Rene Gube.
“Season four of FX’s The Bear finds Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, Sydney Adamu, and Richard ‘Richie’ Jerimovich pushing forward, determined not only to survive but also to take The Bear to the next level,” reads FX’s synopsis. “With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust, and overcome. The pursuit of excellence isn’t just about getting better—it’s about deciding what’s worth holding on to.”
The series has been nominated for 36 Emmys, winning 21. It’s also earned multiple Critics Choice Awards, a Directors Guild Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards.
The Sopranos‘ Michael Imperioli has signed on to Fox’s Memory of a Killer, a new drama expected to debut in 2026. Imperioli joins Patrick Dempsey in the upcoming series, inspired by the 2003 Belgian film De zaak Alzheimer (La Memoire Du Tueur).
Fox offered this description of the series and of Michael Imperioli’s character: “Memory of a Killer is a dramatic thriller about a hitman, Angelo Ledda (Dempsey), leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret — he has developed early onset Alzheimer’s.
Imperioli will star as Dutch, an accomplished Italian chef who owns a restaurant in the Bronx, a stalwart establishment that is also a front for Dutch’s less sociable activities — such as running a criminal enterprise. As ruthless and mercurial as he is affable, Dutch is Angelo’s oldest friend, as well as his employer — he gives Angelo the targets for his hits. In a business as dangerous as theirs, Angelo must trust Dutch. But being trustworthy isn’t one of Dutch’s more dependable qualities.”
The new series comes from Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone, along with Cathy Schulman, Arthur Sarkissian, Martin Campbell, and Peter Bouckaert.
Imperioli’s credits include The White Lotus which earned him an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Emmy nomination, a category he won for The Sopranos. He recently completed work on Song Sung Blue with Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson and is currently shooting The Housewife with Naomi Watts and Tye Sheridan.
Stephen King’s 1982 The Running Man has been adapted once again, this time with Edgar Wright directing and Glen Powell (Twisters) in the starring role. The official trailer confirms the latest adaptation’s tone and has Powell fighting for his life against overwhelming odds.
The first film adaptation opened in theaters in November 1987, had Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead, and was directed by Starsky & Hutch star Paul Michael Glaser. William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, and Michael Cera join Powell in the 2025 adaptation, along with Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin.
“In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public, and each day bringing a greater cash reward,” reads Paramount Pictures’ synopsis. “Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.”
Director Edgar Wright co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Bacall, based on King’s novel. Wright, Simon Kinberg, and Nira Park produce, with George Linder, James Biddle, Rachael Prior, Audrey Chon, Pete Chiappetta, Anthony Tittanegro, and Andrew Lary serving as executive producers.
Paramount Pictures will release The Running Man in theaters, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, IMAX, and premium large format on November 14, 2025.
Prime Video’s teaser trailer for The Terminal List: Dark Wolf teases that crossing the line was just the beginning for Taylor Kitsch’s character, Ben Edwards. The series reveals details of Ben’s origin story, focusing on events that took place before The Terminal List series.
The prequel series also stars Tom Hopper as Raife Hastings, Robert Wisdom as Jed Haverford, Luke Hemsworth as Jules Landry, Dar Salim as Mohammed Farooq, Rona-Lee Shimon as Eliza Perash, Shiraz Tzarfati as Tal Varon, and Jared Shaw as Ernest ‘Boozer’ Vickers. Chris Pratt reprises his role as James Reece and serves as an executive producer along with Taylor Kitsch.
“Digging into Ben’s origin with Dark Wolf was a blast. This season goes even deeper—there’s more grit, more heart, and a lot more on the line. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it really lets you see the heart of who he is. I have so much respect for the military and SEAL community and loved showing their brotherhood, the things you fight to hold onto, and just letting it all play out. I think fans are going to have a great time with it,” said Taylor Kitsch.
The action-drama will premiere on August 27, 2025 with the release of the first three episodes. New episodes with stream on Wednesdays leading up to the September 24th finale.
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is a prequel series with an origin story that follows Ben Edwards throughout his journey from the Navy SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA Special Operations,” reads Prime Video’s synopsis. “The series is an espionage thriller that explores the darker side of warfare and the human cost that comes with it.”
Author Jack Carr and showrunner David DiGilio created the series and executive produce along with Antoine Fuqua, Kat Samick, Frederick E.O. Toye, former Army Ranger and writer Max Adams, and former Navy SEAL, writer, and technical advisor Jared Shaw.
Neil Patrick Harris to host ‘What’s in the Box’ (Photo Credit: Mark Veltman / Courtesy of Netflix)
Five-time Emmy Award winner Neil Patrick Harris will be guiding contestants through Netflix’s new game show What’s In The Box as host. The six-episode first season is targeting a December 2025 premiere.
“Giant boxes conceal jaw-dropping prizes, wild surprises, and unexpected reveals in What’s in the Box, a high-stakes arching game show that tests smarts, strategy, and stamina,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Over several episodes, pairs of contestants face off in fast-paced, addictive trivia rounds, racing to correctly guess what’s inside each box. But winning a prize is just the beginning. As the game unfolds, shifting alliances and unexpected twists mean only those with sharp instincts — and a little luck — will hold onto their winnings and claim victory.”
Rollercoaster Television is producing, with James Fox, Dom Waugh, Wes Kauble, and Leanne Witcoop executive producing.
Neil Patrick Harris’ credits include How I Met Your Mother, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Uncoupled, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and The Matrix Resurrections. Next up is Dexter: Resurrection, premiering on July 11, 2025, and starring Michael C. Hall, Peter Dinklage, Uma Thurman, and Jack Alcott.
In June 1993, Steven Spielberg amazed moviegoers with his groundbreaking science fiction thriller Jurassic Park which brought dinosaurs alive on the screen through CGI and animatronics. With a script inspired by Michael Crichton’s novel and a star-studded cast, Spielberg’s epic dinosaur tale worked. That summer blockbuster has spawned several lackluster sequels, and now Universal is attempting to reboot the dino franchise with the 2025 release, Jurassic World Rebirth.
Rebirth opens with Black Ops operative Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) being recruited by big-pharma schemer Martin Kreb (Rupert Friend) to lead a small team of skilled operatives. Their top-secret mission involves a trip to the island of Ile-Saint-Hubert, where the engineered dinosaurs from Jurassic World are now living. Once there, they are to extract dino DNA from the three largest living dinosaurs, which will be used to create a revolutionary, life-saving drug.
The big three dinos that Bennett and her group must find are the Mosasaur, a sea dinosaur; the Titanosaurus, a massive land-based herbivore; and Quetzalcoatlus, the largest flying dinosaur with a wingspan the size of a school bus.
After meeting up with her partner and Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), the captain of the boat taking them to the island, the group sets out to find the Mosasaur. When they locate the giant sea dino, they are shocked to discover other deadly sea dinosaurs are helping the Mosasaur hunt them. Bennett and her group quickly realize that the top-secret dino DNA mission is turning into a desperate and deadly struggle to survive.
Jurassic World Rebirth is more of a retread than a reboot, borrowing plot ideas and scenes from the first Jurassic Park as well as Jurassic Park III. It fails to offer anything creatively new or exciting. And even more disappointing, Rebirth has talented actors portraying one-dimensional characters.
Scarlett Johansson, one of the most talented actors of her generation, is wasted here portraying Bennett, a cocky and sarcastic mercenary who is only interested in a big payday. The character arc the script tries to give Bennett fails miserably. Johansson also has zero chemistry with Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Loomis or any of her other co-stars.
Mahershala Ali’s character, Duncan, is given a little depth with the mention of a broken marriage due to the loss of a child. But it’s not enough to make him interesting or give the character a personality, other than just being overprotective of the one child accidentally caught up in the deadly chaos on the island.
The best sequence of the film takes place once Bennett and her group are on the sea and engage in a chase with the massive Mosasaur that gets flipped to them being the ones hunted. It’s reminiscent of the first-ever summer blockbuster, Jaws, and is visually impressive.
Once Bennett and her group end up stranded on the island, the film simply re-tools/copies scenes from previous Jurassic films, including the jaw-dropping scene from the first film when Dr. Grant (played wonderfully by Sam Neill) first sees the dinosaurs and drops to the ground awestruck. What’s missing is the magic, wonder, and heart-pounding suspense that Spielberg’s first film brought to the screen.
The weak script also introduces a family of four on vacation who end up trapped on the island as well. These four characters are not even one-dimensional and add nothing to the film, except a distraction from Bennett and her group’s quest. It’s impossible to care or connect with any of these characters, thus killing any true suspense.
Disappointingly shallow, Jurassic World Rebirth is an empty, forgettable adventure that proves it’s time for Universal to let this film franchise go extinct like the real dinosaurs.
GRADE: C-
Rating: PG-13 for a drug reference, action, some suggestive references, bloody images, intense sequences of violence, and language
Release Date: July 2, 2025
Running Time: 2 hours 14 minutes
Directed By: Gareth Edwards
Studio: Universal Pictures
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past’ Poster (Cr: Lucasfilm, LEGO Group)
Dan Stevens (Abigail) is joining returning LEGO Star Wars voice cast members Gaten Matarazzo and Tony Revolori in the new addition to the franchise, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past. Stevens will be voicing Solitus (featured in the above poster), a character described as a fallen Jedi who sought out access to Forcehold – a secret realm full of discarded pieces of the past.
Matarazzo is back as Sig Greebling, Revolori returns as Darth Dev, Bobby Moynihan is Jedi Bob, and Marsai Martin is Yesi Scala. Additional returning voice cast members include Michael Cusack as Servo and Ahmed Best as Darth Jar Jar, with Mark Hamill popping up in a special guest appearance as Luke Skywalker. Ashley Eckstein voices LEGO BrickHeadz™ Ahsoka Tano and Ben Schwartz voices Jaxxon.
“In the LEGO Star Wars animated sequel series, which is a continuation of the story that began in 2024 with Rebuild the Galaxy, a new threat rises in the galaxy, and Sig Greebling and Darth Dev must combine their powers of Force Building and Sith Breaking to stop it,” reads Lucasfilm and the LEGO Group’s synopsis. “Alongside Jedi Bob, Yesi Scala, and Servo, they will journey into the deepest corners of LEGO Star Wars lore, uncovering pieces of all the galaxies that have come before.”
LEGO Star Wars™: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past premieres on Disney+ on September 19, 2025.
Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit are the LEGO Star Wars sequel series’ writers and also serve as executive producers along with James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, Josh Rimes, Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, and Keith Malone. Chris Buckley is the director, with Daniel Cavey and Dan Langlois serving as producers.
