The Accountant 2 trailer strikes a lighter tone than the original film while promising much more shared screen time for Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal. The original film arrived almost a decade ago on October 14, 2016, and the sequel is set for an April 25, 2025 theatrical release.
The Accountant 2‘s cast also includes Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, and J.K. Simmons. Gavin O’Connor returns to direct, and Bill Dubuque returns as writer.
“Christian Wolff (Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to ‘find the accountant,’ Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax (Bernthal), to help,” reads Amazon MGM Studios’ The Accountant 2 synopsis. “In partnership with U.S. Treasury Deputy Director Marybeth Medina (Addai-Robinson), they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.”
Commenting on his return to the character after so many years, Affleck told the crowd at CinemaCon that it felt great to continue the story of The Accountant. “I’m thrilled to be playing this part again with this great cast,” said Affleck. “In some ways, I feel like this character never left me.”
Poster for ‘The Accountant 2’ (Photo Credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
She’s back with a new and improved body and a much more adult attitude. The M3GAN 2.0 trailer teases a killer showdown between two badass humanoid robots.
The original horror film opened in January 2023 and grossed $180+ million during its theatrical run. The sequel is set for a June 27, 2025 release.
The sequel stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Amie Donald, and Jenna Davis. Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, and Jemaine Clement also star.
Universal Pictures offered this synopsis: “Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet McGraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules.
Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around.
With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I. bitch is about to meet her match.”
Gerard Johnstone returns to direct, and James Wan, Jason Blum, and Allison Williams serve as producers. Executive producers include Johnstone, Adam Hendricks, Greg Gilreath, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, and Mark D. Katchur.
Show of hands of those who didn’t see that major death coming in Fox’s Alert: Missing Persons Unit season three episode two. That was a shocker, right? Season three episode three, “Lay,” finds the team grieving over the sudden death.
Episode three, “Lay,” will air on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Scott Caan leads the season three cast as Jason Grant. Ryan Broussard plays Mike Sherman, Adeola Role is Kemi Adebayo, and Alisha-Marie Ahamed plays Wayne Pascal. Guest stars include Diana Bang as Helen Gale and Ian Tracey as Charlie McGannon. Malcolm-Jamal Warner appears in a recurring guest-starring role as Chief Inspector Bill Houston.
“Lay” Plot: While MPU grieves over the loss of one of their own and Kemi and Jason worry that Mike hasn’t taken the time to process his grief, a local muralist goes missing after painting a provocative piece on a local rooftop. However, the case becomes a ticking clock when the missing person’s mother comes into MPU reporting her son’s disappearance and reveals that he was scheduled to donate his rare bone marrow to his dying brother, who needs surgery within the next 48 hours in order to survive.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit is a procedural drama set in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit (MPU). Each episode features a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person, with Jason Grant working his magic out in the field and Nikki Batista heading the team. Their job is to find the missing or abducted and reunite them with their loved ones. Jason and Nikki, once married, have a very personal connection to these cases as their own son went missing and was never found.
Their highly skilled team includes Nikki’s new husband, Mike Sherman, whose bantering bromance with Jason never gets in the way of results; Kemi Adebayo, a spiritually savvy detective with an astonishing knowledge base; and Helen Gale, MPU’s effervescent young forensic scientist. Jason also relies on his relationship with master hacker Wayne Pascal, both on and off the clock.
As the third season begins, MPU is tasked with cases ranging from a missing female collegiate rowing team who disappeared while on the water, a missing street artist due to donate his rare bone marrow to save his dying brother, and Nikki’s ongoing and dangerous association with Irish mob boss Charlie McGannon. But the most harrowing case to date is when MPU must band together in a race to find one of their own. Now more than ever, together, the team must work to find the missing or abducted and help reunite them with their loved ones before it’s too late.
Horror fans won’t have long to wait for the second installment in the Five Nights at Freddy‘s film franchise. Universal Pictures has set a December 5, 2025 theatrical (not on Peacock) release and unveiled the first action-packed Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 teaser trailer.
Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard return for the sequel, and Emma Tammi is back as director.
“The first film, which opened to a record-shattering $80 million and went on to earn almost $300 million worldwide, followed Mike, a troubled young man who reluctantly takes a job as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, hoping it will help him retain custody of his young sister. That fateful decision instead drags him into the black heart of a supernatural nightmare,” reads Blumhouse’s synopsis. “Anyone can survive five nights. This time, there will be no second chances.”
The film is based on Scott Cawthon’s popular game series. Cawthon and Jason Blum serve as producers.
Fox renews its animated lineup (Photo Credit: Fox)
Fox wants much, much more of its popular animation domination lineup. The network announced early four-year renewals for The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers. Plus, Fox is welcoming back American Dad! to its primetime lineup.
The four-season renewal means Bob’s Burgers is renewed through season 19, Family Guy through season 27, and The Simpsons through season 40. American Dad!
has been renewed through its 23rd season.
“This new deal celebrates the eternal popularity of these iconic comedies, as well as the enduring, prolific relationship we continue to enjoy with our friends at 20th Television Animation and the brilliant creators—that goes double for Seth this time around—and incredible voices behind these contemporary classics,” stated Michael Thorn, President of FOX Television Network.
The renewals assure time slots on Fox’s primetime schedule through the 2028-2029 season.
“The longevity of this agreement reaffirms our commitment to the successful partnership we’ve built with the incredible team at Disney,” said Rob Wade, CEO of FOX Entertainment. “This collaboration has and will continue to generate meaningful long-term value and strategically build audiences from FOX to Hulu to fans worldwide.”
According to Fox, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers earned spots on the Top 10 comedies lists for the current primetime season.
“This historic four-season order from our longtime partners at FOX is truly monumental for these iconic animated series. We are so proud that these legendary shows will continue for hundreds of more episodes, allowing new and longstanding fans to watch, rewatch, and experience more of The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad! and Bob’s Burgers for years to come,” said Marci Proietto, head of 20th Television Animation.
John Krasinski leads a star-studded action-adventure in Fountain of Youth, which just dropped an official trailer. The two-minute trailer has an Indiana Jones vibe, but instead of the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, or the Crystal Skull of Akator, this team’s after a mythical spring that restores youth.
Joining Krasinski are Oscar winner Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Arian Moayed, and Laz Alonso. Carmen Ejogo and Stanley Tucci also star.
“Fountain of Youth follows two estranged siblings (Krasinski and Portman) who partner on a global heist to find the mythological Fountain of Youth,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “They must use their knowledge of history to follow clues on an epic adventure that will change their lives … and possibly lead to immortality.”
The Apple Original Film was directed by Guy Ritchie and written by James Vanderbilt. Ritchie, Vanderbilt, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and Ivan Atkinson serve as producers. Additional producers include Tripp Vinson, Jake Myers, William Sherak, and Paul Neinstein.
Guy Ritchie’s new action-adventure streams on Apple TV+ beginning on May 23, 2025.
Eiza González, John Krasinski and Natalie Portman in ‘Fountain of Youth’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
The official trailer for Neighborhood Watch shows the dysfunctional relationship between the leads, played in a mini The Boys reunion by Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jack Quaid. The comedy was picked up by RLJE Films in March and will open in theaters and on demand on April 25, 2025.
“In Neighborhood Watch, Simon (Quaid), a young man grappling with mental illness, becomes convinced that he has witnessed an abduction. When he reports it to the police and they refuse to believe him, he reluctantly seeks the help of his neighbor Ed (Morgan), a jaded, retired security guard with his own troubled past,” reads RLJE Films’ synopsis. “As the unlikely duo delves deeper into the mystery, their pursuit of the truth forces them to confront not only the dark secrets surrounding the disappearance but also the unspoken wounds that haunt them both.”
Morgan’s Watchmen co-star Malin Akerman also stars. Sean Farley wrote the screenplay and The Clovehitch Killer‘s Duncan Skiles directed. Luke Daniels, Greg Lauritano, Vince Jolivette, Chris Bellant, Kurt Fethke, and Jake Robinson served as producers.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jack Quaid in ‘Neighborhood Watch’ (Photo Courtesy of RLJE Films)
The promo video for Fox’s The Cleaning Lady season four episode three shows Thony’s no closer to coming to terms with her decision about the cartel than in the season’s premiere. Episode three, “Mercy,” will air on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 8pm ET/PT.
Elodie Yung leads the cast as Thony, Santiago Cabrera plays Jorge, Kate del Castillo is Ramona Sanchez, Martha Millan plays Fiona, Faith Bryant is Jaz, and Sean Lew plays Chris. Recurring season four guest stars include Danny Pardo as El Don, Daniel Bonjour as Dr. Sean Dupont, Alain Uy as Feng, and Brian Norris as Cowboy Hat.
“Mercy” Plot: As Jorge solidifies his grip on the cartel, Thony is forced to reckon with the cost of survival and the choices that define her. With a desperate move that blurs the line between mercy and murder, she finds herself deeper into the world she once fought against. Fiona seeks new ways to support her family, unaware of the growing dangers around them, and Ramona proves that even behind bars, she is never without influence. With shifting alliances and impossible decisions, Thony must decide how far she’s willing to go.
The Cleaning Lady returns for an action-packed season four, with the series’ beloved characters in ever-changing and increasingly dangerous situations. After three seasons of being a pawn caught between the FBI and the world of organized crime, THONY (Yung) makes the bold decision to take charge of her own destiny — by exchanging her cleaning lady uniform for the scrubs of a surgical intern at a small community hospital.
Thony’s return to the medical career she sacrificed for her son, LUCA (Sanchez), opens a new path to citizenship for them both. But to make this happen, she must continue her service to the Sin Cara cartel — not as a cleaning lady, but as the new mob doctor — bringing her ever closer to JORGE (Cabrera), the cartel’s brooding new leader. Under the watchful eye of the hospital’s brusque yet handsome chief resident, DR. SEAN DUPONT (Bonjour), Thony straddles the line between two worlds until they inevitably come crashing into each other.
Newly enthroned as the head of Sin Cara, Jorge has ambitious plans to take the cartel in a surprising, yet lucrative, direction. He’s invested Sin Cara’s assets into a rare earth mine worth billions. It’s easy, legitimate money that will result in generational wealth for them all. But the old dogs of the cartel are unwilling to learn new tricks from their upstart leader, which results in a fracture within the organization. Flanked by his lieutenants, the veteran EL DON (Pardo) and quirky newcomer FENG (Uy), Jorge must fend off a mutiny within Sin Cara, which threatens the lives of everyone he loves.
Even from within the walls of a maximum-security prison, former head of Sin Cara, RAMONA (Del Castillo) remains a threat. She continues to exert influence through her unpredictable proxy on the outside, the loner only known as COWBOY HAT (Norris). But she’s vulnerable on the inside. When a tough prison gang puts Ramona in their crosshairs, she must dig deep into her devious bag of tricks to find a way to survive.
Meanwhile, FIONA (Millan) struggles to keep her cleaning business afloat, leading her into the world of identity theft. CHRIS (Lew) learns the painful truth about first love and channels his raw emotions into an unexplored passion — dance. And JAZ (Bryant) deals with the difficulties of being the perfect child in a decidedly imperfect family.
The Cleaning Lady continues its exploration of the experience of undocumented immigrants and the hurdles they face in this country. The series tells their stories of resourcefulness in the face of institutional adversity and the sacrifices they must make to achieve their American dream.
Naomi Watts stars in ‘The Friend’ (Photo Credit: Bleecker Street)
Based on Sigrid Nunez’s bestselling novel, The Friend is a poignant and powerful story of grief and the unexpected ways that we heal. Following the sudden death of her friend and former professor, Walter (a pitch-perfect Bill Murray), Iris finds herself the guardian of Apollo, his beloved—and ginormous—Great Dane. What begins for Iris as a completely overwhelming arrangement gradually evolves into a life-changing experience.
Naomi Watts (Feud) delivers a touching performance as Iris, a writer and teacher who grapples with the absence of her mentor while also caring for his giant, grieving dog in a small, rent-controlled, no-pets-allowed apartment. A cat person, Iris never expected to be responsible for a dog, let alone one the size of a small horse who misses Walter as much as she does. No one, including herself, believes this arrangement will work out.
This new living situation isn’t ideal for anyone. Iris is struggling to write a book about Walter’s life, and his multiple ex-wives and assorted self-absorbed friends aren’t making her adjustment to being a dog mom while working on the book any easier. The Friend captures the frustration, sheer chaos, and days when drinking a bottle of wine seems the only way to make it through the night.
Both Iris and Apollo display unmistakable signs of loss; their grief is tangible. Fortunately, writers and directors David Siegel and Scott McGehee inject enough humorous moments and relatable dog ownership events to lighten the otherwise intensely emotional story. (Carrying a bag with poop the size of a bunch of grapes through the streets of New York will never fail to be funny.)
The Friend is about how Iris’s relationship with Apollo changes both their lives for the better. It’s about the understanding that grows between them, the bond that forms because of shared loss, and the solace Iris discovers from such an unexpected source. The movie shows how caring for another being—in this case, one with four legs that weighs 150 pounds and hogs the bed—can become an emotional lifeline and a source of strength and comfort.
The story revolves around a devastating loss, yet it’s surprisingly life-affirming. It captures the messy realities of grief and the possibilities of healing by opening our hearts, whether it be to a person or a furry friend. The Friend will tug at your heartstrings, but if it doesn’t, you better check for a pulse.
GRADE: A-
Rating: R for a sexual reference and language
Running Time: 2 hours 3 minutes
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Written and Directed By: David Siegel and Scott McGehee
Distributed By: Bleecker Street
Starring: Naomi Watts, Bill Murray, Sarah Pidgeon, Carla Gugino, Constance Wu, Noma Dumezweni, Ann Dowd, Felix Solis, and Bing as Apollo
Lionsgate debuted the official title treatment for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping during the 2025 CinemaCon in Las Vegas. The studio released a minute-long teaser video that ends with Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy announcing, “I think these games are gonna be different.”
The prequel will focus on Haymitch’s time in the arena. “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell,” reads Lionsgate’s synopsis.
Oscar nominee Billy Ray is adapting Suzanne Collins’ novel, which was published on March 18, 2025, and Francis Lawrence is directing. Ray adapted the original Hunger Games film, and Lawrence directed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Parts1 & 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Collins’ latest installment in the bestselling series sold more than 1.5 million copies in its first week.
Lionsgate hasn’t announced the cast. “We’re really just getting into the casting process right now. We’re very excited. We’ve been working on this draft for a year,” stated Lawrence during CinemaCon, as reported by Variety. “We start shooting in July.”
Lionsgate is targeting a November 20, 2026 theatrical release.
