Movie/TV News (4 Viewers)

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17

JIMMY---trailer released for the Jimmy Stewart biomovie starring KJ Apa.

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DRACULA---trailer released for the vampire movie starring Christoph Waltz.

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THE ODYSSEY---photos released from the Christopher Nolan Greek mythology movie showing Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson.

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN---MGM+ tv series underway based on the classic 1960 John Sturges Western movie that starred Yul Bryner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Charles Bronson. The tv series has a group of mercenaries hired to protect a Quaker village from a land baron's gunslingers.

MERCENARY: AN EXTRACTION SERIES---photo posted of Omar Sy starring in the Netflix EXTRACTION tv series whose synopsis says, “In this action-packed thriller, a mercenary embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue hostages in Libya. Trapped between warring factions and ruthless killers, he must navigate life-or-death choices while confronting deep emotional wounds. The series explores the trauma, betrayal, and moral conflicts of characters pushed to the edge.”

THE WASP WOMAN---remake underway of the 1959 Roger Corman horror movie in which the aging head of cosmetics company, who wants to be young again, takes an experimental drug extracted from a queen wasp and is turned into a deadly wasp woman.

SILO---co-star Steve Zahn commented on Seasons 3 and 4 of the Apple TV series, “Season 3 is still in post. It’s coming out. I don’t know when. It’s a complicated show. There’s a lot going on as far as visual effects. We’re in [Season] 4 right now. We’re in the middle of 4, and it’s the biggest show. There’s so much going on. Season 4 is really cool. There’s a lot in 4. It spreads out all over. It gets really cool. There’s a lot of action.”

SEVEN SISTERS---Elizabeth Olsen stars in the Hulu tv series whose synopsis says, "...a large, tight-knit family that begins to unravel when one sister, Adrienne (Olsen), starts communicating with a voice no one else can hear, forcing them to confront long-buried secrets."

SOULM8TE---the Blumhouse/Universal Pictures M3GAN spinoff movie has been shelved due to M3GAN 2.0 being a box office bomb and will be shopped to other studios.

TRIVIA---character actress Allison Hayes is best known for starring in the 1958 cult classic sci fi movie ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN in which played a woman, who is transformed into a giant 50 foot woman by an alien from outer space, and goes on a rampage. Later in her career, Hayes began taking doctor-prescribed imported bone meal calcium supplements. This led to erratic behavior, suicidal thoughts and she had to walk with a cane which led to a decline in her career. After reading a medical book about factory workers who suffered from lead poisoning, who had symptoms similar to hers, Hayes hired a toxicologist to test her bone meal calcium supplements. The toxicologist found toxic levels of lead in the supplement and concluded Hayes was probably suffering from lead poisoning. This led to Hayes requesting that the FDA ban the bone meal calcium supplements.
In 1978, Hayes died from leukemia, which was most likely a result of her lead poisoning. Ironically, after she died, the FDA sent her a letter saying that as a result of her request, the FDA was adding regulations on the sale of of imported nutritional supplements.

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18

DIGGER---teaser trailer released for the comedy movie starring Tom Cruise.

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THE SHEEP DETECTIVES--trailer released for the murder mystery movie starring Hugh Jackman.

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ANACONDA---trailer released for the remake movie starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black.

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YOUNG SHERLOCK---trailer released for the Amazon Prime tv series.

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DREAMS---trailer released for the movie starring Jessica Chastain.

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THE WRECKING CREW---photo released of the action comedy movie starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa in which estranged half-brothers reunite after the father's mysterious death.

APEX---photo released of the Netflix thriller movie starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton in which a psychopath stalks a female mountain climber in Australia.

MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS---Apple TV untitled prequel series underway with Wyatt Russell returning as Lee Shaw, who is sent on a top secret mission into the Soviet Union in 1984 to prevent the Soviets from releasing a new titan that could destroy the US.

THE GOD OF THE WOODS---Netflix movie underway based on the novel whose synopsis says, "Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found."

BADASSTRONAUTS---movie underway based on the novella about a washed-up astrophysicist, who builds a home-made rocket so he can rescue his cousin, an astronaut who is stranded in outer space.

TRIVIA---character actor Lance Henriksen is best known for playing android Bishop in ALIENS, but he also appeared in hit movies including THE TERMINATOR, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, THE RIGHT STUFF, DOG DAY AFTERNOON, NETWORK and others.
Henriksen grew up in a dysfunctional family and had a troubled childhood which led to him dropping out of school after the first grade, so he never learned to read. He was illiterate until he was 30 years old and wanted to be an actor, so he taught himself how to read by studying scripts.
Henriksen commented on his illiteracy, "I finally learned to read back in 1970 when I walked off the street to audition for a Eugene O'Neill play at the Second Street Playhouse, which is off-off Broadway.I listened to the other actors audition and then I improvised. When they gave me the part, I had a friend read me the play on tape, then I listened to the tape a thousand times until I had it memorized. I was too uneducated to grasp the logical process of getting simple books. So I took the illogical way. Now that I have learned to read, I never read for pleasure. Only for work."

Lance Henriksen is best known for playing android Bishop in ALIENS.

Henriksen played Det. Hal Vukovich in THE TERMINATOR.

Henriksen played Robert, Dr. Claude Lacombe's bodyguard, in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

WORLDBREAKER---trailer released for the monster movie starring Milla Jovovich and Luke Evans.

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THE MUPPET SHOW SPECIAL---trailer released for the Disney+ tv special.

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Y: MARSHALS---photo released of the YELLOWSTONE spinoff series featuring Kayce Dutton.

YOUTUBE---YouTube terminated two channels which specialized in AI-created fake movie trailers. India-based Screen Culture and Georgia-based KH Studios had over 1 billion views and over 2 million subscribers. Their fake trailers included STAR WARS: SPRING BREAK, JURASSIC GALAXY, SPIDER-MAN: HOMEOPATH and GODZILLA VS. PADDINGTON. Screen Culture also posted 23 fake trailers of THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS.

AVATAR--James Cameron commented on Matt Damon's claim that he turned down a starring role in AVATAR due to his commitment with a Jason Bourne movie and lost out on a 10% of the box office which cost him hundreds of millions of dollars, “He was never offered the part. I can’t remember if I sent him the script or not. I don’t think I did. Then we wound up on a call, and he said, ‘I love to explore doing a movie with you. I have a lot of respect for you as a filmmaker. [Avatar] sounds intriguing. But I really have to do this Jason Bourne movie. I’ve agreed to it, it’s a direct conflict, and so, regretfully, I have to turn it down.’ But he was never offered. There was never a deal. We never talked about the character. We never got to that level. It was simply an availability issue.
Now, what he’s done is he’s extrapolated ‘I get 10% of the gross on all my films.’ And if, in his mind, that’s what it would’ve taken for him to do Avatar, then it wouldn’t have happened. Trust me on that. So he’s off the hook and doesn’t have to beat himself up anymore. Matt, it’s okay, buddy! You didn’t miss anything.”
He added, “He felt compelled to call me personally and tell me; he said he didn’t want it to come from the agent – that’s an honorable guy. So all respect to Matt. I’d love to work with him someday. But that never happened. It was a conflation of different things that were happening.”

STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII-THE LAST JEDI---Mark Hamill commented on Luke Skywalker's death in THE LAST JEDI, "it's funny that people miss the irony that [Luke] died from an overdose of the Force...I mean, who knew that was even a thing?"

POSITANO---Matthew McConaughey and Zoe Saldana are in negotiations to star in the Netflix romantic caper movie set in Positano, Italy.

LAST SAMURAI STANDING---Netflix renewed the series for Season 2.

LOVE ISLAND---ITV America is considering a movie based on the tv series.

TRIVIA---at the Television Treasures Auction in October, 2025 in Dallas, Texas, a number of classic tv series costumes were sold at auction with winning bids that surprised many.

Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward)---$575,000
The Joker (Cesar Romero)---$212,000
Batgirl (Yvonne Craig)---$87,500
Catwoman (Julie Newmar)---$68,750
The Penguin (Burgess Meredith)---$46,250
Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter)---$225,000
Capt. Kirk (William Shatner)---$62,500
Jeannie (Barbara Eden)---$42,500

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, DECEMBER 22

THE ODYSSEY---trailer released for the Christopher Nolan Greek mythology movie starring Matt Damon.

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THE ANACONDAS---trailer released for The Asylum mockbuster monster movie.

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MAN OF TOMORROW---James Gunn posted that German actor Lars Eidinger (ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE) will play Brainiac in MAN OF TOMORROW, “In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars.”

2025 BEST MOVIES---Metacritic.com posted its top movies of 2025.

1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER – 95/100
2. THE SECRET AGENT – 92/100
3. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, MARTY SUPREME – 91/100
4. SORRY, BABY – 90/100
5. TRAIN DREAMS – 88/100
6. CAUGHT BY THE TIDES, FAMILIAR TOUCH, ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL– 87/100
7. SENTIMENTAL VALUE, NO OTHER CHOICE – 86/100
8. BLACK BAG, I'M STILL HERE – 85/100
9. SINNERS, EEPHUS, RESURRECTION, UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE – 84/100
10. HAMNET, THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR, WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL, MISERICORDIA – 83/100

DUNE---James Cameron commented on the two DUNE movies receiving Academy Award Best Picture nominations, but Denis Villeneuve not receiving a Best Director nomination, "I don’t think about the Academy Awards that much – intentionally. I don’t think I make a movie to appeal to that sensibility, I guess. They don’t tend to honor films like AVATAR, films that are science fiction, for example – they’re almost never properly recognized.
You know, Denis Villeneuve made these two magnificent DUNE films. Apparently, these films made themselves, because he wasn’t considered a director, not even by the Directors’ Guild. It’s like, okay, you can play the awards games, or you can play the game that I like to play, which is to make movies people actually go to. Sorry.”

THE KARATE KID 7---Ralph Macchio commented on a new sequel and the future of the franchise, “Between the series and the movie with Jackie Chan, all that colliding at the same time, I just think there needs to be a reset...But you want to service and be organic, and be true to the integrity of the characters. So that’s always a challenge once you are on the long game.”

NCIS: TONY & ZIVA---Paramount+ canceled the series.

THE LAST FRONTIER---Apple TV cancelled the series.

TRIVIA---Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE was based on Raymond Chandler's novel and starred Elliott Gould as private investigator Philip Marlowe. The end credits state, "With Special Remembrance for DAN BLOCKER".
Blocker, best-know for playing Hoss Cartwright on the Western tv series BONANZA, had become friends with Altman when he directed episodes of BONANZA. Altman chose Block to co-star in THE LONG GOODBYE as author Roger Wade, but Blocker died of a pulmonary embolism after gallbladder surgery. The Roger Wade role went to Sterling Hayden.

THE LONG GOODBYE's end credits include a tribute to Dan Blocker, who was supposed to play author Roger Wade.

Dan Blocker (left) became friends with director Robert Altman when Altman directed episodes of BONANZA with Block co-staring as Hoss Cartwright.

Blocker died before THE LONG GOODBYE filming began so the Roger Wade role went to Sterling Hayden.

 

[marco55]

Looking forward to "The Odyssey"
Mark

 

[marco55]

Young Washington movie coming out July 4th.
Mark

 

[marco55]

 

[BHogan]

Looking forward to seeing this!

Brendan

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY---teaser trailer released for the superhero sequel.

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THE BEAUTY---trailer released for the FX tv series starring Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall and Ashton Kutcher.

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FALLOUT---trailer released for Season 2.

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FANTASTIC VOYAGE---James Cameron commented on the status of the long-gestating remake of the 1966 sci fi movie that starred Stephen Boyd and Raquel Welch, “I’ve been nurturing that for a while. I hope to get that going this coming year. I’ll be producing it. I’m working with a director right now with a new script. So, yeah, we’re gonna do it.”
The plot involves a team of scientists in a submarine who are miniaturized and injected into the blood stream of dying miniaturization scientist to remove the blood clot in his brain, but one of them is really an assassin.

ASSASSIN'S CREED---Johan Renck (CHERNOBYL) will direct the Netflix live-action tv series based on the video game.

CROSS---photo released of Aldis Hodge in Season 2.

MAMMA MIA! 3---Amanda Seyfried hinted a new sequel to the xxx movie is underway, “It’s almost been 10 years, and we said we wouldn’t wait 10 years to do it. And it’s just, it’s about f—ing time.”

GALAXY QUEST---Sigourney Weaver said she wants a director's cut of the 1999 STAR TREK parody movie, “I wish they’d put out a director’s cut of the movie. At the last minute, DreamWorks decided to release the movie without some of the more sophisticated scenes that [Tim] Allen was in. Because it needed a kids movie to go up against Stuart Little. Why don’t they put out the movie again with [Allen] very, very strange and wonderful scenes?”
She also commented on a sequel, “I remember Bob Godon had written a second one. He wouldn’t give it to DreamWorks because he just felt that they had missed the boat. So, we always meant to do a sequel, and then with Alan [Rickman] passing away, we just lost heart.”

RUSSIAN DOLL---Natasha Lyonne said she is working on a Season 3, “Yes. I’m determined to do it [David] Lynch-style – FIRE WALK WITH ME and then TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN. I’m determined to follow that model. I can’t tell you when I’m going to hit up Netflix. But it’s incoming, it’s in process. I get to it between other deadlines. I’m on a deadline for a lot of drafts. I also owe a memoir at some point. But it’s on my desktop. It’s in Final Draft. I’ll have to go in and pitch it, I’m sure.”
She added, “We’ll see if they let me get away with it. But I don’t know if that will be in two years, 10 or 20, or 35 — if I can upload my consciousness into the cloud while retaining my own data dignity and not having a hive mind, that would be ideal. As you know, I’ve been quite public about wanting to be a brain in a jar for some time.”

BLUMHOUSE---Blumhouse Productions (THE CONJURING) made over $1 billion worldwide, which set a record for the horror movie company.

TRIVIA---HOME ALONE star Macauly Culkin said DIE HARD is not a Christmas movie, “A big one in our household growing up was A CHRISTMAS STORY, certainly was always on. A lost classic or one that people kind of forget: SCROOGED… SCROOGED is awesome, though. Yeah, we watch it all the time. Those were ones that really stick out. There’s some ones that come later. ELF is a really good one, but I wasn’t raised on ELF, so it doesn’t have that nostalgia factor. And also, okay, guys, for real: DIE HARD isn’t a Christmas movie.“
DIE HARD star Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, said, “I think it's important to put DIE HARD on because it's a Christmas movie.”

HOME ALONE star Macaulay Culkin said, "DIE HARD isn’t a Christmas movie.“

DIE HARD star Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, said, “I think it's important to put DIE HARD on because it's a Christmas movie.”

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

MADDEN---teaser trailer released for the Amazon Prime John Madden biomovie starring Nicolas Cage.

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THE RIP---trailer released for the Netflix corrupt cop movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

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APEX---trailer released for the Netflix movie starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.

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PEAKY BLINDERS: THE IMMORTAL MAN---trailer released for the Netflix sequel.

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MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE: LIFE'S STILL UNFAIR---trailer released for the Disney+/Hulu miniseries sequel.

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THE X-FILES---Ryan Coogler said his reboot will involve a series conspiracy and standalone episodes like the original tv series, "I mean, it wouldn't be X-Files if we didn't do both. We intend on having both Monsters of the Week and the overarching conspiracy. But that's what I'm doing now."
He also commented on if Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny will return, “I'm a big fan of her. I'm a big fan of David. You know what I mean? That's all I could say.”
Also, the original THE X-FILES's 11-seasons will stream for free on Pluto TV on January 1.

ALIEN 3---James Cameron commented on the David Fincher sequel, “I thought that was the stupidest f–king thing, so you build a lot of goodwill So, you build a lot of goodwill around the characters of you know, Hicks, Newt and Bishop, and then the first thing they do in the next film is kill them all off, right?
Really smart guys, you know, and replace them with a bunch of f–king convicts that you hate, and want to see die. Really clever. Now, I’m a big fan of Fincher and his work and all that. And that was his first feature film, and he was getting vectored around by a lot of other voices and all that. So, I give him a free pass on that one… I like I like David Fitcher, by the way. He he’s he’s my kind of ornery.”
Cameron also commented on his future with the ALIEN franchise, “You couldn’t pay me enough money to go back to that franchise there. It’s sort of almost become fan-driven.”

I'M CHEVY CHASE AND YOU'RE NOT---CNN documentary about Chevy Chase. The documentary's director, Marina Zenowich, said, “I’d never done an interview where someone was so rude to me." She added that Chase's former co-workers who agreed to be interviewed include Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Goldie Hawn, Lorne Michaels and Beverly D'Angelo, but those who refused to be interviewed include Steve Martin and the cast of COMMUNITY including showrunner Dan Harmon.

HEAT 2---Stephen Graham has been offered the role of young Neil McCauley, who was played by Robert De Niro in the original movie.

WIDOW---Abigail Cowen, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jackie Earle Haley will star in the movie based on the graphic novel. The synopsis says, "Desperate and on the run with her infant son, a young mother races across empty highways and forgotten truck stops, hunted by ruthless cartel enforcers and relentless federal agents. But in the shadows between predator and prey, something far more terrifying is stirring—and nothing in this story is what it seems.”

TRIVIA---George Kennedy starred in two movies in which he survived an airliner crash in snow-covered mountains. In LOST HORIZON, the remake of the 1937 movie, Kennedy played industrialist Sam Cornelius, a passenger on a skyjacked DC-3 that crashed in the Himalayas. In THE CONCORDE...AIRPORT '79, Kennedy played Capt. Joe Patroni, co-pilot of the sabotaged Concorde SST that crashed in the Austrian Alps (Kennedy was the only actor who starred in all four of the AIRPORT movies). Kennedy was a licensed pilot who owned a Cessna 210 and a Beechcraft Bonanza.

In LOST HORIZON, the remake of the 1937 movie, Kennedy played industrialist Sam Cornelius, a passenger on a skyjacked DC-3 that crashes in the Himalayas.

In THE CONCORDE...AIRPORT '79, Kennedy played Capt. Joe Patroni, co-pilot of the sabotaged Concorde SST that crashes in the Austrian Alps.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY---new teaser trailer released for the sequel.

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STRANGER THINGS---trailer released for the series finale.

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MEMORY OF A KILLER---trailer released for the Fox/Hulu assassin tv series starring Patrick Dempsey.

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WORST REMAKES/SEQUELS OF 2025---Collider.com posted its 10 Worst Remakes/Sequels of 2025.

1. SNOW WHITE
2. TRON: ARES
3. CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD
4. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
5. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2
6. THE STRANGER: CHAPTER 2
7. STAR TREK: SECTION 31
8. JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH
9. M3GAN 2.0
10.THE CONJURING: LAST RITES

THE GRAY HOUSE---photo released from the Amazon Prime miniseries starring Mary-Louise Parker as a woman who spied for the Union Army during the Civil War. The synopsis says, “The series reveals the extraordinary true story of the unsung women who helped turn the tide of the American Civil War in favor of the Union. At its center are a Virginia socialite, her indomitable mother, a formerly enslaved ally, and Richmond’s most infamous courtesan—four women operating at the heart of Confederate power. Together, they evolve their Underground Railroad operation into a daring and highly effective espionage network, risking their lives and freedom to help preserve the nation’s future and safeguard American Democracy.”

MCU---movie insider Daniel Richtman said Marvel Studios wants Jordan Peele to direct a future MCU project.

THE LAST OF US---Danny Ramirez has left the tv series due to a schedule problem. The role of Manny will be recast.

OCEAN'S 14---George Clooney said the upcoming sequel was inspired by the 1979 senior citizen heist movie GOING IN STYLE which starred George Burns and Art Carney, "There was something about the idea that we’re too old to do what we used to do, but we’re still smart enough to know how to get away with something, that just appeals to me. They’ve lost a step, and they need to find a way to work around their limitations.”

THE TALISMAN---Netflix cancelled the Duffer Brothers' long-gestating tv series based on the Stephen King novel.

TRIVIA---PLAYBOY founder Hugh Hefner's 22,000-square foot Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, known for its lavish parties and celebrities, first appeared in BEVERLY HILLS COP II with Hefner appearing in a cameo role. Brigitte Nielsen, who co-starred as villain Karla Fry, was featured in PLAYBOY three times. The mansion also appeared in MADAME X in 1966 before Hefner bought it.
Elvis Presley reportedly had an orgy with eight Playmates in the mansion, and Bill Cosby was accused of assaulting two women in the mansion.
Hefner bought the mansion in 1971 for $1 million. Billionaire Daren Metropoulos bought the mansion in 2016 for $100 million.

Brigitte Nielsen co-starred as villain Karla Fry and appeared in PLAYBOY MAGAZINE three times.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31

SHRINKING---trailer released for Season 3.

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WILL TRENT---trailer released for Season 4.

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WONDER WOMAN---James Gunn commented on the rumor that casting for the new Wonder Woman movie begins in January, 2026, "Nope."
He also replied to a fan's questioning Gunn's statement that Wonder Woman should always be taller than Superman and Batman, "I don’t think extreme height is the most important factor in casting WW. That’s all I said earlier as well. I never said I didn’t feel good about her being taller than Superman — I just said that would never be what I considered most important in her casting."

SEND HELP---photo released from the Sam Raimi dark comedy survival movie starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

STRANGER THINGS---Matt Duffer commented on the upcoming spinoff tv series, “We tried as much as possible to answer all the questions as it relates to the characters and mythology of Hawkins in the Upside Down. We’re really closing the door and all that. And the spinoff, it relates in some ways, but it really is a completely different story and a completely different location with completely different actors and characters. So it’s its own. It’s really its own entity.“

ZOOTOPIA 2---the animated sequel made #1.46 billion worldwide which surpassed FROZEN II's $1.45 billion and makes it Disney's top animated movie of all time.

HANNAH GOES TO HELL---Adrienne Barbeau, Daniel Roebuck, Krsy Fox and Elle Riot Fox star in this horror movie whose synopsis says, "Hannah (Krsy Fox) and her young daughter Louise (Elle Riot Fox) as they return to Hannah’s childhood home to assist her brother (Abrams) in caring for their ailing mother (Barbeau). Soon, strange encounters with the townspeople, a nightly demonic visitor, and whispers of a secret church ceremony fuel Hannah’s fear that something more nefarious is at hand. She begins to suspect it all could be related to her family-owned funeral home, and a deep, dark, not so buried secret belonging to their late grandfather (Roebuck)."

VAMPIRES OF THE VELVET LOUNGE---Mena Suvari, Dichen Lachman, Tom Berenger and Tyrese Gibson star in the dark comedy vampire movie whose synopsis says, "...a coven of the blood-suckers who are struggling to come to terms with the modern world and their own mortality as they are locked in a battle with a deadly foe."

TRIVIA---New Years movie trivia.
The 1960 movie THE TIME MACHINE was based on the HG Wells novel and starred Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux and Alan Young. In the opening scene, four friends are in the London home of inventor George on New Year's Eve, 1899 where George shows them the tiny prototype for his time machine. Young played George's best friend, Filby. In the 2002 remake THE TIME MACHINE, Young played the florist who sold flowers to scientist Dr. Alexander Hartdegen, who bought the flowers for his fiancee, shortly before she was killed by a mugger. Hartdegen then invents a time machine to travel back in time to prevent his fiancee's murder.

In the 1960 THE TIME MACHINE, Alan Young (right) played the best friend of time machine inventor George (Rod Taylor) on New Years Eve, 1899.

In the 2002 THE TIME MACHINE remake, Young played the florist who sold flowers to time machine inventor Dr. Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) for his fiancee, who was then murdered by a mugger.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2

WONDER MAN---trailer released for the Marvel/Disney+ comedy tv series.

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THE MUPPET SHOW---trailer released for the Disney+ tv special.

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STRANGER THINGS---Season 5 had the lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores in series history. The critics score was 85% (147 reviews) and an audience score of 56% (over 10,000 reviews).
Also, Collider.com reported that Ross Duffer denied that the series finale of Hopper and Joyce possibly movin gto Montauk will lead to the upcoming spinoff, "Ross wanted to put the Montauk thing in, and this is what I didn't want to happen, is people thinking that there's going to be a spin-off in Montauk. No, but I actually think it's really cute. I'm glad we have it.”
The Duffer Brothers also said they used Montauk as a tribute to their original concept for STRANGER THINGS which was set in Montauk, "That final scene with them [Hopper and Joyce] had been planned for quite some time. It's very difficult what Hopper went through, especially with Eleven, and we liked the idea of him and Joyce having an opportunity to start a new chapter in their lives...And, of course, we did the Montauk shout-out [where Hopper has a job offer] because the show was originally going to be set in Montauk. It felt like a nice little wink to the superfans of the show who were aware of that nugget."
The series finale reportedly made $25 million-$28 million in theaters on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

STRANGE ACADEMY---Marvel Studios is reportedly resurrecting the cancelled tv series about Dr. Strange's academy for young wizards and warlocks. The reports also claim that the MCU's future projects will emphasize magic and mutants.

WONDER WOMAN---after a Wonder Woman fan posted, "Like this comment if you're interested in playing Wonder Woman", VIKINGS: VALHALLA star Frida Gustavsson liked the post and confirmed her interest in starring in the upcoming DC Studios movie.
Last year, James Gunn mentioned ANDOR star Adria Arjona, "I follow Adria on Instagram, but everybody came out [and said], 'He just followed her, that means she’s Wonder Woman.' She’d be a great Wonder Woman, by the way...She was in a movie that I made seven years ago. We’ve been friends and have known each other since that time. I followed her then, I didn’t just follow her."

10 WORST MOVIES 2025---JoBlo.com listed it 10 worst movies of 2025.

1. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
2. WAR OF THE WORLDS
3. HURRY UP TOMORROW
4. THE ELECTRIC STATE
5. DEATH OF A UNICORN
6. HOLLAND
7. STAR TREK: SECTION 31
8. WOLF MAN
9. SNOW WHITE
10.ELLA McKAY

BATMAN & ROBIN---George Clooney commented, tongue-in-cheek, about starring in the 1997 Joel Schumacher movie, “I was the best Batman, and you know it, and I know it. And I don’t want to hear any more s---. Batman has nipples, dude. How do you think he feeds the children? The little bats.
It was a very painful suit, and you couldn’t move. I would be laying on a board, and Joel Schumacher would direct you with a microphone with a giant speaker, and he would go: ‘Okay, George, and here we go. And ready, and your parents are dead. You have nothing to live for. And action.’
And then they’d just prop me up, and I go, ‘I’m Batman.’ And they go, ‘And cut!’ And they drop me back down, and they carry me out on a board.”

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING---Chevy Chase said he would like to reunite with his THREE AMIGOS co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short in ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, “Right now they’re busy on TV making that’lI only have murders in my building… It’s a good show. Yes, it’s good, they’re good, but they really are lacking me. That’s where we gotta get going. … If you really want to have a movie with Steve and Marty, you have to have me. I miss them, that’s all I’m saying. I really miss them, they’re great.”

TRIVIA---Priscilla Presley and "Weird Al" Yankovic are the two actors who appeared in the three original NAKED GUN movies and returned for cameo roles in the reboot movie starring Liam Neeson.

Priscilla Presley in THE NAKED GUN: 33 1/3: THE FINAL INSULT and THE NAKED GUN reboot.

"Weird Al" Yankovic in THE NAKED GUN and THE NAKED GUN reboot.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, JANUARY 5

THE RIP---trailer released for the Netflix corrupt cop movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

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GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION---trailer released for the sequel starring Gerard Butler.

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THE BEAUTY---trailer released for the FX sci fi horror series starring Evan Peters and Ashton Kutcher.

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THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD---poster released for the Robin Hood movie starring Hugh Jackman.

THE GREAT BEYOND---JJ Abrams movie starring Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega in which a married couple face a supernatural entity.

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY---Eman Esfandi (AHSOKA) will reportedly play Zendaya's boyfriend and Billy Clements (DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE) will have a brief appearance as villain Ramrod.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON---showrunner Ryan Condial said Season 4 will be the last season, "Knowing there’s only one more season left, it feels like we can leave it all out on the field. We’ve started the writing process for Season 4, which will be the last one.”

THEATERS---Leonardo DiCaprio commented on the future of theaters, “It’s changing at a lightning speed. We’re looking at a huge transition. First, documentaries disappeared from cinemas. Now, dramas only get finite time and people wait to see it on streamers. I don’t know. Do people still have the appetite? Or will cinemas become silos – like jazz bars?
I just hope enough people who are real visionaries get opportunities to do unique things in the future that are seen in the cinema. But that remains to be seen.”

THE MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN---Season 5 will be the last season.

MICKEY ROURKE---a GoFundMe has been started to raise money so Mickey Rourke will not be evicted from his home because he owes over $59,000 in rent. The fundraiser, which was approved by Rourke, states, “Support Mickey to Prevent Eviction...Mickey Rourke is currently facing a very difficult and urgent situation: he is at risk of being evicted from his home. Life doesn’t always move in a straight line, and despite everything Mickey has given through his work and his life, he is now dealing with a challenging financial moment that has put his housing at risk.”

TRIVIA---Dick Van Dyke had starred in producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli's 1968 musical fantasy movie CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG when Broccoli asked Van Dyke if he would like to replace the departed Sean Connery as James Bond. Van Dyke said, "Albert Broccoli came to me and said, ‘Would you like to be Bond?’ And I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’ Click!"
Van Dyke had starred in Disney's MARY POPPINS as Bert, the cockney chimney sweep and his accent was almost universally criticized which led to his apology for, "inflicting the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema."
In the 2017 informal Dodgy Accent League poll which rates worst accent by an actor, actors voted Van Dyke's cockney accent as the worst British accent by an American actor of all time.

Dick Van Dyke had starred in producer Albert R. Broccoli's 1968 musical fantasy movie CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

Broccoli asked Van Dyke if he would like to replace the departed Sean Connery as James Bond. Van Dyke said, "Albert Broccoli came to me and said, ‘Would you like to be Bond?’ And I said, ‘Have you heard my British accent?’ Click!"

Van Dyke had starred in Disney's MARY POPPINS as Bert, the cockney chimney sweep and his accent was almost universally criticized which led to his apology for, "inflicting the most atrocious cockney accent in the history of cinema."

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY---teaser trailer released for the sequel.

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THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD---trailer released for the Robin Hood movie starring Hugh Jackman.

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SEND HELP---trailer released for the Sam Raimi survival movie starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

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ONE LAST ADVENTURE: THE MAKING OF STRANGER THINGS---trailer released for the Netflix documentary.

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THEY WILL KILL YOU---trailer released for the horror movie starring Zazie Beetz.

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LUCASFILM---Matthew Belloni of Puck News reports that Disney will soon announce that Lucasfilm had Kathleen Kennedy will retire and be replaced by Dave Filoni, “In the next week or two, Disney will finally confirm what we’ve all known for months: Kathleen Kennedy is indeed stepping down as Lucasfilm president.”
Belloni added that Filoni will be in charge of STAR WARS, “Filoni has never really been a traditional executive, so they’re giving him a partner in Lynwen Brennan, currently president and general manager of Lucasfilm Business, but he’ll be the decider on the creative direction of the franchise in film, television, and any other platforms in the galaxy.”

UFO---director Joseph Kosinski (TOP GUN: MAVERICK) commented on his untitled movie about two national security employees who discover a top secret US government project to recover UFOs and reverse-engineer their technology, “I’ve got something I’m working on with Jerry Bruckheimer about these UAPs, these unidentified aerial phenomena. So we’re working with two people who are at the very center of the topic. So, you know, the conversations with them are just fascinating. Zach Baylin‘s writing the script right now. It’s a very exciting project, and trying to get that ready as soon as possible. … You think it’s science fiction, but I think we’re finding out it’s science facts. So that’s what the film is about, and I think it’s one of those things that everyone will want to go see.“

JAMES BOND---World of Reel reports that Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi are the top candidates to be the new James Bond in the Denis Villeneuve movie.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM---Ian McKellen commented on the movie, “It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum. But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed.”

TRIVIA---character actor Jack Hogan co-starred in two episodes of MAGNUM, P.I., "Texas Lightning" and "The Woman on the Beach", and was also the casting director for the tv series. However, he is probably best known for playing Pvt. William Kirby on the 1960s World War II tv series COMBAT!

Jack Hogan co-starred in two episodes of MAGNUM, P.I., "Texas Lightning" and "The Woman on the Beach".

Hogan was also the casting director on MAGNUM, P.I.

Hogan is probably best known for playing Pvt. William Kirby on the 1960s World War II tv series COMBAT!

 

[satchelcharge1]

TUESDAY, JANUARY 6

AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY---teaser trailer released for the sequel.

LINK:

THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD---trailer released for the Robin Hood movie starring Hugh Jackman.

LINK:

SEND HELP---trailer released for the Sam Raimi survival movie starring Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien.

LINK:

ONE LAST ADVENTURE: THE MAKING OF STRANGER THINGS---trailer released for the Netflix documentary.

LINK:

THEY WILL KILL YOU---trailer released for the horror movie starring Zazie Beetz.

LINK:

LUCASFILM---Matthew Belloni of Puck News reports that Disney will soon announce that Lucasfilm had Kathleen Kennedy will retire and be replaced by Dave Filoni, “In the next week or two, Disney will finally confirm what we’ve all known for months: Kathleen Kennedy is indeed stepping down as Lucasfilm president.”
Belloni added that Filoni will be in charge of STAR WARS, “Filoni has never really been a traditional executive, so they’re giving him a partner in Lynwen Brennan, currently president and general manager of Lucasfilm Business, but he’ll be the decider on the creative direction of the franchise in film, television, and any other platforms in the galaxy.”

UFO---director Joseph Kosinski (TOP GUN: MAVERICK) commented on his untitled movie about two national security employees who discover a top secret US government project to recover UFOs and reverse-engineer their technology, “I’ve got something I’m working on with Jerry Bruckheimer about these UAPs, these unidentified aerial phenomena. So we’re working with two people who are at the very center of the topic. So, you know, the conversations with them are just fascinating. Zach Baylin‘s writing the script right now. It’s a very exciting project, and trying to get that ready as soon as possible. … You think it’s science fiction, but I think we’re finding out it’s science facts. So that’s what the film is about, and I think it’s one of those things that everyone will want to go see.“

JAMES BOND---World of Reel reports that Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi are the top candidates to be the new James Bond in the Denis Villeneuve movie.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM---Ian McKellen commented on the movie, “It’s going to be directed by Gollum, and it’s all about Gollum. But I’ll tell you two secrets about the casting. There’s a character in the movie called Frodo and another character called Gandalf, and apart from that, my lips are sealed.”

TRIVIA---character actor Jack Hogan co-starred in two episodes of MAGNUM, P.I., "Texas Lightning" and "The Woman on the Beach", and was also the casting director for the tv series. However, he is probably best known for playing Pvt. William Kirby on the 1960s World War II tv series COMBAT!

Jack Hogan co-starred in two episodes of MAGNUM, P.I., "Texas Lightning" and "The Woman on the Beach".

Hogan was also the casting director on MAGNUM, P.I.

Hogan is probably best known for playing Pvt. William Kirby on the 1960s World War II tv series COMBAT!

Jack Hogan was a fine actor and in every episode of "COMBAT!" he and the other actors and many of the guest stars, put on a masterclass in how to act in a T.V. series.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7

WHISTLE---trailer released for the horror movie starring Dafne Keen.

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STEAL---trailer released for the Amazon Prime heist series starring Sophie Tucker.

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THE HOUSEMAID---Lionsgate sequel underway based on the second novel, THE HOUSEMAID'S SECRET. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried might return, although their characters are not in the second novel.

THE BLUFF---photo released from the Amazon Prime R-rated pirate movie starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Karl Urban.

THE EXIT STATE---WEAPONS stars Callie Schuttera and Clayton Ferris reunite for the political horror movie in which people flee a political crisis in the US to a Mexican safe house which is more horror than safe.

LITTLE BROTHER---photo and synopsis released for the Netflix comedy movie starring John Cena and Eric Andre, “A famous real estate agent’s carefully curated world is upended when his eccentric ‘little brother’ unexpectedly reappears.”

THE BATMAN: PART II---Sebastian Stan is reportedly in talks to return as Bucky Barnes in the sequel.

TOMB RAIDER---the Phoebe Waller-Bridge/Amazon Prime tv series has added co-stars Sigourney Weaver, who plays Evelyn Wallis, "a mysterious high-flying who is keen to exploit Lara's talents", and Jason Iaacs as Atlas de Mornay, Lara's uncle and executor of the Croft estate.

MICKEY ROURKE---Mickey Rourke said he is returning the $100,000 donated to the GoFundMe drive started by his management team to pay Rourke's rent and prevent his eviction, “If I needed money, I wouldn’t ask for no f-cking charity. I’d rather stick a gun up my butt and pull the trigger.” Rourke's agent, Kimberly Hines, said Rourke agreed to the GoFundMe drive because he misunderstood its purpose, “The good thing about this is that he got four movie offers since yesterday. People are emailing him movie offers now, which is great because nobody’s been calling him for a long time.”

TRIVIA---character actress Evans Evans was married to director John Frankenheimer. One of her first big roles was in THE TWILIGHT ZONE episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" where she played desert diner waitress Mary Lou, who encountered 1847 pioneer Chris Horn (Cliff Robertson), whose wagon train was headed to California, and entered a time warp to 1961. Evans' most famous role was Velma Davis, the girlfriend of undertaker Eugene Grizzard (Gene Wilder's first movie role) in BONNIE AND CLYDE. Evans appeared in several of Frankenheimer's movies, including playing the cellist with Talia Shire in the environmental monster movie PROPHECY.

One of Evans Evans' first big roles was in THE TWILIGHT ZONE episode "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" where she played desert diner waitress Mary Lou, who encounters 1847 pioneer Chris Horn (Cliff Robertson) after he entered a time warp.

Evans' most famous role was Velma Davis, the girlfriend of undertaker Eugene Grizzard (Gene Wilder's first movie role) in BONNIE AND CLYDE.

Evans appeared in several of husband John Frankenheimer's movies, including playing the cellist with Talia Shire in the environmental monster movie PROPHECY.

 

[dragon53]

SATCHELCHARGE1:

Jack Hogan and my oldest brother are alumni of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

[satchelcharge1]

SATCHELCHARGE1:

Jack Hogan and my oldest brother are alumni of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

That is cool!

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8

GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON"T DIE---trailer released for the comedy sci fi movie starring Sam Rockwell.

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THE WRECKING CREW---trailer released for the Amazon Prime comedy action movie starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa.

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COUTURE---trailer released for the movie starring Angelina Jolie.

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UNDERTONE---trailer released for the horror movie starring Nina Kiri.

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SUPERGIRL---photo released of Milly Alcock in the new Supergirl costume.

COLD ZERO---Nic Pizzolatto (TRUE DETECTIVE) will write the script for the Netflix movie based on the upcoming novel whose synopsis says, “..a cutting-edge commercial airliner crash-lands near the North Pole, stranding survivors in one of the most hostile environments on Earth. Unbeknownst to most aboard, the plane was secretly transporting a revolutionary, highly classified technology capable of reshaping global power, and its disappearance sparks a frantic, high-stakes race among the world’s major powers to recover it."

THE NAKED GUN 2---director Akiva Schaffer said a sequel to the Liam Neeson reboot movie is up in the air in light of the owner changes with Paramount Pictures, “We are not planning another. It was about seven days after the movie came out, and so, you know, we’re waiting to hear from see if they would want it.”

STAR TREK---co-creator Tawny Newsome (STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS) commented on the status of the STAR TREK live-action comedy tv series, “The conversations that I have had is, ‘Hey, we finished writing it,’ and everyone said, ‘Yep, we love it.’ And then we turned it in, and then it was Christmas…The business is in an interesting place right now… Who knows?...Now it’s just up to whatever creature is in the sky that controls all this.”

BEHEMOTH!---Will Arnett replaced David Harbour, who left after filming began, in the Tony Gilroy (ANDOR) movie.

THE WITCHER---synopsis released for Season 5, "The time of the end is nigh: dark forces are aligning all across the Continent with villainous designs on
Ciri. Even if Geralt and Yennefer can save their daughter and fulfill their last wish of reuniting as a family, they’ll have to face obstacles — and enemies — the likes of which they’ve never faced before."

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: NEW SUNNYDALE---Sarah Michelle Gellar commented on if the Hulu sequel pilot will lead to a sequel tv series, “[We’re] still working on that, why and how. I know this seems like it’s taking a long time, and it’s because unless we are sure that it is exactly what we set out to do and that it makes sense to do it, we don’t want to sell you the legacy by not. When I know it’s perfect, then it will be out there, but I won’t do it unless I know it can be that.”

THE HUNTING SEASON---star Melissa Roxburgh commented on the NBC shows's Season 1 0% Rotten Tomatoes critics score (which has increased to 25%) and an 83% audience score, “We’re here to scratch the itch of the serial killer genre, and the true crime genre. So, I don’t really care if people didn’t like it. There are a lot of people who love the show, and those are the people we’re making it for."

THE PITT---HBO Max renewed the series for Season 3.

SCOOBY-DOO! GOKKU---new HBO Max/YouTube animated tv series underway based on the Japanese children's pretend game.

TRIVIA---the classic 1956 INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, in which alien pods attempt to take over mankind, was directed by Don Siegel and starred Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter. In the 1978 remake INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, which starred Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams, Siegel had a cameo as the taxi driver.

Don Siegel directed the classic 1956 INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS which starred Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter.

Siegel had a cameo as the taxi driver in the 1978 remake INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS which starred Donald Sutherland and Brooke Adams.