Why You Should Be Watching HBO’s ‘Lanterns’

I’m a HUGE Green Lantern fan — been that way since the early 2000’s Justice League cartoon brought the first Black wearer of the ring, John Stewart, to the mainstream. But even I’ll admit, Green Lantern is one of those superheroes that can get weird really fast. It’s a world that is a beast to adapt in live-action. There are strange aliens, magical-looking power rings representing the color spectrum, an intergalactic police force led by tiny blue men, and people creating giant green objects with their minds. We already saw with the Ryan Reynolds movie how badly all of that can go when you don’t quite know how to translate it to the screen.

HBO’s Lanterns gets it right.

The writing and direction by showrunner Chris Mundy and writers Damon Lindelof and Tom King is brilliant because they don’t try to run away from the stranger parts of Green Lantern mythology. Instead, they find creative ways to ground them. At its core, this is a gripping mystery that feels much closer to HBO’s True Detective than your typical superhero show. The sci-fi is still there, but it never gets in the way of the characters or the story. In many ways, it nails the idea of a “secret invasion” better than the Disney+ MCU show ever could. The science fiction serves the mystery instead of overwhelming it.

A lot of that works because of Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre. Their chemistry is fantastic. Chandler feels completely natural as the veteran Hal Jordan, while Pierre brings a quiet intensity to John Stewart that makes you want to see where this guy is headed. I was skeptical of his casting, mostly because of concerns about the role being a better fit for a more comic accurate, darker-skinned African-American actor. But now I’m a believer.

Lanterns is exactly how superhero television should be utilized in a shared universe.

John Stewart isn’t being introduced in a movie where we only get 10 minutes of backstory and context before he throws on a suit and starts fighting bad guys. Instead, we’re getting real time with him before he appears in the Superman sequel, Man Of Tomorrow. We get to know the man, what drives him and what becoming a Green Lantern actually means to him. This allows the relationships, fears and sense of responsibility to develop before his eventual transformation is fully complete.

In many ways, Pierre’s John Stewart is getting a more expansive origin story than just about anyone we’ve met in James Gunn’s DC Universe so far. That means when John Stewart finally puts on his own ring and suit and fully becomes Green Lantern, it won’t just look cool. We’ll have been on the journey with him.

And it’s going to feel earned!

Strap in! New episodes drop on HBO Max at 9pm ET/8pm CST Sundays.

CINEPHILE SIT-DOWN: Illinois Lt. Gov. Candidate Christian Mitchell On The Movies That Inspired Him And Why Illinois Is The Midwest Hollywood

Movies are for everyone - and sometimes the biggest enthusiasts may surprise you. Every month, we will talk about the movies and shows that inspired leaders, influencers and tastemakers across the country. We kick it off with a fellow nerd — current Illinois Lieutenant Governor candidate Christian Mitchell. He’s served statewide in the Illinois House of Representatives and as Deputy Governor under Governor J.B Pritzker. Now he shares with ‘Screening Room’ the movies that made him.

BRANDON: What is your earliest memory of what got you into movies?

CHRISTIAN: A lot of my love for both Marvel and science fiction actually comes from my mother. My mother is a huge Marvel and Star Wars fan. We would watch all of the Star Wars movies, the first three episodes, four, five, and six — basically every Christmas we would get together and watch those. So a lot of that comes from from her. And then I think the first movie I remember seeing in theaters is one of the ones over my shoulder, which is Crimson Tide.

BP: I love that. I know one of my earliest was being in a theater. I think watching the first X-Men movie. I think that was the first time I was like, '“oh yeah, I love this.” My uncle got me into the nerd stuff. I was always into comics and nerd stuff, but he was also into it as well. So I had an adult that was putting me on game. He’d be like, “oh, you know, back when I was reading comics, this is what they wore,” and he’d pull out the old issues. My mom was always a big movie buff too. So watching movies with the family brings people together. That theater experience, the popcorn, the icees-I’m all about it, man.

CM: Weird nacho cheese, this like an unidentified product. We’ll call it cheese product.

BP: Cheese product, yes, cheese product of some sort. The chips and cheese — that’s an Illinois staple at this point. Let’s go through your favorite movies, the ones that really kind of define your fandom.

CM: Number one, no question, is The Dark Knight — the only movie I’ve ever seen in theaters five times! No regrets, no shame. If you were like “hey Christian, I want you to go line for line all the way through no notes,” I probably could. That’s how serious it is for me, so The Dark Knight is definitely to me is a perfect film. Love that film.

Then, Empire Strikes Back. You know, it’s the movie that made me truly fall in love with Star Wars. It’s one of the movies when I when I think about taking risks in my own career, like there’s that moment where Luke is on Dagobah, and they’re like, “Hey, you need to stay. You need to be here. Your training’s not complete.” And he’s like, “You know, my friends in my community are out there, and they need me, and I got to go.” And you know, he loses a hand and loses his first fight with Darth Vader, but that’s so definitional for him to take that risk and and jump out ahead of what he thinks he’s ready for, and you know Luke’s one of my favorite people in fiction.

And (Ryan Coogler’s) Creed. My grandfather was in the army, taught me a bit when I was a kid. I just fell in love with the sport. I did two charity fights. It is the thing that I do to take my mind off the world. And you know, Creed was just — it was an incredible love letter to the Rocky movies. But there’s also that scene where Ryan Coogler shoots an unbroken one take of a fight inside the ring. And he’s by the way, he’s fighting an actual professional fighter. But what’s so cool about it for me, Brandon, is as somebody who’s been in a ring, what they do with the audio editing and the way the sounds fade and goes in and out, the way you sort of hear the trainer’s voice but no one else’s, the way everything locks in. You just hear the leather. It was such an incredible audiophile experience. I’ve been locked in with Ryan Coogler since Creed. So those are probably my top three.

BP: I love that. The Dark Knight — I mean, come on, Chicago is all up in it! I love the fact that I can spot LaSalle Street and Millennium Station, and Lower Wacker and all the sites. Everytime I go down on that Lower Wacker drive ramp, I can hear Heath Ledger laughing.

CM: You drive through the financial district and you can remember the truck flipping. It was just such a love letter to Chicago, and as you know, when Christopher Nolan was asked about that movie, he was like, my inspiration for that movie was barely comics. It was Heat, which is another amazing film. So anyway, so I just I love that movie, man. I probably watch The Dark Knight two three times a year.

BP: It’s up there in my top five for sure, and it’s among Nolan’s best. You mentioned Empire Strikes Back. I also share that one with you. I mean, that’s a definitive sequel. I’m a Star Wars guy too. When I think about how to do a sequel, I think many try to emulate what Empire Strikes Back did in many ways, and so that’s kind of like the the Bible of sequels to me, especially for sci-fi fantasy. Creed — I’ve never heard somebody name Creed in their top, but I love it because I’m with you. The way it was filmed, I think sonically the way it was done. I still can’t get out of my head that chopper scene where they fuse Meek Mill’s music with the Rocky theme like what a way to like take a traditionally not black community revered film and like flip it on its head, and really just change the whole perspective of it for a new generation.

CM: What gets me about Coogler, Brandon, is I always say the people who are best at their craft, they understand the fundamentals and then they know how to remix them, right? So Coogler takes this classic Rocky story, and in almost the same way that Kendrick Lamar is like a savant on music theory and then breaks every rule, Coogler is able to do that. I love that film so much.

BP: And the anime influences!

CM: By the way, you probably know this because I know you’re a Black Panther guy too. Michael B. Jordan’s armor in that film is influenced by Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z!

BP: It’s really well done. I’ve had the pleasure of being able to talk with Coogler and Michael B. Jordan a lot about the process. Something else I want to throw out there: movies that may have either shaped your political ethos or just favorite political films — You you got any?

CM: The West Wing, which was I think so definitional for my generation. And I think that when you think about the context of when it comes out — we’re in the George W. Bush administration — and by the way, back then we were like, this is the worst it can get, which now I think most of us would like be like, “Oh my God, George, come back!” Not that we agree with everything, but just compare it to this. And you know, The West Wing, it was idealistic. It was about people who were not just smart, but cared about government. There’s there’s a great quote where the communications person is talking to this older man in a bar in Iowa, and he says, “You know, sending a kid to college—that’s a man’s job. It should be hard, but it could be just a little bit easier if government did what they were supposed to do.” And I think that that — not just that that that episode — but that line really defines my ethos of public service. Government should be a force for good, and it should make life just a little bit easier for people who are already working pretty hard.

BP: Illinois has become the Hollywood of the Midwest. So much stuff getting filmed here. I remember when they filmed The Batman partially here, and I accidentally like walked into them filming a shot on Wells Street as I was just walking to go see a homie. It’s kind of cool to be in a city where they’re just filming things. Why do you think we get so many productions?

CM: We might be the fastest growing market. I think we’re a couple places behind Atlanta, but Atlanta had this massive advantage. It was: Hollywood, Atlanta — I think in part because of Marvel — and now us. We do not sit back on our haunches, or wait for something like the tax credits. It is what is the affirmative opportunity for us, and so I think that when you look at our really well trained workforce, the ability to assemble and disassemble sets rapidly with a good diverse union workforce, I think that’s incredibly important. Chicago is a world class city. People want to be here. When you gotta be in a place for six months, you want to get something good to eat. You want to be able to get around pretty easily. You want to have stuff to do in the evening that gets your mind off of this all-in production. Chicago’s a great city for that. 94% of the productions we have here are directly attributable to the tax credit that we provide through the Illinois Film Office, so it’s an example of government getting it right, figuring out the right ways to get out of the way, enable the private sector to build the business, but also provide the financial incentive to say, “Hey, we may not have all the infrastructure that you have in LA or Atlanta, but look at what we do have, and we’re trying to make up the difference.” I’m excited what we’re going to do in this industry.

Got an idea for our next Cinephile Sit-Down? Email me brandonpopetv@gmail.com

‘The End Of Oak Street’ Review: An Insanely Fun Sci-Fi Story

The Science Fiction genre works best when it prioritizes ordinary people stumbling into something extraordinary, with a healthy mix of wonder, danger and humor along the way. It’s a feeling the classic Amblin films nailed — and the same feeling The End Of Oak Street elicits — wearing those influences proudly without feeling like a copycat of their catalogue. With dinosaurs trudging through suburban lawns and time portals in living rooms to strange worlds, it delivers an entertaining adventure that works especially well with a packed theater.

Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor are stellar, as always. Both bring an emotional credibility to the material that keeps the movie grounded even as the story ventures further into the fantastical. Their performance as a mother and father navigating through their fracturing marriage helps sell the quieter character moments just as effectively as the film’s bigger set pieces.

And when The End of Oak Street wants to get your heart racing, it knows exactly what it’s doing. There’s plenty of suspense here, along with a handful of genuinely shocking moments that should produce some great gasps and reactions from an audience. This is absolutely the kind of movie that benefits from communal viewing — one where hearing everyone laugh, jump and react around you becomes part of the experience. That’s the fun of going to the movies.

Much of that is a credit to the direction and writing of David Robert Mitchell. The film has a strong visual identity, with creative cinematography that finds interesting ways to frame both its intimate moments and its sci-fi spectacle. One of my favorite shots involved a screen door (I’ll leave it at that so you can enjoy the moment for yourself). Rather than simply relying on effects to create a sense of scale, the camera work frequently does the heavy lifting, building tension through perspective, movement and what it chooses not to show.

Unfortunately, the visual effects don’t always rise to the same level. The CGI can be noticeably spotty, particularly during some of the larger sequences. For a movie with this much imagination behind the camera, there are moments where the effects threaten to break the immersion. Thankfully, they never sink the experience.

The End of Oak Street understands the appeal of the old-school sci-fi adventure: give us characters worth rooting for, surround them with mystery, throw them into increasingly impossible situations and make the ride thrilling. With terrific performances from Hathaway and McGregor, inventive filmmaking and enough surprises to keep an audience on its toes, this is a really fun throwback to the kind of crowd-pleasing adventure Hollywood used to make a lot more often.

‘TONY’ Review: Sincere Coming-Of-Age Tale Shakes Up The Biopic Mold

Hollywood has a habit of treating biopics like elaborate Wikipedia pages, squeezing an entire life into two hours and hoping the audience walks away feeling like they know the person.

TONY has little interest in doing any of that. And that’s why I love it.

It almost feels wrong to call Matt Johnson’s film an Anthony Bourdain biopic at all. Rather than attempt to capture the entirety of the late chef, author and television icon’s extraordinary life, TONY zooms in on a period very few people know much about: Bourdain at 19 years old, before the fame, before Kitchen Confidential, and before much of the world even knew his name. Here, he’s simply Tony.

The film follows the restless teenager as he runs away from home and lands in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he dives headfirst into the chaotic world of restaurants. What follows is a cozy coming-of-age story. Johnson isn’t particularly concerned with planting obvious Easter eggs or constantly reminding us of the famous man Tony will eventually become. Instead, he allows us to spend time with a young man who is arrogant, curious, reckless, searching and still trying to figure out exactly who he wants to be.

That story choice makes TONY feel less like a biopic and more like a slice of life story of a young man we don’t know, but want to. The movie reflects the qualities that eventually made Bourdain such a compelling storyteller himself: it’s patient, intimate, observant and rich in narrative. There’s something refreshing about watching a movie about an icon that doesn’t seem overly impressed by the iconography.

Dominic Sessa is terrific in the title role. We already knew the young actor had serious talent after his breakout performance in The Holdovers, but TONY reaffirms that he’s more than capable of carrying a film as its leading man. Importantly, Sessa doesn’t seem interested in doing an Anthony Bourdain impression. He creates a young Tony who feels lived-in and relatable rather than like a collection of mannerisms designed to remind audiences who he eventually becomes.

It’s also a performance that understands how annoying young adulthood can be. You root for Tony. You like Tony. And there are plenty of moments when you desperately want to grab Tony by the shoulders and ask him what the hell he’s doing. Sessa finds that sweet spot between charm and arrogance, giving us someone whose potential is obvious even when his judgment decidedly is not.

Antonio Banderas provides the perfect counterweight as the owner of the seaside restaurant where Tony works as a busboy. He gradually becomes a mentor to the young man, offering the kind of perspective and discipline Tony desperately needs. Banderas brings warmth and gravitas to the film without overwhelming it, and his relationship with Sessa gives the story much of its emotional foundation. Their dynamic allows TONY to explore mentorship, ego and the humbling reality of entering a world where enthusiasm doesn’t automatically equal expertise. It’s one of the best performances of Banderas’ career.

Johnson, meanwhile, brings an energetic sincerity to the director’s chair. There’s an intimacy to his approach that keeps the movie from feeling overly polished or mythologized. He understands that the most interesting thing about Anthony Bourdain at 19 isn’t that he would eventually become Anthony Bourdain. It’s that he didn’t know he would. That distinction is what makes TONY work.

We’ve seen enough cradle-to-grave biopics desperately racing through decades of someone’s life, checking off famous moments before the credits roll. TONY argues that sometimes one chapter tells us more about a person than the entire book. The result is a refreshing jolt to an increasingly stale genre. It’s an empathetic and honest human drama first and an Anthony Bourdain movie second. Future filmmakers tackling the lives of famous figures would be wise to take notes.

Join Me At The Obama Presidential Center For A Conversation On The Future Of Storytelling

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Marvel Unveils Its Mutants

X-Men fans, we are eating!

At D23 this weekend, Marvel Studios finally unveiled the first wave of its rebooted X-Men cast, giving us our clearest picture yet of what the mutants will look like in the MCU.

Since Marvel launched its cinematic universe in 2008, fans have clamored for the iconic team of mutants to join the fun alongside Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. For years, that was impossible. The film rights to the X-Men belonged to 21st Century Fox after Marvel sold off several of its properties during a financial crisis. Decades later, Disney — home of the MCU — acquired Fox and its entertainment properties, making the X-Men’s eventual arrival all but inevitable.

July’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day finally made that dream a reality, introducing Sadie Sink as — spoiler alert — omega-level telepath Jean Grey.

Sink is just 24 years old, signaling Marvel’s intention to build around a younger generation of actors who can grow with these characters for years to come. Enter Heartstopper star Kit Connor, 22, as Cyclops; Obsession breakout Inde Navarrette, 25, as Rogue; and Broadway star Maya Boyd, 23, as Storm.

Samara Weaving joins the ensemble as Emma Frost, while Christopher Abbott and Adam Driver round out this first wave of announcements as Professor Charles Xavier and Nathaniel Milbury — better known as the villain Mr. Sinister.

I love the roster so far, both in terms of the characters Marvel has chosen and the actors tapped to portray them. But Driver’s Mr. Sinister may be the most intriguing addition of all, because his inclusion points toward comic book territory the films have never really explored.

Sinister is a Victorian-era mad scientist born Nathaniel Essex who becomes obsessed with mutation and genetic evolution. In the modern era, operating under the alias Nathaniel Milbury, he runs an orphanage where he secretly experiments on children. That orphanage also happens to be where a young Scott Summers — Cyclops — grows up, putting the villain directly in the path of the X-Men’s future leader.

In the comics, Sinister develops a particular obsession with the Grey and Summers bloodlines, giving us an early indication of just how integral Sink’s Jean Grey and Connor’s Cyclops could be to this story.

Jake Schreier, who previously directed Marvel’s Thunderbolts*, will helm the X-Men reboot. That film showed Schreier has a strong ability to develop characters with real emotional depth while navigating the complicated dynamics of an ensemble. That skill will be essential for the X-Men, a superhero team that has essentially operated as a comic book soap opera for decades.

Schreier feels like a strong choice, and he clearly has a love for the material.

“One of the great things about the comics is there is such a rich and broad history,” he told Good Morning America. “That was one of the first things that Kevin [Feige] and I talked about when I came in; they made many great movies in this world, and they’ve made so many great things. Let’s find the things that haven’t recently been done well. All these other corners of the universe.”

More than any X-Men film treatment before it, expect Schreier’s version to lean heavily into the comic panels that inspired it.

“Digging back into those comics like 20 years, the whole Chris Claremont run, the newer Jonathan Hickman stuff. There are so many stories that are still untold, to honor and to reach into, and then to meet this cast and try to do something new, I think you always want to see something that reveres where it came from and then is still taking a new spin on where we want to go.”

That’s music to my ears.

The X-Men have one of the richest libraries of stories in all of comics, and while Fox delivered some genuinely great films, we’ve still only scratched the surface of what makes these characters special. The combination of a younger cast, unexplored villains like Mr. Sinister and a director interested in digging deep into decades of source material gives Marvel an opportunity to finally embrace the messy relationships, ideological conflicts and sprawling mythology that have made the mutants endure for generations.

Now comes the hard part: the waiting.

We’re still nearly two years away from seeing Marvel’s new X-Men assemble on the big screen. The film is currently set to hit theaters May 5, 2028.

New ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Trailer Is A Comic Nerd’s Dream

The costume. The voice. The aura.

We’ve only gotten a small glimpse, but it is abundantly clear Marvel Studios and Robert Downey Jr. have nailed one of the most iconic villains in all of media: Dr. Doom.

The new trailer for Doomsday highlights the history between Victor Von Doom and the Fantastic Four, an element sorley missing from the MCU’s reboot of the First Family.

The trailer shows TWO costumes for Doom, with both getting a full look at different conventions this summer.

Notice costume number 2 is reminiscent of the one we saw in the post-credits scene of Fantastic Four.

We also get some key insight into what spark’s Doom’s wrath: the loss of his loved ones. In the trailer, he decries that the Avengers have “been living stolen lives.” Has all the universe and time hopping caused tragedy for the masked villain? How does he have access to the frequent X-men foiling Sentinels? We will find out December 18, 2026.

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Review: ‘Brand New Day’ Is One Of The Best Spider-Man Films Ever Made

Comic book fan or not, everyone knows Spider-Man.

The web-slinger has become one of the most iconic characters in pop culture for one simple reason: he’s relatable. From the moment Stan Lee and Steve Ditko put pen to paper, they made sure Peter Parker mattered more than the mask. He wasn’t a billionaire or a god. He was a kid from Queens grieving loved ones, getting bullied, fumbling through romance, struggling in school, and wondering how he’d make rent. The superpowers were works of fantasy. Peter’s life was the reality show we craved.

No filmmaker has captured that balance better than Sam Raimi in his original Spider-Man trilogy — until now.

With Spider-Man: Brand New Day, director Destin Daniel Cretton returns Marvel’s flagship hero to his slice-of-life roots, delivering the best cinematic Spider-Man since Spider-Man 2.

Cretton clearly understands what generations of readers and viewers have loved about this character. While Brand New Day honors decades of Spider-Man mythology, and wears its affection for the Raimi films proudly on its sleeve, it never feels trapped by nostalgia. Instead, it builds something that feels both familiar and still integral to this cinematic universe’s future. It’s a very forward moving story with throwback sensibilities.

Even the most hardened MCU skeptic will be warmed by how willing this film is to slow down and be still. Rather than racing from set piece to set piece, Cretton gives his actors room to breathe and deepen the narrative. Tom Holland delivers the most emotionally mature performance of his time as Peter Parker, finally portraying a version of the character shaped by genuine loss and hard-earned wisdom. Zendaya remains a terrific emotional anchor, and together they ground the film in a humanity that the “Home” trilogy sometimes struggled to reach.

This is, without question, the most seasoned Spider-Man film of the Tom Holland era, and easily its best.

Ironically, Brand New Day may also be the most unapologetically Marvel movie I’ve ever marveled. The Hulk and the Punisher are fantastic additions! I adored every moment they were on my screen. At times the film feels like a live-action episode of the beloved 1990s Spider-Man animated series — something a 10-year-old Brandon Pope could only dream of. Cretton stages exhilarating street-level action while never losing sight of the agility and creativity we’ve come to associate with the character. The swinging sequences are breathtaking, the fights are imaginative, and the cinematography gives New York a tangible sense of place. Between the practical effects and the visual effects work, this is arguably the most lived-in Spider-Man world ever put on screen.

The film’s biggest weakness is the central mystery, which may keep hardcore Marvel fans intrigued, but alienate others. When the film unspools the mystery, it occasionally loses sight of Peter himself. That’s unfortunate, because Brand New Day is at its strongest when it leaves the larger mythology behind and focuses on its emotional core. By the end, I found myself wanting less of the mystery and more of Peter Parker simply living his life. However, I loved the reveal and what it means for the wider universe going forward. Thank God I got to see it before Steve Lacy could spoil it!

Brand New Day works because of how it balances a poignant question: Is avoiding happiness the only way to avoid heartbreak? That’s where Spider-Man has always been at his most compelling. His stories are not about just saving the city, but also wrestling with the impossible cost of trying to save everyone. If Marvel has any sense, they’ll hand Destin Daniel Cretton the keys to whatever project he wants next. He directs with confidence, patience, and unmistakable style. More importantly, he understands that Spider-Man’s greatest superpower has never been his web-shooters or his spider-sense. It’s been his heart.

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After The Odyssey - What Classic Book Should Be Adapted Next?

I’ve got some ideas! Join me Monday at 10am CST on WBEZ Chicago for a chat with Say More hosts Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith.

Ryan Coogler Has Found His New Black Panther. And He Nailed It.

Ten years after Chadwick Boseman was unveiled to the world as Black Panther, and six years after the actor’s tragic death, Ryan Coogler has finally revealed the man who will carry the mantle into the future.

It’s 32-year-old British actor David Jonsson.

“He’s the guy,” Coogler told a roaring crowd at San Diego Comic-Con. “I felt it in my soul. He’s a good man, and he is the next Black Panther.”

Jonsson will portray T’Challa II, the son of King T’Challa, who was quietly introduced under the alias Toussaint in the post-credits scene of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The character is unique to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has no direct comic book counterpart.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that Coogler first brought Jonsson’s name to him about six months ago. After a private meeting, the director was convinced.

“He called me and said, ‘I found him,’” Feige recalled. “‘He’s this guy, David Jonsson.’”

As expected, the announcement has sparked debate. Few superhero roles are as intertwined with an actor’s legacy as T’Challa is with Chadwick Boseman. Since Boseman’s passing, Marvel has faced years of criticism over its decision not to recast the character. Despite a passionate fan movement urging the studio to continue T’Challa’s story (which I reported on in 2021), Kevin Feige maintained that replacing Boseman so soon after his death felt improbable.

I’ve been on the record since 2022: I believe T’Challa should have been recast.

Not immediately. That would have been irrational. However, there was opportunity to buy more time to ponder the decision.

In fact, Wakanda Forever could have unfolded almost exactly the same way if it had been set during the MCU’s five-year “Blip.” The emotional weight, Namor’s invasion, Shuri’s journey through grief—none of that required T’Challa himself to die permanently. Marvel’s first Black superhero didn’t have to disappear with the actor who immortalized him.

That being said, David Jonsson is going to be exceptional.

That man can act!

Need proof? Watch him steal every scene as the conflicted cyborg Andy in Alien: Romulus (Hulu), a performance that earned him the BAFTA Rising Star Award. Then check out the effortlessly charming romcom Rye Lane (Disney+), HBO’s Industry, or his role in 2024’s The Long Walk (HBO Max). His résumé isn’t the longest, but he’s made every opportunity count.

He’s one of those actors who feels like he’s on the verge of becoming a household name. This might be the role that gets him there.

While I’m still not completely sold on what I’d call Marvel’s “soft recast” — passing the mantle to T’Challa’s son instead of continuing T’Challa’s own story—I can’t ignore the storytelling potential. In fact, it fits remarkably well with what Ryan Coogler has always cared about.

The Black Panther films have never just been superhero movies. They’ve been stories about inheritance, ancestors, grief, identity, and the weight of legacy.

Imagine the kind of pressure his son must feel to carry the name of an Avenger - among the Earth’s mightiest heroes. His father saved Wakanda, and then helped save the entire world. Now he must become his own man while living beneath a legend he barely knew.

That’s a coming of age story for the ages! And if there’s anyone I trust to explore it with sincerity, it’s Ryan Coogler.

No filmmaker understands these characters more deeply. Across two films, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt. If anyone can honor Chadwick Boseman’s immeasurable legacy while opening a meaningful new chapter for Wakanda, it’s him.

I may have wanted a different path. But now that we’re here, I’m all in. December 15, 2028 can’t come soon enough.

WATCH: Brandon Talks ‘The Odyssey’ On Live Now Fox

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‘The Odyssey’ Review: Nolan Delivers Epic and Definitive Adaptation Of A Classic

I’ll be honest: I didn’t actually read Homer’s The Odyssey when it was assigned in high school. SparkNotes enabled my procrastination well enough to get by. But when I rediscovered the epic in a college Greek mythology course, I was completely captivated.

I couldn’t get enough of its themes of fate, divinity, religion, and the constant tension between the will of the gods and the free will of man. The idea behind Zeus’s law—that any stranger could be a god in disguise and therefore deserves dignity and respect—shaped much of my own worldview. It expanded the way I thought not only about mythology, but also about faith, humanity, and how we ought to treat one another.

So when Christopher Nolan—one of cinema’s greatest filmmakers at translating complex themes and motifs to the screen—announced that his follow-up to Oppenheimer would be The Odyssey, my expectations were sky-high.

A Nolan film promises epic scale, breathtaking cinematography, a commanding sonic identity, unforgettable performances, and ambitious storytelling. His interpretation of The Odyssey delivers on all of it.

Nolan’s grounded adaptation is a cinematic triumph. The performances, emotional storytelling, and astonishing practical effects transform one of history’s greatest epics into a visceral, deeply human adventure. Ludwig Göransson’s thunderous score propels the journey with relentless momentum, while Nolan’s commitment to real locations and practical craftsmanship gives this world of gods and monsters a tactile grit that CGI rarely achieves.

The film follows Odysseus, King of Ithaca and the brilliant strategist behind the Trojan Horse, as he struggles through a decade-long journey home after the Trojan War. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus endure years of uncertainty while fending off opportunists determined to seize the throne.

The cast fully lives up to its remarkable billing.

Matt Damon delivers one of the finest performances of his career, portraying Odysseus not simply as a legendary warrior, but as a man haunted by war and desperate to reclaim the life it stole from him. Nolan wisely frames him less as an untouchable mythic hero and more as a soldier grappling with guilt, trauma, and the devastating cost of violence on both himself and his family.

Anne Hathaway is equally extraordinary as Queen Penelope, balancing grief, fury, resilience, and fading hope with remarkable precision. Expect serious awards conversation not only for Damon and Hathaway, but also for Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland in standout supporting performances.

One performer who deserves far more recognition is Himesh Patel. Despite receiving considerably less promotional attention than many of his co-stars, he occupies a substantial portion of the film and once again proves himself to be one of today’s most consistently excellent actors.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is John Leguizamo, who delivers what may well be the finest performance of his career as the loyal swineherd Eumaeus. His unwavering faith that Odysseus will someday return beautifully mirrors Penelope’s own perseverance. It’s a deeply moving performance that deserves genuine Best Supporting Actor consideration.

Visually, the film is breathtaking. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema once again proves why he is among the greatest working today. Every frame feels painterly in scope yet intimate in emotion. If you have the opportunity to experience The Odyssey in IMAX or on a 70mm print—as I did—it is absolutely worth the premium. This is precisely the kind of filmmaking those formats were made for.

The one aspect that may divide audiences is also quintessential Nolan. As with his Dark Knight trilogy, he strips away much of the overt fantasy in favor of grounded realism. The gods don’t glow, fly, or announce themselves with supernatural spectacle. With the notable exception of Zendaya’s Athena, they often manifest more as unseen forces influencing humanity than as traditional mythological figures.

Purists may object to that interpretation, much like comic book fans once debated Nolan’s grounded Batman. I found the approach surprisingly effective. By emphasizing the human experience over overt mythology, Nolan makes Homer’s exploration of faith, divine influence, and free will feel even more immediate and accessible.

Ultimately, The Odyssey is a monumental achievement. It is epic in every sense of the word—grand in scale, emotionally devastating, and intellectually rich. Beneath its breathtaking action and awe-inspiring spectacle lies a moving meditation on pride, forgiveness, family, and the generational scars left by war.

Christopher Nolan continues to push the boundaries of blockbuster filmmaking, proving once again that practical craftsmanship, ambitious storytelling, and genuine emotional depth can still command the biggest screen possible.

This is why we go to the movies.

Join Me On CNN With Omar Jimenez For A Chat On ‘The Odyssey’

Follow @bpopetv for more exact timing updates.

Why ‘The Batman Part II’ Delay Could Point To A DCU Future For ‘Battinson’

Matt Reeve’s The Batman Part II has been delayed, again. It will now open in theaters on Feb. 18, 2028 — nearly six years after the March 2022 opening of The Batman. For context, two presidential administrations would have passed, and a third will take office, in that gap.

The delay of The Batman Part II is undoubtedly frustrating for fans, but it’s also worth remembering that delays are a normal part of blockbuster filmmaking. They don’t automatically signal creative turmoil. The holdup could be something as simple as coordinating the schedules of Robert Pattinson and Sebastian Stan—two actors whose calendars are packed with major franchise commitments.

That said, allow me to put on my tinfoil hat for a moment.

What if this delay isn’t just about production logistics? What if it’s about positioning Matt Reeves’ Batman to eventually become the Batman of James Gunn’s DC Universe?

Gunn has repeatedly said he wants some distance between Reeves’ Batman and the DCU’s Batman, who is expected to debut in The Brave and the Bold, also slated for 2028. The problem is that The Brave and the Bold appears to be moving at a crawl. There is no announced casting, no completed script, no production timeline, and persistent questions remain about whether Andy Muschietti is still directing.

Meanwhile, the DCU isn’t slowing down. The Superman sequel, Man Of Tomorrow, is moving toward a July 2027 release. How much longer can Gunn realistically wait before introducing the Dark Knight into his shared universe?

Corporate realities may also accelerate that timeline. With the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount merger looming, new leadership under the Ellison family could look to streamline projects and lean into proven theatrical brands. Following Supergirl’s disappointing box office performance, executives may become even more selective about which films receive the green light. Batman remains one of the few superheroes with nearly unmatched box office consistency.

If The Batman Part II now lands in 2028, folding Pattinson’s version into the DCU may become a more practical—and financially attractive—solution than launching an entirely separate Batman franchise.

The biggest argument against that idea has always been tone. Reeves’ Gotham is drenched in noir, cynicism, and corruption. Pattinson’s Batman trusts almost no one. David Corenswet’s Superman, by contrast, inhabits a brighter world built on hope and compassion.

But that’s also what has always made Batman and Superman compelling together. Their differences aren’t a flaw—they’re the whole point. The world’s greatest detective and the world’s greatest optimist have challenged each other’s philosophies for decades. With the right screenplay, those opposing worldviews and styles could become one of the DCU’s greatest strengths.

Besides, it’s not as though Gunn’s universe is incapable of embracing darker storytelling. Based on its first trailer alone, Clayface appears to occupy a much moodier, horror-infused space that arguably feels closer to Reeves’ sensibilities than Superman does.

Is a Reevesverse/DCU merger likely? Probably not.

But as release calendars shift, development stalls, and corporate priorities evolve, the once-unthinkable idea of Robert Pattinson becoming the DCU’s Batman feels just a little less impossible. And it may ultimately prove to be the smartest move for the future of the franchise.

Emmy Nominations: My Initial Reactions And Picks For Winners

Most nominated shows:

• The Pitt — 25

• Hacks — 24

• Widow’s Bay — 19

• Pluribus — 18

• Beef — 16

Most nominated networks:

• HBO Max — 122

• Netflix — 111

• Apple TV+ — 87

• ABC — 38

• CBS — 32

Outstanding Drama Series

• The Diplomat

• The Gilded Age

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

• Paradise

• The Pitt

• Slow Horses

• Your Friends & Neighbors

Last year, The Pitt was the surprise winner in this category. This year, it returns as the juggernaut, leading all programs with 25 nominations. I’ve enjoyed the series far more than I ever expected (read why here), but I’d still love to see a show like The Diplomat pull off the upset. Realistically, though, that feels like wishful thinking.

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary

• The Bear

• Margo’s Got Money Troubles

• Nobody Wants This

• Only Murders in the Building

• Shrinking

• Widow’s Bay

• Hacks

The Bear’s placement in the comedy category has sparked debate ever since it debuted in 2022. But I’ll give it this: its fifth and final season made me laugh harder than any previous season. Even so, I’d still argue it’s far more drama than comedy.

It’s joined by another stacked field, with veterans like Only Murders in the Building and Abbott Elementary alongside newcomers Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Widow’s Bay. The latter fascinates me most. Widow’s Bay is, in my view, the best show on television—a brilliant blend of bone-chilling horror, suspense, and razor-sharp wit.

But let’s be honest: it’ll probably be Hacks again.

Much like the NBA stars of the ‘90s who watched Michael Jordan collect championship after championship, a lot of terrific comedies have been left empty-handed because of Jean Smart’s dominance as Deborah Vance. With Hacks entering its final season, shows like Shrinking will finally have an opportunity to claim the throne.

But for 2026? It’s Hacks. I’d love to be wrong.

I don’t think I will be.

Outstanding Limited Series

• All Her Fault

• The Beast in Me

• Beef

• DTF St. Louis

• Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette

DTF St. Louis is one of the year’s most overlooked shows. Along with Beef, it’s among my favorites in this category. But don’t sleep on The Beast in Me, which gives Matthew Rhys his second Emmy-nominated performance this year.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Sterling K. Brown – Paradise

• Gary Oldman – Slow Horses

• Mark Ruffalo – Task

• Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat

• Noah Wyle – The Pitt

I love Rufus Sewell’s delightfully unhinged performance in The Diplomat. He’s one of television’s great character actors and, despite two previous nominations, still feels overdue for a win.

Sterling K. Brown would also be a worthy winner. His emotional range carries Paradise from beginning to end.

Noah Wyle remains the favorite, but this year’s competition is much stronger than last year’s.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age

• Chase Infiniti – The Testaments

• Keri Russell – The Diplomat

• Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus

• Zendaya – Euphoria

I expect Rhea Seehorn to finally earn the Emmy she’s long deserved for her performance as Carol in Pluribus. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if voters give Zendaya one last victory lap for her farewell performance as Rue in Euphoria—a series that’s often uneven but consistently elevated by its performances.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary

• Ayo Edebiri – The Bear

• Elle Fanning – Margo’s Got Money Troubles

• Lisa Kudrow – The Comeback

• Jean Smart – Hacks

This race may ultimately come down to two television legends: Lisa Kudrow and Jean Smart.

Smart remains the favorite, having dominated this category for years as Deborah Vance.

Still, I’d love to see Ayo Edebiri finally take home the trophy. Across The Bear’s run, she’s delivered anxiety, heartbreak, joy, and humor with remarkable authenticity. The final season may feature her strongest work yet, cementing her as one of the best actors of her generation.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – Wonder Man

• Steve Carell – Rooster

• Matthew Rhys – Widow’s Bay

• Jason Segel – Shrinking

• Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building

What a lineup.

Steve Carell returns to the Emmys with a well-earned nomination for Rooster. Matthew Rhys will certainly be in contention for his restrained yet increasingly frantic performance as the mayor of a haunted island.

But the nomination that excites me most is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Marvel’s Wonder Man deserved far more attention than it received—a genuinely funny series about an aspiring actor navigating superhero life while trying to hide his powers. Abdul-Mateen continues to prove he’s one of the finest actors working today, and this performance only strengthens that reputation.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Dale Dickey – Widow’s Bay

• Hannah Einbinder – Hacks

• Janelle James – Abbott Elementary

• Kate O’Flynn – Widow’s Bay

• Michelle Pfeiffer – Margo’s Got Money Troubles

• Megan Stalter – Hacks

• Jessica Williams – Shrinking

It’s time Jessica Williams gets the recognition she’s earned.

Shrinking has shown she’s so much more than a gifted comedian. This season, Gaby navigated love, heartbreak, and grief while serving as the emotional anchor for a family struggling to heal. Williams delivered every beat with warmth and vulnerability.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons

• Paul W. Downs – Hacks

• Harrison Ford – Shrinking

• Nick Offerman – Margo’s Got Money Troubles

• Stephen Root – Widow’s Bay

• Michael Urie – Shrinking

• Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary

I’m giving Shrinking more love here.

While the latest season wasn’t the show’s strongest overall, it may have been Harrison Ford’s best. I think he’s been overlooked for this role far too often. Dr. Paul Rhodes is one of the finest characters Ford has ever played—a mentor confronting his own mortality while living with Parkinson’s disease.

Need proof? Watch Episode 1 of Season 3 and tell me you aren’t witnessing one of the greatest actors of his generation operating at the height of his craft.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series

• Claire Danes – The Beast in Me

• Sally Field – Remarkably Bright Creatures

• Carey Mulligan – Beef

• Sarah Pidgeon – Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette

• Sarah Snook – All Her Fault

I’m surprised by just how many nominations All Her Fault received, but not by Sarah Snook’s. She elevates a script that often felt clunky to me.

If she doesn’t win, don’t be surprised if a veteran like Sally Field takes the trophy.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

• Michael J. Fox – Shrinking

• Brett Goldstein – Shrinking

• Hamish Linklater – Widow’s Bay

• Christopher McDonald – Hacks

• Rob Reiner – The Bear

• Connor Storrie – Saturday Night Live

It’s wonderful to see Rob Reiner recognized for his work in The Bear. Michael J. Fox feels like the frontrunner, but there’s a sentimental part of me that would love to see Reiner earn the honor.

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Brittany Allen – The Pitt

• Tal Anderson – The Pitt

• Tina Ivlev – The Pitt

• Miriam Shor – Pluribus

• Merritt Wever – The Gilded Age

• Shailene Woodley – Paradise

Shailene Woodley elevated Paradise Season 2, bringing emotional depth and complexity to a series that often lacks both. The moment the credits rolled, I turned to my friend and said, “Come get your Emmy, Shailene.”

I still think that’s exactly what’s about to happen.

‘Supergirl’ Review: Formulaic DC Film Underscores Why Some Feel “Superhero Fatigue”

I’ve never fully bought into the phrase, “superhero fatigue.” But a film like Supergirl makes it feel more valid than ever.

The narrative really took off after Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania underperformed critically and financially. But if audiences were truly exhausted by superheroes, how does one explain the success of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 just months later, or the Box Office shattering Deadpool & Wolverine?

People didn’t suddenly stop wanting superhero movies. They stopped rewarding mediocre ones.

What’s often labeled “superhero fatigue” is really formula fatigue. Audiences have become fluent in the genre. They know the beats before they happen: the obligatory MacGuffin everyone is chasing, the interchangeable CGI villain with world-ending ambitions, the third-act sky beam, and quippy dialogue that undercuts every emotional moment. For nearly two decades, that was enough. Today, it’s scraping the barrel.

Unfortunately, this perfectly describes the Supergirl film.

The movie is …just fine. That’s perhaps the most frustrating thing about it.

Milly Alcock delivers a strong performance as Kara Zor-El, bringing vulnerability, grit and just enough rebellious charm to make this version of Supergirl compelling. She deserved a better movie to introduce her to audiences.

Instead, she’s trapped in a film that feels strangely directionless. When a ruthless space pirate paralyzes her beloved dog, Krypto, and terrorizes the galaxy, she embarks on a hunt for him and the antidote he conveniently carries around his neck. The story hits one familiar superhero beat after another, rarely surprising you. The humor is inconsistent, with jokes that don’t land. In fact, I’ve rarely sat through a screening where the audience felt so disengaged. It was a flatline. There were long stretches of silence where you could almost feel people waiting for the movie to finally kick into gear.

Jason Momoa’s Lobo provides a small burst of energy whenever he appears. He’s chaotic, charismatic and easily one of the film’s highlights. Unfortunately, even he can’t revive a story that never quite finds its pulse.

There are flashes of what Supergirl could have been. Kara’s emotional arc is thoughtfully developed by the end. The glimpses of Krypton are among the movie’s strongest sequences. And as a big fan of Fury Road, I appreciated the Mad Max-inspired aesthetic that occasionally gives the film some personality. But those moments are miniscule in an otherwise repetitive, oddly rushed narrative.

The film also struggles tonally. Ill-fitting needle drops yank you out of emotional moments instead of enhancing them, and the third act is underwhelming and ugly to look at, trading visual clarity for noisy spectacle. It all feels undercooked — as if several promising ideas never received the time or commitment needed to fully develop.

Perhaps the biggest issue is timing. The standard for superhero movies has changed. The novelty is gone. Audiences expect bold storytelling, memorable action and a clear creative vision if they’re going to invest in another comic book film. A formulaic movie like Supergirl might have satisfied audiences in 2014. In 2026, it simply isn’t enough.

That makes this an especially disappointing follow-up to Superman (which, I loved) and an early stumble for James Gunn’s new DC Universe. Rather than building excitement for what’s next, Supergirl leaves you questioning why this was the story chosen to carry the universe forward.

‘The Invite" Review: Ensemble Cast Delivers Refreshing Adult Comedy Gold

I really loved The Invite, in select theaters now and releasing nationwide July 10.

Olivia Wilde has always had an eye for dialogue-driven stories, but The Invite is her most assured work behind the camera since Booksmart. Adapted from Cesc Gay’s stage play-turned- 2020 Spanish comedy The People Upstairs, the film takes on a simple premise — a dinner between two couples over the course of one evening—and transforms it into one of the year’s funniest, warmest, and most emotionally perceptive dramedies. 

What makes The Invite work is Wilde’s direction. She understands exactly when to let the comedy sprint and when to slow down long enough for the emotional truths to settle in. The pacing is lightning-fast during the rapid-fire banter, but wonderfully patient in the moments that matter most. Working almost entirely within a single apartment, Wilde turns the quaint setting into a character all its own. Through elegant long takes, striking lighting, and carefully choreographed blocking, every hallway, doorway and corner of the apartment feels like it holds a story, reflecting the emotional distance—and eventual closeness—between its occupants.

The dynamic of the small cast is what really sets The Invite apart. Only four actors take focus: Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. And every one of them delivers. Their chemistry is the movie’s secret weapon. They bounce effortlessly between biting humor and genuine vulnerability, creating the kind of ensemble energy that feels impossible to fake. You can practically sense how much fun they had making this movie, and that infectious energy carries through every scene.

The screenplay from Rashida Jones and Will McCormack deserves equal praise. It’s one of the sharpest scripts of the year—packed with laugh-out-loud dialogue that had my screening at the Chicago Critics Film Festival laughing so hard we occasionally missed the next joke or line of dialogue. But beneath all that wit lies something surprisingly intimate. The film isn’t content to simply use awkward situations for comedy. It uses them to dive into marriage, insecurity, desire and connection with real tenderness. It never loses sight of its characters, even when it’s delivering its biggest laughs.

Adult-oriented comedies have become increasingly rare in theaters, and The Invite is a reminder of what we’ve been missing. It’s hilarious without feeling manufactured, heartfelt without becoming sentimental, and intimate without ever feeling claustrophobic and stage-bound despite its single-location setting.

Olivia Wilde has crafted a sophisticated, endlessly entertaining film that proves great writing, exceptional performances, and confident direction are still more than enough to make movie magic.

‘Disclosure Day’ Review: Spielberg’s Brilliant Alien Epic Balances Depth And Wonder

It’s been nearly a week since I screened Steven Spielberg’s latest film, Disclosure Day - and I can’t stop thinking about it. Action, mystery, suspense, and cinematic wonder — the Academy award-winning filmmaker has done it again, and reasserted why he’s still one of the all-time greats.

Part paranoid conspiracy thriller, part philosophical sci-fi epic, Disclosure Day taps into the same sense of awe that powered some of his greatest work while exploring weighty questions about human curiosity, theology, our place in the universe, and the darker corners of human nature. The film evokes the spirit of 1970s conspiracy classics and the classic alien invasion mythology, but never feels latched onto nostalgia. Instead, it uses those familiar ingredients to tell something surprisingly timely and relevant.

What I loved most is that Disclosure Day is far more interested in the curiosity around the existence of extraterrestrials than the fear of them. This isn’t a horror story about hostile visitors descending from the stars - like War Of The Worlds. If anything, Spielberg flips that premise on its head. Yes, there is understandable fear in the face of the unknown, but the extraterrestrial presence here is not the primary threat. Humanity is. One of the film’s most piercing observations centers on empathy — the idea that what makes us dangerous isn’t a lack of empathy, but our refusal to use it. It’s a powerful theme that lingers long after the credits roll.

The performances are terrific across the board, but Emily Blunt delivers the film’s standout turn. She is simply remarkable here, navigating the film’s emotional, intellectual, and suspenseful demands with breathtaking dexterity. It’s one of the finest performances of her career. She is a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination.

Josh O’Connor continues to be one of the most unsung actors of our time. He’s got incredible range that feels frenetic yet controlled all at the same time, with an endearing calm and innocence that works well for his character. I would not be surprised to see him get awards buzz as well.

Visually, the film is stunning. Janusz Kaminski’s cinematography is breathtaking, capturing both the grandeur of cosmic discovery and the intimacy of human uncertainty. Spielberg, meanwhile, remains one of cinema’s greatest craftsmen. Watching him direct at this stage of his career feels like watching a 41-year-old LeBron James lead a team through a playoff series. Every scene is blocked with the confidence and precision of a seasoned maestro, filled with the visual panache that has defined his work for decades. And, of course, John Williams once again provides a score that elevates every moment.

Then comes the third act, which is nothing short of thrilling. Spielberg sticks the landing with a finale that is emotional, thought-provoking, and deeply human. It nails that feeling of discovering something beyond our sapience.

Disclosure Day stands as one of Spielberg’s most ambitious films in years, and one of his most successful. It’s a reminder that even after decades of redefining blockbuster filmmaking, he remains at the absolute top of his game.

WATCH: Spielberg reveals he wrote the Disclosure Day script with the Apple Notes app….just like your Screening Room host does for his stories!

First Reaction: Toy Story 5

The review embargo doesn’t lift until next week, but social media reactions have been cleared for Disney and Pixar’s latest entry. The movie releases June 19. Here’s my thoughts.

GUEST POST: Seriously, Where Are All The Black Fashion Films?

An excerpt from maiazine!, a fashion and pop culture newsletter by award-winning journalist Maia McDonald. In this essay, she writes about Boots Riley’s hit satire ‘I Love Boosters’ - and examines fashion films, where Black cinema fits within that landscape, and the financial constrictions Black filmmakers like Riley face today. She also includes a handy list of 10 Black fashion films to watch. Maia uses outstanding graphics and writes a very detailed breakdown, so I urge you to read the full post here. And read my review of ‘I Love Boosters,’ too.

For me, a fashion film doesn’t necessarily have to be about the fashion industry or be sponsored by a fashion brand to fit the bill. A film that is neither, but maintains fashion as an intrinsic part of its identity, storytelling, worldbuilding, and narrative in some capacity I’d also consider to be a fashion film, one in which clothing is not just something actors have to wear, but is intentionally crafted to be viewed and absorbed. It’s as Harper’s BAZAAR wrote last year, “The best fashion movies of all time prove that style isn’t just part of the story—it’s a main character in its own right.”

Okay. That’s a pretty simple, but clear framework with which to approach these films, I think.

But where are the Black ones? The films with a majority Black or at least Black-led cast and crew, where costuming is center stage?

Now, I don’t have a comprehensive list of every fashion film ever made, but fashion publications have written about them pretty consistently over the years and it’s clear that there are films that are usually considered “fashion films” more often than others, and they tend to be overwhelmingly white. There’s a definite in-group, so to speak, especially if we look at traditional media. Last year, Vogue UK did a round-up of the 40 most stylish films ever made, and of those admittedly very competently contumed features, only a handful had primarily Black casts or even one lead Black actor or actress. Seriously. Go look. It’s only enough to count on one hand with fingers left to spare. Is that not a little nuts? Vogue and its many international offshoots are just one part of the fashion media ecosystem, so you their word shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but looking at similar fashion film lists from other outlets will provide similar results, even if films with more diverse casts are included.

So few Black films land on these lists. Does it come from a fundamental misunderstanding on the part of traditional media to consider Black culture fashionable and worthy of anthropological analysis and the archival practice that is reporting or is it because not enough “Black fashion films” exist to be considered impactful in the first place?

….

This post began as a way for me to think through the history and impact of fashion in Black cinema, to see how Black fashion has been showcased in this medium across the decades, only to discover not only how many more strides there are to make in this subsection of the film industry, but also just how little research or academic writing there exists on Black fashion films specifically. Believe me. I’ve been looking¹³.

There are Black fashion designers, boutique owners, stylists, hairstylists, makeup artists, nail techs, vintage buyers, personal shoppers, models, cultural commentators, archivists, fashion enthusiasts, bloggers, writers, publishers, and others who all, despite popular sentiment, do contribute to the wider, international fashion industry. Where are the films that tell their stories? The narratives about Black designers’ efforts to start their own brands, the stories about Black fashion writers and communications professionals establishing their own publications in the overly white world of fashion journalism or that reflect Black models’ struggles to find their way through an industry that works overtime to tell them their features aren’t beautiful or are difficult to manage. Biopics on notable Black figures like Ann Lowe, Zelda Wynn Valdes, Virgil Abloh, Patrick Kelly, and André Leon Talley who made history within the fashion industry and paved the way for others who look like them.

Why It May Be Time To Move Past ‘Power’

The Power universe is getting yet another spin-off, with Michael Rainey Jr. and Joseph Sikora reprising their roles as Tariq St. Patrick and Tommy Eagan in Power: Legacy.

“Power never dies,” executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson declared.

But after five iterations, multiple seasons, and more than a decade of stories with wildly varying quality, perhaps it should.

I suggested this on Twitter/X last week….

….And got quite the angry blowback. More than a hundred comments poured in, ranging from a flat out “no” to petty insults that none of these people would say to my face. I can handle it, but its wild to be this pressed over a television show!

So let me be clear: I love and respect the actors, writers, directors, and crew behind Power. Many of them are friends. The franchise has created opportunities for talented Black creatives and other underrepresented professionals in an industry that too often shuts them out.

I’m also not in the business of telling people what they should or shouldn’t watch. I’m a critic. I have opinions. You have opinions. Art is subjective.

And my subjective opinion is that the Power universe has become low-vibrational television.

Don’t get me wrong—I was a fan. The first three seasons of the original Power were genuinely compelling. Omari Hardwick’s Ghost was a fascinating character: a nightclub owner trying to escape his life as a drug kingpin, caught between ambition, family, and criminality. Add a cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement—and the complication that one of the agents was also his lover—and you had the foundation for a gripping drama.

But by Seasons 5 and 6, the formula had begun to wear thin. The stakes felt increasingly artificial. Deaths piled up, yet somehow carried less emotional weight. The endless betrayals between Ghost and Tommy reached soap-opera levels of absurdity. Other storylines felt rushed and underdeveloped, exposing weaknesses in the writing that had been easier to overlook in the show’s earlier years.

To be fair, many successful series eventually run out of gas. It happened to shows like ABC’s Scandal. The difference is that when those stories ended, they stayed that way.

Power didn’t close the book. Instead, it launched a sprawling franchise of spin-offs that often recycle the same conflicts, character archetypes, and criminal power struggles. What once felt fresh now feels repetitive.

That’s part of why I was excited about the proposed Larenz Tate-led Power Book V: Influence. When I spoke with Tate about the project, he described it as a Black House of Cards—a political drama that would move the franchise beyond its dependence on drug-trafficking narratives. It felt like an opportunity to evolve the universe into something more ambitious.

Unfortunately, Starz canceled the project.

And that’s disappointing because there is absolutely room for crime dramas centered on the drug trade. The Wire remains proof of that. But The Wire was never really about drugs. It was about institutions, power, corruption, poverty, politics, education, policing, and the systemic failures that shape urban life. The criminal activity was merely the entry point into a much larger conversation.

Power has rarely demonstrated that level of depth or complexity.

That’s particularly important because stories about Black criminality don’t exist in a vacuum. Stereotypes about Black people and crime remain deeply embedded in American culture.

I’m not arguing that Black storytellers shouldn’t make crime dramas. Quite the opposite.

I’m arguing that if we’re going to center Black characters in stories about crime, those stories should aspire to be excellent. They should reflect the richness, contradictions, intelligence, vulnerability, and humanity of Black life—not rely on caricature, spectacle, or recycled tropes.

What makes my frustration with Power even greater is knowing how many innovative Black shows struggled to find the same audience. Series like South Side, Grand Crew, and The Get Down offered fresh perspectives, unique voices, and different visions of Black life. Yet none inspired the level of sustained support that the Power franchise continues to enjoy.

That’s not an argument against Power. It’s a lament about what audiences choose to elevate.

The franchise has every right to continue. Clearly, millions of viewers still enjoy it.

I just wish we demanded the same enthusiasm—and longevity—for Black stories that dared to be something else.

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