JoBlo Originals

In 1989 Orion Pictures, along with Nelson Entertainment released Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. The film was widely loved, and still is, to this day by both critics and fans alike. Because the film was so popular, spawned tons of merchandise and even had two spinoff shows…a sequel was inevitable. This isn’t just any sequel, it’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. At the time regarded as a love it or hate it film and was considered a box office failure. So let’s go to hell, visit heaven, build some evil and good robots and face off in the Battle of Bands as we check out Bill & Ted’s bonkers follow up on this episode of Revisited. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #KeanuReeves #BillAndTed

Hanging out down the street, you could find the cast of THAT '70S SHOW, Fox's go-to sitcom from 1998-2006. Lasting eight seasons and an even 200 episodes, THAT '70S SHOW had an ensemble that found a charismatic group of characters in the Wisconsin burbs and making the most out of that basement. Yet, as lighthearted as the show was, some very dark business was going on behind the scenes, as co-star Danny Masterson's rape trial and conviction proved. In this episode, we dig into what's happened to the close-knit cast, many of whom came under fire for their support of Masterson throughout his trial and after his conviction, with this a tale of Scientology, wealth, power, and abuse. That said, it's not all dark, with co-stars like Topher Grace and Laura Prepon going on to long-running careers, and, despite everything, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have had one of the better Hollywood marriages. Yet, one can't deny the Masterson case and the icky support from many of the cast members have cast a shadow over the show's legacy, as well as Netflix's ill-timed sequel series, That '90s Show. What do you think of the show's legacy now? Let us know in the comments! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #that70sshow #ashtonkutcher #wtfhappenedtothiscelebrity

While Sylvester Stallone’s latest sequel Expend4bles may have been a letdown for the Italian Stallion, Awfully Good Movies is putting on a headband and spandex for John Travolta in the 1983 Stallone-directed sequel to 1977’s Saturday Night Fever: Staying Alive! But though the Bee Gees are back to provide a few new catchy tunes, most of the soundtrack is filled with 80s synth cheese mostly performed by Sly’s musician brother/Norm MacDonald punchline Frank Stallone, with Stallone’s fake musical he wrote for the third act being the most hilariously inept stage show to hit Broadway until SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK would come along. Yet even without the downbeat 70s mood of Tony’s last adventure, it’s a fascinating time capsule with some fantastic dancing that stands as a monument to how big the egos of its director and star were before the darker days of Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot and Battlefield Earth. Who knew that the man we’d later know as the “Tulsa King” secretly wanted to be a Broadway queen all along?

Movies are much like dreams. This, of course, is according to the visionary Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Christopher Nolan. Nolan is responsible for such cinematic treasures as The Dark Knight Trilogy, The Prestige, Interstellar, and among his most beloved, Inception. Inception is the story of a man’s desperate attempt to implant an idea into the subconscious mind of his mark. Over the years, the film has received endless amounts of analysis and theories to speculate on what the movie’s true meaning is and what it all means by the time the credits roll. Now, as is the case with all art, the movie is subjective and the Director himself has gone on record stating that he’s not interested in validating any of the existing theories floating around the internet since the film's release. While the parallels have since been highlighted between Nolan’s filmmaking philosophy and the philosophy of dreams, to say that Inception is nothing but a metaphor for making art- I think there’s some details hidden within the film and its production that suggest something much simpler and perhaps even more meaningful. See, Nolan has gone down as saying “I actually don’t want people to have me in mind when they’re watching the films.” and is notably private about his personal life with his wife, Emma Thomas, and their children. Nolan is a family man. But he’s also a filmmaker with a story to tell. Cobb in Inception is a man out of reality who specializes in building dream worlds in order to extract secrets from his mark’s brains. Basically, he’s a heist artist- but his jobs take place within others’ minds. In the film, Cobb is desperate to complete one last job in order to allow himself to retire and return home to his two young children. Cobb is haunted by the dedication he’s had to his work and how it not only pulled him away from his family- but even caused the untimely death of his own wife, Mal. His obsession with following his dreams and making his passion into a demanding job definitely seems to be similar to Nolan’s life and career as a director of film. Now, in today’s episode we are going to break down the story and its themes to formulate our own theory on what Inception is REALLY about- but in order for us to truly know- we watched Inception back-to-back with another Nolan favorite, The Prestige. The Prestige is a film about two rival magicians who drive themselves to any length in order to discover each other's secrets. The film helped us see Inception with fresh eyes and come up with our theory on what Inception is REALLY about. Find out what we have in store in today’s episode!

Ice Ice Baby. Go Ninja Go Ninja Go. If there was a guy everywhere in 1990 and 1991, it was Vanilla Ice. A white rapper from Dallas, Texas - whose real name is Rob Van Winkle, the much-mocked but extremely popular rapper scored a multi-platinum debut with his album To The Extreme, which sold seven million copies and, at the time, was the fastest-selling hip-hop album of all time. His signature track, Ice Ice Baby, which sampled Queen’s Under Pressure, was the highest charting rap single ever, as was his cover of Play That Funky Music. Vanilla Ice was so popular among teens that he showed up as himself in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze, where he sang “Ninja Rap” (Go Ninja Go). But, just as quickly as he rose, Vanilla Ice fell, with his acting debut, Cool As Ice, widely mocked as one of the worst films of all time when it came out in 1991, just after his career had peaked. By the year’s end, he was a has-been. So, how does someone rise and fall so quickly? In this episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, we dig into Vanilla Ice’s epic rise and fall, paying tribute to the fact that despite his short-lived fame, he stuck around much longer in the public consciousness than a lot of his contemporaries, thanks to his constant willingness to poke fun at himself, and his reputation for being a nice guy. So “stop, collaborate and listen” to this special episode, written by Brad Hamerly, and edited, produced and narrated by Taylor James Johnson.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of the most influential movies of the eighties. It was the first classic teen comedy of the decade, but unlike many other teen-focused flicks, it aspired to be a realistic depiction of what teens go through. In fact, the movie was based on a book by a young Cameron Crowe (who adapted the screenplay) who went undercover as a teen and wrote about his experiences. The movie tackled teen sex, pregnancy, abortion and drugs without any of the doom and gloom the topic would have been presented with had it been made by just about anyone else at the time. Directed by Amy Heckerling, the movie featured an incredible cast of future stars, including Sean Penn as the stoner icon Spicoli, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates (whose nude scene became one of the most rewound moments of the VHS era), Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards and more. But, perhaps even more influential was the soundtrack, which highlighted new wave bands like The Go-Go’s, The Cars, Billy Squier and Oingo Boingo, plus California rock bangers by Jackson Browne and all of the former members of The Eagles (whose manager produced the film). The movie was a decent-sized hit but not the blockbuster some remember it as. It was on TV and home video that the movie became iconic, and in this episode of WTF Happened to this Movie, we dig into how Fast Times at Ridgemont High got made and how it nearly got shelved after initially being slapped with an X-rating. Can you imagine how different teen movies of the eighties might have been had Fast Times but cut to the bone and released as a TV movie? Do you think Fast Times holds up over 40 years later? Let us know in the comments!

The Expendables are back after being off-screen for nearly a decade. The fourth film, Expend4bles, centers around Jason Statham's Lee Christmas, with Sylvester Stallone contributing little more than a cameo, while the budget seems modest compared to the other films. How does it fare compared to the other Expendables movies? We'll tell you in our spoiler-free Expend4bles review! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #expendables4 #expend4bles #sylvesterstallone

In the 90s, Chris O’Donnell was one of Hollywood’s most prominent young heartthrobs. Whether it was acting opposite Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman or playing a young D’Artagnan in the Disney version of The Three Musketeers, it can’t be denied that the movie that put his career into overdrive was Batman Forever. In it, O’Donnell reinvented the role of Batman’s ward and sidekick, Robin, for the nineties, with him an acrobatic badass that proved so popular that the next movie was Batman and Robin. And there is where things started to change, with Joel Schumacher’s sequel ridiculed. Even still, O’Donnell made a few good movies after, including the underrated rom-com The Bachelor and the terrific Martin Campbell action movie Vertical Limit. However, his career never regained the momentum it had in the nineties. Yet, despite everything, he later went onto a long run on NCIS: Los Angeles, so while his feature film career cratered, his career on the small screen flourished. In this episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, we look at his career ups and downs and appreciate one of the more underrated actors of his era. What’s your favorite Chris O’Donnell movie? Let us know in the comments.

When someone says "There can be only one" what immediately pops into your head? For just about everyone it will be the movie Highlander, starring Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown and directed by Russell Mulcahy . That's how ingrained into pop culture the franchise has become. It's impressive considering that the original film was actually a massive flop. Yep, the first film died at the box office and seemed destined to fall into obscurity. But just like the immortals in the film, it would rise from the dead and live on. The path to the first film wasn't without its own pitfalls and near-death experiences. Let's find out what happened to the 1986 film Highlander here on WTF Happened To This Movie. This episode is written by Bryan Wolford, edited by Juan Jiminez and voiced by Dave Davis.

Stuart Gordon's 1992 film Fortress is a movie that almost went direct to video in North America, but was a serious blockbuster overseas. Such was the status of star Christopher Lambert's career at the time. Back in the late-eighties/the early nineties, Christopher Lambert occupied an interesting place in the pantheon of action heroes. Theatrically, his movies never did particularly well in North America, with even the original HIGHLANDER only grossing $5.9 million domestically. Yet, he had a real following in the home video market thanks to those early films, in addition to legitimate stardom in Europe. Thus, you got movies like GUNMEN, and KNIGHT MOVES, which only got limited theatrical releases, but did well overseas and very well in video stores. Fortress is one of his very best movies and are latest entry into the Best Movie You Never Saw canon.

Seasons three through six of Friends had some of Chandler Bing’s funniest and most character- defining moments. There he is handcuffed, without pants, to a filing cabinet; remaining in “time out” in a box for nearly a full episode; hooking up with–and later marrying–Monica...We all remember them fondly. The one who doesn’t? Matthew Perry, who says these seasons were a blur due to his problems with substance abuse as we discover in WTF Happened to...MATTHEW PERRY?

Ron Howard’s Rush is widely considered one of his most underrated movies. It tells the true story of the famous Formula One rivalry between champion racer James Hunt (played by Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). While a commercial disappointment, it’s developed a cult following and is considered one of the best movies ever made about racing. In this episode of What Happened to This Movie, we dig into the true story that influenced the film and try to discover how accurate the film is to Hunt and Lauda’s lives and careers. Do you think Rush is underrated? Let us know in the comments! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #RonHoward #ChrisHemsworth

2008 was a wild year for superhero movies. We received a wide-ranging spectrum of films that with varying degrees of acclaim and quality. We got to see the birth of the MCU with Iron Man, we saw the Hulk make a comeback to the big screen, and we even got one of the most beloved superhero films of all time with Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. And hidden away in the treasure chest of caped media from that year is Lexi Alexander’s neon-soaked and blood drenched crime drama- Punisher War Zone.

With WB/DC's The Flash finally hitting theaters this Friday, fans have no doubt noticed that the movie's star, Ezra Miller, is nowhere to be seen. Usually, the star of a tentpole movie would be out promoting the heck out of it, but Miller is such an issue for the studio that the actor has been sidelined. What's ironic is that Miller's performance has earned raves - early on anyway. Alas, Miller's involvement is why some think the film under-performed, and many don't want to celebrate anything involving the controversial figure. In this video, we unpack Miller's once-promising career and ask ourselves, is there a way back for the actor? This episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, written (with Brad Hamerly), narrated and edited by Taylor James Johnson. Do you think Miller should continue as The Flash? Let us know in the comments. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #EzraMiller #TheFlash #wtfhappenedtothiscelebrity

While Steven Seagal has become a controversial, much-mocked figure among action fans, for a while, near the start of his career, he was one of the best up-and-coming action stars. He was able to jump into movies, guns blazing, with his screen debut a star vehicle called Above the Law. Directed by Andrew Davis, who would go on to helm Under Siege and The Fugitive, the movie was perfectly poised to turn Seagal into an icon. In this episode of Reel Action, we dig into how the film and its Aikido-infused fight scenes made Seagal into an instant action hero, with him blasting onto the scene a fully-formed star. How did a martial arts instructor with no acting experience get his own movie? Let’s take a look, and let us know in the comments if you think Above the Law holds up thirty-five years later. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #stevenseagal #abovethelaw #reelaction

The 70s were a time when television would seem to try anything at least once. Science Fiction was one of the main genres where this was very true. Thanks to the success of series like Star Trek, and Lost in Space there was a deluge of, off beat and actually good genre TV. Typically it was with some sort of toy tie-in or angle to get children to watch and/or buy something. And just wait until Star Wars happened. But, the early 70s would find a new kind of hero to grab the hearts and minds of kids across the country and he’d bring with him some of the coolest toys around. Because, he was literally made up of metal and plastic himself. The Six Million Dollar Man would jump into television history with a premise that was brilliant, cutting edge, and perfect TV fodder. It would also make a heartthrob and icon out of a guy named Lee Majors. Who would eventually play the father to our lord and savior Ash Williams…but that’s another show. On this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, we have the technology and capability to make the first episode all about The Six Million Dollar Man. This will be that episode! This episode of Gone But Not Forgotten is written baby Jessica Dwyer, edited by Cesar Gabriel, narrated by Travis Hopson and produced by Dave Arroyo. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #LeeMajors #TheSixMillionDollarMan #gonebutnotforgotten

Do you remember the days when TGIF wasn’t just the name of a place where you could get some weirdly shaped mozzarella sticks, but was also the Friday night line up on ABC that family’s gathered around to watch long before DVR and streaming were a thing? A time when we would Hang Out with Mr. Cooper before entering a Full house filled with Dinosaurs while we took things Step by Step because Family Matters. Well, in 1993 ABC would introduce a new show to their line-up, a show that would introduce the world to a teacher we all wish we had, a girl we all wish we knew, a friend we all felt like we knew, a family that felt real and a lead character that felt like us. For many of us of a certain age, Boy Meets World wasn’t just a show on TV, it was our lives in 24 minute increments. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the series we take a look back at just WTF Happened to the Boy Meets World cast! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #BoyMeetsWorld #wtfhappenedtothiscelebrity

Denzel Washington is back for one more blast of action as Robert McCall, but does his cinematic swan song to the character live up to the other films in the series? Is Antoine Fuqua's film a fitting end to Denzel Washington's only trilogy? For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #theequalizer #theequalizer3 #denzelwashington

No one could have predicted that Sound of Freedom would be one of the summer's biggest box office smash hits. To put things in perspective, this $15 million indie outgrossed The Flash, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in North America. Not bad for a movie that was initially dumped by Disney and distributed by a small, faith-based distributor called Angel Studios. Yet, while the success of an independently financed drama should be something that's celebrated, Sound of Freedom's success had proven to be wildly controversial, with its critics slamming the film as being "QAnon adjacent" due to the movie's star openly embracing many of the conspiracy theory's beliefs. However, the makers of the movie say it's apolitical, with the director recently slamming anyone trying to peg it as something it's not. That aside, the film's subject, Tim Ballard or Operation Underground Railroad, has also proven to be a lightning rod for controversy. So, what's the deal with Sound of Freedom? Given how much of a hot topic it is, we decided it would be the perfect way to launch our spicy new series, JoBlo Scandals, which looks at some of the biggest controversies and scandals in a town known for them. It comes from writer-editor-narrator Taylor James Johnson and ace researcher/ writer Brad Hamerly, the guys behind WTF Happened to this Celebrity. In this premiere episode, we cut through all of the noise and try to examine Sound of Freedom and its release in a way that explores why both sides of the political divide have tried to turn it into something it's not, threatening to obscure the very important message at the movie's heart. Let us know in the comments if you like our first episode and what you'd like to see covered next! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #soundoffreedom #jimcaviezel

If one were to list the greatest rock n’ roll frontmen of all time, Van Halen’s David Lee Roth would be near the top. With a swagger and look that seemed tailor-made for the MTV era, Roth was riding high in the eighties and, for a while, was among the biggest rock stars on the planet. From 1974 to 1985, he was Van Halen’s lead singer, but after the release of 1984, their biggest album, Roth departed from the band. He would reunite with them for brief stints in 1996 and 2001, before a mostly permanent reunion in 2007, but even without the band backing him up, some of his solo work has been iconic. In this episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, we look at a true rock n’ roll legend! For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #VanHalen #DavidLeeRoth #wtfhappenedtothiscelebrity

If you're a fan of cinema, you've likely seen and possibly indulged in the twists and turns of David Fincher's revolutionary film, Fight Club. The film stars Edward Norton and Brad Pitt as well as Helena Bonham Carter, the late Meatloaf, and Jared Leto. It's a film that has speculated on endlessly since its release in 1999. The movie follows an un-named narrator (Norton) as he slowly unravels a deep-rooted secret that will change the way he sees himself, and the world. Fight Club is based on the novel of the same name by controversial author Chuck Palahniuk who has never outright stated the story's true meaning. The film openly deals with themes of toxic masculinity, grief, mental health, and even identity crisis. It's a film that is shot intentionally to be rewatched as there are hidden references and easter eggs in almost every frame of the feature. The film presents its audience with constant clues as to how the movie ends, and when you watch it again, you're likely to draw a different conclusion entirely. A well-known theory is that Fight Club is a commentary on modern men and how things like advertising, self-help, and name-brand underwear make society's men more weak. I can't say for sure what Palahniuk was trying to accomplish, but in this episode of our brand new series, "What's It Really About?" we go into detail on my personal theory on what this film is really about and state my case as to why I believe it. With the movie's ending now being common knowledge, we can discuss Tyler's (Pitt) identity reveal and how it supports my overarching theory- Tyler is revealed to be an alternate personality of the Narrator. Using that story beat, and many other clues and easter eggs I found throughout the film, I explain why I think Tyler isn't the only figment of the Narrator's imagination. Find out what we mean by that in today's debut episode of "What's It REALLY About?" Now on JoBlo Originals. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #FightClub #bradpitt #edwardnorton #davidfincher

One of the coolest guys of the eighties was Tom Selleck, and everyone absolutely loved him playing the laid-back Thomas Magnum on the classic series Magnum, P.I. Running from 1980 to 1988; the show proved to be a mixed blessing for its star, as Selleck had auditioned to play Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark and was actually chosen to play the part. He had to pass because he had already shot the pilot for Magnum, P.I., and the network wouldn’t let him out of his contract. While passing up the opportunity to play the whip-wielding archeologist must have stung, Magnum P.I. ran for eight years and was one of the biggest shows of the decade. Selleck became a household name and parlayed his success on the show into a series of film roles, culminating with the release of Three Men and a Baby, which became the biggest hit of 1987. In this episode of Gone But Not Forgotten, we take a look at the long-running Magnum P.I, which has since been rebooted yet lacks the magic of the original show, which sported a memorable supporting casting including Roger E. Mosley and Larry Manetti as Magnum’s NAM buddies T.C and Rick, as well as John Hillerman as Higgins, the estate manager for the elusive Robin Masters, who bankrolls Magnum’s adventures. Are you a Magnum P.I. fan? Let us know in the comments!

It was the slap heard around the world. March 27th, 2022 should have been the greatest moment of Will Smith’s career. He had worked his entire career towards finally winning the award that would prove, beyond any doubt, that he genuinely had the respect and admiration of his peers - the Academy Award. Indeed, Will Smith won that night for King Richard, but he also lost something precious. He lost the respect of his peers after an ill-advised (but innocuous) joke by Chris Rock led to the #OscarSlap that, until the day he dies, will haunt Smith. All that said, Smith is still a legend. One of the most effortlessly charming actors to ever grace the silver screen, he was bound for greatness from the time he starred in NBC’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a young rapper. Bad Boys proved his talent was too big to be constrained to the small screen, and his run of hits was legendary. Independence Day, Men in Black, Enemy of the State, Ali, and on, and on. That should not be swept away because of one (big) mistake. In this episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, written (with Brad Hamerly), narrated and produced by Taylor James Johnson, we dig into Smith’s career, the controversy, and most importantly, a way forward for the former (and future) superstar. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #WillSmith #wtfhappenedtothiscelebrity

When it comes to iconic 1980’s action cinema, who stands ahead of the pack? That’s right, Arnold. Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for many of his iconic roles over the years- but none are more memorable and more homaged than James Cameron’s 1984 science-fiction action classic, The Terminator. Be honest, at some point in your day-to-day life you’ve made some kind of reference to these movies. Maybe you’ve said “Asta la vista, Baby” from T2, maybe you’ve referred to the metaverse as Skynet once or twice, or just maybe you’ve been one of the many of us to exit a room and say “I’ll be back”. In either case, the ladder scene is easily one of the most iconic lines on the entire franchise. During this time in the mid-80’s, James Cameron was yet to become the visionary and notoriously high-standards filmmaker that he is today. Although, there is a story that members of the cast and crew had custom t- shirts made during the production of the film that said “You can’t scare me. I work for James Cameron!”. Far from the high paid jobs he’s doing today, Cameron was living in his car and with friends at the time he was working on the script for the film. I’m fact, the iconic line of “I’ll be back” was actually written in the screenplay as “I’ll come back” which doesn’t have the same ring to it if you ask me. At one point, Arnold protested the use of the word “I’ll” and wanted to say “I will” stating that using the contraction sounded too ‘feminine’ for a giant scary robot assassin. And this resulted in Cameron shouting at the actor saying “I don’t tell you how to act, so don’t tell me how to write!”. Of course, there are all sorts of behind the scenes facts and stories to get into in todays episode of Scene Breakdown. Join us and see what went into making one of the most important scenes in movie history. For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: http://www.joblo.com SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: https://goo.gl/R9U81J #TheTerminator #JamesCameron #arnoldschwarzenegger

How do you follow up the greatest superhero movie ever made? This was the dilemma director Christopher Nolan was faced with when he made his third and final instalment in his Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. While Batman Begins had been a solid critical and commercial hit, The Dark Knight was a cultural phenomenon, with many proclaiming it the greatest superhero movie ever made, a status it’s managed to hold on to fifteen years later. However, Nolan faced many issues, the most notable of which was that his iconic Joker, Heath Ledger, had tragically passed away before The Dark Knight hit theaters. Recasting the role was a non-starter, so they would have to find another equally impressive villain. They ended up settling on Bane, who would be played by Tom Hardy, whose star was on the rise following his acclaimed turn in the Nicolas Winding Refn film, Bronson and a key role in Nolan’s own Inception. The cast would include Anne Hathaway as The Catwoman, while Marion Cottilard (another Inception veteran) would join, alongside the returning Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Gary Oldman. While a financial hit, The Dark Knight Rises would be a lightning rod for controversy even before it was released. An early prelude played before Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in IMAX featured the Movie’s opening scene with Bane, but no one could understand Hardy’s muffled dialogue. It was a criticism that carried over to the film itself and would become a sticking point for Nolan films, in general, going forward. Many fans would criticize the movie, while others would call it underrated. In this episode of What Happened to this Movie (written by Brad Hamerly, edited by Juan Jimenez and narrated by Mathew Plale) we dig into the Movie’s making and controversial reception.