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Val Kilmer was never just an actor but a force of nature! He could embody the swagger of Iceman from Top Gun or play a tortured genius in The Doors. Somehow, all his performances were volcanic and unreplicable.

A few of his roles were surrounded by controversies due to his dedication to the craft. But no movie showcased his brilliance more than one Western, which remains one of cinema’s unsung masterpieces.

Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick | Skydance

Despite delivering a performance of a lifetime, the Oscars overlooked him. Now that we mourn his demise, it’s time to revisit the character that forever immortalized him as the greatest in Hollywood.

Val Kilmer’s Doc Holiday in Tombstone Val Kilmer in Tombstone | Hollywood Pictures

When late Val Kilmer stepped into the boots of Doc Holliday for Tombstone, he dedicated everything to playing this consumptive gunslinger. Kilmer gave such wit,...

We lost one of the all-time greats this month. Val Kilmer could and did do it all, from stage to writing to acting to producing, directing, and even singing on more than just The Doors movie soundtrack. Tyler Nichols recently released a wonderfully thoughtful list of his top 10 performances and while we can argue on the order depending on when and how you saw him first, you can’t argue with all the entries being great watches. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same about Kilmer’s horror output. While he had some genuinely fun horror adjacent titles like Red Planet, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and Ghost of Darkness – which, I kid you not, can be looked at as a slasher movie starring lions – much of his horror was straight to video. One that wasn’t straight to video and has a more interesting story about its making than...

Saturday Night Live paid tribute to Val Kilmer following the Batman Forever star's death last week. The NBC sketch show briefly honored Kilmer during an episode hosted by Jack Black on Saturday (April 5).

A memorial graphic aired before Saturday's final segment, featuring a stylized promo image of Kilmer from his SNL hosting debut on December 9, 2000. One of the most notable moments from that season 26 instalment was an It's a Wonderful Life-themed monologue where Kilmer learned about the disastrous consequences if he'd have turned down hosting the show.

Saturday Night Live Honors the Late Val Kilmer

Kilmer also reprized his role as Jim Morrison from 1991's The Doors for a Behind the Music parody where Morrison formed a psychedelic band in heaven, called The Great Frog Society, with fellow deceased musicians Janis Joplin (Molly Shannon), Jimi Hendrix (Jerry Minor), Keith Moon (Horatio Sanz), Buddy Holly (Jimmy Fallon) and Louis Armstrong...

A character actor, Val Kilmer was also a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. Famous for his ability to blend into any role, he made a name for himself in genres that spanned action, drama, and even comedy. From playing the cocky fighter pilot Iceman in Top Gun to the gun-slinging Doc Holliday in Tombstone, he had a plethora of projects that solidified his place as a talented figure in the movie business.

It was in the ’80s that his acting career took off with iconic roles in Real Genius and Willow. This continued throughout the ’90s, and in 1995, he got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the Caped Crusader in Batman Forever. He took over the role after the departure of Michael Keaton, leading a high-budget spectacle that thrilled the fans and made some serious money at the box office.

Val Kilmer in Batman Forever | Credits: Warner Bros.

But...

It seems odd to refer to 1988's "Willow" as "the Willow movie," but that's because every nostalgic intellectual property is ripe for refreshing in the modern franchise era, and "Willow" finally got a sequel streaming series on Disney+, also called "Willow." Over 30 years passed between the two, and that's a lot of time for actors to change or even pass away. Warwick Davis' passion for his biggest lead role without special effects makeup never waned, and his enthusiasm is palpable still as he struggles to get the series reclaimed from the Disney vault into which it quickly vanished (and we know the annoying reason why).

The original movie, written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, was an attempt to do for fantasy what "Star Wars" had done for science fiction, and it even featured groundbreaking special effects, like the first use of digital morphing. It was a box office disappointment in its day,...

Since news broke last night that actor Val Kilmer had died at the age of 65, there has been an outpouring of tributes from fellow actors and filmmakers praising Kilmer’s talent on-screen. Matt Corman, co-creator/executive producer of USA’s Covert Affairs and Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again, has an insight into how Kilmer was off-screen.

When he was a very young writer in the 1990s, Corman worked for a couple of years as Kilmer’s personal assistant/researcher. He has shared with Deadline anecdotes from his time with the Top Gun star during the shooting of Heat and the infamous The Island of Dr. Moreau that reveal how funny Kilmer was in person.

“His wit and impersonations were astounding; it was a part of his persona that he didn’t really showcase as much as he should have,” Corman said.

Here are Corman’s stories that include a Charlie Chaplin...

Val Kilmer had a face that belonged in movies. A stunningly beautiful heartthrob known for his chiseled jaw and shock of blonde hair that looked great either messy or perfectly coiffed, Kilmer practically glowed whenever he was onscreen, as if he was put on Earth by God himself for the purpose of getting immortalized on film.

What made Kilmer not just a flash-in-the-pan but an icon of the ‘90s, though, is that he was far more than just a pretty face. Trained at Julliard and initially finding work as a stage actor, Kilmer took his craft seriously, and in his peak years held all of his roles with equal weight, whether it was a prestige drama like “Heat” or a silly comic book blockbuster like “Batman Forever.” His choices in projects, especially later in life when he spent years playing his hero Mark Twin in live stage shows, reflected someone...

Val Kilmer, the versatile and intense actor known for his iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever and The Doors, died on Tuesday night in Los Angeles at 65, surrounded by family and friends. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed that he died from pneumonia following a decade-long battle with throat cancer.

In 2019, uInterview captured exclusive footage of Kilmer talking about his health challenges at the Novus Conference.

Kilmer’s career was marked by dedication to his craft, and he often immersed himself deeply into his roles. He first gained recognition in the 1980s with standout performances in Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985). However, his role as Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun (1986) catapulted him to fame. His confident portrayal opposite Tom Cruise made him a fan favorite, and he later reprised the role in Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

In 1991, Kilmer took on the demanding role of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors,...

Val Kilmer died on Tuesday just before the Top Gun actor was set to walk the red carpet at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

“It was a shock to find this out. We had just confirmed Val to attend the West Coast premiere of American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective this past weekend,” Nino Simone, founder and president of the Beverly Hills Film Festival, said Wednesday in a statement.

Kilmer died in Los Angeles on Tuesday at age 65 of pneumonia, his daughter, actress Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times.

”He [Kilmer] was thrilled to come out in support of his friend [Madsen]. I know PR was on the phone, trying to get a hold of the driver, bringing Val for his 7:30 p.m. red carpet arrival. The story and news of his death were reported, literally at the same, exact time. Unbelievable, and so heartbreaking. Our hearts go out to his family,...

Val Kilmer's death at the age of 65 has been met with an outpouring of love and heartfelt tributes across social media from devoted fans of the prolific actor and his vast body of work. The star, famed for his versatile roles in the likes of Batman Forever, Top Gun, and Heat, among many, many others, died on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, from pneumonia. In the hours that followed the announcement, movie enthusiasts came together online to mourn the loss of a Hollywood great and remember some of his most iconic cinematic performances.

Kilmer made his feature debut in the 1984 spy spoof Top Secret!, in which he starred as rock and roll singer Nick Rivers, but that was only the beginning of his acting career on screen. He went on to star in some of the biggest movies of the 1980s and 90s, including playing Bruce Wayne and his superhero alter ego in Batman Forever,...

Val Kilmer crossed paths with countless figures in Hollywood throughout his four-decade career, with his presence and influence spanning even further on screen. Now, former collaborators, co-stars, and admirers are remembering the Batman Forever and Top Gun actor, who died on Tuesday at the age of 65.

“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those,” Josh Brolin wrote on Instagram beneath a photo of himself with Kilmer. “I hope to see you up there...

Today is a sad day as the world mourns the tragic loss of Val Kilmer, the Top Gun and Batman star who passed away at 65. Kilmer was a titan of the Hollywood industry, also known for his roles in projects such as Heat (Robert De Niro), Willow (Warwick Davis), and The Doors (Meg Ryan), and the world will miss his enduring performances that will live on forever. Kilmer’s fellow stars have already begun paying tribute to the late star, commending his work and acknowledging that there has never been anyone quite like him, and there likely won’t ever be someone like him either. Kilmer’s Heat director, Michael Mann, was one of the first to show his support in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. You can read his full comments on Kilmer’s tragic passing below:

“While working with Val on Heat I always marvelled at the range,...

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Marlon Brando starred in some great movies during his career, but the legendary actor wasn't always easy to get along with. There are many stories about Brando butting heads with legendary auteurs like Stanley Kubrick and other filmmaking peeps, but it can be argued that his eccentricities also contributed toward his genius side. His behind-the-scenes antics on the ill-fated "The Island of Dr. Moreau," however, are next-level outlandish. Be that as it may, Val Kilmer didn't blame Brando for the film's shortcomings.

Brando was cast as the eponymous deviant scientist in the '90s update of H.G. Wells' beloved sci-fi horror story, while Kilmer was given a prominent role as his assistant, Dr. Montgomery. On paper, having an acclaimed veteran like Brando and a rising star like Kilmer as part of the ensemble seemed like a recipe for success,...

When Val Kilmer Was Fired From The Batman Franchise (Photo Credit – Wikipedia)

Val Kilmer’s passing at the age of 65 owing to a battle with pneumonia has been a significant loss for his fans and the Hollywood fraternity. While the late actor was an artist of supreme talent, there was also a time when he was deemed ‘difficult to work with’ by some of his filmmakers. One of his infamous fallouts happened with his Batman Forever director, Joel Schumacher, who had fired the actor from returning to the superhero franchise.

The veteran actor was much appreciated for his role as Batman in the 1996 film. However, many fans were taken aback when he did not return in the sequel, Batman & Robin. There were immediate rumors of something downhill that happened between Val Kilmer and Joel Schumacher.

Soon, in a throwback interview with Independent, Joel Schumacher opened up about the fiasco...

It's with a heavy heart that we report tonight that Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65 in Los Angeles after a short battle with pneumonia. His daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed news of his passing to The New York Times earlier this evening.

Kilmer had also battled throat cancer since 2015, and had a procedure on his trachea that damaged his vocal cords to the point where it significantly limited his ability to speak. He had also undergone chemotherapy treatments and two tracheotomies.

He is survived by his two adult children, Mercedes and Jack, who he had with ex-wife Joanne Whalley.

Kilmer's breakthrough performance was in 1986's Top Gun, where he played Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, and his career reached new heights in 1991 when he played Jim Morrison in The Doors. His most prominent credits also include playing Doc Holliday in 1993's Tombstone, Bruce Wayne/Batman in 1995's Batman Forever, and Chris Shiherlis in Heat.

Val Kilmer, the Hollywood star whose credits included The Doors, Batman Forever, and Top Gun, has died. He was 65.

The actor’s daughter Mercedes Kilmer, by his ex-wife Joanne Whalley, told The New York Times he died of pneumonia.

Kilmer was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959, and eventually attended the prestigious The Juilliard School in New York, becoming at 17 the youngest actor ever to be admitted.

He performed on Broadway in The Slab Boys in 1983 alongside Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon and a year later landed his first film role in the spoof Top Secret!

Kilmer went on to...

Val Kilmer, the Hollywood actor whose credits included The Doors, Batman Forever, and Top Gun, has died. He was 65.

According to reports the actor’s daughter Mercedes Kilmer, by his ex-wife Joanne Whalley, said he died of pneumonia.

Kilmer was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959, and eventually attended the prestigious The Juilliard School in New York, becoming at 17 the youngest actor to be admitted.

The 1984 spoof Top Secret! Marked Kilmer’s first film role and from there he went on to become a star by playing opposite Tom Cruise as the antagonist Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Tony Scott’s 1986 action hit Top Gun.

The iconic actor Val Kilmer, best known for roles such as Jim Morrison in 1991's The Doors and "Ice" (Adm. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky), in 1986's Top Gun, has died at the age of 65 according to his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, who told The New York he died of pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. This follows a decade of medical issues for Kilmer. The actor's final film fittingly found him reprising his role as 'Iceman' in Top Gun: Maverick, though the actor would continue to be involved in the arts with his painting. His final Facebook post, on March 22, 2025, included his last painting. He wrote, "It’s got that late-night glow. Cool tones with a low burn, like when the camp fire cools down but you’re still wide awake." Rest in peace, sir.

It’s got that late-night glow. Cool tones with a low burn, like when the camp fire cools down...

Val Kilmer, one of the biggest stars of the eighties and nineties, has passed away at only 65 years old. The news was first reported by the New York Times, which says the actor died after a battle with pneumonia. Kilmer’s health had been fragile in recent years, with a long battle with throat cancer robbing him of his voice, with him looped in many of his more recent films, including in Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised Iceman in a bittersweet turn.

Kilmer’s health battles were immortalized in the terrific documentary Val, which was narrated by his son Jack Kilmer (also an actor), who sounded uncannily like his father. Kilmer began his career as a heartthrob in eighties movies, with him memorable in the comedy classic (which we immortalized here with a Best Movie You Never Saw episode) Top Secret. From there, he played a memorable “frenemy” to...

Actor Val Kilmer has passed away. Known for several fan-favorite roles, from Doc Holliday to Batman, the actor was 65 years old.

The New York Times reported on the passing of Kilmer, with his daughter, actress Mercedes Kilmer, confirming the news. According nto his daughter, Kilmer died in Los Angeles due to pneumonia. He'd previously been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015. His subsequent health struggles had been chronicled in the documentary Val, released in 2021.

Val Edward Kilmer was born on New Year's Eve in 1959. At the age of 17, he started studying acting at Juilliard in New York. This led to his work in theater, and he made his Broadway debut in 1983 with a role in Slab Boys. He'd make his debut in film by playing teen idol Nick Rivers in the 1984 film Top Secret!, following it up with a role in tthe1985 film Real Genius.

A big break came quickly for...

Val Kilmer, who starred in a string of high-profile films such as Batman Forever and The Doors before receding from the silver screen amid health issues, died on Tuesday at the age of 65.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed the actor’s death to The New York Times, adding the cause was pneumonia. She said Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered.

The actor shot to fame in the Eighties with features in Top Secret!, Real Genius, and the mega blockbuster hit Top Gun playing naval aviator Tom...

Val Kilmer, the celebrated actor known for intensely committing to his performances and for starring roles in films like “Tombstone,” “Top Gun,” “The Doors” and more, died Tuesday from complications of pneumonia. He was 65.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, made the news public.

A Los Angeles native born in 1959, Kilmer grew up in the San Fernando Valley and as a teenager set a record as the youngest student to be accepted into the Julliard school of Drama (the record was broken by Seth Numrich.)

Kilmer pursued a stage career when he started acting professionally in the early 80s, but launched his film career with “Top Secret!” a parody of both World War II dramas and musical comedies starring Elvis Presley directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, the team behind “Airplane!”

The film, though considered a bomb, showcased Kilmer’s matinee idol looks, impeccable comic timing but also his versatile singing voice,...

Val Kilmer, the Juilliard-trained actor with leading man looks known for taking on roles that transcended his appearance, has died. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed to the New York Times that the actor had passed away after battling pneumonia. He was 65.

Kilmer’s early films included comedies like Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), as well as his breakout role as Lt Tom “Iceman” Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun (1986). That was followed by the fantasy film Willow (1988).

His big break as a leading man came with his swaying, leather-clad portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors.

After his outing as The Lizard King, Kilmer lead Thunderheart (1992) before opting for scene-stealing co-starring roles in Tombstone (1993), True Romance (1993) and Heat (1995).

“Someone sent me a poll recently where Tombstone snuck into the top 10 Best Westerns of all time,” Kilmer later told Deadline. “I don’t know if that film is a classic,...

Val Kilmer, the charisma-oozing leading man who lost himself portraying such tormented, self-loathing characters as Jim Morrison, gunslinger Doc Holliday and Batman during his all-too-brief career, died Tuesday. He was 65.

Kilmer, who came to fame for playing the competitive naval aviator Tom “Iceman” Kazansky alongside Tom Cruise in Tony Scott’s 1986 mega box-office hit Top Gun, died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, his daughter, actress Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times.

Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, and Val, a stirring documentary about his life that premiered at Cannes in July 2021, showed him needing a breathing tube.

His death was announced as the actor was meant to be arriving for a rare red carpet appearance at the Beverly Hills Film Festival on Tuesday night. “It was a shock to find this out. We had just confirmed Val to attend the west coast premiere of American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective this past weekend,...

Val Kilmer, who played Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever,” channeled Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” and starred as a tubercular Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles. His daughter Mercedes told The New York Times the cause was pneumonia. He was 65. He had been battling throat cancer for several years.

Kilmer’s reps did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.

The baby-faced blonde actor had a solid run as a leading man with a volatile reputation in the ’80s and ’90s, starring in “Top Gun,” “Real Genius,” “Willow,” “Heat,” and “The Saint.” He returned briefly to screens in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick” although he could no longer speak due to his cancer.

In 2021, a documentary on his life, “Val,” was released. His son provided the actor’s voice and the film utilized hundreds of hours of video he had recorded over the years,...

Imagine if, in modern times, the role of let’s say, DC’s Sgt. Rock went to the literal Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Imagine that he was given creative control over the high budget state of the art project despite having no idea who Sgt. Rock even was initially. Finally, imagine he decided to make it in the vein of all of his films, hiring Kevin Hart to be his sidekick, and royally pissing off fans of the source material along the way. That’s the best modern analogy I can come up with for what happened to 1995’s Judge Dredd. A film that had crew members allegedly taking bets on their director’s life expectancy, an NC17 rating, and Sylvester Stallone screaming I Am The Law!!! This is what happened to Judge Dredd.

Judge Dredd debuted in 1995; a year packed with iconic films. At the time, the superhero craze hadn’t fully kicked in,...

A classic Marlon Brando movie that generated both critical acclaim and intense controversy is now available for a new generation of viewers to discover. Last Tango in Paris is streaming on Prime Video.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Tango in Paris stars The Godfather's Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. The drama follows a grieving American widower who enters a passionate but emotionally complex relationship with a young Parisian woman. The film pushed boundaries with its unfiltered depiction of intimacy, earning both critical acclaim and outrage upon its release.

RelatedMarlon Brando Starred in This 99% Fresh Gangster Movie 18 Years Before The Godfather (& It's Practically Flawless)

18 years before he led The Godfather, the legendary actor Marlon Brando starred in a gangster movie that maintains a 99% Tomatometer score.

Over the years, it has been re-evaluated through a modern lens, with many questioning whether its artistic merits outweigh the ethical concerns surrounding its production. Although...

Fritz Lang's 1927 sci-fi epic "Metropolis" regularly appears on lists of the best movies of all time, and is certainly one of the most important works of science fiction ever produced. "Metropolis" takes place in an industrialized future where the world's wealthy live in meticulously constructed towers, and commute via fantastical blimps and flying machines. They engage in frivolous romantic misunderstandings, and enjoy lazing about in gardens eating rich foods. Meanwhile, under the city, impoverished laborers are literally working themselves to death to keep the machines running. 

One of the city's most prominent rich brats is Freder (Gustav Fröhlich) who, by happenstance, witnesses a peaceful labor protest. He becomes instantly enamored of Maria (Brigitte Helm), the pacifist ruler of the movement, and becomes curious as to what the lives of laborers are actually like. He moves underground and sees the sweat, oil, and terror first had. The machines, he feels,...

Legendary director John Frankenheimer’s penultimate effort, “Ronin” (1998) finds him returning to firm action-thriller footing after the disaster of “The Island of Dr. Moreau” remake. But what’s most interesting about the film is that noted playwright and screenwriter (and director) David Mamet worked as a script doctor. As such, you’re left with an interesting hybrid of wordplay, plotting, and muscular action filmmaking. Frankenheimer, whose career dates to Hollywood’s golden age and who made several interesting and intelligent political thrillers in the 60s and 70s and Mamet’s dialogue-driven formation make a fascinating pairing.

Mamet chose to write under a pseudonym after not receiving sole credit, but his fingerprints are unmistakable all the same as his word plays and sly deconstruction of the action genre plays counterpoint to Frankenheimer’s straightforward presentation. In principle, these two contrasting approaches may have canceled each other out, but while they don’t sit perfectly together,...

Written by Brandon Salisbury, Robbie McGregor | Directed by Brandon Salisbury

When you read about the films that could, and really should, have been made, you usually hear about Jodorowsky’s Dune, Richard Stanley’s The Island of Dr Moreau and Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon are among the most frequently mentioned. However, one that should get just as much mention is George A. Romero’s Resident Evil.

Four years before Paul Anderson kicked off his franchise, George Romero, who certainly knew a thing or two about zombie movies, was hired to shoot a commercial for Resident Evil 2. When it was well received, plans were made to have him adapt the property as a feature film. A year later, he was fired from the project by Constantine Films.

Director Brandon Salisbury and co-writer Robbie McGregor devote just under two hours to exploring what happened, starting with his groundbreaking film Night of the Living Dead.

An MCU star's adaptation of an H.G. Wells classic gets a glowing review from VFX artists 22 years after its release. The English author, a pioneer in science fiction, has seen his imaginative works frequently adapted to the screen since the 1930s. Early adaptations include Island of Lost Souls (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), Things to Come (1936), and The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1937), which captured audiences with their groundbreaking special effects and blended the author's thought-provoking themes with cinematic spectacle.

Later adaptations continued to bring the sci-fi author's visionary stories to life, and often reflected contemporary concerns. The War of the Worlds (1953) and The Time Machine (1960) highlighted Cold War fears and a fascination with time travel, respectively. Subsequent remakes – such as The Island of Dr. Moreau, Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005) starring Tom Cruise, and the visually updated The Time Machine (2002) – introduced new interpretations of the author's themes, and almost always with impressive visual effects.

Some movies are doomed from the start — or even before they start. Quirky, erudite South African director Richard Stanley's unfortunate experience making The Island of Dr. Moreau is still talked about in hushed tones because of the production hell it became. Stanley was a bit of a fixture in indie circles coming off of small films like Hardware and Dust Devil, but what he was about to undertake turned out to be too big of a leap. It's not all Stanley's fault, either. It was a quixotic endeavor from the get-go, considering who would be cast in the leads and where they wanted to shoot the movie. Suffice it to say, it was a witch's brew that had Stanley at the end of his rope when he sought out the advice of a real-life warlock to save what had already mushroomed into a monster. It may sound like a funny story,...

A little bit ago, I discussed Hardware from 1990 and how it became a little lost to time. Today’s movie is no different as it’s pretty hard to come by and actually has three different versions to look out for. To that end, Richard Stanley can definitely be considered the best horror director you never saw. While he had a resurgence with the Nic Cage cosmic Lovecraft horror Color Out of Space, the rest of his catalogue is either a wonderful hot mess like his incomplete version of The Island of Dr. Moreau where he was fired or his first two movies that just don’t get talked about enough. While Hardware is loosely based on a comic, Dust Devil is what I would call a wholly original South African supernatural slasher flick. It has lore based in both legend and the creative mind of its writer/director Richard...

Hollywood has seen a variety of acting legends come and go, from classic stars like Cary Grant and John Wayne to modern icons like Gary Oldman and Tom Hanks. As stars age up, some become stalwarts of modern cinema, playing the roles of wise mentors to younger actors, while others see their star fade and transition to lower-budget films. As a result, some actors finish their careers in relative obscurity to younger audiences, while others are lucky enough to go out with a bang.

Some actors and directors are so conscious of their career record that they become incredibly selective when it comes to movies they work on, trying to preserve a near-flawless record. That said, stars can never be certain of how their final movie will turn out, whether an issue of the final production or simply being a miss with audiences. From animated movies to critically acclaimed hits,...

In 1931, the classic movie monster cycle began when Universal Studios released both Dracula and Frankenstein. Paramount Pictures answered with their pre-Code Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with Fredric Marchs ape-like sexually-predatory Hyde winning him a Best Actor Oscar. According to film historian Gregory Mank's book Angels and Ministers of Grace Defend Us!, Paramount wanted more of the same human-hybrid horror and sex, so the studio bought H.G. Wells book The Island of Dr. Moreau and began developing a film.

"Creature feature" is a vague term that could conceivably apply to any film featuring a monster. A noted local TV series from the 1960s, Creature Features, played everything from classic Universal Monster movies to Hammer horror movies to Roger Corman's bevy of drive-in double bills. The phrase thus has wide applications and generally refers to any horror movie with a sufficiently limited budget.

More specifically, creature features usually involve monsters, aliens, or similar threats with limited intelligence, but deadly intentions towards humanity. While hardly a noble genre, it's produced some notable classics, some of which are due for an update or a reboot. With the Godzilla and Jurassic Park franchises in full swing and a new version of Arachnophobia in development, there are more than enough old creature features that could benefit from a 21st-century update.

Updated on October 15, 2024, by Robert Vaux: The success of the Monsterverse and the...

It's no secret that 1996's The Island of Dr. Moreau had an incredibly troubled production. The shoot was so infamously hard that a documentary, Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanleys Island of Dr. Moreau, was made in 2014, detailing what went wrong. Whether you blame the production or think the script was doomed from the start, most critics agree that the end result is a messy, ridiculous movie that doesn't hold up under any scrutiny. Although the documentary explains that there was a significant amount of executive meddling, a lot of the bad press surrounding the movie was pinned on the actors specifically, Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando.

Documentary “Shadowland” – which has its world premiere at Los Angeles’ Beyond Fest on Oct. 5 – was supposed to be a “happy story” set in the French Pyrenees, a place known for its mysteries.

Embracing magic and witchcraft, spiritual “seekers” from all paths of life settle there, hoping to find the greatest treasure – the Holy Grail – or experience supernatural encounters.

One of those was cult director Richard Stanley, who claimed he saw local deity the White Lady, earning the respect of the close-knit community. As well as being a long-time resident of the area, Stanley also worked as a tour guide there.

Stanley made his name with horror films like “Hardware” and “Dust Devil,” but after he was fired from “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer, he took a 20-plus year break from feature filmmaking before returning with 2019’s “Color Out of Space,” starring Nicolas Cage.

Watch...

Netflix subscribers will soon see the legendary Anthony Hopkins grace their screens in an upcoming biblical epic. The Oscar-winning actor's film, Mary, officially lands at the streaming giant.

Per Variety, Netflix confirmed picking up Mary, which features Hopkins and is directed by XXX: Return of Xander Cage and Disturbia helmer, D.J. Caruso, with Birdseye's Michael Hayes as the screenplay writer. Netflix will premiere Mary later this year, though no exact release date has been confirmed yet.

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Mary is a coming-of-age movie which sees Mary shunned and forced into hiding following her miraculous conception of Jesus Christ. Hopkins plays King Herod, who feels his reign on the throne faces a serious threat from baby Jesus, who is regarded as the savior, leading to him igniting...

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t going big on film.

More than 300 films screened at the 42nd Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, which took place in Providence from Aug. 6 to 11: a diverse slate of narrative features, documentaries and short films represented 51 countries across the globe. The festival — one of 10 international fests that serve as official qualifiers for the Academy Awards’ live-action, animated and documentary short categories — received over 7,000 submissions this year.

For executive director Shawn M. Quirk, who has been with the festival for 13 years, Riiff has a two-pronged approach to serving filmmakers both in Rhode Island and beyond its borders. “It’s really about building this global community, as well as helping our local filmmakers who need that access,” Quirk tells THR.

“I love the idea of us being a global film [destination],” adds Quirk.

In László Benedek's 1953 crime drama "The Wild One," a young woman dancing with a member of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club asks their leader, the pouty-lipped Johnny (Marlon Brando), what he's rebelling against, to which Johnny replies, unsmiling, "Whaddya got?" The most famous line of Brando's career up there with "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse," it also might as well have been a mission statement for the notoriously temperamental, wild card actor.

Brando's career trajectory reflected his disposition. Where the 1950s saw him collecting accolades and awards left and right, the actor's ill-reputable conduct overshadowed practically everything he did onscreen in the decade that came after. It wasn't until the '70s that Brando's legacy as a screen icon was restored, even as he continued to try and sabotage himself with his unpredictable behavior and seeming apathy towards many of the films he worked on.

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) faced setbacks from on-set conflicts, leading to a disastrous production. The film's main issues stemmed from difficulties with actors like Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando, causing chaos on set. A modern-day remake using CGI could bring the nightmarish tale of human-animal hybrids to life like never before.

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) is infamous for being one of the worst, if not the worst, Hollywood productions in cinematic history. The film underwent various challenges, from on-set conflicts to harsh weather conditions, and became notorious for its extremely difficult production. Cult horror director Richard Stanley was originally hired by New Line Cinema but was quickly replaced by John Frankenheimer after disasters arose in pre-production. The film was doomed to be a box-office flop upon its release in 1996, but the time may be right for a long-overdue, modern Hollywood remake.

Based on H.G. Wells' classic science-fiction...

The stories of messy production schedules are not new in Hollywood. Over the years, many movies have seen an arduous filming process where everything goes South. Such a film was the 1996 sci-fi horror, The Island of Dr. Moreau, inspired by the H.G. Wells novel and starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer. From the very start, it was a cursed project that hardly went well for anybody on set.

Marlon Brando in The Island of Dr. Moreau | New Line Cinema

Interestingly, The Island of Dr. Moreau‘s mess was so monumental, that an entire documentary titled Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau was made to reveal everything that occurred on that cursed project. According to the reports, none of the co-stars had good working ethics with each other or the director. However, Val Kilmer has a different story to narrate as he felt that...

Anthony Hopkins’ latest indie film “Eyes in the Trees” has found itself at the center of a FBI complaint.

Producer Daemon Hillin first told Deadline that he is being extorted over 18 minutes of unedited footage from the feature that was allegedly obtained through hacking. The footage includes all of Hopkins’ scenes that were filmed in Los Angeles in 2023; the movie received a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement waiver to remain in production. Hillin said a “Korean Zombie address” has sent him “disturbing and very detailed emails.”

The emails, obtained by IndieWire, demand $200,000 in cryptocurrency. Hillin says he’s not paying.

One email reads, in part: “We will also send clips of your project to potential major buyers in the market . we will email bomb them through filters with your content i.e. Netflix, Amazon, peacock, sony, AMC, Lionsgate, Blumhouse. We have emails to all the strategic people in charge of content acquisitions in those companies.

Exclusive: Days after Disney revealed that it was investigating a reported hack of its internal Slack workplace, the producers behind the upcoming indie Eyes in the Trees starring Anthony Hopkins say they has been targeted in a ransom-seeking data breach.

Producer Daemon Hillin (Which Brings Me to You) tells Deadline that he has received disturbing and very detailed emails from a Korean Zombie address that said 18 minutes of video footage from his film had been hacked. The breach constitutes all of Hopkins’ scenes that were shot in Los Angeles during last year’s strikes. (The film was awarded an interim agreement by SAG-AFTRA.)

The email included screenshots of Hopkins from the film, which is a reimagining of the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, along with a list of the film’s investors and other producers. Bgg Capital and Landon B. Gorman are the money behind the film...

Anthony Hopkins, one of Hollywood's most prolific actors, has reacted to presidential candidate Donald Trump's comments about the fictional character Hannibal Lecter. Hopkins' performance as Lecter, the pivotal antagonist of The Silence of the Lambs (as well as the other films based on the books by Thomas Harris), shot him into stardom in 1992 when he won an Academy Award for Best Actor. Even though more than 30 years have passed, it remains Hopkins' most influential performance to date and is often remembered by modern audiences.

That includes none other than Donald Trump. The former President of the United States, who's running again this year, went on record a few months ago with yet another one of his controversial claims. During one of his frequent rallies, Trump said the following: "The late, great Hannibal Lecter! He's a wonderful man. He oftentimes would have a friend over for dinner. Remember the last scene?...

The Palo Alto actor Val Kilmer just revealed a phenomenal secret weapon that would leave even the biggest movie lovers too stunned to speak! He spilled the tea about the 17-times Oscar nominee actress, Meryl Streep, giving him hands-on advice that made his acting career soar to great heights.

Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverik | Paramount Pictures

This acting trick was so subtly genius, even dedicated cinephiles might miss it! But Kilmer swore it amplified the best scenes in his film career.

Thigh Contortions & Emotional Depth: Val Kilmer revealed Meryl Streep’s Acting Secret Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep in Bridges of Madison County | Warner Brothers

Meryl Streep—the name instantly stirs up images of tear-jerking performances that left the audience sobbing uncontrollably. But what’s the secret sauce behind those emotional outpourings? Is this just damn good acting, or is there any acting secret?

While The Birthday Cake actor...

Val Kilmer’s Hollywood presence has been a fascinating journey filled with highs and lows, alongside moments when his decisions could have dramatically altered the course of his life and career. From almost turning down iconic roles to near-misses in his love life, Kilmer shared lesser-known chapters of his life.

Val Kilmer in The Island of Dr. Moreau | New Line Cinema

In I’m Your Huckleberry: A Memoir, Val Kilmer delved into pivotal moments from his life regarding his initial choices and decisions. According to snippets from his story, Kilmer revealed how he initially turned down Tom Cruise’s Top Gun and even hesitated to date the legendary musician Cher, who later had a short fling with Cruise.

Val Kilmer Had Made the Near Mistake of Refusing Tom Cruise’s Top Gun

Despite being notoriously famous for his difficult personality, Val Kilmer has worked with a few of the most...

Special effects master and creature creator Stan Winston is best known for making the monsters seen in such hit films as "The Terminator," "Invaders from Mars," "Aliens," "Alien Nation," "Predator," "Jurassic Park," "Congo," and "The Relic." He also provided makeup and other eerie beings for "The Thing," "Starman," "Edward Scissorhands," "Batman Returns," and "The Island of Dr. Moreau." He received an Oscar nomination in 1982 for his work on the robot comedy "Heartbeeps." His monsters indelibly changed genre cinema for decades, and his death in 2008 was an immeasurable loss. 

Winston also directed a few notable projects. He directed the music videos for Guns N' Roses and Michael Jackson. Winston also helmed the amusement parks-only 3-D "Terminator" interquel "T2 3-D: Battle Across Time" in '96. Winston only ever directed two feature films: the very, very, very odd cop-teams-up-with-a-gnome comedy "A Gnome Named Gnorm" in 1990, and the horrifying monster revenge thriller "Pumpkinhead" in 1988. 

"Pumpkinhead,...

Val Kilmer left no stones unturned when he wrote his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, which was released in 2020. With a title ripped off from one of his famous lines in Tombstone, the book was a brutally frank, tell-all tale of Kilmer’s life, including his love, loss, and regret. In one of his confessions in the book, the Batman Forever actor revealed his crush on co-star Angelina Jolie.

Val Kilmer in a still from The Island of Dr. Moreau | New Line Cinema

Kilmer worked together with Jolie in the 2004 film, Alexander. Both the actors had supporting roles in the film, playing Philip II of Macedon and Queen Olmypias, the feuding father and mother of Alexander the Great. Interestingly, Kilmer wanted a kissing scene with Jolie in the film and even jokingly told director Oliver Stone about it.

Val Kilmer Secretly Couldn’t Wait To Kiss Angelina Jolie In Alexander Angelina Jolie,...