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Academy Award Nominee Sylvester Stallone and Jason Patric star in Armor, an action-packed, thriller about the lengths one man will go to save what's left of his family and reclaim his own life.

James and his son Casey are armored truck drivers tasked with delivering a suspicious package. After a violent ambush on the road, James and Casey are trapped until they discover the value of what they have been carrying and join forces to outgun and outwit their attackers.

Among those attackers is Ray Donovan star Dash Mihok; the actor plays Stallone's right-hand man in Armor and is a loose cannon who will do anything it takes to pull off the score of a lifetime.

Last week, we sat down with Dash - who you may also recall seeing in Gotham and Punisher: War Zone - to learn more about his approach to portraying the villainous Smoke. During our conversation,...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, to an extent, integrating the stories and characters of the Netflix era Marvel shows. The shows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Punisher and The Defenders were all made in a partnership between Marvel Television and Netflix before Disney decided to create their own competing streaming platform.

Originally believed to have been wiped from continuity due to possible legal issues surrounding the shows’ ownership, it has been confirmed that both Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will be returning.

However, whenever you leave a role behind for a little while, you are bound to get rusty. That is why many actors tend to train for a period of time to get back into the role. Bernthal is no different. For him, getting back into character was a big priority.

But what was surprising is that over the past year, Bernthal has...

Rob Zombie has said that for every one film project of his that moves forward, there are five potential projects that fall by the wayside. We haven’t heard of quite that many unmade Rob Zombie movies, but we have heard of several over the years that never got off the ground… and unfortunately, most of them sounded pretty interesting. A little over a year ago, Zombie had said he didn’t know what his next movie is going to be, but he did know what it’s not going to be: he won’t be continuing his Firefly franchise, and he doesn’t want to make a sequel to The Munsters (which was poorly received). So while he figures out his next cinematic move, we we have put together a list of Rob Zombie Movies We Want To See!

Dr. Satan Prequel/Sequel

Okay, so this flies right in...

Star Wars fans wondered if Baylan Skoll would be recast following the death of actor Ray Stevenson, and we may now have our answer.

The season 1 finale of Ahsoka, "The Jedi, The Witch, And The Warlord," unfortunately, served as a farewell to the late Thor and Punisher: Warzone actor, who sadly passed away last May just before his 58th birthday.

Stevenson played a villainous former Jedi in the live-action Star Wars series, and the finale featured his last ever scene as the character, as we see the powerful Force-wielder standing on the ruins of a mountain-sized sculpture of the Mortis gods.

Skoll didn't have a big part to play in the events of the concluding episode, but Stevenson would undoubtedly have reprised the role at some point. Considering how important his character would appear to be to the ongoing story, there's been a lot of speculation that Baylan might be recast down the line,...

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the main cast of one film seldom appeared in another’s story, unless the characters were in some sort of a spin-off situation. So when fans and audiences become privy to all the potential crossovers that they could have seen over the years, it is quite a frustrating situation, given that these stories were not over-saturated with easter eggs and corporate product placement.

Tobey Maguire played Spider-Man in Sam Raimi’s trilogy || Sony Pictures

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, which is hailed as one of the best superhero films of the decade, supposedly had a cameo waiting in the wings, from a film that was due to release in the same year. The character was, of course, from Marvel, but had his film released by a different distributor.

Spider-Man 2 almost had a Punisher cameo

Thomas Jane in The Punisher || Lionsgate

The Punisher was a...

When people think of Frank Castle on the silver screen, actors like Jon Bernthal and Dolph Lundgren come to mind. However, the late Ray Stevenson‘s portrayal in Lexi Alexander’s 2008 crime-drama Punisher: War Zone hides in the shadows of the character’s cinematic history. The film was planned as a sequel to 2004’s The Punisher, starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. War Zone picks up five years into the anti-hero’s journey into darkness, with Frank encountering his most significant threat in the villain Jigsaw, played by Dominic West.

Jonathan Hensleigh, who directed The Punisher, was supposed to return with Jane reprising the title role. However, setbacks kept the film from progressing, with Hensleigh and Jane hard-quitting the project out of frustration. Jane expressed his exasperation by saying, “What I won’t do is spend months of my life sweating over a movie I don’t believe in. I...

This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.

It’s taken a while, but more than five years after the credits rolled on Star Wars Rebels, we’re finally getting some payoff for its cliffhanger ending in Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka on Disney+. The Rebels creator is effectively giving us a live-action season 5, while also gifting fans the long-awaited solo series for the talented Togruta.

Alongside Rosario Dawson taking the lead as Ahsoka, a mix of new and returning faces sees Rebels alumni David Tennant and Lars Mikkelsen reprise their roles, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Natasha Liu Bordizzo take over from previous voice actors, and the likes of Ivanna Sakhno and Ray Stevenson playing brand-new roles. Sadly for Stevenson, he didn’t get to see the breakout reaction to Baylan Skoll.

Ray Stevenson tragically passed away on May 21, 2023, just four days before his 59th birthday. No cause of death has been revealed,...

The late actor Ray Stevenson, who plays the villain Baylan Skoll on the “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka,” received a touching tribute at the end of Episode 1, which premiered on Disney+ Tuesday night.

Stevenson died on May 21 on the Italian island Ischia at the age of 58, after production had wrapped on the series. Before the end credits on Episode 1 of “Ahsoka,” a screen reads, “For our friend, Ray.”

His “Ahsoka” character Baylan Skoll serves as one of the primary antagonists on the show. A Dark Jedi, Baylan survived Order 66 after escaping into deep space and is now a mercenary who wields an orange lightsaber. His apprentice is Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakkno) and they’re working together with Morgan Elspeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), a villain who was previously seen in “The Mandalorian” Season 2, to find Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).

When news of Stevenson’s death broke in May, “Ahsoka” lead actor...

“Star Wars: Ahsoka,” the highly anticipated live-action series starring Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, debuts this week on Disney+.

Dawson reprises the role after appearing in Season 2 of “The Mandalorian,” though the character made her debut in the 2008 animated film “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and the subsequent animated series of the same name.

Ahsoka is the former padawan of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), the Jedi who turned to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader. She in turn had her own apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) but the two had a falling out.

“Star Wars: Ahsoka” includes other characters from “The Clone Wars” and its sequel series “Star Wars: Rebels,” including Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Huyang (David Tennant). Although teased, fans have yet to see images of Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfadi) or Anakin Skywalker.

There’s also a slew of new characters, including Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson...

Lucasfilm Animation, like so many fledgling studios, took a moment to find its footing. Founded in 2003, the company released its first feature film, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," in 2008 to much scorn. Critics were quick to recognize the film was little more than three TV episodes hastily strung together, and its janky computer animation stood out like a sore thumb compared to the far more expressive and fluid visuals in films like "Kung Fun Panda" and "Wall-e" from that same year. "Clone Wars" also saw the debut of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's young, rambunctious Padawan, and a character who was immediately the target of much-undeserved derision (and more than a little sexism).

My, my, how the turn tables. Jump ahead to 15 years later and Lucasfilm Animation is now responsible for some of the best "Star Wars" storytelling of all time, including the animated "Clone Wars" series and "Star Wars Rebels.

We might be entering the dog days of summer but Hulu isn’t slowing down. The streamer’s list of new releases for August 2023 is a pretty impressive collection of content.

The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.

That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...

With its list of new releases for August 2023, Prime Video is relying on a heaping dose of fun library movies.

The first of the month brings a big influx of worthwhile flicks, including Galaxy Quest, Saw, F9: The Fast Saga, and Jurassic Park (the last two via Amazon’s Freevee free streaming option). Then some other recents hits arrive later on like the appropriately titled Cocaine Bear on Aug. 15 and the Chris Pine-starring Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Aug. 25.

August also sees the arrival of a major Amazon Original movie in the form of Red, White & Royal Blue. Based on a New York Times bestselling book, this LGBTQ romance follows a U.S. president’s son and a British prince. Over on the TV side of things, Prime Video subscribers can check out the Sigourney Weaver project The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Aug. 4 and Harlan Coben’s Shelter on Aug.

It’s been quite a year for Prime Video already. The service is seeing huge success with its second season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” and its international espionage thriller “Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan” turned in its fourth and final season earlier this summer.

Unfortunately for Tolkien fans, there’s no new season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” to dive into this August, but there are some fantastic titles coming to Prime Video all throughout the month. From Prime Video originals to hot new movies, here are the top five titles The Streamable is most excited about on the service in August 2023.

30-Day Free Trial $8.99 / month amazon.com What Are the Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in August 2023? ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ | Aug. 4

Alice Hart has to endure a tragedy no child should have to face, losing her parents...

The untimely passing of actor Ray Stevenson has shocked us all. I personally fell in love with the actor when I first saw him as Titus Pullo in the excellent series Rome. I still can’t believe that he’s gone. What a loss. Which is why on this week’s The Arrow in the Head Show, we decided to revisit his take on Frank Castle in the 2008 Punisher: War Zone. Stab the embed above to hear our thoughts!

Directed by Lexi Alexander, the film is about: Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, turns the streets of New York City red as he wages a one man war against the crime syndicate responsible for the death of his wife and two kids. Aided by his trusted sidekick, Microchip, he almost kills Billy Russoti and leaves him horribly disfigured. Billy renames himself Jigsaw and with the help of his crazed brother Loony Bin Jim,...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is dabbling in the multiverse these days, which is how we get Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland sharing the screen as three different versions of Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Patrick Stewart playing Professor X in the MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Hugh Jackman reprising the role of Wolverine for Deadpool 3, etc. One character who isn’t likely to be involved with multiverse shenanigans is The Punisher – but Taran Tactical has shared a video that brings two actors who have played The Punisher together! Thomas Jane and Jon Bernthal both visited the shooting range recently, and a video of the time they spent shooting together can be seen at the bottom of this article.

Jane played the Marvel Comics character The Punisher in the 2004 film of the same name. Bernthal first played the role in episodes of the Netflix series Daredevil,...

Lexi Alexander's 2008 film "Punisher: War Zone" may be one of the most gonzo mainstream superhero films ever made. Like going to a drive-in on acid, "War Zone" is brutally violent to a cartoonish degree. The mayhem tally is one for the record books. The title character, played by Ray Stevenson, punches a man so hard, his fist exits the back of his head. In another scene, the Punisher hangs by his knees from a chandelier, a gun in each hand, spinning around as he lays waste to a ballroom full of baddies. The film's villain falls face-first into a bottle-crushing machine, leaving his face a stitched-up patchwork mask. In one amazing shot, a hopped-up parkour enthusiast is exploded with a rocket launcher while in midair. The film's final line of dialogue is one of the Punisher's friends complaining that he has human brain matter on him.

"War Zone" is a hoot,...

Hearing about Ray Stevenson’s unfortunate passing made me want to revisit one of his best movies….

Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Director: Lexi Alexander

Stars: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Julie Benz

Is There A Plot?

Former family man Frank Castle spends his time violently eradicating organized crime, but after an eventful night of sending a mob boss face-first through a glass crusher and accidentally killing an undercover FBI agent, The Punisher finds himself being hunted by those on both sides of the law.

What’S The Damage?

The Punisher has had an interesting foray in to live action over the years. The 1989 Dolph Lundgren movie still holds up, but he honestly could’ve been any generic vigilante. Jon Bernthal gave us a more psychologically complex Frank Castle in his Netflix series, while Thomas Jane provided what fans had long been clamoring for…The Punisher punishing Tampa, Florida. However, Punisher: War Zone...

It's easy to love Arnold Schwarzenegger. While no one would claim the Austrian Oak was an acting great with the range to slip in and out of any character, there's always been a distinct, lovable charm to Arnold. Despite his hulking, muscular frame, there's something downright cuddly about the body builder-turned-actor. We want to give him a hug, even when he's firing huge weapons at nameless bad guys.

While he occasionally plays cruel killers — see the first "Terminator" — he thrives in roles that let him have fun — see the second "Terminator." We can't help but love the guy, with his huge biceps, his thick accent, and the mischievous little twinkle he always has in his eye. When he utters the phrase "Trust me" with a sly little smile in "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," we do trust him. How can we not? He's Arnold!

All of this is to say that...

The late Irish actor Ray Stevenson was quite an expert at playing outsize heavies and larger-than-life characters. It's no wonder that he appeared in films like "Punisher: War Zone," the most enjoyably violent movie in the Marvel Comics canon, or "Rrr" a maximalist piece of Telugu cinema that felt like several action films crammed into one. In the latter, Stevenson was particularly theatrical, snarling melodramatically as a colonialist villain. Stevenson stops just short of actually twirling his mustache in that film.

Stevenson passed away on May 22, 2023, at the age of 58 leaving behind a colorful legacy of villains from widely seen franchise films and TV shows.

Stevenson occasionally brushed up against the classics, although it was usually in a comic book milieu. He appeared in a film adaptation of "The Three Musketeers," but it was a literarily inaccurate action bonanza directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. He played one of the Knights of the Round Table,...

Ray Stevenson, a versatile actor known for genre fare such as Punisher: War Zone, the Thor movies, HBO’s Rome and much, much more, has died. He was 58.

Born George Raymond Stevenson on May 25, 1964, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, he harbored acting ambitions from an early age. He enrolled at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, from where he eventually obtained his graduate degree.

From there, he kicked off a career in British and European TV, starting with 1993’s A Woman’s Guide To Adultery, in which he had a small role as a journalist. He racked up credits in a number of TV series well known to audiences, including Peak Practice, Holby City and The Bill.

But on the small screen, his true big break was HBO’s Rome, in which he played the cheery, violent Titus Pollo. It raised his profile, and he began to score bigger parts both on TV and the big screen.

‘Star Wars’ and ‘Thor’ actor Ray Stevenson has died at the age of 58. Passing away in Italy this past weekend, no official cause of death has been announced.

Due to star in this summer’s Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Ahsoka’ as a Jedi named Baylan Skoll, who turns to the dark side and is an ally to the diabolic Grand Admiral Thrawn, He previously voiced the character Gar Saxon in ‘Star Wars Rebels’ and ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars.’

The Irish actor began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s. He went on to land action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s. His first significant film role came in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004’s adventure movie “King Arthur,” where he played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table. In the film, his character sacrifices himself in battle to help Arthur (Clive Owen) and his brotherhood of warriors.

ObituaryRay Stevenson was well-known in India for his role in Rrr as the governor of Delhi, and other notable roles like Volstag in Marvel’s Thor films, Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone.TwitterCondolences poured in from the Rrr cast and director after the passing of actor Ray Stevenson on Tuesday, May 23. The Irish actor was well-known in India for his role in Rrr as the governor of Delhi, and other notable roles like Volstag in Marvel’s Thor films, Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone. The actor was hospitalised after a sudden illness in the island of Ischia while shooting a film. Taking to Twitter, Rajamouli, the director of Rrr, shared a picture of the actor and himself from the sets of the movie. He captioned the picture, “Shocking... Just can't believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious.

Obituary‘Rrr’ director SS Rajamouli expressed shock at actor Ray Stevenson’s passing and said, “Working with him was pure joy.”Ray Stevenson: Twitter/RRRMovieRay Stevenson, the Irish actor who played the authoritarian governor of Delhi in SS Rajamouli's Rrr, passed away on Sunday, May21, reported Variety. He was 58. According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Stevenson was hospitalised with a sudden illness on the island of Ischia while shooting for a film. No information on the cause of the death was available. Though well-known in India for his Rrr role, Stevenson will also be widely remembered for playing Volstagg in Marvel's Thor films. Stevenson, according to Variety, began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s and then began landing roles in Hollywood action films starting in the 2000s. His first major film role came in Antoine Fuqua's 2004 adventure movie King Arthur, in which he played Dagonet,...

Irish actor Ray Stevenson may have played the villainous British Raj governor of Delhi in ‘Rrr’, but he was much-loved on the sets as the tributes of S.S. Rajamouli and Junior Ntr clearly indicate.

“Shocking,” tweeted the ‘Rrr’ maker. “Just can’t believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious. Working with him was pure joy. My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace.”

Taking to social media, Stevenson’s co-star Junior Ntr said: “Shocked to hear about Ray Stevenson’s passing. Gone too soon. It was a great experience working with him. May his soul rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and dear ones during this difficult time.”

Stevenson passed away on Sunday four days before his 59th birthday. No cause of death has been revealed, but he was...

Irish actor Ray Stevenson may have played the evil British Raj governor of Delhi in ‘Rrr’, but he was a much-loved man on the sets as S S Rajamouli’s tribute to him on his passing away so clearly indicates. Stevenson passed away on Sunday at the age of 58.

“Shocking,” tweeted the ‘Rrr’ maker. “Just can’t believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious. Working with him was pure joy. My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace.”

Shocking… Just can't believe this news. Ray brought in so much energy and vibrancy with him to the sets. It was infectious. Working with him was pure joy.

My prayers are with his family. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/HytFxHLyZD

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) May 23, 2023

He began his career appearing on TV shows...

Ray Stevenson may have been best known for his roles in “Punisher: War Zone” and “Rome,” but it was his involvement in the upcoming “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka” that had him excited.

The 58-year-old actor died on Sunday in Italy of undisclosed causes.

Back in April at Star Wars Celebration, he shared with TheWrap his physical conditioning to play Baylan Skoll, a Force user who wields an orange lightsaber. The “Ahsoka” trailer shows Baylan dueling with Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) as well as taking on Rebel Forces.

When asked about when he became one with his character physically, the Irish actor replied: “I like to think that characters have a center of gravity. Some are lower, so they’re more rooted. Others have a higher center of gravity; they’re more nimble.”

“[As an actor] You’re working that out initially, and you’re working the faces,” he continued. “There’s a point where...

Sean Penn will star in the Ukranian war movie “War Through the Eyes of Animals,” TheWrap has confirmed. The picture, due for release in late 2023 or early 2024, is part of a nine-part anthology that will be helmed by nine Ukrainian filmmakers concerning the ongoing conflict against Russia. This offering will show the war through the perspective of animals caught in the crossfire.

Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, who directed “The Tribe” in 2014, will direct the ninth and final segment. “War Through the Eyes of Animals” will star Penn as an American sound engineer who witness the outbreak of war when Russian forces invade on February 24, 2022. Filming will take place in Ukraine and Los Angeles this summer.

Anthology Film “War through the eyes of Animals” trailer

The two-time Best Actor Oscar winner (for “Mystic River” in 2004 and “Milk” in 2009) was shooting a comical documentary about actor-turned-Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky when are broke out, turning...

Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who played the villainous British governor in “Rrr”, an Asgardian warrior in the “Thor” films, and a member of the 13th Legion in HBO’s “Rome”, has died. He was 58.

Representatives for Stevenson told The Associated Press that he died Sunday but had no other details to share on Monday.

Stevenson was born in Lisburn in 1964. After attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and years of working in British television, he made his film debut in Paul Greengrass’s 1998 film “The Theory of Flight”. In 2004, he appeared in Antoine Fuqua’s “King Arthur” as a knight of the round table and several years later played the lead in the pre-Disney Marvel adaptation “Punisher: War Zone”.

Read More: First Look At Rosario Dawson In ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ As New Trailer Drops

Though “Punisher” was not the best-reviewed film, he’d get another taste of Marvel...

Ray Stevenson, the Northern Irish actor known for his numerous roles in projects like Thor, Dexter, Rrr, and The Three Musketeers (2011), has died. He was 58. Deadline reports that his representatives Independent Talent confirmed the news, but did not offer any further details surrounding his death.

George Raymond Stevenson was born on May 25th, 1964 in in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. His family relocated to England while he was a child, and he went on to graduate from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School when he was 29.

After appearing in a handful of European series and straight-to-tv movies throughout the 1990s, Stevenson made his film debut in 1998 opposite Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh in Paul Greengrass’ comedy-drama The Theory of Flight. He also appeared in films such as The Book of Eli, The Other Guys, and Kill the Irishman before going on to star as Volstagg in Marvel’s Thor franchise, as...

Ray Stevenson, the actor known for his roles in "Thor" and "Rrr," among many, many other movies and TV shows over the years, has passed away at the age of 58. It's a remarkably unexpected, terrible bit of news, as Stevenson was truly one of those actors that added a whole lot to just about anything he was in. Case in point, he made the most of his chance to bring Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, to life in 2008's "Punisher: War Zone." Stevenson, it turns out, was bummed he never got the call to reprise the role.

Stevenson took over for Thomas Jane, who played the role of the Marvel Comics antihero in 2004's "The Punisher." Lionsgate changed things up for the sequel, though, with a new lead actor and a much more brutal take on the source material, as seen through the lens of director Lexi Alexander. The resulting...

Ray Stevenson understood the assignment.

From his early days as a dashing leading man on HBO's "Rome" to his late period as a consistently surprising character actor, the Irish actor was always a pleasure to watch. Sometimes, he'd steal the show on a glossy TV series like "Black Sails." Sometimes, he'd steal the show as the comedic relief in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. And sometimes, he'd steal the show in a low-budget genre movie that only cinematic junk food aficionados have seen. But he always stole the show. He always understood the assignment. He always delivered.

Stevenson has passed away at the age of 58, and he leaves behind a fascinating and varied body of work. But one role stands out amongst them all, and it represents his greatest attempt at mainstream stardom. It didn't work. The movie bombed. It was a critical failure, too. But time has been kind to it,...

London, May 22 (Ians) Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who played the evil and authoritarian governor of Delhi in S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Rrr’, passed away on Sunday, reports ‘Variety’. He was 58.

No information on or the cause of the death was available. Though well-known in India for his ‘Rrr’ role opposite ‘Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade’ actress and Bond girl Alison Doody, Stevenson will be remembered for playing Volstagg in Marvel’s ‘Thor’ franchise.

Stevenson, according to ‘Variety’, began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s and then began landing action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s.

His first major film role came in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004 adventure movie ‘King Arthur’, where he played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table. In the film, his character sacrifices himself in battle to help Arthur (Clive Owen) and his brotherhood of warriors, says ‘Variety’

In...

Ray Stevenson, the actor behind memorable roles in Marvel’s Thor series, Rrr, Divergent, Vikings, and more, died Sunday in Italy. Details related to Stevenson’s passing are developing. However, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica says he was hospitalized on the island of Ischia while in production on the film Cassino on Ischia, directed by Frank Ciota.

In April, Stevenson embraced fans at Star Wars Celebration. In the upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka, he plays one of the primary antagonists, Baylan Skoll. Like a kid waking up on Christmas morning to a tree packed with presents, Stevenson expressed his gratitude for playing in the Star Wars Universe by saying, “Getting to wield the light saber is just the best feeling in the world,” he said with a smile. “The first time they handed it to for the camera test, I couldn’t help myself, I made the noise.”

Many know...

Not many actors could claim they had played multiple Marvel characters and Star Wars characters in addition to famous historical figures and the villain in one of the biggest Tollywood hits of all time, but Ray Stevenson was one of them. As first reported by Italian news outlets and later confirmed by The Wrap and Variety, the actor died today at the age of 58. Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, Stevenson began acting in film and TV in the '90s. He would go on to become a bigger name thanks to his roles as Titus Pullo in the HBO series "Rome" and as Dagonet, one of Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, in Antoine Fuqua's 2004 period action-adventure movie "King Arthur."

As someone with a knack for playing hard-edged fighters and antiheroes, Stevenson was a natural fit to portray the Marvel comic book vigilante Frank Castle in Lexi Alexander's...

Ray Stevenson, the burly British actor who starred as Volstagg in the Thor movies and as the brutally evil governor in the recent Oscar-winning Indian hit Rrr, has died. He was 58.

Stevenson died Sunday, four days shy of his birthday, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Hollywood Reporter. The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported he had been hospitalized on the island of Ischia while in production on the film Cassino on Ischia, directed by Frank Ciota.

No other details of his death were immediately available.

The 6-foot-3 actor was an imposing presence onscreen and commanded attention when he took to the stage in April for a public appearance at Star Wars Celebration in London. He is one of the main antagonists in the upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka.

“Getting to wield the light saber is just the best feeling in the world,” he said then. “The first time they handed...

According to reports this afternoon, British-Irish actor Ray Stevenson has tragically passed away this week. The Punisher: War Zone star was just 58 years old.

Ray Stevenson was most recently seen in the Academy Award-winning action movie Rrr, playing the critically acclaimed Indian film’s central villain.

Stevenson memorably played Frank Castle in 2008’s Punisher: War Zone, a violent comic book movie that cemented him as many fans’ all-time favorite Punisher actor.

Beginning his screen career in 1993, Ray Stevenson amassed over 60 credits in film and television, including the films King Arthur, Outpost, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, The Book of Eli, The Other Guys, Kill the Irishman, Thor, The Three Musketeers, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Thor: Dark World, Divergent, Big Game, The Transporter Refueled, Insurgent, Cold Skin, Thor: Ragnarok, Accident Man, Memory, and Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday.

On the small screen, Ray Stevenson appeared in “The Dwelling Place,” “Band of Gold,...

Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who starred in films like “Punisher: War Zone,” “King Arthur,” the “Thor” films and shows like HBO’s “Rome” and the upcoming “Ahsoka” series,” died on Sunday in Italy, Variety has confirmed with his publicist. He was 58.

No cause of death was available. Italian media reported that he had been taken to a local hospital while on the island of Ischia.

Born in Northern Ireland on May 25, 1964, Stevenson began his career appearing on TV shows in the 1990s then began landing action roles in Hollywood films starting in the 2000s. His first major film role came in Antoine Fuqua’s 2004’s adventure movie “King Arthur,” where he played Dagonet, one of the Knights of the Round Table. In the film, his character sacrifices himself in battle to help Arthur (Clive Owen) and his brotherhood of warriors.

In 2008, Stevenson landed a starring role in the Marvel film,...

Ray Stevenson, a towering and imposing character actor best known for starring roles in “Punisher: War Zone” and the “Rome” television show, has died at the age of 58. While his passing has been confirmed by his publicists, the cause of death is currently undisclosed.

George Raymond Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Ireland, on May 25, 1964. He was the second of three sons, and his father was a Royal Air Force pilot. He moved to England at the age of 8 and eventually attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He graduated at the age of 29. Stevenson had been a regular fixture at the movies and on television since the early 1990s.

His breakout movie role came in 1998’s “The Theory of Flight,” in which he played a gigolo tasked with helping Helena Bonham Carter’s character lose her virginity. His most notable big screen roles include the title role in Lexi Alexander...

To date, there have been four notable live-action filmed renditions of the Marvel Comics character, the Punisher. The character, also known as Frank Castle, saw his family murdered by an overzealous and vengeful gangster, and soon thereafter became the world's most deadly vigilante. Imagine Batman with bloodthirst and guns, and you'll have a good idea of what the Punisher is all about. 

It's worth mentioning right away that in recent years, the Punisher's skull logo has become a source of controversy. In about 2012, the skull began to be co-opted as a positive symbol of fascist violence. It was seen on the police cars during Black Lives Matter protests and adopted as a symbol of a "Blue Lives Matter" countermovement, used to support police brutality. Eventually, Marvel Comics had the Punisher confront some of his cop disciples, saying out loud that he is not a role model and that cops should hold themselves to higher standards.

Program Description

The Punisher is back and he’s on a killer mission when Punisher: War Zone arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook® October 18 from Lionsgate. Starring Ray Stevenson (Thor), Dominic West (The Wire), and Julie Benz (Dexter), Punisher: War Zone gives a new meaning to painting the town red as he wages his bloody one-man vigilante war. Punisher: War Zone will be available for the suggested retail price of 27.99 for 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook®.

Official Synopsis

Ex-Special Forces officer Frank Castle is back with all guns blazing as The Punisher, this time waging a one-man war on two fronts. While targeting the vicious mob boss, Billy Russoti, Castle horribly disfigures the gangster in a firefight that also claims the life of an undercover FBI agent. Seeking terrible vengeance, Russoti takes the name “Jigsaw” and begins recruiting the underworld’s most notorious criminals while the Feds form an anti-vigilante Strike Force.

(Superhero Bits is a collection of stories, updates, and videos about anything and everything inspired by the comics of Marvel, DC, and more. For comic book movies, TV shows, merchandise, events, and whatever catches our eye, this is the place to find anything that falls through the cracks.)

In this edition of Superhero Bits:

"The Batman 2" now has a writer.

A bit of new footage from "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

That "Batman: Caped Crusader" series isn't dead.

"Punisher: War Zone" is coming to 4K.

All that and more!

Monica Rambeua Is Leading Her First Ever Solo Comic Book Series

In a bit of convenient timing, Monica Rambeau is set to lead a new solo series for Marvel Comics. The publisher has announced "Monica Rambeau: Photon," a new five-issue miniseries that will arrive in December. Not coincidentally, Monica Rambeau will be a big part of "The Marvels" next year, so...

The 2004 Marvel Comics adaptation The Punisher wasn’t a huge hit when it was released by Lionsgate, it made just under 55 million at the global box office, but that was still enough for Lionsgate to greenlight a sequel. And when The Punisher 2 first went into development, the idea was that The Punisher director Jonathan Hensleigh would be back at the helm, with Thomas Jane reprising the role of vigilante Frank Castle. But there were script issues, Hensleigh left the project, and Lionsgate started searching for another director. And during a panel at the Fanboy Expo Knoxville last weekend, Jane revealed that two of the directors who were considered for The Punisher 2 were Rob Zombie, who was then fresh off of working with Lionsgate on The Devil’s Rejects, and The Warriors‘ Walter Hill.

Jane said (with thanks to ComicBook.com for the transcription),

There were a couple of iterations of Punisher 2. One...

One could easily argue that we have never had an outright good "Punisher" movie. While several attempts have been made, nothing has truly managed to capture that character on screen in a way that seems possible. Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle from "Daredevil" season 2 seems the closest, even if his solo show missed the mark a bit. Thomas Jane gave it the old college try in 2004, with the actor stepping up to the plate for "The Punisher," an adaptation of the Marvel Comics title with Jonathan Hensleigh in the director's chair.

As it turns out, there was talk of a sequel to that iteration, and, what's more, several major directors were being courted to tackle the follow-up. Among those the studio considered? None other than the man behind "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects," Rob Zombie.

Rob Zombie Nearly Directed Punisher 2

Jane revealed the intriguing information during an...

The Punisher is a vigilante who first appeared in Marvel comics in 1974 and has been the subject of several movies and tv shows.

If you’re a fan of The Punisher and want to watch all the movies in order, this blog post is for you! So we’ll give you a quick overview of all “The Punisher” movies, from the 1989 film to the latest.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie marathon of one of Marvel’s most popular characters.

About The Punisher Movies

Frank Castle, also known as “The Punisher,” is a vigilante who operates outside the law to punish criminals. He is a skilled fighter and marksman and has access to a wide range of weaponry.

His methods are brutal, and he is not afraid to kill his enemies; however, he is not without mercy and will sometimes spare those he believes deserve a second chance.

Action director Lexi Alexander is back with her first feature in over a decade, the Netflix martial arts drama "Absolute Dominion." As was first announced earlier today via Variety, the film has tapped Alex Winter and Patton Oswalt to appear. The duo joins Oluniké Adeliyi, Julie Ann Emery and Reagan Gomez, who were previously announced as starring. Alok Vaid-Menon, Andy Allo, Désiré Mia, Jennifer Jajeh, Juliana Joel,...

The post Alex Winter and Patton Oswalt Join Cast of Lexi Alexander's Netflix Martial Arts Movie Absolute Dominion appeared first on /Film.

Time is running out to stream films like “Lincoln,” “The Fisher King” and “He Got Game” on HBO Max. Below is the complete list of everything leaving HBO and HBO Max in January 2022, which includes some classic “Planet of the Apes” films, Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning “Argo” and 1988’s “Married to the Mob,” among others. Most of these titles leave the streaming service on Jan. 31, but departing HBO and HBO Max on Jan. 20 is a behind-the-scenes look at Guillermo del Toro’s new film “Nightmare Alley,” which is exclusively in theaters now.

If you’re looking for noteworthy titles to add to your watchlist before they depart, “Lincoln” is one of Steven Spielberg’s best, “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” is a handsome and nail-biting spy thriller and “The Fisher King” is a great two-hander with Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams.

Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in January 2022 below.

LeBron James might be out of the NBA playoffs, but he’s still angling to be a big part of the summer entertainment season. That’s because HBO Max’s list of new releases for July 2021 is highlighted by a very special sequel.

Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres on July 16. will find LeBron teaming up with the Looney Tunes in a Warner Bros. IP-extravaganza. Can ‘Bron and the Looney Tunes beat the Goon Squad before Warner Bros.’ server steals LeBron “Bronny” Jr.’s soul (or something)? Let’s hope so. The two other major WB releases this month, No Sudden Move and Tom and Jerry in New York, both come to HBO Max on July 1.

HBO Max is also bringing some fun TV shows to its stream this month. The long-awaited Gossip Girl revival premieres on July 8. That will be followed by Mike White’s satirical limited series The White Lotus...

Summer is officially here and with it comes a surfeit of new movies and television shows available on HBO Max. Next month, the WarnerMedia streaming service will debut the long-awaited sequel to “Space Jam” with Lebron James taking the baton from Michael Jordan and the latest heist movie from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. But while those titles arrive, others depart, including “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “In the Heights.”

Ahead, highlights of the month ahead on HBO Max, plus the full list of July programming.

“No Sudden Move” (July 1): Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Kieran Culkin, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, and “Uncut Gems” breakout Julia Fox, among others, the heist thriller is set in 1950s Detroit and “enters on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong,...

After well over a decade trapped in development hell, Sony’s Uncharted is finally set to hit theaters in July of next year, and at this stage, there’s absolutely no guarantee that it won’t become the latest in a long line of video game adaptations to bomb at the box office.

Not only is the genre still one of the most wildly inconsistent in Hollywood, but the overwhelming majority of the movies themselves tend to range from entirely forgettable to abjectly terrible. Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog may have hit the sweet spot of critical and commercial acclaim, but they’re only 2 of almost 40 console-to-screen projects to reach the big screen over the last three decades.

Uncharted director Ruben Fleischer still hasn’t made a better film than his debut feature Zombieland, writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway’s recent credits include Punisher: War Zone, Transformers: The Last Knight...

Well ain’t that some sh*t?

Marvel Studios has put Ryan Reynolds‘ Deadpool 3 into pre-production, with the Merc with a Mouth continuing his filthy ways at the Mouse House. Confirmation of this comes with the announcement of Deadpool 3 hiring sisters Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneaux-Loeglin (via Deadline) as the screenwriters of the new film.

The hiring is the first official movement Deadpool 3 has seen since the Disney-Fox acquisition was finalized last year, as well as the first that includes Kevin Feige as a producer on a mutant-related movie since he became head of Marvel Studios. It’s also surprising since the first two Deadpool movies included Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick as screenwriters, as well as executive producers.

Yet apparently star and producer Reynolds, who is also a credited screenwriter on Deadpool 2, was in the market for a new writing team, having interviewed a number...