Rhys Austin, Author at MatteScreen

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Trailer Breaks All-Time Viewing Record

Rhys AustinMay 29, 2026May 31, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 29, 2026May 31, 2026

Tom Holland’s long-awaited return as Peter Parker generated 718.6 million views in its first 24 hours, surpassing ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ to set a new global record. Tom Holland’s return to the role that made him a global star has already made history — and the film doesn’t even open......

Review: “Mortal Kombat II” (2026)

Rhys AustinMay 21, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 21, 2026

Simon McQuoid’s ‘Mortal Kombat II’ hits theatres at a time when the video game movie curse is supposed to be dead, but this sequel proves that old habits die hard. Back in the day, the arcade era was defined by the quarter-burning rivalry between Street Fighter II and the far......

A24 Wins ‘Club Kid’ in Heated Cannes Bidding War for $17M

Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026

A24 has emerged victorious from one of the most fiercely contested acquisition battles at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, closing a $17 million global rights deal for Club Kid, the buzzy debut feature from writer-director Jordan Firstman that premiered in the festival’s Un Certain Regard sidebar. Multiple buyers were in......

Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Tops Summer 2026 Release Calendar

Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026

The sci-fi UFO thriller from the Jurassic Park director headlines a summer slate stacked with anticipated blockbusters and franchise entries. With the summer movie season now firmly in view, the theatrical release calendar is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated in recent memory, headlined by Steven Spielberg’s......

Nina Gold Boards New James Bond Film as Casting Director

Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026May 19, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 19, 2026May 19, 2026

The hunt for the next James Bond has moved from speculation to action. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed that casting director Nina Gold has officially closed a deal to spearhead the search for the actor who will succeed Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming’s legendary MI6 operative, according to sources who......

Review: ‘We Never Sleep’ (2026) – Short Film

Rhys AustinMay 16, 2026May 18, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 16, 2026May 18, 2026

Rashan Mines and Ren-Horng Wang’s ‘We Never Sleep’ is a masterclass in modern digital anxiety. Premiering at the Cleveland International Film Festival, this 13-minute short weaponises the exact techno-paranoia we all live with AI manipulation, relentless online surveillance, and digital cancel culture and embeds it into a tight, claustrophobic home......

Sydney Film Festival Unveils 73rd Edition With 19 Cannes 2026 Titles

Rhys AustinMay 13, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 13, 2026

The Sydney Film Festival has announced its full programme for the 73rd edition, set to run June 3–14, with a competition lineup that places the event firmly among the year’s most significant showcases of international cinema. Crucially, 19 films coming directly from Cannes 2026 will feature in the programme, giving......

Cannes 2026 Opens Without Hollywood as International Auteurs Take Centre Stage

Rhys AustinMay 13, 2026May 13, 2026

by Rhys AustinMay 13, 2026May 13, 2026

For the first time in years, all major Hollywood studios are sitting out the 79th Cannes Film Festival’s competition lineup. CANNES, France — The 79th Cannes Film Festival opened its doors this week under a conspicuous cloud of Hollywood absence, with none of the summer’s most anticipated studio blockbusters making......

Future Classics: 10 Sci-Fi Films from the 2020s That Will Be Studied in 50 Years

Rhys AustinApril 20, 2026April 23, 2026

by Rhys AustinApril 20, 2026April 23, 2026

Science fiction has always been the genre that gets to ask the uncomfortable questions — about what it means to be human, about who counts, about where we’re headed and whether we can stop it. The 2020s have been a remarkable period for the genre, perhaps because the questions got......

Top 10 Most Compelling Anti-Heroes in 21st-Century Film

Rhys AustinFebruary 1, 2026April 23, 2026

by Rhys AustinFebruary 1, 2026April 23, 2026

There is something about the morally compromised protagonist that cinema handles better than any other medium. The anti-hero isn’t a villain — that would be too simple. They’re someone whose methods are wrong, or whose desires are understandable but whose pursuit of them causes damage, or who inhabits a world......