Geek News February 13, 2024: Sylvester Stallone Says Ryan Gosling Should Play Rambo, Only the Apollo 11 Moon Landing Had More Television Viewers Than Super Bowl LVIII

Sylvester Stallone says Ryan Gosling should play Rambo in a future movie. Stallone played the role of United States Army Special Forces veteran John Rambo five times on-screen, beginning with 1982's First Blood and concluding with 2019's Rambo: Last Blood.

According to Variety, Sylvester Stallone appeared on a recent episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and explained why Ryan Gosling should play a new iteration of the musclebound action hero John Rambo. “I met [Ryan Gosling] at a dinner,” said Stallone. “Obviously we are opposites. He’s good-looking. I’m not. Seriously! Could you imagine me as Ken? It doesn’t work at all.”

Stallone continued, “[Ryan] goes, ‘I was fascinated by Rambo and I used to go to school dressed as Rambo and people would chase me away and I still didn’t stop. I’d vacation as Rambo.’ He just kept saying that he had a lot of affiliation with Rambo. And I thought, you know, this is interesting. If I ever pass the baton, I’ll pass it on to him because he loves the character.”

When pressed further about Ryan Gosling taking over the role, Stallone added, “I would say yes but I don’t know if anyone would say, ‘Hey, he’s too good-looking to be Rambo.’”

Back in 2011 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as host, Ryan Gosling said that Rambo “put a spell on” him so much that he though he was the character. “I even thought my face felt like Sylvester Stallone’s and I put a bunch of steak knives in my Fisher-Price Houdini kit,” said Gosling. “I took it to school the next day and I threw them at all the kids at recess.”

Gosling — who is Oscar-nominated for his role as Ken in Barbie — said Ken's mink coat was inspired by Stallone's similar wardrobe in the 1980s. “We found out that Stallone wore a lot of minks,” said Gosling. “As long as Ken was wearing it, he was the Ken with the mink — and that separated him from the other Kens.”

Although Gosling's future Rambo status is uncertain, he next appears in the action movie The Fall Guy, which opens in theaters on May 3.

Only the Apollo 11 Moon Landing Had More Television Viewers Than Super Bowl LVIII

Super Bowl LVIII officially became the most-watched Super Bowl in history. Only the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 pulled in more viewers in the United States than yesterday's game in which the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers during overtime.

According to IndieWire, preliminary numbers indicate that 123.4 million people tuned into the Super Bowl across various platforms, including CBS and Paramount+. Only the Moon landing on July 20, 1969 pulled in more viewers. There are approximately 330 million people living in the United States today.

Most agree that Super Bowl LVIII was an exciting game and, yes, Taylor Swift's presence cheering on beau Travis Kelce surely attracted more viewers. The Usher halftime show helped, too, as did the commercials, including trailers for many upcoming blockbuster movies.

Katy Perry To Leave ‘American Idol’ After This Season

“Firework” singer Katy Perry revealed that she will exit American Idol as a judge after the upcoming season. Perry joined American Idol as a judge during its 16th season in 2018.

As a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night, Perry surprised the audience when asked about her stint on American Idol. “I love Idol so much, it’s connected me with the heart of America,” said Perry to Kimmel. “But I feel like I need to go out to feel that pulse of my own beat.”

Perry continued, “I love the show so much but I want to see the world. Maybe I’ll come back if they have me one day.” 

As reported by Variety, Perry joined judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie when American Idol moved to ABC in 2018. Those three judges lasted seven seasons, the same as original judges Simon Cowell, Paul Abdul, and Randy Jackson who launched the singing-competition show on Fox in 2002.

Season 22 of American Idol — and Katy Perry's last as a judge — premieres on February 18.

Mark Ruffalo Misspoke, Will Not Appear in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

Mark Ruffalo misspoke at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Sunday when he seemed to indicate that he would reprise his role as Bruce Banner/Hulk in Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World. Aside from a postcredits cameo as Bruce Banner in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ruffalo last appeared as Hulk in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

As reported by Variety, moderator Anne Thompson asked Ruffalo if he appears in 2025's Captain America: Brave New World. “Yeah,” said Ruffalo. Thompson then asked, “Are you allowed to talk about that?” Ruffalo responded, “Yeah, it's going to be great!” Apparently Ruffalo misspoke and thought he was agreeing that Brave New World was one of Marvel's next films.

According to Variety, “The misunderstanding further adds to Ruffalo’s legendary reputation for Marvel-related PR gaffes. He accidentally spoiled the ending of Avengers: Infinity War during an interview with Good Morning America in July 2017. He accidentally live-streamed the first 20 minutes of Thor: Ragnarok on Facebook from the world premiere of the film in October 2017. And he accidentally spoiled the ending of Avengers: Endgame in April 2019.”

Ruffalo is nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in the controversial Poor Things.

Cillian Murphy Disses Wes Craven’s ‘Red Eye’ in Which He Starred Opposite Rachel McAdams

Oscar-nominated Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy doesn't consider the 2005 Wes Craven thriller Red Eye one of his better movies. Murphy plays a terrorist on board a red-eye flight to Miami who needs the hotel manager played by Rachel McAdams to assist him with an assassination plot.

In an interview with GQ, Murphy admitted that he doesn't see a lot of his own films. “Generally, the ones I haven't seen are the ones I hear are not good,” said Murphy, who admitted to seeing Red Eye. “I love Rachel McAdams and we had fun making it. But I don’t think it’s a good movie. It’s a good B movie.”

Cillian Murphy continued to explain why he took the role. “I think it’s the duality of it. It’s why I wanted to play it. That two thing. The nice guy and the bad guy in one,” he said of his character. “The only reason it appealed to me is you could do that. That turn, you know?”

Murphy has dissed Red Eye before. In a 2021 interview with Uproxx, he said, “When I was a younger actor, I was really, really hard on everything that I was in. I hated watching myself. I hated looking at myself on-screen. I remember when I saw it was like ‘Oh, that’s kind of a schlocky B movie.' Rachel McAdams is excellent in it. But I didn’t think I gave a very nuanced performance in it. But, listen, if people love the movie then that’s great. I’m pleased with that. I’m less hard on myself now when I look at stuff. I’m less hypercritical of my work. But that’s probably a hangover from that to be honest.”

Despite Murphy's aversion to Red Eye, the tight thriller got decent reviews and became a modest box office success for the late director Craven, who passed away in 2015.

Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough Are Unrecognizable Bigfoots in First Trailer for ‘Sasquatch Sunset'

If we didn't tell you that it's Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough in Bigfoot costumes in the first trailer for Sasquatch Sunset, you would never know. The oddball, dialogue-free movie about a family of grunting Bigfoots premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

Directed by David and Nathan Zellner, Sasquatch Sunset follows a clan of sasquatches in Northern California. “It’s beautifully shot, very funny, and really touching, actually, and one of my favorite experiences I’ve had filming anything,” Daisy Jones & the Six actress Riley Keough said to the audience after a Sundance screening. “And there’s no speaking in the movie. It was a whole different type of acting. It was creature work, which I had never done before.”

Sasquatch Sunset opens in select theaters on April 12 before expanding its territory on April 19. Click here to watch the first trailer.

Ewan McGregor Joins Anne Hathaway in David Robert Mitchell's New Thriller

Ewan McGregor has signed on to an as-yet-untitled Warner Bros. thriller opposite Anne Hathaway. Director David Robert Mitchell is the filmmaker behind the horror gem It Follows and Under the Silver Lake.

Although the plot of the movie is under wraps, Mitchell will direct the reported “thrill ride” from his own script and produce alongside J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella for Bad Robot, and Jackson Pictures’ Matt Jackson.

According to Deadline, “[Ewan McGregor] will soon be seen in the miniseries A Gentleman in Moscow from Showtime and Paramount Global, which he also exec produced. His other films coming up for release include Niclas Larsson’s TIFF dramedy Mother Couch, in which he stars opposite Rhys Ifans, Taylor Russell, and Ellen Burstyn, as well as Bleeding Love, the SXSW-premiering drama which he produced and stars in opposite daughter Clara McGregor.”

First Look at Michael Jackson's Nephew in ‘Michael' Biopic

Judging from the first picture released of Jaafar Jackson as his uncle Michael Jackson in the upcoming biopic Michael, the casting is pure genius. Credited photographer Kevin Mazur photographed the King of Pop throughout his career.

“With Jaafar, every look, every note, every dance move is Michael,” said producer Graham King in a statement published by Variety. “He embodies Michael in a way that no other actor could.”

Michael‘s official logline reads: “The film presents [Michael Jackson's] triumphs and tragedies on an epic, cinematic scale — from his human side and personal struggles to his undeniable creative genius, exemplified by his most iconic performances. As never before, audiences will experience an inside look into one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.”

Michael director Antoine Fuqua added, “We have assembled an incredible team of artists for this project – hair and makeup, costumes, cinematography, choreography, lighting, everything – and some who knew and worked with Michael are reuniting for this film. But most importantly, it’s Jaafar who embodies Michael. It goes beyond the physical resemblance. It’s Michael’s spirit that comes through in a magical way. You have to experience it to believe it.”

Michael starring Jaafar Jackson, Colman Domingo, Nia Long, and Miles Teller moonwalks into theaters on April 18, 2025.

Charles Melton and Elizabeth Olsen Join Todd Solondz's ‘Love Child'

May December breakout star Charles Melton and Elizabeth Olsen will star in Todd Solondz's upcoming dark comedy Love Child. Solondz previously directed Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness, and Dark Horse.

As reported by Variety, “Love Child follows Misty, who is stuck in a loveless marriage to a brutish husband. Junior, her precocious 11 year old, is her only consolation. When Easy, a handsome vagabond stranger, appears, Junior hatches a plan to get rid of his father so that his mother can marry him instead. But things end up backfiring, so Junior comes up with yet another plan, this one even more devious, and with more disastrous—and unexpected—consequences.”

“I am beyond excited to work with Elizabeth Olsen and Charles Melton on what will be a super fun and playful celebration of Hollywood movies,” said Solondz in a statement.

Olsen added, “I am a longtime fan of Todd’s work and to collaborate with him on this film is a true dream.”

Stephen Amell Cast as Lead in ‘Suits: L.A.'

Stephen Amell will slip into a different kind of suit than he did on Arrow as the lead of Suits: L.A., the upcoming spin-off of Suits. Amell played the lead role of Oliver Queen on the CW superhero series Arrow from 2012 to 2020.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Amell will play Ted Black on Suits: L.A., a character described as a “charismatic force of nature who puts his own needs above others.” Suits creator Aaron Korsh is reportedly writing and executive producing a Suits: L.A. pilot. EW continues, “The new series follows Ted, a former federal prosecutor from New York who has reinvented himself, representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles after joining forces 15 years ago with his old friend, Stuart Lane, to build a law firm that specializes in criminal and entertainment law. But now his firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career.”

Although Suits: L.A. begins filming in Vancouver next month, Amell is the only announced cast member. If the show gets a series order, characters from the original Suits could make appearances on Suits: L.A.

Millie Bobby Brown Slays as a Distressed Princess in Netflix's ‘Damsel'

Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown flips the script on the typical fairy-tale princess trope in Netflix's fantasy film Damsel. The Juan Carlos Fresnadillo-directed movie also stars Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, and Nick Robinson.

According to Netflix's Tudum, Brown plays a princess named Elodie whose not-so-charming prince sacrifices her to a dragon. “She’s a damsel who doesn’t need to be saved,” said Brown. “She saves herself in many ways. It subverts what you expect: You’re expecting the prince to turn around and save her, and… no. Don’t wait for the prince.”

“What I really loved in the script from Dan Mazeau was embracing the idea of a fantasy-adventure and a princess and dragon story, but taking it into a place [where] it’s completely upside down,” said Fresnadillo. “It was a very intense journey that I was so excited to design and to develop. At the core, this is such a beautiful story about a young woman becoming a strong, independent, and empowered adult. Elodie doesn’t have any kind of support. It’s a real survival experience.”

Brown continued, “I couldn’t draw from anything because I’ve personally never read a story like Damsel. With Eleven, I’m able to draw from Mad Max. Or, with Enola Holmes, I’m able to draw a little bit from Hermione in Harry Potter. I couldn’t find anyone for Elodie and so I knew I was going to have to create her, find her along the way, find what her weaknesses and strengths are, and really create a life and a journey for her so that everybody would care about her, believe in her, and root for her.”

Damsel premieres March 8 on Netflix. Click here to watch the new trailer.