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https://nerdist.com/article/wake-up-dead-man-a-knives-out-mystery-queerness-catholicism/
When Rian Johnson’s Knives Out first hit theaters, it wasn’t just a clever whodunit with an all-star ensemble cast. It was the birth of a new franchise, and an instantly iconic sleuth in Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. With his Foghorn Leghorn-esque accent, eccentric sense of style, and undeniable charisma, Benoit Blanc swaggers his way through Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion as the mysterious yet undeniably charming sleuth.
But in Johnson’s latest Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man, it isn’t just the murder suspects who are put under a microscope and scrutinized. Through Josh O’Connor’s Father Jud, and the setting of a small-town Catholic church, Rian Johnson unearths previously undiscovered layers of Benoit Blanc. As a result, this film delivers a poignant, personal story about the complex relationship between queerness and Catholicism.
Wake Up Dead Man sets a record for the latest Benoit Blanc is introduced in a Knives Out film. (It takes more than half an hour before the dapper detective waltzes into the picture.) Instead, the opening act of the murder-mystery follows Josh O’Connor’s Father Jud Duplenticy. He’s an earnest young priest from Albany and former boxer who willingly divulges to Blanc and his parishoners that he killed a man in the ring when he was 17.
Though Jud has dedicated his life to serving Christ, he still has violent impulses. We learn this in the opening beats of the film as Jud pleads his case in front of a probationary council for punching a deacon who said something “way out of line.” By Jud’s own admission, he’s struggled with addiction, anger, and homelessness, but following Jesus has set him on a new path.
When a priest at the probation hearing tells Jud that “A priest is a shepard, the world is a wolf” and that the Church “needs fighters, but to fight the world, not ourselves,” Jud immediately disagrees, emphatically insisting that if “You start fighting wolves, before you know it, everyone you don’t understand is a wolf.”
Deeply flawed but genuinely seeking salvation through service, Father Jud represents everything a priest should be: forgiving, honest, thoughtful, and perpetually open-hearted. Jud’s empathetic approach to ministry is what catches the attention of Bishop Langstrom (Jeffrey Wright), who assigns him to serve as assistant pastor to Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), whose flock of parishioners is (in Langstrom’s own words) “shrinking and calcifying.”
Though Jud doesn’t initially understand why Langstrom is sending him to Wicks’ parish in Chimney Rock, it quickly becomes clear: Monsignor Wicks is a cruel, vindictive man, who leads his Church with an iron fist. The diametric opposite of Jud, Wicks is cold and calculating. He crafts his sermons to single out new attendees (the film depicts a single mother, a gay couple, and a woman wearing a face mask) and preaching increasingly hateful, incendiary rhetoric until the newcomer gets up and walks out.
Wicks isn’t interested in helping parishioners find Christ, he’s interested in growing his power and keeping them under his thumb. He views Jud’s earnest desire to help the parishioners of Chimney Rock heal as a threat to his fearmongering ministry. Wicks sees Jud’s kindness and exploits it, pushing and pushing until Jud finally reacts with violence, which is what he first came to the church to get away from.
Even in death, Father Jud reflects, Wicks has still won: deep down, there’s a hateful part of Jud that’s glad Wicks is dead. He may be dead and buried, but the mythology he’d built around himself, the cruel, fearsome persona, has latched on to Jud and the rest of the parishioners. Wicks has taught his parishoners to hate and driven Jud to violence, prompting the rest of the world to blame him for Wicks’ murder and label him the “Killer Priest.”
The young priest with a dark, violent past would be the perfect fall guy for Wicks’ killing. But just like Marta Cabrera from Knives Out was a good nurse and Helen Brand from Glass Onion was a good sister, Father Jud is a good priest. So he does what a priest should: he gets on his knees and prays.
And, lo and behold, seconds after Jud asks Jesus to show him a path to absolution, in waltzes Benoit Blanc. As we know, Blanc is an out and proud gay man, who lives happily with a husband (played by Hugh Grant). He spends his free time blasting “Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat” and playing Among Us with Angela Lansbury. But while Blanc may be memorable due to his many eccentricities, the first two Knives Out films don’t offer much in the way of insights into who Benoit Blanc is behind closed doors.
Benoit Blanc isn’t changed by these mysteries. He’s the one doing the changing, guiding the likes of Marta, Helen, and now Jud to uncanny revelations hidden in plain sight. But Wake Up Dead Man is set in a church. Both Jud and Blanc acknowledge that there is an undeniable emotional potency present in a chapel, whether or not you’re religious. It’s impossible to be in a church in not feel *something*, and when Jud asks Blanc what he feels, Craig’s usually calm, collected detective cracks.
Blanc launches into a passionate speech about the hypocrisy of the church, an institution he believes is riddled with “malevolence and misogyny and homophobia.”A self-professed “Proud Heretic,” a gay man raised in the American deep South by a “very, very religious” mother, Blanc sputters to offer more details on his religious upbringing beyond “it’s complicated.”
But for any LGBTQ+ viewer raised in a religious household, it’s not difficult to put the pieces together. It’s an eerily familiar scene, struggling to explain the complex web of emotions of being brought up in a religion that preaches love and forgiveness but practices hate.
The brief but immediate exchange between Jud and Blanc feels unquestionably like the most the suave sleuth has ever been put under the microscope in a Knives Out film. And the raw, open emotional vulnerability immediately established between the priest and the detective is a dynamic that the ideological foundation Wake Up Dead Man is built on.
As a detective, Blanc can offer Jud absolution in the eyes of the law, to clear his name and find Wicks’ true killer. But we also spend Wake Up Dead Man watching Blanc watch Father Jud: how he interacts with parishioners, how he reacts to a dead body, the kindness and grace he offers to anyone he encounters.
When Blanc first arrives on the scene in Wake Up Dead Man, he gleefully assures Jud and the local police that he always catches his killer in a triumphant moment of checkmate where he “takes the stage” to deliver a final blow. But when the time comes for him to do so in Wake Up Dead Man, Blanc, instead, opts to follow in Father Jud’s example, and choose a different path.
Make no mistake, Benoit Blanc isn’t converting to Catholicism. Jud invites him to his first mass at the newly renamed Our Lady of Perpetual Grace, but Blanc cheerily assures him there’s “nothing he’d rather not do.” But for Blanc, it’s the extension of the offer, the invitation to community, that matters. It’s written plainly on the message board outside: “All are welcome.” Blanc doesn’t end the film a Christian. He doesn’t even stay for mass.
But nonetheless, as he puffs his cigar and waltzes off into the sunset and towards his next case, we’re left with the feeling that Blanc has been undeniably changed by his time in Chimney Rock. There is love and grace to be found in the church. Father Jud is living proof of it, and seeing the young, troubled, but relentlessly hopeful priest tend to his flock with grace in the face of cruelty inspires Blanc, in turn, to have grace for his enemy.
Instead of relishing in his moment of triumph, Blanc cedes his final “whodunit” speech in favor of allowing a broken but profoundly pious soul the opportunity to seek forgiveness in the loving arms of their priest. Wake Up Dead Man’s killer is the walking embodiment of bigotry, someone who undoubtedly reminded Blanc of his own, deeply religious, estranged mother. And yet he extends them an extraordinary kindness, following in father Jud’s example. Perpetual Grace.
The post The Complexity of Queerness and Catholicism in WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY appeared first on Nerdist.
When Rian Johnson’s Knives Out first hit theaters, it wasn’t just a clever whodunit with an all-star ensemble cast. It was the birth of a new franchise, and an instantly iconic sleuth in Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc. With his Foghorn Leghorn-esque accent, eccentric sense of style, and undeniable charisma, Benoit Blanc swaggers his way through Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion as the mysterious yet undeniably charming sleuth.
But in Johnson’s latest Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man, it isn’t just the murder suspects who are put under a microscope and scrutinized. Through Josh O’Connor’s Father Jud, and the setting of a small-town Catholic church, Rian Johnson unearths previously undiscovered layers of Benoit Blanc. As a result, this film delivers a poignant, personal story about the complex relationship between queerness and Catholicism.
Wake Up Dead Man sets a record for the latest Benoit Blanc is introduced in a Knives Out film. (It takes more than half an hour before the dapper detective waltzes into the picture.) Instead, the opening act of the murder-mystery follows Josh O’Connor’s Father Jud Duplenticy. He’s an earnest young priest from Albany and former boxer who willingly divulges to Blanc and his parishoners that he killed a man in the ring when he was 17.
Though Jud has dedicated his life to serving Christ, he still has violent impulses. We learn this in the opening beats of the film as Jud pleads his case in front of a probationary council for punching a deacon who said something “way out of line.” By Jud’s own admission, he’s struggled with addiction, anger, and homelessness, but following Jesus has set him on a new path.
When a priest at the probation hearing tells Jud that “A priest is a shepard, the world is a wolf” and that the Church “needs fighters, but to fight the world, not ourselves,” Jud immediately disagrees, emphatically insisting that if “You start fighting wolves, before you know it, everyone you don’t understand is a wolf.”
Deeply flawed but genuinely seeking salvation through service, Father Jud represents everything a priest should be: forgiving, honest, thoughtful, and perpetually open-hearted. Jud’s empathetic approach to ministry is what catches the attention of Bishop Langstrom (Jeffrey Wright), who assigns him to serve as assistant pastor to Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), whose flock of parishioners is (in Langstrom’s own words) “shrinking and calcifying.”
Though Jud doesn’t initially understand why Langstrom is sending him to Wicks’ parish in Chimney Rock, it quickly becomes clear: Monsignor Wicks is a cruel, vindictive man, who leads his Church with an iron fist. The diametric opposite of Jud, Wicks is cold and calculating. He crafts his sermons to single out new attendees (the film depicts a single mother, a gay couple, and a woman wearing a face mask) and preaching increasingly hateful, incendiary rhetoric until the newcomer gets up and walks out.
Wicks isn’t interested in helping parishioners find Christ, he’s interested in growing his power and keeping them under his thumb. He views Jud’s earnest desire to help the parishioners of Chimney Rock heal as a threat to his fearmongering ministry. Wicks sees Jud’s kindness and exploits it, pushing and pushing until Jud finally reacts with violence, which is what he first came to the church to get away from.
Even in death, Father Jud reflects, Wicks has still won: deep down, there’s a hateful part of Jud that’s glad Wicks is dead. He may be dead and buried, but the mythology he’d built around himself, the cruel, fearsome persona, has latched on to Jud and the rest of the parishioners. Wicks has taught his parishoners to hate and driven Jud to violence, prompting the rest of the world to blame him for Wicks’ murder and label him the “Killer Priest.”
The young priest with a dark, violent past would be the perfect fall guy for Wicks’ killing. But just like Marta Cabrera from Knives Out was a good nurse and Helen Brand from Glass Onion was a good sister, Father Jud is a good priest. So he does what a priest should: he gets on his knees and prays.
And, lo and behold, seconds after Jud asks Jesus to show him a path to absolution, in waltzes Benoit Blanc. As we know, Blanc is an out and proud gay man, who lives happily with a husband (played by Hugh Grant). He spends his free time blasting “Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat” and playing Among Us with Angela Lansbury. But while Blanc may be memorable due to his many eccentricities, the first two Knives Out films don’t offer much in the way of insights into who Benoit Blanc is behind closed doors.
Benoit Blanc isn’t changed by these mysteries. He’s the one doing the changing, guiding the likes of Marta, Helen, and now Jud to uncanny revelations hidden in plain sight. But Wake Up Dead Man is set in a church. Both Jud and Blanc acknowledge that there is an undeniable emotional potency present in a chapel, whether or not you’re religious. It’s impossible to be in a church in not feel *something*, and when Jud asks Blanc what he feels, Craig’s usually calm, collected detective cracks.
Blanc launches into a passionate speech about the hypocrisy of the church, an institution he believes is riddled with “malevolence and misogyny and homophobia.”A self-professed “Proud Heretic,” a gay man raised in the American deep South by a “very, very religious” mother, Blanc sputters to offer more details on his religious upbringing beyond “it’s complicated.”
But for any LGBTQ+ viewer raised in a religious household, it’s not difficult to put the pieces together. It’s an eerily familiar scene, struggling to explain the complex web of emotions of being brought up in a religion that preaches love and forgiveness but practices hate.
The brief but immediate exchange between Jud and Blanc feels unquestionably like the most the suave sleuth has ever been put under the microscope in a Knives Out film. And the raw, open emotional vulnerability immediately established between the priest and the detective is a dynamic that the ideological foundation Wake Up Dead Man is built on.
As a detective, Blanc can offer Jud absolution in the eyes of the law, to clear his name and find Wicks’ true killer. But we also spend Wake Up Dead Man watching Blanc watch Father Jud: how he interacts with parishioners, how he reacts to a dead body, the kindness and grace he offers to anyone he encounters.
When Blanc first arrives on the scene in Wake Up Dead Man, he gleefully assures Jud and the local police that he always catches his killer in a triumphant moment of checkmate where he “takes the stage” to deliver a final blow. But when the time comes for him to do so in Wake Up Dead Man, Blanc, instead, opts to follow in Father Jud’s example, and choose a different path.
Make no mistake, Benoit Blanc isn’t converting to Catholicism. Jud invites him to his first mass at the newly renamed Our Lady of Perpetual Grace, but Blanc cheerily assures him there’s “nothing he’d rather not do.” But for Blanc, it’s the extension of the offer, the invitation to community, that matters. It’s written plainly on the message board outside: “All are welcome.” Blanc doesn’t end the film a Christian. He doesn’t even stay for mass.
But nonetheless, as he puffs his cigar and waltzes off into the sunset and towards his next case, we’re left with the feeling that Blanc has been undeniably changed by his time in Chimney Rock. There is love and grace to be found in the church. Father Jud is living proof of it, and seeing the young, troubled, but relentlessly hopeful priest tend to his flock with grace in the face of cruelty inspires Blanc, in turn, to have grace for his enemy.
Instead of relishing in his moment of triumph, Blanc cedes his final “whodunit” speech in favor of allowing a broken but profoundly pious soul the opportunity to seek forgiveness in the loving arms of their priest. Wake Up Dead Man’s killer is the walking embodiment of bigotry, someone who undoubtedly reminded Blanc of his own, deeply religious, estranged mother. And yet he extends them an extraordinary kindness, following in father Jud’s example. Perpetual Grace.
The post The Complexity of Queerness and Catholicism in WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY appeared first on Nerdist.
If 2025 was about recovery and recalibration for Hollywood, 2026 looks like a full-throttle return to cinematic ambition. From visionary auteurs and franchise juggernauts to animation that promises both nostalgia and innovation, next year’s slate feels tailor-made for movie lovers who crave spectacle and substance.
January 16, 2026
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Director: Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta stepping into the 28 Days Later universe immediately puts this sequel on our radar. Known for infusing genre storytelling with social commentary (Candyman, The Marvels, Hedda), DaCosta’s take promises a horror film that’s as psychologically unsettling as it is culturally resonant. If the title alone is any indication, this chapter may lean even harder into ritual, survival, and the cost of rebuilding civilization.
February 13, 2026
GOAT
Directors: Tyree Dillihay and Adam Rosette
This one already feels like a cult favorite in the making. GOAT blends irreverent humor with an underdog spirit, and Dillihay’s rise as a creative voice makes this a project worth watching closely. We’re especially excited to see how this film balances comedy with commentary, something Black-led storytelling continues to do exceptionally well.
February 13, 2026
Crime 101
Starring: Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Corey Hawkins
Crime 101 follows an elusive master thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose meticulously planned heists along the iconic 101 freeway have left law enforcement scrambling for answers. With one final, multimillion-dollar score in his sights, he believes he’s ready to walk away for good until fate throws a curveball in the form of Halle Berry’s character, a disillusioned insurance broker at her own personal crossroads. A thrilling crime-centered story that promises twists, intrigue, and morally complex characters.
February 27, 2026
In the Blink of an Eye
Starring: Rashida Jones, Daveed Diggs
Rashida Jones and Daveed Diggs is a pairing we didn’t know we needed until now. Early buzz suggests an emotionally driven story about time, memory, and human connection. Expect performances that prioritize intimacy over spectacle; exactly the kind of mid-budget drama Hollywood has been missing.
March 6, 2026
The Bride
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s reimagining of Bride of Frankenstein is one of the most intriguing prestige projects of the year. Following the bold success of The Lost Daughter, Gyllenhaal has proven she’s unafraid to deconstruct familiar narratives. The Bride promises a gothic, feminist take on monstrosity, agency, and desire. We’re soooo there.
March 20, 2026
Project: Hail Mary
Starring: Ryan Gosling
Sci-fi fans rejoice: this adaptation promises interstellar stakes, brilliant problem-solving, and a thrilling journey that could rank among the year’s most inventive blockbusters. As details of Ryland Grace’s (Gosling) mission unravels, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity, but he may not have to do it alone.
April 3, 2026
The Drama
Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Mamoudou Athie
A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails. It’s a story about ambition, rivalry, and the complexities perfect for craving character-driven storytelling.
April 3, 2026
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Starring: Jack Black and Chris Pratt
Nintendo’s cinematic universe continues to expand. After the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, this sequel looks to embrace the cosmic whimsy and imaginative worlds that made Super Mario Galaxy a fan favorite. Expect dazzling animation, clever callbacks, and another box-office powerhouse.
April 24, 2026
Michael
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Antoine Fuqua directing a Michael Jackson biopic immediately signals a serious, dramatic approach to one of the most complex figures in music history. Michael carries enormous cultural weight, not only because of Jackson’s legacy, but because of the challenge in capturing his artistry, contradictions, and global impact. This film will undoubtedly spark conversation and scrutiny, but it’s one of 2026’s most anticipated releases for a reason. And it’s coming out on my birthday!
May 1, 2026
Devil Wears Prada 2
Starring: Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway
The story ollows Miranda Priestly’s struggle against Emily Charlton, her former assistant turned rival executive, as they compete for advertising revenue amidst declining print media while Miranda nears retirement. The return to the fashion world is sure to combine wit, style, and drama, offering fans a modern continuation of the beloved story.
May 15, 2026
Mortal Kombat II
Starring: Karl Urban
The first Mortal Kombat reboot proved there’s still life in the franchise, and the sequel promises higher stakes, bigger fights, and deeper lore. If the filmmakers lean further into character development alongside the chaos, this could be a rare video game sequel that actually levels up.
May 22, 2026
I Love Boosters
Director: Boots Riley
Boots Riley returning to the director’s chair is an event in itself. Known for surreal, politically sharp storytelling (Sorry to Bother You), Riley’s I Love Boosters promises satire with bite. The film about a crew of professional shoplifters taking aim at a cutthroat fashion maven is the kind of original, unapologetic filmmaking we’re always rooting for.
May 22, 2026
The Mandalorian & Grogu
Starring: Pedro Pascal
The leap from Disney+ to the big screen signals how central Din Djarin and Grogu have become to modern Star Wars. This theatrical outing feels less like a spin-off, cementing these characters as core to the franchise’s future. As a Star Wars fans here, we will certainly be seated day one.
June 5, 2026
Masters of the Universe
Starring: Idris Elba
A young man on Earth discovers a fabulous secret legacy as the prince of an alien planet, and must recover a magic sword and return home to protect his kingdom. The live-action adaptation of the iconic fantasy property promises epic battles, adventure, and nostalgia for fans and newcomers alike.
June 12, 2026
Disclosure Day
Director: Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg returns to the director’s chair in this highly anticipated thriller that asks the question, if you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?
June 12, 2026
Scary Movie 6
Starring: Regina Hall and Anna Faris
The long-running comedy franchise returns with irreverent, laugh-out-loud parody is guaranteed to divide critics but delight audiences.
June 26, 2026
Supergirl
Starring: Milly Alcock and Jason Momoa
It follows Kara Zor-El’s story and her darker origin before she finally made her way to Earth. The film will offer a fresh take on the iconic superhero, offering both spectacle and a modern lens on heroism, identity, and power.
Summer 2026
Minions 3
Starring: Amy Sedaris
Love them or hate them, the Minions remain an undeniable global phenomenon. Expect more chaos, slapstick humor, and meme-ready moments aimed squarely at families and international audiences that keep this franchise thriving.
June 19, 2026
Toy Story 5
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Greta Lee
Yes, we said goodbye already… but Pixar isn’t done tugging at our heartstrings. Toy Story 5 faces the challenge of justifying its existence after a near-perfect conclusion, but if any studio can find new emotional ground, it’s Pixar.
July 2026
Moana (Live-Action)
Disney’s live-action remakes are hit-or-miss, but Moana feels uniquely positioned to succeed especially with advancements in visual effects and a story rooted in cultural mythology and self-discovery. And not to mention the box office success of the animated sequel. The ocean alone might be worth the price of admission.
July 17, 2026
The Odyssey
Director: Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan tackling Homer’s The Odyssey is the kind of cinematic swing we don’t see often enough. Epic in scale and mythic in structure, this adaptation could redefine what a historical fantasy looks like in the modern era. Shot, of course, with Nolan’s signature technical ambition.
July 31, 2026
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Starring: Tom Holland and Zendaya
A new chapter in the Spider-Man saga, Brand New Day signals a tonal and narrative reset for the beloved web-slinger. With the title evoking rebirth and reinvention, the film arrives at a moment when the franchise is once again redefining what Spider-Man represents both within the larger Marvel universe and as a standalone hero. Positioned mid-summer, this feels primed to be one of 2026’s biggest crowd-pleasers, blending spectacle, heart, and the kind of youthful urgency that makes Spider-Man endure across generations.
September 11, 2026
Clayface
Starring: Naomi Ackie
A shape-shifting creature made of magical clay haunts Gotham City, alternating between villain and ally of Batman. Multiple tragic figures have taken on the Clayface mantle over the years. The live-action adaptation promises to delve into Batman’s rogue gallery with visual flair and complex storytelling.
October 2, 2026
Digger
Starring: Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise stepping into a comedic role feels like a deliberate pivot. We’ve seen him do this before, and he’s a craftsman of the genre. Digger could offer a refreshing change of pace from his high-octane action dominance and showcase a different side of his star power.
October 16, 2026
Street Fighter
Starring: Jason Momoa and Andrew Koji
Take this one with a grain of salt. The Street Fighter franchise returns to the big screen with another attempt to translate one of gaming’s most iconic properties into cinematic form. With decades of lore, globally recognized characters, and a built-in fanbase, this adaptation has the potential to finally get it right balancing high-energy martial arts, heightened visuals, and character-driven rivalries. And while we’re not fully onboard with the casting choices in this film, arriving in the heart of fall, Street Fighter could emerge as a crowd-pleasing action title for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
November 20, 2026
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Director: Francis Lawrence
This latest entry continues the franchise’s exploration of Panem’s dark history, expanding its commentary on power, spectacle, and rebellion which frankly are timely themes that still resonate.
November 25, 2026
Focker-In-Law
Starring: Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro
A comedy continuation in the Meet the Fockers universe, promising laughs and family dynamics for the holiday crowd.
November 26, 2026
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
Director: Greta Gerwig
The Narnia universe returns with this eagerly awaited adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s prequel. Exploring the origins of Narnia and the creation of its magical world, The Magician’s Nephew promises sweeping fantasy, imaginative creatures, and epic adventure. Perfectly timed for the holiday season, this entry has the potential to captivate both longtime fans of the series and a new generation discovering Narnia for the first time. Directed by Barbie’s Greta Gerwig this will surely be a massive hit.
December 18, 2026
Avengers: Doomsday
Directors: The Russo Bros
Marvel’s next ensemble event feels pivotal. Avengers: Doomsday has the opportunity to recalibrate the MCU and remind audiences why these crossover films once felt like cultural milestones. If only the teaser trailer leaks would stop ruining the anticipation of this movie.
December 2026
Dune: Part Three
Starring: Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga has become one of the most ambitious sci-fi undertakings in recent memory. If this chapter delivers on its thematic and emotional promise, it could cement the trilogy as a modern classic.
As 2026 approaches, what’s most exciting isn’t just the size of these releases, but the range of voices and visions shaping them. From daring filmmakers pushing genre boundaries to franchises attempting reinvention. Whether it’s original satire, culturally significant biopics, or large-scale fantasy built for communal viewing, these films remind us why going to the movies still matters. I’m sure we’ve missed quite a few that you are looking forward to seeing in 2026. If there’s a title we missed, let us know on social media!
The post Black Girl Nerds’ Most Anticipated Movies of 2026 appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Kevin Arkadie, the influential television writer and producer best known as the co-creator of Fox’s groundbreaking cop drama New York Undercover, has died. He was 68. Arkadie passed away on December 17.
Arkadie leaves behind a legacy defined by bold storytelling, cultural impact, and an unwavering commitment to character-driven drama. As a creative force behind New York Undercover, which premiered in 1994, Arkadie helped reshape the television crime genre by centering stories around Black and Latino detectives in New York City an approach that was both radical and necessary for its time. The series starred Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo as Detectives J.C. Williams and Eddie Torres, and it quickly became a cultural touchstone, celebrated for its authenticity, music-driven opening credits, and willingness to explore social issues through a distinctly urban lens.
New York Undercover was a reflection of a city and communities rarely given such visibility on network television. Arkadie’s work on the show helped open doors for more inclusive storytelling in primetime and paved the way for future series that centered marginalized voices without compromise.
Beyond New York Undercover, Arkadie’s career spanned some of the most respected dramas in television history. He contributed as a writer and producer on CBS’ Chicago Hope, ABC’s NYPD Blue, and FX’s The Shield each series known for pushing narrative boundaries and elevating the standards of TV drama. His involvement in these projects underscored his versatility and his ability to navigate complex moral terrain, whether in hospital corridors or gritty precinct houses.
In more recent years, Arkadie continued to invest in stories that reflected Black life and ambition on screen, working on BET series including The Quad and Sacrifice. These projects reaffirmed his ongoing commitment to creating layered, adult dramas that explored power, legacy, and identity within Black communities work that resonated with a new generation of viewers while maintaining the sharp storytelling instincts that defined his earlier career.
Colleagues and fans alike remember Arkadie as a writer who understood the importance of perspective and place. His stories were grounded, unflinching, and deeply human, often illuminating the gray areas where justice, loyalty, and survival collide. At a time when television is finally reckoning with representation and authenticity, Arkadie’s contributions feel especially enduring.
Kevin Arkadie’s impact on television cannot be overstated. Through his work, he helped change what audiences saw and who they saw on screen. His voice, vision, and dedication to meaningful storytelling will continue to echo through the genre he helped transform.
He is survived by his family, friends, and a body of work that remains influential decades after its debut.
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