New Trailers! Wicked: For Good, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and After the Hunt

🎥 Witches, nannies, and academia collide this fall as Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Maika Monroe, Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri lead a new slate of films.

🎥 “Wicked: For Good” Final Trailer: Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) Face Betrayal, Propaganda, and a Kansas Tornado in Jon M. Chu’s Epic Musical Finale — In Theaters November 21st

One of the great elements of L. Frank Baum’s classic fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the invention of “the man behind the curtain”—the great and powerful Oz! An antagonistic figure who is ultimately revealed to be nothing more than an ordinary man using tricks and illusions to maintain order and control. Now, this idea could be applied to many aspects of today’s society, from politics and religion to media and business, where those in power often rely on deception and pageantry to preserve a certain level of authority.

When the original novel was published back in 1900, many scholars later interpreted L. Frank Baum’s writings as a critique of populism—more specifically, faux populism—where a figure claims to represent the common people while masking their true intentions behind smoke, mirrors, and empty promises. Nothing is worse than a politician who guarantees your life will become better if you vote for them, only to eventually realize those were lies disguised as hope.

We imagine Universal Pictures never anticipated that their two-part musical adaptation of the Broadway juggernaut would not only become a full-blown cultural phenomenon but also strike at the core of what’s going on in America, politically speaking. In many ways, Elphaba and Glinda represent the clash between dissent and conformity, the outsider and the insider—how one can allow themselves to be defined by others rather than daring to define themselves. It’s a theme that feels especially timely, and one that shines through in the final trailer for the highly anticipated conclusion, Wicked: For Good.

With the focus squarely on Elphaba and Glinda (again played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, reprising their Oscar-nominated roles), their relationship remains the backbone of this saga. The bond is still palpable, yet the characters are being pulled apart by outside forces eager to define them for their own political purposes.

Of course, propaganda is running rampant in Oz with the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) pulling strings behind the curtain, twisting public fear into a weapon against Elphaba. Meanwhile, Glinda basks in her status as the nation’s sparkling symbol of goodness, even as doubts gnaw away at her. The stakes rise further with Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), Nessarose (Marissa Bode), and Boq (Ethan Slater) swept into the fallout. And then there’s the not-so-small matter of a girl from Kansas crashing into the story, tornado and all.

Again directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good will be hitting theaters everywhere November 21st, closing out one of the most ambitious musical adaptations in recent memory. So, expect plenty of heartbreak, witchy spectacle, and sweeping duets that might just leave audiences spellbound.

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🎥 “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle” Trailer: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Faces Maika Monroe’s Sinister Nanny in This Modern Remake of Classic ‘90s Psychological Thriller — Premieres October 22nd on Hulu/Disney+

It’s 1992, and director Curtis Hanson delivered a mid-budget thriller that forever changed how we see nannies. Gone was the warm and harmless image of Mary Poppins—enter Rebecca De Mornay as a psychotic nanny from hell.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was a box office sleeper hit, perhaps riding the wave of films like Fatal Attraction, where marital bliss turned into a battleground for obsession, betrayal, and revenge. It was certainly a favorite among ‘90s kids who remembered the terrific female-centric psychological thrillers of that decade, like Single White Female, The Crush, and Basic Instinct.

A common thread here was women characters revealed as secretly demented protagonists. The idea, we suppose, that women could be just as dangerous, manipulative, and fearsome as any male villain on screen. They also came armed with charm, intelligence, and a terrifying ability to weaponize trust. These films also tapped into parental anxiety about losing control over their own households, and fears of women upending traditional power dynamics.

Now, fast forward 33 years later, it seems those themes are just as potent—if not more so. Only this time, it’s Maika Monroe (Longlegs, It Follows) stepping into the role of the too-good-to-be-true nanny with sinister secrets. She can’t be trusted. But golly gee! She comes with great references, and it’s so hard to find good help these days.

In this chilling modern-day remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey, Ahsoka) plays an upscale suburban mom who hires a new nanny, Polly Murphy (Monroe). At first, Polly seems perfect: she’s warm, dependable, and an instant hit with the kids. But when cracks begin to show in her carefully polished facade, it becomes clear she isn’t who she claims to be. What starts as comfort quickly spirals into control, as Polly’s obsession with the family turns manipulative, dangerous, and downright demented.

Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, the rising Mexican filmmaker behind the acclaimed horror Huesera: The Bone Woman, this remake sharpens the story’s original fear factor for a new generation. A household is sacred—but invite the wrong person in, and everything you value can be destroyed from within.

Also starring Raúl Castillo as Winstead’s husband and Martin Starr as the family friend who suspects something is fishy with their new live-in nanny, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle turns domestic into deadly when it premieres Wednesday, October 22nd on Hulu and Disney+. So, just remember: always double-check those references—and never invite anyone into your home you don’t truly know... and that includes nannies.

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🎥 “After the Hunt” New Trailer: Julia Roberts Weighs Loyalty and Truth in Luca Guadagnino’s New Psychological Campus Drama with Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri — In Theaters October 10th

Okay, truth be told, After the Hunt might go down as one of the most pretentious films of the year. After all, it’s set on the grounds of an Ivy League school, all the characters seem to belong to the professional-managerial class, and they speak with the kind of lofty, overly intellectual tone that makes every line sound like it’s straining for importance—at least judging by this new trailer.

But that’s not to say the film doesn’t have anything worthwhile to offer. It’s a psychological campus drama directed by renowned filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Challengers) and starring Julia Roberts alongside Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri. The story appears to center on how accusations can be weaponized, turning a school into a place of protest and paranoia, where friends become enemies and teachers and students transform into combatants locked in ideological crossfire. There also seems to be a generational gap subtext, with older faculty clinging to personal privacy and discretion while younger voices demand accountability and transparency.

So if these are the kinds of things that float your boat, by all means, step aboard and let After the Hunt take you for a ride. But sadly, when the film premiered last month at Venice, critics were less than impressed. Then again, it’s a film designed to ruffle feathers.

The story follows Alma Olsson (Roberts), a celebrated philosophy professor who rules her academic circle with wit, intellect, and an almost mythic aura. But her carefully constructed world begins to collapse when her trusted colleague Hank (Garfield) is accused of misconduct by Maggie (Edebiri), one of Alma’s brightest protégés. Suddenly, Alma is caught between friend and student, past and present, as the court of public opinion demands a verdict before truth can be untangled.

Guadagnino, never one to shy away from uncomfortable themes, frames the story against the lingering shadows of the Me Too era—where reputation is fragile, scrutiny is relentless, and loyalty comes with a cost. This new trailer teases fierce debates, simmering generational clashes, and an unraveling of dangerous secrets. It also promises a potentially stunning performance from Julia Roberts as a woman caught in the storm.

Also starring Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny, After the Hunt opens in select theaters October 10th before expanding nationwide throughout the rest of October. So have those notes ready, it’s going to be one hell of a lecture.