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The Romantasy fiction genre is one of the hottest trends in publishing right now with the success of A Court of Thorns and Roses author Sarah J Maas and Iron Flame author Rebecca Yarros.

These books not only sell well but have become huge on TikTok with billions of views of related content.

This has lead Jennifer L. Armentrout, author of the Blood and Ash series of novels which has attracted over 100 million views on BookTok, to combine romantasy and reality.

Armentrout has struck a deal with L.A-based production company Panopticon Media to develop a new reality series set in the world of fantasy storytelling.

The Key mixes a challenge competition with romance. The format sees 15 contestants inhabit a village where they’ll live and compete in immersive, themed challenges for priceless keys. The keys are used to buy luxuries, woo potential romantic partners and build alliances, all in...

Filmmakers and students evicted by police in 2022 make a triumphant return to the historic venue after raising funds to buy it for €2.7m

Two years after being evicted by Paris police, a collective of students and film-industry professionals returned to the arthouse cinema they had occupied from 2019 to 2022 on Thursday to reinstall the wheels of a 35mm projector.

The crucial difference is that this time they did so as legal owners of the keys to the 600 sq metre community cinema in the French capital’s Latin quarter, appropriately called La Clef (The Key).

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated documentary Four Daughters and Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani’s Lupita Nyong’o-EPed drama Goodbye Julia lead the nominations in the eighth edition of the Critics Awards for Arab Films.

Hybrid work Four Daughters, exploring the story of a real-life Tunisian mother who lost two of her daughters to Isis after they were radicalized by a local preacher, world premiered in Competition in Cannes last year.

The film won Cannes’ Golden Eye for Best Documentary and also went on to be nominated for Best Documentary at the 2024 Academy Awards.

Kordofani’s Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia was also at Cannes in 2023, making history as the first Sudanese film to play in the festival across its 76 editions, with a debut in Un Certain Regard. It represented Sudan at in the 2023-24 Oscar race but was not nominated.

Set against the backdrop of the 2011 South Sudan Independence referendum,...

Netflix has unveiled a suite of Nordic features and series, partnering on projects with the likes of Working Title, Jo Nesbø, Milad Alami, Dome Karukoski and Sf Studios.

Little Siberia, a Finnish film from Finnish-American director Dome Karukoski, whose credits include Goteborg premiere Tom Of Finland and Jrr Tolkein origin story Tolkein, directs an adaptation of Antti Tuomainen’s novel of the same name. The everyday life of the small village of Hurmevaara is shaken when a meteorite falls through the roof of a car one night.

Cast includes Eero Ritala, Malla Malmivaara, Tommi Korpela and Martti Suosal, with Ina Sohlberg,...

Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s fortnightly strand in which we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are emerging in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track. That’s why we’re doing the hard work for you.

This week, we make our first trip to Poland, to check out a World War II spy drama. The Bay of Spies draws parallels to the likes of German Oscar Winner The Lives of Others and John le Carré TV adaptations such as The Night Manager. Politically, Poland is a charged place right now. The fact a film noir-influenced story based on real events during the war and with real moral ambiguity is the country’s most talked-about show right now is perhaps no coincidence.

The Key, a historical symbol used by the Palestinian people to represent their diaspora from 1948 until today, is the title given by Rakan Mayasi to his short film presented at the 29th Medfilm Festival. The celebration of Middle Eastern cinema wrapped up in Rome on Sunday, Nov. 19.

In a twist on the home invasion genre, Mayasi’s drama, adapted from a short story by Anwar Hamed, sees an Israeli family tormented by a mysterious and disturbing sound that slowly reveals itself to the audience as the sound of a key in a lock. It’s as if someone outside, who has a key to the house, is trying to return. It’s a clear political metaphor, especially for those, like director Mayasi, who are among more than seven million Palestinians living in the diaspora.

Mayasi spoke to The Hollywood Reporter Roma about The Key and the role of Palestinian cinema...

When the "Frasier" revival series was announced, one of the biggest concerns for fans of the original sitcom was which cast members from the original iteration of the show would be returning. Part of what was so great about "Frasier," which ran for 11 seasons from 1993 to 2004, was the incredible supporting cast surrounding Kelsey Grammer's titular shrink. John Mahoney, who played Frasier's retired cop father, Martin, was the perfect foil for his sons' hifalutin hijinks, while Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), Frasier's producer at his radio station, also provided a more down-to-earth energy to help ground the show. The same was true of Jane Leeves, who played Martin's live-in carer, Daphne Moon.

But it was arguably David Hyde Pierce as Frasier's equally pompous-yet-lovable brother, Niles, who was the most memorable supporting character. The chemistry between Grammer and Hyde Pierce was so effective it was as if you were watching two actual brothers banter back and forth.

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbove: Monica Vitti in Red Desert (1964). (Courtesy of Janus Films)One of the most captivating presences in Italian cinema, actress Monica Vitti has died at age 90. She started as a stage and television actor before becoming known for her roles in Michelangelo Antonioni's L'avventura (1960), La notte (1960), L'eclisse (1962) and Red Desert (1964). After the end of her professional and romantic relationship with Antonioni (the two would return for The Mystery of Oberwald in 1980), Vitti turned to lighter fare by international directors, including a small part in Luis Buñuel's surrealist comedy The Phantom of Liberty (1974). In the official announcement of Vitti's death, Italy’s culture minister Dario Franceschini wrote, “Goodbye to the queen of Italian cinema.”The groundbreaking artist James Bidgood, whose artistic output spanned from photography and music to films like Pink Narcissus (1971), has also died.

The Venice Film Festival’s Virtual Reality section is going entirely online this year, but expanding its scope via a platform and also a satellite network that will make it accessible worldwide.

In normal times the competitive sidebar launched in 2017 by co-curators Michel Reilhac and Liz Rosenthal – who put Venice ahead of the curve in the VR arena – was held on the Lazzaretto, a tiny island a stone’s throw from the Lido that was a leper colony in the 15th century. But due to the coronavirus pandemic this year it’s been rebranded Venice VR Expanded and moved to a digital platform supported by Htc Viveport, Facebook’s Oculus, VRChat and VRrOOm that will allow various types of access using a VR headset and a PC.

Venice VR Expanded will present a total of 44 projects from 24 countries, 31 of which are in competition. These include “Gnomes & Goblins,” co-directed by “The Lion King...

This The 100 article contains major spoilers for Season 7, Episode 7.

While Clarke was only in this week’s episode of The 100 for an emotionally-devastating minute at the end, her presence strongly bookended the portion of “The Queen’s Gambit” that was set on Bardo. At the start of the episode, Gabriel—who panicked and turned in himself and his fellow jailbreakers Echo and Hope, plus Octavia and Diyoza—decides to take Anders’ deal and work for Bardo’s Disciples in trying to decipher the secrets of the Anomaly Stone. While much of the Stone is a mystery, they do know about the existence of a Key: Clarke Griffin. When the legend herself steps onto Bardo in the final minutes, a gleeful Anders goes to wake up Bardo’s VIP: the Shepherd, a.k.a. Second Dawn doomsday cult leader Bill Cadogan.

Surprised to be woken up so early, Bill asks: “Have we cracked the code?...

The Key Buyers Event: Digital Edition, a virtual platform for Russian content hosted by film promotion body Roskino, wrapped this week with a slew of sales and an affirmation that global players are increasingly looking to tap into the Russian market.

The online market welcomed some 600 international participants from 70 countries, with the largest number of buyers coming from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Japan and China. The event attracted leading companies such as Apple TV, France Televisions, Wild Bunch, Lionsgate, Dogwoof, Rtl Group, AMC Networks, Mediaset, Beta Film, Koch Media, iQIYI and others.

Roughly 120 Russian companies participated, presenting 300 film, TV and animated projects while generating more than 600 meetings with foreign execs. Plans are now in place to create a permanent online platform to serve as the main source of information on the Russian film market, including an overview of projects either completed or in production, as well...

Heads remain hopeful of staging physical version of festival later this year.

Tribeca Film Festival organisers announced on Friday (April 3) that select programming from the recently postponed 19th annual festival will be presented online later this month, including two strands open to the public.

Tribeca Immersive, Now Creators Market, Industry Extranet resource hub, Tribeca X programme, and juried and art awards will all proceed in a virtual capacity.

Accredited press and industry will be able to access all five programmes, while the public will be able to view Immersive and Tribeca X content.

“This is not the [rescheduled] postponed festival,” said festival director Cara Cusumano,...

Winner of the Cannes Special Jury Prize in 1960, and of the Best Foreign Film Award from Golden Globes, “Odd Obsession” is one of the most recognizable films by the late Kon Ichikawa. The story is based on Junichiro Tanizaki’s 1956 novel, “The Key.”

“Odd Obsession” is part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

Kenji Kenmochi is an elderly man, an expert on classical art objects, who is married to a much younger and very beautiful woman, Ikuko. As he is struggling with the lack of sexual drive, Kenji frequently and secretly visits a young doctor, Kimura, who gives him injections to increase his virility. Kimura also has a relationship with Ikuko’s daughter, Toshiko. One night, when Kimura is visiting the Kenmochi residence, Ikuko becomes drunk and laughs with Kimura. When Kenji hears her laughter, he feels jealousy, but at the same time, an extreme plan is shaped in...

Network TV is feeling the pre-Christmas lull, with ABC and CBS airing competing specials on a slow Sunday night, with CBS coming out on top between the two. But of course, it’s still football season and that meant that they were both no match for pigskin action.

As per usual on Sundays, the NFL ruled primetime. NBC finished first and Fox, which had the afternoon’s football overrun, was second. Due to the nature of live sports, the below fast-affiliate Nielsen numbers for NBC and Fox should be considered subject to significant adjustment.

NBC was first in ratings with a 3.2 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 12.3 million, according to preliminary numbers. Those were the averages of NBC Sports’ 90-minute pregame show, “Football Night in America,” and the Kansas City Chiefs-Chicago Bills game itself.

Also Read: The Key to Fox's 'The Simpsons' Success?...

Louisa Mellor Sep 30, 2019

With season 10 imminent, here's a recap of what happened last time on The Walking Dead. Spoilers ahead...

This Walking Dead article contains spoilers.

The Walking Dead season 9 was all about the battle to achieve Carl’s dream of rebuilding civilization and the many set-backs that threatened that ideal. It started with the symbol of an unfinished bridge and ended with a mysterious radio signal hinting at the wider world.

There was a mighty time-jump - first of eighteen months, then of six years. In that time, the community leaders fell out for reasons undisclosed, and Sanctuary and The Kingdom fell into disrepair, perhaps forever. Now only Hilltop and Alexandria remain.

With the threat from Negan neutralized, a new big bad arrived in the form of Samantha Morton’s Alpha and her group of Whisperers – living people wearing the skins of Walkers and travelling inside herds, steering them like cattle from within.

The 2019 Venice International Film Festival has wrapped, and this year’s edition has announced its award winners. The Golden Lion, the festival’s top laureate, went to “Joker,” which is a strong statement from this year’s competition jury led by Lucrecia Martel. See the complete list of this year’s winners below.

In recent years, the Venice Golden Lion has gone to films that went on to have legs in the awards-season conversation stateside. Last year’s Lion went to Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” which won three Academy Awards for Netflix but lost Best Picture to “Green Book.” The year prior, the Golden Lion went to Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2018.

In a surprise upset over Joaquin Phoenix in hot competition title “Joker” (until it carried off with the Golden Lion), Best Actor went to Luca Marinelli for...

“Joker” from director Todd Phillips won the Golden Lion, and “J’Accuse,” or “An Officer and a Spy,” from director Roman Polanski has won the Grand Jury Prize, the festival’s runner up prize, at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival.

The comic book film starring Joaquin Phoenix in an origin story of the iconic Batman villain beat out a lineup that also included films such as James Gray’s “Ad Astra” and Steven Soderbergh’s “The Laundromat” for the top prize.

“I want to thank Warner Bros. and DC for stepping out of their comfort zone and taking a big swing on me,” director Todd Phillips said as he accepted the Golden Lion.

Polanski’s “An Officer and a Spy” stars Jean Dujardin in a film about the Dreyfus Affair. His presence at the festival generated some backlash, as it’s his first film since the director...

“It needs to be recognised in the way that film is recognised.”

Virtual Reality is taking hold on the Lido as Venice, the only A-list festival which has its own Vr competition, ramps up its Vr offerings yet further.

“[Vr] is a new form of storytelling and art and it needs to be recognised in the same way that film is recognised,” said Liz Rosenthal, co-programmer of Venice Vr alongside Michel Reilhac.

The Venice competition is divided into two strands. Linear and Interactive. There is also an Out of Competition/Best Of Vr section.

“What we felt was that Vr was...

At Sunnydale High, I guess you really can't go back to high school again. The Scoobies capped off the end off the formative years with a bang.

On Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Episode 22, the final battle against Mayor Wilkins was fought with weapons, fire, and a teenage army of classmates who had never battled a pure demon before. The climax is a Top 5 fight for the ages.

This season finale is one for the record books. Let's find out why by rewatching "Graduation Day (Part 2)"!

Picking up right where we left off on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Episode 21, Buffy had major "Wtf?!" face. Literally, the solution to Angel's poison drove away on the back of a truck and Buffy looked completely hopeless.

Without Faith's blood, Angel's future seemed grim. However, thanks to that pesky little drowning against The Master, there was another source of Slayer blood walking around Sunnydale.

“Burning Cane” has won the Founders Award for best U.S. narrative feature and star Wendell Pierce has been awarded the top actor in the category for the 18th Annual Tribeca Film Festival.

Haley Bennett won the festival’s award for best actress in a narrative feature for her performance in “Swallow.” “House of Hummingbird” (Beol-sae) took the prize for best international narrative feature, and “Scheme Birds” won for top documentary feature.

The awards were announced Thursday. Rania Attieh won the Nora Ephron Award and a $25,000 prize for Initials S.G. (“Iniciales S.G.”). The award honors excellence in storytelling by a female writer or director embodying the spirit and boldness of the late filmmaker. Tribeca’s Storyscapes Award went to “The Key,” created by Celine Tricart.

“Burning Cane,” set in the Louisiana swamplands, is directed by Phillip Youmans, who wrote, directed and shot the film at the age of 17. He...

The Key, a mysterious virtual reality journey from Lucid Dreams Productions’ director Celine Tricart and producer Gloria Bradbury today announced they have enlisted actress Alia Shawkat to narrate the project.

Shawkat is best known for her roles on Arrested Development and Search Party. Her voice will carry audience members through the interactive virtual reality experience that presents viewers with moments of intense choice to unlock the mystery of the key.

The Key will make its world premiere at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival as a juried selection in the Immersive Storyscapes category.

The experience shares a journey through dreams, and Shawkat will guide viewers through four different phases as they face challenging moments prompting them to make difficult and dangerous decisions while making their way to safety.

“We are thrilled to be working with Alia on The Key. With her high attention to detail she brings the voice we need to complete this project.

Georgie is a character played by Jayne Atkinson on The Walking Dead. She has only appeared on one episode, but has been referenced in a number of them, particularly through letters to Maggie. Back in Season 8, Georgie, Hilda, and Midge came upon the people of Hilltop. They were stopped on the road, driving a van and acting a bit suspiciously. At least that’s how the people of Hilltop viewed the situation, at first. The episode was called “The Key,” and when Georgie arrives, she offers to trade knowledge and information for food and musical phonographic records. It shows how […]

The post Who is Georgie on The Walking Dead cast? appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

Georgie might be the most famous The Walking Dead character that has only appeared in one episode. It took place in Season 8, when Georgie, Hilda, and Midge came upon Hilltop. Georgie appeared in an episode called The Key, where she arrives in a van with Hilda and Midge at Hilltop. She offers to trade knowledge and information in exchange for food and musical phonographic records. At first, a number of people at Hilltop want to take things from Georgie and her group, as they are distrustful of her appearance. It was at this time that Hilltop was struggling to […]

The post Who is Georgie on The Walking Dead? Does she have new storyline? appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

The Walking Dead season 8 has been described as many things by many people – bloated, exhilarating and at-times infuriating…to name just a few.

It’s a reception that has been reflected in the show’s official ratings, too, which have spent the past number of months vacillating between solid and downright atrocious – not since season 1 has The Walking Dead posted a score below 3.0 among the 18-49 demographic, though its viewership has been rising steadily ever since “The Key,” which certainly bodes well for April’s season finale.

Speaking of which, last week’s episode, “Do Not Send Us Astray,” received a bump in the numbers, too, clinching a 3.0 rating in that key 18-49 demo, with 6.774 million viewers tuning in for what was another solid outing for the zombie drama. Granted, these ratings are still quite a ways away from earlier in the season – especially the premiere – but it’s nice...

The Walking Dead season 8 has been described as many things by many people – bloated, exhilarating and at-times infuriating…to name but three.

It’s a reception that has been reflected in the official ratings, too, which have spent the past number of months vacillating between solid and downright atrocious – not since season 1 has The Walking Dead posted a score below 3.0 among the 18-49 demographic, though the show’s viewership has been rising steadily ever since “The Key,” which certainly bodes well for April’s season finale.

Speaking of which, Melissa McBride recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly (h/t ComicBook.com) to discuss the “unexpected” curtain call – for this season, anyway – and why she’s already mulling over season 9.

What can I say about the finale? It’s a little unexpected. Yeah, I would agree with Norman, but also when I read it I was like: ‘Well, that’s a turn,...

Things really heated up in tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead, “Do Not Send Us Astray.” The Hilltop fell under siege when Simon (Steven Ogg) and Dwight (Austin Amelio) led a troop of Saviors to attack the community in an attempt to stamp out their enemies after negotiations with Maggie broke down. Yet, at the same time, cracks in the Saviors’ management also began to show.

Overall, this was another solid outing that progressed the story in some interesting ways that we look forward to seeing explored in future weeks. Speaking of which, we now have our first glimpse at next Sunday’s episode in the form of the short promo up above, along with a clip down below.

This fourteenth installment of season 8 is set to be titled “Still Gotta Mean Something,” and the previously-released synopsis promises that the survivors will have to get pro-active in order to...

With just three more episode left in Season 8, “The Walking Dead” upped the action quotient for Episode 13, titled “Do Not Send Us Astray.” As The Saviors descend on Hilltop Colony, some characters give their life defending it, while The Widow proves she’s the biggest badass of the apocalypse.

Hilltop Prepares – Hilltop enters battle mode as the troops take their positions. Survivors of The Kingdom have arrived, and Carol (Melissa McBride) is busy convincing Henry to stay out of harm’s way. Siddiq (Avi Nash) sets up shop in the infirmary but is interrogated by a female doctor who isn’t impressed with his lack of experience. I don’t know where this medical expert has been hiding all season, but Siddiq ultimately wins her over by standing his ground. Morgan (Lennie James) is in the woods on lookout duty. He sounds his car horn as rumbling noises grow near,...

[Editor’s note: Spoilers for “The Walking Dead” Season 8 Episode 13, “Do Not Send Us Astray,” follow.]

Whose Episode Is It?

“Do Not Send Us Astray” features the biggest battle we’ve gotten in the back half of Season 8, as the Saviors arrive at Hilltop only to discover that under Maggie’s leadership the Hilltop is not playing around.

The episode has a little bit of everything — human vs. human action, human vs. zombie action, and even some significant character development for Maggie. It’s as busy an episode as last week, but — barring one particularly embarrassing subplot — it’s a much stronger effort.

The War Effort

The action is a cut above this week, as the usual “just shoot from behind cover” approach is replaced by some real strategy. It’s particularly clever to leave the gates open to lure the Saviors into a trap, since it catches the Saviors off guard and ensures the...

A few weeks ago when “The Lost and the Damned” aired, The Walking Dead‘s ratings stooped to their lowest point since the opening season back in 2010.

Per the Nielsen Live+Same Day numbers, the tenth episode of the eighth season only mustered a 2.9 rating among the key demographic (18-49) with a total of 6.8 million viewers. That’s the lowest rating since the first season eight years ago, when “Wildfire” drew a 2.8 rating in that same demo.

Indeed, the last time AMC’s flagship drew less than 7 million viewers was during the second season, when the episode “Better Angels” averaged 6.9 million. Granted, things did pick up a bit last Sunday with “The Key,” but still, it’s been a bit of a struggle all year for the series.

Hilltop Comes Under Attack In Photos For This Week's Walking Dead 1 of 15

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It’s no secret that The Walking Dead has been struggling all season long, with the show seeing a pretty big drop in ratings and audiences losing interest as time’s worn on. But just this past week, a silver lining appeared as Sunday’s episode, titled “The Key,” saw a boost in numbers.

The real question, of course, is whether that increase in viewership can unlock some momentum for the undead flagship as we approach season 8’s grand finale, one which is expected to see the war between Rick’s group and the Saviors (and Negan!) reach a bloody conclusion. It’s a conclusion that’ll be “very satisfying” as well. Or at least, that’s according to Norman Reedus.

Speaking to EW in a recent interview, The Walking Dead stalwart teased fans with what’s to come, saying:

“There are four things that happen that could be the finale,...

“The Walking Dead” is a show famous for teasing out game-changing deaths — leaving beloved characters in limbo as the credits roll, and perhaps even teasing out their fates for longer than necessary. (Never forget Season 7’s decision to make Glenn into Schrodinger’s cat.) But right now, the fate of one of “The Walking Dead’s” best-established romances currently hangs in limbo.

[Editor’s note: Spoilers for “The Walking Dead” Season 8 Episode 12, “The Key,” follow.]

Sunday night’s episode, “The Key,” exposed perhaps one of the show’s most iconic characters to violence on a life-ending scale. Yes, this might have proven ironic, given how much death has come thanks to this character, but we were still relatively shaken up by this oh-so-important question: Is Lucille the baseball bat okay?

We should have known that Lucille the baseball bat was in for a rough night based solely on our experience with this show, and the...

For the first time since December’s midseason finale, The Walking Dead has notched a ratings boon.

Figures relayed by Headline Planet (h/t ComicBook.com) confirm that last Sunday’s installment, “The Key,” drew 6.66 million viewers in total, alongside a 2.83 rating in that key 18-49 demographic. It’s marginally better than “Dead or Alive Or,” which scored a 2.8 and 6.6 million viewers overall, but considering that The Walking Dead‘s ratings have been on a steady decline for the past three months, this is undoubtedly a small victory for the folks over at AMC.

The real question, of course, is whether “The Key” can unlock some momentum for the undead flagship as we approach season 8’s grand finale, one which is expected to see the war between Rick’s group and the Saviors (and Negan!) reach a bloody conclusion.

Here’s confirmation of season 8’s ratings thus far:

Episode 8×01:...

The Saviors' battle cry might be "I am Negan" but that's a Kool-Aid that Simon is no longer sipping. Simon has long been the most prominent member of The Saviors (besides their leader) but always as Negan's right-hand man. Now, Simon has turned against Negan. As of the episode "The Key," Simon has enacted a mutiny against Negan, leaving Lucille's owner for dead and launching a plan to "expunge" all enemies of the Saviors. None of it looks good for Rick and crew but just because Simon has a plan to kill everyone doesn't mean he'll succeed.

The most recent episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” provided one of the most fascinating scenes in recent seasons. “The Key” introduced us to Georgie and the potential of a greater world. The character presents viewers with a boatload of lingering questions. Number one on the minds of comic book fans: Is the show about to skip several years of major comic book storylines?

I was first drawn to Georgie because she’s played by the wonderful Jayne Atkinson, and I’m thrilled the actress has lined up another high profile gig after years of her underrated performance as Cathy Durant on “House of Cards.” It’s also refreshing to come across a benevolent new group instead of one lead by a psychopath. But more pressing for fans of the source comics is that Atkinson’s Georgie bears some similarities to members of The Commonwealth. And that could signal...

Yes, Rick and friends have been burned in the past by various groups on The Walking Dead. But there have also been good groups out there too. The latest group, lead by a woman named Georgie, is introduced in "The Key." Maggie is hesitant to trust this woman, but in the end, she makes a good decision, which could help with the future of the Hilltop. I think that meeting and trusting new groups and communities is the key to building the future as Carl wanted.

Tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead, titled “The Key,” checked in on a number of different characters as the war with the Saviors continues.

In particular, Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Enid (Katelyn Nacon) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) went on an unexpected trip while Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) finally came face to face with his nemesis Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) for the first time since his son Carl’s death at the beginning of season 8B. As you’d expect, it proved to be a nail-biting reunion for the pair.

Overall, this was another solid outing that progressed the story in some interesting ways that we look forward to seeing explored in future weeks. Speaking of which, we now have our first glimpse at next Sunday’s episode in the form of the short promo up above, along with a clip down below.

This thirteenth installment of season 8 is set to...

Rick, you are one crazy Sob!

We all knew that a rematch between Negan and Rick was inevitable, I just didn't expect it to happen on The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 12. After trudging along since its midseason return and with only four episodes remaining in the season, The Walking Dead desperately needed to kick things into high gear.

And thankfully, that's exactly what "The Key" accomplished.

The confrontation between these two may not have come as much of a surprise to those who saw the preview following last week's episode, but I personally try to avoid episode previews at all costs, as they have the tendency to mislead or give away too much.

I prefer to watch everything unfold naturally without having a tainted viewing experience.

So seeing Rick and Negan square off once again made for one hell of an entertaining episode.

Related: AMC launches ad-free streaming service

We...

Programming Note: This week’s screener, according to AMC, made it clear it was not the final version of the episode, noting that scenes might be added or deleted in post. So if Rick suddenly gets Dragon Ball Z powers at the end of the regular airing and it’s not mentioned in this review, that’s why, and we’ll update accordingly.

[Editor’s note: Spoilers for “The Walking Dead” Season 8 Episode 12, “The Key,” follow.]

Whose Episode Is It?

Rick was gone all last week, so he’s back with a vengeance in “The Key,” as he finally gets to square off mano-a-mano with Negan. Naturally that scuffle turns into yet another stalemate, so that story feels like just another stalling tactic before we get to the final conflict between the two groups. There is some intrigue, however, as Simon gently suggests to Dwight that maybe the Saviors should consider getting a new leader,...

“The Walking Dead” is shifting focus to Hilltop Colony in the latest episode of Season 8. The Saviors are on their way to exact revenge, but not all will go as planned. Cracks emerge in The Savior ranks and a benevolent new face arrives on the scene in the nick of time. Let’s dive in to the exciting developments in “The Key.”

“They Don’t Scare” – Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) barges into Dwight’s (Austin Amelio) room to welcome him back into the fold. The tension in the scene revolves around whether or not Negan buys Dwight’s lie about an ambush taking him away from The Saviors, but I can’t stop concentrating on the wedding ring Dwight is fondling. The writers definitely seem like they’re telegraphing Sherry’s return. Dwight doesn’t have much time for reminiscing though, since Negan and The Saviors are heading out to...

The Walking Dead introduced some new characters from yet another community in "The Key" when Maggie

...

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The breezes blowing in Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead carried on them more than the usual stench of rotting corpses and testosterone. If you sniffed real hard, you could also get a noseful of the change that was in the air. But was it change for the better? Or did the episode’s big twists of plot leave you crying flibbershtickey? Read on. I’ll recap, then you can debate it out in the comments.

‘Guts Is Guts’ | As “The Key” began, Negan gleefully prepared for Operation Scare the Hilltop Into Total Submission by gathering walker guts. Simon...

Whenever and however The Walking Dead eventually ends, this week's episode – auspiciously named "The Key" – may, in retrospect, come to be seen as one of the most pivotal hours of the series. It weaves between three main storylines: an uneasy alliance struck by Dwight and Simon; a long-anticipated battle royale between Rick and Negan; and a challenge posed by three entirely new characters. In each, the players make moves that are likely to resonate across the rest of this season … and beyond.

Yet what's odd about this hour is that it doesn't feel that consequential.

Finally, an episode of The Walking Dead that moves the story along a little bit better in season 8. We've been waiting for a while for Rick and Negan to go head to head again. And in this episode, titled "The Key," we finally get that.

As the Saviors head to the Hilltop with walker gut-covered weapons, Rick spots the caravan and goes after Negan on his own. Meanwhile, Maggie, Rosita, Michonne and Enid have a difference of opinion on what to do about a new group of women who claim to have "knowledge" to trade.

April 15th, 2018 will be a day long remembered by fans of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

On the one hand, it’ll signal the last hurrah for the show’s eighth season, while also marking the long-anticipated return of its companion series, Fear The Walking Dead, which is now on the verge of season 4. And it’s shaping up to be a doozy, no thanks to the impending arrival of Morgan Jones.

But before we get swept up in talk of synergy and mind-blowing crossovers, AMC and Fathom Events have officially deemed April 15th to be “Survival Sunday,” when The Walking Dead season 8 finale and the Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 premiere will be screening back-to-back at select theaters across the country.

It’s a one-night special, and tickets are now available to purchase via Fathom Events. Meanwhile, the screening itself begins on April 15th at 8:30 pm Et / 7:...

It’s going on three weeks since The Walking Dead returned for season 8B and still, there’s a gaping, Carl Grimes-sized hole in AMC’s zombie drama.

Not that we can say we didn’t see it coming; remember, Carl’s fatal wound was initially teased late last year, long before The Walking Dead went offline for its annual winter hiatus. Even still, many viewers are still mourning the loss of Chandler Riggs’ hardened survivor, who had been a fixture of the series ever since its debut back in 2010.

And while he has consistently defended AMC’s decision to bump off one of their major characters, series creator Robert Kirkman recently spoke to fans as part of a Tumblr Q&A (h/t ComicBook.com), and it was here where he admitted that Carl’s death was “a big one.”

This was a big one. It’s a very...

Game of Thrones notwithstanding, there aren’t too many TV series in the modern era that boast the same body count as The Walking Dead.

Ever since its inception back in 2010, AMC’s undead flagship hasn’t been afraid to bump off its leading characters in order to propel the story forward, and one need only look to the digital furore caused by Glenn’s sudden, brutal death – at the hands of Negan, no less – for evidence of that.

That being said, series creator Robert Kirkman believes killing off The Walking Dead‘s core characters is a necessary evil, as it simultaneously raises the stakes while also creating a tangible sense of drama. But even after eight years of apocalyptic action, Kirkman still finds it difficult to part ways with his hardened survivors:

It’s harder in the show because there are actors involved and the actors actually formed this very tight-knit community in Georgia.

This Sunday, AMC’s The Walking Dead will return with “The Key,” the 12th episode of the eighth season, which will see Negan and the Saviors with their backs against the wall. And to get fans excited, the network has now released a new batch of photos that tease us with what’s to come.

No real spoilers here, of course, but if you’re wanting to go into Sunday’s installment with a relatively blank slate, we’d advise against flipping through the gallery below. After all, there’s something to be said about settling in for the latest rendition of The Walking Dead without knowing what’s around the corner, given that this is one of the most frequently spoiled shows currently on the air.

Last chance to turn back…

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On the next episode of AMC’s The Walking Dead…

It’s a line most viewers could recite in their sleep, but even as season 8 begins to near its bloody finale, the promise of new Walking Dead content sends a crackle of excitement coursing through the show’s community.

And on this occasion, AMC is promoting “The Key,” the 12th episode of the eighth season, which will see Negan and the Saviors with their backs against the wall. No spoilers here, of course, but if you’re wanting to go into Sunday’s installment with a relatively blank slate, we’d advise against watching both of today’s promos. After all, there’s something to be said about settling in for the latest rendition of The Walking Dead without knowing what’s around the corner.

Still with us? You’ll notice that “The Key” is shaping up to be a pretty action-packed episode,...

In times of peace, sons bury their fathers. But during war, fathers bury their sons. And on The Walking Dead, Rick Grimes was forced to bury his only son, Carl, in the aftermath of “Honor.”

It was a grim, harrowing scene by anyone’s standards, and as last night’s “Dead or Alive Or” proved, the loss of Chandler Riggs and his sprightly on-screen survivor continues to influence and shape The Walking Dead season 8. But what about his father?

As the war between Rick and Negan begins to escalate, many have theorized that Papa Grimes will be the next one to go – speculation that Robert Kirkman has quietly debunked, mind you – leading executive producer Greg Nicotero to chime in with his own thoughts on the ultimate fate of Rick Grimes.

Listen, you know, the show like we said, the show changes and the show evolves. The DNA of it is...

The Walking Dead won’t be around forever.

Currently in the midst of its eighth season on the airwaves, AMC’s undead juggernaut has shown signs of fatigue in recent weeks, after February’s mid-season premiere stooped to a new low on the ratings front. The reaction to “The Lost and the Damned” was similarly dire, as its 2.9 rating among that all-important demographic (18-49) really illustrates the gradual decline – both in viewer count and ratings – since season 8’s opener, “Mercy.”

So, is The Walking Dead, ahem, living on borrowed time? We know series creator and all-around comic book maestro, Robert Kirkman, has discussed the show’s inevitable finale in the past, and while appearing on ScreenJunkies News, Kirkman teased what the future may hold for Rick Grimes and the gang.

I do have an endpoint in mind for The Walking Dead, and I think that it’s my responsibility — and...