Seventeen years after “Dawn of the Dead,” Snyder is returning to the zombie genre for the explosive Netflix heist-action movie “Army of the Dead,” which looks to be as big of a summer movie tentpole as Netflix will have later this year. Starring Dave Bautista, “Army of the Dead” follows a group of mercenaries who plot a heist on a Las Vegas casino during a zombie outbreak. The supporting cast includes Theo Rossi, Tig Notaro, Garret Dillahunt, Raúl Castillo, Omari Hardwick, Hiroyuki Sanada, Matthias Schweighöfer, Ella Purnell, and Ana de la Reguera....

First-time filmmaker Rebeca “Beba” Huntt opens her eponymous debut “Beba” — a complicated and bold self-portrait that explores identity, internalized anti-Blackness, and generational trauma — with a declarative statement: “You are now entering my universe.” Her world, initially, is visually translated via a shaky cam walking through a twisty, moss-smeared forest. A woozy horn hypnotizes over a collage of images: Huntt swaying to the sea, people at the beach, her hand in the sand — all shot on a gorgeous 16mm....

Animation has come a long way, from hand-drawn to stop-motion, claymation and 3D designs, and that’s especially evident in the progression of animated series over the years. While falling in love with an animated series may have more to do with beloved character arcs, illustrations and animation style can say a lot about when the series was created, or the cartoon category that it falls in (anime shows, for example, tend to follow the same art style)....

Hollywood’s insatiable appetite for existing IP doesn’t appear like it will be quenched any time soon, especially with the effect of the COVID shutdowns continuing to reverberate throughout the industry. Anything that audiences are already familiar with is going to be a plus as studios plan their new slates. The great news? There’s so much wonderful content out there to mine, including some of these novels and book series that IndieWire staffers think would make excellent series....

Movie soundtracks can be just as important to a film as the cast and crew. Pairing the perfect song with the right scene is science within itself. The right song can even make a viewer feel differently about a film. In the more than 80 years since the first commercially produced movie soundtrack was released, film soundtracks have become big business. In fact, some of the top selling albums of all time also happen to be film soundtracks....

For as long as video games have been popular, Hollywood has tried to mine them for source material. It makes sense because the best video games can be thrilling, with special effects that can go toe-to-toe with Hollywood blockbusters. But time and time again, these adaptations fall short. Of course there are some notable, well-received exceptions. Mortal Kombat,” the latest video game adaptation to grace our screens, is a reboot of the classic game and movie franchise from Warner Bros....

Ben Travers: A great philosopher once said, “Ain’t nuthin’ over ’til it’s over,” and for the great AMC cable drama “Better Call Saul,” the final bell won’t ring until 2023 — at least, when it comes to the Emmys. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s acclaimed prequel to “Breaking Bad” has only three episodes left before it’s lights out, with the series finale set to air Monday, August 15. But splitting its final season into two parts — the first of which wrapped in May — means Season 6a is eligible for this year’s Emmys and Season 6b will be eligible for next year’s awards....