It’s an open secret that the biggest reason most actors go anywhere near Marvel at this stage is the paycheck, but we appreciate John Malkovich‘s honesty, nevertheless. 1w4o1z

The actor didn’t hold out in a recent interview with GQ as he discussed his involvement in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s take on the group known as the comic book franchise’s “First Family.”

Malkovich will be sharing the screen with Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as a currently undisclosed character, though rumors suggest he’s taking on a rather peculiar ape-decked villain.

Unlike other actors or directors, fresh and seasoned, who have ghosted Marvel for not being sophisticated enough, like a himbo situationship you flirt with but never introduce to your friends, the twice Oscar-nominated actor had no qualms about “artistic considerations.” For the 71-year-old, the bottom line was the bottom line.

“I didn’t like the deals they made, at all,” he told the publication, adding, “These films are quite grueling to make…. If you’re going to hang from a crane in front of a green screen for six months, pay me.”

This can’t be a surprising take, considering a large chunk of the usually bloated budgets of IP blockbuster films is always reserved for the cast’s millionaire paydays. Within Marvel, the current record is held by the father of the franchise, Robert Downey Jr., who’ll reportedly be paid $50 million a piece for his Avengers double-bill (and that’s excluding box office bonuses).

Another actor closer to Malkovich’s generation recently mirrored his nonchalance around money talk. Harrison Ford, who plays a president-turned-Red-Hulk in the tepid fourth Captain America movie that just came out, told MTV’s Josh Horowitz that it was his salary that eased the ridicule of playing a big red CGI monster.

“That’s what the money is for,” was Ford’s answer to Horowitz’s question about how easily he could silence the part of his brain that said, “I look like an idiot.” Though he did make sure to add that this approach doesn’t mean he’ll take money for anything.

Long gone are the days when playing a Marvel character represented realizing a childhood dream, or even the chance to contribute to movie history as a part of its biggest ever franchise. Also long gone, however, are the days when Marvel movies successfully combined entertainment with any kind of worthwhile storytelling, so the shift is entirely justified. Booking a Marvel film in the late 2010s would make you a movie star, now it has the potential to embarrass you and your acting chops with endless rewriters, reshoots, and patched-up final cuts. Why take the chance if not for a well-rounded check?

As Malkovich puts it, “You don’t want to pay me, it’s cool, but then I don’t want to do it, because I’d rather be onstage, or be directing a play, or doing something else.” With praise this enthusiastic, you would think the actor was trying to get people to not watch Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Luckily for Kevin Feige, despite the painful decline of Marvel’s image, the film still seems to be highly anticipated by fans. It hits theaters July 25, 2025, and for the sake of the few Marvel loyalists left, let’s hope at least a couple of people involved treated it as something other than a cash grab.

Nature is healing. At a time when the MCU can’t escape criticism and controversy, The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer seems to have united the entire fandom in unanimous hype. The teaser for the summer blockbuster from director Matt “WandaVision” Shakman manages to strike a winning balance between giving us all the goodies we wanted and holding back a lot for the movie itself.

For instance, while we saw Ben Grimm in all his rocky glory and even got a glimpse at Galactus (in all his bucket-heated glory), there’s still much we don’t know about First Steps. Where’s Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer? Does H.E.R.B.I.E. the adorable low-fi robot speak? Will Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom be in this one? And, most pertinently for the trailer, who is John Malkovich playing?

The two-time Oscar nominee’s role is shrouded in mystery at present, and yet his specific look in the trailer (let’s call it Santa Hobo Chic) appears to confirm the most prominent rumor about his character’s identity. And if we’re right about this then Malkovich’s presence is just another promise that First Steps is going to fully embrace the craziness of the Fantastic Four comics. Did somebody say “super-ape army”…?

Who is Red Ghost, John Malkovich’s presumed Fantastic Four character? z4a14

Going by the evidence, plus some murmurings that have been surrounding the film since the actor was cast, it seems likely that John Malkovich is playing the Red Ghost, a rather obscure supervillain from Fantastic Four lore.

Real name Ivan Kragoff, the Red Ghost is a Russian scientist who became obsessed with recreating the exposure to cosmic rays that gave the Four their powers. Setting off on his own mission into space, Kragoff got what he wanted and formed his own superpowered foursome. The only thing is that he was the only human aboard his rocket, as he was accompanied by a trio of trained primates. Just as Kragoff came out of the experience with powers (invisibility and phasing abilities, à la Sue Storm), so to did his simian pals, and the mad scientist dubbed them his Super-Apes. He later augmented other apes the same way to form his own private primate army.

Again, Malkovich’s role as Red Ghost has yet to be confirmed, but it would make a lot of sense. The character debuted on the page all the way back in 1963’s Fantastic Four #13 and it certainly seems like the film is drawing from the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby comics. Likewise, Russia trying to create its own version of American superheroes is a classic MCU trope at this point — see the Winter Soldier and Red Guardian.

The teaser didn’t contain any suggestion that Kragoff’s Super-Apes are on their way, but given this is a movie that’s going to give us a comic-accurate Galactus it stands to reason that it wouldn’t shy away from slipping in a mega-monkey military as well. Who would’ve thought that the C-list leader of a Super-Ape army would make their MCU debut before Blade? What a multiverse!

Forget The Fantastic Four for a minute, we want Spider-Man 4! Either one of them, actually. Obviously, the incoming reboot of Marvel’s First Family is one of the most exciting MCU projects, but Spidey fans are still sore that we haven’t got a new Tom Holland movie yet and that a full-on fourth Tobey Maguire film has yet to materialize after No Way Home.

Doctor Strange 2‘s Sam Raimi has continued to tease the possibility of working with Maguire again to expand the story of Sony’s original Spider-Man trilogy, now they’re both part of the MCU family, but neither Marvel nor Sony has promised us it’s happening just yet. Still, at least The Fantastic Four — of all places — is doing Ramiverse fans a solid by following up on a lost bit of casting from Raimi’s original Spider-Man 4 all these years later.

Everyone, welcome John Malkovich to the Marvel multiverse — he’s been waiting 15 years to get here.

John Malkovich’s Fantastic Four casting finally redeems the destruction of Spider-Man 4 3t1154

Prolific actor John Malkovich — most recently seen in Netflix’s Ripley — has been snapped up by director Matt Shakman for The Fantastic Four. Although we don’t have a clear idea on who he’s playing yet, Malkovich’s long history of portraying villains has led many to assume he’ll be bringing one of the Four’s rogues gallery to life. Perhaps Mole Man or Puppet Master.

If Malkovich is playing a villain than The Fantastic Four is finally putting to bed some unfinished business the star has had with Marvel for a full 15 years. Long-term superhero movie nerds may be aware that Sam Raimi got pretty far with Spider-Man 4 back in 2009 before he ultimately parted with Sony over creative differences and the franchise was rebooted. Maguire’s fourth outing as the webslinger would’ve seen him battle both Vulture and Black Cat.

Neither actor was ever formally cast, but prior to the film falling apart negotiations had begun with both Anne Hathaway for Felicia Hardy and Malkovich as Adrian Toomes. While Hathaway soon got to jump into the comic book sphere as Catwoman in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, Malkovich never got to land a superhero/villain role after this… Until now.

Michael Keaton was absolutely the right choice for the MCU’s Vulture, but Raimiverse fans should feel a sense of relief that Malkovich is finally on board the Marvel train himself. It’s just one more piece of the puzzle in place to manifest a Maguire Spider-Man 4 back into existence.

It’s been 15 years since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, which saw Tobey Maguire return for his third outing as the web slinger, this time going toe-to-toe with Topher Grace’s Eddie Brock, otherwise known as Venom. In addition to Maguire, Kirsten Dunst returned as Mary Jane Watson and James Franco as Harry Osborn. Even without ruling Raimi’s Spider-Man 4 as a possibility, the director communicated that besides Venom, Sandman and New Goblin, he wanted yet another villain to oppose Spider-Man in his very own Batman-esque Rogues Gallery. He wanted Vulture.

Ben Kingsley, who portrays Trevor Slattery in Marvel’s Iron Man 3, wasn’t supposed to be ing Robert Downey Jr. originally. In fact, he was eyed by Raimi to play Vulture on behalf of Sony’s own Spider-Man Cinematic Universe. After it was announced by Raimi that the character was cut, those negotiations fell through. In 2007, shortly after the release of Spider-Man 3, a fourth installment to be directed by Raimi entered development, and by December 2009, John Malkovich was in negotiations to play Vulture and Anne Hathaway would play Felicia Hardy. Ultimately, Hathaway would go on to portray Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises and Malkovich would never appear in a Marvel production.

Now 68 years old, time is running out for Malkovich to make his MCU debut as Vulture, so that might be nothing more than a pipe dream at this stage. However, one Ken Penders on Twitter has shared a behind-the-scenes exclusive image of his own dear friends working on Vulture’s costume, which was intended to be worn by John Malkovich in Spider-Man 4.

Ultimately, Spider-Man 4 never saw the light and the prospect seems impossible now that Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi have cut ties with Sony. That being said, Raimi is still very much involved with the MCU, having directed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness recently. As for Tobey Maguire, he hasn’t bid adieu to Peter Parker just yet. In the reboot trilogy of Spider-Man starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker, both Tobey Maguire and his successor Andrew Garfield were given the opportunity to cameo in the third film, Spider Man: No Way Home, in December 2021.

Let’s not shut the door on Spider-Man 4 just yet, especially if Raimi still has his fingers in some pies over at Marvel and Maguire is still in the acting game. Hopefully, Malkovich won’t have retired by the time Raimi and Maguire strike a deal with Marvel.

The family of film star Bruce Willis announced his retirement in March following a diagnosis of aphasia, a disorder that impacts the memory usually following a stroke. Willis had become notorious over the previous year for releasing a slate of quickie low-budget action films designed to make as much money for the actor as quickly as possible in as little amount of time. A trailer just dropped for the latest of these, White Elephant, which also features John Malkovich and Guardians of the Galaxy star Michael Rooker in its cast.

White Elephant stars Michael Rooker as a Marine-turned-hitman, but unlike the similarly-themed HBO series Barry, the story takes a serious turn when Rooker’s latest job for a ruthless mob boss (Willis) is witnessed by a pair of cops. The movie was written and directed by low budget action veteran Jesse V. Johnson, whose filmography includes 2019’s The Mercenary, about a legionnaire-turned-hitman whose latest job goes wrong, and 2018’s Accident Man, about a team of hitmen whose latest job goes wrong.

While this film may seem a step down for the Die Hard legend, it’s a great sign for fans of actor Rooker, who’s finally allowed to step up and headline an action film of his own. The actor has been putting in acclaimed work since starring in the titular role in the 1986 cult favorite Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. In the past decade he’s gained a wider audience for his work with Guardians director James Gunn. His next lead role will be as escaped convict “The Misfit” in a film adaptation of the Flannery O’Connor short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”

Filming started on White Elephant in Georgia and Rochester, NY, in May of 2021, and it will be released in theatres and on AMC Plus on June 3, 2022.

Chariot, a brand new thriller starring John Malkovich, is dropping in April, and now the film’s first trailer has been shared online.

The premise of the film centers around a shady corporation and Malkovich’s eccentric psychiatrist character, Dr. Karn, who specializes in guiding unknown patients through the process of transitioning to reincarnation.

However, Thomas Mann’s Harrison experiences a recurring dream of a woman whom he loved in a previous life, Rosa Salazar’s Maria Deschaines, and seeks Dr. Karn’s help. The specialist must correct a glitch so that his patient’s future doesn’t become permanently derailed.

The film also stars Scout Taylor Compton, Vernon Davis, Chris Mullinax, and Shane West.

Chariot is written and directed by Adam Sigal, who previously penned 2007’s Daydreamer, which starred Aaron Paul prior to his breakout in Breaking Bad. He also wrote and directed 2019’s Stakeout starring Academy Award nominee Tom Berenger.

The movie seems reminiscent of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or even 1999’s Malkovich-starring Being John Malkovich, two other mind-bending sci-fi films. But, unlike those Charlie Kaufman-penned films, this movie looks to be veering more heavily into the thriller genre, rather than quirky comedy.

The eerie scenes of lurking figures wearing futuristic masks that somewhat resemble a plague doctor costume is another visually striking and spine-tingling element of the trailer.

Chariot comes to theaters, digital, and on demand April 15.

What’s it really like to work with legendary actor John Malkovich? Thanks to our exclusive interview with director Luis Prieto, who worked with the Academy Award-nominated actor on femme fatale action thriller Shattered, releasing next week in select theaters and on demand, we have a better idea.

“It was incredible,” Prieto said, going on to describe Malkovich as “an amazing person” who left an effect on the crew, other actors, and the director, even when the camera wasn’t rolling.

Prieto noted Malkovich was “generous with the whole crew, you know, any time someone needed help of any kind, he would be there … just like one more, but he’s John Malkovich, giving you a hand, so just amazing.”

Prieto added that in addition to being “an incredible human being,” Malkovich also impressed him with the caliber of his craft.

“He blows your mind with every take that you do. He brings something unique and fresh and new to each take. So you’re really growing, the film grows, and as you’re familiar with him, so he’s really fascinating to have him, it’s just amazing.”

Malkovich has garnered an incredible reputation over the years in a number of films, shows, and the stage over the years, including Spike Jonez’ trippy comedy Being John Malkovich, a compellingly unsettling role in the Netflix horror film Bird Box, and two otherwise Academy Award Nominations, both in the Best Actor in a ing Role category, for 1984’s Places in the Heart and 1993’s In the Line of Fire.

Prieto, who has helmed the Halle Berry-starring 2017 thriller Kidnap and directed episodes of the Netflix mystery series White Lines, among other works, directed Malkovich in Shattered.

In addition to Malkovich, the film also stars Cameron Monaghan as Chris, a lonely tech millionaire who encounters the seductive Sky, played by Lilly Krug. As their ion grows, things take a bizarre turn when Chris is injured and she quickly steps in as his nurse. But something more sinister seems to be afoot based on Sky’s odd behavior and her roommate mysteriously found dead.

Malkovich plays Ronald in the film — Sky’s creepy landlord whose curiosity often gets the best of him, and a character who Prieto hinted may have something more to him than meets the eye.

Pietro noted that Malkovich brings a subtlety that he brings to the performance that is especially impressive in the unique way that only that actor could bring.

When asked whether Malkovich was the kind of actor who went the method route of never breaking character even after the director yells “cut” or if he can turn the character on and off with the flip of a switch, Pietro said it was largely the latter.

“I think he’s one of these actors that seems that acting is effortless,” Prieto noted. “So one minute you are talking to John Malkovich, the person, and then 30 seconds later you say, ‘action,’ and you get the character that he’s playing that has nothing to do with John Malkovich. It’s more convincing than John Malkovich himself, if you know what I mean,” Pietro said.

Shattered will come to select theaters and also be available on demand starting Jan. 14, and then will become available on Blu-ray and DVD Feb. 22.

This article is one in a series with director Luis Prieto speaking about his new film Shattered. We Got This Covered will publish additional stories in the coming days.

Lionsgate released a new trailer for the John Malkovich film Shattered. The trailer, which is available to view in full below, follows a young tech millionaire, Chris, who has a romantic encounter with a beautiful woman, Sky, who turns out to be much more than she seems.

After a man robs the couple and bashes in Chris’s leg, Sky takes to nursing him, but her behavior becomes increasingly suspicious as her roommate disappears and she eventually reveals the entire affair has been a setup to extort Chris for his wealth. Realizing the gravity of his situation, Chris must attempt to escape the prison his home has become, lest he suffer torture or even death at the hands of Sky.

Directing the film is Luis Prieto, who is known for working on series like White Lines, Snatch, and The Oath as well as films like Kidnap and The Disunited States of America.

Among the cast, Malkovich is perhaps the most notable, having worked in Hollywood since the late ’70s and starring in numerous films including Being John Malkovich, Burn After Reading, Red, and In the Line of Fire. In Shattered, Malkovich plays Sky’s nosy landlord, Ronald, who heckles her about rent and keeps tabs on her exploits.

Cameron Monaghan stars as Chris alongside Lilly Krug as Sky. Additionally, the film will star Ash Santos as Sky’s roommate, Lisa, and Frank Grillo and Dat Phan as her accomplices, Sebastian and Kiruchiyo.

Shattered is set to debut early next year on Jan. 14. 

In 2010, the movie adaptation of the comic book RED became a sleeper hit, amassing nearly $200 million worldwide and eventually stood as the biggest non-Twilight hit domestically for Summit Entertainment. Unsurprisingly, a follow-up was announced that would see a reteaming of our wise-cracking geriatric spies and now a teaser poster for RED 2 has been released. Bruce Willis, John Malcovich, Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker are all returning along with newcomers Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta Jones and Byung-Hun Lee (Storm Shadow from the “G.I. Joe” films) being added to the mix. It has yet to be revealed if Karl Urban or Brian Cox will hop on board for the sequel. Plot details have been hard to come by so far but rumours have the burned spies heading to Europe (Moldova anyone?) to take on some new foes. RED 2 is being directed by Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) with a screenplay from Erich and Jon Hoeber, who wrote the script for the original RED. Speaking of the original, RED was a blast from beginning to end and worked really well as both a slick, fun action movie and as a comedy thanks to the talents of its well-matched cast. Hopefully with most of the major players returning and some fresh blood being injected as well, the follow-up will be just as successful. RED 2 is scheduled for release on August 2, 2013. (Source: ComingSoon)

Warner Brothers has announced a 25th Anniversary Edition of Steven Spielberg‘s film Empire of the Sun, for Blu-Ray in June. The film stars Christian Bale. Empire of the Sun was nominated for 6 Academy Awards when it was released in 1987. In addition to Christian Bale, the film stars John Malkovich and an early performance from Ben Stiller. Surprisingly, I’ve never actually seen the film. It was one of those Spielberg films that mostly went unnoticed on my list. I’ve been meaning to get around to it, but I’ve been patiently awaiting the Blu-Ray announcement. The special edition Blu-Ray will be packaged in a collectible 36 page digibook, with rare images, cast bios and much more. The following special features have been confirmed:

• The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun behind-the-scenes documentary
• Warner at War documentary about Warner Bros’ WWII propaganda department (on separate DVD)

Empire of the Sun will be hitting shelves on June 19th, 2012.

In an interview with MTV, actor Shia LaBeouf claimed that Transformers: Dark of the Moon will be his last film in the series. LaBeouf, who came to fame with the the first two Transformers films as well his roles in Disturbia and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull went on to say that Dark of the Moon will also be the last for director Michael Bay, although Bay hasn’t confirmed. Transformers: Dark of the Moon returns LaBeouf to the role of Sam Witwicky, a mild mannered kid whose car just happens to be a Transformer. In his interview with MTV, Shia LaBeouf speculated that the franchise would be back without him and Michael Bay and hinted at a Spiderman style reboot for the franchise in the future. Labeouf went on to say that he believes Transformers: Dark of the Moon is “The best movie we’ve made. I’m serious. No Joke. I’m dead honest man.” After Transformers: Dark of the Moon hits theaters June 29th, LaBeouf’s next film will be the depression era crime drama The Wettest County in the World with Inception‘s Tom Hardy and director John Hillcoat. ing the cast of Transformers: Dark of the Moon are actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who famously replaced Megan Fox as Labeouf’s love interest. Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens June 29th in theaters and IMAX nationwide.

A feel-good family film, Secretariat is a true story about an inspirational race horse and the lives he touches. Out on Blu-Ray this week, this underdog-overcomes-all-odds tale is a fuzzy drama that will leave you feeling all warm inside. Housewife and mother of four in the late 1960s, Penny Chenery (played with unremarkable efficiency by Diane Lane) has her hands full. The death of her mother draws her back to the family stables, and unintentionally into the journey of a lifetime. Penny is trying to save what remains of her father’s failing estate. They’re horse people, in every sense of the word. It doesn’t take long, after studying the books, for Penny to find out that mismanagement has almost bankrupt Meadow Stables. She promptly fires the trainer (who has been dabbling in fraud), and takes matters into her own hands. When she comes on the scene, Penny discovers that two mares in the stables are pregnant. Two foals due, and each one sired by a stallion famous for speed. After studying the lines of each mare, she decides that the foal of one of them might just have the gift of speed, and the gift of stamina. A combination that might lead to a great race horse. Soon she is immersed in the future of “Big Red,” (aka Secretariat), betting her future, and the future of Meadow Stables, on his success. She believes he can do the unthinkable and become the next Triple Crown winner (when there hadn’t been one in 25 years.) To make her dreams for Secretariat come true, she hires famed horse trainer Lucien Laurin. John Malkovich steals the show with his over-the-top performance as the quirky and temperamental horse trainer. His wardrobe alone deserves an Oscar. And next to the lukewarm performance by Lane, Malkovich’s performance dazzles. Audiences may go into this movie thinking they will remain untouched by the story of yet another racehorse, however remarkable. But with great racing shots, plenty of face time with “Big Red,” and grand rising orchestral music, this film will have you at the edge of your seat yelling “move your bloomin’ arse!” An interesting note; the horse-handler Eddie Sweat, a member of the “inner-circle” around Secretariat, was played by Nelsan Ellis. Anyone who has seen True Blood will no doubt recognize Ellis as the flamboyantly gay short-order cook Lafayette. Having that character in my mind whenever I saw Ellis, it was hard to buy him as the gentle, mild-mannered Eddie Sweat. I’m not one to encourage typecasting, but an actor can’t just jump from a character like Lafayette to anything else, without a little mental jarring on the part of the audience. The movie as a whole works so well because it tugs on the heart-strings, as most “animal hero” films do. Audiences sympathize with Secretariat, and are drawn into the story even if they don’t want to be. What keeps this from being one of those films that blows you away and you can’ stop thinking about, is the well-worn “underdog-overcomes-all-odds” scenario. Yes, it’s touching. No, it’s not inventive, novel or fresh. As smooth as the film is, it’s the same recipe as almost every other “famous” horse racing film I’ve seen. I don’t want to use the word “generic,” but outstanding performances aside it’s a cookie-cutter film. A cute cookie-cutter film, but one you’ve seen in many guises before. This and one other complaint keep me from giving it an outstanding rating. There’s no doubt this film is an inspirational one. That being said, the story itself covers the “inspiration” stuff; no need for the screenwriters to force it down our throats with sometimes trite “motivational” dialogue. Here’s an example: swelling music, a sweet soft sunset, Diane Lane looking off into the distance and petting Secretariat, then comes some deep glances shared between horse and owner, unspoken communication, then Lane starts talking about hope and dreams and… you get the picture. To me, it feels unnecessary and contrived at that point, and to add a motivational speech on top of all that unspoken inspiration feels like the filmmakers are cramming it down my throat. As far as Blu-Ray goodies go, this one is packed full. Here’s what we get.

• Director’s Audio Commentary
• Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation
• Heart of a Champion
• A Director’s Inspiration
• Choreographing the Races
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Director’s Commentary
• Music Video
• Trailer Navigation

The audio commentary with director Randall Wallace (of Braveheart fame, and Pearl Harbor infamy) is a fairly enjoyable listen. The “Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation“, is a featurette of the actual race and a computer simulated version of the race. The simulated race is discussed and broken down by a professional jockey and other experts in the field. “Heart of a Champion” is a series of interviews with Penny and the cast and crew of the movie as the story behind the horse is told. Wallace and Penny have a real-life conversation about the efforts at authenticity in the film in “A Director’s Inspiration.” There’s a bit on race choreographing as well as deleted scenes and a music video of inspirational song “It’s Who You Are” by singer AJ Michalka. I’m glad to see Blu-Ray releases like this; heavy on the extras and worth the money. The Blu-Ray visuals are great, with the clarity of high def showing off the soft, smooth cinematography of the film. The great romantic lighting is set to its best advantage and the rich vibrant colours look gorgeous. Digital anomalies are thankfully absent and detail is fine as can be. Skin tones come off as natural and textures are fairly crisp. Black levels could be better and some of the horse racing scenes don’t look all that great, there are also some soft shots here and there. Overall though, it’s fairly strong transfer. When it comes to audio, the Blu-Ray delivers. The thunderous roar of the horse’s hoofs crash through your speakers, drawing you in. The race scenes are the highlight and they really do sound great. Surround sound in these scenes is particularly pleasing. Impressive directionality is found throughout and Nick Glennie-Smith’s score sounds wonderful. A bit of dialogue is drowned out here and there but like the video, it’s still a strong transfer. So at the end of the day, we get a pretty good film with Secretariat. Malkovich is wonderful as usual and we get a truly inspirational story with some thrilling race sequences. The film looks good enough on Blu-Ray and there’s an acceptable amount of special features. It’s not a perfect package but if you saw the film in theatres you’ll probably be pleased with what’s offered here. If you haven’t seen it yet, and you’re looking for an enjoyable, inspirational film, you may want to check this one out.