Chris Hayner

Chris Hayner is a senior entertainment editor, writer, host, and producer at GameSpot and Fandom. He also hosts the Big Kid podcast and writes for his Substack, Haynerland.

GameSpot •

Tom Cruise Is Mission Impossible's Hero, But Simon Pegg Is The Glue Holding The Series Together

When you sit down in the theaters to watch Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - Part 1, you know what you're getting, more or less. There will be some kind of impossible mission that requires Tom Cruise to jump off of something, crash something, or otherwise put his own life--and the lives of anyone around him--in immeasurable amounts of danger so he and his team can save the world. Oftentimes, one of those put in danger is none other than his sidekick Benji (Simon Pegg). Benji's more than a sid
GameSpot •

Lightyear Review - Pixar Goes To Infinity And Beyond In Its Theatrical Return

Since Lightyear was announced, there's been one question on everyone's minds. "Wait, how does this work? I'm confused." In fact, it's confusing enough that Lightyear explains what's going on in the opening seconds of the film. "In 1995, Andy got a toy from his favorite movie. This is that movie." Lightyear is, essentially, the origin story of Buzz Lightyear. Put simply, it's Andy's Star Wars.
GameSpot •

Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick Bootcamp Was Even Scarier Than It Sounds

When you head to the theater to see Top Gun: Maverick this weekend, it should be pretty clear that most of what you're seeing was done practically, rather than with digital effects. The cast was really flying in those jets, going through some pretty intense maneuvers--and they had to train for it.

Chances are by now, you've heard about the boot camp, of sorts, that star Tom Cruise put together for his castmates. Well, according to the cast of the second Top Gun film, it was an even more intense
GameSpot •

Halo Puts A New Spin On Master Chief And Cortana's Relationship

After the latest episode of Halo on Paramount+, we've finally gotten the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with Cortana, a familiar face from the video game series. Of course, she's not quite the same as many will remember from Halo's numerous games. Still, having her finally make her appearance makes it seem as though even bigger things are coming.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Halo Season 1, Episode 3. If you've yet to watch the latest installment on Paramount+, this is your
GameSpot •

Fast & Furious 9 Review: The Perfect Movie To Welcome You Back To The Theater

In the 20 years since the first Fast and Furious movie hit theaters, the series has relied less and less on reality to tell its story. What started as a smaller-budget action movie about street racing in Los Angeles evolved to people in cars fighting nuclear submarines, with the heroes all somehow surviving. In the latest installment, Fast 9, the franchise takes the final step in accepting how ridiculous the premise has become. And, thankfully, it works like a charm.
GameSpot •

Mortal Kombat Movie Review: A Nearly Flawless Victory

When the original Mortal Kombat film shot into theaters like a Liu Kang fireball in 1995, it quickly became a guilty pleasure for many. While it was fun, featured plenty of action, and had quite possibly the coolest soundtrack of all time, it was not a very good adaptation of the video game it was based on. Now, though, Mortal Kombat is back on the big screen for a second shot at igniting a live-action movie franchise.
GameSpot •

Why The Mortal Kombat Movie's Main Character Isn't From The Games

With a new movie arriving in theaters and on HBO Max this week, it's hard not to look back at the films that came before, 1995's Mortal Kombat and 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Not only did the characters from the games make up the supporting cast for the film, but the story centered around the iconic Liu Kang. In the new film, though, the central figure isn't from the games. He's an original character.
GameSpot •

WWE/Netflix's The Main Event Review: It's Like Mike With Wrestlers

The partnership between WWE and Netflix is bringing some intriguing content to the streaming service in April. Already, The Big Show Show--a half-hour sitcom starring the wrestling giant--has premiered. Now, the first Netflix original film from WWE Studios is debuting.

The Main Event stars Seth Carr (Black Panther) as Leo Thompson, an eleven-year-old who finds a magical wrestling mask that gives him special powers and sets him on a journey to become a WWE Superstar. Imagine the 2002 family come
GameSpot •

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Impossible Story Behind Coming Out Of Their Shells

It was August 1990, and there was no more popular franchise than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The comic book that two creators--Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird--created as a joke and printed in their garage had spawned a hit animated series and, now, a blockbuster movie. Following a March 30 release, the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie went on to earn over $202 million at the box office. The sky was seemingly the limit on what could be done with this property.
GameSpot •

How Onward Tells Pixar's Most Personal Story Yet

When a new Pixar movie arrives in theaters, chances are you're going to see it expecting to be devastated. Whether it's the life-long journey of a group of toys in the Toy Story franchise, the decimation of Earth at the hands of humans in Wall-E, or an old man finding new life in Up, Pixar tends to find a way to entertain mass audiences with colorful and exciting adventures, while also addressing emotionally complex issues that many will face throughout their lifetime.

That's a trend that conti
GameSpot •

Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet Review - Apple TV+ Levels Up With Game Developer Comedy

When it was announced that It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator Rob McElhenney was teaming with Sunny executive producers Charlie Day and Megan Ganz to create a comedy about video game developers for Apple TV+, it was easy to expect a show rife with Sunny's humor but set in a Silicon Valley-esque development studio. Instead, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet strays far from Sunny's signature brand of raunchy humor.
GameSpot •

Black Christmas (2019) Review: A Forgettable Holiday Slasher

The original Black Christmas, released in 1974, is a slasher movie that essentially boils down to a sorority being stalked, harassed, and killed off by a deranged killer during the Christmas holiday. It doesn't explore anything about the killer, really, or what's motivating the killings. This simplicity led to mixed reviews and eventual cult film status.

The 2019 remake--if you can call it a remake--is almost the exact opposite. The simplified plot is gone. Instead of a single deranged killer,
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