120 Bahadur Made Tax-Free In Delhi As Tribute To Soldiers
P&C | Friday, 28 Nov. 2025
New Delhi | Planet & Commerce
In a significant gesture honouring India’s military legacy, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday announced that the war film 120 Bahadur, produced by Farhan Akhtar and based on the legendary bravery of the Charlie Company of the 13 Kumaon Regiment, has been declared tax-free in the national capital. The decision, effective from 28 November, marks the Delhi government’s tribute to one of the most heroic last-stands in Indian military history — the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Calling the film a powerful reminder of “extraordinary courage, leadership, and sacrifice,” Gupta said the move recognises the unmatched valour of the 120 soldiers of Charlie Company, who fought to their last breath under the leadership of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, a posthumous Param Vir Chakra awardee whose name has become synonymous with battlefield courage. The decision is expected to boost viewership in Delhi and encourage younger generations to engage with India’s military heritage through cinema at a time when war films continue to serve as cultural bridges between history and public memory.
The film commemorates the iconic Rezang La battle, fought at an altitude of 18,000 feet in Ladakh, where 120 Indian soldiers faced thousands of well-armed Chinese troops in one of the most astonishing acts of battlefield resistance recorded anywhere in the world. The battle, remembered for its brutal cold, near-impossible odds and unmatched human resilience, has long stood as a defining chapter for the Kumaon Regiment. In her announcement, Chief Minister Gupta said 120 Bahadur brings to life “the inspiring leadership of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati,” whose tactical brilliance and courage under fire turned the Rezang La outpost into an immortal symbol of sacrifice. She emphasised that the film honours soldiers who fought without reinforcements, artillery support or retreat options, defending their motherland with unwavering resolve. Gupta said the Delhi government wanted every citizen, especially youth, to witness this cinematic portrayal of military heroism. “The story of Rezang La is not merely history; it is a living lesson in patriotism,” she said.
Produced by Farhan Akhtar and narrated through a blend of realism and emotional storytelling, 120 Bahadur aims to revive public understanding of the 1962 conflict and highlight the sacrifice of soldiers who have long remained under-recognised outside military circles. The film carries an emotional weight similar to Akhtar’s previous works centering on Indian identity and resilience, but this project stands out for its historical gravity and nationalistic significance. By granting tax-free status, Delhi hopes to ensure the film reaches schools, colleges and a wide civilian audience. War historians and veterans have described the decision as “a deeply meaningful acknowledgment” of a battle that has long deserved a place in mainstream Indian storytelling.
Rezang La has often been described as the “Thermopylae of the East,” referencing the ancient battleground where a small Greek force held off a vastly larger Persian army. In Rezang La, the 120 soldiers of Charlie Company faced an assault by an estimated 5,000-6,000 Chinese troops, holding the post until almost the entire company was martyred. When recovery teams arrived, they found rifles still clutched in frozen hands and soldiers in firing positions — a haunting portrait of unwavering duty. Major Shaitan Singh’s leadership, calm under pressure, and refusal to abandon his men even after being critically wounded cemented his place in Indian military folklore. His courage continues to inspire generations of cadets and soldiers, and 120 Bahadur seeks to retell this saga with authenticity, honour, and cinematic depth. The Delhi government’s announcement said the film “reminds the nation of the values of bravery, discipline, integrity, and sacrifice” that defined Rezang La and continue to define the Indian Army.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the tax-free decision aligns with Delhi’s commitment to promoting films that reflect India’s heritage, cultural depth, and patriotic narrative. She noted that cinema plays a critical role in preserving stories that textbooks alone cannot fully capture. “Films like 120 Bahadur ensure that the sacrifice of our brave soldiers is remembered not only on commemorative days but permanently etched in public memory,” Gupta said. She encouraged families, students and young professionals across Delhi to watch the film and understand the immense cost paid by India’s armed forces during the 1962 conflict. The Delhi government also signalled openness to support more historical and military-themed films in the future, viewing them as essential contributions to the nation’s cultural and educational landscape.
The release of 120 Bahadur comes at a time when India’s interest in the 1962 war has resurfaced due to recent geopolitical tensions with China. The battle’s strategic relevance has re-entered public conversation, and newer scholarship has sought to restore the legacy of lesser-known regiments and commanders who played crucial roles. Veterans of the Kumaon Regiment have praised the film, stating that it finally brings deserved recognition to soldiers whose courage has often been overshadowed by larger political narratives of the 1962 war. Many have also welcomed the Delhi government’s decision, saying a tax-free release enables more people to witness the story on a larger scale. Farhan Akhtar, known for blending cinematic storytelling with national emotion, has expressed gratitude for the government’s gesture, calling it an honour for the entire film team.
Early screenings of 120 Bahadur have drawn emotional reactions from viewers, many of whom said the film shed new light on a largely forgotten chapter of India’s military past. Social media discussions around the announcement have highlighted the pride associated with the Kumaon Regiment and the unforgettable bravery of Rezang La. Defense enthusiasts and military historians believe the Delhi government’s decision sets a precedent for supporting films that meaningfully engage with India’s security history. Several states are expected to consider similar tax-free declarations in the coming weeks. As the nation reflects on the sacrifice of Charlie Company, 120 Bahadur stands as both a cinematic achievement and a historical tribute, connecting modern audiences with the timeless legacy of Major Shaitan Singh and his men.
Stranger Things Concludes With A Thrilling, Nostalgic Final
P&C | Friday, 28 Nov. 2025
New Delhi | Planet & Commerce
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things arrives more than three years after a fourth season that already felt like an ending. With the cast now unmistakably in their 20s, one might assume the show had outgrown its own premise. Yet in its final outing, the Netflix behemoth pulls off a dazzling recovery — a flame-throwing, tunnel-crawling, bullet-dodging farewell that is as emotional as it is spectacular. Rather than pretending the kids are still kids, season five softens the scope of the story, shrinking the world back down to the places that made the series iconic: Hawkins, the Upside Down, and the sinister government laboratory where everything first began. Gone are the sprawling globe-trotting arcs. Gone are the crowded suburban subplots. What remains is a tight core of characters driven by a singular mission — to break into the Upside Down and finally destroy Vecna, the psychic monster whose shadow has loomed over the series since its earliest moments. The result is a four-episode run (with three more episodes due at Christmas and a final New Year conclusion) that plays like a single, luxurious, five-hour feature film, stretching every emotional beat and every action sequence with blockbuster confidence.
The biggest challenge Stranger Things faces in its concluding season is the age of its stars. What began as a show about BMX-riding middle-schoolers sneaking around their basements with Dungeons & Dragons maps has inevitably become a story carried by young adults who look more suited to corporate internships than clandestine supernatural battles. The Duffer Brothers handle the dilemma cleverly. The season barely shows parents, teachers or the ordinary world of Hawkins. The characters exist almost entirely inside a sealed war-zone reality, detached from civilian life. If the kids now look too old for curfews and walkie-talkie conspiracies, the plot compensates by absorbing them into a world where childhood rules no longer apply. Yet the beloved quirks remain untouched. Dustin’s gadget-obsessed goofiness, Robin’s fast-talking chaos, Eleven’s fierce psychic resolve, and Mike’s determined loyalty all feel preserved in amber, recognizable and comforting. Lucas, Jonathan and the adult duo Joyce and Hopper return to lend weight to the ensemble, grounding the story with their familiar rhythms. This season feels like Stranger Things reclaiming itself — not by pretending time hasn’t passed, but by reinventing the stakes so that time no longer matters.
The structure of the four episodes is deliberate and indulgent. Episode one is an extended stage-setting operation, drawing emotional lines, repositioning alliances and teasing the final confrontation. As the season unfolds, each episode bleeds into the next, building tension with the pacing of a classic 1980s adventure epic. Episode four delivers the standout moment fans will talk about for years — a 90-minute explosive battle sequence that leans fully into the show’s limitless special-effects budget. Flamethrowers, collapsing tunnels, psychic shockwaves, giant Upside Down vistas, and enough visual references to evoke everything from The Exorcist to Jurassic Park fill the climactic arc. By the time the final shot lands, viewers will be standing on their chairs, screaming in triumph and disbelief. The Duffers pull from their usual treasure chest of nostalgic influences — Home Alone, Back to the Future, The Great Escape, Little Red Riding Hood, and even the cult Canadian animated film The Peanut Butter Solution — but at this point, Stranger Things is referencing itself more than anything else. Its own mythology has become its biggest stylistic engine.
While the final season excels in spectacle, it also delivers surprising emotional depth. Much of the narrative momentum comes from Nancy Wheeler, who emerges as a hardened investigative strategist after years of walking the periphery of battles. A patronizing gesture from an older man calling her “sweetheart” sparks a defining moment, pushing her from reluctant participant to frontline leader. But the heart of season five belongs to Will Byers, the boy who vanished in season one and has carried trauma through every episode since. Long portrayed as pale, withdrawn and haunted, Will finally receives the narrative space he has always deserved. His sexuality — quietly acknowledged through past seasons — becomes the basis for Stranger Things’ most poignant emotional arc. Rather than treating it as a cliché coming-of-age subplot, the Duffer Brothers craft a sensitive, layered transformation that ties Will’s inner awakening to the show’s broader themes of fear, identity, and the ghosts we outrun. By revisiting the events of the series premiere and reinterpreting Will’s early trauma through a mature lens, season five binds the ending to the beginning, making the series feel like a complete emotional loop rather than a collection of nostalgic set-pieces.
Season five is self-aware. It knows Stranger Things has grown too big, too expensive and too old to replicate the innocence of its earliest episodes. So instead of trying to force youth back into its cast, it embraces the show’s evolution: a grand, self-referential, genre-defying hybrid of action, horror, comedy, sci-fi, coming-of-age drama and 80s fantasy. The result is something rare for a long-running streaming juggernaut: a final season that feels like a celebration, not a compromise. It honours the childlike spirit of bike-rides and basement maps, but also accepts the reality of change. It allows its characters to grow while still giving its audience the nostalgic thrill they came for. The show is older now — so are we — and this maturity gives the finale a poignancy that lands harder than expected. Stranger Things season five may be too big, too polished and too self-aware to fully recapture the innocence of its first seasons, but it is emotionally complete. It sparks joy, grief, adrenaline and nostalgia in equal measure. And yes, it may finally be time for the characters to hang up their slingshots and shut off their boomboxes, but as last rides go, it is a spectacular one.
Zootopia 2 Offers Mild Fun But Lacks Original’s Heart
P&C | Friday, 28 Nov. 2025
New Delhi | Planet & Commerce
The much-anticipated Zootopia 2 (known as Zootopia 2 in the United States) finally arrives, but instead of rekindling the spark that made the original a global sensation, this sequel lands with a polished yet oddly hollow thud. It is technically adept, visually charming, intermittently funny, and narratively clean — but the creative soul that once elevated the franchise appears to have thinned to AI-level autopilot. In a cinematic era increasingly shaped by algorithmic storytelling and corporate franchise maintenance, the new film feels like a product of studio precision rather than artistic passion. It’s enjoyable enough for children and passable entertainment for families, but the emotional resonance and thematic boldness that defined the 2016 original are all but missing. The sequel returns to the vibrant metropolis where predator and prey coexist, promising another adventure for police duo Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, but the execution suggests a franchise coasting on brand familiarity rather than forging new creative paths.
This time, the beloved bunny-fox detective pair is tasked with solving a strange crime involving a snake, the only species still excluded from Zootropolis society. The serpent is accused of stealing a journal belonging to the city’s aristocratic lynx family — a document that contains secrets about the “weather walls,” the massive climate-controlling structures that enable wildly different ecosystems to exist within a single city. As Judy and Nick dig deeper, they uncover a layered conspiracy involving lies, political intrigue and revelations that stretch “all the way to the top.” It’s a serviceable plot, one that clicks along efficiently and keeps young viewers invested. Yet what’s missing is the daring commentary — on prejudice, identity, social division and systemic power — that defined the original film’s acclaimed world-building. Instead, Zootropolis 2 settles into a predictable family-friendly mystery without the sharp social critique that once made the franchise feel bold. The humour, too, feels comparatively muted, relying on corporate-approved jokes and gentle slapstick that come across as algorithmically generated rather than organically inspired.
Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman return as the optimistic rookie Judy Hopps and charmingly sly Nick Wilde, their chemistry still intact even as the script gives them little new ground to explore. Alan Tudyk delivers a minor yet humorous voice-over cameo, and the supporting cast brings energy to the bustling animal metropolis. But while the performances remain warm, the writing rarely allows for fresh emotional depth, unexpected twists or character growth. Instead, the film leans on its already-established dynamic — Hopps’ idealism, Wilde’s snark, and their teamwork — without expanding the relationship or pushing them into unexplored emotional territory. This sequel feels like a franchise gently spinning its wheels.
There is no denying that Zootopia 2 looks magnificent. Disney has perfected the art of high-definition animated environments, and the sequel’s landscapes — from icy tundras to tropical zones, dense urban lights to climate-controlled domes — gleam with detail. The film’s technical excellence is unquestionable, showcasing Disney’s continued dominance in digital animation. Yet it is precisely this glossy perfection that draws comparisons to AI-generated cinema — technically flawless, narratively efficient, visually vibrant, yet strangely hollow. The imaginative spark that once ignited Zootopia’ world-building now feels formulaic, as though stitched together through predictable story-assembly tools rather than daring creative impulses. Even the climactic revelations and emotional beats feel pre-tested and pre-approved, ensuring broad appeal at the expense of originality.
There are laughs in Zootopia 2 — of course there are. Disney’s writing teams ensure a steady stream of chuckles. But the humour rarely surprises. It feels like the kind of movie you load on a tablet during a long train trip, keeping kids entertained without demanding adult attention.
That doesn’t make it a bad film. It simply makes it a safe one. Unlike the first Zootopia, which confronted big themes such as discrimination, fear-mongering, and social bias through metaphor and heart, the sequel lacks both thematic potency and narrative ambition. The stakes feel smaller, the messaging softer, and the emotional arcs thinner. Families will enjoy it. Children will be delighted. But adults hoping for another thoughtful, layered, genre-bending animated classic will find this film content to take the neatest, most predictable path.
Zootopia remains a rich universe with immense potential — a wonderland where predators and prey coexist, where climate-controlled borders divide ecosystems, and where the metaphorical possibilities are endless. Yet Zootopia 2 leaves much of this opportunity unexplored, opting instead for a narrower, lighter, and safer cinematic experience. Its release across multiple regions — the US on 26 November, Australia on 27 November, and the UK on 28 November — ensures global reach. But the lingering question is whether the franchise can evolve creatively enough to remain culturally relevant in future instalments. If Disney intends to build a long-running series, Z3 might need to venture into deeper, darker, or more emotionally mature territory — perhaps returning to the intellectual and cultural nerve the first film touched so well.
Zootopia 2 is not a failure. It is an enjoyable, polished, often charming animated sequel with lovable characters, dazzling visuals, and family-friendly pacing. But it doesn’t ignite the imagination in the way its predecessor did. It feels crafted for convenience — a safe mid-tier addition to the Disney catalogue rather than a bold new chapter in animated storytelling. In an entertainment landscape increasingly shaped by visual perfection and algorithmic storytelling, Zootopia 2 lands squarely in the middle: a film engineered to entertain, but not built to last. Children will laugh, parents will nod along, but the sense of wonder that made the original unforgettable remains largely untouched.
Raju Weds Rambai Falters Despite Ambition And Authenticity
P&C | Friday, 21 Nov. 2025
India| Planet & Commerce
Debutant director Saailu Kaampati attempts a bold, unfiltered exploration of rural love, patriarchal tension and social decay in Raju Weds Rambai, a Telugu drama loosely inspired by a real-life tragedy from the late 2000s. However, despite the film’s intention to deliver raw realism and rustic authenticity, its execution leans heavily on shock value, uneven character arcs and a troublingly tone-deaf depiction of gender and violence. The film stands at the intersection of ambition and carelessness, often forgetting that handling a sensitive tragedy requires not only honesty but also nuance, maturity and restraint. The film begins with a compelling narrative device — a drum belonging to a village music band, personified by a voiceover from Manoj Manchu, and presented as a silent witness to three inevitable milestones of rural life: birth, marriage and death. This symbolic motif creates an immediate sense of foreboding and promises a layered, introspective story about fate, community and human frailty. It is visually striking and thematically rich, but the promise it holds is only partially realised.
The central narrative revolves around Raju (Akhil Uddemari), a young band owner from a small village, and Rambai (Tejaswi Rao), a college-going girl whose dreams are simple yet stifled by familial expectations. Their romance, innocent and impulsive, is thwarted by Rambai’s father Venkanna (Chaitu Jonnalagadda), a physically challenged compounder at the local government hospital. Venkanna carries an emotional burden of insecurities, expressed through aggression and rage that spill into every aspect of his life. His possessiveness over his daughter, rooted in fear and inadequacy, fuels a toxic environment from which neither the young couple nor the household women can escape. The film uses Venkanna as the catalyst for the brewing storm, but in doing so, it reduces him to a single-note antagonist defined primarily by insecurity and anger. While Chaitu Jonnalagadda’s performance is compelling, the writing rarely moves beyond broad strokes, glossing over opportunities to explore the character’s psychological landscape with depth. This oversimplification ultimately undercuts the emotional stakes of the conflict.
As the narrative unfolds, both Raju and Venkanna succumb to destructive impulses, repeatedly transforming solvable misunderstandings into catastrophic consequences. The women in the story — Raju’s mother, Rambai and Rambai’s mother — remain mostly powerless, either silenced or resigned to the decisions of the men. This treatment is particularly concerning in the film’s latter half, where the narrative seems to validate some of the men’s actions by framing them as tragic, unavoidable outcomes rather than questioning the toxic masculinity embedded within them. In its rare effective moments, Raju Weds Rambai offers glimpses into the aspirations and internal conflicts of rural youth: the pressure to secure a government job, the desperation to migrate to cities for better opportunities, and the constant tussle between preserving dignity and embracing survival. These thematic threads resonate authentically and could have anchored the film in meaningful socio-cultural commentary. Instead, they remain scattered, overshadowed by melodrama and gratuitous sensationalism.
Where the film falters most severely is in its treatment of masculinity and sexuality. The screenplay indulges in sexualising the male coming-of-age experience in ways that feel uncomfortable, regressive and gratuitously crass. Scenes of Raju and his friends obsessing over soft-porn films, paying shopkeepers to download adult videos, obsessing over voyeuristic fantasies, or framing sexual desire as a bargaining tool for affection are presented as humour but lack sensitivity, perspective and narrative necessity. These moments do little to advance character development and instead reinforce problematic tropes that undercut the emotional gravity of the film. The climax, meant to epitomise the tragedy that inspired the story, relies heavily on shock value and ends up glorifying Raju’s actions by painting him as a martyr-like figure, conveniently overlooking his prior mistakes and troubling behaviour. This narrative choice shifts the emotional balance of the film in a direction that feels irresponsible, undermining the gravity of real-world events it claims to draw from.
The film’s cinematic language, steeped in nostalgia for the 90s and 2000s, incorporates references from popular films like Peda Rayudu, Chitram, 6 Teens, Kotha Bangaru Lokam and even Falguni Pathak’s iconic music videos. While these cultural nods may appeal to certain viewers, they often feel forced and overly reliant on sentiment rather than serving the narrative organically. The band music setting offered a unique opportunity for tonal experimentation, yet the film settles for an inconsistent mix of nostalgia and melodrama. Performances, however, offer some redemption. Akhil Uddemari and Tejaswi Rao embody the roles of impulsive young lovers with sincerity. Akhil particularly shines in the few comedic scenes that land effectively, showing natural timing and an easy rapport with the supporting cast. Tejaswi brings vulnerability to her role, though the script gives her limited scope to express Rambai as a fully realised character.
Chaitu Jonnalagadda once again proves his versatility, shifting effortlessly from roles like the humorous father in Bubblegum to the stern officer in Hit 3. Here, he delivers a menacing portrait of a man unravelled by insecurity. Yet the script offers him little room for complexity, forcing him into repetitive emotional beats that do not fully exploit his range. Technically, Suresh Bobbili’s music stands out with its grounding in rustic folk influences, but some tracks feel repetitive in tone. The cinematography lacks consistency, with certain sequences filmed with questionable intent, making the visual palette uneven. The dialogues, at times sharp, too often meander or undercut pivotal moments, diluting the emotional impact.
Ultimately, Raju Weds Rambai is weighed down by its own tonal contradictions. The film attempts to portray rural tragedy with realism but too frequently slips into crass humour and simplistic moralisation. It gestures toward important themes — caste, class, patriarchy, sexual repression, generational conflict — but rarely explores them with rigour or compassion. The result is a film that shocks more than it moves, critiques patriarchy while unconsciously perpetuating it, and aspires to authenticity without grasping the nuance required to tell such a story responsibly. Its ambition is evident, but its execution betrays a cinematic immaturity. A tragedy rooted in reality deserved a more thoughtful, sensitive and introspective treatment.
Hawkins Faces Ultimate Threat In Stranger Things Season Five
P&C | Friday, 21 Nov. 2025
USA | Planet & Commerce
The long wait for the final chapter of Stranger Things is almost over. After a three-year hiatus following the explosive conclusion of Season 4, Stranger Things Season 5 officially returns on November 26, 2025, bringing the beloved sci-fi saga toward its climactic end. The fifth season, set during the fall of 1987, marks not only the culmination of Netflix’s biggest global hit but also a significant shift in how the streaming giant handles its flagship franchise. For the first time, the series will be released in three separate volumes, and it will also receive a limited theatrical release across the United States. Fans will now experience the emotional farewell on both the small and big screen, with exclusive theatrical screenings planned for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, giving the show’s final moments a celebratory and cinematic send-off worthy of its cultural impact.
Netflix has confirmed the following release schedule: Volume 1, consisting of four episodes, will premiere on November 26. Volume 2, containing three more episodes, will drop exactly a month later on December 25. The final chapter — a standalone finale episode — will arrive on December 31, 2025, at 8 pm ET, bringing an end to one of the most influential sci-fi dramas in streaming history.
Nearly all core cast members are returning for this final season, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Cara Buono. The cast list reflects the ensemble dynamic that has always powered the series — a blend of teen actors who have grown into global stars and veteran performers who anchored the emotional backbone of Hawkins from the beginning. Season 5 also introduces several new faces, including Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, Alex Breaux, and Linda Hamilton, the iconic star of the Terminator franchise whose casting has created enormous buzz. Her role in Hawkins — whether as ally, authority or adversary — remains tightly guarded, but her presence signals an escalation in both tone and scale. The new season picks up a year after the cataclysmic events of Season 4, when Vecna succeeded in opening the Rifts, leaving Hawkins permanently scarred and on the brink of collapse. The official synopsis sets the tone for a dark, high-stakes narrative:
“The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna.”
But Vecna has vanished. His whereabouts, his strategy and his next move remain entirely unknown. The new episodes follow the core group as they reunite in a Hawkins under military quarantine, a consequence of the government’s increasing involvement in the town’s inexplicable and escalating supernatural chaos. The authorities’ hunt for Eleven intensifies, forcing her back into secrecy and making her both the key to victory and a fugitive on the run.The unofficial war between Vecna’s dark dimension and Hawkins now enters its final phase. As the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance approaches, the story circles back to its origins, reviving the heavy dread that first defined the show in 2016. With government forces closing in, the Upside Down evolving into something more violent and more conscious, and the characters grappling with their emotional pasts, Season 5 promises a narrative that is not only a final battle but a confrontation with the trauma that has followed them for years. Netflix offered audiences a first glimpse by releasing the opening five minutes of Season 5 on YouTube, igniting immediate excitement across social media. Though brief, the footage teases a Hawkins in disarray, splintered by fear yet held together by the same group of misfit heroes who began their journey as children and now stand on the edge of adulthood — and apocalypse.
Creators the Duffer Brothers have repeatedly stated that the final season will deepen the show’s emotional core while elevating the spectacle. With the main cast aging beyond their character timelines, Season 5 leans into the metaphor of growing up: the end of innocence, the weight of choices, and the responsibility of confronting darkness rather than escaping it. Set in late 1987, the new season will embody the atmosphere of the late-Reagan era, amplifying themes of Cold War paranoia, militarisation and the creeping dread of forces beyond human understanding. From a storytelling perspective, Season 5’s structure — divided across three release windows — allows for a build-and-release rhythm that mimics the tension of a cinematic trilogy. Volume 1 establishes the stakes and brings the scattered characters back together. Volume 2 sets the countdown toward battle, while the epic final episode on December 31 acts as a grand send-off, a culmination of a decade-long journey spanning friendship, grief, love, fear and supernatural warfare.
One expected theme of the season is the reunion of the entire group — the “full party,” as the synopsis describes. Over the years, the characters’ paths have diverged, with emotional fractures forming within the group. Their final challenge requires not only physical survival but also a restoration of trust, unity and collective strength. Eleven’s role is central, but this time, the story emphasises that no single character can defeat Vecna alone; it requires the entire cast standing together “one last time.” As Hawkins becomes ground zero for supernatural and military escalation, the new season raises moral questions about power, sacrifice and survival. The government’s pursuit of Eleven suggests new conflicts between science, fear and weaponisation. Vecna’s ambitions hint at an even darker force within the Upside Down, one that may push the boundaries of the show’s mythology farther than ever before.
The final episodes are expected to address unresolved emotional arcs: Will’s connection to the Upside Down, Eleven’s identity crisis, Max’s near-death trauma, Hopper’s renewed purpose, and the evolution of friendships tested by loss and time. Season 5 stands poised to tie together multiple timelines, character journeys and supernatural threads into a single, unified endgame. With its release schedule spanning November and December 2025, Stranger Things Season 5 will dominate the holiday season, becoming the streaming world’s biggest cultural event of the year. The theatrical screenings further underscore the franchise’s cinematic scale and enduring appeal. As the countdown begins, fans brace for a finale filled with nostalgia, terror, heartbreak and iconic Hawkins moments. The Duffer Brothers promise a final battle that will echo through pop culture long after the last frame fades. Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Hopper and Joyce prepare to face their deadliest enemy yet — and to end the nightmare on their own terms.
Hunger Games Sunrise On The Reaping Unleashes First Look
P&C | Friday, 21 Nov. 2025
USA| Planet & Commerce
The long-awaited return to Panem has officially begun. Lionsgate has unveiled the first trailer for “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” offering a gripping and atmospheric glimpse into the origins of Haymitch Abernathy, the District 12 victor whose trauma, sarcasm and survival instincts shaped the original trilogy. With its haunting visuals, 1970s-inspired retro aesthetic and an ensemble cast stacked with acclaimed performers, the first look promises a prequel as ambitious, emotional and politically charged as any chapter in the franchise. Set twenty-four years before Katniss Everdeen enters the arena, this prequel focuses on the 50th Hunger Games, infamously known as the Second Quarter Quell, one of the bloodiest and most ruthless Games in Panem’s history. The film opens on the morning of the reaping, capturing the tension, dread and brutal ritual of a system built on spectacle and suffering. The teaser sets a dark, relentless tone, signalling that this will be one of the franchise’s most emotionally intense chapters.
Actor Joseph Zada steps into the enormous role of young Haymitch Abernathy, originally portrayed with unforgettable wit and wounded gravitas by Woody Harrelson. This prequel explores Haymitch before the cynicism, before the alcohol, before mentorship — back when he was smart, defiant, dangerously resourceful and still capable of hope. Zada, already praised for his powerful performance in “We Were Liars,” appears poised to reinterpret the burden of survival in his own voice, giving the fan-favourite mentor a layered and vulnerable backstory. The film also reintroduces younger versions of iconic characters. Elle Fanning appears as a young Effie Trinket, before the Capitol’s stylistic flamboyance fully took over her persona. Jesse Plemons portrays Plutarch Heavensbee, the calculating and enigmatic Head Gamemaker who later becomes central to the rebellion. Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes takes over as President Coriolanus Snow, bridging the gap between Tom Blyth’s younger version in “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and the authoritative menace of Donald Sutherland in the original films. The casting aligns with the franchise’s tradition of blending rising stars with seasoned performers to enrich its political and emotional landscape.
The ensemble cast reflects Lionsgate’s full commitment to expanding the world with nuance and gravitas. Alongside Zada, Fanning, Plemons and Fiennes, the film features Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close and Billy Porter. Each plays a character connected to the lore of previous novels and films, weaving a comprehensive continuity across generations of Panem politics, District dynamics and Capitol cruelty. The trailer reveals a distinctive visual palette reminiscent of 1970s dystopian cinema — smoky arenas, analogue textures, retro colour grading and a grainy, documentary-style feel that distinguishes this chapter from its predecessors. Director Francis Lawrence, who has now helmed five Hunger Games films, appears determined to expand the franchise’s visual language. Having previously directed “Catching Fire,” “Mockingjay – Part 1,” “Mockingjay – Part 2” and the first prequel, Lawrence brings a deep understanding of Panem’s socio-political architecture. His experience ensures stylistic continuity while allowing him to shape new tonal variations suited to Haymitch’s tragic, treacherous journey.
The screenplay, penned by Billy Ray, was developed in parallel with Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel, making Sunrise on the Reaping another rare instance where book and film were conceived together. This dual-development approach enhances thematic clarity and ensures the film remains faithful to Collins’ evolving vision of Panem’s history, authoritarianism and rebellion.The Second Quarter Quell is one of the darkest events in the franchise’s lore. Fans of the books know that Haymitch’s defiance of Capitol cruelty — and the horrifying punishment that followed — shaped his mistrust of authority, his eventual alcoholism and his hardened survival instincts. The prequel is expected to delve into the psychological violence behind the Games, not merely the physical threats. The trailer hints at brutal new arena designs, inventive traps, and a Capitol machinery more ruthless than anything previously depicted.
While the original Hunger Games films portrayed the Capitol's cruelty through high-tech spectacle, Sunrise on the Reaping seems ready to expose the gritty underbelly of an earlier era — a rawer, less refined system, yet equally dangerous. This aesthetic shift may be one of the film’s most compelling elements, setting it apart from both the Katniss trilogy and the Snow prequel. The ensemble’s supporting characters deepen the world-building. Glenn Close plays Drusilla Sickle, a Capitol figure with icy authority. Kieran Culkin appears as Caesar Flickerman, introducing a younger version of the flamboyant Games host later immortalised by Stanley Tucci. Mckenna Grace plays Maysilee Donner, a character with close ties to the Everdeen family legacy. Maya Hawke, Beetee, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. enrich the cast further, setting up complex emotional and political dynamics that unfold both inside and outside the arena.
With producers Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and Francis Lawrence, the creative team behind some of the franchise’s most acclaimed entries returns to uphold the legacy. Jacobson and Simpson’s stewardship has been instrumental in shaping the Hunger Games into one of Hollywood’s most successful literary adaptations, balancing massive box-office expectations with anti-authoritarian storytelling. Sunrise on the Reaping is poised to explore themes central to Collins’ writing: totalitarian control, rebellion, exploitation of youth, trauma as legacy, and the twisted allure of televised violence. The prequel rewinds the clock to an era when the Capitol was refining its cruelty, the Districts were still swallowing the psychological shock of the First Rebellion, and the Games had not yet evolved into the technologically advanced spectacle of the Katniss era. It is a story of beginnings — of the Games’ dark sophistication, of Haymitch’s scars, and of a Panem still learning how to weaponise fear.
The trailer’s release also signals the start of a year-long promotional build-up. Fans will have to wait for the theatrical release on November 20, 2026, but early indicators suggest the film may become one of the franchise’s most emotionally powerful instalments. With a compelling cast, a beloved literary foundation, and Francis Lawrence’s experienced direction, Sunrise on the Reaping has all the ingredients of a blockbuster that honours the franchise while expanding its mythology. As anticipation mounts, audiences can expect a deeper, darker and more psychologically charged exploration of Panem’s past — one that reveals not only how Haymitch survived the Games, but how the Games themselves became a mechanism of absolute control. In revisiting one of the most horrifying chapters of Hunger Games history, the franchise promises to deliver a story that is both epic and intimate, both brutal and human.