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Eric Francisco

@ericfrancisco24.bsky.social

1.3K followers 429 following 449 posts

Associate Entertainment Editor at Esquire. Bylines: Inverse, Rolling Stone, Vulture, THR, IGN, Men's Health, Observer, Daily Beast, GamesRadar, AV Club, Nerdist, Kotaku. Rutgers alum. TCA member. I like my sugar with coffee and cream. boxd.it/7IdbX

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Reposted by Eric Francisco

scare-cadus (is this anything) 🎃 @birdapp.rip · 29/07/2026

A scene from The Odyssey where Penelope stands before the suitors, but Tim Robinson has been added in. It’s a reference to I Think You Should Leave. Penelope says “Ronnie, I feel like you’re just here for the zip line” and Tim Robinson says “what?”

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

When I saw Mortal Kombat II last summer (when WB was gearing up for an October 2025 release), I felt in my bones Adeline Rudolph would be its breakout lead. I was right. Thrilled to speak to the rising star about her unlikely road to the screen. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Adeline Rudolph Is in Her Badass Heroine Era

The ‘Mortal Kombat II’ star knows she’s been lucky. It still hasn’t been easy.

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Umar Ditta @umarditta.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

The now-deceased he-man creator had a godfundme for his ailing health.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

My reaction to The Mandalorian & Grogu is, without breaking other embargoes, that Masters of the Universe is coming out June 5 and The Furious comes out June 12.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I have a crypto story—get me drunk one day and I'll tell it to you, just like I told it (sober) to Ben McKenzie. For Esquire, I spoke to the former teen heartthrob turned crypto skeptic about his documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Ben McKenzie Is Trying to Tell You Something

The teen heartthrob turned big-time cryptocurrency skeptic’s new documentary shouldn’t fall on deaf ears.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

I played the Trump game. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

I Played the Donald Trump Arcade Game and It's Perfectly Savage

‘Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell’ appeared at the D.C. War Memorial yesterday—and it’s an instant classic.

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

You can say I'm obsessed with Obsession. (Boo hiss, I know.) Deeply dug the execution on what is a simple, even predictable premise. Everyone behind and in front of the cameras are locked in, Inde Navarrette (frightening) especially, that it's easy to get swept away.

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MonsterKing @cerromerussell.blacksky.app · 12/05/2026

Well well well Game Stop how does it feel to get offered nothing when you try to sell it back?!

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Xena. Tolkien. Doom. Star Trek. Dredd. Marvel. The Boys. Now, Mortal Kombat. I had lunch with multiverse macho man Karl Urban—who steps up in his first martial arts film Mortal Kombat II as Johnny Cage—about his past and future on screen. Now on Esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Karl Urban Is Ready to Unlock the Next Level

The 53-year-old actor has stepped through every pop culture sandbox you can name. Now, he’s taking on his greatest challenge in ‘Mortal Kombat II.’

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

The summer event is, without a doubt, A24's Backrooms. In my latest for Esquire, I profiled 20-year-old phenom Kane Parsons, who went from teaching himself Blender to make Half-Life fan videos to helming a legit Hollywood film with Oscar-caliber talent. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

‘Backrooms’ Director Kane Parsons Is Horror’s Next Great Storyteller

The 20-year-old behind the upcoming A24 film enraptured audiences on YouTube. Can he win over Hollywood? “There’s technically nothing stopping you,” he tells Esquire.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I've interviewed athletes before. But never an NFL Draft prospect. My interview with the Notre Dame superstar about his feverish love for anime. www.esquire.com/style/a71109...

Jeremiyah Love Is Ready for His Superhero Moment

Ahead of the NFL Draft, the supremely talented running back told us about how his anime obsession—he’s the star of his own comic book, if you haven’t heard—will inspire his fit for the night.

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Tuffy @smtuffy.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

It’s very hard to take the AI bros’ sudden embrace of UBI seriously when they are simultaneously cheering Trump’s destruction of the welfare states, tbh

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I'm not done today. With the news of the Elden Ring cast, I did a lil' speculating which characters might show up. Definitely Melina. Maybe Blaidd? And what if Kit Connor is Let Me Solo Her? www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

A24's ‘Elden Ring’ Adaptation Has One of the Strongest Ensemble Casts We've Seen in a Long Time

Alex Garland assembled an all-star lineup from his past to pull off the big-budget video game movie.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I've now done my "dream interview" a second time. On this blessed 4/20, I spoke to fellow Jersey son Kevin Smith about his history with video games and Jay & Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch. Got a new Bennifer story in the process. My latest on Esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Inside Kevin Smith's R-Rated Imagination

The writer and director who led the indie movie revolution talks ‘Mallrats 2,’ Spider-Man, and the Jay & Silent Bob video game.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

The Avatar movie leak should really be one of the bigger stories in entertainment right now. And something about its particulars really bothers me. We haven’t seen anything like it in years. My latest on Esquire: www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

The ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Sequel Leak Should Worry Everyone

No, not that ‘Avatar.’ But this is still very grim.

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

"The world is, to my eyes, looking increasingly absurd and tragic. You can either cry or laugh, and maybe you do both." I profiled O-T Fagbenle, star of Peacock's The Miniature Wife. Live on @esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

O-T Fagbenle Has No Bounds

The 45-year-old’s profile swelled after his Emmy-nominated role in ‘The Handmaid's Tale.’ Now, he’s downsizing—thanks to a delightfully screwball turn in Peacock’s ‘The Miniature Wife.’

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Excited by the possibility of an entire episode of The Studio taking place during a long applause at the Venice Film Festival www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

I Hope ‘The Studio’ Will Roast One of Cinema’s Worst Performative Rituals

It’s the only show that could really pull it off, too.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Just in case you're wondering. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKi9...

This Is What a Nuclear Strike Would Feel Like | NYT Opinion

YouTube video by New York Times Opinion

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Joshua Moore @joshuamoore.com · 06/04/2026

"Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World" is available for an all-time low price of $8.90 on Amazon right now! Any purchases/reviews/sharing/etc. helps a lot (will share more in replies)! Thanks to any and all. ⚡️ www.amazon.com/Morphenomena...

Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World

Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World [Moore, Joshua] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Morphenomenal: How the Power Rangers Conquered the World

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

“There’s a confidence one gets as they work more, and are alive longer, through life experiences that anybody would learn turning thirty.” Last month, I went to McGee's and clinked pints with Ted Lasso and Rooster star Phil Dunster. My latest on Esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Phil Dunster Is on a Hot Streak

The thirty-four-year-old actor charmed you as the firecracker Jamie Tartt on ‘Ted Lasso.’ Now he’s back as a studious (but still dickish) academic on HBO’s new comedy ‘Rooster.’

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

At SXSW, I spoke to Andrew Scott (yes, Hot Priest) about his mission with Redbreast to spotlight short films and mentor new filmmakers. Our chat spanning whiskey sours, authenticity, and the art of short films in the age of content, now on Esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Andrew Scott Knows the Next Steven Spielberg Is Out There. But How Do We Find Them?

AI and corporate mergers are making it harder and harder to nurture the next generation of great filmmakers. The accomplished Irish actor has a plan to fight back.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Paradise fans, got something for you: I interviewed Thomas Doherty ("Dylan/Link") about ALL (okay, most) of the burning questions you have about the season 2 finale, and what's ahead in season 3. Is he a time traveler?! I asked him point blank. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Thomas Doherty on the ‘Paradise’ Season 2 Finale, Fan Theories, and Dylan’s Future

“That’s the thing about any Dan Fogelman show,” Doherty tells Esquire. “You want a question answered, you’ll get the question answered. But with the answer comes five more questions.”

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Count me in for Colbert dong Lord of the Rings. If Warner Bros. really has to make these movies for eternity or else lose the rights, they could do worse than getting a talented, charismatic creative who knows Quenya. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Stephen Colbert Is the Perfect Person to Develop a New 'Lord of the Rings' Movie

Colbert is going on an unexpected journey with Peter Jackson—and original trilogy actors may even return.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Been awhile since I got to write about and do interviews for comic books. Thankfully, certified MacArthur Genius recipient Gene Luen Yang writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a perfect excuse to exercise those old muscles. My latest for Esquire: www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Why the Teenage Mutant Turtles Matter Again

Last year, ‘American Born Chinese’ author Gene Luen Yang began writing for the comic books. What he’s done with the ’80s icons is extraordinary.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

There's been discourse about the absence of teen-oriented media, yeah? That a theoretical slam dunk Buffy reboot on Hulu felt compelled to age up the show and feature more adult Buffy says a lot. We've gone so far from The Merchants of Cool. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tYR...

The Merchants of Cool (full documentary) | Marketing and Selling to America’s Teens | FRONTLINE

YouTube video by FRONTLINE PBS | Official

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Been a minute since I blogged about a Marvel movie trailer, feels like riding a bike. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

The 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' Trailer Actually Makes Marvel Fun Again

No matter how you cut it, any movie starring Tom Holland and Zendaya is a movie I'll see.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

My first SXSW was a strange one, given that SXSW this year was a strange iteration of the festival. Here's what I saw. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

The 5 Best Things We Saw at SXSW 2026

From punk rock documentaries to off-road rides in electric SUVs, SXSW is adapting to its new environment.

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

MBJ!!!

media.tenor.com

a man in a suit and hat is holding a guitar with the words woohoo boy above him

ALT: a man in a suit and hat is holding a guitar with the words woohoo boy above him

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

For anyone who might have missed it, here's a quick rundown of Billy Crystal's beautiful tribute to Rob Reiner from this year's Oscars. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

How Billy Crystal Paid Tribute to Rob Reiner at the Oscars

The 'When Harry Met Sally...' star celebrated his late friend at the beginning of the In Memoriam segment.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

If you ask nicely, I'll upload the Zoom interview I did with Oscar-winner Ryan Coogler where my mom showed up in the background

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

The fact that there can now be ties is gonna throw the budding awards prediction markets into a tailspin

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

I am excited for HBO's Rooster to premiere tonight, not only because I think it's great (my review below) but because the theme song has been in my head for WEEKS www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Steve Carell Found Himself Again in ‘Rooster’

After the actor dabbled in awards-season fare and satires, the HBO Max series placed him squarely back in his sweet spot.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Wrote about the BAFTAs a bit. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

How Should You Feel About the BAFTAs and John Davidson?

The latest awards show controversy has opened up a conversation about Tourette's and what it really entails.

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Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Bad Bunny's halftime show was joyful and true. He invited you, a stranger, into his world like family. So it was strange to also watch the sterile and impersonal Turning Point counterprogram with Kid Rock lip syncing and pointless rants about wokeness. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

The Best Thing I Can Say About Turning Point USA's Halftime Show Is That It Happened

As Bad Bunny electrified the Super Bowl, Kid Rock croaked in front of a cheap smoke machine somewhere in Atlanta.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Had a very slow morning due to NJTransit nonsense. But last Thursday I had a last-minute interview that turned out to be one of my favorites: a chat with Jason Alexander, about his sitcom-flavored Super Bowl ad for Dunkin'. Now on Esquire: www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Jason Alexander Told Us How Dunkin' Pulled Off Its '90s-Charged Super Bowl Commercial

"God bless them, they got me back to my thirties," the 'Seinfeld' legend says.

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Anil Dash @anildash.com · 09/02/2026

I think one of the best things about Bad Bunny’s performance is that it was so *specific*. It so clearly had a point of view coming from real lived experience and actual emotion, actual heart, not cynical calculation. Just beautiful.

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Soraya Nadia McDonald @soraya.press · 09/02/2026

Benito is a threat b/c he makes art so alluring and enjoyable you want to understand everything about it and then you end up learning about sugar and slavery and colonialism and the Taínos and Hawaii and then you probably have some thoughts of your own, and that's why art is powerful and dangerous

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Imagine choosing Kid Rock over that

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the Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

On a similar note, as Mamdani continues to notch W after W you’re going to start seeing opinion pieces about how this could never work in any city other than New York, etc., etc. Do not engage! It’s just entrenched power bullshit and that’s all! Don’t let them make that a conversation!

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Years ago I sat in a theater and felt Kogonada's Columbus sweep me away. Last month, I had the joy of talking to one of its stars, Haley Lu Richardson, about her new role in the excellent Peacock show Ponies and her reunion with Kogonada. Now on Esquire. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Haley Lu Richardson on Her ‘Ponies’ Breakout, Battling Emilia Clarke, and New Sundance Movie

“I was in the right place at the right time,” the 30-year-old star says of her hit Peacock series.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Ashamed to say I dig movies like Masters of the Universe. I don't even care for the IP, I just love action movies with big swords. But while chuds are losing their shit over a pronouns gag, I'm concerned how the movie wants to appeal to those dudes exclusively. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

The 'Masters of the Universe' Trailer Looks Great. But Something's Off.

I'm torn between admiring the self-awareness of the '80s reboot or concerned who I'll be sitting next to in theaters come June 5.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Giggling a little more because these are my local theaters. The Brunswick Square theater is really that tiny.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

This went up earlier this week and only sharing it now, but the 2016 throwback trend left me wondering: Why don't we think about 2016 in movies too much? Answer: It was a pretty bad fuckin' year. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

Why Is the 2016 Nostalgia Trend Forgetting the Movies?

It's not that we were inundated with bad films a decade ago—there's something else at work.

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Nina Metz @ninametz.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

This is why I find it depressing that people seek out media coverage/criticism from podcasters who have zero journalistic know-how. Just give your (informed) opinion and let the chips fall where they may, don’t do this disingenuous, opportunistic shit

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

More than the thrill of watching artists apply their craft, making-of docs inspire people. They let you see how cool it is to make stuff that you'll want to make stuff too. I don't think I'd be writing about movies today if I didn't devour the BTS extras on the Batman Begins DVD over Christmas 2005.

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Hayes Madsen @solfleet.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

This feels like little consolation at this exact moment, but I've genuinely never been prouder of anything in my entire life than what we did at Inverse. We were always a scrappy little team doing incredible stuff with increasingly less resources. The work we did meant something.

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

I fucking love The Rip. But I hate that it's a January Netflix dump. It's not a big crowdpleaser so I doubt its box office prospects, but the ongoing cannibalization of Hollywood is clear in movies like The Rip being buried by the algorithm. www.esquire.com/entertainmen...

'The Rip' Absolutely Rips

I have serious questions about Netflix dumping a killer Ben Affleck and Matt Damon joint on the platform in the middle of January.

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Jordan Zakarin @jordanz.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Still recovering from another heart surgery, I dragged myself to a picket line to back the 15k nurses on strike in NYC, including at my longtime hospital, New York-Presbyterian. www.progressreport.news/p/give-the-s...

Eric Francisco @ericfrancisco24.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Extremely funny to soundtrack Stellan Skarsgård's Golden Globe win to Usher's "Yeah"

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Josephine beckbook.com Riesman @josie.zone · 09/01/2026

Renee Macklin Good's wife, Becca Good, released a statement and it moved me to sobbing tears: archive.is/ur35j

First, I want to extend my gratitude to all the people
who have reached out from across the country and around the world to support our family.
This kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind, In fact, kindness radiated out of her.
Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn't wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine,
Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it Where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.
Like people have done across place and time, we moved to make a better life for ourselves. We chose Minnesota to make our home. Our whole extended road trip here, we held hands in the car while our son drew all over the windows to pass the time and the miles,

What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community, we made friends and spread joy: And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever.
We were raising our son to believe that no matter where you come from or what you look like, all of us deserve compassion and kindness. Renee lived this belief every day. She is pure love. She is pure joy. She is pure sunshine
On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns.
Renee leaves behind three extraordinary children; the youngest is just six years old and already lost his father. I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him. That the people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way.
We thank you for the privacy you are granting our family as we grieve. We thank you for ensuring that Renee's legacy is one of kindness and love. We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love. E