Even though Russell Crowe had starred in a movie titled The Pope’s Exorcist, it was a seemingly less inflammatory older film of his that attracted more controversy. Crowe was coming off the big-budget underperformer Robin Hood, which marked the end of his long-running creative partnership with director Ridley Scott, and effectively signaled the end of his career as a leading man in tent-pole projects. He hasn’t headlined a major studio movie in over a decade, although he has played supporting roles in films such as The Mummy (2017), Thor: Love and Thunder, and Kraven the Hunter. The Pope’s Exorcist was released only a few years ago, and it emerged as one of his rare bona fide box-office hits in quite some time.
However, the last time that Crowe delivered a worldwide hit was in 2014, a year after he starred as Jor-El in Man of Steel. Like Robin Hood and Gladiator, the movie in question was positioned as a period epic, albeit with more rock creatures than audiences would see until Project Hail Mary. The film was directed by Darren Aronofsky as his big blank-check project following the critical and commercial success of Black Swan, which was a major Oscar contender in 2010. Black Swan grossed $330 million worldwide against a reported budget of $13 million — Aronofsky’s blank-check project just about managed to overtake this figure, although it cost significantly more.
Here’s How Long You Have Left To Watch Russell Crowe’s Epic
We’re talking, of course, about the biblical epic Noah. The movie courted controversy and was banned in several regions on religious grounds. It was still a hit, grossing around $360 million worldwide against a reported budget of $160 million. Noah received mostly positive reviews and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 75% critics’ score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. But it is also a victim of review-bombing, with an audience score that’s languishing at around 40% on the site. Noah also featured Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Douglas Booth, Logan Lerman, Anthony Hopkins, and Ray Winstone. The movie is currently streaming on Peacock in the United States, but it’ll leave the platform on May 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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