Movie News
Jeff Bridges is going back to the grid.
The 74-year-old actor told the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist) that he is going to appear in “Tron: Ares,” the third film in the long-running sci-fi franchise that Bridges inaugurated with “Tron” in 1982 and reprised with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010. The new film stars Jared Leto as the titular character Ares, with Joachim Rønning (“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) directing from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne.
“I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story,” Bridges said. “Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work.”
“Tron” is best known for pioneering the use of computer generated imagery, which was used to create the digital world of a video game after Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, is zapped inside one.
The 74-year-old actor told the Film Comment podcast (via The Playlist) that he is going to appear in “Tron: Ares,” the third film in the long-running sci-fi franchise that Bridges inaugurated with “Tron” in 1982 and reprised with “Tron: Legacy” in 2010. The new film stars Jared Leto as the titular character Ares, with Joachim Rønning (“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) directing from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne.
“I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story,” Bridges said. “Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work.”
“Tron” is best known for pioneering the use of computer generated imagery, which was used to create the digital world of a video game after Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, is zapped inside one.
- 4/29/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Game, set, now what to make of this match?
“Challengers,” a sexy, subversive, R-rated drama set in the world of tennis, easily took first place at a sluggish domestic box office this weekend with $15 million from 3,477 locations. On one hand, it’s a respectable result for an artsy movie aimed at discerning, adult audiences, but what keeps it from being a championship performance is that “Challengers” has a hefty $55 million budget (to say nothing of its marketing costs). The Amazon MGM Studios release will need strong word-of-mouth if it’s going to keep rallying — and next week brings Universal’s “The Fall Guy,” a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy that marks the start of summer blockbuster season. The competition only stands to get fiercer from here.
Amazon MGM would probably argue that “Challengers” doesn’t need to be a box office phenomenon in order to be successful. The higher...
“Challengers,” a sexy, subversive, R-rated drama set in the world of tennis, easily took first place at a sluggish domestic box office this weekend with $15 million from 3,477 locations. On one hand, it’s a respectable result for an artsy movie aimed at discerning, adult audiences, but what keeps it from being a championship performance is that “Challengers” has a hefty $55 million budget (to say nothing of its marketing costs). The Amazon MGM Studios release will need strong word-of-mouth if it’s going to keep rallying — and next week brings Universal’s “The Fall Guy,” a Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy that marks the start of summer blockbuster season. The competition only stands to get fiercer from here.
Amazon MGM would probably argue that “Challengers” doesn’t need to be a box office phenomenon in order to be successful. The higher...
- 4/28/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
A pair of Warner Bros. releases have achieved some important box office milestones.
“Dune: Part Two,” the acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s monumental sci-fi novel, has passed $700 million worldwide, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the long-running monster franchise, eclipsed $500 million at the global box office. Both films were produced in partnership with Legendary Entertainment.
“We congratulate our partners at Legendary, [‘Dune’ director] Denis Villeneuve, [‘Godzilla x Kong’ director] Adam Wingard, and their casts and crews for bringing these amazing projects to life and to audiences around the world,” Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “We are also very proud of the work our global marketing and distribution teams have undertaken on behalf of ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong’ – these box office milestones are a testament to their tremendous efforts.”
As of Friday,...
“Dune: Part Two,” the acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s monumental sci-fi novel, has passed $700 million worldwide, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the long-running monster franchise, eclipsed $500 million at the global box office. Both films were produced in partnership with Legendary Entertainment.
“We congratulate our partners at Legendary, [‘Dune’ director] Denis Villeneuve, [‘Godzilla x Kong’ director] Adam Wingard, and their casts and crews for bringing these amazing projects to life and to audiences around the world,” Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “We are also very proud of the work our global marketing and distribution teams have undertaken on behalf of ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong’ – these box office milestones are a testament to their tremendous efforts.”
As of Friday,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety - Film News
After revealing behind the scenes details about how he helped bring an all-star group of musicians together to make the Grammy-winning smash hit charity single “We Are the World” in the Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop,” Lionel Richie recently spoke to IndieWire about which of the participants he knows have watched the movie, and are still reeling from the down-to-the-wire recording session.
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
“Huey Lewis sat next to me while I’m watching the premiere, and he leaned over to me, and he said, ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it,’” the “American Idol” judge said at an event celebrating the reveal of the current season’s Top 10 finalists. “I said, ‘Huey, it’s 39 years ago. It’s been a success.’ But how we set it up, he was a nervous wreck.”
Richie, who both produced the Sundance premiere directed by Bao Nguyen, and appears heavily in the film,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
“Daughter of Genghis” has been billed as a portrait of a nationalist gang leader at this year’s Hot Docs Film Festival. And while it follows Gerel Byamba, the leader of an entirely-female, ultra-nationalist Mongolian group called Gerel Khas, it is also a surprisingly poignant documentary portrait of a widow and her orphaned son trying to connect under grief. Directors Kristoffer Juel Poulsen and Christian Als (who also shot the film) follow Byamba and her son, Temuulen, for a seven-year span, capturing how sorrow can drive someone to extreme emotional states that manifest as both violence against one’s community and neglect toward those closest to you.
The doc begins with an aggressive, chaotic sequence. The first few minutes of “Daughter of Genghis” throw the audience into the throes of Gerel Khas’ “activist” work. Byamba and her comrades are shown charging into a sauna and harassing the sex workers who make a living there.
The doc begins with an aggressive, chaotic sequence. The first few minutes of “Daughter of Genghis” throw the audience into the throes of Gerel Khas’ “activist” work. Byamba and her comrades are shown charging into a sauna and harassing the sex workers who make a living there.
- 4/30/2024
- by Murtada Elfadl
- Variety - Film News
A film that pivots around a court case about its own making, buried treasure documentary “A Band of Dreamers and a Judge” features hints of allure that eventually wane. Shot in Iran, where unauthorized excavations remain illegal, Hesam Eslami’s chronicle of a group of treasure hunters is an occasionally intense process piece that often loses steam, especially during its attempts at intimate portraiture. The movie’s grave-robbing subjects lead full and complex lives, but it seldom depicts them with the richness they deserve.
Eslami’s framing device is unique. The story begins with his cross-examination by a female judge, who questions his motives in filming footage a year prior, of a band of middle-aged friends obsessed with finding lost antiquities in the mountains of Savadkooh. This year-old footage makes up most of the movie’s runtime, plenty of which is dedicated to the group’s personal lives. Unfortunately, the...
Eslami’s framing device is unique. The story begins with his cross-examination by a female judge, who questions his motives in filming footage a year prior, of a band of middle-aged friends obsessed with finding lost antiquities in the mountains of Savadkooh. This year-old footage makes up most of the movie’s runtime, plenty of which is dedicated to the group’s personal lives. Unfortunately, the...
- 4/30/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety - Film News
Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter" is a scalding experience. Over three hours, we get to know a group of Western Pennsylvania steelworkers who are plucked from their blue-collar town and thrust into the confounding hell of the Vietnam War. These are not complicated men. Left to their own devices, they'd put in their 40 hours a week, and spend their free time either throwing back beers at their local bar or tracking deer in the Appalachian Mountains.
Cimino lets us get comfortable with his characters in their natural habitat, so that, when they're captured by Viet Cong soldiers, and, among other tortures, forced to play Russian roulette for the gambling pleasure of their captors, we share their bewilderment and outright terror. This is where "The Deer Hunter" also becomes a problematic experience. Though the Viet Cong unquestionably abused prisoners of war, there is no substantial evidence that they forced American soldiers to play Russian roulette.
Cimino lets us get comfortable with his characters in their natural habitat, so that, when they're captured by Viet Cong soldiers, and, among other tortures, forced to play Russian roulette for the gambling pleasure of their captors, we share their bewilderment and outright terror. This is where "The Deer Hunter" also becomes a problematic experience. Though the Viet Cong unquestionably abused prisoners of war, there is no substantial evidence that they forced American soldiers to play Russian roulette.
- 4/30/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega briefly found themselves subjected to some online backlash in January when they co-starred in “Miller’s Girl,” Jade Halley Bartlett’s film about an 18-year-old student who develops a crush on her 49-year-old English teacher and enters a romantic relationship with him. But while some fans were offended by the film’s content and the reality that the two actors had to film intimate scenes despite a 31 year age gap between them — a controversy that has been stoked by the film’s resurgence on Netflix — Freeman stands by his involvement in the film.
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Freeman lamented the fact that the film has been the subject of online ire. The British actor called it “a shame” that the film, which he described as “grown-up and nuanced,” was being interpreted as scandalous. He went on to draw a distinction between...
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Freeman lamented the fact that the film has been the subject of online ire. The British actor called it “a shame” that the film, which he described as “grown-up and nuanced,” was being interpreted as scandalous. He went on to draw a distinction between...
- 4/30/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
“Knuckles,” the live-action/animated spinoff series currently streaming on Paramount+ and featuring the titular red Echidna warrior (voiced by Idris Elba), kicks things off with an amusing ’90s throwback opening title sequence. We encounter markered animations (done by Picturemill) of the main characters, as they jump across the labels of mixed CDs in a binder and roll by the credits, to the tune of “The Warrior” by Scandal featuring Patty Smyth.
It’s all part of Knuckles getting introduced to the “earth music” of his new protégé, dim-witted deputy sheriff Wade Whipples (Adam Pally), while trying to teach him the ways of Echidna-style fighting.
This marks the first series for Knuckles, based on Sega’s popular Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise, which takes place between the events of the films “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which introduced Elba. It was created by John Whittington (“Sonic the Hedgehog 2...
It’s all part of Knuckles getting introduced to the “earth music” of his new protégé, dim-witted deputy sheriff Wade Whipples (Adam Pally), while trying to teach him the ways of Echidna-style fighting.
This marks the first series for Knuckles, based on Sega’s popular Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise, which takes place between the events of the films “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” which introduced Elba. It was created by John Whittington (“Sonic the Hedgehog 2...
- 4/30/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
It's unlikely that any of the actors who appeared on "Star Trek" in 1966 would assume they would be playing the same roles 18 years later, but "Star Trek" has had a curious habit of longevity. Each time the franchise dies out, the landscape shifts and the series is revived. That's certainly what happened in 1979 with the release of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture". After the original series was canceled in 1969, it was put into eternal syndication, allowing new audiences to find it for years thereafter. Trek conventions began in earnest in the mid-1970s, interest was renewed, and, lo, "Star Trek" returned. Sequel movies were put into production, and by 1986, the franchise released Leonard Nimoy's "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," the biggest hit in all of "Star Trek" until the release of J.J. Abrams' film in 2009.
Also by 1986, the characters had aged from their mid-30s to their mid-50s,...
Also by 1986, the characters had aged from their mid-30s to their mid-50s,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Visinema Studios, the family division of leading Indonesian entertainment company Visinema Group, is set to make its debut in live theater with “Keluarga Cemara: The Musical.”
“Keluarga Cemara” (aka “Cemara Family”) has previously existed as a classic Indonesian novel about a family facing up to financial hardship, but emerging resilient and optimistic. It has since been adapted as two feature films “Keluarga Cemara” and “Keluarga Cemara 2,” which attracted over two million theatrical admissions, and the recent “Keluarga Cemara: The Series” which played on Disney+ Hotstar Indonesia.
The stage show will be presented with cultural institution Galeri Indonesia Kaya and the Teater Musikal Nusantara. The show will be executive produced by Anggia Kharisma, previously the producer for the film and series adaptations. Cristian Imanuell, head of Studio Visinema Pictures, serves as the musical’s producer alongside Billy Gamaliel from Galeri Indonesia Kaya and Chriskevin Adefrid from Teater Musikal Nusantara.
The show...
“Keluarga Cemara” (aka “Cemara Family”) has previously existed as a classic Indonesian novel about a family facing up to financial hardship, but emerging resilient and optimistic. It has since been adapted as two feature films “Keluarga Cemara” and “Keluarga Cemara 2,” which attracted over two million theatrical admissions, and the recent “Keluarga Cemara: The Series” which played on Disney+ Hotstar Indonesia.
The stage show will be presented with cultural institution Galeri Indonesia Kaya and the Teater Musikal Nusantara. The show will be executive produced by Anggia Kharisma, previously the producer for the film and series adaptations. Cristian Imanuell, head of Studio Visinema Pictures, serves as the musical’s producer alongside Billy Gamaliel from Galeri Indonesia Kaya and Chriskevin Adefrid from Teater Musikal Nusantara.
The show...
- 4/29/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
Although “Challengers” screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes and director Luca Guadagnino are no strangers to working with each other, their collaboration process on the upcoming film “Queer,” an adaptation of a William S. Burroughs novel that will star Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey, was entirely different.
The Black List alum previously told IndieWire on the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of “Challengers” that accepting the task of his first adapted screenplay was a “no brainer.” Elaborating on how exactly the task of making “Queer,” a film adaptation both Guadagnino and other filmmakers had been chasing, came to be, Kuritzkes later told IndieWire over Zoom, “One day, on the set of ‘Challengers,’ [Luca] just gave me this book and said, ‘Read this tonight and tell me if you want to write it for me.’”
He added, “I was so completely honored and touched that Luca would trust me with this movie. And...
The Black List alum previously told IndieWire on the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of “Challengers” that accepting the task of his first adapted screenplay was a “no brainer.” Elaborating on how exactly the task of making “Queer,” a film adaptation both Guadagnino and other filmmakers had been chasing, came to be, Kuritzkes later told IndieWire over Zoom, “One day, on the set of ‘Challengers,’ [Luca] just gave me this book and said, ‘Read this tonight and tell me if you want to write it for me.’”
He added, “I was so completely honored and touched that Luca would trust me with this movie. And...
- 4/29/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
There's a certain type of actor that likes to brag about performing their own stunts. Obviously, this kind of bravado is a given — and a source of tremendous excitement — when we're talking about martial arts stars like Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, and Scott Adkins. They can make physical combat look elegant and playful, or, in the case of guys like Adkins, just flat-out brutal. But we also hear likewise about folks like Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie and, of course, Tom Cruise — folks who like to mix it up as much as they can.
As someone who can no longer ride a rollercoaster without fainting, I envy these people for their fearlessness. What a gift — or a touch of madness — it must be willing to jump off a speeding van onto a moving car (as Michelle Yeoh did in "Police Story 3: Super Cop").
You'd think Ryan Gosling would be of...
As someone who can no longer ride a rollercoaster without fainting, I envy these people for their fearlessness. What a gift — or a touch of madness — it must be willing to jump off a speeding van onto a moving car (as Michelle Yeoh did in "Police Story 3: Super Cop").
You'd think Ryan Gosling would be of...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The three Paramount Global executives installed to run the company after Bob Bakish was removed as CEO sought to reassure employees that they have a long-term strategy.
On Monday, Paramount Global said Bakish was stepping down as CEO and leaving the board. In his place, the company established an “Office of the CEO” committee led by three divisional heads: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
The shake-up added further fuel to the uncertainty about the media conglomerate’s future. Bakish’s exit came as the Paramount Global board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were working to close a deal to merge Paramount with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
The three new heads of Paramount Global’s Office of the CEO sent a memo to staff after the news was announced.
On Monday, Paramount Global said Bakish was stepping down as CEO and leaving the board. In his place, the company established an “Office of the CEO” committee led by three divisional heads: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
The shake-up added further fuel to the uncertainty about the media conglomerate’s future. Bakish’s exit came as the Paramount Global board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were working to close a deal to merge Paramount with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
The three new heads of Paramount Global’s Office of the CEO sent a memo to staff after the news was announced.
- 4/29/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety - Film News
In 2003, martial arts enthusiast Lauro Chartrand-DelValle took a job as stunt coordinator on Edward Zwick‘s historical action film “The Last Samurai” and assumed it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I thought I was extremely fortunate to get a chance to do a samurai epic once in my career,” Chartrand-DelValle told IndieWire. He was thrilled, therefore, when Hiroyuki Sanada, one of the actors from “The Last Samurai,” revealed that he was working on FX’s new adaptation of James Clavell’s “Shōgun” and wanted to collaborate with Chartrand-DelValle again. “It was a dream job,” the stunt coordinator said.
Like “The Last Samurai,” “Shōgun” is a period epic filled with elaborately choreographed action and massive challenges for a stunt team, but Chartrand-DelValle felt well prepared given the series’ generous pre-production schedule. “Right out of the gate the first huge task was to train everybody as best we could prior to going in front of the camera,...
Like “The Last Samurai,” “Shōgun” is a period epic filled with elaborately choreographed action and massive challenges for a stunt team, but Chartrand-DelValle felt well prepared given the series’ generous pre-production schedule. “Right out of the gate the first huge task was to train everybody as best we could prior to going in front of the camera,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Christoph Waltz is calling out the “posthumous sanctification” of late legendary actor Marlon Brando.
According to Waltz, the revelry around Brando’s legacy is “annoying,” to not mince words.
“Now it’s Brando’s 100th birthday. I read two articles and I found them both really annoying, and this posthumous sanctification […] to make him […] a mythology,” Waltz told Interview magazine while in conversation with Caleb Landry Jones. “And it’s ridiculous, because he was a ham.”
Waltz added of Brando, “In the beginning he was fantastic. No one had ever seen anything like it.”
However, Waltz also called Brando’s performance in “The Missouri Breaks” “difficult to watch.” He added that Brando’s reputation of being “difficult” on sets, or accusations of inappropriate conduct on the set of “The Last Tango in Paris,” did not affect his perspective on Brando’s acting ability.
“I don’t care about that one bit,...
According to Waltz, the revelry around Brando’s legacy is “annoying,” to not mince words.
“Now it’s Brando’s 100th birthday. I read two articles and I found them both really annoying, and this posthumous sanctification […] to make him […] a mythology,” Waltz told Interview magazine while in conversation with Caleb Landry Jones. “And it’s ridiculous, because he was a ham.”
Waltz added of Brando, “In the beginning he was fantastic. No one had ever seen anything like it.”
However, Waltz also called Brando’s performance in “The Missouri Breaks” “difficult to watch.” He added that Brando’s reputation of being “difficult” on sets, or accusations of inappropriate conduct on the set of “The Last Tango in Paris,” did not affect his perspective on Brando’s acting ability.
“I don’t care about that one bit,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“Nuremberg,” a historical thriller set in post-war Germany, will launch its sales through WME Independent at the Cannes Film Festival next month. The film stars Russell Crowe, Rami Malek and Michael Shannon. Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek and Andreas Pietschmann round out the cast.
The official logline reads: “‘Nuremberg’ chronicles the eponymous trials held by the Allies against the defeated Nazi regime. The film will center on American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their war crimes, and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with Hermann Göring (Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man. Shannon will play Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, the chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials.”
James Vanderbilt is directing from the script he adapted from the book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist” by Jack El-Hai.
The official logline reads: “‘Nuremberg’ chronicles the eponymous trials held by the Allies against the defeated Nazi regime. The film will center on American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their war crimes, and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with Hermann Göring (Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man. Shannon will play Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, the chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials.”
James Vanderbilt is directing from the script he adapted from the book “The Nazi and the Psychiatrist” by Jack El-Hai.
- 4/29/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay and Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
With the release of Zendaya's "Challengers" behind us, it's just about time to focus on the arrival of the 2024 summer movie season. That begins, in earnest, with the release of Universal's "The Fall Guy" this Friday. After a couple of particularly bad weekends at the box office that the industry can frankly ill afford, all eyes are now on summer to help turn the tide. Like it or not, the summer now has an undue amount of pressure on it as theaters look for films capable of filling seats so they can sell enough popcorn to keep the lights on. Unfortunately, the slate we have before us doesn't seem, on paper, like it can compete with what we had last year. As a result, we're doomed to be disappointed by what unfolds in the coming months.
"The Fall Guy," for example, features a pair of big stars in...
"The Fall Guy," for example, features a pair of big stars in...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Home viewing charts inspire deja vu: “Anyone but You,” a hit as a PVOD release, just debuted at Netflix. It knocked out Netflix’s expensive “Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver” from first place after two weeks, falling to #6.
Similarly, “Dune: Part Two” returned for its second week as #1 at both iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (which calculates by revenue).
The “Dune” sequel fended off challenges by two recent theatrical releases. Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” (Universal), once intended as a Netflix original, is #2 at iTunes, third at Fandango. The family-oriented “Arthur the King” (Lionsgate) took second at Fandango, but only #6 at iTunes. Both initially are available to rent for 48 hours for $19.99.
Two new home-play debuts also made top 10 lists. “Cash Out” (Saban) is #9 at iTunes, renting at $6.99; starring John Travolta, the critically reviled title may be getting as much attention for its little-known director Ives. That’s...
Similarly, “Dune: Part Two” returned for its second week as #1 at both iTunes (ranking by transactions) and Fandango (which calculates by revenue).
The “Dune” sequel fended off challenges by two recent theatrical releases. Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man” (Universal), once intended as a Netflix original, is #2 at iTunes, third at Fandango. The family-oriented “Arthur the King” (Lionsgate) took second at Fandango, but only #6 at iTunes. Both initially are available to rent for 48 hours for $19.99.
Two new home-play debuts also made top 10 lists. “Cash Out” (Saban) is #9 at iTunes, renting at $6.99; starring John Travolta, the critically reviled title may be getting as much attention for its little-known director Ives. That’s...
- 4/29/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Ethan Hawke was nominated at the 2002 Oscars for best supporting actor for his performance in Antoine Fuqua’s crime thriller “Training Day.” He lost the prize to Jim Broadbent (“Iris”), but he immediately got some much-needed perspective from his “Training Day” co-star Denzel Washington, who happened to win the Oscar that same night for best actor.
During a recent interview on Max’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” series, the host asked Hawke about a story he heard in which Washington leaned over to Hawke after the latter’s Oscar loss and whispered in his ear: “It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better.”
“You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status. That’s the way he thinks,” Hawke said about Washington’s advice in the moment on Oscars night. “That’s what I’m talking about playing with Babe Ruth.
During a recent interview on Max’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” series, the host asked Hawke about a story he heard in which Washington leaned over to Hawke after the latter’s Oscar loss and whispered in his ear: “It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better.”
“You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status. That’s the way he thinks,” Hawke said about Washington’s advice in the moment on Oscars night. “That’s what I’m talking about playing with Babe Ruth.
- 4/29/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
Paramount Global revenue in the first quarter climbed 6% year-on-year as Paramount+ added 3.7m subscriptions to reach 71m-plus and the streaming business cut losses by more than 40%.
Less than 30 minutes after the company announced the departure of CEO Bob Bakish and the establishment of a new leadership triumvirate comprising divisional heads George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins, the trio led a whistlestop earnings call before signing off to the strains of Mission: Impossible without taking analysts’ questions.
Overall revenue for the period ending March 31 climbed 6% year-on-year from $7.4bn to $7.7bn, while operating loss improved 66% from $1.2bn to $417m.
Streaming losses...
Less than 30 minutes after the company announced the departure of CEO Bob Bakish and the establishment of a new leadership triumvirate comprising divisional heads George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins, the trio led a whistlestop earnings call before signing off to the strains of Mission: Impossible without taking analysts’ questions.
Overall revenue for the period ending March 31 climbed 6% year-on-year from $7.4bn to $7.7bn, while operating loss improved 66% from $1.2bn to $417m.
Streaming losses...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Paramount Global revenue in the first quarter climbed 6% year-on-year as Paramount+ added 3.7m subscriptions to reach 71m-plus and the streaming business cut losses by more than 40%.
Less than 30 minutes after the company announced the departure of CEO Bob Bakish and the establishment of a new leadership triumvirate comprising divisional heads George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins, the trio led a whistlestop earnings call before signing off to the strains of Mission: Impossible without taking analysts’ questions.
Overall revenue for the period ending March 31 climbed 6% year-on-year from $7.4bn to $7.7bn, while operating loss improved 66% from $1.2bn to $417m.
Streaming losses...
Less than 30 minutes after the company announced the departure of CEO Bob Bakish and the establishment of a new leadership triumvirate comprising divisional heads George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy, and Brian Robbins, the trio led a whistlestop earnings call before signing off to the strains of Mission: Impossible without taking analysts’ questions.
Overall revenue for the period ending March 31 climbed 6% year-on-year from $7.4bn to $7.7bn, while operating loss improved 66% from $1.2bn to $417m.
Streaming losses...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Jerry Seinfeld thinks that both film and TV are caput.
The “Seinfeld” co-creator, who also makes his directorial debut with Netflix’s “Unfrosted,” said during The New Yorker Radio Hour that the “extreme left” is to blame for the end of the golden era of comedy, particularly with sitcoms.
“People always need comedy,” Seinfeld said. “It used to be that you would go home at the end of the day…People would go, ‘Oh, ‘Cheers’ is on. ‘M*A*S*H’ is on. Oh, ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ is on. ‘All in the Family’ is on.’ Where is it? Where is it? This is the result of the extreme left and P.C. crap and people worrying so much about offending other people.”
Seinfeld pointed to the new process by “committee” to create comedy, particularly with writing jokes.
“When you write a script, and it goes into four or five different hands,...
The “Seinfeld” co-creator, who also makes his directorial debut with Netflix’s “Unfrosted,” said during The New Yorker Radio Hour that the “extreme left” is to blame for the end of the golden era of comedy, particularly with sitcoms.
“People always need comedy,” Seinfeld said. “It used to be that you would go home at the end of the day…People would go, ‘Oh, ‘Cheers’ is on. ‘M*A*S*H’ is on. Oh, ‘Mary Tyler Moore’ is on. ‘All in the Family’ is on.’ Where is it? Where is it? This is the result of the extreme left and P.C. crap and people worrying so much about offending other people.”
Seinfeld pointed to the new process by “committee” to create comedy, particularly with writing jokes.
“When you write a script, and it goes into four or five different hands,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Martin Freeman recently spoke to The Times of London about the backlash that erupted over his movie “Miller’s Girl” earlier this year. The erotic thriller opened in theaters in January and caused a stir on social media due to intimate scenes between Freeman and his co-star Jenna Ortega. The movie casts the “Wednesday” favorite as an 18-year-old student who is attracted to her writing teacher (Freeman) and attempts to start an affair with him. Freeman is 31 years older than Ortega.
While some viewers were disturbed by the age gap between the actors and how the film required them to shoot some intimate moments together, Freeman stressed to The Times that “Miller’s Girl” is “grown-up and nuanced.” He also argued that just because the film shows the makings of a potential affair starting between characters who are 31 years apart doesn’t mean it is condoning such behavior.
“It’s not saying,...
While some viewers were disturbed by the age gap between the actors and how the film required them to shoot some intimate moments together, Freeman stressed to The Times that “Miller’s Girl” is “grown-up and nuanced.” He also argued that just because the film shows the makings of a potential affair starting between characters who are 31 years apart doesn’t mean it is condoning such behavior.
“It’s not saying,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
Mystery Inc. rides again! Variety is reporting that the long-running "Scooby-Doo" franchise may be making a leap back to the live-action world, this time courtesy of Netflix. Sources tell the outlet that, unlike past versions of the Hanna-Barbera-created franchise, the new series won't be a comedic mystery but a one-hour drama series. Warner Bros. Television, which has been responsible for other dark teen-centric Netflix shows like "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "Dead Boy Detectives," is set to produce.
Though the deal apparently isn't set in stone yet, the untitled "Scooby-Doo" live-action project is apparently in talks to receive a script-to-series commitment, with the team from Arrowverse maestro Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions (which also helped bring the two above titles to life) set to produce. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, the creative duo that co-executive produced shows like Hulu's "High Fidelity" and MGM+'s underrated "From," are set to...
Though the deal apparently isn't set in stone yet, the untitled "Scooby-Doo" live-action project is apparently in talks to receive a script-to-series commitment, with the team from Arrowverse maestro Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions (which also helped bring the two above titles to life) set to produce. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, the creative duo that co-executive produced shows like Hulu's "High Fidelity" and MGM+'s underrated "From," are set to...
- 4/29/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Jenna Ortega's evolution from Disney princess to scream queen is about more than just a shift in the types of roles she plays. At some point during her transition from family-friendly TV to darker film roles, the actor has become a global star. Having gained widespread recognition for playing Wednesday Adams in Neftlix's "Wednesday," the now 21-year-old is set to star in the upcoming "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," where her character will fittingly represent a new generation of goth icons as the daughter of Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz. In other words, Ortega has come a long way since her Disney Channel days. However, she hasn't quite come far enough for some, at least in terms of age.
In January 2024, "Miller's Girl" debuted in theaters. Ortega starred alongside Martin Freeman in this $4 million dollar erotic thriller, which unfortunately made just $890,000 in theaters. Critics weren't too impressed with "Miller's Girl," either, making...
In January 2024, "Miller's Girl" debuted in theaters. Ortega starred alongside Martin Freeman in this $4 million dollar erotic thriller, which unfortunately made just $890,000 in theaters. Critics weren't too impressed with "Miller's Girl," either, making...
- 4/29/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Jeff Bridges is getting digitized once again. The actor revealed that he will be returning for “Tron: Ares,” the third “Tron” movie set for release in 2015 and will star Jared Leto.
Bridges revealed the news on the Film Comment podcast on Friday, saying that he headed out over the weekend to film a part for the threequel and was even anxious about working with an actor like Leto.
“Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work,” Bridges said.
Bridges reprised his role as Kevin Flynn in 2010’s “Tron: Legacy” after he first appeared in the groundbreaking 1982 video-game movie. “Legacy” aimed to push another technical visual effects boundary by de-aging his character, with Bridges playing himself and his younger avatar. But Bridges admitted that he wasn’t quite a fan of his de-aged self, though the technology...
Bridges revealed the news on the Film Comment podcast on Friday, saying that he headed out over the weekend to film a part for the threequel and was even anxious about working with an actor like Leto.
“Jared Leto is the star of this third one. I’m really anxious to work with him. I’ve admired his work,” Bridges said.
Bridges reprised his role as Kevin Flynn in 2010’s “Tron: Legacy” after he first appeared in the groundbreaking 1982 video-game movie. “Legacy” aimed to push another technical visual effects boundary by de-aging his character, with Bridges playing himself and his younger avatar. But Bridges admitted that he wasn’t quite a fan of his de-aged self, though the technology...
- 4/29/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish is out as the company unveiled a triumvirate leadership team shortly before its Q1 earnings report on Monday, amid ongoing uncertainty over who will eventually own the company.
Paramount Global has established an Office of the CEO comprising George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS, Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
It is understood Bakish, who has worked with controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for more than 25 years since he joined Viacom in 1997, did not favour the bid...
Paramount Global has established an Office of the CEO comprising George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS, Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks, and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
It is understood Bakish, who has worked with controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for more than 25 years since he joined Viacom in 1997, did not favour the bid...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
In a shocking move that is shocking nobody this afternoon, Paramount Global President and CEO Bob Bakish is out. In are his (hopefully) crack replacement team. The “Office of the CEO” gang consists of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon CEO Brian Robbins, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios President and CEO Chris McCarthy, and CBS President and CEO George Cheeks.
Paramount Global reported its quarterly earnings on Monday, hence the timing. Company executives, those who remain at least, will host a conference call with Wall Street analysts (and the media listening in) at 4:30 p.m. Et.
“Paramount Global includes exceptional assets and we believe strongly in the future value creation potential of the Company,” Shari Redstone, the chair of Paramount’s board, said in a statement. “I have tremendous confidence in George, Chris, and Brian. They have both the ability to develop and execute on a new strategic plan and to work together as true partners.
Paramount Global reported its quarterly earnings on Monday, hence the timing. Company executives, those who remain at least, will host a conference call with Wall Street analysts (and the media listening in) at 4:30 p.m. Et.
“Paramount Global includes exceptional assets and we believe strongly in the future value creation potential of the Company,” Shari Redstone, the chair of Paramount’s board, said in a statement. “I have tremendous confidence in George, Chris, and Brian. They have both the ability to develop and execute on a new strategic plan and to work together as true partners.
- 4/29/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
It’s official: Bob Bakish is out as CEO of Paramount Global, the company announced Monday. The exec’s departure after nearly three decades at Paramount Global and predecessor Viacom comes as the media conglomerate’s board and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone are trying to lock down a deal to merge with Skydance Media.
Three of the company’s divisional heads will divvy up duties in the newly formed “Office of the CEO”: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
Word emerged over the weekend that Bakish was expected to exit the company imminently. Paramount Global said Bakish is “stepping down from his role as CEO” and from the board of directors. Bakish has agreed to remain employed with the company as a senior adviser from May 1 to Oct.
Three of the company’s divisional heads will divvy up duties in the newly formed “Office of the CEO”: George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS; Chris McCarthy, president and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks; and Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon.
Word emerged over the weekend that Bakish was expected to exit the company imminently. Paramount Global said Bakish is “stepping down from his role as CEO” and from the board of directors. Bakish has agreed to remain employed with the company as a senior adviser from May 1 to Oct.
- 4/29/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety - Film News
"Dune: Part Two" is one of the best movies of 2024 and it actually makes the first "Dune" movie from director Denis Villeneuve even better. So it only makes sense that the Lego set inspired by one of the franchise's signature vehicles is one of the best building brick vehicles they've ever produced.
The Lego "Dune" Atreides Royal Ornithopter set brings the aerial vehicle to life with incredible engineering and an impressive wingspan. Lego Designer Michael Psiaki developed it for over a year before getting in touch with Warner Bros. Pictures about releasing the Lego set, which then allowed him to collaborate with production designer Patrice Vermette to ensure that the Lego vehicle was as accurate as possible in building brick form.
Lego sent over their "Dune" Ornithopter set for us to build ourselves, and with a 31-inch wingspan and deployable landing gear, this Lego set was significantly more challenging to build than I originally anticipated.
The Lego "Dune" Atreides Royal Ornithopter set brings the aerial vehicle to life with incredible engineering and an impressive wingspan. Lego Designer Michael Psiaki developed it for over a year before getting in touch with Warner Bros. Pictures about releasing the Lego set, which then allowed him to collaborate with production designer Patrice Vermette to ensure that the Lego vehicle was as accurate as possible in building brick form.
Lego sent over their "Dune" Ornithopter set for us to build ourselves, and with a 31-inch wingspan and deployable landing gear, this Lego set was significantly more challenging to build than I originally anticipated.
- 4/29/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), the US union which represents some 170,000 below-the-line entertainment industry workers, resumed basic agreement general negotiations on Monday.
The talks come after all 13 of IATSE’s West Coast local chapters reached tentative agreements on matters specific to them with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The list of IATSE demands includes increases to wages, residuals, pension and health contributions, protections against AI, quality of life conditions, job security, and the establishment of a 401(k) retirement plan in addition to the existing pension.
Basic agreement general negotiations are scheduled to run through May...
The talks come after all 13 of IATSE’s West Coast local chapters reached tentative agreements on matters specific to them with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The list of IATSE demands includes increases to wages, residuals, pension and health contributions, protections against AI, quality of life conditions, job security, and the establishment of a 401(k) retirement plan in addition to the existing pension.
Basic agreement general negotiations are scheduled to run through May...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Shonda Rhimes wasn’t dazzled by the discourse surrounding “Barbie.”
The “Bridgerton” producer told Variety that while being behind documentary “Black Barbie” and even getting her own Mattel doll in her honor, she was less than thrilled about the pressure that audiences and critics put on Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” to make a profound cultural statement.
“I saw the ‘Barbie’ movie at home,” Rhimes said before saying “no comment” as to whether she enjoyed the film or not.
“If you’re expecting a ‘Barbie’ movie, then I thought it was great,” Rhimes said. “But I think a lot of people were expecting so much more, and then tried to make it so much more. There was nothing wrong with the movie; I thought it was totally delightful. But the weight people put on a movie about Barbie was very interesting to me. […] But, yeah, I think that people wanted it...
The “Bridgerton” producer told Variety that while being behind documentary “Black Barbie” and even getting her own Mattel doll in her honor, she was less than thrilled about the pressure that audiences and critics put on Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” to make a profound cultural statement.
“I saw the ‘Barbie’ movie at home,” Rhimes said before saying “no comment” as to whether she enjoyed the film or not.
“If you’re expecting a ‘Barbie’ movie, then I thought it was great,” Rhimes said. “But I think a lot of people were expecting so much more, and then tried to make it so much more. There was nothing wrong with the movie; I thought it was totally delightful. But the weight people put on a movie about Barbie was very interesting to me. […] But, yeah, I think that people wanted it...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
James Gunn is debunking a conspiracy theory that alleges he already knew about Henry Cavill’s Superman re-casting while he was promoting “The Suicide Squad.” That timeline does not make sense, Gunn suggested in a post on Threads, as he was not in charge of DC Studios in 2021 when “The Suicide Squad” released. It wasn’t until Dec. 2022 that DC Studios announced Gunn and Peter Safran as its new bosses.
Some DC fans were accusing Gunn of lying about his involvement in Cavill’s Superman exit after actor Nathan Fillion was quoted telling Collider that Gunn told him at “The Suicide Squad” premiere party in 2021 that he would be cast as Guy Gardner (aka The Green Lantern) in a new Superman movie.
“We were actually at the premiere party after ‘Suicide Squad’ and he [James Gunn] was in a huge crowd of people,” Fillion was quoted saying. “We saw each other in the crowd,...
Some DC fans were accusing Gunn of lying about his involvement in Cavill’s Superman exit after actor Nathan Fillion was quoted telling Collider that Gunn told him at “The Suicide Squad” premiere party in 2021 that he would be cast as Guy Gardner (aka The Green Lantern) in a new Superman movie.
“We were actually at the premiere party after ‘Suicide Squad’ and he [James Gunn] was in a huge crowd of people,” Fillion was quoted saying. “We saw each other in the crowd,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
Following a provocative interview with GQ where he proclaimed the “movie business was over”—despite having directed his first movie—comedian Jerry Seinfeld is back at it, delivering more controversial statements, this time about TV comedy and liberal culture. While promoting his feature film “Unfrosted,” the comedian said in an interview with The New Yorker that “P.C. crap” and the “extreme left” are to blame for the extinction of television humor.
Continue reading Jerry Seinfeld Says TV Comedy Is Being Killed By The “Extreme Left” at The Playlist.
Continue reading Jerry Seinfeld Says TV Comedy Is Being Killed By The “Extreme Left” at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
Video-game adaptations are going next level. Amazon says “Fallout” is off to the second-best start for any series on Prime Video ever.
More than 65 million people watched “Fallout” in its first 16 days on the streaming service, per a Prime Video rep. Amazon says that’s second only to the 16-day debut window for “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” back in 2022. Amazon also says “Fallout” is the number 1 title globally on Prime Video in that span, it’s hit number 1 in 170 countries, and more than 60 percent of its audience has come internationally. People in the UK, France, and Brazil especially love it.
The streamer claimed back in 2022 that the debut episode of “Rings of Power” was watched by 25 million people in just 24 hours and by 100 million people overall, but never reported specific figures for a 16-day window. But how many kept watching? A report said only 37 percent of...
More than 65 million people watched “Fallout” in its first 16 days on the streaming service, per a Prime Video rep. Amazon says that’s second only to the 16-day debut window for “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” back in 2022. Amazon also says “Fallout” is the number 1 title globally on Prime Video in that span, it’s hit number 1 in 170 countries, and more than 60 percent of its audience has come internationally. People in the UK, France, and Brazil especially love it.
The streamer claimed back in 2022 that the debut episode of “Rings of Power” was watched by 25 million people in just 24 hours and by 100 million people overall, but never reported specific figures for a 16-day window. But how many kept watching? A report said only 37 percent of...
- 4/29/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Romantic dramas — and romantic comedies, for that matter — hinge on the conviction that when we find “the one” we will be all the more malleable for it. It’s not so much that we will change who we are but that who we will become alongside our lover will be a better version of who we are without them. In Marija Kavtaradze’s intimate and touching “Slow,” a budding couple put such a belief to the test, sketching out the challenges of what it means to balance the selfishness and selflessness that’s required when being in a committed relationship.
When Dovydas (Kęstutis Cicėnas) shows up at a dance studio to help interpret a lesson for a group of deaf students, Elena (Greta Grinevičiūtė) is immediately smitten. There’s something about the way his gestures and bashful demeanor make this dance instructor swoon. The instant connection she feels is mutual.
When Dovydas (Kęstutis Cicėnas) shows up at a dance studio to help interpret a lesson for a group of deaf students, Elena (Greta Grinevičiūtė) is immediately smitten. There’s something about the way his gestures and bashful demeanor make this dance instructor swoon. The instant connection she feels is mutual.
- 4/29/2024
- by Manuel Betancourt
- Variety - Film News
Many times in life the anticipation is stronger than the fulfillment.
Few things were more anticipated in recent movie history than “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” On many levels, it did almost live up to the hype: It’s still the number-one domestic box-office hit of all time in the U.S., unadjusted for inflation. Its reviews were overwhelmingly positive. It opened up a whole new era of storytelling for the franchise and deftly balanced the return of beloved characters from the Original Trilogy — Harrison Ford, in particular, delivering the most moving performance he ever gave as Han Solo — while introducing dynamic rising stars. It may have been overly indebted to “A New Hope” and mired in a few too many callbacks, but on the whole, “Force Awakens” was a movie that mined the deep emotion fans have for the franchise while pointing a path forward.
Yet even still, the...
Few things were more anticipated in recent movie history than “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” On many levels, it did almost live up to the hype: It’s still the number-one domestic box-office hit of all time in the U.S., unadjusted for inflation. Its reviews were overwhelmingly positive. It opened up a whole new era of storytelling for the franchise and deftly balanced the return of beloved characters from the Original Trilogy — Harrison Ford, in particular, delivering the most moving performance he ever gave as Han Solo — while introducing dynamic rising stars. It may have been overly indebted to “A New Hope” and mired in a few too many callbacks, but on the whole, “Force Awakens” was a movie that mined the deep emotion fans have for the franchise while pointing a path forward.
Yet even still, the...
- 4/29/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Four years after Covid-19 upended the world, we're all still just scrambling to catch up. So many industries are having a rough go of it, and Hollywood is no exception. Even the almighty Marvel Studios has fallen on hard times, with several Marvel Cinematic Universe films seeing lower-than-expected returns at the box office. That downward trend culminated with last year's "The Marvels" becoming the lowest-grossing MCU movie ever. How dire was it? The follow-up to the billion-dollar smash-hit that was 2019's "Captain Marvel" made less than DC's notorious "Green Lantern" from 2011, the first Nicolas Cage "Ghost Rider" movie, and the massive flop that was Fox's X-Men pic "Dark Phoenix." Just let that sink in for a minute.
So, what gives? Could it be that Disney saturating the market with MCU media, with an emphasis on quantity over quality, hurt the brand? Or that the continuing impact of the pandemic on...
So, what gives? Could it be that Disney saturating the market with MCU media, with an emphasis on quantity over quality, hurt the brand? Or that the continuing impact of the pandemic on...
- 4/29/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Amelia Gray may have been named model of the year at The Daily Front Row’s eighth annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards on Sunday, but she’s certainly thinking beyond the catwalk.
Gray tells me she’ll probably try following in the acting footsteps of her parents, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin… eventually
“It is in my blood, but I have a lot more boxes to check,” she said on the red carpet. “I’m a firm believer in, focus on one thing, finish that and then start the next book once you finish the first one. We’re not even halfway done finishing the first book. We’ve got a lot more to do.”
The evening, which was hosted by comedian Celeste Barber at the Beverly Hills Hotel, also honored Adir Abergel (Hair Stylist of the Year), Anastasia Soare (Beauty Innovator of the Year), Brett Alan Nelson (Music Stylist...
Gray tells me she’ll probably try following in the acting footsteps of her parents, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin… eventually
“It is in my blood, but I have a lot more boxes to check,” she said on the red carpet. “I’m a firm believer in, focus on one thing, finish that and then start the next book once you finish the first one. We’re not even halfway done finishing the first book. We’ve got a lot more to do.”
The evening, which was hosted by comedian Celeste Barber at the Beverly Hills Hotel, also honored Adir Abergel (Hair Stylist of the Year), Anastasia Soare (Beauty Innovator of the Year), Brett Alan Nelson (Music Stylist...
- 4/29/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety - Film News
Still riding high with a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, Marvel’s “X-Men ’97” has arguably been one of the most positively talked about Marvel series in recent months, with fans seemingly loving the week-to-week release model, which has kept trending on social media. And so, with an explosive three-part finale starting with this week’s “Tolerance Is Extinction, Part 1,” Marvel Studios has released a series finale trailer to stoke fans’ excitement further.
Continue reading ‘X-Men ’97’ Final Trailer: Tons Of Action-Packed Goodness at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘X-Men ’97’ Final Trailer: Tons Of Action-Packed Goodness at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by Caillou Pettis
- The Playlist
Josh O’Connor has his sights set on his dream role: playing a “darker version” of Willy Wonka.
Much like his “Challengers” co-star and “West Side Story” alum Mike Faist, O’Connor is looking to lean into the musical theater elements of the famed fictional chocolatier. Timothée Chalamet most recently played the Roald Dahl character in “Wonka,” with Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder leading other iterations of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
In a recent WSJ Magazine video, O’Connor revealed that Wonka is his ideal part.
“I would love to play Willy Wonka, but like a dark Willy Wonka,” he said. “I know they’ve just made a ‘Wonka’ film with Timothée Chalamet, but I would really like to play a story of darker version of him.”
According to O’Connor, the original portrayal of the character by actor Wilder is a haunting performance.
“I think Gene Wilder’s version of him is very dark.
Much like his “Challengers” co-star and “West Side Story” alum Mike Faist, O’Connor is looking to lean into the musical theater elements of the famed fictional chocolatier. Timothée Chalamet most recently played the Roald Dahl character in “Wonka,” with Johnny Depp and Gene Wilder leading other iterations of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
In a recent WSJ Magazine video, O’Connor revealed that Wonka is his ideal part.
“I would love to play Willy Wonka, but like a dark Willy Wonka,” he said. “I know they’ve just made a ‘Wonka’ film with Timothée Chalamet, but I would really like to play a story of darker version of him.”
According to O’Connor, the original portrayal of the character by actor Wilder is a haunting performance.
“I think Gene Wilder’s version of him is very dark.
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Seven years after the premiere of “Twin Peaks: The Return,” and the third season of David Lynch’s small-town-turned-cosmic nightmare is still reverberating for a new generation of filmmakers.
So it’s apt that Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow,” a suburban lucid dream of a movie about how the media we consume can then consume us, feels like the first film to truly capture the dread and dissonance of Lynch’s reinvention — a series that was itself a comment on how you can truly never go home again, and how rose-colored memories become warped and monstrous by the passage of time.
“I Saw the TV Glow” follows Owen (Justice Smith), a gloomy New Jersey teen obsessed with a YA TV series called “The Pink Opaque,” about two physically apart teen girls who share a psychic connection that could help them defeat a moon-faced monster called Mr. Melancholy.
So it’s apt that Jane Schoenbrun’s “I Saw the TV Glow,” a suburban lucid dream of a movie about how the media we consume can then consume us, feels like the first film to truly capture the dread and dissonance of Lynch’s reinvention — a series that was itself a comment on how you can truly never go home again, and how rose-colored memories become warped and monstrous by the passage of time.
“I Saw the TV Glow” follows Owen (Justice Smith), a gloomy New Jersey teen obsessed with a YA TV series called “The Pink Opaque,” about two physically apart teen girls who share a psychic connection that could help them defeat a moon-faced monster called Mr. Melancholy.
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
With the arrival of the first trailer for the "live-action" "Lion King" prequel "Mufasa: The Lion King" came news that the film's music is being spearheaded by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In the aftermath of the smash success of his stage musical "Hamilton" (which was eventually released as a movie on Disney+), Miranda seemed to be the guy in Hollywood, working on music for things like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Moana," "Vivo," and "Encanto," just to name a few, while also physically appearing on screen in "Mary Poppins Returns," "In the Heights," "His Dark Materials," and more. The dude was everywhere, and, as often happens when someone becomes overexposed, a backlash began. His past couple of years have been more subdued, and "Mufasa: The Lion King" marks his return to the familiar arms of The Walt Disney Company.
While it may not be surprising that the guy behind the music of...
While it may not be surprising that the guy behind the music of...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for “Challengers.”]
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
If there was any doubt at all that Zendaya is one of her generation's biggest A-list stars, this past weekend just squashed it. The actress had a bunch of big hits to her name, including the most recent "Spider-Man" trilogy, but she had yet to have the opportunity to open an original movie with her as the central star. Well, she did just that over the weekend as the R-rated, original tennis drama "Challengers" hit theaters and topped the box office with a $15 million take domestically. Very few non-horror, original movies have broken through in the pandemic era big enough to take the number one spot on the charts. That was just the tip of the iceberg.
While Zendaya's latest was topping the charts, "Dune: Part Two" still found itself in the top ten in its ninth weekend of release. Director Dennis Villeneuve's sequel to 2021's "Dune" added $1.9 million to its ever-growing total domestically,...
While Zendaya's latest was topping the charts, "Dune: Part Two" still found itself in the top ten in its ninth weekend of release. Director Dennis Villeneuve's sequel to 2021's "Dune" added $1.9 million to its ever-growing total domestically,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.
As the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, collecting physical media is becoming a niche yet cherished pastime. It remains the most reliable method to ensure access to a broad spectrum of titles, often in the highest possible quality. A 4K Blu-ray on your shelf guarantees immediate, uninterrupted viewing—free from buffering or service outages—of your favorite films and TV shows in stunning resolution. Moreover, these discs frequently include a wealth of bonus content, ranging from archival gems to freshly...
In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.
As the industry increasingly veers towards streaming as its primary mode of distribution, collecting physical media is becoming a niche yet cherished pastime. It remains the most reliable method to ensure access to a broad spectrum of titles, often in the highest possible quality. A 4K Blu-ray on your shelf guarantees immediate, uninterrupted viewing—free from buffering or service outages—of your favorite films and TV shows in stunning resolution. Moreover, these discs frequently include a wealth of bonus content, ranging from archival gems to freshly...
- 4/29/2024
- by Clayton Davis and Todd Gilchrist
- Variety - Film News
WME Independent has boarded the previously announced historical thriller Nuremberg starring Russell Crowe, Rami Malek, and Michael Shannon and will launch worldwide sales in Cannes.
James Vanderbilt is directing and production is underway in Hungary with a cast that includes Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann.
Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures is consulting on the sales and distribution of the film. Meyer and WME Independent co-head Alex Walton worked together at Paramount Vantage.
In Nuremberg, Malek will play American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, tasked with assessing the...
James Vanderbilt is directing and production is underway in Hungary with a cast that includes Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann.
Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures is consulting on the sales and distribution of the film. Meyer and WME Independent co-head Alex Walton worked together at Paramount Vantage.
In Nuremberg, Malek will play American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, tasked with assessing the...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film industry is still trying to find its sea legs in 2024. While the box office has been lagging, and there’s been no “Super Mario Bros,” “Barbie,” or “Oppenheimer” so far this year, to be fair, most of those hits didn’t arrive until the summer (minus the Nintendo adaptation). While it’s been a relatively slow year at the domestic box office, there have been hits in “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong,”
And, while the movie industry seemingly slowed down production last year because of said strikes, there’s absolutely no lack of content this year.
Continue reading Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.
And, while the movie industry seemingly slowed down production last year because of said strikes, there’s absolutely no lack of content this year.
Continue reading Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.
- 4/29/2024
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
Screen International is teaming up with pre-eminent US entertainment newsletter The Ankler to publish a daily newsletter at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25), in addition to Screen’s regular festival coverage.
The special Ankler newsletter will curate a daily selection of breaking news, interviews, reviews and analysis from Screen International’s industry-leading coverage at Cannes and will be sent to The Ankler’s 71,000 subscribers. Screen will continue to publish its own daily newsletters during the festival.
The partnership will bring together Screen’s unrivalled expertise and understanding of the international independent film industry with The Ankler’s blue-chip North...
The special Ankler newsletter will curate a daily selection of breaking news, interviews, reviews and analysis from Screen International’s industry-leading coverage at Cannes and will be sent to The Ankler’s 71,000 subscribers. Screen will continue to publish its own daily newsletters during the festival.
The partnership will bring together Screen’s unrivalled expertise and understanding of the international independent film industry with The Ankler’s blue-chip North...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
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