Too many comedians are taking “the path of least resistance” and failing to address contentious political topics, according to the creator of The Thick of It and Veep.
Storied British comedy creator Armando Iannucci said he often hears comics utter phrases like “I have to be careful about what I say,” with his comments coming as both the UK and U.S. warm up for general elections in six weeks and six months respectively.
Speaking at the BBC Comedy Festival in Glasgow, Iannucci urged comedians to meet these challenges head on.
“Comedy is not belittling a subject but if it chooses to look at that subject it is offering a way into it that might offer a surprising or fresh perspective,” he added. “It is asking us to tell ourselves what we think about something, and how we might respond to that. We shouldn’t feel that someone is telling...
Storied British comedy creator Armando Iannucci said he often hears comics utter phrases like “I have to be careful about what I say,” with his comments coming as both the UK and U.S. warm up for general elections in six weeks and six months respectively.
Speaking at the BBC Comedy Festival in Glasgow, Iannucci urged comedians to meet these challenges head on.
“Comedy is not belittling a subject but if it chooses to look at that subject it is offering a way into it that might offer a surprising or fresh perspective,” he added. “It is asking us to tell ourselves what we think about something, and how we might respond to that. We shouldn’t feel that someone is telling...
- 5/23/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Alan Partridge is officially back as evidenced by a new first look image from his upcoming BBC documentary “And Did Those Feet… with Alan Partridge.”
Filming has officially commenced on the show, in which comedian Steve Coogan (who was twice nominated for Oscars his work on 2013 comedy-drama “Philomena”) reprises his role as the hapless interviewer.
The six-part mockumentary follows Partridge as he returns to Norfolk following a year in Saudi Arabia and struggles to reintegrate.
“One of the first – if not the first – documentary to address the issue of mental wellness, the six-part series follows the revered and beloved broadcaster on a quest to understand what’s going on, with Britain’s minds and his own,” reads the official logline. “It’s a show that makes a statement that will create shockwaves: ‘I’m Alan Partridge, and I’m not Ok.’ Partridge will write, present and produce the series. He will also direct the series.
Filming has officially commenced on the show, in which comedian Steve Coogan (who was twice nominated for Oscars his work on 2013 comedy-drama “Philomena”) reprises his role as the hapless interviewer.
The six-part mockumentary follows Partridge as he returns to Norfolk following a year in Saudi Arabia and struggles to reintegrate.
“One of the first – if not the first – documentary to address the issue of mental wellness, the six-part series follows the revered and beloved broadcaster on a quest to understand what’s going on, with Britain’s minds and his own,” reads the official logline. “It’s a show that makes a statement that will create shockwaves: ‘I’m Alan Partridge, and I’m not Ok.’ Partridge will write, present and produce the series. He will also direct the series.
- 5/20/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The Girls on the Bus is a political comedy-drama series created by Amy Chozick and Julie Plec. Inspired by Chozick’s 2018 memoir Chasing Hillary, the Max series follows the story of 4 journalists on different sides of political isles as they follow a parade of flawed presidential candidates while bonding with each other. The Girls on the Bus stars Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Christina Elmore, and Natasha Behnam in the lead roles with Brandon Scott, Griffin Dunne, Hettienne Park, Mark Consuelos, Scott Cohen, Kyle Vincent Terry, and P.J. Sosko starring in supporting roles. If you loved all the political satire and friendships in The Girls on the Bus here are some similar shows you could watch next.
Veep (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – HBO
Veep is a political satire and dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The HBO series follows the political career of Selina Meyer as she goes from...
Veep (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – HBO
Veep is a political satire and dark comedy series created by Armando Iannucci. The HBO series follows the political career of Selina Meyer as she goes from...
- 5/12/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
This list contains series that will brighten up even the most difficult everyday life. At the same time, each of them is not an empty trinket, suitable only for wasting time and forgetting, but an individual and stylish project, made with real wit and screenwriting skill.
1. Veep, 2012-2019
Few mock politics as blatantly as Armando Iannucci's satirical sitcom. The show mocks not only the main character, Selina Meyer, but also her hapless team trying to keep Selina in power. As the show progresses, Meyer becomes President of the US, but does not stay in that position for long.
Veep is, of course, a show for those who love when jokes are delivered at machine-gun speed, the morals of political managers are mocked in the most merciless way, and political reality appears as a series of paradoxes.
2. BoJack Horseman, 2014-2020
BoJack Horseman proved that a show doesn’t have to...
1. Veep, 2012-2019
Few mock politics as blatantly as Armando Iannucci's satirical sitcom. The show mocks not only the main character, Selina Meyer, but also her hapless team trying to keep Selina in power. As the show progresses, Meyer becomes President of the US, but does not stay in that position for long.
Veep is, of course, a show for those who love when jokes are delivered at machine-gun speed, the morals of political managers are mocked in the most merciless way, and political reality appears as a series of paradoxes.
2. BoJack Horseman, 2014-2020
BoJack Horseman proved that a show doesn’t have to...
- 5/4/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
An intense and often funny drama starring the best fake news anchor and created by the guy who has made too many legal dramas and all of them are brilliant. A Man in Full is a drama miniseries created by David E. Kelley. Based on a 1998 novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe, it follows a real estate mogul Charlie Croker as he faces bankruptcy and his enemies circle him to gain something from his misfortune. A Man in Full stars Jeff Daniels in the lead role with Sarah Jones, Diane Lane, Lucy Liu, Tom Pelphrey, Evan Roe, Jon Michael Hill, Josh Pais, and Jerrika Hinton starring in supporting. So, if you loved Daniels’ incredible performance and the story of a man’s fall from grace and too much arrogance in A Man in Full here are some similar shows you could watch next.
Dynasty (Netflix & Rent on Prime...
Dynasty (Netflix & Rent on Prime...
- 5/3/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
I’m not overly fond of politics. Given a choice, I’d rather talk food, or faraway places.
But I do have a weakness for political films — or, more precisely, films about political campaigns.
The best of them have been sharp, often witty, and self-aware to the point of cynicism. Bulworth. The Campaign. Wag the Dog. Primary Colors. Dave.
As a genre, they tend toward satire, if not broad comedy. In one of my favorites, David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis, two inimical American political consultants corrupt Bolivian politics by transplanting our worst habits to foreign shores. It’s painfully funny stuff.
Where serious, the campaign genre tends to be confessional. With The Ides of March, progressive filmmaker George Clooney, adapting a play be Beau Willimon, unmasked Faustian bargains behind the gleaming ideals of a “good” politician in a hard-fought Ohio primary.
Should we show it at the White House,...
But I do have a weakness for political films — or, more precisely, films about political campaigns.
The best of them have been sharp, often witty, and self-aware to the point of cynicism. Bulworth. The Campaign. Wag the Dog. Primary Colors. Dave.
As a genre, they tend toward satire, if not broad comedy. In one of my favorites, David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis, two inimical American political consultants corrupt Bolivian politics by transplanting our worst habits to foreign shores. It’s painfully funny stuff.
Where serious, the campaign genre tends to be confessional. With The Ides of March, progressive filmmaker George Clooney, adapting a play be Beau Willimon, unmasked Faustian bargains behind the gleaming ideals of a “good” politician in a hard-fought Ohio primary.
Should we show it at the White House,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
Daniel Brühl has recalled the time he swerved a Karl Lagerfeld cover shoot two decades before playing him in the eponymous Disney+ series that airs out of competition at tonight’s Canneseries.
The BAFTA-nominated Rush star met the fashion icon in the early noughties but it has had a long lasting effect on him, and he was later to discover that this was true in the reverse.
Speaking to Deadline on the day of the Becoming Karl Lagerfeld premiere, the German-Spanish actor detailed how he was taking part in a photo shoot at the Berlinale right after announcing himself on the world stage with his critically-acclaimed performance in Wolfgang Becker’s Good Bye, Lenin!.
“There was this Karl Lagerfeld photo shoot and all the German actors were stood together cramped like sausages and my Spanish pride kicked in, and I just thought, ‘This is embarrassing’,” Brühl explained. “But [Lagerfeld] saw it...
The BAFTA-nominated Rush star met the fashion icon in the early noughties but it has had a long lasting effect on him, and he was later to discover that this was true in the reverse.
Speaking to Deadline on the day of the Becoming Karl Lagerfeld premiere, the German-Spanish actor detailed how he was taking part in a photo shoot at the Berlinale right after announcing himself on the world stage with his critically-acclaimed performance in Wolfgang Becker’s Good Bye, Lenin!.
“There was this Karl Lagerfeld photo shoot and all the German actors were stood together cramped like sausages and my Spanish pride kicked in, and I just thought, ‘This is embarrassing’,” Brühl explained. “But [Lagerfeld] saw it...
- 4/7/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Mubi has unveiled next’s streaming lineup, featuring notable new releases, including Molly Manning Walker’s debut How to Have Sex, Kevin Macdonald’s High & Low: John Galliano, and Quentin Dupieux’s Yannick. Ahead of Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, two of his earlier films will arrive on the platform, along with a pair of features from All of Us Strangers director Andrew Haigh, as well as S. Craig Zahler’s Brawl in Cell Block 99, and more.
“The story can be translated into many different settings and I think it’s still relevant in terms of house parties, clubs, and even in relationships,” Molly Manning Walker recently told us about her debut How to Have Sex. “On the other hand: I wanted to make something that was very cinematic, but not set in a domestic environment. But the reason that this particular setting felt perfect was that––at that time,...
“The story can be translated into many different settings and I think it’s still relevant in terms of house parties, clubs, and even in relationships,” Molly Manning Walker recently told us about her debut How to Have Sex. “On the other hand: I wanted to make something that was very cinematic, but not set in a domestic environment. But the reason that this particular setting felt perfect was that––at that time,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Billy Magnussen always understands the assignment. Whatever the medium or genre, the actor manages to stand out with an impressive range. He has literally played a Disney prince — twice! — in the film versions of “Into the Woods” and “Aladdin.” He earned a Tony nomination for his role as a dimwitted young lover in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” and has stood out in ensemble films like “Game Night” and “The Big Short.”
But Magnussen also excels at playing the bad guy, such as the tech billionaire who installs a tracking device in his ex-wife in “Made for Love” to a Nazi officer in “The Survivor.” But never more deliciously than in “Road House,” a reimaging of the 1989 Patrick Swayze classic. The new version, hitting Amazon Prime Video this week, stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys.
But Magnussen also excels at playing the bad guy, such as the tech billionaire who installs a tracking device in his ex-wife in “Made for Love” to a Nazi officer in “The Survivor.” But never more deliciously than in “Road House,” a reimaging of the 1989 Patrick Swayze classic. The new version, hitting Amazon Prime Video this week, stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys.
- 3/21/2024
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
When Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) addresses the citizens of her unnamed Central European country, she doesn’t sound like a politician. “My loves,” she coos in a plummy, posh accent, further softened by a hint of a lisp. “I bless you all, and I bless our love. Always.” Seven years into her reign, this signoff suggests that Vernham has transcended the role of head of state, or even autocratic strongwoman. The propaganda videos she records from her palace, a luxury hotel turned personal residence, are closer to guided meditations than ideological sermons. The relationship between this ruler and her subjects, Vernham seems to believe, is more intimate and emotional than mere governance.
Before creating “The Regime,” the six-episode HBO series set in Vernham’s impenetrable echo chamber, writer Will Tracy worked on “Succession.” Just as Logan Roy was a composite of various Irl oligarchs, Vernham can’t be traced to any single inspiration.
Before creating “The Regime,” the six-episode HBO series set in Vernham’s impenetrable echo chamber, writer Will Tracy worked on “Succession.” Just as Logan Roy was a composite of various Irl oligarchs, Vernham can’t be traced to any single inspiration.
- 3/3/2024
- by Alison Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Brought to you by some of the team behind Succession is The Regime, HBO’s latest uber-ambitious prestige satire. Elevated by a never-better Kate Winslet and a solid supporting cast, the miniseries is quite uneven, but when all of its elements work together in harmony, it’s very entertaining and provocative.
The Regime follows the authoritarian chancellor of an unnamed European country as her control over her people begins to fall apart behind the closed doors of her deteriorating palace. For fans of British political satire, this is filled with intriguing ideas, but the short episode count creates erratic pacing and tone.
The first episode of the series, directed by the legendary Stephen Frears, has a dry humor about it — very reminiscent of the British stylings of Armando Iannucci. In fact, the stylings of the first half of the show make it almost surprising that the satirist himself wasn’t...
The Regime follows the authoritarian chancellor of an unnamed European country as her control over her people begins to fall apart behind the closed doors of her deteriorating palace. For fans of British political satire, this is filled with intriguing ideas, but the short episode count creates erratic pacing and tone.
The first episode of the series, directed by the legendary Stephen Frears, has a dry humor about it — very reminiscent of the British stylings of Armando Iannucci. In fact, the stylings of the first half of the show make it almost surprising that the satirist himself wasn’t...
- 2/27/2024
- by Sean Boelman
- FandomWire
Rachel Zegler shared a sweet anecdote with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Presidents’ Day. The West Side Story star took to social media to recount an event with the former Veep star.
“Sat next to Julia Louis-Dreyfus in an airport lounge today and it took everything in me not to wish her a happy presidents day,” Zegler posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Zegler was referencing Louis-Dreyfus’s role on the HBO comedy series that ran for seven seasons on the premium cable network and was created by Armando Iannucci.
sat next to julia louis-dreyfuss in an airport lounge today and it took everything in me not to wish her a happy presidents day
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) February 19, 2024
Louis-Dreyfus played the role of Selena Meyer, a fictional vice president of the United States who became the president in later seasons. The actress won six...
“Sat next to Julia Louis-Dreyfus in an airport lounge today and it took everything in me not to wish her a happy presidents day,” Zegler posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Zegler was referencing Louis-Dreyfus’s role on the HBO comedy series that ran for seven seasons on the premium cable network and was created by Armando Iannucci.
sat next to julia louis-dreyfuss in an airport lounge today and it took everything in me not to wish her a happy presidents day
— rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) February 19, 2024
Louis-Dreyfus played the role of Selena Meyer, a fictional vice president of the United States who became the president in later seasons. The actress won six...
- 2/20/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Hideaki Anno is one of the most brilliant voices in animation -- a writer, director, and animator responsible for masterpieces such as the hugely influential "Neon Genesis Evangelion" (and its many endings), but also the anime that did the same twist as Pixar's "Lightyear" much better and decades earlier. Anno additionally belongs to the prestigious club of animators who successfully made the jump to directing live-action projects alongside Phil Lord and Chris Miller, Brad Bird, Tim Burton, and more. Anno not only brought Go Nagai's "Cutie Honey" to live-action successfully, but he also reinvented iconic franchises like "Kamen Rider" and "Godzilla."
The last one is important because Anno's "Shin Godzilla" is part of a new golden age of Godzilla stories. "Shin Godzilla" is a more satirical take on the King of the Monsters and a poignant movie inspired by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, as well as the response...
The last one is important because Anno's "Shin Godzilla" is part of a new golden age of Godzilla stories. "Shin Godzilla" is a more satirical take on the King of the Monsters and a poignant movie inspired by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, as well as the response...
- 2/12/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
“Mare of Easttown” Primetime Emmy Award winner Kate Winslet is making her return to HBO — this time, as a power-hungry, insufferable political leader. Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs direct the series about an unraveling authoritarian ruler, with Oscar winner Winslet joined in the cast by Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant. Watch the latest trailer below.
The limited series, created and showrun by Will Tracy, premieres on HBO and Max March 3. Voting for the Emmys nominations begins June 13. That may feel like a long way off, even though the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards just happened (courtesy of the strikes) January 15. Place your easily made bets: Winslet will be part of the conversation once again this year.
“The Regime” tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to fall apart. Along with Winslet, lining up...
The limited series, created and showrun by Will Tracy, premieres on HBO and Max March 3. Voting for the Emmys nominations begins June 13. That may feel like a long way off, even though the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards just happened (courtesy of the strikes) January 15. Place your easily made bets: Winslet will be part of the conversation once again this year.
“The Regime” tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to fall apart. Along with Winslet, lining up...
- 2/8/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The Day Today was making Fake News its business long before it was even a twinkle in Donald Trump’s eye. Armando Iannucci and Chris Morris’ TV translation of their On the Hour BBC Radio 4 series parodied the gravely serious, scare-mongering, hyperbolic news style of the early 1990s with absurd, nonsensical headlines: “Portillo’s teeth removed to boost Pound. Exploded cardinal preaches sermon from fish tank. And where now for man raised by puffins?”
With a comedy team including Steve Coogan (who road-tested Alan Partridge on TV for the first time here), Rebecca Front, David Schneider and Doon Mackichan, the show didn’t aim to hoodwink its audience or even the public figures in the news, the target was the news itself. And if speaking truth to power is the essence of good satire, then the target doesn’t come much more powerful than the media, and satires don...
With a comedy team including Steve Coogan (who road-tested Alan Partridge on TV for the first time here), Rebecca Front, David Schneider and Doon Mackichan, the show didn’t aim to hoodwink its audience or even the public figures in the news, the target was the news itself. And if speaking truth to power is the essence of good satire, then the target doesn’t come much more powerful than the media, and satires don...
- 1/22/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
HBO chairman and CEO Casey Bloys is celebrating another fruitful Emmys for the network and Max’s teams after taking home nine Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday evening.
The accolades included six wins for the final season of “Succession,” including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Matthew Macfadyen and Outstanding Writing and Directing for Jesse Armstrong and Mark Mylod for “Connors Wedding.” Additionally, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” scored two Emmys in the Scripted Variety Series category and “The White Lotus” star Jennifer Coolidge won Supporting Actress in a Drama.
The latest round of awards brings HBO and Max’s total Emmy wins to 31 this year, following 22 wins at the Creative Arts Emmys, including eight for Season 1 of “The Last of Us.”
“We had a great showing across the board,...
The accolades included six wins for the final season of “Succession,” including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Matthew Macfadyen and Outstanding Writing and Directing for Jesse Armstrong and Mark Mylod for “Connors Wedding.” Additionally, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” scored two Emmys in the Scripted Variety Series category and “The White Lotus” star Jennifer Coolidge won Supporting Actress in a Drama.
The latest round of awards brings HBO and Max’s total Emmy wins to 31 this year, following 22 wins at the Creative Arts Emmys, including eight for Season 1 of “The Last of Us.”
“We had a great showing across the board,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
When Peter Capaldi flickers into view on the Zoom call, I half expect him to tell me to “F** Off!”
For TV viewers of a certain age, the 65-year-old Scottish actor will forever be Malcolm Tucker, the supremely sweary spin doctor in Armando Iannucci’s pre-Veep Brit political satire The Thick of It.
“It’s The Thick of It and Doctor Who,” says a charming (and clean-mouthed) Capaldi, about the roles he’s most recognized for (he played the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the cult sci-fi series from 2013 to 2017). “Surprisingly, The Thick of It is still incredibly popular [the series wrapped in 2012]. People, generally very cool, smart young people, recognize me from that a lot. They generally just ask me to swear at them.”
Of course, there’s a lot more to Capaldi than Tucker and the Doctor. His scores of film and TV appearances include playing alongside Burt Lancaster in Bill Forsyth’s 1983 classic Local Hero,...
For TV viewers of a certain age, the 65-year-old Scottish actor will forever be Malcolm Tucker, the supremely sweary spin doctor in Armando Iannucci’s pre-Veep Brit political satire The Thick of It.
“It’s The Thick of It and Doctor Who,” says a charming (and clean-mouthed) Capaldi, about the roles he’s most recognized for (he played the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the cult sci-fi series from 2013 to 2017). “Surprisingly, The Thick of It is still incredibly popular [the series wrapped in 2012]. People, generally very cool, smart young people, recognize me from that a lot. They generally just ask me to swear at them.”
Of course, there’s a lot more to Capaldi than Tucker and the Doctor. His scores of film and TV appearances include playing alongside Burt Lancaster in Bill Forsyth’s 1983 classic Local Hero,...
- 1/8/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s hard to narrow the list of titles we’re excited for on Max to just five, but the following list represents the best of the best.
Warner Bros. Discovery had a fairly impressive 2023 performance-wise. It started the year with a bang streaming-wise, with “The Last of Us” becoming another bona fide hit, and “Succession” premiering its final season on Max. Its Greta Gerwig-helmed comedy “Barbie” became the top box-office performer of the year, and is also now streaming on Max, where it is no doubt compiling impressive viewing statistics.
So what can fans expect from the Wbd release slate this year? There are some truly tantalizing titles headed to Max in 2024, and readers can check out the five shows and movies The Streamable is most excited to watch on the service below!
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com ‘True Detective’ Season 4 | Jan. 14, 2024
“True Detective” took the...
Warner Bros. Discovery had a fairly impressive 2023 performance-wise. It started the year with a bang streaming-wise, with “The Last of Us” becoming another bona fide hit, and “Succession” premiering its final season on Max. Its Greta Gerwig-helmed comedy “Barbie” became the top box-office performer of the year, and is also now streaming on Max, where it is no doubt compiling impressive viewing statistics.
So what can fans expect from the Wbd release slate this year? There are some truly tantalizing titles headed to Max in 2024, and readers can check out the five shows and movies The Streamable is most excited to watch on the service below!
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com ‘True Detective’ Season 4 | Jan. 14, 2024
“True Detective” took the...
- 1/5/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Well, they did it. Since “Game of Thrones” ended in 2019, HBO has faced persistent questions, year in and year out, over how it will survive without its most profitable franchise. The scrutiny died down a bit in 2022, after “House of the Dragon” debuted to dragon-sized numbers, but the network’s exclusive focus on its first spinoff left a few doubters unsatisfied. “Ok, sure,” they conceded. “You kept the franchise going. But what happens next? The scale of the production still makes it unreasonable to expect new episodes every year — why not green light more shows? Aren’t you leaving money on the table? Shouldn’t we be getting a new edition of ‘Game of Thrones’ every year, every six months, or every quarter?”
Last year proved HBO could survive just fine without a “Walking Dead”-flood of production from its tentpole, and now, as we get ready for a more-or-less full 2024 slate of HBO shows,...
Last year proved HBO could survive just fine without a “Walking Dead”-flood of production from its tentpole, and now, as we get ready for a more-or-less full 2024 slate of HBO shows,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Cena and Brie display zero chemistry a dumb adventure yarn set in a fictional South American state. It feels like it should be a satire of the genre, but isn’t
Taken director Pierre Morel gets it really, really wrong with this dumb, crude and not remotely entertaining action-comedy. The idea isn’t too bad: it’s about a former US special forces soldier who gets caught up in a South American coup after being hired as bodyguard to a journalist. You can picture Armando Iannucci running with the satirical possibilities, or a more serious-minded film-maker wading knee-deep into moral murk, John le Carré style. Instead, Morel, working with a script by Jacob Lentz, squanders the basic concept – not to mention the gym time that wrestler-turned-actor John Cena put in to get the upper body of a Greek god.
Cena plays Mason Pettits, a military veteran struggling with post-army life...
Taken director Pierre Morel gets it really, really wrong with this dumb, crude and not remotely entertaining action-comedy. The idea isn’t too bad: it’s about a former US special forces soldier who gets caught up in a South American coup after being hired as bodyguard to a journalist. You can picture Armando Iannucci running with the satirical possibilities, or a more serious-minded film-maker wading knee-deep into moral murk, John le Carré style. Instead, Morel, working with a script by Jacob Lentz, squanders the basic concept – not to mention the gym time that wrestler-turned-actor John Cena put in to get the upper body of a Greek god.
Cena plays Mason Pettits, a military veteran struggling with post-army life...
- 12/25/2023
- by Cath Clarke
- The Guardian - Film News
“Mare of Easttown” Emmy winner Kate Winslet is back at HBO — this time as a European authoritarian ruler under heaps of pressure, and crumbling because of it.
HBO has released another trailer for its upcoming series “The Regime,” headed for the premium TV network on March 3, 2024. Oscar nominee Stephen Frears (“The Queen”) and Jessica Hobbs (an Emmy-winning director on “The Crown”) direct the series showrun by Will Tracy.
“The Regime” tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to unravel. Along with Winslet, the cast includes Belgian “Rust and Bone” heartthrob Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, surprise 2023 Best Actress Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and, a usual suspect for this sort of lofty Euro political fare, Hugh Grant. The trailer suggests layers of moneyed darkness a la “Succession” with a dash of Armando Iannucci “Veep” satire to match the drama.
HBO has released another trailer for its upcoming series “The Regime,” headed for the premium TV network on March 3, 2024. Oscar nominee Stephen Frears (“The Queen”) and Jessica Hobbs (an Emmy-winning director on “The Crown”) direct the series showrun by Will Tracy.
“The Regime” tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of a modern European regime as it begins to unravel. Along with Winslet, the cast includes Belgian “Rust and Bone” heartthrob Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, surprise 2023 Best Actress Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and, a usual suspect for this sort of lofty Euro political fare, Hugh Grant. The trailer suggests layers of moneyed darkness a la “Succession” with a dash of Armando Iannucci “Veep” satire to match the drama.
- 12/20/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
There’s a lot to take in and even more to process in American-Armenian director Michael Goorjian’s ambitious period piece: What he’s tilting at here is not beyond the realms of comedy, as Armando Iannucci proved with his 2017 jet-black satire The Death of Stalin. But tone is crucial, and Amerikatsi has a waywardness that too often undermines its intent — there’s a lot that works here and so much that doesn’t. There are moments that are sensitive, thoughtful, and really quite moving — in an elegant, silent-movie way — but the framing is so dark in its humor that many viewers may never make it to them.
In Eastern European literature, the greenhorn caught in the crosshairs of bureaucracy has long been a staple, and Amerikatsi pushes that tradition by placing an emigrant American at the heart of its drama. The film opens in 1915, in what was then the Ottoman Empire,...
In Eastern European literature, the greenhorn caught in the crosshairs of bureaucracy has long been a staple, and Amerikatsi pushes that tradition by placing an emigrant American at the heart of its drama. The film opens in 1915, in what was then the Ottoman Empire,...
- 12/17/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Olivia Holt (Totally Killer), Connor Swindells (Barbie), Lucy Punch (Motherland) and Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) are in production in London on Jingle Bell Heist, a new rom-com that Michael Fimognari (To All the Boys franchise) is directing for Ace Entertainment.
Written by New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter Abby McDonald (Bridgerton), with additional writing by Amy Reed, the film follows Sophia (Holt) and Nick (Swindells), two small-time thieves who discover they’re chasing the same job — robbing one of London’s most infamous department stores on Christmas Eve. Now, they must reluctantly team up, but as their feelings for each other deepen, the secrets they keep may ultimately put their relationship and the heist in jeopardy.
Matt Kaplan is producing for Ace Entertainment, which is also financing the feature, with Christopher Foss, Matthew Janzen, Aubrey Bendix, and Braden Bochner overseeing production for the company. Mark Lane...
Written by New York Times bestselling author and screenwriter Abby McDonald (Bridgerton), with additional writing by Amy Reed, the film follows Sophia (Holt) and Nick (Swindells), two small-time thieves who discover they’re chasing the same job — robbing one of London’s most infamous department stores on Christmas Eve. Now, they must reluctantly team up, but as their feelings for each other deepen, the secrets they keep may ultimately put their relationship and the heist in jeopardy.
Matt Kaplan is producing for Ace Entertainment, which is also financing the feature, with Christopher Foss, Matthew Janzen, Aubrey Bendix, and Braden Bochner overseeing production for the company. Mark Lane...
- 12/15/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Death Of Stalin
The Death of Stalin, 11.15pm, Great Movies, Monday, December 11
Armando Iannucci may have cut his teeth on biting satire about British politics but he proves just as adept at rattling the absurdity of Russian state roulette as the politburo descends into farce after the demise indicated by his film's title. Like a Grand National of Russian politics, everyone is jockeying for position, including the sharp-witted Kruschev (Steve Buscemi), chief of police Beria (Simon Russell Beale) alongside Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), who is not the sharpest tool in the box, and Molotov (Michael Palin), who has really had enough of all this. The cast, which also includes Jason Isaacs, Andrea Riseborough and Paul Whitehouse, runs as wide and deep as the humour is cutting and pointed. The vantablack of satire.
Dr Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, Itvx, streaming now
Why not team Iannucci's film with.
The Death of Stalin, 11.15pm, Great Movies, Monday, December 11
Armando Iannucci may have cut his teeth on biting satire about British politics but he proves just as adept at rattling the absurdity of Russian state roulette as the politburo descends into farce after the demise indicated by his film's title. Like a Grand National of Russian politics, everyone is jockeying for position, including the sharp-witted Kruschev (Steve Buscemi), chief of police Beria (Simon Russell Beale) alongside Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), who is not the sharpest tool in the box, and Molotov (Michael Palin), who has really had enough of all this. The cast, which also includes Jason Isaacs, Andrea Riseborough and Paul Whitehouse, runs as wide and deep as the humour is cutting and pointed. The vantablack of satire.
Dr Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, Itvx, streaming now
Why not team Iannucci's film with.
- 12/11/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
A star and a title of Armando Iannucci’s next film project have both emerged, according to World Of Reel.
Ever a busy bee, The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci, currently experiencing a late-career shift into playwriting, is apparently working on a new film.
According to World Of Reel, the film’s name is Growth, with Riz Ahmed attached to star. The synopsis apparently reads as follows:
“A tech drama following the founder of a Snapchat-like social media platform, who races to deal with the company’s exponential growth and devastating leak of users’ private content.”
Iannucci’s first foray into playwriting, Pandemonium, opened at the Soho Theatre in London on the 1st of December. Charting the last few years of calm and uneventful government in the UK, the satirist is also working on a stage adaptation of Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove for a West End debut in 2024.
His last two films,...
Ever a busy bee, The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci, currently experiencing a late-career shift into playwriting, is apparently working on a new film.
According to World Of Reel, the film’s name is Growth, with Riz Ahmed attached to star. The synopsis apparently reads as follows:
“A tech drama following the founder of a Snapchat-like social media platform, who races to deal with the company’s exponential growth and devastating leak of users’ private content.”
Iannucci’s first foray into playwriting, Pandemonium, opened at the Soho Theatre in London on the 1st of December. Charting the last few years of calm and uneventful government in the UK, the satirist is also working on a stage adaptation of Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove for a West End debut in 2024.
His last two films,...
- 12/4/2023
- by James Harvey
- Film Stories
Exclusive: Billy Magnussen (Coup!) and Alexandra Shipp (Barbie) will topline Violent Ends, a Southern revenge thriller written and directed by John-Michael Powell that has wrapped production in Northwest Arkansas.
Actors rounding out the cast of the film from Midnight Road Entertainment include James Badge Dale (Hightown), Nick Stahl (Showtime’s Let the Right One In), Emmy winner Kate Burton (Dumb Money), and Academy Award winner Ray McKinnon (Knox Goes Away). Check out a first look still below.
A tale of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of the Ozark Mountains, Violent Ends chronicles the life of Lucas Frost (Magnussen), an honest man brought up in a crime family whose only legacy is violence. As Lucas tries to make his own life with his fiancée, Emma (Shipp), he is suddenly pulled back into the family business he so despises when his cousin, Eli, perpetrates an armed robbery on a local scrap...
Actors rounding out the cast of the film from Midnight Road Entertainment include James Badge Dale (Hightown), Nick Stahl (Showtime’s Let the Right One In), Emmy winner Kate Burton (Dumb Money), and Academy Award winner Ray McKinnon (Knox Goes Away). Check out a first look still below.
A tale of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of the Ozark Mountains, Violent Ends chronicles the life of Lucas Frost (Magnussen), an honest man brought up in a crime family whose only legacy is violence. As Lucas tries to make his own life with his fiancée, Emma (Shipp), he is suddenly pulled back into the family business he so despises when his cousin, Eli, perpetrates an armed robbery on a local scrap...
- 11/30/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Let me start by saying that we are hopeful we will reach a resolution to the SAG-AFTRA strike,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said Wednesday at the top of the company’s post-earnings call with Wall Street. “We made a last and final offer, which met virtually all of the union’s goals, and includes the highest wage increase in 40 years, and I believe it provides for a positive outcome for all involved. We recognize that we need our creative partners to feel valued and rewarded and look forward to both sides getting back to the business of telling great stories.”
Zaslav, who has been directly involved in the most recent rounds of negotiations on the strike, has spoken in the same vein before about the SAG-AFTRA and (now-settled) WGA strikes. But actors are closer now with the AMPTP’s last and final offer currently being tweaked.
The strike hit Wbd,...
Zaslav, who has been directly involved in the most recent rounds of negotiations on the strike, has spoken in the same vein before about the SAG-AFTRA and (now-settled) WGA strikes. But actors are closer now with the AMPTP’s last and final offer currently being tweaked.
The strike hit Wbd,...
- 11/8/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Armando Iannucci and Steve Coogan will collaborate once again for a stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. The play is set to premiere at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on October 8th, 2024.
Marking the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick film, Iannucci is teaming with Sean Foley, who will co-direct the production. Like Peter Sellers did in the 1964 movie, Coogan will portray multiple roles in the play. Known in full as Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Kubrick’s Cold War satire follows an Air Force general who orders a preemptive nuclear attack on the Soviet Union.
Sellers played three roles in the film: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, fictional President Merkin Muffley, and Dr. Strangelove, the former Nazi who serves as Muffley’s scientific advisor. Both Sellers and Kubrick were nominated for Academy Awards for the landmark black comedy.
Iannucci’s take...
Marking the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick film, Iannucci is teaming with Sean Foley, who will co-direct the production. Like Peter Sellers did in the 1964 movie, Coogan will portray multiple roles in the play. Known in full as Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Kubrick’s Cold War satire follows an Air Force general who orders a preemptive nuclear attack on the Soviet Union.
Sellers played three roles in the film: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, fictional President Merkin Muffley, and Dr. Strangelove, the former Nazi who serves as Muffley’s scientific advisor. Both Sellers and Kubrick were nominated for Academy Awards for the landmark black comedy.
Iannucci’s take...
- 9/27/2023
- by Carys Anderson
- Consequence - Film News
Steve Coogan, Armando Iannucci and Sean Foley are teaming for a West End stage production of Stanley Kubrick’s classic 1964 war satire, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Billed as the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick work, Dr. Strangelove will star Coogan in multiple roles at London’s Noel Coward Theatre for a limited run from October 8, 2024-December 21, 2024.
The adaptation hails from Veep creator and Coogan’s Alan Partridge collaborator Iannucci, and Olivier Award-winner Foley. Foley will also direct.
The original Oscar-nominated film about a rogue U.S. General who triggers a nuclear crisis, starred Peter Sellers, George C Scott, Sterling Hayden and Slim Pickens, among others. Sellers memorably played more than one character, scoring an Oscar nomination in the process.
Said Coogan, “The idea of putting Dr. Strangelove on stage is daunting. A huge responsibility. It’s also an exciting challenge, an...
Billed as the first-ever adaptation of a Kubrick work, Dr. Strangelove will star Coogan in multiple roles at London’s Noel Coward Theatre for a limited run from October 8, 2024-December 21, 2024.
The adaptation hails from Veep creator and Coogan’s Alan Partridge collaborator Iannucci, and Olivier Award-winner Foley. Foley will also direct.
The original Oscar-nominated film about a rogue U.S. General who triggers a nuclear crisis, starred Peter Sellers, George C Scott, Sterling Hayden and Slim Pickens, among others. Sellers memorably played more than one character, scoring an Oscar nomination in the process.
Said Coogan, “The idea of putting Dr. Strangelove on stage is daunting. A huge responsibility. It’s also an exciting challenge, an...
- 9/26/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Steve Coogan is going full Peter Sellers. The Alan Partridge and Philomena star has signed on for a British stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s seminal nuclear war satire Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, with Coogan set to play multiple roles, as Sellers did in the 1964 feature film.
Veep and Death of Stalin director Armando Iannucci is adapting Kubrick’s film for the stage together with Sean Foley. Foley, who has had West End success with such adaptations as The Painkiller starring Kenneth Branagh and Ben Elton’s The Upstart Crow, will also direct the play, which is set to premiere at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on Oct. 8, 2024.
The official Stanley Kubrick account on X, formerly known as Twitter, made the Coogan casting announcement on Tuesday.
Breaking News – Steve Coogan named as lead in the stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s dark comedy Dr. Strangelove.
Veep and Death of Stalin director Armando Iannucci is adapting Kubrick’s film for the stage together with Sean Foley. Foley, who has had West End success with such adaptations as The Painkiller starring Kenneth Branagh and Ben Elton’s The Upstart Crow, will also direct the play, which is set to premiere at London’s Noel Coward Theatre on Oct. 8, 2024.
The official Stanley Kubrick account on X, formerly known as Twitter, made the Coogan casting announcement on Tuesday.
Breaking News – Steve Coogan named as lead in the stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s dark comedy Dr. Strangelove.
- 9/26/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Where are the Skins cast now? Short answer: absolutely everywhere.
While the show did earn critical acclaim as well as a cult following over the course of its seven series, when this scrappy teen comedy drama launched on E4 in 2007 few could have predicted just how many household names it would spawn.
Among Skins’ impressive alumni are actors who went on to win Oscars and Baftas, play lead roles in hit movies like Slumdog Millionaire and Get Out, not to mention star in hit shows like Game of Thrones and Peaky Blinders.
Let’s take a look at some of the Skins cast’s best roles:
Joe Dempsie – Game of Thrones
Playing party animal Chris in Skins was in a way good preparation for Joe Dempsie’s later role as Gendry in Game of Thrones, as both characters have some pretty serious daddy issues: Chris’ dad (played by Green Wing...
While the show did earn critical acclaim as well as a cult following over the course of its seven series, when this scrappy teen comedy drama launched on E4 in 2007 few could have predicted just how many household names it would spawn.
Among Skins’ impressive alumni are actors who went on to win Oscars and Baftas, play lead roles in hit movies like Slumdog Millionaire and Get Out, not to mention star in hit shows like Game of Thrones and Peaky Blinders.
Let’s take a look at some of the Skins cast’s best roles:
Joe Dempsie – Game of Thrones
Playing party animal Chris in Skins was in a way good preparation for Joe Dempsie’s later role as Gendry in Game of Thrones, as both characters have some pretty serious daddy issues: Chris’ dad (played by Green Wing...
- 9/13/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Succession creator Jesse Armstrong has talked up the benefits of writers rooms for shows of “scale and length” as he threw his support behind the ongoing writers strike.
Armstrong was in conversation with journalist Marina Hyde on the final day of the Edinburgh TV Festival on Friday in the UK, and offered his analysis of writers rooms, which is one of the key sticking points for the AMPTP and WGA negotiations in the U.S.
“If budgets are available and we can get supported, they’re a great way to run some shows of scale and length, so I’m very supportive of the strike,” he said, adding that residuals and AI were issues the WGA was right to be concerned over.
“It’s not like a training program when my fellow writers are on set with me. It’s to make the show better,” he added.
Armstrong famously led...
Armstrong was in conversation with journalist Marina Hyde on the final day of the Edinburgh TV Festival on Friday in the UK, and offered his analysis of writers rooms, which is one of the key sticking points for the AMPTP and WGA negotiations in the U.S.
“If budgets are available and we can get supported, they’re a great way to run some shows of scale and length, so I’m very supportive of the strike,” he said, adding that residuals and AI were issues the WGA was right to be concerned over.
“It’s not like a training program when my fellow writers are on set with me. It’s to make the show better,” he added.
Armstrong famously led...
- 8/27/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Renowned British documentarian Louis Theroux, who has been a staple on U.K. TV and radio for more than two decades, used the flagship address of the 2023 Edinburgh TV Festival to speak about concerns over artificial intelligence in the industry, claiming that he found the new world — one where there were “valid concerns” from writers about “robots cannibalizing their creativity” — both “troubling and exciting in roughly equal measure.”
As the giver of the 2023 James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture — which sees Theroux join a prestigious lineup of former lecturers including Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner, Michaela Coel and Armando Iannucci — he said that the changing times and raised stakes, where “the manosphere, the conspiracy community, the far-right have real power,” meant that the TV world needed to be “on our mettle to report responsibly.
“But those raised stakes also show how important it is that we do report it, not hide from it...
As the giver of the 2023 James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture — which sees Theroux join a prestigious lineup of former lecturers including Rupert Murdoch, Ted Turner, Michaela Coel and Armando Iannucci — he said that the changing times and raised stakes, where “the manosphere, the conspiracy community, the far-right have real power,” meant that the TV world needed to be “on our mettle to report responsibly.
“But those raised stakes also show how important it is that we do report it, not hide from it...
- 8/23/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HBO, the acclaimed television network, has officially given the green light to the comedy series “The Franchise,” as announced by Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President of HBO Programming and Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series. This highly anticipated series features an impressive ensemble cast led by Himesh Patel and Aya Cash, along with previously announced stars Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, and Daniel Brühl. “The Franchise” is a half-hour comedy that hails from the creative minds of Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci, and Jon Brown.
Set in the comedic realm of an unloved franchise movie, “The Franchise” dives headfirst into the battle for relevance in a chaotic and unconventional cinematic universe. This series unveils the clandestine pandemonium lurking behind the scenes of superhero filmmaking, leaving viewers to ponder: what exactly goes into the making of the cinematic sausage? With the utmost humor and candor,...
Set in the comedic realm of an unloved franchise movie, “The Franchise” dives headfirst into the battle for relevance in a chaotic and unconventional cinematic universe. This series unveils the clandestine pandemonium lurking behind the scenes of superhero filmmaking, leaving viewers to ponder: what exactly goes into the making of the cinematic sausage? With the utmost humor and candor,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Morgan Hall
- TV Everyday
HBO has picked up comedy The Franchise to series, it was announced today by Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming and Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series. Himesh Patel and Aya Cash star alongside previously announced cast Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, and Daniel Brühl in the half-hour comedy series from Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci, and Jon Brown. Logline: The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask ... Read more...
- 8/10/2023
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Micheal Ward, Sam Mendes and Olivia Colman on the set of ‘Empire of Light’
HBO’s greenlit The Franchise, a new comedy that delves into the world of superhero films. Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) directed the series’ pilot, and Emmy winner Jon Brown (Succession) writes and guides the half-hour comedy as showrunner.
“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today. Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando [Iannucci], they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more,” stated Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series.
The series stars Himesh Patel as Daniel, Aya Cash as Anita, Jessica Hynes as Steph, Billy Magnussen as Adam, Lolly Adefope as Dag, Darren Goldstein as Pat, and Isaac Powell as Bryson.
HBO’s greenlit The Franchise, a new comedy that delves into the world of superhero films. Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) directed the series’ pilot, and Emmy winner Jon Brown (Succession) writes and guides the half-hour comedy as showrunner.
“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today. Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know. Together, with Armando [Iannucci], they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more,” stated Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series.
The series stars Himesh Patel as Daniel, Aya Cash as Anita, Jessica Hynes as Steph, Billy Magnussen as Adam, Lolly Adefope as Dag, Darren Goldstein as Pat, and Isaac Powell as Bryson.
- 8/9/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Himesh Patel and Aya Cash will star, with UK writer Jon Brown as showrunner.
HBO has ordered a comedy series about the world of superhero movie-making with Sam Mendes and Armando Iannucci as executive producers.
The Franchise will star Himesh Patel and Aya Cash as regulars, with recurring guest stars including Richard E Grant and Daniel Bruhl.
The series will follow the crew of an unloved franchise movie as they fight for their place in a savage cinematic universe.
Patel, a Screen Star of Tomorrow from 2019, was previously in the HBO Max drama series Station Eleven – for which he was...
HBO has ordered a comedy series about the world of superhero movie-making with Sam Mendes and Armando Iannucci as executive producers.
The Franchise will star Himesh Patel and Aya Cash as regulars, with recurring guest stars including Richard E Grant and Daniel Bruhl.
The series will follow the crew of an unloved franchise movie as they fight for their place in a savage cinematic universe.
Patel, a Screen Star of Tomorrow from 2019, was previously in the HBO Max drama series Station Eleven – for which he was...
- 8/9/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Apple TV+ Releases “The Changeling” Trailer
A month ahead of its debut, the first trailer for the Apple TV+ drama series “The Changeling” is here.
Described as “a horror story, parenthood fable, and perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed,” “The Changeling” stars Lakeith Stanfield as Apollo, a man beginning his journey as a new father when he must go in search of his wife after she does something horrific in the aftermath of the birth of their child. The series is based on the acclaimed bestselling book of the same name by Victor Lavalle.
Watch the “The Changeling” trailer below:
In addition to Stanfield, the series stars Clark Backo, Adina Porter, Samuel T. Herring, Alexis Louder, Jared Abrahamson, and Malcolm Barrett.
The eight-part series will make its debut on the streamer on Friday, Sept. 8 with its first three episodes, followed by a weekly episodic release every Friday through Oct.
A month ahead of its debut, the first trailer for the Apple TV+ drama series “The Changeling” is here.
Described as “a horror story, parenthood fable, and perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed,” “The Changeling” stars Lakeith Stanfield as Apollo, a man beginning his journey as a new father when he must go in search of his wife after she does something horrific in the aftermath of the birth of their child. The series is based on the acclaimed bestselling book of the same name by Victor Lavalle.
Watch the “The Changeling” trailer below:
In addition to Stanfield, the series stars Clark Backo, Adina Porter, Samuel T. Herring, Alexis Louder, Jared Abrahamson, and Malcolm Barrett.
The eight-part series will make its debut on the streamer on Friday, Sept. 8 with its first three episodes, followed by a weekly episodic release every Friday through Oct.
- 8/9/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
HBO has announced that the planned new comedy, The Franchise, has been ordered to series. Himesh Patel (Station Eleven) and Aya Cash (The Boys) will star alongside previously announced cast Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant, and Daniel Brühl. The half-hour comedy comes from Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci, and Jon Brown. The show will follow the crew of an unloved superhero movie franchise movie. “With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today. Jon is superb at sending up worlds we think we already know,” says Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President of HBO Programming, Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series. “Together, with Armando, they have delivered a truly hilarious comedy ensemble. I can’t wait to see more.” Patel is set to play Daniel, Cash as Anita, Hynes as Steph, Magnussen as Adam,...
- 8/9/2023
- TV Insider
The television crossover you’ve been waiting for is finally happening, though not in the way you’d expect. HBO is green-lighting The Franchise, a half-hour comedy series taking us behind the scenes of a fictional struggling superhero movie. Aiming at makers of superhero cinema like DC Studios and Marvel Studios, The Franchise explores the concept of superhero fatigue through comedy and the arduous task of creating in the contentious superhero space.
Here’s the official description of The Franchise: “The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.”
Himesh Patel (Yesterday) and Aya Cash (You’re the Worst) star in The Franchise, with Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen,...
Here’s the official description of The Franchise: “The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ck-up has an origin story.”
Himesh Patel (Yesterday) and Aya Cash (You’re the Worst) star in The Franchise, with Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
“The Franchise,” a half-hour comedy series from Sam Mendes, Armando Iannucci and Jon Brown, has been picked up to series by HBO.
According to its logline, the show follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie as they fight for their place in a “savage and unruly cinematic universe” and shines a light on “the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking.”
The series stars Himesh Patel as Daniel and Aya Cash as Anita, Jessica Hynes as Steph, Billy Magnussen as Adam, Lolly Adefope as Dag, Darren Goldstein as Pat, and Isaac Powell as Bryson. Recurring guest stars include Richard E. Grant as Peter and Daniel Brühl as Eric.
Patel is repped by 42, WME, and attorney Greg Slewett. Cash is repped by UTA, Industry, and attorney Paul Hastings.
In addition to Mendes, Brown and Iannucci, “The Franchise” is executive produced by Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, and Julie Pastor for...
According to its logline, the show follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie as they fight for their place in a “savage and unruly cinematic universe” and shines a light on “the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking.”
The series stars Himesh Patel as Daniel and Aya Cash as Anita, Jessica Hynes as Steph, Billy Magnussen as Adam, Lolly Adefope as Dag, Darren Goldstein as Pat, and Isaac Powell as Bryson. Recurring guest stars include Richard E. Grant as Peter and Daniel Brühl as Eric.
Patel is repped by 42, WME, and attorney Greg Slewett. Cash is repped by UTA, Industry, and attorney Paul Hastings.
In addition to Mendes, Brown and Iannucci, “The Franchise” is executive produced by Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown, and Julie Pastor for...
- 8/9/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
HBO has picked up to series The Franchise pilot, a half-hour comedy that takes a wry look at superhero movie-making, from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, Veep and Avenue 5 creator Armando Iannucci and writer Jon Brown.
Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and production on the series will not begin until the strikes have concluded.
Himesh Patel and Aya Cash have joined as series regulars on the comedy, which revolves around on the crew of an unloved franchise movie who fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ckup has an origin story.
Patel and Cash are featured in the pilot, but their roles never were announced. Previously announced cast includes series regulars Jessica Hynes,...
Work on the pilot was completed before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and production on the series will not begin until the strikes have concluded.
Himesh Patel and Aya Cash have joined as series regulars on the comedy, which revolves around on the crew of an unloved franchise movie who fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask the question: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every f*ckup has an origin story.
Patel and Cash are featured in the pilot, but their roles never were announced. Previously announced cast includes series regulars Jessica Hynes,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO has ordered Sam Mendes and Armando Iannucci’s superhero movie-making comedy “The Franchise” to series.
Himesh Patel and Aya Cash star alongside previously announced cast Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl.
Jon Brown wrote the pilot and serves as showrunner, while Mendes directs.
In “The Franchise,” “the crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.” Per the logline, the series “shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every fuck-up has an origin story.”
Executive producers include “Veep” creator Iannucci for Dundee Productions; Mendes, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown and Julie Pastor for Neal Street Productions; and Brown and Jim Kleverweis.
Work on the pilot was completed before the actors strike began on...
Himesh Patel and Aya Cash star alongside previously announced cast Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl.
Jon Brown wrote the pilot and serves as showrunner, while Mendes directs.
In “The Franchise,” “the crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe.” Per the logline, the series “shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every fuck-up has an origin story.”
Executive producers include “Veep” creator Iannucci for Dundee Productions; Mendes, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Brown and Julie Pastor for Neal Street Productions; and Brown and Jim Kleverweis.
Work on the pilot was completed before the actors strike began on...
- 8/9/2023
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
HBO is going to tackle superhero fatigue.
The company has greenlit a half-hour comedy series, The Franchise, going behind-the-scenes of a fictional struggling superhero movie.
The official description: “The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every fuck-up has an origin story.”
The series stars Himesh Patel (Yesterday) and Aya Cash (You’re the Worst) along with Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl.
The Franchise is from Sam Mendes (Skyfall) along with Armando Iannucci (Veep) and showunner Jon Brown (Succession, Veep).
“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today,” said Amy Gravitt,...
The company has greenlit a half-hour comedy series, The Franchise, going behind-the-scenes of a fictional struggling superhero movie.
The official description: “The crew of an unloved franchise movie fight for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The Franchise shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking, to ask the question — how exactly does the cinematic sausage get made? Because every fuck-up has an origin story.”
The series stars Himesh Patel (Yesterday) and Aya Cash (You’re the Worst) along with Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Richard E. Grant and Daniel Brühl.
The Franchise is from Sam Mendes (Skyfall) along with Armando Iannucci (Veep) and showunner Jon Brown (Succession, Veep).
“With a deft touch only he can bring, Sam has brilliantly captured the romance and the reality of filmmaking today,” said Amy Gravitt,...
- 8/9/2023
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bocco was speaking as part of Locarno Pro’s annual think tank StepIn
This year’s 11th edition of Locarno Pro’s StepIn think tank was held under the banner headline “What’s The Deal with Independent Cinema?” to discuss the current state of the independent film industry.
In a discussion before the closed roundtable brainstorming sessions, film distribution and content strategist Arianna Bocco, who spent almost 17 years at IFC Films before suddenly stepping down as the company’s president this spring, suggested that the film industry is at a crossroads and “very ripe for – you can use a lot of different words – an overhaul,...
This year’s 11th edition of Locarno Pro’s StepIn think tank was held under the banner headline “What’s The Deal with Independent Cinema?” to discuss the current state of the independent film industry.
In a discussion before the closed roundtable brainstorming sessions, film distribution and content strategist Arianna Bocco, who spent almost 17 years at IFC Films before suddenly stepping down as the company’s president this spring, suggested that the film industry is at a crossroads and “very ripe for – you can use a lot of different words – an overhaul,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Veep creator Armando Iannucci is bringing to London’s West End his first play – a satire on former UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Variety reports that Iannucci – Oscar-nominated for his screenplay In the Loop – has called the play Pandemonium: Being a Scornful Account of the Activities of Mr Boris Johnson and ‘Others’ during the Pandemic and its Aftermath, which will debut at the Soho Theatre on December 1.
The play will be directed by Patrick Marber, previously Oscar-nominated for his Notes on a Scandal screenplay, and a Tony Award winner for Leopoldstadt.
Iannucci is also hard at work on a new stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 political satire Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Variety quotes Iannucci, one of the UK’s most celebrated political satirists with Veep and previously In the Thick of It skewering the British government’s conduct,...
Variety reports that Iannucci – Oscar-nominated for his screenplay In the Loop – has called the play Pandemonium: Being a Scornful Account of the Activities of Mr Boris Johnson and ‘Others’ during the Pandemic and its Aftermath, which will debut at the Soho Theatre on December 1.
The play will be directed by Patrick Marber, previously Oscar-nominated for his Notes on a Scandal screenplay, and a Tony Award winner for Leopoldstadt.
Iannucci is also hard at work on a new stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 political satire Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Variety quotes Iannucci, one of the UK’s most celebrated political satirists with Veep and previously In the Thick of It skewering the British government’s conduct,...
- 8/5/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Toronto — TIFF today unveiled the 10 World Premiere features that comprise the Platform programme for 2023, along with the 2023 Platform jury members: Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins, joined by Cannes Jury Prize–winning director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki, and 2022 Platform Prize–winning filmmaker Anthony Shim.
Since its introduction in 2015, Platform has celebrated and showcased films with unique directorial perspectives. The 10 films in the 2023 programme are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of $20,000 Cad given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury.
“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki, and Anthony Shim as jury members for the Platform programme at TIFF,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Together, they represent the bold and independent spirit of the Platform Prize.”
Platform is TIFF’s competitive programme that champions bold directorial visions. The...
Since its introduction in 2015, Platform has celebrated and showcased films with unique directorial perspectives. The 10 films in the 2023 programme are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of $20,000 Cad given to the best film in the programme, selected by an in-person international jury.
“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki, and Anthony Shim as jury members for the Platform programme at TIFF,” said Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Together, they represent the bold and independent spirit of the Platform Prize.”
Platform is TIFF’s competitive programme that champions bold directorial visions. The...
- 8/2/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
The Toronto Film Festival is almost a month away and that means there are more films still to be announced as part of the 2023 slate. Today, TIFF revealed the 10 movies selected as part of the competition Platform program. They include works from 12 countries across three continents including Kristoffer Borgli’s follow-up to “Sick of Myself,” “Dream Scenario” which just happens to star Nicholas Cage.
Read More: TIFF 2023: New Films From Taika Waititi, Craig Gillespie, Anna Kendrick, Viggo Mortensen
While the Platform program is entering its eighth year, it has included notable works such as Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” Pablo Larrain’s “Jackie,” William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth,” Armando Iannucci’s “The Death of Stalin,” Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal,” and Alice Winocour’s “Proxima,” among others.
Continue reading ‘Dream Scenario’ With Nicolas Cage Tops 2023 TIFF Platform Slate at The Playlist.
Read More: TIFF 2023: New Films From Taika Waititi, Craig Gillespie, Anna Kendrick, Viggo Mortensen
While the Platform program is entering its eighth year, it has included notable works such as Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” Pablo Larrain’s “Jackie,” William Oldroyd’s “Lady Macbeth,” Armando Iannucci’s “The Death of Stalin,” Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal,” and Alice Winocour’s “Proxima,” among others.
Continue reading ‘Dream Scenario’ With Nicolas Cage Tops 2023 TIFF Platform Slate at The Playlist.
- 8/2/2023
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
The Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday revealed the 10 titles in its Platform program, a sidebar that will tee off with A24’s Kristoffer Borgli comedy Dream Scenario starring Nicolas Cage. This year’s Platform includes movies from 12 countries across three continents, all of which are making their world premiere at TIFF, which this year runs from September 7-17.
In addition, the fest today unveiled this year’s Platform jury, which includes Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins as chair; Cannes Jury Prize–winning director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki; and 2022 Platform Prize–winning filmmaker Anthony Shim.
The Platform program, going into its eighth year, is curated for its bold directorial visions. The movies in the 2023 program are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of CA$20,000 selected by the in-person international jury.
Barry Jenkins
“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki,...
In addition, the fest today unveiled this year’s Platform jury, which includes Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins as chair; Cannes Jury Prize–winning director, writer, and actor Nadine Labaki; and 2022 Platform Prize–winning filmmaker Anthony Shim.
The Platform program, going into its eighth year, is curated for its bold directorial visions. The movies in the 2023 program are eligible for the Platform Prize, an award of CA$20,000 selected by the in-person international jury.
Barry Jenkins
“I am delighted to announce that we have an international dream jury with acclaimed filmmakers Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Dream Scenario,” a bizarre comedy starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, will be one of 10 films competing in the Platform program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF organizers announced on Wednesday.
The films will be competing for the Platform Prize, a $20,000 Cad award that will be given to the film chosen as the section’s best by a jury consisting of directors Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki and Anthony Shim (who won the Platform Prize last year for “Riceboy Sleeps”).
In a statement released by TIFF, programming director and Platform lead Robyn Citizen singled out “Dream Scenario,” which will serve as the section’s opening-night film, and said, “This surrealist satire-comedy has sharp, timely observations about social media culture — especially ‘going viral’ — and its impact on the way that we interact with others in our day-to-day life. Cage delivers some of his finest work.” She went on to say,...
The films will be competing for the Platform Prize, a $20,000 Cad award that will be given to the film chosen as the section’s best by a jury consisting of directors Barry Jenkins, Nadine Labaki and Anthony Shim (who won the Platform Prize last year for “Riceboy Sleeps”).
In a statement released by TIFF, programming director and Platform lead Robyn Citizen singled out “Dream Scenario,” which will serve as the section’s opening-night film, and said, “This surrealist satire-comedy has sharp, timely observations about social media culture — especially ‘going viral’ — and its impact on the way that we interact with others in our day-to-day life. Cage delivers some of his finest work.” She went on to say,...
- 8/2/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
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