Making a science fiction movie is usually a very expensive endeavour. Costumes, makeup, special effects – modern audiences are spoiled by rich visuals. Besides, when you have an alien in the frame, you want it to look like the real thing.
However, spending a lot of money on production can sometimes be detrimental to the plot. Investors want guaranteed profits, so expensive blockbusters eschew experimentation in favor of proven moves and simple solutions. But when there are no sponsors, you have less technical capabilities, but more creative freedom.
For example, Alex Garland's cult film Ex Machina was made on a budget of only $15 million, which is more than modest for a science fiction movie. In the history of cinema, however, there is an even more astonishing story of a project made for pennies by genre standards.
Ink Was Made on a Budget of Only $250,000
Director Jamin Winans made the movie...
However, spending a lot of money on production can sometimes be detrimental to the plot. Investors want guaranteed profits, so expensive blockbusters eschew experimentation in favor of proven moves and simple solutions. But when there are no sponsors, you have less technical capabilities, but more creative freedom.
For example, Alex Garland's cult film Ex Machina was made on a budget of only $15 million, which is more than modest for a science fiction movie. In the history of cinema, however, there is an even more astonishing story of a project made for pennies by genre standards.
Ink Was Made on a Budget of Only $250,000
Director Jamin Winans made the movie...
- 5/2/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
Deadline is reporting on hundreds more layoffs incoming at one of the VFX top firms, Dneg, which is the VFX company behind major blockbusters like Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer, The Last of Us, and many more. Because of AI?
no. of VFX Artists per mega project Dneg: Top-tier VFX company
Dneg (formerly known as Double Negative and stylized as D N E G) is a British visual effects, computer animation, and stereo conversion studio that was founded in 1998 in London, and rebranded as Dneg in 2014 after a merger with an Indian VFX company Prime Focus; it was named after the letters “D” and “Neg” from their former name. The company has received seven Academy Awards for its work on the films Inception, Interstellar, Ex Machina, Blade Runner 2049, First Man, Tenet, and Dune. In addition, Dneg has received BAFTA awards for Inception, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,...
no. of VFX Artists per mega project Dneg: Top-tier VFX company
Dneg (formerly known as Double Negative and stylized as D N E G) is a British visual effects, computer animation, and stereo conversion studio that was founded in 1998 in London, and rebranded as Dneg in 2014 after a merger with an Indian VFX company Prime Focus; it was named after the letters “D” and “Neg” from their former name. The company has received seven Academy Awards for its work on the films Inception, Interstellar, Ex Machina, Blade Runner 2049, First Man, Tenet, and Dune. In addition, Dneg has received BAFTA awards for Inception, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Yossy Mendelovich
- YMCinema
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.FESTIVALSMay Days.As many as 200 French film festival workers plan to stage labor actions during Cannes, citing insufficient pay and the exclusion of many festival staff from unemployment benefits when they are not under contract. The movement is being organized under the banner of Sous Les Écrans La Dèche: Collectif Des Précaires Des Festivals De Cinéma.A new report outlines the institutional dysfunction at the Toronto International Film Festival, which recently lost the support of the telecommunications company Bell as its major sponsor. Citing a desire for “greater accessibility,” Slamdance Film Festival will relocate from Park City, Ut, to Los Angeles in 2025.NEWSHarlan County, U.S.A..Now that all thirteen IATSE locals have reached tentative agreements with the AMPTP,...
- 5/1/2024
- MUBI
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Apr 26-28) Total gross to date Week 1. Challengers (Warner Bros) £1.5m £1.5m 1 2. Back To Black (Studiocanal) £1.4m £9m 3 3. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £948,033 £19.7m 5 4. Civil War (Entertainment Film Distributors) £755,426 £5.2m 3 5. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £597,522 £13.7m 5
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.25
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis drama Challengers scored a number one ranking on its opening weekend at the UK-Ireland box office, with a £1.5m first session.
Warner Bros title Challengers took a £2,197 site average from over 700 cinemas, and has £1.6m including previews.
The figure is a new record opening in the territory for Guadagnino,...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.25
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis drama Challengers scored a number one ranking on its opening weekend at the UK-Ireland box office, with a £1.5m first session.
Warner Bros title Challengers took a £2,197 site average from over 700 cinemas, and has £1.6m including previews.
The figure is a new record opening in the territory for Guadagnino,...
- 4/29/2024
- ScreenDaily
Among the actors, around whom there is not so much hype, Colin Farrell obviously stands out, as he’s a jack of all trades. It’s proven by his brilliant performances in the dark comedies Seven Psychopaths (2012) and The Lobster (2015), thriller series True Detective (2015) and the 2022 drama hit, The Banshees of Inisherin.
There is a movie, however, that even better demonstrates how great the actor’s dramatical talent is. Its plot revolves around a loving husband and father Jake, played by Farrell, who all of a sudden finds his son becoming weak and unresponsive.
However, it turns out it’s not their real son, but rather an android, who assists the family’s adoptive Chinese daughter Mika. Jake does all he ever can to repair the android, playing such a significant role in Mika’s growing up and exploring the world around her.
This movie is definitely a science fiction feature,...
There is a movie, however, that even better demonstrates how great the actor’s dramatical talent is. Its plot revolves around a loving husband and father Jake, played by Farrell, who all of a sudden finds his son becoming weak and unresponsive.
However, it turns out it’s not their real son, but rather an android, who assists the family’s adoptive Chinese daughter Mika. Jake does all he ever can to repair the android, playing such a significant role in Mika’s growing up and exploring the world around her.
This movie is definitely a science fiction feature,...
- 4/26/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Opening soon in a theater near you are “Run Lola Run,” “Interstellar,” “Hereditary,” “Split,” and “Spirited Away.” They join fellow comeback kids “Oldboy,” “Stop Making Sense,” “Coraline,” “Amelié,” and Pixar’s pandemic-era films making their theatrical returns.
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
Last year’s strikes can take credit for some of this nostalgia: With distributors forced to delay films, theaters are desperate for product. However, desperation is not the only mother of this invention. A24, Neon, and other specialty distributors are treating re-releases as a way to reach younger audiences.
Last year, Neon re-released Park Chan-wook’s 2003 film “Oldboy” to $2.1 million worldwide. At a CinemaCon panel April 8, Neon distribution president Elissa Federoff credited its success to a young audience eager to see it on a big screen for the first time. “What is old is new for these younger audiences,” she said.
A24 is reaching into its own library to bolster its brand, rereleasing...
- 4/25/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The cast is coming together for Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, with Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johnson among its ensemble.
28 Years Later is an apt title for a film that has been teased for decades. Information about 28 Years Later has been drip fed over the last few months, though, and now we finally have some concrete details.
Firstly, Boyle is back in the director’s chair, with Garland writing the script. Original producer Andrew Macdonald is back, and Cillian Murphy, who starred in 28 Days Later, is also on board as an executive producer.
According to Deadline, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes will lead the cast.
Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland brought the zombie movie into the 21st century with 2002’s 28 Days Later. 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo from a script he co-wrote with Rowan Joffe,...
28 Years Later is an apt title for a film that has been teased for decades. Information about 28 Years Later has been drip fed over the last few months, though, and now we finally have some concrete details.
Firstly, Boyle is back in the director’s chair, with Garland writing the script. Original producer Andrew Macdonald is back, and Cillian Murphy, who starred in 28 Days Later, is also on board as an executive producer.
According to Deadline, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes will lead the cast.
Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland brought the zombie movie into the 21st century with 2002’s 28 Days Later. 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo from a script he co-wrote with Rowan Joffe,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Greg Daniels’ long-awaited spinoff series of “The Office” is finally taking shape.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sabrina Impacciatore (known for “The White Lotus”) and Domhnall Gleeson have been cast as the first two actors in the upcoming series.
Daniels, co-creator of the US version of “The Office,” has emphasized that the new series is a spinoff rather than a reboot, although it will share the same universe as the original show.
“I don’t like to think of anything as a reboot,” Daniels explained previously. “Because I feel like we ended that story beautifully. The characters had closure. I would never want to redo that same show with a different cast, because I think we got the luckiest cast, the best cast ever, in TV, to do that show. So the notion of a reboot is not of interest.”
Impacciatore is best known for her role as Valentina in...
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sabrina Impacciatore (known for “The White Lotus”) and Domhnall Gleeson have been cast as the first two actors in the upcoming series.
Daniels, co-creator of the US version of “The Office,” has emphasized that the new series is a spinoff rather than a reboot, although it will share the same universe as the original show.
“I don’t like to think of anything as a reboot,” Daniels explained previously. “Because I feel like we ended that story beautifully. The characters had closure. I would never want to redo that same show with a different cast, because I think we got the luckiest cast, the best cast ever, in TV, to do that show. So the notion of a reboot is not of interest.”
Impacciatore is best known for her role as Valentina in...
- 4/24/2024
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
A24’s political thriller “Civil War” is resonating not just in red states and blue but overseas, too.
Alex Garland’s film, starring Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist who traverses a violently divided United States, has grossed $45.7 million in North America and $20 million internationally. Global ticket sales stand at $67.3 million through Monday, and it’s projected to cross $70 million on Tuesday.
“Civil War” is the first A24 movie to top the domestic box office, and it’s impressively remained the No. 1 film for two consecutive weekends. Given the fiercely U.S.-centric subject matter, it wasn’t clear the film would resonate at the international box office. But “Civil War” has managed to appeal to overseas audiences with the biggest turnout in the United Kingdom, where it has grossed $4.8 million, followed by the Netherlands, where it has grossed $750,000. Over the weekend, the film opened in first place in several smaller moviegoing markets,...
Alex Garland’s film, starring Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist who traverses a violently divided United States, has grossed $45.7 million in North America and $20 million internationally. Global ticket sales stand at $67.3 million through Monday, and it’s projected to cross $70 million on Tuesday.
“Civil War” is the first A24 movie to top the domestic box office, and it’s impressively remained the No. 1 film for two consecutive weekends. Given the fiercely U.S.-centric subject matter, it wasn’t clear the film would resonate at the international box office. But “Civil War” has managed to appeal to overseas audiences with the biggest turnout in the United Kingdom, where it has grossed $4.8 million, followed by the Netherlands, where it has grossed $750,000. Over the weekend, the film opened in first place in several smaller moviegoing markets,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
by Cláudio Alves
There's no stopping A24, its ascension as distributor and studio one of the last decade's biggest success stories. Just this month, Civil War marked their most successful opening weekend, even expanding to IMAX. Speaking of those giant screens, A24 has been re-releasing some of their greatest hits in the format, starting with Ex Machina back on March 27th. Uncut Gems is coming May 22nd, while April's selection hits theaters tomorrow, beckoning audiences to relieve a movie nightmare like none other. It's Hereditary, Ari Aster's promising debut and one of the few theatrical experiences that caused me sleepless nights. Believe me, when you watch as many horror flicks as I do, that's rather special…...
There's no stopping A24, its ascension as distributor and studio one of the last decade's biggest success stories. Just this month, Civil War marked their most successful opening weekend, even expanding to IMAX. Speaking of those giant screens, A24 has been re-releasing some of their greatest hits in the format, starting with Ex Machina back on March 27th. Uncut Gems is coming May 22nd, while April's selection hits theaters tomorrow, beckoning audiences to relieve a movie nightmare like none other. It's Hereditary, Ari Aster's promising debut and one of the few theatrical experiences that caused me sleepless nights. Believe me, when you watch as many horror flicks as I do, that's rather special…...
- 4/23/2024
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Before becoming one of the leading directors of our time, Alex Garland made a name for himself in the literary field. His debut novel The Beach was translated into 25 languages and later made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
The author wasn’t particularly involved in the film adaptation, but Danny Boyle found out about Garland and hired him as a screenwriter for his future innovative zombie horror film 28 Days Later, which became the writer’s ticket to the world of big cinema.
Now his fifth directorial project has been released – the large-scale military dystopia Civil War, A24's most expensive project and, according to many critics, Garland's best work.
Garland's Directing Career Began With an Undeniable Success
However, the beginning of Alex Garland's directorial career was no less successful – in 2014, his debut sci-fi thriller Ex Machina was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and won a statuette for Best Visual Effects.
The author wasn’t particularly involved in the film adaptation, but Danny Boyle found out about Garland and hired him as a screenwriter for his future innovative zombie horror film 28 Days Later, which became the writer’s ticket to the world of big cinema.
Now his fifth directorial project has been released – the large-scale military dystopia Civil War, A24's most expensive project and, according to many critics, Garland's best work.
Garland's Directing Career Began With an Undeniable Success
However, the beginning of Alex Garland's directorial career was no less successful – in 2014, his debut sci-fi thriller Ex Machina was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and won a statuette for Best Visual Effects.
- 4/22/2024
- by zoe-wallace@startefacts.com (Zoe Wallace)
- STartefacts.com
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Apr 19-21)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Back To Black (Studiocanal) £1.9m £6.4m 2 2. Civil War (Entertainment Film Distributors) £1.1m £3.8m 3 3. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £898,807 £18.6m 4 4. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £649,284 £12.9m 4 5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) £594,971 £594,971 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.23
Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black topped the UK-Ireland box office chart for a second weekend; as horror Abigail started fifth on a weekend dominated by holdover titles.
Back To Black added £1.9m – a decent hold from its opening, falling just 30.1%. This is a better second-weekend hold than recent music biopics, including this...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.23
Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black topped the UK-Ireland box office chart for a second weekend; as horror Abigail started fifth on a weekend dominated by holdover titles.
Back To Black added £1.9m – a decent hold from its opening, falling just 30.1%. This is a better second-weekend hold than recent music biopics, including this...
- 4/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
It's been more than two decades since Naoki Urasawa started publishing a manga based on a story arc from Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. Urasawa changed many details in his reinterpretation, but his new version of the story has been capturing the public imagination since its first issue in 2003.
Now the reinterpretation has been interpreted again – as an animated series. And it turns out, it's really, really good.
So What's The Story?
Pluto takes place in the aftermath of a massive war involving both humans and robots. Now the world is at peace, and thanks to new laws (and programming) it's been eight years since a robot has killed a human. Robots are also now granted equal rights.
When a powerful, famous, and beloved war hero robot is found destroyed, Europol robot detective Gesicht is sent to investigate. As the bodies start piling up, Gesicht realizes that he may be...
Now the reinterpretation has been interpreted again – as an animated series. And it turns out, it's really, really good.
So What's The Story?
Pluto takes place in the aftermath of a massive war involving both humans and robots. Now the world is at peace, and thanks to new laws (and programming) it's been eight years since a robot has killed a human. Robots are also now granted equal rights.
When a powerful, famous, and beloved war hero robot is found destroyed, Europol robot detective Gesicht is sent to investigate. As the bodies start piling up, Gesicht realizes that he may be...
- 4/19/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Greg Daniels and Michael Koman could return to The Office universe, with Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) as cast members of the proposed spinoff. Gleeson and Inpacciatore would be part of an ensemble for the project, which Deadline says is close to entering production. Plot details about The Office spinoff remain a mystery.
We know only a little about the project beyond its setting in The Office universe. Daniels wants fans to know it’s not a reboot, even though it takes place in the same arena as the Steve Carell-led mockumentary series focusing on the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company employees. Daniels says the new show could feature a camera crew doing a documentary about a subject outside the day-to-day lives of office workers surviving the daily grind and their toxic boss.
Domhnall Gleeson launched his acting career in 2001 as a character named Byrne in an episode of Rebel Heart.
We know only a little about the project beyond its setting in The Office universe. Daniels wants fans to know it’s not a reboot, even though it takes place in the same arena as the Steve Carell-led mockumentary series focusing on the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company employees. Daniels says the new show could feature a camera crew doing a documentary about a subject outside the day-to-day lives of office workers surviving the daily grind and their toxic boss.
Domhnall Gleeson launched his acting career in 2001 as a character named Byrne in an episode of Rebel Heart.
- 4/19/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
The Office is hiring: Domhnall Gleeson (The Patient) and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) are the first cast members to sign on for a new reboot in the works from original series co-creator Greg Daniels, our sister site Deadline reports.
The new take on the hit NBC workplace comedy, which starred Steve Carell as the inept branch manager of a Pennsylvania paper company, will be set in a new office with new characters but will take place in the same universe as the original series. Details on Gleeson and Impacciatore’s roles have not been released, but they’re said...
The new take on the hit NBC workplace comedy, which starred Steve Carell as the inept branch manager of a Pennsylvania paper company, will be set in a new office with new characters but will take place in the same universe as the original series. Details on Gleeson and Impacciatore’s roles have not been released, but they’re said...
- 4/19/2024
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
The new iteration of “The Office” currently in development has started to flesh out its cast.
Variety has confirmed with sources that Sabrina Impacciatore and Domhnall Gleeson are attached to the project, which remain in development at Universal Television. They would occupy two roles in what would be an ensemble cast, like the original versions of the show.
Reps for Utv declined to comment.
Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are co-creating the new series. It has previously been reported that it is not a reboot of “The Office” but is set in the same universe, meaning it would likely be set in a different office setting with all new characters.
Gleeson has recently starred in shows such as “Alice & Jack,” “The Patient,” “Frank of Ireland,” and “Run.” He is perhaps best known for his role as General Hux in the new “Star Wars” film trilogy. He has also starred in films such as “Frank,...
Variety has confirmed with sources that Sabrina Impacciatore and Domhnall Gleeson are attached to the project, which remain in development at Universal Television. They would occupy two roles in what would be an ensemble cast, like the original versions of the show.
Reps for Utv declined to comment.
Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are co-creating the new series. It has previously been reported that it is not a reboot of “The Office” but is set in the same universe, meaning it would likely be set in a different office setting with all new characters.
Gleeson has recently starred in shows such as “Alice & Jack,” “The Patient,” “Frank of Ireland,” and “Run.” He is perhaps best known for his role as General Hux in the new “Star Wars” film trilogy. He has also starred in films such as “Frank,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Kirsten Dunst thinks the president gunned down at the end of ‘Civil War’ is any “fascist” leader.The actress, 41, stars as photojournalist Lee in ‘Ex Machina’ creator Alex Garland’s dystopian film that takes place in a war-torn US, and she has now clarified whether the president assassinated in its finale – played by Nick Offerman – is a representation of a Donald Trump-style president.She told Variety: “It’s just a fascist president. But I didn’t think about Nick’s character being any certain political figure.“I just thought this is this president, in this world, who will not abide by the Constitution and democracy.”Writer and director Alex, 53, has said about his creation: “I had a very clear goal in my head, which is to not instruct the audience what to think but actually to prompt an exchange (of dialogue.)”The movie traces Lee and a team of...
- 4/19/2024
- by BANG Showbiz Reporter
- Bang Showbiz
As if there wasn’t enough debate surrounding A24’s “Civil War,” the movie sparked a new round of backlash over some movie posters seemingly generated by AI.
On Wednesday, April 17, A24 posted a series of five movie posters for “Civil War” on its Instagram. Each depicts a different U.S. city ravaged by war. Las Vegas and the already iconic Sphere are seen as a smoking wreck. A gunned patrol boat is seen in a Los Angeles pond. Chicago’s Marina Towers are set ablaze. And iconic locations in both San Francisco and Miami are under siege.
Not only are these images not scenes depicted in the movie itself, but Instagram commenters felt there were some dead giveaways that the images were generated by AI (the posters don’t clearly say one way or another). The Los Angeles one in particular shows a massive swan, which presumably is meant...
On Wednesday, April 17, A24 posted a series of five movie posters for “Civil War” on its Instagram. Each depicts a different U.S. city ravaged by war. Las Vegas and the already iconic Sphere are seen as a smoking wreck. A gunned patrol boat is seen in a Los Angeles pond. Chicago’s Marina Towers are set ablaze. And iconic locations in both San Francisco and Miami are under siege.
Not only are these images not scenes depicted in the movie itself, but Instagram commenters felt there were some dead giveaways that the images were generated by AI (the posters don’t clearly say one way or another). The Los Angeles one in particular shows a massive swan, which presumably is meant...
- 4/18/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
AnnihilationPhoto: Paramount Pictures
Alex Garland’s Civil War may be the movie of the month, but before Kirsten Dunst or Cailee Spaeny ever picked up their cameras to document a crumbling, divided America, Natalie Portman’s Lena set out with a team of three other scientists to explore an equally...
Alex Garland’s Civil War may be the movie of the month, but before Kirsten Dunst or Cailee Spaeny ever picked up their cameras to document a crumbling, divided America, Natalie Portman’s Lena set out with a team of three other scientists to explore an equally...
- 4/18/2024
- by Josh Jackson, Drew Gillis, Matt Schimkowitz, Mary Kate Carr, Saloni Gajjar, Emma Keates, Cindy White, and Jacob Oller
- avclub.com
A24 has released a series of epic new posters touting its acclaimed film Civil War.
There’s just one problem. Well, perhaps more than one. Or none, depending on your point of view. We’ll explain.
The five images (below) tease postapocalyptic scenes in major United States cities that have been torn apart by conflict. The Sphere is blackened wreck amid a smoldering Las Vegas. There is a floating gun unit in a lake outside Los Angeles. There are troops on patrol in San Francisco. A Miami street lays in ruins. There are tour boats full of refugees on the Chicago River. All scenes suggesting war-torn destruction in iconic locations.
Except … none of these scenes are actually in the movie. They’ve caused some to wonder if the campaign is giving potential moviegoers a false expectation of what they’ll see in the film. Civil War is A24’s most expensive production to date,...
There’s just one problem. Well, perhaps more than one. Or none, depending on your point of view. We’ll explain.
The five images (below) tease postapocalyptic scenes in major United States cities that have been torn apart by conflict. The Sphere is blackened wreck amid a smoldering Las Vegas. There is a floating gun unit in a lake outside Los Angeles. There are troops on patrol in San Francisco. A Miami street lays in ruins. There are tour boats full of refugees on the Chicago River. All scenes suggesting war-torn destruction in iconic locations.
Except … none of these scenes are actually in the movie. They’ve caused some to wonder if the campaign is giving potential moviegoers a false expectation of what they’ll see in the film. Civil War is A24’s most expensive production to date,...
- 4/17/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Because the two protagonists of “Civil War” are war photographers, the A24 film’s script writes a check that director Alex Garland and especially cinematographer Rob Hardy need to cash. The movie is punctuated in key moments by in-world photography taken by Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and Jessie (Caliee Spaeny). It was important, therefore, to create compositions that would reflect how each of them sees America unraveling around them.
When we first meet her, Lee is already as legendary as actual WWII photographer Lee Miller, and there seems to be a distance and a sense of environment to the pictures she takes. One of the first things we watch her do is walk into the carnage of a suicide bombing. She’s putting herself in the midst of the bodies but constructing images where the story and the pain stretch well past the frame. Jessie, meanwhile, is completely new to the...
When we first meet her, Lee is already as legendary as actual WWII photographer Lee Miller, and there seems to be a distance and a sense of environment to the pictures she takes. One of the first things we watch her do is walk into the carnage of a suicide bombing. She’s putting herself in the midst of the bodies but constructing images where the story and the pain stretch well past the frame. Jessie, meanwhile, is completely new to the...
- 4/17/2024
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Alex Garland is a director who you either love or hate. But regardless of how you feel about him, it’s likely you can’t stop arguing about him. And the English filmmaker has certainly given audiences something to argue about again with his latest film, “Civil War.”
Set in an unspecified future/alternate history, “Civil War” focuses on an armed conflict across America that has caused the nation to splinter. But what exactly caused the conflict, as well as what the opposing militias are fighting for, is a question the movie — which takes the form of a travelogue journeying with a group of reporters across America and through the bloodshed — has absolutely zero interest in answering. Instead, Garland zeroes in on recreating scenes of violence that Americans have witnessed via photographs and video on foreign soil, now in a much closer context, in an effect that’s alternatively been...
Set in an unspecified future/alternate history, “Civil War” focuses on an armed conflict across America that has caused the nation to splinter. But what exactly caused the conflict, as well as what the opposing militias are fighting for, is a question the movie — which takes the form of a travelogue journeying with a group of reporters across America and through the bloodshed — has absolutely zero interest in answering. Instead, Garland zeroes in on recreating scenes of violence that Americans have witnessed via photographs and video on foreign soil, now in a much closer context, in an effect that’s alternatively been...
- 4/15/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
In notching A24’s highest-grossing opening weekend to date, Alex Garland’s debate-stirring combat film Civil War has made plenty of noise — both figuratively and literally.
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny and Wagner Moura, the project has spurred conversation over its depiction of a small group of journalists witnessing the violently divided U.S. en route to collecting $25.7 million at the domestic box office this weekend. Among the buzziest elements of the film has been its sound design, as Civil War’s use of jarring battle noise, along with the impactful contrast between its onslaught of gunfire and moments of dead silence. It all adds to the chaos and tension.
Civil War supervising sound editor Glenn Freemantle, an Oscar winner for 2013’s Gravity, tells The Hollywood Reporter that he and frequent collaborator Garland were in lockstep in how to best create the film’s dystopian world.
“First of all, he said,...
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny and Wagner Moura, the project has spurred conversation over its depiction of a small group of journalists witnessing the violently divided U.S. en route to collecting $25.7 million at the domestic box office this weekend. Among the buzziest elements of the film has been its sound design, as Civil War’s use of jarring battle noise, along with the impactful contrast between its onslaught of gunfire and moments of dead silence. It all adds to the chaos and tension.
Civil War supervising sound editor Glenn Freemantle, an Oscar winner for 2013’s Gravity, tells The Hollywood Reporter that he and frequent collaborator Garland were in lockstep in how to best create the film’s dystopian world.
“First of all, he said,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Apr 12-14) Total gross to date Week 1. Back To Black (Studiocanal) £2.7m £2.7m 1 2. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £1.8m £17.3m 3 3. Civil War (Entertainment Film) £1.6m £1.8m 2 4. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £1.2m £11.9m 3 5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) £787,034 £14.1m 4
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Studiocanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black led the UK and Ireland box office this weekend with a £2.7m debut.
Sam Taylor-Johnson’s feature, starring Marisa Abela as the late singer, opened in 719 cinemas – the widest of the year so far – making for a £3,853 location average.
It is...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Studiocanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic Back To Black led the UK and Ireland box office this weekend with a £2.7m debut.
Sam Taylor-Johnson’s feature, starring Marisa Abela as the late singer, opened in 719 cinemas – the widest of the year so far – making for a £3,853 location average.
It is...
- 4/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
Few movie studios can lay claim to the kind of brand name prestige that A24 has. Founded in 2012, the indie distributor has quickly become beloved by cinephiles and the A24 logo alone is enough to draw views to a trailer. It's a reputation that's been well-earned, through great horror movies like "Hereditary" and "Talk to Me" and off-the-wall genre films like "The Green Knight" and "Everything Everywhere All At Once." The latest A24 film comes from filmmaker Alex Garland (whose films "Ex Machina" and "Men" were distributed by A24 in the U.S.), and it has already set a new record for the studio.
"Civil War" is set in an imminent-future nightmare where the United States of America has fractured into multiple warring factions, and follows a group of war journalists as they journey to Washington, D.C., in the hopes of scoring a final interview with the defiant president...
"Civil War" is set in an imminent-future nightmare where the United States of America has fractured into multiple warring factions, and follows a group of war journalists as they journey to Washington, D.C., in the hopes of scoring a final interview with the defiant president...
- 4/13/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Actress Kirsten Dunst headlines Alex Garland’s political thriller Civil War. The film sees Dunst play the role of a photojournalist during a second Civil War in America which prompts Texas and California to secede from the USA and try to overthrow the government. The film also stars Nick Offerman, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson.
Apart from the main cast, the film also features Jesse Plemons as a white nationalist militiaman. Plemons reportedly appears in one scene in the film, which was reportedly extremely uncomfortable for the cast and crew. It was reportedly more so for Dunst as she is married to Plemons.
Kirsten Dunst Was Disturbed By Jesse Plemons’ Scene In Civil War Kirsten Dunst in Civil War
With the election on the horizon, the timing of Alex Garland’s film seems to be perfect. The film was one of the most anticipated especially because of the surprising...
Apart from the main cast, the film also features Jesse Plemons as a white nationalist militiaman. Plemons reportedly appears in one scene in the film, which was reportedly extremely uncomfortable for the cast and crew. It was reportedly more so for Dunst as she is married to Plemons.
Kirsten Dunst Was Disturbed By Jesse Plemons’ Scene In Civil War Kirsten Dunst in Civil War
With the election on the horizon, the timing of Alex Garland’s film seems to be perfect. The film was one of the most anticipated especially because of the surprising...
- 4/13/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
We’re all still far off from knowing for sure what the most likely 2025 Oscar contenders are. But the ripple effect of the WGA and SAG strikes is a spring film season of buzzy, auteur-driven dramas. This is still true of “Dune: Part Two,” the film that has set the tone of this year’s awards conversation, though with six Oscars already under the Warner Bros. franchise’s belt, its chances at more Academy Awards nominations are all too predictable.
An Oscars wild card is “Civil War,” the latest A24 film from writer-director Alex Garland. While his most recent film with the company, “Men,” underperformed critically and commercially, his first collaboration with A24, “Ex Machina,” netted Garland his sole Oscar nomination, for Best Original Screenplay, and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
“Civil War” mostly strays from the science fiction narratives present in much of Garland’s work,...
An Oscars wild card is “Civil War,” the latest A24 film from writer-director Alex Garland. While his most recent film with the company, “Men,” underperformed critically and commercially, his first collaboration with A24, “Ex Machina,” netted Garland his sole Oscar nomination, for Best Original Screenplay, and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
“Civil War” mostly strays from the science fiction narratives present in much of Garland’s work,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
The United States is tearing itself apart in a maelstrom of sectarian divisions. Armed groups freely patrol vast swaths of so-called “sovereign” territory. The constant threat of violence hangs over the country, and states are openly rebelling against the powers of the federal government. The world’s oldest continuous modern democracy seems poised on the brink of melting down.
And, oh yeah, a new movie is coming out: Alex Garland’s Civil War.
While the above scenario is a slightly exaggerated version of what’s actually happening in the U.S. today—and, it seems, for the past eight years—one can squint a little and imagine that it’s not really that far off from the truth. The nation is more polarized than ever before, trust in the government, along with institutions like the press and the Supreme Court, is at an all-time low, and everyday Americans are viewing...
And, oh yeah, a new movie is coming out: Alex Garland’s Civil War.
While the above scenario is a slightly exaggerated version of what’s actually happening in the U.S. today—and, it seems, for the past eight years—one can squint a little and imagine that it’s not really that far off from the truth. The nation is more polarized than ever before, trust in the government, along with institutions like the press and the Supreme Court, is at an all-time low, and everyday Americans are viewing...
- 4/13/2024
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
"Civil War" is a film designed to trouble you, to dig under your skin, and to inspire fierce debates among you and everyone else who has seen it. In other words, it's an Alex Garland film.
While this alternate history war epic is bigger than anything he has made before, it's undeniably a Garland film. The obsessions that power films like "Ex Machina," "Annihilation," and "Men" are present here, even if they're presented in a different manner than we've seen before. His ongoing interest in mutation and transformation reaches its apex -- this is a portrait of an entire society undergoing violent and terrifying change, not just a handful of people or a few locations.
Because his films are often challenging and brainy, you'd think Garland himself would make for an intimidating interview. And he does. But he's friendlier and more open than you'd expect: The filmmaker, filled to bursting...
While this alternate history war epic is bigger than anything he has made before, it's undeniably a Garland film. The obsessions that power films like "Ex Machina," "Annihilation," and "Men" are present here, even if they're presented in a different manner than we've seen before. His ongoing interest in mutation and transformation reaches its apex -- this is a portrait of an entire society undergoing violent and terrifying change, not just a handful of people or a few locations.
Because his films are often challenging and brainy, you'd think Garland himself would make for an intimidating interview. And he does. But he's friendlier and more open than you'd expect: The filmmaker, filled to bursting...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
Warning: This article discusses major spoilers for "Civil War."
At no point in Alex Garland's "Civil War" (reviewed by /Film's Jacob Hall here) do we ever find out what actually triggered the nationwide descent into chaos and violence raging throughout the movie. The action begins with Nick Offerman's unnamed President of the United States quietly reciting a prepared statement to himself, struggling to find the perfect cadence and tone for a speech that, as we eventually learn, serves as a desperate last gasp from the losing side's propaganda machine. The film ends with rebel soldiers standing triumphantly over that same President, now deposed, and celebrating over his still-warm corpse like countless wartime images beamed back from abroad to so-called First World countries -- all of whom would contend they'd never commit such savagery. In between, we follow our journalist protagonists Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson...
At no point in Alex Garland's "Civil War" (reviewed by /Film's Jacob Hall here) do we ever find out what actually triggered the nationwide descent into chaos and violence raging throughout the movie. The action begins with Nick Offerman's unnamed President of the United States quietly reciting a prepared statement to himself, struggling to find the perfect cadence and tone for a speech that, as we eventually learn, serves as a desperate last gasp from the losing side's propaganda machine. The film ends with rebel soldiers standing triumphantly over that same President, now deposed, and celebrating over his still-warm corpse like countless wartime images beamed back from abroad to so-called First World countries -- all of whom would contend they'd never commit such savagery. In between, we follow our journalist protagonists Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
When audiences seek movies based on brands, that usually means the likes of Marvel, DC Comics, and Pixar — not studios or distributors.
The exception is A24. It’s something acknowledged by its peers (however grudgingly) and among a growing section of younger cinephiles, for whom “an A24 movie” means something a little weird and potentially cool, maybe great — and reason to take a chance on going to a theater.
Alex Garland‘s “Civil War,” the company’s most expensive film (a reported $50 million) opens this week with tracking that suggests it could open to $20 million or more. That would top any previous A24 opening; its best is “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.5 million in 2018.
Garland’s film checks many of the boxes that have translated into A24’s success. Its director has a strong following, including prior A24 films “Ex Machina” and “Men.” “Civil War” also had a widely publicized festival premiere at SXSW last month.
The exception is A24. It’s something acknowledged by its peers (however grudgingly) and among a growing section of younger cinephiles, for whom “an A24 movie” means something a little weird and potentially cool, maybe great — and reason to take a chance on going to a theater.
Alex Garland‘s “Civil War,” the company’s most expensive film (a reported $50 million) opens this week with tracking that suggests it could open to $20 million or more. That would top any previous A24 opening; its best is “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.5 million in 2018.
Garland’s film checks many of the boxes that have translated into A24’s success. Its director has a strong following, including prior A24 films “Ex Machina” and “Men.” “Civil War” also had a widely publicized festival premiere at SXSW last month.
- 4/12/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Wagner Moura and Kirsten Dunst in Civil WarPhoto: Murray Close/A24
There is an inherent audacity in making a film like Civil War, even before writer-director Alex Garland starts to lay out the finer points of his near-future thriller. At a time when the atrocities of war are unfolding in multiple places around the world,...
There is an inherent audacity in making a film like Civil War, even before writer-director Alex Garland starts to lay out the finer points of his near-future thriller. At a time when the atrocities of war are unfolding in multiple places around the world,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
Alex Garland’s Civil War takes us on a nightmarish journey into a frenetic world torn apart by fratricidal conflict, where the very fabric of society is unravelling amidst the chaos of battle. In this futurist-dystopian action thriller, Garland stages a spectacular, yet strangely politically ambiguous, portrayal of civil unrest, where the true causes of the war remain shrouded in mystery
The film follows a group of intrepid war photographers, led by Lee (Kirsten Dunst), as they navigate a world destroyed by the folly of a nation engulfed in its self-destruction. Their mission is to capture the harrowing realities of war and, hopefully, the downfall of the Commander-in-chief.
The ensemble cast deliver strong performances, with Dunst commanding the screen as the seasoned veteran Lee, her expression a mix of Ptsd and despair in the face of unspeakable horrors. Narcos alum Wagner Moura shines as Joel, the fearless reporter whose mission...
The film follows a group of intrepid war photographers, led by Lee (Kirsten Dunst), as they navigate a world destroyed by the folly of a nation engulfed in its self-destruction. Their mission is to capture the harrowing realities of war and, hopefully, the downfall of the Commander-in-chief.
The ensemble cast deliver strong performances, with Dunst commanding the screen as the seasoned veteran Lee, her expression a mix of Ptsd and despair in the face of unspeakable horrors. Narcos alum Wagner Moura shines as Joel, the fearless reporter whose mission...
- 4/12/2024
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Fresh off its SXSW world premiere, Alex Garland‘s “Civil War” hits theaters today, the latest film in an impressive filmography. So impressive, in fact, with films like “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation” among it, that one may ascertain to call Garland an auteur. Inside Total Film reports that’s exactly what “Civil War” actress Kirsten Dunst called the director, even though he “hates the word.”
Read More: ‘Civil War’ Review: Alex Garland’s Latest Is Both Unforgettable & Challenging As Hell [SXSW]
Dunst told the outlet that it was an easy decision to join the cast of Garland’s latest after being familiar with his work for so long.
Continue reading ‘Civil War’: Kirsten Dunst Calls Alex Garland An “Auteur” Even Though He “Hates The Word”: “I Love Working With People Like That” at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Civil War’ Review: Alex Garland’s Latest Is Both Unforgettable & Challenging As Hell [SXSW]
Dunst told the outlet that it was an easy decision to join the cast of Garland’s latest after being familiar with his work for so long.
Continue reading ‘Civil War’: Kirsten Dunst Calls Alex Garland An “Auteur” Even Though He “Hates The Word”: “I Love Working With People Like That” at The Playlist.
- 4/12/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Writer/director Alex Garland explored the near future in two of his previous three features. In Ex MacHina he pondered the possibilities of emerging technology and the rise of sentient artificial beings. Then in Annihilation, he tackled the results of alien contact and the impact on the ecology and the military response to it. With this new film, Garland goes “back to the future”, though it’s not centuries ahead, but rather a time that could be “just around the corner”, spawned from events happening right now. And it’s not gizmos or ETs that propel the cautionary fable. No, it’s the dangers of hatred and intolerance that divide the country and lead to a Civil War. It’s not the first time, but it could be the last…
We’re not shown the causes or origin (no “first shot heard ’round the world” flashback). Instead, we’re “backstage...
We’re not shown the causes or origin (no “first shot heard ’round the world” flashback). Instead, we’re “backstage...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Living in a country where people's basic human rights are being stripped down or removed on a regular basis, where hate and prejudice are alive and well, where violence can erupt at any moment in almost any location — it feels increasingly strange to call being an American a privileged and lucky thing, but the fact remains that it is. In comparison to the many war-torn countries that have suffered open conflict in their streets at various points in time, Americans haven't had to endure the horror of invasion, occupation, or open warfare as a way of life for many generations, basically since the American Civil War of the 1860s.
This is not to say that Americans are ignorant, but rather especially privileged. Being a part of a country that has generally maintained political, cultural, and military dominance over the world for the last century, America's more thoughtful cinema in relation...
This is not to say that Americans are ignorant, but rather especially privileged. Being a part of a country that has generally maintained political, cultural, and military dominance over the world for the last century, America's more thoughtful cinema in relation...
- 4/11/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Alex Garland may have said that he’s not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future, but he is currently directing another film while his movie Civil War heads out into the world and he works on the scripts for the upcoming 28 Years Later trilogy (a follow-up to his Danny Boyle collaboration 28 Days Later). Garland’s new directorial effort is called Warfare, and he’s co-directing it with Ray Mendoza, who served as the military supervisor for Civil War. Garland and Mendoza also wrote the screenplay together. As Warfare moves forward, Deadline has just revealed the names of several cast members: Noah Centineo (The Recruit), Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark), Taylor John Smith (Where the Crawdads Sing), Adain Bradley (Wrong Turn), Henrique Zaga (The Stand), and Evan Holtzman (Hidden Figures).
They join previously announced cast members Charles Melton (May December...
They join previously announced cast members Charles Melton (May December...
- 4/11/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on Wbgr-fm on April 10th, 2024, reviewing “Civil War,” a new film by writer/director Alex Garland. In theaters on April 12th.
Rating: 4.5/5.0
The film is set through the point of view of journalists, including photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), reporters Joel (Wagner Moura) and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and just-out-of-college photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny). The foursome take a journey to the hot point of the battles in Washington, DC, and along the way encounter the ramifications of this second war between the states.
“Civil War” is in theaters on April 12th. Featuring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons, Nick Offerman and Stephen McKinley Henderson. Written and directed by Alex Garland. Rated “R”
Click Here for Patrick McDonald’s on-air review of “Civil War”
Civil War
Photo credit: A24
Click Here for Patrick McDonald’s...
Rating: 4.5/5.0
The film is set through the point of view of journalists, including photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), reporters Joel (Wagner Moura) and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and just-out-of-college photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny). The foursome take a journey to the hot point of the battles in Washington, DC, and along the way encounter the ramifications of this second war between the states.
“Civil War” is in theaters on April 12th. Featuring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons, Nick Offerman and Stephen McKinley Henderson. Written and directed by Alex Garland. Rated “R”
Click Here for Patrick McDonald’s on-air review of “Civil War”
Civil War
Photo credit: A24
Click Here for Patrick McDonald’s...
- 4/11/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Nia DaCosta is in talks to direct the second part of the upcoming “28 Years Later” trilogy from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland.
Previously, she directed and co-wrote “The Marvels” starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, and “Candyman,” a contemporary spiritual sequel of the 1992 cult horror classic of the same name for Universal and Monkeypaw Productions.
“Candyman” opened to No. 1 at the box office, making DaCosta the first Black female director to open at the top of U.S. box office charts. DaCosta made her feature debut with the critically acclaimed “Little Woods,” which she wrote and directed.
When DaCosta sat down with Variety last fall to discuss “The Marvels,” she was proud of checking “direct an MCU” movie off her directors bucket list and looking forward to what came next.
“I did these three films back-to-back,” DaCosta said, referencing “Little Woods,” “Candyman” and “The Marvels.” “They were...
Previously, she directed and co-wrote “The Marvels” starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, and “Candyman,” a contemporary spiritual sequel of the 1992 cult horror classic of the same name for Universal and Monkeypaw Productions.
“Candyman” opened to No. 1 at the box office, making DaCosta the first Black female director to open at the top of U.S. box office charts. DaCosta made her feature debut with the critically acclaimed “Little Woods,” which she wrote and directed.
When DaCosta sat down with Variety last fall to discuss “The Marvels,” she was proud of checking “direct an MCU” movie off her directors bucket list and looking forward to what came next.
“I did these three films back-to-back,” DaCosta said, referencing “Little Woods,” “Candyman” and “The Marvels.” “They were...
- 4/10/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Alex Garland belongs to a certain class of filmmakers that fascinates me because, regardless of the more positive or negative opinions about his films, all his narratives have an undeniable impact and are practically impossible not to debate. Personally, I believe that the worst type of movie is one that doesn’t provoke any kind of discussion… those that quickly fade into oblivion. A trait that doesn’t fit into the career of the mind behind Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, and now, Civil War.
The title of this film couldn’t be more explicit and direct to its premise, set in a future dystopian America in full crisis. Civil War focuses on war journalists and their suicide mission to reach Washington, DC, to interview the President of the United States of America before rebel factions invade the White House. Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog), Wagner Moura (Narcos), Cailee Spaeny...
The title of this film couldn’t be more explicit and direct to its premise, set in a future dystopian America in full crisis. Civil War focuses on war journalists and their suicide mission to reach Washington, DC, to interview the President of the United States of America before rebel factions invade the White House. Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog), Wagner Moura (Narcos), Cailee Spaeny...
- 4/10/2024
- by Manuel Sao Bento
- Talking Films
Box office preview: Alex Garland’s ‘Civil War’ will try its best not to divide the moviegoing nation
After a quieter April opening weekend, we get a slightly busier one with one high profile wide release and a handful of smaller releases. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
The big release of the weekend is “Civil War,” filmmaker Alex Garland‘s fourth feature film as a director, and one that is reportedly A24’s biggest budget production, reportedly costing $50 million. Set in a dystopian war-torn future America, the movie stars Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny from “Priscilla” as two wartime journalists heading to D.C. to interview the President (Nick Offerman), who is about to be deposed by a group of opposing rebels. The movie also stars Jesse Plemons, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson.
Garland established himself as a screenwriter with films like Danny Boyle‘s “28 Days Later” and the 2012 “Dredd” movie starring Karl Urban, but his 2015 directorial debut “Ex Machina...
The big release of the weekend is “Civil War,” filmmaker Alex Garland‘s fourth feature film as a director, and one that is reportedly A24’s biggest budget production, reportedly costing $50 million. Set in a dystopian war-torn future America, the movie stars Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny from “Priscilla” as two wartime journalists heading to D.C. to interview the President (Nick Offerman), who is about to be deposed by a group of opposing rebels. The movie also stars Jesse Plemons, Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson.
Garland established himself as a screenwriter with films like Danny Boyle‘s “28 Days Later” and the 2012 “Dredd” movie starring Karl Urban, but his 2015 directorial debut “Ex Machina...
- 4/10/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
"I've never been scared like that before... and I've never felt more alive." If two other trailers and a making of featurette weren't enough, A24 has desperately released a third trailer two days before this movie opens. A bit much, no? Do we need to see more? A24 has launched one more trailer for Alex Garland's Civil War, his action thriller war movie arriving in theaters soon. This is the fourth film Garland has directed, following Ex Machina, Annihilation, and Men. A tense journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House. The excellent ensemble cast for features Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Karl Glusman, Sonoya Mizuno, Jonica T. Gibbs, Jess Matney, plus Jesse Plemons. This trailer is packed with critic quotes following its SXSW debut last month.
- 4/10/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
When interviewed by the Chicago Tribune in 1973, the critic and trailblazing French New Wave actor/filmmaker Francois Truffaut famously stated that he'd yet to see a truly "antiwar" movie, adding, "Every film about war ends up being pro-war." His argument, in essence, was that the very act of making war cinematic tends to infuse it with qualities that make it more entertaining and, as a result, less horrifying. In contrast to that, Truffaut's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" director Steven Spielberg -- then on the heels of helming his WWII drama "Saving Private Ryan" -- once told Newsweek that "every war movie, good or bad, is an antiwar movie." In his case, Spielberg reasoned that by portraying warfare as convincingly as plausible, it becomes impossible for a film to be pro-war since war is, itself, an inherently horrific thing.
If there's a middle ground between these two camps of thought,...
If there's a middle ground between these two camps of thought,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Alex Garland is one of the most important voices in the sci-fi genre. He first gained fame as a novelist with The Beach which was adapted into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. His distinctive style led him to become a film writer in Hollywood where he formed a very successful collaboration with director Danny Boyle in films like 28 Days Later, Sunshine, and Never Let Me Go.
Hollywood filmmaker Alex Garland (image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Garland seamlessly segued into direction and helmed many critically acclaimed films that further proved that he was a master at the sci-fi genre. His latest film Civil War which is set to release on April 12th, already received a stupendous reception at South By Southwest. The director’s films though, have not always been comprehended by all audiences. For these viewers, here are three underrated Garland masterpieces that embody his unique nuances.
Three Alex Garland...
Hollywood filmmaker Alex Garland (image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Garland seamlessly segued into direction and helmed many critically acclaimed films that further proved that he was a master at the sci-fi genre. His latest film Civil War which is set to release on April 12th, already received a stupendous reception at South By Southwest. The director’s films though, have not always been comprehended by all audiences. For these viewers, here are three underrated Garland masterpieces that embody his unique nuances.
Three Alex Garland...
- 4/9/2024
- by Sharanya Sankar
- FandomWire
Tameem Antoniades, co-founder of Ninja Theory, the development team behind the Hellblade saga, revealed that one Garland movie was one inspiration for the first game of this franchise.
Ex-Machina was an inspiration for the studio co-founder and both creators shared a conversation that eventually led Antoiniades to come up with the game idea.
Tameem Antoniades talked about how the A24 movie from Alex Garland’s Ex-Machine the first game’s inspiration Alex Garland’s and A24 Ex-Machina was an inspiration for Hellblade according to Tameem Antoniades, co-founder of the studio behind the game.
Garland is promoting his next and probably last film, Civil War. This movie discusses how the United States could decide to divide several states once again, making things very difficult for the people who are part of this nation. In previous films, the director concentrated more on sci-fi films like Ex-Machina and Annihilation, both of which had...
Ex-Machina was an inspiration for the studio co-founder and both creators shared a conversation that eventually led Antoiniades to come up with the game idea.
Tameem Antoniades talked about how the A24 movie from Alex Garland’s Ex-Machine the first game’s inspiration Alex Garland’s and A24 Ex-Machina was an inspiration for Hellblade according to Tameem Antoniades, co-founder of the studio behind the game.
Garland is promoting his next and probably last film, Civil War. This movie discusses how the United States could decide to divide several states once again, making things very difficult for the people who are part of this nation. In previous films, the director concentrated more on sci-fi films like Ex-Machina and Annihilation, both of which had...
- 4/9/2024
- by Lucas Lapetina
- FandomWire
Alex Garland’s Civil War is merely days away from its grand release. The dystopian thriller will come to theatres worldwide on April 12. The film chronicles the story of an American society fallen into disrepair. Several states of the country have united to form an army against the President who has seized a third term of presidency.
The A24 movie has been much talked about since its first trailer was released in December 2023. Many discussed how the film showed California and Texas working together while in reality, the two states fall on the opposite end of the political spectrum. There has also been some intense speculation about the real message behind the film. However, director Garland recently revealed his true agenda behind making a film such as Civil War.
Image via Civil War Trailer – A24 | YouTube
Alex Garland’s Agenda Behind Making Civil War Isn’t What You Think
Alex...
The A24 movie has been much talked about since its first trailer was released in December 2023. Many discussed how the film showed California and Texas working together while in reality, the two states fall on the opposite end of the political spectrum. There has also been some intense speculation about the real message behind the film. However, director Garland recently revealed his true agenda behind making a film such as Civil War.
Image via Civil War Trailer – A24 | YouTube
Alex Garland’s Agenda Behind Making Civil War Isn’t What You Think
Alex...
- 4/9/2024
- by Disha Kandpal
- FandomWire
A24 is a studio that has built up a good name over the last decade and change in Hollywood. It's a name that means something to moviegoers, and that's no small thing. But as the studio looks to compete in an increasingly volatile Hollywood landscape, minor theatrical successes like "Priscilla" and disastrous flops such as "Under the Silver Lake" aren't going to cut it anymore. So, the studio is going bigger and making its biggest bet ever with Alex Garland's "Civil War." The question is, can this politically-charged, unconventional war film break through like a more conventional blockbuster?
Given that Garland's latest carries a $50 million budget, A24 is certainly hoping so. The good news is that the initial numbers suggest that this one will be a winner, at least in the early going. "Civil War" is eyeing an opening between $18 and $24 million when it arrives next weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Given that Garland's latest carries a $50 million budget, A24 is certainly hoping so. The good news is that the initial numbers suggest that this one will be a winner, at least in the early going. "Civil War" is eyeing an opening between $18 and $24 million when it arrives next weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
- 4/5/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Sebastian Stan is exploring roles beyond the shadow of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and making quite a good impression out of it. Also, it seems the actor has a newfound interest in the horror genre. Stan appeared in two horror movies recently, including Mimi Cave’s Fresh and his most recent A Different Man.
Sebastian Stan in A Different Man
Stan has tested his tolerance level for a role as well. While his appearance in horror movies is well adjacent to the actor, one horror movie frightened the MCU star. Jennifer Lawrence, who led the movie, also endured intense nightmares.
Mother! “Hyperventilated” Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan in A Different Man
Darren Aronofsky is one of the Hollywood directors who has created a legacy by making some of the most disturbing movies, including Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, and Mother! Particularly, Mother! was frightening, and its disturbing elements were not exclusive to the audience.
Sebastian Stan in A Different Man
Stan has tested his tolerance level for a role as well. While his appearance in horror movies is well adjacent to the actor, one horror movie frightened the MCU star. Jennifer Lawrence, who led the movie, also endured intense nightmares.
Mother! “Hyperventilated” Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan in A Different Man
Darren Aronofsky is one of the Hollywood directors who has created a legacy by making some of the most disturbing movies, including Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, and Mother! Particularly, Mother! was frightening, and its disturbing elements were not exclusive to the audience.
- 4/5/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
The A24 original movie Civil War is just a few days away (April 12). Famed director Alex Garland, whose past films include Men, Annihilation, and Ex Machina, is helming the dystopian thriller.
The movie’s first action-packed trailer became quite popular after it was released in December 2023. The plot of Civil War, which stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Nick Offerman, follows a group of journalists as they travel across the country during the rapidly intensifying Second American Civil War that has engulfed the entire country.
And, Offerman is assuming the role of President of the United States.
Screenshot from Civil War (2024) trailer | A24 – YouTube
In a recent interview, Dunst spilled the beans on Offerman’s role, which has been making headlines for its inspiration from the 45th U.S. president, Donald Trump.
Civil War: Kirsten Dunst’s Insights on Nick Offerman’s Role
Nick Offerman, best known for Parks and Recreation and Fargo,...
The movie’s first action-packed trailer became quite popular after it was released in December 2023. The plot of Civil War, which stars Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Nick Offerman, follows a group of journalists as they travel across the country during the rapidly intensifying Second American Civil War that has engulfed the entire country.
And, Offerman is assuming the role of President of the United States.
Screenshot from Civil War (2024) trailer | A24 – YouTube
In a recent interview, Dunst spilled the beans on Offerman’s role, which has been making headlines for its inspiration from the 45th U.S. president, Donald Trump.
Civil War: Kirsten Dunst’s Insights on Nick Offerman’s Role
Nick Offerman, best known for Parks and Recreation and Fargo,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
What can you say about a month of entertainment that opens with a TV series about a charming sociopath and closes with a movie about tennis players in love? It’s tempting to say there’s something for everyone to watch but, more accurately, April offers a lot of choices for those with specific tastes. From the theater to streaming services like Prime Video and Max, the best...
What can you say about a month of entertainment that opens with a TV series about a charming sociopath and closes with a movie about tennis players in love? It’s tempting to say there’s something for everyone to watch but, more accurately, April offers a lot of choices for those with specific tastes. From the theater to streaming services like Prime Video and Max, the best...
- 4/3/2024
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
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.