This weekend, the 49th season of "Saturday Night Live" came to an end. Typically, the season finale is chock full of guest stars, and usually a big name or former beloved cast member takes the stage in Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza for hosting duties. This time, it was the former, with "Road House" remake star Jake Gyllenhaal returning for his third time hosting the late night sketch series.
For those keeping track, Gyllenhaal's hosting duties have Taylor Swift fans buzzing, because the musical guest was "Girl Meets World" star Sabrina Carpenter, who has been opening for Swift on the international part of her Eras Tour (now available to watch on Disney+), and there's that whole drama between Gyllenhaal and Swift that resulted in a 10-minute hit song. Speaking of musical guests, Gyllenhaal got musical in his own right as he sang a Boyz II Men cover about the honor...
For those keeping track, Gyllenhaal's hosting duties have Taylor Swift fans buzzing, because the musical guest was "Girl Meets World" star Sabrina Carpenter, who has been opening for Swift on the international part of her Eras Tour (now available to watch on Disney+), and there's that whole drama between Gyllenhaal and Swift that resulted in a 10-minute hit song. Speaking of musical guests, Gyllenhaal got musical in his own right as he sang a Boyz II Men cover about the honor...
- 5/19/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Emmy and Golden Globe-winner Darren Criss will return to the stage alongside Helen J Shen in the Broadway premiere of the new musical Maybe Happy Ending.
Maybe Happy Ending will begin previews on Wednesday, September 18, at the Belasco Theatre, with an opening night on Thursday, October 17.
With music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park and book by both Aronson and Park, Maybe Happy Ending will be directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Arden.
Maybe Happy Ending will also feature Dez Duron (NBC’s The Voice) who makes his Broadway debut along with Shen.
Final casting as well as ticketing and on-sale information will be announced at a later date.
The synopsis: “Inside a one-room apartment in the heart of Seoul, Oliver (Criss) lives a happily quiet...
Maybe Happy Ending will begin previews on Wednesday, September 18, at the Belasco Theatre, with an opening night on Thursday, October 17.
With music by Will Aronson, lyrics by Hue Park and book by both Aronson and Park, Maybe Happy Ending will be directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Arden.
Maybe Happy Ending will also feature Dez Duron (NBC’s The Voice) who makes his Broadway debut along with Shen.
Final casting as well as ticketing and on-sale information will be announced at a later date.
The synopsis: “Inside a one-room apartment in the heart of Seoul, Oliver (Criss) lives a happily quiet...
- 5/14/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Chicago – One of Chicago’s icon theater actors … Michael Shannon … is performing again in town, in the company that he co-founded. Red Orchid Theatre presents Michael Shannon and Travis A. Knight in the World Premiere of “Turret” by Levi Holloway, now at the Chopin Theatre through June 9, 2024. For tickets and info, click Turret.
Two men (Shannon and Knight) survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible from the outside. Ensnared in a relentless loop of endless tomorrows, they discover the wolf isn’t at the door, it’s already inside, waiting in the creeping darkness all around them. “Turret” is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation, and a claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem.
Red Orchid’s ’Turret’ at the Chopin Theatre through June 9th
Photo credit: RedOrchidTheatre.org
Michael Shannon was born in Kentucky,...
Two men (Shannon and Knight) survive in a facility deep underground somewhere in the wild woods of the Pacific Northwest, hiding away from something terrible from the outside. Ensnared in a relentless loop of endless tomorrows, they discover the wolf isn’t at the door, it’s already inside, waiting in the creeping darkness all around them. “Turret” is an excavation of masculinity, love, loss and isolation, and a claustrophobic carnival of carnage, carrier pigeons, cribbage, whiskey, music, mischief and mayhem.
Red Orchid’s ’Turret’ at the Chopin Theatre through June 9th
Photo credit: RedOrchidTheatre.org
Michael Shannon was born in Kentucky,...
- 5/11/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Screen reveals a snapshot of the latest high-end TV and film productions shooting in the UK for the big studios and streamers.
Please contact us here to add or update changes to the following or new productions taking place in the UK.
Films
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy
Follows the titular Bridget Jones as a single mother in her early fifties.
Dir: Michael Morris
Prod: Working Title Films
Where: London
When: May - ongoing
Distributor: Universal
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson
Mission
A solitary man decides to embark on a journey of extreme experiences.
Dir: Paul Wright
Prod: Early Day Films,...
Please contact us here to add or update changes to the following or new productions taking place in the UK.
Films
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy
Follows the titular Bridget Jones as a single mother in her early fifties.
Dir: Michael Morris
Prod: Working Title Films
Where: London
When: May - ongoing
Distributor: Universal
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson
Mission
A solitary man decides to embark on a journey of extreme experiences.
Dir: Paul Wright
Prod: Early Day Films,...
- 5/10/2024
- ScreenDaily
‘The Big Bang Theory’ star Kunal Nayyar has joined the cast of Gurnder Chadha’s festive offering ‘Christmas Karma’ from True Brit Entertainment, Bend It Films, Maven Screen Media and Civic Studios.
Inspired by Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol, Nayyar will lead the cast as Scrooge with a further cast including Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, Nitin Ganatra.
On his casting Nayyar stated; “To explore a beloved holiday tale through the eyes of an immigrant story (much like my own) is exactly the kind of movie that I believe will resonate with so many of us who are searching for the meaning of home. It takes a visionary like Gurinder to take a chance on a story like this, and I am humbled to be a part of it.”
Also in...
Inspired by Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol, Nayyar will lead the cast as Scrooge with a further cast including Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, Nitin Ganatra.
On his casting Nayyar stated; “To explore a beloved holiday tale through the eyes of an immigrant story (much like my own) is exactly the kind of movie that I believe will resonate with so many of us who are searching for the meaning of home. It takes a visionary like Gurinder to take a chance on a story like this, and I am humbled to be a part of it.”
Also in...
- 4/22/2024
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
‘Bend It Like Beckham’ helmer Gurinder Chadha is all set to start shooting for her next production, ‘Christmas Karma’, a Bollywood musical set in contemporary London and inspired by Charles Dickens’s ‘A Christmas Carol’.
Kunal Nayyar, who is best known for his role in the popular sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’, is the lead actor in a star-studded global cast, which includes Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Allan Corduner, Bilal Hasna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve and Nitin Ganatra.
Chadha, a BAFTA-nominated director, is also the producer and writer, and the music is by the six-time Ivor Novello award-winning singer and songwriter Gary Barlow, apart from Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney. Shooting for the film will start on April 22.
‘Christmas Karma’ sees Chadha’s return to the big screen following her time working on the Indian historical television...
Kunal Nayyar, who is best known for his role in the popular sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’, is the lead actor in a star-studded global cast, which includes Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Allan Corduner, Bilal Hasna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve and Nitin Ganatra.
Chadha, a BAFTA-nominated director, is also the producer and writer, and the music is by the six-time Ivor Novello award-winning singer and songwriter Gary Barlow, apart from Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney. Shooting for the film will start on April 22.
‘Christmas Karma’ sees Chadha’s return to the big screen following her time working on the Indian historical television...
- 4/19/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
BAFTA Circles Calendar
The British Academy has confirmed the date of the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, which will now be held on Sunday February. 16.
As per recent scheduling arrangements, the awards — arguably the biggest film awards outside the U.S. — takes place two weeks before the Oscars on March 2, 2025. Regular film festival attendees may note that the BAFTA awards will, once again, be held during the Berlinale, set to run February 13-23, with there likely to be a spike in industry professionals flying back to London on the morning of Feb. 16.
The full timeline and eligibility details for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards will be announced in due course. Voting will take place over three rounds: longlisting, nominations and winners, by the academy’s global voting film membership which comprises more than 7,800 industry creatives.
The 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, which saw “Oppenheimer” dominate with wins for best film, director and actor, were watched...
The British Academy has confirmed the date of the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards, which will now be held on Sunday February. 16.
As per recent scheduling arrangements, the awards — arguably the biggest film awards outside the U.S. — takes place two weeks before the Oscars on March 2, 2025. Regular film festival attendees may note that the BAFTA awards will, once again, be held during the Berlinale, set to run February 13-23, with there likely to be a spike in industry professionals flying back to London on the morning of Feb. 16.
The full timeline and eligibility details for the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards will be announced in due course. Voting will take place over three rounds: longlisting, nominations and winners, by the academy’s global voting film membership which comprises more than 7,800 industry creatives.
The 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, which saw “Oppenheimer” dominate with wins for best film, director and actor, were watched...
- 4/19/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) is pushing forward with Christmas Karma, a contemporary Bollywood musical set in London and inspired by Charles Dickens’ seminal A Christmas Carol, with Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) signed on to lead an ensemble cast.
Nayyar will star as Scrooge in pic alongside an expansive cast, including Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, and Nitin Ganatra.
Chadha wrote the pic and is producing alongside directing, with music by Take That alum Gary Barlow alongside Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney. Financing for Christmas Karma is from Civic Studios. Gurinder Chadha, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, and Amory Leader will produce. Zygi Kamasa, Anushka Shah, Paul Mayeda Berges, Sophia Pedlow, and Hannah Leader will serve as executive producers.
Christmas Karma is the fifth scripted project from British distributor True Brit Entertainment,...
Nayyar will star as Scrooge in pic alongside an expansive cast, including Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, and Nitin Ganatra.
Chadha wrote the pic and is producing alongside directing, with music by Take That alum Gary Barlow alongside Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney. Financing for Christmas Karma is from Civic Studios. Gurinder Chadha, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, and Amory Leader will produce. Zygi Kamasa, Anushka Shah, Paul Mayeda Berges, Sophia Pedlow, and Hannah Leader will serve as executive producers.
Christmas Karma is the fifth scripted project from British distributor True Brit Entertainment,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Kunal Nayyar, Eva Longoria, Hugh Bonneville and Danny Dyer head the ensemble cast of Gurinder Chadha’s Christmas Karma for which Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment has UK and Ireland rights.
Filming is set to start on April 22. It is being produced by Chadha’s Bend It Films, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler for Maven Screen Media and Amory Leader. Executive producers are Kamasa, Paul Mayeda Berges, Sophia Pedlow and Hannah Leader.
Further financing is coming from Anushka Shah’s Mumbai and London-based Civic Studios.
The Bollywood musical retelling of A Christmas Carol will also star musicians Boy George,...
Filming is set to start on April 22. It is being produced by Chadha’s Bend It Films, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler for Maven Screen Media and Amory Leader. Executive producers are Kamasa, Paul Mayeda Berges, Sophia Pedlow and Hannah Leader.
Further financing is coming from Anushka Shah’s Mumbai and London-based Civic Studios.
The Bollywood musical retelling of A Christmas Carol will also star musicians Boy George,...
- 4/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Big Bang Theory’s Kunal Nayyar will star in Gurinder Chadha’s next film, Christmas Karma. It’s due out this December.
News has emerged about Gurinder Chadha’s next project, confirmed to be an adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Titled Christmas Karma, the film will star Kunal Nayyar as Scrooge. He’ll be joined by an ensemble cast that includes Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, and Nitin Ganatra.
We can’t say we expected to see Danny Dyer, Boy George and Billy Porter in the same film, but there we are. We also reported earlier this year that the film’s Scrooge would be an “Indian Tory who hates refugees”.
Christmas Karma will also be a Bollywood-style musical; Gary Barlow is in charge of music alongside Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney.
News has emerged about Gurinder Chadha’s next project, confirmed to be an adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Titled Christmas Karma, the film will star Kunal Nayyar as Scrooge. He’ll be joined by an ensemble cast that includes Eva Longoria, Boy George, Billy Porter, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Pixie Lott, Danny Dyer, Bilal Hasna, Allan Corduner, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Rufus Jones, Eve, and Nitin Ganatra.
We can’t say we expected to see Danny Dyer, Boy George and Billy Porter in the same film, but there we are. We also reported earlier this year that the film’s Scrooge would be an “Indian Tory who hates refugees”.
Christmas Karma will also be a Bollywood-style musical; Gary Barlow is in charge of music alongside Shaznay Lewis and Nitin Sawhney.
- 4/18/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Sony Pictures’ forthcoming drama feature Here, reuniting the creative forces behind Forrest Gump, is getting a prime awards season spot on the theatrical calendar.
Sony announced Friday that the film from director Robert Zemeckis, writer Eric Roth, and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright is set for a platform release this November. Here will hit Los Angeles and New York theaters Nov. 15 ahead of a limited release the following week, before going wide Nov. 27.
Zemeckis directs Here from a script he wrote with Roth that is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Richard McGuire. It tells the story of multiple families over the course of generations and a location that is special to them.
Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Dockery round out the ensemble cast. Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue and Bill Block serve as producers.
The Hollywood Reporter reported last year that Hanks and...
Sony announced Friday that the film from director Robert Zemeckis, writer Eric Roth, and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright is set for a platform release this November. Here will hit Los Angeles and New York theaters Nov. 15 ahead of a limited release the following week, before going wide Nov. 27.
Zemeckis directs Here from a script he wrote with Roth that is based on the graphic novel of the same name by Richard McGuire. It tells the story of multiple families over the course of generations and a location that is special to them.
Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Dockery round out the ensemble cast. Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Derek Hogue and Bill Block serve as producers.
The Hollywood Reporter reported last year that Hanks and...
- 3/29/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It's a testament to Disney's branding that mainstream audiences don't necessarily know who directed or starred in some of their better-known movies. Although many have seen the studio's 1950 animated feature "Cinderella," most audiences wouldn't be able to tell you that Ilene Woods played the title character, or that Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi directed the film. Disney's "Aladdin" changed that with the casting of Robin Williams as the Genie. And the trend of hiring known screen celebrities, often not voice actors, to sell an animated feature to a broad audience went to a whole other level in the wake of DreamWorks' "Shrek." The advent of the internet also helped certain actresses become known among Disney fans. Nowadays, many adults know the names of the actresses who played characters like Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or Ariel the Mermaid.
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
By Disney's own selection, there are thirteen "official" Disney Princesses: Snow White,...
- 3/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Handmaid’s Talexd’s Elisabeth Moss stars as an MI6 agent brought in for high-level situations in FX’s The Veil. The official trailer reveals that Moss’s character has played so many people in her life that she’s no longer sure where she belongs.
Two-time Emmy winner Moss is joined by Yumna Marwan, Dali Benssalah, and Josh Charles in the new spy thriller created by Steven Knight. Knight wrote the limited series and serves as an executive producer along with Moss and Di Novi Pictures’ Denise Di Novi.
“FX’s The Veil explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London,” reads FX’s synopsis. “One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. In the shadows, mission controllers at...
Two-time Emmy winner Moss is joined by Yumna Marwan, Dali Benssalah, and Josh Charles in the new spy thriller created by Steven Knight. Knight wrote the limited series and serves as an executive producer along with Moss and Di Novi Pictures’ Denise Di Novi.
“FX’s The Veil explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London,” reads FX’s synopsis. “One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. In the shadows, mission controllers at...
- 3/21/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
This article appears in the SXSW 2024 issue of Den of Geek magazine. Check out all of our SXSW coverage here.
There are meet cutes, and there are meet cutes. And then there is the ballad of Solène Marchand and Hayes Campbell: the fortysomething single mother chaperoning her daughter at this year’s Coachella and the boy band superstar who’s headlining the show. Such are the twists and quirks of the heart, as well as The Idea of You, a beloved romance novel by Robinne Lee turned one of the buzziest new romantic dramas at this year’s fest.
Arriving with no less than Anne Hathaway as Solène–an actor who is no stranger to romance films–and Red, White & Royal Blue’s Nicholas Galitzine as the pop star, The Idea of You might just be South By royalty, with director Michael Showalter previously bringing The Big Sick to Austin...
There are meet cutes, and there are meet cutes. And then there is the ballad of Solène Marchand and Hayes Campbell: the fortysomething single mother chaperoning her daughter at this year’s Coachella and the boy band superstar who’s headlining the show. Such are the twists and quirks of the heart, as well as The Idea of You, a beloved romance novel by Robinne Lee turned one of the buzziest new romantic dramas at this year’s fest.
Arriving with no less than Anne Hathaway as Solène–an actor who is no stranger to romance films–and Red, White & Royal Blue’s Nicholas Galitzine as the pop star, The Idea of You might just be South By royalty, with director Michael Showalter previously bringing The Big Sick to Austin...
- 3/16/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
It's well known to fans of "The Wizard of Oz" that actor Ray Bolger was originally cast to play the Tin Man and famed comedian Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Scarecrow. They swapped roles at Bolger's insistence, as Bolger had a personal attachment to the role; he was inspired to become an actor after seeing Vaudevillian Fred Stone play the part on stage when Bolger was a child. Ebsen was fine with changing roles, although he had to drop out of production due to makeup problems. The silvery Tin Man makeup contained powered aluminum and Ebsen breathed in big clouds of it, making him sick. At the time, many merely assumed Ebsen had an allergy. Ebsen was replaced with Jack Haley, and the makeup was altered to be a paste instead of a powder.
With the possible exception of "Star Wars," no film's production has been more meticulously recorded...
With the possible exception of "Star Wars," no film's production has been more meticulously recorded...
- 3/10/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The actor, musician and troublemaker known for everything from Trainspotting to Fat Les opens himself up to your interrogations
Keith Allen: where to begin? You might know him as the guy who moves into the flat in Shallow Grave and then dies of a drug overdose, leaving a suitcase full of money and three flatmates on the prowl. Or as the dealer in Trainspotting who buys £16,000 worth of heroin from Renton and the gang. More recently he appeared as the dad in Eddie the Eagle and as the baddy in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London opposite Frankie Muniz, as well as in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins.
Maybe you caught Allen as a beardy Scrooge in Mark Gatiss’ stage 2023 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. He’s been in The Young Ones, Spaced and Doctor Who. He co-wrote and appeared in the video for...
Keith Allen: where to begin? You might know him as the guy who moves into the flat in Shallow Grave and then dies of a drug overdose, leaving a suitcase full of money and three flatmates on the prowl. Or as the dealer in Trainspotting who buys £16,000 worth of heroin from Renton and the gang. More recently he appeared as the dad in Eddie the Eagle and as the baddy in Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London opposite Frankie Muniz, as well as in Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins.
Maybe you caught Allen as a beardy Scrooge in Mark Gatiss’ stage 2023 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. He’s been in The Young Ones, Spaced and Doctor Who. He co-wrote and appeared in the video for...
- 3/8/2024
- by Rich Pelley
- The Guardian - Film News
Raine Allen Miller’s debut feature Rye Lane, Adjani Salmon’s Dreaming Whilst Black, and Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical were among the top winners at the sixth edition of the CDG Casting Awards. Scross down for the full list of winners.
Kharmel Cochrane picked up the Best Casting in an Independent Film award for her work on Rye Lane. Dreaming Whilst Black landed the Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series award for Heather Basten, Peter Noden, and Fran Cattaneo, and Louise Kiely won Best Casting in a Film for The Banshees of Inisherin.
High-profile titles that missed out on honors include Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which was nominated for Best Casting in a Film alongside Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. Kharmel Cochrane cast Saltburn and also popped in the noms for Best Casting in a Commercial for her work on Vanish ‘Me, My Autism & I.
The awards were...
Kharmel Cochrane picked up the Best Casting in an Independent Film award for her work on Rye Lane. Dreaming Whilst Black landed the Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series award for Heather Basten, Peter Noden, and Fran Cattaneo, and Louise Kiely won Best Casting in a Film for The Banshees of Inisherin.
High-profile titles that missed out on honors include Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which was nominated for Best Casting in a Film alongside Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. Kharmel Cochrane cast Saltburn and also popped in the noms for Best Casting in a Commercial for her work on Vanish ‘Me, My Autism & I.
The awards were...
- 2/22/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The Boiling Point TV series, The Banshees of Inisherin, Rye Lane and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical are among the U.K. Casting Directors’ Guild Awards winners for 2024.
The sixth CDG Casting Awards, handed out Wednesday evening in London, also honored the likes of the theater play Dear England, a TV adaptation of which Sky has just unveiled.
Competing for the awards were productions that premiered between Sept. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2023 and they were selected as nominees by members of the guild. The Casting Directors’ Guild represents casting directors in the film, television, theater and commercials industries in the U.K. and Ireland.
Its awards celebrate “the incredible work achieved by casting teams across film, television, theater and commercials,” in partnership with global casting platform Spotlight.
“Casting directors are often the unsung storytellers of the industry. Their vision and skills that help orchestrate an ensemble of characters bring a script to life in every medium,...
The sixth CDG Casting Awards, handed out Wednesday evening in London, also honored the likes of the theater play Dear England, a TV adaptation of which Sky has just unveiled.
Competing for the awards were productions that premiered between Sept. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2023 and they were selected as nominees by members of the guild. The Casting Directors’ Guild represents casting directors in the film, television, theater and commercials industries in the U.K. and Ireland.
Its awards celebrate “the incredible work achieved by casting teams across film, television, theater and commercials,” in partnership with global casting platform Spotlight.
“Casting directors are often the unsung storytellers of the industry. Their vision and skills that help orchestrate an ensemble of characters bring a script to life in every medium,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Joseph Quinn is currently smashing it in Hollywood. After making a name for himself primarily on television, his upcoming movie roles include this year’s A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator 2.
As of Valentine’s Day this year, when the film’s whole cast was announced, he’s also been confirmed as playing Johnny Storm, Aka the Human Torch, in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four, which is due for release in July 2025.
It’s an interesting casting, but there’s no doubt the English actor can pull it off. Here are five of Joseph Quinn’s past roles that prove he’ll make a superb Johnny Storm for the MCU’s Fantastic Four.
Dickensian Joseph Quinn as Arthur Havisham in Dickensian.
Dickensian is a 20-part British drama series aired on the BBC in 2015 and 2016. The series unites characters from several Charles Dickens novels in a Victorian London neighborhood.
As of Valentine’s Day this year, when the film’s whole cast was announced, he’s also been confirmed as playing Johnny Storm, Aka the Human Torch, in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four, which is due for release in July 2025.
It’s an interesting casting, but there’s no doubt the English actor can pull it off. Here are five of Joseph Quinn’s past roles that prove he’ll make a superb Johnny Storm for the MCU’s Fantastic Four.
Dickensian Joseph Quinn as Arthur Havisham in Dickensian.
Dickensian is a 20-part British drama series aired on the BBC in 2015 and 2016. The series unites characters from several Charles Dickens novels in a Victorian London neighborhood.
- 2/15/2024
- by Kevin Stewart
- FandomWire
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the surprise warm-up act at a prestigious film industry event in London on Wednesday night that saw Oppenheimer director — and BAFTA and Oscar front runner — Christopher Nolan receive the British Film Institute Fellowship Award for his outstanding contribution to cinema.
The premier hailed Nolan — whose credits also include the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Dunkirk — as “undoubtedly one of our preeminent filmmakers.”
However, before doing so, he delivered quips with an aplomb that had guests seated in the ballroom of London’s Rosewood Hotel in stitches.
“Politics is showbusiness for ugly people,” Sunak declared. The room liked that one, even though the line’s a golden oldie.
“So, I was pleasantly surprised,” he continued, “when I was recently mistaken for Timothée Chalamet.”
Then with a well-timed pause, he added, “At least, I think that’s why they were shouting ‘Wonka’ at me.”
The room...
The premier hailed Nolan — whose credits also include the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and Dunkirk — as “undoubtedly one of our preeminent filmmakers.”
However, before doing so, he delivered quips with an aplomb that had guests seated in the ballroom of London’s Rosewood Hotel in stitches.
“Politics is showbusiness for ugly people,” Sunak declared. The room liked that one, even though the line’s a golden oldie.
“So, I was pleasantly surprised,” he continued, “when I was recently mistaken for Timothée Chalamet.”
Then with a well-timed pause, he added, “At least, I think that’s why they were shouting ‘Wonka’ at me.”
The room...
- 2/15/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Doctor Who has never been shy about tipping a hat to other science fiction franchises. The 2014 Christmas special “Last Christmas” owes a heavy debt to Alien, with its face-hugging alien parasites. Several Star Trek references have beamed onto Doctor Who stories, including the Starfleet-esque crew at the start of another Christmas special, “A Christmas Carol.” The world of comic book superheroes, particularly stories starring Superman, clearly influenced “The Return of Doctor Mysterio.”
Unsurprisingly, Doctor Who and its spinoffs have also acknowledged the most popular sci-fi franchise of the past several decades, Star Wars. Nerdy kid Clyde drops several Wars mentions in The Sarah Jane Adventures, and the Eleventh Doctor compared himself to Yoda in the short “Meanwhile in the Tardis.”
But for the adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, the Star Wars nods are getting much more subtle. Speaking with Doctor Who Magazine, senior art director Crissy Howes,...
Unsurprisingly, Doctor Who and its spinoffs have also acknowledged the most popular sci-fi franchise of the past several decades, Star Wars. Nerdy kid Clyde drops several Wars mentions in The Sarah Jane Adventures, and the Eleventh Doctor compared himself to Yoda in the short “Meanwhile in the Tardis.”
But for the adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, the Star Wars nods are getting much more subtle. Speaking with Doctor Who Magazine, senior art director Crissy Howes,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
DreamWorks Animation’s latest feature, “Orion and the Dark,” is all but guaranteed to surprise you. It’s skipping theaters and going straight to Netflix, for starters. On a story level, it reveals the little-known fact that every time humans fall asleep, they’re being bludgeoned or smothered into unconsciousness by a little blue gremlin. But the biggest shock may be the name that appears on the screenplay.
An adult-friendly kids movie about dealing with your anxieties — first and foremost, fear of the dark — the computer-animated feature was written by Charlie Kaufman, the intellect behind “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Adaptation.” The project is itself a miles-outside-the-box adaptation of an inventive and fairly straightforward picture book by Emma Yarlett, which Kaufman complicates as only a galaxy brain like his can.
Taking a page from Pete Docter over at Pixar, Kaufman has hatched a creative (if frequently cumbersome) solution...
An adult-friendly kids movie about dealing with your anxieties — first and foremost, fear of the dark — the computer-animated feature was written by Charlie Kaufman, the intellect behind “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Adaptation.” The project is itself a miles-outside-the-box adaptation of an inventive and fairly straightforward picture book by Emma Yarlett, which Kaufman complicates as only a galaxy brain like his can.
Taking a page from Pete Docter over at Pixar, Kaufman has hatched a creative (if frequently cumbersome) solution...
- 2/2/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Barbie, Saltburn and The Banshees of Inisherin are among the nominees at the UK’s sixth CDG Casting Awards.
Lucy Bevan, Olivia Grant (associate), Lucy Downes (assistant) are nominated in Best Casting in a Film for Barbie, with Kharmel Cochrane (Saltburn), Louise Kiley (Banshees of Inisherin), Kahleen Crawford, Carla Morris & Eliza Heslop (All of Us Strangers) and Jessie Frost (Triangle of Sadness) providing the competition.
In the Best Casting in a TV Drama Series category, Nina Gold is nominated three times, for Andor and Slow Horses Seasons 2 and 3, competing against Shaheen Baig, Jonny Boutwood and Carolyn McLeod for Boiling Point and Robert Sterne and Kate Bone for The Crown.
In the TV Comedy category, Heather Basten, casting execs for Dreaming Whilst Black, Extraordinary, Motherland, Sex Education Season 4 and Ted Lasso Season 3 are up for awards. In the Limited or Single Series race are casting execs from A Small Light, Black Mirror Season 6, Somewhere Boy,...
Lucy Bevan, Olivia Grant (associate), Lucy Downes (assistant) are nominated in Best Casting in a Film for Barbie, with Kharmel Cochrane (Saltburn), Louise Kiley (Banshees of Inisherin), Kahleen Crawford, Carla Morris & Eliza Heslop (All of Us Strangers) and Jessie Frost (Triangle of Sadness) providing the competition.
In the Best Casting in a TV Drama Series category, Nina Gold is nominated three times, for Andor and Slow Horses Seasons 2 and 3, competing against Shaheen Baig, Jonny Boutwood and Carolyn McLeod for Boiling Point and Robert Sterne and Kate Bone for The Crown.
In the TV Comedy category, Heather Basten, casting execs for Dreaming Whilst Black, Extraordinary, Motherland, Sex Education Season 4 and Ted Lasso Season 3 are up for awards. In the Limited or Single Series race are casting execs from A Small Light, Black Mirror Season 6, Somewhere Boy,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
“Expats” star Sarayu Blue remembers the first time imposter syndrome bowled her over.
She was on set for David E. Kelley’s “Monday Mornings” with the “inimitable” Alfred Molina, who just performed a big speech in a key scene.
“We got done, and we were walking to our rooms and he turned back and he said, ‘Was that all right?'” Blue recalled in a conversation with IndieWire. “And I looked behind me cause I thought, ‘Well, he can’t be asking me, who the hell am I?'”
After assuring Molina that he was “brilliant,” Blue remembered realizing: “In that moment, I thought ‘Oh, we never quite release that impostor syndrome.’ We always will check. ‘Did I get that? Did we get it?’ It was a beautiful moment, and I love him so much.”
Going into “Expats” with Nicole Kidman, Blue was experienced at working with big stars and...
She was on set for David E. Kelley’s “Monday Mornings” with the “inimitable” Alfred Molina, who just performed a big speech in a key scene.
“We got done, and we were walking to our rooms and he turned back and he said, ‘Was that all right?'” Blue recalled in a conversation with IndieWire. “And I looked behind me cause I thought, ‘Well, he can’t be asking me, who the hell am I?'”
After assuring Molina that he was “brilliant,” Blue remembered realizing: “In that moment, I thought ‘Oh, we never quite release that impostor syndrome.’ We always will check. ‘Did I get that? Did we get it?’ It was a beautiful moment, and I love him so much.”
Going into “Expats” with Nicole Kidman, Blue was experienced at working with big stars and...
- 1/27/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha has a new, contemporary adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in the works.
With films including Bhaji On The Beach, Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded By The Light, Gurinder Chadha has long since established herself as a filmmaker capable of tackling contemporary subjects with a lightness of touch and broad appeal.
It’s a style that’s set to continue with her film for Disney – more on that in a sec – and another project we hadn’t previously learned about: a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
As reported by Variety, the film came to light when Chadha was in the UK’s House of Commons and talking about the state of the British film industry. There, she revealed that her Christmas Carol would have a British Indian protagonist. Her “Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees,” she said.
With films including Bhaji On The Beach, Bend It Like Beckham and Blinded By The Light, Gurinder Chadha has long since established herself as a filmmaker capable of tackling contemporary subjects with a lightness of touch and broad appeal.
It’s a style that’s set to continue with her film for Disney – more on that in a sec – and another project we hadn’t previously learned about: a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
As reported by Variety, the film came to light when Chadha was in the UK’s House of Commons and talking about the state of the British film industry. There, she revealed that her Christmas Carol would have a British Indian protagonist. Her “Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees,” she said.
- 1/23/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
UK director Gurinder Chadha has revealed how she has struggled to set up her own take on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, as part of the oral evidence she has given during the first session of the UK Parliament’s cross-party Culture, Media and Sport (Cms) Committee today, January 23.
“Right now I’m putting together an independent Christmas film, set in London, very diverse, and it’s been a real struggle for me to get off the ground, partly because the lead character is Indian,” said the Kenyan born, British-Indian filmmaker Chadha, whose credits include Bend It Like Beckham...
“Right now I’m putting together an independent Christmas film, set in London, very diverse, and it’s been a real struggle for me to get off the ground, partly because the lead character is Indian,” said the Kenyan born, British-Indian filmmaker Chadha, whose credits include Bend It Like Beckham...
- 1/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha has revealed that she’s making a film based on Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, but one with a contemporary twist. Speaking about the current state of the UK’s film industry, she said the upcoming film would have an Indian lead character, reports ‘Variety’.
“My Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees”, she said.
Gurinder, best known for ‘Bend it Like Beckham’, also told the U.K. Parliament that the film had support from True Brit Entertainment, the new distribution company set up by former Lionsgate U.K. and Europe head and Marv Studios CEO Zygi Kamasa.
“It’s very close to Dickens’ original themes with the cost of living crisis in Britain”, she said, admitting that she’d spoken to the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the film and he’d asked her not “make him look bad” to which she responded, “I...
“My Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees”, she said.
Gurinder, best known for ‘Bend it Like Beckham’, also told the U.K. Parliament that the film had support from True Brit Entertainment, the new distribution company set up by former Lionsgate U.K. and Europe head and Marv Studios CEO Zygi Kamasa.
“It’s very close to Dickens’ original themes with the cost of living crisis in Britain”, she said, admitting that she’d spoken to the U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the film and he’d asked her not “make him look bad” to which she responded, “I...
- 1/23/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Gurinder Chadha has revealed that she’s making a film based on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” but one with a distinctly contemporary twist.
Speaking to U.K. Parliament on Tuesday about the current state of the country’s film industry, she said the upcoming film was would have an Indian lead character. “My Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees,” she said.
Chadha, best known for Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley starrer “Bend it Like Beckham,” also said the film had support from True Brit Entertainment, the new distribution company set up by former Lionsgate U.K. and Europe head and Marv Studios CEO Zygi Kamasa.
“It’s very close to Dickens’ original themes with the cost of living crisis in the Britain,” she said, admitting that she’d spoken to U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the film and he’d asked her not “make him look...
Speaking to U.K. Parliament on Tuesday about the current state of the country’s film industry, she said the upcoming film was would have an Indian lead character. “My Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees,” she said.
Chadha, best known for Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley starrer “Bend it Like Beckham,” also said the film had support from True Brit Entertainment, the new distribution company set up by former Lionsgate U.K. and Europe head and Marv Studios CEO Zygi Kamasa.
“It’s very close to Dickens’ original themes with the cost of living crisis in the Britain,” she said, admitting that she’d spoken to U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the film and he’d asked her not “make him look...
- 1/23/2024
- by Alex Ritman and K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Jeb Brown (City Center’s Pal Joey), Eddie Cooper (Parade), Andrew Durand (Shucked) and Dashiell Eaves (Broadway’s A Christmas Carol) are among the cast set for the upcoming Audible staging and recording of Dead Outlaw, a new musical from the team behind The Band’s Visit.
The musical, which tells the bizarre true story of a turn-of-the-20th-century outlaw whose corpse became a mummified side-show attraction for decades, will begin previews on Wednesday, February 28 ahead of a Sunday, March 10 opening night at Audible’s Off Broadway Minetta Lane Theatre.
The limited engagement runs through Sunday, April 7, and will be recorded and released on Audible at a later date.
Also included in the principal cast will be Julia Knitel (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Ken Marks (Take Me Out), Trent Saunders (Hadestown) and Thom Sesma (City Center’s Oliver!).
As Deadline exclusively reported back in 2022, Dead Outlaw, conceived by David Yazbek,...
The musical, which tells the bizarre true story of a turn-of-the-20th-century outlaw whose corpse became a mummified side-show attraction for decades, will begin previews on Wednesday, February 28 ahead of a Sunday, March 10 opening night at Audible’s Off Broadway Minetta Lane Theatre.
The limited engagement runs through Sunday, April 7, and will be recorded and released on Audible at a later date.
Also included in the principal cast will be Julia Knitel (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Ken Marks (Take Me Out), Trent Saunders (Hadestown) and Thom Sesma (City Center’s Oliver!).
As Deadline exclusively reported back in 2022, Dead Outlaw, conceived by David Yazbek,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Glynis Johns, the upbeat leading lady with the British charm who starred as the spirited feminist mother Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, has died. She was 100.
Johns lived in West Hollywood and died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the area, her manager, Mitch Clem, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A multitalented actress, dancer, pianist and singer, Johns earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing the widowed saloon and hotel owner Mrs. Firth in Fred Zinnemann’s Australia-set The Sundowners (1960).
Plus, she memorably sang “Send in the Clowns,” which Stephen Sondheim wrote just for her, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 production of A Little Night Music.
The husky voiced Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a daffy older socialite who is stirred by the young stud she meets on the beach in a then-controversial film about sex,...
Johns lived in West Hollywood and died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the area, her manager, Mitch Clem, told The Hollywood Reporter.
A multitalented actress, dancer, pianist and singer, Johns earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing the widowed saloon and hotel owner Mrs. Firth in Fred Zinnemann’s Australia-set The Sundowners (1960).
Plus, she memorably sang “Send in the Clowns,” which Stephen Sondheim wrote just for her, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 production of A Little Night Music.
The husky voiced Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a daffy older socialite who is stirred by the young stud she meets on the beach in a then-controversial film about sex,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Who would have thought that one of the more enduring family movies in the last 20 years would come from Brett Ratner and star Nicolas Cage? Indeed, The Family Man was only a modest success when it came out over the holiday season in 2000, but it has since inspired rip-offs and remakes and is a beloved classic for many of us.
In it, Nicolas Cage plays a high-flying businessman named Jack Campbell, who doesn’t appreciate the little things in life, such as Christmas. It’s lonely at the top, but he consoles himself with his Ferrari, penthouse apartment in New York, and hook-ups with women such as supermodel Amber Valletta, who has a small role as his bedmate early in the film. Yet, being alone on Christmas Eve, he does a good deed when he intervenes in a convenience store standoff by showing empathy towards a wired, gun-toting customer, played by Don Cheadle,...
In it, Nicolas Cage plays a high-flying businessman named Jack Campbell, who doesn’t appreciate the little things in life, such as Christmas. It’s lonely at the top, but he consoles himself with his Ferrari, penthouse apartment in New York, and hook-ups with women such as supermodel Amber Valletta, who has a small role as his bedmate early in the film. Yet, being alone on Christmas Eve, he does a good deed when he intervenes in a convenience store standoff by showing empathy towards a wired, gun-toting customer, played by Don Cheadle,...
- 12/25/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
When it comes to Christmas episodes, it seems there are only so many directions a show can take, and when it comes to Christmas TV tropes, none is as enduring as A Christmas Carol. (Only It’s a Wonderful Life comes close.) Over the years, every show from Doctor Who to Beavis and Butthead has riffed on the Charles Dickens classic to varying degrees of success.
While an exhaustive list would be, well, exhausting, below are five of our favorite TV adaptations:...
While an exhaustive list would be, well, exhausting, below are five of our favorite TV adaptations:...
- 12/24/2023
- by Jessica Liese
- Primetimer
Is it your Christmas wish to spend the day with Mickey, Minnie, and your other favorite Disney characters? While celebrating the holiday at Disney World or Disneyland might not be in the cards this year, you can still soak in some Disney Christmas magic thanks to the 2023 Disney Christmas parade.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. The 2023 parade features a star-studded lineup of performers, including Derek and Julianne Hough, Chrissy Metz, Smashing Pumpkins, and Michael Bolton. Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 Disney Christmas parade and how to watch it.
Disney’s Christmas Day parade airs at 10 a.m. on ABC The Smashing Pumpkins at the 2023 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade | ABC/Disney Parks
Disney’s Christmas Day parade has been a holiday tradition since 1983. Filmed earlier this year at Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim,...
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. The 2023 parade features a star-studded lineup of performers, including Derek and Julianne Hough, Chrissy Metz, Smashing Pumpkins, and Michael Bolton. Here’s what you need to know about the 2023 Disney Christmas parade and how to watch it.
Disney’s Christmas Day parade airs at 10 a.m. on ABC The Smashing Pumpkins at the 2023 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade | ABC/Disney Parks
Disney’s Christmas Day parade has been a holiday tradition since 1983. Filmed earlier this year at Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim,...
- 12/24/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ah, Christmas. It’s a time of family get-togethers, going into debt, and TV and movie studios trying their best to cater to everyone. Unless you’re on the Hallmark Channel, and it’s pretty obvious you’ve got one specific demo you are targeting with extreme prejudice.
Over the years, many Christmas-themed movies and TV specials have danced across screens, both big and small. Some of them are classics like A Muppet Christmas Carol, or It’s a Wonderful Life. Others go out of their way to try and be extreme in their counter-programming, like Silent Night, Deadly Night (which has somehow made six total films over the years…good lord).
And then others are just so odd and unexpected that they deserve their own list, and that’s what we’re doing today. I’m not sure this list should be counted as Nice or Naughty; we’ll say...
Over the years, many Christmas-themed movies and TV specials have danced across screens, both big and small. Some of them are classics like A Muppet Christmas Carol, or It’s a Wonderful Life. Others go out of their way to try and be extreme in their counter-programming, like Silent Night, Deadly Night (which has somehow made six total films over the years…good lord).
And then others are just so odd and unexpected that they deserve their own list, and that’s what we’re doing today. I’m not sure this list should be counted as Nice or Naughty; we’ll say...
- 12/23/2023
- by Jessica Dwyer
- JoBlo.com
Social media users recently marveled that last month marked 20 years since three modern Christmas favorites — New Line’s Elf, Universal’s Love Actually and Miramax’s Bad Santa — all hit theaters within weeks of each other. Two decades later, you don’t need to feel like a cotton-headed ninny-muggins if you’re among those wondering why studios don’t release holiday theatrical offerings in the way they once did.
Although most Christmas films don’t tend to follow the path of, say, 1990’s Home Alone, which topped the domestic box office for a whopping 12 straight weeks, they had typically been a staple of the release calendar, with a handful of titles hitting theaters annually, as recently as the late 2010s. That list includes such 2016 theatrical offerings as Almost Christmas, Bad Santa 2, Office Christmas Party and Why Him?, followed by 2017’s Daddy’s Home 2, A Bad Moms Christmas and animated...
Although most Christmas films don’t tend to follow the path of, say, 1990’s Home Alone, which topped the domestic box office for a whopping 12 straight weeks, they had typically been a staple of the release calendar, with a handful of titles hitting theaters annually, as recently as the late 2010s. That list includes such 2016 theatrical offerings as Almost Christmas, Bad Santa 2, Office Christmas Party and Why Him?, followed by 2017’s Daddy’s Home 2, A Bad Moms Christmas and animated...
- 12/23/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Christmas is just around the corner. A time when you plan to have a pop-corn time with you family, when you tend to not remember the films that you’d want to enjoy. The festive spirit has filled the air, so, here are a sleigh-full of delightful Christmas movies to elevate your holiday cheer.
From timeless classics to modern marvels, here is a curated collection that embodies the true essence of the season. Get ready to be whisked away into a world of joy, laughter, and enchantment through these captivating titles that promise to make this holiday season truly memorable.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever
Greg Heffley fights to stay off Santa’s naughty list as his family prepares for a major snowstorm.
Dashing Through the Snow
A good-hearted man who has lost his faith in Christmas befriends a mysterious character named Nick.
The Guardians of the...
From timeless classics to modern marvels, here is a curated collection that embodies the true essence of the season. Get ready to be whisked away into a world of joy, laughter, and enchantment through these captivating titles that promise to make this holiday season truly memorable.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever
Greg Heffley fights to stay off Santa’s naughty list as his family prepares for a major snowstorm.
Dashing Through the Snow
A good-hearted man who has lost his faith in Christmas befriends a mysterious character named Nick.
The Guardians of the...
- 12/23/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
Rod Serling was famous for a lot of things. He was one of the most acclaimed television writers of the mid-20th century, the creator of the genre-defining anthology series "The Twilight Zone," he co-wrote the screenplay to the original "Planet of the Apes," and he even helped give Steven Spielberg his big break. But even though he's famous for a lot of things, he was a prolific writer and even some of his best and most fascinating projects have been largely forgotten by the public over time. Like, for example, an adaptation of one of the most popular Christmas stories ever told, transformed into one of the most politically charged Christmas movies ever filmed.
Serling was no stranger to Christmas stories. After all, he wrote the classic yuletide episode "Night of the Meek," a hopeful story about an alcoholic department store Santa who stumbles across a magical sack that...
Serling was no stranger to Christmas stories. After all, he wrote the classic yuletide episode "Night of the Meek," a hopeful story about an alcoholic department store Santa who stumbles across a magical sack that...
- 12/22/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
In 1843, London publishers Chapman & Hall released A Christmas Carol. Written by Charles Dickens and illustrated by John Leech, it was inspired in part by Dickens’s anger at inequality in his country, especially as it affected children. Despite its aversion to the upper classes, A Christmas Carol was an immediate hit among readers and critics. Given the book’s popularity, it’s no surprise that movie makers have picked up on the story many times. Between its clear redemption arc and ghostly premise, the story has everything that a good movie needs.
Still, not every adaptation of A Christmas Carol is created equal. So if you’re looking for the best of the worst man in film and literature, check out these ten great movies. And if you don’t like my picks, well, bah humbug I say.
10. Scrooged (1988)
On paper, Scrooged sounds like a home run. Bill Murray, in his ’80s glory,...
Still, not every adaptation of A Christmas Carol is created equal. So if you’re looking for the best of the worst man in film and literature, check out these ten great movies. And if you don’t like my picks, well, bah humbug I say.
10. Scrooged (1988)
On paper, Scrooged sounds like a home run. Bill Murray, in his ’80s glory,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
December is the most popular month for charitable giving by Americans – accounting for about a third of all donations made per year. Call it the spirit of the holidays, repeated viewings of A Christmas Carol, or a rush to get in tax-deductible gifts before the calendar year runs out.
That makes this a particularly timely moment to encounter one of this year’s Oscar-contending documentaries, UnCharitable, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. It argues we are applying misguided standards to charities – monitoring their overhead expenses like hawks and shaming any nonprofits that dare to spend money on staff salaries or fundraising.
“The movie is demanding that we look at it in a new way, really,” Gyllenhaal said in a recent Q&a (you can watch the conversation below). Under the existing paradigm, charitable nonprofits have learned to operate bare bones style, at the expense of solving the social problems they ostensibly are meant to address.
That makes this a particularly timely moment to encounter one of this year’s Oscar-contending documentaries, UnCharitable, directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. It argues we are applying misguided standards to charities – monitoring their overhead expenses like hawks and shaming any nonprofits that dare to spend money on staff salaries or fundraising.
“The movie is demanding that we look at it in a new way, really,” Gyllenhaal said in a recent Q&a (you can watch the conversation below). Under the existing paradigm, charitable nonprofits have learned to operate bare bones style, at the expense of solving the social problems they ostensibly are meant to address.
- 12/18/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
On the 8th day of Creepmas, we’re celebrating the Victorian holiday tradition of sharing ghost stories. Telling ghost stories during winter was a folk custom that dated back centuries but slowly faded over time. Any tradition that involves scaring each other with horror stories feels like one worth reviving, so today’s Creepmas festivities embrace holiday horror movies that center around ghosts and hauntings. The eight titles below run the gamut from inducing warm holiday feels to ghostly insanity to chilling terror.
The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 8 Christmas ghosts to haunt your holiday season.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Anything for Jackson
Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings star as Audrey and Henry Walsh, a well-to-do couple mourning their young grandson’s tragic loss. Still deep in the denial stage of grief, they turn to Satanism. The couple kidnaps a pregnant...
The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 8 Christmas ghosts to haunt your holiday season.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Anything for Jackson
Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings star as Audrey and Henry Walsh, a well-to-do couple mourning their young grandson’s tragic loss. Still deep in the denial stage of grief, they turn to Satanism. The couple kidnaps a pregnant...
- 12/18/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s the holiday season, everyone! And that applies for whenever you end up reading this because, as we all know, holiday cheer is a state of mind as much as it is date on the calendar.
Speaking of calendar dates though, there are many Christmas movies and TV specials to enjoy throughout November and December in 2023. Whether it’s via cable or streaming, television has a jam-packed schedule to keep you in the Christmas spirit. Here we’ve gathered all of those Christmas movie and TV special options that we can find in a helpful day-by-day format. Read on to find out when your favorite holiday specials will be airing or streaming and learn how to find some new favorites!
A note: If You’Re Looking For Hallmark Movies, please check out Hallmark Channel’s official schedule for every Christmas movie Hallmark has to offer during the 2023 holiday season.
Speaking of calendar dates though, there are many Christmas movies and TV specials to enjoy throughout November and December in 2023. Whether it’s via cable or streaming, television has a jam-packed schedule to keep you in the Christmas spirit. Here we’ve gathered all of those Christmas movie and TV special options that we can find in a helpful day-by-day format. Read on to find out when your favorite holiday specials will be airing or streaming and learn how to find some new favorites!
A note: If You’Re Looking For Hallmark Movies, please check out Hallmark Channel’s official schedule for every Christmas movie Hallmark has to offer during the 2023 holiday season.
- 12/18/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
With Christmas just one week (and one day) away, we wanted to ask you, the people, what your favorite Christmas Movie is? It doesn’t have to be the movie you think is the best, just the one that you eagerly anticipate watching every year. Is it the timeless tale of an angel getting its wings in It’s A Wonderful Life? or perhaps the under-appreciated (and genuinely hilarious) R rated The Night Before is how you kick off your holiday season?
Do you look forward to seeing Jack Skellington discover the true meaning of Christmas in the Christmas Movie Classic The Nightmare Before Christmas or watching Kevin McCallister take down the Wet/ Sticky Bandits in Home Alone 1&2 or perhaps seeing Clark W. Griswold struggle to have the perfect family Christmas in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is more your speed? Whatever film fills you with yuletide glee, we would love...
Do you look forward to seeing Jack Skellington discover the true meaning of Christmas in the Christmas Movie Classic The Nightmare Before Christmas or watching Kevin McCallister take down the Wet/ Sticky Bandits in Home Alone 1&2 or perhaps seeing Clark W. Griswold struggle to have the perfect family Christmas in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is more your speed? Whatever film fills you with yuletide glee, we would love...
- 12/17/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
As the grip of winter tightens and the nights stretch longer, the stage is perfectly set for tales where ghosts roam and darkness prevails. Winter horror movies have a unique way of embedding their chills deep into our bones, and when those tales involve phantoms and frosty breath that might not be your own, you know you’re in for something special. We’re focusing on ghostly horrors today, and we’ve got quite the chilly list heading your way!
So grab a steaming mug of something comforting, and let’s dive into the top winter ghost stories that will make these dark months feel even more deliciously eerie!
10. The Invisible Man (2020)
Modern Invisibility as a Ghostly Force. In this chilling update, the terror of The Invisible Man springs not from the supernatural, but from the unseen malevolence that 21st-century technology can cloak. When Cecilia’s abusive ex seemingly takes...
So grab a steaming mug of something comforting, and let’s dive into the top winter ghost stories that will make these dark months feel even more deliciously eerie!
10. The Invisible Man (2020)
Modern Invisibility as a Ghostly Force. In this chilling update, the terror of The Invisible Man springs not from the supernatural, but from the unseen malevolence that 21st-century technology can cloak. When Cecilia’s abusive ex seemingly takes...
- 12/15/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Tis the season to be scary and Screambox has got you covered with a trio of brand-spanking-new Christmas-themed horror movies that go perfectly with cookies and milk in front of a warm fire.
Now streaming on Screambox from the director of Jason Goes to Hell is Secret Santa and the awesomely creepy anthology Night of the Missing.
That’s not all! Just in time for Christmas break, Santastein will make the long winter’s nights anything but silent on Dec. 19.
Since Black Christmas, holiday films have been a refreshing sub-genre within horror. These films offer a much-needed contrast to the “all is well” narrative that is so often depicted in seasonal films. The angst and anxiety of holiday horror offer a cathartic release because for many the holidays are not perfect, and we don’t see ourselves in the yuletide rom-coms.
In fact, Screambox has more than stocking stuffers, with...
Now streaming on Screambox from the director of Jason Goes to Hell is Secret Santa and the awesomely creepy anthology Night of the Missing.
That’s not all! Just in time for Christmas break, Santastein will make the long winter’s nights anything but silent on Dec. 19.
Since Black Christmas, holiday films have been a refreshing sub-genre within horror. These films offer a much-needed contrast to the “all is well” narrative that is so often depicted in seasonal films. The angst and anxiety of holiday horror offer a cathartic release because for many the holidays are not perfect, and we don’t see ourselves in the yuletide rom-coms.
In fact, Screambox has more than stocking stuffers, with...
- 12/15/2023
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
After a wildly successful Off-Broadway run in New York, Saw The Musical: The Unauthorized Parody of Saw not only will extend it’s run but launch a national tour as well.
Saw The Musical continues Off-Broadway at Amt Theatre (345 West 45th Street) through June 23, 2024. The national tour begins in LA with a six-week run beginning February 29 at the Hudson Theatres Mainstage.
Created by Cooper Jordan (Dex! A Killer Musical, The Rat Pack Undead), Saw The Musical has a book by Award -Winning Writer Zoe Ann Jordan (Virtuoso – Nychff) and music & lyrics by Patrick Spencer & Anthony De Angelis (An Axemas Story), and directed by Tony Award Winner Stephanie Rosenberg (Easter Bunny Hop! Live; Co-Producer: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Anastasia) with music direction by Leigh Pomeranz (Dex! A Killer Musical).
Saw The Musical hilariously captures the events of the first movie, parodying the Saw that started it all, following from where Lawrence Gordon...
Saw The Musical continues Off-Broadway at Amt Theatre (345 West 45th Street) through June 23, 2024. The national tour begins in LA with a six-week run beginning February 29 at the Hudson Theatres Mainstage.
Created by Cooper Jordan (Dex! A Killer Musical, The Rat Pack Undead), Saw The Musical has a book by Award -Winning Writer Zoe Ann Jordan (Virtuoso – Nychff) and music & lyrics by Patrick Spencer & Anthony De Angelis (An Axemas Story), and directed by Tony Award Winner Stephanie Rosenberg (Easter Bunny Hop! Live; Co-Producer: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Anastasia) with music direction by Leigh Pomeranz (Dex! A Killer Musical).
Saw The Musical hilariously captures the events of the first movie, parodying the Saw that started it all, following from where Lawrence Gordon...
- 12/15/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Christmas Books That Were Turned Into Movies ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
Not everyone likes reading books. It demands a big chunk of your time and a lot of concentration. And come on, let’s be real, why bother when you can easily watch a two-hour movie adaptation that covers all the important scenes and leaves out all the fillers? Besides, even for the most avid book readers, diving into Christmas-themed books might not be very high up on their list of holiday priorities. So, what better way to fill in that book void on Christmas than by watching some Christmas films based on books?
Here are 5 holiday-themed books that were turned into movies.
1. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is a Charles Dickens biographical film based on a book written by Les Standiford. It was released on November 22, 2017, in Canada and was directed by Bharat Nalluri. It stars Dan Stevens,...
Not everyone likes reading books. It demands a big chunk of your time and a lot of concentration. And come on, let’s be real, why bother when you can easily watch a two-hour movie adaptation that covers all the important scenes and leaves out all the fillers? Besides, even for the most avid book readers, diving into Christmas-themed books might not be very high up on their list of holiday priorities. So, what better way to fill in that book void on Christmas than by watching some Christmas films based on books?
Here are 5 holiday-themed books that were turned into movies.
1. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
“The Man Who Invented Christmas” is a Charles Dickens biographical film based on a book written by Les Standiford. It was released on November 22, 2017, in Canada and was directed by Bharat Nalluri. It stars Dan Stevens,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Koimoi.com Team
- KoiMoi
Disney is well-known for its sea of Christmas releases. Dive into the magic of the season with these wholesome ones ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
Disney is known for taking Christmas time very seriously. They go all out with their Christmas special releases and their Holiday-themed movies, and all of them end up being very well-received by the public. This is understandable because Christmas is already a magical time, but add a little Disney fairy dust and a wish upon a star in there, and you have yourself the most magical holiday ever.
Here are five of the best Disney Christmas movies to enjoy with your family and add a touch of that magic to the holiday season.
1. Lady And The Tramp (1955)
When we think of romance, a budding relationship between two dogs is not what comes to mind. However, Disney’s “Lady And The Tramp,” released in 1955, makes us root for...
Disney is known for taking Christmas time very seriously. They go all out with their Christmas special releases and their Holiday-themed movies, and all of them end up being very well-received by the public. This is understandable because Christmas is already a magical time, but add a little Disney fairy dust and a wish upon a star in there, and you have yourself the most magical holiday ever.
Here are five of the best Disney Christmas movies to enjoy with your family and add a touch of that magic to the holiday season.
1. Lady And The Tramp (1955)
When we think of romance, a budding relationship between two dogs is not what comes to mind. However, Disney’s “Lady And The Tramp,” released in 1955, makes us root for...
- 12/14/2023
- by Koimoi.com Team
- KoiMoi
New small screen and big screen takes on 1980s classic The Lost Boys have failed to materialize in recent years, but Deadline reports that an official musical is now in the works.
Actors Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Insidious), James Carpinello (Midway) and Marcus Chait (Million Dollar Baby) are on board to produce The Lost Boys musical.
Deadline reports, “In addition to Michael Arden (Parade), The Lost Boys will feature a creative team that includes book writers David Hornsby (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Chris Hoch; and music by The Rescues, with Ethan Popp (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) serving as Music Supervisor.”
The site also notes that the upcoming musical “will be produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.” Stay tuned for more as we learn it.
Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover...
Actors Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring, Insidious), James Carpinello (Midway) and Marcus Chait (Million Dollar Baby) are on board to produce The Lost Boys musical.
Deadline reports, “In addition to Michael Arden (Parade), The Lost Boys will feature a creative team that includes book writers David Hornsby (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Chris Hoch; and music by The Rescues, with Ethan Popp (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) serving as Music Supervisor.”
The site also notes that the upcoming musical “will be produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.” Stay tuned for more as we learn it.
Joel Schumacher directed the original The Lost Boys movie in 1987, wherein two brothers move to a new town and discover...
- 12/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Lost Boys, the 1987 cult classic horror-comedy about hunky teenage vampires that made stars of Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland and Coreys Feldman and Haim, is being adapted as a stage musical by a team that includes co-book writers It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia writer/EP David Hornsby and Chris Hoch, Parade director Michael Arden and pop-rock band The Rescues.
The project is being produced by first-time collaborators – and noted stage and film actors – Patrick Wilson, James Carpinello and Marcus Chait. The musical will be produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
Casting and a production timeline were not announced.
The Lost Boys is Arden’s first-announced musical project since he won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Direction/Musical for Parade, the smash Broadway hit starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond. Earlier today, Parade producers announced a 2025 North American tour, with casting to be announced later.
In addition to Arden,...
The project is being produced by first-time collaborators – and noted stage and film actors – Patrick Wilson, James Carpinello and Marcus Chait. The musical will be produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.
Casting and a production timeline were not announced.
The Lost Boys is Arden’s first-announced musical project since he won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Direction/Musical for Parade, the smash Broadway hit starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond. Earlier today, Parade producers announced a 2025 North American tour, with casting to be announced later.
In addition to Arden,...
- 12/13/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Hallmark's latest holiday film drops Thursday, December 7, on Hallmark Movies Now, reminding us to be cautious of what we wish for.
Rescuing Christmas follows a woman overwhelmed with the holidays, so she wishes it would disappear. When she's filled with wish regret, she needs to bring it back, and she turns to an unlikely ally: her recent blind date and her brother-in-law's friend Sam.
Rachael Leigh Cook and Sam Page star in this holiday rom-com, and neither is a stranger to the Hallmark franchise.
Cook has had the perfect blend of comedy and romance since she appeared in She's All That 25 years ago, and she still rocks it when she reaches the end of her rope and then tries to fix things.
If you ask anyone, they'll confirm that planning for Christmas is as overwhelming as it is joyous. You need to buy all the presents, do the holiday baking,...
Rescuing Christmas follows a woman overwhelmed with the holidays, so she wishes it would disappear. When she's filled with wish regret, she needs to bring it back, and she turns to an unlikely ally: her recent blind date and her brother-in-law's friend Sam.
Rachael Leigh Cook and Sam Page star in this holiday rom-com, and neither is a stranger to the Hallmark franchise.
Cook has had the perfect blend of comedy and romance since she appeared in She's All That 25 years ago, and she still rocks it when she reaches the end of her rope and then tries to fix things.
If you ask anyone, they'll confirm that planning for Christmas is as overwhelming as it is joyous. You need to buy all the presents, do the holiday baking,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Laura Nowak
- TVfanatic
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