Anthony Chen's slow-burn character study is essentially a showcase for its star Cynthia Erivo, who after scene stealing turns in the likes of Widows and Bad Times At The El Royale and her lead performance in Harriet, proves she can not only carry a film but lift it emotionally beyond the script.
Based on the book by Alexander Maksik and adapted by the author and Susanne Farrell for the screen, Erivo plays Jacqueline, a Liberian refugee, whose experience on a Greek holiday island is far from a sun-kissed getaway. A liminal space already, thanks to all those holidaymakers coming and going, she exists in an even more precarious state. In the here and now, she is on the fringes, stealing sugar packets to keep herself going and olive oil as a way to generate a bit of cash by offering tourists foot massages on the beach. But Jacqueline is also emotionally.
Based on the book by Alexander Maksik and adapted by the author and Susanne Farrell for the screen, Erivo plays Jacqueline, a Liberian refugee, whose experience on a Greek holiday island is far from a sun-kissed getaway. A liminal space already, thanks to all those holidaymakers coming and going, she exists in an even more precarious state. In the here and now, she is on the fringes, stealing sugar packets to keep herself going and olive oil as a way to generate a bit of cash by offering tourists foot massages on the beach. But Jacqueline is also emotionally.
- 3/27/2024
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Zendaya, Michelle Pfeiffer and Oscar winners Nicolas Cage and Al Pacino are among the first group of presenters for this year’s 96th Oscars ceremony.
Also presenting are last year’s four acting winners — Brendan Fraser from “The Whale” and Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis from the best picture winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
Oscar winners Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight” and “Green Book”), Jessica Lange (“Tootsie” and “Blue Sky”), Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”), Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”) and Sam Rockwell also are set to take the stage.
Additional presenters include Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef.
Rounding out the list of presenters are Ariana Grande, Issa Rae, Anya Taylor-Joy, Oscar nominees Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”), Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”), America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Melissa McCarthy...
Also presenting are last year’s four acting winners — Brendan Fraser from “The Whale” and Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis from the best picture winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
Oscar winners Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight” and “Green Book”), Jessica Lange (“Tootsie” and “Blue Sky”), Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”), Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”) and Sam Rockwell also are set to take the stage.
Additional presenters include Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate McKinnon, Rita Moreno, John Mulaney, Catherine O’Hara, Octavia Spencer and Ramy Youssef.
Rounding out the list of presenters are Ariana Grande, Issa Rae, Anya Taylor-Joy, Oscar nominees Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”), Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”), America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), Melissa McCarthy...
- 3/5/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
In the early days of January, Universal Pictures closed the first major Hollywood deal of 2024 by pre-emptively purchasing the short story package Long Lost, with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners producing alongside Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon of Genre Pictures, as well as Scott Glassgold of Ground Control Entertainment. Colin Bannon, who previously wrote and directed the 2009 comedy Love Conquers Paul, is on board to write the screenplay adaptation of his own 50 page short story, which is said to be “in the vein of What Lies Beneath and Rosemary’s Baby“. Now Deadline reports that Universal has scored another Colin Bannon deal, pre-emptively purchasing his short story thriller package Don’t Look, with Janelle Monáe in talks to star and M3GAN, Malignant, and The Nun 2 writer Akela Cooper writing the screenplay, based on an unpublished Bannon short story.
How does the maker of a little-seen indie from 15 years ago land deals like this?...
How does the maker of a little-seen indie from 15 years ago land deals like this?...
- 2/26/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The trailer for "Wicked" just premiered during the Super Bowl and it features recognizable stars like Bowen Yang and Ariana Grande. But playing the future Wicked Witch Elphaba is someone who might be hard to recognize under all that green make-up: Cynthia Erivo. She's not a household name, but there's a decent chance you've seen (or heard) her somewhere without realizing it.
Erivo is an English actress who rose to prominence with one of her first major theater roles: Celie Harris in the musical stage adaptation of "The Color Purple." She went on to feature in the musical film "Beyond the Lights," then took on the role of Chenice in the West End musical "I Can't Sing!" The name of that show was misleading: Erivo very much could sing, and would continue receiving bigger and better roles as a result. She soon made her Broadway debut in the 2015 revival of "The Color Purple,...
Erivo is an English actress who rose to prominence with one of her first major theater roles: Celie Harris in the musical stage adaptation of "The Color Purple." She went on to feature in the musical film "Beyond the Lights," then took on the role of Chenice in the West End musical "I Can't Sing!" The name of that show was misleading: Erivo very much could sing, and would continue receiving bigger and better roles as a result. She soon made her Broadway debut in the 2015 revival of "The Color Purple,...
- 2/12/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Pro-tip: as our current leap year turns the page into February, it’s a good idea to stock up on artificial tears at the Cvs. Why? Because this is an exceptionally intense month for movie-watching. In addition to your 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards screeners, there’s also an exciting collection of Don’t-Miss Indies hitting theaters and streamers, from combat-heavy martial arts action sagas to gentle culinary dramas. So put on some more tea, snuggle up with your kitty, puppy, snake or waifu body pillow of choice, and get to watchin’!
True Detective: Night Country
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: HBO, Max
Director: Issa López
Cast: Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw
Why We’re Excited: The fourth season of HBO’s anthology crime drama is the first one for which creator Nic Pizzolatto does not serve as the showrunner or writer; those responsibilities now fall to Mexican filmmaker Issa López,...
True Detective: Night Country
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: HBO, Max
Director: Issa López
Cast: Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw
Why We’re Excited: The fourth season of HBO’s anthology crime drama is the first one for which creator Nic Pizzolatto does not serve as the showrunner or writer; those responsibilities now fall to Mexican filmmaker Issa López,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Su Fang Tham
- Film Independent News & More
Jennifer Nettles, lead vocalist of the country duo Sugarland and a successful solo artist, got into acting by playing Dolly Parton’s mother in the 2015 TV movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. Since then she has appeared in the sequel to that movie, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, performed in Chicago and Waitress on Broadway, had roles in the film Harriet and the TV series Underground, and appeared on multiple episodes of the HBO show The Righteous Gemstones… which happens to be executive produced by David Gordon Green, so that paved the way for her to have a role in Green’s most recent film, The Exorcist: Believer. Now Deadline reports that Nettles is following her Exorcist role by being cast in another genre project: the horror action series The Bondsman!
Coming our way from Blumhouse Television and set up at Amazon’s Prime Video,...
Coming our way from Blumhouse Television and set up at Amazon’s Prime Video,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Cynthia Erivo blew the roof off the Kennedy Center with her incredible performance of the song “Alfie” during the 2023 Kennedy Center Honors special.
The Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actress performed during the Dionne Warwick tribute, which aired on Wednesday night (December 27). Check out the full list of performers who appeared on the special.
Head inside to watch the performance video…
Cynthia rose to fame while playing Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple musical. She’s currently filming the upcoming Wicked movies, playing the role of Elphaba.
Cynthia received two Oscar nominations for her work in the movie Harriet, one for Best Actress and another for Best Original Song for writing “Stand Up.”
Watch the performance video below!
Fyi: Cynthia is wearing a Cong Tri gown for the performance.
The Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actress performed during the Dionne Warwick tribute, which aired on Wednesday night (December 27). Check out the full list of performers who appeared on the special.
Head inside to watch the performance video…
Cynthia rose to fame while playing Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple musical. She’s currently filming the upcoming Wicked movies, playing the role of Elphaba.
Cynthia received two Oscar nominations for her work in the movie Harriet, one for Best Actress and another for Best Original Song for writing “Stand Up.”
Watch the performance video below!
Fyi: Cynthia is wearing a Cong Tri gown for the performance.
- 12/28/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
It was nice while it lasted: David Fincher’s “The Killer” opened to #1 on the Netflix Top 10 last week and it’s now #3. Another high-profile Netflix Original took its place with Mary Lambert’s “Best. Christmas. Ever!” Trivia ensues: Much earlier in their careers, Fincher and Lambert each directed high-profile Madonna videos.
We’re still waiting on the PVOD releases of October titles “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (already streaming on Peacock), and “Killers of the Flower Moon” (soon to be streaming on Apple TV+). That left a sweet spot for Disney to debut Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” at $19.99 — a rare film that’s not part of a franchise, and budgeted under $100 million.
The sci-fi thriller was a modest box office performer (just over $100 million worldwide), so its post-theatrical earnings are critical for potential profit. It is #1 at Vudu, which ranks by revenue. It was #1 during the week at iTunes,...
We’re still waiting on the PVOD releases of October titles “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (already streaming on Peacock), and “Killers of the Flower Moon” (soon to be streaming on Apple TV+). That left a sweet spot for Disney to debut Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” at $19.99 — a rare film that’s not part of a franchise, and budgeted under $100 million.
The sci-fi thriller was a modest box office performer (just over $100 million worldwide), so its post-theatrical earnings are critical for potential profit. It is #1 at Vudu, which ranks by revenue. It was #1 during the week at iTunes,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The latest feature from David Fincher, a big-budget drama series from Steven Knight and Shawn Levy, and an Oscar hopeful starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster are among the standout new additions hitting Netflix in November.
With The Killer, Fincher reteams with Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker to adapt the graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this year and debuts on Netflix on Nov. 10, stars Michael Fassbender as a shadowy unnamed assassin and features a cast that includes Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Gabriel Polanco, Kerry O’Malley, Emiliano Pernía, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of The Killer described the film as “a satisfyingly retro, location-hopping genre exercise with fisticuffs, gadgets (albeit ones bought from Amazon) and smooth-talking antagonists that all plays like a tongue-in-cheek spoof of James Bond movies.”
All the Light We Cannot See...
With The Killer, Fincher reteams with Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker to adapt the graphic novel written by Alexis Nolent. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival this year and debuts on Netflix on Nov. 10, stars Michael Fassbender as a shadowy unnamed assassin and features a cast that includes Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Gabriel Polanco, Kerry O’Malley, Emiliano Pernía, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of The Killer described the film as “a satisfyingly retro, location-hopping genre exercise with fisticuffs, gadgets (albeit ones bought from Amazon) and smooth-talking antagonists that all plays like a tongue-in-cheek spoof of James Bond movies.”
All the Light We Cannot See...
- 11/2/2023
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cynthia Erivo has already achieved a Grammy, a Tony, an Emmy, and an Oscar nomination in her career, but the stage and screen actress was determined to add yet another title to her resumé: producer.
Erivo stars in “Drift,” the adaptation of Alexander Maksik’s 2013 novel “A Marker to Measure Drift,” which is her first producing project to be released. As “Drift” is an entirely independent production through an Equity deal, the film is exempt from SAG-AFTRA restrictions amid the ongoing strike.
Erivo exclusively told IndieWire that she was attached to the project since around 2015, when she was starring in “The Color Purple” on Broadway. After a director switch following the death of Bill Paxton, Erivo was key in getting “Drift” greenlit, as well as helping select “Search Party” star Alia Shawkat to co-star after the initial actor “didn’t quite work out.”
“It was kind of all-in,...
Erivo stars in “Drift,” the adaptation of Alexander Maksik’s 2013 novel “A Marker to Measure Drift,” which is her first producing project to be released. As “Drift” is an entirely independent production through an Equity deal, the film is exempt from SAG-AFTRA restrictions amid the ongoing strike.
Erivo exclusively told IndieWire that she was attached to the project since around 2015, when she was starring in “The Color Purple” on Broadway. After a director switch following the death of Bill Paxton, Erivo was key in getting “Drift” greenlit, as well as helping select “Search Party” star Alia Shawkat to co-star after the initial actor “didn’t quite work out.”
“It was kind of all-in,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
As “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” continues to dominate the box office, one three-screen arthouse movie theater in Milwaukee will also show films starring several of Taylor Swift’s past boyfriends.
Cara Ogburn, artistic director of Oriental Theater overseer Milwaukee Film, brainstormed the idea in response to the requirement that theaters can only show “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” Thursdays through Sundays.
“What if we show all Jake Gyllenhaal movies,” Ogburn, who was interviewed by The New York Times, recalled suggesting initially as a joke. “True counterprogramming.”
Thus next week, the theater will screen “Twilight” starring Taylor Lautner as werewolf Jacob Black, “Dunkirk” featuring Harry Styles formerly of the boyband “One Direction” and now doing just fine on his own as a solo musician and actor, “Crimson Peak” starring Tom Hiddleston before he took on the mantle of the MCU’s Lokie and several Jake Gyllenhaal features — “Zodiac,” “Enemy,” “Nocturnal Animals...
Cara Ogburn, artistic director of Oriental Theater overseer Milwaukee Film, brainstormed the idea in response to the requirement that theaters can only show “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” Thursdays through Sundays.
“What if we show all Jake Gyllenhaal movies,” Ogburn, who was interviewed by The New York Times, recalled suggesting initially as a joke. “True counterprogramming.”
Thus next week, the theater will screen “Twilight” starring Taylor Lautner as werewolf Jacob Black, “Dunkirk” featuring Harry Styles formerly of the boyband “One Direction” and now doing just fine on his own as a solo musician and actor, “Crimson Peak” starring Tom Hiddleston before he took on the mantle of the MCU’s Lokie and several Jake Gyllenhaal features — “Zodiac,” “Enemy,” “Nocturnal Animals...
- 10/20/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
All titles below begin streaming for free on October 1 unless otherwise noted:
Originals
Documentary
TMZ Presents:
Tragically Viral
– 10/11-
What happens when the quest for clicks goes too far? TMZ examines the dark & sometimes deadly side of social media in Tragically Viral.
Scariest Monsters In The World
-10/18-
Join us as we embark on this international countdown of the scariest monsters in the world – who will be on your list as the most creepy?
TMZ No Bs: Rich, Famous & Terrified Stars
-10/25-
TMZ examines some of the most downright terrifying experiences celebs have faced that prove being a celebrity isn’t all glitz & glamor.
Horror
Dante’S Hotel
-10/13-
When an unknown assailant preys on a haunted hotel’s patrons, an event planner teams up with a mysterious tenant who’s dark past is the key to freeing the cursed hotel
The Devil Comes To Kansas City
-...
Originals
Documentary
TMZ Presents:
Tragically Viral
– 10/11-
What happens when the quest for clicks goes too far? TMZ examines the dark & sometimes deadly side of social media in Tragically Viral.
Scariest Monsters In The World
-10/18-
Join us as we embark on this international countdown of the scariest monsters in the world – who will be on your list as the most creepy?
TMZ No Bs: Rich, Famous & Terrified Stars
-10/25-
TMZ examines some of the most downright terrifying experiences celebs have faced that prove being a celebrity isn’t all glitz & glamor.
Horror
Dante’S Hotel
-10/13-
When an unknown assailant preys on a haunted hotel’s patrons, an event planner teams up with a mysterious tenant who’s dark past is the key to freeing the cursed hotel
The Devil Comes To Kansas City
-...
- 9/28/2023
- by Stephen Nepa
- Age of the Nerd
(from left) Angela Fielding (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia Marcum) in The Exorcist: Believer, directed by David Gordon Green.
Experience the first look of The Exorcist: Believer in theaters October 6, 2023.
Exactly 50 years ago this fall, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 6, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer.
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding has raised their daughter, Angela on his own.
But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation,...
Experience the first look of The Exorcist: Believer in theaters October 6, 2023.
Exactly 50 years ago this fall, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 6, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer.
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding has raised their daughter, Angela on his own.
But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation,...
- 9/22/2023
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
AMC Networks is bolstering the leadership team for its film group, which is comprised of IFC Films, Rlje Films, and Shudder. The company has added two new executives and promoted others, including one executive formerly with A24.
The hires come in the wake of an exodus of departures at IFC Films that began in March, including president Arianna Bocco after a 17-year run. The hires compose the team assembled under new film group head Scott Shooman, who took the job last month.
Nicole Weis, who previously worked at A24 as its VP of sales and distribution, is joining the team as VP of Distribution, managing the theatrical rollout of the film group’s output, and Judy Woloshen, who has been with AMC Networks, is moving over to the film group and is the VP of Public Relations. Weis will report to Scott Shooman, head of the film group, and Woloshen will promote to Olivia Dupuis,...
The hires come in the wake of an exodus of departures at IFC Films that began in March, including president Arianna Bocco after a 17-year run. The hires compose the team assembled under new film group head Scott Shooman, who took the job last month.
Nicole Weis, who previously worked at A24 as its VP of sales and distribution, is joining the team as VP of Distribution, managing the theatrical rollout of the film group’s output, and Judy Woloshen, who has been with AMC Networks, is moving over to the film group and is the VP of Public Relations. Weis will report to Scott Shooman, head of the film group, and Woloshen will promote to Olivia Dupuis,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
David Gordon Green has directed the upcoming American supernatural horror movie ‘The Exorcist: Believer’. The plot is adapted from a story by Danny McBride, Scott Teems, and David Gordon Green and the characters of William Peter Blatty.
The movie serves as the direct sequel to the 1973 movie ‘The Exorcist’ and the sixth installment of The Exorcist franchise.
The plot revolves around the parents of girls who have been possessed by demons and are desperate for help. They go in search of someone who went through similar experiences and that is Chris MacNeil from ‘The Exorcist’.
When Is The Exorcist: Believer Releasing?
The Exorcist: Believer reported in August of 2020 that Morgan Creek Entertainment would produce the new installment of The Exorcist franchise which will also serve as a reboot.
Principal photography kicked off in November of 2022 and filming wrapped early in March of 2023.
Universal Pictures released the official trailer of...
The movie serves as the direct sequel to the 1973 movie ‘The Exorcist’ and the sixth installment of The Exorcist franchise.
The plot revolves around the parents of girls who have been possessed by demons and are desperate for help. They go in search of someone who went through similar experiences and that is Chris MacNeil from ‘The Exorcist’.
When Is The Exorcist: Believer Releasing?
The Exorcist: Believer reported in August of 2020 that Morgan Creek Entertainment would produce the new installment of The Exorcist franchise which will also serve as a reboot.
Principal photography kicked off in November of 2022 and filming wrapped early in March of 2023.
Universal Pictures released the official trailer of...
- 7/29/2023
- by Suvechchha Saha
- https://dailyresearchplot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/new-sam
Exactly 50 years ago, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 13th, a new chapter begins as Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who resurrected the Halloween franchise is mixed acclaim, bring us an all-new chapter in The Exorcist franchise (and dear god I hope it’s not as dull as the original) with The Exorcist: Believer.
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has...
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has...
- 7/26/2023
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
“Cousins” was selected as a finalist in this year’s ShortList Film Festival, presented by TheWrap. You can watch the films and vote for your favorite here.
To paraphrase one of the many quips Billy Crystal throws down in “When Harry Met Sally”: “In a city of 8 million people, you’re bound to run into your ex.” This is the shrewd setup for Karina Dandashi’s “Cousins,” a 13-minute, Brooklyn-set short centering on Layla (played by Dandashi) and Tarek (Ribal Rayess), two cousins whose reunion is turned upside down when Layla’s ex (Monica Sanborn) turns up at the same bar.
“This is the first time I’ve actually done a comedy,” Dandashi told TheWrap. A Pittsburgh native now living in New York City, the filmmaker has previously embraced stories about Arab Americans grappling with sexuality and desire in projects including her acclaimed short “Dress Up,” in which she also starred.
To paraphrase one of the many quips Billy Crystal throws down in “When Harry Met Sally”: “In a city of 8 million people, you’re bound to run into your ex.” This is the shrewd setup for Karina Dandashi’s “Cousins,” a 13-minute, Brooklyn-set short centering on Layla (played by Dandashi) and Tarek (Ribal Rayess), two cousins whose reunion is turned upside down when Layla’s ex (Monica Sanborn) turns up at the same bar.
“This is the first time I’ve actually done a comedy,” Dandashi told TheWrap. A Pittsburgh native now living in New York City, the filmmaker has previously embraced stories about Arab Americans grappling with sexuality and desire in projects including her acclaimed short “Dress Up,” in which she also starred.
- 7/2/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The “Angry Birds” universe just became one series bigger. Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Kids+ has picked up “Angry Birds Mystery Island” to series from Eric Rogers (Futurama) and Titmouse.
“We’re excited to work with Amazon to add a new chapter to the Hatchlings’ story in ‘Angry Birds Mystery Island,’” said Rovio’s head of Brand Licensing, Hanna Valkeapää-Nokkala. “I’m sure fans of the Hatchlings will be eager to see them in their own series, with speaking voices for the first time.”
The 24-episode first season will follow three new hatchlings — Mia, Rosie, and Buddy — and a foreign-exchange piglet named Hamylton on their all-expenses-paid island getaway, where they find themselves mistakenly catapulted onto an uncharted island. Left to explore the exotic sights, smells, and unexplained phenomena of their new environment without any adults around, the ragtag bunch quickly learns that, in order to survive and make it back home,...
“We’re excited to work with Amazon to add a new chapter to the Hatchlings’ story in ‘Angry Birds Mystery Island,’” said Rovio’s head of Brand Licensing, Hanna Valkeapää-Nokkala. “I’m sure fans of the Hatchlings will be eager to see them in their own series, with speaking voices for the first time.”
The 24-episode first season will follow three new hatchlings — Mia, Rosie, and Buddy — and a foreign-exchange piglet named Hamylton on their all-expenses-paid island getaway, where they find themselves mistakenly catapulted onto an uncharted island. Left to explore the exotic sights, smells, and unexplained phenomena of their new environment without any adults around, the ragtag bunch quickly learns that, in order to survive and make it back home,...
- 6/6/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Dr. Stacy Smith and the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, in collaboration with the Adobe Foundation, have launched The Inclusion List, a first-of-its-kind data website that ranks the most inclusive theatrically-released films, distributors and producers from 2019 to 2022.
The Inclusion List is a data-driven ranking system that analyzes theatrically-released films based on their levels of representation, with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” and Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” leading the list of the top 100 films.
Dr. Smith, founder and director of USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative, and Amy White, director of corporate social responsibility at Adobe and the executive director of the Adobe Foundation, spearheaded the project, with the initiative’s Samuel Wheeler, Brooke Kong, Dr. Katherine Pieper and Smith authoring the report.
In the process of compiling the list, the research team sorted through 376 theatrically-released films across a span of 20 inclusion indicators, assessing gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ, disability and age...
The Inclusion List is a data-driven ranking system that analyzes theatrically-released films based on their levels of representation, with Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” and Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” leading the list of the top 100 films.
Dr. Smith, founder and director of USC Annenberg’s Inclusion Initiative, and Amy White, director of corporate social responsibility at Adobe and the executive director of the Adobe Foundation, spearheaded the project, with the initiative’s Samuel Wheeler, Brooke Kong, Dr. Katherine Pieper and Smith authoring the report.
In the process of compiling the list, the research team sorted through 376 theatrically-released films across a span of 20 inclusion indicators, assessing gender, race/ethnicity, LGBTQ, disability and age...
- 5/18/2023
- by McKinley Franklin and Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Cynthia Erivo will star in a film adaptation of Suzie Miller’s play, Prima Facie, which is currently playing on Broadway.
Jodie Comer won an Olivier Award for playing Prima Facie’s Tessa, a young barrister who finds herself fighting against the same legal system that had supported her, in the one-woman show in the West End and is currently leading the show on Broadway. Erivo, who is currently starring in the Wicked film, among other projects, will star as Tessa in the film version and will also executive produce, alongside producers Participant and Bunya Productions.
The film will be directed by BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker Susanna White (Woman Walks Ahead, Our Kind of Traitor). Miller adapted the screenplay for the screen.
“I am thrilled to be joining Suzie, Susanna, Participant, Bunya and the rest of the team on this journey with Prima Facie. Tessa’s experience sheds such vulnerable light...
Jodie Comer won an Olivier Award for playing Prima Facie’s Tessa, a young barrister who finds herself fighting against the same legal system that had supported her, in the one-woman show in the West End and is currently leading the show on Broadway. Erivo, who is currently starring in the Wicked film, among other projects, will star as Tessa in the film version and will also executive produce, alongside producers Participant and Bunya Productions.
The film will be directed by BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker Susanna White (Woman Walks Ahead, Our Kind of Traitor). Miller adapted the screenplay for the screen.
“I am thrilled to be joining Suzie, Susanna, Participant, Bunya and the rest of the team on this journey with Prima Facie. Tessa’s experience sheds such vulnerable light...
- 5/15/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Janelle Monae is back! Five years following her critically acclaimed and Album of the Year Grammy-nominated “Dirty Computer,” she’s releasing “The Age of Pleasure” on June 9. It’s her fourth studio album and was preceded by a pair of singles, “Float” and “Lipstick Lover.” But will it finally win her her long-awaited first Grammy? Watch her “Lipstick Lover” video above, and make or update your Grammy predictions here.
SEEBillboard Hot 100: Every #1 song of 2023
Perhaps surprisingly, Monae has yet to actually win a Grammy despite eight nominations spanning the last 15 years. Her debut studio album “The ArchAndroid” earned her a bid for Best Contemporary R&b Album, but she lost that prize to Usher‘s “Raymond v. Raymond.” She then collaborated with Fun on their breakthrough hit “We Are Young,” earning bids for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but the only award that song...
SEEBillboard Hot 100: Every #1 song of 2023
Perhaps surprisingly, Monae has yet to actually win a Grammy despite eight nominations spanning the last 15 years. Her debut studio album “The ArchAndroid” earned her a bid for Best Contemporary R&b Album, but she lost that prize to Usher‘s “Raymond v. Raymond.” She then collaborated with Fun on their breakthrough hit “We Are Young,” earning bids for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but the only award that song...
- 5/12/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Where, when, and how you can watch “Yellowstone” has always been a bit confusing. It normally airs on [Parmaount Network], where it is the most popular show on television. However, the show doesn’t stream on Paramount+, but instead is available on-demand on Peacock. But, for three days starting on May 27, the first three seasons will be available on a free linear channel on Paramount-owned Pluto TV.
Jewish American Heritage Month celebrates famous Jews who have made extraordinary contributions, including Ruth Bader Ginsberg, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court for 27 years. The “Rbg” doc, which will be available to stream beginning on May 8, chronicles this extraordinary lawyer and her fight for equality that changed the world for American women — and everyone else.
Check out the trailer for “Rbg”:
Also arriving on the service in May will be the beloved Canadian sitcom “Kim’s Convenience.” The series, stars Paul Sun-Hyung Lee,...
Jewish American Heritage Month celebrates famous Jews who have made extraordinary contributions, including Ruth Bader Ginsberg, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court for 27 years. The “Rbg” doc, which will be available to stream beginning on May 8, chronicles this extraordinary lawyer and her fight for equality that changed the world for American women — and everyone else.
Check out the trailer for “Rbg”:
Also arriving on the service in May will be the beloved Canadian sitcom “Kim’s Convenience.” The series, stars Paul Sun-Hyung Lee,...
- 4/30/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
A new sequel to the 1973 horror classic "The Exorcist" has been in the works since at least 2020, when Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Entertainment announced that "Halloween" reboot director David Gordon Green would head the project. Now, Universal Pictures has finally debuted the first footage of what is being officially called "The Exorcist: Believer" at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, giving audiences a taste of what to expect from the film.
"The Exorcist" series has always had a loose sense of continuity, so it's not surprising that "Believer" will choose to ignore the majority of the sequels that came before it. Technically speaking, the notoriously terrible "Exorcist II: The Heretic" is the only true direct follow-up to the original movie, and its general reputation as one of the worst horror film sequels ever made immediately put the then-burgeoning franchise in jeopardy. "The Exorcist III" is much better, but most of it plays out as a standalone film,...
"The Exorcist" series has always had a loose sense of continuity, so it's not surprising that "Believer" will choose to ignore the majority of the sequels that came before it. Technically speaking, the notoriously terrible "Exorcist II: The Heretic" is the only true direct follow-up to the original movie, and its general reputation as one of the worst horror film sequels ever made immediately put the then-burgeoning franchise in jeopardy. "The Exorcist III" is much better, but most of it plays out as a standalone film,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Andrew Housman
- Slash Film
Seven years ago, pioneering film and TV producer Debra Martin Chase was thinking about leaving Hollywood.
The first Black woman to ink an overall deal at any studio, she’d produced such genre-defining hits as “The Princess Diaries,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” While getting projects about women and people of color off the ground was never easy, suddenly prospects were stagnant.
“It was at a point where Hollywood just wasn’t interested,” she tells Variety, reflecting on the career crossroads from the living room of her apartment in New York, where she lives while her popular CBS series “The Equalizer” is in production. “You’d talk to people — particularly white men — and their eyes would just glaze over.”
As Martin Chase approached 30 years in the business, her passion was slipping away. She thought, “Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me:...
The first Black woman to ink an overall deal at any studio, she’d produced such genre-defining hits as “The Princess Diaries,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” While getting projects about women and people of color off the ground was never easy, suddenly prospects were stagnant.
“It was at a point where Hollywood just wasn’t interested,” she tells Variety, reflecting on the career crossroads from the living room of her apartment in New York, where she lives while her popular CBS series “The Equalizer” is in production. “You’d talk to people — particularly white men — and their eyes would just glaze over.”
As Martin Chase approached 30 years in the business, her passion was slipping away. She thought, “Maybe this is the universe’s way of telling me:...
- 3/14/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Luther’s back. Being banged up at the end of Series 5 didn’t stop that growly genius from taking on a new case and a new villain in Bond-inspired Netflix movie The Fallen Sun. And, since most of his former colleagues were spectacularly killed in the line of duty, the man’s being joined by a fresh cast.
Dermot Crowley returns as John Luther’s former boss Dsu Martin Schenk, who’s joined by Cynthia Erivo as Luther’s replacement on the team, and far from his biggest fan. Going toe-to-toe with Idris Elba’s John will be Andy Serkis as surveillance tech billionaire David Robey, possibly the detective’s darkest foe yet.
And what of Ruth Wilson’s Alice, last seen taking a short drop off a tall tower? She’s not listed among the cast this time, but there’s no saying that wily brainbox won’t find...
Dermot Crowley returns as John Luther’s former boss Dsu Martin Schenk, who’s joined by Cynthia Erivo as Luther’s replacement on the team, and far from his biggest fan. Going toe-to-toe with Idris Elba’s John will be Andy Serkis as surveillance tech billionaire David Robey, possibly the detective’s darkest foe yet.
And what of Ruth Wilson’s Alice, last seen taking a short drop off a tall tower? She’s not listed among the cast this time, but there’s no saying that wily brainbox won’t find...
- 3/10/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
HBO Original documentary film Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by Emmy(R) winning filmmaker James Adolphus (“Soul of a Nation”) and produced by Lena Waithe (“A Thousand and One”), Debra Martin Chase (“Harriet”), and Ben Selkow (HBO’s “Q: Into The Storm”), debuts this May on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. With unprecedented access to Mary Tyler Moore’s vast archive, Being Mary Tyler Moore chronicles the screen icon whose storied career spanned sixty years. Weaving Moore’s personal narrative with the beats of her professional accomplishments, the film highlights her groundbreaking roles and the indelible impact she had on generations of women who came after her. Moore’s career broke boundaries in different eras, most notably in her comedic roles as Laura Petrie in the ’60s sitcom, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and as single career woman Mary Richards on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the ’70s,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Jennifer Nettles, lead vocalist of the country duo Sugarland and a successful solo artist, got into acting by playing Dolly Parton’s mother in the 2015 TV movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. Since then she has appeared in the sequel to that movie, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, performed in Chicago and Waitress on Broadway, had roles in the film Harriet and the TV series Underground, and appeared on multiple episodes of the HBO show The Righteous Gemstones… which happens to be executive produced by David Gordon Green, director of the recent trilogy of Halloween sequels. Now Green is in production on the first of what he intends to be a trilogy of sequels to the 1973 classic The Exorcist (watch it Here) – and Variety has revealed that he brought Nettles into this project with him. Nettles is said to have a “primary role...
- 2/24/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Jennifer Nettles has joined the cast of “The Exorcist,” the first film in the new horror trilogy.
Details of her part haven’t been revealed, but it’s described as a “primary role.” She joins a cast that includes Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett and Ellen Burstyn, who is reprising her role as Chris MacNeil from the 1973 original.
The new take on the possession story is being produced by Blumhouse and Morgan Creek for Universal and Peacock. The first film in the trilogy will be released theatrically on Oct. 13, 2023.
Nettles is known for both her acting and her music. She most recently played Jenna Hunterson in the Broadway musical “Waitress.” Nettles also appears on HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and had a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated Harriet Tubman biopic, “Harriet.” She is a judge on TBS’ competition series “Go-Big Show” and will host Fox’s “The Farmer Wants a Wife.
Details of her part haven’t been revealed, but it’s described as a “primary role.” She joins a cast that includes Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett and Ellen Burstyn, who is reprising her role as Chris MacNeil from the 1973 original.
The new take on the possession story is being produced by Blumhouse and Morgan Creek for Universal and Peacock. The first film in the trilogy will be released theatrically on Oct. 13, 2023.
Nettles is known for both her acting and her music. She most recently played Jenna Hunterson in the Broadway musical “Waitress.” Nettles also appears on HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and had a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated Harriet Tubman biopic, “Harriet.” She is a judge on TBS’ competition series “Go-Big Show” and will host Fox’s “The Farmer Wants a Wife.
- 2/24/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Vondie Curtis-Hall (Harriet), Lilli Cooper (Broadway’s Tootsie), Dominic Fumusa (13 Hours) and Matt Dallas (Kyle Xy) have signed on to star alongside Steven Grayhm in the indie drama Sheepdog, which Grayhm is directing from his own script.
The film going into production later this month in western Massachusetts tells the story of a therapy-averse combat veteran (Grayhm) who is court ordered into treatment after his plan to unite an ex-con and his daughter shows him that he must put himself back together first.
Exec produced by Joe Newcomb (Dallas Buyers Club) of Truth Entertainment, Sheepdog is a co-production with Grayhm’s Team House Studios, which two years ago premiered its indie thriller The Secret of Sinchanee at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival. Joining Grayhm as producers are Lynn d’Angona and Ric Smith.
Grayhm’s Team House will look, during the course of the shoot,...
The film going into production later this month in western Massachusetts tells the story of a therapy-averse combat veteran (Grayhm) who is court ordered into treatment after his plan to unite an ex-con and his daughter shows him that he must put himself back together first.
Exec produced by Joe Newcomb (Dallas Buyers Club) of Truth Entertainment, Sheepdog is a co-production with Grayhm’s Team House Studios, which two years ago premiered its indie thriller The Secret of Sinchanee at the UK’s Raindance Film Festival. Joining Grayhm as producers are Lynn d’Angona and Ric Smith.
Grayhm’s Team House will look, during the course of the shoot,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Robert Walak and Alisa Tager will be leaving their posts as Presidents of Film & Television at AC Studios, the independent film and TV production studio that sits inside Anonymous Content, when their contracts are up in a couple of months.
Walak and Tager are expected to continue producing projects for AC Studios through an arrangement whose terms are still being worked out.
There are no details yet about the duo’s replacement though I hear UCP veteran Garrett Kemble, who joined Anonymous Content as EVP of Development for AC Studios last summer, reuniting with former UCP President Dawn Olmstead who is now CEO of Anonymous Content, is poised for a bigger role in light of Walak and Tager’s pending exit.
“Alisa and Robert are brilliant producers,” said Anonymous Content Cco David Levine. “It has been a pleasure working with the two of them these past few years to...
Walak and Tager are expected to continue producing projects for AC Studios through an arrangement whose terms are still being worked out.
There are no details yet about the duo’s replacement though I hear UCP veteran Garrett Kemble, who joined Anonymous Content as EVP of Development for AC Studios last summer, reuniting with former UCP President Dawn Olmstead who is now CEO of Anonymous Content, is poised for a bigger role in light of Walak and Tager’s pending exit.
“Alisa and Robert are brilliant producers,” said Anonymous Content Cco David Levine. “It has been a pleasure working with the two of them these past few years to...
- 2/11/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
February is Black History Month, and with such a wide array of streaming options, there’s no shortage of options for learning about Black heritage and celebrating Black excellence.
Amazon Prime Video
Among the programming being promoted in Prime Video’s “Celebrating Black History Month” lineup are the new second season of “Harlem,” which follows four female friends from Harlem as they navigate their love lives and careers. There’s also the new original unscripted series “Coach Prime,” which chronicles Deion Sanders in his third year coaching football at Jackson State. Other noteworthy selections include Regina King‘s Oscar-nominated “One Night in Miami,” the acclaimed documentaries “My Name is Pauli Murray” and “I Am Not Your Negro,” the Emmy-nominated romance “Sylvie’s Love,” Spike Lee‘s “Chi-Raq,” the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson, the Oscar-winning stage adaptation “Fences” from Denzel Washington, who also stars in Prime offerings “Devil in a Blue Dress...
Amazon Prime Video
Among the programming being promoted in Prime Video’s “Celebrating Black History Month” lineup are the new second season of “Harlem,” which follows four female friends from Harlem as they navigate their love lives and careers. There’s also the new original unscripted series “Coach Prime,” which chronicles Deion Sanders in his third year coaching football at Jackson State. Other noteworthy selections include Regina King‘s Oscar-nominated “One Night in Miami,” the acclaimed documentaries “My Name is Pauli Murray” and “I Am Not Your Negro,” the Emmy-nominated romance “Sylvie’s Love,” Spike Lee‘s “Chi-Raq,” the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” starring Jennifer Hudson, the Oscar-winning stage adaptation “Fences” from Denzel Washington, who also stars in Prime offerings “Devil in a Blue Dress...
- 2/9/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Groundbreaking screenwriter and playwright Gregory Allen Howard passed away today at the age of 70. Howard made waves when his spec script about a real-life Black coach coming into a newly segregated Virginia school and helping lead their football team to victory hit Hollywood and was snapped up by Jerry Bruckheimer. Ultimately, they'd hire Denzel Washington to play the lead coach, Herman Boone, and the rest is history. "Remember the Titans" would go on to break the 100 million mark at the box office in 2000, a surprise hit for Buena Vista and its parent company, Walt Disney Pictures.
This would mark the first-ever accomplishment of a spec sale leading to a 100 million+ hit from a screenwriter of color and set Howard as Hollywood's go-to guy when it came to adapting the stories of historical Black figures.
Like most screenwriters, a good amount of Howard's work would remain unproduced, but he did collaborate...
This would mark the first-ever accomplishment of a spec sale leading to a 100 million+ hit from a screenwriter of color and set Howard as Hollywood's go-to guy when it came to adapting the stories of historical Black figures.
Like most screenwriters, a good amount of Howard's work would remain unproduced, but he did collaborate...
- 1/28/2023
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Gregory Allen Howard, the award-winning screenwriter of “Remember the Titans,” died Friday in Miami, Fla. following a brief illness, his publicist confirmed to Variety. He was 70.
Howard was best known for penning the screenplay for the 2000 classic sports film “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Born in Norfolk, Va., Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in American history from Princeton University. Howard discovered the story of the 1971 Tc Williams High School football team, the Titans, on a trip home to Virginia. Inspired by the story, Howard developed and wrote the screenplay, becoming the first African American screenwriter to script a 100 million drama, and the only African American screenwriter in film history to write a 100 million spec script.
Howard began his writing career at the age of 48, with his first project being the Harriet Tubman biopic “Harriet,” which was originally assigned to him at Disney. However,...
Howard was best known for penning the screenplay for the 2000 classic sports film “Remember the Titans,” starring Denzel Washington and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Born in Norfolk, Va., Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in American history from Princeton University. Howard discovered the story of the 1971 Tc Williams High School football team, the Titans, on a trip home to Virginia. Inspired by the story, Howard developed and wrote the screenplay, becoming the first African American screenwriter to script a 100 million drama, and the only African American screenwriter in film history to write a 100 million spec script.
Howard began his writing career at the age of 48, with his first project being the Harriet Tubman biopic “Harriet,” which was originally assigned to him at Disney. However,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Gregory Allen Howard, who wrote Remember the Titans and was a producer and writer behind Harriet, died Friday. He was 70.
Howard died following a brief illness in Miami, his rep Jeff Sanderson told The Hollywood Reporter.
Howard, born on Jan. 28, 1952, in Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Los Angeles in the ’90s to pursue a career as a screenwriter. He started making a name for himself in the early 2000s, writing Boaz Yakin’s award-winning Remember the Titans, which starred Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris and Donald Faison. Based on a true story, the film follows the story of Herman Boone, a new African American football coach as he trains a high school team during their first season as a racially integrated group.
He later earned a story-writing credit for Michael Mann’s Ali, the 2001 biopic of sports legend Muhammad Ali. The film, which was nominated for two Oscars, starred Will Smith,...
Howard died following a brief illness in Miami, his rep Jeff Sanderson told The Hollywood Reporter.
Howard, born on Jan. 28, 1952, in Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Los Angeles in the ’90s to pursue a career as a screenwriter. He started making a name for himself in the early 2000s, writing Boaz Yakin’s award-winning Remember the Titans, which starred Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris and Donald Faison. Based on a true story, the film follows the story of Herman Boone, a new African American football coach as he trains a high school team during their first season as a racially integrated group.
He later earned a story-writing credit for Michael Mann’s Ali, the 2001 biopic of sports legend Muhammad Ali. The film, which was nominated for two Oscars, starred Will Smith,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s Cynthia Erivo’s first time in Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival. It’s a remarkably short trip — about 48-hours, not including flying time, as she takes a quick break from filming “Wicked” in London. But it’s a particularly momentous occasion: Erivo is celebrating the debut of her latest movie “Drift,” the first film she’s ever produced.
“It’s really cool to go with a film that I’m in and producing — apparently that is a rare thing for your first film to do that — so I’m quite pleased,” Erivo tells Variety, sounding a bit like a proud parent.
“Drift” could be considered Erivo’s first child, as the inaugural film from her “Edith’s Daughter” production company, which she launched in 2020 and runs with Solome Williams.
Directed by Anthony Chen, “Drift” is based on Alexander Maksik’s critically acclaimed 2013 novel “A Marker to Measure Drift.
“It’s really cool to go with a film that I’m in and producing — apparently that is a rare thing for your first film to do that — so I’m quite pleased,” Erivo tells Variety, sounding a bit like a proud parent.
“Drift” could be considered Erivo’s first child, as the inaugural film from her “Edith’s Daughter” production company, which she launched in 2020 and runs with Solome Williams.
Directed by Anthony Chen, “Drift” is based on Alexander Maksik’s critically acclaimed 2013 novel “A Marker to Measure Drift.
- 1/22/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Monday Pm: TriStar’s The Woman King stayed on track with its Sunday Am estimate, coming in at 19.05M.
It’s another great example of how Sony continues to win over adult audiences with non-tentpole fare. Pre-pandemic, TriStar had Little Women in December 2019 which posted a 3-day of 16.7M and legged out to 108.1M, and the Sony label had a summer sleeper in Where the Crawdads Sing which debuted to 17.2M and is still going, now at 88.9M domestic, 127M WW.
Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, Tom Rothman, sent out the following celebratory email to staff about Woman King‘s triumph:
Dear Colleagues,
As The New York Times said in reference to The Woman King’s success this weekend, “it doesn’t have to be all sequels and superheroes!” Indeed! Tony and I have expressed congratulations and great appreciation to our immensely talented filmmakers Gina, Viola,...
It’s another great example of how Sony continues to win over adult audiences with non-tentpole fare. Pre-pandemic, TriStar had Little Women in December 2019 which posted a 3-day of 16.7M and legged out to 108.1M, and the Sony label had a summer sleeper in Where the Crawdads Sing which debuted to 17.2M and is still going, now at 88.9M domestic, 127M WW.
Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, Tom Rothman, sent out the following celebratory email to staff about Woman King‘s triumph:
Dear Colleagues,
As The New York Times said in reference to The Woman King’s success this weekend, “it doesn’t have to be all sequels and superheroes!” Indeed! Tony and I have expressed congratulations and great appreciation to our immensely talented filmmakers Gina, Viola,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Woman King,” the historical action epic starring Viola Davis, took in 1.7 million at the box office from its Thursday night preview screenings, which opened at 3 p.m. on 3,271 screens. The Sony and eOne film will launch at 3,765 locations this weekend.
In its opening weekend, the studio projects “The Woman King” to earn 12 million against a 50 million budget. This weekend will also see the box office launch of the David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream” (in a limited release) and “Pearl,” the prequel to A24’s “X.”
For a comparison, the 2018 heist thriller “Widows,” in which Davis also starred, made 600,000 in box office previews and went on to generate 12.3 million its opening weekend. “Harriet,” another historical drama that opened in the fall of 2019, also earned 600,000 at the Thursday box office, kicking off an 11.6 million opening weekend.
Also Read:
‘The Woman King’ Dilemma: How Do You Market a Female, Black African Action Drama?...
In its opening weekend, the studio projects “The Woman King” to earn 12 million against a 50 million budget. This weekend will also see the box office launch of the David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream” (in a limited release) and “Pearl,” the prequel to A24’s “X.”
For a comparison, the 2018 heist thriller “Widows,” in which Davis also starred, made 600,000 in box office previews and went on to generate 12.3 million its opening weekend. “Harriet,” another historical drama that opened in the fall of 2019, also earned 600,000 at the Thursday box office, kicking off an 11.6 million opening weekend.
Also Read:
‘The Woman King’ Dilemma: How Do You Market a Female, Black African Action Drama?...
- 9/16/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
The makers of Whitney Houston’s biopic have dropped the maiden trailer of the movie titled ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, a biographical drama about the life and times of the iconic singer.
“The End of the F***ing World” star Naomi Ackie has the daunting task of portraying the legendary vocal powerhouse in the film, along with a cast that includes Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown and Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis. Clarke Peters will be playing John Houston, Whitney’s father, and Tamara Tunie will be portraying Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mother.
Sony describes “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” as a “no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice.”
The film recounts the story of a New Jersey choir girl who became one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time.
“My dream? Sing what I want to sing, be how I want to be,...
“The End of the F***ing World” star Naomi Ackie has the daunting task of portraying the legendary vocal powerhouse in the film, along with a cast that includes Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown and Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis. Clarke Peters will be playing John Houston, Whitney’s father, and Tamara Tunie will be portraying Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mother.
Sony describes “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” as a “no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice.”
The film recounts the story of a New Jersey choir girl who became one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time.
“My dream? Sing what I want to sing, be how I want to be,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
It's still hard to imagine how musical biopics can exist in a post "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" world, but the last few years have been bursting with big-budget biopics centered on some of the most iconic performers in music history. Jennifer Hudson belted her face off as Aretha Franklin in "Respect," Taron Egerton was downright dazzling as Elton John in "Rocketman," Austin Butler may be looking at an Oscar nomination for his turn in "Elvis," following a trend set by Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody." Now, the queen of R&b is getting a high-profile film of her own, with Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston.
The upcoming film "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" comes from "Bohemian Rhapsody" screenwriter Anthony McCarten and groundbreaking director Kasi Lemmons, with Ackie lip-syncing to Houston's unbelievable voice while embodying the remarkably talented woman the world lost too soon. The...
The upcoming film "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" comes from "Bohemian Rhapsody" screenwriter Anthony McCarten and groundbreaking director Kasi Lemmons, with Ackie lip-syncing to Houston's unbelievable voice while embodying the remarkably talented woman the world lost too soon. The...
- 9/15/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
If being the most decorated female singer of all time and being dubbed “The Voice” aren’t honorific enough, Whitney Houston is now getting the biopic treatment. Now, the first trailer for I Wanna Dance With Somebody has dropped, showcasing Houston in all of her glory.
The trailer for I Wanna Dance with Somebody opens with Whitney Houston being forced to take the stage after her mother can’t perform. With famed record producer Clive Davis in the audience, Houston is soon in the spotlight. Guided by early single “How Will I Know”, various clips show Houston as both a commanding presence and the target of scrutiny for not making “black enough” music. Another key highlight is her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl Xxv, one of the most iconic renditions of the song.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody plot: “The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston,...
The trailer for I Wanna Dance with Somebody opens with Whitney Houston being forced to take the stage after her mother can’t perform. With famed record producer Clive Davis in the audience, Houston is soon in the spotlight. Guided by early single “How Will I Know”, various clips show Houston as both a commanding presence and the target of scrutiny for not making “black enough” music. Another key highlight is her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl Xxv, one of the most iconic renditions of the song.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody plot: “The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Movie musical biopics are a beloved Hollywood tradition and one that — unlike erotic thrillers — shows no signs of slowing down.
Over the years we’ve seen Sissy Spacek win an Oscar as Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Jessica Lange earn a nomination as Patsy Cline in “Sweet Dreams,” and Reese Witherspoon win Best Supporting Actress as June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line.” And that’s just the country music biopics.
Portraying a musical icon is just the next step in an evolving way to showcase triple-threat talent. Jamie Foxx took home the Best Actor Oscar for his transformation into Ray Charles for the 2004 film “Ray.” Joaquin Phoenix showed a new facet to his talent as Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line.” Marion Cotillard burst onto the international scene (and won a Best Actress Oscar) as Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose,” and more recently Rami Malek and...
Over the years we’ve seen Sissy Spacek win an Oscar as Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Jessica Lange earn a nomination as Patsy Cline in “Sweet Dreams,” and Reese Witherspoon win Best Supporting Actress as June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line.” And that’s just the country music biopics.
Portraying a musical icon is just the next step in an evolving way to showcase triple-threat talent. Jamie Foxx took home the Best Actor Oscar for his transformation into Ray Charles for the 2004 film “Ray.” Joaquin Phoenix showed a new facet to his talent as Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line.” Marion Cotillard burst onto the international scene (and won a Best Actress Oscar) as Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose,” and more recently Rami Malek and...
- 9/15/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Naomi Ackie’s greatest challenge of all? Transforming into the “Greatest Love of All” singer Whitney Houston.
BAFTA award winner Ackie stars as the late icon for musical biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” in theaters December 21. The film, written by Oscar-nominated “Bohemian Rhapsody” screenwriter Anthony McCarten and directed by Kasi Lemmons, charts Houston’s life and legacy, starting with her groundbreaking record deal with Clive Davis, played by Stanley Tucci.
“My dream: Sing what I want to sing, be who I want to be,” Ackie as Houston says in the trailer. While Houston is criticized for not being “Black enough” and her tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) makes headlines, the biopic focuses on her early days as a New Jersey choir girl who became the bestselling and most awarded recording artist of all time. The “no-holds-barred portrait” gives a never-before-seen look at Houston’s “complicated and multi-faceted” career.
BAFTA award winner Ackie stars as the late icon for musical biopic “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” in theaters December 21. The film, written by Oscar-nominated “Bohemian Rhapsody” screenwriter Anthony McCarten and directed by Kasi Lemmons, charts Houston’s life and legacy, starting with her groundbreaking record deal with Clive Davis, played by Stanley Tucci.
“My dream: Sing what I want to sing, be who I want to be,” Ackie as Houston says in the trailer. While Houston is criticized for not being “Black enough” and her tumultuous marriage to Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) makes headlines, the biopic focuses on her early days as a New Jersey choir girl who became the bestselling and most awarded recording artist of all time. The “no-holds-barred portrait” gives a never-before-seen look at Houston’s “complicated and multi-faceted” career.
- 9/15/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Sony is bringing the spirit of Whitney Houston to theaters.
The studio has released the first trailer for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” a biographical drama about the life and times of the iconic singer.
“The End of the F***ing World” star Naomi Ackie has the daunting task of portraying the legendary vocal powerhouse in the film, along with a cast that includes Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown and Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis. Clarke Peters will be playing John Houston, Whitney’s father, and Tamara Tunie will be portraying Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mother.
Sony describes “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” as a “no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice.” The film recounts the story of a New Jersey choir girl who became one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time.
“My dream? Sing what I want to sing, be how I want to be,...
The studio has released the first trailer for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” a biographical drama about the life and times of the iconic singer.
“The End of the F***ing World” star Naomi Ackie has the daunting task of portraying the legendary vocal powerhouse in the film, along with a cast that includes Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown and Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis. Clarke Peters will be playing John Houston, Whitney’s father, and Tamara Tunie will be portraying Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mother.
Sony describes “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” as a “no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice.” The film recounts the story of a New Jersey choir girl who became one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time.
“My dream? Sing what I want to sing, be how I want to be,...
- 9/15/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” the official biopic of music icon Whitney Houston, is set to be released on December 21, 2022 according to Sony Pictures. London native Naomi Ackie will portray the legendary diva from Newark, New Jersey. The BAFTA-winning actress can now be seen as “The Voice” for the first time in a new trailer released September 15.
Kasi Lemmons directs the biographical musical based on the life of one of the world’s biggest superstars. Lemmons’ previous directing credits include 2019’s “Harriet” starring Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and 1997’s cult classic “Eve’s Bayou” starring Lynn Whitfield and Samuel L. Jackson. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is written by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten, whose previous screenplay credits include “The Theory of Everything” (2014), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) and “The Two Popes” (2019).
The trailer begins by showing the night Arista Records founder Clive Davis (played by Stanley Tucci) discovers the young singer performing in...
Kasi Lemmons directs the biographical musical based on the life of one of the world’s biggest superstars. Lemmons’ previous directing credits include 2019’s “Harriet” starring Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and 1997’s cult classic “Eve’s Bayou” starring Lynn Whitfield and Samuel L. Jackson. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is written by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten, whose previous screenplay credits include “The Theory of Everything” (2014), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) and “The Two Popes” (2019).
The trailer begins by showing the night Arista Records founder Clive Davis (played by Stanley Tucci) discovers the young singer performing in...
- 9/15/2022
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
The Viola Davis African warrior epic The Woman King —a flashback to the type of historical epics Columbia Pictures has had a long history of notching Oscars with– is looking at a 12M opening this weekend, per Sony, while rivals have it in the 13M-16M range.
While adults made their way back to the box office this summer, giving Top Gun: Maverick a 700M-plus stash and putting Elvis at 150.3M stateside, the question remains how they’ll come out a time when there’s very little on the marquee. The hope is that this Gina Prince-Bythewood feature about the Agojie — a unit of powerful female warriors in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries — will leg out and find crossover audiences, especially as awards season kicks in. Women over 25 and African American audiences poised to buy tickets. Coming...
While adults made their way back to the box office this summer, giving Top Gun: Maverick a 700M-plus stash and putting Elvis at 150.3M stateside, the question remains how they’ll come out a time when there’s very little on the marquee. The hope is that this Gina Prince-Bythewood feature about the Agojie — a unit of powerful female warriors in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries — will leg out and find crossover audiences, especially as awards season kicks in. Women over 25 and African American audiences poised to buy tickets. Coming...
- 9/14/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney's live-action remake of "Pinocchio" finally arrived on Sept. 8, and the beloved children's tale has gotten a complete magical makeover. The overhaul of Disney's 1940 classic stars newcomer Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as the titular wooden puppet, Tom Hanks as his woodworker father Geppetto, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the wisecracking Jiminy Cricket, and Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, who grants Pinocchio's wish to become a "real boy." While the star-studded Robert Zemeckis-directed reimagining (not to be mistaken for Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" hitting Netflix in December) of course pays homage to its predecessor, it also follows its own set of rules.
The cast of "Pinocchio" - which also includes Keegan-Michael Key, Luke Evans, and Lorraine Bracco - didn't have a chance to work closely together in person due to the filming style of the CGI-hybrid musical. Erivo tells Popsugar that her experience - which she also says took her...
The cast of "Pinocchio" - which also includes Keegan-Michael Key, Luke Evans, and Lorraine Bracco - didn't have a chance to work closely together in person due to the filming style of the CGI-hybrid musical. Erivo tells Popsugar that her experience - which she also says took her...
- 9/9/2022
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
In celebration of Juneteenth, AMC Theatres will present special screenings of “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Best Man” and other popular movies focusing on Black voices.
From this Friday to Wednesday, select AMC locations will offer special screenings of “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Best Man,” “Just Mercy” and “42.” The screenings will be available to audiences at a discounted price of 5.
Directed by Shaka King, “Judas and the Black Messiah” tells the story of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton and his murder by the FBI, after being betrayed by informant William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield). The film premiered last year to critical acclaim, and was nominated for six Oscars.
Adapted from the 2014 Bryan Stevenson memoir, “Just Mercy” tells the story of Stevenson’s (played by Michael B. Jordan) work as the lawyer for Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), a Southern man wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death row. The 2019 movie...
From this Friday to Wednesday, select AMC locations will offer special screenings of “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Best Man,” “Just Mercy” and “42.” The screenings will be available to audiences at a discounted price of 5.
Directed by Shaka King, “Judas and the Black Messiah” tells the story of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton and his murder by the FBI, after being betrayed by informant William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield). The film premiered last year to critical acclaim, and was nominated for six Oscars.
Adapted from the 2014 Bryan Stevenson memoir, “Just Mercy” tells the story of Stevenson’s (played by Michael B. Jordan) work as the lawyer for Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), a Southern man wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death row. The 2019 movie...
- 6/16/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2022 features the one superhero show this season you’re not gonna want to miss.
That’s right: The Boys are (almost) back in town. The Boys season 3 premieres its first three episodes on June 3 and its cast and crew have promised spectacle beyond your wildest dreams. How will Homelander adapt to life after Stormfront? We’ll get to find out soon.
Read more TV The Boys: How Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy “Shakes Things Up” in Season 3 By Alec Bojalad TV The Boys Season 3 Trailer: There’s Something Wrong With Homelander By Alec Bojalad
Aside from that one very big hit, it’s a relatively light month for Prime Video originals of note. June 17 sees the arrival of two light and breezy summer projects. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a movie adapted from a trio of beloved YA novels. Meanwhile The Lake...
That’s right: The Boys are (almost) back in town. The Boys season 3 premieres its first three episodes on June 3 and its cast and crew have promised spectacle beyond your wildest dreams. How will Homelander adapt to life after Stormfront? We’ll get to find out soon.
Read more TV The Boys: How Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy “Shakes Things Up” in Season 3 By Alec Bojalad TV The Boys Season 3 Trailer: There’s Something Wrong With Homelander By Alec Bojalad
Aside from that one very big hit, it’s a relatively light month for Prime Video originals of note. June 17 sees the arrival of two light and breezy summer projects. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a movie adapted from a trio of beloved YA novels. Meanwhile The Lake...
- 6/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Prolific producer Debra Martin Chase has re-upped her multi-year first-look deal with Universal Television.
The news comes as the two parties celebrate continued success for “The Equalizer,” starring Queen Latifah, which was renewed for a third and fourth season earlier this month.
“I’m thrilled that this partnership with Debra continues to thrive to this day,” stated Universal Television president Erin Underhill. “It has been phenomenal to work with Debra and her team on ‘The Equalizer.’ She is a true inspiration, pioneer and friend.”
With the extension, Chase will develop and produce new projects for network, cable and streaming services under her Martin Chase Productions banner.
“Having the right artistic home is critical and essential. I am thrilled to be continuing my relationship with Universal Television,” added Chase. “Pearlena, Erin and the entire team share my passion to make relevant, boundary-pushing and entertaining television, provide tremendous support for my creative...
The news comes as the two parties celebrate continued success for “The Equalizer,” starring Queen Latifah, which was renewed for a third and fourth season earlier this month.
“I’m thrilled that this partnership with Debra continues to thrive to this day,” stated Universal Television president Erin Underhill. “It has been phenomenal to work with Debra and her team on ‘The Equalizer.’ She is a true inspiration, pioneer and friend.”
With the extension, Chase will develop and produce new projects for network, cable and streaming services under her Martin Chase Productions banner.
“Having the right artistic home is critical and essential. I am thrilled to be continuing my relationship with Universal Television,” added Chase. “Pearlena, Erin and the entire team share my passion to make relevant, boundary-pushing and entertaining television, provide tremendous support for my creative...
- 5/23/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) will lead cast alongside Being The Ricardos and Arrested Development star Alia Shawkat in Anthony Chen’s (Ilo Ilo) English-language debut Drift.
The film reunites Call Me By Your Name producers Emilie Georges and Peter Spears and exec producer Naima Abed. Spears won the Best Picture Oscar last year for Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland.
Drift follows a young Liberian refugee named Jacqueline (Erivo) who has barely escaped her war-torn country to a Greek island. She offers massages to tourists in exchange for one or two euros to battle her hunger, while her daily struggle for survival keeps the memories that haunt her at bay. She meets an unmoored tour guide (Shawkat) and the two become close as they each find hope in the other. Ibrahima Ba, who has a supporting role in Cannes 2022 title Father & Soldier, and Honor Swinton-Byrne (The Souvenir: Parts 1 & 2), are also among cast.
The film reunites Call Me By Your Name producers Emilie Georges and Peter Spears and exec producer Naima Abed. Spears won the Best Picture Oscar last year for Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland.
Drift follows a young Liberian refugee named Jacqueline (Erivo) who has barely escaped her war-torn country to a Greek island. She offers massages to tourists in exchange for one or two euros to battle her hunger, while her daily struggle for survival keeps the memories that haunt her at bay. She meets an unmoored tour guide (Shawkat) and the two become close as they each find hope in the other. Ibrahima Ba, who has a supporting role in Cannes 2022 title Father & Soldier, and Honor Swinton-Byrne (The Souvenir: Parts 1 & 2), are also among cast.
- 5/20/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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