First “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Trailer Honors a Lost King & Introduces a New Threat
The very first look at co-writer/director Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever pulses with feeling. The teaser opens to Tems’ cover of Bob Marley’s deathless “No Woman, No Cry,” with Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) standing on a gorgeous coastline, silently taking in the beauty of her surroundings and, we imagine, the immensity of her loss. Wakanda Forever was supposed to see Chadwick Boseman reprise his role as T’Challa/Black Panther, of course, but Boseman tragically passed away in August 2020,
The First “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” Trailer is a Magical Romp
San Diego’s Comic-Con is officially underway, and the first major studio film to grace the vaunted Hall H was Paramount’s long-awaited Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. This is the first time in three years that Hall H has been populated, and the Dungeons & Dragons team didn’t disappoint. Nor does the first official trailer, which reveals the star-studded epic led by Chris Pine, Regé-Jean Page, and Michelle Rodriguez.
“Nope” Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema on Capturing the Epic Scope of Jordan Peele’s Latest
Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema failed to get into two Dutch film schools, so he worked in a soap factory, played in a band, and survived unemployment as a self-described “slacker” before finding his creative footing at a renowned cinema academy in Lodz, Poland. Since then, he’s made up for lost time through collaborations with A-list auteurs, including David O. Russell (The Fighter), Sam Mendes (Spectre), and Spike Jonez (Her).
“The Gray Man” Composer Henry Jackman Breaks Down His 17-Minute Suite
Classically trained at Oxford University, British-born musician Henry Jackman moved to Los Angeles in 2001. Within five years, he’d landed an apprenticeship gig at Hans Zimmer’s music company, and from there, Jackson quickly rose through the ranks to become one of Hollywood’s most versatile composers. Credits range from Kong: Skull Island and Tom Hanks’s tense, fact-based drama Captain Phillips to half a dozen zany animation features, including Wreck-It Ralph.
“Mortal Kombat” Sequel in the Works With Director Simon McQuoid Returning
The deadliest tournament on the planet is returning.
Deadline reports that a Mortal Kombat sequel is in the works with director Simon McQuoid returning. The original film did quite well at the box office when it was released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max in April 2021. In fact, Mortal Kombat was one of the first films to lure folks back into theaters, and can credibly claim,
“A Quiet Place: Day One” & John Krasinski’s Next Film Starring Ryan Reynolds Set for 2024
Paramount has shuffled its upcoming film slate a bit.
First up, A Quiet Place: Day One—kudos for them nailing that title, by the way—will hit theaters on March 8, 2024. This is a slight move from the original release date of September 23, 2023. John Krasinski has ceded the directorial duties to Michael Sarnoski, who directed 2021’s deliciously wild Pig, starring Nicholas Cage. Krasinski will produce A Quiet Place: Day One alongside Michael Bay,
First “Halloween Ends” Trailer Finds Laurie Strode Fighting Michael Myers One Last Time
Might Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally find a way to kill the seemingly unkillable Michael Myers? That’s the underlying question in Halloween Kills, the final film in director David Gordon Green’s critically acclaimed trilogy. Myers has been haunting, stalking, and tormenting Strode for years, and she, in turn, has thrown everything at him—at last, we have a confrontation that promises some finality.
The first trailer eschews dialogue (save for one memorable line from Strode when she beckons Michael with some colorful language).
First “Nope” Reactions Say Jordan Peele’s Latest Stunner is Out of This World
You’ll never look at the sky the same way again.
This is one reaction we’re seeing a lot of from critics who have seen Jordan Peele’s Nope, his eagerly-anticipated third feature set on a horse ranch outside of Los Angeles, and involving some unexpected visitors in the sky. Nope has been hyped as Peele’s most ambitious project yet, which says something considering the big swings he took with his Oscar-winning debut Get Out and his sensational follow-up Us.
Adam Scott Joins Dakota Johnson in “Spider-Man” Spinoff “Madame Web”
Madame Web ensnares another star.
Deadline reports that Adam Scott has joined Dakota Johnson in the upcoming Spider-Man spinoff for Sony, with director S.J. Clarkson helming the feature. Scott, fresh off earning an Emmy nomination for his starring role in Dan Erickson’s excellent sci-fi series Severance for AppleTV+, joins a cast that also includes Emma Roberts, Celese O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim,
“Top Gun: Maverick” Now the Biggest Film in Paramount Pictures History
Eight weeks into its release and Top Gun: Maverick continues to go Mach 10.
The Tom Cruise-led mega-blockbuster soared yet again this weekend, adding another $19.2 million from 65 overseas markets, bumping it up to $619 million internationally. Add another $617 million domestically, and you’ve got $1.23 billion (and counting). It’s official—Top Gun: Maverick is now the highest-grossing film in Paramount Pictures history.
Maverick continues Paramount’s hot streak,
Isabelle Huppert on the Beauty & Depth of “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”
Isabelle Huppert, one of the world’s undisputed queens of stage and screen, has won nearly every award an actor could possibly receive. In France, she is an Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, an Officer of the National Order of Merit, and a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, the highest honors given to citizens of the country. She is now co-starring in the ensemble cast of Mrs.
How “Where the Crawdads Sing” Production Designer & Cinematographer Captured Nature’s Challenging Splendor
After delighting in the alluring visual tapestry throughout director Olivia Newman’s adaptation of the beloved novel Where the Crawdads Sing (in theaters now), you might find it hard to believe production faced a crippling onslaught of rain. So much so, that it flooded the practical set of protagonist Kya’s (Daisy Edgar-Jones) home.
Production designer Sue Chan, whose work includes Shang-Chi, Gone Girl, and Punch Drunk Love (the latter two as supervising art director),
“Where the Crawdads Sing” Director Olivia Newman on Capturing the Haunting Beauty of a Beloved Novel
Based on Delia Owens’ best-selling novel of the same name, Where the Crawdads Sing (playing in theaters now) tells the stirring story of Kya, a young girl abandoned by her family and forced to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina. Shunned by her town as the “marsh girl,” she becomes the prime suspect in the murder of an ex-boyfriend.
Daisy Edgar-Jones delivers a captivating, stand-out performance as Kya, alongside David Strathairn,
“Thor: Love and Thunder ” Costume Designer Mayes C. Rubeo on Dressing Gods & Goddesses
Thor: Love and Thunder has scored the biggest Thor opening yet, proving MCU fans are loving writer/director Taika Waititi’s romantic comedy space adventure. The film reunites Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who has become the Mighty Thor. They fight to stop Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) from killing all the gods and goddesses of the universe.
Essential to capturing the essence of Waititi’s aesthetic is the bright explosion of color represented in every aspect of the project,
Ryan Gosling on Playing Ken in “Barbie” – “Gotta do it for the Kens”
Ryan Gosling is currently making the publicity rounds to discuss starring alongside Chris Evans in the Russo Brothers spy thriller The Gray Man for Netflix. Yet the good-natured Gosling is willing to take a question or two about another big role he’s got on his slate, playing Ken to Margot Robbie’s Barbie in writer/director Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.
Speaking with Variety,
“Bodies Bodies Bodies” Trailer Reveals Pete Davidson & Amandla Stenberg’s Smart Slasher Flick
Director Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies was one of this year’s SXSW Festival’s big hits, and now the first official trailer gives you a glimpse of why it’s sitting at a 96% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reijn’s film delights in gathering a group of rich kids for a “hurricane party” in the sprawling suburban mansion owned by the parents of David (Pete Davidson). The hurricane gives them ample excuse to hole up in the manse,
K-Pop Supergroup BTS is Coming to Disney+
Disney has landed one of the biggest groups in the world.
The Walt Disney Company and the K-pop supergroup BTS have revealed a new global partnership, with BTS’s studio home Hybe agreeing to collaborate with Disney to produce five titles for Disney+. Three of those will be exclusive projects featuring BTS or BTS members. This is a huge win for Disney as they continue to grow their streaming service’s international reach—BTS is arguably the biggest band on the planet.
New Video Details How Jordan Peele’s “Nope” was Shot With IMAX Cameras
Writer/director Jordan Peele is nothing if not ambitious. His directorial debut, Get Out, was an astonishing, game-changing horror film that established him as one of the most unique filmmakers of his generation. Peele nabbed an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, while Get Out‘s star, Daniel Kaluuya, saw his career takeoff—he won a Best Actor Oscar for his stunning performance in Judas and the Black Messiah a few years later.
“Captain America 4” Has Its Director in Julius Onah
Exciting news coming from Marvel Studios. In case you missed it, at the end of last week the news broke that director Julius Onah would be taking on Captain America 4, which will see Anthony Mackie continue his role as the new Cap after his intense struggle, both internally and with a sect of juiced up revolutionaries hellbent on remaking the world order in Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+.
“Thor: Love and Thunder” Hammers Out Franchise-Best Opening Weekend
Thor: Love and Thunder has just notched the best opening weekend in the franchise’s history. Co-writer/director Taika Waititi can now rest assured that his singular vision for the God of Thunder is shared by millions, as Love and Thunder took in a massive $302 million global haul this past weekend. Chris Hemsworth is also now the first actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to have four standalone films in the MCU,
