Pixar Releases Gorgeous New “Soul” Trailer
Pixar’s Soul is going to be a real Christmas treat. The studio’s latest wonder will be available for all Disney+ subscribers on Christmas Day, forgoing a theatrical release due to the pandemic. While it would be preferable to see the film on a giant screen with a state-of-the-art sound system, we’re happy that director Pete Docter (Up, Inside Out)’s latest will be available during the holiday season,
DP Phedon Papamichael on Designing for Dialogue in Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Aaron Sorkin is well-known for his densely-packed dialogue, and The Trial of the Chicago 7, his retelling of the 1969 trial that saw counter-culture luminaries like Abbie Hoffman and Bobby Seale tried for conspiracy and inciting a riot, the writer-director is true to form. The film, which debuts on Netflix on October 16th, swerves between the trial and the defendants’ memories, to revisit what each of the seven accused was doing the day the police went after previously peaceful protestors outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
Writer/Director Miranda July on Her Joyously Original Third Feature “Kajillionaire”
Miranda July wears many hats—writer, filmmaker, actress, performance artist, and more. Indeed, her name appears as bylines on magazine articles, as director, writer, and actor in feature-film credits, and as an author on book covers (she has penned an award-winning collection of short stories and published both fiction and nonfiction). Her artistic diversity is perhaps what makes her projects so unique and nuanced and wonderful to engage with.
July’s breakthrough on the big screen came with the 2005 release of Me and You and Everyone We Know,
It’s Milla Jovovich vs. Beasts in First “Monster Hunter” Trailer
If you were asked to place a bet on either Milla Jovovich or some seriously massive and angry monsters, where would you place your money? Yeah, us too. Jovovich is one of the great action stars of her generation, and she’s back to kick butt—in this case, monster butt—in the first official trailer for director Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Monster Hunter. Jovovich and Anderson go back a long way, having worked together on the Resident Evil franchise,
George Miller to Direct “Mad Max: Fury Road” Prequel Centered on Furiosa
Just absolutely phenomenal news. In case you missed this yesterday, the great George Miller is following up Mad Max: Fury Road—one of this century’s best action films—with a prequel centered on Furiosa, the indomitable character played by Charlize Theron. Miller is directing and producing from a script he co-wrote with Nick Lathouris, and his stars are Anya Taylor-Joy as the young Furiosa, Chris Hemsworth, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
Aaron Sorkin on Writing & Directing his Timely “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
When writer/director Aaron Sorkin started writing The Trial of the Chicago 7 over 12 years ago, he had no way of knowing how his script based on a real-life conspiracy trial for men accused of inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic Convention would parallel current events in 2020. Now, his film is set to premiere on October 16th on Netflix, only weeks before the most important election of our time.
Moff Gideon Claims Baby Yoda in New “The Mandalorian” Teaser
Season one of The Mandalorian was essentially an extended tutorial on becoming a father (of sorts). The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal), the galaxy’s most capable bounty hunter, ended up breaking his own code to protect The Child (Baby Yoda, obviously), defying his paymasters. Throughout season one, Mando fought off one bad guy after another to keep The Child safe. In season two, one of the bad guys coming to collect the little guy is Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito),
Enter Princess Di in “The Crown” Season 4 Teaser
The Crown‘s season 4 teaser is a thing of tensely coiled beauty. Centered firmly on the pending marriage of Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and Princess Diana (Emma Corrin), the narration, pulled from their wedding, gravely informs the newlyweds that their journey is only just beginning. We all know the tumultuous trajectory of their marriage and Diana’s tragic fate, all of which lends season four an especially melancholy air. Yet in the years leading up to their wedding (which took place on July 29,
Why Radha Blank’s “The Forty-Year-Old Version” Resonates
For people in their 40s, life can often feel like it’s still waiting to start. Some are struggling to figure out what’s next for them professionally, others are contemplating starting a family — and for many (especially now), the uncertainty can feel overwhelming. For Radha Blank, her 40th year was supposed to mark her arrival as a successful playwright, but life has a way of not delivering the way we want it to.
Alan Baumgarten on Editing Aaron Sorkin’s Rapid-Fire Dialogue in “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
For his latest feature coming to Netflix on October 16th, writer and director Aaron Sorkin shifts his political eye from the West Wing to the US government’s judicial branch. In The Trial of the Chicago 7, Sorkin revisits the drawn-out trial of a group of Vietnam War protestors, including Abbie Hoffmann and Tom Hayden, accused of inciting violent riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The crux of the trial turns on whether the men conspired in their actions,
“The Mandalorian” Drops Season 2 Posters
If there was one thing this Monday morning could use, it would be Baby Yoda. To that end, Disney+ has revealed a slew of new character posters for The Mandalorian season two, featuring everybody’s favorite baby Jedi and his closest pals. Straddling the line between photorealistic and hand-drawn, the new posters remind us that Disney+’s most popular series is set to return in just a few weeks for its second season.
We know that season two will track the Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal)’s journey to help reunite The Child (Baby Yoda,
DP James Kniest on Netflix’s New Horror Series “The Haunting of Bly Manor”
The question central to Henry James’ horror novella “The Turn of the Screw” is whether a nanny who tries and fails to protect her young charges from ghosts ever really saw the ghosts, or if she’s gone mad and is thereby herself at fault for the two children’s’ demise. In Mike Flanagan’s loose adaptation of this and other horror works by James, the creator zooms out, asking instead whether all the occupants of Bly Manor might be losing it.
Patty Jenkins & Gal Gadot Re-Teaming For Paramount’s “Cleopatra” Biopic
Paramount now has the perfect pairing to tackle one of history’s most compelling characters. Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins and her star Gal Gadot are joining forces once again to tackle a biopic about the legendary Queen of Egypt for the studio, The Hollywood Reporter confirms.
Jenkins will direct off a script written by Laeta Kalogridis, with Gadot playing Cleopatra, of course,
Pixar’s “Soul” to Premiere Christmas Day on Disney+ for All Subscribers
Another big release will debut on Disney+. Pixar’s latest original animated film Soul will be premiering on the streaming service on Christmas Day, yet unlike their release of Niki Caro’s Mulan, subscribers won’t have to pay a penny more to see it.
For international viewers who don’t currently have access to Disney+, Soul will still be released theatrically, with those release dates to be announced soon.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange Joining “Spider-Man” 3
Well, this is intriguing. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will be joining Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3. Strange will ostensibly be filling the mentor role that Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury previously held for the young web-slinger. The Hollywood Reporter revealed the news yesterday, promising another tasty crossover between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures.
Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark was Peter Parker’s original mentor,
First Trailer for “Mank” Reveals David Fincher’s First Feature in 6 Years
The first trailer for David Fincher’s Mank—his first feature film since 2014’s Gone Girl—looks ravishing. Fincher’s film is based on a script from his father, Jack Fincher, about the screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), a talented but tortured soul battling alcoholism, a gambling addiction, and the pressure of trying to script what will become one of the most groundbreaking films ever made. That film is Orson Welles’
Natalie Portman Reveals Jane Foster “Thor: Love and Thunder” Storyline
One of the most intriguing bits of news to come out of San Diego Comic-Con way (way) back in July 2019, was that Natalie Portman would be playing Mighty Thor in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok follow-up Thor: Love and Thunder. The specifics of Portman’s role have been—and will continue to be—closely guarded secrets, yet Portman did confirm one piece of her character’s storyline that is really intriguing.
Director Angel Manuel Soto on His High-Octane HBO Max Feature “Charm City Kings”
In some ways, it’s a story that director Angel Manuel Soto knows little about. But it’s also one he knows only too well. Centered around the urban dirt bike culture in Baltimore, Maryland, Charm City Kings, making its debut on HBO Max, is a raw, coming-of-age drama based in a culture where respect is earned through stunt riding.
Take the bikes out of the equation, and it is remarkably similar to how Soto felt growing up in Puerto Rico.
David Fincher’s “Mank” Gets December Release on Netflix
As we wrote earlier today, we’re taking any good news we can get on the film release front. While we’re duty-bound to share some of the bummer news, we’re thrilled to report that David Fincher’s first feature film in six years will be released on Netflix this December 4. And Mank is not only loaded with talent on camera and off, but it also looks, at least from the images we’ve seen,
“Godzilla” Anime Series Coming to Netflix
While we keep having to share the bummer news of film releases being pushed back, from The Batman and Dune to the latest big change, Jurassic World: Dominion (moved from summer 2021 to a 2022 release), there is still good news in the entertainment world to share. One bit of it is this—a brand new Godzilla anime series is coming to Netflix. The new show will be called Godzilla Singular Point and will be a brand new thing.
