Mars Executive Producer Justin Wilkes Talks the Category Defying Miniseries
Last fall, National Geographic premiered a new series that was as ambitious and innovative as its subject: the first manned mission to Mars. Over seven episodes, Mars featured inspiring interviews with some of the greatest minds of our age while visualizing the first human colonization of the red planet. Experts delve into the history of space exploration, the unbelievable technology that’s already been developed, and what it will take to make home on a new planet.
The Filmmakers Behind the Sweeping Historical Epic The Promise
Although best known for 2004's Hotel Rwanda, Terry George has written or written and directed a half dozen films about areas of conflict, notably his own childhood homeland, Northern Ireland. With The Promise, which opens April 21, George addresses the genocide of Armenians in what is now Turkey during World War I. The murder of approximately 1.5 million is well documented, yet Turkish authorities have never acknowledged it.
The Boss Baby‘s Director & Producer Talk Baldwin, Childhood, Dr. Seuss
Director Tom McGrath (the Madagascar movies) admits that his very funny and heartwarming new animated film, The Boss Baby is both a tribute and apology to his older brother. It is the story of a seven-year-old named Tim whose blissful life is turned upside down by the arrival of a baby brother. As Tim’s parents dote on the new arrival, they somehow never notice that the baby has a suit and tie,
Celebrating Reel Women: Women in Focus
Meet the women who are calling the shots behind the scenes. We’re talking about the influential women who have produced some of the most entertaining movies and television shows to have ever hit the big and small screens. Sure, you may know about famous actresses who have made the leap to producers such as Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore, but what about all the movers and shakers who are responsible for some of your favorite titles that you haven't heard of?
Sundance 2017: Line Producer Shea Kammer on Breaking Into the Industry
A line producer on a film is one of the most crucial jobs on the crew. Often the first person hired by the producer, a line producer's responsibilities are daunting, to say the least. We spoke to Shea Kammer, a line producer extraordinaire, about what the role requires. Kammer is heading to the Sundance Film Festival, where he has two films in competition; the Iraq war drama The Yellow Birds and the medical drama
The Future of Film: 360 VR
Technology has been propelling storytelling techniques since the advent of the camera. Annie Lukowski and BJ Schwartz are at the forefront of the newest revolution in filmmaking. Their company, Vanishing Point Media, aims to immerse audiences in the story by surrounding them with 360 degrees of action.
Jonathan Ames Talks Season 2 of Blunt Talk
The idea was an inspired one. Novelist, screenwriter and TV creator Jonathan Ames, the man behind HBO's beloved (but short-lived) detective comedy Bored to Death, got an email from his agent saying that Seth McFarlane was looking to create a comedy for Sir Patrick Stewart. Stewart had proven his comedic chops by lending his voice to several episodes of McFardland's Family Guy, and now the budding mogul wanted to create a whole show around the legendary British thespian and movie star.
Chatting With Legendary Filmmaker James Schamus at the Provincetown Film Festival
James Schamus has been responsible for some of the best films of the last 20 years. The award-winning screenwriter, producer and CEO of quality film juggernaut Focus Features has put his stamp on modern cinema with a slew of stylish, intelligent independent films, which has included producing some of the most respected filmmakers in the industry. These filmmakers have included Todd Haynes, Nicole Holofcener, Michel Gondry, Gus Van Sant, Sofia Coppola, and the Coen Brothers. His creative partnership with Ang Lee has been a quiet,
Chatting With X-Men: Apocalypse‘s Composer, Editor & Co-Producer John Ottman
John Ottman is a very busy guy. He was composer, editor, and co-producer of X-Men: Apocalypse, which he describes as “running the store.” But that’s not all – he also composed the score for another film opening this month, The Nice Guys, starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling and written and directed by Shane Black. Somehow, he managed to find a few minutes to chat about both projects.
Go Behind-the-Scenes of Fear the Walking Dead
On Sunday night, April 10, Fear the Walking Dead will return to AMC. The surprisingly nimble, affecting prequel to AMC's powerhouse The Walking Dead had a brisk, well paced and ultimately harrowing first season. In just six episodes viewers got to see how the beginning of the zombie apocalypse looked from the perspective of three families that are thrust together in the very middle of the undead action. Kim Dickens stars as the capable Madison Clark,
SXSW 2016: A Q&A With the Writer/Director, Production Designer & Producer of American Fable
Many first time directors might find themselves tempted to make their debut entrance into the world of filmmaking with simple, festival-ready fare, but for Anne Hamilton, the writer and director of American Fable, that approach just wouldn’t do.
Standing as easily one of the most visually striking films to play at this year’s SXSW, American Fable is what Hamilton & Co. have labeled as a “fairytale thriller”
Hardcore Henry Producer Timur Bekmambetov on the Groundbreaking POV Film
When an action film is at its best, it becomes easy to imagine yourself at the center of the action, jumping building to building, bolting down busy streets and going mano a mano with your attackers. But in the case of Hardcore Henry, the world’s first feature-length action film shot entirely in POV, that feeling of immersion is simply part of the deal.
The premise is simple: a nameless protagonist – you,
SXSW 2016: Director Todd Bieber & Legendary Sketch Comedians Matt Walsh & Matt Besser on Thank You Del
You've probably never heard of Del Close, but you’ve definitely heard of the people he’s taught, inspired, and helped turn into legends—Bill Murray, Amy Poehler, and Chris Farley to name a few. Director Todd Bieber, who has directed for Comedy Central, Vice, IFC, and more, was approached by legendary sketch performers, actors and co-founders of The Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Matt Walsh (Veep, Step Brothers) and Matt Besser (The UCB Show,
Steven Spielberg & Harrison Ford to Reunite for Indiana Jones
Disney just broke the big news—Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford are reuniting for Indiana Jones, with The Force Awakens super producer Kathleen Kennedy on board to produce. This is pretty major news. Here's the full presser:
SPIELBERG AND FORD REUNITE AS INDIANA JONES RETURNS TO THEATERS JULY 19, 2019
Indiana Jones will return to the big screen on July 19, 2019, for a fifth epic adventure in the blockbuster series. Steven Spielberg,
After 6 Glorious Seasons, Downton Abbey Says Goodbye
After six mostly glorious seasons on air, Downton Abbey had its series finale on Sunday night. Show creator Julian Fellowes managed to create a hugely appealing, compelling series centered on Lord Grantham, his extended family and the servants whose lives intersected with their employers. What’s so amazing, as Vulture’s Jen Chaney points out, is Fellowes hit show didn’t require a central character who was difficult and dark,
J.J. Abrams Talks 10 Cloverfield Lane
Earlier today we introduced you to the great short film that put 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg on the map; now we’d like to point your attention towards this great interview with producer J.J. Abrams about the most mysterious film of 2016 thus far. With this Cloverfield “blood relative” opening on Thursday, all eyes are on 10 Cloverfield Lane,
Watch the First Official Ghostbusters Trailer
The first official trailer for Ghostbusters is here, and it takes only 40 seconds for Kristen Wiig's Erin Gilbert to be covered in ectoplasm. A brief set up introduces who our Ghostbusters are; Erin Gilbert (Wiig) is the brainiac ("Erin, no one's better at quantum physics than you!); Kate McKinnon is Jilian Holtzman, the brilliant engineer, Melissa McCarthy is Abby Yates, the team leader, and Leslie Jones is Patty Tolan, the one who knows New York City inside and out.
Judd Apatow Brings the Love to Netflix
The warts and all view of relationships we know and love from Judd Apatow’s comedies is set to become bingeable with today’s premiere of his Netflix series Love. Love follows dorky nice guy Gus (Paul Rust) and freewheeling tough girl Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) as they embark on a relationship. The half hour comedy series was created, written and executive produced by Apatow, Rust and Lesley Arfin. It was originally conceived as a film by husband and wife team Rust and Arfin (who was a writer on the Apatow-produced Girls) and Apatow helped them develop it into a TV rom-com about a slow-burning romance.
Deadpool: How Marvel’s Biggest Misfit Fits In and Acts Out
Before the MCU (that is, the Marvel Cinematic Universe) was ubiquitous, the X-Men dominated film’s superhero landscape and for much of the early aughts, the X-Men series stood as a popular representation of Marvel Comics’ cinematic potential. But in 2008, the official MCU commenced with Iron Man, leaving Spider-Man under the control of Sony, and X-Men,
Sundance 2016: A Film Review Roundup
Earlier we looked at some of the films that have premiered at Sundance that have found homes in a variety of studios, from IFC to Amazon. Now let's take a look at some of the films reviews coming out of the festival this year, perhaps gleaning what will be next on the bidding block.
Vulture's Bilge Ebiri has written that Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea,
