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Eric Bana has been a mainstay on the big screen for decades. The Australian comedian turned dramatic actor has been in everything from Ang Lee’s Hulk to Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek, and Judd Apatow’s Funny People. Getting his big break on the Australian shows Full Frontal and the eponymous The Eric Bana Show Live, the actor hit Hollywood’s radar with his role in Chopper as the infamous criminal Mark Chopper Read. After over twenty years in the industry, Bana returned to Australia for the 2021 mystery The Dry and has now reprised the role of Aaron Falk for the sequel, Force of Nature.

Based on the novel by Jane Harper, Force of Nature picks up a year after The Dry as Aaron Falk and his partner investigate a money laundering scheme with the aid of insider Alice Russell (Anna Torv). When...

Simon McQuoid’s 2021 feature directorial debut with the martial arts fantasy film Mortal Kombat has certainly created a splash among fans but it was far from having an impressive box office gross. Still, New Line Cinema alongside Atomic Monster and Broken Road Productions is bringing a sequel to the first movie with Warner Brothers distributing the movie.

Sisi Stringer as Mileena in Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat 2 hype is quite promising as the movie will bring back the essence of the action-adventure fighting video game series, Mortal Kombat. However, fans have one subtle demand for the studio asking the makers not to repeat one critical mistake in the sequel of the action movie.

Mortal Kombat 2 Will Be “Way Bigger” Hiroyuki Sanada in Mortal Kombat

The preparation of the movie following the announcement has been long, perhaps, this time Warner Brothers are expecting more appealing sequences embedded into the narrative.

It’s an indie grab bag and a fun one this weekend with the widely pummeled TIFF-premiering Poolman, (the people will decide), Jamie Foxx in comedy Not Another Church Movie, and Eric Bana’s Force of Nature: The Dry 2 sequel. Mubi and Strand Releasing are testing the market with limited openings Gasoline Rainbow and A Prince. A24 begins a slow rollout of I Saw The TV Glow.

The widest release on 1,180+ screens is Briarcliff’s Not Another Church Movie directed by Johnny Mack, starring Jamie Foxx, Vivica A. Fox, Kevin Daniels and Mickey Rourke. Daniels is Taylor Pherry (silent p), an ambitious young man on a holy mission from God (Foxx) — to tell his family’s stories and inspire his community. But the Devil (Rourke) has plans of his own.

Vertical’s Poolman at 160+ locations is Pine’s directorial debut andhe also stars as Darren, a native Angeleno who...

The arid landscape of the fictional Australian town Kiewarra lends the 2020 mystery thriller “The Dry” its name and identity. It’s the type of place filled with interpersonal tension, which frequently reflects onto a barren, sun-scorched environment itching to go up in flames.

When federal agent Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to his hometown to look into the double murder-suicide supposedly perpetrated by his childhood best friend, he’s thrust back into the town’s powder-keg energy. Everyone looks at him with suspicion because they suspect he was responsible for the drowning of his high school girlfriend twenty years prior, with their resentment exacerbated by his off-the-books investigation. Adapted from Jane Harper’s procedural mystery novel by the same name, “The Dry” marinates in buried backcountry secrets and childhood trauma, both of which unfortunately never transcend their generic function or presentation on screen.

Four years later, the awkwardly titled sequel...

If there is any justice in this world, we’ll get an Aaron Falk mystery every few years in perpetuity. Force of Nature: The Dry 2, written and directed by Robert Connolly and based on the novel by Jane Harper, offers up a brand-new case for viewers and does not require that you’ve seen its engaging predecessor (The Dry). This time the setting is the Giralang Ranges, a fictional rainforest of labyrinthine density. Along with the drastic change in scenery from the first outing (which hewed closer to an outback aesthetic tourists would expect), there’s been an expansion of production value. As Falk closes in on the identity of the killer, a violent storm closes in. This time there are more characters, more plot, and more conflicting motivations.

The plot revolves around a corporate retreat gone bad. Five women went out on a team-building hiking-camping trip. Only four came back.

After getting through the reopened old wounds and fresh corpses of “The Dry” in his dusty outback hometown, Eric Bana’s Federal Agent Aaron Falk certainly deserved a change of scenery. He gets one in woodsy “Force of Nature: The Dry 2,” though naturally the second feature adapted by director Robert Connolly from Jane Harper’s print mystery series soon finds him equally knee-deep in troublesome sleuthing. This sequel to one of Australia’s biggest homegrown hits reprises much of its page-turning plottiness — as well as a straining for emotional depth that proves elusive. IFC is releasing to U.S. theaters and home formats on May 10.

Once again, and perhaps a little too neatly, a case forces Falk to revisit the tragedies of his own past. In the prior film, a childhood friend’s funeral set him to investigating its cause, an effort which soon exposed disturbing links to his...

Plot: Five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side. Federal agents Aaron Falk and Carmen Cooper head into the mountains hoping to find their informant still alive.

Review: We reviewed the Australian mystery drama The Dry a couple of years ago. We enjoyed Eric Bana’s first Australian film after moving to Hollywood and found director Robert Connolly’s adaptation of Jane Harper’s novel to be refreshing. That film told the story of a federal investigator who returns home to investigate the murder of a childhood friend, which bears a distinct connection to a crime he himself was accused of decades prior. Bana and Connolly have reunited for the second novel in the Aaron Falk trilogy, Force of Nature. Carrying the subtitle that indicates it as a sequel to The Dry, Force of Nature is a substantially different story. Shifting from a...

Australian writer-director Robert Connolly had a domestic hit in 2021 with The Dry, a slow-burn murder mystery built around Eric Bana’s somber performance as a pensive city cop drawn back to the remote town of his childhood in the middle of a prolonged drought. Bana returns as Aaron Falk in Force of Nature: The Dry 2, which is otherwise a sequel in name alone. The setting this time is a lush and very wet mountain rainforest, drenched by a massive thunderstorm at a key point in the narrative. That makes half the title a complete misnomer.

This is a handsomely produced, solidly acted thriller that’s certainly watchable, though the perplexing subtitle is not its only issue. Unlike its riveting predecessor, it’s absorbing but never quite gripping.

Connolly sticks to novelist Jane Harper’s template from the first book in her Aaron Falk trilogy, in which the Australian Federal Police...

"I know what it's like out there. I know what happens when things turn bad." IFC Films has unveiled the official US trailer for the Australian mystery sequel titled Force of Nature: The Dry 2, arriving in the US to watch this May (in theaters & on VOD). This crime thriller is a follow-up to the hit film The Dry (2020) continuing the story with the same character. Both of these star Eric Bana as a Federal Agent named Aaron Falk; in the first film, he gets wrapped up in a murder mystery when he goes to his hometown. In this next one, five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out on the other side. Federal agents Falk and Cooper head into the Victorian mountains hoping to find her still alive. Bana co-stars with Anna Torv, Deborra-Lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, Lucy Ansell, Richard Roxburgh, Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor,...

As another year of horror ends, we reflect on the best this genre had to offer. Usually, that means focusing on those movies that drew the most attention. However, there are also those movies that slipped under everyone’s radars for whatever reason, ultimately causing them to be overlooked. So the objective here is to bring more attention to these releases as horror fans play catch-up.

Like last year, 2023 was a strong year for horror. And these ten hidden gems might have escaped notice at the time, but it’s never too late to discover them now.

Pollen

Image: Ava Rose Kinard in D.W. Medoff’s Pollen.

In the vein of other horror movies about misunderstood outsiders, like May and Love Object, D.W. Medoff‘s first long feature Pollen focuses on an individual whose awkward and unconventional ways make her stand out in society. Although, it wasn’t always...

"None of you have been honest with me about what happened out there..." Roadshow Films in Australia has unveiled an official trailer for their crime thriller sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2, a follow-up to the hit film The Dry from a few years ago. Both of these star Eric Bana as a Federal Agent named Aaron Falk; in the first film, he unwittingly gets wrapped up in a murder mystery when he goes to visit his hometown. In this next one, five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out on the other side. Federal agents Falk and Cooper head into the Victorian mountains hoping to find their informant still alive. Eric Bana returns with Anna Torv, Deborra-Lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, Lucy Ansell, Jacqueline McKenzie, Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor, Richard Roxburgh, Tony Briggs, and Kenneth Radley. Another chilling crime movie / murder mystery to keep audiences hooked.

A sequel to the Mortal Kombat movie from 2021 is on the way, and The Wrap reports tonight that Karl Urban (“The Boys”) is in final talks to join the cast as Johnny Cage.

The Wrap reminds, “Johnny Cage was introduced in the first Mortal Kombat arcade game in 1992. Johnny Cage is depicted as an action movie star with an extensive martial arts background. He is often characterized as a swashbuckling, Hollywood fighting movie star who places great importance on his image and consistently behaves in a cool manner.”

The star of Amazon’s hit series “The Boys,” Karl Urban turns 50 years old next month, so this particular take on the classic Mortal Kombat character is sure to be different than expected. Many fans had been lobbying for WWE superstar The Miz to play Cage in the upcoming sequel, but Urban’s casting will bring a whole new facet to the character.

Vampire Academy is not returning for a second season. Attempts to find a new home for the cancelled Peacock series have failed, per the series' showrunner, Marguerite MacIntyre. Co-created by Julie Plec, the series is based on the novels by Richelle Mead.

Sisi Stringer, Daniela Nieves, Kieron Moore, Andre Dae Kim, J. August Richards, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Mia Mckenna-Bruce, Rhian Blundell, Jonetta Kaiser, and Andrew Liner star in the supernatural drama series. The story follows two women from different classes as they finish their education and prepare to enter vampire society.

Read More…...

It looks like Vampire Academy will remain staked after Peacock canceled it in January.

Executive producer and showrunner Marguerite MacIntyre shared an update on the efforts to find a new home after the cancellation.

Since the cancellation, MacIntyre has remained optimistic that the show could return in some capacity.

However, the latest update is somber as the former Vampire Diaries star said she "doesn't see any avenue" forward to keep the show alive.

"I have been wanting to say this for a very long time," MacIntyre said in a video posted on Twitter.

"Again, thank you for all your love for the show."

"Thanks for the incredible support. Thanks for you sticking with us through a lot of thin lately."

She continued, "I don't have good news. I don't see any avenue forward."

"And I just feel like now is the time to say I'm sorry about that; it wasn't for lack of trying.

Marguerite MacIntyre, executive producer, writer and showrunner of Vampire Academy, is giving fans an update on the efforts to the potential second season of the Peacock-cancelled show and it’s not good news.

“I have been wanting to say this for a very long time,” MacIntyre said in a video shared on social media. “Again, thank you for all your love for the show. Thanks for the incredible support. Thanks for you sticking with us through a lot of thin lately.”

MacIntyre continued, “I don’t have good news. I don’t see any avenue forward. I feel like now is the time to say I’m sorry about that, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. We went a little silent because there wasn’t a lot we could say. We pitched our hearts out, and we tried, and we took it as far as we could.”

Vampire...

Vampire Academy won’t be coming back from the dead, according to co-showrunner Marguerite MacIntyre, who has shared an update on the Peacock drama’s rescue efforts.

“I have been wanting to say this for a very long time,” MacIntyre, who developed the series with Julie Plec, says in a video posted to social media on Wednesday. “Again, thank you for all your love for the show. Thanks for the incredible support. Thanks for you sticking with us through a lot of thin lately.”

More from TVLineTwisted Metal: 'Bonkers' Video Game Adaptation Starring Anthony Mackie Gets Peacock Release...

Children of the Corn is a new adaptation of Stephen King‘s novel, this time by Shudder and directed by Kurt Wimmer.

An adaptation shaped for the modern “sensibility” towards King’s novel, which raises philosophical questions about whether “any time in the past was better”.

I have never read such negative reviews about a film.

Movie Review

Could they have saved themselves the effort of making it? The answer is a resounding “yes”. It’s just another horror telefilm and which with this supposed regeneration of the tale – without covering any new ground – loses almost everything quitessential from the novel and destroys everything that the 1984 film had about it that was good.

Children of the Corn

En cuanto a ambientación y cinematografía: los recurrentes trucos modernos que, aderezado con algún susto ochentero, la convierten en más o menos pasable. Suponemos que está destinada a un público mayoritariamente juvenil que,...

There are six novels in author Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy book series, plus a spin-off series called Bloodlines that also consists of six novels. Unfortunately, the live-action adaptations of this source material don’t have much luck. Back in 2014, the movie Vampire Academy (watch it Here) was released to theatres, and not many people really seemed to care to see it, or to like the movie if they did see it. According to Rotten Tomatoes, only 16 of the film’s reviews were positive (our own Chris Bumbray gave it a 2/10 review), and according to Box Office Mojo it made just 15.6 million dollars worldwide. Years down the line, the Peacock streaming service attempted to bring Vampire Academy to screens in the form of a TV series… and now Deadline reports that the Vampire Academy show has been cancelled after just one season.

Deadline understands that execs at Peacock were happy...

School's out for the students of St. Vladimir's. Peacock has cancelled the Vampire Academy TV series, so that we won't see a second season.

A supernatural fantasy drama from executive producers Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre, the Vampire Academy TV show is based on the novel series by Richelle Mead. It stars Sisi Stringer, Daniela Nieves, Kieron Moore, André Dae Kim, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Jonetta Kaiser, Andrew Liner, Rhian Blundell, and J. August Richards. The story revolves around the friendship of two young women from very different social classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. Lissa Dragomir (Nieves) is a Moroi princess, while Rose Hathaway (Stringer) is a half-vampire Guardian trained to protect against the savage 'Strigoi' who threaten to tear their society apart. Read More…...

Peacock, the home of the new slasher movie Sick and the upcoming Friday the 13th series “Crystal Lake,” has announced this week that they’ve cancelled “Vampire Academy,” a new series based on Richelle Mead’s line of same-titled books. The drama-horror series had only opened up for business this past September, and it’s gotten the axe after just one season.

Deadline explains, “Deadline understands that execs at Peacock were happy with both shows creatively but they just didn’t find the requisite audience to justify further seasons.”

Here’s the synopsis for the series: “In a world of privilege and glamour, two young women’s friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. One as a powerful Royal, the other a half-vampire Guardian trained to protect against the savage ‘Strigoi’ who threaten to tear their society apart.

“That is,...

Peacock is reworking its slate, and it's bad news for fans of YA dramas Vampire Academy and One of Us Is Lying.

Deadline reported Friday night that both series had been canceled after their most recent runs on the streaming service.

Vampire Academy came from Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries) and was expected to be a big hit for the service, but Deadline notes that the numbers didn't justify a second season.

"St. Vladmir's Academy isn't just any boarding school — it's a hidden place where vampire royals are educated and half-human teens train to protect them from the savage 'Strigoi' vampires who would like to see them destroyed," reads the logline for the series.

Vampire Academy stars Daniela Nieves (Snowfall) as Royal Moroi vampire Lissa Dragomir, Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat) as Rose's Dhampir Guardian Rose Hathaway, and Kieron Moore (Sex Education) Dhampir Guardian Dimitri Belikov.

The cast also includes Andre Dae Kim...

Say goodbye to “One of Us Is Lying” and “Vampire Academy.” On Friday, Peacock canceled both shows, the latest in a wave of cancelations as studios, streamers and networks cut costs heading into 2023.

“One of Us Is Lying,” the very first pilot Peacock ordered to series, debuted in 2021 and was renewed for a second season, which premiered last fall. “Vampire Academy” has been staked through the heart after just one season.

Also Read:

Apple TV+’s ‘The Mosquito Coast’ Canceled After 2 Seasons

Originally in development at E!, “One of Us Is Lying” was executive produced by John Sacchi and Matt Groesch of 5 More Minutes Productions and produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group. Dario Madrona, who co-created the Spanish-language Netflix series “Elite,” was showrunner. Jennifer Morrison directed and produced the pilot, which was written by Erica Saleh. Marianly Tejada, Cooper van Grootel, Annalisa Cochrane, Chibuikem Uche, Barrett Carnahan,...

Class is dismissed at St. Vladimir’s, as Peacock has cancelled Vampire Academy after one season.

The show’s first (and now only) season completed its 10-episode run on Thursday, Oct. 27.

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With Vampire Academy and One of Us Is Lying both cancelled on Friday, Peacock’s remaining scripted originals include Bel-Air, Dr. Death, Killing It, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin and Wolf Life Me (all of which...

Exclusive: A pair of YA drama series are coming to an end at Peacock.

The NBCU streamer has cancelled One Of Us Is Lying and Vampire Academy.

One Of Us Is Lying ran for two seasons, while Vampire Academy, which comes from Julie Plec, has ended after one.

Deadline understands that execs at Peacock were happy with both shows creatively but they just didn’t find the requisite audience to justify further seasons.

One Of Us Is Lying, which is based on Karen M. McManus’ novel, launched in October 2021 and was the first Peacock pilot to go to series. It was renewed for a second season earlier this year that aired in October 2022.

Vampire Academy was handed a straight-to-series order in May 2021 and premiered in September 2022.

Both shows come from Universal Studio Group.

One Of Us Is Lying, from UCP, follows what happens when five high schoolers walk into detention...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the season one finale of “Vampire Academy”

Lissa and Rose are hitting the road, and it’s not at all the way they planned for it to happen. But after the season finale of “Vampire Academy,” extreme measures had to be taken. The good news is, there are plenty of threads to be picked up should a season two renewal happen, and series stars Daniela Nieves and Sisi Stringer have their own list of ideas for the girls.

In the episode, now streaming on Peacock, Lissa (Nieves) and Rose (Stringer), along with most of their friends — assuming Mason makes it through surgery Ok — managed to survive the strigoi attack on St. Vladimir’s. But that attack happened in order to orchestrate a coup, and now that Lissa has her quorum back, she’s more of a target than ever..

It’s only thanks to their spirit...

In our Q&a series "Popsugar Crush," we get to know some of our favorite celebs' more intimate details - from their ideal first date to their most romantic gesture. This month, we're crushing on "Vampire Academy" star Andrew Liner.

Andrew Liner is relishing in the success of "Vampire Academy," which premiered on Peacock in September.

"I feel so many amazing, positive things," the 22-year-old actor tells Popsugar of playing Mason Ashford, who's a Dhampir, or half-vampire/half-human, in the show. "Mason is a sweet, loving person, and to get to jump into that guy for around eight months was something special and taught me a lot about what I need to learn and practice in my life."

Based on the book series by Richelle Mead, "Vampire Academy" centers on the friendship between Rosemary "Rose" Hathaway (Sisi Stringer), also a Dhampir, and royal Moroi princess Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir (Daniela Nieves...

Peacock just took another stab at reimagining original shows with new twists and updated storylines with "Vampire Academy," which began streaming on the platform on Sept. 15. The show is based on the novel series by Richelle Mead and tied to the 2014 film of the same name.

"Vampire Academy" centers on friends Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway, a half-human/half-vampire training to be a guardian, and Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir, a royal Moroi princess, as they navigate the world of the undead. Along with tackling their studies at St. Vladimir's Academy, the friends also get swept up in their fair share of steamy relationships, along with battling adversaries that seek wreak havoc in their lives.

The series diverts from the film in a number of ways, including the fresh set of faces that make up the cast (many of whom you might recognize from other projects). With lead actors Sisi Stringer and Daniela Nieves,...

Image Source: Todd Williamson / Peacock

"Sometimes I just want to sit back and watch a girl be a princess," actress Daniela Nieves tells Popsugar. She's starring in Peacock's new "Vampire Academy," based on the YA international bestsellers and from the creative mind behind CW's hit vampire franchise. The show follows two best friends, Sisi Stringer's Rose as the badass fighter/guardian and Nieves's reluctant Princess Lissa. She gets thrown into vampire politics when her family dies in a car crash and she becomes head of her royal household.

"I just want to sit back and watch [the Latina] fall in love with the main guy. I don't want her to be the sidekick. I want her to be the main character."

Obviously, "princess" is a loaded term. People use it as an insult to describe spoiled or entitled women. It's got those colonial roots. The Disney pantheon has also become synonymous...

Vampires are a perpetually popular source of entertainment. There’s a sexiness and a sense of history to them that can make for in-depth storytelling. They’re also perfect for the teen market, probably because the vampire hierarchy, archaic rules, and raging emotions feel perfectly suited to young adults growing up. So it’s no surprise that, in the wake of The CW’s long-running vampire series “The Vampire Diaries,” “The Originals,” and “Legacies,” that creator Julie Plec would want to turn to another YA version of vampire novels: Richelle Mead’s “Vampire Academy.”

“Vampire Academy” is a series so rich with history that a big reason the new Peacock show struggles to gain footing is trying to fit it all in. It exists in a world of vampire royalty known as Moroi and human/vampire guardians called Dhampirs. The novels, and show, follow Rose Hathaway (Sisi Stringer), a Dhampir attending the prestigious St.

With the premiere of Peacock’s Vampire Academy, school is officially back in session at St. Vladimir’s. And whether your knowledge of the franchise stems from Richelle Mead’s original book series, or from the 2014 film adaptation, you’ll be surprised to discover that the fabled institution has undergone a few changes.

Yes, the school remains a training ground for human-vampire hybrids known as “dhampir,” as well as full-blooded vampires of the spell casting variety known as “moroi.” But you won’t find it in the great state of Montana, like in the books, nor would you have to...

If you’ve been craving a vampire drama to quench your thirst since “The Vampire Diaries” left Netflix, look no further.

Created by Tvd producer Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre, who wrote “The Vampire Diaries” spinoffs “The Originals” and “Legacies,” “Vampire Academy” promises all the romance of Tvd with even more hierarchy and teen angst. Think “Harry Potter” combined with “The Crown” but with a blood-sucking twist.

Here’s how to watch the YA adaptation when it premieres Thursday, Sept. 15.

Is “Vampire Academy” Streaming or on TV?

The series will stream exclusively on Peacock beginning Sept. 15. You can get Peacock Premium for 1.99 a month for 12 months for a limited time (it’s normally 4.99 a month). Or you can get Premium Plus with no ads for 9.99 a month.

Are Episodes of “Vampire Academy” Released All at Once or Weekly?

The first four episodes of “Vampire Academy” are streaming at launch, but...

Living in a world with vampires is stressful. Suddenly being forced to become a princess in that world? Even more stressful. Alas, such is the case for Lissa in “Vampire Academy.” The good news is, she’s got a pretty great best friend — and according to series stars Sisi Stringer and Daniela Nieves, everything hinges upon that friendship.

In the first four episodes of “Vampire Academy,” now streaming on Peacock, the strength of the bond between Lissa (Nieves) and Rose (Stringer) becomes pretty apparent. They’ve got plans, and those plans have been in the works for a long time. And then the accident happens. Even so, the pair has a vision for what they want their lives to be. Soon enough, they’re even having literal visions — of each other.

It may seem intense now, but according to Stringer and and Nieves, it’s only going to get deeper.

An adaptation of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy novels is heading to streaming TV. Here’s how you can enroll with the Peacock service to catch all the supernatural (and romantic) action.

Hailing from from executive producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals) and Marguerite MacIntyre (The Originals), Vampire Academy promises a story of friendship, romance and danger. In a world of privilege and glamour, the friendship between two young women — Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway and Vasilisa “Lissa” Dragomir (played by Sisi Stringe and Daniela Nieves) — transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society.

To (extremely) paraphrase Benjamin Franklin: nothing is certain in storytelling but love, death, and vampires combining the two. In the last 30 years, give or take a “True Blood,” some of TV’s most popular interpretations of one of the world’s eldest mythic creatures have tended to lean toward the teenaged variety, whether plucky and battle-scarred (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) or moody and yearning (“The Vampire Diaries”). Now, Peacock’s “Vampire Academy,” from “Vampire Diaries” co-creator Julie Plec and “The Originals” producer Marguerite MacIntyre, combines all the above into one package that ends up intriguing enough, if also unavoidably cheesy in its attempts to stand out amongst the fray.

With the help of a somber, blunt opening explanation, the series immediately throws us into a centuries-old society of three co-existing vampire species: the magic “Moroi” aristocrats, the half-Moroi, half-human “Dhampir” tasked with protecting them, and the feral “Strogoi,” more zombie than vampire,...

Click here to read the full article.

Take the fairy-tale opulence and elaborate social rituals of Bridgerton and the class-revolution themes of The Hunger Games, toss in a warrior class à la the Dauntless from Divergent, add a light sprinkle of Harry Potter‘s boarding-school shenanigans and just a dash of Game of Thrones’ endless power struggles, and you might cook up something like Vampire Academy, based on the YA series by Richelle Mead that hit bestseller lists right around the height of Twilight mania.

If that sounds like a lot to cram into one show, that’s because — for both better and worse — it is. Vampire Academy‘s scope is massive in some ways, encompassing everything from the everyday angst of lovelorn teens to the tug-of-war between church and state for the future of the entire vampire realm, and its breathless pacing practically compels a viewer to keep clicking the “play next” button.

The Vampire Diaries franchise may be over, but the show’s creator, Julie Plec, isn’t done with creatures of the night. Plec paired with Marguerite MacIntyre, who played Sheriff Forbes in Tvd, to adapt the Vampire Academy novels for the small screen. The fruits of their labor premieres September 15 in Peacock‘s Vampire Academy, starring Daniela Nieves and Sisi Stringer as Lissa Dragomir and Rose Hathaway, two supernatural best friends destined to shake their royal vampire society to its core. But don’t let Plec and MacIntyre’s resumes fool you: this series won’t look like Tvd franchise. That’s mostly because Richelle Mead’s books created a vampire world quite different from others in the genre. Vampire Academy has significant elements typically unseen in these bloodsucking tales. For example, Nieves and Stringer’s Lissa and Rose have a sisterly bond. Lissa is a royal Moroi vampire, who...

There is one common modern TV problem that never plagues “Vampire Academy”: The sense that a show’s first season is a bunch of throat-clearing, set-up, and teasing for future seasons. This is a series with a decidedly opposite problem; it’s so saturated with characters, lore, and incident that by the second episode it feels like it’s filling the audience in on a half-season’s worth of previous adventures that they already missed.

Presumably some of these details come from the “Vampire Academy” book series by author Richelle Mead, which was previously adapted into a little-seen 2014 film of the same name. At the time, it seemed like a natural blending of the two biggest contemporary fantasy franchises, filling the void left by the end of the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” movies: a magical and competitive boarding school from the former, populated by hormonal/sympathetic vampires from the latter.

Each of the first four episodes of Vampire Academy, the new YA series from creators Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre, opens with a quick sequence outlining the three principal roles that characters occupy. The first are the Moroi, vampires who have magical Elemental powers, but are basically powerless to defend themselves. Then there’s the Strigoi, who are Moroi that have turned evil and adhere to characteristics that audiences traditionally associate with vampires such as bloodlust and aggression. Finally, there are Dhampir guardians – half Moroi/half Dhampir who have sworn to protect the Moroi from the Strigoi.

If that primer is confusing, Vampire Academy only gets more convoluted from here. The 10-episode Peacock adaptation of Richelle Mead’s bestselling fantasy romance series is overstuffed, overcomplicated and often nonsensical, especially in its first half.

We open at a party that introduces Lissa Dragomir (Daniela Nieves), a Royal Moroi, and her best friend Rose Hathaway,...

Vampire Academy makes its highly anticipated debut on Peacock on Thursday, September 15, with a four-episode launch.

TV Fanatic got the chance to chat with Sisi Stringer (Rose), Daniela Nieves (Lissa), Kieron Moore (Dimitri), André Dae Kim (Christian), J. August Richards (Victor), and Anita-Joy Uwajeh (Tatiana) ahead of launch.

Daniela hadn't read the books when she first heard about the project, but she was intrigued when she heard Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries) was involved.

"I think I finished the first book in a day or two," Daniela shares, revealing that she was addicted to the multi-layered world.

The actress also understands why the novel series has such a big fanbase.

Daniela was surprised at the level of engagement from fans of the novels when the cast was announced.

"Before we met, they were literally taking out Instagram pictures and making fan art," Nieves added.

"It's cool to have such a...

The teen vampire genre has had its fair share of memorable couples—from Twilight's Edward and Bella to The Vampire Diaries' Stefan, Damon and Elena—so it's no surprise that the cast of Peacock's Vampire Academy is already gearing up for the many ships to come. "I'm super excited for all the ships," actress Daniela Nieves—who plays Royal vampire Lissa Dragomir—exclusively told E! News. "Just seeing what the fans think and who they want who to end up with and what they would like to see, it's really fun." Portraying Lisa's Bff and half-vampire protector Rose Hathaway is Sisi Stringer, who echoed her co-star's words. "I...

Vampires have been big money since Twilight changed the dynamic of the bloodsucking monster from aristocratic old European men into hunky guys with great hair and sexy women with…great hair. For the last decade, vampires have been the central focus of many television series, namely The CW series The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. With those series off the air, Peacock is bringing a new adaptation of the popular book series Vampire Academy to their service. Created by Vampire Diaries showrunner Julie Plec and actress Marguerite Macintyre, Vampire Academy is a much different take that the 2014 feature film version.

Vampire Academy follows a similar soap opera style as the aforementioned series but generates vaster mythology complete with different classes of vampires and an entire monarchy they follow. Here’s the synopsis:

In a world of privilege and glamour, two young women’s friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as...

To celebrate the release of Vampire Academy, we spoke with the cast and crew about sinking their teeth into the show.

Firstly, we spoke with Executive Producers Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre about tackling a popular book series and about why vampires continue to be so popular.

Daniela Nieves and Sisi Stringer spoke about leading the show and how the series propels female friendships to the foreground.

Then we chatted with Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Rhian Blundell, and Mia Mckenna-Bruce about the incredible costumes and immersive filming experience.

We spoke to J. August Richards and Jonetta Kaiser about how they conveyed their powers and the deep lore of vampires.

Finally, Kieron Moore, Andre Dae Kim, and Andrew Liner spoke about the importance of the series and also the spooky shoot.

The first four episodes of Vampire Academy are available 16th September on Peacock exclusively on Sky and Now, with new episodes dropping weekly.

Daniela Nieves (Save Me) and André Dae Kim star in Peacock’s Vampire Academy series, based on the bestselling books by Richelle Mead. Premiering on Thursday, September 15, 2022, Vampire Academy is set at St. Vladimir’s Academy, an institution populated by vampires – including the moroi (vampire royalty) – and guarded by dhampirs (half-human/half-vampires). Nieves stars as Lissa Dragomir, the last surviving member of the royal Dragomir bloodline. Kim plays Christian Ozera, a member of vampire royalty whose parents willingly turned into Strigoi (evil vampires).

Fans of Richelle Mead’s books know what to expect from Christian and Lissa’s relationship, while newbies only need to know Christian’s a bit of a bad boy and Lissa’s well respected among the royals. Teamed up for interviews at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, Daniela Nieves and André Dae Kim discussed getting into their characters, the source material, and wearing fangs.

Daniela Nieves as...

WME Independent licences crime thriller in Australia, UK, Italy.

IFC Films has acquired North American rights to The Dry follow-up and Australian crime thriller Force Of Nature, which WME Independent is continuing to sell at TIFF.

Roadshow Films has acquired the thriller for Australia and New Zealand, Leonine Studios for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Notorious Pictures for Italy and Spain, Sky for the UK, Three Lines for Benelux, M2 for Eastern Europe and Selmer for Scandinavia.

Bana reprises his role as federal agent Aaron Falk and reunites with The Dry director Robert Connolly on the story of agents who venture...

Click here to read the full article.

IFC Films has picked up the North American rights to the Australian crime thriller Force of Nature from director Robert Connolly.

The follow-up to Connolly’s box office The Dry reteams the director with Eric Bana, who reprises his role as Aaron Falk. Force of Nature is based on the book series by Jane Harper and captures five women taking part in a corporate hiking retreat where only four come out on the other side.

Federal Agents Falk and Carmen Cooper head deep into the Victorian mountain ranges to investigate and hopefully find their whistle-blowing informant, Alice Russell, alive.

“Eric Bana brought the character of Aaron Falk to life last year, intriguing audiences across the globe. Returning to this beautifully written true-crime universe with Eric, Robert, and the amazing team at Made Up Stories ensures all the ingredients that made The Dry a...

Sky has revealed the trailer for ‘Vampire Academy,’ streaming on Peacock on 16 September, exclusively on Sky and Now. The 10-episode series will launch with the first four episodes available immediately, and then the series will follow a weekly pattern.

In a world of privilege and glamour, two young women’s friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. One as a powerful Royal, the other a half-vampire Guardian trained to protect against the savage ‘Strigoi’ who threaten to tear their society apart. That is if Royal infighting doesn’t do the job first.

Produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and from executive producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Legacies) and Marguerite MacIntyre (The Vampire Diaries) comes Peacock Original Vampire Academy, a story of friendship, romance and danger. St. Vladmir’s Academy isn’t just any...

“Vampire Academy” has added eight recurring guest stars, Variety has learned exclusively.

Angela Wynter, Lorna Brown, Louisa Connolly-Burnham, Cornelius Macarthy, Jason Diaz, Jennifer Kirby (“Call The Midwife”), Joseph Ollman and Pik-Sen Lim will all appear in the series as recurring characters.

Based on the book series of the same name by Richelle Mead, “Vampire Academy” follows two best friends — Rose Hathaway (Sisi Stringer), a vampire-human hybrid, and Lissa Dragomir (Daniela Nieves), a Royal Moroi vampire. As Rose and Lissa prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society, the two must also fight for their relationship as society attempts to tear them apart. In addition to Stringer and Nieves, the young adult drama series stars Kieron Moore, André Dae Kim, J. August Richards, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Mia Mckenna-Bruce, Rhian Blundell, Jonetta Kaiser and Andrew Liner.

Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Television.

Vampire Academy — “Near Guard, Far Guard” Episode 105 — Pictured: (l-r) Javier Ramos as Dean Barnes, Rhian Blundell as Meredith, Sisi Stringer as Rose Hathaway, Blake Patrick Anderson as Eddie Castile — (Photo by: Jose Haro/Peacock) From executive producers Julie Plec & Marguerite MacIntyre comes a story of friendship, romance and danger. In a world of privilege and glamour, two young women’s friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. One as a powerful Royal, the other a half-vampire Guardian trained to protect against the savage ‘Strigoi’ who threaten to tear their society apart. That is, if Royal infighting doesn’t do the job first.

Get ready to sink your teeth into #VampireAcademy Streaming September 15th only on Peacock.

The post Peacock Releases Trailer For New Orginal Series ‘Vampire Academy’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Peacock has released a trailer for the new series "Vampire Academy," based on the bestselling young adult novel series of the same name by Richelle Mead. If this sounds familiar to you, it may be because the books were adapted into a 2014 film starring Zoey Deutch and Lucy Fry. The new series about St. Vladimir's Academy for vampires -- which will serve as a reboot -- comes to us from some people very familiar with the genre; Julie Plec ("The Vampire Diaries") and Marguerite Macintyre ("The Originals") will serve as showrunners and executive producers, with Plec also directing.

The lore of these novels is complex, with a rigid class structure and several types of vampires. It's the story of a powerful friendship that inspires two young women to defy the training they've received about where they belong in the world, and fight the growing threat of the Strigoi, a group...

Get ready to sink your teeth into Vampire Academy's official trailer. On Aug. 17, Peacock released the wickedly sexy full trailer for their highly anticipated new sci-fi series based on the best-selling book series by Richelle Mead. From executive producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries) and Marguerite MacIntyre (The Originals), the show follows the unlikely friendship between Rose Hathaway (Sisi Stringer) and her guardian Lissa Dragomir (Daniela Nieves) as they prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society. The new preview teases friendship, action-packed fights, terrifying monsters and plenty of steamy sex scenes. Nieves' Lissa also promises to bring about change for her...