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Documentary fans have a lot to be excited about this month on HBO and Max. April begins with the premiere of The Synanon Fix, a docuseries that follows the rise and fall of the cult-like drug rehabilitation program Synanon. The documentary Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion takes a deep-dive into the controversial “one size fits most” clothing brand Brandy Mellville and the impact of fast fashion on the planet.

An American Bombing: The Road to April 19th looks at the surge of political violence and anti-government sentiment that led to the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, and the effects still felt nearly 30 years later. HBO is also returning with a second part to their popular docuseries The Jinx, with filmmakers continuing their investigation of Robert Durst.

But if documentaries aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty of popular films hitting Max in April, like Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,...

Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki continues his investigation of convicted murderer Robert Durst in The Jinx – Part Two, a six-episode documentary series premiering on Max on April 21, 2024. The streaming service’s April lineup also includes the seven-episode limited series The Sympathizer, based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and starring Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr in multiple roles.

Comedian Alex Edelman hosts a brand new comedy special, and Conan O’Brien visits favorite fans from his podcast series in the four-episode unscripted series Conan O’Brien Must Go. The documentary series The Synanon Fix exploring the drug rehabilitation program joins Max’s lineup on April 1st. And the streaming service has set April premiere dates for the documentaries Brandy Hellville & The Cult Of Fast Fashion and An American Bombing: The Road To April 19th.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In April 2024

April 1

American Renegades (2018)

Basquiat (1996)

Black Swan (2010)

Body of Lies (2008)

Bridget Jones’s Diary...

Christmas comes early on Max, as the streamer adds a bevy of holiday movies to its library for the month of November, alongside new TV debuts, a noteworthy documentary and more. “Elf,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Arthur Christmas,” “The Shop Around the Corner” and “Four Christmases” are some of the holiday films arriving on the streaming platform on Nov. 1.

This month also sees the Season 2 premieres of “Rap Sh!t” (on Nov. 9) and “Julia” (on Nov. 16) and the series premiere of “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre’s new sitcom “Bookie” starring Sebastian Maniscalco (on Nov. 30).

On Nov. 11, check out the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” in which the comedian, actor and filmmaker’s best friend Rob Reiner peppers him with questions about his life and career.

And Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate a 100-year-old building in “Fixer Upper: The Hotel,” which premieres on Nov. 8.

Check out the full list...

It’s a lean month for new original content on HBO/Max. November will see the return of two scripted series in Julia and Rap Sh!t, both of which are debuting their respective second seasons, but this month’s fresh highlight is likely to be Bookie, a new comedy series from the partnership of The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre, and Nick Bakay. The show tracks an LA bookie called Danny (Sebastian Maniscalco), whose business is in peril as California movies to legalize sports gambling.

Elsewhere in November, there quite a few interesting documentaries to keep an eye on, and two that jump out as “must watch”. The first is Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, which chronicles the aging comedian’s life and career. The second is the previously-released Little Richard: I Am Everything, which tries to peel back the whitewashed canon of Richard Penniman in a true...

Sarah Lancashire and David Hyde Pierce in ‘Julia’ season 2 (Photograph by Sebastein Gonon/Max)

Max’s November 2023 schedule includes season two of Julia starring Sarah Lancashire as Julia Child and the return of Rap Sh!t with Aida Osman and Mia KaMillion. Bookie, a new comedy about sports gambling created by Chuck Lorre, makes its debut on November 30th with Sebastian Maniscalco starring as an LA bookie.

HBO documentaries Albert Brooks: Defending My Life and South to Black Power will stream on Max this November, along with CNN Films’ Little Richard: I Am Everything.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In November 2023:

November 1

Act of Valor (2012)

After the Thin Man (1936)

Aliens (1986)

The Ant Bully (2006)

Arthur Christmas (2011)

The Avengers (1998)

The Bachelor (1999)

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)

Bells Are Ringing (1960)

Black Beauty (1994)

Boys’ Night Out (1962)

Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)

Brigadoon (1954)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

A Christmas Carol (1938)

Christmas Cookie Challenge, Seasons...

Emmy and Tony Award nominee Corey Hawkins has signed with CAA for representation.

Hawkins is best known for his recent performances in “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” “In the Heights,” “Topdog/Underdog” on Broadway, as well as his breakout role, portraying Dr. Dre in F. Gary Gray’s “Straight Outta Compton.”

He will next star as Harpo in “The Color Purple,” Warner Bros.’ upcoming musical adaptation of the famed Alice Walker novel. Directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey, the film is slated for theatrical release on Dec. 25.

Hawkins also stars in Netflix’s upcoming feature adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” a revival of the award-winning Broadway play. The film’s all-star cast boasts Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Potts.

This summer, Hawkins took on the lead role in “Last Voyage of the Demeter,...

Will Smith has mostly played good guys or heroes in the many films that he’s led. But the megastar has very rarely portrayed a villain, which he once shared was an intentional decision on his part.

Will Smith’s villains needed to have a message Will Smith | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Smith’s movie success was carefully crafted in the beginning. While enjoying a successful run on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith already had a goal in mind in becoming a top movie star. To do this, he and his manager studied the top 10 grossing movies of all time back then.

“We realized that 10 out of 10 had special effects. Nine out of 10 had special effects with creatures. Eight out of 10 had special effects with creatures and a love story,” Smith once told Time.

But after Smith achieved the success he wanted, he began wanting to focus less on box-office hits and more on variety.

Judi Dench has been quite open with fans over the last several years about her degenerative eye condition, which has made it increasingly difficult for the 88-year-old Oscar winner to learn her lines. In a new interview on “The Graham Norton Show” (via People magazine), Dench said it’s now become “impossible” to learn lines because of her eyesight loss. The actor has long prided herself on having a photographic memory when it comes to scripts, but she can no longer rely on it.

“It has become impossible and because I have a photographic memory, I need to find a machine that not only teaches me my lines but also tells me where they appear on the page,” Dench said. “I used to find it very easy to learn lines and remember them. I could do the whole of ‘Twelfth Night’ right now.”

During a 2021 conversation with the Vision Foundation,...

Judi Dench opened up in a conversation benefiting the Vision Foundation about continuing her acting career while coping with deteriorating eyesight (via The Guardian). The Vision Foundation is a London sight loss charity. Joined by Stephen Fry and Hayley Mills, Dench told the audience she remains a working actress by relying on close friends to help her memorize new scripts through the repetition of reading them aloud to her.

“You find a way of just getting about and getting over the things that you find very difficult,” Dench said. “I’ve had to find another way of learning lines and things, which is having great friends of mine repeat them to me over and over and over again. So I have to learn through repetition, and I just hope that people won’t notice too much if all the lines are completely hopeless!”

Acting through eye sight loss has given...

Brave New World is Peacock's first big miss.

The streamer has officially canceled its first scripted series after a single season.

A cancellation from a new service this early into its run is concerning, but it could signal that the interest in the series was so little to begin with.

Universal Cable Productions, however, is not ready to accept defeat and is actively searching for an international window for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that it's unclear whether the series could be revived at Peacock if an international buyer steps into the ring.

The big budget series was always going to be a big swing, but it will look way more attractive to Peacock should some of the budget be offset by an international deal.

Then again, it could also return to one of the NBCUniversal-owned cable networks should it get a reprieve.

All nine episodes of Brave New World...

Ahead of its nationwide launch next month, Peacock released trailers for all of its original series that debut with the newest streaming service.

This first wave of Peacock originals includes the streamer’s “Brave New World” adaptation, the “Psych” movie sequel “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home,” new drama “The Capture,” David Schwimmer workplace comedy “Intelligence,” the documentary film “In Deep with Ryan Lochte,” unscripted series “Lost Speedways,” and kids’ shows “Cleopatra in Space,” “Where’s Waldo?” and “Curious George.”

Premiere dates for future Peacock originals, including a new “Saved By the Bell,” will be announced later this year.

Also Read: NBCU's Peacock Streaming Service Will Be Free for 3 Months for Android Users

Peacock became available to Comcast — NBCU’s parent company — subscribers on April 15. When it launches nationally July 15, Peacock will have two separate tiers of service, both of which will be free to Comcast, as well as Cox, subscribers. The paid tier,...

Twenty years to the day on Tuesday, Aardman and Netflix announced at Annecy 2020 Online that full production will begin next year on the long-awaited sequel to “Chicken Run,” the legendary British studio’s first feature (in partnership with DreamWorks Animation) and the highest-grossing stop-motion movie in history ($106.8 million domestic and $224.8 million worldwide). Sam Fell (“ParaNorman” and “Flushed Away”) will direct, and Steve Pegram (“Arthur Christmas”) will produce. “Chicken Run” co-directors Nick Park and Peter Lord will be on hand as creative consultant and executive producer, respectively.

The sequel (scripted by “Chicken Run” writer Karey Kirkpatrick along with John O’ Farrell and Rachel Tunnard) picks up soon after the original ended. However, according to reliable sources, Mel Gibson will not return to voice Rocky, the laid-back American circus rooster. There’s no word yet on recasting Ginger (Julia Sawalha), the outspoken hen and leader of “The Great Escape” from the oppressive farm,...

Twenty years to the day on Tuesday, Aardman and Netflix announced at Annecy 2020 Online that full production will begin next year on the long-awaited sequel to “Chicken Run,” the legendary British studio’s first feature (in partnership with DreamWorks Animation) and the highest-grossing stop-motion movie in history ($106.8 million domestic and $224.8 million worldwide). Sam Fell (“ParaNorman” and “Flushed Away”) will direct, and Steve Pegram (“Arthur Christmas”) will produce. “Chicken Run” co-directors Nick Park and Peter Lord will be on hand as creative consultant and executive producer, respectively.

The sequel (scripted by “Chicken Run” writer Karey Kirkpatrick along with John O’ Farrell and Rachel Tunnard) picks up soon after the original ended. However, according to reliable sources, Mel Gibson will not return to voice Rocky, the laid-back American circus rooster. There’s no word yet on recasting Ginger (Julia Sawalha), the outspoken hen and leader of “The Great Escape” from the oppressive farm,...

When Peacock opens to consumers, it will have a wealth of original content.

NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, today announced its original content that will be available to stream on July 15, 2020, when the service launches nationally.

Peacock Premium customers can stream all first season episodes of Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence and Lost Speedways; sports documentary In Deep with Ryan Lochte; and the entire full-length film Psych 2: Lassie Come Home on July 15.

Additionally, Peacock Kids is home to new episodes of Curious George and two original series from DreamWorks Animation: Cleopatra in Space and Where’s Waldo?.

Premiere dates for future Peacock Originals and exclusive content will be announced later this year.

“Our variety of Peacock Originals at launch demonstrates how we deliver timely and timeless content – no matter the genre or format,” said Bill McGoldrick, President of Original Content, Peacock.

“We’re proud to establish our voice...

NBCUniversal’s new streaming service Peacock has unveiled the list of original series and movies that will be available when the platform rolls out nationwide July 15.

This first wave of Peacock originals include the streamer’s “Brave New World” adaptation, the “Psych” movie sequel “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home,” new drama “The Capture,” David Schwimmer workplace comedy “Intelligence,” the documentary film “In Deep with Ryan Lochte,” unscripted series “Lost Speedways,” and kids’ shows “Cleopatra in Space,” “Where’s Waldo?” and “Curious George.”

Premiere dates for future Peacock originals will be announced later this year, according to the streaming service.

“Our variety of Peacock Originals at launch demonstrates how we deliver timely and timeless content – no matter the genre or format,” Peacock’s president of original content Bill McGoldrick said in a statement. “We’re proud to establish our voice and are excited to build on our strategy to attract a wide audience to Peacock.

Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, has set its opening slate of original content that will be available on its July 15 launch. It includes all first season episodes of Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence and Lost Speedways; sports documentary In Deep with Ryan Lochte; and feature-length film Psych 2: Lassie Come Home. Additionally, Peacock Kids will feature new episodes of Curious George and two original series from DreamWorks Animation: Cleopatra in Space and Where’s Waldo?. Premiere dates for future Peacock Originals and exclusive content will be announced later this year.

“Our variety of Peacock Originals at launch demonstrates how we deliver timely and timeless content – no matter the genre or format,” said Bill McGoldrick, President of Original Content, Peacock. “We’re proud to establish our voice and are excited to build on our strategy to attract a wide audience to Peacock.”

The full slate follows below.

Drama

Brave...

With the coronavirus pandemic forcing production on many scripted and un-scripted series to shutter, there were plenty wondering precisely how many original feathers NBCU’s Peacock would be able to launch with, especially after chairman Matt Strauss said the bulk of the streaming service’s originals slate had been pushed to 2021.

The service has now answered that question, announcing which originals will be available upon its July 15 launch. Headlining the list is the series adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World,” which is set to star “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and “Hail, Caesar!” vet Alden Ehrenreich, “Downton Abbey” alum Jessica Brown Findlay, and Harry Lloyd.

In addition, subscribers to the new service will be able to watch the first seasons of international thriller “The Capture,” David Schwimmer comedy “Intelligence,” sports documentary “In Deep with Ryan Lochte,” and the feature “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” when the streamer launches.

Goodman Theatre Artistic Director Robert Falls has announcedcasting for his upcoming revival ofMolly Sweeneyby Brian Friel.In assuming the title role, Chicago favoriteKate Fryreturns to the Goodman, following her recent appearance in Falls' production ofThe Winter's Tale. Joining Fry are stage and screen starBrendan CoyleDownton Abbey, who returns to the Goodman following his triumphant appearance in last season'sSt. Nicholasby Conor McPherson, and Chicago'sChristopher DonahueOedipus Rexat Court Theatre,Moby Dickat Lookingglass.

"There was nothing normal about the girl. She grew into the oddest of odd balls." Samuel Goldwyn Films has released a trailer for an indie drama titled This Beautiful Fantastic, written and directed by Simon Aboud. Jessica Brown Findlay (seen in Albatross, Winter's Tale, The Riot Club, Victor Frankenstein) stars as Bella Brown, an awkward, shy young woman who dreams of writing and illustrating a successful children’s book. Described as a "contemporary fairy tale", she encounters her grumpy next door and works to save a garden most of the time. Also starring Andrew Scott, Tom Wilkinson, Jeremy Irvine, Anna Chancellor & Eileen Davies. This actually looks quite good, it reminds me a bit of Amelie. Have a look. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Simon Aboud's This Beautiful Fantastic, direct from YouTube: Set against the backdrop of a beautiful garden in London, Bella Brown (Jessica Brown Findlay) plays a...

Paramount Pictures has picked up the film rights to Deadpool creator Rob Liefled's comic book character Avengelyne. The studio has hired Academy Award-winning writer Akiva Goldsman to produce the film and possibly direct it.

The film is being described as John Wick but with a fallen angel. Avengelyne was originally published in 1995 and a read the first few issues but that's it. I just had so many other comics that I was spending money on and reading at the time that I couldn't afford another one. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, here's a description:

Avengelyne is an angel who fights the forces of evil and often finds herself face-to-face with demons and monsters. She was the most feared warrior in Heaven’s Warhost, having single-handedly broken into Pandemonium, the outer fortress of Hell, to confront the Devil himself. She is a fallen angel, banished from Heaven...

The Beguiled: Colin Farrell (Winter's Tale, above) is in talks to star in a remake of The Beguiled. If things work out, he would join Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning in the drama; Sofia Coppola is set to direct. The 1971 original starred Clint Eastwood as an injured Union soldier during the Civil War who finds refuge in a Confederate boarding school for girls. [Variety]   Gypsy: A new version of Gypsy, set to star Barbra Streisand as the ultimate stage mother, is moving forward, according to writer Richard Lagravenese (Streisand's The Mirror Has Two Faces). He adapted the script based on the acclaimed Broadway stage musical, working alongside Streisand. He says the casting process should be underway, with production aiming to begin early next year...

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The Beguiled: Colin Farrell (Winter's Tale, above) is in talks to star in a remake of The Beguiled. If things work out, he will join Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning in the drama; Sofia Coppola is set to direct. The 1971 original starred Clint Eastwood as an injured Union soldier during the Civil War who finds refuge in a Confederate girls boarding school. [Variety]   Gypsy: A new version of Gypsy, set to star Barbra Streisand as the ultimate stage mother, is...

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Best known for their work in other franchises, Harry Potter and X-Men, respectively, Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy enter today's press conference looking rather similar to each other and different than in those other parts. For roles in upcoming films, both have their heads shaved. Neither is completely bald, but they do have a lot of scalp showing.

The two men are here with Paul McGuigan, the director of their newest film, the upcoming "Victor Frankenstein." As the title suggests, it is a new look at the classic Mary Shelley story.

Instantly, questions are asked about their heads, and Radcliffe says that his haircut is for a movie where he's playing an undercover FBI Agent whereas McAvoy, more obliquely, just says it's for a movie he's just started in Philly and that the role requires it. No one asks whether it could be a Professor Charles Xavier thing, but the...

So it looks like Will Smith is back this year (2015), after a brief break from acting (although he had bit parts in films like "Winter's Tale," and the movie his son starred in, "After Earth"). Big Willy returns to leading man roles, with two 2015 features: "Focus" (which was released on February 27), and now, "Concussion," which has been slotted for a Christmas Day 2015 opening, via Sony Pictures. The last time Big Willy starred in 2 feature films in the same year, was in 2008 ("Hancock" and "Seven Pounds") which, in hindsight, signaled the beginning of his hiatus, while he worked primarily behind the camera, producing work...

So it looks like Will Smith is back this year (2015), after a brief break from acting (although he had bit parts in films like "Winter's Tale," and the movie his son starred in, "After Earth"). Big Willy returns to leading man roles, with two 2015 features: "Focus" (which was released on February 27), and now, "Concussion," which has been slotted for a Christmas Day 2015 opening, via Sony Pictures. The last time Big Willy starred in 2 feature films in the same year, was in 2008 ("Hancock" and "Seven Pounds") which, in hindsight, signaled the beginning of his hiatus, while he worked primarily behind the camera, producing work...

We've seen a couple of images from Paul McGuigan's (Push, Lucky Number Slevin) Victor Frankenstein, and now the first trailers have been released for the upcoming movie. James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe play (respectively) the titular scientist and his assistant Igor, and the film also stars Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey, Winter's Tale), Daniel Mays (The Adventures Of Tintin:... Read More...

Sunday night's True Detective finale tied up the seasons' convoluted plotlines but ultimately struggled to find emotional resonance from its various characters. What kinds of adventures will Jordan and Ani have in Venezuela? Eesh. As we review their arcs throughout season two, some clear winners and losers emerge. Let's take a look.Winners: Season one of True Detective. Suddenly, all the shortcomings of that season have melted into obscurity. McConaughey! Harrelson! Oh, boy, we had some good times back then.  Colin Farrell. Farrell hasn't been in anything big or good in a while (oy, Winter's Tale), but he was solid here, swimming nobly against the current of stifling grandiosity that drowned much of the rest of the show. Farrell's decrepit Ray Velcoro was a dirtbag and a monster, but he had his moments, like in "Omega Station," as he tried not to crack a smile while talking to Ani on...

The Crow remake over at Relativity sure has had its share of ups and downs, departures and attachments. Most recently Luke Evans dropped out of starring as the lead character, Eric Draven, a man that rises from the dead to avenge his and his fiancee's death. Now, previous rumors that Jack Huston ("Boardwalk Empire") would pick up where Evans left off appear to have come true. Reported by Dread Central, series creator James O'Barr told the site, "Jack Huston has definitely been cast. I'm really happy with that choice and the film will shoot in a couple of months." Meanwhile, we also learn Jessica Brown Findlay (A Winter's Tale, "Downton Abbey") will star as Draven's fiancee, Shelly Webster. I've never read O'Barr's graphic novel, which served as the inspiration for 1994's The Crow starring Brandon Lee, but he tells the site this new adaptation will stick much closer to the source material.

During a Q&A panel a the Lexington Comic and Toy Convention, The Crow creator James O’Barr not only confirmed that Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire, American Hustle, Shrooms) would don the black and white face-paint as Eric Draven in Corin Hardy's remake, but that he'd be joined by Jessica Brown Findlay (A Winter's Tale, The Riot Club, Downton Abbey) as his doomed fiancée, Shelly Webster. This character was played by Sofia Shinas in the original film, and it's her brutal rape and murder that brings Draven back from the dead to exact his bloody revenge. O'Barr also revealed a few more interesting details: the bulk of the cast will be made up of of British actors; in the film the crow will actually speak to Eric as he does in the comics; and if there's a sequel, it will feature a female lead. Check out the video below.

During the closing night of this year's Playfest it was announced Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson will play the male leads in American Horror Story: Hotel (joining the previously cast Lady Gaga), while Jessica Lange confirmed that she will not be back for the fifth season of the FX anthology series. Matt Bomer is probably best known for his roles on the TV series White Collar and Chuck, and he has also appeared in films like Magic Mike and Winter's Tale. Cheyenne Jackson...

The narrative going into this weekend was that "Focus" would mark a comeback of sorts for Will Smith. His first lead role since the career stumbling block two years ago that was "After Earth," "Focus" was supposed to be an easy lay-up for Smith, a sleek, star-powered caper comedy that would face little competition in the doldrums of February. Pundits predicted a debut in the low $20 millions.

Nonetheless, when the snow flurries cleared on Sunday, "Focus" hadn't even crossed $20 million; estimates had the film's weekend premiere scoring just $19.1 million. That's the first time, since Smith's Oscar-baiting prestige drama "Seven Pounds" in 2008, that he's failed to crack $20 million on an opening weekend. (Even "After Earth" pulled off a $27.5 million debut.)

With two relative flops in a row (three if you count his rare supporting role in last year's "Winter's Tale"), it's officially time for pundits to start wondering if Smith has...

'Focus' movie: Will Smith has third weakest weekend box-office debut of his career (photo: Will Smith in 'Focus') According to those referred to in polite society as "conservatives," winter storms and freezing temperatures are evidence that there's no such thing as global warming. Let's not even go there. Instead, let's focus (bad pun intended) on the Focus movie starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie as a con couple, which opened below expectations – with wintery weather as a possible culprit – in North America this weekend, February 27-March 1, 2015. According to box-office tracking, as late as a couple of days ago Warner Bros.' modestly budgeted Focus was expected to take in between $22-24 million. Barring a miracle akin to a sudden halt to rising ocean temperatures (pardon the hyperbole), that's not about to happen. Now, before I proceed: "modestly budgeted"? Well, for a Will Smith movie, $50 million – after...

So it looks like Will Smith is back this year (2015), after a brief break from acting (although he had bit parts in films like "Winter's Tale," and the movie his son starred in, "After Earth"). Big Willy returns to leading man roles this year, with 2 features set for release in 2015: "Focus" (February 27), and now, "Concussion," which has been slotted with a Christmas Day 2015 opening, via Sony Pictures. The last time Big Willy starred in 2 feature films in the same year, was in 2008 ("Hancock" and "Seven Pounds") which, in hindsight, signaled the beginning of his hiatus, while he worked primarily behind the camera, producing work...

This is the second year for the Makeup and Hairstylists Guild joining the awards game, and they've been a welcome addition to the circuit. They spread their nods thin across a number of categories, but it's a good window into what this branch digs, for sure. This year, the only two films on the Academy's bake-off list of finalists that didn't garner any recognition were "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" and "Noah." Meaning "Foxcatcher," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Maleficent" and "The Theory of Everything" were each represented in one form or another. Meanwhile, "Guardians of the Galaxy" led with the most mentions at three, while "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Interstellar" and "Into the Woods" each got a pair. As previously announced, Oscar-winning make-up artist Rick Baker and Emmy-nominated hair stylist Kathryn Blondell will receive the Guild's Lifetime Achievement Awards. Check out the full list of nominees below,...

Goodbye 2014! You brought us many terrible movies, but one truly stands above the rest... Winter's Tale (2014) Director: Akiva Goldsman Stars: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe In a love story that spans a century, a runaway thief falls for a dying aristocratic girl and must protect her from a demon gangster with the help of his magical flying horse. ^ This is the real plot. It should be no surprise that Winter's Tale is a complete disaster as a...

In another Quiet Earth premier, we've got the first trailer for Uncanny, a new science fiction thriller starring Mark Webber (Scott Pilgrim), Lucy Griffiths (Winter's Tale, Robin Hood) and even The Office's Rainn Wilson.

Uncanny is directed by Matthew Leutwyler, an executive producer on Super and the man who's writing the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's Creepshow.

Synopsis:

The world's first "perfect" Artificial Intelligence begins to exhibit startling and unnerving emergent behavior when a reporter begins a relationship with the scientist who created it.

[Continued ...]...

All the films in CNN's "We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss" are officially live (here, and on YouTube). Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (2005's "Super Size Me") and exec producer Paul G. Allen tapped a rich slate of directors including Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight," "Thirteen"), Mary Harron ("American Psycho"), Akiva Goldsman ("Winter's Tale"), Jessica Yu ("Last Call at the Oasis"), Spurlock himself, and many more to present this major query of the Us economy. Not sure where to begin? Watch three-time Oscar nominee, former Focus Features CEO and Ang Lee screenwriting acolyte James Schamus' two shorts below. In these irreverent videos, Schamus walks us behind the curtain of the Us banking system. What are the banks really doing with our dollars?...

It feels like it's been forever since we've seen Will Smith in his own movie, but in actuality, he just hasn't done anything memorable. In the last two years, he's led Men in Black 3 and After Earth, both movie with their fair share of problems that people have mostly forgotten by now. Otherwise, he had small roles in Winter's Tale and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. But coming early next year, he's starring in Focus from Crazy Stupid Love writing and directing duo Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. Now the first photos from the film, also featuring Margot Robbie, have emerged online, and a trailer shouldn't be far behind. Here's the first photos from Glenn Ficarra & John Requa's Focus from USA Today: Focus is written and directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love, I Love You Phillip Morris). The film follows a professional conman (Will Smith) and...

Sometimes, where there's smoke, there's fire. Similarly, when there's a casting rumor in Hollywood, well, sometimes there's truth to it. As per earlier buzz, HBO has finally confirmed that Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell (who already let that cat out of the bag) will star in the next season of "True Detective." We had a lot of fun dream casting the next season of "True Detective" -- remember when we hoped that it would star two women? -- but all good things must come to an end.

Farrell will play Ray Velcoro, a detective who is torn between his corrupt, police department bosses and the mobster who has his number, and Vaughn will play Frank Semyon, a criminal who could lose his empire when his attempt to go straight is curtailed by the murder of one of his business partners.

Writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto described the upcoming season as being about "hard women,...

Akiva Goldsman’s been trying to make a “Titans,” or “Teen Titans,” as they were originally called, movie for forever. In 2007, it was even announced that Goldsman, Academy-Award winning writer of “A Beautiful Mind” and director of 2014’s “Winter's Tale,” would be producing a live-action “Titans” movie. That obviously never happened, but Goldsman hasn't given up on the project, and now TNT is about to greenlight a pilot that could turn into a show. “The Teen Titans” began in 1964. They were essentially a super-team of sidekicks in a group that was like the Justice League Junior. The group were comprised of Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl and Speedy, respective sidekicks to heroes Batman, Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Green Arrow. That novelty changed and gained respectability in the 1980s with the Marv Wolfman/George Perez comics team that cast them as misfit teens/20-somethings living bitterly in the shadows of their wards.

Lakeshore Entertainment has announced the casting of Jennifer Connelly in "American Pastoral." The Academy Award winner will star opposite Ewan McGregor in the adaptation of Philip Roth's novel which is being directed by Phillip Noyce. Connelly, who appeared earlier this year in "Noah" and "Winter's Tale" will be portraying Dawn in "American Pastoral." The character is the wife of McGregor's Swede Levov. Filming is scheduled to begin next March in Pittsburgh. Lakeshore CEO, Tom Rosenberg said of the casting, "Jennifer Connelly is one of the great actresses of our time." He continued, "We always wanted her to play Dawn in 'American Pastoral' and we’re thrilled to be working with her." The official synopsis for "American Pastoral" states that the movie, "Follows Seymour 'Swede' Levov, a legendary high school athlete, who grows up to marry a former beauty queen and inherits his father’s business. Swede’s...

Warner Bros. has been trying to develop the classic 1980s video game Space Invaders as a feature film for years. The project is once again being pushed forward, this time with producers Akiva Goldsman, Joby Harold, and Tory Tunnell.

Goldsman is the Academy Award winning writer of A Beautiful Mind, and has also worked on films such as I Am Legend, I Robot, The Da Vinci Code, and most recently Winter's Tale. He's a solid producer, and I think the film is in good hands.

There's no information on what story they will tell, but they could basically make it anything they want. There's no real mythology behind the 1978 game, it just featured several rows of aliens  firing lasers at earth, and one ship toggling back and fourth shooting them back trying to stop them. 

Source: The Wrap...

Unfortunately, this will cost more than a couple of quarters to see. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy classic arcade game Space Invaders as much as the next person, but it seems as if Hollywood is running out of ideas. Read on below to see who's signed on to produce the upcoming film project, as well as some other films they've produced! According to The Wrap, Warner Bros. Pictures has gotten a hold of film rights to the classic 1980s arcade game "Space Invaders," which has recruited some risky producers, for what will be a risky movie. Akiva Goldsman (I Am Legend, Winter's Tale), Joby Harold (Awake), as well as Tory Tunnell (Holy Rollers) have all signed on as producers of the film. What are your thoughts of the project? Do you have hope for the film? Whatever your answers are, leave them in the comments below, and to check out the original article,...

It's been over three years since the last update on a film adaptation of the 80s video game Space Invaders surfaced, and at the time, Lorenzo di Bonaventura (behind such toy adaptations as the Transformers franchise and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra) and Gigi Pritzker of Odd Lot Entertainment had picked up the rights. But it sounds like they couldn't get the project together as The Wrap reports Akiva Goldsman, director of A Winter's Tale and producer of Lone Survivor and Hancock, is now behind a new initiative to adapt the game at Warner Bros. Pictures now. And if you know the premise of the game, the story could be anything. The original video game features a row of aliens shifting towards a hero trying to blast them away while hiding behind big blocks. The simplicity of the game opens up the film to be something much bigger like Battleship,...

It was almost three years ago when we told you a feature film based on the classic arcade game Space Invaders was on the way. I guess the powers that be were waiting for some talented individuals to jump on board, and so here we are. Warner Bros. has acquired the films rights and brought on Akiva Goldsman (who wrote A Beautiful Mind and directed A Winter's Tale), Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell to produce the adaptation. The classic '80s arcade game was all about pew-pew-pew!...

Akiva Goldsman wrote, directed and produced Winter's Tale for Warner Bros this year and I haven't seen it, but it has been described to me as laughably bad. Something about Colin Farrell pulling off someone's face? I imagine I'll get to it.

On the other side of this story coin is a game called Space Invaders. I'm not sure how ever-present it is in the current generation, but it's that 1980s video game where you're shooting slowly advancing aliens from behind some destructible obstacles.  It's kind of like a stationary Galaga. 

The Wrap reports that Akiva Goldsman, Joby Harold (Edge of Tomorrow) and Tory Tunnell (Holy Rollers) have come on to produce a movie adaptation of Space Invaders.

So...that's happening.

I bet Taylor Kitsch could star in it. ...

Speculations abound for the second season of creator Nic Pozzolato's dark, moody, acclaimed and now Emmy-nominated HBO series "True Detective." According to Deadline, Colin Farrell is first in line to star in season two, which will roots its mystery in a contemporary California setting. At Thursday's TV Critics Association presentation in Los Angeles, HBO prez Michael Lombardo said, "The people we will cast will be well-known names. But that wasn't our ambition (in season one)." Allegedly season two will feature an ensemble cast -- but it's unclear if Pizzolatto will address his critics and put a female star at the front-and-center of this very male-oriented series. (Season one stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson both picked up Best Actor in a Drama noms yesterday; the series is up for Best Drama at the Emmys.) It would be refreshing to see Farrell take a meaty role -- his dry "Winter's Tale" earlier this year fell flat.

The great Hans is launching a concert series. A press release has officially announced that "Grammy, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning" composer Hans Zimmer will kick off a concert series called Hans Zimmer Revealed in London this October, for two nights at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo. Its a new trend to see more and more composers play concert series, with the likes of Clint Mansell, John Williams and Michael Giacchino performing sold out shows already. Next up is the one-and-only German composer Hans Zimmer, coming off of Winter's Tale and Amazing Spider-Man 2, not to mention Interstellar up next. The concert event will be presented by Harvey Goldsmith at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo on October 10th and 11th. In the show, Zimmer "will be accompanied by a band of brilliant players mixing traditional orchestral instruments with rock and electronica, and will be joined by a few surprise special guests. Hans Zimmer...

Screenwriter and director Akiva Goldsman is about to take on a new film project called Stephanie. This will be a horror movie that tells the story of a little girl with "unworldly abilities who was abandoned before a man and a woman show up claiming to be her parents, thereby interrupting her mysterious world."

The last film that Goldsman directed was Winter's Tale, which is a film I haven't seen. It didn't really look that good to me to be honest. But Goldsman is a talented, Academy Award winning screenwriter who has written some pretty incredible scripts in his career. Some of those include A Beautiful Mind; Cinderella Man; I, Robot; The Da Vinci Code; and for some reason he also wrote Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

Goldsman isn't new to the world of horror as he was the executive producer on Paranormal Activity 2,...

Looking for Alaska

Actress/filmmaker Sarah Polley ("Away From Her," "Stories We Tell") is in talks to adapt "Fault In Our Stars" author John Green's "Looking For Alaska" for Paramount Pictures. Mark Waters and Jessica Tuchinsky will produce.

The story follows a sixteen-year-old Florida boy who moves to a boarding school in Alabama and learns coming of age lessons from his roommate and his beautiful, mysterious and self-destructive best friend Alaska Young. [Source: Deadline]

Five Against A Bullet

Joe Carnahan ("The Grey," "The A-Team") is set to write and direct "Five Against a Bullet" for Sony Pictures. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing.

The story follows five bodyguards hired to protect a Mexican politician over the course of a contentious election after his father is murdered by a drug cartel. [Source: The Wrap]

Stephanie

"Winter's Tale" helmer Akiva Goldsman has signed on to direct the micro budget horror-thriller "Stephanie" for Blumhouse Productions. Luke Piotrowsky and Ben Collins penned the script.