News

Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round, the latest entry into the growing roster of dark and daring horror films, is heading to the American Film Market (AFM) thanks to Great Escape. Produced by renowned filmmaker Joe Swanberg and Yale Productions, this twisted sci-fi horror marks the feature debut of Aidan Leary and promises to deliver a mind-bending ride for audiences.

In what can only be described as an unsettling combination of Late Night with the Devil and Blue’s Clues, the film revolves around James Jensen, the host of a children’s show called Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round. However, beneath the playful songs and cheerful puppets, James begins to experience horrifying flashbacks to his repressed childhood memories. As the façade of his seemingly innocent TV show crumbles, James must confront his trauma while questioning whether his puppet co-stars are hiding far more sinister secrets. What’s more, there’s...

Exclusive: Ahead of the AFM, LA-based Great Escape is launching sales on horror film Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round, the first project on the Terror Town genre slate from producer Joe Swanberg and Yale Productions.

Michael Gilio, whose screenwriting credits include MGM’s Dark Harvest and Paramount’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, stars in the movie.

From first-time feature director Aidan Leary, the film will get its world premiere next month at the Leeds International Film Festival in the UK.

The synopsis reads: “Something really bad happened to James Jensen when he was a kid. While hosting the latest episode of his children’s series ‘Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round,’ his repressed memories begin to emerge, threatening his sanity, and possibly his life. Will Monkey and the Playground Pals help James recover his lost memories, or have they been withholding something from him all along? Where is the Post Lady hiding?...

Pitch Perfect star Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with thriller Woman Of The Hour. Here’s the trailer.

Update: Netflix has released a new trailer for Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman Of The Hour. The film follows a woman (played by Kendrick) who enters a TV dating show, but what she doesn’t know is that one of the bachelors is a serial killer, Rodney Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto.

The film is set to head straight to Netflix and will appear on the service on 18th October, although it was previously thought the film would head into UK cinemas first.

Take a look at the new trailer:

There’s also a brand new poster for the film, which you can spy below.

Credit: Netflix

Our original story follows…

12th August: While Anna Kendrick may be best known for leading the ensemble of the Pitch Perfect films, she...

Exclusive: One year ago in Toronto, with the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes still in full swing, Rivulet Films co-founders Rob Paris and Mike Witherill were in the throes of packaging a project with David Gordon Green attached to direct a WGA script. Unable to secure an interim agreement to get the go ahead, that project fell apart. But all was not lost because the next day, Green called Paris and had a non-wga script for him that he wanted to direct but they had to move fast because the director had a Q1 2024 commitment.

That project was a script from Green’s friend Leland Douglas called Nutcrackers about Mike, a straight-laced workaholic who has to travel to rural Ohio to care for his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident. After weeks of farm-life mayhem, Mike realizes he won’t have to find a new home...

The Becomers: "Forced to flee their dying planet, two body-snatching alien lovers arrive separately on Earth. Determined to find each other, the aliens jump from body to body, but they quickly learn that it's not easy to inhabit their new, fleshy hosts, and that life in modern-day America is more complicated than they could have ever imagined."

"Writer/director Zach Clark’s acclaimed sci-fi genre-bender The Becomers kicks off its U.S. theatrical release on Friday, August, 23rd and arrives on VOD in North America on Tuesday, September 24th. The film will open in New York on August 23rd at Cinema Village, in Los Angeles on August 30th at Lumiere Music Hall, and in Chicago on September 13th at Music Box Theatre, with more cities listed below.

The latest film from the celebrated American indie filmmaker, the visually striking and outrageously plotted film reverberates with the pulse of politics...

Body-snatching aliens attempt to navigate love in the modern world in genre-bending comedy The Becomers, and exclusive new images reveal just how goopy and gross the body hopping can be.

Dark Star Pictures releases The Becomers in theaters on August 23, 2024.

In The Becomers: “Dropped to Earth and escaping their dying planet, the two extraterrestrials (played by a sequence of actors) seek each other out —jumping from body to body— on our planet while becoming increasingly drawn into the madness of modern-day America.

Written, directed, and edited by Zach Clark (Little Sister), the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances,...

Exclusive: Producer Joe Swanberg has partnered with Yale Entertainment’s Jordan Yale Levine and Jordan Beckerman to produce a slate of five new horror films, each of which has now wrapped production.

Titles produced under the pact included Helldorado, Kenneled, Yellow Eyes, Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round, and Untitled Jae Matthews Project.

Jesse Korman’s Yellow Eyes

Written and directed by Kansas Bowling (Cuddly Toys), Helldorado watches as Queho, a Native American serial killer with a checkered past, takes out the people of a struggling mining town in the stark deserts of Nevada one by one, with the town Deputy right on his tail.

Written by H.K. Moore and directed by Jay Burleson (The Nobodies), Kenneled follows a destitute dog walker who finds a wealthy client who saves him from financial ruin. But this is no ordinary dog…

Written by Mickey Solis and directed by Jesse Korman, Yellow Eyes...

Body-snatching aliens attempt to navigate love in the modern world in genre-bending comedy The Becomers, and Dark Star Pictures announced today that they’ve acquired it for release.

In The Becomers: “Dropped to Earth and escaping their dying planet, the two extraterrestrials (played by a sequence of actors) seek each other out —jumping from body to body— on our planet while becoming increasingly drawn into the madness of modern-day America.

Written, directed, and edited by Zach Clark (Little Sister), the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.

Clark...

If watching a movie can be compared to taking your emotions for a walk, then sad films challenge audiences with a full-on sprint. Since before Rose said goodbye to Jack or even Bambi lost his mother, tragedy has played a vital role in cinema’s most well-loved stories of every ilk.

For romance, the possibility of heartbreak raises the stakes, pitting lover against lover or, worse still, lovers against time in dazzling depictions of humanity’s enduring quest for security and acceptance. “Titanic,” “A Star is Born,” “Moonlight,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Up,” and countless other legendary titles have crafted couples so heart-rendingly believable that their joyous reunions and painful partings have provided powerful parallels to our own.

Epic tales of war and survival position total devastation similarly, dangling all-consuming grief and loss like narratively juicy carrots motivating the plodding agony of movies from “War Horse” to “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.

Body-snatching aliens attempt to navigate love in the modern world in The Becomers, a genre-bending comedy set to make its premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

A new clip and poster reveal below gives a glimpse at the weird, funny, grotesque blend of genres in the latestby writer/director Zach Clark (Little Sister).

The Becomers tells “of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.”

Written, directed, and edited by Clark, the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.

In the far corner of his backyard in Eastside L.A., Jake Johnson hand-built an 8-by-12-foot studio cabin where he does most of his work. Sure, he needs to duck to pass through the petite doorway — roughly a foot short thanks to a minor snafu in his original flooring plan — but it’s cozy and rustic and has borne witness to some of the more fruitful years of the 45-year-old’s Hollywood career. “The house is dominated by them,” says Johnson, affectionately gesturing in the direction of the 9-year-old twin daughters he shares with his wife of 12 years. “So, when I need to work, I come here.”

The Chicago native is best known for his seven-season stint playing confident idiot Nick Miller on the Fox comedy New Girl. But he’s leveraged his sitcom success into a unique résumé — rejecting his agents’ plans for a blockbuster track, like the...

Anna Kendrick is a noted American actress who has been acting now for twenty-five years. Her first prominent role was in the Broadway musical High Society, and she is best known for starring in the Pitch Perfect movie franchise.

Anna Kendrick Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education

Anna Kendrick was born on August 9, 1985 (Anna Kendrick’s age: 37) in Portland, Maine to William and Janice Kendrick. Her mother was an accountant, while her father was a history teacher who’d also dabbled in finance. Kendrick is of English, Scottish, and Irish descent. Her older brother, Michael Cooke Kendrick, is also an actor who has appeared in the drama film Looking for an Echo.

Kendrick graduated from Deerling High School in 2003 and attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. At just twelve years old, Anna was auditioning all over New York City hoping to secure a role in theater production.

Anna Kendrick Biography:...

It’s a new month, and Hulu subscribers are getting a slew of new movies and TV shows to enjoy.

June 1 is jam-packed with more than 30 titles that have landed on the streamer, including the seventh and final season of Ava DuVernay’s “Queen Sugar,” the Jack Nicholson-led film “Hoffa,” Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat” and the entire “Twilight” franchise.

Mixing in a little of the old with new come goodies from 2023, like “Flamin’ Hot,” which tells the story of Mexican migrant Richard Montanez who came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos while working as a janitor at Frito Lay. The film lands on Hulu June 9.

Ending June with a bang will the be second season of “The Bear,” (June 22), Season 20 of “The Bachelorette” (June 27) and the sixth and final season of “Grown-ish.”

Here’s everything you can expect to hit Hulu this June.

Also Read:

The Best Free Movie Streaming Sites,...

It’s summer time on Hulu and that can only mean one thing. With its list of new releases for June 2023, Hulu is bringing back last summer’s unexpected hit.

FX’s The Bear season 2 premieres all episodes on June 22. If you’re not already captivated by this intense culinary story about the little Italian beef shop that could, definitely catch up now. This time around, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and friends will attempt a major foodie rebrand. The only other Hulu series of note this month is the docuseries The Age of Influence. Premiering on June 5, this doc will examine the dark side of influencer culture.

Just like its corporate partner Disney+, Hulu will premiere Eva Longoria’s directorial debut, Flamin’ Hot, in June 9. The movie tells the true story of Frito-Lay janitor Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) who created an iconic snack that forever changed the food industry. Also...

Horror Feature “My (Best Friend’S) Head Exploded” to Premiere in June: "Writer/Director Scott Bryan’s puppet-filled existential horror feature, “My (Best Friend’S) Head Exploded,” will have its two-weekend world premiere this June.

“My (Best Friend’s) Head Exploded” is a rebellious, existential, terrifyingly messy puppet feature made out of material things by actual people. It tells the story of Lydia, a coming-of-ageless vampire forced to deal with the loss of her best friend, Sam, after the pair conjures a moment of complete clarity which causes Sam’s head to explode.

In the aftermath, Lydia must contend with old ghosts, generational trauma, oppressive authority figures, and the confusing fear of infinity to set reality right and save her own sanity.

“I love making weird stuff that a studio would be afraid of and a computer couldn’t replicate,” Bryan said.

The film will show at the Salem Witch Board Museum in Salem,...

Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to “The Becomers,” a genre-bending comedy written and directed by Zach Clark. The company will launch the film at the Marche Du Film in Cannes this week. “The Becomer” tells the story of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.

“During the pandemic, I binged the original ‘Star Trek’ series for the first time and then I made this movie” Clark said about his latest film. “It felt like life as we knew it was ending, but then again, it also felt like that might not be the worst thing either. ‘The Becomers’ is a story of love, longing, and alienation. A kitsch-soaked, pathos-laden melodrama about our sad, sad planet. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever made and I can’t think of anyone better than Yellow Veil...

HBO Max is developing a drama series based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, Variety has learned exclusively.

The untitled series hails from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn, who most recently served as the co-showrunner on HBO Max’s critically acclaimed limited series “The Staircase.” Fleiss will serve as a consultant on the project.

Emma Tillinger Koskoff of First Love Films will also executive produce, along with Alex Goldstone (“Dickinson”) for Anonymous Content, Bill Gerber of Gerber Pictures, and David Bernon, Paul Bernon, and Sam Slater of Burn Later Productions.

Fleiss formerly operated a prostitution ring in Los Angeles that reportedly catered to wealthy clients such as actors, sports figures, directors, business executives, and more, earning her the nickname “The Hollywood Madam.” She was arrested in the early ’90s on multiple charges and ultimately served nearly two years in prison. She has gone on to make appearances on shows...

Self Reliance follows the story of Tommy (Jake Johnson) who enters a contest to win a million dollars if he can evade bounty hunters. He learns a loophole where the hunters can only kill him if he is alone so he tries to get his friends and family to never leave his side.

In an exclusive interview with uInterview at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, Anna Kendrick revealed her favorite moments of working with Johnson.

“Gosh, I don’t know,” she laughed. “You know what’s funny, there were so many scenes that were really wild and like nothing I’d ever filmed before, but I think like honestly getting to do an emotional scene with Jake [Johnson] is such a treat, like you know the scene in Drinking Buddies where being really raw and vulnerable with each other was like such an amazing day and I’ll remember that day forever,...

Olivia Wilde’s 20 years in Hollywood have taught her what not to do.

The director behind “Booksmart” and the upcoming psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Darling” revealed to Maggie Gyllenhaal for Interview magazine (in a Q&a seemingly conducted prior to recent scandals dogging the film) that less-than-ideal past acting roles informed her directing style today.

“It helps me navigate any feelings about movies that I don’t think are great when I look back on them, and it helps me understand them within the context of my proxy film school experience,” Wilde told “The Lost Daughter” helmer Gyllenhaal. “I’ve made like 5,000 times more shitty movies than you have.”

Wilde continued, “I’ve been in some really bad ones, and now I think, ‘I did those to learn all the cautionary tales that would help me define myself as a director: how I will never speak to a crew, how...

Actress Olivia Wilde ("Tron: Legacy") poses for "Instyle" magazine, wearing Christian Dior and Max Mara, photographed by Pamela Hanson:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007), "Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart". Her latest feature is titled "Don't Worry Darling (2022).

Click the images to enlarge…...

Olivia Wilde brought the 1950s to CinemaCon, showcasing the first look at Harry Styles and Florence Pugh in the psychological thriller “Don’t Worry Darling.”

Movie theater owners at the annual exhibition trade show got a sneak peek of the trailer, which isn’t yet available to the public. The footage opens on Styles and Pugh’s characters snuggling in bed. They play a husband and wife living in an idyllic experimental community in the California desert, lined with perfectly placed palm trees and fancy cars.

“You and me?” she asks her husband. “Always. You and me.”

Pugh plays a happy housewife, one who becomes increasingly suspicious that her husband’s glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets. He’s working on something called the Victory Project, which promises to change the world.

“Do you even know what the Victory Project even is? Have you ever asked?” Pugh asks her dutiful husband.

This article is sponsored by:

Spring is almost here, but as we wait inside for the season to truly bloom, there are a ton of fantastic movies and documentaries just waiting to be discovered. If you’re looking to save a little coin, luckily Plex TV is a free option that will keep you entertained without breaking the bank. Spring into Plex for the best entertainment options streaming today!

Plex is a globally available one-stop-shop streaming service offering 50,000+ free titles and 200+ free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, Legendary, AMC, A+E, Crackle, and Reuters. Plex is the only streaming service that lets users manage their personal media alongside a continuously growing library of free third-party entertainment spanning all genres, interests, and mediums including podcasts, music, and more. With a highly customizable interface and smart recommendations...

March 2022 is a great month for blonde women with cold, dead stares on Hulu.

With its list of new releases for March 2022, Hulu is highlighting two major original series ripped straight from the headlines. The first is The Dropout, which premieres on March 3. This show stars Amanda Seyfried (taking over from the previously cast Kate McKinnon) as Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. This story about high-level corporate fraud is truly wild, enough so to accommodate several books, podcasts, and even an upcoming film starring Jennifer Lawrence. Hulu is certainly hoping its version is the definitive one.

Read more TV Pam & Tommy Will Make You Hate Everyone But Pam By Alec Bojalad Movies Why The Princess Bride Is a Perfect Fantasy Movie By David Crow

The Dropout‘s spiritual counterpart will be The Girl From Plainville, which premieres on March 29. This is another story you might be familiar with. If not, just...

Next month’s Mubi lineup for the U.S. has been unveiled, with a major highlight being their recent release Lingui, The Sacred Bonds and more films from director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (read our recent chat with him). Matías Piñeiro’s Isabella and Kazik Radwanski’s Anne at 13,000 Ft., two of last year’s highlights, will also arrive.

Two recent Cannes premieres, the Adèle Exarchopoulos-led Zero Fucks Given and Peter Tscherkassky’s Train Again will also finally come to the U.S. courtesy of Mubi. In terms of older highlights, Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark, Hong Sang-soo’s The Power of the Kangwon Province, Jafar Panahi’s Crimson Gold, Jean Renoir’s Grand Illusion, and more will arrive.

Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.

March 1 | The Willmar 8 | Lee Grant | Down and Out in America: Lee Grant’s Documentaries

March 2 | Train Again | Peter Tscherkassky | Brief Encounters

March...

Actress Olivia Wilde ("Tron: Legacy") poses for "Instyle" magazine, wearing Christian Dior and Max Mara, photographed by Pamela Hanson:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007), "Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart".

Click the images to enlarge…...

If you’re looking for something to watch on HBO Max this month, you may want to prioritize the following titles that are leaving the streaming service throughout February. Below, we’ve assembled a complete list of everything leaving HBO Max in February, which ranges from Oscar-winning blockbusters to stone-cold classics to delightful comedies.

Noteworthy films leaving HBO Max this month include “Dunkirk,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Amistad,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Independence Day,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “The Goonies,” “Joker” and “The Lego Batman Movie.” It’s also last call for DC films “Wonder Woman,” “Aquaman,” “Birds of Prey” and “Suicide Squad.”

The end of February will also mark the departure of a number of documentary series that aired on CNN, including “The Bush Years,” “The Seventies,” “The Eighties,” ”The Nineties,” ”The Movies” and ”The Story of Late Night.”

Check out the full list of everything leaving HBO Max in February 2022 below.

Actress Olivia Wilde ("Tron: Legacy") poses for the January 2022 issue of "Vogue" magazine, photographed by Annie Leibovitz:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007)... ..."Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart" and is currently developing a live-action take on Marvel’s “Spider-Woman”.

Click the images to enlarge...

Actress Olivia Wilde ("Tron: Legacy") poses for the January 2022 issue of "Vogue" magazine, photographed by Annie Leibovitz:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007)... ..."Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart".

Click the images to enlarge...

Actress Olivia Wilde ("Tron: Legacy") poses for the January 2022 issue of "Vogue" magazine, photographed by Annie Leibovitz:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007)... ..."Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart".

Click the images to enlarge...

“Don’t Worry Darling,” a psychological thriller directed by Olivia Wilde and starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, is scheduled to open in theaters next fall. The film is slated for Sept. 23, 2022.

Set in the 1950s, New Line Cinema’s “Don’t Worry Darling” follows a housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community who begins to worry that his glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets.

Wilde announced the release date on Monday morning, emphasizing the film will be “in theaters only.” She also shared a 10-second clip with footage of Pugh at the pool and later kissing Styles.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olivia Wilde (@oliviawilde)

Along with Styles and Pugh, the cast includes Chris Pine, Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne and Nick Kroll. Katie Silberman wrote the screenplay from a spec script by Carey and Shane Van Dyke.

“Don’t Worry Darling” began shooting...

The summer movie season may be winding down, but HBO Max is keeping the movie ball rolling in September 2021. HBO Max’s list of new releases this month is heavy on the film side of things – both in library and original offerings.

Two Warner Bros. films of note arrive this month. The James Wan-directed horror tale Malignant premieres on Sept. 10 and is followed by Clint Eastwood’s Cry Macho on Sept. 17. The next installment in Adventure Time: Distant Lands (which is kind of like a film series!) is titled Wizard City and opens the month on Sept. 2

Of course, it wouldn’t be a new month of HBO Max releases without some interesting evergreen Warner movie titles. Sept. 1 finds all eight Harry Potter movies returning to WarnerMedia’s streaming service. They will be accompanied by The Goonies, The Evil Dead, Cloverfield, and more. Later on in the month, Mortal Kombat (Sept.

On September 1, all eight Harry Potter films return home to HBO Max.

September also brings Clint Eastwood’s latest film Cry Macho on the 17th and director James Wan’s Malignant on the 10th. Both Cry Macho and Malignant will be available in theaters and on HBO Max the same day. They will stream on the $14.99/month ad-Free HBO Max plan for 31 days after their debuts.

See all of the new content on HBO Max for September, 2021, below. The list is organized alphabetically by date.

September 1:

A Hijacking

The Animal

Army Of Darkness

The Benchwarmers

Bodas de Oro – aka The Anniversary

The Cell 2

Cloverfield

Dead Again

Deck the Halls

Detour

Drinking Buddies

Epic Movie

Event Horizon

The Evil Dead

Evil Dead 2

Flawless

The Forgotten

Fun Size

The Gallows

The Good German

The Good Heart

The Goonies

Green Lantern

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the...

Ten years after winning Best Limited Series Actress at the Emmy Awards for HBO’s “Mildred Pierce” adaptation, Kate Winslet could add a second Emmy victory to her resume thanks to the HBO show “Mare of Easttown.” The murder mystery is one of 2021’s best-reviewed new series and has Winslet in the thick of competition in the Best Actress category alongside standout contenders like Anya Taylor-Joy, Michaela Coel and Nicole Kidman.

Not that the buzz around Winslet’s performance came as a surprise to cinematographer Ben Richardson. As he explains in the Gold Derby Meet the Experts: Cinematographers panel, it was evident from the first minute on the set that Winslet had tapped into something deeper for her performance. Watch the exclusive video interview above.

“One of the earliest scenes we shot was not one of the most complicated ones, it gave her room to play with the character. But...

New Line has paused production on Olivia Wilde’s upcoming movie “Don’t Worry Darling” after a crew member tested positive for coronavirus.

The psychological thriller, which stars Florence Pugh, Chris Pine and Harry Styles, has been filming in Los Angeles since last month. The positive test was confirmed during routine testing that all production employees receive. Though the studio did not confirm who on set tested positive, sources say it was not a principle cast member. The individual who tested positive is currently in isolation. Production is expected to be on hold for around 14 days, in line with standard quarantine protocols.

“Don’t Worry Darling” isn’t the first — and likely won’t be the last — film forced to stop shooting amid the pandemic. Hollywood has committed extensive resources to ensure film crews can safely get back to work during the global health crisis. Yet many major movies, including “Jurassic World: Dominion,...

Sony’s “Universe of Marvel Characters” is about to get a little bigger. And if Booksmart is any gauge, a little more delightful too. Multiple outlets report that Wilde has agreed to co-write and direct a new original female-led superhero property at Sony Pictures.

Deadline reports that the secret project is likely a Spider-Woman movie. The news, which Sony Pictures declined to comment on, also places Wilde on board as co-writer alongside writing partner Katie Silberman.

If accurate this is a major win for Sony Pictures and shows how Marvel properties continue to expand in big ways apart from Disney or Marvel Studios proper. Indeed, the mystery movie is being produced by Amy Pascal, making it potentially the third Spider-Man spinoff hatched under the Sony banner, the other two being Venom and next year’s Morbius.

Wilde is a successful screen star who has impressively transitioned into being an in-demand director after Booksmart,...

Filmmaker Joe Swanberg is best known for his work in the mumblecore subgenre, writing and directing micro-budget films with an emphasis on naturalistic acting and improvised dialogue. His movies, like 2013's Drinking Buddies and 2014's Happy Christmas, are indie comedy-dramas concerned with the interpersonal relationships and the romantic entanglements of people in their twenties and early thirties. Occasionally, however, Swanberg works in the horror genre, as an actor and director. Now, he's collaborating with Dave Franco on the actor's directorial debut, a film titled The Rental, which combines Swanberg's mumblecore and horror sensibilities with mixed results. To celebrate the success of their tech start-up, business partners Charlie (Dan Stevens from The Guest and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and Mina (Sheila Vand from A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night) ...

Terror in a hotel or motel (or motel shower) has been done to death, but bringing horror to the familiar trappings of an Airbnb is simple, brilliant, and surprisingly untapped before now. An ideal breeding ground for paranoid delusions––or horrific realities––it was only a matter of time before filmmakers embraced the innate weirdness at play here. Hands raised if you’d predicted those filmmakers would be Dave Franco and Joe Swanberg.

Franco makes his directorial debut with The Rental, a sturdy, small-scale thriller that makes little lasting impact but certainly succeeds in providing some clever jolts. The actor-turned-directed teamed with the prolific Swanberg on the screenplay, which was a wise move as the film certainly has some of the relationship-driven dark comedy Swanberg has brought to films like Drinking Buddies and Digging for Fire.

Franco brings a clean, ultra-professional style to The Rental, a film in which it...

Dave Franco’s Directorial Debut The Rental will be in Select Drive-Ins, Theaters and On Demand July 24, 2020. Here’s a clip from the film. Looks pretty scary!

Featuring an all-star cast including Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey,” Beauty and the Beast), Alison Brie (“BoJack Horseman,” “Glow”), Sheila Vand (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Argo) and Jeremy Allen (“Shameless,”Movie 43),The Rental was also co-written by Franco and Joe Swanberg (“Easy,” Drinking Buddies, Happy Christmas).

Rental_AR_05.24.19_154.Arw

Two couples looking to celebrate their seed money from a new business venture, embark on a weekend getaway to a seemingly perfect house they’ve booked online. But what begins as a festive weekend for the four close friends turns into something far more sinister as secrets they’ve kept from each other are exposed and paranoia grows that they may not be alone.

The post Dave Franco’s Directorial Debut The...

Olivia Wilde began acting in 2004 when she was 20 years old. It never occurred to her that she might also enjoy stepping behind the lens.

“I always wanted to make movies and be a part of the moviemaking process,” she tells me. “I always assumed acting was the way in, because for many young women … they’re told, ‘You love movies — you should be a movie star.’ No one tells a little girl, ‘Why don’t you become a director?’ It’s just not a part of the conversation. But if a little boy says he loves movies, it’s like, ‘Maybe one day you’ll direct. Maybe you’ll be the next Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese.’”

The lack of gender parity in directing was front and center when the Oscar nominations were announced on Jan. 13. All of the nominees in the category are male. Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and...

Actress Olivia Wilde is showcased in the February 2020 issue of "Instyle" magazine, wearing Christian Dior and Max Mara, photographed by Pamela Hanson:

The actress, producer and director is best known for her role as 'Remy Hadley' on TV series "House" (2007–2012) and appearing in the features "Conversations with Other Women" (2005), "Alpha Dog" (2007), "Tron: Legacy" (2010), "Cowboys & Aliens" (2011), "Butter" (2011), "Drinking Buddies" (2013), "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013), "Rush" (2013), "The Lazarus Effect" (2015), "Love the Coopers" (2015) and "Meadowland" (2015).

In 2019, Wilde" directed the comedy feature "Booksmart".

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Olivia Wilde...

New Line has won the bidding for “Don’t Worry Darling,” a psychological thriller to from Olivia Wilde.

A total of 18 bids were submitted on the project, centered on a 1950s housewife whose reality begins to crack, revealing a disturbing truth underneath. Wilde is directing, producing and starring in the film.

Wilde’s “Booksmart” partner Katie Silberman will rewrite the original script from Shane and Carey Van Dyke. Wilde and Silberman will produce along with Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment. The project will be overseen at New Line by Daria Cercek and Celia Khong.

The deal, which closed Friday Night, comes on the heels of Wilde’s acclaimed directorial debut “Booksmart,” a coming-of-age comedy about two best friends who cut loose on their last day of high school.

Wilde is currently in production on Clint Eastwood’s “The Ballad of Richard Jewell,” set to release in 2020. Her...

Xyz Films is expanding with a new management division, and the company has tapped Peter Van Steemburg, a former Universal executive and ICM agent, as its first hire for the division, Xyz announced Monday.

Xyz’s management division will focus on identifying emerging filmmakers globally and working with them in generating content creation opportunities. Van Steemburg will start at the company in August.

Van Steemburg was most recently the vice president of acquisitions & production at Universal Pictures Content Group, where he was responsible for acquiring independent features for North America. “Piercing” and “An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn” were among the acquisitions during Van Steemburg’s tenure at the company.

Also Read: Former CAA Executives Launch New Talent Management Firm Uncmmn

Van Steemburg began his film career at the international distribution division of Miramax Films before joining the film finance department at Cinetic Media. Following this, he spent 8 years working...

U.S. sales and production outfit Xyz Films is launching a management division and has made former Universal executive and ICM agent Peter Van Steemburg its first hire.

The division will focus on emerging filmmakers from across the world, working with them to generate opportunities for content creation in an increasingly global business. Van Steemburg will officially start in August.

“We’ve been fortunate to work with many visionary directors, and found the greatest success by fully supporting their vision and ensuring that they have the tools they need to execute at the highest level,” said Xyz. “Peter is a perfect fit to continue building on these core values. He has a strong track record of recognizing talent and emphatically supporting their work, and his skillset is well-suited to guide artists through the new world of content creation and consumption.”

La-based executive Van Steemburg was most recently Vice President of...

Olivia Wilde. The American actress, who derived her stage name from Irish author Oscar Wilde, is best known for her roles on television series including "The O.C." and "House", and in films like Tron: Legacy, Cowboys & Aliens, Year One, In Time, Drinking Buddies, and Rush. Now, the talented star of stage and screen is working behind the camera. After directing the shorts Free Hugs (2011), Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: No Love Like Yours (2016), and Red Hot Chili Peppers: Dark Necessities (2016), Wilde is making her feature-length directorial debut with Booksmart, an uproarious and unfiltered coming-of-age comedy that's equal parts Superbad, Lady Bird, Can't Hardly Wait, and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, filled to the brim with a bevy of top-notch performances from an ensemble of young, up-and-coming stars. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein (of Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising and Lady Bird) star as Amy and Molly, ...

Dave Franco is ready to jump into directing with The Rental, a horror movie he co-wrote with Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies). Alison Brie (who is also Franco’s wife) and Dan Stevens will star in the story of a vacation gone terribly wrong. There’s not much more information on the film beyond that, but the fact that […]

The post Dave Franco Making Directorial Debut with Horror Movie ‘The Rental’, Starring Alison Brie and Dan Stevens appeared first on /Film.

The South by Southwest Conference and Festival have unveiled an additional list of names added to its keynote and featured speaker lineup. Actress Olivia Wilde is among names announced today as part of the Keynote speakers along with Endeavor Chief Marketing Officer Bozoma Saint John and Instagram co-founder Mike Krieger.

The trio joins previously announced keynote speakers Jessica Brillhart, Joseph Lubin, Shirley Manson, Lauren Mayberry, Marti Noxon, and Kevin Systrom with Josh Constine.

For featured speaker slots, the Austin-based fest has added DreamWorks Animation co-founder, WndrCo co-founder, and Quibi founder and chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, Emmy winning Barry star Henry Winkler, who will be conducting an acting workshop, filmmaker Cameron Crowe, A$AP Rocky; Emmy winner and Better Things star Pamela Adlon, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, American Gods author and showrunner of the upcoming Amazon series Good Omens Neil Gaiman,, among others.

The SXSW Conference, which will run from March 8-17, is...

The end is in sight for Easy. Netflix has renewed the anthology drama series for a third and final season to air in 2019, Deadline has confirmed.

Written, directed and executive produced by Joe Swanberg, Easy explores diverse Chicago characters as they fumble through the modern maze of love, sex, technology and culture — topics that Swanberg often tackles in his micro-budgeted drama features which employ extensive improvisation. The standalone episodes showcase the diversity of the city itself, focusing on characters from different neighborhoods and economic backgrounds.

The cast includes Kate Micucci, Jane Adams, Zazie Beetz, Michael Chernus, Kiersey Clemons, Evan Jonigkeit, Elizabeth Reaser, Jacqueline Toboni, Dave Franco, Aya Cash and Marc Maron.

All eight episodes of Season 2 premiered December 1. A specific return date for Season 3 has not yet been determined.

Swanberg’s films include Drinking Buddies, starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston, and Digging for Fire, starring Johnson,...

Richard Swift, a producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who played with groups including the Black Keys and the Shins, died today. He was 41.

The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach confirmed the news on social media:

A California native born on March 16, 1977, Swift made a handful of solo records in the 2000s and produced albums for such acts as Gardens & Villa, Sylvie Lewis, Damien Jurado and later Guster.

He went on to play keyboards and percussion from 2011-16 with the Shins, James Mercer’s group whose beautifully infectious “New Slang” had been featured in Zach Braff’s Garden State, and was the bassist and sang backup on the Black Keys’ 2014-15 arena tour. He also drummed with Auerbach’s other band the Arcs.

Swift, who also was a short-film maker, had his music featured in films including 2013’s Drinking Buddies and such TV shows as HBO’s Eastbound & Down and Tim and...

Among the many impressive numbers associated with “Black Panther” is the director’s age. At just 31, Ryan Coogler has directed an historic, record-breaking blockbuster whose achievements will be studied for years by scholars and pop culture dabblers alike. He follows in the footsteps of such wunderkinds as Steven Spielberg and Orson Welles, who were respectively 28 (“Jaws”) and 25 (“Citizen Kane”) when they first helmed movies that were to become iconic cinema classics.

Coogler’s not the only young filmmaker to leave a mark at an early age in recent years. Thus, we present to you our ranking of the 25 best movies from 2000 to the present from filmmakers 35 and under. (Sorry, Jason Reitman and Xavier Dolan: you’re Canadian.) To keep the list manageable, we stuck to homegrown Americans only, and picked our favorite film from each early oeuvre. (If you disagree, feel free to share alternatives in the comments.

After spending the first portion of her career acting in front of the camera, Olivia Wilde is shifting gears. She was bitten by the producing bug back in 2010, and has since shepherded movies like 2013’s Drinking Buddies (which features one of her best performances to date) and 2015’s Meadowland into existence. Now Wilde is […]

The post Olivia Wilde Gets ‘Booksmart’ For Her Feature Directorial Debut appeared first on /Film.