“I strongly condemn this false and misleading representation of our Armed Forces. I think of and pay tribute to the 58 French soldiers who died defending Mali at its request against Islamist terrorist groups,” Sébastien Lecornu said on his Twitter account on Sunday
The Black Panther sequeldirected by Ryan Coogler portrays Wakanda as an independent African nation resisting the grasp of colonizers hungry for its natural resources. Lecornu was responding to a series of Feb. 11 tweets by French journalist Jean Bexon where he noted the similarity of the military uniforms worn by the villainous mercenaries and those of France’s army in the 1991 Gulf War.
“In the latest American Marvel production (Black Panther Wakanda Forever), the evil French mercenaries operating in Mali are dressed as Operation Barkhane soldiers,” Bexon said on his Twitter account as he referenced the camouflaged Gulf War uniforms worn by French military forces.
The Black Panther sequel storyline is sensitive for France as its military soldiers in 2022 left Mali and were replaced by Russia’s Wagner mercenary group at the request of that African country’s transitional government. That arrival of mercenaries in Mali is seen as Russia attempting to outflank the Americans in Africa.
In the Marvel movie, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira return to defend their grieving nation from a new threat in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follow-up that is also widely seen as a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from Season 5, Episode 11 of The CW’s All American.
The CW’s All Americanended with an emotional twist on Monday, as the series said goodbye to one of its most beloved characters. While viewers might not have been prepared, it was a moment that the writers had been working toward all season.
Head coach Billy Baker (played by Taye Diggs) died saving a student after a bus carrying him and the South Crenshaw High School football team crashed on its way back from a scouting combine.
In the final moments of the episode, his son Jordan (Michael Evans Behling), who was at the scene of the crash, tells his family that Billy didn’t survive.
Billy’s death will likely come as a shock for viewers, since the series has so far spared its main cast, even though many of them have previously been at death’s door. But showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll told Deadline that the decision for Diggs to exit the show came about organically before plans for Season 5 were made.
“At the beginning and end of every season, I have a conversation with the cast about the journey of their character, and it was in those conversations for Taye that we started talking about, ‘Is Billy’s journey on the show over? And if so, what would an exit look like?’ To me, there was only ever one exit for Billy if he was leaving, because the character would never leave after fighting so hard for his family,” she said.
Carroll spoke with Deadline about building Season 5 around Diggs’ exit and gave insight into how the remaining episodes will dive deeper into the shared grief of those mourning the loss, especially his family (both biological and chosen).
DEADLINE: I was pretty shocked to learn that this death was coming. Is this something you’d planned when you opened the writers room for Season 5?
NKECHI OKORO CARROLL: When I took over as showrunner early in Season 1, because I hadn’t been involved with the pilot, I sat down with every actor to talk to them about the show and why they wanted to do the show, how they felt about their role, and how I envisioned the long term journey of the show. We were so lucky to have Taye Diggs for any amount of time. One of the things we’d always talked about [in those conversations] was not knowing how long his run would be, but whenever it was time for it to come to an end, it would be a mutual decision. It would have to be something that felt right for both of us for the creative direction of the show and for him as an actor. It’s funny, because even when we had those conversations, I would think in my head, ‘How are we going to go organically do this? What if we don’t agree?’ At the beginning and end of every season, I have a conversation with the cast about the journey of their character, and it was in those conversations for Taye that we started talking about, ‘Is Billy’s journey on the show over? And if so, what would an exit look like?’ To me, there was only ever one exit for Billy if he was leaving, because the character would never leave after fighting so hard for his family. He’s not going to leave his wife and kids to go take a job in Florida. So I sort of set the tone of, if we feel like this is the right time, this is how it would happen. He was so stunned by the beauty of the exit and the heroism of the exit and what it meant for Billy’s legacy. He was silent for a moment, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, did I just lose him with this pitch?’ Then I realized he was silent because he was emotional about it. He got so excited and we started talking about when would be the right time to implement something like that. I knew going into Season 5 that was what we were going to do. Everything that we lined up for Season 5 was knowing that in the middle of the season, they would lose Billy. It was very thought out in terms of what storyline we’d be building up to, so that him leaving at that moment would really impact our cast and allow us to really explore a new chapter of their lives in a different way with that loss so that it didn’t just feel arbitrary.
DEADLINE: After you had this conversation with Taye, how did you inform the cast of what was coming and what were their reactions?
CARROLL: All of the cast members, God bless them, because I swear they couldn’t keep a secret to save their lives. As soon as Taye and I had figured out that this was right and this is when we wanted it to happen — and after I pitched it to the network and studio and they signed off on it — I sat down with each cast member and as I walked them through their journey of what Season 5 was gonna be, I told them. I told it to them like I was pitching them the episode and how it happened, and without fail, every single one of them cried. The first time it happened I was like ‘Whoa, I thought I was the only one that was gonna cry doing this.’ Every single cast member, when they realized how it was going to happen and when it was gonna happen, it was such an organic, visceral experience of almost early grief and anticipation of what was happening. So they all really dug in with each episode knowing this was coming and it brought an extra layer to their work in those scenes with Billy, knowing what would be coming 11 episodes later. They’ve all done truly their best work, and they did it all while keeping this secret which is not easy to do in this town.
DEADLINE: I want to talk more about the specifics of how he died. How did you decide he would be going back onto the bus to save Jabari, of all people?
CARROLL: A lot of thought went into that over the summer before we even started the season. I felt strongly that if it was any of our main cast, or if it were his kids — Jordan, Olivia, or Spencer — of course, he’s gonna go back on the bus for them, and I don’t think anyone would question that. But I wanted to go deeper than that. This is a man whose players really are his second set of kids. Does it become more complicated if he goes back for one of those kids? Laura can’t get mad if he goes back for one of their children. But in her grief, she could get mad if he goes back for what feels to her like just another player. Was it worth the sacrifice? That’s something she’s gonna have to wrestle with. Remembering who Billy was and what he stood for and how he loved, of course that makes sense. He would have gone back for anyone. So that was the reason we settled on it being Jabari that Billy would go back for. It’s a character that our audience knows and loves and has rooted for, and he’s on the cusp of changing in his life and doing something great. How is it fair for it to be that his life would be cut short so quickly? It felt right.
DEADLINE: It really did hurt to watch Spencer listen to that voicemail from Billy just moments before finding out he was dead, especially knowing they hadn’t fully mended their relationship. How is Spencer going to handle his grief, which would have been overwhelming even if he had been on good terms with Billy?
CARROLL: What we perceive as Spencer’s grief is only going to be the tip of the iceberg. It’s going to turn out that losing Billy the way he lost him and their relationship being in the state it was when he lost him, and the fact that he declined that call as opposed to missing the call, is going to end up being a gateway to a much, much deeper storyline with Spencer. It’ll take a little while for him to really unpack what is going on with him and what losing Billy really represents for him and what Billy’s legacy means from Spencer’s perspective as he tries to rise from the ashes and pick himself back up again.
DEADLINE: We know the Vortex is always there for each other through hard times, but now that they’re all going through this collective, shared grieving process, how are they going to lift each other up?
CARROLL: Obviously Olivia and Jordan are his children and Laura is his wife, and everyone I think is united that they come first. They lost their dad, she lost her husband. No matter what Billy meant to us, they come first. We’re definitely gonna see that attitude from the friend group. But that is a lot easier said than done when you’re going home at night and either trying to bury your grief, or cry over your grief or drink your way through your grief. However it is that various people are handling their grief, it becomes a real struggle of trying to put that aside while you’re helping other people through theirs. I actually think it’s the beauty of this group. I always say there’s your family you’re born into and you’re really blessed with that, and then there’s the family you choose and that’s the double blessing. These kids are the chosen family. So I think we’ll see the real strength of the Vortex and how solid those bonds are, no matter what pressure and weight gets put on them as we go through these next few episodes of how everyone is dealing with losing Billy. Grief isn’t linear, and it’s so different for so many people. We’re gonna give everyone their moment with their way of processing, and that becomes a story for an episode so that we really get to test the boundaries of that friend group and how they each help each other through it.
DEADLINE: When you were writing your way through each character’s grief, how did you decide what would be a realistic way for them to handle something like this?
CARROLL: Truthfully, the characters decided. We all know Spencer so well. We’ve lived with him for five seasons. Of all the options of how different people can process grief, what Spencer has been through dictated what was the most realistic authentic version for him. Same went for Olivia and Jordan. The journey they’ve been on and how much they’ve grown over the five seasons [helped determine] what looks realistic. It’s all grounded in honesty and truth from all of our grief experiences, but in terms of which grief experience makes sense for which character, we let the characters and the storyline we told over the seasons dictate that for us. It was discussed ad nauseam in the writers room as we were venturing into each person’s story, and we let the history and the authenticity of the character dictate what grief looked like for them.
Netflix will take viewers on a wild ride later this year when Beef hits the air.
The dark comedy is set to premiere globally on April 6, 2023.
“Beef follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers,” according to the official description.
“Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, goes head-to-head with Amy Lau (Ali Wong), a self-made entrepreneur with a picturesque life.”
“The increasing stakes of their feud unravel their lives and relationships in this darkly comedic and deeply moving series.”
Beef was ordered to series back in March 2021.
The A24 series is created by Lee Sung Jin.
“Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, A24 and Netflix. It’s a dream team, and I’m honored to be collaborating with them,” the creator said at the time of the pickup, revealing that the basis for the show was a real-life incident.
“I’m also grateful to the guy who yelled at me in traffic three years ago. I did not let it go, and now we have a show.”
Added Netflix’s Jinny Howe at the time:
“We are incredibly excited to collaborate with Lee Sung Jin and help bring this rich series to life along with the inimitable Steven Yeun and Ali Wong,” Howe’s statement reads.
“Sung Jin has created a bold and at times outrageous world. It is an honest and powerful character study of two people who go about searching for connection in the unlikeliest of ways.”
The cast is rounded out by Joseph Lee (George), Young Mazino (Paul), David Choe (Isaac), and Patti Yasutake (Fumi).
The recurring cast includes Maria Bello (Jordan Forster), Ashley Park (Naomi), Justin H. Min, Mia Serafino, and Remy Holt (Junie).
What are your thoughts on the plot and the first-look photos?
Will you watch the show?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
The 2023 nominees for the Best Live Action Short Film Oscar are overall more hopeful than what the Academy has gone for in the recent past.
We will update these predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2023 Oscar picks. Final voting is March 2 through 7, 2023. The 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
See IndieWire’s previous Oscars Predictions for this category and more here.
The State of the Race
A glance at some of the most recent Best Live Action Short winners shows that the Academy’s taste for films within this category tend to be a bit grim. That’s not to say that films should not be challenging — often, that’s the type of short that succeeds with Oscar voters — but it is somewhat reassuring that not every nominee in this year’s batch needs to come with a trigger warning.
“Le Pupille,” from celebrated Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher, happens to be streaming on Disney+, which is enough of a hint that the film about young girls at a Catholic boarding school is one the whole family can watch. (But Rohrwacher does not shy away from adding on some dark humor.) Executive produced by two-time Best Director winner Alfonso Cuarón, “Le Pupille” would be a change of pace should it win Best Live Action Short, but it seems like that’s welcome this year.
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“Ivalu” actually fits well into the kind of film expected to garner voters’ attention in this category, which makes even more sense knowing it comes from director Anders Waller and producer Kim Magnusson (a perennial nominee), who re-teamed to make it after winning the Best Live Action Short for their film “Helium” in 2014. The story of a young Inuit girl searching for her missing sister both skillfully touches on sensitive subject matter and stuns viewers with its picturesque shots of Greenland.
However, all signs point to Ireland being the country Oscar voters have fallen in love with in 2023. “An Irish Goodbye” has the same fecking vibe as Best Picture contender “The Banshees of Insiherin,” a mixture of humor and heartbreak, but ends on a note that leaves viewers wanting more (in a good way). Similarly, “The Red Suitcase” concludes in a slot designed to make viewers wonder what is next for the protagonist. That’s an element that works in many shorts’ favor, but also could cause voters to overlook the two films for seeming too much like a TV pilot, or a proof of concept for a longer feature, rather than a purposeful short.
Finally, “Night Ride” is maybe the least successful at balancing emotional heft and levity, but that would be splitting hairs. Like “Le Pupille,” it is set as Christmastime, and like “An Irish Goodbye,” it provides meaningful representation of people with disabilities, but the way in which it captures a vehicle heist is delightfully unique.
Nominees are listed below in order of likelihood they will win.
Contenders: “Le Pupille” “Ivalu” “An Irish Goodbye” “The Red Suitcase” “Night Ride”
As expected as the next Harvest Moon, another Children Of The Corn remake is on its way. Filmed at the onset of the pandemic, Kurt Wimmer’s Children Of The Corn sat quietly on the shelf for the last three years hoping someone would hear its cries of “Outlander!” Now slated for a March release, Children Of The Corn has a whole trailer, giving us a look at this Texas Chain Saw Massacre-inspired take on Stephen King’s short story.
CHILDREN OF THE CORN (2023) Official Red Band Trailer
This Corn has some critical differences from the other 10 remakes and sequels. Primarily, another child, not an adult, is challenging their dogmatic friends. Here’s the synopsis:
Possessed by a spirit in a dying cornfield, a twelve-year-old girl in Nebraska recruits the other children in her small town to go on a bloody rampage and kill all the adults and anyone else who opposes her. A bright high schooler who won’t go along with the plan is the town’s only hope of survival.
The other significant change here is that Issac is out. Wimmer moved the action from Gatlin, Nebraska, to Rylstone, where a new zealot, Eden Edwards (Station Eleven’s Kate Moyer), is the vessel for “He Who Walks Behind The Rows,” the unseen corn monster that haunts the fields and drives these kids to kill their parents. Unseen but not mute. By the sounds of this trailer, “He Who Walks Behind The Row” might finally be “He Who Walks In Front Of The Camera.” And, hey, Bruce Spence is in this one!
2023’s Children Of The Corn resembles Netflix’s latest Texas Chainsaw Massacre legacy sequel, relying on the amber glow of magic hour and the corn-inspired color pallette to give this some heft. But, like Texas Chainsaw, it’s hard for anyone other than completists or sleepover attendees to get excited for another trip to the cornfield. Although, maybe that viral “Corn Kid” can give it a little bump.
Save on refrigerators, washers and dryers, and more The Samsung Presidents Day Sale event features price cuts and promotions on refrigerators, washers and dryers, vacuums, and much more. Unsure which pieces are worth your time? We’ve got a great selection here to choose from so you can pick up what best speaks to you before the sale ends on March 1.
Children Of The Corn opens in theaters on March 3 and heads to streaming on March 21.
After narrowing down 144 eligible documentary features to a remarkably strong shortlist of 15 docs, the Academy’s nonfiction branch whittled down that batch to five nominees: “All That Breathes,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” “Fire of Love,” “A House Made of Splinters,” and “Navalny.”
It’s a quintuplet of powerful films from five formidable helmers. It’s also a list that, as every year, is notably missing several heralded docus including Brett Morgen’s “Moonage Daydream,” Ondi Timoner’s “Last Flight Home” and Alex Pritz’s “The Territory.” But despite the omissions, five beautifully crafted movies remain from both veteran and relatively green directors.
Interestingly all but one of the nominated films, “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2022, which is a testament to just how vital the fest is to the nonfiction genre. But despite four of the five nominated docus having more than 12 months of exposure, Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in September, is the category’s front-runner.
The high-profile documentary about U.S. artist and activist Nan Goldin and her battle to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opioid overdose crisis is the sixth doc feature directed by Poitras, who won an Oscar for “Citizenfour” in 2015. Poitras says the Academy nomination for “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” means that that the doc will reach more people, which could lead to a greater focus on the issues highlighted in the film.
“Documentaries tend not to make structural change, but they do have real, meaningful impact,” Poitras says. “In terms of accountability, I absolutely think that the Justice Department should bring charges against Richard Sackler. Will this film do that? No. That has to come from political forces. But if [this film leads to] more awareness or helps contribute to that, then that’s great.”
Barbara Kopple is the only director to have ever won the feature docu Oscar twice, in 1977 and 1991. Poitras has a good shot at following in her footsteps. Not only did critics adore “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” the film made history when it became the second documentary to take the top prize at Venice. The prestigious exposure in addition to a sizable campaign budget provided by Neon and HBO, make the docu’s chances for Oscar glory strong.
Giving Poitras a run for her money is Daniel Roher’s “Navalny.” About Russian dissident and one-time presidential candidate Alexei Navalny, the CNN Films doc is a fly-on-the-wall account of the rousing populist who was once a presidential candidate and posed such a threat to Putin that he was poisoned in a botched assassination plot ordered by the Kremlin in 2020. Navalny was detained in January 2021 and is serving a nine-year sentence. He has spent much of his sentence in solitary confinement. While Roher, who last directed “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band,” doesn’t believe his doc will get Navalny out of prison, he does think the extra spotlight the Academy Award nomination has put on the film will help the Russian dissident’s chances of survival.
“I like to call it the pain-in-the-ass index,” says Roher. “Is it a greater pain in the ass for the regime to murder him or to let him languish in prison? I think that the more we keep Navalny’s name in the conversation and the global consciousness, the more the needle will be oriented towards keeping him alive in prison.”
Academy voters tend to like docs that can make a difference. Politically minded films including “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006), “The Cove” (2009) and “Icarus” (2017) all garnered Oscars.
Like “Navalny,” Simon Lereng Wilmont’s “A House Made of Splinters” is a highly topical documentary. A co-production involving Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Ukraine, “A House Made of Splinters” follows three children awaiting their fate in a temporary shelter in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. The doc won a director prize for Lereng Wilmont at Sundance. It also clinched the top prize at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, where it took home the Golden Alexander Award. But despite having been an international film festival darling, Lereng Wilmont’s latest has not been widely seen in the U.S. Earlier this month POV acquired the film, which will have its broadcast premiere on pub-caster PBS as part of POV’s 36th season starting in the summer.
“A nomination like this, it’s overwhelming the attention it brings to not only [the doc] but the situation [in Ukraine] and I’m so happy about that,” Wilmont says.
“A House Made of Splinters” isn’t the only foreign film in the category. Shaunak Sen’s “All That Breathes” is an India-U.S.-U.K. production about two brothers based in Delhi who run a bird hospital dedicated to rescuing injured black kites. The film recently garnered four IDA kudos including the top prize for feature.
There’s no denying that Sen’s film is this year’s sleeper hit. After winning the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition, the docu went on to win the Golden Eye Award for documentary at Cannes. Soon after, HBO acquired the movie. Despite getting picked up five months after premiering at Sundance, Sen, who lives in India, says he never worried about the film’s future.
“This is not a world that I have inhabited before,” Sen says. “I don’t live in this country. I’ve never shown a film at Sundance before last year, and I never honestly had a film with a big distributor before. So, while there was a tinge of nervousness at Sundance, I had confidence in what the [sales] team around me was doing.”
Since finding a home at HBO, “All That Breathes” has gone on to garner numerous kudos including a Gotham award and plenty of nominations from orgs including the BAFTAs and the DGA.
The nomination for “All That Breathes” and “A House Made of Splinters” is proof of just how international the documentary branch has become. Since 2016, the doc branch has expanded to represent 52 countries, which led it to becoming the most geo-diverse of the Academy’s 17 branches. The addition of more internationally based filmmakers into the branch has, in the past two years, led to more foreign docs such as “A House Made of Splinters,” “All That Breathes, and last year’s “Flee” and “Writing With Fire” becoming Oscar nominees.
Like “All That Breathes,” it’s hard to take your eyes off Sara Dosa’s “Fire of Love.” Narrated by Miranda July, the docu centers on French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, who sought to understand the magic of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded. Dosa was able to use that footage (more than 200 hours of it, with- out any sound) to craft a narrative that is, as she puts it, “a love triangle story, a story about these two humans who also have a love relationship with a volcano.”
After premiering at Sundance 2022, Dosa’s “Fire of Love” instantly became a critical darling. National Geographic acquired the docu after an intense bidding war. The doc has gone on to garner plenty of hardware from festivals around the world as well as two Intl. Documentary Assn. Awards for cinematography and writing.
While money and brand recognition are key factors in the race for Oscar gold, each film in this year’s race is premium content created by skillful artists making it anyone’s guess who will win.
‘I no longer want to hide myself’: Czech Republic footballer Jakub Jankto comes out as gay in an emotional video on social media as he vows to live his life ‘without fears, prejudice and violence’
Jankto wants to encourage others to speak out after revealing he is homosexual
He has spent close to a decade playing in Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic
The 27-year-old has received widespread praise on social media for the message
Jankto, who is currently on loan at Sparta Prague from LaLiga side Getafe, revealed he is homosexual after insisting he is determined to live life ‘without fears, prejudice and violence – but with love’.
The 27-year-old said: ‘Hi I am Jakub Jankto. Like everybody else, I have my strengths, I have my weaknesses, I have a family, I have my friends.
‘I have a job which I have been doing as best as I can for years, with seriousness, professionalism and passion. Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom without fears, without prejudice, without violence – but with love.
‘I am homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself.’
Czech Republic star Jakub Jankto has come out as gay in an emotional video on social media
Jankto, who has earned 45 caps for his country, says he wants to live his life ‘without fear’
As Jankto finishes speaking, a tagline at the bottom of the video reads: ‘This is not an entertainment. The purpose of this video is to encourage others.’
The Getafe player is one of few male footballers to have come out as gay in recent years. Josh Cavallo, who plays for Australian team Adelaide United, came out in 2021 to then become the only pro in the world to reveal he was gay.
Blackpool FC’s Jake Daniels then became Britain’s only active homosexual player when he made the move to help tackle homophobia in the sport last year.
Some have also come out after their careers were over, such as former Aston Villa player Thomas Hitzlsperger and ex-Hull City youth star Thomas Beattie.
Jankto, who has become the first LaLiga footballer to come out as gay, has been widely praised after he shared his message on social media, with one user posting: ‘Your courage and strength are inspiring, Jakub. Be free, be you, be loved. We stand with you.’
Another commented: ‘Thank you very much for your words. You are helping many of us.’
A third said: ‘This will make you an inspiration to thousands of young guys around the world. I congratulate you on your decision and keep my fingers crossed that you are happy.’
While one put: ‘Thank you for this. World would be a better place if others follow your lead and show their strength’.
Your courage and strength are inspiring, Jakub. Be free, be you, be loved. We stand with you.?
“Everyone Is Doing Great” will continue. A second season of the dark comedy, created by James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti, is currently in production in California and North Carolina. Season 1, which was first distributed by Hulu (U.S.) in January 2021 and later Paramount+ (international), was independently produced. Fifth Season (previously as Endeavor Content) represented the sale. The eight-episode second season was also independently produced and is seeking distribution.
The series follows former co-stars Jeremy (Lafferty), Andrea (Alexandra Park), Seth (Stephen Colletti) and Izzy (Cariba Heine), whose lives continue to intertwine years after the end of a successful TV show, as they grapple with the fallout of love, loss and fame.
Their journey will continue in the second season with the return of Sean Carrigan, Karissa Lee Staples, Aparna Brielle and Tom Fugedi, among others. Guest stars in Season 2 include Jamie Chung, Phoenix Washington, Bryan Greenberg, Jessica McNamee, Rhys Wakefield, Merritt Patterson and Aaron Staton.
Lafferty and Colletti met while on The CW’s “One Tree Hill.” While Lafferty starred on the drama from 2003 to 2012, Colletti joined the show in 2007. Together, they wrote “Everyone Is Doing Great,” mixing in some of their own experiences of coming off a long-running show and re-entering the acting world.
The second season adds Stuart Lafferty and Park as writers. All four also serve as executive producers, along with Michelle Lang, Ian Nelms, Eshom Nelms, Johnny Derango, Ngoc Nguyen, Rocque Trem and Garrett Greer.
Roku has inked an exclusive programming deal with the kids and family studio pocket.watch that will bring four children’s specials and one series to The Roku Channel later this year starring popular kid creators on YouTube.
The partnership first began on Thanksgiving Day with a specialfeaturing YouTube star Ryan Kaji of Ryan’s World, who became popular for videos of unboxing gifts and has now amassed more than 34 million subscribers on the platform. The special, Ryan’s World Titan Universe Holiday Adventures, was promoted as part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The other three specials arriving to The Roku Channel later this year are Toys & Colors Kaleidoscope City, a live-action and animated special starring the YouTube creators known as Toys & Colors; Elemon, a STEM-focused anime special from the studio Toei Animation and the creators of Ryan’s World; Love, Diana, another animated and live-action special featuring the stars of the YouTube channel Kids Diana Show; and Jason Vlogs and the Do Crew, an original series with the Netherlands-based young creator known as Jason and his brother Alex focused on teaching viewers about problem-solving.
The Roku Channel has seen success with its kids and family channel, which also includes shows like Cocomelon, Sesame Street and My Little Pony. According to Roku, which will report its full fourth quarter earnings on Feb. 15, the kids and family channel was streamed by more households during Q4 2022 than any other standalone kids and family AVOD app on Roku.
“We’re delighted to work with pocket.watch to bring our viewers access to content starring some of today’s most beloved kids stars and creators,” Jennifer Vaux, the head of content acquisition for The Roku Channel, said in a statement. “Pocket.watch content is hugely popular with our audience, and we’re thrilled to be able to exclusively bring our users this type of in-demand programming.”
Pocket.watch has been an early partner of Roku’s, signing on as an inaugural launch partner when The Roku Channel when the kids and family app debuted in 2019.
“The Roku Channel is the rare ad-supported streaming service that has truly gone big with kids and families,” David Williams, pocket.watch svp and general manager of channels, sad. “We’re so proud to level up this partnership and demonstrate unmistakably the power of pocket.watch’s unique kid-creator content.”
EXCLUSIVE: German director Christian Petzold returns to the Berlinale’s Competition this year with ensemble drama Afire about a group of four loosely connected, young people who come together in a small holiday home on Germany’s Baltic coast.
Amid a sweltering hot, rainless summer, an emotional tinderbox develops as happiness, lust and love mingle with jealousies, resentments and tensions, while the surrounding forest ignites.
Austrian actor Thomas Schubert (Breathing, Axiom, Germany, A Winter’s Tale) leads the cast as a blocked writer who thought he was going to have the property to himself with a friend and is frustrated to find they have company.
Schubert is joined by Paula Beer, who won the Silver Bear for her performance in Petzold’s Undine and also starred in his 2018 film Transit; the UK’s Langston Uibel (How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast), Unorthodox) and German actor Enno Trebs (The White Ribbon, We Are Next Of Kin).
Veteran actor Matthias Brandt also puts in an appearance.
Sales agent The Match Factory has unveiled the international trailer which gives a taster of the smouldering emotions running throughout the drama.
The world premiere will mark the sixth time Petzold has played in competition at the Berlinale, after Undine (2020), Transit (2018), Barbara (2012), Yella (2007) and Gespenter (2005).
The director has yet to win the coveted Golden Bear but previously clinched the Silver Bear for Best Director for Barbara and the Fipresci prize for Undine.
The German-language film is produced by Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber and Anton Kaiser under the banner ofSchramm Film Koerner Weber Kaiser.
Piffl Medien has German rights and will release the film at home on April 20.
It Happened One Night isn’t just one of the greatest films ever made, but the template for every successful rom-com that followed it. The 1934 flick stars Claudette Colbert as Ellie Andrews, an heiress who gets into trouble with her father after she elopes with a gold-digging aviator named King Wesley. Ellie goes on the run to meet up with her man, but soon learns that Depression-era America isn’t exactly the friendliest place for a rich girl who ran away with no money. Ellie finds herself joined on her hellacious cross-country trip by Clark Gable’s Peter Warne, a down-on-his-luck reporter who recognizes his travel companion his chance to get his byline back in the papers. As they hitchhike their way up the East Coast, Ellie and Peter bicker, banter, and…fall in love?? It Happened One Night is smart, sexy, and the origin of so many of our favorite rom-com tropes.
The “Black Movie” is a staple in our community that generations pass down from one another and make sure everyone can watch just so we can see ourself on the big screen.
EXCLUSIVE: Avi Federgreen’sCanadian distribution company Indiecan Entertainment has launched an international sales division that will make its debut at the Berlinale’s EFM.
Bannered Indiecan International, the division’s first line-up features three films by directors hailing from Canada’s First Nations communities and a UK documentary about a man living with cerebral palsy (scroll down for details).
The creation of Indiecan International comes hot on the heels of Indiecan Entertainment’s creation last May of Red Water Entertainment, a new distribution arm focused on genre films.
“Indiecan International is a natural extension of what I started with Indiecan Entertainment,” said Federgreen, who will be at the EFM with his team.
“My goal with Indiecan International, as with Red Water Entertainment, is to help independent filmmakers and marginalized voices get as much exposure and eyeballs on their stories as possible,” he explained.
The first titles on the Indiecan International slate include Jules Arita Koostachin’s drama Broken Angel about a once vibrant Cree woman who is worn down by an abusive partner.
Koostachin is a member of the Attawapiskat First Nation and was raised by Cree-speaking grandparents in Moosonee, and her mother in Ottawa.
The slate also features Koostachin’s short sci-fi fantasy MisTik following the journey of two remaining members of the human race, Cree twins named NiiPii (Water) and SiiPii (River), as they search for hope and renewal carrying the last of the planet’s healthy trees on their backs.
The line-up also includes Jason Brennan’s thriller L’Inhumain about a brilliant neurosurgeon whose perfect life is falling apart due to divorce, substance abuse and a mid-life crisis.
When his father dies suddenly he is forced to travel back home to the Anishiinabe territory, a place he has tried to avoid since his youth, to carry out the ritual of depositing his ashes on their ancestral lands.
The trip takes a terrifying turn when he believes himself to be stalked by an evil creature known as the Wendigo.
Brennan is a member of the First Nations community of Kitigan Zibi and was born to Algonquin father and a Quebecers mother.
The inaugural slate also features UK documentary Carl Woods’s My Everest about a disabled man who sets off on a mission to trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp on horseback to prove his worth.
As the reality of the quest begins to dawn on him and puts his body through incredible pain, he is forced to dive deeper into himself and question his original motivations.
The film is produced by Annika Ranin and Jasmin Morrison at London-based Unmannered Limited as well as Woods for Birmingham-based Zedmill and Sandra Spethhmann.
That didn’t take long at all: Just after revealing that Showtime co-presidents Jana Winograde and Gary Levine are stepping down from their current roles, with Winograde exiting entirely and Levine moving into an advisory position, parent company Paramount Global has revealed that the remaining Showtime team will be merging with sister brand MTV Entertainment Studios.
Within the combined entity — created as Showtime’s linear and streaming platforms are being integrated into Paramount+ and rebranded to Paramount+ With Showtime — a new leadership structure has been set by Paramount’s president and CEO of streaming Tom Ryan and president and CEO of Showtime and Paramount Media Networks Chris McCarthy.
In a memo to staff, McCarthy revealed the plan, noting that, as a result of the merging of departments, these execs will be leaving, along with with previously announced Winograde: Paramount Global Premium Group CFO and COO Michael Crotty; SVP of docs, unscripted and sports programming Vinnie Malhotra; creative director global brand and originals at Paramount International Rob Rosenberg; and Showtime’s EVP of content acquisition Kent Sevener.
Notable names remaining, some taking on new and expanded roles, at the combined Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios division are: Nina L. Diaz, who will expand her role as Chief Creative Officer & President of Content; Keyes Hill-Edgar, who will expand his role as Chief Operating Officer at Paramount Media Networks and Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios; Keith Cox, who will expand his role as President of Scripted, reporting to Diaz; Amy Israel, who will continue in her role as EVP for Showtime Original Scripted, reporting to Diaz; Trevor Rose, who will expand his role as EVP/Head of Talent and Casting, reporting to Diaz; Keri Flint, who will expand her role as EVP/Head of Production, reporting to Diaz and Hill-Edgar; Michael Elias, who will take on a new role as EVP/Head of Scripted Production, reporting to Flint; and Liza Burnett Fefferman, who will expand her role as EVP/Head of Comms. & Co-Head, MTV Doc Films with Diaz.
Per McCarthy, “Additionally, Bruce Gillmer will continue to oversee all music across the company inclusive of Showtime in his role as President of Music and Tentpole Events continuing to report to Bob. No changes to Nickelodeon Networks and, as previously announced, Erin Calhoun has expanded her role as EVP Comms. for Paramount/Showtime Streaming & Cross-Co. Publicity, reporting to Tom Ryan & Justin Dini, Head of Comms. Erin will continue to partner with Liza and me on the content we create for streaming.”
Courtesy of Showtime
Hello everyone,
As we continue to integrate SHOWTIME across the organization partnering with Tom Ryan and his team in streaming, I’m excited to share that we’re combining SHOWTIME and MTV Entertainment Studios into one unified leadership team. Together, these creative powerhouses make some of the biggest hits in TV: From Yellowstone to Yellowjackets, Dexter to The Daily Show, Billions to Beavis, The Chi to The Challenge, Jersey Shore to Tulsa King, Drag Race to The Department, Love and Hip Hop to Your Honor, plus Emily in Paris, South Park and Mayor of Kingstown, to name just a few.
Additionally, below you will also find the leadership team for our new unified group as well as the key SHOWTIME executives.
Everyone listed reports to me except where noted.
Please join me in congratulating these seasoned and exceptional leaders with whom I’m privileged to work alongside as we maximize our full creative potential and harness our creative strengths.
Creative Leadership – SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios
Nina L. Diaz – Nina will expand her role as Chief Creative Officer & President of Content Keith Cox – Keith will expand his role as President of Scripted, reporting to Nina Amy Israel – Amy will continue in her role as EVP for SHOWTIME Original Scripted, reporting to Nina Trevor Rose – Trevor will expand his role as EVP/Head of Talent and Casting, reporting to Nina Keri Flint – Keri will expand her role as EVP/Head of Production, reporting to Nina and Keyes Michael Elias – Michael will take on a new role as EVP/Head of Scripted Production, reporting to Keri
Please note, Unscripted content will be managed by the existing Unscripted leadership team under Nina.
SHOWTIME – Executives
Gary Levine – As announced earlier, Gary will be Senior Creative Advisor for SHOWTIME Virginia Lazalde McPherson – Virginia will be taking on a new role as EVP/Head of Strategy & Business Operations, serving as my deputy for all things SHOWTIME Amy Britt – Amy will continue her role as EVP Talent & Casting for SHOWTIME reporting to Gary and Trevor Tracey Wolfson – Tracey will continue in her role as SVP, Program Operations and Global Distribution, reporting to Keyes Ken Kay – Ken will continue in his role as EVP of Distribution for SHOWTIME, reporting to Ray Hopkins Stephen Espinoza – Stephen will continue in his role as President of Sports, moving over to CBS Sports reporting to David Berson, President of CBS Sports Michael Engleman – Michael will continue in his role as Chief Marketing Officer Kim Lemon – Kim will continue in his role as EVP/Head of Insights & Prog., reporting to Colleen and me
Group Leadership – Paramount Media Networks and SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios
Keyes Hill-Edgar – Keyes will expand his role as Chief Operating Officer Barbara Zaneri – Barb will expand her role as Chief Programming Acquisitions Officer for Paramount Global, taking on day to day responsibilities for SHOWTIME Laurel Weir – Laurel will continue in her role as EVP/Head of Prog. & Insights, reporting to Colleen and me Ericka Wright-Tomlinson – Ericka will expand her role as SVP/Head of HR, reporting to Whitney Delich, EVP HR Jeannie Scalzo – Jeannie will expand her role as EVP of Brand Partnerships across the Group Lance McPherson – Lance will expand his role as EVP, Deputy GC and Business & Legal Affairs, reporting to Seth Levin, EVP and Deputy GC for Paramount Media Networks and will continue to partner with Keyes Liza Burnett Fefferman – Liza will expand her role as EVP/Head of Comms. & Co-Head, MTV Doc Films w/Nina Amy Campbell – Amy will continue in her role as Chief Marketing Officer Candice Brancazio – Candice will expand her role as CFO, partnering w/Keyes & reporting to Bryon Rubin, CFO of TV Media Kelly Bradshaw – Kelly will continue in her role as SVP/Head of International Markets, reporting to Pam and me
Additionally, Bruce Gillmer will continue to oversee all music across the company inclusive of Showtime in his role as President of Music and Tentpole Events continuing to report to Bob. No changes to Nickelodeon Networks and, as previously announced, Erin Calhoun has expanded her role as EVP Comms. for Paramount/Showtime Streaming & Cross-Co. Publicity, reporting to Tom Ryan & Justin Dini, Head of Comms. Erin will continue to partner with Liza and me on the content we create for streaming.
With this new structure, we will be saying goodbye to several colleagues and friends who have been vital in making SHOWTIME what is today including from the executive team: Michael Crotty, Vinnie Malhotra, Rob Rosenberg, Kent Sevener and, as announced earlier today, Jana Winograde. Please join me in thanking them for their invaluable contributions and wishing them the best in their next endeavors.
With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s the height of romantic comedy season. Sadly, romantic comedies centered on queer relationships are few and far between. But if you’re a queer woman, you probably know about the 2005 British rom-com, Imagine Me & You, which stars Game of Thrones queen Lena Headey as Luce, a florist who falls for a woman named Rachel (Piper Perabo). The plot may feel a tad dated—Rachel is married to a man and thinks she’s straight, leaning into the “straight woman leaves her husband for a lesbian” stereotype—but the slow-burn chemistry between Heady and Perabo is irresistible. You’re a wanker, number nine!
Less than a year after giving birth to her first child, Rihanna shocked audiences during her Super Bowl performance on Sunday night when she appeared on stage with a new baby bump. So, “The View” host Ana Navarro is pretty sure she’s figured out how the children’s father got his name.
“Last night, we figured out why they call her baby’s father ASAP,” Navarro joked during the morning’s Hot Topic discussion. “Whew! That was quick.”
Rapper ASAP Rocky and Rihanna began dating in November 2020 after being friends for nearly a decade and he is, indeed, the father of both of her children. He was spotted on the field during the Super Bowl halftime show, supporting Rihanna, who was performing live for the first time in six years. She gave birth to their first child in May 2022.
Of course, the hosts of “The View” always expected to be blown away by Rihanna’s halftime performance. Ahead of the game, during their Friday show, the women applauded the pop superstar for even agreeing to the job, especially being less than a year post-partum. But, with the reveal that she’s pregnant again, the women applauded her even more.
“What a way to show, man, women, we can do anything,” Hostin said. “We can be pregnant, we can be singin’, we can be flying through the sky on elevated stages. I just, I loved every second.”
Host Alyssa Farah Griffin agreed it was “one of my favorite Super Bowl shows in a long time,” while Whoopi cheerfully noted, “Riri, it was good to see you.”
Meanwhile, Sara Haines noted that Rihanna’s performance actually seems indicative of a larger shift in the world, pointing out that it was more recent than people might think that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was passed. It only came to be in 1978 that employers were prohibited from, among other things, firing women for being pregnant.
“To know that we’re at a place where not only are we not hiding them in those mumu dresses, like, you can be fierce, fashionable, a boss, like, run a Super Bowl show, people are like ‘Yes. Ma’am!’” Haines said happily. “That was awesome.”
“I’m currently preparing lots of things that I can do together with you guys,” the K-pop star said in a WeVerse stream
Jimin’s debut solo album is only a few weeks away and he has big plans for its arrival. During a recent WeVerse stream, the BTS member teased the upcoming release, which is tentatively scheduled for March, though an album title has yet to be shared.
“I think the album I’ve been working on is going to drop in around March,” Jimin said, according a translation from Soompi. “I’m currently preparing lots of things that I can do together with you guys around that time. I’m planning lots of different kinds of things we can do to have fun together and enjoy ourselves, so I think you can safely look forward to it.”
Jimin kicked his year off with an appearance alongside Taeyang on “Vibe,” the singer’s grand return after six years following his return from military service. “Jimin put in more effort than anyone, and I’m very thankful for that,” Taeyang told Rolling Stone in an interview last month.
The forthcoming album will make Jimin the third BTS member to share solo material since the supergroup went on hiatus while they individually explore solo endeavors and complete their mandatory military service. RM dropped the album Indigo at the close of 2022 and Jin released the single “The Astronaut” in October ahead of becoming the first member to enlist.
When Rolling Stone spoke with Jimin in 2021, a full solo project from him was only rumored and he didn’t have anything in the pipeline at the time. “To be perfectly honest, there’s really nothing that’s ready or prepared,” he said. “I am trying new things and really challenging myself with new things. But there is nothing that’s concrete or ready to put out.”
“Softie” follows Kenyan journalist Boniface Mwangi and his wife Njeri as their family faces death threats when he runs for Parliament. Filmmaker Sam Soko explores both the political and personal challenges of standing up for your beliefs.
The Walt Disney Company will mark its 100th anniversary in 2023, timed to its founding by Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney on October 16, 1923. The year 2023 will celebrate the journey and storytelling of Disney’s creative visionaries across the decades, as well as the fans and families who have brought Disney into their hearts during the past 100 years.
We have seen Disney has evolve in many ways through the decades, from cinemas to VHS to DVD to streaming. However still, nothing beats the magical feeling of watching a Disney movie in a cinema with your family or friends for the first time. We have seen the inclusion of Disney’s first Princess of color to the first openly gay Disney character. We’ve traveled across galaxies far, far away, seen our favorite heroes save the world. Disney has brought so many amazing stories into our lives creating cherished memories that we could never forget.
Disney Debuted a beautiful Super Bowl 2023 commercial celebrating 100 years of storytelling and innovation, full of nostalgia and beloved movies and characters, honoring fans and creators. “Disney100 Special Look” features scenes from iconic Disney films, series, stage productions, theme parks, and fans, as well as a collection of inspiring words from Walt Disney, calling on the shared memories that have given Disney a special place in the hearts of audiences across the globe.
“As we commemorate our historic 100th anniversary, it is remarkable to look back at Walt Disney’s legacy and his passionate pursuit of excellence that continue to propel the company forward today. We are incredibly grateful to the generations of people all over the world for being such a special part of our history and for inviting our stories and characters into their lives over the past century,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “Disney100 represents a celebration of all of our fans and families, and our storytellers and creative visionaries whose talents and imaginations have created the magical moments that make Disney such an enduring part of the global culture.”
The debut of “Disney100 Special Look” during the big game is an exciting milestone for Disney—with a year full of opportunities for fans and families of all ages to relive their most beloved Disney memories and to delight in new, heartwarming stories and experiences.
In 2023, Disney100 will introduce new experiences with beloved characters along with heartwarming new stories to delight audiences and guests around the world. There will also be a slate of exciting events around the globe to mark this milestone.
At Disney Parks, 2023 will be full of surprises and new offerings. The festivities start January 27 at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, when guests will enjoy the grand opening of the new attraction Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and two all-new nighttime spectaculars—World of Color – One at Disney California Adventure Park and Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland Park—along with special entertainment, food, beverage, and merchandise offerings. Additionally, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, airing Saturday, December 31, on ABC, and ESPN’s broadcast of the 109th Rose Bowl Game on Monday, January 2, will both celebrate Disneyland as a home of Disney100. Later in 2023, the celebration will come to life at Walt Disney World Resort. International Disney Parks destinations will feature new offerings and surprises throughout the year, all leading up to the 100th anniversary of the company on October 16.
Disney100: The Exhibition, opening February 18 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a 15,000-square-foot exhibition that invites guests to step into their favorite Disney stories through innovative and immersive technology throughout 10 galleries.
As part of the exhibition, the Walt Disney Archives is opening its vault of treasures, showcasing more than 250 of its “Crown Jewels,” rarely seen original artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and other memorabilia. The exhibition is beginning a five-year journey that will make stops across the United States and throughout Europe, including Munich and London in 2023.
In Europe, fans will have the opportunity to experience Disney stories and songs in new, interactive ways, including a multi-territory European Concert Tour, Disney100: The Concert, kicking off in April; and an immersive Wonder of Friendship experience, debuting in May.
Comic-Con Experience (CCXP) 2022 in Brazil marked the beginning of The Walt Disney Company’s anniversary celebration in Latin America, which will continue in 2023. In addition, Disney100 in Concert, developed in Latin America, will kick off in Argentina’s Opera House (Teatro Colón) in February, following an 11-country symphonic LATAM tour, where beloved characters will participate in generating a unique ensemble of music, film, and dancing. Tickets for Disney100 in Concert at Teatro Colón are on sale now.
Disney will also celebrate its biggest fans in special ways throughout Disney100, with exclusive events, sneak previews, and, in September, a Disney100-themed Destination D23 just for Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club at Walt Disney World Resort.
On November 22, Walt Disney Animation Studios will debut Wish, an original animated story with all-new characters, plus original music by Julia Michaels. From the teams that created the Frozen films, Wish is inspired by the Studios’ legacy of storytelling and explores how the star that so many Disney characters wished upon came to be.
Some of the Disney100 celebration has already begun! Earlier this month, Walt Disney Animation Studios debuted an all-new Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short, officially bringing back the beloved character to celebrate the Company’s 100th anniversary.
On December 12, the first offerings from the Disney100 Platinum Celebration Collection launched on shopDisney, including the iconic Mickey Mouse Ear Hat with a platinum touch, Sketchbook Ornaments with classic designs of fan-favorite characters, and exclusive Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse plush.
Disney is excited to honor its milestone birthday in 2023 by continuing to bring both new and timeless stories to life for the fans who have sparked the magic and wonder that is Disney since the company’s founding on October 16, 1923. There is much more to come, which Disney looks forward to sharing soon.
Global audiences can enjoy an amazing slate of theatrical releases from our renowned studios, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and more, coming through the rest of the year. From The Little Mermaid and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May, to Elemental, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Marvels, and The Haunted Mansion this summer, both long-beloved characters and new stories will come to life on the big screen. Then, on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, Walt Disney Animation Studios will debut Wish, an original animated musical film only in theaters.
Already, Disney Parks have begun delighting guests with special Disney100 celebrations. On Friday, January 27, Disneyland Resort introduced the new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction; two new nighttime spectaculars: World of Color – One at Disney California Adventure Park and Wondrous Journeys at Disneyland Park; and all-new, limited-time Disney100-themed entertainment, food and beverage, and merchandise offerings. Disney Parks across the world will also feature surprises throughout the year to celebrate this momentous milestone.
Disney will also celebrate its biggest fans with exclusive events, sneak previews, and, in September, a Disney100-themed Destination D23 just for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club.
Disney is excited to celebrate its 100th anniversary with its fans, creators, and employees throughout the year. To learn more, visit Disney100.com and share your favorite Disney memories on social media with #Disney100.
EXCLUSIVE: Happening writer/director Audrey Diwan has recalibrated her English language debut Emmanuelle, which is a working title. She has set Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) to star in a film that will begin production September in Hong Kong. Lea Seydoux had originally been attached to play the title character, but Diwan changed course.
The Veterans and CAA Media Finance will introduce the script to buyers at EFM.
Merlant gave her breakthrough performance in Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and her recent work includes the Jacques Audiart-directed Paris, 13th District, the Louis Garrel-directed The Innocent, and she starred in her first English-speaking role opposite Cate Blanchett in the Oscar-nominated Todd Field-directed Tar.
The film is inspired by the character and world created by Emmanuelle Arsan. Diwan wrote the script with Rebecca Zlotowski (Other People’s Children). The new film will be produced by Chantelouve, Rectangle Productions (Happening) and Wild Bunch International.
Line Production in Hong Kong will be handled by Ivan Lam’s (007: Skyfall) through his newly created venture, Infinite Fun Limited.
There is connective tissue between Diwan’s last breakout film Happening – based on the true story of a woman seeking an illegal abortion – and the new film. Happening won the Golden Lion at the 2021 Venice Film Festival and the 2022 Gotham Award for Best International Feature Film. It was also nominated four times at César Awards, at the BAFTAs and at DGA Awards, among many others.
“I love stories told through the body,” Diwan told Deadline. “With Happening, I have spent the past few years exploring the idea of pain. Then, I would say ‘naturally,’ I wanted to explore pleasure. I would like to give it back its letters of nobility, I like to film the body by looking at it wholeheartedly but not provocative. And I want to embrace a grammar specific to the notion of eroticism. Eroticism is based as much on what we show as on what we hide. This is where the excitement comes from.”
Diwan said she constructed an Emmanuelle character who was relatable to herself.
“Initially, when I write, I always feel the need to seek an intimate connection with the story,” she said. “So my film will take place nowadays, Emmanuelle is a woman who is close to my age. I wanted to explore her quest for pleasure, what she represents when you have already made a way in your life. When we are not in discovery, but in research. With my co-writer Rebecca Zlotowski, we imagined a woman who has power, who has fought her way out, climbed her mountain, and built herself an armor too. She feels alone. But how do we get out of loneliness? Emmanuelle is the story of a woman trying to let go. The whole film is about drawing a path to the other.”
Diwan sparked to the chance to set this journey against a specific backdrop.
“The film will take place in Hong Kong, in the luxury hotel where she works,” Diwan said. “I like the idea of its corridors where my characters brush against each other, meet, seek each other. Beyond the question of bodies, I want to explore that of a world that formats any form of relationship, to seek how this system can go wrong, how we connect to others, how we touch our own vulnerability. What weave between them deeper and deeper bonds. With a stranger in particular, a client of the hotel. But I won’t say more for now. This is the principle, what we show and what we hide.”
The filmmaker found an ideal partner for the character’s romantic journeys in Merlant.
“She is a pure artistic choice, an obvious one, as was Anamaria Vartolomei for my previous movie,” Diwan said. “I love Léa Seydoux, I want to make a film with her one day. But to me, she was not in adequacy with the character I imagined. From Portrait of a Lady on Fire to Tar, I have never ceased to be seduced by the strength of Noémie’s acting. She embraces the idea of the character, able to play both authority and seduction. Noémie redefines the French woman. Her attitude, her smile, that hint of insolence that often surfaces. I am also sensitive to the idea of finding in my actress an intellectual partner, the one with whom I create the character. The film requires enormous involvement, mutual trust. And I know I found the one.”
Thanks to some eagle-eyed viewers’ keen dissection of Starfield’s gameplay trailer, it looks like we’ve found another potential feature of Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG adventure game that could change the lives of those obsessed with loot.
The release window for Starfieldis getting closer and closer as it’s hopefully set to go live sometime in early 2023. In this space-raiding sci-fi adventure, you can expect to scour the deep galactic cosmos, join factions, and customize spaceships.
While we wait for the inevitable release let’s take a closer look at the Gameplay trailer (opens in new tab). If you look closely, you’ll see a small but crucial detail pop up around 11:43 and 11:45. In the chaos of a space battle where one ship is gunning down another, sparks and ship parts fly into the dark abyss of space. During this sequence, you can see a small diamond ‘loot chest’ icon appear for a short few seconds; it’s best to slow down the playback speed on YouTube if you want a better look.
There hasn’t been much information in the way of spaceship looting as of yet. However, this icon hints at some enticing possibilities. You could approach the lifeless spacecraft and pick out certain items in a similar way to other Bethesda games, like Fallout 4’s system that lets you take only the finest bottle caps from a worn-down chest of draws. Or if Bethesda wants to treat us, looting dead ships could be as easy as pushing a button when you get close enough. While this wouldn’t have the realism that some may want from Starfield, it would make life much easier.
Realistic fun
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Sometimes reality simply isn’t that enjoyable
Creative director Todd Howard has previously expressed his intentions to keep Starfield as realistic as possible while keeping the game fun. In a Q&A YouTube video (opens in new tab), Howard said, “Starfield is more hard science-fiction to us”, implying that the sci-fi explorer will try to stay within the limits of science and reality.
However, sometimes reality simply isn’t that enjoyable. Howard discussed original ideas to make spaceships break down mid-flight when they run out of fuel or complex gravity drives that were scientifically accurate. But as the devs progressed with these ideas, they realized how “punitive they were for the player”, Howard said.
Instead of having to endure the breakdown of your ship thanks to a lack of fuel, you’ll be limited in how far you can go before being redirected to the nearest refueling station, making the game less realistic but more enjoyable. Hopefully, this rhetoric will hold true when it comes to the game’s looting system during space battles. While it could be fun to have the option to scrap the ships for parts realistically, a quick press of a button to take all the trinkets on board could keep the game quick and entertaining.
Im-space-tiant gaming
(Image credit: Bethesda)
While I love looting and scrapping debris for parts as much as the next intergalactic explorer, I feel that doing an extensive search of a ship every time I destroyed one could get tiring quickly.
In a world as big as Starfield, I don’t doubt there’ll be plenty to keep me occupied. This means that an excess of nitty-gritty tasks baked into the game in the name of ‘realism’ might well seem superfluous and serve only to bog down the experience. While it could be fun occasionally, a forced, hard sci-fi life doesn’t sound very appealing.
Perhaps all this means is that I’m an impatient fool who doesn’t appreciate the wondrous world of hard science-fiction gaming. Nevertheless, I’m still hoping for a quick and easy spaceship looting button, so I can get all the trinkets my heart desires at no extra time cost.
The majority of Americans have cut their monthly cable subscriptions for streaming services for the first time in history, a new report from Samba TV finds.
According to the findings, 48% of U.S. adults report they have a monthly cable or satellite TV subscription while the slim majority viewers turn their attention to streaming services. Without cable, over half of U.S. households are “totally unreachable by traditional linear advertising” in a moment Samba TV CEO and co-founder Ashwin Navin calls a “critical turning point in television and viewing consumption.”
“Streaming has become ubiquitous among every age group and ad-supported streaming has gone fully mainstream with significant expansion across new platforms including industry leaders like Netflix and Disney+ entering the world of ads,” Navin said. “While the market has never been more fragmented and rife with challenges for streamers and advertisers alike, there are also unprecedented new opportunities to drive engagement and ultimately market success for those who embrace a streaming first, data driven, mindset.”
According to the report, the reach and hours of linear television saw a seven-quarter low during 2022’s third quarter as daily linear TV viewership slid to less than half of U.S. households throughout the second half of 2022. As the reach of linear advertising declines to reach half of American households, Samba TV reports that 93% of all ad impressions only reach only 55% of American households.
As U.S. households shift to streaming, a majority of adults opt to cut the cost of their cable bill by subscribing to two or less streaming services. Another trend the report found was subscription cycling, the process of signing up for a new streaming service and cancelling it once they have viewed a certain program. The report finds that 29% of people have subscription cycled in the last six months and 69% of people plan to cycle in the next six months, with the majority of cyclers doing so as a result of only being interested in one program per streaming service.
“A critical finding in this latest report points to the need for streaming platforms to think differently about discoverability,” Navin said. “In a streaming-first world, many consumers are at risk of abandoning streaming subscriptions because they are simply not finding anything to watch. With over two-thirds of adults planning to cycle out of their subscriptions in the next six months, streamers will need to really shift from a pure acquisition mindset to one that places retention at the forefront. Streaming platforms must look to drive deeper engagement with their full portfolio of content in order to retain their audiences beyond one tentpole program.”
Mike Colter has jumped on board Ship, the sequel to the original Lionsgate thrillerThe Plane.
The followup, set on a cargo ship, will focus on Colter’s character from Plane, accused murderer and former French Legionnaire Louis Gaspare. In the original pic, he escaped extradition to Canada when Trailblazer Flight 119 crash lands in the Philippines, forming an unlikely partnership with star Gerard Butler’s Captain Brodie Torrance to rescue the plane’s passengers and crew from pirates on a dangerous remote island.
The sequel will see Gaspare hop aboard a cargo ship in East Asia to escape the Philippines, only to discover the vessel is being used as a ferry for a human trafficking ring. That has Gaspare joining with the second mate/navigator to take down the ship’s corrupt captain, keep its innocent passengers safe and liberate its captives.
Discussions with writers and directors are underway. Sales company The Veterans will shop Ship to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin ahead of a schedule late 2023 shoot.
Colter also starred in Netflix’s Luke Cage, the Marvel show that aired for two seasons to 2018, and he played the role in Marvel series Jessica Jones and The Defenders. His credits include the Paramount+ series Evil and the thriller South of Heaven. He previously worked with Lionsgate on Fatale.
MadRiver Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures and G-BASE Productions have reteamed on the sequel. Director Jean-François Richet will also return as an executive producer.
CAA Media Finance is representing the domestic rights. Colter is represented by CAA and Silver Lining Entertainment. Richet is represented by UTA. G-BASE is represented by CAA.
Cast: Nasim Pedrad, Anna Camp, Sarah Burns, Lamorne Morris, Robbie Amell
Director: LP
In vitiated times like these with the Coronavirus pandemic refusing to bid us goodbye, Netflix’s latest comedy, Desperados, comes as a diversion. It is romantic, somewhat silly, a trifle lewd and mostly girlie stuff, but it is miles apart from some of the Tamil (and once upon a time Hindi fare) films which stoop to buffoonery. Desperados comes at a rather lean time in the world of cinema. With summer around, there has been very little sunshine in the entertainment world, which otherwise would have seen some of the biggest blockbuster releases.
Desperados is a buddy movie, about three women friends who are very close to one another. Wesley (Nasim Pedrad) is unhappy and desperate. She seems to be over the hump, late thirties and does not have a regular job. Forced to steal food from the children she takes care of during the day, she is frantically hunting for a guy who will not just be her boyfriend, but also marry her. And the haste with which she goes about this while going on blind dates puts men off. They literally scoot. One fine evening as she slips and falls down while getting out of a bar, a handsome man, Jared (Robbie Amell), comes like a knight in shining armour and gets her back on her feet. A whirlwind affair follows, but when Jared disappears for five days after their first sexual encounter, Wesley feels that she has been dumped again.
Getting together with her best pals, Brooke (Anna Camp) and Kaylie (Sarah Burns), Wesley drinks herself silly and dashes off a nasty email to Jared. But just as she pushes the send button, she is informed that Jared has had an accident in Mexico and was in hospital. He calls her to say that his mobile is in his hotel room and that he was calling her from a hospital phone.
Wesley is shattered, and makes a trip along with her two friends to Mexico to try and retrieve Jared’s mobile before he has a chance to see how nasty she can be. What follows is a hilarious adventure of the three women, with Wesley trying to move heaven and earth to get into Jared’s room in the hotel to get his phone, while he is recovering in the hospital. The whole drama gets complicated when Wesley’s earlier “bad date” also turns up at the Mexico hotel. It is a laugh riot after that with the hotel security guys hot on her heels when they find her trying to sneak into Jared’s room.
The script from Ellen Rapoport puts Pedrad in some of the most embarrassing situations;she is accused of child molestation and has to run around nude when her clothes get lost beside the hotel swimming pool. The paedophile part and the business with dolphin get a bit irritating, the comedy itself sinks at times into exaggeration. But the movie zips by with unmistakable energy that can get a viewer sucked into the goings-on. Good enough for an evening under “house arrest” with a tub of popcorn or maybe peanuts!
When “Batgirl” completed its seven-month production in Scotland, star Leslie Grace received a wrap gift from Brendan Fraser, who played her nemesis, Firefly, in the DC movie — a gold necklace that included two charms, a little bell and a pair of dice.
“The card said a lot of really sweet things, but he basically said, ‘I give you this necklace because in this business you gotta have a little luck. So ring your bell and never stop,’” Grace says. “It was just like, Whoa. And after all this, it’s had so much meaning.”
“All this” is the August bombshell that Warner Bros. Discovery had decided to kill the film, co-directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. After the first disappointing test screenings, WBD CEO David Zaslav chose to take a tax write-off instead of trying to complete work on the film, which had cost the debt-ridden studio $90 million, and would have cost many more millions to finish.
Grace says she had no idea the movie, originally set to stream on HBO Max, was shelved, until it was first reported by the New York Post.
“I found out like the rest of you,” she says. “And then my phone just started blowing up.”
Like Grace, Fraser says he was blindsided by the news. “I thought I was getting punked, but it checked out,” he says of reading the initial stories. “Then came hysterical laughter like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me?’ I know that the filmmakers and producers were expecting to hear from the studio about the film, and the anticipation was, ‘How do we broaden the movie out to take it from a streaming format to a theatrical release?’ But as we all know, it was the complete opposite. When we were expecting XYZ amount of support and money to expand scenes — to do pickup shots and those kinds of things — that was a gut punch. But then we learned that it was in the interest of writing down some debt? That part really stung.”
Fraser immediately called Grace. “What I find most lamentable is that now a whole generation of little girls are going to have to wait longer to see a Batgirl and say, ‘Hey, she looks like me,’” he says. “That makes me sad. I know how good she was. And I know what this would mean to so many people.”
Fraser gets emotional talking about working with Grace. “It was just magical to see how she was as quietly confident as a young actress in this breakthrough role and had a sense of purpose and dignity,” he says. “She has a work ethic that is unrivaled. She’s dynamite — and dynamite comes in small packages but still goes bang. We do battle each other several times. There was a lot of kicking and punching and getting hurt but we were always help each other to our feet after breaking set pieces and knocking the tar out of each other.”
Grace is now back in the spotlight with “How to Win Friends and Disappear People,” a new comedy-thriller podcast series from QCode about a computer scientist (Soni Bringas) in New York City who discovers her neighbor, played by Grace, is a vampire.
Variety talked at length with the 28-year-old Grace. It’s the first time she’s opened up in such depth since learning of Batgirl’s fate.
When the news came out in August that the movie was being shelved, what went through your mind?
It was like deflating a balloon. On that day, I was very much just taking it all in, but also so sure of the magic that happened — in my experience and what I saw in my cast, in our team — that I was like, “This must be some crazy thing that we have no control over.” I tend to be a very optimistic and positive person in these types of circum- stances, and I just really leaned on the beauty of the idea that I got to have this experience in my life. Even though I would’ve loved to share that with the rest of the world, nothing can take that experience away from us.
New DC Studios head Peter Safran most recently said the movie was “not releasable,” and that it could have could hurt DC. Is there anything in your mind that can justify that?
I had my own meetings with Warner Bros. Film Group CEOs Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, and they explained to me, on a granular level, what they felt about the project, things that were out of their hands, plans and budgets that were set in place before they were even part of the team. There are a lot of things that I learned through the experience about moviemaking, that as an actress you have no control over. They weren’t really specific on anything creative in terms of what they felt about the film and how it would’ve hurt DC creatively. But I’m a human being, and people have perceptions and people read things. And when words are expressed very lightly about work that people really dedicated a lot of time to — not just myself but the whole crew — I can understand how it could be frustrating.
There was nothing that you saw while you were shooting that said, “This movie’s not going to work”?
I’m not going to lie to you. In every film, there are obstacles, and our film was nothing short of that. Half of the shoot was night shoots in Scotland, where it never stops raining. So there were obstacles, but at the end of the day, because of the incredible crew, nothing that ever got in the way of us delivering what we knew we wanted to deliver for this film. At least from what I was able to see.
Did you ever see a final cut of the film?
That’s the one thing I asked for. I got to see the film as far as it got to; the film wasn’t complete by the time that it was tested. There were a bunch of scenes that weren’t even in there. They were at the beginning of the editing process, and they were cut off because of everything going on at the company. But the film that I got to see — the scenes that were there — was incredible. There was definitely potential for a good film, in my opinion. Maybe we’ll get to see clips of it later on.
When you spoke to Variety last April, you had just wrapped the movie and you said you were already talking to the directors about a sequel.
We still are. We were so excited about all the ideas that we had, because you can see long- term potential in the story that we were beginning to build.
Obviously, Peter Safran and his co-chairman at DC, James Gunn weren’t there when this decision was made, but have they reached out to you?
No, I haven’t heard from them. But I wish them the best on all the plans that they’ve got rolling out. They’ve got a lot of projects to handle, and it’s not an easy job.
Matt Reeves’ “Batman” with Robert Pattinson is getting a sequel, and there’s talk that it will include more of the Bat family. Would you consider coming back to play Batgirl?
We’ve definitely had conversations about Batgirl’s future and how Batgirl can make a resurgence. I think fans are looking forward to seeing that. We’ll just see where that takes us; I can’t say one way or the other if that is a reality at this point. I can’t speak too much about a future for Bat- girl or guarantee anything. The last thing that I would want to do is give folks any kind of inkling of something that I have not much control over — as we’ve learned.
Leslie Grace as Batgirl.
Courtesy DC Films
Let’s go back again to that first time you talked to Variety about “Batgirl.” You had just been cast and you spoke so eloquently and so passionately about what you, as Batgirl, would mean to young Latinas. What do you say to them now?
Oh, man. That your journey is not a mistake. That everything in your journey can be learned from, can be transformative, can be inspirational and aspirational for someone that you might not even know. I’ve learned that you can make the choice to learn from things and transform it into something that’s positive for you, or you can be down in the dumps, I would say “Just keep going no matter what the obstacle is. If you have a passion for something, don’t let anything that stands in your way tell you that you aren’t worthy, capable, or have the potential to fulfill what you know you’re capable of doing.”
Let’s talk about “How to Win Friends and Disappear People.” Did you record your parts all on your own or did you do it with your co-stars?
I actually recorded before all the rest of the cast. I had already recorded all my parts and all the episodes when we found Soni a few weeks into production. It’s kind of like a self-tape scenario, where they had a reader who was incredible, who embodies all of the other characters that are not recorded yet.
Are you already thinking of adapting it as a TV series or movie?
QCode has done an amazing job of taking something that’s just a podcast and audible, and taking it to the screen. For me, coming in as a producer as well, and being able to create something along with Sophia and all of the QCode team, that felt like something we could potentially bring to screen with, basically, almost an all-Latino cast. That prospect is very exciting. I’m really looking forward to seeing how people respond to it. I think it’s a beautiful way to develop.
You play a vampire. Are you a fan of the vampire genre?
Yes, I’m a “Twilight” fan.
Team Edward or team Jacob?
I’m not going to lie to you. When it came out, I was very much team Jacob. I’m not going to front, but now I have to be a little bit biased. I’m a vampire myself, so I can’t be saying that out here in these streets. My vampire fam will come after me.
Out of Sight Official Trailer #1 – Ving Rhames Movie (1998) HD
As much as we take Soderbergh’s success for granted today, during a large chunk of the ’90s he was listing about in the Hollywood wilderness, possibly attempting career suicide with Schizopolis and amusing himself with his arthouse take on Spalding Grey’s one-man show, Gray’s Anatomy. What saved him and set him on a permanent track toward all-time greatness was his first studio film, the 1998 crime thriller Out Of Sight. The film, in which a career criminal played by George Clooney romances a U.S. marshal played by Jennifer Lopez, is a perfect match of director and source material. Elmore Leonard’s crackerjack 1996 novel is filled with everything we love about Elmore Leonard novels; the crackling dialogue, the juicy characters, and the seedy, crime-infested milieu. Soderbergh, showing a polish and style we didn’t know he possessed, created a masterful blend of crime film and romance that felt simultaneously modern and a bit ’70s. He also found moments for all his supporting actors to shine, including Albert Brooks, Don Cheadle, Dennis Farina, and Ving Rhames. Out Of Sight is sexy, sultry, and slick. It’s mainstream in the broad strokes but shot through with the pizzazz of an auteurist who doesn’t take himself too seriously. It’s everything we love about Soderbergh wrapped up into one thoroughly entertaining package. From here, Soderbergh would craft one of the great Hollywood careers, a “one for me, one for the studios” directing resume that would make him one of modern cinema’s most restless, intelligent, and successful helmers. [Mark Keizer]
Super Bowl LVII is scheduled for Sunday, February 12th and it promises to be a great game between Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, if you still need your football fix, Moviefone has compiled a list of 17 of the best football movies of all time for you to watch after the game.
These football movies cover what happens both on and off the field, and best of all, every movie here is streaming right now, so you can get started watching any of them immediately.
Let’s begin!
Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale in ‘Invincible’
As Philadelphia suffered industrial job losses in the 70s, morale wasn’t helped by the Eagles’ losing every season since 1967. Enter Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a fairly unusual football prospect who became symbolic of the city’s resilience.
Papale hadn’t played football in college (although he had played some semi-pro ball), and was much older than the average rookie. But in 1976, new coach Dick Vermeil (Greg Kinnear) is hamstrung by a lack of draft picks, so he opens Eagles tryouts, and a Philadelphia legend is born.
Wahlberg lends a gritty determination to his portrayal of Papale, a Philly local encouraged by his friends to try out for the Eagles. And Kinnear’s Vermiel is a talented, confident coach, but one that’s driven to extreme measure to build a team. In the end, this hits all the notes of a classic underdog sports story, but it does that so well that even though you know what’s going to happen, you’re still happy to see it.
“Dreams are not lived on the sidelines”
69
PG1 hr 45 minAug 25th, 2006
Alec Baldwin (left) and Will Smith (center) in ‘Concussion’
Writer/director Peter Landseman takes a serious look at the physical toll professional football takes on players in this 2015 drama. Will Smith stars as neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu, the man who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease affecting NFL players and other athletes.
Smith’s Omalu is soft-spoken but fiercely persistent as he tries to get the NFL to acknowledge and address the health crisis he’s unearthed. The discovery of CTE leads to a Congressional investigation and lawsuits from hundreds of players against the NFL, and the film gives us a sobering look at Omalu’s work and the league’s unwillingness to accept his findings.
“Even Legends Need a Hero”
71
PG-132 hr 3 minDec 25th, 2015
John Krasinski and George Clooney in ‘Leatherheads’
Director George Clooney takes on the chaotic early days of professional football in this story (very) loosely based on Harold “Red” Grange’s signing by the Chicago Bears in 1925. Clooney stars as Jimmy “Dodge” Connelly, the captain of the struggling Duluth Bulldogs. In an effort to turn the team around, Dodge signs Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (John Krasinski) a star player and decorated WWI veteran.
The movie is as loopy as the brawling, trick play-filled style we see on the field, with Renee Zellweger as the sports reporter that’s caught the eye of both Connelly and Rutherford. Clooney’s direction combines screwball romantic comedy with chaotic, free-for-all football, giving us a light look at how the game was played way back when.
“If Love Is a Game, Who’ll Make the First Pass?”
58
PG-131 hr 54 minMar 24th, 2008
Paramount
When the Texas Southern Armadillos football team is disqualified for cheating and poor grades, the University is forced to pick from a team that actually goes to school. Will they even win a single game?
This 1991 comedy is to football movies what ‘Major League‘ is to Baseball movies. A ridiculous yet hilarious comedy, the movie has an eclectic cast that includes Scott Bakula, Hector Elizondo, Jason Bateman, Sinbad, and supermodel Kathy Ireland.
“This gang of loners, loonies and losers are about to become something they’ve never been before… a team.”
54
PG-131 hr 48 minSep 27th, 1991
(L to R) Mac Davis and Nick Nolte in ‘North Dallas Forty’
Loosely (very loosely) based on the Dallas Cowboys of the 70s, ‘North Dallas Forty’ is a story of a pair of football stars, wide receiver Phil Elliot (Nick Nolte), a jaded veteran, and quarterback Seth Maxwell (Mac Davis) who hasn’t yet tired of the hard partying off the field.
Since this is the 70s, sex, alcohol, and painkillers are standard elements of the ubiquitous parties off the field, but Nolte’s world-weary Elliot may have finally had enough. ‘North Dallas Forty’ gives us a glimpse of the freewheeling past of pro football, far before every aspect of players and teams were examined by social media and the 24-hour news cycle.
“Wait till you see the weird part.”
65
R1 hr 59 minAug 3rd, 1979
Kevin Costner (center) and Jennifer Garner (right) in ‘Draft Day’
Where most sports movies make sure to include as much gameplay as possible, ‘Draft Day’ does something different. The film instead focuses on a day in the life of the fictional general manager, Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) of the Cleveland Browns. Weaver is under pressure on the day of the NFL Draft because the team owner (Frank Langella) wants Weaver to “make a splash,” but Weaver has his doubts about a highly-rated prospect who may be on the table.
Meanwhile, his personal life is taking up some of his headspace; his girlfriend/co-worker Ali (Jennifer Garner) is pregnant, and Weaver has been arguing with his mother (Ellen Burstyn). Weaver spends a chaotic day navigating through the demands of the team owner, the needs of the team and the coaching staff, and his fraught personal life while he embarks on some complicated horse trading of current and future draft picks. There’s a satisfaction in watching someone that’s good at their job doing that job well, and ‘Draft Day’ delivers that in spades.
“The greatest victories don’t always happen on the field.”
67
PG-131 hr 50 minApr 11th, 2014
(L to R) Rita Moreno plays Maura, Jane Fonda plays Trish, Sally Field plays Betty, and Lily Tomlin plays Lou in ’80 For Brady’ from Paramount Pictures.
Inspired by the true story of four best friends (Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field) living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play.
80 FOR BRADY is inspired by the true story of four best friends living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero… Read the Plot
Warner Bros. Pictures
Maverick old-guard coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) is hired in the wake of a players’ strike to help the Washington Sentinels advance to the playoffs. But that impossible dream hinges on whether his replacements can hunker down and do the job, including washed up Quarterback Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves). So, McGinty dusts off his secret dossier of ex-players who never got a chance (or screwed up the one they were given) and knits together a bad-dream team of guys who just may give the Sentinels their title shot.
The movie is loosely based on the actual 1987 NFL strike, where “scab” players replaced the professionals. While it was never going to win any awards, ‘The Replacements’ is a really fun football comedy that not only features a commanding performance from Keanu Reeves, but also one of Gene Hackman’s final onscreen appearances.
“Throw the ball. Catch the girl. Keep it simple.”
66
PG-131 hr 58 minAug 11th, 2000
James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in ‘Brian’s Song’
‘Brian’s Song’ tells the true story of the deep friendship between Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams), both rookie wide receivers for the Chicago Bears. Although they eventually get the chance to play at the same time, with Piccolo now at fullback, Piccolo’s cancer diagnosis keeps him off the field, cutting short their time together.
Williams’ Sayers isn’t afraid to be emotional with his teammates about the loss of his friend, making this film one of the iconic portrayals of male friendship. Like ‘Rudy,’ this football film is all but guaranteed to get tears out of even the most stoic of men.
73
G1 hr 13 minNov 30th, 1971
Paramount
Joe Pendleton (Warren Beatty) is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the Super Bowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn’t ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Super Bowl.
While its not a straight-forward football movie, this 1979 romantic comedy certainly has a lot of football in it. The conclusion of the movie take place at the Super Bowl, and was actually filmed during halftime of a San Diego Chargers vs. Los Angeles Rams game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1977. Several real-life NFL players appear in the movie including Deacon Jones, Les Josephson, Jack T. Snow, Jim Boeke, and Charles Cowan, while sportscaster Dick Enberg also appears as himself.
65
PG1 hr 41 minJun 28th, 1978
7. ‘Wildcats’ (1986)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Molly (Goldie Hawn) is a high school track coach who knows just as much about football as anyone else on the planet. When a football coach’s position becomes vacant, she applies for the job, despite snickers from fellow staff members and her former husband.
“Her dream was to coach high school football. Her nightmare was Central High.”
64
R1 hr 46 minFeb 14th, 1986
Warner Bros. Pictures
When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team’s new coach (Matthew McConaughey) and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.
Based on a true story, ‘We Are Marshall’ is less about Football and more about how the game affects the people living in this small community. While it technically predates his “McConaissance” by a few years, the actor gives an excellent and energized performance. The movie also features future Marvel actors Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Civil War), Kate Mara (Fantastic Four) and January Jones (X-Men: First Class) in early roles.
Rudy (Sean Austin) grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of five people and has set his sights upon joining the team.
‘Rudy’ is the ultimate underdog story and a quintessential football movie. Based on a true story, the film features a career-best performance from Sean Austin in the title role, and early performances from future ‘Swingers‘ stars Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, It’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
74
PG1 hr 54 minOct 13th, 1993
Universal Pictures
A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost, and the town’s dormant social problems begin to flare up. It is left to the inspiring abilities of new coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) to instill in the other team members — and, by proxy, the town itself — a sense of self-respect and honor.
Directed by Peter Berg, this is the film that inspired the phenomenally successful TV series of the same name. Billy Bob Thornton is fantastic as Coach Gary Gains, and is surrounded by a supporting cast that includes Lucas Black, Garrett Hedlund, Amber Heard, and Connie Britton, who would also go on to appear in the TV adaption.
“Hope comes alive on Friday nights.”
69
PG-131 hr 58 minOct 8th, 2004
Warner Bros. Pictures
When the girl that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
While it’s really a buddy cop comedy, ‘The Last Boy Scout’ does take place in the world of professional football. However, you won’t recognize any of the teams featured in the movie as the NFL refused to work with the production due to the content of the film.
Willis gives a strong post-‘Die Hard‘ performance, while Wayans is just coming off of his success on ‘In Living Color.’ The movie also features Halle Berry in an early role playing Wayans’ girlfriend.
“Everyone had counted them out. But they’re about to get back in the game.”
68
R1 hr 45 minDec 13th, 1991
Walt Disney Pictures
After leading his football team to 15 winning seasons, coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) – tough, opinionated and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. The two men learn to overcome their differences and turn a group of hostile young men into champions.
Based on a true story, the movie has become a modern classic, thanks in large part to Oscar-winner Denzel Washington’s commanding performance. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin, the movie also features Ryan Gosling, Kate Bosworth, and Hayden Panettiere in early roles.
“History is written by the winners.”
76
PG1 hr 53 minSep 29th, 2000
Jamie Foxx, Al Pacino, and Dennis Quaid in ‘Any Given Sunday’
Oliver Stone’s intensity as a filmmaker served him well as the director and co-writer of this story about a fictional professional football league. And considering how ‘Any Given Sunday’ takes on some of the uglier aspects of pro ball, it’s not a surprise that the NFL wouldn’t allow Stone to use any real-life team logos or stadiums.
Al Pacino plays a long-time, respected coach under pressure for missing the playoffs last season, and Dennis Quaid plays the veteran quarterback, determined to make a comeback (although his body may not be up for it). Soon we see Jamie Foxx as “Steamin” Willie Beaman, an unexpected replacement quarterback with a chip on his shoulder.
Sparks fly between these three and almost everyone else involved in the team, including the team owner and general manager (Cameron Diaz), the unethical team doctor (James Woods) that keeps players on the field at all costs, and a star running back (LL Cool J) more focused on his own incentive clauses than the team’s successes.
Rounding out the cast are Lauren Holly, Ann-Margret, Aaron Eckhart, Matthew Modine, John C. McGinley, Elizabeth Berkeley and NFL veterans Lawrence Taylor and Jim Brown. Stone’s approach is as much a commentary on professional football as ‘Wall Street‘ had cynically addressed high finance and ‘Natural Born Killers‘ riffed on media fascination with serial killers. Bone-crunching game sequences and fiery dialogue help ‘Any Given Sunday’ capture the increasing intensity of both the games and the business around professional football.
“I’m the only Oscar nominee who sells yogurt [Activia] that makes you shit,” cracked Jamie Lee Curtis during a career-retrospective conversation with film historian Leonard Maltin on Saturday night at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. The newly minted best supporting actress Oscar nominee for Everything Everywhere All at Once was in town to collect the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Maltin Modern Master Award, and charmed attendees — including more than a few Academy members — with self-deprecation (“All the ‘nepo baby’ jokes, believe me, I’ve heard them all”), a claim that she “invented” Instagram and general candor about her 45 years as a screen actress: “I know what I can do, I know what I cannot do, and I’ve managed to have a really rich and robust group of opportunities in show-off business.”
Maltin — the namesake of the award Curtis was collecting, and a friend of Curtis’ late parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, and Curtis herself — was barely able to get a word in edgewise, but neither he nor the audience seemed to mind, as Curtis tended to find her way to real insights or heartfelt observations. One, for example: “I am the granddaughter of immigrants from Hungary and from Denmark, people coming to America having the opportunities and the difficulties and the heartaches and the tragedies and the tiny little bit of joy. And then they each — both of them — raised children who became massive stars from incredibly impoverished beginnings. And then to have their daughter, who did not come from an impoverished beginning — I’ve had a life of privilege and ease, I have never pretended anything but that — but nonetheless, that their daughter is sitting here, talking to you about the craft of acting, about a lifelong career — I’m 64 years old, I’ve been doing this since I was 19 — I’m honored and you’ve honored my parents and my grandparents.”
Curtis claimed that she never had any intention of following in her famous parents’ footsteps. “I was never going to be an actor,” she said. “I was going to be a police officer.” But then a tennis coach-turned-manager encouraged her to audition at Universal to play Nancy Drew in a film project. She didn’t land the role, but was signed by the studio — which was run by her godfather, Lew Wasserman, the most powerful person in Hollywood at the time — to a seven-year contract, and left college to go focus on that. She struggled to gain traction, and in fact was devastated to be fired early in her career — along with 11 other actors — from the TV series Operation Petticoat (an adaptation of a film in which her father had starred), but it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. “Had I not been fired from Operation Petticoat, I would not have been able to audition for Halloween,” she explained in reference to that 1978 John Carpenter horror flick, and that is the job that changed my life.”
After numerous auditions for the part of Laurie Strode, she landed the part that made her — like her mother, the star of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho — a legendary “scream queen,” and also impacted numerous other aspects of her life. “All of my life goes back to Halloween,” she volunteered. “All the good things in my life, including my husband, including my family — everything can be traced back to Halloween.” But in the immediate aftermath of that film’s success, she strangely received few other offers, which is why she is extra grateful to Carpenter for writing her a part in his next film, 1980’s The Fog.
As it turns out, Carpenter was but one of “three Johns” — a double-entendre that she had some fun with — who gave her major professional breaks. John Landis had hired her to narrate a documentary short about horror films, and then fought for her to star opposite Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd in his 1983 comedy Trading Places. “I owe John Landis a great debt of gratitude because that flipped the switch,” she said, meaning that she was no longer pigeonholed as a horror movie actress. And then, because of the aptitude for comedy that Curtis demonstrated in Trading Places, John Cleese wrote her a part in his 1988 comedy A Fish Called Wanda.
There were other notable movies along the way, including Kathryn Bigelow’s Blue Steel in 1990, James Cameron’s True Lies in 1994 (she acknowledged Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger for giving her above the title credit with Schwarzenegger even though they didn’t have to) and John Boorman’s The Tailor of Panama — as well as the occasional return to the Halloween universe, starting with Halloween H20: 20 Years Later. Curtis, who has since starred in several additional sequels, said that one of the few regrets of her career was not insisting that Debra Hill, who had co-written and produced the first Halloween, also be a producer of the second. “She wasn’t angry at me,” Curtis said of Hill, who died in 2005, “but I was angry at myself.”
Curtis acknowledged that she was a last-minute replacement for others in several of her better-known roles, including the 2003 remake of Freaky Friday and the 2019 mystery Knives Out, both of which proved to be blockbusters. And she passed along a lesson that she learned on ensemble films like the latter: “Here’s the deal. It’s my secret sauce, you guys. Don’t go back to your trailer. Trailers are not your friend. Stay on set. I’m telling you that pearl of wisdom: stay on set. Be an active set-sitter.” Her part in Knives Out was markedly increased simply because she was around.
And then came discussion of Everything Everywhere, an art house flick that exploded into the most commercially successful film in the history of A24 and the most Oscar-nominated film of the year. Curtis said her agent told her she had received a script from Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for a film in which she would star opposite Michelle Yeoh, and for that reason she instructed her agent to say yes — but he urged her to read the script first, given how weird and unusual it was. She says she was charmed and knew off the bat that she wanted to play the officious IRS agent Deirdre — “a forgotten person,” like Yeoh’s character — with a dowdy look similar to the one she employed for Billy Bob Thornton’s 2001 film Daddy and Them, in which she starred opposite Ben Affleck, with one exception: she wanted her to have beautifully manicured nails, since she figured that the only time Deirdre was ever touched by another human was when she visited the beauty parlor.
And, moments before being presented with the festival’s award by none other than her husband, the comedy master Christopher Guest, Curtis emphasized the tremendous pride that she feels in being associated with Everything Everywhere: “It’s a beautiful movie about many things — it’s about love, it’s about family reunification, it’s about the American dream and the failure of the American dream and what we put immigrants through, it’s about marriage, it’s about a child — it’s deep.”
The film industry doesn’t stop. It’s an ever-moving, living thing that rarely takes the time to “breathe” and think about some of the potential risks that could cause serious problems on the average movie set. However, the fatal accident that occurred on the set of “Rust” — with Alec Baldwin accidentally shooting several crew members — brought to light that most film sets are a lot less safe than most people would like to think. It’s ironic to think that film sets take so much into consideration when it comes to the details that make a movie look great, but often lack health and safety standards.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the oversights in health and safety that have become the standard for film sets. We’ll also dig into how the average set can improve upon its own standards. Things like self-care, mental health recognition, and better working conditions won’t just make healthier, safer sets for all, but they can lead to improved cohesion amongst the crew, and a more efficient, productive experience for all.
Safety Risks on Film Sets
Everyone on a film set wants to stay safe, from the actors to those behind the scenes. Unfortunately, these productions often “get away with” lackluster health and safety standards because there’s no specific OSHA regime for film and television shoots. That doesn’t mean there aren’t industry requirements. But, different sets have different regulations based on who is in charge, what the contracts say, and whether the shoot is being done by union members. With that in mind, OSHA recommends that film sets have a safety plan in place — but they don’t require it.
While most film studios also recommend (and often require) some level of health and safety standards, there are still safety risks on set that should be avoided more frequently. Some of the most common include:
Tripping hazards;
Injuries from special effects;
Vehicle crashes;
Electrocution hazards;
Falling equipment;
Malfunctioning props.
While accidents happen and not everything is 100% preventable, it’s clear that some film sets still aren’t doing their part to keep these risks at a minimum.
How To Protect Your Crew
If you’re running or working on a film set, your top priority should be better working conditions for everyone. Planning ahead of time is the best way to ensure everyone is well-educated and trained on how to keep themselves and others safe. Have protocols in place, and make sure they are being followed at all times.
Hold safety meetings with your crew and the actors before you begin shooting, or every time you go to a new/different set. While it might seem redundant, keeping those protocols in people’s minds will help to ensure they are remembered and implemented.
While you’re on set, keep things clean. As stated above, some of the biggest risks on a film set involve things like falling equipment and tripping hazards. If you have a cluttered set, accidents are more likely to happen. It’s worth it to hire someone to make sure everything is as “decluttered” as possible on set, as well as someone who can clean up after each scene is over.
Some production houses have their own waste management systems on-site for any debris that might be left over after a shoot. If that’s not the case where you’re shooting, consider renting a dumpster or working with a waste management company to clear out debris and leftover props that might otherwise get in the way or become hazardous.
Prioritizing Mental Health
In addition to making preparations that can protect the physical well-being of your crew, it’s also essential to consider their mental health.
Making a movie is often far from glamorous. The days are long, the hours are unpredictable, and the job can be very demanding on both the actors and the crew. Taking care of your team’s mental health will not only improve productivity and efficiency, but it can also help to reduce things like:
Fatigue;
Lack of focus;
Burn out;
Accidents caused by distraction or stress.
When you take the time to talk about safety on the set, make sure you’re also talking about mental health. Creating a work environment that opens up about mental health and gets rid of the stigma behind it will make everyone feel safer and more respected. While you might be facing tight deadlines and demands, there is always time for a worker to take a break, practice self-care, and foster a healthy work-life balance.
You can also educate your crew on who they should contact if they’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed while on the job. There are multiple resources available for people in the film industry who are struggling with their well-being. Encouraging the people on your team to take advantage of those resources, if needed, will improve the culture on set.
Conclusion
The average moviegoer doesn’t often see what goes into making a film, and how taxing and dangerous it can really be. If you’re in the industry, however, it’s essential to do your part to improve the requirements of health and safety standards, and to take care of every member of your crew until the moment your shoot is wrapped.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
IN A bid to secure a doctor, a remote town is offering a lucrative package of perks including a monster salary, free house and added bonuses.
Quairading, a rural town in Western Australia, will give the successful applicant a £460,000 salary and a rent-free 4-bedroom house, but they are still struggling to fill the role.
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Quairading has been struggling to attract a GP despite the offer of a large salary and big houseCredit: Alamy
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The remote farming community has been without a doctor for monthsCredit: Alamy
The small town is 170km east of Perth, and like many remote communities across Australia, they are heavily feeling the effects of a national GP shortage.
The 600 residents of Quairading have been desperately searching for a GP since their previous doctor left months ago.
They were in shock as a town just north of theirs shut its surgery doors for good after being unable to find a GP.
The demand is so high that the local government is also throwing in an added financial incentive of £6,900 if the GP stays two years and £13,200 if they stay five.
The old farming town is part of the Wheatbelt in Noongar Ballardong country and is known for its old hotel, railways and proximity to the Pink Lake and Mount Stirling.
Quairading Shire president Peter Smith told The West the council “will not stand by idle when the community has such a critical need”.
“If we don’t have a doctor, we won’t have a medical clinic, then we won’t have a hospital, we won’t have a chemist and so the demise will begin.”
Australia is expected to face a shortage of more than 10,600 GPs by 2031-2, according to the Australian Medical Association.
Between 2009-2019, the demand for doctors increased by 58 per cent as supply of GPs has been failing to keep up with the dramatically increased demand.
AMA President Professor Steve Robson said the issues were “unimaginable” and that their evidence showed the pressures on GPs would not ease.
Rural and remote communities have been the hardest hit by the shortage of doctors, and despite the attractive job offers, many towns are failing to lure in the much-needed medical professionals.
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Quairading is one of many rural communities suffering from the national GP shortageCredit: Alamy
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Across Western Australia, there are over 100 doctor vacancies, many of which are high-priorityCredit: Alamy
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the MVP of Super Bowl LVII! The star quarterback, who was named MVP of the 2022 – 2023 NFL season as well, is a record-breaking megastar, as he is the fifth player to win the Super Bowl MVP award twice, according to CBS Sports. He is also the first person this century to be named the Associated Press NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same season, according to NFL. There’s no surprise he was awarded with the title minutes after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023: he completed 21 of 27 passes and had no interceptions.
Patrick Mahomes as solidified himself as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks with his second Super Bowl win. Want to know more about him? Check out five interesting facts below.
Patrick Mahomes celebrates his 2023 Super Bowl win with his wife, Brittany, and their daughter, Sterling (Photo: Ashley Landis/AP/Shutterstock)
2. Patrick Is Humble Despite His Fame And Fortune
Just before his NFL training camp started in Aug. 2020, Patrick held a socially-distance barbecue at his Dallas–Fort Worth–area mansion, according to Sports Illustrated. According to the outlet, his mother worries that the fame and fortune he had earned himself would change who he is at the core. However, she found that her son was the same boy she had raised when she peaked into his pantry at the shindig and saw Cool Ranch Doritos, his favorite snack. “You look at all the changes, whether it’s how big he is or this mustache he has right now that’s driving me bananas, but he’s still the same,” she proudly noted at the time.
3. Patrick Mahomes Has A Strong Arm
While the quarterback he beat during the 2023 Super Bowl — Jalen Hurts— has super muscular legs, Patrick is known for his impressive throws. He can throw with so much force that he was once recorded tossing a football outside of Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. The video can be seen here.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes lifts The Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 12, 2023 (Photo: Dave Shopland/Shutterstock)
4. There Is Another Sport Close to Patrick Mahomes’ Heart
Patrick Mahome’s father, Pat Mahomes Sr., was a pitcher in for Major League Baseball for 11 years. And although he does not play, baseball is still a huge part of Patrick’s life because in 2020, he became a partial owner of the Kansas City Royals after buying a partial stake in the team, according to Insider. The deal made him the youngest owner in MLB history. “I’m honored to become a part owner of the Kansas City Royals,” he said in a statement in July 2020. “I love this city and the people of this great town. This opportunity allows me to deepen my roots in this community, which is something I’m excited to do.”
He made the move after landing a historic mega deal with the Chiefs by signing a $503 million, 12-year contract. It was the largest deal in all of American sports history.
5. Patrick Mahomes Has A Passion For Shoes And Ketchup
If Patrick ever gets tired of breaking records in the NFL, he has another passion he can focus on: sneakers. In an Aug. 2019 video shared by Bleacher Report, he showed off his and Brittany’s new house and his custom-made shoe closet that holds his collection of 180 pairs although, at this point, it’s likely he has more! “I can wear each of them, like, twice a year,” he said in the video before gushing how wonderful it felt to be a first-time home owner.
Patrick is also a huge, huge fan of ketchup. His favorite ketchup is actually from the Texas fast-food chain Whataburger. In the past, he’s even tweeted that he wants the restaurant to bring a location to Kansas City. Maybe they’ll go ahead and do that now that the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl again and he was named MVP — again.
As the NFL crowns its next champion, Amazon Studios released a Super Bowl trailer for “Air,” a film that tells the story of how a multibillion-dollar shoe empire was built around another legendary sports champion: Michael Jordan.
“Air” is the latest film made by longtime partners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, with both men starring and producing with Affleck directing. Affleck plays Nike founder Phil Knight while Damon plays Nike marketing exec Sonny Vaccaro, the man who signed Michael Jordan to the most lucrative shoe deal in sports history before his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls.
While the movie never shows Jordan himself, “Air” shows how Vaccaro, with the help of Nike’s top lawyer Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) navigated the many layers of Jordan’s family and entourage to make the deal happen and create the basketball phenomenon known as Air Jordans. Foremost among the people that needed convincing were Jordan’s agent, David Falk (Chris Messina) and Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis).
“Air” also stars Marlon Wayans and Chris Tucker, with Alex Convery as screenwriter. Watch the trailer in the clip above, and catch “Air” in theaters on April 5.
The Super Bowl trailer for MGM’s Creed IIIhas dropped. The pic, the latest in the boxing franchise, hits theaters March 3, with an Imax Live Premiere Event timed to the actual Feb. 27 world premiere. The movie’s star-director-producer Michael B. Jordan will be joined by the cast to celebrate his directorial debut at the TCL Chinese Theater. The premiere red carpet will be streamed to 50 theatres across North America followed by an advance screening of the film.
After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian – a fighter who has nothing to lose.
The first two Creed movies, a spin-off of the venerable Rocky franchise, have grossed $387.7M WW.
While Stallone won’t appear in Creed III, Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Florian Munteanu will rejoin Jordan onscreen. Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin wrote the script for the new sports drama, which is based on their story co-written by Ryan Coogler.
A Chartoff-Winkler Production, Creed III‘s producers include Irwin Winkler, Charles Winkler, William Chartoff, David Winkler, Jonathan Glickman, Jordan and Ryan Coogler in association with Proximity Media. Executive producers include Adam Rosenberg, Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler.
The Romeo + Juliet actor recently revealed that he was in negotiations to play Vulture opposite Tom Holland in the Sony Pictures film. Leguizamo entered the conversation after Michael Keaton’s deal to star in the superhero film stalled.
“I was supposed to be the Vulture,” Leguizamo told ComicBook in an interview. “We had negotiated and I was about to play him, and they said that Michael Keaton wanted it back and they asked me if I would give it up. I said, ‘Well, okay I guess.’ They said, ‘No, we’ll work with you again, we’re gonna…’ That’s what happened there.”
Leguizamo said that Sony subsequently offered him “something tiny” that he ultimately opted to decline.
After news sources picked up Leguizamo’s claim, the Encanto voice actor followed up by saying he felt like a “pawn” during the whole process.
“It’s true but I was used as a pawn to close Keaton but I should have said ‘no’ because we had agreed to terms! And I had a leg to sue but I ain’t litigious,” Leguizamo shared on Instagram.
Keaton starred in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming playing the role of Adrian Toomes, the villain known as Vulture. He reprised the antagonist role in 2022’s Morbius post-credits scene that seemingly sets up a wicked team-up.
There are also rumours that the actress is dating her Geetha Govindam co-actor Vijay Deverakonda.
Rashmika often interacts with her fans on social media.
Rashmika Mandanna has become one of the most popular actresses after she shared screen space with Allu Arjun in Pushpa: The Rise. The actress is touted to be the national crush ever since then. Fans are often curious about the love life of celebrities and as Valentine’s Day is around the corner, eagle-eyed fans are waiting to know how the power couples will celebrate their day. Rashmika often interacts with her fans on social media. The Goodbye actress asked her fans to guess her Valentine this year on Sunday.
Sharing an Instagram story, Rashmika shared a small clip in which the text read: “Can you guess my Valentine?” This has left the fans speculating if something big project coming on their way or is a marketing gimmick.
There are also rumours that the actress is dating her Geetha Govindam co-actor Vijay Deverakonda. The Liger actor was earlier on a family vacation in Dubai and Rashmika Mandanna has also reportedly joined them. A couple of pictures from the trip surfaced on the internet showing Vijay posing with his folks. However, a few hours after, a fan seemed to spot the rumoured lovebirds together out and about.
The dating rumours about the duo have been making headlines for a long time now. However, the two actors have never confirmed their romantic relationship. Earlier, in an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha a few months ago, Rashmika shared that she’s very close to Vijay.
“I understand that we are actors, and the light is on us, with people wanting to know more about it. I see what is happening on social media, like watching a few videos and find it very cute, but Vijay and I don’t sit and discuss. We have a gang of 15 people and given a chance we would be playing board games with them. We are actors, but for us, our friends are equally important, and it keeps us grounded,” she said.
It will be interesting to know who Rashmika’s Valentine this year will be.
On the flip side, Rashmika’s latest film outing Mission Majnu opened to rave reviews from cine-goers and critics alike. Helmed by Shantanu Bagchi, Mission Majnu also features Siddharth Malhotra in the lead. The film premiered on the OTT platform Netflix on January 20. She also has Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal with Ranbir Kapoor. The film also stars Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol in crucial roles. Besides these, Rashmika also has Pushpa: The Raj in her pipeline.
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Sure, there was a football game and Rihanna concert today. But the Super Bowl is also a big enough event to encompass a snapshot of the cultural consciousness each year: Which celebrities are worthy of starring in a coveted commercial slot? What products are they hawking? And just as importantly, which upcoming films are buzzy enough to merit their own brand-new trailer? For pop culture aficionados, the Super Bowl can be seen as a chance to take the temperature of the coming year’s cinema.
Judging by the 2023 lineup of trailers, blockbusters are in great shape. There was the first substantial glimpse of Ezra Miller’s feature-length appearance as The Flash, while Marvel Studios didn’t miss its chance to introduce the next step in their Phase Five, and the Fast & Furious franchise continued to give fans an actual look (as opposed to a “legacy trailer,” because what even is that?) at its upcoming 10th installment. Read on for a round-up of the notable film trailers of Super Bowl LVII, and what we learned from each of them.
Creed III
Creed III | Extended Big Game Spot
Release date: March 3
“Ready or not,” intones Lauryn Hill of the Fugees in an ominous tone in the Creed III spot that aired during the big game. Using a cool trailer-y effect, the “III” title frames our first glimpses of the Michael B. Jordan-starring, Michael B. Jordan-directed Rocky sequel. Creed III sees Jordan’s Adonis Creed squaring off against a childhood friend-turned-rival, played by the magnificent Jonathan Majors. Of all the films providing previews at this year’s Super Bowl, this one might be the best, seeing as it most closely resembles the live action in between those commercial breaks.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 | New Trailer
Release date: May 3
The least surprising but most appreciated part of the new trailer for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is its spot-on soundtrack: Rainbow’s cover of Argent’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” totally rocks, dude, yet contains emotional depth, making it another fitting choice for this particular extraterrestrial franchise. Thanks to December’s teaser, it’s also not a surprise to see James Gunn’s final Guardians installment will include creepy baddie the High Evolutionary, a talking otter, and Gamora-but-not-the-Gamora-of-Volumes-1-and-2.
Upgrade your streaming This streaming device allows for hands-free control thanks to Alexa, works with Wi-Fi 6E, can comfortably manage 4K ultra HD visuals, and can even work as a smart hub.
Fast X
Fast X Super Bowl Spot (2023)
Release date: May 19
Most of what we now know about Louis Leterrier’s FasTen Your Seatbelts has been discerned from the official trailer of two days past: Jason Momoa joins the fray as a flamboyant baddie, Paul Walker—either computer-generated or archival—makes a return appearance, and Rita Moreno and Brie Larson are joining Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren as the latest Oscars winners to give this franchise an upgrade. But the “big game spot” above does include new footage, a peek at a pretty epic action set piece involving a fiery explosion atop a dam.
Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts x Porsche | Big Game Spot
Release date: June 9
Fair warning: this newly released Transformers 7 glimpse doubles as a Porsche commercial, in one of the Super Bowl’s most quintessential examples of capitalistic synergy. While the teaser from a few months ago showed us Mirage the Autobot, it’s only now that we’re hearing him—thanks to the vocal talents of one Pete Davidson. Joining him in this Bumblebee sequel, featuring robo-animals inspired by computer-animated spin-off series Beast Wars, are Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Tobe Nwigwe, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and Michelle Yeoh.
The Flash
The Flash – Official Trailer
Release date: June 16
As dramatic reveals in Super Bowl trailers go, Andy Muschietti’s The Flash may have everything else on this list beat. (For a more in-depth breakdown, click here.) YouTube’s “trailer reaction” posters are surely having a field day, between the above clip and the TV spot: In addition to Ben Affleck, we have Michael Keaton hamming it up again as Batman! Michael Shannon is back as General Zod! And instead of a Superman in all this multiverse madness, we have Sasha Calle’s Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. a Supergirl for the big screen! We’ll see how what is apparently double the amount of Barry Allens—more, not less, of a leading actor bogged down in criminally bad PR—changes the course of the evolving DCEU.
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | Big Game TV Spot
Release date: June 30
Unlike most other TV spots on this round-up, the 30 second-glimpse of Indiana Jones 5 provided plenty of new visuals following the trailer. Unlike that longer version, here Indy asks Nazis to verify they’re Nazis before punching Nazis. There’s also a purported rescue from Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who looks more like the one who needs rescuing) and John Rhys-Davies as Sallah urging our hero to “give ’em hell,” which seems more than worth the price of admission.
For NFL fans, the Super Bowl can be a total coin-flip of a viewing experience, depending on how one feels about the teams involved. For non-fans, it’s all about the commercials and the halftime show spectacles (or it’s all about going out places knowing how many people are home watching). As it’s gone in years past, many of those commercials that air can be some of the funniest ads of the year, thanks in large part to how pricy and star-studded they are.
Everyone’s mileage will vary for what amounts to the funniest of all, but here are my choices for the 10 funniest Super Bowl LVII commercials, with the caveat that I’m also going with the full versions of the ads that can be found online, and not always just the limited spots that aired on TV. Many of which have already been online for days, which can be annoying, but that’s entertainment-fueled capitalism in 2023! Now enjoy funny expensive things!
Doritos: Jack Harlow Goes All Triangles
Jack Harlow’s star continues rising at a fast pace, from his explosive music career to making a name for himself on the big screen in the upcoming White Men Can’t Jump remake. But he may have already reached a comedic high mark with his Doritos Super Bowl commercial, which envisions a future where he dedicates all of his creativity toward triangles in all forms. You know what’s not getting enough attention these days? Shapes!
Planters: The Full Mr. Peanut Roast
The Planters ad that aired during the game couldn’t possibly hold a candle to the full Roast of once-dead-and-then-reborn Mr. Peanut, which lasts for nearly twelve minutes of surpringly funny jokes from roast master Jeff Ross and comics such as Natasha Leggero, Atsuko Okatsuka, Frank Castillo, Yamaneika Saunders, David Lucas, and Sarah Tiana. Leggero possibly has the best joke of the whole shebang with her very first observation, but there were more than enough “look how old and weird-looking this peanut man is” barbs and insults to appease fans of puns and insult comedy alike. Roasts for mascots and other fictional characters should become a big trend in 2023.
Pepsi: Ben Stiller’s Endless Acting Skills
Ben Stiller and Steve Martin paired up for some ad-teasing fun ahead of the reveals of their respective commercials promoting Pepsi Zero Sugar, but I found Stiller’s film genre-aping efforts to be the more amusing of the two. Though I can hardly stand here and say that Martin’s was worse. Because I’m sitting. (Wokka wokka.) Sure, the return of Derek Zoolander didn’t exactly hurt or anything.
M&Ms: Maya Rudolph Ruins (And Kidnaps) Candy
Rarely does a Super Bowl ad cause an internet kerfuffle before it’s even revealed to be a Super Bowl ad, but so it went when M&Ms revealed Maya Rudolph would be “replacing” its animated spokescandies. Thankfully, the actual result has been as weird and wonderfully gross as one might have expected from Rudolph being involved. Pre-game ads teased the inclusion of clams into the candy, culminating in the 30-second commercial that fully introduced the new clam-centric flavor takeover, all while the Red M&M was revealed as being held hostage. I love the idea of an ongoing mystery mixed in with the chocolate seafood combo.
Rakuten: Clueless Return For Alicia Silverstone
Everybody loves Clueless and Alicia Silverstone’s Cher, and it’s always a big plus to have them back in our lives. Even if it involves Rakuten, something that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to naturally connect to Amy Heckerling’s influential comedy classic. But hey, whatever gets Silverstone back in “Whatever” mode alongside former co-star Elisa Donovan, as well as designer Christian Sirianao, who recreated her fab yellow look for the ad. Perhaps it wasn’t the funniest in terms of the number of gut-busting lines or anything, but it still earned a spot here.
General Motors: Will Ferrell Goes Netflix
It’s weird for an ad to just blatantly promote product placement on such a grand scale, but props to General Motors for putting Will Ferrell at the heart of it. It’s a fun ride for the SNL vet to send up some of the streaming service’s biggest hits, from Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead to Love Is Blind to Queer Eye to Bridgerton. But we sha’n’t (or shalln’t) lie: the real highlight was Priah Ferguson reprising the role of Stranger Things‘ Erica.
Uber One: Diddy Don’t Do Jingles
This was a smorgasbord of throwback fun for anyone bopping along to pop radio from the ’90s through the 2000s, with Diddy and Uber One enlisting the talents of – and I use the term in the most polite of tones – “one hit wonder” superstars to spoof their moneymakers, such as Montell Jordan (“This Is How We Do It”), Donna Lewis (“I Love You Always Forever”), Kelis (“Milkshake”), Ylvis (“The Fox”) and Haddaway (“What Is Love”). Kelis gets the win for best alt-version.
Pringles: More Cylinder-Shaped Trauma
The Pringles ad that aired during the Super Bowl’s second quarter was like 75% on point with the alternate version online, but it’s the last bit that makes it completely worth it, as it ends on such a wonderfully dark and haunting note. That poor kid and his chip-related traumas.
Google Pixel 7: Justice For “This Guy Loves To Fart” Guy And More
One of the bigger phone camera innovations of recent years, the Google Pixel 7 allows for erasing unwanted details in pics. Which allowed for a pretty brilliant Super Bowl ad filled with surprise appearances from Amy Schumer (completely alone and without any exes), NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, rapper Doja Cat, and the dude from the “This Guy Loves to Fart” meme. Spoilers: he doesn’t anymore. At least that’s what he says.
T-Mobile: John Travolta Getting Grease-y With Zach Braff And Donald Faison
Say what one will about Paramount+’s upcoming prequel series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, but I think just as much effort should be put into John Travolta quasi-reprising the role of Danny Zuko and fronting a full on shot-for-shot Grease remake, in the sense Gun Van Sant’s Psycho. Clearly, Zach Braff and Donald Faison would also be included somewhere, but they’d just be the icing on this summer lovin’ cake.
Honorable Mentions: Pete Davidson And More
I can’t be the only person who spent too much time thinking about what Hellmann’s was trying to tell us with its Super Bowl ad, right? I get what it meant on the surface, but are we supposed to believe that Pete Davidson imagined Jon Hamm and Brie Larson having a self-realizing conversation within his fridge before having a party that they attended? If so, I think that makes it funny, although it may not be worth all the effort. Here were some other amusing commercials that didn’t quite make the cut.
Here are some others that were worthy of chuckles and chortles.
The E*Trade Baby Wedding
Bud Light’s Dance Sesh with Miles and Keleigh Teller
Bradley Cooper’s Mom roasting him for T-Mobile
Dave Grohl honoring Canada for Crown Royal
Workday’s Rock Star ad with Ozzy Osbourne and more music legends
Get ready to watch a bunch of these ads and more airing throughout the rest of the year, probably during XFL games, leading into USFL games, which will then cap off with the return of NFL football. It’s all football, all the time. Plus funny commercials.
It’s all about the beat, the beat, the beat, someone once noted of rock ‘n roll. Others say it all starts with a song.
The truth of those statements shall likely be revealed Monday, as the Songwriters Hall of Fame will celebrate this year’s Oscar-nominated songwriters with an all-star virtual event, “A Conversation with 2023 Oscar-Nominated Songwriters for Best Original Song,” to be presented on February 13 at 9 AM Pacific time.
The virtual event is free to the public with advance registration required via Eventbrite. It will also be available to watch for a limited time on the Songwriters Hall of Fame website songhall.org beginning Monday.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame’s 7th annual program spotlights leading songwriters who are nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Original Song category. The event is cohosted and moderated by Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Nile Rodgers, who currently serves as Songwriters Hall of Fame Chairman, and Paul Williams, a 1977 Academy Award winner for Best Original Song for “Evergreen.”
The panel songwriters: Chandrabose, cowriter of “Naatu Naatu” from RRR; Ludwig Göransson, cowriter of “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Ryan Lott and David Byrne, co-writers of “This is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once; and SHOF inductee Diane Warren, writer of “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman.
Leave it to Rihanna to make powdering your nose feel historic. Right in the middle of her show-stopping Super Bowl halftime show, the singer whipped out a Fenty compact for a quick touch-up. But if you’re wondering what, exactly, the expecting mother used to achieve the look, we have you covered.
To prep Rih’s face for her Super Bowl beat, makeup artist Priscilla Ono started with Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor. “Fenty Skin Hydra Vizor is the perfect pre-makeup moisturizer because it nourishes the skin and is undetectable under foundation,” Ono said. “You don’t have to worry about your complexion products fading or moving, which is so important, especially for performance makeup.”
“That red stage called for the ultimate Rihanna red lip,” Ono added. “We wanted her beauty look to celebrate this moment and be a true reflection of her timeless beauty. And to me, there’s nothing more iconic to Rihanna than her soft matte skin and a bold red lip.”
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2023 REVIEW! Karen Carpenter was a woman who died embattled by her fears in the form of anorexia nervosa. Like so many gifted musicians, singers, and songwriters who die too young from addiction, Carpenter’s drug was a self-induced condition, which too few knew too little about in her time. However, even in the unknown depths of her struggle with her eating disorder, Carpenter produced long-lasting songs with her unique velvet, creamy voice. Director Randy Martin captures all of Karen Carpenter in the unforgettable Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection.
At the outset, the filmmaker establishes a decade of music and culture The Carpenters, Karen and her brother Richard, uniquely made their own. The duo’s distinct style of arrangement and harmonizing spanned 14 years and ten albums with a bevy of single hits and loads of television appearances and specials. Although the documentary’s underlying purpose may be a PSA on stardom and eating disorders, some lingering unanswered questions suggest Carpenter’s anorexia was not just about image and the need to be thin, even though that is the price of fame and exposure when talent is so great.
Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection is an archival buffet of The Carpenters, their family, performances, appearances, and work sprinkled with interviews from several friends who are all celebrated writers, musicians, and artists. The late Olivia Newton-John was a very close friend to Karen Carpenter and regrets never recording with her. Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips, an executive producer of the film, tells it like it was and gives a voice for why we lost such a talent such as Karen Carpenter at 32 years old. Appearances by Cynthia Gibb, Suzanne Somers, Kristin Chenoweth, Bob James, Carol Burnett, and Belinda Carlisle offer more insight.
“…why we lost such a talent such as Karen Carpenter at 32 years old.”
However, the still-alive Richard Carpenter never weighs in. However, the film reveals that he was the golden boy, and as close as the siblings were, she harbored a never-ending battle, never succeeding or achieving perfection like him. In addition, Gibb adds haunting details about how the television film in which she played Karen was made. They shot at the Carpenter’s actual house. Richard Carpenter had a relentless attention to detail while the actor’s wardrobe was original pieces worn by the beloved singer. The thing is, the clothes kept getting smaller and smaller to the point the camera had to shoot only one side of Gibb because she couldn’t zip the clothes.
Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection reveals a woman in perhaps stunted or in arrested development with her stuffed animals and Mickey Mouse t-shirts. It’s as if she had to skip many of life’s passages or was just not loved enough by her battleax mother. Yet, the songs never stopped, and Carpenter was always on cue to perform no matter how tired she claimed to be. She played drums and sang, a talent very few can do. The amount of accomplishments she achieved in only 32 years is astonishing while rolling with change and acceptance.
The film moves through a journey, yet it leaves the door open for many questions on understanding Carpenter’s career and The Carpenters’ discography. The most surprising of all is a Christmas album, which is as popular as ever, even today. Songs like “Close to You,” “We Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” or “Top of the World” are a window into a time that no longer exists but is captured so well by Carpenter’s voice and presence.
Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection dives into the performer and artist whose voice and feeling are the mood of her time. It flows from one interview to the next seamlessly, whether it’s a celebrity, writer, or friend. The segments never overpower each other. Instead, Martin adds layers and layers of understanding to Karen Carpenter, a woman who left way too soon.
Patrick Mahomes proved why he is the NFL‘s Most Valuable Player as he shrugged off an ankle injury to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a dramatic 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday to claim their second Super Bowl in four years.
Kansas City’s hopes of returning home with the Lombardi trophy looked bleak late in the opening half when Mahomes appeared to re-injure the right ankle that had been a major worry coming into the game.
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Grimacing in pain after a tackle, Mahomes hobbled off the field and slammed his helmet to the turf as the Chiefs headed into halftime trailing 24-14.
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But when the teams returned after the break a resilient Mahomes produced a heroic effort, tossing two fourth-quarter touchdowns and engineering a final drive to set up Harrison Butker’s 27-yard game-winning field goal with eight seconds to play.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Glendale; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
The word “Bennifer” might include flashbacks to frosted lip gloss and butterfly clips, but everything comes back in style eventually. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are spending time together, nearly 20 years after their romance took the world by storm.
Affleck has reportedly been getting picked up in a white SUV that takes him to Lopez’s Los Angeles home. It’s easy to understand why they’d keep their hangouts on the down-low when remembering their high-profile romance.
The pair first connected in 2002 on the set of the ill-fated Gigli. The two played gangsters who fall in love while attempting to kidnap a neurodivergent man. The movie flopped at the box office and among critics, who claimed Affleck and Lopez didn’t have much chemistry.
It was a different story off-screen. Lopez filed for divorce from second husband Cris Judd in June 2002, and she went public with the Good Will Hunting star after.
The “Waiting for Tonight” singer had another rock on her finger by November. Affleck proposed with a 6-carat pink diamond that had smaller white diamonds on the sides.
The ring caught plenty of media attention as did J. Lo’s “Jenny From the Block” music video. Paparazzi caught Bennifer filming in various cities throughout the fall before the clip was finally released in November. It included plenty of scenes of the couple showing their affection for each other.
The duo even welcomed Dateline’s Pat O’Brien into their Vancouver rental home to discuss their relationship, but they wouldn’t say exactly when they fell in love. “You can’t pinpoint it,” Lopez said. “We became friends first. That is the honest to God truth.”
Their wedding was set for September 2003, and Lopez said she’d change her name to Jennifer Affleck after the wedding. However, they never made it to the altar, canceling just days before the ceremony due to “excessive media attention.”
Though it didn’t work out, Affleck and Lopez have only been kind to each other in the press. “We just happened to be together at the birth of the tabloids, and it was like ‘Oh, my God.’ It was just a lot of pressure,” she told PeopleTV’s The Jess Cagle Interview in 2016.
She continued, “I think different time, different thing, who knows what could’ve happened, but there was a genuine love there.”
Affleck, meanwhile, praised her in InStyle in April 2021 as “the hardest-working person I’ve come across in this business. She has great talent, but she has also worked very hard for her success, and I’m so happy for her that she seems, at long last, to be getting the credit she deserves.”
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Will Ferrell enters the worlds of “Army of the Dead,” “Squid Game,” “Bridgerton,” and “Stranger Things” in General Motors and Netflix’s joint Super Bowl commercial.
The two companies first announced their partnership with two teaser ads earlier in February. In the commercial, Ferrell promotes how Netflix productions employ GM’s electric vehicles to lighten their carbon footprint.
Ferrell gets thrown through the Netflix content gauntlet in the commercial, getting bit by a zombie from Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” and trying to pass as Gaten Matarazzo in a “Stranger Things” spoof.
“The more we see electric vehicles show up in this type of binge-worthy content, the faster everyone gets used to them,” said Deborah Wahl, General Motors’ chief marketing officer.
It would seem that the General Motors is doubling down on its commitment to respond to the worsening global climate. Just two years ago, the company vowed to develop 30 new electric vehicle models by 2025.
According to Wahl, GM’s plan is to continue using TV commercials to boost recognition of new EVs like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and the Cadillac Lyriq. However, they company also plans to employ product placement in streaming to access consumers.
As of last year, Netflix agreed to an integration deal brokered by UTA that would mean placing at least one electric vehicle in every series or movie that it directly produced. Both companies have maintained that GM is not paying Netflix to push its vehicles in the streamer’s offerings, nor has GM made any financial commitment toward commercials on Netflix’s ad-funded tier.
The Super Bowl has always been home to some of the buzziest marketing of the year, but in addition to the star-studded commercials, major film and TV studios have used the most-watched TV event of the year to draw attention to their upcoming projects. That’s certainly the case for the 2023 Super Bowl, for which Warner Bros. made a big splash with the first trailer for “The Flash,” Paramount teased everything from “Scream VI” to “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and Disney showcased plenty from its upcoming slate. And of course there’s the “Fast X” spot, for which you can watch the extended trailer below.
We’ve rounded up all the Super Bowl 2023 trailers in one handy post, just in case you missed anything. Check them out below.
“Fast X”
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.
In 2011’s “Fast Five,” Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.
Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.
Directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), Fast X stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron.
The film also features new cast members including Oscar-winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (“Reacher”) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (“The Suicide Squad”) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar-winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.
“Scream VI”
Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. In “Scream VI,” Melissa Barrera (“Sam Carpenter”), Jasmin Savoy Brown (“Mindy Meeks-Martin”), Mason Gooding (“Chad Meeks-Martin”), Jenna Ortega (“Tara Carpenter”), Hayden Panettiere (“Kirby Reed”) and Courteney Cox (“Gale Weathers”) return to their roles in the franchise alongside Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving.
“Scream VI” opens in theaters on March 10.
“Dungeons & Dragons”
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in what’s described as “a hilarious and action-packed adventure.”
The cast includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opens in theaters on March 31.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
The new trailer puts the spotlight on the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), the unethical scientist responsible for turning an innocent raccoon into the gun-wielding Rocket through painful surgery and genetic manipulation. We even see Rocket get marked with the experiment tag “89P13.”
“He didn’t want to make things perfect,” bemoans Rocket. “He just hated things the way they are.”
Writer-director James Gunn, who is bringing his time with Marvel to an end as he prepares to launch a rebooted DC Universe, has said that “Vol. 3” will mark the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy in its current iteration. Dave Bautista has also said that this will be his last film as Drax the Destroyer. Whether this means that Drax and possibly other Guardians will be killed off by the end of the film remains to be seen, but there are shots of Star-Lord crying and his broken body being held.
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”
Set in 1969, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” sees Jones unraveling a mystery against the backdrop of the space race. While plot details have remained tightly sealed in a vault underneath Cairo, we do know that Mads Mikkelsen plays the heavy, a maybe-not-so-former-Nazi now employed by NASA; Phoebe Waller-Bridge is Jones’ goddaughter; and franchise stalwart John Rhys-Davies return.
James Mangold takes over directorial duties from Steven Spielberg, who had directed all of the previous entries (Spielberg stayed on as producer) and co-wrote the screenplay with Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth.
“Air”
As the NFL crowns its next champion, Amazon Studios released a Super Bowl trailer for “Air,” a film that tells the story of how a multibillion-dollar shoe empire was built around another legendary sports champion: Michael Jordan.
“Air” is the latest film made by longtime partners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, with both men starring and producing with Affleck directing. Affleck plays Nike founder Phil Knight while Damon plays Nike marketing exec Sonny Vaccaro, the man who signed Michael Jordan to the most lucrative shoe deal in sports history before his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls. EGOT winner Viola Davis stars as Jordan’s mom.
“Creed 3”
Michael B. Jordan’s third round as Adonis Creed will be his first as a director. His opponent will be Jonathan Majors as Damian, Adonis’ childhood friend who went to jail and spent his youth behind bars while Adonis was adopted by Apollo Creed’s widow, Mary Anne. Envious of Creed’s success, Damian challenges him to a title fight at Dodger Stadium, where Apollo’s son must defend everything he has achieved.
“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”
After nearly five years, the Autobots and Decepticons are back, and this time they’ve got the Maximals in tow. Paramount’s Super Bowl TV spot offered a first glimpse at Pete Davidson as Mirage, a new Autobot who lived a luxurious life back on Cybertron before coming to Earth and, befitting his old money roots, transforms into a Porsche 911 Carrera.
Elon Musk had a prime seat at State Farm Stadium for Super Bowl LVII. Fox Sports cameras captured the maverick billionaire sitting with Fox Corp. and News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch as well as his daughter, producer and investor Elisabeth Murdoch.
Fox’s cameras panned to a shot of the starry group in a stadium sky box about halfway through the third quarter of the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have dominated through most of the game so far although the Chiefs are keeping it competitive.
The fleeting shot of Rupert Murdoch during the Super Bowl televised by the broadcast network he launched in 1986 may have been strategically placed to assure Wall Street and others that the mogul of media moguls is still up and around despite his 91 years. The Australia-born media baron will turn 92 on March 11. He appeared to be engaging in that most American of activities: eating a hot dog.
But the sight of the older and younger Murdoch with Musk is sure to ignite a flurry of speculation about possible activity between Murdoch’s businesses and Musk’s many investments. Musk’s $44 billion takeover of Twitter in October has been largely a debacle, with the social media platform seeing an exodus of staff and advertising dollars.
Based in the U.K., Elisabeth Murdoch is a principal in the content banner Sister with partners Stacey Snider (the former head of the 20th Century Fox film studio) and British producer Jane Featherstone.
(Pictured: Elisabeth Murdoch, Elon Musk, Rupert Murdoch and an unidentified person at Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.)
Touchdown in Arizona! Rihanna made a triumphant return to live performance with a Super Bowl halftime show that was well worth the wait — and not just because she revealed that she is pregnant with her second child.
It’s been five years since Rihanna’s last live performance, when she dueted with DJ Khaled at the 2018 Grammys on #1 single “Wild Thoughts.” (Rihanna’s fans, who call themselves the “the Navy,” have been waiting seven years for a full album since “Anti” in 2016.)
In fairness, the 34-year-old has been busy. Rihanna had a son last year with rapper A$AP Rocky, while overseeing the growth of two radically inclusive beauty and fashion businesses, Fenty Beauty and Fenty x Savage. Along the way, she became a billionaire.
Rihanna’s 13-minute set at the Super Bowl LVIII — known in some corners of the internet as a “Rihanna concert interrupted by a football game” — was a confident performance by a star at the height of her powers.
First, the fashion. Rihanna wore a Loewe boiler suit, a custom breastplate by It Brit designer J.W. Anderson and two different Alaia coats — all in cherry red. Her MM6 Martin Margiela x Salomon Low Cross sneakers grounded the look, while her multiple Messika jewellery pieces brought the sparkle.
Rihanna entered the field via a floating platform, surrounded by a naval fleet’s worth of tracksuit-clad dancers in white. The set was reportedly made by 300 to 400 people in just eight minutes.
Rihanna ran through a medley of her greatest hits: “B*itch Better Have My Money,” “Only Girl In The World,” “Rude Boy,” “Work Work Work,” “All of The Lights,” “Run This Town” and “Umbrella.”
It was a high-octane, perfectly choreographed show of banger after banger. The highlight was the finale, Rihanna’s hit “Diamonds,” performed high above the field on a swaying stage, as winking lights in the crowd appeared to reference the song’s titular sparklers. Rihanna clearly has no fear of heights.
She also clearly felt no need to share her stage. Despite rumours to the contrary, no other artists made an appearance during her Super Bowl halftime show, including Drake. Instead, in a show of total control, Rihanna took a moment to powder her nose (using a Fenty Beauty compact, naturally) halfway through the set.
It was a power move perhaps only rivalled by the fact that Rihanna made the baby announcement of all baby announcements, when she appeared to cradle a burgeoning bump. After the show, her rep confirmed that yes, Rihanna is pregnant with her second child.
The baby reveal wasn’t the only surprise. That fact that Rihanna performed at the halftime show at all raised eyebrows. She had previously turned down the gig to stand in solidarity with quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his protest against police brutality.
Speaking to Vogue in 2019, Rihanna said she declined an offer to do the halftime show because she “couldn’t be a sellout.”
“I couldn’t be an enabler,” she told the magazine. “There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”
There were rumblings that her mentor, Jay Z — who has partnered with the NFL to improve their social justice efforts — may have influenced Rihanna’s decision to say yes this time round.
Either way: What a show! Eh-eh.
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SBIFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and education organization dedicated to making a positive impact utilizing the power of film. SBIFF is a year-round organization that is best known for its main film festival that takes place each year in February. Over the past 30 years the Santa Barbara International Film Festival has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 90,000 attendees and offering 11days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums. We bring the best of independent and international cinema to Santa Barbara, and we continue to expand our year-round operation to include a wide range of educational programming, fulfilling our mission to engage, enrich and inspire our community through film.
In June 2016, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. The theatre is SBIFF’s new home and is the catalyst for our program expansion. This marks the first time that Santa Barbara has had a 24/7 community center focused on the art of film and is an incredible opportunity to expand our mission of educational outreach. Particularly important to SBIFF is making available high quality learning opportunities for underserved and vulnerable populations. Our programs and reach are more robust than ever before.
SBIFF 23 Uncovered surprise | Wade in the Water
We absolutely were very happy to discover this, a surprise that needs to be seen. Great community.
The secret is well kept, you need to discover the vibe as soon as the film starts.
Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture
A documentary that reclaims the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing and aquatic culture—inspiring the next generation of Black surfers.
Wade in the Water: A Journey into Black Surfing and Aquatic Culture (2023)
reclaims the 1,000-year-old tradition of Black surfing. Braiding historical accounts with modern-day testimonials, the film dismantles the racial barriers of conventional surf culture, delves into the overlooked history of Black surfing’s legacy, and honors its current movement—inspiring the next generation of Black surfers.
Description :
Piloted by historical experts and community leaders in the BIPOC surfing movement, Wade in the Water (2023) reclaims the 1,000-year-old Black surfing tradition—inspiring the next generation of Black surfers. Braiding historical accounts, footage, and recreations, modern-day testimonials, live-action shots, and interviews, the film delves into the overlooked history of Black surfing’s legacy.
Guided by compelling voiceover narration, the journey begins with Prof. Kevin Dawson from UC Merced as he chronicles the evolution of aquatic African culture, from the first written account of surfing in the 1640s to its place in the context of 1800s America.
Flowing into the 1900s, historian and heritage conservationist Alison Rose Jefferson, M.H.C. | Ph.D., honors the lives, legacies, and struggles of Santa Monica’s pioneering African American surfers; thoroughly recounting their clashes against Jim Crow laws that legalized and enforced racial segregation.
What follows are extensive introductions to and insights from contemporary Black surfing legends, icons, and community leaders, as they discuss the generations responsible for cultivating Black surfing’s traditions and spiritual principles. These individuals are currently spearheading programs that are establishing equitable access to surfing in BIPOC communities, women’s surf clubs, and public policies that promote environmental stewardship and protection.
Featuring:
● Sharon Schaffer | First Black female professional surfer
● Selema Masekela | American television host, sports commentator, actor,
singer, surfer
● Tony Corley | Founder of Black Surfing Association (est. 1975)
● Rick Blocker | Black surfing advocate
● Greg Rachel | Co-Founder of Black Surfers Collective
● Vicky Williams | Surfer who shared waves with Nicolás Rolando
Gabaldón: Nick was the first documented Black and Latino surfer in Southern California.
David Mesfin – Director, Writer, and Producer
Born in Ethiopia, David migrated to the United States at an early age. Growing up in St. Augustine, Florida, he was immersed in a vibrant local surf culture that conceived his passion for the ocean and nature.
After moving to the West Coast to receive his Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication and Advertising from California State University, Long Beach, David connected with a community of Black surfers that introduced him to the historical context of surfing in Africa.
These formative experiences, which connect his lifelong passion and ancestral roots, spawned the creative inspiration and community-based collaborations that have bloomed into Wade in the Water.
Beyin Abraha – Executive Director
Born in Ethiopia, of Eritrean descent, and raised in Toronto, Beyin’s introduction to surfing came through a college roommate. He’s been hooked ever since.
In his day to day life, Abraha works with Beats by Dre as a Mechanical Product Design Engineer specialized on in-ear headphones. He has also enjoyed similar positions at Apple with the iPhone design team as well as at Tesla working on the iconic Model 3 electric vehicle in the past.
As an active community member, Abraha is the project manager and founding member of Sofly Surf School, an organization that gives free surf lessons in Huntington Beach, and holds the position of vice-chair on the board for PaddleforPeace, an organization offering holistic approaches to introducing people to the practice of surfing and protecting the ocean.
After being contacted by David to be featured in Wade in the Water (2022), Beyin’s passion for surfing and community connections soon saw him transition into an integral role of bringing the project to life on shoot days as well as behind the scenes making sure things are on track.
Teferi Seifu – Editor
Teferi Seifu is an Editor and Producer best known for his work on feature films The Runner (2021), Bad Impulse (2019) and The Bandit Hound (2016) available on streaming platforms.
He is in pre-production for three feature films with his longtime director Michelle Danner . Other projects include Sígueme (2018) , Dream Date (2019), Love and Voodoo (2015), Dock 24 (2019) and No Actors Allowed (2014) premiered at film festivals worldwide.
Kira Gilmore – Producer
Kira is an Executive Producer in advertising with work spanning across broadcast, social and digital. She enjoys jumping from big-budget Super Bowl spots to smaller budget social projects, finding creative ways to ensure the highest production value possible and digging into research on the best ways to turn the creative vision into reality. Wade in the Water is her first foray into feature-length and documentary filmmaking – a new experience she’s excited to be learning from.
Kira grew up surrounded by surf culture in Huntington Beach, and has been working with local activist groups since 2020 to campaign against racism in the city. Wade in the Water is a convergence of things she’s passionate about: filmmaking, the ocean, and working to educate wherever possible to create a more kind and equitable world.
Micheal Warner – Producer
Michael Warner is a double Emmy Award winning producer and director with a passion for telling stories that affect positive social change. Whether he is producing documentary films about injustice and inequity, or directing public service campaigns designed to challenge assumptions and rattle the status quo, Michael’s work reflects his deep belief that well told stories have the power to change the world.
Michael’s professional path has provided opportunity in nearly every production department imaginable. Michael began his career as an actor, and quickly graduated to casting, art department, location services, editorial, camera, sound. lighting, and finally producing and directing.
Michael spent several years working in the feature film industry in Hollywood before focusing his attention on broadcast television, and documentary projects for MTV, ESPN, ABC, HBO, Discovery Networks and The Travel Channel. In 2012 Michael co-founded Frontage Road Studios, a full service production company handling a wide variety of commercial, public service, and corporate accounts.
Michael’s unlimited creativity, range of experience, commitment to cause based work, and big-picture perspective have made him a key contributor to Wade In The Water.
Xahil McDonald – PR Coordinator (He/Him)
Born in Seattle, of Afro-Latino, Filipino, Maya, and European ancestry, Xahil is an equity-minded and passionate emerging writer who wants to change the world. Using words to cultivate common-ground, he holds space for his audience to examine their humanity.
After a successful NCAA DII soccer career, Xahil left fútbol in the rearview and transferred his athletic energy into surfing—currently living among las playas hermosas de México as a freelance copywriter.
Xahil is convinced that stories are where we start—our inception. They are our foundations of being. They are the framework for our navigation of relationships to land, to people, and to the intersection(s) of the two. He also understands that traditionally dominant narratives are rooted in inequity and oppression—and the time to change that is now.
Partnering with Wade in the Water is an organic manifestation of his life’s interests; equity-based stories, surfing, and changing the world.
Alison Rose Jefferson, M.H.C. | Ph.D
Alison Rose Jefferson is an independent historian and third generation Californian. Presently, her research and professional interest revolve around the African American experience in Southern California during the Great Migration of the twentieth century and Jim Crow era. Jefferson is also author of Living the California Dream: African American Leisure Sites during the Jim Crow Era (University of Nebraska Press, 2020).
Dr. Professor Kevin Dawson Ph.D
Kevin Dawson is the Associate Professor of History and Interdisciplinary Humanities Graduate Group Chair at the University of California, Merced. He is also the author of The Undercurrents of Power and recipient of the Harriet Tubman Book Prize. Prof. Dawson’s contributions dive deep into West Africa’s rich aquatic culture as well as the spiritual significance of maritime activities to these communities.
Selema Masekela
Selema Masekela is a beloved commentator, journalist, musician, and producer best known for his work presenting NBC’s Red Bull Signature Series; ESPN’s Summer and Winter X Games, which he hosted for 13 years; his cultural reporting in South Africa during the 2010 FIFA World Cup; and hosting E!’s Daily 10.
Organizations Black Surfing Association
Established in 1975 by Tony Corley. He began organizing informal fundraisers for junior swimming and lifeguard programs after learning that Black children were statistically much more likely to drown than white children in the United States. He went on to submit a letter to the editor of SURFER in hopes of finding fellow Black surfers who would be interested in connecting and surfing with him. SURFER published that letter in January 1974, which prompted a slew of responses. The organization continues to empower Black youth in Southern California and Rockaway, New York in partnership with Lou Harris.
Black Surfers Collective
Established in 2011, the BSC promotes diversity and cultural awareness in the sport of surfing through community-based activities, outreach, and camaraderie.Our goal is to sponsor family-oriented activities that get folks down to the beach to share the love of the ocean. These seaside events are used to generate public interest in the sport, the history of surfing, beach culture, and ocean stewardship.
Sofly Surf School
Sofly Surf School was founded by Sahfilli Matturi. Sahfilli grew up in Long Beach, has over 15 years of experience surfing and started a surf school based in Sunset Beach (OC) in 2021 with some of his friends to pass on the stoke. Sofly Surf School provides free classes for all ages and experience levels on every second Saturday of the month. Their goal is to foster community through the fun, healing, and uniting force of the ocean.
Color the Water
A community for BIPOC to reclaim space in the ocean, Color The Water began as a way to fight racism with joy after the murder of George Floyd. We started to offer free surf lessons and media for BIPOC in the LA area. Now we are a diverse, inclusive, anti-racist safe space for hundreds of BIPOC surfers.
Black Surf Club Santa Cruz
Black Surf Club Santa Cruz aims to tear down barriers that oftentimes keep our oceans segregated. By taking a strategic focus on both physical and spiritual wellness, Black Surf Club Santa Cruz aims to create a community of healing for our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Community here in Santa Cruz. Black Surf Club empowers the Black community to reclaim their space in the ocean through surfing, spiritual wellness, water safety, and community.
Cast
Alison Rose Jefferson M.H.C | Ph.D. Rick Blocker Gregory Rachal Gregory Jr. Rachal
Marie Rachal Kevin Dawson Ph. D Sahfilli Matturi Tre’lan Michael Jessica Williams Kayiita Johnson Lizelle Jackson Esabella Grace Bonner Sidy Camara Chris Dennis Sharon Schaffer Vicky Williams Beyin Abraha Natasha Smith Sierra Raequel
Mateo Canu Tony Corley Julian Willams Dedon Kamathi Kody Gruing Remi T. Smith Christine Lawson Selema Masekela Nathan Fluellen Angel Jardine Keano Jardine Brick
● Office of Supervisor Holly J. Michell – 2nd Supervisorial District, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
About Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has star wattage and a wealth of premieres in a Mediterrean-style city by the sea.
Blogging here with dailies:
The team of editors of the The Santa Barbara Blog:Carol Marshall, Felicia Tomasko, Vanessa McMahon, Marla and Mark Hamperin, Kim Deisler and Bruno Chatelin
The biggest movies of the year share the spotlight with one of the years biggest sporting events, the 2023 Super Bowl. With the release of the brand new Super Bowl movie trailers.
Super Bowl Movie Trailers are something entertainment fans look forward to every year, with studios and advertisers vying for the precious 30 minute slots of air time. With more than hundreds of millions of people watching the show, this makes it the prime opportunity for movie trailers and commercials to be aired. Last year, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was the most-watched spot on social media in the 24 hours after the Super Bowl ended with 93 million views.
Here are the trailers and Big Game spots that came out during the Super Bowl in 2023.
Fast X
The trailer for Fast and The Furious 10 which came out before the Super Bowl delivers an action packed look at the final film in the franchise. The film which features a new villain, Dante from Dom’s past threatens to tear the fast family apart, making Dom’s worst nightmare a reality, losing a member of his family. Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his son is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance. We also got a Big Game spot which premiered during the Super Bowl. The film premieres May 19.
Scream VI
Ghostface is taking over New York in this sequel. Starring starring Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and In the Heights’ Melissa Barrera. Courtney Cox who has appeared in all six installments of the Scream franchise is also returning as news reporter Gale Weathers. Hayden Panettiere who starred in Scream 4 alongside Emma Roberts is reprising her role. The film follows Four survivors of the Ghostface murders as they leave Woodsboro behind for a fresh start in New York City. However, they soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage. Premiering March 10.
65
Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt star in this Sci-Fi thriller about an astronaut who crashes on an unknown planet, only to discover he’s actually stranded on Earth — 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at a rescue, pilot Mills (Driver) and the only other survivor, Koa (Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous creatures. The official trailer for 65 gave us a thrilling look at what’s to come, the 30 second Super Bowl TV spot gives us a glimpse at all the prehistoric action there is in store. Coming to cinemas March 10.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head and Hugh Grant Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure which comes to theaters March 31.
Air
Directed by Ben Affleck, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman and Viola Davis. Air follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of sports: Michael Jordan, coming to theaters on April 5.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Since there were already multiple trailers out for the movie Marvel didn’t release a new one at the Super Bowl. Instead they’ve released a new Heineken branded TV spot featuring Ant-Man. The previous Heineken branded TV spot has received over 30 million views on YouTube. The film premieres on February 17.
The Flash
After getting a look at the brand new teaser poster for “The Flash” movie, DC promised fans the release of the official trailer, following the teaser that was released in October of 2021 at DC Fandome, and they delivered. The Incredible new trailer gives us a full on action packed, multiversal, metahuman look at the upcoming Flash movie. Despite the controversy surrounding a movie, you have to admit a good trailer when you see one. With the return of some old faces and the addition of some new ones the film is shaping up to be quite exciting. Starring Ezra Miller, the film follows the Flash as he travels through time to prevent the murder of his mother, but unwittingly causes changes that result in the creation of a multiverse. A Flash Big Game TV Spot was released as well. Premiering June 16.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
Written and directed by James Gunn. In a hilarious and emotional new trailer we see The Guardians of the Galaxy adjusting to life on Knowhere, but when parts of Rocket’s past resurface, Peter Quill must lead the Guardians on a dangerous mission to protect him that could lead to the team dissolving. We also get a better look at Adam Warlock. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Stallone and Sean Gunn. Coming to cinemas May 5.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
The seventh installment in the Transformers film series and a stand-alone sequel to 2018’s Bumblebee, starring Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Vélez and Tobe Nwigwe in his film debut, as well the voice talents of Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, and Peter Dinklage. Set in the 1990s, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on an action-packed, globetrotting adventure as the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons join the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons on Earth. Coming June 9.
Creed 3
Directed by Michael B. Jordan and starring Jordan, Jonathan Majors and Tessa Thompson. The first trailer released in October 2022 and gave us a look at Adonis Creed, still dominating the boxing world, thriving in his career and family life. When Damian, a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces after serving time in prison, he’s eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian — a fighter who has nothing to lose. Premiering March 3.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
The fifth installment of the Indiana Jones film series stars Harrison Ford in his fifth and final portrayal of archaeologist Indiana Jones. John Rhys-Davies also reprises his role as Sallah from past films, with new cast members including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen.
Disney100 Special
With Disney’s 100 year celebrations underway we we treated to a special look back at some of Disney’s classic films such as “The Lion King”, “Cinderella”, their recent hits like “Encanto” as well as Disney’s biggest franchises such as “Marvel”, “Star Wars” and “Avatar”. The special is full of emotion and nostalgia, as well as a sense of great appreciation for Disney.
The Super Bowl never fails to deliver from start to finish, and it always proves its not just sports fans it’s entertaining for.
Rihanna rubbing her belly during her halftime show at the Super Bowl on Sunday had fans wondering: Is she pregnant again?
After the resulting speculation got the word “pregnant” trending on Twitter, reps for the Grammy winner confirmed to several outlets that the superstar is expecting her second child with A$AP Rocky.
She gave birth to their first child in May 2022.
During her show, Rihanna wore a loose-fitting red jumpsuit with room to spare around her belly. She performed a medley of her biggest hits, including “Diamonds,” “Rude Boy,” and “We Found Love.”
Rihanna received her first Oscar nomination this year for her song “Lift Me Up,” which plays at the end of Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The awards ceremony will be held Sunday, March 12.
For the record, it’s been 12 years since Beyoncé revealed her baby bump at the Video Music Awards.
