Moviefone Editorial

Author: Brent Simon

  • ’Nyad’ Press Conference with Annette Bening and Jodie Foster

    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad and Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Annette Bening as Diana Nyad and Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    ‘Nyad,’ which enjoyed its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 1st, before its theatrical run in select theaters on October 20th, will be available to stream on Netflix beginning November 3rd.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a virtual press conference for ’Nyad’ with Oscar-nominee Annette Bening and two-time Oscar-winner Jodie Foster.

    Here are 10 things we learned from the conversation, edited for clarity and length.

    1) Bening Crafted a Charm Offensive to Help Woo Foster

    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Even though it’s her character’s name who gives ‘Nyad’ its title, Bening knew that she needed a top-shelf screen partner for the movie. But she wasn’t convinced that Foster would join her.

    Annette Bening: When they told me they were gonna ask Jodie to do it, I said, “She’ll never do it. Like, she should play Diana.” Of course, she came over to my house and she gave me a little once-over — she’s, like, checking me out. We’d met but we didn’t “know each other,” know each other. But we just kinda clicked, I think, pretty well. Of course, my whole objective was to get her to do (the film). Jodie is always the smartest person in the room, which is not an easy thing to be in life, but she is. She’s always the smartest, she has more experience than anyone, and she’s a very fine director, so I knew that I was getting this incredible package. So I tried to be as agreeable and as charming as I could! And what really makes the movie is Jodie.

    2) Foster Already Knew The Character Whom She Portrays

    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in 'Nyad.'
    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Sometimes it can be overwhelming to dive into the challenge of portraying a real-life figure. But Foster had a leg up.

    Jodie Foster: You know, I knew Diana and Bonnie from Christmas parties at friends’ houses and stuff. I would run into them, just the gang, and I just loved them immediately. I love both of them, and thought they were such characters. So that was my first connection, really — knowing them a bit personally. Bonnie [is] such a character and so eccentric. I adore her.

    3) Bening and Foster Didn’t Mind Co-Directors Vasarhelyi and Chin Making Their Narrative Feature Debut

    Director Jimmy Chin, Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll, director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad on the set of 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Director Jimmy Chin, Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll, director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad on the set of ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Co-directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin were no stranger to tales of improbable human endurance and accomplishment, having won an Academy Award for their 2018 documentary ‘Free Solo,’ about rock climber Alex Honnold. That special perspective allayed any concerns their award-winning stars might’ve had about them directing actors.

    Jodie Foster: Jimmy and Chai both have this experience with extreme sports and the personality and mindset that that takes, which is something that I didn’t 100 percent understand but I think that I was so curious about. You know, how does somebody become an athlete, and what do they give up in their life? What do they sacrifice in order to be excellent, in order to come this close to death and sort of cheat death every time? So, I think that that’s a very special point-of-view that they both brought to the picture — especially Jimmy, who’s been climbing mountains and hanging by his fingers for a number of years.

    4) It’s All About the Friends We Made Along the Way

    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Despite its portrayal of the incredible extremes to which someone goes in pursuit of doing something never before done, the film’s stars also viewed it, crucially, as a tale of female friendship.

    Jodie Foster: They’re a package, you know? I think that that’s so lovely about the film. The thing that really drove me to it was this idea of two 60-year-old women who didn’t end up having kids. They were, you know, lovers early on, but friends forever, and that relationship and that friendship — you know, we say, “Only friends, friends are everything” — that these two women couldn’t have done it without each other, on both sides, that they completed each other, for me I thought that was really beautiful.

    Annette Bening: It’s such an important thing, to see this. I know a lot of women that I know feel this incredible friendship. Jodie and I have become friends. I mean, how we keep going in life is our friends. Yes, we have our partners, we have our kids, we have our loved ones, but there’s something about friendship that is so powerful, and it’s so much a part of this story, and it’s not always easy to dramatize. So, within the context of the swim, it’s kind of like the perfect way to dramatize why people need each other, how we need each other, and what it is we do for each other.

    Related Article: Jodie Foster Heads to ‘Night Country’ for True Detective Season 4

    5) Filming Left Its Stars Moved Too

    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in 'Nyad.'
    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    They have many decades of experience between them, but Bening and Foster aren’t at all jaded and cynical. In fact, the production of ‘Nyad’ left each of them emotionally moved on occasion — especially in key moments when watching their costar reaffirmed that acting is frequently about reacting.

    Annette Bening: There’s a question at one point in the story as to whether Bonnie will stick with Diana or not. It’s an important part of the narrative, and the way that Jodie played the scene that followed that question really got me. When it’s all there in your partner, then all you have to do is be present and breathe and watch and listen.

    Jodie Foster: I don’t want to ruin the movie because I don’t want to tell anybody what happens, but there is a last scene in the film that just really got me. You know, watching that, and after this whole, long film that we’ve done, after an entire year of training (by Annette) to play Diana, the transformation that she went through, the hardship, being in the water constantly, to watch her come out of that water, that was just so moving to me. I didn’t realize that that was gonna happen in the moment.

    6) The Film’s Most Challenging Aspect Is Probably Not What You Think

    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in 'Nyad.'
    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Liz Parkinson/Netflix ©2023.

    Given the physical demands of portraying attempts at the record-setting swim that serves as the spine of its narrative, one might assume that training was the most challenging aspect of ‘Nyad.’ Not so, says Bening.

    Annette Bening: Part of this story that we really felt was incredibly delicate and important to get right is that Diana was sexually abused by her swim coach all through high school. This is a very common thing in women’s sports, whether it’s tennis or swimming or gymnastics or whatever — a lot of girls, young women, are taken advantage of by their coaches, for obvious reasons. So we wanted that to be in the story, but the right way, because we didn’t wanna oversimplify it. It’s obviously such a delicate matter. So there was a moment when Diana does talk about that a little bit in the movie, when I talk about it, and that was really important to me that we tried to just touch on all the complexities of what that experience is like for people who go through that as kids.

    7) ‘Nyad’ Is No Hagiography

    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad, Rhys Ifans as John Bartlett and Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Annette Bening as Diana Nyad, Rhys Ifans as John Bartlett and Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Hyper-successful athletes are almost by definition prone to a level of extreme tunnel-vision and competitive zeal — whether against others or, in the case of long-distance swimming, against themselves — that can render their personalities, at times, quite prickly. To that end, Bening thought it important to be able to use Nyad’s rough exterior, with flinty stares and curt responses, as a way to showcase her hidden vulnerability and insecurities.

    Annette Bening: I find [Diana] absolutely touching, I did get to know her quite well, and I adore her. And like a lot of very, very strong-willed people, she has an inner softness and vulnerability (that she often hides). I was interested in that, and that is part of our job when we’re playing people. But what’s wonderful about acting, one thing I really love is when you’re playing someone, you are their advocate — you are there, fighting for them, for what they want, for what they need, given the circumstances of their lives. So Diana let us take some liberties in telling the story because I knew that we needed a character arc, and so we played around a little bit with the facts. But she’s an enormously charming person, she just takes over a room, she’s charismatic. But, yeah, she’s strong. How could you swim for 53 hours and not have an unusual personality? So she does have that very strong will, but (it also masks) inner softness, an incredible intellect.

    8) Bening Is a Better Swimmer Now Than When She Shot the Film

    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in 'Nyad.'
    Annette Bening as Diana Nyad in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Liz Parkinson/Netflix ©2023.

    Bening, naturally, underwent a rigorous training regimen to get ready for her role. She aced her preparation, but claims she’s even an even better swimmer now, over a year after production wrapped.

    Annette Bening: I’d been in the water a lot as a kid. I was a scuba diver. I worked on a boat. I was in the ocean a lot. I love the ocean. I feel very comfortable in it. But I hadn’t really ever been a swimmer, you know? Not like Diana is. So, I thought, you know, how hard can it be? Like, I’m in good shape, I’m on my bike, I do yoga. Then I got in the water and it was like, “Oh, shit.” I mean, I was alone. I had a moment of like, “Wait a minute, oh my God, how am I gonna do this?” It was a come-to-Jesus moment. So, anyway, I did have a great coach named Rada Owen, who was an Olympian herself and is a coach now. Rada was the perfect coach for me. First of all, she still loves to swim. A lot of athletes, because they’ve spent so much time doing what they’re doing, they get burned out, they don’t wanna swim anymore. Diana doesn’t swim anymore. But Rada still loves to swim. She’s six feet tall and she’s amazing and she also just has this lightness of spirit. She knows how to work people hard but also not emotionally exhaust you. So she got in the pool with me, she started teaching me the (freestyle) stroke and had me swim, and she said, “Oh, yeah, you’re gonna be fine.” I’m a better swimmer today than I was when I even made the film. Because I still swim, and I love it. It’s like anything when you practice it, you find a few moments of flow, and those moments are worth all of the work.

    9) Foster Did a Lot of Physical Preparation Too

    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in 'Nyad.'
    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll in ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    While ‘Nyad’ focuses on its titular subject’s swim, Stoll was a former professional racquetball player, and Foster felt an obligation to immerse herself in the type of physical activity that would reflect that lived experience.

    Jodie Foster: I like to feel what the character feels, and I like to think the body is sort of the gateway to everything. So maybe I overdid that part of it, I guess, because I was into it. I was like, “Bonnie, you’re gonna look good, dammit, you’re gonna look good!” So there was a lot of chicken involved and a lot of little small meals and all that sort of stuff. I went to the gym a lot and had to suck in my stomach a little bit when I was wearing the jogger bra, I’ll admit it. But I wanted Bonnie to look good, you know?

    10) Sometimes the Best CGI is the Simplest CGI

    Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad on the set of 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll and Annette Bening as Diana Nyad on the set of ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

    Despite all of Bening and Foster’s joint physical preparation, moments of action in one’s 60s sometimes still has a limit — as manifested in ‘Nyad’ in a competitive ping-pong sequence.

    Jodie Foster: With the ping-pong, you know, we actually didn’t do too badly, I’d say.

    Annette Bening: We were pretty evenly matched, I think. I was slightly better.

    Jodie Foster: But there is one moment where we did a lot of this in the air (mimes wild free swings), and then they put little balls in there (digitally). Come on, we gotta tell ’em — we can’t cheat!

    Annette Bening: We actually were gonna make [the scene] racquetball, but then we played racquetball for 10 minutes.

    Jodie Foster: Then both of us were like, “My knees, my knees! I can’t do it.”

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    What is the plot of ‘Nyad’?

    The movie tells the true story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), a long-distance swimmer turned author and broadcast journalist who, with the assistance of her friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster), set out in her 60s to do something she wasn’t able to accomplish decades earlier: complete a free swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida — a distance of over 110 miles.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Nyad’?

    Karly Rothenberg as Dee, director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Annette Bening as Diana Nyad, Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll, Diana Nyad, Bonnie Stoll, Rhys Ifans as John Bartlett and director Jimmy Chin on the set of 'Nyad.'
    (L to R) Karly Rothenberg as Dee, director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Annette Bening as Diana Nyad, Jodie Foster as Bonnie Stoll, Diana Nyad, Bonnie Stoll, Rhys Ifans as John Bartlett and director Jimmy Chin on the set of ‘Nyad.’ Photo: Kimberley French/Netflix ©2023.

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  • ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Debuts Third Season Trailer

    From multi-hyphenate B.J. Novak’s sly, underrated ‘Vengeance’ to the new darkly comedic Peacock series ‘Based on a True Story,’ starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, there’s no shortage of films and shows which use true crime podcasts (and America’s love of them) as a leaping-off point to explore both fandom and obsessiveness.

    But the series which arguably helped kick-start if not fully cement the popular trend, Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ is coming back for another serving of dryly apportioned mayhem, with the first trailer for its 10-episode third season, debuting August 8th, both setting up the full arc of its new mystery and also giving fans a look at some its suspects.

    Paul Rudd May Not Age, But His Death in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Provides New Life for Its Characters

    Martin Short as Oliver, Selena Gomez as Mabel, and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu's 'Only Murders in the Building.'
    (L to R) Martin Short as Oliver, Selena Gomez as Mabel, and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.

    Following the surprise death of actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) in the finale of the show’s second season, unlikely friends Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin), Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez) find themselves thrust into an investigation of the tragedy that took place behind the scenes at Oliver’s Broadway show. It’s of course familiar territory for the trio, who first bonded by creating a podcast to explore the culprit behind a mysterious death at the Arconia, their shared Upper West Side apartment complex. “Who are we without a homicide?” asks Mabel in the trailer.

    The solution? Another iteration of their podcast, naturally. “Finding this killer is the only way you’ll ever have a show,” Mabel tells Oliver, playing to his self-interest. With everyone in the theater being a possible suspect — including costar Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep) — the threesome sets out to uncover who killed Oliver’s leading man, and why.

    Highlights of the trailer, which serves up brief glimpses of guest stars like Ashley Park and Jesse Williams, include Streep bumbling her way awkwardly through a table read, at least one white-room fantasy sequence, and Mabel admitting with a shrug that most of her conversations with Charles and Oliver revolve around murder “and how to connect Bluetooth — we talk about that a lot.” The trailer also seemingly points to no small amount of fun had at the expense of musical theater, touting original music from the composers of ‘La La Land,’ ‘Waitress’ and ‘Hairspray.’

    ‘Only Murders in the Building’ is co-created by writers Martin and John Hoffman, who also serve as executive producers along with Short, Gomez, ‘This Is Us’ creator Dan Fogelman, and Jess Rosenthal. Nominated for a total of seven Golden Globe Awards, along with six Emmy Award nominations in 2022 and three additional pending nominations this year, the series has proven to be a hit with critics, and therefore one of Hulu’s most recognizable and forward-facing shows.

    Related Article: ‘Only Murders in the Building’ adds Meryl Streep for Season 3

    Newsflash: Comedic Talent Attracts More Comedic Talent!

    Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu's 'Only Murders in the Building.'
    Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.

    The series has also proven a magnet for notable guest stars. For his role in “The Boy From 6B” in the first season, Nathan Lane won an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award. Sting, meanwhile, enjoyed some time trending on social media courtesy of his cameo as a fictionalized version of himself. Other high-profile comedic talent who’ve popped up in either guest or recurring roles include Tina Fey, Jane Lynch, Amy Schumer, Jimmy Fallon, Shirley MacLaine, Roy Wood Jr., and Jackie Hoffman.

    One can only hope that Streep — who’s had the chance to showcase some of her comedic gifts on the big screen in recent years with ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ ‘The Laundromat’ and ‘Don’t Look Up’ — gets the chance to fully deliver upon what looks like a richly silly character.

    Selena Gomez as Mabel, Martin Short as Oliver and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu's 'Only Murders in the Building.'
    (L to R) Selena Gomez as Mabel, Martin Short as Oliver and Steve Martin as Charles in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.

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  • Could Cillian Murphy Star as “Ken” in the ‘Barbie’ Sequel?

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    The haggard face of J. Robert Oppenheimer, taking a long draw on a cigarette, has already locked down a resounding victory in the great meme sweepstakes of Summer 2023, serving as downbeat, black-and-white counterpoint to the beaming radiance and saturated pink hues of ‘Barbie.’ But could ‘Oppenheimer‘ star Cillian Murphy actually pop up as Ken in a ‘Barbie’ sequel? Sure, according to the Irish actor himself.

    With opening weekend in the rearview mirror, the double feature of “Barbenheimer” — half grassroots campaign, half savvy contrivance — has proven to be a huge success, the rising tide of interwoven promotional campaigns for two very different films clearly lifting the commercial fortunes of each. Universal’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ from filmmaker Christopher Nolan, grossed $82 million domestically and around $174 million across the globe. Meanwhile, ‘Barbie,’ distributed by Warner Bros., raked in an astounding $162 million within the United States and $337 million worldwide.

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    Nolan’s film, needless to say, doesn’t particularly lend itself to the notion of sequels. But as part of a lucrative deal with toy manufacturer Mattel, Warner Bros. surely has visions of a healthy, long-lasting ‘Barbie’ franchise.

    There would be many different ways to spin things for a sequel, starting with whether director Greta Gerwig (and cowriter and real-life partner Noah Baumbach) wanted to stay involved. But one possibility that has gotten a good bit of traction — with a certain amount of encouragement and trial-balloon-floating from Warner Bros., one feels — is the idea of a spinoff focusing on Ken. Or, more accurately, Kens, plural.

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    Where Would “Science Ken” Fit in a Shared Barbie Universe?

    Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    In Gerwig’s film, Ryan Gosling stars as “Beach Ken” opposite Margot Robbie, who portrays the “stereotypical version” of the title character. Different variants of Ken are also portrayed by Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa and, yes, even John Cena. In praising not only Gosling’s performance but especially a choreographed dance number featuring the Kens, critics have noted some seemingly unique avenues of narrative opportunity.

    During a recent conversation with Omelete, Murphy was asked if he would be open to starring as a Ken in a potential ‘Barbie’ sequel. “Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure, yeah — let’s read the script, let’s have a conversation,” said Murphy with a smile.

    Murphy’s answer may, on the face of it, seem surprising to fans of the actor, best known for a variety of intense and smoldering characters, from ‘28 Days Later‘ and ‘Red Eye‘ to ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley‘ and ‘Peaky Blinders’ — as well as his five previous collaborations with Nolan, including Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in the director’s ‘Dark Knight‘ trilogy.

    Related Article: ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Debuts At Record-Setting Box Office Numbers

    Cillian Murphy’s “Kenergy” Is On Hold… For Now

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Still, those gleefully rubbing their palms together in anticipation of seeing Murphy get to flex his under-showcased comedic chops (and maybe even decked out in rollerblades and garish, neon-print fashion) shouldn’t commence with fan art just yet. Step one on the path toward his potential participation is finding the time to actually catch ‘Barbie.’

    “I can’t wait to see it — I can’t wait to see the movie,” said Murphy, acknowledging that he’s been a bit busy with his own promotional duties on behalf of ‘Oppenheimer.’ “I think it’s great for cinema to get all these great movies happening this summer.”

    Who knows — with a little luck, Murphy may, a couple summers hence, finally find himself on the smiling side of a meme.

    Simu Liu in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (Center) Simu Liu in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

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    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of 'Oppenheimer.'
    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

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  • ’Asteroid City’ Virtual Press Conference

    (L to R, Top Row) Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody, and Maya Hawke. (L to R, Bottom Row) Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Schwartzman, Jake Ryan and filmmaker Wes Anderson.
    (L to R, Top Row) Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody, and Maya Hawke. (L to R, Bottom Row) Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Schwartzman, Jake Ryan and filmmaker Wes Anderson.

    Director Wes Anderson has accrued, over the course of his career, 15 Academy Award nods and 10 Golden Globe nominations for his work. His films — known for their mannered, eccentric sincerity, underplayed emotions, and symmetrical compositions against diorama-style backgrounds — have also evolved into almost their own genre.

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    His 11th big-screen effort, ‘Asteroid City,’ recently enjoyed its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie takes place in a fictional desert town circa 1955, where the carefully planned weekend itinerary of a junior scholastic achievers group — organized to bring together gifted teenagers interested in science and technology — is interrupted by the arrival of an outer space alien.

    A government-mandated lockdown ensues. Against this backdrop, war photographer and newly single father of four Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) meets Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), an actress simultaneously accompanying her daughter and researching a new role.

    The additional wrinkle? This entire story is actually framed as a stageplay, whose creation and casting is being explored as part of an anthology TV series narrated by a buttoned-up host (Bryan Cranston).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a virtual press conference for ’Asteroid City.’ Taking part in the Q&A were writer-director Anderson, as well as stars Schwartzman, Johannson, Cranston, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Adrien Brody, Hope Davis, Jake Ryan, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, and Maya Hawke.

    Here are 10 things we learned from the ’Asteroid City’ press conference, edited for clarity and length.

    1. ‘Asteroid City’ Began as a Mash-Up of Three Ideas, Set in an Automat

    Writer/director Wes Anderson on the set of 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    Writer/director Wes Anderson on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features

    The film’s desert setting seems integral to both its telling, and the contrast that Anderson sought to develop and explore within his split narrative. But that wasn’t always the case.

    Wes Anderson: For me, starting a movie, starting to write a script, is usually not one idea for it. It’s a couple of ideas — two or three things. Roman Coppola and I created this thing together, and I would say on this one the three ideas were that we wanted to write a part for Jason Schwartzman at the center of a movie that would be something he hadn’t done before. So that was number one. We didn’t really know what it was, but we sort of had a few notions about what this character was going through. The second thing was we were interested in the setting of 1950s kind of New York theater, or a golden age of Broadway-ish thing. In this case, sort of the Actors Studio variety of it. And the other thing was we thought we’d tell a story of the play they’re putting on. And the original thing was a play called ‘Automat,’ and it was gonna all be (set) in this automat. And then we sort of decided, you know, that’s too small. So we expanded it just to the desert. And I guess it then became something like this interaction of a black-and-white New York stage and a color, CinemaScope-ish western kind of story, where everybody’s both an actor and the role they’re playing, and they kind of mix together.

    2. Anderson’s Use of Detailed Animatics Left Tom Hanks Initially Wondering If ‘Asteroid City’ Was an Animated Film

    Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    Hanks first met Wes Anderson 15 years ago in Rome, at a dinner. Though they’d crossed paths some since then, he was surprised to receive a casting solicitation via email — and wasn’t prepared for the animatic which accompanied it, a product of Anderson’s stop-motion animation productions.

    Tom Hanks: This came about literally because of a lovely email that said, “Would you like to come and join us?” And I said, “Yeah, sure.” But what is odd is he sends you a version of the movie that doesn’t really need you. The animatic of the film that he put together — which I thought was [Jason’s] voice, because I know they collaborate so much, but it was all just Wes — is incredible. So you see a complete animatic version of the movie, which I watched, and I called him up and said, “Well, I’m in, but I don’t see how you need anybody to do this now.” Because just the animatic looked like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to us! All this stuff that you hear about turned out to be true. I haven’t seen a Wes Anderson movie that I didn’t wish that I was in, so it was great to be a part of this and the role was great. I think [Wes] used the reference, “We’re looking for a retired Ronald Reagan-type.” And I go, “I’m your man, I can do that.”

    3. How the ‘Asteroid City’ Script Was Like a Bag of Halloween Candy

    Jason Schwartzman stars in 'Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.'
    Jason Schwartzman stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’

    Jason Schwartzman’s career is of course inextricably linked to Anderson’s, having made his film debut in 1998’s highly acclaimed ‘Rushmore.’ A quarter-century later, though, their relationship is still informed by the same dynamics.

    Jason Schwartzman: To be able to work with him is a really rare and special thing. And I think the one thing I value the most about our relationship is that it seems like it’s sort of as it was when we first met — like, the second we met, we started talking about music. It’s about sharing things that we were interested in. And I think that over the years, we’ve been through so many different things. But it’s fun to come back and to share the things that you’ve experienced with someone that you know and love. And it’s about going off and having adventures, you know? It’s kind of like Halloween — like dumping out all your stuff, you know, and seeing what you’re interested in. So when I read a script (of his), I’m catching up with my friend in a way too. So I think fundamentally, the idea of enthusiasm and curiosity about something else being out there — that’s, like, the fundamental thing of our relationship. And I think any good relationship, I guess, is letting the other person grow and then bring it back.

    4. Yes, Things Got Complicated For the Actors

    Scarlett Johansson stars in 'Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.'
    Scarlett Johansson stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’

    Almost all the actors in ‘Asteroid City’ have the challenge of playing their main, outward-facing characters, as well as the actors then portraying them. Sometimes, points of real-life reference helped in building out these complex characterizations — including for Scarlett Johannson, who had to play two performers.

    Scarlett Johannson: Wes and I talked about and kind of tried to figure out [what] old Hollywood star was the Midge Campbell character. We shared some ideas about what type of a person this could be, or what kind of career she could’ve had. Did she come through the Actor’s Studio? And what did she sound like? And, you know, I mean, I liked Bette Davis, because I thought her career was a good shape. And she felt like, you know, Bette Davis feels, I don’t know — when you watch her, she seems comfortable in the space she takes up. So I felt like that could be a good beginning. And also her voice, actually — she has a little bit of that Mid-Atlantic thing. So understanding where that came from and all that stuff was very helpful.

    5. Bryan Cranston Found Inspiration in Rod Serling and Ted Koppel

    Bryan Cranston stars as "Host" in writer/director Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    Bryan Cranston stars as “Host” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    If the framing device of ‘Asteroid City’ can seem confusing on the page, the personified glue that holds it together and makes it such an easygoing watch is Bryan Cranston’s emcee. For his role, the actor thought of himself as a venerable newscaster.

    Bryan Cranston: This is a movie about a television show that’s doing an expose on a theater piece. That in itself is kind of a Russian doll sort of thing. And then there’s the actors who are also playing (other roles). So when you read that in script form, it can be a little daunting. And whether you’re playing a lead part or a supporting role, you look for your slice — what is my contribution to the story? And in this, my expositional dialogue sets up the structure of what the audience is about to see. There were a lot of names — lots of interesting names that I had to get straight in my head. But I also thought, I should be the one without any emotion. I should just be a blank slate so that people just listen and then follow along and try to key in. Just open up, introduce, and then hand off — I thought that was probably the best thing I could do. So something almost like Rod Serling or Ted Koppel’s voice kept popping into my head — some kind of established journalistic presence is what I was going for.

    Related Article: Scarlett Johansson and Jason Schwartzman Talk Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’

    6. Jake Ryan Won His Role With an Audition Scene on Tape

    Jake Ryan as "Woodrow", Grace Edwards as "Dinah", Ethan Josh Lee as "Ricky", and Aristou Meehan as "Clifford" in writer/director Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Jake Ryan as “Woodrow”, Grace Edwards as “Dinah”, Ethan Josh Lee as “Ricky”, and Aristou Meehan as “Clifford” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    Jake Ryan had worked for Anderson before, in a small role in 2012’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom‘ and later providing a voice in ‘Isle of Dogs.’ But for the crucial role of Woodrow Steenbeck, Augie’s son, the filmmaker auditioned him just like any other actor — and was blown away by his maturity.

    Jake Ryan: After ‘Moonrise,’ we’ve sort of kept in touch. [Wes] had me be a part of, like, a bunch of different projects. I would like to think that I had matured a little bit (laughs), and vaguely understood what I was doing at this point. So when I got the audition for this, I mean, he knew me and I knew [Wes and Jason], kind of. But I was just excited to reunite. And after I got the part, I just felt like I wanted to prove to myself that I’ve grown up a little bit, I would say.

    Wes Anderson: You know what, can I say, the thing that struck me was, because I have known you for so long, I was like, well, probably this is just gonna be Jake. But we still read people. And Jake had done lots of other good work along the way. But the particular thing was, there’s a scene where you and Scarlett are on this train together. And this scene, I wasn’t really sure who it was even going to be, this understudy (character) — how does he fit in? And you did that one. I said we wanted to do a video of this, and you sent me a video and when I saw it, I said, “Wow, he’s definitely matured.” (laughs) I mean, you really played it like an actor who’s taking a scene and interpreting it, and in control of it. You were very, very good in that one.

    Scarlett Johannson: It’s only my favorite scene in the entire movie.

    7. Anderson Pushes His Actors, But In a Good Way

    Jeffrey Wright stars in 'Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.'
    Jeffrey Wright stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’

    According to Jeffrey Wright, Anderson’s eye for detail extends to insert shots, even if he’s not shooting them himself.

    Jeffrey Wright: So, you know, you do inserts in films. And usually it’s about, you know, five or ten minutes, a couple of shots, boom, of just inserted objects, and then you’re gone. We did an insert in this film… (laughs) there’s a moment in which my hand touches a holster, flips up the flap, and grips the weapon. That took about 60 takes. Four hours. But I understood why. Now, obviously, it’s not a performance thing for me, but it was really about trying to find a certain cleanliness to the [movement] that we couldn’t quite achieve until — and I’ll give away a little family secret, I guess — we had a prop guy standing to my left, the lens here to my right, my body hiding him. So I flip up the flap on the holster, and the prop guy puts his finger on it, keeps it up. The camera, the frame, is below his finger. And then I slide my hand down, and it worked. But it was really, like, kind of an equation that we had to figure out. And we finally figured it out. It was the wildest, strangest thing. But, you know, I kind of loved finding the answer.

    8. Despite This Perfectionism and His Fondness for Animatics, Anderson Is Still Open to Suggestions

    Writer/director Wes Anderson, actor Jason Schwartzman and actor Tom Hanks on the set of 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Writer/director Wes Anderson, actor Jason Schwartzman and actor Tom Hanks on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    Again, the incredible specificity of Anderson’s movies gives them a singular feeling. But he’s always up for fresh ideas, too. For Hanks, that included the notion of shooting golf chip shots in the background during the set-up for his character’s introduction.

    Tom Hanks: (As one of) the folks that were there for the first time, I wondered if we got to have ideas. I mean, do we get to, like, come in and say, “Hey, you know, I was thinking about this?” So we asked some of the veterans about it. And they said, “Yeah, sure, sure, sure.” And we would, but then [Wes] would say, “Well, we don’t have enough set to shoot that.” (laughs) You know, that would sometimes be something. But I found [Wes] to be just as flexible as anybody would be, provided that you’re not, you know, going south so far out of the realm of what [he’s] going for.

    9. ‘Asteroid City’ Reminded Some of Its Cast of Their Theater Days

    Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak, Hope Davis as Sandy Borden, and Tony Revolori as Aide-de-Camp in writer/director Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak, Hope Davis as Sandy Borden, and Tony Revolori as Aide-de-Camp in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    Anderson’s meticulously ordered movies evoke such a specific tone and feel that one wonders if they afford actors any freedom, or enjoyment. The answer is yes.

    Hope Davis: “The piece that feels theatrical is that it feels very loose, the way my early days in the theater felt — especially when we were rehearsing. We were all jumping around in the desert with air guns in our hands. It had that kind of looseness. You know, moviemaking can be very slow and dull. And this just felt so alive and so playful, so it reminds you why you got into [acting] in the first place for me. You’re finding it in the moment. I mean, some people come in and they know all their lines and they know where they want to go, but most of us, you’re finding it as you go. And I feel like we had the freedom to do that, but we also had the animatic in our heads, so we knew exactly what the frames were going to end up being.”

    10. No, Wes Anderson Is Not Breaking Up With Bill Murray

    Rupert Friend stars in 'Wes Anderson's Asteroid City.'
    Rupert Friend stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’

    In the confused timelines of some internet agitators, the absence of Bill Murray, a frequent Anderson collaborator, in ‘Asteroid City’ is a sign that the filmmaker is parting ways with the legendary performer in the wake of a sexual harassment complaint against him on the set of Aziz Ansari’s ‘Being Mortal’ — even though the incident in question occurred in April 2022, many months after Anderson’s film commenced shooting. The truth is that Murray contracted COVID, which prevented him from joining the cast. But he visited the production later during filming, providing a memorable moment for one of its costars.

    Rupert Friend: Wes wrote one of his more succinct stage directions in the scene where we have our musical number. It just said, “They dance.” That was it. We kept saying, “When’s the choreographer coming? When’s the rehearsal?” And it was like, “Oh, yeah, another time, another time.” [On the day of shooting] we hadn’t had any of that, and it was just a kind of go-for-it moment. I had a feeling of exuberance, because I remember it was actually an amazing moment. I don’t know if you saw this, Wes, but when we did our thing, I threw my hat in the air, and behind the camera that day, Bill Murray had come to visit set, and he just caught it at that exact moment. It was just perfect.

    Rupert Friend as "Montana", Stephen Park as "Roger Cho", Hope Davis as "Sandy Borden", Jason Schwartzman as "Augie Steenbeck", Tilda Swinton as "Dr. Hickenlooper", Jeffrey Wright as "General Gibson", Tony Revolori as "Aide-de-Camp", Bob Balaban as "Larkings Executive", Mike Maggart as "Detective #2", Fisher Stevens as "Detective #1" in writer/director Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Rupert Friend as “Montana”, Stephen Park as “Roger Cho”, Hope Davis as “Sandy Borden”, Jason Schwartzman as “Augie Steenbeck”, Tilda Swinton as “Dr. Hickenlooper”, Jeffrey Wright as “General Gibson”, Tony Revolori as “Aide-de-Camp”, Bob Balaban as “Larkings Executive”, Mike Maggart as “Detective #2”, Fisher Stevens as “Detective #1” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Asteroid City:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Asteroid City’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Wes Anderson Movies on Amazon

    ‘Asteroid City’ is produced by American Empirical Pictures and Indian Paintbrush. It is set to release in theaters on June 23rd, 2023.

  • ’Air’ Press Conference with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon

    Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in 'Air.'
    (L to R) Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in ‘Air.’ Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Biopics of well-known figures often struggle with condensing the lives of their subjects. But part of the brilliance of the very entertaining ‘Air,’ which reunites director-star Ben Affleck and good friend Matt Damon on screen, is the manner in which it smartly sidles up to a legendary figure — in this case basketball star and all-around icon Michael Jordan — and tells a very specific story that manages to illuminate not only an important time period in his life, but a broader moment in American culture.

    You see, ’Air’ tells an origin story, of sorts. Instead of a caped superhero, though, it’s about the unlikely genesis of Air Jordans — the shoe line which would come to dominate not only hoops culture but global business at large, presently racking up more than $5 billion in annual sales.

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    Based on the true tale of Nike’s attempts to woo Jordan to sign an exclusive shoe contract before he’s ever suited up and played a game of professional basketball, the movie stars Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the sports marketing executive and longtime hoops scout who pushes Nike chairman and CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to abandon the standard practice of spreading around endorsement deals, and instead put all their effort into signing one player he believes has the potential to be a star. Viola Davis and real-life husband Julius Tennon portray Deloris and James Jordan, the hoops legend’s loving parents.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a pair of virtual press conferences for ’Air,’ along with several other outlets. In attendance in one interview session were Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, and Matthew Maher, while the second session of the double-tilt featured Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Marlon Wayans, and screenwriter Alex Convery.

    Here are 10 things we learned from the ’Air’ press conference, edited for clarity and length.

    Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in 'Air.'
    Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in ‘Air.’ Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    1. Ben Affleck Was Going to Walk Away From the Film If Michael Jordan Asked Him To

    Ben Affleck is a Golden Globe Best Director winner, so his commitment behind the camera would be enough to get movies of a certain budget made. But his commitment to ‘Air’ wasn’t absolute.

    Ben Affleck: I went to speak to Michael, because I’ve been lucky enough to run across him a few times. I’m not gonna act like me and him are friends. I just like idolized the guy, and every now and again I’ve had a chance to spend time with him. It’s been very memorable for me, though probably he’s forgotten it. But I had at least enough of an in to say, “Hey, can I come see you and just run this past you?” Because to be honest, from a point-of-view of respect for him, his family, who he is, and what he means, the stupidest thing in the world would be to go make a movie that, (even though) he doesn’t appear in, nonetheless invokes his name and tells a part of his story, if he was opposed to. So if he said don’t do it, I just was gonna not do it. That would be that. And I was very, very prepared for that to be the result of (our conversation), because I had no reason to think he would be open to it or that he would welcome it. However, what I found was that he was very gracious when I said, look, this is not historically accurate, in the sense that I can’t dot every I and cross every T — this is gonna have to be something of a fable, a parable, an inspiring story. So I’m gonna take liberties in order to make it an hour and 30 or 40 minutes, but I don’t wanna violate anything that’s fundamentally important or true to you. So if you would please tell me what those things are, I promise you they’ll be sacrosanct. And I think it was telling that he wasn’t somebody who was like, “Whoa, we gotta talk about when I did this, and I did that,” (because) there are people who take that approach. He only talked about other people. He wanted to make sure that other people who were meaningful were included in the story. George Raveling was one of them. Then he also said Howard White is integral to this too.

    Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro in Air.'
    Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro in Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    2. Screenwriter Alex Convery Watched ’The Last Dance’ Just Like You

    The 10-episode Netflix docu-series ‘The Last Dance’ was a huge hit during the early months of the COVID pandemic. And in fact it birthed the idea for ‘Air.’

    Alex Convery: I’m a ’90s Chicago kid, which is where the Bulls and Michael Jordan and my connection comes from. But like everyone else, I was locked up during those first couple of months of quarantine, watching ‘The Last Dance.’ There’s a little five-minute clip about Nike and just how Air Jordans came together. And I was at a point in my career where, you know, you’re trying to write a script that gets noticed. So when you can explain the movie in one sentence — it’s a story of how Nike got Michael Jordan — it has that ability, you know? It goes to the top of the pile, and maybe people will give it a bit more of a chance. But like everything, it comes down to characters, right? So the question was, who can be the protagonist and the engine of this movie? And finding both Sonny and Deloris was really, to me, what elevated it above just a movie about a shoe and Michael Jordan. It’s finding the human elements in a very big movie. I call them “big little movies.” The little (part) being, this is just a movie about a shoe deal, right? It takes place over a week or so, and it’s small in scope, but the big part is when you say it’s about Nike and Michael Jordan. You could talk to 100 people on the street, and all 100 of them are going to know who Michael Jordan is and what Nike is. And to me, that’s what kind of elevates it above just a movie about a shoe.

    Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in 'Air.'
    Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in ‘Air.’ Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    3. Michael Jordan Asked For Viola Davis To Play His Mother

    The hoops G.O.A.T. had some casting advice for Ben Affleck, rooted in his strong relationship to his mother Deloris.

    Ben Affleck: (Michael) said, “You know, I didn’t wanna go to Portland. I would’ve signed my shoe rights away for life for a red Mercedes. My mom told me to go to Beaverton.” And when I saw how he talked about his mother — the regard and esteem in which he held her, the reverence and respect and adoration and love when he talked about his mother — it just shocked me, and shame on me for not kind of assuming this was the case. But when I heard it, I realized right away this is the story — and a beautiful story. It’s a story about Deloris Jordan and what she means to Michael, and that she’s emblematic of what so many mothers must have meant to so many athletes and entertainers and people in this business who are oftentimes very young and thrust into a world of fame and money that can be confusing, and must require enormous amounts of guidance. So I thought, actually this is brilliant. This is what the story is. This is beautiful, and this is the protagonist. And I said offhandedly (to Michael), who do you think should play your mom? And he said it has to be Viola Davis. I was like, okay. That’s kind of like saying, “Can I get a basketball team together? Sure. It has to (have) Michael Jordan.” You’re like, well, all right. (laughs) But then I thought, you know, this is very typical of who this guy is. Like, it has to be the very best, absolutely. So I knew that it was incumbent on us to create a role that was worthy of Viola, and we tried to do that.

    Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in 'Air.'
    Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    4. Viola Davis Found Her Character In a Preternatural Steadiness

    Michael Jordan is famously one of the most competitive and intense athletes of all time. His mother Deloris, though, had a different defining characteristic.

    Viola Davis: Stepping into the role, if you watch videos, Deloris Jordan is a study in Zen neutrality. The woman is very, very steady and quiet, you know? I mean, I would imagine that even when she gets mad, she’s probably very, very, very steady. (laughs) So to really just envelope that spirit and everything was a challenge for me, because I’m the woman who always has a chip on her shoulder. I go in bombastic, you know? So it was both flattering, challenging, and then just a joy to work with Matt and Ben and all these terrific actors. Me and Julius still talk about it to this day, as just one of the greatest experiences.

    Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in 'Air.'
    (L to R) Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballosa. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    Related Article: Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Team up for Nike Movie

    5. As With a Lot of Interesting Stories, ’Air’ Surprisingly Reframes a Known Character or Entity

    With annual revenue in excess of $45 billion, Nike is the undisputed giant of the footwear and athletic apparel industry. But not in ‘Air.’

    Matt Damon: We were really trying to capture the spirit of these people in this time more than anything — not exactly who said what at exactly what moment. All of these people on the Nike side, independent of one another, have talked about this time with such nostalgia. And that’s what we were trying to create and remind people about, you know? They were the underdog, which is such a weird way to think of Nike now. But before this incredible deal, they really were these renegades, and kind of outsiders. And so it really is one of those stories that comes along and you go, “Wow, this is really for everybody.” We used to call them feel-good movies. You should leave the theater with, like, a skip in your step.

    Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan and Julius Tennon as James Jordan in 'Air.'
    (L to R) Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan and Julius Tennon as James Jordan in ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    6. The Sensitivity Modeled in Deloris and James Jordan’s Relationship Mirrors Viola Davis’ Real-Life Relationship

    In real life, James Jordan modeled a quiet strength, preferring to let his wife Deloris handle most of the talking. But he stood by her fiercely. For Davis, parts of the relationship mirrored her own marriage with Julius Tennon.

    Viola Davis: That is our dynamic in real life. You know, Julius has told me since we got together, he said, “Vee [phonetic], now when you come home and it’s late at night, you make sure you don’t get out of that car until the gates close. And if someone’s following you, you lay on that horn and I’m gonna come out with my baseball bat, and I’ll put it on their ass.” (laughs) And, you know, I laid on the horn once by accident after coming home at three o’clock in the morning, and I counted to five. Julius came out with the baseball bat, and I knew — I was like, “That’s it, I’m gonna marry him. This is my dude.”

    Chris Messina as David Falk in 'Air.'
    Chris Messina as David Falk in ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    7. Chris Messina Enjoyed His Character’s Angry Phone Calls

    Chris Messina co-stars as David Falk, Michael Jordan’s famously hot-tempered agent. But for scenes in which he has heated phone calls, he wasn’t just yelling by himself.

    Chris Messina: When Ben calls you up, you don’t even need to read the script, because I’ve gotten to work with him now three times and it’s always an amazing experience. It’s always surrounded by great artists in front of the camera and behind the camera. So when I read it, I loved it, but I was like, “Oh shit, these are a lot of phone calls.” (laughs) But Ben did something that I’ve never done in my career, and I’ve done a lot of phone calls. Usually you call the other actor, the phone disconnects, or a script supervisor does it with you. But Matt and I were actually down the hallway from each other. We each had three cameras on us, and Ben would go back and forth from room to room, we’d all get together and we had a blast doing it. The script was amazing, but we could play, we could overlap, we could improvise.

    Marlon Wayans as George Raveling in 'Air.'
    Marlon Wayans as George Raveling in ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    8. Marlon Wayans Used YouTube For Research, But Wasn’t Aiming For an Impression

    In basketball circles, George Raveling is a well-known figure — and, as Marlon Mayans learned, one with other connections to history at large. But neither Wayans nor Affleck wanted an impersonation.

    Marlon Wayans: I did a crash course on YouTube, and I learned a lot about George Raveling. I learned he was a fantastic man. And when I read the monologue (in the movie), and the fact that that was real, and that he still has (the original copy of Martin Luther King’s) “I Have a Dream” speech in his possession, I just thought that it was an amazing character to play. And usually, the more you research, the better you can do in terms of your performance. But what I love was when we went on set, Ben was like, you know, “We’re not impersonating. You can bring you to it.” And for an actor that’s always the best thing you can do: when I can mix that person with my emotions and what you bring. The script was already written so beautifully, but also we got to play. Then I could get out of my head and really have fun. And that’s what it was. When I left the set, I just felt like if every day on that set felt like the first day, that’s going to be a magical movie.

    Chris Tucker as Howard White in 'Air.'
    Chris Tucker as Howard White in ‘Air.’ Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

    9. Ben Affleck Has Always Wanted to Work with Chris Tucker

    Everyone knows about Ben Affleck’s longtime friendship with Matt Damon. But ‘Air’ checked some other boxes for the multi-hyphenate, too.

    Ben Affleck: This is a group of people who either I had known for a long, long time, (many) of whom I’ve worked with multiple times and know well and adore and admire, and then people who have been my sort of life’s goal to work with, in Viola Davis and Chris Tucker. In fact, I think Chris can attest the number of times I’ve harassed him — he passed me by in a hotel lobby and I’m like, “Chris, Chris, Chris, I wanna do a movie with you!” (laughs) I feel like humor is the highest form of intelligence, you know what I mean? So I feel like guys like Chris are the smartest, most interesting people you can meet. People to find the humor and the joy in life is just a magic that I wanna be around. Like, a few times I’ve made him laugh and I take a secret pride in that. I’m like, “He just laughed at my joke!”

    Matthew Maher as Peter Moore in Air.'
    Matthew Maher as Peter Moore in Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    10. Matthew Maher Located a Similarity Between His Character, the Designer of the Iconic Air Jordans, and Athletes

    Of course, everyone knows Michael Jordan, too. But to hardcore sneaker-heads, designer Peter Moore is also a celebrity — and he even wore it like an athlete.

    Matthew Maher: Weirdly, Peter Moore just passed away like a week before I was offered the movie. And I definitely did dive in (for research), I read a lot of blogs and I watched documentaries where he was featured. But what shocked me was looking at his designs and his ideas, which were so amazing and ahead of their time, where he’s talking and he’s just like a regular guy, you know? He’s talking and he says, “Yeah, there was too much red and then we decided to just leave it that way.” He was very like direct (in all his descriptions). And I thought the biggest parallel was listening to how pro athletes talk about what they do, which is like, “Well, we just kept at it,” even though they’re doing these amazing things (that others can’t). A genius doesn’t always express himself very well when he’s talking about his (own) genius acts.

    Director Ben Affleck on the set of 'Air.'
    Director Ben Affleck on the set of ‘Air.’ Photo: Ana Carballos. © Amazon Content Servoces LLC.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Air:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Air’ Movie Showtimes

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    ‘Air’ is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. It is set to release exclusive in theaters on April 5, 2023.

  • Movie Review: ‘Inside’

    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis' 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis’ ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

    Willem Dafoe is a well-regarded actor who, over the course of a long and successful career, has earned the respect of his peers. When it comes to high-profile awards, though, Dafoe seems to be always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

    The recipient of four Academy Award nominations, three Golden Globe nods, and two individual Screen Actors Guild nominations, Dafoe has — somewhat astonishingly — never actually won any of those prizes. He’s picked up a couple of Independent Spirit Awards (for ‘Shadow of the Vampire’ and ‘The Lighthouse’), but otherwise contented himself with simply plying his trade, enjoying his craft and the company of those with whom he gets to indulge it.

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    Because Dafoe loves to work, is open to location shoots all over the globe, and makes himself readily available to auteurs (Wes Anderson, Sean Baker, Robert Eggers, Lars von Trier, Paul Schrader, David Lynch and Julian Schnabel, to name a few), the 67-year-old actor often finds himself cast in colorful supporting roles and/or as singular, frequently intense leading men.

    On the surface, a movie like ‘Inside’ would seem to slot in this same groove of Dafoe’s canon — a “performance piece” that provides ample showcase for its lead actor to strut about, and perhaps chew some scenery. After all, the project is basically a one-man show, in which the main character grapples with the psychological ramifications of being trapped in a single location.

    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis' 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis’ ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

    Willem Dafoe’s Experimental Stage Experience Comes Shining Through

    But ‘Inside,’ which opens in theaters on March 17th, actually overlaps much more considerably with some of the experimental theater work from early in Dafoe’s career. So while it lacks the type of big hooks which could take its narrative off in directions that would hold more mainstream appeal, this sort of experience — and Dafoe’s gifts with communicating a character’s rich interior life — makes him the ideal performer for this manner of experimental effort, which is basically a stage play masquerading (in fine cinematic form) as a film.

    ‘Inside’ opens with voiceover narration, featured in the trailer, that lets audiences know tightly bound to the movie’s lead character they will be. As Dafoe’s Nemo, a high-end art thief, conducts a timed heist of a tony New York City penthouse, he recalls being asked in school as part of an assignment what three items he would save in a house fire.

    When Nemo can’t find a particularly lucrative self-portrait, valued at $3 million, the break-in begin to unravel. The security system, previously thought to be disabled, sets off an alarm. Exterior doors lock shut, the colleague speaking to him via an earpiece disengages, and Nemo is left trapped. Doom seems imminent.

    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis' 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis’ ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

    Related Article: Willem Dafoe Talks Psychological Thriller ‘Inside’ and Acting by Himself

    What Happens When the Toilet Doesn’t Flush? Well, What Do You Think Happens?

    Then a funny thing happens. As he tries to smash his way out, the apartment’s A/C system malfunctions, turning on the heat. A mostly-empty talking refrigerator yields only truffle shavings, caviar and a couple sips of water. When those supplies are exhausted, Nemo is left to hungrily slurp freezer walls. As hours turn into days, and days then turn into weeks, Nemo comes to view closed-circuit security camera footage from the building as entertainment, fixating on a cleaning lady, Jasmine (Eliza Stuyck), who can never hear him.

    There are of course a fair number of single-location escape movies (Vincenzo Natali’s ‘Cube’) as well as no shortage of films that tell stories of stranded desolation (Robert Zemeckis’ ‘Cast Away’). ‘Inside’ will remind some viewers of the latter, which is fair and accurate insofar as both are told through an existential lens. But there’s even less accommodation for general audiences than in ‘Cast Away.’

    Save one well-produced vision of an art show, ‘Inside’ doesn’t lean into hallucinations. It also eschews heavy plotting, instead alternating various escape or outside-contact schemes (some with long arcs, some short) with Nemo just watching TV, making meals, or puttering about.

    There’s no ticking clock as it relates to events unfolding onscreen, nor any identified outside threat. Once Nemo is cut loose by his unseen colleague, he’s alone with only his thoughts — save a couple tropical fish in an aquarium, and a pigeon with a wounded wing fluttering outside on the balcony.

    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis' 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis’ ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

    Don’t Expect Any Bonding With a Bloody Volleyball Named Wilson

    Debut feature director Vasilis Katsoupis — working from a script by Ben Hopkins, based on an idea by Katsoupis — is using one man’s capture, and downward spiral, as a mechanism by which to explore identity, community and human frailty.

    The film’s narrative therefore rests on more intellectual and metaphorical planes. As Nemo piles furniture higher and higher, in an effort to reach the apartment’s skylight, the intersection of two different art forms provides some food for thought; the stack of objects becomes its own piece of “art,” in a way. Likewise, one is left free to ponder the implications and symbolic significance of Nemo’s inability to locate a self-portrait as being the inciting incident of this situation.

    Dafoe’s acting, of course, is the glue which holds ‘Inside’ together. And it’s the type of performance that only someone trained in the theatrical arts could craft — rejecting signposted emotionality or easy, obvious choices that communicate only surface feelings.

    Dropping out of college after a year-and-a-half, Dafoe cut his teeth, professionally, at the experimental collective Theatre X in his home state of Wisconsin. From there Dafoe moved on to New York City. In the 1970s, he worked with the avant-garde Performance Group, training under Tisch School of the Arts professor emeritus Richard Schechner, before then tackling exploratory theater work with the Wooster Group over the next 20-plus years. This foundational experience — as well as Dafoe’s lack of vanity, frequently seen in some of his more iconic roles — benefits his work here, making Nemo a fascinating character, open to various interpretations.

    Actor Willem DaFoe and director Vasilis Katsoupis on the set of 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    (L to R) Actor Willem DaFoe and director Vasilis Katsoupis on the set of ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

    By Marrying Inward-Facing Storytelling With Smart Cinematic Packaging, the Film Opens Up Avenues of Metaphorical Interpretation

    Katsoupis is additionally abetted by solid work from his below-the-line team. Production designer Thorsten Sabel helps craft a set that, as it experiences degradation and destruction, takes on interesting new contours. The paintings and art installation pieces chosen for the space (some recreated, some commissioned) serve up their own additional commentary (“All the time that will come after this moment,” reads a signature in neon).

    Editor Lambis Haralambidis achieves a graceful, intuitive rhythm to the proceedings, while cinematographer Steve Annis uses smart inserts (sweat beading on Dafoe’s neck) and evocative overall framing to elevate the material, and keep it cinematic despite the contained shape of its narrative.

    Composer Frederik van de Moortel contributes a score which plugs into Nemo’s deteriorating psyche without nudging viewers in over-obvious fashion. And, without giving away anything specific about the ending, the use of the cyclical, shuffling “Pyramid Song,” the lead single from Radiohead’s fifth album ‘Amnesiac,’ over the end credits lends the conclusion an appropriate blend of serenity and melancholy.

    In the end, is ‘Inside’ a movie that is going to break through with mainstream filmgoers? No, probably not. But, much to its credit, neither is it designed to. Its appeal may be relatively niche, with a subset of movie fans who more easily find reward in inward-facing stories that raise philosophically-tinged questions about the relatively fleeting nature of human existence and the ways in which we choose (or are forced) to spend our time. Thank goodness an actor as interesting as Dafoe chose to spend time ‘Inside.’ He makes this film worthwhile.

    ‘Inside’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis' 'Inside,' a Focus Features release.
    Willem Dafoe stars as Nemo in director Vasilis Katsoupis’ ‘Inside,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wolfgang Ennenbach / Focus Features.

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    Buy Tickets: ‘Inside’ Movie Showtimes

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    ‘Inside’ is produced by A Private View, Bord Cadre Films, Heretic, Schiwago Film, Sovereign Films, Greek Film Centre, Screen Flanders, and Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, and is scheduled for release on March 17th.

  • Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and More Talk ‘Citadel’ Trailer Debut

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    Prime Video is betting big on the spy series ‘Citadel,’ positioning the April 28 premiere of its six densely plotted first season episodes (two upon launch, the rest unspooling weekly throughout May) as a global television event. The Amazon streaming service, seeking to further define and carve out a brash new identity with consumers, is positioning the show as a “mothership” anchor, along with two local-language satellite series set in India and Italy.

    Executive produced by Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO, and overseen by show-runner David Weil, the series opens eight years after the fall of the Citadel, a shadowy, independent spy agency loyal to no nation. The group was taken down by Manticore, a powerful criminal syndicate puppeteering the world from the shadows, who apparently killed off plenty of Citadel agents but erased the memories of others, like Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who narrowly escaped with their lives.

    Desperately needing the help of his former Citadel colleague to prevent Manticore from establishing a new world order, Nick Fury… err, sorry, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) tracks down Mason, who in turn reconnects with his old partner Nadia. Unaware of their pasts but plugged back in to their very special set of skills, the two spies embark on a mission that takes them around the world, all while contending with a complicated relationship built on a shuffled deck of secrets and lies. In addition to the aforementioned stars, Lesley Manville and a host of well-recognized international faces such as Varun Dhawan and Matilda De Angelis pop up in recurring roles.

    Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    (L to R) Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’

    Joe and Anthony Russo Aim to Apply Their Expertise at World-Building to the Spy Genre

    No strangers to sprawling narrative world-building after their record-smashing work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Russo brothers turned plenty of heads when the deal between AGBO and Amazon was first announced.

    “The concept was an idea that (Amazon Studios CEO) Jen Salke presented to us a few years ago,” recalled Joe Russo during a special press event introducing the project’s trailer. “The notion of telling a story that could be interwoven throughout the world — it would have a flagship show, and then regional shows written, produced and directed by regional talent — we thought was, one, such a novel idea for a narrative. And, two, it was an amazing way to create a really diverse global community of storytellers to tell a giant mosaic of a narrative together. After our work on the Marvel films, and spending so much time traveling the globe, this was an idea I think that was really exciting to Anthony and I, and ignitable for us, (even if it) seemed like an incredible challenge.”

    Anthony Russo agreed. “It feels like this is something Joe and I’ve been working toward for many years now,” he said. “As storytellers, we really love the engagement of the global film community. So it was an incredible opportunity, and we went to work trying to find the right story that could sort of fulfill that ambition.”

    Their search for a collaborator led them to David Weil, already well known to Amazon for his work as the creator-writer of both ‘Hunters‘ and the anthology drama series ‘Solos,’ among other projects. He was drawn, like a moth to a flame, to the same elements that attracted the Russo brothers.

    “What’s so both beautiful and ambitious about this entire spy-verse, or spy universe, that we’re creating is that we’re doing it in tandem with partners all around the world,” said Weil, name-checking the announced Indian and Italian spin-offs. “We get to work with these incredible writers, filmmakers, actors and producers truly from all around the world, and build this entire story together. So it becomes this tapestry told in different languages through different cultures, but in a very authentic way. It’s not just a Western point-of-view that we’re [imposing upon] the story. We really are doing something original, and really holding hands and building this at the same time with all of our fellow creators and producers.”

    Richard Madden in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    Richard Madden in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’

    Multiple Versions of Characters, But Don’t Call It a Multi-Verse

    While the grand plan may be for ‘Citadel’ and its satellite shows to interlock as puzzle pieces, the creators realize none of those aspirations matter without compelling characters. And, to that end, the Russos and Weil wanted to make sure that there was plenty of meat on the bone for performers to challenge themselves with, as well as keep viewers guessing.

    “Both Richard and Priyanka get to play multiple versions of themselves, and this notion that their memories have been erased allows them to create new characters who then have to rediscover who they were,” said Joe Russo. “Then, their new personalities come in conflict with their old personalities. And that, to us, was the idea that I think most excited us, because I don’t know that I’ve ever seen that before — where you have multiple characters dealing with a crisis of personality and a crisis of conscience.”

    That dynamic made things thrilling for Chopra Jonas and Madden — but also quite challenging. “I think the show has so many layers and complexities,” said Chopra Jonas, “and there’s a word that we used from the beginning, which was duality, for every character. What you see is what you don’t get. Don’t believe what you see. Everything is just conceptually crazy.”

    Unpacking his character a bit, Madden reflected upon the heady philosophical questions that he found ‘Citadel’ raised, both during production and long after the first season shoot had finished.

    “They are both the same man in lots of different ways, but with each version of them, you pull out different aspects of kind of humanity, and who they are as people,” he said. “One of them carries a lot of scars from the past and a lot of trauma. And the other one doesn’t carry any of that baggage — he just has a whole bunch of unknown to him. So we end up having these two very different characters, and that’s kind of what was exciting to explore about them — (the notion of) how much of your character traits are built into you, and how much are inherited through trauma and experience?”

    Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.'
    Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’

    Priyanka Chopra Jonas Is Scarred by ‘Citadel’… Literally

    Since the series is built around spies and lies, the debut trailer — which includes fisticuffs on a train, some gunplay, and a base-jumping leap off of a building — leans into a couple familiar modes of expression that will perhaps trip wires of memory sensation amongst genre audiences. There’s a pinch of the flirty banter from ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith,’ for example, as well as a little bit of the did-I-really-just-do-that? bewilderment of Jason Bourne discovering the full extent of his hand-to-hand combat abilities in ‘The Bourne Identity.’ The action, viewers are shown, is going to be abundant.

    For Chopra Jonas, in fact, it was a scarring experience.

    “You see this scar on my eyebrow?” she asks, pointing toward her left temple. “Yeah, that’s courtesy of ‘Citadel.’ I don’t even cover it anymore.”

    Still, she’s not complaining. In fact, the erstwhile ‘Quantico’ star quite loved the overt physicality of the show. “I think Joe and Anthony brought the most incredible stunt team onto the show — I mean, obviously, with their repertoire,” said Chopra Jonas. “And I got to explore a lot of that with the stunts that we did. Every time I would read new pages, the stunts would just get bigger and bigger and bigger. So it was amazing to be able to imagine that, and then walk on the set and actually execute it.”

    Madden, meanwhile, wants prospective viewers to come to the show expecting a well-measured blend of big-budget spectacle, and top-shelf small screen character plotting. “I think oftentimes we see shows that are 80 percent drama and 20 percent action, or vice versa. This show aimed to be 100 percent of both,” he said.

    “And I think that’s what we’ve managed to pull off, because in the middle of these huge sequences with explosions and cars blowing up and all of that, we have this really intimate drama between these two characters, and how they dance together,” Madden continued. “So, for me, that’s what was so exciting about these huge action pieces — that they are infused with heart and drama and storytelling. We get to see a lot about these characters, and how they physically interact, (because) there’s drama at the heart of each one of them.”

    Chopra Jonas concurs. “The choices in the action pieces are made because of what the characters are feeling,” she said. “So there’s a story interwoven into all the stunts.”

    Even if, sometimes, they end up leaving a mark.

    Stanley Tucci and Richard Madden in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    (L to R) Stanley Tucci and Richard Madden in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’
    Stanley Tucci in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    Stanley Tucci in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’
    Lesley Manville in Prime Video's 'Citadel.'
    Lesley Manville in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’
    Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.'
    Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’
    Richard Madden in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    Richard Madden in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’
    Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video's ‘Citadel.’
    (L to R) Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Prime Video’s ‘Citadel.’

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  • Director Matt Shakman Gives An Update on ‘Fantastic Four’ Timeline

    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.'
    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

    Ever since the announcement of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga (well… maybe even beforehand, let’s be honest), fans have indulged in MCU parlor games of speculation, where even non-news can, in its own perverse way, be considered news.

    Castings deferred, production dates moved or extended, and theatrical release dates shifted — these are all clues from the beyond, tea leaves or puzzle pieces (depending on your metaphor of choice) to be sifted through.

    Of course, several Phase Four films (most notably ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’) have offered up big hints about the unfolding direction of the MCU’s sprawling, multi-film narrative canvas.

    But with things officially shifting into Phase Five with the impending release of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ what can fans reasonably expect, looking out further on the horizon, with regards to the hotly anticipated return of the MCU’s first family, the Fantastic Four?

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    Director Matt Shakman Confirms ‘Fantastic Four’ Shooting Timeline

    Director Matt Shakman, who turned in superlative, Emmy-nominated worked on ‘WandaVision,’ gave a bit of insight on things in a conversation with Collider, noting that filming on ‘Fantastic Four’ wouldn’t commence until “Early next year.”

    In and of itself, in a vacuum, that might not seem like a big deal. But, along with 2024’s ‘Deadpool 3,’ Shakman’s film will not only be tasked with reintroducing beloved comic characters within the context of the MCU, but also feeding into 2025’s ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ and the following year’s ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’

    The former, set to be helmed by Shawn Levy, made news for confirming Hugh Jackman’s return as James “Logan” Howlett/Wolverine. And, of course, stars Ryan Reynolds and Jackman have continued to stoke the embers of that free media with a goodnatured online rivalry/bro-fest.

    The casting of ‘Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm (last embodied on the big screen by Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell, respectively, in director Josh Trank’s 2015 effort) would therefore seem to require some significant star power. Shakman, in his chat with Collider, noted that nothing was yet firm and that any casting rumors circulating online were just that — rumors.

    The ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ casting of John Krasinski as an Earth-838 version of Richards seemed, in its own way, a savvy potential trial balloon of sorts. Social media buzzed in advance of the film’s release (some fans weighing in positively, others crying foul, unable to see beyond Krasinski’s role of Jim Halpert), and the specifics of the Earth-838 revelation garnered big in-theater reactions with opening weekend audiences.

    John Krasinski as Reed Richards in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.'
    John Krasinski as Reed Richards in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

    Related Articles: Director Matt Shakman in Talks for ‘Fantastic Four’

    Multiverse Saga Allows Producer Kevin Feige a Multitude of Casting Options

    Producer Kevin Feige is a masterful showman and public face for the record-smashing Marvel Studios productions. And with the Multiverse Saga, he has a story series custom-built for sleight of hand and media puppet-mastery. In this sense, Marvel seems poised to potentially have its cake and eat it too.

    With Jonathan Majors locked in as multiversal adversary Kang the Conqueror and making his debut in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ it seems a safe bet that, whatever exact source material Feige and company choose to most lean into for the aforementioned ‘The Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Secret Wars,’ it will embrace maximum (controlled) chaos.

    One wouldn’t be surprised, necessarily, to see Krasinski pop up as Richards — or even Teller. Opposite and in addition to, of course, another performer. So when Shakman says casting rumors are gossip, he’s not lying. Just expect that statement to also remain evergreen for the next couple years.

    Marvel Studio's 'Fantastic Four.'
    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

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    Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four’ is scheduled for release in 2024 and will be directed by Matt Shakman. The movie will be set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and is based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name.

  • Movie Review: ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’

    Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza and Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza and Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Claudette Barius. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Magic Mike,’ loosely inspired by the atmosphere and energy of some of star-producer Channing Tatum’s own experiences in an all-male revue as a teenager, was a huge surprise box office hit for Warner Bros. in 2012, grossing $167 million in theaters against a minuscule $7 million budget. Three years later, with director Gregory Jacobs stepping in for Steven Soderbergh behind the camera, follow-up ‘Magic Mike XXL’ grossed $123 million. A loose-limbed, well-oiled, unexpected franchise seemed born.

    There’s a clarity of purpose in the first two ‘Magic Mike’ films. While actually quite different in tone, they are both movies which center the female gaze and, with goodnatured affability, invite men to ponder the fact that maybe, just maybe, there is value in working to be seen as desirable, in addition to treating women with respect. Sadly, the third installment lands in fuzzy and unfocused fashion as a sequel that’s lost its way — uncertain of what its place in the world is, or for whom it is supposed to exist.

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    A Script That Borrows From ‘Magic Mike’ Stage Show, But Still Represents Only Missed Opportunities

    Interestingly, that description very much mirrors the set-up for the plot of ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ and the plight of its title character. When we first catch up with Mike, voiceover narration explains in exacting detail how Mike hasn’t been able to withstand the economic stresses of life in, and after, a pandemic. Ergo, he’s tending bar as part of the catering waitstaff at a swanky private fundraiser.

    This fact could set the table for a fascinating exploration of the gig economy, or even just shifting values in an era of socioeconomic tumult and considerable uncertainty. (After all, Soderbergh and Tatum aren’t dumb.) Instead, audiences are left with what feels like a wan, dutiful, by-the-numbers effort which borrows unimaginatively from real life (Tatum directed a ‘Magic Mike Live’ London stage show in 2018) without digging down into anything of interest or substance about the character that might advance a viewer’s understanding of him, or deepen their rooting interest.

    Despite Tatum’s undeniable physical prowess (“You move like water,” says one character early on), this nearly two-hour entry is vacuumed almost entirely free of gleefulness and mischievousness, two of the qualities which most elevated its predecessors. The result is a curiously flat misfire, interrupted only by a small handful of lively moments and two or three pulse-quickening, well-staged dance numbers.

    Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    How Much Does It Cost to Rent Channing Tatum For One Month?

    The movie opens in Miami, at the aforementioned party. At the end of the evening, with Mike Lane (Tatum) having been recognized by an attendee, host Max Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault) asks him for a private lap dance. After initially turning her down, Mike relents when Max offers him $6,000. What follows is an acrobatic bump-and-grind session which makes creative use of various chairs, tables and support beams. Max, awakened and inspired, then insists that Mike accompany her back to London. Her proposition: stay with her for a month, and she will pay him $60,000.

    In the light of day, Max’s offer comes into sharper focus. Potentially undergoing a divorce from her media scion husband, Max breezes into a historic venue the couple owns, the Rattigan Theater, and abruptly cancels the stuffy, marry-for-money-or-love costume drama, ‘Isabel Ascendant,’ that is in rehearsals. She installs Mike as the new creative director, empowers his air-quote vision, and tasks him with mounting (ahem) a new show that taps into and recreates the enlightenment she experienced from his dance.

    Cue the obligatory montage, as the pair recruit an array of dancers. While Mike grapples with the realities of this incredible whirlwind experience, he also leans some on Max’s put-upon butler Victor (Ayub Khan Din) and adoptive, sardonic daughter Zadie (Jemelia George), in an effort to try to better understand his new benefactor.

    Channing Tatum as Mike Lane and Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Channing Tatum as Mike Lane and Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Claudette Barius. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Articles: First Look Image From ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’

    Are There Any Dances That Can Measure Up To the Original Film’s Ginuwine’s “Pony” Number?

    Screenwriter Reid Carolin, a longtime Tatum collaborator, has received solo credit on all three movies, so one can’t reasonably accuse him of not understanding the core appeal of the franchise. Instead, the failures of ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ don’t feel egregious, or particularly active. They feel passive — in choices not made, avenues not explored. Somewhat depressingly, this leads one to the conclusion that the storytelling well here had simply run dry.

    The use of Zadie (who the movie tells us is writing a novel) to provide sporadic but knowing voiceover about both Mike and her mother feels like a weird choice — a fact highlighted even further in the movie’s finale, when it runs headlong into the issue of her presence at Mike’s sexually charged stage show debut, and has Victor cover her eyes.

    Additionally, Carolin’s script never really solves the set-up of Max and Mike’s complicated relationship. Nor does it take it anywhere believable. Tatum and Hayek Pinault (who replaced Thandiwe Newton after shooting had already commenced) have a good chemistry together, and the movie courts intrigue by presenting Max as an impulsive dilettante, prone to whimsically adopting new hobbies and personas that she abandons once she achieves mental equilibrium.

    Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza in Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza in Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photo: Claudette Barius.

    While some scenes are a little uneven and work better than others, Hayek Pinault gives off an amusing manic energy throughout. So for a moment it seems as if the movie is going to use that to explore the idea of Mike’s self-checkmate owing to economic preoccupation. Unfortunately, without giving too much away, the film abandons this in favor of far more traditional plotting. This rings enormously false.

    The first two ‘Magic Mike’ films were in large measure hangout movies that coasted on charisma and vibes (‘Magic Mike XXL’ in particular), while scoring points for sociological insight around the edges. Dense plotting was, to be certain, not part of their appeal. But the whole “vibe” portion of ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ never really clicks into focus, either — the supporting cast of dancers remain personality-free background players. This leaves viewers just biding time, checking their watches as they wait for the next dance sequence.

    It’s here, of course, that ’Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ scores its highest marks. The original film memorably featured a solo dance set to Ginuwine’s “Pony,” and this installment has arguably two show-stoppers. Tatum’s opening dance for/with/on Hayek Pinault is a thing of rather mesmerizing beauty — bold and erotic and at times even funny. Then, after the movie makes much ado of his character not dancing, Tatum returns for a water-infused duet with ballet dancer Kylie Shea. Mixing power and grace, this sequence has an element of danger; it’s legitimately great.

    Other performances include a brief, bus-set group effort used to secure the approval of a bureaucrat (don’t ask), and a twice-used recreation (once solo, once in group form in its finale) of a number that’s become a staple of live ‘Magic Mike’ stage performances, in which Mike and his charges celebrate the notion of obtaining consent from females, set to Ro James’ slinky “Permission.”

    Director Steven Soderbergh on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Director Steven Soderbergh on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Claudette Barius. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Final Verdict

    Overall, the degree to which ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ borrows from the stage show, without building out any of those numbers in a particularly compelling way, is disappointing. Emotionally, the movie doesn’t really take its title character anywhere new, and neither does it honor its new characters with complexity. This dance simply marks time, sadly reminding one of what once was in the franchise.

    ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ receives  4 out of 10 stars.

    Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza and Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy 'Magic Mike's Last Dance,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Salma Hayek Pinault as Maxandra Mendoza and Channing Tatum as Mike Lane in Warner Bros. Pictures musical comedy ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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    ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ will be released in theaters on February, 10th from Warner Bros., and was written by Reid Carolin, and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The movie stars Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum, and is rated R for sexual material and language.

  • ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Sequel to Reunite Original Cast

    Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 1997's 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.'
    (L to R) Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’ Photo: Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection.

    In horror movies, famously, almost no one is ever really dead. And in our current, not-yet-crested wave of pop cultural nostalgia, no old entertainment property is deemed unworthy of an excavation or potential reboot.

    These two separate truths meet in a hearty high-five with today’s news, according to Deadline, that a “legacy-quel” is in the works for the 1997 teen slasher flick ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ with original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. already in talks to return.

    Looking to renew their IP control, Sony Pictures, which produced the first film, recently took a meeting with director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and actress-turned-screenwriter Leah McKendrick (‘Deviant Love,’ ‘M.F.A.‘), and liked what they heard enough to give a green light to their pitch. Original series producer Neal H. Moritz is also potentially rejoining the project.

    The news comes, of course, after Paramount successfully rebooted the ‘Scream’ franchise last year, to the tune of $140 million in theatrical receipts, with a movie that blended old, familiar franchise faces and new characters.

    It also follows a previous stab at franchise rejuvenation which stalled out. A little over eight years ago, coming on the heels of the buzzy, well-regarded low-budget horror movie ‘Oculus,’ Sony committed to a ‘Summer’ reboot from writer-director Mike Flanagan, who would go on to make ’Before I Wake’ and ‘Doctor Sleep.’ It was put on their release calendar for 2016, but never started shooting, and was eventually cancelled.

    Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in 1997's 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.'
    (L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’

    Based on the bestselling, red herring-heavy 1973 young adult suspense novel by Lois Duncan, the original movie centered around four young friends, bound together by a tragic accident and its cover-up, who are reunited when they receive a threatening note and subsequently find themselves being stalked by hook-wielding maniac who is also heavily into Gorton’s Fisherman cosplay. A $125 million box office hit, the 1997 movie helped launch the big screen careers of Hewitt, Prinze, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

    With last year’s ‘Scream’ already having taken a bit of the steam out of legacy sequels, in addition to having some fun at the expense of so-called elevated horror, it remains to be seen what form and direction a new ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ will take.

    While 1996’s ‘Scream’ and the original ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ shared a screenwriter in Kevin Williamson, the former leaned into a post-modern, self-referential tone, while the latter embraced much more conventional genre plotting.

    The original ‘Summer’ was followed by two sequels, 1998’s ’I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,’ which also featured Hewitt and Prinze, and 2006’s more supernaturally-oriented ‘I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer,’ which featured an entirely new cast.

    Presumably the new movie will not feature a plot which extensively drills down into a strenuous and grammatically exacting unpacking of just which summer’s events are actually now known, and thus subject to deadly score-settling, but tiresome pedants everywhere would surely celebrate such a plot. Rather, one can expect a somewhat more streamlined tale of unearthed secrets and murderous revenge, leaning into the adage that the past is never really dead.

    A co-screenwriter on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and consulting producer on ‘Hawkeye,’ Robinson made her feature directorial debut with 2019’s romantic comedy ‘Someone Great,’ and additionally drew positive notices for ‘Do Revenge,’ a high school-set black comedy loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Strangers on a Train.’ Her latest effort, it seems, could involve a bit more blood.

    Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. in 1997's 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.'
    (L to R)Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’
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