Moviefone Editorial

Author: Katie Roberts

  • 2019 Emmy Nominations: ‘Game of Thrones’ Breaks Yet Another Record

    2019 Emmy Nominations: ‘Game of Thrones’ Breaks Yet Another Record

    HBO

    HBO’s recently-wrapped fantasy epic “Game of Thrones” was expected to clean up at this year’s Emmy nominations, and boy, did it ever, snagging a whopping 32 nods for its eighth and final season. And with that tally, the show has once again broken another Emmys record.

    This latest batch of nominations has officially certified “Thrones” as the drama series to earn the most nods for a single season. It bested an impressive 25-year record set by ABC’s “NYPD Blue,” which notched 27 nominations for a single season back in 1994.

    “Game of Thrones” had previously set the all-time total Emmy nominations record, with its cumulative 129 nods earned as of 2018 (a record that it’s now broken once again). And it had also become the winningest primetime series ever at the Emmys, taking home 47 statuettes as of last year (yet another record that we think will soon be topped).

    As Entertainment Weekly notes, one of the most impressive aspects of this year’s “Thrones” achievement is that every single actor that HBO submitted for awards consideration — and several who submitted themselves — all received nods, bringing the show’s total acting nominations tally this year to nine. That was no doubt welcome news for Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke, who switched their eligibility from the supporting categories to lead last year, and were shut out; this year, they both made the cut.

    Sophie Turner received her first-ever nomination this year, in the supporting category, helping “Thrones” to set yet another record. It’s now the only drama series to have four actresses represented in the supporting field in one year (Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, and Gwendoline Christie), beating the previous record of three.

    Expect even more Emmys history for “Thrones” when awards are handed out. The 71st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are slated for Sunday, September 22 on Fox.

    [h/t Entertainment Weekly]

  • ‘Jack Reacher’ Series in the Works at Amazon

    ‘Jack Reacher’ Series in the Works at Amazon

    Paramount Pictures

    Action hero Jack Reacher is making the leap to the small screen, with Amazon nabbing the rights to turn author Lee Child’s bestselling books into a TV series.

    Deadline reports that the project will be spearheaded by Nick Santora, who previously created CBS series “Scorpion.” Santora will write, executive produce, and serve as showrunner on the new drama.

    For those keeping track at home, yes, the Reacher character has already appeared on the big screen, in a pair of films starring Tom Cruise as the titular ex-Army investigator. And while 2012’s “Jack Reacher” and 2016’s “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” performed well at the box office, Child admitted late last year that he didn’t entirely agree with Cruise’s casting, thanks to the actor’s diminutive height.

    “The size of Reacher is really, really important and it’s a big component of who he is. The idea is that when Reacher walks into a room, you’re all a little nervous just for that first minute,” the author explained at the time. “And Cruise, for all his talent, didn’t have that physicality.”

    Presumably, the search will now be on for a much taller actor to fill Reacher’s shoes. But the creative team appears to be aiming for a similar vibe to the films, securing original studio Paramount as a producer, and director Christopher McQuarrie as an executive producer.

    There are more than 20 books in Child’s bestselling series. Stay tuned to find out which ones make the cut for the TV drama.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Margot Robbie ‘Barbie’ Movie Taps Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach to Write Script

    Margot Robbie ‘Barbie’ Movie Taps Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach to Write Script

    A24

    The upcoming “Barbie” movie starring Margot Robbie as the iconic plastic doll is getting a major dose of indie cred, with celebrated filmmakers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach joining the production to write the script. Gerwig may also direct the project.

    While Gerwig and Baumbach have made some lauded films — Gerwig was nominated for the Best Director and Best Original Screenplay Oscars for 2017’s “Lady Bird,” while Baumbach received a Best Original Screenplay nod for 2006’s “The Squid and the Whale” — they’re not exactly known for product-driven, blockbuster fare. So why, then, would Warner Bros. hire the indie darling duo for such a big brand name flick?

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, the unlikely pairing makes sense precisely because it’s so odd. Now, not only will audience interest be piqued, but “Barbie” is much more likely to have a distinct voice — and set itself apart from similar fare — with such notable talent behind the scenes.

    It also seems likely that “Barbie” courted Gerwig specifically thanks to her talent for telling female-driven stories. Earlier this year, Robbie noted that the Barbie brand was an empowering one that celebrated creativity, and encouraged kids to pursue their dreams. Gerwig’s particular point of view dovetails nicely with that sentiment, and with her and Baumbach guiding the character’s onscreen presence, we’re hopeful that “Barbie” won’t be just another empty box office cash grab.

    Recent reports indicated that “Barbie” would be hitting theaters in 2020. Stay tuned to see if that release schedule sticks.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • George R.R. Martin Says Negative ‘Game of Thrones’ Reactions Won’t Change His Book Ending

    George R.R. Martin Says Negative ‘Game of Thrones’ Reactions Won’t Change His Book Ending

    HBO

    For what feels like forever (but has actually been eight years), author George R.R. Martin has been toiling away on the final two installments of his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series — a.k.a., the novels on which the recently-wrapped HBO series “Game of Thrones” was based. Now that that show has signed off, and Martin has heard all of the reactions to its controversial finale, will the writer be making any changes to his manuscripts?

    If you’ve been following Martin at all over the years, you’ll be unsurprised to learn that the answer is a resounding “No.” In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the outspoken author admitted that there was some temptation to alter some of his more surprising twists, now that some suspense will be gone for readers.

    But Martin said that doing so would be “wrong,” because “you’ve been planning for a certain ending and if you suddenly change direction just because somebody figured it out, or because they don’t like it, then it screws up the whole structure.”

    “I want to write the book I’ve always intended to write all along,” he told EW. “And when it comes out they can like it or they can not like it.”

    The author made similar remarks back in May, when addressing just how his own ending would compare to the show’s, noting that there would be both similarities and differences. Speaking with EW this week, Martin said that he initially did feel pressure to finish writing his novels a few years ago, after the show started to get ahead of the books; now that “Thrones” is done, the urgency to wrap his writing has lessened significantly.

    “I don’t only want to finish it, I want to make it as good as I possibly can,” the author explained to EW. ” … There’s no longer a race. The show is over. I’m writing the book. It will be done when it’s done.”

    We suspect this won’t be the last time Martin addresses this subject. Stay tuned to see if he comments again before “The Winds of Winter” hits shelves. (We have a feeling he will.)

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

  • Lea Michele to Star in ABC Holiday Movie ‘Same Time, Next Christmas’

    ABC

    Cable networks like Hallmark have become synonymous with Christmas movies in recent years, and now, traditional broadcast outlets are getting in on the holiday flick action, too: ABC announced this week that it will air an original Yuletide romance, featuring star Lea Michele.

    According to Variety, the former “Glee” actress — who most recently starred on ABC’s short-lived sitcom “The Mayor” — will be headlining “Same Time, Next Christmas,” which sounds like it will more than satisfy viewers who are hungry for additional seasonal content to consume on a cold winter’s night. Here’s the scoop on the film’s plot, per the trade:

    Michele will play Olivia Henderson, a young woman who met her childhood sweetheart during her family’s annual Christmas visit to Hawaii. After being separated by distance and years, the two reunite at the same Hawaii resort years later and the old chemistry between them flares up anew, but circumstances conspire to keep them apart.

    Veteran director Stephen Herek — who’s helmed everything from “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” to “The Mighty Ducks” to “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” and in recent years directed the Dolly Parton made-for-TV flicks “Coat of Many Colors” and “Christmas of Many Colors” — is on board to call the shots behind the camera. Freeform Studios is producing the flick for ABC.

    No word yet on an exact premiere date, but “Same Time, Next Christmas” is expected to air on ABC sometime in December.

    [via: Variety]

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’ Movie Adds ‘The Raid’ Star Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero

    ‘Mortal Kombat’ Movie Adds ‘The Raid’ Star Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero

    Sony Pictures Classics

    Classic video game “Mortal Kombat” is set to hit the big screen once again, and has recruited a beloved martial arts star as one of its leads.

    The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop that Joe Taslim has joined the flick as Sub-Zero, one of the original characters featured in the first “Mortal Kombat” release from 1992. Taslim has a solid action pedigree to back up his casting, parlaying his previous experience on the Indonesian national Judo team into a role in 2011 cult favorite martial arts movie “The Raid” (also known as “The Raid: Redemption”).

    The actor went on to star in its follow-up, 2014’s “The Raid 2,” and has also appeared in films including “Fast and Furious 6,” “Star Trek Beyond,” and the recent Netflix release “The Night Comes for Us.” Taslim currently stars on the Cinemax series “Warrior.”

    Sub-Zero, whose fighting style involves attacks using ice, is one of the most well-known characters from the “Mortal Kombat” franchise, and is a frequent foe of fellow fighter Scorpion. It seems likely that Scorpion will also appear in this rebooted version, though no additional details about its plot have been revealed just yet.

    Filmmakers — who include James Wan, serving as a producer this time around — will have plenty of material to work with, considering the game’s longevity. The franchise features more than a dozen titles, including both the original series and spinoff games, and just this year launched “Mortal Kombat 11,” which THR says “has become the most successful launch in franchise’s history.”

    Production is expected to begin in Australia later this year.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • Don’t Worry, ‘Big Little Lies’ Fans: Meryl Streep Says Deleted Ice Cream Scene Will Be on Season 2 DVD

    Don’t Worry, ‘Big Little Lies’ Fans: Meryl Streep Says Deleted Ice Cream Scene Will Be on Season 2 DVD

    HBO

    Last summer, “Big Little Lies” fans were treated to a sneak peek at a deliciously dramatic showdown between Reese Witherspoon‘s Madeline Mackenzie and Meryl Streep‘s Mary Louise Wright, when set photos surfaced featuring one Oscar-winning actress hurling an ice cream cone at another. But those who tuned into the show’s most recent episode — which included a tense meeting between the two women outside an ice cream shop — were left wondering why that moment didn’t make it onto the airwaves.

    We may never know the reasoning behind the decision to delete that particular button on the scene, but according to Streep, it will indeed see the light of day. The legendary actress actually revealed the news to Entertainment Tonight back in May, when she was asked about the viral moment.

    “[Reese] just told me it’s not in the show!” Streep told ET, sharing in fans’ disappointment.

    But, never fear: “It’s [going to be] in the DVD extras,” the actress said.

    Witherspoon herself had also previously told ET that shooting that scene was “a Top 5 moment in my career, for sure,” and bragged about her aim on Twitter.

    Responding to a comment about the photo, the actress gleefully said of Streep, “I got her.”

    No offense to the rest of season two  of “Big Little Lies,” but we’re going to need it to hurry up and end already, so we can watch the bonus content on the DVDs.

    [via: Entertainment Tonight]

  • Felicity Jones to Co-Star in George Clooney Netflix Film ‘Good Morning, Midnight’

    Felicity Jones to Co-Star in George Clooney Netflix Film ‘Good Morning, Midnight’

    Lucasfilm

    George Clooney‘s first project for Netflix is shaping up to be a star-studded affair, with Oscar nominee Felicity Jones set to join the sci-fi drama “Good Morning, Midnight.”

    According to Deadline, Jones has signed on to appear across from Clooney, who will also direct and produce the flick. Based on the 2016 novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton, “Good Morning, Midnight” is set in a post-apocalyptic world, and tells the parallel stories of Augustine (Clooney), a lonely scientist stranded in the Arctic, and an astronaut on board the Aether spacecraft, which is attempting to return to Earth.

    There’s no confirmed word yet on which role Jones is set to play, Deadline reports. But if we had to guess, it seems likely that she’s been tapped for the part of the astronaut, named Mission Specialist Sullivan — a.k.a. Sully — in Brooks-Dalton’s book.

    Jones is a great pick for a grounded sci-fi story like this, thanks to her winning combination of dramatic acting chops (including her Oscar-nominated role in “The Theory of Everything” and her recent turn as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in “On the Basis of Sex”) and previous experience in genre films (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”). Add in Clooney’s presence, plus a script from the writer of “The Revenant” (Mark L. Smith), and this flick already sounds like a winner.

    Production is expected to begin sometime this fall.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Friends’ Officially Leaving Netflix for WarnerMedia Streaming Service, Which Now Has a Name

    ‘Friends’ Officially Leaving Netflix for WarnerMedia Streaming Service, Which Now Has a Name

    Warner Bros.

    “The One Where ‘Friends’ Leaves Netflix” is coming: WarnerMedia announced the official name and programming lineup for its new streaming service on Tuesday, revealing that it will be the exclusive home of the beloved sitcom beginning next year.

    That means that Netflix will be bidding farewell to one of its most popular programs, and the streaming service confirmed the sad news in a bittersweet Twitter post on Tuesday.

    “We’re sorry to see Friends go to Warner’s steaming service at the beginning of 2020 (in The US),” the tweet said. “Thanks for the memories, gang.”

    The move was long expected, after WarnerMedia revealed its plans last year to launch its own standalone platform. Netflix had to do some expensive financial wrangling to keep “Friends” in the fold for all of 2019 (and ward off rumors of its premature departure), but apparently couldn’t justify the financial toll of securing it in perpetuity. According to The Hollywood Reporter, WarnerMedia shelled out a whopping $425 million for a five-year exclusive contract for the series.

    But if you think “Friends” is all that the Warners service has to offer, think again: The new platform, called HBO Max, will feature not only films and TV series from the Warner Bros. and New Line libraries — including DC properties, the “Fantastic Beasts” films, and recent hits like “A Star Is Born” and “Crazy Rich Asians” — but also HBO content including “Game of Thrones,” “Big Little Lies,” and the upcoming “Watchmen” series.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCS4CaZ9dwg

    Other highlights include original movies from Reese Witherspoon and Greg Berlanti; numerous original series, including an animated “Gremlins” prequel; popular series like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Pretty Little Liars”; and content from a host of networks including Turner Classic Movies (“The Wizard of Oz” gets a big shout-out in the above promo), Cartoon Network, CNN, The CW, and TBS, among others.

    HBO Max is expected to launch in early 2020.

  • ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Joins Live-Action ‘Tom and Jerry’

    ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Joins Live-Action ‘Tom and Jerry’

    NBC

    The latest live-action reboot of a familiar animated property, classic cartoon “Tom and Jerry,” is shoring up its cast, with a TV star joining the ensemble.

    Colin Jost — who’s known to “Saturday Night Live” fans as one of the show’s longtime co-head writers and the co-host of its Weekend Update segment (and known to “Avengers” fans as Scarlett Johansson’s finance) — has signed on for the big screen version of “Tom and Jerry.” Deadline first reported the news, though there are no details yet about what role the comedian will be playing, and whether it will be a live-action character, or animated like the titular cat and mouse.

    Jost joins the previously-cast Chloe Grace Moretz and Michael Pena. The flick follows Kayla (Moretz), a new hire at a posh hotel, who enlists the help of Tom the cat to get rid of Jerry the mouse. She eventually ends up banding together with both critters, however, against her bully of a manager, Terrance (Pena).

    Tim Story (“Ride Along,” “Fantastic Four,” “Think Like a Man,” “Shaft“) is directing and executive producing the feature. No word yet on a potential release date, but “Tom and Jerry” is expected to start shooting sometime later this year.

    [via: Deadline]