Moviefone Editorial

Author: Katie Roberts

  • ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel Begins Filming in Northern Ireland

    ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel Begins Filming in Northern Ireland

    HBO

    Fans who were unsatisfied with last month’s “Game of Thrones” series finale have a fresh opportunity to explore the world of Westeros, thanks to a new prequel series that’s been ordered to pilot at HBO. And now comes word that that episode has finally started filming, in a location that should look plenty familiar to “Thrones” devotees.

    According to Entertainment Weekly, the pilot for prequel “The Long Night” (the show’s current working title, which was also the name of an episode of the final season of “Thrones”) just began production in Northern Ireland. That’s the same country that served as home base for “Thrones” throughout the show’s entire eight-season run, and we can’t help but think that the creative team is planning on re-using some of the same locations for this new show.

    Of course, if that happens, the setting won’t look completely the same: “The Long Night” takes place thousands of years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” in a version of Westeros that is “a different and older world,” according to “A Song of Ice and Fire” author George R.R. Martin. And there’s still the possibility that the series could shoot in other countries, too, though that has not yet been confirmed yet, EW reports.

    “The Long Night,” created by Jane Goldman (“X-Men: First Class”) from a story by Martin, features headliner and Oscar nominee Naomi Watts, and a sprawling cast that includes Miranda Richardson in a key role, Josh Whitehouse, Naomi Ackie, Denise Gough, Jamie Campbell Bower, Sheila Atim, Ivanno Jeremiah, Georgie Henley, Alex Sharp, and Toby Regbo.

    If ordered to series, the prequel is expected to debut on HBO sometime in late 2020 or early 2021. Stay tuned.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

  • Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde Join Clint Eastwood Drama ‘Richard Jewell’

    Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde Join Clint Eastwood Drama ‘Richard Jewell’

    Amazon

    The latest true-life tale from Oscar winner Clint Eastwood is shaping up to be quite the starry project, with two more big names joining the ensemble.

    Variety has the scoop that both Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde have signed on for roles in “Richard Jewell” (previously titled “The Ballad of Richard Jewell”), based on the story of the titular security guard who discovered a bomb at Atlanta’s Centennial Park during the 1996 Olympics, and had his life destroyed as a result of a botched investigation. The film is adapted from writer Marie Brenner’s Vanity Fair article chronicling the case, with a script by Billy Ray (“The Hunger Games,” “Captain Phillips”).

    Paul Walter Hauser (“Late Night,” “I, Tonya”) is playing Jewell, with Kathy Bates set to play his mother, and Sam Rockwell playing his attorney. According to Variety, Hamm will portray an FBI agent who investigated the attempted bombing, while Wilde will play Kathy Scruggs, a real-life local reporter who covered the case from the beginning.

    Jewell’s story is a tragic one. Initially praised for discovering the bomb and saving hundreds of lives, authorities then pointed the finger at the security guard, accusing him of planting the device so that he could discover it himself, and look like a hero. Law enforcement leaked his alleged involvement to the press, and he was painted as a villain by the media and the public.

    Jewell was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, but his reputation and health never recovered. He died a few years later, at age 44.

    Jonah Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio — who had initially signed on to play Jewell and his attorney, respectively, before exiting the project due to scheduling conflicts — will serve as producers. No word yet on a production start date.

    [via: Variety]

  • Yasss Queen! ‘Queer Eye’ Renewed for Season 4 and Season 5 on Netflix

    Yasss Queen! ‘Queer Eye’ Renewed for Season 4 and Season 5 on Netflix

    Netflix

    Fans of hit Netflix series “Queer Eye,” prepare to let out a jubilant cry of “Yasss Queen!”: The streaming service has renewed the feel-good make-better series for not one, but two additional seasons.

    Netflix announced the excellent news on Tuesday, revealing that season 4 of the reality show will once again take place in Kansas City, Missouri, the same setting as “Queer Eye” season three. Season five, meanwhile, will be shot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Seasons one and two were based in Atlanta.)

    And the renewal wasn’t even the best part of Netflix’s news: Season four will arrive in just over one month, with new episodes set to debut on the streaming service on July 19. Check out this joyful promo video, and just try to stop yourself from bopping along with the Fab Five.

    The guys —  Bobby Berk (interior design), Karamo Brown (culture), Tan France (fashion), Antoni Porowski (food and wine), and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming) — will head to Philly this month to begin production on season five. Those episodes are then set to air sometime in 2020.

    Based on the Gritty cameo in the above promo, we’re hoping that the Fab Five will also be providing some assistance to the oddball Flyers mascot. We can’t think of a more appropriate candidate for a make-better.

  • NBC Reveals Fall 2019 Premiere Dates, Including ‘The Good Place’ Final Season

    NBC Reveals Fall 2019 Premiere Dates, Including ‘The Good Place’ Final Season

    Colleen Hayes/NBC

    Fans are preparing to say goodbye to forking brilliant NBC sitcom “The Good Place,” which recently revealed that it will end its run — thankfully, on its own terms — after its upcoming fourth season. Now, the network has announced when the show will be back for its final round of episodes.

    NBC unveiled its entire Fall 2019 premiere schedule on Monday, and in a shift from years past, the network is packing nearly all of its programming debuts into one week in September. The highlight is the heavenly afterlife comedy “The Good Place,” starring the perfectly-cast ensemble of Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, Manny Jacinto, and D’Arcy Carden.

    Season four of “The Good Place” will launch on Thursday, September 26. It’s unclear how many episodes are expected to air, though past seasons have capped at either 12 or 13; creator Mike Schur said the series will wrap at around 50 episodes, so expect another outing of a similar total.

    As for the rest of NBC’s block, new comedies “Perfect Harmony” and “Sunnyside” will air on Thursdays before and after “The Good Place,” respectively. Freshman drama “Bluff City Law” will launch on Mondays.

    Check out the full NBC Fall 2019 lineup below:

    Thursday, Sept. 5
    8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 PT: NFL kickoff

    Sunday, Sept. 8
    7 p.m. ET/4 PT: Football Night in America
    8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 PT: Sunday Night Football

    Monday, Sept. 23
    8 p.m.: The Voice
    10 p.m.: Bluff City Law (new series)

    Tuesday, Sept. 24
    8 p.m.: The Voice
    9 p.m.: This Is Us
    10 p.m.: New Amsterdam

    Wednesday, Sept. 25
    8 p.m.: Chicago Med
    9 p.m.: Chicago Fire
    10 p.m.: Chicago PD

    Thursday, Sept. 26
    8 p.m.: Superstore
    8:30 p.m.: Perfect Harmony (new series)
    9 p.m.: The Good Place (final season)
    9:30 p.m.: Sunnyside (new series)
    10 p.m.: Law & Order: SVU

    Friday, Sept. 27
    9 p.m.: Dateline

    Friday, Oct. 4
    8 p.m.: The Blacklist

    Saturday, Oct. 5
    9 p.m.: Dateline Saturday Mystery

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • ‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Confirms Film Will Be Rated R

    ‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Confirms Film Will Be Rated R

    Warner Bros.

    From the moment the movie was first announced, it was made clear that the upcoming DC standalone feature “Joker” would be an extremely dark take on the iconic villain. And now, director Todd Phillips has confirmed that the film’s rating will reflect that tone.

    In a post shared on Instagram over the weekend, Phillips revealed yet another behind the scenes photo from the flick, featuring titular star Joaquin Phoenix painting his face in the Joker’s signature white makeup.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/ByxyjxZJ0VV/

    It’s a haunting portrait, and the stark black and white imagery suggests that this flick will certainly strike a more somber note than previous interpretations of the character. And as Phillips revealed in replying to a fan comment, the film will be able to explore that darkness in every shade, thanks to an R rating.

    Todd Phillips/Instagram

    While not an entirely shocking announcement (something Phillips himself noted in his response), it’s still reassuring news for fans who have been craving a version of the Joker story that’s less Jared Leto and more Heath Ledger (though, yes, Ledger’s portrayal of the villain was in the PG-13 “The Dark Knight”). Everything we’ve seen so far from the flick suggests that the film will be leaning hard into that R.

    “Joker” features an all-star cast alongside Phoenix, including Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron, Bill Camp, Glenn Fleshler, and Shea Whigham. It’s slated to hit theaters on October 4.

  • ‘Broad City’ Star Ilana Glazer Bringing Stand-Up Special to Amazon

    ‘Broad City’ Star Ilana Glazer Bringing Stand-Up Special to Amazon

    Comedy Central

    Celebrated Comedy Central series “Broad City” may have ended earlier this year, but star Ilana Glazer is staying in the spotlight: The comedian is about to film her first stand-up special, which is slated to air on Amazon Prime.

    Glazer announced the triumphant news herself in an Instagram post on Tuesday, telling fans she was “vibrating with excitement” about the opportunity.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Byk_zuyFAK7/

    The comedian is about to wrap her eight-city “The Planet Is Burning” stand-up tour, and the last stop — scheduled for Wednesday night in Houston, Texas at the White Oak Music Hall — will be recorded for the special (which will also be called “The Planet Is Burning”). Glazer’s announcement included a video clip highlighting some of what fans can expect from the one-hour production, and there’s plenty of the star’s signature zany energy on display.

    While we’re a little bummed that there doesn’t appear to be any cameo from Glazer’s “Broad City” co-creator and co-star, Abbi Jacobson, we’re plenty excited to see more from Glazer. The comedian is also executive producing the special.

    No word yet on when it’s set to premiere. We’ll be eagerly awaiting additional info.

    [h/t TVLine]

  • U.K. Horror Short ‘The Blue Door’ to Become Amblin Feature

    U.K. Horror Short ‘The Blue Door’ to Become Amblin Feature

    13th Door

    A horror short that’s already made some big waves in the U.K. is now headed to the big screen.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amblin Partners has secured the rights to “The Blue Door,” which was nominated for a BAFTA earlier this year. The short’s original creative team — director Paul Taylor, and writing and producing duo Megan Pugh and Ben Clark — will all return to their roles for the film’s leap to feature-length.

    Here’s the scoop on the project, per THR:

    “The short … revolves around a nurse assigned to an elderly woman living in a dilapidated home. The nurse unwittingly becomes the focus of dark entity that is connected to a secret blue door, that once opened, has devastating consequences.

    The feature version is described as having a strong dramatic core combined with a high concept horror mythology.”

    THR reports that “The Blue Door” generated lots of buzz in the film industry, and Amblin beat out several other companies in order to develop the feature. Horror is a hot commodity right now, and this concept certainly sounds like audiences will eat it up.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

  • Ellen DeGeneres Making ‘Little Ellen’ Animated Series, Featuring a 7-Year-Old Version of Herself

    Ellen DeGeneres Making ‘Little Ellen’ Animated Series, Featuring a 7-Year-Old Version of Herself

    The Ellen DeGeneres Show

    Beloved comedian Ellen DeGeneres has a knack for connecting with kids on her talk show, and now, she’s making a series featuring a kid version of herself.

    Variety has the scoop that DeGeneres is currently developing a new show called “Little Ellen,” which follows a 7-year-old version of herself. Here’s the breakdown of the project, according to the trade:

    In the 2D animated series, “Little Ellen” will go on adventures, exploring imaginative lands and meeting new friends. The show is likely to include songs, as well. But it’s not all fun and games: Little Ellen takes big risks, makes huge mistakes but she’s always able to laugh at herself and bounce back when things don’t go as planned.

    Variety reports that a rep from DeGeneres’s production company, Ellen Digital Ventures, said that no casting decisions have been made yet, so it remains to be seen whether the comedian herself will lend her voice to the series (either as the titular tot, or another character). But “Little Ellen” seems like a natural fit for the affable DeGeneres, and we’re excited to see how this project shakes out.

    No word yet on where the series may wind up, though it’s co-produced by Warner Bros. Animation, which may ultimately earmark the show for WarnerMedia’s upcoming streaming service. Time will tell.

    [via: Variety]

  • First ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ Photo Features Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington in Their ’90s Best

    First ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ Photo Features Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington in Their ’90s Best

    Reese Witherspoon/Twitter

    The latest literary sensation headed to the small screen is “Little Fires Everywhere,” the Celeste Ng novel that centers around a seemingly perfect family, and the mother-daughter duo who turn their lives upside down. Such juicy source material requires a killer cast, and Hulu’s adaptation has just that, featuring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in the starring roles. Now, we have our first look at the formidable women in character.

    In an image revealed on Tuesday, we see Washington as Mia Warren and Witherspoon as Elena Richardson, sporting some inspired hair and wardrobe choices. The series takes place in the 1990s in an affluent Ohio suburb, and it appears this scene is set in the wealthy Elena’s elegant kitchen.

    https://twitter.com/kerrywashington/status/1138445815490498560

    “Little Fires Everywhere” features several big plot twists, including a mysterious arson and the controversial adoption of a Chinese-American baby, in which the white adoptive parents fight the child’s birth mother for custody. The intertwined relationship between Mia and Elena is also a focal point, as is the decision by Elena’s husband, Bill (Joshua Jackson), to represent the couple’s friends in their custody battle, which ultimately affects his and Elena’s marriage.

    It sounds like there’s a lot happening here, but with Witherspoon and Washington steering the ship, viewers should be in good hands. There’s no official release date yet for “Little Fires Everywhere,” but expect it to hit Hulu soon.

  • Steven Spielberg Writing Horror Series That Will Force You to Watch at Night

    Steven Spielberg Writing Horror Series That Will Force You to Watch at Night

    Universal

    Horror stories and dark and stormy nights are a match made in spooky heaven, and now, veteran filmmaker Steven Spielberg is capitalizing on that concept with a quirky new project.

    Spielberg is set to write a short-form horror series for upcoming streaming service Quibi that has one very strict requirement for how it can be watched: Viewers will only be able to access the show at night. Appropriately, its working title is “Spielberg’s After Dark.”

    Quibi co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, who’s collaborated with Spielberg for years through their DreamWorks production company, explained the idea during an appearance at the Banff World Media Festival in Canada over the weekend. Katzenberg told the crowd that Spielberg came up with nighttime concept himself, and originally requested that the series be available to watch only after midnight.

    As a compromise, Quibi engineers created a clock that relies on users’ phone GPS location, and counts down until sunset local time; when the clock disappears, the show can be watched until sunrise, at which point the content vanishes and the countdown begins again to the following night.

    Requiring viewers to tune in during the scariest time of day sets the ideal tone for this project, according to Katzenberg.

    “Steven Spielberg came in, and said, ‘I have a super scary story I want to do,’” Katzenberg said of the filmmaker’s pitch for the series. “He’s writing it himself. He hasn’t [written anything in a while] so getting him to write something is fantastic.”

    “After Dark” is currently slated to run for between 10 and 12 installments. Quibi will launch sometime in 2020.

    [via: Variety]