Moviefone Editorial

Author: Stephanie Topacio Long

  • Sony Seeks Replacement Director for Tom Holland’s ‘Uncharted’

    Sony Seeks Replacement Director for Tom Holland’s ‘Uncharted’

    Uncharted 4
    PlayStation

    The upcoming “Uncharted” movie is out a director again.

    Dan Trachtenberg has exited the Tom Holland-starring project, Deadline reports. The publication’s sources say that Sony is now holding meetings with possible replacements and aims to have one lined up by summer’s end. The studio hasn’t commented on Trachtenberg’s departure.

    News came in January that the director had boarded the project. He stepped in after Shawn Levy had to exit due to a scheduling conflict. Now, a new replacement will helm the film, which is Sony PlayStation Productions’ first feature production, per Deadline.

    The story is based on the video game “Uncharted,” which comes from Naughty Dog and is published by PlayStation. The script was written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Rafe Judkins, and it follows a young man as he becomes the game’s treasure-hunting main character, Nathan Drake. Holland signed on to star in the film in 2017.

    PlayStation Productions has newly joined as a producer. Chuck Roven, Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Alex Gartner are also producing. The film is expected to start shooting early next year and is slated to open Dec. 18, 2020.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Jennifer Lopez’s ‘Hustlers’ Expected to Have $25 Million Box Office Opening

    Jennifer Lopez’s ‘Hustlers’ Expected to Have $25 Million Box Office Opening

    Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers
    STXFilms

    Early tracking is looking good for “Hustlers.” The numbers show that the STXFilms comedic thriller could open to $25 million, Variety reports. It looks like moviegoers are just as susceptible to the stars’ charms as their onscreen clients are.

    With a cast that boasts Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Cardi B, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, and Lizzo, the film follows a group of strippers who team up to gouge their wealthy Wall Street clients. It’s inspired by a true story, too. The script was based on a 2015 New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler.

    “Hustlers” is set to open on Sept. 13, the same day that the Warner Bros. drama “The Goldfinch” will debut. “Hustlers” should top it, with “The Goldfinch” bringing in $18 million, per Variety. The latter also has a stellar cast, as Ansel Elgort, Sarah Paulson, Nicole Kidman, and Luke Wilson all star.

    That “Hustlers” is poised to do well isn’t a big surprise. There’s been a lot of buzz around the movie, after all. The first official trailer debuted in mid-July, and in less than two weeks, the official Twitter account was celebrating 100 million views.

    We’ll see how the box office competition officially shakes out next month. Mark your calendar for Sept. 13.

    [via: Variety]

  • Lionsgate Nabs Hilary Swank-Starrer ‘Fatale’

    Lionsgate Nabs Hilary Swank-Starrer ‘Fatale’

    Hilary Swank in Trust
    FX

    Lionsgate couldn’t resist the upcoming psychological thriller “Fatale” starring Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy, Mike Colter, and Tyrin Turner. It has acquired the film’s North American rights as well as those for certain other international territories, Deadline reports.

    It tells the story of a man who tries to save his marriage after having a wild one-night stand. The situation turns into a living nightmare for him as the other woman is manipulative and conniving. David Loughery (“Obsessed”) wrote the script, and Deon Taylor is the director.

    Lionsgate previously distributed “Traffik,” a 2018 thriller helmed by Taylor. Jason Constantine, the company’s president of acquisitions and co-productions, shared his excitement about nabbing another of his films, saying they’re “all big fans of Deon.” He also described “Fatale” as having “the heat and erotic appeal of relationship-gone-wrong thrillers like ‘Unfaithful,’ ‘Fatal Attraction’ or ‘Basic Insinct.’”

    Of course, the cast was another draw for Lionsgate. Constantine also highlighted its “riveting performances” from Swank and Ealy. Swank is a two-time Academy Award winner who most recently starred in the films “I Am Mother” and “What They Had” as well as the series “Trust,” and Ealy’s “Intruder” opened earlier this year.

    Loughery is one of the producers of “Fatale,” alongside Roxanne Taylor of Hidden Empire Film Group. Robert F. Smith serves as an executive producer, while the director of photography is Dante Spinotti. No release date has been announced.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Teaser Ushers in a New Era

    ‘The L Word: Generation Q’ Teaser Ushers in a New Era

    The L Word: Generation Q teaser still
    The L Word: Generation Q on Showtime/YouTube

    The first teaser for Showtime’s “L Word” sequel series is here.

    The preview sets the stage for “The L Word: Generation Q,” a show that has both new and returning cast members. Back are Jennifer Beals (Bette Porter), Kate Moennig (Shane McCutcheon), and Leisha Hailey (Alice Pieszecki), now joined by “a new generation of diverse, self-possessed LGBTQIA characters,” per Showtime. As they usher in the new era of life, love, and heartbreak, they poke fun at how long its been since “The L Word” ended in 2009.

    “That hiatus felt really long,” says Alice in the new teaser.  “It felt like a decade, right?”

    And things have changed since “The L Word” ended in 2009. A perfect example of this is when one of the new characters, Sarah (Jacqueline Toboni), bikes by a man and he asks for a smile. Instead of complying, she flips him off instead, telling him “Time’s up, b*tch!” Watch below.

    “The L Word: Generation Q” premieres Sunday, Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.

  • Netflix’s ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Adds Elena Satine as ‘Sultry Beauty’ Julia

    Netflix’s ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Adds Elena Satine as ‘Sultry Beauty’ Julia

    Elena Satine in The Gifted
    Fox

    We’re getting closer to Netflix’s live-action “Cowboy Bebop” series, and casting decisions are being made. Elena Satine has boarded the show, according to a new Deadline report. She joins John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, and Alex Hassell, who were previously cast.

    The series is based on the original Japanese anime and it’s described as a “jazz-inspired, genre bending story.” It follows a group of bounty hunters — including Spike Spiegel (Cho), Jet Black (Shakir), Faye Valentine (Pineda), and Radical Ed (to be cast) — who hunt down the most dangerous criminals in the solar system. Satine will play Julia, a “sultry beauty” that Spike has his eye on, per Deadline. She’ll reportedly find survival difficult in their violent world.

    Satine has had numerous TV gig in the past. She most recently had recurring roles on “Strange Angel” and “The Gifted.” Additionally, she previously was a regular on “Revenge” and “Magic City.”

    “Cowboy Bebop” is produced by Tomorrow Studios, Midnight Radio, and Sunrise. Chris Yost is set to pen the first episode, and he and showrunners Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinker, and Scott Rosenberg will also serve as executive producers. They’re joined by Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, Shin Sasaki, Tetsu Fujimura, and Matthew Weinberg. Meanwhile, original “Cowboy Bebop” director Shinichiro Watanabe is on board as a consultant.

    Netflix has not yet announced the series premiere date.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Trailer: Edward Norton Seeks Revenge for His Mentor’s Murder

    ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ Trailer: Edward Norton Seeks Revenge for His Mentor’s Murder

    Motherless Brooklyn trailer still
    Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube

    A private detective’s work gets personal in the official trailer for “Motherless Brooklyn.”

    Warner Bros. Pictures released the preview Thursday, and it shows off a film that Edward Norton wrote, directed, produced, and stars in. He plays a lonely man with Tourette Syndrome whose mentor and only friend is murdered. Norton leads a star-studded cast that includes Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, and Willem Dafoe, among others.

    The trailer shows how Lionel Essrog (Norton) became a private detective with the help of Frank Minna (Willis). When his mentor is murdered, Lionel sets out to find out who killed him and to “make ’em regret it.”

    “There’s something going down, and it’s big,” Lionel says in the trailer. “And they were not happy about what he found.”

    Of course, we don’t find out exactly what Frank knew; the preview leaves us with mystery and intrigue. Watch below.

    “Motherless Brooklyn” is due out Nov. 1.

  • KJ Apa Is Christian Singer Jeremy Camp in ‘I Still Believe’ Trailer

    KJ Apa Is Christian Singer Jeremy Camp in ‘I Still Believe’ Trailer

    I Still Believe trailer still
    Lionsgate Movies/YouTube

    Prepare yourself for what looks like the real-life “A Walk to Remember.”

    Lionsgate released the trailer for the upcoming Christian drama “I Still Believe” on Thursday, and it’s a tearjerker. Starring  KJ Apa as Christian singer Jeremy Camp and Britt Robertson as his late wife, Melissa, it tells the story of Camp’s love and loss. The film comes from the creators of last year’s Christian hit “I Can Only Imagine.”

    The film takes its title from the first song Camp wrote after Melissa’s death. It, like the film, carries the message of keeping faith even in tragedy. Camp has endorsed the film and tweeted Thursday that he is “so excited to share the trailer.” Watch below.

    “I Still Believe” is directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin from a script Jon Erwin wrote with Jon Gunn. It also stars Gary Sinise and Shania Twain. The film opens in theaters on March 20.

  • Comedian Theo Von Joins Chris Pratt in ‘Ghost Draft’

    Comedian Theo Von Joins Chris Pratt in ‘Ghost Draft’

    Theo Von
    Theo Von/Facebook

    Stand-up comedian Theo Von has nabbed a movie role.

    Von has joined the upcoming Chris McKay-directed sci-fi thriller “Ghost Draft,” Variety reports. He’ll be part of a cast that includes Chris Pratt and Yvonne Strahovski. Additionally, J.K. Simmons and Betty Gilpin seem poised to join, as they’re reportedly in talks for roles.

    The script was written by Zach Dean and Bill Dubuque, and it centers on a family man who is drafted to fight in a future war. He has the ability to correct issues of the past, so the fate of humanity may rely on him. Von’s character hasn’t yet been revealed.

    This will be a new challenge for the comedian. The bulk of Von’s appearances in media have come in projects in which he portrayed himself; for example, He previously hosted TBS’s “Deal With It” and currently hosts the podcast “This Past Weekend.”

    Production on “Ghost Draft” is set to begin production soon, meaning it conflicts with Von’s “Dark Arts” Tour. His shows for September and October, which were set to take place in different parts of Europe and the United States, have been postponed, according to his website. Many of the shows had already sold out.

    “Ghost Draft” comes from Skydance and Paramount. Its producers include David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Jules Daly, David Goyer, and Adam Kolbrenner. Rob Cowan is set to executive produce.

    [via: Variety]

  • Oscars: ‘Parasite’ Submitted for Best International Feature Film Consideration

    Oscars: ‘Parasite’ Submitted for Best International Feature Film Consideration

    Parasite
    Neon

    The 2020 Academy Awards is months away, but there are already important moves being made.

    The Korean Film Council has selected Bong Joon-ho‘s black comedy thriller “Parasite” to compete for an Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature Film category, Deadline reports. The submissions will be screened by Academy members, who will then decide which ones will be nominated for the award. Each country is allowed to select a single film as their official entry, so it’s a huge honor to even be submitted for consideration.

    There’s been Oscar buzz surrounding “Parasite” for months already. It proved to be an critical darling in May when it took home the coveted Palme D’Or prize — by unanimous decision, no less — at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Not long after, Neon, the film’s North American distributor, gave the film an awards season release date, Oct. 11, in New York and Los Angeles.

    This will be the second time South Korea has submitted one of Bong’s films, as Variety notes. While the other, 2006’s “Mother,” did not get a nod, “Parasite” seems to have a good shot. The film currently has an impressive 100% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer.

    The 2020 Academy Awards nominations will be announced in January, and a shortlist of contenders in the International Feature Film category will be revealed shortly before. The 92nd Oscars itself will be held Sunday, Feb. 9.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘The Simpsons’ Mocks Donald Trump With ‘West Wing Story’

    ‘The Simpsons’ Mocks Donald Trump With ‘West Wing Story’

    The Simpsons' West Wing Story still
    Animation on FOX/YouTube

    “The Simpsons” will kick off Season 31 (yes, 31!) this fall, and in the meantime, Fox has unveiled a new clip, a parody called “West Wing Story.”

    The 90-second video offers a fictional look into the White House, where a “Simpsons”-style Donald Trump is dealing with “so many problems.” One of those is the so-called “Squad” — Senators Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib — who emerge from a framed photo in the Oval Office as the cartoon Trump sings a satirical version of “America” from “West Side Story.” They start singing as well and chase him through the kitchen, the Situation Room, and more.

    Other political figures make appearances, too, including Vice President Mike Pence and the many 2020 Democratic candidates. If you’ve ever wanted to see animated versions of them in a kick line, now’s your chance. Watch below.

    “The Simpsons” Season 31 premieres Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox.