(L to R) Justice Smith plays Simon, Chris Pine plays Edgin, Rege-Jean Page plays Xenk, Sophia Lillis plays Doric and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Roll for initiative! The fantasy adventure movie based on the popular tabletop role-playing game ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ may be arriving on Paramount+ this month.
What happens when a Bard, a Barbarian, a Wizard, and a Druid meet at a tavern? Chaos, naturally. In ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein (both worked on ‘Game Night’) found the perfect balance of bringing elements of the original tabletop game and an epic fantasy adventure to the big screen. The film incorporated enough easter eggs from the game lore for the fans while making it appealing and interesting to those who have not played the game.
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The official synopsis for ‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ is below:
“A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.”
‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ opened in theaters on March 31st to $37.2 million domestically and has grossed over $203.2 million worldwide since its release. Critics and audiences reacted positively to the movie, warranting the film 91% and 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes respectively.
(L to R) Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga, Justice Smith plays Simon, Chris Pine plays Edgin and Sophia Lillis plays Doric in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
From Tabletop To The Big Screen
Tabletop Roleplaying games (or TRPG) have become increasingly popular, especially with the exposure from shows like ‘Stranger Things’, live-play web series from groups such as Dimension 20 and Critical Role, as well as the animated Prime Video series ‘The Legend of Vox Machina’ (also created by Critical Role).
There’s a fine line between adapting the game to screen – how do you fit in all the lore while embracing the hilarity and havoc from a session and still tell an epic high fantasy adventure story? D&D fans may recall the ill-fated 2000 ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ movie. So bad it received a 9% score from critics and 20% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. However, thanks to the well-crafted script for ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, it manages to capture both the heart and comedy of the story and the amazing chemistry of the cast gives this movie a +2 to Charisma.
(L to R) Justice Smith plays Simon, Chris Pine plays Edgin, Sophia Lillis plays Doric and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Ahead of filming, the cast did play a one-shot session of D&D together prior to filming, which is the best method of researching when it comes to prepping for their roles in the film. After all, what better way to study your character and bond with your cast mates than spending an hour planning out what you’ll do in the dungeon crawl just to have the entire plan go up in flames because of one failed dice role?
One of the great things about this ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ is that it is just as much for the well-versed D&D players as it is for the general audience who may not have ever rolled a d20. Yes, those who have played the game might get an all-knowing chuckle at seeing Simon cast a spell to speak with the dead at the cemetery. Still, the scene was executed so well that the general audience would never feel lost from the references and easter eggs.
Aside from the cast of main characters and dungeon crawls, the film is filled with creatures and easter eggs from Dungeons & Dragons lore such as the original characters from ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Saturday morning cartoon, a gelatinous cube, a mimic, displacer beast, the beholder, and more.
‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
Where Can I Watch ‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’?
The film premiered at SXSW on March 10, 2023, and was released theatrically in the United States on March 31, 2023. While the movie is available to rent on digital, it is better experienced in the theater so be sure to check below for showtimes in your area. ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 14 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Amazon Prime Video, Direct TV, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube, AppleTV, AMC On Demand, and Redbox allows you to rent the movie for $19.99 or purchase it for $24.99.
As for as streaming goes, an official date hasn’t been confirmed. The movie is released by Paramount so it is likely to end up on Paramount+ once it is ready to go to streaming. Seeing as the movie premiere on March 31, it is closing in on its 45-day theatrical release window. If it follows the same timeline, we could see the fantasy-adventure streaming on Paramount+ as soon as mid-May.
(L to R) Sophia Lillis plays Doric, Justice Smith plays Simon, Chris Pine plays Edgin and Michelle Rodriguez plays Holga in ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ from Paramount Pictures and eOne.
More High Fantasy Adventures Like ‘Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’:
Get ready for life under the sea in the upcoming Disney live-action adaptation of ‘The Little Mermaid’, splashing into theaters on May 26th. Directed by Rob Marshall, the film is adapted from the 1989 animated feature of the same name.
The story of ‘The Little Mermaid’ follows the youngest of King Triton’s daughters – Ariel. With a thirst for adventure and an unwavering curiosity about the Above World, Ariel longs to learn more about humans. When she finally breaks the surface, she sees and falls in love with Prince Eric. Ariel seeks out sea witch Ursula to strike a deal to live as a human – exchanging her golden voice for legs.
The 1989 animated feature film is a part of the Disney Renaissance era, best known for its vibrant musical films such as ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Aladdin’, and ‘The Lion King’. The original is beloved amongst Disney fans who know this movie (and all of its songs) forward and backward. Reimaging a classic like ‘The Little Mermaid’ is no easy task, yet director Rob Marshall has stepped up to the plate and delivered a live-action version that is faithful to the original while adding unique spins to the story. Halle Bailey proves to be the perfect choice as the lead, with her angelic voice that captured Ariel’s essence in her rendition of ‘A Part Of Your World’.
The biggest challenge for any Disney live-action adaptation is transforming the iconic animation into live-action with the help of CGI and special effects. Underwater scenes are never easy to do, and at times the effects looked disjointed and rough. Regardless, it doesn’t take away from the charm of the movie and with a solid performance from the cast, ‘The Little Mermaid’ is a joy to watch.
With any live-action adaptation, audiences will be looking for certain scenes and moments from the original animated film. Rob Marshall’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ kept many of the fan-favorite moments such as Ariel’s iconic hair flip as she breaks the surface after receiving her legs from Ursula. But what changes did they make? The most obvious change is the looks of Ariel’s sidekick trio: Flounder, Sebastian, and Scuttle. As it is a live-action adaptation, it wouldn’t have made sense to make these characters look exactly like the cartoon. Instead, the film’s photo-realistic version depicted Flounder as a tropical yellow fish with dark blue strips, Sebastian as a ghost crab, and Scuttle as a Northern Gannet instead of a seagull.
Another change from the animated is the addition of Queen Selina – Prince Eric’s mother played by actress Noma Dumezweni (‘Mary Poppins Returns’). Having her in the film was a welcoming change, giving a lot more layers to Prince Eric’s storyline and fleshing out the Above World more than the animated movie did. Dumezweni is reunited with Rob Marshall and producer Jon DeLuca on ‘The Little Mermaid’ as she previously worked with the duo on ‘Mary Poppins Returns’.
King Triton’s concert from the original animated was not featured in the live-action version, and while this film does highlight Ariel’s Mer-sisters in a different way, the concert would have given the audience a closer look at Ariel’s siren voice – which King Triton eludes in the film that it contains magical properties such as healing. This is not to say Ariel uses her voice to affect someone’s decisions or moods. Additionally, the concert would have given more life to the underwater kingdom by showing other merfolk and architecture, which was sorely missing from the film.
Another fan-favorite scene that did not make it into the live-action version is one that takes place in the castle’s kitchen with Chef Louis who chases Sebastian around the kitchen while preparing a meal for Prince Eric, Grimsby, and Ariel. It was rumored that Lin-Manuel Miranda may have played the part of the Chef, and it would have been fun to hear his rendition of ‘Les Poissons’
There are a few new songs added as well, including a solo number for Prince Eric. Ariel also has a brand new song that will have you tapping your feet. The overall story and pacing of the movie match the original, the changes made it so that this was not just another shot-for-shot movie.
Halle Bailey is no stranger to the spotlight. She began acting at the age of 3 and launched a YouTube channel with her sister Chloe at the age of 11. Their covers of ‘Best Thing I Never Had’ and ‘Pretty Hurts’ went viral, propelling the sisters onto the road of stardom. Later, the sisters were signed to Parkwood Entertainment management company, which is owned by Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé Knowles.
Bailey was the first actress to audition for the role of Ariel. She sang ‘A Part of Your World’ for her audition, and director Rob Marshall was left in tears by her performance. It’s easy to see how Marshall felt so emotional during her audition. Bailey’s rendition of the song made many in the audience feel overcome with emotion, and sniffles (and cheering) were heard all over the theater.
She captured the essence of Ariel – her passion and curiosity of the human world, her longing to be heard and be independent, and how much love and kindness she had to give. Bailey gave it all she got and is easy to see why she was the best choice to play Ariel.
The sea witch Ursula has become an iconic Disney villain. The bigger-than-life role falls on the shoulders of Melissa McCarthy who had the audience wrapped around her tentacles. Her performance was big and theatrical, and she delivered ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’ with so much flair it was a joy to watch. While she delivered some intense (and at times unhinged) moments, she also used her comedic ability to break up the tension, causing the audience to burst into laughter. All eyes were on Ursula whenever she was on the screen.
Final Thoughts
‘The Little Mermaid’ may just be the best Disney live-action adaptation to date. Halle Bailey shines as Ariel. The original songs from the animated sounded great with performances from Bailey, Diggs, and McCarthy. Daveed Digg’s Sebastion and Awkwafina’s Scuttle are fantastic as a comedic duo.
It was great to see Prince Eric have more of a backstory and substance than just a typical Disney Prince treatment. The special effects and CGI were rough in parts, and the world-building of the underworld world left much to be desired but the performances and story outweigh those issues. If you loved ‘The Little Mermaid’ growing up, you will have fun with this one.
‘The Little Mermaid’ is produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. It is set to release in theaters on May 26th, 2023.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
John Wick is back and it is even more action-packed than ever. Can he ever earn his freedom and finally be released from the grasp of the High Table?
Following the events of 2019’s ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is seeking out the new head of the High Table, Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård). With a hefty price on his head and hundreds of assassins go after Wick, including his old friend Caine – a blind assassin – Wick is in for the biggest and longest battle yet.
The official synopsis for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is below:
“John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.”
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ opened to $73.8 million domestically, making it the highest opening grossing movie in the ‘John Wick’ franchise’. It is certified Tomatoe-meter fresh with a 91% score from critics, 93% from the audience, and 95% from Moviefone. The fourth installment has grossed $180 million domestically and $406 million worldwide since its release.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The Most Intense Fight Scenes Of The Franchise
The ‘John Wick’ franchise has come a long way since the 2014 film where the former assassin was seeking revenge from those who murdered his beagle puppy, a gift from his late wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan). The film is known for its intricate “Gun-fu” fight choreography, carefully crafted by director and stuntman Chad Stahleski and his stunt team.
Working with stunt coordinators Scott Rogers and Stephen Dunlevy, who have over 30 years of experience in the industry, they created some of the most stunning fight sequences of the franchise including one involving a weapon named “Dragon’s Breath”. This scene takes place later on in the film and gives the audience a top-down view of the fight, something that has not been done yet in the franchise.
The cameras had to be rigged on wires over the set in order to shoot it from the top-down. The walls of the set had to be built shorter in order for the camera rig to be set up correctly for the scene. And the “Dragon’s Breath” weapon? It was a modified shotgun that shot fireballs. Each time it fired, it would ignite the victims on fire in a flurry of flames and sparks. Paired with the heart-thumping music, making this scene quite the spectacle.
Donnie Yen as Caine in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Another intense – and long – fight scene was the one that took place at the iconic Rue Foyatier. It is a 222-step staircase that leads to the Sacré-Coeur. Wick has a time limit to reach the top of the stairs, and it wasn’t just the endless staircase that stood in his way. Countless assassins show up at the Rue Foyatier to try to claim the hefty bounty that’s been placed on the Baba Yaga. Just when Wick finally sees the top of the stairs, he receives a kick that sends it all the way back to the bottom. For the safety of the actor, Reeves’ stunt double Vincent Bouillon made the fall.
Finally, there’s the incredible John Wick verses cars sequence at the Arc de Troimphe. Filled with busy traffic of Paris, Wick is dodging endless cars and Garmont’s goons while taking a few hits himself. This scene was accomplished with group of 50 stunt drivers from all over the world, two camera crews, and countless hours of rehearsal.
(L to R) Ian McShane as Winston, Keanu Reeves as John Wick, and director Chad Stahelski on the set of ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Where Can I Watch ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’?
The film premiered in London on March 6, 2023 and was released theatrically in the United States on March 23, 2023. Originally, the film was slated to release in 2021 but was delayed due to COVID. ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 49 minutes. It is the fourth film in the ‘John Wick’ franchise. You can still experience the action-thriller on the big screen. Be sure to check below for showtimes in your area.
Watch the official trailers for ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ below:
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For any fans of the franchise, this is definitely a film to watch on the big screen. But for those who wants to experience the movie from the comfort of their home, we’ve got good new for you. ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ will be available on digital starting May 23.
Looking to complete your ‘John Wick’ Blu-ray collection? Physical release of the movie will be on June 13 in 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. The Blu-ray will include a ton of special features such as a featurette featuring director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves called “Chad and Keanu: Through Wick and Thin”, a weapons training featurette, behind the scene look at set design, costumes, fight choreography, exploring Donnie Yen’s character Caine and much more.
We just can’t get enough of the world of John Wick. Lucky for us, the spin-off series ‘The Continental’ will stream on Peacock this September, and the spin-off film ‘Ballerina’ starring Ana de Armas (‘Ghosted’) in 2024, which will feature an appearance from John Wick himself.
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed faces off against Jonathan Majors’ Damian Anderson in ‘Creed III’. This movie also serves as Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut who has been starring in the sports franchise since 2015.
Following the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II’, Adonis “Donnie” Creed is considering retirement as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World when his childhood friend and former boxing prodigy Damian “Dame” Anderson comes back into his life, throwing everything into disarray. The film puts the two former friends at odds and Donnie will have to fight in the most emotional match yet.
“After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed has been thriving in both his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damien Anderson, resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damien – a fighter who has nothing to lose.”
‘Creed III’ opened to $58.3 million domestially, $22 million more than ‘Creed II’. It is certified Tomatoe-meter fresh with a 89% score from critics and 96% from audience. The third installment has grossed $272 million worldwide since it’s release.
Helming a popular franchise such as ‘Creed’ is no easy task, yet Michael B. Jordan took on the challenge of being both the lead of the film and stepping behind the camera to direct. The star’s impressive resume and dedication shows as the film balances its action, heart, and humor extremely well.
Jordan kept the tone from the the previous ‘Creed’ films such as the action and redemption arc while adding his own flavor like utilizing slow-motion in the ring. This helped emphasis each punch and by using it sparingly, it didn’t make it feel like a gimmick. Jordan’s love of anime can also be seen in his directorial style. The actor has spoken about his love for animes such as ‘Naruto’, ‘Dragonball Z’, and ‘One Piece’, and using it as a visual reference for some of the fight scenes.
Cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau light the actors in such a unique and abstract way for the final match, using colors like red and green to emphasis what they’re feeling as they made their walk toward the ring. Morgenthau worked with Crafty Apes, the VFX team, to map out the final moments and by using a motion-control camera, the fight was immersive and distinctive.
With a stellar box office and reception, a “Creed-verse” may not be too far off. According to Deadline, Jordan has met with Amazon to explore other ‘Creed’ related projects. No details are confirmed but there are talks of spin-off projects such as an anime series, live-action TV series, and even a story centered on Donnie’s daughter Amara, played by deaf actress Mila Davis-Kent. A spin-off movie based on Rocky’s nemesis Ivan Drago and his son Viktor Drago has also been announced. The possibility is endless when it comes to the Creed/Rocky universe, which is quite exciting for fans of the franchise.
Where Is Rocky?
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed II.’
One thing that was mising from ‘Creed III’ was Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa. Although Rocky has constantly been in Donnie’s corner in each movie, this is the first film in the ‘Creed’ saga to not feature the character. They do mention his name once during the film but Rocky’s whereabouts was not clear, so what happened?
Although Stallone created the characters in the original ‘Rocky’, he sold the rights to producer Irwin Winkler and MGM in order to have the first film made, therefore he has no real say in the future of the franchise. Stallone did not agree with the direction Winkler wanted to take with the franchise, and felt it was too dark.
We don’t know whether Stallone will return to the franchise, but his absence was definitely noticeable as someone who had been a mentor for Donnie since the first ‘Creed’ film.
The film premiered in Mexico City on February 9, 2023 and released theatrically in the United States on March 3, 2023. It is the third film in the ‘Creed’ franchise and the 19th film in the ‘Rocky’ saga. ‘Creed III’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes. You can still experience the boxing action-drama in theaters. Be sure to check below for showtimes in your area.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Creed III’ below:
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Prefer to watch experience the movie from your home? You’re in luck. ‘Creed III’ is now available to rent or purchase digitally on the Amazon streaming service, Prime Video as of April 1, 2023.
The DC comic-book sequel is coming to Max faster than you can say Shazam! Follow the Shazam family along on their next adventure and their battle with the daughters of Atlas.
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Following the events of 2019’s Shazam! Billy Baxton and his foster siblings continue to be heroes for the people of Philadelphia, now with a better understanding of their newfound powers. But a new threat arrives that proves to be much more powerful than anything they have ever faced.
“Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrives on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.”
‘Shazam Fury of the Gods’ opened to $30.1 million, $23.3 million less than the first film despite it being number one in the box office for its opening weekend. The sequel has grossed $132.1 million worldwide since its release.
Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu Faces Off Against The Shazam Family
On top of juggling their superpowers and their normal lives, Billy and his siblings faces a new threat in the Daughters of Atlas. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu play sisters Hespera and Kalypso, arriving on Earth seeking revenge from those who took their powers. They go head-to-head with the Shazam family, stripping some of them of their powers, rendering Billy to face them alone.
The chemistry between Mirren and Liu is undeniable, and some of the best moments in the film were when both were on screen together. The addition of Rachel Zegler (‘West Side Story‘) as the third sister Anthea created a fantastic dynamic as she struggled with how far her sisters are willing to go to regain their magic.
Each sister possessed a different type of magic. Hespera has the power to manipulate the elements, giving her the ability to control air, water, fire, and earth. Kalypso has the power of chaos and can cause widespread panic and hysteria just by a whisper in one’s ear. Anthea has the ability to manipulate reality, giving her the control to wrap and shift her surroundings.
The threat doesn’t stop there. This film is also filled with fantastical creatures from Greek mythology such as Ladon the Dragon, chimeras, minotaurs, harpies, and cyclops. The creatures were born out of the Tree of Life planted by Kalypso, wreaking havoc on Fawcett City. While not tied to the Greek mythology, unicorns also played a part in the movie serving as steeds for the Shazam fam.
The Wonderous Cameo
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
In the 2019 ‘Shazam!’ film, there was plenty of mention of other DC superheroes such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Superman. In fact, Superman (sort of) made a cameo towards the end of the film, though not played by Henry Cavill as he was only seen from the chin down. This was again mentioned in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, acknowledging that Shazam is not the only superhero in this universe.
Audiences were quite surprised to see a full-on cameo of Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot. Wonder Woman appears during the film in Billy’s dream but her face was not revealed as the dream was interrupted by the Wizard Shazam in order to communicate with the teen. However, toward the end of the film, the Amazonian warrior appears again and as the camera continues to pan up it is revealed that it is Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, complete with her iconic theme music.
Since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as co-chairmen of DC Studios, it was revealed that they’re resetting the DC Universe after ‘The Flash’. It is uncertain whether we’ll see the likes of Gal Gadot and other DC superhero actors such as Jason Momoa or even Zachary Levi appear in future DC films as their characters. Regardless of the future, it was a treat for DC fans to see Gadot’s Wonder Woman make her appearance in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’.
The film premiered on March 14, 2023. You can still experience the superhero action-comedy in theaters. Be sure to check your local listings and Moviefone for showtimes below. ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ has a total runtime of 2 hour and 10 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ below:
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Prefer to watch experience the movie from your home? ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ will be arriving on HBO Max (soon to be renamed to Max) on May 23, 2023. If you’re not a subscribed to the streaming service, you have the option to purchase the movie or rent on VOD.
Years after the events of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’, is not only known as a member of the Avengers who helped save the world, but a successful author of his memoir “Look Out For The Little Guy” and popular podcaster. Despite his happy life, Lang desperately tries to reconnect with his teenage daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) to make up for the years lost due to Thano’s snap. Meanwhile, Cassie has been building a device to communicate with the Quantum Realm with the help of Hank and Hope. This resulted in the Ant-family being pulled into the Quantum Realm and set off to battle a formidable opponent.
The official synopsis for ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ is below:
“Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible.”
Fans have long heard about the Quantum Realm since the first ‘Ant-Man’ movie. It’s always been depicted as dangerous and unpredictable, and it was further confirmed by Janet Van Dyne who refused to talk about it even to her own family members. Due to the mishap of Cassie’s communication device, the family got a firsthand experience at what the Quantum Realm is all about.
The world is vibrant and wild, filled with various lifeforms and citizens who are on the brink of a rebellion. This is where Janet’s backstory gets fully flushed out – giving a closer look at the years she’s spent in the Quantum Realm, how she survived, and how she meets the film’s ultimate baddie – Kang.
The audience also points out the similarities between the Quantum Realm and ‘Star Wars,’ especially in the bar scene and the use of practical creatures. After all these years of hearing about the Quantum Realm, it was a treat to see finally experience it on the big screen.
Upon the announcement that the next Avengers movie will be called ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’, fans have been curious and excited to see who will play Kang and how will his character will be portrayed on screen. Kang (Jonathan Major) was first introduced in season 1 of the Disney+ series ‘Loki’, but it’s not the same version as the Kang we meet in the movie. The Kang from ‘Loki’ calls himself He Who Remains and famously said to Loki and Sylvie: “If you think I’m evil, just wait till you meet my variants.” Enter Kang The Conqueror who we meet in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ – formidable and ruthless. And this is just the tip of the iceberg for multiple Kangs to come in the future of the MCU.
We also get to meet another popular villain in the movie, in the form of M.O.D.O.K aka Mental Organism Designed Only For Killing. This character deviates quite a bit from the comic books but connects directly to the first Ant-man film. Although MODOK creates some comedic moments in the movie, he also serves as quite the challenge for our heroes. Fans are split as to whether this iteration of MODOK worked or not.
Is ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ still in theaters?
The film first premiered at the Regency Village Theater on February 2, 2023 and opened domestically on February 17, 2023. There might still be a chance to catch the movie on the big screen, check below for showtimes in your area, but do know it is very limited.
When Will ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Be Available To Stream?
Lucky for us, we can watch our favorite tiny heroes from home via digital purchase starting April 18th. For those who prefers physical copies, you can purchase the movie on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 16, 2023 (pre-order available). It is unclear when the Marvel flick will be available on Disney+.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
We feel the need, the need to relive the action of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ right from the comfort of our couches.
The highly anticipated sequel soared into theaters on May 27, 2022, and quickly became the summer movie to see. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% from critics and 99% from the audience, the Tom Cruise-led film has now earned over $1.4 billion worldwide.
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‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is a follow-up to the 1986 ‘Top Gun’, directed by Tony Scott. It’s been over 36 years since the original film and even with all the delays due to COVID and scheduling conflicts, fans patiently awaited for it to arrive in theaters. The film centers around Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) who has been ordered to return to Top Gun flight school to train the next group of pilots for a dangerous mission.
The official synopsis for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is below:
“After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.”
Tom Cruise on the set of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
With today’s technology, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ brought the action to new heights. Utilizing practical stunts and gravity-defying flight sequences, the film puts the audience right in the cockpit with heart-dropping drops, rolls, and dives. The actors themselves also experienced g-forces and top-speed flying.
The aviation-action title was nominated in several categories for the 95th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Original Song (performed by Lady Gaga), Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film brought home the Oscar for Best Sound.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Tom Cruise is known for delivering top-tier stunt sequences in his movies often performing the stunts himself, such as hanging on to the door of a commercial aircraft during takeoff in ‘Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’. For ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, while he is an experienced and licensed pilot, Cruise did not actually fly the Boeing F/A 18F Super Hornet jet used in the film. Due to military regulations, the actor flew in the backseat of the aircraft while a Navy pilot controlled the plane. This was the same scenario for the cast. But this doesn’t mean the cast had an easy time – the intense flying sequences require serious training for the actors and Cruise himself designed an intensive three-month training program for the cast to go through prior to filming.
On top of the intense training, the cast had to be their own cinematographer while they were in the air. The F18 aircraft did not allow room for additional crew, and during the flight sequences, director Joseph Kosinski was not able to communicate with the cast or see the footage being filmed. Therefore it was up to the actors to make sure they were framed and lit properly.
Where Can I Watch ‘Top Gun: Maverick’?
The film first premiered at Cinema Con on April 22, 2022. It opened in the US on May 27th and was available in IMAX, 4DX, ScreenX, ad Dolby Cinema. The film earned $126.7 million on its opening weekend. While it’s been almost 10 months since it’s premiere, there are still theaters playing the film, though it is limited. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ below:
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When Will It Be Available To Stream Online?
You can stream ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ on Paramount+, with a subscription fee ranging from $5 to $10 monthly, or MGM+ (formerly Epix) for $6 a month. Both services offer free trials for those looking for a new streaming platform.
Additionally, it is also available to rent (pricing varies) or purchase for $19.99 digitally on various platforms.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is available to purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray with over 80 minutes of special features. For the collectors, there’s a limited-edition Steel book available on Amazon.
Please click on the video player below to watch our interviews with actors Danny Ramirez, Lewis Pullman, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Charles Parnell, as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer about ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’
(L to R) Phillipa Soo as Emma and Simu Liu as Sam in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Is it possible to have two true loves? Find out on April 7th as ‘One True Loves’ opens in theaters. Directed by Andy Fickman, the movie is adapted from the romance novel of the same name.
What is the plot of ‘One True Loves?’
The story of ‘One True Loves’ follows Emma Blair (Phillipa Soo), who is living her perfect life, married to her high school sweetheart Jesse (Luke Bracey), and is working as a travel writer. On their one year wedding anniversary, Jesse leaves for a work trip and disappears following a helicopter crash. Heartbroken, she moves back home to be closer to her family. Years later, she finds love again and is engaged to her best friend, Sam (Simu Liu). Unexpectedly, she gets a call from Jesse who has been found. Now Emma has the difficult decision to decide who her true love is.
The rom-com is based on NY Times Best Selling author Taylor Jenkins Reid’s work, who also wrote the screenplay along with her husband. This helped the screen adaptation stay true to the book with little deviance. Phillipa Soo’s performance as Emma is so natural and relatable that you can’t help but fall in love with her and cry with her through her heartbreaks. The comedic moments were great to break up the more tense scenes but felt like it fell on Simu Liu’s shoulders to deliver most of those moments rather than having it more evenly distributed amongst the cast.
(L to R) Phillipa Soo as Emma and Simu Liu as Sam in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Changes From The Book
With any book-to-screen adaptation, it’s natural to want to compare how much was changed from the source material. One of the biggest changes that book readers will notice from watching the trailer is Emma’s hair. In the book, Emma is known to rock a blonde pixie cut. The Emma in the film has long brown hair. Having read the book, one can understand the importance of that hairstyle. Though book fans might be disappointed to not see Emma in her signature pixie cut, rest assured that the core emotion of the story still carries out authentically.
Another small change from the book is Emma’s best friend, Olive, who is not in the movie. In the film, Sam assumes the role of being Emma’s best friend, giving them a basis for their history and connection. While I missed Olive’s quippy remarks, the change was not noticeable in the film.
Something that was a bit more jarring was the time jumps. The book jumps backward and forwards to tell the events of how Emma met Sam and Jesse, when the helicopter crashed, and when Emma finds out that Jesse has been rescued. While the time jump works well in the book, this structure did not translate well in the film. Those who may not have read the book before going into the film might find this a bit jarring and sudden, and at times, a bit excessive.
(L to R) Lauren Tom as Ashley, Michael O’Keefe as Colin, Phillipa Soo as Emma and Simu Liu as Sam in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Cast Performance And Chemistry
As with any story with a complicated love triangle, the audience (and readers) will often choose a side to root for. While reading the book, it was hard to side with Sam or Jesse because while completely different, they both truly love Emma. Simu Liu and Luke Bracey’s performances as Sam and Jesse did not make it any easier to choose a side. It was great to see passages pull directly from the book and watch it play out on screen.
Simu Liu who plays Sam, is Emma’s fiance and a music teacher. We finally get to see Liu in a romantic lead role though it isn’t hard to picture given the actor’s charismatic nature. His chemistry with Phillipa Soo is very natural, and comforting to watch on screen. Being a music teacher in the film also allowed Liu to lean into his musicality. In fact, an original song entitled ‘Don’t’, written and performed by Liu plays during the end credit.
Luke Bracey is no stranger to romantic comedies, having starred in films like ‘Maybe I Do’ and ‘Holidate’. His character Jesse is fun-loving and adventurous. However, having gone through the traumatic events of surviving a helicopter crash and being lost at sea, Bracey’s performance was darker and emotionally raw.
The cast also includes Michaela Conlin as Emma’s sister Marie and Tom Everett Scott as Emma’s brother-in-law Michael. Marie has a huge part in helping Emma come out of her depression, and the back-and-forth between Phillipa Soo and Michaela was fun to watch. However, the movie did not give more time to dive into the relationship of the sisters, and at times it felt like Marie’s purpose was to only serve as Emma’s cheerleader rather than having more impact.
Phillipa Soo as Emma in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Final Thoughts
It is not always easy to satisfy fans of the original material with book-to-screen adaptations, but ‘One True Loves’ makes it happen, despite the small changes. With Taylor Jenkins Reid penning the screenplay, she was able to convey the essential parts of the story with all the highs and lows one feels while reading the book.
‘One True Loves’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Phillipa Soo as Emma and Luke Bracey as Jesse in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release.
‘One True Loves’ is produced by Volition Media Partners, Gosdom Entertainment, Studio507, Blue Rider Pictures, Thomasville Pictures, SquareOne Productions, Oops Doughnuts Productions, Storybook Entertainment, El Ride Productions, I Think Productions, and Streamline Global, and will be in theaters on April 7, on digital April 14, and On-Demand on April 28.
(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
‘Beef’, the upcoming Netflix series is wild, dramatic, and takes revenge to the next level. The series starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong arrives on Netflix on April 6th.
The official synopsis for ‘Beef’ is: “A road rage incident between two strangers – a failing contractor and an unfulfilled entrepreneur – sparks a feud that brings out their darkest impulses.”
The series is created by writer/producer Lee Sung Jin whose writing credits include ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ and ‘2 Broke Girls’. It first premiered at the 2023 SXSW Festival on March 18th and will have 10 episodes in total.
‘Beef’ stars Steven Yeun as Danny and Ali Wong as Amy. Series regulars include David Choe as Isaac, Young Mazino as Paul, Joseph Lee as George, and Patti Yasutake as Fumi.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the virtual press conference for ‘Beef’. In attendance were Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, and creator Lee Sung Jin.alway
(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
Here are the 10 things we learned from the ‘Beef’ virtual press conference:
1. The Stars’ Initial Reaction To The Script For ‘Beef’
To kick off the press conference, Ali Wong spoke about her reaction when reading the script.
Ali Wong: Well, when I read the script, honestly, I was like, this is exactly what we pitched. So there weren’t a lot of surprises. It was more like when he pitched me the idea to begin with, which was very close to the pilot, I was… Yeah, I was blown away and I was like, that sounds scary, but really exciting, and I think I can do it.
Speaking about what blew her away about it:
“I think the thriller element. There’s like, I just haven’t done anything like that before, and just as the show has progressed too, I mean, that just comes out more and more where it’s like, it’s so suspenseful and I’m reading, just reading every page right away, just with so much anticipation and always, I never knew it was going to happen. Sometimes I knew what was going to happen because we talked about it, of course, but in the ways that it happened, it always surprised me, so.”
Steven Yeun also spoke on his initial reaction on hearing the pitch for the series.
Steven Yeun: Well, when Sonny called me about just, we were just chatting a random conversation. He was like, “Hey, I have this idea for a road rage thing.” I was like, oh, that’s it. And it was as simple as that. But then for me, it wasn’t a surprise, but what was really exciting was to get the scripts and then see the dialogue and just what Sonny wrote. You’re just like, yeah, you have an idea of where the plot’s going to go. But then you read the dialogue and you’re like, ”Wow, this feels so real.”. It’s such easy but difficult vernacular that you’re almost, it’s written in a way where it was like, oh, Sonny was there in the room as a fly on the wall, and he overheard those conversations and he wrote it that way. And it’s like when you get dialogue like that for me, I’m just like, oh, this is going to be so fun.
2. The Series Was Inspired By A Real Life Incident
Creator Lee Sung Jin was involved in a real-life road rage incident that inspired the script.
Lee Sung Jin: It was a typical road rage thing where the light turned green and I didn’t go fast enough. And it was also a white SUV, it was a BMW though. And yeah, honked at me, said a bunch of things and raced off. And for some reason that day, I was like, “I’ll follow you.” And didn’t really have a plan in my mind. I was justifying it like I’m just following, I’m on my way home and I happen to be behind you. And I’m sure for that person, it felt like I was tracking him the whole run of the 10 highway. And so I thought there was something there about people who were very stuck in their subjective views of reality, and they’re projecting assumptions onto the other person, and that was the kernel of the idea. So I’m very, very thankful for that incident.
The actress talks about parts of Amy’s journey that resonate with her, exploring topics that impact Asian women who are career driven.
Ali Wong: I mean, I think that feeling like in the pilot when she’s receiving all those texts and she’s like, “Make it stop.” You know that feeling where it’s like everything’s going wrong. The lint in the dryer, you forgot to clean it, so it’s like the dryer almost caused a fire in the house. There’s a mouse running around in the garage that’s eating all the Halloween candy. There’s like… You haven’t paid that bill for dental cleaning or whatever. And it’s like, it just is all piled on, and you’re like, I have no time to enjoy the things that I’ve worked really hard for. I mean, I think we all have moments like that. So yeah. But I don’t know if catharsis is the word, I think. It was more like the friendships we developed off-camera really provided a lot of catharsis, but really the actual work of this was really wonderful and fulfilling, and it was really challenging too.
4. Steven Yeun Makes The Switch From Dramatic Roles To Comedic Roles
The actor is known for acting in dramatic roles such as Glenn in ‘The Walking Dead’ or Jacob in ‘Minari’, and is taking a more comedic route in ‘Beef’.
Steven Yeun: It was weird because it didn’t feel like a switch. Meaning, Danny is just, like to play the comedy of Danny is to just lean into the unfortunate drama of his life. So it felt like being in it and out of it at the same time. That’s where the shame part came in, where I was just like, ‘Oh, I’m watching Danny go through this thing.” And it’s like, how do I not bail on him? All the time, I’m just judging him, judging him, judging him, cringing or not trying to make him make sense, but then you’ve got to make him make sense. And that was a challenge. That was every day, I think I told [Sonny], I was like, “Why are you making me do this?”
5. Balancing Storytelling Between Comedy And Drama
Creator Lee Sung Jin talks about how much the writer’s room helped with the progression of the show.
Lee Sung Jin: Oh, man. I don’t know. Just kind of stumbling about. Yeah, the writing’s hard, it’s the worst, and having a great writer’s room helps a lot. We spent an inordinate amount of time just making sure that the core progressions of the season felt right. And that’s probably what I spend the most amount of time on, is just making sure the beats feel good, and then all those other things just kind of happen organically. You know, you just try to add textures and specificities that feel true to life and true to people you know.
And then just all those themes naturally bubble up, but it’s definitely not top-down where I’m like, I want to tackle identity or anything like that. It’s just trying to write characters that feel real.
6. Ali Wong Talks The Most Physically Challenging Scenes
The actress recounts having to run through the forest in the dark and working with animals for the scene.
Ali Wong: Running in the dark looks cool on camera, but the reality of doing that, especially when you’re in a trench coat and it’s dark and you can’t see branches beneath you that get caught in your trench coat. I mean it, I just wasn’t used to it. Again, I was excited about this whole thriller element. And when you’re actually doing it, you’re like, this is scary. But it was nice because I was with Steven because he’d been on ‘The Walking Dead’, is it seven seasons? Yeah, seven seasons in the suburbs of Atlanta running away from zombies. So he was hopping around in the forest like it was his playground, and it was so interesting to see him so at home in the forest at two in the morning while I was like, Shelley Long in ‘Troop Beverly Hill.’ I was like, “Get me out here,” but it was really fun. But actually what was challenging was hiding how terrified and uncomfortable was. So that was the most challenging part, and trying to be a fraction as tough as Steven.
The actress also talked about working with crows in one scene.
Ali Wong: There was talons on my arm. Yeah. So it was, when I look at it, actually being there was not tough. It was just repressing the fear and it was like two acting jobs. It was performing for them and then performing.
The creator talks about a specific scene that was emblematic of the series and his favorite of the series
Lee Sung Jin: I’d say probably… Oh man, there’s a scene in episode seven and I’m trying to think about how to use words to not spoil anything, but it involves the two leads, and they’re in Amy’s home, and there’s sort of this confrontational conversation that happens at a dinner party, and I really loved the way you two played that scene. Quite powerful, but so minimal and it’s very existential and it gets me in my little heart and yeah, I think it’s a really… I mean, they crushed it. And so that’s probably one of my favorite scenes. And the way Jake shot that too is incredible. And yeah, it’s very emblematic of the mood of the show, I’d say.
8. Steven Yeun Talk Playing And Relating To A Character That Seems Stuck
Yeun’s character Danny Cho tends to make bad decisions, from rage-driving to physically fighting his siblings. He speaks about being able to relate to that when he was younger.
Steven Yeun: Yeah, I think for me, I relate to Danny in that when I was younger, I was certainly stuck in something like that. Of just I was raised immigrant like he did too, so I relate to this need to, as the firstborn son, control my environment in whatever way shape I can. And I relate to Danny in that way, so I can see someone who does not live in an awareness of himself constantly feeling like his story, or not even knowing that he’s living his own mind story out over and over again, that he’s constantly just put under by the way he sees the world. And I think that’s a gnarly place to be for someone like him, but he’s genuine in his frustrations. If someone would talk to him, he would just be like, “I’m telling you, this is happening to me.” And if he could just get out of his own way, he could open the door and leave, but he doesn’t know he holding himself hostage. So yeah, it was, I wouldn’t say cathartic, I would say for me, it was harrowing at times to go back to that place where I couldn’t see my own reflection in my own mirror when I was younger.
9. Amy’s House Was Designed To Give The Feel Of Being In A Cage
Wong’s character Amy puts on an armor every single day of her life. The costume department designed Amy’s outfits and color palette to be opposite of what she would be thinking internally.
Ali Wong: I have to give a lot of credit to the head of costumes, Helen (Huang), she’s amazing. So she dressed me purposely. Like, Amy would never wear this outfit that I’m wearing right now. She would never have this hair. She would never have these earrings. This would be too loud and too gauche for Amy. She wears very coated, expensive shapeless neutrals. And grace, I mean, Helen purposely dressed me like that and her expressing her sense of humor, and also she wanted me to have this armor because it’s like she thought it was so funny to dress Amy in these tans and creams and camels and whites, but then Amy have these insane thoughts. So that’s a choice that Amy makes because this is who she wants to be, but it’s also making her feel trapped. Same thing with Amy’s house, like those wooden slats you see in Amy’s house.
So Grace (Yun), who’s an amazing production designer, she spaced out those wooden slats perfectly to, while superficially they seem like very zen and serene, she built them in a way that makes it feel like a cage. So all of that really helped me feel like that.
10. Wong And Yeun Remember The Most Memorable And Emblematic Scene
For Wong, the most memorable scene was on her first day of shooting with Yeun, they were running out of time (and sun) to finish the scene and only had time for 3 more takes. The scene required Wong to chase Yeun through the house.
Ali Wong: It was just really fun. And that kind of set the tone for the rest of the shoot. I was like, oh, I mean, I talked about this before, but because I didn’t know Steven and his process that well, I was like, okay, since we’re playing enemies, in between takes and during lunch, is he going to throw a donut at my head? Is he going to go like this to me every time I try to speak to him? And then it was like, I mean, that kind of set the precedent that we will always connect in between takes, because really it’s not about us being enemies, it’s really about these two people having a connection.
For Yeun, it was a more vulnerable and quiet scene.
Steven Yeun: I think a lot of that exists in episode 10. A lot of the quiet moments were, for me, really fun to unpack. And I think even just like… Well, it’s spoilers. Just kind of being in a vulnerable, natural condition internally and externally between Danny and Amy. Those are very, to me, the show.
To wrap up the press conference, Lee Sung Jin has something to tease for the final 2 episodes of the series.
“They escalate and they get… The two trains collide, and we try to get to deeper emotions past the basic rage, sadness, happiness, and kind of try to figure out why are we the way that we are, why does reality kind of suck most of the time. So we try to go to some deeper spots while also having a very well-placed fart joke in the mix.”
The directors for the dark comedy series include Hikari, Jake Schreier, and Lee Sung Jin. ‘Beef’ premieres on Netflix on April 6th.
(L to R) Steven Yeun and Ali Wong attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of “BEEF” at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
Directed by Andy Fickman (‘Heathers: The Musical’), ‘One True Loves’ is based on a novel of the same name, written by NY Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid (‘Daisy Jones and the Six’). The author also penned the screenplay with her husband and both serve as executive producers on the film. The movie focuses on Emma (Phillipa Soo), who is living the perfect life with her husband Jesse (Luke Bracey) until he disappeared in a tragic helicopter crash. Four years later, Emma has found love again with her best friend Sam (Simu Liu) and is about to be married when Jesse resurfaces, throwing all three into a complicated love triangle.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Simu Liu about his work on ‘One True Loves,’ playing the romantic lead in a rom-com, working with Phillipa Soo and singing ‘Hamilton’ songs on set, recording and performing an original song for the movie soundtrack, and his excitement to return for ‘Shang-Chi 2.’
(L to R) Phillipa Soo as Emma and Simu Liu as Sam in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Moviefone: To begin with, this, as you know, is a book-to-screen adaptation. So for a project like this, when you approach it, do you go ahead and read the book ahead of time or do you let the script dictate your instincts?
Simu Liu: Yeah, I think in this case, when Sarah (Halley Finn) brought the project to me, I kind of right away ordered the book just because as an actor, I mean, you really just want any help you can to try to get into the world that you’re about to step into. And then I was kind of encouraged to not necessarily favor the script, but I was encouraged to not get too deep into the book because it’s still, at the end of the day, an adaptation, and a book takes a lot longer to read than a two-hour movie. And so I really wanted to treat the script as much of the Bible as possible. That didn’t mean that I didn’t go through the book and mark down passages that I thought were extremely relevant because Taylor Jenkins Reid is just such a gifted writer, and there are passages that I would highlight and I would say, “oh my goodness, this is just an amazing piece of writing” and it helps me get into some sort of a headspace of where Sam would be at. So that definitely happened, but I also wanted the script to be its own star, and I wanted the words on the script, which were also written by Taylor (Jenkins Reid) to reign supreme. And so that was kind of the song and dance around that. But all of that to say, I mean, I can’t say enough just how incredible of an opportunity it was to get to work with Taylor because she crafted the script as well as the book. We really got to sit down with her and get really granular with scenes, with character. And I’ll just kind of go out and say it. I’m obsessed with ‘Daisy Jones and The Six’. I just think she’s such an amazing storyteller, so I really relished the opportunity to do that with her.
MF: In the film, Emma is faced with a very difficult decision. She has to choose between the man she married and the one she’s engaged to, and she’s in love with both. Do you think it’s possible to have two true loves at once in real life?
SL: Yeah, I mean, the core kind of conceit of the movie is that it is possible to have two true loves or multiple true loves over the course of one’s life, because who you are as an individual is constantly shifting. And just because you are a right for one person at a specific moment in time or right to be with one person at a specific moment in time doesn’t mean that there’s a chance that these two people will eventually grow into people who are not meant to be together. So I don’t know if I agree with the notion that at one time there can be two true loves, but I think that’s the struggle that Emma has. She’s reconciling somebody who she feels is right for her now, versus someone who she was sure was right for her 10 years ago. And yeah, that’s, I think, what makes this story so engaging and so spicy is because I think we’ve all in some way, shape, or form, felt that call to an early love, that call of like, “oh, but if we were meant to be back then, what if we’re still meant to be? What if it was always meant to be all along?” And what I really love about this book and about what Taylor did was she kind of throws cold water on that notion and is like, no, give yourself some credit for the person that you became and know that that person needs very different things than, that younger version of you. And if somebody sees you in your present for all that you are, then that’s worth something.
Phillipa Soo as Emma in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
MF: Can you talk a little bit about working with Phillipa Soo?
SL: Yes. I mean, I was such a big fan of her going into the project, and she was a big part of why I signed on to do this movie. I really, really wanted an opportunity to work with her, also potentially an opportunity to sing ‘Hamilton’ to her, which she was very gracious about because I really enjoyed doing it on set. And she was very patient with me, I’ll say that. No, she’s just such an amazing, professional, collaborative human, and some of my favorite memories of this shoot were just kind of sitting down with her and crafting what we wanted this Sam and Emma relationship to be. And I think we both agreed that we wanted this relationship more than anything else to feel safe because that was, I think, all along that that is Sam’s number one priority. Knowing everything that Emma has been through, knowing the trauma that she faces and that she deals with every single day, Sam has made the choice that he needs to provide a safe environment and he needs to succeed in order for Emma to be in a place where she’s willing to marry him at the beginning of the story. So I love talking to her about that. Love sharing our individual thoughts on relationships and loved working with her, just such a constant professional.
MF: Speaking of singing ‘Hamilton,’ you wrote and performed the song ‘Don’t’ for this movie. So talk about how that came about and the recording process.
SL: Yeah, so ‘Don’t’. My God, it’s so crazy that you know that. I guess it’s on the talking points, I didn’t know how much of an easter egg it would be.
(L to R) Phillipa Soo as Emma and Simu Liu as Sam in the romance/drama/comedy film, ‘One True Loves,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
MF: I heard it during the end credit and my ears picked it up, and I was like, “That’s Simu.”
SL: Oh my God, that’s incredible. Yeah, so my musical journey kind of started with the ‘Shang-Chi (and the Legend of the Ten Rings)’ soundtrack, actually. I was working with 88rising to promote it and kind of offhandedly, because I do this sometimes, I jokingly say things that I actually want. For example, in 2018 when I was like, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if I was a superhero?” And I’m too afraid to actually earnestly ask for it, but I kind of jokingly was like, “Hey, let me know. I’ve always wanted to be a musician, so let me know if I can hop on a song or something.” And Sean Miyashiro who runs 88rising, the label that we were working with was like, “Actually, why don’t you come into the studio tomorrow?” And “we got the song that we were kind of working through and we would love for you to try it.” And I was like, “Okay, sure.” And that song ended up being ‘Hot Soup’, which, not that I check every day, but has been streamed on Spotify over 3 million times, and that’s a respectable number. I was just really blown away by that opportunity and kind of casually asked again after, “Hey, would you guys be interested in doing something a little bit more long-form with me?” And that was about a year and a bit ago. And before I knew it, I was being paired with producers, and songwriters, I was getting in studios and recording songs. And so ‘Don’t’ was one of the songs that came out of that. And now it is, for whatever reason, because I shared it with Andy (Fickman), just kind of on a night out, is now about to be a part of this movie soundtrack, which is just crazy.
MF: Finally, you’ve got a lot of work coming up, including ‘Shang-Chi 2,’ which you just talked about a little bit. Having gone through all the rigorous training and the filming for the first one, how are you approaching ‘Shang-Chi 2?’
SL: I am approaching ‘Shang-Chi 2’ with a feeling of just kind of unadulterated excitement. I think there’s no sense of the pressure to perform as we had maybe the last time around. I think now we’re dealing with a character that people know for in some way, shape, or form. And so there’s going to be a lot of joy to returning into that world and bringing the audience back into that world as well. But at the same time, showing them hopefully new facets of Shaun’s character, but also showing some really, really awesome action sequences that were celebrated the last time around. So yeah, just really, really excited, feeling a lot more grounded and confident now that the first one is out and was celebrated in the way that it was, and just impatient to get back into it.
‘One True Loves’ is produced by Volition Media Partners, Gosdom Entertainment, Studio507, Blue Rider Pictures, Thomasville Pictures, SquareOne Productions, Oops Doughnuts Productions, Storybook Entertainment, El Ride Productions, I Think Productions, and Streamline Global, and will be in theaters on April 7, on digital April 14, and On-Demand on April 28.
To watch our exclusive interviews with Phillipa Soo and Luke Bracey about ‘One True Loves,’ please click on the video player below.
