Moviefone Editorial

Category: Sci-Fi

  • ‘Sweet Tooth’ Season 2: Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell

    Christian Convery as Gus in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    Premiering on Netflix beginning April 27th is the second season of the popular series ‘Sweet Tooth,’ which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Jeff Lemire, and is executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, and Amanda Burrell.

    What is the plot of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2?

    Following the events of the first season of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ the second season involves begins as a deadly new wave of the Sick bears down, and Gus (Christian Convery) and a band of fellow hybrids are held prisoner by General Abbot (Neil Sandilands) and the Last Men. Looking to consolidate power by finding a cure, Abbot uses the children as fodder for the experiments of captive Dr. Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar), who’s racing to save his infected wife Rani (Aliza Vellani).

    To protect his friends, Gus agrees to help Dr. Singh, beginning a dark journey into his origins and his mother Birdie’s (Amy Seimetz) role in the events leading up to The Great Crumble. Outside the Preserve, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie) and Aimee Eden (Dania Ramirez) team up to break the hybrids free, a partnership that will be tested as Jepperd’s secrets come to light. As the revelations of the past threaten the possibility of redemption in the present, Gus and his new found family find themselves on a collision course with Abbot and the evil forces that look to wipe them out once and for all.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2?

    ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2 stars Christian Convery (‘Cocaine Bear’) as Gus, Nonso Anozie (‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’) as Jepperd, Adeel Akhtar (‘Enola Holmes 2’) as Dr. Singh, Stefania LaVie Owen (‘Krampus’) as Bear, Dania Ramirez (‘X-Men: The Last Stand’) as Aimee Eden, Aliza Vellani (‘Kim Possible’) as Rani Singh, Naledi Murray (‘The Undoing’) as Wendy, Neil Sandilands (‘News of the World’) as General Abbot, Marlon Williams (‘A Star is Born’) as Johnny Abbot, Amy Seimetz (‘No Sudden Move’) as Birdie, Christopher Sean Cooper Jr. (‘Obi-Wan Kenobi‘) as Teddy Turtle, and Yonas Kibreab as Finn Fox, with James Brolin (‘Westworld’) as the voice of the narrator.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with executive producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell about season 2 of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ what attracted them to the source material, world-building for the new season, parallels to the real-world, expanding General Abbot and Dr. Singh’s roles, working with the kids, Gus and Jepperd’s bond, and their ideas for season 3.

    Christian Convery as Gus in 'Sweet Tooth.'
    (L to R) Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix © 2021.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Susan, can you talk about what excited you about adapting the comic book into this series in the first place, and the challenges of expanding the universe for season 2?

    Susan Downey: Well, I think when we first got the graphic novel, we were sort of like, “What the heck is this? It’s so strange.” But when you dig into it and you understand what Jeff Lemire is trying to say and the allegory that’s there, you realize that there’s something really special and powerful in this storytelling. We really fell in love with Gus and obviously, the relationship with Jepp. I think if anything, it scared us a little bit. We knew that certainly with season one, we wanted to take all the great things that Jeff was trying to do, all of his intentions with these characters and the journey that they went on, but we wanted to make sure that we delivered it in a way that was a bit maybe more hopeful, not quite as dark as the source material. So we created this storybook dystopia, as we called it, a world of wonder with Gus as our guiding light of hope. I think that excited us because I’ve never seen anything like this. I haven’t seen a “Deer-Boy Show.” So that ticks a big box for us, which is okay, it doesn’t feel familiar. I think going into a second season though, we felt we had created this really strong foundation. Again, Gus and Jepp and their relationship as this center, as well as some of these other incredible first-season characters that joined a second season, that we actually could start creeping into a little bit of the darkness while still maintaining, again, that hope, that wonder and the beauty that we had created, but unearthing some of the darker themes and the stronger antagonists that are very focused in their goals. So it was really about expanding the world. It was introducing some new characters, and as you saw, it was expanding the world of the hybrids, which was so much fun. Again, a lot of the times we were looking at each other and going, “What are we doing here?” When my son saw the trailer, he’s like, “There’s an elephant boy?” The excitement was palpable. So I think we nailed it.

    Ruby Hall as Haley Mockingbird, Harvey Gui as Max Skunk, Aeon Scott as Anna Rabbit, Amie Donald as Maya Monkey, Cyan Scott as Hanna Rabbit, Christian Convery as Gus, Naledi Murray as Wendy, Christopher Cooper Jnr as Teddy Turtle, Erin Minchin as Jo Jo Raccoon, Apii Pukeiti as Junior Owl, Yonas Kibreab as Finn Fox in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    (L to R) Ruby Hall as Haley Mockingbird, Harvey Gui as Max Skunk, Aeon Scott as Anna Rabbit, Amie Donald as Maya Monkey, Cyan Scott as Hanna Rabbit, Christian Convery as Gus, Naledi Murray as Wendy, Christopher Cooper Jnr as Teddy Turtle, Erin Minchin as Jo Jo Raccoon, Apii Pukeiti as Junior Owl, Yonas Kibreab as Finn Fox in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Amanda, can you talk about bringing some of the separate storylines from the first season together for season 2, and expanding the world of ‘Sweet Tooth’ with more characters, locations, and flashbacks this season?

    Amanda Burrell: It’s so funny because in season one, you spend so much time building it and then trying to nail a tone or at least figure out what your show is in a lot of ways. I think because we evolved it from the graphic novel, I think we figured it out in season one, and then it just allowed us, “Okay, tonally, actually the hybrid stuff is really connecting. It’s really emotional. How do we build that and expand it?” So it felt we really understood clearly what we got in season one, and now we just get to really up it. Abbott was always going to Loom large. He’s big in the comic book. When we cast Neil, it was so fun in season one, to kind of almost keep him at bay until the audience was ready. I think the fact that we can just bring him out in all of his glory, and Neil just milked it and just was so ready for it. But also to have Singh in the mix in not only the same time space, but that whole alignment of it was just really exciting and we were always building towards it. So it felt like season one allowed us to build the excitement towards it and now we get to realize the potential of all of it. So we definitely blew it out. I feel we’re really proud of the season. We can’t believe how incredible all the hybrids are. So yeah, we’re pumped.

    Neil Sandilands as General Abbot in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    Neil Sandilands as General Abbot in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Susan, the series deals with a pandemic and obviously we are just coming out of a pandemic in the real-world now. Did the real-world pandemic at all change the way you depicted the pandemic in the show?

    SD: It’s interesting. Not entirely. This was based on a graphic novel that existed well before our pandemic, so our development of it was even before the pandemic. So I think more than anything, it’s just interesting that an audience can relate in a way that they maybe wouldn’t have had it not happened. I feel for us, more than anything, there’s just little details people are familiar with, taking temperatures, wearing masks, those kind of things. But our story takes place after, and it’s about the hope, the rebuild, the reset and what does the future offer. So, if it taps into something within all of us that we’ve experienced, it’s not looking to tap into whatever we’ve dealt with over the past few years. It’s looking to say, “Well, what are you going to do now moving forward? How are you going to change? Where are you going to take this opportunity and see that maybe there’s a different version of the future that’s been altered by this incredible event that happened?”

    Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in 'Sweet Tooth.'
    (L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.

    Related Article: Watch Interviews with the Cast & Creators of ‘Sweet Tooth’

    MF: Amanda, Gus and Jepperd are separated at the end of season one. Can you talk about the strong connection those two characters made in the first season, and the challenges of separating them for the beginning of season 2?

    AB: Well, it’s another interesting thing. We really took our time with it. Jepp, in the first episode, he really shows up at the very end and you realize this person’s going to be a force. Then the whole first season is really about this unlikely connection. We spent a lot of time talking about how long we could keep them apart in season two, honestly, because they are magic together. Our actors are so close to one another and have such a beautiful relationship and camaraderie. Nonso is just such a spiritual father figure for Christian. So we really knew we had to get them back together. But I think the other thing that’s interesting about kids growing up is they need their own space too to find their people, to find their connections. I think Wendy really provides that friendship that we as adults maybe don’t need to get in the mix of. So it’s almost like expanding the opportunity. But yeah, we were all like, “We got to get them back together.” I think it’s just such a beautiful moment when they see each other again and this deep love has not wavered.

    Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in 'Sweet Tooth.'
    (L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.

    MF: Susan, as a producer, can you talk about working with actors Christian Convery and Nonso Anozie and watching them create these characters and their unique friendship over these two seasons?

    SD: Well look, we were so fortunate in the casting process to get a young actor in Christian Convery who is just such magic on screen. We also loved the fact that he had a bunch of experience under his belt by the time he was working with us even first season because as you see, he is in so much of this. He was in so much of the first season, and so much of second season. So he is a seasoned pro who’s then just digging into this character. Obviously, with Jepp, we made some adjustments from the source material. Finding Nonso, again, was such a victory for us. But you don’t know until you put these two on screen together what that chemistry’s going to be. As Amanda said, they just fell in love with each other. They couldn’t be physically or visually more different, which is perfect, and what we’re going for. Again, the larger thematic exploration of finding family, creating your own family, it doesn’t matter what you look like or even what species you are, in our case, you can find that connection. These two really did find it both on screen and off. I think you can feel it as you’re watching it.

    Christian Convery as Gus, Naledi Murray as Wendy in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    (L to R) Christian Convery as Gus, Naledi Murray as Wendy in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix © 2023.

    MF: You’ve also added several more young actors to the cast this season, who play the hybrids. Since child actors have limited time to work on set, and many of them are wearing elaborate costumes or make-up, can you talk as a producer about the challenges of working with such a large cast of young actors?

    SD: Well, this is when you really rely on your ADs to schedule things properly and to make sure that they know exactly when they need to break the kids, send them to school, all of that kind of stuff. Fortunately, we had these other very active storylines. They loom large because they are so incredible and fun and unique. But we were able to jump around and shoot other things, and get some of these other storylines, and they really formed a bond, this group of kids. That casting process was also a ton of fun because when we were looking at it and thinking about each of the different characters, it was like we couldn’t find the kid until we found him (or her). There was never, “Is it this one or this?” It was always like, boom, this is our kid, this kid’s magic. Once again, you’re rolling the dice. Are they going to get along? What are they going to be like? What are the parents going to be like? But we got incredibly fortunate with this group.

    Neil Sandilands as General Abbot in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    Neil Sandilands as General Abbot in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Amanda, we only saw Neil Sandilands as General Abbot briefly in the first season, but his role is greatly expanded for season 2. Can you talk about the decision to give him a larger role in the new season?

    AB: He’s such a lovely human too. It’s so funny how much he also revels in being kind of evil in that way. But honestly, he brought so much to it. I think once he embodied the role in season one, I think the writers were so deeply inspired by him. So it was easy to write for him. He revels in it so much. I think the same thing goes for all the hybrids, all of our cast, they set the table season one that the writers just loved writing towards them. I think his relationship with his brother is really illuminating this season too, which was really vital. I think we wanted to give him dimension. There’s a past, there’s a history, there’s a context for why people become who they are. I think the other thing with him is that you really believe that he has a philosophy that he’s committed to in order to understand the world. While that is taking him into incredibly dark places, we really wanted to make sure that audiences understood him because those are the best villains, the ones that you actually totally get what their point of view is. You don’t believe that the choices they’re making are the right ones, but you understand them, and you’ll see in the latter half of the season, you get to meet other villains of the world, which I think is also really interesting.

    Adeel Akhtar as Singh and Aliza Vellani as Rani in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    (L to R) Adeel Akhtar as Singh and Aliza Vellani as Rani in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Susan, can you talk about Dr. Singh and Rani’s relationship and how that really motivates his actions in season 2?

    SD: Again, this is one of those things where we took something that we learned in season one and let it inform a storyline for season two because originally, she wasn’t necessarily going to survive. But we fell so in love with her, and so in love with them and the true north that he needed through the course of this season to do the things and go to the lengths he went to. You had to believe and invest in that relationship because everything he’s doing obviously is driven to keep her alive. These two actors just brought such chemistry, such magic to the screen and you’re just rooting for both of them. Both of them are just incredible. So I think that, as Amanda was saying, it’s important as people are crossing moral lines to understand the motivation. You may not agree with their technique, but you have to at least accept why they’re doing it. To me, their relationship is the heart of his character, and is the heart of why he’s willing to go to the lengths that he’s willing to go.

    Nonso Anozie as Jepperd, Dania Ramirez as Aimee in 'Sweet Tooth' season 2.
    (L to R) Nonso Anozie as Jepperd, Dania Ramirez as Aimee in ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.

    MF: Finally, do you already have ideas for season 3, and do you have a larger arc designed for future seasons?

    SD: Look, we’re focused right now on getting season 2 out, and hopefully, everybody loves it. The nice thing is Jeff (Lemire) gave us a lot of material in the books. So if we’re fortunate enough to have a season 3, I know that the writers certainly have ideas on how to utilize some of the other storylines found in the graphic novels to continue to tell the story of Gus and Jepp.

    Bobby the Gopher in 'Sweet Tooth.'
    (L to R) Bobby the Gopher in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2021.

    Movies Similar to ‘Sweet Tooth:’

    Buy Susan Downey Produced Movies on Amazon

    To watch our exclusive interviews with the cast of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2 including Christian Convery, Naledi Murray, Nonso Anozie, Dania Ramirez, Adeel Akhtar, James Brolin and showrunner Jim Mickle, please click on the video player below.

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  • Trailer for Apple TV+ Series ‘Silo’

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    ‘Silo’ represents what is rapidly becoming some Apple TV+ trademarks. Like many other streaming services, it has grabbed the rights to a bestselling book series (in this case, Hugh Howey’s dystopian ‘Wool’ novels), cast it with an impressive ensemble, thrown a lot of money into the budget to guarantee it looks good, and, following the likes of ‘Slow Horses’, ‘Severance’, ‘Shrinking’, ‘Servant’, ‘Shantaram’ and more, has another show starting with S (at this rate, we’re wondering if ‘Ted Lasso’s third season will see the series’ name changed to ‘Sledge Lasso’ just to keep that going.)

    But it’s certainly a high profile new show for the service, with a solid sci-fi pedigree and the cast to match.

    Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’

    What happens in ‘Silo’?

    ‘Silo’ is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. They’re constantly told how dangerous it would be to leave the protective sanctuary of the Silo, but there are some disturbing issues afoot.

    No one, for example, knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Which doesn’t really help when the authorities are trying to convince people that it’s a safe place to life.

    Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.

    Tim Robbins as Bernard in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    Tim Robbins as Bernard in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’

    Who made the new show ‘Silo’?

    Behind the scenes for this one are Emmy-nominated writer Graham Yost (who has worked on shows such as ‘Band of Brothers’ and ‘Justified’) running the show and director Morten Tyldum (behind the movie ‘The Imitation Game’ and previous Apple series ‘Defending Jacob’), who oversees the first three episodes.

    Alongside Ferguson, the cast also includes Common, Ferdinand Kingsley, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, James Palmer, Will Merrick, Henry Garrett, Iain Glen, Shane McRae, Nick Judge and Tim Robbins.

    Originally self-published by Howey, the ‘Wool’ books have become something of a sensation. An adaptation has been in the works for a while now –– it was in development at 20th Century Fox back when it was still called 20th Century Fox, with Ridley Scott and Steven Zaillian producing. ‘I Care a Lot’s J Blakeson wrote several drafts of the script before ‘Captain Marvel’s Nicole Perlman was brought in.

    Yet if we’re honest, television feels like a more natural home for the story, especially given the fact that there are sequel and prequel trilogies available as source material, so if the show is a success, expect plenty of future seasons.

    The first two episodes of ‘Silo’ land on Apple TV+ on May 5th, with new episodes dropping weekly.

    Common as Sims in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    Common as Sims in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
    Rashida Jones as Allison in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    Rashida Jones as Allison in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
    Rashida Jones as Allison and David Oyelowo as Holston in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    (L to R) Rashida Jones as Allison and David Oyelowo as Holston in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
    Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette and Chinaza Uche as Paul Billings in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    (L to R) Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette and Chinaza Uche as Paul Billings in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
    Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+'s 'Silo.'
    Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’

    Movies Similar to ‘Silo:’

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  • ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ Season 2 Cast and Crew Interviews

    Crosshair, Echo, Wrecker, Hunter and Tech in a scene from 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Crosshair, Echo, Wrecker, Hunter and Tech in a scene from ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    Lest ‘Star Wars’ fans suffer from withdrawal in the wake of Disney+’s critically acclaimed first season of ‘Andor,’ the streamer recently premiered the second season of ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch.’ Continuing the adventures of the clone troopers introduced in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ as they travel the galaxy after the fall of the Republic.

    Moviefone recently joined a group of journalists in chatting with the show’s executive producers Brad Rau and Jennifer Corbett, as well as the voices of Bad Batch himself, Dee Bradley Baker, and new fan-favorite character Omega, Michelle Ang. Here’s what they had to say about the 16-episode second season, each episode of which arrives Wednesdays on Disney+.

    Carrie Beck, Brad Rau, Michelle Ang, Dee Bradley Baker, Jennifer Corbett, Matt Michnovetz and Dave Filoni
    (L-R) Carrie Beck, Brad Rau, Michelle Ang, Dee Bradley Baker, Jennifer Corbett, Matt Michnovetz and Dave Filoni attend the panel for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” series at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 29, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney).

    On featuring younger characters like Omega in ‘The Bad Batch’:

    Brad Rau: We’ve seen these super soldiers in ‘The Clone Wars.’ We’ve seen them tackle all kinds of obstacles, and they’re the best at what they do. So, what are we going to give these guys that they haven’t dealt with before? A kid that they’re going to have to take care of. Now they’ve got to be dads. When we’re telling the story in this show, we try to balance that a lot. They’re not just this crack military team, but they’re a family. That’s a really big key. That’s very intentional for the narrative flow. Then, to have Michelle as Omega, it’s so great. Our amazing cast, it brings them all to life. We’re just so lucky.

    Dee Bradley Baker: It’s really beautiful to have that personal story as a counterweight to the giant political mythology that’s playing out. You have both polarities of human concern playing out at the same time.

    Michelle Ang: It’s a joy playing the naivete of Omega, because of the whys. When she asks why, there isn’t an agenda. Like, it’s genuinely a pause for these seasoned military characters to take a moment to take on that question. Like, “Why do we do this? Why do we choose this stance? Why do we take this mission? Why do we take this side?” Yeah, it’s a real joy to play that innocence but also be the one to question.

    On helping younger viewers keep track of where ‘The Bad Batch’ falls on the ‘Star Wars’ timeline:

    Jennifer Corbett: That’s where the character of Omega really serves us well. Because even if you’ve never seen ‘Clone Wars,’ neither has the character of Omega. So telling stories through her lens allows us to show an audience, “Okay, here’s the Cliff Notes version of what you need to know in terms of what has happened in the ‘Star Wars’ timeline.”

    MA: Which is the same myself. I’m new into the ‘Star Wars’ world. I didn’t grow up with it. So, I feel like I am Omega in the sense that I’m learning about the wider universe, the wider legacy in real time.

    DBB: Part of what’s exciting and fun for me is that everything from our show to ‘The Mandalorian,’ to the movies, to ‘Andor,’ they all fit together. When you watch them all, as an old ‘Star Wars’ fan myself, this all fits together in the same storyline. That’s part of the fun with it.

    BR: If we’re doing our job right, you don’t have to know anything about ‘Star Wars’ and you’ll enjoy the episode. But if you do watch all the shows, like we do, then you’ll get something out of it too.

    Admiral Tarkin in a scene from 'Star Wars: The Bad Batch,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Admiral Tarkin in a scene from ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    On upcoming episodes breaking from the show’s format like last week’s third episode focusing on the villainous Crosshair:

    JC: Crosshair is a member of the Bad Batch. So even when we do focus on him, he’s on a very different path than the rest of Clone Force 99 is on right now. So we do have a lot of episodes in Season 2 that take a turn. We don’t want to give too much away, but we do continue with Crosshair’s journey as well as the rest of Omega and her space dads.

    BR: Right. Space dads. The fans seem to be liking this latest episode, which is really incredible. If you like this episode, there are a couple more that I think you’re going to like as well.

    JC: We have a political thriller, a two-parter, which is very exciting and a bit intense.

    DBB: It’s like a Hitchcock thriller. It’s something else… Every episode is like a different kind of movie. You can see an episode [and] “Oh, this is like an ‘Alien‘ episode,” or “This is like an ‘Indiana Jones,’” or “This is a spaghetti western,” or “This is a Hitchcock political thriller.” Everyone is its own kind of reference to the evolution of entertainment and movies. It’s just part of the wonderful artistry of this show that if you’re a fan of entertainment, it’s quite fun to enjoy. I really love it.

    JC: And there’s a ‘Goonies’ in there. I’ve been trying to get Brad to do a ‘Goonies’ episode for so long, and finally!

    BR: That’s following the legacy of what was done in ‘The Clone Wars,’ where we would do exactly that.

    JC: We are in the dark times in the ‘Star Wars’ era. So, while that is going on, we have to be aware that we need to tell other stories, because it’s a wide galaxy. So there are many adventures that our team can go on. Throughout season 2 there are some that are a bit grittier, but we do want to still have fun, because that’s where the team also shines. The next episode, from that bleak episode 3 to episode 4, is very fun. Hopefully fans will enjoy that change of pace.

    DBB: There’s a lot of latitude in terms of everything from fun to dire and dramatic that was always contained in ‘Star Wars.’ It’s very accommodating to that sort of freedom of style and tone.

    'Star Wars: The Bad Batch,' Season 2.
    ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch,’ Season 2. Copyright ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘Westworld’ Cancelled After Four Seasons

    (L to R) Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden in HBO's 'Westworld.'
    (L to R) Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden in HBO’s ‘Westworld.’

    ‘Westworld’, which for four seasons has been delighting (and more often confounding) viewers with its complex, twisty storytelling and changing characters since it debuted in 2016, has been cancelled at HBO.

    Based on the 1973 film by Michael Crichton (who would go on to employ a similar idea of attractions causing trouble in his novel ‘Jurassic Park‘), ‘Westworld’ –– initially, at least –– told the story of a sprawling Western-themed park where humans could interact with complicated artificial people. And by interact, it usually meant either sleep with or kill.

    As the show went on, the canvas expanded to include different zones within the park with their own themes and the futuristic world outside of it, as the “hosts” –– the park’s creations –– broke out of their programming (and their restrictions) and began to plot a takeover of the human sphere.

    The show was created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, with J.J. Abrams among its executive producers via his Bad Robot company. The cast included Evan Rachel Wood, Thandiwe Newton, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Luke Hemsworth, Aaron Paul, Angela Sarafyan and James Marsden.

    An initial success –– its premiere drew the channel’s highest viewership since the debut of “True Detective” in 2014, it was initially buzzy, but its appeal began to wane slightly in later years, most notably after a big break in episodes due to the pandemic.

    Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Robert Ford in HBO's 'Westworld.'
    Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Robert Ford in HBO’s ‘Westworld.’

    Though HBO offered no official reason for the cancellation, there is already talk that it’s a combination of declining ratings (even without need of advertising revenue), with a precipitous drop between Seasons 3 and 4, and the hefty price tag for the show.

    An effects heavy head-scratcher, it featured expansive visuals of futuristic cities, a big cast and lots of artificial beings to bring to life.

    It’s no secret that HBO parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has been on a cost-cutting run of late, and while it still has big productions upcoming (such as ‘The Last of Us’), it has clearly decided that ‘Westworld’ was no longer worth producing.

    “Over the past four seasons, Lisa and Jonah have taken viewers on a mind-bending odyssey, raising the bar at every step,” HBO said in a statement. “We are tremendously grateful to them, along with their immensely talented cast, producers and crew, and all of our partners at Kilter Films, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. It’s been a thrill to join them on this journey.”

    “Making ‘Westworld’ has been one of the highlights of our careers,” Nolan and Joy have remarked. “We are deeply grateful to our extraordinary cast and crew for creating these indelible characters and brilliant worlds. We’ve been privileged to tell these stories about the future of consciousness –– both human and beyond –– in the brief window of time before our AI overlords forbid us from doing so.”

    No shade there, then. Nolan and Joy, meanwhile are still at work on visions of the future –– they have a deal at Amazon, where they’re currently producing ‘The Peripheral’ and developing other projects.

    Ed Harris as The Man in Black in HBO's 'Westworld.'
    Ed Harris as The Man in Black in HBO’s ‘Westworld.’
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  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Directing New Star Wars Movie

    'Ms. Marvel' director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
    ‘Ms. Marvel’ director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

    It’s fair to say that the news has gone quieter than news reports on Alderaan for the big screen ‘Star Wars’ side of things.

    While the TV arm keeps flourishing with ‘The Mandalorian’, its various spin-offs and other shows such as ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’, ‘Andor’ and upcoming animated series ‘Tales of the Jedi’, the movie side of Lucasfilm’s sprawling franchise hasn’t seen a release since 2019’s ‘The Rise of Skywalker’.

    And despite financial success, it was a divisive title that didn’t garner a lot of love from critics.

    Now, at least, according to Deadline, one of the projects in development at Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ assembly line is taking a tentative step forward, as the movie has hired ‘Ms. Marvel’s Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy as director.

    Obaid-Chinoy, who handled two episodes of the peppy, enjoyable Marvel outing, is being brought in now to work with writer/producer Damon Lindelof, so that she’s part of the creative team from an early stage.

    It’s no doubt to help avoid some of the director problems that Lucasfilm has faced in the past, including on ‘Solo’ and Colin Trevorrow stepping away from what became ‘The Rise of Skywalker’ under J.J. Abrams.

    And Lindelof, of course, has plenty of writing experience, having worked on ‘Lost’, created shows such as ‘The Leftovers’ and ‘Watchmen’ and provided scripts for movies including ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ and ‘Alien’ prequel ‘Prometheus’.

    Michael Fassbender as David in 'Prometheus.'
    Michael Fassbender as David in ‘Prometheus.’

    Lindelof has been figuring this one out for a few months, but he hasn’t been working alone: what Deadline’s story doesn’t mention, but that The Hollywood Reporter’s Bothan spies whispered to it is that Lindelof is in fact co-writing the movie with rising star scribe Justin Britt-Gibson.

    His resume includes time as an executive story editor on Guillermo del Toro’s vampire drama, ‘The Strain’ and wrote episodes of Starz’s ‘Counterpart’, the series about parallel dimensions that starred J.K. Simmons and was cruelly cancelled after two excellent seasons. Gibson has also worked on ‘Banshee’ and ‘Into the Badlands’.

    Further, there is news that the movie’s basic story was hammered out, TV-style by a writers room convened over a two-week session in July.

    Present to figure out the ideas behind the script were Patrick Somerville, (a veteran of Lindelof’s much-admired drama ‘Leftovers’ who went on to create ‘Station Eleven’, Rayna McClendon, a consulting producer from ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ who has also contributed to Lucasfilm’s upcoming ‘Willow’ sequel series; and ‘Briarpatch’ TV series creator Andy Greenwald. There’s also mention that Dave Filoni – the creative mastermind behind much of Lucasfilm’s animated ‘Star Wars’ series and who now works alongside Jon Favreau to shepherd the ‘Mandalorian’ set of shows – was also involved.

    No concrete details have emerged about the script that Lindelof and Britt-Gibson are writing, though there is talk that it’ll be set after the events of ‘Rise of Skywalker’ and could potentially feature characters from the sequel trilogy that also includes ‘The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Last Jedi’. It’s very much a wait and see on that front, however – chances are Lindelof might be more interested in a story entirely unconnected to the recent movies (“somehow, Palpatine returned again… again.” Yeah… not loving the idea ourselves.)

    The Reporter’s sources also mention that unlike recent developments aimed at figuring out trilogies in one go, this will be a stand-alone with potential for more if it succeeds.

    And Lucasfilm could use a win, what with endless stories of big names including ‘The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson, Marvel boss Kevin Feige and writer/director Taika Waititi talking up their plans, with little actual momentum to be found.

    The most recent disappoint was Patty Jenkins’ ‘Rogue Squadron’, which had looked like it was headed for take-off, but has since been grounded, its release date off the books and no word on when it might be headed for production, let alone release.

    Given that the Lindelof film is still in the scripting stage, we wouldn’t expect to see it much before 2025, but there will no doubt be 265 ‘Star Wars’ TV shows to fill the gap in the meantime.

    John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Oscar Isaac star in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.'
    (L to R) John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Oscar Isaac star in ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.’
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  • Harold Perrineau Talks ‘From’

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    Just finishing its first season on Epix, and already renewed for a second season is the new mystery science-fiction series ‘From,’ which was created by John Griffin and executive produced by ‘Lost’ alumni Jack Bender and Jeff Pinker.

    The series stars Harold Perrineau (‘Lost’) as Boyd Stevens, the sheriff and de facto mayor of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps everyone who enters, while unwilling residents strive to stay alive and search for a way out. However, they are plagued at night by terrifying nocturnal creatures from the surrounding forest.

    In addition to Perrineau, the cast also includes Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Baily, David Alpay, Shaun Majumder, Scott McCord, and Ricky He.

    Harold Perrineau began his acting career in the late 80’s and gained attention in the 90’s for his work on HBO’s groundbreaking series ‘Oz,’ and Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo + Juliet.’

    He would go on to appear in such popular movies as ‘The Best Man,’ ‘The Matrix Reloaded,’ ‘The Matrix Revolutions,’ ’28 Weeks Later,’ ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ ‘Snitch,’ ‘The Best Man Holiday,’ and ‘Sabotage,’ as well as successful TV series like ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ ‘Constantine,’ ‘Goliath,’ Criminal Minds,’ and ‘The Rookie.’ But he is probably best known to fans as Michael Dawson on ABC’s seminal series ‘Lost.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking to Harold Perrineau about his work on the first season of ‘From,’ as well as what fans can expect from its recently announced second season.

    Harold Perrineau on Epix's 'From.'
    Harold Perrineau on Epix’s ‘From.’

    You can read our full interview with Harold Perrineau below or watch it by clicking on the video player above.

    Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with this series and what was your initial reaction to the pilot’s screenplay?

    Harold Perrineau: So, the casting director in the United States is a good friend of mine, Seth Yanklewitz. He’s a great casting director and a great friend of our family’s. Our kids are growing up together and stuff like that. So, he was casting this thing, and as he read it, I think because he knows me personally, he thought, this is Harold. I don’t know that they had me in mind for the character, but he did because he’s a really interesting thinker. So, he said to me, “Hey, I think I want to put your name forward with this thing. You know the director and showrunner because they’re from ‘Lost,’ but they may not respond positively to it. I’m sure they want to have a separation from ‘Lost,’ but I think that this is a great project for you.”

    I was like, “Okay, well, let me read it, but I trust whatever you say.” So, I read it and I was like, “Oh yeah. This is great. Please talk to them.” He talked to them and they said, “No, thanks.” That was it. They said it, “We don’t want to confuse it with ‘Lost.’ But he kept going back and to them, and then he put together a meeting and we all talked. I talked to Jack Bender and somehow as we talked, it all made perfect sense. It all made perfect sense for me to be there, and for them to be there. They were going to get the ‘Lost’ comparisons, it didn’t really matter whether I was there or not so that wasn’t going to be an issue. I’m really happy that they trusted me with this character because I think Seth was right. I think it’s something that rings in my body really well.

    MF: After your experience on ‘Lost,’ were you personally concerned about appearing on another mystery sci-fi series?

    HP: I was totally concerned about it. I was concerned that everybody was going to see me playing a dad stranded in a town and they were just going to scream “Walt” until the cows came home. I was really worried about it, but this character was so different than Michael in ‘Lost’ and he had so much more direct purpose. Michael was, as we all were, swinging by thin vines trying to figure his way out. But Boyd really has. He doesn’t know what’s going on out there, but he really knows what he’s trying to do within this little town, and the difficulties that he’s having with his son were really profoundly sad.

    So, I just thought the character was so different that even if at first people thought they were seeing Michael, they would soon realize that this is not at all the same thing. Even if you do feel some of the flavor of ‘Lost’, some of the music, some of the tension, the way those things go, this has the potential just to be its own thing. I was really excited about it and I was just like, let the comparisons begin, it’s okay. I feel confident.

    MF: In the first season, Boyd doesn’t know what’s really happening, but he understands his role in protecting the community right away. Can you talk about that and your approach to playing the character?

    HP: Once when they told me that he had retired from the military, that already informed me a lot because many people who join the military are people who are of service. They want to serve our country first and put their whole bodies on the line, and anybody who makes that choice, in my head, they’re a certain kind of person. He stayed in the military, that was his career and so for me, I felt like right away, this is a man of great character and great purpose and wants to be of service. So, that made sense to me right away. When we find out why he becomes a sheriff, all that makes perfect sense because he has the background, and its foundationally part of who he is.

    He would jump right into that role and do all the things that he’s supposed to do so that’s why he knows where he is. He doesn’t know what’s happening out there, but he knows how to build a town, how to build an infrastructure, how to get the morale together so that we can all try to move as one unit and that made sense to me. For Boyd in particular, that military background really made sense. I don’t have a military background, but because of his, I really researched a lot about military leaders and that made sense for me to transfer into this guy.

    Harold Perrineau on Epix's 'From.'
    Harold Perrineau on Epix’s ‘From.’

    MF: It is revealed later in the first season that Boyd is suffering from early Parkinson’s disease. Can you talk about your research into the disease and how you were able to layer that into your performance throughout the season?

    HP: That was one of the things that they told me really early on. The couple of things that we talked about were my wife and what happened there, and that this ticking clock, which was the Parkinson’s, that it was part of his family history and he sees it happening now. So, I did a lot of looking up where it comes from, how it affects your body, what those tremors are, where those tremors could be and how do you layer this in, in a way that it doesn’t take over the performance, but it keeps reminding me this is something happening. So, it’s as subtle as going to scratch your eyebrow and it reminds you, I got to figure this out quick.

    So, for me, it was a thing that I just kept doing and you have to practice it a lot so that it doesn’t look like you’re faking it, or you’re just shaking your head. You have to sort of practice the subtlety a lot. So, I would find myself walking around the city, trying to find ways of moving my body in different ways that maybe I didn’t want to move them but that were happening. So, I was able to place it in a couple of places in the show that gave us just a little idea of it, but not playing too much into it.

    MF: Can you talk about Boyd’s relationship with Ellis, the traumatic experience they had together arriving in the town, and working with actor Corteon Moore?

    HP: Right, in this area, I kind of leaned into my own parenting skills because there are many ways you can go as a parent. You can go in this very traditional, like this is the way I said it, and that’s the way I mean it. But I went into my own sort of parenting skills because the way that we’re trying to parent our children was really different than the way I was parented, which is with a sense that this is a human being, and they don’t have all the answers. But they do have some, and they certainly have feelings and those feelings need to be explored.

    The more I can let them explore that the more that they can become who they are. So, when we find ourselves, Ellis and I, in this moment where he doesn’t understand the choice I had to make, instead of me hunkering in and saying, “You better understand this,” I have to find a way to let him explore it and hope that I’ll be able to find my way back to him. I think a lot of that lays into this idea that we have a town that’s split between the town and the colony house, and we’re all trying to survive it.

    Boyd has enough wherewithal to be like, I have to let you all do that because otherwise you’ll ruin what I’m doing here. That kind of compassion without being a dictator on any of those things, I think then also leads into the way that he can parent and let his son, Ellis, figure those things out. He’s just strongly and firmly convicted in what he had to do and what he has to do now.

    MF: Can you talk a little more about the structure of the town and how Boyd sees his role in it?

    HP: Look, I think a lot of it was informed fortunately and unfortunately in what was happening in our country. Everyone had these different ideas about how we were dealing with the pandemic or how we were dealing with these racial reckonings. Everybody having these really strong opinions, and you could fight them and then destroy the whole thing, or you could try to find a way to manage and let everybody have their voice. You have your voice and in the same way that jazz music all comes together, we can somehow make it all work together.

    I think having that experience, I was able to transfer it really directly and really personally into ‘From’ because all the stuff at the colony house feels really reckless to me, and to Boyd, but doesn’t feel really reckless to them. So, how do I not infringe on their rights, but not let their rights infringe on mine? So, all those things were really ripe already in all of our psyches and I just tried to transfer it over. It was kind of cathartic for me as we went through it but it’s also really exciting because I think everybody can feel how it feels for them, and probably how it feels for me and it transfers really easily.

    Elizabeth Saunders, Chloe Van Landschoot, Ricky He, and Harold Perrineau on Epix's 'From.'
    (L to R) Elizabeth Saunders, Chloe Van Landschoot, Ricky He, and Harold Perrineau on Epix’s ‘From.’

    MF: Finally, looking ahead to season 2, how much do you know about the future of the series and how much do you want to know? Are there lessons you learned from ‘Lost’ about the value of a strong ending?

    HP: That’s a fair question my friend. I’ve told people before, ‘Lost’ really was really in the moment. You’re watching an episode and then right at the end they give you a scene and you’re like, “Oh my God. What happened to his wife?” It’s so much, and so this series isn’t that stark. With this series we certainly had a lot of information about who Boyd was and how I could play him, but not where Boyd was going.

    But because I had that little bit of information, it makes it feel really different than ‘Lost.’ So, when these guys say, “No, we really do have an ending,” I actually really believe them. I really have a bold trust in them, and not that ‘Lost’ didn’t have an ending, it did, but there was a lot more to deal with. They had 22 episodes, lots of sprawling characters and they were really diving into a whole thing. We have a shorter amount of time to tell the story. We have just 10 episodes and maybe only a few years. I know that they really have a story to tell and that feels good for me as a participant and really good to say to people who are watching. So, just hang on with us, they really do have it.

    In fact, I don’t really know anything about this next season. I actually had a conversation with one of the writers just a day ago and there was nothing. He said, “So what do you want to know?” I was like, “Well, what’s going on?” He said, “Well, you know, you’re in a tree, right?” I said, “Yeah, I know that.” He’s like, “You know, we’ll have to figure that out.” I don’t see ‘From’ going on endlessly. I don’t know how long we will go on, but I don’t see them thinking about it as going on endlessly, especially if they have an end in mind.

    Eion Bailey, Harold Perrineau, Ricky He on Epix's 'From.'
    (L to R) Eion Bailey, Harold Perrineau, Ricky He on Epix’s ‘From.’

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Creators Launch New Production Company

    Upside Down Pictures Logo.
    Upside Down Pictures Logo. Photo Courtesy of imaginaryforces.com.

    You might think that co-creating and overseeing one of the biggest shows in Netflix – and pop culture – history with ‘Stranger Things’ would be enough work for one lifetime.

    Yet writers/directors/producers Matt and Ross Duffer, who guide the hit series, are certainly not planning to rest on their considerable laurels. They’ve formed a new production company called Upside Down Pictures in partnership with Netflix to figure out new ‘Stranger’-based projects plus other shows, movies and more.

    The duo naturally needs some help to wrangle all of this, so they’ve hired Hilary Levitt, an executive who has experience with shows such as ‘Orphan Black’, ‘The Great’ and ‘Ozark’, to run the new company.

    “It didn’t take long into our first meeting with Hilary, where we bonded over films like ‘Jaws,’ ‘Home Alone,’ and ‘Speed,’ to know we had found a kindred spirit,” say the brothers in a statement. “Hilary’s passion for storytelling is perhaps matched only by her passion for the storytellers themselves, for whom she is fiercely protective. No wonder so many writers and directors are drawn to working with her. She is a rare talent indeed, and we feel extremely grateful to have her at our side as we build Upside Down Pictures.”

    “I remember the first movie I saw in the theater, the first VHS tape I got for Christmas, the first international one-sheet I bid for on eBay because it was cooler than the domestic,” adds Leavitt. “And the first time I met Matt and Ross. All of these seminal moments have led to this ridiculously cool opportunity to build a company with the Duffer Brothers where we produce movies and television because we love movies and television. This love is at the core of Upside Down Pictures, where we’re able to collaborate with other artists on projects across the full spectrum of genre. We all love what we do and are excited to do more and more.”

    (L to R) Matt and Ross Duffer on the set of 'Stranger Things.'
    (L to R) Matt and Ross Duffer on the set of ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo courtesy of Netflix.

    According to the release about the new company, the aim is “to create the kind of stories that inspired the Duffers growing up – stories that take place at that beautiful crossroads where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where big spectacle co-exists with intimate character work, where heart wins out over cynicism.”

    Among the projects they’ll be generating or shepherding include the planned ‘Stranger Things’ spin-off, which they’ve said will have a very different focus to the main show, and, more intriguingly, a stage play set within the ‘Stranger’ world and mythology that has Stephen Daldry directing and producing. All this in addition to cracking on with the work to make Season 5 of the show.

    And that’s not all. Outside of ‘Stranger’ stories, they have a live-action series adaptation of manga and anime hit ‘Death Note’ in the works (Netflix previously turned the tale into a 2017 movie with Adam Wingard directing) and are moving their planned series version of Stephen King’s ‘The Talisman’ (which has Steven Spielberg’s Amblin company involved) to the new company.

    Outside of their own efforts, they’re also collaborating with Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews – who ran ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ – on a new, untitled series.

    It’s safe to say, then that the Upside Down will be good for more than just weird ash flakes and creepy monsters.

    'Stranger Things' Season 4 kids
    (L to R) Eduardo Franco as Argyle, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, and Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4. Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Runtimes Will be Shorter Than Season 4

    Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, and Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in 'Stranger Things.'
    (L to R) Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, and Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield in ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    Chances are a lot of you spent the 4th of July holiday weekend consuming the final two episodes of ‘Stranger Things’ fourth season, which arrived on Netflix on July 1st.

    And if you’ve gotten through the bumper-sized duo, you’ll likely be speculating about the future for the show. Be warned that there are spoilers for the end of Season 4, though nothing too massive.

    While every season of the series has ended with tendrils of story still to be resolved – the third, for example, saw Eleven powerless and Hopper trapped in Russia following the Battle of Starcourt – but Season4 pushed that even further, with the Upside Down fully invading Hawkins and our heroes facing yet another terrifying clash.

    Yet while it left viewers eagerly anticipating the next set of episodes, we can look forward to

    “The only reason we don’t expect to be as long is because typically — or this season, if you look at it, it’s almost a two-hour ramp up before our kids really get drawn into a supernatural mystery,” Matt Duffer explained on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast. “You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, they’re struggling with adapting to high school and so forth. Steve’s trying to find a date, all of that. None of that is obviously going to be occurring in the first two episodes. For the first time ever, we don’t wrap things up at the end of four. Characters are already going to be in action, they’re already going to have a goal and a drive, and I think that’s going to carve out at least a couple hours and make this season feel really different.”

    Eduardo Franco as Argyle, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, and Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers in 'STranger Things.'
    (L to R) Eduardo Franco as Argyle, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, and Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers in ‘STranger Things.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

    That said, it appears the pair are still considering a season finale that is “a lot longer” referencing ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’s multiple endings. But they’re probably joking about that…

    In other ‘Stranger’ news, the brothers also referenced the wild speculation that has happened since they announced a planned spin-off to the series. Apparently no-one (save series actor Finn Wolfhard) has gotten close to guessing what it will be. And not even the Netflix executives know.

    I’ve read these rumors that there’s gonna be an Eleven spinoff, that there’s gonna be a Steve and Dustin spinoff or that it’s another number,” Matt says. “That’s not interesting to me because we’ve done all that. We’ve spent I don’t know how many hours exploring all of that. So it’s very different.”

    According to the brothers, the connective tissue will not be on the casting front, instead linked by “storytelling sensibility”. And the duo is considering handing over the reins of any spin-off to others when they feel ready to head on to new projects.

    With the writers’ room for the next season opening up in August, there’s no indication yet when ‘Stranger Things’ will be back with new episodes.

    Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in 'Stranger Things.'
    Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in ‘Stranger Things.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Episode 6 Recap

    Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in Lucasfilm's 'Obi-Wan Kenobi.'
    Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    It’s time for the stand-off that we have all been waiting for. Welcome to the finale of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.

    We begin with Reva (Moses Ingram) on Tatooine. She tells a stall owner that she’s looking for a farmer, Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton). In space, Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) is chasing Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and the group of refugees. Roken (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) tells Ben the shields won’t last, and the Empire is likely to catch them.

    He looks to the escapees, and at Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) as she helps calm a child. She tells Kenobi they’re scared. Luke (Grant Feely) and Owen go shopping for parts. He’s approached by the stall owner from earlier, saying he needs to tell him something.

    Ben explains to Leia he’s going to go to Vader, so the refugees can escape. They’ve spent their time protecting Jedi, so let him return the favor. He orders Haja (Kumail Nanjiani) to get Leia home safe if he doesn’t come back.

    Haja Estree (Kumail Nanjiani) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in Lucasfilm's 'Obi-Wan Kenobi.'
    (L-R): Haja Estree (Kumail Nanjiani) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    Owen tells Beru (Bonnie Piesse) that Reva is coming for them. She tells him they’re not leaving, and not putting anyone else in danger. They arm up, ready to face her.

    Haja tells Ben he spoke to Leia, and Kenobi relays to her how he wishes he could have taken her home. He gives Leia the blaster holster that belonged to Tala (Indira Varma). Leia hugs Ben and begs him to come back. He promises her he will. We see him looking over his lightsaber, trying to speak to Qui-Gon’s force ghost. But all he gets is silence.

    Roken tells Ben he doesn’t have to confront Vader, but Kenobi explains there’s not many leaders left, and tells Roken not to stop. The Empire tracks the escape ship, and the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) explains to Vader how they need to wipe out what’s left of the refugees. “He’s not just some Jedi,” Vader responds.

    On Tatooine, Owen explains to Luke why he needs to hide, and tells him not to leave. He tells his uncle he’s not afraid, and they lock him away.

    Vader chases Kenobi to a planet, saying he will face him alone. Ben lands on a dark, rocky planet and just sits, waiting for his old Padawan to find him. He hears a droid, and it’s revealed Leia left L0-LA for him.

    Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor)
    (L-R): Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    Reva is creeping her way onto Owen’s farm. We see Vader landing on the planet at the same time. He steps off the ship, facing down Kenobi. Vader asks if he’s come to destroy him. Kenobi says, “I will do what I must.” “Then you will die,” Vader responds. Finally, the battle the entire series has led up to.

    Back on Tatooine, we’re shown Owen aiming for Reva. They fire on her, at the same time Vader and Kenobi are duking it out, using the Force against one another. “Your strength has returned, but the weakness still remains,” Vader says to Kenobi. Vader managed to finally get the high ground. He tries to crush Kenobi under a large pile of rocks and walks away.

    Reva fights against Owen, and it’s revealed she’s going after Luke in some attempt at justice against Vader. Luke escapes, and she chases after him.

    Kenobi is buried, but he’s struggling to use the Force to help himself escape. We hear flashbacks to when he fought Anakin before he was Vader, and he uses Leia and Luke’s voice to free himself. Vader stops walking away, Obi-Wan finally getting the upper hand and using intense force powers, turns the tables on him.

    Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen)
    Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    Reva chases Luke into a rocky corridor, paralleling where Kenobi and Vader are fighting. At the same time, Obi-Wan destroys Vader’s breathing tech. He destroys his helmet, and for the first time in a long time, he is face to face with Anakin Skywalker. We’re shown the surprise and fear on Kenobi’s face. “Anakin’s gone, I am what remains,’ says Vader.

    Kenobi tearfully apologies, for everything, as Vader tells him “I’m not your failure. You didn’t kill Anakin Skywalker. I did.” Whatever was left of Anakin, was gone. “Then my friend is truly dead,” replies Kenobi. Ben says goodbye calling him Darth instead of Anakin one last time.

    Obi-Wan escapes the planet, and meanwhile, Reva is still on the hunt, getting closer to Luke. Kenobi feels what is happening to Luke and races to help. Reva approaches the child, ready to take her revenge on whoever she can that is related to Vader. She does hesitate, seeing Luke as herself as a child during Order 66.

    Kenobi lands on the planet and sees Owen and Beru trying to find Luke. They see Reva carrying Luke back to them, very clear she didn’t kill him. Reva tells Kenobi she couldn’t do it, and she explains how Anakin killed all of the younglings. Ben tells Reva that by saving Luke, she honors all who have been lost.

    Reva looking at city
    Reva (Moses Ingram) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    She asks if she’s become Vader, but Ben says she’s chosen not to. What she becomes is up to her. Reva takes out her lightsaber and tosses it away. Kenobi offers her a hand, and she accepts. “Now you’re free, we both are,” Kenobi says.

    Cut to Mustafar, and we’re shown Vader talking to the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid). He questions if Vader’s thoughts are clear and asks if his feelings are clouding him.

    Leia is shown returned to her family, dressed like a little Rebellion princess. Her mother (Simone Kessell) questions the holster, but explains she actually loves it. They make it out to her father (Jimmy Smits), who looks at her outfit, with Leia responding, “You said there was many ways to lead.”

    Kenobi steps off the visiting ship, giving her L0-LA back and visiting Leia’s family. They explain how they can never repay him, and her father says he fears for her future. Ben offers his help in case anything happens, and Leia asks what he’ll do now. He says he doesn’t know, and she offers up the idea he should sleep.

    He finally reveals to Leia all her fantastic qualities come from both her real mother and father, but she seems not to care, looking to her adoptive family as if they were blood. Leia asks if she’ll ever see him again, and they hug one last time. Obi-Wan flies off, and he’s seen packing his stuff away once again in his cave on Tatooine.

    Ewan McGregor
    Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his eopie in a scene from Lucasfilm’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    He grabs the bag of metal toy parts, and visits Owen one last time. Owen asks what he’s doing there, and Kenobi tells the man he was right. Luke just needs to be a boy. “The future will take care of itself,” Ben admits.

    Kenobi tells Owen the only protection Luke needs is him and his aunt and tells him to take care of the boy. Owen calls for Ben, asking if he wants to meet Luke. He walks over to the boy and gives a single greeting of “Hello there.”

    Finally, we’re shown Kenobi riding into the desert, when a force ghost of his old master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) finally appears. “Well, took you long enough,’ Jinn says to Kenobi.

    He explains to Ben he was always there, saying he just wasn’t ready to see him. He tells Ben to “Come on, we got a way to go,” leading him into the desert as the series ends.

    Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.'
    (L to R) Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.’

    So, how was ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ really’? Well, I was someone who grew up on the prequel trilogy. Seeing Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christenson back was probably a highlight of this extended universe for me. Both of the characters and their story were huge highlights of the show. From the smallest side characters to the leads, everyone was incredibly interesting and felt like fantastic additions to the universe.

    Being able to see Christensen and McGregor continuing where the prequels ended was a dream come true, and their acting absolutely killed it. Seeing the pain on Kenobi’s face when he sees his old apprentice in this last episode hurt me to my core. Special props to Christensen for making Darth Vader just as scary so many years later. His performance is an absolute triumph.

    Moses Ingram’s performance as Reva also deserves a shout-out, especially for being one of the more badass villains so far on the ‘Star Wars’ screen, and quickly becoming sympathetic through her heartbreaking origin.

    With all this praise, the show did indeed have its issues, such as missed opportunities for character cameos (though the addition of Qui-Gon Jinn right at the end was a sweet touch) rather than uninteresting villain plotlines. The Inquisitors, not counting Reva, seeming more like a video game nod than real fleshed out baddies.

    But we’re staying in the past with the next Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ show, ‘Andor’.

    Can’t wait to see you all then, and thanks for reading!

    ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Poster Courtesy of Disney+
    ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Poster Courtesy of Disney+

  • Léa Seydoux joins ‘Dune: Part 2’

    Léa Seydoux and Viggo Mortensen
    (L to R) Léa Seydoux and Viggo Mortensen in David Cronenberg’s ‘Crimes of the Future.’ Photo courtesy of Neon.

    ‘Dune: Part 2’ is still one of the most anticipated movies, following the huge success of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic of last year. He’s preparing to adapt the second half of Frank Herbert’s weighty tome and is adding more and more new cast members as he heads towards a potential summer shoot in Budapest.

    The latest name to join the sprawling ensemble is Léa Seydoux, who will play a character called Lady Margot.

    To use her full title, Lady Margot Fenring is the Bene Gesserit wife of the Mentat Count Hasimir Fenring, who leads House Fenring. Though considered a “minor” House (not as powerful or in control of a planet as, say, House Harkonnen), it is allied to House Corrino the Emperor’s House.

    While Margot is a loyal member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, helping to guide the bloodlines of powerful families, Margot and her husband dedicated themselves to serving their own ends after the order became much less influential later in the story.

    The first ‘Dune’ movie delved into the huge universe of Herbert’s book (the start of a series) that chronicles warring houses vying for power and control of a planet called Arrakis, AKA Dune. The source of a “spice” that is valuable for space travel, it’s a rich prize and one that that Emperor used to entrap House Atreides (led by Oscar Isaac’s ill-fated) Duke Leto.

    Timothée Chalamet in Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune.'
    Timothée Chalamet in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune.’

    Working with the evil House Harkonnen, the Emperor attacked the Atreides once they’d landed on the planet and slaughtered much of the family and their forces.

    ‘Dune: Part Two’ continues the story of Leto’s son and heir Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as they regroup and earn the trust of the native Fremen (including leader Stilgar, played by Javier Bardem) and warrior Chani (Zendaya). They’ll survive while plotting a reprisal, as Paul becomes a spiritual and military leader among the Fremen.

    The new movie already boasts the likes of fellow new recruits Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam, who essentially rules the galaxy of the story, Florence Pugh, playing the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Irulan and ‘Elvis’ star Austin Butler, who will take the role of Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the pitiless baron who heads House Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), and who is being groomed to rule Arrakis.

    Returning cast for ‘Part Two’ – which Villeneuve again co-wrote alongside Jon Spaihts – also includes Josh Brolin as loyal Atreides military man Gurney Halleck, who survives the attack.

    Villeneuve’s movie racked up 10 Oscar nominations this year, and won six of them, including Editing, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. While there was surprise that the director didn’t feature in his own category, there’s already chatter that if ‘Part Two’ turns out as well as the first, it’ll be a major player come awards season 2024.

    ‘Dune: Part Two’ is currently aiming for an October 20th, 2023 release date.

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