Idris Elba in ‘Hijack,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Idris Elba will return for a second season of ‘Hijack’.
Apple TV+ confirmed the show will return.
There’s no date for the new season.
Though we’ve all gotten more used to seeing him as gruff detective John Luther on TV screens, actor Idris Elba scored a big new small screen hit with last year’s ‘Hijack’.
And while it took things to a pulpy level at times, the pulse-pounding drama thriller certainly drew a solid audience. Enough that Apple TV+ has now announced a second season for the series.
Idris Elba in ‘Hijack,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Told in real time, “Hijack” is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked Kingdom Airways plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers.
Elba stars as Sam Nelson, an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but his high-risk strategy could be his undoing.
And when he starts to dig in what is happening with the situation, he learns that all is far from what it initially seems. Plus, if the passengers decide to stage their own intervention, things could go south –– never a good thing for a plane while it’s in the air –– very quickly.
On the ground, meanwhile, we have Archie Panjabi as Zahra Gahfoor, a counter terrorism officer who is on the ground when the plane is hijacked and becomes part of the investigation.
Who else is in ‘Hijack?’
(L to R Max Beesley and Christine Adams in ‘Hijack,’ premiering June 28, 2023 on Apple TV+.
All those people (besides Elba) are only possible returnees –– as seen below, there are no details on what Sam Nelson might be landed into this time. Will he be on a hijacked train? A runaway bus? A rickshaw with a particularly fleet-footed driver?
Okay, probably not the last one. But it’ll be fun finding out.
What are Elba and others saying about the news?
Idris Elba in ‘Hijack,’ premiering June 28, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Idris Elba is, somewhat naturally, happy to see the show coming back:
“I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one. It’s top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson but I can assure you we will bring the high octane back!”
And Jay Hunt, Apple TV+ creative director for Europe also commented:
“Global audiences were on tenterhooks watching Idris’s riveting performance in ‘Hijack,’ and we’re thrilled to be working again with 60Forty and Idiotlamp on an equally compelling season two.”
When will ‘Hijack’ Season 2 be on Apple TV+?
Apple TV+ has yet to confirm a release date for the next season, though we would estimate it’ll either be much later this year or in 2025.
(L to R) Harry Michell and Idris Elba in ‘Hijack,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon.’ Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ and Columbia Pictures.
A notable historical figure, Napoleon Bonaparte is considered to be one of the greatest generals in military history. Through Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon,’ we see his ruthless tactics on the battlefield, his rise to become the first Emperor of France, his relationship with Josephine, and the decisive battle that led to Napleon’s downfall.
This film reunited Academy Award winning director Ridley Scott with Joaquin Phoenix since their collaboration on ‘Gladiator’, which was released over 20 years ago in 2000.
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Where Can I Watch ‘Napoleon’?
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
The movie held its premiere at Salle Pleyel in Paris on November 14, 2023. Although the film is set for an Apple TV+ debut later this year, it was released exclusively in theaters on November 22nd for a limited run.
With the film’s runtime of 2 hours and 38 minutes, some viewers may want to enjoy ‘Napoleon’ from the comfort of their homes. Luckily, the historical war epic is now available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
There is no confirmed date for when ‘Napoleon’ will stream on Apple TV+.
‘Napoleon’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
To recreate the battle scenes, Ridley Scott worked with long time collaborator and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (‘The Last Duel’, ‘House of Gucci’). Crafting epic battle scenes such as the Battle of Austerlitz and the Battle of Waterloo required extensive planning and coordinating on many fronts.
“You’re basically creating a huge event. You have army personnel, you have extras trained to behave like soldiers from the 19th century, you have horse people, then we have armor, you have professional effects people, explosions, then you have main characters. You basically design the whole battle,” said Wolski.
While some CGI was utilized, the majority of the battle scenes used practical effects such as large soldier formations, cavalry runs, and canons without lethal ammunition rounds. Scenes are shot with over eight cameras simultaneously.
(L to R) Vanessa Kirby and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
This may be a war epic, but for Ridley Scott, it was also important to show the curious and often times, volatile relationship between Napoleon and his long-time love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Napoleon may be relentless and confident on the battlefield, but when it comes to his relationship with Josephine, he is insecure and awkward.
Opposite Napoleon, Josephine was quiet and observant, alluring and flirtatious. Their dynamic shifted constantly. Prior to filming, Kirby traveled to Josephine’s home in Malmaison as a part of her extensive research. In an interview with Deadline, she spoke about the fear of taking on the role initially:
“I love most taking on things that scare me. This was scary just because it’s hard to play a real person, and it’s a different kind of process. You’re not inventing their history, their lives, their childhood, their background, and their psyche. You are trying to accurately embody someone that really has lived, and lived such an extraordinary life that’s really, really far from any of ours or anything that I could relate it to personally.”
Four Hour Director’s Cut
(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix behind-the-scenes of ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
The movie sits at a hefty 2 hours and 38 minutes, but there’s a chance we’ll see a four hours and 10 minutes Director’s Cut once the film is released on streaming. During an interview with Total Film, Scott mentions the extended cut will head to Apple TV+:
“I’m working on it. It was four [hours] 10 [minutes] this morning. And so what will happen is, we’ll screen [the theatrical cut] first with Sony, and then it has its run, and then the perfect thing is that [the director’s cut] goes to streaming, and we have four hours 10 minutes.”
‘Napoleon’ is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.
(Center) Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon.’ Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ and Columbia Pictures.
(L to R) Callum Turner and Austin Butler in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Launching on Apple TV+ on January 26th with two episodes (and then one weekly for seven weeks), ‘Masters of the Air’ represents the latest series from executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, who have seen success with their previous two efforts, ‘The Pacific’ and ‘Band of Brothers’.
But after two primarily land-based series, the team –– which also includes writers John Orloff and Graham Yost and directors Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Dee Rees and Tim Van Patten –– have turned their attention to adapting Donald L. Miller’s non-fiction tome about one of the most famous bombing groups of the war.
Does ‘Masters of the Air’ take flight successfully?
(L to R) Sawyer Spielberg and Austin Butler in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Though the past two limited series were on HBO, you probably won’t notice much of a difference given the expansive budget Apple offers its prestige shows. Of course it looks slick and impressive (though the screeners we saw had the occasional odd visual effect that we can chalk up to the show being at an earlier stage of post-production) and the cast is fine blend of young rising stars who commit to their parts.
There will, of course, be comparisons to its forerunners, and while it might not reach the heights of particularly ‘Band of Brothers’, it’s still a solid effort and worth watching if you’re a fan of the previous shows (or have a thing for based-on-truth World War II tales).
Initially there is some concern that the show will fall into repetitive patterns of bombing runs (not that they aren’t tense/thrilling in their own way) but once it opens out the story to chronicle the crews’ downtime and what happens once some of them are shot down over enemy territory. A visit with the Tuskegee airmen feels welcome, if given slightly short shrift.
‘Masters of the Air’: Script and Direction
‘Masters of the Air’ premieres globally January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
The team behind the show knows what they’re doing when it comes to this sort of series, the scripts weaving personal stories in with the overarching narrative of the bombing runs and beyond. It takes a little time to truly get off the air, but once the plot truly kicks in, it finds a healthy balance between the various characters (some are more compelling than others).
On the directorial front, the style is very much what we’ve come to expect –– some beauty shots of planes lifting off against sunrises or sunsets, carefully crafted visuals than crawl around the inside of the aircraft and bombing sequences designed to help you feel the pressure the crews are under.
‘Masters of the Air’: Performances
(L to R) Austin Butler and Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
While the initial focus is on the likes of Austin Butler’s Major Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven, Callum Turner’s Major John ‘Bucky’ Egan and Anthony Boyle’s Major Harry Crosby, the show expands out to follow several other characters who have their own experiences, both good and bad.
Butler, mostly putting ‘Elvis’ in the rearview, is solid as Buck, who guides us through the early bombing runs, takes somewhat of a backseat in the mid-section and then returns to prominence later on. Likewise Turner (having something of a period drama moment between this and ‘The Boys in the Boat’) does good work as Egan, whose war experience takes a seriously dark turn at times.
If there’s a true standout, though, it might be Boyle as Crosby, who evolves from nervy, airsick navigator to a crucial job on the ground planning sorties. It’s his character who narrates the show, and Boyle is excellent, keeping the character believable and watchable.
And the show doesn’t neglect other characters, even though there isn’t the scope to give everyone as rounded a story as the main trio. Ncuti Gatwa (who just took over the lead role in ‘Doctor Who’ after years stealing scenes in ‘Sex Education’) is typically great here as 2nd Lieutenant. Robert H. Daniels, shining in a relatively smaller role.
Ncuti Gatwa in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
There are also the more established likes of Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan as Lieutenant Curtis Biddick, a charming sort whose love of a good time on the ground is matched by his skill in the air. Keoghan is, as we’ve come to expect, excellent.
As is natural in a story like this, female roles tend to take a backseat, though there is particularly sterling work from Bel Powley as British officer Alexandra Wingate, who becomes involved with one of the characters. Powley is charm incarnate, coloring far outside the lines of a character who has more limited screentime.
As you might expect, you shouldn’t get too attached to every character; this is war and not everyone makes it out alive (as those who have read the book will know). But the well-rounded cast means you’ll care about every flyer and more, no matter their fate.
‘Masters of the Air’: Final Thoughts
Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
It could have been a glossy, factory-tooled re-run of its predecessors, but the ‘Masters’ team has taken the care and time to make sure that while the series carries the hallmarks of what has gone before, it also feels like its own thing.
It’s a fairly straightforward account of wartime heroism which won’t appeal to everyone, but for those who enjoy such chronicles, it’ll certainly fly.
‘Masters of the Air’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Austin Butler and Callum Turner in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of ‘Masters of the Air’?
Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, ‘Masters of the Air’ follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air.
Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’ season 2, premiering December 2, 2022 on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Apple TV+ has renewed ‘Slow Horses’ for a fifth season.
The show, starring Gary Oldman, adapts Mick Herron’s novels.
This new season will see bizarre events happening around London.
They might not be considered the best of the best when it comes to MI5’s roster, but the denizens of Slough House are certainly proving successful for Apple TV+, proving to be one of the breakout hits for the tech giant’s streaming service.
Which is to say that across three seasons (so far), ‘Slow Horses’ the Gary Oldman-starring series have scored plenty of critical praise and won lots of fans.
It’s hardly surprising then, that after rolling out renewals for the third and fourth seasons as a block (the third just launched its finale on December 27th), Apple TV+ has handed down a fifth season order almost as quickly.
What is ‘Slow Horses’?
Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
‘Slow Horses’ is adapted from Mick Herron’s eponymous novel series, which is also known as ‘Slough House’, named for the low-rent MI5 office our heroes work from.
Oldman stars as Jackson Lamb, the brilliant but misanthropic leader of the spies, who end up in Slough House due to their career-ending mistakes as they frequently find themselves blundering around the smoke and mirrors of the espionage world.
Yet for all their issues, the team frequently proves to be much more effective than any of their colleagues suspect, with Lamb a crafty genius who uses his off-putting, cantankerous exterior to thwart expectations. There are times when the Horses are the last line of defence between the UK and some serious threats.
Christopher Chung stars in the third season of ‘Slow Horses,’ coming to Apple TV+ on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Season 5 adapts Herron’s fifth book, ‘London Rules’, and the story finds the team suspicious when resident tech nerd Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung) has a glamorous new girlfriend, but when a series of increasingly bizarre events occur across the city, it falls to the Slow Horses to work out how everything is connected.
After all, Jackson Lamb knows that in the world of espionage, “London Rules” should always apply.
Who else is in ‘Slow Horses’?
Jack Lowden returns for the third season of ‘Slow Horses,’ coming to Apple TV+ on Friday, December 1, 2023.
No information is available about any cast additions for Season 5.
When will ‘Slow Horses’ Season 5 be on our screens?
Given that Season 4 has yet to launch (it has no official premiere date yet, but showrunner Will Smith has promised it’ll be sometime in 2024), there is zero information on the fifth as of yet. Add to that the fact that it still has to film, and we’ll be waiting for a while.
Academy Award winner Gary Oldman returns for the third season of ‘Slow Horses,’ coming to Apple TV+ on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Mark Wahlberg and Iliana Norris in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Assassins on screen. Every time they try to retire or devote themselves to a quieter life, their past always catches up with them. Just as Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. Or Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills, whose ‘Taken’ character ends up having to put his particular set of skills back into play when his daughter is kidnapped.
It stands to reason that cinematic assassins should just stick with their regular jobs, but still they keep yearning for something more –– or perhaps less (at least from a stress/danger point of view). Such is the case with Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) in Apple’s new action comedy ‘The Family Plan’, who has swapped international assassination (of, he’s quick to point out when the truth is revealed, Very Bad People) for a seemingly sleepy world of marriage and kids in Buffalo New York.
But with so many examples of this story already out there, the biggest question is whether ‘The Family Plan’ does enough to stand out.
Is ‘The Family Plan’ a good pick for your family?
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Colletti and Van Crosby in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
For the most part, the answer to that question is… Not really. This is a fairly bland example of the genre with one or two moments of invention that happen later in the story.
After a few early years of interesting material, Wahlberg has largely settled into a predictable mix of action movies and comedies –– you might find yourself wondering what his occasional collaborator Peter Berg would have done with this, but then it’s not really the sort of movie that Berg would gravitate towards since the rougher edges have been well and truly sanded off here.
Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Writer David Coggeshall is more normally known for the horror likes of ‘Orphan: First Kill’ and 2019’s ‘Prey’ (not the ‘Predator’ prequel, a slightly less effective tale of a young man hunted by a creature on an island retreat), but he does his best with mixing the action and comedy beats here.
The screenplay for ‘The Family Plan’ mostly goes through the motions of introducing Dan’s seemingly happy family life, bringing up the issues with his kids (one wants to throw away her long-held Stanford dreams to follow a boyfriend to a far lesser college), the other has secretly been playing video games at a high level with the gamer tag “Kyllboi”.
When Dan’s old life starts to invade his own, the clues are a little easy to spot (a character who approaches Jessica early on might as well have “villain” stamped across their forehead), but it at least has a few fun set pieces early on.
(L to R) Michelle Monaghan and Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
As for the visual side of things, director Simon Cellan Jones has largely worked in television comedy/drama, though he has branched out into the more action-orientated likes of ‘See’, ‘The Expanse’ and ‘Jessica Jones’.
His big screen work has largely been in the rom-com and comedy-drama sphere, and he does what he can to turn the set pieces into watchable encounters. A fight in a grocery store is an early highlight, and the big finale has its moments. For the most part, though, this isn’t going to worry the likes of ‘Wick’ or the likes of David Leitch for inventiveness.
‘The Family Plan’: Performances
(L to R) Michelle Monaghan and Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Wahlberg is on strictly standard mode here, Dan Morgan a blandly likeable leading man who you can mostly buy as a skilled assassin even as he’s whipping through a diaper change like he’s loading a gun. But if you’re truly supposed to care about him and his story, there’s not a lot here to grab hold on to.
Michelle Monaghan, meanwhile, is saddled with another slightly thankless role as the other half to an action man who doesn’t realize what’s really going on until the danger intrudes on her life (she’s been down this path before, most notably in ‘Mission: Impossible III’). Jessica at least has some depth to her, and there’s a moment near the end where she gets to be both comedic and badass.
Zoe Colletti and Van Crosby as their kids are largely called upon to be bratty and then helpful, and they do what they can to breathe life into the roles. Less well served is Ciarán Hinds as the antagonist, though even he has something of a backstory. Pretty much everyone else is reduced to stock henchmen characters, some not even blessed with actual names. They’re literally cannon fodder.
‘The Family Plan’: Final Thoughts
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg and Iliana Norris in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Despite all the faint praise in the preceding review, ‘The Family Plan’ is not entirely without merit, as it has some chuckles to offer and a brace of stunt moments that do bring something entertaining.
It’s strictly straight-down-the-line work, but there’s nothing wrong with that if you’re in the mood for it.
‘The Family Plan’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘The Family Plan’?
Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) is a seemingly normal family man, but was once the deadliest assassin in the world. When his past finally catches up with him, Dan takes his family on a “road trip” to Las Vegas so he can confront the man who wants him dead—all while trying to keep his old life a secret from his wife and children.
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Colletti and Van Crosby in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
In his career, Mark Wahlberg has brought us plenty of family comedy and has also been part of some high-adrenaline action movies.
But he’s rarely had the chance to combine them. That changes now as he’s the star of Apple and Skydance’s ‘The Family Plan’, which sees him as a man who has to protect his family when his past comes back to haunt him.
In ‘The Family Plan’, Wahlberg plays Dan Morgan, who loves his quiet suburban life as a devoted husband, father of three and successful car salesman. But that’s only half the story.
Decades earlier, he was an elite government assassin tasked with eliminating the world’s deadliest threats. When enemies from his past track him down, Dan packs his unsuspecting wife Jessica (Michelle Monaghan), angsty teen daughter, pro-gamer teen son and adorable 10-month-old baby into their minivan and takes off on an impromptu cross-country road trip to Las Vegas.
Determined to protect his family — while treating them to the vacation of a lifetime — Dan must put his long-dormant skills into action, without revealing his true identity.
Directed by Simon Cellan Jones, who has worked on TV shows such as ‘See’, ‘Ballers’ and Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’, ‘The Family Plan’ takes aim at being a fun watch for the family.
Moviefone recently attended a virtual press conference for ‘The Family Plan.’ Taking part were stars Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, Zoe Margaret Colletti and Van Crosby and director Simon Cellan Jones.
Here are 10 things we learned from the press conference, edited for clarity and length.
1) Michelle Monaghan and Mark Wahlberg appreciated different things about their characters
(L to R) Michelle Monaghan and Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
The pair both found something to like about the people they were playing on screen, with Wahlberg as family man/former assassin Dan Morgan and Monaghan as wife Jessica.
Michelle Monaghan: I like how spontaneous [Jessica] is. Yeah, I think she’s a really spontaneous character. She is up for anything, and she really wants more of that in her life. And so that was fun. I got to do a lot of stunts and things related to that and I loved that. I loved the roller coaster, loved the all the stunts. That was all really, really fun for me.
Wahlberg, however ,was focused more on the side that Dan, his character, shows to the family, rather than his former life. It’s something he gets to do in real life when he swaps being a movie star for being a dad.
Mark Wahlberg: What I liked was that he was embracing being boring. I could relate to that. I’ve adopted that attitude quite some time ago. I get to be fun and exciting during my job, but other than that, I’m just boring dad.
2) Mark Wahlberg Really Enjoyed Working with Director Simon Cellan Jones
Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Wahlberg and his ‘The Family Plan’ director Jones clearly got on like a house on fire. They clicked so well, in fact, that Wahlberg has gone on to work with Jones on a new movie, ‘Arthur the King’.
MW: I’ve worked with him now two films, five seasons of a television show and I just learned how to pronounce his name! He’s like a brother. I mean, we bonded so quickly. Such fun, energetic, super talented, always prepared but game for anything. Willing to try anything. Very patient. This took me back to the days where movie-making wasn’t so labor-intensive and taxing. It was a joyful experience, it really was. And I accredit Simon and Michelle especially for that.
3) Doing a Keg Stand Was Michelle Monaghan’s Favorite Part of Making the Movie
Michelle Monaghan in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Even given the stunt training she went through, or time with the movie’s family, Monaghan admits that a sequence where she heads to a college and ends up doing a keg stand was her most memorable moment.
MM: That keg stand was really fun. I loved to see that in the script. I’d grown up in the Midwest and I was very familiar with keg stands for better or for worse. So that was really funny, a little blast from the past. And I guess learning the little pole vault stunt and doing some of those scenes were really fun as well.
4) Simon Cellan Jones was a little daunted by the scale of the film, but ended up loving it
Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
While director Simon Cellan Jones has made movies before (including 2000’s ‘Some Voices’ and 2002’s ‘The One and Only’), he’s largely spent the last few years making TV, such as ‘See’, ‘Ballers’ and ‘The Diplomat’. And ‘The Family Plan’ is by some measure the biggest movie he’s tackled so far.
Simon Cellan Jones: Working on a big film like this, for the first week, I was terrified. And then I went, “wait a minute, this is really fun. It’s really exciting.” I was working with fantastic people, actors and crew. We had enough money to do some ambitious stuff. Believe me, I don’t want to go back. I love it like this!
5) Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan related to the road trip scenes
(L to R) Michelle Monaghan and Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
As Wahlberg’s Dan takes the family on what they think is an impromptu vacation, he realizes that those threatening them might track their phones. So he collects everyone’s devices and throws them off a bridge, much to their shock.
For Monaghan she felt seen as a mother who is occasionally frustrated with her kids’ phone use.
MM: For me, one of my favorite scenes is the scene were we’re in the road trip and Mark takes all the devices and throws them out the window. That is so relatable to my family. That is wish fulfillment! That is exactly right! The way that it is edited with everyone’s reaction, is just was such a great edit. But that is definitely something that I relate to so very much. In the car we think that we’re going to connect, and then everybody’s got their own headphones on and everybody’s doing their own thing and it makes me crazy.
Wahlberg also saw the reality of the situation.
MW: The only real power you have over your children still might be to be able to threaten them, to cut them off from what they think is the most important way to communicate even though it’s so impersonal. But yeah, that was a very fun moment.
6) Mark Wahlberg was happy to get the chance to film in Las Vegas
Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
While the majority of the movie was shot in Atlanta, Las Vegas did serve as a location for the big finale of the film –– and some scenes were filmed there.
MW: It meant a lot. Being a new resident, I think I was excited to really be able to showcase Vegas in a way that I thought would, again just make it more appealing because obviously people know Vegas for the Strip, but there’s a lot more to it than that and it is very family oriented in, as far as its entertainment and appeal. And I moved there for my kids. So, I was very, very excited to not only shoot the film there but also premiere the film there and hopefully be able to build a studio and make films there.
7) Working with Babies is as Tough as You Might Imagine
(L to R) Van Crosby, Iliana Norris, Michelle Monaghan and Zoe Colletti in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
The old adage reads “never work with children or animals”, but ‘The Family Plan’s team needed a baby for the Morgan dynamic to work. Twins Vienna and Iliana Norris played Max, the youngest Morgan. Who certainly gets to take part in some big scenes…
Zoe Margaret Colletti, for one, was very happy to spend time with them.
Zoe Margaret Colletti: They’re my favorite costars. I love them. Their names are Ilena and Vienna, and they’re the cutest little sweetest girls. They are playing a boy, but they are two little girls and they’re precious.
Acting alongside them was one thing. But directing them and making sure all was safe during big action moments? That was quite another for director Simon Cellan Jones.
SCJ: They worked out in the end, but I’m going to level with you. We had a big, big fight in a supermarket, which, so far, so normal. But there’s one kicker on it. There’s a baby strapped into a baby Bjorn. And we had two twins playing the baby Max who were both fantastic, but this was their first big heavy day. And of course one of them is strapped to Mark Wahlberg and he’s lovely with kids, so he looks after them very well, but he’s fighting and he’s moving around and he’s doing all that stuff. And the babies were going, “Wait a minute, wait a minute. This is not in our contract!” So we had to be very, very patient that day. It worked out. But there were a couple of times when I was going, “Oh my God, my career is over.”
8) The Biggest Lesson Mark Wahlberg Took Away from the Movie Was About Family
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MW: We have to embrace [change] too though, to allow that to happen and embrace the evolution and the growth. Sometimes we find ourselves wanting our kids to stay small and little forever and we know that is impossible. It’s inevitable that they’ll grow and change. You want to be able to embrace that you’re giving life, you’re not having somebody that’s going to be your little pet forever. So you want to be able to hopefully just guide them and protect them and teach them and point them in the right direction and most importantly be a good example. But yes, it’s hard to see them grow and change and go off to college. My daughter now is at college, but at the same time I’m looking forward for my wife and I to have more time together to do things on our own and not have to lock the door!
9) Mark Wahlberg Watched an Early version of the Movie With His Kids
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg and Iliana Norris in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
As one of the producers of the movie as well as being the star, Wahlberg had access to the film at an early stage of the post-production phase. And he found a handy test audience to help judge if it was working.
MW: I think watching it the first time at a very, very early stage of the edit with my entire family was a lot of fun because it wasn’t a thing where I invited everybody to come and sit and watch the movie. I was just sitting at home in my living room in Vegas watching it and everybody just kind of started to gather around and watch and started to really enjoy it. And it wasn’t until Michelle flipped the toothbrush out of her mouth in the movie that everybody looked at me like, whoa, ‘you didn’t tell us about this part!’
10) A Joke About The Name “Van” Was in the Script Before Van Crosby was Cast
(L to R) Zoe Colletti, Iliana Norris, Michelle Monaghan and Van Crosby in ‘The Family Plan,’ premiering December 15, 2023 on Apple TV+.
As Dan puts his plans in place to try and have his family disappear under new identities to avoid his old associates, he gets them new passports. Kyle Morgan discovers he has the name “Van”, which leads sister Nina to crack, “you’re named after a vehicle!” It sounds like an in-joke about Van Crosby, who plays Kyle, but it predates him.
Van Crosby: That was in the original script. When I got the script for the audition, that was already in there, so that was completely by chance. That was not written in at all, so I was just as surprised too. I was like, “What? That’s my name.” Yeah. So yeah, that was already there.
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What is the Plot of ‘The Family Plan’?
Dan Morgan (Mark Wahlberg) is a seemingly normal family man, but was once the deadliest assassin in the world. When his past finally catches up with him, Dan takes his family on a “road trip” to Las Vegas so he can confront the man who wants him dead—all while trying to keep his old life a secret from his wife and children.
(L to R) Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell star in Apple TV+’s ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kurt and Wyatt Russell about their work on ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ having the opportunity to work together playing the same role, Kurt’s memories of working with his own father, and what it’s like to be on a TV series set in the cinematic MonsterVerse.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kurt and Wyatt, director Matt Shakman, VFX Supervisor Sean Konrad, and actors Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski.
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.
Moviefone: To begin with, Kurt, can you talk about having the opportunity to work with Wyatt on this series, not on screen, but behind the scenes, to create one seamless performance as the same character? What was that experience like for you?
Kurt Russell: It was a bit daunting. We investigated it and realized that two known actors had done a lot of stuff, but the father-son had never been done, and we were excited about it. We were never really, I don’t think, intimidated by it. It was just like we were wanting to get out there and get after it. It was a lot of hard work, a lot of collaboration to figure out who Lee Shaw is going to be and what he’s going to do to help pull these two time periods together. That’s where I had the most fun with Wyatt, and ever since doing some of these interviews and stuff, we were just saying the other day, we haven’t spent this much time since he was playing hockey in Vancouver. It’s been great.
Wyatt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.
MF: Wyatt what has this experience like for you working with your dad to create the same character?
Wyatt Russell: Same kind of thing. I wouldn’t say it was daunting or I was intimidated, but there was some nervousness on my part because I’d never worked with my dad. There are all the comparisons, they can be kryptonite, they could also be great. So, it was like, “Well, if we’re going to do this, then it’s got to be really good.” The bar in my head, you set even higher than you normally do, and that’s probably a double-edged sword, a good thing and a bad thing. But I was excited by the opportunity to do something big and nervous. I remember my mom (Goldie Hawn) coming into my room one day and talking about something else, but she was like, and my grandfather on my mom’s side said this, “If you’re in the water and your toes just can’t touch the ground, that’s probably right where you’re supposed to be,” and that’s how I felt. It was a good thing, but that’s how I felt.
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Kurt, you worked with your father Bing Russell on a few projects, did working with Wyatt on this show bring back any of those memories?
KR: My dad and I worked together five or six times. We were father and son in ‘Elvis.’ He played Vernon Presley. But this is just completely different on its own, being the same person. We have slightly different energies or rhythms, but we have a lot of idiosyncratic similarities. So, we wanted to find the character, find the one that worked, that would be entertaining for the audience, tell the story, complete the mystery, and pull the two time periods together. At the same time, we created that blending thing to have the audience stop thinking about that and just at the end of it say, “We’re so happy they got those two guys to do it. That was actually a good idea.” It wasn’t a stupid trick. It was a good idea.
Wyatt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Finally, Wyatt, the show is huge in scale and scope, and is very cinematic. Did it feel at times like you were making a movie rather than a TV show?
WR: Yes. That was what was really the backstop for any of my anxieties, quite honestly, was then you’d look at where you were. You’d look at the scope of what it was. You’d look at what, in the first two episodes, Matt Shakman was trying to capture with the camera. You’d look at the costumes and what they were putting into it, and it was like, “Okay, well if I suck, this is all going to look awesome.” So, it did feel good and hopefully I didn’t suck. It was awesome. It was on a huge scale.
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
What is the plot of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’?
Following the epic battle between Godzilla and the MUTOs that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, two siblings (Anna Sawai and Ren Watabe), following in their father’s footsteps, uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues introduce them to the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga, spanning three generations, reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
Who is in the cast of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’?
Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Launching on Apple TV+ on November 29th (with two episodes), ‘Slow Horses’ makes a triumphant return to screens with another winning blend of character work, memorable dialogue and compelling action.
While Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb continues to be the standout, but there isn’t a weak link in this cast, and some new recruits (including one who is only in the first episode) only add to that feeling.
Kristin Scott Thomas in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ is clearly happy with the success of this adaptation of Mick Herron’s popular spy thriller novels, as the streaming service commissions seasons in batches of two –– which is why we got a taster of the second as the credits rolled on the first.
That will continue with Season 4, which has already been shot, and on the evidence of the quality of Season 3, that’s a very good thing.
Even in this era of peak television and shorter streaming seasons, there are shows that have run out of steam only a couple of seasons in. Fortunately, ‘Slow Horses’ is most definitely not one of them. Showrunner Will Smith (not that one) and his team have kept the entertainment value consistent through all the seasons so far, and the third is no exception.
If you’ve never seen the show, this is a very different world to the usual heroics of, says James Bond or Jason Bourne. It’s much more street level, scruffier and set in the world of MI5’s rejects, who have somehow fouled up on duty and are shunted off to a satellite office of the security service.
Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Slough House (from where the team gets its nickname) is the butt-end of the intelligence world, a place careers go to die when they can’t hack it at the sparkling glass and solid concrete world of the service HQ in Regent’s Park.
And yet… As led by the drunken, flatulent Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), they somehow always manage to make it work. When big crises threaten the UK, the team is often drafted in, usually without really wanting to take part.
Oldman is very clearly having the time of his life playing Lamb, all stained shirts and stringy hair whose outward appearance and brusque manner (a choice line of his from this season is, “you’re about as welcome as a turd in a hot tub”) hides a keen intelligence and a strong feeling of loyalty to those who earn it. While he insults his team constantly, he’d lay down his life to help any one of them in truly dire straits.
(L to R) Saskia Reeves and Jack Lowden in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
He’s primarily supported by Saskia Reeves’ Catherine Standish, an alcoholic but longstanding officer who runs Slough House and gives Lamb the counterbalance he needs.
Elsewhere, River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), who started to show as the audience’s point of view when he’s banished to Lamb’s team after a bad call on a training exercise, has really become part of the gang –– realizing that he might have actually found the perfect place to work. Even if he complains about it from time to time.
The rest of the team are all interesting characters, including the arrogant (without much cause besides his hacking skills) tech bro agent Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung), the world-weary Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar), who is still recovering from the death of her partner/lover in Season 2 and newer recruits Shirley Dander (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and Marcus Longridge (Kadiff Kirwan) get some much-needed depth, even if it does mean they’re both thrust into danger.
This is a perfectly gathered ensemble that play well off of each other, and the supporting cast is just as good –– Kristin Scott Thomas brings icy cool to the role of Diana Taverner, essentially second-in-command at the Regent’s Park HQ and endlessly bristling at being passed up for the top job.
That position went to Sophie Okonedo’s Ingrid Tearney, and she takes plenty of pleasure in reminding Diana of the place. Okonedo is so good as the bookish bureaucrat whose owlish nature sheathes a spine of steel.
When it’s time for the action to kick in, ‘Slow Horses’ doesn’t stint –– we won’t go into spoilers for this season’s big confrontation, but if you’ve seen the previous seasons, you’ll know it truly leans into the idea of conflict with stakes.
What doesn’t work in ‘Slow Horses’ Season 3?
Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
There is very little that’s wrong with the new season of ‘Slow Horses’ –– while some could quibble that each new storyline brings some variation of espionage genre tropes: a threat to the nation; a conspiracy to keep secrets long buried; one of the team being kidnapped for leverage.
Each time, however, the writers undercut them with the humor and style of the show.
‘Slow Horses’ Season 3: Final Thoughts
Jack Lowden in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
In a world where spies are usually slick operators who save the day with complicated gadgets or by seducing the right woman, it’s reassuring to know that ‘Slow Horses’ offers the alternative, a downplayed, grungy but very, very human look at intelligence work. Long may these horses ride (even if it is slowly).
‘Slow Horses’ Season 3 receives 9 out of 10 stars.
Kristin Scott Thomas in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of ‘Slow Horses’ Season 3?
In Season 3 of ‘Slow Horses’, a romantic liaison in Istanbul threatens to expose a buried MI5 secret in London.
When Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman) and his team of misfits are dragged into the fight, they find themselves caught in a conspiracy that threatens the future not just of Slough House –– but of MI5 itself.
Who else is in ‘Slow Horses’ Season 3?
The cast includes Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, Kristin Scott Thomas, Saskia Reeves, Rosalind Eleazar, Christopher Chung, Freddie Fox, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Kadiff Kirwan, Jonathan Pryce and Sophie Okonedo.
(L to R) Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ topped the Thanksgiving.
Disney’s ‘Wish’ for success was not granted.
Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon’ did well.
There was a time when the Walt Disney company was the box office behemoth –– in 2019, for example, seven of its releases earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
But on the evidence of this weekend’s Thanksgiving box office, those days are well and truly behind it as ‘Wish’, the latest animated fantasy –– one celebrating the studio’s legacy, no less –– earned a disappointing $19.5 million over the weekend and $31.7 million over five days, leaving it in third place behind ‘Hunger Games’ prequel ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ and Ridley Scott’s latest historical effort, ‘Napoleon’.
‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ Bites the Competition
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
On its second weekend of release, the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ prequel novel to best-selling ‘Hunger Games’ book series (which were turned into a successful movie franchise of their own between 2012 and 2015), added $28.8 million over the weekend and $42 million since Wednesday. It has generated $98.3 million in North America and nearly $200 million globally.
It’s still a far cry from the success of that original four-movie set but given its (relatively) thrifty $100 million production budget, you just know the Lionsgate team will be hoping it can launch its own franchise.
There will be much to consider going forward given ‘Wish’s poor third-place start. While not as catastrophic as, say, ‘Strange World’ it’s still a big disappointment.
The new movie was supposed to be Disney’s big animated return, a lavish musical littered with callbacks to the studio’s history, full of songs and magic. But with a reported $200 million budget (before marketing costs), it has a lot to earn back.
In reality, however, ‘Wish’ has turned into the latest flop for the studio, in a year when many of its movies have stumbled, even those from reliable hitmakers such as Marvel and Pixar.
Going forward, Disney will be pinning its hopes on the movie showing some sort of legs at the box office, repeating the slow-build success of Pixar’s ‘Elemental’, which had a slow start but has since found its footing at the box office and has been successful on Disney+.
And the streaming service has been both a boon and a problem for the studio’s movies, with audiences leaning into watching its output at home rather than going out to theaters, a fallout of the pandemic and the rise of at-home content.
‘Napoleon’ Sees a Small Victory
‘Napoleon’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
Despite its long, 158-minute running time and adult-skewing subject matter, Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic, the Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby-starring ‘Napoleon’ has won out over ‘Wish’, scoring a second place finish over the Thanksgiving period.
‘Napoleon’ took in a better-than-expected $21 million over the weekend and $32.5 million in its first five days of release. Globally, “Napoleon” generated $78.8 million.
And while that isn’t the most successful opening for a movie which cost $200 million to make, Apple (which released it in partnership with Sony Pictures) isn’t likely all that worried, since it’ll drive people to check out the film when it eventually lands on Apple TV+.
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th.
Other Movies Similar to ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’:
And while those were produced as a collaboration between Warner Bros. and Legendary, the latter has now partnered with Apple’s streaming service to deliver more stories set in the same universe (albeit without most of the characters).
You might wonder how a TV series can pull off the sort of giant (pun intended) action as the movies, and while the show naturally has to be on a smaller scale, it still has the hefty budget of Apple to create some effective scenes of giant beasts.
What works about ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’?
‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ coming soon to Apple TV+.
With much more connective tissue to the cinematic “Monsterverse” than you might expect (it kicks off, for example, with a cameo from ‘Kong: Skull Island’s Bill Randa, played by the movie’s John Goodman), ‘Monarch’ treads a careful path between trying to replicate what worked in the movies –– because let’s be honest, they have been very changeable in quality –– and forging its own identity.
Focusing on a handful of characters whose lives have all been impacted by the Titans in different ways was a smart move, because it allows for a lot of drama between some compelling human beings trying to figure out a way forward. One storyline follows Anna Sawai’s Cate Randa, who discovers that her recently-deceased father had a whole other life and family in Tokyo, including half-brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe). That sets them on a collision course with Monarch in the modern day (or at least 2015).
The real highlight, however (as you might be able to guess) is the canny casting of Kurt and Wyatt Russell playing different ages of the same character, in this case Lee Shaw. We first meet the man back in the 1950s, where he’s involved in the effective birth of Monarch as an organization alongside a younger Randa (here played by Anders Holm) who is working with (and eventually married to) fellow scientist Keiko (Mari Yamamoto).
(L to R) Wyatt Russell, Mari Yamamoto and Anders Holm in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
The two actors do a fantastic job of making you believe this is the same man (not too tough given the familiar resemblance), sharing tics and actions and giving Shaw some real depth.
Kurt Russell brings a convincing world-weariness and spark to the role of the older version, who is essentially imprisoned in a retirement home run by Monarch. It’s not long before he’s out and helping the likes of Cate on their investigation, though.
And when called upon to deliver on the monster spectacle, the show doesn’t hold back, flashing back to the Godzilla clash in San Francisco in ‘Godzilla’ and further back to humanity’s first encounter with the giant reptile.
But it’s not just the OG Titan who has their moment here; ‘Monarch’ is loaded down with plenty of different, new creatures, including one in the snowy wastes of the Arctic.
Related Article: Director and Producer Matt Shakman Talks ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’
‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’: Script and Direction
The ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ production team. Photo: Apple TV+.
Created by TV veteran Chris Black (‘Severance’, ‘Mad Men’) and comic book writer Matt Fraction (Marvel comics’ ‘Hawkeye’), ‘Monarch’ has both highs and lows when it comes to its creation.
Some sequences, such as an impressive moment where Shaw, Randa and Keiko investigate a disused nuclear facility swarming with creatures, or Cate’s experiences in the subway monster incursion shelter in Tokyo.
There’s a real feeling of comprehensive world building here, expanding on what has been created for the movies in interesting fashion.
Not every character works as well as Shaw or the others –– filling out the supporting cast are a mixture of tropey types, some of whom do receive a little more exploration and the main story of Cate and Kentaro sometimes trips over the line into melodrama early on. And there are times (albeit few of them) when the effects or production design ambition outstrips the show’s capabilities.
‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’: Final Thoughts
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
There was a big risk involved in trying to extend the “MonsterVerse” on TV screens, but with Apple’s considerable budgetary backing and some great casting choices, ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ works more than it doesn’t.
Though the selling point might be the combined power of the Russell father and son and some of the monster moments, ‘Monarch’ also does the work to fill in the gaps between, meaning that it’s worth watching even when a giant creature isn’t on screen or we’re not watching a Russell do their thing.
And the mystery element (fueled by what we already know from the movies) also works, even if the odd clue here and there feels like ideas that have been brought to screens before.
‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,’ premiering November 17, 2023 on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’?
Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch.
Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and son Wyatt Russell across two different time periods), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows.
The dramatic saga — spanning three generations — reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.
