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  • Movie Review: ‘Fountain of Youth’

    (L to R) Natalie Portman and John Krasinski in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Natalie Portman and John Krasinski in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    ‘Fountain of Youth’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

    On Apple TV+ on May 23rd is ‘Fountain of Youth,’ a new adventure movie that finds a brother-sister duo seeking the mythological, titular water supply and is directed by Guy Ritchie (‘Aladdin’).

    John Krasinski, Natalie Portman and Eiza González star in the new movie alongside Domhnall Gleeson (‘Ex Machina’), Laz Alonso (‘The Boys’), Carmen Ejogo (‘Selma’) and Arian Moayed (‘Succession‘).

    Related Article: Guy Ritchie to Direct ‘Road House’ Sequel with Jake Gyllenhaal Back

    Initial Thoughts

    John Krasinski in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    John Krasinski in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    There was a time in the 1990s when big-name actors could be tempted outside their usual attempts to win awards with challenging dramatic work and have some fun appearing in rip-roaring adventures after ancient artifacts, dodging life-threatening peril and trading quips.

    And before that, the 1980s brought us all manner of satisfying throwback adventures, led by the immaculately directed delights of the ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise. These days, the genre tends to paddle in the shallow end of straight-to-home entertainment releases or, as in the case of ‘Fountain of Youth,’ streaming.

    But can this new offering live up to that grand tradition?

    Script and Direction

    (L to R) Director Guy Ritchie and star John Krasinski behind-the-scenes of 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Director Guy Ritchie and star John Krasinski behind-the-scenes of ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    A big issue with the new movie lies in its script. Crafted by James Vanderbilt, whose career has swung wildly between the acclaimed likes of ‘Zodiac,’ the fun action nonsense of ‘White House Down’ and misbegotten misfires including ‘Independence Day: Resurgence,’ this new ‘Fountain’ sputters more than it should.

    Vanderbilt cobbles together a blend of the aforementioned Indy franchise entries, the more high-tech and fight-orientated world of ‘Mission: Impossible’ and the “path to something important hidden within esoterica” plot fuel of Dan Brown.

    Yet it’s not a mixture that always works. Yes, there are the requisite globe-trotting action sequences, a few moments of entertaining banter for the leads and of course some twists and turns, but it’s all so off the peg, an uncomfortable patchwork of seen-it-before wannabe thrills and lucky escapes.

    It’s all very well to try and stand on the shoulders of giants –– we see you, veiled reference to Doctor Jones in the name of Krasinski and Portman’s characters’ name: Harrison Purdue –– but you have to have something innovate in exchange. This new outing doesn’t ever hit that stride.

    How many times can our heroes stumble on their latest clue, only to be ambushed by their antagonists, and then turn things around for a lucky (and more than one instance, logic-defying) escape? If the evidence of ‘Fountain of Youth’ is to be believed, it’s many more times than is believable, and indeed it all becomes tiring by the end.

    (L to R) Natalie Portman, Benjamin Chivers, John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson and Michael Epp in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Natalie Portman, Benjamin Chivers, John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson and Michael Epp in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Guy Ritchie, meanwhile, has been a genre-hopping directorial journeyman for some time now, but seems to flourish when he’s given full reign to embrace his violent, jokey style as seen in recent Netflix series ‘The Gentlemen.’

    Here, it’s as if he’s working with kid gloves on; while he’s certainly produced effective, family-friendly material in the past, this is a poor example of him toning himself down. A few of the set pieces are solid with some diverting stunts, but all in all, this is a blandly clockwork chore.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Natalie Portman, John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo and Laz Alonso in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Natalie Portman, John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo and Laz Alonso in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    While you can absolutely imagine John Krasinski seeing this as solid extension to his nice-guy-turned-action-hero brand after years spent playing Jack Ryan, the character of treasure hunter Luke Purdue only sometimes works to his strengths.

    Krasinski certainly doesn’t lack for charisma and he sells some of the cheesier lines; he’s also decent when it comes to the action (again, partly thanks to his time as Ryan).

    And when he and Natalie Portman are trading sibling barbs, the movie feels like it more lives up to its promise, the pair sharing some entertaining on-screen family chemistry.

    Portman is a more surprising performer to show up in a movie like this, though we imagine the appeal of having fun on set with Krasinski and a solid Apple-backed payday is probably more the reason she took the gig rather than something she saw in the script.

    Eiza González in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    Eiza González in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    As the third main character, Eiza González does just enough to make her relatively stock badass character watchable –– she’s also effective when it comes to the action, but as one of the “protectors” looking to stop Luke on his mission for seemingly noble reasons, it’s not always enough to overcome a generic role.

    Likewise Domhnall Gleeson, who has little to do as Owen Carver, the ailing rich mogul bankrolling Luke’s search. Gleeson has a couple of moments, but it’s largely a waste of a decent actor.

    Still, he comes off better than Laz Alonso and Carmen Ejogo, who play Murph and Deb, Luke’s support team. They’re mostly there to deliver the exposition, and that’s usually provided in big, ungainly lumps around tables.

    Beyond a few memorable moments as driven Interpol agent Abbas, Arian Moayed likewise is given little chance to shine.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson and Natalie Portman in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) John Krasinski, Domhnall Gleeson and Natalie Portman in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    Does ‘Fountain of Youth’ keep the flame of fun adventure movies from the 1980s and 1990s burning? Not really.

    This is a less-than-thrilling example of the genre which certainly starts promisingly and has a few decent lines or moments here and there (fans of ‘Knight Rider’ might be happy at one, and no, we don’t mean The Hoff shows up), but it’s not enough to keep it from feeling stale.

    You could certainly watch this. But you’d choose… poorly.

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    What’s the story of ‘Fountain of Youth’?

    The new movie follows two estranged siblings (John Krasinski and Natalie Portman) who partner on a global heist to find the mythological Fountain of Youth.

    They must use their knowledge of history to follow clues on an epic adventure that will change their lives… and possibly lead to immortality.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Fountain of Youth’?

    • John Krasinski as Luke Purdue
    • Natalie Portman as Charlotte Purdue
    • Eiza González as Esme
    • Domhnall Gleeson as Owen Carver
    • Laz Alonso as Patrick “Murph” Murphy
    • Arian Moayed as Inspector Jamal Abbas
    • Carmen Ejogo as Deb McCall
    • Stanley Tucci as The Elder
    • Benjamin Chivers as Thomas
    (L to R) Eiza González, John Krasinski and Natalie Portman in 'Fountain of Youth,' premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Eiza González, John Krasinski and Natalie Portman in ‘Fountain of Youth,’ premiering May 23, 2025 on Apple TV+.

    List of Guy Ritchie Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Guy Ritchie Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Goodrich’ Interview: Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis

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    Opening in theaters on October 18th is the new dark-comedy ‘Goodrich’, which was written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer (‘Home Again’), and stars Michael Keaton (‘Batman’, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’), Mila Kunis (‘Black Swan’), Carmen Ejogo (‘Alien Covenant’), Kevin Pollak (‘A Few Good Men’), and Andie MacDowell (‘Groundhog Day’).

    Related Article: Michael Keaton’s Best Movies

    (L to R) Mila Kunis and Michael Keaton star in 'Goodrich'.
    (L to R) Mila Kunis and Michael Keaton star in ‘Goodrich’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis about their work on ‘Goodrich’, Keaton’s first reaction to the screenplay, Kunis’ approach to her character, working together, collaborating on set with director Hallie Meyers-Shyer, and how the movie has similar themes to Keaton’s 1988 classic, ‘Clean and Sober’.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Keaton, Kunis, and director Hallie Meyers-Shyer.

    (L to R) Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis in 'Goodrich'. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.
    (L to R) Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis in ‘Goodrich’. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Michael what was your first reaction to Hallie Meyers-Shyer’s screenplay and playing this character?

    Michael Keaton: I knew I was halfway in already once I read it because I thought, “This is really good writing. I just really enjoy this.” I also hadn’t played anything like that for a while, which was not a big stretch as they say. It’s not that terribly far from me. I mean, on one hand, this is totally unlike me for the most part, not that big a deal. After a couple meetings with her, maybe even truthfully, after one meeting with her, I was even more inclined to do it. Then it was a question of is this going to work out in my schedule, and then all those practical things. But being able to shoot in LA was a huge thing for me. I liked what it was about, too. It’s universal and it’s a contemporary comedy/drama. I knew what her taste was like. She has good taste, not just in comedy, not just in movie making, but in life. We were talking about it earlier. She’s very stylish, but in a kind of clean, classic kind of way for a woman her age. She’s young. Normally, that comes later.

    MF: Mila, can you talk about Grace’s relationship with her father, the resentment she has and how she masks it from him?

    Mila Kunis: I think that that’s one of the things that I found to be the most intriguing about the character was the idea of playing her with, you almost have guilt over the resentment because you have the resentment, but you also know that in this world that your dad was probably busy doing other things and you can’t really hold him accountable for doing the best that he could with what he had at the time, but you can’t argue your own feelings and your end result. So, I love the idea of playing the push and pull of her own wanting to accept the dad for who he is, and still resenting him for who he used to be, even though who he used to be was still a pretty okay guy. He wasn’t that bad. He just wasn’t who she wanted him to be or who she needed him to be. I think sometimes, it’s fun to play characters that have their own set of expectations that aren’t always met.

    (L to R) Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis in 'Goodrich'. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.
    (L to R) Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis in ‘Goodrich’. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.

    MF: Michael, what was it like working with Mila to create this complicated father and daughter relationship?

    Michael Keaton: She played it in a way that she wasn’t, she never, and this is her, too, in life, there’s no element of whining about anything. Everybody has the right to complain and state your case and tell people how you feel. But I grew up in a house where, oh, boy, whining, that wasn’t going to go down too well. And her character and the way she played it, there’s never that sense. She’s the best, this one. She’s just ridiculously down to earth, refreshingly, frankly. It’s fun. Just easy, and a lot of laughs. I always thought it’d be nice to have a daughter. This one would be a great one to have.

    MF: Mila, what was it like acting opposite Michael?

    Mila Kunis: Every night I would dream about Michael. I was like, “Is he thinking of me the way that I’m thinking of him?” I love working with Michael. Everybody loves working with Michael. Find one person that’s ever going to be like, “Michael’s awful”. Find one. I dare you. It’s not going to happen. One of the loveliest, most fun humans to work with.

    'Goodrich' director Hallie Meyers-Shyer.
    ‘Goodrich’ director Hallie Meyers-Shyer.

    MF: Michael, can you talk about collaborating with director Hallie Meyers-Shyer on set?

    Michael Keaton: Hallie makes for a really nice atmosphere. She stayed really calm for this when you think back because that’s a lot of pressure. I think it’s only her second feature. Then you must live up to the “mom and dad” thing, and that’s a lot, and she never really seemed under pressure. Because when you direct a movie, it’s pressure from the time you start until now, and finally going out and promoting it because that’s just life. That’s how it is. But it was never freak out time at all. She’s ridiculously organized.

    MF: Mila, what was your experience like working with Hallie?

    Mila Kunis: She’s very young. She’s younger than me. But she’s very calm, very cool and she knew what she wanted. Some directors shoot endlessly because they don’t have the movie edited in their head yet, so they don’t really know what they’re going to need. She had the movie edited, so it was all very structured. Her and the DP had everything outlined. When they knew they got it, they got it, and they moved on.

    Michael Keaton in 'Clean and Sober'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    Michael Keaton in ‘Clean and Sober’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: Finally, Michael, one of my favorite performances of yours was in ‘Clean and Sober’. While I was watching ‘Goodrich’ it struck me that this is really the other side of that story. Instead of playing someone with an addiction, you are playing the husband of a person dealing with addiction. Did that ever cross your mind and what was it like playing the other side of that?

    Michael Keaton: Wow. What a great observation/question. Yeah. Boy, that’s interesting way to look at it. I can’t honestly say. No, I didn’t think of it like that specifically, but I have a fair, everybody these days has an experience with addiction to some degree now. After I did ‘Dopesick’, someone made a statement, I hate to even talk like this, but “It’s the new cancer, everybody’s been touched by it”. It’s like at that point now. So, when I did ‘Clean and Sober’, I did a lot of research and asked a lot and had seen it. My grandfather, my mom’s mom was an alcoholic. So, I didn’t think about it like that, but how it affects families, or addiction, and how easily it happens now, and how you deal with that. This guy, by the way, what I loved about the beginning is how for a person living today, how clueless he kind of was about it. How does a guy not go, “Whoa, I think we might have a problem here”. It was just right over his head. He never saw it. I mean, dark is often funny. It’s dark, but kind of fun. I love that scene, and I just watched it recently when I was watching the trailer, where I immediately call (Mila’s character) being kind of a baby in a way if you ask me, depending on her again, going to her again. She’s going, “How could you have not seen this?” She’s probably been watching it for years going, “Oh, boy, there’s a problem”. Sometimes I love stupid people. That’s another thing I like to play because it’s easy for me to play stupid.

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    What is the plot of ‘Goodrich’?

    After his younger second wife (Laura Benanti) leaves him and enters a 90-day rehab program, Los Angeles art dealer Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) seeks out his adult pregnant daughter Grace (Mila Kunis) for help with raising his nine-year-old twins.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Goodrich’?

    (L to R) Mila Kunis and Michael Keaton in 'Goodrich'. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.
    (L to R) Mila Kunis and Michael Keaton in ‘Goodrich’. Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.

    List of Michael Keaton Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Goodrich’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Michael Keaton Movies on Amazon

     

     

  • TV Review: ‘The Penguin’

    Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb in Max's 'The Penguin.' Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.
    Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

    Launching on HBO and Max with its first episode on September 19th, ‘The Penguin’ marks the first (and so far only) series to continue the story of Matt Reeves’ 2022 superhero movie ‘The Batman.’

    Switching the focus from the suited vigilante played by Robert Pattinson (who the producers have been at length to point out won’t appear in case you were waiting for the hero to flap in and deliver some “kapow” punches to our wannabe kingpin), the story here is told at street level, with the machinations double-crosses of the criminal world at the forefront.

    Does ‘The Penguin’ succeed in its plans?

    Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb in Max's 'The Penguin.' Photo: Courtesy of Max.
    Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    With executive producer and showrunner Lauren LeFranc citing ‘The Sopranos’ as a big inspiration for the new show, it’s not hard to see where ‘The Penguin’ takes its endless double-crosses and criminal political maneuvering from.

    Trouble is, a lot of what happens here –– minus the ‘Batman’-flavored trappings including Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti’s characters in particular, doesn’t exactly feel fresh. We’ve seen small-time gangsters looking to make it big in movies and TV for years, and you’ve really got to offer something more special than just Farrell given the chance to speechify about gangsters from whom he takes his own inspiration or wax nostalgic about how his neighborhood and Gotham in general were better back in the day.

    Fortunately, a scattering of truly solid performances do help boost the interest levels higher than it might be, and the show does tend to maintain the style of Reeves’ movie.

    Script and Direction

    Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in Max's 'The Penguin.'
    (L to R) Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    As we mentioned above, a lot about the show feels quite familiar if you’ve watched any movie or show set within a gangster world. There is jockeying for power, criminal schemes involving drugs and one or two explosions of action, such as an impressive set piece in the second episode where Oz is chased by Sofia Falcone’s forces.

    It’s just that little of it is truly all that revolutionary, and you’ll be able to see a lot of the plot turns coming. And there are some remarkable coincidences that help our main character along the way.

    Main director Craig Zobel, who handles the first three episodes, does make a good stab at convincing us that this is set in the same Gotham of ‘The Batman.’ The only downside is that scenes set in the suburbs, or at the sprawling Falcone compound outside of it look starkly realistic compared to the visual effects-heavy grubbiness of the main cityscape.

    Related Article: ‘The Penguin’ Panel at San Diego Comic Con Had a Virtual Colin Farrell and a New Trailer

    Performances

    The show’s saving graces are mostly in its acting, with Farrell and Milioti in particular standing out –– not shocking since they are the narrative’s twin focus.

    Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb

    Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb in Max's 'The Penguin.' Photo: Courtesy of Max.
    Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    Reprising his role from the movie, Farrell once more dons the prosthetics and fat suit so as to become almost unrecognizable as the scheming wannabe kingpin. Here in series form, given the scope and breadth to really explore the character, he goes to town, chewing through the scripts and bringing him to vibrant, waddling life.

    He’s helped by some enlightening –– if predictable –– backstory elements, including deceased family members and a doting mother (played by Tony Winner Deirdre O’Connell) sliding into dementia.

    Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone

    Cristin Milioti in Max's 'The Penguin.'
    Cristin Milioti in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    Milioti is given a truly different role here, and she embraces it fully –– all wide-eyed psychopathy and chilling ability to order the deaths of her enemies. It helps that she also has a troubled backstory and, in the first few episodes is dealing with not only the death of her father but another personal tragedy.

    She makes for a superb foil to Farrell and the two share excellent chemistry, weaving around one another as they jostle for power.

    Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar

    Rhenzy Feliz in Max's 'The Penguin.' Photo: Courtesy of Max.
    Rhenzy Feliz in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    Introduced as a street kid interrupted trying to steal the rims from Oz’s car, Feliz’ Victor is the third pillar in the triumvirate of lead roles. He quickly becomes a driver and potential protégé for Oz, who recognizes the same scrappy ambition he possesses in the young man.

    And in his interplay with Farrell, Feliz is able to interject some of the rare flashes of humor into the show.

    Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni

    Clancy Brown in Max's 'The Penguin.'
    Clancy Brown in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    The main rival to the Falcone family, Maroni is currently languishing in jail for his crimes after being set up.

    Brown is typically good in the role, bringing quiet menace mixed with charisma, though the role is naturally smaller and more limited given his location (for now).

    He’s ably supported by Shohreh Aghdashloo as wife Nadia, even if fans of ‘The Expanse’ might bemoan the fact that she has (yet) been given the chance to unleash foul-mouthed rants given the less restrictive environs of an HBO show.

    Other Notable Characters

    While he isn’t introduced until late into episode 2, Theo Rossi’s Dr. Julian Rush shows promise as a fun character to watch. Michael Zegen, meanwhile, has a small yet pivotal role as Alberto Falcone, the crime boss’s drug addict –– and drug pushing –– son.

    Final Thoughts

    Colin Farrell as Oswald "Oz" Cobb in Max's 'The Penguin.' Photo: Courtesy of Max.
    Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb in Max’s ‘The Penguin.’ Photo: Courtesy of Max.

    ‘The Penguin’ won’t win many awards for originality in its crime story, but it is at least watchable and certainly isn’t a waste of its main cast. It just doesn’t always live up to the movie.

    Eagle-eyed fans of the ‘Batman’ franchise as a whole, meanwhile, will appreciate subtle nods to actors who played the Penguin on TV and in movies –– make note of two particular Gotham storefronts.

    ‘The Penguin’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

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    What’s the story of ‘The Penguin’?

    The new series is set a week after the events of ‘The Batman’ left crime boss Carmine Falcone dead and his empire in disarray.

    As seen in the movie, Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell), also known as The Penguin, formerly a lieutenant to Falcone, tries to fill the power vacuum left by his death. He faces off against rival factions as he asserts his authority.

    But he’ll face a big challenge from those who Falcone left in charge of his operation, and particularly from Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti), recently released from Arkham Asylum.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Penguin’?

    • Colin Farrell as Oswald “Oz” Cobb/Penguin
    • Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone
    • Rhenzy Feliz as Victor Aguilar
    • Michael Kelly as Johnny Viti
    • Shohreh Aghdashloo as Nadia Maroni,
    • Deirdre O’Connell as Francis Cobb
    • Clancy Brown as Salvatore Maroni
    • James Madio as Milos Grapa
    • Scott Cohen as Luca Falcone
    • Michael Zegen as Alberto Falcone
    • Carmen Ejogo as Eve Karlo
    • Theo Rossi as Dr. Julian Rush
    'The Penguin' premieres on Max beginning September 19th.
    ‘The Penguin’ premieres on Max beginning September 19th.

    Other Movies and TV Shows in the Batman Franchise:

    Buy Batman Movies On Amazon

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  • New Trailer for ‘Secret Invasion’

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    Plotting with all the tactics of a military campaign, the Marvel team has been drip-feeding information about its upcoming Disney+ series ‘Secret Invasion’, which sees the full return of Samuel L. Jackson’s eyepatch-sporting (though not always here, more on that below) tough nut and former S.H.I.E.L.D. boss.

    We got some character information on Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke’s ‘Invasion’ characters in a new piece just before the weekend. So naturally, it’s time for a new trailer.

    'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. © 2023 Marvel.

    What’s the story of ‘Secret Invasion’?

    The new series catches us up with not only Fury but also the Skrull aliens we met in ‘Captain Marvel’, primarily led by Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos.

    Originally believed to be a threat, they were actually revealed as refugees from a catastrophic war with the more dangerous race known as the Kree (for whom Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers initially fought before realizing their less friendly nature and helping Fury fight them alongside Talos).

    Yet decades later, the Skrulls haven’t received what humanity promised –– access to a new homeworld of their own and real help –– so there is now a faction dedicated to taking what they’re owed, but duplicity or force.

    Led by Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), the group uses their shape-changing powers to wreak havoc. And among their number is someone close to Talos (spoiler alert: it’s his daughter, G’iah, played by ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Emilia Clarke.)

    To combat this threat, Fury turns not to his Avengers-level super-friends (the trailer makes a point of that, so perhaps the series will explain his thinking) but to some more down-to-Earth associates, including Talos, loyal lieutenant Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman).

    And sitting squarely in between the two sides of the conflict we have Olivia Colman’s character, Special Agent Sonya Falsworth, a high-ranking member of Britain’s intelligence service MI6 (think the real-world organization that employs James Bond in a whole other fictional universe). She’s apparently been both friend and foe to Nick Fury in the past.

    Casting-wise, we’ll also see Carmen Ejogo, Christopher McDonald, and Marvel veteran Don Cheadle, back as James Rhodes, here in more of a political capability than his usual War Machine style (though we’d be shocked if he didn’t suit up at some point).

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

    Related Article: ‘Secret Invasion’: New Details for Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke’s Characters

    What’s up with Nick Fury in ‘Secret Invasion’?

    Oh, and talking of a changed style, Fury also has an altered look at times –– he’s not always wearing his trademark eyepatch, which covers a damaged eye.

    Says Jackson, speaking to Vanity Fair:

    “He just doesn’t wear the patch. The patch is part of who the strong Nick Fury was. It’s part of his vulnerability now. You can look at it and see he’s not this perfectly indestructible person. He doesn’t feel like that guy.”

    The series promises to be more of a global political spy thriller, albeit with the alien overtones and of course healthy dollops of MCU lore. But it’ll be a personal mission for Fury, who has been off-planet since the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and realizes that he’s been out of touch in more ways than one. And kicking some scheming alien butt might just be his way to make contact again.

    Here’s what executive producer executive producer Jonathan Schwartz says about Fury:

    “Sins from his past start to haunt him once again. We often see Nick Fury doing the right thing. We don’t always see him doing it in a perfectly morally correct way. All of those things have ramifications. Without getting too specific, the things that Nick Fury’s had to do to protect the Earth have costs.”

    And here’s more from Jackson:

    “Nick had a whole Skrull spy network because they could shape-shift and go places that people couldn’t go. They kept their word. They worked for him, but he hasn’t done what he said he was going to do. They want a home. They want to live. They want to live like they are. They want to live in their skin. They don’t want to live in ours.”

    ‘Secret Invasion’ kicks off on Disney+ on June 21st.

    Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    In other Marvel news, there has been another change behind the scenes on the movie front.

    ‘Fantastic Four’, the proper introduction (following John Krasinski’s cameo as leader Reed Richards in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’) of the classic comic book characters to the MCU has ‘WandaVision’ director Matt Shakman aboard, and Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer on script duty, but a change is being made.

    While Kaplan and Springer are more known for comedy writing, Josh Friedman has some big sci-fi bona fides.

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    What has Josh Friedman worked on?

    Most recently, Friedman was part of James Cameron’s writing team for the ‘Avatar’ sequels (he has a story credit on ‘The Way of Water’). He’s also worked on the script for next year’s ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’.

    Before those, he co-wrote Steven Spielberg’s ‘War of the Worlds’ and wrote the story for ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ but might be better known on the ‘Terminator’ front for ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’ on TV.

    Also on the small screen, he’s run or been part of the development for ‘Foundation’ and ‘Snowpiercer’.

    Whether this means a complete re-write or beefing up the sci-fi side of things remains to be seen, but ‘Fantastic Four’ is still currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on February 14th, 2025.

    Marvel Studio's 'Fantastic Four.'
    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

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  • Octavia Spencer’s ‘Madam CJ Walker’ Netflix Series Adds Tiffany Haddish, Blair Underwood

    Octavia Spencer’s ‘Madam CJ Walker’ Netflix Series Adds Tiffany Haddish, Blair Underwood

    Universal/ABC

    Netflix’s limited series “Madam CJ Walker,” starring Octavia Spencer as real-life early 20th century entrepreneur, has added Tiffany Haddish, Blair Underwood, Garrett Morris, Carmen Ejogo and Kevin Carroll to its cast.

    The four-part show, which will launch in 2020, “tells the untold, culturally important, and highly relevant story of black hair care pioneer and mogul Madam CJ Walker aka Sarah Breedlove (Spencer) and how she overcame hostile turn-of-the-century America, epic rivalries, tumultuous marriages and family challenges to become America’s first black, self-made female millionaire.”

    Despite being only 9 years younger than Spencer, Haddish will play her “smart and feisty” daughter, Leila.

    Here are the character descriptions for the other cast members, per Netflix:
    • Underwood (“Quantico,” “When They See Us”) will play Chares James Walker, Sarah’s husband. He’s incredibly supportive and encouraging of his wife’s hair product business, which he helps her run. CJ has a way of calming Sarah down and soothing her worries, but he grows concerned about her increasing stress over the ups and downs of her business.

    • Ejogo (“True Detective,”Selma”) will play Addie, a hairstylist and former friend of Sarah Breedlove. She is a savvy business woman herself, who parlays her good looks and social standing into a profitable African American hair care business. Fiercely competitive, when she quickly dismisses Sarah’s ambitions to be one of her sales women, charting a course to become Sarah’s nemesis and rival.

    • Morris (“SNL,” “Shameless”) will play Cleophus, CJ’s father, and a former slave who comes to live with CJ and Sarah. He gets along well with Sarah and helps in her hair product business.

    • Carroll (“Snowfall”) will play Ransom, a Pullman porter whose many degrees include law and patents from Columbia University. When he agrees to help Sarah with her hair product patents and becomes the company lawyer, he does his best to pull her back from what he feels is a risky expansion and efforts.

    “Madam CJ Walker” is inspired by the book “On Her Own Ground” written by A’Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter.

    [Via The Wrap]
  • First ‘True Detective’ Season 3 Photos Reveal Mahershala Ali, Stephen Dorff on the Case

    First ‘True Detective’ Season 3 Photos Reveal Mahershala Ali, Stephen Dorff on the Case

    HBO

    Get your first look at “True Detective” Season 3.

    HBO released six pictures from the new season, which stars Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as Wayne Hays, a state police detective in 1980 Arkansas. Stephen Dorff sports an interesting wig as his partner, Roland West. And Carmen Ejogo plays Amelia Reardon, an Arkansas schoolteacher connected to two missing children.

    The eight episode season will revolve around a “macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks” and set in three different time periods.

    HBO recently announced Season 3 will premiere January 13 at 9 p.m. 

    In this image, the partners appear to be interrogating somebody and both look very concerned.

    HBO

    More questions will be asked by Wayne Hays, with Ejogo’s teacher watching. It appears as if he’s talking to one of her students.

    HBO

    Hays stands in the rain on a road — was he pursuing someone who might be involved in the kids’ disappearance?

    HBO

    Amelia and Hays walk through a field, seemingly noting things of interest to the investigation.

    HBO

    Ali looks very determined as he stands in what seems like a child’s bedroom.

    HBO
  • ‘True Detective’ Season 3 Gets Official Premiere Date on HBO

    ‘True Detective’ Season 3 Gets Official Premiere Date on HBO

    HBO

    After years of waiting, fans of HBO anthology series “True Detective” now know exactly when the show will be back for its highly-anticipated third season.

    The premium cable outlet announced on Thursday that the season three premiere is scheduled for January 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The eight-episode season will center around what’s being described as “a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks,” and will span three different time periods.

    Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (“Moonlight“) will play the main character, Wayne Hays, a state police detective from Northwest Arkansas. The supporting cast includes Stephen Dorff (playing Roland West, an Arkansas State Investigator), and Carmen Ejogo (playing Amelia Reardon, an Arkansas schoolteacher with a connection to two missing children in 1980).

    Season one of the HBO series, created by Nic Pizzolatto, starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and was a huge hit with both viewers and critics alike. But the second season — featuring stars Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, and Vince Vaughn — was decidedly less successful, leading HBO at one point to put plans for a third installment on indefinite hold.

    This new version, though, has fans hopeful that “True Detective” can once again return to its first season heights. They’ll only have to wait a few more months to find out for sure.

    [via: Variety]