Sandra Bullock presents the Oscar® for achievement in cinematography during the live ABC Telecast of the 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Aaron Poole / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Preview:
Sandra Bullock will star in an untitled new movie.
Deadline reports that Sony is hoping that the pair can bring more success to a new movie.
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Right now, we know very little about the new project, beyond the fact that Fox –– fresh off of success from co-writing the two ‘Wicked’ movies is writing and producing, and that Bullock will also produce via her Fortis Films company.
What’s the story of the new Sandra Bullock/Dana Fox movie?
(L to R) Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum in ‘The Lost City’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The new film is being kept very quiet for now –– Sony has yet to release any plot details on this one.
All we really know at this point beyond the star and writer is the fact that the package was attractive enough for Sony to stump up the money to buy it in a competitive situation.
Where else can we see Sandra Bullock?
(L to R) Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in ‘Practical Magic’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Perhaps the most exciting Bullock movie on the horizon is ‘Practical Magic 2’ witch the witchcraft sequel reuniting her with Nicole Kidman. That one is headed for theaters on September 11.
Bullock also has an untitled romantic thriller in the works that sees her team back up with ‘Speed’ co-star Keanu Reeves.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in ‘Speed’. Photo: Disney.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in ‘Roofman’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst about their work on ‘Roofman’, the true story it is based on, Tatum’s first reaction to the screenplay, Dunst’s research into her role, and what it was like working with director Derek Cianfrance.
You can watch the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
Moviefone: To begin with, Channing, how aware were you of the true story the film is based on, and what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay?
Channing Tatum: I was not aware of the actual story. He’s 10 years older than me, so I was probably young when it came up. I asked my parents as well, and they didn’t really know of it. But in talking to Derek about it, the script is incredible. The script feels like fiction and it’s just not. You go, “How could this guy have made this many decisions or this many things even happen?” There’s one thing to want to do it, and there’s another thing to pull it off. Talking to him, you realize he’s very, very smart. The first time I ever talked to him, I had all these questions, and I didn’t have to ask any of them because he kind of took care of me on the phone. By the end of it, you just end up loving the guy. I genuinely like this man, and I care about him, and I hope he gets out earlier than what he should. I personally don’t think he should have gotten that many years. That’s my first conversation with him after reading the script. I just liked this man, and I had some sort of connection to him that I can’t really explain.
MF: Kirsten, can you talk about the research you did to play Leigh, and did you come to understand how she could fall for Jeffrey Manchester?
Kirsten Dunst: I mean, that’s really what happened. This was a true love story. They really fell in love, so I wanted to tell that in a very authentic way with having two girls to worry about and knowing that this experience for her was truly an adventure. You don’t really see that in people anymore, that they have that grace to look and step back and not have animosity towards each other or anything like that. They both have a very high spiritual understanding of what’s important in life, and I think that she could understand and overlook the obvious lies and see a man that was really who she wished she could have been with.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
MF: Kirsten, I’ve heard you say that working with director Derek Cianfrance was a “dream”. What did you love about working with him?
KD: He loves actors so much, and whenever you’re in a place that someone is championing you to do your best work and your most authentic, like the way he sets the tone on set for you, he just cares so much and there’s no ego in that relationship. So, it lends itself to an honest, real performance, and that’s why with his movies and shows you feel it deeply. It doesn’t feel like acting in my opinion.
MF: Finally, Channing, was Derek a filmmaker that you’ve been wanting to work with for a while and what was the experience like working with him on this movie?
CT: I mean, absolutely. I stupidly turned down ‘Blue Valentine’ like 19 years ago. He’d seen a movie that I was in at Sundance, offered me the movie, I read it, and it was just so sad. At that time in my life, I didn’t understand how to be in a relationship like that, I guess. I didn’t have a real perspective of it and really believed that I could have pulled it off and I said, no, stupidly. That was Ryan Gosling’s movie, I guess. It was all serendipitous and this one was what we were supposed to end up connecting on and this many years later. I just went for a walk with him, and I just genuinely love him as a human and as a creator, but if we never make another movie, I hope we just get to hang out a lot because I learn something every time that I’m around him. But I would also come and just hang out on set with him. I love him as a brother. He’s a special human.
Theatrical one-sheet for Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
In theaters on October 10 via Paramount Pictures is ‘Roofman’, which is inspired by the odd true story of Jeff Manchester, who got the titular nickname by breaking into McDonald’s restaurants through their roofs and created a hideout inside a Toys “R” Us store.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
When you consider his past work –– doomed romance ‘Blue Valentine’ and tension-filled crime thriller ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ –– Derek Cianfrance might not seem like the first choice for a true story that, on the face of it, could come across as goofy. And yet, in the director’s hands, it has become something warm and surprisingly sweet.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance wrote the script with Kirt Gunn (‘Sound of Metal’), a former advertising executive who hired the director years ago to work on a campaign.
Together, they have wrangled Jeff Manchester’s story –– albeit changing a few of the details into something that, while it doesn’t let him off the hook for his actions, does at least try to understand why he turned to robbery and burglary.
Cast and Performances
Peter Dinklage stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Channing Tatum is the beating heart of the movie –– it utilizes the full power of his charisma but also gives him a chance to explore some deeper, darker sides.
And his chemistry with Kirsten Dunst, who plays the single mother for whom Manchester falls, makes for a romantic, sweet side to the film, even if their love story doesn’t have happiest ending.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance infuses the story with more meaning, but doesn’t forget to keep it entertaining and heartfelt.
‘Roofman’ receives 80 out of 100.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
What’s the story of ‘Roofman’?
Based on an unbelievable true story, ‘Roofman’ follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman.
After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
Who is in the cast of ‘Roofman’?
Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester
Kirsten Dunst as Leigh Wainscott
Ben Mendelsohn as Ron Smith
Peter Dinklage as Mitch
Uzo Aduba as Eileen
Juno Temple as Michelle
Emory Cohen as Otis
LaKeith Stanfield as Steve
Theatrical one-sheet for Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Channing Tatum, Oscar Isaac and Zazie Beetz are aboard ‘Kockroach’.
Matt Ross is in the director’s chair.
It’ll adapt the 2007 novel.
It’s not every day that a quirky indie movie based on a novel that itself is a spin on a classic of the paranoia genre attracts A-list names, but ‘Kockroach’, which has Matt Ross calling the shots, has nabbed Channing Tatum, Oscar Isaac and Zazie Beetz for its leads.
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With ‘American Sniper’ producer Andrew Lazar backing the movie and Black Bear selling international rights to the movie at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, Ross aims to have the cameras rolling this coming January in Australia.
Channing Tatum at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Blink Twice’. Photo Credit: JC Olivera.
‘Bored to Death’ creator Jonathan Ames adapted the source novel, written by William Lashner under the pen name “Tyler Knox”, and it’s a darkly comic spin on Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’.
It begins with a cockroach waking up in a hotel room in New York City in the mid-1950s, and finding that he has been transformed into a human. Since cockroaches are “awesome coping machines”, Jerry Blatta (as he becomes known) quickly learns to walk on two legs instead of six, to recognize himself in a mirror, to dress and feed himself, to ward off predators by constantly showing his teeth, to play chess, and to fake his way through conversations.
From there, he becomes a mob enforcer, then a mob boss, before venturing into politics.
Where else can we see Channing Tatum, Oscar Isaac and Zazie Beetz?
Oscar Isaacs in ‘Frankenstein’. Photo: Netflix.
Tatum’s next film to see screens is the buzzy, funny true-crime tale ‘Roofman’, directed by Derek Cianfrance. The movie will be released on October 10th.
He’s also been at work reprising the role of mutant character Gambit for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, and that giant Marvel production will be in theaters on December 18th next year.
Other upcoming movies include crime drama ‘Josephine’ and a variety of other projects in development.
Oscar Isaac has Guillermo del Toro’s latest, an ambitious adaptation of ‘Frankenstein’ headed our way on October 17th, before Netflix releases the movie globally via its streaming service on November 7th.
Beyond that, he has ‘In the Hand of Dante’ and will be one of the leads in the second season of Netflix dark comedy drama ‘Beef’, though there is no official date for the new episodes to launch yet.
As for Beetz, she was last heard in the voice cast of ‘The Bad Guys 2’ and has a range of projects in the works, including Gore Verbinski’s latest, ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’, horror comedy ‘They Will Kill You’ and new Apple TV+ series ‘Lazarus’.
When will ‘Kockroach’ be on screens?
Given that it has yet to shoot and the rights are still for sale, we have no idea yet when this one might scuttle into theaters.
Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum are starring in ‘Dance Parents’.
Jonathan Levine will direct the movie.
Universal won a bidding war for the rights.
Is comedy ready to make a big comeback to theaters? With ‘The Naked Gun’ doing decent business and Disney bringing legacy sequel ‘Freakier Friday’ this weekend, it would seem other studios are dipping their toes in too.
Universal, which has seen success with comedies in the past, nabbed the project after winning a bidding battle with several other companies for the rights.
With the project still in early development –– besides Levine and the stars, the only other person attached right now is writer Meghan Malloy (‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’) –– the exact plot details are being kept quiet for now.
But we can at least speculate from that title the idea that it’ll be set in the heady world of competitive kids dancing, and the obsessive parents who manage their every step.
Tatum, of course, has extensive dance experience, not least in the ‘Step Up’ franchise. And he and Theron shared a number on stage at the 2013 Oscars.
What else are Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum working on?
Channing Tatum as Gambit in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Theron will next be seen amongst the packed cast of Christopher Nolan’s latest, ‘The Odyssey’, which will be in theaters on July 17th next year. She’s also the lead in new wilderness thriller ‘Apex’.
On top of those, she has a raft of other projects on her list, much of which she is producing, including a limited series adaptation of horror novel ‘The Quiet Tenant’ with Blumhouse, ‘Jane’, a psychological thriller feature loosely based on the life of prolific science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, and ‘Two for the Money’, a love letter to the heist genre directed by Justin Lin.
Tatum’s next movie to see theaters will be true crime comedy drama ‘Roofman’, due on October 10th.
He’s recently worked on a new thriller called ‘Josephine’ and is filming ‘Alpha Gang’, a sci-fi comedy about aliens who arrive on Earth plotting invasion but succumb to human emotions when they disguise themselves as a biker gang.
Oh, and there is also the small matter of his reprising the role of Gambit for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is also in production now for a December 18th, 2026 release.
When will ‘Dance Parents’ waltz into theaters?
With everything still coming together on the comedy, Universal has yet to specify a release date for it.
Disney and Marvel have shifted the release dates for the next two ‘Avengers’ movies.
‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’ are moving from their May slots to December premieres.
Dates for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and ‘The Dog Stars’ were also confirmed.
Turns out, making two giant ‘Avengers’ movies back to back is going to take a little longer than originally thought.
Disney and Marvel have announced that the next two team-up films from the comic book behemoth are now set to arrive a little later in theaters than originally planned –– ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is shifting from a planned May 5th, 2026 slot to December 18th, 2026.
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Likewise, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will now decamp from a May 5th, 2027 release date to –– you guessed it! –– December 18th that year.
Clearly, directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo have decided the new movies will require some more work than they figured. Which honestly, is no bad thing –– better to wait and get it right in the hopes of an ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’-level success, than pump out something quickly.
The sprawling cast for at least the first movie (we’re expecting several to appear in both) was first announced in a viral video Marvel put online showing director’s chairs with the actor’s names on them.
Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Finally, because you can’t really have ‘Doomsday’ without Doom, Robert Downey Jr. is making his big MCU return, this time playing classic ‘Fantastic Four’ villain Doctor Doom.
We’re sure more cast will be announced before ‘Doomsday’ arrives, but Disney has more time to get the message out.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
What other movie release dates were announced?
Director James Cameron at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
In a Thanos-like snap, three Marvel dates have disappeared from the calendar completely. The place holders for February 13th, 2026, November 6th, 2026, and November 5, 2027, have all been removed from Disney’s calendar, pointing towards the result of Marvel’s commitment to quality over quantity.
It wasn’t all Marvel changes –– Disney also confirmed the dates for some of the movies headed our way via its 20th Century Studios, including Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller ‘The Dog Stars,’ starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin. That one will be released on March 27th, 2026.
Then there is sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ which will see the return of Meryl Streep‘s imperious magazine editor Miranda Priestly as she navigates the challenges of the declining print industry. The comedy drama sequel is due on May 1st, 2026.
Marvel says Sam Wilson will assemble his Avengers team off screen before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Who will Sam Wilson recruit for his new team?
SPOILER ALERT: Some spoilers for ‘Thunderbolts*’ and possibly ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ below.
Back in April, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced at CinemaCon that the upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ “will focus on The Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts and original X-Men all fighting Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).”
That’s quite a promise! But now that ‘Thunderbolts*’ has been released in theaters, fans have learned that they are really the New Avengers, and the movie’s end-credit scene reveals that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has filed a copyright claim against the team for the rights to the name and is putting together his own group of Avengers.
Marvel has recently announced that Wilson will assemble his Avengers off screen, so the real question is who will be on his team in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’? Luckily, Marvel has also released many of the names of ‘Doomsday’s cast in a recent video stunt, which could, by process of elimination, give us a basic idea of who will be on Wilson’s team.
With other new and returning cast members yet to be announced, Moviefone is breaking down the cast list to guess who could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team.
‘Thunderbolts*’ is now titled ‘The New Avengers’ and is currently playing in theaters. Photo: Marvel Studios.
The end of the ‘Thunderbolts*’ sees Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine saving public face by holding a press conference and announcing that Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) are the New Avengers.
With Pugh, Stan, Russell, John-Kamen, Harbour, and Pullman all confirmed to return for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, it is now clear that they will be referred to as the New Avengers and not the Thunderbolts, nor will they be members of the team Sam Wilson is recruiting. In fact, it was also recently revealed that the ‘Thunderbolts*’ end-credit scene setting up the Fantastic Four’s MCU arrival was shot on the set of the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ by directors Anthony and Joe Russo.
Which ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ characters could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team?
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor: The Dark World’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Now that we know the Thunderbolts are the New Avengers, and assuming none of them will crossover to Sam’s new team, it’s not hard to have an idea who might be recruited by the new Captain America for his Avengers team.
We can also eliminate the cast of ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and the returning ‘X-Men’ actors, as one would assume that they will be on their own teams and not Sam’s. It is possible that Channing Tatum‘s Gambit could crossover, since he was not an “original” X-men from the previous films, but I think he will most likely be on the Mutants’ side, especially because the character has no ties to the Avengers in the comics.
As a founding member of the original Avengers, it makes sense that Chris Hemsworth’s Thor would be a member of Sam’s new team. Sam partied with him at Avengers Tower in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, and even fought side by side against Thanos with Thor in Wakanda during ‘Infinity War’. We also know that Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres/Falcon was asked to join the team by Sam during the events of ‘Captain America: Brave New World’, so it’s safe to say that you can expect to see him fighting as a member of Sam’s new team in ‘Doomsday’.
Besides Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes, Paul Rudd‘s Scott Lang/Ant-Man is probably the Avenger that Sam is closest to in the MCU having appeared in 2015’s ‘Ant-Man’ and helping to recruit him for Captain America’s team in ‘Captain America: Civil War’. So, it would also make sense for Scott to join Sam’s team. Sam also has close ties to Wakanda, with Shuri (Letitia Wright) helping to create his Captain America suit and wings. Now that she is the new Black Panther, I also assume she will be on the new team as well.
Actor Winston Duke has been confirmed to return for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as M’Baku, and while it is possible for him to be recruited for Sam’s team along with Shuri, Feige’s CinemaCon comment mentions “Wakandans fighting against Doctor Doom”, which makes me think he will be leading the Wakandans and not joining Sam’s team.
Having been introduced in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, and having a close connection to Shuri, I would also bet that Tenoch Huerta Mejia’s Namor will appear on Sam’s new team. Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, who was introduced in his own 2021 movie will most likely join the team as well. The end-credit scene for that movie saw the character being recruited for the Avengers by Wong (Benedict Wong), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), making his inclusion almost a forgone conclusion.
Of the announced cast, that just leaves Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, but given how his character’s arc ends in season 2 of Disney+’s ‘Loki’, I’m guessing he won’t be a member of Sam’s team and instead saved for a different role in the movie.
Who could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team that has not been announced yet for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
(L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
There have been rumors that Wong, who is now the Sorcerer Supreme in Doctor Strange’s absence, could appear in the movie. Rumors have also swirled around the eventual return of Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner/Hulk, and with their inclusion in the ‘Shang-Chi’ end credit scene, if they are added to the cast, all three characters could align themselves with Sam Wilson and his new team of Avengers.
There have also been rumors of Benedict Cumberbatch and Charlize Theron returning as Doctor Strange and Clea, respectively, both last seen in 2022’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’. But, with Wong being the new Sorcerer Supreme, I doubt Strange and Clea will join Sam’s team, and more likely, just like Loki, would have a different role in the plot of the film.
Finally, there have also been rumors about Jeremy Renner’s return as Hawkeye, and Tom Holland’s return as Spider-Man. But we’ve also heard that Holland’s character may sit out ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, next appearing in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ before returning for ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.
And with Renner’s recent admission that he declined returning for ‘Hawkeye’ season 2 due to having his salary cut in half by Marvel, his return to the franchise is completely up in the air. Even if he does return, Renner could be playing a multiverse version of his character and therefore not be joining Sam’s new team.
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
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What is the plot of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
Fourteen months after the events of ‘Thunderbolts*’, the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers, and the “original” X-Men team up to face Doctor Doom.
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
Paramount offered news on some of its upcoming movies at its CinemaCon Presentation.
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ and ‘The Running Man’ were among those hyped.
Surprisingly little was said about ‘Scream 7’ and a few other big titles.
Paramount had a very mixed 2024. Though the likes of ‘Gladiator II,’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ and ‘Smile 2’ did decent business, the studio also had its share of disappointments –– despite a compelling subject matter in musician Robbie Williams (albeit one unfamiliar to many in the States) and the intriguing choice to portray him entirely as a CGI ape, ‘Better Man’ became a domestic flop.
The studio is also dealing with being in flux in terms of management, with Skydance merger battling its way to closure.
More importantly, 2025 is ‘Mission’ critical, and by that, we mean ‘Mission: Impossible –– The Final Reckoning,’ which needs to reassure theater chain owners that the franchise can get back to its glory days after the disappointing returns for 2023’s ‘Dead Reckoning.’
Tom Cruise attends the Abu Dhabi Red Carpet and Premiere of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ presented by Paramount Pictures and Skydance at Emirates Palace Hotel on June 26, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Darren Arthur/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures.
Not to mention that this is potentially the actual final ‘Mission: Impossible,’ at least starring Tom Cruise in his ongoing collaboration with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie. The big question: would the company announce that this really is the last chapter in a saga that began back in the 1990s (at least in movie terms), as a way to goose interest? Or would it confidently confirm that, like James Bond, Ethan Hunt would return?
Either way, the CinemaCon presentation was likely to feature Tom Cruise in some fashion –– be it on stage, or on video clinging to a plane, train or automobile (or building).
Or even, possibly just on screen holding his breath underwater during the entire panel, simply to prove he can.
Ghostface in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream VI.’
And now, on with the show…
Stunts are often something studios like to roll out, so Paramount kicked off with Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution riding a motorcycle on stage. He rode off to be replaced by three other riders, who did jumps off ramps and flips, all with smoke and explosions. Aronson was back to announce, “that’s right, I do my own stunts!”
He also talked up the company’s efforts to make 2025 a rebound year after the strikes and pledged to show fewer ads and trailers in theaters (phew!), plus other deals such as discount Wednesdays and extended matinee hours.
Following a sizzle reel of Paramount Pictures past and future, Brian Robbins, president and CEO took the stage to announce big news… Four ‘Paw Patrol’ movies for each pup to compete with Sony’s Beatles movies. He was joking of course. Or was he???!!
(L to R) Callum Shoniker as “Rocky,” Christian Corrao as “Marshall,” Luxton Handspiker as “Rubble,” Nylan Parthipan as “Zuma,” Christian Convery as “Chase,” McKenna Grace as “Skye,” Marsai Martin as “Liberty,” Alan Kim as “Nano,” Finn Lee-Epp as “Ryder,” North West as “Mini,” and Brice Gonzalez as “Tot” in ‘Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ from Spin Master Entertainment, Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures.
Robbins also said that the studio’s guiding principle is shareholder… Sorry, that people love going to the movies.
Co-writer/director Edgar Wright was on stage to tout the Glen Powell-starring new version of the dystopian King story where civilians compete in deadly games to win cash prizes.
‘The Running Man,’ is per Wright is “the kind of movie that gives everyone something to cheer for.” He explained that since the source novel is set in 2025, so is the movie.
And talking of cheering, he was joined by star Powell on stage.
Powell said:
“This is the full meal. What Edgar has cooked up with this one is nothing short of extraordinary,”
The actor joked that he asked pal and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ boss Tom Cruise for advice on using a stunt double –– and has paid the price for doing so much himself.
“We knew we were part of something really special,” gushed Domingo, while Brolin admitted it was a thrill to play a wonderfully maniacal character.
Despite the movie having wrapped three short weeks ago, Domingo (dropping into character as show host Bobby Thompson) was able to cue up some footage, and a first look played.
In an extended trailer, Brolin’s executive character recruits Glen for show to protect his family. Lots of action. We see him in show and then being chased.
‘The Running Man’ sprints into theaters on November 7th.
The latest take on the little blue creatures features, as previously mentioned, Rihanna (who touted the movie in a video introduction) as the voice of Smurfette, in the story of Papa Smurf being kidnapped and the others having to find him.
The first trailer for the new animated/live-action outing was shown, showing how our diminutive heroes travel to the real world in search of Papa and encounter Ken, his brother (Offerman).
‘Smurfs’ will smurf its way into theaters on July 18th.
The latest SpongeBob film had voice star Tom Kenny on stage to talk up the movie, (he called it a “coming of age” story), joined by fellow performer Mark Hamill. Cue the ‘Corvette Summer’ jokes!
Hamill –– who plays the Flying Dutchman –– made the crowd laugh by saying,
“I did an episode in Season Five and I did such a good job they asked me back 18 years later!”
We got a first look at the film itself. Like ‘Smurfs,’ (and some other SpongeBob outings) it blends animation with live action, and features Clancy Brown as Blackbeard. The story finds out hero wanting to grow up and embrace his macho side by having more adventures –– including to the underworld.
‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’ will sail into theaters on December 19th.
Liam Neeson plays Frank in ‘The Naked Gun’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The new reboot of the classic comedy franchise –– spawned, let’s not forget from the files of ‘Police Squad’ is a Seth MacFarlane-produced take on the idea with Liam Neeson and Paul Walter Hauser among the cast.
‘Naked Gun’s presentation kicked off with a saxophone player on stage pumping out noir-y music as Chris Aronson stood silently on stage, while a recorded voice-over played over the speakers as if his internal monologue was happening in real time.
Best line?
“This musician sounds expensive, but this is Vegas, you have to pay for good sax…”
The teaser was shown, which you can find here:
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It’s a funny clip, introducing Neeson’s badass Frank Jr taking out bank robbers, only slightly undercut by being dressed as a Catholic schoolgirl complete with panties. Bonus points for a fun final gag featuring a wall of tributes to dead cops, crying sons honoring their fathers and possibly the best way to incorporate OJ Simpson (who played Nordberg in the original).
‘The Naked Gun’ stumbles on to screens on August 1st.
He cued the first trailer for the movie, a biopic of the fugitive Jeffrey Manchester, a former United States Army Reserve officer, known colloquially as “Roofman” due to his propensity to steal from branches of McDonald’s after entering their premises via the roof, and, after he was jailed and got out evaded further capture from police by hiding in the wall of a Toys ‘R’ Us store.
(L to R) Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, Greg Tarzan Davis plays Degas, Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn and Hayley Atwell plays Grace in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Paramount’s Robbins returned to the stage to introduce the one, the only Tom Cruise, who got a rapturous reception.
Instead of launching into promotion, Cruise took a moment to memorialize friend and ‘Top Gun’ co-star Val Kilmer, who recently died.
“I can’t tell you how much I respected his work and to have him in ‘Top Gun’ and back for ‘Maverick.’ Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey.”
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
From there, he enthused about ‘Mission’ writer/director Chris McQuarrie, with Cruise mentioning how long they’ve been collaborating (on the Ethan Hunt movies and beyond). He even joked that people think “McQ” (as Tom calls him) is Jonathan Lipnicki from ‘Jerry Maguire’ all grown up!
Cruise went on to talk about how the ‘Mission’ movies are a puzzle and a Rubik’s Cube made under intense pressure, living breathing things where endless discoveries are made in the process.
(L to R) Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
They also discussed how Cruise brought McQuarrie in to rewrite scenes in ‘Ghost Protocol’ but didn’t tell Brad Bird or the rest of cast. Brad and Simon Pegg said on set, “who is this guy?” Tom replied, “That’s McQ”. Apparently McQuarrie came up with the “Blue is glue, red is dead” stunt scene on the spot in Dubai.
There was also time for Cruise to add that he’s looking forward to seeing ‘F1’ and his recollections of racing go-karts against friend Brad Pitt (who stars in that movie) while making ‘Interview with the Vampire’ together.
(L to R) Damson Idris and Brad Pitt in ‘F1’. Photo: Warner Bros. and Apple Original FIlms.
Switching tracks back to ‘Mission,’ Cruise stressed the challenges and importance of shooting in the pandemic, keeping crews working and the industry going.
“We were able to deliver these movies to theaters despite being shut down by pandemic and two strikes.”
Cruise then introduced McQuarrie himself, who strode on stage and quipped:
“Tom knows I can’t stand compliments, he’s enjoying this immensely…”
He’ll have to suffer more, as he’s receiving the Director of the Year award at the CinemaCon awards later.
Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
He offers that he was ready to quit the business, but Cruise saw potential in him.
Cruise: “I’m here today because if your vision and trust.”
And for McQ’s side:
“It’s been fun to work with you and put you in harm’s way for everyone’s pleasure.”
The new ‘Mission’ movie contains some of the most complex practical sequences on celluloid –– not that that should be surprising from these two.
(R to L) Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Admitting that they’d be nowhere without audiences, Cruise introduced the new ‘Final Reckoning’ trailer, but not before name-checking every writer and director who has worked on the franchise so far, plus the executive likes of Sherry Lansing, Sumner Redstone and Paula Wagner too.
Then, it was time for the trailer itself, which sometimes felt like an expanded version of the teaser that arrived last year.
Lots of Ethan Hunt action (of course!) with Tom leaping off and onto things, plus a look at some newer cast members including Nick Offerman and Janet McTeer. It also serves as a love-letter to the whole franchise.
(L to R) Nick Offerman, Charles Parnell, Angela Bassett, Mark Gatiss and Janet McTeer in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Indeed, the ‘Mission’ portion of the presentation felt like that too –– while no one said directly it’s the end, this felt pretty final. Until they announce the next one, that is…
‘Mission: Impossible –– The Final Reckoning’ speeds into cinemas on May 23rd.
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And talking of finality, there ended the Paramount CinemaCon 2025 presentation!
(L to R) Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt and Simon Pegg plays Benji Dunn in ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
While Marvel usually prefers to keep its secrets close (at least, closer than the current government seems to manage), there is also the conflicting compulsion to promote the next movie in its sprawling cinematic universe, ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘.
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We’ve known for a while that the Avengers will be back to face the threat of Victor Von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), but the rest of the cast was largely in the realm of speculation, even for those who have been part of the MCU family for years.
The company used a livestream to confirm who will show up in the new movie, consisting of footage of the backs of director’s chairs featuring the cast names.
We’re happy to see Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Any surprises? We’re not sure we predicted Tenoch Huerta Mejia –– who played Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ coming back, but his chair is among the others (not dripping with water –– missed joke opportunity there!).
(L to R) Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in ‘The Marvels’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Lewis Pullman, who is introduced as a character called “Bob” (but who has since been revealed to be powerful character Sentry) in ‘Thunderbolts*’ is also listed. So we’re guessing his character –– who also appears to be an antagonist in the movie given the new trailer –– factors in somehow.
Last, but by no means least, the doors to the cavernous soundstage holding all the chairs opens up, and in strides Downey Jr., who sits in his own named chair and puts his finger to his lips. It’s over!
We’re sure there will be other announcements to come –– the company loves to hold back cameos and other roles, so we’ll have to wait and see if Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo spoil the appearances or if an official press release arrives in due time.
If you’re desperate to see the Livestream, please click on the video player at the top of the page.
The new movie is now kicking off shooting in London, with Marvel veteran directors Joe and Anthony Russo –– who count the giant two previous Avengers outings ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ on their shared resume –– back marshalling the chaos that is a team-up movie on this scale.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Avengers: Doomsday’: The Russos talk Robert Downey Jr.
Of course, one of the biggest plot elements for the new movies has already been revealed on Marvel’s terms, with Robert Downey Jr. taking the stage at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con to confirm he’s playing Victor Von Doom.
And according to the directors he’s very involved in helping to shape the character.
“It’s a very intense process developing the character. He’s so immersed in it. He is so dialed in. That’s the kind of artist he is. That’s the kind of actor he is. He just loves really rich three-dimensional characters and I think he sees a real opportunity here with that character.”
And following ‘Doomsday,’ we’ll see ‘Secret Wars’…
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
When will the next two ‘Avengers’ movies head to screens?
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
Steven Soderbergh is one of the most prolific and celebrated filmmakers of his generation.
The director’s breakthrough movie, 1989’s ‘sex, lies, and videotape‘, gave birth to the independent film movement of the 1990’s. Soderbergh would go on to helm such acclaimed films as ‘Out of Sight‘, ‘Erin Brockovich‘, and ‘Traffic‘, which earned him an Oscar for Best Director, before going on to make the popular ‘Ocean’s Eleven‘ and ‘Magic Mike‘ franchises.
Soderbergh has two movies releasing in 2025, the experimental supernatural film ‘Presence‘, which opened in theaters on January 24th, and the spy thriller ‘Black Bag‘, which stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, and is scheduled for release on March 14th.
In honor of the upcoming release of ‘Black Bag’, Moviefone is counting down every film Steven Soderbergh has ever directed, including TV movies, documentaries, anthology films, and his latest.
Matt Damon in ‘The Informant!’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion.
From the first time he performed ‘Swimming to Cambodia‘ – the one-man account of his experience of making the 1984 film ‘The Killing Fields‘ – Spalding Gray made the art of the monologue his own. Drawing unstintingly on the most intimate aspects of his own life, his shows were vibrant, hilarious and moving. His death came tragically early, in 2004; this compilation of interview and performance footage nails his idiosyncratic and irreplaceable brilliance.
A celebrated author (Meryl Streep) takes a journey with some old friends to have some fun and heal old wounds. Her nephew (Lucas Hedges) comes along to wrangle the ladies and finds himself involved with a young literary agent (Gemma Chan).
A recovering gambling addict (Peter Gallagher) attempts to reconcile with his family and friends but finds trouble and temptation when caught between feelings for his ex-wife (Alison Elliott) and her dangerous hoodlum boyfriend (William Fichtner).
Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse… and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?
The film documents, in an often dramatic and humorous fashion, Spalding Gray’s investigations into alternative medicine for an eye condition (Macular pucker) he had developed.
Based on the Depression-era bildungsroman memoir of writer A. E. Hotchner, the film follows the story of a boy (Jesse Bradford) struggling to survive on his own in a hotel in St. Louis after his mother is committed to a sanatorium with tuberculosis. His father, a German immigrant and traveling salesman working for the Hamilton Watch Company, is off on long trips from which the boy cannot be certain he will return.
Chelsea (Sasha Grey) is an in-demand call girl whose $2,000 an hour price tag allows her to live in New York’s lap of luxury. Besides her beauty and sexual skill, Chelsea offers her clients companionship and conversation, or, as she dubs it, “the girlfriend experience.” With her successful business and a devoted, live-in boyfriend, Chelsea thinks she has it made… until a new client rocks her world.
A tech worker (Zoë Kravitz) with agoraphobia discovers recorded evidence of a violent crime but is met with resistance when she tries to report it. Seeking justice, she must do the thing she fears the most: leave her apartment.
A three-part anthology film about love and sexuality: a menage-a-trois between a couple and a young woman on the coast of Tuscany; an advertising executive under enormous pressure at work, who, during visits to his psychiatrist, is pulled to delve into the possible reasons why his stress seems to manifest itself in a recurring erotic dream; and a story of unrequited love about a beautiful, 1960s high-end call girl in an impossible affair with her young tailor.
An American journalist (George Clooney) arrives in Berlin just after the end of World War Two. He becomes involved in a murder mystery surrounding a dead GI who washes up at a lakeside mansion during the Potsdam negotiations between the Allied powers. Soon his investigation connects with his search for his married pre-war German lover (Cate Blanchett).
After the Cuban Revolution, Che (Benicio del Toro) is at the height of his fame and power. Then he disappears, re-emerging incognito in Bolivia, where he organizes a small group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits to start the great Latin American Revolution. Through this story, we come to understand how Che remains a symbol of idealism and heroism that lives in the hearts of people around the world.
When a widow (Meryl Streep) gets swindled out of insurance money, her search for answers leads to two cunning lawyers (Gary Oldman and Antonio Banderas) in Panama who hide cash for the superrich.
André Holland in ‘High Flying Bird’. Photo: Netflix.
During an NBA lockout, a sports agent, Ray Burke (André Holland), presents his rookie client, Erick Scott (Melvin Gregg), with an intriguing and controversial business opportunity.
A woman (Rooney Mara) turns to prescription medication as a way of handling her anxiety concerning her husband’s (Channing Tatum) upcoming release from prison.
The Argentine, begins as Che (Benicio del Toro) and a band of Cuban exiles (led by Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir)) reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. Within two years, they mobilized popular support and an army and toppled the U.S.-friendly regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Based on the autobiographical novel, the tempestuous 6-year relationship between Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his (much younger) lover, Scott Thorson (Matt Damon), is recounted.
A group of criminals are brought together under mysterious circumstances and have to work together to uncover what’s really going on when their simple job goes completely sideways.
Danny Ocean’s (George Clooney) team of criminals are back and composing a plan more personal than ever. When ruthless casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) doublecrosses Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), causing a heart attack, Danny Ocean vows that he and his team will do anything to bring down Willy Bank along with everything he’s got. Even if it means asking for help from an enemy.
Kafka (Jeremy Irons), an insurance worker gets embroiled in an underground group after a co-worker is murdered. The underground group is responsible for bombings all over town, attempting to thwart a secret organization that controls the major events in society. He eventually penetrates the secret organization and must confront them.
Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny’s hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts).
(L to R) Channing Tatum, Riley Keough and Adam Driver in ‘Lucky Logan’. Photo: Bleecker Street.
Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver) set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Mike (Channing Tatum), an experienced stripper, takes a younger performer called The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money.
As an epidemic of a lethal airborne virus – that kills within days – rapidly grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself.
Danny Ocean (George Clooney) reunites with his old flame and the rest of his merry band of thieves in carrying out three huge heists in Rome, Paris and Amsterdam – but a Europol agent is hot on their heels.
Ann (Andie MacDowell), a frustrated wife, enters into counseling due to a troubled marriage. Unbeknownst to her, her husband John (Peter Gallagher) has begun an affair with her sister. When John’s best friend Graham (James Spader) arrives, his penchant for interviewing women about their sex lives forever changes John and Ann’s rocky marriage.
‘Black Bag’ is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his beloved wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country.
A twice-divorced mother (Julia Roberts) of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins — with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts investigating and soon exposes a monumental cover-up.
Meet Jack Foley (George Clooney), a smooth criminal who bends the law and is determined to make one last heist. Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez) is a federal marshal who chooses all the right moves … and all the wrong guys. Now they’re willing to risk it all to find out if there’s more between them than just the law.
An exploration of the United States of America’s war on drugs from multiple perspectives. For the new head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (Michael Douglas), the war becomes personal when he discovers his well-educated daughter (Erika Christensen) is abusing cocaine within their comfortable suburban home. In Mexico, a flawed, but noble policeman (Benicio del Toro) agrees to testify against a powerful general in league with a cartel, and in San Diego, a drug kingpin’s sheltered trophy wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones) must learn her husband’s ruthless business after he is arrested, endangering her luxurious lifestyle.
(L to R) Luis Guzmán and Terence Stamp in ‘The Limey’. Photo: Artisan Entertainment.
The Limey follows Wilson (Terence Stamp), a tough English ex-con who travels to Los Angeles to avenge his daughter’s death. Upon arrival, Wilson goes to task battling Valentine (Peter Fonda) and an army of L.A.’s toughest criminals, hoping to find clues and piece together what happened. After surviving a near-death beating, getting thrown from a building and being chased down a dangerous mountain road, the Englishman decides to dole out some bodily harm of his own.
