Moviefone Editorial

Tag: chris-messina

  • David Dastmalchian, Chris Messina, and More Join ‘The Boogeyman’

    David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in 'Suicide Squad'
    David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in ‘Suicide Squad’

    As he starts the cameras rolling, director Rob Savage has announced the cast for his next movie. The man behind horror hit ‘Host’ will do his best to scare Chris Messina, Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair, David Dastmalchian, Marin Ireland and Madison Hu for ‘The Boogeyman’.

    It’ll mark a new adaptation of the Stephen King story, which originally appeared in a March 1973 issue of Cavalier magazine before it was collected in his 1978 collection “Night Shift.” One of the titles King has made available to filmmakers under the one-dollar rights agreement, it has been turned into a short and at least one other movie before.

    The tale follows a 16-year-old and her younger sister, still reeling from the death of their mother, who are targeted by a supernatural boogeyman after their father, a psychologist, has an encounter with a desperate patient in their house.

    We don’t yet know who will be playing which role, but Messina should be familiar from movies including ‘Argo’ and ‘Birds of Prey’. Thatcher has been burning up the small screen via work on ‘Yellowjackets’ and ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, while Blair is probably best known for Netflix’s ‘Bird Box’ opposite Sandra Bullock. Ireland was seen in ‘Hell or High Water’ and Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’, while Dastmalchian should be no stranger to genre fans given his work in last year’s ‘Dune’, the first two ‘Ant-Man’ movies and ‘The Dark Knight’. Hu, finally, was seen in sci-fi movie ‘Voyagers’.

    Chris Messina on HBO's 'Sharp Objects.'
    Chris Messina on HBO’s ‘Sharp Objects.’

    This movie has had to hack its way through the development thorns for a while before it ended up in Savage’s hands. The script’s passed through the likes of ‘Malignant‘s Akela Cooper and ‘A Quiet Place’ duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. The current draft is by ‘Black Swan’s Mark Heyman. And on board to produce is prolific filmmaker Shawn Levy, who is supporting the movie via his 21 Laps company.

    Savage is a great choice to direct this, as his previous work has been inventing and, more importantly, chilling. He broke out with 2020’s pandemic -set thriller ‘Host’, which saw a Zoom call go spectacularly, lethally wrong for its participants. It won plenty of acclaim and marked him as a director to watch.

    He’s since followed that up with another low-fi horror, ‘DASHCAM’, which has been playing to great impact at film festivals and will arrive in theaters via Momentum Pictures this summer. Produced by the Blumhouse team, the movie, stars Annie Hardy, Angela Enahoro and Amar Chadha-Patel in the story of a musician on her livestream as her night takes a dangerous turn when she agrees to help a frail elderly woman out of town.

    ‘The Boogeyman’, which arrives via Disney’s 21st Century Studios, will premiere on Hulu next year.

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  • What to Watch this Week: ‘Nomadland’, ‘Body Brokers’, ‘Supernova’, and more…

    What to Watch this Week: ‘Nomadland’, ‘Body Brokers’, ‘Supernova’, and more…

    If you’re curious as to what new movie this week might be best for you, Moviefone is here to help you find it and watch it. This week’s selection of movies features a lot of well-earned adult angst, stunning landscapes, wildlife (emphasis on wild), and rockin’ out. Here are the movies we’re suggesting this week:

    Nomadland (In Theaters & Hulu)

    Frances McDormand in 'Nomadland'
    Frances McDormand in ‘Nomadland’

    Frances McDormand plays Fern, a woman disenfranchised by the closing of a sheetrock plant in Nevada, and a wife devastated by the death of her husband. She decides to take to the open road as she ponders life and does whatever she pleases after a life that didn’t allow her that path. Along the way, director Chloe Zhao spotlights the stories of real life nomads that Fern meets, driving home the point that the America that people were promised sometimes fails to materialize. Set against the backdrop of incredible Western skies, the story allows for McDormand to make the intangible materialize. She has the power to turn lighting a sparkler into a clip they’ll use for her inevitable Oscar nomination.

    Watch It If: You’ve ever thought about how freeing it would be to sell your belongings, get in your car, and just drive. For any McDormand stans, and viewers that crave the scenery of Easy Rider with the relatability and quietness of Boyhood, with a dash of Tree of Life poetry.
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    Flora & Ulysses (Disney+)

    Matilda Lawler in 'Flora & Ulysses'
    Matilda Lawler in ‘Flora & Ulysses’

    Flora (Matilda Lawler) is really going through it. Her parents have separated, and her life as a self-proclaimed cynic isn’t helping her see the bright side of things. She’s also obsessed with superheroes but lamenting how she doesn’t have any of her own in real life. Soon, she rescues a squirrel that she names Ulysses, and life starts to get interesting, including when her family realizes Ulysses can type and is quite the poet. Her life (and feelings) will surely never be the same after this.

    Watch It If: You need a follow-up for this week’s Disney+ episode of Wandavision that will leave everyone in your family feeling warm and fuzzy…and much kinder towards rodents.
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    Supernova (PVOD)

    Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth in 'Supernova'
    Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth in ‘Supernova’

    More adults in a camper here, but this time in England, with Stanley Tucci as a man suffering from early-onset dementia, and Colin Firth as his husband struggling to care for him. They are on a farewell tour of sorts, before Tucci no longer remembers the friends they’re going to see. Firth has stepped back from his career as a pianist and silently wrestles with worry. Longtime friends in real life, the two paint an unforgettable, emotional picture of a couple, for better or for worse.

    Watch It If: You would like to know what’s it’s really like to hang out with The Tooch and Firthy. The intimacy in this film is off the charts.
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    I Care a Lot (Netflix)

    Rosamund Pike in 'I Care a Lot'
    Rosamund Pike in ‘I Care a Lot’

    Marla Grayson, a woman whose smile doesn’t ever reach her eyes, has a good thing going. She is played by an unsettling Rosamund Pike, and in the film is making a living stealing from the elderly. Her scheme involves hoodwinking judges into giving her legal guardianship over those who need her the most–or need someone anyway, hopefully one more honest. Unfortunately for Marla, her latest victim happens to have ties to the powerful people, and they have strong opinions about Marla’s methods.

    Watch It If: You get especially hot under the collar seeing predators targeting the more vulnerable members of our society, and then live for them getting their comeuppance. Also if you need a dose of Chris Messina, he’s here dropping truth bombs.
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    Body Brokers (In Theaters & VOD)

    Michael K. Williams and Jack Kilmer in 'Body Brokers'
    Michael K. Williams and Jack Kilmer in ‘Body Brokers’

    Utah (Jack Kilmer) and Opal (Alice Englert) are two kids in Ohio who abuse drugs and commit crimes. It doesn’t look like much more is on the horizon for them, until Wood (Michael K. Williams) shows up promising them a better life in a California live-in rehab center. Utah is intrigued by the idea to heal his body and finally get to see the ocean. Soon, his challenges with sobriety are compounded by learning that drug rehabilitation is big business, and there are plenty of scavengers looking to exploit it at the cost of others.

    Watch It If: You want to see another story about something helpful being destroyed by capitalism in a big grift that only hurts the little guy, a’la The Big Short. No bubble bath explainer scenes in this film, though.
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    Rock Camp (PVOD)

    Dave Mustaine (far right) in 'Rock Camp'
    Dave Mustaine (far right) in ‘Rock Camp’

    It turns out that anybody can share a stage with rock royalty like Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey, and Steven Tyler, as long as they enroll in Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. This documentary shows how 20 years ago, tour producer David Fischof wanted to give people the chance to live and jam like a rock star. With the help of music legends, he’s brought the dream to life, with rehearsals and performances, and now this documentary that’s going to make it impossible to get a spot–darnit, how is the line ALREADY busy?!

    Watch It If: Seeing rock legends bonding over their shared love of music with guys wearing Dockers makes you a little misty. Which it really should.
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  • Watch Chris Messina and Joel Kinnaman in an exclusive clip from ‘The Secrets We Keep’

    Watch Chris Messina and Joel Kinnaman in an exclusive clip from ‘The Secrets We Keep’

    In this exclusive clip, Lewis (Chris Messina) tries to get answers from a captive Thomas (Joel Kinnaman). Why has Thomas been kidnapped? Here’s what the official synopsis has to say:

    In post-WWII America, a woman (Noomi Rapace), rebuilding her life in the suburbs with her husband (Chris Messina), kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) and seeks vengeance for the heinous war crimes she believes he committed against her.

    If that sounds intriguing, we also have Made in Hollywood’s exclusive interview with Rapace, Kinnaman, Messina, and co-star Amy Seimetz talking about creating their characters and going into dark places to serve the movie’s themes:

    ‘The Secrets We Keep’ is now showing in theaters, and will be available on VOD on October 16.

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  • Chris Messina Joins Rosamund Pike in Legal Thriller ‘I Care a Lot’

    Chris Messina Joins Rosamund Pike in Legal Thriller ‘I Care a Lot’

    HBO

    Chris Messina, last seen in “Sharp Objects,” will co-star with Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage in the thriller “I Care a Lot.”

    Messina will play a mob lawyer, with Dinklage as his gangster client.

    Pike will play Marla Grayson, a highly successful legal guardian who uses the law to her benefit and her clients’ detriment. When she finds her seemingly perfect client, however, she soon realizes looks are deceiving.

    J Blakeson (“The 5th Wave”) will direct the movie from his own script.

    Messina, who costarred on “The Mindy Project” from 2012-2017, is playing the villain in the 2020 Harley Quinn film “Birds of Prey.”

    His other upcoming projects include “The Secrets We Keep” with Noomi Rapace and Joel Kinnaman; YouTube thriller “Dark Cargo;” and Gia Coppola’s second film, “Mainstream,” with Maya Hawke.

    [Via Variety]

     

  • ‘Birds of Prey’ Casts Chris Messina as Villain Victor Zsasz

    ‘Birds of Prey’ Casts Chris Messina as Villain Victor Zsasz

    Sharp Objects Chris Messina
    HBO

    The “Birds of Prey” will have to flock together against Chris Messina.

    The “Sharp Objects” and”Mindy Project” actor is joining the cast of DC’s upcoming superheroine movie as bad guy Victor Zsasz, according to Deadline.

    Zsasz is a sadistic serial killer who carves a mark onto himself for each of his victims. He will partner with Ewan McGregor’s lead villain Black Mask.

    They’ll battle it out against a team of female heroes, led by Margot Robbie’s reformed Harley Quinn. She’s joined by Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, Rosie Perez as Detective Renee Montoya, and the young newcomer Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain.  The movie will be directed by Cathy Yun.

    “Birds of Prey (and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” opens in theaters February 7, 2020.

  • ‘The Mindy Project’ Season 4 Trailer Is Missing Someone Important

    the mindy project, season 4, hulu, mindy kaling, danny, chris messinaHulu has released a new trailer for season four of “The Mindy Project,” which returns from its long winter hiatus next week, and while the clip is full of comedic gags and lots of the familiar faces we know and love, there’s one major player that’s almost entirely absent.


    Only one short shot of Danny (Chris Messina) is featured in the entire promo, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance — and we initially did miss it — that only fuels speculation that he and Mindy (Mindy Kaling) are definitely on the outs. Also missing: Mindy’s engagement ring. Several shots prominently feature Dr. Larihi’s hands, and her left ring finger is noticeably empty.

    Those clues confirm that things between the couple have deteriorated after the events of the midseason finale, in which Mindy sneaks out of her and Danny’s apartment to return to her old place, and takes measurements to make sure her son Leo’s crib fits. Mindy and Danny had already postponed their wedding, and have been fighting a lot over Mindy’s career and their parental roles. Does this mean that the couple really is done for good?

    We’ll have to wait until next week to find out what’s happening. Season four of “The Mindy Project” finally returns to Hulu on April 12.

    [via: The Mindy Project]

    Photo credit: Hulu

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  • Al Pacino Is a Sad Crazy Cat Man in This ‘Manglehorn’ Trailer

    If nothing else, the new trailer for “Manglehorn” is a good advertisement for the U.S. Post Office. Al Pacino plays A.J. Manglehorn, a lonely locksmith obsessed with an old flame named Clara. He constantly sends her letters, then repeatedly checks his mailbox for replies. It’s old school like that, but there’s always been a romance to the love letter, as opposed to the immediacy of the booty call text.

    “Manglehorn” was directed by David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express, “All the Real Girls”) and co-stars Chris Messina as A.J.’s son Jacob and Holly Hunter as A.J.’s potential new love interest, a bank teller named Dawn. Manglehorn doesn’t do much besides fix locks, dote on his cat, and remain heartbroken by the Clara he loved and lost so many years ago. If he were a woman, they’d call him an eccentric crazy cat lady, so we’ll call him an eccentric crazy cat gentleman. Nothing wrong with that. Except when it gets in the way of being a good parent.

    Pacino is getting high praise for his work here, and when “Manglehorn” hits theaters June 19, you can decide where you’d rank this performance in his impressive filmography.

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  • ‘Mindy Project’ Canceled By Fox, But May Move to Hulu

    Mindy ProjectFox is just not that into “The Mindy Project” anymore – but the romantic comedy already has a new suitor lined up.

    Fox is reportedly canceling the low-rated “Mindy Project” after three seasons, but the show’s studio, Universal Television, is already in serious talks with Hulu about bringing it back for possibly two more seasons.

    “MIndy Project” has always struggled in the ratings, though its viewership is steady with an average of 2.9 million viewers and a 1.4 rating in adults 18-49. Plus, since Fox doesn’t produce the show itself, there was less incentive to keep it on the air.

    A number of outlets like TBS and Bravo reportedly expressed interest in picking up Mindy Kaling’s creation, but Hulu seems like a natural home as it already owns the streaming rights to past episodes.

    Bless whoever gets us more of Chris Messina dancing:

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