(Left) David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+. (Right) Hayley Atwell in ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One’ from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Preview:
David Oyelowo, Hayley Atwell and Jack Huston are aboard a new ‘Treasure Island’ adaptation.
It’ll air on MGM+.
Tomer Capone and Tom Sweet are also in the cast.
While we might all yearn for something brand new to happen along, studios and TV companies are usually more comfortable revisiting tried-and-true properties. And few are as tried as ‘Treasure Island’, Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel of pirates and adventure.
The six-part series will be a co-production between MGM+ and Paramount+ in the UK, with backing from production company Playground, which has been behind the likes of ‘Wolf Hall’.
David Oyelowo attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
‘Treasure Island’ charts the transformation of teenager Jim Hawkins (Sweet) from sheltered boy to emboldened young pirate. When Jim gets his hands on a legendary treasure map, his mother Bess’ (Atwell) clever and decisive actions leave him holding valuable knowledge that puts both of their lives in danger.
Oyelowo will bring a new take on iconic pirate villain Long John Silver, while the production companies are describing the show as a “bold, high-stakes coming-of-age adventure series for a new generation.”
When will the new ‘Treasure Island’ be on screens?
There is no date yet for the show to arrive; we’d predict it’ll make landfall next year.
Hayley Atwell. Photo: Faye Thomas.
Movies and TV Shows Adapted from ‘Treasure Island’:
Coming off the success of the fantastic ‘The Harder They Fall,’ director Jeymes Samuel’s has crafted another epic and entertaining movie, which boasts commanding performances from LaKeith Stanfield and Anna Diop. While the film will no doubt spark controversy in the fundamental bible community for its depiction of the “historical Jesus” versus the “real Jesus,” the filmmaker’s original vision and execution is hypnotic for those religiously openminded and results in a fun and though-provoking theatrical experience.
Script and Direction
Jeymes Samuel attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
‘The Book of Clarence’ is a reimagining of the biblical story of Jesus. We are first introduced to Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), a hustler living in A.D. 33 Jerusalem whose identical twin brother is Thomas (also played by Stanfield), who is one of the twelve apostles. Down on his luck, and owing money to Jedediah the Terrible (Eric Kofi-Abrefa), Clarence believes if he can become an apostle, Jesus (Nicholas Pinnock) can protect him from Jedediah. But when Clarence is denied membership in the apostles because of his lack of faith in Jesus, he decides to create his own following and along with his best friend Elijah (RJ Cyler), claims to be the Messiah himself.
This soon draws the attention of Pontius Pilate (James McAvoy), who will execute anyone claiming to be the Messiah, which also includes a homeless man (Benedict Cumberbatch) with mysterious powers. Also complicating Clarence’s problems is his love for Varinia (Anna Diop), who is the sister of Jedediah. What the film, and director Jeymes Samuel does well is tell us a familiar story from a new point of view. Even though we all know the story of Jesus, we’ve never seen it like this before and that leads to exciting and innovative storytelling.
In my opinion, Samuel had a fantastic directorial debut with ‘The Harder They Fall,’ which was an exciting and entertaining Western. With ‘Clarence,’ Samuel firmly establishes himself as a fresh and competent filmmaker and crafts an epic version of the biblical story. The director has gone on the record saying that he grew up loving classic biblical movies like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Ten Commandments,’ and his inspiration from those movies is apparent in every scene of ‘Clarence.’
But what is most important is that Samuel has injected the movie with his own personal point-of-view, which is what makes the movie really pop. The use of modern music, fantastic action sequences and a great cast certainly helps, but make no mistakes, Samuel is an auteur director not unlike Quentin Tarantino or Wes Anderson. While some audience members own religious views may be at odds with the ideas of the film, the originality and strength of Samuel’s screenplay cannot be denied.
LaKeith Stanfield is one the finest actors we have working today and is best known for his supporting work in movies like ‘Get Out,’ ‘Knives Out,’ ‘Uncut Gems,’ and ‘Judas and the Black Messiah,’ for which he earned a Best Supporting Oscar nomination. But ‘Clarence’ really marks the actor’s first major starring role, and Stanfield is mesmerizing as both the title role and his brother Thomas. The actor gives not one but two commanding performances, which at times are as comedic as they are emotional and dramatic.
Also excellent in their comedic roles are RJ Cyler as Clarence’s loyal friend, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Benjamin, who eerily looks like the historical representation of Jesus. Alfre Woodard, who plays Mother Mary, and David Oyelowo, who plays John the Baptist, both have fun comedic turns as well. But what really grounds the movie and some of its new ideas about the classic bible story is the romance between Clarence and Varinia, thanks to a lovely performance from Anna Diop. The actress is probably best known for her role as Starfire on Max’s ‘Titans,’ but based on this performance should be appearing in more big screen films very soon.
Unfortunately, the one performance that doesn’t quite work belongs to James McAvoy and his role as Pontius Pilate. McAvoy is a fine actor, but the character is never really fleshed out and ultimately just becomes a generic advisory.
For many, the reimagining of the bible is a taboo subject, and especially in America, people take their Jesus very seriously. We’ve seen many retellings of Jesus’ story met with criticism and controversy over the years such as Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Last Temptation of Christ’ or Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ and I fear the same may happen to ‘The Book of Clarence.’
While I personally have no problem with the idea of a black Jesus, (let’s be honest, if he did exist, he most likely was not white), I’m afraid many people will. Which is another reason I’m so impressed with Samuel’s bold take on the biblical story, it’s a big risk for an up-and-coming filmmaker to make with his sophomore movie.
But another issue some may have, which again I didn’t, is the depiction of the long haired and bearded version of Jesus that many people believe in. Played by Cumberbatch, he is nothing but a false profit, a homeless man who is touched by the “real Jesus,” granting him powers he does not understand. The film reveals Clarence to be the true Jesus talked about in the bible, and Cumberbatch’s character is just the physical representation that history recorded. This is a fascinating idea to explore, which Samuel’s does exceedingly well, but again, it could be very controversial for many religious audience members.
Controversies aside, ‘The Book of Clarence’ is an extremely original, fresh, bold, and exciting reimaging of the story of Jesus. Director Jeymes Samuel firmly establishes himself as one of the most innovative and exciting directors working today, while LaKeith Stanfield giving a commanding lead performance.
‘The Book of Clarence’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘The Book of Clarence’?
A struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) living in 29 A.D. Jerusalem looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ (Babs Olusanmokun) by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.
(L to R) Leslie Nielsen as Dick Steele and Nicollette Sheridan as Veronique Ukrinsky in ‘Spy Hard.’ Photo: Hollywood Pictures.
The evil Gen. Rancor (Andy Griffith) has his sights set on world domination, and only one man can stop him: Dick Steele (Leslie Nielsen), also known as Agent WD-40. Rancor needs to obtain a computer circuit for the missile that he is planning to fire, so Steele teams up with Veronique Ukrinsky (Nicollette Sheridan), a KGB agent whose father designed the chip. Together they try to locate the evil mastermind’s headquarters, where Veronique’s father and several other hostages are being held.
Recruited by the U.S. government to be a special agent, nerdy teenager Cody Banks (Frankie Muniz) must get closer to cute classmate Natalie (Hilary Duff) in order to learn about an evil plan hatched by her father. But despite the agent persona, Cody struggles with teen angst.
A hardened CIA operative (Dave Bautista) finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl (Chloe Coleman), having been sent undercover to surveil her family.
When the Switchblade, the most sophisticated prototype stealth fighter created yet, is stolen from the U.S. government, one of the United States’ top spies, Alex Scott (Owen Wilson), is called to action. What he doesn’t expect is to get teamed up with a cocky civilian, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy), on a dangerous top secret espionage mission. Their assignment: using equal parts skill and humor, catch Arnold Gundars (Malcolm McDowell), one of the world’s most successful arms dealers.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Ana de Armas in ‘Ghosted,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Salt-of-the-earth Cole (Chris Evans) falls head over heels for enigmatic Sadie (Ana de Armas) — but then makes the shocking discovery that she’s a secret agent. Before they can decide on a second date, Cole and Sadie are swept away on an international adventure to save the world.
Two Jesuit priests (Andrew Garfield and Driver) travel to seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact.
Two bumbling government employees (Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd) think they are U.S. spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for nuclear war.
Carmen (Alexa PenaVega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) think their parents are boring. Little do they know that in their day, Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid Cortez (Carla Gugino) were the top secret agents from their respective countries. They gave up that life to raise their children. Now, the disappearances of several of their old colleagues forces the Cortez’ return from retirement. What they didn’t count on was Carmen and Juni joining the “family business.”
Two top CIA operatives (Chris Pine and Tom Hardy) wage an epic battle against one another after they discover they are dating the same woman (Reese Witherspoon).
(L to R) Anne Hathaway as Agent 99 and Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart in ‘Get Smart.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
When the identities of secret agents from Control are compromised, the Chief (Alan Arkin) promotes hapless but eager analyst Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) and teams him with stylish, capable Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), the only spy whose cover remains intact. Can they work together to thwart the evil plans of KAOS and its crafty operative?
A desk-bound CIA analyst (Melissa McCarthy) volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.
A couple of thirtysomething best friends (Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon) unwittingly become entangled in an international conspiracy when one’s ex-boyfriend (Justin Theroux) shows up at their apartment with a team of deadly assassins on his trail.
After he reunites with an old pal (Dwayne Johnson) through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant (Kevin Hart) is lured into the world of international espionage.
After surviving an assault from a squad of hit men, retired CIA black ops agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) reassembles his old team for an all-out war. Frank reunites with old Joe (Morgan Freeman), crazy Marvin (John Malkovich) and wily Victoria (Helen Mirren) to uncover a massive conspiracy that threatens their lives. Only their expert training will allow them to survive a near-impossible mission — breaking into CIA headquarters.
(L to R) Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in ‘Knight and Day.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
A fugitive couple (Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz) goes on a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure where nothing and no one – even themselves – are what they seem. Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth vs. trust.
The story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid (Taron Egerton) into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.
As a swingin’ fashion photographer by day and a groovy British superagent by night, Austin Powers (Mike Myers) is the ’60s’ most shagadelic spy, baby! But can he stop megalomaniac Dr. Evil (Myers) after the bald villain freezes himself and unthaws in the ’90s? With the help of sexy sidekick Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), he just might.
A fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) might be having an affair with a used car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear war heads into the United States.
(L to R) Alan Arkin as Sheldon Kornpett and Peter Falk as Vince Ricardo in 1979’s ‘The In-Laws.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
In preparation for his daughter’s wedding, dentist Sheldon Kornpett (Alan Arkin) meets Vince Ricardo (Peter Falk), the groom’s father. Vince, a manic fellow who claims to be a government agent, then proceeds to drag Sheldon into a series of chases and misadventures from New York to Central America.
(L to R) LaKeith Stanfield and director Jeymes Samuel discuss ‘The Book of Clarence.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking in-person with LaKeith Stanfield and director Jeymes Samuel to talk about their work on ‘The Book of Clarence,’ what audiences can expect from the film, writing the screenplay and the themes Samuel wanted to explore, and Stanfield’s approach to playing his dual roles.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Stanfield and Samuel, as well as RJ Cyler and Anna Diop.
Jeymes Samuel attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to audiences to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have watching this movie?
Jeymes Samuel: Get ready for a singular piece. There’s never been a movie made like this in 135 years of the moving image. You’ve never seen a ‘Book of Clarence’ before. If anything, the movie is singular. If everything, the movie is awesome. Welcome.
LaKeith Stanfield attends a Special Screening of ‘The Book of Clarence’ at Pacific Design Center on December 11, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
MF: LaKeith, what would you say to audiences to prepare them for ‘The Book of Clarence’ experience?
LaKeith Stanfield: This film is for the open-minded, the person that is interested in gaining some new perspective or seeing something fresh, and that isn’t interested in going into movies with preconceived notions. It’s not woke. It’s not those Hollywood buzzwords that people want to use to have things fit into their ideas of what things are. This, you will not be able to expect or even be able to hold it in your mind what this really is, unless you see it on a big screen, loud, with people you love. That’s the way to enjoy it. It really is something that you don’t want to miss, because I feel like it’s going to exist in the time as something classic. You’re going to hear people talking about it, and you might be like, “Why did I miss that?” Just do yourself a favor and check this movie out, because it’s entertaining, but it also holds some universal truths that are very good to be reminded of. Also, you get to see the beautiful black gods at play, and that’s a beautiful thing to be a part of. We had so much fun making it. But there’s love, there’s action, there’s fighting, there’s family, there’s coming together, there’s self-discovery, there’s miracles, and it’s just a bunch of fun. So yeah, it’ll be dope.
MF: Jeymes, I heard that you grew up loving epic biblical films like ‘Ben-Hur’ and ‘The Ten Commandments.’ Can you talk about writing this screenplay and specifically the themes that you were interested in exploring with this movie?
JS: Writing the screenplay was awesome. ‘The Book of Clarence,’ for whatever reason, it bled out of me, like it wanted to be born. When I sat down to write the screenplay, it was like two weeks. I’d taken notes on it for years, like over a decade. I knew what was where. But when I sat down to write the screen, I couldn’t sleep. It was just literally gushing out of me. The things I wanted to include in this movie was everything. Absolutely everything. Everything, everything, everything, everything, everything, everything. I wanted to include everything. Gladiator fights, chariot races, crucifixions, dance sequences, action pieces. I wanted to put everything into this film, this story, and what better way than to have a protagonist like Clarence. You needed to cast the right person. You needed the right person to hang and clothe all these themes upon. I knew I could not make this movie until I had the right actor, which was the day I met LaKeith Stanfield.
MF: Finally, LaKeith, in addition to playing Clarence, you also play his twin brother, Thomas. Can you talk about the difference between the two characters and your approach to playing each of them?
LS: I just thought it was important to set Clarence up as someone that could learn something. So therefore, someone that thought they had to figure it out. I knew that I wanted him to exude a confidence that gets you to the positions that you want to be in life. You manifest things here that might not have been everything that Clarence knew, but he knew that he had something special, and he carried that with him, and I wanted to show that. I also wanted to show his moments of levity and grace so that when he fell out of grace, we could clearly see the difference. When it came to Thomas, I just wanted to make sure I was able to draw lines in the sand and distinctions between these two brothers who, they came from the same place, they experienced similar things, but they chose different paths and how that can build up resentment in a pair that close. How ultimately there were parts of them that really loved each other deeply but weren’t able to come to the surface and missed a lot of the issues they were dealing with. But eventually they were able to reconcile. There was at least a nod to that idea that they were able to come together, they’re able to see the truth because it transcends all their little issues. So, I want to make sure that that was in there, that love was in there at the end of the day.
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What is the plot of ‘The Book of Clarence’?
A struggling down-on-his-luck man named Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) living in 29 A.D. Jerusalem looks to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ (Babs Olusanmokun) by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God, in an attempt to free himself of debt and start a life of glory for himself.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with series creator Chad Feehan about ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves,’ the historical figure it is based on, his research, production challenges, and working with Taylor Sheridan.
‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ creator Chad Feehan.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, how familiar were you with Bass Reeves and his legend before beginning this series?
Chad Feehan: I was familiar with the mythology of Bass Reeves. I grew up in Texas, I heard stories about him, but those stories were the gun slinging law man pursuing the most hardened criminals in the Wild West. This sort of iconic Black law figure from the era. They sort of implanted themselves in my brain and never left, and they would get reactivated periodically. Recently, Texas Monthly did a big spread on Bass Reeves. Damon (Lindelof) obviously paid a little homage to Bass Reeves in ‘Watchmen,’ but it wasn’t until I first sat down with David Oyelowo, and then based on that conversation scoured the internet, that I really began to understand the breadth of the man’s life and why his legacy deserves to be told in this fashion.
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
MF: Can you talk about the research you did for this series, and did you learn anything that surprised you?
CF: A lot of things. With the pilot, for example, I didn’t know that Bass was forced to accompany George Reeves into various battles in the Civil War. That was quite surprising to me. I didn’t know that he escaped enslavement and lived amongst American Indians and Indian territory for several years. The notion of reconstruction, that era of American history was a little nebulous to me. So, learning more about that was surprising. So, there were surprises at every turn.
(L to R) David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves and Shea Whigham as George Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
MF: How much of the show is based in facts and how much creative license did you take?
CF: We know that he was married to Jenny Reeves. It’s been reported that she was the love of his life. We knew that he had a plethora of children. Unequivocally, we know that he spoke native languages. David Oyelowo and I are both dedicated husbands and fathers, and what we tapped into that we were able to also understand about Bass to a degree, is by the nature of our professions, we often must leave our family for months on end. It’s extraordinarily painful to do, and it can cause heartache not only for you, but for your loved ones. So, we wanted to dramatize that because we felt as if Bass may have experienced that same heartache of, you have to leave your family for two months.
(L to R) Lauren E. Banks as Jennie Reeves and David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
MF: As a showrunner, can you talk about the challenges of making a Western series?
CF: I was involved in every single sort of decision, whether it be picking a location, the design of the Reeve’s house, the wardrobe, the horses. But I had the most incredible collaborators. The wranglers that Taylor Sheridan has accumulated to train these actors and to manage these horses, they’re remarkable talents at what they do. So, I was deeply involved in every step of the way, but at the same time, I had these incredible collaborators and craftspeople who, my job was to tell them the intent and get out of the way.
(L to R) David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves and Dennis Quaid as Sherrill Lynn in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
MF: Finally, what has your experience been like working with executive producer Taylor Sheridan?
CF: I’m incredibly grateful to Taylor for entrusting me with this opportunity. He gave me an enormous amount of freedom and autonomy to craft this narrative and then lead the production. At the same time, there was enormous peace in knowing that I had this backstop behind me, somebody as talented and as successful as he is. So, he would read a script and he would say, “Hey, what about adding a scene like this here?” Not surprisingly, it took a script that sang and made it really sing. During production, he’s built this machine that’s so efficient that makes his shows, and I was a beneficiary of getting to experience that machine and have that machine come on board this show. I don’t think we could’ve come close to doing what we did if this crew that has made all these great Westerns together weren’t at our disposal. Then in post, again, he sprinkled some of that magic storytelling dust that seems endless for him, that he can do time and time again. So, I felt enormous pressure, not only to honor Bass, but to live up to the Taylor Sheridan universe. But I also had great comfort in knowing that that backstop was there to support me.
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves in ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Emerson Miller/Paramount+.
What is the plot of ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’?
‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ reveals the untold story of the most legendary lawman in the Old West, Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo). The anthology series follows the journey of Reeves and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the first Black U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting over 3,000 outlaws during his career, the weight of the badge was heavy, and he wrestled with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family.
Rebecca Ferguson in ‘Silo,’ premiering May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Premiering with its first two episodes on May 5th, ‘Silo’ represents Apple TV+ moving into the sort of dystopian territory covered extensively in movies and TV series, but also managing to say something new about human foibles and the lies that can build up within authority.
What’s the story of ‘Silo’?
‘Silo’ tells of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences –– if you do end up challenging the authority, you’re sent outside to clean the lens of the one camera sending footage of the outdoors… Which as far as anyone knows is a death sentence in the most agonizing fashion. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.
Adapted from Hugh Howey’s book ‘Wool’ (originally self-published online by the author, who cannily held on to the rights to the early stories), ‘Silo’ has ‘Justified’s Graham Yost as its showrunner and Morten Tyldum and David Semel among its directors.
Tim Robbins in ‘Silo,’ premiering May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Like most of its Apple TV+ stablemates, ‘Silo’ is the product of a company willing to spend an expansive budget to bring it to life: the world that these characters live in is an immersive one, a concrete realm of curving stairways and chunky, basic chambers. It’s all low-tech brought to life into an incredibly high-tech fashion –– the giant sets aided by CGI.
But great production design is nothing without compelling people and an interesting story, and fortunately ‘Silo’ boasts both. Yost and his team have embraced the complicated political mystery and danger of Howey’s story, resulting in a thorny, twisty mystery that will keep you guessing.
As for the cast, this is an eclectic line-up that offers something to keep hold of while the story weaves around them. Ferguson in particular is beguiling as the intense Juliette, who would much rather be nurturing the giant generator that keeps the lights (and everything else) on in the Silo than step up to be the new sheriff. But inspired by the suspicious death of Kingsley’s tech-obsessed George Wilkins, she reluctantly agrees, digging up yet more secrets, including some that impact her own troubled past.
Given such meaty material, Ferguson shines, exploring Juliette’s layers even as she explores the various levels of her home. Kingsley, meanwhile, brings emotional heft to a relatively smaller role. And there is a host of other reliable talent offering memorable work.
(L to R) Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo in ‘Silo,’ premiering May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+.
The structure of the show is also interesting, kicking off primarily with the story of the current Sheriff (Oyelowo) and his wife (Jones) who learn some disturbing information that challenges what they believed to be true about their subterranean world. Soon, these previously model citizens are looking for more answers, and that ends up dooming then. The narrative then shifts mostly to Juliette’s story as the new sheriff and the various forces at play in support of her and against her.
Will Patton is the experienced, careworn deputy not looking for advancement but thrust into a much more responsible role as his department and the mysterious, Judicial Department, which runs its own secret police force and becomes ever more powerful as the story develops. And slithering around it all, the IT autocrat Bernard played by Robbins with chilly, sociopathic intensity like something out of a George Orwell story.
What really works about the show is the successful blend of tones and genres that Yost and his writers have pulled off here –– along with the dystopian tale and conspiracy mystery thriller, there’s police procedural sleuthing, showdowns that evoke Westerns and philosophical debate.
(L to R) David Oyelowo, Geraldine James and Will Patton in ‘Silo,’ premiering May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+.
If there’s anything to complain about with the new series, it’s that the actual story proper takes a while to get moving (though it does all coalesce successfully towards the end) that might put off viewers unable to binge the whole season in Apple’s current plan of launching with two episodes and then drip-feeding an episode a week through June 30th. Yet it’s certainly worth sticking with.
This is also not a show to recommend if you’re after a cheery, lightweight series. There is gallows humor within, but this has an expectedly dour tone, dealing as it does with dark conspiracies, desperate humans, murder and state sanctioned executions-by-exile.
Some will no doubt roll their eyes at the extensive use of invented terms to define how this society speaks and thinks –– there’s lots of talk of the “founders”, the “before-times”, “the Pact”, the “down-deep” and the “up-top”. If your patience runs thin for such sci-fi language, ‘Silo’ might not be the show for you. But it’s all handled without drawing too much attention to itself.
The real focus of the show is the broken, fascinating characters poking into the darker corners of their world. And in that, ‘Silo’ most certainly succeeds. It might not end up drawing the buzz of something along the lines of fellow Apple TV+ S-word series ‘Severance’, but it’s more than worth your time if you’re willing to dive deep.
‘Silo’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Common in ‘Silo,’ premiering May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+.
‘Silo’ represents what is rapidly becoming some Apple TV+ trademarks. Like many other streaming services, it has grabbed the rights to a bestselling book series (in this case, Hugh Howey’s dystopian ‘Wool’ novels), cast it with an impressive ensemble, thrown a lot of money into the budget to guarantee it looks good, and, following the likes of ‘Slow Horses’, ‘Severance’, ‘Shrinking’, ‘Servant’, ‘Shantaram’ and more, has another show starting with S (at this rate, we’re wondering if ‘Ted Lasso’s third season will see the series’ name changed to ‘Sledge Lasso’ just to keep that going.)
But it’s certainly a high profile new show for the service, with a solid sci-fi pedigree and the cast to match.
Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
What happens in ‘Silo’?
‘Silo’ is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. They’re constantly told how dangerous it would be to leave the protective sanctuary of the Silo, but there are some disturbing issues afoot.
No one, for example, knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Which doesn’t really help when the authorities are trying to convince people that it’s a safe place to life.
Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.
Tim Robbins as Bernard in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
Who made the new show ‘Silo’?
Behind the scenes for this one are Emmy-nominated writer Graham Yost (who has worked on shows such as ‘Band of Brothers’ and ‘Justified’) running the show and director Morten Tyldum (behind the movie ‘The Imitation Game’ and previous Apple series ‘Defending Jacob’), who oversees the first three episodes.
Originally self-published by Howey, the ‘Wool’ books have become something of a sensation. An adaptation has been in the works for a while now –– it was in development at 20th Century Fox back when it was still called 20th Century Fox, with Ridley Scott and Steven Zaillian producing. ‘I Care a Lot’s J Blakeson wrote several drafts of the script before ‘Captain Marvel’s Nicole Perlman was brought in.
Yet if we’re honest, television feels like a more natural home for the story, especially given the fact that there are sequel and prequel trilogies available as source material, so if the show is a success, expect plenty of future seasons.
The first two episodes of ‘Silo’ land on Apple TV+ on May 5th, with new episodes dropping weekly.
Common as Sims in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’Rashida Jones as Allison in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’(L to R) Rashida Jones as Allison and David Oyelowo as Holston in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’(L to R) Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette and Chinaza Uche as Paul Billings in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette in Apple TV+’s ‘Silo.’
( L to R) Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford in 1986’s ‘The Mosquito Coast.’
Taylor Sheridan’s rapidly expanding ‘Yellowstone’ TV universe just keeps adding spin-offs. And big names to go along with them.
Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren are the latest actors to sign on to roles, making deals to lead new series ‘1932’.
That show – the date is apparently a working title for now, is still being kept mysterious, though according to Sheridan, “the next story will introduce a new generation of the Dutton family and explore the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition, and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.”
Ford has rarely been a TV man since his career took off with the likes of ‘Star Wars’, but that attitude has been changing of late with him joining Jason Segel in ‘Shrinking’, a new comedy that Segel has created with ‘Ted Lasso’s Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein.
Mirren, though, has much more small screen experience – she played DI Jane Tennison in the popular ‘Prime Suspect’ series in the UK and spent a chunk of her younger days appearing in plays on TV. More recently, she’s been seen in HBO Miniseries ‘Catherine the Great’ and provides a voice for Netflix comedy series ‘Human Resources.
Parent series ‘Yellowstone’, of course, has Kevin Costner as its tough center, while ‘1932’s fellow period spin-off ‘1883’ features the mustachioed gravitas of Sam Elliott, along with Country Music legends Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
‘1932’s first season will shoot this year and is targeting a December launch on streaming service Paramount+.
In this publicity image released by Universal Pictures, Harrison Ford, left, and Daniel Craig are shown in a scene from ‘Cowboys & Aliens.’ (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Timothy White)
And that wasn’t the only ‘Yellowstone’ news. With Paramount holding its Upfront presentation for advertisers today, word comes that another spin-off, titled ‘6666’ is headed for a different venue.
Originally announced for Paramount+, ‘6666’ will now find a home at the Paramount Network, as the company looks to spread the Taylor Sheridan wealth across its various outlets.
The series takes place when Comanches still ruled West Texas and no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.
There’s no announced date yet for ‘6666’ to premiere. But at this rate, Paramount might just end up rebranding as the ‘Yellowstone’ Network.
Also, because Sheridan apparently has given up the need to sleep (actually, he’s just good at delegating), there is yet another show confirmed. While ‘1883’ was designed as a one-season drama, it will also have a spin-off, with David Oyelowo starring in ‘1883: The Bass Reeves Story’.
Reeves was known as the greatest frontier hero in American history, and also believed to be the inspiration for The Lone Ranger. Reeves worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.
This new miniseries doesn’t have a scheduled date yet, but it will debut on Paramount+.
David Oyelowo attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images).
David Oyelowo is the latest star in talks to join George Clooney’s upcoming Netflix film “Good Morning, Midnight.”
The “Selma” star is circling the project, which Clooney is starring in and directing. “The Revenant writer” Mark L. Smith adapted Lily Brooks-Dalton’s novel, a post-apocalyptic narrative that follows the parallel stories of Augustine (Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, and the Aether spacecraft that is trying to return home to Earth, as Augustine races to make contact with the ship’s crew.
Already reportedly on board are Felicity Jones and Kyle Chandler. It’s unknown what their roles might be, though Jones is likely playing Mission Specialist Sullivan.
Oyelowo most recently starred in and executive produced the BBC and PBS Masterpiece six-part adaptation of “Les Miserables.”
The Sundance film “Don’t Let Go,” starring Storm Reid and David Oyelowo, is coming soon — very soon, as in August 30.
The supernatural thriller, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival with the title “Relive,” will be released theatrically by Blumhouse Tilt, Universal’s OTL Releasing and Tom Ortenberg’s Briarcliff Entertainment.
In “Don’t Let Go,” Detective Jack Radcliff (Oyelowo) receives a shocking phone call from his recently-murdered niece Ashley (Reid). Working together across time, they race to solve her murder before it can happen.
Brian Tyree Henry, Mykelti Williamson, and Alfred Molina also star.
The indie comes from writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes, who made his debut with 2004’s “Mean Creek.”
After its premiere at Sundance, iO9 called it “‘Memento’ meets ‘Frequency,’ and that’s a good thing.”
Blumhouse Productions launched the Tilt label in 2015 to focus on micro-budget indies, including “Upgrade” and “Unfriended: Dark Web.”
