Moviefone Editorial

Tag: deadpool-and-wolverine

  • ‘Whistle’ Exclusive Interview: Dafne Keen

    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    Opening in theaters on February 6th is the new horror film ‘Whistle’, which was directed by Corin Hardy (‘The Nun’), and stars Dafne Keen (‘Logan’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’), Sophie Nélisse (‘Yellowjackets’), and Nick Frost (‘How to Train Your Dragon’).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dafne Keen about her work on ‘Whistle’, her first reaction to the screenplay and the movie’s extensive gore, falling in love with the horror genre, her character’s traumatic past, working with actors Sophie Nélisse and Nick Frost, and director Corin Hardy’s vision for the project.

    Related Article: Dafne Keen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Returning as Laura / X-23

    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is a super gory and violent movie. What was your first reaction to the screenplay and did the gore read on the page?

    Dafne Keen: Absolutely. The way Owen Egerton wrote it was so descriptive and wonderful. That was something that really sold me on it because I’d never done horror and I was very scared of horror before I did this film. But I really loved how beautiful the deaths were. They were very gory, but they were described in a poetic and stunning way. Then the way that Corin brought it to life was so wonderful, because Corin comes from an art background, so he was very much focused on making it as practical as possible. I really enjoyed the whole gore aspect of it, even though notoriously, according to all my friends and my family, everyone knows that I’ve never been a horror girl, but I was loving it.

    Director Corin Hardy on the set of 'Whistle'. Courtesy of Michael Gibson. An Independent Film Company and Shudder Release.
    Director Corin Hardy on the set of ‘Whistle’. Courtesy of Michael Gibson. An Independent Film Company and Shudder Release.

    MF: Since you were not a fan of the genre before you made the movie, are you now, and was it fun making a horror movie?

    DK: Yeah, it was so fun. I had the best time. I’m now a huge fan of horror. I would like to credit a lot of my love for horror to this film. A lot of it to one of the actors in it, who’s a good friend of mine in Percy Hynes White, who heard that I didn’t like horror and he was like, “We’re going to give you a horror crash course”. So, we had a little movie night and we watched ‘The Exorcist’ and he gave me a whole list. He was like, “These are the gold standards of horror films, and you need to watch them.” Since then, I’m now a huge horror fan. But the reason why I really loved the project was because it felt so character driven, and I loved Ellie and Chrys’ relationship. I thought it was such a beautiful love story and it really stuck out to me. I think it so important to write queer stories that aren’t focused on the queerness of it. It just felt like it was a love story and they happened to be queer. But they could have been straight, and it would have been the same story. There was something so beautiful about the queer joy in it and Chrys is such a beautiful character. I thought that all the characters were so defined and special that I read the script and it was a no brainer.

    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    MF: Can you talk about the trauma that Chrys is dealing with at the beginning of the movie and how it literally haunts her throughout the film?

    DK: I think that is a great question because that’s a huge part of who Chrys is and how we meet Chrys. I think at the beginning when we find her, she thinks that that history is detrimental to her. She’s kind of a worse person for it, like she’s worse for wear. I think falling in love with Ellie makes her realize that that’s made her grow and that that’s made her into so much more of a wonderful and compassionate person because of it. I think that’s so important. It was so interesting to dive into it and I had so many conversations with Corin about what that would look like and how did we want to portray Chrys’ drug addiction and her grief in a way that wouldn’t feel exploitative or overt. I’m a big fan of not telling the audience things and just showing them. I think it was important to me to not be so like, “She’s ruined because of it.” But instead, be like, “There is hope and you can come out of it.” As someone who lost someone very important to them quite young, I know that it’s very tough and it’s very grueling, but you do come out of it, and I feel so much better. I think death really gives you a perspective on life in a way and those first few years are tough, but eventually you find an expression for all that love that you had for that person. I think what’s so beautiful about this film is that Chrys discovers that love and that pain that she’s feeling inside her hasn’t just gone to waste because she’s lost her father, she can still feel love for someone and still have that love for her father and not have it be detrimental to her as a person, you don’t have to be self-destructive. That was an important thing for me to tell. Owen wrote it in such a beautiful way, and filming all that stuff with Sophie was beautiful and cathartic and wonderful.

    (L to R) Sophie Nélisse and Dafne Keen in the horror film, 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    (L to R) Sophie Nélisse and Dafne Keen in the horror film, ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    MF: What was it like working with Sophie Nélisse as a scene partner to make the relationship between Ellie and Chrys seem authentic on screen?

    DK: It was the best. Sophie and I are now good friends, I’d say she’s one of my closest friends. She’s just so wonderful and it was honestly love at first sight. We were in this terrifying hotel that I’m convinced was haunted. We’d gotten each other’s numbers somehow and she’d messaged me being like, “Hey, I’m at the hotel. I’m terrified. Do you mind sleeping over?” I was like, thank God because I’d just acquired a knife to put under my pillow as I too, was terrified. So, we slept over and then basically we lived with each other. Like I low-key moved into her hotel room and she was my best friend throughout the whole process. I remember the next day we had a rehearsal with Corin and we went in there and we were rehearsing, but Sophia and I were just laughing back and forth. Corin was like, “We don’t need to be here. You guys already have all this chemistry. There’s no need to be doing this.” The whole way through we were kind of in love with each other and it was so easy. We had to do a kissing scene and we were like, “Can’t wait.” We had the best time on it. It was so fun.

    Nick Frost in 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    Nick Frost in ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    MF: You have a few scenes with Nick Frost. What was it like working with him and is he cracking jokes in between takes?

    DK: Yes, he’s so funny. We were genuinely all dying of laughter. I remember specifically Ali Skovbye, who plays Grace, and I kept looking at each other and breaking because the way he would deliver his lines was so funny and in between takes, he was just cracking jokes. I was literally phoning my dad every five minutes because, obviously I’m British and my dad’s British, and I’m like, “Dad, you don’t understand, I’m working with Nick Frost.” But it was so cool and he’s lovely and he’s kind of normal and humble. He’s just chill and charming, and so good at what he does. He’s one of those people that you get on set and you’re like, “Wow, you’re talented. You’re just good at what you do.” Do you know what I mean? He’s such a solid scene partner and we had a fun time.

    Director Corin Hardy and Dafne Keen on the set of 'Whistle'. Courtesy of Michael Gibson. An Independent Film Company and Shudder Release.
    Director Corin Hardy and Dafne Keen on the set of ‘Whistle’. Courtesy of Michael Gibson. An Independent Film Company and Shudder Release.

    MF: Finally, what was it like collaborating on set with director Corin Hardy and watching him execute his vision for this project?

    DK: He’s the best. Corin’s so passionate, which is special and kind of rare. He’s so detail oriented. He’s just so wonderful and he’s got a fascinating brain. I always loved going up to him when we were doing something and be like, “Hey, what do you think about this?” Because he was so passionate about the project that he’d have this whole thing thought through. I’d be like, “Oh, that makes complete sense.” He was so kind. He was so loving to all of us, and he was just a great leader. He tried to make us all feel comfortable and happy and to make this experience, which could have been intense and kind of grueling, as enjoyable for all of us as possible. So, he was just so perfect and he’s so good at what he does. He’s just so talented.

    'Whistle' opens in theaters on February 6th.
    ‘Whistle’ opens in theaters on February 6th.

    What is the plot of ‘Whistle’?

    A group of high school misfits inadvertently come across an ancient Aztec death whistle. Blowing it summons their future deaths to hunt them down. As the body count increases, they investigate the artifact’s history in hopes of halting the sequence of events they have set into motion.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Whistle’?

    • Dafne Keen as Chrys
    • Sophie Nélisse as Ellie
    • Sky Yang as Rel
    • Jhaleil Swaby as Dean
    • Alissa Skovbye as Grace
    • Percy Hynes White as Noah Haggerty
    • Nick Frost as Mr. Craven
    • Michelle Fairley as Ivy Raymore
    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, 'Whistle', an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.
    Dafne Keen as “Chrys Willet” in the horror film, ‘Whistle’, an IFC and Shudder release. Photo courtesy of IFC and Shudder.

    List of Dafne Keen Movies and TV Shows:

    ‘Buy Tickets: ‘Whistle’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Dafne Keen Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Safe House’ Exclusive Interview: Lewis Tan

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    Available in theaters, on digital and On-Demand beginning October 31st is the new action movie ‘Safe House’, which was directed by Jamie Marshall, and stars Lewis Tan (‘Mortal Kombat’), Hannah John-Kamen (‘Thunderbolts*’), Ethan Embry (‘That Thing You Do!’), and Holt McCallany (‘Shot Caller’).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Lewis Tan about his work on ‘Safe House’, his first reaction to the screenplay, working with the cast, shooting the action sequences and collaborating on set with director Jamie Marshall.

    Lewis Tan in 'Safe House'. Photo: Vertical.
    Lewis Tan in ‘Safe House’. Photo: Vertical.

    Tan also discussed his work on the upcoming ‘Mortal Kombat II’, Karl Urban joining the cast as Johnny Cage, and if we will see Shatterstar return to the MCU anytime soon.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Related Article: ‘Safe House’ Exclusive Trailer

    Lewis Tan stars in 'Safe House'. Photo: Kat Holt.
    Lewis Tan stars in ‘Safe House’. Photo: Kat Holt.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and its action-packed twist on the genre?

    Lewis Tan: Me and my team were looking for something smart and grounded. The action work that I’ve been doing previously has been a little more fantasy based with ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Shadow and Bone’, and ‘Wu Assassins’, and this type of stuff. We were looking for something smart, grounded, but still had a very visceral and a powerful storyline that we could make into a great action thriller. Leon Langford wrote a great script. When I first read it, it felt to me like a little bit of ‘Reservoir Dogs’ in a way where it’s about these Secret Service agents that witness a terrorist attack in Downtown LA, and they get stuck inside of a safe house. Once they arrive at this safe house, they realize that one of them could be part of this terrorist organization or a rat. So, they’re trying to figure out who’s the rat while they’re being attacked by terrorists. So, it puts a little bit of a spin on that ‘Reservoir Dog’s pressure. It’s not just the police are coming, it’s like every few minutes there’s something that’s happening, and it just keeps elevating. So, Leon Langford wrote this great script, and I was like, “Oh man, this is exactly what we were looking for.” So, I was very excited. That doesn’t happen often either.

    MF: You mentioned ‘Reservoir Dogs’, but the movie also gives off a ‘Die Hard’ vibe. Was that movie an influence on this project?

    LT: Well, ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ came to mind, and ‘Die Hard’ came to mind. Things like ‘The Raid’, obviously this isn’t really a martial art action movie, but there’s a lot of action in it. But it’s like this boiling pressure pot constantly, but the pressure is derived by the drama too, and the relationships that these people have in the room, which I’ve never done anything like that before, and I’ve been really looking forward to doing it. Then when I found out who was cast alongside of us, everybody that’s in the cast are just killers. So, it was cool.

    (L to R) Ethan Embry, Holt McCallany and Lucien Laviscount in 'Safe House'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Ethan Embry, Holt McCallany and Lucien Laviscount in ‘Safe House’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: In the movie, the characters don’t know each other and must learn to trust each other and work together in this heightened circumstance to achieve a common goal, which is not unlike a new cast and crew coming together to make a movie. What was it like working with the cast and getting to know them while the characters are getting to know each other?

    LT: I see where you’re going with that. The movie set dynamic can be a little bit tricky because there’s a lot of politics involved, there’s a lot of egos involved, and yes, it does relate to these characters in some way. When you’re on a movie set, at least in my opinion, you try to create a family where you can create something, a piece of art, and you put the ego aside, and you put all these things aside, and you try to create a piece of art together. That’s the way I like to look at it, because I think that’s the way that great art gets made. These characters just don’t trust each other. They don’t trust each other, and they’re all from different parts of the government. They are forced to work together because of violent and life-threatening situations that are surrounding them at every given moment, but they don’t trust each other at all. This cast I trusted very well, Hannah John-Kamen I knew from before, fantastic actor. Lucien Laviscount, I met, but it was interesting because we shot this movie in LA, and it’s very rare to shoot a movie out here in Los Angeles. Who would’ve thought that that would be something that I would say, but it is. We were all just excited because no one’s shot in LA for a long time. So, it was one of those things where it’s like, “Okay, this is exciting. We get to shoot here in the streets of Downtown LA. We’re blowing up cars and doing all this crazy stuff.” We had a very limited time, very limited budget, and we all wanted to make it great. So, as soon as I met and Holt (McCallany) and Ethan Embry and all these guys that are now off doing great things, we were all like, “Okay, guys, we got three weeks. Let’s make this a banger.”

    MF: Can you talk about preparing for the action sequences and how involved are you with the fight choreography?

    LT: So, Jamie Marshall is no stranger to action. He’s worked on a lot of great movies like ‘Den of Thieves’, and Arnold Chun, the action choreographer/stunt coordinator, is a very close friend of mine. I worked with Arnold on ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’, when I was doing stunts when I was 18 years old. So, we go way back. He’s super talented, and my approach when it comes to that is I like to work with really great talented people, and then those people mixed with my background in action, we collaborate, and we find a nice middle ground. That’s usually how it works, unless what they present is incredible and doesn’t need to be touched. But it’s nice to put a little bit of the character’s flair on it. So, there was some collaboration. We didn’t have a lot of rehearsal time. We had maybe a few days, which I’m used to at this point, but obviously, you wish for more. My character is a Secret Service agent. He comes from a military background. It’s not martial arts, it’s more realistic fighting and guns, and using whatever you can around you, smart, survival skills that a real agent would use. We had advisors there from SAS and from the police and people that were there to make sure that we were making it look authentic. I did my best to do that.

    (L to R) Hannah John-Kamen and Lucien Laviscount in 'Safe House'. Photo: Vertical.
    (L to R) Hannah John-Kamen and Lucien Laviscount in ‘Safe House’. Photo: Vertical.

    MF: Do you think that the action says as much about the character as the story does?

    LT: That’s a great question. Yeah, 1000%. It was the great Stella Adler that said, “Acting is everything else in between the words.” I agree with that because the words are only one part of it. It’s everything you say in between. It’s the energy that you’re giving off. When it comes to action, nothing speaks louder than action, right? Action speaks louder than words and that’s true. It’s like you can see how people respond and how they think and how their emotions are based on the things that they’re doing. So, that’s why it must be crucial, and it must be definitive and truthful within the character. In this case, it’s more like smart thinking and they’re in a situation where they’re dealing with the unknown and they’re trying to survive, and they’re using all the skills that they must survive. So, we put a little flair on it, you know what I mean?

    MF: What was it like collaborating with director Jamie Marshall on set?

    LT: Oh, Jamie Marshall is just a legend. He’s very calm and articulate. He’s very patient. He was under a lot of pressure, with a short amount of time, a lot to do, a lot of action, a lot of dialogue, a lot of everything. He was just very calm and collaborative leader of the set. He’s just got a great demeanor about him. He loves movies, and he’s very willing to sit there and discuss things. But we did three intensive days of preparation with the script. So normally, when you get onto a set, people talk, and then two hours go by of people trying to decide whether they’re going to do what the script says that day. But if you do it previously, then you don’t have to have those discussions on set, and things can be much quicker. So, that’s what we did. Jamie was like, “Listen, guys, now’s the time to say anything you need to say before we get to the set. Then we need to go, we need to run and gun because we got a limited time here.”

    Lewis Tan in 'Mortal Kombat'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    Lewis Tan in ‘Mortal Kombat’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: What can you tell us about ‘Mortal Kombat II’, which is scheduled to be released next year?

    LT: Well, the reception we had at New York Comic-Con was incredible. Everybody went crazy over some of the footage that they saw. I believe there was a fight scene that they showed between Johnny Cage and Baraka. The fans are just the best fans in the world. All I can say is this, it was a learning process on the first movie. It’s a big IP. There’s 100 characters, it’s a lot to get right. The producer, Todd Garner, is smart. He listens to the fans, and he listens to what people are saying online. Also, he brought in Ed Boon (creator of the game) to really collaborate with us on the second movie. So, the second movie just feels so much bigger. We have the tournament, they let the fight team really run wild with this, which I was really hoping for, and they deliver. So, the film is beyond what I thought it was going to be. When I first saw it, I left the theater like, “Oh God, that is way better than I thought.” There’s a reason why they just greenlit a third one. That’s all I’m going to say.

    MF: What was it like working with Karl Urban and can you talk about his take on Johnny Cage?

    LT: Karl’s a gentleman, and a funny guy. He took it very seriously. He worked hard too; he knows the type of pressure that it is to play a character like that in a franchise like this that everybody loves. He’s obviously a seasoned legend, but he did a really great job. He did a different type of Johnny Cage than most people were expecting. He took a big swing on it, and it really paid off. He kills it in the movie. People are going to love this. It’s funny because my character in the first movie was the one that was like, “What is Mortal Kombat?” Now, Johnny Cage is put in that position of “What is this? And then what’s going on? How come he’s shooting flames out of his hands?” But as the film goes on, he sinks into that Johnny Cage superstar, and it comes out slowly. So, it’s a great performance and a good character arc, and it’s got a lot more places to go after this as well.

    (Right) Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in 'Mortal Kombat 2'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (Right) Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in ‘Mortal Kombat 2’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: Finally, when do you think we will see Shatterstar return to the MCU and is there any other Marvel character that you would like to see him team up with?

    LT: I hope so, man. I think Shatterstar is such an interesting character, and if we made a movie about Mojoworld where it had this ‘Mad Max’ meets ‘Blade Runner’ type of vibe, that is very relevant to now, because Mojoworld is all about entertainment. They’ve got to the point in their world where they live stream these death matches, and it’s like watching Channel 9 at 1:00 p.m. in the middle of the day, some soap opera or something. So, I just think that if we’re not careful, we might be heading in that direction. But also, I think it’d be a hilarious and a fun film. So, yeah, man, I’m here. I’m ready to do it. But if not, there’s some other areas into the Marvel world that I could be venturing into. So, we’ll see. That’s all I can say. The Shatterstar character, it’s not been fully fleshed out yet. It’s just been cool cameos and funny scenes, but it hasn’t really been fleshed out, per se. So, I’d like to see it give its proper due diligence.

    'Safe House' opens in theaters, on digital and On-Demand beginning October 31st .
    ‘Safe House’ opens in theaters, on digital and On-Demand beginning October 31st .

    What is the plot of ‘Safe House’?

    Six federal agents in hiding after a Los Angeles terror attack grow suspicious of each other as they realize the perpetrator could be among them.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Safe House’?

    • Lucien Laviscount as Anderson
    • Hannah John-Kamen as Agent Owens
    • Ethan Embry as Sorello
    • Lewis Tan as Agent Choi
    • Holt McCallany as Halton
    • Adam Levy as Victor
    Lewis Tan stars in 'Safe House'.
    Lewis Tan stars in ‘Safe House’.

    List of Lewis Tan Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Safe House’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Lewis Tan Movies on Amazon

  • Madonna’s Life Story to Become Netflix Limited Series

    (Left) Madonna in 'Dick Tracy'. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. (Right) 'Star Wars: Starfighter's director Shawn Levy at Star Wars Celebration 2025. Photo: Lucasfilm.
    (Left) Madonna in ‘Dick Tracy’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. (Right) ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’s director Shawn Levy at Star Wars Celebration 2025. Photo: Lucasfilm.

    Preview:

    • A limited series based on Madonna’s life is in the works.
    • Madonna herself is involved.
    • ‘Stranger Things’ Shawn Levy is also involved.

    Madonna certainly has had the sort of life and career you’d think companies would be scrambling to bring to screens.

    And indeed, in 2020, she began hinting that she had a new cinematic idea brewing, including cryptic messages to ‘Juno’ writer Diablo Cody about collaborating on something.

    That turned into an official Madonna biopic for Universal, which she announced she would co-write with Cody and Erin Cressida Wilson.

    The search began for someone to play Madonna, one that included the likes of Florence Pugh, ‘Euphoria’s Alexa Demie and Odessa Young floated alongside singers including Bebe Rexha and Sky Ferreira..

    Yet the search seemed to end when Julia Garner  was offered the lead.

    Here’s what Madonna said at the time:

    “I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer – a human being, trying to make her way in this world. The focus of this film will always be music. Music has kept me going and art has kept me alive. There are so many untold and inspiring stories and who better to tell it than me. It’s essential to share the roller coaster ride of my life with my voice and vision.”

    Still, there seemed to be very little forward movement, and in early 2023, word began to trickle out that the movie was on hold, possibly indefinitely.

    Now, though, after some comments a while ago from the musician herself that she was looking to switch tracks and instead bring her story to life as a TV show, Deadline brings word that she’s collaborating with prolific producer/filmmaker Shawn Levy to make a limited series for Netflix.

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    Levy, of course, has a wealth of credits to his name, including several projects for Netflix such as mammoth hit ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘The Adam Project.’ And not forgetting his most recent theatrical effort, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ which made more than $1.33 billion dollars at the box office after its release last year.

    Related Article: Madonna’s Plans to Make a Biopic of Her Life and Career on Hold

    What is Madonna’s story?

    Madonna in 'Madonna: Truth or Dare'. Photo: Miramax Films.
    Madonna in ‘Madonna: Truth or Dare’. Photo: Miramax Films.

    Since Madonna Louise Ciccone dropped out of college and got on a plane for the first time in her life to pursue a career in music and dance in New York with $35 in her pocket, the Michigan native has defied expectations.

    Certified the best-selling female music artist in history, Madonna has sold 400 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, and has long been known someone who can endlessly evolve her style and vibe to whatever is in vogue.

    Her impact on society and pop culture have gone beyond her influence in the music industry as a revolutionary pop star who challenged sexism to redefine what it means to be a powerful woman in the field, and her movie career.

    Fearless and provocative, the “Like a Virgin” singer has been outspoken on women’s rights and sexuality, pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms, and a strong advocate of the LGBTQ community.

    Who might star as Madonna?

    Julia Garner in 'The Royal Hotel.' Photo: Neon.
    Julia Garner in ‘The Royal Hotel.’ Photo: Neon.

    While the show has yet to reach the casting stage, Julia Garner certainly has a leg up in more than one regard.

    Deadline reports that Garner may well cross from the movie version into this new project (but has yet to be officially confirmed or indeed make a deal to do so, which means it’s up to the vagaries of business and scheduling).

    But as recently as this year’s Vanity Fair Oscar party, Garner was dropping hints on social media:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Julia Garner (@juliagarnerofficial)

     

    On the Netflix front, Garner is herself a regular –– she broke out with her role on ‘Ozark’ and appeared in con artist limited series ‘Inventing Anna.’

    She’s working with the streaming service again, signing on to play the female lead and executive produce a limited series about the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the relationship between FTX co-founder and chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried and his girlfriend and business associate Caroline Ellison (the role she would take).

    When will the Madonna series be on screens?

    Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here –– this show isn’t moving quicker than a ray of light at this point; it’s still at an early stage.

    Netflix has yet to even confirm any of Deadline’s story (which assumes the deals are still being hammered out), so right now this is more a development than an actual show. And given how the proposed movie has yet to surface, the show is far from a certainty. Still, we won’t count out anything that has Levy attached…

    Madonna in 'Madonna: Truth or Dare'. Photo: Miramax Films.
    Madonna in ‘Madonna: Truth or Dare’. Photo: Miramax Films.

    List of Biopics Based on Musicians:

    Buy Madonna Movies On Amazon

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  • Ryan Reynolds Exploring Deadpool/X-Men Team-Up Movie

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Preview

    • Ryan Reynolds is working on ideas for a new ‘Deadpool’ movie.
    • He’s looking into teaming the character up with the X-Men.
    • There’s no word on what might happen with the movie.

    With last year’s smash success ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ Ryan Reynolds leapfrogged into the position of being among the most valuable performers –– and creators –– among the Marvel ranks.

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    But since that movie’s release (which earned more than $1.33 billion worldwide), Reynolds has largely been playing coy about future plans for masked nuisance Wade Wilson. Neither he nor Marvel has confirmed whether he’ll show up in either of the two new team-up movies (those would be ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ which recently confirmed the first part of its sprawling cast) and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars.’

    He’s also been stepping back from the acting side of his career in the last few months, with word that he’s juggling several writing projects, including a comedy about a reforming boyband (more on that below) that could see him reunite with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ co-star Hugh Jackman and director Shawn Levy.

    Still, the Deadpool whispers continue, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds is working on various treatments for an ensemble film featuring three or four X-Men characters. Deadpool would of course appear, but perhaps only as a supporting player.

    The actor/writer/producer is said to believe that keeping his f-bomb wielding anti-hero more on the sidelines could allow for the X-Men characters to be used in unexpected ways. Reynolds has been open about every Deadpool movie needing a strong reason to exist, and it’s possible this could provide the avenue he needs.

    Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    Right now, it’s all just noodling, Reynolds figuring out what he wants to do without directly involving Disney and Marvel (though you know both companies will be interested to see what he comes up with).

    And he’s said that he doesn’t intend to have Deadpool really find a place amongst the likes of the Avengers for storytelling reasons.

    Here’s what he said  at the Time 100 summit:

    “I like that he’s isolated. If Deadpool becomes an Avenger or an X-Man, we’re at the end. That’s his wish fulfillment, and you can’t give him that.”

    Not to mention that Marvel is already exploring its own X-Men future, with ‘Hunger Games’ prequel writer Michael Lesslie at work on a script for the mutant heroes.

    Chances are we’ll have to wait a while to see what Reynolds comes up with –– he prefers to take his time honing his treatments, and went through several different variations of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at the early stage before it evolved into its final form (and that was partly thanks to Jackman’s decision to come back to the role of Logan/Wolverine).

    Related Article: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Becomes The Second R-Rated Movie to Make a Billion Dollars

    What’s Ryan Reynolds boy band movie?

    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, and Ryan Reynolds attend 'The Adam Project' World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix.
    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, and Ryan Reynolds attend ‘The Adam Project’ World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix.

    The other big project Reynolds is scripting at the moment is tentatively titled ‘Boy Band.’

    Right now, much of the movie is a mystery –– we don’t know exactly what aspect of the boy band life would be featured.

    But given that Reynolds is looking to reunite with his friend and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ co-star Jackman on the new movie, we can imagine something catching up with the former members of a boy band group who have since gone their separate ways.

    The Netflix TV series ‘Girls5Eva’ covers similar territory, albeit from the point of view of a girl group.

    This is what Reynolds told about the project:

    “I’m on a second draft. The first draft was incredible and written by one of my favorite writers, Jesse Andrews [‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’]. Now I’m on my lonesome. There are no dates or anything just yet. I’m not filming anything for at least a year. This feels like it needs to have an extremely modest budget, and one that wouldn’t be all about going to pay above-the-line actors. Shawn, Hugh and I are open to creative ways to make this movie at an absolute bargain.”

    And this was his quote about the trouble with boy bands:

    “A lot of members of boy bands — and there are a lot of them — had managers who left them high and dry. They experienced levels of fame that would be very difficult for anyone to navigate, let alone an adolescent, when you are farming out your self-worth to an audience of screaming people. It creates a kind of arrested cultural development. They’re forever associated with that period of time in their lives. This would be about people in their 40s and 50s trying to get their lives back. I think there is something beautiful about that. The north star for me as a producer is joy. I feel like cynicism is a contracting industry and doesn’t have a great shelf life.”

    When might we see a Deadpool/X-Men team-up movie on screens?

    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Channing Tatum, Dafne Keen, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Wesley Snipes, Channing Tatum, Dafne Keen, Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    This concept would likely be a few years away if it actually happens –– not only does Reynolds have to commit to a treatment and write (or co-write) it, but there’s also the matter of Marvel approving it and then finding space on its busy release schedule to get it into theaters.

    Of course, Reynolds has a lot of sway after the success of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ but the next couple of years alone are packed with planned movies, not to mention that while his most recent film had nods to the X-Men, the Marvel brass is also planning its own use of the classic characters in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ now filming. And the company is also putting the pieces in place for a rebooted mutant team in the future.

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    List of Movies and TV Shows Featuring Deadpool and the X-Men’:

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  • Marvel Confirms the Cast for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

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    Preview:

    • Marvel has revealed the main cast for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
    • It’s a mix of returning names and (relatively) new recruits.
    • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ are scheduled for release in 2026 and 2027.
    (L to R) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo and Kevin Feige present 'Avengers: Doomsday' at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo and Kevin Feige present ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    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.

    Related Article: Joe and Anthony Russo On Keeping ‘Avengers’ Secrets and Robert Downey Jr.’s Input into Dr. Doom

    Who is in the cast of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

    (L to R) Joe Russo, Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Russo present 'Avengers: Doomsday' at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Joe Russo, Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Russo present ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    And those names? A mixture of established actors and some of the more recent recruits.

    On the longstanding front, we have Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man (whose chair is amusingly smaller than the others), Letitia Wright as Shuri, Wyatt Russell as John Walker/US Agent (from ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ who is back on our screens this year in May 2nd’s ‘Thunderbolts*’), Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova (likewise part of ‘Thunderbolts*’), David Harbour (introduced as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in ‘Black Widow’ and who will also recur in ‘Thunderbolts*’). Also from both ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ and ‘Thunderbolts*’, Hannah John Kamen as Ava Starr/Ghost.

    Alongside Wright, ‘Black Panther’s Winston Duke will be back as M’Baku, and Tom Hiddleston will also return as Loki.

    Simu Liu in Marvel Studios' 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021.
    Simu Liu in Marvel Studios’ ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021.

    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.

    On the recent addition front, there’s Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn and Pedro Pascal from ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps,’ which will introduce the iconic team to the MCU on July 25th.

    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!).

    Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in 'The Marvels'.
    (L to R) Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in ‘The Marvels’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    And Kelsey Grammer, who played Dr. Henry ‘Hank’ McCoy/Beast in Fox Marvel movies ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ and cropped up in a cameo as the character in ‘The Marvels,’ is also on the list.

    There’s no word yet on whether this means his version of Beast will be the final MCU variant, but with Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden also announced, the X-Men clearly have a presence. Likewise, Channing Tatum, who made such an impact in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ will be back as Gambit. No sign of Ryan Reynolds or Hugh Jackman, though.

    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.

    Bob (Lewis Pullman) in Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.
    Bob (Lewis Pullman) in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 Marvel.

    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.

    Joe and Anthony Russo on their return

    (L to R) Joe Russo and Anthony Russo at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Joe Russo and Anthony Russo at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Speaking to Empire magazine, Anthony revealed that what lured them to return:

    “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.

    Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in 'Avengers: Doomsday'.
    Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    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.

    This is what they told Entertainment Tonight:

    “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’…

    What is Marvel’s ‘Secret Wars’?

    (L to R) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo and Kevin Feige present 'Avengers: Secret Wars' at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo and Kevin Feige present ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    ‘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.

    'Avengers: Doomsday'.
    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Upcoming MCU Movies and TV Shows:

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  • Matthew Macfadyen to Play George Smiley

    (Left) Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 Marvel. (Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'. Photo: StudioCanal.
    (Left) Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 Marvel. (Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

    Preview:

    • Matthew Macfadyen may be our next screen George Smiley.
    • A new TV series will adapt several John le Carré spy novels.
    • Le Carré’s sons are behind the latest effort.

    Spies, it would seem, never quite leave our screens. And would we even know if they’d snuck away anyway?

    But between the ongoing wrangling over the future of the James Bond franchise, similar seismic shifts in the Bourne empire, Apple TV+’s ‘Slow Horses’ continuing to impress on small screens and Steven Soderbergh bringing icily cool espionage to movie theaters with the recent ‘Black Bag,’ they are still at the forefront of pop culture.

    And that’s without mentioning the raft of straight-to-home entertainment titles that sneak on to streaming and elsewhere apparently every other month.

    Yet the name John le Carré, much like Bond creator Ian Fleming, carries more weight and –– usually at least –– a more recognizable stamp of potential quality.

    Which goes some way to explain why his work keeps being adapted. Now, if a new project comes together as its backers hope, we could see the latest incarnation of le Carré’s most famous creation, George Smiley, show up.

    Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans on HBO's 'Succession.' Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.
    Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.

    As, according to Variety, ‘Succession’ actor Matthew Macfadyen is attached to play Smiley in a potential new series called ‘Legacy of Spies.’

    It’s the latest development for The Ink Factory, the company founded by le Carré’s sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell, which has previously produced multiple adaptations of the author’s work.

    That includes the series adaptation of ‘The Night Manager’ starring Tom Hiddleston. That show won two Emmys and three Golden Globes, including best actor for Hiddleston, upon its debut.

    ‘Legacy of Spies,’ however promises to be a little different…

    What’s the story of ‘Legacy of Spies’?

    (Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'. Photo: StudioCanal.
    (Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

    The pitch comes with multiple scripts written by Ink Factory co-founder Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram.

    ‘Silo’ creator Graham Yost (who also helped launch ‘Slow Horses’) is executive producing the potential series, based on le Carré’s series of novels featuring the character Smiley, ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,’ ‘The Honorable Schoolboy’ and several others, as well as some unpublished materials.

    Le Carré’s bestselling novels were inspired by the author’s own experience of working for British intelligence in the 1950s and 60s. Some other work by le Carré –– the pen name of David Cornwell, who died aged 89 in 2020 –– will also be used in the show.

    We’ll have to see if it gets picked up, but Variety’s story mentions that it has already been pitched and has multiple offers on the table, so we’re thinking it’s more a case of when this one gets made.

    Legendary spymaster Smiley, a sometimes bureaucratic and calculating character, has previously been brought to screens by a long line of actors, including Rupert Davies in 1965’s ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ Denholm Elliott in 1991 TV movie ‘A Murder of Quality’ and Alec Guinness in the 1979 ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ TV miniseries.

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    Perhaps the most famous version was Gary Oldman’s in Tomas Alfredson’s 2011 movie adaptation of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ which was nominated for three Oscars, including Oldman for Best Actor, its score, composed by Alberto Iglesias, and its adapted screenplay from Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor.

    In the novels, le Carré describes the character as, “Short, fat, and of a quiet disposition, he appeared to spend a lot of money on really bad clothes, which hung about his squat frame like skin on a shrunken toad,” which means the lanky Macfadyen will be playing a slightly shifted version.

    Smiley is also far from the author’s only creation. The Ink Factory’s series and film adaptations of le Carré novels besides ‘The Night Manager’ include U.K. television series ‘The Little Drummer Girl,’ directed by Park Chan-wook and the Anton Corbijn-directed ‘A Most Wanted Man’ starring Philip Seymour Hoffmann, in partnership with Amusement Park.

    The company is also developing a new TV series based on le Carré’s ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ and contemporary series adaptations of ‘The Constant Gardener’ (in English) and ‘A Most Wanted Man’ (in German).

    Where else have we seen Matthew Macfadyen?

    Matthew Macfadyen Talks 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    Matthew Macfadyen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.

    Macfadyen is probably best known at the moment for the aforementioned role on HBO hit ‘Succession’ as Tom Wambsgans, the ambitious, blustering husband to Sarah Snook’s Shiv Roy, who has his eye on more power in her father’s legacy media company.

    He won two Emmys and two BAFTA awards for his scene-stealing performance on Jesse Armstrong’s show, which was on screens between 2018 and 2023.

    The British actor is also known for his roles in films such as 2005’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Death at a Funeral,’ and was most recently seen in as Mr. Paradox in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’

    Next up is Prime Video thriller ‘Holland,’ opposite Nicole Kidman, which premiered this month at the SXSW festival.

    And let’s not forget that the actor has fictional intelligence agency bona fides already: he played MI-5 agent Tom Quinn across several episodes of UK spy series ‘Spooks’ (retitled in the States as ‘MI-5’), so he knows his way around a dead drop.

    Related Article: Matthew Macfadyen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Playing Mr. Paradox

    When will the new George Smiley series be on our screens?

    That’s the big question –– right now, without a confirmed buyer for the project, there are zero details on a release.

    But with multiple offers coming in, we can expect to hear news before too long; perhaps we could see another collaboration between AMC and a UK channel, as with ‘The Night Manager’ series? Or even Prime Video, which has nabbed the rights to two further seasons of the Hiddleston-fronted show.

    Gary Oldman as George Smiley in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'. Photo: StudioCanal.
    Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

    John le Carré Movies and TV Shows:

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  • Ryan Gosling in Talks for Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars’ Movie

    Ryan Gosling at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 12, 2024. The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, 2024 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Ryan Gosling at the Oscar Nominee Luncheon held in the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton on Monday, February 12, 2024. The 96th Oscars will air on Sunday, March 10, 2024 live on ABC. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Ryan Gosling is in talks for a new ‘Star Wars’ movie.
    • ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy is directing.
    • Details on the film are scant right now.

    What a difference a ‘Deadpool’ makes.

    In this case, we mean ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ which has earned more than $1.33 billion worldwide and helped turn Marvel’s fortunes around while boosting Disney’s box office to a great degree last year.

    That movie’s director, prolific filmmaker/producer Shawn Levy, is naturally now of great value to the studio, so his other projects based there are getting renewed attention.

    And one of them, set in that particular galaxy far, far away, just got an A-list shot in the arm, as Ryan Gosling is, according to The Hollywood Reporter, in talks to star for Levy in his ‘Star Wars’ movie.

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    What’s the story of Shawn Levy’s ‘Star Wars’ movie?

    Shawn Levy attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    Shawn Levy attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    As with most things in development under the Lucasfilm banner, details are scarce. We do know that Levy, despite being seemingly busy with 500 different projects at once (including the aforementioned ‘Deadpool’ movie and producing/directing duties on the final season of ‘Stranger Things’ to name just two) has been developing his untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie since at least 2022.

    Jonathan Tropper, who collaborated with Levy on films such as ‘This is Where I Leave You’ and ‘The Adam Project,’ has been working on a script for over a year. Levy is also producing the feature via his 21 Laps banner, joining ‘Star Wars’ steward and Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy.

    The time period for the potential new offering is unknown, though it reportedly charts its own course and doesn’t feature anyone from the Skywalker saga, with the emphasis on this being a standalone adventure.

    If Gosling’s deal closes, the hope is to have the new movie shooting in the fall, which means Levy would likely press pause on working on the planned boyband comedy that his usual Ryan –– that would be Reynolds –– has been developing. Still, given Levy’s work ethic, we wouldn’t be surprised if he knocked that out this summer before diving into ‘Star Wars.’

    Of course, for now, it’s all unofficial, with neither Lucasfilm nor Disney offering comment, but with Star Wars Celebration set for April this year in Tokyo, we could see more solid news then.

    Related Article: ‘Star Wars’ Movie News and a New ‘Indiana Jones’ Trailer Revealed at Star Wars Celebration

    What else does Ryan Gosling have going on?

    Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in 'The Fall Guy,' directed by David Leitch. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch. © Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Gosling, who was one of the key elements in 2023’s monster hit ‘Barbie’ had a slightly less successful 2023, as romantic action comedy ‘The Fall Guy’ –– which was perfectly entertaining in our opinion –– failed to land at the box office and only earned $181 million from a $125 budget.

    He’ll be back on our screens next year in another space-based project, as he’s in the lead in ‘Project Hail Mary,’ the latest film adapted from the work of ‘The Martian’s Andy Weir, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller directing from a script by ‘Martian’ man Drew Goddard.

    That one errs more towards the sci-fi than space opera, featuring an astronaut who has to try and save the planet. It’ll arrive on May 20th, 2026.

    Behind the camera, Gosling is an executive producer on a Donald E. Westlake adaptation called ‘The Actor,’ though that movie has yet to land a release date.

    And oddly, Gosling’s name has been linked with ‘Star Wars’ in the past, when rumors spread online in 2013 that he and Zac Efron were being eyed by ‘The Force Awakens’ filmmaker J.J. Abrams for a part that may have eventually become Kylo Ren (as played in the sequel trilogy by Adam Driver).

    What else is in development for big screen ‘Star Wars’?

    (L to R) Director James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
    (L to R) Director James Mangold, Dave Filoni, and director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

    Jon Favreau’s ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ is first among ‘Star Wars’ equals right now, having shot last year and now speeding through post-production for a release next year.

    ‘Mandalorian’ co-creator and fellow steward Dave Filoni is still putting the pieces together for his own film, while one that continues the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley) is in development from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy but appears to keep hitting stumbling blocks and has been removed from the schedule for now.

    And then there’s James Mangold’s film, which explores the origins of the Jedi and early force users and is awaiting a release date.

    We’d guess that while Filoni (who promoted earlier this year to Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm) is still going full speed ahead on his movie, he’s also been busy figuring out a second season of ‘Ahsoka.’

    Here’s what he said about that:

    “I’m so well into that as well… I’ve been writing it, and I’m still the single writer on it, and so I’ve been enjoying doing that, but it’s a challenge, of course, and working some of these arcs through has been a challenge and making sure it’s all going to come out in a way that I think is exciting for fans. I know that they’re interested in where some of the things I developed in Season One. I’m pretty happy with it… Love working with Rosario [Dawson], so I can’t wait to get back to that.”

    Beyond those, there are several movies (and potential trilogies) which don’t seem to be moving forward and may have been scrapped altogether, including new potential movies from ‘The Last Jedi’s Rian Johnson (who is busy with his ‘Knives Out’ movies and may not wish to dip back into the toxic stew of ‘Star Wars’ fandom after the divisive reaction to his first effort) and ‘Wonder Woman’s Patty Jenkins, who had a much-touted ‘Rogue Squadron’ story of rebel pilots that appears to have had trouble leaving the development hanger.

    When will the next ‘Star Wars’ movie be in theaters?

    (L to R) Dave Filoni, Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm and Jon Favreau appears at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California on August 09, 2024. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.
    (L to R) Dave Filoni, Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm and Jon Favreau appears at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California on August 09, 2024. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney.

    So far, only ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ has a confirmed release date, that being May 22nd, 2026.

    Disney and Lucasfilm do have an untitled ‘Star Wars’ movie on their release calendar for December 17th, 2027, so if the Levy film does hit lightspeed, chances are it could fly into that slot.

    ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Concept Art courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Concept Art courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    List of ‘Star Wars’ Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy ‘Star Wars’ Movies On Amazon

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  • Best Movies of 2024

    Moviefone counts down the 24 best movies of 2024.
    Moviefone counts down the 24 best movies of 2024.

    As we start to close the book on 2024, it’s time to look back at the 24 best movies of the year!

    2024 saw new films from acclaimed filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola (‘Megalopolis‘) and Sean Baker (‘Anora‘), fantastic musicals such as ‘Wicked‘ and ‘Emilia Pérez‘, the animated hits ‘The Wild Robot‘ and ‘Moana 2‘, box office record breakers like ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ and ‘Inside Out 2‘, horror movies such as ‘Heretic‘ and ‘Longlegs‘, long-awaited sequels like ‘Gladiator II‘ and ‘Dune: Part Two‘ and the awards contenders ‘A Complete Unknown‘ and ‘The Brutalist‘.

    With the year quickly coming to a close, Moviefone has assembled its list of the 24 best movies of 2024.

    Let’s begin and Happy New Year!

    24. ‘Love Lies Bleeding‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Katy O'Brian and Kristen Stewart in 'Love Lies Bleeding.' Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Katy O’Brian and Kristen Stewart in ‘Love Lies Bleeding.’ Photo: A24.

    From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) falls hard for Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

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    23. ‘Civil War‘ (2024)

    Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in 'Civil War.'
    (L to R) Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.

    Directed by Alex Garland, in the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.

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    22. ‘The Last Showgirl‘ (2025)

    Pamela Anderson in 'The Last Showgirl'. Photo: Roadside Attractions.
    Pamela Anderson in ‘The Last Showgirl’. Photo: Roadside Attractions.

    Opening in limited release in December 2024 and directed by by Gia Coppola, ‘The Last Showgirl’ stars Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.

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    21. ‘Megalopolis‘ (2024)

    Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in 'Megalopolis'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, genius artist Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.

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    20. ‘Longlegs‘ (2024)

    Maika Monroe in 'Longlegs'.
    Maika Monroe in ‘Longlegs’. Photo: Neon.

    Directed by Osgood Perkins, in pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

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    19. ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga‘ (2024)

    Chris Hemsworth in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jasin Boland. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Chris Hemsworth in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ action adventure ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jasin Boland. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Directed by George Miller, as the world falls, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

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    18. ‘Piece By Piece‘ (2024)

    Pharrell Williams stars in director Morgan Neville’s 'Piece By Piece', a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.
    Pharrell Williams stars in director Morgan Neville’s ‘Piece By Piece’, a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.

    Directed by Morgan Neville, ‘Piece By Piece’ is a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds.

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    17. ‘Juror #2‘ (2024)

    Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Juror #2,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Claire Folger. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Juror #2,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Claire Folger. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Directed by Clint Eastwood, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, family man Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict—or free—the accused killer.

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    16. ‘The Wild Robot‘ (2024)

    Roz (Lupita N’yongo) in DreamWorks Animation’s 'The Wild Robot', directed by Chris Sanders. © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.
    Roz (Lupita N’yongo) in DreamWorks Animation’s ‘The Wild Robot’, directed by Chris Sanders. © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

    After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose (Kit Connor).

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    15. ‘Gladiator II‘ (2024)

    Paul Mescal plays Lucius in 'Gladiator II' from Paramount Pictures.
    Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Directed by Ridley Scott, years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

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    14. ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

    Demi Moore in 'The Substance'. Photo: Mubi.
    Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’. Photo: Mubi.

    Directed by Coralie Fargeat, a fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).

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    13. ‘Rebel Ridge‘ (2024)

    Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond in 'Rebel Ridge'. Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix © 2024.
    Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond in ‘Rebel Ridge’. Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix © 2024.

    Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, a former Marine (Aaron Pierce) confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin’s bail.

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    12. ‘Emilia Pérez‘ (2024)

    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in 'Emilia Pérez'. Photo: Netflix.
    Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.

    Directed by Jacques Audiard, Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm more interested in getting criminals out of jail than bringing them to justice, is hired by the leader of a criminal organization.

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    11. ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

    Hugh Grant in 'Heretic'. Photo: A24.
    Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

    Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

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    10. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘ (2024)

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Directed by Shawn Levy, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) returns to save the Marvel Cinematic Universe with help from a new version of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).

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    9. ‘Saturday Night‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in 'Saturday Night'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Directed by Jason Reitman, at 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live‘.

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    8. ‘Challengers‘ (2024)

    Zendaya stars as Tashi in director Luca Guadagnino’s 'Challengers,' an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Niko Tavernise. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Zendaya stars as Tashi in director Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Niko Tavernise. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, ‘Challengers’ stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.

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    7. ‘September 5‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), Hank Hanson (Corey Johnson), Jacques Lesgardes (Zinedine Soualem), Geoff Mason (John Magaro), Carter (Marcus Rutherford), Gladys Deist (Georgina Rich), Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), Marianne Gebhard (Leonie Benesch) star in Paramount Pictures’ 'September 5' the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), Hank Hanson (Corey Johnson), Jacques Lesgardes (Zinedine Soualem), Geoff Mason (John Magaro), Carter (Marcus Rutherford), Gladys Deist (Georgina Rich), Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), Marianne Gebhard (Leonie Benesch) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘September 5’ the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, during the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team is thrust from covering sports to reporting a dramatic hostage situation involving Israeli athletes. A young producer (John Magaro), unexpectedly leading the live broadcast, faces difficult decisions as time runs out, rumors spread, and the hostages’ lives hang in the balance.

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    6. ‘The Order‘ (2024)

    Jude Law in 'The Order'. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
    Jude Law in ‘The Order’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

    Directed by Justin Kurzel, an alarming surge in violent bombings and bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads a weathered FBI agent (Jude Law) into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a charismatic domestic terrorist (Nicholas Hoult) plotting to overthrow the US government.

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    5. ‘Wicked‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in 'Wicked', directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    (L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Directed by Jon M. Chu, in the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda (Ariana Grande) at Shiz University, and the two’s unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

    RQxhOkO0isYC870cad8Zg4

    4. ‘Conclave‘ (2024)

    Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger's 'Conclave', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.
    Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence in director Edward Berger’s ‘Conclave’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2024 All Rights Reserved.

    From director Edward Berger, ‘Conclave’ follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.

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    3. ‘Dune: Part Two‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure 'Dune: Part Two,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Directed by Denis Villeneuve, follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

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    2. ‘A Complete Unknown‘ (2024)

    Timothée Chalamet in 'A Complete Unkown'. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
    Timothée Chalamet in ‘A Complete Unkown’. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    Directed by James Mangold, set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, ‘A Complete Unknown’ follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.

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    1. ‘Anora‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in 'Anora'. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
    (L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.

    Sean Baker‘s Palme d’Or winner ‘Anora’ is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison captivates as Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire. However, when Vanya’s parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.

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  • Ryan Reynolds Planning Boy Band Comedy Movie

    Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman attend the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman attend the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    Preview:

    • Ryan Reynolds is developing a new comedy about a boy band.
    • He aims to have Hugh Jackman co-star.
    • ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ director Shawn Levy would co-produce and potentially direct the movie.

    The gigantic success of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (it earned more than $1.3 billion at the box office this year and is already racking up plenty of views on Disney+) means that Ryan Reynolds should have carte blanche to do whatever he wants next.

    Mostly what he appears to want to do is take a break –– at least as much as someone as busy as Reynolds, with his various marketing efforts and other companies, not to mention a wealth of potential new movies can be –– and spend more time with his family.

    But there are still movies that he wants to make and in a new, wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he references one that originally cropped up last year, the story of a boy band.

    Related Article: Ryan Reynolds Scripting New Movie to Re-Team With Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy

    What’s the story of the Ryan Reynolds boy band movie?

    Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024.
    Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

    Right now, much of the movie is a mystery –– we don’t know exactly what aspect of the boy band life would be featured.

    But given that Reynolds is looking to reunite with his friend and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ co-star Hugh Jackman on the new movie, we can imagine something catching up with the former members of a boy band group who have since gone their separate ways.

    The Netflix TV series ‘Girls5Eva’ covers similar territory, albeit from the point of view of a girl group.

    This is what Reynolds told the Reporter about the project:

    “I’m on a second draft. The first draft was incredible and written by one of my favorite writers, Jesse Andrews [‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’]. Now I’m on my lonesome. There are no dates or anything just yet. I’m not filming anything for at least a year. This feels like it needs to have an extremely modest budget, and one that wouldn’t be all about going to pay above-the-line actors. Shawn, Hugh and I are open to creative ways to make this movie at an absolute bargain.”

    And this was his quote about the trouble with boy bands:

    “A lot of members of boy bands — and there are a lot of them — had managers who left them high and dry. They experienced levels of fame that would be very difficult for anyone to navigate, let alone an adolescent, when you are farming out your self-worth to an audience of screaming people. It creates a kind of arrested cultural development. They’re forever associated with that period of time in their lives. This would be about people in their 40s and 50s trying to get their lives back. I think there is something beautiful about that. The north star for me as a producer is joy. I feel like cynicism is a contracting industry and doesn’t have a great shelf life.”

    Who else would work on the new movie?

    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, and Ryan Reynolds attend 'The Adam Project' World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix.
    (L to R) Hugh Jackman, Shawn Levy, and Ryan Reynolds attend ‘The Adam Project’ World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall on February 28, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix.

    While it appears Reynolds is now solely writing the movie himself, there’s a chance he could collaborate down the line with others again.

    And from the sounds of it this is being seen as a potential ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ reunion in more ways than one, since director/producer Shawn Levy, who wrangled that giant superhero movie to life with Reynolds, is also likely to be involved as a producer and, potentially, director.

    Levy makes sense, since he’s formed a close working bond with Reynolds following ‘Free Guy,’ ‘The Adam Project’ and now ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ though like his colleagues, he’s also someone who has a packed schedule.

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    Still, given that it sounds like the boy band project is a ways away, all three could carve out some future time to work on the movie. While Paramount is still apparently involved in the new film, it’s far too early to speculate on when it might hit theaters.

    Talking of the more recent Deadpool outing, there has naturally been speculation that Wade Wilson and Logan could return for the two new ‘Avengers’ movies that will be headed our way in 2026 and 2027…

    Will Deadpool show up in the new ‘Avengers’ movies?

    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine'.
    Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Reynolds plays it coy in the Reporter interview when asked about a potential return for Deadpool.

    This is what he had to say:

    “There are no updates to share just yet. But I trust Kevin and [Marvel exec] Lou D’Esposito with my life. The character trait I love most about Deadpool is that he’s a fanboy. His enthusiasm and longing to be part of a team is really endearing to me. It’s his overarching wish-fulfillment story. But I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man. I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider. His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted. His coping mechanism of deflecting shame through humor works only when used to pave over his many inadequacies. If and when he does become an Avenger or X-Man, we’re at the end of his journey.”

    Director Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman from 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.
    (L to R) Director Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman from ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Shawn Levy Movies Starring Ryan Reynolds and/or Hugh Jackman:

    Buy the ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Movie On Amazon

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  • Chris Evans Returning to the MCU for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    (Left) Chris Evans as Captain America in 'Captain America: Civil War'. Photo: Marvel Studios. (Right) Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in 'Avengers: Doomsday'. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (Left) Chris Evans as Captain America in ‘Captain America: Civil War’. Photo: Marvel Studios. (Right) Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Preview:

    • Chris Evans is reportedly heading back to the Marvel family for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
    • Joe and Anthony Russo are aboard to direct the movie.
    • Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Dr. Doom.

    With the giant announcement back at Comic-Con this past July that Robert Downey Jr. would be returning to the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe –– but as Doctor Doom, rather than a variant of the late Tony “Iron Man” Stark –– talk has naturally turned to his fellow veteran Marvel actors and whether they’ll be back alongside the newer crop.

    It seems one of the other main players has made the choice to come back, as The Wrap reports that Chris Evans is now deep in talks to return for the first of the two new ‘Avengers’ movies that the studio has planned –– ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ –– which will see the heroes going up against Doom.

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    What the story doesn’t specify is whether Evans will be back as Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America, who, let’s not forget was last seen as an old man at the end of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ after he opted to spend a different timeline’s life with Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).

    Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson took over the Cap mantle, and he’ll be seen in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ this coming February.

    So Evans could well be playing someone else, as he did when he reprised his old Fox Marvel role as Johnny Storm in this summer’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’

    But at the very least, it’s exciting news.

    What has happened with the new ‘Avengers’ movies so far?

    'Avengers: Doomsday'.
    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    To say the road to the new ‘Avengers’ films has been problematic is to say an erupting volcano is a little toasty.

    Originally announced as part of a big reveal by studio boss Kevin Feige at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con about future “phase” developments, the new movies were called ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.

    ‘The Kang Dynasty’ has been the real sticking point here. Though the plan had presumably been to build to a confrontation with Jonathan Majors’ multiversal villain, Majors found himself cut by Marvel after accusations (and, later a guilty result) of harassment.

    While ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton boarded the film shortly after it was announced, he’s since stepped away. ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy has reportedly offered been the gig since then, but the July Con announcement also confirmed that ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ directors Joe and Anthony Russo are back to handle the two giant team-up efforts.

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will focus on the likes of the current Avengers team and the Fantastic Four (played by Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bacharach, and set to be introduced in their own movie next July) having to face the new threat of Doom.

    ‘Secret Wars’ has been more of a mystery on the filmmaking front.

    What is Marvel’s ‘Secret Wars?

    'Avengers: Secret Wars'.
    ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    ‘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’, and they’re bringing along scripter Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote most of their previous Marvel output.

    Who else will be in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

    (L to R) Louis D'Esposito, Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo and Anthony Russo present 'Avengers: Doomsday' at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
    (L to R) Louis D’Esposito, Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr., Joe Russo and Anthony Russo present ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    Alongside Evans in whatever capacity, we’ll of course see Downey plus the ‘Fantastic Four’ cast.

    Mackie is very likely to show up as Cap, and Benedict Cumberbatch has been talked about to return as Doctor Strange. We’ll have to wait and see whether the likes of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man or any of the other stalwarts will be back.

    There’s good money on Chris Hemsworth as Thor (since he’s still active) and hopefully the likes of Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will report for duty.

    Related Article: Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Offers Updates on ‘The Fantastic Four’ and More

    What has Evans worked on since ‘Endgame’?

    (L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in 'Red One.' Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
    (L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in ‘Red One.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

    Since hanging up his shield, Evans has been seen in the likes of ‘Knives Out,’ in a cameo as himself in ‘Free Guy’ and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ spin-off ‘Lightyear.’

    There has also been Netflix pill-slinging film ‘Pain Hustlers,’ Apple action movie ‘Ghosted,’ and he reunited with the Russos to play a scheming villain in thriller ‘The Gray Man.’

    More recently, there was the aforementioned ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Christmas-themed movie ‘Red One’ opposite Dwayne Johnson.

    Coming up, we have adventure comedy ‘Sacrifice,’ rom-com ‘Materialists’ and Ethan Coen’s latest, ‘Honey Don’t.’

    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.

    'Avengers: Doomsday'.
    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Photo: Marvel Studios Instagram Account.

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