Moviefone Editorial

Tag: diego-luna

  • Movie Review: ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.

    Based on the musical of the same name, ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman‘ comes exclusively to theaters on October 10th. The film follows a political prisoner named Valentin (Diego Luna) and his new cellmate Molina (Tonatiuh), as they form an unlikely bond. Jennifer Lopez also stars in the film as Ingrid Luna, Aurora, and the Spider Woman.

    WRB94FioLCmme9OzngmDd5

    Related Article: 5 Things We Learned At The ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ Press Conference

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman.' Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman.’ Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    At the core of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ are three powerful, unforgettable, performances. Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh are all incredible actors, and if nothing else, this movie is proof of that. They all ooze chemistry with one another, which is important for the story being told. However, there are some issues with the pacing that severaly take away from this, causing it to not hit the potential that it has.

    Story and Direction

    Bill Condon attends the 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.
    Bill Condon attends the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.

    ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ essentially tells two stories that are often playing off of one another. As Molina explains his favorite movie to Valentin over the course of many days, we find life immitating art. While both of these do have their intriguing and captivating moments, the cuts back and forth often take viewers out of the experience, causing them to struggle to reconnect with the characters when they are re-introduced to them.

    That said, director Bill Condon does a wonderful job capturing the feel of an early era movie, as does the production and costuming team.

    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Diego Luna in 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Diego Luna in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    One of the biggest issues here is a key plot point that almost comes out of nowhere. Those who know the musical will be waiting for it, and those that do not, well, they will never see it coming. The issue here lies in that there really should be breadcrumbs along the way hinting that this is where things are going. It is almost too jarring and out of left field for viewers who do not know what to expect. This is largely in part, once again, due to the back and forth of the two stories.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    As already discussed earlier in this review, the strongest part of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ is the cast. All three leads deliver performances of a lifetime. They connect with each other in unexpected and thrilling ways, always evoking a powerful emotion, no matter who they are opposite with in the scene.

    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    Jennifer Lopez is not just a great actress, she is known for her singing and dancing, something we see a lot of in this movie. However, audiences will likely find themselves wanting more every time it cuts back to the prison. Still, it is impossible not to appreciate all of the musical performances, no matter how subtle or grandeous.

    Final Thoughts

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.

    Audiences will be drawn to the screen due to the gorgeous costumes and lead performances in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’, if nothing else. While the overall stories timely and emotional, the back and forth does a disservice to both of them.

    There was also no need for the film to be over two hours long. If twenty minutes or so were removed, and if the dual stories were allowed more time to breath rather than rapidly going back and forth, ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ could have been a masterpiece. Instead, it is a fine enough movie that is worth seeing, if only for Diego Luna, Jennifer Lopez, and Tonatiuh.

    ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ receives a score of 65 out of 100.

    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    What is the plot of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’?

    Valentín, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’?

    • Diego Luna as Valentin Arregui and Armando
    • Tonatiuh as Luis Molina and Kendall Nesbit
    • Jennifer Lopez as Aurora, Ingrid Luna, and Spider Woman
    • Bruno Bichir as Oscar Ledesma
    • Josefina Scaglione as Marta
    • Aline Mayagoitia as Paulina Paz
    'Kiss of the Spider Woman' opens in theaters on October 10th.
    ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ opens in theaters on October 10th.

    List of Bill Condon Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jennifer Lopez Movies on Amazon

    sHKIXNys

  • ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ Press Conference: Jennifer Lopez

    (L to R) Bill Condon, Jennifer Lopez, and Tonatiuh attend the 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.
    (L to R) Bill Condon, Jennifer Lopez, and Tonatiuh attend the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.

    ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman‘, which is based on the musical of the same name, comes exclusively to theaters on October 10th. It tells the story of two prisoners who form an unlikely bond. Moviefone was in attendance at the press conference in support of the release, which featured Jennifer Lopez (who plays Aurora, Ingrid Luna, and Spider Woman) and Diego Luna (who plays Valentin Arregui and Armando). They shared details about the costumes and choreography, as well as the film’s powerful message.

    WRB94FioLCmme9OzngmDd5

    Related Article: Director Bill Condon Talks Musical Adaptation ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’

    1) How Jennifer Lopez Crafted Three Separate Characters

    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    Jennifer Lopez plays not one, not two, but three different characters in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. Here, she discusses how she crafted all three of them.

    Jennifer Lopez: It was three different characters that I got to play. Ingrid Luna, the actress, that Tonatiuh’s character, Molina, idolizes and is in love with. There’s her, and then there’s Aurora, and then there’s the Spider Woman, right? There is the dark and the light. The two sides of somebody. At the end of the day, you look at it and you say, okay, Molina is Aurora. They’re the same person. And then Molina loves Ingrid Luna. For me, it was making them all just a little bit different, but knowing that all of us were the same, in that we were all searching for love. The Spider Woman just wants a kiss. Aurora’s looking for her true love. Molina’s dying to be loved, wanting to be loved, wanting to be seen. For me, playing each one of the three characters, it was about finding little nuances.

    2) Jennifer Lopez Took A Lot Of Inspiration From Old Hollywood

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    When talking about the costumes, Jennifer Lopez reveals the old Hollywood actresses and styles that she and director Bill Condon looked to for inspiration.

    Jennifer Lopez: It’s the costumes and it’s the hair and makeup, right? It’s all of it because my three characters are so different. [The Costume Designer] Colleen Atwood was very specific about what she wanted. It wasn’t like other costume designers I’ve worked with. She was like, this is the suit that I’m thinking of for this, and she had a sketch of it and she had color swatches. And she was like, what do you think? We kind of honed it down, but it made it very clear for me where I was in each moment because we are not making a whole movie in the musical, right? We’re doing pieces of this movie. It made it very simple for me to understand exactly who I was in that moment. So for me, the costumes are a very big part of understanding the character and making the reality come to life in that way. We talked about Judy Garland [as inspiration] for Ingrid Luna a little bit. We kind of looked at some of her performances for that. When I think of old Hollywood movie stars, I think of Ava Gardner or Rita Hayworth, those type of women. Lana Turner was one that we looked at for the hair for Aurora. Audrey Hepburn for the Spider Woman.

    3) Diego Luna Reveals How He Found The Characters Of Valentin & Armando

    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Diego Luna in 'Kiss Of The Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Tonatiuh and Diego Luna in ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    Diego Luna explains how he crafted his ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ characters and the inspiration behind them.

    Diego Luna: I guess growing up in Mexico and learning about the recent history of Latin America, this film means a lot, you know? There are so many brutal examples of dictatorships in Latin America. I was in Mexico in the 90s where a lot was happening, in 94 particularly. It was a very important year for many things. For social movements and for community work. So, of course that’s there. But I would say that the most important part of my past that I got to play with here is theater. My father was a set designer and this film to me is a homage to the theater, or how much film was theater back then.

    4) Jennifer Lopez Says One Of The Film’s Biggest Messages Is That Love Is Love

    Jennifer Lopez attends the 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.
    Jennifer Lopez attends the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.

    Jennifer Lopez is also an executive producer on ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’. One of the things that drew her to this film is the powerful message that she wants viewers to take away.

    Jennifer Lopez: I feel like the story and the message is not done yet. It needed to be told again to this generation. We need to remind people of the humanity of these communities. We need to remind people that love is love. It’s a story that I think will keep being told until everybody gets on board with the fact that we’re all just people and we all should just be loving each other. It doesn’t matter who we are on the outside because you have this cisgendered man who’s a political, tough, revolutionary, and then you have this window dresser who’s on the gender spectrum and we’re not quite clear what it is from that time because it was in the 80s. And you have the two of them just seeing the humanity in each other, realizing they need each other, and falling in love with who the other person is.

    5) Jennifer Lopez Has Been Wanting To Do This Type Of Dancing In A Film For A Long Time

    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    When asked about the choreography for ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’, Jennifer Lopez admits that it is something she has wanted to do for a very long time.

    Jennifer Lopez: It was amazing. I do a lot of shows, my own shows, and I do a lot of dancing, but I hadn’t done this type of dancing for years and years and years. That musical theater, jazz, technical style of dancing, Broadway style of dancing. And so it was challenging. It was challenging, but so much fun. Because it was something that I had wanted to do for so long. I just loved it. I loved every minute of it.

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.

    What is the plot of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’?

    Valentín, a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina, a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’?

    'Kiss of the Spider Woman' opens in theaters on October 10th.
    ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ opens in theaters on October 10th.

    List of Bill Condon Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jennifer Lopez Movies on Amazon

    sHKIXNys

  • ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Interview: Director Bill Condon

    qrwBu2H1

    Opening in theaters on October 10th is the new adaptation of the stage musical ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’, which was written and directed by Oscar nominee Bill Condon (‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’), and stars Jennifer Lopez (‘Hustlers’), Diego Luna (‘Andor’) and Tonatiuh (Carry-On).

    WRB94FioLCmme9OzngmDd5

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Bill Condon about his work on ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’, the challenges of adapting the musical for the screen, directing the dance sequences, his visual influences, and what impressed him most about working with Jennifer Lopez.

    'Kiss of the Spider Woman' writer and director Bill Condon.
    ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ writer and director Bill Condon.

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

    Related Article: Jennifer Lopez Starring in Musical Movie ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’

    Bill Condon attends the 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.
    Bill Condon attends the ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ New York premiere. Credit: Jason Crowley/BFA.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the challenges of adapting a stage musical for the screen and the process of writing the screenplay?

    Bill Condon: The challenge, really, when you love a musical on stage the way I do this, is you must be brutal. You must figure out what works in the different medium. Some of my favorite songs in this show are people singing within prison walls and I just don’t believe in that as a viable way to go when making this into a film. I really thought we had to make a clear delineation between the grittiness and reality of the cell and the fantasy of the musical numbers, which mostly happened in a Hollywood movie and sometimes in Molina’s imagination, or in one case, a morphine induced fever dream. So, I think that’s the big challenge to take this score, for example, which I think is one of John Kander’s greatest. He’s a great lover of opera and I think this is the show in which he came closest to creating an opera. Then having to say goodbye to over half of it. Then because Fred Ebb is no longer with us, and I knew that in creating this movie within the movie, which hadn’t existed before, that there were song slots that he’d be writing if he were here. So, then the challenge, but fun was doing this archaeological dig, all the stuff that Fred and John wrote for this show in the years before it came to Broadway. So, there are three wonderful songs that are unearthed here and heard for the first time.

    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez in in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Can you talk about the dance sequences, the specific way you wanted to shoot them and your visual influences for those scenes?

    BC: Well, we wanted to shoot them in the style of the period, which meant longer takes, more full-figured, to show basically that these dancers and Jennifer Lopez are doing every one of those things. You know, she has shots here where she dances with six dancers for over a minute and hits marks and things like that, the way they used to, except for they used to have two weeks to rehearse those shots and we had a day. So that’s just a testament to Jennifer Lopez. But in terms of influences, they’re just countless movies of the period that get referenced in this movie. I really do look forward to the Easter egg commentary on the Blu-ray where we can really point people to the numbers that inspired us.

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, what impressed you most about working with Jennifer Lopez and the way she interpreted her role?

    BC: I think what impressed me most, the work ethic I’d heard about, so it was thrilling, but not a surprise. But what impressed me most is that she really connected to the idea that the character Aurora that she’s playing in this movie is Molina’s ideal version of himself. So, she really wanted to layer in things, emotions that he was feeling into that performance and translate it into the style of the period. It’s remarkable, and it’s so subtle, I think people might not even notice it, but it’s an incredible feat of, in her case, immersion in the style, and then layering in within that. When she realizes, “Oh, my God, I’ve been cursed. This is why I can’t love,” which is how Molina feels about himself. She does it in the style of the period, but she brings it this extra kind of little bit of grit that connects to what Molina is up to.

    Jennifer Lopez in 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.
    Jennifer Lopez in ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’. Courtesy Of Roadside Attractions.

    What is the plot of ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’?

    Valentín (Diego Luna), a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez).

    Who is in the cast of ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’?

    'Kiss of the Spider Woman' opens in theaters on October 10th.
    ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ opens in theaters on October 10th.

    List of Bill Condon Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Jennifer Lopez Movies on Amazon

  • TV Review: ‘Andor’ Season 2

    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Andor’ Season 2 receives 9 out of 10 stars.

    Returning to Disney+ with the first three episodes of Season 2, ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Andor’ once more follows the struggle of the Rebel Alliance as it ramps up its conflict with the Galactic Empire as seen through the lens of rebel agent Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and an assortment of characters of both sides of the battle.

    Season 2 has an interesting release pattern –– the 12 episodes are split across four batches of three, and there is a time jump between batches, covering the four years leading up to the events of ‘Rogue One,’ moving from 4 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin, as seen in ‘Star Wars’) to the immediate events of the movie.

    Related Article: Diego Luna Talks Reprising ‘Rogue One’ Character in Disney+’s ‘Andor’

    Will ‘Andor’ Season 2 Spark Your Interest?

    (L to R, on bridge): Weapons Spec (Harry McEntire), Executive Officer (Gethin Alderman) and Captain Elk (Roger Barclay) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R, on bridge): Weapons Spec (Harry McEntire), Executive Officer (Gethin Alderman) and Captain Elk (Roger Barclay) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    With the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the first season of ‘Andor,’ the pressure on Season 2 is naturally huge, the expectation built further by the delay between seasons (the first run of episodes was all the way back in 2022).

    But by any real metric, the new season handily maintains the quality level of the first, bringing real stakes, incredibly layered shades of gray and genuine humanity to the galaxy far, far away.

    Still a much more mature take on the world of ‘Star Wars’ (which is to take nothing away from the entertainment value of shows such as ‘The Mandalorian’), ‘Andor’ represents top quality television.

    Script and Direction

    (L to R) Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna on the set of Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna on the set of Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Tony Gilroy leads a writing team that also includes Beau Willimon and Dan Gilroy, and the assembled staff has crafted a thrilling, politically astute, emotional and superb second season.

    While it has to handle various time jumps to accommodate the sheer breadth of its storytelling, the series does so with aplomb, managing to say a lot about the personal cost of rebellion and the banal efficiency of pure evil.

    This is very far from a basic battle of good vs. bad, and if the action quotient is lower than other shows, when it does feature set pieces, they’re of similar quality.

    On the directorial front, Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz and Alonso Ruizpalacios bring the same high quality in terms of scope, scale and style to the new episodes. Largely eschewing shooting on a volume stage and bringing many locations to life practically, ‘Andor’s visuals are entirely supportive of its high quality scripts.

    Confidently recreating looks and locations we all know and love from the original ‘Star Wars’ while also introducing us to more new worlds, the lived-in feel of the galaxy is entirely present and correct.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Partisan (Leonardo Taiwo) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Partisan (Leonardo Taiwo) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Diego Luna is once more the heart and soul of the show, whether he’s on a mission, fighting for his life or spending time with Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen, figuring out how to make a relationship work with such pressure upon them both.

    Arjona is similarly great, handed an impressive PTSD storyline as Bix, still recovering from her treatment at the hands of Imperial torturers, reckons with her place in the resistance.

    Also excellent? Stellan Skarsgård, who can turn any speech into a must-watch moment and remains superb as the morally slippery Luthen Rael. And Genevieve O’Reilly, while largely siloed in her own storyline, walks the line of political glad-handing and rebellious plotting without missing a beat.

    (L to R) Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Leida Mothma (Bronte Carmichael) and Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Leida Mothma (Bronte Carmichael) and Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    And we’d be remiss if we didn’t praise the contributions of Alan Tudyk, who once more brings the world’s snarkiest droid to life with a combination of performance capture and the most endlessly frustrated attitude this side of ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’s Marvin the Paranoid Android.

    His buddy comedy chemistry with Luna is as great as ever, and he’s got a great line in putdowns.

    Also? Ben Mendelsohn sweeps in and steal scenes as Orson Krennic, the hissable, cape-happy villain of ‘Rogue One,’ here an even more petty bureaucrat dedicated to getting the Death Star finished.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) and Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Some sequels feel unearned, but ‘Andor’s new run absolutely matches the sterling quality of the first and, even, in a few places, surpassing it. There might not be anything quite as memorable as the prison storyline from the original season, but it’s all still truly impressive.

    Our only other gripe? Not enough of sarcastic reprogrammed Imperial Droid K-2SO, but that’s just a personal bugbear.

    LcZEKvoeYEFJ4GSC1Kxol2

    What’s the plot of ‘Andor’ Season 2?

    The second season takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance.

    Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound.

    ‘Andor’ sets the clock back five years from the events of 2016’s ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ to tell the story of the film’s hero and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.

    Who stars in ‘Andor’ Season 2?

    (L to R) Corv (Noof Ousellam), Lieutenant Keysax (Nick Moss), Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Captain Vanis Tigo (Wilf Scolding) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor', exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Corv (Noof Ousellam), Lieutenant Keysax (Nick Moss), Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Captain Vanis Tigo (Wilf Scolding) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    List of ‘Star Wars’ Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy ‘Star Wars’ Movies On Amazon

    qsrUBXW8

     

  • Ben Mendelsohn Reportedly Back for ‘Andor’ Season 2

    Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'.
    Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’. Photo: Lucasfilm.

    Preview:

    • Ben Mendelsohn is reportedly back for ‘Andor’ Season 2.
    • The ‘Star Wars’ series has already shot the season.
    • Mendelsohn will reprise his role as Orson Krennic.

    Much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Team ‘Star Wars’ is famously circumspect when it comes to revealing information.

    But, as with the Death Star plans, leaks do occur. Which brings us to ‘Andor’, the Disney+ prequel series that leads into the events of ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’, where Death Star plans played a slightly important role.

    Season 1 of the show launched in 2022 to great acclaim, and executive producer Tony Gilroy and his team have been hard at work on Season 2.

    And now, according to an unusual source, we’ve learned that the new season will reportedly see the return of Ben Mendelsohn’s Imperial Director Orson Krennic.

    LcZEKvoeYEFJ4GSC1Kxol2

    What was the story of ‘Andor’ Season 1?

    Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+.

    ‘Andor’ focuses on the character of Cassian Andor (played in ‘Rogue One’ and the series by Diego Luna). It’s the story how a young man went from an orphan whose people were attacked by Imperial Forces to a resistance fighter recruited by the Rebel Alliance to focus his anger.

    Along the way, he learns that the fight against the oppressive regime is far from the black-and-white-conflict usually portrayed in the movies, and even ended up spending time in a high-tech Imperial prison.

    Related Article: Diego Luna Talks Reprising ‘Rogue One’ Character in Disney+’s ‘Andor’

    How does Imperial Director Krennic fit into the story?

    Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'.
    Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’. Photo: Lucasfilm.

    We first met Krennic at the start of ‘Rogue One’, striding across a windswept plain in a magnificent cape to bring Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen), chief designer of the Death Star back from where he has been hiding out to track down an issue with it –– an issue Erso himself created.

    The Playlist talked to Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios for his new movie, and he revealed that not only had he been given the chance to direct the last three episodes of ‘Andor’s 12-episode second season, and that he had worked with great actors such as Stellan Skarsgård, Forest Whitaker and Mendelsohn.

    It makes sense that since the end of ‘Andor’ Season 2 is designed to directly dovetail into the start of ‘Rogue One’, Krennic would eventually show up. And what of Mikkelsen? We’ll have to wait and see on that front.

    Disney and Lucasfilm have of course not confirmed the casting, so keep that grain of salt ready for now, though Luna himself said at the recent ACE Superhero Comic Con that we can expect to see some familiar ‘Rogue One’ faces in the second season.

    20065704

    When will ‘Andor’ Season 2 arrive on screens?

    Disney has yet to officially confirm when the new season will land on its streaming service, but early 2025 would appear to be a possibility given how far along it is in the process.

    'Andor' season 1 will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.
    ‘Andor’ season 1 will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.

    Other ‘Star Wars’ Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy ‘Star Wars’ Movies On Amazon

    nN9aI2fP

     

  • Star Wars Celebration Day 1: TV Presentation

    cChTkeu3

    Fans got a look at a new trailer for ‘Ahsoka’ that is now online, while other series including ‘Skeleton Crew’ showed up with audience-only footage.

    While a big panel at today’s Star Wars Celebration in London was given over to the movies that the Lucasfilm team has in the works, there was plenty of attention for the ever-expanding TV portrayal of the various Jedis, bounty hunters and more.

    With Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni overseeing the ‘Mandalorian’ expanded small screen universe, the company has naturally used the success of that first show to build out others, some created by the main duo, some by different creative teams.

    There were new details and looks at a variety of shows, so here’s what was talked about…

    Rosario Dawson is Ahsoka Tano in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Rosario Dawson is Ahsoka Tano in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’

    In production before any of the other series spotlighted today, the series following the further adventures of the Togruta from the planet Shili, a Padawan turned Jedi known as Ahsoka Tano had the most to show off, including a trailer that is now online.

    Ahsoka, created 20 years ago by Dave Filoni and George Lucas for the theatrical launch of animated movie ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’, arrived in live-action form (played by Rosario Dawson) on ‘The Mandalorian’ and later popped up on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’.

    Led by Filoni behind the scenes, the series follows the former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy –– specifically Grand Admiral Thrawn, a villain created by Timothy Zahn for his novel series. He’s already in screen canon thanks to appearances on Filoni’s animated series ‘Star Wars Rebels’ and will now be live-action, though his casting as yet to be announced.

    Scene from Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Scene from Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Senator Mawood (Maurice Irvin), Senator Rodrigo (Jacqueline Antaramian), Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Senator Xiono (Nelson Lee) and Gran Senator (Erica Duke) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Senator Mawood (Maurice Irvin), Senator Rodrigo (Jacqueline Antaramian), Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Senator Xiono (Nelson Lee) and Gran Senator (Erica Duke) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Also making the leap from ‘Rebels’ (since Ashoka also appeared on that show) are Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and cranky droid Chopper, with the promise of others. It’s worth noting that another Rebels regular, Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios showed up in one scene of last week’s ‘The Mandalorian’.

    “It was natural he would make the transition to live action,” Kathleen Kennedy said of Filoni on stage. “He has done a spectacular job.” Favreau concurred: “He cares deeply. He poured his heart and soul into it. Dave is unique in that he doesn’t ever squash your inspiration or idea but finds a way to fit it in, to keep it in the tradition that George Lucas started.” Dawson, for her part, said she had “so many pinch me moments” making the show. “Because if this does well, maybe we’ll get a second season. It’s up to y’all!” she told the 4,500-strong crowd.

    The trailer is stacked with action, primarily Ahsoka showing off her trademark double lightsaber skills, plus plenty of starships dogfighting.

    ‘Ahsoka’ will launch on Disney+ this August.

    Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

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

    ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    Further out is ‘Skeleton Crew’, which was created and is run by recent ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy filmmaker Jon Watts alongside ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ collaborator Christopher Ford.

    The pair have come up with a series set around the same time as ‘The Mandalorian’, which follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

    Jude Law stars alongside younger actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter and Robert Timothy Smith and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. There’s no word yet on when the show will land on Disney+.

    'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.
    ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.

    ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’

    ‘The Acolyte’ promises to take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.

    The show stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva and ‘Star Wars’ Wookiee veteran Joonas Suotamo, who plays another of the race, a Jedi named Kelnacca.

    Series creator Leslye Headland wowed the crowd with a sneak peek at the upcoming show. Headland arrived on stage, escorted by Kelnacca, and previewed footage from the mystery-thriller series alongside several of the stars.

    With production underway now, the series won’t hit Disney+ until next year, but that still is likely to be ahead of the new run of another big series set in the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy…

    Lucasfilm's 'The Acolyte.'
    Lucasfilm’s ‘The Acolyte.’

    ‘Star Wars: Andor’

    There was also word from Team ‘Andor,’ with showrunner Tony Gilroy joined by stars Diego Luna, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Andy Serkis, Muhannad Bahair and Joplin Sibtain to talk about the successful first season and preview footage from the second and final run of 12 episodes, which have yet to schedule a release date on Disney+.

    Oh, and for fans of the show that started it all, there was naturally a ‘Mandalorian’ treat, as the next episode of the series was shown on the big screen for fans.

    There is a lot to look forward to on the TV front, and, unlike the big movie announcements, we can be reasonably assured they will all hit screens. Stay tuned for more from the event as it unfolds.

    The cast of 'Andor' at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
    The cast of ‘Andor’ at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

    Other ‘Star Wars’ Movies:

    Buy ‘Star Wars’ Movies On Amazon

  • TV Review: ‘Andor’

    'Andor' will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.
    ‘Andor’ will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.

    ‘Andor,’ the new 12-part series based on characters created in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,’ will premiere on Disney+ beginning September 21st.

    The new series is set five years before the events of ‘Rogue One,’ and features Diego Luna reprising his role as Cassian Andor. The series will explore Andor’s backstory and his role in the birth of the Rebellion.

    In addition to Luna, the series also features Genevieve O’Reilly and Forest Whitaker reprising their ‘Star Wars’ roles as Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera, respectively, as well as new cast members Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, and Fiona Shaw.

    The result is a dark and bleak ‘Star Wars’ series that has some wonderful character driven moments but may unfold too slow for audience members not familiar with ‘Rogue One.’

    The ‘Star Wars’ franchise has always been polarizing. I remember as a kid in the 80s thinking that ‘Return of the Jedi’ was the “bad one.” Then of course came the prequels of the late 90s and early 2000’s when ‘Phantom Menace’ became everyone’s favorite ‘Star Wars’ movie to hate.

    Maarva (Fiona Shaw) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Maarva (Fiona Shaw) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Since Disney took over Lucasfilm, movies like ‘The Last Jedi’ and ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ have practically torn the fanbase apart. But most ‘Star Wars’ fans can agree on one thing, they all love ‘Rogue One,’ which is probably why they decided to make it into a Disney+ series.

    To be honest, I’m an unusual ‘Star Wars’ fan because I loved ‘Last Jedi,’ and I even didn’t mind ‘Solo,’ but I just don’t love ‘Rogue One.’ Maybe it’s because I always knew that film would be a one-off based on its placement within the ‘Star Wars’ timeline, and I never allowed myself to really get invested in those characters.

    Unfortunately, ‘Andor’ is much the same for me, the backstory of a character I’m not that interested in. The first two episodes unfold rather slowly and present a lot of backstory for Diego Luna’s character.

    In fact, there are actually two different timelines in this series. The present day, which is five years before ‘Rogue One,’ and an ongoing flashback to Cassian’s childhood. I found the two different timelines to be confusing at times, and again, learning the intricate backstory of a character I’m not that interested in to begin with became tedious at times.

    However, something happens between episode 2 and episode 3 that begins to shift the series from a Cassian Andor show to a series about the early days of the Rebellion. The show works best when it is exploring the bureaucracy of the Empire, the politics of the galaxy, and Andor’s relationship to new (to us) characters like Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen, Fiona Shaw’s Maarva, and eventually, Stellan Skarsgard’s Luthen Rael.

    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    The series was created and written by ‘Rogue One’ screenwriter Tony Gilroy, and it has a very similar tone as the movie, which sets it apart from the Jon Favreau/Dave Filoni led Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ series. In fact, the series was shot entirely on location, rather than the digital volume room used for ‘The Mandalorian’ or the ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ series, immediately giving it a different tone and scope.

    Diego Luna is an excellent actor, and clearly has affection for this role. What is nice about the 12-episode series is it does give us time to really get to know Cassian Andor as a character, something ‘Rogue One’ couldn’t do because of his limited screen time. While I’m not sure I need to know as much about his childhood, one can only guess this will pay off fully by the series’ end.

    Luna certainly has command of the role, showing us a completely different character than we saw in ‘Rogue One.’ This Cassian Andor is a rogue and a bit of a scoundrel, which we discover through his interactions with other characters. This is not the heroic Andor who sacrificed himself to save the galaxy at the end of ‘Rogue One.’ What is intriguing about the series will be watching Luna’s performance as Andor eventually becomes an important part of the Rebellion.

    But for me, at least in the opening episodes, Cassian’s story is not as interesting as some of the other characters that inhabit his world. Adria Arjona is a breath of fresh air as Bix Caleen, a strong woman who clearly has a romantic past with Andor and is doing her best to help him and also keep him out of her life.

    Kyle Soller is delightful and at times hilarious as Syril, an Imperial officer obsessed with rising in the Imperial ranks. Soller’s performance is fun, and you really feel the character’s insecurities and how he over compensates for them. Syril’s incompetence is very believable, but also adds to the ‘Star Wars’ mythos that the Empire is really run by a bunch of idiots.

    Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    A lot of ‘Star Wars’ fans were excited by the announcement that Genevieve O’Reilly would be reprising her role as Mon Montha, now only a senator trying to navigate the politics of the Empire. While she is not in a lot of the first few episodes, I think her character’s arc might be one of the most interesting by the series’ end. Watching this character who we’ve only seen in the past as a leader of the Rebellion, now as a member of the Empire trying to break away and do the right thing, is very intriguing.

    Speaking of intriguing, that is a good way to describe Luthen Rael, the character played Stellan Skarsgard. While he only appears in the tail-end of the first four episodes, it’s very clear that his character will have a large role in bringing Cassian into the Rebellion. As Rael, Skarsgard is both mysterious and commanding, and also has some surprisingly fun scenes with O’Reilly.

    In the end, ‘Andor’ shows some promise towards the end of its opening four episodes and may turn out to be a great series. But it has a slow start, and those not invested in the characters from ‘Rogue One’ or the idea of the birth of the Rebellion in general, may lose interest after watching the slow and dark premiere episode.

    The first four episodes of ‘Andor’ receives 3 out of 5 stars.

    'Andor' cast at Star Wars Celebration 2022.
    ‘Andor’ cast at Star Wars Celebration 2022.

    To watch Made in Hollywood‘s interviews with the cast of ‘Andor,’ please click on the video player below.

    cnqpVciW

  • ‘Andor’ Interview: Diego Luna Talks New ‘Star Wars’ Series

    46stji1Q

    Premiering on Disney+ beginning September 21st is the new 12-part series based on characters created in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ called ‘Andor.’

    Set five years before the events of ‘Rogue One,’ the series stars Diego Luna reprising his role as Cassian Andor and will follow his journey and role in the birth of the Rebellion.

    In addition to Luna, the series also features Genevieve O’Reilly reprising her role as Mon Mothma, as well as Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, and Forest Whitaker reprising his role as Saw Gerrera.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Diego Luna about his work on ‘Andor,’ reprising his role, discovering his character’s backstory, and his history with Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen.

    Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+.

    You can read the interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Luna, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, and Genevieve O’Reilly.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about having the opportunity to reprise your role from ‘Rogue One?’ What were some of the aspects of the character you were excited to explore this time around?

    Diego Luna: My reaction was just full excitement. I was really happy to be able to go back into the shoes of Cassian and go back to this family, to this team, and to this energy. I really enjoyed working on ‘Rogue One.’ I really had a great time, and I was really pleased with the film. I just wanted to have a chance to keep playing.

    I thought of this as a great opportunity to go very deep into who Cassian was. What needs to happen for a man to be willing to sacrifice everything? It’s an answer I needed. I don’t think ‘Rogue One’ gives you those answers. It’s a fantastic film about an event. But you don’t get to know where they come from and why they are ready to do that. What has to happen in the life of someone to have that commitment and that clarity? This is what the story will be about.

    MF: Where will audiences find Cassian Andor in his life when the series begins?

    DL: Audiences will find Cassian in a moment where he is really far away from the guy you met in ‘Rogue One.’ He is in a very destructive environment. He’s very lonely. He’s very cynical about life. He doesn’t have great expectations of himself. He’s in a very selfish mode, just surviving and carrying a lot of pain. A lot! It’ll be tough to imagine that that guy is capable of doing what we saw him doing in ‘Rogue One.’

    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Will we learn how that becomes possible through the course of the series?

    DL: Definitely. First, I wanted to go as far as possible from the guy you met. But obviously, there has to be a way to connect with him that makes sense. That’s what the storyline will be. It’s like, “What has to happen in the life of this man that seems to be so lost in order to articulate something like what they do in ‘Rogue One?’” It’s about the people he meets, the events that happen, and the truth he finds.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about Cassian’s history with Bix and working with actress Adria Arjona on that relationship?

    DL: Bix is someone that has been part of Cassian’s life for a long time. They met each other years ago before we find him. It’s a very important relationship. They’re friends that know each other better than anyone else. It’s that kind of relation.

    They know each other for good and bad. She’ll be important through the process of Cassian’s journey. Adria, she’s amazing. We met, and she’s lived in Mexico for a few years. It’s nice to have someone that feels so close to home. She’s just very sweet and works hard. I’m pleased to be working with her.

    'Andor' will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.
    ‘Andor’ will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.

  • New Trailer for ‘Andor’

    nN9aI2fP

    Does knowing the fate of a character diminish our enjoyment of learning about their earlier days?

    It’s the challenge that many prequels face, but the team behind new ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ series ‘Andor’ will be hoping that filling in the details of Diego Luna’s rebel spy and fighter Cassian Andor’s life before ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ adds layers to his character.

    Even if we do know that – spoiler alert for anyone who might not have seen ‘Rogue One’ – he’s fated to die in the mission to steal the Death Star plans.

    'Andor' will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.
    ‘Andor’ will premiere on Disney+ September 21st.

    ‘Andor’ turns back the clock to his younger days, living on a planet where the bite of the Empire is really being felt. It’ll show how he is recruited to fight alongside the growing rebellion.

    Created by Tony Gilroy (who was brought in to oversee re-writes and re-shoots on ‘Rogue One’), the show also stars returning ‘Rogue’ cast members Genevieve O’Reilly (as Mon Mothma) and Forest Whitaker (as Saw Gerrera) plus Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Fiona Shaw.

    ‘Succession’ composer Nicholas Britell provides the music, while Gilroy directs several episodes alongside Ben Caron, Toby Haynes and Susanna White.

    Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    “It’s quite unique, because we know what Cassian is capable of, but we’re going to meet him when he doesn’t know he’s capable of that,” Luna said during a ‘Good Morning America’ appearance to present the new promo. “We’re going to meet him when life is tough, it’s a very dark and interesting life because it’s just a regular guy that suddenly has to become part of something bigger, has to become part of a community that rises. It’s the beginning of the origins of a revolution, and it’s a beautiful story because it reminds us what we are capable of, what we are all capable of. There’s no Jedis around — it’s people having to take control.”

    And, somewhat remarkably for the current run of ‘Star Wars’ shows, the series eschewed use of the Stagecraft volume (a huge bank of LED screens on which backgrounds and sets can be projected) for locations and more traditional effects techniques. “I love the whole world,” Luna admitted. “Suddenly I’m a kid on the set, because everything’s real, everything’s there. We don’t work with green screens — the stuff is built. The props work. They make noises.”

    Cassian Andor’s fate might be decided, but ‘Andor’ will face its biggest challenge when it arrives on Disney+. In slightly disappointing news, the show has been delayed slightly from its original late August launch to September 21st. But it will launch with the first three episodes on that day, and unlike other recent shows, it will have 12 episodes in its first season.

    Maarva (Fiona Shaw) in Lucasfilm's 'Andor,' exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Maarva (Fiona Shaw) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

  • Movie Review: ‘DC League of Super-Pets’

    Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The new animated movie ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ which was written and directed by Jared Stern (‘The Lego Batman Movie’), opens in theaters on July 29th.

    When a group of animals receive super powers, Lex Luthor’s (Marc Maron) guinea pig Lulu (Kate McKinnon) captures the Justice League and attacks Metropolis. Krypto (Dwayne Johnson), Superman’s (John Krasinski) dog, must now learn to work with his new friend Ace (Kevin Hart), in order to rescue his owner.

    With the help of a turtle called Merton McSnurtle (Natasha Lyonne), Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna), and a pig named PB (Vanessa Bayer), Krypto must team with the other Super-Pets to defeat Lulu and save Superman, Batman (Keanu Reeves) and the rest of the JLA.

    The voice cast also includes Olivia Wilde as Lois Lane, Jameela Jamil as Wonder Woman, Jermaine Clement as Aquaman, John Early as The Flash, Daveed Diggs as Cyborg, Dascha Polanco as Green Lantern, and Keith David as Krypto’s father.

    Natasha Lyone as Merton, Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Diego Luna as Chip, Kevin Hart as Ace and Vanessa Bayer as PB in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Natasha Lyone as Merton, Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Diego Luna as Chip, Kevin Hart as Ace and Vanessa Bayer as PB in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The result is a really fun, funny, and emotionally heart-warming animated movie filled with DC Easter eggs that is really about the love we share for our pets, and the unconditional love they give back to us.

    The movie begins with a new origin story for Superman’s (Krasinski) dog Krypto (Johnson), which shows that Jor-El sent him with baby Kal-El to Earth to protect him while Krypton was exploding. Years later, Kal-El is all gown-up now living in Metropolis as Clark Kent by day and Superman by night, fighting crime with Krypto as his partner.

    We soon meet Ace (Hart), a dog living with other animals at an animal shelter. While Ace devises a plan for he and the other animals to escape, Lulu (McKinnon), a guinea pig and former pet of Lex Luthor (Maron), utilizes orange Kryptonite to give herself and the other animals super powers. Using an army of mutated guinea pigs as her minions, she captures the Justice League and begins to destroy Metropolis.

    With Superman missing, Krypto teams with the now super-powered Ace and his friends to form the League of Super-Pets in order to save the Justice League and stop Lulu. But Krypto only knows how to work with Superman and must now learn from his new friends how to be a team player.

    Diego Luna as Chip, Vanessa Bayer as PB, Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Kevin Hart as Ace and Natasha Lyone as Merton in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets.'
    (L to R) Diego Luna as Chip, Vanessa Bayer as PB, Dwayne Johnson as Krypto, Kevin Hart as Ace and Natasha Lyone as Merton in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ works on several different levels and is a thoroughly enjoyable animated movie on all fronts. For kids, there is a lot of humor, lovable characters and fantastic animation. For adults, there is a sweet and sophisticated story about the unconditional love that our pets give us. And for DC fans, there are enough comic book Easter eggs and deep cut characters to make your head spin.

    Writer and director Jared Stern, who helped pen the equally excellent ‘The Lego Batman Movie,’ perfectly captured the humor and fun of these classic DC characters that are pulled from different points of the cannon.

    For example, Superman has a 1940’s Max Fleischer cartoons inspired costume, but the character resembles Christopher Reeve. Aquaman has his 90’s era hook, while the filmmakers chose to include the recent version of Green Lantern from the comics, Jessica Cruz. All of this leads to a well-balanced and exciting animated version of the Justice League.

    The voice cast is excellent, including actor and comedian Marc Maron, who plays a very realistic version of Lex Luthor. While her role is somewhat limited, Jameela Jamil plays an excellent version of as Wonder Woman, one that I wouldn’t mind seeing in live-action someday.

    Marc Maron as Lex Luthor in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Marc Maron as Lex Luthor in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    And speaking of actors we’d like to see reprise their roles in live-action, can someone please make a Batman movie starring Keanu Reeves already! The ‘John Wick’ actor is very funny but also very emotional playing an extremely depressed and haunted version of the Caped Crusader.

    Kate McKinnon is also at her best in this film portraying the hilarious and absolutely evil Lulu. The actress is clearly having a lot of fun in her role, and the character is a great advisory for both the animal and human heroes in the movie.

    But the film wouldn’t work quite as well as it did if not for the voice work of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. The two actors have worked together before, and have great chemistry on and off the set, which is apparent watching the film and adds to their characters’ relationship.

    Hart, who is certainly funny in the movie, gives a more layered and emotional performance than we’ve seen from him in the past, which works really well for his character. You understand by the end of the movie why Ace is destined to partner with Batman, and the film gives a new origin story for himself and the other previously established DC animal characters in the movie.

    Dwayne Johnson as Krypto in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Dwayne Johnson as Krypto in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Johnson, who seems to be taking over DC with ‘Black Adam’ headed to theaters in October, was the perfect actor to play Krypto. His voice is familiar and already associated in audience’s minds with heroics, doing half of the actor’s job for him before he utters his first line. But he also brings Krypto to life in a way we haven’t seen before, showing off his fears as much as his strength, while emphasizing his unconditional love and faithfulness to Superman.

    In the end, if you take the DC elements out of the film, you still have an extremely charming and funny animated movie about the unconditional love we have for our pets and they have for us. What ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ does best is remind us that every dog is a superhero!

    ‘DC League of Super-Pets’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

    Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure 'DC League of Super-Pets,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and John Krasinski as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ animated action adventure ‘DC League of Super-Pets,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    C0oOg0FfnQQujCsLndeQS6