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Tag: drive-away-dolls

Movie Review: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’
(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

In theaters now is ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Pedro Pascal, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson, and Matt Damon.

Related Article: Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein Talk ‘Drive-Away Dolls’

Initial Thoughts

With the Coen brothers taking some time off from each other after more than three decades of making films together, Joel Coen directed the eerie, intense ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ with Denzel Washington, while Ethan Coen has gone in a decidedly different – if also somewhat more familiar — direction.

Writing with his wife (and occasional Coens editor) Tricia Cooke, Ethan has come up with ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a combination of road movie, comedic caper, and lesbian romance that comes across in the style of earlier Coen brothers laughers like ‘Raising Arizona’ or ‘The Big Lebowski.’ But while the two leads have a sweet and even sexy chemistry, the laughs are only intermittent and the movie ends up as a trifle more than anything else.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Actor Margaret Qualley, actor Geraldine Viswanathan and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are two young women who are part of Philadelphia’s lesbian community circa December 1999. Jamie is spur-of-the-moment, unfiltered, and endlessly horny, wrecking her latest relationship with cop Sukie (Beanie Feldstein) when she is caught cheating on her. Marian, on the other hand, is uptight and generally unhappy with her life, which Jamie sees as a cue that her friend needs to get out in the world and get some action.

The two decide to reboot their lives with a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, where Marian wants to do some reading and bird-watching while Jamie wants to stop at every lesbian bar they can find along the way and get them both laid. The pair hit the road in a one-way rental courtesy of drive-away agency operator Curlie (Bill Camp) – except that Curlie has given them the wrong car.

Unbeknownst to the ladies, the trunk contains cargo both strange and decidedly illegal, and the two women find themselves soon pursued by two goons (C.J. Wilson and Joey Slotnick) sent in hot pursuit by their boss (Colman Domingo), who answers to an even higher, more sensitive authority. How Jamie and Marian deal with the situation could either shatter their friendship, end their lives, or both.

(L to R) Actor Geraldine Viswanathan, actor Margaret Qualley, and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

As one might ascertain, ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ (the original title, ‘Drive-Away Dykes,’ was deemed not marketable by the studio) sounds a lot like it’s in the vein of the deadpan, surreal comedies that Joel and Ethan Coen were perhaps best-known for during their 34 years of making films together. While the siblings have made more somber films together as well, like the brilliant ‘No Country for Old Men,’ as well as drama/comedy hybrids like ‘Fargo’ and ‘A Serious Man,’ it’s their zanier work like ‘Raising Arizona,’ ‘The Big Lebowski,’ and ‘O Brother Where Are Thou?’ that audiences arguably associate most with them.

‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is squarely in the latter tradition, with a slightly different spin. In addition to directing (this is Ethan’s first narrative feature on his own, following a 2022 Jerry Lee Lewis documentary), Ethan also wrote the script with his wife Tricia Cooke, who identifies as queer. Perhaps the freshest aspect of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is that its leads, Jamie and Marian, are not solely characterized by their sexuality; yes, the movie features a heaping of sex, and Jamie is determined to get some nookie for both herself and Marian, but it’s not the driving factor of the story or part of its overall themes. It’s just part of who they are.

The relationship between Jamie and Marian is at first caustic, of course – these two couldn’t be more opposite – but it soon unveils a sweeter undertone as they (somewhat predictably) begin to realize that their feelings for each other run deeper than suspected. Qualley and Viswanathan are great together in that regard, and the strongest element of the movie. But the plot – a mishmash of ‘60s and ‘70s road trip B-movies with a dash of psychedelia – is so slight, the ultimate mystery so silly, and the humor so intermittent that ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ ends up feeling like a lark more than anything else. It has its fun moments, but it dissolves from one’s mind the minute it’s over.

Characters With No Names

(L to R) Colman Domingo as “The Chief”, C.J. Wilson and Joey Slotnick as “The Goons” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features

Part of the problem with ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is that it feels almost like a rough draft version of a Coen brothers film (since Cooke, a film editor by trade, frequently edited the movies made by her husband and brother-in-law, she was an integral part of that process as well). The Coens’ comedies are often fizzy in nature, but the best of them have had either incredibly compelling characters or either a darker or more emotional underpinning that helped turn them into classics.

There’s little of that in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ outside of the chemistry between Qualley (who looks a lot like her mom, Andie MacDowell, in this film) and Viswanathan, both of whom have great timing, highly expressive faces and effortless presence. Qualley is particularly strong here. But once you get beyond them, the rest of the characters are barely sketched in.

Pedro Pascal stars as “The Collector” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Most of them don’t even have names, in fact. Domingo, always excellent, is just called the Chief; his goons are literally listed as The Goons in the credits. A cameoing Pedro Pascal is known simply as the Collector (there are a couple of other cameos as well, from Matt Damon and a star we won’t name). We’re always a little suspicious when we see cast lists like this: it’s often a clear sign that these characters are nothing more than stock figures, and little attempt is made to give them any more depth than that (the Goons’ scenes together – one of them constantly yammering and the other mostly silent – also feel like reheated leftovers from two similar characters in ‘Fargo,’ played in that film by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare).

But that’s the nature of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’: it’s so sketchily pulled together that despite the warmth of its leads and a few fleeting jokes than land well, it feels like half the movie is missing in a way. And in one sense, it is.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian”, Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Beanie Feldstein as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

The Coen brothers have made some of the most memorable movies of the last 40 years, from their still-stunning debut ‘Blood Simple’ to some of the later masterpieces we mentioned earlier. But from the two narrative movies we’ve seen them make separately – Joel’s ‘Macbeth’ and Ethan’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ — it seems like they have very different sensibilities. Based on watching the latter, it almost seems that Ethan needs his brother’s sense of gravitas to balance out his goofier impulses.

We certainly admire the lead performances and the film’s successful attempt to make a queer-centric movie that doesn’t feel like exploitation (not the good kind) or heavy-handed social commentary. But we wish those were in service of something that was funnier in a more organic way and less of a one-dimensional pastiche.

‘Drive-Away Dolls’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?

This comedy caper follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Who is in the cast of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?
- Margaret Qualley as Jamie
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian
- Beanie Feldstein as Sukie
- Colman Domingo as Chief
- Pedro Pascal as Santos
- Bill Camp as Curlie
- Matt Damon as Senator Channel
- Joey Slotnick as Arliss
(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Other Ethan Coen Movies:
- ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)
- ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)
- ‘Miller’s Crossing‘ (1990)
- ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)
- ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)
- ‘Fargo‘ (1996)
- ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)
- ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)
- ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)
- ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)
- ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)
- ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)
- ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)
- ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)
- ‘True Grit‘ (2010)
- ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)
- ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)
- ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)
- ‘Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind‘ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Coen brothers Movies on Amazon
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February 24, 2024
Every Coen brothers Movie, Ranked

(L to R) Best Director winners Ethan and Joel Coen backstage during the 80th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2008. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Joel and Ethan Coen, better known as the Coen brothers, practically created their own genre and are one of the most acclaimed and celebrated directing teams of all time!

Beginning their career with modern classics like ‘Blood Simple,’ ‘Raising Arizona,’ and ‘Miller’s Crossing,’ the brothers went on to direct such beloved films as ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘O Brother Where Art Thou,‘ ‘Burn After Reading,’ and the Oscar-winning ‘Fargo‘ and ‘No Country for Old Men.’

In 2021, Joel Coen directed his first film without his brother, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Denzel Washington. Now, opening in theaters on February 23rd is Ethan Coen’s new solo directing effort entitled ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ which stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan.

In honor of Ethan Coen’s new film, Moviefone is counting down every film the Coen brothers have ever directed together or apart.

NOTE: For this list we are only including the Coen Brothers full-length feature films, both together and solo, but we are not including their documentaries or participation in anthology movies like ‘Paris, je t’aime.’

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)

(L to R) George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones in ‘Intolerable Cruelty.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

A revenge-seeking gold digger (Catherine Zeta-Jones) marries a womanizing Beverly Hills lawyer (George Clooney) with the intention of making a killing in the divorce.
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19. ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)

Tim Blake Nelson is Buster Scruggs in ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,’ a film by Joel and Ethan Coen. Photo: Netflix.

Vignettes weaving together the stories of six individuals in the old West at the end of the Civil War. Following the tales of a sharpshooting songster (Tim Blake Nelson), a wannabe bank robber (James Franco), two weary traveling performers (Zoe Kazan and Jefferson Mays), a lone gold prospector (Tom Waits), a woman traveling the West to an uncertain future (Tyne Daly) and a motley crew of strangers undertaking a carriage ride.
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18. ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)

Michael Stuhlbarg in ‘A Serious Man.’ Photo: Focus Features.

It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlberg), a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife, Judith (Sari Lennick) that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous acquaintances, Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed).
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17. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)

(L to R) Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There.’ Photo: USA Films.

A tale of murder, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber in a small California town, is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris’ (Frances McDormand) infidelity and a mysterious opportunity presents him with a chance to change it.
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16. ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)

Tom Hanks in ‘The Ladykillers.’ Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

An eccentric if not charming Southern professor (Tom Hanks) and his crew pose as a band in order to rob a casino all under the nose of his unsuspecting landlord, a sharp old woman (Irma P. Hall).
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15. ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth‘ (2021)

Denzel Washington in ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth.’ Photo: A24.

From Academy Award©-winning filmmaker Joel Coen comes the propulsive, boldly cinematic ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the devious, ill-fated “Macbeth” and “Lady Macbeth.” An original, striking reimagining of the classic Shakespearean tale portrayed in sumptuous black-and-white cinematography, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ finds the titular general and his loyal wife older and warier, desperately striving against a merciless ticking clock as they attempt to seize upon a final opportunity for power. In the chaos that ensues, their grasp on the throne unravels, terror mounts and regret enshrouds every inch of their wretched world.
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14. ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)

(L to R) John Turturro and Jon Polito in ‘Barton Fink.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

A renowned New York playwright (John Turturro) is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.
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13. ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)

Frances McDormand in ‘Blood Simple.’ Photo: Circle Films.

The owner of a seedy smalltown Texas bar (Dan Hedaya) discovers that one of his employees (John Getz) is having an affair with his wife (Frances McDormand). A chaotic chain of misunderstandings lies and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.
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12. ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)

(L to R) John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

In the deep south during the 1930s three escaped convicts (George Clooney, John Turturro and Tom Blake Nelson) search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman (Daniel von Bargen) pursues them. On their journey they come across many comical characters and incredible situations. Based upon Homer’s Odyssey.
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11. ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)

(L to R) Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage in ‘Raising Arizona.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

When a childless couple (Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage) decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.
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10. ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)

Javier Bardem in ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Photo: Miramax Films.

Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
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9. ‘Fargo‘ (1996)

Frances McDormand in ‘Fargo.’ Photo: Working Title Films.

Jerry (William H. Macy) a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt but he’s got a plan. He’s going to hire two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrüd) in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law (Harve Presnell). It’s going to be a snap and nobody’s going to get hurt until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge (Frances McDormand), a coffee-drinking parka-wearing and extremely pregnant investigator who’ll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her smalltime investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom, you betcha.
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8. ‘True Grit‘ (2010)

Jeff Bridges in ‘True Grit.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Following the murder of her father by a hired hand, a 14-year-old farm girl (Hailee Steinfeld) sets out to capture the killer. To aid her she hires the toughest US Marshal she can find, a man with true grit, Reuben J Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).
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7. ‘Drive-Away Dolls‘ (2024)

(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
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6. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2006)

Channing Tatum in ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
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5. ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)

(L to R) Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in ‘The Hudsucker Proxy.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

A naive business graduate (Tim Robbins) is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.
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4. ‘Millers Crossing‘ (1990)

1990’s ‘Miller’s Crossing.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Set in 1929, a political boss (Albert Finney) and his advisor (Gabriel Byrne) have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman (Marcia Gay Harden).
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3. ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)

Brad Pitt in ‘Burn After Reading.’ Photo: Focus Features.

When a disc containing memoirs of a former CIA analyst (John Malkovich) falls into the hands of gym employees, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt), they see a chance to make enough money for Linda to have life-changing cosmetic surgery. Predictably, events whirl out of control for the duo, and those in their orbit.
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2. ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)

Oscar Isaac in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ Photo: CBS Films.

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.
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1. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

Jeff Bridges in ‘The Big Lebowski.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
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February 21, 2024
‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Cast Interview
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Opening in theaters on February 23rd is the new film from director Ethan Coen (‘The Big Lebowski’) called ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ which he co-wrote with Tricia Cooke and stars Geraldine Viswanathan (‘Blockers’), Margaret Qualley (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’), Beanie Feldstein (‘Book Smart’), Colman Domingo (‘Rustin’), Matt Damon (‘The Martian’) and Pedro Pascal (‘The Last of Us’).

(L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein talk director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls.’

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein about their work on ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ their quirky characters, and working with director Ethan Coen.

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

Related Article: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’: Geraldine Viswanathan Replacing Ayo Edebiri

Geraldine Viswanathan stars as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Moviefone: To begin with, Geraldine, can you talk about your first reaction to Ethan Coen and Trisha Cooke’s screenplay and the aspects of this character you were excited to explore on screen?

Geraldine Viswanathan: I think getting the script was just so exciting. I feel like Ethan and Trish are some of the greatest writers of our time. It was just such an original and fresh script with so many cool elements and so many surprising turns, and I really fell in love with the character, Marian. I feel like at first, I thought I was really different from her, but I also kind of understood her and related to her and the way that I get introverted or sensitive and shy. I felt excited to play into those parts of myself a little bit more.

Margaret Qualley stars as “Jamie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

MF: Margaret, Jamie is really a free spirit, can you talk about your approach to playing her?

Margaret Qualley: Playing Jamie, she’s a total free spirit. It was very inspiring. I would like to have a little bit more of Jamie in my everyday life because I’m somebody that can be a little in my head, go home a little bit anxious, and I think that’s not really a big part of her experience. I imagine her kind of like a teenage boy. Not that teenage boys aren’t in their head, but there maybe is kind of like a puppy spirit.

Beanie Feldstein stars as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

MF: Beanie, can you talk about Sukie’s breakup with Jamie and how that anger really fuels her journey through the movie?

Beanie Feldstein: I mean, I think you hit it that she’s so heartbroken, but that kind of takes a turn into just tunnel vision, that she’s just, no matter whether they’re together or not together, she’s focused on Jamie. That was the note that Ethan and Tricia gave me in my Zoom audition. They were just like, “You cannot be more obsessed with her, and nothing takes your focus away from her.” So, I think that’s kind of Sukie’s motives the entire time, and to play someone who was just unapologetically angry, and abrasive is the opposite of my personality. So that was fun to jump full speed ahead. I think Ethan and Tricia saw something in me that I don’t see in myself. So, it was fun to play.

(L to R) Actor Geraldine Viswanathan, actor Margaret Qualley, and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

MF: Finally, Geraldine, what was it like being on set with Ethan Coen and collaborating with him on this movie?

GV: I mean, incredible. He is one of the best filmmakers of our time and really is a wonderful person. He has every right to be an asshole, but he’s just not. He’s so great and special, and he’s just a genius. I just relished being around him. Anytime he spoke I was like, “Yes.” I just wanted to learn from him as much as I could. He’s even better than you could imagine.
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What is the Plot of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?

This comedy caper follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Who is in the cast of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?
- Margaret Qualley as Jamie
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian
- Beanie Feldstein as Sukie
- Colman Domingo as Chief
- Pedro Pascal as Santos
- Bill Camp as Curlie
- Matt Damon as Senator Channel
- Joey Slotnick as Arliss
(L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian”, Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Beanie Feldstein as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Other Ethan Coen Movies:
- ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)
- ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)
- ‘Miller’s Crossing‘ (1990)
- ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)
- ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)
- ‘Fargo‘ (1996)
- ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)
- ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)
- ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)
- ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)
- ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)
- ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)
- ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)
- ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)
- ‘True Grit‘ (2010)
- ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)
- ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)
- ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)
- ‘Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind‘ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Coen brothers Movies on Amazon
February 20, 2024
Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal to Lead ‘Materialists’
(Left) Dakota Johnson from Columbia Pictures’ ‘Madame Web’ at the Baile da Vogue, Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro Brazil. Photo: Leca Novo. (Center) Pedro Pascal at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Francis Specker/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Chris Evans as Brenner in ‘Pain Hustlers.’ Cr. Brian Douglas/Netflix © 2023.

Preview:
- Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans are starring in ‘Materialists’.
- This is the new movie from ‘Past Lives’ director Celine Song.
- It’ll be a New York-set rom-com.
It’s fair to say that with ‘Past Lives’, Korean writer/director Celine Song has announced herself as a new cinematic voice.

Her romantic drama feature debut, which stars Greta Lee, Teo Woo and John Magaro, first garnered attention at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, where its quietly powerful story of old friends and potential lovers reconnecting hit a chord.

It has since gone on to win numerous awards and dominate critics’ Best Of lists for the year and is in the running for two Oscars –– Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

You can imagine, then, that big-name talent would be beating down the down to work with her, and for the director’s next film, ‘Materialists’, she’s scored quite the potential cast in Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, who are all in talks to star.
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What’s the story of ‘Materialists’?

Here’s the official synopsis for the new movie:

“Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, a city that never sleeps and is known for its diverse and dynamic relationships, ‘Materialists’ provides a unique glimpse into the lives of the city’s elite. Lucy’s expertise in matchmaking is highly sought after by those willing to pay a premium for her services. However, with a broke actor-waiter in her romantic past and a new attachment to a wealthy man, all signs point to a toxic love triangle that threatens to unravel the lives of all involved.”

According to the director, the new movie is inspired by the sort of spiky romantic comedies such as ‘Broadcast News’ that James L. Brooks specializes in, which makes us even more eager to see what Song could do with a film like this.

Who is backing Song’s new movie?

(L to R) Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in ‘Past Lives.’ Photo: A24.

The new movie reteams the director with distributors A24 and with producers Killer Films, both of which shepherded ‘Past Lives’ to screens.

Here’s what producer Christine Vachon had to say about Song:

“It feels like she makes a different movie every time, that she’s going to be the kind of a filmmaker who doesn’t make the same movie twice.”

The plan is to start shooting the new movie in May, which makes us think Song is looking to have it ready for the 2025 edition of Sundance.

What’s next for the cast?

Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Madame Web.’

Johnson has ‘Madame Web’ set to open in theaters next week, while Pascal has several films including ‘Drive-Away Dolls’, ‘The Uninvited’ and ‘Freaky Tales’ due this year alongside Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ sequel. He’s also back at work shooting Season 2 of hit HBO series ‘The Last of Us’.

As for Evans, he’ll next be seen opposite Dwayne Johnson in holiday adventure movie ‘Red One’ due to be released on November 15th.

(L to R) Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans in Prime Video’s ‘Red One.’

Other Dakota Johnson Movies:
- ‘Crazy in Alabama‘ (1999)
- ‘The Social Network‘ (2010)
- ‘Beastly‘ (2011)
- ‘21 Jump Street‘ (2012)
- ‘The FiveYear Engagement‘ (2012)
- ‘Need for Speed‘ (2014)
- ‘Fifty Shades of Grey‘ (2015)
- ‘Black Mass‘ (2015)
- ‘How to Be Single‘ (2016)
- ‘Fifty Shades Darker‘ (2017)
- ‘Fifty Shades Freed‘ (2018)
- ‘Suspiria‘ (2018)
- ‘Bad Times at the El Royale‘ (2018)
- ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon‘ (2019)
- ‘The High Note‘ (2020)
- ‘The Lost Daughter‘ (2021)
- ‘Madame Web‘ (2024)
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February 15, 2024
Geraldine Viswanathan Replacing Ayo Edebiri in ‘Thunderbolts’
Geraldine Viswanathan in ‘Drive-Away Dolls.’ Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Preview:
- Geraldine Viswanathan is replacing Ayo Edebiri for ‘Thunderbolts’.
- This is the latest change for the Marvel movie.
- Jake Schreier is on board to direct.
There is another casting change afoot for Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’ movie. Having already lost ‘Beef’/‘Minari’ actor to a busy schedule (with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’s Lewis Pullman reportedly making a deal to replace him as the character of Sentry), this time it’s ‘The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri discovering her busy schedule can no longer accommodate the movie’s shoot.

Edebiri, who has become hugely in demand thanks to her award-winning performance on the culinary drama, will be replaced by Geraldine Viswanathan, known for ‘Blockers’ and recent Apple TV+ movie ‘The Beanie Bubble’.
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What is the ‘Thunderbolts’ movie?

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thunderbolts.’

Though not a 1:1 match, the Thunderbolts are effectively Marvel’s version of The Suicide Squad: a group of villains –– or at least anti-heroes –– brought together by third-party schemers in a possibly ill-advised attempt to turn them into a force for good.

In Marvel’s case, they were originally assembled by Baron Zemo and the Masters Of Evil and have sometimes been linked to Hulk regular General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (hence the name). They made their debut in the pages of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in 1996, introduced by writer and artist team Peter David and Mike Deodato. They continued to their own series the same year, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, and have been brought back with a bunch of alternative line-ups in comics ever since.

Related Article: Lewis Pullman Reportedly in Talks to Play ‘Thunderbolts’ Sentry

Who is in the Thunderbolts movie so far?

David Harbour from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

The vast majority of the cast were announced back in 2022 at Disney’s D23 event: Bucky Barnes (formerly The Winter Soldier), played by Sebastian Stan, is a key figure alongside Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, those three having been introduced in ‘Black Widow’.

Then there’s John Walker, AKA US Agent, played by Wyatt Russell and first seen in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr, the phasing character known as Ghost, who debuted in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

As for those overseeing the team, we have Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, AKA Val, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was also introduced in the ‘Falcon’ series and has since cropped up in the likes of ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. We also have Thaddeus Ross –– last seen in ‘Black Widow’ and played since ‘The Incredible Hulk’ by William Hurt. But because of the actor’s death in 2022, Marvel has had to recast the role, tapping genre icon Harrison Ford to take over.

Ross is reportedly the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current President of the US (at least in ‘Captain America: New World Order’) so that’ll likely factor in.

Edebiri had been filling an unknown role, which Viswanathan will take over. Deadline’ s report offers no details as to the part. The actor will next be seen in Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ , due in theaters on February 23rd.

Who is making ‘Thunderbolts’?

(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.

Jake Schreier (‘Beef’) is directing the film based on a script by Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin (the Emmy-winning creator of ‘Beef’).

When will ‘Thunderbolts’ be in theaters?

‘Thunderbolts’ is currently scheduled for release on July 25th, 2025. But we’re still waiting to see if that changes.

Sebastian Stan from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Thunderbolts:’
- ‘The Incredible Hulk‘ (2008)
- ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ (2014)
- ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron‘ (2015)
- ‘Suicide Squad‘ (2016)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘ (2017)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘The Suicide Squad‘ (2021)
- ‘Black Widow‘ (2021)
- ‘The Bad Guys‘ (2022)
- ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘ (2022)
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January 30, 2024
CinemaCon 2023: Universal Pictures Presentation
Cillian Murphy stars in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written and directed by Christopher Nolan.

Universal, which has suffered some mixed fortunes in recent years (and has raised the ire of theater chains with its day-and-date Peacock policy for movies such as ‘Halloween Kills’), does at least have an apparently solid slate of 27 movies ready for cinemas this year.

With 800lb gorilla (no, not King Kong, he works for someone else) ‘Fast X’ driving in soon, a healthy offering of horror, comedy and the result of winning over Christopher Nolan headed our way (that would be ‘Oppenheimer’), Universal also has had some better luck of late via the likes of giant hit ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ and the more modest success of ‘Cocaine Bear’.

Avoiding talk of “giant bombs” (best when considering movies), Universal’s presentation kicked off with a sizzle reel of filmmakers it has or is working with, and then got into the meat of the matter… Let’s go Nolan!

‘Oppenheimer’

Director Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

Having snatched Christopher Nolan from the clutches of Warner Bros., the studio kicked off its presentation with the director and his latest dramatic opus, ‘Oppenheimer’.

The story, rooted in historical truth is of the scientist (played in the movie by Cillian Murphy) who led the team developing the atomic bomb. It’s a narrative with baked-in drama and plenty of ethical handwringing, not just because their experiments could have set fire to the atmosphere (as Nolan mentions).

A big fan of IMAX, Nolan shot this one on the 70mm IMAX format, which seems fitting for such a big tale. And the cast… competing for the title of Most Crowded Ensemble 2023, ‘Oppenheimer’ surrounds Murphy with (deep breath): Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Alden Ehrenreich and Matthew Modine. Phew!

Some fresh footage was shown to the crowd, with Nolan saying the new trailer will debut in front of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ but played in the room to the audience. It features the team hard at work, but also has scenes featuring Russian development of the technology, sparking fears of espionage.

And he’s done. Boom! ‘Oppenheimer’ will arrive in theaters on July 21st, coincidentally (OR IS IT?) the same day as Warner Bros.’ ‘Barbie’.
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Following a brief interlude from President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution Jim Orr (who boasted about Universal not buying, but building franchises), the presentation was handed over to President of Distribution Veronica Kwan Vandenberg touting some of the successes of 2022, including ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ and ‘Ticket to Paradise’.

And with that, we’re headed to Illumination territory, with a message from Steve Carell’s Gru. And on stage, Chris Meledandri, who walks out to the ‘Super Mario Bros.’ music. And who wouldn’t, given that the movie is about to cross a billion dollars at the box office worldwide?

But even with the Nintendo-powered mega-hit still going, the company wants to talk about original movies, starting with birds…

‘Migration’

This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.

Following a brief, mysterious teaser earlier this month, we’re getting more footage and details of the story, which will be road trip movie, just focused on ducks taking flight when a family convinced their overprotective father to take them.

Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Keegan-Michael Key, Awkwafina, Carol Kane and Danny DeVito lead the voice cast for this one, which premiered a trailer for the crowd.

With a script by Mike White, and direction from Benjamin Renner, ‘Migration’ flies to theaters on December 22nd.

This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
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Following that, the presentation went straight to the dogs. Which is to say…

‘Strays’

Will Ferrell arrives to pimp the raunchy live action/CG canine comedy, bringing with him the adorable Sophie, who plays his pooch character Reggie in the movie. Sophie steals some of the attention away from Ferrell, who starts listing his IMDb credits in order to compete.

It’s all to introduce an extended look at ‘Strays’, which already has a trailer online and features the voices of Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Brett Gelman and more, plus Bill Hader as Reggie’s human owner.
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Switching from family fare to horror, time for Blumhouse.

Jason Blum is here to celebrate the success of ‘M3GAN’ and nodding to the sequel in development with hopes of a 2025 release.

M3GAN in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Related Article: CinemaCon 2023: Disney and 20th Century Studios Presentation

‘The Exorcist: The Believer’

Their big hope is a reunion with ‘Halloween’s David Gordon Green, who has been handed the keys to the ‘Exorcist’ franchise. He’s planning another trilogy, with the first movie due this year.

It’s called ‘The Exorcist: The Believer’, and stars Leslie Odom Jr. alongside original ‘Exorcist’ star Ellen Burstyn, back as Chris MacNeil, the mother of the possessed Regan.

The trailer reveals that rather than just one girl, this time it’s two –– everything’s bigger these days, right? They’re played by Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum.

As for the footage, it begins with Leslie Odom Jr’s daughter missing. Turns out she was in the woods, but now she’s in the hospital. “Baby you’ve been gone three days,” he tells her. Later: She starts convulsing. But there are other younger girls getting impacted by the demonic possession. We see one enter a Catholic Church screaming “The body and the blood! The body and the blood!” Odom contacts Chris MacNeil and she steps in to help these folks with possessed children. Turns out she definitely knows something. She confronts one of the girls later in the trailer and exclaims, “we’ve met before.”

‘The Exorcist: The Believer’ possesses theater screens on October 13th.
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With something of cinematic whiplash, we’re back in family land for DreamWorks Animation.

‘Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken’

‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’ will be in theaters on June 30th.

First up was DreamWorks’ watery new adventure ‘Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken’, which debuted some new –– if slightly incomplete footage.

The movie will be out on June 30th.
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‘Trolls: Band Together‘

‘Trolls Band Together,’ directed by Walt Dohrn. © 2023 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake arrived on stage to tout their new ‘Trolls’ movie (something of an irony given that the last one led the charge away from theatrical and to streaming as the pandemic bit). The duo lightly roasted the crowd (and each other) before revealing that the new movie will be about reuniting a boy band (seems fitting, given Timberlake’s presence).

The music returns to screens (big ones this time) on November 17th.
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And now, on to one of the company’s truly big hitters…

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’

Jack Black took the stage to wax rhapsodic about how the movies are his biggest franchise and that Po the Panda is his most iconic character. The funniest part of the presentation? It’s too early for a trailer, so Black did a dramatic reading of the plot. Po will be looking for a successor and taking on a new villain called The Chameleon –– a sorceress who can summon people from the past.

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ is quite a ways away –– March 8 next year, in fact.
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Focus Features

(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.

By comparison, the Focus panel was much more subdued. Wes Anderson introduced a new clip from his latest, ‘Asteroid City’, and we got the first look at Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ (starring Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp and Matt Damon), which looks suitably great.

Footage was also screened from ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’ (directed by star Nia Vardalos), and Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’, which sees him reunite with ‘Sideways’ Paul Giamatti.

‘Asteroid City’ is due in theaters on June 23rd, with ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ on September 22nd, ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3’ opening September 8th and ‘The Holdovers’ arriving November 22nd.
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Not quite last, and certainly not least…

‘Fast X’

(L to R) Vin Diesel and Daniela Melchior in ‘Fast X,’ directed by Louis Leterrier.

Vin Diesel and several of the ‘Fast’ cast showed up to talk the latest entry in the mega franchise. Diesel went off script to explain how grateful he was to theater owners and remember Paul Walker before the gang introduced some new footage.

Well, “new” in that it features a big exposition dump about the story so far in the movie itself to help catch up Brie Larson’s Tess. That segued into an extended take on the most recent trailer.

‘Fast X’ drives in on May 19th, to be followed next year by the 11th movie, planned as a tiny arthouse movie shot entirely in black and whi… just kidding.
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We’re promised a couple more surprises (much like Steve Jobs’ classic “one more thing…” at Apple shows).

‘The Fall Guy’

‘Barbie’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.

Ahead of the new Ryan Gosling/Emily Blunt movie, director David Leitch had his Eighty-Seven North stunt team put on a live show for the crowd. Then it was on to ‘The Fall Guy’ footage, which sees Gosling playing Colt Severs, a retired stuntman who is called in to help find a missing star of a new movie being directed by his ex-girlfriend (Blunt).

Blunt and Gosling were both on stage with Leitch, celebrating the dedicated stunt professionals who make movies like this one possible.

‘The Fall Guy’ will land in theaters on March 1st next year.

Finally, the real one last thing…

‘Wicked’

Though Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation (in two parts) of the hit musical isn’t going to arrive until next year, we got a look at some rough early footage, including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the central witch characters and a snatch of the story’s most famous song, ‘Defying Gravity’.

‘Wicked’s first part will be in theaters on November 27th next year, followed by Part Two on December 25th, 2025.
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And that’s it for Universal!

‘Fast X’ Logo. Courtesy of Vin Diesel’s Instagram account.

Movies Presented at Universal Pictures 2023 CinemaCon Presentation:
- ‘Oppenheimer‘ (2023)
- ‘Migration‘ (2023)
- ‘Strays‘ (2023)
- ‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken‘ (2023)
- ‘The Exorcist: The Believer’ (2023)
- ‘Trolls Band Together‘ (2023)
- ‘Kung Fu Panda 4‘ (2024)
- ‘Asteroid City‘ (2023)
- ‘Drive-Away Dolls‘ (2023)
- ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3‘ (2023)
- ‘Fast X‘ (2023)
- ‘Wicked: Part Two‘ (2025)
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April 27, 2023