(L to R) Leonardo Di Caprio and Director/Writer/Producer Paul Thomas Anderson on the set of ‘One Battle After Another.’ A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton.
As a whole, it was a fairly run-of-the-mill awards ceremony – some tearful speeches, a sprinkling of politics, jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating life – but got the job done.
Glaser returned to host again, offering a few fun skits (a parody of the Nicole Kidman AMC ad targeting podcasts, and a mash-up for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and ‘Marty Supreme’ with a Fran Drescher cameo.
Yes, some of the jokes were entirely predictable, but there were some pointed jabs at CBS News (“see BS News”) and the Epstein Files.
And overall, Glaser kept the show moving (it eventually ended roughly 10 minutes late).
There were a lot of expected winners, including several trophies for ‘One Battle After Another,’ ‘Sinners’ and the latest for ‘Marty Supreme’s Timothée Chalamet.
But the surprises were more fun –– ‘Hamnet’ scooped the Motion Picture – Drama award, while ‘The Secret Agent’ nabbed Non-English Language Film and a more unexpected (if entirely deserved) Actor trophy for star Wagner Moura.
A lot of the TV awards for drama and comedy were similar to other shows such as the Emmys, with ‘The Pitt,’‘The Studio’ and ‘Adolescence’ all winning more hardware for their trophy cabinets.
Awards shows are usually a mix of humble and heartfelt, and ‘One Battle’s Teyana Taylor certainly got that in early with her tearful acceptance moment.
Outside of acceptance speeches, Judd Apatow killed it presenting Best Director, nodding to Nikki Glaser’s history babysitting his daughters and his “quiet boycott” of the awards after ‘Trainwreck’ lost to ‘The Martian’ in the comedy category a decade ago.
Wanda Sykes was also on top form as she presented the Stand-Up category, swiping at Bill Maher and particularly Ricky Gervais, whose award she accepted “on behalf of God and trans people.”
And Snoop Dogg was… Snoop Dogg, handing out the first Podcast award, which was won by Amy Poehler for ‘Good Hang.’
There was much praise for Macaulay Culkin, who was presenting Best Screenplay, and scored a standing ovation as he took the stage.
Julia Roberts hyped up her own stint on stage Presenting Best Motion Picture Comedy, while poor George Clooney had to note that he did not get the same reaction presenting drama, a fact reiterated by pal Don Cheadle, who showed up to gently rib him.
The Golden Globes will take place on December 8th.
Despite lots of changes behind the scenes and some serious PR airbrushing, the Golden Globes never quite retained their luster. Still, they’re a big stop on the awards circuit and the nominations were announced today by Marlon Wayans and Skye P. Marshall during a press conference held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
And on the TV front, ‘The White Lotus’ and this year’s big small screen sensation, the one-shot drama ‘Adolescence’ have the most nominations for their side of the awards.
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture
(L to R) Teyana Taylor as Perfidia and Sean Penn as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in ‘One Battle After Another.’ A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Paul Thomas Anderson, ‘One Battle After Another’ Ryan Coogler, ‘Sinners’
Guillermo del Toro, ‘Frankenstein’ Jafar Panahi, ‘It Was Just an Accident’ Joachim Trier, ‘Sentimental Value’
Paul Thomas Anderson, ‘One Battle After Another’ Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, ‘Marty Supreme’
Ryan Coogler, ‘Sinners’
Jafar Panahi, ‘It Was Just an Accident’ Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier, ‘Sentimental Value’ Chloé Zhao, Maggie O’Farrell, ‘Hamnet’
Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in ‘Wicked For Good’, directed by Jon M. Chu.
“Dream as One”, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
“Golden”, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’
“I Lied to You”, ‘Sinners’
“No Place Like Home”, ‘Wicked: For Good’
“The Girl in the Bubble”, ‘Wicked: For Good’
“Train Dreams”, ‘Train Dreams’
‘Superman’ is off to a strong start at the domestic box office.
James Gunn’s movie earned $122 million, the third biggest launch of the year to date.
But ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ took a chunk out of its earnings overseas.
One of the catchy taglines for Richard Donner’s 1978 movie ‘Superman’ was, “you’ll believe a man can fly.” For writer/director James Gunn and the latest cinematic iteration of the famous comic book character, also titled ‘Superman’, a new one might be “you’ll believe a man can fly to the top of the box office charts.”
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It appears that the big bet by Gunn –– who also runs Warner Bros.’ DC Studios arm overseeing the various properties spawned by the comic book behemoth, and intended ‘Superman’ as his theatrical calling card –– is paying off.
Reviews for the movie were mixed to generally positive and audiences gave the movie a solid grade, which bodes well for this one to keep on flying, even with Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ a couple of weeks away from launch.
The global market might be where ‘Superman’ faltered slightly, not because of any Kryptonite, but because of ‘Jurassic World Rebirth.’
Universal’s latest iteration of its successful dinosaur franchise held on to screens and audience interest, and ‘Superman’ had to make do with a softer-than-expected $95 million global launch.
Top-earning territories for the superhero were the United Kingdom with $9.8 million, Mexico with $8.8 million, Brazil with $5.9 million and Australia with $5.3 million. The movie bombed in China, earning just $6.6 million in its opening weekend. By comparison, ‘Rebirth’ opened last weekend in China with $25 million.
‘Superman’ needs to keep performing to offset its $225 million budget and the roughly $100 million spent to promote it.
Here’s what FranchiseRe movie consulting firm’s David A. Gross said about the movie’s performance so far:
“This is an outstanding domestic opening. If there’s any softness here, it’s overseas. Superman has always been identified as an American character, and in some parts of the world, America is currently not enjoying its greatest popularity.”
Understatement of year, perhaps?
David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, was also enthused by the movie’s performance and praised its overseer:
“Three years ago, I hired James Gunn and Peter Safran to reimagine and unify the creative direction of DC under one leadership team, by breathing new life and excitement into one of the most iconic storytelling franchises in the world. James and Peter’s commitment to honoring the legacy of the DC Universe while forging something new and enthralling is inspired. This weekend, we watched Superman soar as James Gunn’s passion and vision came to life on the big screen. Superman is just the first step. Over the next year alone, DC Studios will introduce the films ‘Supergirl’ and ‘Clayface’ in theaters and the series ‘Lanterns’ on HBO Max, all part of a bold 10-year plan. The DC vision is clear, the momentum is real, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
(L to R) Luna Blaise and the T-Rex in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Even given its success overseas, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ suffered a considerable reduction domestically this weekend, adding $40 million from 4,324 venues in its second weekend of release, a painful 57% drop from its debut.
Yet Universal won’t be worrying too much just yet, as the movie has so far sunk its teeth into a mighty $232 million domestically and $529 million worldwide.
Third across the finishing line was Apple’s ‘F1’ (distributed theatrical by Warner Bros.) The sports drama anchored by Brad Pitt as a down-on-his-luck racer recruited by a Formula 1 team, earned $13 million from 3,412 theaters in its third lap around the track, marking a 50% decline from the prior weekend.
It has so far earned $136 million in North America and $393 million worldwide, which is solid but it’ll need to keep on making money to offset a hefty $250 million budget (before marketing costs). The movie has, at least, become Apple’s biggest theatrical hit to date by far.
Fourth place went to DreamWorks’ live-action remake of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, which collected $7.8 million from 3,285 theaters. It has so far taken in $239 million domestically and $560 million globally.
Finally, in fifth place, Disney/Pixar’s ‘Elio’ continued to be a disappointment. It made $4 million from 2,730 screens in its fourth weekend. The intergalactic tale has grossed just $63 million in North America and finally surpassed the $100 million mark globally after a month of release. With $117 million in worldwide ticket sales, the $150 million-budgeted tentpole will end its theatrical run as a major money loser for the companies.
What’s the future for DC Studios?
As mentioned above, Gunn and Safran already have plans in place for an interconnected series of movies and TV series, with the likes of ‘Supergirl’, ‘Clayface’ and HBO Max series ‘Lanterns’ at different stages of production, and more in the development chute beyond that.
Milly Alcock on the set of ‘Supergirl’. Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram account.
A scene from ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ has taken a sizeable chunk out of the domestic box office.
Gareth Edwards’ movie earned more than $317 million globally.
‘F1: The Movie’ was pushed to second place on the grid.
It would seem that audiences aren’t quite as over dinosaurs as ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ itself feared.
A hefty part of the early storyline for the new ‘Jurassic’ offering talks about how the giant beasts are seemingly unable to survive in the present-day client and that humanity, once enthralled by the reconstituted giants, is now more annoyed by the likes of an escaped example in New York slowly dying because it’s messing with the morning commute.
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But the new movie has clearly struck a chord with audiences, who turned out in droves to see it this past holiday weekend, notching $91.5 million over the three-day weekend, and thanks to an early Wednesday release to take advantage of Independence Day holiday filmgoing, it took $147.3 million over its first five days.
How did ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ fare internationally?
(L to R) Luna Blaise and the T-Rex in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ played well to audiences around the world. Opening in 82 markets, it earned $171 million outside the States, which, combined with its domestic total, put it at $318 million for this initial weekend.
The likes of China, the UK and Mexico were the big performers.
But how does ‘Rebirth’ compare to other ‘Jurassic World’ offerings?
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
That’s where the story looks a little less successful.
The numbers for ‘Rebirth’ are certainly impressive taken on their own, but compared to the most recent trilogy of dino-outings, it’s coming up short.
The new movie cost $180 million to produce, not including a hefty marketing budget, which admittedly is a smaller figure than the previous three (one benefit of having Gareth Edwards, a man who know how to deliver effects spectacle on lower budgets, in the director’s chair). It may not need to hit a billion to be profitable, but Universal will certainly hope it gets there (or close), given that the other ‘World’ movies all crossed the benchmark.
Add to that the pressure for ‘Rebirth’ to spawn a new trilogy of its own. This is certainly a solid start –– now we see whether this thing has legs.
Here’s David A. Gross, of the FranchiseRe movie consulting firm on the film’ success:
“The series has been especially good overseas and, so far, foreign business is outstanding. Dinosaur action is understood in all languages and across all cultures.”
This was Universal’s president of domestic distribution Jim Orr celebrating its success:
“ ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ is exactly what audiences want to see in a summer blockbuster: a great cast, great direction and great visuals. Word of mouth is phenomenal, which points to a great run throughout the summer.”
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
With ‘Rebirth’ as the weekend’s only new wide release (no one wanted to go up against the return of the dinosaurs, even via counter-programming), the success of the film shoved the competition down a space or two.
‘F1: The Movie’, which stars Brad Pitt as a skilled yet down-on-his-luck racing driver recruited to be part of a Formula One team, was a distant second, taking home $26.1 million from 3,732 venues in its second weekend of release.
The movie, which has made $109 million in North America and $293.6 million worldwide after 10 days in theaters, has officially surpassed director Ridley Scott’s 2023 historical epic ‘Napoleon’ ($221 million) as Apple’s highest-grossing movie.
That is perhaps not as impressive as it might seem given the company’s low level of output so far and underperforming theatrical releases. But it’s still a boost.
Even with a solid take so far, ‘F1’ will need to stay on track significantly, as it cost $250 million to make, let alone market.
In third, the live-action adaptation of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ earned $9.7 million domestically. The movie has so far taken $224 million domestically and $516 million globally to date.
Fourth was the fellow family friendly Pixar offering ‘Elio’, about a kid mistaken for an ambassador for Earth by aliens, continues to hugely underperform. It fell to fourth place with $4.9 million from 3,235 theaters in its third week of release. The intergalactic adventure has earned just $54 million in North America and $96 million globally, and is shaping up to be among Pixar’s lowest-grossing movies.
At fifth place we find ‘28 Years Later’ with $4.6 million from 2,917 venues, a 53% drop from last weekend. After three weekends on the big screen, the horror sequel has amassed $60.2 million domestically and $125.8 million globally against a $60 million budget.
Follow-up ‘The Bone Temple’ is due in January. Has the first film done well enough to crack open Sony’s wallet for funding of planned third movie? Time will tell!
What’s the future for the ‘Jurassic World’ franchise?
Though no formal plans have been announced, Universal and Amblin are, as mentioned previously, hoping this will lead to a new trilogy.
Whether that means with the surviving characters of ‘Rebirth’ or a completely new dino adventure remains to be seen. But the franchise certainly still has some teeth at the box office.
Scarlett Johansson is Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Pixar Animation Studios has changed the game when it comes to animated feature films.
For almost 30 years the Northern California studio has delivered some of the most critically acclaimed and beloved animated films of all time including ‘Up‘, ‘WALL-E‘, ‘Ratatouille‘, ‘Soul‘ and ‘Coco‘, as well as such popular franchises as ‘Toy Story‘, ‘Cars‘, ‘Finding Nemo‘, ‘The Incredibles‘ and ‘Inside Out‘.
The studio’s latest movie, ‘Elio‘, which features the voice work of recent Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, opens in theaters on June 20th.
In honor of Pixar’s new film, Moviefone is ranking every movie Pixar has ever made, including their latest.
Legendary Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside a group of ambitious recruits and his robot companion Sox.
Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician (Cristela Alonzo) with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet (Paul Newman), and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!
Star race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his pal Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.
In a city where fire, water, land and air residents live together, a fiery young woman (Leah Lewis) and a go-with-the-flow guy (Mamoudou Athie) will discover something elemental: how much they have in common.
A look at the relationship between Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman) during their days at Monsters University — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends.
Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), a hotshot rookie race car driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the town’s offbeat characters.
In a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.
Brave is set in the mystical Scottish Highlands, where Mérida (Kelly Macdonald) is the princess of a kingdom ruled by King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). An unruly daughter and an accomplished archer, Mérida one day defies a sacred custom of the land and inadvertently brings turmoil to the kingdom. In an attempt to set things right, Mérida seeks out an eccentric old Wise Woman and is granted an ill-fated wish. Also figuring into Mérida’s quest — and serving as comic relief — are the kingdom’s three lords: the enormous Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), the surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and the disagreeable Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane).
Elio (Yonas Kidreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Luca (Jacob Tremblay) and his best friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) experience an unforgettable summer on the Italian Riviera. But all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.
On behalf of “oppressed bugs everywhere,” an inventive ant named Flik (Dave Foley) hires a troupe of warrior bugs to defend his bustling colony from a horde of freeloading grasshoppers led by the evil-minded Hopper (Kevin Spacey).
Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) is reunited with her friends Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) in the search for answers about her past. What can she remember? Who are her parents? And where did she learn to speak Whale?
Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) springs into action to save the day, while Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) faces his greatest challenge yet – taking care of the problems of his three children.
Teenager Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira), who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety (Maya Hawke) shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Lovable Sulley (John Goodman) and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it’s the monsters who are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.
Thirteen-year-old Mei (Rosalie Chiang) is experiencing the awkwardness of being a teenager with a twist – when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda.
Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggen (Wayne Knight), owner of Al’s Toy Barn kidnaps Woody (Tom Hanks). Andy’s toys mount a daring rescue mission, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) meets his match and Woody has to decide where he and his heart truly belong.
What if mankind had to leave Earth and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? After hundreds of years doing what he was built for, WALL•E (Ben Burtt) discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE (Elissa Knight). EVE comes to realize that WALL•E has inadvertently stumbled upon the key to the planet’s future, and races back to space to report to the humans. Meanwhile, WALL•E chases EVE across the galaxy and sets into motion one of the most imaginative adventures ever brought to the big screen.
Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner in Pixar’s ‘Soul’. Photo: Pixar.
Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22 (Tina Fey), a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth.
Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” (Tony Hale) to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.
Remy (Patton Oswalt), a resident of Paris, appreciates good food and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to become a chef so he can create and enjoy culinary masterpieces to his heart’s delight. The only problem is, Remy is a rat. When he winds up in the sewer beneath one of Paris’ finest restaurants, the rodent gourmet finds himself ideally placed to realize his dream.
Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy’s toys haven’t been played with in years. With Andy about to go to college, the gang find themselves accidentally left at a nefarious day care center. The toys must band together to escape and return home to Andy.
(L to R) Albert Brooks voices Marlin and Ellen DeGeneres voices Dory in ‘Finding Nemo’. Photo: Pixar Studios.
Nemo (Alexander Gould), an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist’s office aquarium. It’s up to his worrisome father Marlin (Albert Brooks) and a friendly but forgetful fish Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) to bring Nemo home — meeting vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more along the way.
When 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) moves to a new city, her Emotions team up to help her through the transition. Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) work together, but when Joy and Sadness get lost, they must journey through unfamiliar places to get back home.
Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) has given up his superhero days to log in time as an insurance adjuster and raise his three children (Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox and Eli Fucile) with his formerly heroic wife (Holly Hunter) in suburbia. But when he receives a mysterious assignment, it’s time to get back into costume.
Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate (and a persistent 8-year old Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai)) gives him a new lease on life.
(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
Led by Woody (Tom Hanks), Andy’s toys live happily in his room until Andy’s birthday brings Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) onto the scene. Afraid of losing his place in Andy’s heart, Woody plots against Buzz. But when circumstances separate Buzz and Woody from their owner, the duo eventually learns to put aside their differences.
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and dreamed of life that exists on worlds beyond our own? That’s the basic concept that Pixar’s latest movie takes as the jumping off point for the story of a young man who feels he doesn’t fit in, and longs for extraterrestrials to whisk him away.
‘Elio’ finds the animation studio on solid form, but does it compete with the best that the company has to offer, especially in the wake of giant box office success with ‘Inside Out 2’?
‘Elio,’ as with many animated movies, features a batch of writers, including all three directors plus Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones, Jesse Andrews and Hannah Friedman. Yet for all the worries you might have about scripting by committee, the film has a remarkable coherent feel –– again, not too shocking from Pixar.
There are some conventions in place here –– Elio is an orphan (well, Pixar is an arm of Disney, after all!) and the lessons he learns are relatively basic, going from alienated loner to alien-aided more rounded individual. But as with any movie of this type, it’s how you get there. And this one certainly has an interesting, welcome journey.
Several lovely touches make it all work well –– this is catnip for space enthusiasts, including nods to the Voyager space craft and clips of astronomer Carl Sagan talking about Earth reaching out to the stars. And one or two clever riffs on the likes of ‘Alien’ and other sci-fi classics.
On the storytelling front, there are some familiar challenges for our young hero, who is looking for his place in the world (and the universe), and if the dynamic between Elio and young alien Glordon is using established ideas, but the interaction between the two is so watchable that you never mind that.
On the directing side, Molina (who proved his mettle with ‘Coco’), Sharafian (making her directorial debut after years at Pixar) and Shi (who last brought us the inventive, funny ‘Turning Red’) make the most of their galactic canvas, presenting some wonderful visuals all brought to life to a suitably sweeping score by Rob Simonsen.
As Elio, Yonas Kibreab carries the weight of the story, and he’s enthusiastic and full of life, coming across as a relatable kid with a big heart who is dealing with a lot in his world. Kibreab is able to handle all sides of the performance, including Elio’s excitement at meeting aliens and his worry when things aren’t going well.
Zoe Saldaña, no stranger to galactic adventures in live-action, is soulful and determined as Elio’s Aunt Olga, introduced having to deal with the newly orphaned boy and the impact on her own life. While you initially suspect she’ll be effectively left behind once he is taken into space, some clever story ideas keep her rooted in the narrative.
Remy Edgerly voices Glordan, a young alien creature that Elio befriends. Effectively a slug-like creature, he has his own family issues (indeed, the theme of expectation placed on young people sits heavily across the story, but is handled effectively), and makes for a great foil for our hero.
Brad Garrett is a repeat Pixar voice by this point, and here he’s on good form as Lord Grigon, a warlike creature who threatens the “Communiverse” who initially bring Elio to their colorful world. But this being a Pixar movie, he’s more than that, and has some fine moments.
Around the main characters is a good collection of supporting voices, including the likes of Jameela Jamil, Brandon Moon and Matthias Schweighöfer as ambassadors of the Communiverse who bring their own comic value and emotional to the story.
Shirley Henderson has a small role as Ooooo, a supercomputer who proves very helpful to both Elio and the narrative. She doesn’t get lots to do, but is memorable.
Likewise Pixar veteran Bob Peterson –– who has voiced the likes of Dug in ‘Up’ and Mr. Ray in ‘Finding Nemo’ in addition to work as a director and story artist –– is excellent as a high-tech user manual who just wishes people would listen to him. Finally, credit to ‘Ted Lasso’s Brendan Hunt for making the small role of Gunther Melmac, an alien-obsessed tech genius who ends up being helpful to Elio and Olga, pop.
Is ‘Elio’ going to trouble the top tier of Pixar output? Probably not, but it’s certainly no misfire from the studio.
Heartstrings will be plucked, funny bones tickled and there are some inventive alien creatures. What more could you want from family entertainment?
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What’s the story of ‘Elio’?
Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking in-person with Yonas Kibreab about his work on ‘Elio’, his first reaction to the screenplay and the animation, working with Pixar, recording alone and with other actors, his favorite scene, and what he hopes kids take away from watching the movie.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kibreab, asl well as directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, and producer Mary Alice Drumm.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project?
Yonas Kibreab: Okay, so when I first got the full script, what tied me to this character of Elio was that he can relate to me in a lot of ways. I feel like he’s such a quirky kid. He doesn’t care about what people think, and he’s not afraid to be himself. I think that’s something that I must really channel, just like Elio. He’s taught me to always be myself, the best self I can be. When reading the script, the writers at Pixar did such an amazing job describing everything, although I couldn’t see the animation yet, I could picture everything in my mind. It turned out exactly what I imagined and more.
MF: What was your first reaction to the animation and the way your character would look on screen?
YK: I saw storyboards of it. He didn’t look the same. But he had a little bit longer hair. But other than that, he looked similar. I think when I saw the first animated footage was at D23 in 2023, when they first announced the movie. I think that was the first time I’ve seen him. It’s just so crazy to see somebody who you’re playing, especially in an original Pixar movie because I’ve watched Pixar movies since I was little, and I still do today.
MF: What was your experience like working with Pixar?
YK: It was great. When I got to go to the Pixar studio up in Emeryville, California, it was the most magical campus I’ve ever been to. I want to work there, and just being able to be in that same studio where Jamie Foxx and Tom Hanks were recording all these famous Pixar movies, was so surreal to me. Meeting all the very talented artists at Pixar, it was just so great to meet them.
MF: Did you work with any of the other actors, or did you record your dialogue alone?
YK: Yes, usually I am by myself, but I’ve been lucky enough to record with Remy Edgerly who plays Glordon. He’s such an amazing kid and it’s been great because usually, I worked on stuff with adults. Being able to also work on a voiceover animated movie where you don’t record with anybody, but to record for the first time with a kid, is so refreshing. It was so great to work with him and I’ve got to know him off-screen as well. We did press stuff in Disney World, and we got to go on rides together. It’s so cool. I feel like we should always experience that. That’s the one thing I wish I could change about the way movies are recorded, especially animated ones. Because I don’t know how they did it back then, but now, usually you’re recording by yourself, and I feel like it’s so important to play off the people you’re working with.
MF: Is there a particular scene in the film that you were excited to see on the big screen for the first time?
YK: Yes. I think I’m going to have to say the scene where Elio and Glordon are crawling in the lava tunnel. Glordon’s like, “Just get in my mouth.” And I’m like, “No, I don’t want to do that. I’m not fireproof.” That’s probably one of my favorite scenes also to record.
MF: Finally, can you talk about the movie’s message and what do you hope young audiences take away from seeing the film?
YK: I hope the first thing that they take away is just how amazing this movie is, but also just how important your friends and your family are. Friendship is very important, just like Elio and Glordon, and your friends are always going to be there for you, including your family members. Also, if you’re feeling alone, if you’re feeling like it’s hard to find friends and you’re going through grief, it’s all going to be okay, and you will find your people. Just stay positive.
Editorial Note: Tessa Smith conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
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What is the plot of ‘Elio’?
Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
(Left) Director Peter Sohn at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Deborah Coleman/Pixar. (Right) The Incredibles in 2004’s ‘The Incredibles’. Photo: Pixar Animation Studios.
Preview:
Peter Sohn will direct ‘Incredibles 3’.
Brad Bird, who directed the previous two movies, wrote the script.
The movie was confirmed at last year’s D23 event.
If you cast your mind back to last August, you might recall that Disney took the opportunity of its D23 event to announce that a third movie in the successful ‘Incredibles’ franchise was in the works.
Little was revealed about it, beyond Pixar animation Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter offering that Brad Bird –– who has written and directed both the previous outings, was developing a third.
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Yet it would appear that Bird’s duties elsewhere (more on that lower down the page) are precluding him from handling the new movie. The Hollywood Reporter brings word that while Bird is at work on the screenplay, ‘Elemental’ director Peter Sohn is the one who will usher the super-powered Parr family back to screens, with ‘Soul’s Dana Murray producing alongside Bird.
The Incredibles in 2004’s ‘The Incredibles’. Photo: Pixar Animation Studios.
Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe helped superheroes conquer cinema, Bird’s first ‘Incredibles’ movie, released in 2004, told the story of Bob Parr (voiced by Craig T. Nelson).
Bob (A.K.A. Mr. Incredible), and his wife Helen (A.K.A. Elastigirl, played by Holly Hunter), are the world’s greatest famous crime-fighting superheroes in Metroville, always saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis.
But 15 years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs where they have no choice but to retire as superheroes to live a “normal” life with their three children Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Spencer Fox) and Jack-Jack, who were born with secret superpowers.
Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top-secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction.
In the 2018 sequel, ‘Incredibles 2’, the Parr family still know that heroism is illegal according to the established law that prevents them from helping people.
But their lives in hiding are cut short when a wealthy philanthropist approaches Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl with the idea to remove the law and make their heroic acts legal. And Elastigirl is chosen to help lead this plan, leaving Mr. Incredible in charge of the kids.
Things get even more complicated when a terrifying new menace called the Screenslaver shows up and threatens to abolish Elastigirl’s attempt to restore heroism. Who is the Screenslaver? Can the Parrs save the world from chaos and destruction? Can the heroic freedom be restored?
That project, ‘Ray Gunn’, has been a passion of Bird’s for nearly 30 years. Originally created alongside writer Matthew Robbins, it’s reportedly the story of the last human private detective, Raymund Gunn, in a future world composed of humans and aliens.
Originally aimed for production via Skydance Animation and its deal with Apple, the movie has been mired in creative difference issues and budgetary wrangles, but is now likely to see screens via Netflix, which took over the ‘toon company in 2023.
Peter Sohn feels like the natural pick to follow Bird; he has worked on every animated Bird film (including both ‘Incredibles’) up until ‘Ray Gunn’.
Bird has been a mentor to Sohn, and Sohn was specifically chosen to carry The Incredibles torch by Bird and Pete Docter.
Sohn is a Pixar veteran, having worked on various movies as a story artist, animator and story consultant, and has been a member of the company’s Senior Creative Team (a group of filmmakers who offer input to those making films there) for a decade.
As a director himself, Sohn made ‘The Good Dinosaur’ and the aforementioned ‘Elemental’, Sohn’s second movie, was nominated for the best animated feature Oscar last year.
When will ‘Incredibles 3’ head to theaters?
Disney and Pixar are keeping that particular piece of information locked in a vault for now, but given the usual lead time on CG animated movies, we can’t imagine it being ready much before 2028 or 2029 (the planned sequel to ‘Coco’, for example, is tentatively scheduled for 2029.)
Next up for the Emeryville-based animation team is alien abduction adventure ‘Elio’, which sees the title character (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), a space-obsessed kid who is swept off on a cosmic misadventure.
Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Preview:
Disney brought several movies to its CinemaCon 2025 presentation.
The likes of ‘Tron: Ares,’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and more were showcased.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ also showed footage, alongside Pixar’s Elio, Freakier Friday and the new, live-action/CG ‘Lilo & Stitch
While it is still looking to rebuild its fortunes, Disney can at least look back on 2024 as one with several big hits, especially ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
But it will have to prove that this year’s slate can match past successes. Luckily, the Mouse House has more strings to its bow than even the likes of Universal or Warner Bros., and heavy hitters including Pixar, Marvel and James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ series primed and ready with new entries, plus the return of ‘Tron’ to the grid… er, cinemas.
Following the usual stuff about sponsors and theater owners (got to play to the crowd!), the Disney presentation signaled the end of CinemaCon’s studio events and began with the traditional sizzle reel of upcoming movies, framed in amusing fashion by having ‘Lilo & Stitch’s titular blue troublemaker wander through the rest of the slate.
Getting the presentation off to its formal stage start was Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.
He was joined by Andrew Cripps, head of theatrical distribution at the studio to unveil the typically packed schedule of movies the studio will have across the rest of the year, and to extol the fact that Disney movies are Disney movies are typically in theaters an average of three weeks longer than any other studio.
2025’s live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
The latest animated-to-live-action conversion project faces additional pressure following ‘Snow White’s poor showing at the box office this past month. With Disney bosses pushing pause on a planned ‘Tangled’ live-action movie, ‘Lilo’ will need to perform in order to keep that particular strand of the company’s strategy alive beyond ‘Moana,’ due next year.
Some fresh, sneak peek footage from the new movie was screened for the crowd, featuring Stitch on a trip with Lilo and family; they go to a restaurant where the little blue alien causes the requisite chaos even as Lilo tries to teach him to behave. Some of what was shown has already popped up in the trailer, including Stitch squirting her with a soda gun.
(L to R) Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan were ushered on stage to promote this sequel to the 2003 original, which moves the story forward and features even more body-switching chaos than last time as Curtis’ Tess and Lindsay’s Anna Coleman switch places with their teenage daughter/granddaughter.
Curtis and Lohan cued up a look at some brand new footage from the movie, which according to the duo has been playing well with test audiences.
Curtis says that the film was…
“Made to be seen on a big screen.”
The scene played showed Tess and Anna trying to win back Anna’s boyfriend –– but in different bodies.
‘Freakier Friday’ brings body swap chaos to theaters on August 8th.
(L to R) Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
The studio went all out with a light show to promote the third ‘Tron’ movie, and also brought Jeff Bridges and new franchise face Jared Leto to the stage.
Bridges said,
“To be back on the grid was incredible, and working with Jared… It was a great time.”
For his part, Leto said he was obsessed and this was everything he wanted from a movie. It took him to a world he had never seen before.
Leto described his character, Ares:
“An advanced program that crosses over to real world to fulfill his directive.”
After confirmation of Nine Inch Nails doing the music for the new movie, we got a look at some new footage.
What was screened was a look at Ares riding his bike in the real world, with Bridges’ Kevin Flynn narrating. We also see him ask Ares, “Are you ready? Because there is no coming back…”
‘Tron: Ares’ departs the grid for our world on October 10th.
With ‘The Amateur’ due on screens next week, its chunk of the presentation was minimal, limited to a full version of the scene in the pool we glimpse in the trailer, but show full-length here. It was followed by the trailer.
‘The Amateur,’ as mentioned, will find a way into theaters on April 11th.
Elle Fanning at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Disney.
The new ‘Predator’ movie from ‘Prey’s Dan Trachtenberg immediately looked interesting, since the Predator creature is more of a protagonist in this one, and it takes place on a new planet where he’s been exiled and must fight his way back.
Star (no, not as the Predator!) Elle Fanning arrived on stage to confirm that this movie breaks new ground in the ‘Predator’ universe. She also said something unprecedented happens. Her character is not being chased, she teams up with Predator and you see him in new light.
She cued up the first trailer for the new movie, which sees the Predator battling a giant, nearly invincible beast with Fanning’s help.
‘Predator: Badlands’ stalks into cinemas on November 7th.
Strong, for the record, plays Jon Landau, Springsteen’s manager and producer. He said he sees the role as Lewis to Springsteen’s Clark.
White, meanwhile, explains that the movie charts Springsteen’s teenage years to around 1982.
Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere.’ Photo: 20th Century Studios.
We got a first look at the trailer for the new movie, which is directed by Scott Cooper. The footage wraps up showing Springsteen in concert performing ‘Born to Run.’
‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’ has yet to announce when it’ll be delivered to theaters.
(L to R) Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
James L. Brooks’ new comedy drama stars Emma Mackey as an idealistic young politician who juggles familial issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over the job of her mentor, the state’s longtime incumbent governor (Albert Brooks).
She co-stars with Jamie Lee Curtis, and the latter returned to the stage alongside Mackey for the presentation.
Brooks, meanwhile, received the Cinema Vérité Award on stage and called for more movies to have a 35-day window in theaters.
Director James L. Brooks receives the Cinema Vérité Award at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
He also had a great quote about previewing movies with audiences:
“A woman came up to me and said the loveliest words: ‘they’re crying in the ladies toilet.’ Compare that to data.”
After Brooks’ emotional speech, we got a first look at the movie itself. The scene that played took place in a bar, where Curtis’ character takes Ella to meet her father, Woody Harrelson. They haven’t spoken in years after he dated her friend.
That was followed the trailer.
‘Ella McCay’ will be in cinemas on September 19th.
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From there, it was time to look at team Searchlight’s output, following a victory lap for the awards success of ‘A Real Pain’ and ‘A Complete Unknown.’ The studio arm’s new offering is…
Unlike the 1989 version, this Jay Roach-directed sees Cumberbatch and Colman as a successful chef and her businessman husband whose lives start to fall apart when he’s fired.
Things go from bad to worse, and as we saw in the trailer that played, it gets to the point where she has him at gunpoint.
‘The Roses’ fights for its place in theaters on August 29th.
Talking of guns, we moved on to one of the studio’s biggest… Marvel!
First up was the next movie from the prolific superhero franchise.
(L To R) David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
The ‘Thunderbolts*’ portion of the show kicked off with a funny bit about the cast being MIA –– Wyatt Russell appeared to have lost a lot of cash in the casino with co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus hoping the movie makes money so they can pay his debts!
The scene featured the Thunderbolts driving through New York as Harbour’s Red Guardian tries to bond with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The team has to fight their way through bad guys to Avengers tower.
(L To R) Hannah John-Kamen, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell in ‘Thunderbolts*’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
We got an extended look at the Avengers Tower scene where Louis-Dreyfus gathers the gang –– after having sent them to kill each other and being frustrated that they teamed up.
There was also a very brief look at the introduction of Sentry (Lewis Pullman). And following that? A sizzle reel of scenes from the movie, which appears to be full of chaotic fun.
‘Thunderbolts*’ heads to cinemas on May 2nd. Less than a month for this one, folks!
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That was followed by Marvel boss Kevin Feige, currently in the UK on the set of ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ (which is “days away from the start of production”) confirming the appearance of the original X-Men team in the new movie.
We also got our first look at Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer, who cautions that planet Earth is “marked for death.” Kirby’s Sue Storm says they’ll “fight the threat as a family”.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ flies into theaters on July 25th.
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To switch tracks (but still be galactic rather than Galactus), it was the turn of the animation arm(s).
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Pixar’s latest finds a young lad dreaming of being abducted by aliens.
Zoe Saldaña, who plays the title character’s Aunt Olga, arrived on stage to talk about the new ‘toon.
A scene from the movie was shown in 3D, showing Elio brought on board an alien spaceship that is more like a living planet via a tractor beam, where he meets the vessel’s AI. He’s been recruited to join the universe’s smartest creatures to work together as a collective… But have they made a mistake? Elio meets and bonds with a young alien creature.
‘Elio’ heads into space (and theaters) on June 20th.
Ke Huy Quan introduces ‘Zootopia 2’ at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Thanksgiving sees the return of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), the mismatched buddy duo of rabbit police officer and crafty fox. This time around, they’re on an undercover mission to stop a murderous reptile (Ke Huy Quan’s Gary).
In a video introduction, we got Bateman changing the show’s title to “ZinemaCon” and there are animal jokes about theaters –– AMZ, Pandango, Fur D X, followed by giving other Disney movies critter-like makeovers (‘Thundercolts,’ ‘Sealio,’ ‘The Fantastic Fur.’)
‘Zootopia 2’. Photo: Disney.
Quan arrived on stage to discuss the sequel and his role as Gary the snake. And that Judy and Nick go to a therapy animal (played by ‘Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson) to sort their strained friendship –– which we saw in a scene from the movie. That was followed by a scene of Nick and Judy at Marsh resort trying to track down Gary.
‘Zootopia 2’ goes wild in theaters on November 26th.
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
James Cameron appeared via video from New Zealand, where he’s still at work on the latest ‘Avatar’ outing. He was sorry he isn’t there in person, but he did tell the crowd he’d sent some footage.
He promised “increased emotional heart and soul,” and that the Sully family will be put through the wringer (again) as they face the Ash People. We’ll also meet the Wind Traders.
Saldaña (who has been part of the franchise since the 2009 original) returned to the stage to introduce the footage.
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
We saw Jake and wife Neytiri (Saldaña) flying a dragon creature to Wind Traders’ ship where Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion), the son of Miles Quaritch, lives now.
That preceded a reel of other scenes, including Jake telling Neytiri they can’t live in hate, humans attacked the Na’vi, a shot of the whale-like creatures we met in ‘The Way of Water,’ the return of Stephen Lang’s Quaritch and Varang, the Na’vi leader of the volcano-dwelling Ash People threatening Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), the daughter of Dr. Grace Augustine’s Na’vi avatar who was adopted by the Sully family.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ welcomes us back to Pandora on December 19th.
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And that’s all, folks!
(L To R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wyatt Russell, and Hannah John-Kamen at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
