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Tag: ethan-hawke

  • What You Need to Know Before You Watch ‘Moon Knight’

    Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight
    Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight.’Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Of all the Marvel characters that have gotten a live action adaptation, ’Moon Knight’ is one of the more obscure. Hailing from the same dark corner of Marvel comics as The Punisher, Moon Knight is much more supernatural, and his comics often included such beings as vampires.

    Yes, ‘Moon Knight’ is totally on the far end of what Marvel has done in the past, but even with how obscure he is as a character, he is one of the most interesting anti-heroes in all of Marvel’s mythology.

    Here are the top five things you need to know about ‘Moon Knight’ before it premieres on Disney+ March 30th!

    1. Moon Knight is a Hero with DID

    As described by the Cleveland clinic, Dissociative Identity Disorder, or multiple personality disorder, is having two or more personalities in a single person. These personalities can take full control of the person and cause missing memories.

    In the comics, the character has five personalities. Marc Spector, his main personality. Steven Grant, the millionaire. Jake Lockley, the detective. Mr. Knight, the snappy dresser, and Moon Knight himself.

    Everyone of Marc’s personalities help Moon Knight in some way, from detective work to getting the funds for his weapons and gadgets. How the show will touch on this (and handle a major MCU character with mental illness) is yet to be seen, and how they will handle a neurodivergent superhero.

    Contrary to what the older comics have suggested, Marc’s DID was most likely a side effect of the powers given to him by Khonshu, the Egyptian god. Which leads into our next important fact to know…

    2. The Comics Deals in Ancient Egyptian Myth

    Konshu in 'Moon Knight'
    Konshu in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Not many viewers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know that Marvel comics love to dip into the idea of ancient myths and lore. Obviously, we have stuff like Thor and all of the Viking mythology, but Marvel also has delved into ancient Egyptian myth as well.

    While this God is not based off any existing God in mythology, Khonshu is the Egyptian God of the Moon. But in all actuality, is a God so old, he was worshipped by multiple ancient peoples. Of course, this would go to anyone’s head, and Khonshu is no different.

    If he had to be compared to actual, historical Gods, he’d be close to Atum, the self-created God of real myth. How far the show is planning to go with Khonshu will be interesting to see, as he dives into a side of Marvel comics that hasn’t fully been touched on.

    We’ve seen the Eternals mention false Gods/androids but not “real” Gods as Khonshu is. It’s a mythical corner in a universe that’s kept grounded as far as Gods and monsters go.

    3. Moon Knight Has Always Worked Alone But There Are Times He Hasn’t

    Moon Knight is as close as we’re going to see on screen to what you would consider a ‘loner’ when it comes to heroes. In the comics, he’s solo. Working for himself and taking down the seeder supernatural side of Marvel’s universe. But this hasn’t always been the case.

    Moon Knight has been a part of every group from the Avengers to the Midnight Sons, the latter being an upcoming video game. Avengers are straight forward, we know them, but the Midnight Sons is incredibly more interesting. Nine heroes that were brought together by Doctor Strange, all having ties to the occult at some point, to take on the villainous Lilith.

    Now the chances of Marvel bringing in Doctor Strange is incredibly unlikely, but this would connect ‘Moon Knight’ with the greater MCU and give him a larger place in the Marvel Universe as a whole. With the addition of a darker side of the occult, Marvel can bring in some villains that normally wouldn’t fit in, with Mephisto being a big one that comes to mind (and has been heavily rumored for a while).

    4. Let’s Discuss Arthur Harrow

    Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke in 'Moon Knight.'
    (L to R) Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Csaba Aknay. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    While this is indeed a guide to understanding Moon Knight, we need to take a look at his villain, Arthur Harrow. Portrayed by Ethan Hawke in the TV show, in the comics Harrow was a brilliant scientist studying pain theory, even winning a Nobel prize for this work, which was taken away due to his questionable ethics.

    In the comics he is closer to a one-off villain then a recurring character, which is how the show portrays him. But the possibilities of how they could use him in the series are intriguing. There are huge doubts that Marvel is going to leave his old backstory behind, but it seems they are leaning him more towards the supernatural while keeping his disability from the books.

    He suffers from Trigeminal Neuralgia, meaning that basically the left side of his face is paralyzed. We have seen him using a cane on the show, which could be a hint towards a backstory they chose to keep. But we can only guess what other aspects of the characters they kept, as the trailers have hinted at him being some sort of self-help (cult) guru.

    5. Moon Knight is Not Your Normal PG-13 Superhero

    When it comes to the gallery of superheroes we’ve seen on Marvel’s big screen, they’ve varied in spectrum from the family-friendly ‘Avengers’ to the very adult oriented streaming series such as ‘Daredevil’ and ‘Luke Cage’. So, here is your subtle warning before the show’s release; ‘Moon Knight’ is not going to be a show for children.

    The show is going to be violent and push the limits on what Disney+ has shown up to this point. In the comics Moon Knight, while being a hero, is brutal and deadly. Other than fighting a deplorable scientist and some of the scariest supernatural creatures, Marc Spector is a man plagued by his own mind. Which obviously leaves him to (most likely) be an unreliable narrator.

    The series may contain some disturbing and scary imagery, which can be scary to young kids. While it’s great Marvel is leaning more towards its adult audience, parents with children should take note of what they might be showing their young kids.

    For fans of the Marvel streaming-verse, ‘Moon Knight’ is everything they could have wanted. Another dark, gritty and fascinating hero story. But for those who are not too familiar with the new hero, they’re about to enter a series that strays a lot from Marvel’s mainstream!

    'Moon Knight' poster courtesy of Disney+
    ‘Moon Knight’ poster courtesy of Disney+.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Trailer Premiere

    'Moon Knight' premieres March 30th on Disney+
    ‘Moon Knight’ premieres March 30th on Disney+

    Premiering Monday night during the NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams was the first full trailer for the upcoming Disney+ series ‘Moon Knight,’ which begins March 30th and stars Oscar Isaac (‘Dune’) as the classic Marvel comic book character.

    Commonly referred to as the “Batman of the Marvel Universe,” in the comics Moon Knight is a former Marine and CIA operative named Marc Spector, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, and powered by the Egyptian Moon God Khonshu, becomes the vigilante known as Moon Knight. The character was created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, and first appeared in “Werewolf by Night” #32 in 1975.

    Created by Jeremy Slater (‘The Umbrella Academy’), the six-episode series will be directed by Mohamed Diab (‘Cairo 678’), as well as Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (‘Synchronic’), and it is set in the MCU.

    Oscar Isaac plays Marc Spector and the series will explore his different personalities, including Steven Grant and Jake Lockley, while the character “is drawn into a deadly war of gods with his multiple identities.” Ethan Hawke (‘The Magnificent Seven’) has signed on to play the show’s villain.

    The trailer beings with Oscar Isaac suddenly waking up and finding himself chained to a bed. We discover that this is his Steven Grant persona and that he is seeing visions of things that are not there. “I think I’m losing it,” says the character in a voice over. “I can’t tell the difference between life and dreams.”

    We then see him walking through an Egyptian exhibit at a museum and finding a ringing cell phone. A female voice says, “Oh my God! You’re still alive? What’s wrong with you, Marc?” Isaac’s character then says, “Why did you call me Marc?”

    We are then introduced to Ethan Hawke’s character, who seems to be a cult leader. He says to Spector, “It must be very difficult the voices in your head. There is chaos in you.” We then see a series of action sequences including Spector holding a gun, driving a truck, running, falling off a cliff, in an asylum, and in Egypt. Then an unidentified voice says, “Embrace the chaos.”

    We then see Spector forming into Moon Knight with his full white, comic book accurate costume. He violently beats up a bad guy, before turning directly to the camera and walk out of view with glowing white eyes. After the title card, we get one last shot of Moon Knight, in costume, jumping from one rooftop to another with the crescent moon behind him.

    Marvel Studios also released the official poster for the series, which you can see in full below. ‘Moon Knight’ premieres on Disney+ beginning March 30th.

    'Moon Knight' poster courtesy of Disney+
    ‘Moon Knight’ poster courtesy of Disney+

  • Marvel, Star Wars, & Pixar Updates from the Disney+ Day Announcements

    On Friday, November 12th, Disney+ celebrated its second anniversary with Disney+ Day, where they announced literally dozens of upcoming series from Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar and more. The presentations, which include some new clips, first looks, and upcoming announcements, can currently be viewed on Disney+, but Moviefone is here to break it all down for you.

    MARVEL

    The Marvel video presentation, which is now available on Disney+, begins with recaps of all the 2021 Marvel series that have been released so far including ‘WandaVision,’ ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,’ ‘Loki,’ and ‘What If…?’ Then we get an extended trailer for ‘Hawkeye,’ which drops on November 24th. We also got to see a full scene from the show, which involves Jeremey Renner’s Hawkeye and Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop stealing a car and then getting into a chase while Hawkeye teaches Kate how to use his trick arrows. The sequence is one continuous shot, ending with the two heroes swinging off of a bridge on to a moving train.

    The official synopsis for the series confirms that it is set in a post-blip New York City and follows Clint Barton on a seemingly simple mission to get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with 22-year-old skilled archer Kate Bishop to unravel a criminal conspiracy. In addition to Renner and Stanfield, the series also features Vera Farmiga (‘The Departed’), Brian d’Arcy James (‘Spotlight’) and Florence Pugh reprising her ‘Black Widow’ role as Yelena Belova.

    The video presentation also includes fans first look at Oscar Isaac in ‘Moon Knight.’ The series will follow the story of this complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities that live inside him find themselves thrusted into a deadly war of the Gods against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt. The clips basically show Isaac’s Marc Spencer being tortured by his dreams, with the character’s voice-over explaining that to the audience. We only get very quick glimpses of Isaac in the Moon Knight outfit, but the presentation ends with him in full costume jumping off of rooftops with the Moon lit full behind him. Actor Ethan Hawke is also set to appear as the show’s big bad.

    We also got new footage from the upcoming series, ‘She-Hulk.’ The teaser is narrated by Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk, as she explains that she is a lawyer but also, something else. There is a quick body shot of Jennifer fully-green with her comic book accurate costume, although it cuts away before we see She-Hulk’s face. We also get two glimpses of Mark Ruffalo, who returns as Jennifer’s cousin, Bruce Banner/Hulk.

    The first scene shows Bruce experimenting on Jennifer when she is just a child, presumably in a flashback, but what is interesting is that he is Smart Hulk in this scene. Since ‘Shang-Chi’ gave us an end-credit scene that revealed that at some point after the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ Smart Hulk reverted back to Bruce, it makes you wonder if this scene takes place between ‘Endgame’ and ‘Shang-Chi.’ If that is the case, and Jennifer was a child during that time period, it makes you wonder if the bulk of the series itself will make a time jump and take place decades after ‘Endgame’? We also get a clip that looks more like a commercial, with Jennifer and Bruce dressed in retro clothes and Jennifer saying, “”Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry,” which is clearly a nod to the 1970’s series, The Incredible Hulk.

    The last series to get new footage in the video presentation was ‘Ms. Marvel,’ which stars Iman Vellani as 16-year-old Kamala Khan. A Pakistani American and a fan-girl of the Avengers, Kamala is overjoyed when she discovers she has superpowers, and now must use them to find her place in the world. The footage shows her revealing her iconic mask for the first time and ends with Kamala standing on a New Jersey rooftop wearing a Captain Marvel Halloween Costume and preparing to use her powers to fly for the first time. Vellani is set to reprise her role, along with Teyonah Parris from ‘WandaVision’ and Brie Larson, in the upcoming feature film, ‘The Marvels.’

    But that’s not it! Marvel also announced a slew of new upcoming shows, some of which had been rumored, and also confirmed that ‘Loki’ and ‘What If…?’ will be getting second seasons. In fact, ‘What If…?’ will also be getting a spinoff with the new animated series ‘Marvel Zombies,’ which imagines a world where Marvel’s heroes have been turned into the undead. Staying with animation, Disney+ also announced a sequel to the classic 90’s animated X-Men series entitled ‘X-Men ’97,’ as well as ‘Spider-Man: Freshman Year,’ which will look at Peter Parker’s first year in high school, and ‘I Am Groot,’ a series of original shorts starring everyone’s favorite sentient tree.

    On the live-action side, ‘Secret Invasion’ was confirmed, which is based on the popular Marvel Comics series. The show will bring Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos back together to fight a faction of shape-shifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years. Also confirmed were ‘Echo,’ which will star Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, who will be introduced in ‘Hawkeye,’ and James Gunn will write and direct ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’

    Marvel also announced two new series based on the Iron Man franchise. First is ‘Armor Wars,’ which will star Don Cheadle reprising his role as War Machine. The second is ‘Ironheart,’ a series that will star Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man. Finally, Marvel confirmed the recent rumor that Kathryn Hahn will reprise her ‘WandaVision’ role as Agatha Harkness in her own series, which will be called ‘Agatha: House of Harkness.’

    LUCASFILM

    While there was no new footage included, fans got their first look at the making of the upcoming Star Wars series, ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi.’ The video is narrated by director Debbie Chow and actor Ewan McGregor and explains what fans can expect from the new series. “For this character to come back, the fans have been waiting long enough,” said McGregor. Chow explained that this is a “dark time,” for Kenobi and that it is “not safe” for him with “Jedi hunters” on the rise. McGregor said that his character has one task, which is “to keep Luke safe,” but Chow explained how that is just a starting point for the series.

    “The most beautiful thing of all is that it has brought me back together with Hayden,” McGregor said about the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. “We couldn’t tell the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi without addressing Anakin or Darth Vader,” added Chow. We are then given some behind the scenes shots of McGregor at rehearsal practicing his lightsaber skills. “To have another swing at each other, might be quite satisfying for everybody,” the actor teased in closing.

    Disney+ also released a Boba Fett documentary called ‘Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett.’ It is mostly a “history of the character” video and does not include any new footage from the upcoming series ‘The Book of Boba Fett,’ which premieres on December 29th.

    Finally, the presentation included a video from the set of the new series ‘Willow,’ which is based on the 1988 Ron Howard-directed and George Lucas-produced movie. The film’s star, Warwick Davis returns as the title character, and introduced the cast that includes Ruby Cruz (‘Mare of Easttown’), Erin Kellyman (‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’), and Tony Revolori (‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’). The video was done “tongue in cheek” with Davis playing a version of his arrogant ‘Life’s Too Short’ character and getting upset when the younger cast can’t remember the original film and begin to question why anyone would want a sequel series!

    PIXAR

    Unfortunately, Pixar did not have a lot to announce outside of a Cars-based animated series called ‘Cars on the Road,’ which will feature Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy reprising their roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater, respectively. Other announcements from the animation company included behind the scenes documentaries for the upcoming feature films ‘Turning Red’ and ‘Lightyear,’ as well as a new series called ‘Win or Lose,’ which is an animated show that will highlight the perspectives of different characters as a middle school coed softball team prepares for their championship game.

    DISNEY STUDIOS AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

    On the Disney Studios side, a remake of ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ was announced, which will star Gabrielle Union (‘Bad Boys II’) and Zach Braff (‘Oz the Great and Powerful’) and is set to premiere in March 2022. ‘Enchanted’ fans will be happy to learn that the long-awaited sequel, ‘Disenchanted’ will hit the streaming network in the fall of 2022 and once again star Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey. It was also announced that comedians John Mulaney and Andy Samberg will star in the new live-action/CG animation film entitled ‘Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers,’ which is based on Disney’s popular chipmunk characters and will premiere in the spring of 2022.

    Director Robert Zemeckis’ ‘Pinocchio,’ based on the Disney animated classic, will bow in the fall of 2022 as well, and stars Tom Hanks, Cynthia Erivo, and Luke Evans, with the voices of Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key and Lorraine Bracco. Also premiering in the fall of 2022, just in time for Halloween, is ‘Hocus Pocus 2,’ which is a sequel to the cult classic 1990’s movie. Returning stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are all set to reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters in the new sequel. A new clip from Peter Jackson’s upcoming documentary, ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ was also released featuring the legendary band performing “I Got a Feeling” in rare behind the scenes footage. The three-part documentary launches on Disney+ November 25th.

    Disney also announced a new series based on the beloved best-selling novels ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles,’ as well as animated spinoff series from some of their most popular films, including Baymax from ‘Big Hero Six,’ Tiana from ‘The Princess and the Frog,’ and’ Zootopia+,’ which opens up the world of ‘Zootopia.’ They also announced ‘The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild,’ which will star Simon Pegg as his ‘Ice Age: Collision Course’ character.

    Finally, National Geographic announced a new six-part series for 2022 called ‘Limitless’ with Chris Hemsworth. The series will follow the ‘Thor’ actor as he helps viewers discover the full potential of the human body. Nat Geo also announced a series called ‘Welcome to Earth,’ which is set to premiere on Disney+ next month. The series will be hosted by Will Smith as he encounters Earth’s greatest wonders.

  • ‘The Good Lord Bird’ Interviews with Ethan Hawke & Daveed Diggs

    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ Interviews with Ethan Hawke & Daveed Diggs

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    In this exclusive interview with Made in Hollywood, ‘The Good Lord Bird’ stars Ethan Hawke, Daveed Diggs, and Joshua Caleb Johnson, and the novel’s author James McBride talk about the Showtime limited series.

    Here is the official synopsis for the series:
    Based on the National Book Award-winning novel by bestselling author James McBride, the series is produced by Blumhouse Television, the studio behind the Golden Globe® Award-inning and Critics’ Choice®, Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild Award® nominated series ‘The Loudest Voice.’

    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ is told from the point of view of Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson), a fictional enslaved boy who becomes a member of John Brown’s motley family of abolitionist soldiers during Bleeding Kansas – a time when the state was a battleground between pro- and anti-slavery forces – and eventually finds himself participating in the famous 1859 raid on the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry. Brown’s raid failed to initiate the slave revolt he intended, but was an event that hastened the Civil War.

    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ weaves a humorous, dramatic and historical tapestry of Antebellum America, spotlighting the complicated and ever-changing racial, religious and gender roles that make up the American identity.

    The series also stars Critics’ Choice winner and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Ellar Coltrane (‘Boyhood’), Nick Eversman (‘Wild’), Beau Knapp (‘Seven Seconds’), Mo Brings Plenty (‘Yellowstone’), Jack Alcott (‘Champaign ILL’) and Hubert Point-Du Jour (‘Madam Secretary’). And a roster of talented guest stars including Tony® Award winner Daveed Diggs (‘Hamilton’) as abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Emmy® nominee David Morse (‘Escape at Dannemora’) as Dutch Henry Sherman, Steve Zahn (‘War of the Planet of the Apes’) as Chase, Maya Hawke (‘Stranger Things’) as Annie Brown, Wyatt Russell (‘Lodge 49’) as federal officer Jeb Stuart, Orlando Jones (‘American Gods’) as The Rail Man, among others.

    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ is executive produced by Jason Blum, Ethan Hawke, Ryan Hawke, Mark Richard, Padraic McKinley, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Albert Hughes, James McBride, Brian Taylor, Marshall Persinger and David Schiff.

    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ Trailer #1

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    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ Trailer #2

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    ‘The Good Lord Bird’ is available on Showtime.

  • Ethan Hawke electrifies in the ‘Tesla’ trailer

    Ethan Hawke electrifies in the ‘Tesla’ trailer

    Ethan Hawke continues to impress as an actor, and has garnered acclaim in the last couple of years for performances in ‘The Truth,’ ‘First Reformed,’ and ‘Juliet, Naked’ (just to name a few).

    And if the ‘Tesla’ trailer is any indication, his upcoming appearance as famed inventor Nikola Tesla is going to be something special.

    The official synopsis shows us a powerhouse supporting cast, as well as a hint of some daring filmmaking choices:

    Brilliant, visionary Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke) fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition, then faces thornier challenges with his new system for worldwide wireless energy. The film tracks Tesla’s uneasy interactions with his fellow inventor Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) and his patron George Westinghouse (Jim Gaffigan). Another thread traces Tesla’s sidewinding courtship of financial titan J.P. Morgan (Donnie Keshawarz), whose daughter Anne (Eve Hewson) takes a more than casual interest in the inventor. Anne analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a distinctly modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention.

    ‘Tesla’ was written and directed by Michael Almereyda (‘Marjorie Prime’ & ‘Experimenter’) and the film will be released in theaters and on demand on August 21.

  • 11 Things You Never Knew About Richard Linklater’s ‘Before Trilogy’

    11 Things You Never Knew About Richard Linklater’s ‘Before Trilogy’

    Warner Bros.

    Richard Linklater remains one of the most acclaimed indie directors in the business, in no small part because of the enduring appeal of his “Before Trilogy.” With the middle chapter in that trilogy, “Before Sunset,” turning 15 years old, now is the perfect time to revisit the roller coaster love story of Jesse and Céline and learn more about the making of these three classic romances.

    1. Linklater was inspired to write “Before Sunrise” by a similar experience in his own life, where he spent an evening in Philadelphia walking the city and conversing with a woman named Amy Lehrhaupt he met in a toy shop.

    2. Sadly, Linklater only learned in 2010 that Lehrhaupt had died in a motorcycle accident prior to the release of “Before Sunrise.” “Before Midnight” is dedicated in her memory.

    Columbia Pictures

    3. While Linklater and co-writer Kim Krizan wrote the screenplay for “Before Sunrise”  in a mere 11 days, it took nine months to choose Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy as the stars.

    4. Jesse and Céline are the only two named characters in “Before Sunset.”

    Columbia Pictures

    5. “Before Sunrise” contains numerous references to author James Joyce and his novel “Ulysses,” which also features a protagonist wandering a European city for a night.

    6. Linklater originally envisioned “Before Sunset” as a much more ambitious sequel set in multiple cities. But when he couldn’t acquire the necessary funding, he opted for a smaller and more intimate approach.

    Warner Bros.

    7. “Before Sunset” features numerous long take Steadicam shots. The longest of these lasts a full 11 minutes.

    8. The older couple who converse with Céline outside her apartment in “Before Sunset” are played by Delpy’s parents.

    9. Many fans have speculated that Jesse’s frayed relationship with his unseen wife in “Before Sunset” is inspired by Hawke’s marriage to actress Uma Thurman, as the two got divorced around the time of the film’s release. Hawke and Delpy have both acknowledged drawing heavily from their own personal lives when writing their respective characters.

    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    10. Hawke and Delpy have actually played the Jesse and Céline roles in a total of four films. The two characters also appear in Linklater’s 2001 animated film “Waking Life,” where they muse about the strange nature of dream time.

    11. Because “Waking Life” debuted several years before “Before Sunset,” that scene led many fans to assume Jesse and Céline did indeed reunite at the train station. “Before Sunset” proved otherwise, suggesting the “Waking Life” scene never happened or was merely a wistful dream on the part of one of the characters.

  • 11 Things to Know about ‘Dead Poets Society’

    Touchstone Pictures

    Dead Poets Society is a film whose legacy has only grown with time, so stand on your desk, pay your respects and learn some fun facts about the making of this classic coming-of-age drama.

    1. While Welton Academy is a fictional institution, writer Tom Schulman based the film on his own experiences at Tennessee’s Montgomery Bell Academy. Keating himself is inspired by Schulman’s former teacher, University of Connecticut professor Samuel F. Pickering, Jr.

    2. The movie was filmed on location at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware. Simon Mein, who plays the vicar at Welton Academy, was actually the vicar of St. Andrew’s at the time of filming.

    20th Century Fox

    3. Liam Neeson was originally expected to star, but the role instead went to Robin Williams after original director Jeff Kanew was replaced by Peter Weir.

    4. Dustin Hoffman was once attached to both direct and star in the film, but Hoffman eventually dropped out of the project.

    Touchstone Pictures

    5. Other actors considered for the John Keating role include Mel Gibson, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray and Mickey Rourke.

    6. The original screenplay includes a death scene where Keating succumbs to leukemia in a hospital, but Weir opted not to include it in the film, wanting the focus to remain on Keating’s students.

    Touchstone Pictures

    7. The scene featuring Ethan Hawke‘s Todd crying outside in the snow had to be done in one take. This is because the scene was originally meant to be shot indoors, but Weir decided to take advantage of a fleeting snowstorm outside the set.

    8. In order to help get his young actors into character, Weir had them all board together during filming and shoot in chronological order, so that their relationships would develop naturally over the course of production.

    Touchstone Pictures

    9. Lara Flynn Boyle originally had a role in the film, but her character was cut from the final version. According to Boyle, she didn’t find out about being cut until the day the film premiered.

    10. The film turned out to be an unexpected success for Disney. It became the first film released under the Touchstone Pictures label to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, and it also out-grossed “The Little Mermaid” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” on the global box office in 1989.

    Disney

    11. A stage adaptation of “Dead Poets Society” ran off-Broadway from October through December 2016. Jason Sudeikis starred as John Keating.

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  • Ethan Hawke, Alessandro Nivola to Play Country Music Brothers in ‘Satan is Real’

    Ethan Hawke, Alessandro Nivola to Play Country Music Brothers in ‘Satan is Real’

    Blumhouse/Broad Green Pictures

    Real-life best friends Ethan Hawke and Alessandro Nivola (who knew?) will play country music duo the Louvin Brothers in an upcoming biopic.

    In “Satan is Real,” they’ll portray influential country musicians Charlie and Ira Louvin.

    Hawke described the brothers’ sound as “both violent and beautiful… It’s aggressive, it’s electric, it’s strange.. It’s not wannabe cool guy country. It’s hillbilly gospel music.”

    It’s not clear who’ll be playing which brother, but Charlie was the upright, churchgoing man while brother Ira “had the devil in him” and was known for smashing his mandolin to splinters onstage.

    “They’re singing these songs and then backstage they’re taking speed and hitting on girls and beating the s**t out of each other,” said Hawke. He compared the Louvin brothers’ dynamic to that of the LaMotta brothers in “Raging Bull.”

    Besides their music, the Louvin Brothers are known for the meme-able cover of their 1959 album “Satan is Real.”

    Capitol Records

    Phil Morrison, who previously worked with Nivola on “Junebug” will direct.

    The two actors have been recording some of the Louvin Brothers songs ahead of Cannes.: “We wanted to show the financiers that we can do it and it will be good,” said Hawke.

    The two became friends in 2010 when Nivola starred in the Off Broadway revival of a Sam Shepard play that Hawke directed. Now, they’re neighbors in Brooklyn. “We like to drink beer and play guitar,” said Nivola. “Now we’ll be doing it for work.”

    Last year, Hawke directed the movie “Blaze,” about unsung Texas songwriter Blaze Foley. He’s played musicians both real (jazz trumpeter Chet Baker in “Born to be Blue“) and fictitious (reclusive indie rocker Tucker Crowe in “Juliet, Naked“).

    Nissola is currently filming “The Sopranos” prequel, “The Many Saints of Newark.”

    [Via Variety]

  • Ethan Hawke To Star as Abolitionist John Brown in Showtime Limited Series

    Ethan Hawke To Star as Abolitionist John Brown in Showtime Limited Series

    Lionsgate

    We’re still not over that Ethan Hawke Oscar snub, but now the “First Reformed” star is (potentially) gunning for an Emmy or two.

    The actor will star in and produce the limited series “Good Lord Bird,” about abolitionist John Brown for Showtime. It’s based on the 2013 National Book Award-winning novel by James McBride about  the relationship between a young slave nicknamed Onion and abolitionist Brown.

    The story is told from the viewpoint of Onion (who has yet to be cast) and details how he got to know Brown and took part in the pivotal pre-Civil War raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.

    Hawke (who was Oscar-nominated for co-writing “Before Midnight” and “Before Sunset”) will  co-write the eight-episode series with Mark Richard (“Hell on Wheels,” “Fear the Walking Dead”).

    Emmy-winner Anthony Hemingway (“The People v. O.J. Simpson,” “Underground”) will direct and executive produce; Blumhouse Television is producing.

    “‘Good Lord Bird’ is one of my favorite books, told with wit, grace and wisdom by the great James McBride,” said Hawke. He describes the series as “a passion project” and praised Showtime and Hemingway, “both of whom have made some of the best television in the last couple years.”

    Author McBride praised Hawke as “one of America’s most gifted and literate actors,” adding, “I’m thankful that Showtime and Blumhouse have shown faith and trust in one of America’s oddest, most profound and greatest heroes.”

    Hemingway added, “I’ve been blessed to tell great stories that make deliberate social impact by tackling topical issues facing the world, especially communities of color. With all that is going on culturally, socially and politically, the climate is ripe for material that is culturally relevant and provocative.”

    Hawke currently stars with Chris Pratt in the western “The Kid,” directed by their “Magnificent Seven” costar Vincent D’Onofrio.

    His performance in the Sam Shepard play “True West” opposite Paul Dano is currently in its final Week in New York City.

    [Via THR]

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