Chris Hemsworth attends the European Gala Screening for Amazons: ‘Crime 101’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on January 28, 2026 in London, England. Photo: Kate Green/Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Thanks to his work in the Marvel movies, Chris Hemsworth has become an international movie star and the pride of Australia.
(L to R) Chris Hemsworth, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy in 2016’s ‘Ghostbusters’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) and Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy), nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Katie McKinnon), and subway worker Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) band together to stop the otherworldly threat.
Thor (Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
Hoping to bring his family closer together and to recreate his childhood vacation for his own kids, a grown up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) takes his wife (Christina Applegate) and their two sons on a cross-country road trip to the coolest theme park in America, Walley World. Needless to say, things don’t go quite as planned.
The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.
(L to R) Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsworth in Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
A prisoner (Miles Teller) in a state-of-the-art penitentiary begins to question the purpose of the emotion-controlling drugs he’s testing for a pharmaceutical genius (Hemsworth).
Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in ‘Extraction 2’, the sequel to Netflix‘s blockbuster action film ‘Extraction‘. After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
For their honeymoon, newlyweds Cliff (Steve Zahn) and Cydney (Milla Jovovich) head to the tropical islands of Hawaii. While journeying through the paradisaical countryside the couple encounters Kale (Hemsworth) and Cleo (Marley Shelton), two disgruntled hitchhikers and Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and Gina (Kiele Sanchez), two wild but well-meaning spirits who help guide them through the lush jungles. The picturesque waterfalls and scenic mountainsides quickly give way to terror when Cliff and Cydney learn of a grisly murder that occurred nearby and realize that they’re being followed by chance acquaintances that suspiciously fit the description of the killers.
Chris Hemsworth in 2009’s ‘Star Trek’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), a Vulcan, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before. The human adventure has begun again.
After the Evil Queen (Charlize Theron) marries the King, she performs a violent coup in which the King is murdered and his daughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart), is taken captive. Almost a decade later, a grown Snow White is still in the clutches of the Queen. In order to obtain immortality, The Evil Queen needs the heart of Snow White. After Snow escapes the castle, the Queen sends the Huntsman (Hemsworth) to find her in the Dark Forest.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
Lake Tahoe, 1969. Seven strangers, each one with a secret to bury, meet at El Royale, a decadent motel with a dark past. In the course of a fateful night, everyone will have one last shot at redemption.
A team of special forces head into Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in an attempt to dismantle the Taliban.
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10. ‘Crime 101’ (2026)
Chris Hemsworth stars in ‘Crime 101’. Photo Credit: Dean Rogers.
Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, ‘Crime 101’ weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
Five friends (Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz and Jesse Williams) go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for, discovering the truth behind the cabin in the woods.
Tyler Rake (Hemsworth), a fearless mercenary who offers his services on the black market, embarks on a dangerous mission when he is hired to rescue the kidnapped son of a Mumbai crime lord.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
(L to R) Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl in ‘Rush’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
In the 1970s, a rivalry propels race car drivers Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Hemsworth) to fame and glory — until a horrible accident threatens to end it all.
Nicholas Hathaway (Hemsworth), a furloughed convict, and his American and Chinese partners hunt a high-level cybercrime network from Chicago to Los Angeles to Hong Kong to Jakarta. As Hathaway closes in, the stakes become personal as he discovers that the attack on a Chinese nuclear power plant was just the beginning.
Thor (Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
As the world falls, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Hemsworth). Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe. The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
(L to R) Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
(L to R) Katy O’Brian and Kristen Stewart in ‘Love Lies Bleeding.’ Photo: A24.
From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) falls hard for Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.
(L to R) Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Civil War.’ Photo: A24.
Directed by Alex Garland, in the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.
Pamela Anderson in ‘The Last Showgirl’. Photo: Roadside Attractions.
Opening in limited release in December 2024 and directed by by Gia Coppola, ‘The Last Showgirl’ stars Pamela Anderson as Shelly, a glamorous showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a 30-year run.
Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, genius artist Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) seeks to leap the City of New Rome into a utopian, idealistic future, while his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.
Directed by Osgood Perkins, in pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.
Directed by George Miller, as the world falls, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
Directed by Morgan Neville, ‘Piece By Piece’ is a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music’s most innovative minds.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, family man Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict—or free—the accused killer.
After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island’s animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose (Kit Connor).
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Directed by Ridley Scott, years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Directed by Coralie Fargeat, a fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier, a former Marine (Aaron Pierce) confronts corruption in a small town when local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he needs to post his cousin’s bail.
Zoe Saldaña as Emilia Pérez in ‘Emilia Pérez’. Photo: Netflix.
Directed by Jacques Audiard, Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm more interested in getting criminals out of jail than bringing them to justice, is hired by the leader of a criminal organization.
Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Directed by Jason Reitman, at 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live‘.
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, ‘Challengers’ stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
(L to R) Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard), Hank Hanson (Corey Johnson), Jacques Lesgardes (Zinedine Soualem), Geoff Mason (John Magaro), Carter (Marcus Rutherford), Gladys Deist (Georgina Rich), Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), Marianne Gebhard (Leonie Benesch) star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘September 5’ the film that unveils the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today, set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum, during the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American broadcasting team is thrust from covering sports to reporting a dramatic hostage situation involving Israeli athletes. A young producer (John Magaro), unexpectedly leading the live broadcast, faces difficult decisions as time runs out, rumors spread, and the hostages’ lives hang in the balance.
Jude Law in ‘The Order’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Directed by Justin Kurzel, an alarming surge in violent bombings and bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads a weathered FBI agent (Jude Law) into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with a charismatic domestic terrorist (Nicholas Hoult) plotting to overthrow the US government.
(L to R) Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’, directed by Jon M. Chu. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, in the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda (Ariana Grande) at Shiz University, and the two’s unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
From director Edward Berger, ‘Conclave’ follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Directed by James Mangold, set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, ‘A Complete Unknown’ follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
(L to R) Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’. Photo: Courtesy of NEON.
Sean Baker‘s Palme d’Or winner ‘Anora’ is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison captivates as Ani, a young sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire. However, when Vanya’s parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York.
Mark Ruffalo in ‘Dark Waters.’ Photo: Focus Features.
Preview:
Mark Ruffalo is joining the cast of ‘Crime 101’.
Chris Hemsworth is co-starring in the movie.
Bart Layton is directing.
Don Winslow’s work has been the source for movies before, including 2007’s ‘Bobby Z’ and 2012’s ‘Savages’.
Yet right now, there is a feeding frenzy for his literary output, with a variety of movies and shows in development based on his books, including war on drugs tale ‘The Border’ and ‘City on Fire’, which has a script by ‘Challengers’ Justin Kuritzkes and ‘Dune: Part Two’ actor Austin Butler aboard to star and produce.
Add to the list Winslow’s novella ‘Crime 101’, which is in development with Chris Hemsworth starring. And his old Marvel pal Mark Ruffalo is now in talks to join him in the police thriller.
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What’s the story of ‘Crime 101’?
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Spiderhead.’ Photo: Netflix.
Winslow’s latest chronicles a string of high-level jewel heists up and down the Pacific Coast Highway that have gone unsolved for years, mostly because the perpetrator has lived by a strict code he calls “Crime 101”.
Police attribute the thefts to the Colombian cartels, but Detective Lou Lubesnick’s gut says it’s the work of just one man. Now the lone-wolf jewel thief is looking for that fabled final last score, and Lou breaks all the rules of the perp’s idea.
There are no details yet as to which roles the two stars could be playing, but we could picture Hemsworth (who is also one of the movie’s producers) as the thief and Mark Ruffalo as the cop.
Pedro Pascal was originally looking to star with Hemsworth, but his busy schedule has forced him to bow out.
Bart Layton, who most recently made 2018’s ‘American Animals’ is aboard to direct, working from his script, which has seen contributions by ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’s Peter Straughan.
Where else can we see Mark Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth?
(L to R) Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Ruffalo is coming off his fourth Oscar nomination for ‘Poor Things’ and is busy filming HBO limited series ‘Task’, the latest small screen drama from ‘Mare of Easttown’ creator Brad Ingelsby.
He’ll be back as FBI agent/magician Dylan Rhodes for the third ‘Now You See Me’ movie and before that, he has Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi comedy drama ‘Mickey 17’, which stars Robert Pattinson, due on January 31st next year.
Hemsworth will next be seen as the charismatic and villainous Dr. Dementus in ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, which just hit theaters. Later this year, he’ll be heard as the voice of Orion Pax (who will become Optimus Prime) in animated prequel ‘Transformers One’, out on September 20th.
When will ‘Crime 101’ be in theaters?
Amazon MGM Studios have yet to set a release date for this one, though Deadline reports that it’s being aimed at a theatrical opening next year.
But in 2015, Miller returned to the franchise that put him on the map with the Oscar-nominated ‘Mad Max: Fury Road‘, which recast the title character with Tom Hardy and introduced Charlize Theron as fan-favorite Furiosa.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every movie that George Miller has ever directed, including his latest.
Note: For this list, we are only including Miller’s theatrical films as a director, and not his documentary ‘40,000 Years of Dreaming‘, or ‘Babe‘, which he only produced and co-wrote.
1998’s ‘Babe: Pig in the City’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett’s farm, but after Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) is injured and unable to work, Babe has to go to the big city to save the farm.
2011’s ‘Happy Feet Two’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Mumble (Elijah Wood) the penguin has a problem: his son Erik (Elizabeth Daily), who is reluctant to dance, encounters The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria), a penguin who can fly! Things get worse for Mumble when the world is shaken by powerful forces, causing him to brings together the penguin nations and their allies to set things right.
(L to R) Susan Sarandon, Zack O’Malley Greenburg and Nick Nolte in ‘Lorenzo’s Oil’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Augusto (Nick Nolte) and Michaela Odone (Susan Sarandon) are dealt a cruel blow by fate when their five-year-old son Lorenzo (Zack O’Malley Greenburg) is diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease. But the Odones’ persistence and faith leads to an unorthodox cure which saves their boy and re-writes medical history.
Mel Gibson in ‘Mad Max’. Photo: Roadshow Film Distributors.
In the ravaged near-future, a savage motorcycle gang rules the road. Terrorizing innocent civilians while tearing up the streets, the ruthless gang laughs in the face of a police force hell-bent on stopping them.
Jack Nicholson in ‘The Witches of Eastwick’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Three single women (Susan Sarandon, Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer) in a picturesque Rhode Island village have their wishes granted – at a cost – when a mysterious and flamboyant man (Jack Nicholson) arrives in their lives.
Mel Gibson in ‘Mad Max 2’. Photo: Roadshow Film Distributors.
Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) returns as the heroic loner who drives the dusty roads of a postapocalyptic Australian Outback in an unending search for gasoline. Arrayed against him and the other scraggly defendants of a fuel-depot encampment are the bizarre warriors commanded by the charismatic Lord Humungus (Kjell Nilsson), a violent leader whose scruples are as barren as the surrounding landscape.
As the world falls, young Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the wasteland, they encounter the citadel presided over by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). The two tyrants wage war for dominance, and Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.
2006’s ‘Happy Feet’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin (Elijah Wood) is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!
Dr Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is an academic – content with life and a creature of reason. While in Istanbul attending a conference, she happens to encounter a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. This presents two problems. First, she doubts that he is real and second, because she is a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. The Djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past. Eventually she is beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both.
Charlize Theron in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order.
Returning to the cinematic world he created, filmmaker George Miller once again delivers an exciting and thrilling adventure, which acts as both a prequel and a spinoff to ‘Fury Road’. While ‘Furiosa’ is more character driven than its predecessor it still features the same level of visually stunning action sequences, which are enhanced this time around by the character development. Both Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy give extremely strong performances as Furiosa, but it is Chris Hemsworth in his first truly great post ‘Thor’ performance as the evil yet hysterically funny biker villain, Dementus.
Beginning decades before ‘Fury Road’, the film first introduces us to a young Furiosa (Browne), who lives in a secret eutopia far away from the Wasteland called the Green Place of Many Mothers. When bikers accidentally come across their home, Furiosa bravely warns her people, but is abruptly kidnapped by the bikers and taken to their leader, the Warlord Dementus (Hemsworth). After a desperate rescue attempt by her mother (Charlee Fraser) fails, Furiosa is raised by Dementus so he can gain her trust and discover the location of her home to take it for his own.
Dementus soon sets his sights on taking over the Citadel from its leader, Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme). But when his first attempt fails, he negotiates what he wants from Joe in exchange for Furiosa, who will be groomed as a wife to breed. After the exchange, Furiosa (now Taylor-Joy) eventually escapes and meets a transporter, or a Road Warrior if you will, named Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke). Jack agrees to teach her his ways in exchange for her help transporting goods for Immortan Joe and as time passes, she slowly becomes the character we remember from ‘Fury Road’, albeit a slightly younger version. But, when Dementus and his biker horde wage war on Immortan Joe, it gives Furiosa her chance at revenge and possibly finally returning home.
To be fair, I’ve never been a huge fan of the ‘Mad Max’ franchise. The first two films, ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Mad Max 2’ were a little too slow for me. ‘Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome’ injected more humor into the franchise and therefore was a bit more enjoyable. Miller certainly reinvented the franchise with ‘Fury Road’, which I enjoyed but not as much as most. The action was incredible and visually beautiful to watch, but the story was complicated and the characters, while interesting, were not explored or developed enough for me to ultimately care.
That is not the case with ‘Furiosa’ as Miller really takes his time to tell the title character’s backstory and develop not only her, but Hemsworth’s villain and Burke’s Jack as well. By the end of the movie, you really care about the characters and what happens to them. That only adds to the excitement of the action sequences, which in some ways are better than the last film. Miller has truly created a captivating world, and ‘Furiosa’ allows him to explore it in a way he never has before.
Miller out does himself this time with a barrage of stunning, high-octane action sequences that rival what was seen in ‘Fury Road.’ Along with his cinematographer Simon Duggan, Miller conceives grand, sweeping master shots of the desolate Wasteland while also serving up metal-crashing explosive action sequences. One such scene involves a big rig truck barreling through the desert at top speeds while being attacked by bikers and hybrid helicopter-bikes. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before from Miller in this universe and ups the action from the previous installments.
Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy are both excellent as Furiosa and give a seamless performance together. However, it is worth noting that they equally share the role, and Taylor-Joy does not appear until the halfway mark. Once she does, her dialogue is limited, but the actress excels at expressing her emotions physically or with just a quick look. Taylor-Joy transforms into the basic character we know from ‘Fury Road’ quite well, and in the end is a dead ringer for Theron’s version. She also has great chemistry with Burke, and I’m glad they gave Furiosa an alley to relate to and care for.
But it is Browne who carries much of the film, and really builds the character for Taylor-Joy to take over. Browne creates a believably strong character and lays the groundwork for what is to come. The young actress is great opposite Hemsworth, making Furiosa and Dementus’ volatile relationship fun to watch.
While he was unarguably great in the MCU movies, Chris Hemsworth has struggled ever since to find a role that fit him quite as well as Thor. He has had some success with the ‘Extraction’ movies, but not since ‘Avengers: Endgame’ has he really been able to tap into both his physical strength and his surprising comedic abilities … until now.
Dementus is the perfect Chris Hemsworth role! It allows him to be physically imposing, over-the-top funny, and as evil as he wants to be. The actor plays the character with an evil charm and a sadistic humor but is also physically believable in his action sequences. While Browne and Taylor-Joy might be the heart of the movie, Hemsworth steals every scene he’s in and may now be the best villain in the ‘Mad Max’ franchise.
The film’s ending does beg questions about how this connects to ‘Fury Road’ and the future of the franchise, but it doesn’t take away from the emotionally affective and visually exciting theatrical experience the audience has just had. And at just over two and half hours, I can honestly say that it never felt long and kept my attention throughout.
In the end, ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ is an exciting, action-packed, character driven film that succeeds on most levels. Director George Miller has created another visually stunning action adventure, that really takes its time to set up the characters and build on the world from the previous films. While Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy are wonderful together as the title character, Chris Hemsworth brings the action and the fun in one of his finest roles to date.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’?
Set 15 to 20 years before the events of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, as the world falls apart, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and into the hands of a Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). While two Tyrants war for dominance over the Citadel, an older Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) survives many trials as she plots a way back home through the Wasteland.
Summer 2024 is almost here and with it comes the sun, the beach and summer movies!
The summer movie season will officially begin on May 3rd when the big screen adaption of the popular 80’s TV series ‘The Fall Guy,’ which stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, opens in theaters.
Johnny Depp in ‘Jeanne Du Barry.’ Photo: Vertical.
The life of Jeanne Bécu (Maïwenn), who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV (Johnny Depp) to become his last official mistress.
He’s a stuntman (Ryan Gosling), and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
Harriet Slater in ‘Tarot’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death.
(Left) Justice Smith in ‘I Saw the TV Glow’. Photo: A24.
Teenager Owen (Justice Smith) is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Lee (Ashley Judd) protects her orphaned nieces Imogen (Katie Douglas) and Maeve (Sarah Pidgeon) from a self-destructing world, raising them in isolation until an outsider threatens their peaceful existence.
Richard Brake as Beau in the western/crime/thriller, ‘The Last Stop In Yuma County,’ a Well Go USA release. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA.
While awaiting the next fuel truck at a middle-of-nowhere Arizona rest stop, a traveling young knife salesman is thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation by the arrival of two similarly stranded bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty—or cold, hard steel—to protect their bloodstained, ill-begotten fortune.
Sasha Pieterse, Parker Young, Nestor Carbonell, and Academy Award® winner Mira Sorvino star in this twisted tale of deception and desire based on the bestselling thriller by Adele Parks. Identical twins Anna and Zoe find their bond tested over Anna’s new love, Nick. While the trusting Anna is head over heels, her skeptical sister Zoe senses a web of deceit. But as Zoe digs for the truth, they’re all pulled into a dangerous game where honesty could prove fatal.
(L to R) Cailey Fleming and Blue star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The story of a girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.
Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s ‘Back To Black,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Dean Rogers/Focus Features.
The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame. Told through Amy’s (Marisa Abela) eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.
(L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.
After their car breaks down, a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
Jean-Claude Van Damme in ‘Darkness of Man’. Photo: Saban Films.
Russell Hatch (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an Interpol operative who takes on the role of father figure to Jayden (Emerson Min), the son of an informant killed in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, Hatch finds himself protecting Jayden and his uncle from a group of merciless gangs in an all-out turf war, stopping at nothing to protect Jayden and fight anyone getting in his way. Including supposed allies with hidden agendas and nefarious intents.
Garfield (Chris Pratt), the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie (Harvey Guillén) are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.
(Right) Greg Kinnear in ‘Sight’. Photo: Angel Studios.
Dr. Ming Wang (Terry Chen) is not simply an eye surgeon: he is a beacon of empathy for humankind. Based on his incredible true story, ‘Sight’ offers glimpses of hope at times when it feels the hardest to find.
Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement – a 21-mile trek from France to England.
(L to R) Leon Bridges as “River” and Kiersey Clemons as “Celestina” in the drama ‘The Young Wife’, a Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label) release. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
A young woman (Kiersey Clemons) grapples with the meaning of love and commitment over the course of her “non-wedding” day.
(L to R) Oliver Finnegan as Daniel, Olwen Fouere as Madeline, Dakota Fanning as Mina and Georgina Campbell as Ciara in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy thriller ‘The Watchers,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
When 28-year-old artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) finds shelter after getting stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers that are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
(L to R) Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
After their late former Captain is framed, Lowrey (Will Smith) and Burnett (Martin Lawrence) try to clear his name, only to end up on the run themselves.
A mild-mannered professor (Glen Powell) moonlighting as a fake contract killer sparks a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a client (Adria Arjona).
Teenager Riley’s 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 shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
(L to R) David Duchovny, Stephanie Beatriz and Logan Marshall-Green in ‘Bucky F*cking Dent’. Photo: Vertical.
Follows Ted (Logan Marshall-Green), an aimless thirty-something who moves in with his father Marty (David Duchovny) when he develops a fatal illness. Marty’s health suffers every time the Boston Red Sox lose, so to keep him happy and alive, Ted enlists Marty’s grief counselor Mariana (Stephanie Beatriz) and friends to fake a Red Sox winning streak.
(L to R) Stephen Fry and Lena Dunham in ‘Treasure’. Photo: Bleecker Street.
Poland, 1990 – American music journalist Ruth (Lena Dunham) takes her father Edek (Stephen Fry), a Holocaust survivor, on a journey to his childhood haunts, hoping to make sense of her family’s troubled past. When Edek, reluctant to face his trauma, undermines their trip with his unpredictable and more eccentric than usual demeanor, Ruth is forced to challenge him and the values with which he raised her.
(L to R) Jodie Comer and Austin Butler in ‘The Bikeriders.’ Photo: Focus Features.
Kathy (Jodie Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Austin Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Tom Hardy). As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Chuck Norris as Alastair in the action, sci-fi film, ‘Agent Recon’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
A covert military task force tracks a mysterious energy disturbance at a secret base in New Mexico that is suspected of experimenting on alien technology. Once there, the team encounters an unknown being of extraordinary strength and speed, and the ability to control an army of mindless warriors. The trio must fight through the unstoppable hordes to prevent humanity’s demise.
‘Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Explore the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, embark on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.
(Center) Emma Roberts in ‘Space Cadet’. Photo: Prime Video.
It follows the Florida party girl Rex (Emma Roberts), who turns out to be the only hope for the NASA space program, after a fluke puts her in training with other candidates who may have better resumes, but don’t have her smarts, heart and moxie.
Elizabeth Mitchell in ‘Possum Trot.’ Photo: Angel Studios.
Twenty-two families from a rural black church in the small East Texas town of Possum Trot adopt seventy-seven of the most difficult to place kids in the foster system.
(L to R) Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in ‘Fly Me to the Moon’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson), brought in to fix NASA’s public image, wreaks havoc on Apollo 11 launch director Cole Davis’ (Channing Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as backup, and the countdown truly begins.
Johnny Depp as “Johnny Puff” in the family, comedy, animation film, ‘Johnny Puff: Secret Mission’, an International Media Network release. Photo courtesy of International Media Network.
Johnny Puff (Johnny Depp) and his friends go on a secret mission to save Taigasville from the evil plans of the villainous engineer Otto von Walrus.
(from left) Lily (Sasha Lane) and Tyler (Glen Powell), in ‘Twisters’ directed by Lee Isaac Chung.
As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones), lured back to the open plains after a devastating encounter years prior, and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. The pair and their competing teams find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.
Tami Stronach in ‘Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps’. Photo: Fathom Events.
Three Mysterious Curses, two lost souls… and one incredibly difficult dance. A lowly goatherd seeks out a reclusive witch (Tami Stronach) to break the evil enchantment that has long kept him from taking a wife. When he completes the three impossible trials the witch prescribes, the man (Greg Steinbruner) earns the hand of the legendary Princess, only heir of the Old King of the Cursed Kingdom. But when he arrives at the altar with a perfect fairytale ending hanging in the balance, both the goatherd and mysterious witch who helped transform him into the perfect eligible bachelor find that there is one enchantment they can’t figure out how to break… true love.
Cate Blanchett as Lilith in ‘Borderlands.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
After returning to her home-planet Pandora, infamous outlaw, Lilith (Cate Blanchett), is given a dangerous mission and forms an alliance (and potential friendship) with other criminals; including former mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), demolitionst Tiny Tina and her protector Krieg, insane scientist Tannis, and the wisecracking robot Claptrap (Jack Black). The mission: find and protect the missing (and important) daughter of a very powerful man named Atlas. Although, things may not be as they seem, as the girl holds the key to great power, one that can change the fate of the entire universe.
(L to R) John Cena and Awkwafina in ‘Jackpot!’ Photo: Prime Video.
Set in a very near future where a Grand Lottery has been founded in economically struggling California. The only caveat? If you want to legitimately claim the award, you must murder the winner before sunset.
‘Chapter 2’ continues to explore the lure of the old West and takes audiences on a treacherous journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Bill Skarsgård in ‘The Crow.’ Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
Soulmates Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.
(L to R) Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Michael Keaton, Monica Bellucci, and director Tim Burton for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Warner Bros. showed off its upcoming slate at CinemaCon Tuesday.
Movies such as ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ were promoted.
Talent including George Miller and Todd Phillips took to the stage to show off footage.
Warner Bros. was the first of the major studios to make a big presentation to theater owners at CinemaCon, so naturally it had to kick off by celebrating the box office success enjoyed by ‘Dune: Part Two’, ‘Wonka’, ‘Godzilla x Kong’ and, oh yes… a little movie called ‘Barbie’.
And it was also about looking forward to this year’s offerings, with the executive team dressing in Beetlejuice costumes. Got to love a slightly awkward business type outside of their comfort zone.
Director Bong Joon-ho for ‘Mickey 17’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Of note in the opening montage? Footage from Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi thriller ‘Mickey 17’, which stars Robert Pattinson and is scheduled for January next year. Its presence hints at more today…
The presentation, once the initial sizzle was over and done with, kicked off properly with…
(L to R) Director George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth for ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. was always going to launch with one of its bigger guns, and there are few bigger than this prequel to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’.
Director George Miller took the stage alongside his stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Miller admitted that the movie had only just been finished the week before the presentation –– just in time for its launch at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
Miller explained why ‘Furiosa’ came about: “To tell the story of Mad Max, we had to know where every vehicle, every character, every prop, every gesture came from. We wrote backstories of Furiosa overall these years and Mad Max the year before. When ‘Fury Road’ had enough traction we figured we had to do ‘Furiosa.’”
(L to R) Anya Taylor-Joy director George Miller and Chris Hemsworth for ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Taylor-Joy admitted that as a ‘Mad Max’ mega-fan, she was pinching herself every day on set, hardly able to believe she was on set. She called the movie “the story of one woman’s commitment to unrelenting hope,” and we can all use some of that.
Miller, for his part, explained that he cast Taylor-Joy because she’s the type of person he would want to hang out with during the apocalypse. Oh, and that the movie spans roughly 16-18 years of the narrative.
Hemsworth, meanwhile, described his character –– Dr. Dementus –– as “twisted” and “cruel”, but ultimately charming, since he has a following. And let’s be honest: even with a big fake nose, he still mostly looks like Chris Hemsworth!
And this being CinemaCon, there was an extended look at the film, which is suitably dystopian and crazed in the best Miller style.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ will be in theaters on May 24th.
Director Ishana Night Shyamalan for ‘The Watchers’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
A sneak peak of the new trailer for the Ishana Night Shyamalan thriller, which stars Dakota Fanning as a young woman who gets lost in a forest and ends up trapped inside a weird glass-walled structure where she and several others are observed by mysterious creatures/people.
(Center) James Gunn and the cast of ‘Superman.’ Photo: James Gunn’s Instagram Account.
In between presentations there was a video message from DC Studios co-chief James Gunn, who thanked theater manages for helping with the success of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ and teased his July 2025 release ‘Superman’ –– with a logo shown on screen. Sounds like he’ll be stopping by Las Vegas next year…
Christopher Reeve in ‘Superman.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Following Gunn, it was the turn of his DC Studios colleague Peter Safran, who introduced a look at the moving documentary about the career and legacy of Christopher Reeve, who famously played Supes on screen in the Richard Donner movies and beyond.
‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ also tracks his time after a riding accident left his paralyzed. The documentary will be in theaters this September. Even the trailer when it arrives may make you tear up.
Costner explains that he prefers “Journey Movies” over “Plot Movies,” preferring audiences take a ride with the characters. The first two chapters of ‘Horizon’ covers 12 years of time, starting before the Civil War and through it.
And because two chapters surely isn’t enough, he intends to make two more. He’s hoping audiences will binge the movies in theaters.
Warner Bros. will be releasing the first two chapters of the film series this year. ‘Chapter 1’ moseys in on June 28th, with ‘Chapter 2’ following on August 16th.
Robert Pattinson for ‘Mickey 17’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
As the sizzle reel predicted, Bong Joon Ho and Robert Pattinson took the stage to show the trailer for their sci-fi movie, which sees the latter playing a cloned worker in space who takes on dangerous jobs.
Bong explained the movie’s title shift (the source novel is called ‘Mickey 7) –– he’s killed the character an addition 10 times (no word on whether we’ll see them all). And Pattinson plays two versions at once –– including Mickey 18, who decides he should kill his fellow clone.
And the tone of the movie certainly looks to learn towards the dark comedy vibes of ‘Snowpiercer’.
Why did Bong cast Pattinson? “He has a crazy thing in his eyes.”
‘Mickey 17’ appears to be worth waiting for… and we will have to wait until January 31 next year.
Director M. Night Shyamalan for ‘Trap’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
While his daughter’s film (‘The Watchers’) had just a trailer, M. Night Shyamalan himself was on stage to preview his next movie, ‘Trap’, his first with Warners.
Using the words “provocative” and “unusual” to describe his latest, Shyamalan explained that cinemagoers will feel like part of the audience attending a concert to see a performance by a singer called Lady Raven. Things take… a dark turn. Twist!
The story involves a father and a daughter attending the concert, only to learn that it’s all been organized as a trap for a local serial killer.
Saleka Shyamalan for ‘Trap’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
And in keeping with the performance feel, he had his daughter Saleka perform a song. 2024 is a family affair for the director.
The trailer played, but that one is best left to see for yourself.
Of course, the angle here is heavily on the legacy of Tim Burton, and his commitment to making the new movie as practically as possible.
To big that up, a behind-the-scenes video was shown of filming on both the original and the sequel.
Burton took the stage with some of his cast, including Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, and, of course, Michael Keaton. The director admitted that his original focus was on Lydia Deetz (Ryder), but shifted to the family as a whole, and the different generation of Deetz women. He says the movie feels like a big family reunion.
(L to R) Director Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Keaton kept things low key with his praise for the movie: “It’s really f*****g good. It’s really, really good. Actually, it’s great.”
Justin Theroux, meanwhile, shared that he found the experience “fun” (everyone crossed that out on their bingo card). There was praise for Ortega, who is apparently a natural fit for the story.
And they couldn’t stay too long, as Burton said he’s expected back in London to continue editing the movie itself.
Director Todd Phillips for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
Co-writer/director Todd Phillips was on stage, thanking cinema chains for supporting the first ‘Joker’ and mentioning “bizarre rumors” about it leading to violence that swirled ahead of its release.
He went on to add that while he called ‘Joker’ a one-off while promoting it, he and Joaquin Phoenix had talked about sequel ideas on set.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram.
As for Lady Gaga, he described her as “magic” and knew from producing ‘A Star is Born’ that she was the right person to star alongside Phoenix.
And though he stopped short of describing the movie as a musical, he did say that it plays an important part. “Arthur has music to him. He has a dance to him.”
The first teaser trailer was shown, and you can find it below:
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‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in 2024, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell) is a former major league baseball player forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness. He moves into a new home with his concerned wife Eve (Kerry Condon) and their two children. Secretly hoping, against the odds, to return to pro ball, Ray persuades Eve that the new home’s shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him. But a dark secret in the home’s past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror.
Struggling to find a better life, Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is captivated by the power of the rising Messiah and soon risks everything to carve a path to a divine existence.
New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics,’ ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Renee Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Woods) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
In The Beekeeper, one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers”.
(L-R) Kaley Cuoco as “Emma” and David Oyelowo as “Dave” in the action comedy, ‘Role Play,’ a Prime Video release. Photo courtesy of Prime Video.
Emma (Kaley Cuoco) has a wonderful husband and two kids in the suburbs of New Jersey—she also has a secret life as an assassin for hire, a secret that her husband David (David Oyelowo) discovers when the couple decide to spice up their marriage with a little role play.
(L to R) Nat Wolff and Lucy Hale in ‘Which Brings Me To You.’ Photo: Decal.
Two romantic burnouts, Jane (Lucy Hale) and Will (Nat Wolff), are immediately drawn to each other at a mutual friend’s wedding. After a disastrous hookup in the coatroom, the two spend the next 24 hours together, trading candid confessions of messy histories and heartbreak, on the off chance that this fling might be the real thing.
(L to R) Dolph Lundgren as “Johansen” and Christina Villa as “Rosa” in the action thriller, ‘Wanted Man,’ a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
Johansen (Dolph Lundgren) is an aging detective, whose outdated policing methods have given the department a recent public relations problem. To save his job, he is sent to Mexico to extradite a female witness (Christina Villa) to the murders of two DEA agents. Once there, he finds not only his old opinions challenged, but that bad hombres on both sides of the border are now gunning for him and his witness.
(L to R) Jon Bernthal as Brett Hamilton and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Isabel Wilkerson in director Ava DuVernay’s ‘Origin.’ Photo: Neon.
While grappling with tremendous personal tragedy, writer Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) sets herself on a path of global investigation and discovery.
(L to R) Scott Haze and Kate Lyn Sheil in ‘The Seeding,’ a Magnet release. Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.
In ‘The Seeding,’ a hiker lost (Scott Haze) in the desert takes refuge with a woman (Kate Lyn Sheil) living alone, and soon discovers that she might not be there willingly.
(L to R) Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller and Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet in ‘Miller’s Girl.’ Photo Credit: Zac Popik.
A talented young writer (Jenna Ortega) embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Martin Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear.
(L to R) Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and John Cena in ‘Argylle,’ directed by Matthew Vaughn.
When the plots of reclusive author Elly Conway’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) fictional espionage novels begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Accompanied by her cat Alfie and Aiden (Sam Rockwell), a cat-allergic spy, Elly races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Conway’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ hits Paramount+ on February 2nd. Photo: Paramount+.
A young boy (Brandon Soo Hoo) in San Francisco who meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu (Henry Golding) and discovers he is the latest in a long line of guardians who protect an ancient phoenix from evil-doers.
In 18th century Denmark, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) – a proud, ambitious, but impoverished war hero — sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable land on which seemingly nothing can grow. He seeks to start farming crops, build a colony in the name of the King, and gain a noble title for himself. This beautiful but forbidding area also happens to be under the rule of the merciless Frederik De Schinkel, a preening nobleman who realizes the threat Kahlen represents to his power. Struggling against the elements and local brigands, Kahlen is joined by a couple who have fled the clutches of the rapacious De Schinkel. As this group of misfits begins to build a small community in this inhospitable place, De Schinkel swears vengeance, and the confrontation between him and Kahlen promises to be as violent and intense as these two men.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. Discover Bob Marley’s (Kinsley Ben-Adir) powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.
Russell Crowe as Reaper in the action film, ‘Land of Bad,’ a release by The Avenue. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
When a Delta Force team is ambushed in enemy territory, a rookie officer (Liam Hemsworth) refuses to abandon them. Their only hope lies with an Air Force drone pilot (Russell Crowe) as the eyes in the sky during a brutal 48-hour battle for survival.
Hilary Swank as Sharon Stevens in ‘Ordinary Angels.’ Photo Credit: Allen Fraser.
Based on a remarkable true story, ‘Ordinary Angels’ centers on Sharon Steves (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it. What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles, and ordinary angels.
(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.
Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
As an astronaut (Adam Sandler) sent to the edge of the galaxy to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice (Paul Dano) who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.
(L to R) Jermaine Fowler, Zac Efron and Andrew Santino in ‘Ricky Stanicky.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
When three childhood (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino and Jermaine Fowler) best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble. Twenty years later, the trio still uses the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. But when their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire a washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator (John Cena) to bring him to life.
(from left) Po (Jack Black) and Zhen (Awkwafina) in ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ directed by Mike Mitchell.
Po (Jack Black) is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot and will encounter a villain called the Chameleon (Viola Davis) who conjures villains from the past.
Zach Braff as Gordon Kinski in the romantic comedy, ‘French Girl,’ a Paramount Global Content Distribution Group release. Photo courtesy of Paramount Global Content Distribution Group.
Gordon (Zach Braff), a hopeless romantic, finds his proposal plans are thrown into chaos when his girlfriend (Evelyne Brochu) is swept away to Quebec by a job offer from her ex, a sophisticated celebrity chef (Vanessa Hudgens). Determined to keep their love alive, Gordon leaves Brooklyn for her hometown, only to find himself hilariously out of his depth in attempting to charm her hard-to-impress, French-speaking family.
Russell Crowe as “Roy Freeman” in the Action/Crime/Thriller film ‘Sleeping Dogs,’ a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
Roy Freeman (Russell Crowe), who is undergoing a cutting-edge Alzheimer’s treatment, is forced to grapple with the impact of an investigation from his former life after a death row inmate that Freeman arrested 10 years prior starts to proclaim his innocence. Intrigued and fighting to regain his memory, Freeman enlists his former partner to help him revive the case and discover the truth. Together, they set off to unravel a tangled web of secrets, forcing Freeman to make some horrific discoveries.
(L to R) Justice Smith as “Aren”, David Alan Grier as “Roger” and Aisha Hinds as “Gabbard” in writer/director Kobi Libii’s ‘The American Society of Magical Negroes,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Tobin Yelland/Focus Features.
‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ is a fresh, satirical comedy about a young man, Aren (Justin Smith), who is recruited into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people’s lives easier.
‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
The Spengler family (Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard and Carrie Coon) returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
This latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ opens in theaters on April 19th. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith.
Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox). The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
Based on a remarkable true story, ‘Unsung Hero’ follows David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) as he moves his family from Down Under to the States, searching for a brighter future after his successful music company collapses. With nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives. Helen’s faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs. With their own dreams on hold, David and Helen begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in Inspirational Music history.
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, ‘Challengers’ stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – ‘West Side Story‘), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – ‘The Crown‘) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
(L to R) Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
He’s a stuntman (Ryan Gosling), and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’
The story of a girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.
(L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.
After their car breaks down, a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
Teenager Riley’s 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 shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Kathy (Jodie Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Austin Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Tom Hardy). As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
‘Borderlands.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
After returning to her home-planet Pandora, infamous outlaw, Lilith (Cate Blanchett), is given a dangerous mission and forms an alliance (and potential friendship) with other criminals; including former mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), demolitionst Tiny Tina and her protector Krieg, insane scientist Tannis, and the wisecracking robot Claptrap (Jack Black). The mission: find and protect the missing (and important) daughter of a very powerful man named Atlas. Although, things may not be as they seem, as the girl holds the key to great power, one that can change the fate of the entire universe.
‘Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Chapter 2 continues to explore the lure of the old West and takes audiences on a treacherous journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter in ‘Kraven the Hunter.’
‘Kraven the Hunter’ is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film.
Transformers One is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker and Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), an ostracized but defiant girl born with green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), a privileged aristocrat born popular, become extremely unlikely friends in the magical Land of Oz. As the two girls struggle with their opposing personalities, their friendship is tested as both begin to fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and The Wicked Witch of the West. The first of a two-part film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Elessar in director Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.’
Focused on the mighty King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, and a legendary battle which helped shaped Middle Earth leading into the events of ‘The Lord of the Rings.’
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven the Hunter in ‘Kraven the Hunter.’
‘Kraven the Hunter’ is the visceral story about how and why one of Marvel’s most iconic villains came to be. Set before his notorious vendetta with Spider-Man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the titular character in the R-rated film.
