With the success of ‘Dune’ last year, director Denis Villeneuve is already at work on the follow-up film, ‘Dune: Part Two’, which will essentially adapt the other half of Frank Herbert’s sprawling science fiction tome.
Yet even before the first movie was out, plans were being put in place for a TV spin-off called ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’, which as the title (though it’s apparently a working title) suggests, will feature the mysterious, mystical and powerful group who manipulate political power and bloodlines from behind the scenes.
The show is moving forward with Diane Ademu-John (a veteran of shows such as ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ and ‘Empire’) in charge. She took over for ‘Dune’ movie co-writer Jon Spaihts, who had been set to oversee the show, but stepped back to focus on scripting the big screen sequel with Villeneuve.
Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet in the movies), the series will follow the Harkonnen Sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesserit (you might recall that Rebecca Ferguson was a member in the movie). The drama is adapted from the novel ‘Sisterhood of Dune’ by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
Siân Phillips as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam in director David Lynch’s ‘Dune’ (1984).
Watson and Henderson are playing Valya Harkonnen and Tula Harkonnen, the formidable Harkonnen Sisters, who have risen to power in the Sisterhood. Though the Harkonnens are typically villains in the stories, commitments to the Bene Gesserit tend to overrule house loyalties.
Varma has the role of Empress Natalya, whom Deadline has heard is “a formidable royal who united thousands of worlds in her marriage to Emperor Corrino.”
‘Dune: Part Two’ makes planetfall in theaters on November 3rd, 2023, having swooped in to replace the now-delayed ‘Blade’ from Marvel and Disney.
There is no date on the books for ‘Dune: The Sisterhood’ just yet, but it’ll arrive on HBO Max. Perhaps Warner Bros. and Legendary will try to have it ready for just after ‘Dune: Part Two’ is in theaters, but that will depend on filming schedules and post-production workload.
Timothée Chalamet in Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune.’
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After years – decades, almost – of a terrible reputation for dodgy quality and lack of faithfulness, video game adaptations are finally having their moment. Even if movies such as ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ don’t exactly set critics’ hearts on fire, they’re successful and spawn sequels the way characters in some titles spawn new lives.
And with an expansive, well-designed and much-loved game like ‘The Last of Us’, the small screen and healthy-budget streaming environs would seem to be the ideal venue for a solid adaptation. Hopes are high, then, for HBO Max’s series based on ‘The Last of Us’.
The prestige on the creative front is already high for this one: you have Craig Mazin, who went from writing movies including ‘The Hangover’ to creating ‘Chernobyl’, one of the most respected and polished HBO dramas of recent years, as one of the main executive producers, sharing show-running duties with Neil Druckmann, who ‘Last of Us’ fans will know as the writer and developer behind the game itself.
Launched in 2013 by company Naughty Dog, ‘The Last Of Us’ is set in a post-apocalyptic world 20 years after a strange fungal outbreak began mutating people into vicious creatures. The storyline focuses on smuggler Joel, and Ellie, who may just be the key to a cure for the pandemic that has wrecked the planet.
When Joel is hired to smuggle Ellie out of an oppressive quarantine zone, he thinks it’ll be a quick job and an easy payday. But it soon become a brutal journey across the US and a struggle for survival. The show, which is intending a longer run than the limited, self-contained ‘Chernobyl’, will cover the events of the first game, with the option to also tackle the sequel, which came out in June 2020.
Though it had been developed as a movie, the idea moved to streaming once big screen development stalled.
(L to R) Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie in HBO’s ‘The Last of Us.’
“Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and ‘The Last of Us’ is his magnum opus,” says Mazin, who is a fan of the game, when he first came aboard the concept in 2020. “Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so honored to do it in partnership with Neil.”
“From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of ‘The Last of Us,’” Druckmann enthused. “With ‘Chernobyl’, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn’t think of better partners to bring the story of ‘The Last of Us’ to life as a television show.”
Alongside them are Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Joel’s younger brother, Merle Dandridge as Marlene, leader of a resistance movement (and playing the same role she does in the game) and Anna Torv as Tess.
From all appearances, Mazin, Druckmann and their team have conjured up a gloriously devastated, emotional world with just a hint of Western flavor in amongst the ruined buildings and creeping terror.
(L to R) Emma D’Arcy as “Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen” and Matt Smith as “Prince Daemon Targaryen” in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.
How you respond to that attempt, will likely be impacted by your reaction to the final couple of seasons of the original show. There are those who enjoyed ‘Game of Thrones’ for its entire run, or those who felt it began to stumble as the end drew nearer, the pace ramped up and decisions had to be made that deviated from novelist George R.R. Martin’s books – especially as the show began to outpace the source material.
And then there are those who have sworn never to return, claiming disgust at late-hour plot turns such as Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke)’s torching King’s Landing and various armies in her vengeful quest for power.
This new prequel has something of an uphill batter to reclaim the hearts, minds and eyes of that last group, but for those still open to another round of pass-the-throne, ‘House of the Dragon’ should offer something attractive.
Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.
Adapted from Martin’s 2018 tome ‘Fire and Blood’ ‘Dragon’s story is set 170 years before Dany and co. played their own game and kicks off with the crowning of King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), who become the heir to the throne mostly because in this medieval-based patriarchy, it is the men who rule, while women are mostly seen as royal baby factories, serving to pump out male heirs.
Viserys’ sister, Princess Rhaenys Velaryon (Eve Best), denied her shot at the crown, choose instead to marry into influence with Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and births her own male heir who could factor into the story down the line.
Our sovereign, meanwhile, has a daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), but is desperate for a son, at least until tragedy strikes and he begins to think that perhaps his headstrong, dragon-riding daughter might just be the one to rule them all.
Around this core group orbits any number of other lords, ladies and potential challengers for the king’s seat once he dies. Moving the story forward nine years from its start, we catch up with Rhaenyra and best friend Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), who is the daughter of the King’s loyal right hand man Otto (Rhys Ifans).
(L to R) Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower in HBO Max’s ‘House of the Dragon.’
And then there’s the monarch’s troublemaking younger brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen (a strutting, scene-stealing Matt Smith), who no-one in the court can quite figure out how to handle. Given control of the city’s watch, he enacts a brutal scouring of criminals, limbs and heads hacked with wild abandon). Yet he’s also fond of the local brothels, throwing parties full of writhing naked people as his troops celebrate.
Oh, and he has a slightly creepy affection for his niece. Mostly, though, he’s lazy one moment ambitious the next, convinced that since he’s currently the main heir, that situation won’t change.
Only the first episode was provided to us, but we do know that the story takes a time jump midway through the first season, as Rhaenyra’s rise to power sees her age up to be played by Emma D’Arcy, while Alicent – moved into her own position of influence at the close of the initial outing – is later played by Olivia Cooke.
But if this episode is anything to go by, ‘Thrones’ fans needn’t worry too much. ‘House of the Dragon’ has some issues, but it also boasts the expansive world-building of its parent series, and the budget to match. While ‘Thrones’ waited a while for the scaly beasts to reach their full potential, ‘Dragon’ lives up to the name with at least two fully grown examples in the opening salvo.
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.
The world of George R.R. Martin is a brutal one, and ‘Dragon’ is, like its predecessor, unafraid to dive headlong into quite how brutal that can be. A savage clash on the jousting field is crosscut with the bloody birth of Viserys’ latest child, and the violent procedures inflicted on his wife Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke). Show-runners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik (the latter a ‘Thrones’ veteran who also directs here) craft that scene with style and raw intensity.
Unlike the sprawling ‘Thrones’, which would flit between kingdoms and visit various storylines, ‘Dragon’s focus on a few allows you to get up to speed with who everyone is and what they want (spoiler alert: to rule or just survive). Other houses with names familiar to longtime viewers (Baratheon, say, or Stark) are reduced to cameos.
Yet that narrowed focus is also part of the problem with the show as not everyone is quite as compelling as perhaps they might be. It’s no dig on Considine, who ably plays Viserys as a man struggling to be as honorable as possible (one of the show’s themes is how hard that is as a choice when you’re a king in a place such as this), but the ruler does sometimes come across as a bit of a wet blanket.
(L to R) Milly Alcock as Young Rhaenyra, and Emily Carey as Young Alicent in ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO.
There are times you’ll cry out for a Tyrion or Jaime Lannister to give the story a little extra wit or spice. Matt Smith can only do so much, and even he is sometimes burdened with petulant sulking in place of character development. The wigs are something of an issue too – you do catch yourself wondering if they spent all the budget on dragon effects or giant sets and had to run out to the local Spirit Halloween store for some of the less-than-luscious locks.
The limited scope also doesn’t solve the fact that this initial installment has a lot of heavy lifting to do in terms of setting up the plot, which means that aside from one or two of the players here, everyone else gets a quick introduction or check in, coming across more as chess pieces than characters so far.
Still, this is a worthy start for what shows signs of maturing into a great series, once the story really kicks into gear and we learn the nuances of more than just Viserys, Otto, Alicent, Rhaenyra and Daemon.
‘House of the Dragon’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from Disney+’s ‘Ms. Marvel.’
There was shock and disbelief yesterday when reports began to emerge that Warner Bros. Discovery had decided to ditch the DC title ‘Batgirl’ – even though the movie had finished shooting and was in the middle of post-production.
That feeling of disbelief was shared by the directors of the movie, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The duo, who had previously worked on the likes of ‘Bad Boys for Life’ and the Disney+ series ‘Ms. Marvel,’ have been quick to respond.
El Arbi and Fallah (who had been taking a quick break from editing the movie for El Arbi’s wedding in Morocco) were informed of the studio’s decision a short time before the news began to emerge into the world. And now they have hit Instagram to express their stunned feelings over the move.
“We are saddened and shocked by the news. We still can’t believe it,” the directing duo wrote in the post. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will.”
They continue, “Our amazing cast and crew did a tremendous job and worked so hard to bring Batgirl to life. We are forever grateful to have been part of that team. It was a dream to work with such fantastic actors like Michael Keaton, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, Jacob Scipio, Corey Johnson, Rebecca Front and especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication and humanity.”
“In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment,” the statement ends. “‘Batgirl’ For Life.”
Though there had been talk of problematic test screenings or issues with the movie’s quality, the studio’s own statement refutes that.
“The decision to not release ‘Batgirl’ reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max,” it read. “Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of ‘Batgirl’ and ‘Scoob! Holiday Haunt’ (the animated movie that was scrapped at the same time as the superhero adventure) and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future.”
Batgirl herself, Leslie Grace, added her own statement, via Twitter.
“I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!” she wrote. “To every Batgirl fan – THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, ‘my own damn hero!’” You can see her full stamen below…
Querida familia! On the heels of the recent news about our movie “Batgirl,” I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland. pic.twitter.com/jGACQHoMjm
Turns out the real reason for the change was something far more mundane – the incoming executive team is changing the direction of how Warner Bros. handles its DC titles (again) and ‘Batgirl’ fell through the cracks as a movie that wasn’t big enough to justify the budget to upgrade and market it for theatrical release, as it had been planned as a direct-to-HBO Max movie.
The corporate decision was made to write it off on taxes as a loss, as part of an accounting technique in the wake of the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery that allows for such moves.
It’s only available for a limited time, so other movies including ‘Blue Beetle’ seem safe for now.
Yet to our thinking, this is just another sign that Warner Bros. still appears to have very little idea how to plan for and execute a coherent strategy for its DC movie universe.
There are various strands, between the DCEU and the unconnected likes of ‘The Batman’, with different versions of characters floating around.
Merging Warner Bros. and DC has led to even more chaos, as a new executive team arrives and decides to change up the thinking once again. Plenty of other projects in development and existing shows are being cancelled as the corporate strategy shifts.
While at one point the studio was all about sharing content between theatrical and HBO Max (and, during the pandemic, releasing everything day-and-date), it now appears to be intent on keeping bigger theatrical titles in their lane and making fewer movies for the streaming service in order to cut costs.
We’re still not sure that this all sounds like a good idea, at least not until Warner/Discovery and DC has a workable policy for its movies and TV series. While not everyone has to look to Marvel, Disney’s approach to essentially letting Kevin Feige and his creative partners control every aspect of their output has paid dividends and (largely) delighted fans.
Warners is said to be on the hunt for someone who can offer similar guidance on the DC front, though picking from the comic book company’s ranks or the movie side hasn’t yet led to firm success.
DC has certainly had hits – ‘Aquaman’ made more than a billion dollars, while ‘Joker’ brought both big box office and Oscar-winning kudos.
But all this chopping and changing has not been good for the movies’ reputation, and while DC has ‘Black Adam’, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ on the way, they’ll all need to perform to stop the concern over output quality and the direction behind the films as a whole.
And while ‘The Flash’ – whose future remains in flux while star Ezra Miller continues to bring the wrong type of press – seems destined to still get the blockbuster treatment, it’s really not a great look to effectively flush a movie directed by and starring people of color down the corporate toilet to serve the needs of shareholders.
Plus, it’s hardly the best sign to creative people who might want to work with you in future and are now concerned that their hard work may end up on a shelf forever.
Leslie Grace in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl.’
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Leslie Grace in Warner Bros. Discovery’s ‘Batgirl.’
Call it a Bat Cave-in.
In a surprising development, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC have apparently decided to shelve the ‘Batgirl’ movie, which was going through the post-production process and had been targeting a theatrical release or an HBO Max debut (depending on which report you read).
Now though, the movie, which had a reported budget that began in the $70 million range and ballooned to $90 million because of Covid protocols, is no longer going to be seen in any venue, not even a home entertainment release. There had been stories of disappointing test screenings and complaints about the lack of spectacle in the movie.
Which means that Warners – fresh off its acquisition by Discovery – is willing to cut its losses and abandon the film. It’s all part of a new strategy that will focus on the bigger budget theatrical DC Extended Universe movies. ““This is the end of DC as a hobby,” a source told the New York Post, which originally broke the story.
Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from Disney+’s ‘Ms. Marvel.’
‘Bad Boys for Life’ and ‘Ms. Marvel’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah had been overseeing the new movie, which stars ‘In the Heights’ actress Leslie Grace starring as Barbara Gordon. The exact plot of the film hadn’t been released, but it’ll effectively follow Gordon (the daughter of J.K. Simmons’ Commissioner Jim Gordon) donning her version of a Bat-suit to fight crime in Gotham City.
In addition to Grace and Simmons, the movie stars Brendan Fraser as the villainous Firefly and Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman.
It’s a confusing move since the company had been trying to put more of a plan in place for its DC output. There remain concerns over ‘The Flash’, given the negative press around star Ezra Miller’s unorthodox behavior and run-ins with the law off screen.
Then there are the other DC movies. While ‘Blue Beetle’ appears to still be on track (for now, and it has the relative security of being firmly aimed at a theatrical release), a third ‘Wonder Woman’ remains in limbo.
The studio still has ‘Black Adam’ due in theaters on October 21st, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ out on December 21st, then ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ March 17th and (assuming it sticks), ‘The Flash’ on June 23rd.
There were warning signs about ‘Batgirl’ last month when Warners/DC said nothing about the movie in its big Comic-Con presentation. But we’re not sure anybody had “completely shelved” on their bingo cards.
Premiering on HBO Max July 28th is the new spinoff series ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,’ which is part of the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ franchise.
The series follows the lives of a group of teenage girls who begin receiving terror from a mysterious assailant named “A”, holding them responsible for something tragic that happened in the past.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bailee Madison and Chandler Kinney about their work on ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,’ their characters, and their season one arcs.
(L to R) Bailee Madison, and Chandler Kinney in HBO MAX’s ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.’ Photograph by Barbara Nitke/HBO Max.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Malia Pyles, Zaria, Mallory Bechtel, and creators Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lindsay Calhoon Bring.
Moviefone: To begin with, Bailee can you talk about the differences between ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin’ and the original series, and how this show fits into the overall ‘Pretty Little Liars’ universe?
Bailee Madison: I think we all know it’s no secret that you can never recreate what’s already been so beloved and cherished. By no means are we trying to do that. I was one of the biggest fans and watched ‘Pretty Little Liars,’ and they definitely raised the bar and set the foundation that we were able to take and carry on through our show.
Our show is a lot darker. We experience and dive into the world of slasher and horror. Then also, what does it mean to actually face the horrors of real life and what that can mean as a human. The things that you might go through, adversities, and whatever that looks like.
So, I think anyone who loved the original, A is here and is more ruthless and cutthroat than ever. Then you’re also kind of diving into what this generation looks like, the things that we struggle with, the things that we deal with, and the voices that are unheard being heard finally. My hope is there’s something for everyone, and that the OG fans, which we are, and we’re satisfied, will also enjoy.
(L to R) Bailee Madison, and Chandler Kinney in HBO MAX’s ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.’ Photograph by Karolina Wojtasik/HBO Max.
MF: Chandler, can you describe your character, Tabby and what her family life is like?
Chandler Kinney: Tabby is a huge cinephile. I think everyone knows she has a film reference for literally everything and it’s the way that she views the world. Film also becomes a bit of a coping mechanism for her to begin to process some of the things that she’s experienced and has gone through in her life.
So, this journey for her over the course of the season is really one of her learning to trust and confide in others. That starts with Imogen and with the other liars. It’s a beautiful story of friendship for her. With her home life, her and her mom are close and have an objectively decent relationship, but it’s a bit rocky.
There’s a push and pull rollercoaster dynamic. I think she senses that her mom is not being fully open and honest with her about who she is and some of the things from her past. So, that creates a sort of wedge in their relationship that is directly challenged, I would say, in this season.
MF: Finally, without giving anything away, Bailee can you talk about Imogen’s journey through this season?
BM: What I love so much about our show is it literally drops you into the world of Millwood, and these girls, without a lot of context, which I think is a really new concept to start off a show and I’m really excited about that.
When we meet Imogen, she’s 16 years old, and she is about six months pregnant. She is also in the middle of dealing with a very tragic time in her life. Imogen feels very isolated, alone, and kind of out of control of her body, her mind and herself.
Then, to top it all off, we have A, who’s just trying to mess with everything in her life. What does it look like when you discover lies about things in your life, and how do you heal from things that are stripped away from you?
(L to R) Malia Pyles, Zaria, Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Alex Aiono in HBO Max’s ‘Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.’ Photograph by Barbara Nitke/HBO Max.
Though there has been talk for a long time about a third ‘Gremlins’ movie, it has never quite managed to materialize.
But there is movement – more targeted at the younger members of the family – on a new series that will act as a prequel to the first two movies.
‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ is an animated series coming to HBO Max and Cartoon Network next year.
This new show turns the clock back to 1920s Shanghai to explain how 10-year-old Sam Wing (who we meet when he’s much older as shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) first crosses path with a certain young Mogwai.
Sam and Gizmo will embark on a journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore.
As they attempt to return Gizmo to his family, and discover a legendary treasure, they’ll have to face a power-hungry industrialist and his ever-growing army of evil Gremlins.
(L to R) Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang have all been cast in HBO Max’s ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.’
Tze Chun is running the show for this new series, and he brought fresh news of the voice cast to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Perhaps the biggest surprise for the panel, though, was word that Zach Galligan – who famously played Billy Peltzer, the lad whose life is turned upside down by Gizmo and the Gremlins in the 1984 original and its 1990 sequel, ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ – is also lending his voice to the new show, but as a new character.
“I can’t say too much but because it’s 1920s China, I’m not playing Billy because he wasn’t around,” Galligan said following his surprise appearance on the panel. “So I’m playing this cool character. It was really fun and amazing to work with a new group of creative people who are taking a fresh look at the franchise and are expanding the mythology—who knows what they’re going to add. Maybe they’ll add a new transformation or a new rule we don’t know about yet… I think Gremlins fans are going to eat it up.”
Dropping hints that there are plenty of Easter eggs for film fans to find, Galligan seemed enthused about the new show. “I’ve been doing this a long time; it takes a lot really to surprise me. I thought it was very creative and I thought they did some interesting, very smart things, which to me is more important to being surprised,” he later told TooFab. “I think when it comes down to entertainment, the most important thing is execution. It’s how well you’re gonna tell it. The animation, the visual look of it is great, the voices are great and when you put it together with a good story, you’re going to have a really entertaining show to watch.”
The panel also included a screening of the whole first episode, though that naturally wasn’t put online.
HBO Max has yet to announce the date for the new series.
HBO Max’s ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is scheduled for 2023.
HBO Max’s ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Courtesy of HBO.
Last month, we got our first proper look at HBO’s initial ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off, prequel series ‘House of the Dragon’ via its first teaser. Aiming to keep the show in our minds (not that we needed too much prodding), HBO has now released a new poster, which puts Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen front and center, backed by a dragon for good measure, since the series is not called ‘House of the Poodle.’
‘House of the Dragon’, like its progenitor, is also based on George R. R. Martin’s books, this time the 2018 novel ‘Fire & Blood’, which chronicled the history of House Targaryen, the family seen via Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Thrones’. The series itself comes from Martin, ‘Colony’ co-creator Ryan Condal and ‘Thrones’ show veteran Miguel Sapochnik, who is an executive producer and director.
The setting here is 200 years before the events chronicled in the original show albeit with some very familiar jockeying for power.
Paddy Considine stars as King Viserys Targaryen, chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings.
Matt Smith, most recently seen in ‘Morbius’, is Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon.
Eve Best has the role of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.
HBO Max’s ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Courtesy of HBO.
Rhys Ifans plays Otto Hightower. The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.
Olivia Cooke appears as Alicent Hightower, Otto’s daughter, and the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace… and a keen political acumen.
D’Arcy’s Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child, is of pure Valyrian blood, and a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man, which is a disadvantage in the patriarchal world of ‘Thrones’ and even more so in ‘Dragon’. We’ve a feeling she’ll still be powerful, though.
Toussaint’s Velaryon is “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.
Sonoya Mizuno plays Mysaria, who came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted… but instead she rose to become the most trusted – and most unlikely – ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.
If you’ve been anticipating more ‘Thrones’ action and got frustrated by the lack of forward progress on the spin-off front, ‘House of the Dragon’ should help fill that void.
‘House of the Dragon’ starts on HBO Max on August 21st.
HBO Max’s ‘House of the Dragon.’ Photograph by Courtesy of HBO.
Created by Alissa Nutting, Dean Bakopoulis, Patrick Somerville, and Christina Lee, and based on the novel of the same name by Nutting, the series centers on Hazel Green (Milioti), a woman who escapes a suffocating 10-year marriage from tech billionaire Byron Gogol (Magnussen), who has implanted an “emotional tracking devise” into her brain.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Billy Magnussen about his work on the second season of ‘Made for Love.’
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You can read our full interview with Billy Magnussen below or watch our interviews with Magnussen, and producers Alissa Nutting and Christina Lee in the video player above.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you tell people that are just jumping into this series with season two to get them up to speed on the show?
Billy Magnussen: This show is complete bonkers. It uses sci-fi and dark comedy to really talk about a love story, a relationship and the struggles of two people trying to connect, and we all constantly miss. And there’s a sex doll that’s a main character. So, check it out. It’s crazy.
MF: Byron is desperately in love with Hazel, even though she does not return his love. Can you talk about why he continues to pursue her and the lengths he will go to get her back?
BM: Because I think it’s human nature. I think people do it all the time. I know it’s like a crazy sci-fi world, but the truth is I think people do that, they fall and chase people that don’t love them back. It’s a really sad story.
MF: How did you prepare to play Byron in season two?
BM: Well, those experiences of relationships and stuff like that, I think we’ve all experienced them one way or another. To get in the head of it, all the answers are in the script and I’m just playing and dreaming. I go home, while I take a shower and I’m just like, “What’s this guy do?” That’s the job. I wish there was a secret or something. I’m just playing, man.
Billy Magnussen on HBO Max’s ‘Made for Love.’
MF: Did you base the character on any real-life tech CEOs?
BM: It’s all just sucked in from everywhere and I just digest it and try to spew it back out. I don’t know. There’s no secret. I’m just trying to figure it out as I go along too.
MF: Byron makes some sinister desions throughout the series, how do you justify those choices for yourself?
BM: Every character is empathetic. No one’s a bad guy in their own story. So, you have to find someplace where it’s coming from. He’s hoping something good will come out of it. That’s the intention. That’s where you find every character I think.
MF: Can you talk about how Hazel and Byron grow together in season two?
BM: I think like any relationship, that if you don’t want to walk away from it, you try to fix it. I think that’s the attempt that’s happening. There is a barter going on within the relationship to hopefully save it. Again, I don’t think anyone’s wrong, but I think everyone has different opinions in relationships.
(L to R) Cristin Milioti and Billy Magnussen on HBO Max’s ‘Made for Love.’
MF: Can you talk about working with Cristin Milioti on this series?
BM: Oh, my God. Working with Cristen Milioti is fantastic. She’s a queen. I mean, she’s talented, smart, intelligent, beautiful, come on, it’s easy. I don’t have to do much work. I just stand there. She does it all.
MF: Finally, will we learn more about the Hub this season and what is really going on behind the scenes?
BM: The Hub? It just goes deeper and deeper and we discover the labyrinth that is the Hub. So, go see what’s behind those doors!
‘Made for Love’ season 2 premieres April 28th on HBO Max.
(L to R) Theo James and Rose Leslie in HBO Max’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife.’
Premiering on HBO Max beginning May 15th is the new series ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife,’ which is based on the popular novel and movie of the same name.
Created by Steven Moffat (‘Sherlock’) and directed by David Nutter (‘Game of Thrones’), the series centers on the marriage of Clare and Henry, which is complicated by Henry’s ability to time travel.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Theo James and Rose Leslie about their work on ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife.’
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You can read our full interview with Theo James and Rose Leslie below or watch our interview by clicking on the video player above.
Moviefone: To begin with, Theo can you explain how time travel works in this series and how it affects Henry’s life?
Theo James: Good question. Yeah, we kind of tried to work on the law of it with Steven and then with David, the director, but essentially, he can travel within his time span of his life, pretty much. He gets thrown around in time. He doesn’t know when it’s going to happen or how long he’s going to be gone, but he usually goes back to people and places of significant memory. So, in a way it’s a take on trauma, a take on memory, and take on how we remember aspects of our lives.
When he time travels, one thing we wanted to get into the show was a sense of urgency, a sense of danger. So, it has a physical effect on him. He comes out the other end and he’s covered in sweat. It’s like he’s had an epileptic fit. He’s hungry and he’s extremely exhausted. It also ages him quicker than your average Joe, so by the later years in his life, he looks much older than he actually should be.
Rose Leslie in HBO Max’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife.’
MF: Rose, do you think Rose would have had a relationship with Henry if she had met him as an adult instead of as a child?
Rose Leslie: Well, it’s a really interesting question, because she pulls him up on it. As 20-year-old Clare, she pulls Henry up on the fact that it was meeting him at such a young age that kind of molded my libido. Through knowing him kind of sporadically through my childhood, meant that he then became this idolized person, and was the perfect man for me. So, I think she, too, has that query. I think she realizes that in the cold light of day, the fact of the matter is that she is completely and totally in love with this man. This is whom she has decided to commit the rest of her life to, knowing that it’s going to be very difficult at times. But she has quite rightly decided to commit to this life of uncertainty. She is now forever tethered to him.
It’s not fun. It’s kind of certainly, when he is away, her having no idea on whether he’s in danger, on whether he’s safe, and if he’s able to keep warm. It’s kind of riddled with anxiety for her, and it’s something that she, throughout her years, has had to try and learn and know that there’s nothing that she can do for him, other than be hopefully around when he comes back into the house.
Theo James in HBO Max’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife.’
MF: Finally, Theo can you talk about preparing to play this role and your approach to portraying Henry at several different stages of his life?
TJ: It was complicated, and something that I had to keep myself anchored to at all times, because they have to be the same person, but they have to be different people. Because as we all know, from our youth, we were different people at that age, in the way we moved, the way we talked, but also the way we reacted to people and events around us.
So, we spent a lot of time kind of shaping what he would be like at different ages. I said this before, but the good thing is I sat between those ages, in a way. I’m 37, and I play a 28-year-old. That’s not that long ago for me to remember making those dumb, impulsive decisions, which I still often do myself. Then the older version, who’s 41 to 43. Now I’m married and have a child. There’s a settled nature to you, or a little bit more, hopefully, an understanding of your sense of self. So, I was able to kind of balance it.
(L to R) Theo James and Rose Leslie for HBO Max’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife.’
