(L to R) Vin Diesel, Director Louis Leterrier and Rita Moreno on the set of ‘Fast X.’
Preview:
Vin Diesel has announced the next ‘Fast & Furious’ movie.
‘Fast Forever’ will be with us in 2028.
Louis Leterrier will direct the movie.
Like a backfiring jalopy with engine trouble, there have been several frustrating false starts for the next –– and most likely final –– ‘Fast & Furious’ movie.
Despite multiple announcements (including more than one from star, producer and ‘Fast’ cheerleader Vin Diesel) about different dates, budget wrangling and schedule issues have given the potential franchise wrap-up flat tires along the way.
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Now, though, it appears that everyone is on the same page (or maybe dirt track?) as both Diesel and studio backers Universal have announced that the new movie, now called ‘Fast Forever’ will be with us in 2028.
Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.
The typically stunt-heavy final minutes of 2023’s ‘Fast X’ show Diesel’s Dom Toretto driving down the side of a dam and into the water below, as he and his son, Little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), race to escape a trap set by the villainous Dante (Jason Momoa), who arms a series of bombs. Then the movie cuts to black.
Two credit scenes follow, teasing the returns of Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs and Gal Gadot‘s Gisele.
Universal has confirmed that the movie will be screeching into cinemas on March 17, 2028.
(Clockwise, from left) Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Han (Sung Kang), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Dom (Vin Diesel), Little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), Abuelita (Rita Moreno), Mia (Jordana Brewster), Tej (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, back to camera) and Roman (Tyrese Gibson, back to camera) in ‘Fast X,’ directed by Louis Leterrier.
(L to R) Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan star in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan about their work on ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, their first reactions to the script, their characters, collaborating with director Chris Columbus on set, and working with the all-star cast.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Mirren, Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, and director Chris Columbus.
Moviefone: To begin with, Helen, had you read the novel before you read the script, and what excited you about playing Elizabeth Best on screen?
Helen Mirren: Well, I had read the book. I’ read the book at least a year before, and thought, “Oh, my goodness, this would make a great movie.” I did feel that when I read the book. Immediately on the heels of that, I thought, “I’m the right person to play Elizabeth. I’m right. If there is a role in this for me, I think that’s my role.” But you have no idea what’s going to happen, and then I heard that Steven Spielberg had bought the rights to the script. Which on the one hand, was great news because we knew then the movie was going to be in wonderful hands. But at the same time, I thought, “Oh, my God, well, that means I’ll never get the role, because some much bigger movie star, than me will play it.” So, I was very pleased when they did approach me and I said yes, immediately, without any question. Then I don’t know if I read the script before that. I think maybe I hadn’t even read the script. I can’t remember. But possibly not. So, it didn’t come from the script for me. It came from the book.
(L to R) Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
MF: Pierce, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be a part of this project?
Pierce Brosnan: I wanted to be part of it because this is a beloved book, Ron Ritchie is a great character. It’s always good to be a surprise. Chris Columbus, you know, I played in his movies, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’. The company of Sir Ben, Dame Helen, Celia, and it was a glorious summer, just the most magnificent time with this company of actors. You’re dealing with a great nuanced story of characters who are aging, who are dealing with the challenges of life, and who are alive and passionate about what they do. They solve cold cases and then ultimately a murder, right on their doorstep.
MF: Helen, what was your experience like working with director Chris Columbus for the first time?
HM: We all fell in love with Chris Columbus. But I would add, absolute encouragement and joyfulness, but also incredible expertise. We knew we were in the hands of an experienced filmmaker, who understood what was needed when he hadn’t got it yet, he went on until he did have it, but in the most encouraging ways. You never felt like you were failing but that you could trust him because he knew.
Chris Columbus attends the NYC Special Screening of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ on August 14, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix.
MF: Pierce, as you mentioned, you’ve worked with Chris Columbus before, so what was it like to reunite with him on this film and has his process as a filmmaker changed since the last time you worked together?
PB: I think we just picked up where we left off, on ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ and ‘Percy Jackson’. He’s a pal, and he’s such a great filmmaker. He knows where to put the camera, he knows how to tell the story, so when you walk in front of the camera, you feel like you’re on stage and your preparation, your homework, your study, and the words that you have to say, have a meaning and have a power. Then there’s also the great surprise element of your fellow actors, and being beside Ben and him playing Ibrahim Arif, we became a duo, and I didn’t really see that or think that when I was studying the script of preparing the work. It evolved just because of the positioning of the two of us by Chris, where you put your characters or how you find the blocking in a scene is very important. It can speak volumes, the way you move or the way you stand.
MF: Finally, Helen, what was it like for you to work with this incredible cast of actors, and is it fun making a movie with your friends?
HM: Oh, I mean, it could be a disaster making a movie with your friends. You know, it could be, because maybe you’ll get too cozy together and you’re not sufficiently objective about what you’re doing. There is a danger there. But I have to say with this group, who are absolutely friends, Ben, I knew when I was in my early 20s. Celia, I worked with it seems to me a few years ago, but she tells me it was 20 years ago. Pierce, I knew. But you never really know how the chemistry will come together at work. I think Ben puts it very well, he says, “We’re like a quartet and we each bring our individual instruments, that we each play very well and together those instruments make music.” So, we’ve all been trying to decide which instrument we play, we haven’t quite settled on that yet. But we do make good music.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’ will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
What is the plot of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?
Elderly amateur sleuths attempt to solve a murder. One was a spy (Helen Mirren), one was a nurse (Celia Imrie), one was a trade union official (Pierce Brosnan) and one was a psychiatrist (Sir Ben Kingsley).
(L to R) Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
“Cozy Crime” is a genre appellation that some storytellers bristle at, invoking images of basic British TV detective series featuring quirkily named old folk digging into crimes in bucolic countryside landscapes. But when fully embraced and exploited for full entertainment value, it’s one that pays dividends.
And, on the face of it, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ could feel like it slots right alongside those sorts of shows –– you could even imagine it airing as a series on Sunday nights on the BBC. Yet this is a big-budget, star-driven movie that has even more to offer.
Script and Direction
Chris Columbus attends the NYC Special Screening of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ on August 14, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix.
Osman’s book launched a successful series of books and a healthy reading audience, so naturally there was pressure from the start to get the adaptation right. Fortunately, screenwriters Katy Brand (‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’) and Suzanne Heathcote (‘Killing Eve’) nail the tone and the basics while making any necessary changes as the story shifts mediums.
The mystery itself is solid and intriguing, and while you might be able to guess some of the elements, it doesn’t spoil the enjoyment.
In reality, it’s the characters you end up rooting for, and the screenplay features more than enough wittiness and charm to make them work on the page, even before considering the quality cast attached.
Chris Columbus certainly has experience bringing beloved British books to screens, and with ‘Thursday Murder Club’ he largely keeps things balanced and stays out of the way of the plot. Aside from some stylish flashbacks to another case, and some great tricks to keep you guessing on the crime front, the movie unfolds without fuss.
It’s not every murder mystery that can boast the talents of Academy Award-winning actors, and this one really makes the most of its cast.
Helen Mirren is the perfect Elizabeth, a former MI6 operative who can’t shake her investigative training even if she is now living in a retirement home. Imperious, impatient and occasionally impolite (though usually only when she’s frustrated with others), Elizabeth also has a vulnerable streak, not least when dealing with her husband Stephen (a superb Jonathan Pryce), who is struggling with creeping dementia.
Pierce Brosnan, meanwhile, gets to show off his comedy chops along with his trademark gruff charisma as Ron, a trade union leader who is a key member of the club.
Also on the team is retired psychologist Ibrahim, played by Ben Kingsley, who applies his training to figuring out motives and schemes. It’s a welcome change of gear for the actor, who puts in an appealingly nervy, quiet performance.
Celia Imrie’s former nurse Joyce is the new recruit, brought aboard for her medical background and willingness to go along with Elizabeth and co’s ideas –– even when they conflict with local law enforcement.
Around the core cast, a solid group of British character actors adds flavor and spice to the story, including the likes of Ackie (who is a friendly police constable) and David Tennant (as a loathsome property developer whose latest deal threatens the sanctity of the Club’s Cooper’s Chase retirement home.
Others include Daniel Mays as DCI Chris Hudson, endlessly confounded by our heroes’ meddling and Tom Ellis, who is Ron’s son Jason, a famous fighter sidelined by injury who has found fame on TV.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Henry Lloyd Hughes and Helen Mirren in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’ is an effective, well-crafted example of the murder mystery genre, one that celebrates its source material while also making smart decisions about turning the story into a movie.
Chances are the film will have you hoping for a spin-off series, but with a batch of books in Osman’s novel series, we may have to settle for more movies.
But if any further movies can keep up the blend of crafty mystery and genuine emotion on display here, it’ll be a good day for Cozy Crime in general.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’ receives a score of 85 out of 100.
Four irrepressible retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.
Now, out doing press for new Netflix murder mystery movie ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, Pierce Brosnan –– who famously played Bond between 1995 and 2002 –– has weighed in on whether he’d come back. And it appears he would!
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Brosnan, of course, wasn’t being entirely serious with his comments, but you can read more about what he said below…
What did Pierce Brosnan say about a Bond movie return?
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in ‘Die Another Day.’ Photo: MGM.
Talking with the Radio Times, Brosnan addressed if he thought there was still a place for him in the James Bond world:
“My wife Keely [Shaye Smith] and I have been listening to the drumbeat of expectation of who’s going to be the next James Bond. There are many great candidates out there, and I’m sure they’re going to make it a spectacle of delight. I don’t think anyone wants to see a craggy, 72-year-old Bond, but if Villeneuve had something up his sleeve I would look at it in a heartbeat. Why not? It’s great entertainment. It could be lots of laughs. Bald caps, prosthetics… who knows?”
And you know what? We’d be happy to see Brosnan taking on the role of M, the head of MI6 who is usually the one to send Bond out on his missions (and complain about his wayward tactics).
In the more recent Bond movies, the character has been played by Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes.
Yet Brosnan wasn’t the only person weighing in on the future of Bond. His ’Thursday Murder Club’ co-star Helen Mirren also broached the issue.
According to Mirren –– who plays a former intelligence operative in ‘Thursday Murder Club’ –– and was talking to Saga magazine, she thinks that despite calls for a woman to finally play Bond, the character should stay as he is:
“I’m such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can’t have a woman. It just doesn’t work. James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else.”
When will the next Bond movie be on screens?
While it has Villeneuve in the director’s chair and Steven Knight writing the script, we’re a ways away from an announcement on the date. We don’t even yet know who will actually be playing Bond.
‘The Thursday Murder Club’, meanwhile, lands on Netflix on August 28th.
(L to R) Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
The first look at Netflix’s crime novel adaptation ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ has landed.
Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley lead the cast.
That’s quite a murderer’s row of casting –– pun entirely intended, since the book and resulting film will fall cleanly into the cozy murder mystery genre that the UK does so well –– and cements the latest big move for Osman, whose novel series has been a massive bestseller.
With Chris Columbus calling the shots, we now have the first look at the movie, and particularly the leads in the middle of their latest case. And if this one is a success, we can surely expect more.
Other books in the series include ‘The Man Who Died Twice,’ ‘The Bullet That Missed,’ and ‘The Last Devil to Die,’ as well as the newest installment ‘The Impossible Fortune,’ which is released later this year.
Here’s Osman’s statement on his inspiration for the stories –– spending time at his own mother’s retirement home:
“You just sit and chat with these people and they’ve lived these extraordinary lives. You hear these amazing stories and gossip and wisdom. You think, ‘These people are so overlooked.’ The idea that these people with their wisdom and their invisibility would be the perfect people to solve a crime is exactly where ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ comes from. Take these people who are underestimated but who have these incredible skills, put them together, and they can achieve anything.”
What’s the story of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?
(L to R) Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
Osman’s book, the first in a series follows four irrepressible retirees –– Elizabeth (Mirren), Ron (Brosnan), Ibrahim (Kingsley) and Joyce (Imrie) –– who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun.
When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn as they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.
And this is no ordinary group of retirees –– they all bring a particular set of skills to the table. Mirren’s Elizabeth is a former spy, Kingsley’s Ibrahim worked as a psychiatrist, Brosnan’s Ron spend his days as a union activist and Imrie’s Joyce was a nurse.
Here’s what Columbus said about that main cast:
“This is the finest cast I’ve worked with since ‘Potter.’ They’re just so incredibly well-prepared, and it’s because they do everything. They do theater, they do television, they do film, and they’ve developed those sorts of muscles.”
(L to R) Tom Ellis and Helen Mirren in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
Osman sold the rights to Spielberg’s Amblin company in 2020, shortly after the first book became a hit, and development quietly proceeded along.
So, who did the company chose to adapt a popular series of novels set in the UK it hopes will spawn a successful franchise (and has form working with Spielberg)? That would be Columbus, who helped kick off the gigantic ‘Harry Potter’ film series!
With Osman aboard as an executive producer, production happened last year and the first trailer should be on the way before we know it.
And though the concept might seem more niche than the adventures of a boy wizard, the casting will certainly help push the idea here and beyond.
Who else is appearing in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?
(L to R) Celia Imrie, Naomi Ackie and Ben Kingsley in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
(L to R) Anson Boon as Eddie Harrigan, Joanne Froggatt as Jan Da Souza, Mandeep Dhillon as Seraphina Harrigan, Lara Pulver as Bella Harrigan, Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan, Pierce Brosnan as Conrad Harrigan, Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan, Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza, and Daniel Betts as Brendan Harrigan in ‘MobLand’.Streaming on PLaramount+ 2025. Photo: Jason Bell/PLaramount+.
‘MobLand’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Arriving on Paramount+ on March 30th with its first episode, ‘MobLand’ is a new limited series set within the spiky world of intergenerational gangster empires in London.
Birthed by prolific filmmaker (and no stranger to British screen criminals) Guy Ritchie alongside Ronan Bennett, the creator of Netflix hit ‘Top Boy’, it’s the latest in a long legacy of violent, talky meditations on family within the gangland dynamic, and bolstered by a starry cast.
(L to R) Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan and Pierce Brosnan as Conrad Harrigan in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Jason Bell/Paramount+.
‘MobLand’ has an odd history, since it began life as a spin-off of Showtime’s long-running family/crime drama ‘Ray Donovan’; you know, the one where Liev Schreiber played a “fixer” to celebrities and other powerful types whose one big failing was that he couldn’t mend his own dysfunctional family.
Yet somewhere along the line, for reasons that have yet to be revealed, what was going to be a look at the origins of the Donovan family focused on similar character types working in London has morphed into an original –– though that is stretching the term very broadly, as we’ll discuss –– story of conflicting crime families and the tough-nut type who sorts out issues for one of them.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan and Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
With creator/writer Ronan Bennett here working alongside Jez Butterworth (better known for the likes of ‘Ford v Ferrari,’ and ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ but who tackled crime themes with 2015’s ‘Black Mass’), there is a lot about ‘MobLand’ that would lead to the description “Generic Gangster Drama #746”.
So much of what is on display here, the deep bones of the series, are tropes and ideas that have been explored many, many times before. You have, for example, the aging patriarch of the crime dynasty who is no longer sure who he can trust, even among his oldest friends. And his calculating wife, forever whispering in his ear about potential issues, proves to be one of the true powers in the family.
The less effective children are also used here, along with the primary focus of the show, the loyal fixer whose job it is the sort out the messes caused, mostly by those annoying younger clan members.
(L to R) Paddy Considine as Kevin Harrigan and Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
Between them, Bennett and Butterworth do manage to find some new ideas sprinkled between the established narrative, hewing away from some of the cliches (the fixer’s wife, for one, isn’t a naïve person who has no knowledge of her husband’s job) while leaning into others (the couple are still on the verge of divorce because of the pressures that come with it.)
Yet if you’ve watched particularly Bennett’s past work, it’s hard not to wonder why this is quite so generic at times.
Guy Ritchie, meanwhile, leads the directing team (which also includes Anthony Byrne –– who actually handles the lion’s share of the episodes –– Lawrence Gough and Daniel Syrkin) and tones down the visual zippiness from his other gangster TV series (Netflix’s ‘The Gentlemen’), here choosing a more somber palate and tone.
The series benefits from some impressive UK locations (especially the characters’ homes, which reinforce the idea that crime pays) and is shot well, dark and moody when needed, which is often, but rarely so murky that you can’t tell what is going on.
Cast and Performances
Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
Tom Hardy’s Harry De Souza is the focal point here –– he’s our eyes, ears and guide to this world. And the role takes full advantage of Hardy’s gruff strengths. He’s at his best when he’s using his stoic charm to threaten people –– usually more with his words than fists or weapons, but he’s not above that –– and get his way in the service of his bosses.
Harry also gives Hardy the chance to play the more subtle sides of the character, the family man who struggles to do right by his wife and daughter in anything other than providing them a great place to live and the money to do well.
As crime boss Conrad Hannigan, Pierce Brosnan sports an outrageous Irish accent (odd, since he was born in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland) and generally gives the character a vulnerability under the tough gangster side of things.
Helen Mirren, meanwhile, utilizing her own often impenetrable stab at the accent (similar to how she does in ‘Yellowstone’ prequel series ‘1923’), is the power behind the throne but, so far, at least, mostly resigned to wafting in and out of rooms and offering the occasional snide bit of advice.
(L to R) Emmett J Scanlan as Paul and Helen Mirren as Maeve Harrigan in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
‘House of the Dragon’ veteran Paddy Considine is good as Kevin Hannigan, Conrad’s son and Harry’s old friend (they met in prison, which is how the latter came to work for the family). Unlike some of his siblings, he comes across as capable, though not always comfortable with the criminal life.
Among the supporting ensemble, Joanne Froggatt shines as Harry’s increasingly frustrated wife, Jan, while Lara Pulver is good as Bella Harrigan, Kevin’s wife and a woman with whom Harry also clearly shares a history.
Tom Hardy as Harry Da Souza in ‘MobLand’. Streaming on Paramount+ 2025. Photo: Luke Varley/Paramount+.
It won’t win many points for originality, but ‘MobLand’ has enough going for it that it’s still a worthy entry to the gangster genre.
Solid work on both sides of the camera, and enough wit to stave off blandness are key to what makes it work.
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What’s the plot of ‘MobLand’?
Power is up for grabs as two warring crime families clash in a battle that threatens to topple empires. In the crossfire stands Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy), a street-smart ‘fixer’ who knows too well where loyalties lie when opposing forces collide.
Kate Winslet will star in, direct and produce ‘Goodbye June.’
It’s a Netflix film focused on a family.
Winslet’s son Joe Anders wrote the script.
It’s a common refrain that every actor secretly wants to direct. Well, maybe not all of them, but there are sufficient egos of many who see themselves as taking the reins and overseeing everything on set.
Yet it also presents quite the challenge; since the director is responsible for all decisions, so if you’re going to take it on, you have to decide whether you’re going to transition to more on the directorial side, such as Greta Gerwig, or switch between, as Ben Affleck appears to have chosen.
The latest person known more for their work in front of the camera now looking to transition behind it is Kate Winslet, who according to Screen Daily, has found her directorial debut in new Netflix family drama ‘Goodbye June.’
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While we wondered whether she might try her hand at TV first (as she’s been taking more of a role behind the scenes of small screen work), she’s jumping straight to making movies –– albeit with a relatively smaller scale project.
Netflix is describing the movie as a “touching, yet humorous” drama which sees a fractured group of siblings pull together under sudden and trying circumstances.”
So there you have it. With luck, Winslet can bring something fresh to what sounds like a very familiar story.
And keeping it in the family, Winslet’s son, Joe Anders –– whom she shares with director Sam Mendes –– wrote the script for the movie.
This new movie will be set in in England in the present day and Winslet plans to kick off production soon in the U.K.
She has some support from Kate Solomon, who worked on ‘Lee’ with Winslet and will produce the new movie alongside the actor.
As with other actors who look to grow their career beyond simply performing, Winslet has also been working as a producer on several of her projects, including on the likes of ‘Mare of Easttown’ and ‘I Am…’
Winslet on Directing
Kate Winslet stars in director James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Winslet’s decision to finally jump into the directing world might not be so surprising to those who heard her on the ‘How to Fail’ podcast, where she told host Elizabeth Day that she had resisted calls to direct, partly due to the time commitment involved, she now felt a sense of “urgency” and responsibility to women in Hollywood to step behind the camera.
Here’s what she said:
“So many people will say to me on film sets, people I work with and know well, whether it’s an actor or a crew member, they will say, ‘Why aren’t you directing?’ and I’ll go ‘No, no, no, please don’t say it. Stop saying it. Why does everyone keep saying it?’ But the more I’m not doing it now, with the need to change the culture, the more I feel like I’m actually letting down other women by not doing it. I’m really starting to feel that in quite a loud way. The more of us that are doing it, the more will be inspiring others to do it. There’s no way I’m ever going to do something unless I really know how to do it properly.”
What else is Kate Winslet working on?
Kate Winslet ‘Lee’. Photo: Roadside Attractions & Vertical.
Winslet was most recently seen in the aforementioned ‘Lee,’ about model-turned-World War II photographer, which included Riseborough among its cast.
She landed a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film, which was also nominated for the BAFTA for outstanding British film of the year.
In addition to that, she was seen on small screens in HBO limited series ‘The Regime,’ playing a quirky dictator.
Coming up, Winslet has family movie ‘Dreamscapes,’ an audio/visual experience for which she provides the narration. And in December, she’ll once more be seen as Na’vi warrior woman Ronal in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ the second of James Cameron’s planned sequels to the 2009 original.
When will ‘Goodbye June’ be on screens?
Given that it’s a Netflix movie and Winslet –– for all her acting and showbiz clout –– isn’t exactly on the level of Gerwig yet (who has been able to secure a cinematic release for her Narnia movie), we wouldn’t expect to see this one arrive in theaters.
Instead, it seems likely to debut on the streaming service’s system. Which is not always a bad thing, as it guarantees a huge potential audience. And you know people will be drawn to the idea of a movie directed by Winslet.
Kate Winslet in ‘The Regime.’ Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO.
The original ‘Ray Donovan’ series starred Liev Schreiber as the title character, a tough nut fixer in the sprawling mecca of the rich and famous. Ray does the dirty work for LA’s top power players as the go-to guy who makes the problems of the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls disappear.
But he also had to juggle family issues, particularly his ex-con father, played by Jon Voight.
Liev Schreiber as Raymond “Ray” Donovan in ‘Ray Donovan.’ Photo: Jeff Neumann/Showtime.
This new show seems unlikely (at least at this point, it’s still being kept mostly under wraps) to feature anyone from ‘Ray Donovan,’ and indeed its title has shifted from ‘The Donovans’ to ‘Guy Ritchie’s The Associate.’ But thanks to Deadline, we do at least know who will appear.
According to Deadline, Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan are all in final negotiations for the new series, which is backed by Paramount+.
Featuring a family of fixers who solve problems for the most powerful clients in Europe, ‘The Associate will see fortunes and reputations at risk, odd alliances unfold, and betrayal around every corner; as the nature of their business means there is no guarantee what’s in store tomorrow.
Hardy –– who appeared in Ritchie’s ‘RocknRolla’ –– will play Harry, the main fixer, a man who is as dangerous as he is handsome.
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Mirren and Brosnan ––who recently finished working together on the Netflix film adaptation of Richard Osman’s mystery novel ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ –– would star as the crime family’s matriarch and patriarch, respectively.
Ritchie, who, let’s not forget also has his TV spin-off of ‘The Gentlemen’ headed for a second season on Netflix and a film career to keep bubbling along, will be an executive producer and direct the 10-episode initial run of the show.
The actual writing and show-running duties fall to Ronan Bennett, who created ‘Top Boy’ and wrote movies such as ‘Face’ and ‘Public Enemies.’
When will ‘Guy Ritchie’s The Associate’ be on screens?
Given that it just started filming last month, we’re not sure we see the series debuting later this year as originally planned (though with Ritchie’s output of late, it’s not impossible), and would predict it’ll see screens next year.
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (left) and director Guy Ritchie (right) on the set of ‘The Covenant,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Christopher Raphael / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures.
Opening in theaters on October 4th is ‘White Bird’, which is based on the graphic novel of the same name by author R. J. Palacio and acts as both a prequel and sequel to 2017’s ‘Wonder’.
(L to R) Orlando Schwerdt as Julien and Ariella Glaser as Sara in ‘White Bird’. Photo: Larry Horricks.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Marc Forster and producer Renee Wolfe about their work on ‘White Bird’, adapting the source material, connecting it to ‘Wonder’, bringing Bryce Gheisar back, working with Dame Helen Mirren, casting Ariella Glaser and Orlando Schwerdt, their characters’ friendship, and the challenges of making a period piece.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
(L to R) Director Marc Forster and Producer Renee Wolfe Talk ‘White Bird’.
Moviefone: To begin with, Marc, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and the themes you wanted to explore as a director with this movie?
Marc Forster: I read the graphic novel and the screenplay six weeks into the lockdown in 2020. When I first read it, literally I got so emotional, and I started tearing up. It never happened to me (before) except when I read the screenplay to ‘Finding Neverland’. So, I felt “Why did that happen?” I said, “If you have such a reaction to something, I felt I have to make it.” Ultimately, you could instantly connect with Sara, our protagonist, who’s being played by Ariella Glaser, who in a larger part of the movie is hiding in a barn. During the lockdown was for the first time, we all could feel how it is not to be able to go outside. So, you could instantly relate to someone who was locked up. It felt much closer to us, and I felt it’s a film about the Holocaust, but at the same time in the center of this is this beautiful teenage love story. R.J Palacio in her book ‘Wonder’, explored the themes of bullying and kindness, and she expanded on those themes here on ‘White Bird’, which I found very inspirational because I felt there’s a lack of kindness today and I felt it was a story we need. It’s also my hope that a lot of young people go and see the film. I see it as a family movie, a four-quadrant movie, but at the same time I hope that a lot of young people see the movie who haven’t studied the Holocaust or haven’t confronted that time of history, and maybe this is a window they can talk about it with their family.
MF: Just to follow up, was that the key for you with this film, focusing on the love story?
Marc Forster: Yeah, I felt that that ultimately the kindness and that connection of these two people who didn’t really see one another, who really got brought together through historical circumstances and through the hatred around them. I felt like that grounded the film for me in an emotional part. Someone who is risking their lives and the entire family risking their lives to protect someone else is not just a true act of bravery, but it’s a true act of love and I think it’s so powerful that I felt like this is an important story I wanted to tell.
Bryce Gheisar as Julian in ‘White Bird’. Photo: Julie Vrabelova.
MF: Renee, as a producer, can you talk about the source material and its connection to the larger ‘Wonder’ franchise?
Renee Wolfe: Well, as he said during the lockdown, we were both together and read this incredible story. I loved how, although it is a continuum of ‘Wonder’, it’s not necessarily a sequel and the idea that we would now look at it and in a sense try to heal this character of the bully was intriguing to both of us. The only other way that we can transform things is if we have the bravery to look at them. The only way we can transform each other is if we hear each other’s story. This is a witnessing of a transformation of somebody who could have gone on a wrong path. Putting this together just in the logistical part of it was very exciting because it wasn’t necessarily a sequel, it was a different universe and it tapped into this character and offered redemption. So, we both thought it would be a good foundation to use the audience of ‘Wonder’ to get momentum for this yet have its own freestanding world. So that became part of what was exciting as the structure of a story world that could keep going onward and outward. Who knows, there may be another element of this that develops.
MF: Renee, can you talk about the choice to bring back actor Bryce Gheisar as Julian Albans from ‘Wonder’ and really connect the two movies?
Renee Wolfe: Marc and I had spoken at that point we thought for sure he’s going to be a good actor, but there’s a lot of years that have passed and it’s COVID and you can’t meet people in person. So, it was a little bit of like, well, we believe this is going to work, but we’ll find out in person. Bryce was extraordinary. I mean, this young actor was so prepared and had evolved so beautifully and showed up wanting to tell a redemption story for this character. But logistically speaking, it was exciting to think that these kids who had seen ‘Wonder’ could track this actor as he’s now evolved with them arguably the same age. So, it was part of the magic of what we thought would make this whole thing work. I think he carried that obviously not personally, but had a mission to redeem this character, which we both loved, and we thought that would translate into audiences that understood that they were one and the same actor.
Helen Mirren as Grandmère in ‘White Bird’. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks.
MF: Marc, can you talk about casting Dame Helen Mirren as the older Sara Blum and having that character narrate the film?
Marc Forster: When Helen first signed on, we spoke on the phone and on Zoom, and I said, “Look, we’ve already been shooting for a couple weeks.” I said to her, “Look, I think it would be great if you could just watch the dailies, the work Ariella and I have been doing, how I’ve been directing her, her interpretation of Sara, her mannerisms and just get a feel for that.” She watched all the dailies, and I called her back and said, “So how do you feel?” She said, “Oh, don’t worry, I got you.” I said, “Okay, if Dame Helen Mirren tells you that, I’m sure we’re fine.” When she came to Prague and showed up on set, and I’ve never met her before in person, what you expected of Helen Mirren is what you got and more. Just her emotional intelligence, her gentleness, her respectfulness, her kindness to everyone. There’s certain security and thoughtfulness of her interpretation of a role that is so calming. There’s also in all seriousness and drama, a twinkle of humor, which then inspires kindness, which is just extraordinary. Obviously, the speech at the end, she is like that, just watching her act that and directing her in that gave it different shades and the different moments and pauses were wonderful.
MF: Renee, can you talk about the importance of finding the right actors to play young Sara Blum and Julien Beaumier and casting Ariella Glaser and Orlando Schwerdt?
Renee Wolfe: It is extremely important. Again, during COVID, normally we would see people in person, and Marc and I spoke about this at length. There were people sending in their tapes from all over the world, and he’s extraordinary at finding these young actors. It’s really about the truthfulness in the performance and not giving a performance. These kids, so many of them were extraordinary, but when we landed on Ariella and Orlando, we knew that they had something that just really grounded them. Ariella knew this culture and knew the nuances that would really make the world of this timeframe and the authenticity of being Jewish and that experience, she knew this with every part of her existence. Orlando, on the other hand, has this fluidity to his performance and to his delivery. You see this character kind of blossom throughout the performance. In the beginning, he’s hunched over and as love and as he’s starting to be seen, he expands even in his chest. He radiates. The two of them together, that was the last question, I think that we both had. But Marc particularly, “Would this chemistry really, really work in person?” It did. But that was challenging during that time that we couldn’t meet in person until the last minute.
(L to R) Orlando Schwerdt as Julien and Ariella Glaser as Sara in ‘White Bird’. Photo: Larry Horricks.
MF: Marc, what was it like working with Ariella and Orlando on set?
Marc Forster: It was extraordinary. I think Orlando, who plays Julien. First, he never brought a cell phone to set. So, he’s a 15-year-old who doesn’t come with a cell phone to set. He leaves it in the hotel room, completely focused, and there’s a laser sharp focus to character himself. He doesn’t mingle and doesn’t joke around. I asked him, “So why do you leave your cell phone in the hotel?” He said, “Look, this is a chance, an opportunity of a lifetime. I really just want to focus on the character and my performance.” Then Ariella, on the other hand, is very lively and comes from a very smart, educated family with an extraordinary historical knowledge of the time and really understands the responsibility also of the role. I think when I first met them, because as Renee mentioned, we cast them on Zoom, and I felt in a love story that chemistry is everything. So, I thought hopefully that chemistry would translate also in front of camera, not just on Zoom. When I met them and we started rehearsing, I had this moment of doubt, “What am I going to do if that chemistry is not going to land and I’m not believing that love story,” because I never casted on Zoom before. So, when I met them the first time we started rehearsing and instantly there was just this beautiful chemistry that they had and we rehearsed a lot of the scenes.
MF: Renee, can you talk about the challenges of producing a period piece, particularly one set in this specific time in history?
Renee Wolfe: It has budgetary constraints. We didn’t make this movie on a massive budget, but we had a crew that we had worked with historically. So, we had this second language together that was effortless. We shoot a mixture of location and stage. We were very lucky because the resources in the Czech Republic are impeccable. People put their very best into the equation. So, between locations and being able to build, once we all got there and working together in the past, we were able to do this on a relatively short amount of time and modest budget.
Ariella Glaser as Sara in ‘White Bird’. Photo: Larry Horricks.
MF: Finally, Marc, what did you want to do visually with this movie in general and specifically in the cinema sequences?
Marc Forster: I think you have in the movie; a part of the storytelling is magic realism. Once you deal with magic realism and metaphors and a little bit of a fairy tale aspect, you make sure that the movie grounds itself and you’re connecting with all the characters before you go into the metaphorical aspects and the magic realisms of the storytelling, so you don’t lose the audience and you have freedom to maneuver them. Usually that’s the transitions. Regarding the movie theater scenes, I was a big fan of ‘Cinema Paradiso’ because I love movies and ultimately that always has a nostalgia and romance in my heart being in a movie theater. So that was one aspect I was very fond of. Then the magic realism part of it’s the key. How do we portray that when she says to him, “Let’s go to Paris,” and ultimately taking him on this journey and how we visualize that. There’s a mixture between the movie we see in the movie theater and then the movie we see in their head, so to speak. Then ultimately, he brings the movie to her into the barn, because ultimately what they have in their heads and the movie they see themselves in is being informed by the film they saw in the movie theater.
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What is the plot of ‘White Bird’?
In ‘White Bird’, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay). To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage, during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy (Orlando Schwerdt) shelters her from mortal danger. They find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy’s mother (Gillian Anderson) risks everything to keep her safe.
Who is in the cast of ‘White Bird’?
Ariella Glaser as young Sara Blum
Orlando Schwerdt as Julien Beaumier
Bryce Gheisar as Julian Albans
Gillian Anderson as Vivienne Beaumier
Helen Mirren as Grandmère (older Sara Blum)
Gillian Anderson as Vivienne in ‘White Bird’. Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley will lead ‘The Thursday Murder Club’.
Chris Columbus is adapting the novel and directing.
Shooting will kick off this summer.
The detective genre is an evergreen one for books, TV series and movies, but with so many out there in the world, it’s always good to find a solid new spin.
And while the concept of older people solving murders/crimes in general is far from a novel concept, especially in the UK (if you’ve never heard of the idea, ‘Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple’ would like a word), it has been turned into a hugely successful novel series by British TV executive-turned-game show host and author Richard Osman.
His novel ‘The Thursday Murder Club,’ published in 2020, has become a big hit, spawning three follow-ups to date (with a fourth on the way), and now, somewhat naturally a film adaptation is gearing up with Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley in the lead roles.
Helen Mirren attends the 2015 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2015 in New York City.
The books’ narrative follows a group of geriatric friends in a retirement home who gather to solve murders for fun but find themselves caught in a real case.
Mirren will play ex-spy Elizabeth, Kingsley will play ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim and Brosnan will play former union activist Ron.
There is a fourth member of the gang, Joyce, but while a choice has apparently been made, Osman couldn’t specify since negotiations are continuing on that front.
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Who is making ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ movie?
Osman sold the rights to Steven Spielberg’s Amblin company in 2020, shortly after the first book became a hit, and development has been quietly proceeding since then.
So, who has the company chosen to adapt a popular series of novels set in the UK it hopes will spawn a successful franchise (and has form working with Spielberg)? Step forward Chris Columbus, who helped kick off the gigantic ‘Harry Potter’ film series and will be writing and directing here.
With Osman aboard as an executive producer, production is scheduled to start at the end of June and run through September.
And though the concept might seem more niche than the adventures of a boy wizard, that casting will certainly help push the idea here and beyond.
When will ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ be in theaters?
Variety recently announced that Netflix has picked up the movie, but no release date has been set.
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in ‘Die Another Day.’
