(L to R) Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Barbie Ferreira, Maude Apatow, Zendaya in ‘Euphoria’ season 2. Photo: Eddy Chen/HBO.
Preview:
After long delays, ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 will shoot in January.
Creator Sam Levinson has written the season.
Actors such as Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi will return.
‘Euphoria’ fans have had to be remarkably patient, as the show has seen some severe delays in getting back to shooting.
Now, though, there is light at the end of the tunnel for those who have been watching the (mis)adventures of Rue (Zendaya) and the rest, as HBO has announced that creator Sam Levinson will kick off production on Season 3 in January next year.
Here’s the statement from Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming and head of HBO drama series and films:
“I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on ‘Euphoria’ in January. We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of ‘Euphoria’ to life for the fans.”
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What’s the story of ‘Euphoria’?
Zendaya in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
For those who have somehow missed the cable channel sensation, ‘Euphoria’ follows a group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma and social media.
The series is an adaptation of an Israeli show of the same name, and all episodes are written by Levinson, who also directs a lot of the show.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
In March, a report from The Wrap brought word the delay is happening because ‘Euphoria’ creator/show-runner Sam Levinson has decided –– probably smartly, given the age of his cast –– that the new season should take the characters beyond high school.
While the second season didn’t end with graduation (instead a school play went badly wrong and a shootout left at least one character dead), the new season will follow the leads’ lives post-school.
And that change means new script work and extra time for development. Hence the delay.
Despite its star-making success, the show has not been without issues, including dealing with the pandemic while shooting its first season and strikes following its second. Indeed, Levinson had been writing the third season when the writers’ strike began last year. The actors’ strike also compounded the issue.
Barbie Ferreira, who plays the character of Kat, has announced she won’t return for the new season, and Angus Cloud, whose character Fezco was arrested at the end of Season 2, tragically died last year.
Levinson also co-wrote and produced ‘The Idol’ for HBO, which arrived last year to scathing reviews and has been cancelled after one season.
Who will return for ‘Euphoria’ Season 3?
Jacob Elordi on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
Zendaya in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
Preview:
‘Euphoria’s third season shoot is delayed.
Creator/show-runner Sam Levinson needs more time to work on the scripts.
The series will now depict its characters after high school.
If you were eagerly anticipating the return of hit high school-set drama ‘Euphoria’ as advertised by HBO for 2025… You might want to be more patient than you expected to be.
Because though the show had initially intended to kick off filming its third season in May, that plan is reportedly out of the window. The reason? When it returns, it may not be set in high school at all.
Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
According to The Wrap, which has spoken to multiple sources, the delay is happening because ‘Euphoria’ creator/show-runner Sam Levinson has decided –– probably smartly, given the age of his cast –– that the new season should take the characters beyond high school.
While the second season didn’t end with graduation (instead a school play went badly wrong and a shootout left at least one character dead), the new season will follow the leads’ lives post-school.
And that change means new script work and extra time for development. Hence the delay.
Here’s what one inside told the trade site:
“No one has lost faith in Sam as a creator. He is the driving force creatively on this show, he is still working with the same creative executives that he always has been, but since the show is changing, that process is taking longer.”
What else has been happening?
Jacob Elordi on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’
Despite its star-making success, the show has not been without issues, including dealing with the pandemic while shooting its first season and strikes following its second. Indeed, Levinson had been writing the third season when the writers’ strike began last year.
Barbie Ferreira, who plays the character of Kat, has announced she won’t return for the new season, and Angus Cloud, whose character Fez was arrested at the end of Season 2, tragically died last year.
Levinson also co-wrote and produced ‘The Idol’ for HBO, which arrived last year to scathing reviews and has been cancelled after one season.
What has HBO said about the news?
Colman Domingo in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
The cable channel has so far put out just one official statement:
“HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season. In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities.”
Which means that the stars of the show, including Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, who have become big film names since the series began, will be back in theaters screens likely sooner than though. Quick: someone convince Denis Villeneuve to shoot ‘Dune: Messiah’ while he has the chance!
When will ‘Euphoria’ be back on our screens?
HBO reportedly is still aiming at that 2025 return, though likely late in the year now.
Zendaya on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in ‘American Psycho.’ Photo: Lionsgate Films.
Preview:
Lionsgate is looking to make a new adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho’.
The movie is at a very embryonic stage.
A remake of ‘The Dead Zone’ is also under discussion.
In 2000, Christian Bale hacked his way into cinematic history as the psychopathic Wall St. type Patrick Bateman, who shoved the “anti” well and truly into antihero for the adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ scathing satire of 1980s masculinity and consumer culture, ‘American Psycho’.
The movie, directed by Mary Harron based on a script she wrote with Guinevere Turner, has become a cult favorite, even as it faced criticism at the time for its seeming sexist attitude (an attitude it was entirely satirizing).
And it was followed by a hasty, wedged-together sequel, ‘American Psycho II: All American Girl’, which had pretty much zero to do with the original, Lionsgate essentially repurposing an unconnected script in an attempt to cash in on the success of Harron’s movie.
Now, though, the studio is aiming to take another crack at Ellis’ story.
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What’s the story of ‘American Psycho’?
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in ‘American Psycho.’ Photo: Lionsgate Films.
‘American Psycho’ follows Bateman, a wealthy New York City investment banking executive, who hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
What is Lionsgate planning with ‘American Psycho’?
Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman in ‘American Psycho.’ Photo: Lionsgate Films.
According to Jeff Sneider’s The InSneider newsletter, Lionsgate is going the remake route, meeting writers to hear ideas for a new movie adaptation –– one that is crucially set in the present day.
While there’s a chance that losing the ‘80s consumerism critique might be an issue, there is plenty to be said about today’s politically-divided, corporate cronyism and social media-obsessed world. It’ll just need a smart writer to draw it out.
Who would star in the new movie?
Jacob Elordi on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’
Though it is certainly far from the casting stage, that hasn’t stopped the ‘net from fan-casting the Bateman role, including gender-flipped versions starring Allison Williams or Jodie Comer, and the more predictable likes of Jacob Elordi and Glenn Howerton.
What else is under discussion for a remake?
Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith in ‘The Dead Zone.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
In addition to ‘American Psycho’, Lionsgate is also considering a new adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Dead Zone’.
The story focuses on high school teacher Johnny Smith, who wakes from a coma after a car accident to discover he has lost five years of his life and psychic powers. Foreseeing the future appears to be a gift at first but ends up causing problems.
(Left) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios. (Right) 1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
‘Saltburn’s Jacob Elordi has boarded Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’.
He replaces Andrew Garfield in playing the monster.
Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz are all aboard the Netflix film.
Mary Shelley’s classic, literary horror-genre-goosing novel ‘Frankenstein’ is something that filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has had on his To-Do list for more than a decade.
Now, Deadline reports that Garfield has had to drop out, just one more ripple effect of last year’s strikes still impacting schedules. But the good news for the director is that Jacob Elordi, whose star is on the rise thanks to ‘Saltburn’ and ‘Priscilla’, is now lined up to step in.
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What’s the story of ‘Frankenstein’?
1931’s ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Shelly’s literary game-changer follows Victor Frankenstein (Isaac), a brilliant but egotistical scientist who brings a creature (Elordi) to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.
Del Toro is writing, directing and producing alongside J. Miles Dale, who served as a producer on del Toro’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ for Netflix, where this new movie is also based.
Who else is in Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’?
What has del Toro said about ‘Frankenstein’ in the past?
Director Guillermo del Toro for ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.’
“The only way to do the Shelley novel is to actually do a four-hour miniseries,” he told MTV in 2008. “But I think there are permutations in which you can tell the myth in a different way.”
Obviously, he’s clearly found a way to make the story work as a movie –– and has now cracked the script.
It’ll need to be something fresh –– Shelley’s book has been adapted many times in many ways for all sorts of media. But we can trust del Toro will bring his distinctive stamp to the story of the doctor who reanimates dead bodies and the creature he creates that faces hatred from the local villagers.
Guillermo del Toro poses backstage with the Oscar® for Animated Feature Film during the live ABC telecast of the 95th Oscars® at Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Quite what he intends to do with it is a mystery for now, but he may choose to tweak it in a modern-day setting or stick to more of a period feel. Either way, this is certainly something we know this director can do.
And hopefully, Netflix will give the result some proper big-screen treatment before it ends up on the company’s servers, and we’re glad del Toro is getting to tick another long-held dream film off his list.
As for Elordi, he’s worked on Paul Schrader’s next film, ‘Oh Canada’ and indie drama ‘On Swift Horses’. He’ll also be back for the next season of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, due in 2025.
After making a striking feature debut in 2020 with ‘Promising Young Woman,’ a bracing if sometimes heavy-handed stew of revenge thriller, psychological drama, black comedy, and feminist messaging, writer-director Emerald Fennell returns with ‘Saltburn.’ Like her first, ‘Saltburn’ is a hybrid of several genres, including satire, mystery, erotic thriller, and class-based drama. While it may not offer anything substantially new beyond its gorgeous visuals and pulsing rhythms, it will lock you into its spell thanks to its sharp tone and a sumptuous cast, with Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, and Carey Mulligan all at the top of their game.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick and Archie Madekwe as Farleigh in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
As ‘Saltburn’ begins, we meet Oliver Quick (Keoghan), a lonely, awkward, and clearly fashion-deficient new student at Oxford who yearns to somehow integrate himself with the cool kids, and become friends – and perhaps more – with their leader, the effortlessly charismatic, beautiful, and privileged Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Circumstances provide Oliver with just that opportunity, and soon he and Felix do indeed become friends – despite the misgivings of fellow student and Felix’s cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe).
Seemingly genuinely empathetic toward Oliver and the tragic family life he shares, Felix invites the young man to spend the summer with him and his family at their palatial estate, Saltburn. Once there, Oliver meets Felix’s imperious yet insipid mother Elspeth (Pike), who runs the household with an iron fist yet revels in memories of her days as a model and A-lister. Also there is Felix’s permanently distracted, one-sandwich-short-a-picnic father James (Grant), his sexually available yet troubled sister Venetia (Oliver), Farleigh, and a dissolute family friend known as Poor Dear Pamela (Carey Mulligan).
The brooding, maze-like house (complete with massive hedge maze out back), its sinister head of staff Duncan (Paul Rhys), the ever-present servants, and the play of light and shadow throughout Saltburn’s mahogany-walled corridors provide a classic archetype of the British country estate, almost always with a secret or five hidden within its overbearing walls. Fennell sets up a somewhat standard class conflict, with the Cattons – who never want for anything but are all damaged and oblivious in their own ways – eager to put a little charge into their own semi-vacant lives by bestowing luxury and decadence upon Oliver. Yet they never realize how condescending and dismissive they are (“She’d do anything for attention,” sniffs Elspeth upon learning of a friend’s suicide), and even the kind-hearted Felix can turn on a dime from compassionate to selfish.
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Yet, as one might suspect fairly early on, things aren’t quite what they seem at Saltburn, and the story takes some twists and turns in its second half that are best left undiscussed here. With a bacchanalian birthday party for Oliver at the center of the action, events take a darker turn that may be somewhat predictable from the start – think ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ and another Keoghan starrer, ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ — but are nonetheless compelling to watch thanks to Fennell’s expert direction and her brilliant cast.
The third act of ‘Saltburn’ is where Fennell might lose some viewers, as certain reveals are telegraphed pretty clearly, a few plot points stretch credibility, and most importantly, the movie struggles with its point of view. While ‘Saltburn’ may for most of its running time seem to be a scathing indictment of lifestyles of the rich and not-really-famous, its concluding scenes are far more ambivalent about who we’re empathizing with.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The casting for ‘Saltburn’ is superb up and down the board, starting with lead actor Barry Keoghan. The Irish actor is known for his breakout role in ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer,’ as well as his Oscar-nominated turn in ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ his role as Druig in Marvel’s ‘Eternals,’ and his eerie cameo as the Joker in ‘The Batman.’
In his first major lead, Keoghan is nothing short of riveting. His Oliver Quick is enigmatic, unsettling, and off-putting in an amorphous way, and Keoghan – who takes several bold, big swings throughout the film – keeps the audience off balance for most of the movie. Even when you have his number, the actor is so magnetic to watch that you don’t take your eyes off him.
Equally fantastic is Rosamund Pike, who continues the red-hot career streak that started in 2014 with ‘Gone Girl,’ and has encompassed films like ‘Hostiles’ and ‘I Care a Lot.’ Her Elspeth is perfectly repulsive yet hilarious, spewing out inappropriate opinions no one asked for (“I have a complete and utter horror of ugliness ever since I was very young”), vain enough to think that she singlehandedly inspired an entire British music scene, and making sure that lunch is served on time even in the wake of tragedy. Elspeth is a monster, and Pike plays her with an exquisite, complete lack of self-awareness.
Beyond Keoghan and Pike, Jacob Elordi’s Felix continues the Australian actor’s terrific year after his outstanding work as Elvis Presley in ‘Priscilla,’ both performances fueled by his physical presence and formidable good looks but utterly different in their emotional tone. Richard E. Grant is reliably amusing as always, and ‘Promising Young Woman’ star Carey Mulligan has a brief, darkly hilarious turn as Poor Dear Pamela, an utterly lost soul who manages to maintain her own distinct fashion sense.
Production Design, Editing and Music
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
‘Saltburn’ is a gorgeous film, from the beautiful young bodies on display both at Oxford and the Catton family home to the latter itself, an ostentatious, labyrinthine monster of a house that can blaze with sensual color or plunge into claustrophobic shadows within the space of one vast room.
There is a hedge maze that can put that of the Overlook Hotel to shame, sprawling fields and lawns where one might stumble across a nude sunbather, and other surprises all brought to vivid life by production designer Suzie Davies and cinematographer Linus Sandgren, who make ‘Saltburn’ into a decadent visual meal. They are aided and abetted by costume designer Sophie Canale, whose work here ranges from Oliver’s initially drab study hall duds to Elspeth’s shimmering, slinky dresses and Venetia’s seductive see-through nightwear.
All this is tied together and seamlessly paraded before the viewer’s eyes by the sure hand of editor Victoria Boydell, who works with Fennell to give Saltburn both a languid, lazy pace of life in some scenes and an urgent, throbbing rhythm in others, especially the centerpiece of Oliver’s birthday party.
The film’s music is key as well, with Anthony Willis’ sultry score pulsating along to the same rhythms as the film and highlighting the story’s complex psychological and sexual dynamics. Complementing Willis’ work is a series of tight needle drops from the mid-2000s (in which the film is set), including cuts from Bloc Party, MGMT, the Killers, and for the jaw-dropping final scene, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor.”
Is ’Saltburn’ An Oscar Contender?
Rosamund Pike as Lady Elsbeth Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Emerald Fennell won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for ‘Promising Young Woman,’ which was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Editing. While ‘Saltburn’ may not rise to the level of Best Picture, and Fennell won’t make the cut in what looks like an already mostly locked Best Director race, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (for Barry Keoghan), and either Best Actress or Best Supporting Actress for Rosamund Pike seem like possible nods for the film.
Keoghan delivers a tour de force, as we mentioned above, and Pike is equally sensational, but with less screen time we might see her compete for Best Supporting instead. ‘Saltburn’ should easily compete in the categories for Production Design, Costume Design, and Editing as well, and may score a few wins in those fields even if it doesn’t land any of the bigger trophies of the night – unless the raunchier aspects of the film turn off some of the more staid Academy voters altogether.
Final Thoughts
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Yes, it’s derivative of other films and arguably not as clever or surprising as it thinks it is, but we had a blast watching ‘Saltburn’ nonetheless. As we said earlier, it’s sumptuous to look at, backed with great music, and features one of the best ensemble casts we’ve seen in a film this year – with Barry Keoghan once again proving himself to be one of the finest rising young actors of his generation. The movie may not be especially shocking (well, maybe a little) but it’s certainly perverse in a gleeful way, and Emerald Fennell manages to keeps us entertained and even a bit titillated for two hours.
‘Saltburn’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Saltburn’?
Lonely new Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), desperate to make friends, is drawn into the social circle of popular, rich, and powerfully attractive Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at Saltburn, the Catton family’s country estate, Oliver finds himself in the midst of a truly eccentric family whose wealth and privilege mask the emptiness of their existence – until Oliver is added into the mix.
Who is in the cast of ‘Saltburn’?
Barry Keoghan (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’) as Oliver Quick
Oliver manages to work his way into Felix’s good graces – and empathy – and wins himself an invite to spend the summer at Felix’s family estate, Saltburn. There, Oliver meets Felix’s imperious mother Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), absent-minded father James (Richard E. Grant), and troubled yet sexually available sister Venetia (Alison Oliver).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a virtual press conference for ‘Saltburn.’ Taking part in the two-part Q&A were star Rosamund Pike, writer-director Emerald Fennell, and producer Josey McNamara.
Here are 10 things we learned from the ‘Saltburn’ virtual press conference, edited for clarity and length.
1) Emerald Fennell First Came Up with the Character of Oliver Quick Years Ago
(Center) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The film’s ostensible protagonist, Oliver Quick, is a slippery persona to grab hold of. He’s awkward and lonely yet also much more manipulative than he first lets on. He’s also a working-class bloke who is exposed to an entirely different way of life at Saltburn, and that almost certainly has an effect on him. In some ways, according to Fennell, he’s the audience.
Emerald Fennell: Oliver feels incredibly relatable to me. He kind of announced himself about seven or eight years ago, kind of persistently. He’s sort of an imaginary friend. He was just there all the time, and I couldn’t get him out of my head. It’s no accident to me, I think, that I finished writing this during COVID, because if Oliver’s anything, as well as being the person he is, this is a film about looking constantly and not being able to touch, and what it does to you if you’re not allowed to touch the thing you want to touch. We were living in a world where we could only look at each other through screens, that we were constantly voyeuristic, that we were absorbing things that couldn’t see us back. So I think that for me, Oliver seems to be all of us, really. Yes, he’s an outsider. Yes, he’s a person driven by love and desire and all of those things. But he’s also trying to scratch an itch that just cannot be sated. It can’t be scratched. So what do you do? You scratch your skin till you get down to the bone. You do it till it hurts.
2) Barry Keoghan Was Willing to Go to Any Lengths
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
From ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ to ‘The Banshees of Inisherin,’ not to mention his eerie cameo as a certain Clown Prince of Crime in ‘The Batman,’ Barry Keoghan has taken on a slew of provocative roles in his still-young career. But his first lead, in ‘Saltburn,’ may be his boldest performance yet.
Emerald Fennell: [Barry] is a force of nature. Barry is like lightning in a bottle. It’s a very unique and specific talent that he has. The thing that you’re always looking for is that element of surprise. The texture of a performance as much as the texture of, you know, the couch they’re sitting on. That is something that is really important, and what I love is things and people that go against the grain. That’s what Barry does. We as humans are not consistent characters. We have our own idiosyncrasies. We respond to things surprisingly. We are turned on by the things that we don’t like, and we’re disgusted by the things we should [like]. That’s this movie, and that’s what Barry does.
Rosamund Pike: Barry’s a maverick. He has so many different temperatures. And you never quite know what you’re going to get.
3) About Barry’s Nude Dance Scene…
Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
We won’t give away too much to avoid spoilers, but Barry Keoghan does a nude dance through Saltburn to the tune of Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ that is a guaranteed showstopper (and jaw-dropper).
Emerald Fennell: The scene was always from the beginning going to be a complicated, technical, and precise thing, because it’s the inverse of Felix’s tour at the beginning. So technically, it was always going to be precise. And it’s absolutely about making sure that somebody feels safe and relaxed and all of that sort of thing. We had Polly Bennett, who is an unbelievably talented choreographer. She does a lot of movement as well as dance — she did ‘Elvis‘ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody‘ and ‘The Crown,’ all those sorts of things. What I was really looking for was something that felt spontaneous, that felt loose enough that it was a kind of burst of evil joy that we could really relate to, but that also had enough kind of precision that it just didn’t feel messy. And the thing with Barry, again, that is so wonderful is that when he gets it, he gets it. When you say to him, “I don’t think the end can be a naked walk through the house, I think it needs to be a dance to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor,’” Barry just says, “Yeah.”
4) Carey Mulligan Insisted on Playing Poor Dear Pamela Even Though She’s Only in Three Scenes
(L to R) Carey Mulligan, Emerald Fennell, and Laverne Cox on the set of ‘Promising Young Woman.’
After giving a bravura, Oscar-nominated performance as the lead of Fennell’s first film, ‘Promising Young Woman,’ Carey Mulligan collaborates with the director again for ‘Saltburn,’ this time in the relatively small role of Poor Dear Pamela, a dissolute friend of the Cattons who’s staying at Saltburn while she tries to put her life back together.
Emerald Fennell: She’s an extraordinary person and the most gifted actress. I sent her the script just as my friend, you know, once it was finished. I wanted to talk to her about it. She immediately called me up and said, “I have to be Poor Dear Pamela.” I was like, “You’re only in three scenes.” She was like, “I don’t care.” You know, the thing is, you have a shorthand. You have the trust built in. Then the thing about Carey, the thing about Poor Dear Pamela is she’s an unbelievably important character in this film because she could so easily be an object of derision. She’s treated so abominably. She’s the person who knows she’s outstayed her welcome and has nowhere to go, so has to suffer the indignity of their derision every day. Carey is so gifted as a comic actress, it is such a genius comic performance, but it is also one of the most devastating, kind of poignant ones. She’s the human collateral, I think, of this family.
Carey Mulligan in ‘Promising Young Woman’
Josey McNamara: She is incredibly gifted comedically, which I don’t think she gets credit for enough, and willing to go and to be transformative as well. I think with this role, it’s such a small amount of time that we had her, but she threw herself into it in terms of how she changed her appearance and the little details with the tattoos and all the different things she brought to it. She really wanted to kind of push outside of the box with it.
5) ‘Saltburn’ Was the First Film Allowed to Shoot at the Real British Estate That Fennell Discovered
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Although the filmmakers are not allowed to identify the location by name, ‘Saltburn’ was shot primarily at Drayton House, a vast country estate in the East Midlands of England. Constructed in the early 14th century, the house has been owned by the same family for generations. Nothing had ever been filmed there before, which made it perfect for Saltburn.
Josey McNamara: The house is actually the first thing that Emerald and I spoke about, I think, after I read the script. We had the conversation about how important it was we find somewhere that had never been seen before and that would feel original to people and fresh. It was also incredibly important that we had somewhere that we could organically move throughout so we had a fluidity to the way we could shoot the movie. I think Emerald was the one who actually managed to kind of find the house and have all the original conversations, so thank God she managed to do that. I think it really allowed us to embed ourselves with the family, have everyone set themselves up in their characters, and also for the crew to kind of grow with the movie as well and everyone to get to know each other. It allowed us to shoot things in as much story order as possible so people could kind of grow into their characters, grow into the feeling of the movie. It allowed us to feel where the tension was in the movie and adjust and react. We got incredibly lucky with the family who owned the house, and they were really phenomenal with us and became a part of the crew themselves.
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike: I had opted to stay in the house itself, and I thought, oh, have I made a terrible mistake? Just like that line in the movie, ‘many people get lost in Saltburn.’ I was like, I’m never leaving, because the grounds are huge and I don’t have a car. I’m stuck here.’ It was kind of mad and intense. But it was a wonderful decision because the family were so generous. I had a bedroom in the house [but] I never saw all the rooms in the house. I mean, there were whole staircases I never even entered upon. Whatever you’re picturing as to the scale of this house, just quadruple it.
6) Margot Robbie is Not Just a Producer on the Film, But Was a Driving Force Behind It
Actor/Producer Margot Robbie attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
Actors get producing credits on films all the time. But in the case of ‘Saltburn,’ ‘Barbie’ superstar Margot Robbie, her husband, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara produced the movie through their LuckyChap company, and Robbie was very much involved in its creation.
Emerald Fennell: She’s the greatest ever. She’s exceptional. The company that she runs with these guys is unbelievable. She produced ‘Promising Young Woman’ as well as ‘Saltburn.’ I really honestly never want to work with anyone else. Josey, Margot, Tom, they’re all incredible. What’s so remarkable about what she does and what they’re doing is that they have proved, this year more than any, that subversive, smart, complicated, difficult movies can make a serious amount of money, and can be hugely popular. Everyone said, for example, that ‘Barbie’ was unmakeable. ‘Promising Young Woman,’ lots of people wanted to change it, make it more palatable, make it more marketable, or what they perceived would be those things, and Margot and Josey and LuckyChap said absolutely not. They’re resolute. They know what they’re doing. She’s a powerhouse. She’ll take over. They’ll take over, and then they’ll dance on the embers of Hollywood and build it into a nice, beautiful, pink palace. You can count on it.
7) Rosamund Pike Prepared for Her Role by Reading Magazines From 2007
Rosamund Pike as Lady Elsbeth Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike says she’s met people like Elspeth and prepared for the role by immersing herself in the kinds of things that the matriarch of Saltburn would do.
Rosamund Pike: My research for this role was quite intense. Because Elspeth does absolutely nothing. So it was very important for me to clear my decks. Go on vacation, sit by a pool, decide what swimsuit to wear, order a few cocktails, and order some magazines on eBay from 2007 — it’s not that easy — and read them. As Elspeth, think about all the people who are in the magazines who weren’t her. Because her vanity knows no bounds. That was preparation. I definitely have [met people like Elspeth] — growing up in the UK, and at various times being in those sort of milieus — people who’ve made me uncomfortable [laugh]. For all those times when I’ve been made to feel uncomfortable, it was a kind of payback. You know, the people who you don’t quite know what you’ve done wrong, but you know that there’s something about you that doesn’t fit…I’ve been around it. All the bizarre ways in which the English have this codified social behavior, and nobody tells you what the code is. You certainly know when you break a rule, but you don’t quite know what it is.
8) Emerald Fennell Insisted That the Cast Hang Out Together
(L to R) Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton, Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick and Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Much of the time on a movie, the cast members will scatter to their dressing rooms or trailers in between takes or setups. But with the ‘Saltburn’ cast members all supposed to be family (or their inner circle), Emerald Fennell wanted them to spend as much time together as possible.
Rosamund Pike: One thing is that Emerald insists that nobody goes off set into their own kind of world while we’re shooting. You know, there’s no kind of retreating to a trailer or a dressing room or something. She wants everybody to hang out in the same space. So, we had a kind of sitting room in the house that was our green room. And everybody was there. Everybody. From the family to the guys playing the footmen, and Paul Rhys playing the butler, Duncan. So I think that’s one thing. We laughed a lot. We just laughed. We played games, played cards, and played kind of silly word games. My children were around, which is a great icebreaker for everybody. They played with everybody. Just having children on set takes your mind off things. There was a very familial atmosphere. It’s this curious thing where you’re comfortable, and companionable, and very at ease in one another’s company. But nobody really knows how one another is feeling. It’s a very odd thing in these families. The same is when we did sort of, like, little montage things of all of us one evening just watching ‘The Ring.’ They put ‘The Ring’ on the telly, and that was it. We just sat and watched ‘The Ring’…we kept having these things to do as a family that sort of brought us together.
9) The Party Scene Got Very Intense
‘Saltburn’ opens in theaters on November 22nd. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
The centerpiece of the film’s second half is a costumed birthday party that the Cattons throw for Oliver at Saltburn, a huge bash that gets quite debauched. Apparently it got a little bit that way in real life as well.
Rosamund Pike: The party was so extreme. I mean, even the extras, you know, started hooking up with each other. It was that kind of environment where you felt like anything could happen, and you almost forget you were making a film. It felt that you were at a kind of three-day festival or something. To the point where, I had finished my role because Elspeth was sort of retiring to bed. Then I went back to the place we had for hair and makeup, and I saw this enormous, feathered headdress on the wall. I said, “You know what? I don’t think Elspeth would go to bed. I think she’d put that headdress on, put her dressing gown on, and go back to the party.” So, that’s what I did. [laugh] There’s this shot where they’re dancing to techno later in the night, and you just see this kind of feathered headdress and these sunglasses, and that’s Elspeth up by the DJ probably, you know? I just felt that’s what she’d do.
10) Jacob Elordi Blew Away Both Rosamund Pike and Emerald Fennell
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
‘Euphoria’ star Jacob Elordi is having one hell of a year: he’s not only garnering raves for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla,’ but the young Australian nails the pivotal role of Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’
Emerald Fennell: He’s absolutely amazing. In many ways, Felix is the hardest part in this movie because he’s sort of the emotional center. He’s put immediately on a pedestal by not just Oliver, but the film, so it was about finding someone who had this unbelievably magnetic charm and charisma, but who was also sort of a gifted actor who understood that this person is still a person, still just a guy. That is profoundly what Jacob did. He came in and he gave this performance for his screen test, and it was exactly what I was looking for, which was that he was kind of mortal. He looked like a god, but he’s mortal.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
Rosamund Pike: Emerald had said that she’d cast this incredibly handsome Australian. I thought, “Well, how’s that going to work?” Then she said, “No, no. He came in and he read, and it just blew us all away.” I still thought, “Yeah, but how is he going to capture the specificity of this English public school boy?” Then I was in L.A., and I met him, and we went for lunch. I was kind of oblivious to quite what a massive star he is. So, of course, poor guy, we were constantly besieged by people coming up to talk to him. He was very gracious and kind. But I realized in that meeting that he’s the real deal. That he’s a proper actor who puts the work in… what he does in the film, for me, is totally astonishing. He gets it pitch perfect.
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What is the plot of ‘Saltburn’?
Lonely new Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan), desperate to make friends, is drawn into the social circle of popular, rich, and powerfully attractive Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at Saltburn, the Catton family’s country estate, Oliver finds himself in the midst of a truly eccentric family whose wealth and privilege mask the emptiness of their existence – until Oliver is added into the mix.
Who is in the cast of ‘Saltburn’?
Barry Keoghan (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’) as Oliver Quick
(L to R) Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, Jacob Elordi as Felix Catton and Alison Oliver as Venetia Catton in ‘Saltburn.’ Photo: Amazon MGM Studios. Amazon MGM Studios.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Ken Woroner.
Opening in theaters in limited release on October 27th before expanding wide on November 3rd, ‘Priscilla’ is the latest film by ‘Lost in Translation’ and ‘The Bling Ring’ director Sofia Coppola, which serves as a counterpoint to last year’s ‘Elvis’.
While Baz Luhrmann’s film was almost exclusively about The King, Olivia DeJonge popped up briefly as Priscilla, but she felt like an afterthought, since the focus was on Presley (Austin Butler) and manipulative manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).
In this new film, it’s Elvis who drifts in and out of Priscilla’s life, and the Colonel is only ever heard as a voice on a phone.
How well does ‘Priscilla’ bring her story to life?
Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.
How many people can have claim to have caught a music icon’s eye as a dewy-eyed teenager and actually ended up married to them? Not many.
‘Priscilla’, though it covers a more limited time period than ‘Elvis’, actually makes an advantage of that tighter focus, since it probes more deeply into its title character’s psyche than Luhrmann’s film did, albeit without laboring the points it wants to make. This is no cradle-to-grave examination of Priscilla’s world, preferring instead to chart her younger days. And let’s be honest: did anyone really need to see Cailee Spaeny made up to look like a mid-1990’s Priscilla acting in ‘The Naked Gun?’ Didn’t think so.
While ‘Elvis’ was all about the clash between Elvis and his manager, ‘Priscilla’ has her story at its core, charting the burgeoning relationship and the challenges it faced. It has space for Presley’s commitment to no sex before marriage but also his adulterous ways.
‘Priscilla’ script and direction
(L to R) Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.
Coppola naturally has a keen eye (and ear, since she also adapted the script from Priscilla Presley’s memoir ‘Elvis and Me’, written with Sandra Harmon) for the story of a young woman dealing with the pressures of fame as they grow up. After all, she has a little experience in that regard.
And as a filmmaker, she’s long proved able to deliver compelling stories that forefront female characters, and Priscilla Presley’s is a notable example. Coppola truly runs with the idea, sensitively handling the chaos that was her life with Elvis and the pain and sorrow of being somewhat sidelined by the man she devoted her early life to.
Given its much more limited budget and schedule, it’s impressive how much Coppola was able to pull off with this movie.
If there are problems with the film’s, it’s in the pacing, and that Coppola sometimes has to indulge in unnecessary montage to show the passage of time –– did we really need to see Elvis and Priscilla shooting guns in the grounds of Graceland? Or see him take a bulldozer to the house of a deceased family member on the grounds because he doesn’t like it (if it is to be a metaphor for how his quirks such as demanding she indulge in his philosophical patterns demolish the relationship between him and his wife, it’s a leaden one).
And for all the examination of Priscilla’s inner life, there are times when she is frustratingly difficult to read, important moments passed over. Still, it remains a successful look at a woman that so many people think they know through footage and biographies but has rarely had her story told so keenly.
‘Priscilla’: performances
(L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.
This is, without a doubt, Cailee Spaeny’s film. She embodies Priscilla at different ages with empathy and grace. Working with some superb costume and make-up teams, you’ll easily believe that this is the same woman as she grows up with the iconic singer.
Spaeny never overplays the role, even in some big melodramatic moments, and she acts everyone else off the screen. For his part, though, Jacob Elordi makes for a convincing Elvis Presley (he’s not charged with much of the music side of things the way Austin Butler was) and he’s very natural as the man in the quiet moments (and not-so-quiet ones) with Priscilla.
Elvis himself has been brought to the screen many times, but Elordi never seeks to pull off a basic impression –– in concert with Coppola, he finds fresh shades to play and embodies the spirit of the man. He also nails the voice at times. The film, by its nature, had to dive more into the quieter, more intimate moments of the relationship, rather than needing to portray giant concerts (there is clever use of archive footage to show the couple in Vegas and one big musical moment is only briefly glimpsed on TV).
Around them, there is a fully immersed supporting cast, from Priscilla’s stalwart parents (even if they do fluctuate being very protective and somehow ready to let their young daughter fly off to see her older boyfriend) to Elvis’ family and coterie of friends and hangers-on (who enjoy more of his attention than his wife at times).
(L to R) Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.
‘Priscilla’ doesn’t live in the shadow of ‘Elvis’ or previous examinations of its subject’s life. In Sofia Coppola’s assured hands, it works on its own terms, and is helped along by two excellent central performances.
If you were wanting to see the story of one of the most famous women in the world brought to compelling life, ‘Priscilla’ is the film to watch.
‘Priscilla’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Priscilla’?
When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) meets Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock- and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend.
Through Priscilla’s eyes, the film tells the unseen side of a great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland, covering the time between their first meeting and their fraught final separation.
Who else is in ‘Priscilla’?
Cailee Spaeny (‘Vice‘) as Priscilla Presley (née Beaulieu)
(L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny star in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi about their work on ‘Priscilla,’ bringing her story to the screen, how Spaeny prepared for the role, Elordi’s performance, showing a different side of Elvis, and working with Sofia Coppola.
Cailee Spaeny in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Spaeny and Elordi, as well as music supervisor Randall Poster.
Moviefone: To begin with, Cailee, how did you prepare to play this role and what was it like bringing Priscilla Presley’s story to the screen?
Cailee Spaeny: Well, it was first the book that she wrote in the 1980s and the script leans heavily on it. Then it was sitting down with Priscilla Presley herself, which I got the honor to do, and just taking the time and letting her walk through this section of her life. She shared little details and moments, and how she was feeling on certain nights or inside jokes they had together. To watch her go back to that time, and maybe she’d giggle a bit thinking about a memory they had together. Those were so precious to have in putting this puzzle piece together.
Jacob Elordi in director Sofia Coppola’s ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.
MF: Jacob, how did you prepare to play Elvis Presley, arguably one of the most famous people in modern history, and what was it like examining his darker side?
Jacob Elordi: For me it was less about what side of him was being portrayed and more about trying to find the human being in him and make it a believable and real person. There were just months of boring study, reading, watching and listening. It would do your head in, just like it did mine in getting ready for it, if I told you about it all.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi, Cailee Spaeny and director Sofia Coppola on the set of ‘Priscilla.’ Photo: A24.
MF: Cailee, can you talk about collaborating with Sofia Coppola on set and what she was like to work with as a director?
CS: She really creates a safe space for everyone to feel like they can collaborate and share their thoughts and opinions. She knows exactly what she wants, but she also knows when to have fun, and remind everyone we’re making a film, and we should all enjoy it while we’re doing it. It was a quick 30-day shoot, but we had a lot of laughs in between and it was a real treat. She was a dream director for me to work with. She was the director I wanted to work with, and it was more than anything I could have imagined.
(L to R) Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny in ‘Priscilla.’ Credit: Sabrina Lantos.
MF: Finally, Jacob, what was it like for you to work with Sofia Coppola? Was it as much fun as you had hoped it would be?
JE: More fun. She let us know immediately that you didn’t have to be dark and brooding and go through all these heavy things to make a good movie. She is the artist. She’s everything that you would want as an actor and more. I love her so much.
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What is the plot of ‘Priscilla’?
The film follows Priscilla Presley (Cailee Spaeny) and her life with Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi).
(Left) David Corenswet in Netflix’s ‘The Politician.’ (Center Left) Nicholas Hoult in ‘Renfield.’ (Center Right) Emma Mackey in Netflix’s ‘Sex Education.’ (Right) Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’
Corenswet has apparently impressed Gunn enough that he’s moving forward to the screen test phase, though of course there is plenty of competition for that role in particular. Names such as ‘Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi and British actors Tom Brittney and Andrew Richardson have been in the mix, but it’s still very early days and none of those are apparently in serious contention.
Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’
Since the film takes place during Clark/Superman’s early days as reporter at the Daily Planet and how important star reporter Lois Lane is to his story, hers is naturally a vital role to find. Rachel Brosnahan, the Emmy-winning star of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ reportedly rocked her audition but might be seen as too old at the grand age of 32! (The roles are apparently being targeted at 20-somethings).
So, a more likely choice, at least give age-wise, is ‘Sex Education’s Emma Mackey, who will be seen this summer in ‘Barbie’.
Then we have the villain, and from the sounds of it, ‘Legacy’ will feature the most famous Superman opponent, Lex Luthor. And if the Reporter’s story is to be believed, ‘Renfield’s Nicholas Hoult is currently the front-runner for the role. He’s nowhere near official yet, of course, but the word on him is positive.
Hoult has comic book experience, of course, having starred in several ‘X-Men‘ movies. And he was in consideration for Batman in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ but lost that role to Robert Pattinson.
There are also other classic DC characters involved, so expect a slew of casting stories once the actors are locked in.
Gunn, in typically open –– but still private –– style, took to twitter to reiterate that he won’t be commenting on any casting rumors.
For all of you asking, I would never comment on who is or isn’t AUDITIONING for a role. That’s the actor’s business only & isn’t something I’d make public unless they did it first after the fact (like @GlennHowerton or @ZacharyLevi having auditioned for Star-Lord & being top…
‘Superman: Legacy’ is scheduled to hit theaters on July 11th, 2025.
(Left) Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account. (Right) Superman. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.com.
Netflix made it official with the sequel to the teen romantic comedy, which will bring back stars Joey King, Joel Courtney and Jacob Elordi.
The movie, which debuted on the streaming service last May, centered on Elle (King) and best friend Lee (Courtney), whose friendship was tested when Elle fell for Lee’s brother Noah (Elordi).
While the film was based on Beth Reekles’ YA novel, there are no book sequels to follow (unlike Netflix’s other teen rom-com hit, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”).
Presumably, “The Kissing Booth 2” will follow Elle and Lee during their senior year of high school and explore whether Elle and Noah’s relationship survive his being away at college in Boston. And it seems very likely there will be another carnival with another kissing booth — but who will be kissing each other this time?
King and Courtney appeared in the announcement video:
