Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell will star in ‘The Cackling of the Dodos’.
Netflix is backing the movie.
Following his star turn in thriller series ‘Black Rabbit’ (not to mention his long established relationship with the streamer via ‘Ozark’, Netflix is staying in the Jason Bateman business.
The actor has locked in his next directorial effort with the company, signing on to make ‘The Cackling of the Dodos’.
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And the odd-sounding screwball crime comedy drama (more on the story below) will see Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell in the lead roles.
To be based on an original script by ‘Kingdomtide novelist Rye Curtis, ‘The Cackling of the Dodos’ follows George, small-town farmer who has a truly terrible day when he discovers a corpse chilling out in a grain bin and he is unwittingly forced into a chaotic, sloppy cover-up by his boss, Denny.
We’d assume Rockwell will be George, while Harrelson will take on Denny.
What else is Jason Bateman involved with?
Currently on screen in HBO series ‘DTF St. Louis’, Bateman is also attached to direct John Grisham adaptation ‘The Partner’ and is involved as filmmaker/producer to a variety of other projects, including a new take on ‘Clue’.
Jason Bateman attends Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit’ NY Premiere and After Party at SVA Theater on September 16, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix.
Selected Movies and TV Shows Featuring Jason Bateman:
Nearly ten years after ‘Zootopia’, it is time to catch up with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde and see what they have been up to. Surprisingly, ‘Zootopia 2’ is set almost immediately after the events of the first film, making it a seamless transition. For those who have not revisited it in a while, the opening moments remind us of everything that happened in a way that is equal parts entertaining and informative.
The question everyone always asks themselves when it comes to sequels is “is this story worth telling?”. Thankfully, the answer to that when it comes to ‘Zootopia 2’ is yes.
Because this story takes place so close to the one that was being told in ‘Zootopia‘, there isn’t a lot of catching up that has to be done with the characters. This is a major plus when it comes to ‘Zootopia 2’ because it allows viewers to fall right back into this world without any questions or concerns.
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are now partners on the polic force, but considering that they have not had a lot of time working together, there are some growing pains. This is not only believable, it makes perfect sense as they still do not know each other very well.
Judy and Nick are great at solving mysteries together, that is something that was established in the first movie. Pretty early on a new mystery drops into their laps, and even though it means they need to go on the run, they decide to take it on. Snakes have not been seen in Zootopia for years, and for good reason, everyone is scared of them. However, when Gary De’Snake shows up asking for help, Judy senses he truly needs it.
This sends them on a high stakes, action packed adventure filled with numerous quirky new characters and a whole lot of animal puns that is sure to put a smile on everyone’s faces. Because of this, they visit a lot of new places in Zootopia we have not seen yet, and directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard do a great job of keeping eveything on track and blending well together. What could have easily felt muddled and too much, is not.
Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin solidified themselves as the perfect choices for this unlikely duo in the first film, and they once again nail their performances this time around. All of the returning cast bring their A-game again, showing fans why they fell in love with these characters in the first place.
The real standout, however, is Ke Huy Quan as Gary De’Snake. He has deserved everything that he has gotten in the last several years as he made his way back into the acting world, and he was the right choice to play this misunderstood character. Kids (and parents) are sure to love Gary just as much as they love Ke, and for good reason. He is the heart of this story, and hopefully this is not the last time that we will see him.
‘Zootopia 2’ is just as fun as the first movie. It features a catchy new song, ‘Zoo’, sung by Gazelle (Shakira) of course. It delivers heart as well as humor, something that Disney Animation does extremely well.
Stay through the credits because in true Disney fashion, there is a tease for a possible third movie that will leave viewers excited and eagerly anticipating more from their beloved Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps.
‘Zootopia 2’ receives a score of 85 out of 100.
‘Zootopia 2’ opens in theaters on November 26th.
What is the plot of ‘Zootopia 2’?
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2,” detectives Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.
Jason Bateman is making a deal to direct ‘The Partner.’
Tom Holland is aboard to star in the movie and produce.
It’ll adapt the John Grisham legal thriller novel.
If it pleases the court, we’d direct the jury (er, readers) to cast their mind back to January of this year, when evidence emerged that Tom Holland had agreed to star in and produce a new movie adaptation of John Grisham tome ‘The Partner’ for Universal.
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The case for making the film has moved on to the point of hiring a director, and Deadline brings word that Jason Bateman is the man taking the job, which would mark his third movie directing gig (not forgetting his numerous TV credits).
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Paul Hebert / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
The plot follows Patrick Lanigan, a young partner in a white shoe Biloxi law firm who fakes his own death in a burning car. He’s left behind a wife, newborn daughter, and a secret. What he’s actually done is fake his death to create a template for a new life by stealing $90 million from a client of his crooked law firm.
He finds happiness and love in South America. When the client who worked so hard to defraud the government finds the money is missing from his offshore accounts, he becomes determined to hunt down the lawyer he doesn’t believe is dead.
That leads the attorney to have to turn himself in to the FBI and face up to the wife, child and life he left behind…
The role of Lanigan offers Holland the chance to play another conflicted, morally questionable character, and enjoy some of the complexity he found in the likes of ‘The Crowded Room’ and ‘Cherry.’
Graham Moore, whose credits include films such as 2014’s ‘The Imitation Game,’ and 2022 crime thriller ‘The Outfit’ (which he also directed), has been at work on the script.
What else is Jason Bateman working on?
Jason Bateman attends Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit’ NY Premiere and After Party at SVA Theater on September 16, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix.
Bateman is currently on screens in new Netflix series ‘Black Rabbit’ and was most recently seen in another Netflix production, airport thriller ‘Carry-On’.
Coming up, he’ll be reprising the role of wisecracking fox Nick Wilde in Disney’s animated ‘Zootopia 2’ (due in theaters on November 26) and is a star and producer on HBO series ‘DTF St. Louis’.
Will Smith in ‘Hancock’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Preview:
Will Smith says moves are being made on a ‘Hancock’ sequel.
It would continue the story of the 2008 original.
Smith teases that Zendaya has been approached for a role.
Was the world truly anticipating a follow-up to 2008 superhero pic ‘Hancock’?
Yes, it starred Will Smith, Jason Bateman and Charlize Theron, and it made more than $629 million worldwide from a $150 million budget, but the reviews were far from positive and it didn’t exactly enter the public consciousness in the way that, say, fellow 2008 release ‘Iron Man’ helped launch a slightly successful cinematic universe.
And these days, the odds are even more stacked against it; star Smith rebuilding his career following the Oscar slap incident of three years ago (in his defense, he’s certainly seen success with the likes of ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’) and audiences in general have begun to tire of the endless parade of super-beings on screen, with even the latest Marvel releases –– aside from the blip that was ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ –– no longer putting up the giant box office of years past.
Still, that isn’t stopping famed hype man Smith from talking up the latest development on a sequel to the movie about an alcoholic superhero who causes more trouble than he helps.
As reported by Deadline, the actor appeared on Canadian influencer xQc’s live stream on Twitch and answered some fan questions.
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Among them? One about the ongoing potential of a new outing for Hancock. Here’s what he said:
“There’s a really cool ‘Hancock 2’ idea. We haven’t even talked about it.”
But he wasn’t done. There was also the requisite Big Celebrity Name to drop:
“I’m going to give you one little piece. Zendaya is being approached for a role in ‘Hancock 2.’ ”
Whether or not that turns out to be fanciful thinking remains to be seen. Smith is still something of a force in Hollywood, but Zendaya is no slouch in the power department and doesn’t have to say yes to just any role.
Plus, it’s not as if she doesn’t already have a good superhero gig going thanks to her role as MJ in the lucrative ‘Spider-Man’ franchise, and she also has a busy schedule right now between new ‘Euphoria’ filming, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ and the fourth Spidey instalment.
Right now, it sounds like Smith is more putting the name out into the world as a way to try and manifest her involvement.
Will Smith in ‘Hancock’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The action-comedy stars Smith as John Hancock, a disheveled superhero with extraordinary powers but a troubled, reckless attitude. Despite his ability to fly and immense strength, Hancock is disliked by the public due to his destructive methods of saving lives, which often cause collateral damage.
The film takes a turn when Hancock saves the life of a public relations executive, Ray Embrey (Bateman), who offers to help improve Hancock’s image.
As they work together, Hancock’s past is revealed, including his connection to Ray’s wife, Mary (Theron), who harbors secrets of her own. The story explores themes of redemption, accountability, and the complexity of heroism.
In the climax, Hancock learns about his true origins and the nature of his powers, leading to a confrontation with bank robber Red Parker (Eddie Marsan).
The original script was written by Vy Vincent Ngo in 1996. It languished in development hell for years with various directors attached, including Tony Scott, Michael Mann (who would later co-produce the film), Jonathan Mostow and Gabriele Muccino.
“Hancock is not your average superhero. Every day he wakes up mad at the world. He doesn’t remember what happened to him and there’s no one to help him find the answers.”
Hancock: Comments on the Sequel
Will Smith in ‘Hancock’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Talk of a ‘Hancock’ sequel has been floating around since the original movie’s release, with Berg excitedly announcing in 2009 that “everyone” –– presumably Smith, Bateman and Theron –– would want to return for the sequel.
Yet in 2012, with little sign of forward movement, he was putting the delay down to an issue of getting schedules in sync while talking to Comicbookmovie.com:
“We’ve been talking about the sequel between us, Will Smith, [producers] Michael Mann and Akiva Goldsman and myself. We’re all interested, but we literally just have trouble getting into the same room at the same time. We did have a series of meetings last year and started to hash out an idea for sequel — and Will Smith actually had the idea — so I think it will happen, it’s just a question of timing.”
Finally, Theron was asked about the possibility of showing up for the new movie, but seemed to still be interested when asked by ComicBook:
“You know, for a while we [talked about a sequel]. I think closer to when the movie came out, but not in recent years, no. We’ll be super heroes with our walkers, you know. And I’ll still go! I’ll still make that movie; I would do it in a heartbeat.”
When will the ‘Hancock’ sequel be in theaters?
Will Smith in ‘Hancock’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Hold on there, don’t get too excited. Despite his seeming road-to-rehabilitation image and remaining megastar influence, Will Smith saying a movie is back in the works does not mean it’ll actually get made.
And given the scheduling issues, we wouldn’t expect any completed movie much before 2027 at the earliest.
We’d guess Sony would be the ones to release it when it is finished, given that the original arrived via Columbia Pictures.
(L to R) Will Smith and Jason Bateman in ‘Hancock’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Landing on Netflix on December 13th, ‘Carry-On’ will probably make most people compare it to festive action classic ‘Die Hard.’ Which seems a little unfair given the latter film’s high watermark status in the action genre, but when you put an average joe character up against scheming criminals at Christmas, the comparisons are inevitable.
Still, ‘Carry-On,’ while it truly can’t compare to the towering 1988 benchmark, it doesn’t embarrass itself in the genre, providing a solid amount of entertainment partly thanks to good performances from its leads.
The ‘Die Hard’ comparisons, while tough for any movie to live up to, are at least slightly short-circuited by some decent worldbuilding going on here. Taron Egerton’s Ethan Kopek isn’t even at the level of John McClane, who was at least an NYPD officer. Kopek instead is more of a man in search of his place in life; while he’s happily in a relationship, his TSA job isn’t exactly the most fulfilling purpose, but he’s largely coasting.
It’s a worthwhile place from which to start a main character in a movie such as this –– because you have something to build from. You know he’s going to step up to the task at hand when the moment calls for it, but he’s not a superhero or a man (usually Liam Neeson in Jaume Collet-Serra’s other movies) with a particular set of skills. Unless you count running (foreshadowed with talk of Kopek’s high school track star status).
Likewise, Jason Bateman is an interesting choice to play the primary antagonist as the man known only as “Traveler” is more of a tactical thinker than an all-action villain. And the action element is largely effective, even if one key scene appears to borrow heavily from ‘Toy Story 2.’
The script for the movie originated with a script by T.J. Fixman (who has mostly written video games) and has been through some polishing by Michael Green (a scriptwriting veteran whose credits include the Kenneth Branagh‘s Poirot films, ‘Logan’ and ‘Jungle Cruise’).
As a result, it feels mostly lean and taught, and the characters are built in such a way as they work for this kind of movie. It’s far from a perfect screenplay, but it does nimbly skirt around some of the more egregious cliches and tropes.
It also stays mostly grounded (at least until the action shifts to a plane) and believable and finds something interesting for most of the characters to do.
Collet-Serra, meanwhile, knows his way around an action movie, and while he’s certainly pumped out some generic titles in his time, this feels sturdier and more energetic that some of his other efforts. And that’s despite it largely taking place in one location (albeit an airport that offers chances for different rooms).
If there’s one big issue with the movie, it’s a scene where Danielle Deadwyler’s detective clashes with Logan Marshall-Green’s character (we won’t reveal it so as to avoid spoilers) in a speeding car. It’s an ambitious attempt to have the actors do a lot of the work themselves as opposed to cutting around stunt people. Yet for all its kinetic energy, it suffers from sometimes looking like the cut scene from a video game, draining the tension as you can’t help but chuckle at the weird visual. For a movie that is so focused on being real-world, it’s a misfire.
Performances
While Egerton and Bateman are the crux of the story, the script shares the character development love around the rest of the cast too.
As we mentioned above, Kopek is an unmoored young man, nervously happy about becoming a father with his girlfriend Nora. He’s coasting through his job, but of course gets a chance to shine when he’s put in peril. Egerton has played some more flamboyant characters in his time, but he does solid work as Kopek, keeping him from feeling like a superhero. And his interactions with everyone around him are entirely believable.
He may never get a name, but Bateman does revel in an interesting character –– and it’s one that the actor plays well. He’s threatening but not so physically imposing as to be ridiculous. He’s also good at delivering the exposition that is naturally a part of a villain such as this.
As the dedicated LAPD detective who starts to dig into one aspect of the case, Deadwyler is similarly lumbered with some expositional dialogue but is also weaved effectively into the story later on. And she’s always convincing.
Playing off of Egerton for much of the early going, she’s eventually more than just his love interest, actually handed some agency as the plot moves forward. It also doesn’t hurt that Nora is in some ways more capable than Ethan is.
The reliable likes of Dean Norris (as Egerton’s grumpy TSA boss), Sinqua Walls (as one of his colleagues) all help to fill out the world of Kopek’s daily drudgery, while Bateman’s character is supported by the likes of Theo Rossi as his accomplice. It’s a solid ensemble for a movie such as this.
A solid action thriller with decent premise that aches in places to be ‘Die Hard’ but also does its own thing, ‘Carry-On’ might not exactly be in the first class of the genre, but it’s sitting comfortably in premium economy.
‘Carry-On’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Carry-On’?
A young TSA agent (Taron Egerton) fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman) who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.
Jaume Collet-Serra is on to direct a new action thriller called ‘Kate Warne’.
Emily Blunt is considering starring in the film as the title character, with Dwayne Johnson producing.
The script has been re-written but will still have to wait until the actors’ strike is over.
It looks like we have a ‘Jungle Cruise’ reunion in the works. No, the sequel has not chugged forward much given the dual strikes (though you can bet Disney will be looking to move this one along now that at least the writers’ action is over).
Instead, ‘Cruise’ director Jaume Collet-Serra is boarding the in-development detective thriller ‘Kate Warne’, which is being produced by Dwayne Johnson (who, of course, starred in the Disney ride adaptation).
And the ‘Jungle’ connections continue as Emily Blunt has been considering starring in this one for a couple of years now –– she was first mentioned as circling back in 2021 –– but, as Deadline reminds us, the actors are still on strike, so she has yet to make a formal acting deal.
She’ll be back to negotiating to star when the industrial action is over, but there is no sign of that just yet. Even if she doesn’t end up in the main role, she’s also a producer on the film, alongside Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions.
The Amazon-owned MGM is hoping that with Collet-Serra’s attachment, it’ll move forward once anything can shoot.
What’s the story of ‘Kate Warne’?
Emily Blunt in ‘The English’ which premieres November 11th on Prime Video.
‘Kate Warne’ is described as a propulsive action adventure built around Warne, a real life female Sherlock Holmes in a male dominated industry whose singular sleuthing skills paved the way for future women in law enforcement and forever changed how detective work was done.
Gustin Nash wrote the first draft of the script, but it has since seen a re-write (before the strike) with ‘Godmothered’s Melissa Stack taking over screenplay duties.
This feels more in Collet-Serra’s wheelhouse –– he’s been known for the likes of Liam Neeson thrillers ‘Non-Stop’, and ‘The Commuter’, while he last made ‘Black Adam’ with Johnson in the title role –– than even ‘Jungle Cruise’ though he’s proved to be adaptable through his career so far.
He’s also been behind movies such as horror pic ‘Orphan’ and shark thriller ‘The Shallows’.
Next up for the director is ‘Carry On’, which sees Taron Egerton as Ethan Kopek, a young TSA agent who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveler to allow a dangerous package through security and on to a Christmas Day flight.
‘Air’ follows the true story of the rise of Nike and chronicles the upstart shoe company’s attempt to sign NBA rookie Michael Jordan to a sneaker deal. Nike employee Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) believes the only way to save the fledgling company is to invest everything in a rookie who’s never stepped foot on a professional court, who might just become the greatest player of all time. Against the wishes of Nike owner Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) and Jordan’s agent David Falk (Chris Messina), Vaccaro travels to North Carolina to meet Jordan’s mother Deloris (Viola Davis) in person and desperately tries to convince her to influence her son to sign with Nike.
The result is an extremely entertaining and inspiring movie about believing in yourself, which has a similar humorous tone to ‘Argo,’ but is also reminiscent of ‘Moneyball’ and ‘Jerry Maguire.’ Affleck keeps the story suspenseful, even though we know how it ends, and the film is anchored by fantastic performances from Damon, Tucker, Bateman, Messina, and Davis.
For those that don’t know, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck grew up together in Boston and broke into Hollywood when they co-starred and co-wrote ‘Good Will Hunting,’ which earned them both Oscars for Best Original Screenplay. With the exception of a few appearances together such as Kevin Smith’s ‘Dogma,’ the two actors went their separate ways professionally, both becoming movies stars in their own right. But when Affleck’s acting career began to stumble, he went behind the camera to direct ‘Gone Baby Gone,’ ‘The Town,’ and ‘Argo,’ which won an Oscar for Best Picture and resurrected his career.
While their appearance in Ridley Scott’s ‘The Last Duel,’ which they also co-wrote, marked their first big screen collaboration in decades, ‘Air’ marks the first time Affleck has ever directed his childhood friend. Since the movie is based on a well-known true story, we all know the outcome, but somehow Affleck still adds suspense to the film and keeps the audience engaged the entire time. Set in the 80s, Affleck relies heavily on nostalgia, which in a way fuels the movie. He sets the tone during the first frame of the movie when you hear Dire Straits’ ‘Money is for Nothing’ and you see a montage of the 80’s greatest pop culture moments. In fact, the 80’s soundtrack is well chosen and adds to the ultimate enjoyment of the film.
The film touches on themes of believing in yourself, even when no one else will, but also emphasizes the importance of Mothers and the sacrifice they all make for their children. Affleck also wisely made the choice not to cast an actor to play Jordan himself, which for the most part works really well but does become slightly distracting in the later scenes, but more on that later.
Affleck is definitely the comic relief in the movie, playing Nike founder Phil Knight as a bit of a buffoon, with his over-sized Oakley sunglasses and fluorescent colored tracksuits. Whether the portrayal is accurate to real-life events or not, it is entertaining and works for the tone of the film. It’s also a pleasure to see Affleck and Damon share the frame again, almost 30 years after ‘Good Will Hunting.’ Vaccaro and Knight, while friendly, are at odds through most of the movie, and the scenes crackle when the two actors go at it.
Matt Damon, who physically transformed for the role gaining weight, gives a very good performance and anchors the movie, especially when more colorful characters like Knight, David Falk and Howard White are on screen. However, Damon never really gets submersed in the role, as you always realize you are watching Matt Damon play a character. In contrast, you believe Chris Messina, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, and even Affleck to a degree are their characters, but Damon never quite achieves that level.
Don’t get me wrong, Damon’s still very believable in the role and definitely does the heavy lifting carrying the narrative of the movie, but I never really got a sense of who Sonny Vaccaro was, other than a gambler willing to risk everything. But Damon brings all of his own charm and personality to the role, which works, especially in the tender scenes with Davis’ Deloris Jordan, and the two create a sweet bond that is pivotal to the outcome of the story.
According to Affleck, Michael Jordan had three requests to give his blessing to this production, and top of his list was that Oscar winner Viola Davis must play his mother, and I can’t think of better casting. Davis oozes gravitas and commands every scene she is in, creating a powerful presence as Deloris Jordan. Because Michael Jordan is a phantom presence in the movie, Davis’ character becomes the focal point of the story, and the actress commands her scenes with ease. The character is talked about a lot up to the point we meet her halfway through the movie, and the actress’s first appearance on screen does not disappoint.
Davis has great chemistry with Damon, and you get the feeling that Jordan is impressed with Sonny, and again, the bond they form is beautiful and really pays off in the end. Also fun, is that Davis’ real life husband Julius Tennon plays her onscreen husband, Michael’s late father, James R. Jordan Sr. While a small role, Tennon is very memorable in the part and of course as you would expect, has great chemistry with Davis. Jordan Sr. was a very affable fellow, and Tennon’s giant smile fits the character perfectly. You understand from the first moment you see him that he knows his wife is the boss, not Michael, and in turn, the other characters and we the audience understand that important point very quickly too.
The supporting cast is rich with terrific characters and performances. Remember when I mentioned Jordan had three requests for Affleck, the second one was that he create a part for George Raveling, who was Jordan’s Olympic coach and pivotal to him taking the Nike deal. Luckily, he was best friends with Vaccaro in real life, so it made sense for the character to reach out to him during the film. While its only one scene, Marlon Wayans is impressive as Raveling in a bar sequence giving advice to Vaccaro. Wayans has good chemistry with Damon, looking like they truly are old friends and being quite funny, in moments that were very likely improvised.
Jordan’s third request was a role for Howard White, vice president of Nike’s Jordan Brand and another person pivotal in Jordan’s signing with Nike. Chris Tucker plays White with absolute charm and enthusiasm as only Tucker can. He’s really great in the role, very funny, and has a strong chemistry with Damon, as White is presented as a mentor to Vaccaro.
Also great opposite Damon is actor Chris Messina who plays Jordan’s agent David Falk. Messina plays the agent as a cross between Buddy Ackerman in ‘Swimming with Sharks’ and the title character from ‘Jerry Maguire.’ He’s loud, obnoxious, rude and absolutely hilarious when screaming at Damon over the phone, and the two actors have really fun scenes together.
Finally, beloved actor Jason Bateman gives one of his best performances as Nike publicist Rob Strasser. Bateman brings his signature witty and sometimes sarcastic attitude to the character, which works well, but it’s his few dramatic scenes that are really impressive. The actor has a monologue near the end that her recites beautifully and is the motivating factor for Damon’s character in the final moments. It’s a great showcase role for Bateman, and the actor also has very good chemistry with Damon.
Nobody, well, kind of. As previously mentioned, Affleck did not cast an actor to play Michael Jordan, but he does have a stand-in for Jordan in a few scenes using over the shoulder and obscured shots to give the idea of his presence. This was absolutely the correct choice as casting an actor to play the GOAT (Sorry LeBron!), would have been too distracting. That being said, not casting an actor to play Jordan was also distracting, so really there was no good choice.
Not showing Jordan and making his parents the focal point makes sense and works up until the end. But by the time we are in the final scenes, where Jordan and his parents finally meet with Nike, it’s odd that they are spending so much time focusing on Deloris and basically ignoring Michael. I know what Affleck was going for, but I think it would have been better if they built on the anticipation to see Michael, which they basically do, and then finally show him, briefly, in the final scene, casting a look-a-like actor but perhaps with no dialogue. It would seem like a better payoff.
Not to mention that some of the angles in which Affleck shoots the stand-in playing Michael to obscure him also seem odd in the context of the rest of the movie which is shot more traditionally. Ultimately, none of this really hurts the movie as a whole, and the real Jordan is actually seen throughout the movie in plenty of archival footage.
Final Thoughts
In the end, ‘Air’ is a really funny, entertaining, and inspiring movie that is extremely interesting and suspenseful, even if you already know the history of Air Jordan. Affleck is a very gifted filmmaker and storyteller, and ‘Air’ is one of his best. It’s super fun and nostalgic to see Affleck and Damon together again onscreen, and they are surrounded by a cast of wonderful performances from the likes of Davis, Bateman, Messina, and Tucker.
‘Air’ is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. It is set to release exclusive in theaters on April 5, 2023.
Biopics of well-known figures often struggle with condensing the lives of their subjects. But part of the brilliance of the very entertaining ‘Air,’ which reunites director-star Ben Affleck and good friend Matt Damon on screen, is the manner in which it smartly sidles up to a legendary figure — in this case basketball star and all-around icon Michael Jordan — and tells a very specific story that manages to illuminate not only an important time period in his life, but a broader moment in American culture.
You see, ’Air’ tells an origin story, of sorts. Instead of a caped superhero, though, it’s about the unlikely genesis of Air Jordans — the shoe line which would come to dominate not only hoops culture but global business at large, presently racking up more than $5 billion in annual sales.
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Based on the true tale of Nike’s attempts to woo Jordan to sign an exclusive shoe contract before he’s ever suited up and played a game of professional basketball, the movie stars Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, the sports marketing executive and longtime hoops scout who pushes Nike chairman and CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to abandon the standard practice of spreading around endorsement deals, and instead put all their effort into signing one player he believes has the potential to be a star. Viola Davis and real-life husband Julius Tennon portray Deloris and James Jordan, the hoops legend’s loving parents.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending a pair of virtual press conferences for ’Air,’ along with several other outlets. In attendance in one interview session were Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, and Matthew Maher, while the second session of the double-tilt featured Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Marlon Wayans, and screenwriter Alex Convery.
Here are 10 things we learned from the ’Air’ press conference, edited for clarity and length.
1. Ben Affleck Was Going to Walk Away From the Film If Michael Jordan Asked Him To
Ben Affleck is a Golden Globe Best Director winner, so his commitment behind the camera would be enough to get movies of a certain budget made. But his commitment to ‘Air’ wasn’t absolute.
Ben Affleck: I went to speak to Michael, because I’ve been lucky enough to run across him a few times. I’m not gonna act like me and him are friends. I just like idolized the guy, and every now and again I’ve had a chance to spend time with him. It’s been very memorable for me, though probably he’s forgotten it. But I had at least enough of an in to say, “Hey, can I come see you and just run this past you?” Because to be honest, from a point-of-view of respect for him, his family, who he is, and what he means, the stupidest thing in the world would be to go make a movie that, (even though) he doesn’t appear in, nonetheless invokes his name and tells a part of his story, if he was opposed to. So if he said don’t do it, I just was gonna not do it. That would be that. And I was very, very prepared for that to be the result of (our conversation), because I had no reason to think he would be open to it or that he would welcome it. However, what I found was that he was very gracious when I said, look, this is not historically accurate, in the sense that I can’t dot every I and cross every T — this is gonna have to be something of a fable, a parable, an inspiring story. So I’m gonna take liberties in order to make it an hour and 30 or 40 minutes, but I don’t wanna violate anything that’s fundamentally important or true to you. So if you would please tell me what those things are, I promise you they’ll be sacrosanct. And I think it was telling that he wasn’t somebody who was like, “Whoa, we gotta talk about when I did this, and I did that,” (because) there are people who take that approach. He only talked about other people. He wanted to make sure that other people who were meaningful were included in the story. George Raveling was one of them. Then he also said Howard White is integral to this too.
2. Screenwriter Alex Convery Watched ’The Last Dance’ Just Like You
The 10-episode Netflix docu-series ‘The Last Dance’ was a huge hit during the early months of the COVID pandemic. And in fact it birthed the idea for ‘Air.’
Alex Convery: I’m a ’90s Chicago kid, which is where the Bulls and Michael Jordan and my connection comes from. But like everyone else, I was locked up during those first couple of months of quarantine, watching ‘The Last Dance.’ There’s a little five-minute clip about Nike and just how Air Jordans came together. And I was at a point in my career where, you know, you’re trying to write a script that gets noticed. So when you can explain the movie in one sentence — it’s a story of how Nike got Michael Jordan — it has that ability, you know? It goes to the top of the pile, and maybe people will give it a bit more of a chance. But like everything, it comes down to characters, right? So the question was, who can be the protagonist and the engine of this movie? And finding both Sonny and Deloris was really, to me, what elevated it above just a movie about a shoe and Michael Jordan. It’s finding the human elements in a very big movie. I call them “big little movies.” The little (part) being, this is just a movie about a shoe deal, right? It takes place over a week or so, and it’s small in scope, but the big part is when you say it’s about Nike and Michael Jordan. You could talk to 100 people on the street, and all 100 of them are going to know who Michael Jordan is and what Nike is. And to me, that’s what kind of elevates it above just a movie about a shoe.
3. Michael Jordan Asked For Viola Davis To Play His Mother
The hoops G.O.A.T. had some casting advice for Ben Affleck, rooted in his strong relationship to his mother Deloris.
Ben Affleck: (Michael) said, “You know, I didn’t wanna go to Portland. I would’ve signed my shoe rights away for life for a red Mercedes. My mom told me to go to Beaverton.” And when I saw how he talked about his mother — the regard and esteem in which he held her, the reverence and respect and adoration and love when he talked about his mother — it just shocked me, and shame on me for not kind of assuming this was the case. But when I heard it, I realized right away this is the story — and a beautiful story. It’s a story about Deloris Jordan and what she means to Michael, and that she’s emblematic of what so many mothers must have meant to so many athletes and entertainers and people in this business who are oftentimes very young and thrust into a world of fame and money that can be confusing, and must require enormous amounts of guidance. So I thought, actually this is brilliant. This is what the story is. This is beautiful, and this is the protagonist. And I said offhandedly (to Michael), who do you think should play your mom? And he said it has to be Viola Davis. I was like, okay. That’s kind of like saying, “Can I get a basketball team together? Sure. It has to (have) Michael Jordan.” You’re like, well, all right. (laughs) But then I thought, you know, this is very typical of who this guy is. Like, it has to be the very best, absolutely. So I knew that it was incumbent on us to create a role that was worthy of Viola, and we tried to do that.
4. Viola Davis Found Her Character In a Preternatural Steadiness
Michael Jordan is famously one of the most competitive and intense athletes of all time. His mother Deloris, though, had a different defining characteristic.
Viola Davis: Stepping into the role, if you watch videos, Deloris Jordan is a study in Zen neutrality. The woman is very, very steady and quiet, you know? I mean, I would imagine that even when she gets mad, she’s probably very, very, very steady. (laughs) So to really just envelope that spirit and everything was a challenge for me, because I’m the woman who always has a chip on her shoulder. I go in bombastic, you know? So it was both flattering, challenging, and then just a joy to work with Matt and Ben and all these terrific actors. Me and Julius still talk about it to this day, as just one of the greatest experiences.
5. As With a Lot of Interesting Stories, ’Air’ Surprisingly Reframes a Known Character or Entity
With annual revenue in excess of $45 billion, Nike is the undisputed giant of the footwear and athletic apparel industry. But not in ‘Air.’
Matt Damon: We were really trying to capture the spirit of these people in this time more than anything — not exactly who said what at exactly what moment. All of these people on the Nike side, independent of one another, have talked about this time with such nostalgia. And that’s what we were trying to create and remind people about, you know? They were the underdog, which is such a weird way to think of Nike now. But before this incredible deal, they really were these renegades, and kind of outsiders. And so it really is one of those stories that comes along and you go, “Wow, this is really for everybody.” We used to call them feel-good movies. You should leave the theater with, like, a skip in your step.
6. The Sensitivity Modeled in Deloris and James Jordan’s Relationship Mirrors Viola Davis’ Real-Life Relationship
In real life, James Jordan modeled a quiet strength, preferring to let his wife Deloris handle most of the talking. But he stood by her fiercely. For Davis, parts of the relationship mirrored her own marriage with Julius Tennon.
Viola Davis: That is our dynamic in real life. You know, Julius has told me since we got together, he said, “Vee [phonetic], now when you come home and it’s late at night, you make sure you don’t get out of that car until the gates close. And if someone’s following you, you lay on that horn and I’m gonna come out with my baseball bat, and I’ll put it on their ass.” (laughs) And, you know, I laid on the horn once by accident after coming home at three o’clock in the morning, and I counted to five. Julius came out with the baseball bat, and I knew — I was like, “That’s it, I’m gonna marry him. This is my dude.”
7. Chris Messina Enjoyed His Character’s Angry Phone Calls
Chris Messina co-stars as David Falk, Michael Jordan’s famously hot-tempered agent. But for scenes in which he has heated phone calls, he wasn’t just yelling by himself.
Chris Messina: When Ben calls you up, you don’t even need to read the script, because I’ve gotten to work with him now three times and it’s always an amazing experience. It’s always surrounded by great artists in front of the camera and behind the camera. So when I read it, I loved it, but I was like, “Oh shit, these are a lot of phone calls.” (laughs) But Ben did something that I’ve never done in my career, and I’ve done a lot of phone calls. Usually you call the other actor, the phone disconnects, or a script supervisor does it with you. But Matt and I were actually down the hallway from each other. We each had three cameras on us, and Ben would go back and forth from room to room, we’d all get together and we had a blast doing it. The script was amazing, but we could play, we could overlap, we could improvise.
8. Marlon Wayans Used YouTube For Research, But Wasn’t Aiming For an Impression
In basketball circles, George Raveling is a well-known figure — and, as Marlon Mayans learned, one with other connections to history at large. But neither Wayans nor Affleck wanted an impersonation.
Marlon Wayans: I did a crash course on YouTube, and I learned a lot about George Raveling. I learned he was a fantastic man. And when I read the monologue (in the movie), and the fact that that was real, and that he still has (the original copy of Martin Luther King’s) “I Have a Dream” speech in his possession, I just thought that it was an amazing character to play. And usually, the more you research, the better you can do in terms of your performance. But what I love was when we went on set, Ben was like, you know, “We’re not impersonating. You can bring you to it.” And for an actor that’s always the best thing you can do: when I can mix that person with my emotions and what you bring. The script was already written so beautifully, but also we got to play. Then I could get out of my head and really have fun. And that’s what it was. When I left the set, I just felt like if every day on that set felt like the first day, that’s going to be a magical movie.
9. Ben Affleck Has Always Wanted to Work with Chris Tucker
Everyone knows about Ben Affleck’s longtime friendship with Matt Damon. But ‘Air’ checked some other boxes for the multi-hyphenate, too.
Ben Affleck: This is a group of people who either I had known for a long, long time, (many) of whom I’ve worked with multiple times and know well and adore and admire, and then people who have been my sort of life’s goal to work with, in Viola Davis and Chris Tucker. In fact, I think Chris can attest the number of times I’ve harassed him — he passed me by in a hotel lobby and I’m like, “Chris, Chris, Chris, I wanna do a movie with you!” (laughs) I feel like humor is the highest form of intelligence, you know what I mean? So I feel like guys like Chris are the smartest, most interesting people you can meet. People to find the humor and the joy in life is just a magic that I wanna be around. Like, a few times I’ve made him laugh and I take a secret pride in that. I’m like, “He just laughed at my joke!”
10. Matthew Maher Located a Similarity Between His Character, the Designer of the Iconic Air Jordans, and Athletes
Of course, everyone knows Michael Jordan, too. But to hardcore sneaker-heads, designer Peter Moore is also a celebrity — and he even wore it like an athlete.
Matthew Maher: Weirdly, Peter Moore just passed away like a week before I was offered the movie. And I definitely did dive in (for research), I read a lot of blogs and I watched documentaries where he was featured. But what shocked me was looking at his designs and his ideas, which were so amazing and ahead of their time, where he’s talking and he’s just like a regular guy, you know? He’s talking and he says, “Yeah, there was too much red and then we decided to just leave it that way.” He was very like direct (in all his descriptions). And I thought the biggest parallel was listening to how pro athletes talk about what they do, which is like, “Well, we just kept at it,” even though they’re doing these amazing things (that others can’t). A genius doesn’t always express himself very well when he’s talking about his (own) genius acts.
‘Air’ is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. It is set to release exclusive in theaters on April 5, 2023.
Michelle Yeoh in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of A24.
Awards season is rapidly reaching its endpoint with the Oscars just a couple of weeks away, and Sunday evening it was the turn of the Screen Actors Guild Awards to recognize performers’ work.
And like some other recent ceremonies, it was a case of some repeat winners continuing their triumph tour, with the likes of Michelle Yeoh and Brendan Fraser picking up more hardware for their trophy cabinets.
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Which awards did ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ win at the Screen Actors Guild ceremony?
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ has been on something of a rollercoaster ride this season and made SAG Awards history by becoming the first movie to win all four main film categories. The ensemble win was the icing on a cake that had already seen stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan (who has been getting up to accept plenty of awards this season so far) and Jamie Lee Curtis win.
The movie beat out ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, which had been tipped to at least score something, given that Martin McDonagh’s film had earned the same number of nominations as ‘EEAAO’.
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What do the SAG Awards mean for the Oscars?
While they are limited in scope, the SAG Awards are certainly a boost for ‘Everything Everywhere’, which had lost out at a few recent ceremonies. Michelle Yeoh is still not a lock for Best Actress, but we can imagine bookies slashing the odds on Quan and ‘The Whale’s Fraser if they hadn’t already.
And finally, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ picked up the Stunt Ensemble trophy, adding to its collection of largely technical recognition.
Monica Barbaro and Tom Cruise on the set of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
Here is the complete film winners’ list:
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Jennifer Coolidge in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO.
Who won the TV categories at the SAG Awards?
On the TV front, Mike White’s ‘The White Lotus’ continued its sweep of awards, while there was disappointment ahead for team ‘Better Call Saul’, as Jason Bateman won another trophy for ‘Ozark’.
‘Abbott Elementary’ kept up its own win tally, though the show’s creator and star Quinta Brunson was pipped to the Comedy Actress post by perennial winner Jean Smart of ‘Hacks’. Despite much appreciation for them both, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ duo Steve Martin and Martin Short lost out again, this time to ‘The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White.
As for the TV Movie/Limited Series awards, it was a case of movie stars doing TV as Sam Elliott took home the trophy for ‘Yellowstone’ prequel ‘1883’ and Jessica Chastain was named Best Female Actress in the category for ‘George & Tammy’. Plus, much like the movie categories, the SAG Awards are among the few awards bodies that recognize achievements in stunt work, and team ‘Stranger Things’ took that prize.
Here are the TV winners…
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
(L to R) Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) in Walt Disney Pictures’ ‘Frozen.’
Get ready to head back into the unknown. Disney animated films ‘Frozen,’ ‘Toy Story,’ and ‘Zootopia‘ have been greenlit for sequels. The news was announced during Wednesday’s Q1 earnings call by Disney CEO Bob Iger, his first since returning to the company.
“Today I’m so pleased to announce that we have sequels in the works from our animation studios to some of our most popular franchises, ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Frozen’ and ‘Zootopia,’” says Iger. “We’ll have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a great example of how we’re leaning into our unrivaled brands and franchises.”
‘Frozen’ quickly became a household favorite when it premiered in 2013. With Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel as its leads, the sequel ‘Frozen 2’ garnered just as much attention in 2019. It got so popular that the musical version made its way to Disneyland’s Hyperion Theater and later to Broadway. ‘Toy Story’ stars the voices Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, becoming a beloved franchise since its debut in 1995. It even expanded its own universe with the release of ‘Lightyear’ in 2022 with Chris Evans as the lead.
The Box Office Success Of ‘Frozen’, ‘Toy Story’, and ‘Zootopia’
This should come as no surprise as all three films have had major success at the box office worldwide. ‘Frozen’ (2013) earned 1.2 billion with its sequel ‘Frozen 2’ (2019) earning 1.4 billion, and both ‘Toy Story 4’ (2019) and ‘Zootopia’ (2016) grossed over one billion.
On top of their financial success, these films have all taken home plenty of awards. ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Toy Story 4,’ ‘Frozen,’ and ‘Zootopia’ have all received Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. Frozen’s hit original song “Let It Go” (sung by Broadway superstar Idina Menzel) won Best Original Song at the 2020 Academy Awards.
The animation giant has released plenty of amazing titles such as ‘Luca,’ ‘Raya and the Last Dragon‘ and ‘Encanto,’ which also won Best Animated Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards. However popular, none of these titles were able to achieve the financial success of the aforementioned films.
(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in y Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
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But Do We Need More Sequels?
Some may say there’s no need for a sequel to these films but I think, there are plenty of stories left to tell. What type of adventures (or misadventures) can the sisters get into now that Elsa is the Snow Queen and Anna rules as the Queen of Arendelle? How expansive has Zoopotia become since the last film? And while Woody and Buzz may have parted ways (for now), there’s always something that brings the duo back together, plus we all would love to see a post-college Andy.
Those who are craving original stories can look forward to Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ this summer and ‘Wish’ from Walt Disney Animation in the fall.
(L to R) Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nicholas P. “Nick” Wilde (Jason Bateman) in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ ‘Zootopia.’
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