(L to R) Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram.
Preview:
New images from ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ have arrived.
Director Todd Phillips has also talked a potential trailer date.
The movie is out in October.
In this social media age, it’s not unusual for filmmakers to be pressed into (or want to) use their personal channels to promote their work. And Todd Phillips, who is busy in post-production on ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the follow-up to his billion-dollar-plus (not to mention Oscar-winning) 2019 take on the classic Batman villain, has been drip-feeding images from the new movie for months now.
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The filmmaker used Valentine’s Day as an excuse to offer new pics of his central pair –– that would be Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker and Lady Gaga as a version of his ride-or-die romantic pairing (and frequent partner in crime) Harley Quinn.
Quite what Phillips’ take on Quinn will be remains to be seen, but since his (and Phoenix’s) version of the Joker origin story stands in stark contrast to Batman lore, we’re anticipating tweaks.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram.
Not much is officially known about the new movie, but with Phillips co-writing once again alongside Scott Silver, ‘Folie à Deux’ promises more bad behavior from Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, joined now by Gaga’s Quinn.
We’ll pick up the story Phoenix’s Fleck, the wannabe comedian struggling with mental health issues who, besieged by disappointment and fueled by rage, slowly segues into a psychopathic killer and agent of chaos.
Fleck ended up in Arkham Asylum –– the infamous facility for psychotic criminals from the ‘Batman’ comic book universe, and the new movie appears to take place to some degree there.
Arkham is where the Joker (usually, at least) meets one Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, who eventually becomes obsessed with him –– and he, in turn, slowly drives her insane until she becomes Harley Quinn, the character who has long been part of comics canon and most recently on the big screen by Margot Robbie in the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and her own spin-off.
There will be some carry over from the first movie –– Zazie Beetz is back as Sophie Dumond, the neighbor with whom Arthur had a relationship (at least until, spoiler alert, it was revealed as all in his head).
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram.
One of the biggest elements of speculation for the new film has been the idea it is a musical. But according to cinematographer Lawrence Sher, it might not be the song-filled experience we’ve all been expecting.
“It’s not a musical per se, it just has music in it, that’s all. Music’s a part of the movie and the characters, but I don’t know if it’s a musical.”
Of course, he could always be trying to throw us all off the scent. More of a clue will come in the teasers and trailers. And talking of…
When will the ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ trailer be out?
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker and Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
Phillips responded to a comment on his Insta post asking about when we might see the trailer.
Here’s what he said:
“Been getting this question a lot. The movie comes out in October. So our first teaser won’t be out until mid-April.”
When is ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ in theaters?
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ will land in theaters on October 4th.
Lady Gaga in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.
Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon.’ Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ and Columbia Pictures.
A notable historical figure, Napoleon Bonaparte is considered to be one of the greatest generals in military history. Through Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon,’ we see his ruthless tactics on the battlefield, his rise to become the first Emperor of France, his relationship with Josephine, and the decisive battle that led to Napleon’s downfall.
This film reunited Academy Award winning director Ridley Scott with Joaquin Phoenix since their collaboration on ‘Gladiator’, which was released over 20 years ago in 2000.
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Where Can I Watch ‘Napoleon’?
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
The movie held its premiere at Salle Pleyel in Paris on November 14, 2023. Although the film is set for an Apple TV+ debut later this year, it was released exclusively in theaters on November 22nd for a limited run.
With the film’s runtime of 2 hours and 38 minutes, some viewers may want to enjoy ‘Napoleon’ from the comfort of their homes. Luckily, the historical war epic is now available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
There is no confirmed date for when ‘Napoleon’ will stream on Apple TV+.
‘Napoleon’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
To recreate the battle scenes, Ridley Scott worked with long time collaborator and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (‘The Last Duel’, ‘House of Gucci’). Crafting epic battle scenes such as the Battle of Austerlitz and the Battle of Waterloo required extensive planning and coordinating on many fronts.
“You’re basically creating a huge event. You have army personnel, you have extras trained to behave like soldiers from the 19th century, you have horse people, then we have armor, you have professional effects people, explosions, then you have main characters. You basically design the whole battle,” said Wolski.
While some CGI was utilized, the majority of the battle scenes used practical effects such as large soldier formations, cavalry runs, and canons without lethal ammunition rounds. Scenes are shot with over eight cameras simultaneously.
(L to R) Vanessa Kirby and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
This may be a war epic, but for Ridley Scott, it was also important to show the curious and often times, volatile relationship between Napoleon and his long-time love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Napoleon may be relentless and confident on the battlefield, but when it comes to his relationship with Josephine, he is insecure and awkward.
Opposite Napoleon, Josephine was quiet and observant, alluring and flirtatious. Their dynamic shifted constantly. Prior to filming, Kirby traveled to Josephine’s home in Malmaison as a part of her extensive research. In an interview with Deadline, she spoke about the fear of taking on the role initially:
“I love most taking on things that scare me. This was scary just because it’s hard to play a real person, and it’s a different kind of process. You’re not inventing their history, their lives, their childhood, their background, and their psyche. You are trying to accurately embody someone that really has lived, and lived such an extraordinary life that’s really, really far from any of ours or anything that I could relate it to personally.”
Four Hour Director’s Cut
(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix behind-the-scenes of ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
The movie sits at a hefty 2 hours and 38 minutes, but there’s a chance we’ll see a four hours and 10 minutes Director’s Cut once the film is released on streaming. During an interview with Total Film, Scott mentions the extended cut will head to Apple TV+:
“I’m working on it. It was four [hours] 10 [minutes] this morning. And so what will happen is, we’ll screen [the theatrical cut] first with Sony, and then it has its run, and then the perfect thing is that [the director’s cut] goes to streaming, and we have four hours 10 minutes.”
‘Napoleon’ is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.
(Center) Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon.’ Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ and Columbia Pictures.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker and Lady Gaga as Dr. Harleen Quinzel / Harley Quinn in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
Preview:
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ director Todd Phillips offered new images from the movie.
The pictures show stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
Phillips’ sequel film will be out in October 2024.
As Todd Phillips continues work on comic book-based sequel ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ as it chugs through the post-production phase (though you can imagine he and his team took a break for the holidays), he’s gifting the world with two new images from the movie.
With Phillips co-writing once again alongside Scott Silver, the new movie promises more bad behavior from Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, joined this time by Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.
Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck / Joker in ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo: Todd Phillips’ Instagram Account.
Little has been released officially about the new film, but it sees the return of Phoenix’s Fleck, the wannabe comedian struggling with mental health issues who, besieged by disappointment and fueled by rage, slowly segues into a psychopathic killer and agent of chaos.
Fleck ended up in Arkham Asylum –– the infamous facility for psychotic criminals from the ‘Batman’ comic book universe, and the new movie appears to take place to some degree there.
Arkham is where the Joker (usually, at least) meets one Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, who eventually becomes obsessed with him –– and he, in turn, slowly drives her insane until she becomes Harley Quinn, the character who has long been part of comics canon and most recently on the big screen by Margot Robbie in the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and her own spin-off.
There will be some carry over from the first movie –– Zazie Beetz is back as Sophie Dumond, the neighbor with whom Arthur had a relationship (at least until, spoiler alert, it was revealed as all in his head).
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Who besides Lady Gaga is new in the ‘Joker’ sequel?
Lady Gaga in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.
Joaquin Phoenix in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.
The most fascinating aspect of the new film, especially considering the kitchen sink grot and crime of the original, is that ‘Folie à Deux’ is indeed planned as a musical.
Gaga’s hiring pointed to that, and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir told Variety on a BAFTA red carpet that she was intrigued by the idea.
Here’s what she had to say,
“It’s an interesting decision. And I think it’s really exciting to see how it unfolds. And I think it’s somehow logical at the same time. It’s both logical and also very surprising. For me as well as the audience. So far it’s just been a really beautiful conversation and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds.”
When will ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ be in theaters?
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is scheduled to land in theaters on October 4th, 2024. We imagine a teaser will be on the way before too long.
Joaquin Phoenix in 2019’s ‘Joker’ courtesy of Warner Bros.
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
With most of his last decade’s worth of films – including ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings,’ ‘The Last Duel,’ ‘House of Gucci,’ and the upcoming ‘Gladiator 2‘ – director Ridley Scott seems intent on creating a series of historical epics both contemporary and classic. His new film, however, ‘Napoleon,’ may have exceeded Scott’s always admirable ambitions. The two-and-a-half-hour drama, does have a sense of grandeur and sweep, in addition to some intense battle scenes. But it suffers from an unwieldy script and a turgid central performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the French military leader and ruler, two elements which make this as dull as your junior year history class.
(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix behind-the-scenes of ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
‘Napoleon’ opens with the French Revolution and the beheading of Marie Antoinette, as David Scarpa’s script throws us right into the chaos that was France at the time (the late 1780s). Napoleon is first seen supporting the Revolution, then earning his initial success as a military strategist in the Siege of Toulon, in which he recaptured a small French town and port from the British.
We learn almost nothing about his early life, and right from the start, Joaquin Phoenix gives a reductive, stiff performance that borders on lethargy. He only comes faintly to life when he meets Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), a captain’s widow with children whom Napoleon courts and marries. Their relationship is meant to be the spine of the film, as Napoleon first professes his insatiable love for Josephine, only for her to cheat on him while he’s away on his military adventures and writing her letters every day. Although Kirby generates some heat, the chemistry between her Josephine and Phoenix’s Napoleon is nearly non-existent.
When the two leads are not sitting and staring at each other, ‘Napoleon’ wanders at an extremely leisurely pace through a checklist of the French ruler’s life: his continued success on the battlefield during the Revolutionary Wars, the end of the Reign of Terror and the overthrow of the French government, Napoleon’s rise to power and eventual crowning as Emperor, and his ongoing battles with England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia that eventually took a heavy toll on the French people and armies and led to his humiliating defeat against the English at Waterloo.
Many of these events come and go in assembly line fashion, and it’s not always easy to grasp their context or the dizzying array of wars, advisers, generals, and rivals that clock in and out of the story. While Napoleon’s machinations to make himself Emperor and the other political upheavals of the time could make for an interesting comment on our own turmoil today – Scott uses handheld cameras to capture several political riots, almost certainly an allusion to the attempted coup on our own government on Jan. 6, 2021 – that avenue is left largely unexplored as Scott meanders to the next thing.
Ridley Scott is an old-school director in ways that can be mostly positive when he’s on his game, in that he has a natural eye for the cinematic and always has a grasp on the geography of both his story and his set pieces. Indeed, the battle scenes in ‘Napoleon’ are massive, visceral, and dramatic, but the script is murky about the meaning and placement of each one.
By the time we get to the closing scenes, in which Napoleon tries to return to power in France after being forced to abdicate the throne – only to lose crushingly at Waterloo – even that legendary battle lacks resonance despite being the movie’s most gripping such sequence.
Napoleon and Josephine
(L to R) Vanessa Kirby and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
“I am not built like other men,” Napoleon tells Josephine at one point in the film. “I am not subject to petty insecurities.” That line got a few chuckles at our screening because Napoleon is packed with such insecurities about his height, his sexual ability, his ability to keep his wife happy (although in the end he divorces her for not being able to produce an heir to the French Empire), and his leadership of France. The only place he seems to feel the most calm and confident is on the battlefield, where history tells us that the real man was one of the greatest military strategists of all time.
We do get to see a bit of that during the battle scenes in ‘Napoleon,’ but even that part of Bonaparte’s personality is subsumed behind Joaquin Phoenix’s thousand-yard stare of doom. Phoenix seems to be in a trap of his own making: it’s almost as if he’s continuing his performances as Arthur Fleck from ‘Joker’ and the title character from ‘Beau is Afraid,’ making Napoleon as repressed and withdrawn as those damaged men.
In other words, it’s another tepid performance from the actor who has been so great in films past, but who seems to be bringing his talent down to a low flame. He’s all over the place tonally as well, shouting random lines about a lamb chop or somebody’s boats as if he just woke up mad about the topic, and getting laugh lines in the oddest spots.
It’s almost a wonder that Vanessa Kirby can bring some much-needed vitality to the proceedings, but she does just that as Josephine. Initially flirtatious and seductive, yet always with an eye on the pragmatic (her marriage to Napoleon seems to be at least partially one of convenience), she creates real pathos during the divorce sequence, clearly hurt by her husband’s actions. She’s always understated, but never flat.
Editing, Production Design and Music
‘Napoleon’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
‘Napoleon’ is edited by Claire Simpson and Sam Restivo, who don’t necessarily subscribe to the rapid-fire, slam-bang style of many modern editors and give scenes room to build and breathe. Yet as hard as they try (and sometimes succeed, as in some of the battle passages), they have a tough time mustering up energy out of the footage in ‘Napoleon.’
The production design by Arthur Max is simply superb, down to small details on Napoleon’s complex uniforms. But cinematographer Dariusz Wolski – who has been working with Scott since 2012’s ‘Prometheus’ – and his director have chosen to drape most of ‘Napoleon’ in dreary grays, blues, and browns, making much of it seem unnaturally dark. Martin Phipps’ music is fine and often striking, finding a balance between period music of the time, large orchestral pieces and eerie choral moments.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Vanessa Kirby and Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Napoleon,’ premiering in theaters around the world on November 22, 2023.
It’s difficult to say whether audiences will respond to a movie like ‘Napoleon’; Ridley Scott’s previous, far superior historical drama, ‘The Last Duel,’ was quickly and ruthlessly cut down in theaters. But anyone willing to give ‘Napoleon’ a try is going to certainly find the film a challenge. It’s long, slow, fairly tedious for great stretches, and while its subject is one of the most compelling and controversial in European history, Joaquin Phoenix does little to help us understand him. The battle scenes and Vanessa Kirby’s work are often exciting, but not enough to make us think that ‘Napoleon’ – a film that even Stanley Kubrick could never get off the ground – will wear the box office crown.
‘Napoleon’ receives 4 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Napoleon’?
As the French Revolution comes to a close but France itself finds itself besieged by endless wars with its European neighbors and political turmoil within, a master military strategist named Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the highest echelons of power and makes himself Emperor – driven by his love for France and for his Empress, the enigmatic Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).
Pedro Pascal in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.
Like a general assembling an army, Ridley Scott has been busy gathering the acting troops he needs for his ‘Gladiator’ sequel. And the latest recruit is someone who already has quite the pop cultural cache. Pedro Pascal, currently best known for ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘The Last of Us’, is now aboard the movie.
He’s just the latest name to sign up for the much anticipated (and long gestating) epic, which will continue the story Scott began in the 2000 original, albeit with a different character.
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What do we know about the ‘Gladiator’ sequel so far?
The original, of course, told the story of Roman General Maximus (played by Russell Crowe), betrayed by his rulers and thrown into life as a gladiator. But even as he fights for his life, he ends up getting revenge on those who wronged him.
As for the sequel, it’ll shift the story forward to focus on Lucius.
He, you may recall, was the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who is returning for the sequel) and the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father and seized the throne. Commodus wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus who, though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great. Maximus saved the Lucius and Lucilla while avenging his own family and left a strong impression on the young boy.
‘Aftersun’s Paul Mescal is starring as the adult Lucius, while ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan, meanwhile, is playing the primary antagonist, Roman Emperor Geta (a fictional take on a real-life ruler). We can certainly see Keoghan as a Commodus-style troublemaker.
And that’s without mentioning the other big star draw for the new movie –– ‘Gladiator 2’ also marks Scott’s reunion with ‘American Gangster’s Denzel Washington, though again his role is being kept quiet beyond it being described as “bad-ass”.
More recently, ‘Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn also joined the movie in an unknown role, and Djimon Hounsou is expected to return as Juba, a gladiator who befriended Maximus.
As for Pascal? His part, according to Deadline, remains a mystery for now. But we are wary of him being anywhere near arenas of conflict after what happened to his character Oberyn Martell in ‘Game of Thrones’. We won’t go into major spoilers in case you’re still catching up on the show (even if it finished in 2019, but to sum up… ouch).
Scott has the original movie’s costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max, along with cinematographer John Mathieson, and the cameras are rolling.
Paramount is aiming to have this on in theaters on November 22nd, 2024.
Russell Crowe in ‘Gladiator.’ Photo by Karine Weinberger/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.
Ridley Scott’s plans for his ‘Gladiator’ follow-up just keep getting more and more interesting. Especially in terms of the casting, which is blending rising stars with established names.
And the latest update? Deadline reports that Connie Nielsen is heading back to Ancient Rome to reprise the role of Lucilla, while ‘Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn is joining her to play a character new to the story, that of Caracalla.
The original film, of course, followed Roman general Maximus (Russell Crowe), who is betrayed by the sniveling, corrupt Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and ends up in the gladiatorial games, from where he plots his revenge for the murder of his family.
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What is the story of ‘Gladiator 2’?
Little is known about the plot for the movie so far as Scott is keeping his cards close to his chest.
But here’s what we know so far…
Crowe has already said he’s not in the new movie, and that makes sense: short of CG-enhanced flashbacks, it’s unlikely, since the character died in the original and went to a lush heavenly zone to reunite with his slaughtered family The story, instead, spins the clock forward a few years and follows ‘Aftersun’ star Paul Mescal as Lucius.
He, you may recall, was the son of Lucilla and the nephew of Commodus, the son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father and seized the throne. Commodus wound up in the gladiator ring with Maximus who, though mortally wounded, skewered the emperor before fading into the great. Maximus saved the Lucius and Lucilla while avenging his own family and left a strong impression on the young boy.
Quite what Lucius is up to in the new film remains to be seen, but there’s a chance he’ll be ending up in the arena himself, especially since Mescal has reportedly been training for the role.
‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan, meanwhile, is apparently playing the primary antagonist, Roman Emperor Geta (a fictional take on a real-life ruler). We can certainly see Keoghan as a Commodus-style troublemaker.
As for Quinn’s character, he’s a mystery for now, so we don’t know if he’ll be a heroic leader or a villainous schemer. Or both!
And that’s without mentioning the other big star draw for the new movie –– ‘Gladiator 2’ also marks Scott’s reunion with ‘American Gangster’s Denzel Washington, though again his role is being kept quiet beyond it being described as “bad-ass”. Seems fitting…
Scott has the original movie’s costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max, along with cinematographer John Mathieson. Filming should be kicking off shortly, if it hasn’t already –– after all, the director probably has three more movies lined up to make this year on his current prolific run.
He already has ‘Napoleon’ (coincidentally starring Joaquin Phoenix) due in theaters on November 22nd ahead of streaming on Apple TV+.
(Right) Russell Crowe in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator.’
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
With audiences returning to theaters properly and box office returns climbing out of the trough of COVID, it was only natural that studio bosses were going to be bullish at this year’s CinemaCon event in Las Vegas.
First out of the gate this time was Sony, whose chairman Tom Rothman was in an upbeat, triumphant mood. “For the past three years, as the punditocracy pissed on your business, we at Sony held fast,” Rothman boasted. “We are the only studio that held entirely to theatrical. We were sure that movies in theaters would not only survive but triumph. Well, whaddaya know?”
Sony remains on the theatrical train, with several big releases planned.
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‘The Equalizer 3’
Among the biggest is ‘The Equalizer 3’, which represents that unusual franchise where the star –– in this case, Denzel Washington –– is actually bigger than the property. In an age of superheroes and ‘Star Wars’ selling seats, he’s an outlier.
The studio had Washington and co-star Dakota Fanning on stage to thank cinema executives for their support and, perhaps more crucially, to highlight the fact that it represents a reunion for the ‘Man on Fire’ stars. And a trailer played, which went online today…
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‘The Equalizer 3’ catches up with Washington’s government assassin-turned-kick-ass-do-gooder Robert McCall in Italy, where he’s trying to enjoy some downtime on the picturesque Amalfi coast and not be asked to take on villains.
Sadly, for McCall, that’s not the way his life goes, and he’s soon caught up helping some locals with Mafia goons and violence. Which means McCall has to break out his particular set of skills and lay the smack down on members of the criminal clan known as the Camorra (think an even more dangerous offshoot of the Mafia).
And while there are some very wild, violent thugs looking to tackle McCall, none of them are quite ready for what he brings to the table. Literally in one case, as we witness him applying nerve pressure to one of the enforcers. “That’s level three”, he tells the anguished henchman. “If “If it goes to level four, you will shit on yourself.” Thanks Denz!
But the highlight, as mentioned above, is in the reunion between Washington and Fanning. The latter was just 10 when she shared the screen with Washington ‘Man on Fire’ in 2004. Now, for ‘The Equalizer 3’, she’s playing a young CIA agent drawn to the village because of all the reports of violence.
And the two actors’ connection was clear, since they have stayed friends all these years. “She’s like a daughter to him, he loves her,” Antoine Fuquatold Empire of the off-screen dynamic between Washington and Fanning. “It was so beautiful to watch them together on the set, just talking, laughing. And they’re both so talented, they just get into it, they didn’t skip a beat. What was weird for me looking through the lens and seeing Dakota as a grown-up! She’s fantastic and watching them together was a joy because she’s a samurai. She knows it, she’s there, she’s pleasant, she does her thing. And it was a bonus her relationship with Denzel. She’s friends with his kids. It was very easy with those two.”
‘The Equalizer 3’ will be in theaters on September 1st.
Denzel Washington in ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures.
‘Bad Boys 4’
While ‘Bad Boys for Life’ represented one of the few hits as the pandemic began to bite, Sony was naturally excited to roll out word of the next movie. The movie is now filming (with ‘For Life’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah returning) but isn’t yet at a stage where the studio can show a trailer. Still, it had stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence ebullient in a video introduction.
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‘Gran Turismo’
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
‘Gran Turismo’, adapted from the Sony racing game is much further along, though while the trailer played to the presentation audience, it has yet to head online.
The film will tell the story of Jann Mardenborough ( ‘Midsommar’s Archie Madekwe), a British teenager who in 2011 entered GT Academy, an esports tournament created to find ‘Gran Turismo’ players who were good enough at the game to be able to competitively drive real-life race cars. Mardenborough was victorious in the GT Academy competition and became a race car driver for Nissan, competing in the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race.
In the trailer, we see Jann arriving with other GT Academy contestants and being put through the wringer by racing trainer Jack Salter (David Harbour) who puts them through a rigorous boot camp to get them in shape. It’s one thing to know how to hit every corner on a world-class racetrack and to overtake in a simulation of a Nissan GT-R LM, but as Jann finds out, it’s hard to do it when the g-forces and hot temperatures of an actual race car are bearing down on you.
“If you miss a racing line in a game you can reset,” warns Jack. “If you miss it in a real race, you could die.”
‘Gran Turismo’ drives into theaters on August 11th.
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‘No Hard Feelings’
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Jennifer Lawrence and ‘No Hard Feelings’ director Gene Stupnitsky swapped onstage banter before introducing a new clip from the raunchy comedy about two helicopter parents who hire a woman to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, so he doesn’t leave for college as a virgin. The comedy hits theaters on June 23.
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
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‘Kraven The Hunter’
Also on display, Sony/Marvel Spider-adjacent superhero pic ‘Kraven The Hunter’, with star Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing the title character. He introduced the first look at the movie, enthusing that it’s Rated R.
In the footage, Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven is a tactical stalker with a penchant for cropped leather vests and five-star hair. He shreds his victims viscerally, often with primitive claw-shaped weapons. Blood pours freely over the screen and, at one intense moment, Taylor-Johnson rips the flesh off a target’s neck with his teeth and spits it out. Definitely an R-rating, then.
‘Kraven the Hunter’ will be in theaters on October 26.
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‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Co-director Kemp Powers was joined by voice stars Shameik Moore (who plays Miles Morales), and Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacey), and new recruit Issa Rae (Jessica Drew) to show off 14 impressive minutes of footage from the sequel, which be followed by another movie in 2024.
“It’s been over a year since the events of first movie and he’s still trying to learn to be a superhero,” Moore added, saying that this movie shows that “how you wear the mask is what makes you a hero.”
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ will swing into theaters on June 2nd this year, with ‘Beyond the Spider-Verse’ due next year.
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
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‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Sequel
There was also a video from Jason Reitman and the team making the sequel to ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ (on which Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan have swapped jobs this time, Kenan directing while Reitman produces) confirming the story’s return to the New York haunts of the original 1984 ‘Ghostbusters’. The new film –– whatever its title –– hits theaters on December 20th.
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‘Napoleon’
While ‘The Equalizer 3’ wrapped things up, there was also room for a big get by the Sony executives, who had scored the chance to release Ridley Scott’s Joaquin Phoenix-starring ‘Napoleon’ in partnership with Apple.
“I know that he can do things cinematically that filmmakers half his age, can’t do,” Rothman said of the 85-year-old director.
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The clip shown had Joaquin Phoenix’s title character commanding the French army in a foggy, blurry wintery epic battle with the Russian and Austrian forces. Napoleon knows it’s coming; he has invited the attack. Lots of bayonets slicing and soldiers falling in the icy water.
‘Napoleon’ should be in theaters this Thanksgiving, followed by its arrival on Apple TV+ after that.
All in all, some big moves, and big movies from Sony.
Sony’s 2023 CinemaCon Presentation. Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Movies Presented at Sony Pictures 2023 CinemaCon Presentation:
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Parker Posey about her work on ‘Beau Is Afraid,’ director Ari Aster’s unique visual style, working with Joaquin Phoenix, and why she needs filmmakers and fellow actors to fight for her to get roles.
Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
You can read the full interview below or please click on the video player above to watch the interview and clips from the film.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did director Ari Aster originally pitch this film to you and what was your first reaction to the extremely imaginative screenplay?
Parker Posey: Well, I heard that he wanted to meet me on Zoom. So we had a Zoom meeting, and I said, “I saw ‘Hereditary’ and there was one thing that I really didn’t like about it.” Then I was like, “That I wasn’t in it.” Because I’m such a fan. I mean, ‘Hereditary’, and this movie too, he’s a real auteur filmmaker, and a visionary filmmaker who create these worlds that are able to elicit feelings that no other filmmaker can make and that are special to the artist. So Ari, with his actors and his direction, his camera work, his storytelling, to me, it felt like when I read it, like it was a movie that he always wanted to make.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: When you had your first meeting with Ari did you know immediately that you would work well with him on set?
PP: So when we met on Zoom, he just said, “I’ve been a fan of yours for so long. I really want you to be in this movie. It’s a small part but Joaquin wants you too.” I was like, “I’m just so thankful.” I don’t get to do roles unless the director really wants me, and the star really wants me. They can fight the financiers or whoever’s in charge that is saying, “No, we want someone younger, or we want someone who was just in a movie last month.” So I was really, really touched to have that support and to feel that support come seemingly out of nowhere and be like, “Oh, this is really sweet. This is how it used to be for me way back 30 years ago. Back in the day, darling.” So it was lovely.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: The movie is visually stunning. Can you talk about the unique look of the film and what you thought of the final product?
PP: It’s a Kafkaesque landscape, and it’s a labyrinth. We don’t know where we are. We don’t know who these people are, we don’t know who they’re working for. So he’s making something culturally relevant today that audience members will want to go to a theater and see. But when I saw the screening, I was like, “This could be at Disney World.” The art behind it, what Beau goes through, it just looks great.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: Finally, what was it like working with Joaquin Phoenix and watching his process as an actor?
PP: You’re taken by Joaquin and what he does as an actor in bringing out our empathy. Also, he’s so mysterious as well. He’s got a lot going on. He’s very loose and open, and fluid, as an actor, and also very physical. Ari had a lot of physical theater actors in this. So there’s this gravitas that the performers carry that you don’t see tonally in a lot of movies, which I really love.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau Is Afraid’ on wide release now, represents filmmaker Ari Aster cashing in the creative credit he’s earned with the buzz and box office of horror movies ‘Hereditary’ and ‘Midsommar’ and taking a gigantic swing for the creative fences that will surely end up in the “love” or “hate” column for most viewers.
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What is ‘Beau is Afraid’ about?
Aster’s latest is the story of nervy, milquetoast Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix), who lives alone in a downtown apartment building where every moment is a waking nightmare. His home is squarely in a city block that might be a war zone for all the chaos that seemingly constantly breaks out on the streets.
Prone to anxiety and paranoia, he visits his longtime therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who prepares him for his imminent journey to visit his mother Mona (Patti LuPone). But mayhem ensues on the eve of Beau’s departure, spinning his life in a surreal new direction.
Unable to reach his destination in a world gone insane, traveling on roads that don’t appear on any map, Beau is forced to confront his own life and the lies he’s been told by those closest to him.
And that’s the most basic description –– there is so much more lurking within here, including weird, grieving suburbanites (played by Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan) who initially help and then effectively adopt Beau, much to the endless frustration of their teen daughter Toni (Kylie Rogers). A forest-dwelling theatre troupe with whom Beau links up end up shattered by tragedy. And when he does finally get to his mother’s house, there is some truly surreal weirdness to follow.
Wreathed through it all are flashbacks to his time as a teenager (where he’s brought to life by Armen Nahapetian), spending time on a cruise ship and elsewhere with his demanding, highly strung mother (here played by Zoe Lister-Jones). It’s on the cruise that a crucial moment in Beau’s development –– or the arrest of it, at least –– occurs, when he meets and falls for Elaine (Julia Antonelli), only for her to be snatched away by her mother. It really gets to the roots of his problems.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Cast Performances
Beau is such a sniveling, seemingly unlikable protagonist that it’s credit to Aster and Phoenix that he’s actually watchable on his crazy journey. While it often feels like things are more happening to Beau than he’s ever driving the story, he remains a worthwhile anchor for our attention.
Indeed, it’s credit to the actor that he holds your attention, and he’s joined by some suitably skilled co-stars, including Richard Kind, Hayley Squires, and Parker Posey, who arrives late on as the adult Elaine, and makes an impression with her limited screen time.
Some of the cast –– especially Kind –– feel like they’re wasted in tiny roles, but you can see why they might want to come and play in Aster’s strange sandbox. Lister-Jones, meanwhile, has more to chew on as Beau’s overbearing “smother” who evolves into the more distant version played by LuPone.
If you were expecting an easy, entertaining watch or something simple to take a date to, this is not the movie for you –– unless you’re a fan of complicated, weird, and downright standoffish arthouse fare.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau’s driving themes are guilt, fear and the endless, driving chaos of the modern world, reflecting on how we internalize our feelings, and they start to poison us. There are rampaging killers, Freudian images, and stories of how Beau’s father died in the act of conceiving him.
This is, as we’ve said, not a film that will inspire mild responses. You’re likely to either love or loathe it, depending on whether you get on board. And even then, the abrupt ending (after near three hours of surreal oddity) might jolt you out of that positivity.
Long tracts of the story are likely to invoke boredom if you’ve no tolerance for whimsy or ideas that appears to be weird for weirdness’ sake. Aster throws every cinematic trick in the book at this one, including animated sequences, and an opening scene that makes Beau’s journey through the birth canal into an unforgiving world appear like a battlefield thanks to a discordant soundtrack. There are grotesques and grime, and even a sequence where Phoenix, naked, wrestles with a man who unexpectedly drops into his bath.
Given the director’s history, there is also bloody violence, a big dose of satire and some real shocks here and there, though it’s also shot through with a lot more humor than either of his previous works. Through it all, you can feel like Aster has big issues on his mind but isn’t always able to communicate them in a way that makes you want to listen or understand.
And that’s a big problem at the core of ‘Beau’ –– though it’s good to see a director given free rein to make the movie he truly wants to –– there’s a big question of whether anyone really needed to see it in the first place. Plenty of films have explored child/parent relations, guilt, and emotional crises, and in a way that tries to connect with the audience. Aster seems more interested in the strangeness he can invent to get those concepts across.
Yet even as large swathes are almost designed to turn you off, there’s something to be said for the tone and the soundscape, which end up trickling into your subconscious and, unless you truly reject everything the movie has to offer, could still have you thinking about the story days after you see it.
Final Thoughts
What we have here is a confronting, unique movie, but not always for the good, and with . In all honesty, we’d say watch it if you’re in the mood for something challenging, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
‘Beau Is Afraid’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Lady Gaga in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.
That’s a wrap for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the follow-up to Todd Phillips’ fascinating, gritty, Oscar-winning and billion dollar box office earner from 2019.
As the movie finishes the main production phase and heads to the editing room (or “cave” as Phillips describes it), the director has shared new imagery of stars Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in make-up and costume.
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What is ‘Folie à Deux’ about?
Little has been released officially about the new film, but it sees the return of Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, the wannabe comedian struggling with mental health issues who, besieged by disappointment and fueled by rage, slowly segues into a psychopathic killer and agent of chaos.
Fleck ended up in Arkham Asylum –– the infamous facility for psychotic criminals from the ‘Batman’ comic book universe, and the new movie appears to take place to some degree there.
Arkham is where the Joker (usually, at least) meets one Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel, who eventually becomes obsessed with him –– and he, in turn, slowly drives her insane until she becomes Harley Quinn, the character who has long been part of comics canon and most recently on the big screen by Margot Robbie in the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and her own spin-off.
We have yet to find out how Phillips will treat that pairing –– from the looks of set imagery and now this wrap pic, Gaga certainly looks like she’s playing some version of Harley.
There will be some carry over from the first movie –– Zazie Beetz is back as Sophie Dumond, the neighbor with whom Arthur had a relationship (at least until, spoiler alert, it was revealed as all in his head).
Joaquin Phoenix in Director Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker: Folie à Deux.’ Photo courtesy of Todd Phillips’ Instagram account.
Is the ‘Joker’ sequel really a musical?
The most fascinating aspect of the new film, especially considering the kitchen sink grot and crime of the original, is that ‘Folie à Deux’ is indeed planned as a musical.
Gaga’s hiring pointed to that, and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir told Variety on a BAFTA red carpet that she was intrigued by the idea.
Here’s what she had to say,
“It’s an interesting decision. And I think it’s really exciting to see how it unfolds. And I think it’s somehow logical at the same time. It’s both logical and also very surprising. For me as well as the audience. So far it’s just been a really beautiful conversation and I’m really excited to see how it unfolds.”
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is scheduled to land in theaters on October 4th, 2024, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to see more from the movie.
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is produced by Joint Effort, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, and Bron Studios. It is set to release in theaters on October 4th, 2024.
