Moviefone Editorial

Tag: john-boyega

  • Olivia Cooke to Star Across John Boyega in ‘Naked Singularity’

    Olivia Cooke to Star Across John Boyega in ‘Naked Singularity’

    Warner Bros.

    The upcoming heist film “Naked Singularity” has an eclectic creative team both in front of and behind the camera, and its latest cast addition is continuing that trend.

    Deadline has the scoop that actress Olivia Cooke has signed on to co-star in the flick — based on a novel by Sergio De La Pava — which features “Star Wars” headliner John Boyega in the lead role. Cooke is coming off a big 2018, starring in the sci-fi tentpole “Ready Player One,” acclaimed indie “Thoroughbreds,” and “This Is Is” creator Dan Fogelman’s feature “Life Itself.” (Though maybe she’d rather forget that last one.)

    At this point, it’s unclear what role Cooke will be playing in “Naked Singularity,” though we imagine it will be a significant one. She’ll appear opposite Boyega’s protagonist, who makes a rash decision while dealing with personal and professional turmoil.

    Here’s the breakdown of the film, according to Deadline:

    The story centers on an idealistic young New York City public defender burned out by the system and in the middle of a mental breakdown. Seeing signs of the universe collapsing around him, he gets suspended and decides to rob a $75M drug deal off one of his clients.

    Chase Palmer, who co-wrote 2017’s hit “It” adaptation, is making his feature directing debut on the project.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ Wraps Filming, J.J. Abrams Posts Emotional Cast Photo

    ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ Wraps Filming, J.J. Abrams Posts Emotional Cast Photo

    Lucasfilm

    It’s a wrap on “Star Wars: Episode IX” — break out the tissues.

    Principal photography on the film has concluded, and to mark the occasion, director J.J. Abrams posted an emotional photo of the three lead actors: Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), and Oscar Isaac (Poe).

    They’re embracing on a desert set, with crew members seen in the background:

    Boyega also posted the photo, tweeting, “That’s a wrap on Star Wars episode 9 and the end to a chapter of my life that I couldn’t be more thankful for. What a process! It really has been a joy to be in these movies surrounded by amazing people. JJ thank you for making my dreams come true.”

    It’s a rare and precious moment, as the trio has shared very little screen time, reuniting only in the final moments of “The Last Jedi.”

    The photo should spark some theorizing online among “Star Wars” fans. What planet is this desert located on? Maybe Rey has returned to Jakku? Or perhaps they are on Tattooine?

    Of course, “Episode IX” still has a long way to go. The film will still have to complete post-production and likely some reshoots before its December 20 release date.

    And it doesn’t even have an official title yet (TELL US, ALREADY).

  • John Boyega, Letitia Wright Team Up for ‘Hold Back the Stars’

    John Boyega, Letitia Wright Team Up for ‘Hold Back the Stars’

    Universal/Marvel

    John Boyega and Letitia Wright will costar in the upcoming sci-fi film “Hold Back the Stars.”

    They’ll play a man and a woman trapped in space who relive memories of their romance — while their oxygen slowly runs out. So… no happy ending for the “Star Wars” and “Black Panther” stars?

    It’s based on the 2017 Katie Khan novel of the same name. The tagline: “Love is stronger than gravity.”

    Mike Cahill, whose previous films include “I Origins” and “Another Earth,” will direct from a script by Christy Hall.

    Boyega, last seen in “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” returns as Finn in  “Star Wars: Episode IX.” And Wright will be back as Shuri in “Avengers 4.”

    [Via THR]

     

  • Billy Dee Williams Set to Return for ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’

    Lucasfilm

    Billy Dee Williams is about to return to a galaxy far, far away.

    The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Williams will return to play Lando Calrissian in J.J. Abrams’ as-yet-untitled “Star Wars: Episode IX,” which will begun production later this summer. Williams of course introduced the character in 1980’s “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and reprised the role in 1983’s “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.” This is very exciting news, especially for those of us inexplicably drawn to smooth talking scoundrels.

    It’s also not that much of a surprise. Williams reprised his role as Lando in two episodes of the animated series “Star Wars: Rebels,” which wrapped up this March. And, of course, the character was splashily reintroduced in this summer’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (this time the cape-loving lothario was portrayed with considerable swagger by Donald Glover). There’s also the more practical element of bringing back Lando, who will effectively bridge the gap between the original trilogy and these new films, considering that both Han and Luke have been killed off and Carrie Fisher died tragically between installments.

    “Star Wars: Episode IX,” which will once again star John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, and (god willing) Kelly Marie Tran, also recently added regular Abrams confederate Keri Russell to the cast. It’s set to open December 20th, 2019.

  • John Boyega Gives Surprise Jedi Lessons to Kids at His Old School

    Okay, yes, we know that Finn (John Boyega) is NOT a Jedi, even though he wields a mean lightsaber.

    But starstruck kids at a London school weren’t nitpicking when the “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” star surprised them during a PE class.

    Boyega dropped in unannounced to his former elementary school, Oliver Goldsmith Primary School in London, where the students were undergoing a “Train Like a Jedi” fitness lesson.

    The kids were thrilled to have the celeb join their class. “I thought I was living in a dream,” one girl told ITV. Another student said he initially thought Boyega was a robot. (Now that’s one fan theory we don’t think we’ve heard before!)

    [Via PopSugar, ITV News]

  • Box Office: ‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ Conquers ‘Black Panther’

    ​​​​LOS ANGELES, March 25, (Variety.com) – After weeks of speculating which film could slow “Black Panther’s” impressive roll, “Pacific Rim Uprising” took the top spot at the domestic box office.

    Universal and Legendary’s “Pacific Rim Uprising” landed a respectable $28 million opening weekend at 3,708 locations. The monster battle movie has garnered mixed critical response, with a current 46 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Though it opened with a softer debut than Guillermo del Toro‘s predecessor “Pacific Rim,” which saw $37 million in July 2013, the sequel was enough to dethrone “Black Panther” in the superhero tentpole’s sixth weekend.

    Steven S. DeKnight co-wrote and directed “Pacific Rim Uprising” with a reported $150 million budget. The original, which starred Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Charlie Hunnam, and Robert Kazinsky, went on to gross $411 million at the worldwide box office, thanks to a strong international showing, especially in China, where it made $112 million compared to the U.S.’ $101.8 million.

    The sequel is set 10 years after the Battle of the Breach with a new generation of Jaeger pilots ready to combat the evolving Kaiju monsters and prevent humanity’s extinction. John Boyega plays Jake Pentecost, the son of Elba’s character Stacker Pentecost, who sacrificed his life in the first film. Scott Eastwood, Jing Tian, Cailee Spaeny, Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, Adria Arjona, and Day also star.

    Still, in its sixth weekend “Black Panther” continues to be a powerhouse, nabbing the No. 2 spot with $17 million at 3,370 sites. That number lands “Black Panther” one of the seven highest sixth weekends in history. To date, the Marvel film has taken in $631 million, making it the fifth-highest all-time domestic grosses ahead of “The Avengers.”

    “It had to happen at some point, and Universal’s ‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ now holds the distinction of being the film that took over ‘Black Panther’s’ long-standing position as king of the weekend box office mountain,” Paul Dergarabedian, a box office analyst at comScore, said. “The latest Disney superhero film has been an absolute marvel, holding onto the top spot for a whopping five weeks, while sprinting its way up the all-time charts and now stands as the fifth highest grossing film of all-time in North America and ranks twelfth globally after just 38 days in theaters.

    Meanwhile, Roadside Attraction and Lionsgate’s faith-based “I Can Only Imagine” remains a force in its second weekend with $13 million from 2,253 sites. Based on the story behind the best-selling Christian song, “I Can Only Imagine” earned a surprisingly strong $17.1 million at the domestic box office, bringing its total up to $38 million.

    Following “I Can Only Imagine’s” success, biblical drama “Paul, Apostle of Christ” opened in line with estimates with $5 million at 1,473 sites over Palm Sunday weekend. The story follows James Faulkner as Saint Paul in his last days awaiting execution by Emperor Nero in Rome. Directed by Andrew Hyatt, the film also stars Jim Caviezel, Olivier Martinez, Joanne Whalley, and John Lynch.

    Also opening this weekend was Paramount Pictures and MGM’s animated comedy “Sherlock Gnomes,” which saw $10 million at 3,662 locations. That’s significantly lower than initial tracking estimates between $13 million to $18 million. The sequel to 2011’s “Gnomeo & Juliet,” which reeled in $194 million worldwide, sees the petite pair recruiting detective Sherlock Gnomes and his sidekick, Gnome Watson, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of other garden gnomes. Directed by John Stevenson and executive produced by Elton John, it features the voices of James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mary J. Blige, and Johnny Depp.

    The second weekend of Alicia Vikander‘s “Tomb Raider” landed $10 million from 3,854 locations, bringing its grosses up to $41 million, while the second weekend of “Love, Simon” took in $7 million with $23 million to date.

    Two smaller releases — Global Road Entertainment’s “Midnight Sun” and Bleecker Street and Fingerprint Releasing’s “Unsane” — debuted with $4 million and $3.6 million respectively.

    Young adult romantic drama “Midnight Sun” stars Bella Thorne as a teen who has been sheltered at home since childhood due to a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight. Steven Soderbergh’s psychological thriller “Unsane” sees Claire Foy as a troubled woman stalked by her ex. Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, and Amy Irving round out the cast.

    Rounding out the weekend, Wes Anderson‘s “Isle of Dogs” opened with $1.5 million in limited release, with a screen average of over $58 thousand in 27 theaters. The stop-motion animated film boasts a star-studded ensemble voice cast that includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, and Bob Balaban. Set in a dystopian futuristic Japan, dogs have been quarantined on a remote island due to a canine flu. A boy, Atari, ventures to the island to find his dog, Spots.

  • Drew Barrymore Calls Jake Gyllenhaal Her Least-Talented Costar (Under Gross Food Duress)

    “I’m sorry, Jake. It was the turkey testicles!”

    James Corden did his own version of “Plead the Fifth” on “The Late Late Show,” putting Drew Barrymore in a tight spot. John Boyega was also forced to play “Spill Your Guts,” but at least he didn’t have to rank his costars.

    Drew and John had to answer tough questions truthfully or eat the gross food in front of them. Interestingly enough, Drew started by choosing to drink bird saliva, rather than rank late night hosts Colbert, Fallon, and Ellen.

    When Colbert put turkey testicles in front of her, she asked if anyone had ever thrown up on the show. James said yes, Charlie Puth came very close. Aiming to avoid her own “Puth,” she felt compelled to answer this question:

    “Rank your costars from most to least talented: Adam Sandler, Hugh Grant, and Jake Gyllenhaal.”

    CA: LA Premiere Of Newmarket Films Release Donnie Darko - The Directors Cut (After Party)What would you have said? Here’s how Drew reacted:

    Drew: “OK. OK. Um, Jake Gyllenhaal so I don’t have to eat a turkey’s ball.”

    James: “No, no, it’s a 1, 2, 3.”

    Drew: “And when I run into [Jake] next time, I’ll be like, ‘Dude, it was like selling you down the river or eating turkey’s balls.’ And by the way I don’t even care if he hates me, I’m not… Oh god. OK. I literally am doing this because I won’t make it. I’m going to Puth all over the place. I’ll say Adam, Hugh, Jake?”

    James: “In that order. Adam most, then Hugh, then Jake?”

    Drew: “Yeah.”

    James: “It’s an honest answer!”

    Drew: “I’m sorry, Jake. It was the turkey testicles!”

    Bless her for turning “Puth” into a verb. We never would’ve gone with Jake Gyllenhaal as the least talented out of any lineup (or Adam Sandler as the most talented). Guess “Donnie Darko” wasn’t that great an experience? Hugh Grant recently said he thought Drew Barrymore hated him on the tense set of “Music and Lyrics,” so Hugh could’ve been a safe choice.

    Watch the full 12 minute game (Jake’s name resurfaces around the 11:25 mark):John had a much easier time of it. And that’s why you shouldn’t drink, kids!

    John Boyega’s “Santa Clarita Diet” Season 2 streams on Netflix March 23.

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  • John Boyega’s Tweet Praising ‘Bright’ Gets Him Dragged Into ‘The Last Jedi’ Debate

    'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' - PhotocallNo good tweet goes unpunished!

    John Boyega plays Finn in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” which just came out on December 15 and is still hotly debated across the galaxy. So it’s understandable that when he tweets something, it’s received in the context of “The Last Jedi.” Plus, people are always projecting their own perspectives onto everything — we all do it — leading fans to sometimes make faulty assumptions.

    Case in point: This tweet from John Boyega:

    Taken on its own, many fans seemed to think it was commentary on the commentary about “The Last Jedi.” Critics, in general, praised the film, while a vocal group of “Star Wars” fans have been very critical.

    However, that tweet was actually meant to be paired with the one Boyega had shared just before it:

    “Bright” — Netflix’s new movie directed by David Ayer and starring Will Smith — is in the opposite boat of “The Last Jedi.” Critics panned “Bright” while the audience reviews have been positive.

    But not everyone liked “Bright,” just like not everyone liked/disliked “The Last Jedi.” We are not the Borg, linked to the same hive mind. (Yes, that was a “Star Trek” analogy, sue me.) After Boyega tweeted praise of “Bright,” he got some negative comments, like one person saying he was “cancelled.”

    Boyega made it clear that his “people like things you don’t” comment was actually about “Bright” in response to a fan who was trying to be supportive, but assumed Boyega was talking about “The Last Jedi” criticism:


    A lot of readers had the same misinterpretation, but some fans just appreciated Boyega’s point on different opinions. Here’s one response he replied to:

    “Bright” is now on Netflix. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” has made more than $840 million at the worldwide box office to date.

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  • ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Unscripted Overtime

    Moviefone’s signature series “Unscripted” always has great moments, but sometimes we can’t fit everything into one episode. So we’re bringing you “Unscripted Overtime” to highlight the best clips that were (unfortunately) cut for time.

    Gwendoline Chrisite asks her cast-mates (Mark Hamill, John Boyega, and Kelly Marie Tran) what went on at the “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” wrap party:
    The origin of Porgs, explained:
    John Boyega asks Mark Hamill if he’d ever portray iconic villain “The Joker” in real life:
    And in case you didn’t know, John Boyega is big in Nigeria:
    “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” directed by Rian Johnson and starring Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o opens in theaters everywhere Friday, December 15th.

  • ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Unscripted

    One of the hidden benefits of “Unscripted” is its ability to transform into free group therapy. A place where stars can vent, grow, and unite over the concept that sometimes parents just don’t understand.

    John Boyega, Gwendoline Chrisite, Mark Hamill, and Kelly Marie Tran stopped by to answer your questions (and posit some of their own) about “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and it was blast right from the get-go. Topics discussed include a Captain Phasma/Brienne of Tarth team-up, J.J. Abrams‘ birth name (Jar-Jar, obviously), and one of the most famous lines in cinema history.

    “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” directed by Rian Johnson and starring Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o opens in theaters everywhere Friday, December 15th.