Once the king of the 1980s and 1990s action-comedy script sale, since turning his hand to directing, Shane Black has had a somewhat more mixed career. There have been definite highs (‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ and ‘Iron Man 3’) and true lows (his most recent directorial effort was the ill-fated ‘The Predator’ back in 2018). And even when he’s hit the mark, the box office results have not been kind (‘The Nice Guys’ really deserved better).
With ‘Play Dirty’, he’s got some choice (if frequently adapted) source material in Donald E. Westlake’s Parker character, and while he manages to pull off a convincing, double-triple-quadruple-crossing crime caper, there’s a big problem sitting squarely at the top of the cast list.
Script and Direction
Director Shane Black at the premiere of ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.
Black, working here with Charles Mondry (2024’s ‘Road House’) and Anthony Bagarozzi (who co-wrote ‘The Nice Guys’ with the director), has cooked up a twisty heist thriller that draws from Westlake’s novels but isn’t a direct adaptation of any of them.
It’s certainly chock full of action, though the pacing suffers some when the filmmaker takes his foot off the gas (or the train pedal) to dig down into exposition, but that is largely carried by some great actors spouting swear-laden dialogue at each other. Oh, and no points for guessing that the movie is set during Black’s trademark Christmas season.
The elephant in the room in ‘Play Dirty’s case is Mark Wahlberg, who brings about as much charisma to the lead role as some wet, peeling wallpaper. It’s even harder to stomach when you know that Black’s old pal Robert Downey Jr. was originally attached to star.
Still, the rest of the cast essentially act Wahlberg off the screen, with particular plaudits due the likes of Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, LaKeith Stanfield and Tony Shalhoub, the latter getting to show off his gangster side with aplomb.
While nowhere near a classic Shane Black offering (come on Prime Video, just buy the rights and let him reunite Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe for ‘The Nice Guys 2’!), it’s diverting enough, even if the lead character is something of a joyless chore rather than the sharp criminal of the books.
An expert thief rolls out the biggest heist of his life as Parker (Mark Wahlberg), along with Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield), Zen (Rosa Salazar) and a skilled crew, stumble onto a score that pits them against the New York mob.
Who is in the cast of ‘Play Dirty’?
Mark Wahlberg as Parker
LaKeith Stanfield as Grofield
Rosa Salazar as Zen
Tony Shalhoub as Lozini
Keegan-Michael Key as Ed Mackey
Nat Wolff as Kincaid Chukwudi Iwuji as Phineas Paul Thomas Jane as Philly Webb
Director Shane Black at the premiere of ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Preview:
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ sequel has been confirmed as ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and other original voice cast members will return.
The new movie is due April 3rd, 2026.
Back in 2023, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ opened to an impressive $146 million on Easter weekend, on its way to a huge $1.36 billion worldwide gross.
It was hardly a surprise then, when Universal, Illumination and Nintendo confirmed a sequel last year.
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Now, via an announcement from Illumination boss Chris Meledandri, we know what that sequel will be called: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
What was the story of ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world under threat from the powerful Bowser (Jack Black). But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.
With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario taps into his own power.
What’s the story of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
There are no official details for the movie’s plot, but that title suggests it’ll draw in part from the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ video game, promising a cosmic adventure for our hero and his friends.
The ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ game centers on the character of Rosalina, a space princess that Nintendo itself has said shares similarities with Princess Peach. Within the first Galaxy game, Rosalina’s backstory is revealed through pages of a storybook, with her journey through the stars explained as her searching for her long-lost parents.
Rosalina’s parentage is kept vague, with her mother pictured but kept largely obscured. But Nintendo is said to have once planned a more concrete backstory that linked Rosalina and the Mushroom Kingdom, with her being related to Princess Peach in some way.
We do know that the likes of Mario (Pratt), Princess Peach (Taylor-Joy), Luigi (Day), Bowser (Black), Toad (Key), and Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson) will all be back for the sequel.
When will ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ be in theaters?
The movie will arrive on screens on the previously-confirmed date of April 3rd, 2026.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
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(L to R) Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
Launching on Hulu on September 9th with the first three episodes (seven more debut once weekly), ‘Only Murders in the Building’ returns for a fifth season of mysterious death, quirky characters and, this time at least, the intersection of old mob ways with New York’s modern powerbrokers.
Steve Martin in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
For the last few years, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ has been a reliable provider of murder mystery mixed with the vaudeville comedy of Steve Martin and Martin Short, plus a side of eye-rolling millennial reactions from Selena Gomez. The combination has worked extremely well, providing confounding cases and lots of laughs.
The question is, however, does the fifth season do enough to differentiate itself from what has gone before, or should we be happy that we’re getting more of the same if it’s still entertaining?
Script and Direction
Renée Zellweger in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
There remains a lot to like about ‘Only Murders’ –– the scripts remain witty and the central mystery thorny –– in this case, the death of longtime doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca).
Yet there are some problems with the season this time around –– it’s just not as fresh as it usually feels. The new characters are fine, but compared to previous examples of guest casting, they just don’t have the same amount of zing.
The show’s direction remains on point –– but with the focus on the Arconia once more (even given some new locations discovered), there’s only so much you can do to keep it interesting.
Cast and Performances
Christoph Waltz in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
Martin, Short and Gomez are still great in the lead roles; the issue is that much of what they get to do here is a variation on previous work.
Naturally, Martin has some funny physical business, Short gets to be extra in all ways, and Gomez is still the best at a blend of vulnerability and heart, plus her ability to side-eye her older companions.
Of the new faces this year, Logan Lerman makes the most impact as a young billionaire, while the likes of Christoph Waltz and Renée Zellweger don’t get as much to, but have fun with their roles.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Selena Gomez and Logan Lerman in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ is definitely starting to show its age –– the concept only has so much flexibility in it.
It’s still a very fun show to watch, but its best days may now be behind it.
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5 receives 65 out of 100.
Tea Leoni in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5. Photo: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
What’s the plot of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5?
After their beloved doorman, Lester (Teddy Coluca), dies under suspicious circumstances, Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) refuse to believe it was an accident. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters, and the mysterious residents of the Arconia.
The trio discovers a deeper divide between their storied city they thought they knew and the new New York evolving around them — one where the old mob fights to hold on as newer, even more dangerous players emerge.
Who stars in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5?
(Left) Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones in ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’. Photo: Jay Maidment / Universal Pictures. (Right) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
Preview:
Renée Zellweger will appear in ‘Only Murders in the Building’s fifth season.
She joins stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.
And that’s without mentioning returning guest stars such as Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep.
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
So it should be little surprise that the fifth season of the show will boast some suitably big names –– with Renée Zellweger the latest addition, according to Deadline.
The new season recently started rolling its cameras in New York, following the show’s success at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where it won Comedy Series Ensemble and a Male Actor in a Comedy Series gong for Short.
What’s the story of ‘Only Murders in the Building’?
(L to R) Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’ season 2. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which started in August 2021, focuses on a trio of strangers –– Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), a misanthropic semi-retired actor who was the star of the popular 1990s crime drama, Oliver Putnam, (Short) an ambitious but financially struggling Broadway director and Mabel Mora, (Gomez) a young artist and apartment renovator living alone in her aunt’s unit, who was part of a quartet that solved pretend mysteries throughout her childhood and teenage years –– with a shared interest in true crime podcasts.
The three become unlikely friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled ‘Only Murders in the Building.’
Through the previous four seasons, they’ve investigated several mysterious slayings, including an old friend of Mabel’s in the first, another building resident in the second, an egotistical actor in the third and Charles’ good friend and colleague, stuntwoman Sazz Pataki (Jane Lynch).
As is usual for the show, the end of Season 4 set up the new mystery for the fifth –– and it’s really the only solid information we have on the season.
In the final episode of the season, Charles, Mabel and Oliver discover the body of Lester, (Teddy Coluca) the Arconia doorman, dead in the building’s fountain.
This is what ‘Only Murders’ showrunner Jordan Hoffman told The Wrap about Season 5:
“We’re trying to tell a particular kind of take from a New York angle. Season Five will hit on some very current things going on within New York, specifically very relevant things that are happening in the city right now, in ways that honestly we couldn’t have even predicted. We built our story and then certain things revealed themselves, and vice versa. It’s a little bit more reflective, deeply New York, both historically and the modern New York right now too. The show has always been classic meets modern.”
Who else will show up on ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 5?
(L to R) Cooper Hoffman and Christoph Waltz in the Action/Comedy film ‘Old Guy’, a The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.
But the creative team is staying quiet about who the new arrivals will be playing, looking to maintain the surprise.
In the past, some of the guests have played themselves, while others added to the quirky ensemble of characters who make up the world of ‘Only Murders.’
Where else will we see Renée Zellweger?
(L to R) Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones and Leo Woodall as Roxster in ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy’. Photo: Alex Bailey/Universal Pictures.
Zellweger was recently back on our screens in possibly her most well-known role, that of Bridget Jones in fourth franchise entry ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.’
And while ‘Only Murders’ is the only confirmed next job for her, she does have several movies and shows in development including ‘The Back Nine,’ about a golfer getting back to her career and ‘Heft,’ about a mother reaching to her former writing professor to help with her son.
When will Season 5 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ hit Hulu?
Hulu has yet to officially announce the launch date for the new season, but a March production start offers a clue.
Season 4 started filming the same time last year, and was on screens the following August. So if we were to guess, we’d say to expect more murder, mayhem and comedy in late August.
(L to R) Oliver (Martin Short), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Charles (Steve Martin) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
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Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bobby and Peter Farrelly about their work on ‘Dear Santa’, developing the screenplay, getting the movie greenlit, reuniting with Jack Black, directing children, the movie’s tone, P.J. Byrne’s unusual performance, casting Post Malone, and their favorite Christmas movies.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
(L to R) Director and producer Bobby Farrelly and screenwriter and producer Peter Farrelly talk ‘Dear Santa’.
Moviefone: To begin with, Peter, can you discuss developing the screenplay with the other writers and the themes you wanted to explore with this movie?
Peter Farrelly: Well, it wasn’t my idea. It came from Kevin Barnett and Pete Jones, guys we collaborate with a lot. They just came in and said, “What about this? A kid writes a letter to Santa, but he misspells it and instead writes it to Satan.” I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it.” That’s a good movie. It’s a comedy first. It’s like there was a devil in ‘Damn Yankees’ but it never got dark, and that’s what this is. And no better person to play the devil than Jack Black who’s innately lovable. You know his heart is in the right place. I’m not saying Satan’s is, but this Satan’s heart is in the right place.
MF: Bobby, is a Christmas movie about Satan a difficult project to get greenlit?
Bobby Farrelly: Well, it is a movie that we worked on for many years. It took 10 years to get the script right. So along the way, we did have studios who were interested in the concept, but we never felt like it was at the right place. So finally, Jeremy Kramer, over at Paramount who had been working with us for years on this, shepherding, got Pete’s and Ricky Blitt‘s new script, and he thought, “You know what? This is it. The time’s right, let’s do it.” So, Paramount did it, and here we are. The trick is doing it in a way where it’s fun and it’s not too dark, and it’s a Christmas story, and then it has a nice happy message and that sort of thing. We didn’t want to turn it into a horror movie by any stretch of the imagination.
Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
MF: Peter, was it more difficult to get this movie made than some of your past films?
PF: They’re never easy. There are no easy movies to make. But Jeremy Kramer, he took the bull by the horns and really made this thing happen because it wasn’t easy. After ‘Dumb and Dumber’, you would’ve thought we could walk in anywhere and make a movie. No. They’re like, “Yeah, well that was a Jim Carrey movie. You guys are lucky to be at the party.” So, you’re still going to fight to get your next movie on, which was ‘Kingpin’, but it’s not easy. They’re never easy. So, no matter what you do, it’s hard in this space.
MF: Peter, can you talk about creating the right tone for the screenplay?
PF: I don’t think the tone is dark. I would never describe it as dark. I mean, it’s a light telling of the thing. It’s slightly edgy for a PG-13 movie and this is a goofy Satan. This isn’t ‘The Exorcist’. This is a goofy Satan who’s moved by a kid’s niceness to become nice. The message is quite uplifting, I think, at the end.
(L to R) Director Bobby Farrelly and Jack Black on the set of Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
MF: Bobby, can you talk about finding the right tone for the movie on set?
BF: It feels like when (Satan) shows up, it feels like this might get dark, but it’s Jack, and he plays it in a way where he’s very likable and you go with him. He’s won over by the kid and what a nice kid he is and the spirit of Christmas and all that. So, he changes much more than the kid changes. The kid doesn’t get swayed at all by him. In fact, to the contrary, Jack’s character has an arc to him.
MF: Bobby, what was it like directing young actor Robert Timothy Smith, and is there a trick to getting a great performance from a child actor?
BF: Well, we’ve directed some kids in the past, but never this many. What I learned about kids is first, you treat them like everyone else because they are just as talented as any adults we’ve ever worked with. It’s a shorter day. There’s a lot of things that must happen. They must go to school, and you can only work so many hours and all that. But boy, they’re good actors, and they can keep up with the adults even if they improvise or go off the page. It was a joy. It was a lot of fun working with this talented young actor and the kids around him. Kai Cech who plays his girlfriend and Jaden Carson Baker, who plays his best friend, Gibby, those guys were all great, and they’re nice kids too, so it was a lot of fun to work with.
(L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
MF: Peter, why was Smith the right young actor for this role?
PF: That kid, he reminded me of a young Albert Brooks. His delivery is very adult, but it’s like a nebbish kind of Woody Allen. I thought the kid was good.
MF: Peter, what was it like working with Jack Black again after ‘Shallow Hal’ and can you talk about what he brings to this role?
PF: Well, again, because he’s supposed to be like a goofy Satan, you want somebody who’s lovable and not dark and somebody who everybody is familiar with. He’s the way he was in ‘School of Rock’ where he was a little edgy, and he is dealing with kids, but he’s also adult because he’s trying to teach the kids something, but he’s not teaching in this one. But in any case, you need somebody like that, and that openness and that likability carries the movie. I hate to think what would’ve happened if we’d made the movie with somebody who has a dark element.
(L to R) Robert Timothy Smith, Jaden Carson Baker, Jack Black and Post Malone star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
MF: Bobby, what was it like working with Post Malone and when you cast a popular musician in a movie to perform one of their own songs, are you able to request the song they sing or did Malone choose the song himself that he performs in the concert sequence?
BF: Here’s the thing. You can write him into the script, but he’s probably going to be out touring or doing something. Those guys are busy. But we were able to get him to come in and he was touring, but we were able to get him to come for three or four days into his schedule, because he read the script and he said, “This is going to be fun.” So, he came and totally delivered it. I love that song that he plays in the movie. It’s called ‘I Like You’, and it was perfect for what we needed our young Liam character to be dancing to on stage. So, it was the perfect song. He was more than happy to do it. We were super lucky to get him. And boy, was he fun to work with. He’s like, “You guys all have to play beer pong with me.” All right. Everyone’s playing beer pong. We worked it into the movie with Robert Timothy Smith’s character. It was a lot of fun. Post, that’s a thing that he does. Anyone he meets, he wants to (play beer pong) after the show. He wants to just do a little bit of that. That’s his version of shooting pool or something. He wants to play a little bit of beer pong, and so we worked it into the story when he was there.
MF: Bobby, actor P.J. Byrne’s gives an unusual performance with a very specific accent and almost speaks like an English gentleman from the 1800s. Did you direct him to speak like that or did he come up with that on his own?
BF: You know what? I got to give P.J. his due. He came in with that sort of take on the professor, and as soon as he did it, I was like, “I love it. Absolutely perfect.” P.J.’s, that kind of actor. He has a definite defined take on how he’s going to play it. It wasn’t necessarily how we saw it, but that’s why we hired him. We knew he’d deliver.
(L to R) Jack Black and Robert Timothy Smith star in Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
MF: Peter, what is the secret to making a great Christmas movie?
PF: Well, I would say the secret is heart, having heart, but then ‘Bad Santa’ is one of my favorites, and it didn’t have a ton of heart. But it did have some. I guess I’d have to say my favorite Christmas movie is ‘Elf’. I loved ‘Elf’. I could watch ‘Elf’ every year. It’s a fun one to watch. In fact, when we were making ‘Green Book’, we were doing it in December. Viggo Mortensen rented out a whole theater and the whole cast and crew went to watch ‘Elf’ because he loves that movie. It’s interesting, if you look at ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, there’s some dark little bits in there. Yet ultimately, it’s an uplifting movie, and that’s what we wanted this to be.
MF: Finally, Bobby, what is your favorite Christmas movie?
BF: I loved ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, which is one of the original Christmas classics. But I just loved the way it did have some real drama in it, and real storytelling. It wasn’t a comedy for most of it, but boy, it had a sweet, happy ending. That’s the formula I wanted to follow with ‘Dear Santa’. It’s a tight balance between telling a dark story here or telling a story that’s got a lot of heart and a lot of happiness and ends with a big up note.
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What is the plot of ‘Dear Santa’?
A young boy (Robert Timothy Smith) accidentally mixes up his spelling and sends his Christmas list to Satan (Jack Black) instead of Santa.
Who is in the cast of ‘Dear Santa’?
Jack Black as Asmodeus/”Santa Claus”
Robert Timothy Smith as Liam Turner
Jaden Carson Baker as Gibby
Kai Cech as Emma
Brianne Howey as Molly Turner
Hayes MacArthur as Bill Turner
Keegan-Michael Key as Dr. Finklman
P. J. Byrne as Mr. Charles
Post Malone as himself
Paramount Pictures presents a Farrelly Brothers / Kraymation Films production, a Bobby Farrelly film, ‘Dear Santa’.
(L to R) Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime), left, and Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron) star in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Opening in theaters on September 20th, ‘Transformers One’ winds the clock further back than the usual ‘Transformers’ movies to focus on what happened before Optimus Prime and Megatron –– the respective leaders of the Autobot and Decepticon forces –– assumed those roles.
Plenty of ‘Transformers’ fans who were kids in the 1980s will have fond memories of ‘Transformers: The Movie’ And while the franchise has, in the years since Michael Bay launched the live-action/CG series of movies, varied greatly in quality, the key to success here appears is in returning the story to its animated roots.
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Prequel stories are always an uphill struggle. You’re balancing audience expectation –– since we already know that at least one of the characters will survive to go on and have further adventures, so where’s the sense of jeopardy? –– and those who would complain that turning back the clock to the early days of established characters is a form of creative bankruptcy. After all, does anyone really need to know how Darth Vader ended up in that iconic suit, no matter the tease about his past offered in the original ‘Star Wars’? And you risk being accused of cheapening stories that people love.
Spare a thought, then for the team behind ‘Transformers One,’ who have found way to take very recognizable franchise archetypes and give them a welcome coming-of-age twist. Did you ever think that Optimus Prime and Megatron might have been buddies way back before they were enemies? No? Well, the new movie is here to show you why that works as a story.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) and Keegan-Michael Key (B-127), star in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
The script here originated –– at least, according to the credits –– with Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (who have the likes of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp,’ ‘Die in a Gunfight’ and ‘Haunt’ on their shared resumes) and was then worked on by Eric Pearson (who contributed to such movies as ‘Black Widow,’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and ‘Godzilla vs. Kong‘). And since director Josh Cooley is a graduate of Pixar (he oversaw ‘Toy Story 4’) you’ve got to figure he had a hand in tuning the story too.
Together, the writers have put together something that is vital, entertaining and energetic (energon-etic, perhaps?) fusing the tropes of young men finding their way in the world with some of the unexplored lore of the planet Cybertron, home to the Transformers.
Perhaps more importantly, they’ve come up with credible explanations for why and how Optimus Prime and Megatron became the leaders that they did (for good and ill), and what sparked their ongoing conflict, one that spilled over to our planet.
The dialogue is witty and fun for kids, but also works for older fans who grew up with these characters. Yes, there will be those who question quite how human these robots feel, but the Transformers have always had relatable human characteristics.
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Perhaps the biggest issue –– and one the creative team is mostly able to overcome –– is that this new movie represents just the latest example of the hero’s journey/find the MacGuffin journey story to hit screens. That in itself has sunk many a film that doesn’t do anything fresh or new with those age-old concepts, but here Cooley and co. find a way to graft on entertaining layers while following familiar paths.
On the visual front, the movie (with animation chiefly crafted by Industrial Light and Magic) might not challenge the best of Pixar or DreamWorks for sheer quality, style and depth, but it’s impressive enough, particularly when it ventures onto the surface of Cybertron.
Plus, while some of the fight scenes verge into the over-frenetic, there’s enough logic behind them that you won’t end up rubbing your eyes at all the CG clashes on display.
Performances
The vocal cast for the movie all does good work, with a few highlights:
Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
The biggest issue legacy fans of the franchise may have is in the movie replacing Peter Cullen, long the voice of Optimus Prime on the big screen. But it helps to remember that this is Prime before he was Prime. Orion Pax is a garrulous ambitious, sometimes irresponsible type who has dreams of being more than the mining worker he’s seemingly destined to be. In Hemsworth’s hands –– well, vocal chords –– he’s an enthusiastic, likeable presence and you can see how he ends up as the character we know.
Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Likewise, Henry might not have quite the vocal power of Frank Welker (Megatron’s traditional performer), but D-16 never needed to start out as the scheming, power-hungry Decepticon of the cartoons and (some of) the live-action movies. Here, he’s more subdued and thoughtful, a good friend to Orion and willing to go along with his ideas at least until they reach a true dividing point.
Keegan-Michael Key (B-127) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Key is a proven comic performer and playing the robot who will become Bumblebee feels like the perfect role for him in the movie. He’s a chatty sort, desperate for friends (so desperate that we meet the ones he has built at one funny moment paid off in a mid-credits sting) and eager to tag along with Orion and the rest. Cooley and co. find a way to utilize his comic relief without it becoming annoying.
Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1) stars in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
Johansson has perhaps less to do than the others, but she’s still fun, offering a no-nonsense foil to Orion in particular and giving the world’s least encouraging pep talk at one point.
Supporting Cast
(L to R) Keegan-Michael Key (B-127), Scarlett Johansson (Elita-1), Brian Tyree Henry (D-16), Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax) star in Paramount Animation and Hasbro Present In Association with New Republic Pictures a di Bonaventua Pictures Production a Tom Desanto / Don Murphy Production a Bay Films Production ‘Transformers One’.
The cast around the leads is peppered with strong performances –– Laurence Fishburne slips easily into Morpheus mode when dishing out gobs of exposition about the hidden history of Cybertron, and helping our heroes find their new path(s). Jon Hamm, meanwhile, is the feted Sentinel Prime, the powerful leader of Cybertron whose has the planet’s best interests at heart… or does he? Hamm’s not called upon to do much more than be heroic and then something less than that, but he does it well.
Final Thoughts
‘Transformers One’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
‘Transformers One’ should prove entertaining to those who grew up playing with the action figures or watching the cartoons and the generations that have embraced the Autobots and Decepticons since then. It’s not a perfect film, with a few gaps of logic and one or two cliches still lurking, but it’s easily one of the best movies to feature the characters, and never needs human interaction to keep it grounded.
The new ‘Transformers’ animated movie has the touch. It also has the power.
‘Transformers One’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Transformers One’?
The film depicts the origins and early relationship of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) and how they forever changed the fate of Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers.
The ‘Transformers One’ Panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con featured casting news about Laurence Fishburne and Steve Buscemi.
Chris Hemsworth and Tyree Henry are among the leads.
‘Toy Story 4’ director Josh Cooley made the new movie.
While this year’s outing of the San Diego Comic-Con has so far proved to be a relatively quiet one (at least until the likes of Marvel show up to offer tantalizing news tidbits), there was some new information about an animated movie that is garnering some positive buzz off the back of early screenings: ‘Transformers One’.
(L to R) Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Hemsworth and Bryan Tyree Henry at the Comic-Con 2022 ‘Transformers One’ presentation. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
It kicked off one of the early presentation panels, and the actors (minus Johansson, who was busy on the new ‘Jurassic World’ film) were on hand alongside director Josh Cooley (‘Toy Story 4’) and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura to debut some fresh footage and provide some new insight into the movie.
And the panel also offered up the latest trailer, which you can watch above.
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What’s the story of ‘Transformers One’?
‘Transformers One’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
The new movie is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Hemsworth voices Orion Pax, who will become Autobot leader Optimus Prime, while Henry is D-16, the future Megatron. Key plays B-127, a chatty ‘bot who’ll later be known as Bumblebee, and Johansson is Elita-1.
What did we learn about the ‘Transformers One’ cast?
(Left) Jon Hamm as Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures. (Center) Laurence Fishburne in ‘Clipped’. Photo: FX. (Right) Steve Buscemi in ‘Boardwalk Empire’. Photo: HBO Entertainment.
The panel included word (or rather, confirmation) that Jon Hamm is playing Cybertron leader Sentinel Prime, with Laurence Fishburne taking the Morpheus-alike role of Alpha Prion.
Perhaps the biggest revelation was word that Steve Buscemi voices Starscream, who we know will become one of Megatron’s (usually) loyal lieutenants. In ‘Transformers One’, they’re in opposition, with Starscream proclaiming that “the idea of a unified Cybertron is a myth” –– though it’s clear D-16 is starting to have doubts about his alliances.
Chris Hemsworth at the Comic-Con 2022 ‘Transformers One’ presentation. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Among the panel highlights were funny moments, including Hemsworth remarking that he and Henry –– who never shared a recording booth –– prepped to play best friends by sleeping in bunk beds.
Key, meanwhile (whose character is the comic relief for the movie), looked to lead the Hall H audience in a rendition of the ‘Transformers’ cartoon theme tune, only to find few takers. “Good, now we know who’s over 40,” he quipped.
Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura at the Comic-Con 2022 ‘Transformers One’ presentation. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
This is what producer di Bonaventura had to say about the advantages of animation for a Transformers movie:
“If we did this as a live-action movie, it would probably cost $500M. What has been tricky in live-action is that every time a robot talks, it costs a lot of money. In animation, you can have them build out their character.”
And for Cooley, it was a chance to dig into the characters lore.
“Hasbro gave me the bible of ‘Transformers’, this Tolkien-length history –– so much to play with, a huge sandbox –– I wanted the feeling of what it was like to play with the toys as a kid, that feeling of nostalgia and joy trying to make these things work.”
When will ‘Transformers One’ be in theaters?
‘Transformers One’ will be released on September 20th.
(L to R) Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Hemsworth, director Josh Cooley and Bryan Tyree Henry at the Comic-Con 2022 ‘Transformers One’ presentation. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Transformers’ Franchise:
Based on Roald Dahl’s most beloved character, Willy Wonka, the prequel focuses on a young, bright-eyed inventor who sets out to become the world’s greatest chocolate-maker in ‘Wonka’. A colorful and vibrant musical, this movie serves as an origin story for Willy Wonka and his dream of becoming a world-famous chocolatier.
The movie premiered on November 28, 2023, in London at the Royal Festival Hall. Originally, ‘Wonka’ was initially scheduled to be released on March 17, 2023, but was pushed back and released on December 15, 2023. It was available in Dolby Cinema and IMAX.
‘Wonka’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. If you missed the movie in theaters, don’t worry. As of January 30, 2024, it is 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.
Fans of physical media are in luck. ‘Wonka’ is now available for pre-order. Prices range from $19.95 for DVD, to $24.95 for Blu-ray, to $29.95 for 4K UHD. If steel book is your thing, Walmart has a limited edition available for pre-order. Special features on the DVD/blu-ray include featurettes such as:
Unwrapping Wonka: Paul King’s Vision
The Whimsical Music of Wonka
Welcome to Wonka Land
Hats Off To Wonka
Wonka’s Chocolatier
The official release date for the home release is February 27, 2024.
Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka in ‘Wonka.’ Photo by Eric Charbonneau.
Timothee Chalamet is no stranger to leading roles in mega-blockbuster movies such as Denis Villenue’s ‘Dune: Part Two’. However, riding Sandworms and leading the Fremen in a battle against the vicious Harkonnen has nothing on his preparation for ‘Wonka’. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor says the role was the most physically challenging project he’s been a part of, “This was the most physically challenging project I’ve ever done,” Chalamet recalls. The role also required him to sing and dance throughout the movie.
“I can’t say the singing and dancing comes easy. I’ve been around musical theater my whole life, and danced a little bit in high school, but this was on a different level. It’s different doing it on film. You’ve got to keep being in the center of the frame while dancing, you’ve got to rehearse for months, you’ve got to be on for every take—take 12 and all the other takes—and dance with professional dancers, who are icing their ankles. That’s how serious they were taking it. So it was a big challenge.”
‘Wonka’ is scheduled for release in theaters on December 15th.
There are many new characters to meet in ‘Wonka’, like Noodle, Mrs. Scrubbit, the Chocolate Cartel, and more, but there are quite a few elements that fans of ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ will enjoy seeing. For one, Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa. Now, we’re not saying his exact character was in the 1971 film, but to see the familiar green hair and orange face entering the scene dancing to a very recognizable tune had the audience in a frenzy.
Other easter eggs include quotes such as “Scratch that, reverse it!” and, of course, the use of the classic Willy Wonka song “Pure Imagination”
Watch the official trailer for ‘Wonka’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Wonka’ is below:
Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.
(L to R) Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks star in ‘Migration.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks to talk about their work on ‘’Migration,’ their first reaction to Mike White’s script, playing ducks and relating to their characters, Mack and Pam’s relationship, where they would like to travel but have been afraid to, and working with director Benjamin Renner.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Nanjiani and Banks, as well as Awkwafina and Keegan-Michael Key.
Moviefone: To begin with, Kumail, what was your first reaction to Mike White’s script about this overprotective duck dad?
Kumail Nanjiani: I thought it was very funny. I thought it was very exciting. There was a lot of thrilling stuff in it, and I was like, “Oh, I would love to play this duck.” I was the duck; the duck is me. I’m scared of outside. That’s exactly who I am. I am this duck. Just as Elizabeth is Pam, I am Mack.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
MF: Elizabeth, what was your reaction to the screenplay, and could you relate to Pam immediately?
Elizabeth Banks: I felt like Mike White had been listening into my conversations with my children. He loves research and he’s sneaky, so he probably was listening in. (Producer) Chris Meledandri called to offer me Pam. He kind of described it, and I was like, “Oh, yeah. I’m going to get this right away.” I hesitate to say woman, but I will just say I related it to being a woman who is looking to break out, who’s been taking care of everybody, and just wants a sunny day where she doesn’t have to worry about anything like, “Is it so hard to want to put my feet in the warm sand?” She’s looking for support from her family, who she does nothing but support all the time. I really felt like, “Wow, women are going to relate to this.”
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
MF: This is odd to say about two ducks, but Mack and Pam have a very healthy and loving marriage. Can you talk about that?
EB: Well, we talked about how we’re both longtime married people, and we talked about how this movie wasn’t just about the family. It really is about this couple, and reconnecting, and giving compromise and respect. Giving each other the opportunity to show what the other is capable of, and surprise and grow.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
KN: It’s compromise and communication and learning from each other. All that stuff. I mean, two people make something greater than themselves.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
MF: Kumail, Mack is afraid to travel and leave his home. Is there anywhere in the world that you would love to travel, but have been afraid to, for any reason?
KN: Yeah. I don’t want to say the names of those places. I don’t want to upset any tourism boards. But there are a couple of places I can think of right now that I’d love to go to, but I think it’s just a little bit dangerous. I do love traveling. I like going to other places. Emily (V. Gordon) and I do that a lot, we try. We’re lucky enough that we get to do it if we want to, and we try and leave the country twice a year, not for work. So very lucky that we get to do that because I like all kinds of food. That’s the main reason to go anywhere.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
MF: Finally, Elizabeth, can you talk about the recording process and working with director Benjamin Renner?
EB: Well, he’s so detail oriented. I love that, right? It’s like he’s got an idea about something, and he was good at communicating. Then he also remained open if it was like, “Oh, my gosh. That tickled me. I never thought about it that way.” So, I really felt there was a great back and forth in collaboration. He worked so hard on this movie. It’s so beautiful. We really did not see the finished product until the very end. I mean, those details get laid in so late. I’ve seen it three times and I’m going to take all my nephews.
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What is the plot of ‘Migration’?
The Mallard family is in a bit of rut. While dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England Pond forever, mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks) is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax (Caspar Jennings) and duckling daughter Gwen (Tresi Gazal)—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica.
As the Mallards make their way south for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
In theaters on December 22nd, ‘Migration’ is Illumination’s latest family-focused animated adventure which offers up some laughs but feels like it draws on situations we’ve seen in other movies such as ‘The Croods’ and ‘Finding Nemo’.
A likeable voice cast does their best with the material, but ultimately this feels like a lesser offering from the company, one that seems unlikely to spawn a franchise in the way that ‘Despicable Me’s Minions have taken over. But perhaps that’s no bad thing?
Is ‘Migration’ Decent Escapist Entertainment?
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
As the year draws to a close, we suppose close to Christmas is as good a time as any to release a movie where a family decides to escape winter and travel somewhere tropical to enjoy a different locale; after all, plenty of people will be making that choice in the coming days and weeks.
The twist here, of course, is that the family in question are mallard ducks who have lived in the same pond for years, which is just the way the dad of the brood likes it –– he’s fond of terrifying his ducklings with tales of danger lurking beyond their seemingly tranquil home. It’s a worthwhile setup for a family comedy, but it does rather feel like both DreamWorks and Pixar have both gotten their first with the concept of the scared father convinced that death awaits anyone foolhardy enough to step outside of their established boundaries. And of course, the lesson once again is that you need to find the bravery within to put that idea to the test, because perhaps it’ll lead to some fun and family bonding.
There’s not much that’s fresh here, but ‘Migration’ is inoffensive enough –– and may likely appeal to those parents who are sick of the chattering Minions (though they show up in a short film that plays before the movie in theaters).
‘Migration’: Script and Direction
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
Perhaps the most surprising element of the movie is the fact that Mike White –– currently best known for creating the spiky, subversive ‘The White Lotus’ on TV –– is behind the script for the movie. It’s far from his first family-friendly work; after all, he also wrote memorable live-action movies such as ‘School of Rock’. No, we’re surprised because this feels far more sanitized than that movie, as though the screenplay when through a buffing process once it left his hands to remove any interesting rougher edges.
One or two flashes of White’s style still remain, and they give the movie a little bit of extra flair. But for the most part, this is strictly factory standard stuff.
Director Benjamin Renner came up with the original story for the movie, and here he brings it to life alongside co-director Guylo Homsy. They get solid work from the cast and the Illumination animation team has given the movie a decently interesting visual palette, with a watercolor-infused background, some impressively designed buildings when the birds arrive in New York and well-crafted main characters.
(L to R) Kumail Nanjiani and Elizabeth Banks star in ‘Migration.’
A movie such as this lives and dies on the strength of its lead performances, and fortunately ‘Migration’ has some very funny people driving the dynamics. Kumail Nanjiani gives good nervous energy (at least as far as he’s allowed –– his character soon overcomes most of his quibbles, the better to get the plot moving), while Elizabeth Banks is typically spirited as mate Pam.
The kids are mostly called upon to be funny and weird, and both put in good, while Danny DeVito has less do as their uncle, but still makes the most of the role.
In supporting roles, Awkwafina is her usual sassy self as the leader of a group of Big Apple pigeons and carries the jokes with which her character is entrusted (a moment with her being struck by buses works thanks to a combination of well-timed repetition and Awkwafina’s committed voice work) . Keegan-Michael Key, meanwhile, is great as Delroy, the parrot that our heroes meet and ultimately help.
And then there’s Carol Kane, whose typically loopy energy is well served as Erin the heron, who the family isn’t sure whether she wants to help or eat them.
‘Migration’: Final Thoughts
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, ‘Migration.’
If you can overlook the very familiar storyline (and life lessons that are less than subtly conveyed), then ‘Migration’ will certainly serve as a decent option for those after some family film time if the pressure of the holidays becomes too much.
Energetic lead voices, some diverting concepts and well-crafted animation are all in service of something that might have found a little more inspiration, but it’s at least got something to offer.
‘Migration’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Migration’?
The Mallard family is in a bit of rut. While dad Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England Pond forever, mom Pam (Elizabeth Banks) is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax (Caspar Jennings) and duckling daughter Gwen (Tresi Gazal)—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica.
As the Mallards make their way south for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.
This holiday season, Illumination invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration.
