Moviefone Editorial

Tag: Kingsley Ben-Adir

  • ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Exclusive Interview: Ziggy Marley

    jmWObhI2

    Available on digital now, and Blu-ray and 4K beginning May 28th is the musical biopic ‘Bob Marley: One Love’, which was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (‘King Richard’) and chronicles the legendary late singer’s life and career. Kingsley Ben-Adir (‘Barbie’) stars as Bob Marley and Lashana Lynch (‘Captain Marvel’) portrays his wife, Rita.

    Related Article: Kingsley Ben-Adir Talks ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ and Playing an Icon

    Ziggy Marley attend the Los Angeles Premiere of "Bob Marley: One Love" at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024.
    Ziggy Marley attend the Los Angeles Premiere of “Bob Marley: One Love” at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bob’s son, producer Ziggy Marley about his work on ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Marley discussed his father’s legacy, getting the movie made, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch’s performances, being on set, the music and working with director Reinaldo Marcus Green, as well as Ziggy’s voice work in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Producer Ziggy Marley in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Producer Ziggy Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the long road to getting this movie made? Was there a point when you thought it might not happen, and how do you feel about the final film?

    Ziggy Marley: I was okay if it happened and okay if it didn’t happen. So, it’s like I’m going to leave it in the hands of the universe. If it’s supposed to happen, it’s going to happen. So, I’m not thinking at any point in time, we knew it. We spoke within ourselves, the creative team and Kingsley and Lashana, that if at any point we feel like we’re not doing this thing right, we must stop it. We can’t put out something that we don’t feel is the right representation of Bob. So that was the only thing that was always right there. But otherwise, we’re positive people, you know?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about finding Kingsley Ben-Adir to play your father and what did you think of his performance?

    ZM: We looked everywhere. We looked all over. We wanted somebody from Jamaica, obviously that would’ve been the greatest choice, who knows the culture, can talk the dialect properly. So, we’re looking at Jamaica too. But we also needed somebody who can act up to a level of the art of acting. The art of acting is an art. It’s not something where you cannot do it good for the first time. I must practice my art to be good at it. So, the acting ability of Kingsley, I think is what kind of pushed him past anybody else. In his acting ability, what he was able to do is bring an emotional connection to the character of how he was representing it to us. That emotional connection. Some other guy might have looked like Bob more and might have talked like Bob more. Who knows? But the emotional part of it for connecting with people, connecting with me, connecting with you, that’s art. Bob had that art as a human being. So, whoever played him had to also have that art as an actor. I think that’s what we went for, you know?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: What did you think about Lashana Lynch’s performance as your mother, Rita?

    ZM: Lashana is good. She has Jamaican heritage. Her mom is Jamaican. So, she has that connection, and she reminds me of my mother in terms of that she is a queenly woman, and an African queen. It’s not your everyday run-of-the-mill girl. This is a different character of person. So that is powerful. Even before they start acting, who you are as a human being is already a force that we can feel and love. When we spoke to her, we on the same page. Because she knows the culture, she knows it. She met with my mother, and she advocated for a stronger Rita. It was funny, I tell you a secret, right? So, the script was being written by guys. I put in a word here or there, but basically, its men writing the script. Now there is this female character that the men are writing about. So, Lashana and my sister Cedella were like, “Come on. She needs more fire.” I was like, “You’re right.” Because it’s a bunch of men who wrote it. This woman needs a woman’s perspective, a strong woman. We don’t know anything about that. So that was a beautiful moment. That was what was good about the process, is that we all could put input into it. Nobody was like, “It’s my way.” Everybody can put in something into it, you know?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: What was it like for you to be on set and then see your childhood recreated on screen?

    ZM: Listen, the whole thing for me, I have it in perspective. I stay in perspective. But for me it was entertainment. I’m watching a movie being made that’s entertaining to me. I’m seeing how this stuff works. So, for me, I’m a fan of movies and I’m a fan of movie making. So, I had so many different perspectives on it, and I never really get too emotional during the process or to surreal or anything like that. It was enjoyable though. I like the kids that played us too. The children did very well.

    Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio 'Gillie' Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as "Don Kinsey" in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio ‘Gillie’ Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as “Don Kinsey” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about choosing the music for the movie and was there one song of your father’s that you wish could have included but that you just didn’t have time for?

    ZM: I mean there’s some sound that we got in on the credits at the end. Like, “Rasta Man Chant.” Yeah, there’s a lot of stuff that we wish we would have, but during the process, again, we got to follow the truth. If something doesn’t fit, what I learned from it, and this is my first time doing it, or what I got from it while even doing the editing is that after a while the movie or the piece of art is going to tell you what it wants to be. You can try to fight that all you want. You’re going to lose that fight if you don’t follow what the art is telling you. If your intention is to placate to something else other than the art, then you’re doing something else. So, there was so much stuff that we love, and we tried a million times but at the end of the day, the piece of art was saying, “No. Sorry.” So, we must be humble, you know?

    Director Reinaldo Marcus Green and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Director Reinaldo Marcus Green and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: What was it like working with director Reinaldo Marcus Green to tell your family’s story?

    ZM: He made it easy for me because he was open, and he still wants to learn too, as we all should. I’m still learning stuff. Nobody is perfect. We’re still learning. So, Reinaldo also is in his growth process, and that energy is a great energy to create with. Not a process of where something is already locked into a certain set of what it is or who you are, but somebody who is still searching and evolving. That’s how you make good art, really. With that creative energy that is not yet jaded. So that is what’s beautiful about Reinaldo. I watched some of his stuff. I never watched ‘King Richard’ but I watched some of the stuff he did before, some of his short films. I just liked him, and I liked the energy. As a human being, we have a good connection with everybody. The whole cast, the whole crew, with Reinaldo, it was like a family. But yeah, man, Reinaldo is a great man and a great director. I can’t wait to see something else that he does. Looking forward to it.

    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'
    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

    MF: Finally, you made a voice cameo in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” How did that happen?

    ZM: I love Spider-Man, me a Spider-Man fan. So, when them ask me, me going to say, “Yes.” But I’ve been doing voiceover stuff for a while. I did ‘Shark Tale’ and I did some TV stuff too. But when Spider-Man calls, I got to go.

    aa9Ip60x84Rd0gBStF2hi4

    What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Producer Ziggy Marley and Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Producer Ziggy Marley and Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Bob Marley: One Love’:

    Buy Bob Marley Music on Amazon

     

  • ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Interview: Kingsley Ben-Adir

    npy0hV0E

    The new biopic ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ which chronicles the life of the late reggae singer opens in theaters on February 14th. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (‘King Richard’), the movie stars Kingsley Ben-Adir (‘Barbie’) in the title role.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’

    Kingsley Ben-Adir at the 'Bob Marley: One Love' premiere.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir at the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kingsley Ben-Adir about his work on ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ what audience can expect from the new movie, and how he prepared to play the iconic Bob Marley.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video layer above to watch our interviews with Ben-Adir and director Reinaldo Marcus Green.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir stars in 'Bob Marley: One Love.'
    Kingsley Ben-Adir stars in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to audience members getting ready to watch this movie to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir: It’s a movie that’s looking at a specific period of Bob’s life, it starts in 1976. But the journey for me, from the beginning really with Ziggy Marley, with the family, and with Bob’s friends and people who knew him and who loved him, our journey was about trying to tap into a little bit of Bob’s spirit and to find a human side to him. Everyone’s got an idea of who Bob is, but on a personal level, the exploration of trying to understand what he was going through at that time. I feel for the fans or people who don’t know Bob, in the context of this story, to understand him on a personal level is to connect with him on a personal level and is to see the issues that Bob experienced or the struggles that Bob experienced and to feel connected to him. To be like, “Oh, I may have felt that too.” We wanted you to see the human side to him. It’s what was interesting for me in the journey of making the film, but I also think in connecting with audiences emotionally, we have the music for free, people are going to connect with that. But to see him on a journey, a human journey, I hope will have a similar impact, to understand the spirit of Bob a little bit more and to re-engage with the music and the lyrics. When you study Bob’s songs and you understand the full meaning of what he’s saying from the beginning to the end, the power of the music elevates to another level. I had to have an honest conversation with myself and be like, “I didn’t understand everything Bob was saying at the beginning.” I had to really study the language of Jamaican Patois, and I did that with the family and Jamaicans who surrounded the project. It’s an experience where I hope they feel a little closer to Bob maybe.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about your research and preparation for this role and how you approached playing someone as iconic as Bob Marley?

    KBA: It was just an understanding from the beginning that there’s only one Bob. I’m never going to try and pretend to be Bob; I can only really try and access a little bit of his spirit and understand and empathize with what he was going through at that time. It must’ve been a lot. He nearly died. Then he had to go into exile in London and he was there for two years, and he made that album and then he got the diagnosis. There was a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders. From human to human, the tribute to him or the love letter from the family is like, “Dad, we see you. We see that you might have been going through some stuff.” But no one had time to see that because he’s got be the tough gun. Bob was the leader of many people; he employed many people. We wanted to tap into the private side of Bob when the cameras weren’t there, when he’s on his own in his room. What was it like when he’s just writing on his own? We had Neville Garrick with us every day on set, and Neville was also with Bob in London at the time in the room when Bob was writing the album. There was this connection of people who were there at the time with him that were with us.

    aa9Ip60x84Rd0gBStF2hi4

    What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Bob Marley: One Love’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Bob Marley Music on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Opening in theaters on February 14th is the new biopic from director Reinaldo Marcus Green (‘King Richard’) entitled ‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ which chronicles the life of the late reggae singer and stars Kingsley Ben-Adir (‘Barbie’) in the title role.

    Related Article: New Images Online from Upcoming Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley Biopics

    Initial Thoughts

    Bob Marley’s life and legacy comes into vivid scope in director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s captivating ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Actor Kingsley Ben-Adir gives a transcending performance in the title role, and Lashana Lynch is strong and elegant as Marley’s wife, Rita. While the movie does fall into some common biopic traps, and becomes predictable at times, Marley’s compelling story, his vibrant music, and the lead performances elevate the overall film.

    Script and Direction

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Director Reinaldo Marcus Green in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Director Reinaldo Marcus Green in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Written by Terence Winter, Frank E. Flowers, Zach Baylin and director Reinaldo Marcus Green, the movie begins with a brief flashback to Bob Marley’s (Kingsley Ben-Adir) childhood and quickly flash’s forward to the mid-1970s. Jamaica is in political turmoil. Marley is now a superstar and scheduled to perform a concert to bring the country together but has been urged not to attend. After an assassination attempt on Marley that leaves his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch) injured, Bob leaves Jamaica for London where he begins recording the ‘Exodus’ album.

    The distance soon puts a strain on his marriage, while Marley navigates fame and betrayal within his own ranks. He eventually decides to tour Africa, but after he is diagnosed with cancer, and the political climate of Jamaica changes, he instead returns home from his self-imposed exile to unite his country one more time with a live-concert and his iconic music. The film also continues to flashback throughout revealing Marley’s tough childhood, putting together The Wailers, recording his first album, and meeting and falling in love with Rita.

    Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” and Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” and Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    The script wisely focuses on Marley’s final years, and the structure, starting with the subject as a star and flashing back to show how he got there, is very refreshing. It allows the movie to start in first gear rather than revving up to the main story in chronological order. The flashbacks also work well within the context of the movie. But that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t fall into some common musical biopic traps, but more on that in a minute.

    Director Reinaldo Marcus Green, coming off the Oscar-nominated ‘King Richard,’ sets a good pace and tone for the film, which is helped by the strong structure of the screenplay. Green wisely fills the movie with Marley’s music, fitting in all the hits, and even demonstrating how some of the songs were written. The concert scenes are excellently shot and bring Marley’s music vibrantly alive through Ben-Adir’s performance. While those scenes are highlights, equally compelling are the emotional scenes between Bob and Rita, which Green orchestrates well.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley

    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    In the pantheon of actors portraying famous musicians, I’d put Val Kilmer’s performance as Jim Morrison in ‘The Doors’ at the top and Raim Malek’s disgraceful Oscar-winning performance as Freddy Mercury in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at the bottom. On that spectrum, Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Bob Marley is on the high-end, close to Kilmer and right beside Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash in ‘Walk the Line.’

    Ben-Adir completely embodies Marley, becoming almost unrecognizable both in looks and voice. The actor successfully transforms himself into Marley in a very believable way. My big beef with Malek is he was lip-syncing and did not actually sing his own songs. My understanding is Ben-Adir sang live on set, but the final product is augmented with Marley’s actual voice. Be that the case, you can tell that Ben-Adir is giving it his all in the music scenes, moving and jumping with the same energy as the legendary singer himself.

    But the actor also excels at capturing his majesty, his intensity, and his spirituality, especially in the quitter scenes. Ben-Adir brings a lot of emotion to his off-stage scenes, particularly those with Lynch. The chemistry between the two actors is apparent and brings an intensity to Bob and Rita’s relationship. While the actor does have the luxury of bringing with him all the love and respect that we as audience already have for Marley, Ben-Adir doesn’t rest on that and uses it to create a portrait of the real man behind the legend.

    Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” and Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Lashana Lynch is wonderful as Bob’s better half, Rita Marley and gives one of the best performances of her career. The actress is strong and graceful as Rita, who loves her husband but also knows he is meant for a greater purpose. Lynch lights up the screen every scene she is in and is fantastic opposite Ben-Adir. Since Rita was also a member of the Wailers, Lynch is required to sing in the film and is completely believable in the role.

    Biopic Traps and Other Criticisms

    Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio 'Gillie' Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as "Don Kinsey" in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Stefan Wade as “Seeco Patterson”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, Aston Barrett Jr. as “Family Man Barrett”, Tosin Cole as “Tyrone Downie”, Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Hector ‘Roots’ Lewis as “Carly Barrett”, “Antonio ‘Gillie’ Gilbert”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Sheldon Shepherd as “Neville Garrick” and Andrae Simpson as “Don Kinsey” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    As mentioned earlier, the film does fall into some common biopic traps and cliches. After the brief opening flashback, the movie then has about a minute and a half of title cards explaining how Marley became a star and what is happening in Jamaica when the movie begins. Since most audiences already know the basic story of Bob Marley, explaining how he became a star did not seem necessary, especially since it is eventually shown in flashbacks, and the political issues get explained through the course of the movie as well.

    The film also has the traditional montage scene, which seems like a trope that has been played out. In this case, it was used for a concert tour and the recording of ‘Exodus,’ and was just included to show the passing of time while giving exposition needed for the rest of the third act. There seems like a smarter way to do that, but that said, those scenes do work but only because of Marley’s music.

    My final criticism, while it was not as bad as director Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis,’ I did feel like Marley’s story was somewhat sanitized. While they examined his music, political influence, and illness well, they glanced over his infidelities, and the impact that had on Rita and his marriage. There are a few brief references, including that he fathered other children, but it is barely explored.

    Oscar 2025 Chances?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    It’s obviously too early to make predictions on next year’s Oscars, but with two performances as good as Ben-Adir and Lynch’s, in a movie about someone as beloved as Bob Marley, you must wonder why the studio dumped this movie in February. It would make more sense if they took it to festivals this fall and opened it closer to next December for Oscar nominations.

    As good as Ben-Adir and Lynch are, respectively, I fear this movie will be forgotten by the fall. While the film itself and the direction are probably not strong enough for nominations, the screenplay could have had a chance, and certainly Ben-Adir and Lynch would have been in the running, but unfortunately, even though it’s a good movie, it probably won’t be on people’s minds by the end of the year.

    Final Thoughts

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, and Naomi Cowan as “Marcia Griffiths” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley”, Anna-Sharé Blake as “Judy Mowatt”, Lashana Lynch as “Rita Marley”, and Naomi Cowan as “Marcia Griffiths” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    It might not be the best musician biopic of all time, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is a very entertaining and well-made movie that is worthy of the icon it is based on. While not perfect, the screenplay structure is clever, and the concert scenes and Marley’s music makes up for the rest. But its Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch’s transcending performances that really makes the movie rock!

    ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    aa9Ip60x84Rd0gBStF2hi4

    What is the Plot of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcomes adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world.

    Who is in the Cast of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Bob Marley: One Love’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Bob Marley Music on Amazon

    skpEtQJy

  • New Amy Winehouse and Bob Marley Biopic Photos

    Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in 'Back to Black' and Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in 'Bob Marley: One Love.'
    (Left) Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in ‘Back to Black.’ Photo: Studiocanal & Monumental Pictures. (Right) Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Preview:

    • Images from ‘Back to Black’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ have arrived online.
    • The musical biopics chronicle two musical icons.
    • Both films will be out in 2024.

    There has been a definite rise in the number of musical biopics in the last few years, spurred, most likely, by the Oscar-winning success of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. We’ve seen films about singing stars such as Elton John, Whitney Houston and “Weird Al” Yankovic brought to life on screen (that last one, admittedly more of a spoof version of the genre).

    You can add two more to the list via upcoming movies –– Britain’s Amy Winehouse and Reggae icon Bob Marley. Winehouse’s story will be told in ‘Back to Black’ while Marley gets the cinematic treatment in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’.

    cIgTR3RbZu5600Z4Vmh5E6

    What’s the story of ‘Back to Black’?

    Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in 'Back to Black.'
    Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in ‘Back to Black.’ Photo: Studiocanal & Monumental Pictures.

    Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (who has form with musical folk via John Lennon film ‘Nowhere Boy’, the movie stars Marisa Abela as Winehouse, who was widely considered one of the greatest artists in recent history, selling more than 30 million records worldwide, and today generating more than 80 million streams per month.

    Her acclaimed 2006 album “Back to Black”, propelled her to global stardom, going on to win a (at the time) record breaking 5 Grammy Awards, including Record Of The Year and Song of The Year for hit single “Rehab”. She got her start on the North London jazz circuit and rose to become a musical superstar. She tragically died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27.

    The movie will focus on Amy’s extraordinary genius, creativity and honesty that infused everything she did. A journey that took her from the craziness and color of 90’s Camden High Street to global adoration.

    Who else is in ‘Back to Black’?

    The cast also includes Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville.

    Related Article: ‘Back to Black’: Amy Winehouse Biopic Casts Marisa Abela

    Sam Taylor-Johnson talks ‘Back to Black’

    Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 'Back To Black.'
    Marisa Abela stars as Amy Winehouse in director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s ‘Back To Black.’

    Here’s what the director said when the movie was first announced:

    “My connection to Amy began when I left college and was hanging out in the creatively diverse London borough of Camden. I got a job at the legendary KOKO club, and I can still breathe every market stall, vintage shop, and street,” she says in a statement. “A few years later Amy wrote her searingly honest songs whilst living in Camden. Like with me, it became part of her DNA. I first saw her perform at a talent show at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho and it was immediately obvious she wasn’t just ‘talent’… She was genius. As a filmmaker you can’t really ask for more. I feel excited and humbled to have this opportunity to realise Amy’s beautifully unique and tragic story to cinema accompanied by the most important part of her legacy – her music. I am fully aware of the responsibility, with my writing collaborator––Matt Greenhalgh––I will create a movie that we will all love and cherish forever. Just like we do Amy.”

    When will ‘Back to Black’ be in theaters?

    ‘Back to Black’ has yet to confirm a domestic release date, but it starts rolling out in the UK and other international locations on April 12th, 2024.

    aa9Ip60x84Rd0gBStF2hi4

    What’s the story of ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in 'Bob Marley: One Love' from Paramount Pictures.
    Kinglsey Ben-Adir as “Bob Marley” in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ from Paramount Pictures.

    Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who most recently made ‘King Richard’, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity.

    We’ll discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.

    Who appears in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’?

    'Bob Marley: One Love' is scheduled to be released in theaters on January, 12th 2024.
    ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is scheduled to be released in theaters on January, 12th 2024.

    The movie stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Marley, with Lashana Lynch as his wife, Rita. The cast also includes James Norton, Tosin Cole, Umi Myers, Anthony Welsh, Nia Ashi, Aston Barrett Jr., Anna-Sharé Blake, Naomi Cowan and Michael Gandolfini.

    Reinaldo Marcus Green on why he chose to make ‘Bob Marley: One Love’

    Musician Bob Marley from the 2012 documentary 'Marley.'
    Musician Bob Marley from the 2012 documentary ‘Marley.’

    The director told Empire that he knows the film is a big responsibility:

    “I’ve always loved Bob, his music was playing in my household growing up was thinking, how serendipitous. Somehow it felt like it was written for me; Bob Marley lived at 42 Oakley Street in London and 42 is my favourite number. There were all these weird signs calling me to this film. And I think what Bob sang for, his message of unity and peace and love are the things I believe in as a human being. I’m sure they’ve been trying to make a Marley move for years and it’s never happened and somehow it’s falling on my doorstep. I just thought, ‘yeah it’s a gigantic risk because Bob is so beloved and an icon, a fascinating character and he has a cult following so you don’t mess with Bob, you can’t get him wrong.’”

    A trailer for ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ is now online.

    skpEtQJy

    When will ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ land in theaters?

    The Marley movie will be on screens on February 14th.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in 'Bob Marley: One Love.'
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in ‘Bob Marley: One Love.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Back to Black’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love’:

    Buy Amy Winehouse Music on Amazon

    Buy Bob Marley Music on Amazon

  • Where To Watch Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ Movie

    Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ took the box office by storm, and as the audience showed up at the movie theaters all dolled up in pink, ‘Barbie’ quickly became this summer’s movie phenomenon.

    4OzXLSHaYzgwPmGZqkJNI5

    Based on the iconic doll, ‘Barbie’ takes us into Barbie Land, where we meet Margot Robbie’s Sterotypical Barbie as she begins to experience things out of her normal routine – cold showers, sour milk, thoughts of mortality, and the worst of all, flat feet. With Ken (Ryan Gosling) tagging along, Barbie sets off to seek out the answers by traveling to the real world. She soon realizes things in the real world are quite the opposite of everything she knows.

    Directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, the clever story and incredible visuals made ‘Barbie’ the talk of the town. The movie is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 88% critics score and 83% audience score. Due to it sharing an opening date with Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, movie fans took the opportunity and turned the dual release into a double-feature event, therefore kicking off the endless waves of “Barbenheimer” memes.

    The official synopsis for ‘’Barbie” is below:

    “To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Or you have a full-on existential crisis. Unless you’re a Ken.”

    Who Is In The Cast of ‘Barbie’?

    Margot Robbie as Barbie,Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Michael Cera as Allan, Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha and America Ferrera FERRERA as Gloria in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Margot Robbie as Barbie,Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Michael Cera as Allan, Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha and America Ferrera FERRERA as Gloria in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Box Office For ‘Barbie’

    Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    ‘Barbie’ is officially the highest grossing film of 2023, having just crossed $1.3 billion globally. Opening to $162 million, the Margot Robbie-led film has earned $612 million domestically. Already an icon for many, ‘Barbie’ quickly became a social media sensation, with fans posting everything from their movie-going outfits to their Barbie collections. The film is filled with references to many Barbies and Ken dolls from various decades, sending audiences down nostalgia lane.

    On the surface, ‘Barbie’ may seem like a fun adventure, much like ‘The Lego Movie’. However, the film has a deeper message and touches on the pressure of expectations, insecurities, and most importantly, what it means to be human.

    Related Article: ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Debuts At Record-Setting Box Office Numbers

    Where Can I Watch ‘Barbie’?

    Ana Cruz Kayne as Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Hari Nef as Barbie and Emma Mackey as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ana Cruz Kayne as Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Barbie, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Hari Nef as Barbie and Emma Mackey as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Barbie’ premiere on July 9, 2023 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was released domestically on July 21, 2023. Currently, it is still playing in some theaters, but as the movie has been in theaters for around 45 days, its theatrical window will soon come to an end. If you want to experience ‘Barbie’ on the big screen, be sure to do it soon.

    Buy Tickets: ‘Barbie’ Movie Showtimes

    The movie arrived on digital September 5 for purchase on platforms such as Prime Video, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, YouTube, and more for $29.99.
    ‘Barbie’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 56 minutes.

    Buy ‘Barbie’ on Amazon

    Watch the official trailers for ‘Barbie’ below:

    Y1EfkpdP

    Although ‘Barbie’ is leaving the theaters, Warner Bros Pictures has teamed up with IMAX to give fans a limited one-week run of ‘Barbie’ starting September 22nd. As a special treat for the IMAX audience, a special greeting from director Greta Gerwig will play ahead of the film. There will also be exclusive post-credit footage playing after the film, specially selected by Gerwig herself.

    Greta Gerwig attends the 'Barbie' Press Tour, Sydney Australia 2023.
    Greta Gerwig attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Tour, Sydney Australia 2023. Photography by Caroline McCredie for Warner Bros/NBC Universal. Contact: jade.perry@nbcuni.com.

    In regards to the special IMAX release, Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, said:

    “We really wanted to super-serve all the fans out there who made this the Summer of ‘Barbie’ in every way imaginable, and we couldn’t think of a better way than to serve up the biggest film of 2023 and the biggest Warner Bros. film of all time on the biggest, most experiential screens around. Thanks to our terrific partners at IMAX and our incredible director, Greta Gerwig, we went a step further and are offering audiences an added incentive with this special post-credits footage. We encourage moviegoers everywhere, whether they’ve seen ‘Barbie’ or not, to see it in IMAX for a can’t-miss moment in film history.”

    No word yet when ‘Barbie’ will make its way to streaming, but when it does, it is likely to end up on Max as the film is distributed by Warner Bros/Discovery.

    Where to Watch: ‘Barbie’ Online

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (Center) Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Barbie:’

    Please click on the video player below to watch Moviefone‘s exclusive interview with ‘Barbie’ director Greta Gerwig.

    IMOvY4MY

     

     

  • Could Cillian Murphy Star as “Ken” in the ‘Barbie’ Sequel?

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    The haggard face of J. Robert Oppenheimer, taking a long draw on a cigarette, has already locked down a resounding victory in the great meme sweepstakes of Summer 2023, serving as downbeat, black-and-white counterpoint to the beaming radiance and saturated pink hues of ‘Barbie.’ But could ‘Oppenheimer‘ star Cillian Murphy actually pop up as Ken in a ‘Barbie’ sequel? Sure, according to the Irish actor himself.

    With opening weekend in the rearview mirror, the double feature of “Barbenheimer” — half grassroots campaign, half savvy contrivance — has proven to be a huge success, the rising tide of interwoven promotional campaigns for two very different films clearly lifting the commercial fortunes of each. Universal’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ from filmmaker Christopher Nolan, grossed $82 million domestically and around $174 million across the globe. Meanwhile, ‘Barbie,’ distributed by Warner Bros., raked in an astounding $162 million within the United States and $337 million worldwide.

    1tOJVQRXmFcGn2lZ7Th6l7

    Nolan’s film, needless to say, doesn’t particularly lend itself to the notion of sequels. But as part of a lucrative deal with toy manufacturer Mattel, Warner Bros. surely has visions of a healthy, long-lasting ‘Barbie’ franchise.

    There would be many different ways to spin things for a sequel, starting with whether director Greta Gerwig (and cowriter and real-life partner Noah Baumbach) wanted to stay involved. But one possibility that has gotten a good bit of traction — with a certain amount of encouragement and trial-balloon-floating from Warner Bros., one feels — is the idea of a spinoff focusing on Ken. Or, more accurately, Kens, plural.

    4OzXLSHaYzgwPmGZqkJNI5

    Where Would “Science Ken” Fit in a Shared Barbie Universe?

    Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Kinsley Ben-Adir, Ryan Gosling as Ken, and Ncuti Gatwa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    In Gerwig’s film, Ryan Gosling stars as “Beach Ken” opposite Margot Robbie, who portrays the “stereotypical version” of the title character. Different variants of Ken are also portrayed by Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa and, yes, even John Cena. In praising not only Gosling’s performance but especially a choreographed dance number featuring the Kens, critics have noted some seemingly unique avenues of narrative opportunity.

    During a recent conversation with Omelete, Murphy was asked if he would be open to starring as a Ken in a potential ‘Barbie’ sequel. “Would I play a Ken in Barbie 2? Sure, yeah — let’s read the script, let’s have a conversation,” said Murphy with a smile.

    Murphy’s answer may, on the face of it, seem surprising to fans of the actor, best known for a variety of intense and smoldering characters, from ‘28 Days Later‘ and ‘Red Eye‘ to ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley‘ and ‘Peaky Blinders’ — as well as his five previous collaborations with Nolan, including Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in the director’s ‘Dark Knight‘ trilogy.

    Related Article: ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Debuts At Record-Setting Box Office Numbers

    Cillian Murphy’s “Kenergy” Is On Hold… For Now

    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in 'Oppenheimer,' written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.
    Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

    Still, those gleefully rubbing their palms together in anticipation of seeing Murphy get to flex his under-showcased comedic chops (and maybe even decked out in rollerblades and garish, neon-print fashion) shouldn’t commence with fan art just yet. Step one on the path toward his potential participation is finding the time to actually catch ‘Barbie.’

    “I can’t wait to see it — I can’t wait to see the movie,” said Murphy, acknowledging that he’s been a bit busy with his own promotional duties on behalf of ‘Oppenheimer.’ “I think it’s great for cinema to get all these great movies happening this summer.”

    Who knows — with a little luck, Murphy may, a couple summers hence, finally find himself on the smiling side of a meme.

    Simu Liu in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (Center) Simu Liu in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Barbie:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Barbie’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Greta Gerwig Movies on Amazon

    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of 'Oppenheimer.'
    Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’

    Other Christopher Nolan Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Oppenheimer’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Christopher Nolan Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Barbie’

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Barbie,’ which is based on the famous Mattel doll and was co-written by Oscar nominees Greta Gerwig (‘Lady Bird’) and Noah Baumbach (‘Marriage Story’), and directed by Gerwig, opens in theaters on July 21st.

    What is the plot of ‘Barbie’?

    After being expelled from the utopian Barbie Land for being less-than-perfect dolls, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) go on a journey of self-discovery to the real world.

    4OzXLSHaYzgwPmGZqkJNI5

    Who is in the cast of ‘Barbie’?

    Y1EfkpdP

    Initial Thoughts

    ‘Barbie’ is a surprisingly subversive, entertaining, and hilarious movie that was beautifully shot by director Greta Gerwig. The filmmaker sets a strong tone and Barbie Land is a fully formed universe, however the movie loses a little magic when the characters briefly travel to the “Real World.” Margot Robbie delivers a funny and very emotional performance as Barbie, but it is Ryan Gosling that steals the movie as Ken, delivering a hilarious and also musical over-the-top performance.

    Story and Direction

    Director/Writer Greta Gerwig attends the 'Barbie' Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
    Director/Writer Greta Gerwig attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.

    The story is fairly simple and begins by introducing us to the colorful and delightful Barbie Land and all of the Barbies and Kens that live within it. We soon meet “Stereotypical Barbie,” (that’s actually what she is referred to in the movie), played by Margot Robbie. Barbie lives a perfect life among the other Barbies, which include President Barbie (Issa Rae), Physicist Barbie (Emma Mackey), Journalist Barbie (Ritu Arya), and even Mermaid Barbie (Dua Lipa), until one day she realizes her life is not as perfect as she thinks. This begins an existential crisis for the character that leads her to Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), who explains that she must travel to the “Real World,” to find the human who is “playing with her.”

    As Barbie journeys to the real world, she discovers that Ken (Ryan Gosling) has tagged along as his world revolves around Barbie and he would not know what to do without her. But once they arrive, Ken discovers the antiquated idea that men are superior to women. No longer wanting to live in Barbie’s shadow, Ken quickly returns to Barbie Land, suppresses the other Barbies and leads the other Kens to a misogynistic revolution.

    Meanwhile, Barbie discovers her owner, a teenager named Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) who has lost interest in dolls and no longer believes in Barbie’s ideals. Her mother, Gloria (America Ferrera), just happens to work for the CEO of Mattel (Will Ferrell), who is fully aware that something is wrong in Barbie Land as it is causing sales of the toys to go down. Now, it is up to Barbie, Gloria and Sasha to return to Barbie Land, liberate the other Barbies, and put an end to Ken’s evil reign.

    Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach is quite clever and sets the right tone for a fun summer movie that also tackles a lot of important subjects like female empowerment and toxic masculinity with grace and humor. The film is also not afraid of making fun of itself and the absurdity of a ‘Barbie’ movie, while also taking on the criticisms that Mattel and the doll line have faced over the years and making the case of why Barbie is a good role model for girls. Kudos to Mattel for having the smarts to hire Gerwig and Baumbach (two excellent filmmakers) in the first place and then having the guts to let them make the movie they wanted to make.

    Gerwig began her career as an actress in films like ‘Greenberg,’ ‘The House of the Devil’ and ‘Arthur’ but wrote 2012’s ‘Frances Ha,’ which she also starred in. She made her directorial with ‘Lady Bird,’ which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Director, and followed it with ‘Little Women,’ which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. ‘Barbie’ is a big leap for her from Academy Award nominated movies to summer blockbusters, but the director does it with ease, crafting a completely enjoyable popcorn film, that also makes you think. Gerwig’s independent film background also serves her well as she fills the movies with odd inspirations, from a reference to ‘The Red Shoes’ to the choice of using a particular Indigo Girls song ad nauseum.

    Related Article: Director Greta Gerwig Talks ‘Barbie’

    Margot Robbie as Barbie

    Margot Robbie as Barbie
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jaap Buitendijk. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.

    It has long been rumored that comedian Amy Schumer was originally tapped to play the title role in ‘Barbie,’ and while I understand what they would have been going for with a “Not Perfect Barbie,” I actually think that message gets across better by casting Margot Robbie in the lead role. Aesthetically she looks perfect, which is why she is called “Stereotypical Barbie,” but Robbie is also an incredible actress, which allows her to chip away at the character’s perfectness and show you who she really is, which is strong and vulnerable at the same time, her greatest strength. Robbie’s performance gets to the heart of the character, and the theme of the movie, which is that every women can be whatever she wants and is in charge of her own destiny. ‘Barbie’ gives Robbie her first chance at leading a blockbuster movie without playing Harley Quinn, and the actress proves that she has a lot of range and is now a big time movie star in her own right too.

    Ryan Gosling as Ken

    Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    While Robbie’s Barbie is definitely the focal point of the film and carries the movie well, she also allows her co-star Ryan Gosling to steal every scene he’s in. Best known for his cool-as-ice public persona and appearing in action dramas like ‘Drive’ or ‘The Gray Man,’ Gosling really gets to use his comedic chops in this film and takes advantage of every opportunity he has to poke fun at the character, while never becoming a cliché. Though his actions are misguided, Gosling reveals his characters’ vulnerability and low self-esteem, which allows the audience to sympathize with the character. Make no mistakes, Ken is the villain of the movie, which is delightful in itself, but Gosling is still likable as the character despite his despicable actions.

    It should also be noted that ‘Barbie’ is partially a musical, and with his dancing background in films like ‘La La Land,’ and of course his history with the ‘Mickey Mouse Club,’ the actor knocks it out of the park in his dance scenes and especially his MTV video like sequence where he sings the opus “Just Ken.” Once Ken “goes bad,” Gosling’s transformation from an innocent lovesick puppy dog to a misogynistic 90’s boyband reject was absolutely brilliant and brings some of the movie’s best laughs. Gosling and Robbie are great together on screen, and clearly understood the tone Gerwig was going for.

    Other Characters

    Margot Robbie as Barbie and Kate McKinnon as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Margot Robbie as Barbie and Kate McKinnon as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    There are so many well-known actors and actress playing different versions of Barbie and Ken that I can’t mention them all, but Issa Rae certainly stood out as President Barbie, as did Kate McKinnon playing Weird Barbie, the doll your older brother got a hold of and put through a woodchipper. Emma Mackey, who is often confused with Robbie in real life, was cleverly cast as Physicist Barbie, and musician Dula Lipa also stands out in a cameo as Mermaid Barbie opposite John Cena’s Mermaid Ken. Two MCU alumni, ‘Secret Invasion’s Kingsley Ben-Adir and ‘Shang-Chi’s Simu Liu also play Kens, but neither are given anything significant to do. While many may not remember, the Mattel line of dolls did introduce two other less popular characters, Allan and Midge, who are played well comedically by Michael Cera and Emerald Fennell, respectively.

    Outside of the Barbie Land characters, America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt are both great as Gloria and Sasha, respectively, and their mother/daughter relationship really helps to bring home the message of the movie. Helen Mirren plays the narrator and I can’t think of an actress with more gravitas to voice the role. The script also allows her to add her own funny commentary, including mentioning that Barbie’s eloquent monologue about the pressures of being beautiful would have more weight if not delivered by an actress as aesthetically pleasing as Robbie.

    Issa Rae as Barbie, Scott Evans as Ken, Simu Liu as Ken, Emma Mackey as Barbie and Ncuti Gatwa as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
    (L to R) Issa Rae as Barbie, Scott Evans as Ken, Simu Liu as Ken, Emma Mackey as Barbie and Ncuti Gatwa as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    However, there were a few “real world” characters that didn’t quite work. Look, it’s always nice to see legendary ‘Cheers’ actress Rhea Pearlman on screen, but she plays the ghost of Barbie creator Ruth Handler, who unexplainably lives on the 7th floor of Mattel’s corporate headquarters. While the actress gives a nice monologue that ties the themes of the movie together at the conclusion, it didn’t seem entirely necessary. The film already asks us to except the idea that Barbie Land and the dolls are real, so trying to also except that ghosts and the afterlife exist seemed a step too far for me.

    I also have to question the casting of Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel, as it is basically the same character he played in ‘The Lego Movie,’ which uses a similar storytelling device with the idea that the toys are real and what they do in their world affects ours. Maybe Gerwig was going for a meta-joke with his casting, or perhaps she just wanted to work with Ferrell, who is perfectly fine in the role, but I couldn’t help thinking of the comparisons to ‘The Lego Movie’ and Ferrell’s inclusion took me out of the movie in some moments.

    The Real World is No Fun

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Which leads to my next point, the “real world” scenes are definitely the low point of the film. Once Barbie and Ken journey to the real world, which is about 30 minutes into the movie, I was worried that the rest of the film would take place there and it would become a “fish out of water” story with Barbie not understanding human concepts like money, or being sexually objectified by men. Unfortunately, those stale jokes are used, but luckily the characters do not stay in the real world for long and the third act takes place back in Barbie Land. I do understand why the characters needed to go to the “real world,” plot wise Ken needed to discover misogyny in order to bring it back to Barbie Land, and while some scenes work, like Ken’s altercation with a female doctor, it’s not the high point of the film and you are grateful when they do return to Barbie Land.

    Barbie Land

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,'
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

    The major set piece of the movie is Barbie Land and it comes to life beautifully with eye-popping color and a magical tone. Set designer Sarah Greenwood and decorator Katie Spencer did marvelous work creating a realistic yet magical world and I wouldn’t be surprised if they are rewarded for their work come awards season. Their design for Ken’s Barbie Land is also unique and fabulous, with stallions and heavy metal featured throughout. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran will also likely be on a shortlist come Oscar time with stunning costumes that represent many of Barbie’s iconic looks. But again, the fun is when Ken transforms and his costumes look like a cross between Sylvester Stallone in the 80s and ‘N Sync.

    Is ‘Barbie’ a Kid’s Movie?

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie.'
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.

    No, is the short answer. With a PG-13 rating, some material may be inappropriate for pre-teenagers, and while they might enjoy the humor, musical numbers, and colorful characters and sets, some of the film’s political and pop culture messages will get lost on a young audience, but its message of love and equality will shine through, even if it is subliminally.

    Final Thoughts

    Director Greta Gerwig has done the impossible … delivered a ‘Barbie’ movie that is an entertaining summer blockbuster, while also being socially important and containing thoughtful, emotional and funny performances. Margot Robbie earns her movie star status producing and starring in this well-made summer tentpole, while Ryan Gosling proves he’s just as funny as he is cool with his hilarious over-the-top performance.

    ‘Barbie’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken, Ryan Gosling as Ken, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Simu Liu as Ken, Ncuti Gatwa as Ken and Scott Evans as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken, Ryan Gosling as Ken, Margot Robbie as Barbie, Simu Liu as Ken, Ncuti Gatwa as Ken and Scott Evans as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Barbie:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Barbie’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Margot Robbie Movies on Amazon

    ‘Barbie’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Heyday Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, and Mattel Films. It is set to release in theaters on July 21st.

     

  • ‘Barbie’ Interview: Director Greta Gerwig

    IMOvY4MY

    Opening in theaters on July 21st is the long-awaited ‘Barbie,’ which is based on the famous Mattel toy and was co-written by Oscar nominees Greta Gerwig (‘Lady Bird’) and Noah Baumbach (‘Marriage Story’), and directed by Gerwig.

    What is the plot of ‘Barbie’?

    After being expelled from the utopian Barbie Land for being less-than-perfect dolls, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) go on a journey of self-discovery to the real world.

    4OzXLSHaYzgwPmGZqkJNI5

    Who is in the cast of ‘Barbie’?

    Margot Robbie (‘Babylon‘), Ryan Gosling (‘The Gray Man‘), America Ferrera (‘End of Watch‘), Rhea Perlman (‘Poms‘), Will Ferrell (‘The Lego Movie‘), Kate McKinnon (‘Bombshell‘), Issa Rae (‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘), Hari Nef (‘Meet Cute‘), Alexandra Shipp (‘X-Men: Apocalypse‘), Emma Mackey (‘Death on the Nile‘), Sharon Rooney (‘Dumbo‘), Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan (‘Bridgerton’), Ana Cruz Kayne (‘Little Women‘), Ritu Arya (‘Polite Society‘), Kingsley Ben-Adir (‘Secret Invasion‘), Simu Liu (‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘), Scott Evans (‘Almost Love‘), Ncuti Gatwa (‘The Last Letter from Your Lover‘), John Cena (‘Fast X‘), Helen Mirren (‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods‘), Emerald Fennell (‘The Danish Girl‘), Michael Cera (‘Superbad‘), and Ariana Greenblatt (‘65‘).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with co-writer and director Greta Gerwig to talk about her work on ‘Barbie,’ why she wanted to direct the movie, working with actress and producer Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling’s hilarious performance as Ken.

    'Barbie' co-writer and director Greta Gerwig.
    ‘Barbie’ co-writer and director Greta Gerwig.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch it.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to idea of a Barbie movie, and once you agreed to be a part of the project, what tone and direction did you want to take the film in?

    Greta Gerwig: I had been wanting to work with Margot Robbie and she had the rights and was setting it up with her company at Warner Bros. She came to me and said, “Would you like to write this movie?” I jumped at the chance because it was her, and I was like, “Yes, I would love to.” I was also terrified of it because I was not even sure where to start with a Barbie movie. I think there was something about it that seemed like such a tricky problem to solve that it felt a bit of a puzzle. What’s the vantage point? How do we get into this? Then once Noah and I had written the script together and we had the script, that’s when I thought, “Oh, I love this and I don’t want anyone to direct it but me.” So then I said, “I have to direct it,” and they thank goodness, let me.

    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: What was it like working with Margot Robbie and why was she the right actress to play this specific version of Barbie?

    GG: I mean, Margot’s a dream as a producer, and as an actor, she’s everything. I mean, she can do anything you want 10 times over, backwards in heels. She’s just an extraordinary actress. I always knew it was going to be hers so when we were writing it, I knew it was going to be hers. So that was always in my mind, but I think that as we worked on it, as we started doing rehearsals and started reading, it just changed and got deeper and more dimensional because I started to know her really well as a person, as an actor, and it was something that evolved alongside her.

    Related Article: Greta Gerwig Directing ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ Movie

    Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Barbie,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ryan Gosling as Ken and Margot Robbie as Barbie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Barbie,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken and the direction you wanted to take that character?

    GG: I mean, Ryan is jaw-dropping. He’s incredible in this movie. It’s the same thing I like about Margot is that Ryan is incredibly funny, but he never does it in a way that’s making fun of the character, it’s always inside the character. He takes it very seriously, which is why it’s so funny. I actually also wrote it for him, which I can’t believe still that he said yes because I didn’t know him. He wasn’t sure at first, and then I waited him out and he finally was like, “Oh, they’re not going to leave, they’re still here,” which was me and Margot. We just wouldn’t let him not do it. Yeah, and what he brought to it was just he committed beyond any way I would ever imagine in my wildest dreams he would commit. We texted about it and talked about it for a year before we started shooting. We came up with the idea of his Flo Jo dojo mink. But we were texting back and forth pictures of like, we both love Sylvester Stallone and we were like, “What about this look? What about that look?” Then there’s like a pair of glasses he wears in the movie when he puts on the second pair of glasses that were based on the glasses that the ballet director from ‘The Red Shoes’ wears. So they are these cat eye glasses and they’re just such wonderful glasses. I mean, we went so detailed with it and it was like references we gathered for so long. I was sort of slightly terrified when he showed up. I was like, “What if he doesn’t want to do any of this?” But he showed up and just committed, bleached his hair, did the whole thing, shaved his legs, and then there we were.

    Director/Writer Greta Gerwig attends the 'Barbie' Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
    Director/Writer Greta Gerwig attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Junket Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo by Eric Charbonneau.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Barbie:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Barbie’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Greta Gerwig Movies on Amazon

    ‘Barbie’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Heyday Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, and Mattel Films. It is set to release in theaters on July 21st.

  • ‘Secret Invasion’ Global Virtual Press Conference

    Cast and crew of Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion' at the red carpet premiere.
    Cast and crew of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion’ at the red carpet premiere.

    ‘Secret Invasion’ is coming soon to Disney+, a series based on the popular comic book storyline where the shape-shifting species the Skrulls invade Earth. This is also the first Marvel TV series in MCU’s Phase Five.

    The official synopsis for ‘Secret Invasion’ is:

    “In Secret Invasion, set in the present-day MCU, Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross, Maria Hill, and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth.”

    The series is directed by Ali Selim, who directed all six episodes. ‘Secret Invasion’ will premiere on Disney+ on June 21st, 2023.

    k75V9WfY

    ‘Secret Invasion’ stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, Emilia Clarke as G’iah, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth, and Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the global virtual press conference for ‘Secret Invasion’. Talent and filmmakers in attendance were Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, producer Jonathan Schwartz, director Ali Selim, Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, and Don Cheadle.

    Here are 10 things we learned from the ‘Secret Invasion’ virtual press conference:

    1. Where does ‘Secret Invasion’ take place in the MCU timeline?

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    Producer Jonathan Schwartz elaborated on how the show fits into MCU’s phase 5 and where it lands in the MCU timeline.

    Jonathan Schwartz: It is present day MCU, that’s what we’re calling it. It exists basically along that timeline, along the timeline that the show’s coming out in. Post ‘She-Hulk’, post Blip, right at this exact present day in the MCU. I think that’s all I can say.

    2. How the Idea for the ‘Secret Invasion’ Series Came About And How It Differs From The Comics

    Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and director Ali Selim at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    (L to R) Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and director Ali Selim at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Kevin Feige recounts the first time he visited the idea of taking the ‘Secret Invasion’ storyline and turning it into a series.

    Kevin Feige: I think if you really go back, it did start on ‘Captain Marvel’, even if it wasn’t a ‘Secret Invasion’ idea yet. I think it was the idea that there was more to do with this relationship and with these two characters, with Nick and with Talos. Then the Disney+ doors opened up, and we got the opportunity to play in more genres and expand the sandbox of what we can do. That made ‘Secret Invasion’ by itself a story that had great source material behind it and was a comic event that a lot of people knew and responded to, and was a very cool genre specifically for these two characters. I think that’s what really brought the show to life.

    He also touches on how the series will differ from the comic book.

    Kevin Feige: We knew we weren’t going to have every character in the Marvel Universe the way it is in the comics. It really was to focus on Sam Jackson and really to focus on this ensemble that you see here today in that, as we said, political thriller aspect to it. We had an amazing group of writers and our amazing director who helped to shepherd it all.

    As for which upcoming MCU projects ‘Secret Invasion’ will lead into such as ‘Armor Wars’ or ‘The Marvels’:

    Kevin Feige: You’ve named some of them. Yes. I mean, the repercussions will be felt in coming projects.

    3. What inspired them to make ‘Secret Invasion’ as a darker, grittier spy-thriller show?

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Kevin Feige: Jonathan came into my office a number of years ago, when we were thinking about what kinds of shows to do on Disney+, and he came in with this idea of translating the great ‘Secret Invasion’ storyline from the comics into a darker, grittier spy show, which we hadn’t done. We love to do different genres for everything. This was an attempt to really dive back into things we touched upon in ‘Winter Soldier’, but hadn’t in a while. Really delving into the tone of a spy show and seeing a very different dynamic between Fury and Talos than we had seen in our 90s buddy action movie, ‘Captain Marvel.’

    4. The Current State Of Nick Fury In ‘Secret Invasion’

    Samuel L. Jackson at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    Samuel L. Jackson at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Nick Fury has been involved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the beginning – from ‘Iron Man’ in 2008. Fury has been through thick and thin with the Avengers and Thanos’ snap. Samuel L. Jackson talks about where his character is in this series.

    Samuel L. Jackson: This is my second appearance post-snap, and he’s been gone for a while. He is a little tired, a little vulnerable, but he’s coming back to Earth because he’s been summoned, and we’ll see what happens. He’s got a bad knee now, and he’s not so happy.

    Through the series, the audience will get the chance to learn more about Nicky Fury, the actor mentions that the more we find out about him, the more we’ll like him.

    Samuel L. Jackson: We get new information. We go to his house. You got to watch to find out if I live in a condo or a real house, and see if I have a yard. That stuff. What furniture does Nick Fury have? Does he have an island in his kitchen? Can he cook?

    5. What is Rhodey’s relationship like with Nick Fury in the series?

    Don Cheadle as James 'Rhodey' Rhodes in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Don Cheadle as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    James “Rhodey” Rhodes (played by Don Cheadle) will appear in the series. The actor talks about what Rhodey has been up to and his relationship with Nick Fury.

    Don Cheadle: I think we’re just finding out what’s happening with Rhodey as this series goes on. He’s in a different role. We see him as more of a political animal than we have in the past. He’s been more of the military man, but now he’s in some ways the right hand of the President and the special envoy in that regard. But I think what I’m looking forward to is just seeing more, getting under the hood of who he is, and seeing how this relationship, not only with Nick Fury but the other cast members evolves. Again, as Ben (Mendelsohn) said, no spoilers, but it’s going to be some fun stuff.

    Samuel L. Jackson chimes in about never having any in-depth scenes with Cheadle until this series.

    Samuel L. Jackson: We’ve been waiting to do this for years and years and years. It was wonderful to do and to have that little abrasive thing happen there. It’s great and nice to know that we have that relationship, or I assumed it was that.

    Don Cheadle: I’ve known Sam for a long time and we’ve spent a lot of time talking about what it would be like to work together, looking for projects to do together. The central relationship between myself and Sam, and this was very important to me, and I was very glad to be brought on. I don’t think it was originally conceived that Rhodey was going to be in this, but when it came to me and Sam called, I was really excited about leaning into it. Also, being in a show like this that’s really a departure from what I have been in as far as the genre goes. It’s really an opportunity to act and really lean into some human stuff, which was also a lot of fun. As Emilia said, as Olivia said, as Kingsley said, as Ben said, this is a great cast. Ali was a great director, a great leader. It was just all upside, and I was very happy to look into who Rhodey is and to probe that more and find out what really makes him tick.

    Related Article: TV Review: ‘Secret Invasion’

    6. Maria Hill returns in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Cobie Smulders reprises her role as agent Maria Hill in the spy-thriller series, and talks about Maria’s relationship with Fury and what it’s like to work with Samuel L. Jackson

    Cobie Smulders: Working with Sam is my favorite thing, it’s true. It was really exciting to come back. But speaking again about strain, I think the relationship is quite strained because she’s been calling, and he hasn’t been answering.

    The actress touches on how Maria Hill was also affected by the Blip and how that affected her state-of-mind.

    Cobie Smulders: I think Maria Hill came back and someone else was sitting in her desk, and immediately kicked them out and got to work. I think there was just a mountain of cases to get to, which is a part of her resentment toward Fury because he was not around.

    Jackson added:

    Samuel L Jackson: Well, yeah, it definitely has a mental health effect on you, and it causes a different rift between you and the people that you’ve been around or people that you’re supposed to be close to. I mean, like I said, I hadn’t been returning her calls. There are a few other people that I hadn’t been calling back either.

    7. Who is Sonya Falsworth?

    Olivia Colman as Special Agent Sonya Falsworth in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Olivia Colman as Special Agent Sonya Falsworth in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Olivia Colman joins the cast of ‘Secret Invasion’ as Sonya Falsworth. The actress talks about being a part of the MCU, who Sonya is, and her dynamic with Nick Fury.

    Olivia Colman: After every Marvel film that landed in cinemas, I phoned my agent and said, “Please, could I be in a Marvel movie.” Finally, either she got fed up of me calling her, or it happened. It wasn’t why ‘Secret Invasion’? ‘Secret Invasion’ called, and without any mention of the word “Marvel” I went, “Yes, please.” That’s why. I had an absolute ball and it lived up to everything that I was hoping for.

    On the dynamic between Sonya and Nick Fury:

    Olivia Colman: I was just so excited to meet Samuel L. Jackson. They have a lovely friendship, although she does quite like to bully you with her heavies. It doesn’t strike me as much of a friendship, but they’ve got history. They trust each other, which I think I’m allowed to say.

    Coleman talks a little more about who Sonya is:

    Olivia Colman: Sonya works for MI6. She likes wearing red and she’s quite funny and she’s potentially a little bit not that nice sometimes.

    Samuel L. Jackson adds:

    Samuel L. Jackson: And possibly the most dangerous woman in the UK. She lives in a dark corner of the UK and nobody can access it.

    8. Emilia Clarke on working with Ben Mendelsohn

    Emilia Clarke as G'iah and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Emilia Clarke as G’iah and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Another newcomer to the MCU is Emilia Clarke, who is no stranger to major franchises and being tight-lipped on spoilers. The actress talks about her experience working with Ben Mendelsohn, given the relationship between the two characters.

    Emilia Clarke: I just love Ben. I love working with Ben. It was so much fun. It was really easy because obviously, we are playing. There’s tension all over the shop, but there is obviously a deep familiarity, shorthand and knowledge of each other that it’s just so easy and free acting with Ben, and it was just gorgeous.

    Mendelsohn remained cryptic on where we find Talos in the series, but he touches on the current mindset of Talos and his relationship with Nick Fury.

    Ben Mendelsohn: We’re finding Talos in a difficult time. It’s a bad time. By the way, (Nick Fury) up there? We could have used him. I’m just saying he’s been away a bit, the mate, you know?

    9. Who is Gravik?

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Rebel Skrull leader Gravik in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Rebel Skrull leader Gravik in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    Played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Gravik is a Skrull and an original character created for the series. The actor talks about exploring this brand-new character.

    Kingsley Ben-Adir: I think we had many conversations for hours at the beginning. I guess like Gravik, I didn’t really trust why anything was coming to me, but he just felt like a part that I hadn’t been approached for before. There was an opportunity to do something a little bit different with this one. I just wanted to make him as unsentimental as possible. There’s something interesting about how much he hates Nick, and that was really enticing.

    10. ‘Secret Invasion’ is not just a superhero story

    Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ben Mendelsohn, Samuel L. Jackson, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Don Cheadle, Cobie Smulders, Dermot Mulroney, and director Ali Selim at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    (L to R) Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ben Mendelsohn, Samuel L. Jackson, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Don Cheadle, Cobie Smulders, Dermot Mulroney, and director Ali Selim at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Director Ali Selim talks about the inspiration for the tone of the show

    Ali Selim: Well, I think it’s a very human show. It’s the Nick Fury story. He’s a human. He does have his own version of superpowers, but they’re not like superhero superpowers. It’s a story about him putting his feet back on the ground once again after some time. I like that because I like human stories that come from the heart, and are human-scaled and reach for a universal appeal rather than the reverse of that. I liked the espionage political thriller element, and we went back to look at ‘The Third Man’ and ‘The Conversation’ and things like that, that are very grounded, real and human. I hope that we brought enough of that to create the tone. Then, without a spoiler alert, I think there is a point in the story where Nick Fury realizes this is his own battle, and he becomes a classic American Western hero. The tone shifted in the later episodes to Nick Fury as John Wayne.

    Director Ali Selim speaks more about how the series delves into human emotions and the personal and inner life of Nick Fury.

    Ali Selim: Well, I think it’s the script which was brilliantly written. I think it’s the fact that it’s the Nick Fury story rather than a superhero story. I think it’s the fact that it really tried to delve into very simple human emotions like trust and suspicion, and the personal life of Nick Fury and the inner life of Nick Fury. It’s very different than people flying through the air.

    Samuel L Jackson: See, but I don’t think it’s just a Nick Fury story because we got all these other interesting people that are flowing around through it. It’s a Gravik story, it’s Emilia’s story, and it’s Olivia’s story. It’s all these people that are being introduced that make you want to say, well, I want to go home with them too and see what’s happening.

    ‘Secret Invasion’ premieres with its first episode on Disney+ on June 21, 2023.

    Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Secret Invasion’:

    Buy MCU Movies On Amazon

     

  • TV Review: ‘Secret Invasion’

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    Premiering on Disney+ beginning June 21st is the new six-episode Marvel series ‘Secret Invasion,’ which is based on the popular comic book storyline of the same name and is the first MCU series of Phase Five.

    What is the plot of ‘Secret Invasion’?

    In Marvel Studios’ new series ‘Secret Invasion,’ set in the present day MCU, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) and the Skrull Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), who has made a life for himself on Earth. Together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.

    k75V9WfY

    Who is in the cast of ‘Secret Invasion’?

    ‘Secret Invasion’ stars Samuel L. Jackson (‘The Avengers’) as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn (‘Captain Marvel‘) as Talos, Cobie Smulders (‘Spider-Man: Far from Home‘) as Maria Hill, Martin Freeman (‘Black Panther‘) as Everett K. Ross, Kingsley Ben-Adir (‘One Night in Miami…’) as Gravik, Dermot Mulroney (‘Scream VI’) as President Ritson, Emilia Clarke (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’) as G’iah, Olivia Colman (‘Empire of Light’) as Sonya Falsworth, and Don Cheadle (‘Iron Man 2‘) as James “Rhodey” Rhodes.

    Initial Thoughts

    In the first two episodes, ‘Secret Invasion’ sets up an interesting character-driven espionage thriller that captures the paranoia of the original comic book storyline. Much like ‘Captain America: Civil War’ the new series is only an adaption in the broadest strokes, using the well-established Marvel Cinematic Universe as a launching-off point for a similar but not exactly identical story. Returning MCU actors Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn lead a strong ensemble cast, which also includes a charming and delightful performance from Oscar-winner Olivia Colman.

    Story and Comic Book Adaption

    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Rebel Skrull leader Gravik in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Kingsley Ben-Adir as Rebel Skrull leader Gravik in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    2008’s ‘Secret Invasion’ was a groundbreaking Marvel Comics crossover event that saw the Marvel heroes fighting a war with the shapeshifting alien race known as the Skrulls, who had systematically over the course of several years secretly invaded Earth by replacing many well-known Marvel characters, including members of The Avengers and the X-Men. The tagline for the series was: “Who do you trust?”

    Marvel studios takes a smaller, yet similar approach with Disney+’s ‘Secret Invasion,’ which is not on as big a scale as the overreaching comic book storyline was. Instead, the series wisely takes only the idea from the comic book and then applies it to what has already been established in the MCU, similar to other Marvel “adaptions” like ‘Civil War.’ The series is more of an espionage thriller like ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier,’ and is surprisingly very character-driven with some of its best moments coming from exploring Nick Fury and Talos’ long friendship as established in ‘Captain Marvel.’

    The series begins with an American spy confronting a well-known MCU character with his theory that the Skrulls that Fury secretly let live on Earth have formed a terrorist organization that has infiltrated the highest ranks in governments across the world and plans to take the planet for their own. After laughing off this possibility, the MCU character is revealed to be a Skrull, and kills the agent. We then cut to Talos (Mendelsohn) who is working with Maria Hill (Smulders), and quickly contact Nick Fury (Jackson) to return to Earth from space, where he has been since the Blip (following the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame’).

    Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Once reunited with Talos and Hill, Fury learns that Talos has been fired from the Skrull council, and that a Skrull named Gravik (Ben-Adir) is the leader of the terrorists, which also includes Talos’ daughter G’iah (Clarke) as a member. Talos learns of where Gravik is planning his next attack, while Fury visits an old ally, high-ranking MI6 agent Sonya Falsworth (Colman), but she is unwilling to work with him and tells Fury to stand down.

    Fury, Talos and Hill try to stop the attack but fail. Fury is blamed internationally instead and soon learns that there are more Skrulls on Earth than he previously believed. Not knowing who to trust, Fury reaches out to James Rhodes (Cheadle), and warns him of the impending invasion, but the US government wants to wash its hands of Fury. Meanwhile, we learn that Fury has a secret of his own, and so does Gravik, who is working on an experiment to make Skrulls stronger.

    Nick Fury and Talos

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Related Article: ‘Secret Invasion’ Trailer finds Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury Ready for War

    The long friendship, as established in ‘Captain Marvel,’ between Fury and Talos is at the heart of the series. In the first two episodes, the series digs deep into their past showing us post-‘Captain Marvel’ moments that better explains the long alliance between Fury and the Skrulls, and the secret betrayals from both sides that have led to this moment. Some of the best moments of the first two episodes are the quitter, character-driven scenes that dive into that relationship and both characters’ pasts.

    Samuel L. Jackson definitely leads the series with his commanding gravitas, and after more than a decade of playing the character in a supporting role, it’s nice to see Jackson and Fury front and center of this story. Make no mistakes, this is Sam Jackson’s series! But Ben Mendelsohn is equally good as Talos, and again, the character is central to the story. He has some wonderful scenes with Jackson, as well as Emilia Clarke as his misguided daughter G’iah, last played by Auden L. Ophuls and Harriet L. Ophuls in ‘Captain Marvel.’ Originally teased as a villain, Talos has become one of my favorite MCU characters, thanks to Mendelsohn’s thoughtful and funny performance.

    Other Retuning MCU Characters

    MCU regulars Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle and Martin Freeman return as Maria Hill, James Rhodes, and Everett K. Ross, respectively, but all have limited roles, at least in the first two episodes. It’s also worth mentioning that the MCU has a new US President, as President Matthew Ellis (William Sadler), last seen in ‘Iron Man 3,’ has been replaced with Dermot Mulroney’s President Ritson.

    New Characters

    Olivia Colman as Special Agent Sonya Falsworth in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Olivia Colman as Special Agent Sonya Falsworth in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    While technically not a new character, Emilia Clarke makes her MCU debut as Talos’ daughter G’iah. Clarke seems fine in the role and has some nice moments with Mendelsohn, but other than running around, is not given a lot to do in the first two episodes, although I expect her role to get bigger throughout the rest of the series. Kingsley Ben-Adir plays Gravik and is certainly menacing in the role, but is a little too one note. Episode two attempts to flesh-out his backstory, and I hope there is more of that in the series and it can humanize the character a bit more so he’s not just evil for evil’s sake. But much like many fans have thought since ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ “Was Thanos right?” The character does make a strong argument for his actions, from his point of view.

    But the breakout new character of the series is definitely Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth. The character is unassuming, quite charming, and extremely dangerous, and Colman plays her with glee. Her interactions with Fury early on cement her place in the new MCU power structure, and tells the audience that she is not to be trusted. Is she a hero? Is she a villain? Is she a Skrull? Who knows? But Coleman is delicious in the role and clearly having fun with the part.

    Who is a Skrull?

    Emilia Clarke as G'iah and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Emilia Clarke as G’iah and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    The short answer is that anyone in the series could be! As previously mentioned, a longstanding MCU character is revealed at the beginning of the series to be a Skrull. However, I do not believe that character has always been a Skrull, like it was in the comics. I think they were just a Skrull in this one appearance, but that could be proven wrong down the line. I don’t think the series will reveal, let’s say, that Tony Stark was always a Skrull, or something like that. But part of the fun of the comic book, and in turn this series, is that it keeps the audience guessing the entire time and raises our feelings of paranoia.

    After two episodes I already have some theories, but honestly, like I said before, anyone could be a Skrull! I thought Rhodey was acting a little suspect when he met with Fury, but then again, Fury is definitely keeping a secret himself. It’s also possible that there is more than one Fury, and that Sam Jackson is not always playing that character in ‘Secret Invasion’ when we see him. Only time will tell if that is true. Other suspects? Definitely President Ritson, my “Spidey-Sense” tells me they would not have cast an actor like Dermot Mulroney in an insignificant role. Also suspect, Sonya Falsworth, she’s hiding something too but that could be a red herring. One of the strengths of the show is that it will keep you invested by keeping you guessing as the series goes on.

    How ‘Secret Invasion’ will Change the MCU?

    Don Cheadle as James 'Rhodey' Rhodes in Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Don Cheadle as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes in Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    Ultimately, it’s hard to say. Unlike its comic book counterpart, the series is not a huge scale crossover event, instead ‘Secret Invasion’ seems like a side-story that is taking place in the shadows. It’s probably setting up a future Marvel project, possibly the next ‘Avengers’ movie, and its conclusion should have some ramifications moving forward. But I’m guessing, since this seems like a smaller, character-driven series, that it will mostly just affect Nick Fury and his role moving forward. While the Avengers and other heroes are name dropped, it’s explained why they cannot help in this matter, and however the series concludes, it will be interesting to see if this storyline crosses over to any other future projects.

    Final Thoughts

    ‘Secret Invasion,’ in the first two episodes, sets up an intriguing spy-thriller of a series, which is brilliantly led by Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. Ben Mendelsohn and Olivia Colman give strong supporting performances in this character-driven Marvel series that will keep you guessing the whole time.

    The first two episodes of ‘Secret Invasion’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

    Marvel Studios' 'Secret Invasion.'
    Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Secret Invasion’:

    Buy MCU Movies On Amazon